EP3180488B1 - Systems and methods to retain and refeed door curtains - Google Patents

Systems and methods to retain and refeed door curtains Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3180488B1
EP3180488B1 EP15753582.4A EP15753582A EP3180488B1 EP 3180488 B1 EP3180488 B1 EP 3180488B1 EP 15753582 A EP15753582 A EP 15753582A EP 3180488 B1 EP3180488 B1 EP 3180488B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
curtain
door
track
unfolder
section
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Application number
EP15753582.4A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3180488A1 (en
Inventor
Nicholas J. CASEY
Perry W. Knutson
Ryan P. Beggs
Timothy A. HAESSLER
William W. Hoerner
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Rite Hite Holding Corp
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Rite Hite Holding Corp
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Priority claimed from US14/458,769 external-priority patent/US9493984B2/en
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Publication of EP3180488A1 publication Critical patent/EP3180488A1/en
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/02—Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary
    • E06B9/08—Roll-type closures
    • E06B9/11—Roller shutters
    • E06B9/13—Roller shutters with closing members of one piece, e.g. of corrugated sheet metal
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/56—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor
    • E06B9/58—Guiding devices
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/56—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor
    • E06B9/58—Guiding devices
    • E06B2009/585—Emergency release to prevent damage of shutter or guiding device

Definitions

  • This patent generally pertains to door curtains and more specifically to systems and methods to retain and refeed door curtains.
  • Some industrial doors have a movable curtain for separating areas within a building or closing off doorways that lead outside. Examples of such doors include planar doors, overhead-storing doors and roll-up doors. Planar doors have curtains that remain generally planar as the curtain, guided by tracks, translates between open and closed positions. Some planar doors have wheels, trolleys or sliding members that couple the curtain to the tracks.
  • Overhead-storing doors are similar to many conventional garage doors in that overhead-storing doors have guide tracks that curve between a vertical section across the doorway and a horizontal section above the doorway. To open and close the door, the curtain travels to the horizontal and vertical sections, respectively.
  • a roll-up door comprises a roll-up curtain that when the door is open the curtain is wound about a roller or otherwise coiled above the doorway. To close the door, the curtain unwinds as two vertical tracks guide the curtain across the doorway.
  • Roll-up doors are typically either powered open and closed or are powered open and allowed to fall closed by gravity.
  • Some roll-up doors have a rigid leading edge provided by a rigid or semi-rigid bar extending horizontally along a lower portion of the curtain.
  • the rigidity of the bar helps keep the curtain within the guide tracks and helps the curtain resist wind and other air pressure differentials that may develop across opposite sides of the door.
  • a shutter device for the closure of an opening and capable of a descending and ascending movement is known from US 7,036,549 B2 .
  • the shutter has flexible lateral edges which are substantially continuous and project from the plane of the shutter moving in guideways mounted on a fixed bracket, means being provided, at least at the height of the lower part of the shutter, such that the lateral edges emerge from their guideways when a certain transverse force of traction in the longitudinal direction of the guideways is exerted upon these edges.
  • Means of re-insertion are provided in order to allow the lateral edges to engage once more within the upper parts of the guideways during the upward movement of the shutter, such means of re-insertion including guide members that are located next to the guideways, in a such manner as to deflect the edges of the shutter within the guideways at the point of the upward movement of the shutter.
  • the device is characterized in that the guideway is interrupted between the upper part of the guideways and the lower part of the guideways in such a way that the lower extremity of the upper part of the guideway can be displaced with respect to the lower part of the guideway during the upward movement of the shutter, when the corresponding lateral edge of the shutter is disengaged from the lower part of the guideway.
  • US 2006/0248819 A1 discloses a roller shutter device designed to close an opening comprising side edges, that are held in guide tracks and which can be engaged and disengaged from their guide tracks, each of which having an access opening in their upper part through which the corresponding edge can once again be enagaged into the portion of the guide track considered located above this access opening.
  • control means are forseen, at least up to a level located below the portion of the abovementioned guide track on either side of a plane extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide tracks and passing through the latter.
  • the control means allow the possible way of the shutter to be controlled at the point where the side edges are engaged into said portion of the guide track through the access opening.
  • US 2010/0181033 A1 discloses a shutter device for closing of an opening, comprising at least one slideway, a deformable shutter that can be moved across the opening, in one direction to cover said opening or in the opposite direction to uncover it.
  • the shutter comprises at least one lateral edge fitted with a lateral bead which is slideably mounted in the slideway and which can be extracted therefrom under the action of a defined pulling force directed transversely to the slideway.
  • the shutter device further comprises a means for reinserting into the slideway the bead that has been extracted therefrom.
  • the means comprises a guide member which is positioned facing the slideway and which is designed so that, while the shutter is being moved in the aforementioned opposite direction, it deflects toward the slideway the bead that has been extracted from this slideway.
  • the shutter device is characterized in that the guide member comprises at least one pair of rollers which are positioned respectively on each side of the shutter so that as the shutter is moved in the aforementioned opposite direction, they roll along the bead which has been extracted from the slideway, pushing it into the slideway.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an easier functioning mechanism and method for re-feeding of the known shutter curtains.
  • the invention provides a door for selectively blocking and unblocking a doorway through a wall according to independent claim 1.
  • the invention relates to a method of using a door at a doorway through a wall as defined in independent claim 13. Further aspects are set forth in dependent claims, drawings and following description.
  • Example door curtains with a restorable breakaway condition includes first means for guiding the curtain's lateral edges during normal operation and second independent means for guiding the curtain edges during a separate refeed operation.
  • the first means includes a track that guides a vertical row of buttons that are on the curtain.
  • the second means includes a roller near the upper end of the track and an elongate bead on the curtain's lateral edge.
  • the buttons slide along the track while the bead travels past the roller with virtually no contact between the bead and the roller.
  • the buttons "pop" out from within the track.
  • example rollup doors and methods of using a door at a doorway disclosed herein include means for straightening a dislodged and folded-over door curtain to assist in automatically refeeding the curtain back into its guide tracks.
  • the means for straightening the curtain includes an unfolder in the form of a roller.
  • Figures 1 - 20 show an example door 10 and example methods for selectively blocking and unblocking a doorway 12 in a wall 17.
  • a curtain 14 travels along a track 16 (e.g., a first track 16a and a second track 16b) to open or close the door 10, wherein Figures 1 , 12 and 16 show a leading edge 18 of the curtain 14 at an open position corresponding to when the door 10 is fully open to unblock the doorway 12, and Figure 2 shows the curtain's leading edge 18 at a closed position corresponding to when the door 10 is fully closed to block the doorway 12.
  • Figures 1 , 2 and 13 illustrate examples of curtain 14 being in a normal state.
  • a beneficial feature of some examples of the door 10 include the separation or independent function of the means for guiding and retaining a lateral edge 19 of the curtain 14 along the track 16 during normal operation and the means for guiding the edge 19 during a separate refeed operation (if the lateral edge 19 breaks away from the track 16). This separation of curtain-guiding means during normal and refeed operations allows each of the two guiding means to be dedicated solely for one purpose, and without compromise.
