EP1398240A2

EP1398240A2 - Emergency egress door

Info

Publication number: EP1398240A2
Application number: EP20030019105
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas Robert Cowling; Christopher David Price; David Richard Jones
Original assignee: AEA Technology PLC
Current assignee: DeltaRail Group Ltd
Priority date: 2002-09-13
Filing date: 2003-08-23
Publication date: 2004-03-17
Also published as: GB0221229D0; EP1398240A3

Abstract

A door, particularly an internal door in a rail vehicle, may become jammed in the closed position. A door (10) includes a frame (12) within which is a panel (14), and the panel is held in position by a retaining seal (30). By removing a locking strip (36) from the retaining seal (30), the seal becomes sufficiently flexible that the panel (14) may be pushed out of the frame (12). A handle (48) may be provided to simplify removal of the locking strip (36). Passengers can then walk through the resulting gap in the frame (12).

Description

This invention relates to an emergency egress door, particularly but not exclusively for use as an internal door in a rail vehicle.
Internal doors in rail vehicles may be operated manually or electronically/pneumatically. It is possible in an emergency situation that the normal operation of the door may not function. For example, in a rail collision it may become impossible to open internal doors between the saloon and vestibule areas or between compartments.
According to the invention there is provided an emergency egress door including:
a frame;
a panel for locating within the frame;
a retention member for retaining the panel within the frame; and
means for altering the retention member from a first condition in which it has sufficient stiffness to prevent the panel being removed from the frame and a second condition in which it is sufficiently flexible that the panel may be removed from the frame.
Where the retention member is referred to in this specification as preventing the removal of the panel from the frame, this refers to preventing a person of normal strength from pushing (or pulling) the panel out of its location within the frame. Likewise, where the retention member is referred to as being sufficiently flexible that the panel may be pushed out of the frame, this again refers to enabling a person of normal strength to push the panel out of the frame.
The retention member preferably includes a main part and a locking part which is removable from the main part.
Preferably removal of the locking part from the main part alters the retention member from the first, relatively stiff condition to the second, relatively flexible condition.
Preferably the main part and the locking part are made of a rubbery material. This may be a silicone rubber. Preferably the retention member acts as a seal between the frame and the panel.
Preferably the retention member is located between an outer edge of the panel and an inner part of the frame. Preferably the retention member is elongate and extends around the outer edge of the panel.
Preferably the main part of the retention member includes a pair of elongate legs which embrace the outer edge of the panel. The main part of the retention member may further include means for attaching it to the inner part of the frame, thus retaining the panel within the frame. The means for attaching the retention member to the frame may also comprise a pair of elongate legs which embrace a part of the frame.
The main part of the retention member may include an elongate recess, in which the locking part of the retention member locates. The recess may be positioned between one of the legs which embrace the edge of the panel and the means for attaching the retention member to the frame. Preferably the recess extends along the entire length of the retention member.
The recess may be substantially V-shaped in section, the widest part of the V being in proximity to an edge of the main part of the retention member. The locking part of the retention member is preferably of complementary shape to the recess, when in the recess, such that it completely fills the recess. Preferably the locking part may be removed from the main part by pulling it out of the recess.
The retention member is preferably shaped such that when the locking part is removed from the main part, the recess allows the main part to flex. Preferably one or both of the legs which embrace the edge of the door frame may flex, to allow the panel and the retention member to be pushed out of engagement with the the frame. Preferably when the locking part is located in the recess, such flexion of the retention member is not possible.
Preferably the emergency egress door further includes operating means for removing the locking part of the retention member from the main part. The operating means may include a handle attached to the locking part of the retention member. The handle may comprise a ring shaped pull member, the ring having a diameter of less than 80 mm.
Preferably the operating means is located in an upper, outer corner region of the door in relation to its normal operation. Thus, if the door is a sliding door, the operating means are located in the last area to disappear into the door pocket.
Preferably the emergency egress door includes a cover for concealing the operating means when emergency egress is not required. The cover may include detachable fastening means for holding it over the operating means. The detachable fastening means may comprise hook and fleece fasteners such as VELCRO (TM).
The emergency egress door may include means for highlighting the operating means, for example by illumination, in an emergency situation when the normal means of opening the door is not functioning.
