Hold-open system

Abstract

Hold-open system for an escape and / or fire door or hatch, comprising at least one electromechanical drive component such as a door closer or door drive, a control unit for controlling the drive component, and an electronic assembly connected to the control unit via radio frequency, namely a manual release button (11, 31) which is to be mounted at a mounting location (13) and is protected against tampering by removing the manual release button (11, 31) from the mounting location (13) by means of a protective device (25), wherein a pressure-sensitive sensor (27) is provided which is arranged in relation to the electronic assembly (11, 31) such that it is pressurized when the electronic assembly (11, 31) is mounted at the mounting location (13) and is depressurized when the electronic assembly (11, 31) is removed from the mounting location (13), and wherein the protective device (25) is designed to generate a tamper signal.when the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) detects a pressure change.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a hold-open system for an escape and / or fire protection door or hatch, comprising at least one electromechanical drive component such as a door closer or door drive, a control unit for controlling the drive component and an electronic assembly connected to the control unit via radio, namely a manual release button which is to be mounted at an installation location and is protected against sabotage by removing the manual release button from the installation location by means of a protective device.

[0002] If an electronic assembly is mounted in an accessible location, such as on an interior wall, there is a risk that removing the assembly could sabotage the associated system, which is particularly problematic for security and monitoring systems. Protective devices of this type are designed to detect such acts of sabotage so that countermeasures can be initiated. For example, a hold-open device for an emergency exit door or fire door may have a manual release button mounted on the wall near the door or hatch. This button allows for the manual activation of the relevant safety function in an emergency, such as manually closing a fire door in the event of a fire.

[0003] With existing wiring, the connection between the electronic assembly and the control unit can be monitored by measuring resistance. However, this is not possible if the electronic assembly and the control unit are connected exclusively wirelessly. A tamper switch in the form of a push button could also be provided, which is pressed by a spring when the electronic assembly is mounted. However, the spring must be precisely adapted to the specific design and configuration of the electronic assembly and its surroundings, such as the size and shape of the mounting box, resulting in a wide variety of types.

[0004] DE 100 05 443 A1 discloses an anti-theft system with an object detector that is permanently assigned to the object to be secured, is equipped with theft sensors and / or sabotage sensors and can communicate with a radio station.

[0005] US Patent 5,878,530 A discloses a remote-controlled door drive with an electric motor and a drive linkage, wherein the shaft of the electric motor can be decoupled from the drive linkage.

[0006] In DE 20 2005 001 663 U1, an anti-theft system for fire extinguishers is disclosed, which includes reed contacts, light barriers or pressure-sensitive sensors.

[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a protective device of the type mentioned at the outset, which is independent of a line connection and can be used in a particularly flexible manner.

[0008] The problem is solved by a protective device having the features of claim 1.

[0009] According to the invention, a pressure-sensitive sensor is provided which is arranged in relation to the electronic assembly in such a way that it is subjected to pressure when the electronic assembly is mounted at the installation location and is relieved of pressure when the electronic assembly is removed from the installation location.

[0010] According to the invention, the protective device is configured to generate a sabotage signal, in particular an electrical or electromagnetic signal, when the pressure-sensitive sensor detects a pressure change. The control unit or a separate receiving unit can then initiate safety measures, for example, by triggering an alarm. In particular, evaluation electronics of the protective device connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor can be configured to generate the sabotage signal.

[0011] The pressure-sensitive sensor does not require a spring adapted to the specific application, so that a protective device according to the invention can be used for many different systems. For example, a protective device according to the invention can be used for manual release buttons in shallow device boxes as well as for manual release buttons in deep device boxes. Furthermore, the functionality of the pressure-sensitive sensor can be provided regardless of whether additional cables are installed in the device box in question or not. It also makes no difference whether the device box is a flush-mounted box or a cavity box.

[0012] The electronics assembly can be connected to the control unit exclusively via radio, enabling quick, easy and flexible installation.

[0013] The pressure-sensitive sensor can be positioned relative to the electronic assembly in such a way that, during assembly of the electronic assembly at the installation site, it is clamped between two components of a housing that will be joined together. As soon as the components are separated, for example during unauthorized disassembly or destruction, the pressure-sensitive sensor is released from the pressure, which can be detected and, if necessary, reported. For example, the pressure-sensitive sensor can be installed between a support element, particularly an annular one, of a manual release button and a flush-mounted box or a cavity box.

[0014] The pressure-sensitive sensor can also be installed between a mounting element (especially a claw-type one) of a manual release button and a flush-mounted or cavity wall box. The two components to be connected can be screwed or clamped together, particularly for mounting the electronic assembly at the installation site. It is not necessary to provide a separate housing for the protective device and connect it to the housing of the electronic assembly.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the pressure-sensitive sensor is arranged in relation to the electronic assembly such that, when the electronic assembly is mounted at the installation site, it is clamped between a component of the housing containing the electronic assembly (designed for wall mounting) and the wall. As soon as the component is removed from the wall, for example by disassembly or removal, the pressure-sensitive sensor is relieved of pressure, which can be detected and, if necessary, reported. For example, the pressure-sensitive sensor can be installed between the wall and a support element, particularly a frame-like one, of a manual release button.

