Retention means
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CONTOUR SECURE LIMITED
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-15
AI Technical Summary
Current radiator covers in high-risk environments are insufficiently secure, with hex socket and pin locking mechanisms being insecure and potentially hazardous, and do not prevent accidental or deliberate tampering and injury.
A retention means featuring a housing with a rotating locking arm and a curved, eccentric shaft that requires a tool for operation, ensuring secure locking and preventing unauthorized access, combined with a cover assembly that includes a hingedly mounted access panel and thermally conductive materials to maintain heat transfer while preventing accidental opening.
The solution provides a secure and safe radiator cover system that prevents unauthorized access and tampering, while allowing authorized personnel easy access using a tool, reducing the risk of injury and self-harm in high-risk settings.
Smart Images
Figure GB2024051471_12122024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] RETENTION MEANS
[0002] The present invention relates to a retention means and in particular, but not exclusively, to a retention means for inhibiting access to a radiator for use in high-risk environments such as in mental health facilities, prisons, special educational needs (SEN) Schools, custody and remand units.
[0003] Radiator covers generally serve the purpose of improving safety. The surface temperature of radiators can be high enough to burn a person who makes contact with the surface. A radiator cover is usually sized such that a gap is left between the surface of a radiator and the cover and is vented to allow convective transfer of heat. The surface of the cover is then some degrees lower in temperature than the radiator without losing significant heat output.
[0004] In certain settings there is an increased risk of accidental prolonged contact with radiators if such radiators are unshielded. It is also a requirement, particularly in environments where a high degree of safety and security is required, to minimise the risk of self-harm by removing potential tamper opportunities and ligature points.
[0005] The various radiator cover arrangements currently in use tend to suffer from a number of disadvantages. In particular, the current hex socket and pin used to lock radiator covers in place can be insufficiently secure and possess sharp corners and edges, resulting in opportunities for injury.
[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide a retention means for a radiator cover suitable to ensure fast and simple access to radiators for staff but prevent unwanted opening by or potential injury to service users.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a retention means for inhibiting access to a radiator, the retention means comprising a housing and a locking arm mounted on the housing for rotation relative to the housing, in which the housing has a bore therein and comprises a shaft passing through the bore and coupled to the locking arm, the shaft being mounted in the bore so as to be able to rotate in the bore about an axis, the shaft comprising an elongate member having a cross section perpendicular to the axis having a shape that is curved and eccentric and an end face.
[0008] The curved and eccentric cross section of the elongate member will make it difficult to grasp without the use of a tool. The shaft may have smooth or rounded corners to prevent harm being caused by sharp corners.
[0009] The locking arm of the retention means may comprise a plate. The plate may be flat, or may have two portions in separate spaced apart parallel planes. The plate may be formed of a metallic material, such as steel.
[0010] The shaft and locking arm may be coupled such that rotation of the shaft around a longitudinal axis extending therethrough results in rotation of the locking arm between a locked position and an unlocked position. Rotation of the shaft by 180 degrees may rotate the locking arm between the locked position and the unlocked position.
[0011] The housing will typically further comprise a depressible member in the bore and having an aperture through which the elongate member passes, the depressible member being able to slide in the bore along the axis, and having an extended position in which the depressible member is flush with the end face of the elongate member and a depressed position in which the depressible member is depressed into the bore away from the end face.
[0012] The depressible member is adapted to be depressed in order to enable the shaft to be accessed and engaged by a tool. The housing may comprise a biassing means, such a spring, arranged to bias the depressible member into the extended position out of the depressed position.
[0013] The depressible member may be arranged so that it cannot move from the depressed position to the extended position unless the locking arm is in the locked position or the unlocked position. As such, the end surface of the depressible member may be flush with the end face of the shaft only when the lock is in the locked or unlocked position. When the locking arm is in a position in between the locked position and the unlocked position, the end surface of the depressible member may be recessed with respect to the end face of the shaft. This indicates to the user that a tamper attempt may have taken place.
[0014] As such, the aperture may be complimentary to the cross section; as such, only when the elongate member is correctly aligned with the aperture will the depressible member be able to slide along the elongate member from the depressed position into the extended position. As such, the cross section may have rotational symmetry of at least order 2, so that there is more than one position per rotation of the shaft where the depressible member can extend to the extended position.
[0015] The elongate member may not extend all of the way along the shaft. As such, the depressed position of the depressible member may be when it has passed the extent of the elongate member and is free to rotate in the bore.
[0016] The retention means may comprise one or more indicators to signal to the user whether the locking arm is in a locked position or in an unlocked position. The indicators may comprise markings, such as for example dots, lines etc. The alignment or otherwise of the markings may indicate the position of the locking arm.
[0017] According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a kit comprising a tool and the retention means of the first aspect of the invention, in which the tool has a workface suitably sized and shaped to depress the depressible member from the extended position to the depressed position and engage the elongate member. The tool may comprise a bore that complementary to the cross section.
[0018] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover assembly for inhibiting access to a radiator, the cover assembly comprising a fixed panel, an access panel and a retention means as described in the first aspect arranged to lock the access panel to the fixed panel.
[0019] The access panel may be hingedly or detachably mounted to the fixed panel. In a preferred embodiment, the access panel is hingedly attached to the fixed panel. The access panel has an open position relative to the fixed panel wherein access to the interior of the cover is provided, and a closed position relative to the fixed panel wherein access to the interior of the cover is prevented.
[0020] The retention means may be arranged to secure the access panel in the closed position. The body of the retention means may be attached to the access panel, and the locking arm may be configured to be rotated to engage or disengage an edge of the fixed panel.
[0021] The retention means is arranged to require a tool to operate it. Providing a tool- released access panel is advantageous as the access panel may then only be opened by an authorised person. This may prevent the cover from being opened accidentally or deliberately by unauthorised persons.
[0022] Once engaged by the tool, the shaft may be turned resulting in actuation of the locking arm in order to engage or disengage the edge of the fixed panel.
[0023] In the locked position, the fixed panel is engaged by the locking arm. In the unlocked position the fixed panel is not engaged by the locking arm.
[0024] In the fully locked position, a longitudinal axis extending through the locking arm is perpendicular to the edge of the fixed panel being engaged by the locking arm. In the fully unlocked position, the longitudinal axis extending through the locking arm is parallel to said edge of the fixed panel.
[0025] Any of the access panel or fixed panel may be made of metal or some other thermally conductive material. This is advantageous as a thermally conductive cover will not absorb a substantial portion of the heat output by the radiator.
[0026] Preferably one of the access panel or fixed panel comprise cut-out ventilation slots. Such slots are advantageous as they allow air to circulate though the cavity between the cover and a radiator with which it is being used. This allows convective heating of the area surrounding the radiator cover when in use with a warm radiator. The assembly may further comprise a nut configured to secure the retention means to the access panel. The nut may be hexagonal in shape, allowing it to be tightened or loosened using a wrench or pliers.
[0027] The assembly may further comprise a washer placed between the nut and the access panel. The washer may ensure even distribution of pressure and prevent damage to the access panel when tightening the nut.
[0028] The assembly may additionally or alternatively comprise a locking washer having serrated edges that bite into the surface of the door or panel when tightened, providing additional security and preventing the retention means from rotating or becoming loose unintentionally.
[0029] There now follows description of embodiments of the invention described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:
[0030] Figure 1 shows a side view of a retention means according to the invention.
[0031] Figure 2 shows another retention means according to the invention wherein the locking arm is in an unlocked position.
[0032] Figure 3 shows the retention means of Figure 2 wherein the locking arm is in a position in between the locked position and the unlocked position.
[0033] Figure 1 shows a retention means 100 comprising a housing 110 and a locking arm 120 mounted on the housing. The locking arm 120 of the retention means 100 comprises a flat metal plate.
[0034] The shaft 112 and locking arm 120 are coupled such that rotation of the shaft 112 around axis A results in rotation of the locking arm 120 between a locked position and an unlocked position.
[0035] Figures 2 and 3 show an embodiment of the retention means 100 in which the locking arm 120 is a metal plate having two portions in separate spaced apart parallel planes. The housing 110 has a bore 111 and comprises a shaft 112 passing through the bore 111 and coupled to the locking arm 120. The shaft 112 is mounted in the bore 111 so as to be able to rotate in the bore 111 about an axis A, and comprises an elongate member 113 having a cross section 114 perpendicular to the axis A having a shape that is curved and eccentric and an end face 115.
[0036] As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 110 further comprises a depressible member 116 in the bore 111 and having an aperture 117 through which the elongate member 113 passes.
