EP3795779A1 - Actuating lever and warning system - Google Patents

Abstract

A warning system (1) comprises a locking structure (2) with an actuating lever (3). The locking structure (2) is designed so that the actuating lever (3) can be swiveled from a closed position in which the locking structure (2) is closed into an open position in which the locking structure (2) is open. The actuating lever (3) has a handle section (31) which can be manually held in order to pivot the actuating lever (3) from the closed position into the open position. The handle section (31) is equipped with a sensor (32) which generates a signal when the operating lever (3) is pivoted from the closed position.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to an actuating lever of a locking structure according to the preamble of independent claim 1 and a corresponding warning system. Such actuating levers or locking structures are widely used in doors and windows in a wide variety of designs.

State of the art

In hospitals, nursing homes, private houses and other institutions, it is known to equip patient or visitor rooms with an electrical switching device serving to generate a signal as a warning or information device. These devices are usually a hand-operated pushbutton switch easily accessible by the person in the room, which can either be suspended above the bed or on the bedside table, or two similar switches, one of which is on one side of the bed is attached so that a person lying in bed can operate one of the switches with one hand if necessary. Such switches are used to switch on a signal or alarm system that is not in the same room as the bed, so that the person lying in bed can call for help if necessary. For example, this person may wish to be more or less covered in bed, to have a meal or drink, or to receive help getting out of bed or with anything else.

The above-mentioned devices require that the persons involved are able and willing to operate the pushbutton switch when needed or necessary. However, this is not the case in many situations because the people do not want a signal to be sent or are unable to operate the pushbutton switch or to think about it. For example, patients may be predisposed to sleepwalking while moving without their realizing it. Or they may have trouble finding their way when they wake up, or in general when it is dark. Certain patients, such as dementia patients, are also regularly unable to remember that they should contact themselves if they want to leave their room for whatever reason or for no reason.

With such persons, it can be helpful to provide a certain switching or warning device for generating a signal, which is already activated when the person leaves the room without intentionally or actively operating a switching device. For this purpose, floor mats or door rugs are known which contain one or more electrical switches connected in parallel. The electric switch or at least one of them is activated when the person leaving the room steps on it. However, such floor mats or door rugs have the disadvantage that they only work as expected when they are in the right place, so that the person has to step on them when leaving the room.

It can also happen that such floor mats or door rugs are not always "ready for use", even if the care staff is very attentive, but are instead cleared away for logistical reasons, for example. In this regard, it should be noted that the floor mats or door rugs, of course, also respond if they are entered by a person or a visitor entering the room. Accordingly, they are usually cleared away when such entry is to be expected.

In addition, floor mats and door rugs of the known type can cause hygienic problems, as they often have to be cleaned or even disinfected or sterilized, especially in the case of dementia patients, which is not only labor-intensive and expensive, but also requires a manufacturing material with which such treatment is even possible.

Conventional floor mats or door rugs can also be bypassed when doors are opened, so that doors can be opened and rooms can be left without a warning being issued. This can prevent reliable monitoring of the presence in the room, particularly in cases in which it is deliberately intended to leave a room unnoticed.

The object of the following invention is therefore to propose a system that enables an efficient and relatively interference-resistant generation of a warning in a simple and reliable manner when a person leaves a room.

Presentation of the invention

The object is achieved according to the invention by an actuating lever as defined by the features of independent claim 1 and by a warning system as defined by the features of independent claim 8. Advantageous variant embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

The essence of the invention consists in the following: An actuating lever for a locking structure has a handle section. The locking structure is designed so that the actuating lever can be moved from a closed position, in which the locking structure is closed, to an open position, in which the locking structure is opened, by means of a pivoting movement. The handle portion of the operating lever can be manually held for pivoting the operating lever from the closed position to the open position. The handle section is in particular equipped with a sensor which generates a signal when the actuating lever is pivoted out of the closed position. For example, the sensor can be arranged in the interior of the handle section, which enables a compact, protected design.

The operating lever is preferably designed as a door handle. The locking structure can in particular be a door lock, wherein the door lock may or may not be lockable by means of a physical or electronic key. Door handles are typically L-shaped or, if an analog handle section is provided on both sides of the door, U-shaped, wherein the grip section is designed in the shape of a rod or a tube. The handle section of the door handle can be designed to be aligned quasi horizontally in the closed position and to be tilted or rotated downwards by one of its length for pivoting from the closed position.

