FR3111655A1 - Door lock mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a door lock mechanism comprising: - a locking rotary latch (2) pivotally mounted between a locking angular position and an unlocking angular position; - an elastic element (11) urging the rotary locking latch (2) towards its unlocking position; - a pawl (14) provided with a stop surface (23), this pawl (14) being movable between a locking position in which the stop surface (23) retains the rotary locking latch (2) in its angular unlocking position, and a release position in which the stop surface (23) is away from the rotary locking latch (2), this pawl (14) comprising a trigger lever (17); - an elastic element (11) urging the pawl (14) against the rotary locking latch (2). Figure for abstract: Fig.1

Description

door lock mechanism

The field of the invention is that of door lock mechanisms, for example emergency exit doors.

PRIOR ART

Emergency exit doors are commonly used, particularly in places open to the public, to allow the safe exit of people present in a space to be evacuated.

The platform door systems used in metros, or in other public transport, include such emergency exit doors, for example. These platform screen door systems normally prohibit passenger access to the traffic lanes. However, if a person still finds himself in the traffic lanes, he must be able to immediately evacuate this area through an emergency exit door. The opening of this emergency exit door must be simple and reliable to ensure the safety of people by guaranteeing their rapid exit from the danger zone.

In addition, the effective closing and locking of the emergency exit door must be able to be controlled and guaranteed so that the circulation of the metro trains can be stopped as soon as an emergency exit door is detected as not closed or unlocked. Known emergency exit doors generally comprise on the opening a lock mechanism provided with a bolt which cooperates with a strike plate on the frame of the door. Sensors are provided at the level of the bolt as well as on the door itself to detect on the one hand the effective closing of the door and on the other hand the effective locking of this door by the cooperation of the bolt and the striker. A high level of security being required, in particular for public transport applications, these sensors are generally redundant and each emergency exit door can thus comprise a pair of sensors to detect its closing and a pair of sensors to detect its locking. , i.e. up to four sensors.

The object of the invention is to remedy, at least in part, the drawbacks of the prior art.

• un loquet rotatif de verrouillage monté pivotant entre une position angulaire de verrouillage et une position angulaire de déverrouillage, ce loquet rotatif de verrouillage comportant un évidement délimité par une surface de verrouillage et par une surface d’enclenchement qui sont disposées en vis-à-vis l’une de l’autre de sorte qu’une force exercée sur la surface d’enclenchement entraîne le pivotement du loquet rotatif de verrouillage vers sa position angulaire de verrouillage ;
• un élément élastique sollicitant le loquet rotatif de verrouillage vers sa position de déverrouillage ;
• un cliquet muni d’une surface d’arrêt, ce cliquet étant mobile entre une position de blocage dans laquelle la surface d’arrêt retient le loquet rotatif de verrouillage dans sa position angulaire de déverrouillage, et une position de libération dans laquelle la surface d’arrêt est à l’écart du loquet rotatif de verrouillage, ce cliquet comportant une manette de déclenchement ;
• un élément élastique sollicitant le cliquet contre le loquet rotatif de verrouillage.

For this, the object of the invention is a door lock mechanism, for example an emergency exit door, comprising:

• a rotary locking latch pivotally mounted between an angular locking position and an angular unlocking position, this rotary locking latch comprising a recess delimited by a locking surface and by a latching surface which are arranged facing each other from each other so that a force exerted on the engagement surface causes the pivoting of the rotary locking latch towards its angular locking position;
• an elastic element urging the rotary locking latch towards its unlocking position;
• a pawl provided with a stop surface, this pawl being movable between a locking position in which the stop surface retains the rotary locking latch in its angular unlocking position, and a release position in which the surface of the stop is away from the rotary locking latch, this pawl comprising a trigger lever;
• an elastic member biasing the pawl against the rotating locking latch.

According to another object, the invention relates to a door, for example an emergency exit door; comprising a sash, a fixed frame, such a lock mechanism fixed on the sash, and a locking pin fixed on the fixed frame.

