GB2214213A

GB2214213A - Door

Info

Publication number: GB2214213A
Application number: GB8800533A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Judge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-09-06
Filing date: 1988-09-06
Publication date: 1989-08-31
Also published as: GB8800533D0

Abstract

The door has an edge 26 which is part circular in cross-section, and is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis on the centre of said part circular cross-secticn, with the part circular edge adjacent a jamb 46 so that there are no gaps or crevasses between the edge and the jamb of a size which could trap fingers. The part circular edge may be integral with the door, or as shown, an addition for converting an existing door. <IMAGE>

Description

HINGED CLOSURES FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to hinged closures, for example doors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A problem encountered with ordinary doors hung on ordinary butt hinges is that it is possible to trap fingers between the door and its jamb both at the lock end of the door and, more seriously, at the hinge end.

The reason trapping fingers at the hinge end is the more serious is that there is greater leverage operating at the hinge end.

Similar problems can occur with other closures e.g. hinged hatch covers on boats.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention virtually eliminates the possiblity of trapping fingures at the winge end of a closure and optionally improves the lock end so as to ameliorate the effects of trapping fingers there.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a closure having an edge which is part circular in cross-section and means for mounting the closure for pivotal movement about an axis aligned with the centre of said part circular cross-section.

The closure can be mounted with the part circular edge adjacent a jamb so that there are no gaps or crevasses between the edge and the jamb of a size which could trap fingers. As the closure is opened or closed, because it pivots about an axis on the centre of the part circular cross-section, the spacing between the edge and the jamb does not change - in contrast to, say, conventional doors.

Optionally, opposite the first said edge a further edge has a cross section which is similarly part circular. In use, a jamb adacent the said opposite edge has a recess having an arcuate cross-section to receive said opposite edge when closed, said recess conforming to the cross-section of the said opposite edge. Although it is still possible to trap fingers in at this edge as the closure closes, the effects are lessened by the removal of the conventional sharp corners.The circular section edge and the arcuate recess conforming thereto will be kinder to trapped fingers that would, say, a conventional door, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention will now be described, i:#t way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a horizontal section through a conventional door and jamb to illustrate the problem; Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a closure in the form of a door embodying the invention; Figure 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of the door shown in figure 2; and Figure 4 shows a detail of an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to Figure 1, a door, part of which is shown at 2, is hung on a door post or jamb 4 by hinges one of which is illustrated at 6.

When closed the door 2 Sits closely into the corner of a recess 8 in the door jamb, as is conventional, The problem is that when the door is open, as illustrated, there is a large gap between the door and the jamb. Fingers can easily be trapped between the door and the jamb in the region of the recess 8 and also between the corners 10 and 12 which are adjacent the hinges. Although the problem is illustrated with respect to, say household doors, it exists in many other forms of closure, Another example is a hinged hatch cover.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, again with respect to doors. The invention is equally applicable to other forms of hinged closure.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, a door 22 is pivotally mounted at one end 23 adjacent a jamb 24. An end section 23 of the door has part circular cross section 26. In Figure 2 the cross-section comprises three quarters of a circle, A door panel 28 has a half the thickness of the part circular end section. One faces 30 of the panel is tangential to the circular cross-section, so the other face of the panel is radial to the circular cross-section.

The door is pivotally mounted by means of pins 34 and 36 which are affixed to the door on an axis aligned with the centre of the circular cross-section 26 of the end section 23. The pins are received by recesses in bearing blocks 38 and 40. The bearing block 40 receives the weight of the door. A nylon washer may be interplaced between the block 40 and the door. In one alternative the block 40 is itself nylon, The jamb is recessed to receive the edge of the door. The recess may be conventional as illustrated by broken line 744, or more preferably has an arcuate cross-section to conform to the end section of the door as illustrated by the full outline 46. The jamb fits to the door over a ninety degree segement of the part circular cross-section 26.There are no gaps sufficient for a finger to be poked in, A conventional door also fits its jamb when closed so that there are no gaps sufficient for fingers to be poked in. What distinguishes the operation of the present arrangement, however, is that when opened up, the door and jamb remain closely fitting. The gaps which open in a conventional door as illustrated in Figure 2, do not occur.

It is virtually impossible to trap fingers at the hinge end of the door.

The arrangement of a three quarters circle end section and a door panel of half the diameter of the circle as illustrated, allows the door to open through virtually 180 degrees so that it can go almost flat against the wall. In other arrangements where it is acceptable to limit the degree to which the closure can open, the part circular end section can have a cross-section less than three quarters of a circle, In Figure 4 the end section has a half circular cross-section.

This allows the door to open through approximately 90 degrees.

Returning to Figure 2, in an alternative the door panel could be less thick without any adverse affect on operation.

At the other end the door is formed with an end 48 section similar to the end section 23, and the jamb is formed with a recess 50 arcuate in cross section to conform to the door. This has the advantage that if fingers were caught between the door and the jamb at this end, there would be less likelihood of damage than by the sharp corners of the conventional door and recess, Conventional doors may be converted by the addition of a length of wood, plastic or metal having a cross-section comprising three quarters of a circle. In the case of plastics or metal, the length may be hollow or formed from sheet, Flanges 52 may be provided to assist in fixing.

The converted door then needs only to be rehung so as to pivot about an axis aligned with the centre of the part circular end section, for example by use of the pins and bearing blocks illustrated in Figure 3.

Claims

1. A closure having an edge which is part circular in crosssection and means for mounting the closure for pivotal movement about an axis aligned with the centre of said part circular cross-section.

2, A closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for mounting includes pins projecting from edges of the closure adjacent the part circular edge, the pins being on the said axis.

3. A closure as claimed in claim i, wherein the means for mounting includes bearing recesses on or in edges of the closure adjacent the part circular edge, the recesses being on the said axis.

4. A closure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the said edge has a cross-section comprising at least a half circle.

5. A closure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said edge has a cross-section comprising three quarters of a circle.

6. A closure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said edge has a cross-section comprising more than three quarters of a circle.

7. A closure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein opposite the first said edge a further edge has a cross-section which is similarly part circular.

8. A closure as claimed in any preceding claim, when mounted with the part circular edge adjacent a jamb so that there are no gaps or crevasses between the edge and the jamb of a size which could trap fingers.

9. A closure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the jamb fits to the door over a 90 degree arc of the part circular cross-section.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the jamb has a recess arcuate in cross-section conforming to the cross-section of the edge of the closure.

il, A closure as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 when appendant to claim 7, wherein a jamb adjacent the said opposite edge has a recess having an arcuate cross-section to receive said opposite edge when closed, said recess conforming to the cross-section of the said opposite edge.

12. A material for converting a door to conform to claim 1, comprising a length of wood, plastic or metal, having a cross-section comprising three quarters of a circle.

13. A material as claimed in claim 12, wherein the length of plastic or metal is hollow or formed from sheet,