Abstract:
An apparatus for a contactless transmission of electrical energy between a wall and a door leaf/window sash fastened to the wall in an articulated fashion via hinges about a hinge axis includes a primary coil configured to be fastened to the wall, a secondary coil fastened to the door leaf/window sash, and a hinge bolt as a magnetic flux conduction body between the primary coil and the secondary coil. The hinge bolt comprises at least one flux element provided as a prefabricated structural component and at least one bearing piece comprising a mating frontal side. The at least one flux element comprises at least one frontal side. The at least one frontal side of the at least one flux element braces against the mating frontal side of the at least one bearing piece.

Description:
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/EP2012/058125, filed on May 3, 2012 and which claims benefit to European Patent Application No. 11167265.5, filed on May 24, 2011. The International Application was published in German on Nov. 29, 2012 as WO 2012/159857 A1 under PCT Article 21(2). 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for a contactless transmission of electrical energy between a wall and a door leaf/window sash fastened to the wall in an articulated fashion using hinges about a hinge axis, in which a primary coil fastened to the wall and a secondary coil fastened to the door leaf/window sash are provided that form an inductive operative connection with the aid of a hinge bolt. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The leaves and sashes of doors and windows on real properties, such as houses, business premises or production facilities, increasingly include means that improve safety and comfort, and any given current operating state of which is monitored or actuated from outside of the door/window, and any changes related to the operating state or any signals that may have been received from the sensors are transmitted to the monitoring or actuating means. 
     Reference is made, for example, to a burglar alarm system that is installed in a building and communicates with means that are provided on the door/window for monitoring, for example, access, breach, closure, tampering or sabotage or a motor-driven lock to a facility. 
     Multi-wire cables are used in the prior art for transmitting the corresponding signals and to provide electrical conducting lines between the monitoring means and the means disposed on the door/window, which are flexibly routed between the door leaf/window sash and often provided with a flexible metal hose for protection. 
     These cable transitions considerably compromise the optical appearance and can become jammed in the door or window when the door leaf/window sash is closed, resulting in damage or even destruction of the cables. The cable transitions are furthermore points of vulnerability in terms of possible tampering, which is why so-called Z-wiring of the sensors or contacts is also implemented in the cable transition to protect against sabotage. 
     DE 10 2004 017 341 A1 describes a flap hinge with a transformer incorporated therein to provide a contactless energy transmission. This flap hinge comprises a primary coil that is disposed in a part of the frame of the flap hinge and a secondary coil that is disposed in a part of the door leaf/window sash of the hinge flap. Serving as a magnetic coupling for the secondary coil with the primary coil, which are disposed at a distance relative to each other in the direction of the hinge axis, is a ferrite core that traverses both coils and simultaneously constitutes the hinge bolt. 
     Although the contactless transmission of energy from a stationary frame to a door leaf/window sash, that is pivotably disposed inside the frame, is desirable to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages, experiments have shown that, using the hinge flap according to the class of the prior art as described in DE 10 2004 017 341 A1, it is only possible to transmit very small electrical outputs from the primary to the secondary side because the incidence of power leakage is very high during the transmission. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus according to the class with a hinge bolt that improves the inductive operative connection between the primary and secondary coils. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for a contactless transmission of electrical energy between a wall and a door leaf/window sash fastened to the wall in an articulated fashion via hinges about a hinge axis which includes a primary coil configured to be fastened to the wall, a secondary coil configured to be fastened to the door leaf/window sash, and a hinge bolt configurable as a magnetic flux conduction body between the primary coil and the secondary coil. The hinge bolt comprises at least one flux element provided as a prefabricated structural component and at least one bearing piece comprising a mating frontal side. The at least one flux element comprises at least one frontal side. The at least one frontal side of the at least one flux element is configured to brace against the mating frontal side of the at least one bearing piece. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of embodiments and of the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a representation of a schematic view of an apparatus according to the present invention, partially by way of a longitudinal section; 
         FIG. 2  is a representation of a perspective view of an embodiment of a hinge bolt of an apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a view as shown in  FIG. 2 , however, seen as an exploded view; 
         FIG. 4  is a representation of a side view of a hinge bolt according to  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a representation of a frontal view of a hinge bolt according to  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a representation of a sectional view of a hinge bolt according to  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a representation of an enlarged view of a detail from  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a representation of a perspective view of an embodiment of a hinge bolt of an apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a view according to  FIG. 8 , however, seen as an exploded view; 
         FIG. 10  is a representation of a side view of a hinge bolt according to  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a representation of a frontal view of a hinge bolt according to  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a representation of a sectional view of a hinge bolt according to  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 13  is a representation of an enlarged detail from  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The hinge bolt of the apparatus according to the present invention is configured in multiple parts. It comprises at least one flux element that is embodied as a prefabricated structural component. This is the structural component that conducts, by itself or for the most part by itself, the magnetic flux between the primary coil and the secondary coil. This flux element is prefabricated. This means that it does not first have to be casted, molded or formed to another existing structural component of the hinge bolt. Prior to the assembly with at least one further part of the hinge bolt, said flux element is rather already available almost completely in the final form thereof. 
