Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
:~3~
1 1 V~RIABLE DRIVE MECHANISM FOR THE PANEL OF A GATE
2 OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE
Gates of the type concerned in the present context are in
4 ~l particular overhead gates, although they may also be verti-
5 l~ cal roll-up gates, sliding gates, etc., have a motorized
Ç ll mechanism that drives a panel or similar structure back and
7 I forth along a particular path between two limiting posi-
8 ~I tions, and operate with limit switches that stop, by means
9 li of a radio signal for example, the motor that is responsible
10 l¦ for the motion of the panel as soon as the panel arrives in
~ its prescribed limiting position.
12 1
13 1 The limit switches are mounted in the vicinity of the
14 , limiting positions actually assumed by the gate panel, with
a switched component on the frame or track of the gate and a
16 ¦ switching component on the panel. Switched components
17 , accordingly mounted near the bottom of the opening to be
18 j closed off by the gate and at the edge of the gateway are,
19 however, subject to damage, especially in heavy-industrial
applications. Since they are also more exposed to con~amina-
21 ¦ tion and splashing, both mechanical limit switches and those
22 1 activated for example by light barriers entail associated
problems.
24 l
25 ;~It is of particular significance that positioning the limit
26 j. switches in the vicinity of the rame or track and activat-
27 ing them by means of the panel itself not only ~entails
28 additional installation labor after the gate has been
29 mounted but also and in particular demands alignment and
30 1l adjus~ment that require a lot of time and effort on site and
33~2
1 are not within the capabilities of the average installer,
2 who is more accustomed to less skilled labor. The small
3 volume of space ordinarily available also makes for prob
4 lems.
6 Simulating the motion of the gate panel, exploiting, that
7 is, a parameter that corresponds to that motion and is
8 derived from its drive mechanism although greatly reduced in
9 scale to rotate or displace a certain component to an extent
that represents the actual measured path traveled by the
11! panel, has been proposed. A simulating component of this
12 type thus also travels between two limiting positions that
13 correspond to those of the panel, at which points they
14l activate switchgear that accordingly reproduce the limiting
15¦ positions of the panel.
1~ ~
17l Although a simulator, which is preferably positioned in the
18ll vicinity of the drive mechanism or its controls, is protect-
l9i ed from contamination, dirt, and moisture, it demands
especially precise adjustment in relation to the panel once
21l the gate has been installed to the extent for instance that
22! the point at which the panel begins to move corresponds
23 precisely with the point at which the displacement of the
241 simulator commences. At the path-reduction ratios involved,
even sIight discrepancies will allow the panel to travel
26jl beyond its limiting position a~d collide against the end of
27'¦ lts track or against other objects. What is called a zero
28, match between the panel and the moving simulator component
29 accordingly demands special care and sensi~ivity that is
3~
33~'~
1 difficult to obtain in such a coarse operation as mounting a
2 gate.
4 The object of the present invention is to create a drive
mechanism for a gate with motor controls depending on the
6 motion of the panel that is especially easy to install,
7 reliable, and simple to adjust, even when the newly in-
8 stalled gate i~ operated for the first time~
This object is attained in accordance with the invention by
11 means of the characteristics recited in Claim 1.
1~
13 The point of departure for the invention is the synchroniza-
14i tion of a position dekector that indicates the instantaneous
15l position of the gate panel with the actual motion of the
16 , gate at least once along the path between its two limiting
17,1 positions, thus allowing the position detector to be in
18 ~ error to a certain extent. A reference-point indicator is
19,, for this purpose activated while the panel is traveling
20 1l through a specific but extensively freely selectable
21l reference-point position between the two limiting positions
22¦ or through one or more stop positions located between them,
231 upon which the reference-point indicator releases a synchro-
24¦ nization signal to the position detector, calibrating it at
a particular value that can depend on the direction that the
26 il panel is traveling through the reference-point position in.
27'l A specific value that depends on the particular limiting
28 position and stop position o~ the panel is then entered in a
29 memory and dictates the value of the position detector at
which the motor is stopped.
