MULTI-FUNCTION REVOLVING DOOR

Abstract: A revolving door in which the center revolving support (13) is generally cylindrical with a diameter at least 0.3 that of the space between the stationary walls (19) of the door, Four door panels (16) are hinged to the central member (13) and maintained in their normal positions by hydraulic door closers (18), so that the door panels can be rotated about their hinges to storage positions alongside the central member, and can be deflected when the door panels (16) catch up to persons within the door. Radar type sensors (14) detect the presence of people entering the doors, and speed up the rotation speed of the doors to facilitate movement through them. Proximity sensors (15) on the door panels slow down the rotation of the door when a door panel begins to catch up to a person within the door. Door swing-back sensors (21) detect when a door panel (16) is pushed back (against the direction of door rotation) by contact with a person within the door, and cause the door to stop rotating upon such occurrence. Means (10, 30) is also provided to store the door in rotational position in which all four door panels engage stationary side walls, and to lock the door panels (16) against the side walls (19) in the storage position.

Description: MULTI-FUNCTION REVOLVING DOOR. Background of the invention. This invention relates to a multi-function revolving door, and more particularly to a revolving door which is capable of regular use as veil as use for emergency exit purposes. In order to allow a steady traffic of persons walk¬ ing in and out of buildings, such as shopping cen¬ ters, hospitals, airports, etc., it is necessary to have door arrangements in order to keep the indoor climate under control. Three systems are available: air curtains, automatic sliding or sving doors, and revolving doors. These solutions are good from a technical point of view, but the kncvn products available all have serious drawbacks. Air curtains are extremely energy consuming and therefore costly to operate. In a cold climate, it is impossible to suppres a draft in town blocks caused by the tall, relatively warn air in the building, crea-fcing what is known as zhs chimney e fect. Furthermore, air curtains cannot control the drifting-in of dust. Also, noise passes un¬ hindered into the building. Automatic sliding or swing doors are less expen¬ sive to operate than air curtains, cut they let as much as up to ten times the quantity of cold air into the building (or air conditioned cold air out) as the quantity ventilated by revolving doors. Dust and noise inlet are also unsatisfactorily BAD ORIGINAL T&EA controlled, especially during peak hours. * The present state of art respecting revolving doors is exemplified by U.S. Patent Nos. 905,175; 1,030,266; 1.303,988- 2,523,980; 3,782,035; 3,020,038; 3.-497,997; and 3,766,686, Revolving doors constitute the one construction ensuring a permanent seal between the outdoor and indoor masses. They provide the buildings with excellent noise, dust and draft control, and very low energy loss, thus reducing operation costs, and costs of maintenance. Revolving doors of known konstructicn do not provide buildings with an emergency exit capacity of sufficient volume " independent of the pcsi ion of the revolving body, and are either (1) dependent on a turning of the revolving bodjr to one of a limited number of positions before folding of the door leaves results in a free passage or (2) are capable of establishing only one passageway. The first arrangement is not practical for a panicky crowd,and thus not acceptable to the public autho- rities, and the second arrangement does not provide adequate escape volume. Revolving doors of known design have the upper bearing for the revolving body supported above said body. They are in this respect dependent en the adjacent structure in the building or otherwise have a supporting structure integrated into the door canopy. Traffic in and out of nublie buildings includes B A T persons with shopping carts, baby carriages, and .persons in wheel chairs, or otherwise handicapped. The capacity to let such "traffic units" pass can only be provided by revolving doors with large diameters, i.e., diameters exceeding two meters and often more than three meters. These large rotating bodies are relatively heavy constructions. The rotation of the revolving door, therefore, is often motorized to enable handicapped persons, and persons otherwise unable to push the door leaves, to pass. The motor drive for the rotating body of a revol¬ ving door requires either space in the building structure below the door floor, or space and sup¬ porting structure in the superadjacent building parts. The hard push caused by a relatively fast moving heavy door leaf catching up with a slowly • walking person, or the more violent "bumps" executed by a door leaf hitting an immobile person or lost item, are technical problems not satis¬ factorily resolved until now. SUMMARY. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a large motorized revolving doer overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages cf prior art revolving doors. As herein described, there is provided an improved motorized revolving door wherein the center member has the cross sectional shape of a cross, a square, a circle or any other shape exhibiting a diagonal dimension (the distance between two opposite door OMPI leaves) of at least 30 per cent of the door dia- - eter. According to the invention, there is provided a revolving door comprising first and second side members having arcuate inner walls symmetrically disposed about a door rotation axis; a generally cylindrical door central member mounted for ro¬ tation about said axis in a given direction, the transverse diagonal dimension of said member having a value at least equal to 0.3 of the distance between said walls as measured along a line ex¬ tending through said axis, said member. aving four longitudinal hinge means; a door panel pivotally secured to each of said hinge means, each door panel having a normal position extending radially of said member and being capable of rotation through a first predetermined angle ' in said given direction and a second predetermined angle in the opposite direction; biasing means for urging each said door panel toward the normal position thereof from both of said directions and for opposing deflection of each door panel from said normal position with a predetermined threshold force or torque; latching means for retaining said door panels in an emergency position alongside said central member; motor drive means for rotating said central member in said, given direction; and a control unit for controlling the operation of said motor drive means. IN THE DRAV.TNG: ' Figure 1 Is a partially exploded per- spektive view of a revolving D ORIGINAL door according to a preferred em¬ bodiment of the invention; Figures 2a through 2d show various positions of the revolving door and its hinged door panels, which provide various operational functions of the door; Figure is a functional block diagram showing the manner in whic the operation of the door is control¬ led; Figure is a top plan view showing the structure of the central portion of the door; and Figure is a cross-sectional, front eleva¬ tion view of said door central portion, taken along the cutting plane 5-5 shown in Figure . DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to a preferred embodiment of the inven¬ tion, each door leaf is hinged in such a way that it can swing clockwise and counter-clockwise rela¬ tive to the central member of the rotating body, the normal position of the leaf being radially out from the center axis of the rotating body and having a holding power to be overcome, to swing a door leaf away from this normal position. Each door leaf has a switch for breaking the power supply to the motor driving the rotating body when the door leaf is •-&A7 OMPI swung in a direction opposite to its normal direction of rotation. Each door leaf may have a hydraulic door mechanism of the type utilized in swinging doors, for enabling the door leaves to function with (I) a holding po¬ sitionwhen pointing radially from the center of the rotating body and (ii) other holding positions when swung to one of the extreme positions with the un- hinged side of the door leaf as close as possible to the central member of the rotating body. In any other position the hydraulic mechanism will urge the door leaf back to the radially pointing position. The central member of the rotating body may be a hollow structure providing space for the stationary structure rigid enough to support the upper bearing for the revolving body. This arrangement provides an installation independent of the building struc- ture superjacent to the revolving door. The central member of the rotating body,being a hollow structure, may be shaped to house the motorized drive for turn¬ ing _ he rotating body. The motor drive is controlled by a control unit. The control unit may have provision for ahuel set¬ ting, input from touch-free sensors and outputs for the motor drive and automatic door locks. The space in front of each entrance (the outdoor and the in- door entrances) to the revolving door may be moni¬ tored by a touch-free sensor (radar-, radio-, ligh - or induction sensor) providing an output signal to the control uni vhen a person is approaching (want¬ ing ' to pass the deer), said signal resulting in an increase in rotation speed for providing comfortable - pas sage . Each door leaf may be equipped with a touchfree sensor monitoring the space in front of the door leaf (In the direction of the mechanical rotation) over a distance of about 25 centimeters (10 inches) and providing a signal so the control unit in case a part of a person or item is detected within the space covered, said signal resulting in an immediate reduction in rotation speed. The motorized revolving door shown in Fig. 1 has a generally cylindrical rotatable door central member 13 , which contains the electric motor drive t * o rotate said member; stationary side walls 19; and a canopy 23. As best seen i Figs. -4 and 5 , the door central member 13 is rotationally supported by a central tower 31, which has a base 32 secured to the build¬ ing floor 33 by suitable bolts 3* . A support/drive