Patent Description:
The present invention relates to a door assembly and an object collection apparatus having the same.

In general, an object collection apparatus used in waste disposal industry has doors each disposed in a front part and a rear part of a main body. As with the technology disclosed in <CIT>, such a door may be configured to open and close as the door moves upwardly and downwardly, but there is a problem that the safety of the door configured in the shape of a guillotine is very low.

For example, a user's hand may get pinched under the door when the door moves downwardly, but the door may still move downwardly to reach a predetermined position with the user's hand being pinched. That is, since a driving force for moving the door downwardly continues to move the door downwardly even with the user's hand being pinched, there is a high possibility of irreparable damage to the user, such as the user's hand being cut.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT> discloses door assemblies of state of the art.

One object of the present invention is to solve all the above-described problems in the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to allow a user to easily remove his/her hand from under a door in the shape of a guillotine by applying a force in a direction opposite to the door's direction of movement even when the user's hand is pinched under the door.

The representative configurations of the invention to achieve the above objects are described below.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a door assembly comprising: a guide frame unit including a first guide track and a second guide track spaced apart from and disposed in parallel with the first guide track; an inner door disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the first guide track and provided with a first locking part protruding in a first direction at a lower end; an outer door disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the second guide track and provided with a second locking part protruding in a second direction from above a point at which the first locking part is formed; and a drive unit configured to move the inner door upwardly and downwardly, wherein the second locking part is formed to contact the first locking part as the inner door moves upwardly.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an object collection apparatus having a door assembly, comprising: a conveyance unit configured to form a path through which an object moves; a tunnel unit formed at an upper part of the conveyance unit to surround at least a part of the conveyance unit; and a plurality of door assemblies each of which is disposed at an inlet and an outlet of the tunnel unit to open and close the inlet and outlet of the tunnel unit, wherein the door assembly comprises: a guide frame unit including a first guide track and a second guide track spaced apart from and disposed in parallel with the first guide track; an inner door disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the first guide track and provided with a first locking part protruding in a first direction at a lower end; an outer door disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the second guide track and provided with a second locking part protruding in a second direction from above a point at which the first locking part is formed; and a drive unit configured to move the inner door upwardly and downwardly, and wherein the second locking part is formed to contact the first locking part as the inner door moves upwardly.

In addition, there are further provided other door assemblies or object collection apparatuses having the same according to the technical idea of the invention.

According to the invention, it is possible allow a user to easily remove his/her hand from under a door in the shape of a guillotine by applying a force in a direction opposite to the door's direction of movement even when the user's hand is pinched under the door.

In the following detailed description of the present invention, references are made to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the invention, although different from each other, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is to be taken as encompassing the scope of the appended claims and all equivalents thereof. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements throughout the several views.

Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to easily implement the invention.

<FIG> illustrates an object collection apparatus <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention, <FIG> is an exploded perspective view of a tunnel unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention, and <FIG> is a front view of the tunnel unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the object collection apparatus <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may comprise a conveyance unit <NUM>, a tunnel unit <NUM>, and a door assembly <NUM>.

First, the conveyance unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may form a path through which an object moves. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the conveyance unit <NUM> may be formed in the shape at least partially similar to a conventional conveyor, and the object may move from one point to another on the conveyance unit <NUM> according to the operation of the conveyance unit <NUM>. Here, according to one embodiment of the invention, the direction in which the object moves on the conveyance unit <NUM> may be rearward of the object collection apparatus <NUM> (i.e., direction A in <FIG>).

Next, the tunnel unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may be formed at an upper part of the conveyance unit <NUM> to surround at least a part of the conveyance unit <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>).

For example, the tunnel unit <NUM> may be formed of five plates, and the five plates may form a left side, a right side, an upper side, a front side, and a rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, respectively. More specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, a plate <NUM> forming the left side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and a plate <NUM> forming the right side of the tunnel unit <NUM> may be respectively coupled to the conveyance unit <NUM> to support a plate <NUM> forming the upper side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, a plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, and a plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM>. Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the plate <NUM> forming the upper side of the tunnel unit <NUM> may be coupled to the plate <NUM> forming the left side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the plate <NUM> forming the right side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, and may be disposed at a position facing the conveyance unit <NUM> (or the upper side of the conveyance unit <NUM>). Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM> may be respectively coupled to the plate <NUM> forming the left side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, the plate <NUM> forming the right side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, and the plate <NUM> forming the upper side of the tunnel unit <NUM>. That is, according to one embodiment of the invention, the tunnel unit <NUM> may be formed in the shape of a box with an open bottom to surround at least a part of the conveyance unit <NUM>.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, a vertical length L1 of the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM> (or the plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM>) may be shorter than a vertical length L2 of the plate <NUM> forming the left side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the plate <NUM> forming the right side of the tunnel unit <NUM> (see <FIG>). According to one embodiment of the invention, a space S corresponding to a difference L3 of the above lengths may be formed between the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM> (or the plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel <NUM>) and the conveyance unit <NUM>, and the space S may form an inlet (or outlet) of the tunnel unit <NUM>.

