WO/2007/006097 | DOOR FITTING FOR SAFE |
WO/2012/145785 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A SECURITY BARRIER |
WO/2012/015342 | DEVICE IN FITTINGS FOR WINDOWS AND DOORS FOR PREVENTING BURGLARY |
BARBISAN FAUSTO (IT)
FORAPAN SILVANO (IT)
BARBISAN FAUSTO (IT)
WO2008050302A2 | 2008-05-02 | |||
WO2002052192A1 | 2002-07-04 |
DE102005032629A1 | 2006-03-30 | |||
US6736534B1 | 2004-05-18 | |||
EP0561329A1 | 1993-09-22 | |||
DE102005004505A1 | 2006-08-10 |
"BACKLIT DOOR" * * * CLAIMS 1. A door (1 ) adapted to be movably secured to a perimetric framework (2) surrounding and delimiting the opening to be closed; said door comprising a flat body (3) which is dimensioned so as to substantially follow the shape of the opening delimited by said perimetric framework (2) and which is movable from and to a closed position in which it is arranged with the perimetric edge abutting the perimetric framework (2), to close the same; said door being characterized in that a first face (3a) of the flat body (3) is provided with at least cine backlit panel (9), and in that it also comprises a presence sensor (10) which is adapted to detect the presence of a person in front of the first face (3a) of said flat body (3), and an electronic control unit (11 ) which is adapted to switch on at least one backlit panel (9) depending on the signals from the presence sensor (10). 2. The door according to claim I, characterized in that the first face (3a) of the flat body (3) is provided with a plurality of backlit panels (9); in that the presence sensor (10) is adapted to also determine the distance of the person in front of the first face (3a) of said flat body (3); and in that the electronic control unit (11 ) is adapted to sequentially switch on the single backlit panels (9), as the value of the distance detected by the presence sensor (10) decreases. 3. The door according to claim 2, characterized in that the backlit panels (9) are substantially rectangular and are arranged on the first face (3a) of the flat body (3), aligned one over the other. 4. The door according to claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises a lower covering panel (13) having a substantially rectangular shape, which is positioned on the first face (3a) of the flat body (3), below the backlit panels (9), and is structured so as to house the presence sensor (10 ) and/or the electronic control unit (11 ) therein. 5. The door according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises detection means (12) adapted to determine when the flat body (3) is in the closed position; the electronic control unit (11) being set to switch on at least one backlit panel (9) depending on the signals from the presence sensor (10) and from said detection means (12), so as to switch on at least one backlit panel(9) when the flat body (3) is in said closed position. 6. The door according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one backlit panel (9) comprises: - a boxiike container (15) secured on the first face (3a) of the flat body (3); - a first flat plate (16) made of transparent or semitransparent material, which has a shape substantially complementary to the bottom of the boxiike container (15), and is positioned within the boxiike container (15), abutting its bottom; - a second flat plate (17) made of a transparent and/or semitransparent material, secured on the boxiike container (15) so as to be arranged parallel and facing the first flat plate (16) and to form the visible face of the backlit panel (9); and - at least one longitudinally extending illumination source (18), which is positioned within the boxiike container (15) facing and substantially abutting a lateral side of the first flat plate (16), so as to project the light produced directly within the body of said first flat plate (16) through its lateral side; said first flat plate (16) being structured so as to cause the progressive diffusion of light through the surface of the front face (16a) facing towards the overlaying second flat plate (17). 7. The door according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one longitudinally extending light source (18) comprises a row of light-emitting diodes aligned along a support board; said longitudinally extending light source (18) being inserted between the lateral side of the first flat plate (16) and the wall of the boxlike container (15), with the row of diodes directly facing the body of said first flat plate (16). 8. The door according to claim 6 or 7, characterized In that said second flat plate (17) is a multilayer plate formed by a toughened glass plate (17a) and by a stone material plate (17b) overlapped one over the other; the stone material plate (17b) facing the outside of the backlit panel (9). 9. The door according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said flat body (3) comprises: a bearing perimetric frame (5) which is obtained from high strength metal sections (Sa), is dimensioned so as to follow the shape of the perimeter of the opening within the perimetric framework (2), and has one of the two side edges directly connected by means of hinges (6) to said perimetric framework (2); and at least one closing and protection plate (7) which has a shape complementary to that of the perimetric frame (5), is made of high-strength metal, and is fixedly secured on one face (5e) of the perimetric frame (5) so as to completely close the space delimited thereby; at least one backlit panel (9) being secured to said closing and protection plate (7). 10. The door according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises a lock (4) which is positioned on or in the flat body (3), and is structured so as to selectively lock the flat body (3) on the perimetric framework (2), so as to avoid the displacement of the flat body (3) from the closed position. |
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This invention concerns a backlit door.
