EP0728903B1 - Roller blind for a door, window or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The shutter rolls on to a shaft with its ends held up by supporting members joined by coupling elements (8) to lateral slideways (7) in which the shutter edges move as the shutter goes up and down. Each of the coupling elements comprises a connecting piece (13) with its lower end (14) engaged with the upper end of a slideway (7), while its upper end (24) has a support for the shaft and forms an extension to the lateral supporting member of the doorway or window aperture. Each coupling element (8) is made from a rigid central core embedded by over-moulding or other means, in an outer sleeve of a supple synthetic material. The core can be, for example, an I-section metal bar.

Description

The invention relates to a rolling shutter for a door, window or the like, comprising a tree on which an apron is rolled up and which is held at its ends by cheeks supports cooperating, by means of connection, with lateral slides in which are able to move the lateral ends of said deck, the connecting means being constituted by a connecting lug whose lower part is engaged in the upper end of the lateral slide.

The present invention will find its application in the field of roller shutters.

We already know a number of roller shutters corresponding to the above description, for example by FR-A-2 708 033. More particularly, a rolling shutter usually comprises a shaft on which and from which an apron composed of a juxtaposition of blades is wound and unwound connected to each other by means of appropriate articulation means. This tree is held at its ends by bearings or the like fitted to support cheeks. These can be fixed directly to the masonry, but they can also be attached using appropriate connecting means, to the side slides which extend vertically on either side of the doorway corresponding to the door, window or the like. In fact, in these lateral slides, the ends move sides of the blades corresponding to the deck, during deployment or folding of the last. Thus, a lateral slide often takes the form of a profile U-shaped comprising two wings extending parallel from a bottom and between which are located said ends of the blades. Very often, a intermediate partitioning, parallel to the bottom, delimits a vertical channel in the end upper part of which is inserted, in part, a connecting tab constituting, substantially, the connecting means coming to connect a support cheek to said slide lateral.

According to a first known embodiment, the connecting tab is in the form of a bracket whose vertical branch is inserted into said lateral slide and is there immobilized by fixing means, such as screws or the like. By the way, the cheek support includes, in these conditions, in its lower horizontal part, either a slide, or passers-by intended to be engaged on the horizontal branch of said angled connecting lug.

Another solution consists in making this connection tab in a rectilinear manner, the lower part is, as before, immobilized in the slide, while on its upper part are engaged the passers-by or the slide located in such conditions, at the vertical border before the support cheek.

These solutions both present a certain number of drawbacks from the point of view of their mechanical strength. Thus, the fixing lugs, whether they are square or rectilinear, are in the form of metal dishes so that, very often, their rigidity is insufficient to fully support the weight of the deck, that of the winding shaft and, if applicable, the box containing this mechanism. Also, it is usual to relieve the weight supported by the supporting cheeks by fixed struts, for example, on masonry. This, of course, seriously complicates the procedure the shutter.

On the other hand, the relative flexibility of the fixing lugs allows, by deformation of the latter, to adjust the angular position of the lateral slides with respect to these supporting cheeks knowing that said lateral slides are attached, frequently, to the tables of the corresponding doorway, door, window or the like. Gold, precisely, these tables do not necessarily extend in planes parallel to said support cheeks.

Finally, the major drawback encountered through known connection means and described above, consists in the laying, a posteriori, of the shaft assembly of support-cheek winding (or box pre-equipped with support cheeks) on slides already fixed on the door, window or similar panels, is only possible if there is sufficient space, either horizontally or vertically, by compared to the upper end of the side rails. Indeed, if legs are used angle connection, it must be possible to move a supporting cheek back with respect to the upper end of the slide of a length at least equal to the branch horizontal of this connecting tab. Likewise, when mounting from above you must have the ability to lift said support cheek above the upper end a side slide of a corresponding length, that is to say the projecting part of the tab connecting, either to the part introduced from the latter into the upper end of said side slide. One can, indeed, imagine, very particularly, in the latter case of figure, to associate, beforehand, the fixing lugs to the lateral slides or conversely to the supporting cheeks before mounting them.

In fact, it is precisely for this reason that we tend to reduce, to the strict minimum, the protruding length of a connecting tab above a side slide to, precisely, limit the vertical movement that should be given to a cheek support for the nesting. Now, it is obvious that the longer the length of the connecting leg is reduced, either with regard to its part introduced into the slide or the one housed in the support cheek, the more the mechanical resistance of this connection cheek support - lateral slide.