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~3312
l j The position detector in one particularly preferred embodi-
2 1¦ ment of the invention is a simple incremental counter that
3 counts a simple sequence of pulses emitted as the panel
moves, with the instantaneous count preferably released in
the form of parallel information, especially a dual-coded
6 signal, at an appropriate multipole output terminal. The
7 memory is also preferably a digital circuit that just as
8 simply matches the incremental counter in the position
9 detector. Furthermore, the reference-point indicator is
10ll accordingly a digital component, a YES-NO switch or thresh-
11 1 old switch in the simplest case or preferably one that
12 ¦ operates on the principle of dual-coded parallel signal
13 1 expressions when the signal processing is more complicated.
14 l
15; The three switching devices, specifically the reference-
16' point indicator, the position detector, and the memory, can
17l operate in conjunction in various ways as will now be
18l described.
19 '
20l~ The position detector can be reset to a specific value, zero
21 l for example, by the reference-point indicator every time the
22 l panel travels through the reference-point position. As the
23 , panel continues to travel to the next prescribed stop
24~ position or limiting position in the same direction~ the
25l' position detector will then be reset in accordance with the
26 1l motion of the panel, and its count will in particular be
27 forwarded on, until it releases a value that represents the
28 subsequent prescribed stop position or limiting position to
29 l the memory. When the output of the position detector co-
incides with that of the memory, a current-supply control
-- 4 --
, I
~2~33:~
1 that switches off the motor will be activated. The reference-
2 point indicator in this embodiment is especially simple
3 because one and the same setting value is always released to
4 ~ the position detector. ~ comparator will on the other hand
5;j be needed in order to detec~ the coincidence between the
6l output from the position detector and the memory value that
7 1l represents the particular desired position~
8',
9 When in another embodiment the gate panel travels through
10 i the reference-point position of the position detector, the
11 l reference-point indicator will enter in the memory a signal
12 that represents the next prescribed stop position or limit-
13 ~ ing position along the direction of travel. With this stored
14 value transferred to the position detector as a point of
departure, the detector will continue to b~ supplied until
16 it arrives at an "overflow" value, zero or the next decade
17 etc. for example, upon which a signal obtained from the
18 overflow will be exploited to activate the motor's current-
19 supply controls.
20 l
21 In both cases the controls can be adjusted in the same way
22 when the system is operated for the fixst time. The ~ate is
23 installed finished on site, that is, and the reference-point
24 position established somewhere between the two limiting
positions and preferably outside of the stop position ox
26 positions if any. In the latter case the reference-point
27 position is preferably established between the gate-closed
28 ' position and the immediately adjacent stop position because
29 it is to be expected that the panel will generally be moved
back and forth between the two positions when the stop
-- 5
~3~
1 I position is initiated and that it will be the exception for
2¦ the panel to be lowered out of the gate-open limiting
31 position into the stop position. The reference-point posi-
4 tion will generally be established such that the panel will
to the greatest extent possible travel through it during
6 I every phase of motion.
7 l
8l When it is impossible to predict what phase of motion the
9 panel will be traveling through most often and/or when
extreme precision is necessary, there can be two or more
11 reference-point positions with as many reference~point
12 indicators, the latter just in front of the stop position or
13 limiting position that must be activated with particular
14 precision.
16 Before the normal operating controls are activated for the
17 first time by a third party the gate panel will be randomly
18 positioned and the position detector, memoxy, and, in the
19 case of a bistable sys~em, the reference-point indicator as
well will be in a state of indefinite readout. The actual
21 state of the panel that is to be operated for the first time
22 must accordin~ly be matched with that of the controls. The
23 reference-point position is accordingly established between
24l the limiting positions and outside of any stop positions as
previously described herein. As will be described in detail
26 later herein, this can be done by an appropriately locally
27 determined positioning of the reference-point indicator on
28 the frame or track of the gate etc. or within the scope of a
29 panel-motion simulator. The panel is then moved manually
with the assistance of a pressure sensor ~dead man's
. .
i
~ 33~;~
1 operation) toward and beyond the reference-point position.
