Automatic Magnetic Door Lock System for Hospital Sliding Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual actuation of sliding door lock mechanisms in hospital settings increases the risk of germ spread and requires personnel to know the location and operation of these mechanisms, slowing down the process of enlarging the doorway opening.
Innovation Solution
An automatically actuated door lock system using magnetic latch assemblies that unlock or decouple when door panels are retracted and lock or couple when extended, eliminating the need for manual operation and reducing germ transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual actuation of latch mechanisms is used, then personnel can control door panel positioning, but the risk of germ spread increases and operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel system automatically actuates the latch mechanisms through magnetic interaction between panels. When panels are brought close together, magnets in one panel automatically engage with magnets in the adjacent panel, causing the latch arms to pivot and lock the panels in place without requiring manual intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for personnel to touch manual latches, thereby reducing germ spread risk while maintaining reliable panel positioning control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical actuation with a magnetic field-based automatic actuation system. Magnets embedded in the door panels create magnetic fields that automatically attract and align the latch mechanisms when panels are positioned close together. This substitution of mechanical manual operation with magnetic field interaction eliminates the need for personnel to physically manipulate latches, reducing contamination risk while preserving positioning control.
2Reliability
If manual actuation of latch mechanisms is used, then personnel can control door panel positioning, but the time to enlarge doorway opening increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic magnetic actuation system eliminates the time required for personnel to locate and manually operate latch mechanisms. When door panels are retracted to the desired position, the magnetic fields automatically engage the latch arms, causing them to pivot and lock the panels in place. This self-service mechanism significantly reduces the time required to prepare the doorway for breaking open, while the latch mechanisms continue to provide reliable positioning control throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with automatic magnetic field-based actuation. Magnets in the door panels create magnetic fields that automatically attract and align the latch mechanisms when panels are in the correct position, eliminating the time delay associated with manual operation. This substitution maintains reliable positioning control while dramatically reducing the time required to prepare for doorway enlargement.
3Strength
If multiple manual latch mechanisms are used, then door panels can be securely locked, but the complexity of operation increases and personnel must know multiple locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple latch mechanisms (upper and lower latches on each panel) into a unified automatic magnetic actuation system. Magnets are strategically positioned in the door panels so that a single magnetic field interaction simultaneously actuates multiple latch arms across different locations. This merging of multiple independent manual operations into a single automatic process maintains secure locking of all panels while dramatically simplifying operation, as no personnel intervention is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses automatic magnetic field interaction to simultaneously actuate multiple latch mechanisms across different door panel locations. When panels are brought close together, magnets in one panel automatically engage with magnets in adjacent panels, causing multiple latch arms to pivot and lock simultaneously. This self-service mechanism maintains strong locking security while eliminating the need for personnel to locate and operate multiple separate latches, greatly simplifying the operation.
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 automatic system saves time, reduces the risk of germ spread, and enhances access for patient beds and equipment by allowing door panels to pivot or swing open efficiently without manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
The door lock system may utilize interacting magnets to couple and decouple door latching assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
A door package or door assembly includes multiple door panels. A top frame member has one or more tracks upon which one or more door panels may slide relative to a door opening to close the door opening when in a fully extended position and to open the doorway when in a retracted position. When in its retracted or open position, a plurality of door panels may also pivot about a pivot plate attached to the floor to a broken open position essentially perpendicular to the plane of the doorway opening. Upper and lower magnetic latch assemblies automatically decouple to permit pivoting of the entire door panel assembly when the panels are fully retracted, and when the panels are not fully retracted, are automatically actuated to prevent pivoting of the door panel assembly.