CN110965885B

CN110965885B - Door closer

Info

Publication number: CN110965885B
Application number: CN201910939587.5A
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: 2023-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 2039-09-30
Also published as: GB2580014A; CN110965885A; GB201815835D0; GB2580014B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a door closer comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with a second chamber, wherein the door closer comprises a piston defining a wall of the first chamber, the piston being movable relative to an opposing wall of the first chamber to change the volume of the first chamber and move fluid between the first and second chambers, wherein the door closer comprises a vacuum valve configurable to an open configuration in which fluid or stagnant air can be drawn from the door closer via the vacuum valve by applying a vacuum to the vacuum valve, and the vacuum valve is configurable to a closed configuration in which fluid or stagnant air cannot be removed from the door closer via the vacuum valve, and wherein the door closer comprises an inlet valve configurable to an open configuration in which fluid can be drawn into the door closer via the inlet valve when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum valve, and configurable to a closed configuration in which fluid cannot be added to the door closer via the inlet valve.

Description

Door closer

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a door closer. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a door closer configured such that fluid within the door closer can be replenished. The invention also relates to a method of providing fluid to a 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.

Since the performance of a door closer depends on the hydraulic pressure inside the door closer, it is important that the door closer contains as little entrapped air as possible. For example, the door closer may contain trapped air if the door closer leaks or is not provided with sufficient hydraulic fluid during manufacture. In some cases, the amount of hydraulic fluid contained within the door closer needs to be replenished to remove the trapped air.

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, wherein the door closer comprises a piston defining a wall of the first chamber, the piston being movable relative to an opposing wall of the first chamber to vary the volume of the first chamber and move fluid between the first and second chambers, wherein the door closer comprises a vacuum valve configurable to an open configuration in which fluid or stagnant air can be drawn from the door closer via the vacuum valve by applying a vacuum to the vacuum valve, and the vacuum valve is configurable to a closed configuration in which fluid or stagnant air cannot be removed from the door closer via the vacuum valve, and wherein the door closer comprises an inlet valve configurable to an open configuration in which fluid can be drawn into the door closer via the inlet valve when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum valve, and the inlet valve is configurable to a closed configuration in which fluid cannot be added to the door closer via the inlet valve.

Air can become trapped within the door closer if the door closer leaks hydraulic fluid or if sufficient hydraulic fluid is not provided to the door closer during manufacture. Entrapped air can adversely affect the performance of the door closer and it is therefore desirable that the door closer be filled with fluid during use. Thus, in some cases, it may be necessary to provide fluid to the door closer to replenish the hydraulic fluid level after the door closer is manufactured. The present invention provides a vacuum valve that can be conveniently removed and replaced once the door closer is manufactured so that fluid can be supplied to the door closer via an inlet valve under the action of vacuum.

The vacuum valve may comprise an aperture and a blocking member, wherein in the closed configuration the blocking member blocks the aperture, and wherein in the open position the blocking member is positioned such that fluid or entrapped air can be drawn out of the door closer via the aperture. In the open position, the blocking member may be removed from the vacuum valve. The vacuum valve may include a hole into which the blocking member is inserted to block the orifice. The blocking member may comprise a ball abutment which blocks the orifice when the valve is in the closed configuration. In the open position, the ball abutment can be removed from the vacuum valve.

The bore may comprise a cylindrical body section having a diameter greater than the diameter of the aperture and a tapered section on which the diameter of the bore decreases from the diameter of the body section to the diameter of the aperture, whereby the bore is configured such that when the valve is in the closed configuration the ball seats within the tapered section of the bore to block the aperture. The ball abutment may abut a wall of the tapered section of the bore when the vacuum valve is in the closed configuration.

The blocking member may comprise a threaded member that may be threadedly engaged with the bore. In the open position, the threaded member is removable from the vacuum valve. When the obstruction member includes both a ball abutment and a threaded member, the threaded member is movable within the bore to move the ball abutment into or out of its position occluding the orifice. It has been found that providing a ball abutment to block the orifice provides an optimal seal.

