AUTOMATIC SWING DOOR AND SENSOR

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic swing door (10, 100), comprising a door controller (22, 122), 10 further comprising a door leaf arrangement (12, 112) that is pivotably attached to a door frame (30), where the door leaf arrangement (12, 112), comprises a door leaf (14, 114) that has a following face (15b) that is facing to the door opening (20) and a leading face (15a) that is facing away from the door opening (20), a hinged edge (15d) and a main closing edge (15c) that lies opposite to the hinged edge (15d), the door leaf arrangement (12) comprises a leading face sensor (16) that is attached to the 15 leading face (15a) of the door leaf (14), where the leading face sensor (16) provides a scanning field that at least covers a zone that lies next to the leading face of the door leaf.

Claims

1-31. (canceled)

32. Automatic swing door (10, 100), comprising a door controller (22, 122) further comprising a door leaf arrangement (12, 112) that is pivotal attached to a door frame (30), where the door leaf arrangement (12, 112), comprises a door leaf (14, 114) that has a following face (15b) that is facing to the door opening (20) and a leading face (15a) that is facing away from the door opening (20), a hinged edge (15d) and a main closing edge (15c) that lies opposite to the hinged edge (15d), the door leaf arrangement (12) comprises a leading face sensor (16) that is attached to the leading face (15a) of the door leaf (14), where the leading face sensor (16) provides a scanning field that at least covers a zone that lies next to the leading face of the door leaf that lies between the hinged edge and the main closing edge (15c) of the door leaf, where a detection zone (26) is defined within the scanning field, where the leading face sensor (16) comprises a movement determination unit (316), to determine the angular movement position of the door leaf (14), where during an opening operation of the door leaf (14) the detection zone (26) comprises a leaf zone (32) that extends over the most part of the width of the door leaf (14) characterized in that during closing operation of the door, the detection zone (26) comprises an edge zone (36), where the edge zone (36) extends beyond the leaf zone (32) in direction of the main closing edge (15c), where a detection of an object in this edge zone (36) triggers the door controller (22) to reopen the door leaf (14) or to open the door.

33. The automatic swing door according to claim 32, characterized in that the door leaf arrangement (12) comprises a following face sensor (18) that is attached on the following face (15b) of the door leaf (14).

34. The automatic swing door according to claim 32, characterized in that the edge zone (36) of the detection zone (26) covers an area zone that laterally extends beyond the main closing edge (15c) of the door leaf (14).

35. The automatic swing door according to claim 33, characterized in that the detection zone (28) of the following face sensor (18) comprises an edge zone (46) where upon detection of an object in the edge zone (46) the door leaf (14) is reopened and/or the door (10, 100) is opened.

36. The automatic swing door according to claim 32, characterized in that the leading face sensor (16, 116) and 1 or the following face sensor (18,118) comprises a scanning unit that generates a three dimensional scanning field and a three dimensional detection zone (26, 28, 126, 128).

37. The automatic swing door according to claim 32, characterized in that the scanning unit is a laser scanner that establishes the scanning field by emitting a plurality of laser pulses, evaluating the Time of Flight of the echo.

38. The automatic swing door according to claim 32, characterized in that the automatic swing door (100) comprises a first door leaf arrangement (12) and a second door leaf arrangement (112), where the second door leaf arrangement comprises a leading face sensor (116) and/or a following face sensor (118).

39. The automatic swing door according to claim 38, characterized in that the leading face sensor (116) and/or the following face sensor (118) are configured in a way that in the closed position of the door leaf (112) an open signal is submitted upon detection in the edge zone (136, 146) as long as the first door leaf (12) is not closed.

40. The automatic swing door according to claim 38, characterized in that the first door leaf arrangement (12) and the second door leaf arrangement (112) are operated in an asynchronous way, so that the second door leaf (114) is in a closed position before the first door leaf (14).

41. The automatic swing door according to claim 40, characterized in that leading face sensor (116) and/or the following face sensor (118) comprises a door status determination unit (318) that transmits a “door is open” signal to the detection determination unit (314) when at least one door leaf is not in a closed position and/or a “door is closed” signal when the door is closed.

42. The automatic swing door according to claim 41, characterized in that the edge zone is activated once the door status determination unit (318) transmits a “door is open” signal and/or does not communicate a “door is closed” signal.

