EP0940554B1 - Roller shutter control device - Google Patents

Abstract

The controller has a memory, a processor (26), a monitor (23,24,29) for the blind (7) and an input device (34-36). The monitor is connected to the processor and detects whether the blind has reached its upper or lower physical end position. The input device has at least two direction buttons for controlling the direction of motion of the roller blind, whereby the program and/or wiring of the arrangement is designed so movement of the blind can be initiated by one of the buttons at any time after installation without requiring a setting up procedure for the motor or controller or interruption of the power supply to the controller.

Description

With the progressive use of increasingly complex control systems, an improvement in the scope of services and, to that extent, comfort is achieved. However, the higher level of comfort is usually paid for with an increasingly complicated user interface, which may include: in the number of keys to be operated or, which is even more unpleasant for the user, the increasing multiple occupancy of individual keys is purchased.

This is why it is not uncommon for control systems to become completely inoperative only because the user has lost the operating instructions after a few years and the explanation of the symbols on the device is not sufficiently self-explanatory. Not even a minimal scope of services can then be accessed more.

Especially with roller shutter controls, this is a considerable disadvantage. Just keep in mind that after several years of proper operation, a power outage will erase the programming and the manual will go off in the meantime lost.

Special problems can thereby raise roller shutter controls, as they come with retrofittable roller shutter drives used. In such roller shutter drives no limit switches are available or possible to detect the position of the blinds curtain directly.

Such a retrofit drive system is described in EP-A-0 744 524. An electric motor acts on the roller shutter, with the aid of a counting device, the number of revolutions is detected, which covers the drive motor when moving the shutter curtain. The counts are a measure of the position of the shutter curtain.

The upper and lower physical end position of the roller blind curtain is measured indirectly via this counter and the drive shut down accordingly.

Special problems can thereby raise roller shutter controls, as they come with retrofittable roller shutter drives used. Such drives are usually drives which co-operate with the existing tension belt of the shutter, i. Drives that do not sit in the winding shaft of the roller shutter and have mechanically adjustable limit switch contacts arranged in the winding shaft.

From DE 295 10 657 U1 a so-called flush-mounted winder is known, which serves to wind the roller shutter of a shutter to open the shutter. In order to detect the movement of the roller shutter belt, a loosely moving pulley is present, the movement sensed becomes.

It has been found that in such arrangements gradually a shift of the upper shutdown occurs when the shutter reaches the slack position of the belt when closing.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a roller shutter control in which the upper end position does not change over time.

This object is achieved with the devices according to claims 1.

The solution according to the invention makes it possible to provide two directional keys on the housing and also to label accordingly, so that self-explanatory operation results for the minimum scope of performance.

According to one aspect of the invention, the program in the control device is designed in such a way that the drive for the roller shutter belt can be set in motion and switched off at any time with the aid of the travel direction keys. The user is not dependent on performing an initialization run first after installation or a power failure. He is thus able to have a minimum level of performance that he can use even if the manual is lost or out of reach.

According to another aspect of the invention, it is possible to enter user-defined end positions for the roller shutter curtain. This gives the user the opportunity to For example, not completely close the shutter curtain. It can hold an upper portion of the shutter curtain stretched, whereby a so-called ventilation position is achieved.

The slats of the roller shutter curtain usually have in the connecting ribs slits that allow air to pass through and also a passage of light, as long as the slats do not sit tightly. The user-defined end position can be used to keep these slots in the open position so that both light and air can pass through.

If not only a lower but also an upper end position can be arbitrarily set by the user, in addition a complete opening can be suppressed, which is useful, for example, for shading in the summer. These user-defined limit positions can be programmed using only one additional key, a settaste. There are several options to choose from. The user-programmed end position can be achieved by moving the roller shutter in the relevant direction to the end position in which the user-defined end position is to be set starting from a middle position. For this purpose, the user can first press a settable and then when reaching the desired position by pressing any of the keys again stop the blinds curtain, whereby the upper end position is defined. Another conceivable possibility is to set the shutter curtain as usual in motion and by pressing the settest stop both the movement as well as in the control to save a corresponding state, as determined final position. This may be, for example, a count arbitrarily set in the controller when the controller cooperates with a pulser driven by the roller shutter belt. When closing and opening, the drive is only kept running until the relevant counter reading is reached. It goes without saying that a discrete digital counter is not necessarily used for this purpose, but that this counter is reproduced by means of a microprocessor and a program contained therein.