2 The reference-point indicator, at least if it is monostable,
3 simultaneously emits a synchronization signal to the posi-
4 tion detector that sets it at a specific value, especially
zero. As the gate continues to travel toward the next stop
6 position or limiting position, the position detector is
7 tripped and retained in the next desired position. The value
8 then indicated at the output terminal of the position
9 detector is entered by means of an input key into an address
in the memory that is associated with the stop position or
11 limiting position, and the value is retained constantly at
12 that address. The panel is then shifted into the next stop
13 position or limiting position and retained there, upon which
14~l the value of the position detector that corresponds to this
15 l¦ position is transferred by means of another input switch to
16 1 another address in the memory that is associated with the
17 I position. For the purpose o~ storing the stop position or
18 1 limiting position on the other side of the reference-point
19 ! position the gate panel is now shifted in the opposite
20 ¦¦ direction beyond reference-point position, so that the
211 position detector is reset to the prescribed value, prefera-
22¦ bly zero. As the panel continues to move, ~he next adjacent
23l stop position or limiting position is activated and the
~4 l¦ resulting indicating value on the part of the position
25~,1 detector entered by means of an input key at an address
26 provided for that position in the memory.
27
28 In an initial and preferred embodiment of the invention the
29 position detector is compulsorily reset by the ~ynchroniza-
3G tion signal or by each synchronization signal to the
~33~
li prescribed value, especially zero, and varies its value in
2 accordance with the distance traveled by the panel to the
3 next stop position or limiting position. Constant comparison
4 of the output of the position detector with the values
stored in the memory results, once a prescribed stop posi-
6 tion or the limiting position beyond the reference-point
7 position has been attained, in coincidence betwèen the
8 output signals from the position detector and those from the
9l associated memory address, activating current-supply con-
10,l trols that stop the motor. If the panel is shifted out of
11 l this position in the opposite direction, the output Qf the
12 , position detector can be continuously set back so that, in
13 I the case of a stop position located upstream of the
14 reference-point position in this direction, the output of
the position detector will coincide with that of the associ-
16 ated memory address. When this stop position is activated,
17l the motor can be turned off again by appropriate activation
18 1l of the current-supply controls. The position detector can
19 l¦ similarly be disengaged in accordance with the motion of the
20,' panel beyond the reference-point position by compulsorily
21 i resetting the detector to the prescribed value, preferably
22 1l zero, as the panel travels through the reference-point
23l position. A negative value is of course also possible.
24ll
For a directionally dependent back-and-forth disengagement
26 , of the position detector of this type it is necessary to be
27 able to detect the particular direction that the panel is
28 traveling in. A pulse generator accordingly allows signals
29 ~ to be detected in accordance with the path or with the
30 I direction of rotation of the motor. Preferred ror this
,~
l~ - 8 -
.,
~3~
1 purpose is a generator disk that is driven by the motor,
2 especially its output shaft, and has two scanning tracks and
3 at least two signal-generating structures that enclose
4 different angles.
5,l
6l, It is on the other hand also possible to disengage the
7 i position detector by summing up from a passage through the
8 j reference-~oint position independent of the direction of
9 travel. If there is in this case a stop position hetween the
lOi reference-point position in the particular operating range,
11 another memory output must be made available to provide for
12 comparison the value summed up during the motion back to the
13 reference-point position at the stop position because the
14 panel that is shifted out beyond the stop position will sum
up, when the direction is reversed, the distance between the
~6 stop position and the limiting position with reference to
17 the information from the position detector.
18
19 Another possibility is to completely change the disengage-
ment of the position detector as the panel travels through
21 the reference-point position once the values for the limit-
2~ I ing po~ition or stop position have been entPred to the
23 extent that the value obtained from the memory address
24 associated with the prescribed stop position or limitiny
position is entered in the position detector every time the
26 panel travels throu~h the reference-point position. The
27 , counter can then count back from this value to the pre-
28 ` scribed value, pre~erably zero, as the gate panel travels
~9 into the desired position, generating a signal that
!
l~g3~i~
1ll activates the current-supply controls once the value or the
2~ zero is attained.
