EP0320423B1 - Roller blind box - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a roller shutter box formed by a box of rectangular shape and serving as a housing for a drive shaft on which an apron is wound and unwound, this drive shaft being held at its ends. , by side cheeks closing said trunk.

The invention will find its application, more particularly, in the industry of roller shutters.

A number of boxes for roller shutters are already known, as described above. Thus, these boxes include a box of substantially parallelepiped shape and, in general, consisting of two panels having a section in the form of a square. One of these panels forms, simultaneously, the front face and the top of the trunk, the other panel constituting, meanwhile, the rear face and the bottom. The latter also has an opening for the passage of the roller shutter deck.

This chest, usually placed in the upper part of a door or window, serves as a housing for a drive shaft on which and from which an apron is wound and unwound. The maintenance of the drive shaft is ensured by lateral cheeks closing said trunk on its lateral sides. Frequently, these side cheeks further comprise connecting elements cooperating with the ends of the vertical guide rails in which the lateral ends of the blades constituting the roller shutter deck are made to move.

Usually, the box of the latter also contains motor means cooperating with the drive shaft to animate the latter with a rotational movement. In certain cases, these motor means consist of a pulley around which a strap or chain is partially wound enabling the user to actuate the roller shutter.

According to another embodiment, the motor means are an electric motor, the operation of which controls the deployment or the folding of the apron without manual intervention on the part of the user.

The problem posed by these known roller shutter boxes lies in the complexity of manufacturing management due to the multiplicity of parts involved in their production.

Indeed, it can be seen that the dimensions of the lateral cheeks are necessarily dependent on those of the whole of the roller shutter box. In addition, their morphology is determined according to their right or left use and the type of drive shaft or motor means used.

Thus, in the context of manual drive means, for example a pulley, the latter is generally engaged on one of the projecting parts of the drive shaft. The ends of the latter are, for their part, inserted into hubs provided with bearings and integral with the lateral cheeks. It is common to provide roller shutters, provided with such manual drive means, a compensation box facilitating, using elastic means, the operation of the deck, especially when the weight of the latter is important.

According to another embodiment, the pulley is replaced by a winch actuated by a rod or the like. This solution requires modifying the side cheeks accordingly to allow the installation of this winch.

It is obvious that the association of an electric motor with the rolling shutter, also generates structural modifications of the box and, in particular of its side cheeks.

Such problems are encountered in particular in the context of the roller shutter box described in document FR-A-2,176,168. Thus, the box, to which reference is made in this prior document has a parallelepiped shape and serves as a housing for a drive shaft on which an apron is wound and unwound, this drive shaft being held, at its ends , by side cheeks coming to close, laterally, said box.

More precisely, these side cheeks have, at their internal face, a slide formed by two flat irons arranged horizontally and between which is intended to insert a slide cursor also composed of a flat iron, and provided with a bearing tenon on which is fitted the end of the winding and unwinding shaft of the deck.

In fact, although this arrangement makes it possible to insert from the external face of the box and after mounting of the latter, the winding and unwinding shaft of the deck, the fact remains that the side cheeks, thus designed , are in no way able to adapt to different mechanisms for driving the winding shaft and unwinding the deck.

In addition, the particular morphology of the lateral cheeks conditions, in general, the operating mode for mounting the roller shutter.

Thus, according to a first method, the roller shutter is fixed, in a single operation, above a door, window or the like, either in a housing provided for this purpose in masonry, or simply applied to the internal face. or external of the wall. This solution is only suitable under special conditions, for example, for roller shutters of reduced size and reported, frequently, applied to the wall of the building.

The second method consists in placing, initially, the box above the existing opening in the wall and then introducing into this box the drive shaft provided with appropriate motor means and on which the deck is wound. This solution is the most frequently adopted because of the numerous advantages which it provides, in particular, in terms of ease of assembly. It also corresponds to the roller shutter box described in the aforementioned document FR-A-2,176,168.

However, it poses new problems as to the manufacture of the side cheeks. Indeed, the design of the latter differs depending on whether the mounting of the deck, fitted with its drive mechanism, inside the box is carried out from the front face, the rear face, the bottom or the top of the latter. . More specifically, the means for fixing the drive shaft will necessarily be adapted to this direction of assembly.