The controller can be designed so that it searches itself - without intervention by the user, the upper and / or lower limit position itself, in which the shutter curtain can be moved due to the spatial conditions, searches automatically. This automatic search of the limit positions can be triggered by the user by pressing the corresponding direction key, the blinds curtain starts in the appropriate direction. Another possibility is, when switching on a power supply voltage for the controller for the first time, which is equivalent to a voltage recovery after a power failure, the roller shutter curtain automatically performs an initialization. However, a manually controlled initialization run is preferable in order to avoid unattended collisions with any objects located in the area of the blinds curtain, for example flower pots.

An easy way to determine the physical end positions, is to monitor the power consumption of the drive motor. Once the power consumption over rises to a predetermined limit, this is detected as a signal that the shutter curtain has reached its upper end position and the attacks, which are usually provided on the shutter curtain, rest against the shutter box. The lower end position is signaled to the system when the pulses from the pulser fail because the tension belt relaxes when the roller shutter is fully closed.

In order to prevent that in the upper end position constantly the system remains under an increased voltage, preferably after reaching the upper physical end position of the shutter curtain is automatically lowered a piece and it will be defined this state as the upper end position, which is no longer defined by the user can be driven over. Again, a counter may be used which in turn is not necessarily a discrete counter, but is modeled in a microprocessor by means of a program. This counter is set to a predetermined value and, starting from this state when the shutter curtain is lowered, the counter value is counted until the count pulses fail.

Incidentally, developments of the invention are the subject of subclaims.

• Fig. 1 eine Prinzipdarstellung der erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung und der zur Durchführung der Steuerung wesentlichen Programm- bzw. Schaltungsblöcke und
• Fig. 2 - 8 die Flussdiagramme für die Steuerung nach Fig. 1.

In the drawing, an embodiment of the object of the invention is shown. Show it:

• Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement according to the invention and the program or circuit blocks essential for carrying out the control and
• FIGS. 2-8 are the flowcharts for the controller of FIG. 1.

The arrangement has a roller shutter 1, which can be set via a drive device 2 optionally in motion. The control of the drive device 2 takes place with the aid of a control device 3.

To the shutter 1 includes a winding shaft 4, which is rotatably mounted at both ends via pins 5 and 6 in a non-illustrated shutter box. On the winding shaft 4, a roller shutter curtain 7 is fixed with one edge, which consists of a plurality of mutually parallel roller shutter slats 8, which are coupled together via a tongue-and-groove connection. Its lower edge is formed by a closing strip 9, are fixed to the two stops 11 rigid. The stops 11 in the form of cylindrical pins can rest against the edge of the slot of the roller shutter box, not shown, in order to prevent the roller shutter curtain 7 disappears completely in the roller shutter box. They work so far together with the slot of the roller shutter box as a mechanical end stop.

In addition to a front end of the winding shaft 4, a belt pulley 12 is arranged, which is rotatably connected to the winding shaft 4. On the belt pulley 12, a tension belt 13 can be wound, which is fixed with one end on the belt pulley 12. The belt pulley 12 is, as usual in roll shops, a flanged wheel to prevent a lateral run down of the tension belt 13. The tension belt 13 is symbolically illustrated in its lower end in Fig. 1 in the form of a dashed line.

The drive device 2, which interacts with the tension belt 13 at the lower end, is shown in a highly schematized manner and also rotated by 90 ° in order to be able to illustrate the course of the tension belt 13.

To the drive means 2 include a first friction roller 14 which is driven via a permanent-magnet DC motor 15 with reduction gear, two further friction rollers 16 and 17 which are non-rotatably connected via not shown spur gears with the friction roller 14 and axially parallel to this, as well as in the Wall of the relevant building accommodated automatic winding 18 with a belt pulley 19 which is biased by a symbolically indicated spring 21 in the winding direction of the tension belt 13.

Between the friction rollers 14, 16 and 17 of the tension belt 13, as illustrated, running meandering through, wherein at least one of the rollers is wrapped around omega-shaped.

The lower end of the tension belt 13 is mounted on the disc 19, so that by means of the spring 21, which acts as a spring motor, the portion of the tension belt 13 between the friction roller 17 and the take-up disc 19 is kept taut.

The motor 15 and the friction rollers 14, 16 and 17 are arranged and stored together in a non-illustrated board. In this board, a sensing roller 22 is also rotatably mounted, namely about an axis which is parallel to the axes of the friction rollers 14, 16 and 17 and the take-up disc 19. The sensing roller 22 is arranged so that the tensioned tension belt 13 runs over the peripheral surface and the follower roller 22 can take by friction.

With the sensing roller 22, a disc 23 is rotatably coupled, which is scanned by a sensor 24. The sensor 24 may be an optical or a magnetic field sensor which senses irregularities on the disk 23 and emits an electrical pulse via a connecting line 25 at each pass of nonuniformity. The number of pulses delivered is proportional to the distance traveled by the tension belt 13.

