CN110965884A

CN110965884A - Door closer

Info

Publication number: CN110965884A
Application number: CN201910939591.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·吉布斯; S·L·诺科特; B·P·麦卡锡
Original assignee: Assa Abloy AB
Current assignee: Assa Abloy AB
Priority date: 2018-09-28
Filing date: 2019-09-30
Publication date: 2020-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 2039-09-30
Also published as: GB2577542B; CN110965884B; GB2577542A; GB201815837D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a door closer comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with a second chamber, and a valve, wherein the valve comprises a valve port and a valve member movable between an open position in which fluid can flow through the valve port between the first and second chambers and a closed position in which a first end of the valve member closes the valve port and prevents fluid flow through the valve port, wherein the first end of the valve member is conical.

Description

Door closer

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a door closer. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an electro-hydraulic door closer.

Background

The door may be coupled with a door closer to enable the door to be biased toward a closed position. Prior art door closers include a spring biasing the door closer to a "door closed" position, and a hydraulic arrangement that ensures controlled movement of the door closer between the "door open" and "door closed" positions. In such door closers, controlled movement is achieved by controlling the rate at which hydraulic fluid is moved between chambers located within the door closer as the door closer is moved between "door open" and "door closed" positions.

GB 2323125a discloses an electro-hydraulic door closer, wherein the position of the door closer can be controlled by preventing hydraulic fluid flow between the internal chambers of the door closer. When an electric field is applied within the valve of the disclosed door closer, the piston is arranged to move the plunger and ball abutment to a position closing the valve, thereby preventing fluid flow through the door closer. This arrangement means that in use the door closer can hold the door in either the open or closed position.

This arrangement requires that the plunger used to hold the ball abutment in place must be cut to a precise length during manufacture. Furthermore, in use, the valve is sealed only by a ball abutment which blocks the orifice through which hydraulic fluid normally flows.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the above problems.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a door closer comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with a second chamber, and a valve, wherein the valve comprises a valve port and a valve member movable between an open position in which fluid can flow through the valve port between the first and second chambers and a closed position in which a first end of the valve member closes the valve port and prevents fluid flow through the valve port, wherein the first end of the valve member is conical.

The door closer according to the invention comprises a valve member having a conical end portion for closing the valve port instead of, for example, a plunger and ball abutment arrangement. This simplifies the construction of the door closer and avoids the need for a plunger that must be sized. The conical shape of the first end of the valve member also helps to reliably form an effective seal when the valve member is moved to its closed position.

When the valve member is in the closed position, the first end of the valve member may be received within the valve port and the first end of the valve member abuts the valve port, thereby closing the valve port and preventing fluid flow therethrough.

The first end of the valve member and the valve port may be complementarily shaped so as to engage one another across the interface when the valve member is in the closed position. This may further improve the sealing quality of the valve port when the valve member is in the closed position. The first end of the valve member may be conical and tapered to a tip at its forward end. The first end of the valve member may be frusto-conical.

The valve member may be in the form of a pin and the conical first end of the valve member is at one end of the pin. The valve member may be generally spherical and formed with a conical projection defining a first end of the valve member.

The valve may include a valve member housing containing the valve member, the valve member housing having an interior in which the valve member is mounted for sliding in a linear direction toward and away from the valve port.

Where the valve member is in the form of a pin, the longitudinal axis of the pin may coincide with the longitudinal axis of the interior of the valve pin housing. The interior of the valve pin housing may be a chamber.

When the valve member is in the form of a pin, a first portion of the valve pin including the first end of the valve pin may have a smaller cross-section than a second portion of the valve pin, and an interior of the valve pin housing may have an interior cross-section that matches a cross-section of the second portion of the valve pin. The valve pin may be substantially circular in cross-section and may have a first diameter along a first length and a larger second diameter along a second length.

The valve port may be formed at a first end of a valve member housing and may be defined by a passage aligned with a direction of movement of the valve member.

Another valve port may be formed in a wall of the valve member housing for providing a fluid flow path through the valve member housing for the first-mentioned valve port. It will be appreciated that the valve member housing may be configured such that fluid may flow through the valve member housing in both directions. Thus, the port and the further port may each act as an inlet and an outlet.

