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(11) | EP 3 099 870 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
EXTERNAL ACTUATION ASSEMBLY ASSOCIABLE WITH HANDLES, PANIC BARS AND THE LIKE ÄUSSERLICHE BETÄTIGUNGSEINRICHTUNG, ASSOZIIERBAR MIT HANDGRIFFEN, PANIKSTANGEN UND DERGLEICHEN DISPOSITIF D'ACTIONNEMENT EXTERNE, ASSOCIABLE AVEC POIGNÉES, BARRES ANTI-PANIQUE, ETC. |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] The present invention relates to an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like.
[0002] Panic bars and handles are safety devices intended to ensure rapid evacuation even in dangerous conditions (for example in case of fire) and are to be fitted to the doors located along the evacuation routes in spaces that are open to the public and attended by a certain number of people.
[0003] Such devices must be compliant with specific national or international standards (e.g., in the European Union they must comply with the UNI EN 1125 standard). The standards are aimed at defining a classification which, by means of the coding of each element, assigns to it particular functional characteristics and precise dimensional indications.
[0004] Such type of device is unidirectional, i.e., allows facilitated evacuation along a predefined direction (generally the direction of exit from the installation space).
[0005] Entry into such space is instead dependent on the actuation of an assembly located on the outer side of the installation door.
[0006] Such actuation assembly generally comprises a handle and, if it is necessary to be able to lock the space from outside with a key, a lock that is controlled by a respective key.
[0008] Such lock, due to reasons of standardization with respect to the other types of use of locks, is located directly below the handle.
[0009] The actuation assembly and the corresponding lock described above protrude completely from the surface of the installation door.
[0010] Accordingly, the handle, in order to be turned effectively, allowing to open the door, must protrude from said door by a thickness that exceeds the length of the cylinder, so that it does not encounter it (abutting against it) during the rotation linked to its actuation.
[0011] Accordingly, the total protrusion of this constructive solution is rather substantial and does not allow its installation in many cases in which there are dimensional constraints of maximum space occupation.
[0012] As an alternative, it is also possible to arrange the lock considerably lower than the handle, in order to keep it outside of the region swept by the handle during rotation. This hypothesis entails providing external actuation assemblies of considerable height, which can be awkward and difficult to apply as well as esthetically unpleasant.
[0013] In order to obviate these drawbacks, it is known to adopt handles that comprise, inside them, locks with a key, which are substantially embedded in the portion coupled to the door of said handle.
[0014] However, these constructive solutions are very expensive, since they entail the adoption of dedicated locks (i.e., provided specifically for this installation).
[0015] Moreover, indeed due to the particularity of the locks used, maintenance and any replacement of this type of actuation assembly is particularly onerous.
[0016] The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above, by proposing an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like that is simple to use and has a reduced space occupation.
[0017] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to propose an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like that has reduced production, maintenance and components replacement costs.
[0018] Another object of the invention is to propose an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like that is suitable for the use of cylinder locks of the standard type.
[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like that is relatively simple to provide in practice and is safe in application.
[0020] In accordance with the invention, there is provided an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like, as defined in the appended claims.
[0021] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like useful for understanding the invention;
Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like of Fig. 1;
Figure 3 is a rear view of the assembly of Figure 2 with the handle locked;
Figure 4 is a rear view of the assembly of Figure 2 with the handle released;
Figure 5 is a side view of an external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of a further external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like according to the invention, with the handle free;
Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the assembly of Figure 6 with the handle locked;
Figure 8 is a rear view of the assembly of Figure 6;
Figure 9 is a rear view of the assembly of Figure 7.
[0022] With particular reference to the above figures, the numeral 1 generally designates an external actuation assembly associable with panic bars, handles and the like.
[0023] A panic bar or handle are devices suitable to be installed on doors that must always be openable at all times and by anyone (including children, old people and disabled people) by applying a minimal effort with the hands, the body or other on any point of the horizontal bar or the body of the handle by pressing.
[0024] The opposite side of the door on which a panic bar (or the like) is installed must instead comprise an external actuation assembly that allows to close (even by means of a safety key) said door to prevent access from outside of unwelcome individuals. The external actuation assembly, therefore, has the purpose of enabling or not the possibility to open from the outside the door on the inner side of which the panic bar (or the like) is installed.
[0025] The external actuation assembly 1 according to the invention comprises a contoured shell 2 provided with a channel for accommodating the actuation pivot 3a of a handle 3.
