DIAGONALLY TRANSLATING DOOR

Abstract

A door and door jamb arrangement, for securing the opening of a secure space. The door and door jamb arrangement include a safe container, a safe room or a lockable container. The door jamb arrangement further including a door and the opening. The door is adapted to be hingedly attached to a door jamb with a hinge arrangement. The door has a hinged edge or end, and non-hinged edges or ends including a top, bottom and a remote edge. The opening has a planar space defined by the door jamb and is adapted to be closed by the door in a closed position. A hinge axis of the hinge arrangement is adapted, near or adjacent the closed position, to move laterally relative to one or both of the door or the door jamb. The hinge axis of the hinge arrangement is adapted, near or adjacent the closed position, to move at least a door portion of two adjacent edges of the door relative to corresponding and adjacent jamb portions of an edge of the door jamb between overlapping and non-overlapping positions. The door is adapted to move vertically relative to the door jamb.

Claims

1. A door and door jamb arrangement, for securing the opening of a secure space, including a safe container, a safe room or a lockable container, the door jamb arrangement including: a door adapted to be hingedly attached to a door jamb with a hinge arrangement, the door having a hinged edge or end, and non-hinged edges or ends including a top, bottom and remote edge; and an opening having a planar space defined by the door jamb and adapted to be closed by the door in a closed position, wherein: (a) a hinge axis of the hinge arrangement is adapted, near or adjacent the closed position: (i) to move laterally relative to one or both of the following: the door; and the door jamb; and (ii) to move at least a door portion of two adjacent edges of the door relative to corresponding and adjacent jamb portions of an edge of the door jamb between overlapping and non-overlapping positions; and (b) the door is adapted to move vertically relative to the door jamb.

2. The door and door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door includes a lever which spans between the locking arrangement and the hinge arrangement.

3. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lever is adapted to lift the door relative to the hinge arrangement and the door jamb as the locking mechanism is actuated.

4. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lever includes a pivot connection with the door.

5. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lever includes a spring attached between the different components of the lever or between the lever and the door, the spring adapted to assist in lifting the door relative to the hinge arrangement and the door jamb.

6. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door further includes a guard located at a base of the door, the guard adapted to maintain a vertical position as the door moves relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

7. The door jamb arrangement as claimed claim 6, wherein the guard is attached to the hinge arrangement.

8. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door includes a guard support which is adapted to engage with a door support upon movement of the door relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

9. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lever includes a pivot connection with the door.

10. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lever includes a spring attached between the different components of the lever or between the lever and the door, the spring adapted to assist in lifting the door relative to the hinge arrangement and the door jamb.

11. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever includes a spring attached between the different components of the lever or between the lever and the door, the spring adapted to assist in lifting the door relative to the hinge arrangement and the doorjamb.

12. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the door further includes a guard located at a base of the door, the guard adapted to maintain a vertical position as the door moves relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

13. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the door further includes a guard located at a base of the door, the guard adapted to maintain a vertical position as the door moves relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

14. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the door further includes a guard located at a base of the door, the guard adapted to maintain a vertical position as the door moves relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

15. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the door further includes a guard located at a base of the door, the guard adapted to maintain a vertical position as the door moves relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

16. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the door includes a guard support which is adapted to engage with a door support upon movement of the door relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

17. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the door includes a guard support which is adapted to engage with a door support upon movement of the door relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

18. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the door includes a guard support which is adapted to engage with a door support upon movement of the door relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

19. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the door includes a guard support which is adapted to engage with a door support upon movement of the door relative to the hinge arrangement and doorjamb.

20. The door jamb arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the door includes a guard support which is adapted to engage with a door support upon movement of the door relative to the hinge arrangement and door jamb.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

[0043] FIG. 1a is a front perspective view of the door and door jamb arrangement with a door in a closed position according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0044] FIGS. 1a and 1b are perspective views of the lower portion of the door and jamb shown in FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the door and door jamb arrangement with the door in an open position;

[0046] FIG. 3 is a internal perspective view of the door and door jamb arrangement with the door in the closed position;

[0047] FIG. 4 is an internal perspective view of the door and door jamb arrangement with the door in the open position;

[0048] FIG. 5 is a close up view of an upper end of the door;

[0049] FIG. 6 is a close up view of an upper portion of a hinge of the door and door jamb arrangement;

[0050] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the door;

[0051] FIG. 8 is an internal perspective view of the door and door jamb arrangement showing a guard;

[0052] FIG. 9 is an internal perspective view of the door and door jamb arrangement showing the door in a raised position relative to a hinge and the door in the open position;

[0053] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the door and hinge assembly in the open position;

[0054] FIGS. 11-13 are perspective views of a lower portion of the door and hinge assembly in the closed position; and

[0055] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the door and hinge assembly in the open position.

