Door Closing Device with Pivoting Arm for Wheelchair Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with disabilities, particularly those using wheelchairs, face difficulties in closing doors that swing inward, as they require reaching the door handle from a distance and may risk injury or inconvenience while doing so.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a base with a flat surface for attachment to a door, an arm extending from the base, and a handle at the distal end, which can be installed near the door hinges to allow easy grasping and closing of the door without needing to position the wheelchair inside the room, with optional features like pivoting arms and biasing mechanisms to facilitate use for those with limited dexterity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door opens inward towards the room, then the door can be easily opened from inside, but it becomes difficult for wheelchair users to close the door from outside without risking injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (door closing device with arm and handle) that mediates between the wheelchair user and the door. The device extends the user's reach capability, allowing them to close the door safely from a distance without needing to position their body in the door's path, thus eliminating the injury risk while maintaining ease of operation
2Ease of operation
If the door handle is positioned at the standard location, then the door can be closed by able-bodied individuals, but wheelchair users cannot reach it from their position outside the room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by extending the door closing device outward from the door surface in a direction perpendicular to the door plane. This creates a new spatial dimension for handle access, allowing wheelchair users to reach the handle from outside the room without needing to move their wheelchair inside, thus improving both reachability and adaptability
3Device complexity
If the door closing device has a fixed arm, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different door types and configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the arm pivotable rather than fixed. The arm can rotate about a pivot point, allowing it to adapt to different door configurations and opening directions. This dynamic capability enables the device to work with various door types while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity through the use of a single pivot mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a device to facilitate closing doors for people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility challenges. The device can be secured to an internal or external door surface using conventional means, at a height similar to the height of a typical door handle, but closer to the hinges than a typical door handle. The device comprises a base portion for securing the device to the door surface, an arm extending from the base portion, and a handle at the distal end of the arm. During operation, the device allows a person in a wheelchair to close the door by grabbing the handle of the device without positioning the wheelchair within the door frame. There is also provided a door with a device as described above.