Anti-entrapment systems for preventing objects from being entrapped by translating devices

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor having first and second electrical conductors separated by a separation distance, a dielectric element interposed between the conductors, and an electrically non-conductive elastomer outer jacket encasing the conductors and the dielectric element, the capacitance sensor having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance between the conductors;
• wherein the capacitance changes in response to a first electrically conductive object coming into proximity with at least one of the conductors;
• and
• a controller for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping the object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the sensor having an electrically non-conductive elastomer outer jacket having an interior filled with air, first and second electrically conductive elastomer carriers connected to opposite sides of the outer jacket and positioned within the air interior of the outer jacket, and first and second electrically conductive wires respectively sheathed in the first and second carriers;
• wherein the carriers contact one another upon a compression force being applied to the outer jacket such that the configuration of the air interior changes and the carriers move towards and contact one another;
• a controller connected to the wires for monitoring contact between the carriers, wherein upon contact of the carriers the controller prevents the translating device from moving in a selected direction in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping an object;
• and
• an elastomer base upon which a portion of the outer jacket rests against, the elastomer base having a higher compression force compared to the compression force of the outer jacket required for changing the configuration of the air interior thereby providing an over-travel feature to prevent inertia from the translating device from causing high forces against an entrapped object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the sensor haying an electrically non-conductive elastomer outer jacket having an interior filled with an electrically conductive elastomer material, first and second electrically conductive elastomer carriers connected to opposite sides of the outer jacket and positioned within the interior of the outer jacket such that the carriers are separated from the elastomer material by respective air spaces, and first and second electrically conductive wires respectively sheathed in the first and second carriers;
• wherein the carriers electrically contact one another via the elastomer material upon a compression force being applied to the outer jacket such that the configuration of the air spaces change and the carriers move towards and contact the elastomer material;
• a controller connected to the wires for monitoring contact between the carriers and the elastomer material, wherein upon such contact the controller prevents the translating device from moving in a selected direction in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping an object;
• wherein the elastomer material continues to compress after the carriers have contacted the elastomer material thereby providing an over-travel feature to prevent inertia from the translating device from causing high forces against an entrapped object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor including an electrically conductive elastomer outer jacket having an interior filled with a dielectric medium, an electrically non-conductive elastomer carrier held at each end by the outer jacket within the interior of the outer jacket, and an electrically conductive fabric sheathed within the carrier and an electrical conductor wire encased by the outer jacket such that the conductive fabric and the conductor wire are separated from one another by a separation distance;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to the separation distance between the conductive fabric and the conductor wire changing as a result of the dielectric element compressing in response to a first object touching the outer jacket;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to a second electrically conductive object coming into proximity with at least one of the conductive fabric and the conductor wire;
• and
• a controller connected to the conductive fabric and the conductor wire for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance of the capacitance sensor in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor including an electrically non-conductive elastomer outer jacket having an interior filled with a dielectric medium, a first electrically conductive fabric attached to the exterior surface of the outer jacket and covered with flexible electrically non-conductive flocking material, and a second electrically conductive fabric encased within the outer jacket at a position opposite to the first conductive fabric such that the conductive fabrics are separated from one another by a separation distance;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to the separation distance between the conductive fabrics decreasing as a result of a first object touching the flocking material;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to a second electrically conductive object coming into proximity with the first conductive fabric;
• and
• a controller connected to the conductive fabrics for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance of the capacitance sensor in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor including an electrically non-conductive elastomer outer jacket having an interior filled with a dielectric medium, a flexible electrically non-conductive flocking material attached to the exterior surface of the outer jacket and a first electrically conductive fabric attached to the interior surface of the outer jacket, and a second electrically conductive fabric encased within the outer jacket at a position opposite to the first conductive fabric such that the conductive fabrics are separated from one another by a separation distance;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to the separation distance between the conductive fabrics changing as a result of a first object touching the flocking material;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to a second electrically conductive object coming into proximity with the first conductive fabric;
• and
• a controller connected to the conductive fabrics for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance of the capacitance sensor in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor including an electrically non-conductive elastomer outer jacket having an interior filled with a dielectric medium;
• the capacitance sensor further including a first electrically conductive fabric attached to the interior surface of the outer jacket, a second electrically conductive fabric attached to the exterior surface of the outer jacket, and an electrically non-conductive flocking material covering the second conductive fabric on the exterior surface of the outer jacket;
• the capacitance sensor further including a third electrically conductive fabric encased within the outer jacket at a position opposite to the first conductive fabric such that the first and third conductive fabrics are separated from one another by a separation distance;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to the separation distance between the first and third conductive fabrics changing as a result of a first object touching the flocking material;
• wherein capacitance of the capacitance sensor changes in response to a second electrically conductive object coming into proximity with the first conductive fabric;
• and
• a controller connected to the conductive fabrics for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance of the capacitance sensor in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• an anti-pinch capacitance sensor strip positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor strip having first and second electrical conductors separated by a separation distance and a compressible dielectric element interposed between the conductors, the capacitance sensor strip having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance between the conductors;
• wherein the capacitance changes in response to the separation distance changing as a result of the dielectric element compressing in response to a first object touching the capacitance sensor;
• wherein the capacitance changes in response to a second electrically conductive object coming into proximity with at least one of the conductors;
• and
• a controller for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor having a conductor separated from a metal frame by a separation distance, the capacitance sensor further having a non-conductive elastomer encasing the conductor and resting in a conductive elastomer, the surface of the non-conductive elastomer is exposed, the conductor having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance;
• wherein the capacitance changes in response to a conductive object coming into proximity with the conductor;
• and
• a controller for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping the object.

An anti-entrapment system for preventing an object from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:

• a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor having a conductor separated from a metal frame by a separation distance, the capacitance sensor further having a non-conductive rigid covering encasing the conductor and resting on or in near proximity to the metal frame, the conductor having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance;
• wherein the capacitance changes in response to a conductive object coming into proximity with the conductor;
• and
• a controller for controlling the translating device as a function of the capacitance in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping the object.