REFERENCE KEY

[0056]

TABLE-US-00001 Reference Nos. Description No. Door and door jamb arrangement, hinge arrangement  1 Secure space  2 Safe container, safe room or a lockable container  3 Opening  4 Planar space  4a First translational direction  5 Second translational direction  6 Door jamb 10 Inner side of the door jamb 12 Door 20 Hinged edge or end (of the door)  21a Non-hinged edges or ends (of the door)    21b, c, d Top edge (of the door)  21b Remote edge (of the door)  21c Bottom edge (of the door)  21d Door portion .sup. 21ai Two adjacent edges   21bi, ci Exterior of the door 22 Hinge arrangement, multi-axis hinge 30 Hinge axis, first hinge axis  32a First hinge 32 Adjacent jamb portions  31a Vertical rod 36 Upper radially extending arm (of the vertical rod)  37a Lower radially extending arm (of the vertical rod)  37b Second hinge axis  34a Second hinge 34 Support pivot connection 35 Hinge cover 36 Weld spots indicating fixed components 37 Lever mechanism 40 Lever 42 First end of the lever .sup. 42ai Intermediate location on the lever  42aii Second end of the lever   42aiii Pivot connections (of the lever)  42b First component (of the lever) .sup. 42ci Second component (of the lever)  42cii Third component (of the lever)   42ciii Locking mechanism 50 Rotating component 52 Handle 54 Lateral component 60 Central radially extending arm 62 First arm (of the lateral component) 64 Second arm (of the lateral component) 66 Pivot connections (of the lateral arm) 68 Door guard 70 Rear side of the guard  70a Upper support beam 71 Fasteners attaching upper support beam to translating bar  71a members Jamb guard 72 Door guard hook 74 Translating bar members 75 Door guard plate 76 Door guard support 77 Two hooks   80a, b Two holes (of the door)   81a, b Two holes (of the door)   81a, b Two hooks   80a, b

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings using the above reference key. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In describing the various embodiments of the invention, like features will be referred to using like references, with references for features of each embodiment generally preceded by 1, 2, 3, or followed by a Roman numeric sequence, such as i, ii, iii, etc. or an alphabetical sequence such as a, b, c, relative to the corresponding feature of the first embodiment. For example, a feature 10 of the first embodiment may represented as 110, 210, 310, (or n10), or 10a, 10b, 10c, (or 10x) or 10i, 10ii, 10iii, (or 10r) etc. in second, third and fourth embodiments, respectively.

[0058] A door and door jamb arrangement for securing the opening of a secure space is shown. The door and door jamb arrangement includes a safe container, a safe room or a lockable container. The door jamb arrangement further includes a door and an opening. The door is adapted to be hingedly attached to a door jamb with a hinge arrangement. The door has a hinged edge or end, and non-hinged edges or ends including a top, bottom and remote edge. The opening has a planar space defined by the door jamb and is adapted to be closed by the door in a closed position. A hinge axis of the hinge arrangement is adapted, near or adjacent the closed position, to move laterally relative to one or both of the door the door jamb. The hinge axis of the hinge arrangement is adapted, near or adjacent the closed position, to move at least a door portion of two adjacent edges of the door relative to corresponding and adjacent jamb portions of an edge of the door jamb between overlapping and non-overlapping positions. The door is adapted to move vertically relative to the door jamb.

[0059] The door jamb is fixed to a first hinge axis of a first hinge of the hinge arrangement and the door is fixed to a second hinge axis of a second hinge of the hinge arrangement. The first and second hinges form a multi-axis hinge. The first hinge includes a first hinge axis which is parallel to and offset from a second hinge axis. The multi-axis hinge enables the first axis to move laterally (in a direction which is perpendicular to the first axis) relative to the door. The multi-axis hinge also enables the second axis to move laterally (in a direction which is perpendicular to the second axis) relative to the door jamb. Therefore, the hinge arrangement is adapted such that the door can translate as well as rotate relative to the door jamb.

