EP1259696A1

EP1259696A1 - Powered rolling shutter equipped with automatic stopping means

Info

Publication number: EP1259696A1
Application number: EP01908025A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Norbert Dupielet; Alain Serasset
Original assignee: Somfy SA
Current assignee: Somfy SA
Priority date: 2000-02-21
Filing date: 2001-02-19
Publication date: 2002-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-19
Also published as: WO2001061139A1; ES2201945T3; JP2003529001A; EP1259696B1; ES2201945T1; CN1214175C; CN1404545A; FR2805307A1; US6814129B2; DE60114995D1; US20030000657A1; AU2001235884A1; JP4777576B2; FR2805307B1; ATE310150T1; DE60114995T2

Abstract

The invention concerns a powered rolling shutter whereof the stator of the motor is connected to a fixed support via elastic means (R1, R2) for stopping the shutter in high and low abutment when the resisting torque exceeds a selected value, consisting of two springs (R1, R2) compressed by the stator rotation. The travel distance (12) before on of the springs (R2) is compressed is greater than the travel distance (11) before the other spring (R1) is compressed. The compression is ensured by a mobile element (12) also actuating a switch (18). The travels (c1, c2) required for activating the switch can be inverted. The motor can be mounted on the left or on the right with a differentiated resisting torque for stopping in high abutment and low abutment.

Description

Motorized roller shutter equipped with automatic stopping means.

The invention relates to a motorized roller shutter or similar, comprising an electric drive motor, the stator of which is connected to a fixed support by means of elastic means opposing the rotation of the stator under the effect of the resistive torque exerted. by the rolling shutter moving between a high rolled up position and a low unwound position, stop means stopping the rolling shutter in these high and low positions and means for controlling the stopping of the motor in these high and low positions comprising a switch whose opening is actuated by the rotation of the stator when the resistive torque is greater than the retaining force exerted by the elastic means.

Rolling shutters thus equipped are described in patents FR 2 740 824, EP 0 936 342 and EP 0 703 344.

The roller shutter described in patent FR 2 740 824 uses a single spring. The switch is open in the unrolled position of the shutter and the motor is supplied by an auxiliary switch controlled by a revolution counter associated with the motor. Such a rolling shutter must be mounted in a determined position in a window frame.

The roller shutters described in patents EP 0 936 342 and EP 0 703 344 are fitted with two opposing springs between which the motor stator is maintained. One of these springs is compressed when the rolling shutter, completely rolled up, arrives against a high stop, while the other spring is compressed when the rolling shutter, fully unwound, arrives at low stop, generally against the bottom of the 'embrasure. However, as described in patent FR 2 740 824, the upper stop spring must be able to oppose the torque generated by the weight of the shutter. This weight, when the shutter is almost completely unwound, may be very significant. On the other hand, the spring controlling the stopping of the motor when the rolling shutter reaches the bottom stop must yield relatively easily to avoid unnecessary compression of the shutter arriving at the bottom stop, compression liable to damage the shutter. It is therefore necessary to have two springs, one very strong, for the high stop, the other much weaker, for the low stop. However, by equipping the stop device with two different springs, the direction of rotation of the motor corresponding respectively to the winding and the unwinding of the roller shutter is determined, which means that the motor must always have the same rib of the embrasure, given that if we have the motor on the opposite side of the embrasure, its direction of rotation must be opposite, of course for the same position of the rolling shutter, which is generally the case. This represents a constraint which it is not always possible to satisfy and it is therefore necessary to have two motors with their stop control device, one for mounting on the left and the other for mounting on right of the doorway. The invention poi r aim to achieve a shutter whose motor and its stop device can be mounted both on one side than the other of the doorway. The stop device must also be compact so as to be able to be placed in a motor, in particular a tubular motor, without increasing its dimensions.

