Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Serially connected batteries or cells – Switchable to parallel connection
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-02-13
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Serially connected batteries or cells
Switchable to parallel connection
C320S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188198
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to aperture closures and in particular to control arrangements for controlling aperture closure members such as doors.
In many situations, particularly industrial premises, it is known to provide electrically driven doors to allow remote operation of the doors. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved control arrangement for aperture closure members of this general nature.
The invention provides an aperture closure member control arrangement comprising electric drive means operable to drive the closure member, battery supply means operable to power the control arrangement and comprising a plurality of rechargeable cells, and power supply means operable to supply recharging current to the cells, there being switch means associated with the battery supply means and operable to connect the cells across the power supply when the cells are being charged, and to connect the cells in series with each other and with the drive means when powering the drive means.
The term “cell” is used because the “cells” can be connected together in series to form a battery providing a higher voltage than the cells can provide individually, but it is to be realised that each cell need not itself be a single voltaic cell, but could be in the form of a battery of several voltaic cells. Thus, the term “cell” is being used to refer to a module of one or more voltaic cells.
Preferably each cell of the battery supply means comprises a first terminal of a first polarity and a second terminal of a second polarity, the terminals of the first cell being connected across the power supply means during recharging, and the or each other cell having associated switch means operable to connect the first terminal either to the first terminal of the first cell during charging, or to the second terminal of another cell to form a series connection therewith when powering the drive means, and to connect the second terminal to the power supply means during charging, the supply to the drive means being taken from the second terminal of a cell.
Preferably there are at least three cells connectable either across the power supply during charging, or all in series while supplying the drive means. The switch means is preferably operable to connect the drive means between the first terminal of the first cell and the second terminal of a selected cell, whereby the drive voltage is selectable.
The power supply means preferably comprises a power supply providing regulated charging current. The charging current is preferably provided as the collector-emitter current of an output transistor, regulation being achieved by adjustment of the base current. The collector-emitter current of the output transistor is preferably in series with a resistor, the resistor and base being shunted by a control transistor, whereby base current of the output transistor can be shunted by operation of the control transistor in dependence on the current flowing in the resistor. The base of the control transistor is preferably connected to sense the output of the power supply, whereby to shunt base current away from the output transistor, thereby turning off the transistor in the event the output is shorted.
The power supply preferably provides voltage regulated charging current. The charging current may be adjusted according to the output voltage to control the output voltage. The output voltage is preferably applied to the base of a transistor circuit which supplies base current to the output transistor. The transistor circuit preferably compares the output voltage with a reference voltage and adjusts the base current in accordance therewith.
The invention also provides an aperture closure member control arrangement comprising drive means operable to drive the closure member, and control means operable to count operations of the arrangement and to modify operation in accordance with the count.
Preferably the drive means provides fast and slow modes for closing the closure member, the control means inhibiting fast closure after a predetermined numbers of counts has been reached. Preferably closure is effected by a manual operation which is required to be more complex after a predetermined number of counts has been reached. Operation to open the closure member is preferably maintained without modification in accordance with the count.
The control means may effect a count of operations to determine when maintenance of the arrangement is required, the control means providing a manually detectable signal upon each operation after maintenance has been determined to be required.
The control means may be responsive to a reset sequence of manual operations to reverse the said modification to operation.
The invention also provides an aperture closure member control arrangement comprising drive means operable to drive the closure member by means of a rotating drive member and a drive belt, the drive means being mounted on a carriage movable to bring the drive member and belt into and out of engagement.
The carriage is preferably manually movable. The carriage may be mounted to be pulled or released to bring the drive member and belt into and out of engagement. The carriage may be provided with an elongate member by which the carriage position may be controlled. The elongate member may be a cable whose position is manually controlled by an over-centering mechanism by which the cable may be tensioned to engage the drive member and belt, and retained under tension.
The invention also provides an aperture closure member control arrangement comprising drive means operable to drive the closure member, and monitoring means operable to monitor variations in the load on the drive means, the monitoring means comprising signal generating means operable to provide first and second signals which vary in response to variations in the load, comparison means operable to compare the first and second signals, and time constant means operable to provide time constants which govern the responses of the signal generating means, the time constant means causing the second signal to be governed by a longer time constant than the first to cause the comparison result to vary in accordance with the rate of change of the load, and wherein limit means are provided to prevent the second signal passing a preset value.
Preferably the limit means provides an upper limit for the second signal. The preset value may be a voltage level defined by a tap in a potential divider. The second signal is preferably provided to the comparison means at a point connected to the potential divider tap by means of a diode, whereby the second signal is prevented from passing the voltage at the tap by more than the forward bias voltage of the diode. Preferably at least one component of the potential divider is adjustable to allow the preset value to be changed.
Preferably the arrangement monitors motor current of an electric motor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4750295 (1988-06-01), Court et al.
patent: 5637979 (1997-06-01), Tamai et al.
patent: 5698073 (1997-12-01), Vincenzi
patent: 5793300 (1998-08-01), Suman et al.
patent: 5803149 (1998-09-01), Halley et al.
Luk Lawrence
Smith-Hill and Bedell
Wong Peter S.
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