ACCESS CONTROL DEVICE FOR PERSONS OR DEVICE FOR COUNTING PERSONS DESIGNED AS A TURNSTILE

Abstract

An access control device for persons designed as a turnstile (1) or a device for counting persons designed as a turnstile (1) is proposed which comprises a housing (2) in which at least one drive means is arranged and which comprises two barrier arms (3, 4) which can be driven by at least one drive, which can be driven and controlled independently of one another and at the same speed or at a different speed.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An access control device for persons or a device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), wherein the device comprises a housing (2) in which at least one drive means is arranged, and that the device comprises two barrier arms (3, 4) which can be driven by at least one drive means, which can be driven and controlled independently of one another and at a same or a different speed.

14. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 13, wherein the barrier arms (3, 4) are driven and controlled in such a manner that a secure separation and, in the presence of a valid access authorization for the case of an access control device or in the event of detecting a person in the passage for the case of a device for counting persons, a release of an entire passage is achieved.

15. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 14, wherein the two barrier arms (3, 4) are driven and controlled independently of one another in such a manner that in the presence of a valid access authorization for the case of an access control device or in the event of detecting a person in the passage for the case of a device for counting persons, the barrier arm arranged in a direction of passage in an initial position in front of the person, which blocks the passage, completely releases the passage in front of the person, and the second barrier arm which releases the passage in the initial position is controlled in such a manner that the second barrier arm blocks the passage in the direction of passage behind the person and the initial position is adopted again, and in successive initial positions the position of the barrier arms (3, 4) is transposed.

16. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 13, wherein a first barrier arm (3) is arranged on a first shaft (5) and a second barrier arm (4) is arranged on a second shaft (6), the first shaft (5) is designed as a hollow shaft through which the second shaft (6) is guided, the first and the second shafts (5, 6) are arranged coaxially to one another, and the barrier arms (3, 4) are connected in a torque-proof manner to the respective shaft (5, 6) at a predefined angle with respect to the shaft, and each shaft (5, 6) is assigned a drive means which drives the shaft.

17. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 16, wherein the first shaft (5) designed as a hollow shaft has a recess at the end thereof facing away from the housing of the turnstile (1), which is arranged diametrically opposite to the first barrier arm (3) connected to the first shaft (5), from which the second barrier arm (4) assigned to the second shaft (6) projects, the recess extends over a predefined angular range and the first and the second barrier arms (3, 4) project axially from a same axial position, when viewed along the central longitudinal axes of the shafts (5, 6) arranged coaxially with respect to one another.

18. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 17, wherein the recess extends over an angular range of between 200° and 300°.

19. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 16, wherein the second barrier arm (4), connected in a torque-proof manner to the second shaft (6), projects from the end of the first shaft (5) designed as a hollow shaft, facing away from the housing (2) of the turnstile (1) so that an arbitrary relative movement of the two barrier arms (3, 4) relative to one another is achieved.

20. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 13, wherein in the event of an emergency or if the turnstile (1) is to be permanently taken out of operation, both of the two barrier arms (3, 4) are controlled in such a manner that the two barrier arms (3, 4) extend, at a smallest possible angle with respect to one another, in a direction of a plane of the passage so that the passage is released.

21. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 13, wherein the device has two electric motors as drive means, and an electric motor is assigned to each shaft (5, 6) for driving the shaft (5, 6).

22. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 21, wherein a transmission is connected in front of each electric motor in a force flow direction.

23. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 13, wherein an electric motor is provided as drive means before which a transmission with two outputs is connected, and one output each is connected to a shaft (5, 6) or is connected detachably by a controllable coupling, and when the coupling is open, the shafts can be rotated against a predefined resistance which is selected in such a manner that the respective barrier arm is held firmly without the action of external force and is twisted with a defined torque.

24. The access control device for persons or the device for counting persons, designed as a turnstile (1), according to claim 21, wherein the device comprises a battery which supplies the drive means with power in the event of a power failure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention is explained in detail hereinafter with reference to the appended figures as an example which show an access control device for persons designed as a turnstile. Examples of possible controls of the barrier arms during access control are shown here; the control of the barrier arms of the turnstile according to the invention can be varied according to the requirements. The examples shown also apply similarly for a device for counting persons designed as a turnstile when detecting a person in the passage. In the appended figures, the top left part is a front view, the top right part is a plan view, the bottom left part is a side view and the bottom right part is a view of a turnstile according to the invention along the longitudinal axis of the first and second shaft. The direction of passage is shown from left to right in relation to the top left part of the figures. In the figures:

[0023] FIG. 1: shows a turnstile according to the invention in which the first shaft designed as a hollow shaft has a recess over an angular range of 240° at the end facing away from the housing of the turnstile, from which the second barrier arm assigned to the second shaft projects, in an initial position in which the second barrier arm blocks the passage wherein the first barrier arm substantially releases the entire passage with the result that a person can comfortably approach the second barrier arm and wherein the angle between the first and the second barrier arm is about 120°.

