WO2006032766A1

WO2006032766A1 - Method of controlling the operation of a high-speed door

Info

Publication number: WO2006032766A1
Application number: PCT/FR2005/002298
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernard Kraeutler
Original assignee: Nergeco
Priority date: 2004-09-16
Filing date: 2005-09-16
Publication date: 2006-03-30
Also published as: FR2875254A1; FR2875254B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of controlling the operation of a high-speed door comprising a structure supporting a motor and a kinematic mechanism for driving a shaft (3) to which a flexible screen (4) is connected. The inventive method comprises the following phases consisting in: I determining a reference value for at least one parameter that is representative of the normal operation of the door, other than the speed of the screen during the operation thereof; II storing the reference value of each representative parameter in a storage unit (8); III periodically comparing the reference value of a parameter with an operational value measured during the operation of the door; and IV triggering an action in relation to the screen drive means when the difference between the measured operational value and the reference value of a parameter is greater than a pre-determined threshold.

Description

METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A QUICK DOOR

The present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a fast door.

A fast door has a structure consisting mainly of uprights and a transverse element connecting the top of the uprights.

This structure supports a flexible screen which closes the door and folds or wraps to_p_uv_rir_p.assaqe-to-tra-V-er-S-la-por-t &, -

Drive means of the screen are supported by the structure of the door. These means generally comprise an electric motor, a reducer and a coupling system to a tree by means of which the folding or winding of the screen can be done.

A fast door is, moreover, generally equipped with a brake acting on the shaft to stop its rotation. The fast doors, thanks to the low inertia of their screen, can open and close very quickly and thanks to this remarkable property, they are often placed on busy passages.

However, although this is fortunately very rare, there may be a failure in the mechanical chain drive of the screen that it can be completely free to rotate. Under the effect of gravity, the screen then falls with the risk of hurting a person under the door or damaging an object located there.

It has certainly been thought to equip the shaft controlling the descent of the screen of a brake system weights. In the case where the shaft rotates at a speed much higher than its normal speed, the weights under the effect of the centrifugal force rub against a surface, this friction causes the arrest or significant slowdown of the shaft.

It was also thought to control the speed of descent of the curtain. Documents US2001 / 0000294, US 6,657,409 and FR 2,673,234 show devices and methods based on this principle.

The control principle is however not adapted to a fast door because, in normal operation, the screen of a fast door descends at a speed of the order of 1, 5 m / s, which is substantially the speed of descent of a screen under the action of gravity alone. So we see that in the case of a fast door, that is to say a door whose curtain is usually made of PVC fabric which has a low inertia, the speed control is absolutely not significant of a satisfactory or unsatisfactory operation of the door.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide a method for controlling the operation of a door that reliably detects an abnormal operation thereof.

The invention essentially relates to a method for controlling the operation of a high speed door comprising a structure supporting a motor-and-a drive-kinematics-of-a-shaft-to which -is-connected-a flexible screen , characterized in that it comprises the phases consisting in: determining a reference value of at least one parameter that is significant for the normal operation of the door, other than the speed of the screen during its operation,

II - storing the reference value of each significant parameter in a memory, III - periodically comparing the reference value of a parameter with an operational value of this measured parameter during the operation of the door,

IV - triggering an action on the drive means of the screen, when the difference between the measured operational value and the reference value of this parameter is greater than a predetermined threshold.

The invention starts from the observation that each door, depending on its dimensions, the materials used to make the screen, the type of drive means implemented, has operating parameters specific to this one, which constitute a unique signature of the door. It can be the electricity consumption by the drive means, the acceleration or deceleration of the screen when starting its descent or its rise.

The idea underlying the invention is to compare, during operation, the measured value of one of the significant parameters of the operation of the door with the reference value of this parameter.

A difference between the measured value and the reference value then indicates that the door operates in an abnormal mode. An action can then be triggered on the drive means to remedy this anomaly. This method therefore allows a continuous control of the operation of a door.

The method further comprises a step of activating a normal operating signal when the difference between the measured value and the reference value of a parameter is less than a predetermined threshold.

In a preferred implementation, the reference value of the -ameter-signifier-is-obtained-by-acquisition-during-a-less-one-cycle of reference operation of the gate. This method of determining the reference value is in practice simpler than the determination of the latter by a theoretical calculation taking into account the specific characteristics (width, height, inertia of the tree, mass of the screen etc. .) a door.

According to another possibility, the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the energy consumption of the drive means of the shaft.