The door closer may include a first valve coupled to the valve port when the first valve is in the closed configuration, the door closer configured such that the piston is movable within the first chamber to move fluid between the first and second chambers via the first valve when the valve port is in the closed configuration. In the open configuration of the valve port, the first valve may be removed from the valve port.

The door closer may comprise a main valve assembly operable to prevent fluid flow between the first and second chambers, and wherein the vacuum valve forms part of the main valve assembly. The main valve assembly may include a pin piston arranged to move within a pin piston housing to prevent fluid flow through the main valve assembly, wherein the vacuum valve is formed at a distal end of the pin piston housing.

Locating the vacuum valve at the distal end of the pin piston housing is a particularly convenient arrangement as it allows for the placement of a tube over the pin piston housing so that a vacuum can be provided to the vacuum valve via the tube by, for example, a syringe or vacuum pump.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a door comprising a door closer according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of providing fluid to a door closer according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of: configuring the valve port in an open configuration, connecting the valve port to a fluid source, configuring the vacuum valve in an open configuration, coupling the vacuum valve to a vacuum, and drawing fluid from the fluid source into the door closer using the vacuum. The vacuum may be provided by a syringe or pump.

The step of connecting the vacuum valve to vacuum may comprise the steps of: a tube is placed over the distal end of the pin piston housing and a vacuum is coupled to the tube.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the invention, and vice versa.

Drawings

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

fig. 1 is a schematic view of a door to which a door closer according to an embodiment of the invention is coupled, the schematic view showing the door in a fully open position;

figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a door closer according to one embodiment of the invention showing the door closer with the piston in the "door open" position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the door closer of FIG. 2 showing the door closer with the piston in the "door closed" position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the door closer of FIG. 2 showing different positions through which the piston moves as it moves from the "door open" position to the "door closed" position;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the main valve assembly of the door closer;

FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the main valve assembly of the door closer;

fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the door closer of fig. 2 showing in detail the arrangement of the overload valve; and is

Fig. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the main valve assembly of the door closer configured such that the door closer can be replenished with hydraulic fluid.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a door 100 coupled to a door closer 1 and mounted within a door frame 101 according to an embodiment of the invention. The door 100 is shown in its fully open position in fig. 1, wherein the door is positioned at an angle a of 130 degrees from the fully closed position of the door (corresponding to the fully closed position of the door where angle a is 0 degrees, indicated by reference numeral 100' in fig. 1).

The door closer 1, shown in more detail in fig. 2 and 3, is an electro-hydraulic door closer and comprises a main body 3 having a hollow cylindrical internal cross-section, which is divided into a first chamber 5 and a second chamber 7 by a piston 9 which is movable along the main 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 soft shut-off valve 11 coupled in series with a main valve assembly 20. The main valve assembly 20 is operable to prevent fluid flow through the main valve assembly 20, thereby preventing fluid flow between the first and second chambers to allow a door coupled with the door closer to be maintained in an open or closed position.

The piston 9 defines a first wall of the first chamber and the main valve assembly 20 defines a second opposite wall of the first chamber such that when the piston 9 is driven along the body 3 towards the main valve assembly 20, the volume of the first chamber is reduced and hydraulic fluid moves from the first chamber 5 to the soft shut-off valve 11 via the main valve assembly 20 and then into the second chamber 7. Thus, the door closer is arranged such that fluid can move between the first and

second chambers

5, 7 via the main valve assembly 20 and the soft shut-off valve 11 in each position of the piston 9, provided that the main valve assembly 20 is open. The door closer also includes a gate speed valve 16 and a latch control valve 17 through which fluid can flow between the first and

second chambers

5, 7 depending on the position of the piston 9 within the body 3, as will be described in detail below.

When the door closer 1 is coupled to a door, the piston 9 is movable between a "door open" position, in which the door is fully open at an angle a of 130 degrees as shown in fig. 1, and a "door closed"; in the "door closed" position, the door is fully closed (corresponding to angle a of 0 degrees in fig. 1). In fig. 2 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. 3 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 internal to the body 3 and which abuts the piston 9 to bias the piston 9 to the "door closed" position. Such an arrangement ensures that when the door closer is coupled to the door, the door will always be biased towards the door closed position.

When the user moves the piston 9 from the "door closed" position to the "door open" position, the pinion of the rack and pinion arrangement 13 is rotated by a mechanical linkage (not shown) in a self-evident manner, in a clockwise direction as viewed in figures 2 and 3, and drives the piston 9 from left to right as viewed in figures 2 and 3 against the resilient bias of the spring 15, 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 within the second chamber 7 to move to the first chamber 5 via the soft shut-off valve 11 and the main valve assembly 20 and (depending on the position of the piston 9) the gate speed valve 16 and the latch control valve 17. Once the door to which the door closer 1 is coupled is fully open, the main valve assembly 20 may be operated to hold the piston 9 in the "door open" position, as will be described in detail below.

When the piston is in the "door open" position and the main valve assembly 20 is open, under the control of the door closer, the door closer 1 moves the door to which the door closer 1 is coupled from a fully open position corresponding to an angle a of 130 degrees to a fully closed position corresponding to an angle a of 0 degrees. The speed at which the piston 9 moves varies according to the angle a of the door from the fully closed position. The piston 9 is urged by the resilient bias of the spring 15 through four stages: a soft closing phase corresponding to the door moving between an angle a of 130 degrees to 75 degrees from a door closed position; a door speed phase corresponding to the door moving between an angle a of 75 degrees to 10 degrees from a door closed position; and a latching speed phase corresponding to the door moving between an angle a of 10 degrees to 0 degrees from the door closed position. The operation of the door closer 1 when the piston 9 moves from the "door open" position to the "door closed" position through each of these stages will now be described with reference to fig. 4.

As can be seen from fig. 4, the first chamber 5 feeds a speed control valve 16 and a latch control valve 17 (each of which is linked to a feedback valve 18) so that fluid can move from the speed control valve 16 and the latch control valve 17 into a return valve 18 and a second chamber. However, as shown in fig. 4, with the piston 9 in the "door open" position, the feedback valve 18 is blocked by the piston 9. When the piston 9 moves towards the opposite wall 240 of the chamber (the opposite wall 240 being formed by the main valve assembly 20), as shown in fig. 4, between position a and position B, the piston 9 moves from right to left through the soft-close phase. In the soft-close phase, since the return valve 18 is blocked by the piston 9, the hydraulic fluid can only flow through the main valve 20 and the soft-close valve 11, and cannot flow through either the speed control valve 16 or the latch control valve 17. Thus, during the soft-close phase, operating the main valve assembly 20 prevents any fluid flow between the first and

second chambers

5, 7.

As shown in fig. 4, the piston 9 moves through the gate speed phase between position B and position C. When the piston 9 reaches position B, the piston 9 now no longer blocks the return valve 18, so when the piston 9 moves beyond position B, the piston pushes hydraulic fluid from the first chamber 5 via the speed control valve 16 and the latch control valve 17 and via the main valve assembly 20 and the soft shut-off valve 11 into the second chamber 7. The rate at which the door closes during the door speed phase is controlled by adjusting a speed control screw 161 that may move into or out of reflux valve 18 to block fluid flow through reflux valve 18.

The piston 9 moves through the latching speed phase between position C and position D (which corresponds to the "door closed" position), as shown in fig. 4. When the piston 9 reaches position C, the piston 9 blocks the speed control valve 16 so that hydraulic fluid can only move between the first chamber 5 and the second chamber 7 via the latch control valve 17, the main valve assembly 20 and the soft close valve 11 valve. The closing speed of the door during the latching phase may be controlled by adjusting a latch control screw 171 that may be moved into or out of the backflow valve 18 in the same manner as the speed control screw 161.

The main valve assembly 20 (an exploded view of which is shown in figure 5) is positioned at the end of the body 3 opposite the piston 9 and forms an opposite wall 240 of the first chamber 5. As seen in fig. 5 and 6, the main valve assembly 20 includes a main valve body 201, a valve pin housing 203 that houses a valve member 205 in the form of a valve pin 205 within an interior cavity 207 of the valve pin housing 203, and a pin piston 209 contained within an interior cavity 211 of a pin piston housing 210. The pin piston 209 is arranged to move the valve pin 205 within the valve pin housing 203. 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 internal cavity 207 of the valve pin housing 203 such that movement of the valve pin 205 within the valve pin housing 203 is limited to a direction along the longitudinal axis of the valve pin housing 203, as indicated by the arrow labeled "Y" in fig. 6. 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 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 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 along the axis of the pin chamber from an open position to a closed position where the tapered first end 211 of the pin 205 is located within the tapered recess, as shown in FIG. 6. In this position, valve pin 205 closes valve port 221 and prevents fluid flow through main valve assembly 20.

