[sudo-access] [sudo-discuss] help build a motorized front-door opener for omni commons

Jake jake at spaz.org
Tue Jan 24 11:24:15 PST 2017


the door needs to move freely when the motor is not running.

so a screwjack would not work.  but the stuff we have should be fine i think.

see you tonight!

-jake

On Tue, 24 Jan 2017, hol at gaskill.com wrote:

> I can come work on the hardware side this evening.  Would an off the shelf 
> electric screwjack work just as well?  I have one spare, 200# force and 12" 
> throw, 12V 4A stall current IIRC.
>
> On 2017-01-19 15:23, Jake wrote:
>> note:  this email goes to four lists.  Please reply only to the Access and
>> Building lists to avoid clogging Omni and Sudo lists with this thread.
>> 
>> I just want to bump this thread and see if anyone is available to work on 
>> the
>> physical aspects of the door opener I describe below, and as shown in this
>> diagram:
>> 
>> http://spaz.org/~jake/pix/omnidoormotor1.png
>> 
>> I am willing to do the electronics part of it and make it work with our
>> existing system, but I would like others to help with the building of a 
>> bracket
>> to hold the motor in place over the door, and the woodwork and nuts&bolts 
>> of
>> making the 2x2 stick with steel cable attached to it.
>> 
>> -jake
>> 
>> 
>> On Tue, 17 Jan 2017, Jake wrote:
>> 
>>> the wheelchair motor that Robb wanted to use for a projection screen
>>> raise/lower thing is something else.
>>> 
>>> The motor I want to use for the front door opener is this one:
>>> 
>>> http://imgur.com/gallery/MLuT7
>>> 
>>> it's in sudoroom in a milk crate.  Robb and I remove the wheel and the 
>>> tire,
>>> and now it's ready for the motor to be mounted on a bracket that will hold 
>>> it
>>> in the right place, which is slightly higher than the top of the door, and
>>> basically 2' south of the door's hinges.
>>> 
>>> then, a 2x2 of wood will attach to the top corner of the door with a 
>>> hinge, and
>>> it will have a cord of this rubber-wrapped steel cable (which I have) go 
>>> from
>>> one end of the 2x2 to the other, taking a couple of turns around the motor
>>> wheel.  It will look like this:
>>> 
>>> http://spaz.org/~jake/pix/omnidoormotor1.png
>>> 
>>> as you can see from this diagram, when the motor turns its wheel clockwise 
>>> (as
>>> viewed from above) the 2x2 stick will be pushed in the direction that 
>>> opens the
>>> door.  If it's not clear, the rubber-wrapped steel cable (shown in 
>>> red/black
>>> stripes) is attached to the 2x2 stick at both ends, but it makes a couple 
>>> of
>>> turns around the wheel of the motor on its way.
>>> 
>>> anyway, i chose this motor because when it's not being energized with
>>> electricity, it's free-moving which means it won't interfere with regular 
>>> door
>>> movement.  But when we activate it, it will be strong enough to open or 
>>> close
>>> the door as we tell it to do.
>>> 
>>> The issues you mention about battery backup are not a problem.  We already 
>>> have
>>> a battery backup for the front door card (and soon RFID) access system, 
>>> and
>>> this motorized thing will be battery-backed as well.
>>> 
>>> I am willing to do the electrical part of this project, and I have already
>>> acquired the rubber-coated steel cable and motor, but I ask that other 
>>> people
>>> take care of mounting the motor on a suitable frame above the door and 
>>> help
>>> make the 2x2 stick on a hinge which will attach to the door.
>>> 
>>> I will be at sudoroom tomorrow night (tuesday night at 7) in case anyone 
>>> wants
>>> to meet with me about this.
>>> 
>>> -jake
>>> 
>>> On Mon, 16 Jan 2017, David Keenan wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I remember hearing about that wheelchair motor -- if it's the same one,
>>>> last I heard Robb had wanted to use it to raise/lower a projection screen
>>>> for the stage..? So I didn't think of it for this project, but if we can
>>>> use it and save ourselves some money, that's great!
>>>> 
>>>> I realize you may have already considered this aspect but as a DIY opener
>>>> will also need to comply with code requirements, do you think you can
>>>> design a system measurably compliant with:
>>>> 
>>>> - opening / closing force (<5lb) and speed (max. *N* seconds to close)
>>>> requirements throughout the swing, during automatic operation and manual
>>>> operation per ANSI/BHMA A156.19 for low-energy-operated doors, ICC 
>>>> A117.1,
>>>> ADA and whatever may be found in CBC?
>>>> 
>>>> - req'd UPS / backup battery power for opener, for *N* many operations
>>>> (need to look it up)
>>>> 
>>>> - compliant location of upper and lower door actuators (buttons), assume
>>>> this will be no issue
>>>> 
>>>> If it's helpful, here is a decent article I found that glosses the 
>>>> subject
>>>> of codes for low-energy openers:
>>>> http://www.constructionspecifier.com/understanding-new-accessibility-requirements-for-doors/
>>>> <http://www.constructionspecifier.com/understanding-new-accessibility-requirements-for-doors/>
>>>> 
>>>> Given the above, and I realize I only now just brought this up to you, 
>>>> but
>>>> I guess my only concern about any DIY implementation is, if you / access
>>>> group has the time to implement it relatively soon..? E.g., do you think 
>>>> it
>>>> might be possible to complete in the next 2-3 weeks or so..?
>>>> 
>>>> I realize perhaps that is an unfair question to ask before you've really
>>>> started hacking on it, but I'm also trying to be realistic and pragmatic
>>>> wrt to how busy everyone is and the understandably extended timelines of
>>>> volunteer labor in general that comprises the bulk of omni efforts --
>>>> 
>>>> If after reviewing the door req's, you think a DIY system is doable in 
>>>> the
>>>> next 2-3 wks, let me know how / when I can help hack on this and I will
>>>> follow up with you and access control group directly -- and perhaps we 
>>>> can
>>>> set a date to meet up about it?
>>>> 
>>>> Best,
>>>> David
>>>> 