The valve may comprise a piston arranged to move the valve member to its closed position, wherein the piston comprises an adjustable member projecting from one end of the piston and abutting a second end of the valve member so as to move the valve member to its closed position, and wherein the length of the adjustable member projecting from the end of the piston is adjustable. By providing an adjustable member protruding from an end of the piston, the overall length of the piston can be easily adjusted, which allows: the length of the piston is easily fine-tuned.

The adjustable member is movable along a longitudinal axis of the piston to adjust the length of the adjustable member protruding from the end of the piston. The adjustable member may be a grub screw.

The piston may be arranged to move the valve member to the closed position in response to the magnetic field. The piston may be surrounded by a coil, and the magnetic field may be an electromagnetic field generated by passing a current through the coil.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a door assembly comprising a door leaf and a door closer according to the first aspect of the invention coupled thereto.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which:

figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a door closer according to an embodiment of the invention, showing the door closer in a "door open" position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door closer of FIG. 1 showing the door closer in a "door closed" position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the main valve of the door closer; and is

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of a main valve of the door closer.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a door closer 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The door closer 1 is an electro-hydraulic door closer and comprises a body 3 having a hollow cylindrical inner cross-section, which is divided into a first chamber 5 and a second chamber 7 by a piston 9 which is movable along the body 3 to vary the relative volumes of the first chamber 5 and the second chamber 7. The first and

second chambers

5, 7 are in fluid communication with each other via a conduit 11, such that when the piston 9 is driven along the body by the rack and pinion arrangement 13, the fluid contained in the body 3 moves between the first and

second chambers

5, 7.

In fig. 1, the door closer 1 is shown with the piston 9 in the "door open" position, wherein the piston 9 is positioned such that the volume of the first chamber 5 is at a maximum and the volume of the second chamber 7 is at a minimum. In fig. 2 the door closer 1 is shown with the piston 9 in a "door closed" position, wherein the piston 9 is positioned such that the volume of the first chamber 5 is minimal and the volume of the second chamber 7 is maximal. The door closer 1 comprises a spring 15 which is located inside the body 3 and which abuts the piston 9 to bias the piston 9 to a "door closed" position. Such an arrangement ensures that when the door closer is coupled to the door, the door will always be biased towards its closed position.

When the door closer is moved from the door closed position to the door open position, the pinion of the rack and pinion arrangement 13 is rotated in a self-evident manner in a clockwise direction by a mechanical linkage (not shown), as shown in fig. 1 and 2, and drives the piston 9 from left to right against the force of the spring 15, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, thereby reducing the volume of the second chamber 7 and increasing the volume of the first chamber 5. When this occurs, the change in the relative sizes of the first and second chambers forces the hydraulic fluid contained in the second chamber 7 to move to the first chamber 5 via the conduit 11 connecting the first and

second chambers

5, 7.

The door closer 1 comprises a main valve 20, an exploded view of which is shown in fig. 3, which is located at the end of the door closer 1 near the first chamber 5. The main valve 20 is arranged such that all fluid passing between the first and second chambers via the conduit 11 must pass through the main valve 20. However, the door closer also comprises an overload valve 91 in the piston 9, which allows hydraulic fluid to flow directly from the first chamber 5 into the second chamber 7 via the overload valve 91, so that the main valve 20 and the conduit 11 can be bypassed via the valve 91 if the door closer is forced from the door open position to the door closed position.

The main valve 20 comprises a main valve body 201, a valve pin housing 203 which houses a valve member 205 in the form of a valve pin 205 in an internal cavity 207 of the valve pin housing 203, and a pin piston 209 arranged to move the valve pin 205 within the valve pin housing. The valve pin housing 203 includes a first valve port 221 at a first end of the valve pin housing 203 and a second valve port 223 in a wall of the valve pin housing 203. The valve pin housing 203 is arranged such that all hydraulic fluid flowing between the first chamber 5 and the second chamber 7 must flow through the inner cavity 207 of the valve pin housing 203 via the valve port 221 and the valve port 223.

The pin 205 is generally cylindrical in shape and has a first portion 217 of a first diameter and a second portion 219 of a larger second diameter. The diameter of the second portion 219 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the interior cavity 207 of the valve pin housing 203 such that movement of the valve pin 205 within the valve pin housing 203 is limited in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the valve pin housing 203, as indicated by the arrow labeled "X" in fig. 4. The valve pin 205 has a first tapered end 211 and an opposite second flat end 213. The first end 211 is the leading end of the pin 205 at the first portion 217 and the second end 213 is the trailing end of the pin at the second portion 219.

