Abstract:
An improved top pin assembly is provided for a traffic door which is side-mountable to the door without the necessity of integrated the top pin assembly within the interior of the door panel.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/463,985, filed Feb. 25, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a top pin assembly for a swinging door. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Traffic doors are typically used in commercial establishments to allow two-way traffic through a doorway. Such doors may be used in a variety of such establishments including supermarkets, restaurants, retail stores, hospitals, walk-in coolers, etc. 
         [0004]    The doors may be provided singly or in pairs, and mount to a door frame by hinges which allow the doors to freely swing in opposite directions, i.e. both inwardly into a room and outwardly from the room. In a commercial establishment, this allows employees to freely move between two adjacent rooms merely by pushing on the freely, swingable doors wherein the doors automatically return to the closed position without any further action from the employee, which thereby facilitates the traffic flow of employees from room to room. 
         [0005]    More particularly, such traffic doors also have a hinge arrangement connecting each door to a door frame which allows the doors to swing in opposite directions, but also gently closes or returns the door to a closed or “rest” position blocking the doorway. Examples of such a hinge assembly are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,160,913 and 3,289,244, which patents were obtained by the assignee of the present invention. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. These hinge assemblies operate to close the door without the need for a spring arrangement that would generate a spring force to bias the doors to a closed position. Rather, the hinge assemblies disclosed in these patents use a roller assembly which generates a closing action on the doors by gravity acting upon the door itself. 
         [0006]    A specific example of such traffic doors is the family of doors sold by the present assignee, namely Eliason Corporation, under its EASY SWING® trademark. 
         [0007]    It is an object of the invention to provide an improved door assembly of this general type which incorporates an improved hinge assembly which has a side-mount construction mountable to a single face of a door. 
         [0008]    The invention relates to an improved door assembly of the type which positively restrains the door in a normally closed position. The door assembly preferably includes an improved top pin assembly which is mountable to one side of the door without the necessity of notching or cutting the door panel. The hinge assembly is partially pre-assembled with an upper bracket assembly pre-assembled to a top hinge pin prior to mounting of the door. While the bracket assembly will move in unison with the door, it is initially pre-mounted to the hinge pin and suspended therefrom, and then is engaged with a side-mounted base bracket already fixed on the door so that base bracket and upper bracket assembly are affixed together on the door and allow for rotation of the door relative to the hinge pin. This provides for ease of assembly, and provides a side mounted top pin assembly which is not visible from one side of the door. 
         [0009]    Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a door assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates one face of the door assembly with a covered top pin assembly. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates the top pin assembly with the cover removed and the door in a closed position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates the top pin assembly with the door in an open position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the upper portion of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an alternate enlarged view of the lower portion of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  illustrates a bottom corner of the door. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the components of the top pin assembly. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of a door bracket with a hinge pin. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is an inverted top perspective view of the door bracket. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of an upper bracket assembly. 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is an assembly view thereof. 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  illustrates the upper bracket assembly and a roller unit mounted thereon. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is an exploded view of the upper bracket assembly prior to mounting to the hinge pin. 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is an exploded view of the upper bracket assembly and hinge pin. 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  illustrates the upper bracket assembly mounted to the hinge pin. 
           [0026]      FIG. 17  is an enlarged front view of the door and a frameless window. 
           [0027]      FIG. 18  is an enlarged perspective view of the frameless window. 
           [0028]      FIG. 19  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the window and door. 
       
    
    
       [0029]    Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the arrangement and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an improved door assembly  10  comprises a panel-like door  11  which is connectable by bracketry, namely a top pin assembly  12  and a lower bracket  9  ( FIGS. 1 and 7 ), which mount to the frame  13  of a doorway  14 . More particularly, the doorway  14  typically extends through a partition wall  15  such as the wall of a building or the wall of a cooler. The doorway  14  is defined by a bottom threshold or floor  15 A ( FIG. 7 ), upright door jambs  16  and a crosswise header  18 . The jambs  16  and the header  18  typically have a side-to-side width which is defined by the thickness of the partition wall and has a conventional rectangular shape. 
         [0031]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , the top pin assembly  12  connects to the respective inside faces  16 A and  18 A of one of the jambs  16  and the header  18 , and to only one face  11 A of the door  11 . The door  11  is pivotally connected to such top pin assembly  12  to permit swinging movement of the door  11  in opposite swinging directions. As such, the top pin assembly  12  permits bi-directional swinging movement of the door  11  between the closed position of  FIGS. 1-3  and a first open position of  FIG. 4  wherein the door is at a right, 90 degree angle relative to the closed position. 
         [0032]    As seen in  FIG. 1 , the door  11  includes the top pin assembly  12  in the upper corner thereof which cooperates with the door frame to effect a self-centered closing of the door  11  so as to generally be centered within the doorway  14  widthwise of the partition wall in the closed position of  FIG. 1 . The top pin assembly  12  comprises a box-like cover  19  ( FIG. 2 ) which provides selective access to the top pin assembly  12  so that it is accessible from the one side of the door as seen in  FIGS. 2-4 . 
         [0033]    The top pin assembly  12  not only biases the door  11  to the closed position of  FIG. 1 , but also permits the door  11  to open in either the first open position of  FIG. 4  or a second open position wherein the door is oriented 180° relative to the first open position. In this second open position, the door is still oriented at the right, 90° angle relative to the closed position ( FIG. 1 ) after the door  11  has been swung in the opposite direction. 
         [0034]    More particularly as to the top pin assembly  12 , the top pin assembly  12  (as seen in  FIGS. 1-3  and  8 ) first comprises a hinge bracket or support bracket  20  which comprises a horizontal leg  21  and a vertical leg  22  which are respectively secured to the header  18  and jam  16  by suitable fasteners  23 , which are preferably screws. The hinge bracket  20  includes a downwardly extending, fixed hinge post or pin  25  which is preferably welded to the horizontal bracket leg  21 . 
         [0035]    The bottom or terminal end  24  of the hinge pin  25  includes a support head  26  which is enlarged relative to the shaft  27  of the pin  25  to define an upward-facing, annular support surface or ledge  28  which is configured to rotatably support the weight of the door  11  thereon. 
         [0036]    Generally, the top pin assembly  12  further comprises an upper bracket assembly  30  which is affixed to the door face  11 A by a base bracket  31 . The upper bracket assembly  30  comprises a pair of diametrically opposed rollers  33  located on diametrically opposite sides of the pin  25 . The rollers  33  are each rotatably supported upon a respective shaft  34  carried on the bracket assembly  30 , wherein the free ends of the shafts  34  each support a respective one of the rollers  33  thereon. 
         [0037]    The pin  25  thereby extends downwardly in a vertical orientation and rotatably carry the rollers  33  thereon and in turn supports the upper bracket assembly  30  on the pin  25 . The hinge bracket  20  and hinge pin  25  thereby remain in stationary fixed positions during use while the upper bracket assembly  30  rotates together with the door  11  to which it is affixed. As will be described hereinafter, the upper bracket assembly  30  and the remaining components of the top pin assembly  12  described below are rotatably suspended from the top pin  25  by the rollers  33  and are fastened to the door  11 , which thereby allows the door  11  to swing between the open and closed positions. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6 , the base bracket  31  includes a generally C-shaped bracket wall  40  comprising a bottom wall  41 , side walls  42  and inturned support flanges  43 , which flanges  43  define a space therebetween to accommodate the upper bracket assembly  30 . The bracket wall  41  includes a back wall  44  which faces the door face  11 A for abutment therewith and is fastened or affixed to the door face  11 A by fasteners  46 . The base bracket  31  therefore is stationarily affixed to the door  11  prior to mounting of the door  11  on the support bracket  20  as will be described further. 
         [0039]    The bottom bracket wall  41  also includes a downwardly-depending connector flange  47  having fastener inserts  48  to which the cover  19  ( FIG. 2 ) is affixed by appropriate fasteners  49  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0040]    To connect the upper bracket assembly  30  to the base bracket  31 , the bracket wall flanges  43  include bore holes through which threaded bolts  51  are provided. The bolts  51  are used to join the upper bracket assembly  30  to the base bracket  31  as the door is being suspended from the upper bracket assembly  30 . In this regard, it has been previously noted that the upper bracket assembly  30  is pre-mounted to the hinge pin  25  in a sub-assembly that is affixed to the door frame by fastening of the support bracket  20  to the door frame. During this initial installation step, the bracket assembly  30  would then be supported on the door frame due to the bracket assembly  30  being pre-assembled with the support pin  25 . The bracket assembly  30  is not yet affixed to the door  11 . 
         [0041]    For mounting on the door  11 , the upper bracket assembly  30  is then preliminarily engaged with the base bracket  31  and then is affixed thereto by the fasteners  51 . In this manner, the door  11  is pre-mounted on the top pin assembly  12 . 
