Door closer diagnostics system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11560745-B2
Application number	US-202117203240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2021
Priority date	Sep 8, 2017
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

A door closer diagnostics system including a door closer, a server, and a mobile device having a display and at least one sensor. The mobile device is configured to (i) generate, by the at least one sensor, motion data indicative of motion of the door as the door is moved from an open position to a closed position, and (ii) transmit the motion data to the server. The server is configured to analyze the motion data to (i) determine a duration the door was in each of a plurality of door movement zones between the open and closed positions, (ii) determine 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 door movement zones, and (iii) transmit at least one installation instruction corresponding with the at least one adjustment to the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
removably mounting a mobile device having at least one sensor on a door or on a door closer attached to the door;
generating, by the at least one sensor, 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, wherein the plurality of door movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone, and wherein the analyzing the motion data comprises:
determining a first duration of time the door was in the main zone; and
determining a second duration of time the door was in the latch zone;

determining at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on:
the first duration of time the door was in the main zone; and
the second duration of time the door was in the latch zone;

displaying at least one installation instruction on a graphical user interface, the at least one installation instruction corresponding to the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer;
manually adjusting the door closer based on the at least one installation instruction; and
removing the mobile device from the door or the door closer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one installation instruction is displayed on the mobile device removably mounted to the door or on the door closer.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying on the graphical user interface 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 the successful installation of the door closer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the motion data comprises (i) transmitting the motion data 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 amount of adjustment to the door closer comprises determining the at least one amount of adjustment by the server.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer comprises at least one of:
determining an amount of adjustment to a main valve of the door closer;
determining an amount of adjustment to a latch valve of the door closer; or
determining an amount of adjustment to a spring of the door closer.

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

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

8. 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 door movement zones.

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

10. 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, wherein the plurality of door movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone, and wherein the analyzing the motion data comprises determining a first duration of time the door was in the main zone, and determining a second duration of time the door was in the latch zone;
determining at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on the first duration of time the door was in the main zone, and the second duration of time the door was in the latch zone; and
manually adjusting the door closer based on the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising displaying at least one installation instruction corresponding with the at least one amount of adjustment on a graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer comprises determining the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer based on at least one user-selected installation setting for the door closer.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning the at least one sensor on the door or on the door closer.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer comprises at least one of:
determining an amount of adjustment to a main valve of the door closer;
determining an amount of adjustment to a latch valve of the door closer; or
determining an amount of adjustment to a spring of the door closer.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the motion data comprises segmenting the motion data into a plurality of segments corresponding to the plurality of door movement zones.

16. A method, comprising:
positioning at least one sensor on a door or on a door closer attached to the door;
generating, by the at least one sensor, 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, wherein the plurality of door movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone, and wherein the analyzing the motion data comprises determining a first duration of time the door was in the main zone, and determining a second duration of time the door was in the latch zone; and
determining at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on the first duration of time the door was in the main zone, and the second duration of time the door was in the latch zone;
wherein the determining the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer comprises determining to loosen a main valve of the door closer in response to determining the first duration the door was in the main zone is greater than a first threshold time;
wherein the determining the at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer comprises determining to tighten the main valve in response to determining the first 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.

17. 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, wherein the plurality of door movement zones comprises a main zone and a latch zone;
determining at least one amount of adjustment to the door closer for a successful installation of the door closer based on the duration the door was in each

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G05B2219/37627

  Measure elapsed time needed for positioning · CPC title

• 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

• E05Y2900/132

  Doors · CPC title

• E05F1/10 Primary

  for swinging wings {, e.g. counterbalance} · CPC title