Method and device for transmitting electrical power and/or signals between a wall and a leaf pivotable relative thereto

A method for transmitting at least one of electrical power and signals between a wall and a leaf which can be pivoted relative to the wall. The method includes providing a transmission device, detecting a magnetic field strength in surroundings of the transmission device, and generating a fault signal when the magnetic field strength exceeds a threshold value.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/078326, filed on Dec. 2, 2015 and which claims benefit to German Patent Application No. 10 2014 118 597.8, filed on Dec. 15, 2014. The International Application was published in German on Jun. 23, 2016 as WO 2016/096429 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).

FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and to a device for transmitting electrical power and/or signals between a wall and a leaf which can be pivoted relative to the wall, comprising a transmission device.

BACKGROUND

Such a method and such a device are described in DE 39 15 812 A1 where concentrically arranged coils or a cylindrically designed condenser are provided for power transmission. A signal transmission is also supposed to take place by means of the coils or the condenser or by radio.

This device is disadvantageous because the transmission can be influenced or interrupted by outside magnetic fields at least when the power and/or signal is also transmitted inductively. It is possible to influence a transmission of electrical power from a wall to a leaf and a signal transmission between the wall and the leaf, or vice versa, which, for example, is used to control and monitor the function of devices located in the leaf, by purposefully applying a magnetic field so as to no longer ensure the functionality of the device.

For improving operational safety, WO 2012/123040 A1 therefore describes means for shielding the transmission device against outside magnetic fields. These means can in particular comprise housings made of magnetically soft materials which encompass transmission devices.

The space requirement connected with these shielding means is disadvantageous, however, because relatively small-sized devices cannot be provided with such means. The constructive effort in connection with the production of such a device furthermore increases significantly due to additional housings.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a device of the initially described type that is effectively protected against the influence of an outside magnetic field with less constructive effort.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for transmitting at least one of electrical power and signals between a wall and a leaf which can be pivoted relative to the wall. The method includes providing a transmission device, detecting a magnetic field strength in surroundings of the transmission device, and generating a fault signal when the magnetic field strength exceeds a threshold value. The present invention also provides a device for transmitting at least one of electrical power and signals between a wall and a leaf which is mounted so as to pivot on the wall which includes a transmission device which comprises a device for detecting a magnetic field strength in surroundings of the transmission device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the present invention, the magnetic field strength is detected in the surroundings of the transmission device and a fault signal is generated when the magnetic field strength exceeds a threshold value. The present invention is thus a departure from the teaching of WO 2012/123040 A1 because it does not attempt to shield harmful outside magnetic fields which can, for example, be generated deliberately for the purpose of sabotage, but instead detects the magnetic fields with the objective that, in case a threshold value, above which the functionality of the transmission device would be at risk, is exceeded, a signal is generated which is, for example, applied to an intrusion alarm control, and for the protection of the system, purposefully adjusts or deactivates individual system parts of the power transmission. The application of the latter can take place in an analog manner as an application with a signal of a different sensor, for example, a glass breakage sensor.

The method according to the present invention can be performed with an electric circuit arrangement for detecting the magnetic field strength which is operated with a predetermined supply voltage and which is designed so that, in case of the detection of a magnetic field of a strength exceeding a threshold value, the power requirement of the circuit arrangement increases and the increase of the power requirement is used to generate the fault signal. In other words, the information “external magnetic field detected” is transmitted, for example, by current modulation.

As mentioned before, the fault signal can, for example, be forwarded to an intrusion alarm control. The fault signal can subsequently be evaluated and processed by the intrusion alarm control as an intrusion or sabotage attempt and the safety measures provided for a respective intrusion or sabotage attempt executed.

The application of the method according to the present invention is at least advantageous for an increase of the operational safety in case of the transmission of electrical power and/or signals between a wall and a leaf if the transmission is at least also effected inductively because inductive transmission components can in particular be influenced and/or interrupted by outside magnetic fields.

The device for executing the method according to the present invention comprises a device for detecting the magnetic field strength in surroundings of the transmission device.

The transmission device for transmitting electrical power and/or signals between the wall and the leaf can in particular comprise a coil arrangement on both the side of the wall and on the side of the leaf. These coil arrangements can, for example, have coil windings embedded in the coil housings. The two housing can, for example, consist of a magnetically soft material which are designed so that a magnetic coupling with a, for example, low scatter field is caused between the two coils.

The device for detecting the magnetic field strength can, for example, comprise a magnetic field sensor which can, for example, have a reed sensor and/or a Hall sensor. These components can, for example, be arranged so that the magnetic fields, above which the coil arrangement on the wall and the leaf is located in inductive operative connection, do not flow therethrough.

