EP0156451B1

EP0156451B1 - Folding wall

Info

Publication number: EP0156451B1
Application number: EP85200668A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Petrus Johannes Maria Peeters-Weem
Original assignee: Pella BV
Current assignee: Pella BV
Priority date: 1981-10-14
Filing date: 1981-10-14
Publication date: 1989-08-30
Also published as: EP0156451A2; EP0156451A3

Description

A zigzag folding wall comprising a plurality of similar modules, each of said modules suspended to a top rail including first and second coupling members, a first pair of panels having adjacent edges pivotally connected to one another, the opposite edges of said first pair of panels being pivotally connected with said first and second coupling members respectively, each of said modules also including a second pair of panels having adjacent edges pivotally connected to one another, the opposite edges of said second pair of panels being pivotally connected with said first and second coupling members respectively, said panels being foldable in zigzag fashion, a first module having the first coupling member thereof adjacent the second coupling member of a second module.
Such a wall is disclosed in DE-A-1509657. The invention has for its object to provide a folding wall which reduces transport and mounting costs by its modular structure.
Detachable securing means for securing said last-mentioned first and second coupling members to one another to thereby secure the first and second modules to one another, and said second coupling member of said first module having an opening therein aligned with said securing means for receiving a tool therethrough to engage said securing means when assembling or disassembling the modules suspending to said top rail, to a wall.
Owing to its modular structure the mounting operation is drastically simplified, since every module is suspended to the guide rail required for the wall, after which only one operator need fasten the modules to one another. Since the modules are easy to handle transport is also simplified.
A simple construction and an effective soundproof assembly are obtained in that, inter alia, the panels and coupling means are interconnected at the longitudinal edges by uninterrupted hinge profiles of synthetic resin.
In the case that the folding wall is provided with spring blades for exerting an inwardly directed force on the associated panels when the wall is drawn out in order to stretch the panels in the direction of length of the wall, the invention further suggests to provide the coupling means with a pair of relatively spaced supporting members for guiding said spring blades.
The invention will be described more fully with reference to an embodiment. The accompanying drawing shows in:

Fig. 1: a perspective view of part of the folding wall in accordance with the invention,
Fig. 2 a plan view of a detail of the wall of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 a horizontal sectional view of part of the folding wall in the stretched position,
Fig. 4 a vertical sectional view of the folding wall of Fig. 3,
Fig. 5 a perspective view of part of the folding wall illustrating the mounting operation.

The folding wall shown in the Figures is composed of modules each consisting of two opposite pairs of relatively pivotable panels 1, the hinge being formed by a synthetic-resin strip along the edges thereof (see, in particular, fig. 5). By other longitudinal edges the panels 1 are connected through a pivotal strip 3 with head strips 4 in a manner such that each module forms a hollow structure. Each module is suspended by a runner system fastened to the top side of each head strip 4 to a rail 5 along the top edge of a passage between two rooms.
The modules can be fastened to one another with the aid of the head strips 4, for which purpose they are provided with fastening means. Fig. 5 shows that the head strips 4 have a square hole 6 for passing a tool 7 and a tapped hole 8 are alternately off-set in the head strips 4 so that when one module is mounted by means of the foremost head strip, the hindmost can be fastened to the foremost head strip of the adjacent module.
The head strips 4 have furthermore an opening 10, which openings are in register after mounting (see fig.2) Through these openings are passed two blade springs 11, one end 12 of which is fastened to the inner side of the adjacent panels 1. The spring blades 11 are provided on their proximal sides with a coating of rough material 19 which may have a ridge profile in order to avoid slip between the two spring blades 11.
At the level of the hole 10 the spring blades are supported by supporting members 13 in the form of rollers, the distance between the supporting members 13 being such that the spring blades 11 contact with one another at point A.
Near the end of the spring blades 11 is provided a cam 14, which prevents the spring blades from snapping from between the supporting members when the panels 1 are in the folded position.
At a given distance above the supporting members 13 a lever 15 is secured to the head strip 4 by means of a hinge 16. At the level of the free ends of the spring blades 11 a pressing head 17 is fastened to the lever 15.
The folding wall according to the invention can be actuated as follows.
By drawing the folding wall of. fig. 1 forward by means of the handle 18, the modules are moved into the stretched state, in which the panels 1 fold towards one another. Owing to this movement the spring blades 11 shift in place with respect to the pressure point 13 so that the spring blades 11 are deformed. The point A will then shift as far as beyond the pressure points 13 in dependence on the shape of the spring blades 11 as a result of which in the semi-stretched state of the panels 1 an inwardly directed force is exerted at the junction point 12 in the direction of the arrow P 1 in the panel 1. This force brings about a stretching of the panels 1 in the direction of length of the wall.
When the wall is folded, the levers 15 will come into contact by their free lower ends with the inner side of the opposite head strip 4, the lever thus exerting pressure by means of the pressing head 17 on the free end of the spring blades 11. This force in the direction of the arrow P2 brings about an outwardly directed force P3 at the junctions 12 so that the panels 1 are urged outwards. As soon as the pressure point A is located on the side of the junctions 12 with respect to the pressing members 13, the spring force generated in the spring blades by the deformation will further the spreading of the panels 1.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. The flattening stretching design by means of the resilient blades 11 may as well be used in another construction than that having the above-described module structure.

Claims

1. A zigzag folding wall comprising a plurality of similar modules, each of said modules suspended to a top rail (5) including first and second coupling members (4), a first pair of panels (1) having adjacent edges pivotally (2) connected to one another, the opposite edges of said first pair of panels being pivotally connected with said first and second coupling members (4) respectively, each of said modules also including a second pair of panels (1) having adjacent edges pivotally (2) connected to one another, the opposite edges of said second pair of panels being pivotally connected with said first and second coupling members (4) respectively, said panels (1) being foldable in zigzag fashion, a first module having the first coupling member thereof adjacent the second coupling member of a second module, characterized by detachable securing means (8) for securing said last-mentioned first and second coupling members to one another to thereby secure the first and second modules to one another, and said second coupling member of said first module having an opening (6) therein aligned with said securing means (8) for receiving a tool (7) therethrough to engage said securing means when assembling or disassembling the modules suspending from said top rail (5), to a wall.

2. A folding wall as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal edges of the panels (1) and the coupling members (4) are interconnected by continuous pivotal profiles of synthetic resin (2, 3).

3. A folding wall as claimed in claim 1 and 2 provided with a pair of spring blades (11) for exerting an inwardly directed force on the associated panels (1) when the wall is drawn out in order to stretch the panels (1) in the direction of length of the wall, characterized in that said coupling member (4) is provided with a pair of relatively spaced supporting members (13) for guiding said spring blades.