  • some examples of the door 10 include a row of raised retention buttons or projections 40 that are widely spaced-apart and attached generally along the curtain's lateral edges 19.
  • the buttons 40 protrude outward from each face of curtain 14 and have a generally spherically shaped surface.
  • the row of retention buttons 40 are spaced inward from an edge bead 48 and travel within a channel 46 of the guide track 16.
  • retentions strips or a primary retainer 34 keep the buttons 40 contained within the channel 46 under normal operating conditions to keep the curtain taut in the lateral direction.
  • the primary retainer 34 is made of a low friction material, such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW). If wind pressure or an obstacle provides enough force on the curtain 14, the buttons 40 will escape from within the channel 46 (e.g., be force out of the track 16) to prevent damage to the door 10.
  • UHMW ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
  • at least one of the two legs or walls of the track 16 e.g., the opposing walls facing the opposing faces of the curtain 14
  • is designed to flex outwardly e.g., away from the curtain 14 by deflection 118, to allow the buttons 40 to escape out from within the channel 46.
  • the edge bead 48 serves to pull the curtain's lateral edge 19 outwardly if the curtain's retention buttons 40 have been displaced out from within the track 16. In some examples, the edge bead 48 extends substantially the full length of the curtain 14. In some example, the edge bead 48 has a continuous cross-sectional profile which is thicker than the curtain 14. Examples of the bead's continuous cross-sectional profile include a round, oval, rectangular or other cross-sectional shapes.
  • a set of guide rollers 53 located above the track 16 will pull the curtain's lateral edge 19 (by contacting and rolling against edge bead 48) back to its normal position as the curtain 14 is rolled up.
  • the curtain 14 is unrolled and the buttons 40 are properly aligned to re-enter the channel 46 of the track 16.
  • the edge bead 48 is located outside or beyond (with respect to a central region 76 of the doorway 12) the guide roller's outer surface (diameter 50) and does not ride on the roller 53. Accordingly, in some such examples, during normal operation, the edge bead 48 travels past the rollers 53 and does not guide the edge 19 of the curtain 14 nor does it provide any retention functionality. This reduces wear and reduces (e.g., eliminates) the need for lubrication on the bead 48.
  • the guide rollers 53 do not force the curtain's edge bead 48 back into the channel 46 through the retainer 34. Rather, the guide rollers 53 interact with the bead 48 to reposition the lateral edge 19 of the curtain 14 when rolled up onto the curtain-supporting structure 30 so that the buttons 40 are properly aligned to be lowered behind the retainer 34 (e.g., within the channel 46 of the track 16) during the next door closing cycle.
  • the guide track's channel 46 in some examples, is designed to provide sufficient space such that the edge bead 48 rarely, if ever, has significant contact with the track 16.
  • another important feature of the door 10 is the ability to detect an abnormal door operation and take actions necessary to protect the door from damage.
  • a sensor 120 second sensor
  • a controller 24 will automatically decrease the speed of the curtain's drive unit 26. For example, by decreasing the speed at which the curtain 14 is being rolled up, the likelihood of pulling the curtain's edges 19 outward (e.g., via the guide roller 53 engaging the bead 48) and into a normal position is increased, and the chance of curtain damage is reduced.
  • the sensor 120 in some examples, is located about 24 inches below the roller 53.
  • the edge bead 48 is pulled through (e.g., breaks away from) the guide roller 53 towards the center of the curtain 14, another sensor 64 (first sensor) will detect the occurrence and the controller 24 will automatically stop the drive unit 26 to prevent damaging the curtain 14.
  • the sensor 64 in some examples is located near the guide roller 53. Example locations of the sensor 64 include, but are not limited to, just above the roller 53, just below the roller 53 and at the same elevation as the roller 53.
  • the controller 24 emits a maintenance alert signal if breakaway of the bead 48 from the guide roller 53 occurs and the drive unit 26 is stopped.
  • the curtain 14 includes two different elements for normal guiding and retention (e.g., the buttons 40) and for the refeed process (e.g., the bead 48).
  • the two different and separate elements allow the bead 48 to play a passive role with little or no contact with the primary retainer 34 or the roller 53, thereby resulting in reduction or elimination of lubrication, reduction in friction, and significant reduction in wear.
  • the design allows a reduced number of retention buttons 40 to be used because of the refeeding operation accomplished by the bead 48 and the roller 53.
  • buttons 40 are typically spaced close together (e.g., around a maximum of 2 inches apart) and may even be touching.
  • the buttons 40 in some examples, are spaced much farther apart (e.g., 4 inches, 12 inches, 2 feet, etc.).
  • the distance between buttons 40 can be more than four times the width of the buttons (e.g., more than 2-inches apart) and at least as great as 48 times the width of the buttons 40 (e.g., 2 feet apart).
  • buttons 40 there is less thickness build-up and less wrinkling of the curtain 14 when rolled upon a rollup drum. Additionally, a reduced number of retaining buttons also reduces the friction between the buttons 40 and the retainer 34 when operating the door 10.
  • rivets 54 (or similar retention projection fasteners) are designed as shear pins to break before causing a tear or other damage to the relatively expensive curtain.
  • the retention buttons 40 are replaceably attached to the door 10 to enable the replacement of the buttons 40 after the door 10 is originally installed. In some examples, curtain speed is automatically reduced when the retention buttons 40 break away from the guide track 16.
  • the drive unit 26 is stopped automatically when the edge bead 48 escapes from the guide roller 53 to reduce the likelihood of damaging the curtain 14.
  • the guide roller 53 pulls the edge bead 48 outwardly during roll-up to position the retention buttons 40 for proper entry into the track's channel 46 when the next door closing cycle begins.
  • the door 10 includes an example breakaway feature 22 that responds to impacts by allowing the curtain 14 to restorably break away from the track 16.
  • the breakaway feature 22 releases curtain 14 to a breakaway state, wherein the curtain 14 separates at least partially from the track 16. Examples of breakaway states are shown in Figures 3 , 4 and 14 .
  • the curtain 14 in a breakaway state can be in a restorable condition, as shown in Figure 3 and 14 or the curtain 14 can be in a nonrestorable condition, as shown in Figure 4 . Consequently, in some examples, the breakaway feature 22 provides two levels of breakaway.
  • the breakaway feature 22 allows the curtain 14 to automatically return to normal operation (from a breakaway state in a restorable condition to a normal state) by simply powering the door 10 to the open position shown in Figures 1 , 12 , 15 and 16 .
  • a second level of breakaway after severe collisions such as the one shown in Figures 4 , 9 and 10
  • curtain jams are avoided by the controller 24 disabling normal door operation until the door 10 can be manually serviced and/or power operated in some special manner.
  • Manually servicing the door 10 involves manually moving a dislodged section of the curtain 14 back within the tracks 16a, 16b, thereby returning the curtain 14 from a breakaway state in the nonrestorable condition to a normal state.
  • a drive unit 26 (e.g., an electric motor, pneumatic motor, rodless cylinder, etc.) under the command of the controller 24 powers curtain 14 between its open and closed positions while the curtain's weight hanging across the doorway 12 helps keep the curtain 14 taut.
