CA2052573A1

CA2052573A1 - Runner guide for a sliding elevator door

Info

Publication number: CA2052573A1
Application number: CA002052573A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Richard H. Pilsbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Inventio AG
Priority date: 1990-10-04
Filing date: 1991-10-01
Publication date: 1992-04-05
Also published as: ATE117656T1; ES2070382T3; DE59104389D1; EP0478938A1; EP0478938B1

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A runner guide for an elevator door includes a ramp member at an end of travel position along a guide rail for engaging a roller attached to the door and running on the guide rail. The roller has a rim disc which engages a surface on the ramp member to move an insert in the roller out of engagement with the rail thereby relieving the load on and preventing flattening of the running surface on the insert when the door is at rest. The insert is formed of a non-metallic and hard elastic material to reduce running noise. The door is supported by a pair of such rollers, each having a pair of rim discs, and one roller is asymmetric with one of the rim discs being of a smaller diameter to move past the ramp member associated with the other roller without contact during opening and closing of the door.

Description

;~S~573 TITLE
R~NNER GUIDE FOR A SLIDING ELEVATOR DOOR
BACKGRO~ND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally concerns sl~din~
S elevator doors and, in particular, a runner guide for quiet -operatlon of such a door.
It ls known that sliding door runners having rollers wlth metallic running surfaces traveling on metallic guide rails cause disturbing noises. For this reason, different kinds of non-me~allic running surfaces for runners were created, which surfaces help to r~duce the running noises.
The softer the nature of the running surface, the less running noise is generated. On the other hand, the rolling resistance increases for softer materials, which resistance can, however, be compensated for by correspondingly increased door driving power.
The pheno~enon of the running surface flattening at standsti~l has an appreciably worse effect, because a bump motion with corresponding cluttering noises is the consequence thereof. The flat spots are created when a loaded roller remains standing in the same position for a long time. This operation applies particularly to the automatic sliding ele~ator door, since these doors must regularly remain in the closed posltion for several hours.
A good solutlon, which does not have the above identified disadvantages ~nd neverthelass promises quiet running, is described in ehe ~.S. Patent No. 2,611,920. The roller has a vibration-damping intermediate layer positioned between an ou~er ball bearing ring and a roller body, and the roller guide rail likewise displays such a layer between its foot portion and an upper portion. A flattenin~ of the runnlng surface cannot take place, but the running operation is not as quiet as desired. In spite of ths vibration-damping intermediate layers in the roller and ln the guide rail, a metal-on~metal rolling fric~ion always is present.
Moreover, the cons~ruction is very expsnsive, whereby the additional costs tend not to be ~ustifiable for this application.

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2 2~5~ 9348 SUMMARY OF THE_INVENTION
The present invention is based on the ~ask of creating an elevator door runner guide having a guide rail snd a roller, which runner guide does not display the above : 5 identified disadvantages, which can be simply and inexpensively manu~actured, and which can be fitted to existing automatic sliding elevator doors. The runner guide for a sliding elevator door, according to the present invention, ~ncludes a generally longitudinally extending guide rail mounted above a door opening and a pair of rollers attached to the upper edge of an elevator door. Each roller includes a non-metallic and relatively hard elastic material running surface insert and the guide rail has a cross-sectional shape adapted to engage the insert and guide the roller for movement along the guide ra~l. At the closed door end position of a path of tr~vel for ths rollers, a ramp member is Pttached to the guide rail for engaging the associated roller and moving the running surface insert out of engagement with the guide rail thereby reli0ving the roller of the door load.
An elevator door panel typically is suspend~d from the guide rail by a pair oi such sollers. However, the roller at the leading edge of the door panel is ~symmetric having one rim disc of a smaller diameter and another rim disc of a larger diameter extending downwardly on opposite sides of the guide rail. Thus, as the asymmetric roller is ~o~ed along the guide rail, the smaller diameter rlm disc moves over the rnmp member for the other roller without contact while the larger dia~eter rim disc engages its associated ramp ~ember at the end of travel to move the running surface insert out of engagement with th0 guide rail.
The advantages achieved by the present invention are that a solution to the runner guide noise problem is obtained through an adapted shaping of a standard machine part, the guide rail and by a few additional simple components for the rollers, and that the operation of the runner guide for an .
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3 Z~S~7~ 9348 elevator door achieves hitherto not known low noise values.
The present lnvention combines all the advsntages of an elastic roller runnin& iurfsce without, ho~ever, the disadvantages of flattening of the running surface under load during longer d~ration standstills.

