EP3805490A1

EP3805490A1 - Electrical striker unit

Info

Publication number: EP3805490A1
Application number: EP20198704.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jan SJÖHOLM; Jack BENNHAGEN
Original assignee: ISAB Instrumentfirman Sjoholm AB
Current assignee: ISAB Instrumentfirman Sjoholm AB
Priority date: 2019-10-09
Filing date: 2020-09-28
Publication date: 2021-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 2040-09-28
Also published as: SE1951148A1; EP3805490B1; ES2932752T3; SE544715C2

Abstract

An electrical striker unit (2) comprising a housing enclosing parts of the unit, the electrical striker unit is configured to be mounted in a door frame such that it cooperates with a lock assembly mounted at a door leaf, and comprises a pivot latch (4) being pivotable between a locked position and an open position. The electrical striker unit is configured to be in two different states, a locked state when the pivot latch (4) is in the locked position and the pivot latch (4) cooperates with the lock assembly mounted at the door leaf such that the door is closed, and in an open state when the pivot latch (4) is in the open position and pivoted into the housing, and it may be possible to open the door. The striker unit (2) further comprises an arm linkage arrangement providing an operational linkage between an electromechanical unit (6) and the pivot latch (4). The arm linkage arrangement is structured transfer movement from a movement rod (8) connected to the electromechanical unit such that it facilitates both securely fixation of the pivot latch (4) in the locked position and movement of the pivot latch (4) from the locked position to the open position, in dependence of translational movement of the movement rod (8).

Description

Technical field

The present disclosure relates to an electrical striker unit, and in particular an electrical striker unit provided with a link arrangement enabling movement of a pivot latch irrespectively that the pivot latch is subjected to external pressure.

Background

To reduce energy losses in door environments, sealing strips are used between door and door frame. These sealing strips tend to become larger and larger to minimize the flow of heat in the gap between door and door frame. This also results in the door being pressed against the door frame, thus causing the door lock to be pressed against the pivot latch of the electrical striker unit in the door frame. If an electrical striker unit that is not intended for such load is used in the door frame, it will result in a downtime and the door cannot be opened with e.g. automatics. The reason is that with increased mechanical pressure from the door, the frictional forces on the arm linkage within the electrical striker unit also increase, which means that the electromechanical unit, e.g. solenoid, is unable to provide the necessary movement in order to release the pivot latch.
List pressure may also occur if the door is incorrectly mounted or if gravel or stone falls between the door and the door frame, even pressure differences on the inside and outside of the door give rise to this type of problem.
EP-2582899 relates to a locking device comprising rotating links and guide with sliding element. The locking device comprises a locking mechanism arranged to move at least one locking element between a locked state, and an unlocked state, which locking mechanism is adapted to be connected with and to receive the motion for the movement from an operating mechanism arranged to control and to provide the motion for the movement.
Still, a problem to be solved is to be able to change state from a locked state to an open state even if the pivot latch is subjected to pressure.
Thus, one object of the present invention is to achieve an electrical striker unit that eliminates, or at least mitigates, the above problem.

Summary

The above-mentioned object is achieved by the present invention according to the independent claim.
Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.
The present invention relates to aspects of an electrical striker unit comprising a housing enclosing parts of the unit. The electrical striker unit is configured to be mounted in a door frame such that it cooperates with a lock assembly mounted at a door leaf, and comprises a pivot latch being pivotable between a locked position and an open position. The electrical striker unit is configured to be in two different states, a locked state when the pivot latch is in the locked position and the pivot latch cooperates with the lock assembly mounted at the door leaf such that the door is closed, and in an open state when the pivot latch is in the open position and pivoted into the housing, and it may be possible to open the door. The striker unit further comprises an arm linkage arrangement providing an operational linkage between an electromechanical unit and the pivot latch, wherein the electromechanical unit is configured to generate translational movement along a longitudinal movement rod to set the end point of the movement rod in two positions, a first position P1 and a second position P2. The arm linkage arrangement is structured to receive said translational movement and to transfer the movement such that it facilitates both securely fixation of the pivot latch in the locked position and movement of the pivot latch from the locked position to the open position, in dependence of the translational movement of the movement rod between the first position P1 and the second position P2. The arm linkage arrangement comprises a first arm, a second arm, and a blocking arm, and that

the first arm is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a first pivot point, and comprises a first part and a second part extending in different directions from the first pivot point, the first part is structured to bear on the pivot latch in a point A such that, when in a locked state, the pivot latch is in the locked position,
the second arm is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a second pivot point, and comprises a first part and a second part extending in different directions from the second pivot point, the first part of the second arm is structured to bear on the second part of the first arm in a point B,
the blocking arm is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a third pivot point, the blocking arm is movable between two positions, a blocking position in which a blocking part of the blocking arm prevents the second part of the second arm to move and thereby secure that the pivot latch is in its locked position, and an opening position, in which position the second arm is free to move into a position allowing the pivot latch to be in its open position, wherein a part of the blocking part of the blocking arm to bear against the second part of the second arm is provided with a low friction member to minimize the friction in relation to the second part of the second arm when moving the blocking arm from its blocking position to its opening position and thereby enabling the second arm to easily move into a position allowing the pivot latch to be in its open position.

