WO2007128414A2

WO2007128414A2 - Safety device particularly for electrical appliances

Info

Publication number: WO2007128414A2
Application number: PCT/EP2007/003635
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuliano Gaiotti
Original assignee: Giuliano Gaiotti
Priority date: 2006-05-05
Filing date: 2007-04-25
Publication date: 2007-11-15
Also published as: WO2007128414A3; ITTV20060074A1; WO2007128414A8

Abstract

A safety device (1), particularly for electrical appliances, comprising an electronic card (4) which controls the opening or closure of an electrical disconnector (5) which can be connected, at its input terminals (6a, 6b), to an electrical power supply mains (7) and, at its output terminals (8a, 8b), to the power supply of at least one electrical appliance; the electrical disconnector (5) can be activated by means of an electromagnetic wave receiver (12) which is adapted to receive a signal from a remote control for the electrical appliance. The electronic card can be supplied by a power supply (14) which is connected to the output terminals of the disconnector and/or by one or more rechargeable batteries (13).

Description

SAFETY DEVICE PARTICULARLY FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a safety device particularly for electrical appliances. Background Art

Electrical appliances such as for example television sets, video recorders, DVD players and stereo systems, which can be controlled by means of a remote control, are currently in use.

The remote control allows in particular to make these known types of appliance assume a partly switched-off condition, commonly known as standby, in which such appliances are not operational, but a receiver provided therein is active and is capable of detecting a power-on signal emitted by the remote control; when the power-on signal is received, the receiver sends to an electronic control card, which is present in the electric appliance, the instruction to bring the appliance to the operational condition.

These known types of electrical appliance have a drawback: the need to keep the receiver constantly active even in the standby condition entails an energy consumption which, despite being modest for a single electrical appliance, due to the extremely widespread presence of these appliances has a significant effect on global energy consumption.

Moreover, during standby these known types of electrical appliance remain electrically connected to the electrical system of the building in which they are placed, with the risk that any overvoltages that might affect said system, for example due to a lightning strike, might damage such appliances and/or cause fires therein.

Further, particularly in the case of a television set or a video recorder, these electrical appliances remain electrically connected to an antenna which is located on the roof of the building even when they are not in use; this can be dangerous for example if the antenna is struck by lightning, due to the risk that the energy of the lighting might be transmitted to the electrical appliance, damaging it and/or setting it on fire.

As a partial solution to the above mentioned drawbacks, radio- controlled outlets are known which are interposed between the power supply cable of the electrical appliance and the electrical system of the building; these known types of radio-controlled outlet are provided with their own remote control, by way of which it is possible to open or close the electrical contact between the electrical system of the building and the electrical appliance.

However, even these known types of radio-controlled outlet have the drawback of comprising a receiver which remains powered constantly by the electrical mains, and this entails, as regards energy consumption, the same drawbacks mentioned above for known types of electrical appliance.

Further, the fact that the receiver remains constantly electrically connected to the electrical system of the building entails the risk that it might be struck by overvoltages caused for example by a lightning strike on the building or in the vicinity thereof.

Moreover, these radio-controlled outlets of a known type require their own remote control, and this entails a high cost for them.

Electronic devices are also known which are adapted to protect an electrical appliance, such as for example a television set, against the atmospheric discharges which can strike it through the antenna connected thereto; these electronic devices, interposed between the antenna and the electrical appliance, generally comprise an inductive filter or another known type of electronic filter, which is adapted to block the passage of high- energy and/or high-frequency electrical discharges, such as for example those generated by a lightning strike.

These known types of device, however, have the drawback that they do not physically disconnect the antenna from the electrical appliance and therefore do not ensure safe protection of the appliance. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited background art, by providing a device which allows to switch off and activate remotely one or more electrical appliances, reducing energy consumption, particularly when said appliance is not active.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device which allows to reduce the risk of possible damage to an electrical appliance caused for example by high currents or overvoltages affecting the electrical system of the building in which the appliance is connected.

