EP1375807B1 - Door closer with hydraulic damping - Google Patents

Abstract

The door closer comprises a casing containing a hydraulic fluid in which a piston with a skirt slides with a sealing joint and delimits two chambers. Movements of the piston relative to the casing are fixed to those of the door leaf. A return spring is supported against the piston skirt to return the piston to its door closing position. A conduit connecting the two chambers ensures fluid transfer between them. The door is locked in the open position by a locking spindle (27) and a retractable stop which limits the travel of the piston. The locking spindle can translate in a ball carrying sheath (29) provided with a holder (31) for balls (34) pressed against the locking spindle.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of door closing devices, and relates to a hydraulic damping door closer capable of maintaining a door in the open position at a predetermined angle.

Some types of door closers, especially for the compartmentalisation of rooms in the event of fire, should normally lock the door in the open position and close automatically in the event of interruption of the power supply of an electrical circuit. when a fire is detected.

Known in particular means for locking a door in the open position, including the use of an electromagnet attached to the door frame or on the wall carrying the frame and cooperating with a ferromagnetic portion of the door leaf.

It is also known to lock door closers with a fuse means locking the outer arm. In the event of a fire, the fuse blows and the door closer engages the door leaf in the closed position.

These different systems have the disadvantage of being apparent and thus subject to vandalism. In addition, they do not allow to choose the opening angle of the door.

The document FR-A-2,760,780 has a device that overcomes these disadvantages and that maintains a door in the open position at a predetermined angle, for example between 80 ° and 180 °, and automatically closing as soon as the power supply is interrupted, while being inaccessible to acts of vandalism as a result of its integration with the floor or lintel of the door, by means of appropriate mounting device (s).

The door closer according to FR-A-2,760,780 comprises a housing containing a hydraulic fluid and in which is slidably mounted to seal a piston chambers of respective volumes variable in opposite directions and whose movements relative to the housing are integral with those of a door leaf, a return spring being in abutment against the skirt of the piston to recall it to a closed position of the door. Three ducts connect the two chambers of the housing separated by the skirt of the piston to ensure the transfer of fluid between the two chambers, which comprise a first conduit provided with a non-return valve opening when the piston moves to a position d opening of the door, a second conduit provided with a calibrated spring valve acting as a safety valve, and a third conduit provided with an adjustable throat which ensures the damping effect. It further comprises means for blocking the door in the open position to temporarily seal at least one of said three fluid transfer ducts, and control means in contact with these locking means to actuate them.

With this system, however, there is a phenomenon of drift of the device, namely that the door locked in the open position closes slowly gradually until losing several degrees of opening angle per day. In addition, the device blocks the door after a response time corresponding to about 5 ° opening angle of the door, which produces a beat of several centimeters clearly visible to the user.

A door closer according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from 519 061.

The prior art also knows US Patent No. US 4,663,800 , a hydraulic damping door closer, of the type comprising a housing containing a hydraulic fluid and in which is mounted sliding tight seal a piston provided with a skirt defining on either side of it in the housing two chambers of respective volumes in opposite directions and whose movements relative to the housing are integral with those of a door leaf.

In this device, the locking means of the door in the open position consist of a control head and a magnetic unit. The control head can thus lock or unlock to allow the fluid in the device to pass through a valve located in the center of the magnetic unit. The locking means thus make it possible to block the evacuation of the fluid contained in the central chamber.

The apparatus presented in the document US 4,663,800 is thus also a device that presents a risk of micro-leakage, because the implementation of the electromagnet of the magnetic unit causes the closing of the valve which then prevents the fluid from leaving the chamber without preventing it entering.

This possibility of micro-leakage is also clearly envisaged. However, it is explained that micro-leakage produces visible effect only when the central chamber has emptied so much that the rod has come into contact with the valve under the thrust of the spring. The effect engendered then is an immediate and complete reclosing of the door.

The apparatus presented in the document US 4,663,800 thus does not properly generate a slow and gradual drift, but rather a late (or delayed) and brutal drift.

It is obvious that any drift is problematic because it causes a reclosure to wear it more or less long and has the effect of creating an obstacle to the passage.

The present invention aims to provide an improved device that allows with greater reliability over time the locking of an open door at a predefined angle.

More specifically, the object of the present invention is to remedy the major disadvantage of the following prior art: the drift of the door closer which causes the closing of the door, that this drift is slow and progressive (sometimes several degrees of angle per day) or late and brutal.

