Abstract:
A constructive arrangement in elastomeric spring for closing doors which comprises a hollow tube having one end provided with a base and the inner area the provision of an elastomeric spring disposed juxtaposed to said base having a tracking member positioned on the elastomeric spring which receives the tracking member on the opposite face whose free end presents edge provided with female fitting which allows the positioning of a cam with male fitting pressed by a pin fixed to the tube through a bushing and having inner cap with fixing holes and protective cap.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part under 35 USC §§120, 363 and 365(c) of PCT Application No. PCT/BR2012/000506, filed Nov. 14, 2012, which designates the U.S. and in turn claims priority to Brazilian Patent Application No. BR 20 2012 0074686 filed Apr. 2, 2012. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This application describes a constructive disposition on elastomeric spring for closing doors. More specifically, the application comprises an elastomeric spring within a hinge mechanism and a rotating pin for engaging a door particularly useful to be installed on the floor. 
         [0003]    The conventional hydraulic springs used with doors perform the automatic opening and closing of the door, with minimal effort, to both sides, having on both sides a function of fixed stop, where the door may be parked in a spot approximately 45 degrees. 
         [0004]    The floor hydraulic springs of the state of the art are set aligned with the door hardware, and a box is recessed in an area of about 30 centimeters in the floow. In the box is positioned a spring or the pivot in the working position. This size of cut on the floor, besides interfering with the aesthetics of the environment, promotes the ingress of water which is accumulated underneath the box, as well as the hydraulic spring oxidation with damage to the leveling. It is noted that some technical manuals of floor hydraulic springs recommend that paraffin is applied in the inner region of the box to eliminate disturbances in the functioning of the spring, precisely due to ingress of water which affects the operation of the device. 
         [0005]    Further, the hydraulic springs of the state of art have a high cost and complex installation, where skill is required by the installer to break the floor and proper installation of the mechanism. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Thus, one object of this present application is for an elastomeric spring for door closures that replaces the conventional hydraulic springs, providing a mechanical assembly of small size and requires a small hole on the floor for fitting. 
         [0007]    One characteristic of the present application is a constructive provision in elastomeric spring for closing doors with reduced dimension, favoring the application indoors without interference on aesthetics. 
         [0008]    Another characteristic of the present application is a constructive provision in elastomeric spring for closing doors, which features decrease of manufacturing costs due to a fewer number of components and assembly simplicity of the mechanism. 
         [0009]    A further characteristic of the present application is a constructive disposition in elastomeric spring for quickly closing doors and easy installation, taking about four times less time than the hydraulic springs of the state of art, due to being necessary just a small hole in floor for installation, unlike conventional mechanisms in which it is necessary to take a cutout of about 30 centimeters. 
         [0010]    A still further characteristic of the present application is a constructive provision in elastomeric spring for closing underweight doors, with reduction in about five times the weight of conventional mechanisms of hydraulic spring. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In order to better describe the technical characteristics of constructive disposition on elastomeric spring for closing doors, the figures presented below are listed: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  assembled view is a partially cut-away perspective of an exemplary floor-mounted elastomeric spring hinge for doors. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are schematic views looking down on two different door configurations utilizing the elastomeric spring hinge shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the exterior of the exemplary elastomeric spring hinge. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a vertical sectional view through the elastomeric spring hinge. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 5A-5D  are perspective exploded views of components of the elastomeric spring hinge. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 6A-6C  are schematic views looking down on a single swinging door having an elastomeric spring hinge of the present application mounted along a central vertical axis and showing various positions of the door. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 7A-7C  are schematic views looking down on double swinging doors each having an elastomeric spring hinge of the present application mounted along a vertical axis at one end and showing various positions of the door. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 8A-8F  are partially cut-away perspective views of the exemplary elastomeric spring hinge mounted at one end of a swinging door and showing movement of the internal components at various positions of the door. