NZ552360A - Drive system for motorised door that monitor the door as it travels, comparing it's current position against stored data with respect to the open and closed positions - Google Patents

Abstract

The drive system for a motorised door (10) is disclosed. The drive includes a drive (15) to move an associated door between open and closed positions, a disk (21) that is rotated by the drive means and sensing means (30) for sensing the rotational movement of the disk and a drive control (40) responsive to the signals from the sensing means thereby monitoring the rotational movement of the disk and the hence the position of the door. The disk has multiple indicia (25) located at equal angular displacements around the axis of rotation of the disk. By detecting passing of each successive indicia and generating signals indicative of such rotational, movement of the door is monitored. The drive control has two selectively settable position markers each comprised by a stored datum value respectively representing an open or a closed position of the associated door. A memory stores a parameter related to the position of the associated door (10) fro both the open and closed conditions. The drive control (40) is operative to (a) continually compare data, related to the monitored position off the door during the operation of the drive means with the stored datum values representing the open and closed positions, (b) determine when the door reaches one of the open and closed positions and, in response to such determination, generate and provide at the output a control signal to discontinue operation of the drive means, and (c) update parameters relating to the position of the associated door in the memory upon movement of the door regardless of whether the open or closed position of the door has been reached or passed. Power backup and operation after power loss is also disclosed.

Description

552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 1 DRIVE SYSTEM PORMOTORTSED DOOR FTKTD OF THE INVENTION This invention relate? to drive systems for motorised doors including for example roller doors, tilting panel doors, motorised concertina doors, hinged and sliding gates, 5 etc.

Throughout this specification including the claims when referring to "doors" it is to be understood that the term includes similar closures for openings through which people and/or vehicles and/or articles or products pass.

RArKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 The background of the invention, and details of the preferred embodiments of the invention wjlj. be particularly described in. relation to motorised roller doors, particularly large doors of this kind used hi industrial premises, e.g. as doors for truck loading bays, but the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

Presently known roller door drive systems include electric motors which drive the 15 associated doors between open and closed positions. To stop the drive motor when the door reaches its closed position and likewise to stop the motor when the door reaches its open position, it is known to provide limit switches which are mounted in association with the door or part of the drive system. Such a switch can be operated by a member mounted by the door or by part of the drive system for the door arranged so that the 20 member contacts the limit switch when the door reaches the desired open or closed position, the operation of the switch thereby discontinuing power supplied to the drive motor. The initial installation and calibration of such systems using limit switches can be time consuming. Also the switches and/or the members which are arranged to operate the switches can be susceptible to damage necessitating maintenance work to be 25 performed to rectify the damage to ensure the system operates properly as required. 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 After a period of use, such switches and/or operating members may require maintenance to ensure continued, operation as intended.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive system for a motorised door which can he effective to control operation of 315. associated door by stopping the 5 drive when the door reaches its open or closed position.

Preferred objects of the present invention include the provision of a drive system for a motorised door (a) which can be readily calibrated to set the desired power disconnection points corresponding to the door open and door closed positions, (b) which can be robust in construction and operation to reduce or minimise periodic maintenance so or repair requirements, (c) which can monitor the position of the associated door during its travel between open and closed positions arid can, in the event of power interraption to the system (even when the door is in an intermediate position), resume monitoring of the position of the door upon power recormection without losing door position intWnation.

■ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a drive system for a motorised door, the system including: drive means which is operative in use to move an associated door between open and closed positions, a rotary member that rotates as the associated door is moved by the drive means, sensing means for sensing the rotational movement of the rotary member and for generating signals indicative of such rotational movement, a drive control responsive to the signaJs from the sensing means and operative to monitor the rotational movement of the rotary member and thereby monitor the position 25 of the associated door, the drive control having two selectively sellable posi iiou markers 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 3 each comprised by a stored datum value respectively representing an open and a closed position of the associated door, a memory for storing a parameter related to the position of the associated door, and s an output to the drive means, the drive control being operative to (a) continually compare data related to the monitored position.of the door during the operation of the drive means with the stored datum values representing the open and closed'positions, (b) determine when the door reaches one of the open and closed positions and, in response to such determination, generate and provide at the output a control signal to discontinue operation of the drive means, and (c) update parameters relating to the position of the associated door in the memory upon movement of the door regardless of whether the open, or closed position of 15 the door has been reached or passed. This arrangement and operation including monitoring and updating door position parameters can enable and maintain accurate door opening and closing operation over long service periods of the system.

