Hydraulic Door Operator with Segmented Pressure Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door operators, such as overhead and swing door operators, face challenges in efficiently converting hydraulic pressure into door movement due to high spring force requirements, leading to inefficient energy use and structural stress, and cannot be easily integrated into narrow door profiles without compromising design or requiring special constructions.
Innovation Solution
A compact door operator design featuring separate pressure compartments for the drive unit and spring force accumulator, with a hydraulic pump and motor, allowing direct power introduction to the accumulator for efficient door closure without auxiliary energy, enabling concealed installation and reduced mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If hydraulic pressure is applied to the drive unit of a door closer, then the door closing function is achieved, but about 75% of the output capacity is required for loading the spring force accumulator, resulting in inefficient energy use
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system is segmented into two separate pressure compartments: a first pressure compartment for the drive unit and a second pressure compartment for the spring force accumulator. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each function, enabling the drive unit to operate with reduced hydraulic pressure while the accumulator is loaded separately, thereby improving overall energy efficiency and reducing the 75% energy loss to accumulator loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of loading the spring force accumulator is extracted from the drive unit's hydraulic circuit. By providing a separate second pressure compartment dedicated to accumulator loading, the system removes the burden of accumulator loading from the drive unit's power requirements, allowing the drive unit to focus solely on door operation with reduced energy consumption.
2Force
If the dimensions of structural components are adapted to extreme high loads, then the door operator can handle high forces, but the narrow structure required for concealed installation in door profiles cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system is segmented into two separate pressure compartments, allowing the drive unit to operate at lower pressures while the accumulator handles force storage separately. This segmentation enables the use of smaller structural components that can be concealed within narrow door profiles while still achieving the required force handling capability through the combined system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters by separating the pressure functions, allowing the drive unit to operate at optimized, lower pressures for its specific function while the accumulator handles the high force requirements independently. This parameter separation enables compact component dimensions suitable for concealed installation.
3Power
If a separate pressure compartment is provided for the spring force accumulator, then direct pressure application and force introduction is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system is divided into two functionally independent pressure compartments, each optimized for its specific purpose. This segmentation enables direct pressure application to the accumulator without complex intermediate mechanisms, as each compartment operates independently with its own hydraulic circuit, thereby achieving efficient power transmission while maintaining manageable system complexity through functional separation.
Data Source
AI summary
A door operator includes a housing, a first pressure compartment; a second pressure compartment, a drive unit disposed in the housing and coupleable to a door via an output shaft, the driving unit being associated with the first pressure compartment, a hydraulic pump in hydraulic connection with the first and second pressure compartments, a motor in driving relationship with the hydraulic pump, and a spring force accumulator disposed in the housing. The spring force accumulator is associated with the second pressure compartment and coupled to the drive unit.