[0026] The shell 2 comprises a protrusion 4, which lies above the hole that accommodates the actuation pivot 3a of the handle 3, and is provided with a seat 5 for a cylinder 6 controlled by a respective key.
[0027] The cylinder 6 is the device, which is an integral part of a lock, that allows opening or closure by means of its rotation, which is enabled by means of a respective key.
[0028] In particular, the cylinder 6 is a cylinder of the type known as European cylinder, i.e., composed of a stator (which is coupled rigidly to the installation seat) and a rotor (which can rotate within a seat of the stator) that is integral with the bit intended to move the bolts. Translatable pins (or other similar elements) are interposed between the stator and the rotor and prevent the rotation of the rotor unless the respective key is inserted in the rotor seat.
[0029] According to the invention, the front surface 7 of the protrusion 4, a surface that is substantially coplanar to the end front of the cylinder 6, and the outer face 8 of the handle 3, when the respective actuation pivot 3a is engaged functionally in the channel formed in the shell 2, are substantially coplanar.
[0030] The substantially coplanar arrangement of the surface 7 (and therefore also of the forward front of the cylinder 6) and of the outer face 8 ensure a maximum protrusion of the assembly 1 that is very limited and generally smaller than that of assemblies of the known type.
[0031] This is possible in relation to the fact that the cylinder 6 is arranged above the handle 3 and never interferes with its rotations. This impossibility of interference ensures that it is possible to arrange the cylinder 6 very close to the accommodation channel of the pivot 3a of the handle 3 that is present on the shell 2 and also to provide a protrusion 4 in said shell 2 that is very deep and allows to fully accommodate a cylinder 6 of the commercial type.
[0032] The shell 2 of the assembly 1 according to the invention comprises furthermore a rear portion 9, proximate to the surface for resting against the installation leaf, which tapers with respect to a direction away from said resting surface.
[0033] On the end front of the tapered portion 9 there is the protrusion 4 and the end hole of the channel intended to accommodate the actuation pivot 3a of the handle 3.
[0034] It is specified moreover that, with particular reference to a constructive solution of unquestionable interest in application, the shell 2 can accommodate slidingly a slider 10 that can translate from a lowered configuration, in which its lower edge 11 is proximate to the lower inner face 12 of the shell 2, to a raised configuration, in which an upper end 13 thereof is proximate to the upper inner face 14 of said shell 2.
[0035] It is specified furthermore that the slider 10 comprises, proximate to its upper end 13, a contoured portion 15 for temporary engagement of the bit 16 of the cylinder 6 during the rotation of the key, with consequent lower/lifting of the slider 10.
[0036] The contoured portion might be constituted by a cavity provided with protrusions (such as a toothed profile, a rack and the like) or might be constituted simply by a protruding tooth, both of which interfere with the stroke of the bit during its rotation integrally with the rotor of the cylinder 6.
[0037] According to a possible constructive variation that is particularly efficient and simple to provide, the actuation pivot 3a of the handle 3 is integral with a disk 17 that is coupled rotatably to the shell 2.
[0038] The disk 17 in turn comprises a contoured protrusion 18 whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of a recess 19 of the slider 10.
[0039] When the slider 10 is in the lowered configuration, the contoured protrusion 10 is arranged outside the recess 19 and therefore the disk 17 is free to rotate (this entails that the handle 3 is active and therefore can be rotated to actuate the opening of the installation door from the outside); in the raised configuration of the slider 10, instead, the recess 19 accommodates the protrusion 18, locking it; as a direct consequence, the disk 17 also is locked and so is the handle 3, which cannot rotate (preventing the possibility of opening the installation door from the outside).
[0040] In practice, as a consequence of the rotation of the key, integrally with the rotor of the cylinder 6, the bit 16 thereof causes the lifting/lowering of the slider 10.
[0041] The movement from the lowered configuration to the raised configuration of the slider 10 causes the deactivation (locking) of the handle 3; the opposite movement (from the raised configuration to the lowered configuration of the slider 10) instead entails the activation of the handle 3, which, once the slider 10 has assumed the lowered configuration, can rotate freely, allowing to open the installation door from the outside.
[0042] According to the invention, the actuation pivot 3 a of the handle 3 is integral with a contoured radial expansion 20.
[0043] A retention element 21 is provided with a complementarily shaped recess 22; said element 21 can translate parallel to itself from an arrangement for locking the handle 3, which corresponds to the stable accommodation of the radial expansion 20 in the recess 22, to an arrangement for the activation of the handle 3, which corresponds to the arrangement of the element 21 on a plane that is different from the one that contains the radial expansion 20, with consequent free rotation of the actuation pivot 3a of said handle 3.
