SYSTEM FOR DETECTING MOVING CONDITIONS OF THE CLOSING LEAF OF A BARRIER

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a system for detecting moving conditions of the closing leaf for a barrier as disclosed for example in EP 1 936 091 or DE 198 25 888.

[0002] Such a barrier can for example be an automatic gate, a garage entrance, etc., more in general the system of the present invention can be applied to barriers in which access is opened and closed by at least one leaf moved automatically.

[0003] In particular, for the purposes of the present invention the term moving conditions is meant to indicate the position of the leaf on the barrier, the forward movement speed, the detection of the open or closed end stop positions, the movement force, etc.

[0004] Automatic gates for accessing private areas are usually actuated by users, from fixed stations, through opening and closing buttons or keys or by means of remote controls, which send a via radio impulse to an electronic control station, which takes care of actuating the gate in the desired direction.

[0005] These types of sliding gates, however, can become a source of serious drawbacks, in terms of the safety of the user, since, due to the intrinsic configuration of the structures, they usually comprise moving parts, which have sharp edges that are very dangerous to the well-being of the user.

[0006] Indeed, since these gates are actuated remotely from fixed stations, the movement of the structure cannot be interrupted automatically at the moment of impact of potential users or other objects against projecting portions of the aforementioned structures, in particular against the primary edge, except for by manually interrupting the power supply of the system at moments after when it is really needed.

[0007] Consequently, it is possible to imagine the inevitable and, sometimes, dramatic consequences linked to the lack of speed with which such a type of intervention can be carried out.

[0008] In order to slow down or interrupt the stroke of an automatic gate in motion, in the case of imminent danger, without needing to intervene manually, safety systems for sliding gates have been used that are substantially based on the use of protective ribs or on infrared sensors.

[0009] Such ribs are positioned at the most dangerous edges, are made of soft material and transmit an electric signal to a contact of an electronic transmitter, for example by means of pressure gauges, whenever the pressure inside them changes, for example in the case of contacts and accidental impacts caused by the vehicles during their passage.

[0010] Indeed, when an obstacle impacts the rib, the electronic transmitter immediately sends an impulse to a receiver, able to be activated through radio contact, which is positioned in the vicinity of a fixed point and that immediately takes care of interrupting the supply of electrical energy to the system; consequently, if the gate is moving, it instantly locks in the position reached.

[0011] In the case of automatic sliding gates, the protective rib is mounted, through the application of a shaped profile made of aluminium, on the front advancing surface of the sliding leaf of the gate itself.

[0012] Systems using infrared rays usually comprise a plurality of infrared transmitters and receivers, the transmitted and received rays delimiting a protected area corresponding to the operative surface occupied by the gate; the interruption of one of said rays generated by the presence of an obstacle generates an alarm signal.

[0013] The present invention proposes to make a further instrument for controlling the movement of the leaf of a gate or barrier that can be integrated with a protective rib system and an infrared system.

[0014] One aspect of the present invention concerns a system for detecting moving conditions of the closing leaf of a barrier having the characteristics of the attached claim 1.

[0015] The characteristics and advantages of the system according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given as an example and not for limiting purposes, referring to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

• figure 1 is a schematic view of a gate with a sliding leaf to which the system according to the present invention is applied;
• figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the area indicated with the arrow F of figure 1, illustrated exploded.

[0016] The system according to the present invention can be applied to a barrier having at least one sliding leaf 2 adapted to obstruct a delimited opening or gap and in which the leaf itself is moved by a motor the rotational shaft of which is associated with a mechanism for transmitting motion to such a leaf.

[0017] The example case illustrated concerns a gate having a sliding leaf 2 on a track 3 arranged at the base of the gap through wheels 4 or similar means adapted for sliding such a leaf along the gap.

[0018] A suitable motor 5 causes the movement of the leaf through the mechanism for transmitting motion to such a leaf comprising a rack 6 arranged longitudinally on the leaf and a pinion 7 keyed onto the rotational shaft R1 of such a motor.