shaft 35 is secured to, rotates and supports the upper portion of the door central member 13. The shaft- 35 and door central member 13 are rotationally supported on the tower 31 by means of an upper bearing 36. A door central member motor drive 12 consists of an electric motor 37 supported on a shelf 38 of the tower 31, and- meshed drive gears 38, 39 and ^0 for allowing the motor 37 to rotate the shaft 35 and door central member 13. The lower portion of door central member 13 is rotationally guided by an idler bearing ring *4l A 1 which surrounds the lower portion of the tower 31. " Thus the support and drive arrangement for the door central member 13 Is self-contained by virtue of 5 the tower 31, so that the moving elements of the revolving door may be conveniently tested in the manufacturing plant, and subsequently rapidly and easily installed on the construction site, sub¬ stantially independent of the building structure 10 super acent to the revolving door. As shown in Figure 5, the motor drive mechanism may be entirely contained within the stationary tower 31, which may if desired, be made high enough to help support the canopy structure 23- 15 As best seen in Figs. 2a through 2d, four door panels 16 extend radially from each of the "corners" 17 of the door central member 13, each panel being hinged at the corresponding corner, said panels be- 20 ing biased into the "normal" radial positions shown in Fig. 2a by means of conventional hydraulic door closer mechanisms 18 (see Fig. 1). Each door panel 16 is held in its normal radial 25 position so that a certain minimum torque or force is required in order to swing it clockwise or counter-clockwise relativ to said normal position. The required panel deflection torque is preferably in the range of 20 to 100 Newton-meters and is 30 preferably manually adjustable. Any door panel left alone in a position between its normal position and one of its two extreme positions is influenced by a force generated by the corresponding door closer 18 to bring the door panel back to its normal position. 35 We prefer a door closer of hydraulic type function- ing within the range of 150° clockwise and 150° counterclockwise relative to the normal position, " such as door closer type GEZE 360 W power Z F=150° from Gretsch & Co. GmbH, D-725 Leonberg, West Ger- many. Although for clarity of explanation, the door closers 18 are shown in Figure 1. as being visible to persons using the door, preferably they should be hidden a- bove the level of the canopy 23. As best seen In Fig. 2a, the diagonal dimension C of the central member 13 is at least 0.3 of the revolving door diameter D, and is preferably on the order of 2% thereof. The radial dimension R of the central member 13 is preferably at least about 75$ of the door panel width d. The width of each of the door panels 16 is no greater than 3 $ of the width D of the revolving door; and the radial dimension R of the central member 13 is at least 15$ of the revolving door width D. Each of the door panels 16 is capable of swinging through an angle of at least 125 clockwise and counter-clockwise relative to Its normal position; said angel preferably being in the range of 125 to 135^ In large diameter revolving doors providing passage for persons with large dimension items, the radial " distance R between the rotation axis and door panel hinge axis may be in the range of 0.15 to 0.35 times the door diameter D, and the door will provide ac- ~ "" ceptable emergency exit for the building served by __the door. Revolving doors with small diameters will not usually provide emergency passageways of suffi¬ cient width if made according to the present in- vention. Doors according to the present invention are for this reason most suitable for doors with diameters exceeding two meters. At night or when the building is closed, the control switch 11 Is set to a "Lock" position, which causes the control unit 10 to rotate the central member 13 (via the motor drive 12) to a locked position as shown in Fig. 2a, wherein all four door panels 16 abut the arcuate stationary walls 19. A door central member position sensor 20 coupled to the motor drive 12 and central member 13 provides a signal to the control unit 10 indicating when the central member 13 has reached the Loc * k position. Thereupon the control unit 10 engages the automatic door panel locks 30 to prevent rotation of the door panels.16 on their hinges. The door panel locks 30 are preferably dis¬ posed substantially in the structure" of the canopy 23. When it is evening, or at other times when building traffic is low, or when the door rotation is to be stopped for any other reason, the control switch 11 is set to a "Stop" position in which the central member 13 remains stationary in the position shown in Figure 2a. but the automatic door panel, locks 20 are not activated, so that individuals may traverse the revolving door by pushing two aligned door panels Where automatic evening operation is desired, the control unit 10 may be set ("evening" position of switch 11) so that each time a person is detected by OMPI one of the ultrasonic or radar Doppler-effect de¬ tectors or entry sensors 22, the