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Since 2013 all automated pedestrian doors are required to comply with the European harmonised safety standard EN16005. It addresses the main risk zones on a door. The regulations require pedestrians to be sensed without making contact.
The industry has responded with a host of intelligent infrared detection devices. Safety devices need to be checked before each operation, which requires an EN16005 controller. Regulations only apply to safety sensors.
We make 3 categories of sensor;
* Activation sensors
* Combined activation and presence sensors
* Swing door sensors
All our safety sensors are EN16005 compliant when they are used as directed. Further information on EN16005 can be found by following the link below.
Activation devices
Microwave sensors
The most common activation sensors use microwaves. They only detect movement, so cannot be used for presence. Microwave activation sensors programmed to detect people only approaching the door are called uni-directional.
Microwave sensors are insensitive to pedestrians walking across the entrance (cross traffic) which is a benefit. They have a wide detection range set by adjusting the antenna angle, and a sensitivity adjustment. Range is also better than other technologies.
Microwave sensors ping out 24GHz radio waves, then measure the frequency reflected back from the target. If the frequency is the same, there is no movement. If the person is walking towards the sensor the frequency will be higher. This is the doppler effect.
AIR sensors
Active Infrared sensors emit a beam of infrared, then measure the reflection. AIR sensors are normally fixed above the door pointing downwards, because their range is limited. On power-up, the sensor measures ambient reflection from the floor. A positive detection is a reflection greater than the ambient set on power-up.
The output remains on while an object is within the field of view. The AIR method can be used for safety when a EN16005 test input is provided. AIR sensors can be small and low power, ideal for the wireless example shown on the right.
Exit buttons
Often fitted for disabled access. They need to be at an accessible height for wheel chair users.
Foot switch
This foot switch maybe used on industrial pedestrian doors where people can't use hand switches for hygene reasons, or they are carrying goods. The cavity space has a photobeam to detect the toe. Mount at low level.
PIR sensors
Passive Infrared sensors are old technology used mostly in alarm system applications. It is cheap tecnology with poor discernment, so seldom used on automatic doors.
Passive Infrared sensors measure levels of infrared radiation from two zones. The field of view is separated into vertical strips by a fresnel lens. The detector compares the sum of IR radiation (heat) from the even strips with the sum of radiation from the odd strips. Any sudden change in balance is interpretted as movement.
They are prone to false triggering by moving curtains or shadows.
Floor mats
Though still used, they are probably only specified for replacement. Pressure sensitive mats need to be fitted under carpets near the entrance.
Combined activation & presence devices
Combined activation and presence sensors are a convenient package for some automatic doors. The presence sensor part must be EN16005 compliant with with a test input. Most sensors use active infrared or LIDAR technolog for presence sensing.
Combined sensors are fitted to the lintel above sliding doors and the outside face of a swing door that opens inwards. The presence senor points vertically downwards, with the door just beyond the field of view, often referred to a safety curtain.
The activation element of combined sensors can be another safety curtain, or a separate microwave sensor. Two sensors in a single package with a single processor is not only a convenient package to instal, it is has considerable cost savings from hardware to wiring.
With microwave activation
The drawing shows a combined device on a sliding door. Blue dots are the safety curtain. Oval pink zone is a microwave activation zone. Although the pink zone is wider than an equivelent AIR device, microwave detectors do not detect on cross traffic, and uni-directional types only activate on entry, not exit.
With active IR activation
In this case the pink zone is replaced by three curtain rows of red dots. Sensor element adjustment allows some variation in width and depth away from the door.
The real benefit comes with intelligent analysis of the active beams represented by dots.
Bluezone thru door presence
Look carefully, and you will see the first line of blue dots is in or beyond the door line. When a pedestrian walks from row 5 to 4, to 3, row 1 can be activated as a safety curtain.
When the first activation is on row 1, it can only be a pedestrian approaching from the other side. This logic allows row 1 to look back through the opening to provide an additional line of protection.
Swing door sensors
The regulations identify three risk zones; the door face, the door's leading edge, and the hinge area. To prevent a swing door leaf opening or closing onto a pedestrian, the door needs a DROPscan sensor on each side to protect the door faces. Other sensors may be required.
DROPscan units are made in five lengths with 1 to 5 sensor modules to accomodate all door sizes. Module in the DROPscan have four beams that sense the floor level on power-up, then set a threshold above floor.
DROPscan made in five lengths
ARCscan on a pair of doors
ARCscan is a new sensor fixed in each side of a swing door. Corner mounting allows the ARCscan to protect the high risk hinge zone.
Like DROPscan, it uses LIDAR technology to find the floor on power-up, then sets the threshold within an allowable margin.
There is a master on one side and slave on the other. Each side shoots 6 beams in an arc. As a presence sensor, ARCscan is EN16005 compliant with with a test input.
