Compare Revolving Doors to a Ferris Wheel:
Picture a ferris wheel in an amusement park; that wheel is a vertical version of a horizontally installed revolving doorway. When a single rider is seated on the ferris wheel the revolving action of that wheel can be started. This action is similar to a single user of a revolving door beginning to enter the revolving doorway. If a rider is alone on the ferris wheel he can continually circle the ride without any interference until another rider wishes to get on the wheel. Likewise, a single user of a properly adjusted automatic revolving door is free to walk at an appropriate pace, slow down or even stop without affecting any other user of the doorway. When a second person wishes to get on the ferris wheel, the first rider is subjected to having the wheel stop while that second rider enters a gondola of the ferris wheel. So, even though the first rider may not know that another guest wants to ride the wheel, the first rider is subject to waiting, or being stopped abruptly while the second rider is loaded onto another car of the ferris wheel. The rotation, positioning of patrons, and interconnected usage make using a revolving automatic door very similar to riding a ferris wheel. The main difference is that in the case of a ferris wheel, a human attendant is usually responsible for governing the operation of the wheel, while in a revolving automatic door; the movement is controlled by a diverse network of sensors communicating with a robotic motor control device.
A single user of a properly functioning automatic revolving door is not subjected to any restrictions until a second or third user may create some sort of revolving obstruction conflict. When this happens everything from a slowing down of the revolution of the doorway to a complete stalling can and does occur. The first user of the doorway is now subjected to the behavior and potential improper usage of the revolving doorway by each consecutive successive user of these shared doorways.
I am not faulting the manufacturers of revolving doorways. In order to be in compliance with current standards, all modern revolving doors include multiple sensory systems. These devices include motion and pressure sensors of various designs and types providing the informational input to the motor controller. This machine sensory input is equivalent to human senses providing information to our brains. The main differences are the limitations of processing abilities and lack of independent thought in the door motor controller.
All manufacturers of automated door products strive to make their devices as safe as possible. One of the most basic problems where these door systems are installed is that the building management or owners do not understand how potentially serious an injury from these automated revolving door systems can be. Door manufacturers typically participate in industry programs where standards for performance and safe operation are determined and specified. Unfortunately, there seems to be a complete disconnection between many original design ideals from the manufacturer and the installation and maintenance programs followed by various service providers and end users.
By the time an injury has happened, it is common to observe sensors that have been seriously damaged, disconnected, or out of alignment. Maintenance providers, whether in-house or from a door service company, often make bad decisions and do not follow all of the recommendations and requirements suggested by the revolving door manufacturers. When improper service and maintenance has taken place, in essence, the revolving door has been blinded from the sensory input that was designed to protect the users of these door systems from harm.
The decision to use a revolving doorway over another type of automated device is promoted for a variety of reasons. Air locks, traffic patterns, and architects and designers promoting an upscale product and a specific design look are just a few reasons for making the revolving door choice. But the reality of the daily operation, maintenance, and potential patron usage and abuse make the revolving doors less appealing in the real world than other automatic door choices. It is critically important to understand the customer demographics and customer base abilities when deciding to install any kind of automatic door system. In many businesses that attract elderly, handicapped or disabled people, they often use motorized scooters or wheel chairs as their primary mode of transportation. Older people are often walking with a cane or walker, and these devices limit their mobility. Walking or riding in a circular path of a revolving doorway leads to additional problems that make entering a building significantly more difficult than walking through a sliding, parting, or swinging door system. Damage to the revolving door panels is more prevalent when motorized carts and wheel chairs are commonly used by the customer base, as the panels are constantly hit by poorly controlled conveyances.