Door closer diagnostics system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947764-B2
Application number	US-201816124849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 8, 2017
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment includes generating, by at least one sensor, motion data indicative of motion of a door having a door closer as the door is moved from an open position to a closed position, analyzing the motion data to determine a duration the door was in each of a plurality of door movement zones between the open position and the closed position, determining at least one adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on the duration the door was in each of the plurality of door movement zones, and displaying at least one installation instruction corresponding with the at least one adjustment on a graphical user interface of a mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
positioning a mobile device on a door having a door closer;
generating, by at least one sensor of the mobile device, motion data indicative of motion of the door as the door is moved from an open position to a closed position;
analyzing the motion data to determine a duration the door was in each of a plurality of door movement zones between the open position and the closed position;
determining at least one adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on the duration the door was in each of the plurality of door movement zones; and
displaying at least one installation instruction corresponding with the at least one adjustment on a graphical user interface of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the motion data comprises (i) transmitting the motion data from the mobile device to a server and (ii) analyzing the motion data by the server to determine the duration the door was in each of the plurality of door movement zones; and
wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining the at least one adjustment by the server.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying, on the graphical user interface of the mobile device, a notification indicative of a successful installation of the door closer in response to a determination that no adjustments to the door closer are necessary for a successful installation of the door closer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one adjustment comprises determining an adjustment to a main valve of the door closer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one adjustment comprises determining an adjustment to a latch valve of the door closer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one adjustment comprises determining an adjustment to a spring of the door closer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of door movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone;
wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining to loosen a main valve of the door closer in response to determining the duration the door was in the main zone is greater than a first threshold time;
wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining to tighten the main valve in response to determining the duration the door was in the main zone is less than a second threshold time; and
wherein the first threshold time is greater than the second threshold time.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining to at least one of loosen the main valve or tighten a spring of the door closer in response to determining the door does not move from the open position to the closed position in less than a fifth threshold time, wherein the fifth threshold time is greater than the first threshold time.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer based on at least one user-selected installation setting for the door closer.

10. A door closer diagnostics system for use with the method of claim 1 , comprising:
the door closer secured to the door;
a server;
the at least one sensor; and
the mobile device comprising a display configured to display the at least one installation instruction on the graphical user interface, and wherein the mobile device is configured to transmit the motion data to the server;
wherein the server is configured to analyze the motion data to (i) determine the duration the door was in each of the plurality of door movement zones between the open position and the closed position, (ii) determine the at least one adjustment to the door closer for the successful installation of the door closer based on the duration the door was in each of the plurality of door movement zones, and (iii) transmit the at least one installation instruction corresponding with the at least one adjustment to the mobile device; and
wherein the mobile device is further configured to display the at least one installation instruction on the graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a gyrometer.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is mounted to the door closer.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is mounted to the door.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the door closer comprises a main valve, a latch valve, and a spring adjustment screw; and
wherein the at least one adjustment comprises an adjustment to at least one of the main valve, the latch valve, or the spring adjustment screw.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mounting the mobile device to the door closer;
launching an application on the mobile device to record the motion data indicative of the motion of the door generated by the at least one sensor;
opening the door to the open position;
releasing the door from the open position; and
adjusting the door closer based on the at least one installation instruction provided by the application in response to the analyzing of the motion data generated as the door moves from the open position to the closed position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the open position is ninety degrees from the closed position.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the door closer comprises adjusting at least one of a main valve of the door closer, a latch valve of the door closer, or a spring of the door closer.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of door movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone;
wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining to adjust a latch valve of the door closer in response to comparing the duration the door was in the latch zone with a threshold time; and
wherein the threshold time is based on the duration the door was in the main zone.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising normalizing the motion data prior to analyzing the motion data.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the motion data comprises segmenting the motion data into a plurality of segments corresponding to the plurality of zones.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone;
wherein determining the at least one adjustment to the door closer comprises determining an adjustment to a latch valve of the door closer in response to a comparison of a duration the door was in the latch zone with at least one threshold time; and
wherein the at least one threshold time is based on a duration the door was in the main zone.

22. A method, comprising:
generating, by at least one sensor, motion data indicative of motion of a door having a door closer as the door is moved from an open position to a closed position;
analyzing the motion data to determine a duration the door was in each of a plurality of door movement zones between the open position and the closed position;
determining at least one adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on the duration the door was in each of the plurality of door movement zones; and
displaying at least one installation instruction corresponding with the at least one adjustment on a graphical user in

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc
• Schlage Lock Compaq Y Llc

Inventors

• Langenberg Daniel
• Thomas Nathanael L
• Johnson Dakoda
• Jones William
• Richardson Nicholas

Classifications

• E05Y2600/56

  Positioning, e.g. re-positioning, or pre-mounting · CPC title

• E05F3/04 Primary

  with liquid piston brakes (rotary type E05F3/14) · CPC title

• G05B2219/43114

  Detect position, speed or time of object between begin and end, adapt motion · CPC title

• E05F7/00

  Accessories for wings not provided for in other groups of this subclass (specially adapted for furniture A47B95/00; door-lifters B66F, E04F21/00; knobs or handles E05B) · CPC title

• G05B2219/37627

  Measure elapsed time needed for positioning · CPC title