GB2188674A

GB2188674A - Door closer: holding device

Info

Publication number: GB2188674A
Application number: GB8707102A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Mettenleiter; Dr Ralf Storandt; Dieter Hassler
Original assignee: Geze GmbH
Current assignee: Geze GmbH
Priority date: 1986-04-03
Filing date: 1987-03-25
Publication date: 1987-10-07
Also published as: GB8707102D0; GB2188674B

Abstract

A door is held open by mechanically stopping the piston (1) of the closer from moving in a damping chamber. A conical member (3) urges balls (2) radially outwardly from within the piston against the wall (25) of the chamber between the piston (1) and an axially adjustable abutment sleeve (10) to stop the piston. The balls can be released by pressing the conical member out of engagement therewith and this is done, via a tappet (5), by means of a control sleeve (40) movable in the abutment sleeve (10) under the force of a spring (11). The control sleeve (40) can be locked in the door holding position by a bolt member (46) moved by a solenoid (22) and acting on a two-armed latch (42), one arm in the locking position abutting a port (44) of the abutment sleeve (10) and the other arm abutting a surface (58) of the bolt member (46). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A holding device for door closers The invention relates to a door holding device for door closers. In one known door closer described in EP-A-85 105 289 (Publication No. 0174432) a working piston which is axially displaceably guided in a chamber of the closer housing, is actuated in dependence on a movement of the closer shaft and is formed partly as a hollow cylinder. An abutment member is arranged in the chamber coaxial to the working piston, and a cone member having an inclined surface confronting the abutment member is biased in the direction of the abutment member by means of a spring braced on the working piston.At least one latch element (in the form of a ball) is located between the cone member and the abutment member, and is capable of being changed over between a release position in which it is located in the hollow cylinder portion of the working piston and a blocking position in which it is disposed between an oblique end surface of the working piston, the cone member and the abutment member. The abutment member consists of a hollow cylinder in which a control unit including a magnetic actuating unit is axially displaceably disposed and biased in the direction towards the working piston by a spring. A control tappet is provided for axially displacing the cone member by means of the control unit.

The control unit is displaceable by the working pressure generated by the piston on closing of the door, against the force of the bias spring, and is mechanically blockable or releasable in the resulting end position spaced from the control tappet under the control of the magnetic actuating unit.

The device provided in EP-A-85 105 289 for blocking and releasing the magnetic unit is of relatively complicated construction. It has a radially displaceable pin which cooperates with the abutment member and which is controlled by the magnetic unit via an axially displaceable deployment bolt. In this construction only relatively unfavourable transmission ratios are obtained between the magnet and the abutment pin with the desired small constructional volume. Moreover, faults in operation can occur due to jamming of the radiai abutment pin. For long periods of operation wear of the abutment pin and at the electrical connection for the magnetic unit can in particular occur, which can likewise lead to malfunction.

The object underlying the present invention is to provide a holding device for door closers the constructional volume and current consumption of which is as low as possible and which ensures fault-free and service-free operation over a long period as a result of the most extensive preclusion of any form of wear.

This object is satisfied in accordance with the invention, in a door closer of the initially named kind, essentially in that the control unit consists of a control sleeve which can be blocked relative to the hollow cylinder forming the abutment member by means of at least one two-armed pivotal latch member which is journalled on the control sleeve, with one arm of the pivotal latch member cooperating with an abutment surface of the abutment member and with the other arm of the pivotal latch member cooperating with an abutment surface of a bolt member which is adjustable axially in response to the magnetic actuating unit.

The special blocking mechanism requires extremely small actuating forces, is extremely easy running and is characterised by the most extensive freedom from wear. In particularly advantageous embodiments the length of the arm of the pivotal latch member associated with the bolt member is a multiple of the length of the arm of the pivotal latch member associated with the abutment member. The short lever arm associated with the abutment member advantageously cooperates with the associated abutment surface via an oblique surface and the long lever arm of the pivotal latch member engages in a control recess of the bolt member.

