Elevator Door Sensor Nesting for Obstruction Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator doors may cause physical harm to passengers if they insert their hands or arms between the panels, as existing systems fail to detect and prevent closure effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system for elevator doors featuring a controller that monitors a resilient portion of the door panel using a sensor to detect deflection and automatically reopen the doors if obstruction is detected, incorporating a pressure sensor within a cavity in the panel to communicate with the controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor is added to detect hand placement between door panels, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is nested within a cavity in the door panel, with the resilient portion extending into the cavity to press against the sensor. This integration hides the sensor within the door structure rather than adding external components, thereby improving safety while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient portion acts as an intermediary element between the door panel and the sensor. It translates mechanical contact (hand placement) into force applied to the sensor, enabling detection without requiring the sensor to be directly exposed to external forces or complex mechanical linkages.
2Reliability
If the resilient portion is made more sensitive to detect smaller obstructions, then safety is improved, but the door may close more easily causing harmful forces
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary determinations by monitoring communication from the sensor before the door completes its closing motion. When deflection is detected, the controller initiates the reopening sequence in advance, preventing the door from gaining excessive closing force that could cause harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where the resilient portion continuously monitors for sensor communication during door closure. The controller receives real-time feedback about obstructions and adjusts door motion accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents harmful forces from developing.
3Reliability
If the sensor is placed closer to the door edge to detect obstructions earlier, then safety is improved, but the sensor protrudes more increasing the risk of injury
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is nested within a cavity in the door panel structure. The resilient portion extends into this cavity to press against the sensor, allowing the sensor to be positioned close to the door edge for early obstruction detection while remaining concealed within the panel geometry to eliminate protrusion-related injury risks.
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
Prevents injury by ensuring the elevator doors safely stop from closing when a hand or arm is detected, enhancing safety and reducing sensor protrusion for improved door closure.
Implementation Method 1
the proximate end surface of the panel comprising a resilient portion... a first determination to monitor for a communication from a sensor in the door panel, wherein the communication is indicative of the resilient portion deflecting in the distal direction
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system for an elevator door of an elevator car, wherein a controller controls the elevator door to travel in a proximate direction when closing and travel in a distal direction when opening, the system including: a panel that forms an exterior surface of an elevator door, the panel including a front surface extending in a widthwise direction between a proximate end and an opposing distal end to form a front surface of the elevator door, the panel including a proximate end surface extending in a depthwise direction to form a proximate end surface of the elevator door, the proximate end surface of the panel comprising a resilient portion that is capable of engaging a sensor in the panel when the elevator door is closing, and thereafter the controller instructs the elevator door to reopen.