Furthermore, the blocking arm is U-shaped and the lower part of the U constitutes the blocking part and is structured to bear against the second part of the second arm in a point C, via said low friction member, when the blocking arm is in the blocking position, wherein the first and second arms together constitute a compact leverage system between the pivot latch and the blocking arm, wherein the first arm is structured such that the distance between point B and the first pivot point is at least twice as the distance between point A and the first pivot point, and wherein the second arm is structured such that the distance between point C and the second pivot point is at least twice as the distance between point B and the second pivot point.
The compact leverage system provided by the first and second arms facilitates a high force ratio exchange between the blocking arm and the pivot latch in relation to the limited available space of the electrical striker unit housing. The high force ratio exchange is important in that the force exerted on the blocking arm by the second arm thereby is reduced. The advantage achieved by the compact leverage system is further improved by providing a low friction member on the blocking part of the blocking arm that bear against the second part of the second arm.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows two views of one embodiment of a first arm according to the present invention.
Figure 2 shows three views of one embodiment of a second arm according to the present invention.
Figure 3 shows a view of one embodiment of a blocking arm according to the present invention.
Figure 4 shows two views of one embodiment of a fourth arm according to the present invention.
Figure 5 shows two views of one embodiment of first shape of a fifth arm according to the present invention.
Figure 6 shows two views of one embodiment of second shape of a fifth arm according to the present invention.
Figure 7 shows various view of one embodiment of the electrical striker unit working in a failsafe mode when the electromechanical unit not is activated and in an open state.
Figure 8 shows various view of one embodiment of the electrical striker unit working in a failsafe mode when the electromechanical unit not is activated and in the open state and the pivot latch is open.
Figure 9 shows various view of one embodiment of the electrical striker unit working in a failsafe mode when the electromechanical unit is activated, and in a locked state.
Figure 10 shows various view of another embodiment of the electrical striker unit working in a fail-secure mode when the electromechanical unit not is activated and in a locked state.
Figure 11 shows various view of one embodiment of the electrical striker unit working in a fail-secure mode when the electromechanical unit is activated and in the open state.
Figure 12 shows various view of one embodiment of the electrical striker unit working in a fail-secure mode when the electromechanical unit is activated, and in an open state and the pivot latch is open.

