WINDOWS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention (Figure 8) relates generally to a hinge and more particularly, but by no means exclusively, to a hinge which almost eliminates the gap created by the edge of a hinged door coming into close contact with the door jamb along the hinge side,

Fingers and limbs can no longer be placed within a gap on the hinge side of the door, thus eliminating injury through the guillotine and crushing effect when the door is closed, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A typical butt hinge arrangement consists of either two sides (leafs) joined by a centre pin allowing the door to hinge open 90 degrees from the normally closed position, in one direction only or open up to 180 degrees in one direction so as to be parallel to the wall containing the door frame.. Typical piYot hinges allow the door to rotate 90 degrees in one direction only, relative to the door jamb,

Under the two main hinge systems when a door is in the open position there is always a definite gap/crevice between it and the door jamb, (see figure 3) as shown where fingers or limbs may be inserted.

Should any adult, child or pet insert their fingers/limbs into this crevice, there is the real possibility of a crush injury or amputation by the door being accidentally or deliberately closed, (see figure 3). The guillotine affect is caused by the door edge passing the step in the door frame as the door is closed.

This new hinge invention eliminates the guillotine and crush effect created by the edge of the door coming into close contact with the door jamb, (see figure 4). Attempts to address these problems relating to butt hinges may involve attaching rubbei' strips or other flexible material strips to both sides of the door on the hinge side. This is only a temporary remedy as the strips may deteriorate and break free or the affixing system (screws, glue etc) may fail, causing the strips to be ineffective, The need for a safety door which would normally work in one direction, but in an emergency could be opened in the opposite direction, has been highlighted by the number of persons who have been struck down with a life threatening condition and collapsed against the door. Would be rescuers have been unable to open the door as the downed person is jammed between the door and another object such as in a toilet cubical. The advantage of a door able to be quickly opened outwards in an emergency may be the crucial factor in the saving of a life, Therefore a door fitted with a hinge system such as this invention would be particularly suited, but not limited to building used for aged care, disability care, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, public buildings and conveniences. The hinge system is also well suited to adaptation for use with five doors and emergency escape route doors.

This door hinge invention when set up to operate as a two way door will greatly improve access for the aged, frail and disabled using a walking sticky walking frame or wheel chair. Doors fitted with this two way swinging hinge, will reduce the risk of falling, as mobility impaired persons (unsteady on their feet, using a walking stick or walking frame) are able to move forward in either direction to gain access through the door. Wheelchair and walking frame access is greatly improved by the ability to always move forward through the door. The new hinge when fitted to doors leading to confined areas such as toilet cubicles and bathrooms, will improve the circulation, space (compared to butt hinge doors) for wheelchairs frames or similar devices

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to eliminate or greatly reduce the risk of crush injury or amputation of fingers or limbs caused by the guillotine and crush effect of existing butt and pivot hinges, when the door to which they are attached is closed (figure 3 #97).

The new hinge runs the full length of the door jamb (figure 2 #10), whether in a vertical or horizontal direction or at any other angle.

One side of the leaf blade or backing plate of the hinge (figure 4 #8) is affixed to the door jamb and the other side of the, leaf blade or backing plate of the hinge (figure 4 #14) is affixed to all or the majority of the entire door edge. The hinge segments (figure 5 #25) are held together by a centre pin (figure 5#17) inserted through the hinge segments , thus creating a pivot point about which the segments are able to independently rotate,

The diameter of each hinge segment barrel or knuckle (figure 8 #15) is designed to match the thickness of the door (figure 8 #16) (or within 20%± of the door thickness) and is fixed to the edge of the door spine and the door frame so that almost no gap exists into which fingers or limbs can be inserted and then crushed or amputated on closing of the door. The centre spindle can be positioned either in the centre or on either side of a leaf, blade or backing plate, thus enabling the door section to be positioned and secured close to either edge or centre of the door jamb. Whether the door is positioned in the centre or on the left or right side of the door jamb it will rotate approximately 90 degrees or more in either direction from the closed position.

