EP0383709B1 - Moving closure means for a wall opening - Google Patents

Abstract

This device is composed of a closure member (3) which comprises at least one, and preferably two, juxtaposable walls (30, 31) which have the general shape of cylindrical arcs of vertical axis and with a (total) arc length of the order of 180 DEG , the height of which corresponds to that of the opening (O), and which can rotate about a vertical axis (ZZ') coinciding with their own axis and corresponding to the axis of vertical symmetry of the opening (O), such that the said walls (30, 31) can, as desired, either be brought by rotation into a position in which they are inscribed in the opening (O), completely closing it and being located in the said outer space (EE), or be brought into the said inner space (EI). Equipment for building. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a movable closure device for an opening of substantially rectangular shape formed in a partition, the vertical plane which contains the opening separating one from the other two spaces, one conventionally called interior space and the another called outdoor space.

Known devices such as doors, windows and traditional French windows are used when brought into their closed position to achieve a physical separation between an interior space and an exterior space. On the contrary, in the open position, these devices allow free communication between the two spaces. However, they do not allow the user to transfer at his discretion a useful volume normally contained in one of these two spaces in the other. So for example, when the French window separating an apartment from a balcony is closed, which is particularly the case during the night or in winter, all the volume of the outside space which corresponds to the balcony, and which would be useful as living space, is lost.

The presence of a veranda, communicating with an interior space by a French window, makes it possible to enlarge the useful volume of this space if necessary. However, this solution is not entirely satisfactory. In fact, it is necessary to provide various equipment making it possible to isolate the interior space from heat and cold, this both at the level of the veranda wall (opening hatches, blinds) and at the level of the door. window. This equipment significantly increases the cost price of the installation. The cost is further increased due to the need to provide motorization for this equipment (in particular due to the phenomena of rapid overheating resulting from the greenhouse effect of the veranda).

Furthermore, there is a problem of cleaning the exterior glazing of the veranda, in particular when the veranda is located high up, which is the case in apartment buildings. Cleaning then requires external means of access such as scaffolding or winch, for example.

The main objective of the invention is to solve these difficulties by proposing a shutter device of the type mentioned which not only allows - like traditional doors, windows and French windows - to carry out the communication (for the passage and ventilation) or, on the contrary, the material separation of the two spaces, but also which has a changing configuration offering the user the freedom to enlarge one of the two spaces at will by appropriating a useful volume which normally , in another configuration, belongs to the other space.

A second objective of the invention is to propose a device which fulfills the various functions of an installation associating a veranda and a French window, without having the disadvantages, in particular of greenhouse effect, of high cost and of necessity of '' multiple motorization.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a device which is aesthetic, modern in appearance, inexpensive to manufacture and install, simple to use, and which can lend itself to various applications both in collective housing and in individual housing. , either inside a building (in a partition separating two rooms), or in a wall separating an interior from the outside (for example a room opening onto a terrace or balcony).

Another object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-clean device.

Another objective of the invention is to propose a device capable of being protected from acts of vandalism and of serving as a solar collector, this thanks to the presence of a shutter roller integrated in the device.

We know on the other hand doors like "airlock" whose purpose is to allow the passage of people while being permanently closed on one side to avoid drafts, the passage of light, or for prevent hold-ups (see for example DE-C-18 349, DE-B-1 030 550, GB-A-1 467 369 and FR-A-2 584 129). These airlocks have one or more pivoting cylindrical walls. So that the opening which they close is permanently closed, including during the operation of the airlock, the sum of the lengths of arcs which the pivoting wall has (or that the pivoting walls have) on the one hand, and the walls fixed to the partition - walls which serve to guide the pivoting wall (s) - on the other hand, is necessarily greater than or equal to 360 °. Under these conditions, the devices of this type are not really suitable for connecting the two spaces which they delimit, with a view to free passage and / or good ventilation of the interior space. They are also not suitable for being fitted with a roller shutter fulfilling the functions set out above.

