EP0242545B1 - Door for a lift car - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Door for a lift car for people or loads, of the type opening in two parts, each formed from several leaves which are controlled by an operating device comprising four sliding pieces (10, 14, 9, 13) displaced exclusively on a pair of rails (7, 8) in order to ensure the guiding either of the main hinge pins (19 to 22) displaced in the plane of the opening in the case where the leaves fold up like an accordion, or directly of the leaves if they slide telescopically, characterized in that the two rails (7, 8) are superposed in a substantially vertical plane and have a relatively large distance between them, and in that each of the four sliding pieces (10, 14, 9, 13) is at the same time guided by the two abovementioned rails.

Description

The invention relates to lift cabin doors, in particular for the transformation of smooth-walled freight elevators.

It is known that under certain conditions, in particular of reduced speed, it has been tolerated so far the installation of passenger elevators and freight elevators, or freight elevators, said to have smooth walls, characterized by the absence of cabin door and the use of simple landing doors of the outward opening or sliding type, with manual opening and manual or automatic closing. The interior faces of the various landing doors are flush with the interior surface of the hoist sheath to form a smooth wall against which the cabin is connected with the minimum clearance by a threshold and input returns.

This type of installation has the advantage of being extremely economical and very space-saving, but on the other hand it does not offer the desired security for the users. For this reason, in most countries where this type of installation was accepted, regulatory provisions will make it compulsory, in the short term, the transformation of all existing installations of this type to make them comply with safety standards, in particular by adding cabin doors.

The general problem that arises is therefore to transform existing installations at the lowest possible cost to bring them up to safety standards. For this, a first difficulty is due to the small width of the sheath and the absence of cabin return which does not allow the installation of simple sliding doors, or even telescopic. We are therefore obliged to use accordion doors. Another difficulty is due to the small space which exists between the cabin and the smooth wall and which makes it difficult to install the usual operator, that is to say the device for guiding and synchronizing the sleds carrying the various main axes of articulation of the accordion in the plane of the opening. This results, in most cases, a need to transform the cabin, which involves significant costs.

In fact, according to the usual arrangement, two rails are used, one the most interior for slow sleds and the other the most exterior for fast sleds, these two rails therefore being juxtaposed in a horizontal plane which causes congestion. important.

Another arrangement is also known, such as that described in document GB-A-738.846, in which two rails are no longer used only, but three rails, the first innermost for slow sleds, the second as previously juxtaposed with the previous one for fast sleds, and the third superimposed on the second to also ensure the guiding of only one of the fast sleds. The purpose of this arrangement with three rails is to obtain more space for increasing the inter-axis of the guide wheels of the four sleds in order to improve the resistance to tilting of the leaves which are here sliding. On the other hand, this does not in any way reduce the bulk in thickness since there are always at the base two rails juxtaposed in the horizontal plane.

It should be noted that in this latter arrangement, only one of the four tracks is guided at the same time by two of the three rails, the other three being each guided exclusively by a single rail.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the above drawbacks, in particular by providing an accordion or telescopic door for a lift or passenger lift cabin, the operator of which is very compact in thickness.

In the most usual arrangement of accordion doors, the door has two parts, each formed of several, in general four accordion leaves, with a fixed hinge axis on the outside, two main axes of articulation moving in the plane of the opening, and two secondary axes of articulation moving towards the inside of the cabin during the opening. The operator therefore generally comprises four sleds carrying the main axes and moving at two different speeds and in both directions on at least two parallel rails juxtaposed and fixed on a cross member, resulting in significant bulk in thickness. In addition, the synchronization of these four sleds generally requires an endless cable, moving for example the two slow sleds symmetrically, plus two endless hauling each causing a fast sled from the slow sled of the same direction, which implies that the two slow sleds are long enough to each carry two pulleys spaced a distance greater than the length of these sleds. This results in an even greater bulk of the operator.

