1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to control and safety circuitry for use with an electronically actuated gate, or door, or the like.
More specifically, the invention relates to solid state pulse generator and counter actuators to effect automatic opening, pausing and closing cycles for an electrically powered gate. Along with selective control over the duration and sequence of normal gate operation, several safety features are included, both for the gate user and for the drive mechanism of the gate itself in the event that an abnormal, or "fault" condition occurs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrically powered gates, doors, and windows have been used in various applications for some time. While the earliest devices used failure prone electro-mechanical timers and relays for the determination of operational sequence and cycle duration, later designs have employed highly reliable solid state timers and solid state switches to perform the same functions. A similar development has occurred in external safety adapters designed to be used in conjunction with electrically actuated gates, or the like.
Exemplary of a solid state timing circuitry for use with an electric door is U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,189, issued to Peterson; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,702 issued to Petterson et al. illustrates an external solid state safety device for adaptation to an existing garage door opening and closing system.
A need still exists, however, for integrated control and safety circuitry which is reliable and simple, yet adaptable to a variety of situations where electrically operated closure apparatus is used. In other words, the prior art devices lack adaptability to satisfy the widely diverging control and safety requirements presented by a relatively slow moving and massive electrically powered gate on the one hand, and a relatively quick and light electrically powered door on the other.
Rather than adding safety features through the use of external adapters, the control circuitry of the present invention includes trigger pulse inputs which are readily interconnected with any number of safety detection devices or sensors. As a consequence, the flexible design easily provides the desired manner and extent of safety protection governing the operation of the electric gate or door without external safety circuitry.