Patent ID: 7093692

Claim:
An elevator door control device for use in an elevator apparatus with a doorway frame having first and second vertical frame walls and horizontal upper frame wall between the first and second vertical frame walls is located in each of a car doorway and a landing doorway, opening/closing operations of a car door for opening and closing the car doorway and opening/closing operations of a landing door for opening and closing the landing doorway being controlled by the elevator door control device, the elevator door control device comprising: an obstruction sensor including a light emitter located on one of (i) the first and second vertical frame walls and (ii) the upper frame wall of at least one of the car doorway and the landing doorway and emitting detection light beams substantially along the first and second vertical frame walls, and a light detector on the other of (i) the first and second vertical frame walls and (ii) the upper frame wall for detecting the detection light beams, and detecting an obstruction proximate the first and second vertical frame walls and outputting an obstruction detection signal upon detection of any obstruction; and a door control unit for controlling the opening/closing operations in accordance with outputting of the obstruction detection signal.