BRIEF pESCRIPTION OF THE ~RAWINGS
The above, as well as other adYantages of the present invention, will b~come resdily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following de~ailed descrip~on of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation view in cross section of a sliding elevator door runner guide with a roller in an intermedia~e position on a guide rail in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 is side elevation view in cross section of the roller and the guide rail shown in Fig. 1 with the roller in an end position;
Fig. 3 is a ~ront elevation view of the roller and the guide rail shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation view in cross section of an alternate embodiment of the roller and the guide rail shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of a sliding elevator door incorporating the rollers and the guide rail shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the Fig. 1, a roller body is denoted generally by 1 and is partially cut away to expose an annular groove 1.1 for3ed ln a periphery thereof. An elastic ~aterial insert 2, having a half-round running surface 10 facing the groove openirlg, is retained between two generally parallel, rigid ri~ discs 3 and 4, which discs protrude along both sides of the running surface 10 to orm the sides of ~he groove 1.1.

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The discs 3 and 4 are preferably for~ed oi n ~etal material.
The rim discs 3 and 4 can be of the s~me mnterlal as the roller body 1, and can be separate elemen~s or integral components of the same as shown. The runn$ng surface 10 is in contact with and runs along a half-round head portion 7.1 of a guide rail 7 to function as a slidlng door runner guide.
The guide rail 7 has a longitudinally extending widened base portion 7.3 which is supported on ~nd fastened to an upwardly facing frame surface F above a door opening. Extending upwardly fro~ the base portion 7.3 is a longitudinally extending generally vertical leg 7.2, which is terminated at i an upper edge by the half-round head portion 7.1. The roller body 1 is shown in an intermediate position along the guide rail ~ with the rim discs 3 and 4 extending downwardly along ! 15 the sides of the vertical leg 7.2.
il In the Fig. 2, the roller body 1 is illustrated in &n end position along the guide rail 7. At this position, a pair of ramp members 5 and 6 are Mounted on the base portion 7.3 on each side fthe vertical leg 7.2. The heigh~ of the ramp members 5 and 6 is so dimensioned that the rigld rim , discs 3 and 4 respectively en8age the upper surfaces which ¦ completely reliev~s the load, for example the weight of an ¦ associated elevator door, from the elastic material running surface 10. In the Fig. 3, the saMe position a5 shown in the ~5 Fig. 2 is illustrated in a front e t evation view of ths elevator door. The rim disc 4 has run from left to right up a ramp surface 8 onto a generally horizontally extending upper surface 9 of the ramp member 6 and has, in consequence of ths dimensions of the rim disc diameter and the ramp member height, relieved ~he running surface 10 oi the roller 1 by lifting off the guide rail 7. The ra~p ~ember 5 also has the ramp surface 8 and the upper surface 9. The ramp surface 8 has, for exsmple, a grade ratio of S ~o ~ which is npproximately equal to ten to one.
ln the Fig. 4, an ssymmetric roller 11 is ~llustrated in cross-section and at the right-hand side has a rigid rim disc . i, `