In more detail, this invention concerns a door or an armoured backlit front door, which the treatment that follows will explicitly refer to without however by this fall short in simplification.
As is well known the armoured front doors are antihousbreaking fixtures suitable for being hinged to a portal frame which is made of a highly resistance metal material, and is irremovably anchored to the building structure that encloses and delimits the opening to be closed. The armoured doors are basically made up of a perimetric bearing frame which is essentially rectangular, and made of high resistance metal profiles and dimensioned so as to reproduce the form of the border of the opening delimited by the portal frame, and it is side hinged onto the same portal frame so as to be able to turn on a vertical axis, from and towards a closed position in which the supporting framework places itself in contact on the portal frame; and by at least a closing plate with a shape matching that of the perimetric frame, which is made of a high resistance metal and is irremovably anchored to the front or external face of the perimetric frame in such a way as to completely close the space delimited by the latter.
The armoured doors described above are provided with an electrically powered or manual lock which is fixed directly to the perimetric frame and/or the closing plate, and is structured in such a way as to be able, on command, to anchor the perimetric frame to the portal frame, in order to prevent the door from moving out of the closed position.
In addition to the above, the majority of the armoured doors at present on the market are provided also with a rear padding panel, that has a shape complementary to that of the perimetric frame, and it is fixed to the rear face of the perimetric frame (coincident with the rear or internal face of the door), so as to hide from view the perimetric frame, the lock and the closing plate; and a peephole that is mounted and passes through the closing plate and the padding panel, so as to enable a person standing in front of the internal face of the door to view the other side of the door, with the door closed.
Although excellently fulfilling the aim for which they were made, the armoured doors at present on the market are an obstacle for providing a correct illumination of the space in front of the door, outside the premises. In fact, due to the particularly solid structure of the portal frame, the light sources cannot be placed in the best positions to succeed in illuminating in the finest way possible the face and body of a person standing in front of the armoured door, obviously on the outside of the premises.
The objective of this invention is to make an armoured door which is able to avoid the drawbacks mentioned previously.
In agreement with these objectives, according to this invention a backlit door is made as is made clear in claim 1 and preferably, but not necessarily, in any of the depending claims.
This invention will now be described with reference to the enclosed drawings, which illustrate a non restrictive example, in which: - figure 1 illustrates a view in perspective of an armoured door made according to the dictates of this invention; whereas - figure 2 is a lateral view of the armoured door illustrated in figure 1 , with parts in cross section and parts removed for clarity.
With reference to figures 1 and 2, number 1 is a backlit door or entrance door indicated as a whole, and particularly adapted to close the main entrance of any building or house.
Door 1 is adapted to be hinged to a perimetral frame 2, preferably, but not necessarily portal shaped, said frame 2 being hinged and irremovably anchored to the building structure that encloses and delimits the opening to be closed, said door 1 being principally made up of a flat body 3 with a basically rectangular shape that is dimensioned so as to reproduce the form of the opening delimited by frame 2, and is side hinged to the frame 2 so that it can turn preferably but not necessarily on a vertical rotation axis A, from and towards a closed position (figure 1) in which the flat body 3 places itself with its perimetric border up against the frame 2, closing the same; and preferably, but not necessarily, from a lock 4 that is positioned on or in the flat body 3, and is structured so as to be able to selectively block the flat body 3 on the portal frame 2, so as to prevent, when needed, the flat body 3 from moving out of its closed position.
The face of the flat body 3 that finds itself facing towards the outside of the building or house when the door 1 is in the closed position, herein indicated by 3a, forms the external face of the door; whereas the face of the flat body 3 that is facing towards the inside of the building or house when the door 1 is in the closed position, forms the internal face of the door.
With reference to figure 2, in the illustrated example, in particular, the door 1 is an armoured antihousbreaking door so that the portal frame 2 is preferably, but not necessarily, formed by a series of steel or some other high resistance metal profiles 2a, welded one to the other at the top so as to form a rigid upside-down U shaped structure, which is irremovably anchored to the building structure that encloses and delimits the opening to be closed, using log bolts or some other well known anchoring means.