control unit causes •the central member 13 to rotate for a period of 2 minutes, during which operation is as hereafter described for the "Day" modes. When rapid and/or unobstructed ingress and egress through the revolving door is desired, for example during the summer, the door panels 16 may be manually rotated to the positions shown in either Fig. 2c or 2d, and maintained in said positions by conventional (automatically operating) retainers, which are a part of each of the hydraulic closers 18. In an emergency, the door panels 16 may be manually rotated to lie flat against the central member 13 • as shown in Fig. 2b, and maintained in said positions by the aforementioned retainers. The resulting emergency passageways are available independently of the position in which the revolving door central member has stopped; and regardless of whether the central member 13 is moving or stationaty. The utilization of the emergency passageway does not require use of any tools or maneuvering or handles; a simple pressing force applied to a door panel will open up the passageway. Thus our motorized revolving door provides, the advantages of a revolving door and simultaneously a permanently and instantly available emergency exit for a panicky crowd, the emergency exit comprising a permanent indoor opening to the revolving door, two passageways around the central member 13, and a permanent opening from the revolving door to the outside area. The total width of the emergency OΪ,iPI passageways throughout their extension equals or exceeds the width of the permanent openings to the revolving door. This combination of functions eliminates the need for additional wall area and floor space for placing an emergency exit door next to a revolving door; and Improves security by eliminating an opening In the building wall. The motor control unit 10 (fig. 3) is operated by a control switch 11 which has a position "Day" allowing the motor drive 12 to turn the doer central member 13 counterclockwise with a speed. o .one: revolution per minute (r.p.m.) except when a person is recog¬ nized by one of the entry sensors 1*4, in which case the control unit 10 increases-the speed to be four r.p.m. This speed is maintained during one full revolution, after which the speed is again reduced to one r.p.m. The slow 1 r.p.m. "resting speed" Indicates the direction in which to pass through the door and also reduces the time required to reach the desired 4 r.p.m. speed for passage. If a person entering the revolving door moves toe slowly, in relation to the speed of the door, his presence is recognized by the corresponding one of the proximity sensors 15 mounted on the door leaf catching up with him, resulting in an immediate reduction of rotating speed of the member 13 to 1 r.p.m. and thus prevent- ing an overtake. If a person falls or loses an item, he or it is reached by a door panel 16 moving at slow speed only since the proximity detectors 15 have reduced the speed of the door. The slow moving door panel is OMPI ~ IPO ~ then swung back in the clockwise direction by engagement with the person, relative to the central member 13. The deflection of the door panel from its normal position is detected by the corresponding one of the door panel swing-back sensors 21, which sends a corresponding signal to the control unit 10 to cause it to stop the rotation of the central member 13. When the person moves forward (counter¬ clockwise) or backward (clockwise) ' away from the door panel, the panel returns to its normal position and the central member 13 thereupon resumes its rotation. In case of an electrical failure, the door function- ing is as described under control switch position "■Stop" , . If the blackout period Is expected to last a long time, the door panels may be swung tc- the positions l6a as shown in Fig. 2c, leaving cnly one swingdoor l6b to be passed during entering cr leaving the building. The control unit 10 is an electronic control unit on the front panel of which there is a timer switch 24 for recording the number of hours the door has been rotating. If desired, the switch 24 may be programmed to automatically switch the control unit 10 between Day, Evening and Lock modes at predetermine-! times. The control unit 10 produces output signals for the motor drive 12 and for the automatic door panel locks 30. Signals for the motor drive are "stop", "slow speed", and "high speed". Signals for the solenoidoperated door panel locks are either- "lock" or "release". The door panel swing-back sensors 21 are Dlaced so that each one senses whether one of OMPI the four door panels lo is swung back from its normal, radial position relative to the central member 13. Swinging back is swinging against the direction of the motor drive rotation, i.e., swinging clockwise. If one door panel is swung back, the corresponding, sensor emits a signal to the control unit to cause an im¬ mediate stop of the motor drive. A normal door panel position or a position swung forward does not produce any signal, thus allowing orders of lovrer priority to be executed. The door swing-back sensors may be position sensors of magnetic type, I.e., ΞSBi 100 S obtainable from