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12 with a diameter which is smaller than the larger diameter left-hand side rigid rim disc 4. The ~symmetric roller 11 can move over the samp member 6 mount~d on the right-hsnd side of the guide rail 7 without the running surface 10 being lifted off, and thus without the supported load being relieved. Through this measure, it is possible to apply the principle to sliding door leaves or panels, in which the roller spacing is less than the horizontal travel distance of the door. In the Flg. 5, the principle is evident in a front partial elevation of an automatic sliding elevator door. A
left-hand door panel 14 is attach~d by a suspension 13a with the roller 1 and by a suspension 13b with the asymmetric roller 11. A right-hand door panel 15 is a~tached ln the same manner with the rollers 1 and 11, only the roller 11 being shown. The right-hand asy~metric roller 11 attached to the door panel 14 is installed so that the smaller rim disc 12 is toward the front of the door. Correspondingly, the ramp membsrs 5 and 6, ad~acent to and assoclated with the rollers 11 and 1 respectively, are mounted respectively ; 20 behind and in front of the vertical leg 7.2 of ~he gu~de rail 7 and ars spaced apart approximately the same distance as the rollers.
¦ The apparatus described above operates as follows: In the Fig. S, it is shown that a spacing ~ between the rollers : 25 1 and 11 associated with the door panel 14 is smaller than a displacement B representing the distance travelled by the roller 11 along the guide rafl 7 between the open and closed positions of the door panel 14. Thus, during a closing movement of the elevator door, the asymmetric roller 11 must be able to move from the door open position over the left-hand ramp member 6 without contact. This movement is possible because the smaller diameter rim disc 12 at the ront of the right-hand asymmetric roller 11 clears the upper surface of the ramp member 6.
In the illustrated application, the running sllrfaces 10 of the rollers 1 and 11 are relieved of the.door load only in L

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' ' ' ~ , ' ", .. ' '. ~ ' the closed position of the sliding elevator door. Such construction ls for the reason that the typical dwell time of an elevator door in the closed position is much }onger than the dwell time in the open position. However, if required, it is readily possible to provide a load relief for the running surfaces 10 in both end positions of the door. In that case, ~he roller 1 is replaced by another one of the asy~etric rollers 11 and the s~aller diameter rim discs 12 are positioned on opposite sides of the ~uide rall 7.
Another pair of the ramp members 5 and 6 can be provided for the end positions of the rollers when the door is open. A
second ramp member 5 (no~ shown) can be spaced the distance B
to the left of the ramp member 5 shown in Fig. 5 on the rear side of the guide rail 7 with the ramp surfaces 8 facing each other. Similarly, a second ramp ~ember 6 (no~ shown) can be spaced the distance B to the le~t of the ramp ~e~ber 6 shown in the Fig. 5 on the front side of the guide rail 7 with the ramp surfaces 8 facing each other.
When utillzing the present invention, the running of the rim discs onto the ra~p members is no longer audible as noise, because the door speed is very small in the region of the end positions of the door panels. Relatively soft material damping inserts 2 can be provided, becaus~ the rollers no longer remain supported on the running surfaces in the end positions and no flattening can thus arise. The movement of a sliding elevator door is prectically noiseless with the apparatus according to the present invention.
Typically, the standard elevator guide rail can be shaped and a fe~ additional simple componen~s added to the standard rollers to obtain the runner guide according to the present inven~ion. The present invention lends itseli for use in other types of sliding doors, such as, for example, the entry doors in shops and hotels, or for any kind of internal connecting doors in office buildings, residential buildings or hospitals. Likewise, the present invention can be applied to telescopic doors, where the effect of quiet of running is .

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;2~5~ ?, significant, in part~cular in the case of a rapidly movlng door panel.
In accordance with the provis1ons of the patent statutes, the present invent$on has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodi~ent. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing fro~ its spirit or scope.

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Claims

1. In a runner guide for a sliding elevator door, the runner guide having a generally longitudinally extending guide rail and a roller, the roller including a non-metallic and relatively hard elastic material running surface insert and the guide rail having a cross-sectional shape adapted to engage the insert and guide the roller for movement along the guide rail, the improvement comprising: means attached to the guide rail and positioned adjacent at least one end of a path of travel of the roller for engaging the roller and moving the running surface insert out of engagement with the guide rail.

2. The runner guide according to claim 1 wherein the roller includes a rim disc extending along a side of the guide rail and said means for engaging and moving includes a ramp member attached to the guide rail and having an upper surface for engaging an edge of said rim disc and moving the insert out of engagement with the guide rail.

3. The runner guide according to claim 1 wherein said means for engaging and moving includes at least two ramp members attached to the guide rail and each said ramp member has an horizontal upper surface and a ramp surface for engaging the roller.