With reference to figure 2, the flat body 3 is, on the other hand, preferably, but not necessarily, shaped like a load bearing perimetric frame 5 which is basically rectangular in shape, made out of high resistance metal profiles 5a welded one to the other at the top, and dimensioned so as to reproduce the shape of the opening perimeter delimited by frame 2, and has one of the two longer lateral borders connected by hinges 6 directly to frame 2 so as to be able to turn freely around the axis A; and at least one closing and protective plate 7 made out of a high resistant metal, which has a shape complementary to the perimetric frame 5, and is irremovably anchored on the front or external face 5e of the perimetric frame 5 so as to completely close the space delimited by the later, and it has ultimately a thickness of between preferably, but not necessarily, 2 and 5 millimetres.
The external face 5e of the perimetric frame 5 is conventionally overlooking the outside of the building or house when door 1 is in the closed position, so the plate 7 is overlooking the outside of the building or house when door 1 is in the closed position, and completely covers the perimetric frame 5 so as to make it inaccessible from outside. In other words, the plate 7 forms the external face 3a of the flat body 3.
On the other hand, as regards to the lock 4, in the illustrated example it is fixed rigidly to the plate 7 and/or to at least one of the metal profiles 5a that form the perimetric frame 5, on the inside of the perimetric frame 5.
With reference to figure 2, the flat body 3 is furthermore preferably, but not necessarily, provided also with a rear covering panel 8, that has a complementary shape to that of the perimetric frame 5, and it is fixed to the rear or internal face 5i of the perimetric frame 5, so as to hide from view the perimetric frame 5, the lock 4 and the closing plate 7. As the internal face 5i of the perimetric frame 5 traditionally faces towards the inside of the building or house when the door 1 is in the closed position, the covering panel 8 forming the internal face of the door.
With reference to figure 1 , differently from the armoured doors known at present, the door 1 is also provided with one or more backlit panels 9 fixed to the flat body 3, partially or totally covering the external face 3a of the flat body 3, so as to form all or a part of the external face of the door; with a presence sensor 10, which is fixed preferably, but not necessarily, to the flat body 3 to detect and signal when a person is in front of the external face 3a of the flat body 3, at a distance within the preset setting; and with an electronic controller 11 which is suitable for switching on the backlit panel or panels 9 based on the signals sent by the presence sensor 10, when the distance of the person in front of the external face 3a of the flat body 3 is within a first established setting threshold, so as to illuminate the area in front of the external face of the door 1.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the door 1 is also provided with at least a position sensor 12 - for example a microswitch contact sensor - able to determine when the flat body 3 completely closes the opening in the centre of the frame 2, and the electronic controller is able to switch on the backlit panel or panels 9 based on the signals sent by the presence sensor 10, only when the position sensor 12 signals to the electronic controller that the flat body 3 is in the closed position. In other words, the electronic controller 11 is able to switch on the backlit panel or panels 9 based on the signals sent by the presence sensor 10, and on the signals coming from the position sensor 12 that detects when the flat body 3 is in the closed position.
In the example illustrated, in particular, the door 1 is provided with a plurality of backlit panels 9 which are basically rectangular and are placed on the external face 3a of the flat body 3, in line one above the other, preferably, but not necessarily, with the insertion of a series of transversal spacing lists 9 1 ; and of a lower covering panel 13 having a basically rectangular shape, which is fixed to the external face 3a of the flat body 3, below the backlit panels 9, and is structured so as to be capable to house inside the presence sensor 10, the electronic controller 11 and possibly also the position sensor 12.
The whole made up of the backlit panels 9, of the transversal lists 9' and of the covering panel 13 completely covers the face of the plate 7, which is the external face 3a of the flat body 3.
In addition to the above, in the illustrated example, the presence sensor 10 is also able to determine, instant by instant, the distance existing between the external face of the door 1 and the person who is in front of said door; and the electronic controller 1 is able to switch on in succession the individual backlit panels 9 present on the door 1 as the distance detected by the presence sensor 10 decreases. Preferably, but not necessarily, lastly, the door 1 is provided with a manually operated control panel 14, by means of which a person can programme the reference distances at which to switch on the individual backlit panels 9 and/or to operate the electronic controller 11 to make it switch on all or a part of the backlit panels 9 present on the door 1 , apart from the signals arriving from the presence sensor 10 and/or the position sensor 12.
In the illustrated example, in particular, the manually operated control panel 14 is positioned on the rear covering panel 8, but could be embedded in any one of the metal profiles 2a that make up the portal frame 2 or, even, in the building structure that surrounds and delimits the opening to be closed.
With reference to figure 2, each backlit panel 9 comprises a basin or boxlike container 15 preferably, but not necessarily, parallelepid in shape, that has a height preferably, but not necessarily less than 30 millimetres and is firmly fixed to the closing plate 7 of the flat body 3, that is to say to the external face 3a of the flat body 3, by screws, rivets or some other fixing means; and a first flat plate 16 made of a transparent or semi-transparent material, that has a shape which is complementary to the bottom of the boxlike container 15, and is positioned on the bottom, inside said container 15.
