Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to doors and, in particular, to door is used in medical and aged care facilities.

The invention has been developed primarily for use in nursing home rooms or aged care settings and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use and is applicable for use in medical and clinical settings, and home care environments amongst others.

Background Art

It is well known that the notions of dignity, privacy and respect for people in care has become a fundamental goal in the aged care and health care sectors. This is especially the case for personal care and hygiene issues such as showering and using the bathroom amongst a host of other activities.

In respect of bathrooms in aged care facilities, for example, care workers and building designers are most in favour of the use of sliding doors in these environments. This is because of the ease of operation and a relatively low spatial impact as when compared to hinged, pivot or other conventional door systems. It is known that, for example, a hinged door when in the open position can interfere with the movement of care staff manoeuvring trolleys, the movement of people in wheelchairs or other people using mobility aids.

The use of wall or ceiling mounted patient or resident lifting devices have been increasing in popularity in recent times. Whilst lifting systems have become increasingly available and less expensive over recent years, the use of these systems offer significant advantage to staff safety as increasing numbers of aged care residents or patients are obese or overweight. For example, use of lifting systems (or bariatric lifting equipment) of residents and patients dramatically decreases physical injuries particularly relating to the back or shoulders of a care giver. This offers the additional advantage of minimising required number of care givers in the movement of residence or patients providing a corresponding significant cost saving. It is understood that experts have recommended that the majority of aged care room facilities, for example, should be equipped with a full coverage lifting system allowing movement of the consumer / resident or patient to practically all parts of the room or care area.

Transverse-type gantry systems such as the ceiling hoist system model number GH3 produced by V. Guldmann A/S of Denmark offers a solution to the lifting and movement of people in care situations. This is a fixed track system to which the person in care is attached and moved about a room or other care location. These type of hoist systems also provide a limited solution to a patient or resident movement in the bathroom area, for example, however such transverse type gantry systems and all fixed track systems suffer from the significant disadvantage in respect of limiting the privacy and hence dignity of a resident or patient at least in the bathroom region of the care facility.

It is well known to use conventional sliding doors suspended from an overhead rail and/or being tracked into the floor. These doors typically have a conventional door opening height and this precludes the use of the gantry systems from a resident or patient’s room into a bathroom without changing onto another hoist lifting system. Typically, this means patients are changed or moved to either the gantry within the bathroom or to other mobility device with assistance to use the bathroom. The reverse occurs upon exit. This is disadvantageous in having to change the resident or patient from the room gantry to use the bathroom.

It is appreciated that overhead concealed or ceiling mounted rail or gantry systems are typically incompatible in conventional care rooms having a separate bathroom, for example, due to the use of conventional doorways whether with hinged, pivot or sliding doors because of the wall above the doorway and that form the room and extend to the ceiling. Further, the use of sliding door systems with overhead tracks as is conventionally known provide a significant barrier to the use of gantry systems with privacy and dignity as is required. Integration of ceiling hoists into existing aged care and hospital facilities which typically include a single or shared room with a separate bathroom has been considered a problem requiring complex solutions. Manufacturers and designers have recognised this problem and for rooms with conventional hinged, pivot, swing or sliding doors with surrounding frames, door jambs or head or floor tracks a belted strapping system is used to link hoist rail from the outside of the bathroom in a room to a track on the inside of the bathroom so the resident or patient can be moved through the doorway. Aside from the disadvantage as noted above, this system requires a separate track or gantry system within the bathroom which necessarily adds considerable expense.

It is known that new room designs are increasingly including a transverse type of overhead hoist system for more practical movement of the residents or patients, particularly those of significantly above average weight. However, where the transverse hoist coverage extends to the bathroom and full coverage of the room, an opening is provided in the bathroom to allow the hoist to travel in with the patient or resident attached where that opening does not extend all the way to the ceiling but below the operational level of the transverse beam. Only in this way can the overhead transverse hoist provide full coverage to the room and bathroom. As a result, the patient or resident is then left with a bathroom with short walls and no or minimal door with a corresponding loss of privacy and dignity.

