BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The figures show an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-section through a mounted locking device according to the disclosure in the closed state.
FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-section through the locking device in the open state.
FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic cross-section through a locking device with two electromagnets.
FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic view of the two components of the locking device.
FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic cross-section through an alternative design of the locking device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The exemplary device 10 that is shown mounted on a base 71 in FIG. 1 and detached from the base in FIG. 2 comprises a first component 1 and a second component 2. The first component 1 is essentially formed from a first base plate 11 and an electromagnet 13 that is fastened thereto. The second component 2 is essentially formed from a second base plate 21 and a yoke plate 23 that is fastened thereto. The first and the second components 1, 2 are tightly and immovably mounted on the base 71. The first component 1 is fastened to a solid base 71, in which a closable opening is present. The second component 2 is fastened to a closing part to close this opening. When opening the opening, the bases 71 of the two components are removed from one another and thus lift the components from one another. In FIG. 2, the components 1, 2 are shown in positions that are removed from one another.
The electromagnet 13 is fastened tightly but movably to the first base plate 11. The mobility is limited to a pivotability of the electromagnets in all directions around axes that are parallel to its pole surface 15.
This mobility is achieved by the mounting of the electromagnet on the base plate 11. A pin 31 is fastened to the electromagnet 13. The pin 31 extends through a hole in the base plate 11. A top 33 is formed on the pin behind the hole. This top can be formed by, e.g., a nut or a screw head. An elastic intermediate layer 35 in the form of a rubber part is present between the base plate 11 and the fastening means (pins 31, top formation 33) for the electromagnet 3. Instead of the rubber part, two coil springs or spring washers can also be provided that elastically fill the space between the electromagnet and the base plate 11, as between the top formation 33 and the base plate 11. Thus, a pivotable fastening of the electromagnet to the base plate and thus to the base is achieved. Because the intermediate layer 35 is designed like a spring, the electromagnet 13 is present in each case in a basic orientation. In a merging with the yoke plate 23, however, the electromagnet 13 is oriented exactly parallel to the yoke plate 23 and abuts it full-face. Minor differences in the orientation of the two components with respect to one another are thus detected.
The fastening of the electromagnet via a central pin is therefore important, since when the yoke plate 23 is removed from the activated electromagnet (13), this fastening ensures that the forces between the yoke and the electromagnet always coincide with an axis that runs perpendicular to the contact plane and through the fastening point. As a result, it is ensured that the forces always occur perpendicular to the contact plane and pole surface and no tilting moment can act on the electromagnet 13 and the yoke plate 23. As a result, the holding forces between the electromagnet and the yoke are optimized.
It is essential to the disclosure that the pivot point, around which the electromagnet can pivot, is on an axis that is perpendicular and, relative to the magnetic forces, centric through the pole surface. The site of the magnetic force is determined by the electromagnet, not by the yoke plate. Therefore, the yoke plate is connected as tightly as possible to the base and the component 21 that carries the yoke plate. It can, however, still be fastened in an easily pivotable manner. It can be present as, e.g., an insert in the component 21. The pivotability of the yoke plate must be narrowly confined such that the electromagnet can take part in the tilting motion of the yoke plate, and therefore non-eccentric forces are produced. It is advantageously to serve only the initial or sporadic adjustment of the orientation.
In the first base plate 11 that carries the electromagnet and in the electromagnet 13, electric and electronic components that are used for the safety of the operation of the locking device are integrated. The latter are:
- 1. A reed contact 37 that is arranged adjacent to the electromagnet 13. The latter is activated as soon as the electromagnet exerts a sufficient force on the magnetic disk, i.e., it reacts to the magnetic flux in the electromagnet. This reed contact is activated only if the electromagnet is under sufficient current and the yoke plate tightly abuts it. Otherwise, the magnetic flux in the electromagnet is too small to activate the reed contact. A foreign part that is manipulatively arranged as a yoke plate must have a minimum thickness of, for example, 4 to 6 mm, so that the magnetic flux achieves a sufficient mass to actuate the reed contact.
- 2. A reed contact 41 that is arranged in the first component 11 and a permanent magnet 43 that is arranged in the second component 21. This reed contact 41 is activated by the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 43. It can thus be monitored whether the locking device is in closed position.
