IP Library Granted Patent US 10,844,646
Granted Patent B2
US 10,844,646 · App. 16/281,415 · Granted Nov 24, 2020

Light grid with distance information to distinguish between a normal case and a safety case between a door edge and an object

Inventor: Loris Zanolari (Igis, CH)
Assignee: CEDES AG
E05F15/43E06B9/68E06B9/88F16P3/144G01V8/20E05F2015/436E05Y2400/44E05Y2800/21E05Y2800/242E05Y2900/106E05Y2900/11E06B2009/6827E06B2009/6836
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,844,646
App. No.
16/281,415
Granted
Nov 24, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Light grid for protecting the door edge of a motor-driven door against collision with an object, having a transmitter strip and a receiver strip with transmitter elements and receiver elements, for detecting an object in the plane of the door panels by interruption of the reception of individual receiver elements. An evaluation device distinguishes between normal and safety cases based on the detection of a status for the door, identifies the safety case if the number of uninterrupted receiving elements between door edge and object falls below a critical number, and identifies the normal case if the safety case is not identified. A communication device outputs a signal for the status. The evaluation device determines a distance value corresponding to the number of uninterrupted receiver elements below the door edge up to the first interrupted element, and the communication device varies the frequency as a function of the distance value.

Claims (14)

1. A light grid for protecting a door edge of a door panel of a motor-driven door against collision with an object, comprising:

(i) a transmitter strip and a receiver strip with transmitter elements and receiver elements for detecting an object in the plane of the door panel by interruption of the reception of individual receiver elements,

(ii) an evaluation device which distinguishes between a normal case and a safety case based on the detection of a status for the door, and identifies the safety case if the number of uninterrupted receiving elements between door edge and object falls below a critical number, and identifies the normal case if the safety case is not identified, and

(iii) a communication device that outputs a signal for the status, which in the safety case is a LOW signal or a non-frequency-modulated signal or a GND signal and in the normal case is a signal modulated with a frequency,

wherein the evaluation device determines a distance value which corresponds to the number of non-interrupted receiver elements below the door edge up to the first interrupted element, and wherein the communication device varies the frequency as a function of the distance value.

2. The light grid according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device transmits the distance value with the same signal as for the status of the normal case.

3. The light grid according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device varies the frequency proportionally as a function of the distance interval.

4. The light grid according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device varies the frequency in stages as a function of the distance value.

5. The light grid according to claim 4 , wherein the communication device varies the frequency as a function of the distance value in 2 or 3 stages.

6. The light grid according to claim 3 , wherein the communication device varies the frequency as a function of the distance value in at least 2 stages, at least one stage of which corresponds to starting up or decelerating the door panel.

7. The light grid according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device increases the frequency with decreasing distance value.

8. A door having a door panel with a door edge having a light grid according to claim 1 and having a control device for controlling and protecting the drive of the door, in order to initiate the stoppage or reversal of a closing door panel in a safety case, which is designed to accept from the light grid a signal for the status of the door as a normal case or a safety case and which interprets a signal modulated with a frequency as a normal case and which accordingly interprets a LOW signal or a non-frequency-modulated signal or the GND signal as a safety case and which interprets a change in the frequency as a distance value.

9. A door according to claim 8 , wherein the control device varies the speed of the door panel as a function of the distance value.

10. A use of a light grid according to claim 1 , for a door with a control device for controlling the drive of the door which is designed to accept a signal from the light grid indicating the status of the door wherein the signal for the normal case is modulated with a frequency and for the safety case is either the LOW signal or a non-frequency-modulated signal or the GND signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: ZANOLARI, LORIS
To: CEDES AG
Reel/Frame 049062/0400 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 18158982 · Feb 27, 2018 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190264487A1 · Aug 29, 2019