In order to avoid faults in long periods of operation as a result of the effects of wear in the region of the electrical connections provision is made in preferred further developments for the magnetic unit to have a first contact unit for the purpose of power supply with the first contact unit cooperating with a second contact unit arranged stationary within the housing, or in the abutment member, or in the adjustment sleeve; and for the contact units which are associated with one another to be in mutual contact in the end position of the magnetic unit (holding position). In this arrangement provision can be made for electrical contact to be present exclusively in the end position of the magnetic unit.

In preferred embodiments the second contact unit has a movable member which executes at least a partial stroke together with the magnetic unit and thereby contacts the first contact unit. In this way a compensation for tolerances is achieved and the reliable supply of current to the magnetic unit in the holding position is made possible. This signifies that the holding can always be reliably terminated and maintained.

In special embodiments provision is made for the movable member to include a spring.

The movable member of the contact unit can be constructed as a spring which touches the associated contact unit. Alternatively, the spring can however also be provided to support a further movable member of the contact unit which touches the associated contact unit.

In a particularly preferred embodiment pro vision is made for the movable member to have an axially displaceable contact pin. The contact pin is preferably resiliently mounted.

The free end of the contact pin thereby preferably forms the contact head which touches the associated contact unit.

In the preferred embodiment provision is made that the second contact unit which is arranged stationary in thehousing, in the abutment member or in the adjustment sleeve has a sleeve-like holder in which the axially dislaceable pin is mounted via the intermediary of a compression spring arranged in the holder; that the first contact unit is formed as a contact surface of the magnetic unit; and that the axially displaceable pin is pushed in the direction towards the contact surface under the action of the compression spring. In this way a robust and reliably operating connection of particularly simple construction is obtained for the power supply to the magnetic unit. Effects of wear are avoided and a long period of fault-free and service-free operation is ensured.

Alternatively, the contact unit with the contact pin can be arranged in the magnetic unit and the contact surface can be arranged stationary in the housing, in the adjustment sleeve or in the abutment member.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments and referring to the drawings in which are shown: Fig. 1 a schematic longitudinal section through the damping chamber of a door closer having a door holding with the holding device switched on; Fig. 2 a section of the arrangement of Fig.

1 with the holding device in the switched off state; Fig. 3 a schematic sectional illustration corresponding to Fig. 1 of a particularly preferred further embodiment with a special electrical connection for the magnetic unit of the actuating part; Fig. 4 a plan view of a circuit board used in the embodiment of Fig. 3 Fig. 5 a side view of the circuit board of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 a view corresponding to that of Fig.

4, however as viewed from below; and Fig. 7 a plan view of the end face of the magnetic unit with contact surfaces for the embodiment of Fig. 3.

As seen in Fig. 1 a working piston 1 is arranged in the damping chamber 14 of a door closer which is preferably used as a floor-mounted door closer. The working piston is of tubular shape, at least in the region of its illustrated free end. It moves to the right in the drawing on closing of the associated door and forces oil present in the damping chamber out of the damping chamber via non-illustrated valves. The damping chamber also includes all intermediate spaces between individual parts which are filled with oil, and it is pointed out that the entire cross-sectional area of the piston 1 is effective for the displacement of the oil.

In the interior of the working piston 1 which is displaceable in the housing 25 there is located a cone 3 which is biased by means of a compression spring 4 in the direction of the free end of the working piston 1. This cone cooperates with latch members 2 in the form of balls which are moved radially outwardly by the cone as a result of the action of a compression spring 4, so far as these balls 2 are located outside of the working piston. In the operating state the balls 2 are located within the hollow part of the working piston 1.

An abutment member 10 is furthermore fixedly mounted in the housing 25 extending coaxially to the working piston 1 and has the form of a hollow cylinder. The abutment member 10 is threaded into the housing 25 by its end having the larger diameter. In the cylindrical hollow chamber of the abutment member 10 there is located a magnetic unit 22 which is biased by a compression spring 11 in the direction towards the working piston 1. The bias force of the spring 11 is always larger than the bias force of the spring 4 associated with the cone 3.

