METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING AN AUTOMATIC DOOR SYSTEM

Abstract

An improved method and an improved apparatus for operating an automatic door system are distinguished by the following features, inter alia: — a sensor device (9) is used, which implements a monitoring region (19) assigned to and/or disposed upstream of the leaves (1; 1a, 1b) for the detection of objects (P, G) which are situated and/or moving in said monitoring region (19), — by means of the sensor device (9) and/or by means of the control and/or evaluation device (11), an object (P, G) situated in the monitoring region (19) is detected with regard to the position and direction of movement of said object and also with regard to the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of said object, and — depending on the movement-dependent position and direction of movement (21) and also the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G), the at least one leaf (1; 1a; 1b) is moved, in particular opened, readjusted and/or closed, in an object-related manner.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automatic door system with at least one movable, adjustable and/or pivotable door leaf (1; 1a, 1b), whereby a door opening region (10) with a door width (TB) can be cleared as well as closed, having the following features - a control and evaluation device (11) is used, - a sensor device (9) is used, which implements a monitoring region (19) assigned to and/or disposed upstream of the leaves (1; 1a, 1b) for the detection of objects (P, G) which are situated and/or moving in this monitoring region (19), - by means of the sensor device (9) and/or by means of the control and/or evaluation device (11), an object (P, G) and/or object group situated in the monitoring region (19) is detected with regard to the position and direction of movement thereof and also with regard to the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) thereof, and - at least in a time and/or movement phase, the opening width (OW) of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) varies in an object-related manner depending on the current position and direction of movement (21) and depending on the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) with respect to door opening region (10) of the detected object (P, G), which changes during the progressive movement process through the door region (10), and - the opening and/or closing of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) is carried out in such a manner that a) the opening movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) first ends when the detected object (P, G) is already situated at least partially in the immediate door opening region (10) of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b), and/or b) the closing movement of the at least one leaf (1; 1a, 1b) starts already when the detected object (P, G) is still at least partially situated in the immediate door opening region (10) of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one door leaf (1; la, 1b) is moved or follows in opening direction and/or closing direction only to the extent that the opening width (OW) with respect to the door width (TB) corresponds at least to the width (B) or the current width (B 1) of the detected object (P, G) situated in the door opening region (10) plus a safety and/or side spacing (SA).

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized wherein the at least one door leaf comprises an at least two-leaf door having at least two door leaves, only one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) is opened when the detected object (P), on the basis of its current position, orientation and direction of movement and its width and/or size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23), is moved toward only one of the at least two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b) so that here the necessary opening width (OW) between the at least two opposite main closing edges (13) of the two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b) corresponds at least to the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G) plus two times the a configured and/or object-related calculated safety and/or side spacing (SA).

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized wherein the at least one door leaf comprises an at least two-leaf door having at least two door leaves, the two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b), depending on the current position and the direction of movement and the current width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G) with respect to the door opening region (10), which change during the progressive movement process through the door opening region (10), are moved increasingly further in opening direction or increasingly further in closing direction so that the opening width (OW) corresponds to the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the section of the object (P, G) plunging into the door opening region (10) to different extents depending on the progressive movement process plus a safety or side spacing (SA) provided on each side of the object (P, G).

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the passage of [[a]] the detected object (P, G) and/or a detected object group through the opening region (10), the door leaves (1; 1a, 1b) follow the current contour (K) or the current overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G) in such a way that at all times a predeterminable safety and/or side spacing (SA) between the main closing edge (13) of the door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) in question, which is respectively adjacent to the detected person (P, G), and corresponds to the respective current detected width and/or size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) and/or orientation of the detected object (P, G) in the door opening region (10) between the two main closing edges (13) of the two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b).

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the travel movement of the at least one door leaf (1; la, lb) with independently and/or mechanically connected door leaves, at least in a time and/or movement phase, occurs depending on the progressive movement and/or the current remaining width and/or size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the object (P, G) moved through the door opening (10).

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety and/or side spacing (SA) is differently predetermined or set and/or differently set depending on at least one additional parameter, in particular in a temperature and/or energy-consumption-dependent manner and/or depending on a temperature difference between the spaces separated from one another by the door system, and/or can be calculated and/or learned with respect to the object class and/or object orientation and/or the collision risk to be expected.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) after passage through the door opening region (10) does not occur or occurs only partway up to the contour plus a safety spacing (SA) of the following object and/or object group when an additional object (P, G) and/or object group approaching the door opening region (10) is detected by means of the sensor device (9).

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) after and/or during the passage of a detected object (P/G) and/or object group through the door opening region (10) for separation continues and/or is intensified and/or actively closes up to contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the first object or object group and/or plus at least one minimal safety spacing (SA) and/or visually and/or acoustically signals when an additional object (P, G) and/or object group approaching the door opening region (10) is detected by means of the sensor device (9).

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the beginning of the opening movement and/or the beginning of the closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) occur(s) depending on the position and/or orientation and/or the direction of movement and/or speed of the detected object (P, G) and/or depending on predeterminable and/or measurable variables, in particular depending on preferably measured temperatures and/or depending on energy demand calculations.

11. An apparatus for operating an automatic door system with at least one movable, adjustable and/or pivotable door leaf (1; 1a, 1b), whereby a door opening region (10) with a door width (TB) can be cleared as well as closed, preferably according to the method of claim 1, with the following features - a control and/or evaluation device (11) is used, - a sensor device (9) is provided, which implements a monitoring region (19) assigned to and/or disposed upstream of the leaves (1; 1a, 1b) for the detection of objects (P, G) which are situated and/or moving in this monitoring region (19), - the sensor device (9) and/or the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed and/or arranged so that an object (P, G) and/or object group situated in the monitoring region (19) is detected with respect to the position and direction of movement thereof as well as with respect to the width and/or size and/or orientation and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) thereof, and - the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that, at least in a time and/or movement phase, the opening width (OW) of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) is varied in an object-related manner depending on the current position and direction of movement (21) and depending on the current width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) with respect to the door opening region (10) of the detected object (P, G) , which changes during the progressive movement process through the door opening region (10), and - the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that a) the opening movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) only ends when the detected object (P, G) is already at least partially situated in the immediate door opening region (10) of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b), and/or b) the closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) starts already when the detected object (P, G) is still at least partially situated in the immediate door opening region (10) of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b).

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) is moved or follows in opening direction and/or in closing direction only to the extent that the opening width (OW) with respect to the door width (TB) corresponds at least to the width (B) or the current width (B1) of the detected object (P, G), situated in the door opening region (10), plus a safety and/or side spacing (SA).

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that, in the case of an at least two-leaf door, only one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) is opened when a detected object (P), based on its current position, orientation and direction of movement and its width, and/or size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23), moves toward only one of the at least two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b) so that in the process the necessary opening width (OW) between the at least two main closing edges (13) facing one another of the two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b) corresponds at least to the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G) plus two times the configured and/or object-related calculated safety and/or side spacing (SA).

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that in the case of an at least two-leaf door, for each of the at least two one-piece or telescopically retractable and deployable door leaves (1; 1a, 1b), a separate drive device 7a or 7b is provided, and in that the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that, in the case of the at least two-leaf door, the two door leaves (1; 1a, 1b), depending on the current position and direction of movement and the current width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) with respect to the door opening region (10) of the detected object (P, G), which changes during the progressive movement process through the door opening region (10), are moved increasingly further in opening direction or increasingly further in closing direction, in such a manner that the opening width (OW) corresponds to the width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the section of the object (P, G) plunging into the door opening region (10) to different extents depending on the progressive movement process plus a safety and/or side spacing (SA) provided on each side of the object (P, G).

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that, when a detected object (P, G) passes through the door opening region (10), the door leaves (1; 1a, 1b) follow the current contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G) so that at all times a preferably predeterminable and/or object-related safety and/or side spacing (SA) and/or such a spacing calculated from parameters, between the main closing edge (13) of the door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) in question respectively adjacent to the detected person (P, G) and corresponds to the respective current detected width, size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the detected object (P, G) in the door opening region (10) between the two main closing edges (13) of the two leaves (1; 1a, 1b).

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation unit (11) is constructed so that the travel movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, lb) with independently and/or mechanically connected leaves, in at least a time and/or movement phase, occurs depending on the progressive movement and the current remaining width and/or size and/or contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the object (P, G) moved through the door opening (10).

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation unit (11) is constructed so that the safety and/or side spacing (SA) is predetermined and/or set and/or set differently depending on at least one additional parameter, in particular in a temperature- and/or energy consumption-dependent manner and/or depending on a temperature difference between the spaces which are separated from one another by the door system, and/or can be calculated and/or learned with respect to the object class and/or object orientation and/or the collision risk to be expected.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation unit (11) is constructed so that a closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) after a passage through the door opening region (10) does not occur or occurs only partway up to the contour plus a safety spacing (SA) of the following object and/or object group when an additional object (P, G) and/or object group approaching the door region (10) is detected by means of the sensor device (9).

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation unit (11) is constructed so that a closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b) after and/or during the passage of a detected object (P, G) and/or an object group through the door opening region (10) for separation continues and/or is intensified and/or actively closes up to contour (K) or overall contour (23) of the first object or object group and/or plus a minimal safety spacing (SA) and/or visually and/or acoustically signals when an additional object (P, G) and/or object group approaching the door opening region (10) is detected by means of the sensor device (9).

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the control and/or evaluation device (11) is constructed so that the beginning of the opening movement and/or the beginning of the closing movement of the at least one door leaf (1; 1a, 1b), occurs depending on the position and/or the direction of movement and/or orientation of the detected object (P, G) and/or depending on predeterminable or measurable variables, in particular depending on preferably measured temperatures and/or depending on energy demand calculations.

Description

[0049] Additional advantages, details and features of the invention result from the following description of embodiment examples. The figures show in detail:

[0050] FIG. 1: a diagrammatic front view of a two-leaf sliding door arrangement with a sensor device situated above;

[0051] FIG. 2a: a diagrammatic horizontal sectional representation through the door system according to FIG. 1 in closed state;

[0052] FIG. 2b: a representation corresponding to FIG. 2a, when the two door leaves are each 100% open;

[0053] FIG. 3a: a representation similar to FIG. 2a, wherein a person approaches the door;

[0054] FIG. 3b: a representation temporally subsequent to FIG. 3a, when the person detected with the door still closed beforehand is passing through the door with leaves opened, and, namely, when the left leaf is merely only partially opened and the right door leaf is still completely closed;

[0055] FIG. 3c: a representation deviating from FIG. 3b, in which the person walks only slightly off center through the door, so that the left and the right door leaves are moved to different extents into a partially open position;

[0056] FIG. 3d: a representation similar to FIG. 3c, in which, however, a person or a moved object is moving through the two partially opened sliding door leaves, so that the right sliding door leaf is adjusted further into its partially open position than the left sliding door leaf which is moved only slightly in its open position;

[0057] FIG. 4a: a representation similar to FIG. 3a, when not a sliding door system but a folding door system is used;

[0058] FIG. 4b: an additional variant to the extent that, instead of a sliding door or folding door system, a swing door system with, for example, two swing doors is used;

[0059] FIGS. 5a-5c: an embodiment example according to the invention, in which an object passes through a door opening region and in the process the opening and the closing movement is carried out in an object-related manner, that is to say depending on the respective current width or size with which the object enters the door opening region or is located there;

[0060] FIG. 6a: a representation similar to FIG. 3a, in which a person approaches a still closed sliding door, wherein the person is pulling a rolling suitcase behind on his/her right side;

[0061] FIG. 6b: a representation corresponding to FIG. 6a, when, temporally subsequent to the representation according to FIG. 6a, the person has reached the immediate door opening plane of the two-leaf sliding door system, wherein the left door leaf is opened to a greater extent than the right door leaf;

[0062] FIG. 6c: a representation of a situation temporally subsequent to FIG. 6b, in which a person has already almost completely walked through the sliding door system and only the suitcase is still situated in the region of the sliding door system, so that the left door leaf is already starting its closing movement;

[0063] FIG. 6d: an additional situation temporally subsequent to FIG. 6c, in which the person already has completely walked through the space between the sliding doors and only the suitcase is still situated in the region of the plane of the sliding doors, and, for this purpose, the sliding doors are moved toward one another to the extent that substantially only sufficient space for the rolling suitcase in tow is still clear;

[0064] FIG. 7a: a door actuation deviating from the preceding embodiment example, wherein the two sliding doors, depending on the more complex object, during the starting time when the object optionally with a suitcase pulled behind it passes through the door, are moved into a relative maximum open position depending on the direction of movement and the position;

[0065] FIG. 7b: a representation temporally subsequent n to the situation according to FIG. 7a, in which only the sliding suitcase is still situated in the region of the plane of the door leaf, and the door leaves are moved closer to one another in the closing direction only when the remaining object, now of smaller width, leaves the door opening region;

[0066] FIG. 8a: a representation similar to FIG. 3c, wherein, however, during the actuation according to FIG. 7a, the side or safety spacing between the main closing edges facing one another of the two door leaves and the object or person passing through the door system is selected to be larger or is settable and set automatically depending on at least one additional factor;

[0067] FIG. 8b: a corresponding representation similar to FIG. 8a, but in the case of the use of a folding door system instead of a sliding door system;

[0068] FIG. 9a: the representation of an intelligent door control, in which, after passage, for example, through the sliding door system, differently from the other embodiment examples, the sliding doors are not closed relatively quickly but kept open, since another object approaching the door is already detected; and

[0069] FIG. 9b: a situation temporally subsequent to the situation according to FIG. 9a, in which the sliding door leaves which are held open are still held open but have already been adjusted as to their position so that they clear the path precisely where the other detected object is moving.

[0070] In FIG. 1, in a diagrammatic representation, a two-leaf sliding door 1 with two door leaves 1a, 1b is shown in closed state. The door is provided, for example, in a wall 5.

[0071] The door leaves 1a, 1b are movably held in a known manner via a guide rail arrangement extending horizontally above the door opening and designated with reference numeral 7 in FIG. 1, with the associated drive devices and drive components (provided jointly with reference numeral 7 in FIG. 1) and are moved, for example, via two drives not shown in greater detail between an open position and a closed position. The transfer of the direction of movement from the respective drive to the associated leaf can here occur, for example, via two separate toothed belts. To that extent, reference is made to known sliding door systems.

[0072] In the present case, for each separately actuatable door leaf, a separate drive device 7a or 7b is provided, which, for example, likewise in turn each can comprise at least one respective motor 8a, 8b (in the case of a redundant drive, for example, in each case two motors, etc.) which for example then actuates, via the mentioned belt drive separately associated with it, the sliding door leaf 1a or 1b associated with it.

[0073] This construction in principle makes it possible that each leaf separately from the other can be separately actuated and moved, i.e., can be moved also to different extents in the open position and/or in its closed position, and namely independently of the respective other sliding door leaf.

[0074] In the embodiment example shown, above the door opening, that is to say, for example, in the region of the suspension and running arrangement of the movable door leaves 1a, 1b, a sensor device 9 is provided, which, however, in principle, can also be positioned at a completely different site, for example, also on the ceiling, etc.

[0075] The sensor device 9 itself can here include multiple sensors, including multiple sensors based on different technologies. Here, it should be preferable to use a sensor device which, in the end, in general can be referred to as acquisition system or distance sensor, or which includes at least one acquisition sensor or distance sensor and can acquire the object width, that is to say, for example, the object size in terms of width extension as well as the position. Thus, here, one or more acquisition or distance sensors of this type can be provided or else one or more acquisition or distance sensors can be provided in addition to other additional sensors based on other technologies, as also discussed above.

[0076] Such acquisition and/or distance sensors can be, for example, so-called “Time of Flight” sensors which are also referred to in abbreviated form as ToF sensors. Here, for example, it is a matter of sensors which include at least one sensor device with at least one transmitter with, for example, a light source and at least one receiving device with at least one receiver. By means of an additionally provided control and/or evaluation device 11, via an acquisition sensor of this type, not only the position of a sensor to be detected in the monitoring region in relation to the door or to the respective door leaf but also its movement direction and, in the end, also its width, size and/or its contour can then be acquired. For the following description, above all in sliding or folding doors, the contour in relation to the door leaf plane (in closed position) is important, as will later result from the description below.

[0077] By means of the acquisition sensors, for example, the selected ToF sensors, or by means of at least one ToF sensor provided, it is here possible, using the transmitter, to emit signals in direction of the object to be monitored and then to pick up the signal reflected by the monitored object to be detected in order to then finally acquire from the received signal, in particular the transit time or a phase position of the signal, the distance between the at least one ToF sensor and the object detected in the monitoring region. To that extent, reference is made to known ToF sensors or ToF sensor devices and FMCW sensor devices, including their operating principle.

[0078] In FIG. 2a, a diagrammatic view onto the sliding door system according to FIG. 1 is reproduced, and namely in a horizontal section through the representation according to FIG. 1, thus in a perpendicular top view onto a floor surface 6. Not diagrammatically drawn in further detail is a monitoring region 19, abstractly provided but spatially not necessarily limited, in which, by means of the mentioned sensor device 9, a monitoring with respect to an object situated in this region or moving in this region can occur. Here, this monitoring region does not have to be firmly defined, it can also represent a differently dimensioned monitoring region. This monitoring region includes a zone immediately before the actual door leaves 1a, 1b. Here, for the sake of simplicity, in FIG. 2, only one monitoring region with respect to one side of the sliding door leaf is shown, wherein, in principle, a corresponding second sensor device or a similar sensor device is also provided for monitoring the opposite side of the door system, namely in particular when public traffic from both sides in both directions is possible.

[0079] In FIG. 2b, a representation corresponding to FIG. 2a is reproduced, but in a representation in which the two sliding door leaves 1a and 1b are adjusted in their maximum open position, that is to say 100% open, and more or less completely clear the actual door opening region 10. Thereby, the maximum door width is accessible in its maximum opening width, wherein, depending on the possible final position of the sliding door leaves 1a and 1b in their maximum open position this maximum door opening width is then formed between the two opposite main closing edges 13 facing one another and/or with respect to the front sides 5a and/or 5b facing one another of the wall sections provided laterally with respect to door region. Here, it is noted that the mentioned wall sections 5 can also consist of so-called fixed leaves which are not movable. Finally, it should also be noted already at this point that, instead of a two-leaf sliding door, a multiple-leaf sliding door can naturally also be considered, which, for example, includes two or respectively three left and/or right sliding door leaves which can be moved telescopically into one another.

[0080] On the basis of FIGS. 3a and 3b, a first possibility of how the sliding door drive according to the invention can be actuated is now shown.