The roller shutter according to the invention is characterized in that the elastic means consist of two springs working in compression between two mobile compression elements driven in turn by the stator, respectively in each direction of rotation, the distance to be covered by the movable element driven from its rest position, before the compression of one of the springs being greater than the distance to be covered by the movable element driven before the compression of the other spring, and in that the device stop comprises an actuating member cmematically linked to the stator and ensuring, on the one hand, the drive of the compression elements and, on the other hand, the actuation of the switch at the end of a determined stroke and different for each direction of rotation of the stator and of the means for reversing the lengths of the strokes.

When the stator is rotated, a single spring is first compressed, this compression corresponding to the shortest stroke of the actuating member, that is to say when the motor stops when the shutter comes into contact. low stop. When the driving mobile moves in the opposite direction corresponding to its long stroke, a single spring is first compressed, then then the two springs are compressed offering a significantly higher resistance, this situation corresponding to the arrival of the roller shutter in high stop . The actuation of the means for reversing the stroke lengths makes it possible to obtain the same result when the motor turns in the opposite direction.

The distance to be traveled by the movable element leads to the compression of one of the springs can be zero.

The springs are advantageously helical, of different diameters and nested coaxially one inside the other. Such a construction is particularly compact. To simplify construction, the compression elements advantageously have a single distance between them and the springs are of different lengths.

The second compressed spring is advantageously precompπmé at rest. The two springs can be pre-compressed. The precompression of the springs makes it possible to work on a gentle slope with short strokes, which makes it possible to better control the forces developed by the springs and therefore to benefit from a high precision in the triggering forces, in particular in that of the compressed spring alone which should not be too large so as not to damage the roller shutter. Precompression also makes it possible to reduce the size of the stop device. The actuating member can be a part of the stator.

According to one embodiment, the actuating member consists of a portable player guided in the support and provided, on one side, with two arms for driving the compression elements in the direction of compression and, on the other side, two actuating arms of the switch mounted between these arms and the means for reversing the length of the strokes consist of a rocker mounted between the actuating arms of the switch and provided with two arms alternately playing the role of switch actuating arm according to the position of the rocker, the other arm being retracted relative to the switch, the active arm being located between one of the actuating arms of the player and the switch.

According to an improvement of this embodiment, the arms of the rocker are flexible in a direction parallel to its pivot axis and the stop device comprises a fixed stop located on the trajectory of the arms of the rocker, opposite the open position of the switch, this stop having the effect of moving the active actuating arm of the rocker from its normal active trajectory so as to render it inoperative. This improvement prevents the motor from being supplied in the winding direction if an attempt is made to raise the shutter by hand, for example in the event of an attempted break-in. According to another embodiment, the switch is mounted between the arms of the player and movable in the same direction as the player so as to be able to modify the distance which separates it from each of the actuating arms of the player, this is ie the length of the stroke necessary for its actuation by the player in each of the directions of rotation of the stator.

According to one embodiment, the springs are mounted in a cage, one end of which has a lateral arm directly driven by the player, the compression element compressing the other ends of the springs consisting of a piece in the form of piston entering the cage and the strongest precompressed spring between the two ends of the cage.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, some embodiments of the invention. To simplify, the cylindrical surfaces are shown rectilinear, that is to say developed.

Figure 1 shows, as a reminder, a tubular motor driving a roller shutter winding tube.

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the stop device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along III-III of Figure 2. FIG. 4 is a sectional view along IV-IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically the conditions to be satisfied by the springs and the compression elements.

Figure 6 shows schematically an alternative embodiment of Figure 2 in which the strongest spring is very compressed.

Figure 7 is a partial sectional view along VII - VII.

FIG. 8 illustrates an improvement in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

Figure 9 is a side view along IX - IX of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a schematic view of a second embodiment.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the spring cage.

Figure 12 is another perspective view of the same cage.

FIG. 13 is a view in axial section of the cage shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 14 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 2 but in which a cage according to FIGS. 11 to 13 is mounted.

FIG. 15 illustrates a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, in which the inverter is replaced by two bistable switches.

FIG. 16 represents the electrical diagram for controlling the motor by an inverter.

