The present invention relates to a door openable in case of structural failure. Normally, disasters such as earthquakes, fires, floods, cause structural failures in buildings with resulting deformation even on windows and doors, especially on the door frames and wings. It is not uncommon, for example, that following a seismic event a collapse of parts of a building or a lifting of floor block a door wing that hinders the exit. The invention is aimed, therefore, to the doors in general but also to their locks that can be blocked as a result of a structural failure.
JP H09 25746 A describes a lock contained within a box that can be retracted automatically within a traditional door wing, thanks to the action of springs. An adjustment member maintains the lock box in an extended position. In case of a seismic event, an interlocking mechanism acts on the adjustment member in such a way that the lock box is automatically released and retracted into the door by the springs. In this way the lock latch is disengaged from the door frame, and the door is free to be opened. The interlocking mechanism is actuated by sensors applied above and below the door.
JP H09 256694 A describes a lock placed inside a box similar to that in the previous document, with different adjustment member and interlocking mechanism.
Furthermore JP H09 4337A has sensors between the door frame and the door wing, the sensors being configured to operate a latch of a lock without any displacement of the box that contains the lock.
The documents cited above describe lock unlocking devices that employ sensors. It may happen that the sensors do not work properly because they simply detect small point deformations limited to the border area between the door frame and the door wing. Moreover, they do not take into account the deformation of the door itself that per se hinders the door.
The present invention aims to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.
The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a door openable in case of structural failure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lock unlocking device for releasing the lock of a door of a building which has suffered a structural failure.
To achieve the purpose mentioned above, the present invention, as defined in claim 1 attached to this description, provides a door openable in case of structural failure, the door having a larger portion and at least one end portion, both enclosed by the vertical sides of the door and by a surface inclined downwardly from the front face to the rear face of the door, on said inclined surface lying a plurality of energy absorbers.
Such a structural arrangement allows a device to be applied to the door for releasing the lock latch driven by the shift of the end portion on the lower portion along the inclined surface.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of embodiments of the door openable in case of structural failure, illustrated by way of an indicative and not limiting example in the accompanying drawings in which:
First, reference is made to
Traditionally, the door openable in case of structural failure according to the invention has a front face 2, for example facing out, and a rear face 3 facing inside. Further, the door 1 has a vertical hinge side 4 and an opposite vertical lock side 5, projected from which is a lock latch 6 operated by handles 7 for closing the door. According to the invention, the door 1 comprises a major door portion 8 bearing the handles 7, and an upper end door portion 9. Normally, the major door portion 8 and the upper end door portion 9 have such a configuration to constitute together a normal door, and are both bounded by vertical door sides 4, 5 and by a surface 10 inclined downwards from the front face 2 to the rear face 3 of the door. A plurality of energy absorbers lie along the surface 10, as shown only in part in
The energy absorbers are torsion coil springs 11 operating at compression that are housed in respective semi-cylindrical elongated seats 12, 13 formed correspondingly in the major portion 8 (visible in
The semi-cylindrical elongated seats 12, 13 are best shown in
Preferably, the semi-cylindrical elongated seats 12, 13 are made in panels 16, 17, that are inserted in the upper side 18 of the major door portion 8 and in the bottom side 19 of the upper end door portion 9.
Referring now also to partial perspective views in
Formed in the vertical lock side 5 of the door 1 is a lowered surface 20 around the lock latch 6; the lowered surface 20 continues in a groove 21 extending upward throughout the major door portion 8. Formed in the upper end door portion 9 is a recess 22. Received in a lowered surface 20 and in the groove 21 of the major door portion 8 of the door 1 is a releasing rod 23 for unlocking the lock latch. The lock latch 6 is configured so that it has a downwardly tapered plan 24.
The releasing rod 23 for unlocking the lock latch has a portion 25 with a bore 26 adapted to receive the lock latch 6 in a through manner. The portion 25 is loaded by springs 27 upwards in the lowered surface 20. The releasing rod 23 has also a stem 28 received in the groove 21 and terminates at the top with a tip 29 designed to abut against the upper end door portion 9 when the front face 2 and the rear face 3 of the major door portion 8 and the upper end door portion 9 are coplanar. This happens when the load F is not applied on the door.