Of course, these numerous conditions which a side roller shutter cheek must satisfy have led the manufacturer to design a multitude of different models. This results in a not insignificant increase in the parts stored and a significantly increased manufacturing management.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. The invention as characterized in the claims solves the problem of creating a rolling shutter box formed by a box of parallelepiped shape and serving as a housing for a drive shaft on which an apron is wound and unwound , this drive shaft being held at its ends by lateral cheeks closing off said trunk and comprising, on the one hand, a vertical slide extending, substantially, over their entire height and intended to receive the upper end apron guide rails and, on the other hand, means for positioning and maintaining a symmetrical design with respect to the horizontal median plane and / or at the center of these lateral cheeks capable of cooperating with removable bases formed by a metal plate , plastic or other comprising either, a hub into which the end of the apron drive shaft can be inserted, or means allowing the fixing and centering of electric motor means, a winch or a compensation box.

The advantages obtained thanks to this invention essentially consist in that the lateral cheeks have a structure suitable for any embodiment of the roller shutters and, in particular, for the various motor means liable to intervene. More specifically, the notion of removable base has made it possible to dissociate the function, support of the drive means, from the lateral cheek. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to design, for each given box dimension, a side cheek adapted to particular motor means. By assigning this function to removable bases, independent of the size of the boxes, the number of different parts in production is considerably reduced.

Another advantage is that these side cheeks are made reversible due to their structure, substantially symmetrical with respect to a horizontal median plane and, in particular, by extending, over their entire height, a slide making it possible to receive, on either side, the end of guide rails along which the deck is brought to move.

These advantages contribute to the same goal, namely the reduction of the cost price of the roller shutter boxes due to a simplified manufacturing and a simplified storage management.

• La figure 1 est une vue de face d'une joue latérale conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue en coupe selon II-II de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une vue de dessus de la joue latérale représentée dans la figure 1.
• La figure 4 est une vue de face d'une embase conforme à un premier mode de réalisation.
• La figure 5 est une vue de gauche de l'embase représentée dans la figure 4.
• La figure 6 est une vue de face d'une embase conforme à un second mode de réalisation.
• La figure 7 est une vue de gauche de l'embase représentée dans la figure 6.
• La figure 8 est une vue schématisée de l'arbre d'entraînement en cours de montage dans le caisson du volet roulant, les joues latérales étant exécutées selon un second mode de réalisation.
• La figure 9 est une vue de face de la joue latérale conforme à ce second mode de réalisation.

The invention is set out below in more detail with the aid of drawings representing only one embodiment.

• Figure 1 is a front view of a side cheek according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a sectional view along II-II of Figure 1.
• FIG. 3 is a top view of the lateral cheek shown in FIG. 1.
• Figure 4 is a front view of a base according to a first embodiment.
• FIG. 5 is a view from the left of the base shown in FIG. 4.
• Figure 6 is a front view of a base according to a second embodiment.
• FIG. 7 is a view from the left of the base shown in FIG. 6.
• Figure 8 is a schematic view of the drive shaft during assembly in the roller shutter box, the side cheeks being executed according to a second embodiment.
• Figure 9 is a front view of the side cheek according to this second embodiment.

Reference is made, more particularly, to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 8 and 9.

The roller shutter box 1, according to the invention, is constituted by a box of elongated and parallelepiped shape, usually arranged above an opening in a wall or a roof and corresponding to a door, window or the like. .

This box 1 is used, more particularly, for housing a drive shaft 2 from which and on which unrolls and winds up an apron (not shown) generally consisting of a series of juxtaposed blades and connected together by means of joints. This drive shaft 2 comprises, at one of its ends 3, motor means 4, manual or automatic, capable of giving it a rotational movement, which results in the deployment or folding of the above-mentioned apron.

Such motor means 4 can be constituted either by a pulley or winch in the case of manual drive controlled, for example, using a chain, a belt or a crank, or by an electric motor. actuated by control means present in the dwelling.

The casing 1 for rolling shutter further comprises lateral cheeks 5, 5A intended, on the one hand, to maintain, at its ends 3, 6, the drive shaft 2 of the deck and, on the other hand, to close the lateral sides of the aforementioned trunk.

Preferably, these side cheeks 5, 5A are in the form of a dish 7 made of a material metallic, plastic or other, and with dimensions adapted to those of the trunk.