The valve pin 205 is moved into contact with the valve port 221 by a valve piston 209 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 pin piston 209 of the present 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 pin piston 209 such that the adjustable length of the adjustable member 227 protrudes from the end of the pin 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 pin 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.

The door closer also comprises an overload valve 91 which allows hydraulic fluid to flow directly from the first chamber 5 into the second chamber 7 via the overload valve 91, bypassing the main valve assembly 20, the soft shut valve 11, the speed control valve, and the latch control valve. The overload valve 91, which is shown in detail in fig. 7, comprises a valve spring 913 which biases a ball abutment 912 into a position in which the ball abutment 912 blocks the valve orifice 911 so that, in normal use, no fluid can flow between the first and

second chambers

5, 7 via the overload valve 91. If the piston 9 is forced from the open position to the closed position, the hydraulic pressure in the first chamber 5 increases to a level which causes the ball abutment 912 to push against the resilient bias of the spring 913, thereby opening said valve port 911 so that hydraulic fluid can flow from the first chamber 5 into the second chamber 7 via the overload valve. The described overload valve is known and mitigates the risk of damage to the door closer due to over-pressurisation of the first chamber 5.

As can be seen in fig. 2 and 3, the piston 9 forms a first end of the first chamber 5 which is cylindrical and the main valve assembly 20 forms a second end of the opposite side of the first chamber 5, so that the volume of the first chamber 5 is variable by moving the piston 9 towards or away from the main valve assembly 20. The piston 9 comprises a cylindrical protruding end 915 protruding into the first chamber 5, the axis of the cylindrical end 915 being aligned with the axis X of the first chamber 5, so that the protruding end 915 is centred within the first chamber. The overload valve 91 is positioned within the raised end 915 such that the overload valve port 911 is positioned in the center of the raised end 915, aligned with the axis X of the first chamber 5.

At a second end of the first chamber 5, the main valve assembly 20 includes a cylindrical recess 202 having substantially the same dimensions as the protruding end 915, such that the recess 202 is dimensioned to receive the cylindrical protruding end 915 when the piston 9 is moved to the door closed position.

It has been found that it is advantageous to configure the door closer 1 to position the overload valve port 911 on the protruding end 915 of the piston 9, and by arranging the second wall of the chamber as a recess 202 configured to receive the protruding end 915 of the piston 9 when the piston 9 is moved to the door closed position. With this configuration, it has been observed that the fluid pressure required to engage the overload valve 91 can be reached locally at the overload valve port 911, while the fluid pressure is lower elsewhere in the first chamber 5, when the piston 9 is pushed from the door-open position towards the door-closed position. Thus, the overload valve 91 can be engaged while subjecting the first chamber 5 and main valve assembly 20 to a lower hydraulic pressure than is typical in known door closers.

In some cases, the amount of hydraulic fluid within the door closer 1 may need to be replenished. Thus, the main valve assembly is provided with a vacuum valve 225 at the distal end of the pin piston housing 210, on the opposite side of the main body 201 of the main valve assembly 20, as shown in FIG. 6. The vacuum valve 225 includes a threaded bore 227 in fluid communication with the pin piston cavity 211 via an aperture 228 positioned at an end of the bore 227, the threaded bore 227 having a tapered section adjacent the aperture 228 such that the diameter of the aperture 228 is less than the diameter of the main section of the bore 277. To seal the vacuum valve 225, a ball abutment 230 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the aperture 228 is first placed into the hole 227, and a grub screw 229 is then screwed into the hole 227 to push the ball abutment 230 along the hole 227 and into abutment with the inclined inner wall 231 of the tapered section of the hole 227 adjacent the aperture 228. Thus, when the vacuum valve 225 is sealed, the ball abutment 230 blocks the orifice 228.