For this purpose, the magnetic field sensor can be provided on a board of the electric circuit arrangement, wherein the board is provided on an outer side of the housing of a coil arrangement. This can in particular be the outer side of a closed front of a housing which faces away from the other coil arrangement.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the board can, for example, additionally comprise a transmitter and/or a receiver of an opto-electronic signal transmission device. It is possible to transmit both electrical power and signals through suitable modulation via one and the same pair of coils on the side of the wall and the leaf. However, since an interaction of power and signal transmission cannot be precluded, and an optimized power transmission regularly requires a different constructive adjustment of the coil arrangement than an optimized signal transmission, the opto-electronic signal transmission is also provided in this development. The opto-electronic signal transmission can, for example, be part of a control loop for controlling the power which is applied to the coil on the wall on the basis of the power requirement on the side of the leaf. However, alternatively or additionally, it can, for example, also transmit the respective operational conditions of devices located in the leaf between the leaf and the wall as well as control signals to those devices from the wall to the leaf.

The present invention shall be explained in more detail below using the drawings which depict an embodiment of a device according to the present invention.

The device, denoted inFIG. 1in its entirety with100, comprises two wall parts1,2which are spaced apart in the direction of a hinge axis S which are attachable on a wall (not shown in the drawing) which has a door or window opening. The above and following use of the term “wall” includes a frame or a casing which is usually provided on the wall in the area of a door or wall opening.

The wall parts1,2comprise fastening parts3,4. Each fastening part3,4has bores5,6,7,8for receiving one fastening screw each or for feeding electrical and/or optical cables therethrough. These cables (which are not shown in the drawing) are used for providing electrical or optical connections of the power and signal transmitters and associated electronic or opto-electronic circuits as will be described in greater detail below.

The wall usually forms a primary side PS, from which electrical power is transmitted to the leaf, which is thus the secondary side SS.

One receiving part9,10for receiving components from power and signal transmission assemblies11,12are molded onto the fastening parts3,4. In the herein described embodiment, the power and signal transmission assemblies11,12form power and signal transmission devices44,46. In the described embodiment, the power transmission assembly11comprises a transmission device19having a coil arrangement on the side of the wall32and a coil arrangement on the side of the leaf45.

The device100further comprises a leaf part13which engages in the clearance formed between the wall parts1,2. The device100also has a fastening part14and a receiving part15molded onto the fastening part14. A bore16for a fastening screw17is provided on the fastening part14with which the leaf part13can be mounted to a leaf (not shown in the drawing). The fastening part14also has bores18which are used for feeding electrical and/or optical cables19therethrough (which are not shown in the drawing). These cables serve as connection of the power and signal transmission assemblies11,12with electronic or opto-electronic circuits on the side of the leaf, in this case primary electronics60and secondary electronics75.

The receiving part15is used for receiving components for power and signal transmission assemblies11,12on the side of the leaf. The components on the side of the leaf comprise two bearing bushings20,21which are spaced apart in the direction of the hinge axis S and which are slidably mounted relative to one another in this direction. A spindle drive22is used for the shifting and immobilization in a desired position. The spindle drive22comprises an adjusting spindle23which comprises a crown wheel24in the center. The crown wheel24is used for the optional application of a turning tool (not shown in the drawing) or for engaging a rotary actuation device (also not shown in the drawing). The adjusting spindle24also has two threaded sections25,26which in the reverse sense comprise formed external threads. The two threaded sections25,26engage in complementary internal threads27,28of the bearing bushings20,21. Via a rotary actuation of the spindle drive22, the bearing bushings20,21can thus be moved in the direction of the hinge axis S in order to be adjusted between an installation position, in which the bearing bushings20,21have minimal distance to one another, and an operating position, in which the bearing bushings20,21are at least almost bearing against bearing bushings29,30in the receiving parts9,10of the wall parts1,2.

The structure and the principle of operation of the power and signal transmission assemblies shall be explained in greater detail below under reference toFIGS. 2 to 4.

In addition to the bearing bushing21, which is mounted slidably via the adjusting spindle23in the receiving part15of the leaf part13, the power transmission assembly11comprises the bearing bushing29, which is arranged in the receiving part9. The functionally corresponding bearing bushing30is correspondingly arranged in the receiving part10of the lower wall part2(seeFIG. 1). A movability of the bearing bushings29,30in the direction of the hinge axis S is not provided. The upper bearing bushing29comprises a radially protruding clamping31to provide that it is non-rotatably mounted and does not drop down by itself after a possible removal of the leaf part13.

In the bearing bushing29, a coil arrangement32, also called “primary coil arrangement,” is arranged on the side of the wall. The primary coil arrangement32comprises a coil housing34which can consist of a magnetically soft, particularly ferritic material. The coil housing34has a central core36around which a coil winding38is guided. Coil winding38is shown only schematically in the drawing. A central bore40is provided in the central core36. The central bore40is used to receive an opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41which is part of a first opto-electronic signal transmission device43. The opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41is mounted on a board90.