[0024] FIG. 2: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 1 in which after detection of a valid access authorization, only the second barrier arm is turned through 30° in the direction of passage;

[0025] FIG. 3: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 1 in which after the turning of only the second barrier arm through 30° in the direction of passage shown in FIG. 2, only the second barrier arm is turned through a further 90° whereby the entire passage is released in order to grant passage to the person approaching the first barrier arm in the initial position;

[0026] FIG. 4: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 1 in which after the further turning of only the second barrier arm through 90° shown in FIG. 3, the first and second barrier arm are turned independently of one another, wherein at the end of these turning movements the second barrier arm extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the passage and the first barrier arm begins to block the passage behind the person who has passed through;

[0027] FIG. 5: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 1 in which the barrier arms according to the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 are turned independently of one another in such a manner that the initial position according to FIG. 1 is reached with the difference that the first barrier arm blocks the passage wherein the second barrier arm releases the entire passage.

[0028] FIG. 6: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 1 to illustrate the position of the barrier arms in an emergency or when the turnstile is to be put out of operation permanently, wherein the barrier arms extend downwards in the plane of the passage at the smallest possible angle with respect to one another so that the passage is released.

[0029] FIG. 7: snows a turnstile according to the invention in which the second barrier arm connected in a torque-proof manner to the second shaft projects from the end of the first shaft designed as a hollow shaft, facing away from the housing of the turnstile so that an arbitrary relative movement of the two barrier arms with respect to one another can be achieved in an initial position in which the second barrier arm blocks the passage, wherein the first barrier arm releases the entire passage with the result that a person can comfortably approach the second barrier arm;

[0030] FIG. 8: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 7 in which after detection of a valid access authorization, only the second harrier arm is turned through 30° in the passage direction;

[0031] FIG. 9: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 7 in which after the turning of only the second barrier arm through 30° in the passage direction shown in FIG. 8, only the second barrier arm is turned through a further 90° with the result that the entire passage is released in order to grant passage to the person approaching the first barrier arm in the initial position;

[0032] FIG. 10: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 7 in which after the further rotation only or the second barrier arm through 90° shown in FIG. 9, the first and the second barrier arm are turned independently of one another wherein at the end of these rotational movements the second barrier arm extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the passage and the first barrier arm begins to block the passage behind the person who has passed through;

[0033] FIG. 11: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 7 in which the barrier arms according to the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 are turned independently of one another in such a manner that the initial position according to FIG. 1 is reached with the difference that the first barrier arm blocks the passage, wherein the second barrier arm releases the entire passage; and

[0034] FIG. 12: shows a turnstile according to FIG. 7 to illustrate the position of the barrier arms in an emergency or when the turnstile is to be put out of operation permanently, wherein the barrier arms extend with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to one another downwards in the direction of the plane of passage so that the passage is released.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] In the appended figures a turnstile is designated by 1, wherein a housing of the turnstile 1 is designed by 2, a first barrier arm by 3 and a second barrier arm by 4. Furthermore 5 designates the drivable shaft to which the first barrier arm 3 is connected in a torque-proof manner, wherein 6 designates the drivable shaft to which the second barrier arm 3 is connected in a torque-proof manner.

[0036] According to the invention, a turnstile 1 according to the invention comprises a housing 2 in which drive means are arranged. Furthermore the turnstile 1 comprises two barrier arms 3, 4 which can be driven by the drive means, which can be driven and controlled independently of one another and with the same or different speed in such a manner that a secure separation and in the case of a valid access authorization, a release of the entire passage can be achieved.

[0037] Here a first barrier arm 3 is arranged on a first shaft 5 and a second barrier arm 4 is arranged on a second shaft 6, wherein the first shaft 5 is designed as a hollow shaft through which the second shaft 6 is guided, wherein the first and second shaft 5, 6 are arranged coaxially to one another and wherein the barrier arms 3, 4 are connected to the respective shaft 5, 6 in a torque-proof manner at a predefined angle with respect to the shaft. Each shaft 5, 6 is assigned a drive means which can be controlled by a controller, which drives the shaft 5, 6. Preferably the shafts 5, 6 are each driven by an electric motor.

[0038] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the first shaft 5 designed as a hollow shaft has a recess at the end facing away from the housing 2 of the turnstile 1 which is arranged diametrically opposite the first barrier arm 3 connected to the first shaft 5 from which the second barrier arm 4 assigned to the second, shaft 6 projects. In the example shown, the recess extends over 240°; according to the invention the first and second barrier arm project axially from the same axial position when viewed along the central longitudinal axes of the shafts 5, 6 arranged coaxially with respect to one another.

