INSTALLED ON A MOVEABLE DOOR LEAF, TO A CIRCUIT IN THE

SUPPORTING FRAME OF SUCH DOOR LEAF

The present invention relates to a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf.

The use is increasingly common of electric locks or, more generically, electro-actuated locks for controlling openings and accesses to environments of several types.

The electric lock is usually installed on the leaf (a door, a gate or a closure element in general) and it entails the presence of an element of the type of a latch, bolt and the like, actuated by way of a respective actuator, which can be engaged in a seat that is integral with the fixed frame (with respect to which the leaf can move).

Usually the electric power supply of the lock, as well as the signals that determine its changes of state, are supplied thereto by way of a connection via wire to a specific ring mains leading to the frame.

Such connection is provided by way of contact terminals which protrude elastically from the frame (connected to the ring mains), against which (with the door leaf closed) abut respective plates made of electrically conducting material, which are associated with the electrical inputs of the electric lock.

In order to ensure that the contact terminals are not subjected to wear and/or to transverse stresses, it is necessary to install the contact terminals at the portion of the frame that is aligned with the pivoting hinges of the door leaf.

This implies that the plates must also be installed on the edge of the door leaf that is aligned with the hinges.

The electrical connection of the plates to the electric lock will therefore imply the arrangement of electrical wires transversely with respect to the door leaf (internally thereto, when possible, or along the outer surface, within adapted external protective housings).

The manufacture of such electrical connections can compromise the aesthetic appearance of the door leaf, making it less advantageous for customers.

Even if the electric lock is independently powered (for example by way of a respective accumulator battery), and therefore it does not need to be connected to a specific ring mains, it can still be necessary to have connections to an electric circuit of the frame for collecting data on the door status and on the sequence of the opening and closing cycles underway.

The principal aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks, by devising a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf, which requires few and simple operations for its installation.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to devise a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf, which makes it possible to provide the electric power supply and the adapted command signals to the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to devise a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf which allows easy monitoring of the configuration assumed at any moment by the door leaf and control of the opening and closing cycles thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf which is low cost, easily and practically implemented and safe in use.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf, of the type comprising a first and a second electrical contact element which are mutually facing and proximate in the closed configuration of said door leaf, characterized in that said first electrical contact element is installed on said door leaf and is connected to said electrical apparatus and said second electrical contact element is installed on said frame, said first electrical contact element comprising a guide assembly for a moveable block which is provided with respective protrusions made of electrically conducting material which are connected to said apparatus, said second electrical contact element comprising a main body and specific electrical contact surfaces which are connected to said circuit, at least one portion of said block and of said main body being made of a material chosen between either ferromagnetic or magnetic, in the closed configuration of said door leaf said body and said block being subjected to mutual magnetic attraction with consequent translation of said block toward said second electrical contact element with consequent abutment of said protrusions on said contact surfaces and connection of said electrical apparatus to said circuit of said frame.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf, according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non- limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit in the supporting frame of such door leaf, according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the device in Figure 1 in the configuration of separation of the two elements that constitute it; Figure 3 is a side view of the device in Figure 1 in the configuration of coupling and connection of the two elements that constitute it;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view taken along a sagittal midpoint plane of the device in Figure 1.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a device for connecting an electrical apparatus (by way of adapted conducting wires 2), installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit 3 in the supporting frame of such door leaf.

The device 1 comprises a first 4 and a second electrical contact element 5 which are mutually facing and proximate in the closed configuration of the door leaf.

The first electrical contact element 4 is installed on the door leaf and is connected to the electrical apparatus by way of the conducting wires 2.

The second electrical contact element 5 is installed on the frame.

The first electrical contact element 4 comprises a guide assembly 6 for a moveable block 7 which is provided with respective protrusions 8 made of electrically conducting material which are connected to the apparatus through the conducting wires 2.

The second electrical contact element 5 comprises a main body 9 and specific electrical contact surfaces 10 which are connected to the circuit 3.

At least one portion of the block 7 and of the main body 9 is made of a material chosen between either ferromagnetic or magnetic.

Thanks to the presence of these portions in magnetic or ferromagnetic material, in the closed configuration of the door leaf the body 9 and the block 7 will be subjected to mutual magnetic attraction, with consequent translation of the block 7 toward the second electrical contact element 5 with consequent abutment of the protrusions 8 on the contact surfaces 10 and connection of the electrical apparatus (by way of the conducting wires 2) to the circuit 3 of the frame.

With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, the guide assembly 6 is provided with an inner seat 1 1 of which the shape and dimensions are substantially complementary to those of the block 7, for the slideable accommodation of the block 7.

Still with reference to such embodiment, the block 7 can positively comprise a central protruding shank 12 which is accommodated slideably within an inner recess 13 of a rear expansion 14 of the guide assembly 6.

Between the shank 12 and the recess 13 elastic elements 15 will be conveniently interposed for the forcing of the shank 12 into the recess 13 and of the block 7 into the seat 1 1 of the guide assembly 6.

The magnetic attraction between the portions made of ferromagnetic or magnetic material which are present in the first 4 and in the second element 5 will be sufficiently strong to defeat the elastic force exerted by the elastic elements 15, thus enabling the partial egress of the block 7 from the guide assembly 6.

In this regard it is useful to specify that at least one portion of the block 7 and of the main body 6 is preferably constituted by a permanent magnet (in order to ensure that the magnetic attraction exerted is sufficiently strong to defeat the elastic action of the elastic elements 15).