The drift phenomenon of the door with the door closers of the prior art is due, essentially, to the fact that the blockage of the door is operated by attempting to maintain a fluid pressure in a chamber, using a valve that is closed.

However, the fluid pressure is then important in the chamber (of the order of 40 bar and sometimes even more), it inevitably creates micro-fluid leaks that will cause a reclosing of the door. The best progressive drifting devices are presented with a maximum drift of 1 ° per day, and the best delayed and brutal drifting devices are presented as being able to hold the door open for up to three days, but until now, no apparatus absolutely presenting no derivative has been realized.

It is an object of the present invention to remedy this problem.

This objective, as well as others which will appear thereafter, is achieved by a hydraulic damping door closer according to claim 1.

The door closer is of the type comprising a housing containing a hydraulic fluid and in which is mounted sliding tight seal a piston provided with a skirt defining on either side of it in the housing two chambers of respective volumes variable in opposite directions and whose movements relative to the housing are integral with those of a door leaf, a return spring being in abutment against the skirt of the piston to recall it to a closed position of the door, and at least a duct connecting the two chambers of the housing separated by the skirt of the piston to ensure the transfer of fluid between the two chambers and which comprises means for locking the door in the open position, these means comprising mechanical locking means of the piston stroke in the open position, which will act directly on the piston to hold it.

The door closer according to the invention thus operates a mechanical locking of the piston itself; it being secured in its movements of the door leaf, the door is blocked by a simple transfer of mechanical forces.

The solution on which the present invention rests is as follows: rather than seeking to block a pressurized fluid in a chamber, it has been found that it is preferable to provide means for directly locking the stroke of the piston; thus, as long as these locking means are implemented, the door will remain exactly in the same position since the piston can not move.

Therefore, in the locked position, the piston does not put the hydraulic fluid under pressure. The pressure balance between the two chambers eliminates the risk of leakage, ie micro leaks through one or valves that equip the fluid circulation ducts connecting the two chambers, these micro leaks being responsible for the phenomenon of drift on the farm. -increased to hydraulic blocking, either leaks through the housing of the device.

Finally, the response time, that is to say the difference between the maximum open position (typically against the neighboring partition) and the locking position, can be reduced by about half compared to a locking system. hydraulic because it avoids the dead time due to the compression of the air inevitably present inside the device.

• ■ les moyens de blocage mécanique comprennent un axe de blocage en appui contre la jupe du piston à l'opposé du ressort de rappel, et monté mobile en translation, dont la course est limitée par au moins une butée rétractable ;
• ■ l'axe de blocage est mobile en translation dans un fourreau porte billes muni de moyens maintenant les billes plaquées contre l'axe de blocage, de sorte qu'en bout de course de ce dernier, les billes tombent en butée contre une surface incidente de l'axe, notamment en biseau ;
• ■ les moyens de maintien des billes comprennent les parois inclinées d'une cloche montée mobile à coulissement autour du fourreau et coopérant avec des moyens de blocage en position de butée des billes ;
• ■ la cloche comporte une partie ferro-magnétique et les moyens de blocage de la cloche comprennent un aimant ;
• ■ l'axe de blocage est maintenu en appui contre la jupe du piston par un ressort ;
• ■ le ferme-porte comprend un moyen de réglage de la position de la ou des butées rétractables délimitant la course de l'axe de blocage;
• ■ le moyen à alimentation électrique comprend un électro-aimant et le moyen mécanique comprend une pièce de liaison dotée d'une partie ferromagnétique ;
• ■ le ferme-porte comporte au moins un organe de montage en pivot de sol ;
• ■ le ferme-porte comporte au moins un organe de montage en linteau.