3,l
4~l It must be ensured that restarting the gate-drive mechanism
5,l subsequent to a power failure, even a very brief outage,
6I will not damage it. This can basically be done by designing
7l the overall controls such that they will not lose theix
8' signal content when the power is interrupted. This approach
9l is admittedly comparatively expensive, especially in rela-
10l tion to the position detector. It is also necessary to
11l ensure that the panel is not shifted manually, by means of a12, hand chain for example, duriny a power outage into another
13l position that does not correspond to the one indicated by
14l the position detector. The memory in one especially pre-
15¦ ferred embodiment is accordingly a "non-volatile" switching
16 mechanism, so that its contents will not change or get lost
17 during the outage. The position detector on the other hand
18 must be a "volatile" switching mechanism, so that the
19 particular positional value will be erased when the power
fails. The reference-point indicator, finally, will have a
21 bistable switch component that will even during a pow~r
22 outage indicate which direction of the two the panel is
23 traveling in from the reference-point position. This infor-
24 i mation from the bistable switch is utilized to ensure, once
25 , the system has been turned on again, that the panel can only
26 travel toward the reference-point position and ~hat, once it
27 has traveled beyond the reference point, it will reset the
28 position detector as previously described herein. This
29 measure will re-establish the synchronization between the
3o !
,,
-- 1 0 --
;
~33~2
1 position of the panel and the output value of the position
2 detector subse~uent to a power failure.
4 When the power failure lasts longer and the panel has to be
shifted by hand as is regularly provided for in practice, it
is preferable to employ a bistable indicator-switch that
7 will appropriately vary its state as the panel is shifted
8 through the reference point position by hand. This switch
9 can be switched by muscle power and is preferably a magneti-
cally activated bistable switch of the type described in
11 greater detail later herein with reference to the drawing.
12
13 Depending on the design of this bistable switch for the
14 ~ reference-point indicator it is possible for no pulse to be
lS emitted when the panel travels beyond the reference-point
16 position in the direction in which the bistable switch has
17, ii already been tripped. In this case the position of the panel
18, is synchronized with the value emitted by the position
19, detector and the limiting position or stop position if any
20l is entered in such a wby that the finally installed gate
21 panel is initially shifted with a manually operated scanning
22¦ swltch ~dead-man operation) in one direction and then in the
23l' othPr direction beyond the reference~poin~ position. This
24 measure will ensure that, at least when the panel travels
25~ past the reference-point position for the second time, the
26 position detector will be reset to the prescribed value,
27 especially zer3, ensuring the aforesaid adjustment in
28 accordance with first-time operation.
29
~331~
1 The reference-point indicator can be positioned where it
2 will be directly activated by the panel, having for example
3 a switched component that is mounted station~ry on the Erame
4 of the gate, on the panel track, or in a similar location
and activated by a switching component entrained along with
6 the panel. It will accordingly be generally possible without
7 any problem to mount the switching component and the
8 switched component on the frame or track and on the panel at
9 the factory before the gate is installed, eliminating the
necessity for such labor while the gate is being installed.
11 It is also possible, especially if the switch is magnetical-
12 ly activated, to provide a tolerance field, eliminating the
13 ll need for any adjustments once the gate has been installed.
