Electrically powered automatic doors and access systems operate using a combination of sensors, control mechanisms, and motors to facilitate convenient and safe entry or exit from a building or area. The specific operation can vary based on the type of system, but here's a general overview of how these systems work:
Sensors: Automatic doors and access systems are equipped with various types of sensors to detect the presence of individuals or objects in their vicinity. These sensors include:
Motion Sensors: These detect movement within a certain range. They can be based on technologies like infrared, ultrasonic waves, or microwave motion detection.
Presence Sensors: These sensors detect the presence of a person or object in a designated area. They might use infrared beams or other technologies to determine whether someone is approaching the door.
Pressure Sensors: Some systems use pressure-sensitive mats placed on the floor to detect the weight of someone standing on or walking over the mat.
Control Mechanism: The sensors feed information to a control unit, which processes the data and decides how the door should respond. This control unit is often a microprocessor or a programmable logic controller (PLC).
Motor and Actuators: Automatic doors require a motor or actuator to physically open and close the door panels. Depending on the type of door, these can be sliding, swinging, revolving, or folding mechanisms. The motor or actuator is controlled by the control unit based on the inputs from the sensors.
Door Panels: The actual door panels are attached to the motor or actuator. When the control unit receives a signal from the sensors indicating the need to open the door, it activates the motor to move the door panels accordingly.
Safety Features: Automatic doors are equipped with safety features to prevent accidents. These may include:
Safety Sensors: These sensors detect obstacles or people in the door's path, preventing the door from closing on them.
Emergency Stop Buttons: These allow individuals to manually stop the door's operation in case of an emergency.
Safety Mats: Pressure-sensitive mats can also be used to halt the door's operation if someone is standing on the mat.
Access Control: In addition to basic automatic door systems, more advanced access systems may require additional components like key card readers, biometric scanners (fingerprint or retina scanners), numeric keypads, or other authentication methods. These systems ensure that only authorized individuals can gain access.
Programming and Configuration: Modern systems can be programmed to operate in different ways, such as adjusting the door's opening and closing speed, delay times, and behavior during various conditions (e.g., low traffic times, high traffic times, emergency situations).
In summary, electrically powered automatic doors and access systems use a combination of sensors, control mechanisms, motors, and safety features to detect people and objects, control the movement of the doors, and provide convenient and secure access to buildings or areas. The specific operation can vary based on the type of door and the sophistication of the access control system in place.