When the front face 2 and the rear face 3 of the upper end door portion 9 are subjected to offset inwardly with respect to the same front and rear faces of the major portion 8 following the application of a load F from top to bottom on the door 1, the tip 29 of the releasing rod 23 enters the recess 22 of the upper end door portion 9. When the latch releasing rod 23 moves upwards under the action of the springs 27 acting on it, as a result of the offset of the upper end door portion 9 with respect to the major door portion 8, it passes over the lock latch 6 with a result of inserting the lock latch 6 within the door and holding it in the unlocked position.
Reference is made now to
As shown, in particular in
The semi-cylindrical elongated seats 12, 13 are best shown in
As described above, the semi-cylindrical elongated seats 12, 13 are preferably made of panels 31, 32 that are inserted in the upper side 18 of the lower end door portion 30 and in the bottom side of the major door portion 8.
Advantageously, the lower end door portion 30 has a bottom panel 33 inserted in which are rolling friction elements 34 in the form of rollers.
When the door, which is hinged traditionally, although not shown in the drawings, receives a thrust from the bottom to top indicated by the arrow G, as a result, for example, of the lifting of the floor (not shown), the lower end door portion 30 of the door 1 moves upward by sliding. This sliding is facilitated by the rolling friction elements 34 in contact with the floor.
The operation of the door according to the present invention should be clear. When deformations occur to the door contour, for example on its frame, which would lead to a compression of the door substantially from below and above, the door would remain stuck in the position in which it is. This is particularly dangerous when the door is in the closed position because the exit would be blocked, in case of the structural failure, for example following a seismic event. The deformation of the door due to the displacement of its portions along the inclined surface 10 reduces the size thereof, thus allowing the rotation of the door on its hinges. If the door is in the closed position and the load is applied from above, the latch releasing device would still enable the opening of the door.
It should be evident that the release device may be connected with the lower end door portion, instead of the upper one. The sliding of the release would be down.
It is clear that, when the critical time is over and there is no more abnormal strain on the door, the energy absorbers will no longer be in their compressed position and the door will be able to resume its normal configuration.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
AQ2014A0001 | Mar 2014 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB2015/051627 | 3/5/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2015/132758 | 9/11/2015 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3364298 | Peters | Jan 1968 | A |
4429495 | Aoki | Feb 1984 | A |
4726161 | Yaghoubian | Feb 1988 | A |
5850710 | Brock | Dec 1998 | A |
5927019 | Ichida | Jul 1999 | A |
6745515 | Chen | Jun 2004 | B1 |
20080034818 | Di Vinadio | Feb 2008 | A1 |
20150330138 | Staton | Nov 2015 | A1 |
20170130515 | Pardue | May 2017 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
02317-2007 | Dec 2009 | CL |
101349136 | Jan 2009 | CN |
H08210046 | Aug 1996 | JP |
H094337 | Jan 1997 | JP |
H0925746 | Jan 1997 | JP |
H09189174 | Jul 1997 | JP |
H09256694 | Sep 1997 | JP |
2002-121977 | Apr 2002 | JP |
2012052576 | Apr 2012 | WO |
Entry |
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English Abstract of JP H09189174 A dated Jul. 22, 1997. |
English Abstract of JP H0925746 A dated Jan. 28, 1997. |
English Abstract of JP H08210046 A dated Aug. 13, 1996. |
English Abstract of JP 2002-121977 A dated Apr. 26, 2002. |
English Abstract of JP H094337 A dated Jan. 7, 1997. |
English Abstract of JP H09256694 A dated Sep. 30, 1997. |
Official Action from Chilean Patent Office in corresponding application Serial No. 201602230 dated Jun. 29, 2018. (Spanish). |
English translation of Official Action from Chilean Patent Office in Serial No. 201602230 dated Jun. 29, 2018. |
Official Action from Columbian Patent Office in corresponding application Serial No. NC2016/0002763 (Spanish). |
English Abstract for CN 101349136 A dated Jan. 21, 2009. |
English Abstract for JP H08210046 A dated Aug. 13, 1996. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20170074033 A1 | Mar 2017 | US |