The present invention aims to respond to all of the above problems by guaranteeing a rigid connection between a support cheek and a lateral slide, connection which allows, however, the angular adjustment of the latter relative to said cheek support. In fact, mainly, the object of the present invention is to facilitate the mounting a support cheek on the upper end of a side slide, this all reducing to a minimum the space provided by such a rolling shutter, in accordance with the invention, during this assembly.

To this end, the invention relates to a rolling shutter for a door, window or the like, comprising a tree on which an apron is wound and which is held at its ends, by supporting cheeks cooperating, by means of connection means, with lateral slides in which the lateral ends of said apron move, said connecting means being constituted by a lug link whose lower part is engaged in the upper end of the slide side, characterized in that hooking means, equipping the upper end of the front edge of the supporting cheek, cooperate with the free end of the part protruding corresponding to the connecting tab so as to counterbalance the weight reflected by said support cheek on this connecting tab on which it is supported less through the lower end of its front edge.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the lower part of the connecting tab is mounted for rotation inside the side slide.

The invention is explained in more detail in the description which follows and which relates to in the attached drawing representing only one embodiment.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématisée d'un volet roulant ;
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématisée d'une joue support rendue solidaire de l'extrémité supérieure d'une coulisse latérale à l'aide de moyens de liaison conformes à l'invention ;
• la figure 3 est une représentation schématisée et en perspective d'une forme de réalisation avantageuse de la joue support ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématisée partielle et en perspective d'une patte de liaison en cours de montage dans une coulisse latérale ;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématisée et en coupe d'une coulisse latérale dans laquelle est engagée une patte de liaison conforme à l'invention.

The understanding of this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic view of a roller shutter;
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a support cheek made integral with the upper end of a lateral slide using connecting means according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of an advantageous embodiment of the support cheek;
• Figure 4 is a partial schematic perspective view of a connecting tab during assembly in a side slide;
• Figure 5 is a schematic sectional view of a side slide in which is engaged a connecting tab according to the invention.

As shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing, the present invention relates to a rolling shutter 1 comprising a winding shaft 2 of an apron 3 which is consisting of a juxtaposition of blades 4 connected to each other by means appropriate articulation. The winding shaft 2 of this rolling shutter 1 is maintained at its ends, by bearings or the like equipping supporting cheeks 5. Of course, the whole of this rolling shutter mechanism 1 can be contained in a box surmounting the opening receiving the door, window or the like.

Te visible more particularly in Figures 2 and following, a cheek support 5 extends above the upper end 6 of a lateral slide 7 of which it is, by elsewhere, made integral by means of connecting means 8 in accordance with the invention.

In fact, these lateral slides 7 receive the lateral ends 9, 10 of the deck 3 and in provide guidance during its deployment or its folding. So these lateral slides 7 are, if applicable, attached to the uprights of the frame the door, window or the like, or fixed on the tables 11, 12 of the masonry.

As for the connection means 8 coming to connect a support cheek 5 to a lateral slide 7, they consist substantially of a connecting tab 13, the lower part of which 14 is intended to be introduced into the upper end 6 of said lateral slide 7.

In this regard, it should be observed that such a lateral slide 7 is formed, usually by a section of approximate U-shaped section comprising a bottom 15 from which extend two parallel wings 16, 17 between which come to move, specifically, the lateral ends 9, 10 of the deck 3.

Finally, an intermediate partition 18 delimits, with the bottom 15, a channel vertical closed 19 inside this lateral slide 7. It is precisely, in the upper end of this channel 19 which is inserted the lower part 14 of the tab 13.

Furthermore, on the free end 20 of the projecting part 21 corresponding to this tab link 13 and extending above the lateral slide 7 comes to catch the cheek support 5. To this end and according to the invention, the latter comprises, substantially the upper end 22 of its front edge 24 of the hooking means 25. These have the function of creating a fulcrum 26 on the side 27 of this connecting lug 13, opposite to the side where this support cheek 5 is located, so that counterbalance the weight reflected by the latter on this connecting lug 13 on which it bears at least via the lower end 29 of its front edge 24.

It is obvious that by maintaining, in this way, the cheek support 5, simultaneously, at its upper end and at its lower end, a perfect hold is obtained mechanical of this connection plays support 5 - lateral slide 7.

Preferably, the attachment means 25 also constitute means of support cheek support 5 on the connecting lug 13.

Thus, according to a preferred embodiment, said attachment means 25 are have the form of an extension 30 of the support cheek 5 at the end upper 22 of the front edge 24. In the lower face 31 of this extension 30 a housing 32 is arranged capable of accommodating the free end 20 of the connecting tab 13. It is thus understood that to bring the attachment means 25 of a support cheek 5 in cooperation with the connecting tab 13, it suffices to lift said support cheek 5, relative to its final mounting position, a height 33 corresponding to the housing depth 32.