The door lock mechanism according to the invention simplifies and makes reliable the closing and locking functions which are required for the door.

Such a door lock mechanism does not include a bolt or striker, or any of the sensors traditionally associated with these elements. The door lock mechanism is provided to cooperate with a simple fixed locking finger provided for example on the frame of the door. When the door closes, the locking finger pushes against the engagement surface of the rotary locking latch and thus causes the door to both close and lock.

If the door is opened, for example by the actuation of a panic bar by a person being evacuated, the pawl releases the rotary latch which passes into the angular unlocking position, causing both the unlocking of the door and its opening.

In this context, a restricted number of sensors can be used to detect both the closing of the door and its locking because, in normal use, the door does not present a state in which it is closed and unlocked. A single sensor thus makes it possible to detect these two concomitant states of the door (closed and locked).

Some preferred but non-limiting aspects of this lock mechanism are as follows.

The lock mechanism may include a sliding interface between the locking rotary latch and the pawl.

The sliding interface may have a convex sliding surface on the locking rotary latch and a concave ramp on the pawl.

The rotary locking latch may include a tooth adapted to cooperate with the stop surface of the pawl, this tooth being adjacent to the sliding surface. The concave ramp may be adjacent to the pawl stopping surface.

The lock mechanism may include a pawl position sensor.

The position sensor can be a monostable switch. The pawl may include a detection tab adapted to activate the position sensor.

The locking rotary latch can be pivotally mounted around an axis of rotation. The locking surface and the engagement surface can extend parallel to this axis of rotation, and be arranged at a distance from this axis of rotation.

The locking rotary latch may include a hook on which the locking surface is disposed.

The pawl can be pivotally mounted around an axis of rotation, the blocking position and the release position being angular positions of the pawl along this axis of rotation.

The release handle may project parallel to the axis of rotation of the pawl, and at a distance from this axis of rotation.

The locking rotary latch may have a latching tab on which the latching surface is disposed. The pawl may comprise a trigger tab, said elastic elements being constituted by a spring arranged between the trigger tab and the trigger tab.

The engagement lug may include a domed support foot on which the spring rests.

The lock mechanism may include a manual unlocking device fitted with a cam adapted to act on the release lug and drive the pawl from its locking position to its release position.

The lock mechanism may comprise an anti-panic bar adapted to urge the release lever and to drive the pawl from its blocking position to its release position.

Other aspects, aims, advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings. on which ones :
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lock mechanism according to the invention, in the open position;
- Figure 2 is a front view of the lock mechanism of Figure 1;
- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism of Figure 1, in the closed position;
- Figure 4 is a front view of the lock mechanism of Figure 3;
- Figure 5 is a perspective view of an emergency exit door according to one application of the invention.
DETAILED DISCUSSION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

In the figures and in the remainder of the description, the same references represent identical or similar elements. In addition, the various elements are not represented to scale so as to favor the clarity of the figures. Furthermore, the different embodiments and variants are not mutually exclusive and can be combined with each other. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “substantially”, “approximately”, “around” mean to within 10%, and preferably within 5%. Furthermore, the terms “between … and …” and equivalents mean that the terminals are included, unless otherwise stated.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate a lock mechanism 30 according to the invention which is intended for a door in general, for example an emergency exit door as illustrated in Figure 5, arranged within of platform doors 32 metro or other transport. In the rest of the description, the lock mechanism is applied to an emergency exit door, but it can be applied to any type of door.

The emergency exit door 33 allows the evacuation of people present by accident on the traffic lanes. The lock mechanism 30 jointly ensures the closing and the locking of the door by also providing a reliable indication of the performance of these operations, with a single sensor in the example illustrated.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the frame of a lock mechanism 30 includes a plate 1 on which are mounted the moving parts of the mechanism.