Genesis of the Invention

The genesis of the present invention is a desire to provide a door in a facility that will not impede the use of an overhead gantry or hoist system between rooms, or to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a door mechanism configured for moving a door between a closed position wherein said door substantially covers a door opening and an open position wherein said door is substantially disposed within an adjacent wall cavity, the door extending transversely between a hinge stile edge and a latch stile edge and extending longitudinally between top and bottom rail edges, the door mechanism comprising an extension mechanism extending between a wall end and a door end, the extension mechanism wall end being adapted to be fixed within said adjacent wall cavity and said door end being adapted to be fixed within said door or to said door hinge stile such that said extension means is in an extended configuration when said door is in said open position and in an unextended configuration wherein said door is in said closed position wherein said door is supported by said extension mechanism.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of operating a door having a door mechanism according to the first aspect, the method including the steps of:

providing a door extending transversely between a hinge stile edge and a latch stile edge and extending longitudinally between top and bottom rail edges;

providing a door mechanism and configuring same for moving said door between a closed position wherein said door substantially covers a door opening and an open position wherein said door is substantially disposed within an adjacent wall cavity;

providing an extension mechanism extending between a wall end and a door end;

configuring said extension mechanism wall end to be fixed within said adjacent wall cavity and configuring said door end to be fixed within said door such that said extension means is in an extended configuration when said door is in said open position and in an unextended configuration wherein said door is in said closed position wherein said door is supported by said extension mechanism.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a door mechanism configured for moving a door between a closed position wherein said door substantially covers a door opening and an open position wherein said door is substantially disposed within an adjacent wall cavity, the door extending transversely between a hinge stile edge and a latch stile edge and extending longitudinally between top and bottom rail edges, the door mechanism comprising an extension mechanism extending between a wall end and a door end, the extension mechanism wall end being adapted to be fixed to said adjacent wall face or within said adjacent wall cavity and said door end being adapted to be fixed to a face of said door, within said door or to said door hinge stile such that said extension mechanism is in an extended configuration when said door is in said open position and in an unextended configuration wherein said door is in said closed position wherein said door is supported by said extension mechanism.

It can therefore be seen there is advantageously provided a door mechanism and door system that allows the removal of an overhead doorframe so as to remove any impediment to a ceiling mounted gantry or rail system. In this way, only a relatively small space is provided above a door to accommodate the gantry rail system and the door in the open position does not impede movement thereabout. Most

advantageously, this allows residents or patients to be moved from their bed to a bathroom without changing between rail systems or other mobility aids and significantly provides privacy when the bathroom is in use. It will be appreciated that in some preferred embodiments, the entire bathroom wall can terminate with a relatively small gap to the ceiling whereby an inclined pelmet or upper or the like can be used to prevent any build-up of dirt or dust on top of the wall.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevated perspective view of a part open door having a door mechanism according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevated perspective view of the door of Fig. 1 in an open configuration;

Fig. 3 is an elevated perspective view of an open door having the door mechanism according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an elevated perspective view of the door and frame of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevated rear perspective view of the door of Fig.3;

Fig. 6 is an elevated perspective view of the door and frame of Fig.4 with a pelmet; Fig. 7 is an elevated perspective view of the door and frame of Fig.6 with the door partly open;

Fig. 8 is an elevated perspective view of the door and frame of Fig.4 with the door fully open;

Fig. 9 is an elevated perspective view of the door of Fig.8 with the door fully open;

Figs. 10 & 11 are views similar to Figs.7 & 8 showing a door mechanism of the second preferred embodiment in modified form;

Figs. 12 & 13 showed partial views of the door and door mechanism of Fig.9; Fig. 14 to 18 shown in various views of the door and door mechanism according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 19 shows various cutaway side views of the door of Fig. 1;

Fig. 20 shows various cutaway side views of the door of Fig. 3;

Fig. 21 is an elevated perspective view of a part open door having a door mechanism according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 22 is a cutaway side view of preferred transverse beam designs for use in a room having a door according to a preferred embodiment.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings generally, it will be appreciated that in the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention like reference numerals are used to denote like components unless expressly noted otherwise.

In Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a perspective view of part of an aged care room and connected bathroom 5. The aged care room and bathroom 5 include a ceiling 4 extending across both rooms. In the preferred embodiment of Fig. 1, a gantry rail 13 is disposed along across the ceiling and able to move toward or away from the bathroom 5. A door mechanism 20 (not shown clearly in Fig. 1 or 2) supports a door 14 adapted to cover, partially cover or leave open a door way from the aged care room to the bathroom 5.

The door 14 is shown in Fig. 1 in partly open position and Fig. 2 shows the door 14 in a fully open position. The door extends a predetermined height between upper and lower marginal edges 8 and 10 respectively and a width between a hinge stile edge 11 and a latch stile edge 9.