[0081] Here, FIGS. 3a and 3b show the diagrammatic representation of a two-leaf sliding door drive in the region of a door opening 10.

[0082] In the possible monitoring region 19 abstractly indicated without further detail with respect to the bottom surface 6, a moving person P has now arrived in the detection region, that is to say, in the monitoring region 19, wherein the person P is also referred to in general below as object P. This person is indicated in a diagrammatic top view by an oval structure.

[0083] The sensor device is constructed so that not only the position of the object in question, that is to say of the person P in relation to the leaves, i.e., here in particular 1a and 1b, can be detected, but also the direction of movement 21 can be detected and determined. This direction of movement 21, in the further course of the movement toward the door, can always (slightly) change again and thereby also result overall in a curved path. This detection is preferably carried out by the sensors in a temporally continuous manner or at the smallest possible clocked time intervals.

[0084] In the embodiment example shown, the person in question or the object P in question in the position shown in FIG. 3a moves further toward the still closed door.

[0085] In FIG. 3b it is shown how this person P is now no longer situated in the position shown with dashed line but rather is now already in the immediate region of the door leaves 1a, 1b.

[0086] Since, in this embodiment example shown, the variable detected preferably at least approximately parallel to the door plane (corresponding to the door leaves and thus furthermore perpendicular to the surface of the floor 12) by the sensor device 9, i.e., in particular the diameter or width or in general the contour of the person P passing through the door, is smaller than half the door width, that is to say in other words smaller than the door leaf closed by the left door leaf 1a in the closed state, and, here, the position of the object P is furthermore such that the object P, when the left door leaf is open, wishes to move only through this door section without colliding with the right door leaf 1b, which is still in its closed position, at main closing edge 13 thereof, only the left door leaf 1a has now been moved by means of the control and/or evaluation device 11 and the associated drive device 7a into its open position.

[0087] Here, the left door leaf 1a overall can be moved into its 100% open position. However, in the scope of the invention, it is also possible that the left door leaf is moved, for example, only 95%, 90%, 85% or, for example, 83%, 82%, etc., into the open position, that is to say only to the extent that the opening region formed thereby is sufficiently large so that the person P in question can move through between the two door leaves in a collision-free manner.

[0088] On the basis of FIG. 3c, it is accordingly shown that, for example, the person P who in FIG. 3a is still remote with respect to the door, has moved along another direction of movement 21 toward the door in such a way that the person in question wishes to pass through the door slightly closer to the center position M compared to the embodiment example according to FIG. 3b (see also FIG. 2a).

[0089] In this case, by means of the sensor device 19 and the control and/or evaluation device 11, the two door leaves 1a, 1b would now be adjusted in the opening direction but in turn again only to the extent necessary to allow the person P in question to pass through the door in an unimpeded manner on the path 21 selected by the person in question themselves and thus in a collision-free manner.

[0090] In this embodiment example, the left door leaf 1a would be moved, for example, approximately into its 60% open position, whereas the right door leaf 1b now is only moved approximately into its 30% open position, so that the region between the two main closing edges 13 facing one another between the two leaves 1a and 1b is sufficiently large so that the person in question can pass through the door on this path in a collision-free manner. In this case, that is to say in the 60% open position of the left door leaf 1a and in the 30% open position of the right door leaf 1b, the entire door width TB would be overall 45% open, so that the actual opening region OB with respect to the total door width TB (FIG. 2b), in the end, is thus only 45%.

[0091] Here, by means of the control and/or evaluation device 11, the actuation of the door leaves can be carried out in such a manner that, proceeding from of the concrete path and the concrete position of the monitored object P and its width extension B (preferably measured parallel to the movement path of the door leaves or the plane of the door leaves), the door leaves are always moved in opening position to the extent that, for example, a safety and/or side spacing SA of in each case at least 10 cm, 15 cm or, for example, 20 cm, between the outermost or most lateral point 25 of the contour 23 of the object moving through the door and the respective adjacent main closing edge 13 of the respective door leaf 1a, 1b, is available as additional free space.

[0092] On the basis of FIG. 3d, it is only shown that, in principle, the comparable actuation steps can be carried out if a corresponding object P approaches the sliding door system, for example, off center, i.e., wishes to pass through the door system predominantly in the region of the right door leaf 1b. The right door leaf 1b then opens to a greater extent than the left door leaf. However, in this embodiment example as well, the door control and the door opening as well as the degree of opening are carried out in an object-dependent manner, i.e., depending on the size, width (diameter) and/or contour of the object P moving through the door system or through the immediate door opening region 10 and depending on its direction of movement.

[0093] On the basis of FIG. 4a, it is only diagrammatically shown, deviating from the variant according to FIG. 3b, that the control method according to the invention for the operation of a door system applies not only to a sliding door system (with one or more leaves) but can just as well be used in a folding door system. Indeed, in the variant according to FIG. 4a, it can also be seen that, based on the specific direction of movement 21 toward the immediate door opening region 10, the two folding doors 1a and 1b are now moved to different extents into their open position, namely only to the extent that, taking into consideration a safety spacing (SA) between the most lateral points of the object P passing through the door and the main closing edges 13, precisely the path on which the person in question wishes to pass through the door system is cleared. Here too, the opening movement, on the one hand, and the width of the opening movement thus take place in an object-dependent manner, i.e., depending on the location or the direction of movement of the object P and its width, diameter or, in general, its contour K.

[0094] On the basis of FIG. 4b, only the analogue for the case in which a swing door system is used is shown, in which two swing door leaves 1a and 1b can be adjusted via vertical pivot axes with respect to the wall sections 5 from a closed position into an open position. In the variant according to FIG. 4b, the two swing door leaves 1a, 1b shown have been adjusted in the open position to the extent that, in an object-dependent manner depending on the size (that is to say the diameter or the contour of the object P) on the one hand and depending on its direction of movement 21 on the other hand, they are opened only to the extent that a sufficient opening width OB is available, so that the object P can pass through the swing door system in a collision-free manner.

[0095] In FIGS. 5a to 5c, it is shown in three more precise detailed steps how the opening movement and/or the closing movement of a one-leaf or multiple-leaf door is carried out depending on the respective current width, size and/or contour or overall contour of the detected object with respect to the door opening region 10, which changes during the movement process through the door opening region.

[0096] In other words, the invention proposes that, in an at least one-leaf door, the door leaf is correspondingly moved, follows, or is readjusted depending on the relevant and/or effective width, size and/or contour or overall contour with respect to the door opening region of the detected object, which changes during the movement process through the door opening region. This can occur so that a preferably predeterminable lateral safety and/or side spacing SA between the object moving through the door and the main closing edge of the at least one door leaf is preferably maintained in each phase. Thus, the opening width of the door leaf (leaves) changes, for example, at least in sections during the movement of a person through the opening region of the door.

[0097] According to FIG. 5a, the object is just plunging into the door opening region 10. In FIG. 5b, the object is situated with its largest width exactly in the door opening region 10, wherein, in the representation according to FIG. 5c, it has already almost left the door opening region 10 and only part of the width thereof is still in the door opening region 10. Thus, the door leaves can correspondingly be actuated and/or follows both during the opening phase as well as in the closed phase or only in one of the two phases.

[0098] On the basis of the depiction, it can thus be seen that the door control should be carried out depending on the detected object in such a manner that the respective degree or the respective extent of the opening movement and/or the closing movement at least in a time and/or movement period occurs depending on the respective effective or current width, size and/or contour or overall contour with respect to the door opening region of an object moving through the door opening region. Here, as a rule, these respective effective or current width, size and/or contour or overall contour with respect to the door opening region change during the movement process of the object through the door opening region.

[0099] Therefore, in the scope of the invention, in particular when the door opening region is starting to be reached or entered, the opening movement of a door by at least one door leaf is allowed to end only when the object is already at least partially situated in the immediate door opening region of the at least one door leaf. Likewise, in the scope of the invention, when leaving the door opening region, it is possible to allow the closing movement of a door by at least one door leaf to start already when the object is still at least partially situated in the immediate door opening region of the at least one door leaf.

[0100] The above explained methods of operation and method steps are also used in all the other described embodiment examples.

[0101] In sliding doors, swing doors or folding doors, the door opening region 10 is located between the main closing edges. In one-leaf doors, the door opening region 10 is located between the main closing edge of one door leaf and the opposite section of the door frame.

[0102] On the basis of FIGS. 6a and 6b, it is now shown what the door control can look like in the scope of the invention, for example, in the case of a monitored object P comprising a more complex outer or overall contour 23.

[0103] In the representation according to FIG. 6a, it can be seen that now, similar to the variant according to FIG. 3a, a person has arrived in the monitoring region of the sensor device 9, said person pulling behind, for example, with the right hand, a suitcase equipped with rollers or object G, etc.

[0104] Thereby, an asymmetric overall contour 23 in direction of the direction of movement 21 results.

[0105] In the representation according to FIG. 6b, the detected object now has come closer to the actual door to the extent that the corresponding door leaves are situated depending on the direction of movement selected by the person in question, the relative position thereof with respect to the respective door leaf and the width extension B thereof in the region of the already open leaves 1a, 1b. In accordance with the position thereof and the width extension thereof, the two door leaves 1a, 1b have been c opened as a function thereof to the extent that, with the addition of the mentioned safety and/or side spacing SA, they have been deployed toward the respective main closing edge 13 of the leaf in question to the extent that that the person P can pass through the correspondingly adapted open leaves 1a, 1b in a collision-free manner. However, during the further passage, due to the complex (i.e., asymmetric) contour of the object P, the situation changes to the extent that the door leaves 1a, 1b now have to correspondingly follow the contour 23 that has varied.

[0106] Thus, now it is shown on the basis of FIG. 6c how the person P in question himself/herself has already passed almost completely through the door, while the suitcase G is still situated in the door opening region 10.

[0107] Since, due to the specific contour 23 and depending on the progressive extent to which the object P moves through the immediate door opening region 10 in which the door leaves can be adjusted between open and closed position, the actual width extension B1 of the object P to which the additional item or suitcase G also belongs now thus varies in the region of the movement path of the at least one leaf.

[0108] In the time period shown in FIG. 6c, the person P in question has already almost left the actual door opening region, so that, for example, the left door leaf 1a can already be moved again with respect to the representation according to FIG. 6b a bit further into the closed position, in order to be moved further during the further progress of the person P, while the right door leaf 1b still has to be moved further in its open position so that the suitcase G can also be moved through the door in a collision-free manner.

[0109] From this representation as well, one can see that, for example, while avoiding or circumventing a time control (as provided in the prior art), the closing movement of the differently actuated door leaves can already occur relatively promptly and immediately when more than 50% of the object in question has passed through the actual door opening region or door region 10. This too shows that the door closing movement can also occur in an object-dependent manner in the scope of the invention, that is to say depending on the location of the object, its direction of movement and/or its actual contour in the immediate movement region and/or region between the closing edges 13 of the respective door leaves.

[0110] From the representation according to FIG. 6d, it can be seen that the actual person P now has already completely passed through the door opening region 10 so that, in the case of the position in question, the left door leaf 1a can then is already moved immediately into its 100% closed position, while the right door leaf 1b is still situated predominantly into its open position, since the suitcase G pulled behind by the person P is still situated in the opening region, i.e., in the region of the door opening 10.

[0111] During the further progress of the person P, in the scope of the invention, the right door leaf 1b can then be moved relatively promptly and directly into its closed position as soon as the pulled suitcase G has left the region of the door opening 10, in other words, the corresponding entire monitored object P is thus no longer situated in the region of the immediate door opening 10.

[0112] In other words, the separately actuatable door leaves 1a, 1b can thus be actuated so that they approximately effectively “follow” according to the respective outer or overall contour 23 of the detected object P. In other words, the two separately actuatable door leaves are always opened only minimally or as minimally as possible, that is to say to the extent that the detected object in question, depending on its specific contour situation, thus in the circumferential direction, is acquired parallel to the surface of the floor 6, and here the leaves 1a, 1b are open to the extent that, in a manner corresponding to the determined or detected contour 23, depending on the position in question and taking into consideration an additionally predeterminable safety or side spacing SA, the person can pass through the door opening on the path individually selected by the person.

[0113] On the basis of the preceding embodiment example according to FIGS. 6a to 6d, it is shown how, in the case of an effectively “complex overall contour” 23, the opening width of the door leaves 1a, 1b which always follow during the passage of the object P, G through the immediate door opening region 10, is thus adapted to the current width of the complex contour 23 and, after the complete passage of the object, can be closed again relative quickly in an object-dependent manner, that is to say not as in the prior art by means of a time control, as a rule after the lapse of a presettable time after the passage of a person through the door.

[0114] In the variant according to FIGS. 7a and 7b, it is shown that, in the case of a complex overall contour 23, for example when a person or an object P asymmetrically pulls an object or suitcase G behind (in the variant according to FIGS. 7a and 7b on the right side), the overall width, that is to say the maximum overall width and position and direction of movement of the object P, G, can be acquired by the sensor device 9. Subsequently, the control according to the invention can be actuated so that the door leaves 1a, 1b are then adjusted in such a manner that, taking into consideration a safety and side spacing SA, the object P in question with the item G can pass through the door in a position-dependent and above all movement-dependent manner. In other words, the door leaves here too are optimally set individually and independently of one another depending on the object and the item and of the direction of movement thereof, so that a sufficient opening width OB is set, allowing the object to pass through the door in a collision-free manner.

[0115] However, in this case, the relevant optimal and maximum opening width OB in relation to the overall object is maintained only during the start of the passage through the door. If it is detected that the overall width of the object decreases because, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7b, the preceding portion of the object with larger overall width has already left the actual door opening region 10, then the closing movement of the door leaves or of the at least one door leaf, here the door leaf 1a, is already starting in adaptation to the currently changed, actually still remaining width of the object in the door opening region, as explained and shown in reference to FIG. 6d. Thus, an automatic adaptation to the effective width of the overall contour 23, which changes during further passage through the opened door, occurs.

