Sensing edge having a pressure sensitive switch for a door

A sensing edge for a door to protect persons, equipment and the door from impact damage, comprising:

• an elongate outer sheath compressible upon application of external pressure and fabricated of flexible air impervious material for attachment to a door edge;
• an elongate inner tubular member fabricated of resiliently compressible air impervious material longitudinally positioned and enclosed within said sheath, said inner tubular member having a first end and a second end, said second end being sealingly closed;
• a substantially rigid, incompressible transverse structure sealingly positioned within said tubular member and having a configuration which complements the interior cross section of said tubular member to effectively prevent deformation of said tubular member thereabout;
• and
• a pressure sensitive switch protectively located in and proximate to said transverse structure within said sheath for sensing pressure change within said inner tubular member without subjecting the switch element to direct external pressure whereby upon application of external pressure to the sheath, anywhere therealong except at the position of said transverse structure, pressure within the tubular member is increased and thereby communicated to the pressure switch for actuation thereof to effect a desired result.

A sensing edge for a door to protect persons, equipment and the door from impact damage, comprising:

• an elongate outer sheath compressible upon application of external pressure and fabricated of flexible air impervious material for attachment to a door edge;
• a first, substantially rigid, incompressible transverse structure positioned at one end of said sheath and having a configuration which complements the interior cross section of said sheath to effectively prevent deformation of said sheath thereabout;
• an elongate inner tubular member of resiliently compressible air impervious material longitudinally positioned and enclosed within said sheath, said inner tubular member having a first end and a second end, said first end being positioned proximate to said one end of said sheath, said second end being sealingly closed;
• a second substantially rigid, incompressible transverse structure sealingly positioned at said first end of said tubular member and having a configuration which complements the interior cross section of said inner member to effectively prevent deformation of said inner member thereabout;
• and
• a pressure sensitive switch having a switch element protectively located in said first transverse structure within said sheath and between said first and second transverse structures for sensing pressure change within said inner tubular member without subjecting the switch element to direct external pressure whereby upon application of external pressure to the sheath, anywhere therealong except at the position of either transverse structure, pressure within the tubular member is increased and thereby communicated to the pressure switch for actuation thereof.