Free-Standing Door Simulator for Emergency Entry Training
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency door training simulators are often complex, expensive, and impractical for repeated use, failing to provide realistic and stable training for emergency personnel to access locked or jammed doors without causing damage to the door and support structure.
Innovation Solution
A free-standing door support structure with a vertically rectangular design, including a threshold, head, and jamb members, and a door member with adjustable pins and biasing springs to simulate realistic door access scenarios, allowing the use of a Haligan tool at any vertical location and enabling easy transportation and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If training is conducted with actual doors and support structures, then realistic training experience is achieved, but the door and support structure are destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simulated door assembly that replicates the essential features of a real door system including a door member, latch mechanism, and jamb structure. This copy allows trainees to practice emergency entry techniques on a realistic replica without damaging actual doors, thereby maintaining training effectiveness while eliminating destructive consequences
Solution Approach 2:
The simulated door assembly is designed as a cost-effective, replaceable training tool that can withstand repeated use and intentional damage during training exercises. The modular construction allows individual components to be replaced if damaged, providing an economical alternative to preserving actual doors for training purposes
2Ease of manufacture
If simulated doors are used for training, then cost-effectiveness and reusability are improved, but the training realism and stability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The simulated door assembly applies different levels of realism to different components based on training needs. The door member, latch mechanism, and jamb are designed with authentic geometries and material properties in the regions where trainees interact, while other areas can use simpler constructions. This localized quality enhancement maintains training realism in critical areas while controlling overall manufacturing costs
3Reliability
If full size doors are used for training, then training realism is improved, but device complexity and transportation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is divided into separate modular components including the door member, latch mechanism, jamb structure, and mounting system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for realism and ease of assembly, while the modular nature simplifies transportation and storage compared to a monolithic full-size door system
4Reliability
If complex mechanisms are used to provide repeated utilization, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is designed to automatically reset after being engaged or disengaged during training exercises. The spring-loaded components and resilient materials enable the system to return to its initial state without manual intervention, providing repeated utilization capability while avoiding complex resetting mechanisms or additional control systems
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 solution provides a cost-effective, stable, and realistic training device that allows for repeated practice in gaining emergency access through locked doors, reducing the risk of damage and enhancing training effectiveness for emergency responders.
Implementation Method 1
The door member and support structure may be constructed of resilient material, allowing repeated aggressive training exercises without damage, or with minimal damage.
Data Source
AI summary
A training device provides a simulator for gaining emergency access through a locked or barricaded door in emergency situations. The apparatus comprises a door support structure, which may be free-standing. The door support structure comprises a vertical rectangular support structure comprising a threshold member at the bottom, a head member at the top, a hinge side jamb member and a latch side jamb member. A vertical hinge attachment member is pivotally mounted to the hinge side jamb member. A door member translates with respect to the position of the vertical hinge attachment member along a plurality of pins extending between the vertical attachment member and the door member. The door member is normally biased towards the latch side jamb member.