IL298755B1 - A detection system for a roller shutter closing - Google Patents

Description

1 A DETECTION SYSTEM FOR A ROLLER SHUTTER CLOSING FIELD OF THE INVENTION [Para 1] The invention pertains to a system for detecting the presence of an obstacle when closing a roller shutter or a gate, preventing the closing of the roller shutter or the gate against the obstacle, and more specifically, a detection system for closing roller shutters or gates in various openings like doors, windows in apartments and/or stores and/or parking gates (hereinafter "door or doors"), comprising detectors to help prevent an already open door from accidentally closing on any obstacle including a body (hereinafter "obstacle" or "body").

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART [Para 2] There are a wide variety of available devices for detecting the presence of a body, such as a person or object, within the path of the roller shutter drop.

Such detection devices operate under various principles including, ultrasonics; active and passive detection of infrared radiation; detection of electromagnetic radiation (including sensing radio waves or sensing changes in capacitance or inductance), or an infrared sensor. In response to sensing a nearby body, the detector may simply trigger a light or an alarm, or the device may affect the operation of a roller shutter. 2 [Para 3] In door roller shutter applications, a detection device generally falls under door roller shutter interrupter preventing an already open door from accidentally closing against a body that may be in the path of the roller shutter drop.

[Para 4] Some door interrupters comprise an antenna that creates an electromagnetic field along the leading edge of a vertically operating door.

When a nearby body disturbs the field by coming within a few inches of it, the door interrupter may respond by stopping or reversing the closing action of the door. Since the antenna, and thus its field, moves up and down with the leading edge of the door roller shutter, somebody may be tempted to race underneath a closing roller shutter before the interrupter can sense their presence.

[Para 5] There are detectors that are placed below the lintel of the doorway having two detectors having one or more activation lines that overlap each other (US7,045,764B2 to Ryan P. Begs et al 10/2002).

[Para 6] US2019169908A1 (to Holger Siewertet al 6/2016), disclosed a motorized door having a shutter for closing and opening an area. The door comprises a series of sensors mounted on or adjacent to a leading edge of the shutter and wherein the sensors comprise ultrasonic emitter/receiver units configured for detecting the presence of an obstacle both in the opening plane of the door as well as in an approaching zone located near the opening area of the door. The door comprises a controller configured to distinguish 3 an accidental obstacle from a non-accidental obstacle and instantly stop the movement of the leading edge when an accidental obstacle is observed during closing of the door.

[Para 7] JPH11182161 (to Nariatsu Matsuyamaet al 12/1997) introduced an object sensing device for opening/closing body, which can achieve the object sensing when an opening is to be shut off by an opening/closing body using a simple configuration and which allows easy identification whether the sensed object is an obstacle or a close part. The sensing device is composed of a light emission and light reception to constitute an optical path for beam of the light leading to the foremost of an opening/closing body about its closing direction.

[Para 8] US5894267A to William John Blair 03/1996) introduced a device is based on a tilt-sensing switch of the mercury-bridges-gap type. The device measures the tilt angle of the bottom slat of a roll-down door. If the slat becomes tilted, due for example to one end of the slat becoming snagged in the guideway at the side of the door, the sensor detects the tilt, and arrests the downwards movement of the door, before the slats can spill out and escape from the guideway.

[Para 9] US4262176 (to Wolfgang B. Kapitza 3/1978) introduced a switching arrangement for use in stopping or receiving an electrically driven roller door when an object lying in its path is struck during closing, having a sensor that commands the door engine to stop once an object is in the way. 4 [Para 10] Neither of the above prior art is like the hereunder described invention.

Consequently, there is a need for a door interrupter whose field of view is broader than above prior art interrupters more complete and better defined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [Para 11] An obstacle detection system for roller shutter on doors, windows, gates or any other openings composed of two main parts being wirelessly connected:  A main board assembled near the shutter engine comprising a micro controller, at least 2 relays, an AC detector, and a TX/RX communication module. An electric supplier is assembled near up/down switch.

 A sensor module assembled on the last slat of the roller shutter comprising communication module TX/RX, Reed Switches, micro control (MC_2), battery PS_2, and may comprise additional electric connection (like an alarm system).

 Magnet detectors assembled on one before the last slat of the shutter near sensor module.