  • the curtain 14 stores in an overhead area 28 that includes some type of the curtain-supporting structure 30.
  • the curtain-supporting structure 30 include, but are not limited to, a powered rotatable drum about which the curtain 14 wraps, a coiled track, an overhead track, a vertical track, a horizontal track, a curved track, an inclined track, and various combinations thereof.
  • the track 16 helps support and guide the curtain 14 across the doorway 12.
  • the track 16 in combination with the curtain 14 provides the breakaway feature 22.
  • the curtain 14 includes a primary projection 32 engaging the primary retainer 34 ( Figs. 5 - 12 ) for the first level of breakaway.
  • a secondary projection 36 is laterally confined within the track 16 by a secondary retainer or alignment guide 38.
  • the primary projection 32 in some examples, comprises the plurality of spaced-apart buttons 40 that slide along the primary retainer 34 of the track 16.
  • the primary retainer 34 comprises two elongate beads 42 separated by a gap 44. As the buttons 40 travel along the primary retainer 34 during normal door operation, the primary retainer 34 helps hold the buttons 40 within the interior channel 46 of the track 16 and helps guide the curtain's movement.
  • the curtain's secondary projection 36 is the elongate bead 48 that travels past the alignment guide 38 of the track 16.
  • the alignment guide 38 is mounted to a bracket 49 and comprises two rollers 53 each of which have an outer diameter 50 that rolls lightly against or is in proximity with the secondary projection 36 as the door 10 opens and closes.
  • the roller 53 has an axle tilted relative to the face of the curtain 14, as shown in Figure 5 .
  • the roller's axle is perpendicular to the curtain 14.
  • secondary projection 36 is an integral part of an edging 52 that is ultrasonically welded, bonded or otherwise connected to a sheet portion 55 of the curtain 14.
  • the rivet 54 connects two button halves 40a and 40b together with the edging 52 and the sheet 54 being clamped between the button halves 40a and 40b.
  • the rivet 54 or an alternate fastener is of limited strength to serve as a readily replaceable shear pin or "weakest link" that breaks before other more expensive door parts can be damaged.
  • buttons 40 include, but are not limited to, a 24/Nylon Cap w/Burr, Matte Black, YKK part number Y88B119A01Y; and a 24/Nylon Cap, Matte Black, YKK part number M77B 119A01Y; both of which are provided by YKK Inc., of Marietta, Georgia.
  • Mild and moderate collisions as shown in Figures 3 , 7 and 8 can create curtain tension sufficient to forcibly pull the primary projection 32 out from within channel 46 through the gap 44.
  • curtain tension exerting a first force 56 can still pull the primary projection 32 through the gap 44 due to the flexibility of certain door parts, such as the primary retainer 34, the primary projection 32, and/or the sidewalls of the track 16 (note the track deflection 118 in Figure 7 ).
  • curtain tension can exert a reduced second force 58 (equal to or greater than zero) that pulls the secondary projection 36 though the gap 44, as shown in Figure 8 .
  • the secondary projection 36 remains laterally confined within the track 16 near the top of the door because of the alignment guide 38, as shown in Figures 5 , 7 and 14 .
  • the secondary projection 36 is slightly separated from the alignment guide 38 during normal operation, as shown in Figures 5 and 13 . With the secondary projection 36 confined within the track 16, the door 10 can be returned to normal operation using a refeed operation.
  • the refeed operation involves opening the door 10 as the alignment guide 38 uses the secondary projection 36 to the guide curtain 14 back onto the curtain supporting structure 30 with the dislodged primary projection 32 being realigned with the track 16.
  • the drive unit 26 continues opening the door 10 until leading edge 18 rises above the primary retainer's upper ends 60, as shown in Figures 12 and 15 .
  • a refeed opening 62 just above the primary retainer 34 allows the curtain's leading edge 18 to readily slip back into its proper position within the channel 46.
  • Subsequently lowering the curtain 14 feeds the primary projection 32 back down through the channel 46, such that the primary projection 32 is back within the confines of the primary retainer 34.
  • Figures 13 - 16 schematically illustrate an example refeed operation.
  • Figure 13 shows the door 10 during normal operation with the curtain 14 in a normal state.
  • the primary projection 32 is retained and guided by the primary retainer 34, and the secondary projection 36 and the alignment guide 38 play a generally passive role.
  • the curtain's leading edge 18 travels within the limits of a maximum (e.g., normal) acceleration and speed (first speed).
  • Figure 14 shows the curtain 14 dislodged to a breakaway state in a restorable condition.
  • the breakaway state means that at least some of the buttons 40 have been forced out from within the track 16
  • the restorable condition means that the roller 53 still has the bead 48 laterally confined within the track 16 (e.g., laterally confined by the alignment guide).
  • Curtain strain created by buttons 40 being forced out of the track 16 to the wrong side of the primary retainer 34 forces the bead 48 up against the roller 53, as shown in Figure 14 .
  • the buttons 40 escaping the track 16 through the gap 44 ( Fig. 12 ) helps protect the curtain 14 from damage.
  • the curtain/edging sensor 120 (second sensor) is installed below the primary retainer's upper end 60 to detect the curtain 14 moving to the breakaway state, even during mild breakaways.
  • the sensor 120 is installed about 24 inches below the roller 53.
  • controller 24 limits or decelerates the curtain's leading edge 18 to a reduced speed (second speed) that is appreciably less than the normal speed (first speed) of normal operation.
  • second speed reduced speed
  • first speed normal speed
  • the senor 120 located near the alignment guide 38 (towards the top of the doorway 12) enables the door 10 to close at a normal speed during most of the door's travel until the portion of the door 10 that has become dislodged is detected by the sensor, at which point the speed is reduced. In this manner, the door 10 is repositioned at a speed that reduces the risk of damage but still opens at a relatively fast rate.
  • an example refeed operation begins with the curtain's leading edge 18 traveling at a reduced speed up to the position shown in Figure 15 .
  • the roller 53 engaging the bead 48 guides the curtain 14 back onto or into the curtain supporting structure 30 (schematically depicted in Fig. 1 ).
  • the refeed opening 62 above the primary retainer 34 allows the curtain's leading edge 18 to readily slip back into its proper position within the channel 46, as shown in Figure 16 .
  • the lowering curtain 14 feeds the primary projection 32 back down through the channel 46 such that the primary projection 32 is back within the confines of the primary retainer 34, thereby returning the curtain 14 to its normal state.
  • the bead 48 is once again slightly spaced apart from the roller 53 to reduce wear and friction. So, in some examples, the alignment guide 38 and the secondary projection 36 play an active role during the refeed operation, but they have an inactive role during normal operation.
  • Severe collisions can dislodge the primary projection 32 from the primary retainer 34 to a second extent greater than the first extent that further dislodges the secondary projection 36 from the alignment guide 38, as shown in Figures 4 , 9 and 10 .
  • attempting to automatically return the curtain's leading edge 18 back through the refeed opening 62 by having the drive unit 26 electromechanically power the door 10 open and closed might seriously jam the curtain 14 within the track 16 and/or within the curtain-support structure 30.
