Abstract:
A pivot lever actuation unit including an actuating handle which can be folded out of a recess and then swiveled, and an adapter part which can be screwed on under the recess. The actuation unit has a modular construction allowing certain external component parts to be exchanged, and also enables a flexible rebuild.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims priority from PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP2012/000822 filed on Feb. 26, 2012, which claims priority from German Patent Application No. DE 20 2011 004 951.5 filed on Apr. 6, 2011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention is directed to a pivot lever actuation unit comprising an actuating handle which can be folded out of a recess and then swiveled. 
         [0003]    It is noted that citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention. 
         [0004]    A pivot lever actuation unit of the general type mentioned above is already known, for example, from DE 20 2006 007 700 U1. 
         [0005]    The actuating handle can drive a locking bar via a toothed rack or, when a sash fastener is arranged thereon, can form a sash lock. 
         [0006]    It is noted that in this disclosure and particularly in the claims and/or paragraphs, terms such as “comprises”, “comprised”, “comprising” and the like can have the meaning attributed to it in U.S. Patent law; e.g., they can mean “includes”, “included”, “including”, and the like; and that terms such as “consisting essentially of” and “consists essentially of” have the meaning ascribed to them in U.S. Patent law, e.g., they allow for elements not explicitly recited, but exclude elements that are found in the prior art or that affect a basic or novel characteristic of the invention. 
         [0007]    It is further noted that the invention does not intend to encompass within the scope of the invention any previously disclosed product, process of making the product or method of using the product, which meets the written description and enablement requirements of the USPTO (35 U.S.C. &#39;112, first paragraph) or the EPO (Article 83 of the EPC), such that applicant(s) reserve the right to disclaim, and hereby disclose a disclaimer of, any previously described product, method of making the product, or process of using the product. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    it is the object of the invention to further develop the known pivot lever actuation unit and to make it more versatile. 
       MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The above-stated object is met in that the actuation unit has a modular construction allowing certain external component parts to be exchanged, which also enables a flexible rebuild. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, the actuation unit can have flap windows with an exchangeable viewing panel at the ends of the recess. The ends of the recess are exchangeable and can be replaced, for example, by a fold-out backlit logo panel. 
         [0011]    The ends of the recess may be designed as LCD screen. 
         [0012]    Further, the ends of the recess can be designed as exchangeable cover or sleeve for purposes of modular incorporation of additional components such as fingerprint reader, key pad and iris detection. 
         [0013]    On the other hand, multi-colored, optionally blinking or non-blinking LEDs can be provided at the ends of the recess. 
         [0014]    In particular, the ends of the recess can serve to supply information which shows the state of a quantity of hardware devices. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1A  shows a detailed view of components of a pivot lever actuation unit according to the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1B  shows another form; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows an assembled actuation unit according to  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show a back side of the actuation unit shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4A  shows the actuation unit with folded-out hand lever; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4B  shows the actuation unit according to the invention with folded-out, swiveled hand lever; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5A  shows a top view of the actuation unit according to  FIGS. 4A and 4B  with folded-in handle; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5B  shows an axial section through the arrangement according to  FIG. 5A ; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a top view and a sectional view of the pivot lever actuation unit with folded-out lever; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show the same arrangement as in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , but with folded-out, swiveled lever; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show an actuation unit with and without cover; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  shows an actuation unit by which a sash fastener or a double bar can be driven; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 10 to 12  show various enlarged views of the one (lower) end of the recess. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]    It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, many other elements which are conventional in this art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable for implementing the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. 
         [0029]    The present invention will now be described in detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1A  shows an actuation unit  10  with recess  12 , adapter part  14  and base part  16  and a slot  44  therein. A projection  45  of the slide  42  projects through this slot  44  and is used for driving a lock bar. Alternatively, pinion  38  can be coupled with a pinion  138  to drive a shaft  18  which carries a sash fastener tab  28 , for example. The shaft  18  or  118  can project through the opening  48 . 
         [0031]    The two embodiment forms shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  make it possible to drive rotary locks such as sash fasteners ( FIG. 1A ) and to drive lock bars, i.e., axially displaceable bars for locking and unlocking ( FIG. 1B ) sash fasteners and bars, not shown. 
         [0032]    While  FIG. 1A  shows an embodiment form having a rotary drive (see pinion  38 ),  FIG. 1B  is made for a slot-shaped drive with toothed rack  42 . 
         [0033]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show a lock case, shown in  FIG. 9 , for bearing support of the drive shaft  218 , wherein the pinion  38  is first ( FIGS. 1A ,  1 B) screwed to the recess in the aperture  36  (see  FIG. 1A ), screws  34  being provided for this purpose. Next, the base part  16  can be screwed on, screws  35  being provided for this purpose. 