The term “manually held” in connection with the handle section can refer to the fact that this section can be grasped and thus grasped with one hand. Such a manual holding can also only comprise laying on of a hand for actuation by pressing down.

Alternatively, the actuating lever can also be designed as a window handle which is pivoted to open a window.

The closing structure can have a spring mechanism which presses the operating lever into the closed position. In addition, it can comprise a bolt which, in the closed position, protrudes from the door in which the locking structure is mounted, and which, in the open position, is moved into the door. The latch can also be pressed into the closed position by the spring mechanism.

With the sensor arranged on or advantageously in the handle section, the actuating lever according to the invention can generate a signal when actuated, which signal serves to detect the actuation of the locking structure. In particular, this sensor enables the opening of the locking structure, for example to open a door or a window, to be detected. In this way, for example, nursing staff or another person can be warned so that appropriate measures can be taken. For example, doors of certain or all patient rooms of a hospital can be equipped with actuating levers according to the invention so that the nursing staff can be warned if the door is opened by a patient, for example at night. In this way, among other things, undesired escape of patients through doors and / or windows can be prevented.

In addition, the handle section according to the invention enables efficient equipping or retrofitting of the doors and / or windows of those to be monitored Spaces such as patient rooms. For example, the door latches on the outside of the doors of the patient rooms can be replaced by actuating levers according to the invention. A corresponding installation in the rooms themselves is not necessary. It can also be avoided that disruptive installations such as floor mats or door rugs have to be provided in the rooms.

The actuating lever according to the invention thus enables, in a simple and reliable manner, an efficient and, in comparison to conventional systems, interference-resistant generation of a warning when a person leaves a room. The operating lever can also be used to prevent a room from being left unnoticed.

The sensor of the actuating lever can be any desired sensor with which an inclination or pivoting of the actuating lever from the closed position in the direction of the open position can be determined. For example, the sensor can have an acceleration sensor, a position sensor or gyroscope, a gravitation sensor and / or a similar sensor. However, the sensor preferably comprises an inclination sensor. Such inclination sensors enable reliable detection of a pivoting of the handle section of the actuating lever. For example, in the case of a door handle, they can efficiently indicate a movement of the handle section from the horizontal. In addition, such inclination sensors can be designed to be comparatively robust and require little maintenance.

The actuating lever preferably comprises a radio transmitter which is designed to send the signal generated by the sensor. By means of such a radio transmitter, the signal generated by the sensor can be efficiently sent to a target where it can be received and evaluated. With such a radio transmitter it can also be avoided that a fixed installation is necessary for the transmission of the signal.

As an alternative or in addition to this, the actuating lever can also be equipped with a warning device which is activated when the signal is generated by the sensor. The warning device can, for example, be a visual one Include warning means such as a warning light and / or an acoustic warning means such as a loudspeaker.

The sensor preferably comprises a switch which closes a circuit when the operating lever is pivoted from the closed position. By means of such a switch, the sensor can enable the signal to be reliably generated in a comparatively simple manner when the actuating lever is actuated. In particular, the signal can be represented by a current flow that is generated by the closed circuit.

In particular, if the actuating lever is designed as a door or window handle, it preferably comprises a position switch which, when the handle section is rotated by approximately 180 °, places the sensor in an associated orientation. In this way, the sensor can be adjusted as required to how it is mounted on the locking structure. In the case of a door handle, for example, the decisive factor is on which side of the door the handle section is mounted. If the handle section or the locking structure is mounted on the door on the left, the sensor must be set in such a way that it responds when the handle section is pivoted clockwise. In contrast, when the handle section or the locking structure is mounted on the door on the right-hand side, it must respond when the handle section is pivoted in the counterclockwise direction. The position switch enables such an efficient setting of the desired direction of rotation. For example, the position switch can be designed to rotate the sensor by 180 ° around a longitudinal axis of the handle section, in particular if the sensor is an inclination sensor or includes one.

The actuating lever preferably comprises an on / off switch. The on / off switch or activation switch can be coupled to the sensor so that in a switched off state the sensor does not generate a signal when the actuating lever is pivoted out of the closed position. As an alternative or in addition to this, the on / off switch can also be coupled to the radio transmitter so that no signal is sent even if the actuating lever is pivoted out of the closed position.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a warning system comprising a locking structure with an actuating lever, wherein the The locking structure is designed so that the actuating lever can be moved from a closed position in which the locking structure is closed by a pivoting movement into an open position in which the locking structure is open. The operating lever has a handle portion that can be manually held for pivoting the operating lever from the closed position to the open position. In addition, the handle section is equipped with a sensor that generates a signal when the operating lever is pivoted from the closed position.

