GB2324112A

GB2324112A - A draught excluder inflated by means of a piston operated by closure of the door

Info

Publication number: GB2324112A
Application number: GB9707280A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Parker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-10
Filing date: 1997-04-10
Publication date: 1998-10-14
Also published as: GB9707280D0

Abstract

An inflatable draught excluder has a sealing tube 1 fitted to the door frame A on the door closure rebate B. The draught sealing tube 1 has an air connector tube 4 attached to a pump 2 and related components, which may be located on the surface or within the door or flame itself. On closure of the door, a stay connector rod 9 is moved, assisted by a stay 6 rotating a cam 3, to extend the piston 2 within its chamber, forcing air into the tube 1 via the air connector 4, thus inflating the tube 1. On opening of the door a reverse action occurs, deflating the draught sealing tube 1.

Description

Air Assisted Draught Rscluder This invention relates to a draught excluding system having a rubber tubing fitted to a suitable area of a door frank that may be inflated to expand using an air pump sited to the door area. This having an effect of sealing the area around the door frame that usually allows air and draughts to pass, on closure of the door. Upon opening of the door the tubing deflates as a reverse action of the pup is notioned.

Draught e-cluders that are applied to the inner areas of door and window franc, are already known.

These normally consist of singularly formed lengths of rubber or similar plastic composite Material, being attached in sectioned portions to the frame. This My use an adhesive or fly be tacked into place using small pins. Other types of draught escluder include foam based strips that are attached. norMily using self adhesive that is present to the rear face of the strip itseli.

These are nor fitted during or post manufacture, and allow the door or window to close, giving son protection against air and wind entering and also leaving a dwelling.

Therefore these types of excluders help prevent access of cold air and loss of manner air fron within a building.

The type of atonal used has a slightly flexible surface that is able to depress and restrictively contour to the edge of the door. where air passage is common. These strips normally pass around the sides and top of the frame area, but My also locate along the ground rail of certain types of fray, giving a more enclosed effect.

However, these various strips are somewhat listed, in their effectiveness in preventing air pa.sqe, draughts, and water inlet around the fran and door, due to their overall shape and method.

Strips of rubber or plastic, and possibly also foan have an expanded fora on their application. Vherein, the material fron which they are produced is in a relaxed state, with a flattened edge for application using adhesive or pinning, and a tubed or raised plain to the outer facing surface that offers a cushioning to the door on its closure.

Upon the door being closed the surface is depressed by the pressure applied from the flat surface of the door closing to its full extent. This in turn compresses the previously raised plain or tube to effectively create a non airtight seal between the door and the franks inner edge to which it has been applied.

This method is conon in all types of door and window draught excluder, and is only effective upto a point.

It is cordon to find areas around the door which are subject to open and exposed areas, where air draughts. and water ny still pass. This in itself is largely due to the material from which the strip is coMposed not being able to fill the slightly variable contours found on the surface of the door and its frame, due to united surface flexibility This normally results in inadequate barriers against air draughts, and the limited prevention of water inlet on exterior doors and windows during related weather conditions.

The present invention seeks to provide aa improved method of draught exclusion by using an air assisted door france strip, in conjunction with a small punp system. to inflate the tubed rubber or plastic composite franc strip on the closing of the door itself. This offering an airtight seal, that would aid in preventing air draughts, and entrance of water during poor weather conditions and possibly to restrict the inlet of flood water, through erterior and interior entrances. This being related to areas where flooding of dwellings is co=sDnly associated, and threat frol water entering the hone on a large ecale is present.

According to the present invention there is provided a rubber tube, or sxrllar composite, flexible arterial. This is attached via a small air tube to a basic pump system that My or ray not be installed within the door itself. The tube being of a complete air sealed length possibly forning a single rectangular border of tubing on certain doors, mainly exterior, to offer a seal to all four fran lengths.

The tube being attached to the puap acts as a system that processes and forwards air to the tube attached to the frvro, inflating it on closure of the door, using a basic Manually operated displacement pump & cylinder method to create an airtight seal. Aiding the prevention of draught and water access via the cavity around tbe doar.

An embodiment oi how the invention works will now follow, with reference to the accompanying diagrams. Which show in Figure 1, the inflatable tube strip attached to the door frame, and an inset close view of tbe tube strip and its interior. Pigure 2, shows the door in a closed position and the relative position of the pump and its components at this tia. Figure 3, shows the door in an opening position and the relative position of the pump and its components at this tfare also.

