GB2245311A

GB2245311A - Door closer

Info

Publication number: GB2245311A
Application number: GB9107922A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ohshima
Original assignee: Sugatsune Kogyo Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sugatsune Kogyo Co Ltd
Priority date: 1990-05-23
Filing date: 1991-04-15
Publication date: 1992-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-15
Also published as: JPH0427092A; GB2245311B; KR930010634B1; JPH0684705B2; KR910020294A; GB9107922D0

Abstract

A door closer comprises lower case 1 connected by an arm 4 to a door, and an upper case 39 connected to the door frame. Lower case 1 has walls 2, 3 between which door-return spring 37 is located. Wall 3 has two projections 8 defining oil chambers between them. Bearing 6 locates on hub 5 and rotatably supports shaft 7 whose blades 10 oscillate in the chambers. Blades 10 have through passages 11 controlled by uni-directional valves 12 located in blade slots 14. Sub-chambers defined on either side of blades 10 are connected by high and low passages in bearing 6 and shaft 7. A spring-loaded damping valve connects these high and low passages and is adjusted by rotating valve member 19. Projection passage 23 and shaft passage 24 connect the chambers, fluid flow through passage 23 being controlled by valve 26 to regulate door closing speed before door closure. <IMAGE>

Description

DOOR CLOSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a door closer adapted to gradually close a door by employing high polymer viscous liquid and other high viscosity liquid and a return spring, automatically closing the door by the accumulated recovering force of the return spring and generating a braking force at the door by the resistance force of the high viscous liquid.

Description of the Prior Art A conventional door closer which consists of a hydraulic cylinder provided in a body case of a laterally long shape, a piston telescopically inserted into the hydraulic cylinder through a return spring, a rack engraved on one sidewall of the piston, and a pinion rotatably supported to a pinion shaft to be engaged with the rack at one side of the cylinder is well known.

In the door closer of the arrangement described above, the body case is fixed to the door, and the pinion shaft is fixed to the upper frame of a door through an arm, a link and a mounting bracket. Thus, the piston is moved against the return spring by the pinion at the time of opening the door, and the door is slowly closed by the accumulated recovering force of the return spring and the resistance force of hydraulic oil at the time of closing the door.

Cutout toothed portions are formed at the rack and the portion of the pinion in the door closer. Thus, a door freely stopping region (a region in which the door can be freely manually opened or closed) is provided in a range from a predetermined door opening angle to a door fully opening angle, and the teeth of both ends of the rack and the pinion are engaged with each other to lock the door at a predetermined opening angle.

However, in the door closer of the arrangement described above, the piston is power transmission means to be driven by the pinion meshed with the rack formed on one sidewall of the piston. Therefore, there arise various problems as will be described below. Bearinas of the pinion shaft are relatively early worn due to the thrust load of the pinion shaft. When power is transmitted to the piston through the rack, a bending load is applied to the piston in its moving direction.

Thus, the piston and the cylinder are feasibly irregularly worn. When the door is locked or the lock of the door is released, an unpleasant vibration noise is generated due to the forcible disengagement or engagement of both the end teeth of the rack and the pinion. Or, both the end teeth of the rack and the pinion are easily damaged due to the collision of the rack and the pinion when the door is abruptly opened or closed by a strong force or when the door is effected by strong wind in the closing direction at the locked position of the opened door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a door closer which can eliminate the problems of the conventional door closer and can ideally regulate freely and readily a door closing speed so as to operate among members without unreasonable force and to obtain not only a door closing speed as required but a speed necessary to reliably latch the door immediately before completion of the door closure.

In order to achieve the above-described and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a door closer comprising a hollow bearing fixed to the center of an inner cylinder sealed by a cover of a body case having a main arm, a pair of chambers formed symmetrically in said inner cylinder by a rotational shaft journaled to said hollow bearing for communicating with each other via passages formed through said bearing and rotational shaft, a pair of rotary blades projecting from said rotational shaft, respectively having passages with check valves in said chambers filled with high viscosity fluids therein, a sub case with a sub arm rotatably coupled together to said rotational shaft, a return spring arranged in said body case for accumulating a recovering force by the rotation of the rotational shaft in a door opening direction, said check valves being freely opened or closed at the time of opening or closing the door, a main adjusting screw spirally arranged at the center of the bottom of said body case for regulating the passages to said bearing through a regulating valve, passages formed in said rotational shaft and said inner cylinder for communicating the high pressure chamber with the low pressure chamber partitioned by said pair of rotary blades of said chambers immediately before completion of door closure, said adjusting screw being spirally arranged in said passages so as to regulate the high viscosity fluid flow rate of the passage.