The invention is particularly applicable to an accordion door with eight leaves of this type, but to reduce this bulk in thickness, the operator according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that he uses exclusively two rails, also fixed on a crosspiece, and which are superimposed on a relatively large spacing, each of four sleds being guided at the same time by the two aforementioned rails. However, the invention can also be applied to a door with four telescopic leaves capable of using the same operator.

In particular, two of the sleds are of an external type and formed by a substantially planar flange situated parallel and at a short distance from the plane of the rails and on one side thereof, this flange carrying rollers which roll on the outer edges of the assembly of the two rails, and the two other sleds are of an interior type and also formed by a substantially planar flange situated parallel and at a short distance from the plane of the rails but on the other side thereof, this flange carrying rollers which roll on the inside edges of the assembly of the two rails.

The four sleds are alternated so that the two fast sleds are of opposite types in order to be able to cross in the closed position and that each slow sled is of the type opposite to that of the fast sled in the same direction so as to be able to cross with it in the open position.

The device for synchronizing the movements of the four sleds is advantageously located in the interval between the two rails and between the two planes of the flanges.

In addition, this synchronization device can advantageously consist only of two cables or the like (belt, chain):

• -un premier brin qui part d'un premier point fixe situé à une première extrémité de la traverse pour se rendre à une première poulie mobile portée par un premier traîneau lent,
• -un deuxième brin qui part de la précédente pour retourner à une première poulie fixe située à la dite première extrémité,
• -un troisième brin qui part de cette dernière et se fixe à un premier traîneau rapide de sens opposé à celui du premier traîneau lent, puis de là continue jusqu'à une deuxième poulie fixe située à la deuxième extrémité de la traverse, opposée à ladite première extrémité,
• -un quatrième brin qui part de cette dernière poulie fixe et se fixe à un deuxième traîneau rapide de même sens que le premier traîneau lent, puis de là continue jusqu'à une troisième poulie fixe située à ladite première extrémité,
• -un cinquième brin qui part de cette dernière pour se rendre à une deuxième poulie mobile portée par un deuxième traîneau lent, de même sens que le premier traîneau rapide, et
• -un sixième brin qui part de cette dernière pour se rendre à un deuxième point fixe à ladite première extrémité; et
• B) une câblette courte renvoyée sur une quatrième poulie fixe située à ladite deuxième extrémité et dont les deux brins sont fixés respectivement aux deux traîneaux lents.

A) a long cable which successively comprises

• a first strand which leaves from a first fixed point situated at a first end of the cross-member to reach a first movable pulley carried by a first slow sled,
• a second strand which leaves from the previous one to return to a first fixed pulley situated at said first end,
• -a third strand which starts from the latter and attaches to a first fast sled in the opposite direction to that of the first slow sled, then from there continues to a second fixed pulley located at the second end of the crosspiece, opposite to said first end,
• a fourth strand which starts from this last fixed pulley and is fixed to a second fast sled in the same direction as the first slow sled, then from there continues to a third fixed pulley situated at said first end,
• a fifth strand which leaves from the latter to go to a second movable pulley carried by a second slow sled, in the same direction as the first fast sled, and
• a sixth strand which leaves from the latter to go to a second fixed point at said first end; and
• B) a short cable returned to a fourth fixed pulley located at said second end and the two strands of which are fixed respectively to the two slow sleds.

In particular, the first and third fixed pulleys can advantageously be superposed and carried by the same axis at said first end, just as the second and fourth fixed pulleys can also be superposed and carried by the same axis located at said second end.

• la figure 1 est une vue en bout selon 1-1 dela figure 2; et
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique de face de l'opérateur.

Other features of the invention will appear in the following description of an embodiment taken as an example and shown in the attached drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is an end view along 1-1 of Figure 2; and
• Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the operator.

The operator according to the invention is built on an upper cross member 1 fixed by lugs 2 on the upper lintel 3 of the cabin 4 of the freight elevator. On this cross member 1 are fixed, by means of spacers 5 and 6, two rails 7 and 8 which are parallel and superimposed in the same vertical plane with a relatively large interval.

