Swing door fitting and shower partition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rotary leaf fittings for swing doors and shower partitions face challenges in cost-effective production, simple assembly, and maintaining a tight seal while allowing for easy cleaning and resistance to dirt and water penetration.

Innovation Solution

A rotary leaf fitting design featuring a bearing element and an axle device with a second fitting device that allows for flush transitions in both open and closed states, minimizing gaps for a tight seal and incorporating a spring-loaded tappet for secure locking with minimal wear resistance, and a compact structure with flush surfaces for easy cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the bearing element and fitting device are designed with protruding edges and gaps, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but water and contamination can penetrate into the axle device causing maintenance issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseal tightnessVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the bearing element and fitting device surfaces to form continuous flush surfaces. The first bearing outer surface and first fitting outer surface are aligned flush with each other, eliminating gaps and protruding edges that would otherwise allow water and contamination penetration. This integration maintains seal tightness while simplifying the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the problematic features of protruding edges and gaps from the design. By designing the bearing element and fitting device to have flush-aligned surfaces, the extraction removes the pathways for contamination while maintaining structural integrity and manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If the bearing element and fitting device have flush surfaces, then cleaning becomes easier and contamination is prevented, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning easeVSAvoidsurface alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The flush surfaces serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide easy cleaning by eliminating crevices, prevent contamination penetration, and maintain structural alignment. The first bearing outer surface and first fitting outer surface being flush creates a multi-functional solution that addresses cleaning, sealing, and structural requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the door leaf can be pivoted in both directions from closed position, then the swing door functionality is improved, but the bearing element requires additional surfaces and complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor pivoting capabilityVSAvoidbearing element structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing element is designed with asymmetric surface configurations to accommodate bidirectional pivoting. The first bearing outer surface corresponds to one pivoting direction while the second bearing outer surface corresponds to the opposite direction. This asymmetric design enables versatile door movement while maintaining a relatively simple block-shaped structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP2722472B1Swing door fitting and shower partition
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 DORMA GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2722472B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2722472B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2722472B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The fittings (1) have a frame attached to a first fitting device (4) with a support element. An axle unit is rotatably arranged in the support element about a rotation axis. The axle unit is rotatably connected with a second fitting device (5). The support element comprises first and second support outer surfaces that are defined parallel to a door (2). The second fitting device comprises a fitting outer surface that is defined parallel to the door leaf. The first support outer surface is flushed with the fitting outer surface in a closed state of the door leaf.