Operation The door opening force is applied to the rotational shaft as a rotary force in one direction of the rotational shaft thereby to rotate the rotational shaft and the rotary blades integral with the rotational shaft in one direction.

At this time, the check valves in the passages of the rotary blades are opened by the flows of the high viscous liquids in the respective chambers, the high viscous fluids are fed to the opposite sides of the respective chambers, and fed between both the chambers through the bearing, the passages of the rotational shaft.

At this time, a recovering force is accumulated at the return spring. In this case, when the angle clutch is provided, the spring power (recovering force) is locked at a predetermined door opening angle, and the door becomes a freely stopping state at the door opening angle more than the locking angle. Of course, the damper by the resistance force of the high viscosity fluid becomes OFF in the whole region in the door opening direction.

-- - the size ^'using direction, the å2- - rvr fl-- from the full door opening angle to the spring power stop with the angle clutch. When the door is further closed, the spring power lock is released, the damper becomes spring power ON. Thus, since the rotational shaft and the rotary blades are rotated in opposite direction to that by the door closing force at the time of opening the door, the check valves close the passages, and the high viscosity fluids in the pair of chambers flow from the high pressure chamber through the passages of the bearing and the rotational shaft to the low pressure chamber. Since the passages are formed to be considerably smaller than the passages of the rotary blades, resistance force is generated when the high viscosity fluid flows through the passages thereby becoming a damper force, thereby slowly closing the dcor.

Further, when the passage provided at the high pressure chamber side of the rotational shaft coincides with the passage provided in the inner cylinder at the time immediately before copletic of door closure, t high viscosity fluid in the high pressure chamber of one chamber flows to the low pressure chamber of the other chamber through both the passages. Thus, when the door is closed to the position immediately before completion of door closure, the damper force is weakened, the door is accelerated to be closed, thereby latching the complete door closure.

In the door closing direction, the damper force immediately before completion of door closure can be controlled by regulating the gap between the regulating valve and the bearing by the adjusting screw, thereby not only arbitrarily controlling the closing speed of the door but arbitrarily accelerating the door closing speed up to the complete door closure after the vicinity of the door closure if the high viscosity fluid flow rate of the passage is regulated by the other adjusting screw.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects as well as advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the foilowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodirent of a door closer according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line II-II as seen from arrows in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment; Figs. 4(a), 4(b), 4(c) and 4(d) are lateral crosssectional explanatory plan views respectively showing a damper at the time of closed door, door opening, opened door and door closing in the embodiment of the door closer; Figs. 5 are 5(a), 5(b), 5(c) and 5(d) are lateral cross-sectional explanatory plan views respectively showing the times of closed door, door closing, the vicinity of door closure and door opening of a damper in the embodiment of the door closer; Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) are explanatory views respectively showing the movement of the door in opening and closing directions; and Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a using example of the embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5(a), 5(b), 5(c) and 5(d), a body case 1 of a bottomed shape is concentrically and integrally formed with an outer cylinder 2 and an inner cylinder 3, and a main arm 4 to be fixed to a door (not shown) projects from one side of the outer cylinder 2.

A cylindrical bearing 6 which is externally engaged with a threaded cylinder 5 erupt fror ts center of the bottom of the inner cylinder 3 is fixed to the central position of the inner cylinder 3.

Further, a rotational shaft 7 is rotatably externally mounted on the bearing 6, and a pair of chambers 9 and 9 of substantially sector shape in plane are formed in the inner cylinder 3 by the rotational shaft 7 and projections 8 and 9 formed at the right and left sides of the inner cylinder 3 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

A pair of rotary blades 10 and 10 are radially projected on the rotational shaft 7, and rotatably internally mounted in the pair of chambers 9 and 9.

Passages 11 and 11 are respectively circumferentially passed through the pair of rotary blades 10 and 10 to communicate with high and low pressure chambers 9a and 9b of the chambers 9 and 9.

Columnar-shaped check valves 12 and 12 are so vertically passed to coincide with the rotary blades 10 and 10, and an outer shaft 13 mounted on the rotational shaft 7 as to be seated on or separated from valve seats Ila formed in the passages 11 and 11, and so inserted into long holes 14 and 15 of circumferentially long lengths as to be longitudinally movable.

As will be described later with reference to Fig.

5, the rotational shaft 7, and the rotary blades 10 and 10 are rotated counterclockwise by a door opening force to the door, the check valves 12 and 12 are moved by the high viscosity fluids in the pair of chambers 9 and 9 to open the passages 11 and 11. Further, the check valves 12 and 12 are so formed as to close the passages 11 and 11 by the clockwise rotations of the rotary blades 10 and 10 in reverse direction to the abovedescribed direction.