[0019] According to the present invention a first device for measuring the rotation of such a shaft is associated on the rotational shaft R1 of such a motor.

[0020] The system according to the present invention also comprises a second measuring device associated with a second rotational shaft R2. Such a second rotational shaft being connected to the first shaft through a reduction gear 8, which causes a predetermined reduction ratio thereof.

[0021] Both the first measuring device and the second are made through magnets M1 and M2 that rotate together with the respective shafts. The rotation signal of the magnets is intercepted by as many sensors S1 and S2.

[0022] In practice, such measuring devices operate substantially as encoders and could be made in an equivalent manner also with other different technologies from magnetic.

[0023] Such devices measure the angular position (n1,n2) of the rotating magnets. Every rotation of the shaft corresponds to a linear displacement of the leaf. Therefore, by measuring the angular position it is possible to determine the position of the leaf at any moment. Moreover, since the first device is keyed directly onto the shaft of the motor that moves the leaf it is also capable of measuring the effort, i.e. the torque that the motor applies to move the leaf. Therefore, in the case in which there are changes in said effort, for example due to the presence of an obstacle on the barrier, the measuring device is capable of detecting it.

[0024] Clearly, the two measuring devices can be connected with a leaf movement control unit, or a control unit of the movement of the gate in general, which can manage the movement of such a leaf by evaluating the measurements performed.

[0025] The device made through magnets has the advantage that both the magnets and the reduction gear are isolated inside a suitable container, whereas the detection is carried out from outside by placing the sensors S1 and S2 outside of such a container.

[0026] The significance of the double device is that of allowing the first to detect the position of the leaf substantially by counting the revolutions carried out by the drive shaft, while the second measuring device carries out a more detailed reading of the reduction ratio.

[0027] A further advantage of making a magnetic detecting or measuring device is that the detection of the rotation and therefore the determining of the position of the leaf can also be carried out in a situation of absence of electrical power supply. For example, in a situation in which the gate is unlocked due to a failure of the motor and moved manually, the reading of the position still takes place.

[0028] The combination of the two measurements causes a precise detection of the stroke and of the position of the leaf. Therefore, such a system can be used to determine the stroke of the leaf and therefore to establish the end stop positions. It can also be used as a device for controlling the movement in general, for example for controlling the speed and reducing the speed close to the end stop positions, and also as an anti-crushing device.

[0029] Finally, the last but not least advantage of the present invention is the fact that the system has low power consumption and low costs, with it not being necessary to install hardware elements on the barrier and carry out mechanical adjustments to set the positions.

Claims

1. System for detecting moving conditions of a closing leaf of a barrier, comprising

• a leaf (2) adapted to obstruct a delimited opening or gap moved by a motor (5), said motor having a rotational shaft (R1) associated with a mechanism for transmitting motion to such leaf,

• a first device on the rotational shaft (R1) of such motor for measuring the rotation of such shaft and

• a second measuring device associated with a second rotational shaft (R2) of the system , such second rotational shaft being connected to the first shaft by a reduction gear (8), which causes a predetermined reduction ratio thereof,

• both such measuring devices comprise a magnet (M1, M2) associated with the respective rotational shaft and a relative sensor (S1, S2) adapted to intercept the variations in the magnetic field thereof,

• both magnets (M1 and M2) and the reduction gear (8) are arranged inside a specific container of the system, characterized in that the detection is carried out from the outside placing the sensors (S1, S2) outside such container.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein such leaf (2) is a leaf of a gate sliding on a track (3) arranged at the base of the gap, the motor (5) causes the leaf to be moved by the motion transmission mechanism comprising a rack (6) longitudinally placed on the leaf and a pinion (7) keyed on the rotational shaft (R1) of such motor.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein said measuring devices are connected with a leaf movement control unit which can manage the movement of the leaf itself by evaluating the measurements performed.