[0037] The depressible member 116 is able to slide in the bore 111 along axis A, and has an extended position in which the depressible member 116 is flush with the end face 115 of the elongate member 113 and a depressed position in which the depressible member 116 is depressed into the bore 111 away from the end face 115.
[0038] The depressible member 116 is arranged so that it cannot move from the depressed position to the extended position unless the locking arm 120 is in the locked position or the unlocked position. As such, the end surface 118 of the depressible member 116 is flush with the end face 115 of the shaft 112 only when the lock is in the locked or unlocked position, as shown in Figure 2.
[0039] When the locking arm 120 is in a position in between the locked position and the unlocked position, as shown in Figure 3, the end surface 118 of the depressible member 116 is recessed with respect to the end face 115 of the shaft 112, indicating to the user that a tamper attempt may have taken place.
[0040] The aperture 117 is complimentary to the cross section 114; as such, only when the elongate member 113 is correctly aligned with the aperture 117 will the depressible member 116 be able to slide along the elongate member 113 from the depressed position into the extended position. In this embodiment, the cross section 114 has rotational symmetry of at order 2, so that there are two positions per rotation of the shaft 112 where the depressible member 116 can extend to the extended position. The retention means 100 comprises indicators 119 to signal to the user whether the locking arm 120 is in a locked or an unlocked position. The indicators 119 are markings in the form of one dot on the end face 115 of the shaft 112 and two dots at a 90-degree angle to one another about the circumference of the housing. In Figure 2, the retention means 100 is shown in the unlocked position, as indicated by the alignment of the dot on the end face with the green dot on the housing.
Claims
CLAIMS1. A retention means for inhibiting access to a radiator, the retention means comprising a housing and a locking arm mounted on the housing for rotation relative to the housing, in which the housing has a bore therein and comprises a shaft passing through the bore and coupled to the locking arm, the shaft being mounted in the bore so as to be able to rotate in the bore about an axis, the shaft comprising an elongate member having a cross section perpendicular to the axis having a shape that is curved and eccentric and an end face in which the shaft and locking arm are coupled such that rotation of the shaft around a longitudinal axis extending therethrough results in rotation of the locking arm between a locked position and an unlocked position; and in which the housing comprises a depressible member in the bore and having an aperture through which the elongate member passes, the depressible member being able to slide in the bore along the axis, and having an extended position in which the depressible member is flush with the end face of the elongate member and a depressed position in which the depressible member is depressed into the bore away from the end face.
2. The retention means of claim 1, in which the depressible member is adapted to be depressed in order to enable the shaft to be accessed and engaged by a tool.
3. The retention means of claim 1 or claim 2, in which the housing comprises a biassing means arranged to bias the depressible member into the extended position out of the depressed position.
4. The retention means of any of claims 1 to 3, in which the depressible member is arranged so that it cannot move from the depressed position to the extended position unless the locking arm is in the locked position or the unlocked position.
5. The retention means of claim 4, in which the end surface of the depressible member is flush with the end face of the shaft only when the lock is in the locked or unlocked position.
6. The retention means of claim 4 or claim 5, in which when the locking arm is in a position in between the locked position and the unlocked position, the end surface of the depressible member may be recessed with respect to the end face of the shaft.
7. The retention means of any of claims 4 to 6, in which the aperture is complimentary to the cross section.
8. The retention means of claim 7, in which only when the elongate member is correctly aligned with the aperture will the depressible member be able to slide along the elongate member from the depressed position into the extended position.
9. The retention means of claim 7 or claim 8, in which the cross section has rotational symmetry of at least order 2.
10. The retention means of any of claims 4 to 9, in which the elongate member does not extend all of the way along the shaft.
11. The retention means of claim 10, in which the depressed position of the depressible member may be when it has passed the extent of the elongate member and is free to rotate in the bore.
12. The retention means of any preceding claim, comprising one or more indicators to signal to the user whether the locking arm is in a locked position or in an unlocked position.
13. A kit comprising a tool and the retention means of any preceding claim, in which the tool has a workface suitably sized and shaped to depress the depressible member from the extended position to the depressed position and engage the elongate member.
14. The kit of claim 13, in which the tool comprises a bore that is complementary to the cross section.
15. A cover assembly for inhibiting access to a radiator, the cover assembly comprising a fixed panel, an access panel and a retention means as described in any of claims 1 to 12 arranged to lock the access panel to the fixed panel.