CN221322252U - Barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

A barrier, comprising: a frame; a first door disposed within the frame, the first door defining a plane; a housing secured to the first door and defining a second door opening with the first door, the housing having a hollow interior; a second door disposed within the first door, wherein the second door is configured to move within the plane to control access through the second door opening and to be retractable into and out of the hollow interior when the second door is moved.

Description

Barrier

Technical Field

The present application relates to a barrier, and more particularly, to a barrier that allows selective passage of humans and pets.

Background

The barrier is typically intended to be mounted between two opposite upright support surfaces, for example between two door frames of a door, between two walls of an aisle. The purpose of such barriers is mainly to be safe, for example to prevent children from entering a potentially dangerous place or to prevent children from leaving the room at random, or to restrict pets to a particular room. Many barriers have an easy-to-open but child-resistant door so that older children or adults can freely access, but pets that cannot open the door suffer from great inconvenience because of the barrier. Thus, there is a need for a user-friendly barrier having multiple or compound openings to allow selective passage of different pets, children, and the like.

Disclosure of utility model

The object of the present application is to provide a barrier which has some advantages over the prior art. The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the application in order to provide a basic understanding of the application. This summary is not an extensive overview of the application, and is intended to neither identify key elements of the application nor delineate the scope of the application. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the application in a simplified form.

In one embodiment, a barrier is provided comprising: a frame; a first door disposed within the frame, the first door defining a plane; a housing secured to the first door and defining a second door opening with the first door, the housing having a hollow interior; a second door disposed within the first door, wherein the second door is configured to move within the plane to control access through the second door opening and to be retractable into and out of the hollow interior when the second door is moved.

The barrier of the above embodiments, wherein the second door defines a closed position in which the second door blocks access through the second door opening.

The barrier of the above embodiments, wherein the second door defines a plurality of open positions, each of the plurality of open positions allowing access through the second door opening.

The barrier of the above embodiment, further comprising a locking device operable between allowing movement of the second door and preventing movement of the second door.

The barrier of the above embodiment, the locking means comprises a spring for biasing the locking means to a locked position to prevent movement of the second door.

The barrier of the above embodiment, the locking means comprises an actuator which can move the locking means to an unlocked position to allow the second door to move.

The barrier of the above embodiments, the second door defines at least one receiving means configured to prevent movement of the second door by receiving an engagement member of the locking means.

The barrier of the above embodiment, wherein the receiving means is selected from one of a hole, a slot, a latch.

The barrier of the above embodiments, the second door comprising a plurality of grille rods configured to telescope into and out of the hollow interior when the second door is moved.

The barrier of the above embodiment, the second door further includes a bar for restricting the second door to move only in a direction of telescopic in and out.

The barrier of the above embodiment, wherein the housing comprises a first panel and a second panel, the first panel and the second panel capturing each other on both sides of the plane.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings that are needed in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly described below, it being obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and that other drawings may be obtained according to these drawings without inventive effort for a person skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a barrier of the present application with a second door in a fully closed position;

FIG. 2 is another elevational view of the barrier of FIG. 1 with the second door in a fully open position;

FIG. 3 is another elevational view of the barrier of FIG. 1 with the second door in a partially open position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the barrier of FIG. 3;

fig. 5 is an exploded schematic view of a portion of the barrier of fig. 1, 2 or 3.

Detailed Description

In order to make the technical problems, technical schemes and beneficial effects to be solved more clear, the application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the application.

Fig. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary barrier 10 of an embodiment of the present application. The barrier 10 comprises a generally U-shaped frame 12, the frame 12 having a bottom rail 14 and two substantially vertical side bars 16, 18. The frame 12 is rigid and the bottom rail 14, side rails 16, and side rails 18 may be tubular and rectangular in cross-section and may be made of a metal such as steel or aluminum. The barrier 10 includes a height direction, a length direction defined by a direction between both sides of the channel between which the barrier 10 is engaged, and a width or thickness direction. The height, length and width (or thickness) directions are perpendicular to each other. It should be noted that at least one of the side bars 16 and 18 is formed to be inclined at an obtuse angle (greater than 90 degrees) with respect to the bottom rail 14 during manufacture, thereby requiring pressure to be exerted on the inclined side bar 16 or 18 at right angles to the bottom rail 14 when installing the barrier 10.

