Automatic emergency door closure
AssigneeJKO Improvements LLC
InventorJames L. Opgenorth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic emergency door closure is provided that can be used with an existing door by inserting a hinge pin assembly into knuckles of hinge plates associated with the existing door. The hinge pin assembly is movable between a first position where the door is held in a regular use position in which it can be opened and closed and a second position where the door is released to a closed position. This movement from the first position to the second position may be as a result of a variety of triggers, including a message transmitted from a remote location or nearby heat. The assembly may include a hinge pin body that is inserted into the knuckles, a torsion spring that is configured to rotate the hinge pin body, and an activator that can be activated by the trigger to enable rotation of the hinge pin body.
Claims14
An automatic emergency door closer system for use with a pair of existing hinge plates associated with a door comprising:
- a hinge pin assembly insertable into a plurality of knuckles extending from the pair of existing hinge plates, the hinge pin assembly further comprising:
- a hinge pin body inserted into the plurality of knuckles and extending outwardly therefrom;
- and
- a torsion spring configured to rotate the hinge pin body;
- an outer sleeve surrounding an upper portion of the hinge pin body, the outer sleeve comprising at least one groove formed in an inner sidewall;
- and
- an activator located within the outer sleeve, the activator comprising:
- a side wall;
- and
- at least one clearance slot formed in the side wall;
- wherein the hinge pin assembly is movable between:
- a manual use position, in which the door can be moved between an open position and a closed position;
- and
- a closing position, in which the door is in the closed position;
- wherein the hinge pin assembly is moved from the manual use position to the closing position in response to a signal;
- wherein the hinge pin assembly is moveable from the closing position back to the manual use position in which the door can be moved between the open position and the closed position
- wherein movement of the activator releases the torsion spring to allow rotational movement of the hinge pin body;
- wherein at least one pin extends from the at least one groove to the side wall when the hinge pin assembly is in the manual use position;
- and
- wherein movement of the activator causes the at least one pin to move into the at least one clearance slot and out of the at least one groove in the inner sidewall of the outer sleeve to release the outer sleeve to move relative to the hinge pin body.
An automatic emergency door closer system for use with a pair of existing hinge plates associated with a door comprising:
- a hinge pin assembly comprising a hinge pin body insertable into a plurality of knuckles extending from the pair of existing hinge plates;
- at least one angled spline groove;
- at least one first pin extending from the hinge pin body through the at least one angled spline groove;
- a lower clutch assembly surrounding the hinge pin body and comprising a plurality of upwardly extending angled teeth;
- an upper clutch assembly surrounding the hinge pin body and comprising a plurality of downwardly extending angled teeth, wherein the upper clutch assembly is movable about the angled spline groove between:
- a first position in which the upper clutch assembly is distanced from the lower clutch assembly;
- and
- a second position in which the downwardly extending angled teeth engage with the upwardly extending angled teeth of the lower clutch assembly;
- a torsion spring grounded into the upper clutch assembly;
- an activator comprising at least one clearance slot;
- an outer sleeve comprising at least one groove configured to receive at least one second pin that extends to the side wall of the activator;
- and
- at least one second pin engageable with one or more of the clearance slot of the activator and the at least one groove of the outer sleeve;
- wherein the hinge pin assembly is movable between:
- a regular use position, in which the door can be moved between an open position and a closed position;
- and
- a close position, in which the door is in the closed position;
- wherein the hinge pin assembly is moved from the manual use position to the closing position in response to a signal;
- wherein the hinge pin assembly is moveable from the closing position back to the manual use position in which the door can be moved between the open position and the closed position;
- and
- wherein the at least one pin moves from the at least one groove of the outer sleeve into the clearance slot of the activator to release the outer sleeve to enable movement of the outer sleeve relative to the hinge pin body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.