Safety device and method

Abstract

A safety device suitable for use with hinged doors or windows, as well as methods of installing such a device. The device comprises an elongate exclusion member that is adapted to fit within the hinge gap in an open door and acts to prevent or significantly reduce the risk of injury to a subject through entrapment of fingers of other appendages in the hinge gap present in many door and window systems. The device of the present invention is particularly suitable for retrofitting to existing door and window systems.

Claims

1. A safety device for use with a closable member hingedly mounted to a second member, the device comprising an elongate exclusion member and first and second biasing members, the biasing members being adapted such that in use the biasing members urge the exclusion member into a hinge gap defined by the closable member and the second member when the closable member is in an open position, the exclusion member having a conformation such that upon closing of the closable member the exclusion member is ejected from the hinge gap against action of the biasing members, and the device adapted so that, in use, the first biasing member is non-movably fixed to the second member and extends between the exclusion member and the second member and the second biasing member is non-movably fixed to the closable member and extends between the exclusion member and the closable member, and wherein further the first and second biasing members each comprises a resilient member and at least one roll of sheet material which is extendible against action of the resilient member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the exclusion member comprises at least one surface having a curved profile which defines a closable member-contacting portion and a second member-contacting portion.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the curved profile defines an arc.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each said roll of sheet material extends along substantially the entire length of the exclusion member.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the exclusion member comprises a closable member-contacting portion and a second member-contacting portion, said portions being configured to facilitate the ejection of the exclusion member from the hinge gap.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said closable member-contacting portion comprises a plurality of closable member-contacting portions and said second member-contacting portion comprises a plurality of second member-contacting portions, said closable and second member-contacting portions are provided by a plurality of projections provided at intermittent points along a length of the exclusion member.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the projections are provided adjacent ends of the exclusion member.

8. The device of claim 7 comprising at least one further projection provided at least one point between the ends of the exclusion member along the length of the exclusion member.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the projections are positioned on the exclusion member so as to facilitate the ejection of the exclusion member from the hinge gap.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the biasing members are adapted to prevent the exclusion member from being entrapped in the hinge gap.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the biasing members are adapted to orientate the exclusion member with respect to the closable member and the second member to facilitate the ejection of the exclusion member from the hinge gap.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein each said roll of sheet material comprises a sheet of substantially non-elastic material which is mounted to extend against the action of the resilient member and retract under influence of the resilient member.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the each said roll of sheet material is adapted to extend by rotation against the action of the resilient member.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the exclusion member comprises a main body having a substantially constant cross section and a plurality of spacers mounted at positions along a length of the exclusion member which provide projections which define closable member-contacting portions and second member-contacting portions.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein either or both of the closable member-contacting portions and the second member-contacting portions are formed from a material having a low coefficient of friction.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the second member comprises a frame having a doorstop, and wherein an extension of the first biasing member is stopped once the exclusion member has moved beyond the doorstop.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the elongate exclusion member comprises an elongate substantially semi-cylindrical member.

18. A closable assembly comprising the safety device according to claim 1.

19. A method of installing the safety device according to claim 1 comprising the steps of: non-movably fixing the second biasing member to the closable member and non-movably fixing the first biasing member to the second member such that the exclusion member in the open position is urged into the hinge gap when the closable member is opened.

Description

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1a to 1d show prior art devices;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a device according to the present invention installed on a door wherein the door is closed;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the same device when the door is opened to approximately 90°;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the same device with door opened to approximately 180°;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the same device in isolation from the door, with both biasing means fully extended;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross-section though the device of FIG. 4;

(8) FIG. 6a is a simplified depiction of one of the roller assemblies of FIG. 6, illustrating the sheet material, central tube and torsion spring thereof; and

(9) FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the device.

(10) Throughout the following description the closable member is exemplified as a door which is mounted on a second member which is a frame. Although use of the device with doors hingedly mounted on frames is envisaged as the most common utility, it should be understood that the device could be used with windows, bi-fold doors, or other such hinged arrangements where entrapment of fingers and the like is a concern.

(11) As shown in FIG. 2 a safety device 10 is installed on a door 12 and doorstop 18 of a frame 16, which is hingedly connected to the door 12 by a hinge 14. FIG. 3 shows the same device, door and frame, but the door is opened by ˜90°, thus creating a hinge gap. FIG. 4 shows the same arrangement with door opened further, to approximately 180°.

(12) In the embodiment shown, the exclusion member 20 comprises an elongate substantially semi-cylindrical main body. The exclusion member is substantially the same length as the hinge gap on the door 12 and from to which is fitted—it may in fact be slightly shorter to permit convenient installation. In a preferred embodiment the device is a suitable length to leave a gap of approximately 30 mm between the bottom of the exclusion member and the floor.