According to particular characteristics:

• ■ the mechanical locking means comprise a locking pin bearing against the skirt of the piston opposite the return spring, and mounted to move in translation, the stroke is limited by at least one retractable stop;
• ■ the locking pin is movable in translation in a ball bearing sleeve provided with means maintaining the balls pressed against the locking pin, so that at the end of the latter, the balls fall in abutment against an incident surface of the axis, in particular bevel;
• ■ the ball retention means comprise the inclined walls of a bell movably mounted to slide around the sleeve and cooperating with locking means in the stop position of the balls;
• The bell comprises a ferro-magnetic part and the means of blocking the bell comprise a magnet;
• ■ the locking pin is held in abutment against the skirt of the piston by a spring;
• ■ the door closer comprises means for adjusting the position of the retractable stop or stops delimiting the stroke of the locking pin;
• The power supply means comprises an electromagnet and the mechanical means comprises a connecting piece provided with a ferromagnetic part;
• The door closer comprises at least one pivot mounting member;
• ■ the door closer comprises at least one lintel mounting member.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en coupe longitudinale d'un ferme-porte selon un exemple de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 présente une vue en coupe d'une partie du ferme-porte dans un état de fonctionnement correspondant au repos en position de fermeture de la porte ;
• la figure 3 (qui est en fait un agrandissement d'une partie de la figure 1) présente une vue en coupe de la même partie du ferme-porte dans un état de fonctionnement correspondant au blocage de la porte en position ouverte.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the description of the following example embodiment illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of a door closer according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 shows a sectional view of a part of the door closer in an operating state corresponding to the rest in the closed position of the door;
• the figure 3 (which is actually an enlargement of part of the figure 1 ) shows a sectional view of the same part of the door closer in an operating state corresponding to the locking of the door in the open position.

The door closer represented on the figure 1 comprises a casing 1 of elongated shape extending along and about a central axis, a part of which constitutes a cylinder in which is slidably mounted a piston 2, and where are also housed a compression spring 3 of return and a device 4 security and amortization of jolts of closure. The cylinder contains a damping hydraulic fluid such as an oil. The piston 2 is provided with a head 5 which is secured by a transverse pin 6 to a skirt 7 which surrounds it over the greater part of its length and which is in sliding contact on its outer periphery with the wall of the cylinder of the casing 1; an annular seal 8 is housed in a groove dug in the outer periphery of the skirt 7 of the piston. The piston rod 2 comprises, at its end opposite the skirt 7, a foot 9 pierced transversely to the axis to receive a screw 10 solidarisant the piston 2 an end of a carriage 11.

Furthermore, the housing 1 carries perpendicularly to its longitudinal axis, a shaft 12 which protrudes out of the housing 1 on one side thereof, by a head 12A secured to the door, for example the door thereof, so that the shaft 12 is rotated during pivoting movements of the leaf. At approximately the middle of the length of the shaft 12 is fixed a cam 13 of cardioid shape in contact with a roller 14 and a cam follower 15 linked in translation to the carriage 11 by two respective axes 16 and 17 carried by the trolley, around which they can spin.

The spring 3, mounted coaxially around the piston rod which guides it, is slightly compressed between the inner face of the skirt 7 and a shoulder 18 of the inner surface of the cylinder formed by a narrowing thereof in its region. surrounding the carriage 11. In this way, the spring 3 ensures the support of the roller 14 on the cam 13 via the carriage 11, as a result of its support on the skirt 7.

The skirt 7 of the piston divides the cylinder of the housing into two chambers 19, 20 whose volume varies in opposite directions as the piston moves in this cylinder, the first chamber 19 extending towards the shoulder 18 towards the surrounding region the carriage 11, and the second chamber 20 extending on the opposite side of the skirt and being delimited therein by a stopper 21.

The bottom of the skirt 7 of the piston is provided with two longitudinal through ducts 22, 23 each having, opposite the head 5 of the piston, a coaxial portion of larger diameter defining a cavity opening into the second chamber 20, in which is trapped a ball 24, 25 movable between the small diameter portion and a seat having a central nozzle, fixed in the large diameter portion. The conduits 22, 23 are adapted to selectively provide communication between the chambers 19, 20 separated axially by the skirt 7 of the piston, which are filled with hydraulic fluid. The ball 24 capable of closing the first conduit 22 is pressed against its seat by a calibrated spring 26, so as to constitute a safety valve, while the ball 25, axially free between two seats in the second conduit 23, plays a role of check valve.

A third conduit (not visible on the figure 1 ), whose section is adjustable by appropriate means, provides communication between the chambers 19 and 20 in both directions.

The operation of this door closer from the "closed door" position shown on the figure 2 is the next :

Initially, the compression of the spring 3 in its chamber 19 which then has its maximum volume, is minimal.

