Overhead door with dual safety-edge

• US 6,286,257 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rytec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rytec Corporation
• Inventors: Gregoriou, Daniel J., Konetzki, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US09/507,834
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 49/26, 49/27, 49/28, 200/61.43
• US Class Current: 49/27
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/44 responsive to changes in electrical conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/48 by transmission of mechanical forces, e.g. rigid or movable members
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/00 Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors

Abstract

A door assembly comprising a door body having a bottom edge. The door body is selectively movable up and down to open and close an opening. The door assembly further comprises a first sensor body and a second sensor body. Each sensor body is in communication with a door controller, and each sensor body has an impact portion responsive to an impact proximate the bottom edge of the door body.

Claims

1. A door assembly comprising:

a door body having a bottom edge, the door body being selectively movable up and down to open and close an opening; and

,

a first sensor body and a second sensor body each having an impact portion responsive to an impact proximate the bottom edge of the door body, the first and second sensor bodies being mechanically coupled one to the other by a hanger, the hanger extending from the bottom edge of the door body, the first sensor body being disposed between a first end of the hanger and the bottom edge of the door body and the second sensor body being attached proximate a distal second end of the hanger, and both the first and second sensor in communication with a controller, thereby causing a predetermined response in the door body when one of the first and second sensor bodies receives an impact of at least a predetermined force.

2. The door assembly of claim 1 further including a means for reducing damping of the force transferred across the hanger from the second sensor body to the first sensor body.

3. The door assembly of claim 2 wherein a plurality of openings along the hanger and proximate the second sensor body result in the contact area along the hanger and proximate the second sensor body being greater than the contact area along the first sensor body.

4. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the means for reducing damping includes providing a contact area on the hanger and proximate the second sensor body greater than the contact area on the hanger proximate the first sensor body, thereby amplifying the force per unit area applied to the first sensor body.

5. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the first sensor body and the second sensor body has a greater sensitivity to impact perpendicular to the sensor body than the other of the first and second sensor bodies and the other of the first and second sensors bodies has a greater sensitivity to impact parallel to the sensor body than the other of the first and second sensor bodies.

6. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the first sensor body includes a first mechanical actuator and the second sensor body includes a second mechanical actuator, the second mechanical actuator being structurally distinguishable from the first actuator.

7. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the first sensor body includes a sensing circuit, the circuit having a mechanically deflectable first element, the deflectable first element being positioned such that an impact to the impact portion of the first sensor body in excess of a predetermined force will deflect the deflectable first element sufficiently to change the electrical state of the sensing circuit and generate a signal indicative of said change, and the second sensor body includes an actuator comprising a fluid-filled tube pneumatically coupled to a fluid pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being responsive to changes in the pressure of the fluid and generating a signal indicative of said changes in pressure.

8. The door assembly of claim 7 wherein deflection of the deflectable first element results in a change in voltage in the circuit, such change in voltage generating a signal indicative of said change.

9. The door assembly of claim 7 wherein deflection of the deflectable first element results in a change in inductance of the circuit, such change in inductance generating a signal indicative of said change.

10. The door assembly of claim 7 wherein deflection of the deflectable first element results in a change in impedance of the circuit, such change in impedance generating a signal indicative of said change.

11. The door assembly of claim 7 wherein the deflectable first element is a conductive polymer that structurally defines at least a portion of the impact portion of the sensor body, the polymer changing its electrical properties when deflected by the impact.

12. The door assembly of claim 7 wherein the sensing circuit includes a deflectable second element disposed adjacent the deflectable first element, wherein one of the deflectable first and second elements is coupled to a power source, the deflectable first and second elements being oriented such that when the impact portion of the sensor body receives an impact in excess of at least a predetermined force, one of the deflectable first and second elements is deflected toward the other of the deflectable first and second elements in such a manner as to change the electrical state of the circuit, such change in electrical state generating a signal indicative of said change.

13. The door assembly of claim 12 wherein the sensing circuit is normally an open circuit and deflection of the deflectable first and second elements one toward the other results in closing the circuit, thereby changing the electrical state of the circuit.

14. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second sensor bodies are mechanically coupled such that at least some force from an impact applied to one of the first and second sensor bodies is transferred and sufficiently to actuate to the other of the first and second sensor bodies.