The closing construction of the warning system can include the properties and features described above in connection with the actuating lever. In particular, the actuating lever of the locking structure can have the properties and features described above in connection with the actuating lever.

By means of the warning system according to the invention and its preferred embodiments below, the effects and advantages described above in connection with the actuating lever according to the invention and its preferred embodiments can be efficiently implemented or realized.

The warning system preferably comprises a radio receiver, the actuating lever being equipped with a radio transmitter which is designed to transmit the signal generated by the sensor, and the radio receiver is designed to receive the transmitted signal. The radio receiver is preferably designed to transmit the received signal to a warning system. The warning system can, for example, be a conventional type of call system, as is often used in hospitals or nursing homes. Such a radio receiver enables the warning system to be efficiently integrated into an existing infrastructure, so that existing systems can also be used to monitor door and window operations.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemässen Warnsystems mit einem Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemässen Betätigungshebels in einer geschlossenen Position;
• Fig. 2 eine schematische Darstellung des Warnsystems und des Betätigungshebels von Fig. 1 in einer geöffneten Position; und
• Fig. 3 eine schematische Ansicht einer Seitenansicht eines Griffabschnitts des Betätigungshebels von Fig. 1.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with the aid of the schematic drawing. In particular, the warning system according to the invention and the actuating lever according to the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a warning system according to the invention with an exemplary embodiment of an actuating lever according to the invention in a closed position;
• Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the warning system and the operating lever of FIG Fig. 1 in an open position; and
• Fig. 3 a schematic view of a side view of a handle portion of the operating lever of FIG Fig. 1 .

Weq (e) for carrying out the invention

Certain terms are used in the following description for reasons of convenience and are not to be understood as limiting. The words "right", "left", "down" and "up" indicate directions in the drawing to which reference is made. The terms "inward", "outward", "below", "above", "left", "right" or the like are used to describe the arrangement of designated parts with respect to one another, the movement of designated parts with respect to one another and the directions towards or away from Geometric center of the invention and named parts thereof as shown in the figures. Used. These relative spatial information also include positions and orientations other than those shown in the figures. For example, when a part shown in the figures is turned over, elements or features described as "below" are then "above". The terminology includes the words expressly mentioned above, derivatives from them, and words with similar meanings.

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a warning system 1 according to the invention. The warning system 1 has a locking structure 2 which comprises a fitting 21 equipped with a keyhole 22 and an actuating lever 3. The actuating lever 3 has a quasi L-shaped cross-section like a door trap, the longer leg being tubular, for example made of metal or wood, as a handle section 31. In the Fig. 1 the operating lever 3 is shown in a closed position in which the handle portion 31 is oriented horizontally.

An inclination sensor 32, a circuit 33, a radio transmitter 34 and a battery 35 are arranged in the interior of the handle section 31, which is shown partially visible in the figures but is typically enclosed and covered by the handle section 31. On its right side, the inside of the handle portion 31 is closed by a plug-shaped position switch 36 from.

The inclination sensor 32 comprises an electrically conductive, for example metal, ball 321. The ball 321 is mounted in a sensor housing in such a way that its position is changed when the handle section 31 is pivoted or inclined. In the closed position of the operating lever 3, in which the handle section 31 is arranged horizontally, the ball 321 of the inclination sensor 32 is spaced from the circuit 33. The circuit 33 connects the battery 35 as a power supply to the radio transmitter 34.

The locking device 2 is mounted on a left side of a door of a patient's room, for example in a hospital or a nursing home. It comprises a bolt which, in the closed position, lies in a receptacle in a door frame and in this way locks the door. To ensure that the door cannot open by itself without actuating the actuating lever 3, the locking construction 2 is equipped with a spring mechanism that pushes the bolt to the left into the door frame and the actuating lever 3 into the open position or into the horizontal .

As in Fig. 2 is shown, the operating lever 3 is pivoted downward to open the door. In particular, the handle section 31 is rotated downwards in a clockwise direction around its left longitudinal end. As a result, the ball 321 of the inclination sensor 32 is moved downward to the left in the direction of the circuit 33 until it hits it. The circuit 33 is thus closed and the radio transmitter 34 is supplied with power from the battery 34. The ball 321 thus forms a switch which closes the circuit 33 when the operating lever 3 is pivoted from the closed position.