Next, the door assembly <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may be disposed at each of the inlet and outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> to open and close the inlet and outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM>. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may open and close the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> (i.e., the space S formed between the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>). Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may open and close the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> (i.e., the space S formed between the plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>).

More specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may take turns to open and close the tunnel unit <NUM>. That is, according to one embodiment of the invention, the direction of movement of the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may differ from the direction of movement of the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM>. For example, when the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> closes the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> (i.e., the space S formed between the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>), the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may open the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> (i.e., the space S formed between the plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>). As another example, when the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> opens the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> (i.e., the space S formed between the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>), the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may close the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> (i.e., the space S formed between the plate <NUM> forming the rear side of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>).

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> and the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> may comprise the same components, i.e., a guide frame unit <NUM>, an inner door <NUM>, an outer door <NUM>, and a drive unit <NUM>. Each of the components will be described below focusing on the door assembly <NUM> disposed at the inlet of the tunnel unit <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the door assembly <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention, <FIG> illustrates the guide frame unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention, and <FIG> illustrates the inner door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention. <FIG> illustrates the outer door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention, <FIG> illustrates the drive unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention, and <FIG> illustrates a cross-section of the door assembly <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the door assembly <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may comprise the guide frame unit <NUM>, the inner door <NUM>, the outer door <NUM>, and the drive unit <NUM>.

First, the guide frame unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may include a first guide track <NUM> and a second guide track <NUM> (see <FIG>). Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the first guide track <NUM> and the second guide track <NUM> may be spaced apart from and disposed in parallel with each other, and may be formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to a ground surface. Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, a vertical length L5 of the second guide track <NUM> may be shorter than a vertical length L4 of the first guide track <NUM>. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, a difference between the vertical length L5 of the second guide track <NUM> and the vertical length L4 of the first guide track <NUM> may be caused by a second locking part <NUM> being located above a first locking part <NUM> as will be described later. According to one embodiment of the invention, the second locking part <NUM> is located above the first locking part <NUM> so that the range in which a second wheel <NUM> may be installed on the outer door <NUM> is reduced (e.g., may be limited to an upper part of the second locking part <NUM>), and when the outer door <NUM> is located at the lowest point in the range, the vertical length L5 of the second guide track <NUM> may be selected as the maximum length at which the second wheel <NUM> does not deviate from the second guide track <NUM>. Thus, according to one embodiment of the invention, the vertical length L5 of the second guide track <NUM> may be shorter than the vertical length L4 of the first guide track <NUM>.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, the guide frame unit <NUM> may be formed as a pair, and the pair of guide frame units <NUM> may be disposed such that the surfaces on which the first guide track <NUM> and the second guide track <NUM> are formed to face each other (see <FIG>).

Next, the inner door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may be disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the first guide track <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>). Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, a first wheel <NUM> may be formed at each of the upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right of the inner door <NUM>, and the inner door <NUM> may move upwardly and downwardly along the first guide track <NUM> as the first wheel <NUM> is engaged with the first guide track <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the inner door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may include a hole <NUM> and the first locking part <NUM>. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the hole <NUM> to which the drive unit <NUM> is inserted (specifically, drivably coupled) may be formed at a middle part of the inner door <NUM>, and the first locking part <NUM> protruding in a first direction (which may be, for example, a direction from the inner door <NUM> to the outer door <NUM>, and specifically a direction perpendicular to the inner door <NUM>) may be formed at a lower end part of the inner door <NUM>. According to one embodiment of the invention, the inner door <NUM> may be formed in the shape of "┘" when viewed from the side as the first locking part <NUM> is formed.

Next, the outer door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may be disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the second guide track <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>). Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the second wheel <NUM> may be formed at each of the upper left, middle left, upper right, and middle right of the outer door <NUM>, and the outer door <NUM> may move upwardly and downwardly along the second guide track <NUM> as the second wheel <NUM> is engaged with the second guide track <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the outer door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may include the second locking part <NUM>. Specifically, the outer door <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may be provided with the second locking part <NUM> protruding in a second direction (which may be, for example, a direction from the outer door <NUM> to the inner door <NUM>, and specifically a direction perpendicular to the outer door <NUM>) from above a point at which the first locking part <NUM> is formed on the inner door <NUM>. Here, according to one embodiment of the invention, a sum of the maximum length of protrusion of the first locking part <NUM> and the maximum length of protrusion of the second locking part <NUM> may be greater than a distance between the inner door <NUM> and the outer door <NUM>. According to one embodiment of the invention, the outer door <NUM> may be formed in the shape of "├" when viewed from the side as the second locking part <NUM> is formed.

Next, the drive unit <NUM> according to one embodiment of the invention may move the inner door <NUM> upwardly and downwardly. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the drive unit <NUM> may be supported by a fixing unit <NUM> coupled to the plate <NUM> forming the front side of the tunnel unit <NUM>, and may be connected to a timing belt <NUM> to be drivably coupled to a motor <NUM> (see <FIG>). According to one embodiment of the invention, the drive unit <NUM> may receive a driving force from the drivably coupled motor <NUM> and move the inner door <NUM> upwardly and downwardly on the basis of the driving force of the motor <NUM>.

More specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, a rotating part <NUM> included in the drive unit <NUM> may be inserted to the hole <NUM> formed on the inner door <NUM>, and the rotating part <NUM> may rotate in a predetermined direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise) according to the drive of the motor <NUM> (see <FIG>). Here, according to one embodiment of the invention, the inner door <NUM> may move downwardly when the rotating part <NUM> rotates from the <NUM> o'clock position to the <NUM> o'clock position, and the inner door <NUM> may move upwardly when the rotating part <NUM> rotates from the <NUM> o'clock position to the <NUM> o'clock position. According to one embodiment of the invention, the inner door <NUM> may be located at the lowest point (i.e., in a closed state) when the rotating part <NUM> is located at the <NUM> o'clock position, and the inner door <NUM> may be located at the highest point (i.e., in an open state) when the rotating part <NUM> is located at the <NUM> o'clock position.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, in response to the inner door <NUM> moving upwardly and downwardly according to the rotation of the rotating part <NUM> as described above, the outer door <NUM> may move upwardly and downwardly in a state in which an upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and a lower side of the second locking part <NUM> contact each other. That is, according to one embodiment of the invention, the outer door <NUM> may move upwardly and downwardly on the basis of the locking structure between the first locking part <NUM> and the second locking part <NUM> (i.e., the structure in which the upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and the lower side of the second locking part <NUM> contact each other) while the outer door <NUM> is not directly coupled or interlocked with the drive unit <NUM>.

Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, when the rotating part <NUM> rotates from the <NUM> o'clock position to the <NUM> o'clock position, the inner door <NUM> may move downwardly and the outer door <NUM> may also move downwardly in a state in which the upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and the lower side of the second locking part <NUM> contact each other (specifically, in a state in which gravity is downwardly applied to the second locking part <NUM> due to the weight of the outer door <NUM> so that the lower side of the second locking part <NUM> contact the upper side of the first locking part <NUM>). Here, according to one embodiment of the invention, when the rotating part <NUM> is located at the <NUM> o'clock position, the outer door <NUM> is also located at the lowest point like the inner door <NUM>, and at this time the inlet (or outlet) of the tunnel unit <NUM> may be closed by the inner door <NUM> and the outer door <NUM>.

Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, when the rotating part <NUM> rotates from the <NUM> o'clock position to the <NUM> o'clock position, the inner door <NUM> may move upwardly and the outer door <NUM> may also move upwardly in a state in which the upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and the lower side of the second locking part <NUM> contact each other (specifically, the upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and the lower side of the second locking part <NUM> contact each other as the inner door <NUM> moves upwardly, and the outer door <NUM> may move upwardly as the first locking part <NUM> pushes the second locking part <NUM> upwardly). Here, according to one embodiment of the invention, when the rotating part <NUM> is located at the <NUM> o'clock position, the outer door <NUM> is also located at the highest point like the inner door <NUM>, and at this time the inlet (or outlet) of the tunnel unit <NUM> may be opened by the inner door <NUM> and the outer door <NUM>.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, the outer door <NUM> may move freely (specifically, move upwardly) in response to an external force being applied since it is not directly coupled or interlocked with the drive unit <NUM>. For example, the upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and the lower side of the second locking part <NUM> may not contact each other in response to an external force being applied to the outer door <NUM> in a direction opposite to a ground surface (i.e., direction B in <FIG>), and the outer door <NUM> may be separated from the inner door <NUM> to move upwardly. In particular, according to one embodiment of the invention, when the rotating part <NUM> is located at the <NUM> o'clock position so that both the inner door <NUM> and the outer door <NUM> are located at the lowest point (i.e., when the inlet or outlet of the tunnel unit <NUM> is closed), the upper side of the first locking part <NUM> and the lower side of second locking part <NUM> may not contact each other in response to an external force being applied to the outer door <NUM> in a direction opposite to the ground surface, and the outer door <NUM> may be separated from the inner door <NUM> to move upwardly.

That is, according to one embodiment of the invention, even when a user's hand is pinched between the outer door <NUM> and the conveyance unit <NUM>, the user may easily remove the hand from under the outer door <NUM> by applying a force in a direction opposite to the ground surface, and thus safety may be further enhanced while the user uses the object collection device <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A door assembly (<NUM>), comprising:
a guide frame unit (<NUM>) including a first guide track (<NUM>) and a second guide track (<NUM>) spaced apart from and disposed in parallel with the first guide track (<NUM>);
an inner door (<NUM>) disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the first guide track (<NUM>) and provided with a first locking part (<NUM>) protruding in a first direction at a lower end;
an outer door (<NUM>) disposed to be upwardly and downwardly movable along the second guide track (<NUM>) and provided with a second locking part (<NUM>) protruding in a second direction from above a point at which the first locking part (<NUM>) is formed; and
a drive unit (<NUM>) configured to move the inner door (<NUM>) upwardly and downwardly,
wherein the second locking part (<NUM>) is formed to contact the first locking part (<NUM>) as the inner door (<NUM>) moves upwardly.