The device according to the invention, like the device according to FR-A-2 584 129, is intended to close an opening made in a partition; it comprises a shutter member consisting either of a wall or of several juxtaposable walls, having the general shape of a cylinder arc of vertical axis having an angular length of arc (total) of the order of 180 ° , whose height corresponds to that of the opening and whose diameter corresponds to the width of this opening, this (or these) wall (s) being mounted (s) rotating (s) around a vertical axis which coincides with its own axis. According to the invention, said opening has a substantially rectangular shape and is in a vertical plane, while said vertical axis corresponds substantially to the vertical axis of symmetry of the opening, so that the (the) said ( s) wall (s) can (can) at will either be brought (s) by rotation into a position in which it (s) fits (fits) in the opening O by closing it completely and being located (s) in the external space, or be brought back (s) in the interior space, and said shutter member is carried by a chassis, in the general form of a frame, which is intended to be placed in the partition to delimit the opening and which carries a pair of annular guides top and bottom in which slides (s) the - or - said (s) wall (s), this device further comprising a roller shutter which is mounted on a winding drum disposed at the top of said frame and is susceptible to be lowered inside the annular guide high in the opening, between the lateral uprights of the chassis.

By interior and exterior spaces is meant the two spaces which are separated by the vertical plane containing said opening.

In a preferred embodiment, the shutter member comprises two separate walls each having an arc length of the order of 90 ° (or slightly more than 90 °), these two walls being movable independently of one of the other so that they can be either joined, that is to say brought edge-to-edge, or separated from one another according to a circumferential trajectory.

The wall or walls constituting the shutter member are preferably made of transparent or translucent material, for example glass or plastic.

It is interesting to design the upper cross member of the chassis in the form of a box receiving the rolling shutter. Thus, the device being equipped with a high annular guide, the latter is fixed to the frame, and the roller shutter is adapted to descend into the opening inside the annular guide (crossing the plane of the latter).

In one possible embodiment, the roller shutter is guided and retained laterally in vertical profiles integral with the shutter member.

The device is advantageously motorized, means known per se being able to be provided for controlling the movement of the - or - wall (s), for example a geared motor by means of an irreversible worm and gear transmission.

It is of course provided between the (or) wall (s) mobile (s) and the edges of the opening of the sealing means ensuring a sealed connection between these elements at least when the (or) wall (s) is (are) in the closed position of the opening.

These means may consist simply of a flexible seal, and there may be provided on the wall an additional thickness adapted to compress the seal in the closed position of the opening.

Alternatively, one can use an inflatable hollow seal, of the type known per se (see for example DE-A-2 049 999).

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description and the appended drawings which show preferred embodiments thereof.

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessus schématique montrant un exemple d'implantation dans une maison d'habitation d'un premier mode de réalisation du dispositif objet de l'invention ;
• les figures 2 et 3 sont des vues partielles similaires à celle de la figure 1 mais montrant le dispositif dans deux positions différentes ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique éclatée, en perspective, de ce premier mode de réalisation ;
• la figure 5 est une vue simplifiée similaire à la figure 2, destinée à montrer comment se fait le guidage du volet roulant équipant le dispositif ;
• les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues de dessus schématiques d'un second mode de réalisation, dans deux positions différentes ;
• la figure 8 est une vue détail à grand échelle illustrant un principe de liaison étanche d'une paroi mobile avec le châssis du dispositif.

In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is a schematic top view showing an example of installation in a dwelling house of a first embodiment of the device object of the invention;
• Figures 2 and 3 are partial views similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the device in two different positions;
• Figure 4 is an exploded schematic perspective view of this first embodiment;
• FIG. 5 is a simplified view similar to FIG. 2, intended to show how the rolling shutter fitted to the device is guided;
• Figures 6 and 7 are schematic top views of a second embodiment, in two different positions;
• Figure 8 is a detail view on a large scale illustrating a principle of sealed connection of a movable wall with the chassis of the device.