Preferably the memory is a non-volatile memory so that temporary loss of power ■does not entail loss of data in the memory.

The rotary member may comprise a disk mounted for rotation by the drive means, the disk having multiple indicia located at equal angular.displacements around the axis of rotation of the disk, the sensing means being arranged to detect passing of each successive indicium and to generate the signals in response thereto, the drive control monitoring the rotational movement of the disk by counting the signals from the sensing 25 means by incrementing or decrementing, depending on the direction of rotation of the 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 4 disk, a position value of a position counter, the two selectively lettable position markers comprising stored values of the position counter representing the open and closed positions of the associated door. In this arrangement, the parameter relating to the position of the associated door which is stored in the memory may comprise the 5 instantaneous position value of the position counter ox a parameter derived from the instantaneous position value, The drive system preferably further includes a system programming input by means of which a user can set the position markers representing the open and closed positions of the associated door, a first one of the position markers being set by operating ] o the programming input when the door is located in either its desired open or closed position, the door then being moved to the other one of the open and closed positions during which movement the drive control monitors the rotational movement of the rotary member and, upon the door being located in the other of the open and closed positions, the user then setting the other positi on marker by use of the programming input. Thus 15 the programming of the open and closed position can be achieved reliably easily and quick]yf particularly compared to prior uses of mechanical limit switches. The programming input may includ e a programming switch means by means of which the user inputs control commands and sets the position markers, the switch means being provided in a housing which is locatable at a convenient user accessible height and which 20 is supplied with low power only, the remainder of the drive system being provided in an assembly to wliich high power of a main, power supply for the drive means is supplied, the assembly being locatable at an elevated or other less acccssible location beyond ready access by the user.

The drive system may further include a temporary power supply such as a battery 25 available in the event of a main power supply interruption, the temporary power supply 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 being operative to maintain the functionality of the drive control to monitor the rotational movement of the rotary member and to update parameters relating to the position of the associated door in the memory in the event of manually effected movement of the door during the period of main power supply interruption. This will ensure the monitoring of, 5 and storage of data about, the door position can continue during periods of power supply interruptions even if die door is being moved manually during such periods.

However, in the event of loss or possible corruption of the position marker data for the open and closed positions during a power supply interruption (including a deliberate power supply disconnection e.g. for maintenance, repair, or re-installation) the 10 system may be operative, after the power supply interruption, to prompt the user upon reconnection of the power supply to reset the position markers representing the open and closed positions of the associated door.

The system may include operating control switches including a close switch which the user operates to move the associated door to its closcd position, and a push 15 button open switch which the user depresses to move the associated door to its open position, the system normally being operative upon user operation of the open switch to operate the drive means to move the associated door fully to the open position as determined by the set position, marker regardless of whether the user continues to depress the open switch during such movement. Such a. drive system may be further operative, 20 upon the occurrence of a main power supply interruption to the system and upon t- reconnection of the main power supply thereto, to change the function of the drive system in response to operation of the open switch whereby the open switch must be held continuously depressed to operate the drive means to move the associated door to the open position. 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 In a further possible embodiment, in the event of a power supply interruption to the system, the system may be operative upon reconnection of the power supply to require the user to bring the associated door to the closed position and then simultaneously operate a stop switch and a door close switch, the drive control being 5 responsive to the simultaneous operation of the stop and close switches to re-learn that the present rotational position of the rotary member corresponds to the desired closcd position of the associated door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Possible and preferred features of the present invention "wtlS now be described 10 with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to th.e drawings ate not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a. schematic perspective view of a drive system embodying the present invention in use.

