Compact, symmetrical electric door-opener

Abstract

 It is suitable for installation on a doorframe, with a casing (1) containing:

• a retaining piece (2) that is selectively lockable and releasable by means of a lever mechanism, which is articulated in relation to a respective articulation pivot (A1, A2) of said casing (1), governed by an electromagnetic actuator (3), so that when said retaining piece (2) is released, it allows the door to be opened and when it is locked it retains a latch that locks said door, and
• a detecting device (4), which is usually a switch, which detects the open or closed door situations, operated by a pushing element (6).

Said electromagnetic actuator (3) and said detecting device (4) are electrically connected to a multiple connector (5) housed inside said casing (1) and which permits electrical connection with the exterior.

Description

State of the art

[0001] This invention concerns an electric door-opener that is suitable for installation in the frame of a door that opens inwards, of the type that can lock and release said door by means of a retaining piece, generally tilting, in addition to detecting the opening and closing of the same.

[0002] In particular, this door-opener is characterised in that, because of its compactness, it is fitted inside a casing measuring a maximum of 75 x 28 x 20 mm.

[0003] Another defining quality is its symmetry, deriving from the fact that the included retaining piece is arranged inside the casing, centred with respect to a first median face of the actual casing, so that there is symmetry with respect to a plane that is horizontal when said door-opener is in the installation position on said frame of said door, with said symmetry making it possible to install it on either of the two vertical sides of said frame.

Previous state of the art

[0004] For some time, door-openers of the type that incorporate a retaining piece or tilting latch have been known, which are unlocked to permit the opening of the corresponding door by means of applying an electrical signal to an electromagnet that operates a certain mechanism which, in general, comprises two levers, one of which locks said retaining piece until said electrical signal is applied that causes a shaft of said electromagnet to move which, in turn, moves one of said two levers until they uncouple and release the retaining piece.

[0005] Other, more developed door-openers are employed, not only to release the doors they retain on receipt of an electrical signal, but also incorporate some means to detect when the door is open or closed with, in general, these means comprising a simple microswitch, the outputs of which are used to for various applications, such as switching on a light when the door is opened or to activate an alarm centre input.

[0006] Some of said door-openers incorporate said microswitch in a casing, generally of plastic that is normally outside the usually metal casing, of the door-opener itself, with said casing also incorporating a corresponding connection strip for the electrical connections of said microswitch, together with those of the electromagnet. In order to activate the microswitch in this case, it is necessary to add an operating element that is also external to the door-opening casing, such as a suitably shaped plate that activate the microswitch when the door is closed. The fact that so many elements external to the casing are required involves a series of inconveniences that have unfavourable repercussions on the installation and in the manufacture of the door-openers.

[0007] Other door-openers, such as that proposed in the utility model application ES-A-1056435, has the mentioned switch housed inside the door-opener box or casing, but the connection strip continues to be an element external to the metal casing in which, although the stated inconveniences are reduced, contiriue to be present.

Description of the invention

[0008] It therefore appears necessary to provide an alternative to the current state of the art that is a symmetric or reversible door-opener and easy to manufacture (hence low-cost), together with being compact, robust and with at least all the functions proposed by the state of the art.

[0009] This invention concerns an electric door-opener that is suitable for installation on a doorframe, with a casing that includes:

• a generally tilting retaining piece, which is also selectively lockable and releasable by an articulated lever mechanism governed by an electromagnetic actuator so that when said retaining piece is released by operation of said actuator, it allows the door to open and when it is locked, retains a locking latch of said door in position, and
• a detecting device that detects the open or closed situations, operated by a pushing element.

[0010] In accordance with the invention, the electromagnetic actuator and said detecting device are electrically connected to a multiple connector housed inside said casing and which permit electrical connection with the exterior.

[0011] The mechanism governed by the electromagnetic actuator is generally a mechanism comprising two levers, each of which is articulated with a respective articulation pivot located inside the casing.

[0012] Preferably, the casing is substantially parallelepipedic and elongated, with two large-sized faces, one of which is open to the exterior, two medium-sized faces and two small one.