The energy consumption of the drive means is a very significant parameter of the operation of the door. Indeed, in the case of a mechanical failure of the drive means of the shaft, the electric motor is no longer solicited by the shaft; its energy consumption becomes very low and moves away quickly from the reference current consumption of normal operation.

In the event that an object or person clings to the screen, the current consumption of the motor would increase significantly, again moving away from the reference consumption.

According to other variants of the process according to the invention:

the significant parameter of the operation of the curtain is the position of the screen during its displacement, the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the speed of the screen during its movement.

the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the acceleration of the screen during its displacement. Acceleration must be understood as being positive or negative, ie acceleration or deceleration. Preferably, and to secure the door in case of abnormal operation, the action on the drive means leads to a stop of the rotation of the winding shaft.

The invention also relates to a door for carrying out the claimed method.

The door comprising a structure supporting a motor and a shaft driving kinematic which a flexible screen is œi] é _J ___ Cj) j [np_r_e_nd__un_.j3Oxl & ur ___ dLspΛsA_e rotation of the shaft into digital data representative of the operation of the door.

To overcome the problem of unbalance of the shaft, the encoder can be fixed on the door by a floating connection

In another embodiment of the door, the latter receives at least one deformation gauge bonded to its structure converting the deformations of the door structure during its operation into digital data representative of the operation of the door.

According to one possibility, the door receives at least one strain gauge glued to a support bracket of the winding shaft.

Preferably, the gate comprises an electronic card which receives the digital data representative of the operation of the door and supports a memory in which is stored the reference value of each significant parameter of the normal operation of the door.

According to one embodiment, the electronic card also includes a microprocessor which makes it possible to perform, for example, first or second derivative calculations, to deduce speeds or acceleration of the screen.

For the processing of the digital data representative of the operation of the door and compare them to the reference value of each significant parameter of the normal operation of the door, the door comprises an electronic card which receives the digital data representative of the operation of the door and supports a memory in which is stored the reference value of each significant parameter of the normal operation of the door. According to one characteristic, at least one sensor for controlling the displacement of the screen is placed on the structure of the door. For a good understanding, the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawing showing, by way of non-limiting example, an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show different embodiments of doors implementing the method according to the invention,

Figure 4 is a schematic flowchart of the method according to the invention.

Typically, a fast door for closing an opening comprises two posts that support a shaft. In Figures 1 and 2, the door is partially shown and there appears only a console 2 supporting a shaft 3. The console 2 extends an amount that is not shown.

In the case of a roll-up door, a flexible screen 4 winds on the shaft 3 to open the door and takes place between the amounts to close it.

In the case of a folding door, straps connect the shaft to the lower edge of the flexible curtain. The rotation of the shaft 3 then has the effect of folding the screen at the lintel of the door.

The shaft 3 is rotated by an electric motor with usually a gearbox.

As shown in FIG. 2, a brake 5 acting in the event of a drop in current can be placed at the end of the shaft.

The great specificity of the door according to the invention resides in the presence of an encoder 6 at the end of the shaft. By encoder means a device placed on the shaft translating the rotation of the shaft into electrical pulses.

This encoder 6 is connected to a card 7 which includes a memory 8 and a power supply. The card can carry a microprocessor that can calculate speeds or acceleration of the screen.

The first phase I of implementation of the method according to the invention is an acquisition phase.

The significant operating parameters of a door, in particular high and low end position positions of the screen 4 are identified by the encoder which translates them into digital data stored in the memory 8, in step II of the method. Phase I acquisition is preferably during several operating cycles during which the operator ensures that the door works well in a normal mode.

In operation of the door, the encoder 6 measures the value of an operating parameter of the door and compares for this parameter the measured value to the reference value stored in the memory. This constitutes phase III of the process.

_U-ne_difference_of_significant_e_in_e_I_value_value-and-value-stored for an operating parameter is a sign of abnormal operation of the door.

For example, during a descent of the screen, a very different measured acceleration to the reference acceleration is the sign of an anomaly, for example a rupture of the engine brake or a mechanical coupling engine / shaft, it is a "crazy" tree without control. Similarly, during a rise of the screen, a measured acceleration much lower than the reference acceleration is the sign of an anomaly, for example, a load hanging on the screen.

The findings of a difference between the measured value and the reference value stored for a parameter that is significant for the operation of the door, in this case acceleration / deceleration of the screen, trigger an anti-fall device or a stop of the rotation of the tree.