According to a characteristic of the invention, said lateral cheeks 5, 5A comprise, on their internal face 8, on the one hand, a vertical slide 9 located on one of its vertical edges 10 and extending, substantially, over the entire height 11 of the lateral cheek 5, 5A. The advantage of this vertical slide 9 consists in ensuring the cooperation of the lateral cheeks 5, 5A with the free ends of the vertical guide rails in which the lateral edges of the roller shutter deck move.

Preferably, the vertical slide 9 is formed by a profile 12, of rectangular section, attached, by welding, riveting or the like, on the internal face 8 of the plate 7. This embodiment is shown, more precisely, in FIGS. 1 to 3.

However, this vertical slide 9 can also be obtained by molding the lateral cheek 5A as illustrated in FIG. 9.

The height and the particular arrangement of the vertical slide 9 with respect to the lateral cheek 5, 5A are particularly important parameters, given that they allow the engagement of the ends of the guide rails whatever the direction of reversal of this side cheek 5, 5A. This results in the possible reversibility of the latter for right or left use.

On the other hand and according to the invention, the lateral cheeks 5, 5A comprise, on their internal face 8, positioning and holding means 13 capable of cooperating with removable bases 14, 15 attached, retractably, at the ends 3, 6 of the drive shaft 2.

Advantageously, these positioning and holding means 13 are of symmetrical design with respect to the horizontal median plane 16 and / or to the center 17 of the lateral cheek 5, 5A, so that the latter can retain their reversible character.

Thus, said positioning and holding means 13 consist, according to a first embodiment corresponding to Figures 1 to 3, of two horizontal slides 18, 19 arranged on either side and symmetrically to the horizontal median plane 16 of the cheek lateral 5. More precisely, these horizontal slides 18, 19 are attached, like the vertical slide 9, on the internal face 8 of the plate 7. Furthermore, they are formed by square-shaped profiles, one of which 20 wings is present substantially perpendicular to the plane of the lateral cheek 5, the other wing 21 being arranged parallel to the latter.

As indicated above, the function of these horizontal slides 18, 19 consists in ensuring the connection between the side cheek 5 and a removable base 14, 15, the latter constituting means for holding the drive shaft 2 or motor means 4 of the rolling shutter. In fact, these removable bases 14, 15 have a structure determined according to the chosen embodiment of the roller shutter or the associated motor means 4. Thus, they avoid the multiple adaptations of the structure of the side cheeks 5, 5A to these different embodiments.

In general, the various removable bases 14, 15 consist of a flat 22 of parallelepiped shape and of width 23 determined as a function of the spacing of the horizontal slides 18, 19. It is, in fact, essential to ensuring the cooperation of the latter with the horizontal edges 24, 25 of said plate 22.

Note, moreover, that said horizontal edges 24, 25 are substantially offset relative to the plane of the plate 22 so as to define between the latter and the internal face 8 of the lateral cheek 5, 5A a sufficient free space to allow the setting in place of screw heads, nuts or other fixing means.

In order to facilitate the engagement and positioning of a removable base 14, 15 in the slides 18, 19, the latter comprise, at one of their ends 26, a stop 27 cooperating with the vertical edge 28 of the plate 22. In addition, the horizontal edges 24, 25 have, in addition, orifices 29 serving as passage for fixing members 30 integral with the slides 18, 19. This cooperation of the aforementioned fixing members and orifices 29 machined in the bases removable 14, 15 consists, essentially, in ensuring the maintenance of the latter in slides 18, 19 in order, finally, to make them integral with the side cheeks 5.

According to a second embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the positioning and holding means 13 are, in reality, means 31 for fitting, in the axial direction, the removable bases 14, 15 on the side cheeks 5A . This feature makes it possible, at the time of mounting the roller shutter, to overcome an additional constraint which usually constitutes the direction of fitting of the drive mechanism of the deck inside the box 1.

Indeed, the use of horizontal slides 18, 19 as positioning and holding means 13 of the removable bases 14, 15 requires the mounting of the deck and its drive mechanism from the front or rear face of the box 1 of the roller shutter without any other solution is not possible, except the block assembly of the latter.

However, in the context of this specific embodiment of the positioning and holding means 13, it is possible to ensure the cooperation of the side cheeks 5A with the removable bases 14, 15 whatever the side of the box used for the passage of the drive shaft 2 provided with the deck and the driving means 4.

