EP1978203A1

EP1978203A1 - Exit door wing for public places and the like

Info

Publication number: EP1978203A1
Application number: EP07425202A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francesco Sutti
Original assignee: ATC SpA
Current assignee: ATC SpA
Priority date: 2007-04-05
Filing date: 2007-04-05
Publication date: 2008-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2027-04-05
Also published as: ATE461354T1; DE602007005347D1; EP1978203B1

Abstract

An exit door wing (1) for public places and the like, of the type that comprises a door wing proper (2), associated with a respective opening of the installation space by way of a fixed pivoting axis which is arranged substantially at one of its perimetric edges. The door wing (1) also comprises a directional locking unit (3), which is associated with the pivoting axis and is controlled by a lever system (2a) which can be operated by a user. The unit (3) comprises a hinge (4) which is fixed to one edge of the opening, a rotatable shaft (5) which is rigidly coupled to the door wing (2) and is pivoted on the hinge (4), and an elastic element (6), which is substantially rigidly coupled to a portion (7) of the shaft (5) and to a part of the hinge (4) which faces the portion (7) and is proximate thereto. The elastic element (6) interferes with the shaft (5) and the hinge (4) in the inactive condition, preventing mutual movements. The shaft (5) and the hinge (4) are disconnected freely only as a consequence of an elastic deformation of the element (6) by way of the action of a force applied by the lever system (2a), actuated by a user, on the element (6).

Description

The present invention relates to an exit door wing for public places and the like, particularly for enclosed public places such as buses, supermarkets, exhibition buildings, public offices, and others.
As is known, in enclosed public places such as means of transport (buses), supermarkets, exhibition buildings, public offices and other similar places, for various reasons (security, public order, control of unauthorized entries), the accesses and exits of individuals must be appropriately controlled, ordered and regulated.
For example, in places to which access is allowed only by paying or by means of an admission ticket, such as public transportation vehicles, exhibition buildings, movie theaters and the like, it is necessary to check that people without a ticket or people who have not paid do not enter. While it is rather easy to control accesses from the entrance of the place by means of barriers, turnstiles, bars and the presence of workers assigned to this control, it is far less easy to check that nobody enters through the exit doors.
In other public places, such as supermarkets or other commercial spaces, the entry and exit of people must instead occur, for reasons of security, order and possible attempted theft, only through specific preset routes: in particular, the entrances, the exits with purchases and the exits without purchases are clearly distinct from each other. In this case also, it is rather simple to check the entrances, but it is less easy, due to the great crowd of people, to check that nobody enters through the exits with purchases and the exits without purchases.
The examples of this type are of course very numerous and disparate.
In some public places (for example buses), there are exit doors proper, which can be opened manually or automatically, but have no means for preventing intrusion from the outside toward the inside: these doors remain open for a certain period of time to allow people to exit, but nothing prevents other people from entering in turn, blending in with those who are exiting.
The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing an exit door wing for public places and the like which allows the regular exit of people from the place where it is installed but at the same time prevents other people, from outside, from passing through it in order to enter said place.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an exit door wing which is simple and quick to install in public places of any kind, even moving ones (for example means of transport).
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exit door wing which has a simple structure, is relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use and effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present exit door wing for public places and the like, of the type that comprises a door wing proper, associated with a respective opening of the installation space by way of a fixed pivoting axis which is arranged substantially at one of its perimetric edges, characterized in that it comprises a directional locking unit which is associated with said pivoting axis and is controlled by a lever system which can be operated by a user, said unit comprising a hinge which is fixed to one edge of said opening, a rotatable shaft which is rigidly coupled to said door wing and is pivoted on the hinge, and an elastic element, which is substantially rigidly coupled to a portion of said shaft and to a part of said hinge which faces said portion and is proximate thereto, said elastic element interfering with both in the inactive condition, preventing mutual movements, said shaft and said hinge being disconnected freely only as a consequence of an elastic deformation of said element by way of the action of a force applied by said lever system, actuated by a user, on said element.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an exit door wing for public places and the like according to the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a door wing according to the invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a door wing according to the invention;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the locking unit of a door wing according to the invention;
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the locking unit of a door wing according to the invention;
Figure 5 is a partially sectional side view of the locking unit of a door wing according to the invention in the configuration for locking it closed;
Figure 6 is a partially sectional side view of the locking unit of a door wing according to the invention in the configuration for free movement.

In the exemplary embodiment that follows, individual characteristics may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.
Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.
With reference to Figure 1, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an exit door wing for public places and the like according to the invention.
The door wing 1 according to the invention comprises a door wing proper 2, which is associated with a respective opening of the installation space (in the specific case, it can be the opening of the means of transport on which the door wing proper 2 is installed or the opening provided in the public space whose accesses are controlled by the presence of the door wing proper 2) by means of a fixed pivoting axis, which is arranged substantially at a perimetric edge of the door wing proper 2.
The door wing 1 also comprises a directional locking unit 3, which is associated with the pivoting axis and is controlled by a lever system 2a, which can be operated by a user.
The unit 3 in turn comprises a hinge 4, which is fixed to an edge of the opening, a rotating shaft 5, which is rigidly coupled to the door wing proper 2 and is pivoted on the hinge 4, and an elastic element 6, which is substantially rigidly coupled to a portion 7 of the shaft 5 and to a part of the hinge 4 which faces, and lies proximate to, the portion 7.
The elastic element 6 interferes with the hinge 4 and with the portion 7 in the inactive condition, preventing mutual movements (when in the inactive condition, the door wing 1 is substantially retained in the configuration for closing the respective opening).
The shaft 5 and the hinge 4 are freely disconnected only following an elastic deformation of the element 6 by way of the action of a force applied by the lever system 2a, actuated by a user, to the element 6; in practice, by acting on an actuation element of the lever system 2a it is possible to change the shape (in elastic forcing) of the element 6 and uncouple the hinge 4 and the shaft 5.
According to a preferred embodiment, the unit 3 comprises a containment bush 8, which is associated with the lever system 2a and is arranged above the hinge 4, the shaft 5 and the respective elastic means 6; the bush 8 is designed to deform the elastic means 6 from the inactive interference configuration, which corresponds to the retention of the door wing 1 in the closed condition, to the configuration of mutual freedom of the shaft 5 and the hinge 4, as a consequence of movements thereof imparted by the lever system 2a.
The lever system 2a comprises at least one opening mechanism, which has a movable surface 9 which faces the door wing 2 and is proximate thereto and can perform a translational motion substantially at right angles to the door wing 2, from an inactive arrangement in which it is arranged at a greater distance from the door wing 2, being kept thereat by respective internal elastic pushers not visible in the figure, to an active arrangement, in which it is at a shorter distance from the door wing 2 by way of the pushing action of the users.
The opening mechanism also comprises at least one translational rod 10, which is articulated even indirectly with respect to the movable surface 9; the rod 10 is functionally controlled by the movements of the surface 9 and its free end is connected, even indirectly, to the elastic element 6 for its controlled deformation.
In particular, according to the constructive embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the free end of the rod 10 is provided with a protruding pin 11, and the bush 8 has a through slot 12 which has at least one respective inclined surface among the ones that delimit it (in particular, in the embodiment shown in the figure, the slot is substantially triangular): the protrusion, when the unit 3 is assembled, is accommodated within the slot 12 for coupling the translational motions of the rod 10 with consequent rotations of the bush 8, by way of the inclination of the slot 12. The rotations of the bush 8 impose deformations of the elastic element 6 which entail the possible disengagement of the hinge 4 and the shaft 5 (in this condition, the door wing 1 can rotate freely with respect to its own pivoting axis).
According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the elastic element 6 is constituted by a torsion spring whose turns are wound and elastically clamped onto the shaft 5 (in particular its portion 7 or another element rigidly coupled thereto). Some of these turns are rigidly coupled to a fixed portion of the hinge 4; the elastic deformation of the element 6 entails a widening of the turns, consequently releasing the shaft 5.
According to an alternative embodiment, the elastic element comprises a pneumatic piston, which constitutes a so-called gas cylinder actuator, which is designed for the controlled locking of the shaft 5 with respect to the hinge 4: in this manner, the pneumatic piston might also be of the type that can be actuated (operated electrically, pneumatically or otherwise) to ensure that the rod can be opened and closed not only by the action of the users on the surface 9 of the lever system 2a but also by way of an adapted electric, pneumatic or remote control.
According to the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the opening device is substantially shaped like a panic bar: actually, any device which comprises a movable surface on which users can act with a pressure which entails its translational motion must be considered suitable for this type of installation, of course if the translational motion entails a movement of the unit 3 with consequent variation of the retention status of the door wing 1.
The door wing 1 according to the embodiment shown in the figure, comprises a door closure device 13, of the type provided with an elastic actuation system, in which a portion is rigidly coupled to the anchoring area of the hinge 4 of the door wing 1, and an arm 14, which is articulated to a second portion and is engaged on the door wing 1, causing its movement in the absence of external actions.
The operation of the door wing 1 according to the invention is as follows.
The door wing 1 is normally retained in the closed condition: the elastic element 6 mates and mutually locks the hinge 4 (which is fixed) and the shaft 5 (which can rotate).
By acting on the surface 9 of the lever system 2a, a vertical translational motion of the rod 10 occurs and its protruding pin 11 (by resting against the slot 12) turns the bush 8. Therefore, the elastic element 6 undergoes a deformation which is matched by a loosening (widening) of its turns: the shaft 5 is released and can turn about the hinge 4.
It is important to note that in the embodiment shown in the figure there is a plug 14 which is designed to be associated stably with the portion 7 of the shaft 5: the plug 14 is the one that is actually engaged within the unit 3.
It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects.
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 be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

