Magnetic Door Assembly with Rotation Limiters
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door-operating assemblies for glass doors with magnetic coupling fail to ensure secure opening and closing from both sides and lack haptic feedback on the operating state, as they rely on magnetic force transmission which can be overwhelmed by frictional and resistance forces.
Innovation Solution
A door-operating assembly with two subassemblies featuring rotatable magnets and sleeves, where rotation limiters prevent further rotation beyond a locked position, allowing magnetic attraction or repulsion to indicate the operating state and provide haptic feedback, enabling secure operation without direct mechanical coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If magnetic coupling is used to transmit force through the door panel, then recesses or holes in the glass door body are eliminated, but the magnetic coupling forces may be overwhelmed by frictional and resistance forces of the mechanical lock
Solution Approach 1:
The door operating assembly is divided into two independent subassemblies mounted on opposite sides of the door panel. Each subassembly has its own magnet, sleeve, and rotation limiter, allowing independent operation and force transmission through the panel without requiring mechanical contact or recesses in the glass.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by using magnetic forces instead of mechanical contact forces. The magnets generate attractive and repulsive forces that can be adjusted to overcome frictional and resistance forces, ensuring reliable emergency release while maintaining glass panel integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If magnetic force transmission is used for door control, then direct mechanical contact is eliminated, but haptic feedback about the current operating state cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation limiters provide haptic feedback to the user by creating tactile sensations that indicate the current operating state of the door lock. When the magnets are in different functional positions, the limiters restrict rotation in specific directions, providing distinct tactile feedback that communicates the locked or unlocked state without direct mechanical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct mechanical contact with magnetic interaction while maintaining haptic feedback through the rotation limiters. The magnets interact magnetically to transmit operational state information, and the limiters provide tactile feedback, eliminating the need for mechanical contact while preserving user feedback capabilities.
3Reliability
If rotation limiters are used to prevent excessive rotation, then secure locking is achieved, but the complexity of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation limiters are integrated into the existing subassembly structure, combining the locking function with the magnetic coupling mechanism. The limiters work together with the magnets and sleeves to provide secure locking without requiring separate complex locking mechanisms, thus minimizing added complexity while ensuring reliability.
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
Ensures secure and reliable operation from both sides by using magnetic interaction to communicate the operating state and prevent excessive rotation, eliminating the need for mechanical contact and recesses in glass doors.
Implementation Method 1
the magnets in a second functional position attract each other and pull the sleeves axially toward each other
Implementation Method 2
the magnets in a first functional position repel each other and push the respective sleeves axially away from each other
Data Source
AI summary
A door-operating assembly has first and second subassemblies each having a housing, a magnet, a sleeve carrying the sleeve and rotatable in the respective housing about an axis, an actuator for rotating the first sleeve about the respective axis, and a rotation limiter restricting rotation of the respective sleeve and magnet. The magnets in a first position repel and push the respective sleeves axially away from each other such that the first rotation limiter is effective in a first direction on the first sleeve and the second rotation limiter is effective in a second rotation direction on the second sleeve. Conversely, the magnets in a second position attract and pull the sleeves axially toward each other such that the first rotation limiter is effective against the first rotation direction on the first sleeve and the second rotation limiter is effective against the second rotation direction on the second sleeve.