The frame is preferably substantially rectangular and less than 15cm wide in the plane of the door panel. The corners of the frame may be provided with strengthening inserts, and preferably the corner regions of the frame are also provided with radiussed corner infill plates for providing a curved inner profile of the frame. The frame is preferably of a metallic material, which may be aluminium, and it may be made of extruded members.
Preferably the panel is at least partly transparent. The panel may include an airflow grille provided therein, preferably in a base part of the door. The panel is preferably made of polycarbonate material. Removal of the panel from the frame desirably leaves an opening which is large enough that a person can easily step through it.
An embodiment of the invention will be described for the purpose of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a rear view of an egress door according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a section on the line Y-Y of Fig. 1, with its mid part removed for clarity;
Fig. 2a shows an expanded view of part of the figure 2;
Fig. 3 is a section on the line Z-Z of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a view in the direction of the arrow T in Fig. 2; and
Fig. 5 is a similar view to that of Fig. 4, but with the operating device exposed.
Referring to the figures, an emergency egress door 10 for a rail vehicle includes a frame 12 and a panel 14 located within the frame.
The frame 12 is generally rectangular, defining the edge of a door of generally conventional size. The frame 12 is made up of vertical frame members 16 joined by horizontal frame members 18, each of the frame members having a width in the plane of the panel 14 which is about 100mm. The frame 12 is provided with strengthening corner pieces for strengthening the joins between the vertical and horizontal frame members 16 and 18, and corner infill plates 22 which include smooth, radiussed inner edges 24. This ensures that an inner face 15 of the frame 12 has a completely smooth, curved profile. The members 16 and 18 of the frame 12 are manufactured of aluminium by extrusion.
The panel 14 is planar and generally rectangular but with curved corners 26 of complementary shape to the infill plates 22 of the frame 12. The panel is made from a substantially transparent polycarbonate material, such as Lexan Margard (TM) polycarbonate. This is scratch resistant and complies with fire regulations, as well as being resistant to breakage, and is significantly lighter than glass. The panel 14 includes an airflow grille 27, which is located entirely within the panel 14 and is attached by fasteners 28 (see Fig. 3).
The panel 14 is held within the frame 12 and attached thereto by a retention means in the form of a two part seal 30. The two part seal 30 extends all around an outer edge 32 of the panel 14, being located between that edge and the inner face 15 of the frame 12. The two part seal 30 includes a main part 34 and a locking strip 36. The main part 34 of the seal 30 forms a seal between the outer edge 32 of the panel 14 and the inner face 15 of the frame 12. The main part 34 includes a pair of legs 38 which embrace the outer edge 32 of the panel 14 and an opposite pair of legs 40 which embrace a protruding part 42 which forms part of the inner face 15 of the frame 12. The main part 34 of the two part seal 40 thus retains the panel 14 within the frame 12.
It will be appreciated that the seal 30 is shown in the assembled state. The seal 30 grips both the edge 32 of the panel 14 and the part 42 of the frame 12 firmly, because when it is separate from the panel 14 and the frame 12 the legs 38 and the legs 40 are inclined inwardly (so in each case the slot between the legs is wider at its base). For example to accommodate a protruding part 42 of width and breadth 10 mm, the corresponding slot between the legs 40, which must be 10 mm deep and 10 mm wide at its closed end, might taper to be only 6 mm wide at the open end (prior to assembly).
The main part 34 of the seal further includes an elongate recess 46, which is generally V-shaped in section (see Figs. 2, 2a and 3). The V-shaped recess 46 extends all around the main part 34 of the two part seal 30, on one of its sides. The locking strip 36 of the two part seal 30 locates within the V-shaped recess 46, and when so located is of a complementary shape to the recess 46. Referring to Figure 2a, the locking strip 36 is held in the recess 46 by lips 47 which extend along each edge of the recess 46. However, the locking strip 36 may be removed, as described in more detail hereinafter.
Both the main part 34 and the locking strip 36 of the two part seal 30 are made of a silicone rubber material. This material has some flexibility, but is not easily compressed. Suitable material properties would be:
Shore hardness : 60 to 90 IRHD, preferably 70 IRHD.
Specific hardness : 0.8 to 1.7 g/cm, preferably about 1.28 g/cm.
Tensile strength : 5 to 12 MPa, preferably 9 MPa.
Elongation at break : 200 to 350%, preferably 270%
Tear strength : 10 to 20 kN/m, preferably 15 kN/m.
The emergency egress door 10 further includes operating means in the form of a ring pull 48 attached to the locking strip 36 (see Figs. 4 and 5). The ring pull 48 is normally hidden beneath a cover 50, which is attached to the corner infill plate 22 by means of adhesive and/or screws (not shown) and to a foam pad 52 on the panel 14 by VELCRO (TM) fasteners 54. The ring pull 48 may for example be a flat ring or annulus of polypropylene sandwiched between two ends of a strip of self-adhesive, paper-thin, vinyl material which extends around the locking strip 36. The ring pull 48 and associated cover 50 are provided in a top corner region of the egress door 10. If the door is a sliding door, this would be the corner which would be the last to slide into the door pocket when the door was opened; and in this case in particular the ring pull 48 and cover 50 evidently must be sufficiently thin not to obstruct normal operation of the door as it slides into the door pocket.
