WO1993019277A1

WO1993019277A1 - Tilting device for a blind with vertical lamellae

Info

Publication number: WO1993019277A1
Application number: PCT/CH1993/000074
Authority: WO
Inventors: Melchior Lanz
Original assignee: Ecolan Ag
Priority date: 1992-03-18
Filing date: 1993-03-17
Publication date: 1993-09-30
Also published as: AU3624993A; EP0561096A1

Abstract

The tilting device (7) is suitable for a blind with a plurality of spaced vertically suspended lamellae which can pivot about their vertical axis (2). Such blinds with vertical lamellae usually have a traction device to adjust the inclination of the lamellae together. The traction device comprises a traction side forming a loop with a first (4) and a second cord (6). The inclination of the lamellae can be adjusted from a first closed position to a second open position by pulling on one or other of the cords. A control device (7) comprises a driving means (8) which can be connected to and released from the traction side (4). The driving means can be operated in a first direction and a second one opposite the first. There is also a member (9) which can be exposed to sunglight by means of which the drive means (8) can be influenced in such a way that, when the sun is shining the driving means lamellae in the first direction until the first position of the lamellae is reached and, when the sun is no longer shining, in the second direction until the second position of the lamellae is reached.

Description

Swivel device for a vertical slat curtain

Technical field;

The present invention relates to a swivel device for a vertical slat curtain with a plurality of vertically spaced slats which are spaced apart from one another and can be swiveled about their vertical axis, with a pulling device acting on all the slats for jointly adjusting the swivel position of the slats, the pulling device being a loop includes tension string with a first and a second strand and the pivoting position of the slats is adjustable by pulling on one or the other of the strands from a first closed position to a second open position.

Prior art: In particular, thinking blind to such Vertikallamellen-, in which the individual Lamellenblät¬ but along a covered window and door front or are not ^'slidably ter only about its pivot axis. Such vertical lamella curtains usually have a manually operable pivoting device, which essentially comprises a pulling side forming a loop. A strand of the tension side is connected to the one end of the narrow side of each of the lamella sheets. The other strand of the tension side is connected to the other end of the narrow side of each of the lamella leaves. By means of corresponding deflection rollers it is achieved that the loop on the tension side hangs down next to the front to be covered with the vertical lamella curtain. By train on one or the other strands of the tension side of the _he d pivoting position can be adjusted of all the lamellae sheets. These are part of it a pivot axis, which projects into a pivot axis holding rail at the top, is pivotably mounted. The pivot axis of each of the slats extends in the extension of the corresponding longitudinal slat axis.

Presentation of the invention:

It is the object of the present invention to supplement and improve the above-mentioned manually operated pivoting device in such a way that an automatic pivoting position of the slats of the vertical panel curtain, which is dependent on the solar radiation, is achieved. The addition and improvement should be possible on all already installed vertical slats.

This object is achieved with a swivel device, which is characterized in that a control device, which comprises at least one drive means, which is connectable and detachable to the tension string, is provided, that the drive means is in a first and in a one second, opposite to the first drive direction, and that there is an organ that can be exposed to solar radiation, through which the drive means can be influenced in such a way that the latter is active in the first drive direction when sunshine occurs, at most until the the first position of the slats is reached and, when the sunshine disappears in the second drive direction, is active at most until the second position of the slats is reached.

A first preferred embodiment of the swivel device is characterized by the features of claims 2 to 5. This embodiment can be adapted particularly well to all possible types of the vertical lamella curtains mentioned. By driving the The pulling side by an electric motor acting on a drive wheel, by the clamping of one driver element on each of the strands on the pulling side and by the presence of limit switches, one of which is assigned to one of the driver elements mentioned, allows the required swiveling path from the closed to the Determine the open position of the slats and vice versa only by arranging the driver elements in the correct position. The light-sensitive element directly measures the intensity of the solar radiation and, by emitting a corresponding signal to the control device, allows direct light-dependent control. Control elements that are provided on an operating device can be used to switch between manual and automatic operation. Even in manual operation, it is no longer necessary to pull on one of the side of the train, but the desired pivoting position of the slats can be carried out electrically via the operating device. This can also be done by means of a remote control device, for example via an ultrasound or infrared connection.