  • Such a jam can be difficult to undo and can permanently damage the door 10. Consequently, some examples of the controller 24 restrict or inhibit normal door operation until the secondary projection 36 is manually or otherwise repositioned in proper engagement with the alignment guide 38.
  • some examples of the door 10 include the curtain/edging sensor 64 (first sensor) in sensing proximity with the curtain 14 so as to sense the curtain's position within the track 16, particularly in the area of the alignment guide 38.
  • the sensor 64 of the illustrated example is shown closer to the center of the curtain 14, in some examples, the sensor 64 is positioned at substantially the same distance from the center of the curtain 14 (e.g., directly below the alignment guide 38).
  • the senor 64 is in a first state (e.g., a signal 66 indicating a set of electrical contacts being closed) when the sensor 64 detects the presence of the edging 52 properly positioned near the alignment guide 38, and the sensor 64 is in a second state (e.g., the signal 66 indicating the electrical contacts are open) when the sensor 64 does not detect the presence of the edging 52 near the alignment guide 38.
  • a first state e.g., a signal 66 indicating a set of electrical contacts being closed
  • the sensor 64 is in a second state (e.g., the signal 66 indicating the electrical contacts are open) when the sensor 64 does not detect the presence of the edging 52 near the alignment guide 38.
  • the sensors 120, 64 include, but are not limited to, a photoelectric eye and an electromechanical limit switch.
  • the sensors 120, 64 include a part number XUVR0303PANL2 photoelectric fork sensor provided by Schneider Electric (Telemecanique) of Palatine, Illinois; and a type OBT15-R2-E2, part number 225916 background suppression sensor provided by Pepperl and Fuchs of Twinsburg, Ohio.
  • the second sensor 120 is installed below the first sensor 64 so that the sensors 120, 64 can distinguish a restorable breakaway, a nonrestorable breakaway, and a normal state.
  • the controller 24 In response to the signal 66 indicating that the sensor 64 is in the first state, the controller 24 allows normal door operation. With the sensor 64 in the first state, the curtain 14 can be either in the normal state or can be in the breakaway state in the restorable condition. Either way, the controller 24 allows the door 10 to open. So, in some examples, the sensor 64 ignores, disregards or is otherwise unresponsive to the curtain 14 moving from the normal state to the breakaway state in the restorable condition.
  • the controller 24 determines that the curtain 14 is in the breakaway state in the nonrestorable condition. In this situation, the controller 24 inhibits or restricts operation of the door 10. For instance, in some examples, the controller 24 disables electromechanical operation of the door 10 until the curtain 14 is manually returned either to its normal state or to its breakaway state in the restorable condition.
  • the design and material properties of the curtain 14, the edging 52, the projections 32, 36, and retainers 34, 38 may vary, some examples of the curtain 14 comprise a pliable sheet of vinyl or polyurethane.
  • the term, "curtain” refers to any assembly, panel or sheet of material that is sufficiently flexible to restorably break away from its guide tracks without the assembly, panel or sheet of material experiencing significant permanent damage.
  • Some examples of the curtain 14 comprise an assembly of multiple sheets.
  • the primary projection 32 is made of nylon for its hardness and durability.
  • the primary projection 32 is harder and more durable than the primary retainer 34 to take advantage of a worn primary retainer 34 being easier to replace than a series of worn primary projections 32.
  • the primary retainer 34 is made of UHMW (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) for its low coefficient of friction with nylon and other materials.
  • the secondary projection 36 is made of urethane for its durability and flexibility at low temperatures.
  • the primary projection 32 is harder than the secondary projection 36 so that the secondary projection 36 can readily coil when the door 10 opens, and the relatively hard primary projection 32 has minimal dimensional distortion to maintain a constant pullout force through the gap 44.
  • the primary projection 32 comprises a plurality of spaced-apart projections (e.g., the buttons 40), the space between the projections allows the curtain 14 to coil upon itself more compactly.
  • the primary projection 32 comprising a plurality of spaced-apart projections sliding along a generally linear primary retainer 34 creates a point of contact 68 ( Figs. 6 and 11 ) on the primary projection 32 that moves as the door 10 operates and creates a substantially stationary line of contact 70 ( Fig. 11 ) on the primary retainer 34.
  • the contact on the primary retainer 34 being along a line broadly and evenly distributes the wear on the relatively soft primary retainer 34, and the point of contact 68 is focused on a relatively hard, durable primary projection 32.
  • the secondary projection 36 is an elongate bead (e.g., the bead 48) with a traveling line of proximity 72 ( Fig. 11 ) adjacent to and sometimes in contact with the roller 53
  • wear along the relatively soft bead 48 is broadly and evenly distributed along the line 72, and a point of contact 74 on the roller 53, for example, is focused on a very hard, durable alignment guide 38.
  • the secondary projection 36 being longer than the alignment guide 38 strategically balances the wear between them.
  • the primary retainer 34 being longer than the primary projection 32 provides a similar benefit.
  • the alignment guide 38 is above the primary retainer 34, and a central region 76 of doorway 12 is closer to the primary projection 32 than to the secondary projection 36. This allows the primary projection 32 to break away without the secondary projection 36 necessarily breaking away with the primary projection 32.
  • the sensor 64 is closer to the leading edge 18 when in the open position ( Fig. 1 ) than to the leading edge when in the closed position ( Fig. 2 ) to allow a partially open curtain 14 to break away to a restorable condition without tripping the sensor 64 unnecessarily.
  • the separation and relative location of the projections 32, 36 and retainers 34, 38 help in distinguishing a restorable condition from a nonrestorable condition.
  • the alignment guide 38 is both vertically and horizontally offset relative to the primary retainer 34, and the alignment guide 38 is higher than the primary retainer 34.
  • the primary projection 32 is spaced apart from the primary retainer 34 when the curtain's leading edge 18 is in the open position, thereby allowing the curtain 14 to return itself within the channel 46 of the track 16.
  • Figure 17 is a truth table 1700 showing example states of the curtain determined based on feedback signals 66, 122 from the sensors 64, 120.
  • the controller 24 monitors the position of the leading edge 18 (e.g., by additional sensors or by counting the rotations of the drive unit 26) and ignores the signal 122 when the leading edge is above the sensor 120.
  • the speed of the door 10 when opening is configured to slow down as the door 10 reaches the fully open position regardless of whether the curtain 14 is in a breakaway state. Accordingly, in some examples, the leading edge 18 of the curtain rising about the second sensor 120 is used as an indicator that the door 10 is nearly fully open.
  • the controller 24 analyzes the signals 66, 122 from each side of the door 10 independently to identify which side of the curtain 14 is dislodged (or whether both sides of the curtain 14 are dislodged) when in a breakaway state.
  • additional sensors are used to monitor the state of the curtain 14. For instance, in some examples, multiple sensors 120 are placed at varying heights along the track 16 to detect the height at which the edge of the curtain 14 dislodges from the track.
  • the edge bead 48 or secondary projection 36 has a continuous cross-sectional profile which is thicker than the curtain 14.