To replenish the door closer 1 with hydraulic fluid, the latch control valve 17 is removed and a hydraulic fluid source 173 is placed at the latch control valve port 172 such that the hydraulic fluid source 173 is in fluid communication with the first chamber 5 or the second chamber 7 depending on the position of the piston, as shown in fig. 8. The ball abutment 230 and the grub screw 229 are then removed from the bore 227 and a tube 400 is placed around the end of the pin piston housing 210 as shown in figure 8. A vacuum is then applied to the aperture 227 using, for example, a syringe or pump connected to the tube 400 to draw in all air contained within the door closer 1 in the direction of the arrow labelled "Z" in figure 8. The application of vacuum at the vacuum valve 225 causes hydraulic fluid to be drawn from the hydraulic fluid source 173 in the direction of the arrow labeled "W" in fig. 8, thereby replacing all trapped air within the door closer 1 with hydraulic fluid. Once the hydraulic fluid in the door closer 1 is replenished to the appropriate level, the ball abutment 230 and grub screw 229 are placed back in the aperture 227 to seal the vacuum valve 225.

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, wherein the door closer comprises a piston defining a wall of the first chamber, the piston being movable relative to an opposing wall of the first chamber to change the volume of the first chamber and move fluid between the first and second chambers,

wherein the door closer comprises a vacuum valve configurable to an open configuration in which fluid or entrapped air can be drawn from the door closer via the vacuum valve by applying a vacuum to the vacuum valve, and a closed configuration in which fluid or entrapped air cannot be removed from the door closer via the vacuum valve, and

wherein the door closer comprises an inlet valve configurable to an open configuration in which fluid can be drawn into the door closer via the inlet valve when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum valve, and a closed configuration in which fluid cannot be added to the door closer via the inlet valve.

2. The door closer of claim 1, wherein the vacuum valve comprises an aperture and a blocking member, and wherein in the closed configuration the blocking member blocks the aperture, and wherein in the open configuration the blocking member is positioned such that fluid or stagnant air can be drawn out of the door closer via the aperture.

3. The door closer of claim 2 wherein the vacuum valve includes a hole into which the blocking member is inserted to block the aperture.

4. The door closer of claim 3 wherein the blocking member comprises a ball abutment that blocks the orifice when the valve is in the closed configuration.

5. The door closer of claim 4 wherein the bore comprises a cylindrical body section having a diameter greater than a diameter of the aperture and a tapered section on which the diameter of the bore decreases from the diameter of the body section to the diameter of the aperture, whereby the bore is configured such that when the valve is in the closed configuration the ball seats within the tapered section of the bore to block the aperture.

6. A door closer according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the blocking member comprises a threaded member which is threadably engageable with the bore.

7. The door closer of any one of the preceding claims 1-5, wherein the door closer comprises a first valve coupled to the inlet valve when the inlet valve is in a closed configuration, the door closer being configured such that the piston is movable within the first chamber to move fluid between the first and second chambers via the first valve when the inlet valve is in a closed configuration.

8. A door closer according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the door closer comprises a main valve assembly operable to prevent fluid flow between the first and second chambers, and wherein the vacuum valve forms part of the main valve assembly.

9. The door closer of claim 8 wherein the main valve assembly includes a pin piston arranged to move within a pin piston housing to prevent fluid flow through the main valve assembly, and wherein the vacuum valve is formed at a distal end of the pin piston housing.

10. A door comprising a door closer according to any preceding claim.

11. A method of providing fluid to a door closer according to any preceding claim, the method comprising the steps of:

-configuring the inlet valve in the open configuration,

-connecting the inlet valve to a fluid source,

-configuring the vacuum valve in the open configuration,

-connecting the vacuum valve to a vacuum,

-drawing fluid from the fluid source into the door closer using the vacuum.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the door closer is a door closer according to claim 9, and wherein the step of connecting the vacuum valve to a vacuum comprises the steps of: a tube is placed over the distal end of the pin piston housing and a vacuum is coupled to the tube.