In this arrangement an adjustment sleeve 45 which is connected by screw threads to the abutment member 10 is screwed into the housing 25. All the movable parts are contained in the interior of this adjustment sleeve 45 and of the abutment member 10. The adjustment of the sleeve 45 in the axial direction makes it possible to adjust the door holding angle which is required in a particular case.

A control sleeve 40 is axially displaceable guided in the abutment member 10 and is biased towards the left by the compression spring 11. An O-ring 41 is provided for sealing between the control sleeve 40 and the abutment member 10. In distinction to the illustration of Fig. 1 the O-ring 41 can also be provided in the forward narrowed portion of the control sleeve 40, and the front end face of the control sleeve can additionally be of closed construction.

The magnetic unit 22 is fixedly screwed into the control sleeve 40, can however also merely be plugged in and held in abutment with the control sleeve 40 by the spring 11.

The electrical feedlines are formed by the cables 53 which are connected to the sleeves 52 into which an electrical feed cable can be plugged.

A bolt member 46 displaceable within the control sleeve 40 is associated with the magnetic unit 22. In the position illustrated in Fig.

1 the magnetic unit 22 firmly holds the bolt member 46, i.e. current flows through the magnet in the illustrated position. A comparatively weak deployment spring 50 is arranged between the bolt member 46 and an internal ring shoulder of the control sleeve 40.

The control sleeve is mechanically latchable relative to the abutment member 10 by means of a pivotal latch member 42. The pivotal latch member 42 is mounted on a pivot axle 54 which is secured to the control sleeve 40.

It has a short lever arm and a long lever arm, with the long lever arm engaging in a control recess 55 of the bolt member 46, whereas the short lever arm extends radially beyond the control sleeve 40 and is provided with an oblique surface 59 which contacts an abutment surface 44 when the holding device is switched on. This abutment surface 44 is part of the abutment member 10.

The long lever arm of the pivotal latch member 42 is actuated within the control recess 55 via an abutment surface 58.

In the latching position illustrated in Fig. 1 the pivotal latch member 42 is held in the abutment position by means of the bolt member 46, with the long lever arm of the pivotal latch member 42 cooperating with the abutment surface 58 of the bolt member 46 and with the short lever arm contacting the abutment surface 44 and thus blocking an axial movement of the control sleeve 40.

In order to obtain a mechanical advantage which is as favourable as possible the long lever arm of the pivotal latch member 42 is shaped so that the distance between the point of contact with the abutment surface 58 and the pivot axle 54 is as large as possible. It is evident from Fig. 1 that, as a result of the lever ratio, a comparatively small force exerted by the bolt member 46 via the abutment surface 58 on the long lever arm of the pivotal latch member 42 is sufficient to ensure blocking of the control sleeve relative to the abutment member 10 via the oblique surface 59 and the abutment surface 44, which preferably consists of hardened material.

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of Fig. 1 after a transition has taken place from the clamped into the unlatched state. In this unlatched state, the control pin 5 has been actuated via the now released control sleeve 40 and displaced to the left which results in releasing of the holding device.

The described arrangement operates in the following manner: In the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the door closer is in the holding position because the balls 2 are forced radially outwardly via the cone 4 and a control pin 5 is not actuated by the control sleeve 40, i.e. has not been displaced to the left. A current is flowing through the magnetic unit 22.

If the current is now switched off the bolt member 46 is released from the magnetic (solenoid) and the holding force on the pivotal latch member 42 ceases so that the torque brought about by the compression spring 11 on the lower arm of the pivotal latch member 42 is effective and this latch member 42 can pivot in the clockwise sense. In so doing the blocking at the abutment surface 44 is cancelled.

As soon as the holding force of the pivotal latchment 42 ceases the control sleeve 40 together with the parts contained therein moves to the left as a result of the force of the spring 11. As a consequence of this the control pin 5 also moves to the left with the control sleeve, whereupon the cone 3 moves to the left and the holding force of the latch balls 2 is cancelled and the latter are free to move back inside the hollow cylindrical portion of the piston as the piston moves to close the door under the action of the door closing spring. The force of the spring 11 is always greater than the force of the compression spring 4.

If the closer is now to be brought again into the held position then the magnetic unit 22 must be energised with current. As however one is only concerned with an adherent magnet (or solenoid) the latter is not yet in the position of being able to attrackt the bolt member 46.

On actuating the closer 1 once again a pressure is however created in the piston chamber which acts over the cross-sectional area of the cross-section sealed by the O-ring 41 on the control sleeve 40 and moves this back to the right together with the magnetic unit 22 against the force of the spring 11. The control sleeve 40 is pressed back as a result of the pressure until the compression spring 11 has blocked (become coil-bound). The pivotal latch member 42 thus comes into the larger diameter portion of the abutment member 10 and is pivoted to the right in the counterclockwise sense as a result of the movement of the adherent bolt member 46, and indeed as a result of the auxiliary force of the very weak deployment spring 50. This deployment spring 50 brings the adherent bolt member 46 up to the holding magnet and this now holds the bolt member again as a result of its magnetic force.The pivotal latch member 42 now again blocks the control sleeve 40 against a movement to the left, i.e. the door is again held.

This mechanical locking of the release unit makes the function of the described apparatus completely independent of eventual leakages so that creepage effects can be procluded with certainty.

The frictional forces to be overcome by the mechanical latching arrangement are extremely small and moreover this latching unit is of very simple construction.

In the particularly advantageous embodiments of Figs. 3 to 7 contact surfaces 61, 62 are arranged on the magnetic unit 22 and resilient contact pins 66, 67 which cooperate therewith are arranged on the adjustment sleeve 45 in place of the permanent cable connection 53 attached to the magnetic unit 22 for the supply of power to the magnetic unit. The construction is otherwise the same as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

In the abutment position of the magnetic unit 22 shown in Fig. 3 with the holding device switched on the contact pins 66, 67 are in contact with the contact surfaces 61, 62 of the magnetic unit 22. When the magnetic unit 22 is displaced into a different position to that in the drawing, as it were into the position as shown in Fig. 2, the contact pins 66, 67 no longer touch the contact surfaces 61, 62.

Two contact pins 66, 67 are provided of which one forms the positive pole and the other the negative pole. The pins are mounted in a holder 68 which is fixed in the right hand end wall of the adjustment sleeve 45 in Fig.

4. The holder 68 is of multi-part construction.

It has a disk-like circuit board 69, a distance plate or spacer tube 70 and a connection plate 71. The circuit board 69 is inserted into a corresponding recess in the spacer tube 70 which in turn engages via two cams or noses 72 into corresponding bores in the end wall of the adjustment sleeve 45.

The connection plate 71 is mounted onto the relevant end wall of the adjustment sleeve 45 from the outside.

The contact pins 66, 67 are arranged in the circuit board 69. They each have a sleeve-like holder 63 fixed in the circuit board 69 and an axially displaceable pin 76 is resiliently mounted in the holder. The pin 76 is braced via a compression spring which is not shown but which is arranged in the holder 63, and is forced outwardly under the action of the compression spring. It is displaceable between a maximum extended position a and a maximum compressed position b.

As can best be recognised from the Figs. 4 to 6 the one contact pin 66 together with its displaceable pin 76 is centrally mounted in the circular disk-like circuit board 69 and the other contact pin 67 with its displaceable pin 76 is eccentrically mounted therein. A connection pin 86, 87 is respectively associated with each contact pin 66, 67 with which it is connected. For this purpose connection webs 80a-d are provided on the circuit board 69.

A diode 82 is connected between the end of the web 80a of the eccentric contact pin 67 and the web 80b of the associated contact pin 87. The diode 82 is likewise mounted in the circuit board 69 and indeed on the other side from the connection webs. The diode 82 protects against the D.C. power supply being connected the wrong way round.

A further diode 81 which is correspondingly mounted in the circuit board 69 is attached to the other end of the web 80a and is in turn connected via the connection web 80b with the connection web 80c between the central contact pin 66 and the associated connection pin 86. The diode 81 is a quenching diode to protect against voltages generated when the power supply is disconnected from the solenoid.

In the inbuilt position of Fig. 3 the connection pins 86, 87 which are inserted into the circuit board 69 engage through bores in the spacer tube 70 which lead through the noses 72 and extend up to and into corresponding bores in the connection plate 71 which is mounted externally on the adjustment sleeve 45. The connection pins 86, 87 are soldered at their ends on the one hand to the circuit board 69 and on the other hand to the connection plate 71. In this way the entire holder 68 is fixed on the adjustment sleeve 45.

For the purpose of connection to the power supply a two-poled connection plug 100 is mounted on the connection plate 71 and cooperates with the connection pins 86, 87.

The magnetic unit 22 carries the contact surfaces 61, 62 at its end face confronting the contact pins 66, 67. These contact surfaces are of multiple layer construction and consist of a lower copper layer for improved conductivity, a supporting center layer with the appropriate hardness and an upper gold layer for protection against corrosion.

The contact surface 61 is of circular disk shape and centrally arranged. The other contact surface 62 is constructed in the shape of a concentric annular surface. The circular disklike central contact surface 61 is associated with the central contact pin 66, the ring-like contact surface 62 with the eccentric contact pin 67. The said contact surfaces 61, 62 lie directly confronting the respective contact pins 66, 67, and indeed in any angular position of the magnetic unit 22 relative to the adjustment sleeve 45, and contact one another when the magnetic unit 22 is displaced into the holding position in Fig. 4. In this position the magnetic unit 22 is in abutment with the opposing compressed compression spring 11 under the action of the oil pressure in the damping chamber 14.In this position the displaceable pins 76 of the contact pins 66, 67 are in their partly depressed position c (Fig.

3).

When the magnetic unit 22 compresses the spring 11 till it blocks (becomes coil-bound) due to the action of a higher pressure, the displaceable pins 76 are pressed into the position d shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. In this position the maximum depressed position b of Fig. 3 is not attained. As a result of their resilient mounting the pins 76 are able, in the embodiment of Fig. 3, to execute a partial stroke, namely between the positions c und a together with the magnetic unit 22 with the pins 76 being in contact with the contact surfaces 61 and 62 respectively. This signifies that contact remains between the displaceable pins 76 of the contact pins 66, 67 and the contact surfaces 61 and 62 respectively when the magnetic unit 22 moves to the left out of the abutment position in Fig. 3 over a partial stroke between the positions c and a.In cor responding manner, on backward movement of the magnetic unit, to the right in the drawing, the contact pins 66, 67 already come into contact again, with the contact surfaces 61 and 62 respectively in position a before the magnetic unit 22 has reached its end stop position in Fig. 4.

The arrangement operates in the following manner: As long as the contact pins 66, 67 are in contact with the contact surfaces 61, 62 the magnetic unit 22 can be supplied with current.

When supplied with current the holding of the control sleeve 40, and as a consequence also the holding of the working piston, is achieved in the same manner as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

In correspondence with the preceding embodiment the holding of the bolt member and thus ultimately of the door is maintained until the supply of current to the magnetic unit 22 is stopped and the freeing or release of the bolt member and thus of the door takes place on switching off the current. After switching off the current the magnetic unit 22 moves together with the control sleeve 40 under their action of the spring 11 to the left in the drawing. In the embodiment of Fig. 3 the contact surfaces 61, 62 and the contact pins 66 and 67 then move out of contact.

The backward movement of the control sleeve 40 and of the magnetic unit 22 (to the right in the drawing) takes place in corresponding manner to the preceding embodiments until the magnetic unit 22 has reached its abutment position illustrated in Fig. 3. In so doing the contact pins 66, 67 again come into contact with the contact surfaces 61 and 62 respectively.

The to and fro movement of the magnetic unit 22 together with the control sleeve 40 and also the contact and release of the contact pins 66, 67 and the contact surfaces 61 and 62 respectively, repeats itself periodically with each opening and closing operation until the current supply is switched on in order to hold the contact sleeve together with the magnetic unit 22. The cancellation of holding then takes place by switching off the current or by pressing the door closed by hand. In the latter case the holding then again takes place at the next opening operation providing the current supply is maintained.