Detailed description

The electrical striker unit will now be described in detail with references to the appended figures. Throughout the figures the same, or similar, items have the same reference signs. Moreover, the items and the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. For sake of clarity not all items are indicated in all figures. Each of figures 7-12 include three views of the electrical striker unit, two side views and one perspective view. All three views of one figure show the electrical striker unit working in the same operational mode and the same activation state of the electromechanical unit.
The present invention relates to an electrical striker unit 2 comprising a housing enclosing parts of the unit, the electrical striker unit is configured to be mounted in a door frame such that it cooperates with a lock assembly mounted at a door leaf.
Figures 1-6 illustrates various views of different parts of the electrical striker unit, figures 7-9 illustrates various views of the electrical striker unit when working in a so-called fail-safe operational mode, and figures 10-12 illustrates various views of the electrical striker unit when working in a so-called fail-secure operational mode. These two operational modes will be further discussed below.
The electrical striker unit comprises a pivot latch 4 being pivotable between a locked position and an open position, the electrical striker unit is configured to be in two different states, a locked state when the pivot latch 4 is in the locked position and the pivot latch 4 cooperates with the lock assembly mounted at the door leaf such that the door is closed, and in an open state when the pivot latch 4 is in the open position and pivoted into the housing, and it may be possible to open the door.
The electrical striker unit is configured to work in two different operational modes, one fail-safe mode illustrated in figures 7-9, and one fail-secure mode illustrated in figures 10-12. The operational modes differ in that in the fail-safe mode the electrical striker unit is in its open state when the electromechanical unit not is activated and in its closed state when the electromechanical unit is activated. The opposite applies in the fail-secure mode, where the electrical striker unit is in its closed state when the electromechanical unit not is activated and in its open state when the electromechanical unit is activated. The two modes may be achieved with an electrical striker unit that only differs with regard to that different versions of the fifth arm is used and where this arm is attached to the fourth arm. This is advantageous in that no other adaptations of the striker unit may be made in order to have it working in these two operational modes.
With references to figures 7-12, the striker unit 2 further comprises an arm linkage arrangement providing an operational linkage between an electromechanical unit 6 and the pivot latch 4, wherein the electromechanical unit 6 is configured to generate translational movement along a longitudinal movement rod 8 to set the end point 10 of the movement rod in two positions, a first position P1 and a second position P2. See figures 7, 9, 10, and 12.
The arm linkage arrangement is structured to receive the translational movement and to transfer the movement such that it facilitates both securely fixation of the pivot latch 4 in the locked position and movement of the pivot latch 4 from the locked position to the open position, in dependence of the translational movement of the movement rod 8 between the first position P1 and the second position P2. In the illustrated version of the electromechanical unit 6 the first position P1 prevails when the electromechanical unit not is activated and the second position P2 prevails when the electromechanical unit is activated, i.e. when the electromechanical unit is activated the movement rod is moved a short distance into the unit (to the left in the figures).
The arm linkage arrangement comprises a first arm 12, a second arm 14, and a blocking arm 16. In addition the arm linkage arrangement comprises a fourth arm 36 and a fifth arm 38 that will be discussed further down.
The first arm 12 is illustrated in figure 1 and is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit 2 in a first pivot point 18, and comprises a first part 20 and a second part 22 extending in different directions from the first pivot point 18. The first part 20 is structured to bear on the pivot latch 4 in a point A such that, when in a locked state, the pivot latch is in the locked position. Thus, the first arm 12 is configured to move about an axle through the first pivot point 18.
The second arm 14 is illustrated in figure 2 and is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit 2 in a second pivot point 24, and comprises a first part 26 and a second part 28 extending in different directions from the second pivot point 24. Thus, the second arm 14 is configured to move about an axle through the second pivot point 24. The direction of the axle through the first pivot point is essentially perpendicular to the direction of the axle through the second pivot point. As indicated in figure 2 the axle through the second pivot point 24 is slightly angled and has an angle of less than 90 degree, preferably in the interval of 85-90 degrees, and e.g. 88 degrees as indicated in the figure. The first part 26 of the second arm 14 is structured to bear on the second part 22 of the first arm 12 in a point B. Preferably, the surfaces on each of the first and second arms that bear against each other are adapted to each other, e.g. being essentially parallel and being beveled, i.e. angled in order to achieve the high force ratio exchange.
The blocking arm 16 is illustrated in figure 3 and is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a third pivot point 30. The blocking arm is configured to move about an axle through the third pivot point 30, which axle is essentially parallel to the axle of the second pivot point. The blocking arm 16 is movable between two positions, a blocking position in which a blocking part 32 of the blocking arm 16 prevents the second part 28 of the second arm 14 to move and thereby secure that the pivot latch 4 is in its locked position, and an opening position, in which position the second arm 14 is free to move into a position allowing the pivot latch 4 to be in its open position. In figures 7, 8 (fail-safe mode) and 11, 12 (fail-secure mode) the blocking arm 16 is in its opening position, and in figures 9 (fail-safe mode) and 10 (fail-secure mode) the blocking arm 16 is in its blocking position.
