Intelligent door restraint

摘要

A method for controlling a door, comprising the steps of storing energy during a manual opening of a door, sensing an object within a doorway, selectively applying a force derived from the stored energy, to close the door, based on the sensing of an object in the doorway. The closure is preferably controlled by an electronic control. A door closing device comprising an energy storage device for storing energy during door opening and releasing the stored energy to subsequently close the door, a damping system for damping a closure of the door, a sensor for detecting an object within a doorway, having an output, a controllable device for selectively restraining the energy storage device from closing the door, and a control system for controlling the controllable device based on the output.

主权项

1. A door control apparatus, comprising:
(a) electronic control circuitry having a timer, the electronic control circuitry being configured to:
(i) receive an indication of a detection event from a non-contact sensor configured to be mountable near a top of a door frame for the door, and(ii) produce a door hold open signal dependent on the timer and the received indication of a detection event; (b) a door closer having an energy storage element which supplies a closing force for a door wherein the closing force is supplied by a preceding opening force; and (c) a hold-open comprising an electrical solenoid device operating in response to the door hold open signal to selectively displace an armature to brake movement of an element that moves in conjunction with the door, wherein the hold open does not provide a braking force greater than the closing force, the hold-open being configured to:
(i) selectively retain a door in an arbitrary open position by activation of the electrical solenoid device which does not act directly against the closing force, in response to a first state of the door hold open signal, and(ii) selectively release the door to passively close in a fail-safe manner using previously stored energy derived from a prior manual door opening, in response to at least one of: (1) a second state of the door hold open signal constituting a release signal, and (2) a failure condition associated with a loss of power to the electronic control circuitry.