The device which is the subject of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a metal frame 1 having the general shape of an inverted "U" comprising two lateral uprights 10 and an upper cross member 11. This chassis defines an opening generally rectangular O situated in a vertical plane P. Between the uprights 10, at the upper part and at the lower part thereof, are fixed two annular guides 12, respectively 13, the diameter of which corresponds to the width of the opening O. The vertical axis ZZ 'of symmetry of the chassis 1 passes through the center of the rings 12, 13.

The shutter member, designated by the reference 3, is formed by two quarter-cylinder walls 30, 31, of the same diameter as the rings 12, 13. Each wall consists of two curved bars 33, 34 connected by a series of vertical rods 301 between which elements 300 are mounted; the latter are rectangular glass plates, of height corresponding to that of the opening O , and of small width; the plates 300 are fixed to the intermediate rods 301 and to the elements 33, 34 by traditional means, for example by gluing and / or puttying in the same way as glass is fixed on a window. These plates are either flat or curved in an arc like the bars 33, 34.

The bars 301 situated on the edges of the walls 30, 31, designated 35, are U- shaped section profiles, the slot 36 of which faces inward, that is to say towards the axis of revolution of the wall.

The upper 34 and lower 33 elements are adapted to be slidably mounted in the guides 12, 13 respectively. To this end, the elements 34, 33 are, for example, section profiles in "T" shape adapted to move in grooves made in the guides 12, 13; anti-friction members such as rollers can be provided to improve this sliding.

The upper cross member 11 affects the structure of a trunk adapted to receive - as is well known per se - a roller shutter 55 mounted on a winding drum, the latter being able to be controlled either manually or motorized by means of suitable controls not shown.

The apron of the roller shutter 55 can be raised to be retracted into the trunk 51; it can also be lowered between the two uprights 10 like a traditional shutter, by crossing the ring 12; as will be seen below, the "U" bars 35 allow the lateral edges of the roller shutter 55 to be guided and retained when it is lowered.

The device finally comprises a canopy 54 which has the shape of a visor which can be made of transparent or translucent plastic material, for example by thermoforming. The canopy 54 is used when the device is placed in the opening of an exterior wall; the awning is of course fixed on the outer face of the wall, so as to cover the upper ring 12; for this purpose, the lower edge 540 of the awning has a corresponding semi-cylindrical shape.

During assembly, the lower annular guide 13 can possibly be integrated into the ground, so as not to protrude from the surface of the latter and not to impede the passage.

In Figure 1, very schematically designated this device located in a house.

The frame 1 has been mounted in a rectangular opening O arranged vertically, and contained in a fictitious plane P formed in a partition 100, in this case a wall of the house, which separates the interior space EI from the exterior space EE .

The assembly is such that the axis ZZ ′ passes through the plane P. The guide rings 12, 13 are therefore arranged half in the interior space. On the exterior side, the upper ring 34 is covered by the canopy 54 while the lower ring 13 is embedded in the paving of a terrace 102 which extends the interior floor, their two surfaces being coplanar.

The diameter of the walls 30, 31 is for example of the order of 3 meters.

In Figures 1 to 3, there is designated by the reference 4 a flexible seal, of known type, capable of ensuring the seal (with water and wind) of the contact of the movable walls 30, 31 with the uprights 10 of the chassis 1, to which it is attached. Such seals have not been shown in Figure 4 so as not to make it unnecessarily heavy.

To obtain correct recovery of the walls 30, 31 by the seal 4 (located in the plane P ), these walls have a length of arc slightly greater than the right angle.

At line 1, the two walls 30, 31 are located in the EE space, which very significantly increases the habitable space of the house, the device playing the role of a veranda.

In FIG. 2, on the contrary, the walls 30, 31 have been brought back into the interior space EI ; this position is interesting in summer, especially in bright sunshine, because the veranda is somehow retracted in the shade, and there is no overheating due to the "greenhouse effect" thereof.

In addition, the useful surface of the terrace is very advantageously increased.

In the position of FIG. 3, the device is in the open position, and the walls 30, 31, brought laterally each against an upright 10 allow the free movement of people from EI to EE , and vice-versa, while allowing good ventilation of the House. Of course, it is possible to give each of the walls 30, 31 an appropriate intermediate circumferential position, in particular as a function of the sun exposure or of the wind direction.

Appropriate seals are advantageously provided to seal the edge-to-edge connection of the two walls 30, 31 in each of the positions of FIGS. 1 and 2. Likewise, suitable locking members ensure the immobilization of these walls in each of these positions, or even in the intermediate positions.

Figure 5 is a very schematic view similar to Figure 2, showing the shutter 55 lowered. The latter is guided and retained laterally by the U-shaped uprights 35 of the walls 30, 31. In this position, which is particularly advantageous when the house is unoccupied, the roller shutter closes the opening O while protecting the glass walls 30, 31 against acts of vendalism.

The shutter 55 can also be lowered when the walls 30, 31 are in the space EE , the uprights 35 'provided on the opposite edges of the walls then serving to guide and retain the shutter. In this position, the device can serve as a solar collector, especially if the external face of the shutter has been given a dark color; under the effect of the sun's rays, the air trapped between the shutter and the walls is indeed overheated, by greenhouse effect. It can be planned to breathe this air either naturally or forcibly, into the interior space EI to heat the house, which can be interesting during the winter on sunny days.

Note that it is very easy to wash the two faces of the walls 30, 31, both from the inside (which is practical if the device is located on a floor), and from the outside (which can be useful if necessary to clean the walls with a water jet from the terrace), making the walls successively occupy the positions of Figures 1 and 2.

Alternatively, one of the walls could be made of transparent material and the other of opaque material.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, the device has a single semi-cylindrical wall 6, extending substantially over an angle equal to 180 ° - in fact a little larger to allow sufficient overlap by seal (not shown) -. The wall 6 is formed of several flat plates 60, for example made of glass, fixed between vertical support rods 600. This wall is guided to follow a circular path in an upper annular rail 53 to which it is suspended, or in a pair of top and bottom annular rails. Its diameter is not example of the order of 1.40 m.

The device is installed on a balcony B provided with a railing R carried by a wall 100 separating the interior space EI from a room of the exterior space EE (and of the balcony). In the position of Figure 6, the device 6 is positioned so that the glass wall 60 is outside. The room is therefore closed, the wall 60 preventing air from entering while allowing the passage of light. When the roller shutter 55 is raised, it is possible to enter the balcony, and therefore to have an additional volume which is added to that of the interior space EI . At night, the roller shutter 55 can be lowered. If the shutter member 6 is rotated 180 °, the glass wall 60 is brought back into the interior space, which enlarges - or constitutes - the balcony. As shown in Figure 7, it is of course possible to position the member 6 in an intermediate position, for example to protect from the wind (arrow V ) and to allow free passage of the user from the balcony to the room.

In Figure 8 there is shown a seal device 4 which cooperates with an extra thickness or boss 300 provided in certain areas of the walls 30, 31 (or, where appropriate, of the single wall 60). When this extra thickness comes opposite flexible joint 4, it is compressed which ensures a good seal; on the other hand, in intermediate positions of rotation, the seal 4 is not compressed, and therefore does not rub against the walls 30, 31, so as not to hinder the rotation of the drum. It will be noted that flexible flaps 40 are also provided, further improving this seal, especially in the rain; the uprights 10 are advantageously metal profiles having grooves adapted to receive the seal 4 and the flaps 40.

In a variant, the seal 4 is a flexible tube of the air chamber type which can be inflated by compressed air by means of a solenoid valve. In this case the inflation is carried out only when the drum has been brought into the desired position; it is deflated for the rotational movement so as not to rub against the walls.