Ansprüche

1. System zur Erfassung der Position eines Torblattes, Folgendes umfassend:

• ein Blatt (2), das dazu angepasst ist, eine begrenzte Öffnung oder Lücke durch die Bewegung mittels eines Motors (5) zu versperren, wobei der Motor eine Drehwelle (R1) aufweist, die einem Mechanismus zur Bewegungsübertragung auf ein solches Blatt zugeordnet ist,

• eine erste Vorrichtung auf der Drehwelle (R1) eines solchen Motors zur Messung der Drehung einer solchen Welle und

• eine zweite Messvorrichtung, die einer zweiten Drehwelle (R2) des Systems zugeordnet ist, wobei diese zweite Drehwelle mit der ersten Welle durch ein Untersetzungsgetriebe (8) verbunden ist, das ein vorbestimmtes Untersetzungsverhältnis derselben bewirkt,

• wobei beide derartigen Vorrichtungen einen Magneten (M1, M2), der der jeweiligen Drehwelle zugeordnet ist, und einen entsprechenden Sensor (S1, S2) umfassen, der dazu angepasst ist, Magnetfeldänderungen zu erfassen,

• wobei beide Magnete (M1 und M2) und das Untersetzungsgetriebe (8) innerhalb eines bestimmten Behälters des Systems angeordnet sind, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Erfassung von außen erfolgt, wobei die Sensoren (S1, S2) außerhalb dieses Behälters angeordnet sind.

2. System gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei ein solches Blatt (2) ein Blatt eines Tors ist, der auf einer Schiene (3) gleitet, die an der Basis der Lücke angeordnet ist, wobei der Motor (5) bewirkt, dass das Blatt durch den Mechanismus zur Bewegungsübertragung bewegt wird, der eine in Längsrichtung auf dem Blatt angeordnete Zahnstange (6) und ein auf der Drehwelle (R1) eines solchen Motors angebrachtes Ritzel (7) umfasst.

3. System gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei die Messvorrichtungen mit einer Steuereinheit für die Bewegung des Blattes verbunden sind, die die Bewegung des Blattes selbst durch Auswertung der durchgeführten Messungen steuern kann.

Revendications

1. Un système pour détecter des conditions de déplacement d'un vantail de fermeture d'une barrière, comprenant :

• un vantail (2) conçu pour obstruer une ouverture ou un espacement délimité déplacé par un moteur (5), ledit moteur ayant un arbre rotatif (R1) associé à un mécanisme pour transmettre un mouvement à ce vantail,

• un premier dispositif sur l'arbre rotatif (R1) de ce moteur pour mesurer la rotation de cet arbre et

• un deuxième dispositif de mesure associé à un deuxième arbre rotatif (R2) du système, ce deuxième arbre rotatif étant raccordé au premier arbre par un engrenage de réduction (8), ce qui entraîne un rapport de réduction prédéterminé de celui-ci,

• ces deux dispositifs de mesure comprennent un aimant (M1, M2) associé à l'arbre rotatif respectif et un capteur relatif (S1, S2) conçu pour intercepter les variations du champ magnétique de celui-ci,

• les deux aimants (M1 and M2) et l'engrenage de réduction (8) sont agencés à l'intérieur d'un contenant spécifique du système, caractérisé en ce que la détection est effectuée depuis l'extérieur en plaçant les capteurs (S1, S2) à l'extérieur de ce contenant.

2. Système selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ce vantail (2) est un vantail d'un portail coulissant sur un rail (3) agencé à la base de l'espacement, le moteur (5) entraîne le vantail à être déplacé par le mécanisme de transmission de mouvement comprenant une crémaillère (6) placée longitudinalement sur le vantail et un pignon (7) claveté sur l'arbre rotatif (R1) de ce moteur.

3. Système selon la revendication 1, dans lequel lesdits dispositifs de mesure sont raccordés à une unité de commande de mouvement de vantail qui peut gérer le déplacement du vantail lui-même en évaluant les mesures réalisées.

Drawing