EP4368797A1

EP4368797A1 - Accessory system for the interconnection between handles and a corresponding drive mechanism, for enclosures such as doors or windows

Info

Publication number: EP4368797A1
Application number: EP23383146.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andrés SÁNCHEZ VERDÚ
Original assignee: Levantina De Accesorios SL; Levantina de Accesorios SL
Current assignee: Levantina De Accesorios SL; Levantina de Accesorios SL
Priority date: 2022-11-10
Filing date: 2023-11-08
Publication date: 2024-05-15
Also published as: ES1296574Y; ES1296574U

Abstract

The present invention relates to an accessory system (100) for the interconnection between handles (30, 40) and a corresponding drive mechanism (20), for enclosures such as doors or windows, said system comprising a one-piece metal body in the general form of a plate (10), with a thickness equal to or less than 3 mm, provided with a central passage (11); a first pair of through holes (12) that are diametrically opposite with respect to the central passage (11), at a distance between centres A and provided with an internal threading (12a); and a second pair of through holes (14) that are also diametrically opposite with respect to the central hole (11), at a distance between centres B and aligned with the first pair of holes (12), fulfilling the relationship B>A.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention belongs to the sector of enclosures, such as doors or windows, and in particular to an accessory for interconnecting handles to operate the opening/closing of said doors or windows with an associated drive mechanism, assembled inside the profile of the frame in the opening of said doors or windows.

Background of the invention

Within the scope of the invention, the term handle is used to designate the handle with a grip, generally at an angle, that doors or windows have in order to be gripped, rotated to operate a closing mechanism so that the door or window can be opened, and to pull said door or window; or vice versa, that is, to be gripped, to push the door or window, and to be rotated in the opposite direction with respect to the aforementioned in order to operate the same closing mechanism, so that it locks the door or window in its closed position.
These handles are attached to the frame in the opening of the door or window, which has a metal or plastic profile, or a profile made of other materials, a profile with a cross-section that leaves space to house a drive mechanism that connects the handle to the elements that provide the coupling and uncoupling of the opening of the door or window to the fixed frame thereof, when the handle is operated with the door or window in its closed position.
A known drive mechanism is one that comprises a rack and pinion transmission. The pinion is prepared to receive a drive shaft that rotates about its longitudinal axis when the handle is operated; and the rack is connected to pin elements that engage or disengage with respect to respective fixed receivers when the rack is moved in one direction or the other, to provide the coupling and uncoupling, respectively, of the opening of the door or window to the fixed frame thereof. In practice, these closing mechanisms convert the rotational movement of the handle into a translational movement of the aforementioned pin elements.
There are minimalist handles and more complex handles. Just to give an example, the most complex handles can incorporate means that multiply the rotation of the handle, so that an angle of rotation about the longitudinal axis is transmitted to the drive shaft, which angle is different, preferably greater, than the angle of rotation that the user transmits to the handle when gripping and rotating it. A comfortable rotation of the handle providing a greater rotation of the associated drive shaft and, in turn, greater displacement of the pin elements via the drive mechanism is thereby achieved. In complex handles of this type, the drive shaft does not normally coincide axially with the rotation of the handle. Among other circumstances, this is one (but not the only) cause that implies that the means for fixing these handles to the frame in the opening of the door or window have a configuration that differs from the means for fixing a simple handle, without multiplying means, to the frame in the opening of said doors or windows.
This different configuration makes it necessary to machine the frame in the opening of the door or window in a different manner to fix the handle but, more importantly, it makes it difficult to link the handles and the drive mechanism in the sense that a drive mechanism must be provided with an equal or compatible operation with the handle in question, since it is common to press the handle against the drive mechanism with the interposition of the profile of the frame in the opening of the door or window in question, in order to fix these components together and with respect to the frame.
An objective of the present invention is an accessory system that facilitates compatibility between a drive mechanism and different handles, specifically making the same drive mechanism compatible with simple handles, without a multiplier; and with complex handles, with a multiplier.
A durable accessory system is also an objective of the invention, which guarantees a long service life for the installation and does not require maintenance.

