Anti-entrapment system
First Claim
1. An anti-entrapment system for preventing objects 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 conductors separated by a separation distance and a compressible dielectric element interposed between the conductors, the conductors having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance;
wherein the capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a geometry of the capacitance sensor changing as a result of at least one of the conductors and the dielectric element deforming in response to a first object touching the capacitance sensor;
wherein the capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a second conductive object coming into proximity with at least one of the conductors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anti-entrapment system for preventing objects from being entrapped by a translating device includes a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to the translating device and a controller. The sensor has first and second conductors separated by a separation distance and a compressible dielectric element interposed between the conductors. The conductors have a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance. The capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a geometry of the sensor changing as a result of either conductor or the dielectric element deforming in response to a first object touching the sensor. The capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a second conductive object coming into proximity with either conductor. The controller receives a signal from the sensor indicative of the capacitance of the conductors, and controls the translating device as a function of the capacitance of the conductors to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object.
150 Citations
69 Claims
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1. An anti-entrapment system for preventing objects from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:
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a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor having first and second conductors separated by a separation distance and a compressible dielectric element interposed between the conductors, the conductors having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance;
wherein the capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a geometry of the capacitance sensor changing as a result of at least one of the conductors and the dielectric element deforming in response to a first object touching the capacitance sensor;
wherein the capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a second conductive object coming into proximity with at least one of the conductors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An anti-entrapment system for preventing objects from being entrapped by a translating device, the system comprising:
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a capacitance sensor positioned adjacent to a translating device, the capacitance sensor having first and second conductors separated by a separation distance and a compressible dielectric element interposed between the conductors, the conductors having a capacitance dependent upon the separation distance;
wherein the capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a geometry of the capacitance sensor changing as a result of at least one of the conductors and the dielectric element deforming in response to a first object touching the capacitance sensor;
wherein the capacitance of the conductors changes in response to a second conductive object coming into proximity with at least one of the conductors; and
a controller for receiving a signal from the capacitance sensor indicative of the capacitance of the conductors, wherein the controller controls the translating device as a function of the capacitance of the conductors in order to prevent the translating device from entrapping either object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification