Modular Door Closer With Wireless Sensor Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door closers lack flexibility and space-saving designs while ensuring safe operation, particularly in monitoring safety-relevant functions and adapting to different mounting orientations.
Innovation Solution
A door closer with a modular design featuring a metal housing, a rotatable output shaft, a mechanical energy storage system, and a wireless data transmission unit, allowing for flexible mounting and safe operation by integrating a sensor unit for monitoring the door's position and movement, and enabling easy battery replacement without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a door closer is designed with integrated monitoring and data transmission functions, then safety and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door closer is divided into functional modules: the mechanical closing mechanism (housing, output shaft, energy storage device) and the electronic monitoring module (sensor unit, data transmission unit, battery). This segmentation allows the monitoring functions to be added without fundamentally redesigning the entire system, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it processes data from the sensor unit, manages power from the battery, controls the data transmission unit for wireless communication, and monitors the mechanical components. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be separate complex subsystems into a single integrated control unit, improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If a module with battery and data transmission unit is added to the door closer, then monitoring capability is improved, but space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The module is positioned at the end face of the housing, utilizing the longitudinal dimension of the door closer rather than expanding the lateral footprint. This allows the monitoring components to be integrated along the existing length of the device, improving monitoring capability while minimizing additional space consumption in the horizontal plane.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the door closer is designed without external electrical power supply, then installation flexibility is improved, but energy supply reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The door closer system is made self-sufficient by integrating a battery into the module that provides autonomous power for the sensor unit and data transmission unit. This eliminates the need for external electrical power supplies or connections, greatly improving installation flexibility for doors in locations without electrical infrastructure. The battery ensures continuous operation of monitoring functions without external power, maintaining reliability through self-contained energy supply.
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 solution provides a flexible, space-efficient, and safe door closer that can be easily mounted on either side of a door, with a built-in monitoring system for detecting damage or manipulation, ensuring reliable operation and easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The mechanical energy storage device is designed, in particular, as a spring. It is particularly preferably a spiral spring. The mechanical energy storage device is arranged in the housing and forces the output shaft to rotate in a closing direction.
Implementation Method 2
The door closer may be provided with hydraulic oil to dampen the closing movement.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a door closer (1) for closing a door (200), comprising a housing (2) and an output shaft (3) mounted therein, designed for attaching a lever arrangement (103), a mechanical energy storage device (4) in the housing (2) which causes the output shaft (3) to rotate, wherein the energy storage device (4) is preferably designed as a spring, a module (40) comprising at least one battery (42) and/or a data transmission unit (44) for data transmission, wherein the housing (2) comprises a first end face (2.1) which, when the door closer (1) is mounted, is to face a hinge (201) of the door (200), wherein the housing (2) comprises a second end face (2.2) which is opposite the first end face (2.1), and wherein the module (40) is arranged next to the second end face (2.2) of the housing (2).