Swing Door Edge-Zone Sensing to Prevent Closing-Edge Pinching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic swing doors can pinch or crush objects, particularly fingers, at the main closing edge due to inadequate safety measures during the closing movement.
Innovation Solution
The automatic swing door system incorporates leading and following face sensors with defined detection zones, including an edge zone that extends beyond the door leaf, triggering door re-opening upon object detection, and uses a movement determination unit to adjust monitoring based on the door's angular position, ensuring safe operation without interfering with normal door function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are attached to monitor the door leaf during opening and closing movements, then safety against hitting is improved, but pinching at the main closing edge still occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the detection coverage from the traditional two-dimensional scanning plane to a three-dimensional detection zone that projects beyond the door leaf in the direction of the main closing edge. This dimensional extension allows the sensor to detect objects in the hazardous pinching zone between the door leaf and door frame, enabling preventive action before pinching occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system performs preliminary detection of objects in the edge zone before the door leaf completes its closing movement. By detecting objects in advance in the projection area beyond the door leaf, the system can trigger the door controller to stop or reverse the closing movement, preventing the harmful pinching effect before it occurs.
2Reliability
If the detection zone is extended beyond the door leaf to prevent pinching, then safety is improved, but false detection and self-activation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different detection characteristics to different zones within the scanning field. The edge zone, which extends beyond the door leaf in the direction of the main closing edge, has specific detection parameters optimized for detecting objects in the pinching hazard area. This localized quality adjustment allows extended coverage while maintaining detection accuracy and reducing false positives in specific critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system dynamically adjusts detection parameters such as detection sensitivity, threshold values, and evaluation criteria based on the door's angular position and movement state. By changing these parameters according to the operational context, the system can distinguish between legitimate objects requiring attention and false detection sources, thereby reducing false activations while maintaining safety in the extended edge zone.
3Area of stationary object
If the sensor monitors a large detection zone including the edge zone, then coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal sensor system that performs multiple functions: monitoring the traditional scanning field for general safety, detecting objects in the extended edge zone for pinching prevention, and providing data for door position determination. By making the sensor system multi-functional, the patent achieves extended detection coverage without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same hardware infrastructure supports multiple detection objectives.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an automatic swing door (10, 100), comprising a door controller (22, 122), 10 further comprising a door leaf arrangement (12, 112) that is pivotably attached to a door frame (30), where the door leaf arrangement (12, 112), comprises a door leaf (14, 114) that has a following face (15b) that is facing to the door opening (20) and a leading face (15a) that is facing away from the door opening (20), a hinged edge (15d) and a main closing edge (15c) that lies opposite to the hinged edge (15d), the door leaf arrangement (12) comprises a leading face sensor (16) that is attached to the 15 leading face (15a) of the door leaf (14), where the leading face sensor (16) provides a scanning field that at least covers a zone that lies next to the leading face of the door leaf.