A rotary locking latch 2 is pivotally mounted on the plate 1 around a shaft 3. The rotary latch 2 has a recess 4 which, in the present example, is a slot passing through the room and defining on one side a hook 5 and on the other side an engagement lug 6. The recess 4 is delimited laterally by two parallel surfaces facing each other: a locking surface 7 located on the hook 5 and an engagement surface 8 located on the engagement bracket 6.

The engagement surface 8 thus extends along a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the latch 2 and at a distance from this axis of rotation, so that a force exerted on the engagement surface 8 causes the rotation of the latch 2 around its axis.

The engagement lug 6 comprises a domed support foot 9, comprising a groove for its cooperation with a torsion spring 11.

The rotary latch 2 further comprises a tooth 12, here consisting of a recess in the material of the latch 2, and a sliding surface 13 adjacent to the tooth 12. The sliding surface 13 here has the shape of a portion of convex cylinder.

A pawl 14 is also pivotally mounted on the plate 1, around a shaft 15. The pawl 14 comprises a trigger tab 16 projecting orthogonally to the axis of rotation of the pawl 14, as well as a trigger lever 17 s' extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the pawl 14, and on which is mounted a roller 10. The trigger tab 16 and the trigger lever 17 are located at a distance from the axis of rotation of the pawl 14, so that a force exerted on the tab 16 or on the handle 17 causes the rotation of the pawl around its axis.

The trigger lug 16 comprises a pin 19 provided with a groove in which is inserted a branch 21 of the torsion spring 11.

The torsion spring 11 is mounted on a shaft 22, projecting from the plate 1, and thus has a first branch 20 urged against the support foot 9 of the rotary latch 2 and a second branch 21 urged against the release lug 16 of the pawl 14. Given the position of the respective axes of rotation of latch 2 and pawl 14, spring 11 urges pawl 14 against latch 2. In other words, there is contact between pawl 14 and latch 2, that the latch 2 occupies its angular locking position or that it occupies its angular unlocking position. In this example, the spring 11 is mounted so as to exert a force here on the latch 2 for clockwise rotation from the locking position to the unlocking position; and to exert a force on the ratchet 14 for counterclockwise rotation from the release position to the locking position during a closing/locking phase of the lock mechanism.

The pawl 14 further comprises a stop surface 23 formed by a recess of material in the pawl 14, as well as a ramp 24 adjacent to the stop surface 23. The ramp 24 is formed in this example of a portion of concave cylindrical surface. The ramp 24 is intended to form a sliding track for the sliding surface 13 of the latch 2, and the stop surface 23 is adapted to block the tooth 12 of the latch 2. The ramp 24 and the sliding surface 13 form a sliding interface between rotary latch 2 and pawl 14.

The pawl 14 further comprises a detection tab 25 intended to cooperate with a sensor 36 mounted on the plate 1. The sensor 36 comprises at its end a roller 35 adapted to roll on the detection tab 25 to allow the latter to depress the feeler of the sensor 36 and allow the detection tab 25 to activate the sensor 36 when, in this example, the lock mechanism 30 is in the open position (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The lock mechanism 30 further comprises a manual unlocking device mounted on the plate 1. This device comprises an indentation 26 which is rotatably mounted on the plate 1 around an axis 27 and which is coupled in rotation with a cam 28. A torsion spring 29 maintains the unlocking recess 26 in the angular position of rest illustrated in FIG. 1. A rotation of the recess 26 against the spring 29 causes a rotation of the cam 28 which pushes the tab trigger 16 of pawl 14.

The lock mechanism 30 which has just been described can be implemented in any type of door, and in particular in an emergency exit door 33 in accordance with the schematic view of Figure 5.

Figure 5 illustrates an example of application for a metro platform 31 equipped with platform doors 32 allowing secure access to the metro train. Emergency exit door 33 is closed under normal conditions and prevents any access to the metro train lanes. The emergency exit door 33 is closed and locked thanks to the lock mechanism 30 which then transmits to the landing door management system information guaranteeing that the emergency exit door 33 is properly closed and locked, which authorizes the movement of the metro train. If this information is not received by the platform screen door system, the metro train is not authorized to move.