When the door is opened, the movement of the leaf rotates, through the head 12A of the shaft 12, the cam 13, which moves the roller 14 farthest from the skirt 7 resting on the trolley 11, along of the longitudinal axis of the housing, in the opposite direction to the skirt. The carriage, connected to the piston rod by the screw 10, drives it in the same direction by compressing the spring 3 between the skirt 7 and the shoulder 18.

During this movement, the tared spring ball 24 is biased to closing and remains in its seat; the non-return ball 25 moves axially and disengages its communication duct between the first chamber 19 which decreases in volume and the second chamber 20 which increases in volume. The third conduit (not shown) also provides a small portion of the transfer.

When the door is released, it is pivoted in the opposite direction, by the head 12A of the shaft 12 driven by the cam 13 on the periphery of which bears the roller 14 secured to the carriage 11 which is pulled by the relaxation of the spring 3 which pushes the skirt 7 of the piston.

During this movement, the calibrated spring ball 24, biased to closure by this calibrated spring 26, remains on its seat, and the first conduit is closed; the non-return ball 25 moves axially towards a closed position of the second duct and also prevents communication between the two chambers 19 and 20. On the other hand, it is the third duct (not shown) which ensures the transfer of the fluid the second chamber 20, which decreases the volume, to the first chamber 19, which increases in volume, with a previously regulated flow ensuring the damping of the closure of the door.

If, instead of releasing the door, it is manually forced to close faster than the passage section of the third duct (not shown), the fluid pressure becomes such, in the second chamber 20, that the ball 24 spring, pushed by the fluid, compresses his spring and ensures, through the first conduit 23, the direct communication of the second chamber 20 to the first chamber 19 of the return spring 3, ensuring the safety of the door closer.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the door closer comprises locking means essentially comprising a locking pin 27 guided through the plug 21, this pin 27 being kept in permanent contact with the skirt 7 of the piston by a spring 28, and a ball-bearing sleeve 29 secured to the plug 21 surrounded by a cage 30 consisting of a bell-shaped bell 31 and a counterplate 32. The cage 30 is movable in translation along the sleeve 29 between a stop position on the side of the plug 21 and a stop position on the bottom side of the housing which houses an electromagnetic suction cup 33. The electromagnetic lock is connected to electrical supply means generally coupled to the building fire plant. In one embodiment, the retaining torque of the device can be controlled by tightening the screw connecting the suction cup to the housing with the interposition of a slightly compressible seal.

The blockage of the door when it is opened is as follows:

The electromagnetic lock 33 is energized.

When opening the door, the axis 12 is rotated. The transmission of motion between the axis of rotation, the cam 13 and the roller 15 involves a linear displacement of the piston 2 of a position A shown in FIG. figure 2 towards a position B represented on the figure 3 . This displacement compresses the spring 3 of the pivot.

The spring 28 exerting a permanent thrust between the locking pin 27 and the counter-plate 32 makes it possible to maintain contact between the locking pin 27 and the piston 2. The axis 27 exerting a constant pressure on the skirt 7 of the piston 2, it may be appropriate to provide an interface material between the axis 27 and the skirt 7 when the material constituting the latter (for example Zamac ^® ) is less resistant than that of the axis (for example in steel). Here, the interface material takes the form of a reinforcing washer bearing against the end surface of the skirt 7, this washer being integrated into the seat cap of the ball 24.

During displacement of the piston 2, the locking pin 27 moves linearly, guided by the plug 21.

The bell 31, connected to the counter-plate 32, maintains, under the effect of the thrust of the spring 28, the balls 34, positioned in the ball-holder 29, pressed against the locking pin 27.

When the piston arrives in position B, the balls 34 fall at the end of the locking pin 27, against the spring 28. Under the effect of the thrust of the spring 28, the cage 30 and the counterplate 32 move in position. translation to reach abutment on the electromagnetic sucker 33. The ferritic nature of the counterplate 32 allows it to be fixed by the magnetic field against the suction cup 33.

The thrust force of the spring 3 of the pivot and the retaining force of the suction cup 33 then cancel out thanks to the transmission of these forces by the balls 34 abutting against the incident surface 35 of the end of the axis. blocking 27.

The assembly is then locked in a position of equilibrium: the door is kept open. With this system, the response time (unavoidable due to the presence of air in the mechanical system) can be limited to a minimum, especially at about 2 ° or less. The drift, it is completely removed.