The board90contains an electronic circuit for operating the opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41. For that purpose, it is connected with the switch converter73of the primary electronics60by a two-core line91; the switch converter73also provides the necessary operating voltage and the necessary operating current for the operation of the opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41.

The board90further comprises a device for detecting the magnetic field strength92, a principle circuit diagram of which is shown inFIG. 7, and which has a magnetic field sensor97designed as a reed switch in the shown embodiment. The electric circuit of the board90is designed so that, in case a magnetic field is detected, the magnetic field strength of which exceeds a threshold value, the power requirement of the electric circuit is increased significantly via the reed switch or the Hall sensor, and said increase of the power requirement is used to generate a fault signal which symbolizes the detection of an outside magnetic field. For that purpose, a transistor99, which is part of the return channel for adequately controlling the power provided by the primary coil arrangement32, a series circuit, consisting of a magnetic field sensor97and resistor101, are connected in parallel to a basic line98. If an outside magnetic field M causes the magnetic field sensor97to be switched to pass, a significant increase of the power requirement results.

The board90is arranged on the outside of the coil housing34in order to provide that the device for detecting the magnetic field strength92is not influenced by magnetic fields which are generated by a current flow through the coil winding38.

A coil arrangement45on the side of the leaf, also called secondary coil arrangement, is arranged in the receiving part15of the leaf part13. The secondary coil arrangement45comprises a coil housing47with a core49, around which a coil winding51is wound.

The coil housing47has a central bore53which extends through the core49. It serves as a receptacle of an opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit55. The opto-electronic transmission units41,55are synchronized so that a signal transmission is possible at least in one direction, for example, bidirectionally. Both opto-electronic transmission/receiving units41,55together form a first opto-coupler48. The opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit55is arranged on a board93. Board93comprises an electric circuit suitable for the operation of the opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit55and the signal transmission via a two-core line94. In the shown embodiment, a device for detecting the magnetic field strength92of an outside magnetic field is not provided on the board93.

FIG. 3shows a perspective exploded view where the components of the power transmission assembly11are arranged approximately symmetrically to a central axis A. This axis A coincides approximately with the hinge axis S when installed.

FIG. 4shows the signal transmission assembly12which somewhat corresponds to the depiction inFIG. 3. Signal transmission assembly12comprises the bearing bushing30, a first carrier33, a first opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit35, a second carrier37, a second opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit39, and the bearing bushing20. The opto-electronic transmission/receiving units35,39together form a second opto-coupler50and are each arranged on a board56,57. Both boards56,57comprise electric circuits for operating the corresponding opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit via a corresponding two-core line58,59. The boards56,57are mounted on the front sides of the respective carriers33,37, with the front sides facing away from each other.

The signal transmission assembly12does not comprise coil arrangements. The carriers30,37can be made of a plastic material. Since there is thus no inductive power and/or signal transmission, no device for detecting an outside magnetic field strength is provided on either of boards56,57.

The electric circuit on the side of the frame, depicted inFIG. 5as a block diagram, comprises primary electronics60which, among others, are used to provide the electric power on the basis of the actuation and operational power requirement on the side of the leaf. For that purpose, the primary electronics60are electrically connected to the opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41by line91, and to the coil winding38of the primary coil arrangement32by a two-core line95.

In order to be able to bidirectionally transmit signals between the control and evaluating unit on the side of the wall (formed in the shown embodiment by an intrusion alarm control61, signal transmitters62in the form of magnetic contacts63on the side of the leaf, glass breakage sensors64, make contacts65, as well as sabotage contacts66) the primary electronics60are additionally electrically connected to the first opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit35.

The primary electronics60are further electrically connected to a power adapter67which, if necessary, provides the actuation power on the side of the leaf, as well as a buffered current supply68which is part of the intrusion alarm control61and which, in case of a supply voltage failure or a technical defect of the power adapter67, is used to provide the operational power requirement of the signal transmitter62on the side of the leaf. The power adapter67can be omitted if there is no consumer on the side of the leaf.

The primary electronics60further comprise multiple relays69which reproduce signals that are transmitted from an opening, breach, and lock monitoring device and to an assembly monitoring device. They are connected with the corresponding inputs of the intrusion alarm control61, wherein connecting resistors70are series-connected to the connecting lines. Relays for a pry contact and the signal indicating an outside magnetic field as well as the transmission of interferences transmitted by a “watchdog” are also provided.

Based on the signals transmitted by the first opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit35, the relays69are controlled by a processor71of the primary electronics60. Via the evaluation electronics72, the processor71receives information about the detector group voltage as well as signals of the intrusion alarm control61, for example, for a lock and latch control.

