Door with integrated fire exit device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6183023
  • Patent Number
    6,183,023
  • Date Filed
    Friday, November 20, 1998
    26 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 6, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Browne; Lynne H.
    • Walsh; John B.
    Agents
    • Mierzwa; Kevin G.
    • Artz & Artz, P.C.
Abstract
A door with an integrated exit device has an operational bar which at least partially extends across the door. The operational bar is located within a recess in the face of the door. The operational bar has at least one arm that extends into a channel, which is formed in cooperation with the recess. The door has a locking channel which extends along the vertical edge of the door. The locking channel is coupled to a vertical stile that is fixedly located on the vertical edge of the door. The locking channel and the vertical stile are pivotally coupled by a clip. A blocking member is located within the vertical stile. The operational bar has an actuator arm located within the door and within the vertical stile. As the operational bar is pushed inward, actuator arm pushes blocking member to an open position which also allows locking channel to pivot to an open position. If access is required from both sides of the door, a handle may be located outside of the door and coupled to the operational bar by a connection arm. The connection arm moves the operational bar in cooperation with movement of the handle.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates generally to a door assembly for an opening of a building. More specifically, the present invention relates to a door having a fire exit release device.




A fire exit release is a separate component mounted on the face of the door. The fire exit release usually consists of a push bar that extends across the face of the door. Some push bars are activated by pushing the bar in a horizontal plane. Other push bars are rods that extend across the face of the door and are rotated about an axis to unlock the door.




These known push bars require that several other mechanisms be mounted to the door to provide the latching function. Commonly, strikes are mounted on the head or jam of the frame. Strikes may also be mounted in a recess on the floor. Vertical rods extend between the push bar and the strikes. These vertical bars usually extend on the outside of the door on the same side as the push bar.




Several disadvantages are present in known fire exit assemblies. One disadvantage with such assemblies is that the assembly is typically installed after the door is mounted in the frame at the job site. This can be costly because skilled trades must be employed to perform the installation. Also, the device cannot be tested and adjusted prior to transporting the components to the jobsite. Prior testing is desirable for a door installation.




Another disadvantage of known exit devices is that because the vertical rods are mounted on the outside of the door, the door can be found or rendered inoperative by pushing pencils, pens, or other implements into or behind the device. Yet another disadvantage of the protruding device is that the moving mechanisms can also be caught on clothing or provide a place for a finger to be caught. Yet another disadvantage of an exteriorly mounted fire exit device is that strikes located on the jam or the head of the frame are an added component which increases cost and which is also not aesthetically pleasing.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is, therefore, one object of the invention to provide an aesthetically pleasing exit device that does not allow for the device to be easily defeated, or easily caught on persons or clothing.




In one aspect of the invention, a door with an integrated fire exit device has an operational bar which partially extends across the door. The operational bar is located within a recess in the face of the door. The operational bar has at least one arm that extends into a channel, which is formed in cooperation with the recess. The door has a locking channel which extends along the vertical edge of the door. The locking channel is coupled to a vertical stile that is fixedly located on the vertical edge of the door. The locking channel and the vertical stile are pivotally coupled by a clip. A blocking member is located within the vertical stile. The operational bar has an actuator arm located within the door and within the vertical stile. As the operational bar is pushed inward, actuator arm pushes blocking member to an open position which also allows locking channel to pivot to an open position. If access is required from both sides of the door, a handle may be located outside of the door and coupled to the operational bar by a connection arm. The connection arm moves the operational bar in cooperation with movement of the handle.




One advantage of the invention is that the number of parts used in this exit device is reduced from that in known devices.




Another advantage of the invention is that one length of operational bar can accommodate a variety of door widths since the length of operational bar is not dependent on the door size.




Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and appended claims.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a front elevational view of a door having an exit device according to the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a side view of a door having an exit device according to the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a top view of the door of

FIG. 1

according to the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view of an exit device having the operational bar in a door latched position.





FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional view corresponding to

FIG. 4

except that the operational bar is in the door unlatched position.





FIG. 6

is a lateral cross-sectional view of the exit device in the open position.





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional view of the exit device of

FIG. 6

in the closed position.





FIG. 8

is a partial elevational view of an alternative embodiment of an exit device according to the present invention.





FIG. 9

is a cross-sectional view of the alternative design along line


9





9


of

FIG. 8

in the closed position.





FIG. 10

is a cross-sectional view along line


10





10


of

FIG. 8

showing the exit device in the open position.





FIG. 11

is a perspective view of a retainer assembly mounted within a door.