Another object is to provide a device which can also be applied to an existing electrical appliance.

Another object of the invention is to not require the use of an additional remote control with respect to the remote control of the electrical appliance to which it is applied.

Another object is to provide a device which is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a safety device, particularly for electrical appliances, characterized that it comprises an electronic card which controls the opening or closure of an electrical disconnector which can be connected, at its input terminals, to an electrical power supply mains and, at its output terminals, to the power supply of at least one electrical appliance, said electrical disconnector being activatable by means of an electromagnetic wave receiver which is adapted to receive a signal from a remote control for said at least one electrical appliance, said electronic card being suppliable by a power supply which is connected to the output terminals of said disconnector and/or by one or more rechargeable batteries.

Brief Description of the Drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention applied to a television set and to a satellite decoder;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of the components of the device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a detail of the device of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a schematic and partially sectional plan view of a DVD player which comprises a device according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a front view of the DVD player of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic view of the components of a different embodiment of the device according to the invention. Ways of carrying out the Invention

In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.

Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

With reference to Figures 1 to 7, the reference numeral 1 designates a safety device, particularly for electrical appliances 2 such as for example a television set 3a, a satellite decoder 3b, a DVD player 3c, a video recorder, a stereo system.

The safety device 1 comprises an electronic card 4, which is provided with a microcontroller such as for example the one known by the code P87LPC767, of the Philips Semiconductors company, or the one known by the code 16F687 by the Microchip company.

The electronic card 4 controls the opening or closure of an electrical disconnector 5, which can be connected, at its input terminals, designated schematically in Figure 3 by the reference numerals 6a and 6b, to an electrical power supply mains 7, which is constituted for example by the electrical system of a building.

The electrical disconnector 5 can be connected, at its output terminals, schematically designated in Figure 2 by the reference numerals 8a and 8b, to the power supply 9 of at least one electrical appliance 2. Advantageously, the electrical disconnector 5 is of the bistable type and therefore remains stably in the open condition or closed condition until it receives an appropriate command on the part of the electronic card 4.

Advantageously but not necessarily, the electrical disconnector 4 is constituted by a cam-type relay of the twin-pole type, for example of the type known as FINDER type 26.02, or by a relay of the type known as FINDER type 40.52.

Advantageously but not necessarily, the electrical disconnector 5 is provided with a first button 10, which is adapted to allow its manual actuation from closure on the part of a user. Pressing the first button 10 also entails the simultaneous closure of a first circuit 10a, which is connected to the electronic card 4; when such card detects the closure of the first circuit 10a, it retains the electrical disconnector 5 in the closed condition.

Advantageously but not necessarily, if the first button 10 of the electrical disconnector 5 is not present or is difficult to reach for the user, for example due to space problems, it is possible to arrange in parallel to the electrical disconnector 5 a second normally-open button 11 , which can be operated manually by the user in order to connect electrically to each other the electric power supply mains 7 and the output terminals 8a, 8b of the electrical disconnector 5; the second button 11, by not being connected directly to the electronic card 4, can be placed in a chosen position, so that it can be operated easily by the user.

Advantageously, the second button 1 1 is connected electrically to the electrical disconnector 5, so that the closure of the second button 11 also controls the closure of the electrical disconnector 5.

Pressing the second button 1 1 also entails closing simultaneously a second circuit 1 1a, which is connected to the electronic card 4; when said card detects the closure of the second circuit 1 1a, it retains the electrical disconnector 5 in the closed condition. A receiver 12 for electromagnetic waves is connected to the electronic card 4 and is adapted to receive from a remote control, not shown in the accompanying figures, a signal, for example for powering on or off the electrical appliance 2, and to report said signal to the electronic card 4.

Advantageously, the receiver 12 can be an infrared receiver, for example of the FOTOMODULO type known by the code TSOP 1838 from the Temic Semiconductors company, or a radio receiver, for example of the radio frequency receiver type, known by the code AUREL RX4M25RR3.

