Abstract
A multi configuration magnetic sensor mounting adapter comprising of a mounting adapter and a magnetic capsule to mount magnetic door sensors on a door or a door frame. At least four different configurations are possible using the combination of the magnetic capsule and the multi-configuration magnetic sensor mounting adapter to accommodate common scenarios of installation over the most common variety of door and door frame configurations for magnet sensor installation purposes. The mounting adapter also provides an installer with an adjustment feature that can be utilized to maintain within proper gapping tolerances in between sensor switch and magnet.
Claims
1. A magnetic sensor capsule, for use with magnetic sensors, comprising: an enclosure surrounding a magnetic rod-shaped element, said enclosure including a threaded outer portion adapted to engage a threaded cavity in an object, wherein said threaded outer portion enables longitudinal positioning of said magnetic rod-shaped element within said cavity when said enclosure is rotated around a longitudinal axis thereof with respect to said threaded cavity.
2. A magnetic sensor capsule as in claim 1, wherein: said object is a mounting adapter including said threaded cavity, said mounting adapter being adapted for insertion into and retention in a second cavity in a second object.
3. A magnetic sensor as in claim 3, wherein: said mounting adapter includes an inner and an outer body, said inner body including said threaded cavity, and said outer body including a lip portion adapted to maintain a substantially flush insertion of said outer body into said second object and prevent said outer body from passing into said second object.
4. A magnetic sensor as in claim 3, wherein: said adapter includes at least one flexible leg element attached to, and extending radially with respect to said axis.
5. A magnetic sensor as in claim 4, wherein: said flexible leg element further includes steps on a surface thereof oriented radially from said axis to enhance interference between said leg and said second cavity in said second object.
6. A magnetic sensor as in claim 5, wherein: each of said outer body lip and said enclosure include flat surfaces such that said respective flat surfaces may be made co-planar such that a substantially flush mount to said second object may be achieved.
7. A magnetic sensor as in claim 6, wherein: said enclosure includes one of said flat surfaces on each respective end of said enclosure, each said surface on said enclosure including a screw driver tab adapted to twist said enclosure and adjust a longitudinal position thereof in said threaded cavity.
8. A magnetic sensor capsule and mounting adapter therefor, for use with magnetic sensors, comprising: an enclosure surrounding a magnetic rod-shaped element, said enclosure including a threaded outer portion adapted to engage a threaded cavity in said mounting adapter, wherein said threaded outer portion enables longitudinal positioning of said rod shaped magnet within said threaded cavity when said enclosure is rotated around a longitudinal axis thereof with respect to said threaded cavity, said mounting adapter being adapted for insertion into and retention in a second cavity in an object.
9. A magnetic sensor capsule and mounting adapter, as in claim 8, wherein: said mounting adapter includes an inner and an outer body, said inner body including said threaded cavity, and said outer body including a lip portion adapted to maintain a substantially flush insertion of said outer body into said object and prevent said outer body from passing into said object.
10. A magnetic sensor capsule and mounting adapter, as in claim 9, wherein: said adapter includes at least one flexible leg element attached to, and extending radially with respect to said axis.
11. A magnetic sensor capsule and mounting adapter, as in claim 10, wherein: said flexible leg element further includes steps on a surface thereof oriented radially from said axis to enhance interference between said leg and said second cavity in said object.
12. A magnetic sensor capsule and mounting adapter, as in claim 11, wherein: each of said outer body lip and said enclosure include flat surfaces such that said respective flat surfaces may be made co-planar such that a substantially flush mount to said object may be achieved.
13. A magnetic sensor capsule and mounting adapter, as in claim 12, wherein: said enclosure includes one of said flat surfaces on each respective end of said enclosure, each said surface on said enclosure including a screw driver tab adapted to be used to twist said enclosure and adjust a longitudinal position thereof in said threaded cavity.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0024] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following descriptions, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:
[0025] FIG. 01 shows an exploded view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule.
[0026] FIG. 02 shows an alternate exploded view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule.
[0027] FIG. 03 shows a perspective view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter.
[0028] FIG. 04 shows an alternate perspective view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter.
[0029] FIG. 05 shows a top view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter.
