System and method for preventing access to a lockable compartment, in particular a sanitary fixture

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention falls within the field of private compartments installed in places open to the public.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to the control of public access to these privatizable compartments. Prior art and disadvantages of prior art

[0003] Privatizable compartments located in public places, in particular toilets or other compartments such as changing rooms or changing rooms, usually include a locking system to disable access to this compartment, or at least to restrict access only to authorized persons, for example in the event of a breakdown of the sanitary installation. This is particularly the case for sanitary cabins installed on board railway vehicles dedicated to passenger transport.

[0004] A known locking system for a toilet cabin installed in a railway vehicle comprises a lock-type access locking device which can only be operated by an authorized person, for example using a special key intended for this purpose. Another known locking system is described in publication US 2009 / 300988, which has the function of automatically opening and closing a bathroom door. Finally, publication US 9984520 describes an access control device intended to be coupled to an automatic locking system.

[0005] Once locked, the lock cannot be manipulated by an unauthorized person, including a traveler. Therefore, any decommissioning of a sanitary access requires verification that the sanitary access is unoccupied, to prevent a traveler from being trapped inside.

[0006] Locking sanitary compartments is therefore tedious and prone to error, with the risk of locking a passenger in untimely manner. Objectives of the invention

[0007] The invention thus aims to propose a system and a method making it possible to guarantee the vacancy of a privatizable compartment located in a public place and to which access must be blocked. Statement of the invention

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a system for locking a privatizable compartment of the sanitary type with the characteristics of claim 1. The system provided with a frame and a mobile access of the door type, comprising a device for locking access to said privatizable compartment, at least one detection device configured to detect the presence of at least one individual inside the privatized compartment, means for processing data from the detection device, and means for controlling the locking device connected to the means for processing the data of the detection device and configured to, following receipt of a command for locking access to the privatizable compartment and provided that the detection device does not detect anyone inside said privatizable compartment, actuate the locking device in order to lock said access.The locking device comprises a jack provided with a piston controlled by the control means, a sleeve actuated by said piston of the jack and a latch, which sleeve is actuable between a locking position in which the sleeve is fitted around the latch and a use position in which the latch is capable of being released from the sleeve, the latch being arranged on one of the mobile access and the frame and the jack and the sleeve being arranged on the other of the frame and the mobile access.

[0009] The system of the invention may also include the following optional characteristics considered in isolation or in all possible technical combinations: The latch of the locking device is furthermore operable between an open position in which it is released from the sheath of the locking device in the use position to allow access to the privatizable compartment and a closed position in which it is fitted into the sheath in the use position to prevent access to said privatizable compartment, the assembly formed by the sheath in the use position and the operable latch forming an occupancy closing device. The locking system comprises an information member arranged on the latch making it possible to provide at least two tactile and visual pieces of information depending on the open or closed position of the latch, and in that it is connected to a display device located outside the cabin and adapted to indicate the free, occupied or out-of-service status of access to the privatizable compartment.The locking system comprises at least one second detection device connected to the data processing means and adapted to detect the presence of an individual inside the private compartment. The presence detection devices comprise at least one motion detector and / or at least one infrared detection sensor. The second detection device is connected to a means for actuating a water inlet or a hand dryer type device. The second detection device is connected to the latch and is configured to detect the open or closed state of said latch.

[0010] The invention also relates to a method according to claim 8. Which method for locking access to a privatizable compartment with a locking system comprising a device for locking access to said privatizable compartment, at least one detection device configured to detect the presence of at least one individual inside the privatized compartment, means for processing data from the detection device, and means for controlling the locking device connected to the means for processing data of the detection device, which method comprises, following the reception of a command for locking access to the privatizable compartment, at least the successive steps of: i. reading, by the processing means, of the data from the presence detection device to determine an indicator of occupancy of the privatizable compartment, and ii. if the presence detection device indicates that the privatizable compartment is empty, actuation of the locking device by the control means.

[0011] The method of the invention may also include the following optional characteristics considered in isolation or in all possible technical combinations: The locking system comprising at least a second presence detection device connected to the processing means, the method comprises an additional step of reading by the processing means of the data coming from the second detection device, the actuation of the locking device towards its locking position being controlled if the information coming from the second detection device corroborates the information coming from the first detection device.

[0012] The invention also relates to railway equipment comprising at least one private compartment of the sanitary type and a system for locking access to said private compartment as described above. Presentation of figures

[0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description given below, for information purposes only and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended figures, among which: There figure 1 is a front view of part of the locking system while access to the privatizable compartment is free; The figure 2 is a front view of part of the locking system of the figure 1 while the privatizable compartment is occupied, the latch closing device being in a closed state; The figure 3 is a front view of part of the locking system of the figure 1 while the privatizable compartment is put out of service, the latch closing device being in an open state; The figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the steps of the condemnation method of the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0014] It is first of all specified that in the figures, the same references designate the same elements regardless of the figure in which they appear and regardless of the form of representation of these elements. Similarly, if elements are not specifically referenced in one of the figures, their references can be easily found by referring to another figure.

[0015] It is also specified that the figures essentially represent an embodiment of the subject of the invention but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of the invention.

[0016] The system of the invention finds particular application in the field of access management to privatizable compartments of the sanitary cabin type installed on board railway vehicles transporting passengers, with a view to putting said sanitary cabins out of service if, for example, they are out of order. More specifically, the invention aims to put such a sanitary cabin out of service using a locking system and method making it possible to ensure the absence of individuals inside the sanitary cabin in question prior to its locking.

[0017] In passenger railway vehicles, particularly long-distance trains, several toilet cabins are installed for passengers and crew. These toilet cabins are equipped with access 2 of the swing or sliding door type, and include, in particular, a toilet with a flush, a hand basin with a water inlet that can be triggered by an appropriate detection sensor, a soap dispenser that may be electric and an automatic hand dryer with ventilated air.

[0018] In the remainder of the description, the term "cabin" will be used to define the sanitary cabin forming the privatizable compartment. In addition, the term "door" will be used to define the access 2 to the cabin. The door 2, which forms the movable element of the cabin, is further provided with a handle 9 configured to actuate a bolt 10 mounted on a spring 11 and designed to fit into a strike plate (not shown) provided in the frame 1 of the cabin.

[0019] In reference to the Figures 1 and 2 , and in order to guarantee the privacy of the passenger occupying the cabin, the latter is equipped with a latch 6 arranged on the door 2 and manually operable between a closed position ( figure 2 ) in which the latch is fitted into a sheath 5 mounted on the frame 1 of the cabin, and an open position ( figure 1) in which the latch 6 is released from the sheath 5. The actuable latch 6 and the sheath 5 thus form an occupation closing device 7 of the cabin. Of course, the latch 6 can be arranged on the frame 1 and the sheath 5 on the door 2, the important thing being that the two parts 5, 6 of the closing device 7 are arranged one on the frame 1 of the cabin and the other on the door 2 of the cabin.

[0020] Thus, when a user is in the cabin, he can operate the latch 6 to its closed position to privatize the cabin.

[0021] Advantageously, the closing device 7 comprises a visual and / or tactile information member 8 which is arranged on the latch 6 inside the cabin and is configured to provide the individual occupying the cabin with information on the open or closed state of the latch 6. This information is at least visual, and is preferably also tactile to enable a blind or partially sighted individual to be informed.

[0022] As indicated above, it may be necessary to lock cabin door 2 in the event of a malfunction or breakdown of an element of the cabin, for example a failure of the water supply preventing the toilet from flushing correctly. The train driver may also need to lock a toilet cabin to reserve it, particularly a few minutes before a temporary stop at the station. A locking system, which can be controlled remotely, thus makes it possible to lock access to the cabin for passengers and to put the cabin out of service.

[0023] According to the invention, the locking system comprises a jack 4 mounted on the frame 1 of the cabin and controlled by means for controlling said locking system. This jack 4 comprises a piston 40 connected to the sleeve 5 described above which is itself mounted free to translate on the frame 1, in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the latch 6.

[0024] Of course, if the sheath 5 is mounted on the door 2 (the latch 6 being in fact mounted on the frame 1), then the jack 4 is also mounted on the door 2.

[0025] Thanks to the movement of the piston 40 of the jack 4, the sheath 5 is movable in translation between a so-called locking position ( figure 3 ) in which the sheath 5 is fitted around the actuable latch 6, and a position for using the cabin ( Figures 1 and 2 ) in which the actuable latch 6 is capable of being fitted into the sheath 5 in the context of the use of the occupation closing device 7 described above. In other words, the movement of the sheath 5 towards its locking position is sufficient for said sheath 5 to be fitted around the latch 6, in particular if the latch 6 is in its so-called open position (see figure 3). This ensures that door 2 of the cabin is properly locked when sheath 5 is in its locked position.

[0026] The assembly comprising the cylinder 4 and its piston 40, the actuable sheath 5 and the latch 6 forms a locking device 3 for the door 2 of the cabin. Furthermore, the assembly comprising the sheath 5 in the use position and the actuable latch 6 forms the occupation closing device 7 described above.

[0027] According to the invention, and in order to avoid the untimely confinement of a passenger in the cabin when the latter is decommissioned, the locking system comprises at least one presence detection device, for example a radar or photoelectric sensor motion detector, or an optical sensor of the infrared detector type, installed inside the cabin. The locking system further comprises means for processing the data from the detection device, which are themselves connected to the control means of said locking system. In this way, and as will be seen in detail below, the control means are configured to, following the receipt of a command to lock access to the privatizable compartment and provided that the detection device does not detect anyone inside said privatizable compartment, actuate the locking device 3 in order to lock said access.In the remainder of the description, this detection device will be called the “first sensor”.

[0028] In order to reinforce the function of detecting people inside the cabin, the locking system preferably comprises at least one second presence detection device connected to the data processing means, and which will be called “second sensor” in the remainder of the description. This second sensor thus makes it possible to prevent any malfunction of the first sensor, in particular if the data from the respective sensors are not consistent with each other.

[0029] In a first alternative, this second sensor is of the same type as the first sensor, i.e. a motion detector or an optical sensor of the infrared detector type. In another preferred alternative, this second sensor is a mechanical sensor of the limit switch type and is connected to a means for actuating a water inlet, for example the toilet flush control. In another preferred alternative, this second sensor is the detection sensor connected to the water inlet of the hand wash basin or the detection sensor ensuring the triggering of the hand dryer. Finally, in a last alternative, the closing device 7 comprises the second sensor which is connected to the processing means and configured to detect the closed or open position of the latch 6.

[0030] The locking system also includes an electrical device for displaying visual and tactile information arranged on the frame 1 of the cabin. This device includes a three-position stepper motor connected to the control means, and makes it possible to display information outside the cabin determined as a function of the position of the stepper motor.

[0031] When the latch 6 is in its open position and the sheath 5 in its use position ( figure 1), the control means drive the stepper motor into a first position for which visual and / or tactile information indicating that the cabin is free is displayed. When the latch 6 is in its closed position and the sheath 5 in its use position, the latch 6 actuates a limit switch type sensor electrically connected to the data processing means of the locking system. The control means then drive the stepper motor into a second position for which visual and / or tactile information indicating that the cabin is temporarily occupied is displayed. Finally, when the sheath 5 is in its locking position, the control means drive the stepper motor into a third position for which visual and / or tactile information indicating that the cabin is out of service is displayed.

[0032] In reference to the figure 4, a locking method implemented by the locking system of the invention, and making it possible to put a sanitary cabin out of service while avoiding the confinement of an individual inside said cabin will now be described. The locking method is implemented for a cabin whose sheath 5 of the locking device 3 is initially in its position of use.

[0033] Following receipt of a command E1 to lock access to the cabin sent to the processing means, for example, by the controller of the railway vehicle, the processing means analyze E2 the data coming from the first sensor. If the data from the first sensor indicate the presence of an individual inside the cabin, then the locking command is not executed EC and is postponed to a later time, for example according to a determined time delay.

[0034] If the data from the first sensor indicate that the cabin is unoccupied, the processing means E3 then analyze the data from the second detection sensor. If the data from the second sensor corroborates that of the first sensor, the processing means deduce therefrom that the cabin is unoccupied. The control means E4 then actuate the cylinder 4 of the locking device 3 to the locking position of said device 3 so that the sleeve 5 fits around the latch 6. The cabin is then put out of service, and visual and / or tactile information is displayed by an electrical display device arranged outside the cabin.

[0035] On the other hand, if the data from the second sensor are inconsistent with those from the first sensor, in other words if the data from the second sensor indicate activity inside the cabin (presence detection, detection of the operation of the hand wash or hand dryer, or detection of the closed position of the latch 6), then the processing means deduce the presence of an individual in the cabin and access to the latter is not blocked EC. The processing means will also generate information about a malfunction of the first detection sensor and send EM this information to a terminal accessible by the controller, and / or to a terminal of the maintenance service.

[0036] Alternatively, when the data from the first sensor indicates the presence of an individual in the cabin, the method may comprise an additional step of analysis by the processing means of the data from the second detection sensor, in order to identify a possible malfunction of the second sensor if its data does not corroborate that of the first sensor.

[0037] The invention therefore makes it possible not only to avoid the locking of a person in the cabin when the latter is decommissioned or reserved by the driver, but also to inform the controller and / or the maintenance service of the potential malfunction of at least one presence detection sensor of the locking system.

[0038] The embodiment described above is in no way limiting, and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it is possible to provide more than two detection sensors, for example a first sensor of the motion detector or infrared detector type, or a second sensor connected to a water inlet or to the hand dryer, and a third sensor connected to the latch 6 and configured to detect its open or closed position.

Claims

1. System for blocking a privacy-lockable sanitary compartment provided with a frame (1) and a moveable access (2) in the form of a door, comprising a device (3) for blocking the access to said privacy-lockable compartment, at least one detection device configured to detect the presence of at least one person inside the privacy-locked compartment, means for processing the data coming from the detection device, and means for controlling the blocking device (3) that are connected to the means for processing the data from the detection device and configured to actuate the blocking device (3), following receipt of a command to block access to the privacy-lockable compartment and provided that the detection device does not detect anyone inside the privacy-lockable compartment, in order to block said access, characterized in that the blocking device (3) comprises a cylinder (4) provided with a piston (40) controlled by the control means, a sleeve (5) actuatable by said piston (40) of the cylinder (4) and a latch (6), said sleeve (5) being actuatable between a blocked position in which the sleeve (5) is fitted about the latch (6) and a usage position in which the latch (6) can be released from the sleeve (5), the latch (6) being arranged on either the moveable access (2) or the frame (1), and the cylinder (4) and the sleeve (5) being arranged on the other of the frame (1) and the moveable access (2).

2. Blocking system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the latch (6) of the blocking device (3) can also be actuated between an open position in which it is released from the sleeve (5) of the blocking device (3) in the usage position to allow access to the privacy-lockable compartment and a closed position in which it is fitted into the sleeve (5) in the usage position to prevent access to said privacy-lockable compartment, the assembly formed by the sleeve (5) in the usage position and the actuatable latch (6) forming an occupancy closing device (7).

3. Blocking system according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises an information member (8) arranged on the latch (6) to provide at least two elements of tactile and visual information depending on the open or closed position of the latch (6), and in that it is connected to a display device located outside the stall and designed to indicate the free, occupied or out-of-service state of the access (2) to the privacy-lockable compartment.

4. Blocking system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one second detection device connected to the data processing means and designed to detect the presence of a person inside the privacy-locked compartment.

5. Blocking system according to Claim 4, characterized in that the presence detection devices comprise at least one motion detector and / or at least one infrared detection sensor.

6. Blocking system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second detection device is connected to a means for actuating a water inlet or a hand dryer.

7. Blocking system according to Claim 5 in conjunction with Claim 2, characterized in that the second detection device is connected to the latch (6) and is configured to detect the open or closed state of said latch (6).

8. Method of blocking an access to a privacy-lockable compartment with a blocking system according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, said method comprising at least the following successive steps following receipt of a command (E1) to block access to the privacy-lockable compartment: i. using the processing means to read (E2) the data from the presence detection device to determine an occupancy indicator of the privacy-lockable compartment, and ii. if the presence detection device indicates that the privacy-lockable compartment is empty, actuating (E4) the blocking device using the control means.

9. Method according to Claim 8, the blocking system comprising at least one second presence detection device connected to the processing means, characterized in that it comprises an additional step of using the processing means to read (E3) the data coming from the second detection device, the actuation of the blocking device toward the blocked position thereof being commanded if the information coming from the second detection device corroborates the information coming from the first detection device.

10. Railway rolling stock comprising at least one privacy-lockable sanitary compartment and a system for blocking an access to said privacy-lockable compartment according to any one of Claims 1 to 7.