NL1036087C

NL1036087C - Lock system.

Info

Publication number: NL1036087C
Application number: NL1036087A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Johannes Hendrikus Maria Harink
Original assignee: Johannes Hendrikus Maria Harink
Priority date: 2008-10-17
Filing date: 2008-10-17
Publication date: 2010-04-20

Description

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Lock system DESCRIPTION

5 The present invention refers to a lock system for locking and unlocking a moving or pivoting building element, hereinafter indicated as door, in a cooperating building element, hereinafter indicated as door post.

Such lock system are of general knowledge and comprise a lock mechanism which may 10 installed in a slit made in the side of the door, which mechanism includes a latch which can slide out and in by actuating (sliding in) or releasing (sliding out) the door handle which is inserted in the lock. In the door handle's rest position thus the latch protrudes outside the side surface of the door. The protruding latch is arranged to fall into a corresponding blind hole in the door post.

15

One aim of the present invention is to provide a lock system which meets better the modem esthetical preferences of the public. Another aim is to provide a cost efficient lock system comprising modem components, like cheap, light, and strong magnetic materials.

20 According to the invention it is preferred that the lock system comprises a first module, arranged to be mounted on or in the door and to cooperate with a door handle, as well as a second module, arranged to be mounted at of in the door post for cooperation with the first module. Besides, both the first and the second module comprises parts of a common magnetic circuit, i.e. the first module comprises a first element which includes a first part of the 25 magnetic circuit and the second module comprises a second element which includes a second part of the magnetic circuit, both elements or parts respectively exerting a mutual magnetic attraction force toward one another at least when in each other's vicinity. The first element is movable and arranged to be driven by the door handle toward or frontward the second element, i.e. toward the second element when the door handle is in its rest position and 30 frontward when the door handle is actuated, while the second element is movable toward and frontward the first element and connected to a retraction member which exerts a force to the second element frontward the first element. Said components are arranged and dimensioned such that -when the door is located within its door post- in the rest position of the door handle the first element is located in its position toward the second element and the second 1036087 * -2- element is attracted to the first element by the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic circuit, against the force of said retraction member, causing the second element to be located in its position toward the first element -thus locking the door to the door post- while on actuation of the door handle, the first element is driven, by the door handle, fromward the 5 second element, causing the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic circuit to decrease to under the force of the retraction member and thus causing the second element to be driven, by the retraction member, fromward the first element -thus unlocking the door from the door post.

10 Optionally, the first part of the magnetic circuit -included in the first element- may comprise a magnet. Instead or in addition, the second part of the magnetic circuit -included in the second element- may comprise a magnet. In other word, either one element -the first element or the second element- comprises a magnet or both elements comprise a magnet.

15 The retraction element may comprise a spring, viz. for retracting the second element fromward the first element. Instead or in addition, the retraction element may comprise a third part of the magnetic circuit, i.e. either comprising a magnet or comprising a keeper plate, which may cooperate with a magnet in the second element.

20 The invention will be elucidated hereinafter with reference to some figures, illustrating some exemplary embodiments of the inventive lock system.

Figures la-b show schematically a first exemplary embodiment in different stages of actuation; 25

Figures 2a-b show a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Figures 3a-b show a third exemplary embodiment of the invention; 30 Figures 4a-b show a forth exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Figures la-b show a door 1 in cross-section and housing 2 and a door handle 3 of a door lock, which is partially cut away to show part of its interior. The counterpart of the lock is located in a door post 4, which also is shown in cross-section.

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The lock system, arranged for locking and unlocking the door 1 in the door post 4, comprises a first module 5 which is part of the lock housing 2 which is mounted in the door 1, i.e. within a slit made in the door and fixed by a front plate 6 which is fixed by screws 7. A second 5 module 8 of the lock system is mounted in the door post 4, i.e. the second module's housing 9 may be inserted in a -preferably round pot-hole- which is made in the door post 4, and fixed in it e.g. by clamping and/or adhesive bonding.

Both the first and the second module comprise parts of a common magnetic circuit, i.e. the 10 first module 5 comprises a first element 10 -movable within a housing 1 Oa of the first module 5- which first element 10 accommodates a first part of the magnetic circuit, which is -in this embodiment- formed by a powerful magnet 11 and a couple of magnetism conductive (i.e. having a good magnetic permeability) pole plates 12. The second module 8 comprises a second element 13 which accommodates a second part of the magnetic circuit which is -in 15 this embodiment- formed by a powerful magnet 14 and a couple of magnetism conductive pole plates 15. Both elements, 10 and 13, and their accommodated parts, i.e. the magnet 11 and 14, via their the pole plates 12 and 15, exert a mutual magnetic attraction force toward one another, at least when in each other's vicinity as shown in figure la. It is noted here that the front plate preferably is made of any non-magnetic material like e.g. stainless steel, 20 Aluminium or a thermoplastic or thermosetting synthetic material.

The first element 10 is movable, i.e. slidable in housing 10a, and arranged, via a connecting rod 16, to be driven by the door handle 3 toward or fromward the second element, i.e. toward the second element when the door handle is in its rest position (figure la) and fromward when 25 the door handle is actuated (figure lb).

The second element 15 is movable toward and fromward the first element 10 and connected to a retraction member -in this embodiment being a tension spring 17 which is fixed to the housing 13 of the second element and the bottom of the housing 9 of the second module 8-30 which exerts a force to the second element fromward the first element.

The components are arranged and dimensioned such that -when the door 1 is located within its door post 4- in the rest position of the door handle 3 -shown in figure la- the first element 10 is located -pushed by the (spring loaded) door handle 3 and the connection rod 16- in its -4- position toward the second element 13 and the second element 13 is attracted then to the first element 10 by the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic circuit, constituted by both magnets 11 and 14 and their pole plates 12 and 15, against the force of the retraction member, i.e. the tension spring 17, causing the second element to be located in its position toward the 5 first element, thus locking the door to the door post, i.e. due to the friction power which is exerted by the front surface of the second element 13 to the surface of the front plate 6. It is noted here that the friction exerted by the front surface of the second element 13 to the surface of the front plate 6 can be increased by providing the front surface of the second element 13, the surface of the front plate 6 or both surfaces with a friction increasing material, e.g. rubber 10 and/or structure, e.g. ridges.

On actuation of the door handle, illustrated in figure lb, the first element 10 is driven, by the door handle 3, via the connection rod 16, fromward the second element 13, causing the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic circuit to decrease -due to the enlarged gap between 15 the magnets/pole plates- to under the force of the retraction member 17 and thus causing the second element 13 to be driven by the retraction member 17, fromward the first element 10, thus unlocking (or releasing) the door 1 from the door post 4.

The housing parts of the first and second module and the first and second element, i.e. the 20 parts 9,10,10a and 13 may e.g. be made by a plastic like polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide etc. made by injection molding, which can be thin-walled -causing only a small distance between the magnetic parts which exert a magnetic force one another- and which enables the first element 10 to slide smoothly in the first module 5 and the second element 13 in the second module 8.

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The magnets 11 and 14 may be modem rare-earth magnets like Neodymium or NIB magnets which are very strong relative to their mass. These cost more per kilogram than most other magnetic materials but are, due to their intense field, smaller and cheaper in many applications. However, the magnets 11 and 14 may be made from other materials as well.

Turning now to the remaining figures, showing alternative embodiments, in figures la-b, 2a-b and 4a-b the first part of the magnetic circuit, included in the first element 10, comprises a magnet 11 (and pole plates 12) as discussed in the preceding. Besides, in figures la-b, 3a-b 30 -5- and 4a-b the second part of the magnetic circuit, included in the second element 13, comprises a magnet 14 (and pole plates 15) as discussed in the preceding.

Figures 2a-b show an embodiment in which the active magnetic component, i.e. the magnet 5 14, has been replaced by a passive one, viz. by a (fixing, holding) keeper plate 18, which is accommodated by the second element 13, the shape of which has been slightly adapted to the shape of the keeper plate 18. The operation, illustrated in both figures 2a-b is similar to the operation of the lock system as shown in figures la-b and does not need to be outlined again here. Due to the smaller dimensions of the keeper plate 18 compared with the dimensions of 10 the magnet and pole plates in the embodiment shown in figures la-b, the length of the second module 8 can be reduced. The attraction force between the first element 10 of the first module 5 and the second element 13 of the second module 8, however, will be reduced as well, due to the fact that only one magnet is used to energize the magnetic circuit instead of two as in the embodiments of figures la-b and 4a-b. In consequence, the attraction force of the tension 15 spring 17 might to have to be reduced as well.

Figures 3a-b show an embodiment in which -just like in the previous embodiment- one of the magnet/pole plate arrangements is replaced by a keeper plate, however, within the first module 5 now. The operation is similar to the operation of the preceding embodiments. The 20 shape of the first element 10 has been adapted to the fact that a keeper plate 19 is accommodated in the first element 10.

In the embodiments shown in the figures la-b, 2a-b and 3a-b the retraction element comprises a tension spring 17. Figure 4a-b shows an embodiment in which the retraction element 25 comprises a third part of the magnetic circuit, viz. in the form of an additional keeper plate 20 which is mounted in the bottom of the housing 9 of the second module. The operation is as follows: in the rest position of the door handle 3, shown in figure 4a, the magnet systems 11/12 of first element 10 and 14/15 of second element 13 attract each other as outlined in the discussion of figure la. The keeper plate 20 exerts, it is true, an attraction to the magnet 30 system 14/15, however, this attraction is much less than the attraction force which both magnet systems 11/12 and 14/15 exert the one another. When, however, as illustrated in figure 4b, the first element 10 is pulled away from the second element 13 due to actuation of the door handle 3, via the connection rod 16, the magnet system 14/15 of the second element 13 will be attracted to the keeper plate 20. The final attraction force between the magnet -6- system 14/15 and the keeper plate 20 is determined by the size of the gap 21 between the magnet system 14/15 and the keeper plate 20, which is determined by the width of an edge 22 in the interior of the housing 9 of the second module 8. If the gap 21 is well dimensioned, the second element 13 will return towards the first element 10 be the magnetic attraction of both 5 magnet systems 11/12 and 14/15 of the both movable elements 10 and 13. As will be apparent from figures 4a-b this alternative embodiment represents a robust and room saving construction.

It is noted that an inverse arrangement for the embodiment of figures 4a-b is possible as well: 10 the keeper plate 20 could be exchanged by the magnet system 14/15. In that case the keeper plate 20 would, in the rest position of the door handle 3, be attracted by the magnet system 11/12 of the first element 10, and the keeper plate 20 would be attracted by the magnet system 14/15 fixed to the bottom of the second module 8. When the first element 10 is pulled backwards, the (movable) keeper plate 20 will be attracted by the magnet system 14/15 fixed 15 on the bottom (right in the figure) of the second module 8. When the door handle 3 is released, returning into its rest position, the first element's magnet system 11/12 will -if all components are well dimensioned and adjusted- attract the (movable) keeper plate 20 towards its, thus be pressed with its front side against the front plate 6.