The core of the control device 3 forms a microcontroller or microprocessor 26, which has a plurality of inputs 27, 28, 29, 31 and 32 and a control output 33. Instead of the microcontroller 26, it is also possible to use an ASIC which is configured or wired according to the program explained below.

At the input 32, the line 25 is connected, via which the microcontroller 26 pulses are supplied as long as the sensing roller 22 rotates, which is equivalent to a movement of the tension belt 13. In the microcontroller, the pulses are continuously counted by means of a counter and deliver so information about the position of the shutter curtain 7. The counter is a forward / backward counter, which also takes into account the sign. For example, it counts forward when the shutter curtain 7 moves up, and backwards when the shutter curtain moves down. The maximum count starting from 0 is greater than the maximum in both directions expected number of pulses when the shutter curtain 7 passes through its full stroke. In this way, there is no overflow when the counter is reset when the shutter curtain 7 is in one of its physically possible limit positions.

To the inputs 27, 28 and 29 three push-buttons 34, 35 and 36 are connected via corresponding lines, whose other contact, as the upward arrow shows, is connected to the positive supply voltage. The two push-buttons 34 and 35 serve as directional buttons, while the push-button 36 is a set or programming switch.

The output 33 is connected to a symbolically indicated relay switch group 37, via which the electrical connection from a supply voltage 38 to the motor 15 and from the motor 15 via a current sensor resistor 39 to the circuit ground 41 can be produced. The relay switch group 37 also serves as Umpolschalter for the motor 15, whereby a total of three states are at least possible, namely a switch-off, in which the motor 15 gets no power and is short-circuited at the input, and two switch-on, in which he with the one or other polarity between the power supply 38 and the circuit ground 41 is located. It is understood that the output 33 may be a multi-pole output to allow for these multiple switching states of the relay switch group 37.

The input 31 is finally connected to the hot end of the current sensing resistor 39 to measure the voltage drop across the current sensing resistor 39. The voltage drop serves as a criterion for the physical limit of the shutter curtain 7. To detect the voltage drop, the microcontroller contains a Spannugsdiskriminator that compares the voltage drop with an internally predetermined threshold and depending on the comparison provides a corresponding binary signal. The discriminator may also be implemented outside the microcontroller.

In the microcontroller or in his realized in him memory a program is included, the flow chart is shown in the following figures.

Upon power up, the microprocessor 26 is started at the designated start address and initially unwraps a program at 51 which normalizes the registers and sets certain memory variables to an initial value required for the run. This includes the presetting of the internal counter, which counts the pulses at the input 32. The counter is e.g. set to zero.

After the processor is reset, the program proceeds and queries 52 whether the running direction key 34, with which the opening of the shutter 1 is arranged, is actuated. If so, the program immediately returns to the beginning of the query block 52. This is to prevent accidentally immediately after switching on the power supply or a voltage return of the roller shutter 1 is set in motion in one direction. If the direction key 34 is not actuated, the program enters a second query block 53, in which the program checks whether the other direction key 35, with the closing the shutter 1 is requested, is pressed. If so, the program goes to the beginning of the query block 53 and only in the event that no key is pressed does the program proceed to a next instruction block 54. The query block 53 has the same function as the query block 52, namely to prevent erroneous or unwanted startup of the shutter 1.

If both keys are not pressed, the instruction block 54 is executed, in which a plurality of variables, a variable MSA, a variable MSE, a variable MP is reset, and a short-time counter (stopwatch) SZ is loaded. In addition, a display 55 optionally connected to the microprocessor can be switched off at this point. This light-emitting diode 55 signals to the user that the control device 3 is programmable in the sense of establishing a user-defined end position.

The variables MSA and MSE are used to detect their release after an actuation of the settable 36 and to start the "stopwatch" only from this point in time. In this respect, the variables serve to realize a negative edge triggering, as is clear from the following description.

After the instruction block 54 has passed, a query block 56 is executed, in which the program checks whether the direction key 34 is actuated. If so, a subroutine 57 is started which causes the shutter 1 to open. If the key 34 is not actuated, the program continues with a query block 59, in which the key 35 is checked. If it is pressed, the user wishes to close the shutter 1, which is why Program at 58 changes to the corresponding subroutine. If there is no action, the query block 59 is followed by a query block 61, in which it is checked whether the variable MSE is set. If not, the program checks at 62 whether the user holds the settest key 36 pressed. If this is not the case, then the program returns to the input of the query block 56. If, on the other hand, the key 36 is in the actuated state, an instruction block 63 is executed. In this instruction block 63, the variables MSE and MP are set and, in addition, the light emitting diode 55 is turned on. Thereafter, the program returns to the input of the query block 56.