[0044] It is convenient to specify that in order to automate the operation of the assembly 1 and facilitate the element 21 in assuming autonomously the locking arrangement of the handle 3, elastic means are interposed between the retention element 21 and the shell 2 in order to force said element 21 on the same plane that contains the radial expansion 20.
[0045] The slider 10, according to this constructive solution, comprises at least one inclined guiding edge that is aligned with the locking element 21.
[0046] In the lowered configuration of the slider 10, the inclined guiding edge faces and is proximate to the locking element 21, which accordingly has assumed the arrangement for locking the handle 3.
[0047] In the raised configuration of the slider 10, instead, the inclined guiding edge abuts against the locking element 21 for its translation, in contrast with the elastic means cited earlier, until the activation arrangement of the handle 3 is reached.
[0048] In practice, in this constructive solution also, following the rotation of the key integrally with the rotor of the cylinder 6, the bit 16 thereof causes the lifting/lowering of the slider 10.
[0049] The movement from the lowered configuration to the raised configuration of the slider 10 causes the activation (release) of the handle 3 (which, once the slider 10 has assumed the raised configuration, can rotate freely, allowing the opening of the installation door from the outside); the opposite movement (from the raised configuration to the lowered configuration of the slider 10) instead entails the deactivation of the handle 3 which is locked following the coupling of the element 21 to the radial expansion 20.
[0050] Finally, it is specified that elastic means 24 are interposed between the portion of the slider 10 that is proximate to its upper end 13 and the inner lateral wall 23 of the shell 2 that substantially faces it, in order to force the portion toward the cylinder 6.
[0051] Conveniently, the present invention solves the problems described earlier, providing an external actuation assembly 1 associable with handles, panic bars and the like that is simple to use and has a reduced space occupation.
[0052] It is evident that the arrangement of the cylinder 6 above the handle 3 simplifies its use (the keys, when inserted in the cylinder 6, do not interfere in any way with the movements of the handle 3). Moreover, this arrangement entails a considerable reduction of space occupation (both as regards protrusion and as regards length) of the assembly 1 with respect to those of the known type.
[0053] Favorably, the assembly 1 has reduced costs for production, maintenance and replacement of its components.
[0054] It has in fact been shown that it is possible to adopt a cylinder 6 of the traditional type, which can thus be replaced easily, in case of failure or for other needs, without having to resort to special components, which are usually expensive and difficult to find.
[0055] Efficiently, the assembly 1 is suitable for the use of cylinder locks of the standard type, which have a usually better performance against break-ins than special components provided specifically for this application.
[0056] Advantageously, the external actuation assembly 1 associable with handles, panic bars and the like is relatively simple to provide in practice and is safe in application.
[0057] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
1. An external actuation assembly associable with handles, panic bars and the like, of
the type comprising a contoured shell (2) provided with a channel for accommodating
the actuation pivot (3a) of a handle (3), said shell (2) comprising a protrusion (4)
that lies above said hole and is provided with a seat (5) for a cylinder (6) controlled
by a respective key, characterized in that the actuation pivot (3a) of said handle (3) is integral with a contoured radial expansion
(20), a retention element (21) provided with a complementarily shaped recess (22)
being able to translate from an arrangement for locking the handle (3) that corresponds
to the stable accommodation of said expansion (20) within said recess (22) to an arrangement
for the activation of the handle (3) that corresponds to the arrangement of said element
(21) on a plane that is different from the plane that contains said expansion (20),
with consequent free rotation of the actuation pivot (3a) of said handle (3).
2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the front surface (7) of said protrusion (4), which is substantially coplanar to
the end front of said cylinder (6), and the outer face (8) of said handle (3), when
the respective actuation pivot (3a) is functionally engaged in said channel, are substantially
coplanar.
3. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said shell (2) comprises a rear portion (9), which is proximate to the surface for
resting against the installation leaf, which tapers with respect to a direction away
from said resting surface, said protrusion (4) and the end hole of said channel being
arranged on the end front of said tapered portion (9).
4. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said shell (2) accommodates slidingly a slider (10) that can translate from a lowered
configuration, in which its lower edge (11) is proximate to the lower inner face (12)
of said shell (2), to a raised configuration, in which an upper end (13) thereof is
proximate to the upper inner face (14) of said shell (2).
