HYDRAULIC CYLINDER CONTROL

• US 20130097931A1
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HI-Fold Door Corporation
• Original Assignee: HI-Fold Door Corporation
• Inventors: Keller, Richard D., Keller, Damian, Keller, Daniel, Bakalich, William, Sauer, Fred W., McDaniel, Jaron R., Schultz, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/358
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/50 using fluid-pressure actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/53 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

A system and methods for controlling operation of hydraulic cylinders includes monitoring position of the cylinders relative to one another, and correction of misalignment of the cylinders should they become misaligned. Further, monitoring can be of a swing-type door operated using the cylinders, which can operate the door at different speeds. Further, as the door creeps open from a closed position or closed from an open position, correction is also made.

Claims

1. A method for operating a single piece garage door, comprising:

operating motion of the door in a first slow zone, an acceleration zone, a full-speed zone, a deceleration zone, and a second slow zone, respectively, for movement of the door from a first position to a second position, wherein motion of the door is effected by a pair of hydraulic cylinders controlled to move the door at the first speed, a second speed, and a full speed, and to ramp the speed from the first speed to the full speed, from the full speed to the second speed, from the second speed to the full speed, and from the full speed to the first speed depending upon a direction the door is being moved.

2. A method for opening a single piece garage door, comprising:

beginning motion of the door in the first slow zone at a first speed;

increasing the speed of the door to a second speed in the acceleration zone;

decreasing the speed of the door from the second speed to a third speed in the deceleration zone; and

completing motion of the door in the second slow zone at the third speed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein increasing to a second speed further comprises ramping from the first speed to the second speed over a determined amount of opening arc.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein decreasing to a third speed further comprises ramping from the second speed to the third speed over a determined amount of opening arc.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein opening of the door is accomplished using a pair of hydraulic cylinders.

6. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

monitoring a linear extension position of each hydraulic cylinder; and

adjusting a cylinder when it is out of linear alignment with the other cylinder.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting further comprises:

lowering a cylinder speed for an out of linear alignment cylinder or increasing a cylinder speed for an out of linear alignment cylinder to bring it into alignment with the other cylinder.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting further comprises:

stopping operation of all cylinders when an alignment difference reaches a determined maximum.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting further comprises:

aligning the linear position of all cylinders of the at least two cylinders dynamically.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring is performed using a controller to determine a linear position of each cylinder, compare the linear position of each cylinder to the other cylinder, and adjust cylinder linear position based on the relative linear position of the cylinders.

11. A method of monitoring operation of a pair of hydraulic cylinders, comprising:

monitoring the pair of hydraulic cylinders for alignment therebetween; and

adjusting one of the pair of cylinders when it is out of linear alignment with the other of the pair of cylinders.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting further comprises:

lowering a cylinder speed or increasing a cylinder speed of the one of the pair of hydraulic cylinders to bring it into alignment with the other of the pair of hydraulic cylinders.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting further comprises:

stopping operation of each of the pair of hydraulic cylinders when an alignment difference between the pair of hydraulic cylinders reaches a determined maximum.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting further comprises:

aligning linear position of the pair of hydraulic cylinders dynamically.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring is performed using a controller that determines linear position of each of the pair of hydraulic cylinders, compares the linear position of each of the pair of the hydraulic cylinders to the other of the pair of hydraulic cylinders, and adjusts based on the relative linear position of the pair of hydraulic cylinders.

16. A single-piece garage door, comprising:

a main door comprising a rigid door;

a door frame mounting the door in a rotatable fashion;

a pair of hydraulic cylinders, a cylinder at each vertical edge of the main door and connected between the main door and the door frame;

a hydraulic control electrically connected to the hydraulic cylinders, the hydraulic control adapted to perform a method comprising;

operating motion of the door in a first slow zone, an acceleration zone, a full-speed zone, a deceleration zone, and a second slow zone, respectively, for movement of the door from a first position to a second position.

17. A single-piece garage door, comprising:

a main door comprising a rigid door;

a door frame mounting the door in a rotatable fashion;

a pair of hydraulic cylinders, a cylinder at each vertical edge of the main door and connected between the main door and the door frame;

a hydraulic control electrically connected to the hydraulic cylinders, the hydraulic control adapted to perform a method comprising;

monitoring the pair of hydraulic cylinders; and

adjusting a cylinder when it is out of linear alignment with the other cylinder.