The flat plate 16 has a thickness which is less than the height of the boxlike container 15, and the backlit panel 9 also comprises a second flat plate 17 made of a transparent and/or semi transparent material, that has a shape which is complementary to the bottom of the boxlike container 15, and is fixed to the boxlike container 15 closing the opening of the same, so as to be placed parallel and facing the flat plate 16, at a preset distance from the latter. The flat plate 17 therefore has a shape which is basically the same as the flat plate16, and forms the visible face of the backlit panel 9.
With reference to figure 2, each backlit panel 9 is provided with one or more light sources 18 extended longitudinally, each of which is positioned inside the boxlike container 15, facing and basically in contact on a respective lateral side of the flat plate 16, and extending, preferably, but not necessarily, along the whole length of said lateral side of the flat plate 16, so as to be able to project the light produced directly inside the body of the flat plate 16 through all the abovementioned lateral side.
Light that would remain trapped inside the body of the flat plate 16 due to the same physical principles that regulate the propagation of the light inside optical fibre cables, if the flat plate 16 were not intentionally structured so as to cause the progressive discharge of the light through the surface of the front face 16a towards the flat plate 17 immediately above, so as to backlight the flat plate 17 in a basically uniform manner.
In the example illustrated, in particular, the flat plate 16 is made preferably, but not necessarily, of polymethyl methacrylate (generally called Plexiglas or PMMA) or a similar plastic material (e.g. extra clear glass), and is provided with a series of very small diameter grooves and with convex lens shaped bottoms, which are distributed opportunely on all the surface of the front face 16a of the plate so as to deviate externally the light trapped inside the flat plate 16. The gradual discharge of the light through the front face 16a of the flat plate 16 can also be obtained by having the surface of the abovementioned face a superficial abrasion (sanding), glazing or silk-screen printing process in order to increase the surface roughness of the flat plate 16.
On the other hand, as regards to the longitudinal development light sources 18, each backlit panel 9 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with two light sources 18 placed in contact on the two major lateral sides of the flat plate 16, placed horizontally in the illustrated example, and each light source 18 is basically composed of a line of light emitting diodes, traditionally called "LEDs", which are suitably fixed to a known type of supporting base, in line one after the other, so as to be fed one after the other by a well known special low voltage power supply group.
A feed group that can also be able to adjust the colour characteristics and intensity of the light produced.
With reference to figures 1 and 2, in particular in the illustrated example, each longitudinally extending light source 18 is inserted between the lateral side of the flat plate 16 and the wall of the boxlike container 15, with the line of LEDs facing the body of the flat plate 16.
On the other hand, as regards to the feed of the light sources 18, in the illustrated example, the door 1 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with a cumulative electric feed module 19 that is piloted directly by the electronic control unit 11 ; and connected to an external electric power source (not illustrated) preferably, but not necessarily, capable to provide low tension electricity (e.g. a 220 Volt/24 Volt transformer); capable to feed separately and independently the light sources 18 of the single backlit panels 9, depending on the signals received by the electronic controller 11 ; and finally it is preferably, but not necessarily, housed inside the lower covering panel 13 of the door 1. Obviously, the electric feed module 19 is also able to adjust the colour and intensity characteristics of the light produced by each light source 18.
In a different embodiment, the electric feed module 19 can be replaced by a series of independent low tension electric supply groups, each of which is piloted directly from the electronic controller 11 , and connected to the external electric energy source, and can feed a single light source 18 of the door, and is preferably, but not necessarily, housed inside the lower covering panel 13 of the door 1.
With reference to figure 2, in the illustrated example, the flat plate 17 is on the other hand positioned in support on the perimetric border of the boxlike container 15 that surrounds the opening of the container, and it is a multilayer plate, preferably but not necessarily, made up of a toughened glass plate 17a and a plate of marble, granite or some other reduced thickness stony material 17b, glued one to the other using the interposition of an adhesive layer 17c made of polyvinyl butyral (commonly called PVB) or an equivalent transparent or semitransparent plastic material such as polyurethane. The toughened glass plate 17a is faced towards the flat plate 16 and is made preferably but not necessarily out of transparent crystal or extra clear glass, whereas the stony material plate 17b facing towards the outside of the backlit panel 9 has a thickness, preferably but not necessarily, of less than 4 millimetres so as to guarantee a sufficient level of permeability to the light.