>>>> On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 12:20 AM, Maureen Muldavin <muldavin.m at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> If you are working on RFID cards any possibility that the entrance to
>>>>> sudo/ccl could get a card reader? Been wanting access control for
>>>>> awhile.
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Sun, Jan 15, 2017 at 11:46 PM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>>>>>> i brought in a wheelchair motor a while ago that I think could be made
>>>>> into
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> power door-opener pretty well.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I can work on a proof-of-concept for that and then be able to show you
>>>>> what
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> mean, and then we can see if it will be good enough for our needs as
>>>>> opposed
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> spending $2800 on a "proper" door opener.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> as for the RFID cards, Alex and I have been working on implementing the
>>>>> card
>>>>>> reader thing for a little while and I think I can add it to the front
>>>>> door
>>>>>> pretty relatively easily.., and I guess i'll do that first, rather than
>>>>>> trying
>>>>>> to do a storage closet first?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> as always, if anyone wants to participate in this process they should
>>>>>> definitely jump in, otherwise it's subject to my chaotic schedule.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> technical questions about making this happen should be sent to the 
>>>>>> access
>>>>>> list
>>>>>> and possibly the sudoroom list, but probably not the building list as 
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> will
>>>>>> be a major distraction if we get into the weeds of microcontroller 
>>>>>> boards
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> door server code...
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> also, yes I do have the box of RFID stuff you ordered and i've been
>>>>> working
>>>>>> on
>>>>>> it~
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -jake
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Sun, 15 Jan 2017, David Keenan wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Hi Jake / access control folks -
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> So now that our front door is publicly labelled as accessible, we need
>>>>> to
>>>>>>> install an automatic door opener & remote button (kickplate &
>>>>> hand-height
>>>>>>> or a long bar) to make it legal.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Reason I bring this up to you guys is, the opener system will need to
>>>>>>> integrate into our existing/future access control somehow. The quote I
>>>>> got
>>>>>>> is $2800 (50% parts, 50% labor) for a package including the Open 
>>>>>>> Sesame
>>>>>>> Model 233 (brochure
>>>>>>> <http://www.opensesamedoor.com/index_htm_files/open_sesame_brochure.pdf
>>>>>> ,
>>>>>>> spec
>>>>>>> sheet 
>>>>>>> <http://www.opensesamedoor.com/index_htm_files/specs_model233.pdf
>>>>>> ),
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> made in San Leandro.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Also, some of us met last week re: sketching out Omni's accessibility
>>>>>>> plan,
>>>>>>> and Yar suggested this might be a good time to also implement RFID
>>>>> system
>>>>>>> for the front door, if that was possible? In part because, proximity 
>>>>>>> to
>>>>> an
>>>>>>> RFID fob is more accessible than a card swipe which (after thinking
>>>>> about
>>>>>>> it) I realized requires a pincing motion that is likely not ADA...
>>>>> because
>>>>>>> of the excessive door opening pressure and iffy slope on the front
>>>>>>> landing,
>>>>>>> we need an RFID & auto-opener.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> So -- I'm not sure if any more work has been done on the RFID systems 
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> put
>>>>>>> in sudo a little while ago (stashed in under-stair storage area), 
>>>>>>> might
>>>>> it
>>>>>>> be possible to integrate these into the door opener? I note in the
>>>>>>> brochure
>>>>>>> they offer a keypad access option - perhaps an opportunity for 
>>>>>>> 2-factor
>>>>>>> authentication like Marc had talked about? Anyhow what do you guys
>>>>> think?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I apologize for not helping y'all more with a better access control
>>>>> system
>>>>>>> (helping spaces post-ghostship consumed my bandwidth), but as there is
>>>>> now
>>>>>>> renewed pressure I want to help as I can. Would installing a trial
>>>>>>> RFID/throw on the Omni Office for example still be helpful towards
>>>>> getting
>>>>>>> this nailed down? Lmk
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Fwiw - I see the opener as pressing at this point not just 'cause its
>>>>> long
>>>>>>> overdue, but because every day our front door is labelled as 
>>>>>>> accessible
>>>>>>> when it's technically not, is actually a not-insignificant liability
>>>>> issue
>>>>>>> (accessibility lawsuit). Plus of course, we are still under scrutiny 
>>>>>>> by
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> city, nimby neighbors trying to call us out for bogus reasons, etc 
>>>>>>> etc.
>>>>>>> And
>>>>>>> per building code the front door must be made fully accessible before
>>>>> any
>>>>>>> other accessibility work starts on the rest of the building - at some
>>>>>>> point
>>>>>>> an inspector's gonna notice since they all go through that 
>>>>>>> door..anyhow.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Let me know how myself & those of us working on accessibility might be
>>>>>>> able
>>>>>>> to help -
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>> David
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
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