A relatively large first door 20 is swingably engaged in the frame 12, the first door 20 including an upper member 22 and a lower member 24 extending in a length direction and defining a height of the first door 20, and a side member 26 and a side member 28 extending in the height direction and defining a length of the first door 20. The upper member 22 may be arched, but in alternative embodiments a horizontally extending rail may be used, and the lower member 24 is a generally horizontally extending rail. The upper member 22, lower member 24, side members 26, and side members 28 may be tubular and rectangular in cross-section and may be made of a metal such as steel or aluminum. The first door 20 further includes a plurality of parallel grill bars 30 extending between the upper member 22 and the lower member 24 to form a small space, two parallel positioning bars 32 extending between the upper member 22 and the lower member 24 to form a large space, and a middle member 34 (shown in fig. 4) engaged between the two positioning bars 32. The spacing of the grating bars 30 from their adjacent members (e.g., side members 26, side members 28, locating bars 32, other grating bars 30) is sufficiently small to block the passage of a person or pet desiring to be blocked, and thus the grating bars 24 may be replaced with solid plates, mesh gratings, or the like where a blocking function is achieved. The spacing between the positioning bars 32 is greater than the spacing between the grating bars 30 to allow a pet desiring to pass between the two positioning bars 32, in alternative embodiments, the side member 26 or the side member 28 may act as one of the two positioning bars 32 to be formed to allow a pet desiring to pass from the leftmost or rightmost side of the first door 20. The central member 34 may be arched, but in alternative embodiments a horizontally extending cross bar may be employed, the first door 20 further comprising a plurality of parallel bars 36 extending between the upper member 22 and the central member 34 to form a small spacing, the bars 36 being spaced from adjacent members thereof (e.g., the locating bars 32, other bars 36) sufficiently small to block the passage of a person or pet for which blocking is desired, and the bars 36 may be replaced with solid plates, mesh grids or the like in the event that blocking is desired. In this way, only pets desiring to pass through are allowed to pass under the midsection member 34 and between the two positioning bars 32.

The grille bars 30 and 36 can be tubular and circular in cross-section, and the positioning bar 32 can be tubular and rectangular in cross-section. The midsection member 34 may be sheet-like or plate-like and rectangular in cross-section, and in alternative embodiments, the midsection member 34 may also be tubular. The primary purpose of the midsection member 34 is to support the grille bar 36, so that if other blocking members are employed in alternative embodiments that can be supported on the locating bar 32 or other members, the midsection member 34 may not be required, one example of which will be mentioned below. The grille bars 30, 36, the positioning bars 32, and the midsection member 34 may be made of metal such as steel or aluminum.

A locking handle 40 and a lock base 42 are provided at the upper corner of the first door 20 and adjacent the upper end of the side bar 18, respectively, wherein the first door 20 may be releasably locked to the frame 12 by the locking handle 40 and the lock base 42, for example, the locking handle 40 may include a latch, the lock base 42 may include a catch, and the latch may be slid into and out of the catch to effect locking or release of the first door 20 to the frame 12.

The first door 20 may further include a bottom lock 44 provided at a lower corner and a locking groove 46 provided at the frame 12 having an upper opening, and the bottom lock 44 can be separated from the locking groove 46 by lifting the first door 20 by about a limited stroke after the locking handle 40 and the locking seat 42 are operated to release the first door 20. The first door 20 is connected to the upper end of the side rail 16 by an upper swivel joint 48 and to the end of the bottom rail 14 adjacent the side rail 16 by a lower swivel joint 50, with a swivel axis 52 extending between the upper swivel joint 48 and the lower swivel joint 50 defining the first door 20, the swivel axis 52 being substantially perpendicular to the bottom rail 14 and being pivotable about the swivel axis 52 to either side of the bottom rail 14 when the first door 20 is released. The upper end of the side lever 16 may be provided with a spring-driven return device 54, the return device 54 being engaged with the upper swivel joint 48, the return device 54 being adapted to automatically close the first door 20. The reset means 54 are prior art and are not related to the improvements of the present application and will therefore not be described further.