A second embodiment of the swiveling device according to the invention, which is very easy to install, is characterized by claims 6 to 10. The core of this embodiment is a cylinder of a certain length, which is filled with an expansion compound. The expansion compound, which is preferably a mixture of hard wax, paraffin and petroleum, has a relatively large coefficient of thermal expansion. The cylinder is heated when exposed to sunlight. As a result, the expansion compound expands. A piston rod, which is arranged to move longitudinally to the cylinder and projects into it, and which is provided with a piston, becomes the cylinder pushed out and acts on the drive means, which is connected to the strands of the train side. The traction side movement path depends on the length of the cylinder filled with the expansion compound. Depending on the existing swivel path of the vertical slat curtain to be retrofitted, different versions are required. With the switch acting on the coupling device, the coupling between the piston rod and the drive means can be switched on or off. When switched off, manual operation by pulling on one of the strings on the train side is still possible. The coupling device is designed in such a way that, after the coupling has been switched on, automatic operation can be resumed, irrespective of the pivoting position of the slats that was previously manually adjusted.

- An installation specialist is not required for retrofitting the two types of embodiment of the swivel devices according to the invention. Retrofitting is easy to do using the do-it-yourself process. There is no need to prepare additional electrical installations.

It goes without saying that further embodiments falling under patent claim 1 are possible. For example, the organ exposed to the sun's rays could also be a bimetal switch in the first embodiment.

Brief description of the figures:

The present invention is now described in more detail, for example, with reference to figures. Show it

1 shows the basic arrangement of the swivel device on a vertical slat curtain, 2 shows another arrangement variant of the swivel device on a vertical slat curtain,

3 - 5 show a block diagram-like structure of a first electronically controlled embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein FIG. 3 shows a control device from the side that

Fig. 4, the control device in supervision and

5 shows a remote control transmitter, and

Fig. 6 + 7, a second, provided with an expansion cylinder

Embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein FIG. 6 shows a partially sectioned side view and FIG. 7 shows a partially sectioned top view.

Implementation of the invention:

1 shows an example of the arrangement of the swiveling device according to the invention on a vertical lamella curtain. This consists of several freely hanging lamellae 1 arranged at a distance from one another. Each of these is provided at the top with a pivot axis which extends in the extension of the vertical longitudinal axis of the lamella and projects into a pivot axis holding rail 23. In the example shown, the lamella curtain serves to cover a window, the outline of which is given by a lower window sill 24, an upper curtain rail board 25, a left window frame part 26 and a right window frame part 27. The pivot axis holding rail 23 already mentioned is fastened in the curtain rail board 25. Each one end of the upper narrow side of the individual slats is connected to a first strand 5 and the other end of the upper narrow side of the individual slats is connected to a second strand 6 of a pull side 4 forming a loop. By pulling on the first of the strands 5, for example, all of the slats can be pivoted in such a way that their surfaces are essentially parallel to the window front. This pivoting position of the slats is referred to below as a first closed position. By pulling the second of the strands 6, the pivoting position of the slats can be changed such that their surfaces are essentially perpendicular to the window front. In the following we speak of a second open position of the slats for this state. Usually the pulling side is deflected by deflection rollers 21, 22 attached laterally at the top of the window and forms the loop mentioned, hanging down next to the right or left window frame part 26, 27. A control unit 7 of the swivel device according to the invention is mounted below the loop, for example on the wall. The control device 7, which is described in more detail further below, has a drive means 8, which comprises a drive wheel 10, around the outer surface of which an auxiliary side 15, for example as a ball side, is looped. Each of the ends of the auxiliary side 15 is fastened with a clamping device 16, 17 on the first and on the second strand of the pull side 4. The auxiliary side 15 ensures that no adaptation of the outer surface of the drive wheel 10 to the type of pull side 4 is necessary. It does not matter whether this is designed as a ball side or simply as a simple cord. However, the presence of the auxiliary side 15 also has the effect that the control device to be assembled is positioned precisely 7 in height is not necessary.