However, such an assembly operating mode requires the use of a drive shaft 2 of modular length. For this purpose, this drive shaft 2 is of the telescopic type.

To this end, and according to a preferred embodiment, the drive shaft 2 comprises, at at least one of its ends 6, an extension 32 formed by a pin 33 slidably mounted in said drive shaft 2 and whose protruding length 34 relative to this end 6 is variable.

Thus, depending on whether one is in the mounting phase or in the nested position of the removable bases 14, 15 on the side cheeks 5A, the spindle 33 is more or less introduced into the drive shaft 2, giving the latter a shorter or, as the case may be, longer length.

Preferably, the holding and guiding of the spindle 33 in the drive shaft 2 is obtained by means of a ring 35 attached to the end 6 of the latter and having in its center a bore adjusted to the diameter of said spindle 33. This ring 35 is also provided with means for blocking said spindle 33 to immobilize the latter in the axial direction at the end of assembly and thereby guarantee the cooperation of the removable bases 14, 15 with the means of axial fitting 31.

As regards the latter, they consist, substantially, of at least two pins 37, 38 arranged on the internal side 8 of each of the side cheeks 5A symmetrically with respect to the center 17 of the latter. This condition of symmetry is essential to preserve the reversible nature of the side cheeks 5A. Of course, the number of two nipples is in no way limiting and it is shown, in FIG. 9, an embodiment with four nipples 37, 38, 40, 41 distributed symmetrically with respect to the center 17 of a lateral cheek 5A.

According to another embodiment, the abovementioned pins are replaced with a frame 42 with a regular side 43 and meeting the conditions of symmetry set out above.

According to the embodiment represented in FIG. 9, the means 31 are a combination of pins 37, 38, 40, 41 and a frame 42 offering a more effective support and positioning capable of alleviating more substantial loads, corresponding , in particular, to large roller shutters.

Figures 4 to 7 show, in different views, two removable bases 14, 15 adapted to separate embodiments of the roller shutter, in particular, its drive means 4 and the drive shaft 2 of the deck.

Thus, the removable base 14 (Figures 4 and 5) is intended to cooperate with the end 44 of the spindle 33 or, quite simply, the end of the drive shaft, and consists of a flat 22 , generally metallic, comprising, at its center 45, a hub 46 provided with rolling means facilitating the rotation of the spindle 33 or of said drive shaft 2. As for the removable base 15 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it works more particularly on the drive shaft 2 side provided with drive means 4 and comprises, for this purpose, a structure accordingly. Thus, this removable base 15 is formed of a metal dish 22, comprising, on the one hand, a central orifice 47 allowing the centering of the motor means 4 and, on the other hand, a series of openings 48, 49 distributed over its surface and used for the passage of fasteners, either a winch, a compensation box or an electric motor.

If a frame 42 is used as a means 31 for axially fitting the removable bases 14, 15 onto the side cheeks 5A, the dimensions of these removable bases 14, 15 are adjusted to those of the internal space delimited by said frame 42.

Furthermore, the metal plates 22 forming these removable bases 14, 15 have orifices 29 machined in accordance with pins 37, 38, 40, 41 and are used for the passage thereof to position said removable bases 14, 15 on the side cheeks 5A.

Note that to ensure the connection between the trunk and the side cheeks 5, 5A, the latter have connecting lugs 50, 51, 52, 53 distributed over their entire periphery 2 and located near their horizontal edges 54 and / or vertical 55. These connecting tabs 50 to 53 are of varying size depending on the load they are brought to bear and have one or more openings 56 serving as passage for fastening members of the panels forming the trunk.

The mounting method according to the roller shutters fitted with side cheeks 5A provided with means 31 for axially fitting the removable bases 14, 15 consists in placing above the opening present in the masonry, the box 1 provided with side cheeks 5A. Then, after assembly of the motor means 4 and removable bases 14, 15 on the drive shaft 2, one proceeds to the engagement of the latter inside the box 1 previously mounted. The following operation consists in introducing the removable base 15, located on the side of the motor means 4, into the axial interlocking means 31 of the side cheek 5A, before causing the pin 33 to slide in the ring 35, so as to position the removable base 14 on the opposite side cheek 5A. Finally, this spindle 33 is immobilized relative to the drive shaft 2 by means of the locking means 36. This assembly carried out, it suffices to close the box 1 by means of the panels not yet assembled.

