EP1445416A1

EP1445416A1 - Door panel

Info

Publication number: EP1445416A1
Application number: EP03075235A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Milan Stojanovic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-22
Filing date: 2003-01-22
Publication date: 2004-08-11

Abstract

The present invention relates to a door panel (1) wherein the door panel (1) comprises a light switch (5). According to a preferred embodiment of the door panel (1) of the present invention, the door panel (1) comprises a door opener (6), and the light switch (5) is placed on or near the door opener (6), preferably on top of the door opener (6).

In further aspects the present invention relates to a doorpost (2) comprising the door panel (1) according to the invention, and to the use of the door panel (1) or the door post (2) for at least partially closing off a room or space that is not in direct contact with daylight.

Description

The present invention relates to a door panel. Door panels are known in practice and are used for closing off a certain room or space.
A problem that is often encountered with known door panels when entering a room or space that is closed off by said door panel is that it is difficult to find a light switch for illuminating the room or space to be entered.
The above problem is particularly pertinent in the case of a room or space that is not in direct contact with daylight as is often the case for toilets, wardrobes, cellars, etc.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a door panel that avoids the above problem. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new type of door panel.
These and other objects can be achieved by the door panel according to the present invention, wherein the door panel comprises a light switch.
As the door panel itself comprises the light switch, the light switch can be easily found.
A further advantage of the door panel according to the present invention is that a space saving on the wall or wall part adjacent to the door panel can be obtained, as according to the present invention the light switch is placed on the door panel itself.
The door panel according to the present invention is not limited to a specific one, but may be any door panel closing off at least in part a room or space, such as a door panel of a room, box, casing, cabinet, cupboard, wardrobe, toilet, cellar, etc.
Further, the light switch according to the present invention is also not limited, as long as the light in the room or space closed off at least partially by the door panel may be turned on or off using the light switch. The person skilled in the art will readily understand that various light switches may be used according to the present invention.
The door panel according to the present invention may comprise more than one light switch. Also, further switches for other purposes than turning on/off light may be present.
According to a preferred embodiment of the door panel of the present invention, the door panel comprises a door opener, and the light switch is placed on or near the door opener, preferably on top of the door opener.
Herewith an unambiguous position of the light switch on the door panel is obtained. Furthermore the door opener and light switch may be designed such that opening of the door and turning on the light may be done in one and the same operation, in particular when the light switch is placed on top of the door opener.
The person skilled in the art will readily understand that the door opener may be designed in various ways as long as it is suitable for opening the door panel, such as a door handle.
Further it is preferred according to the present invention that at least the front side of the door panel comprises a light switch.
Herewith the room or space closed off at least partially by the door panel can be illuminated without entering the room or space itself or without opening the door panel. This embodiment is very suitable in case of display case, for example.
According to the invention with 'front side' of the door panel is meant that side of the door panel that is in use positioned on the outside of the room, cabinet, etc.
Further it is preferred that both the front side and the rear side of the door panel comprise a light switch.
According to the present invention with 'rear side' is meant that side of the door panel that is in use positioned on the inside of the room, cabinet, etc.
The light switch of the door panel according to the present invention may be powered by a battery or by other suitable means. It is preferred according to the present invention that the door panel comprises circuitry for feeding the light switch. The person skilled in the art will readily understand how to apply the circuitry.
According to a preferred embodiment the door panel is connected to a doorpost using a hinge and the circuitry is guided through said hinge.
Herewith the circuitry can be connected to the electric mains in a very simple manner. Preferably the circuitry is incorporated in the door panel such that the circuitry is invisible.
In a further aspect the present invention relates to a doorpost comprising a door panel according to the present invention.
Finally the present invention relates to the use of the door panel according to the invention or the door post according to the invention for at least partially closing off a room or space that is not in direct contact with daylight, such as a toilet, wardrobe, cellar space, etc.
Hereinafter the present invention will be illustrated in more detail by a drawing. Herein shows:
Figure 1 a schematic partial frontal view of the door panel according to the present invention; and
Figure 2 a schematic partial side-view of the door panel shown in Figure 1.
Same reference numbers refer to the same components.
Figure 1 shows a schematic partial frontal view of the door panel according to the present invention, which door panel is generally indicated with reference number 1. In Fig. 1 the door panel 1 is shown in closed position and thus aligned with the door casing 2. The front side 4 of the door panel 1 is shown, i.e. that side of the door panel 1 that is in use positioned on the outside of the room, cabinet, etc. (not shown in Fig. 1) that is at least partially closed off by the door panel 1. At one side, the door panel 1 is movably connected to the door casing 2 by hinges 3.
The door panel 1 comprises a door opener 6 which opener 6 may be a door handle, door knob, door latch, etc. On the door opener 6 a light switch 5 is positioned. The light switch 5 may be any suitable means for turning on/off the light in the room or space closed off by the door panel 1.
The light switch 5 may be powered by a battery or the like (e.g. in combination with IR remote control means for turning on/off the light). According to a preferred embodiment - and as shown in Fig. 1 - the door panel 1 comprises circuitry 7 for feeding the light switch 5. In Fig. 1 the circuitry 7 is indicated with a dotted line as the circuitry 7 is invisible, i.e. incorporated by the door panel 1. This incorporation of the circuitry may be achieved by 'sandwiching' the circuitry between two panels forming the door panel 1. The circuitry 7 may be guided via one of the hinges 3 to be connected to the electric mains (not shown).
Fig. 2 shows a schematic partial side-view of the door panel 1 shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the rear side 8 of the door panel 1 (that side of the door panel 1 that is in use positioned on the inside of the room, cabinet, etc.) is also indicated. In the shown embodiment both the front side 4 and the rear side 8 of the door panel 1 comprise a light switch 5.
In use of the door panel 1 shown tin Figs. 1 and 2, a user may grip the door handle 6 placed on the door panel 1. The user can easily locate the light switch 5, as it is positioned on the door panel 1. In case the light switch is positioned on or near the door opener 6, the user can open the door panel 1 and turning on the light in the room closed off by the door panel 1 in one and the same action.
The person skilled in the art will understand that many modifications may be made. For instance, the door panel 1 may comprise, in addition to the light switches 5, further switches for other purposes than turning on/off light.

Claims

Door panel (1), wherein the door panel (1) comprises a light switch (5).
Door panel (1) according to claim 1, wherein the door panel (1) comprises a door opener (6), and wherein the light switch (5) is placed on or near the door opener (6), preferably on top of the door opener (6).
Door panel (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least the front side (4) of the door panel (1) comprises a light switch (5) .
Door panel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the front side (4) and rear side (8) of the door panel comprise a light switch (5).
Door panel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the door panel (1) comprises circuitry (7) for feeding the light switch (5).
Door panel (1) according to claim 5, wherein the door panel (1) is connected to a doorpost (2) using a hinge (3) and wherein the circuitry (7) is guided through said hinge (3).
Doorpost (2) comprising a door panel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 - 6.
Use of the door panel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 - 6 or the door post (2) according to claim 7 for at least partially closing off a room or space that is not in direct contact with daylight.