Although not shown in Figs. 1 or 2, a door mechanism 20 is provided to support door 14 and allow for its motion between an open and closed position. Generally, as best seen in Figs. 13, 19 and 20, door mechanism 20 includes an extension mechanism 25. In preferred embodiments, extension mechanism 25 extends between a wall end 26 and a door end 27. The wall end 26 that extension mechanism 25 is configured to be a fixed within an adjacent wall cavity 30 (not clearly illustrated). The wall cavity 30 is also adapted to receive substantially all of door 14 therein.

The door end 27 of the extension mechanism 25 is configured to be fixed within the door 14 or to the door hinge stile 11 of the door 14. In the preferred embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the extension mechanism 25 is disposed within door 14 at or near top marginal edge 8.

In use, the door mechanism of the preferred embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, seen in Fig. 19, in cross-section from the top to the bottom of the door 14 shows the use of a sliding rail mechanism 35 to support movement of the door from the open position shown in Fig. 2 through a partly open position shown in Fig. 1 to a fully closed position covering the opening to the bathroom 5. The rail mechanism 35 supports the door 14 both within the cavity 30 in the door 14 in the open position through a rail mechanism 35 being in the extended position and the door 14 is in the closed position.

Referred particularly to Fig. 19, the extension rail mechanism 35 is shown in section view through door 14 from top 8 to bottom 10. A rail 36 is mounted within the door cavity 30 and fixed to the wall 12 above the door 14. The wall mounting plate 39 extending from the inside top of the cavity frame is adapted to receive a pair of fixed rails 36 mounted thereto. Sliding rails 37 are engaged with rails 36 and slide via means of bearings 38. In this way, pair of rail mechanisms 35 are disposed within door 14 at or near other marginal edge 8 whereby movement of rail 37 relative to fixed rail 36 causes the rail mechanism 35 to extend thereby moving the door into the closed position. It will be appreciated that one or more rail systems may be used and they may have two or more nested extensions.

Also shown in Fig. 19 in preferred embodiments, a floor guide 40 is provided. Here, a wheel 41 mounted on axle 42 projecting from bottom marginal edge 10 of door 14 is provided. This bears weight of the door 14 to additionally support tension rail mechanism 35. It will be appreciated that no grooves or the like are required in the floor.

Also shown in Fig. 19 at the bottom right are two alternatives whereby a groove 43 running the length of door 14 marginally edge 10 engages with a fixed projection 42 of extending upwardly from the floor a predetermined height. Similarly, an elongate guide 44 may extend from the bottom of door 14 and engages in a corresponding track in the floor if desired.

The upper right-hand side of Fig. 19 shows an alternative preferred embodiment where a pair of rail mechanisms 35 is provided. One of the rail mechanisms is at or near the top marginal edge 8 of the door 14 and the other is at the opposing bottom end 10. In this way, the door is supported at a lower and upper end by a rail mechanism 35. It will be appreciated that any preferred number of spaced apart rail mechanisms can be used and can be of any preferred dimensions in a cavity mounted design or in a wall or other surface mounted design.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 13, and 20, there is shown a second preferred embodiment of the door mechanism 20. Fig. 3 shows a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2 of the first preferred embodiment where door 14 is shown in the open configuration. In this preferred embodiment, the door 14 forms an outer face of wall 12 when in the fully open position (this is shown in Fig. 3). The door 14 in Fig. 3 forms an outer face of the wall 12 when open and includes door mechanism disposed within or along upper marginal edge 8 of door 14. Figs. 6 to 8 show the door 14 move from the fully open configuration in Fig. 6 to a part open configuration in Fig. 7 to a fully closed configuration in Fig. 8. The wall 12 is shown without wall finishes as a stud wall including pelmet 7. Fig. 9 shows the door 14 of Fig. 8 together with wall finishes.

Figs. 10 and 11, show a similar embodiment to that of Figs. 6 to 9 except that extension mechanism 25 is in the form of rail mechanism 35 but is disposed along a lower marginal edge 10 of the door 14 - not pointing there. It will be appreciated that the door 14 can include an extension mechanism 35 at both the top end 8 as well as the lower end 10 of the door 14. Fig. 12 shows a close up view of the top of the door 14 and wall 12 without pelmet 7. Fig. 13 shows further detail of the extension mechanism 25 of Fig. 12. In these embodiments, fixed rail 36 is affixed to the wall and door sliding rail 37 is mounted to the door 14, shown in Fig. 12 having two moving rails 37 disposed within the door in Fig. 13 when in the closed position and extended in the open position as seen extended in Fig. 12.