A driver element 11, 12 is arranged on each of the dreams of the auxiliary side 15. These Mitnehmerele¬ elements are slidable and attachable along said strands. When the drive means 8 is rotated in one or the other direction, the first driver element 11 or the second driver element 12 approaches the control device 7. This has limit switches 13, 14 on its side facing the driver elements. The first driver element 11 can approach a first of the limit switches 13 and the second of the driver elements 12 can approach a second one of the limit switches 14. The driver elements 11, 12 are now arranged on the said runs so that the first driver element 11 actuates the first limit switch 13 as soon as the first closed position of the slats is reached. The actuation of the limit switch interrupts the drive movement of the drive wheel 10 in a first drive direction which serves to close the vertical lamella curtain. Likewise, when the second limit switch 14 strikes the second driver element 12, the drive movement of the drive wheel 10 is interrupted in a second drive direction, which serves to open the vertical slat curtain as soon as the second open position of the slats is reached. A light-sensitive organ 9, which is exposed to the sun's rays and is preferably arranged on the window pane and is connected to the control unit via first electrical lines 19, supplies a control signal to the control unit 7 in this way, depending on the sunshine or not, that the drive means is put into operation in the first or in the second of the named drive directions until the first closed position or the second open position Position of the vertical slat curtain is reached. As already said, the reaching of the first and second positions of the slats is determined by the interaction of the driver elements 11, 12 with the limit switches 13, 14. For the intended case, the light-sensitive organ is advantageously a light-sensitive semiconductor element, for example a photo resistor or a photo transistor.

A design that is independent of the grid is achieved in that a solar cell 18 is also advantageously attached to the window pane. The incident light recharges an accumulator, which is not visible in this figure and is accommodated in the control unit 7 and is intended to feed all electrical and / or electronic components.

As shown in FIG. 2, it is also possible not to fasten the control device on the wall to the side of the window, but rather directly on a side window frame part, for example on the right window frame part 27. Such a type of fastening brings advantages in particular for the second embodiment of the device according to the invention with the expansion cylinder described further below, since the expansion cylinder is better exposed to the sun's rays than in the previously described assembly arrangement. Parts corresponding to one another in FIGS. 1 and 2 are each provided with the same reference numerals. It must be added that reference number 3 generally means the swivel device with all of its individual parts. 3, 4 and 5, a first embodiment of the swivel device according to the invention is shown. In addition to the side of the train that is not visible in these figures, it includes the control unit 7 already mentioned with the drive means 8 arranged therein, which includes drive wheel 10, around which the auxiliary side 15 is looped. The first and second clamping devices 16, 17 and the first and second driver elements 11, 12 already mentioned and described above are arranged on the first and second runs of the auxiliary side 15. The limit switches 13, 14 provided on the control device, each of which cooperate with the driver elements and whose mode of operation has also already been described, are arranged in the vicinity of the drive wheel 10 on the control device. Both mechanical and electronic, for example fork light barriers, can be used as limit switches. The drive means 8 further comprises an electric motor 28, which acts on a reduction gear 29. The drive wheel 10 is placed on a reduced drive shaft 30 protruding from the reduction gear 29. A control device 32, preferably an electronic control device, is included as a further assembly in the control unit 7. An operating device 33 with a plurality of operating elements 34 is preferably arranged on the control unit on the same side as the drive wheel. Furthermore, it is provided that a remote control device 35, for example an ultrasound or infrared receiving device, be accommodated in the control device. To supply all the electrical and / or electronic components with electrical energy, an accumulator 31 is also accommodated in the control device 7. The control device 32 switches the electric motor 28 on or off in one direction, depending on a logical evaluation of the limit switches 13, 14 and one of the control switches 34, the organ exposed to solar radiation, which is not visible in these figures, and one Remote control transmitter device via an ultrasound or infrared link with the remote control Receiving device received signals.