FIG. 17 represents the electrical diagram for controlling the motor by two bistable switches.

FIG. 18 represents the electrical diagram of a first variant with two switches, monostable, applied to a traditional diagram comprising an additional control switch.

FIG. 19 represents the electrical diagram of a second variant with two switches, monostable, controlling a control switch contained in a radio receiver.

FIG. 1 schematically represents a well-known rolling shutter drive, described for example in patent FR 2 666 842. A winding tube 1 is recognized around which a rolling shutter is wound. This winding tube 1, partially represented, is carried, on the side represents, by a crown 2 rotatably mounted on the cylindrical tubular casing 3 of an electric reduction motor. The other end of the tube winding 1 is rotatably mounted on a support not shown. The casing 3 is mounted on a fixed support 4, for example, in the recess of a window. In the tubular casing 3 are therefore mounted an electric motor associated with a reduction gear, the output of which drives a ring 5 itself driving the winding tube 1 in rotation.

As is the case of the constructions described in the patents FR 2 740 824 and EP 0 936 342, the motor casing 3, and consequently the motor stator fixed to this casing, is elastically connected to the fixed support 4 so as to be able to turn slightly around its axis designated in Figure 1 by the reference 6.

This elastic connection is shown in Figures 2 to 4. In a housing 7 of the fixed support 4 are mounted coaxially two springs Ri and R2, the spring Ri, longer than the spring R2 and of smaller diameter being mounted inside the R2 spring itself significantly stronger than the Ri spring. These springs Ri and R2 are mounted between two compression pieces 8 and 9 provided on the one hand with a guide arm 8a respectively 9a mounted sliding freely in guide grooves 10 and 11 of the fixed support 4. The compression pieces 8 and 9 are further provided with a lateral arm 8b, 9b for their respective drive by the arms 13 and 14 of a sliding gear 12 integral in rotation with the casing 3 by an arm 12c (FIG. 3) and guided in the fixed support 4 in guides 15 and 16 so as to move parallel to the springs RI, R2. This player 12 has two parallel arms 12a a 12b opposite the arms 13 and 14. Between these arms 12a and 12b is mounted the arm 17 of a reversing switch 18. The arm 17 can occupy three positions, a middle position O in which the switch is open, a position M in which the motor is supplied in the direction of the rise that is to say the winding of the shutter and a position D in which the motor is supplied in the direction of the descent that is to say the unwinding of the shutter rolling. The player 12 carries a rocker 19 articulated around an axis 20 transversely to the player. This rocker 19 is provided with two arms 19a and 19b which can be placed in turn between the arms 12a and 12b of the player so that, in this position, the arm can actuate the switch when the player moves.

The device is shown in its rest position. It is first assumed that the roller shutter is completely rolled up. The unwinding is triggered by setting the switch in position D which has the effect of powering the winding S2 of the motor (Figure 16). When the roller shutter reaches the bottom stop, it exerts on the motor a resistant torque which tends to drive the casing 3 and consequently the wand 12, linked to the casing 3, in the direction of the arrow Fl. The arm 14 of the player exerts a push on the arm 9b of the compression part 9. When the resistive torque is sufficient to compress the spring Ri, the player moves in the direction F1 and, after a certain stroke, the arm 19b of the rocker comes to meet arm 17 of the switch. After a stroke cl this arm 17 is brought into position O. The motor supply is cut.

The rolling shutter is controlled by placing the switch in position M, which has the effect of powering the winding SI of the motor (Figure 16). When the roller shutter reaches the high stop, it exerts on the motor a resistant torque which tends to drive the player 12 in the direction of arrow F2. This resistant torque is quickly enough for the player 12 to drive the compression part 8 by its arm 13 by compressing the spring Ri. The compression part continuing its movement then compresses the two springs Ri and R2, the switch 18 being brought into position O only when the arm 12a of the player has traveled the stroke c2, substantially greater than the stroke cl. In this case, the resistive torque necessary for actuation of the switch is therefore appreciably greater than the resistive torque necessary for stopping the motor at low stop.