 A magnet shutter gap assembled on the rail of the roller shutter near the floor and near sensor module, and an up/down switch.

[Para 12] When sensor module meets the magnet detectors before meeting magnet shatter gap, an obstacle is detected taking the following steps:  When the magnet gets really close to the read switch, it closes the electrical circuit inside the read switch. This "closing" of the electrical circuit is detected by the micro controller (inside sensing module) and then transmitted by TX/RX module to TX/RX module in the main board.

 Micro controller 2 in sensor module transmits instructions to TX/RX communication module in sensor module.

 The above instructions are transferred to TX/RX communication module in Main board. When micro controller in Main board detects no movement from one of the sensors or receives the alert signal from TX/RX communication module in Main board, micro controller in Main board instructs the relays to disconnect the engine for a short, programmed delay and roller shutter's direction is reversed rising to a higher position.

[Para 13] AC detector module identifies the direction of the roller shutter, transferring the information to TX/RX communication module in Main board, whether to open or to close the slats of the roller shutter.

[Para 14] The micro controller in Main board constantly reads AC detector module sensing movement of TX/RX communication module in Main board indicating collision detection.

[Para 15] When magnet shatter gap meets sensor module, the roller shutter is on down position without obstacle.

[Para 16] The Relays are always in "close" position, when the battery runs out or there is a system failure and Relays are closed, the roller shutter continues to function without the control of the magnet detectors. 6 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [Para 17] Fig. 1 – An overall view of the roller shutter half closed.

[Para 18] Fig. 2 – The roller shutter in closed position view.

[Para 19] Fig. 3 -The roller shutter detecting an obstacle while closing shutter.

[Para 20] Fig. 4 – The roller shutter after detecting an obstacle automatically going up.

[Para 21] Fig. 5 - A schematic view of the main board.

[Para 22] Fig. 6 – A schematic view of the sensor module.

[Para 23] Fig. 7 – A flowchart showing the system operation from the outside.

[Para 24] Fig. 8 – A flowchart showing the system operation workflow from inside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Para 25] An embodiment is an example or implementation of the inventions. The various appearances of "one embodiment," "an embodiment" or "some embodiments" do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments.

Although various features of the invention may be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided separately or in any suitable 20 combination. Conversely, although the invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a single embodiment.

[Para 26] Reference in the specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "some embodiments" or "other embodiments" means that a particular 7 feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions. It is understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for descriptive purpose only.

[Para 27] The present invention relates to the field of control technology detecting an obstacle when closing roller shutters or a gate in various openings like doors, windows in apartments and/or stores and/or parking gates ("doors").

[Para 28] The present invention discloses a system comprising magnet detectors 1 to help prevent an accidental closing on a body, a main board 104, and sensor modules 105 (see fig.1 in half closed position, fig.2 in close position, fig. 3 encountering an obstacle). The features of the invention will become apparent from further details below in conjunction with the claims and the drawings.

[Para 29] The main sensors/modules in the system are: ● Magnetic Reed Switches 117; ● communication module 111, 115; ● small microcontroller 110; 116; ● battery 118.

[Para 30] The system is composed of two main parts being electronically connected:  Main Board 104 assembled near the shutter engine 101 (fig. 5) comprising a micro control 110 (MC_1), at least 2X relay connection 114 providing 8 stable and non "short circuit" conditions even in complete electronics disfunction, direction sensor-AC detector (AC) 113, TX/RX communication module 111 and PS_1 112 being an electric supplier and assembled near switch 103.

 Sensor module105 (fig. 6) assembled on the last slat of the shutter comprising communication module TX/RX 115, Reed Switches 117, micro control (MC_2) 116, battery PS_2 118, and may comprise additional electric connection (like an alarm system), magnet detectors 106 are assembled on one before the last slat of the shutter near sensor module 105 and magnet shutter gap 107 is assembled on the rail near sensor module 105.

[Para 31] Main board 104 and Sensor module 105 are wirelessly connected.

[Para 32] When magnet shatter gap 107 meets sensor module 105, the shutter is functioning correctly (see fig. 2).

[Para 33] When Sensor module 105 meets magnets 106 before meeting magnet shatter gap 107 a jamming/collision 108 is detected (fig. 3). At that point the system automatically, as hereunder explained, causes the shutter to rise to a programmed height 109 and the shutter engine turns off (fig. 4).

