Title of Invention

METHOD FOR OPERATING A CONTROL DEVICE FOR A DOOR AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR THIS PURPOSE

Abstract

A process for operating a control system (1) for a door (2) in a rail-mounted transport means (3) is disclosed, as well as a door control system (1). The door (2) can be controlled within its force limits in that a value measured by at least one acceleration sensor (5) which measures an acceleration of the rail-mounted transport means (3), and/or by an inclination sensor (6) which measures the gradient (α) and/or inclination (β) of the rail-mounted transport means (3) is analysed. The door (2) can thus be operated independently of the state of the transport means (3) with an optimum driving force (FA), without exceeding a maximum admissible closing force (FSK,max) in any state of the door (2).

Full Text

PCT/EP2006/061740 - 1 - 2005P02557WORU Description Method for operating a control device for a door and control device for this purpose The invention relates to a method for operating a control device for a door in a rail-bound transportation means, with the opening and/or closing direction of the door running substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel. The invention also relates to a rail-bound transportation means comprising an electrically driven door. In motor-driven doors, to be precise both in the case of simple sliding doors and also in the case of elevator doors, general structural engineering developments increase both the weight of the door and also the speed at which the door closes. As a result, the potential for people or animals being injured by the door also rises. In order to limit this, it is necessary to monitor the closing force, at least for particularly large and heavy sliding doors, but also for particularly fast sliding doors. WO 93/16948 discloses a device for monitoring the kinetic energy of a sliding door. However, this device can not react to, for example, static influencing variables. DE 102 36 938 A1 discloses determining the mass of automatic sliding and elevator doors, but this method cannot react either to static or dynamic influencing variables either. DE 100 45 341 A1, DE 198 13 513 A1 and DE 40 06 577 A1 disclose methods and systems for controlling doors in the field of road motor vehicles. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 2 - 2005P02557WORU In addition, automatic doors with a closing direction perpendicular to the direction of travel are known from modern railway trains. Rail-bound transportation means are understood to be, for example, trains, subway trains, horizontal "elevators", fairground rides, overhead conveyors, magnetic levitation systems etc. A door separates or connects two regions or areas. A door can be formed from a moving leaf, the door leaf, which is fixed either to two or more hinges, the hinge plates on the door frame, the sash, also called door case, or as a sliding door which is held in the guide at the top or bottom by a running rail. There are also other special types of doors, for example which move or fold away upward, and also folding doors in which the door leaf or leaves is/are divided into a plurality of parts, which are folded out of the closing plane when the door is opened, by hinge joints or flexible strips. The object of the invention is to specify a method for operating a control device for a door with an opening and/or closing direction which runs substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel, which control device permits the door to be operated at an optimum driving force independently of the state of the rail-bound transportation means without a maximum permissible closing force being exceeded in any desired state of the door. The object is achieved in that a measured value from at least one acceleration sensor which measures the acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means and/or at least one inclination sensor which measures a gradient and/or an inclination of the rail-bound transportation means is used to control the door. The rail-bound transportation means can be considered a PCT/EP2006/061740 - 2a - 2005P02557WORU reference system in which an automatic moving door is installed. It is advantageous if PCT/EP2006/061740 - 3 - 2005P02557WORU external influencing variables which act on the reference system can be determined by means of acceleration sensors and/or inclination sensors. Closing and/or opening operation can be controlled in a highly optimized manner with knowledge about these influencing variables. "External influencing variables which act on the reference system" are understood to be physical forces as can be produced by kinematics, kinetics, gravity, circular movements, rotation. In a further advantageous refinement of the invention, an influencing force, in particular an acceleration force and/or a downhill-slope force, which acts on the moving parts of the door due to the movement and/or the position of the rail-bound transportation means is determined by means of the measured value and by means of a mass of the parts of the door which move in the opening and/or closing direction. Knowledge about the mass m and the acceleration which acts on the mass m can permit simple physical