Patent ID: 12227984

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail based on the accompanying drawings.

FIGS.1to14are views showing a panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure. Specifically,FIGS.2to5are views showing an example of a panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure, andFIGS.6to11are views showing another example of a panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure, andFIGS.12and13are views showing yet another example of a panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure.

In other words, one example of the panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure can be applied to a door that is capable of being opened at 90 degrees, and other examples of the present disclosure can be applied to a door that is capable of being opened 180 at degrees.

In one example, as shown inFIGS.1to3, a panic bar according to the present disclosure is installed on one side of a door1at a height of about the waist and chest of a human body. A locking device3is installed at a front end of a case2, and a door closer is provided at a rear end of the case2and installed on one side of the door1. The locking device3is released by pushing a push bar4provided in the case2, so the door1may be opened at the same time when the locking device3is released by pushing the push bar4provided in the panic bar. A detailed description of the function of the panic bar will be omitted since there are many technologies for which patents have been applied or registered, for example, Korean Patent Nos. 10-2019-0125469 and 10-2018-0115945, and well-known technologies can be applied.

In addition, in the present disclosure, a door closer is inserted and installed at the rear end of the case2of the panic bar. In this door closer, an air cylinder11is installed inside the case2. A guide member12is installed at one side of the air cylinder11, and a cylinder sealing cap13is installed at the other side of the air cylinder11.

A piston14is inserted into and installed at the air cylinder11, and a piston rod14ais formed to protrude from one side of the piston14. Thus, one side of the piston rod14aincluded in the piston14to compress and expand the air in the air cylinder11linearly passes through the guide member12.

A spring15being extruded upon opening of the door1is interposed between the piston14and the guide member12and installed on the piston rod14aso as to close the door1by an elastic force.

In addition, a main link16hinged to one side of the piston rod14ais installed at the guide member12, and a hinge assembly17provided with a main hinge17ahinged to the main link16is inserted into and installed at a vertical bar1aaof a door frame1aof the door1.

An inflow check valve18for allowing external air to flow in one direction into the air cylinder11is installed at the cylinder sealing cap13, and a pressure control valve19for allowing air inside the air cylinder11by air pressure inside the air cylinder11above a certain pressure is installed at the cylinder sealing cap13.

Then, when the door1is opened, the main link16comes out of the guide member12while being rotated. In this course, the spring15is compressed as the piston14and the piston rod14aare linearly moved. Due to the movement of the piston14, a space between a front end surface of the piston14and an inner surface of the air cylinder expands. Since as vacuum pressure is formed in this space, external air flows in through the inflow check valve18. If the door1is left open, as the piston14and the piston rod14aare moved by an elastic force of the compressed spring15. As a result, the main link16returns back to its initial state and thus door is closed.

Here, due to a pressure difference required to open and close the inflow check valve18, vacuum pressure may be formed in the space between the front end surface of the piston and the inner surface of the air cylinder when the door is fully opened. When the door1is closed by an elastic force of the pressure control valve19, a constant pressure is formed in the space between the front end surface of the piston and the inner surface of the air cylinder, and thus, a greater spring elastic force may be required to completely close the door.

Therefore, in the present disclosure, when the door is completely opened and closed, an atmospheric pressure needs to be formed in a space between the front end surface of the door piston and the inner surface of the air cylinder. In the present disclosure, the piston rod14ais hollow-shaped to communicate with external air, an air flow control member20passing through a central portion of the piston14to be positioned in the hollow portion of the piston rod14ais fixed to and installed at the cylinder sealing cap13, and a seal21is installed between an outer surface of the air flow control member20and a through-portion of the piston14.

That is, the air flow control member not just adheres closely to the inner surface of the seal21according to an open angle of the door1to block an air flow, but also forms a gap with the inner surface of the seal21to circulate air or allows air, which acting as a damping force, to flow from an inside to an outside of the air cylinder11via a hollow portion of the piston rod14a.

In other words, an air inlet part20amay be formed at a front end of the air flow control member20so that air flows through an inside of the air cylinder11between the inner surface of the seal21and the air inlet part20awhen the door1is fully opened, an air compression part20bto be brought into contact closely with the inner surface of the seal21may be formed in a middle of the air flow control member20so as to block an air flow, flowing to the hollow portion of the piston rod14a, until the door is closed, and a damping part20cmay be formed at a rear end of the air flow control member20so that air subtly flows between the seal21and the damping part20cbefore the door1is closed, thereby forming a damping force of the air.

Then, as shown inFIG.4, when the door is fully opened, the air flows through a circumference of the air inlet part20aof the air flow control member20, and thus the internal space of the air cylinder11may become at atmospheric pressure. In addition, as shown inFIG.4, when the door is completely closed, the air inside the air cylinder11is continuously discharged to the outside through the circumference of the damping part20cof the air flow control member20, and thus, the inner space of the air cylinder11may become at atmospheric pressure.

Of course, movement of the piston may stop when air pressure between a front end surface of the piston and the inner surface of the air cylinder is greater than an elastic force of a spring while the door is closed, so, in order to prevent the door from not being closed, it is preferable for the pressure control valve19to be opened before the air pressure between the front end surface of the piston and the inner surface of the air cylinder is greater than the elastic force of the spring.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the door may be opened at 90 degrees, but a case where the door is able to be opened at 180 degrees should be considered.

Then, one auxiliary link16aas shown inFIGS.6to11or two auxiliary links16aas shown inFIGS.12and13may be connected between the main link16and the piston rod14a. However, although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of auxiliary links16amore than the two auxiliary links16amay be connected.

