Regenerative Automatic Door Opener For Improved Workplace Safety Mark Bernacki, Ben Fagan, Mike MacLeod, Matt Van Wierin

1. POSTER TEMPLATE • This is a suggested poster format to highlight key information relevant to our conference audience • Poster template dimensions are set for 3 ft. high x 5 ft. wide • Poster display boards and set up materials will be provided at the conference Regenerative Automatic Door Opener For Improved Workplace Safety Mark Bernacki, Ben Fagan, Mike MacLeod, Matt Van Wieringen Figure 1 Regenerative Automatic Door Opener Research Question / Workplace Problem To develop a means for harnessing and subsequently storing the mechanical energy generated by a person opening and closing a door so that the energy can later used by a person wishing to open the door automatically. The goal is to eliminate the electrical connection between a standard automatic door opening device and the electrical distribution system in order to conserve energy and improve safety in the event of a power outage or fire, which would otherwise render the power assisted opening of the door unuseable, trapping people relying on this technology inside. • Audience Elderly, handicapped, landlords/building owners Key Messages There is an inherent need to improve the safety and energy consumption of private and public buildings. To do so new methods for conserving and storing otherwise wasted energy must be developed. Be capturing some of the energy required to open and close a door manually in the form of a compressed gas we can effectively cut all ties to the existing electrical system and simplify the automatic door opener by removing costly electrical components. In doing so we can provide safe, reliable access into and out of buildings even in the event of a power failure or fire, which cuts the electrical power to the building. The device is also useful in spark-less and other hazardous environments that cannot run the risk of using potentially dangerous electrical components. Methods / Approach To develop a solution to the workplace problem presented above we have followed a standard engineering design process. 1. Define the problem 2. Brainstorm Potential Solutions 3. Evaluate Selected Solutions 4. Refine best concept through mathematical modelling/analysis 5. Develop Prototype 6. Testing/Refinement By way of this method we were able to develop a fully functional prototype that produced results in support of our initial analysis. Diagram / Graphs / Pictures • Conclusions • In conclusion we have created a device that offers the same features and functions as a standard electrical automatic door opener such as: • Timed Automatic Opening • Dampened Closing • 2-Remote Opening Buttons • Our device then goes beyond the capabilities of a standard electrical automatic door opener by offering: • Quiet Regenerative Pneumatic Technology • 4:1 Recharge Ratio • 100% Green Energy • No electrical components • Improved safety in power outage/fire Findings / Evaluation Through extensive testing of our prototype we found that our device was capable of storing enough energy to prove reliable and safe in a variety of settings such as: shopping malls, hotels, other large buildings. It was efficient in its ability to convert store and reuse the mechanical energy from manual door openings and requires no electrical components or connections. We also were able to determine a series of improvements for the device which are in the process of being implemented in a second prototype with the hopes of it being ready for market in the near future. Funded By: Dr. Remon Pop-Iliev, NSERC GMCL Chair