equations to be used to determine the force which acts on a body with the mass m. Such a calculation can be used as an algorithm for an automated method. Further influencing forces can be friction losses or else external effects. An external effect is to be understood as, for example, an item of luggage or a passenger leaning against a sliding door and therefore impeding operation of the sliding door. The influencing force advantageously acts parallel to the opening and/or closing direction of the door at least with one component. In a static case, the rail-bound transportation means is, for example, on a slope. Downhill-slope forces act on the rail-bound transportation means and on all the components installed on and/or in said transportation means by virtue of the sloped position. Therefore, strong forces which act on the sliding doors can be produced even by a slightly PCT/EP2006/061740 - 4 - 2005P02557WORU inclined position of the transportation container in the case of heavy sliding doors in, for example, a transportation container. In a further application, the influencing force acts perpendicular to the opening and/or closing direction of the door at least with one component. The use of the method according to the invention is primarily extremely advantageous when a driving force for the moving parts of the door is determined with the measured value and with a maximum permissible closing force. In the case of doors which are operated by force, the force which is required to prevent the door from closing must not be greater than the maximum closing force. In the case of doors for mobile applications without a control device with acceleration and/or inclination sensors, this criterion can be violated by known influencing variables which act on, for example, a moving subway train. A door which is operated by force can be operated in a safety-relevant manner by determining the driving force which does not violate its limits. The door is preferably driven by the driving force of a motor. Since the force or the torque of motors can be easily controlled and/or regulated, they are advantageously used when the method is applied to an apparatus. The torque of electric motors can be regulated particularly advantageously by means of their armature current and/or their field current. Maximum closing forces or driving forces for an internal door, preferably a sliding door, can advantageously be specified. Safe operation of the doors is essential particularly in the case of sliding doors for commuter trains through which people are continuously passing. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 4a - 2005P02557WORU In one expedient refinement of the invention, the acceleration sensor measures the longitudinal acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means. Longitudinal acceleration of the PCT/EP2006/061740 - 5 - 2005P02557WORU rail-bound transportation means is to be understood as, for example, the positive acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means both when traveling forwards and when traveling backwards. Braking of the rail-bound transportation means also indicates longitudinal acceleration, with braking or deceleration being called negative acceleration. The acceleration sensor particularly advantageously measures the lateral acceleration of the rail-bound-transportation means, in particular a centrifugal force. Static influencing variables, that is to say when the rail-bound transportation means is inoperative, are advantageously detected by the inclination sensor measuring the lateral inclination of the transportation means. In order to achieve high end speeds of the transportation means, the straight track elements for rail vehicles are arranged in a superelevated manner. By virtue of the superelevation of the track elements, sliding doors can be operated virtually in the "sloped position" both in the case of a static position and also in the case of the dynamic position of the transportation means. Detecting a lateral inclination of the transportation means therefore complements optimum determination of the driving force of the door. In a further refinement, the inclination sensor measures the longitudinal inclination of the rail-bound transportation means. For example, in the case of mountain trains which have to travel on extreme gradients over a relatively long period of time, the entire rail-bound transportation means is subject to an inclination angle in relation to the horizontal; the inclination on the longitudinal axis of a rail-bound transportation means therefore produces static forces which can act on the doors and/or door systems. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 5a - 2005P02557WORU One preferred embodiment of the invention is that a current, for the motor which generates the driving force is determined as a function of the measured value from the acceleration sensor and/or PCT/EP2006/061740 - 6 - 2005P02557WORU the inclination sensor 13. As already mentioned, for example, the force exerted by electric motors can be regulated in a simple manner by means of the current. Continuous determination of the current is particularly advantageous in a control device for doors in which the influencing variables or influencing forces change during the closing operation. With respect to the rail-bound transportation means mentioned in the introduction, the apparatus-related object is achieved by an electrically driven door comprising a control device for controlling the electrically driven door, it being possible to connect the control device to a drive apparatus, and said control device having a computer unit for calculating a driving force for the door and a current regulator for regulating a motor current of a drive apparatus, and it being possible to connect said control device to at least one acceleration sensor which measures the acceleration of the transportation means and/or to at least one inclination sensor which measures a gradient and/or an inclination of the transportation means. Preferred but in no way limiting exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing. For reasons of clarity, the drawing is not shown to scale and certain features are only schematically illustrated. Specifically, fig. 1 shows a transportation means, with a sliding door with a closing direction parallel to the direction of travel during closing, when traveling downhill, fig. 2 shows the transportation means, with the sliding door with the closing direction parallel to the direction of travel during closing, when traveling uphill, fig. 3 shows the transportation means, with a sliding door with the closing direction perpendicular to the direction of travel during closing, on a track element which is superelevated on the left-hand side, PCT/EP2006/061740 - 7 - 2005P02557WORU fig. 4 shows the transportation means, with the sliding door with the closing direction perpendicular to the direction of travel during closing, on a track element which is superelevated on the right-hand side, fig. 5 shows a diagram of forces, and fig. 6 shows a block diagram of a door control system with a drive apparatus and a door. Figures 1 to 4 explain the problem on which the invention is based and which the inventors have identified. The force which is required, for safety reasons, to prevent a door 2 from closing must not be greater than FSK,max = 150 N. Accordingly, a driving force FA of the door is normally set to a fixed value (FA = 150 N.) . This applies to a door 2 which is acted on only by the driving force FA and otherwise essentially no other forces. FSK,max = FA = 150 N Figure 1 and figure 2 each show a transportation, means 3, in this case a railway car or train, with a force-operated sliding door 2, with an opening and closing direction 11 of the sliding door 2 being parallel to a direction of travel of the transportation means 3. Figure 1 shows the case in which the sliding door 2 has to be closed downhill in a sloped position at a gradient angle of a = 10° at a first time t1. Figure 2 shows the case in which the sliding door 2 has to be closed uphill in a sloped position with a gradient angle of a = 10° at a second time t2. In figure 1, on account of the gradient angle a, a door mass m of the door 2, taking in account acceleration due to gravity g, acts as a static force Fz in closing direction 11 (see fig. 5). Starting from the maximum permissible closing force FSK, max = PCT/EP2006/061740 - 7a - 2005P02557WORU 150 N on the door edge and a door mass of m = 35.2 kg, the static force of Fz = 60 N PCT/EP2006/061740 - 8 - 2005P02557WORU additionally acts in the closing direction in addition to the driving force FA which is set to 150 N. Since the two forces act in one direction, they are added to give an active force or active closing force Fw. Fw = FA + Fz = 150 N + 60N = 210 N With an active force of Fw = 210 N, the maximum permissible closing force FSK,max at the first time t1 is exceeded by 40%, and therefore people and/or objects which may possibly be located between the door edge and a door stop may be injured or destroyed. The door 2 must be operated only with a driving force of FA = 90 N since the static force Fz of 60 N which now additionally acts in the closing direction has to be subtracted from the maximum permissible closing force FSK; this therefore leaves only 90 N as driving force FA. FA = FSK,max - Fz = 150 N - 60 N = 90 N In order to ensure that the active force Fw is less than or equal to 150 N at the first time t1, the driving force FA has to be fixedly set to 90 N. Fw = FA + Fz = 90 N + 60 N = 150 N In figure 2, the door 2 of the transportation means 3 is operated in the closing direction 11 uphill counter to the slope with the gradient angle of a = 10° at a later time t2. The maximum driving force FA of 90 N which is known from figure 1 is furthermore to be considered a limit value because a control device 1 without further detection means cannot differentiate between different sloped positions. If the door is now moved in the closing direction with the driving force FA of 90 N, the static force Fz of 60 N, which acts counter to the closing direction at time t2, has to be overcome this time. The PCT/EP2006/061740 - 8a - 2005P02557WORU door 2 is now driven in the closing direction with an active force Fw of 30 N. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 9 - 2005P02557WORU Fw = FA + (-Fz) = 90 N - 60 N = 30 N With an active closing force of the door which is so low, even small amounts of dirt in a guide rail can prevent the door 2 from opening and closing. Figures 3 and 4 are to be seen as analogous to figures 1 and 2. However, the transportation means 3 is now inclined at an inclination angle of  = 10° on account of a lateral elevation of the track element. The door 2 of the transportation means 3, is installed perpendicular to the direction of travel. In figure 3, the static force Fz of 60 N has to be subtracted from the maximum closing force FSK,max = 150 N, on account of the weight FG of the door 2, at time t3, as at time t1 in figure 1. Figure 4 shows the analogous case to figure 2 at a time t4. Even with an installation position perpendicular to the direction of travel, the static force of 60 N has to be subtracted twice from the maximum closing force FSK = 150 N at time t4. Therefore, only a low driving force FA of 30 N is left again, which driving force may not be sufficient in the event of any disturbances or influences possibly affecting the door mechanism. In figures 1 to 4, static and/or stationary forces have been assumed. The dynamic forces, as are produced when a transportation means 3 accelerates or decelerates or travels around a curve, exacerbate the problem in an analogous manner. Figure 5 shows a diagram of forces on a schematically illustrated door 2. On account of the gradient angle a = 10° or the inclination angle  = 10°, the door 2 deviates from the horizontal 14. On account of the mass m of the door 2, the weight FG = m • g acts on the door 2 perpendicular to the horizontal plane 14. The result is a normal force FN which acts perpendicular to an oblique plane 1, for example given by a guide rail. From the two forces FN and FG, PCT/EP2006/061740 - 10 - 2005P02557WORU an additional force or external influencing force Fz, which runs parallel to the oblique plane 16, for example Fz = FG • sin  = m • g • sin  (or sin (3) , can be derived in a control device 1 (see fig. 6). When traveling around a corner or accelerating straight ahead, the additional force Fz can have an acceleration force (for example centrifugal force) component or, in particular in the case of horizontally oriented transportation means 3 (a = 0 and/or (3 = 0), be made up entirely by this component: (r = curve radius, v = speed of the transportation means) The following analyses include these cases. A driving force FA, which acts on a door actuator 9, is now determined again in accordance with the invention starting from the maximum permissible closing force FSK,max for this door 2 depending on the position and/or acceleration of the door 2 and/or of the transportation means 3. The result of this is, depending on the position, speed, location and closing and opening direction 11 of the door 2, a determined driving force FA. For the case which is illustrated in fig. 1 and fig. 2, FA = FSK, max + Fz. Fig. 1: FA = FSK, max -Fz and Fw = FA + Fz → Fw = FSK, max Fig. 2: FA = FSK, max +Fz and Fw = FA + Fz → Fw = FSK, max PCT/EP2006/061740 - 11 - 2005P02557WORU The driving force FA of the door 2 which acts on the door actuator 9 is, in particular, a real-time or continuously PCT/EP2006/061740 - 10a - 2005P02557WORU updated or online function of the mass m of the door 2, the angles a and/or , the speed v of the transportation means 3 and the maximum closing force FSK,max. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 11 - 2005P02557WORU Figure 6 shows the control device 1 for controlling the electrically operated door 2. A motor with a gear mechanism and incremental encoder 4 is used to drive the door 2 by means of a toothed drive belt 8 via the door actuator 9. The toothed drive belt 8 is tensioned by means of a deflecting roller 7. The motor with the gear mechanism and incremental encoder 4, the toothed drive belt 8, the deflecting roller 7 and the door actuator 9 form a drive unit 10. The drive unit 10 is connected to the control device 1 via signal and motor current lines. An acceleration sensor 5 and an inclination sensor 6 are connected to the control device 1 via data lines in each case. In modern acceleration sensors 5 and inclination sensors 6, as are used here, an electronics system for evaluating the actual sensor signal is a constituent part of the acceleration sensor 5 and of the inclination sensor 6 themselves, with a space- and power-saving design being used. The inclination sensor 6 or the acceleration sensor 5 essentially comprises a seismic mass which is movably mounted on two bending tongues and forms a differential capacitor with two fixed plates. If the seismic mass is deflected from its inoperative position (a = 0 and/or  = 0), the capacitance in one ha of the differential capacitor is reduced whereas the capacitance in the other half is increased. The inclination sensor 6 provides representative measured values in the case of static accelerations, for example a component of the acceleration due to gravity g as a function of the inclination angle  and/or . In contrast, high frequency components, for example interference due to vibration, are effectively suppressed. The acceleration and inclination sensors 5, 6 operate in a direction-sensitive manner, that is to say different mathematical signs can be expected in the output signal. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 11a -2005P02557WORU In the example of figure 6, the door 2 can be installed in the transportation means 3 in such a way that its direction of movement 11 is parallel to the direction of travel of the transportation means 3. PCT/EP2006/061740 - 12 - 2005P02557WORU When the train is traveling straight ahead on the flat, the acceleration sensor 5 continuously measures acceleration values in the horizontal and in the vertical direction. A high acceleration value in the direction of travel of the transportation means would be measured by the acceleration sensor 5 due to a heavy braking maneuver of the transportation means 3. At the same time, the door 2 would be in a closing mode. The control device 2 is informed of the direction of movement of the door 2 by the incremental encoder in the motor with a gear mechanism 4. An additional force Fz now acts on the door 2 in addition to the driving force FA on account of the severe deceleration of the transportation means 3. The control device 1 now ensures that the maximum permissible closing force is nevertheless not exceeded: using the information that the door 5 is in the closing mode and the measured value from the acceleration sensor 5 which is already present as a standardized voltage value on account of the electronics integrated in the acceleration sensor 5 and has been forwarded to the control device 1 via the data lines, the computer unit in the control device 1 continuously calculates an optimum actual driving force FA which does not exceed the maximum closing force FSK,max. The mass m of the door 2, which is required in this case for calculating the additional force Fz, and the maximum closing force FSK,max have already been stored once before in the control device using a handheld terminal. As an alternative, it is feasible to automatically determine the mass, as disclosed in published German patent DE 102 36 938 A1. The driving force FA which is calculated in the control device 1 is converted into a current value, which corresponds to the driving force FA, for the motor 4. Since the calculated current is proportional to force, a current regulator supplies the current for the motor with a gear mechanism and an incremental PCT/EP2006/061740 - 13 - 2005P02557WORU encoder 4 by means of a power-supply device 13. In addition, an actual motor current is continuously measured by means of the current regulator, and as a result the currently active driving force FA during each phase of the closing process is known. The motor current is regulated during the closing operation in the case of changing acceleration values. On the basis of the actually determined acceleration and/or inclination values and the knowledge about the actually active driving force FA, the door 2 can now be closed with a maximum permissible closing force Fw It goes without saying that the door mass m cited in the exemplary embodiment does not constitute a restriction. Doors with masses preferably in the range of 30 kg to 400 kg can be driven by stepping up and/or stepping down the driving force. Further-reaching exemplary embodiments have a monitoring means for the kinetic energy of the door 2 and/or a monitoring means for the friction of the door 2 in its guide rail. According to the method, the abovementioned normal force FN can be evaluated for an additional frictional force calculation in the control device 1. 22 PCT/EP2006/061740 2005P02557WORU Patent claims 1. A method for operating a control device (1) for a door (2) in a rail-bound transportation means (3), with the opening and/or closing direction (11) of the door (2) running substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel, characterized in that a measured value from at least one acceleration sensor (5) which measures the acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means (3) is used to control the door (2), with a driving force (FA), which takes into account the external influencing variables which act on the rail-bound transportation means, for the moving parts of the door (2) being determined from said measured value and a maximum permissible closing force (FSK,max). 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the measured value from the acceleration sensor (5), a measured value from at least one inclination sensor (6) which measures a gradient (a) and/or an inclination ((3) of the transportation means (3) is used to control, the door (2). 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 and 2, characterized in that a influencing force (Fz), in particular an acceleration force and/or a downhill-slope force, which acts on the moving parts of the door (2) due to the movement and/or the position of the rail-bound transportation means (3) is determined by means of the measured value and by means of a mass (m) of the parts of the door (2) which move in the opening and/or closing direction (11) . PCT/EP2006/061740 23 2005P02557WORU 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the influencing force (Fz) acts parallel to the opening and/or closing direction (11) of the door (2) at least with one component. 5. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the influencing force (Fz) acts perpendicular to the opening and/or closing direction (11) of the door (2) at least with one component. 6. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the door (2) is driven by the driving force (FA) of a motor (1) . 7. The method as claime.d in one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the door (2) is an internal door, preferably a sliding door. 8. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the acceleration sensor (5) measures the longitudinal acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means (3). 9. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the acceleration sensor (5) measures a lateral acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means (3), in particular a centrifugal force. 10. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the inclination sensor (6) measures a lateral inclination ((3) of the rail-bound transportation means (10) . 24 PCT/EP2006/061740 2005P02557WORU 11. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the inclination sensor (6) measures the longitudinal inclination (a), in particular a gradient, of the rail-bound transportation means (3). 12. The method as claimed in one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that a current for the motor (1) which generates the driving force is determined as a function of the measured value from the acceleration sensor (5) and/or the inclination sensor (6). 13. A rail-bound transportation means (3) comprising an electrically driven door (2) and a control device (1) for controlling the electrically driven door (2), it being possible to connect the control device (1) to a drive apparatus (10), and said control device having a computer unit for calculating a driving force (FA) for the door (2) and a current regulator for regulating a motor current of a drive apparatus (10), and said control device being connected to at least one acceleration sensor (5) which measures the acceleration of the rail-bound transportation means (3). 14. The rail-bound transportation means according to claim 13, characterized in that the control device (1) can be connected to at least one inclination sensor (6) which measures a gradient (a) and/or an inclination ((5) of the transportation means (3) . A process for operating a control system (1) for a door (2) in a rail-mounted transport means (3) is disclosed, as well as a door control system (1). The door (2) can be controlled within its force limits in that a value measured by at least one acceleration sensor (5) which measures an acceleration of the rail-mounted transport means (3), and/or by an inclination sensor (6) which measures the gradient (α) and/or inclination (β) of the rail-mounted transport means (3) is analysed. The door (2) can thus be operated independently of the state of the transport means (3) with an optimum driving force (FA), without exceeding a maximum admissible closing force (FSK,max) in any state of the door (2).

Documents:

03618-kolnp-2007-abstract.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-claims.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-correspondence others 1.1.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-correspondence others 1.2.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-correspondence others.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-description complete.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-drawings.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-form 1.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-form 2.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-form 3.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-form 5.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-gpa.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-international exm report.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-international publication.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-international search report.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-pct priority document notification.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-pct request form.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-priority document.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-translated copy of priority document 1.1.pdf

03618-kolnp-2007-translated copy of priority document.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-ABSTRACT 1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-CLAIMS 1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 1.3.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE) 1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-DRAWINGS 1.1.pdf

3618-kolnp-2007-for alteration of entry.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-FORM 1.1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-FORM 18.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-FORM 2.1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-FORM 27.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-FORM 3.1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-FORM-27.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-OTHERS 1.1.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf

3618-KOLNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

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