[0060] The door includes door translating means. The door translating means includes the hinge arrangement. The door translating means also includes a lever mechanism. The lever mechanism is adapted to vertically move the door relative to the second hinge. The lever mechanism includes a lever. The lever is attached to a locking mechanism at a first end of the lever and to a vertical rod of the second hinge at a second end of the lever. The lever is also attached to the door at an intermediate location on the lever, between the first and second ends. The attachments to the lever are pivot connections.

[0061] The lever is made of multiple components attached end on end. The components (first, second and third components) of the lever are attached together with pivot connections.

[0062] The first component is attached to a rotating component of the locking mechanism. The rotating component is adapted to be actuated in the action of locking or unlocking the door to the door jamb. More specifically, the rotating component is adapted to be actuated by a handle of the locking mechanism. The handle is located on an exterior of the door. The door and door jamb arrangement is adapted such that rotating the handle in a first rotational direction both actuates locking bolts of the locking mechanism to lock the door to the door jamb and pushes the first component of the lever upwards in a first translational direction. Pushing the first component in the first translational direction results in the lever pivoting about its connection with the door. As the second component rotates, the third component is pulled downwards in a second translational direction, which is opposite the first translational direction. Pulling the third component in the second translational direction, moves the door upwards, in the first translational direction relative to the second hinge and to the door jamb. Therefore, the door and door jamb arrangement are adapted such that the lever effects vertical translational movement of the door relative to the door jamb. Moreover, the locking mechanism is adapted to actuate the lever in the same movement or series of movements which locks and unlocks the door from the door jamb.

[0063] The lateral movement of the door relative to the door jamb which is affected by the multi-axis hinge is also actuated by the locking mechanism. Furthermore, the lateral movement of the door relative to the door jamb is also actuated in the same movement of the locking mechanism which both locks or unlocks the door and effects vertical translation of the door relative to the door jamb. Therefore, as the door is locked or unlocked, the door translates in a direction or path which includes both vertical and horizontal vectors (parallel and perpendicular to the first and second hinge axes).

[0064] The lateral movement of the door relative to the door jamb is also actuated by the locking mechanism through a lateral component. The lateral component extends and spans between the rotating component and a central radially extending arm of the vertical rod. The central radially extending arm is an arm which extends radially from and is welded to the vertical rod. The lateral component is fixed to the vertical rod and extends outwards perpendicular to the rod. The lateral component includes a first arm which is attached to the rotating component and a second arm with pivot connections. The second arm is also attached to the central radially extending arm with a pivot connection. The door and door jamb arrangement is adapted such that actuation of the locking mechanism to lock or unlock the door to the door jamb also pushes or pulls the lateral component and therefore the central radially extending arm. Since the central radially extending arm is fixed to the vertical rod, movement of the central radially extending arm rotates the vertical rod. The vertical rod includes upper and lower radially extending arms at upper and lower ends or the vertical rod respectively. The upper and lower radially extending arms are fixed to the vertical rod at first ends and attached to the first hinge at second ends of the upper and lower radially extending arms. Therefore, the locking mechanism is adapted to rotate the second hinge and therefore the door about the first axis as the locking mechanism is actuated to lock and unlock the door to the door jamb.

[0065] The door is adapted to overlap the door jamb on an inner side of the door jamb. The inner side of the door jamb being in the secure space. The door and hinge arrangement are positioned relative to the door jamb such that the hinged edge of the door overlaps a hinged edge of the door jamb without any translation of the door relative to the door jamb. With the door in the closed position, the door is located further into the secure space than the door jamb. In this position, the door is then adapted to translate toward a remote edge of the door jamb such that the remote edge of the door overlaps the remote edge of the door jamb. As the door translates toward the remote edge of the door jamb, the door also translates toward a top edge of the door jamb, also overlapping the top edge of the door jamb. In this position, the hinged edge of the door jamb is also still overlapping the hinged edge of the door. However, in this position the bottom edge of the door is located above and not overlapping the bottom edge of the door jamb.