ELTRONIC, CH-3073 Gru llngen Switzer¬ land. The door panel an 1-overtaking sensors are mounted- one on each side of the door leaves reglstratlng and reporting by sending a signal in case a body or an item appears approximately 25 cm (10 inches) in front of the door panel. "In front" means in the direction given by the mechanical rotation (normally counter¬ clockwise) . The signal is a "slow speed" signal and is in priority second to a "stop" signal produced by any door panel swing-back sensor. The anti-overtaking sensors are of the "touch-free" type, preferably a light sensor, I.e., a Dihlogik OIS 20, obtainable from WEEDER-ROOT DENMARK, DK-2670 Greve Strand, Den¬ mark. The sensors 22 are placed to cover each of the two entrances to the revolving door; the outside entrance and the inside entrance. The sensors are of the non- contact type, preferably of the ultrasonic or radar type distance-responsive or Doppler effect, i.e., Doormaster type Itt 02, manufactured by H.Ξ. Michelsen Pty.Ltd., Py ble, NSW 073, Australia. 1 When an approaching person or moving object is detected by any of the entry sensors 14, a signal - 1 "passage is wanted" is emitted to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 responds to this Input by pro- 5 ducing an output signal "high speed" to the motor drive 12; this signal being maintained during approximately the time needed for the central member to rotate one full revolution running at high speed, i.e., 1/4 minute. The order is executed to the extent 10 no orders of higher priority are received from any of the door panel sensors. The door central member position sensor 20 is mounted on the central member 13 for producing a "stop" 15 signal once during each rotation if the central member. The "stop" signal enables the control unit to stop the motor drive exactly when the central member Is turned to a position placing two door panels (each with a lockplate opposite an automatic tie bolt 20 on the wall(s) 19) just inside the outdoor entrance to the door. The door central member position sensor 20 is preferably of the magnetic type, i.e., the very same type used as door panel swing-back sensor type ΞSBl 100 S, obtainable from ELTRONIC, CΞ-3 73 Grum- 25 lingen, Switzerland. The "stop" signal from the door central member position sensor is inhibited in the control unit 10 except when the control switch 11 is set on either "Lock" or "Stop". If the control switch 11 is turned to "Night", the "stop" signal 30 from the door central member position sensor 20 is inhibited in the control unit 10 for approximately two minutes after the last "passage wanted" signal is received from a door entry sensor 14. 35

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A revolving door, comprising: first and second side members having arcuate inner walls symmetrically disposed about a door rotation axis; a generally cylindrical door central member mounted for rotation about said axis in a given direction, the transverse diagonal dimension of said member having a value at least equal 0.3 of the distance between said walls as measured along a line extending through said axis, said member having four longitudinal hinge means; a door -panel pivotally secured to each of said hinge means, each door panel having a normal position extending radially of said member and being capable if rotation through a first pre¬ determined angle in said given direction and a second predetermined angle in the opposite direction; biasing means for urging each said door panel toward the normal position thereof from both of said directions and for opposing deflection of each door panel from said normal position with a predetermined threshold force torque; motor drive means for rotating said central member in said given direction; and a control unit for controlling the operation of said motor drive means. OMPI 17 2. The revolv-ing door according to claim.1, further comprising a door central member position sensor for detecting a predetermined rotational position of said central member wherein edges of all four of said door panels remote from said hinge means engage said stationary walls, said control unit including means for stopping the rotation of said central member at said predetermined rotational position in response to a stop mode signal. 3. The revolving door according to claim 2, where¬ in said control unit further comprises means for both stopping said central member in said predetermined rotational position and thereafter locking each of said side walls or canopy structure to an adjacent edge of at least one of said door panels, in response to a lock mode signal. 4. The revolving door according to claim 2, further comprising means for securing said remote edges of adjacent door panels in mutual juxtaposition. 5. The revolving door according to claim 1, or 2, or 3 or 4~ further comprising swing-back detection means for sensing deflection of each of said door panels in said opposite direction from said normal positions thereof, and means including said control unit for stopping the rotation of said central member upon sensing of such deflection by said swing-back etec- ion means. 