EP3488741B1 - Device for moving a slider for opening or closing a zipper - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for moving a slide for opening or closing a slide fastener.

Fishermen, especially sport anglers, often spend the night in a tent near the water where the fishing rods are located, which are usually equipped with electronic bite indicators. In the event of a fish biting on a bait attached to a fish hook, the bite indicator delivers a signal that the fisherman can perceive optically and / or acoustically, whereupon the fisherman has to open the zipper of his tent in order to leave it and check the fishing rod. This is relatively time-consuming, as it either operates in the dark or a lamp has to be switched on or activated.

the WO 98/00041 A1 discloses a zipper consisting of two rows of inverted tooth chains and a slider which is provided with a reversible electric motor, which is coupled to a gear, the output shaft of which is connected to at least one toothed or pin wheel, which engages in the spaces between the teeth of a toothed chain, wherein the electric motor is connected to a control device including a power source. Alternatively, the free ends of the teeth of the inverted tooth chains have slots parallel to them, which extend as far as the center of the coupling zone. At the end of the zipper there is a reversible electric motor controlled by a control device including a power source, which is connected to a spool on which a thread is wound, which runs through the slots in the teeth and is connected to the slide at the free end. The zip fasteners disclosed represent special constructions which are complex and expensive to produce. Retrofitting an existing zipper is not possible, rather the zipper must be replaced.

the US 2,965,945 A1 and the U.S. 3,315,914 each describe a device for moving a slide of a zip fastener with a housing connected to a holding device and a motor-driven shaft for winding and unwinding a thread which can be coupled to the slide. The document U.S. 4,117,961 discloses a system according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention is based on the object of creating a device of the type mentioned at the outset which enables a zip fastener to be opened or closed relatively simply and quickly, in particular at the entrance of a tent, without a user having to move the slide associated with the zip fastener directly.

Another object of the invention is to create a device of the type mentioned at the outset which ensures automatic opening or closing of a zipper at the entrance of a tent and which can be retrofitted to an existing tent without structurally changing the tent or the zipper.

In addition, it is the object of the invention to provide a device of the type mentioned at the outset which can be operated remotely.

According to the invention, the objects are achieved by the features of the independent claim.

The subclaims represent advantageous embodiments of the invention.

A device for moving a slide for opening or closing a zip fastener comprises a housing connected to a holding device for its stationary attachment, a shaft driven in rotation by a motor for winding and unwinding a thread being mounted in the housing, the thread with the slide or a slide handle of the zip fastener connected to the slide can be coupled and the motor can be set in rotary motion by means of a switching device.

The switching device comprises an interface for coupling with electronic signal devices and / or input / output devices. For example, the motor can be controlled with a smartphone or the like via a corresponding interface or by means of another signal device that reacts to noises or movements, for example, and generates a corresponding switching signal for switching on the motor and transmits it to the switching device. In particular, the signal device can also be the noise sensor that can be coupled to a bite indicator. The interface is in particular a so-called wireless interface.

Furthermore, the interface can be coupled to an interface of an electronic bite indicator which is used in connection with a fishing rod. Electronic bite indicators are used in various designs in fishing and are known. They are used to monitor the movement of a fishing line or a fishing rod relative to a rod rest and supply an electronic signal to a monitoring device for optical or acoustic perception by the user. This signal can be used with the Connect the interface of the switching device of the device so that the zipper of the tent is opened in the event of a signal indicating a fish moving the fishing rod. Of course, at the same time as the corresponding activation of the motor of the device, an optically and / or acoustically perceptible alarm can be given to the user, for example by a beep or the lighting up of an LED.

In one embodiment, the device is used in a tent, in particular a so-called bivvy or brolly tent, the housing being attached to the roof or the floor and the thread being coupled to the slide or the slide handle of the zipper connected to the slide at the entrance of the tent.