The radio transmitter 34 transmits a radio signal 341 which is received by a radio receiver 4 of the warning system 1. The radio receiver 4 feeds the signal into a call system of the hospital or nursing home. The call system informs a carer 5 or another person that the Operating lever 3 was moved from the closed position and thus the associated door could have been opened.

In Fig. 3 the grip portion 31 of the actuating lever 3 is shown from its open longitudinal end. It can be seen that this longitudinal end is equipped with an on / off switch 37. The circuit 33 can be interrupted via the on / off switch 37 so that the radio transmitter 34 is not active. In this way, the warning system 2 can be activated and deactivated for a specific door.

In order to prevent the warning system from being switched off by a person in the patient room, the actuating lever 3 can be located on an outside or corridor side of the door.

So that the inclination sensor 32 works correctly together with the radio transmitter 34 regardless of whether the actuating lever is mounted on the left or right side of the door or on the inside or outside of the door, the sensor 32 can be rotated 180 ° around a longitudinal axis by means of the position switch 36 of the handle portion 31 can be rotated around. For this purpose, the position switch 36 is coupled to the inclination sensor 32, so that a rotation of the position switch 36 simultaneously rotates the inclination sensor 32.

Although the invention is illustrated and described in detail by means of the figures and the associated description, this illustration and this detailed description are to be understood as illustrative and exemplary and not as limiting the invention. In order not to obscure the invention, in certain instances well-known structures and techniques may not have been shown and described in detail. It is understood that those skilled in the art can make changes and modifications without departing from the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further exemplary embodiments with any combination of features that may differ from the combinations of features explicitly described.

The present disclosure also encompasses embodiments with any combination of features that are mentioned or shown above or below for various embodiments. It also includes individual features in the figures, even if they are there in connection with others Features are shown and / or are not mentioned above or below. The alternatives of embodiments and individual alternatives whose features are described in the figures and the description can also be excluded from the subject matter of the invention or from the disclosed subject matter. The disclosure includes embodiments that exclusively include the features described in the claims or in the exemplary embodiments, as well as those that include additional other features.

In the following, the term “comprise” and derivatives thereof do not exclude other elements or steps. Likewise, the indefinite article "a" or "an" and its derivatives do not exclude a large number. The functions of several features listed in the claims can be fulfilled by one unit or one step. The terms “essentially”, “about”, “approximately” and the like in connection with a property or a value also define, in particular, precisely the property or precisely the value. The terms "about" and "approximately" in connection with a given numerical value or range can refer to a value or range that is within 20%, within 10%, within 5% or within 2% of the given value or range.

Claims (10)

Operating lever (3) for a locking structure (2), which is designed so that the operating lever (3) from a closed position, in which the locking structure (2) is closed, by a pivoting movement into an open position, in which the locking structure ( 2) is open, is adjustable, wherein the operating lever (3) has a handle section (31) which can be held manually for pivoting the operating lever (3) from the closed position to the open position, characterized in that the handle section (31 ) is equipped with a sensor (32) which generates a signal when the operating lever (3) is pivoted from the closed position. Actuating lever (3) according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (32) comprises an inclination sensor (32). Actuating lever (3) according to Claim 1 or 2, which comprises a radio transmitter (34) which is designed to transmit the signal generated by the sensor (32). Operating lever (3) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the sensor (32) comprises a switch (321) which closes a circuit when the operating lever (3) is pivoted from the closed position. Actuating lever (3) according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed as a door handle. Actuating lever (3) according to Claim 5, which has a position switch (36) which, when the handle section (31) is rotated by approximately 180 °, places the sensor (32) in an associated orientation. Actuating lever (3) according to one of the preceding claims, which comprises an on / off switch (37). Warning system (1) which comprises a locking structure (2) with an actuating lever (3), the locking structure (2) being designed to move the actuating lever (3) from a closed position in which the locking structure (2) is closed, can be adjusted by a pivoting movement into an open position in which the locking structure (2) is open, the actuating lever (3) having a handle portion (31) which is used to manually pivot the actuating lever (3) from the closed position into the open position can be held, characterized in that the handle portion (31) is equipped with a sensor (32) which generates a signal when the operating lever (3) is pivoted from the closed position. Warning system (1) according to claim 8, which comprises a radio receiver (4), wherein the operating lever (3) is equipped with a radio transmitter (34) which is designed to transmit the signal generated by the sensor (32), and the radio receiver (4) is designed to receive the transmitted signal. Warning system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the radio receiver (4) is designed to transmit the received signal to a warning system.

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