ARTICULATED-ARM DRIVE

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an articulated-arm drive, in particular for a swing gate, with a drive unit comprising an output shaft and an articulated arm, wherein the articulated arm comprises a first and a second articulated-arm member, which are rotatably connected to each other by means of a first rotary joint, wherein the first articulated-arm member is connected or connectable to a stationary first pivot point at the end facing away from the first rotary joint, and wherein the second articulated-arm member is rotatably connectable to a gate at the end facing away from the first rotary joint. In accordance with the disclosure, the end of the first articulated-arm member facing away from the first rotary joint is not connected to the output shaft and the output shaft is connected to one of the articulated-arm members via a coupling arm.

Claims

1. An articulated-arm drive with a drive unit comprising an output shaft and an articulated arm, wherein the articulated arm comprises a first and a second articulated-arm member, which are rotatably connected to each other by means of a first rotary joint, wherein the first articulated-arm member is connected or connectable to a stationary pivot point at an end facing away from the first rotary joint and wherein the second articulated-arm member is rotatably connectable to a gate at the end facing away from the first rotary joint, wherein the end of the first articulated-arm member facing away from the first rotary joint is not connected to the output shaft and that the output shaft is connected to one of the articulated-arm members via a coupling arm.

2. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 1, wherein the coupling arm is rotatably connected to the first articulated-arm member.

3. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 1, wherein the coupling arm comprises a first and a second coupling-arm member, which are rotatably connected to each other by means of a second rotary joint, wherein at an end facing away from the second rotary joint the first coupling-arm member is connected, and wherein at the end facing away from the second rotary joint the second coupling-arm member is rotatably connected to an articulated-arm member at a second pivot point.

4. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 3, wherein the first and second coupling-arm members are shorter than the first articulated-arm member.

5. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 3, wherein the articulated-arm drive has an open position in which a gate connected to the second articulated-arm member is completely open, and a closed position in which a gate connected to the second articulated-arm member is completely closed, wherein the coupling arm and the articulated arm are configured and connected to each other such that in the open position the coupling-arm members take on an acute angle and in the closed position an obtuse angle to each other at the second rotary joint.

6. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 3, wherein the first and second coupling-arm members never take a dead-center position.

7. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 1, wherein the articulated-arm drive has an open position in which a gate connected to the second articulated-arm member is completely open, and a closed position in which a gate connected to the second articulated-arm member is completely closed, wherein the coupling arm and the articulated arm are configured and connected to each other such that in the open position the articulated-arm members take on an acute angle and in the closed position an obtuse angle to each other at the first rotary joint.

8. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 1, wherein the first and second articulated-arm members never take a dead-center position.

9. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 1, wherein the first articulated-arm member and/or the second articulated-arm member is adjustable in its length.

10. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises a drive housing, wherein the stationary pivot point is arranged on or in the drive housing.

11. The articulated arm-drive according to claim 3, wherein the first coupling-arm member is non-rotatably connected to the output shaft.

12. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 4, wherein the first and second coupling-arm members are shorter than the first and second articulated-arm members.

13. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 5, wherein the first and second coupling-arm members never take a dead-center position.

14. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 2, wherein the coupling arm comprises a first and a second coupling-arm member, which are rotatably connected to each other by means of a second rotary joint, wherein at an end facing away from the second rotary joint the first coupling-arm member is connected, and wherein at the end facing away from the second rotary joint the second coupling-arm member is rotatably connected to an articulated-arm member at a second pivot point.

15. The articulated-arm drive according to claim 14, wherein the first coupling-arm member is non-rotatably connected to the output shaft.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Further features, details and advantages of the disclosure can be taken from the exemplary embodiment explained with reference to the Figures, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1: shows a top view of an articulated-arm drive according to the prior art with a two-part articulated arm;

[0030] FIG. 2: shows a top view of another articulated-arm drive according to the prior art with a two-part articulated arm;

[0031] FIG. 3: shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the articulated-arm drive according to the disclosure when the gate is completely closed; and

[0032] FIG. 4: shows a top view of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 when the gate is completely open.

[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 show articulated-arm drives known from the prior art and have already been described in the introduction. A repetitive description therefore is omitted at this point.

[0034] FIGS. 3 and 4 show an exemplary embodiment of the articulated-arm drive 10 according to the disclosure in the two end positions of the gate 2 actuatable by the same, namely in the closed position in which the gate 2 is completely closed (FIG. 3) and in the open position in which the gate 2 is completely open (FIG. 4). In this exemplary embodiment, the gate 2 can be rotated by 90 or opened by the articulated-arm drive 10. The swing gate 2 movable by means of the articulated-arm drive 10 therefor is rotatably mounted on a stationary gate pivot point 3.