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The present application provides an improved floor-mounted elastomeric spring hinge for doors which features a number of advantages over previous hydraulic springs. First of all, the spring hinge is relatively compact which lends itself to smaller recesses in the floor. Furthermore, the spring hinge is contained within a closed tubular housing which also helps prevent water ingress. Finally, the spring itself is a relatively durable and elastomeric which is corrosion resistant and predictable in its performance. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a partially cut-away perspective of an exemplary floor-mounted elastomeric spring hinge H mounted underneath one end of a door D. The door D can swing in either direction is indicated by the movement arrow, pivoting about an axis  9  corresponding with a central axis of the spring hinge H. In this regard, the outer components of the spring hinge H include a lower hollow tube  10  having a series of vertical splines  12  (see  FIG. 3 ) formed in an upper portion of its wall. The hollow tube  10  mounts in a pre-formed cavity in the floor (not shown) and is capped by an upper disc-shaped finish cover  70  over which the door D rotates. An upstanding post or pin  50  of the spring hinge H project into a similarly-sized and shaped cavity (not shown) in the bottom edge of the door D. A pivot in line with the pin  50  is all that is required at the top edge of the door, though a second spring hinge H may also be used. As will be explained below, movement of the door D in either direction causes the pin  50  to rotate against the force of an elastomeric spring  20  house within the hollow tube  10 , thus providing a return force to close the door. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  schematically indicates a single door D between two walls W and mounted for rotation about a spring hinge H which is positioned in the center of the door. The movement arrows indicate that the door D can swing open in either sense of rotation (CW or CCW) by pushing on either side of the central point.  FIG. 2B  indicates a pair of doors D each mounted for rotation about a spring hinge H of the present application each of which is located at one end of the door, typically adjacent a wall W. The movement arrows indicate that both doors D can rotate in both directions, CW or CCW. Of course, the spring hinge H of the present application can be mounted under a variety of doors, the illustrated configurations thus being exemplary only. Furthermore, it should be understood that the spring hinge H of the present application is particularly well-suited for floor mounting to permit rotation of doors about vertical axes, but could also be mounted in structures that permit rotation of doors or other such closures about horizontal axes, or other angles of rotation not illustrated. Of course, one aspect is the weight of the door causing compression of the spring  20 , and so hinges mounted at other orientations must include an analogous component of such force. 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and the exploded views of  FIGS. 5A-5D , internal working opponents of the exemplary spring hinge H will be described. As mentioned, the spring hinge H comprises a hollow tube  10  having at a lower closed end a base  11  and defining within an inner volume that contains the elastomeric spring  20 . A base of a tracking member  30  having on an upper face a cam follower  31  defines a downwardly-opening cup  32  that receives an upper end of the cylindrical elastomeric spring  20 . The tracking member  30  includes a plurality of outwardly-projecting teeth  33  that fit closely within vertical channels defined on the inside of the splines  12  formed in the hollow tube  10 . Preferably the splines  12  are stamped or pressed into a metallic tube  10 . The tracking member  30  can thus slide vertically within the hollow tube  10  but is restrained by rotation therein by the engagement between the teeth  33  and splines  12 . 
         [0024]    The upper surface of the cam follower  31 , best seen from one side in  FIG. 4  and in perspective in  FIG. 8F , defines a generally V-shaped groove  34  that receives a lower cam surface  41  of a cam  40 . The cam  40  has an elongated somewhat rectangular block shape with the cam surface  41  underneath and a relatively flat upper surface (not shown) having features (depressions or rails) which engage a pair of protrusions  51  on the lower surface of a pin  50 , whose purpose will become clear below. The lower cam surface  41 , best seen in  FIG. 5B , includes four gently curved quadrants  42  defined by the apices of V-shaped depressions  43  on both long sides as well as by an aperture  44  at the center of the cam  40  that separates two relatively sharp ridges  45 . The ridges  44  form the lowermost extent of each of the four quadrants  42 , and each quadrant curves up and away therefrom to the boundaries of the long and short sides of the cam  40 . The two ridges  45  extend parallel to the long dimension of the cam  40  with a break in the middle at the aperture  44 . The cam surface  41  therefore has a double helix shape on either side of the aperture  44  that cooperates with the cam follower  31  on the tracking member  30 , which also has a double helix shape that is essentially the mirror image of the cam surface. The assembly is in a resting position with the elastomeric spring  20  either uncompressed or only slightly compressed when the two ridges  45  are positioned in the V-shaped groove  34  of the cam follower  31 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . 
         [0025]    As mentioned, the lower end of the pin  50  comprises the protrusions  51  for coupling with the cam  40 . Rotation of the pin  50  thus rotates the cam  40 , which in turn causes the lower cam surface  41  to act on the cam follower  31 . Rotation away from the resting position of  FIGS. 1 and 4  thus causes two of the four curved surfaces of the quadrants  42  to begin pushing down on the cam follower  31 . Downward movement of the tracking member  30  ensues, which in turn compresses the elastomeric spring  20 . The outward teeth  33  of the tracking member  30  fit into the splines  12  of the tube  10 , thus preventing rotation of the tracking member. The tracking member  30  thus compresses the elastomeric spring  20  resulting in an equal and opposite upward reaction force from the spring. 
         [0026]    In a preferred embodiment the splined tube  10  is welded at its upper end to an annular disk-shaped cap  80 , with the finish cover  70  fitted closely over the cap  80 . The cap  80  has a central hole which receives an annular bushing  60 . The pin  50  includes an upper extension  52  that projects through the bushing  60  and through both the cap  80  and finish cover  70 . As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the extension  52  projects upward far enough to engage a similarly-shaped female cavity (not shown) in the underside of the edge of the door D. In one embodiment, the extension  52  has a square horizontal cross-sectional profile with chamfered corners, which makes with a similarly-shaped female cavity in the underside of the door, although other non-circular configurations that provide keyed engagement between the extension  52  and cavity in the door are contemplated. 
         [0027]    The weight of the door D and upward reaction force transmitted to the tracking member  30  from the elastomeric spring  20  tends to cause engagement of the cam follower  31  and cam surface  41 . When the door D is pushed open, the cavity on the lower edge of the door rotates the pin  50  via the extension  52 . Because of the engagement between the protrusions  51  on the underside of the pin  50  and the upper surface of the cam  40 , rotation of the door D also causes rotation of the cam. This then forces the tracking member  30  downward against the compressive force of the spring  20 . Because the ridges  44  always want to return to the generally V-shaped groove  34  in the cam follower  31 , the spring  20  naturally resists opening up the door and provides a return torque toward the door closed position. 
         [0028]    In addition, in a preferred embodiment, a neutral, door open position is provided by the spring hinge H. For example, the cam follower  31  of the tracking member  30  desirably includes a flat or slightly concave apex  35  at the top of both of the upwardly rising sides, as seen in  FIG. 5B . These apices  35  are located 90° from the lowest point of the V-shaped groove  34 . When the ridges  44  of the cam surface  41  reached the apices  35 , and the door is not pushed any farther, the ridges tend to remain temporarily at the apices. This is not a highly stable position, but allows a user to temporarily pause the door in its open position, perhaps within a range of about 10°. A slight push on the door causes the ridges  44  to move past the apices  35 , permitting the elastomeric spring  20  to push the tracking member  30  upward, thus rotating the door to its closed position. 
         [0029]    A preferred embodiment of elastomeric spring  20  comprises a cylindrical mass made of an elastomer, such as rubber. Alternatively, the spring  20  may be is made of standard spring steel. In either case, the spring  20  has a spring constant calibrated to be sufficient to bias the corresponding door to the closed position when not in the neutral, door open position. The spring may also help maintain the door in the a neutral, door open position. The spring rate essentially depends on the weight of the door, and thus can vary. 