43. The automatic swing door according to claim 40, characterized in that the leading face sensor (116) and or the following face sensor (118) comprises a timer that is started when the movement detection unit determines that the door leaf (112) is in a closed position, to lapse after a predefined timespan, where the edge zone (136, 146) is deactivated when the timer lapses.

44. Sensor (300) comprising a scanning unit (308) producing a scanning field, where the scanning unit 308) comprises a laser scanner (311, 312, 310) that emits light pulses that are evaluated according to the Time of Flight principle, the laser scanner comprises a rotating mirror (310) that has at leash two facets that are inclined differently to the rotational axis (R) of the notating mirror (310), where the light pulses are deflected at the mirror facets (320), where a series of sent pulses on a mirror facet while the mirror is rotating by a predefined angle—facet sweep—and thereby produces a curtain, where the sensor furthermore comprises a door controller interface (340) to provide information in order to trigger different door functions on a door controller, further comprising a detection determination unit (314) that defines a detection zone (26, 28, 126, 128) within the scanning field, where a detection of an object within the detection zone (26, 28, 126, 128) leads to a certain output on the door controller interface (340) to trigger a specific door function, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) is embodied to execute a first evaluation step, where a first set of measurements of pulses is evaluated, where the first set of measurement contains at least some measurements of the pulses that are accumulated over at least two facet sweeps where the pulse emission is triggered in a way that a plurality of pulses are shifted with regard to the angular mirror position in a way that they have shifted deflection angles, in subsequent facet sweeps, and where the detection determination unit is embodied to execute a second evaluation step, where the second set of measurements is evaluated, where the set of measurements contains measurements of only one facet sweep of the second facet.

45. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that the first set of measurements is obtained in a way that the results of the pulses deflected by the first facet, are accumulated over at least two subsequent facet sweeps of the first facet.

46. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in the mirror (310) comprising a third facet where the third facet comprises essentially the same inclination as the first facet, where the first set of measurement is obtained by accumulating the measurements over the first facet sweep and the third facet sweep.

47. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that the sensor comprises a movement determination unit (316) that determines the angular position and the angular moving direction of the sensor.

48. The sensor according to any one of claim 44, characterized in that the detection zone in width direction comprises at least two different subsequent zones of detection, where an edge zone (36, 46, 136, 146) follows a leaf zone (32, 42, 132, 142).

49. The sensor according to claim 48, characterized in that the edge zone (36, 46, 136, 146) is evaluated including the first set of measurements and the leaf zone (32, 142) is evaluated including the second set of measurements.

50. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that the inclination of the first facet (320) relative to the rotation axis of the mirror is smaller than the inclination of the second facet (321).

51. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that the door controller interface (340) provides three different output information triggering at least three different door functions.

52. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that different output information is generated depending on the detection event in a certain zone and the angular position of the door and the moving direction of the door.

53. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that the door controller interface (340) comprises three discrete output ports (342, 344, 346) connectable to an input port of a door controller via a wired connection, especially discrete wire connection.

54. The sensor according to claim 44, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) has a first configuration setup that sets the first output information active on a detection inside the edge zone (36), when the movement determination unit (316) determines a moving direction in closing direction and the second output information to active upon a detection event inside the leaf zone (32), when the movement determination unit (316) determines a moving direction in the opening direction.

55. The sensor according to claim 54, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) has a second configuration setup that sets the third output information (open) active upon a detection event inside the edge zone (136), when the movement determination unit (316) determines there is no moving direction and the position is a closed position and the first output information is set active while the movement determination unit (316) determines that the moving direction is a closing direction and the second output information to active upon a detection inside the leaf zone (132), when the position evaluation unit determines a moving direction in opening direction.

56. The sensor according to claim 54, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) has a third configuration setup that sets the first output information active upon a detection inside the edge zone (46) or inside the leaf zone (42), when the movement determination unit (316) determines a moving direction in closing direction.

57. The sensor according to claim 54, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) has a fourth configuration setup that sets the third output information (open) active upon a detection inside the edge zone (146), when the movement determination unit (316) determines that there is no moving direction and the position is a closed position, and where the first output information is set active upon a detection event inside the edge zone (142) or inside the leaf zone (146), when the movement determination unit (316) determines a moving direction M closing direction.

58. The sensor according to claim 57, characterized in that the sensor comprises a door status determination unit (318) that transmits a “door is open” signal to the detection determination unit (314) when at least one door leaf is in an open position and/or a “door is closed” signal when the door is closed.

59. The sensor according to claim 54, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) comprises a timer that is started when the movement detection unit (316) determines that the door leaf (112) is in a closed position, to lapse after a predefined timespan, where the edge zone (136, 146) is deactivated when the timer lapses.

60. The sensor according to claim 57, characterized in that the timer is resumed once the door status determination unit (318) communicates a “door is open” signal and/or does not communicate a “door is closed” signal.

61. The sensor according to claim 57, characterized in that the determination unit comprises a configuration setup where the edge zone is activated once the door status determination unit (318) communicates a “door is open” signal and/or does not communicate a “door is closed” signal.

62. The automatic swing door according to claim 1 where the leading face sensor and/or the following face sensor includes a sensor (300) comprising, a scanning unit (308) producing a scanning field, where the scanning unit (308) comprises a laser scanner (311, 312, 310) that emits light pulses that are evaluated according to the Time of Flight principle, the laser scanner comprises a rotating mirror (310) that has at least two facets that are inclined differently to the rotational axis (R) of the rotating mirror (310), where the light pulses are deflected at the mirror facets (320), where a series of sent pulses on a mirror facet while the mirror is rotating by a predefined angle—facet sweep—and thereby produces a curtain, where the sensor furthermore comprises a door controller interface (340) to provide information in order to trigger different door functions on a door controller, further comprising a detection determination unit (314) that defines a detection zone (26, 28, 126, 128) within the scanning field, where a detection of an object within the detection zone (26, 28, 126, 128) leads to a certain output on the door controller interface (340) to trigger a specific door function, characterized in that the detection determination unit (314) is embodied to execute a first evaluation step, where a first set of measurements of pulses is evaluated, where the first set of measurement contains at least some measurements of the pulses that are accumulated over at least two facet sweeps where the pulse emission is triggered in a way that a plurality of pulses are shifted with regard to the angular mirror position in a way, that they have shifted deflection angles, in subsequent facet sweeps, and where the detection determination unit is embodied to execute a second evaluation step, where the second set of measurements is evaluated, where the set of measurements contains measurements of only one facet sweep of the second facet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0092] In the drawings is shown

[0093] FIG. 1 a schematic top view of an automatic swing door according to the invention;

[0094] FIG. 2 a schematic top view of an automatic swing door during a closing movement previous to the position shown in FIG. 1;

[0095] FIG. 3 a schematic top view of an automatic swing door in a door position during a closing movement subsequent to the position shown in FIG. 1;

[0096] FIG. 4 a schematic top view of an automatic door according to the invention having a first door leaf arrangement and a second door leaf arrangement;

[0097] FIG. 5 a schematic top view of an automatic door according to the invention having a first door leaf arrangement and a second door leaf arrangement;

[0098] FIG. 6 a side view of a door leaf arrangement of the previous figures;

[0099] FIG. 7 another side view of a door leaf arrangement of the previous figures, and

[0100] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a door sensor according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0101] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of an automatic swing door 10 according to the invention. The swing door comprises a door leaf arrangement 12 having a door leaf 14 and a leading face sensor 16 mounted on the leading face 15a of the door facing away from the door opening 20. The automatic door 10 comprises a door controller 22 to open and close the door.

[0102] Furthermore, the door leaf arrangement 12 has a following face sensor 18 mounted on the following face of the door leaf 14. The leading face sensor 16 and the following face sensor 18 are mounted close to the hinged end 15d of the door leaf at the upper end of the door leaf 14 and provide a scanning field that is directed downwards and extends along the door leaf 14 in direction of the main closing edge 15c of the door leaf 14. Accordingly, the detection area 26, 28 extends substantially along the door leaf and has a certain depth perpendicular to the door leaf 14. The detection area 26 of the leading face sensor 16 comprises a leaf zone 32 and an edge zone 36. The leaf zone 32 covers most of the width of the door leaf 12 where the edge zone 36 covers a zone of the detection area 26 beyond the leaf zone 32 in direction of the main closing edge 15c and beyond the main closing edge 15c. The detection zone of the following face sensor 18 comprises a leaf zone 42 and an edge zone 46.

[0103] The leading face sensor 16 and the following face sensor 18 are connected to each other by a BUS communication preferably using a master slave architecture. The leading face sensor 16 is connected to the door controller 22 via a discrete wiring.

[0104] The edge zones 36, 46 are active during the closing operation as shown in FIG. 1. A detection event within the edge zone 36, 46 will lead to a reopen signal on the door controller.

[0105] The leading face sensor 16 and the following face sensor 18 comprise a movement determination unit in form of a gyroscope to know about the position of the door and the moving direction of the door. Accordingly, the edge zone 36 is activated only in the last part of the closing movement as not to negatively influence the general behavior of the door. Also the edge zone 46 of the following face sensor 18 is activated at this position. In this case, the action triggered as a result of a detection event in the edge zone does not differ from the action triggered by a detection event in the leaf zone 42. In difference thereto, a detection event in the leaf zone 32 during closing operation will not result in an action of the door 10, where a detection event in the edge zone 36 leads to reopening the door.

[0106] The leading face sensor 16 comprises output ports that each are connected to the corresponding input ports of the door controller.

[0107] FIG. 2 shows the door during a closing movement previous to the position shown in FIG. 1. Neither the leading face sensor 16 nor the following face sensor 18 monitor their edge zone in this situation, as there is no danger of getting crushed between the door frame 30 and the door leaf 14. Accordingly, a person standing beside the door leaf 14 is assumed to be safe and no safety action is required by the door controller 22.

[0108] FIG. 3 shows the door position during a closing movement subsequent to the position shown in FIG. 1. As the door leaf 14 passes by the door frame 30 the edge zone 46 and maybe also the leaf zone 42 is adapted in a way that the door frame 30 does not lie within the detection zone and, therefore, does not trigger an action during the closing of the door. This is achieved as the frame is detected within a teach in process and is ignored during operation so that the frame is no longer part of the detection zone. Once the closed position is reached by the door leaf 14 neither the stop nor the reopen actions will be executed by the door controller in a closed position.

[0109] During the opening movement that is not shown in the figures, the edge zone 46 is neither monitored by the leading face sensor 16 nor by the following face sensor 18.

[0110] FIG. 4 shows an automatic door 100 according to the invention having a first door leaf arrangement 12 that is basically set up the same way as described with regard to the previous figures. According to FIG. 4 the door is shown during a closing operation in an almost closed position.

[0111] Additionally, to the example shown in FIG. 1 the door 100 comprises a second door leaf arrangement 112. The second door leaf arrangement 112 comprises a door leaf 114 whereto a leading face sensor 116 and a following face sensor 118 is attached and a door controller 122 that operates the door leaf 114. The two door leaf arrangements 14, 114 are operated, asynchronously in a way that for opening, the first door leaf 14 is opened before the second door leaf 114, and for closing the second door leaf 114 is closed before the first door leaf 14.

[0112] The leading face sensor 116 comprises a detection zone 126 which comprises a leaf zone 132. The leaf zone 132 provides a stop signal during an opening operation of the door. During closing of the door the stop signal is ignored by the door controller 122. During the closing of the door an edge zone 136 is present in the detection zone that lies subsequent to the leaf zone 132 in direction of the main closing edge of the door leaf 114. During closing operation a detection event in this edge zone will lead to a reopening of the door leaf. Alternatively it may also lead to a reopening of the door which means that both door leaves open.

[0113] Furthermore, the interface needs to enable a communication to activate the stop function and the reopen function of the door controller during closing. Accordingly, the sensor connected to the door controller comprises a door controller interface to communicate three different actions to the door controller 122.

[0114] The following face sensor 118 comprises a detection zone 128 having a leaf zone 142. A detection event in the leaf zone 142 during closing leads to a reopening of the door leaf 114 or both door leaves 14, 114. Above this the detection zone 128 comprises an edge zone 146 that lies subsequent to the leaf zone 142 and extends beyond the door leaf 114. A detection event in the edge zone 146 during closing leads to a reopening of the door leaf 114 or both door leaves 14, 114.

[0115] Once the door leaf 114 is closed, the reopening function is no longer executed by the door controller 122. In the closed position a detection event in the edge zone 136, 146 leads to an opening of the door 100.

[0116] FIG. 4 additionally shows the curved shapes of the specific zones that can be applied alternatively.

[0117] FIG. 5 shows the automatic door 100 of FIG. 4 in a situation during closing, where the second door leaf 114 is fully closed, the first door leaf 14 is almost closed.

[0118] The leading face sensor 116 and/or the following face sensor 118 comprise a closed position determination unit that can derive whether the door 100 is fully closed. This closed position determination unit can comprise a connection between the door controllers where the information of the closed position of the door is communicated, or between the sensors on the different door leaves where the position of the door leaves derived from the sensors attached to the same is communicated to the other door leaf.