[0030] FIG. 06 shows a bottom view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter.
[0031] FIG. 07 shows a side view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter.
[0032] FIG. 08 shows a perspective view of the Magnet Capsule.
[0033] FIG. 09 shows a side view of the Magnet Capsule.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter with the Magnet Capsule inserted in said Adapter.
[0035] FIG. 11 shows an alternate perspective view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter with the Magnet Capsule inserted in said Adapter.
[0036] FIG. 12 shows a top view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter with the Magnet Capsule inserted in said Adapter.
[0037] FIG. 13 shows a bottom view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter with the Magnet Capsule inserted in said Adapter.
[0038] FIG. 14 shows a side view of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter with the Magnet Capsule inserted in said Adapter.
[0039] FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule where the Mounting Adapter is in the inverted position.
[0040] FIGS. 16A and 16B show two alternate perspective views of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule where the Mounting Adapter is in the inverted position.
[0041] FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0042] FIG. 18 shows a side cutaway view of a possible configuration the Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0043] FIG. 19 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0044] FIG. 20 shows a side cutaway view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0045] FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0046] FIG. 22 shows a side cutaway view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0047] FIG. 23 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0048] FIG. 24 shows a side cutaway view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0049] FIG. 25 shows an alternate side cutaway view of a possible configuration the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door.
[0050] FIG. 26 shows a side view of a Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter positioned opposite to a door sensor switch at the minimum distance tolerance.
[0051] FIG. 27 shows a side view of a Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter positioned opposite to a door sensor switch within the optimal distance tolerance.
[0052] FIG. 28 shows a side view of a Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter positioned opposite to a door sensor switch outside the maximum distance tolerance.
REFERENCE NUMBER INDEX
[0053] 100Mounting Adapter
[0054] 101Upper Flat Surface
[0055] 102Upper Lip
[0056] 103Outer Body
[0057] 104Tooling Slit
[0058] 105Inner Body
[0059] 106Flexible Leg
[0060] 107Leg Step
[0061] 108Threaded Hole
[0062] 109Bottom Flat Surface
[0063] 200Magnet Capsule
[0064] 201Threaded Housing Enclosure
[0065] 202Capsule Upper Flat Surface
[0066] 203Screwdriver Tab
[0067] 204Magnet Piece
[0068] 300Door
[0069] 400Door Sensor Switch
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0070] FIGS. 01 and 02 show perspective views of the Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter which comprises of the Mounting Adapter 100 and the Magnetic Capsule 200.
[0071] FIGS. 03 through 07 show views of the Mounting Adapter and its various parts from several viewing angles. The mounting adapter 100 comprises of an inner body 105 in which the upper portion of said inner body is layered with an outer body 103 creating an ice-cream cone like structure. A threaded hole 108 is provided on the center of the inner body. A flat surface 101 is provided on the upper portion of the outer body 103. The diameter of the flat surface 101 is slightly larger than the diameter of the outer body 103, creating a lip 102 which allows the mounting adapter to be inserted into the hole without having the entire mounting adapter fall through the hole. A plurality of slits may be added to the flat surface 101 to improve adhesion by allowing adhesives to enter into the slits and create further grip when the mounting adapter is installed in an inverted position. A plurality of flexible legs 106 are provided on the perimeter surface of the outer body 103 to ensure a friction fit is achieved between the mounting adapter and the surface of the hole, thereby preventing the mounting adapter from slipping out of the hole during installation. A plurality of leg steps can be further provided on the flexible legs 106 to act as fastening anchors to further prevent the mounting adapter from slipping out of the hole during installation and/or use.
[0072] FIG. 08 shows a perspective view of the Magnet Capsule, and FIG. 09 shows a side view of the Magnet Capsule. The magnet capsule 200 comprises of a threaded enclosure 201 enveloping a rod-shaped magnet 204. The threaded enclosure 201 further features a flat upper surface 202 which may have a screwdriver tab 203. The threads on the Magnet Capsule is bidirectional such that it can be inserted from either end of the threaded hole 108 of the Mounting Adapter to allow the multiple configuration of the preferred embodiment.
