Wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors

• US 8,994,229 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optex, Inc. (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Optex, Inc. (DXC Technology Company)
• Inventors: Blair, Robert, Sargent, James, Matsuyama, Toshiyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US13/326,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20130156433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 307/116, 318/466, 398/106, 340/545.1
• US Class Current: 307/116
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/00 Switches operated by change of a physical condition operated by change of magnetic or electric field H01H36/00; thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94052 with evaluation of actuation pattern or sequence, e.g. tapping
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94106 Passive activation of light sensor, e.g. by ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/00 Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication

Abstract

The wireless non-contact switch detects movement of human body in the beam-shaped detection are which extends from the upper area on the wall toward the floor surface, and controls opening and closing of the automatic door. Regardless of the height of the location of the movement, as long as it is in the detection area, the switch detects the movement of different height location in the detection area. Therefore, regardless of the difference of regulation between each states, it can be operated at any height of the movement.

Claims

1. A wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors comprising

a non-contact sensor which can be installed on a wall surface with a beam-shaped detection area from an upper area on the wall surface toward a floor surface, and detects a moving body at different heights,

a transmission side control circuit which generates a detection signal corresponding to predetermined operations based on a detecting result from the non-contact sensor,

a plurality of pseudo-touch area signs which show signs for pseudo-touching areas on the wall surface at a plurality of desired heights,

a wireless transmitter which transmits transmission signal wirelessly based on the detection signal from the transmission side control circuit,

a wireless receiver which receives the transmission signal transmitted by the wireless transmitter and outputs a receiving signal,

a switch which controls opening and closing operations of the automatic door, and

a receiving side control circuit which controls an opening and closing of the switch based on the receiving signal from the wireless receiver.

2. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor comprises one of a passive infrared sensor, an active infrared sensor and a micro-wave sensor.

3. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 2, wherein

the wireless transmitter comprises a radio transmitter, and

the wireless receiver comprises a radio receiver.

4. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 2, wherein

the non-contact sensor is capable of being adjusted to move the beam-shaped detection area.

5. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor, the transmission side control circuit and the wireless transmitter are battery driven.

6. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor is capable of detecting direction of an operation which passes through the detection area, and

the transmission side control circuit generates different detection signals according to the detected direction.

7. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the transmission side control circuit generates the detection signals corresponding to a number of operations which pass through the detection area within a predetermined period, and

the receiving side control circuit controls opening and closing of the switch according to the number of the operations which pass through the detection area.

8. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 7, wherein

the receiving side control circuit controls the opening and closing of the switch to keep the automatic door open.

9. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor has an outer detection area around the beam-shaped detection area and detects the moving body when the moving body is detected in the beam-shaped detection area and in the outer detection area.

10. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor is capable of detecting a distance of the moving body from the non-contact sensor and generating detection signals corresponding to the distance, and

the receiving side control circuit controls opening and closing of the switch according to the distance.

11. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 10, wherein

two non-contact sensors are allocated in distance, and

the non-contact sensors use a triangulation method to detect the distance.

12. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 10, wherein

the non-contact sensor uses a time-of-flight method to detect the distance.

13. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor comprises an image sensor and an image analyzing circuit which detects the moving body in the detection area from image data output by the image sensor.

14. The wireless non-contact switch for automatic doors of claim 1, wherein

the pseudo-touch area signs comprise a plurality of plates which can be installed on the wall surface.