5. The assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that said slider (10) comprises, proximate to its said upper end (13), a contoured portion
(15) for temporary engagement of the bit (16) of said cylinder (6) during the rotation
of the key, with consequent lowering/lifting of said slider (10).
6. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that elastic means for forcing said element (21) in the configuration for locking the
handle (3) are interposed between said retention element (21) and said shell (2).
7. The assembly according to one or more of claims, characterized in that said slider (10) comprises at least one inclined guiding edge, which is aligned with
said locking element (21), in the lowered configuration of said slider (10) said inclined
guiding edge facing, and being proximate to, said retention element (21) arranged
in said arrangement for locking the handle (3), in the raised configuration of said
slider (10) said inclined guiding edge abutting against said locking element (21)
for its translation, in contrast with said elastic means, arranged in said arrangement
for activation of the handle (3).
8. The assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that elastic means (24) for forcing said contoured portion (15) of said slider (10) toward
said cylinder (6) are interposed between the portion of said slider (10) that is proximate
to said upper end (13) thereof and the inner side wall (23) of said shell (2) that
faces it.
1. Eine äußere Betätigungseinrichtung, verbindbar mit Handgriffen, Panikstangen und dergleichen,
von der Art, die ein konturiertes Gehäuse (2) umfasst, ausgestattet mit einem Durchgang
zur Aufnahme des Antriebszapfens (3a) eines Griffs (3); wobei das Gehäuse (2) einen
Vorsprung (4) umfasst, der oberhalb des Lochs liegt und mit einem Sitz (5) für einen
Zylinder (6), gesteuert durch einen entsprechenden Schlüssel, ausgestattet ist; dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Antriebszapfen (3a) des Griffs (3) mit einer konturierten radialen Erweiterung
(20) integral ist; wobei ein Halteelement (21), ausgestattet mit einer komplementär
geformten Öffnung (22), in der Lage ist, sich aus einer Anordnung zum Blockieren des
Griffs (3), die der festen Aufnahme der Erweiterung (20) in der Öffnung (22) entspricht,
in eine Anordnung zur Aktivierung des Griffs (3) zu bewegen, die der Anordnung des
Elements (21) auf einer Ebene entspricht, welche sich von der Ebene unterscheidet,
die die Erweiterung (20) enthält, mit daraus folgender freier Drehung des Antriebszapfens
(3a) des Griffs (3).
2. Die Einrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Vorderseite (7) des Vorsprungs (4), die im Wesentlichen koplanar mit der Endfront
des Zylinders (6) ist, und die Außenseite des Griffs (3), wenn der entsprechende Antriebszapfen
(3a) funktionell in den Durchgang eingreift, im Wesentlichen koplanar sind.
3. Die Einrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Gehäuse (2) einen hinteren Teil (9) umfasst, der sich nahe der Oberfläche zum
Anliegen an dem Installationsblatt befindet und der sich in eine Richtung fort von
der Auflagefläche verjüngt; wobei der Vorsprung (4) und die Endbohrung des Durchgangs
an der Endfront des verjüngten Teils (9) angeordnet sind.
4. Die Einrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Gehäuse (2) einen Schieber (10) verschiebbar aufnimmt, der sich aus einer abgesenkten
Anordnung, in welcher seine Unterkante (11) sich nahe der unteren Innenfläche (12)
des Gehäuses (2) befindet, in eine erhöhte Anordnung bewegen kann, in welcher ein
oberes Ende (13) desselben sich nahe der oberen Innenfläche (14) des Gehäuses (2)
befindet.
5. Die Einrichtung gemäß Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schieber (10) in der Nähe seines oberen Endes (13) einen konturierten Abschnitt
(15) für das vorübergehende Eingreifen der Spitze (16) des Zylinders (6) während der
Drehung des Schlüssels, mit daraus folgender Absenkung/Anhebung des Schiebers (10),
umfasst.
6. Die Einrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass elastische Mittel zum Drücken des Elements (21) in die Anordnung zum Blockieren des
Griffs (3) zwischen dem Halteelement (21) und dem Gehäuse (2) angeordnet sind.
7. Die Einrichtung gemäß einem oder mehreren der Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schieber (10) mindestens eine schräge Führungskante umfasst, die mit dem Halteelement
(21) ausgerichtet ist, wobei in der abgesenkten Anordnung des Schiebers (10) die schräge
Führungskante dem Halteelement (21), angeordnet in der Anordnung zum Blockieren des
Griffs (3), zugewandt und nahe ist; wobei in der erhöhten Anordnung des Schiebers
(10) die schräge Führungskante an das Halteelement (21) anstößt zum Zwecke seiner
Translationsbewegung im Kontrast zu den elastischen Mitteln, angeordnet in der Anordnung
zum Aktivieren des Griffs.