Whatever the embodiment, it is naturally possible, by means the design of which is within the reach of those skilled in the art, to motorize the rotation of the movable wall (s). For this we will use for example an electric gearmotor acting on irreversible transmission members (to avoid possible opening from the outside by malicious people) such as worm / gear. The control can either be carried out voluntarily by the users - using a switch - or controlled automatically by sensors, for example according to the sunshine and / or according to the time of the day.

From the above, it is clear that the device according to the invention can be the subject of multiple applications; of course the shapes, dimensions and materials used for the various constituent elements will be chosen according to this use.

When the device is used on an exterior wall, the movable wall in the shape of a cylinder arc may be coated on its external face with a material that matches the coating of this facade, for example ceramic tiles. On a building facade, it is possible to envisage providing on each floor a series of shelves provided with such a device, all of the superposed shelves, with variable configuration, then forming a particularly aesthetic whole.

Claims (11)

1. Movable obstruction means for an opening (O) provided in a partition wall (100) separating from each other two spaces, one called the interior space (EI) and the other called the exterior space (EE), which comprises an obstructing member (3, 6) which may comprise either a single wall (60) or a plurality of juxtaposable walls (30-31) having the general shape of an arc of a cylinder having a vertical axis with an angular length of arc (in total) of the order of 180°, the height of which corresponds to the height of the opening (O) and the diameter of which corresponds to the width of the opening (O), this wall or walls being rotatably mounted about a vertical axis (ZZ') which coincides with its or their axis, characterised in that the said opening (O) has a substantially rectangular shape and lies in a vertical plane (P) and in that the said vertical axis (ZZ') corresponds substantially to the vertical axis of symmetry of the opening (O), in such a way that the said wall or walls may be caused as desired to rotate into a position in which it/they fill the opening (O), obstructing it completely, and lie within the said exterior space (EE) or are withdrawn into the said interior space (EI), the said obstructing member (3, 6) being borne on a support (1) having the general shape of a frame which is designed to be located in the partition wall (100) in order to bound opening (O) and which bears a pair of upper (12) and lower (13; 53) annular guides in which the said wall or walls (60; 30, 31) slide, the means also incorporating a roller shutter (55) which is mounted on a winding drum located in the upper part of the said support (1) and being capable of being caused to descend within the upper annular guide (12) in opening (O) between the lateral uprights (10) of the support (1).
2. Movable obstruction means according to claim 1, characterised in that the said wall (30, 31; 60) is constructed of a transparent material.
3. Movable obstruction means according to either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the said wall (60) comprises flat members (600) which are juxtaposed and lie within an arc of a cylinder.
4. Means according to claim 1, characterised in that the obstructing member is formed of two adjacent juxtaposable walls (30, 31) of the same diameter which can move independently of each other and which may be positioned edge to edge or be separated from each other along a circumferential trajectory.
5. Movable obstruction means according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the upper cross-member (11) of the support (1) is a box which receives the said roller shutter (55).
6. Movable obstruction means according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the roller shutter (55) is guided and retained laterally in vertical sections (35, 35') which are integral with the obstructing member (3).
7. Movable obstruction means according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the upper annular guide (12) is covered by a hood 54, preferably of transparent material, on the exterior space side (EE).
8. Movable obstruction means according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that rotational movement of the wall or walls (30, 31; 60) is controlled by a motor, e.g. an electric motor with a reduction gear, via an endless screw and gear transmission.
9. Movable obstruction means according to claim 1, characterised in that the said support is provided with at least one flexible seal (4) capable of providing a weathertight seal between the said wall and the support, at least when this wall is in the position obstructing the opening.
10. Movable obstruction means according to claim 9, characterised in that the said wall has at least sufficient excess thickness to compress the seal (4) in the position in which the opening is obstructed.
11. Movable obstruction means according to claim 10, characterised in that the seal (4) is an inflatable hollow seal.

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