  • the curtain 14 will walk or shift back and forth on the drum to avoid a localized buildup in the winding of the curtain 14 due to the thickness of the edge bead 48.
  • this movement by the curtain 14 along the rollup drum can create a challenge in opening and closing the door 10. For instance, if the curtain 14 shifts too far along the rollup drum, excessive loads can be applied to the curtain 14 from the alignment guides 38 or guide rollers 53, thereby potentially resulting in fatigue and/or excess wear on the edge bead 48. Example solutions to this challenge are shown and described in connection with Figures 18-22 .
  • Figure 18 illustrates an example curtain 14 with stiffeners 1802 for use with the example door 10 of Figure 1 .
  • Figure 19 is an enlarged view of the portion of the example curtain 14 within the circle A of Figure 18 .
  • multiple stiffeners 1802 are attached to the curtain 14 at various heights along the curtain 14 to substantially extend across the curtain 14 between the opposing lateral edges 19.
  • the stiffeners 1802 extend up to the edging 52 on either side of the curtain 14.
  • the stiffeners 1802 in the illustrated example may be formed of any suitable material (e.g., fiberglass) that is stiffer than the material of the curtain 14 to keep the edges 19 of the curtain 14 forced outboard when the curtain 14 is wound around the rollup drum to reduce the risk of the edge bead 48 being forced tightly against the alignment guides 38.
  • the material (e.g., fiberglass) of the stiffeners 1802 also has some flexibility so that the curtain 14 may still absorb an impact to dislodge the primary projections 32 or buttons 40 from the track 16 without permanently damaging the door 10.
  • the stiffeners 1802 of the illustrated example are attached to the curtain 14 via pockets 1804 formed from a strip of fabric 1806.
  • the pockets 1804 are formed by connecting an upper and lower portion of each strip of fabric 1806 to the curtain via any appropriate technique (e.g., stitching, ultrasonically welding, bonding, etc.) thereby leaving a gap wherein the stiffener 1802 may be inserted.
  • each end of the strip of fabric 1806 is also connected to the curtain 14 to enclose the stiffener 1802 and secure it in place.
  • Figures 20-22 are cross-sectional views of an example floating alignment guide bracketing system 2000 for the example door 10 of Figures 1-4 .
  • the bracketing system 2000 includes a stationary bracket 2002 (similar to the bracket 49 of Figure 5 ) and a sliding bracket 2004 that can translate in the plane of the curtain 14 relative to the stationary bracket 2002. Additionally, in some examples, the bracket system 2000 also contains one or more springs 2006 to bias the sliding bracket 2004 to a default or normal position ( Figure 20 ) relative to the stationary bracket 2002.
  • the bracketing system 2000 is configured to enable the sliding bracket 2004 to move inward toward the central region 76 of the doorway 12 ( Figure 21 ) relative to the stationary bracket 2002. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the bracketing system 2000 is configured to enable the sliding bracket 2004 to move outward away from the central region 76 of the doorway 12 ( Figure 22 ) relative to the stationary bracket 2002.
  • the alignment guides 38 are attached to the sliding bracket 2004 such that the alignment guide 38 can float or follow the movement of the edge 19 of the curtain 14 as it moves along the rollup drum to account for the thickness of the secondary projection 36 or edge bead 48.
  • the default position of the sliding bracket 2004 is such that the edge bead 48 passes the alignment guide 38 without contact thereby reducing the amount of wear on the edge bead 48.
  • the spring 2006 will compress such that the sliding bracket 2004 will also move inwards to enable the alignment guide 38 to follow the edge 19 and reduce the load from the alignment guide 38 on the edge bead 48 as shown in Figure 21 .
  • the spring 2006 may expand when the edge 19 of the curtain 14 moves outwards such that the sliding bracket 2004 will also move outwards to again enable the alignment guide 38 to follow the edge bead 48 as shown in Figure 22 .
  • Figure 23 is a block diagram of an example implementation of the example controller 24 of Figures 1-4 .
  • the controller 24 comprises an example drive unit controller 2302, an example sensor interface 2304, an example analyzer 2306, and an example operator interface 2308.
  • the drive unit controller 2302 controls (e.g., speed and direction) the drive unit 26 of the example door 10.
  • the drive unit controller 2302 also monitors a position of the leading edge 18 of the curtain 14 to track an extent to which the door 10 is opened or closed.
  • the controller 24 is provided with the example sensor interface 2304 to communicate with the sensors 64, 120 and receive the corresponding feedback signals 66, 122 indicative of the breakaway state of the curtain 14.
  • the example analyzer 2306 is provided in the illustrated example to analyze the signals 66, 122 to distinguish between a breakaway state in a nonrestorable condition from a restorable condition as well as to determine when the curtain 14 is in a normal operational state.
  • the example controller 24 is provided with the example operator interface 2308 to communicate with an operator. For example, when the analyzer 2306 detects that the curtain 14 is in a nonrestorable breakaway state, the controller 24 may provide an alert to an operator via the operator interface 2308. In some examples, an operator provides instructions to the controller 24 via the operator interface (e.g., speed adjustments to be provided to the drive unit controller 2302).
  • any of the example drive unit controller 2302, the example sensor interface 2304, the example analyzer 2306, the example operator interface 2308, and/or, more generally, the example controller 24 could be implemented by one or more analog or digital circuit(s), logic circuits, programmable processor(s), application specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)) and/or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)).
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • PLD programmable logic device
  • FPLD field programmable logic device
  • At least one of the example, X, the example drive unit controller 2302, the example sensor interface 2304, the example analyzer 2306, and/or the example operator interface 2308 is/are hereby expressly defined to include a tangible computer readable storage device or storage disk such as a memory, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a Blu-ray disk, etc. storing the software and/or firmware.
  • the example controller 24 of Figures 1-4 may include one or more elements, processes and/or devices in addition to, or instead of, those illustrated in Figure 23 , and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices.
  • FIGS. 24-26 and 35 Flowcharts representative of example machine readable instructions for implementing the controller 24 of Figures 1-4 are shown in Figures 24-26 and 35 .
  • the machine readable instructions comprise programs for execution by a processor such as the processor 2712 shown in the example processor platform 2700 discussed below in connection with Figure 27 .
  • the program may be embodied in software stored on a tangible computer readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a hard drive, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a Blu-ray disk, or a memory associated with the processor 2712, but the entire program and/or parts thereof could alternatively be executed by a device other than the processor 2712 and/or embodied in firmware or dedicated hardware.
  • example programs are described with reference to the flowcharts illustrated in Figures 24-26 and/or 35, many other methods of implementing the example controller 24 may alternatively be used.
  • order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined.
  • the example processes of Figures 24-26 and/or 35 may be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer and/or machine readable instructions) stored on a tangible computer readable storage medium such as a hard disk drive, a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a cache, a random-access memory (RAM) and/or any other storage device or storage disk in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended time periods, permanently, for brief instances, for temporarily buffering, and/or for caching of the information).
  • a tangible computer readable storage medium is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable storage device and/or storage disk and to exclude propagating signals.