For the next pass, assume that the variable MSE is actually set, thus branching the program at the query block 61 to the input of a query block 64, in which it is checked whether the variable MSA is additionally set. If so, the check is made in a query block 65 as to whether the settest key 36 is in the actuated state. If not, this is a sign that the user has released the settest key 36, whereby the stopwatch formed by the variable SZ starts to run, so that the programming of an end position is possible only for a predetermined time, to preclude erroneous operations. This time is realized by the running time of the stopwatch defined by the variables SZ, which is thus decremented in an instruction block 66, and indicated by the light emitting diode 55.

If the variable SZ has not yet returned to zero, which is checked in a query block 67, the program returns to the beginning of the query block 56. If, on the other hand, the variable SZ decrements to zero has been, the "stopwatch" has expired and it is no longer possible to program the end position by the directional keys 34, 35 until the settable key 36 is pressed again. The running direction keys 34, 35 are then only used to set the roller shutter 1 up or down in motion, which corresponds to the normal operation. The program therefore returns to the input of the instruction block 52 in the event that SZ has become zero. The set time has expired and must be restarted if necessary.

In the event that the check in the query block 64 has shown that the variable MSA is not set, the further query is made as to whether the settable 36 is still in the actuated state. This check is done in a query block 68. If the user has released the settest key 36, i. it is in the state with open switch, then in the instruction block 69, the variable MSA is set before the program returns to the input of the query block 56 at the output of the instruction block 69.

If, on the other hand, the user continues to hold the settest key 36, the instruction block 69 is skipped. With the help of the blocks 56 to 69 it is achieved that a programming of arbitrarily defined end positions described below is only possible from the time after the user has released the settest key 36. With the release of the settest key 36, a time begins to run within which he must have started the procedure for programming the end position by having either the run direction key 34 for setting an upper end position or the running direction key 35 for defining a lower arbitrary end position actuated. After the expiry of this Time is a change or adjustment of the gewillkürten end positions is no longer possible until re-pressing the settable 36. The running direction keys 34, 35 serve as already mentioned then only to set the shutter 1 up or down in motion, which corresponds to the normal operation ,

As shown in FIG. 2 reveals, regardless of the operation of the settable 36, the user can instruct and carry running commands by means of the direction keys 34 or 35.

If the user has actuated the running direction key 34 and the processor recognizes this in the inquiry block 56, the program branches into the subroutine for opening the roller shutter 1, as shown in FIG. This program section first checks whether the current position corresponds to the upper end position. This is done by comparing the counter content of the above-mentioned pulse counter with a stored value corresponding to the counter content at the respective end position; these are the variables "upper limit" or "maximum limit position above" which are explained below. This counter receives its count pulses via the input 32 from the pulse generator, which is formed by the encoder 23 and the sensor 24. This pulse generator provides pulses as long as the tension belt 13 moves, wherein the number of pulses of the distance is proportional to the traction belt 13 travels.

The check takes place in a query block 71. If the upper limit position has already been reached, the subroutine is immediately exited, namely to the input of the request block 52. If the upper end position has not yet been reached, an instruction block 73 ensures that signals are output via the output 33 to the relay switch set 37 so that the motor 15 for the corresponding direction of rotation is connected to the supply voltage 38. Subsequently, in a statement block 74, a waiting loop is started before the program continues from there to a query block 75.

In the inquiry block 75 it is checked whether the current through the sensor resistor 39, i. the voltage drop across the sensor resistor 39 is above or below a predetermined threshold.

The exceeding of the limit value arises when the torque requested by the motor exceeds a corresponding limit value. This is usually the case when the stops 11 come to rest on the slot of the roller shutter box, which in turn is equivalent to the maximum possible upper limit position of the roller shutter 1. In that regard, the current sensor resistor 39, together with the discriminator implemented in the microcontroller 26, serves as a detection device for the upper physically possible limit position.

Since, at start-up, the motor may pull a higher current than the predetermined threshold, the check in the query block 75 is not made immediately following the instruction block 73, but delayed by the instruction block 74.

If the upper limit position is reached, which is indicated by exceeding the limit value, this branches Program for the subroutine "Endabschalten oben". If not, the threshold for the maximum allowable voltage drop across the sensor resistor 39 is not reached, and the program checks in an inquiry block 77 whether an auxiliary variable MAUF is set.

The variable MAUF serves as a flip-flop and is intended to ensure that the roller shutter 1 continues to open in the sense of opening, even if the user has already released the relevant directional-direction button 34. In order to achieve this, in the present flowchart, the variable MAUF is set after releasing the running direction key 34 and reset by a renewed actuation. Accordingly, on the first pass through the program part of FIG. 3, the variable MAUF is not set and the program proceeds to the query block 77 with another query block 78, in which the state of the running direction key 34 is checked. If it is no longer in the actuated state, the variable MAUF is set after the query block 78 in the instruction block 79, otherwise the instruction block 79 is skipped.

Next, it is examined in a query block 81, whether the current position is greater than a previously defined upper position. If not, the program continues with the query block 75, otherwise the program changes to a subroutine 81 "shut down above".

Since the loop pass is relatively fast and also this program section shown in FIG. 3 is only jumped when at least briefly the running direction key 34 is actuated, the variable MAUF will initially remain reset during the first passes, why the run is done as described above. On one of the loop passes, the user will release the run direction key 34 so that at query block 78 the condition is satisfied and the variable MAUF is set in the instruction block 79. Thus, in the next passes in the query block 77, the condition will be satisfied and the program will continue in the future via a query block 83, in which it is checked whether the directional key 34 is pressed again in the meantime. If not, the program changes to the input of the query block 81, if so, this is understood as a command to stop the movement of the shutter curtain. Accordingly, the program proceeds via an instruction block 84 in which the variable MAUF is reset for the next run. After execution of the instruction block 84, the program enters the subroutine "shutdown above".

The program "Shut Down Above" is shown in FIG.

The first function, which is performed in program part 82 "switch-off above", takes place in a statement block 85, by which a signal is generated at the output 33, so that the relay switch block 37 interrupts the power supply to the motor 15. Subsequently, it is checked in a query block 86 whether the variable MP is set. This variable MP has optionally been set in the instruction block 63 (Figure 2) when the user pressed the settest key 36.

With the pressing of the set button 36, the user of the control device 3 indicates his desire that the upper end position reached by the preceding operation of the running direction button 34 is set as the future arbitrary upper one End position is used, which from now on when opening the shutter curtain 7 is no longer run over. Thus, if the variable MP is set, the program changes to an instruction block 87.

In this instruction block 87, the "upper limit" variable is set to the count contents of the counter and also the variable MP is cleared. Thereafter, the program returns to the beginning of the instruction block 52 and waits for the next instruction input by operating one of the keys 34 to 36. During the waiting operation, the main branch is continuously passed through the inquiry blocks 56, 59 and 62.

In the event that the variable MP was not set, the program also returns to the input of the instruction block 52 after the inquiry block 86 and waits as mentioned above. If the variable MP is not set, the instruction block 87 is not executed.

In connection with the explanation of FIG. 3 has already been described that the roller shutter control 3 detects when the shutter curtain 7 reaches its upper physical limit position. This recognition occurs in the query block 75, wherein, when the condition is met, is switched to the program part 76 "End Abschalt oben". This program part is shown schematically in FIG. Also in the program part 76 "Endabschalten oben" is first turned off in a statement block 88 of the engine.

Since in this state the roller shutter curtain 7 is under considerable tension, because the stops 11 attached to it bear against the roller shutter box, the tension is first reduced in a further step, in which an instruction block 89 via the output 33, an electrical signal is output to the relay switch group 37, which ensures that the motor 15 is set in the reverse direction in the sense of lowering the shutter curtain 7 in motion. This lowering movement is either timed or it is controlled by the counter and stopped as soon as the counter has counted down a predetermined number of steps, starting from the count at which the condition in the query block 75 was reached, ie the current limit was exceeded. Then, in an instruction block 91, the engine is turned off.

Subsequently, the variable "maximum end position above" is occupied in a statement block 92 with the current count. This variable "maximum end position above" will in the future, as already mentioned, evaluated in the query block 81, so that henceforth until the next deletion of all variables, for example due to power failure, the program piece 76 "Endabschalten oben" is no longer reached.

Evidently, the program does not require an absolute upper limit, but the controller 3 searches for the upper limit position itself, the counter contents, although the position reflects, but is not fixed to a specific position of the shutter curtain 7 at the beginning of the program run. The system works as it were with a "floating zero point" and looks for the upper end position itself. This upper end position is then equated with a counter content which results randomly from the initial conditions, but then remains the same until the system due to a power failure has lost his memory.

After exiting the instruction block 92, the program returns to the beginning of the instruction block 52.

Fig. 6 shows the program piece 58 "Close shutter". It starts by checking in a query block 93 whether the content of the counter has become smaller than the content of a variable "lower limit". This variable corresponds mutatis mutandis to the variable "upper limit", only with the difference that this is the gewillürürte lower limit. The manner in which this variable is obtained will be explained below.

When the arbitrary lower limit position is reached, the program immediately returns to the input of the instruction block 52. Otherwise, the motor is turned on in an instruction block 94 in the sense of discharging the shutter curtain 7 via the output 33.

