Door Operator Spring Force Adjustment via Rotating Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door and window closers require tools for adjusting spring force, making it difficult for installers to visually determine the spring force setting and adjust it without measuring the force applied.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable housing with a spring collar and adjusting screw allows for manual adjustment of spring compression, providing a visual indicator of the spring force setting through markings on the housing, enabling tool-free adjustment of the spring force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an adjusting screw with tool engagement (nut, knob, or socket) is used to adjust spring force, then the spring force can be adjusted, but tool-free adjustment is not achieved and visual indication of spring preload is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting screw is designed with a knurled surface that allows direct hand operation without requiring external tools. The knurled surface provides sufficient friction grip for users to rotate the screw and adjust spring preload manually, eliminating the need for nuts, knobs, or sockets while maintaining ease of adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates visual indicators such as colored bands, painted sections, or translucent windows on the housing that display the spring preload setting. These visual cues change position or color intensity based on the amount of spring compression, allowing users to see the current setting without measurement tools
2Loss of information
If spring force adjustment is made without visual indication, then the adjustment mechanism is simpler, but the installer cannot visually determine the spring force setting
Solution Approach 1:
The housing incorporates colored indicators, translucent sections, or graduated markings that visually display the spring preload setting. As the spring compresses or extends, these visual elements change position or intensity, providing real-time feedback to the installer about the current force setting without adding complex mechanical components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual indicators that create a visual copy or representation of the spring's compression state. Markings on the housing or indicator windows display the preload setting in a visible format that mirrors the actual spring condition, allowing installers to read the setting directly without measurement tools
3Measurement precision
If a compression spring is used to apply closing force, then the door closing function is achieved, but the spring force setting cannot be determined without measurement
Solution Approach 1:
Visual indicators such as colored bands, graduated markings, or translucent windows are incorporated into the housing to display the spring preload setting. These indicators provide a visual scale that allows installers to read the spring force setting directly, eliminating the need for force measurement tools while maintaining adjustment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates visual feedback mechanisms that provide real-time information about the spring preload setting during adjustment. As the adjusting screw is rotated and the spring compressed, visual indicators move or change to reflect the current setting, allowing installers to make precise adjustments without measurement tools by providing continuous visual feedback on the force applied
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
Enables easy, tool-free adjustment of spring force in door operators, allowing users to visually confirm the spring setting, improving installation efficiency and eliminating the need for force measurement.
Implementation Method 1
Compression of the spring operates to vary force applied by the door operator or closer
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for adjusting the force in a door operator or closer includes a tube rotatable about a longitudinal axis and a coil spring therein connected to door operator/closer. A fixed adjusting screw extends along the longitudinal axis of the housing through the coil spring and a spring collar is threaded onto the adjusting screw and rotatable with the tube. The spring collar bears on the distal end of the spring to vary the spring compression upon rotation of the housing and thereby vary force applied by the door operator or closer. The housing has an opening though which the spring is visible, and the tube has markings indicating the degree of spring compression. An indicator is moveable along and visible outside the housing to indicate the compression of the spring.