- 3. An RFID transmitting/receiving element 51, which is located in the first component 1, and a transponder 53, which is located in the second component 2. The latter are used in the manipulation safety of the locking device. They must not primarily monitor the relative position of the two interacting elements of the device but rather only the affiliation of the yoke plate to the magnet. They hinder manipulation by short-circuiting the electromagnet by means of a foreign iron part of sufficient thickness, when their range is less than the removal of the two transmitting/receiving elements in the case of a manipulative arrangement of a foreign iron plate between the yoke plate and the pole surface.
- With these safety components, manipulation of the device is ruled out to a large extent, because:
- If the RFID elements 51, 53 do not detect each other, it is thus possible to keep activation of the danger area from taking place. If they do detect one another, it is virtually ensured that the attracted yoke plate is the correct one.
- If the correct yoke plate is not removed correctly from the electromagnet, the reed contact 37 does not activate. This can stem from the electromagnet receiving too little flux or no flux or the yoke plate not abutting it. If, however, the reed contact is activated, the yoke plate abuts it, and the electromagnet is supplied with sufficient power.
- The permanent magnet is used primarily for activating the electromagnet. It is to be ensured that the electromagnet is activated only if the yoke plate tightly abuts it or at least almost abuts it. This keeps the yoke plate from hitting the pole surface at high speed. Moreover, additional safety in the chain of safety measures is achieved with this permanent magnet and the element that reacts to the permanent magnet. If no permanent magnet is present, or the distance between the permanent magnet and the element that reacts to the latter is too large, it can be ruled out that the opening, as with the closing part, is found to be closed.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, a locking device according to the disclosure that has two electromagnets is shown. The first base plate 11 is provided with a hole, in which a pin 31 is located. The pin is anchored in a housing in which two electromagnets 13a and 13b are integrated. In this case, the central axis is a common working axis of both electromagnets. The second base plate 21 accordingly carries two yoke plates 23a, 23b, which are inserted individually into the base plate.
In FIG. 4, the views of the pole surfaces 15 and the yoke plates 23 of the first component 1 and the second component 2 are shown. It is thereby indicated that the winding spaces of the pot-shaped magnets are cylindrical, i.e., they have a circular ring-shaped cross-section. This form is most advantageous for winding. So that the device has a thin contour, however, the outside contours of the pot-shaped magnets 13 and the yoke plates 23 are trimmed laterally. The ring, which forms the peripheral pole, is made thinner on two sides that are opposite one another than on the remainder of its periphery. The electromagnets 13a, 13b are formed in a common, rectangular housing. The reed contacts 37, which are shown as lying in a middle section plane in FIGS. 1 to 3, can in each case be integrated into one corner of the housing, so that the overall size of the first component 1 is not too long. The two reed contacts for the two electromagnets can be located as much as possible at a distance to the respective other electromagnets to activate only the one electromagnet.
The housing with the electromagnets is fastened in a pivotable manner to the base plate 11.
The alternative design of the locking device 10, shown in FIG. 5, has the following differences: Unlike the locking device according to FIG. 2, the reed contact 41 and the RFID element 51 are not integrated into the base plate 11, but rather in a housing that is mounted to pivot on the base plate 11, and the electromagnet 13 is also located in said housing. So that this housing cannot twist around the pin 31, a rotation-prevention device is provided. The latter comprises a pin 61 and a receiving part 63 for the pin 61. In the pictured example, the pin 61 is located on the base plate 11 and extends into the receiving part 63 that is made in the housing. The receiving part 63 could also be made, however, in the base plate 11, and the pin 61 could be made in the housing. As a variant thereto, a rotation-prevention device can also be made. It is to allow, however, a tipping of the housing around the fulcrum on the central axis through the electromagnet 13. To this end, a space is provided between the pin and the receiving part.
Also, the yoke plate is designed differently. The latter is fastened to the base plate with three threaded bolts 65 and nuts 67 screwed onto them. This embodiment is preferred, since the yoke plate can be adjusted. Because of an elastic intermediate layer 69 between the yoke plate and the base plate 21, the relative positions of these parts to one another can be adjusted by the three nuts 67. The elastic intermediate layer 69, a rubber ring, absorbs the shocks that occur, moreover, when the electromagnet hits the yoke plate.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
Patent Application
20080094158