     The hinge bolt according to the present invention furthermore comprises at least one bearing part that serves, by itself or for the most part by itself, to introduce mechanical forces into the hinge bolt and/or to apply mechanical forces by means of the hinge bolt, meaning ultimately the transmission of mechanical forces between the door leaf/window sash and the wall. 
     Due to the structural assembly in multiple parts, it is possible for the flux element and the bearing piece to be optimized and disposed for implementing different properties, such as a small magnetic resistance in the case of the flux element or a high mechanical load capacity in the case of the bearing piece, in those places where these properties are particularly required. The prefabricated flux element can be manufactured from a material that is particularly suited for the respective purpose of application of the apparatus. If the apparatus is to serve for the transmission of alternating voltage of approximately 50 Hz, the flux element can, for example, be made of a dynamo sheet or comprise the same. If the alternating voltage has a higher frequency, for example, in the kilohertz range, the flux element can made of or comprise amorphous or nanocrystalline bands, or also ferrites. 
     The manufacture of the flux element is straightforward and cost-effective due to the fact that it is manufactured separately from the further parts of the hinge bolt. It is moreover possible to prepare optimized flux elements together with the further structural components of a hinge bolt for varying purposes of application in the manner of a modular system. 
     The flux element comprises frontal sides, at least one of which is braced against a mating frontal side of a bearing piece. This results in the bearing piece and the flux element being reliably fixed in place in relation to each other. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the flux element can, for example, be rotationally symmetrical. It is thereby able to have a cross-sectional area that is as large as possible for particularly low magnetic resistance. Disturbing edges of the flux element extending axially on the surface of the hinge bolt, such as conceivably encountered on flux elements that are formed of two semi-shells, are moreover precluded. 
     To effect the bracing, an embodiment of the hinge bolt envisions at least one tensile element that passes through a central bore in the flux element and that is connected to at least one bearing piece. The diameters of the tensile element and the bore of the flux element therein are provided to be as small as possible so that the flux element has the maximum possible cross-sectional area for minimizing the magnetic resistance. The material that is, for example, used for the tensile element correspondingly has the necessary ultimate tensile strength to achieve the required bracing strength for the respective application. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the tensile element can, for example, be screwed to the at least one bearing piece; this connection can be easily implemented and released in terms of the involved complexity. A desired tensile stress can moreover be achieved by the choice of torque that is used for creating the screwed connection. 
     The apparatus according to the present invention can also comprise two pairs of coils that are disposed at a distance relative to each other, consisting of a primary and secondary coil respectively. This is the case, for example, when one pair of coils is to serve to transmit electrical power, while the other pair of coils is to serve to transmit electrical signals between the hinge flap and the door leaf/window sash. The hinge bolt can then, for example, comprise two flux elements that are spaced at a distance relative to each other with a center piece there between comprising two mating frontal sides that are oriented away from each other. The flux elements can be adapted with the aid of the respective pair of coils, by means of different sizing and choice of material, to the power, frequency and signal form, etc., that must be transmitted. 
