Photo eye to switch sensing edge control conversion system

• US 8,984,809 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miller Edge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Miller Edge, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Bearge, Castello, Timothy, Provenzano, John, Sao, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US14/120,511
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 49/26, 49/27, 49/28, 491/97, 491/99, 200/61.43
• US Class Current: 49/199
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/70 Retrofitting of elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

An apparatus and method to adapt an automatic door motor operator utilizing a photoelectric eye generating a digital pulse train of known amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle to a control signal created through the opening or closure of a moving door edge sensing device or strip which closes or opens when compressed. The invention relates to safety edges used on motorized doors to provide a conversion means to allow a sensing edge switch on the leading edge of a moving door to control a door operator control unit which expects to receive a control signal of a predetermined amplitude, period and duty cycle normally generated through use of a photo eye used to monitor obstructions within the path of the moving door. The invention allows field replacement of an obstruction protecting photo-eye sensor with an safety edge switch type device utilizing the existing door operator and the in-place power source.

Claims

1. Apparatus for converting a door operator which controls an automatic motorized door utilizing photo eye obstruction sensing to provide a signal to said operator of an obstruction of the door being controlled, said signal being of a given amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle, to operate with a switch sensing edge which switches between an open or closed condition dependent on the switch sensing edge contacting an obstruction, switch sensing edge being placed along an edge of the door, said apparatus comprised of:

means to connect the switch sensing edge to the apparatus;

means to sense an open or closed condition of the switch sensing edge;

means to monitor the switch sensing edge continuously to determine whether the switch is connected to the apparatus and in an open or closed state of continuity;

means to convert the electrical power available from the door operator for use with said switch sensing edge and the apparatus;

output means for generating the periodic signal of a desired amplitude, period and duty cycle to correspond to the amplitude, period and duty cycle of the signal from a photo eye obstruction sensor which the apparatus is replacing;

whereby the apparatus senses an open or closed condition of the said edge sensing switch and converts an open or closed condition input condition of the switch to said signal of the desired amplitude, period and duty cycle which simulates the signal which would be expected by the door operator if said operator was operated by the said photo-eye obstruction sensor.

2. Apparatus for converting a door operator which controls an automatic motorized door which utilizes photo eye obstruction sensing to signal said operator of an obstruction to the door being controlled, said signal being of a given amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle, to operate with a switch sensing edge placed along an edge of the door, said apparatus comprised of:

polarity independent connection means to connect the door operator to the apparatus without regard to electrical polarity;

voltage hold up means to buffer the output voltage of an output driver;

an output driver to provide an output pulse to match said given amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle of the door operator;

power supply means to convert the power available from the door operator for use with the apparatus;

a microcontroller programmable to create a signal to said output driver to match said amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle of the door operator;

wherein said apparatus is connected to said switch sensing edge and provides a signal to the door operator which simulate a signal which would be provided to the door operator from a photo-eye obstruction sensor.

3. Apparatus for use with a door operator which controls a motorized door, the door operator utilizing a photo eye obstruction sensor which stops the operation of the motorized door when the photo eye obstruction sensor senses an obstruction thereby discontinuing a continuous signal to the door operator, said continuous signal being a signal of a given amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle, the apparatus allowing substitution of a switch sensing edge which switches between an open or close condition dependent on the switch sensing edge contacting an obstruction and providing an obstruction indication to the door operator such as to allow interchangeability between a photo eye sensor and a switch sensing edge, the apparatus comprised of a connection to a switch sensing edge;

a microcontroller-based signal generator which provides a signal identical to the amplitude, periodicity and duty cycle of the photo eye obstruction sensor which is being replaced by the switch sensing edge;

said connection to said switch sensing edge providing an electrical path from the said sensing edge to said microcontroller-based signal generator; and

an output driver connected to the door operator input previously used for the photo eye which is being replaced.