If the motor 3 with its support 4 are mounted on the other side of the doorway, so that the direction of rotation of the motor for winding and unwinding is reversed, the rocker 19 is tilted in the position shown in broken lines and it is then the arm 19 in position 19a 'which actuates the switch. The strokes cl and c2 are therefore reversed and the engine stop device is thus adapted to the change of direction of rotation of the engine. In FIG. 2, the spring Ri can be slightly precompressed. By cons, the R2 spring is not precompπme at rest.

It is however more advantageous to work with two precompπmes springs, which allows to use gently sloping springs and to work linearly on short strokes, which allows to better control the forces developed by Ri and R2 and therefore to benefit from '' great precision in the triggering forces, especially in those of the RI spring which must not be too large to avoid damaging the flap.

The different lengths and the different forces of the springs are not necessary conditions to obtain the desired result. The springs could be of the same strength. It suffices that for a key stroke of the player a single spring is compressed and that for a longer stroke c2 the two springs are compressed. FIG. 5 illustrates these conditions for compression elements 8, 9 compressing two springs, shown here in parallel. The distance between the compression elements for each of the springs is not necessarily the same. In general so that the spring RI is first of all compressed alone, it is necessary and sufficient that 12 is greater than 11, that is to say that the distance 12 to be traveled by the compression element causes before 'it compresses R2 to be greater than the distance 11 to be traveled by the compression element before it compresses Ri. In general we will have 11 = zero, that is to say that there is no dead race. The R2 spring can be precompressed or not. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a variant in which the two springs Ri and R2 are precompressed. The spring Ri is precompressed between the compression parts 8 and 9. The spring R2 is precompressed in a cage 20, more precisely between two pairs of forks 21 and 22 of this movable cage guided in a guide 23 of the fixed support 4. These forks 21 and 22 allow the compression pieces 8 and 9 to pass. In the direction F1, the compression piece 9 can thus pass through the fork 22 to compress the spring R2 when the fork Fl comes into abutment and, conversely, the compression piece 8 can pass through the fork 21 to compress the spring R2.

Figures 8 and 9 schematically illustrate an improvement of the first embodiment or its variant avoiding the refueling of the motor in the upward direction if, once the shutter stopped in the low position, it is lifted by hand by its last blade, for example during a break-in attempt. In this case, if we consider FIG. 2, the thrust on the shutter exerts on the motor a torque in the direction of the arrow F1, that is to say a torque whose direction is the same as the resisting torque which caused the engine to stop. The player 12 will therefore toggle the switch in the M position which causes the rolling shutter to wind up. To prevent this, the player 12 is equipped with a rocker 19 whose arms are flexible at least in a direction parallel to the axis of articulation of the rocker and on the support 4 is fixed a stop 24 having, on each side, a ramp 24a, 24b, and placed between the arms of the player 12, on the path of the active arm of the rocker 19, for example the arm 19b. The top of the stop 24 is also opposite the position O of the switch 18. The roller shutter being unwound in the low position and when stopped, the switch 18 is in the position O. When the shutter is raised rolling the arm 19b of the rocker meets the ramp 24b which deviates the arm from its normal trajectory as represented by the arrow F3, so that it does not meet the arm 17 of the switch and that the motor is not feeds.

The reversal of the stroke lengths cl and C can also be obtained by moving the switch. This variant is shown in Figure 10. The switch 18 is mounted in a mobile support 25 which can be moved in a housing 26 of the fixed support 4. The mobile support 25 is provided with guide arms sliding in a guide of the fixed support 4 The movable support 25 is used in abutment against one or the other of the ends of the housing 26.

A practical embodiment of the part of the stop device relating to the springs Ri and R- is shown in FIGS. 11 to 13.

The springs Ri and R_ are mounted in a cage 27 consisting of a transverse wall 28 forming the bottom of the cage and of their arms 29 and 30 extending from the wall 28 parallel to the axis of the springs and connected, near their ends, by a hoop 31. The ends of the arms 29 and 30 end by 2 walls 32 and 33 parallel to each other and to the axis of the springs. The spring R2 is precompπme between the bottom 28 of the cage and the edge of the walls 32 and 33. From the bottom 28 further extends a tubular part 34 surrounded by the spring R2. This tubular part is used for guiding the spring Ri freely engages in this part 34 to come to bear between the bottom 28. At the height of the bottom 28, the arm 30 of the cage is bent twice at right angles so as to form a radial lug 37 for driving the cage by the player 12.

In the spring R2 is also engaged a part 35 in the form of a hollow piston at the bottom of which the other end of the spring Ri bears. This part 35 has a head 36 of diameter greater than the body of the piston 35 but cut by two parallel flats so that the head 36 can pass between the walls 32 and 33 of the cage. The head 36 can therefore compress the spring R2.

The use of the cage shown in Figures 11 to 13 in a stop device according to Figure 2, and shown schematically in Figure 14. The arm 13 of the player 12 comes to bear directly on the head 36 of the piston 35 which , at rest, is further supported against the fixed support 4. The radial arm 34 can be driven by the arm 14 of the player. Arm 29 of the cage 27 is used for guiding the cage, that is to say to prevent it from rotating around its axis. To this end, the arm 29 is engaged in a guide groove. At rest, the spring Ri is also precompressed. The piston 35 must therefore be held slightly depressed in the cage 27 for mounting this cage in the fixed support 4. In this case, the compression parts 8 and 9 therefore consist respectively of the head 36 of the piston and at the bottom 28 from cage 27.

Apart from these few differences in execution, the operation of the device is the same as that of the device shown in FIG. 6.

In the devices shown in Figures 2, 6 and 8 to 10, it is possible to replace the inverter 18 with a pair of switches. By way of example, FIG. 15 represents a modification of FIG. 2 in which the stop in ascent and in descent is ensured by two bistable switches 18 'and 18 ". The switch 18' controls the stop in descent. It is shown in the closed position. The 18 "switch controls the uphill stop. It is shown in the open position.

The device is shown in its rest position, as in Figure 2. It is assumed that the flap is completely rolled up. The unwinding is triggered by an action on the switch 18 'places it in the descent position D (figure 17). The device works in the same way as the device according to FIG. 2. To to go back up, place the 18 "switch on the up position M.

Instead of bistable switches, monostable switches can be used by adapting the control circuit.

In the diagram shown in FIG. 18, two monostable switches 118 ′ and 118 "are used, closed in the rest position, in association with a control switch 119. The switches 118 ′ and 118" correspond to the cut-off switches in a diagram traditional.

In the diagram shown in FIG. 19, the bistable switches 218 'and 218 "are open in the rest position. They control a contactor for controlling the installation contained in a radio receiver 219. The contactor can therefore also be controlled by a transmitter .

Claims

claims

1. Roller shutter or similar motorized comprising an electric drive motor (3) whose stator is connected to a fixed support by means of elastic means opposing the rotation of the stator under the effect of the resistant torque exerted by the roller shutter moving between a rolled up position and an unwound low position, stop means stopping the roller shutter in these high and low positions and means for controlling the stopping of the motor in these high and low positions comprising at least a switch (18; 18 ', 18 ";118',118"; 218 ', 218 "), the opening of which is actuated by rotation of the stator when the resistive torque is greater than the retaining force exerted by the elastic means , characterized in that the elastic means consist of two springs (Ri, R2) working in compression between two mobile compression elements (8, 9; 36, 28) driven in turn by the stator respectively in each direction of rotation, in that the distance (12) to be covered by the compression element causes, from the rest position, before the compression of one of the springs (R2) is greater than the distance (11) to be traversed by the compression element drives before the compression of the other spring (Ri), and in that the stop device comprises an actuating mobile (12) cmematically linked to the stator and ensuring, d on the one hand, the drive of the compression elements and, on the other hand, the actuation of the switch (18; 18 ', 18 ";118',118"; 218 ', 218 ") at the end of a determined and different stroke (cl, c2) for, each direction of rotation of the stator and of the means d 'inversion (19; 25) of said strokes (cl, c2).