The device can be handled separately and can therefore also be retrofitted to any tent with a straight zipper for opening or closing the zipper that closes an entrance. The housing of the device is attached either in the area of a roof of the tent or on the ground. With the closure, the slide of the zip fastener is moved manually, with the thread connected to the slide or the slide handle being pulled from the thread reel, into a position remote from the housing. To open the straight or straight zipper, the motor is set in rotation and the thread is wound onto the shaft. The shaft can be designed as a filament spool or comprise a filament spool. When the shaft is turned and the thread is wound up, which of course can also be referred to as a thin rope or the like, the slide is moved to open the zipper. It goes without saying that the arrangement of two devices is possible, with one housing for opening the zip fastener in the area of its end connector, which represents an end part of the zip fastener, on the roof side and a housing for closing the zip fastener in the area of its stop parts, which represent the initial parts of the zip fastener, is attached on the bottom side. The direction of rotation of the motor can of course be reversible or the thread can be pulled off manually from the shaft or the thread bobbin. The connection of the free end of the thread comprising, for example, metal and / or plastic fibers is done by threading through an opening of the slide or the push handle and then knotting or by means of a fastening device attached to the free end of the thread, which allows easy loosening of the Slide or the push handle allows. Of course, lighting means, for example LEDs, for displaying the status of the motor and / or the switching device or other electrical / electronic components, in particular also an energy supply, for example in the form of batteries, can be accommodated in the housing. The fastening device can be designed, for example, in such a way that the thread is released from the zip fastener if, for example, the zip fastener jams or the like. For this purpose, the fastening device can comprise, for example, a magnet that interacts with a magnetic component.

The switching device expediently comprises a remote control and / or a noise sensor. A user of the device can carry the remote control, which is equipped with a corresponding number of communication channels and can also be used to control several switching devices or to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor designed as an electric motor, or attach it at any point, for example in the area of his sleeping place, so that with the corresponding confirmation of a switch on the remote control, the motor and thus the shaft for opening or closing the zipper can put in rotary motion. For example, the sound sensor switches the motor to open the zipper when it detects a sound from a bite alarm, which is often used when fishing, or any other sound. Of course, the noise sensor can be calibrated in order to be adaptable to user requirements. By using a remote control or a noise sensor to control the motor, the user gains time when leaving the tent, since the zip is opened by an electric motor while the user gets out of his sleeping bag, for example.

The switching device preferably comprises an off switch which is arranged on the housing in such a way that it can be actuated by a thread stopper which is fastened to the thread and which determines a wound end position of the thread. The thread stopper can, for example, be clamped in any position on the thread. Of course, it is also possible to switch off the motor in the event of an increased resistance compared to the normal displacement resistance, which indicates that the end position of the slide on the connector or the stop parts of the zip fastener has been reached.

So that the user can find his way around in the tent, the switching device is connected to a housing-side lighting device in such a way that the lighting device is switched on when the motor is switched on. The lighting device can expediently be switched off after a predetermined or adjustable duration.

At least one accumulator is arranged in the housing to supply energy to the electronic and / or electrical components. The accumulator is coupled to a charging device. The loading device includes Plug contacts for coupling to a voltage network and, if necessary, charging electronics, which can also be part of a so-called plug-in charger. The battery or batteries can be charged, for example, by means of a solar panel, a so-called power bank, or on a current / voltage network.

To fasten the device, the holding device comprises a pipe clamp and / or a floor anchor and / or at least one magnet. The pipe clamp can in particular be attached to a frame of the tent and the ground anchor enables the housing of the device to be arranged on the ground. The device can also be assigned a magnet for fastening, for example on its housing, which interacts with at least one metallic element with the interposition of a tent membrane. The metallic element can be placed on the outside of the tent and the device can be attached inside the tent under the action of magnetic force.

If, for example, an inner tent is hung on a frame of the tent, in which there is no other tent pole to attach the pipe clamp, the pipe clamp is attached to a tent pole between an outer tent and the inner tent and the housing is arranged in the inner tent and connected to the by means of a magnet Pipe clamp connected.

The housing is expediently designed in several parts and / or can be opened and is designed to be sealed. Accordingly, the components accommodated in the housing are, on the one hand, accessible for repairs or the like and, on the other hand, protected from the ingress of water and other contamination. The housing is of course made of a plastic or metal.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and still to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations. The scope of the invention is defined only by the claims.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the associated drawing.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Teildarstellung der Vorrichtung nach der Erfindung

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 1 in einem Verwendungszusammenhang

Fig. 3

eine schematische alternative Teildarstellung der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 1 in perspektivischer Ansicht,

Fig. 4

eine zweite perspektivische Darstellung der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

eine dritte perspektivische Darstellung der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 3,

Fig. 6

eine Darstellung einer Endkappe eines Gehäuses der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 3,

Fig. 7

eine Seitenansicht der Endkappe nach Fig. 6,

Fig. 8

eine Draufsicht der Endkappe nach Fig. 6 und

Fig. 9

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Endkappe nach Fig. 6.

It shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic partial representation of the device according to the invention

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of the device according to Fig. 1 in a context of use

Fig. 3

a schematic alternative partial representation of the device according to Fig. 1 in perspective view,

Fig. 4

a second perspective view of the device according to Fig. 3 ,

Fig. 5

a third perspective view of the device according to Fig. 3 ,

Fig. 6

a representation of an end cap of a housing of the device according to Fig. 3 ,

Fig. 7

a side view of the end cap according to Fig. 6 ,

Fig. 8

a top view of the end cap according to Fig. 6 and

Fig. 9

a perspective view of the end cap according to Fig. 6 .

The device comprises a multi-part housing 1 in which a shaft 2 for a thread 3 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 2 can be designed as a thread spool, comprise a thread spool or hold a thread spool. The shaft 2 is connected to an electric motor 6 via a gear 4, which comprises gear wheels 5 arranged on a gear shaft 7. The transmission 4 can be disengaged by means of an actuator in such a way that the shaft 2 is not connected to the motor 6.

For the energy supply, an accumulator 8 is accommodated in the housing 1, which can be charged via a connection contact device 9, for example in the form of a USB interface. Furthermore, a switching device 10 is provided in order to supply the motor 6 with voltage and to put it into operation in order to wind the thread 3 onto the shaft 2. If the motor 6 is supplied with voltage and winds the thread 3, then a lighting device 11 is also switched on, which can be switched off automatically to switch off after a predetermined or user-adjustable period of time, for which the lighting device 11 is preceded by a timer module 12. To switch off the voltage supply to the motor 6, a limit switch 13, which can also be referred to as an off switch, is installed inside the housing 1, which comprises an actuator attachment 14 protruding from the housing 1, which is controlled by a thread attached to the thread 3. Stopper 15 is applied to interrupt the power supply to motor 6. To switch on the voltage supply of the motor 6, the switching device 10 comprises an interface 16 which is wirelessly coupled to a remote control 17 or a switch 18 of the remote control 17 and / or an electronic bite indicator 19 which is used in sport fishing. The thread 3 is connected to a hook 20 at its free end.

To display the status of the accumulator 8, the switching device 10, the time switch module 12 and / or the connection status of the interface 16, several light-emitting diodes 21 are installed in the housing 1.

After the Figures 3 to 6 the housing 1 has an essentially cylindrical cross section and can be closed by two end caps 32 which can be assigned different functions and which therefore do not have to have an identical structure. Inside the housing 1, made for example of plastic or metal, the shaft 2 serving as a rope or thread roller and a circuit board 33 for coupling the essential electrical and electronic components, which in particular also serve for motor control and battery management, can be seen. The motor 6 driving the shaft 2 is also connected to the circuit board 33. The shaft 2 can be connected to the motor 6 via a coupling 34 comprising a magnet, in order to prevent overloading of the motor 6 and / or damage to the zipper 24, in particular in the case of a non-smooth-running zipper 24. The thread 3 or the rope is guided through a recess 42 in the housing 1. In addition, LEDs of the lighting device 11 are assigned to the housing 1.

Furthermore, a noise sensor 35 is assigned to the circuit board, which is matched to the noises received by the one electronic bite indicator 19 by means of a switching device 36 assigned to the end cap 32 and connected to the circuit board 33 in terms of circuitry.

The end cap 32 according to FIGS Figures 7 to 9 comprises an on / off switch 37 in order to couple the accumulator 8 to the different loads, a switch 38 for checking the charge level display of the accumulator 8, which can be represented by means of light-emitting diodes 39, a switch 40 for controlling the engine speed and a switch 41 for setting the lighting duration of the lighting device 11.

So that the housing 1 can be fastened, it is connected to a pipe clamp 23 via a magnet 22. Of course, the pipe clamp 23 can also be fixed directly to the housing 1. The magnet 22 and / or the pipe clamp 22 form a holding device 30 for the housing 2, which can optionally also include a ground anchor. In order to enable an independent alignment of the housing 1 fixed by means of the pipe clamp 23 or some other fastening means according to a load direction or due to gravity, the holding device 30 comprises a ball joint 31, which in the present case is arranged, for example, between the housing 1 and the magnet 22.

Alternatively, for example, the housing 1 can be equipped with at least one magnet 43 which interacts with a metallic element, the housing 1 being arranged inside the tent and the metallic element being arranged on the outside of the tent. The metallic element can also be a tent pole or the like.

The housing 1 is fastened to a pole of a tent on the roof side by means of the pipe clamp 23, if possible in such a way that the thread 3 forms a straight extension with a zipper 24 on the entry side. The hook 20 fastened to the thread 3 or rope is hooked into an opening of a slide 25 of the zip fastener 24 or into an opening 26 of a slide handle 26 connected to the slide 25. Of course, a type of coupling can also be arranged between the thread 3 and the zip fastener 24, which releases the connection in the event of an overload without the zip fastener 24 or the motor 6 being damaged.

To close the tent, the slide 25 is pulled towards the ground. Here, the thread 3 is pulled off the shaft 2, which is decoupled from the motor 6. If the zipper is to be moved by a movement of the slide 25 in the direction of the roof or the ridge of the tent and thus the entrance of the tent to be opened, a corresponding switching signal is sent to the switching device 11 by actuating the switch 18 of the remote control 17 and the motor 6 is supplied with voltage in a rotational movement for winding the thread 3 onto the shaft 2 until the thread stopper 15 actuates the limit switch 13 via the actuator attachment to interrupt the voltage supply to the motor 6. When the motor 6 is switched on, the lighting device 11 is switched on for the predetermined period of time.

The signaling for switching on the voltage supply of the motor 6 can additionally or alternatively take place via the electronic bite indicator 19 connected wirelessly to the switching device 10, for example via a radio link, in such a way that when a bite is detected by the bite indicator 19, i.e. a movement of a bite indicator 19 connected fishing rod 28 or a fishing line 29, the motor 6 for winding the thread 3 on the shaft 2 is supplied with voltage.

In the event of an audible signal from the electronic bite indicator 19, the noise sensor 35 can also switch on the voltage supply of the motor 6 for winding the thread 3 in order to open the tent.

Because of the device, the zipper 24 of the tent can be opened very quickly, even in the dark. Reference number 1. casing 23 Pipe clamp 2. wave 24. zipper 3. thread 25th Slider 4th transmission 26th Opening from 27 5. gear 27 Slide handle 6th engine 28. fishing rod 7th Gear shaft 29 Fishing line 8th. accumulator 30th Holding device 9. Terminal contact device 31. Ball joint 10. Switching device 32. End cap 11. Lighting device 33. Circuit board 12th Time switch module 34. coupling 13th Limit switch 35. Sound sensor 14th Actuator approach 36. Switching device 15th Thread stopper 37. On / off switch 16. interface 38. counter 17th remote control 39. light emitting diode 18th counter 40. counter 19th Bite indicator 41. counter 20th hook 42. Recess 21. light emitting diode 43. magnet 22nd magnet

Claims (11)

1. System comprising a zipper (24) having a slider (25) and comprising a device for moving the slider (25) in order to open or close the zip fastener (24), the device having a housing (1) connected to a holding device (30) for fixed attachment thereof, a shaft (2) driven in rotation by a motor (6) for winding and unwinding a thread (3) being mounted in the housing (1), the thread (3) being able to be coupled to the slider (25) or a slider handle (27) of the zip fastener (24) connected to the slider (25) and the motor (6) being able to be set in rotary motion by means of a switching device (10) and the thread (3) being equipped at its free end with a hook (20) and said hook being hooked into an opening of the slider (25) of the zipper (24), characterized in that the switching device (10) for coupling with electronic signal devices and/or input/output devices comprises an interface (16) and the interface (16) can be coupled to an interface (16) of an electronic bite indicator (19) which is connected to a fishing rod (28).
2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching device (10) comprises a remote control (17) and/or a noise sensor (35).
3. System according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the switching device (10) comprises an off switch which is arranged on the housing (1) in such a way that it can be actuated by a thread stopper (15) attached to the thread (3), which thread stopper determines a wound end position of the thread (3).
4. System according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the switching device (10) is connected to a housing-side illumination device (11) in such a way that a switching-on of the motor (6) is accompanied by a switching-on of the illumination device (11).
5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the illumination device (11) can be switched off after a predetermined or adjustable duration.
6. System according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one accumulator (8) is arranged in the housing (1) in order to supply energy to the electronic and/or electrical components.
7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the accumulator (8) is coupled to a charging device.
8. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device (30) comprises a pipe clamp (23) and/or a ground anchor and/or at least one magnet.
9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the pipe clamp (23) is coupled to the housing (1) by means of a magnet (22).
10. System according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing (1) is multipart and/or can be opened and is designed to be sealed.
11. Tent having a system according to claim 1, wherein the housing (1) is attached to the roof or the ground and the thread (3) is coupled by a hook (20) to the slider (25) or to the slider handle (27) of the zipper (24) connected to the slider (25) at the entrance of the tent.

Images