Revolving door

Abstract

A revolving door comprising a wall or walls in which openings for inlet and outlet of persons and/or objects are provided, and rotatable door wings that during use are rotatable around an imaginary central vertical axis in a passage area surrounded by the wall or walls, wherein each of said door wings is provided with a slidable door wing part for extending and/or retracting the door wing of which it forms a part, wherein each of said door wings substantially comprises slidable door wing parts only so as to provide that the slidable door wing parts of any single door wing are selectable to be placed in at least two positions, a first position wherein said door wing parts are entirely adjacent or next to each other and wherein edges of said door wing parts are adjacent to the wall or walls, and wherein said door wing parts extend radially away from said wall or walls towards the imaginary central vertical axis, and a second position wherein said door wing parts are entirely adjacent or next open opening or to each other and wherein edges of said door wing parts are adjacent to the central vertical axis, and wherein said door wing parts extend radially away from the central vertical axis towards the wall or walls.

Claims

1. A revolving door comprising: a wall or a plurality of walls in which a plurality of openings for inlet and outlet of one or more persons or objects are provided; and a plurality of rotatable door wings that are configured to be rotatable around an imaginary central vertical axis in a passage area surrounded by said wall or said plurality of walls, wherein each of said plurality of rotatable door wings is provided with a slidable door wing part for extending or retracting said door wing of which it forms a part, and wherein each of said plurality of rotatable door wings substantially comprises a plurality of slidable door wing parts, wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts of any single door wing are selectable to be placed in at least two positions, a first position wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts are entirely adjacent or next to each other and wherein a plurality of edges of said plurality of slidable door wing parts are adjacent to said wall or said plurality of walls, and wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts extend radially away from said wall or plurality of walls towards said imaginary central vertical axis, and a second position wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts are entirely adjacent or next to each other and wherein said plurality of edges of said plurality of slidable door wing parts are adjacent to said imaginary central vertical axis, and wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts extend radially away from said imaginary central vertical axis towards said wall or said plurality of walls, and wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts of any single door wing are configured to be radially movable back-and-forth relative to and past said imaginary central vertical axis between opposite positions relative to said imaginary central vertical axis.

2. The revolving door according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of slidable door wing parts of any single door wing are configured to be disposed next to each other or substantially in each other's extended direction or in any intermediate relative position with respect to each other, and wherein each single slidable door wing part of any single door wing is positionable either closer to said wall than to said imaginary central vertical axis, or closer to said imaginary central vertical axis than to said wall.

3. The revolving door according to claim 1, configured such that when said plurality of rotatable door wings substantially extend from said imaginary central vertical axis up to said wall or said plurality of walls, a slidable door wing part of a door wing that approaches an opening or, when said plurality of rotatable door wings are stationary, a slidable door wing part of a door wing that is near to an opening, is arranged to retract away from said wall to give way from said passage area to said opening.

4. The revolving door according to claim 1, configured such that when said plurality of rotatable door wings rotate, said plurality of slidable door wing parts of each door wing are capable of simultaneously retracting away from said wall or plurality of walls.

5. The revolving door according to claim 1, further comprising a first sensor means, wherein the rotation of said door wings is interruptible depending on said first sensor means, wherein selected door wings of said revolving door are arranged to define a confined area delimited by said wall wherein access to or leaving said confined area is prevented, and wherein a door wing part of at least one of said door wings is operational to provide a conventional sliding door to enable passing said passage area.

6. The revolving door according to claim 1, further comprising a night door or a plurality of night doors to close off said opening or said plurality of openings, wherein said plurality of edges of said plurality of slidable door wing parts of said plurality of rotatable door wings are positionable against said night door or said plurality of night doors to support said night door or said plurality of night doors against the force of wind and against the forces of breaking and entry.

7. The revolving door according to claim 1, configured such that when said plurality of door wings are stationary, said plurality of edges of said plurality of slidable door wing parts are positionable against said wall or said plurality of walls to promote its draught resistance.

