Gate for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point

Abstract

Gate (1) for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point, comprising wall elements (2, 3) that delimit a passageway (4) between said wall elements (2, 3), and comprising at least one movable close off element that has an open position and a closed position, whereby in the open position the passageway (4) between the entrance point and the exit point is unobstructed, and whereby in the closed position the passageway (4) is closed off and passage from the entrance point to the exit point is obstructed, and wherein the movable close off element is embodied as a flexible band (5) that is movable from near or within a first wall element (2) of the wall elements (2, 3) to extend away from said first wall element (2) towards the other wall element (3) so as to close off the passageway (4), wherein the flexible band (5) is provided with an upper part (5' ) and with a lower part (5' ' ) that are placed one above the other in a vertical orientation, wherein the flexible band (5) is arranged to be at least partly extendable from near or within the first wall element (2) to extend away from the first wall element (2).

Description

[0001] Gate for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point

[0002] The invention relates to a gate for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point, comprising wall elements that delimit a passageway between said wall elements, and comprising at least one movable close off element that has an open position and a closed position, whereby in the open position the passageway between the entrance point and the exit point is unobstructed, and whereby in the closed position the passageway is closed off and passage from the entrance point to the exit point is obstructed, and wherein the movable close off element is embodied as a flexible band that is movable from near or within a first wall element of the wall elements to at least in part extend away from said first wall element towards the other wall element so as to close off the passageway.

[0003] EP 3 660 793 discloses such a gate for persons or vehicles. When applied for controlled passage of persons it can be easily passed .

[0004] WO2012 / 128620 also discloses such a gate, which gate however has the disadvantage of being quite bulky and requiring a large footprint. The known gate comprises substantially rectilinear flexible bands that are suspended at their extremities by holders inside wall elements, which holders are movable in a horizontal plane to and fro each other to cause the flexible bands to extend to the outside of the wall elements. Illegal passing of the gate is fairly easy.

[0005] In a more recent design disclosed by W02023 / 166086 an access control device is proposed comprising a blocking element for selectively blocking a passageway, comprising at least four inflexible sections and at least three flexible sections that alternate each other, and wherein the end sections are inflexible and drivable by an actuation mechanism. This design is suffering from a complicated and expensive construction without much flexibility. Moreover it is expensive. Furthermore illegal passing the known access control device is fairly easy.

[0006] It is an object of the invention to overcome the problems of the prior art, and to provide a flexible and versatile solution embodied in a gate with a passageway for secure and controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point.

[0007] The gate of the invention is embodied with features according to any one of the appended claims.

[0008] In a first aspect of the invention the flexible bands of opposing wall elements are arranged to assume a yin and yang configuration with respect to each other in their closed position. In this way a secure and nearly entire closing off of the passageway is obtainable, preventing illegal passing.

[0009] Preferably each flexible band is provided with an upper part and with a lower part that are placed one above the other in a vertical orientation, and that at least one of the upper part and the lower part of each flexible band is movable up-and-down to cause the flexible band to at least in part extend away from the wall element that supports the flexible band. Thus, rather than performing a horizontal motion as taught by WO2012 / 128620 , the flexible bands are arranged to move vertically which drastically limits the required footprint of the gate, and which also enables enlargement of the passageway so that even people who take up much space can pass. It is also found that actuation of the flexible band or bands can be simplified because of this configuration. Only one of the upper part or the lower part requires to be actuated for moving the flexible band or bands in and out of the passageway. The actuation of the gate according to the invention can preferably be done such that at least one of the upper part and the lower part of the flexible band is movable up-and-down to cause the flexible band to at least in part extend away from the wall element that supports the flexible band.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment because of its low cost, at least one of the upper part and the lower part of the flexible band is fixedly connected to a drivable belt which is mounted inside the wall element that supports the flexible belt.

[0011] In a different aspect the gate according to the invention is defined by claim 4. This gate is provided with the feature that the first wall element is provided with two flexible bands that are supported by the first wall element under a predefined angle with respect to each other as seen in a horizontal plane, which predefined angle enables sufficient space for a person to be between the two flexible bands when said bands simultaneously extend at least in part away from the first wall element. This embodiment enables the gate of the invention to operate like a tripod, with legs define the space for the person to reside in during passage of the passageway.

[0012] Preferably the two flexible bands are each individually at least partly extendable from near or within the first wall element to extend away from the first wall element.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment the two flexible bands are at least in part extendable away from the first wall element in a predefined phasing with respect to each other.

[0014] The gate according to the invention can be applied on its own or in combination with another gate according to the invention or another openable and closable feature such as an automatic door or doors . The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated into and forms a part of the specification, illustrates one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. The drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention .

[0015] In the drawing: figures 1-13 show different aspects, embodiments and applications to illustrate the operation of the gate according to the invention.

[0016] Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

[0017] Turning first to figure 1, it shows a gate 1 for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point, comprising wall elements 2, 3 that delimit a passageway 4 between said wall elements 2, 3, and comprising at least one movable close off element embodied as a flexible band 5. The flexible band 5 has an open position and a closed position. In figure 1 the flexible band 5 is shown in different degrees of extension away from the first wall element 2 from which it is suspended. In the open position the passageway 4 between the entrance point and the exit point is unobstructed, whereas in the closed position the passageway 4 is closed off and passage from the entrance point to the exit point is obstructed. Figure 1 shows different levels of obstruction.

[0018] The flexible band 5 is movable from near or within a first wall element 2 of the wall elements 2, 3 to extend away from said first wall element 2 towards the other wall 3 element so as to close off the passageway 4, wherein the flexible band 5 is provided with an upper part 5' and with a lower part 5' ' that are placed one above the other in a vertical orientation. Figure 1 clearly shows that the flexible band 5 is arranged to be at least partly extendable from near or within the wall element 2 to extend away from the wall element 2.

[0019] In figure 2 a variation of figure 1 is shown wherein each wall element of the wall elements 2, 3 is provided with an individual flexible band 5 that is movable from near or within the concerning wall element 2, 3 of the wall elements to at least in part extend away from said wall element 2 or 3 towards another wall element 3 or 2 of the wall elements to close off the passageway 4. The use of the flexible bands 5 is beneficial since it requires no safety sensors and the bands 5 have only little inertia which makes actuation of the bands 5 an easy job.

[0020] The flexible bands 5 can be used in different applications. Figure 3 shows that a single flexible band 5 can be used in an area frequented by slender people. This embodiment is outside the scope of the invention and can normally not be applied in an area which is frequented by heavy people. In such a situation the application of plural cooperating flexible bands 5 as is shown in figure 5 may be more suitable. Figure 4 shows an embodiment wherein the passageway 4 is less wide than in figure 5. Figure 7 shows that with reference to the embodiments in figure 4 and figure 5, the level at which the flexible bands 5 may have moved away from the respective wall elements 2, 3 can be variable.

[0021] Figure 6 depicts an embodiment according to the invention wherein a suitable and nearly entirely closing off of the passageway 4 is realized by the yin and yang configuration of the flexible bands 5 when placed in the closed position.

[0022] It is to be noted that effectively at least one of the upper part 5' and the lower part 5' ' of the flexible band 5 is movable up-and-down to cause the flexible band 5 to at least in part extend away from the wall element 2, 3 that supports the flexible band 5. Embodiments according to which this can be implemented are shown in figure 8 and figure 9 respectively. Both embodiments show that at least one of the upper part 5' and the lower part 5' ' of the flexible band 5 is fixedly connected to a drivable belt 6 which is mounted inside the wall element 2, 3 that supports the flexible band 5. For clarity both embodiments are shown without the wall elements 2, 3.

[0023] In figure 8 and in figure 9 there is a motor 7 that drives the belt 6. The belt 6 is also guided by a pulley 8 near the upper part 5' of the flexible band 5. In the embodiment of figure 8 the belt 6 is driven clockwise and the flexible band 5 which is connected at its lower part 5' ' to the belt 6 is driven for clearing the passageway 4 accordingly to the situation depicted on the right-hand side of figure 8. In that configuration the upper part 5' of the flexible bent 5 is fixed with reference to the concerning wall element 2, 3 that supports the flexible band 5. Figure 9 on the other hand depicts the reverse situation wherein the lower part 5' ' of the flexible band 5 is fixed with reference to the concerning wall element 2, 3 that supports the flexible band 5. In that configuration the upper part 5' of the flexible band 5 is connected to the belt 6, and driving the belt 6 counterclockwise then results into a movement of the flexible band 5 to the situation depicted on the right-hand side of figure 9, which also intends to clear the passageway 4.

[0024] In an entirely different aspect of the invention as depicted in figure 10, the first wall element 2 is provided with two flexible bands 5 that are supported by the first wall element 2 under a predefined angle A with respect to each other as seen in a horizontal plane. This predefined angle A enables sufficient space for a person 9 to be between the two flexible bands 5 when said bands simultaneously extend at least in part away from the first wall element 2. It is preferable that the two flexible bands 5 are each individually at least partly extendable from near or within the first wall element 2 to extend away from the first wall element 2, especially in a predefined phasing with respect to each other as shown in figure 10.