• -les traîneaux du type extérieur, qui sont constitués chacun par un flasque 9 ou 10 situé parallèlement et à faible distance du plan vertical des rails 7 et 8, chacun de ces flasques portant les axes 11 de deux paires de galets 12 qui roulent sur les bords extérieurs de la paire de rails 7 et 8, c'est-à-dire respectivement sur le bord supérieur du rail supérieur 7 et sous le bord inférieur du rail inférieur 8;
• -les traîneaux du type intérieur, qui sont constitués également par un flasque 13 ou 14 situé parallèlement et à faible distance du plan des rails 7 et 8, mais du côté opposé à celui où se trouvent les flasques des traîneaux extérieurs, chacun de ces flasques intérieurs portant à son tour les axes 15 de deux paires de galets 16 qui roulent à l'intérieur de la pair de rails 7 et 8, c'est-à-dire respectivement sous le bord inférieur du rail supérieur 7 et sur le bord supérieur du rail inférieur 8.

Along these rails slide, preferably by means of rollers, the four sleds which are of two types:

• -sleds of the external type, which each consist of a flange 9 or 10 located parallel and at a short distance from the vertical plane of the rails 7 and 8, each of these flanges carrying the axes 11 of two pairs of rollers 12 which roll on the outer edges of the pair of rails 7 and 8, that is to say respectively on the upper edge of the upper rail 7 and under the lower edge of the lower rail 8;
• -sleds of the interior type, which also consist of a flange 13 or 14 located parallel and a short distance from the plane of the rails 7 and 8, but on the side opposite to that where the flanges of the outer sleds are located, each of these flanges interiors in turn carrying the axes 15 of two pairs of rollers 16 which roll inside the pair of rails 7 and 8, that is to say respectively under the lower edge of the upper rail 7 and on the upper edge of the bottom rail 8.

The flanges 13 or 14 of the inner sleds are preferably arranged on the side of the upper cross member 1 in order to avoid the problem of interference of these flanges with the upper spacers 5, by limiting this problem to the lower spacers 6 which cannot be disposed only in places not scanned by the flanges 13 and 14. However, the reverse arrangement would also be possible.

Thanks to this arrangement, the outer and inner sleds can cross each other while benefiting from excellent, very symmetrical and very stable guidance thanks to the spacing width of the rails 7 and 8. In addition, this spacing allows to remain, between the planes inner and outer flanges and between the areas scanned by the inner rollers 16, sufficient space to accommodate the movement synchronization device in a position also well symmetrical with respect to the sleds.

There is shown schematically, in the lower part of FIG. 2, the left hinge axis 17 and the right hinge axis 18, located at the ends of the cross member 1, in the plane of the cabin opening and at the ends of the latter, as well as the left and right fast main axes, 19 and 20, and the slow left and right main axes 21 and 22. We also see the secondary articulation axes 23 which move towards the inside of the cabin when the main axes 19 to 22 move in the plane of the cabin opening and in the direction corresponding to the opening.

As usual, these are the four main axes 19 to 22 for which guidance and synchronization must be ensured.

When the left part of the door is completely folded in the open position, the axes 19 and 21 come almost to merge with the axis 17, at the thickness near the stack of the four leaves. For this reason the axes 19 and 21 must be placed as far to the left as possible of their respective sleds 14 and 10. The same reasoning shows that the axes 20 and 22 must be placed as far to the right as possible of their respective sleds 9 and 13.

Note in Figure 2 that the fast sleds 14 and 9 corresponding to the main rapid axes 19 and 20 are of opposite types to allow their crossing in the closed position, that is to say when the axes 19 and 20 came practically in coincidence. In the example shown, the sled 14 is of the interior type and the sled 9 of the exterior type.

Similarly when the left part of the door is completely re-applied in the open position, the two sleds 14 and 10 must be able to overlap, which also requires that the sled 10 be of the type opposite to the type of the sled 14, that is to say ie in the present case of the exterior type. The same reasoning shows that the sled 13 must be of the type opposite to the sled 9, that is to say of the interior type.