The barrier 10 has four sets of handwheel devices 56, the handwheel devices 56 being received in longitudinally extending axle bores (not shown) in the outer end surfaces of the side bars 16 and 18, the handwheel devices 56 being engaged between the barrier 10 and the upright support surfaces, the side bars 16 or 18 being forced at right angles to the bottom rail 14 to provide outward pressure which firmly abuts the handwheel devices 56 against the upright support surfaces, thereby positioning the barrier 10 in a barrier between the two upright support surfaces. The handwheel device 56 includes a threaded shaft 58, a counter nut 60 threadably connected to the threaded shaft 58, and a disc 62 disposed at the outer end of the threaded shaft 58. The threaded shaft 58 is slidably received in the shaft bore in a lengthwise direction, and during installation of the barrier 10, a hand or tool rotates the counter nut 60 toward and into contact with the outer end surface of the side bar 16 or 18, and as the counter nut 58 continues to travel in the direction of the outer end surface of the side bar 16 or 18, this travel will cause the threaded shaft 58 to slide outwardly and to slide until the discs 62 can exert pressure against the upstanding support surface, the corresponding counter nut 58 exerting pressure inwardly against the side bar 16 or 18 in a right angle relationship with the bottom rail 14. Such a barrier 10 is commonly referred to as a pressure-mounted door.

The barrier 10 also includes a relatively small second door 64, the second door 64 including two highly-extending, closely-spaced grating bars 66, the grating bars 66 being spaced from adjacent members (e.g., the positioning bars 32, other grating bars 66) sufficiently small to block the passage of a person or pet for which blocking is desired. In alternative embodiments, a greater or lesser number of grille bars 66 may be provided, and the grille bars 66 may be replaced with solid plates, mesh grids, or the like where the blocking function is achieved. The second door 64 also includes a horizontal stop bar 68, the stop bar 68 engaging the two grille bars 66, for example by capturing the lower ends of the two grille bars 66, the stop bar 68 being fixed relative to the grille bars 66 and moving with the grille bars 66. The bar 68 has rigid extensions 70 at both ends forming a jaw structure (the jaw structure is shown more clearly in fig. 5), the two jaws of the extensions 70 facing the front and rear side surfaces of the positioning bar 32, respectively. With the extension 70, the lower end of the second door 64 may be restricted from undesirably swinging in the width direction of the barrier 10, so that the second door 64 may move only along the positioning rod 32. In alternative embodiments, the two extensions 70 may be replaced with a sleeve structure that encircles the locating lever 32. Operation of the second door 64 (discussed in more detail below) selectively allows a pet desiring to pass between the two positioning rods 32. The grating bars 66 and bars 68 may be made of, for example, a rigid thermoplastic polymer such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), although other suitable materials are not excluded.

When in the closed position shown in fig. 1, the stop bar 68 abuts the lower member 24 and the grill bar 66 acts as a blocking member between the two positioning bars 32, preventing a pet from passing between the two positioning bars 32. When in the fully open position (shown in fig. 2) or the partially open position (shown in fig. 3), the pet is allowed to pass under the stop lever 68 and between the two positioning levers 32.

The second door 64 moves vertically in the height direction between a closed position (fig. 1) and a fully open position (fig. 2), typically in substantially the same plane as the plane defined by the first door 20. The second door 64 may also define one or more intermediate or partially open positions between the closed and open positions (fig. 3).

