Intelligent door restraint

• US 8,225,458 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg
• Original Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach, Thomas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/290,168
• Time in Patent Office: 2,428 Days
• Field of Search: 16/49, 16/51, 16/52, 16/58, 16/84, 16/85, 163/39, 163/40, 163/41, 163/43, 163/44, 163/45, 492/64, 49/30, 493/40, 49/25, 318/446, 318/452
• US Class Current: 16/49
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/10 with a spring, other than a torsion spring, and a piston, the axes of which are the same or lie in the same direction
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/102 with rack-and-pinion transmission between driving shaft and piston within the closer housing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/222 electrically operated E05F3/223 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/43 Motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/67 Materials; Strength alteration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

A method for controlling a door, comprising the steps of storing energy during a manual opening of a door, sensing an object within a doorway, selectively applying a force derived from the stored energy, to close the door, based on the sensing of an object in the doorway. The closure is preferably controlled by an electronic control. A door closing device comprising an energy storage device for storing energy during door opening and releasing the stored energy to subsequently close the door, a damping system for damping a closure of the door, a sensor for detecting an object within a doorway, having an output, a controllable device for selectively restraining the energy storage device from closing the door, and a control system for controlling the controllable device based on the output.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

(a) a door closer, comprising a member configured to control a position of a door, an energy storage element configured to store energy when a door is opened, and to close the door through a release of stored energy, and a fluidic damper configured to selectively varying a damping of at least a closure of the door;

(b) an input port configured to receive a control signal;

(c) an automated processor configured to process said control signal and produce an output for selectively controlling the fluidic damper, to initially substantially restrain the door in an open condition by restriction of fluid flow, and subsequently permit damped door closure after a variable time period in dependence on said control signal, by relaxation of said restriction of fluid flow, the variable time period having a normal range; and

(d) a fail-safe closure structure, configured to automatically permit damped closure of the door independent of a state of the output, by release of the stored energy in the door closer, said closure structure comprising a bleed valve which is configured to permit a fluid flow in the fluidic damper when the door is substantially restrained in an open condition for a time period in excess of the normal range of variable time periods, to ensure closure of the door within a predetermined period, wherein the fail-safe closure structure ensures fail-safe door closure even in event of an extended state of the output for restraining the door in an open condition beyond the normal range of variable time periods.

2. The control according to claim 1, wherein said processor is electrically powered, further comprising an electrical energy storage device configured to store energy produced during opening of a door to provide at least a portion of an operating power for said automated processor.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein said control system comprises a housing surrounding said door closer mounted on the door, wherein the electrical energy storage device comprises a battery, wherein said control system is configured to operate without an external power source.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said output is configured to control a magnetic field which alters a condition of a magnetorheological fluid, said condition ranging from at least a blocking of magnetorheological fluid flow to maintain the door in an open condition, to a controlled rate of magnetorheological fluid flow to permit door closure.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to control a state of a valve which both restrains and damps door closure.

6. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control signal comprises an input from at least one of an infrared sensor, an imaging sensor, a microwave sensor, a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, and a voice recognition system.

7. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said door closer comprises an electronically controlled bleed valve configured to control a flow of a hydraulic fluid.

8. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control signal comprises an environmental hazard warning signal.

9. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless electronic information communications interface, controlled by said processor, configured to communicate a control system status.

10. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a perceptible output for providing feedback on a control system operational status to a human.

11. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electronically controlled valves to control a fluid flow rate for door closure.

12. A door control system, comprising:

(a) an input port configured to receive a control signal;

(b) an automated electronic processor configured to process said control signal and produce an output dependent on the control signal;

(c) a battery configured to power the automated electronic processor and output over a plurality of door control cycles; and

(d) a door closer having a fluidic damper configured to selectively control a rate of door closing, said automated electronic processor being configured to produce the output associated with a corresponding magnetic field, to control a modulation of the fluid flow through the fluidic damper by magnetically altering an effective viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid via the corresponding magnetic field, to initially substantially restrain the door in an open condition, and subsequently permit door closure using energy stored during a door opening, a delay in door closure being selectively dependent on said control signal.

13. The door control system according to claim 12, wherein the fluidic damper is responsive to the output to select between at least a first state in which a fluid flow is substantially blocked when subject to a pretension force, and a second state in which fluid flow is substantially permitted when subject to a pretension force.

14. The door control system according to claim 13, further comprising an energy storage system configured to capture and store energy during a manual opening of a door which generates a pretension force, and release the stored energy during closure of the door, wherein the energy storage system comprises a spring acting on a piston which moves in response to fluid flow.

15. The door control system according to claim 12, further comprising a collapsible mechanical toggle linkage configured to be reset by door opening, and a seer pin which is activated by the output to activate door closure.

16. The door control system according to claim 12, wherein a fail-safe mode is provided which automatically permits closure of the door in an event that the automated electronic processor produces a signal restraining door closure for an extended period, the fail-safe mode being implemented by a fail-safe structure comprising at least one valve configured to bleed fluid even if the output seeks to maintain the door open.

17. The door control system according to claim 12, wherein the control signal is responsive to a presence of an object in a doorway.

18. The door control system according to claim 17, wherein the automated electronic processor is configured to produce the output to control the fluid flow, to selectively maintain the door in an open condition when the door is open and the object is the doorway within a predetermined duration, and the door closer is configured to subsequently permit door closure independent of the output after the predetermined duration.

19. The door control system according to claim 12, wherein the output has a state configured to control the fluidic damper to restrain the door closer in a closed state, to selectively limit access through a doorway.

20. The door control system according to claim 12, wherein the output is configured to control the fluidic damper to at least one of:

alter a restriction in flow of a fluid through a conduit, and

alter a viscosity of at least a portion of a fluid in a conduit,

to thereby control a rate of door closure.

21. A door closer control, adapted to close a door using energy derived from a preceding opening of the door, comprising:

(a) an electronic processor configured to produce an output signal for control over door closure; and

(b) a fluidic damper, configured to selectively modulate a fluid flow rate corresponding to a closing rate of the door dependent on a magnetic field corresponding to the output signal of the electronic processor, by at least modulating an effective fluid viscosity based on a magneto-rheological effect, to alter a fluid flow rate of a magnetorheological fluid through a conduit, the fluidic damper having at least one modulation state in which the fluid flow rate is substantially zero,

wherein the electronic processor is programmed to selectively control the fluidic damper to at least delay an initiation of a closure of the door by sustaining the at least one modulation state in which the fluid flow rate is substantially zero.

22. The door closer control according to claim 21, wherein the fluidic damper controls a flow rate of the magnetorheological fluid, and the output signal is configured to alter a magnetic field to which the magnetorheological fluid is subjected, wherein the magnetic field corresponding to the at least one modulation state in which the fluid flow rate is substantially zero is applied by a permanent magnet.

23. The door closer control according to claim 21, wherein said electronic processor is configured to selectively controls both a timing and rate of door closure.