Safety Latch Door Arrangement for Impact-Resistant Opening Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current door arrangements for machine safeguards lack a solution that provides high security while allowing easy access during normal use and preventing accidental opening due to heavy impacts, especially when combined with emergency exit functions.
Innovation Solution
A door arrangement featuring a safety latch with a pivotally attached hook part that automatically engages with a stop when the door is subjected to excessive acceleration, ensuring the door remains closed during impacts while allowing normal opening, and can be integrated with any door lock type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a strong door lock is used to prevent accidental opening from impacts, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The safety latch uses a dynamic mechanism where a latch member can move between engaged and disengaged positions. During normal operation, the latch is easily disengaged by pulling the door. During impact, the inertial force keeps the latch engaged, providing automatic differentiation between normal and abnormal opening conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state parameter of the latch member based on acceleration conditions. Under normal gravity conditions, the latch can be easily moved. Under high acceleration conditions (impact), the inertial forces change the effective parameters of the latch mechanism, preventing disengagement and maintaining security.
2Strength
If a heavy-duty lock mechanism is installed to withstand impact forces, then strength is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety latch mechanism is self-activating during impact conditions. The inertial forces automatically cause the latch member to engage with the stop member, and the spring automatically returns the latch to its engaged position after impact, without requiring external control systems or complex actuation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the impact protection function from the main door lock and implements it as a separate, simple safety latch mechanism. This allows the main lock to remain simple while adding impact protection through a dedicated, minimal-component system consisting of the latch member, stop member, and spring.
3Reliability
If the door is designed to prevent accidental opening, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation during emergency situations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism exploits the dynamic difference between normal operation (low acceleration) and impact conditions (high acceleration). During emergency exit, the user applies force gradually, allowing the latch to disengage. During impact, the sudden high acceleration prevents disengagement, creating automatic differentiation between intended and unintended opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety latch provides preliminary protection against accidental opening by being pre-positioned in the engaged state. The spring continuously exerts force to keep the latch engaged, and only intentional, sustained pulling force can overcome this preliminary anti-action, while sudden impact forces automatically reinforce the engaged state.
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 door arrangement effectively prevents accidental opening from heavy impacts while maintaining easy access during normal conditions, providing a high-security solution that complements various door lock systems and emergency exit functions.
Implementation Method 1
The safety latch is arranged to be limited in its pivotal movement around the pivot point, such that the free second end has a maximum movement in the vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
which is arranged such that the door is possible to open in a normal opening of the door, but which safety latch prevents opening of the door when the door is subjected to a strong acceleration, for example by that a heavy object hits the door
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
Door arrangement (1) comprising a door (50), first and second frame parts (61, 62), a stop (11) and a support (21) both fixed at the first frame part (61), wherein the support (21) is arranged below the stop (11) in a vertical direction (Y), a safety latch (40) comprising a first end (41) and an opposite free second end (42), wherein the safety latch (40) is pivotally attached to the door (50) and comprises a hook part (45) arranged at the second end (42). The second end (42) is introducible between the stop (11) and the support (21), and the hook part (45) is arranged to interact with the stop (11). A lower side (44) of the safety latch (40) is arranged to interact with the support (21), and comprises a transition point (44a), arranged between the first and second ends (41, 42), at which the lower side (44) bends upwards towards the free second end (42).