[0073] The threaded nature of the Magnet Capsule also allows the Capsule's height to be adjusted post installation by screwing or unscrewing the Capsule to adjust height accordingly.
[0074] FIGS. 10 through 14 show views of the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule inserted into the Adapter where the top flat surface of the Mounting Adapter 101 is flush with the top flat portion of the Magnet Capsule 202.
[0075] FIGS. 15, 16A and 16B show alternate perspective views of a possible configuration the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule where the Mounting Adapter is in the inverted position relative to the Magnet Capsule. The Magnet Capsule can be inserted into the threaded hole from the opposite side of the flat surface 101, effectively creating a raised platform for the magnetic piece inside the magnet capsule for door configuration in which the upper portion of the door includes a recessed channel such that installing a magnetic sensor requires a third-party solution or modification to the door's surface.
[0076] FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Magnet Capsule installed on a door in which only the Magnet Capsule 200 is inserted to the door, while FIG. 18 shows a side cutaway view of a possible configuration the Magnet Capsule installed on a door. This configuration is the simplest configuration and possible for typical wooden door applications where the mounting adapter is not necessary to achieve full contact with the opposite sensor on the door frame.
[0077] FIG. 19 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door in which the mounting adapter is installed flush with the top of the door, and the Magnet Capsule is inserted to the Mounting Adapter. FIG. 20 shows a side cutaway view of a said configuration the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door depicted in FIG. 19.
[0078] FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door where the mounting adapter 100 is installed in a partially raised configuration to accommodate the depth of the channel in the upper portion of the door 300, while FIG. 22 shows a side cutaway view of the Mounting Adapter 100 and Magnet Capsule 200 installed on a door 300 in said configuration. In this configuration, the mounting adapter is inserted into a previously drilled hole in which the inner body 105 is fully inserted into the hole, while the outer body 103 sits on top of the surface of the door's channel. The magnet capsule 200 is then inserted to the threaded hole 108 and set flush with the upper flat surface 101 portion of the mounting adapter 100.
[0079] FIG. 23 shows a perspective view of a possible configuration the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door. In this configuration, the mounting adapter 100 is invertably mounted in order to give a raised platform for the magnetic capsule 200 because of the adapter being mounted in the recessed portion of the door's 300 channel. This configuration is commonly seen in doors made of metal including aluminum doors commonly found in commercial buildings. In this inverted adapter configuration, there are at least two variations of the height of the magnetic adapter 200 depending on the depth of the channel on the upper portion of the door 300. FIG. 24 shows a side cutaway view of the configuration where the magnetic capsule 200 is flush with the top portion of the door's 300 channel, while FIG. 25 shows a side cutaway view of another possible configuration the Mounting Adapter and Magnet Capsule installed on a door where the magnetic capsule 200 is flush with the flat portion of the inner body of the mounting adapter 100.
[0080] FIG. 26 shows a side view of a Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter 100 positioned opposite to a door sensor switch 400 at the minimum distance tolerance when the door is in the closed position. For proper and optimum configuration such that the door sensor switch can reliably detect the magnet inside the adapter, the magnet capsule must be within the distance tolerance where the magnet can be reliably read by the door sensor switch. FIG. 27 shows a side view of a Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter positioned opposite to a door sensor switch within the optimum gap distance.
[0081] On the other hand, the door sensor switch's reliability to read the magnet sensor diminishes considerably if the magnet is positioned outside of the maximum distance tolerance. At this stage, the door sensor switch cannot reliably sense the magnetic forces emanating from the magnetic capsule, resulting in false positives where the door sensor switch does not recognize the door is actually in a closed position. FIG. 28 shows a side view of a Multi Configuration Magnetic Sensor Mounting Adapter positioned opposite to a door sensor switch outside the optimum gap distance.
[0082] In the Summary of the Invention above and in the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
[0083] The term comprises and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article comprising (or which comprises) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more other components.
[0084] Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).
[0085] The term at least followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, at least 1 means 1 or more than 1. The term at most followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, at most 4 means 4 or less than 4, and at most 40% means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as (a first number) to (a second number) or (a first number)-(a second number), this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm.
[0086] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred version contained herein.
