Sliding door

Details Sliding door Sliding door

1991-05-10

1992-07-07

Kannan, Philip C.

Movable or removable closures

Condition responsive control

49 28, 49118, 49141, 49360, E05F 1520

Patent

active

051271907

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a sliding door with at least one panel coupled to a drive mechanism powered by a braked motor by way of an electromagnetic clutch, whereby the panel or panels is or are also connected to an auxiliary drive mechanism activated by its or their closing. As long as no current flows through the electromagnetic clutch, the panels can be opened with the auxiliary drive mechanism, and additional self-monitoring electronic controls that constitute a safety module accompany the regular controls, which are activated by an automatic switch.
A sliding door with two panels is described in German Patent Application P 3 915 241. It includes mechanisms for activating an electromagnetic clutch, for automatically monitoring whether the panels are opening safely, and for self-diagnosing the controls and components. The object of the present invention is to ensure that such doors, especially when they are installed in public buildings, will operate reliably and will in particular open in an emergency or when the door-activating system fails. Furthermore, the door is to be monitored to ensure that it is opening in response to an opening pulse emitted by a motion sensor, and the controls must ensure a self-activated operational test on the part of the auxiliary drive mechanism. In addition, both the monitoring of the door to ensure that it is opening in response to an opening pulse emitted by the motion sensor and the controls' ensurance of a self-activated operational test on the part of the auxiliary drive mechanism must be inherently reliable. An alarm must be emitted when the door encounters an obstacle and, once the obstacle has been removed, a operational test must be executed automatically. In the event of a power failure and when the doorway is employed as a route of escape or rescue, opening by means of the auxiliary drive mechanism must be ensured, and here again the door must automatically undergo self-testing once power is restored.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is attained in accordance with the invention by a door-safety module with various programs and instructions. Associated with the door-safety module for this purpose are at least one motion sensor and at least one limit switch. The door-safety module is interposed in a practical way between an opening-motion sensor, the programming switch, and a limit switch on the one hand and the regular controls, the electromagnetic clutch, and signaling devices on the other.
The door-safety module has in a practical way a coupling stage that is connected to the opening-motion sensor and to a START processor, directly and by way of two logic channels, each equipped with a timer. Both the programming switch and the limit switch are electrically connected to the START processor by way of the logic channels and to the electromagnetic clutch and signaling devices by way of a multistage FAIL-SAVE comparator and downstream relays. The logic channels and FAIL-SAVE comparator are connected to a generator that times the whole system.
Such a door-safety module makes it possible to monitor the opening of the sliding door in an escape-and-rescue doorway for example in response to an OPEN signal from the opening-motion sensor in that the signal starts a timer. The START processor then forwards the signal to the door's regular controls. At least one opening panel of a two-panel door must have passed its associated limit switch before the timer's prescribed time has elapsed. If the prescribed time elapses before the panel passes the limit switch, the electromagnetic clutch will disengage and the auxiliary drive mechanism will be activated, forcing the panel into its open position.
The programming will now signal the auxiliary drive mechanism to attempt to open the door. If the door does open, the panel will remain in its open position and can only be closed by activating it again.
If it is impossible to open the door automatically, the program will reengage the drive mechanism, which will attempt to open the door again within t

REFERENCES:
patent: 4375019 (1983-02-01), Yoshida
patent: 4697383 (1987-10-01), Hagiwara
patent: 4738052 (1988-04-01), Yoshida
patent: 4937556 (1990-06-01), Scott et al.
patent: 5012455 (1991-04-01), Schwarz et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Sliding door does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Sliding door, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sliding door will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1822287