The hinge backing plate or section affixed to the door jamb (figure 5 #23) can be flat curved or any shape or angle required to affix it to the door jamb.

The hinge backing plate or section affixed to the door jamb may have horizontal and/or vertical adjustment slots (figure 5 #24) allowing it to be easily positioned and adjυsted.

The internal section of the hinge centre spindle has provision for a door closing device (figure 12 #92) allowing the hinge to also act as a door closer without the need for an external visible door closing device.

The present invention includes a locking mechanism (figure 11 #70) allowing a door to be locked at the hinge side in both an open and closed position. This provides added security and a secondary locking device in addition to other door locking systems.

The present invention includes a locking mechanism (figure 11 #70) allowing a door to be locked at the hinge side in both an open and closed position. This provides added security and a secondary looking device in addition to other door locking systems.

Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a hinge for a door; said hinge including a first leaf for attachment to a fixed surface such as a door jamb and a second leaf for attachment to an edge or spine of a door; each said leaf provided with knuckles spaced at intervals along the length of each respective leaf; said knuckles of respective leaves offset and spaced for assembly together with a central pin; said first and second leaf and said knuckles extending substantially the length of said edge or spine of said door; said hinge characterised in that said knuckles are sized to substantially fill the gap between, said edge or spine of said door and said fixed surface when said door is in an open or partially opened position.

Preferably, said hinge allows a door to rotate relative a said fixed surface in both directions through 90degrees. Preferably, said knuckles of said first leaf are substantially barrel-shaped; said knuckles projecting from a position intermediate side edges of said first leaf.

Preferably, said knuckles of said second leaf are of a diameter substantially equal to the thickness of a said edge of spine of a door to which said hinge is attached.

Preferably, said knuckles of said second leaf and said second leaf are formed as one piece; said knuckles and said second leaf shaped so as to eliminate a gap between edges of said door and said knuckles; sides of said knuckles forming tangential surfaces extending to a flat rear surface of said second leaf for flush mounting to said edge or spine of said door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description of some preferred but non-limiting drawings:

Figure 1 depicts a front on view of a conventional Door and Door Frame with 3 typical butt hinges (30) in view. Figure 2 depicts a front on view of a Door and Door Frame with the new Hinge System (10) running the full length of the door and door frame,

Figure 3 shows a section, of a typical butt hinged door system connected to a door and its frame, showing the significant gap/ci'evice where it is possible to inflict a crush of amputation injury should a person or animal insert their fingers or limbs into this gap/crevice when the door is accidentally or deliberately closed.

Figure 4 shows a section of the present invention indicating that by using the new hinge system the gap/crevice has been significantly reduced (11) eliminating the risk of crush injury or amputation by the guillotine effect of the door edge passing the step in the door frame.

Figure 5 depicts, but is not limited to this configuration breakdown of the new hinge system components, indicating some of the securing screw holes (29),

Figure 6 depicts a door that can be opened in one or both directions relative to a central closed position (this drawing only shows the hinge and a door for the purpose of indicating the movement of the hinge and door in one direction),

Figure 7 depicts the same door as in figure 6, opening in the opposite direction relative to a central closed position, (this drawing only shows the hinge and a door for the purpose of indicating the movement of the hinge and door in one direction opposite to figure 6).

Figure 8 shows the same door as in figures 6 & 7, however it is positioned in the centre of a door frame which would normally be the closed position.

Figure 9 shows a top view of the new hinge system. The 3 drawings indicate the different positions which the new hinge can attain, Figure 9 indicates that a door (20, 21) fitted with this hinge (18) can be opened 90 degrees either side of the centre position (22), The hinge system is not limited to this configuration design and the centre spindle can. also be made and positioned within the centre or either side of the leaf, blade or backing plate and attached to the jamb side of the hinge (50).