The air assisted draught excluder are generally designated 1 & 2 and comprise a rubber tube strip 1, as shown in Pig 1, ford from a hollowed cylindrical varying length of material having a rounded appearance to its outer surface.

The rubber tube strip 1, has an outer surface C that may be smoothed or impressioned, that is flexible in its structure and able to expand outward and inwardly.

To the interior of the rubber tube 1 is a thickness of tubed wall D, actually foraying the encapsulation of the tube 1 as a whole, possibly sealed along a single edge, to forn a catplete hollow. A ribbed interior E, as shown in Fig 1, is present to allow the tube as a whole to expand on insertion of air. The broken lines 11 as shown in Pig 1, demonstrate how the tube t My appear prior to its intake of air from the pump 2, as shown in Fig 2, and therefore its inflation.

The door frame A as shown in Fig 1, and in Fig 2 & 3, has various plains of differing depths to its surface. Thee.

fore the entirety of the door frame having an area in which the door may seat on closure, having a rebated edge B as shown in Pig 1. This rebate edge B, is a narrow portion that is formed from the wildest part of the door frames structure, and is initially present to give the door a point on which to close. The tube 1 is attached to this area of rebate B, by means of adhesive, that rag be present on its underside, or by plaving through a provided flange, shown as the rectangular protruslon to the right of the tube 1, in Fig 1, expanded view.

Once installed onto the rebate B at the desired angle, cor on with draught excluders of this nature, the door may be closed. In the vicinity of the door itself possibly installed within its lower region is the pup 2 and its coiponents. To the fran or possibly the door edge is attached a stay 6, this extends a stay connector 9 as shown in Fig 2 & 3, being a located rod or material length being solid in form. The Stay connector 9, passes on its way to the spring connection 5, through a can 3 and its related caa connectors 7. The can 3 rotates in a clockwise and anti clockwise direction, and is seated as a possible vertical disc within the pump mechani.

As the door closes the stay connector 9 is averted by the obstructive presence of the stay 6, which ny be situated either to the lower portion of the frame A, or possibly as a raised wooing fitting to the door edge, below the hinge 10.

This forwards the stay connector 9 toward the area of the pump and piston 2, being attached to the can 3 via the can connector 7 through which it is attached and passes, the stay contctor 9 turns the car 3 on its located axis, forwarding the attached stay connector 9 further in the inevitable direction. As the stay connector 9 is located and attached to the sprung connection 5 it also forme part of the single 'stroke' sot sent. The sprung connection 5 is a situated rod that passes through the pump casing and piston 2, therefore extending the sprung section 5 and forcing the piston 2 forward, as shown in Fig 2.

During this natural notion of the piston 2, mainly due to the overall novenut of the stay connector 9, air present within the piston 2, is expelled through the hose outlet 8, shown in Pig 2, and along the air convector hose 4. The air connector hose 4, is possibly a ledger width than other present tubing 1. This providing an air pressure that may be gauged using the width of tbe air connector 4 as a control.

Because the air connector 4 is sealed and attached to the larger and nore expansive tube 1, which is attached to the door fra A, the tube 1, fills with air. The size of the pump and piston 2, would relate to the expanse and length of tube 1 which it is required to inflate. Therefore a pump and piston 2 that is inadequate in size ay fail to fill the tube 1, with sufficient air to expand it substantially. As the air passes within the tube wall D, as shown in Fig 1, the pressure naturally created, expands the outer surface C, assisted by the ribbed inner wall , having sectional rlbs to allow the already flexing tube 1 to expand norse rapidly.

Prop its deflated for. shown as 11, in Fig 1 the tube 1 forms a rounded cylindrical pipe. The surface of the tube 1 is however, still soft and able to be compressed slightly, with its shape moulding to the contours of whichever given surface it oo,cs in contact with. As the door closes onto the fran A, with the piston 2 fully extended within the pulp, the pressure is maintained within the tube 1. As the air is unable to return within the putt, it is si-ply displaced within the tube 1 and the air connector hose 4, as the door closes. The area around the outside edge of the frame, A between itself and the door is now cushioned and filled with the inflated tube 1.