From a merely implementation point of view, it should be noted that the block 7 and the main body 9 can advantageously comprise respective recesses (respectively 16 and 17) for accommodating corresponding permanent magnets 18 and 19.

The block 7 further comprises channels 20 for the slideable accommodation of the protrusions made of conducting material 8.

In order to enable an electrical contact that is efficient and to a certain extent tolerant of any slight misalignments of the door leaf with the frame which may occur after a prolonged use, between the channels 20 and the protrusions 8 elastic units 21 are favorably interposed for forcing the protrusions 8 into the protruding configuration with respect to the surface of the block 7. It is in fact clear that the protrusions 8, thanks to the elastic units 21 , will be (when the door leaf is in the closed configuration) forced onto the electrical contact surfaces 10, thus ensuring the correctness and efficacy of the electrical connection made.

It should further be noted that the electrical contact surfaces 10 connected to the circuit 3 can profitably be constituted by pads 22 made of conducting material and accommodated within respective recesses 23 of the surface of the second electrical contact element 5 (in particular of the main body 9 thereof) facing toward the first electrical contact element 4 in the closed configuration of the door leaf.

Interposed between the terminals of the circuit 3 (which are associated with the electrical contact surfaces 10) there can be an interconnecting conductor wire which is controlled by a component adapted to condition electrical parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, power factor and the like. Such component can be positively chosen from among a condenser, a transistor, a microprocessor, a diode, a thyristor and the like.

In this manner, when the door leaf is closed, the electrical apparatus, by way of the device 1 , will detect such condition through the sending of a signal from one of the two protrusions 8 and the reception thereof on the other protrusion 8: the signal will pass through the contact surfaces 10 and the circuit will be closed through the conductor wire.

The return signal will be different from the one sent by the electrical apparatus in that it will have been conditioned by passing through the component that interrupts the conductor wire.

In this manner it will be always possible to verify the status of the door leaf (open or closed) with certainty and such verification cannot be simulated by simply short-circuiting the two protrusions 8 (the return signal, in fact, in such case would not have undergone any conditioning and therefore it would not be recognized as valid).

Through the device 1 according to the invention it is therefore possible to provide the electric power supply to an apparatus present on the door leaf, thus minimizing the necessary work for installation on such door leaf.

In fact the device 1 can be installed proximate to the apparatus and therefore the wires 2 can be directly connected to the apparatus in order to power it (receiving the electricity through the contact surfaces 10 associated with the circuit 3).

If on the other hand the electrical apparatus is powered by way of batteries installed directly therein (and therefore it does not need to be connected to the mains electricity supply) the device 1 can be positively used for verifying and monitoring the status that the door leaf happens to be in.

The possibility is not ruled out that any batteries present can be batteries of the "buffer" type, i.e. rechargeable: the electrical contact generated by the device 1 according to the invention will therefore also make it possible to recharge these batteries.

As previously specified, the presence of the component adapted to condition the electrical values, interrupting the circuit 3, ensures that the status of the door leaf can be verified with precision, by ensuring that such verification cannot be bypassed by short-circuiting the protrusions 8.

The present invention also extends its protection to an electrically actuated closure element (such as a door, a leaf, a gate, a window and the like) which comprises a moveable supporting frame for a door leaf on which an electrical apparatus (in particular an electric lock) is installed, and a device 1 for connecting such electrical apparatus to a circuit 3 of the frame.

The device 1 comprises, in turn, a first 4 and a second electrical contact element 5 which are mutually facing and proximate in the closed configuration of the door leaf.

In such case the first electrical contact element 4 is installed on the door leaf substantially proximate to the electrical apparatus and connected to that apparatus. The second electrical contact element 5 is installed on the frame.

At least one portion of the first 4 and of the second contact element 5 can positively be made of a material chosen between either ferromagnetic or magnetic. In the closed configuration of the door leaf the portions of the first 4 and second element 5 will be subjected to mutual magnetic attraction, with consequent connection of the electrical apparatus to the circuit 3 of the frame.

Thus, it has been seen that in a closure element according to the invention it is simple to supply electric power through the circuit 3 to the electrical apparatus (for example an electric lock) which is present on the door leaf or it is possible to have an effective detector of the closed and/or open status of the door leaf which is tamper-resistant.

It should be noted that in the closure element according to the invention the first electrical contact element 4 will comprise a moveable block 7, which is provided with respective protrusions 8 made of electrically conducting material which are connected to the electrical apparatus. The block 7, in turn, will accommodate the portion made of material preferably chosen from either ferromagnetic or magnetic.

In the closed configuration of the door leaf, the block 7 will assume an arrangement in which it is advanced toward the second electrical contact element 5, by magnetic attraction, and the protrusions 8 will abut against respective electrical contact surfaces 10 of the second element 5, which are connected to the circuit 3.

Advantageously the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, by providing a device 1 for connecting an electrical apparatus, installed on a moveable door leaf, to a circuit 3 in the supporting frame of such door leaf, which requires few and simple operations for its installation.

In fact, since it can be installed proximate to the electric lock (the electrical apparatus that it serves), no recesses need to be provided for accommodating the wires and/or the installation of protective housings for them.

Conveniently the device 1 makes it possible to provide the electric power supply and the adapted command signals to the apparatus.

Positively the device 1 enables easy monitoring of the configuration assumed at any moment by the door leaf and control of the opening and closing cycles thereof.

Positively the device 1 according to the invention is easily and practically implemented and low cost: such characteristics ensure the safe application of the present invention.

The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs.