Safety Door Locking Control for Rapid Closure Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Safety doors in machines can be damaged when closed rapidly due to impact, as existing locking mechanisms are not designed to handle sudden closures effectively.
Innovation Solution
A safety door device equipped with a full closing detector, a locking mechanism, a measurement unit to assess travel acceleration, speed, or time, and a control unit that prevents locking if the closure is too rapid, thereby reducing the risk of damage by generating a warning signal if thresholds are exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the safety door is closed rapidly, then the productivity is improved, but the locking mechanism may be damaged due to impact
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit measures travel acceleration, travel speed, or travel time before the locking mechanism engages. By detecting rapid closure conditions in advance (when acceleration exceeds first threshold, speed exceeds first threshold, or time is shorter than second threshold), the system prevents locking during impact conditions, avoiding damage to the locking mechanism while allowing rapid door closure when safe
2Reliability
If the locking mechanism is always engaged when the door closes, then the safety is improved, but the locking mechanism may be damaged by impact from rapid closure
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors door closure parameters (travel acceleration via acceleration sensor, or travel speed/time via timing) and uses this feedback to decide whether to engage the locking mechanism. When feedback indicates rapid closure (acceleration > first threshold, speed > first threshold, or time < second threshold), the locking is prevented, avoiding impact damage while maintaining safety under normal closure conditions
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the safety door is equipped with impact detection and conditional locking prevention, then the locking mechanism durability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical impact detection mechanisms with electronic sensing (acceleration sensor) or simple timing circuits. The control unit uses software logic to evaluate whether closure parameters exceed thresholds, which is simpler and more reliable than mechanical impact sensors or switches, thereby extending locking mechanism life without significantly increasing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A safety door device according to an aspect includes: a full closing detector for detecting that a safety door has fully closed from an opened state; a locking mechanism for locking the safety door so that the safety door does not open; a measurement unit (acceleration sensor, control unit for measuring a travel acceleration, a travel speed, or a travel time when the safety door closes; and a control unit for controlling the locking mechanism to lock the safety door when the safety door is detected to be fully closed. If the travel acceleration or the travel speed is greater than a first threshold, or if the travel time is shorter than a second threshold, then the control unit does not cause the safety door to be locked.