[0013] The proposed multiple connector or connection strip comprises a series of metal terminals, accessible from the exterior by means of a first window defined in one of the small-sized faces of the casing.

[0014] The pins of these terminals are electrically connected inside said casing to said electromagnetic actuator and said detecting device by means of the corresponding electro-conducting tracks on a printed circuit board to which said pins are soldered.

[0015] Said printed circuit, which holds the multiple connector or connection strip is housed between some first opposed guiding configurations that are defined inside the casing close to said first window, with the connector preferably level with or slightly towards the interior with respect to the opening of the cited first window.

[0016] The proposed door-opener comprises a cover over said large-sized face that is open to the exterior, with this cover defining a second window providing access to some screws, one per terrriinal, that secure or release some corresponding inserted electric wires to the terminals.

[0017] In general, the cited detecting device is a switch, which is operated by a pushing element associated with an elastic element (preferably a spring), which maintains it in an extended position, projecting by said first medium-sized face of the casing when the door is open and when the door is closed, is pressed towards the inside of the casing, overcoming the force of said elastic element in order to adopt a retracted position.

[0018] The switch may be operated both when said pushing element adopts said extended position and when it adopts said retracted position, positions that said pushing element adopts when it moves in a linear manner from said extended position to said retracted position or vice versa, under the guided control of some second guiding configurations via a first medium-sized face of the casing.

[0019] The structure of said switch is conventional and can be connected to various circuits or devices depending on the application to which the detection of the open or dosed door situation is transmitted, such as a lighting system, or a simple lamp, alarm centre or access control system etc.

[0020] An electronic switch may also be employed, such as a transistor.

[0021] In order to facilitate its installation on both left and right sides on doors that open towards the interior; the retaining piece is installed inside the box and centred with respect to the first medium-sized face of the casing so that it is symmetrical with respect to a plane that is horizontal when said door-opener is in position to be installed on said doorframe, with said symmetry making installation possible on either of the two vertical sides of said frame.

A brief description of the drawings

[0022] The previous and other characteristics and advantages of the invention Will become clearer from the following description of an embodiment example that is illustrated by the attached drawings, which should be taken as non-limiting guidelines.

[0023] In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a door-opener in accordance with the state of the art referred to in the background section.

Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the door-opener proposed in this invention, which shows a large number of the component parts.

Fig. 3 is another perspective view of the proposed door-opener, which shows all the elements of Figure 1 (other than the cover) installed inside the casing.

Fig. 4 is a partially exploded plan view of the proposed door-opener showing all the elements of Figure 2,

Fig. 5 is another plan view, which shows all the elements of Figure 4, but installed in the casing, and

Fig. 6 is another partially exploded perspective view showing some of the elements forming the door-opener, specifically the proposed casing and multiple connector.

Detailed descriptions of some embodiment examples

[0024] Fig. 1 shows an electric door-opener known in the sector that has already been referred to, which indicates the casing 1, the tilting retaining piece 2 and a casing 12 that is external to casing 1, joined to a small-sized face of the same, where the casing 12 contains a microswitch and a connection strip for the electric connections of both the microswitch and the electromagnet. A pushing element, which is also, external to the casing 1, is employed to activate the microswitch and which comprises a blade 13 that is prolonged by the arms 14, 15, the latter finished in the form of a finger that operates the microswitch lever 16.

[0025] Just as shown in Figures 2 to 6, this invention concerns an electric door-opener that is suitable for installation on a doorframe, with a casing 1 that houses:

• a tilting retaining piece 2 (see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5) that can be locked and released by a mechanism governed by an electromagnetic actuator 3 (in general, an electromagnet) so that when said retaining piece is released by operation of said actuator 3, it allows the door to be opened and when it is locked it retains a locking latch of said door.
• detecting device 4 that detects the open or closed door situation, with said detecting device 4 being a switch 4 for the illustrated example, which can be seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5.

[0026] Said electromagnetic actuator 3 and said detecting device 4 are electrically connected to a multiple connector 5 housed inside said casing 1 and which permits electrical connection with the exterior.

