Automatic Emergency Door Closure

• US 20200131824A1
• Filed: 10/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: JKO Construction LLC
• Original Assignee: JKO Construction LLC
• Inventors: Opgenorth, James L.
• Application Number:
  US16/668,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20200131824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/02 with one pin
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/006 by emergency conditions, e.g. fire operating or controlling mechanisms for physical fire-barriers A62C2/24
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1016 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/12 Mechanisms in the shape of hinges or pivots, operated by springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/134 Fire doors

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.

Claims

1. 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 hinge plates;

wherein the hinge pin assembly is movable between;

a first position in which the door is in a regular use position where it can be moved between an open position and a closed position; and

a second position in which the door is released to the closed position;

wherein the hinge pin assembly is moved from the first position to the second position in response to a signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hinge pin assembly further comprises:

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.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an outer sleeve surrounding an upper portion of the hinge pin body; and

an activator located within the outer sleeve;

wherein movement of the activator releases the torsion spring to allow rotational movement of the hinge pin body.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the activator comprises a side wall;

wherein the outer sleeve comprises at least one slot formed in an inner sidewall; and

wherein at least one pin extends from the at least one slot to the side wall when the hinge pin assembly is in the first position.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the activator further comprises at least one clearance slot formed in the side wall;

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 slot in the inner sidewall of the outer sleeve to release the outer sleeve to move relative to the hinge pin body.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a cap mounted to a top portion of the outer sleeve; and

an electromagnet mounted to the cap;

wherein the activator is moved by the electromagnet.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a heat-expandable gas located within the outer sleeve;

wherein the activator is moved due to the expansion of the heat-expandable gas.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a heat source mounted within the outer sleeve that is heated by a battery source mounted adjacent to the hinge pin assembly.

9. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a lower clutch assembly comprising;

a lower clutch drive arm abutting one of the pair of hinge plates;

an upper surface; and

a plurality of angled teeth extending upwardly from the upper surface; and

an upper clutch assembly comprising;

a lower surface; and

a plurality of angled teeth extending downwardly from the lower surface;

wherein the plurality of angled teeth of the upper clutch assembly are rotated to engage the plurality of angled teeth of the lower clutch assembly.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least one angled spline formed in an outer surface of the hinge pin body adjacent to the upper clutch assembly;

and

at least one pin extending from the upper clutch assembly into the at least one angled spline;

wherein the upper clutch assembly rotates relative to the hinge pin body along the at least one angled spline from;

a first position wherein the upper clutch assembly is distanced from the lower clutch assembly;

to

a second position wherein the plurality of angled teeth of the upper clutch assembly are engaged with the plurality of angled teeth of the lower clutch assembly.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal can be triggered by one of a detection of heat, a detection of smoke, or a detection of carbon monoxide.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal can be communicated from a remote location.

13. A method of using an automatic door closer comprising the steps of:

inserting an automatic door closer system comprising a hinge pin assembly into a pair of existing hinge plate knuckles associated with a door;

placing the automatic door closer system in a first position where the door is held in a regular use position in which the door can be moved between an open position and a closed position;

moving the automatic door closer system to a second position where a torsion spring of the automatic door closer system rotates the hinge pin assembly; and

moving the door from the open position to the closed position by the hinge pin assembly.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an emergency signal; and

moving the automatic door closer system from the first position to the second position.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

moving an activator located within an outer sleeve of the automatic door closer system to a release position;

releasing the torsion spring;

rotating the hinge pin assembly; and

rotating the door by the hinge pin assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

activating an electromagnet located adjacent to the activator;

moving the activator by the electromagnetic force created by the electromagnet to the release position.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

inserting a heat-expandable gas within the automatic door closer system;

heating the automatic door closer system to expand the heat-expandable gas; and

moving the activator by expansion of the heat-expandable gas to the release position.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising steps of:

detecting an emergency signal from a first location;

transmitting a signal from the first location to a second location distanced from the first location;

moving the automatic door closer system from the first position to the second position.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of detecting an emergency signal from a smoke detector located at the first location.