Automatic Door Sensor with Segmented Cover and Expansion Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic door sensors face issues with poor visibility of operation indicator lights, troublesome distance setting adjustments, and difficulty in handling door controllers without detection cancellation functionality, leading to potential malfunctions and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
An automatic door sensor with a transmissive cover member and a functionality expansion module that allows for one-way or two-way communication, enabling easy expansion of functionalities, improved workability, and visible display of operation states, while maintaining aesthetic appearance and integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the detection window is made long to cover sensor module units arranged near the door edge for safety, then the safety coverage is improved, but the operation indicator light visibility deteriorates because the light is hidden within the long detection window
Solution Approach 1:
The detection window is divided into multiple sections corresponding to different sensor module units. Each section can independently display operation indicator lights, allowing the long detection window to maintain both safety coverage and visibility of operation status for each sensor unit.
2Ease of operation
If the detection window is removed to perform distance setting adjustments, then the adjustment workability is improved, but the aesthetic appearance and integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulation units (DIP switches) are extracted from the sensor module unit and placed in a separate manipulation unit housing. This allows the detection window to remain installed on the sensor module unit while still enabling access to manipulation units for distance setting adjustments, thus maintaining both aesthetic appearance and adjustment workability.
3Reliability
If multiple sensor module units are arranged in the detection window to cover various door locations, then the safety coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor module units are designed with identical structures and functions, each capable of detecting objects in its specific zone. The detection window is designed to accommodate multiple identical sensor module units, simplifying the overall system design while providing comprehensive safety coverage for different door locations.
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 solution enhances the automatic door sensor's functionality, workability, and safety by allowing easy expansion of features, improving operational visibility, and reducing maintenance needs, while maintaining the sensor's integrity and aesthetic appeal.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor module unit configured to detect a human body or an object by receiving light reflected from a target object
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic door sensor includes: at least one sensor module unit (sensor module 11) configured to detect optically an object or a human body and to output, according to the detection results, a signal to a door controller for controlling an automatic door to open/close; an accommodation unit (profile 12) capable of accommodating the at least one sensor module unit; a cover member (front cover 13) that is transmissive to light for use for the detection performed by the sensor module unit and configured to cover the accommodation unit in which the sensor module unit is accommodated; and a functionality expansion module (LED module 14) either side of which can be joined to the cover member and that is configured to expand functionalities of the automatic door sensor by performing communication with the sensor module unit.