GB2250367A

GB2250367A - Alarm arrangements

Info

Publication number: GB2250367A
Application number: GB9125329A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Higgins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-11-28
Filing date: 1991-11-28
Publication date: 1992-06-03
Also published as: GB9025907D0; GB9125329D0

Abstract

Alarm arrangements for openable, breakable or removable building components, eg window, doors, comprise detector means 12, 13 adapted for incorporation within the pre-assembled component during its production and have a connection to the building alarm system. The detector means may be a vibration sensor 12 and/or a magnetic reed switch 13, or a fine printed conductor (31) on a pane of a double glazing panel, fig 3 (not shown). The connection to the alarm system may comprise a wireless transmitter 16 contained within the frame of the component or a socket 20. <IMAGE>

Description

ALARM ARRANGEMENTS This invention relates to alarm arrangements for buildings such as domestic and commercial premises, public buildings, factories and the like.

Such buildings are conventionally alarmed against, principally, intruders, by perimeter sensors fitted to openable, breakable or removable building components such as windows and doors. The perimeter sensors, together with other sensors such for example as passive infra red sensors which detect the movement of intruders once inside the building, are wired to a central control unit which activates the alarm, whether it be a siren or an automatic dialler or whatever. More recently, hard wiring has been replaced in some instances by a wireless transmitter or by connection through ring main circuits where an alarm signal is superimposed on the mains a.c. and filteaed olt at the control unit.

The installation of an alarm system involves the securing of the sensors appropriately to the window and other building components that are to be monitored, which in turn involves drilling the frame to take the fixing screws or arilling into a door to take a magnet to actuate a reed switch, for example buried in a cavity chiselled or drilled out of the door frame. Break-glass or vibration sensors are glued, usually, to the inside of the window pane or glass door panel.

All of this installation activity involves invasion of the fabric of the building component and sometimes making good, for example by filling drilled or chiselled holes and repainting, and, where sensors are not buried and in any event for wired systems, the sensors and wiring are visible and frequently obtrusive, at best interfering with the appearance of a window or the adjacent plastering.

The present invention provides arrangements by which these disadvantages of conventional alarm arrangements may be in whole or in part avoided.

The invention comprises an alarm arrangement for an openable, breakable or removable building component comprising detector means adapted for incorporation within the preassembled component during its production and having a connection to the building alarm system.

The detector means may comprise a vibration sensor, a break-glass detector, a magnetic sensor or a circuit breaker arrangement, for example.

The connection to the building alarm system may comprise a socket or like electrical circuit connector adapted for mounting in or on the building component, or may comprise a wireless transmitter adapted for incorporation with the detector means within the component. By "wireless transmitter is meant radio frequency transmitter, infra-red transmitter or inductive arrangement transmitting to a loop or any other arrangement that does not rely on a wired connection.

Especially where there is a wireless arrangement, so that power cannot be carried into the building component, power means for the alarm arrangement may be adapted for incorporation within the component and to be accessible for recharging or replacement.

The invention also comprises an openable, breakable or removable building component incorporating an alarm arrangement as above described. Such component may be a window or like glazed member. The alarm arrangement may in that case be incorporated within the glass and may be incorporated within a double glazed structure. In qny event, the alarm arrangement may be incorporated within the framework of a glazed component.

The invention also comprises a magnetic sensor for a frame and panel door or window in which a magnetic element is received in the frame for cooperation with a counterpart element in the door or window surround, the magnetic element being in a bore in the frame that extends to the panel and being held against a bias by the panel in cooperative relation to the counterpart element.

Embodiments of alarm arrangements according to the invention and building components incorporating the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a part cut-away perspective view of one form of window frame incorporating an alarm arrangement; Figure 2 is a part cut-away perspective view of another form of window frame incorporating an alarm arrangement; Figure 3 is a view of double glazing panel incorporating an alarm arrangement; and Figure 4 is a section through a magnetic sensor which can be used for example in a window frame.

The drawings illustrate alarm arrangements for an opening window (Figure 1) a fixed window (Figure 2) and a double glazing panel (Figure 3), comprising detector means 11 incorporated within the preassembled frame or panel as the case may be.

In Figure 1, the detector means 11 comprise a vibration sensor 12 and a reed switch 13 actuated by a magnet 14 in the frame 15 of the opening light. The sensor 12 and switch 13 are wired to a wireless transmitter 16 by wiring 17 running within the frame 18 of the window. The transmitter 16 the reed switch 13 and the sensor 12 are all contained within the frame 18, installed there during manufacture.

The transmitter 16 has a battery power supply.

Normally the battery will need changing or recharging every year and so ln access panel 19 is provided for this purpose. S=n access panel 2:1 is also provided for the sensor 12 which may need adjustment or repair or replacement.

Instead or providing the transmitter 16 internally, it could be brought out of the window as illustrated at 16' which- might be necessary in the case of an aluminium frame where the metal enclosure would block radio transmission.

Instead or providing a transmitter at all, the sensors 12 and 13 could be simply connected to a socket opening 20 to the inner face of the frame 18 for wired connection to the building alarm system.

