Electrical Door Strike Fire Protection via Gravity Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fire protection mechanisms for doors are often complex, expensive, space-consuming, and unreliable in meeting fire regulation requirements, particularly due to their mechanical nature which fails at high temperatures.

Innovation Solution

An electrical door strike with a simplified locking mechanism featuring a cavity system and locking objects in both the door strike house and strike keeper, secured with fastening means that release at a threshold temperature, allowing the locking objects to fall and lock the strike keeper in place via gravity, ensuring the door remains closed during a fire.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional fire protection mechanisms are used, then fire door closure is achieved, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost rises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire door closure reliabilityVSAvoidlocking mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the strike keeper, locking objects, and fastening means into an integrated assembly where the locking objects are positioned within cavities in both the strike keeper and door strike house. This merging of components simplifies the overall structure while maintaining fire door closure reliability through the coordinated action of the locking objects and fastening means.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking mechanism is segmented into distinct functional elements: the strike keeper with cavities, the door strike house with corresponding cavities, multiple locking objects, and fastening means. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while contributing to the overall fire protection system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If conventional fire protection mechanisms are used, then fire door closure is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire door closure reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated design combining strike keeper, locking objects, and fastening means reduces the number of separate components that need to be manufactured and assembled, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining reliable fire door closure functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The fastening means automatically releases at a predetermined temperature during fire conditions, causing the locking objects to move and engage without requiring external actuation or complex control systems, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If conventional fire protection mechanisms are used, then fire door closure is achieved, but the space occupied increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire door closure reliabilityVSAvoidlocking mechanism volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The locking objects are nested within cavities in both the strike keeper and door strike house, allowing the locking mechanism to be compact while maintaining functional reliability. The cavities provide space for the locking objects to move without requiring additional external space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Reliability

If conventional fire protection mechanisms are used, then fire door closure is achieved, but the reliability at high temperatures decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire door closure reliabilityVSAvoidhigh temperature performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening means is designed to change its properties at a predetermined temperature, transitioning from a fastening state to a releasing state. This parameter change enables the locking objects to move and engage automatically when exposed to fire conditions, ensuring reliable fire door closure at high temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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, compact, and reliable means to permanently lock an electrical door strike in the event of a fire, meeting fire regulation standards by maintaining door closure even at temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius.

Implementation Method 1

The two locking objects have a vertical extension which in total is greater than the length of the cavity and the distances between electrical door strike house and strike keeper. The fastening means releases the locking objects as a result of fire and the upper locking object falling as a result of gravity.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the fastening means that releases when the temperature exceeds a threshold temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP3887624B1Fire protection for electrical door strikes
Publication Date: 2022.12.21 ELOK LASPRODUKSJON AS
  • EP3887624B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3887624B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a new type of fire protection for electrical door strikes (1), the purpose of which is to ensure that electrical doors strikes are permanently closed in the event of fire. The invention is directed to electrical door strikes that can be opened and closed mechanically or electrically, and is based on locking the opening mechanism of the electrical door strike itself. The fire protection works by melting fastening means holding locking objects (7, 8) and allow them to fall into locking positions in opposing cavities (5, 6) so that the strike keeper (2) in the electrical door strike's opening mechanism locks to the electrical door strike house (3), thus ensuring that the electrical door strike is permanently close.