Fire Door Closing Mechanism with Mechanical Locking and Pre-tensioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fire protection gates often require manual effort to open against the pretensioning force, which is uncomfortable and energy-consuming, and existing solutions rely on electromagnets that may fail during power outages, compromising fire safety and convenience.

Innovation Solution

A drive mechanism with a locking mechanism that decouples the driver from the gate leaf during opening but entrains it during closing, using a pretensioning device and a door drive emergency unlocking actuator to ensure the gate closes automatically in fires or power failures, allowing for comfortable and energy-efficient operation in normal conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a pre-tensioning device is used to pre-tension the driver into the closed position, then the gate closes automatically in case of fire, but manual effort is required to open the gate which is uncomfortable and energy-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic closure reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption for opening

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-tensioning device is pre-loaded during normal operation to store closing energy, so that in case of fire or power failure, the stored energy automatically closes the gate without requiring additional power or manual effort. The locking device holds this pre-tensioned state until release is required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between two states: during normal operation, the locking device engages to prevent the pre-tensioning device from acting, allowing easy manual opening; in emergency conditions, the locking device releases, allowing the pre-tensioning device to automatically close the gate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a locking device is used to lock the driver in open position against pre-tensioning, then the gate can be held open conveniently, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of holding gate openVSAvoidcomplexity of locking mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking device acts as an intermediary between the pre-tensioning device and the driver, selectively engaging or disengaging to either prevent or allow the pre-tensioning force to act on the driver, thereby controlling gate closure based on operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking device is positioned at a specific location where it can effectively engage with the driver to prevent movement against the pre-tensioning force, providing localized control exactly where needed to hold the gate in the open position without requiring a complex system-wide mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Extent of automation

If an electromagnet is used to hold the driver in open position, then the gate can be held open automatically, but the system may fail during power outages compromising fire safety

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic holding capabilityVSAvoidfire safety reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using an electromagnet to actively hold the gate open (which fails when power is lost), the system uses a mechanical pre-tensioning device with a locking mechanism that passively holds the gate in the desired position and only releases when specifically triggered, inverting the control logic from active-hold-to-open to passive-hold-until-released.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The pre-tensioning device is self-powered by mechanical pre-loading during normal operation, requiring no external power source to maintain the closing force. The locking device mechanically maintains the open position without continuous energy input, making the system self-sufficient and reliable during power outages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 convenient and energy-efficient operation of fire protection gates during normal conditions while ensuring secure automatic closure in fires or power outages, maintaining fire safety without modifying standard gate operators.

Implementation Method 1

a pre-tensioning device (48) for pre-tensioning the driver (52) into the closed position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a locking device (24) that locks the driver (52) in an open position against the pre-tensioning device (48)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP2977535B1Closing mechanism and a drive device for a fire-proof door and fire-proof door with same

Publication Date: 2022.06.01 TORTEC BRANDSCHUTZTOR

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AI summary

To enable the construction of a cost-effectively automatable fire door, the invention provides a closing mechanism (24) for a fire door (10) comprising: a follower (52) for moving a fire door leaf (18) into a closed position, a pre-tensioning device for pre-tensioning the follower (52) into the closed position, a locking device that locks the follower (52) in an open position (13) against the pre-tensioning of the pre-tensioning device and can be released by a closing signal to close the fire door (10) in case of fire, and a door drive emergency release actuation device (50) that can be connected to a door drive (26) to actuate an emergency release (40) of the door drive (26) in case of fire and/or when the locking device is released.