The physically possible lower limit position is detected by the absence of pulses of the sensing roller 22. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide in the program a short-time clock, with the help of a retriggerable monoflop is simulated, which is reset each time a signal from the sensor 24 arrives. If these pulses remain off, the monoflop is no longer reset and thus recognized that the shutter curtain 7 is completely drained or otherwise stands up below with its lower edge.

In order to realize this monoflop, following the instruction block 94, in a block of instructions 95, a variable "clock" is loaded, which is decremented in each loop pass described below. Since the time needed for looping is known, is a certain Time expired when the variable "clock" is counted down to zero. In addition, in the instruction block 95, the current count is buffered.

There is also a variable in the "Shut down shutter" program that corresponds functionally to the variable MAUF in order to achieve continuous operation until a key is pressed again. This variable is called MAB for differentiation and is not set when entering the program section. It is checked in a query block 96 which follows the instruction block 95. Because the variable MAB is not set, after query block 96, query block 97 is executed, in which key 35 is queried. If it is no longer actuated in the meantime, MAB is set in an instruction block 98 or, if the user continues to press the key 35, the instruction block 98 is skipped.

In any case, at the output of the instruction block 98 in a query block 99 it is checked whether the count has become equal to the contents of the variable "minimum end position lower" or the variable "lower limit". If so, this is the sign that the shutter curtain 7 can not or should not be lowered further. Accordingly, the program changes here into a program part 100 "shutdown below".

If the bottom limit is not reached, in a query block 101 the variable "clock" is decremented and checked to see if it has returned to zero. If not, the program returns to the input of query block 96. Otherwise, ie when the clock has expired, it is examined in a query block 102 whether the counter contents is different from the counter content that was cached in the instruction block 95. In case of a difference between these two values, impulses from the touch roller 22 are still coming. If, on the other hand, the contents are the same, the follower roller 22 has now stopped because the tension belt 13 has lifted off the follower roller 22. The roller shutter curtain 7 is therefore on, so with a program part 103 "Endabschaltung down" continues. If, on the other hand, pulses have still arrived, the lowering movement can be continued, which is why the program returns to the beginning of the instruction block 95 with further pulses arriving after the query block 102, in which the clock is reset and the count is buffered again.

After some loop iterations, the variable MAB will be set, with the result that after query block 95 the query block 96 is no longer continued, but instead branched to a query block 104. In this query block 104, the state of the running direction key 35 is checked. If it is pressed again, the shutter curtain 7 must be stopped. On the other hand, if the key 35 is not actuated, the run of the shutter curtain 7 is continued and the program changes to the input of the inquiry block 99. Otherwise, i. when the running direction key 35 is actuated, the variable MAB is reset in an instruction block 105 and the program is left in the direction of the program part 100 "switch-off below".

The program part 100 "shutdown below", as shown in Fig. 7, corresponds mutatis mutandis to the program part "shutdown above" of FIG. 4th

The program part 100 "shutdown below" begins with the motor being switched off in a subsequent instruction block 106. Subsequently, it is checked in an instruction block 107 whether the user wanted to program an arbitrarily lower limit position, which then checks the program on the basis of the state of the variable MP, as already mentioned above. If the variable MP is not set, the program immediately returns to the input of the instruction block 52. Otherwise, in an instruction block 108, a variable "lower limit" is filled with the value of the current counter content and the variable MP is cleared.

In future driving movements of the shutter curtain 7 in the sense of lowering the shutter curtain 7 is always stopped at a point at which the count is equal to these stored variables "lower limit".

Finally, the case must be taken into account that the roller shutter curtain 7 abuts the bottom of the window boundary, which was found in the query block 102 of FIG. 6. The program branches in this case the program part 103, as shown in Fig. 8. This program part 103 largely corresponds to the program part according to FIG. 5, i. it is first made in a block instruction block 109 that the engine is turned off.

Since it can be assumed that the counter "loses" an empirically determined number of pulses until the standstill is detected, a variable "minimum end position below" is brought to the contents of the counter reading minus a correction value.

The loss of impulses arises because the tension belt 13 lifts from the sensing roller 22 but still runs a bit before the system detects the stoppage of the sensing roller 22. The correction value for this is determined empirically and ensures that when opening the shutter 1 the same upper physical position of the shutter curtain 7 is reached when the content of the counter has become equal to the variables "maximum end position above" or in the case of a user-defined end position equal to Variables "upper limit".

This correction and storage is done in the instruction block 110, and then in an instruction block 111, the counter is set to the value corresponding to the "minimum limit down" variable before returning to the beginning of the instruction block 52.

In contrast to the current limit, which is reached only once at the upper end, the lower limit position when closing the shutter 1 can be approached constantly.

