Remote-Actuated Hinge Lock for High Door Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinge locks, particularly those on tall doors, are difficult to access and operate, especially for shorter individuals, leading to challenges in locking and unlocking, especially when positioned high up.
Innovation Solution
A hinge lock design that allows actuation of the bolt via a drive rod transverse to its direction, enabling operation from a distance, with a parallel arrangement to the door's pivot axis, and incorporating a guide track and S-shaped mechanism for reliable movement, ensuring ease of use even for hard-to-reach locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hinge locks are installed on tall doors at high positions, then the door can be securely locked, but the hinge locks become inaccessible to shorter individuals for operation
Solution Approach 1:
A drive rod is introduced as an intermediary element between the operator and the bolt. The drive rod extends from the hinge lock towards the operator's position, allowing manipulation of the bolt from a distance. This mediator enables shorter individuals to operate high-mounted hinge locks without needing ladders or additional aids.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation mechanism is extended into the horizontal dimension by introducing a drive rod that protrudes from the hinge lock assembly. This allows the bolt to be actuated not only vertically at the hinge location but also horizontally from the operator's position, creating a new spatial dimension for operation.
2Device complexity
If the bolt is actuated directly at the hinge location, then the locking mechanism is simple, but it requires direct access to the hinge which is difficult for tall doors
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation mechanism is segmented into separate functional components: the bolt for locking, the drive rod for transmission, and the operating element for user input. This segmentation allows the bolt to remain simple while adding a separate actuation pathway through the drive rod that can be operated from a distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive rod serves as a mechanical intermediary that transmits force from the operating element to the bolt. This mediator enables the bolt to be actuated without direct manual contact at the hinge location, solving the accessibility problem while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If a long drive rod is used to extend reach, then accessibility is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive rod is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be extended when needed for operation and retracted when not in use. This dynamic configuration enables long reach during actuation while minimizing space occupation during storage, reducing the permanent complexity footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive rod mechanism is nested within or alongside the existing hinge lock assembly, with the drive rod capable of being stored within the hinge structure when not in use. This nesting approach allows the extended reach functionality to be incorporated without proportionally increasing the overall device complexity or space requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
The invention relates to a hinge lock (1) for locking a door leaf (10.1) with respect to a door frame (10.2) and for pivoting the door leaf (10.1) with respect to the door frame (10.2), having a first hinge element (2) for arranging on the door leaf (10.1) and a second hinge element (3) for arranging on the door frame (10.2); the first hinge element (2) and the second hinge element (3) can be locked with respect to one another by means of a bolt (4) which can be moved back and forth in a locking direction (R) between an unlocking position (E) and a locking position (V); the bolt (4) can be moved back and forth between the unlocking position (E) and the locking position (V) by means of a drive rod (6.1) which can be moved transversely to the locking direction (R). The invention further relates to a door (10) having a hinge lock (1).