Self-Closing Sliding Fire Door with Counterweight Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding door arrangements face challenges in ensuring reliable, smoke-tight closure and easy operation, especially during power failures or fires, due to high dead weight and reliance on electrical drive systems.
Innovation Solution
A sliding door arrangement with a detachable coupling to a drive device, incorporating a resetting mechanism, insulation layers with flame-retardant materials, and a drive system that includes a DC motor and manual operation capabilities, along with sensors for automatic smoke and temperature detection to ensure safe and secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sliding door is made heavy with insulation layers and panel layers for fire protection, then fire protection and smoke-tight closure are improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to high dead weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a counterweight mechanism where a balancing weight is suspended on the opposite side of the sliding door assembly. This counterweight compensates for the heavy dead weight of the fire-protected sliding door, enabling easy manual operation while maintaining the door's substantial fire protection capabilities through its insulation layers and panel layers.
2Ease of operation
If a drive device is used to move the sliding door, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates in the event of power failure during fire
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism through the counterweight system that automatically enables the sliding door to be moved and held in position without requiring continuous external power or active drive intervention. The counterweight provides passive balancing force that assists manual operation and maintains door position, ensuring the system remains functional during power failures in fire emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the drive device into an optional auxiliary component rather than a critical dependency. The core operation capability is segmented into the manual operation system enhanced by the counterweight, while the electrical drive device serves as a convenience feature that can be deactivated without compromising fundamental reliability in fire scenarios.
3Ease of operation
If a locking mechanism is provided to hold the sliding door in open position, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the locking function with the counterweight mechanism itself. The counterweight system inherently provides both the balancing force for easy door movement and the locking capability through its mechanical connection to the door assembly, eliminating the need for separate locking components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining operational ease.
Data Source
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AI summary
The door assembly (1) has a sliding door (2) having a coupling element which is complementary to the complementary coupling element connected to the drive unit (5). The sliding door is detachably connectable to the drive unit, and is moved from the closed position to open position and/or from the open position into the closed position by the drive unit. The sliding door is provided with a restoring device, by which the sliding door is movable from the open position into the closed position when the coupling element is separated from the complementary coupling element. USE : Sliding door assembly installed in building. ADVANTAGE : The drive unit has a control, so that the sliding door is moved according to predetermined and adjustable time interval from the opening position to the closing position. The slide is mounted in the guide rail such that the complementary coupling element in the guide rail has constant orientation regardless of the position of the carriage. The drive device has a clamping mechanism with which tension of the belt is conveniently adjusted. The distance between the two clamping jaws in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail can be changed, so that the tension of belt is adjustable. The drive roll is conveniently driven by the motor of the drive unit. The attraction forces between the coupling element and the complementary coupling member are adjusted with the condition that the sliding door is moved from the closure position to the opening position and vice versa, by the drive unit. The coupling between the coupling element and the complementary coupling member is released conveniently, when the solenoid of the coupling device is connected without current. The assembly with high level of safety and favorable operating comfort can be achieved. The uncontrolled spread of smoke in case of fire is prevented by hermetically sealing contact of the sliding door to the frame. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a side view of the arrangement with a sliding door located in the closed position. 1 : Sliding door assembly 2 : Sliding door 5 : Drive unit 7 : Control device 8 : Wall opening.