If this is not desired, by appropriate programming the variable "minimum end position down" can be set to the current count and the motor 15 is moved in the upward direction until the first pulse arrives. This can be determined in the same way as has already been explained in connection with the query block 101. Then the variable "minimum end position lower" is set to the value of the current meter reading.

For reasons of standardization, it may be appropriate in the lower limit constantly the state with relaxed

To approach the tension belt 13. So that no error accumulates, an additional variable MPU is introduced which is set the first time the tension-free state of the tension belt 13 is started. In this case, the program works as follows:

After the motor has been turned off in the instruction block 109, it is checked in the following instruction block 112 whether a variable MPU is set. If it is not set, this is a sign for the first emergence of the shutter blind 7 on a lower obstacle and it is, as described above, the count read, corrected and stored away under the variable "minimum end position down". In addition, in the instruction block 110, the variable MPU is set.

Consequently, the next time this operating state is passed through, the variable MPU is set, for which reason the program branches directly into the instruction block 111. In this program block 111, as mentioned, the counter reading is corrected by setting the internal counter to the value which the variable "minimum end position lower" has.

From the user's point of view, the operation of the roller shutter control 3 according to the invention is as follows:

Immediately after installing and switching on the power supply performs the blinds curtain 7 no movement. The roller shutter curtain 7 can be set in motion only by active intervention of the user, for example in the sense of opening, if at the time of voltage recovery of the shutter curtain 7 was closed. The user actuates the running direction key 34 for this purpose "OPEN" and the shutter curtain 7 will move upwards until the stops 11 come to rest on the shutter box. As a result, the controller carries out a corresponding correction so that the mechanical stop will no longer be reached in the future. At some point at a later time, the user wants to close the shutter 1, which is instructed by pressing the running direction key 35 "DOWN". The roller shutter 1 will move downwards until it rises with its lower edge on any attacks and the tension belt 13 relaxes. When reopening by pressing the running direction key 34, the roller blind curtain 7 moves into the previously determined upper end position in which the stops 11 are just not yet abut the roller shutter box.

Regardless of this performed during the first trip adjustment, the user can arbitrarily arbitrarily interim end positions program by first pressing the settable 36 and then within the available time window, which is indicated by the illumination of the light emitting diode 55, the shutter 1 on the Move direction key 34 or 35 either up or down and stop again by pressing the same key again. This then reached position is the end position, the future will take the shutter curtain 7, when either the directional button "OPEN" or the directional button "DOWN" is pressed without the user before by pressing the same button stops the movement.

In this way, boundary layers can be arbitrarily defined independently of the physical boundaries. This will prevent the user from being in the shutter curtain 7 usually included light and ventilation slots over the entire length of the shutter curtain 7 are completely closed. On the other hand, he can choose an intermediate position, for example, to get a certain amount of sun protection in summer.

In the described program these arbitrarily set limits can not be overrun. If overriding is desired, reprogramming must be performed, which is simply done by momentarily disconnecting power. When power is restored, the microprocessor automatically starts instruction block 51, in which these arbitrary limit variables are also set to values that are greater than those maximum values that can be reached due to physical limitations.

If this is not desired, it can be checked in query block 81 in addition to the query of the variable "upper limit" whether the variable MP is set, which corresponds to a new setting of the limit. The program may be designed so that when the variable MP is set by operating the settest key 36, the value of the "upper limit" variable is ignored.

In the case of the described control system, after a voltage return or after the initial installation, the roller shutter curtain 7 can not automatically start moving by itself. In any case, an action of the user is required, which then also easily check the movements and possibly stop the shutter curtain 7 in time before it comes to any damage.

In this case, for example, to facilitate the panic trap, the operation of each of the keys can be exploited to stop the driving movement. For example, by further query blocks are inserted in Fig. 3 after the query block 83, in which additionally the other directional key 35 and the settable 36 are queried for actuation.

If, on the other hand, it were desired to start the physical limits for the movement of the roller shutter curtain 7 immediately after the installation, it is sufficient if the program sections 76, 102 "Endabschalten oben" or "Endabschalten unten" are automatically started from the instruction block 51.

To a roller shutter assembly include a operated via a tension belt blinds curtain and an electric drive device for the tension belt and a controller for the drive motor. The controller monitors the motor current to detect the upper physically possible limit position of the shutter curtain, and there is also a follower roller which is frictionally taken along by the tension belt and provides pulses to the controller. The motor shuts off when either the motor current exceeds a predetermined limit or the sensing roller stops delivering pulses. In addition, can be arbitrarily set by the user end positions for the open and closed positions. The controller operates to determine a position with a counter and is designed so that the counter, depending on a random initial value, operates when starting the arrangement.