PET AILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT The drive system is for a motorised door illustrated as a roller door 10 movable between the open position illustrated (in which most of the door is wound upon a horizontal shaft as shown at 11) and a closed position in which the door 10 is unwound from the shaft. A drive means 15 moves the door 10 between its open and closed 20 positions. The drive means 15 includes an electric motor 16 and associated gear box 17 having a power output provided with a drive sprocket 1S which rotates the shaft 11 through drive chain 19. This kind, of drive means is generally conventional and need not be further described.

The drive system further includes a rotary member 20 that rotates as the 25 associated door 10 is moved by the drive means 15, The rotary member 20 tnay be any 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 7 suitable member and may for example be part of or associated with the motor 16, the gear box 17, the drive sprocket 1 8f ctc. In the illustrated embodiment, the rotary member 20 comprises a disk 21 mounted on the shaft 22 which may be the end of the shaft of the' electric motor 16. The disk 21 has multiple indicia 25 at equal angular displacements 5 around the axis of rotation. These indicia 25 are illustrated as optically detectable markings each extending a short radial distance and spaced at equal angular displacements around the axis- The number of indicia 25 provided can be chosen depending on the required accuracy in determining the angular position of the disk when it rotates. io Associated with the rotaiy member 20 is sensing means 30 for sensing the rotational movement and ftvr generating signals indicative of that movement. The sensing means illustrated can comprise an optica! detector located in close proximity to the disk and operative to detect passing o,f each successive indicium 25 and to generate the signals in response thereto. For example, the optical detector 31 may generate a pulse 15 each time an indicium 25 passes the detector.

It'will be appreciated that other kinds of sensing means for sensing and generating signals in response to rotation of the rotary member 20 are possible. For example, the indicia 25 may be magnetic material and the detector 31 operative to detect changes in magnetic field as the disk rotates. Capacitive sensors acid mechanically activated motion 20 detectots arc also possible. .

The drive system also includes a drive control illustrated, schematically and indicated by the reference numeral 40. The drive control 40 i$ responsive to the signals from the sensing means 30 and is operative to monitor the rotational movement of the rotary member 20 and thus monitor the position of the associated door 10. The drive 25 control 40 may comprise circuitry as schematically illustrated mounted by a circuit board 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 8 41 through which motor shaft 22 projects and arranged withro a housing 42 (normally having a cover panel which is not shown in the drawing to expose the componentry with i a the housing 42.

The drive control 40 may include a suitably programmed microprocessor 45 5 which includes a memory, and generally conventional input and output or peripheral devices.

The drive control 40 has two selectively suitable position markers ill the memory associated with the microprocessor 45, each of the position markers being comprised by a stored datum value representing either an open or a closed position of the door 10. The i o memory also stores a parameter related to the Instantaneous or present position of the door 10. The drive control 40 also includes an output to the drive means 15.

The drive control 40 and particularly the programmed -microprocessor 45, is operative to: (a) compare data relating to the monitored position of the door 10 during operation of the drive means 15 with the stored datum values representing the open and closed positions, and (b) determine when the door 10 reaches one of the open and closed positions and, in response to that determination, generate and provide at the output a control signal to discontinue operation of the drive means 15.

In the illustrated embodiment, the drive control 40 monitors tine rotational movement of the disk 2t by counting the signals from the sensing means 30, This can be done by incrementing or decrementing, depending on the direction of rotation of the disk 2L a position value of a position counter or register of the microprocessor 45. In. this embodiment, the two selectively suitable position markers comprise stored values of the 25 position counter representing the open and closed positions of the door 10. 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 9 In the preferred embodiment, the drive control 40 also is operative to update parameters relating to the instantaneous position of the door 10 in the memory upon movement of the door regardless of whether the open or closed position of the door has been reached or passed. In the preferred embodiment, the parameter relating to the 5 position of the door 10 which is stored in the memory of the microprocessor 45 comprises the instantaneous position value of the position counter or register, or a parameter derived from or related to the instantaneous position value.