The processor71is furthermore connected to a switch converter73which applies electrical power as feedback to the coil winding38via the opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41on the basis of the power requirement determined by the processor71.

This electrical power is provided to the switch converter73by a switchover74during normal operational conditions from the power adapter67, or in case of a supply voltage failure from the buffered current supply68. The switchover74comprises a first electrical energy buffer54. This first electrical energy buffer54is used to provide the actuator powers on the side of the leaf in the event that the supply voltage fails during an actuation process of a consumer79. A deactivation of the actuation process is thereby avoided in the event of a supply voltage failure. The actuation power on the side of the leaf and the operating power on the side of the leaf are basically provided (as long as a consumer79is present) via a power adapter67. Only in the event of a failure of the supply voltage provided by the power adapter67is a switch to the buffered current supply effected by the switchover74. The switchover74may comprise a second electrical energy buffer52which can also be used to provide electrical power in the event of a failure of the buffered current supply68. The uninterrupted operation of the safety-relevant secondary circuit parts is thus provided. Regardless of the further design of the device100, the specified manner of the electrical energy supply of the primary electronics60by the switchover74can be used to increase the operational safety of a galvanically separated application of electrical power of an electrical consumer provided on a leaf.

In order to convert the electrical direct current voltage provided in the switch converter73by the switchover74into alternating voltage suitable for an application of the coil winding38on the side of the leaf, and thus the transmission by induction of a secondary alternating voltage in the coil winding51of the secondary coil arrangement45on the side of the leaf, the switch converter73comprises a particular variation of a flyback converter. This flyback converter comprises an H-bridge with four high-performance MOSFETs. The MOSFETs are controlled by MOSFET drivers which are controlled by an intelligent logic. A controller is used for this purpose which is optimized for this application so that both the intelligent quick control of the H-bridge and the program sequence for monitoring and controlling of all functionalities of the secondary electronics75are realized independently from each other in the tightest of spaces. It is thus possible for the controller, during its program sequence, to influence the control of the H-bridge; however, a retroactive influencing of the program sequence of the controller by the control of the H-bridge is not possible.

The coil winding51on the side of the leaf is electrically connected to secondary electronics75on the side of the leaf. This alternating voltage is applied to a rectifier76which rectifies this alternating voltage. Via a buffer, this direct current voltage is fed smoothed to a current supply77of the secondary electronics75. Among others, this current supply77is connected to an overcurrent detection and load separation circuit78. It comprises a power output which can be connected to electrical consumers79which are provided on the side of the leaf.

The current supply77further comprises a stabilized, short-circuit-proof direct-current voltage output80on which seismic detectors can, for example, be connected and provided with operating voltage.

The processor81is provided with the necessary operating power via the current supply77. Via a signal line, the processor81is further connected to overcurrent detection and load separation circuit78in order to effect a load separation, if needed.

The opto-electronic transmission/receiving units55and39are also connected to the secondary electronics75.

During operation of the arrangement, electrical power is applied by the switch converter73to the coil winding38of the primary coil arrangement32; the electrical power being required to adequately provide the actuating and operating power in the secondary coil winding51of the secondary coil arrangement45. This is controlled by a feedback channel which is galvanically separated by the opto-electronic transmission/receiving units41,55and acts directly in hardware on the control of the H-bridge of the switch converter73. Due to this type of control, a flyback converter, which is exclusively realized in hardware, is used; the flyback converter does not require a software-controlled program sequence with corresponding delay response times. Operational conditions may, however, occur in which the on/off frequency of the flyback converter lies in the audible range. The control frequency can be changed to be software-controlled via the controller in such a case. However, an operational condition can also occur without software control in which the system would change over to an overload condition. Such a condition can also be prevented by a software-controlled deactivation of the flyback converter.

This channel further serves to detect a possible outside magnetic field.

As was already explained above, a device for detecting the magnetic field strength92is provided on the board90carrying the opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit41. This device is designed so that the power requirement of the board90significantly increases when such a magnetic field is detected, that the increase is interpreted as fault signal by an evaluation unit96upstream of the processor71, and so that the associated relay can be controlled correspondingly.

During operation, a bidirectional signal transmission via the first opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit35and the second opto-electronic transmission/receiving unit39furthermore takes place. The operational conditions of the signal transmitters62of the intrusion alarm control61can be provided with this bidirectional signal transmission, and the processor81and the signal transmitters62and, if applicable, further consumers can be controlled from the intrusion alarm control61.

The secondary electronics75further comprise a safety contact82for lid monitoring, and a safety contact83for pry protection. Relays84,85are further provided as a lock and latch control of the consumer79which is designed as a motor lock.

Any type of remote controlled switch can be used as a relay. In the described embodiment, an electro-optically operating switch is used.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS