US RE30,719 E · Doorway safety device

Abstract

A safety system for automatically operated sliding panel doors, specifically elevator doors, having acoustic wave transmitters and receivers arranged in a row along the moving door's leading edge. Short bursts of acoustic energy are projected both in front of the door and to one or both sides so as to "sweep" a three-dimensional space, in and near the door's path, representing a zone of potential danger to persons or objects therein. Reflected energy from persons or objects in the danger zone is usable if it is received, following each transmitted burst, during a prescribed time interval representing combinations of the doorway opening distance and other selected parameters, and usable reflections are converted to a control signal to stop and re-open the doors before they strike the endangered person or object.

Claims41

Dependent claims

In an elevator system, a structure including a hoistway having one or more landings, a hoistway door for each landing, an elevator car arranged for movement in said hoistway from one to another of said landings, said car having a door movable from an open position to a closed position against a strikepost, means for opening and closing said car door, mechanical means for coupling said hoistway door to said car door so that both doors move concurrently from an open position to a closed position or vice versa, the improvement which comprises electrical means for sensing and being responsive to objects in a predetermined zone at any position of the car door, whereby upon detecting an object in said zone said opening and closing means is energized to prevent further closure of said car door, said sensing means including transmitting and receiving means for locating a leading edge of the car door relative to the strike post, and second transmitting and receiving means positioned at a predetermined angle on the leading edge of the car door in cooperation with said locating means for detecting objects at an angle with respect to an outside surface of the car door during movement of the car door.

In an elevator system according to claim [3] 1 , including means for providing each of said transmitting means with acoustic wave energy, and means for each of said receiving means for receiving reflection of said transmitted acoustic energy.

[9. In an elevator system according to claim 7, including means for establishing said time gap between bursts provided by said first transmitting means.]

0. In an elevator system according to claim [9,] 7, including means for establishing as a timing signal said time gap between bursts provided to said first transmitting means;
and including means for rendering said second transmitting and receiving means effective upon detection of an object in its path in preventing closure of said car door when signal received from said preceding object occurs before expiration
of said time gap and said timing signal. 11. In an elevator system according to claim 10, including means for varying said predetermined zone
for operation of said second transmitting and receiving means. 12. In an elevator system accordng to claim [9,] 7, including means for establishing as a timing signal said time gap between bursts provided to said first transmitting means;
and including means for rendering said third transmitting and receiving means effective upon detection of an object in its path in preventing closure of said car door when signal from said preceding object occurs before expiration of said time gap of said
timing signal. 13. In an elevator system according to claim 12, including means for varying said predetermined zone for operation of said third
transmitting and receiving means. 14. The method of detecting presence of an object positioned in the path of an elevator door which comprises the steps of transmitting short bursts of acoustic wave energy from a leading edge of a moving car door towards a strike post and receiving reflections of said acoustic energy from said strike post or said object in said door path, the first step of which consists in transmitting and receiving said acoustic energy in a straight path as a timing signal, that is, the time taken for passage of the energy from the car door to the strike post and then back to the car door, the second step of which consists in transmitting and receiving said acoustic energy in a straight path for detection of an object in its path, and the third step of which consists in transmitting and receiving said acoustic energy at an angle with respect to line of movement of the car door for detection of an object in its angular path, whereby should the reflected acoustic energy of either the second step or third step be received prior to the duration of the timing signal of the first step, as indicative of detection of an object, the moving car door will be stopped and returned to its fully open position in accordance with accepted elevator practice.

4 more elements

In an elevator system, a structure including a hoistway having one or more landings, a hoistway door for each landing, an elevator car arranged for movement in said hoistway from one to another of said landings, said car having a door movable from an open position to a closed position against a strike post, means for opening and closing said car door, mechanical means for coupling said hoistway door to said car door so that both doors move concurrently from an open position to a closed position or vice versa, the improvement which comprises electrical means for sensing and being responsive to objects in a predetermined zone at any position of the car door, whereby upon detecting an object in said zone said opening and closing means is energized to prevent further closure of said car door, said sensing means comprising locating means for locating a leading edge of the door relative to the strike post;

and first transmitting and receiving means positioned at a predetermined angle in the leading edge of the car door in cooperation with said locating means for detecting objects in said predetermined zone.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Abstract

Claims41

Dependent claims

[9. In an elevator system according to claim 7, including means for establishing said time gap between bursts provided by said first transmitting means.]

0. In an elevator system according to claim [9,] 7, including means for establishing as a timing signal said time gap between bursts provided to said first transmitting means;
and including means for rendering said second transmitting and receiving means effective upon detection of an object in its path in preventing closure of said car door when signal received from said preceding object occurs before expiration
of said time gap and said timing signal. 11. In an elevator system according to claim 10, including means for varying said predetermined zone
for operation of said second transmitting and receiving means. 12. In an elevator system accordng to claim [9,] 7, including means for establishing as a timing signal said time gap between bursts provided to said first transmitting means;
and including means for rendering said third transmitting and receiving means effective upon detection of an object in its path in preventing closure of said car door when signal from said preceding object occurs before expiration of said time gap of said
timing signal. 13. In an elevator system according to claim 12, including means for varying said predetermined zone for operation of said third
transmitting and receiving means. 14. The method of detecting presence of an object positioned in the path of an elevator door which comprises the steps of transmitting short bursts of acoustic wave energy from a leading edge of a moving car door towards a strike post and receiving reflections of said acoustic energy from said strike post or said object in said door path, the first step of which consists in transmitting and receiving said acoustic energy in a straight path as a timing signal, that is, the time taken for passage of the energy from the car door to the strike post and then back to the car door, the second step of which consists in transmitting and receiving said acoustic energy in a straight path for detection of an object in its path, and the third step of which consists in transmitting and receiving said acoustic energy at an angle with respect to line of movement of the car door for detection of an object in its angular path, whereby should the reflected acoustic energy of either the second step or third step be received prior to the duration of the timing signal of the first step, as indicative of detection of an object, the moving car door will be stopped and returned to its fully open position in accordance with accepted elevator practice.

4 more elements

In an elevator system, a structure including a hoistway having one or more landings, a hoistway door for each landing, an elevator car arranged for movement in said hoistway from one to another of said landings, said car having a door movable from an open position to a closed position against a strike post, means for opening and closing said car door, mechanical means for coupling said hoistway door to said car door so that both doors move concurrently from an open position to a closed position or vice versa, the improvement which comprises electrical means for sensing and being responsive to objects in a predetermined zone at any position of the car door, whereby upon detecting an object in said zone said opening and closing means is energized to prevent further closure of said car door, said sensing means comprising locating means for locating a leading edge of the door relative to the strike post;

and first transmitting and receiving means positioned at a predetermined angle in the leading edge of the car door in cooperation with said locating means for detecting objects in said predetermined zone.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Doorway safety device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims41

Doorway safety device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims41