TOR

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a door with a door leaf movable between a closed position closing a building opening and an open position at least partially uncovering the building opening, and with a door drive coupled to the door leaf. The door drive comprises at least one motor unit having an electric motor and at least one control unit spatially separated from the motor unit and connected to the motor unit by a supply line. The motor unit has at least one sensor, wherein the supply line has at least one motor line connected to the electric motor and at least one sensor line connected to the sensor.

[0002] A door forms a variable closure with which a building opening - for example, an entrance or a passageway - can be optionally opened or closed. This makes it possible, in particular, to control access and heat transfer between two areas on either side of the building opening. In particular, the present invention relates to a garage door with which access to a garage - for example, a single-car, double-car, or underground garage - can be controlled. In order to automate the movement between the open and closed positions, the generic door is provided with a motor unit which is mechanically coupled to the door. By controlling the electric motor contained in the motor unit, an opening or closing movement of the door leaf can be effected.

[0003] The invention is based on a gate in which the motor unit and a control unit are spatially separated from each other. The control unit serves to control and preferably also to supply the motor unit with electricity. For this purpose, the control unit is connected in particular to an electrical energy source, in particular to the power grid. The motor unit is connected to the electrical energy source exclusively indirectly via the control unit and the supply line formed therebetween. A rechargeable battery, for example, powered by solar cells, can also serve as the energy source.

[0004] The spatial separation makes it possible to design and position the motor unit very compactly and limit it to its essential functions. In particular, the motor unit does not have to be easily accessible to an operator. Rather, it is sufficient if the operator can control the control unit - for example, via a control element formed on the control unit, a remote control and / or by a command via a radio and / or wired network. By spatially separating it from the motor unit, the control unit can be positioned in such a way that it is easily physically accessible to an operator, can easily receive remote control signals and / or can be integrated into a data network. As a result, however, the supply line can be considerable, several meters long.In designs with a movable motor unit, the changing distance to the control unit must also be able to compensate. Consequently, coiled cables are often used.

[0005] For convenient, safe, and material-friendly operation, the motor unit also features at least one sensor. This can be, in particular, a position sensor—also referred to as a position encoder or increment encoder. Such a position sensor is designed and configured to transmit the travel distance and / or travel speed of the door to the control unit. This can be used, in particular, to control a specific opening position—e.g., the open position, the closed position, or an intermediate position such as a ventilation position.

[0006] By controlling the travel speed, smooth starting and deceleration, as well as resistance detection, can also be achieved. The sensor signal can be transmitted via the sensor cable as an analog signal, pulse-coded, or digital. In any case, the transmission is susceptible to electrical interference.

[0007] An additional increase in comfort can be achieved through particularly fast movement of the door leaf. With a particularly fast opening or closing movement, the time between the initiation of such a movement and its completion is reduced. In practice, however, this means that the electric motor must be controlled with greater power – that is, with a larger electrical current and / or a higher voltage – and with greater precision. However, the higher power consumption of the electric motor simultaneously leads to increased electrical crosstalk – particularly through capacitive coupling – from the motor cable to the sensor cable. This can impair signal transmission between the sensor and the control unit to the point of being unusable and even result in damage to or destruction of the sensor. DE 10 2009 006938 A1 discloses an example of a door.

[0008] Against this background, the invention is based on the task of further developing a gate of this type in such a way that it is also suitable for particularly high travel speeds. At the same time, the sensor and signal transmission should not be impaired.

[0009] The invention relates to a gate according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent subclaims.

[0010] Based on the generic gate, the invention provides that the sensor is connected to the sensor cable via a level converter. The level converter fulfills two functions: Firstly, it makes the signal generated by the sensor less susceptible to distortion caused by motor currents flowing through the motor cable. Furthermore, the sensor is protected by not being in direct electrical contact with the sensor cable. As a result, the range within which the electric motor is controlled can be increased.

[0011] The improved control system can be used particularly advantageously to optimally adapt the door drive to different door sizes and types. This makes it possible, in particular, to comply with relevant safety standards while simultaneously optimizing the travel speed – both during opening and closing.

[0012] Particularly preferably, the motor cable, the sensor cable, and / or the supply cable are unshielded. Shielding is understood to mean an electrically conductive sheathing of a cable that can suppress disruptive electromagnetic fields. In particular, shielding is formed from tubular wire mesh or electrically conductive (e.g., metallized) foil or paper strips. However, shielded or partially shielded cables are cost-intensive, have only limited suitability for flexible cables—especially spiral-shaped ones—and are also susceptible to damage if incorrectly installed. Within the scope of the present invention, it is particularly possible to dispense with such shielding.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the motor cable forms a first wire group—in particular a first wire pair—with at least one second motor cable. The motor cables of the first wire group are routed in the supply line, in particular parallel and directly adjacent. Within the scope of the invention, shielding can nevertheless be omitted. For this purpose, the sum of the currents flowing through the motor cable of the first wire group during operation is preferably zero. To securely hold the motor cables of the first wire group together, they are preferably twisted together.

[0014] Preferably, the sensor line and at least one further sensor line form a second wire group. This can also preferably be arranged adjacent to and parallel to each other. This can also be supported by additional twisting. However, within the scope of the invention, separate and costly shielding using additional material is not required. The sum of the currents flowing through the sensor lines of the second wire group during operation is also preferably zero.

[0015] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the control unit is configured to control the electric motor via the motor cable with a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal. With PWM control, the power supply is switched between two discrete switching states (on and off). By varying the time periods during which the "on" or "off" signal is present, the transmitted power or applied voltage can be varied in small increments between a minimum value (corresponding to a permanent "off") and a maximum value (permanent "on").

[0016] The PWM signal is typically clocked. This means that switching between on and off can only occur at discrete time intervals. These minimum intervals are also described by the duty cycle, which is a measure of the precision of the PWM control.

[0017] Particularly preferably, the control unit is configured for a keying frequency of at least 16 kHz, in particular at least 20 kHz. The switching state can be switched between the minimum and maximum values ​​at least 16,000 or 20,000 times per second. With such a high keying frequency, precise control of the electric motor—and thus the door leaf—is possible even at high travel speeds without any audible interference. At the same time, increasing capacitive coupling with neighboring lines already occurs in this range. These side effects are eliminated within the scope of the invention—without the need for complex shielding.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the level converter comprises a comparator or an operational amplifier. The line matching and separation according to the invention can be achieved particularly advantageously with a comparator circuit or an OPAMP circuit. The comparator or operational amplifier is preferably connected to the sensor unit—which simultaneously functions as a power supply unit—via a voltage rail. The voltage rail has at least two lines with different voltage levels—for example, "ground" and a "supply voltage." The voltage rail can also be used to supply the sensor and, in particular, can be routed through the supply line.

[0019] Particularly preferably, the sensor has an electrical sensor output, while the level converter has a converter input connected to the sensor output and a converter output. Preferably, the sensor output—e.g., a transistor output—is designed with a higher impedance than the converter output. Therefore, during level conversion, it is ensured that the sensor signal is routed through the sensor line with a lower impedance. This reduces the risk of capacitive coupling with the motor cable.

[0020] Preferably, the motor cable (or the first group of wires) and the sensor cable (or the second group of wires) are routed parallel in the supply line, at least in sections. The cables required for controlling, supplying, and monitoring the motor unit are routed together in the supply line.

[0021] Particularly preferably, the supply line is designed, at least in sections, as a spiral cable. A spiral cable is elastically stretchable over a wide range and can thus adapt to a change in the distance between the motor unit and the control unit.

[0022] The invention is particularly preferably applicable to a door having at least one track, along which the door leaf is guided by at least one roller. Thus, the roller performs a curve—in particular a linear curve—along the track during an opening or closing movement. This movement can be used, in particular, to drive the door.

[0023] According to a first preferred embodiment, the gate can be designed as a swing gate. A first end of the gate leaf is guided along the track by the roller. At a second end opposite the first end, the gate leaf is connected to a pivot arm, which raises or lowers the second end during the opening or closing movement.

[0024] The invention can also be advantageously applied to sectional doors. The door leaf is formed from several sections connected to one another in a pivoting manner.

[0025] Particularly preferably, the motor unit is designed to be movable along the guide rail by the electric motor. Because the motor unit is mechanically coupled to the door leaf, the movement of the motor unit is transmitted to the door leaf. For this purpose, the motor unit and the door leaf are, in particular, rigidly coupled.

[0026] The electric motor is preferably designed as a permanent magnet DC motor. This is a widely used and inexpensive technology. The DC motor can be connected via two motor leads. By reversing the polarity of the motor leads, the direction can be reversed.

[0027] According to a preferred alternative embodiment, the electric motor is designed as a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. This is controlled by control electronics that sequentially activate a plurality of coils—in particular, three—in succession. The order in which the coils are energized determines the direction of rotation. BLDC motors are particularly low-maintenance and durable due to the absence of contact brushes. In addition to the sensor provided within the scope of the invention, the rotational speed and the angle of rotation traveled by the electric motor can also be determined or estimated using the control electronics.

[0028] The invention is explained below with reference to figures illustrating only one exemplary embodiment. They show schematically: Fig. 1 a side view of a door according to the invention in a closed position, Fig. 2 a side view of the door from Fig. 1 in an open position and Fig. 3 a schematic representation of the door drive according to the invention.

[0029] The Fig. 1 shows a door 1 according to the invention, which is mounted on a garage 2. The garage interior 2a is accessible through a driveway forming a building opening 2b. The building opening 2b is in the Fig. 1 shown closed position I by a door leaf 3. For this purpose, the door leaf 3 is arranged vertically in the closed position I and in alignment with the building opening 2b.

[0030] A comparative analysis with the Fig. 2 It can be seen that the door leaf 3, in the opening position II shown there, is positioned overhead in the garage 2 in such a way that the building opening 2b is exposed. A door drive 4, which is coupled to the door leaf 3, is provided to move the door leaf 3 between the opening position II and the closing position I.

[0031] The door drive 4 comprises a motor unit 4a with an electric motor 5 and a control unit 4b which is spatially separated from the motor unit 4a and connected to the motor unit 4a by a supply line 6.

[0032] The door leaf 3 is designed as a sectional door with a total of four door panels 3a, which are guided by rollers 3b on two guide rails 7a, 7b. The door panels 4a are connected to each other in pairs so that they can pivot about pivot axes running in a horizontal direction.

[0033] For the drive, the motor unit 4a is designed to be movable along the guide rails 7a, 7b by the electric motor 5. The motor unit 4a is rigidly coupled by a coupling rod 8. The coupling rod 8 mechanically connects the motor unit 4a to the topmost door panel 3a in the closed position I. Thus, when the motor unit 4a is moved, the entire door leaf 3 is moved along with it.

[0034] The control unit 4b is fixedly mounted on a wall of the garage 2 within the garage interior 2a. It is connected to an electrical supply network via a power cable 9. A push button 10 is provided for direct operation within the garage 2. Furthermore, an antenna 11 is provided, which can receive both the opening signal from a radio remote control and control commands via a wireless network.

[0035] The structure of the door drive 4 according to the invention is shown in Fig. 3 shown schematically and in a highly simplified manner. The two spatially separated motor units 4a and control unit 4b are connected to each other by a supply line 6, which is also highly simplified. Figuren 1 and 2 can be seen, the supply line 6 is designed as a spiral cable, which can adapt to a change in distance between the motor unit 4a and the control unit 4b.

[0036] The electric motor 5 is located within the motor unit 4a and is mechanically coupled to the guide rails 7a, 7b via an output shaft 12. A sensor 13 is also provided to detect the movement of the motor unit 4a. This sensor comprises an encoder disk 13a arranged on the output shaft and a forked light barrier 13b.

[0037] The control unit 4b initially contains a power supply 14 connected to the power line 9. This powers a low-voltage DC power supply 15, which serves, among other things, to power the sensor 13. The low-voltage DC power supply 15 has a first wire 15a, which is supplied with a supply voltage. The second wire 15b establishes a ground potential. The two wires 15a, 15b of the low-voltage DC power supply 15 are routed parallel to each other through the supply line 6 into the motor unit 4a.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the electric motor 5 is designed as a three-phase BLDC motor, which is controlled by a controller 16 with a PWM output arranged in the control unit 4b. For this purpose, the PWM controller 16 and the electric motor 5 are connected by a first motor cable 17a, a second motor cable 17b, and a third motor cable 17c, which are combined in the supply line 6 to form a twisted first wire group 17.

[0039] The PWM controller 16, in turn, is controlled by the central controller 18 of the control unit 4b. For this purpose, the controller 18 receives control pulses, in particular, from the antenna 11 or the push button 10. Both the PWM controller 16 and the controller 18 are connected to the power supply 14—indicated by dashed lines.

[0040] In order to take into account the travel position and travel speed of the motor unit 4a, the sensor 13 is connected to the controller 18 via a sensor line 19, which is also routed through the supply line 6 parallel to the busbar 16 and the motor lines 17. According to the invention, the sensor 13 is connected to the sensor line 19 via a level converter 20. The level converter 20 is also supplied via the low-voltage DC power supply 15, the circuit being shown in a highly simplified manner. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sensor 13 is provided with a sensor output 13c, which is connected to the converter input 20a of the level converter 20. The level converter 20 furthermore has a converter output 20b, which has a lower resistance than the sensor output 13c.

Claims

1. A door (1) with a door leaf (3) with a door leaf (3) which can be moved between a closed position (I) closing a building opening (2b) and an open position (II) at least partially freeing the building opening (2b) and with a door drive (4) coupled with the door leaf (3), wherein the door drive (4) comprises at least one motor unit (4a) comprising an electric motor (5) and at least one control unit (4b) spatially separated from the motor unit (4a) and connected to the motor unit (4a) by a supply line (6), wherein the motor unit (4a) comprises at least one sensor (13), and wherein the supply line (6) comprises at least one motor line (17a, 17b, 17c) connected to the motor (5) and at least one sensor line (19) connected to the sensor (13), characterised in that the sensor (13) is connected via a level shifter (20) to the sensor line (19).

2. The door (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit (4b) is set up to control the electric motor (5) via the motor line (17a, 17b, 17c) with a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal.

3. The door (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the control unit (4b) is set up for a PWM clock frequency of at least 16 kHz.

4. The door (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the level shifter (20) comprises a comparator or an operational amplifier.

5. The door (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the sensor (13) comprises an electrical sensor output (13c), that the level shifter (20) comprises a transducer input (20a) connected to the sensor output (13c) and a transducer output (20b) and that the sensor output (13c) is designed with a higher resistance than the transducer output (20b).

6. The door (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the motor line (17a, 17b, 17c) and the sensor line (19) are run parallel at least in sections in the supply line (6).

7. The door (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the supply line (6) is formed at least in sections as a coiled cable.

8. The door (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the door (1) comprises at least one runner rail (7a, 7b), on which the door leaf (3) is guided with at least one roller (3b).

9. The door (1) according to claim 8, characterised in that the door is designed as a swing door.

10. The door (1) according to claim 8, characterised in that the door leaf (3) is designed as a sectional door leaf.

11. The door (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the motor unit (4a) can be moved on the runner rail (7a, 7b) by means of the electric motor (5).