WO2014162134A1 - Loading dock door system - Google Patents
Loading dock door system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2014162134A1 WO2014162134A1 PCT/GB2014/051036 GB2014051036W WO2014162134A1 WO 2014162134 A1 WO2014162134 A1 WO 2014162134A1 GB 2014051036 W GB2014051036 W GB 2014051036W WO 2014162134 A1 WO2014162134 A1 WO 2014162134A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- door
- people
- opening
- control unit
- loading dock
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G67/00—Loading or unloading vehicles
- B65G67/02—Loading or unloading land vehicles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G67/00—Loading or unloading vehicles
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05F—DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- E05F15/00—Power-operated mechanisms for wings
- E05F15/70—Power-operated mechanisms for wings with automatic actuation
- E05F15/73—Power-operated mechanisms for wings with automatic actuation responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
Definitions
- the invention relates to a door system for a loading dock which is part of an industrial or commercial building such as, for example, a warehouse or storage facility, at which goods are loaded or unloaded from a road vehicle, such as, for example, a lorry.
- the invention also relates to a building comprising a door system.
- Each loading dock typically comprises a door such as, for example, a vertical roller door.
- the door may be hydraulically operated, in which case it will have an hydraulic actuator which is controlled by a control unit.
- the door may be left open unnecessarily, typically because an operator forgets to close it, which results in loss of heat from the building.
- the invention provides a loading dock door system comprising: a door for an opening having an in direction in which, when the door is open, the people go through the opening from one side to the other, and an out direction in which, when the door is open, people go through the opening in a direction opposite to the in direction; a people sensor; and a control unit for operating the door; wherein the sensor senses the number of people going through the opening in the in direction and the number of people going through the opening in the out direction, and wherein, when the people in num- ber and the people out number are equal, the control unit responds by closing the door.
- control unit comprises a timer unit which causes the control unit to delay closing the door until a time period after the people in number and the people out number are equal.
- the control unit may comprise a programmed logic controller (PLC) or a microcontroller.
- the system comprises an actuator and, in response to actuation of the actuator, the control unit opens the door.
- the system comprises a door sensor which detects when the door is closed and, in response, the control unit resets the sensor.
- the people sensor shines at least two beams of radiation across the opening, wherein the beams are horizontally spaced apart, wherein the sensor senses when each of the beams is broken, and wherein sensing a sequential breaking of the beams in the in direction is counted as a person going through the opening in the in direction and sensing a sequential breaking of the beams in the out direction is counted as a person going through the door in the out direction.
- the senor comprises a laser emitter and detector unit, and a reflector unit, wherein the laser emitter and detector unit shines the at least two laser beams across the opening to the reflector unit, from where the at least two beams are reflected to the emitter and detector unit, which senses when a beam shone from the emitter and detector unit to the reflector unit and back again is broken.
- the system may comprise an indicator lamp indicating whether the door is staying open or be closed, and an alarm warning that the door is to be closed.
- the invention relates to a building comprising a loading dock door system according to the first aspect.
- Figure 1 is a front view of a warehouse having three loading docks, each comprising a door system according to the invention
- Figure 2 is a front view of one of the loading docks shown in Figure 1 , with its door in the open position;
- Figure 3 is a cross sectional top view taken along the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2;
- FIG. 4 is a schematic layout of a loading dock door system according to the invention. Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment
- a warehouse indicated generally at 1 has a front wall 2 and a raised floor 4.
- the warehouse 1 also has three loading docks 6a, 6b, 6c along the wall 2.
- Each loading dock 6a, 6b, 6c comprises a vertical roller door 8a, 8b, 8c for a corresponding opening 10a, 10b, 10c in the wall 2.
- the wall 2 has an inside surface 24.
- An hydraulic actuator 12 mounted above the door on the inside surface 24 of the wall 2, makes 8 the door move up and down.
- the hydraulic actuator 12 is controlled by a control unit 14 which comprises a PLC (not shown).
- a switch 16 Associated with the door is a switch 16.
- an operator actuates switch 16, in response to which the control unit 14 controls the hydraulic actuator 12 to move the door 8 up to the open position.
- the opening has right side surround 26 and left side surround 28.
- a people sensor 18 comprises a laser emitter and detector unit 20 and a reflector unit 22.
- the laser emitter and detector unit 20 is mounted on the inside surface 24 of the wall 2, adjacent one of the two side surrounds 26, 28 of the opening 10, and the reflector unit 22 is mounted on the inside surface 24 of the wall 2, adjacent the other of the two side surrounds 26, 28 of the opening 10.
- Both the emitter and detector unit 20 and the reflector unit 22 are mounted about 600mm off the ground. In other words, the emitter and detector 20 unit and the reflector unit 22 are mounted in an opposing, facing relationship.