The barrier 10 further comprises a hollow panel-like housing 70 secured to the first door 20. The grille bar 66 extends through the bottom of the housing 70 and is sized to fit within the hollow interior of the housing 70 when the second door 64 is moved from the closed position to the fully open position, i.e., the second door 64 is movable relative to the housing 70, the grille bar 66 telescoping into and out of the housing 70 as the second door 64 moves up and down in the height direction. In the fully open position shown in fig. 2, the grille bar 66 is fully received (telescoped) within the housing 70, the bar 68 abutting the bottom of the housing 70, and the barrier 10 now having a maximum opening for the passage of objects, the width W ₁ of which corresponds approximately to the spacing between the two positioning bars 32, the height H ₁ of which corresponds approximately to the spacing between the bottom of the housing 70 (ignoring the size of the bar 68 itself) and the lower member 24. The width W ₁ ranges from about 5 inches (i.e., 12.7 cm) to 10 inches (i.e., 25.4 cm). In one specific example, the width W ₁ is about 8 inches (i.e., 20.32 cm). Widths W ₁ outside these values are also suitable. the height H ₁ ranges from about 10 inches (i.e., 25.4 cm) to 14 inches (i.e., 35.56 cm). In one specific example, the height H ₁ is about 12 inches (i.e., 30.48 centimeters). Heights H ₁ outside of these values are also suitable. When the second door 64 is in the partially open position as shown in fig. 3, the width W ₂ of the opening through which the barrier 10 allows the pet to pass is equal to the width W ₁, and the height H ₂ is less than the height H ₁. When the second door 64 is in the closed position, the opening height is 0, and no pet is allowed to pass through.

The housing 70 is formed of two panels, a first panel 74 on one side of the plane defined by the first door 20 and a second panel 76 on the other side, the two panels being captured with one another in a clamshell arrangement, for example by complementary snaps or by use of fastening members such as screws. The housing 70 captures the lower end of the grille bar 36, the intermediate portion of the positioning bar 32 and the midsection member 34. In this configuration, the housing 70 is fixed relative to the first door 20. In an alternative embodiment, the housing 70 may capture a portion of the upper member 22, a portion of the locating bar 32, i.e., the top of the housing 70 extends to the upper member 22, at which point the housing 70 itself acts as a stop instead of the grille bar 36, while eliminating the middle member 34. The housing 70 may be made of, for example, a rigid thermoplastic polymer such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), although other suitable materials are not excluded.

The two panels define a hollow interior of the housing 70 therebetween. The grille bar 66 moves substantially vertically in the height direction within a chute 80 formed by the housing 70.

The locking means is mounted on the housing 70. The locking device is operable between allowing movement of the second door 64 relative to the housing 70 and preventing movement of the second door 64 relative to the housing 70, which locks the second door 64 in the closed position, the partially open position, and the fully open position, and switches from one position to the other.

Specifically, the first panel 74 defines an opening 82 and positioned at the opening 82 is an actuator 84 of the locking device, the actuator 84 being horizontally movable within a guide slot 86 formed by the housing 70 extending from the opening 82 to the second panel 76, i.e., the actuator 84 may be pressed into the housing 70 from the opening 82. The spring 88 forces the actuator 84 pressed into the housing 70 toward the position of the opening 82, and the spring 88 may abut between the actuator 84 and the second panel 76. When the locking device is in a state in which the second door 64 is prevented from moving relative to the housing 70, the engagement member 90 formed by the actuator 84 is received in the hole 92 formed in the grille stem 66 and oriented in the direction in which the engagement member 90 moves.