         [0030]    The two camming parts, tracking member  30  and cam  40 , are desirably made of sintered steel produced by powder metallurgy, molding, powder forging, gel condensation, or other similar processes. On specific material used has the following characteristics and formation parameters, though these numbers are merely exemplary: 
         [0031]    Chemical composition (ranges): Nickel: 1.9 . . . 3.0%, Copper: 1.0 . . . 3.0%, Moly: 0.5 . . . 0.9%, Carbon: 0.6 . . . 1.0%; 
         [0032]    Density: 6.95 g/cc minimum; 
         [0033]    Sintering @1120 C/25 minimum; 
         [0034]    Direct Cooling: 2.5 C/sec minimum; 
         [0035]    Apparent Hardness: 36 HRC minimum after the tempering; 
         [0036]    Particle Hardness: 650 HV0.1 minimum after the tempering; 
         [0037]    Tensile Strength: 750 MPa minimum; 
         [0038]    Yield Strength: 650 MPa minimum; 
         [0039]    Impact Energy: 15 J minimum; 
         [0040]    Fatigue strength: 230 MPa minimum. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 6A-6C  are schematic views looking down on a single swinging door D having an elastomeric spring hinge H mounted along a central vertical axis. The door D rotates within a frame formed by two walls W.  FIG. 6B  shows the door D swinging in a CCW rotation to an angle of about 30°. If the person passing through the door D lets go at this point, the door will swing back to the closed position as seen in  FIG. 6A .  FIG. 6B  illustrates the door D pushed open to a 90° position, at which point it will be somewhat stable, as explained above. Simply rotating the door D in one direction or another will move the door from its temporary stable position, allowing it to close again. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 7A-7C  show a set of double swinging doors D each having an elastomeric spring hinge H mounted along a vertical axis at one end.  FIG. 7A  shows the doors in their closed positions, while  FIG. 7B  shows both doors being swung open in CCW directions. Finally,  FIG. 7C  shows both doors at 90° in their temporarily stable positions. 
         [0043]    FIGS.  1  and  8 A- 8 F are partially cut-away perspective views of the spring hinge H mounted at one end of a swinging door D to show movement of the internal components at various positions of the door. In operation, the door D mounted on the pin  50  is held closed by the force of the elastomeric spring  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 8A  shows a slight rotation of the door D in the CCW direction such that the pin  50  rotates the cam  40  which pushes down the tracking member  30  against the elastomeric spring  20 .  FIGS. 8B-8F  show the door rotated progressively farther such that the cam surface  41  acts on the cam follower  31  forcing down the tracking member  30  against the spring  20 .  FIG. 8F  shows the mechanism in a position which is approximately 90° from the resting position, which as mentioned above may be temporarily stable. 
         [0044]    When the door is released before 90°, the force of the elastomeric spring  20  pushes up the tracking member  30 , which, alongside the double helix, rotates the cam  40  and the pin  50 , closing the door until it reaches the generally V-shaped groove  34  of the double helix of the cam follower  31 , where the force of the elastomeric spring keeps it closed. 
         [0045]    For installation, a worker makes a mark on the floor so that the central axis of the pin  50  is positioned in alignment with the door hardware. With the use of a drill and a hole saw bit, a hole 7 centimeters depth and 3 centimeters diameter is made, and then the tube  10  of the hinge H positioned inside the hole. Once the tube  10  is fitted into the hole, it is secured in place with screws, thus fixing the pin  50  protecting upward from the floor. After fixing on the floor, a trim piece is placed under pressure. Then, a glass or wood door is installed. This assembly is much smaller than prior hinges, and the assembly is much easier and does not require the introduction of paraffin or the like to prevent ingress of water 
       CLOSING COMMENTS 
       [0046]    Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. With regard to methods, additional and fewer steps may be taken, and the steps as shown may be combined or further refined to achieve the methods described herein. Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments. 
         [0047]    As used herein, “plurality” means two or more. As used herein, a “set” of items may include one or more of such items. As used herein, whether in the written description or the claims, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “carrying”, “having”, “containing”, “involving”, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims. Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. As used herein, “and/or” means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.