  • tangible computer readable storage medium and “tangible machine readable storage medium” are used interchangeably. Additionally or alternatively, the example processes of Figures 24-26 and/or 35 may be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer and/or machine readable instructions) stored on a non-transitory computer and/or machine readable medium such as a hard disk drive, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a cache, a random-access memory and/or any other storage device or storage disk in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended time periods, permanently, for brief instances, for temporarily buffering, and/or for caching of the information).
  • coded instructions e.g., computer and/or machine readable instructions
  • a non-transitory computer and/or machine readable medium such as a hard disk drive, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a cache, a random-access memory and/or any other storage device or storage
  • non-transitory computer readable medium is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable device or disk and to exclude propagating signals.
  • phrase “at least” is used as the transition term in a preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same manner as the term “comprising” is open ended.
  • Figure 24 shows an example method 2400 of using the example door 10.
  • the method blocks shown in Figure 24 are not necessarily in any particular sequential order. In some examples, one or more of the actions shown in Figure 24 can be omitted, implemented simultaneously with other blocks, and/or implemented in a different order.
  • the example method begins at block 2402 where the example sensor interface 2304 receives signals (e.g., via the sensors 64, 120) indicative of the breakaway state of the curtain 14 of the door 10.
  • the example analyzer 2306 determines whether the curtain 14 has been moved to a breakaway state. In some examples, the curtain 14 may be moved to a breakaway state associated with either a restorable position or a nonrestorable condition.
  • the restorable condition corresponds to the primary projection 32 being dislodged or removed from the primary retainer 34 while the secondary projection 36 remains confined by the alignment guide 38.
  • arrow 84 of Figure 3 and arrow 132 of Figure 14 represent the curtain 14 being moved to a breakaway state associated with the restorable condition (e.g., by an impact on the curtain 14 that causes a force sufficient to pull the primary projection 32 from the primary retainer 34).
  • the nonrestorable condition in some examples, corresponds to the secondary projection 36 being dislodged or displaced from lateral confinement by the alignment guide 38 in addition to the primary projection 32 being dislodged from the primary retainer 34.
  • arrow 88 of Figure 4 represents the curtain 14 being moved to a breakaway state associated with the nonrestorable condition (e.g., by an impact on the curtain 14 that causes a force sufficient to pull the primary projection 32 from the primary retainer 34 and the secondary projection 36 from the alignment guide 38).
  • the example analyzer 2306 determines whether the curtain 14 has been moved to a breakaway state in either the restorable or nonrestorable condition based on signals from the first sensor 64 and/or the second sensor 120.
  • the example method returns to block 2402 to continue monitoring the signals 66, 122 indicative of the breakaway state of the curtain 14. If the example analyzer 2306 determines that the curtain 14 has been moved to a breakaway state, the example method advances to block 2406.
  • the example analyzer 2306 determines whether the curtain 14 is in a breakaway state associated with a restorable condition (or is associated with a nonrestorable condition). In some examples, the example analyzer 2306 determines that the curtain 14 is in the breakaway state associated with the nonrestorable condition based on a signal (e.g., the signal 66 of Figure 1 ) from the first sensor 64 detecting the displacement of the secondary projection 36 from lateral confinement by the alignment guide 38 (e.g., the arrow 112 of Figure 9 represents the sensor 64 detecting the curtain 14 moving to the breakaway state in the nonrestorable condition).
  • a signal e.g., the signal 66 of Figure 1
  • the first sensor 64 detecting the displacement of the secondary projection 36 from lateral confinement by the alignment guide 38
  • the arrow 112 of Figure 9 represents the sensor 64 detecting the curtain 14 moving to the breakaway state in the nonrestorable condition.
  • the example analyzer 2306 determines that the curtain 14 is in the breakaway state associated with the restorable condition based on a signal (e.g., the signal 122 of Figure 1 ) from the second sensor 120 detecting the displacement of the edge 19 of the curtain 14 outside the track 16 (e.g., as the primary projection 32 is dislodged from the primary retainer 34), while the signal 66 from the first sensor 64 indicates the secondary projection 36 remains positioned behind the alignment guide 38.
  • a signal e.g., the signal 122 of Figure 1
  • the second sensor 120 detecting the displacement of the edge 19 of the curtain 14 outside the track 16 (e.g., as the primary projection 32 is dislodged from the primary retainer 34)
  • the signal 66 from the first sensor 64 indicates the secondary projection 36 remains positioned behind the alignment guide 38.
  • An example implementation of the refeed operation of block 2408 is shown and described below in connection with Figure 20 .
  • An example implementation of the nonrestorable curtain operation of block 2410 is shown and described below in connection with Figure 21 .
  • the example analyzer 2306 determines whether to continue monitoring the curtain 14. If the example analyzer 2306 determines to continue monitoring the curtain 14, control returns to block 2402. If the example analyzer 2306 determines not to continue monitoring the curtain 14, the example method of Figure 24 ends.
  • Figure 25 shows an example method corresponding to block 2408 of the example method 2400 of Figure 24 to implement a refeed operation.
  • the method blocks shown in Figure 25 are not necessarily in any particular sequential order. In some examples, one or more of the blocks shown in Figure 25 can be omitted, implemented simultaneously with other blocks, and/or implemented in a different order.
  • the example method begins at block 2502 where the example drive unit controller 2302 reduces the speed of the curtain 14. For example, during normal operations when the curtain 14 is in a normal state, the curtain 14 is driven at a normal (full) speed (e.g., represented by arrow 160 of Figure 13 ).
  • the curtain 14 is driven at a reduced (slower) speed (e.g., represented by arrow 164 of Figure 14 , which is shorter than arrow 160 of Figure 13 ).
  • the reduced speed of the curtain 14 in such examples enables greater control in refeeding the primary projection 32 described below.
  • the example drive unit controller 2302 raises the curtain 14 to a substantially fully open position.
  • the example drive unit controller 2302 electromechanically raises the curtain 14 (e.g., represented by arrow 104 of Figure 3 and arrow 136 of Figure 14 ) until the leading edge 18 of the curtain 14 is above the upper ends 60 of the primary retainer 34.
  • the alignment guide 38 guides the curtain 14 (e.g., by engaging the secondary projection 36) onto the curtain-supporting structure 30 as the curtain 14 rises to realign the primary projection.
  • the primary projection 32 on the curtain 14 will clear the upper end 60 of the primary retainer 34 to be brought back into alignment behind the primary retainer 34 (e.g., within the track 16 when the curtain 14 is subsequently lowered as represented by arrows 138, 140 of Figures 15 and 16 ).
  • the example drive unit controller 2302 restores the curtain 14 to the normal operating state (e.g., including operating at a normal speed), at which point the example method of Figure 25 ends.
  • Figure 26 shows an example method to implement block 2410 of the example method 2400 of Figure 24 .
  • the method blocks shown in Figure 26 are not necessarily in any particular sequential order. In some examples, one or more of the blocks shown in Figure 26 can be omitted, implemented simultaneously with other blocks, and/or implemented in a different order.