The lock mechanism 30 is fixed to the door leaf and cooperates with a fixed locking finger 37 mounted on the frame 38 of the door (the locking finger 37 is visible in Figures 3 and 4).

The emergency exit door 33 includes a panic bar 34 operating the lock mechanism 30.

When a person is present on the traffic lanes, he can push back the panic bar 34 to evacuate this area, which causes the unlocking and immediate opening of the door 33 (situation illustrated in Figure 5).

When, following evacuation, the emergency exit door 33 is closed, the closing and the locking of the door 33 take place simultaneously by the action of the lock mechanism 30, according to the operation indicated below.

In Figures 1 and 2, the lock mechanism 30 is in the open position (corresponding to the position of Figure 5). In this position of the lock mechanism 30, the rotary latch 2 is in an angular unlocking position and the pawl 14 is in an angular releasing position. The stop surface 23 is then away from the tooth 12 of the latch 2, the sliding surface 13 of the latch 2 being placed against the ramp 24 of the pawl 14 by the action of the spring 11.

In the open position of the lock mechanism 30, the detection lug 25 of the pawl 14 pushes the roller 35 of the sensor 36. The sensor 36 can be produced by any known detection device, for example mechanical or optical, in normally open or normally closed. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor 36 consists of a monostable switch whose rest position is that of Figures 3 and 4. In the open position of the lock 30 (Figures 1 and 2), the roller 35 of the sensor 36 is pushed back and the sensor 36 transmits information indicating that the door is unlocked.

Figures 2 and 4 illustrate the locking finger 37, which is arranged on the frame 38 of the emergency exit door 33, with which the lock mechanism cooperates to lock the door.

From the position of Figure 2 (open position of the lock mechanism 30), the door 33 is closed so that the lock mechanism 30 is brought closer to the locking finger 37 until the latter comes to exert a force on the engagement surface 8 of the rotary latch 2, and causes the pivoting of the rotary latch 2 towards the angular locking position (FIGS. 3 and 4). The plate 1 has a notch 39 allowing the passage of the locking pin 37.

In the angular locking position of the rotary latch 2, the locking finger 37 is captive to the recess 4 and the hook 5 thus locks the door 33 on the frame 38. During the pivoting of the rotary latch 2 from its angular unlocking position towards its angular locking position, the first branch 20 of the spring 11 remains caught in the groove of the domed support foot 9, and slides in this groove along the cylindrical surface of the domed support foot 9.

During this same pivoting movement of the rotary latch 2, the sliding surface 13 of the rotary latch 2 slides on the ramp 24 of the pawl 14 until the tooth 12 of the latch 2 comes opposite the surface d stop 23 of the pawl 14. The pawl 14 then pivots towards a locking position (that shown in Figures 3 and 4) in which the stop surface 23 is arranged against the tooth 12 under the effect of the spring 11.

The pivoting movement of the rotary latch 2 from its angular unlocking position to its angular locking position takes place against the spring 11, the latter exerting a force tending to separate the support foot 9 and the trigger tab 16 The force exerted on the latch 2 and the force exerted on the pawl 14 are of equal intensity and of opposite direction. This force increases as spring 11 twists until it reaches a peak when rotary latch 2 is blocked by pawl 14.

When the pawl 14 passes from its release position to its blocking position, the detection tab 25 moves away from the roller 35 so that the pressure on the sensor 36 is released. In this state of non-activation of the sensor 36, the landing door system receives information that the emergency exit door 33 is in a state that is both closed and locked, because the closing of the door leads to the pivoting of the latch rotary 2, the latter itself leading to the pivoting of the pawl 14.

From its closed position (FIGS. 3 and 4), the lock mechanism 30 can return to the open position (FIGS. 1 and 2) according to two opening modes.