2. Roller shutter according to claim 1, characterized in that the springs (Ri, R2) are coaxial springs nested one inside the other.

3. Roller shutters according to claim 2, characterized in that at least the spring (R2) for which the distance to be traveled by the compression element before compression of the spring is the longest, is precompπmé at rest.

4. Roller shutter according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the actuating mobile is constituted by a walkman (12) guide in the fixed support (4) and provided, on one side, with two arms (13 , 14) for driving the compression elements in the direction of compression and, on the other side, for two arms (12a, 12b) for actuating the switch

(18) mounted between these arms and in that the stroke reversal means consist of a rocker (19) mounted between the actuating arms of the player and provided with two arms (19a, 19b) alternately playing the role of actuating arm of the switch according to the position of the rocker, the other arm being retracted relative to the switch, the active arm being located between one actuator arms and 1 switch.

5. Shutter according to claim 4, characterized in that the arms (19a, 19b) of the rocker are flexible in a direction parallel to the pivot axis and in that the stop device comprises a fixed stop (24) located on the trajectory of the rocker arms, opposite the open position (O) of the switch, this stop having the effect of moving the active actuation arm of the rocker from its normal active trajectory so as to make it inoperative.

6. Roller shutter according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the actuating mobile is constituted by a walkman (12) guide in the fixed support (4) and provided, on one side, with two arm (13, 14) for driving the compression elements in the direction of compression and, on the other side, for two arms (12a, 12b) for actuating the switch mounted between these arms and in that the switch is mounted on a support (25) which moves in the same direction as the player, between two working positions, so as to be able to modify the distance which separates the switch from each of the actuating arms of the player, c ' that is to say to modify the length of the stroke necessary for its actuation by the player in each of the directions of rotation of the stator.

7. Roller shutter according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the two springs (Ri, R2) are precompressed and in that the springs are mounted in a cage (20) open at least on one side for the passage of the compression elements and having two supports (21, 22) between which one

(R2) of the springs is compressed, the other spring (Ri) being pre-compressed between the compression elements (8, 9).

8. Roller shutter according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the two springs (Ri, R2) are mounted coaxially in a cage (27) having, at one of its ends, a transverse wall (28 ) against which one end of the two springs rests and, at its other end, a support (32, 33) for one of the springs

(R2) precompressed between said wall and this support, one of the compression elements being constituted by a radial arm (37) of the cage, the other compression element being constituted by a piston-shaped part (35 ) sliding axially in the cage and in the precompressed spring and against which the other end of the other spring (Ri) bears, this piston-shaped part being provided with a head (36) compressing the spring ( R2) when it enters the cage.

9. Roller shutter according to claim 8, characterized in that the cage (27) is further formed by two arms (29, 30) extending from the wall transverse (28) parallel to the axis of the springs and connected by at least one hoop (31).

10. Roller shutter according to claim 9, characterized in that one of the arms (29) serves as a guide member to the cage.

11. Roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the distance of the supports of the springs on the mobile compression elements is the same for the two springs and that these two springs are of different lengths.

12. Roller shutter according to claim 11, characterized in that the springs are of different forces.

13. Roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the switch of the control means is constituted by an inverter (18).

14. Roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the control means comprise two bistable switches (18 ', 18 ") respectively assigned to each of the directions of rotation of the motor.

15. Roller shutter according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the control means comprise two monostable switches (118 ', 118 ";218',218").

16. Roller shutter according to claim 15, characterized in that the monostable switches (118 ', 118 ") are cut-off switches.

17. Roller shutter according to claim 15, characterized in that the monostable switches (218 ', 218 ") are open in the rest position and associated with a radio receiver (219).