[0025] Also other embodiments are feasible such as shown in figure 11, wherein two gates 1 of the invention are applied in combination with and on opposite sides of a conventional automatic door 10 or doors .

[0026] Finally figure 12 and figure 13 show different methods of using two combined gates 1 according to the invention. Figure 12 refers to a one direction application of two subsequent gates 1 according to the invention. A series of situations 1 - 6 are numbered in figure 12, respectively showing a normally open situation of the gates 1 of the invention. In a subsequent phase 2 one of the gates 1 is activated, whereafter in phase 3 also the other gate 1 can be activated to singulate a passing person 9' . This supports the execution of a possible investigation of the person 9' , after which the gate 1 that was first closed, may be opened in phase 4 to enable that the person 9' continues its travel. Then the opened gate may be closed again in phase 5 to repeat the process with a next person 9' ' .

[0027] Figure 13 shows a two direction application which is similar to the one direction application of figure 12, the difference being that the persons 9' and 9' ' are now having to wait for the passing of persons 10' and 10' ' coming from the other direction, wherein the gates 1 of the embodiment of figure 13 operate as in figure 12 mutatis mutandis.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention can include every combination of features that are disclosed herein independently from each other. Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the append-ed claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

[0029] Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference. Unless specifically stated as being "essential" above, none of the various components or the interrelationship thereof are essential to the operation of the invention. Rather, desirable results can be achieved by substituting various components and / or reconfiguration of their relationships with one another.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Gate (1) for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point, comprising wall elements (2, 3) that delimit a passageway (4) between said wall elements (2, 3) , and comprising movable close off elements that have an open position and a closed position, whereby in the open position the passageway (4) between the entrance point and the exit point is unobstructed, and whereby in the closed position the passageway (4) is closed off and passage from the entrance point to the exit point is obstructed, wherein each wall element of the wall elements (2, 3) is provided with an individual flexible band (5) that is movable from near or within the concerning wall element of the wall elements (2, 3) to at least in part extend away from said wall element towards another wall element of the wall elements (2, 3) to close off the passageway (4) , characterized in that the flexible bands of opposing wall elements (2, 3) are arranged to assume a yin and yang configuration with respect to each other in their closed position.

2. Gate according to claim 1, characterized in that each flexible band (5) is provided with an upper part (5' ) and with a lower part (5' ' ) that are placed one above the other in a vertical orientation, and that at least one of the upper part (5' ) and the lower part (5' ' ) of each flexible band (5) is movable up-and-down to cause the flexible band (5) to at least in part extend away from the wall element that supports the flexible band (5) .

3. Gate according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the upper part (5' ) and the lower part (5' ' ) of the flexible band (5) is fixedly connected to a drivable belt (6) which is mounted inside the wall element that supports the flexible belt (5) .

4. Gate for providing controlled access from an entrance point to an exit point, comprising wall elements (2, 3) that delimit a passageway (4) between said wall elements (2,3) , and comprising movable close off elements that have an open position and a closed position, whereby in the open position the passageway (4) between the entrance point and the exit point is unobstructed, and whereby in the closed position the passageway (4) is closed off and passage from the entrance point to the exit point is obstructed, and wherein each movable close off element is embodied as a flexible band (5) that is movable from near or within a first wall element (2) of the wall elements (2, 3) to extend away from said first wall element (2) towards the other wall element (3) so as to close off the passageway (4) , characterized in that the first wall element (2) is provided with two flexible bands (5) that are supported by the first wall element (2) under a predefined angle (A) with respect to each other as seen in a horizontal plane, which predefined angle (A) enables sufficient space for a person (9) to be between the two flexible bands (5) when said bands simultaneously extend at least in part away from the first wall element (2) , and that each flexible band (5) is provided with an upper part (5' ) and with a lower part (5' ' ) that in a vertical orientation are placed one above the other.

5. Gate according to claim 4, characterized in that the two flexible bands (5) are each individually at least partly extendable from near or within the first wall element (2) to extend away from the first wall element (2) .

6. Gate according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the two flexible bands (5) are at least in part extendable away from the first wall element (2) in a predefined phasing with respect to each other.

7. Gate according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the gate (1) is supplemented with another openable and closable feature taken from the group comprising an automatic door or doors and a second gate (1) according to any one of claims 1-6.

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