The frames 15 and 18 could be made of UPVC or of aluminium and supplied as a prefabricated window complete with its built-in alarm arrangement. The window need not be invaded by drills, chisels or other tools and presents a completely neat appearance especially where the transmitter can be contained within the framework so that no external wired connection is needed.

Figure 2 shows a wooden window frame which has a special channel arrangement to take wiring interconnecting a transmitter 16 and a reed switch 13 which cooperates with a magnet 14 set into the masonry when the window is installed. As before, the transmitter 16 is accessed by a panel 19. During assembly of the frame the alarm components are installed and then the channels closed by covers. 22 which are cemented in place.

Figure 3 iF ustrates a double glazing panel of which one pane has a fine printed conductor 31 connected to a socket 32 -onthe edge of the panel for a plug 33.

Such an arrangement & .operates as a break glass detector when incorporated in a suitable circuit. It could also function as an aerial for a transmitter incorporated into the framework of the window. Breaking the glass would terminate a continuous or regular signal, indicating an alarm condition.

Figure 4 illustrates a magnetic sensor for a frame 41 and panel 42 door or window - the panel 42 usually, of course, but not necessarily comprising glass - in which a magnetic eieIiicrrt 43 - which may be a magnet or which may comprise a magnetisable armature that completes a magnetic circuit - is received in the frame 41 for cooperation with a counterpart element 44 in the door or window surround 45. This is of course a conventional arrangement - when the door or window is opened, the magnetic element 43 is moved away from the counterpart element 44 which emits a signal. Wich the conentional arrangement, however, the panel can be removed, as by smashing the glass of a window or kicking out the door panel, without displacing the magnetic element 43.In this new arrangement, the magnetic element 43 is in a bore 46 (which may have a sleeve insert 47) in the frame 41 that extends to the panel 42.

The magnetic element 43 is held against an end closure 48 by a spacer 49 which is held in place by the panel 42. A compression spring 5q biases the magnetic element 43 away from the end closure 48 so that when the panel 42 is removed, the magnetic element 43 moves away from the counterpart element 44 giving rise to an alarm system.

Such a magnetic sensor is useful in the systems described above, but would, of course, also be of value in other alarm systems. The sensor could be incorporated in a system for protecting conservatories, individual sensors (or perhaps more than one) being associated not only with each openable door and window but also with fixed windows. It is only necessary to wire all the sensors in series and connect them to a transmitter or otherwise as desired to an alarm system.

Whilst these specific arrangements have been disclosed with reference to windows, clearly they also apply to doors, whether hinged or sliding, skylights and indeed any situation where perimeter alarm sensors are normally fitted. Any type of sensor or combination of sensors can be deployed in similar fashion.

It is envisaged that alarm system manufacturers who currently supply sensors and other components individually to the requirements of installers who design a system for building and then install it, would now additionally supply integrated sensor or sensor and transmitter systems ready for incorporation by window manufacturers into prefabricated windows or window frames. Different integrated systems could be supplied to meet various requirements.

Thus for example an alarm manufacturer might offer a ready-wired vibration sensor and reed switch together with a transmitter, as illustrated in Figure 1, or simply a reed switch wired to a transmitter, as shown in Figure 2. Both these pre-wired arrangements could be offered, as stock items, as could arrangements including break-glass detectors, for example, of the type which analyses vibrations to see if they contain characteristic frequencies of breaking glass. Each pre-wired kit could be adapted to connect with a central control unit, which could be supplied to builders and window installers through the window manufacturers.

In these ways, the installation of alarm systems can be effected automatically during the constrvction jf a building, or the renovation or improvement of an existing building, without any substantial additional operation being required over and above the operations required to install the windows, doors and other components it may be desired to alarm, and avoiding any invasion of or intererence with such components after they have been installed, as is currently necessary with the conventional approach to the installation of alarm systems.

Claims

1. An alarm arrangement for an openable, breakable or removable building component comprising detector means adapted for incorporation within the preassembled component during its production and having a connection to the building alarm system.

2. An alarm arrangement according to claim 1, in which the detector means comprise a vibration sensor.

3. An alarm arrangement according to claim 1, in which the detector means comprise a break-glass detector.

4. An alarm arrangement according to claim 1, in which the detector means comprise a magnetic sensor.

5. An alarm arrangement according to claim 1, in which the detector means comprise a circuit breaker arrangement.

6. An alarm arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the connection to the building alarm system comprises a socket or like electrical circuit connector adapted for mounting in or on the building component.

7. An alarm arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the connection to the building alarm system comprises a wireless transmitter adapted for incorporation with the detector means within the component.

8. An alarm arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which power means for the arrangement ere adapted for incorporation within the component, and to be accessible for recharging or replacement.

9. An openable, breakable or removable building component incorporating an alarm arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A component according to claim 9, comprising a window or like glazed member.

11. A component according to claim 10, in which the arrangement is incorporated within the glass.

12. A component according to claim 11, in which the arrangement is incorporated within a double glazed structure.

13. A component according to any one of claims 9 to 12, in which the alarm arrangement is incorporated within a frame of a glazed component.

14. A magnetic sensor for a frame and panel door or window in which a magnetic element is received in the frame for cooperation with a counterpart element in the door or window surround, the magnetic element being in a bore in the frame that extends to the panel and being held against a bias by the panel in cooperative relation to the counterpart element.