Door Hinge Safety Assembly With Retractable Pivot Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door and window systems often cause crushing injuries due to pinch points, and existing safety devices are either impractical for full closure or require frequent release, leading to user inconvenience and reduced protection.
Innovation Solution
A safety apparatus featuring a profiled channel and profiled portion that rotate together to prevent body parts from being trapped, with a retractable pivot shaft allowing for door removal and a locking mechanism to ensure security, particularly designed for hinge and lock sides of doors and windows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible strip is fitted to cover the gap at the hinge side, then crushing injuries are prevented, but the strip becomes worn through prolonged use and must be removed
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge side safety apparatus is divided into separate components: a profiled channel member fixed to the frame, a profiled portion on the door, and a retractable pivot shaft. This segmentation allows the wear-prone flexible strip to be replaced with a durable mechanical engagement system where the profiled channel and portion work together to eliminate pinch points without suffering from material degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible strip mechanism is replaced with a mechanical engagement system using profiled surfaces and a retractable pivot shaft. The profiled channel and profiled portion create a mechanical interface that prevents finger insertion through geometric design rather than relying on a consumable flexible barrier, thereby eliminating wear issues.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If devices are fitted to prevent complete closure of the door, then pinch points are reduced, but complete closure cannot be achieved when required
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot shaft is designed to be retractable rather than fixed, allowing the hinge mechanism to dynamically adapt between two states: engaged for normal operation where the profiled channel and portion eliminate pinch points, and disengaged when complete door closure is required. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between safety and operational flexibility.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If devices are fitted to prevent complete closure, then safety is improved, but users find it inconvenient and may permanently release the device
Solution Approach 1:
The profiled channel and profiled portion automatically maintain the safety engagement without requiring user intervention. The geometric design of the profiled surfaces ensures that the safety mechanism remains engaged during normal door operation, eliminating the need for users to manually activate or monitor safety devices, thereby preventing permanent disengagement.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a retractable pivot shaft is used to permit door removal, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable pivot shaft serves multiple functions: it enables normal hinged door operation when engaged, allows complete door closure when retracted, and permits door removal when fully retracted. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by providing three distinct operational modes from a single mechanism, improving overall system versatility.
Data Source
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AI summary
A safety apparatus includes a first member (28) defining a profiled channel (30) and adapted to be coupled to a frame (10) of a closure assembly, and a second member (38) defining a profiled portion (44) and adapted to be coupled to a closure device (12), wherein said profiled portion (44) is adapted to be received within the profiled channel (30) and to rotate therein when the closure device (12) is pivoted relative to the frame (10) to open and close an aperture. In one disclosed embodiment the second member (38) is a pivoting member adapted to be pivotally mounted on the frame (10) of the closure assembly via a pivot assembly (82), wherein said pivoting member is coupled to the closure device (12), such that said closure device (12) is pivotally mounted on the frame (10) via said pivoting member, said pivoting assembly (82) comprising a pivot shaft (40) adapted to extend between the pivoting member and frame (10) and adapted to be retracted into at least one of the pivoting member and frame (10).