FIG. 12

is a perspective view of a retainer.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring now to the drawings, like reference numerals are used to identify identical components in the various views. While a door is illustrated with respect to a single door having an exit device, the teachings may apply equally to any type of door including a pair of exit doors.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1-3

, a door assembly


10


has a door


12


with a face


13


, an operational bar


14


, a locking channel


16


, and a retainer


18


.




While door


12


is preferably a commercial door, door


12


may also be a residential door. Door


12


may be formed of wood, metal, metal around wood, with or without glass panels or any other suitable material for doors.




As will be further described below, operational bar


14


is located partially recessed within door


12


. Operational bar


14


is operatively connected to locking channel


16


. Locking channel


16


engages a portion of the door frame to allow door to be closed and released. Retainer


18


also operatively coupled to locking channel


16


. Retainer


18


extends from the top of the door and allows locking channel


16


to return to its closed position while the door is being closed within a frame.




Referring now to

FIGS. 4 and 5

, operational bar


14


has a housing


20


which generally forms a rectilinear shape. As illustrated, housing


20


is generally hollow. However, housing


20


may also be made solid.




Operational bar


14


should be of sufficient length to act as a fire exit device. The length of operational bar


14


is not a function of the width of the door. That is, one length operational bar


14


is suitable for a variety of door widths, thus reducing the inventory of the manufacturing facility.




Door


12


has a recess


22


therein. Recess


22


is preferably sized just longer and just wider than operational bar


14


so that operational bar


14


may fit therein and move freely in and out. The depth of recess


22


is sized so that operational bar


14


may fit at least partially therein when the operational bar


14


is moved to open position. Recess


22


has a front side


34


, a bottom side


36


, and a back side


38


.




Door


12


also has a channel


24


defined therein. Channel


24


is coupled to recess


22


. Channel


24


is preferably integrally defined by the door


12


on all sides except the top where it is coupled to channel


24


. Channel


24


preferably has an exterior finished surface


26


coextensive with door


12


. Of course, one skilled in the art would recognize channel


24


may be formed of separate pieces assembled onto door


12


.




Operational bar


14


has an arm


28


coupled thereto. Preferably, two arms fixedly coupled and spaced apart along the length of operational bar


14


are used. However, a single arm


28


having a width substantial enough to support operational bar


14


within recess


22


or more than two arms may be used to support bar


14


. Arm


28


has a first end


30


coupled to operational bar


14


. Arm


28


has a second end


32


extending into channel


24


. First end


30


is preferably fixedly coupled to operational bar


14


. First end


30


, as illustrated, is coupled within operational bar


14


. First end


30


may also be integrally molded or integrally formed with operational bar


14


.




Arm


28


has a pivot extension


40


extending from second end


32


. Preferably, pivot extension


40


extends substantially perpendicularly to arm


28


. Pivot extension


40


extends into a corner


41


between front side


34


and bottom side


36


of recess


22


. Arm


28


generally supports the weight of operational bar


14


against bottom side


36


of channel


24


. Arm


28


allows bar


14


to pivot about a horizontal axis.




Arm


28


allows a force at any location upon operational bar


14


to be converted to a torque that is transmitted to the latch end of operational bar to open the door.




In operation, operational bar


14


extends a distance d


1


from face


13


as shown in

FIG. 4

when the door is in a closed position. When door


12


is placed in an open position, as shown in

FIG. 5

, operational bar


14


extends a distance d


2


. In one constructed embodiment, when door


12


is in the closed position, operational bar


14


at its uppermost point extends 0.625 inches from door


12


. When door


12


is in the open position, the uppermost portion of operational bar


14


extends a distance of 0.125 inches from door


12


. That is, operational bar


14


is virtually flush. Operational bar


14


preferably remains recessed until door


12


is closed. Preferably, little effort is required to open door


12


. In the constructed embodiment, less than


15


pounds of force on operational bar


14


were required to open door


12


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 6 and 7

, in this embodiment, door


12


opens only by use of operational bar


14


. No handle is provided on the exterior of door


12


opposite operational bar


14


. Door


12


is shown adjacent to a door frame


42


. Door frame


42


has an extension


44


onto which locking channel


16


may cooperate to hold door


12


in a locking position. A vertical stile


46


is coupled in an end of door


12


. Vertical stile


46


preferably extends along the height of door


12


adjacent to locking channel


16


, which also extends the height of door


12


. Locking channel


16


is pivotally coupled to vertical stile


46


. A clip


48


, coextensive with vertical stile


46


and locking channel


16


, couples vertical stile


46


to locking channel


16


.