- the laser and detector unit 20 comprises first and second lasers 30a, 30b and first and second photo detectors 32a, 32b.
- the reflector unit comprises first and second reflectors 34a, 34b.
- a first laser beam 36a is shone from the first laser 30a to the first reflector 34a and back to the first detector 32a.
- a second laser beam 36b is shone from the second laser 30b to the second reflector 34b and back to the second detector 32b.
- the first and second lasers 30a, 30b, the first and second reflectors 34a, 34b and the first and second photo detectors are so arranged that the first and second laser beams 36a, 36b are horizontally spaced apart by about 300mm.
- the first and second detectors 32a, 32b sense the sequential breaking of the first and second laser beams 36a, 36b and count it as a person going through the opening 10 in the out direction B.
- the sensor 18 senses the number of people going through the opening 10 in the in direction A and the number of people going through the opening 10 in the out direction B.
- the control unit 14 also comprises a timer unit 38, in response to which the control unit 14 will not close the door until a delay time has elapsed.
- a door sensor 40 at the bottom of the opening 10, detects when the door 8 is closed and in response the control unit 14 resets the sensor 18.
- a door indicator lamp 42 is green when the door 10 is being kept open and changes to red when the door 10 is about to be closed.
- An alarm 44 also sounds when the door is about to be closed.
- the door 8 is opened when operators are required to re-enter through the opening 10 from the outside by actuating a manually operated switch located on the exterior of the warehouse 1 .
- the switch signals to the control unit 14, which actuates the hydraulic actuator 12 to move the door 8 into the open posi- tion.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Power-Operated Mechanisms For Wings (AREA)
Abstract
A loading dock door system comprises: a door (8a, 8b, 8c) for an opening having an in direction in which, when the door is open, people go through the opening from one side to the other, and an out direction in which, when the door is open, people go through the opening in a direction opposite to the in direction; a people sensor (18); and a control unit (12, 14) for operating the door; wherein the sensor senses the number of people going through the opening in the in direction and the number of people going through the opening in the out direction, and wherein, when the people in number and the people out number are equal, the control unit responds by closing the door.
Description
LOADING DOCK DOOR SYSTEM
Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates to a door system for a loading dock which is part of an industrial or commercial building such as, for example, a warehouse or storage facility, at which goods are loaded or unloaded from a road vehicle, such as, for example, a lorry. The invention also relates to a building comprising a door system.
Background to the Invention
[0002] Often, a building has a number loading docks in a row along one wall. Each loading dock typically comprises a door such as, for example, a vertical roller door. The door may be hydraulically operated, in which case it will have an hydraulic actuator which is controlled by a control unit.
[0003] Following loading or unloading of a vehicle, the door may be left open unnecessarily, typically because an operator forgets to close it, which results in loss of heat from the building.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] According to a first aspect, the invention provides a loading dock door system comprising: a door for an opening having an in direction in which, when the door is open, the people go through the opening from one side to the other, and an out direction in which, when the door is open, people go through the opening in a direction opposite to the in direction; a people sensor; and a control unit for operating the door; wherein the sensor senses the number of people going through the opening in the in direction and the number of people going through the opening in the out direction, and wherein, when the people in num- ber and the people out number are equal, the control unit responds by closing the door.
[0005] Aptly, the control unit comprises a timer unit which causes the control unit to delay closing the door until a time period after the people in number and
the people out number are equal. The control unit may comprise a programmed logic controller (PLC) or a microcontroller.
[0006] Aptly, the system comprises an actuator and, in response to actuation of the actuator, the control unit opens the door.
[0007] Aptly, the system comprises a door sensor which detects when the door is closed and, in response, the control unit resets the sensor.
[0008] Aptly, the people sensor shines at least two beams of radiation across the opening, wherein the beams are horizontally spaced apart, wherein the sensor senses when each of the beams is broken, and wherein sensing a sequential breaking of the beams in the in direction is counted as a person going through the opening in the in direction and sensing a sequential breaking of the beams in the out direction is counted as a person going through the door in the out direction. Further aptly, the sensor comprises a laser emitter and detector unit, and a reflector unit, wherein the laser emitter and detector unit shines the at least two laser beams across the opening to the reflector unit, from where the at least two beams are reflected to the emitter and detector unit, which senses when a beam shone from the emitter and detector unit to the reflector unit and back again is broken.
[0009] The system may comprise an indicator lamp indicating whether the door is staying open or be closed, and an alarm warning that the door is to be closed.