To ensure the synchronization of the movement of the four sleds, the usual devices mentioned above could be used. However, to obtain the maximum space saving, it is preferable according to the invention to use a simplified device with two cables or the like, that is to say flexible or articulated links such as cable, ribbon, strap. or chain: a long cable and a short cable.

• le brin b1 part d'un point fixe 24 d'ancrage sur la traverse 1 et se rend à une poulie 25 dont l'axe est porté par le chariot lent droit 13;
• le brin b2 retourne de cette poulie 25 à une poulie 26 tournant autour d'un axe fixe 27 sur l'extrémité droite de la traverse 1;
• le brin b3 part de cette poulie 26 et va se fixer sur une patte 28 du traîneau rapide 14, puis de là continue en ligne droite jusqu'à une deuxième poulie fixe 29 tournant autour d'un axe fixe 30 à l'extrémité gauche de la traverse 1;
• le brin b4 part de cette poulie 29 et se fixe sur une patte 31 du chariot rapide 9, puis de là continue en ligne droite jusqu'à une poulie 32 située à l'extrémité droite de la travers 1, et tournant de préférence autour du même axe 27 que la poulie 26;
• le brin b5 part de cette poulie 32 et se rend à une poulie 33 dont l'axe est porté par le chariot lent gauche 10;
• le brin b6 retourne de cette poulie 33 jusqu'à un deuxième point d'ancrage 34, de préférence très proche de l'ancrage initial 24 et muni d'un dispositif de réglage de longueur.

The long cable comprises six successive strands, referenced b1 to b6 in FIG. 2, and which carry out the following path:

• the strand b1 starts from a fixed point 24 of anchoring on the cross-member 1 and goes to a pulley 25 whose axis is carried by the right slow carriage 13;
• the strand b2 returns from this pulley 25 to a pulley 26 rotating around a fixed axis 27 on the right end of the cross member 1;
• the strand b3 starts from this pulley 26 and will be fixed on a lug 28 of the fast sled 14, then from there continues in a straight line until a second fixed pulley 29 rotating around a fixed axis 30 at the left end of cross member 1;
• the strand b4 starts from this pulley 29 and is fixed on a lug 31 of the rapid carriage 9, then from there continues in a straight line to a pulley 32 situated at the right end of the cross member 1, and preferably rotating around the same axis 27 as the pulley 26;
• the strand b5 starts from this pulley 32 and goes to a pulley 33 whose axis is carried by the slow left carriage 10;
• the strand b6 returns from this pulley 33 to a second anchor point 34, preferably very close to the initial anchor 24 and provided with a length adjustment device.

The short cable on its side has a first strand b7 anchored at 35 on the slow left carriage 10 and which goes to a pulley 36, located at the left end of the cross member 1 and preferably rotating around the same axis 30 as the pulley 29, and a second strand b8 which goes from this pulley 36 to an anchor point 37 on the sled 13 and preferably provided with a length adjustment device.

The two adjustments 34 and 37 are maneuvered in such a way that the two slow axes 21 and 22 arrive simultaneously against the corresponding hinge axes 17 and 18 and that at the same time all the cables are stretched. Then the fast axes 19 and 20 are brought in turn against the respective slow axes 21 and 22, then the anchors 28 and 31 are locked on the long cable.

Consequently, any operation of one of the four main axes 19 to 20 or of the corresponding sled automatically causes the symmetrical displacement of the two door parts with displacements of the fast axes 19 and 20 double those of the slow axes 21 and 22.

For example, for a manual opening, it will be enough to maneuver one of the axes 19 or 20, or both symmetrically, while for an operation by an electromagnetic actuator, for example of the usual crank-rod type, one will preferably act on one of the slow carriages. 10 or 13. As a variant, it is possible to act by rotating the pulley 36.

The device according to the invention thus allows a total opening of the entrance to the cabin and at the same time a space requirement in the direction of the thickness extremely reduced which allows its establishment on the usual lift cabs without requiring transformation.

