Threshold-free, non-standard-sized pivoting exterior door system for residential or office premises

Abstract

A thresholdless, non-standard-sized, wooden, pivoting exterior door system for residential or office premises, which offers air and water tightness and provides acceptable thermal resistance under standard conditions; characterized by: - ​​the composition of its mechanical structure of wooden uprights and rails (a) composed of three layers of wood species of equal thickness: larch, chestnut and oak, - the connection between the upper and lower rails (b) and the structure is ensured by a rubber scraper seal technology (c) which ensures a permanent connection to the lower and upper parts of the structure, - the connection between the external uprights of the door (d) and the structure is ensured by tubular-section shaped rubber seals.- finally and with regard to the air and water tightness of the pivot joint (e), the latter is ensured by a cylindrical thermoplastic elastomer seal (f) which surrounds the pivot point at the top and bottom of the door.

Description

Title of the invention: Threshold-free, non-standard-sized pivoting exterior door device for residential or office premises

[0001] Generally, a pivot door is characterized by the fact that the door opens by pivoting around a vertical axis formed by two coaxial cylindrical elements: one located in the door lintel and the other on the door threshold. A pivot door differs from a hinged door in that it does not have lateral hinges mounted on the vertical frames.

[0002] Pivot doors are also called off-center pivot doors because their pivot axis can be placed at any distance between the door frame and the center of the opening.

[0003] The advantage of an exterior pivot door lies in the fact that the pivot axis "works" under a shear force, which significantly reduces the mechanical pull-out stresses at the points where it connects to the frame, unlike what occurs with hinged doors, which are mounted on hinges fixed to the jambs. This is particularly beneficial in the case of strong winds, as the force is distributed over the surfaces around the pivot axis, thus reducing sudden openings of the door. Therefore, for a pivot axis centered on the door leaf, the pressures exerted by the wind are balanced and the door does not open.

[0004] The disadvantages of this technology stem from the fact that the doors require a threshold for sealing, which prevents good accessibility for people with reduced mobility.

[0005] In the case of a thresholdless pivoting exterior door, current solutions consist of placing an overhang on the facade in order to limit water entry, however this arrangement does not guarantee water tightness which can trickle and flow under the door, therefore their use is limited to entrance vestibules.

[0006] Sealing devices exist for thresholdless doors, such as gaskets or removable door skirtings, but these devices are constrained: either the gasket rubs on the floor and its lifespan is limited, or the gasket acts when the door comes into contact with the fixed part (which is not possible by definition for this technology where the door does not have a frame to support the compression of a gasket, otherwise it would no longer turn), or the skirting is activated and the skirting seal comes to rest on the floor, which does not guarantee sealing at the pivot point.

[0007] Particularly for non-standard sized wooden doors, required for access by persons with reduced mobility, the loads related to the large surfaces accentuate the deformations of the door leaf and increase the openings allowing air and water to pass through. The load distribution according to the different types of wood and the effects of the kinematics of the pivoting mechanism are not known.

[0008] The current state of known knowledge can be distinguished according to two distinct technological families: the first technological family relates to pivoting doors, the second family to sealing devices by joint or by retractable baseboards.

[0009] Regarding the first family – pivot doors: Current pivot doors are primarily designed for interior spaces where a particular aesthetic is desired, for example, because these doors present a surface that is coplanar with the partitions when closed. These interior doors do not require a threshold, which facilitates access for people with reduced mobility. Waterproofing is not required indoors, and thermal insulation between two interior spaces can be limited to brushes at the bottom of the door. Doors like these are not suitable for the purpose of our study. Manufacturers such as BARAUSSE and GAROFOLI offer this type of door.

[0010] Particularly for exterior doors, companies such as, for example, ® « OIKOS » (aluminium, steel), ® « BERTOLI , ® « BEL'M » (wooden doors for the latter two), offer devices which have performance adapted for use as an exterior door, however these devices are limited in that they require the presence of an exterior shelter to guarantee water and air tightness, and on the other hand, they are not designed for non-standard dimensions.

[0011] We can cite patents DE102015109315, EP2710212 relating to a pivot for a pivot door, however this patent does not provide a solution for water and air tightness in the case of a pivot door.

[0012] Regarding the second technological family mentioned—sealing devices using gaskets or retractable baseboards—we can mention patents FR1535080 and FR2502681, which are used for sealing the bottom of the door. However, the devices presented are not suitable for ensuring sealing around a pivot point on the lower part of the door. Indeed, retractable baseboard devices are located along the entire length of the door frame.

[0013] Presentation of the invention: The invention relates to a thresholdless, non-standard-sized, wooden, pivoting exterior door device for residential or office premises, for door dimensions up to 4.5 meters. high and 3.5 meters wide, which exhibits airtight and watertight qualities and provides acceptable thermal resistance under standard conditions; this device is particularly suitable for people with reduced mobility (who use wheelchairs, for example, or stretchers). The device is characterized – in the composition of its mechanical structure – by the use of wooden uprights and crossbeams (a) composed of three layers of wood species of equal thickness (glued laminated timber): the first outer layer, exposed to the elements, is made of larch; the second, at the core of the structure, is chestnut; and finally, the third, for the inner part of the structure, is oak.- The connection between the upper and lower rails (b) and the structure is ensured by a rubber scraper seal technology (c) which provides a permanent connection to the upper and lower parts of the structure (flat surfaces generally made of masonry), and thus a permanent seal of the upper and lower perimeter of the door to the structure; - The connection between the outer jambs of the door (d) and the structure is ensured by tubular-section rubber seals (g), which are not in permanent contact with the structure, but only when a section of the door is in contact with the structure. This results in reduced mechanical stresses for this type of seal; - Finally, with regard to the air and water tightness of the pivot joint (e), this is ensured by a cylindrical "TPE" (thermoplastic elastomer) seal (f) which surrounds the pivot point at the top and bottom of the door.

[0014] With respect to the connection between the joints (c, f, g) this is continuous in such a way that the perimeter of the door cannot suffer from a loss of sealing.

[0015] Glossary: a) wooden uprights and crossbeams, b) upper and lower crossbars, c) rubber scraper seals, d) outer door uprights, e) pivot joint, f) cylindrical thermoplastic elastomer seal g) Tubular section shaped rubber seals placed on the outer uprights of the structure.

Claims

[Claim 1] Demands A non-standard, threshold-free, wooden, pivoting exterior door system for residential or office premises, offering airtight and watertight qualities and acceptable thermal resistance under standard conditions; characterized by: - the composition of its mechanical structure of the wooden uprights and crossbeams (a) composed of three layers of wood species of equal thickness: the first outer layer of the structure is subject to the weather and is composed of larch, the second in the heart of the structure of chestnut and finally the third for the inner part of the structure of oak, - the connection between the upper and lower crossbars (b) and the structure is ensured by a rubber scraper seal technology (c) which ensures a permanent connection to the lower and upper parts of the structure, and thus a permanent seal of the upper and lower periphery of the door to the structure, - The connection between the outer door uprights (d) and the structure is ensured by tubular rubber seals. - Finally, regarding the air and water tightness of the pivot joint (e), this is ensured by a cylindrical thermoplastic elastomer seal (f) which surrounds the pivot point at the top and bottom of the door.