Condition activated door spring
AssigneeUpton Ventures, Inc.
InventorsJ. D. Bucklin, Michael Gindhart, Daniel Norwitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides device that replaces the hinge pin in a door hinge to provide a door with automatic closing technology, triggered by the device's detection of an adverse condition in the surrounding environment, such as a fire or gas leak, the device including a lower extension pin that slides into the space conventionally occupied by the hinge pin, first and second arms that apply opposing rotational force to the door and door jam, respectively, when the device is activated, and a condition detection module employing at least one sensor and an activation system to activate the device upon the sensor's detection of an adverse environmental condition to close the door.
Claims20
A condition activated door hinge retainer pin replacement device, comprising:
- a lower extension pin sized and shaped to fit within a door hinge of a door
- a first arm oriented to abut a door frame when the door is open and the device is installed in the door hinge;
- a second arm oriented to abut the door when the door is open and the device is installed in the door hinge;
- a spring having a coil and being configured to store energy that, when released, forces the first and second arms to rotate in opposing directions;
- a condition sensitive module comprising at least one sensor capable of detecting one or more triggering environmental conditions, the condition sensitive module further comprising an activation system that electronically activates the device upon the at least one sensor's detection of a triggering environmental condition;
- the activation system comprising a ratchet mechanism and a trigger mechanism, the ratchet mechanism operating to facilitate the winding and storage of energy in the spring by retaining the spring in a pre-activation position, and the trigger mechanism operating to release the spring by placing the device in a post-activation position upon detection of a triggering environmental condition by the at least one sensor of the condition sensitive module;
- and
- a power source connected with the condition sensitive module;
- wherein upon detection of a triggering environmental condition by the at least one sensor, the activation system operates to release the spring, and the energy stored in the spring operates to rotate the first and second arms in opposing directions, placing rotational force upon the door and door frame to close the door.
A condition activated door hinge retainer pin replacement device, comprising:
- a lower extension pin sized and shaped to fit within a door hinge of a door
- a first arm oriented to abut a door frame when the door is open and the device is installed in the door hinge;
- a second arm oriented to abut the door when the door is open and the device is installed in the door hinge;
- a spring having a coil and being configured to store energy that, when released, forces the first and second arms to rotate in opposing directions;
- a condition sensitive module comprising at least one sensor capable of detecting one or more triggering environmental conditions, the condition sensitive module further comprising an activation system that electronically activates the device upon the at least one sensor's detection of a triggering environmental condition;
- a power source connected with the condition sensitive module;
- and
- an external shell and cap, wherein the spring, power source, and condition sensitive module reside within the confines of the external shell when the device is fully assembled and installed;
- wherein upon detection of a triggering environmental condition by the at least one sensor, the activation system operates to release the spring, and the energy stored in the spring operates to rotate the first and second arms in opposing directions, placing rotational force upon the door and door frame to close the door.
A condition activated door hinge retainer pin replacement device, comprising:
- a spring having a coil creating an inner bore sized to receive a standard sized door hinge retainer pin;
- a first arm and a second arm, the first and second arms being mechanically connected to the coil;
- a pellet hole traversing through at least a portion of the first arm and through at least a portion of the second arm, the pellet hole being sized to receive a fusible pellet;
- wherein, when a fusible pellet is inserted into the pellet hole, while the first and second arms are aligned, the fusible pellet holds the first and second arms in a spring-loaded, locked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.