14 1
~ It is also possible to realize the reference-point indicator
16 '~ within the scope of a very down-scaled panel-motion simula-
17 tor. The switched component will again be stationary in this
18 , version and the switching component mounted on a part that
19 ll imitates the motion of the panel at a greatly reduced scale,
20 ll the nut for instance of a spindle connected to the output
21 1I terminal of a transmission positioned downstream of the
22 1, motor. The actual position of the panel can be synchronized
23 '' with that of the spindle nut that dictates the reference-
24 ll point position once the gate has been installed by simply
25 il attaching the spindle nut, which can for this purpose be
26 ~plit in two axially, at an appropriate point where it
27 travels along the spindle. The panel is then ~or example
28 shifted, once it has been installed, into the gate-closed
29 position with ssanning switches (dead man's switches) and
the nut secured to the spindle in such a way that, once the
- 12 -
293312
11 panel has been shifted out of the gate-closed position by
2¦ means of the motorized drive mechanism, the spindle nut and
3l the switching component will travel past the stationary
, switched component, dictating the reference-point position
of the panel within the scope of the simulator. The rest of
6 the adjustment process is like that previously described
7 herein.
9 Depending on the design of the switch, especially if it is
bistable, on the reference-point indicator, the switching
11 point will migrate along the particular direction of travel
12i; in relation to the ideal precise reference-point position of
13i¦ the panel, resulting in a "hysteresis" dictated by the
14ll spatial delay on the part of the switch in relation to the
151¦ direction of travel and causing for example the position
161 detector to maintain a slightly higher value, a lower number
17ll of counts for example, as the panel moves into the gate-open
18 ! limiting position once the indicator has been tripped than
19i during the reverse motion out of the gate-open limiting
20l position as far as the oppositely directed trippiny of the
21l indicator. If the previously described synchronization and
22l storage are carried out when the system is operated for the
23 first time, the hysteresis will have no effect if the
24 particular position is arrived at by traveling beyond the
reference-point position in one direction. This is the case
26~ at the limitiny positions of the panel. The stop positions
27lcan basically be arrived at in either direction, so that in
28~this case the hysteresis or directionally dependent delay on
29 the part of the indicator-switch can lead to variations in
the location of the gate panel in the stop position. This
- 13 -
I
331sZ
1 situation, however, is usually insignificant because the
2!! motion of the panel is not opposed by any mechanical resis-
3~I tance as it is when assuming a limiting position. This means
4l accordingly that the stop positions can be provided with
5,l enough "play" around the desired value that the imprecision
6 deriving from the hysteresis will have no effect. If on the
7 other hand i~ is important for whatever reason for stop
8 positions that are arrived at from either direction of
9 travel to be especially precisely located, the delay on the
part of the switch can be dictated by means of another
11 memory and their value absolutely employed for purposes of
12 , correction to the extent that a stop position arrived at
13 from both directions can be assumed precisely at one and the
14 i same position. The stop position can simultaneously be
15~ located with no problem within the spatial hysteresis range
16 ' of such a hysteresis-subject reference-point indicator. The
17 reference-point indicator will then be activated during
18 motion along one and/or the other direction out of such an
19 actually readjusted stop positionO
20 ;
21 Pxeferred embodiments will be evident from the subsidiary
22 claims.
23 l
24 One embodiment of the invention will now be described with
25 ' reference to the drawing, wherein
2~
27 Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the
28 controls in accordance with an embodimPnt employed
29 by way of example and
30 '
I - 14 -
~3331Z
1ll Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a magneti-
2 I cally activated bistable switch for a reference-
3, point indica~or in accordance with the same
4 , embodiment.
6i
7~1 Figure is a schematic block diagram of a switching device 1
81 that comprises a counter 2 as p~rt of a position detector
9 I and a comparator 3. Connected to switching device 1 are a
10l pulse generator 4, the switch of a reference-point indicator
11 5, a memory 6, an input-switch device 11, power-supply
12 1 controls 12, and a counter-setting display 13. Switching
13 ¦ device 1 has additional connections and switchgear in
14 1 accordance with the particular functions of the aforesaid
individual circuit groups.
16
17 The pulse generator 4 in the illustrated embodiment compris-
18 es a generator disk 7 that is non-rotationally connected to
19 the driveshaft o~ a motor in a way that is not illustrated.