[0027] The mechanism 7 governed by the electromagnetic actuator 3 is generally a mechanism comprising two conventional levers (not shown), each of which is articulated with respective articulation pivots A1, A2 located inside the casing 1 (see Figs. 4 and 5).

[0028] Referring to Fig. 6, it can be seen how said multiple connector 5 comprises a series of metal terminals T that are accessible from the exterior via a first window V₁ defined in a small-sized face 1c of said casing 1, which is substantially parallelepipedic and elongated, with two large-sized faces, one of which 1a is open to the exterior and first 1b and second medium-sized faces.

[0029] Once installed in its location, it can be seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 how said multiple connector 5 is level with or slightly towards the interior with respect to an opening in the cited first window V₁.

[0030] Inside said casing 1, the pins (not shown) of said terminals T are electrically connected to the electromagnetic actuator 3 and said detecting device 4.

[0031] Preferably, said pins of said terminals T are electrically connected to respective electro-conducting tracks of a printed circuit board 8, normally through their insertion through holes in said printed circuit board 8 and welded to the tracks. These connections are not shown in the attached figures, but the commented printed circuit board 8 can be seen in all figures with the multiple connector 5.

[0032] In order to facilitate its introduction into the casing 1 and its positioning and securing, the proposed door-opener comprises some opposed first guiding configurations G₁, defined inside the casing 1, which contains the opposite edges of said printed circuit board 8, to which the multiple connector 5 is fitted.

[0033] Switch 4 is operated by a pushing element 6 associated with a spring 9 (see Figs. 4 and 5) which maintains it in an extended position, projecting over said first medium-sized face 1b of said casing 1 when the door is open and when the door is closed is pressed towards the interior of the casing 1, overcoming the force of said elastic element 9, in order to adopt a retracted position. The spring 9 is located between one end of said electromagnetic actuator (3) and one (A1) of said articulation pivots.

[0034] In accordance with said arrangement shown in the figures, the switch 4 is operated when said pushing element 6 adopts said extended position (not shown in the figures), although for another embodiment example, also not shown, this could be reversed, in other words, that it is operated when said pushing element 6 adopts said retracted position.

[0035] The pushing element 6 is guided by some second guiding configurations G₂ via said first medium-sized face 1b so that when it moves from said extended position to said retracted position and vice versa, it does so in a linear fashion acting against said spring 9.

[0036] As can be seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, with respect to the medium-sized face 1b, the pushing element 6 is closer to said small-sized face 1c which defines said first window V₁, than the other small-sized face located at the other end of the casing 1.

[0037] Figs. 2 and 3 show how the pushing element 6 crosses part of said retaining piece 2.

[0038] In the embodiment example illustrated (see Fig. 4), the pushing element 6 is fork-shaped, of which the end of the body 6a projects over said medium-sized face 1b of the casing 1 when it is in said extended position, consisting of a first arm 6b that makes contact with said spring 9 and a second arm 6c that is designed to make contact with the pushbutton 4a of said switch 4 in order to operate and release it. A rabbet defined in said second arm 6c causes the operation of said pushbutton 4a occurs when the pushing element 6 is in the extended position.

[0039] The arms 6b and 6c are fitted to an articulation pivot A1 of one of the two above-mentioned levers, just as can be seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

[0040] Fig. 4 shows a conventional safety catch 7, the function of which is to manually release the retaining piece 2 by uncoupling the two levers of the commented lever mechanism (not shown). This safety catch 7 can also be partially seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

[0041] As can be seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the retaining piece 2 is located in the casing 1 centred with respect to the first medium-sized face 1 b of the casing 1, so that it is symmetrical with respect to a plane that is horizontal when said door-opener is in position to be installed on said doorframe, with this symmetry making it possible to install it on either of the two vertical sides of the frame on doors that open towards the interior.

[0042] The proposed door-opener also comprises (see Fig. 2) cover 10 over said large-sized face that is open to the exterior, with this cover 10 defining a second window V₂ providing access to some screws 11, one per terminal, that secure or release some corresponding inserted electric wires (not shown) to the terminals T.

