Electro-pneumatic door control apparatus

• US 4,478,131 A
• Filed: 08/24/1981
• Issued: 10/23/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wabco Westinghouse Fahrzeugbremsen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Wabco Westinghouse Fahrzeugbremsen GmbH
• Inventors: Meyer, Dietmar, Hesse, Karl-Heinz, Gudat, Wolfgang, Liermann, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Garrett, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradley, IV, Abram McConnell
• Application Number:
  US06/295,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 91/433, 91/356, 91/318, 91/448, 91/459, 91/451, 91/453, 91/392, 91/400, 49/26, 49/28, 49/27, 49/31, 49/199, 137/596.17, 180/271, 105/341, 105/343
• US Class Current: 91/356
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/49 specially adapted for mechanisms operated by fluid pressure, e.g. detection by monitoring transmitted fluid pressure E05F15/47 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/50 using fluid-pressure actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/506 for buses
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

An electro-pneumatic door control apparatus for use on public vehicles and including reversing mechanism for changing the direction of door movement, either automatically or operator-initiated, in the event of an obstruction in the door. The control apparatus further includes a flip-flop for recording the position (either open or closed) of the door at all times, a monitoring logic device for recognizing the position of the flip-flop and what type of monitoring function is permitted, a control logic device for picking up the door command and the signal from the monitoring logic device combing them and transmitting them to a valve solenoid control device for energizing respective solenoids of several valve devices by which the appropriate movement of the doors is effected.

Claims

1. An electro-pneumatic door control apparatus for use on public vehicles for effecting reversal of door movement in the event of an obstruction in the path of movement of the door, said door control apparatus comprising:

(a) fluid pressure operable cylinder means operatively connected to a vehicle door for alternatively effecting opening and closing movements thereof, said cylinder means further comprising a pair of door-operating cylinders, each containing a pair of opposing chambers and a piston;

(b) solenoid-operated door valve means for reversing the fluid pressure supplied to said cylinder means;

(c) solenoid-operated supply valve means for alternatively effecting supply and release of fluid pressure to said door valve in response to respective first electrical signal or second electrical signal;

(d) electronic means connected to said solenoid-operated supply valve means for transmitting such first electrical signal to said solenoid-operated supply valve means for effecting operation thereof to supply fluid pressure to said solenoid-operated door means in response to an operator input, and for transmitting such second electrical signal to said solenoid-operated supply valve in response to sensing a door obstruction during a door-opening operation, said electronic means further having a signal decoder, a door position flip-flop device connected with said signal decoder for storing the respective door position, a monitoring logic device connected to said signal decoder and said door position flip-flop device, a control logic device connected to said signal decoder and said door position flip-flop and said monitoring logic device, and a valve solenoid control device connected to said control logic device with output end stages for transmitting electrical energy to said solenoid-operated door valve to properly connect the direction of fluid pressure to effect door opening or closing, and said electronic means having an inlet connected to the push button and two inlets connected to the reversing switches;

(e) a manually operable electric push button for manually effecting energization of said door valve;

(f) a manually operable emergency valve device to provide manual venting of said cylinders;

(g) a pair of reversing switches for evaluating the differential pressure in the cylinder chambers, thereby sensing obstructions on opening and closing;

(h) a pair of limit switches for determining respective end positions of door closed and open positions; and

(i) said electronic means having suppressing means for suppressing a reversing signal transmitted to inlets of said electronic means connected to reversing switches by a control logic device when an operator-initiated door command exists at such inlet connected to said electric push button.