8. The revolving door according to claim 1, wherein said passage area further comprises a second sensor means and wherein said plurality of rotatable door wings are configured in an original position to substantially extend from said imaginary central vertical axis up to said wall or said plurality of walls, and wherein said slidable door wing part of said plurality of door wings that threatens to be obstructed by a passant in said passage area as observed by said second sensor means is arranged in a retracted position away from said wall so as to avoid obstruction with the passant and subsequently to resume said slidable door wing part's original position after said door wing is completely passed and the passant is observed by said second sensor means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a first view of a revolving door according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2A illustrates a second position for door ring parts;

(4) FIG. 2B illustrates a first position for door ring parts;

(5) FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of the revolving door;

(6) FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the revolving door;

(7) FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the revolving door;

(8) FIG. 6 illustrates regular use of the door;

(9) FIG. 7 illustrates a person blocking the door;

(10) FIG. 8A-8D illustrate a sequence of situations of door rotations during use;

(11) FIG. 9A-9C illustrate use of the revolving door as a security door;

(12) FIG. 10 illustrates the door prevented from being obstructed by a still standing person; and

(13) FIG. 11A-B illustrate a fourth embodiment of the revolving door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) Making first reference to FIG. 1, a revolving door 1 is shown comprising a wall or walls 2, 3 in which openings 4, 5 for inlet and outlet of persons 6 and/or objects are provided. The door 1 has rotatable door wings 7 that during use are rotatable around an imaginary central vertical axis 8 in a passage area 9 surrounded by the wall or walls 2, 3. An embodiment of the present invention includes that each of said door wings 7 is provided with a slidable door wing part for extending and/or retracting the door wing 7 of which it forms a part. This feature is per se known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,295; EP 0 715 049 and DE 42 11 861.

(15) According to the invention each of said door wings 7 substantially comprises slidable door wing parts 7, 7 therewith avoiding fixed door wing parts (casings) as are known from the mentioned prior art and providing that the slidable door wing parts 7, 7 of any single door wing 7 are selectable to be placed in at least two positions as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. FIG. 2B shows a first position wherein said door wing parts 7, 7 are entirely adjacent or next to each other and wherein edges 10 of said door wing parts 7, 7 are adjacent to the wall or walls 2, 3, and wherein said door wing parts 7, 7 extend radially away from said wall or walls 2, 3 towards the imaginary central vertical axis 8 (the figure shows a dot, but this is imaginary since actually there is a void). FIG. 2A shows a second position wherein said door wing parts 7, 7 are entirely adjacent or next to each other and wherein edges 11 of said door wing parts 7, 7 are adjacent to the imaginary central vertical axis 8, and wherein said door wing parts 7, 7 extend radially away from the central vertical axis 8 towards the wall or walls 2, 3.

(16) FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show three different embodiments of the revolving door 1 of the invention which are all made possible by the feature that the slidable door wing parts 7, 7 of any door wing 7 are radially movable back-and-forth past the imaginary central vertical axis 8 between opposite positions relative to said imaginary central vertical axis 8. This means that all door wings 7 of the door 1 according to the invention can be positioned at the same side of the door with reference to the imaginary central vertical axis 8 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. In fact this feature is applicable as FIG. 3 shows, independent from whether the slidable wing parts 7, 7 are positioned next or adjacent to each other as explained hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. The slidable wing parts 7, 7 can also be placed in each other's extended direction according to FIG. 3.

(17) On the other hand, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the situation that the slidable wing parts 7, 7 are together closer to a wall 3 than to the imaginary central axis 8 (FIG. 4) or are closer to the imaginary central axis 8 then to the wall 3 (FIG. 5). This latter option is beneficial for when two streams of people are moving in opposite directions, wherein a larger part 9 of the passage space 9 can be reserved for the higher amount of people passing per unit of time, and the smaller part 9 of the passage space 9 can be available for the lower amount of people that are passing the door 1 per unit of time.

(18) The slidable door wing parts 7, 7 of any door wing 7 are at all times placeable next to each other or essentially in each other's extended direction or in any intermediate relative position with respect to each other, and each single slidable door wing part 7, 7 of any door wing 7 is positionable either closer to the wall 2, 3 than to the imaginary central vertical axis 8, or closer to the imaginary central vertical axis 8 than to the wall 2, 3. This enables that during regular use of the door 1 of the invention as shown in FIG. 6, wherein during the larger part of the rotational movement of the door wings, said door wings 7 extend from the central vertical axis 8 up to the wall or walls 2, 3, the door wings 7 are arranged such that a slidable door wing part 7 of a door wing 7 that approaches an opening 5 gives way to a person 6 from the passage area 9 to the opening 5. This enables that the person 6 can earlier leave the passage area 9 without having to wait until the concerning door wing 7 has progressed far enough beyond the concerning edge of the opening 5. It is also possible that when rotation of the revolving door 1 has stopped and the door wings 7 are stationary, which may be caused for instance by another person 6 blocking the door as is shown in FIG. 7, that the door wing part 7 that is near to an opening 5, is arranged to retract away from the wall 3 to give way to the first mentioned person 6 from the passage area 9 to the opening 5.