[0016] To increase the protective effect, the protective device can also include several pressure-sensitive sensors, each positioned relative to the electronic assembly in such a way that they are pressurized when the electronic assembly is mounted at its installation location and depressurized when the electronic assembly is removed. Of the multiple pressure-sensitive sensors, one sensor can be positioned between two components of the housing and another between the wall and a component of the housing when the electronic assembly is mounted.

[0017] Preferably, the pressure-sensitive sensor comprises a pressure-sensitive film. A pressure-sensitive film is not only relatively inexpensive to produce, but also, due to its flexibility and scalability, usable in a wide variety of arrangements. The pressure-sensitive film can be multilayered.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the pressure-sensitive film comprises at least one strain gauge. Strain gauges are compact and change their electrical resistance even with slight deformations. This can be advantageously used to detect a change in pressure.

[0019] Another embodiment of the invention provides that the pressure-sensitive film comprises at least one contact strip.

[0020] The pressure-sensitive film can further comprise at least one resistive film element. The pressure applied to the film can then be detected relatively easily via a resistance measurement. The at least one resistive film element can, in particular, be a piezoresistive film element.

[0021] It may also be provided that the pressure-sensitive film includes at least one capacitive film element.

[0022] A particular embodiment of the invention provides that the pressure-sensitive film comprises at least one fiber-optic measuring strip. Such measuring strips have an optical waveguide with an inscribed Bragg grating, the grating period of which changes when pressure is applied. Fiber-optic measuring strips exhibit high measurement accuracy and low susceptibility to interference.

[0023] The protective device can be specifically designed to generate a sabotage signal when a pressure drop detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor exceeds a certain threshold. As soon as a significant pressure reduction is detected, sabotage is reported. By selecting a suitable threshold, it is possible to ensure sufficient sensitivity for sabotage detection while simultaneously minimizing the risk of false alarms.

[0024] Preferably, the protective device is designed to transmit the generated sabotage signal to the control unit via a radio transmitter of the electronic assembly. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a separate radio transmitter for outputting the sabotage signal. Alternatively, it is also possible to transmit the generated sabotage signal via cable.

[0025] It is preferred that the protective device is configured to query the pressure detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor at predetermined time intervals. The reading of the pressure-sensitive sensor is therefore preferably cyclical rather than continuous.

[0026] The protective device is also preferably designed to put the pressure-sensitive sensor and / or the evaluation electronics connected to it into an energy-saving mode between two successive query processes in order to minimize power consumption.

[0027] Further developments of the invention can also be found in the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the drawings. Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a manual release button of a hold-open system, which is mounted on a wall and is protected against sabotage by removal from the wall by a protective device designed according to a first embodiment of the invention. Fig. Figure 2 shows an alternative manual release button which is secured against sabotage by removal from the wall by a protective device designed according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0029] The in Fig. The manual release button 11 shown in Figure 1 is part of a hold-open system for a fire door (not shown) and serves to enable manual closing of the fire door. The manual release button 11 is mounted on a wall 13. A housing 15 with a first housing component 17 and a second housing component 19 is provided to house the manual release button 11. In the mounted state of the manual release button 11 shown, the first housing component 17 and the second housing component 19 are screwed or otherwise connected to each other. The first housing component 17 can be a standardized device box for flush or cavity mounting, in particular a device box designed according to DIN 49073. Alternatively, the first housing component 17 could be a component associated with the manual release button 11, which is inserted into a separate device box.The second housing component 19 can be a carrier component for a control element (not shown) as well as for electronic components of the manual release button 11. According to an embodiment (not shown), the control element and the electronic components are housed in separate enclosures.

[0030] The manual release button 11 comprises control electronics 21 with a radio signal transmitter 23. The radio signal transmitter 23 can signal to a control unit (not shown) of the hold-open system that the operating element has been activated. The control electronics 21 with the radio signal transmitter 23 is arranged on or in an insert 20, which is fixedly connected to the second housing part 19.

[0031] If the manual release button 11 is removed from the wall 13, for example by dismantling or knocking it off, the fire protection function cannot be manually triggered, which is undesirable and may violate regulatory requirements. To detect such acts of sabotage, a protective device 25 in the form of a tamper contact is provided for the manual release button 11. The protective device 25 comprises a pressure-sensitive sensor 27, which here is implemented as a pressure-sensitive film or as a stack of pressure-sensitive films. Depending on the application, the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 can include strain gauges, contact strips, fiber Bragg sensors, resistive or capacitive elements. Evaluation electronics 29 of the protective device 25, which are arranged on or in the insert 20, are connected to the pressure-sensitive sensor 27. The evaluation electronics 29 are also connected to the radio signal transmitter 23.

[0032] As shown, the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 is inserted between the first housing component 17 and the second housing component 19. When the housing components 17 and 19 are connected during the assembly of the manual release button 11, the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 is clamped between the housing components 17 and 19 and subjected to pressure.

[0033] The evaluation electronics 29 are configured to monitor the pressure detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor 27. This monitoring is preferably carried out such that the pressure is not continuously queried, but only at predetermined time intervals. Between the queries, the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 and the evaluation electronics 29 are put into an energy-saving mode.