Description of the invention

To solve the drawbacks mentioned above, an accessory system is proposed that comprises a one-piece metal body in the general form of a plate, with optimal thickness, which can act as an intermediary, if necessary, between a handle and a drive mechanism, said plate having for this purpose first fixing means for fixing with the drive mechanism, second fixing means for fixing with a handle and a passage for the passage therethrough of a drive shaft of said handle, thus allowing its coupling with the drive mechanism even if the aforementioned plate is interposed between them.
Taking certain advantage of the standardisation that exists on the market of drive mechanisms and handles, the first and second fixing means are a first and a second pair of through holes, the holes of the first pair having a threading, all as described in claim 1. The resulting plate is simple yet robust as well as cost-effective, offering the installer the possibility of using different handles without changing the drive mechanism, as will be explained in greater detail later.
Therefore, the proposed accessory system is suitable for the interconnection between handles and a corresponding drive mechanism, for enclosures such as doors or windows, which is essentially characterised in that it comprises a one-piece body in the general form of a plate, with a thickness equal to or less than 3 mm, provided with a central passage; a first pair of through holes that are diametrically opposite with respect to the central passage, at a distance between centres A and provided with an internal threading; and a second pair of through holes that are also diametrically opposite with respect to the central hole, at a distance between centres B and aligned with the first pair of holes, fulfilling the relationship B>A.
Preferably, the central passage is a through hole.
Preferably, on one face of the plate, the plate has two recesses around the outlet of the holes of the second pair of holes, in order to house the head of a screw the shaft of which passes through said holes and to reduce or prevent said head from protruding from the plate.
In one variant, the plate is a plate with a surface finish and is provided with an outer surface of a greater hardness than that of the inner parts thereof.
The surface finish may be the result of having subjected the plate to a thermal finishing process. An optimal thermal finishing process is a nitriding process. An optimal variant is the Tenifer^® nitriding process.
In one variant, the plate is made of a tempered steel alloy with Al, Cr, Mo or V, or a combination thereof.
According to another aspect of the invention, the accessory system is especially suitable for the interconnection, by screwing, between

a drive mechanism with an essentially flat face in which there is a central inlet, intended to receive the insertion of a drive shaft, and a pair of fixing holes with internal threading, one on each side of the inlet and a distance between centres coinciding with B; and
any one of a first and a second handle, each one having a pair of fixing holes at a distance between centres coinciding with A in the first handle and at the distance between centres coinciding with B in the second handle.

Therefore, if the drive mechanism is to be interconnected with the first handle, the plate can be screwed, on the one hand, to the drive mechanism, using for this purpose the pair of threaded fixing holes of the drive mechanism and the second pair of holes of the plate, and on the other hand, said first handle can be screwed to the plate through the frame in the opening of the door or window in question, using for this purpose the first pair of threaded holes of the plate and the pair of fixing holes of the first handle, the plate playing the role of intermediary between the drive mechanism and the first handle; whereas if the drive mechanism is to be interconnected with the second handle, the second handle can be screwed to the drive mechanism through the frame in the opening of the door or window in question, using for this purpose the fixing holes of the drive mechanism and the pair of fixing holes of said second handle, without using the plate.
In a preferred embodiment, A is equal to 20 mm and B is equal to 43 mm.
Dimensions quantified herein may have a tolerance of ±5%.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows an accessory system according to the invention for the interconnection between a first handle and a drive mechanism in a frame in an opening of a window;
Figure 2 shows the interconnection between a second handle and the same drive mechanism in a frame in an opening of a window;
Figures 3a and 3b show in detail a plate of the accessory system according to the invention, according to a possible embodiment, according to a plan view and a profile view, respectively; and
Figures 4a and 4b are realistic images of the plate of an accessory system like that of the invention applied to a drive mechanism, showing the slight deformation of the plate after having been subjected to real tightening conditions for coupling a handle to the aforementioned drive mechanism, with the interposition of the plate and a profile of the frame in the opening of the enclosure.