(13) The exclusion member 20 comprises a plurality of spacers 34. Each spacer 34 has a curved inner surface which has a profile which substantially corresponds to the curved outer surface of the main body of the exclusion member 20; in the present embodiment both surfaces are arcuate although other shapes could be envisaged.

(14) Each spacer 34 is releasably connected to the main body of the exclusion member by a protrusion 32 located in the middle of the curved inner surface of the spacer that clips into a channel provided on the main body of the exclusion member 20 which runs down its entire length. Sliders can be positioned at any desired longitudinal position on the exclusion member, and their position can be altered if required by sliding them down the channel. The spacer 34 defines an arcuate outer surface 36, which provides a door-contacting surface and a frame-contacting surface. In the example shown in the figures, both the door-contacting surface and frame-contacting surfaces are provided by the arcuate outer surface of the spacers 34—other configurations for the door-contacting surface and a frame-contacting surface are of course possible, but the arcuate conformation has found to be particularly suitable.

(15) Spacers 34 are attached at each end of the main body of the exclusion member 20, and also at intermediate points along its length. The positioning of the spacers 34 is selected to ensure that they are located away from regions of the door and frame where there are surface irregularities which would interfere with smooth sliding of the slider against the door or frame, e.g. hinge plates and screws or the like.

(16) The spacers 34 can conveniently be formed from a polymer, e.g. HDPE or the like. It is generally preferable that at least the outer surface 36 of the spacers is formed from a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction, e.g. HDPE or a fluorpolymer such as PTFE.

(17) It is, of course, not necessary that the exclusion member 20 comprises one or more spacers 34, and the door-contacting and frame-contacting surfaces can be defined by the surface of the main body. However, using one or more spacers allows for convenient replacement of the surfaces when they become worn, and also allows ready adaptation of the exclusion member 20 for different doors and frames by fitting a suitable spacer having the appropriate profile. Furthermore, as mentioned above, where a plurality of spacers are provided defining intermittent door-contacting and frame-contacting surfaces, it means that surface irregularities can be avoided—this effect could also be achieved by using a main body with projections at various points along its length which define door-contacting and frame-contacting surfaces, but this is likely to be more complex to manufacture and thus generally less desirable.

(18) The device 10 comprises a first biasing means 22 and a second biasing means 26. The first 22 is anchored to the doorstop 18 by means of a bracket 24. As best seen in FIG. 7, the bracket 24 comprises holes 25 at points along its length for attachment via, e.g. a screw. The bracket 24 could be attached by other suitable means such as adhesive. The second biasing means 26 is attached to the door 12 via a bracket 28 in a similar way to the first.

(19) FIGS. 5, 6 and 6a show the device separate from the door and frame with the first and second biasing means 22 and 26 fully extended. In the example shown, the biasing means 22 and 26 comprise two roller assemblies, which dispense sheet material. The rollers 40 and 42 are shown in cross section in FIG. 6, and comprise a central tube CT about which the sheet material is rolled. Inside the tube is a torsion spring (designated T in FIG. 6a) which is anchored to the exclusion member 20 at one end and attached to the tube at the other. The rollers 40 and 42 are rotatably mounted within the main body of the exclusion member, each roller occupying a separate longitudinal compartment. The rollers 40 and 42 are rotatably mounted on spindles provided on end caps which are fitted into each end of the exclusion member. The material leaves the rollers 40 and 42 and exits the exclusion member 20 through longitudinal slots provided which run along opposite corners of the exclusion member.

(20) As can be seen, when the door 12 is opened, the biasing members 22 and 26 are pulled because the distance between the brackets 24 and 28 increases. The sheet material thus extends out of the exclusion member 20 as the rollers 40 and 42 rotate against the action of the torsion spring.

(21) The first biasing means 22 is adapted such that rotation of the roller 42 stops after a predetermined amount of material has been deployed. This distance can be adapted such that it ensures that the exclusion member 20 aligns correctly with the hinge gap. Typically the roller will stop once the corner of the exclusion member has passed the doorstop. Furthermore, this configuration prevents problems which can arise in certain situations where the exclusion member 20 can become trapped against the face of the door 12 during the opening process, which prevents correct functioning of the device—this problem cannot occur when the extension of the first biasing means 22 is limited, as discussed above. In the embodiment shown in the figures, further extension of the material is prevented because of the amount of material wrapped around the central tube; once this has been unrolled further extension is stopped. However, it is envisaged that other stop means could be used. Typically the first biasing member is permitted to extend by approximately 20 to 50 mm before further extension is stopped, but this distance may be different in various different door and hinge assemblies.