         [0042]    To secure the bottom of the door  11 , the bottom hinge assembly  60  ( FIG. 7 ) is provided. The bottom hinge assembly  60  comprises an L-shaped mounting bracket  61  comprising a vertical leg  62  and a horizontal leg  63  which affixes to the door frame  16  and/or floor  15 A by suitable fasteners  62 . This bottom bracket  61  includes an upstanding hinge pin  64  which generally has a constant diameter cylindrical shape which engages a bottom door bracket  65 . The bottom door bracket  65  comprises a mounting leg  66  which is affixed to the door by fastener screws  67 . The lower bracket  65  then is bent outwardly and downwardly and then is turned back horizontally to define a bottom leg  68  formed with a vertical bore which rotatably receives the bottom hinge pin  64  therethrough. The bracket  65  restrains the door  11  relative to a vertical axis extending through the bottom pin  64  and the upper pin  25 , which are vertically aligned with each other, so that the door will rotate or swing about this vertical axis. Thus, the lower bracket  65  restrains the bottom door sidewardly relative to the pin  64  while permitting relative rotation therebetween. Also, the bracket  65  is displaceable vertically with the door  11  relative to the bottom pin  64  to allow the top pin assembly  12  to function as will be described hereinafter. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 8-10 , the top support bracket  20  is shown in greater detail. In this regard, the support head  26  is formed with the support ledge  28 . This support ledge  28  preferably is formed with a pair of V-shaped notches  70  which extend across the diameter of the support head  28  but rise vertically to raised shoulders  71 . When the door  11  is in the closed position of  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the rollers  33  seat within the centering notches  70  which allows the door to drop vertically downwardly into the notches  70 . However, during rotation of the door  11 , the rollers  33  roll up the inclined faces  72 , which define the notches  70 , which thereby causes the door  11  to rise vertically and ultimately allow the rollers  33  to rest upon the raised shoulder  71  when the door is in the open position of  FIG. 4 . Hence, the door  11  has some vertical displacement as the rollers  33  travel circumferentially about the support shoulder  28  during door rotation. Essentially, the notches  70  provide positive restraining of the door  11  in the closed position and perform a self-centering of the door  11  and automatic return of the door  11  to this closed position as the rollers  33  roll back down the inclined faces  72  of the notches  70 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIGS. 11-13 , the upper bracket assembly  30  is illustrated in exploded and assembled conditions. The upper bracket assembly  30  preferably comprises a primary support bracket  80  which is formed with a bottom support plate  81  that is adapted to be positioned below and span the gap between the base bracket wall flanges  43  described above in  FIG. 4 . This support plate  81 , when seated below the base bracket flanges  43 , thereby allows the door  11  to be suspended on this support plate  81 . The support plate  81  is provided with a pair of bore holes  82  through which the fasteners  51  are inserted and secured with the associated nuts  51 A. The support plate  81  also includes a central bore  83  which is configured to receive a bolt  84  vertically therethrough as generally seen in  FIGS. 11 ,  13 ,  16  and  6 . The bolt  84  is provided with an associated washer  85  and lock nut  86 . 
         [0045]    Next, the support plate  81  is provided with a fixed side bracket  90  having an inturned lower end  92  that is welded or rigidly affixed to the support plate  81 . The side bracket  91  extends vertically upwardly and turns inwardly to define a top flange  92 . The top flange  92  includes a semi-circular notch  93  that is provided so as to extend about the-pin shaft  27  and prevent removal of the upper bracket assembly  30  from the hinge pin  25 . 
         [0046]    The side bracket  91  is also formed with a hole for rotatably mounting the roller  33  thereon near the upper end thereof. As seen in  FIG. 13 , the roller comprises a main shaft  95  which includes an annular shoulder  96  that is fixed against an inside face of the side bracket  91  and secured in place by a roller nut  97 . Appropriate washers are provided between the nut  97  and shoulder  96  and the opposing faces of the side bracket  91  so that the roller shaft  95  is nonrotatably affixed to the side bracket  91 . The roller  33  is loosely fitted on the shaft  95  and prevented from falling off by the enlarged head  98  of the shaft  95 . The roller  33  is essentially provided with the shaft  95  in a pre-assembled condition as seen in  FIG. 13  and then fastened in place with the appropriate washers by the nut  97 . This defines a roller assembly  100  that mounts to the side bracket  91 . 
         [0047]    A second side bracket  101  is provided which also is provided with its own roller assembly  100  that mounts thereto in the same manner. To affix the second side bracket  101  in place, the side bracket  101  includes a bottom connector flange  102  ( FIGS. 13 and 14 ) which is formed with a bore hole  103  that aligns with the fastener hole  83  of the above-described support plate  81 . This connector flange  102  then fits onto the top of the support plate  81  as seen in  FIG. 13  to allow the fastener  83  to extend vertically downwardly therethrough as seen in  FIGS. 13 and 16  so that the bolt  83  maintains these components in alignment and is provided to secure these components together. 