The plurality of holes 92 are provided along the extension of the grille bar 66, and when the actuator 84 is moved into the housing 70 against the spring 88, the engagement member 90 moves out of the current hole 92 to allow the second door 64 to move vertically relative to the housing 70. Specifically, the user places a finger on the portion of the actuator 84 exposed at the opening 82 and forces the actuator 84 to move into the housing 70 against the spring 88. When the second door 64 is moved to the desired position, the finger is removed, which allows the spring 88 to move the actuator 84 to engage the engagement members 90 into the corresponding apertures 92, thereby preventing movement of the second door 64 relative to the housing 70. The number of apertures 92 is as large as possible and adjacent apertures 92 are sufficiently close so that the second door 64 can be moved vertically to approximately an infinite number of partially open positions and locked in place by the locking means. In alternative embodiments, the aperture 92 may be replaced with a slot, a latch, or a series of latches that also enable the second door 64 to be moved vertically to a nearly infinite number of partially open positions and locked in place by a locking device.

In an alternative embodiment, no holes are formed in the grille bar 66 and the engagement member 90 forms a frictional connection with the surface of the grille bar 66 to define all of the closed, partially open and fully open positions. Other configurations are also possible.

In some examples, actuation of the actuator 84 (e.g., overcoming the amount of force required by the spring 88 and/or overcoming the flexibility required by the spring 88) may be performed by an adult, but not by a child or animal.

In alternative embodiments, the vertical movement of the second door 64 may be horizontal, with only the vertically disposed grating bars 66 of the second door 64 replaced with horizontally disposed grating bars, and the housing 70 correspondingly formed to telescope into the housing as the horizontally disposed grating bars are moved longitudinally side-to-side.

The barrier 10 has various advantages. The rod-like configuration of the grille rods 66 of the second door 64 with the grille rods 30, 36 of the first door 20 makes the second door 64 appear cleaner when opened and closed, and less likely to be pinched by children and pets. The housing 70 may conceal the second door 64 and may be diversified in shape, such that the appearance of the barrier 10 is more characteristic. The locking means allows the second door 64 to be opened in an almost wireless number of positions, thereby creating a great flexibility for the size of the final opening. In addition, the unlocking of the locking device and the movement of the second door 64 require two hands to be performed simultaneously, thereby increasing the difficulty of opening and improving safety.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are exemplary, and that a person skilled in the art, in light of the present disclosure, may devise various solutions that fall within the scope of the present disclosure and fall within the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present description and drawings are illustrative and not limiting to the claims. The scope of the utility model is defined by the claims and their equivalents. The description of the utility model encompasses multiple inventive concepts, such as "preferably", "alternative embodiments", or "optionally", all means that the respective paragraphs disclose a separate concept, and the applicant reserves the right to filed a divisional application according to each inventive concept. Throughout this document, the word "preferably" is used in a generic sense to mean only one alternative, and not to be construed as necessarily required, so that the applicant reserves the right to forego or delete the relevant preferred feature at any time.

Claims (11)

1. A barrier, comprising: a frame; a first door disposed within the frame, the first door defining a plane; a housing secured to the first door and defining a second door opening with the first door, the housing having a hollow interior; a second door disposed within the first door, wherein the second door is configured to move within the plane to control access through the second door opening and to be retractable into and out of the hollow interior when the second door is moved.

2. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the second door defines a closed position in which the second door blocks access through the second door opening.

3. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the second door defines a plurality of open positions, each of the plurality of open positions allowing access through the second door opening.

4. The barrier of claim 1, further comprising a locking device operable between allowing movement of the second door and preventing movement of the second door.

5. The barrier of claim 4, wherein the locking device comprises a spring for biasing the locking device to a locked position to prevent movement of the second door.

6. The barrier of claim 4, wherein the locking device includes an actuator that moves the locking device to an unlocked position to allow the second door to move.

7. The barrier of claim 4, wherein the second door defines at least one receiving means configured to prevent movement of the second door by receiving an engagement member of the locking means.

8. The barrier of claim 7 wherein said receiving means is selected from one of a hole, a slot, a latch.

9. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the second door comprises a plurality of grille rods configured to telescope into and out of the hollow interior when the second door is moved.

10. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the second door further comprises a stop bar for limiting movement of the second door only in a telescoping in and out direction.

11. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first panel and a second panel that capture each other on both sides of the plane to secure the housing relative to the first door.