Door Coordinator External Adjustment for Fire Door Precision

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing two-leaf door constructions for fire protection purposes face challenges in precise adjustability and consistency of stop positions and closing angles due to movement play in floor springs, leading to potential safety issues during fire events.

Innovation Solution

A door coordinator system that adjusts the displacement range of the triggering element within the door leaf sequencer, allowing for precise control of the stops and locking angles by using a screw guided through the housing, which interacts with the cam disk and axis of the floor spring, enabling external adjustment without protruding from the housing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a floor-mounted door closer is used to avoid visual impairments, then the aesthetic appearance of the door construction is improved, but the adjustability of stop positions and closing angles becomes imprecise due to movement play in the floor spring

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidadjustability precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a door coordinator as an intermediary device that mediates between the floor-mounted door closer and the door leaves. This coordinator includes a triggering element that can be adjusted relative to a cam disk, allowing precise control of the closing sequence and stop positions despite the inherent play in the floor spring mechanism. The intermediary device translates the imprecise motion from the floor spring into precise control actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables adjustment of the triggering element's position and displacement range within the door coordinator. By changing the parameters of the triggering element's movement and its interaction with the cam disk, the system can compensate for the play in the floor spring and achieve precise stop positions and closing angles. This parameter adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to different door configurations and maintain precision despite the floor-mounted installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the displacement range of the triggering element is increased to improve adjustability, then the precision of stop positions is improved, but the complexity of the door coordinator system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestop position precisionVSAvoiddoor coordinator complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door coordinator is segmented into distinct functional components: a housing, a cam disk, a triggering element with adjustment mechanism, and a connection to the door closer axis. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the triggering element can have its displacement range adjusted without affecting the other components, achieving precision while keeping the overall system manageable through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If a screw adjustment mechanism is used to control the triggering element displacement, then external adjustment capability is achieved, but the risk of the screw protruding from the housing and causing safety issues increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexternal adjustment capabilityVSAvoidsafety hazard from protruding screw
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The screw adjustment mechanism is nested within the housing of the door coordinator. The screw is received in a threaded bore of the housing, and its movement is constrained by the housing walls. This nested configuration allows the screw to be adjusted externally while preventing it from protruding beyond the housing boundaries, eliminating the safety hazard while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

This solution simplifies and enhances the adjustability of the stops and closing angles, ensuring a safe and precise closure of the door leaves, even in fire protection scenarios, by allowing for external adjustment of the interaction between the triggering element and the cam disk, thus improving the functionality and safety of the door construction.

Implementation Method 1

a cam disk (15), which can be arranged on the axis (6, 7) of the floor door closer (4, 5), in a rotatable manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCam mechanism: Cam

Implementation Method 2

The screw (18) projects into the displacement area (V) of the release element (16) and can be brought into contact with a region of the release element (16)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2765269B1Closing sequence controller for a double-wing door structure with a fixed wing and a moving wing
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 HOLZBAU SCHMID GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2765269B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2765269B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2765269B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The selector (8) has an inactive leaf (2) and an active leaf (3) connected with a housing. A cam is rotatably mounted at one end to a cam plate. Another end of the cam plate interacts with traction units (12, 13) that are connectable to an actuating element perpendicular to axes (6, 7) of bottom door fasteners (4, 5). A displacement area of the actuating element is adjustable by the housing and a guided bolt is arranged from outside of the housing. The guided bolt is inserted into a displacement region of the actuating element.