Gate roller with tapered side walls and related methods

Abstract

A roller facilitates movement of a gate or similar barrier between a first and second position. The barrier fits at least generally within a channel formed at the periphery of the roller, and the channel is shaped to reduce the contact area and resulting friction that can otherwise occur between the confronting surfaces of the channel and the barrier.

Claims

1. An access control barrier assembly including: a generally planar barrier element movable between a first position and a second position, said barrier element having one or both of an upper lateral edge member and a lower lateral edge member that has a rectangular cross-section; a plurality of unitary rollers spaced from each other and each having an axis of rotation and a guiding channel formed at the perimeter of said rollers, said guiding channels configured and positioned to guide and facilitate movement of said barrier element; said channels each having a center portion and at least one tapered side portion when viewed in cross-section, said at least one side portion extending generally radially outwardly from said axis of rotation in a path other than orthogonal to said axis of rotation.

2. A gate assembly, comprising: a barrier element configured to be moved between a first position blocking passage and a second position permitting passage, said barrier having a planar exterior edge with two perpendicular sidewalls extending therefrom; a plurality of rollers spaced from each other and supporting said barrier element and facilitating movement of said barrier element between said first position and said second position, each roller configured to rotate in coordination with lateral movement of an associated gate; a channel formed at a periphery of said roller, said channel having a substantially horizontal center portion when viewed in cross-section, a flat surface of the gate being supported on said substantially horizontal center portion of the channel, said center portion incorporating a sidewall of said roller formed at a non-vertical angle, wherein a radially outer horizontal dimension of the channel is wider than an innermost portion of said channel.

3. The gate assembly of claim 2, wherein each roller is fabricated as a unitary body.

4. A gate assembly, comprising: a barrier element configured to be moved between a first position blocking passage and a second position permitting passage; a plurality of rollers spaced from each other and supporting said barrier element and facilitating movement of said barrier element between said first position and said second position, each roller having a unitary body configured to rotate in coordination with lateral movement of an associated gate, a channel formed at a periphery of said unitary body, said channel having a substantially horizontal center portion when viewed in cross-section, a flat surface of the gate being supported on said substantially horizontal center portion of the channel, said center portion incorporating a sidewall of said roller formed at a non-vertical angle, wherein a radially outer horizontal dimension of the channel is wider than an innermost portion of said channel.

5. An access control barrier assembly including: a generally planar barrier element movable between a first position and a second position; a plurality of unitary rollers spaced from each other and each having an axis of rotation and a guiding channel formed at a perimeter of said rollers, said guiding channels configured and positioned to guide and facilitate movement of said barrier element; said channel having a center portion and at least one tapered side portion when viewed in cross-section, said at least one side portion extending generally radially outwardly from said axis of rotation in a path other than orthogonal to said axis of rotation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a picket style cantilever sliding gate incorporating an embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a gate incorporating square or rectangular upper and lower members showing the claimed roller of the roller assembly with a pocket or channel formed in the roller, and illustrating the flat surface of the gate being supported on the flat surface of the roller pocket with the sidewall of said roller formed at an angle at least slightly off of vertical, making the radially outer horizontal dimension of the roller pocket/channel wider than the innermost portion of the roller pocket.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view of a chain link style cantilever sliding gate (chain link indicated as cropped elements 50 and 52) incorporating the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a cropped perspective view of the roller showing how the roller cooperates with a rectangular gate member.

(5) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a prior art roller assembly, illustrating how the roller channel can be shaped to cooperates with a round gate frame member.

(6) FIG. 6 is a sectional view of another prior art roller assembly, illustrating how the roller is shaped and is cooperating with a rectangular gate frame member (the frame member is the square near the bottom left of the drawing, on which the roller is resting).

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a gate incorporating square or rectangular upper and lower members showing an alternative embodiment of a roller of the roller assembly having a reduced contact surface shape.

(8) FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, showing yet another embodiment of a roller of the roller assembly of the present invention.

(9) FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show additional alternative embodiments of a roller of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with references to the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner, simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, various embodiments of the invention (whether or not specifically described herein) may include novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the invention herein described.

(11) Although the examples of the many various methods of the invention are described herein with steps occurring in a certain order, the specific order of the steps, or any continuation or interruption between steps, is not necessarily intended to be required for any given method of practicing the invention.

(12) As illustrated in the drawings, the invention preferably substantially reduces or even eliminates contact between the confronting sidewalls of the roller channel and the gate frame. Among other benefits, this substantially reduces the friction and corresponding wear on those surfaces, as well as the noise that can be generated by that rubbing. It also can reduce the energy and maintenance requirements for automated gate systems in which the invention is used, and can reduce the related maintenance requirements for the gate itself.

(13) The channel of the invention preferably has tapered sides 16 and 18 (rather than substantially vertical sides as shown in the prior art of FIG. 6), but can be in any shape suitable for reducing the contact area that can otherwise occur if the confronting surfaces are both substantially vertical. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the degree of taper can vary depending on the application and other factors. Although the drawings show a relatively small amount of taper (indicated by angle 32 in FIGS. 2 and 4), a greater or perhaps even lesser amount of tapering may be useful in certain applications.

(14) FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate just two more of the many alternative “reduced contact” surface shapes that can be used to practice the invention. In FIG. 7, portion 62 provides a slight concave surface as the tapered area 16 approaches its radially outermost point. In FIG. 8, portion 64 provides a slight convex surface as the tapered area 16 approaches its radially outermost point. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one side could have a shape or contour that was different than the other side of the roller, and still provide many of the benefits of the invention.

(15) FIGS. 9, 10 & 11 are cross sectional views of a gate incorporating square or rectangular upper and lower members showing the roller of the roller assembly with a pocket or channel formed in the roller, and illustrating the flat surface of the gate being supported on a substantially horizontal surface of the roller pocket, said surface incorporating relief recesses with the sidewall of said roller formed at an angle at least slightly off of vertical, making the radially outer horizontal dimension of the roller pocket/channel wider than the innermost portion of the roller pocket.

(16) In FIG. 1, a gate assembly 10 preferably includes at least one roller 12 mounted on an axle 30, which is turn is mounted on a support apparatus 40 such as a pole 42. Mounting bracket 44 is affixed to the pole 42 via bolts 46 and 48, and holds axle 30 at a desired vertical position for receiving the barrier 20 in the roller's channel 14/16/18. The barrier can be any of a wide range of apparatus, including ones having generally horizontal elements 24 and generally vertical elements 24 forming a generally rectangular assembly 20. As indicated above, other materials (such as chain link indicated as cropped elements 50 and 52 in FIG. 3) can be used in place of or in addition to vertical elements 22.

(17) The materials and dimensions for manufacturing and practicing the invention can be selected from a wide variety, depending on a number of factors (such as economics, environment in which the gate will be deployed, size of the gate, etc.). Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the specific configurations and assemblies in which the invention is provided can likewise be any of a broad range.