         [0048]    In particular, when the side brackets  91  and  101  are both provided together as seen in  FIG. 13 , the fastener  93  extends through the bracket bore hole  103  and the plate bore hole  83  so that these components can be subsequently and tightly joined together by the nut  86  as seen in  FIG. 6 . When the fastener  83  is tightly engaged therebetween, the side brackets  91  and  101  are affixed in non-movable positions in the mated condition of  FIGS. 13 and 15 . However, by removal of the fastener  83 , the two side brackets  91  and  101  are separable as seen in  FIGS. 11 and 14 . 
         [0049]    Notably, the side bracket  101  also includes a top flange  105  which is formed with a semi-circular notch  106  that aligns with the aforementioned notch  93  in the side bracket  91 . These aligned notches  93  and  106  thereby define a circular hole  107  through which the pin shaft  27  extends vertically as seen in  FIGS. 5 and 16 . When assembling the upper bracket assembly  30  to the hinge pin  25 , the side brackets  91  and  101  are positioned on opposite sides of the pin  25  as seen in  FIG. 14 . These side brackets  91  and  101  are then moved together as seen in  FIGS. 15 and 16  with the pin shaft  27  extending through the bracket hole  107  as seen in  FIG. 16 .  FIG. 16  shows the side brackets  91  and  101  in a loose condition, but it is understood that these two brackets  91  and  101  are then rigidly affixed together by the fastener  84  which would thereby non-removably engage the entire upper bracket assembly  30  in suspended relation on the hinge pin  25 . 
         [0050]    To provide additional support to this structure, particularly under door loads, a cross bolt  110  ( FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  8 ) is provided to draw the side brackets  91  and  101  together. The draw bolt  110  includes a head  111  at one end and a nut  112  at the opposite threaded end. A plastic sleeve  113  is provided to prevent the brackets  91  and  101  from bowing inwardly toward each other, and the bolt head  111  and nut  112  along with the associated washer  112 A prevent the side brackets  91  and  101  from bowing outwardly relative to each other. To receive the draw bolt  110 , the side brackets  91  and  101  include appropriate side bores  91 A and  101 A as best seen in  FIG. 16 . Thus, after pre-assembly of the brackets  91  and  101 , the draw bolt  110  can be inserted through the holes  91 A and  101 A to prevent unwanted bowing of the side brackets  91  and  101 . 
         [0051]    Next, referring to  FIGS. 17-19 , the door  11  also includes an improved construction having a flush-mounted window  120 . The window  120  comprises two sheets  121  of a glass-like material such as plexiglass which each have a window face  122  that lies substantially flush with the door faces  11 A. Known window constructions for these types of traffic doors typically have an obtrusive frame or gasket by which the glass sheets are mounted to the door, wherein the inventive window eliminates these frames and gaskets. 
         [0052]    The improved window construction uses two opposed window sheets  121  which are shown in a generally rectangular shape. The window sheets  121  have a uniform thickness, but are provided with an opaque border  123 , such as a black border, which extends partly into the window area as a marginal edge portion. The central portion of each if the sheets  121  defines a see-through or transluscent window section  124  which is bounded by the opaque border. Preferably, the border  123  is formed from coloration of the window sheet  121  and does not use a separate frame structure. As such, the surface of the window sheets  121  is substantially uniform as seen in  FIG. 19  and is substantial flush with the door face  11 A. This provides a clean, aesthetically pleasing appearance to the window  122  that avoids any use of separate frames, particularly a frame that projects obtrusively outwardly from the door face  11   a.    
         [0053]    To mount the window sheets  121 , the door  11  is preferably formed of a door panel have a solid thickness formed of a machinable or modifiable material. The door panel also could be formed of a composite structure defined by multiple layers. The door cross section is shown in  FIG. 19 , wherein the door material first has a window opening  130  cut out of it. The window opening  130  has a peripheral edge  131  defining a flat edge face  132 . Preferably, the edge  131  is machined to define two edge recesses  134  and  135  that have a rectangular shape defined by a bottom face  136  and side face  137 . The side face  137  extends continuously about the outside of the window opening  130  and is dimensioned to snugly receive the window sheet edges there against. The depth of the recesses  134  and  135  are about the thickness of the window sheets  121  so that the window sheets  121  lie flush with the door face  11   a  when the window sheets  121  are pressed into the window opening  130 . 
         [0054]    While the snug fit may help hold the window sheets  121  in place, preferably a joining material  140  is provided such as an adhesive, tape or the like which is shown in  FIG. 19  on the bottom faces  136 . However, the joining material  140  can be provided on both faces  136  and  137  or one or the other to generate a clean appearance to the joint. Preferably, the opaque window border  123  extends face-wise inwardly beyond the recesses  134  and  135  to hide the machined door material and any joining material  140 . Further, the inside edge face  132  is colored or finished with a material such as paint that preferably matches the color of the border  123  or otherwise provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
         [0055]    Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.