Should the door be opened, as shown in Pig 3, the stay connector 9 is no longer retained by the stay 6 and is allowed to extend to its original position1 as shown in Fig 3. Therefore the can 3 rotates in the opposite direction due to this release, this being anticlockwise in the representation in Pig 3. During this notion the piston 2 which is connected to the now relocating spring connection 5, is drawn back into its original position as shown in Fig 3. This having the effect of drawing air along the tube 1, through the air connector hose 4, by way of the piston and pump 2. This deflates the tube 1, as the door is opened.

It may also be possible to arrange a sinilar movement of the piston 2 by way of the stay connector 9 being replaced by a single extended spring connection 5.

The spring connection 5 as shown in Fig 2 and 3, would simply extend along the san route as the stay convector 9, having possibly no Cu or amy of the aforementioned coiponents. A portion of the spring connection 5 would protrude fros the door edge to where the hinges 10 are located. To the immediate inner side of the spring connection 5 within the door body, would be a sprung loaded coil, this would retain a tension on the spring connection 5. As the door is closed the protruding portion of the spring connection 5, that is extending fro an orifice on the edge of the door, will coie into play with the irate A rebate, or stay 6. This drives the spring connection 5 inward and therefore also the piston 2 which is located at its end. Again having the effect of driving the piston, but in a mare basic motion. On complete closure of the door the once protruding portion of the spring connection 5 is now retracted within the door. This retraction will depend upon the cavity between the door edge and the frame A rebate.

This would depend on the depth of the hinge 10 installation within the frame A rebate itself.

As the door is opened the sprung loaded portion of spring connection 5, extends through its door edge orifice and therefore draws the piston 2 back to its original position as shown in Pig 3.

The air connector 4 may require a passage through an orifice to prevent it from being compressed between the door and the frame A rebate, on closure oi the door itself.

TM. would depend on the pump system shown in Pig 2 and 3, being installed within the door interior.

To allow the pu-p syston, this being components 2-9 as shown in Pig 2 and 3, to be installed at the lower portion of the door, in a sinilar location to that shown, an inlet hole would have to be created within a hollow door, and a tubular channel would be required in a solid door. Vith access being made at a hole toward the edge of the door, facing the stay 6. This would fore a bore of several inches in length into which the pump systen 2-9 in Fig 2 and 3, may be installed.

This would hide the cQwponents giving a more favourable and natural look to the existing door.

This bore is indicated as F on Fig 3, and is shown along the width of the door face, this is not shown to any exact scale, and is merely a representation, as are the pus components 2-9.

Claims

CLAIM

1) An Air assisted draught excluder has an inflateable tube that is attached to a door frsa, rebate. Means to inflate the attached tube to allow draught exclusion, provided by an air pump system situated on the surface or within the doors interior. The pu-p system having a stay connector that provides motive force to drive a piston on the closure of the door. leans to maintain a tensioned stroke of the pump being provided by a sprung loaded can system. Air is provided fron the pump systen to the door frame tube via a hoe outlet and pipe.

2) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, a hollow tube is attached around the door closure rebate of a door frame.

S) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the hollow tube is flexible and airtight.

4) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in claim 3 wherein, the air is supplied to the attached tube via a pump system.

5) An air assisted draught excludes as claimed in claim 4 wherein, the pump system has a piston to supply air to the attached tube.

6) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in clam 5 wherein, the piston gains notice force for movement fron the closing of the door.

7) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in clam 6 wherein, on closure of the door a stay connector rod is CLAIMS pushed forward toward the piston, to which it 16 attached.

8) An air assisted draught excluder ae claimed in claim 7 wherein, the stay connector is pushed toward the piston to which it is attached, due to it being moveable on contact with the advancing door frame, during door closure.

9) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in claim 8 wherein, the pump system may be housed on the surface or within the door or its frame.

10) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in clam 9 wherein, a rotating sprung can may be attached along the stay connector rod to improve a controlled movement of the piston.

11) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in claim 10 wherein, air is provided to the tube attached to the door frame from the piston via an air connecting tube.

12) An air assisted draught excluder as claimed in all previous claims, is a door to fran draught excluder that inflates a tube attached to the fran using a located pump systen. Providing protection fron draughts and water and unwanted noise entering around the door. Its use may also relate to windows or other openings.