Door Opening Device with Multi-Directional Head and Telescoping Pole
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Solution Overview
Problem
Law enforcement personnel face danger when approaching doors due to the 'fatal funnel' effect, where they are vulnerable to harm from individuals on the other side, and existing door-opening solutions, such as robots, are expensive and beyond the budget of many agencies.
Innovation Solution
A handheld door-opening device with a multi-directional head and telescoping pole allows operators to remotely open doors from a safe distance, reducing exposure to potential threats by enabling the door to be opened while maintaining a tactical advantage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If law enforcement personnel approach the door to open it manually, then the door can be opened reliably, but the personnel are exposed to harm from individuals on the other side
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a door opening device as an intermediary tool that allows law enforcement personnel to operate the doorknob remotely from a safe distance. The device includes a handle, a telescoping pole, and a head with a grabber mechanism that can grasp and rotate the doorknob without the operator needing to be in close proximity to the door, thus eliminating exposure to potential harm while maintaining reliable door opening capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct mechanical interaction between the operator and the doorknob with a remote mechanical system. The door opening device uses a telescoping pole with a grabber mechanism that can be extended to reach the doorknob, allowing the operator to apply rotational force remotely through the pole and grabber, substituting the direct mechanical operation with an extended mechanical linkage system
2Object-affected harmful factors
If expensive robotic solutions are used to open doors remotely, then operator safety is improved, but the cost becomes prohibitive for many agencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a door opening device that is relatively simple in construction compared to robotic systems, using basic mechanical components such as a handle, telescoping pole, and grabber mechanism. This simpler design reduces manufacturing costs and makes the device affordable for smaller law enforcement agencies, while still providing the essential function of remote door opening to protect operator safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential door opening function from complex robotic systems and implements it through a simplified mechanical device. By removing unnecessary complex electronics, sensors, and robotic control systems, the invention retains only the core mechanical functionality needed to grasp and rotate the doorknob, significantly reducing cost while maintaining operator safety benefits
3Ease of operation
If the operator remains close to the door to operate the doorknob, then precise control is achieved, but the time spent in the fatal funnel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a telescoping pole that can be extended to reach the doorknob before the operator needs to be in close proximity to the door. This preliminary extension of the pole allows the operator to position the grabber mechanism at the doorknob from a distance, enabling operation to begin while the operator remains outside the fatal funnel, thus reducing exposure time while maintaining operational capability
Data Source
AI summary
A door opening device comprising a multi-directional head and a telescoping pole is provided. The multi-directional head allows the operator to choose the angle when opening the door and the telescoping pole allows the operator to remain at a distance away from the doorway while operating the doorknob. By allowing an operator to remain around a corner when opening a door, an armed and cornered individual is less able to harm the operator by shooting through the door.