The first valve port 221 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the valve pin housing 203, and the valve pin 205 is positioned within the pin chamber such that the conical first end 211 of the pin faces the first valve port 221. The first valve port 221 is formed by a tapered recess shaped to receive the first end 211 of the pin 205 such that the pin 205 may move from an open position along the axis of the pin chamber to a closed position, wherein the tapered first end 211 of the pin 205 is located within the tapered recess, as shown in FIG. 3. In this position, valve pin 205 closes valve port 221 and prevents fluid flow through main valve 20.

The valve pin 205 is moved into contact with the valve port 221 by a valve piston 209, which is arranged to move under the influence of a magnetic field generated by a 24V coil 225. This type of electromagnetic piston arrangement will be well understood by those skilled in the art. However, the valve piston 209 of this embodiment of the invention further comprises an adjustable member 227 in the form of a grub screw which is movable along the longitudinal axis of the piston 209 such that the adjustable length of the adjustable member 227 protrudes from the end of the piston 209 in order to adjust the overall length of the piston. Upon application of the electromagnetic field, the piston moves toward the pin and the distal end of the adjustable member 227 abuts the flat end of the pin 205. The piston 209 then moves the pin 205 to a position where the first end 211 of the pin 205 is received within the inlet, thereby preventing fluid flow through the main valve.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein.

In the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. The reader will also appreciate that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Further, it should be understood that such optional integers or features, while potentially beneficial in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable in other embodiments and thus may not be present.

Claims

1. A door closer comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with a second chamber, and a valve, wherein the valve comprises a valve port and a valve member movable between an open position in which fluid can flow through the valve port between the first and second chambers and a closed position in which a first end of the valve member closes the valve port and prevents fluid flow through the valve port, wherein the first end of the valve member is conical.

2. The door closer of claim 1, wherein when the valve member is in the closed position, the first end of the valve member is received within the valve port and the first end of the valve member abuts the valve port, thereby closing the valve port and preventing fluid flow through the valve port.

3. The door closer of claim 2, wherein the first end of the valve member and the valve port are complementarily shaped to engage each other across an interface when the valve member is in the closed position.

4. A door closer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first end of the valve member is conical and tapers to a point at its forward end.

5. A door closer according to any preceding claim, wherein the valve member is in the form of a pin and the first end of the valve member which is conical is at one end of the pin.

6. A door closer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the valve member is substantially spherical and is formed with a conical projection which defines a first end of the valve member.

7. A door closer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve comprises a valve member housing containing the valve member, the valve member housing having an interior in which the valve member is mounted for sliding in a linear direction towards and away from the valve port.

8. The door closer of claim 7 when dependent on claim 5, wherein a first portion of the valve pin including the first end of the valve pin has a smaller cross-section than a second portion of the valve pin, and an interior of the valve pin housing has an interior cross-section that matches a cross-section of the second portion of the valve pin.

9. A door closer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve port is formed at a first end of the valve member housing and is defined by a channel aligned with the direction of movement of the valve member.

10. A door closer according to claim 7, wherein a further valve port is formed in a wall of the valve member housing for providing a fluid flow path through the valve member housing for the first-mentioned valve port.

11. A door closer according to any preceding claim, wherein the valve comprises a piston arranged to move the valve member to its closed position, wherein the piston comprises an adjustable member projecting from an end of the piston and abutting the second end of the valve member so as to move the valve member to its closed position, and wherein the length of the adjustable member projecting from the end of the piston is adjustable.

12. The door closer of claim 11 wherein the adjustable member is movable along a longitudinal axis of the piston to adjust a length of the adjustable member protruding from an end of the piston.

13. A door closer according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the adjustable member is a grub screw.

14. A door closer according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the piston is arranged to move the valve member to the closed position in response to a magnetic field.

15. A door closer according to claim 14, wherein the piston is surrounded by a coil, the magnetic field being an electromagnetic field generated by passing a current through the coil.

16. A door assembly comprising a door leaf and a door closer according to any preceding claim coupled to the door leaf.