The bearing 6 and the rotational shaft 7 are formed with a passage 17 for communicating with both the low pressure chambers 9b and 9b of the pair of the chambers 9 and 9 and a passage hole 16 for communicating with both the high pressure chambers 9a and 9a in a slit shape to be considerably smaller than the passages 11 and 11 of the rotary blades 10 and 10, respectively. The resistance force of the high viscosity fluid when the fluid flows the passages 16 and 17 can be utilized as a damper force at the time of closing the door.

A main adjusting screw 19 on which a regulating valve 20 is mounted is so engaged with the threaded cylinder 5 provided at the center of the bottom of the body case 2 as to be spirally movable in vertical directions through a regulating spring 21 in the bearing 6 and through an O-ring 22 as to be liquidtight therewith. Thus, a gap a between the inner wall of the bearing 6 and the regulating valve 20 is regulated by spirally moving the main adjusting screw 19 upward or downward in vertical directions, thereby controlling the flow rate of the high viscosity fluid flowing through the passages 16 and 17 thereby to regulating a damper force.

Passages 23 and 24 for communicating the high pressure chamber 9a of one chamber 9 with the low pressure chamber 9b of the other chamber 9 immediately before completion of the door closure are respectively formed at the upper surface of one projection 9 of the inner cylinder 3 and the outer periphery of the rotational shaft 7. An adjusting screw 26 is liquidtightly engaged with a threaded hole 25 passed through the projection 8 of the inner cylinder 3 through an O-ring 27 in communication with one passage 23 to regulate the flow rate of the high viscosity fluid flowing through the passage 23 by the spiral movements in upward or downward direction, thereby regulating the door closing speed immediately before completion of the door closure.

Further, a plurality of rolling balls 28,.. are placed on the outer shaft 12 of the same circumferential line, the rolling balls 28,.. are interposed between a shaft holding plate 29 externally mounted on the rotational shaft 7 and the outer shaft 13, the shaft holding plate 29 is fixed to the body case 1 by a pin 30, and an O-ring 31 is further externally mounted on the rotational shaft 7, a cover 31 is engaged with the inner cylinder 3, and high viscous liquid is sealed in both the chambers 9 and 9, thereby constituting a damper A.

In the exemplified embodiment, an angle clutch B is composed of a stationary plate 33, an intermediate plate 34, a movable plate 35, rotary connectors 36,.., such as a plurality of balls or rollers, etc., and a return spring 37 at the top of the damper A.

More specifically, the rotational shaft 7 projecting from the cover 32 upward is inserted into the central hole 33a of the stationary plate 33, and recesses 33b,.. provided at the peripheral edge thereof are respectively engaged with projections 3a,.. of the inner cylinder 3, thereby stacking the stationary plate 33 on the cylinder 3.

The intermediate plate 34 and the movable plate 35 are disposed in a stacked state on the stationary plate 33. The intermediate plate 34 is engaged with the rotational shaft 7 by engaging projections 34b,..

projected inwardly fro the centre hole 33 with the grooves 7a,.. formed on the rotational shaft 7, and the intermediate plate 34 is so restricted at its rotating angle as to be rotated at only a predetermined angle by engaging projections 35a and 34c projected on the outer peripheries of the movable plate 35 and the stationary plate 33 with grooves 34c and 34d formed on both upper and lower outer surfaces of the peripheries thereof.

The other end 37b of a return spring 37 internally mounted between the outer cylinder 2 and the inner cylinder 3 and latched at one end 37a thereof to the groove 2a of the outer cylinder 2 is latched to the groove 34e of the outer periphery of the intermediate plate 34.

On the other hand, the movable plate 35 is fixed into the upper sub case 39 fixed to the rotational shaft 7 by engaging projections 35c,.. projected from the inner periphery of the central hole 35b of the movable plate 35 with the projections 39a,.. projected on the inner surface of the sub case 39 fixed to the shaft 7 via a stop screw 38.

Three through holes 40,.. are circumferentially opened at an equal interval on the rotating circumferential line of the intermediate plate 34, and rotary connectors 36,.. of spheres or rolls, etc., are so respectivelv rotatably ennsaed within the thrush holes 40,.. as to be loosely movable in upward and downward directions.

On the other hand, three recesses 41,.. and 42,..

for disengageably engaging the rotary connectors 36,..

are respectively formed in substantially sectionally spherical shape having the same curvature as that of the rotary connectors 36 in the same number as that of the through holes 40 of the intermediate plate 34 at an equal interval in a circumferential direction on the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate plate 34 and the opposed surfaces of the intermediate plate 34 between the stationary plate 35 and the movable plate 35.

Further, shallower recesses 43,.. in depth than the recesses 42 are formed in the same number as that of the recesses 2,.. to be deviated by a pCCteZJiC size in the circumferential direction disengageably with the rotary connectors 36 on the integral circumferential line with the recesses 42,.. on the movable plate 35.