Figs. 14 to 18 show a pair of substantially parallel door section l4a and l4b. The door 14 is shown in the extended position whereby fixed rail 36 is mounted to the wall 12 and first door section l4a includes a moving rail connected with the fixed rail. A second moving rail 37 is connected to door segment l4b and rail segment 37 is connected to the moving rail section door segment l4a so that door 14 opens from door section l4b extended past section l4a after a predetermined opening length door l4a is adjacent to door l4b and extends from wall cavity 30. Fig. 14 shows this preferred embodiment with wall finishing and Fig. 15 to 18 shows the wall studs without wall finishes.

In the preferred embodiments, door mechanism 20 allows the removal of an overhead doorframe so as to remove any impediment to a ceiling mounted gantry or rail system allowing residents or patients to be moved from their bed or elsewhere in their room to a bathroom without changing between rail systems or other mobility aids. This provides privacy when the bathroom is in use and minimises any unnecessary handling of residents or patients and also provides a door system in which patients can find privacy and dignity when using the bathroom. Referring now to Fig. 20, there is shown a similar view to Fig. 19 being cross- sectional view of door 14 from top end 8 to bottom end 10 for the door of Fig. 3. In this embodiment as noted above, door 14 forms the face of the wall when in the completely open position. As the door 14 is moved into the open configuration and extension mechanism 25 extended, wall surface l2a becomes exposed as door 14 moves. In this way, this preferred embodiment includes an upper extension mechanism 25 formed from a pair of rail mechanisms 35. Each rail mechanism 35 has a fixed rail 36 mounted to the wall or being fixed and the door includes a movable rail 37 for engagement with rail 36 for sliding the door therealong.

Turning now to Fig. 21, there is shown a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention. In this preferred embodiment, door 14 includes at least one and as shown most preferable a pair of pantograph mechanisms 50, one along a top edge of the door and one along a lower edge. The extension mechanism 25 are in the form of pantographs whereby a first end of pantograph 50 is connected to the wall 12 within cavity 30 holding that end of the pantograph 50 in place. A door end 51 of the pantograph 50 is connected to or adjacent the latch style edge of the door 14 and is disposed within the door 14.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 21, door 14 is partially open and pantograph element 50 partially extended. It will be appreciated that pantograph elements 50 are adapted to move between an open position where the ends of each pantograph 50 are adjacent and an open position where the ends of the pantograph 50 are maximally displaced from each other. In this way, the pantograph 50 scissor action of extension mechanisms 50 support the door with or without any floor guide and provide the same advantages as the use of sliding extension mechanism 35.

Referring to Fig. 22, there is shown various preferred embodiments in cross-sectional view of transverse beam or gantry 13. These include a conventional flat topped gantry 13 shown on the top of Fig. 22. The middle drawing shows a variation of the gantry 13 with a gable-type double sloping top so as to minimise dust and dirt build up and allow easier cleaning. The bottom image shows the conventional flat topped gantry 13 but with a top section attached to provide a gable-type double slope. It will be appreciated that in preferred embodiments of the invention, the removal of a top portion of the bathroom wall separating the bed area from the bathroom allows the use of a full coverage transverse hoist that may not be possible in many cases.

Furthermore, a fixed rail system may be used in place of a full coverage gantry without any impediment by the door 14 or door mechanism 20 of the preferred embodiments.

Preferably, it may be desirable to use this door 14 and door mechanism 20 in renovations to care facility rooms where a fixed rail system is desired to be incorporated. In that situation, the door head and wall above the door can be removed thereby allowing the fixed track 13 (not illustrated in the drawings) to enter the bathroom unimpeded by a fixed door frame, a sliding door track or the existing wall.