     To reduce the transmission of impact blows or vibrations from the one flux element to the other flux element, it is, for example, possible to configure the center part with corresponding shock-absorbing properties. To this end, it is possible to provide the center piece made of a material that exhibits shock-absorbing properties, for example, a suitable plastic material. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the center piece can, for example, include a through hole that is traversed by the tensile element, which is screwed to the bearing pieces that form end pieces, so that the two end areas of the hinge bolt have essentially the bearing function and serve for transmitting mechanical forces. 
     In an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, a threaded extension or a threaded bore can, for example, be provided at least on one flux element on the frontal side, and a complementary threaded bore or a threaded extension can, for example, be provided on the mating frontal side that is oriented toward a bearing piece, whereby the at least one flux element can be screwed to the bearing piece. This embodiment differs from the previously-described embodiment in that no separate tensile element is provided therein, and that the bracing of the frontal side and mating frontal side in relation to each other is achieved instead by screwing the threaded extension into the threaded bore. The strength of the bracing and/or the value of the compressive force therein by which the frontal side and the mating frontal side are disposed against each other can be determined, in turn, by presetting the torque that is applied in the screw-in step. 
     If the hinge bolt is to be suitable for an apparatus having two pairs of coils, the hinge bolt here too comprises two flux elements that are disposed at a distance relative to each other, and which distance is defined by a center piece. The center piece includes two mating frontal sides that are oriented away from each other, wherein, complementary threaded bores or threaded extensions are provided on the mating frontal sides with regard to the threaded extensions or threaded bores of the flux elements so that the flux elements can be screwed into a center piece. The center piece can also be configured such that it has shock-absorbing properties. 
     With both embodiments, it can be advantageous for the at least one bearing piece to have a centering area and the at least one flux element to have a mating centering area, so that the bearing piece and the flux element are thereby reliably positioned within the allowable tolerances relative to each other and without any need for additional steps that go beyond mere assembly. 
     If the hinge bolt comprises two flux elements that are disposed at a distance relative to each other that is defined by a center piece, the center piece can, for example, also include mating centering areas for respectively one centering area of a flux element. 
     To avoid a compromise of the inductive coupling of the primary and secondary coils by unnecessary losses due to leakage, the bearing pieces can, for example, be made of a material with low permeability. This is another measure that reduces the susceptibility to interference by external magnetic fields that may be in effect with regard to the bearing pieces. 
     If available, the center piece can, for example, be manufactured of a material with low permeability to reduce any undesired magnetic coupling of the two flux elements. 
     The present invention also relates to a hinge bolt, taken by itself, for an apparatus of the kind as described above. The materials that are used for the individual parts can, for example, not be assembly components that are combined from different materials, such as a metal core that is surrounded by a highly permeable material. Each part can instead, for example, be made of a single commercially available material or of a single commercially available material combination. 
     The present invention will be illustrated in further detail below based on the embodiments as shown in the drawings. 
     The apparatus that is schematically depicted in  FIG. 1  and designated as a whole with the reference numeral  100  comprises two pairs of primary and secondary coils, namely a primary power coil  1  and a secondary power coil  2 , as well as a signal transmission coil  9  and a signal transmission coil  10  that is inductively coupled to the former. The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  passes through all coils. The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  has a longitudinal center axis A. The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  is, contrary to the rest of the apparatus  100 , not shown by way of a longitudinal section. 
     The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  pivotably connects the hinge flap parts  14 ,  15 ,  16  about a hinge axis S. The apparatus  100  is structured in a manner similar to a three-part hinge flap. It can be disposed between door leaf/window sash and frame, in addition to the hinge flaps of a construction known in the art and that absorbs the load of the leaf/sash, or instead of such a hinge flap. The apparatus  100  is thus correspondingly also able to absorb mechanical forces, particularly forces that must be transmitted between the wall and door leaf/window sash. 
     The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  is structurally designed in multiple parts. It comprises two flux elements  4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ that are disposed at a distance relative to each other, and the spacing there between being defined by the center piece  7 ,  107 . The dimensions of the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ are such that they substantially completely fill out the space that is enclosed by the coils  1 ,  2 ;  9 ,  10 , however without extending beyond the same. 
     The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  moreover comprises the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′;  108 ,  108 ′ that extend from the two flux elements  4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ toward the outside and that serve to support the hinge bolt  3 ,  103  inside the hinge flap parts  14 ,  16  as well as to transmit mechanical forces. The center piece  7 ,  107  serves for supporting the hinge bolt in the hinge flap part  15 . 
     The hinge bolt  3 ,  103  is completely constructed of single parts, as will be explained in further detail below based on  FIGS. 2 to 13 . The flux elements  4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ are made of soft-magnetic material, for example, ferrite. The center piece  7 ,  107  is made of a material of low permeability for the magnetic decoupling of the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ and the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′;  108 ,  108 ′. 
     To provide the hinge bolt  3 ,  103  with shock-absorbing properties that at least reduce the transmission of, for example, vibrations between the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ the center piece  7 ,  107  can be made of a shock-absorbing material, for example, of plastic. For fastening in the direction of the hinge axis S, it includes a waisted area  13  where a stud engages, which is not shown in the drawing. 
     An embodiment of the hinge bolt will be explained in further detail based on  FIGS. 2 to 7 . This embodiment comprises a tensile element  6  that is configured in a rod-like manner and provided with a thread  6 ′ on both ends. The tensile element  6  can also be formed in the manner of a continuous threaded rod. The threads  6 ′ engage, as shown, particularly in  FIG. 6 , in related complementary internal threads  6 ″ of the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′. This means that the tensile element  6  is screwed into the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′. Said element exercises tensile forces on the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′ such that the same come to rest, by the mating frontal sides  17 ,  17 ′, against the frontal sides  18 ,  18 ′ of the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ (see  FIG. 3 ), which means that the frontal sides  18 ,  18 ′ of the flux element  4 ,  4 ′ are braced against the mating frontal sides  17 ,  17 ′ of the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′. 
     The tensile element  6  further causes the frontal sides  19 ,  19 ′ that are provided on the other end of the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ to be braced against the mating frontal sides  20 ,  20 ′ of the center piece  7 . 
     The amount of the tensile stress that is created by the tension anchor can be influenced by the torque that is used to tighten the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′. To allow for the placement of a suitable driving tool, they comprise the wrench surfaces  8   a ,  8   a′.    
     The internal threads  6 ″ can be configured as self-rolling, whereby it is only necessary to provide cylinder bores in the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′. The tensile element  6  is made of a material that is able to accommodate high tensile stresses, such as, for example, an iron alloy. As shown in  FIG. 5 , this way, it is possible to provide a tensile element with a relatively small diameter, such as, for example, smaller than half the diameter of the hinge bolt. In the shown embodiment, the diameter of the tensile element is minimally larger than one third of the diameter of the hinge bolt  3 . Due to the relatively small diameter, it is possible for the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ to take up a relatively large cross-sectional area. This results in a particularly small magnetic resistance and a highest-possible inherent stability of the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′. 
     If the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′ are only screwed to the tensile element  6  tightly enough that the same is not stretched, due to the tensile stress, to the limit of the elastic deformation capacity thereof, the hinge bolt  3  has, particularly when coupled with the shock-dampening structural design of the center piece  7 , an overall shock-absorbing effect. The center hinge flap part  15 , which is regularly fastened to the door leaf/window sash, is in fact able to shift under the effect of external forces in terms of the extent of deformation relative to the hinge flap parts  14 ,  16 , which are regularly fastened to the wall. 
     As depicted, in particular, in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ are provided with approximately frustro-conical chamfers  11  on both frontal sides  18 ,  19 ;  18 ′,  19 ′ thereof that operate in conjunction with the complementary chamfers  12  provided on the center piece  7  and/or on the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′ in a self-centering manner, thereby forming centering surfaces and mating centering surfaces for the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′, the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ and the center piece  7 . 