Also, as shown inFIGS.6and7, a hinge protrusion22amay be formed at the top or bottom of a hinge22located on both sides of an auxiliary link16a, a linear guide groove12ainto which the hinge protrusion22aare inserted may be formed in the guide member12, and an angle of rotation between the main link16and the auxiliary link16aand between auxiliary links, as well as between the main hinge17aof the hinge assembly17and the main link16may be limited.

Of course, in order to limit a range of rotation of the main link and the auxiliary link, a locking stopper or protruding stopper may be formed in the center of rotation so that further rotation is not allowed at a certain angle.

In particular, in the present disclosure, the main link16and the auxiliary link16amay be each formed in a U-shape, and an inner side of each of the main link16and the auxiliary link16amay be installed toward the door1. Due to this structure, it is possible to prevent a link from contacting a corner of the door or the like, which occurs in a structure of a straight link.

The panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure is operated as shown inFIGS.6andFIGS.8to11, and may be operated in other embodiments in the same way. Thus, 180-degree rotation of the door will be described with one embodiment.

FIG.6shows a state in which the door1is fully closed, andFIG.8shows a state in which the door1is fully opened at 180 degrees. In the state where the door1is fully opened, the spring15may be compressed between the guide member12and the piston14, so that the piston14is moved by an elasticity force of the spring15unless the door1is held by an external force.

Then, as the piston14is moved, the piston rod14a, the auxiliary link16a, and the main link16are moved and rotated in a direction to close the door, as shown inFIG.9, and as an angle between the auxiliary link16aand the main link16increases, the auxiliary link16amay be inserted into the guide member12.

In this case, such movement is made with the seal21positioned in the air compression part20bof the air flow control member20, and thus, air is compressed in a space between a front end surface of the piston14and the inner surface of the air cylinder11.

In addition, when the door1continues to be closed and hence an open angle reaches 90 degree, as shown inFIG.10, the auxiliary link16amay be positioned at the guide member12and the hinge protrusion22aof the hinge22between the main link16and the auxiliary link16amay be inserted into the guide groove12aof the guide member12, and as the door1further continues to be closed, the auxiliary link16ais moved linearly within the guide member12.

Of course, even in this case, since such movement is made with the seal21positioned in the compressor20bof the air flow control member20, air may be compressed in a space between the front end surface of the piston14and the inner surface of the air cylinder11, reducing a closing force of the door1and thereby reducing a closing speed of the door1.

As the auxiliary link16ais moved linearly within the guide member12and the door1continues to be closed, the main link16is inserted into the guide member12as shown inFIG.11, and accordingly, the door1continues to be closed by an elastic force of the spring15and thereby fully closed as shown inFIG.6.

Of course, in a state right before the door1is fully closed, that is, a state in which the door1is open at about 30 degrees, the seal21installed at the piston14may be positioned at the damping part20cof the air flow control member20and the compressed air in the space between the front end surface of the piston14and the inner surface of the air cylinder11comes out to the outside, thereby causing the door1to be slowly closed.

As the door closes, a compressed air in the space between the front end surface of the piston14and the inner surface of the air cylinder11arises before the seal21reaches the damping part20cof the air flow control member20, and a case in which the force acting on the piston14by the pressure of the compressed air is greater than the elastic force of the spring15may occur. In preparation for this case, it is preferable to adjust the pressure control valve19to open at a certain air pressure or higher.

When the user pushes the push bar4of the panic bar, the locking device3may be released and hence the door3may be opened. As described above, the door1may be smoothly opened in the reverse order of the process of closing the door1as described above.

Here, when the door is opened by 180 degrees using one main link16and one auxiliary link16a, a protruding degree of the two links16and16amay be large. Thus, as shown inFIGS.12and13, if two auxiliary links16aand one main link16are used, it is possible to reduce the protruding degree of the links in a case where the door1is fully opened by 180 degrees. How the main link and the plurality of auxiliary links are operated are the same as described above, and thus, a detailed description of the embodiments ofFIGS.12and13will be omitted.

As such, in the present disclosure, the door closer may be coupled to a location where the panic bar is installed, the door may be opened and closed more conveniently, and maintenance may be more convenient due to the position of the panic bar with the door close coupled thereto is positioned between the waist and chest of a human body.

The panic bar with a door closer according to the present disclosure has advantages that the door smoothly at 90 degrees may be opened smoothly in the case of using one main link connected to the piston rod and that an accident caused by protrusion of the main link during opening of the door may be easily prevented because the main link is rotated and comes close to each portion of the door when the door is opened.

In addition, since the front end of the auxiliary link goes straight within the guide member and rotates immediately after protruding into the guide member, the door can be rotated 180 degrees even if one auxiliary link is added while limiting the rotation angle of the main link. In addition, by limiting the rotation angles of the main link and the auxiliary links, a plurality of links can approach the center of rotation of the door.

Furthermore, the main link and the auxiliary link are each formed in a U-shape, and thus, even if a length of each of the links is formed longer than in the case where the links are in a straight shape, it is possible to avoid contact of each link with the door while the door is opened or closed, so that the door can be opened and closed smoothly. Accordingly, without a need to consider friction between the door and each link, a force to close the door may be maintained for a long time, and thus, a door closer function may be smoothly combined in the panic bar.

In particular, by applying a rod-shaped air flow control member of a simple structure, it is possible to realize air inflow, air compression, and an air pressure-based damping function in a space between the inside of the air cylinder and the front end surface of the piston.