[0066] The door further includes a door guard. The door guard includes integrally formed components, including a door guard hook, a plate, translating bar members and an upper beam, that act as a unitary piece to remain axially stationary relative to the second hinge. Effectively, the door guard hook comprises engaging folded hook portion extending from, and unitarily formed with, the plate. The door guard hook is adapted to retractably extend from the bottom edge of the door. The door guard is attached to the vertical rod of the second hinge with a pivot connection of the door guard. The pivot connection permits rotation of the door guard around the vertical rod but does not permit vertical movement of the door guard relative to the vertical rod. Therefore, the door guard remains at the same elevation relative to the vertical rod when the container is an upright unit and the door remains in a substantially vertical plane. The door guard extends substantially or completely along an entire length of the bottom edge of the door.

[0067] The door guard is adapted to maintain its elevation relative to the door jamb. Therefore, as the door moves vertically, the door guard remains adjacent to and within 5 mm of the bottom edge of the door jamb. The door jamb including a door support. The door support adapted to interlock with a guard support of the door as a result of the motion of the door in the first translational direction. The door guard support extends adjacent and substantially along the entire length of a rear side of the door guard. The rear side of the door guard faces the secure space when the door is in the closed position as shown in FIG. 1a.

[0068] The door further includes a second guard support and door member on a top end of the door. The second guard support includes two hooks which are adapted to hook into two holes in the door jamb respectively upon lateral translation of the door relative to the door jamb.

[0069] Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

[0070] In the present specification, terms such as “apparatus”, “means”, “device” and “member” may refer to singular or plural items and are terms intended to refer to a set of properties, functions or characteristics performed by one or more items or components having one or more parts. It is envisaged that where an “apparatus”, “means”, “device” or “member” or similar term is described as being a unitary object, then a functionally equivalent object having multiple components is considered to fall within the scope of the term, and similarly, where an “apparatus”, “assembly”, “means”, “device” or “member” is described as having multiple components, a functionally equivalent but unitary object is also considered to fall within the scope of the term, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. In the present specification, the phrase “and/or” refers to severally or any combination of the features. For example, the phrase “feature 1, feature 2 and/or feature 3” includes within its scope any one of the following combinations: Feature 1 or feature 2 or feature 3; feature 1 and feature 2 or feature 3; feature 1 or feature 2 and feature 3; feature 1 and feature 3 or feature 2; feature 1 and feature 2 and feature 3.

[0071] The meaning of descriptive, precise or absolute terms such as “flexed”, “normal”, “parallel”, “horizontal”, “vertical” or “fully” includes the preceding qualifier “substantially or almost”, unless the context or contrary is expressly indicated.

[0072] Qualifying relative terms, such as “relatively”, “sufficiently”, “near”, “almost” or “substantially”, may be taken to indicate a variation in an absolute value of between 0° and 10° or between 0% and 10%, relative to the absolute value. For example, “near horizontal” may be taken to mean any orientation between 0° and 10° relative to the horizontal.

[0073] Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, which will usually be apparent from the context.

[0074] In the present specification, the term “integral” means formed of one body in a single process. In particular, the term “integrally formed” means formed of the one body without post-forming attachment of separately formed component parts. That is, “integrally formed” and the similar term “unitarily formed” mean formed in a single forming process and do not include post-forming attachment of component parts by means of fastener or other component fixing substances or methods.

[0075] The articles “a” and “an” are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e. to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element.

[0076] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The features and components of each of the embodiments of the invention described in the detailed description and/or depicted in the accompanying drawings may be interchangeable as required, with regard to functional equivalency and compatibility. A feature or component described with reference to one but not all embodiments, if functionally and dimensionally compatible as an addition with another embodiment herein described, or substitutable with a corresponding feature or component of that other embodiment in relation to which it has not been expressly described, should be read as a potential addition or substitution to that other embodiment and as being within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, in considering a feature or component that is described in relation a particular embodiment but may be omitted from the embodiment without losing the functionality characterising the invention and without departing from the scope of the invention, unless the context and expressions used in describing the embodiment imputes that the feature or component is essential to the invention as broadly described, the omittable feature or component may be read as not being included in the embodiment.

[0077] The invention can be described in terms of provisional claims that can assist the skilled reader in understanding the various aspects and preferments of the invention. However, these provisional claims are not to be construed as defining statements of the invention. It will be appreciated that other forms, aspects and preferred features of the invention and its embodiments described herein may ultimately be included in the claims defining the invention in the specifications of complete, international or national applications (or their subsequent corresponding patent grants) that may claim priority from the provisional application accompanying this specification. In this context, the following non-limiting claims assist to better describe the invention: