Patent Publication Number: US-8528253-B2

Title: Protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways

Description:
The present invention relates in general to a protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, such as those used for controlling the passage of people in places such as subways, airports, factories, offices, etc. 
     More specifically, the invention relates to a protection device for the sliding openings of oscillating shutters, which normally close said access passageways, suitable for covering said openings when the shutter is moved to close the access passageway. 
     Motorized access passageways of the traditional type use a mechanism, activated by an alternate or direct current electric motor and relative power transformer, which supports the shutter and allows it to slide perpendicularly in the passage direction to open or close the passageway. 
     The movement of the shutter is preferably effected along a circumference arc, centered on the vertical line, so that the anticlockwise rotation of the electric motor allows the complete opening of the passageway, by the re-entry of the shutter itself, whereas the closing of the passageway is obtained with the clockwise rotation of the motor, through the exit of the shutter. 
     The activating logic of traditional movement devices varies according to the specific application and envisages the possibility of opening the passageway normally closed, after appropriate activation (as in the case of subways), or closing the passageway normally open, in the case of the detection of an error condition (for example, in access passageways connected to a metal detector). 
     As already mentioned, these operations are effected as a result of an oscillating movement, according to which the shutter respectively moves downwards and re-enters the interior of a longitudinal seat of a specific structure, in order to allow the opening of the access passageway, and upwards, emerging from the above longitudinal seat, to allow the closing of the access passageway. 
     In order to comply with the safety regulations of pedestrian access passageways, however, the absence of any type of opening and/or seat in general is increasingly requested, as these can represent an evident danger for the users, above all during the automatic movement phase of the shutter. 
     An objective of the present invention is therefore to overcome the above drawbacks and, in particular, to provide a protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, which allows the passage of people under substantial safety conditions, avoiding accidents which can occur through the inexperience of the users. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, which also has antivandalism properties, in any case preventing the passage of people under control conditions of the passageway. 
     Another objective of the invention is to provide a protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, which is extremely practical, safe, functional and reliable, as well as economical, in terms of production and operating costs, also in consideration of the advantages obtained. 
     These objectives, according to the present invention, are achieved by providing a protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, according to claim  1  enclosed. 
     The system object of the invention advantageously allows an active protection of the longitudinal seat where the sliding shutter is housed under open passageway conditions, when said passageway is closed, following the oscillating translation movement of the closing shutter. 
     This protection also avoids the accumulation of dust and/or the insertion of objects inside the seat which would jeopardize the opening and closing functioning of the passageway; in this sense, the system in question has important antivandalism characteristics, as it has a strong, solid and functional structure, and is also resistant to attempts at tampering and violation. 
    
    
     
       Further characteristics and advantages of a protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, according to the present invention, will appear more evident from the following illustrative and non-limiting description, referring to the enclosed schematic drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a structure of a motorized pedestrian access passageway, in a closed passageway position; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the structure according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view along the line III-III of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the detail indicated with E in  FIG. 3 , which illustrates a construction portion of the protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the detail indicated with F in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the construction detail according to  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial sectional view along the line IX-IX of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     With reference to the above figures, a structure, suitable for controlling pedestrian access passageways, such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , generally has an outer shaped framework  7 , positioned to the side of the access passageway and in which a movement and supporting mechanism is installed, of at least one oscillating shutter  12  (normally consisting of simple shaped and tempered glass), which is fixed to the supporting rod  6 . 
     The movement and supporting mechanism of the oscillating shutter  12  envisages a jointed system consisting of a series of rods and/or levers  8  and a pair of movement arms  28 , hinged to the supporting rod  6  of the sliding shutter  12 . 
     The levers  8  are centrally hinged on one side of a supporting structure  19 , which in turn is fixed onto a base section  20  and, on the opposite side, supports arms  28  which are fitted in correspondence with the fulcra of the levers  8 , so as to rotate integrally therewith. 
     Elastic elements  21  are also envisaged, fixed, in predetermined positions, to the central structure  19  and levers  8 , which move in translation, causing the movement of the shutter  12 . 
     This movement is transmitted to the levers  8  by a crank  22 , by means of the electric motor  23 . 
     At the base of the structure  19 , there is a plate  24 , positioned in vertical, which, in correspondence with the upper and lower run-end of the crank  22 , carries a stop buffer and a micro-switch (not illustrated in the figures), to reveal the position of the crank  22 . 
     The motor  23  can be of the direct current or alternate current type and incorporates a power transformer. 
     The particular arrangement of the jointed mechanism described ensures that the movement of the oscillating shutter  12  effects a symmetrical oscillation of the levers  8  and arms  28 . 
     In the position defined in the enclosed  FIGS. 1-5 , the crank  22  is positioned just before its upper run-end and the shutter  12  is extended almost completely closing the access passageway, whereas the open position of the passageway results from the rotation of the arms  28  to cause the lowering of the oscillating shutter  12 , which re-enters one of the guiding seats  25  of the central comb element  26 . 
     According to the present invention, access is inhibited from the outside to each of the above housing seats  25  envisaged in the element  26 , in which the respective oscillating shutter  12  re-enters, in an open passageway position, by means of a strip  17 , which is moved to cover the relative seat  25  as the oscillating shutter  12  translates into a closed position of the passageway and which, analogously, is moved backwards when the shutter  12  re-enters the housing seat, opening the passageway. 
     In particular, according to the invention, respective side guides or aisles  9  are created on the inner sides of the shaped parallel elements  27  of the comb element  26 , arranged on both the vertical rest portions  30  of the rear of the shutter  12 , and also on the facing horizontal portions  31  of the element  26 , in addition to respective curved guides or aisles  10 , positioned in correspondence with the curvilinear connecting portions  29  between the respective horizontal portions  31  and vertical portions  30 . 
     The guides  9  and  10  allow the covering strip  17  to slide in correspondence with the top of the respective seats  25  of the central comb element  26 , so as to totally cover the above seats  25  when the shutter  12  has emerged from the relative seat  25  closing the pedestrian access passageway ( FIGS. 1-5 ). 
     More specifically, the rear of the oscillating shutter  12  is fixed to the covering strip  17  by means of a rod-shaped hooking support  18 , in correspondence with the pin indicated with  11  in  FIG. 4 , so that the same oscillating shutter  12 , during its closing and opening movement of the passageway, causes the entrainment of the strip  17 , which can therefore respectively close the seat  25 , extending along the whole horizontal portion  31  of each of shaped parallel elements  27 , or open the seat  25 , in which the shutter  12  is housed with the opening of the access passageway, withdrawing inside the guide  9  situated along the vertical portion  30  of an element  27 . 
     For this purpose, the hooking support  18  is also constrained, by means of a sliding element  15 , to a guiding rod  14 , fixed by means of supporting elements  13 . 
     The functioning of the protection system for motorized pedestrian access passageways, according to the present invention, is substantially as follows. 
     Starting from a position of the oscillating shutter  12  inside the respective seat  25  of the element  26 , whereby the access passageway is left open, when the above oscillating shutter  12  is moved in translation to close the access passageway, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the rear portion of the same shutter  12  is lifted, following a swinging movement of the closing shutter  12 , entraining with it the covering strip  17  (fixed to the shutter  12  as described above), which is guided inside the aisle  9  and, in particular, between the shaped elements  3  fixed to the portion  30  by means of the fixing elements  5  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     When the closing movement of the sliding shutter  12  causes a lifting of the movement of upper profile  1  of the oscillating shutter  12 , it also causes the lifting of and contact with wedge  2 . Wedge  2  is interposed with respect to the element  27  by means of an elastic element, such as a spring  4 , and in correspondence with which the strip  17  is hooked to the shutter  12 . 
     In this way, as a result of the movement of the supporting and hooking element  18 , which moves in a horizontal direction, and the guiding rod  14 , which is moved first in a horizontal direction from the support  18  and subsequently in a vertical direction, upon the lifting of the shutter  12  for the closing of the access passageway, each seat  25  is totally covered by the sliding of the strip  17  inside the guides  9 ,  10 . 
     Finally, numerous other variants can obviously be applied to the protection system in question, all included in the novelty principles inherent in the inventive concept. It is also evident that, in the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials, forms and dimensions of the details illustrated can vary according to requirements and can be substituted with other technically equivalent elements. 
     The profile  1  of the oscillating shutter  12  also causes the lifting of the wedge  2 , which is interposed with respect to the element  27  by means of an elastic element, such as a spring  4 , and in correspondence with which the strip  17  is hooked to the shutter  12 . 
     In this way, as a result of the movement of the supporting and hooking element  18 , which moves in a horizontal direction, and the guiding rod  14 , which is moved first in a horizontal direction from the support  18  and subsequently in a vertical direction, upon the lifting of the shutter  12  for the closing of the access passageway, each seat  25  is totally covered by the sliding of the strip  17  inside the guides  9 ,  10 . 
     Finally, numerous other variants can obviously be applied to the protection system in question, all included in the novelty principles inherent in the inventive concept. It is also evident that, in the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials, forms and dimensions of the details illustrated can vary according to requirements and can be substituted with other technically equivalent elements.