The stopping position of the door can vary, as an indication, from 85 ° to 115 °, by screwing action or unscrewing on the adjusting nut 36 which connects the plug 21 and the ball holder 29. At this Finally, the ball-bearing sleeve 29 is provided at its end with needles 37 which cooperate with corresponding recesses of the cap 21, so as to block the two parts 29 and 21 in rotation when the nut 36 is turned. action tends to move the ball holder 29 away from the plug 21 and defines the position of the balls 34 along the axis of the piston 2. Thus, the position B of the piston 2 during the locking phase varies, implying a different position from the door in stop.

The unlocking can be performed on electrical control via the electromagnetic lock, for example the triggering of the fire alarm. When the supply of the suction cup 33 is cut off, the retaining force of the latter on the counterplate 32 becomes zero. Under the thrust of the spring 3 of the pivot, the piston moves from position B ( figure 3 ) to position A ( figure 2 ).

In its movement, the piston 2 pushes the locking pin 27 which expels the balls 34 towards the outside of the sleeve 29 by sliding the balls 34 on the incident surface 35 bevel the axis 27. The balls 34 then exert a pushing on the bell 31 which moves back to the blocking position B to return to the initial position A in abutment against the stopper 21.

Forced unlocking can also be done manually by pressing the door in the closing direction.

The suction cup 33 being fed and the door in the open stop position, a push on the door transmits a force on the piston 2 via the cam-roller system. This force is added to the thrust force of the spring 3. The sum of these two forces, applied on the locking pin 27, generates a resultant force on the counterplate 32 superior and opposite to the suction retaining force 33.

The blocking system is no longer in equilibrium and the counterplate 32 is detached from the suction cup 33 which allows it to move in translation. The whole system then returns to initial position A as previously described.

The present invention is described in the foregoing by way of example. It is understood that the skilled person is able to achieve different variants of the invention without departing from the scope of the patent as defined by the claims.

Claims (10)

1. Door closer with hydraulic damping, of the type comprising a housing (1) containing a hydraulic fluid and slidingly mounted in said housing, with a seal, is a piston (2) equipped with a skirt (7) that delimits on both sides of it, in the housing, two chambers (19, 20) with respective volumes that vary inversely and the movements of which relative to the housing are rigidly linked to those of a door leaf, a return spring (3) pressing against the skirt of the piston in order to return it to a closed position of the door, and at least one duct (22, 23) connecting the two chambers of the housing separated by the skirt (7) of the piston in order to ensure transfer of the fluid between the two chambers (19, 20) and which comprises means for blocking the door in the open position, these means comprising mechanical blocking means (27, 34) for blocking the stroke of the piston (2) in the open position, the door closer also comprising control means (32, 33) in contact with these blocking means in order to actuate them, characterized in that these control means comprise at least one power supply means (33) that cooperates with at least one mechanical means (32) so as, in the absence of electric current for supplying said power supply control means (33), to return the blocking means to the retracted position of one or more retractable stops (34).
2. Door closer according to Claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical blocking means comprise a blocking pin (27) resting against the skirt (7) of the piston (2) on the opposite side from the return spring (3), and mounted so that it can move horizontally, the movement of which is limited by the retractable stop or stops.
3. Door closer according to Claim 2, characterized in that the blocking pin (27) can move horizontally in a ball-holder sleeve (29) equipped with means that hold the balls (34) pressed against the blocking pin (27), so that at the end of travel of the latter, the balls (34) come to a stop against an incident surface (35) of the pin, especially a bevelled surface.
4. Door closer according to Claim 3, characterized in that the means for holding the balls (34) comprise the inclined walls of a bell (31) slidingly mounted around the sleeve (29) and cooperating with means for blocking the balls in the stop position.
5. Door closer according to Claim 4, characterized in that the bell (31) comprises a ferromagnetic part and the means for blocking the bell comprise a magnet.
6. Door closer according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the blocking pin (27) is kept pressed against the skirt (7) of the piston by a spring (28).
7. Door closer according to any one of Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that it comprises means (36) of adjusting the position of the retractable stop or stops (34) delimiting the travel of the blocking pin (27).
8. Door closer according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the power supply means comprises an electromagnet (33) and the mechanical means comprises a contact part (32) provided with a ferromagnetic part.
9. Door closer according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises at least one ground-pivot mounting member.
10. Door closer according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one lintel mounting member.

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