System and related methods for detecting an obstruction in the path of a garage door controlled by an open-loop operator
US5929580A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H1/0007
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An internal entrapment system for a garage door operator (30) includes a motor (48) for transferring a garage door (12) between first and second positions. Also included is a pulse counter (62) for detecting a speed of the garage door (12) during transfer between first and second positions; a potentiometer (56) for determining a plurality of positional locations of the garage door (12) during transfer between first and second positions separate from the pulse counter (62); and a control circuit (50) for calculating a motor torque value from the speed for each of the plurality of positional locations to compare with a plurality of door profile data points. The control circuit (50) takes corrective action if the difference between the motor torque value for each of the plurality of positional locations and the plurality of door profile data points exceeds a predetermined threshold. The control circuit (50) also updates the plurality of door profile data points to the motor torque values for each respective positional location if the predetermined threshold is not exceeded. In another embodiment both speed and position are detected by a slider element (58) which is connected to the co…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.