[0043] The design and relative layout of the various components that form part of the electric door-opener proposed in this invention mean that the cited casing 1 has maximum standardised dimensions of 75 x 28 x 20 mm, allowing it to be installed on doorframes that have an opening for the installation of a conventional door-opener.

Claims

1. A compact, symmetrical electric door-opener that is suitable for installation on a dooiframe, with a casing (1) containing:

- a retaining piece (2) that is selectively lockable and releasable by means of a lever mechanism, which is articulated with respect to a respective articulation pivot (A1, A2) of said casing (1), said retaining piece (2) being governed by an electromagnetic actuator (3), so that when the retaining piece (2) is released it allows the door to be opened and when it is locked it retains a latch that locks said door,

- a detecting device (4) for detecting the door open or closed situation, said detecting device being operated by a pushing element (6),

characterised in that said electromagnetic actuator (3) and said detecting device (4) are electrically connected to a multiple connector (5) housed inside said casing (1) and which permits electrical connection with the exterior.

2. A door-opener in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that said multiple connector (5) housed inside the casing (1) comprises a series of metal terminals (T) that are accessible from the exterior through a first window (V₁) defined in a small-sized face (1 c) of said casing (1), said multiple connector (5) being level with or slightly towards the interior with respect to the opening of the cited first window (V₁).

3. A door-opener in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that pins of said terminals (T) are electrically connected inside the casing (1) to the electromagnetic actuator (3) and detecting device (4).

4. A door-opener in accordance with claim 3, characterised in that said pins of said terminals (T) are attached to respective electro-conducting tracks of a printed circuit board (8) on which the multiple connector (5) is mounted.

5. A door-opener in accordance with claim 4, characterised in that said printed circuit board on which the multiple connector (5) is mounted is fitted to opposed guiding configurations (G₁) defined inside the casing (1).

6. A door-opener in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that:

said detecting device (4) is a switch;

the pushing element (6) is associated with an elastic element (9) which when the door is open maintains the pushing element (6) in an extended position projecting from said casing (1) and when the door is closed the pushing element (6) is pressed towards the interior of the casing (1); and

the elastic element (9) is located between one end of said electromagnetic actuator (3) and one (A1) of said articulation pivots.

7. A door-opener in accordance with claim 6, characterised in that said pushing element (6) comprises a shaft which is always guided by at least two areas (6a, 6b) dose to its ends so that it moves linearly, adopting at least one extended position and one retracted position, via a first medium-sized face (1b) of said casing (1).

8. A door-opener in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that said pushing element (6) is guided in a first of said end areas (6a) by respective guiding configurations (G₂).

9. A door-opener in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that said pushing element (6) comprises a branch (6c) that derives laterally from said shaft, said branch (6c) being adapted to make contact with a pushbutton (4a) of said switch (4) in order to operate it.

10. A door-opener in accordance with claim 9, characterised in that said second area close to the end (6b) of the shaft (6) and said branch (6c) are disposed to embrace one (A1) of said articulation pivots.

11. A door-opener in accordance with claims 6 to 10, characterised in that said pushing element (6) is mounted, with respect to said medium-sized face (1b), offset towards a small-sized face (1 c) of said casing (1) close to said detecting device (4).

12. A door-opener in accordance with claims 6 to 10, characterised in that said pushing element (6) goes through a part of said retaining piece (2) and is decentred with respect to the same.

13. A door-opener in accordance with any of the previous claims, characterised in that said casing (1) is parallelepipedic and elongated and has two large-sized faces, one of which (1 a) being open to the exterior, and first (1 b) and second medium-sized faces with maximum dimensions of 75 x 28 x 20 mm.

14. A door-opener in accordance with claim 13, characterised in that it comprises a cover (10) over said large-sized face (1a) that is open to the exterior, said cover (10) defining a second window (V₂) providing access to some screws (11), one per terminal, for securing or releasing some corresponding inserted electric wires to the terminals (T).

Drawing