  • the example method begins at block 2602 where the example drive unit controller 2302 stops the operation of the door 10 (e.g., inhibits movement of the curtain 14 as represented by the symbol 168 of Figure 4 ). By stopping the curtain 14 from moving in this manner, significant damage to the curtain 14 and/or door 10 can be averted and/or mitigated.
  • the example operator interface 2308 generates a maintenance alert signal.
  • maintenance personnel may be apprised of the nonrestorable condition of the breakaway state of the curtain 14 to, thereby, implement an appropriate response (e.g., manually fix or reposition the curtain 14 of the door 10 as represented by arrow 108 of Figure 4 ).
  • the example drive unit controller 2302 determines whether to wait for the curtain to be repositioned to a normal state. If the example drive unit controller 2302 determines not to wait for the curtain to be repositioned, the example method of Figure 26 ends. However, if the example drive unit controller 2302 determines to wait for the curtain to be repositioned to a normal state, control advances to block 2608 where the example operator interface 2308 determines whether the curtain 14 has been repositioned to the normal state. In some examples, the example operator interface 2308 determines when the curtain 14 has been repositioned based on feedback provided by the maintenance personnel manually fixing the door 10, which indicates that normal operations can proceed. If the example operator interface 2308 determines the curtain 14 has not been repositioned to the normal state, control returns to block 2606. If the example operator interface 2308 determines that the curtain 14 has been repositioned to the normal state, control advances to block 2610 where the example drive unit controller 2302 restores the curtain to a normal operating state, at which point the example method of Figure 26 ends.
  • FIG 27 is a block diagram of an example processor platform 2700 capable of executing the instructions of Figures 24-26 to implement the example door 10 of Figures 1-4 .
  • the processor platform 2700 can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a smart phone, a tablet such as an iPadTM), or any other type of computing device.
  • the processor platform 2700 of the illustrated example includes a processor 2712.
  • the processor 2712 of the illustrated example is hardware.
  • the processor 2712 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors or controllers from any desired family or manufacturer.
  • the processor 2712 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 2713 (e.g., a cache).
  • the processor 2712 of the illustrated example is in communication with a main memory including a volatile memory 2714 and a non-volatile memory 2716 via a bus 2718.
  • the volatile memory 2714 may be implemented by Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM) and/or any other type of random access memory device.
  • the non-volatile memory 2716 may be implemented by flash memory and/or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memory 2714, 2716 is controlled by a memory controller.
  • the processor platform 2700 of the illustrated example also includes an interface circuit 2720.
  • the interface circuit 2720 may be implemented by any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), and/or a PCI express interface.
  • one or more input devices 2722 are connected to the interface circuit 2720.
  • the input device(s) 2722 permit(s) a user to enter data and commands into the processor 2712.
  • the input device(s) can be implemented by, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touchscreen, a track-pad, a trackball, isopoint and/or a voice recognition system.
  • One or more output devices 2724 are also connected to the interface circuit 2720 of the illustrated example.
  • the output devices 2724 can be implemented, for example, by display devices (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube display (CRT), a touchscreen, a tactile output device, a light emitting diode (LED), and/or speakers).
  • the interface circuit 2720 of the illustrated example thus, typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip or a graphics driver processor.
  • the interface circuit 2720 of the illustrated example also includes a communication device such as a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a modem and/or network interface card to facilitate exchange of data with external machines (e.g., computing devices of any kind) via a network 2726 (e.g., an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a telephone line, coaxial cable, a cellular telephone system, etc.).
  • a communication device such as a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a modem and/or network interface card to facilitate exchange of data with external machines (e.g., computing devices of any kind) via a network 2726 (e.g., an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a telephone line, coaxial cable, a cellular telephone system, etc.).
  • DSL digital subscriber line
  • the processor platform 2700 of the illustrated example also includes one or more mass storage devices 2728 for storing software and/or data.
  • mass storage devices 2728 include floppy disk drives, hard drive disks, compact disk drives, Blu-ray disk drives, RAID systems, and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.
  • the coded instructions 2732 of Figures 24-26 may be stored in the mass storage device 2728, in the volatile memory 2714, in the non-volatile memory 2716, and/or on a removable tangible computer readable storage medium such as a CD or DVD.
  • a restorable condition refers to a breakaway state in which the curtain 14 can be automatically restored to a normal state by operating the door 10.
  • a nonrestorable condition refers to a breakaway state in which merely operating the door 10 is insufficient to return the curtain 14 to the normal state.
  • a nonrestorable condition does not necessarily mean that it is impossible to restore the curtain 14 to the normal state, but rather a nonrestorable condition involves work beyond simply operating the door 10 as usual.
  • a person manually manipulates the curtain 14 to restore it to its normal state.
  • the door 10 is operated in a nonstandard or special manner to restore the curtain 14 to its normal state (e.g., at a slower speed and/or a slower acceleration).
  • the terms, "blocking" and “unblocking” as used in reference to the door 10 blocking or unblocking the doorway 12 does not necessarily mean that the doorway 12 is completely obstructed or completely unobstructed but rather means that the doorway 12 is more obstructed when the door 10 is blocking doorway 12 than when the door 10 is unblocking the doorway 12.
  • the controller 24 is schematically illustrated to represent any device that provides an output (e.g., a command or power output 116 to the drive unit 26) in response to an input (e.g., the signals 66, 122 from the sensors 64, 120). Examples of the controller 24 include, but are not limited to, a relay circuit, a computer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and various combinations thereof.
  • PLC programmable logic controller
  • some examples of the door 10 include means for restoring a dislodged, folded-over door curtain to its normal operating condition.
  • Figures 28 - 33 show an example door 10' with example unfolders 200 installed near the upper corners of the doorway 12, just below an example refeed mechanism 202 (e.g., the bracket 2004 with the rollers 53). If a curtain 14' becomes dislodged out from within the track 16 and a portion 204 of the curtain 14' bends over to create a folded-over section 206, as shown in FIG. 33 , the unfolder 200 automatically unfolds the folded-over section 206 in response to the drive unit 26 raising the curtain 14' while the refeed mechanism 202 guides the curtain 14' back into the track 16.
  • some examples of the door 10' also have a front bar 208 (e.g., a rotatable or stationary (e.g., not rotatable) steel tube) set at about the same height as a lintel 210 of the doorway 12 in front of a front side 232 of the curtain 14'.
  • a front bar 208 e.g., a rotatable or stationary (e.g., not rotatable) steel tube
  • the front side 232 corresponds to a side of the curtain 14' facing away from a front face 212 of wall 217 that defines the doorway 12
  • a back side 234 ( FIG. 34 ) of the curtain 14' corresponds to a side of the curtain facing toward the front face 212 of the wall 217.
  • the front bar 208 helps restrain the door's curtain 14' if a severe forward impact (e.g., an impact on the back side 234 of the curtain 14') forces the curtain 14' farther away from the front face 212 of the wall 17.
  • a severe forward impact e.g., an impact on the back side 234 of the curtain 14'
  • the wall's front face 212 above the lintel 210, limits the curtain's displacement in the rearward direction (e.g., a direction moving from a normal position of the curtain 14' toward the wall 17).