As shown, locking channel


16


is generally an H-shaped element having legs


50


and


52


with a center web


54


extending generally perpendicularly therebetween. Locking channel


16


has an elongated tube


64


located therein. Tube


64


is preferably coupled between leg


52


and web


54


.




Operational bar


14


has an actuator arm


56


coupled thereto or integrally formed therewith. Actuator arm


56


extends into the open space defined by vertical stile


46


. In the closed position, actuator arm


56


contacts a blocking member


58


. Blocking member


58


has a rounded end around a pin


60


. Blocking member


58


has a nylon roller


62


.




In the open position, arm


52


of channel


16


contacts arm


56


. Arm


52


holds operational bar


14


in a recessed position.




The opposite end of blocking member


58


from pin


60


extends into tube


64


. Blocking member


58


essentially has two positions. As shown in

FIG. 6

, blocking member


58


is in the open position. As shown in

FIG. 7

, blocking member


58


is in a closed position. Blocking member


58


is used to position locking channel


16


in the open and closed position.




In operation, actuator arm


56


pushes against blocking member


58


in the area of pin


60


and roller


62


. As operational bar


14


moves inward (i.e., going from a closed to open position), actuator arm


56


moves inward to push blocking member


58


against the opposite edge of vertical stile


46


. Clip


48


acts as a hinge around which locking channel


16


pivots. Actuator arm


56


remains engaged with arm


52


of locking channel


16


to allow operational bar


14


to remain recessed in an open position. As will be further described below, retainer


18


(shown in

FIG. 1

) may also be used to hold locking channel


16


in the open position.




Referring now to

FIG. 8

, a partial front view of a door


12


is shown that, in addition to operational bar


14


, has an additional handle


68


located on the exterior side of the door. Handle


68


allows door


12


to be opened from the opposite direction than that of operational bar


14


. Common reference numerals from the description above are used to describe the same components.




Referring now to

FIGS. 9 and 10

, handle


68


extends into door


12


. Along with the other mechanisms generally represented by reference numeral


70


that are commonly associated with various handles, handle


68


has a connection arm


72


coupled thereto. Actuator arm


56


has a connection pin


74


extending therefrom. Connection arm


72


is used to couple handle


68


and connection pin


74


. As shown, connection arm


72


and actuator arm


56


are separate components; however, they may be initially formed. Thus, as handle


68


moves inward and outward with respect to door


12


, connection arm


72


moves connection pin


74


inward and outward in registry therewith. In this manner, door


12


can be opened from both the inside of the door and the outside of the door. For locking purposes, handle


68


may be locked without impeding the operation of operational bar


14


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 11 and 12

, the top portion of vertical stile


46


is shown in a perspective view. Retainer


18


is shown extending from the top of door


12


. Retainer


18


is held in place within stile


46


by a guide block


80


. As shown, guide block


80


is a member having a generally a T-shaped cross-section that fits within a retainer channel


82


through retainer


18


. Retainer


18


is yieldably biased in the upward position by a spring (not shown). Retainer


18


is coupled to locking channel


16


.




When door


12


is in an open position, retainer


18


extends out from the top of door


12


. Retainer


18


has an angled portion


84


which contacts the frame of the door assembly. When the frame is being closed, the top portion of the frame is brought into contact with angled portion


84


. Retainer


18


is pushed within vertical stile


46


. This movement allows locking channel


16


to position itself into a closed position. Thus, the closed position is only achieved when the door


12


is almost into its closed position.




Retainer


18


holds locking channel


16


in the open position when the operational bar


14


is in the closed position. Retainer


18


holds operational bar


14


in the recessed position by contacting actuator arm


56


.