On the other hand, when the difference of the measured value and the stored value is small and less than a predetermined threshold, it is considered that the door operates in a normal mode. This results in a possibility of producing the door by triggering a normal operation signal of the door which can be, for example, a green light.

The invention is therefore extremely advantageous since it considerably secures the operation of a fast door. In addition, it can equip existing doors.

In another embodiment, a significant parameter of the operation of the door may be the power consumption of the motor.

An abnormally low consumption is the sign of a break in the driveline, while an abnormally high consumption is the sign of a blockage of the tree. In another embodiment, a significant parameter of the operation of the door is a mechanical deformation of one of the constituent elements of the door. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, a door is partially shown and can be seen a shaft 3 supported by a console 2. As can be seen, strain gauges; that is to say apparatuses for monitoring the deformations of a material when it is subjected to stresses by means of a stress-relieving device. These strain gauges 10 thus measure the deformations undergone by the console 2 during the operation of the door, ie according to the operational positions of the screen (FIG. for example screen at the end of high or high end). The signal measured by the strain gauges is amplified by an amplifier 12 and is stored in a memory 8.

In practice, the parameter, which is significant for the operation of the door, can belong to the group comprising:

the energy consumption of the drive means of the shaft, the position of the screen during its displacement,

- the acceleration of the screen during its displacement,

- The mechanical deformation of a structural element of the door during its operation.

Since the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the deformation of an element, the method is implemented according to the steps previously described, that is to say:

an acquisition phase I during which the value of the deformation under normal operating conditions of the door is determined, a phase II of storage of this reference strain value,

in operation, a phase III for comparing the measured value of deformation with respect to the reference deformation value, an action phase IV on the drive means when the difference between the measured deformation value and the value of reference strain is greater than a predetermined threshold; this action can be a stop of the engine, a triggering of a tree brake doubled by an audible or visual alarm,

a phase V of action on the drive means when the difference between the measured strain value and the reference strain value is less than a predetermined threshold.

It is also conceivable to combine the monitoring of the variations of several parameters with the acceleration / deceleration of the shaft and the consumption of the motor and mechanical deformation. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of non-limiting example, but it encompasses all the embodiments.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of a fast door comprising a structure supporting a motor and a drive kinematics of a shaft (3) to which a flexible screen (4) is connected, characterized in that it comprises the phases consists in :

I - determining a reference value of at least one significant parameter of the normal operation of the door other than the speed of the screen during its movement; reference value of each significant parameter in a memory (8),

III - periodically comparing the reference value of a parameter with an operational value of this parameter measured during operation of the door, IV - triggering an action on the drive means of the screen, when the difference between the value measured operational value and the reference value of this parameter is greater than a predetermined threshold.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step V of activating a normal operating signal when the difference between the measured operational value and the reference value of a parameter is less than a predetermined threshold.

3. Method according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the reference value is obtained by acquisition during at least one operating cycle of the door.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the energy consumption of the drive means of the shaft.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the position of the screen (4) during its movement.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the acceleration of the screen (4) during its movement.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the significant parameter of the operation of the door is the mechanical deformation of a structural element of the door during its operation.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the action on the drive means leads to a stop of the rotation of the shaft (3).

9. Door allowing the implementation of the method according to one of claims 1 to 8 comprising a structure supporting an engine and a-kinematics-drive-of-a-n-ar-br - e - (- 3- to which a flexible (4) is connected, characterized in that it comprises an encoder (6) disposed at the end of the shaft converting the rotation of the shaft (3) to digital data representative of the operation of the door.

10. Door according to claim 9, characterized in that the encoder (6) is fixed to the door by a floating connection.

11. Door allowing the implementation of the method according to one of claims 1 to 8 comprising a structure supporting an engine and a driving kinematic of a shaft (3) to which a flexible screen is connected, characterized in that the door receives at least one strain gauge (10) bonded to its structure converting the deformations of the structure of the door during its operation in digital data representative of the operation of the door.

12. Door according to claim 1 1, characterized in that the door receives at least one strain gauge (10) bonded to a bracket (2) for supporting the shaft (3).

13. Door according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the door comprises an electronic card (7) which receives the digital data representative of the operation of the door and supports a memory (8) in which is stored the value reference of each significant parameter of the normal operation of the door.

14. Door according to claim 13, characterized in that the electronic card embeds a microprocessor.

15. Door according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that at least one sensor for controlling the displacement of the screen (4) is placed on the door structure.