8. Die Einrichtung gemäß einem oder mehreren der obigen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass elastische Mittel (24) zum Drücken des konturierten Abschnitts (15) des Schiebers
(10) zu dem Zylinder (6) zwischen dem Abschnitt des Schiebers (10), der nahe dem oberen
Ende (13) desselben liegt, und der inneren Seitenwand (23) des Gehäuses (2), die ihm
zugewandt ist, angeordnet sind.
1. Ensemble d'actionnement externe pouvant être associé à des poignées, des barres antipanique
et analogues, du type comportant une coque à contour façonné (2) pourvue d'un canal
pour recevoir le pivot d'actionnement (3a) d'une poignée (3), ladite coque (2) comportant une saillie (4) qui se situe au-dessus dudit trou et est pourvue d'un logement (5) pour un barillet (6) commandé par une clé respective,
caractérisé en ce que le pivot d'actionnement (3a) de ladite poignée (3) est solidaire d'une protubérance
radiale à contour façonné (20), un élément de retenue (21) pourvu d'un évidement de
forme complémentaire (22) pouvant se déplacer en translation depuis un agencement
de verrouillage de la poignée (3) qui correspond à la réception stable de ladite protubérance
(20) à l'intérieur dudit évidement (22) jusqu'à un agencement pour l'activation de
la poignée (3) qui correspond à l'agencement dudit élément (21) sur un plan qui est
différent du plan qui contient ladite protubérance (20), avec une libre rotation conséquente
du pivot d'actionnement (3a) de ladite poignée (3).
2. Ensemble selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la surface avant (7) de ladite saillie (4), qui est sensiblement coplanaire à la
face d'extrémité avant dudit barillet (6), et la face extérieure (8) de ladite poignée
(3), lorsque le pivot d'actionnement (3a) respectif est fonctionnellement engagé dans
ledit canal, sont sensiblement coplanaires.
3. Ensemble selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite coque (2) comporte une partie arrière (9), qui est à proximité de la surface
d'appui contre le battant d'installation, qui s'incline par rapport à une direction
s'éloignant de ladite surface d'appui, ladite saillie (4) et le trou d'extrémité dudit
canal étant agencés sur la face d'extrémité avant de ladite partie inclinée (9).
4. Ensemble selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite coque (2) reçoit un coulisseau (10) de manière coulissante qui peut se déplacer
en translation depuis une configuration abaissée, dans laquelle son bord inférieur
(11) est proche de la face intérieure inférieure (12) de ladite coque (2), jusqu'à
une configuration levée, dans laquelle une extrémité supérieure (13) de celui-ci est
proche de la face intérieure supérieure (14) de ladite coque (2).
5. Ensemble selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que ledit coulisseau (10) comporte, à proximité de sa dite extrémité supérieure (13),
une partie à contour façonné (15) pour un engagement temporaire du panneton (16) dudit
barillet (6) pendant la rotation de la clé, avec un abaissement/soulèvement conséquent
dudit coulisseau (10).
6. Ensemble selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que des moyens élastiques pour forcer ledit élément (21) dans la configuration de verrouillage
de la poignée (3) sont intercalés entre ledit élément de retenue (21) et ladite coque
(2).
7. Ensemble selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit coulisseau (10) comporte au moins un bord de guidage incliné, qui est aligné
avec ledit élément de verrouillage (21), dans la configuration abaissée dudit coulisseau
(10), ledit bord de guidage incliné étant dirigé vers ledit élément de retenue (21)
agencé dans ledit agencement de verrouillage de la poignée (3) et étant proche de
celui-ci, dans la configuration levée dudit coulisseau (10), ledit bord de guidage
incliné venant en butée contre ledit élément de verrouillage (21) pour sa translation,
en opposition auxdits moyens élastiques, agencés dans ledit agencement d'activation
de la poignée (3).
8. Ensemble selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que des moyens élastiques (24) pour forcer ladite partie à contour façonné (15) dudit
coulisseau (10) vers ledit barillet (6) sont intercalés entre la partie dudit coulisseau
(10) qui est proche de ladite extrémité supérieure (13) de celui-ci et la paroi latérale
intérieure (23) de ladite coque (2) qui lui fait face.