With this arrangement and programming, the door 10 can be operated and the drive to the door discontinued at any position of the door. By continual ly updating the 10 position counter or register, the drive control can always know the position of the door in relation to the sot fully open, and fully closed position markers and therefore can recommence counting the signals from the sensing means 30, in the appropriate direction, whenever the movement of the door is recommenced. Also, by continually updating the parameters relating to the position of the door 10 including movement of the 15 door past the open or closed positions represented by the set position markers, slight overruns of the door, e.g. due to inertia of the movement of the door, after power to the drive means is stopped upon reaching the open or closed positions can.be registered and held in memory. Upon later movement of the door the counting commences (from the overrun positions, thus maintaining accurate tracking of the position of the door. 20 To enable programming of the drive system and particularly to set the position markers representing the open and closed positions of the door 10, the system includes a programming input 50. A first one of the position, markers is set in memory of the microprocessor 45 by locating the door in either its desired open or closed position and then operating the programming input 40 to record or set the respective position marker 25 in memory. For this purpose^ the programming input 50 can include a program mode 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 switch 51 which can be set to a "program" or "learn" position when programming of the drive system is to be performed. At all other times, the program mode switch 51 is set to a normal "operating mode" position enabling normal user control of the drive system. The programming input 50 also includes a set switch 52 which the user can operate to set 5 the position markers when the program mode switch 51 is in the program or learn position and the door is in the desired open or closed position. The door 10 is then moved either by the electric drive means 15, or manually if desired, to the other of the open and closed positions. During this movement the drive control 40 monitors the rotational movement of the rotary member 20. When the door is located in the other of 10 the open and closed positions, the user then sets the other position marker by depressing the set switch 52 of the programming input 50. The programming input 50 is provided in a housing 55 which is located at a convenient user accessible height and which is supplied with lower power only, e.g. 24 volt DC, through power and programming signal lines 56, in this way, in the event of inadvertent damage to the wires 56 or to the housing 15 55 at user acccssible height, or exposure of the lines 56, only low voltage wires may be exposed. The remainder of the drive system is provided in an assembly within the housing 42 to which high power of a main power supply for the drive means 15 is supplied through main power supply input 57. This assembly is located in an elevated or other less accessible location beyond ready access by the user.

During normal operation of the system, power from the main power supply input 57 can be switched to the motor 1 (5 by the power switching circuit 58 operating under control of the drive control 40. For effecting normal operation, the system can include operating control switches including a close switch 61 which the user operates to move the door 10 io its closed position. This is normally a push button switch which the user 25 must continuously hold depressed during the door closing operation. This is a fail-safe 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 11 design feature of the system so that a user is required to continuously attend and hold the close switch 61 depressed during door closing, thus encouraging vigilance in ease the door 10 is closing onto a person or vehicle or other obstruction. There is also a stop \ switch 62 which can be operated as an emergency switch to disconnect power to the 5 drive motor at any point during operation, e.g. in the event of the need to stop the door opening or stop the door closing (e.g. if the.close switch 61 malfunctions and the door continues to close even though the pressure on the switch is released). The system also includes an open switch 63 which is also shown as a push button switch which the user depresses to move the associated door 10 to its open position. The drive control. 40 may 10 be operative upon depression of the push button open switch 63 to move the door to its fully open position even, if the pressure is released from the switch 63. That is, only a single momentary depression of the switch 63 is required to commence the door opening operation and for the door opening process to continue until the door reaches its fully open position as determined by the set position marker. These are generally 15 conventionally provided switches 61, 62 and 63 and so detailed description thereof is not required.

In the. event of a main power supply interruption to the system, there may be a number of possible outcomes or effects, depending on the construction, functions, and programming of the system, particularly the drive control. The most basic requirement in 20 the event of a power supply interruption is that the door 10 can be opened manually.