(22) As the door 12 continues to open the biasing means 22 and 26 urge the exclusion member 20 into the hinge gap. This provides a barrier to the insertion of a finger into the hinge gap. The exclusion member 20 physically obstructs the hinge gap. Furthermore, the sheet material of the biasing means 22 and 26 further prevents insertion of a finger. If the door 12 were opened even further it can be seen that a gap would result between the exclusion member 20 and the edge of the door 12. However, such a gap would be covered by the sheet material of the biasing means 26, thus preventing insertion of a finger.

(23) When the door 12 is closed, the hinge gap reduces in size. The exclusion member 20 (in particular the outer surface of the spacers) will abut against the door 12 and the frame 16 and will be squeezed therebetween. As a result of the force exerted on the exclusion member 20 by the door 12 and frame 16 or stop 18, it is ejected from the narrowing hinge gap against the action of the biasing means 22 and 26. The confirmation of the exclusion member 20 has been selected such that it does not become trapped in the hinge gap as it closes. In fact, tests show that the device 10 shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 operates correctly even if someone endeavours to sabotage the device by holding the exclusion member in an incorrect position. The extension limitation on the first roller is particularly useful in this regard because it prevents the exclusion member from being rotated significantly.

(24) As discussed briefly above, even if a finger were inserted into the gap between the exclusion member 20 and the door 12 and the door were allowed to close, the finger would be ejected from the potential pinch point before damage occurs. The rolling action of the exclusion member being ejected combined with the tension on the sheet material serves to push the finger out of the gap without being subjected to a crushing force.

(25) Installation of the device 10 according to the present invention is very straightforward. A device 10 having a suitable length for the door assembly is selected. It is envisaged that a number of different lengths of device 10 would be provided to cater for the majority of common door heights. Additionally, the device 10 could be customised by cutting the various elongate components and sheet material, analogous to the way a roller blind is cut to size. Suitable spacers 34 are attached to the exclusion member 20 to ensure suitability of the profile of the exclusion member 20 for the particular door/frame geometry. Care is taken to position the spacers to avoid interference from hinge plates, screw heads or the like. The device 10 is then placed in position against the corner defined by the door 12 and frame 16, e.g. on the door stop 18. The first bracket 24 is affixed to the frame and the second bracket 28 is affixed to the door.

(26) In general the order in which the brackets are attached is not significant. However, in a preferred installation method the first bracket to be attached is mounted such that the screw heads are then concealed by the material. Preferably the bracket mounted to the frame is mounted first. This method if installation is primarily for aesthetic reasons, but it may also be desirable to conceal the screw heads for other reasons, e.g. to prevent things catching on them or to reduce the risk of tampering.

(27) The two brackets 24, 28 are ideally in a substantially parallel arrangement to ensure smooth operation of the roller mechanism. The exact location for fixation of the brackets 24,28 is not particularly critical, but should be generally along the lines shown in the illustration in FIG. 2. Additionally, the bracket mounted to the frame should be positioned to ensure that the resilient means stops extending once the exclusion member has moved into the desired location, e.g. in the embodiment illustrated this is once the edge of the exclusion member has passed the stop provided on the frame.

(28) An advantage of the device 10 of the present invention is that it is very easy to fit and is tolerant of minor misalignments in installation. The device is then ready for use.

(29) To replace the spacers 34, e.g. if they become worn, access to the device is achieved by removing one of the brackets 25 and 28. The spacers 34 can then be unclipped and replaced with new spacers.

(30) There are a range of conventional methods of manufacture suitable to make the various component parts of the device. In a preferred embodiment the central body of the exclusion member 20 is extruded. Extrusion is particularly suitable for forming elongate components with a constant cross section. Aluminium is a preferred material for the main body of the exclusion member 20, although various high strength plastics materials or other metals (e.g. steel) may also be suitable. Various other component parts, e.g. the spacer 34 and brackets 24 and 28, can also be manufactured by extrusion, typically in plastics for the spacer and aluminium for the brackets. Parts could also be made by injection moulding or other well-known techniques. The sheet material suitably comprises an abrasion resistant material with high tensile strength, e.g. nylon or Kevlar® fabric.

(31) Modifications to the specific embodiments described can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, other biasing means can readily be envisaged, such as replacement of the rollers with elastic materials. Alternatively, there could be a single biasing means rather than the two used in the specific example—this could be an elastic member extending from the exclusion member into the hinge gap where it is anchored, e.g. an elastic sheet or one or more elastic strips. The exclusion member could have another conformation, e.g. generally having the form of a triangular or other polygonal prism in which longitudinal faces of the prism or spacers provided on the prism define the frame- and door-contacting surfaces.