“It is our continual aim to develop systems with which we can increase the safety level for passengers,” explains Horst Grein, Senior Expert Application Engineering Bus in the Material Solutions business division. HÜBNER has now expanded the product range of its door safety systems with new designs. These solutions are compatible for all systems currently on the market.
New developments for use with existing systems
“With these developments we can offer ideal and highly practical additions to existing systems. Adaptations are unproblematic for door safety systems which did not originally come from HÜBNER,” says Tim Konze, Global Key Account Manager Bus in HÜBNER’s Material Solutions business division.
One pioneering development is a specialization for the SensIQ touchless system. This is integrated in the finger protection profile of a sliding door and uses a light curtain to ensure on a touchless basis that people and objects are not trapped in a closing door. As soon as an object or passenger crosses the light curtain, the door automatically opens again or remains open.
SensIQ touchless: 90-degree light curtain for inward-swinging doors
Thanks to this further development, SensIQ touchles can now also reliably prevent the closing of inward-swinging doors on a touchless basis. Due to its space-saving characteristics, this type of door system is frequently used in vehicles in the bus sector.
With the new technology from HÜBNER, a light curtain is projected at a 90-degree angle in the entry area of inward-swinging doors. As with the 180-degree angle light curtain used in sliding doors, the SensIQ touchles detects persons or objects that are located in the closing area. Appropriate signals are used to stop the door-closing process and protect the passengers.
New possibilities for finger protection profile with silicone
HÜBNER is also making use of innovative new material formulations in door safety systems, explains Tim Konze: “Silicone offers entirely new possibilities for use at the door’s leading edge – and this is crucial for the signal when body parts or objects are in the way of a closing door. Its particular advantage is the reliable functionality it provides throughout a very large temperature range. From Siberia to Death Valley, from the Norwegian North Cape to Andalusia or the Arabian desert – finger protection profiles made of silicone provide reliable performance even in the most extreme conditions.”
The Silicone Competence Center at HÜBNER subsidiary PolymerTechnik Ortrand GmbH (PTO) came into operation in 2022 and is producing special silicone profiles also for the bus market. As a material, silicone also offers the possibility of integrating signaling colors in the profiles. “With the Silicone Competence Center as part of our company group, we are able to respond more flexibly to customer requirements with innovations and special solutions,” says Tim Konze.
Dedicated HÜBNER website for Busworld
In connection with its presence at Busworld Europe, HÜBNER has published a dedicated website that brings together all the product information and highlights from the exhibition: www.hubner-group.com/busworldeurope-2023