  • the curtain 14' is schematically illustrated to represent various curtain structures, examples of which include: the curtain 14 (with the edging 52 connected to the sheet portion 55), curtains having other types of edging, curtains where the bead 48 is an integral part of the sheet portion 55, curtains where the buttons 40 are an integral part of the sheet portion 55, curtains where the buttons 40 are attached directly to the sheet portion 55 without the edging 52, curtains where the bead 48 is attached directly to the sheet portion 55 without the edging 52, curtains without the bead 48, and curtains without the buttons 40.
  • the curtain 14' comprises a first lateral section 214 extending into the first track 16a, a second lateral section 216 extending into the second track 16b, a main section 218 between the lateral sections 214 and 216, and a leading section 220 along the curtain's leading edge 18.
  • the first and second lateral sections 214 and 216 each include a corresponding lateral edge 19, and the leading section 220 includes the leading edge 18 of the curtain 14'.
  • the curtain's leading section 220 is movable between a closed position (e.g., FIGS. 2 and 28 ) and an open position (e.g., FIG. 1 ).
  • the curtain 14' can be in a normal state (e.g., FIGS. 28 - 31 ) and various breakaway states (e.g., FIGS. 32 and 33 ).
  • the curtain 14' In a breakaway state, the curtain 14' can be in a folded condition ( FIG. 33 ) or in an unfolded condition ( FIG. 32 ), both of which are associated with a restorable condition as described above.
  • first lateral section 214 in the unfolded and folded conditions
  • same conditions e.g., folded and unfolded
  • the following description related with respect to the first lateral section 214 applies equally to the second lateral section 216.
  • the first lateral section 214 is dislodged out from within first track 16a, as shown in FIG. 33 .
  • the curtain 14' is in the folded condition of the illustrated example of FIG.
  • the first lateral section 214 (in an area 222 near the leading section 220) is not only dislodged out from within the first track 16a but is also folded over the main section 218. That is, in some examples, the front side 232 of the portion 204 of the curtain 14' is folded so as to face the front side 232 of the rest of the curtain 14'. In other examples, the curtain 14' may fold the opposite direction such that the back side 234 of the portion 204 of the curtain 14' is folded so as to face the back side 234 of the rest of the curtain 14'. In some examples, the first lateral section 216 of the folded-over section 206 (formed from the portion 204) of the curtain 14' is touching the main section 218.
  • the portion 204 is folded over to face the main section 218 without necessarily touching the main section 218.
  • the folded-over section 206 extends into the track 16 as shown in FIG. 33 .
  • the folded-over section 206 creates a cavity or an enfolded space 224 between the first lateral section 214 and the main section 218.
  • the first lateral section 214 in the area 222 near the leading section 220
  • the first lateral section 214 is dislodged from the first track but not folded over onto the main section 218.
  • the drive unit 26 opens the door 10' to return the curtain 14' to its normal operating condition.
  • the first lateral section 214 is drawn up against the unfolder 200.
  • the unfolder 200 urges the first lateral section 214 back to the unfolded condition so that the refeed mechanism 202 can direct the first lateral section 214 back into its proper position within the track 16a.
  • the unfolder's specific structure and its location relative to other components of the door 10' can vary.
  • the unfolder 200 is positioned to extend into and, thereby, engage the enfolded space 224 to unfold the curtain 14' more effectively.
  • the unfolder 200 is in the form of a roller 226 to reduce wear, particularly wear on the curtain 14'.
  • the unfolder 200 is positioned to be slightly spaced apart from the curtain 14' when operating under normal conditions to further reduce wear.
  • FIG. 30 shows a clearance 228 between the unfolder 200 and the curtain 14'.
  • the unfolder 200 is a stationary member to reach into the enfolded space 224 to more effectively unfold the folded-over section 206 and to avoid the disadvantages of moving parts.
  • the unfolder 200 is positioned laterally within a span 230 between the tracks 16a, 16b to more effectively catch a folded-over section 206 that is well within the span 230.
  • the unfolder 200 is higher than the doorway 12 so as not to obstruct the doorway 12.
  • the curtain 14' lies between the wall 17 and the unfolder 200 so that the unfolder 200 can correct forward breakaway conditions, and the wall 17 can help block rearward breakaway conditions.
  • the unfolder 200 is above the front bar 208 so that the front bar 208 can help prevent a severe breakaway from forcing the curtain 14' completely away from the unfolder 200.
  • Some examples of the door 10' include a first unfolder 200a and a similar second unfolder 200b, which are installed at the curtain's front side 232 and back side 234, respectively.
  • the first unfolder 200a unfolds curtain 14' dislodged and folded over in a direction away from the doorway 12, as shown in FIG. 33
  • the second unfolder 200b can unfold the curtain 14' dislodged and folded over in the opposite direction into the doorway 12.
  • a separation distance 236 between the unfolders 200a, 200b is greater than a material thickness 238 of the curtain 14'.
  • FIG. 35 illustrates an example of a method 240 of using a door at a doorway using one or more of the door examples disclosed herein.
  • the method of FIG. 35 is implemented as part of the refeed operation described above in connection with FIGS. 24 and 25 .
  • the method of FIG. 35 is implemented without the corresponding refeed mechanism 202 described above.
  • the example method of FIG. 35 begins at block 242 where the drive unit 26 raises the curtain 14' while in a breakaway state associated with a folded condition towards a fully open position.
  • the unfolder 200 unfolds the folded section 206 of the curtain.
  • the unfolder 200 engages the enfolded space 224 defined by the folded-over section 206 to exert a force on the folded-over section 206 as the curtain 14' is raised and forced up against the unfolder 200.
  • the folded-over section 206 will unfold to then enable the curtain 14' to be refed as described above. Accordingly, once the folded-over section 206 is unfolded the example method of FIG. 35 ends (e.g., to return to the rest of the example method of FIG. 24 ).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Operating, Guiding And Securing Of Roll- Type Closing Members (AREA)
  • Curtains And Furnishings For Windows Or Doors (AREA)
EP15753582.4A 2014-08-13 2015-08-12 Systems and methods to retain and refeed door curtains Active EP3180488B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US14/458,769 US9493984B2 (en) 2013-04-12 2014-08-13 Systems and methods to retain and refeed door curtains
PCT/US2015/044835 WO2016025584A1 (en) 2014-08-13 2015-08-12 Systems and methods to retain and refeed door curtains

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EP3180488A1 EP3180488A1 (en) 2017-06-21
EP3180488B1 true EP3180488B1 (en) 2020-05-27

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CN106661915B (zh) 2019-01-11
BR112017002881A2 (pt) 2017-12-05
CN106661915A (zh) 2017-05-10
AU2015301785B2 (en) 2018-03-08
AU2015301785A1 (en) 2017-02-16
EP3180488A1 (en) 2017-06-21
BR112017002881B1 (pt) 2022-05-03
JP6453442B2 (ja) 2019-01-16
WO2016025584A1 (en) 2016-02-18
JP2017527718A (ja) 2017-09-21

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