[0035] The articulated-arm drive 10 according to the disclosure comprises an articulated arm 30 which includes a first articulated-arm member 32 and a second articulated-arm member 34, which at their ends are rotatably connected to each other by means of a first rotary joint 36. The second articulated-arm member 34 is designed shorter than the first articulated-arm member 32. The other end of the second articulated-arm member 34 facing away from the first rotary joint 36 is articulated to the gate 2 via a gate-side fitting 39.

[0036] In contrast to drives known from the prior art, the other end of the first articulated-arm member 32 facing away from the first rotary joint 36 now is not connected to a drive unit, but is articulated to a stationary rack 1 via a stationary rack-side fitting 38. The rack 1 for example can be a gate post or a wall. The rack 1, the two articulated-arm members 32, 34 and the gate 2 form a four-bar linkage, wherein the first articulated-arm member 32 acts as rocker and the second articulated-arm member 34 as coupler.

[0037] The first articulated-arm member 32 of the articulated arm 30 is driven via a coupling arm 40 which is designed as a double stop. The coupling arm 40 includes a first coupling-arm member 42 and a second coupling-arm member 44, which at their ends are rotatably connected to each other by means of second rotary joint 46. The first coupling-arm member 42 acts as a crank and is connected to the output shaft 14 of a drive unit 12 of the articulated-arm drive 10 with the end that faces away from the second rotary joint 46. The second coupling-arm member 44 on the other hand acts as a coupler and with its end facing away from the second rotary joint 46 is articulated to the first articulated-arm member 32 via a pivot point 37. The pivot point 37 is located closer to the rack-side end of the first articulated-arm member 32 than to the first rotary joint 36. The coupling-arm members 42, 44 are shorter than the articulated-arm members 32, 34.

[0038] On actuation of the drive unit 12, the crank rotates along with the rotating output shaft 14, whereby the first articulated-arm member 32 is pivoted around the stationary pivot point 16. The gate 2 thereby is pivoted around the stationary gate pivot point 3.

[0039] In the closed position of the articulated-arm drive 10 (FIG. 3) the gate is completely closed. Both the articulated-arm members 32, 34 and the coupling-arm members 42, 44 are almost completely extended and include an angle of almost 180 to each other at the respective rotary joint 36, 46. However, the respective dead-center positions are not reached, in which the articulated-arm members 32, 34 and the coupling-arm members 42, 44 each would be aligned completely parallel and would take on an angle of 180.

[0040] In the open position of the articulated-arm drive 10 (FIG. 4) the gate is completely open and the articulated-arm members 32, 34 include an acute angle to each other at the first rotary joint 36. The coupling-arm members 42, 44 are folded in almost completely parallel and at the second rotary joint 46 include a small acute angle to each other. Here as well, the respective dead-center positions are not reached entirely, in which the articulated-arm members 32, 34 and the coupling-arm members 42, 44 each would be aligned completely parallel and would take on an angle of 0.

[0041] By deliberately avoiding that the dead-center positions of the articulated-arm members 32, 34 and of the coupling-arm members 42, 44 are reached in the respective end positions (open position and closed position), a good force cut-off and a high stability are ensured.

[0042] Due to the inventive configuration of the articulated-arm drive 10, the gate movement is slowed down towards both end positions, as the coupling-arm members 42, 44 approach their corresponding dead-center positions (but do not reach the same completely, as explained already). This protects the mechanism of the articulated-arm drive 10 (drive, joints, gate, etc.).

[0043] In addition, the drive by means of the coupling arm 40 as a whole acts like a speed-reducing ratio with a gear ratio i of about i=2. This means that the rotary movement of the first coupling-arm member 42 substantially is twice as fast as the rotary movement of the first articulated-arm member 32. A rotary movement of the output shaft 14 or of the first coupling-arm member 42 by about 180 thereby leads to a gate opening of about 90, whereby also relatively broad and heavy gates can safely and stably be moved.

[0044] Due to the arrangement according to the disclosure, the transmission members 32, 34, 42, 44 of the articulated-arm drive 10 move more closely to the door 2 as compared to the remaining articulated-arm drives and therefore protrude less far into the free space. This applies in particular when the gate 2 is open (open position), whereby the articulated-arm drive 10 according to the disclosure is excellently suited for confined installation situations.

[0045] In addition, the articulated arm 30 always is stably held by the coupling arm 40, in particular in the end positions. As the coupling arm 40 always has a certain angle to the driven first articulated-arm member 32, good and stable force conditions exist at any time, in particular in the end positions.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 1 rack [0047] 2 gate [0048] 3 gate pivot point [0049] 10 articulated-arm drive [0050] 12 drive unit [0051] 14 output shaft [0052] 16 stationary pivot point [0053] 30 articulated arm [0054] 32 first articulated-arm member (rocker) [0055] 34 second articulated-arm member (coupler) [0056] 36 first rotary joint [0057] 37 pivot point crank/rocker [0058] 38 rack-side fitting [0059] 39 gate-side fitting [0060] 40 coupling arm [0061] 42 first coupling-arm member (crank) [0062] 44 second coupling-arm member (coupler) [0063] 46 second rotary joint