Claims

1. Slotsysteem voor het vergrendelen en ontgrendelen van een beweegbaar of draaibaar bouwelement, hierna aangeduid met deur (1), in een samenwerkend bouwelement, hierna aangeduid met deurpost (4), waarbij het slotsysteem een eerste module (5) omvat, die is ingericht om op of in de deur te worden gemonteerd en om samen te werken met een deurkruk (3), alsmede een tweede module (8), die is ingericht om aan of in een deurpost te 10 worden gemonteerd voor samenwerking met de eerste module; waarbij zowel de eerste als het tweede module delen van een gemeenschappelijk magnetisch circuit omvatten, d.w.z. de eerste module omvat een eerste element (10) dat een eerste deel van het magnetische circuit en de tweede module omvat een tweede 15 element (13) dat een tweede deel van het magnetische circuit omvat, waarbij beide elementen resp. delen een onderlinge magnetische aantrekkingskracht op elkaar uitoefenen, althans wanneer zij zich in eikaars nabijheid bevinden; waarbij het eerste element beweegbaar is en is ingericht om door de deurkruk naar het 20 tweede element toe of er vanaf te worden aangedreven, d.w.z. naar het tweede element toe wanneer de deurkruk zich in zijn rustpositie bevindt (figuren la, 2a, 3a, 4a) en er vanaf wanneer de deurkruk wordt ingedrukt (figuren lb, 2b, 3b, 4b); waarbij het tweede element naar en van het eerste element beweegbaar is en verbonden is 25 met een terugtrekelement (17,20) dat op het tweede element een van het eerste element af gerichte kracht uitoefent; waarbij de genoemde componenten zo zijn ingericht en gedimensioneerd dat 30 in de rustpositie van de deurkruk het eerste element zich in zijn positie naar het tweede element toe bevindt en het tweede element door het eerste element wordt aangetrokken door de magnetische aantrekkingskracht van het magnetische circuit, tegen de kracht van het genoemde terugtrekelement in, waardoor het tweede element zich in zijn positie naar het eerste element toe bevindt, terwijl -8- bij neerdrukken van de deurkruk het eerste element door de deurkruk van het tweede element af wordt bewogen, waardoor de magnetische aantrekkingskracht van het magnetische circuit afneemt tot onder de kracht van het terugtrekelement waardoor aldus 5 het tweede element door het terugtrekelement van het eerste element af wordt bewogen.A locking system for locking and unlocking a movable or rotatable building element, hereinafter referred to as door (1), in a cooperating building element, hereinafter referred to as door station (4), wherein the locking system comprises a first module (5) which is arranged to be mounted on or in the door and to cooperate with a door handle (3), as well as a second module (8), which is adapted to be mounted on or in a door station for cooperation with the first module; wherein both the first and the second module comprise parts of a common magnetic circuit, ie the first module comprises a first element (10) comprising a first part of the magnetic circuit and the second module a second element (13) comprising a second part of the magnetic circuit, wherein both elements resp. parts exert a magnetic attraction on each other, at least when they are in close proximity to each other; the first element being movable and adapted to be driven by the door handle towards or away from the second element, ie towards the second element when the door handle is in its rest position (figures 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a) and from when the door handle is depressed (Figures 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b); wherein the second element is movable to and from the first element and is connected to a retraction element (17,20) which exerts a force directed away from the first element on the second element; said components being arranged and dimensioned such that in the rest position of the door handle the first element is in its position towards the second element and the second element is attracted by the first element by the magnetic attraction of the magnetic circuit, against into the force of said retracting element, whereby the second element is in its position towards the first element, while when the door handle is pressed down the first element is moved away from the second element by the door handle, whereby the magnetic attraction of the magnetic circuit decreases to below the force of the retraction element, whereby the second element is thus moved away from the first element by the retraction element.

2. Slotsysteem volgens conclusie 1, waarbij het eerste deel van het magnetische circuit een magneet (11) omvat.The lock system of claim 1, wherein the first part of the magnetic circuit comprises a magnet (11).

3. Slotsysteem volgens conclusies 1 of 2, waarbij het tweede deel van het magnetische circuit een magneet (14) omvat.Slot system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second part of the magnetic circuit comprises a magnet (14).

4. Slotsysteem volgens conclusie 1, waarbij het terugtrekelement een veer (17) omvat.The lock system of claim 1, wherein the retraction element comprises a spring (17).

5. Slotsysteem volgens conclusie 1, waarbij het terugtrekelement een derde deel van het magnetische circuit omvat.The lock system of claim 1, wherein the retraction element comprises a third part of the magnetic circuit.

6. Slotsysteem volgens conclusie 3 en 5, waarbij het derde deel van het magnetische circuit een kleefplaat (20) omvat. 20The lock system of claims 3 and 5, wherein the third part of the magnetic circuit comprises an adhesive plate (20). 20

7. Slotsysteem volgens conclusie 5, waarbij het derde deel van het magnetische circuit een magneet omvat. 1036087The lock system of claim 5, wherein the third part of the magnetic circuit comprises a magnet. 1036087