There are known systems for providing this manual operation function and since these manual opening features form no part of the present invention, they are neither further described nor illustrated herein, However, another effect of a main power supply interruption could be loss of the system functionality, particularly the data relating to the 25 open and closed positions of the door at which movement of the door is to be stopped 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 12 during the opening and the closing operations, and also the storage of the position of the door from which the next movement of the door is to he commenced.

In one possible embodiment of the system, the system may include a temporary power supply such as a battery, or possibly a charged capacitor which, can maintain an 5 operating voltage by means of the stored charge for a period of time, e.g. far several hours, to avoid, loss of data and/or settings until reconncction of main power supply would normally be expected. That is, the temporary power supply would be operative to maintain the functionality of the drive control, particularly to monitor the rotational movement of the rotary member 20 and to update parameters relating to the position of lo the associated door in the memory in the event of manual)}' effected movement of the door during the period of main power supply interruption.

To avoid loss of data in the event of main power supply interruption, the memory in which is stored, the parameter relating to the position of the door, and in which the selectively set table position markers representing the open and closed positions of the 15 door are stored is preferably a non-volatile memory. For this purpose, the memory may comprise a programmable read only memory, or other suitable non-volatile data storage medium.

In a further possible embodiment, the system may be operative, after a power supply interruption, or perhaps after a power supply interruption of a predetermined 20 minimum duration after which reliability of stored data may be uncertain, to prompt the . user upon reconnection of the power supply to reset the position markers representing the open and closed positions of the door. Such a prompt may comprise an audible and/or visual signal which is generated and maintained upon reconnection of the main power supply lo which the user is required to respond by rcprogramming the open and closed 25 position markers. In a further possible embodiment, the system may be operative, upon 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 13 occurrence of the main power supply interruption to the system and upon reconnection of that power supply thereto, to change the function of the drive system in response to operation, of the open switch 63 whereby the open switch must then be held continuously depressed to operate the drive means 15 to move the associated door to the open position. 5 Such changed mode of operation of the system from the normal operating mode in which only momentary depression of the open switch 63 is required can prompt the user to reprogram the system to reset the open and closed position markers.

In another possible variation involving change of normal functioning the system upon reconnection of the power supply, the system may be operative upon such 10 reconnection of the power supply to require the user to bring the door to the closed position and then simultaneously operate the stop switch 62 and the door closed switch 61. The drive control 40 may be responsive to the simultaneous operation of the stop switch 62 and closc switch <51 to re-learn that the present rotational position of the rotary member 20 corresponds to the desired closed position of the door 10.

It will be seen from the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment in relation to the drawing that the drive system has a number of advantageous features including particularly the elimination of mechanical or mechanically operated components, particularly limit switches, for determining the position of the door and for stopping the drive when the door reaches predetermined positions. The system can be 20 very accurate and can compensate for inertial overruns past the predetermined stop positions of the door without losing accuracy in determining the desired stop positions. Safety features of the drive systems can be maintained as in. known systems. The programming of the drive control to set the desired stop positions for the open and closed positions of the door can be relatively simple. Various measures are possible to 25 minimise or avoid difficulties that may result from interruptions to the power supply to 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 14 the system including loss of program data, and in the event of loss of some such data, reprograrnitting can be readily achieved and the user can be prompted or alerted to carry . out such reprogramming. The system can be quite robust so that regular repair and/or maintenance need not be required despite the more sophisticated features and operation 5 of the system compared to prior mechanical limit switches. The system can also have the advantageous feature of limiting the voltage of the power at user accessible stations or heights to low safe levels while the hi,gh voltage or high power supplies can be elevated of otherwise at safer mote inaccessible positions.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may 10 be made to the features of the po$sible and preferred embodiments) of the invention as herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003

Claims (10)