In the same way, in a horizontal plane, apart from the general dimensions of the plays support 5, it must be possible to move the latter, relative to the slide lateral 7, over a length corresponding substantially to the length 34 of the extension 30 which corresponds, substantially, to the thickness 35 of a lateral slide 7.

According to an advantageous embodiment shown in Figure 3 and allowing to further improve, this mechanical strength of the connection between a support cheek 5 and a lateral slide 7, in the front edge 36 of this cheek support 5 is arranged a groove 37 opening at its lower end 38, while at its upper end 39, this groove 37 is delimited by the extension 30 and gives access, therefore, to the housing 32. Preferably, the width of this groove 37 is adjusted to the width of the connecting lug 13, just as the housing 32 is of cross section adjusted to that of the latter.

In this regard, this connecting lug 13 can be either rigid or have a core rigid central unit 40 with great inertia. So this soul 40 can be designed, substantially, by a metallic section section in the shape of an "I" such that shown in figure 4.

In addition, this rigid central core 40 can be embedded, by overmolding or the like, in a 40A enclosure designed in a more flexible synthetic material. In this way, it is possible to significantly reduce the operating noise of such a shutter rolling 1. In particular, we avoid passing on the lateral slides 7 the any vibrations transmitted to the supporting cheeks 4 by transmission means motorized.

According to the invention, the connecting lug 13, especially its part lower 14, is rotatably mounted in a lateral slide 7. The aim is to allow this lateral slide 7 to pivot, at a sufficient angle, relative to the connecting lug 13 for adjusting the angular position of this lateral slide 7 compared to tables 11, 12 of masonry. It may indeed be that due to tolerances in the field of construction, these tables 11, 12 are not completely square to the plane of the roller shutter and therefore parallel to the cheeks supports 5.

According to a preferred embodiment, said lateral slide 7 comprises, at the level of its internal parallel walls 41, 42 of the concave wall portions 43, 44 with which are intended to cooperate the convex vertical edges 45, 46 of the part lower 14 corresponding to the connecting lug 13.

Of course, such a lower part 14 of the connecting tab can be immobilized, vertically, inside the channel 19 of the lateral slide 7 using means of usual fasteners, such as screws, pins or the like.

Claims (8)

1. Roller blind for a door, window or the like, including a shaft (2) onto which rolls up an apron (3) which is maintained, at its end, by supporting side-plates (5) co-operating through connecting means (8) with lateral sliding rails (7) in which move the side ends (9, 10) of said apron (3), said connecting means (8) being formed of a connecting lug (13) the lower portion (14) of which is inserted in the upper end of the lateral sliding rail (7), characterised in that hooking-in means (25) the upper end (22) of the front border (24) of the supporting side-plate (5) is provided with co-operate with the free end (20) of the protruding portion (21) corresponding to the connecting lug (13), so as to counter-balance the weight passed by said supporting side-plate (5) onto this connecting lug (13) on which it rests at least through the lower end (29) of its front border (24).
2. Roller blind according to claim 1, characterised in that the hooking-in means (25) form means for the supporting side-plate (5) to rest on the connecting lug (13).
3. Roller blind according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the hooking-in means (25) are in the shape of an extension (30) of the supporting side-plate (5), at the upper end (22) of the front border (24), in the lower face (31) of this extension (30) being provided for a recess (32) capable of receiving the free end (20) of the connecting lug (13).
4. Roller blind according to claim 3, characterised in that the supporting side-plate (5) includes, in its front edge (36), a groove (37) ending at its lower end (38) and of a width adjusted to the width of the connecting lug (13), this groove (37) being delimited, at its upper end (39), by the extension (30) while providing access to the recess (32) of the latter.
5. Roller blind according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the connecting lug (13) includes a rigid central core (40) sunken, through moulding or similar, in a cover (40a) made of a flexible synthetic material.
6. Roller blind according to claim 5, characterised in that the rigid central core (40) is in the shape of a metal profile with high inertia, preferably with an I-shaped cross-section.
7. Roller blind according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connecting lug (13) has its lower portion (14) rotationally mounted in a lateral sliding rail (7), in order to allow the angular adjustment of the latter with respect to the supporting side-plate (5).
8. Roller blind according to claim 7, characterised in that the lateral sliding rail (7), in the shape of a "U" profile including a bottom (15) from which extend two parallel wings (16, 17), includes, at the level of its parallel inner walls (41, 42), concave wall portions (43, 44) which the convex vertical edges (45, 46) of the lower portion (14) corresponding to the connecting lug (13) are aimed at co-operating with.

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