Door Assembly Magnetic Interlocking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door assemblies with two co-mounted doors lack a reliable mechanism for selectively interlocking the doors, leading to independent operation and potential security issues.
Innovation Solution
A door assembly featuring first and second door handle assemblies with magnetically coupled surfaces, allowing the doors to be interlocked via magnetic coupling when the handle assemblies are brought into contact, enabling synchronized operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If two doors are co-mounted in a single doorway and operated independently, then each door can be separately opened and closed, but the security and coordination between the doors deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the operation of two independently mounted doors by providing a single door handle assembly that simultaneously actuates both doors. When the handle is actuated, it triggers a latch mechanism that releases both doors together, ensuring they open and close in unison, thereby maintaining security coordination while preserving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism serves as an intermediary component between the single door handle and the two doors. It receives the actuation force from the handle and distributes it to release both doors simultaneously, ensuring coordinated operation without requiring direct mechanical linkage between the doors themselves.
2Reliability
If a magnetic coupling mechanism is added to interlock door handles, then door synchronization and security improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical interlocking mechanisms with a magnetic coupling system. Magnets embedded in the door handles provide the interlocking force through magnetic attraction, eliminating the need for additional mechanical linkages, springs, or cam mechanisms that would increase device complexity while maintaining secure door synchronization.
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 magnetic coupling mechanism allows for secure interlocking and synchronized operation of the doors, enhancing security and convenience by enabling the doors to be opened and closed together or independently as needed.
Implementation Method 1
the magnetic surface of each of the first plurality of magnets magnetically coupling to the magnetic surface of an aligned one of the second plurality of magnets as the first and second door handle assemblies are brought into contact with each other, whereby the first and second doors are interlocked via magnetic coupling of the first and second door handle assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
A door assembly for selectively interlocking opposing doors each pivotably mounted at a hinge side thereof to a door frame so as to both open and close in the same direction includes a door handle assembly mounted to one door at a latch side thereof opposite the hinge side and carrying a first plurality of magnets, and another door handle assembly mounted to the other door at a latch side thereof opposite the hinge side and carrying a second plurality of magnets. The door handle assemblies are arranged relative to each other with the first and second pluralities of magnets aligned such each aligned pair of the first and second pluralities of magnets have opposite magnetic polarities, and the aligned first and second pluralities of magnets magnetically couple to each other as the door handle assemblies are brought into contact with each other.