[0039] In the initial position which is illustrated by reference to FIG. 1, the passage is blocked by the second barrier arm 4 wherein the first barrier arm 3 releases the passage and projects slightly into the passage to make it difficult to climb underneath with the result that a person can comfortably approach the second barrier arm 4 and wherein the angle between the first and the second barrier arm is approximately 120°. According to the invention, in the initial position the barrier arm which does not block the passage, i.e. in the example shown in FIG. 1 the first barrier arm 3, can completely release the passage; the corresponding position of the barrier arm corresponds, for example, to the position of the first barrier arm 3 in FIG. 6.

[0040] When a person who is standing in front of the second barrier arm 4 blocking the passage and who is carrying a valid access authorization which is detected by a reading device not shown, the second barrier arm 4 is controlled in such a manner that it is turned through 30° in the passage direction, as illustrated by means of FIG. 2. As a result of a further turning through a further 90°, the entire passage is released in order to grant passage to the person as shown by means of FIG. 3. In the example shown, the first barrier arm 3 is not turned during the rotation of the second barrier arm 4. In the course of further embodiments, the first barrier arm can be turned through a small angle, for example, through 30° in order to begin to block the passage behind the person at this time.

[0041] Then the first and the second barrier arm 3, 4 are turned independently of one another, wherein at the end of these turning movements the second barrier arm 4 extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the passage and the first barrier arm 3 begins to block the passage behind the person who has passed through; this situation is illustrated by means of FIG. 4. In the further course the barrier arms 3, 4 are turned independently of one another in such a manner that the initial position according to FIG. 1 is reached with the difference that the first barrier arm 3 blocks the passage wherein the second barrier arm 4 releases the entire passage.

[0042] In an emergency or when the turnstile 1 is to be put out of operation permanently, the barrier arms 3, 4 are controlled in such a manner that they extend downwards in the direction of the plane of the passage at the smallest possible angle with respect to one another so that the passage is released. In the example shown the smallest possible angle between the barrier arms is 120° due to the first shaft 5 designed as a hollow shaft since the recess of the hollow shaft 5 extends over an angular range of 240°.

[0043] In the example shown in FIGS. 7 to 12 the second barrier arm 4 connected in a torque-proof manner to the second shaft projects from the end of the first shaft 5 designed as a hollow shaft facing away from the housing 2 of the turnstile 1 so that an arbitrary relative movement of the two barrier arms 3, 4 with respect to one another can be achieved.

[0044] In the initial position which is illustrated by means of FIG. 7, the passage is blocked by the second barrier arm 4 wherein the first barrier arm 3 projects slightly into the passage in order to make it difficult to climb underneath. According to the invention, in the initial position the barrier arm which does not block the passage, i.e. in the example shown in FIG. 7, the first barrier arm 3, can completely release the passage.

[0045] When a person who is standing in front of the second barrier arm 4 blocking the passage and who is carrying a valid access authorization which is detected by a reading device not shown, in the example shown the second barrier arm 4 is controlled in such a manner that it is turned through 30° in the passage direction, as illustrated by means of FIG. 8. As a result of a further turning through a further 90°, the entire passage is released in order to grant passage to the person as shown by means of FIG. 9. In the example shown, the first barrier 3 arm is not turned during the rotation of the second barrier arm 4. In the course of further embodiments, the first barrier arm can be turned through a small angle, for example, through 30° in order to begin to block the passage behind the person at this time.

[0046] Then the first and the second barrier arm 3, 4 are turned independently of one another, wherein at the end of these turning movements the second barrier arm 4 extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the passage and the first barrier arm 3 begins to block the passage behind the person who has passed through; this situation is illustrated by means of FIG. 10. In the further course the barrier arms 3, 4 are turned independently of one another in such a manner that the initial position according to FIG. 7 is reached with the difference that the first barrier arm 3 blocks the passage wherein the second barrier arm 4 releases the entire passage.

[0047] In an emergency or when the turnstile 1 is to be put out of operation permanently, the barrier arms 3, 4 are controlled in such a manner that they extend downwards in the direction of the plane of the passage at the smallest possible angle with respect to one another so that the passage is released. In the example shown the smallest possible angle is 0° since an arbitrary relative movement of the two barrier arms 3, 4 with respect to one another can be achieved. The barrier arms 3, 4 extend downwards in the direction of the plane of the passage with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to one another so that the passage is released.

[0048] A two-direction operation is possible with the turnstile according to the invention. The direction of passage can be reversed wherein in this case the movements of the barrier arms shown as an example take place in the opposite direction.