         [0034]    The embodiment form of the recess shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  is outfitted with a flap  52  with an exchangeable viewing panel. This can also be a backlit logo panel. Alternatively, an LCD screen can be provided behind the window at the ends of the recess. 
         [0035]    According to another alternative, the ends of the recess can be designed as exchangeable cover or sleeve for modular incorporation of additional components such as fingerprint reader, key pad or iris detection. 
         [0036]    Multi-colored, optionally blinking or non-blinking LEDs can sometimes be provided at the ends of the recess; an LED (light emitting diode) is shown by way of example at  74  in  FIG. 6B . 
         [0037]    The case  54  which can be seen in  FIG. 4A  shows an oblique view of the recess part  12  with raised handle  46  which has been released beforehand by a hook  56  (see also  FIG. 7B ). Component part  50  is part of a slide  50  which can be released by a lift magnet  58 . The hand lever  46  is U-shaped in cross section. The legs of the U extend on the left-hand side and right-hand side of a case  54  when the handle  46  is swiveled in. When swiveled in, the hand lever  46  locks automatically by insertion in the component part  50 . 
         [0038]    As can be seen in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the hand lever  46  can only fold in when it is aligned with respect to the recess  12 . This is ensured in that a projection  60  of the hand lever  46  can only penetrate into a corresponding recess surface  62  in this position, but not when it is swiveled out of the fold-in area as in  FIG. 4B . 
         [0039]    Unauthorized folding out and actuation of the hand lever is also prevented in that the side walls  64  of the hand lever penetrate into the recess and extend between the recess wall and the case wall  54 . 
         [0040]    The adapter part  14  which can be seen in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  is symmetrical around its transverse axis and thus allows the recess part to be displaced by  180  degrees, which is useful when changing the fastening arrangement of a switch cabinet door. 
         [0041]    The swivel lever is articulated at a shaft  18  as is shown, for example, in  FIG. 9 . This shaft  18 ,  118  has at its end a bore hole  20  for fitting the lever  22 ; a square drive  24  and a screw thread  26  are located at the other end of the shaft  18 . Square drive  24  receives a sash fastener  28  fixed by screwing on the nut  30  or a threaded blind hole for head screw  130 . Shaft  18  has a bearing portion by which it is supported in a bearing  32  so as to be rotatable but axially fixed. The bearing  32  is in turn provided in a lock case which can be inserted onto an aperture and screwed tight by two screws  34 . 
         [0042]    Alternatively, a shaft  218  can be provided which cooperates with a lock case which fits exactly into the aperture  36  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
         [0043]    Two lock bars (see  FIG. 1B  and  FIG. 9 ) project out of the lock case, where a pinion  238  meshes with a toothed slide. This toothed slide  42  is guided through projections  44  into a slot. 
         [0044]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the lever lock according to the invention in the folded-in state, while  FIG. 3A  shows the same lever lock viewed from the rear, wherein it is arranged in such a way that it can actuate a rotary latch such as a sash latch. This projection  44  is implemented in such a way in the arrangement shown in  FIG. 3B  that two projecting noses  44  can be seen which drive and displace a locking bar which is located on the other side of the sheet metal wall also having a slot so that this projection  44  can reach through. 
         [0045]    The flexibility in the application of the new pivot lever actuation unit also results from the following: 
         [0046]    The actuation unit can serve to drive a locking bar located on the door leaf (see the arrangement according to  FIG. 4B ). 
         [0047]    However, locking bar(s) which is (are) arranged upright with respect to the door leaf plane can also be operated by selecting the arrangement in  FIG. 9  with the lock case  40 . 
         [0048]    But a sash fastener can also be operated, e.g., by combining  FIG. 9  with the component parts  28 ,  32  or through the arrangement according to  FIG. 3A ; the recess is arranged on the door leaf in the first case and on the base plate  16  in the second case. 
         [0049]    Versatility is enhanced even further by electronic add-on devices. 
       COMMERCIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0050]    The invention is commercially applicable in switch cabinet construction. 
         [0051]    While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS: 
       [0000]    
       
           10  pivot lever actuation unit 
           12  recess part 
           14  adapter part 
           16  base part 
           18 ,  118  shaft 
           20  articulation 
           22  hand lever 
           24  square drive 
           26  thread 
           28  sash fastener 
           30  nut 
           32  bearing part 
           34  screw 
           36  aperture 
           38 ,  138  pinion 
           40  lock case 
           42  toothed slide 
           44  projection 
           46  slot 
           48  slot expanded to form a round bore hole 
           50  slide 
           52  flap 
           54  case 
           56  hook 
           58  lift magnet 
           60  projection 
           62  offset 
           64  side wall 
           66  emergency access, button 
           68  emergency pin 
           70  door leaf 
           72  cable 
           74  LED