[0034] If the evaluation electronics 29 detects a pressure drop exceeding a predetermined threshold, it generates an alarm signal in the form of a tamper signal and transmits it to the radio signal transmitter 23. The radio signal transmitter 23 then sends a corresponding radio message to the control unit. Therefore, should an act of tampering occur in which the housing components 17 and 19 are separated—for example, if the second housing component 19, including the insert 20, is removed from the first housing component 17—this is detected by the pressure relief of the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 and reported to the control unit of the hold-open system. The control unit can then switch to an alarm state. The operator of the hold-open system can then arrange for the repair or replacement of the sabotaged manual release button 11.

[0035] Fig. Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a manual release button 31 for a hold-open device. This is similar in design to the previously described manual release button 11, although the design of the housing 35 differs slightly. Again, a tamper protection device 25 is provided, which includes a pressure-sensitive sensor 27. However, this sensor is not located between the two housing components 17, 19 of the housing 35, but rather between the second housing component 19 and the wall 13.

[0036] When the second housing component 19 is pressed against the wall 13 during the installation of the manual release button 31, the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 is clamped between the second housing component 19 and the wall 13 and subjected to pressure. Removing the second housing component 19, including the insert 20, from the wall 13, or completely removing the manual release button 31 from the wall 13, inevitably leads to a release of pressure on the pressure-sensitive sensor 27. This also occurs in the embodiment according to Fig. 2 detected by the evaluation electronics 29 and reported as sabotage by means of the radio signal transmitter 23 to the control unit of the locking system.

[0037] The pressure-sensitive sensor 27 could also be arranged at other locations on the manual release button 11, 31 such that it is subjected to pressure when the manual release button 11, 31 is mounted on the wall 13 and is relieved of pressure when the manual release button 11, 31 is removed from the wall 13. For example, the pressure-sensitive sensor 27 could be located inside the first housing component 17 and be acted upon by a projection of the second housing component 19, or vice versa.

[0038] The described protective devices 25 can be used not only to protect manual release buttons 11, 31, but also to protect motion detectors, emergency switches and other electronic assemblies that are wirelessly connected to a control unit. Reference symbol list: 11 manual release buttons 13 Installation location / wall 15 cases 17 first housing component 19 second housing component 20 deployment 21 Control electronics 23 radio signal transmitters 25 Protective device 27 pressure-sensitive sensors 29 Evaluation electronics 31 manual release buttons 35 cases

Claims

[1] Hold-open system for an escape and / or fire door or hatch, comprising at least one electromechanical drive component such as a door closer or door drive, a control unit for controlling the drive component, and an electronic assembly connected to the control unit via radio, namely a manual release button (11, 31) which is to be mounted at a mounting location (13) and is protected against sabotage by removal of the manual release button (11, 31) from the mounting location (13) by means of a protective device (25), wherein a pressure-sensitive sensor (27) is provided which is arranged in relation to the electronic assembly (11, 31) such that it is pressurized when the electronic assembly (11, 31) is mounted at the mounting location (13) and is depressurized when the electronic assembly (11, 31) is removed from the mounting location (13), and wherein the protective device (25) is configured to receive a sabotage signal generate,when the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) detects a pressure change. [2] Hold-open device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) is arranged in relation to the electronic assembly (11, 31) such that when the electronic assembly (11, 31) is mounted at the installation location (13) it is clamped between two components (17, 19) of a housing (15) that receives the electronic assembly (11, 31) to be connected together. [3] Hold-open device according to claim 1, characterized by , that the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) is arranged in relation to the electronic assembly (11, 31) such that when the electronic assembly (11, 31) is mounted at the installation location (13) it is clamped between a component (19) designed for wall mounting of a housing (35) receiving the electronic assembly (11, 31) and a wall (13). [4] Hold-open device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) comprises a pressure-sensitive film. [5] Hold-open device according to claim 4, characterized by that the pressure-sensitive film includes at least one strain gauge. [6] Hold-open device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the pressure-sensitive film includes at least one contact strip. [7] Hold-open device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized by that the pressure-sensitive film includes at least one resistive film element. [8] Hold-open device according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized by that the pressure-sensitive film includes at least one capacitive film element. [9] Hold-open device according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized by that the pressure-sensitive film includes at least one fiber optic measuring strip. [10] Hold-open device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the protective device (25) is designed to generate an electrical or electromagnetic sabotage signal when the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) detects the pressure change. [11] Hold-open device according to claim 10, characterized by , that the protective device (25) is designed to generate the sabotage signal when a pressure reduction detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) exceeds a threshold value. [12] Hold-open device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by , that the protective device (25) is designed to transmit the generated sabotage signal to the control device by means of a radio signal transmitter (23) of the electronic assembly (11, 31). [13] Hold-open device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the protective device (25) is designed to query the pressure detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) at predetermined time intervals. [14] Hold-open device according to claim 13, characterized by , that the protective device (25) is designed to put the pressure-sensitive sensor (27) and / or an evaluation electronics (29) connected to it into an energy-saving mode between two successive query processes.

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