Reversible Double-Door Closure Assembly for On-Site Handing Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing double door closure assemblies are inflexible, requiring predetermined configurations that cannot be modified during installation to accommodate on-site needs or preferences, limiting adaptability and inventory management.
Innovation Solution
A closure assembly with a pair of closure members, one active and one passive, featuring adjustable orientation and symmetrical design, allowing configuration as either a right or left closure member by reversing their orientation, and incorporating interchangeable components like sweep receivers, wind stoppers, and astragals for secure coupling and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If double door closure assemblies are manufactured with predetermined configurations (active door on right or left, specific swing direction), then manufacturing and inventory management become simpler, but adaptability to on-site needs and user preferences is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The closure members are designed with universal functionality to operate in multiple configurations. Each closure member can function as either an active or passive door, and can be installed in either left-hand or right-hand swing orientations. This is achieved through symmetrical design features including sweep receivers positioned at both top and bottom edges, and receiver features that can accommodate handles and strike plates in multiple orientations, allowing a single unit to replace multiple pre-configured variants
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic reconfigurability where the functional configuration of the closure members can be changed on-site. The active and passive closure members can be swapped between doors, and the swing direction can be changed by repositioning the closure members. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to respond to changing installation requirements without requiring specialized pre-configured units
2Adaptability or versatility
If closure members are designed with symmetrical features and interchangeable components, then adaptability and on-site reconfiguration capability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member is divided into distinct functional segments: the main closure body, sweep receivers, wind stopper receivers, handle receivers, strike plate receivers, and astragal components. Each segment can be independently configured or replaced. The sweep receivers are positioned at both top and bottom edges to enable bidirectional installation, while the receiver features are designed to accommodate various handle and strike plate configurations, allowing complex functionality to be achieved through modular assembly rather than monolithic complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The design inverts the traditional approach by making the closure members themselves reversible and interchangeable rather than fixing the configuration during manufacturing. The active and passive closure members can be swapped between the two doors, and the entire assembly can be reconfigured for opposite swing directions by simply reversing the position of the closure members. This inversion of the configuration approach simplifies the overall system while maintaining high adaptability
3Ease of operation
If closure members are made with substantially the same thickness about horizontal midline and symmetrical orientation, then ease of operation and installation flexibility are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
While the overall design aims for symmetry to enable bidirectional installation, the patent acknowledges and addresses the practical need for asymmetry in manufacturing. The closure members are designed with substantially the same thickness about the horizontal midline, but allow for controlled asymmetries in the positioning of receiver features and surface profiles. This controlled asymmetry approach balances the need for manufacturing feasibility with the requirement for operational flexibility, ensuring that the closure members can be installed in multiple orientations while maintaining acceptable tolerances
Data Source
AI summary
A closure assembly including a pair of closure members with one designated as an active closure member and the other as a passive closure member, and an astragal provided with the passive closure member, which is configured to cover a gap between the closure members when the closure assembly is in a closed position. There is a pair of sweep receivers each mounted on at least one of the closure members at opposite ends and each closure member having substantially the same thickness about its horizontal midline, such that each closure member can be configured as either a right or left closure member by adjusting its orientation.