An exit door wing for public places and the like, of the type that comprises a door wing proper (2), associated with a respective opening of the installation space by way of a fixed pivoting axis which is arranged substantially at one of its perimetric edges, characterized in that it comprises a directional locking unit (3) which is associated with said pivoting axis and is controlled by a lever system (2a) which can be operated by a user, said unit (3) comprising a hinge (4) which is fixed to one edge of said opening, a rotatable shaft (5) which is rigidly coupled to said door wing (2) and is pivoted on the hinge (4), and an elastic element (6), which is substantially rigidly coupled to a portion (7) of said shaft (5) and to a part of said hinge (4) which faces said portion (7) and is proximate thereto, said elastic element (6) interfering with both in the inactive condition, preventing mutual movements, said shaft (5) and said hinge (4) being disconnected freely only as a consequence of an elastic deformation of said element (6) by way of the action of a force applied by said lever system (2a), actuated by a user on said element (6).
The door wing according to claim 1, characterized in that said unit (3) comprises a containment bush (8), which is associated with said lever system (2a) and is arranged above said hinge (4), said shaft (5) and said respective elastic means (6), said bush (8) being designed to deform said elastic means (6) from said condition of interference, at rest, to said configuration of mutual freedom of the shaft (5) and the hinge (4), as a consequence of movements thereof imparted by said lever system (2a).
The door wing according to claim 1, characterized in that said lever system (2a) comprises at least one opening device, which has a movable surface (9) which faces, and lies proximate to, said door wing (2) and can perform a translational motion substantially at right angles to said door wing (2), from an inactive arrangement, in which it is at a greater distance from said door wing (2), being kept thereat by respective elastic pushers, to an active arrangement, in which it is at a shorter distance from said wing (2) by way of pushing on the part of users.
The door wing according to claim 3, characterized in that said opening device also comprises at least one respective translational rod (10), which is articulated, even indirectly, with respect to said movable surface (9), being functionally controlled by the movements of said rod (10), its free end being connected, even indirectly, to said elastic element (6) for its controlled deformation.
The door wing according to claim 4, characterized in that the free end of the at least one rod (10) is provided with a protruding pin (11) and in that said bush (8) has a through slot (12) which is inclined along its lateral surface, said protruding pin (11) being accommodated, when the unit (3) is assembled, within said slot (12) for the coupling of the translational motions of the rod (10) with the rotations of the bush (8), by way of the inclination of the slot (12) and of the consequent deformations of the elastic element (6).
The door wing according to claim 1, characterized in that said elastic element (6) is constituted by a torsion spring whose turns are wound, and clamped elastically even indirectly, on said shaft (5), some of said turns being rigidly coupled to a fixed portion of said hinge (4), the elastic deformation of said element (6) entailing a widening of said turns, consequently releasing said shaft (5).
The door wing according to claim 1 and as an alternative to claim 6, characterized in that said elastic element comprises a pneumatic piston, which constitutes a so-called gas-assisted strut and is designed to provide controlled locking of said shaft (5) with respect to said hinge (4).
The door wing according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said opening device is substantially shaped like a panic bar.
The door wing according to one or more of the preceding claims,
characterized in that it comprises a door closure device (13) of the type provided with an elastic actuation system which has a portion which is rigidly coupled to the anchoring area of the hinge (4) of said door wing (1) and an arm (14), which is articulated to a second portion and is engaged on said door wing (1), moving it in the absence of external actions.