The door 14 and door mechanism 20 according to preferred embodiments have applications in many areas outside of aged care such as physiotherapy rooms, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals and clinics, for example. Furthermore, preferred embodiments of the present invention can be employed where a sliding door is required but the wall above a doorway is not desirable or wanted. Most

advantageously, it will also be appreciated that doors 14 and door mechanisms 20 according to the preferred embodiments remove the need for any overhead or floor mounted track for use of the door. Support for the door is achieved entirely by the door mechanism 20, for example, by the use of a multi stage sliding“telescopic rail” or“telescopic beam” assembly

It will be appreciated that the extension mechanism 25 including the telescopic sliding rails may be off-set to the centre line of the door but the mounting of the telescopic rail to the door should preferably transfer the load to the centre of the door so that the door hangs vertically, thereby reducing any friction between the door and the wall or walls or guides. This can be achieved by the use of a mounting angle 39 that mounts the door to the wall A mounting channel can be affixed to the top of the door 14 to provide the attachment to the sliding track so as to conceal or substantially conceal the tracks. A pelmet with a flat angled/sloped top can be provided to conceal the support frame above the door as noted above. In one preferred embodiment, the mounting channel and the pelmet have an angled top part so that visual inspection and cleaning can be easily conducted. In another preferred embodiment the top of the wall and the pelmet are integrated (eg Fig. 3) to form a clean gap free surface which provides ease of visual inspection and cleaning and access to service the telescopic track when required. The integrated pelmet and top of wall angle may be made from sheet metal, for example 10.

To provide rigidity to the door 14, multiple spaced apart extension mechanisms 25 can be used. Various shaped materials can be used to make the telescopic rail/beam such as round tubes, square or rectangular hollow sections, hexagonal or octagonal hollow sections or unequal angles or“U” shaped sections or any cross sectional shape the is appropriate for this application as would be known to those skilled in the art. The material that the telescopic rail is made from may be any metal or material appropriate for the application and known to those skilled in the art. The telescopic rail, may use ball bearings, wheels, ball bearing or needle bearing race assemblies or any other bearing commonly known to those skilled in the art.

It will be appreciated that a wheel can be embedded/fixed underneath the leading edge of the lower end 10 of the door 14 to provide additional support if required, which maybe adjustable in height so that the height of the leading edge maybe raised or lowered (e.g., Fig.19). A wheel at the rear of the door is not required as the extension mechanism 25, for example in the form of telescopic rail, supports that end of the door. The telescopic rail may be rebated into the door at the top, bottom or middle or anywhere over the surface of the door. Multiple, wider, heavier or telescopic rail systems with different cross-sectional shapes, sizes and materials may be used to provide rigidity and additional support for heavier doors, as desired. The telescopic rail and door may be mounted as cavity style door, or pocket door, within the wall frame cavity 30 or on either the inside or outside of the bathroom wall.

To reduce the risk of infection and the spread of dust borne bacteria such as MRS A, the pelmet 7 that covers the upper end 8 of the door 14 is preferably angled to facilitate visual inspection and cleaning. In the case of the door being mounted in wall cavity 30 the top of the wall can be shaped to facilitate visual inspection and cleaning. The angle of the top of the wall and or pelmet 7 is preferably between 10 degrees and 60 degrees from the horizontal and most preferably 30 to 45 degrees. The top of the walls 12 that enclose the bathroom five in a room with a transverse beam hoist system must be shaped to facilitate visual inspection and cleaning to remove dust and pathogens.

Transverse beams used in the aged care, medical and health care sectors have flat tops, irrespective of the beam profile i.e. square or rectangular 16 (see Fig.22). This is not ideal as it is difficult to visually inspect or clean and as the beam moves about the room, it may cause dust to become airborne. The transverse beam can be shaped to provide visual inspection and ease of cleaning to remove dust and pathogens. That may be accomplished by the actual beam design and shape, or by the addition of a cover that provides the necessary shape to allow visual inspection and cleaning to remove dust and pathogens.

A guide such as the commonly used“U” shaped channel 19 or a fin 20 that mates and runs in a groove on the bottom edge of the door, may be integrated at floor level to ensure that the door is kept in the correct orientation, i.e., in line with the wall, to resist pushing off axis. However, this is optional. The door 14 and door mechanism 20 may be fitted with a self-closing mechanism and /or a soft close mechanism.

Preferably, two of these systems may be employed together but working from opposite sides of the opening such that the doors meet at a pre-determined point in the opening, preferably the mid-point of the opening. Two or more of the doors and track systems may be configured to work telescopically such that an outer door may have a door and track mounted internally so that they work in a telescopic manner The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The term“comprising” (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of“including” or“having” and not in the exclusive sense of “consisting only of’.