The invention relates more particularly to accordion doors with eight leaves for freight elevators because of its total opening, but could naturally also be advantageously used also for passenger elevators, in particular for telescopic doors with four leaves, as indicated more high. In the latter case, the bottom of each of the sleds, instead of supporting one of the main axes, directly carries one of the leaves.

Claims (8)

1. Door for a lift car for people or loads, of the type opening in two parts, each formed from several leaves which are controlled by an operating device comprising four sliding pieces (10, 14,9,13) displaced exclusively on a pair of rails (7, 8) in order to ensure the guiding either of the main hinge pins (19 to 22) displaced in the plane of the opening in the case where the leaves fold up like an accordion, or directly of the leaves if they slide telescopically, characterized in that the two rails (7, 8) are superposed in a substantially vertical plane and have a relatively large distance between them, and in that each of the four sliding pieces (10, 14,9,13) is at the same time guided by the two abovementioned rails.

2. Door according to Claim 1, characterized in that

-two of the sliding pieces (9, 10) are of an outer type and are formed by a substantially plane plate situated in parallel with and at a small distance from the plane of the rails and on one side of the latter, this plate carrying rollers (12) which run on the outer edges of the whole of the two rails (7, 8),

-the two other sliding pieces (13, 14) are of an inner type and are formed by a substantially plane plate situated in parallel with and at a small distance from the plane of the rails but on the other side of the latter, this plate carrying rollers which run on the inner edges of the whole of the two rails.

3. Door according to Claim 2, characterized in that the four sliding pieces (10, 14, 9, 13) are of an alternating type such that the two fast sliding pieces (14, 9) are of opposite types so as to be able to cross in the closed position and that each slow sliding piece (10, 13) is of the opposite type to that of the fast sliding piece (14, 9) with the same direction of displacement so as to be able to cross the latter in the open position.

4. Door according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a device for synchronizing the movements of the various sliding pieces (10, 14, 9, 13) which is situated in the gap provided between the two rails (7, 8).

5. Door according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a device for synchronizing the movements of the various sliding pieces (10, 14, 9, 13) which is situated in the gap between the planes of the plates of the two types.

6. Door according to Claims 4 and 5, in which the device for synchronizing the movements of the sliding pieces (10, 14, 9, 13) consists of thin cables or the like, characterized in that this device comprises only two thin cables, a long thin cable (b1 to b6) which interacts with the various sliding pieces and a short thin cable (b7, b8) which interacts only with the slow sliding pieces.

7. Door according to Claim 6, characterized in that

A) the long thin cable comprises six successive lengths, namely

-a first length (b1) which starts from a first fixed point (24) situated at a first end of the crosspiece (1) to arrive at a first movable pulley (25) carried by a first slow sliding piece (13),

-a second length (b2) which starts from the previous pulley (25) to return to a first fixed pulley (26) situated at the said first end,

-a third length (b3) which starts from the latter pulley (26) and is fixed (28) to a first fast sliding piece (14) with an opposite direction to that of the first slow sliding piece (13) and from there then continues as far as a second fixed pulley (29) situated at the second end, opposite the first,

-a fourth length (b4) which starts from this latter fixed pulley (29) and is fixed (31) to a second fast sliding piece (9) with the same direction as the first slow sliding piece (13) and from there then continues as far as a third fixed pulley (32) situated at the said first end,

-a fifth length (b5) which starts from this latter pulley (32) and arrives at a second movable pulley (33) carried by a second slow sliding piece (10) with the same direction as the first fast sliding piece (14), and

-a sixth length (b6) which returns from this latter pulley (33) to a second fixed point (34) for anchoring to the said first end of the crosspiece (1);

B) the short thin cable is returned on a fourth fixed pulley (36) at the said second end, and its two lengths (b7, b8) are fastened (35, 37) to the two slow sliding pieces (10, 13), respectively.

8. Door according to Claim 7, characterized in that the first (26) and third (32) fixed pulleys are superposed and rotate respectively about the same spindle (27) situated at the said first end of the crosspiece (1), whereas the second (29) and fourth (36) fixed pulleys are also superposed and rotate about the same spindle (30) at the said second end of the crosspiece (1).

Images