Control system and method for roll-up door

• US 6,082,433 A
• Filed: 11/21/1997
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Smith, James A., Davis, John J., Vafaie, Foad
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M.
• Application Number:
  US08/976,071
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 160/310, 160/188, 160/1, 160/7, 160/8, 160/293.1, 160/291, 49/26
• US Class Current: 160/310
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive

Abstract

A flexible curtain rollup door is driven between open and closed positions by an adjustable frequency AC electric drive motor including a controller which is operable to accelerate and decelerate the motor by supplying AC electrical power at variable frequencies over a predetermined time period and for operating the motor at selected speeds during a continuous run phase of operation. A programmable logic controller (PLC) is operably connected to the controller for the drive motor and is operable to receive signals from upper and lower door position sensors, door bottom edge bar breakout sensors, a door bottom edge bar contact sensor, area sensors on one or both sides of the door for detecting the presence of an object within certain areas adjacent the door opening and manually operable switches to control opening and closing movements of the door. A position sensor is connected to the motor and generates signals correlated with motor and curtain roll drum revolutions to provide backup door position signals. An operating setup procedure includes teaching the PLC signals corresponding to the open and closed positions of the door to provide backup motor shutoff signals in the event that the door position or bottom bar breakout sensors fail to effect shutoff of the drive motor.

Claims

1. In a rollup type door for forming a closure over a door opening, a flexible closure member supported on a rotatable drum member and operable to be rolled onto and off of said drum member for movement between door open and door closed positions, respectively, opposed guide means for said closure member and a closure member bottom bar connected to said closure member and operable to be releasably connected to said guide means for guiding said closure member for movement between door open and closed positions;

a variable frequency AC electric motor drivably connected to said drum member for rolling said closure member onto and off of said drum member for movement between door open and door closed positions;

a first controller operably connected to said motor and adapted to supply said motor with variable frequency AC electric power, said first controller being adapted to supply said motor with AC electric power at a selected range of variable frequencies during a starting phase of said motor and during a stopping phase of said motor to accelerate said closure member and decelerate said closure member when moving between open and closed positions, respectively;

a door open position sensor and a door closed position sensor;

a second controller operably connected to said first controller for transmitting door opening and closing command signals to said first controller, said second controller being operable to receive signals to effect starting of said motor in a selected direction of rotation to open and close said door from a source comprising one of a manually operated switch for effecting opening of said closure member and a manually operated switch for effecting closing of said closure member, said second controller being operable to cause said first controller to control stopping said motor in response to said second controller receiving a signal from at least one of said door open position sensor, said door closed position sensor, a sensor responsive to said bottom bar engaging a structure, and a sensor for determining when said bottom bar has become disconnected from said guide means;

said door open position sensor includes means disposed on said guide means adjacent to said closure member and responsive to said closure member moving to a predetermined position to initiate a signal to said second controller to cause said second controller to initiate a signal to said first controller to effect controlled deceleration and stopping of said motor in an open position of said closure member;

said door closed position sensor being operable to sense the position of a bottom edge of said closure member when said closure member has moved toward a closed position to cause said second controller to initiate a signal to said first controller to provide controlled deceleration and stopping of said motor in a closed position of said closure member; and

another position sensor for determining the position of said closure member based on a predetermined number of revolutions of a shaft operably connected to one of said motor and said drum, said predetermined number of revolutions corresponding to movement of said door between its open and closed positions as determined by said door open and closed position sensors, respectively, said another position sensor being operable to cause said second controller to effect stopping said motor in response to a signal from said another position sensor corresponding to said predetermined number of revolutions.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 including:

a brake operably connected to said motor and operable to prevent rotation of said shaft in response to stopping of said motor.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said second controller comprises a programmable logic controller operable to be programmed to transmit signals to said first controller to cause said motor to effect closing of said door after a predetermined time delay in response to said door reaching an open position.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 including:

a plurality of control switches operably connected to said second controller for causing said second controller to enable said first controller to effect operation of said motor to close said door, selected ones of said control switches being moveable to a position to preselect the amount of said time delay for initiating a signal to said first controller to energize said motor to close said door.

5. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said first controller includes means responsive to a signal from said second controller to effect operation of said motor at a first predetermined speed for opening said door and a second predetermined speed for closing said door.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said second controller includes means operable to cause said first controller to effect operation of said motor at a predetermined speed during a teaching mode of operation of said door to determine limit positions of said door in the open and closed positions, respectively.

7. The invention said forth in claim 1 wherein:

said second controller includes a timer operable to cause said first controller to effect shutoff of said motor after a predetermined time commencing with operation of said motor to cause one of opening and closing of said door.

8. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said door closed position sensor is operable to provide a signal to said second controller to cause said second controller to prevent closing said door in response to detecting an obstruction in said door opening.

9. The invention set forth in claim 1 including:

at least one area sensor for determining the presence of an object within a predetermined area adjacent to said closure member, said area sensor being operable to cause said second controller to effect movement of said door toward an open position when said door is being operated to move toward a closed position.

10. The invention set forth in claim 1 including:

indicator means associated with said second controller for providing a signal indicating that said door is moving between open and closed positions.

11. The invention set forth in claim 1 including:

switch means for causing said controllers to effect one of opening and closing said rollup door in response to a signal associated with opening and closing of a second door spaced from said rollup door.

12. A method for operating a rollup type door comprising a flexible closure member supported on a rotatable drum member and operable to be rolled onto and off of said drum member for movement between door open and closed positions, respectively, said door including opposed guide means for said closure member and means for interconnecting said closure member with said guide means for guiding said closure member for movement between door open and closed positions, said door including a variable frequency AC electric motor drivably connected to said drum member for rolling said closure member onto and off of said drum member, a first controller operably connected to said motor and operable to energize said motor with variable frequency AC power during a starting phase of said motor, energize said motor with variable frequency AC electric power during a stopping phase of said motor and energize said motor at a selected frequency of AC electric power during at least one steady state operating phase between said starting and stopping phases upon at least one of opening and closing said door, and a second controller operably connected to said first controller for transmitting to said first controller door opening and closing command signals received from at least one of a door open position sensor, a door closed position sensor, and a position sensor for determining the position of said closure member based on a predetermined number of revolutions of a shaft operably connected to one of said motor and said drum, said predetermined number of revolutions corresponding to movement of said door between its open and closed positions as determined by said door open and closed position sensors, respectively, said method comprising the steps of:

preselecting a variable frequency starting phase for said motor and a variable frequency stopping phase for said motor and a selected operating frequency of said motor during a steady state operating phase between said starting phase and said stopping phase when said motor is energized to open and close said door, respectively;

causing said second controller to effect operation of said first controller to energize and deenergize said motor in response to a signal to said second controller from one of a manually operated switch for opening said door, a manually operated switch for closing said door and a remotely controlled switch for opening said door; and

controlling deceleration and stopping of said motor in response to command signals received from at least one of said door open position sensor, said door closed position sensor, and said position sensor for determining the position of said closure member based on a predetermined number of revolutions corresponding to movement of said door between its open and closed positions as determined by said door open and closed position sensors, respectively.

13. The method set forth in claim 12 including the step of:

causing said second controller to command said first controller to effect closing of said door after a predetermined time commencing with deenergization of said motor upon moving said door to an open position.

14. The method set forth in claim 12 including the step of:

generating a signal for retention by said second controller by said sensor for determining the position of said closure member based on said predetermined number of revolutions of said shaft and corresponding to the number of revolutions required to move said closure member from a closed position to an open position.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 including the step of:

generating a signal for retention by said second controller by said sensor for determining the position of said closure member based on said predetermined number of revolutions of said shaft and corresponding to the number of revolutions required to move said closure member from said open position to said closed position.

16. The method set forth in claims 14 or 15 including the step of:

causing said second controller to effect operation of said first controller to deenergize said motor in response to receiving a signal by said second controller from said sensor for determining the position of said closure member based on said predetermined number of revolutions corresponding to one of a closed position and open position of said closure member.