While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A door assembly having a door with a door surface having a recess in the door and an exit assembly, said exit assembly comprising:wherein said door has a channel, said channel having a front side and a bottom side, said channel coupled to the recess; an operational bar located within the recess, said operational bar having a first position within said recess so that said operational bar is substantially flush with the door surface and a second position wherein said operational bar partially extends from said recess a distance from said first position; an arm coupled to said operational bar, said arm having a first end and a second end, said first end is coupled to said operational bar, said second end extending entirely within said channel and supporting said operational bar; and a latching mechanism coupled to said operational bar through said door, said latching mechanism upon movement of said operational bar into a first position from a second position moving said latching mechanism to an open position.
  • 2. A door assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a connection pin coupled to the operational bar, a handle located on an opposite side of the door from the operational bar, said operational bar and said connection pin coupled together through a connection arm.
  • 3. A door assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a retainer coupled to a locking channel.
  • 4. A door assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said second end comprises a pivot extension.
  • 5. A door assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said pivot extension is positioned adjacent to said bottom side or said front side.
  • 6. A door assembly having a door with a door surface having a recess in the door and an exit assembly, said exit assembly comprising:an operational bar located within the recess, said operational bar having a first position within said recess so that said operational bar is substantially flush with the door surface and a second position wherein said operational bar partially extends from said recess a distance from said first position; a latching mechanism coupled to said operational bar through said door, said latching mechanism upon movement of said operational bar into a first position from a second position moving said latching mechanism to an open position; and an actuator arm coupled to said operational bar, said actuator arm coupled to said latching mechanism, said actuator arm moving with said operational bar.
  • 7. A door assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said latching mechanism comprises a blocking member coupled to a pin.
  • 8. A door assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said actuator arm is operatively coupled to said blocking member.
  • 9. A door assembly comprising:a door with a recess between two door faces and a channel coupled to the recess, said channel and said recess entirely between said two door faces; an exit assembly comprising; an operational bar located at least partially within the recess, said operational bar having an open position within said recess wherein said operational bar is substantially flush with the door surface and a closed position wherein said operational bar partially extends from said recess a distance greater than in said first position, said operational bar having a support arm having a first end and a second end, said first end coupled to said operational bar, said second end located entirely within said recess and said channel for supporting said operational bar and positioning said operational bar relative to said recess; and a latching mechanism coupled to said operational bar through said door, said latching mechanism upon movement of said operational bar into the open position from the closed position moving said latching mechanism to an open position.
  • 10. A door assembly as recited in claim 9 further comprising an actuator arm coupled to said operational bar, said actuator arm coupled to said latching mechanism, said actuator arm moving with said operational bar.
  • 11. A door assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said latching mechanism comprises a locking channel having a locking channel arm, said locking channel arm engaging said actuator arm in an open position thereby holding said operational bar within said recess.
  • 12. A door assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said support arm has a first end and a second end, said first end coupled to said operational bar, said second end extending within said channel.
  • 13. A door assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said second end comprises a pivot extension.
  • 14. A door assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said pivot extension is positioned adjacent to one of said two door faces.
  • 15. A door assembly as recited in claim 9 further comprising a connection pin coupled to the operational bar, a handle located on an opposite side of the door from the operational bar, said operational bar and said connection pin coupled together through a connection arm.
  • 16. A door assembly comprising:a door having a vertical edge, a pair of door faces and a recess and a channel located entirely between said pair of door faces; a vertical stile coupled to said vertical edge; a locking channel movably coupled to said vertical stile; a blocking member located with said vertical stile, said blocking member movably coupled to said locking channel, said blocking member having a first position and a second position; an operational bar having a support arm coupled thereto, said operational bar located at least partially within said recess and said arm extending into said channel, said operational bar having an open position within said recess so that said operational bar extends a minimal distance from said door face so that said operational bar is substantially flush with the door face and a closed position wherein said operational bar partially extends from said recess a distance greater than the minimal distance; and an actuator arm coupled to said operational bar, and operatively coupled to said blocking member, said actuator arm moving said blocking member from a first position to a second position when said operational bar is moved into said recess into said open position.
  • 17. A door assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said locking channel has a locking channel arm, said locking channel arm engaging said actuator arm in an open position to hold said operational bar within said recess.
  • 18. A door assembly as recited in claim 16 further comprising a retainer coupled to said stile.
  • 19. A door assembly as recited in claim 18 releasing said blocking member from a second position to a first position upon contact with a door frame.
  • 20. A door assembly as recited in claim 18 further comprising a guide block coupling said retainer within said stile.
  • 21. A door assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said retainer having a retainer channel for receiving said guide block.
  • 22. A door assembly as recited in claim 16 further comprising a connection pin coupled to the operational bar, a handle located on an opposite side of the door from the operational bar, said operational bar and said connection pin coupled together through a connection arm.
  • 23. A door assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said channel having a front side and a bottom side, said channel coupled to said recess.
  • 24. A door assembly as recited in claim 23 further comprising an arm coupled to said operational bar, said arm having a first end and a second end, said first end is coupled to said operational bar.
  • 25. A door assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said arm pivots about a horizontal axis.
  • 26. A door assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said second end comprises a pivot extension.
  • 27. A door assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein said pivot extension is positioned adjacent to said bottom side and said front side.
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Entry
Brochure entitled “Total Door”, undated.