According to a first mode of opening, the door is opened by the actuation of the panic bar 34 of the door 33. This panic bar 34 (or any other emergency door opening device) comprises a cam (not shown) pushing the release lever 17, possibly by rolling the roller 18. The panic bar 34 thus causes the rotation of the pawl 14, against the spring 11, from its locking position to its release position, so that the tooth 12 of latch 2 is released from stop surface 23 of pawl 14. Rotary latch 2 then returns to its unlocked position under the effect of spring 11, the door then being unlocked and opened.

According to a second mode of opening, a manual actuation of the unlocking imprint 26 is carried out thanks to a suitable key (it is in the present example, a key with a square imprint). The unlocking recess 26 is rotated against the spring 29, so that the cam 28 pushes back the trigger tab 16, which causes the rotation of the pawl 14 towards its release position. The rotary latch 2 then returns to its unlocked position under the effect of the spring 11, the door then being unlocked and opened.

Variations of the lock mechanism 30 can be envisaged. For example, pawl 14 may be a sliding rather than a rotating pawl, yet being spring biased against the rotating latch.

Particular embodiments have just been described. Various variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

Claims (15)

Door lock mechanism characterized in that it comprises:

• a rotary locking latch (2) pivotally mounted between an angular locking position and an angular unlocking position, this rotary locking latch (2) comprising a recess (4) delimited by a locking surface (7) and by a surface latch (8) which are arranged facing each other so that a force exerted on the latching surface (8) causes the rotating latch (2) to pivot towards its angular locking position;
• an elastic element (11) urging the rotary locking latch (2) towards its unlocking position;
• a pawl (14) provided with a stop surface (23), this pawl (14) being movable between a locking position in which the stop surface (23) retains the rotary locking latch (2) in its angular unlocking position, and a release position in which the stop surface (23) is away from the rotary locking latch (2), this pawl (14) comprising a release lever (17);
• an elastic element (11) urging the pawl (14) against the rotary locking latch (2).

A lock mechanism according to claim 1, comprising a sliding interface (13,24) between the locking rotary latch (2) and the pawl (14). Lock mechanism according to Claim 2, characterized in that the sliding interface comprises a convex sliding surface (13) on the locking rotary latch (2) and a concave ramp (24) on the pawl (14). Lock mechanism according to Claim 3, characterized in that:

• the rotary locking latch (2) comprises a tooth (12) adapted to cooperate with the stop surface (23) of the pawl (14), this tooth (12) being adjacent to the sliding surface (13);
• the concave ramp (24) is adjacent to the stop surface (23) of the pawl (14).

Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a position sensor (36) of the pawl (14). Lock mechanism according to Claim 5, characterized in that the position sensor (36) is a monostable switch, and in that the pawl (14) comprises a detection lug (25) adapted to activate the position sensor (36 ). Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotary locking latch (2) is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation, and in that the locking surface (7) and the surface of engagement (8) extending parallel to this axis of rotation and are arranged at a distance from this axis of rotation. Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotary locking latch (2) has a hook (5) on which the locking surface (7) is arranged. Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pawl (14) is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation, the blocking position and the releasing position being angular positions of the pawl (14) according this axis of rotation. Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the release lever (17) projects parallel to the axis of rotation of the pawl (14), at a distance from this axis of rotation. Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotary locking latch (2) has a latching lug (6) on which the latching surface (8) is arranged, and in that the pawl (14) comprises a trigger tab (16), said elastic elements being constituted by a spring (11) arranged between the trigger tab (6) and the trigger tab (16). Lock mechanism according to Claim 11, characterized in that the latching lug (6) comprises a domed support foot (9) on which the spring (11) rests. Lock mechanism according to one of Claims 11 or 12, characterized in that it comprises a manual unlocking device fitted with a cam (28) adapted to act on the release lug (16) and drive the pawl (14) from its blocking position to its release position. Lock mechanism according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an anti-panic bar (34) adapted to act on the release handle (17) and to drive the pawl (14) from its locking position to its of liberation. Door (33) comprising a leaf and a frame (38), characterized in that it comprises a lock mechanism (30) according to one of Claims 1 to 14 fixed to the leaf, and a locking pin ( 37) fixed to the frame (38).