Advantageously, the electronic card 4 can be supplied with power by one or more rechargeable batteries 13. The rechargeable batteries 13 are powered by a power supply 14, which is controlled by the electronic card 4 and in turn is connected to the output terminals 8a, 8b of the electrical disconnector 5; advantageously, if for example the rechargeable batteries 13 are drained, the electronic card 4 can receive the electrical power supply directly from the power supply 14. Advantageously but not necessarily, the power supply 14 is connected to the output terminals 8a, 8b by means of an electronic switch 15, such as for example a triac, which is controlled for opening and closure by the electronic card 4.

The electronic card 4 is capable of detecting constantly the charge level of the rechargeable batteries 13 and of activating or deactivating the recharging of such batteries by acting on the closed or open state of the electronic switch 15.

Advantageously but not necessarily, it is possible to connect to the electronic card 4 one or more photovoltaic cells 16 which are adapted to recharge the rechargeable batteries 13.

Advantageously but not necessarily, the safety device 1 comprises a disconnector device 17 particularly for antennas 18, which comprises advantageously at least two rod-like elements, designated respectively by the reference numerals 19a and 19b, which are arranged parallel to each other and are interconnected, at their ends, respectively by a first cross- member 20 and a second cross-member 21 ; advantageously, at least the first cross-member 20 is made of electrically insulating material.

One or more first coaxial connectors 22 are fixed to the first cross- member 20, for example, with reference to the example shown in Figures 4 and 5, of the male type, which are arranged approximately parallel to the rod-like elements 19a and 19b and are directed toward the second cross- member 21; first coaxial cables 23, each of which can be connected to an antenna 18, are connected to the one or more first coaxial connectors 22 on the opposite side with respect to the second cross-member 21. A worm screw 24 is supported between the first and second cross- members, is approximately parallel to the rod-like elements 19a and 19b and is actuated by an appropriately provided electric motor 25, which can be connected to the electric card 4 and can be controlled thereby.

The disconnector device 17 comprises a slider 26 made of electrically insulating material, which is supported slidingly, at its ends, between the two rod-like elements 19a and 19b and is provided with a hole, not shown in the accompanying figures, with which said complementarily threaded worm screw 24 is associated; the rotation of the worm screw 24 entails the advancement of the slider 26 longitudinally with respect to the rod-like elements 19a and 19b toward the first or second cross-member. Advantageously, the slider 26 supports one or more second coaxial connectors 27, which can engage the first coaxial connectors 22 associated with the first cross-member 20 and are therefore, in the example shown in the accompanying figures, of the female type; the second coaxial connectors 27 are provided in a number which is equal to the number of the first coaxial connectors 22, and are arranged so that they can engage these last when the slider 26 is arranged adjacent to the first cross-member 20.

By adjusting, by way of the rotation of the electric motor 25 and therefore of the worm screw 24, the position of the slider 26 it is therefore possible to mutually connect or disconnect the first and second coaxial connectors.

Second coaxial cables 28 are connected to the second coaxial connectors 27 on the opposite side with respect to the first cross-member 20 and can be connected to the antenna input of an electrical appliance 2. Advantageously, the safety device 1 is provided with means for self- learning the code of a remote control, not shown in the accompanying figures, of an electrical appliance 2; the self-learning means comprise for example the receiver 12, which is capable of receiving a signal which arrives from the remote control and of reporting such signal to the electronic card 4.

Such card associates with said signal the command to open or close the electrical disconnector 5.

By means of the remote control of the electrical appliance 2, it is therefore possible to place selectively the electrical disconnector 5 in the open or closed condition.