A part of the blocking part 32 of the blocking arm 16 to bear against the second part of the second arm is provided with a low friction member 34 to minimize the friction in relation to the second part 22 of the second arm 16 when moving the blocking arm 16 from its blocking position to its opening position and thereby enabling the second arm 14 to easily move into a position allowing the pivot latch 4 to be in its open position.
According to one embodiment of the electrical striker unit 2 the low friction member 34 is a ball-bearing member. As an alternative, the low friction member 34 may be a low friction material applied to the surface of the blocking part 32, e.g. Teflon, or any similar material.
The blocking arm 16 is U-shaped and the lower part of the U constitutes the blocking part 32 and is structured to bear against the second part 28 of the second arm 14 in a point C, via the low friction member 34, when the blocking arm 16 is in the blocking position. In figure 3 a perspective view of the blocking arm 16 is illustrated provided with a low friction member 34 being a ball-bearing member. The low friction member 34 may be realized in many different ways. For example, it may comprise a tube being a cylinder having a circular cross-section arranged on a rod such that the cylinder easily may rotate in relation to the rod.
The first and second arms 12, 14 together constitute a compact leverage system between the pivot latch 4 and the blocking arm 16. The first arm 12 is structured such that the distance between point B and the first pivot point 18 is at least twice as the distance between point A and the first pivot point 18. This is illustrated in figure 1 where two views of the first arm is shown. The second arm 14 is structured such that the distance between point C and the second pivot point 24 is at least twice as the distance between point B and the second pivot point 24. This is illustrated in figure 2 where various views of the second arm is shown. The cross-sectional view to the right in the figure is a view along line A-A in the view to the left in figure 2. The compact leverage system provided by the first and second arms facilitates a high force ratio exchange between the blocking arm and the pivot latch in relation to the limited available space of the electrical striker unit housing. The high force ratio exchange is important in that the force exerted on the blocking arm by the second arm thereby is reduced.
According to still another embodiment the blocking member 16 is movable between the blocking position and the opening position in dependence of movement of the movement rod 8. The movement of the movement rod 8 is transferred to the blocking arm 16 via a fourth arm 36 and a fifth arm 38. The fourth arm is illustrated in figure 4, and the fifth arm is available in two versions which are illustrated in figure 5 and 6.
The fifth arm 38 is elongated and comprises a first end 40 that is connected to the movement rod 8 and a second end 42 that is pivotably connected to the fourth arm 36.
In a further embodiment the fourth arm 36 is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a fourth pivot point 44, and is pivotable between two positions, a first position where the fourth arm 36 has moved the blocking arm 16 such that it is fixed in its blocking position (see figures 9 and 10) and a second position where the fourth arm 36 has moved the blocking arm 16 to its opening position (see figures 7, 8, 11, 12).
In one embodiment with references to figure 4, the fourth arm 36 is provided with an engagement slot 46 that is structured to cooperate with an engagement pin 48 provided at the blocking arm 16 (see figure 3), such that when the fourth arm 36 pivots between the first and second positions the engagement pin 48 is forced to move along the engagement slot 46 and thereby provide movement to the blocking arm 16.
In another embodiment the fifth arm 38 is available in two different versions, i.e. structural shapes, a first shape and a second shape, which are shown in figures 5 and 6, respectively. The first shape is configured to be pivotably connected to the fourth arm 36 in a first connection point 54 of said fourth arm 36, which is illustrated in figures 7-9. The second shape 52 is configured to be pivotably connected to the fourth arm 36 in a second connection point 56 of said fourth arm 36, which is illustrated in figures 10-12. The first and second connections points are arranged at opposite sides of the fourth pivot point 44, see figure 4. Thereby the two different operational modes of operation of the electrical striker unit may be applied in dependent upon which of the two different structural shapes of the fifth arms that is used.
Thus, the fifth arm is available in two different shapes, the first shape and the second shape.
The first shape is illustrated in figure 5 and the electrical striker unit provided with the first shape 50 of the fifth arm is shown in figures 7-9. The electrical striker unit then works in the so-called fail-safe mode, which means that the striker unit is in a locked state when activation voltage is applied to the electromechanical unit (see figure 9). When no activation is applied to the electromechanical unit the striker unit is in its open state (see figures 7 and 8). In figure 7 the pivot latch is in its closed position but may easily move to its open position which is illustrated in figure 8, see e.g. the different positions of the first and second arms in figures 7 and 8.
The second shape is illustrated in figure 6 and the electrical striker unit provided with the second shape of the fifth arm is shown in figures 10-12. The electrical striker unit then works in the so-called fail-secure mode, which means that the striker unit is in a locked state when no activation voltage is applied to the electromechanical unit (see figure 10). When activation is applied to the electromechanical unit the striker unit is in its open state (see figures 11 and 12). In figure 11 the pivot latch is in its closed position but may easily move to its open position which is illustrated in figure 12, see e.g. the different positions of the first and second arms in figures 11 and 12.
Thus, the fourth arm will rotate in different directions depending on which of the two shapes of the fifth arm that is applied, in dependence of the same longitudinal movement of the movement rod. This facilitates that both fail-safe and fail-secure operational modes of the electric striker unit easily may be achieved by choosing the one of the two shapes of the fifth arm that is related to the desired mode.
Thus, the movement of the pivot latch is indirectly and electromagnetically controlled by the electromechanical unit provided in the electrical striker unit.
To open a closed door the electrical striker unit may be remotely controlled by e.g. pressing an open button.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appending claims.