Detailed description of an embodiment

Figures 1 and 2 both show the same drive mechanism 20 of the type that fits within the profile of a frame 1 of an enclosure, for example, the frame in the opening of a window, this frame being able to be a metal frame or a frame made of plastic materials or another material.
The drive mechanism 20 must be interconnected with a handle, specifically it must receive a drive shaft with which the handle is equipped to convert a rotational movement of the handle into a translational movement of pin elements connected to the drive mechanism, said pin elements also housed in the frame in the opening of the enclosure.
The drive mechanism 20 may be of the known type comprising a rack and pinion transmission. The pinion is prepared to receive the drive shaft that is rotated around its longitudinal axis when the handle is operated; and the rack is connected to the aforementioned pin elements that engage or disengage with respect to respective receivers firmly assembled in the fixed frame of the enclosure when the rack is moved in one direction or the other, to provide the coupling and uncoupling, respectively, of the opening of the enclosure to the fixed frame. Various examples of commercial drive mechanisms of this type are the one referenced as M05211000 from the supplier STAC, the one referenced as Champion Plus from the supplier GIESSE, or the one described in patent document ES2780903 .
It is of interest for the drive mechanism 20 to be able to be interconnected with different handles. Figures 1 and 2 show how to resolve the interconnection of the drive mechanism 20 with a first handle 30 and a second handle 40 that are different from one another.
To do this, it is proposed to have a one-piece metal body in the general form of a plate 10, in the example of tempered steel and with a thickness of 3 mm, which can act as an intermediary, if necessary, between a handle and the drive mechanism 20.
In the examples shown, the drive mechanism 20 is a commercially extended variant with an essentially flat face 20a in which there is a central inlet 21, intended to receive the insertion of the drive shaft of the handle, and a pair of fixing holes 22 with internal threading 22a, one on each side of the inlet 21 and a distance between centres B, which in this case is 43 mm.
In the examples shown, the first handle 30 of figure 1 is a handle that has a pair of fixing holes 32 at a distance between centres A, which in this case is 20 mm; whereas the second handle 40 of figure 2 is a handle that has a pair of fixing holes 42 at a distance between centres coinciding with B, that is 43 mm.
An example of a commercial handle according to the first handle 30 is the handle called Supra 7, marketed by GIESSE, and an example of a commercial handle according to the second handle 40 is the handle called Sirius, marketed by STAC, the handles called Supra and Kora, marketed by GIESSE, or the handle described in patent document ES2780903 .
Advantageously, the aforementioned plate 10 is in turn provided with a central passage 11, which in the example is a central through hole, which shall be referred to as such hereinafter; a first pair of through holes 12 that are diametrically opposite with respect to the central hole 11, at a distance between centres coinciding with A, that is, 20 mm, and provided with an internal threading 12a; and a second pair of through holes 14 that are also diametrically opposite with respect to the central hole 11, at a distance between centres coinciding with B, that is, 43 mm, aligned with the first pair of holes 12 to form a straight succession of holes.
This particular configuration makes it possible, as shown in figure 1, that if the drive mechanism 20 is to be interconnected with the first handle 30, the plate 10 can be screwed (by means of the pair of screws 23), on the one hand, to the drive mechanism 20, using for this purpose the pair of threaded fixing holes 22 of the drive mechanism 20 and the second pair of holes 14 of the plate 10; and on the other hand, said first handle 30 can be screwed (by means of the pair of screws 43) to the plate 10 through the profile of the frame 1 in the opening of the enclosure, using for this purpose the first pair of threaded holes 12 of the plate 10 and the pair of fixing holes 32 of the first handle 30, the plate 10 consequently playing the role of intermediary between the drive mechanism 20 and the first handle 30.
Naturally, the width of the central hole 11 of the plate 10 will be sufficient to allow the drive shaft 31 of the handle 30 to pass through same.
In the example shown, and as best illustrated in figure 3a, in order for the interposition of the plate 10 between the drive mechanism 20 and the frame 1 to not excessively increase the depth dimension of the sum of the drive mechanism 20 and the plate 10, said plate 10 has, on the face of the plate 10a facing the profile of the frame 1, two recesses 14a around the outlet of the holes of the second pair of holes 14, in order to house the heads of the screws 23 the shafts of which will pass through said holes and be coupled by threading to the drive mechanism 20, and to thus prevent said heads from protruding from the plate 10 in the assembly position.
In the example shown, the thickness of the plate 10 represents a valid compromise, overcoming a bias that exists in the sector in this regard, between taking up little space and offering sufficient thread length by means of the holes of the first pair of holes 12 for the secure coupling by threading of the screws 33 that allow the handle 30 to be screwed to said plate 10.
In the example shown, the thickness of the plate 10 also represents a valid compromise, overcoming another bias that exists in the sector in this regard, between offering sufficient thread length by means of the holes of the first pair of holes 12 for the coupling by threading of the screws 33 that allow the handle 30 to be screwed to said plate 10 and it is not necessary to replace the original drive shaft 31 of the handle 30 with another one of greater length.
The selection of a thickness of the plate 10 equal to or less than 3 mm also produces an added technical effect, which contributes to ensuring the firm attachment of the handle 30 on the profile of the frame in the opening of the enclosure over time. This technical effect is caused by the deformation sustained by the plate 10 when the screws 33 which push the plate 10 against the closure box (against the handle equipment 30) are tightened when the system is packaged during its assembly or installation, when the same plate 10 is attached to the drive mechanism 20 at its ends. This deformation of the plate 10 can be seen in figures 4a and 4b, which are realistic images of a plate of an accessory system like that of the invention applied to a drive mechanism, showing the slight deformation of the plate, which adopts a warped shape in its central portion, affecting the area where the first pair of holes 12 are located, after having been subjected to real tightening conditions for coupling a handle to the aforementioned drive mechanism, with the interposition of the plate and the profile of the frame in the opening of the enclosure (in figures 4a and 4b, the aforementioned handle and profile have been removed from the assembly of the realistic images so that the deformation of the plate 10 can be seen more easily). This deformation produces an effect of blocking the rotation of the screws 33, which helps to ensure the firm attachment of the handle on the profile of the frame in the opening of the enclosure over time.
The deformation of the plate 10 also produces another effect that contributes to ensuring the fixing of the handle. This effect can be seen in figures 4a and 4b, showing the divergence between the screws 33, which translates into a lateral tightening thereof against the fixing holes 32 (see figure 1), producing an interlocking effect.
The selection of a necessarily thin thickness so that this blocking effect occurs due to deformation of the plate 10 would have been ruled out by the person skilled in the art, dissuaded from considering it to avoid a risk of breakage of the plate.
However, there are measures to avoid this risk. To avoid this breakage phenomenon, it is possible, and it is therefore a variant of interest of the present invention, for the plate to be a plate with a surface finish, which is optional but preferably the result of having subjected the plate to a thermal finishing process, which is optional but preferably a nitriding process.
Optimal results are obtained, for example, by using a plate made of a tempered steel alloy with Al, Cr, Mo or V, or a combination thereof.
Optimal results are obtained, for example, with metal plates made of steel alloys with a yield strength of at least 215 Mpa, preferably at least 235 Mpa (data are for a steel bar or steel specimen diameter ≤ 16 mm).
Candidate materials are, by way of example only, SPCC steel and Q235 steel.
The aforementioned surface finish provides resistance to abrasion wear as a result of the high surface hardnesses achieved, which protects the threading of the first pair of holes 12 against deterioration or prevention of the thread stripping phenomenon that occurs when the tension generated by the tightening torque is greater than the shear load that the threading can withstand.
While adopting these measures to protect the plate and maintain its performance, it is consistent to also choose to use suitable screws 33. Preferably, screws with a hardness level of at least 8.5. Candidates for pairing with SPCC and Q235 steel plates are screws with hardness grades of 8.8 and 10.9, respectively.
On the other hand, as shown in figure 2, if the drive mechanism 20 is to be interconnected with the second handle 40, the second handle 40 can be screwed (by means of the pair of screws 43) to the drive mechanism 20 through the frame 1 in the opening of the enclosure, using for this purpose the fixing holes 22 of the drive mechanism 20 and the pair of fixing holes 42 of said second handle 40, without using the plate 10. Similarly to the previous case, the drive shaft 41 of the handle 40 will be inserted into the central inlet 21 of the drive mechanism 20.

