Hinge Cam Pivot Mechanism for Emergency Door Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency door closing devices are difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to install, and often lack the necessary force to close heavier doors quickly, allowing smoke and heat to pass through before the door can be secured.
Innovation Solution
A novel emergency door closing device that attaches to existing door hinges, utilizing a hinge cam pivot member and a spring, cam, and lever system to generate a moment force, allowing for reduced installation costs and effort, and ensuring the door can be closed with sufficient force to prevent smoke and heat from passing through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If large mechanical pieces are attached to adjacent walls to move the door into closed position, then the door can be closed, but installation becomes difficult, time-consuming, and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The new hinge assembly integrates the door closing mechanism within the existing hinge structure. The cam member is nested within the hinge body, and the spring mechanism is contained within the same assembly, eliminating the need for separate wall-mounted mechanical pieces while maintaining the door closing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the door hinge function with the door closing function into a single integrated assembly. The hinge body, cam member, spring, and lever work together as one unit, replacing the need for separate wall-mounted devices and simplifying installation to just replacing the hinge.
2Force
If previous apparatuses are used to close heavier doors, then installation is simpler, but sufficient force cannot be generated to push the door into closed position quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The cam member features a curved cam surface that converts the spring's linear force into rotational moment about the hinge pin. This curvature allows the spring force to be applied at an optimal angle and distance from the hinge axis, maximizing the closing moment and enabling heavy doors to be closed quickly and securely.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring is pre-compressed or pre-tensioned during installation to store potential energy. When the door needs closing, this pre-stored energy is rapidly released through the cam mechanism, providing the necessary force and speed to close heavy doors before smoke and heat can pass through.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If doors remain open during fire emergency, then access is maintained, but smoke and heat spread through the doorway
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly automatically closes the door in response to fire detection without requiring manual operation. The spring-cam mechanism self-activates when triggered by heat or smoke, eliminating the need for occupants to manually close doors during an emergency while still providing the protective barrier against fire and smoke spread.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is pre-configured to counteract the tendency of doors to remain open during fires. The spring mechanism is designed to overcome door weight and friction, and the cam geometry is optimized to rapidly push the door into the closed position, preventing fire and smoke spread before it can occur.
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 device efficiently and reliably closes doors in response to fire detection, reducing the spread of fire and smoke, while minimizing installation complexity and cost, and ensuring effective operation with heavier doors.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring member connected to the base plate and the closing cam gear, wherein the first spring member is adapted to store mechanical energy when the door is opened and rotate the closing cam gear
Implementation Method 2
a cam member connected to the hinge pin and adapted to push the door into its closed position
Implementation Method 3
a lever member having a distal end, a proximal end, and a center section, wherein the lever member is pivotally connected to the base plate at its center section, wherein the lever member includes the pawl thereon and is adapted to be disengaged from between any two of the plurality of gear teeth via a pivoting motion of the lever member
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency door closing device that can be installed upon existing doors and hinges to automatically close doors in the response to smoke and fire. The improvements incorporated therein include a hinge cam pivot member that attaches to an existing hinge member of a door and produces a moment force about the existing hinge member allowing a reduced force necessary to pivot the door into a closed position. Further, a novel spring, cam, and lever system is incorporated to activate the moment force to close the door.