Operating elements 34 on the operating device 33 are provided for switching the control device off or on for switching over from automatic operation to manual operation and, in the latter case, for opening and closing the vertical lamella curtain. In manual operation, the commands to open or close the curtain can also be given from the remote control transmitter. The first closed and the second open position of the

Slats are monitored in each case by the limit switches 13, 14. In automatic mode, the opening or closing commands are given by the light-sensitive organ depending on the occurrence or absence of sunshine. In order to prevent unnecessary, relatively rapid successive opening and closing in the event of changing solar radiation, the control device 32 has delay means with which the signals received by the light-sensitive organ are filtered. An embodiment which is advantageous with regard to assembly can be achieved in that the solar cell 18 and the light-sensitive element 9 are designed as a single assembly to be attached to the window pane. This is connected to the control unit 7 via electrical lines 19, 20. As a further embodiment it can be provided that instead of the solar cell 18, a power supply unit, not shown in the figures, is connected to the accumulator 31 and is responsible for its recharging. 6 and 7 show a second exemplary embodiment for the swivel device according to the invention. In a control device 40, a flexible belt 45 is provided as the drive means 41, which is looped around two spaced apart wheels 43, 44. The latter is preferably a toothed belt. A connecting means 48, 49 is provided on each of the dreams 46, 47 for the pulling side 4 not shown in this figure. A first connecting means 48 is arranged on the first strand 46 of the flexible band, which is intended for connection to the first strand of the tension side 4, and a second connecting means 49 is arranged on the second strand 47 of the flexible band 45, which is intended for connection to the second Run 6 of the train side 4 is determined. The arrangement of the connecting means 48, 49, which essentially enables a punctiform connection with the said runs 5, 6 of the tension side 4, is such that in the first closed position of the slats, the first connecting means 48 is in the vicinity of the first of the impellers 43 and the second connecting means 49 is in the vicinity of the second one of the impellers 44. In the second open position of the lamellae, the first connecting means 48 is in the vicinity of the second of the impellers 44 and the second connecting means 49 is in the vicinity of the first of the impellers 43 outside the control device 40 and a member 42 which extends in the longitudinal axis thereof is exposed to sunlight. The organ 42 essentially comprises a cylinder 51, one end of which is turned away from the control device 40 is closed and at the other end of which a piston rod 52, which partially projects into the cylinder 51, is arranged to be longitudinally displaceable and liquid-tight. The end of the piston rod 52 protruding into the cylinder 51 is closed with a piston or a piston disk 54. The interior of the cylinder 51, the wall of which is preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and colored matt black, is filled with an expansion compound 53. The expansion compound is a liquid or gelatinous substance or a mixture with the largest possible expansion coefficient. A mixture of substances consisting of 83% hard wax, 15% paraffin and 2% petroleum has proven to be suitable. When the cylinder 51 is heated by the sun's rays, the expansion compound tries to expand. In the closed cylinder, this can only be done by pushing the piston rod 52 out of the cylinder. When the expansion compound 53 cools, a return spring 59, which is inserted between the piston 54 and the end of the cylinder having the bearing of the piston rod, additionally ensures the return of the piston rod into the cylinder 51. The end of the piston rod 52 protruding from the cylinder 51 is coupled to the drive means 41 via a coupling device 50. The coupling device 50 essentially comprises a toothed rack 55, one end of which is provided with the toothing and engages in a pinion which is connected to the second impeller 44. The other end of the toothed rack 55 has a disengaging plate 61 which extends transversely to the toothed rack 52 and which resiliently engages in a radial groove which is present in the piston rod 52. The toothed rack 55 transmits the longitudinal movement of the piston rod 52 to a rotary movement of the second impeller 44, which in turn ensures a longitudinal movement of the two said strands 46, 47 of the flexible belt 45. Furthermore, a release mechanism 57 is provided on the control device, which comprises a release actuating rod 60, which acts with one end on the release plate 61 already mentioned and at the other end of which a switch projecting from the control device 40 is arranged. When the switch is actuated, the release actuating rod 60 presses that on the side of the piston rod opposite the toothed rod 55 52 is arranged on the disengaging plate 61. This is raised and releases its engagement in the aforementioned groove in the piston rod 52. A decoupling of the piston rod from the rack has taken place. The train side 4 can, as before, be operated manually without the control unit 40. When the shift lever 58 is returned to its original position, the pressure effect of the release actuating rod 60 on the release plate 61 is eliminated. A leaf spring 62, which is attached to the rack 55 and presses on the release plate 61, ensures that the release plate engages in the aforementioned groove on the piston rod 52 again when the groove and the release plate come together the next time opposite. This ensures automatic engagement and coupling of the rack 52 with the drive means 41.