Advantageously, the safety device 1 can be applied to an existing electrical appliance 2; in this case, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, all the components described previously, with the possible exception of the receiver 12, can be arranged for example inside an appropriately provided box 29. In this case, the input terminals 6a, 6b of the electrical disconnector 5 can be connected to the electrical power supply mains 7 for example by means of a first plug 30, which exits from the box 29; the output terminals 8a and 8b of the electrical disconnector 5 can be connected to the power supply of an electrical appliance 2 for example by connecting them to an appropriately provided outlet 31 , which can be fixed for example to a wall of the box 29 or, as an alternative, can be arranged in a chosen position outside it.

The first and second coaxial connectors can be connected, respectively by means of the first and second coaxial cables, respectively to third and fourth coaxial connectors, designated respectively by the reference numerals 32 and 33, which are fixed externally to the box 29 and can be connected respectively to an antenna 18 and to an electrical appliance 2.

As an alternative, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the safety device 1 can be provided directly within a newly built electrical appliance, such as for example a DVD player, designated by the reference numeral 3c.

Advantageously but not necessarily, the safety device 1 comprises means for indicating optically and/or acoustically that a signal has been received by the receiver 12, said means being constituted for example by at least one LED 36 and/or at least one acoustic indicator 37, which are controlled by the electronic card 4.

Said indicator means report to the user that the receiver 12 has received a signal for example emitted by the remote control of an electrical appliance 2. Operation is therefore as follows: with reference to Figures 1 to 7, a safety device 1 , for example of the type which can be used in combination with an existing electrical appliance 2, can be associated with said appliance by connecting a second plug 34 of the electrical appliance 2 in the outlet 31 of the safety device 1. Optionally, a plurality of electrical appliances 2, such as for example a television set 3 a, a video recorder, a satellite decoder 3b, can be connected in parallel, for example by means of an appropriately provided multiple outlet, not shown in the accompanying figures, which is connected to the outlet 31 of the safety device 2. The first plug 30 connected to the input terminals 6a, 6b of the electrical disconnector 5 can then be connected to the electrical power supply mains 7.

Optionally, as shown in Figure 2, an antenna 18, of the traditional type and/or a parabolic antenna, can be connected to the third coaxial connectors 32, and the fourth coaxial connectors 33 can then be connected, by means of an appropriately provided third coaxial cable 35, to the antenna input of one or more electrical appliances 2.

The receiver 12 can be arranged proximate to the receiver of the signals emitted by the remote control of one of the electrical appliances 2. It is therefore possible, by means of said self-learning means, to preset the safety device 1 so that the electronic card 4 opens or closes the electrical disconnector 5 when the receiver 12 detects a given signal, preferably a power-on or -off signal, emitted by the remote control of the electronic appliance 2. When the remote control emits the signal to switch off the electronic appliance 2, said signal is received by the receiver 12, and is then transmitted to the electronic card 4, which opens the electrical disconnector

5 and optionally the disconnector device 17.

The safety device 1 and the electrical appliances 2 which are connected to it are therefore disconnected electrically from the electrical power supply mains 7 and from any antenna 18.

In this condition, there is no absorption of power from the electric power supply mains 7 and the safety device 1 and the electrical appliances 2 connected to said device are further disconnected both from the electric power supply mains 7 and from any antennas 18, and this ensures complete protection against any overvoltages or lightning which might affect said antennas.

If the rechargeable batteries 13 are charged, they supply power to the electronic card 4 and the receiver 12 connected thereto; upon pressing on the remote control of the electrical appliance 2 the button that corresponds to the power-on of the appliance, the receiver 12 detects this command and reports it to the electronic card 4, which closes the electrical disconnector 5.

If instead the rechargeable batteries 13 are drained, the electronic card

5 is not powered and accordingly the receiver 12 is not powered and is unable to detect the closure signal of the electrical disconnector 5 transmitted by the remote control; in this case, by pressing the first button

10 the user can return the electrical disconnector 5 to the closed condition manually.

Optionally, if the first button 11 is provided, by activating it it is possible to re-establish the electrical contact between the electric power supply mains 7 and the output terminals 8a, 8b of the electrical disconnector 5, further bringing the latter to the closed condition.

Once contact has been re-established between the power supply mains 7 and the output terminals 8a, 8b of the electrical disconnector 5, the electronic card 4 is powered by means of the power supply 14 and enables the recharging of the rechargeable batteries 13; once said batteries are charged, the electronic card 4 interrupts their recharging and is powered only by said batteries.

Optionally, the batteries can be recharged by means of the photovoltaic cells 16.

Once the electronic card 4 is powered, said card, by turning the motor 25 in the appropriate direction, restores the connection of any antennas 18 to the respective electronic appliances 2.

It has thus been found that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a safety device particularly for electrical appliances having been provided which allows to switch off and activate remotely said electrical appliances, reducing, by way of the use of rechargeable batteries, the consumption of energy, particularly when the electrical appliances are not active. Further, the possibility to control simultaneously, with a single safety device, the power-on and -off of a plurality of electrical appliances connected in parallel to each other allows to achieve a further energy and economic saving.

Moreover, the safety device according to the invention, by physically interrupting the electrical connection to the power supply mains, reduces the risk that an overvoltage or a high current may affect the electrical appliance and/or the safety device itself.

Further, the safety device according to the invention allows to disconnect physically, in a very easy and quick way, any antennas from the electrical appliances with which they are associated, eliminating the risk that they be might be subject to damage caused for example by lightning strikes.

Further, the safety device according to the invention can be used easily in combination with common electrical appliances currently in use. Moreover, the device according to the invention does not require the use of a remote control of its own, since the remote control of one of the electrical appliances connected to it is sufficient.

Further, the production costs of the safety device according to the invention remain low, since it is provided only by means of components which are easy to produce and/or assemble.

The invention is of course susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

Thus, for example, with reference to Figure 8, it is possible to provide a safety device 101 particularly for electrical appliances 102, in which the electronic card 104 that controls the opening or closure of the electrical disconnector 105 can be powered only by one or more batteries 113 of the non-rechargeable type and not, as in the case shown in Figures 1 to 7, by a power supply which is connected to the output terminals 108a, 108b of the electrical disconnector 105. Of course, the materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the invention, may be more pertinent according to specific requirements.

The various means for performing certain different functions need not certainly coexist only in the illustrated embodiment but can be present per se in many embodiments, including ones that are not illustrated.

The characteristics indicated as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV2006A000074 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A safety device, particularly for electrical appliances, characterized in that it comprises an electronic card which controls the opening or closure of an electrical disconnector which can be connected, at its input terminals, to an electrical power supply mains and, at its output terminals, to the power supply of at least one electrical appliance, said electrical disconnector being activatable by means of an electromagnetic wave receiver which is adapted to receive a signal from a remote control for said at least one electrical appliance, said electronic card being suppliable by a power supply which is connected to the output terminals of said disconnector and/or by one or more rechargeable batteries.

2. The safety device according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrical disconnector is of the bistable type.

3. The safety device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said electrical disconnector is constituted by a cam relay of the bipolar type.

4. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said electrical disconnector is provided with a first button adapted to allow its manual actuation for closure by a user, the pressure of said first button also entailing the simultaneous closure of a first circuit which is connected to said electronic card, said card being programmable so as to retain said electrical disconnector in the closed condition when the closed condition of said first circuit is detected.

5. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second normally-open button is arranged in parallel to said electrical disconnector and can be operated manually by a user to mutually connect electrically said electrical power supply mains and said output terminals of said electrical disconnector, said switch, which can be arranged in a chosen position, being connected electrically to said electrical disconnector, so that the closure of said switch also closes said electrical disconnector.

6. The safety device according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the pressure of said second button also entails the simultaneous closure of a second circuit which is connected to said electronic card, said card being programmable in order to make said electrical disconnector remain in the closed condition when the closed condition of said second circuit is detected.

7. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said receiver is an infrared receiver.

8. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized that said receiver is a radio wave receiver.

9. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said power supply is connected to said output terminals of said electrical disconnector by means of an electronic switch which is controlled for opening and closure by said electronic card.

10. The safety device according to claims 1 and 9, characterized in that the charging level of said one or more rechargeable batteries can be detected by said electronic card, said card being programmable in order to activate or deactivate the recharging of said one or more rechargeable batteries by acting on the open or closed state of said electronic switch.

11. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more photovoltaic cells, adapted to recharge said one or more rechargeable batteries, can be connected to said electronic card.

12. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for self-learning the code of a remote control of a known electrical appliance.

13. The safety device according to claims 1 and 12, characterized in that said self-learning means comprise said receiver, which is capable of receiving a signal which arrives from said remote control of said electrical appliance and of reporting said signal to said electronic card, said card being programmable in order to associate with said signal the command to open or close said electrical disconnector.

14. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it can be provided within a newly built electrical appliance.

15. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it can be applied to an existing electrical appliance.

16. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for indicating optically and/or acoustically that a signal has been received by said receiver.

17. The safety device according to claims 1 and 16, characterized in that said optical and/or acoustic indicator means are constituted by at least one LED and/or by at least one acoustic indicator, which are controlled by said electronic card.

18. A disconnector device, particularly for antennas, characterized in that it comprises one or more first coaxial connectors which can be connected selectively to one or more second coaxial connectors which are associated with at least one slider.

19. The disconnector device according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises at least two rod-like elements which are arranged parallel to each other and are interconnected, at their ends, respectively by a first cross-member and a second cross-member, said one or more first coaxial connectors being fixed to said first cross-member, which is made of electrically insulating material, said connectors being arranged approximately parallel to said rod-like elements and being directed toward said second cross-member, a worm screw being supported between said first and second cross-members, being arranged approximately parallel to said rod-like elements and being actuated by an electric motor, said slider, made of electrically insulating material, being supported slidingly at its ends between said rod-like elements and being provided with a hole with which said complementarily threaded worm screw is associated, said one or more second coaxial connectors associated with said at least one slider being provided in a number which is equal to said first coaxial connectors and being arranged so that they can engage the latter with said at least one slider arranged adjacent to said first cross-member.

20. The disconnector device according to claims 18 and 19, characterized in that first coaxial cables are connected to said one or more first coaxial connectors, on the opposite side with respect to said second cross-member, each cable being connectable to an antenna, second coaxial cables connectable to the antenna input of an electrical appliance being connected to said second coaxial connectors on the opposite side with respect to said first cross-member.

21. The disconnector device according to claims 18 and 20, characterized in that the rotation of said worm screw entails the advancement of said slider, longitudinally with respect to said rod-like elements, toward said first or second cross-member.

22. The safety device and the disconnector device according to claims 1 and 21 , characterized that said first and second coaxial connectors can be connected, respectively by way of said first and second coaxial cables, respectively to third and fourth coaxial connectors, which are fixed externally to said box and can be connected respectively to an antenna and to an electrical appliance.

23. The safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said input terminals can be connected to said electrical power supply mains by means of a first plug which exits from said box, said output terminals being connectable to the power supply of an electrical appliance by connecting them to an appropriately provided outlet which can be fixed to a wall of said box or arranged in a chosen position on the outside thereof.

24. The safety device and disconnector device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized that all their components, with the optional exception of said receiver, are arranged inside an appropriately provided box.

25. A safety device particularly for electrical appliances, characterized in that it comprises an electronic card which controls the opening or closure of an electrical disconnector which can be connected, at its input terminals, to an electrical power supply mains and, at its output terminals, to the power supply of at least one electrical appliance, said electrical disconnector being activatable by means of a receiver of electromagnetic waves which is adapted to receive a signal from a remote control for said at least one electrical appliance, said electronic card being suppliable with power from one or more batteries.