WO2006008218A1

WO2006008218A1 - Detector of angular position for driving devices with incorporated tubular gear motor for roller shutters

Info

Publication number: WO2006008218A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/052885
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giampaolo Maffioli; Corrado Scata'
Original assignee: Jolly Motor International S.P.A.
Priority date: 2004-07-23
Filing date: 2005-06-21
Publication date: 2006-01-26

Abstract

A detector of angular position for driving devices with incorporated tubular gear motor for roller shutters is described, made up of a rim (2) revolving together with the winding tube (3) of the roller shutter, having an internal annular portion (6, 20) with composition, structure or shape angularly variable in sequential way thereby defining an alternation of physical characteristics, and of a sensor (15, 20) housed in fixed position inside of said rim (2) in order to detect said alternation of physical characteristics and to translate it into electric signals.

Description

"Detector of angular position for driving devices with incorporated tubular gear motor for roller shutters".

* * * * *

DESCRIPTION The present invention concerns a detector of angular position for driving devices with incorporated tubular gear motor for roller shutters.

The object is to translate the movement of the roller shutter, that is the rotation of the roller tube, into an electric signal. The latter is managed by a suitable electronic control circuit which provides for the stop of the movement both upon the reaching of an end of stroke point, as well as in the event of possible operational conditions considered to be anomalous.

The term "roller shutter" is herein used to generically indicate roller blinds, shutters, awnings, screens, etc, which can be wound around a supporting roller or "winding tube". The winding tube in many cases internally houses the driving motor of the same roller, called "tubular gear motor" which, coupled to the winding tube by means of appropriate adapters, causes its rotation and, as a consequence, the rolling up or the rolling down of the roller shutter. The tubular gear motor can be controlled directly by cable, or through any other remote device, operated directly by the user or not, as for example remote controls, infrared emitters, automatic or computerized control units, etc.

In order to allow the automatic stop of the roller shutter at two or more end of stroke points (typically two points corresponding with the complete opening or closing), as also in the event of situations considered to be anomalous (for example the identification of an obstacle to the travel of the roller shutter), the tubular gear motor can incorporate an electronic control circuit which operates as a function of data on the angular position of the winding tube provided by a detector, called encoder, under form of an electric signal. Usually the encoder is made up of a pierced disc or of a magnet with a certain number of poles connected by means of appropriate mechanical transmissions with a member integral with the winding tube (rim or axis of the tubular gear motor).

This known solution is rather complicated from the mechanical point of view and it is subject to errors connected with the mechanical clearance of the kinematism destined to transmit the motion from the winding tube to the pierced disc or magnet.

Object of the present invention is provide a detector of angular position for tubular gear motor driving devices of the above described type, that is much simpler, has a better resolution, is free of any errors due to mechanical interferences and it is usable with several types of driving devices of the roller shutter, supplied by alternating current or direct current, controlled via cable or remotely by radio signal.

According to the invention, such object is attained with a detector of angular position for driving devices with incorporated tubular gear motor for roller shutters, characterised in that it is made up of a rim revolving together with the winding tube of the roller shutter, having an internal annular portion with composition, shape or structure angularly variable in sequential way thereby defining an alternation of physical characteristics, and of a sensor housed in fixed position inside of said rim in order to detect said alternation of physical characteristics and to translate it into an electric signal.

By resorting to an extremely simple construction all the mechanical type transmissions that typically connect the detector of angular position with the rim and, consequently, the clearance associated with them can thus be prevented.

These and other characteristics of the present invention will be made evident by the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof which is illustrated as a non-limiting example it in the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an overall view of a driving device for roller shutter to which the detector of angular position according to the invention is applicable;

Figure 2 shows a magnified perspective view of the encoder unit of a driving device provided with a detector of angular position according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the aforesaid unit in partially mounted condition;

Figure 4 shows the unit in Figure 3 as seen from left;

Figure 5 shows the same unit as cross-sectioned at the level of the internal annular portion made up of a magnetic band;

Figure 6 is a magnified view of the part of Figure 5 which shows the magnetic engagement between the magnetic band and the sensor;

Figure 7 shows the structure of said magnetic band;

Figure 8 shows a left view of the rim with the internal annular portion made up of a set of teeth according to an additional embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 is a magnified view of the part of Figure 8 which shows the engagement between the set of teeth and the sensor;

Figure 10 is a section view according to line X-X in Figure 8. With reference to Figure 1, a typical driving device for roller shutter constructed by the present Applicant comprises a tubular gear motor 1 that through a pulley 18 rotates a winding tube 3 on which a roller shutter (not shown in the drawing) can be wound. The roller tube 3 is revolvingly supported at its ends by opposite walls 4 of a normal shutter box for roller shutters.

According to the present invention, as shown in Figures 2-7, in an annular recess 5 of a rim 2 integral with the roller tube 3 a magnetic band 6 with annular shape (or folded in such a way as to become as such) is inserted having an alternation of positive poles 7 and negative poles 8 (Figures 2, 5 and 7). The rim 2 thus made is fastened onto a cylindrical end 9 of a fixed hub 10 and blocked on it by means of a motor head 11 (Figures 2 and 3).