20 I Mounted stationary next to the generator are two scanning
21 'I devices 8 in the form of light barriers aimed in an
22 , unillustxated way at radially different circumferential
23 i tracks on generator disk 7. One o~ the two scanning devices
24 ` ~ diametrically opposite the axis of rotation of genarator
25 diSk 7 is aimed at a radially farther out track containing a
~26 slot 9 that curves along the track, and the other scanning
;1 27 ~device is aimed at a radially farther in track containing a
~28 I slot 10. Slots 9 and 10 are not diamstrically oppoisite and
29 1 accordingly enclose a more acute angle in one circumferen-
30 , tial direction than they do in the other. Whenever the slot
' I
~ 15 -
1 9 on rotating generator disk 7 arrives at the light barrier
2 of one of the scanning devices 8, one pulse per rotation is
3 released. Since the speed of the shaft corresponds to the
4 length of the path travel~d by the panel of the gate, the
number of pulses that are emitted by slots 9 and/or 10 in
6 conjunction with scanning devices 8 as generator disk 7
7 rotates and that repeatedly trip the counter 2 in the
8 ' position detector represents a measure of how far the panel
9 I has traveled. Since slots 9 and 10 are not diametrically
opposite each o~her, the interval between a pulse generated
11 by slot 9 and one generated by slot 10 will be shorter in
12 one direction than in the other. It is accordingly possible
13 to determine what direction the motor is rotating in and
14' hence what direction the panel is moving in by means of
pulse generator 4.
16
17 A preferred embodiment of reference-point indicator 5, only
1~ the switch of which is illustrated in Figure 1, will now be
19 described in greater detail with reference to Figure 2. One
2Q section of the area of a frame 14 that is to be mounted in
21 an opening in a wall is illustrated alon~ with part of the
22 edge of the panel 15 of a ~ate that is also only partly
23 illustrated and that is to be mounted in an unillustrated
24 way such that it can slide back and forth on guide rollers
or similar structures in also unillustrated tracks secured
26 to the frame.
27
28 A switched component mounted on frame 14 comprises a perma-
29 nent magnet 16 that pivots on an axis 17 mor~ or less within
a plane that parallels the panel as it travels by it. Magnet
- 16 -
~331~2
1 l 16 is polarized in a direction diametrical in relation to
2 ~ axis 17 with one pole in the magnet's pivoting range point-
3 1 ing toward panel 15 and ~he reciprocal pole within the
4 1l limited pivoting range of panel 15. Mounted on panel 15 is a
5l1 switching magnet 18 in the form of another permanent magnet
6 ¦ with one pole pointing away from frame 14 and its reciprocal
7 1¦ pole toward the frame. The switching magnet 18 mounted
8l¦ stationary on panel 15 passes magnet 15 as the panel travels
9 l through the reference point position defined by the position
10 l in space of the switching device in relation to magnet 16
11' and switching magnet 18 with its reciprocal pole exerting
12 magnetic attraction on the pole of magnet 16. With the
13 position of the magnets in Figure 2 as a point of departure
14 and with the panel traveling in the direction indicated by
15~ the arrow pointing away from switching magnet 18, switching
16¦ magnet 18 will as it approaches magnet 16 exert an increas-
171 ing more powerful attraction, pivoting the magnet on its
181 axis 17 as it passes by.
19 1'
20j The switching device in reference-point indicator 5 is
21 bistable as will now be described. The reciprocal pole of
22 magnet 16, the pole that faces away from panel 15 points, in
23 the illustrated pivoted state, toward a switch 19 that is
24¦ maintained activated in an unillustrated way while magnet 16
25l is in this position. As long accordingly as magnet 16
~6l remains in the pivoted position illustrated in Figure 2,
27 resting against a stop 21, switch 19 will remain active
28 whether open or closed. As switching magnet 18 passes by in
29 the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, magnet 16
~0 pivots on axis 17 and arrives from its position against stop
- 17 - -
~33~:12
1 21 in its other limiting position against another stop 22.
2 Outside of the arc described by the reciprocal-pole end of
3 magnet 16 and at the midpoint between stops 21 and 22,
4 another and small permanent magnet 20 is mounted stationary
on the frame of the gate to stabilize magnet 16 in one or
6 the other pivoted position. Stabilizing magnet 20 is posi-
7 tion0d with its reciprocal pole pointing toward the identi-
8 cally polarized reciprocal pole of permanent ma~net 16,
9 resulting in a magnetic repulsion between the stationary
stabilizing magnet 20 and the pivoting permanent magnet 16,
11 which is accordingly retained by the former in one of its
12 two limiting positions. Stabilizing magnet 20, due to its
13 size and position, does not act as powerfully on permanent
1~ magnet 16 as does switching magnet 18, which, as it passes
magnet 16, can entrain it against the repulsion of stabiliz-
16 ; ing magnet 20. As soon as permanent magnet 16 has exceeded
17 the midpoint in its orientation toward stabilizing magnet
18 20, the latter, in conjunction with the farther displaced
19 switching magnet 18, shifts it into the associated limitin~
position against stop 21 or 22. When it is resting against
21 stop 21, switch 19 is activated and, when it is resting
22 against stop 22, swi~ch 19 is disengaged. Thus, every time
23 permanent ma~net 16 pivots from one limiting position into
:
24 , the other, switch 19 is tripped, an event tha is evaluated
' as a signal for governing counter 2 in the position detec-
26 tor, compulsorily zeroing the counter in the present exam-
27 ~le, whether the switch is tripped from the activa~ed into
28 the de-activated or vice versa.
29
- 18 -
~2~33~
1 This embodiment is started up for the first time and operat-
2 ed in accordance with the basic procedure already described
3 herein. When the system is started up for the first time it
4 is possible for the bistable reference-point indicator to be
in the posi~ion that it is intended to be in when the panel
6 travels past the reference-point position for the first
7 time. With reerence to Figure 2, accordingly, p~rmanent
8 magnet 16 might not be in the illustrated limiting position
9 but in the other limiting position, resting against stop 22,
while switching magnet 18 moves in the direction indicated
11 by the arrow. Switch 19 would accordingly not be tripped
12 during this preliminary stage in ~he present embodiment, and
13 no synchronization pulse would be generated for zeroing
14 counter 2. For this reason the panel is basically shifted up
j to and beyond the reference-point position with a scanning
16 ll generator, stopped, and shifted beyond the reference-point
17 ' ! position in the opposite direction again when the system is
18 , started up for the first time because the reference-point
19 I indicator will in any case be activated at least as soon as
I the panel travels through the reference-point position for
21 ` the second time, meaning in the present embodiment that
22 permanent magnet 16 will pivot and switch 19 will be tripped
23 from one state into the other. This measure ensures that
24 counter will be zeroed, so that, as the panel continues to
travel, the distance-depe~dent pulses generated by pulse
26 generator 4 as generator disk 7 turns and scanning devices 8
27 are disengaged will continue to be counted. Once the next
28 stop position or limiting position is arrived at, a switch
29 in input-switch device 11 that is associated with that
position will be activated, transerring the counter ou~put
- 19 -
~ 3:~2
1 ~ to an address in memory 6. As soon as the panel travels
2 through the reference-point position in the opposite direc-
3 tion, the counter is re-zeroed due to the activation of the
4 switch 19 in reference-point indicator 5 and, as the panel
l'l continues to travel, the distance-dependent pulses will
6 l~ advance the counter as previously described herein until the
7 'I next stop position or limiting position in that direction is
8 l¦ arrived at, upon which the associated switch in input-switch
9 I device 11 will be activated and ~he counter output will be
1 entered at an address in memory 6 that corresponds to that
~ position. The output signals from the counter occur in the
12 il form of a dual-coded signal in several parallel lines, and
13 l¦ input-switch device 11 enters them in the memory in parallel
14 'i~, and in that form.
