Door operator with electrical back check feature
First Claim
1. A method of operating a door operator using a controller and an electric motor, the method comprising:
- conditionally opening a door to which the door operator is attached;
determining using a Hall effect sensor that the door to which the door operator is attached is being pushed open through a back check region;
using the controller to cause the door operator, through electronic control of the electric motor, to exert a closing force on the door by injecting voltage into the electric motor until the door comes to a stop;
conditionally preventing the opening of the door while the voltage is being injected into the electric motor; and
closing the door.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A door operator with an electrical back check feature is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention are realized by a motorized door operator that electrically creates a back check force for an opening door. The door operator simulates the back check normally created by hydraulic means in convention door closers, but without the use of pistons, springs or hydraulic fluid. The door operator includes a motor disposed to operatively connect to a door so that the door will open when the motor moves, and a position sensor to determine a position of the door. A processor is programmed to exert a closing force on the door in the back check region. In some embodiments, the closing force is exerted by injecting a voltage into the electric motor of the door operator.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of operating a door operator using a controller and an electric motor, the method comprising:
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conditionally opening a door to which the door operator is attached; determining using a Hall effect sensor that the door to which the door operator is attached is being pushed open through a back check region; using the controller to cause the door operator, through electronic control of the electric motor, to exert a closing force on the door by injecting voltage into the electric motor until the door comes to a stop; conditionally preventing the opening of the door while the voltage is being injected into the electric motor; and closing the door. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A door operator comprising:
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a motor; a rotatable operator arm operatively connected between a door and the motor; a clutch assembly conditionally, operatively engaged with the rotatable operator arm; a Hall effect device to determine a position of the door; a memory; and a processor operatively connected to the motor, the position sensor and the memory, wherein the processor is programmed by the memory to determine that the door is opening through the back check region and control the motor to exert a closing force on the door by injecting a voltage into the motor, and to determine if the door is being pushed open and prevent the motor from opening the door while injecting the voltage into the motor when the door is opening through the back check region. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for operating a door, the apparatus comprising:
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means for opening the door; means for determining a position of the door; means for exerting a closing force on the door by injecting a voltage into a motor when the door is opening through a back check region, the means for exerting the closing force responsive to the means for determining the position; means for conditionally engaging the means for opening with the door; means for closing the door; and means for preventing the means for opening from operating while the voltage is being injected into the motor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification