Automatic Door Safety Device with Segmented Elasticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic door systems face safety concerns due to the vulnerability of rubber profile strips used for shock absorption, which are exposed and prone to damage, and do not effectively distribute impact forces, leading to potential harm to individuals.
Innovation Solution
A safety device with multiple areas of varying elasticity and/or hardness, a cover element, and a damping system that distributes force evenly and absorbs impacts, featuring a valve or foam structure to manage air flow and reset the device, along with optional sensor integration for active safety measures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rubber profile strip is completely exposed to absorb impacts, then shock absorption capability is improved, but the risk of damage to the safety device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a flexible cover element that envelops the rubber profile strip. The cover acts as a protective shell that allows the rubber profile to perform its shock absorption function while shielding it from external damage. The cover is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate the deformation of the rubber profile during impact absorption.
2Reliability
If a rubber profile strip is used for shock absorption, then impact energy can be absorbed, but the force is not distributed evenly leading to concentrated stress points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the safety device into multiple functional areas with different elasticity values. Instead of using a uniform rubber profile, the invention creates zones with varying shock absorption characteristics. This segmentation allows different parts of the safety device to absorb impact energy at different rates, distributing the stress more evenly across the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different elasticity values to different areas of the safety device. The outer area has greater elasticity to provide a soft first contact, while inner areas have progressively lower elasticity. This gradient of local properties ensures that impact forces are distributed evenly throughout the structure, preventing stress concentration at any single point.
3Reliability
If the rubber profile strip has high elasticity to absorb shocks, then shock absorption is improved, but the safety device cannot return to its initial position after impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully selecting elasticity values for different areas that balance shock absorption with reset capability. The outer area has high elasticity for effective shock absorption, while the inner areas have progressively lower elasticity values that allow the structure to return to its initial position. This gradient of elasticity parameters resolves the contradiction between absorption and recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies composite materials by combining areas with different elasticity values within a single safety device structure. This creates a composite system where the high-elasticity outer layer provides shock absorption while the lower-elasticity inner layers provide structural stability and enable return to the initial position. The composite structure integrates both functions effectively.
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
Enhances safety by evenly distributing impact forces, protecting the safety device from damage, and providing both passive and active safety features to prevent injuries and ensure safe door operation.
Implementation Method 1
the valve device can have damping that is dependent on the direction of flow and/or the speed of flow. For example, when the air flows outwards, the valve device can have damping that is dependent on the flow rate, while the flow of air into the air chamber—to reset the safety device to its initial position—can be undamped.
Implementation Method 2
The friction generated when the material is compressed converts the impact energy into heat.
Implementation Method 3
the impact-absorbing areas can have a low residual elasticity, which can cause the safety device to return to its initial position
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
The system (1) has a door e.g. sliding door, leaf (3) movable by a driving device (2), and safety devices (6, 7) absorbing impacts, which are developed during impinging of the leaf to an obstacle found in its movement area. The safety devices have a unit designed in a gradual impact energy absorbing manner. The impact-absorbing unit of the safety devices exhibits rest elasticity for reaching an initial position after one impact, where the safety devices exhibit two areas with hardness differing from each other. A switching device is operatable by contact of the areas of the safety devices.