In the illustrated example, the flat plane 17 is moreover surrounded by a basically rectangular or square shaped perimetrical collar 20, that protrudes towards the bottom of the boxlike container 15, to the outside of the same, and is dimensioned so as to be fitted telescopically onto the boxlike container 15. The perimetrical collar 20 is preferably but not necessarily permanently fixed to the flat plate 17, using a glue, so as to form with the latter a second basin or boxlike container that has a complementary shape to the boxlike container 15, and suitable to couple with the latter to form a closed boxlike container with a basically parallepiped brick shape, which is fixed to the external face of the flat body 3, and in which the flat plate 17 forms the largest visible wall of the closed boxlike container.
In the illustrated example, in particular, the boxlike container 15 and the perimetrical collar 20 are both made of a metal material (e.g. aluminium or steel), and are reciprocally fixed stably, but easily releasable, by a series of through bolts (not shown) that engage with the walls of the perimetrical collar 18 and, then, penetrate inside the lower lateral walls of the boxlike container 15.
With reference to figure 2, in the illustrated example, the perimetrical collar 20 furthermore houses inside it also a rectangular or square spacer frame 21 and a basically square transverse section, which traces the shape of the perimeter of the flat plate 17, and is made of a transparent or semitransparent material like the flat plate 16. The spacer frame 21 is fixed to the perimetrical collar 20 by means of glue, and is positioned in support on the free face of the toughened glass plate 17a, that is the face of the flat plate17 that is facing towards the flat plate 16, along all the perimetrical border of the face itself.
In addition to what has been written above, the spacer frame 21 is also provided with a perimetrical groove that has a form complementary to the perimetrical border of the boxlike container 15 that surrounds the opening of the same container, in order to be able to penetrate inside the boxlike container 15 until it arrives at the point also to support the whole perimetrical border of the upper face of the flat plate 16, when the flat plate 17 is positioned in support of the perimetrical border of the boxlike container 15. In this way, the spacer frame 21 guides towards the perimetrical border of the flat plate 17, and consequently to the stony material plate of 17b, a part of the light that leaks from the front face 16a of the flat plate 16.
With reference to figure 2, the bottom of the boxlike container 15 of each backlit panel 9 can in short be covered with a layer of opaque varnish, possibly also a reflecting type, (e.g. opal white) that completely covers the internal surface of the boxlike container 15 directly facing the rear face of the flat plate 16, so as to be able to reflect/diffuse the light that accidentally leaks from the rear face 17b of the flat plate 17 again towards the flat plate 16 and, consequently, towards flat plate 17.
Obviously, the layer of opaque varnish can extend until it substantially covers the whole surface which is inside the boxlike container 15 directly facing the rear face of the flat plate 16.
With reference to figure 1 , the door 1 is preferably but not necessarily, also provided with a peephole that is mounted and passes through the covering panel 8, the closing plate 7, and a backlit panel 9 and/or a transverse batten 9\ in order to enable a person standing in front of the covering panel 8, that is the internal face of the door 1 , to scan the area on other side of the door 1 in total safety, with the door 1 closed.
The function of the door 1 is easily deducible from what has been written and illustrated above, and does not need any further clarification. The advantages deriving from the particular structure of the door 1 are evident: thanks to the presence of the backlit panels 9 on the external face of the door 1 , the door 1 becomes a light source able to illuminate, in an optimal way, the area in front of the door on the outside of the house.
The use of backlit panels 9 that emit light with a basically uniform intensity over the whole viewable area enables the face of the person standing in front of the external face of the door 1 to be fully illuminated in a more homogenous and natural way.
The automatic and progressive accession of the backlit panels 9 depending on the distance between the person and the external face of the door 1 furthermore enables the consumption of electric energy to be minimised. The consumption of electric energy in fact increases, as the person approaches the door 1.
It becomes clear that the door 1 described and illustrated above can be modified and have variations without by this departing from the sphere of this invention.
For example, the flat body 3 can be mounted and slide on the perimetrical frame 2, in order to be able to translate along a vertical reference plane from and to a closed position in which the flat body 3 closes the opening in the centre of the frame 2.
According to another not illustrated and less sophisticated construction variation, the light sources 18 can be made up of rectilinear fluorescent gas lamps, commonly called "neon tubes", positioned directly against the lateral sides of the flat plate 16.
And once more, according to another not illustrated construction variation, the perimetric frame 5 could be made up of three high resistant metal profiles 5a welded or fixed to one another by the heads, so as to form a rigid upside-down U shaped structure, which is dimensioned so as to basically reproduce the shape of the perimeter of the opening delimited by frame 2, horizontal bottom border excluded.
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