[0116] Any intermediate actuations between the variant according to the embodiment example according to FIGS. 6a to 6d and FIGS. 7a and 7b are also possible, wherein a partial ongoing readjustment is thus possible, before the entire object P with item G has left the actual door opening region 10.

[0117] It has already been mentioned that the side spacing SA can automatically be differently set manually or by the control and evaluation device 11.

[0118] Thus, for example, based on FIG. 8a deviating from the variant according to FIG. 3c, it is shown that a considerably larger side spacing SA has been selected. As stated, this side spacing can be predetermined as desired or else automatically and differently set by the control device depending on certain other parameters.

[0119] And this also applies in principle to all the mentioned door types, that is to say, for example, to sliding door systems as shown on the basis of FIG. 8a or, for example, also to folding door systems, in which a larger side spacing SA can also be set or predetermined by the system, as shown, for example, in the embodiment example according to FIG. 8b. Finally, this also applies to a swing door leaf drive as shown by the drawing in FIG. 4b. There too, the swing door leaves 1a, 1b shown on the basis of FIG. 4b could be adjusted further into the open position, in order to set the opening width OB and thus the side spacing SA larger. To that extent, there are no limitations with regard to a certain type of a door system.

[0120] However, in the example according to FIGS. 8a and 8b as well, the leaf position adaptation which follows in an object dependent manner occurs in a time or movement period during the phase of entry into the door opening region and/or in the phase of leaving the door opening region, as partially shown on the basis of FIGS. 5a to 5c or FIGS. 7a and 7b.

[0121] Furthermore, it is noted that the value of the safety or side spacing (SA) can be automatically set by the control unit, for example, in particular depending on the inside or outside temperature, that is to say the temperatures on both sides of the automatic door system. If the temperature difference between inside and outside temperatures is, for example, small, thus if there is no large temperature difference, the safety or side spacing (SA) can be selected to be larger in favor of the comfort of the object P. In the case of large temperature differences, for example, in summer when the outside temperature is high and the inside temperature is low, or in winter when the inside temperature is high and the outsider temperature is low, the safety or side spacing (SA) can be selected to be smaller in order to minimize the energy flow between the two sides of the automatic doors, that to say between the inside and outside regions, and thus to save energy.

[0122] Depending on such temperature conditions or temperature differences, it would also be possible to set when the opening movement of the door leaf (leaves) is started and when the closing movement of the door leaf (leaves) is already started. In the case of small temperature differences, for example, the door leaves can be moved already relatively early into the necessary open position, wherein the closing movement occurs, for example, later than in the embodiment examples explained above.

[0123] Furthermore, intelligent controls are also possible to the extent that, for example, a closing movement is not carried out when an additional object approaching the door is already detected relatively promptly in the monitoring region. Here, it can be estimated whether, for example, due to the closing and subsequent opening movement, more energy is consumed than, for example, during the prolonged opening phase, during which one waits until a second or next person has also passed through the door to finally close the door only then.

[0124] This is shown, for example, on the basis of FIGS. 9a and 9b. In the situation according to FIG. 9a, a detected object P is already located immediately in the door opening region 10, so that, at this point in time, the door leaves 1a, 1b are moved into the open position in question. During the further progress, in one of the possible and conventional control steps, the sliding doors 1a, 1b are moved into their closed position, in order to then be opened again at the time of the detection of a following object P1 and in fact also again in an object-dependent manner. However, in the described case, the following object P1 and its direction of movement 21′ are already detected sufficiently early so that, after the object P has left the immediate door opening region 10, the door leaves in principle remain open.

[0125] However, in the scope of the invention, it is possible (as additionally shown on the basis of FIG. 9b) that the door leaves are readjusted, i.e., in terms of their position and their opening width, so that they make available an opening region OB which, although in principle object-dependent, is additionally dependent on a following object P1, i.e., on its contour 23, that is to say its width, size or diameter as well as on its direction of movement. In the variant shown according to FIGS. 9a and 9b, the following object P1 approaches the door more to the right compared to the preceding object P, so that then, the already open door leaves 1a, 1b are moved from the position according to FIG. 9a into the position according to 8b and set in their spacing (between the main closing edges 13 facing one another) so that this spacing corresponds to the contour, width or size of the next object P1 plus a side spacing that is predetermined or automatically set by the system. In other words, a closed position of the door leaves between the time when the object P passes through the door and then the following object P1 passes through the door is avoided if desired.

[0126] The explained method can be used not only in the case of sliding doors but also, as mentioned and shown, for example, in telescopic sliding door installations, folding door installations or swing door systems including swing doors, wherein, for example, two or three telescopically cooperating left wings as well as two or three telescopically cooperating right door leaves are provided. Here, the advantage of the individual and mutually separate actuation of the individual door leaf devices becomes even clearer. Indeed, such doors usually have a very large door width, with respect to the contour of a human passing through the door.