1. A drive system for a motorised door, the system including: drive -means which is operative in use to move an associated door between open and dosed positions, 5 a rotary member that rotates as the associated door is moved by the drive means, sensing means for sensing the rotational movement of the rotary member and for generating signals indicative of such rotational movement, a drive control responsive to the signals from the sensing means and operative to monitor the rotational movement of the rotary member and thereby monitor the position l o of the associated door, the drive control, having two selectively settable position markers each comprised by a stored datum value respectively representing an open and a closed position of the associated door, a memory for storing a parameter related to the position of the associated door, and 15 an output to the drive means, the drive control being operative to (a) continually compare data related to the monitored position of the door during the operation of the drive means -with the stored datum values representing the open and closed positions, 20 (b) determine when the dopr reaches one of the open and clo$ed positions and, in response to such determination, generate and provide at the output a control signal to discontinue operation of the drive means, and . (c) update parameters relating to the position of the associated dooT in the memory upon movement of the door regardless of whether the open or closed position of 25 the door has been reached or passed. 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 16

2. A drive system as claimed in claim 1. wherein the memory is a non-volatile " memory.

3. A drive system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the rotary member comprises a disk mounted for rotation by the drive means, the disk having multiple itidida located at 5 equal angular displacements around the axis of rotation, of the disk, the sensing means being arranged to detect passing of each successive indicium and to generate the signals m response thereto, the drive control monitoring the rotational movement of the disk by ■counting the signals from the sensing means by incrementing or decrementing, depending on the direction of rotation of the disk, a position value of a position counter, 10 the two selectively settable position markers comprising stored values of the position counter representing the open and closed positions of the associated door.

4. A drive system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the parameter relating to the position of the associated door which is stored in the memory comprises the instantaneous position value of the position counter or a parameter derived from the 15 instantaneous position value.

5. A drive system as claimed in amy one of the preceding claims and further including a system programming input by means of which a user can set the position markers representing the open aad closed positions of the associated door, a first one of the position, markers being set by operating the programming input when the door is 20 located in either its desired open or closed position, the door then being moved to the other one of the open and closed positions during which movement the drive control monitors the rotational movement of the rotary member and, upon the door being located in the other of the open and closed positions, the user then setting the other position marker by use of the programming input. 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 17

6. A drive system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the programming input includes a programming switch means by means of which the user inputs control commands and sets the position markers, the switch means being provided in a housing which is locatable at a convenient user accessible height and which is supplied with low power 5 only, the remainder of the drive system being provided in an assembly to which, high power of a main power supply for the drive means is supplied, the assembly being locatable at an elevated or other less accessible location beyond ready access by the user.

7. A drive system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and further including a temporary power supply available in th.e event of a main power supply 10 interruption, the temporary power supply being operative to maintain the functionality of the drive control to monitor the rotational movement of the rotary member and to update parameters relating to the position of the associated door in the memory in the event of manually effected movement of the door during the period of main power supply interruption. 15

8. A drive system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the system is operative, after a power supply interruption, to prompt the user upon reconnection of the power supply to reset the position markers representing the open and closed positions of the associated door.

9. A drive system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the system 20 includes operating control switches including a close switch which the user operates to move the associated door to its closed position, and a push button open switch which the user depresses to move the associated door to its open position, the system normally ■ being operative upon user operation of the open switch to operate the drive means to move the associated door fully to the open position as determined by the set position 25 marker regardless of whether the user continues to depress the open switch during such 552360 WO 2006/005113 PCT/AU2005/001003 [S movement, the drive system being further operative, upon tlie occurrence of a main power supply interruption to the system and upon reconnection of the main power supply thereto, to change the function of the drive system in response to operation of the open switch whereby the open switch must be held continuously depressed to operate the drive 5 means to move the associated, door to the open position.

10. A drive system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein, in the event of a power supply interruption to the system, the system is operative upon reconnection of the power supply to require the user to bring the associated door to the closed position and then simultaneously operate a stop switch and a door close switch, the drive control being 10 responsive to the simultaneous operation of the stop and close switches to re-learn that the present rotational position of the rotary member corresponds to the desired closed position of the associated door,