Automatic door control system

• US 7,213,369 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian Freeman
• Original Assignee: Brian Freeman
• Inventors: Freeman, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US10/722,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20040103584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 492/76, 493/33, 493/34, 493/64, 493/58
• US Class Current: 49/358
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/624 using friction wheels
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by auxiliary motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic door control system that includes a door, a control module assembly, and a drive train assembly. The control module assembly is coupled to the door. The drive train assembly is coupled to the control module assembly, where the drive train assembly is configured to receive a signal from the control module assembly to easily move the door, where the drive train assembly exerts a force to move the door.

Claims

1. An automatic door control system that is operable with a door, the system comprising:

a control module assembly having;

a microphone for receiving a voice command;

a voice recognizer that includes a processor for storing a plurality of waveforms in a voice database and a preset commands database, the voice recognizer comparing the voice command with the voice database and the preset commands database, determining whether the voice command matches the waveforms in the voice database and the present commands database, and generating a signal that corresponds to the voice command if the voice command matches the waveforms stored in the voice database and present commands database; and

a drive train assembly coupled to the control module assembly and the door, wherein the drive train assembly is configured to receive the signal from the control module assembly to move the door, wherein the drive train assembly is configured to open and close the door; and

a door position indicator in the form of a draw wire transducer for monitoring the position of the door, the draw wire transducer being operable with the drive train assembly and being configured to transmit and receive signals to/from a control module within the control module assembly, wherein the signals correspond to the voice command.

2. The automatic door control system of claim 1, wherein the drive train assembly uses the force required to move the door with a coefficient of friction between a wheel of the drive train assembly and a surface that the door interacts with to move the door.

3. The automatic door control system of claim 2, wherein the drive train assembly includes a force-producing device.

4. The automatic door control system of claim 3, wherein the following equation is utilized to easily move the door across the surface:

F_f=nF*u,

wherein F_f represents the force required to open the door, where nF represents a normal force exerted on the wheel by the force-producing device and u represents the coefficient of friction between the wheel and the surface.

5. The automatic door control system of claim 4, wherein F_f is in the range of about 10–

50 lbs.

6. The automatic door control system of claim 5, wherein u is in the range of about 0.1 to 1.

7. The automatic door control system of claim 3, wherein the force-producing device is a spring.

8. The automatic door control system of claim 1, wherein the drive train assembly includes:

a motor that generates torque when the control module assembly generates the signal;

a clutch that is connected to the motor through the use of a shaft and is adapted to transmit the torque;

a wheel that receives the torque; and

a spring for exerting a normal force on the wheel to force the wheel to contact a surface under the door to open and close the door.

9. The automatic door control system of claim 1, wherein the control module assembly further comprises:

a control module configured to generate the signal for the drive train assembly;

a light emitting diode display that is communicative with to the control module; and

an audio speaker that is communicative with the control module.

10. The automatic door control system of claim 9, wherein the control module assembly further comprises a graphical user interface that is communicative with the control module.