Claims

An accessory system (100) for the interconnection between handles (30, 40) and a corresponding drive mechanism (20), for enclosures such as doors or windows, characterised in that it comprises a one-piece metal body in the general form of a plate (10), with a thickness equal to or less than 3 mm, provided with
- a central passage (11);

- a first pair of through holes (12) that are diametrically opposite with respect to the central passage (11), at a distance between centres A and provided with an internal threading (12a); and

- a second pair of through holes (14) that are also diametrically opposite with respect to the central hole (11), at a distance between centres B and aligned with the first pair of holes (12), fulfilling the relationship B>A.
The accessory system (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the central passage (11) is a through hole.
The accessory system (100) according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that on one face of the plate (10a), the plate (10) has two recesses (14a) around the outlet of the holes of the second pair of holes (14), in order to house the head of a screw the shaft of which passes through said holes and to reduce or prevent said head from protruding from the plate (10).
The accessory system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plate (10) is a plate with a surface finish and is provided with an outer surface of a greater hardness than that of the inner parts thereof.
The accessory system (100) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the plate (10) is a plate that has been subjected to a thermal finishing process.
The accessory system (100) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the thermal finishing process is a nitriding process.
The accessory system (100) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the plate (10) is made of a steel alloy with Al, Cr, Mo or V, or a combination thereof.
The accessory system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that A is equal to 20 mm and B is equal to 43 mm.
Use of an accessory system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims for the interconnection, by screwing, between
- a drive mechanism (20) with an essentially flat face (20a) in which there is a central inlet (21), intended to receive the insertion of a drive shaft (31, 41), and a pair of fixing holes (22) with internal threading (22a), one on each side of the inlet (21) and a distance between centres coinciding with B; and

- any one of a first and a second handle (30, 40), each one having a pair of fixing holes (32, 42) at a distance between centres coinciding with A in the first handle (30) and at the distance between centres coinciding with B in the second handle (40); therefore, if the drive mechanism (20) is to be interconnected with the first handle (30), the plate (10) can be screwed, on the one hand, to the drive mechanism (20), using for this purpose the pair of threaded fixing holes (22) of the drive mechanism (20) and the second pair of holes (14) of the plate (10), and on the other hand, said first handle (30) can be screwed to the plate (10) through the frame (1) in the opening of the door or window in question, using for this purpose the first pair of threaded holes (12) of the plate (10) and the pair of fixing holes (32) of the first handle (30), the plate (10) playing the role of intermediary between the drive mechanism (20) and the first handle (30),
whereas if the drive mechanism (20) is to be interconnected with the second handle (40), the second handle (40) can be screwed to the drive mechanism (20) through the frame (1) in the opening of the door or window in question, using for this purpose the fixing holes (22) of the drive mechanism (20) and the pair of fixing holes (42) of said second handle (40), without using the plate (10).
An interconnection by screwing between a drive mechanism (20), which provides the coupling and uncoupling of the opening of an enclosure to a fixed frame, and a handle (30) for driving said mechanism, which comprises a plate (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, the central inlet (21) of which is passed through by a drive shaft (31) of the handle; the plate (10) being securely screwed to the drive mechanism (20) through the second pair of holes (14); and the plate (10) being pressed against the handle (30), with the interposition of the profile of the enclosure frame by means of two screws (33) coupled by threading to the first pair of holes (12) of the plate, deforming said plate (10) and warping it in the area where the first pair of holes (12) are located.