The above-described angle clutch B is engaged at the tops of the rotary connectors 36,.. with the recesses 42,.. at the door closed position a1 shown in Fig. 6(a), and the movable plate 35 and the intermediate plate 34 are locked. Thus, when the sub case 39 is rotated by the door opening force, the movable plate 35 is rotated therewith. Therefore, the intermediate plate 34 is also rotated together at a predetermined angle in the same direction.

As described above, the return spring 37 is rewound to generate a spring power (accumulated as a recovering force). Thus, the rotation of the intermediate plate 34 is restricted at a predetermined door opening angle (at the position a2 in the same drawing), and only the movable plate 35 is further rotated in the same direction.

More specifically, the rotary connectors 36,.. are disengaged from the recesses 42,.., the spring power is locked at the position a2, the recesses 42,.. and 41,..

of the movable plate 35 and the stationary plate 33 simultaneously become coincident, the rotary connectors 36,.. are moved down to be moved from the recesses 42,.. of the movable plate 35 to the recesses 41 of the stationary plate 33 to be engaged, the intermediate plate 34 is locked to the stationary plate 33, thereby allowing the movable plate 35 to become free.

Therefore, a door freely stopping region C as shown is formed. Further, when a door 44 is opened at a predetermined angle, the rotary connectors 36,.. are respectively engaged with the other shallower recesses 43,.. of the movable plate 35, and the door 44 is locked at the door locking position a3 as shown. At the same time, the rotary connectors 36,.. are also engaged with the recesses 41 of the stationary plate 33.

Further, the door 44 is opened, and the movable plate 35 is rotated. Then, the rotary connectors 36,..

are disengaged from the recesses 43,.., the movable plate 35 becomes free, and it becomes a freely stopping region D up to the full door opening angle position a4.

In the door closing direction, as shown in Fig.

6(b), the door is slowly closed by the spring power from the spring power locking position a2 and the resistance force of the high viscosity fluid by the reverse operation to the above-mentioned operation.

Thus, when it becomes a position as immediately before completion of door closure, the damper force is weakened, the operation is here accelerated, and then arrived at the door closing position a1.

In order to use the door closer constructed as described above, as shown in Fig. 7, the main arm 4 of the body case 1 is fixed to the door 44 with a mounting bracket 45, and a sub arm 36 so pivotally secured adjustably in length to the sub case 39 as to be rotatable in upward or downward direction is mounted on an upper frame 38 via a mounting plate 47.

In Figs. 6(a) and 6(b), a damper ON region E and a damper OFF region F are provided.

Since the present invention is constituted as described above, the door is slowly and smoothly closed from the predetermined opening angle to the position near the door closing position by the spring effect and the high viscosity resistance force of the high viscosity fluid. When the door is closed near the door closing position, the passage of the rotational shaft coincides with the passage of the inner cylinder, the high viscosity fluid flows from the high pressure chamber of one chamber to the low pressure chamber of the other chamber through both the passages. Thus, the door is accelerated from the vicinity of the door closing position, the door closure is completely latched, and the door does not become an incomplete door closing state.

Further, since the regulation of door closing speed from the predetermined door opening position to the vicinity of the door closing position and the speed from the vicinity of the door closing position to the door closing position can be freely performed by an easy operation with the main adjusting' screw, it can be corresponded to the size of the door and the using state of the door, etc. Since the latching action can be eliminated by closing the adjusting screw, various actions can be provided at the door. Further, since the door rotary force is transmitted without fail to the pair of rotary blades through the rotational shaft, the rotary plates and the inner surfaces of the pair of chambers are not irregularly worn, thereby improving its durability.

Claims

1. A door closer comprising: a hollow bearing fixed to the center of an inner cylinder sealed by a cover of a body case having a main arm, a pair of chambers formed symmetrically in said inner cylinder by a rotational shaft journaled to said hollow bearing for communicating with each other via passages formed through said bearing and rotational shaft, a pair of rotary blades projecting from said rotational shaft, respectively having passages with check valves in said chambers filled with high viscosity fluids therein, a sub case with a sub arm rotatably coupled together to said rotational shaft, a return spring arranged in said body case for accumulating a recovering force by the rotation of the rotational shaft in a door opening direction, said check valves being freely opened or closed at the time of opening or closing the door, a main adjusting screw spirally arranged at the center of the bottom of said body case for regulating the passages to said bearing through a regulating valve, passages formed in said rotational shaft and said inner cylinder for communicating the high pressure chamber with the low pressure chamber partitioned by said pair of rotary blades of said chambers immediately before completion of door closure, said adjusting screw being spirally arranged in said passages so as to regulate the high viscosity fluid flow rate of the passage.