Claims (16)

1. Device for controlling a roller blind with a roller blind drape (7), which can be wound up on a roller blind shaft (4) and for which there is an upper and a lower physical end position, its roller blind shaft (4) being driven via a roller blind belt (13) by means of an electric motor (15) acting on the roller blind belt (13), which is controlled via a control means (3), which has at least:

   - a memory unit, in which a digital value corresponding to the upper end position of the roller blind drape is stored,

   - a processor unit (26), which serves to detect the path of the roller blind drape (7) by means of a bidirectional counter,

   - a monitoring unit (23, 24, 39) for the roller blind drape (7), which is connected to the processor unit (26) and which serves to determine whether the roller blind drape (7) has reached its possible upper or lower physical end position, and

   - an input unit (34, 35, 36), which contains at least two running direction keys (34, 35) to control the direction of movement of the roller blind (1), wherein the program and/or the wiring of the device is configured in such a way

   that by operating the running direction key (34, 35) corresponding to closure of the roller blind drape (7), the electric motor (15) is set in motion in the direction of closing the roller blind drape (7),
   that the electric motor (15) is stopped as soon as the device determines the maximum physically possible lower end position, and
   that the value contained in the bidirectional counter is then corrected.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that for correction to the value contained in the bidirectional counter, the correction value is added or subtracted.
3. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that a reference value is stored in the memory unit, which represents the path covered during closure as far as the lower end position and is only acquired once in an initialisation run.
4. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the bidirectional counter is set to the reference value after the maximum physically possible lower position has been reached.
5. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that a user-defined upper end position, which lies between the upper physical limit position and the lower physical limit position, may be input into the memory unit (3) for the roller blind drape (7).
6. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that a user-defined lower end position, which lies between the upper physical limit position and the lower physical limit position, may be input into the memory unit (3) for the roller blind drape (7).
7. Device according to Claim 6, with at least one set key (36) for actuation of a memory function, characterised in that for input of an upper user-defined end position, the roller blind drape (7) is firstly brought into a position lying lower than the intended user-defined upper end position, then the set key (36) is pressed, thereafter the running direction key (34), through which the roller blind drape (7) is to be set in motion upwards, is pressed and when the intended upper user-defined end position is reached, either the same running direction key (34) or the other running direction key (35) or the set key (36) is pressed, and that as a result of this a status corresponding to the upper user-defined end position is stored in the memory unit.
8. Device according to Claim 6, with at least one set key (36) for actuation of a memory function, characterised in that for input of a lower user-defined end position, the roller blind drape (7) is firstly brought into a position lying higher than the intended user-defined lower end position, then the set key (36) is pressed, thereafter the running direction key (35), through which the rollex blind drape (7) is to be set in motion downwards, [is pressed] and when the intended lower user-defined end position is reached, either the same running direction key (35) or the other running direction key (34) or the set key (36) [is pressed], and that as a result of this a status corresponding to the lower user-defined end position is stored in the memory unit.
9. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the monitoring unit (24, 25, 39) has a pulse generator (23, 24).
10. Device according to Claim 7, characterised in that the stored status for the upper user-defined end position corresponds to a given counter reading, preferably to the counter reading "zero", that during closure of the roller blind drape (7) the counter unit is counted in one direction, that during opening of the roller blind drape (7) the counter unit is counted in the other direction until the counter reading corresponding to the upper user-defined end position is reached again, and that at this point the electric motor (15) is switched off via the control unit (3).
11. Device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the lower physical limit position corresponds to a counter reading, which starting from the upper user-defined end position or the upper physical limit position, is reached upon closure of the roller blind drape (7).
12. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the movement of the roller blind drape (7) stops when
    either the upper possible physical limit position of the roller blind drape (7) is reached, or
    an upper end position is reached, which lies lower than the upper physically possible limit position, or
    the lower physically possible limit position of the roller blind drape is reached, or
    a upper user-defined end position is reached, or
    a lower user-defined end position is reached, or
    the running direction key (34, 35) activating the movement is pressed once again, or
    the other running direction key (34, 35) not activating the movement is pressed.
13. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that for determination of the upper physically possible limit position, the monitoring unit (39) has a motor current monitoring means (39), which compares the motor current with a limit value.
14. Device according to Claim 13, characterised in that the comparison is only conducted after the motor current has been switched on for a given time.
15. Device according to Claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the status corresponding to the upper physically possible limit position corresponds to a counter reading.
16. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that after the upper physically possible end position of the roller blind drape (7) is reached, a movement to a predetermined distance in closing direction is performed, and that a status corresponding to this position of the roller blind drape (7) is stored as upper end position.

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