Methods and systems to indicate the status of door operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10435936-B2
Application number	US-201615187503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Example methods and systems to indicate the status of door operations are disclosed. An example door system includes a door panel having a leading edge to be moved in a travel direction between an open position and a closed position relative to the doorframe. The door panel to block the passageway when the leading edge is at the closed position. The door panel to unblock the passageway when the leading edge is at the open position. The example door system also includes a series of lights distributed along the travel direction proximate the doorframe. The example door system further includes a controller to switch the lights between a first state and a second state to provide a visual effect of movement corresponding to the operating status of the door system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door system for a passageway between a work area and a personnel area, the work area containing a machine constructed to perform a work-in-process, the performance of the work-in-process by the machine having a processing period extending between a start time and a completion time, the door system comprising:
a door panel having a leading edge constructed to be moved between an open position and a closed position, the door panel constructed to block the passageway to the work area when the leading edge is at the closed position, the door panel constructed to unblock the passageway to the work area when the leading edge is at the open position;
a door controller constructed to control movement of the door panel, the door controller constructed to be in communication with a machine controller that controls operation of the machine to perform the work-in-process; and
a signal generator constructed to emit, in response to a command from the door controller based on feedback from the machine controller, a first signal during the processing period while the machine is performing the work-in-process, the first signal occurring proximate in time to the completion time of the work-in-process, the first signal to indicate to a person in the personnel area that movement of the door panel is impending based on a determination by the machine controller of impending completion of the work-in-process.

2. The door system of claim 1 , further including a doorframe along which the door panel is to move between the open position and the closed position, and the signal generator including a light proximate the doorframe.

3. The door system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is a projector and the first signal is a light projected onto the door panel.

4. The door system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal includes a displayed countdown timer indicating when the door panel will move to the open position.

5. The door system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is to emit a second signal indicating the door panel is moving to the open position, the second signal being distinguishable from the first signal.

6. The door system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is to emit a second signal indicating the door panel is moving to the open position, the second signal being distinguishable from the first signal by virtue of a color characteristic of at least one of the first signal or the second signal.

7. The door system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is to emit a second signal indicating the door panel is moving to the open position, the second signal being distinguishable from the first signal by virtue of a flashing characteristic of at least one of the first signal or the second signal.

8. The door system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is to emit a second signal indicating the door panel is moving to the open position, the second signal being distinguishable from the first signal, and at least one of the first signal or the second signal is audible.

9. The door system of claim 1 , further including a second signal generator at a different location than the signal generator, the second signal generator to emit a second signal indicating the door panel is moving to the open position, the second signal being distinguishable from the first signal based on the different location of the second signal generator.

10. A door system comprising:
a door panel constructed to move between an open position and a closed position, the door panel constructed to block access to a machine when in the closed position;
a door controller constructed to control movement of the door panel, the door controller constructed to be in communication with a machine controller that controls operation of the machine performing a work-in-process; and
a signal generator constructed to provide, in response to a command from the door controller based on feedback from the machine controller, a first signal indicating to a person in an area adjacent the door panel that movement of the door panel is impending based on a determination by the machine controller that the work-in-process by the machine is nearing completion, the door panel constructed to be in the closed position during the performance of the work-in-process by the machine, wherein the first signal is emitted while the machine is performing the work-in-process.

11. The door system of claim 10 , wherein the first signal indicates at least one of an amount of time before the completion of the performance of the work-in-process by the machine or an amount of time before the door panel is to begin moving from the closed position to the open position.

12. The door system of claim 10 , wherein the first signal is provided closer in time to an end of the work-in-process performed by the machine than a beginning of the work-in-process performed by the machine.

13. The door system of claim 10 , wherein the signal generator is a speaker and the first signal is an audible sound.

14. The door system of claim 10 , wherein the first signal is a light emitted from the signal generator.

15. The door system of claim 14 , wherein the light is emitted in a direction away from door panel.

16. The door system of claim 14 , wherein the light is emitted in a direction towards the door panel.

17. The door system of claim 16 , wherein the light forms an image on the door panel.

18. The door system of claim 17 , wherein the image corresponds to a clock.

19. The door system of claim 10 , wherein the signal generator is to provide a second signal when the door panel is moving to the open position, the second signal being distinguishable from the first signal.

20. A door system comprising:
a door panel constructed to move between an open position and a closed position, the door panel constructed to block access to a machine when in the closed position, the door panel constructed to be in the closed position while the machine is performing a work-in-process; and
a door controller constructed to cause a signal generator to generate a first signal indicating to a person in an area adjacent the door panel that movement of the door panel is impending based on a determination by a machine controller controlling operation of the machine that the work-in-process by the machine is nearing completion, the first signal generated based on feedback from the machine controller, the door constructed to automatically cause the door panel to move to the open position in response to feedback from the machine controller indicating the performance of the work-in-process by the machine is complete, wherein the first signal is emitted while the machine is performing to work-in-process.

Assignees

• Rite Hite Holding Corp

Inventors

• Lietz Ben
• Sealy John
• Schumacher Jon
• Nelson Kyle
• Knutson Perry W
• Olsen Pete
• Beggs Ryan P

Classifications

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• E05F15/77

  using wireless control · CPC title

• E06B2009/6836

  sensing obstacle · CPC title

• E05F15/70 Primary

  with automatic actuation · CPC title

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title