Supplemental Door Actuator for ADA-Compliant Latching Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current door closer systems often fail to provide sufficient closing force to ensure doors latch in the closed position, especially when configured to meet ADA requirements for manual opening force, leading to incomplete closure.
Innovation Solution
A power boost assembly that stores energy during door opening and releases it during closure to enhance the closing force, ensuring the door latches properly without increasing the opening force, and can be modularly integrated with existing door and door closer installations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the door closer is set to provide sufficient closing force to ensure latching, then the door closure reliability is improved, but the manual opening force exceeds ADA requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The door closer accumulates energy during the door opening process by compressing a spring, and then releases this stored energy during the closing process to provide enhanced closing force. This preliminary energy storage action allows the system to deliver high closing force without requiring high opening force, resolving the contradiction between closure reliability and ADA compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The door closer operates in periodic cycles: during door opening, the spring is compressed and energy is stored; during door closing, the stored energy is released to provide boost force. This periodic energy accumulation and release pattern enables the system to meet both ADA opening force requirements and ensure reliable latching closure.
2Force
If the door closer provides high closing force to ensure latching, then the door latches securely, but the opening force requirement cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is pre-compressed during door opening, storing energy that will be released during closing. This preliminary action of energy accumulation during the opening phase enables high closing force without increasing the effort required to open the door, thus maintaining ease of operation while ensuring secure latching.
Solution Approach 2:
The door closer changes the force parameter dynamically throughout the door cycle: low force during opening (to meet ADA requirements), high force during closing (to ensure latching). The spring mechanism enables this parameter change by storing energy during opening and releasing it during closing, resolving the contradiction between closing force and ease of opening operation.
3Ease of operation
If the door closer is configured for ADA compliance with low opening force, then ease of operation is improved, but closing force is insufficient to ensure latching
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is compressed during door opening, accumulating energy that will be released during closing to provide the necessary latching force. This preliminary energy storage action enables the door closer to maintain low opening force for ADA compliance while ensuring sufficient closing force for reliable latching.
Solution Approach 2:
The door closer converts the energy that would otherwise be lost during door opening into useful stored energy in the spring. This converted energy is then released during closing to ensure reliable latching, transforming a potential waste into a beneficial contribution to door closure reliability.
4Reliability
If the closing force is increased to ensure latching, then door closure reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door closer merges the opening and closing functions into a single integrated mechanism. The spring serves dual purposes: it is compressed during opening and releases energy during closing. This merging of functions into one mechanism achieves reliable latching without significantly increasing device complexity, as the same components perform multiple roles throughout the door cycle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The power boost assembly effectively increases the closure force, ensuring doors latch securely while maintaining compliance with ADA opening force requirements, improving the reliability of door closure without increasing the manual opening force.
Implementation Method 1
The power boost assembly includes a spring configured to be compressed over a first range of motion of the center cam and deliver the power boost over a second range of motion of the center cam
Implementation Method 2
The power boost assembly includes a center cam that is rotated by the pinion and a boost cam that is coupled to the center cam
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2A~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
There is disclosed an apparatus comprising an add-on supplemental door actuation module. The add-on supplemental door actuation module has an outer housing structured for engagement to a door closer device. The add-on supplemental door actuation module has an actuator configured to be in force communication with the door closer device. The add-on supplemental module is structured to activate an energy storage device of the actuator to store an energy along a swing of a door when the door closer is actuated in a first direction. The add-on supplemental module is structured to maintain the stored energy via a power modulator of the actuator when the door closer is actuated in a second direction until the door reaches a boost location wherein the stored energy is released from the actuator to deliver a boost to a door to supplement the door closer device.