Turning blocking device

• US 6,170,194 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SKIDATA AG (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Skidata Computer
• Inventors: Kocznar, Wolfram, Dermutz, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin-Shue, Alvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Curtis A.
• Application Number:
  US09/333,807
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 49/42, 49/43, 49/44, 49/45, 49/46, 49/47, 49/25, 49/26, 49/31
• US Class Current: 49/46
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/08 Turnstiles; Gates for control of entry or exit of persons, e.g. in supermarkets control gates on vehicles B60N5/00 ; bank protection devices E05G5/00; with registering means G07C9/10 ; coin-freed facilities for turnstiles G07F17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/15 with arrangements to prevent the passage of more than one individual at a time

Abstract

A method of blocking passage of a user through a passageway comprising a turnstile with a housing; a drive and a locking element in which a barrier arm is set in motion following verification of the access authorization of a user wishing to pass, rotating the barrier arm from its blocking position into a position out of line of passage. The advance of the user is then detected by a downstream sensor, in particular an opto-electronic sensor, which causes the barrier arm to rotate further in the same direction into the blocking position.

Claims

1. A method of blocking passage of a user through a passageway comprising:

providing one and only one barrier arm which blocks a passageway;

moving said barrier arm from a blocking position to an intermediate position to allow passage of a user;

providing a light detection range beyond said blocking position with reference to the direction of travel of a user passing through a passageway;

sensing the change in light caused by a user passing through said light detection range; and

coupling said sensed change in light with an electrical signal to activate a drive motor to move said barrier arm from said intermediate position to a second blocking position.

2. The method according to claim 1, including the step of controlling activation of said drive motor by a control device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein activation of said control device is controlled by a coin machine.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein activation of said control device is controlled by a card reader.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said blocking element turns through an angle of at least 90°

when turning from said blocking position to said intermediate position.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said blocking element turns through an angle of at least 90°

when turning from said intermediate position to said second blocking position.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said single barrier arm rotates through an angle of rotation no greater than 360°

between each blocking position.

8. A method of passing a user through a blocked passageway with a defined direction of travel, said method comprising:

providing one and only one movable blocking element which blocks the passageway at a blocking position;

providing a light detection range in the passageway beyond said blocking position of said blocking element with reference to the direction of travel of a user;

moving said blocking element from said blocking position into an intermediate position remote of the passageway in order to allow a free fully unhindered passage of the user passing through said light detection range in the passageway;

sensing changes in light caused by the user passing through said light detection range; and

coupling sensed changes in light with an electrical signal to activate a drive motor to move said blocking element from said intermediate position remote of said passageway to a second blocking position.

9. A turning blocking device for blocking a user from passing through a passageway, comprising:

a housing enclosing a drive shaft connected to a drive motor,

a rotatable blocking element connected to said drive shaft, said blocking element having only one single barrier arm, capable of blocking a passageway and preventing a user from passing through a passageway when in a first blocking position when said housing is mounted beside a passageway,

an optical sensor element, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light when a user passes through a passageway by sensing changes in a light detection range projected in a path of travel reached by a user after passing beyond said first blocking position of said barrier arm, said barrier arm being capable of being turned in one direction from said blocking position into an intermediate position remote of a passageway in order to allow passage of a user into said light detection ranges said barrier arm being capable of being turned further, after detection of a user passing through said light detection range projected in the path of travel by said optical sensor activating said drive motor so that said barrier arm can rotate in the same direction to a second blocking position.

10. A turning blocking device including a passageway, for blocking a user from passing through the passageway, comprising:

a housing enclosing a vertically extended drive shaft connected to a drive motor, said housing being mounted by a passageway;

one and only one rotatable blocking element connected to said vertically extended drive shaft, said blocking element having two barrier arms positioned 180 degrees from each other from said vertically extending drive shaft, each of said barrier arms blocking said passageway one at a time when in a blocking position,

an optical sensor element, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light when the user passes through said passageway, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light detection range projected in a path of travel reached by the user after passing beyond said blocking position of said barrier arms, each of said barrier arms being capable of being turned in one direction from said blocking position into an intermediate position parallel to said passageway in order to allow passage of the user into said light detection range, and said barrier arms being capable of being turned further, after detection of a user passing through said light detection range projected in the path of travel, said optical sensor being capable of activating the drive motor, so that said barrier arms can rotate in the same direction to a second blocking position.

11. A turning blocking device including a passageway, for blocking a user from passing through the passageway, comprising:

a housing enclosing a vertically extended drive shaft connected to a drive motor, said housing being mounted by a passageway;

one and only one rotatable blocking element connected to said vertically extending drive shaft, said blocking element having only one single barrier arm, for blocking said passageway and preventing a user from passing through said passageway when in a first blocking position, an optical sensor element, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light when the user passes through said passageway, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light detection range projected in a path of travel reached by the user after passing beyond said blocking position of said barrier arm, said barrier arm being capable of being turned in one direction from said blocking position into an intermediate position parallel to said passageway in order to allow passage of a user into said light detection range, and said barrier arm being turned further, after detection of a user passing through said light detection range projected in the path of travel, said optical sensor being capable of activating the drive motor, so that said barrier arm can rotate in the same direction to a second blocking position.

12. A turning blocking device, for blocking a user from passing through a passageway, comprising:

a housing enclosing a vertically extended drive shaft connected to a drive motor;

one and only one rotatable blocking element connected to said vertically extending drive shaft, said blocking element having two barrier arms positioned 180 degrees from each other from said vertically extending drive shaft, each of said barrier arms being capable of blocking a passageway one at a time when in a blocking position when said housing is mounted beside a passageway;

an optical sensor element, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light when a user passes through a passageway, said optical sensor element sensing changes in light detection range projected in a path of travel reached by a user after passing beyond said blocking position of said barrier arms, each of said barrier arms being capable of being turned in one direction from said blocking position into an intermediate position parallel to said passageway in order to allow passage of a user into said light detection range, and said barrier arms being capable of being turned further, after detection of a user passing through said light detection range projected in the path of travel, said optical sensor being capable of activating the drive motor, so that said barrier arms can rotate in the same direction to a second blocking position.