[0119] Once the second door leaf 114 is closed, a detection event in the edge zone 136 activates the opening procedure of the door 100. This behavior is in place until the first door leaf 14 is in a closed position as well. The leading face sensor 116, therefore, comprises a door controller interface that enables the “open” action on the door controller 122.

[0120] For this reason the following face sensor 118 comprises a door controller interface that enables the “open” action and the “reopen” action on the door controller 122. In case of discrete wiring between the door controller and the sensor, the sensor comprises preferably three separate output ports.

[0121] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, all sensors 16, 18, 116, 118 comprise the same components, where all sensors have a door controller interface providing three separate output information.

[0122] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a door leaf arrangement of the previous figures. The sensor is embodied as a laser scanner that comprises a rotating mirror with four facets inclined relative to each other to provide four scanning curtains as a scanning beam is deflected by the mirror facets. The scanning field is a three dimensional scanning field, where as a consequence the detection zone accordingly has a depth D perpendicular to the door leaf.

[0123] It can further be derived from FIG. 6 that, in case the depth of the scanning zone D at least almost matches the width of the door leaf, the passageway can be fully monitored while the door leaves are in an open position. By monitoring the passageway in the open position a triggering of the closing procedure can be avoided as long as an object is present in the detection zone, especially the leaf zone. This is valid for single leaf door applications as well as for double leaf door applications. Accordingly, the efficiency of the door can be improved, as unnecessary closing movements are prevented.

[0124] FIG. 7 shows another side view of a door leaf arrangement 12, where the sensor 16 is mounted on the upper end of the door leaf 14 close to the hinges. The scanning field extends vertically and horizontally. The main part of the scanning field as shown by the beams 200—indicated by the dashed lines—extends in direction of the main closing edge of the door. This side view shows the height extension of the monitored space perpendicular to the detection zone 26.

[0125] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a door sensor 300 according to the invention. The door sensor 300 comprises a scanning unit 308 comprising a rotating mirror 310 that is deflecting emitted and/or echoed laser beams having four differently inclined facets, each for emitting and receiving beams. The beams are emitted by an emitter 311 and the echoed beams are received by a receiver 312. The scanning unit furthermore comprises a detection determination unit 314.

[0126] The detection determination unit 314 determines depending on the beam angle and the time of flight of the emitted pulse until the echo is received, the spatial position of an object. The door sensor 300 furthermore comprises a door position and a movement determination unit 316 that can preferably be embodied by comprising a gyroscope. Furthermore, the door sensor 300 comprises a door status determination unit 318 that can derive whether a door is fully closed. This means that all door leaves are supposed to be in a closed position.

[0127] The detection determination unit 314 is embodied to set the signal according to the conditions described in the preceding figures depending on the information given to the detection determination unit 314 by the movement determination unit 316 and the door status determination unit 318.

[0128] The door sensor 300 comprises a door controller interface 340 that is connected to the detection determination unit 314, where the detection determination unit 314 transfers the requested output information to the door controller interface 340.

[0129] According to the invention, the door controller interface 340 comprises at least three output ports 342, 344, 346 that communicate a “reopen” signal via a first output 342, a “stop” signal via a second output 344 and an “open” signal via a third output 346.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0130] 10 automatic swing door [0131] 12 door leaf arrangement [0132] 14 door leaf [0133] 15a leading face [0134] 15b following face [0135] 15c main closing edge [0136] 15d hinged end [0137] 16 leading face sensor [0138] 18 following face sensor [0139] door opening [0140] 22 door controller [0141] 26 detection zone [0142] 28 detection zone [0143] door frame [0144] 32 leaf zone [0145] 36 edge zone [0146] 42 leaf zone [0147] 46 edge zone [0148] 100 automatic swing door [0149] 112 door leaf arrangement [0150] 114 door leaf [0151] 116 leading face sensor [0152] 118 following face sensor [0153] 122 a door controller [0154] 132 leaf zone [0155] 142 leaf zone [0156] 146 edge zone [0157] 300 door sensor [0158] 308 scanning unit [0159] 311 emitter [0160] 310 rotating mirror [0161] 312 receiver [0162] 314 detection determination unit [0163] 316 movement determination unit [0164] 318 door status determination unit [0165] 320 facet [0166] 340 door controller interface [0167] 342 output port [0168] 344 output port [0169] 346 output port