Figure 10, typifies the new hinge system, (this hinge is not limited to this configuration design and the centre spindle can also be made and be positioned within either side of the leaf blade or backing plate section on the jamb side of the new hinge).

Figure 10A indicates a further embodiment of the hinge of the invention affixed to nn edge of a door.

Figure 11 indicates a locking mechanism (70) able to be used internally within several of the hinge segments. The hinge is prevented from rotating and the door is unable to open in either direction. The door not only locks in the conventional way but by utilizing the additional secondary locking system security is greatly improved. The internal locking mechanism also allows the door to be locked and held in an open position on either side of the frame allowing constant movement without the need for a conventional chock or support arm. Figure 12 indicates a door closing device able to be used internally within the hinge segment. Without visible components a door may be closed either quickly or slowly depending on the application.

AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A typical butt hinge arrangement (100) according to the prior art is shown in situ in figure 3. The hinge arrangement 100 consists of two sides (leaves) joined by a centre pin. A first leaf is seemed to the door jamb or to a fixed surface, and the other to the edge of the door. Typically one hinge is fitted near the top of the door and another near the bottom. On some heavy doors there may be three hinges (30) fitted including one at the centre height of the door as shown in Figure I.

The centre spindle is positioned on either the left or right hand outside edge of the door and jamb allowing the hinge to open 90 degrees (or sometimes up to 180 degrees) in one direction only. Hinge (100) is typically made of steel, brass or aluminium but can be made from other suitable materials,

In contrast to the typical butt hinge as shown in figure 1, figure 2 illustrates a hinge (10) as embodied in the present invention, Like the existing butt hinge (100) shown in Figure 3, the hinge (200) according to this preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4 consists of two hinge segments (8) and (14) meshed together forming a spindle (11) when joined by a centre pin (17) (see Figure 5).

Unlike the butt hinge (100) of Figure 3, the leaf , blade or backing plate of segments (8) and (14) on hinge (200) shown in Figures 4 to 9, are attached to the door and the door jamb and run substantially the foil length of the door edge and door jamb. The new knuckles (210) of the hinge according to the invention is are much larger in section than those of a conventional hinge, typically the thickness (or within 20% ±) of the door, window, gate or lid to which they are affixed and, by extending substantially the full length of the door edge, substantially fill the gap between the door jamb and the door edge.

Unlike hinge (100) shown in Figure 3 the leaf, blade or backing plate of hinge (200) shown in Figure 4 is the full length of the door and is positioned in the centre of the door spine and is affixed to the dooϊ edge. Unlike hinge (100) of Figure 3 the leaf, blade or backing plate of hinge (200) in Figure 4 affixed to the door jamb and is not required to be rebated into the door jamb, but is affixed to the flat surface of the jamb adjoining the door edge. Unlike hinge (100) of Figure 3, hinge (200) shown in Figure 4 has almost no gap or crevice existing between the edge of the door and door jamb when the door is in the open or partially opened position.

In another preferred embodiment shown in Figure 10A, the knuckles 220 are shaped so as to eliminate any gap between the edge of the door 21 and the knuckles. In this arrangement the sides 222 of the knuckles 220 are of one piece with the second leaf and extend as tangential surfaces to a flat rear surface for flush mounting against the edge of spine 224 of the door, Sections between the projecting knuckles are so shaped as to eliminate gaps between the second leaf structure and the knuckles of the first leaf 226.

Hinge (200) can be manufactured from all rigid materials including but not limited to steel, brass., aluminium, nylon, plastic or other natural of synthetic material whether machined moulded or otherwise.

Persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate that, even though the embodiment of the present invention has been described in the context of doors it has application to windows, gates, lids or similar devices whether in a vertical horizontal or any other position or angle. In those cases the hinge element would be fitted to those windows, gates, lids or other devices and to their window frames mounting posts or beams.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the invention described is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described, ϊt should be understood the invention includes all such valuations and modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.