     The hinge bolt  3  is easily mounted during manufacturing; it is also easily mounted by the operator who inserts the hinge bolt inside the apparatus  100 . There are no ferritic semi-shells, nor any glue points. The hinge bolt has a straightforward structural design and includes an automatic tolerance compensation inside the length of the structural assembly, due to the elastic properties of the center piece  7  and the tensile element  6 . Owing to the self-centering structural components, it is always centrally mounted and therefore easily installed on the hinge flap and/or the apparatus. It is very easily adjustable to further dimensional and coil situations (modular system). Due to the small magnetic resistance of the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′, the inductive coupling action has been optimized. Due to the shock-absorbing effect of the center piece  7 , which can comprise a plastic part, the undesired transmission of vibration or impact blows has been reduced between the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ and the resilience of the hinge bolt  3  has been enhanced. The small diameter of the tensile element permits for the effective use of the center part, has the shock-absorbing effect. Screwing the tensile element  6  into the bearing pieces  8 ,  8 ′ renders the structural assembly of the hinge bolt  3  flexible because the flux elements  4 ,  4 ′ as well as the center piece  7  can be easily replaced. 
     A second embodiment of a hinge bolt, as depicted in  FIGS. 8 to 13 , is designated overall by the reference numeral  103 ; this hinge bolt that can be used as an alternative to the first embodiment of the hinge bolt  3 . Component parts having a corresponding functionality in the second embodiment are identified by the same reference numbers plus  100 . 
     In contrast to the first embodiment, the hinge bolt  103  does not include a tensile element. Rather, two flux elements  104 ,  104 ′ are provided that include the threaded extensions  104   a ,  104   a ′ at the two frontal ends thereof. These threaded extensions  104   a ,  104   a ′ engage in the complementary threaded bores  105 ,  105 ′, which are provided in the bearing pieces  108 ,  108 ′ and the center piece  107  ( FIG. 9 ). The bearing pieces  108 ,  108 ′ include wrench areas  108   a ,  108   a ′. As seen in  FIG. 12 , the flux elements  104 ,  104 ′, in turn, do not make contact with each other; instead, an air gap  121  is provided there between to improve the decoupling operation of the two flux elements  104 ,  104 ′ from each other and to allow for a minimal relative displacement of the two flux elements  104 ,  104 ′, and thereby the bearing pieces  108 ,  108 ′ toward each other for purposes of shock absorption. To this end, the center piece  107  includes again shock-absorbing properties and low permeability. The flux elements  104 ,  104 ′ are made of a soft-ferromagnetic material, for example, ferrite. 
     All parts  104 ,  104 ′,  105 ,  107 ,  108 ,  108 ′ of the hinge bolt  103  are screwed to each other. This embodiment also envisions the use of chambers  111 ,  112  that cause the structural components to center themselves, when they are screwed together. 
     It is understood that, in the alternative, the threaded extensions can also be embodied on the bearing and center pieces, whereby the complementary threaded bores can be implemented in the flux elements. 
     In the assembled state of the apparatus according to the present invention, the hinge bolt defines the hinge axis S, meaning the longitudinal axis A thereof and the hinge axis S are congruent. 
     The present invention is not limited to embodiments described herein; reference should be had to the appended claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               100  Apparatus 
               1  Primary power coil 
               2  Secondary power coil 
               3 ,  103  Hinge bolt 
               4 ,  4 ′;  104 ,  104 ′ Flux elements 
               104   a ,  104   a ′ Threaded extensions 
               6  Tensile element 
               6 ′ Thread 
               6 ″ Internal thread 
               7 ,  107  Center piece 
               8 ,  8 ′;  108 ,  108 ′ Bearing pieces 
               8   a ,  8   a ′;  108   a ,  108   a ′ Wrench surfaces 
               9  Signal transmission coil 
               10  Signal transmission coil 
               11 ,  111  Chamfers 
               12 ,  112  Chamfers 
               13  Waist 
               14  Hinge flap part 
               15  Hinge flap part 
               16  Hinge flap part 
               17 ,  17 ′;  117 ,  117 ′ Mating frontal sides 
               18 ,  18 ′;  118 ,  118 ′ Frontal sides 
               19 ,  19 ′;  119 ,  119 ′ Frontal sides 
               20 ,  20 ′;  120 ,  120 ′ Mating frontal sides 
               105 ,  105 ′ Threaded bore 
               121  Air gap 
             A Longitudinal center axis of the hinge bolt 
             S Hinge axis