(19) FIGS. 8A-8D relate to a sequence of situations wherein during use when the door wings rotate 7 as shown in FIG. 8A, the slidable door wing parts 7 of each door wing 7 are simultaneously and progressively retracted away from the wall or walls 2, 3 as illustrated in FIGS. 8B-8D. This provides for a dynamic conversion from a regular operation of the revolving door 1 of the invention wherein the door wings rotate as shown in FIG. 8A and also depicted in FIG. 1 to a stationary positioning of the slidable door wing parts 7, 7 close to the imaginary vertical axis 8 of the door, which is shown in FIG. 8D and also depicted in FIG. 2A.

(20) Use of the revolving door 1 of the invention as security door is shown with reference to FIGS. 9A-9C. The revolving door 1 is provided with first sensor means 12, for instance a camera. The revolving door is arranged such that rotation of the door wings 7 is interruptible depending on the first sensor means 12. In FIG. 9A a person 6 is monitored and denied access to the building that the revolving door 1 provides access to. In that situation rotation of the door wings 7 is interrupted and depending on the rotational position of the door wings 7, selected door wings 7.1 and 7.2 of the door 1 are arranged to define a confined area 13 delimited by the wall 2 wherein access to or leaving said confined area 13 is prevented. Person 6 can be kept secured in the confined area 13 to wait for appropriate authorities who can take further care of this person. At the same time and whilst the confined area 13 is kept secured, a door wing part of at least one of the remaining door wings 7.3 can be maintained operational as a conventional sliding door to enable another person 6 passing the passage area. FIG. 9B shows a situation where the person 6 is granted access, and a movable door wing part of door wing 7.2 is retracted to give way to person 6 towards opening 4. In FIG. 9C another situation is shown wherein person 6 is denied access again. In that situation leaving the confined area 13 is made possible at the side where the person 6 originally came in by retracting a movable wing part of sliding door 7.1, to enable that the person 6 leaves the confined area 13 yet is denied access to the building where the revolving door 1 is placed.

(21) FIGS. 11A and 11B show an option of the revolving door of the invention wherein the door is prevented from being obstructed by a still standing person 6. For that purpose the door is provided with the features that the passage area 9 is provided with second sensor means 13, for instance a camera, and that during use wherein essentially the door wings 7 extend from the central vertical axis 8 up to the wall or walls 2, a slidable door wing part 7 of a door wing 7.1 that threatens to be obstructed by said still standing person 6 in the passage area 9 as observed by the second sensor means 13, is arranged to retract away from the wall 2 so as to move past said still standing person 6 as shown in FIG. 11A. FIG. 11B shows the slidable door wing part 7 of door wing 7.1 returning to its original relative position with reference to the remainder of the door wing 7 after said door wing is completely past said still standing person 6 as observed by said second sensor means 13.

(22) FIG. 10 finally shows an embodiment of the revolving door 1 of the invention provided with a night door 14 to close off the opening 5, wherein an edge 10 of a slidable door wing part 7 of the door wing 7 is positionable against the night door 14 to support said door against the force of wind and/or against the forces of breaking and entry. Comparably but for a different purpose, the edges 10 of the slidable door wing parts 7 of the door wings 7 can also be arranged to be intimately positionable against the wall or walls 2, 3 to provide optimal draught resistance at the time the door wings 7 have ceased rotating and are stationary.

(23) Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to several exemplary embodiments of the revolving door of the invention, the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments which can further be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiments shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiments are merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to the exemplary embodiments. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using the exemplary embodiments.

(24) In the preferred embodiment, and as readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the apparatus according to the invention will include a general or specific purpose computer or distributed system programmed with computer software implementing the steps described above, which computer software may be in any appropriate computer language, including C++, FORTRAN, BASIC, Java, assembly language, microcode, distributed programming languages, etc. The apparatus may also include a plurality of such computers/distributed systems (e.g., connected over the Internet and/or one or more intranets) in a variety of hardware implementations. For example, data processing can be performed by an appropriately programmed microprocessor, computing cloud, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or the like, in conjunction with appropriate memory, network, and bus elements.