4. The runner guide according to claim 1 wherein the roller is asymmetric having one rim disc of a smaller diameter and another rim disc of a larger diameter extending downwardly on opposite sides of the guide rail and whereby when the roller is moved along the guide rail, said smaller diameter rim disc moves over said means for engaging and moving without contact and said larger diameter rim disc engages said means for engaging and moving to move the running surface insert out of engagement with the guide rail.

5. A runner guide for a sliding elevator door comprising: a generally longitudinally extending guide rail and a pair of rollers, each said roller including a non-metallic and relatively hard elastic material running surface insert and said guide rail having a cross-sectional shape adapted to engage said inserts and guide said rollers for movement along said guide rail, and means attached to said guide rail and positioned adjacent at least one end of a path of travel of said rollers for engaging said rollers and moving said inserts out of engagement with said guide rail.

6. The runner guide according to claim 5 wherein each said roller includes a rim disc extending along a side of said guide rail and said means for engaging and moving includes a pair of ramp members attached to said guide rail and each having an upper surface for engaging an edge of said rim disc of an associated one of said rim discs and moving said inserts out of engagement with said guide rail.

7. The runner guide according to claim 5 wherein said means for engaging and moving includes at least two ramp members attached to said guide rail and each said ramp member has an horizontal upper surface and a ramp surface for engaging an associated one of said rollers.

8. The runner guide according to claim 5 wherein one of said rollers is asymmetric having one rim disc of a smaller diameter and another rim disc of a larger diameter extending downwardly on opposite sides of said guide rail and whereby when said asymmetric roller is moved along said guide rail, said smaller diameter rim disc moves over said means for engaging and moving without contact and said larger diameter rim disc engages said means for engaging and moving to move said running surface insert of said asymmetric roller out of engagement with said guide rail.

9. A sliding door for closing an opening comprising: a door panel; a generally longitudinally extending guide rail;
a pair of rollers attached to said door panel, each said roller including a non-metallic and relatively hard elastic material running surface insert and said guide rail having a cross-sectional shape adapted to engage said inserts and guide said rollers for movement along said guide rail; and means attached to said guide rail and positioned adjacent at least one end of a path of travel of said rollers for engaging said rollers and moving said inserts out of engagement with said guide rail.

10. The sliding door according to claim 9 wherein said means for engaging and moving includes at least two ramp members attached to said guide rail and each said ramp member has an horizontal upper surface and a ramp surface for engaging an associated one of said rollers.

11. The sliding door according to claim 10 wherein each said roller includes a rim disc extending along a side of said guide rail for engaging said upper surface of an associated one of said rollers and moving an associated said insert out of engagement with said guide rail.

12. The sliding door according to claim 11 wherein one of said rollers is asymmetric having said rim disc with a larger diameter and another rim disc of a smaller diameter extending downwardly on opposite sides of said guide rail and whereby when said asymmetric roller Is moved along said guide rail, said smaller diameter rim disc moves over one of said ramp members without contact and said larger diameter rim disc engages another one of said ramp members to move said insert of said asymmetric roller out of engagement with said guide rail.

13. The sliding door according to claim 9 including another door panel adapted to cooperate with said door panel at a door opening; another pair of rollers attached to said another door panel and each including a non-metallic and relatively hard elastic material running surface insert for movement along said guide rail; and other means attached to said guide rail and positioned at least one end of a path of travel of each of said another pair of rollers for engaging said another pair of rollers and moving associated ones of said inserts out of engagement with said guide rail.

14. The sliding door according to claim 9 wherein said means for engaging and moving is positioned at both ends of said path of travel and wherein said rollers are asymmetric each having a rim disc with a larger diameter and another rim disc of a smaller diameter extending downwardly on opposite sides of said guide rail and whereby when said asymmetric roller is moved along said guide rail, said smaller diameter rim disc moves over said means for engaging and moving without contact and said larger diameter rim disc engages said means for engaging and moving to move said insert of said asymmetric roller out of engagement with said guide rail at both ends of said path of travel.