Back to results
US 11,982,109 B2Granted
Exit device force adjustment mechanisms
AssigneeSchlage Lock Company LLC
InventorsJack R. Lehner, Jr., Paul R. Arlinghaus, Aaron P. McKibben
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A force adjustment mechanism configured for use with an exit device including a pushbar having an extended position and a retracted position. With the pushbar in the extended position, the pushbar resists movement toward the retracted position with a net resistive force. The force adjustment mechanism is operable to adjust the net resistive force.
Claims26
An exit device configured for mounting to a door, the exit device comprising:
- a mounting assembly configured for mounting to an external surface of the door;
- a drive assembly movably mounted to the mounting assembly, the drive assembly comprising:
- a pushbar having an extended position and a retracted position;
- wherein the drive assembly has an extended state in which the pushbar is in the extended position, and wherein the drive assembly has a retracted state in which the pushbar is in the retracted position;
- and
- wherein the drive assembly in the extended state is configured to resist movement of the pushbar from the extended position to the retracted position with a net resistive force;
- a first spring engaged between the mounting assembly and the drive assembly and urging the drive assembly toward the extended state with an extensive biasing force, the extensive biasing force contributing to the net resistive force;
- and
- a force adjustment mechanism operable to adjust the net resistive force, wherein the force adjustment mechanism has a first state and a second state;
- wherein, with the exit device mounted to the door, the first spring is external to the door;
- wherein, with the drive assembly in the extended state and the force adjustment mechanism in the first state, the net resistive force resisting movement of the pushbar from the extended position to the retracted position has a first net resistive force value;
- and
- wherein, with the drive assembly in the extended state and the force adjustment mechanism in the second state, the net resistive force resisting movement of the pushbar from the extended position to the retracted position has a second net resistive force value different from the first net resistive force value.
10 more elements
An exit device, comprising:
- a mounting assembly configured for mounting to a door;
- a drive assembly movably mounted to the mounting assembly, the drive assembly comprising:
- a drive bar having an extended drive bar position and a retracted drive bar position;
- and
- a pushbar operably connected to the drive bar, the pushbar having an extended pushbar position and a retracted pushbar position;
- wherein the drive assembly has an extended state in which the drive bar and the pushbar are in the extended positions thereof, and wherein the drive assembly has a retracted state in which the drive bar and the pushbar are in the retracted positions thereof;
- and
- wherein the drive assembly in the extended state is configured to resist movement of the pushbar from the extended pushbar position toward the retracted pushbar position with a net resistive force;
- a first spring urging the drive assembly toward the extended state with an extensive biasing force, the extensive biasing force contributing to the net resistive force;
- and
- a force adjustment mechanism operable to adjust the net resistive force while the pushbar remains in the extended pushbar position;
- wherein the force adjustment mechanism comprises a counterbalance spring urging the exit device toward the retracted state with a retractive biasing force detracting from the net resistive force, and wherein the force adjustment mechanism is operable to adjust the retractive biasing force;
- wherein the counterbalance spring has a first end and an opposite second end;
- and
- wherein, during movement of the drive assembly between the extended state and the retracted state, the first end remains in a fixed location relative to the mounting assembly, and the second end moves relative to the mounting assembly.
12 more elements
An exit device, comprising:
- a mounting assembly configured for mounting to an external surface of a door to thereby provide a mounting space external to the door;
- a drive assembly mounted to the mounting assembly for movement between a retracted state and an extended state, the drive assembly comprising:
- a manually operable pushbar having a retracted position in the retracted state of the drive assembly and an extended position in the extended state of the drive assembly, wherein with the drive assembly in the extended state, the pushbar resists movement from the extended position toward the retracted position with a net resistive force;
- and
- a first spring positioned in the mounting space and urging the drive assembly toward the extended state with an extensive force, the extensive force contributing to the net resistive force;
- and
- a force adjustment mechanism operable to adjust the net resistive force, the force adjustment mechanism having a first configuration in which the net resistive force comprises a first value when the pushbar is in the extended position, and a second configuration in which the net resistive force comprises a second value when the pushbar is in the extended position, wherein the second value is less than the first value.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.