[0010] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a building comprising a loading dock door system according to the first aspect.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0011] Figure 1 is a front view of a warehouse having three loading docks, each comprising a door system according to the invention;
[0012] Figure 2 is a front view of one of the loading docks shown in Figure 1 , with its door in the open position;
[0013] Figure 3 is a cross sectional top view taken along the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2; and
[0014] Figure 4 is a schematic layout of a loading dock door system according to the invention. Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment
[0015] With reference to Figure 1 , a warehouse indicated generally at 1 has a front wall 2 and a raised floor 4. The warehouse 1 also has three loading docks 6a, 6b, 6c along the wall 2. Each loading dock 6a, 6b, 6c comprises a vertical roller door 8a, 8b, 8c for a corresponding opening 10a, 10b, 10c in the wall 2.
[0016] With further reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4, the wall 2 has an inside surface 24. An hydraulic actuator 12, mounted above the door on the inside surface 24 of the wall 2, makes 8 the door move up and down. The hydraulic actuator 12 is controlled by a control unit 14 which comprises a PLC (not shown). Associated with the door is a switch 16. When it is desired to load or unload a vehicle (not shown), an operator (not shown) actuates switch 16, in response to which the control unit 14 controls the hydraulic actuator 12 to move the door 8 up to the open position.
[0017] The opening has right side surround 26 and left side surround 28. A people sensor 18 comprises a laser emitter and detector unit 20 and a reflector unit 22. The laser emitter and detector unit 20 is mounted on the inside surface 24 of the wall 2, adjacent one of the two side surrounds 26, 28 of the opening 10, and the reflector unit 22 is mounted on the inside surface 24 of the wall 2, adjacent the other of the two side surrounds 26, 28 of the opening 10. Both the emitter and detector unit 20 and the reflector unit 22 are mounted about 600mm off the ground. In other words, the emitter and detector 20 unit and the reflector unit 22 are mounted in an opposing, facing relationship.
[0018] The laser and detector unit 20 comprises first and second lasers 30a, 30b and first and second photo detectors 32a, 32b. The reflector unit comprises first and second reflectors 34a, 34b. A first laser beam 36a is shone from the
first laser 30a to the first reflector 34a and back to the first detector 32a. A second laser beam 36b is shone from the second laser 30b to the second reflector 34b and back to the second detector 32b. The first and second lasers 30a, 30b, the first and second reflectors 34a, 34b and the first and second photo detectors are so arranged that the first and second laser beams 36a, 36b are horizontally spaced apart by about 300mm.
[0019] During loading and unloading, operators go in through the opening 10 from outside to inside in an in direction as indicated by the arrow A, and through the opening from inside to outside in an out direction as indicated by the arrow B. Each time an operator goes through the opening 10 in the in direction A, he sequentially breaks the laser beams 36b, 36a; first he breaks the second laser beam 36b, then he breaks first laser beam 36a. The second and first photo detectors 32b, 32a sense the sequential breaking of the second and first laser beams 36b, 36a and count it as a person going through the opening 10 in the in direction A. Similarly, the first and second detectors 32a, 32b sense the sequential breaking of the first and second laser beams 36a, 36b and count it as a person going through the opening 10 in the out direction B. Hence, the sensor 18 senses the number of people going through the opening 10 in the in direction A and the number of people going through the opening 10 in the out direction B. [0020] When loading or unloading has finished, everybody that came in through the opening 10 in the direction A should have gone out through the opening 10 in the out direction B. Consequently, the people in number sensed by the sensor 18 being equal to the people out number sensed by the sensor 18 is indicative of the loading or unloading being complete, and the control unit 14 controls the hydraulic actuator 12 to move the door 8 down into the closed position. The control unit 14 also comprises a timer unit 38, in response to which the control unit 14 will not close the door until a delay time has elapsed. A door sensor 40, at the bottom of the opening 10, detects when the door 8 is closed and in response the control unit 14 resets the sensor 18. A door indicator lamp 42 is green when the door 10 is being kept open and changes to red when the door 10 is about to be closed. An alarm 44 also sounds when the door is about to be closed.
[0021] The door 8 is opened when operators are required to re-enter through the opening 10 from the outside by actuating a manually operated switch located on the exterior of the warehouse 1 . The switch signals to the control unit 14, which actuates the hydraulic actuator 12 to move the door 8 into the open posi- tion.
Claims
1 . A loading dock door system comprising: a door for an opening having an in direction in which, when the door is open, people go through the opening from one side to the other, and an out direction in which, when the door is open, people go through the opening in a direction opposite to the in direction; a people sensor; and a control unit for operating the door; wherein the sensor senses the number of people going through the opening in the in direction and the number of people going through the opening in the out direction, and wherein, when the people in number and the people out number are equal, the control unit responds by closing the door.