[Para 34] fig. 7 shows the steps of the system in case of collision/no collision from the outside.

Step 1 – user presses switch 103 to down/close the shutter or gate. Main board 104 is turned on and the shutter or gate start its way as chosen. 9 Step 2a –main board is not engaged, engine 101 moves. The shutter reaches the floor, or the gate, go all the way to the floor/end of the gate, meaning that no obstacle was detected.

Step 2 - when the system receives an indication of near collision, main board 104 is engaged.

Step 3 – Engine 101 stops for a short, programmed delay and rises to a higher position.

Step 4 & 5– The system must be reset, by pressing manually switch 103 up/open.

Step 6 – Main board 104 is on counting predetermined time for the system to restart.

Step 7 – Main board 104 is not engaged and engine 101 moves the shutter/gate up/open to it starting point.

[Para 35] Fig. 8 shows the system operation from inside when an obstacle is detected.

[Para 36] An obstacle was detected (step 1) when magnets 106 on slats 102 get really close to the reed switch 117 touching sensor module 105 (step 2). Reed Switches 117 closes the electrical circuit inside the reed switch. This "closing" of the electrical circuit is detected by MC_2 116 (step 3). MC_2 1 send the information to TX/RX 115 (step 4). TX/RX 115 pass the information to main board 104 (step 5) through TX/RX 111 in main board 104.

[Para 37] AC detector (AC)113 identifies the direction of the shutter, down or up, (in gates – open or close) it transfers the information to TX/RX 111, whether to open or to close slats102, (of the roller shutter or gate).

[Para 38] MC_1 110 reads constantly AC 113 to detect constant movement of TX/RX 111 for collision detection. If engine 101 is still activated (moving) but MC_ 110 detects no movement from one of the sensors or receives the alert signal from TX/RX 111 (step 6) MC_1 110 instructs relays 114 to disconnect engine 101 for a short, programmed delay (step 7) and reverse shutter's/gate's direction (step 8) (up/open) to a higher position (in case of a gate to a near close position). If needed, embedded software may change shutter to higher position in case of an emergency stop.

[Para 39] In case of system failure of the obstacle detection system, or battery 1 has run out, the roller shutter continues to function. Relays 114 are always in "close" position, and for shutting up of the system relays 114 have to be opened. As long as Relays 114 are closed the roller shutter continues to function but without the control of magnets 106.

Claims (7)

11 Claims

1. An obstacle detection system for roller shutter on doors, windows, gates or any other opening, is composed of two main parts being wirelessly connected: A main board assembled near the shutter engine comprising a micro controller, at least 2 relays, an AC detector, and a TX/RX communication module; and an electric supplier; A sensor module assembled on the last slat of the roller shutter comprising a communication module TX/RX, Reed Switches, a micro controller (MC_2), a battery PS_2; and magnet detectors assembled on one before the last slat of the shutter near said sensor module; and a magnet shutter gap assembled on the rail of the roller shutter near the floor and near the sensor module; An up/down switch; Whereas when a sensor module meets the respective magnet detector before meeting magnet shatter gap, an obstacle is detected taking the following steps: When the magnet detector gets close to the reed switch, the reed switch closes the electrical circuit inside the reed switch, the closing of the electrical circuit is detected by the micro controller inside sensor module and transmitted by TX/RX communication module in sensor module to TX/RX communication module in the main board; 12 When micro controller in Main board detects no movement from one of the sensors or receives the alert signal from TX/RX communication module in Main board, micro controller in Main board instructs the relays to disconnect the engine for a short, programmed delay and roller shutter's direction is reversed and rises to a higher position; and wherein upon a failure of the obstacle detection system, while Relays are closed, the roller shutter continues to function without the control of the magnet detectors.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor module may comprise additional electric connection (like an alarm system).

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the AC detector module identifies the direction of the roller shutter, transferring the information to TX/RX communication module in Main board, whether to open or to close the slats of the roller shutter.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein micro controller in Main board constantly reads AC detector module sensing movement of TX/RX communication module in Main board indicating collision detection.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein when magnet shatter gap meets sensor module, the roller shutter is on down position without obstacle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the Relays are always in "close" position, and when the battery runs out and Relays are closed the roller shutter continues to function without the control of the magnet detectors. 13

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the opening is a parking gate.