Electropneumatic door control

• US 4,546,845 A
• Filed: 11/15/1982
• Issued: 10/15/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wabco Westinghouse Fahrzeugbremsen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Wabco Westinghouse Fahrzeugbremsen GmbH
• Inventors: Meyer, Dietmar, Scheibe, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Garrett, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li, H. Edward
• Application Number:
  US06/441,455
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 49/13, 49/14, 49/28, 49/29, 49/30, 49/31, 105/341, 105/343, 180/281, 180/286, 246/182 R, 246/182 B, 303/6.1, 340/53, 91/392
• US Class Current: 180/286
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/565 for railway-cars
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/506 for buses
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/51 for railway cars or mass transit vehicles

Abstract

An electropneumatic door control for vehicles is disclosed which consists of a pneumatic portion and an electronic portion. The electronic portion processes successive commands actuated by the vehicle operator to channel the signals to the pneumatic portion of the apparatus to activate alternate door openings and closings. Any blockage of the door movement is detected and signals processed to reverse the door closing or to halt the opening until the fault is corrected. The electronic portion also assures that the vehicle doors can only be opened after the vehicle has come to a stop, that when the vehicle doors are open the station or parking brake is held engaged, and that an audible warning signal sounds for a predetermined interval before the closing of the door.

Claims

1. Electropneumatic door control apparatus for controlling opening and closing movements of a vehicle door which provides entry and exit for passengers, comprising,

(a) fluid pressure operable controller means connected to said vehicle door and responsive to selectively supplied fluid pressure for alternately opening and closing said door,

(b) a source of pressurized fluid,

(c) valve means coupled to said source and said controller means and responsive to selective signals for supplying pressurized fluid to actuate said controller means to open and close said door,

(d) an electronic circuit means coupled to receive door movement request signals and door response signals and responsive for processing the received signals and supplying selective signals to said valve means to actuate the requested door movements,

(e) a logic network coupled to receive a current vehicle speed signal generatd by a sensor located on said vehicle and a door command signal and operable for enabling said electronic means to supply an open door command signal to said valve means only when said vehicle speed is less than a predetermined safe level,

(f) said logic network having a NAND gate means coupled to receive door movement request signals and said vehicle speed signal for supplying a request signal to said electronic circuit means only when vehicle speed is less htan said predetermined safe level,

(g) a parking brake control means coupled to respond to said open door command signal from said logic network and to a door not closed signal from said electronic circuit means for assuring vehicle brake action to hold said vehicle halted while said door is open,

(h) said praking brake control means having station logic means coupled to said electronic circuit means and responsive to sequential open door request signal and a door open indication signal for supplying a brake signal, and

(i) brake control means coupled to said station logic means and responsive to a brake signal for assuring the continued application of vehicle brakes while the vehicle remains halted and said door open.

2. Door control apparatus as defined in claim 1, which further includes,

(a) first and second limit switches connected for detecting full open and full closed positions of said door, respectively, and in which said fluid pressure operable controller means comprises,

(b) door cylinder means coupled to said valve means and connected for alternately opening and closing said door as pressurized fluid is selectively supplied by said valve means,

(c) reverser switch means operable to a first and a second position and controlled by said door cylinder means for operating to first and second positions when door opening and closing movement is completed, respectively, or when a blockage condition impedes a door opening or closing movement, respectively, and

(d) said limit switches and said reverser switches jointly controlling said electronic circuit means for actuating a halt of a door opening movement or a rereversal of a door closing movement if a blockage condition is registered prior to completion of the door movement.