!l
16 ! It is accordin~ly especially simple to start up the gate
17 , system for the first time in that the gate only has to be
18 1 shifted into the separate positions in a scanning operation
19 , (dead-center switch), upon which the switch that is associ-
1 ated with that position in the input-switch device is
21 ¦ activated. It is only necessary to make sure that the
22 l reference-point position is traveled through in one direc-
23 ¦ tion and then in the other direction. As \soon as all the
24 I¦ positions have been traveled through and the associated
I counter outputs entered in the memory, the gate will be
26 ' ready to operate. An appropriate keyboard or radio signal is
27 l, employed to turn on the drive mechanism and determine what
28 ,i position the panel is to be shifted into. This turns on the
29 1~ motor, and the counter simultaneously begins to determine
! every position of the panel as it moves. Provldin~ the
~i
- 20 -
:~Z~31;2
1 target position dictates the corresponding memory address,
2 l and a comparatox constantly monitors the output signal from
3 l that address along with that of the coun~er. When the two
4 outputs coincide, the comparator will release an output
~ signal to power-supply controls 12, which interrupts the
6 current to the motor and optionally releases further dis-
7 plays etc.
9 Counter-setting display 13 can display the state of the
counter, simplifying its supervision, along with the posi-
11 tion of the gate above or below the reference-point posi-
12 tion, etc.
13
14 Since the present drive mechanism and controls depend on
external power, measures must be taken to prevent malfunc-
16 tion on the part of the gate when the power fails and is
17 I restored. There are two standards to be kept in mind in the
18 event of a power failure. On the one hand, the power failure
19 can either be very brief or occur at night. In other words,
it may not be noticed, in which case it must be ensured that
21 ~ the next time the drlve mechanism is turned on the position
22 of the panel will correspond with the value in the position
23 , detector~ If, on the other hand, an outage occurs during
24 i' which the gate panel has to be shifted manually, it must
also be ensured that the position of the panel corresponds
26 , with the value in the position detector once power has been
27 restored.
28
~9 For this purpose initially the reference-point indicator is
bistable, basicall~ indicating whether the panel is with
- 21 -
.
331;2
1 respect to its switching component, switching magnet 18,
2 above or below the reference-point position. To ensure that
3 this will occur even when there is a power failure and ~he
4 gate is shifted into another position by hand, the
reference-point indicator in the present embodiment is
6 constructed out of permanent magnets, so that permanent
7 magnet 16 will be triggered by the passage of switching
8 magnet 18 even when there is no power. Thus, when power is
9 ~ restored, reference-point indicator will always reliably
l indicate the position of the panel. This information is
11 utilized to ensure that the electric drive mechanism, now
12 jl functioning again, can initially only move the panel toward
13 ll and beyond the re~erence-point position. This in turn
14 , ensures that the counter in the position detector will again
~ be properly synchronized with the position of the panel. The
16 counter can basically be a non-volatile switch element,
17 meaning that it will retain its count even in the absence of
18 power. This advantage, however, would only be practical if
19 1 the counter could be reset in accordance with the new panel
, position during a power outage and manual operation. This
21 I would of course be possible in an electric counter only if
22 ,I there is an auxiliary power source. This is why the counter
23 i in one especially preferred embodiment is constructed of
24 simple circuitry that losec its information in the event of
a power failure. The aforesaid necessity of shifting the
26 panel only toward the re~erence-point position when power is
27 re~tored ensures that the counter will retain the position
28 it was in when first turned on due to activation of the
29 reference-point indicator. It is accordingly necessary only
- 22 -
~9331~
1 to construct the memory out of non-volatile circuitry to
2 allow reliable operation subsequent to a power failure.
4 The switch 19 illustrated, only schematically by the way, in
Figure 2 can for example be a reed contact of the commer-
6 cially available magnetically activated type. Stabilizing
7 magnet 20 could of course also be replaced with another type
8 of magnetic system, with two small magnets for instance,
9 each associated with one of the two stops and exerting
magnetic force on permanent magnet 16 in such a way as to
11 attract it in~o one of its two limiting positions.
12
13
14
16
17
1 8
19
21
22
23
24
26
27
~8
29