6. The revolving door according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, further comprising anti-overtaking proximity detection means on each of said door panels for sensing the presence of an object within a prede- OMPI termlned distance from the corresponding door panel in said given direction, said control unit including means for decreasing the speed--of rotation of said control member upon sensing of said object by said anti-overtaking proximity detection means. 7. The revolving door according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, further comprising entry detection means for sensing the presence of moving objects adjacent the revolving door, said control unit including means for increasing the speed of rotation of said central member upon sensing of said moving object by said entry detection means. 8. The revolving door according to claim 1, wherein the radial distance of each of said hinge means_ from said rotation axis is in the range of 0.15 to 0.35 of said distance between said walls. 9. The revolving door according to claim 8, wherein said radial distance is between 20$ and 30$ of said distance between said walls. 10. The revolving door according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said radial distance is on the order of about 7 ? of the width of said door panels, said panels each having substantially the same width. 11. The revolving door according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, further comprising latching means for retain¬ ing said door panels in an emergency position along¬ side said central member. 12. A revolving door, comprising: OMPI first and second side members having arcuate inner wa-lls symmetrically disposed about a door rotation axis; a generally cylindrical door central member mounted for rotation about said axis in a given direction, the transverse diagonal dimension of said member having a value at least equal to 0.3 of the distance between said walls as measured along a line extending through said axis, said member having four longitudinal hinge means; a door panel pivotally secured to each of said hinge means, each door panel having a normal position extending radially of said member and being* capable of rotation through a first pre¬ determined angle in said given direction and a - second predetermined angle in the opposite direction; biasing means for urging each said door panel toward the normal position thereof from both of ~ said directions and for opposing deflection of each door panel from said normal position with a predetermined threshold force or torque; latching means for retaining said door panels in an emergency position alongside said central member; motor drive means for rotating said central member in said given direction; a control unit for controlling the operation of said motor drive means; a door central member position sensor for de¬ tecting a predetermined rotational position of said central member wherein edges of all four of said door panels remote from said hinge means engage said stationary walls, said control unit including means for stopping the rotation of said central member at said predetermined ro- tational position in response to a stop mode signal; means for locking each of said side walls to an adjacent edge of at least on of said door panels, in response to a lock mode signal; means for securing said remote edges of adjacent door panels in mutual juxtaposition; swing-back detection means for sensing de¬ flection of each of said door panels in said opposite direction from said normal position thereof, and means including said control unit for stopping the rotation of said central member upon sensing of such deflection by said swing- back detection means; anti-overtaking proximity detection means for sensing the presence of an object within a pre- determined distance from the corresponding door panel in said given direction, said control unit including means for decreasing the speed of ro¬ tation of said central member upon sensing of said object by said antl-overtaking proximity detecting means; and entry detection means for sensing the presence of moving " objects adjacent the revolving door, said control unit including means for increasing the speed of rotation of said central member upon sensing of said moving object by said entry detection means. 13. The revolving door of claim 1, wherein said first predetermined -angle is between 125° and 135°. 14. The evolving door according to claim 1 or 12, further comprising a stationary disposed within and supporting said door central member. 15. The revolving door according to claim 14, further comprising an upper central bearing for rotatably coupling the top of ' said door central member to the upper portion of said tower, and a lower bearing ring surrounding the lower portion of said tower for rotationally guiding the lower portion of said door central member. 16. The revolving door of claim 1 or 12, wherein said motor drive means is disposed substantially within said central member. OMPI

Inventors: OLESEN JORGEN ERIK
Applicants: BMT BYGNINGSAUTOMATIC AS
Application year: 1981
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E05D15, E05F15, E06B3