Door Breakout Detection via Mechanical Trigger and Camming Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed roll-up doors often break out of their frames due to external forces like wind or collisions, leading to undesirable situations, and there is a need for a system to detect when this occurs.
Innovation Solution
A door sensor system with a trigger mechanism and camming surface that moves to an actuating position when the door leaves its guide, contacting a sensor to emit a signal, allowing for detection of the door's breakout from the frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a door sensor system with trigger mechanism is installed to detect door breakout, then the reliability of door frame containment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electronic sensor systems with a simple mechanical trigger mechanism. The trigger uses a camming surface that mechanically interacts with the door guide channel - when the door breaks out, the camming surface moves against the channel, causing the trigger to pivot and contact the sensor. This mechanical amplification converts a small door displacement into a clear sensor signal without requiring complex electronics or multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The trigger mechanism serves as an intermediary between the door position and the sensor. Instead of directly sensing door position or frame containment status, the system uses the trigger as a mechanical mediator that translates door breakout motion into sensor-activatable movement. The trigger's camming surface interacts with the door guide channel to amplify and transfer the breakout motion to the sensor contact point.
2Measurement precision
If the trigger mechanism uses camming surface interaction with door guide, then the detection precision is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camming surface is designed to engage with the door guide channel at specific points during the breakout process. The trigger mechanism doesn't require perfect alignment throughout the entire door travel, but only needs to engage correctly when the door attempts to breakout. This partial engagement requirement reduces manufacturing precision demands compared to requiring accurate alignment across the full range of motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the geometric parameters of the camming surface and door guide channel interaction to convert small positional changes (door breakout) into larger trigger movement. By changing the angular and positional parameters of the camming surface relative to the trigger pivot and sensor, the system amplifies the detection signal while tolerating variations in manufacturing tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively alerts the control panel to stop the door and initiate a reset sequence, ensuring the door returns to its proper position within the frame, preventing damage and maintaining functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a camming surface on the trigger, wherein dimensions of the trigger and the trigger's location on the door with respect to the sensor including the location and dimensions of the camming surface are selected to cause the trigger to move to the actuating position when the camming surface moves against door guide forming a channel
Data Source
AI summary
A break-out door sensor system is provided. In one aspect, the system includes: a door; a sensor located on the door; a trigger connected to the door and located proximate to the sensor and configured to move to an actuating position, and when in the actuating position, the trigger contacts the sensor causing the sensor to emit a signal, the trigger being biased away from the actuating position; and a camming surface on the trigger, wherein dimensions of the trigger and the trigger's location on the door with respect to the sensor including the location and dimensions of the camming surface are selected to cause the trigger to move to the actuating position when the camming surface moves against door guide forming a channel and the trigger moves out of the channel.