Claims

1. A holding device for door closers comprising: a working piston (1) which is axially displaceably guided in a chamber of the closer housing (25), is actuated in dependence on the movement of the closer shaft and is formed partly as a hollow cylinder; an abutment member (10) arranged in the chamber coaxial to the working piston (1); a cone member (3) having an inclined surface confronting the abutment member, said cone member (3) being biased in the direction of the abutment member by means of a spring (4) braced on the working piston (1); at least one latch element (2) located between the cone (3) and the abutment member (10), with said at least one latch element being capable of being changed over between a release position in which it is located in the hollow cylinder portion of the working piston (1) and a blocking position in which it is disposed between an oblique end surface of the working piston (1), the cone member (3) and the abutment member (10); wherein the abutment member (10) consists of a hollow cylinder in which a control unit (40) including a magnetic actuating unit (22) is axially displaceably disposed and biased in the direction towards the working piston by a spring (11), wherein a control tappet (5) is provided for axially displacing the cone member by means of the control unit; and wherein the control unit (40) is displaceable by the working pressure against the force of the bias spring (11) and is mechanically blockable or releasable in the resulting end position spaced from the control tappet (5) under the control of the magnetic actuating unit (22); characterised in that the control unit consists of a control sleeve (40) which can be blocked relative to the hollow cylinder (10) forming the abutment member by means of at least one two-armed pivotal latch member (42) which is journalled on the control sleeve (40) with one arm of the pivotal latch member cooperating with an abutment surface (44) of the abutment member (10) and with the other arm of the pivotal latch member cooperating with an abutment surface (58) of a bolt member (46) which is adjustable axially in response to the magnetic actuating unit (22).

2. A holding device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the length of the arm of the pivotal latch member (42) associated with the bolt member (46) amounts to a multiple of the length of the arm of the pivotal latch member (42) associated with the abutment member (10).

3. A holding device in accordance with one of the claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the short lever arm associated with the abutment member (10) has an inclined surface (59) which cooperates with the associated abutment surface (44) of the abutment member (10).

4. A holding device in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the long lever arm of the pivotal latch member (42) engages in a control recess (55) of the bolt member (46).

5. A holding device in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the resetting movement of the pivotal latch member (42) into the latched position is brought about by a weakly dimensioned positioning spring (50) provided between the control sleeve (40) and the bolt member (46), said spring moving said bolt member (46) towards said magnetic unit (22) for magnetic holding of said bolt member (46).

6. A holding device in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the pivotal latch member (42) is of J-like shape with the tip of its foot contacting the abutment surface (58) in the control recess (55).

7. A holding device in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the magnetic unit (22) has a first contact unit (61, 62) for the purpose of power supply which cooperates with a second contact unit (66, 67) arranged stationary in the housing (25), in the abutment member (10) or in the adjustment sleeve (45); and in that the contact units which face one another (61, 62, 66, 67) are in contact with one another in the end position of the magnetic unit (22) corresponding to the holding device of the door closer being engaged.

8. A holding device in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that the second contact unit (66, 67) has a movable member (76) which executes at least a partial stroke (c-a) together with the magnetic unit (22) and thereby contacts the first contact unit (61, 62) over this partial stroke.

9. A holding device in accordance with claim 8, characterised in that said movable member (76) has a spring.

10. A holding device in accordance with claim 8 or claim 9, characterised in that said movable member comprises an axially displaceable pin (76).

11. A holding device in accordance with claim 10, characterised in that the second contact unit (66, 67) which is arranged stationary in the housing (25), in the abutment member (10) or in the adjustment sleeve (45) has a sleeve-like holder (63) in which the axially displaceable pin (76) is mounted via the intermediary of a compression spring arranged in the holder (63); in that the first contact unit is formed as a contact surface (61, 62) of the magnetic unit (22); and in that the axially displaceable pin (76) is pushed in the direction towards the contact surface (61, 62) under the action of the compression spring.

12. A holding device in accordance with claim 11, characterised in that the contact surface (61, 62) is constructed as a circular or ring-like surface.

13. A holding device substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.