The adjustment path of the tension side 4 corresponds at most to the distance between the two named wheels 43, 44. By means of the length of the expansion cylinder 51 and the ratio of the pinion circumference to the circumference of the outer surface of the second impeller 44, the adjustment path required for the tension side can be determined for a particular one Vertical slat curtain type can be set.

For safety's sake, it is provided that when the piston rod 52 exerts a certain force on the toothed rack 55, the release plate 61 automatically jumps out of the groove in the piston rod. This can be achieved by a corresponding flank design of the groove. This can prevent the slats from over-rotating. The aforementioned automatic latching of the pressure plate into the groove again automatically ensures the correct mutual position of the swivel device and the slats in this case.

Claims

1. Swiveling device for a vertical lamella curtain with a plurality of spaced-apart vertical hanging lamellas which can be pivoted about their vertical axis, with a pulling device acting on all the slats for jointly adjusting the pivoting position of the slats, the pulling device forming a loop Tension string with a first and a second strand and the pivoting position of the slats can be adjusted by pulling on one or the other of the strands from a first closed position to a second open position, characterized in that a control device (7, 40) which comprises at least one drive means (8, 41) which can be connected and detached to the tension string (4), the drive means (8, 41) can be driven in a first and a second, opposite the first drive direction and that there is an organ (9, 42) that can be exposed to the sun's rays, through which the object Driving means (8, 41) can be influenced such that the latter is active in the first drive direction when sunshine occurs until the first position of the slats (1) is reached and active in the second drive direction when the sunshine disappears until the second position of the slats (1) is reached.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means (8) comprises a drive wheel (10) which is connected to a reduction gear (29) driven by an electric motor (28), that the electric motor is powered by an accumulator (31 ) can be driven and that a solar cell (18) and / or a power supply unit is provided for recharging the accumulator.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the pull string (4) can be brought into operative connection with the outer surface of the drive wheel (10), that entraining elements (11, 12) are present due to the movement of the pull string (4) are that two limit switches (13, 14) are arranged on the control device, the first driver element (11) actuating a first one of the limit switches (13) when the slats (1) are in the first position and the second driver element (12) a second of the limit switches (14) is actuated when the slats (1) are in the second position.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the organ is a photosensitive semiconductor element (19), that an electronic control device (32) with which the semiconductor element is coupled is present and that at least one Operating device (34)

(32) is provided and is coupled to the control device (32).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the operating device is a remote control device (35, 36).

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means (41) is a flexible belt (45) looped around two spaced apart wheels (43, 44), of which a first strand (46) of the belt (45 ) with the first strand (5) of the tension string (4) and a second strand (47) of the band (45) with the second strand (6) of the tension string (4) each at one point with a connecting means (48, 49) in this way it can be connected that in the first position of the slats (1) the first connecting means (48) is in the vicinity of the first of the impellers (43) and the second connecting means (49) is in the vicinity of the second of the impellers (44) and that in the second position of the lamellae (1) the first connecting means (48) is in the vicinity of the second of the impellers (44) and the second connecting means is in the vicinity of the first of the impellers (43).

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the drive means (41) via a coupling device (50) with a longitudinally movable in a cylinder (51) and from the cylinder (51) projecting piston rod (52) is operatively connected .

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the member (42) has the cylinder (51) filled with an expansion compound (53), the expansion compound (53) expanding when heated and non-positively on one inside the cylinder (51) acts on the piston rod (52) arranged piston (54).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the expansion compound (53) is a liquid or gelatinous substance or a mixture of substances with the largest possible expansion coefficient, preferably a mixture of hard wax, paraffin and petroleum.

10. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the coupling device (50) comprises a toothed rack (55) which acts on the one hand on a pinion (56) provided on one of the running wheels (44) and on the other hand via a disengaging mechanism ( 57) is connected to the piston rod (52), the disengaging mechanism being manually operable with a shift lever (58) arranged on the control unit.