The hub 10 has a body 12, which has a window 13 (Figure 4) that extends also into the end 9 of the same hub and through which the support 14 of a magnetic sensor 15, for example of the Hall type, passes, which projects from an electronic card 16 housed in a hollow cylindrical end 17 of the hub 10 and, once the assembly has been completed, locates itself in front of the magnetic band 6 (Figures 5 and 6) so as to get exposed in sequence, during the rotation of the rim 2, to the influence of the magnetic poles 7 and 8. In this way the electronic card 16 receives from the magnetic sensor 15 a sequence of electric impulses with alternated sign, from which it can obtain data relative to the angle of rotation of the roller tube 3.

Preferably the magnetic band 6 provides 62 magnetic poles, of which 31

North and 31 South so as to confer the detection device a high resolution suitable for an optimal control of the rotation of the winding tube 3 and therefore an optimal definition of the end of stroke position of the roller shutter.

'** In Figure 8 an additional embodiment of the rim 2 is shown within place of magnetic band 6 a set of annular teeth 20 with flat teeth 21 such as to define an alternation of solids, the teeth 21, and of voids 22, that is the space between two contiguous teeth 21.

The alternation of solids and voids is detected by a proximity sensor 23 instead of the magnetic sensor 15.

The set of teeth 20 is opportunely made by shaping the internal part of the rim 2. In this case therefore the set of teeth 20 is not constructively separated from the rim 2 (as for the magnetic band 6) but it is a part thereof.

However it can be made separately and then fastened to the rim 2 as in the case of the magnetic band 6.

It is obvious that it is fundamental from a constructive point of view to make an internal annular portion (in the cases described above the magnetic band 6 and set of teeth 20) which has characteristics of composition, shape or structure angularly variable in sequential way thereby defining an alternation of physical characteristics which a sensor (magnetic 15 and of proximity 23 in the described embodiments), housed in fixed position inside of said rim (2), is capable to translate into an electric signals.

By angularly variable it is meant as a function of the angle "swept " by the radius of said annular portion as compared with an initial point which can be the complete opening or closing position of the roller shutter.

Depending on the solution found for said internal annular portion different sensors will have to be used (we already mentioned magnetic sensors and sensors of proximity).

For example the internal annular portion can be made up of a band having an alternation of magnetic materials and not-magnetic materials. In this case a sensor of the Hall-effect type or made up of a Reed type sensor will have to be used.

If the internal annular portion is made up of an alternation of reflecting and opaque bands, a diode-photodiode detection system is utilised.

In addition said internal annular'portion could consist of a band having an alternation of ferromagnetic materials and non-ferromagnetic materials engageable with an inductive or capacitive sensor.

Finally there is the possibility that the internal annular portion consists of a band having an alternation of conducting and insulating material. In such case a capacitive sensor or two brushes will be necessary which get circuited at the passage of the conducting band. It should be noted that this encoder having different making solutions as reported above is usable both with tubular gear motors using alternating current as well as with tubular gear motors using direct current, controlled by cable or remote control. The electronic card in turn can be single or it can be separate from the one which controls the tubular gear motor.

Claims

1. Detector of angular position for driving devices with incorporated tubular gear motor for roller shutters, characterised in that it is made up of a rim (2) revolving together with the winding tube (3) of the roller shutter, having an internal annular portion (6, 20) with composition, structure or shape angularly variable in sequential way thereby defining an alternation of physical characteristics, and of a sensor (15, 20) housed in fixed position inside of said rim (2) in order to detect said alternation of physical characteristics and to translate it into electric signals.

2. Detector of angular position according to claim 1, characterised in that said internal annular portion is a magnetic band (6) with alternated poles (7, 8) fastened inside of the rim (2).

3. Detector of angular position according to claim 1, characterised in that said internal annular portion is a band fastened inside of the rim (2) made up of an alternation of magnetic materials and not-magnetic materials.

4. Detector of angular position according to claims 2 and 3, characterised in mat said sensor is a magnetic type (15) with Hall effect.

¹S. Detector of angular position according to claim 3, characterised in -- that said sensor consists of a Reed type sensor.

6. Detector of angular position according to claim 1, characterised in that said internal annular portion consists of a set of teeth (20) such as to create an alternation of solid parts (21), the teeth, and of void parts (22), that is the space between two contiguous teeth.

7. Detector of angular position according to claim 6, characterised in that said sensor is a proximity sensor of (23).

8. Detector of angular position according to claim 1, characterised in that said internal annular portion is made up of an alternation of reflecting and opaque bands fastened inside of the rim (2).

9. Detector of angular position according to claim 8, characterised in that said sensor is made up of a diode-photodiode system.

10. Detector of angular position according to claim 1, characterised in that said internal annular portion is a band fastened inside of the rim (2) and made up of an alternation of ferromagnetic materials and not-ferromagnetic materials.

11. Detector of angular position according to claim 10, characterised in that said sensor is an inductive sensor.

12. Detector of angular position according to claim 1, characterised in that said internal annular portion is a band fastened inside of the rim (2) made up of an alternation of conductor materials and insulating materials.

13. Detector of angular position according to claim 10 and 12, characterised in that said sensor is a capacitive sensor.

14. Detector of angular position according to claim 12, characterised in that said sensor is made up of two brushes that get circuited at the passage of the conductor band.

15. Detector of angular position according to all the previous claims, characterised in that said rim (2) is revolvingly fastened onto an fixed hub (10) provided with a window (13) through which said sensor (15, 23) is positionable in front of said internal annular portion (6, 20) with composition, structure or shape angularly variable in sequential way.