Claims

An electrical striker unit (2) comprising a housing enclosing parts of the unit, the electrical striker unit is configured to be mounted in a door frame such that it cooperates with a lock assembly mounted at a door leaf, and comprises a pivot latch (4) being pivotable between a locked position and an open position, the electrical striker unit is configured to be in two different states, a locked state when the pivot latch (4) is in the locked position and the pivot latch (4) cooperates with the lock assembly mounted at the door leaf such that the door is closed, and in an open state when the pivot latch (4) is in the open position and pivoted into the housing, and it may be possible to open the door, the striker unit (2) further comprises an arm linkage arrangement providing an operational linkage between an electromechanical unit (6) and the pivot latch (4), wherein the electromechanical unit (6) is configured to generate translational movement along a longitudinal movement rod (8) to set the end point (10) of the movement rod in two positions, a first position P1 and a second position P2, and that the arm linkage arrangement is structured to receive said translational movement and to transfer the movement such that it facilitates both securely fixation of the pivot latch (4) in the locked position and movement of the pivot latch (4) from the locked position to the open position, in dependence of the translational movement of the movement rod (8) between the first position P1 and the second position P2,
characterized in that the arm linkage arrangement comprises a first arm (12), a second arm (14), and a blocking arm (16), and that
- the first arm (12) is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit (2) in a first pivot point (18), and comprises a first part (20) and a second part (22) extending in different directions from the first pivot point (18), the first part (20) is structured to bear on the pivot latch (4) in a point A such that, when in a locked state, the pivot latch is in the locked position,

- the second arm (14) is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit (2) in a second pivot point (24), and comprises a first part (26) and a second part (28) extending in different directions from the second pivot point (24), the first part (26) of the second arm (14) is structured to bear on the second part (22) of the first arm (12) in a point B,

- the blocking arm (16) is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a third pivot point (30), the blocking arm (16) is movable between two positions, a blocking position in which a blocking part (32) of the blocking arm (16) prevents the second part (28) of the second arm (14) to move and thereby secure that the pivot latch (4) is in its locked position, and an opening position, in which position the second arm (14) is free to move into a position allowing the pivot latch (4) to be in its open position,
wherein a part of the blocking part (32) of the blocking arm (16) to bear against the second part of the second arm is provided with a low friction member (34) to minimize the friction in relation to the second part (22) of the second arm (16) when moving the blocking arm (16) from its blocking position to its opening position and thereby enabling the second arm (14) to easily move into a position allowing the pivot latch (4) to be in its open position,
wherein the blocking arm (16) is U-shaped and the lower part of the U constitutes the blocking part (32) and is structured to bear against the second part (28) of the second arm (14) in a point C, via said low friction member (34), when the blocking arm (16) is in the blocking position,
wherein the first and second arms (12, 14) together constitute a compact leverage system between the pivot latch (4) and the blocking arm (16), wherein the first arm (12) is structured such that the distance between point B and the first pivot point (18) is at least twice as the distance between point A and the first pivot point (18), and wherein the second arm (14) is structured such that the distance between point C and the second pivot point (24) is at least twice as the distance between point B and the second pivot point (24).
The electrical striker unit (2) according to claim 1, wherein said low friction member (34) is a ball-bearing member.
The electrical striker unit (2) according to any of claims 1-2, wherein the blocking member (16) is movable between the blocking position and the opening position in dependence of movement of the movement rod (8), and the movement of the movement rod (8) is transferred to the blocking arm (16) via a fourth arm (36) and a fifth arm (38).
The electrical striker unit (2) according to claim 3, wherein the fifth arm (38) is elongated and comprises a first end (40) that is connected to the movement rod (8) and a second end (42) that is pivotably connected to the fourth arm (36).
The electrical striker unit (2) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the fourth arm (36) is pivotably fixed relative the electrical striker unit in a fourth pivot point (44), and is pivotable between two positions, a first position where the fourth arm (36) has moved the blocking arm (16) such that it is fixed in its blocking position and a second position where the fourth arm (36) has moved the blocking arm (16) to its opening position.
The electrical striker unit (2) according to claim 5, wherein the fourth arm (36) is provided with an engagement slot (46) that is structured to cooperate with an engagement pin (48) provided at the blocking arm (16), such that when the fourth arm (36) pivots between the first and second positions the engagement pin (48) is forced to move along the engagement slot (46) and thereby provide movement to the blocking arm (16).
The electrical striker unit (2) according to any of claims claim 5 or 6, wherein the fifth arm (38) is available in two different structural shapes, a first shape and a second shape, wherein said first shape is configured to be pivotably connected to the fourth arm (36) in a first connection point (54) of said fourth arm (36), and said second shape is configured to be pivotably connected to the fourth arm (36) in a second connection point (56) of said fourth arm (36), and wherein said first and second connections points are arranged at opposite sides of said fourth pivot point (44), wherein two different operational modes of operation of the electrical striker unit may be applied in dependent upon which of the two different structural shapes of the fifth arms that is used.