It is obvious that by reducing the constraints, both in terms of the design of the roller shutter and in the context of its final assembly in the masonry of a construction, this invention contributes to constantly renewed objectives whatever the field. of the industry concerned, namely the reduction in the cost of production and, in general, the cost price of the product used.

Claims (11)

1. Box (1) for roller blinds formed by a parallelepiped-shaped chest serving for accomodating a driving shaft (2) onto which rolls up and from which unrolls an apron, this driving shaft (2) being held at its ends (3, 6) by side plates (5, 5A) which obturate said chest, which box is characterized in that said side plates (5, 5A) comprise, on the one hand, a vertical slide (9) substantially extending over their full height (11) and aimed for receiving the upper end of guiding rails for the apron and, on the other hand, positioning and holding means (13) designed symmetrically with respect to a horizontal median plane (16) and/or to the centre (17) of these side plates (5, 5A), capable of co-operating with removable bases (14, 15) formed by a flat bar (22) made of metal, plastic or the like and comprising either a hub (46) into which can be engaged the end of the driving shaft (2) of the apron or means (47. 48. 49) enabling the securing and centering of electric driving means, of a winch or even of a compensating box.

2. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning and holding means (13) are comprised of two horizontal slides (18, 19) symmetrically arranged on both sides of a horizontal median plane (16) on the inner face (8) of the side plates (5), these horizontal slides (18, 19), on the one hand, being comprised of angles one wing of which (20) is substantially perpendicular to the plane of said side plates (5), the other wing (21) being arranged parallel to these latter (5) and, on the other hand, comprising at their one end (26) a thrust (27) facilitating the positioning of the removable bases (14, 15).

3. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning and holding means (13) are means (31) for fitting the removable bases (14, 15) in an axial direction onto the side plates (5A), said removable bases (14, 15) being inserted onto the ends (3, 6) of a telescopic-type driving shaft (2).

4. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claim 3, characterized in that the means (31) for fitting the removable bases (14, 15) in an axial direction onto the side plates (5A) are formed by at least two studs (37, 38) arranged on the inner face (8) and symmetrically to the centre (17) of maid side plates (5A).

5. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claim 3, characterized in that the means (31) are formed by a frame (42) with regular sides (43) inserted onto the inner face (8) of said side plates (5A) and symmetrically arranged with respect to the centre (17) of these latter.

6. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claim 3, characterized in that the means (31) are formed by the combination of studs (37, 38, 40, 41) and a frame (48) with regular sides (43) symmetrically distributed with respect to the centre (17) and on the inner face (8) of the side plates (5A).

7. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claims 1, 2, 4 and 6, characterized in that the flat bar (22) made of metal, plastic or the like forming a removable base (14, 15) has openings (29) either machined in concordance with the studs (37, 38, 40, 41) to enable their engagement or serving as a passageway for securing organs (30) integral with the horizontal slides (18, 19) for positioning and holding said removable bases (14, 15) in these latter.

8. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claims 1, 2 and 5, characterized in that the flat bar (22) made of metal, plastic or the like forming a removable parallelepiped-shaped base (14, 15) has a width (23) determined so as to enable the co-operation of its horizontal edges (24, 25) with the horizontal slides (18, 19) or sizes adapted to those of the inner space defined by the frame (42).

9. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the horizontal and/or vertical edges (24, 25) of the removable bases (14, 15) are substantially offset with respect to the flat bar (22), so as to define, between this latter and the inner face (8) of the side plate (5, 5A), after mounting into the positioning and holding means (13), a sufficient free space for ensuring the placing of screw heads, nuts or other securing means.

10. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable base (15) comprises, on the one hand, a central opening (47) and, on the other hand, one or several openings (48, 49), distributed over its full surface, forming the means enabling the securing and the centering of the electric driving means and/or a winch and/or a compensating box.

11. Box (1) for roller blinds according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the driving shaft (2) comprises at at least one of its ends (6) an extension piece (32) conferring to same a lengthwise modular character, this extension piece (32) being formed by a pin (33) slidingly fitted into the driving shaft (2) and the length (34) of which protruding with respect to the end (6) of this latter is varying, a ring (35) capable of axially moving on the pin (33) comprising blocking means (36) for immobilizing this latter with respect to said driving shaft (2).

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