Electronic safety control system
First Claim
1. An electronic safety control system comprising first and second elongate, flexible electrically-conductive sensing elements and electronic control means responsive to changes in capacitance, where when a change in capacitance arising from the proximity of an object to said first element differs substantially from a change in capacitance arising from the proximity of said object to said second element, an output signal is emitted for controlling a powered device, characterized in that the electronic control means is arranged to control the powered device and to arrest an advancing movement of a closure member operated by the powered device, in response to a differential change in detected capacitance between the first and second elements, wherein each sensing element comprises a pair of parallel, spaced-apart wires, incorporated into an elongate flexible strip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic safety control system comprising first and second elongate, flexible electrically-conductive sensing elements (18, 20) and electronic control means. The electronic control means are responsive, when a change in capacitance arising from the proximity of an object to said first element (18, 20) differs substantially from a change in capacitance arising from the proximity of said object to said second element, to provide an output signal for controlling a powered device (14). Thus, where the powered device (14) is used to displace a part (10) of a mechanism (8) towards another (12), the sensing elements (18, 20) may be fitted to one or other or both of the approaching surfaces of the two parts (10, 12) to prevent an object from becoming trapped therebetween.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. An electronic safety control system comprising first and second elongate, flexible electrically-conductive sensing elements and electronic control means responsive to changes in capacitance, where when a change in capacitance arising from the proximity of an object to said first element differs substantially from a change in capacitance arising from the proximity of said object to said second element, an output signal is emitted for controlling a powered device, characterized in that the electronic control means is arranged to control the powered device and to arrest an advancing movement of a closure member operated by the powered device, in response to a differential change in detected capacitance between the first and second elements, wherein each sensing element comprises a pair of parallel, spaced-apart wires, incorporated into an elongate flexible strip.
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2-11. -11. (canceled)
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13-14. -14. (canceled)
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25. A closure arrangement comprising at least one displaceable closure member, a powered device for operating the closure member, and an electronic safety control system, the electronic safety system comprising first and second elongate, electrically-conductive sensing elements extending substantially equal distances along at least part of the leading surface of the closure member or of a surface opposed to said leading surface with the electronic control means being arranged, to provide an output signal for controlling the powered device to arrest advancing movement of the closure member in response to a differential change in detected capacitance between the first and second elements, wherein each sensing element comprises a pair of parallel, spaced-apart wires, incorporated into an elongate flexible strip.
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27. (canceled)
Specification