The emergency egress door 10 operates as follows. Under normal circumstances, the door is used in the normal way, as any other door. It can be incorporated into a sliding or swing door arrangement which could be operated manually or electrically and which could be pneumatically assisted. The door might typically be on a passenger train between saloon and vestibule areas, between compartments or as an inter-compartment door. However, the door could be used in any other applications where there is a risk of people being trapped in a confined area when a door is unable to operate in its normal mode.
In normal use, the two part seal is relatively rigid. The material from which it is made is sufficiently non-compressible that it cannot flex to allow the panel 14 to be removed from the frame 12. The panel 14 must be held securely in the frame 12 under all normal circumstances, which would include the possibility of people pushing or falling against the door, or banging luggage against the door.
If there is an emergency and the door cannot be opened in the normal way, the cover 50 may be removed from the foam pad 52, by pulling it away from the VELCRO fasteners 54. This reveals the ring pull 48, which may then be pulled. This exerts a force on the locking strip 36 in a direction generally away from the base of the V-shaped recess 46. In this way, the locking strip 36 may be removed from the main part 34 of the two part seal 30, with very little effort. The strip will pull out easily when pulled in almost any direction, and the direction of pull will tend to depend upon the position of the door. The locking strip 36 peels easily out of the recess 46, along its entire length, the lips 47 bending back to release the strip 36. This leaves the main part 34 of the seal 30 to hold the panel 14 and the frame 12 together. Once the locking strip 36 has been removed, the V-shaped recess 46 is empty. This recess makes the main part 34 flexible, allowing it to flex around its mid region and giving the legs 40 a significant amount of freedom of movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the panel 14.
Consequently, once the locking strip 36 has been pulled out of the V-shaped recess 46, pushing the door panel 14 results in the leg 40 bending so the protruding part 42 on the frame is no longer gripped, so detaching the panel 14 from the frame 12, and allowing egress through the door opening.
There is thus provided an emergency egress door which is very simple and straightforward to operate. The panel 14 may be removed from the frame 12 without the need to use any tools or special equipment. Further, it may be removed without the user having to possess any significant strength or read complicated instructions. (Simple instructions for use may be provided on the cover 50.) Because the airflow grille 27 is provided entirely within the panel 14, removal of the panel opens up the entire area within the frame 12, for egress. The door thus provides the maximum available space to pass through the door and the least impediment to egress. The door is also safe to use and does not prevent significant risk to the operator (for example no breaking of glass is required). Further, if all the components are retained, the door can be readily re-assembled after use and there are no broken parts to replace or prepare.
Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, alternative means for removing the locking strip from the two part seal may be used. Alternative materials may be used for the various components. In one variant, where egress may be required from either side of the door, two half-length seals 30 are provided each extending from the midpoint of the top of the panel 14 to the midpoint of the bottom of the panel 14, down the opposite sides of the panel. One such half-length seal 30 is arranged with the locking strip 36 on the front face of the door, and the other half-length seal 30 is arranged with the locking strip 36 on the other face of the door. An operating ring pull 48 would, in this case, be required on each face of the door, preferably in the top right-hand corner of each face.
In this case the locking strip 36 can be removed, in emergency, from one half of the panel 14 in the same way as described above. The panel 14 can then be removed by pushing it through the frame 12, because one half-length seal 30 is readily flexible and under these circumstances the other half-length seal 30 cannot securely hold the panel 14.
Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

An emergency egress door including:

a frame;

a panel for locating within the frame;

a retention member for retaining the panel within the frame; and

means for altering the retention member from a first condition in which it has sufficient stiffness to prevent the panel being removed from the frame and a second condition in which it is sufficiently flexible that the panel may be removed from the frame.
A door as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retention member includes a main part and a locking part which is removable from the main part.
A door as claimed in claim 2 wherein removal of the locking part from the main part alters the retention member from the first, relatively stiff condition to the second, relatively flexible condition.
A door as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the main part and the locking part are of a rubbery material.
A door as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the retention member is elongate, and extends all around the outer edge of the panel, and the locking part locates in an elongate recess that extends along the entire length of the retention member.
A door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the panel is at least partly transparent and includes an airflow grille.