2. A loading dock door system according to Claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a timer unit which causes the control unit to delay closing the door until a time period after the people in number and the people out number are equal.
3. A control unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises a programmed logic controller (PLC) or a microcontroller.
4. A loading dock system according to any of Claims 1 to 3, further comprising an actuator and, in response to actuation of the actuator, the control unit opens the door.
5. A loading dock system according to any of Claims 1 to 4, further comprising a door sensor which detects when the door is closed and, in response, the control unit resets the sensor.
6. A loading dock according to any preceding claim, wherein the people sensor shines at least two beams of radiation across the opening, wherein the beams are horizontally spaced apart, wherein the sensor senses when each of the beams is broken, and wherein sensing a sequential breaking of the beams in the in direction is counted as a person going through the opening in the in direction and sensing a sequential breaking of the beams in the out direction is counted as a person going through the door in the out direction.
7. A loading dock according to Claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a laser emitter and detector unit, and a reflector unit, wherein the laser emitter and detector unit shines the at least two laser beams across the opening to
the reflector unit, from where the at least two beams are reflected to the emitter and detector unit, which senses when a beam shone from the emitter and detector unit to the reflector unit and back again is broken.
8. A loading dock door system according to any preceding claim, fur- ther comprising an indicator lamp indicating whether the door is staying open or to be closed.
9. A loading dock door according to any preceding claim, further comprising an alarm warning that the door is to be closed.
10. A building comprising a loading dock door system according to any preceding claim.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1306015.7 | 2013-04-03 | ||
| GB1306015.7A GB2511142B (en) | 2013-04-03 | 2013-04-03 | Loading dock door system |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2014162134A1 true WO2014162134A1 (en) | 2014-10-09 |
Family
ID=48445200
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2014/051036 WO2014162134A1 (en) | 2013-04-03 | 2014-04-02 | Loading dock door system |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2511142B (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2014162134A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN104700476A (en) * | 2014-12-16 | 2015-06-10 | 贵州久联民爆器材发展股份有限公司 | Method and device for counting people in barrier-free access for civil explosive area |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB785885A (en) * | 1955-03-16 | 1957-11-06 | Hadley Telephone & Sound Syste | An electronically controlled counting device |
| US4000400A (en) * | 1975-04-09 | 1976-12-28 | Elder Clarence L | Bidirectional monitoring and control system |
| FR2794559A1 (en) * | 1999-06-01 | 2000-12-08 | Franck Farigoul | Domestic lighting/heating switching mechanism having contactless spaced detectors person position detecting and logic determining direction/switching off equipment switch where correct direction determined |
| CN101727687A (en) * | 2008-10-22 | 2010-06-09 | 昌曜科技股份有限公司 | Method for managing and controlling industry safety and related access control system |
| US20120249289A1 (en) * | 2011-04-01 | 2012-10-04 | Theodore Brent Freese | Encrypted Communications for a Moveable Barrier Environment |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2012027518A (en) * | 2010-07-20 | 2012-02-09 | Masahide Eda | Room entering/leaving person number count system |
| US9183686B2 (en) * | 2011-07-12 | 2015-11-10 | Tyco Fire & Security Gmbh | Method and system for people counting using passive infrared detectors |
-
2013
- 2013-04-03 GB GB1306015.7A patent/GB2511142B/en active Active
-
2014
- 2014-04-02 WO PCT/GB2014/051036 patent/WO2014162134A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB785885A (en) * | 1955-03-16 | 1957-11-06 | Hadley Telephone & Sound Syste | An electronically controlled counting device |
| US4000400A (en) * | 1975-04-09 | 1976-12-28 | Elder Clarence L | Bidirectional monitoring and control system |
| FR2794559A1 (en) * | 1999-06-01 | 2000-12-08 | Franck Farigoul | Domestic lighting/heating switching mechanism having contactless spaced detectors person position detecting and logic determining direction/switching off equipment switch where correct direction determined |
| CN101727687A (en) * | 2008-10-22 | 2010-06-09 | 昌曜科技股份有限公司 | Method for managing and controlling industry safety and related access control system |
| US20120249289A1 (en) * | 2011-04-01 | 2012-10-04 | Theodore Brent Freese | Encrypted Communications for a Moveable Barrier Environment |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
| Title |
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| DATABASE WPI Week 201044, Derwent World Patents Index; AN 2010-H43171, XP002726887 * |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN104700476A (en) * | 2014-12-16 | 2015-06-10 | 贵州久联民爆器材发展股份有限公司 | Method and device for counting people in barrier-free access for civil explosive area |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2511142B (en) | 2017-01-25 |
| GB2511142A (en) | 2014-08-27 |
| GB201306015D0 (en) | 2013-05-15 |
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