Abstract:
An electromagnetic device for restraining hinged door leaves in a closed position within a door frame as well as for opening hinged door leaves which are restrained in the closed position. The electromagnetic device has an electrically active part located in the door frame, and a closing counterpiece located in the hinged door leaf where upon the production of an electromagnetic field at the electrically active part a slidable counterpole piece portion of the closing counterpiece slides toward the electrically active part such that a portion of the counterpole piece engages in a free space within the door leaf thus restraining the door leaf in a closed position within the door frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an electrically actuated device for restraining hinged door leaves in the closed position and for opening door leaves restrained in the closed position, whereby the hinged door leaves are held in the closed position by force locking. 
     In general, catches are known for the locking of hinged door leaves whereby a movable bolt, actuated mechanically or electromagnetically, is brought into the closed position and the movement of the hinged door leaf is hindered by form locking, whereby this closing bolt engages in a coulisse-shaped recess in the fixed doorframe or fixed door leaf. 
     For the remote operation of locking devices for hinged door leaves whereby locking is accomplished by form locking of a slidable bolt, designs are known whereby the bolt of the locking mechanism is brought into the closed position by magnetic forces. Such a locking device can be actuated electrically both in the closed and in the open position. These closing devices for hinged door leaves also have a bolt catch which restrains the hinged door leaf in the door closed position, whereby this engages in a coulisse-shaped recess in the door frame or in the fixed door leaf and thus the bolt catch becomes effective by form locking. This bolt catch can be actuated mechanically directly or indirectly whereby the form locking between the bolt catch and the coulisse-shaped recess is lifted. Non-locked hinged door leaves which are held in the closed position by the bolt catch can only be opened by means of an additional door opening device which can be electrically actuated. For this purpose there are known additional electromagnetically operating door opening devices which are provided in the door frame or in the fixed door leaf. Various electrically actuatable structures are known as door opening devices whereby a closing plate is unlocked by a magnetic field generated via a magnetic coil. After this unlocking the form locking between the bolt catch and the coulisse-shaped recess is lifted. 
     All known solutions have the disadvantage that the construction costs for the locking and unlocking and for the opening of a hinged door leaf restrained in the closed position are very high. Furthermore, both the door closers and the door openers have many moving parts so that both the door closing and the door opening mechanism have a very high susceptibility to breakdown. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of the invention is to reduce the susceptibility to breakdown of door opening and closing devices, to lower costs, construction and maintenance expenditure and to ensure secure closing of a hinged door leaf in the closed position and thereafter secure opening. 
     The problem forming the basis of the invention is to develop a device for hinged door leaves in which both the door closing and restraining device and the door opening device form a structural unit and allow the locking of a hinged door leaf which closes against a door seal whereby the closing and opening device should be capable of being operated remotely. 
     This problem was solved by the technical characteristics specified in claim  1 . The subclaims serve to elaborate the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will be explained hereinafter with reference to an example of embodiment and is shown in the relevant drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a view of an outside door which opens inwards; 
     FIG. 2 is a horizontal section A—A as in FIG. 1 through a hinged door leaf in the closed position with a door frame; 
     FIG. 3 is a horizontal section A—A as in FIG. 1 through a hinged door leaf closing against a door seal in the closed position 
     FIG. 4.1 is a longitudinal section view through a door frame with a built-in electrically active part of the closing and opening device developed according to the invention. 
     FIG. 4.2 is a view in a door frame of the electrically active part of the closing and opening device developed according to the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is the electrically active part in a view B as in FIG. 4 
     FIG. 6 a  is a magnetic coil in the door frame. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of a counterpole piece with intermediate piece built in a frame of a hinged door leaf 
     FIG. 8 is a counterpole piece with intermediate piece in view C as in FIG. 7 with pole plates and intermediate piece of the counterpole piece developed according to the invention 
     FIG. 9 is a counterpole piece in view C as in FIG. 7 with a nose-shaped projection at a pole plate of the counterpole piece developed according to the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a view T on the door leaf as in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 11 is a section C—C as in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In a door frame  1  or in an upright leaf there is installed the electrically active part of an electromagnetic closing and opening device developed according to the invention. This consists of an electromagnetic device having two pole plates  2 ;  3  which is accommodated in a frame structure  4  whereby this is mounted on a retaining plate  5  made of non-magnetisable material, for example brass. 
     The electromagnetic device consists of a yoke  6  and a winding  7  surrounding the yoke  6  to produce an electromagnetic field. The yoke  6  is connected by two pole plates  2 ;  3 . These are made of a material which after decay of the electromagnetic field still exhibits a low remanent magnetism. 
     In the hinged door leaf  8  there is located on the frame side a closing counterpiece for the electrically active part of the electromagnetic closing and opening device provided in the door frame  1  or in the upright leaf. This closing counterpiece consists of a retaining plate  9  made of a non-magnetisable material on which a framework  10  is attached. In said framework there is provided a U-shaped counterpole piece  11  which can slide horizontally to a small extent, which is connected to a return spring  12  provided in the framework  10 . 
     The device designed according to the invention can either be designed as a closing variant or as an opening variant. In the closing variant the counterpole piece  11  is made of soft iron and on application of a voltage to the winding  7  of the electrically active part the closing and opening device comes into a closed position. In the opening variant according to the invention the counterpole piece  11  consists of a permanent magnet and the electrically active part of the closing and opening device according to the invention is used to open a locked door leaf whereby by application of a voltage to the winding  7  of the electrically active part a magnetic field is produced for which like poles lie opposite to those of the permanent magnet. By this means the closing force of the permanent magnet is lifted. 
     The U-shaped counterpole piece  11  surrounds a recess. In said recess there is inserted an intermediate piece  13  of non-magnetisable material which projects slightly beyond the pole surfaces of the counterpole piece  11 , whereby said intermediate piece extends in the direction of the electrically active part of the electromagnetic closing and opening mechanism and there engages in a free space  14  between the pole plates  2 ;  3  then the door leaf  8  is closed. 
     In the event of the magnetic field produced by the closing and opening device provided in the door frame  1  being absent in the closing variant or as a result of the production of a homopolar magnetic field, i.e., as a result of the restraining force produced by a permanent magnet being removed in the opening variant, the counterpole piece  11  falls away and said piece is returned to its initial position by the return spring  12 . The return spring  12  is provided at the rear end  15  of the framework  10 . The closing counterpiece is secured in the hinged door leaf  8  by means of the retaining plate  9  and can be adjusted by means of two set screws  16 . 
     The working principle of the device in the closing variant consists in that, if the hinged door leaf  8  is brought into the closing position, the counterpole surfaces  17  of the counterpole piece  11  come into the region of the electromagnetic field of the electrically active part of the closing and opening device and the counterpole surfaces  17  of the easily movable counterpole piece  11  built into the hinged door leaf  8  are attracted and thereby restrain the hinged door leaf  8  in the closed position such that on the one hand, there arises a force-locking connection between the pole surfaces  18  of the pole plates  2 ;  3  and the counterpole surfaces  17  of the movable counterpole piece  11  by closure of the electromagnetic field lines and on the other hand, a form locking connection is made by the intermediate piece  13  engaging in a free space  14  between the pole plates  2 ;  3 . In the opening variant the pole surfaces  18  and the counterpole surfaces  17  come into the closed position as a result of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet and in addition to the magnetic restraining force, a form-locking connection is produced by the intermediate piece  13  engaging in a free space  14  between the pole plates  2 ;  3 . 
     As soon as the hinged door leaf  8  is to close tightly against a door seal  19  located in a door stop  20 , i.e., utilizing the elasticity of this door seal  19 , the pole surfaces  18  of the pole plates  2 ;  3 , the counterpole surfaces  17  of the counterpole piece  11  and the front surface  21  of the intermediate piece  13  according to the invention have a beveled design with an angle of tilt  22 ,  23 . The angle of tilt  22  for the pole surfaces  18  of the pole plates  2 ;  3  and for the counterpole surfaces  17  of the counterpole piece  11  in the direction of closure  24  of the door leaf  8  is an acute angle of 1 to 3 degrees, whereby the distance between the pole surfaces  18  and the counterpole surfaces  17  at a position close to the closed position of the door leaf  8  in the door frame  1  is different, i.e., the distance between the pole surface  18  of the pole plate  2  and the counterpole surface  17  of the counterpole piece  11  standing opposite to this is greater than the distance between the pole surface  18  of the pole plate  3  and the counterpole surface  17  of the counterpole piece  11  standing opposite to this. The angle of tilt  23  of the front surface  21  of the intermediate piece  13  is designed as an acute angle in the direction of the door leaf  8  and is likewise 1 to 3 degrees. 
     This advantageous design of the pole surfaces  18 , the counterpole surfaces  17  and the front surface  21  of the intermediate piece  13  has the result that when the magnetic field becomes effective, the hinged door leaf  8  comes into the closed position against the sealing force of the door seal  19  by overcoming the sealing force originating from the elasticity of the door seal  19  and the door leaf can be securely closed. By means of this design of the pole surfaces  18 , the counterpole surfaces  17  and the front surface  21  the door leaf is slightly proud, i.e., door frame  1  and door leaf  8  are no longer in a straight line. 
     The action described is further strengthened by the fact that according to another refinement of the invention the electrically active part consisting of winding  7 , yoke  6  and pole plates  2 , 3  is elastically supported in the frame structure  4  serving as the holder in the door frame  1  and a thrust bearing  25  is provided for this purpose. Likewise the counterpole piece  11  is elastically mounted in the framework  10  provided for this purpose. This elastic supporting or mounting has the result that the pole surfaces  18  and the counterpole surfaces  17  are completely supported after being acted upon by a magnetic field. 
     Another technical measure to ensure reliable positioning of the counterpole piece  11  in the closing phase in the closed position is provided according to the invention at the counterpole piece  11 . Said counterpole piece has a nose-shaped projection  26  at the side of the counterpole piece  11  which is in the opposite direction to the direction of closure. This has the effect that the pole surfaces  18  and the counterpole surfaces  17  can only move onto each other as soon as the closing position is reached. 
     As soon as in the closing variant no more voltage is applied to the electromagnetic winding  7  or in the opening variant by application of a voltage to the electromagnetic winding  7  to produce a homopolar field, the magnetic field is no longer present as a restraining force and merely a remanent magnetism is active, holding the movable door leaf  8  in the closed position. By means of the released sealing force of the door seal  19  or by means of a slight pushing of the hinged door leaf  8  said door leaf can then be opened since the return spring  12  provided at the rear end of the framework  10  becomes effective and the intermediate piece  13  with the counterpole piece  11  is brought into an initial position by the return spring  12  whereby the intermediate piece  13  no longer engages in the free space  14  between the pole plates  2 ;  3 . 
     The advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the closing and opening device has no movable parts which are subject to wear or can be impaired by the action of external forces. 
     The device according to the invention is either actuated by applying a voltage to the electromagnetic winding  7  via remote control provided that the person operating the actuation of the door is inside the building where the electrical switch for the actuation is provided. 
     Another possibility for actuation of the closing and opening device according to the invention by authorised persons who wish to actuate the hinged door leaf  8  from outside is that the deactivation of the electromagnetic field can either be actuated mechanically via a microswitch not shown, whereby this actuation can be accomplished, for example, via a normal cylinder lock, or by means of a break relay not shown, which is controlled by means of an electronic circuit equipped with a deactivatable identification technology. Known possibilities, e.g. coded magnetic cards or transponders are available as identification technology. 
     The closing and opening device is activated automatically, controlled by a sensor, for example after the movable door leaf  8  has fallen back into the door stop  20  of the doorframe  1 . 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 List of reference symbols used 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1 
                 Door frame 
               
               
                 2 
                 Pole plate 
               
               
                 3 
                 Pole plate 
               
               
                 4 
                 Frame structure 
               
               
                 5 
                 Retaining plate 
               
               
                 6 
                 Yoke 
               
               
                 7 
                 Winding 
               
               
                 8 
                 Door leaf 
               
               
                 9 
                 Retaining plate 
               
               
                 10 
                 Framework 
               
               
                 11 
                 Counterpole piece 
               
               
                 12 
                 Return spring 
               
               
                 13 
                 Intermediate piece 
               
               
                 14 
                 Free space 
               
               
                 15 
                 End 
               
               
                 16 
                 Adjusting screw 
               
               
                 17 
                 Counterpole surface 
               
               
                 18 
                 Pole surface 
               
               
                 19 
                 Door seal 
               
               
                 20 
                 Doorstop 
               
               
                 21 
                 Front surface 
               
               
                 22 
                 Angle of tilt 
               
               
                 23 
                 Angle of tilt 
               
               
                 24 
                 Direction of closure 
               
               
                 25 
                 Thrust bearing