EP1612366A1 - Device for opening and closing a blind - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a transmission unit (4) transforming rotational movement of a curtain into linear movement. A motor unit (5) activates the unit (4) and has a driving unit rotating the unit (4). A control unit controls the unit (5), and a driving unit (6) drives slides (2) and a head-slide (7) and cooperates with the unit (4) for transmitting a linear movement corresponding to a track (3), to the head-slide (7). An independent claim is also included for an application of a curtain opening and closing device.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for opening and closing a curtain, in particular for automating the opening and closing phases of the curtain. Such curtains can be used for example in the field of transport vehicles by land, by sea, or by air, in particular to delimit several areas in a compartment or a cabin.

However, such applications are in no way limiting, and the invention could be applicable to premises or public accessories such as photo booths, fitting rooms, polling stations, or hotels, restaurants, party halls and private sectors such as apartments, houses or others.

Various types of devices are known for opening or closing curtains. For example, some devices include cords that, depending on the direction in which they are pulled, can open or close, raise or lower a curtain.

However, for safety reasons, such devices are not applicable in some cases, such as in aircraft. Indeed, in case of emergency, passengers could panic if they were entangled in the loops of such cords.

In addition, the opening and closing operations of such curtains are usually done by hand. For example, in an aircraft, such operations will take place especially during takeoff and landing, when serving meals, snacks or to separate the so-called technical areas of the cabin where passengers are.

In a train, such curtains will be found in front of the windows, to allow a passenger to protect himself from the sun or looks. These operations can be very repetitive, take time, and sometimes be quite difficult.

There are some devices in which curtain opening and closing operations are automated, but they require a disproportionate curtain rail and a bulky structure. In particular, in the air transport, such devices are quite inadequate, because of their size and weight.

In addition, the devices for opening and closing automated curtain pose a safety problem in the case of a power supply problem or failure of the actuating means. Similarly, in the absence of manual intervention, in the open position, the curtain is not well placed and often not correctly retracted.

The present invention proposes to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, an object of the invention is to provide a device for opening and closing a curtain, in particular to automate the opening and closing of the curtain, particularly in air or rail transport. Such a device will have to be easy to implement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automated device for automated actuation, but also manual, the curtain in case of malfunction or lack of energy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device whose dimensions (size, weight), are compatible with use in the aforementioned situations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvement to optimally retract the curtain in the open position, even in automated operation.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

• des moyens de transmission, aptes à transformer un mouvement de rotation en mouvement linéaire,
• des moyens d'actionnement desdits moyens de transmission se présentant sous la forme d'un organe moteur muni de moyens pour entraîner en rotation lesdits moyens de transmission,
• des moyens de commande des moyens d'actionnement et,
• des moyens d'entraînement d'au moins un desdits chariots, dit chariot de tête, lesdits moyens d'entraînement coopérant avec lesdits moyens de transmission pour imprimer audit chariot de tête un mouvement linéaire correspondant audit chemin de roulement.

The present invention relates firstly to a device for opening and closing a curtain, comprising a rail to which said curtain is suspended by means of carriages adapted to cooperate with said rail, said rail defining a track followed by by said carriages when opening or closing said curtain, characterized in that the device further comprises:

• transmission means, able to transform a rotation movement in linear motion,
• means for actuating said transmission means in the form of a motor member provided with means for rotating said transmission means,
• means for controlling the actuating means and,
• drive means of at least one of said carriages, said head carriage, said drive means cooperating with said transmission means for printing said head carriage a linear movement corresponding to said raceway.

The present invention also relates to the application of such a device to air or rail transport.

• la figure 1 est une vue longitudinale d'un premier mode de réalisation d'un dispositif conforme à l'invention, dont on a enlevé une paroi latérale,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe transversale d'un même dispositif, selon le plan II-II de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une vue longitudinale d'un deuxième mode de réalisation d'un dispositif conforme à l'invention, dont on a enlevé une paroi latérale,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe transversale, selon le plan IV-IV de la figure 3,
• la figure 5 est une vue en détail du cadre V-V tel qu'illustré à la figure 3,
• la figure 6 est une vue de face, en coupe transversale, selon un plan de coupe perpendiculaire audit rail et au niveau du plan de coupe IV-IV de la figure 3.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description, accompanied by the appended drawings, among which:

• FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention, from which a side wall has been removed,
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same device, along the plane II-II of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a longitudinal view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, from which a side wall has been removed,
• FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along plane IV-IV of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the VV frame as illustrated in FIG. 3,
• FIG. 6 is a front view, in cross-section, along a sectional plane perpendicular to said rail and at the plane of section IV-IV of FIG. 3.

The invention relates firstly to a device for opening and closing a curtain.

The word "curtain" means any curtain, screen, or curtain at wide direction, suspended in particular to separate two areas of the same compartment or cabin, one of the other, or to hide a door or opening, or to protect a so-called inner area of light from outside.

According to the invention, said device comprises a rail 1 to which said curtain is suspended, by means of carriages 2 adapted to cooperate with said rail 1. Said rail 1 defines a raceway 3 followed by said carriages 2 during the opening or closing said curtain.

In addition, said device for opening and closing a curtain comprises transmission means 4, capable of transforming a rotational movement into a linear movement. By "linear" it should be understood that the means of transmission describe a line that may be straight or curved.

The device according to the invention also comprises means for actuating said transmission means in the form of a motor member provided with means for rotating said transmission means 4.

The device, according to the invention, also has control means for the actuating means 5. These control means, not shown, can in particular be in the form of a separate housing, connected to said actuating means by wired means or else remote transmission means including a transmitter and a radio receiver.

The device, according to the invention, also has driving means 6 of at least one of said carriages 2, said head carriage 7, said drive means 6 cooperating with said transmission means 4 for printing said carriage of head 7 a linear movement corresponding to said raceway 3.

To define these various elements, we refer to a conventional curtain rail. When the curtain is open, that is to say, it is not deployed to hide the view, all of the carriages 2 is joined to a end of the rail 1. To close the curtain, we will for example seize an edge of the curtain and pull the latter in front of the opening that we want to hide. On this edge corresponds a carriage that will be located by convention at the front of the curtain and that is called head carriage 7.

According to one embodiment, said rail 1 further defines a drive path 8 substantially parallel to said raceway 3, and followed by said drive means 6. Thus, when the actuating means 5 rotate the means 4, the driving means 6, because of their cooperation with the transmission means 4, follow the drive path 8. The drive means 6 thus move said head carriage 7 along said path of 8, which is substantially parallel to the raceway 3. The movement of the head carriage 7 is thus transmitted to the curtain.

When the curtain is closed, the head carriage 7 moves away from the carriages 2 placed downstream. So, between two carriages 2, the curtain will eventually stretch and the carriage 2 located upstream will cause the one located immediately downstream.

According to another variant, the follower carriages 2 are connected in pairs by a chain or cord which, as and when a carriage 2 is advancing, will be stretched and finally allow a carriage 2 to be driven into position. downstream.

To open the curtain, the head carriage 7 will be driven in the other direction and will therefore tend to push the carriages 2 towards the end of the track 3 of the rail.

Advantageously, said drive path 8 is in the form of a profile defining a first housing 9 provided at said rail. One of the walls of said first housing 9 is provided with a longitudinal groove 10. If said first housing 9 has a substantially rectangular sector, said longitudinal groove 10 may be advantageously provided in the lower wall of said first housing 9. It may also be provided along a side wall.

By analogy, if said first housing 9 has a circular section, said longitudinal groove 10 may advantageously be provided in the bottom wall of the housing wall 9 or possibly on the side of said wall.

Advantageously, said transmission means 4 are in the form of an elongated element, able to be housed in said first housing 9. Said elongated element has a helical structure.

According to a first variant, as illustrated in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3, said elongated element is in the form of a helical spring 11.

According to another variant of the invention, said elongated element may be in the form of a threaded flexible rod.

In both cases, the dimensions of the longitudinal groove 10 are such that said elongated element can not leave the first housing 9 by said longitudinal groove 10. In addition, and advantageously, the walls of the first housing 9 marries, at least partially, the shape of said elongate member. Thus, the game of said elongate member within the first housing 9 will be significantly reduced.

Furthermore, it may also be possible to add an anti-friction spacer element. This intermediate anti-friction element may in particular take the form of a sleeve 24 adapted to be inserted into said first housing 9 and having a longitudinal groove facing said longitudinal groove 10, as illustrated in FIG. in addition to reducing noise during operation.

The implementation of such transmission means 4 having a certain flexibility, allows them to be inserted into a generally curved format rail, matching the profile of its support. For example, in an aircraft cabin, such a rail may have a curved shape corresponding to that of the cabin of the aircraft.

According to the invention, said drive means are in the form of a pin 13, able to slide along said longitudinal groove 10, said lug being secured at its proximal end to said head carriage 7. Said lug 13 is located at least partly in said first housing 9 and cooperates, directly or indirectly, with said elongate member of said transmission means 4 .

According to one embodiment, said elongated element being in the form of a helical spring 11, said lug 13 is then able to protrude into the turns of said spring 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, or in FIG. 3, said pin 13 protrudes inside the turns of the spring 11 and slides along said longitudinal groove 10.

By operating, said actuating means 5 turn said coil spring 11 into rotation. This therefore causes the displacement of said pin 13, along said longitudinal groove 10, in one direction or another in the direction of rotation of said spring 11.

Indeed, the lug 13 is blocked between said longitudinal groove and placed between two turns of the spring 11, it undergoes a thrust exerted by said turns. The head carriage 7 secured to said lug 13 will therefore move along the raceway 3 or the actuating path 8.

According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, said lug 13 has at its distal end a shuttle 12 able to move inside the turns of said spring 11. This shuttle 12 constitutes a guide means for the trolley head in housing 9 of drive path 8.

According to another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3 or 4, the guiding means of the head carriage 7 are situated at the level of the raceway 3, in particular with a carriage having at least one roller 23 suitable for following said raceway 3.

In the case, not shown, wherein said elongate member of the transmission means is in the form of a threaded flexible rod, said lug 13 has at its distal end a threaded ring adapted to cooperate with said threaded rod.

That being so, according to a feature of the present invention, said head carriage 7 has means 15, 16 for decoupling the drive means 6 from said transmission means 4. Thus, in the case of an emergency, or in case of an emergency, 'interruption of energy, a user can manually open or close the curtain.

Said transmission means being in the form of a helical spring 11, said drive means being in the form of a lug 13 secured to said head carriage 7 and adapted to protrude with the turns of the spring 11. the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and following, said pin 13 is constrained by elastic means 27 adapted to project with the turns of the spring 11. Said pin 13 retractable in an erase position in which it does not cooperate with spring turns 11.

Thus, as illustrated in Figure 5, the head carriage 7 has two pairs of rollers 23 moving on the raceway 3. The body of the head carriage is secured by springs 27. The rollers are supported on a wall the raceway opposite the wall of the first housing 9 provided with said longitudinal groove 10.

Advantageously, said spring means constrains the lug 13 through the groove 10 in the housing 9 to project with the turns of the spring 11. When the carriage is pulled manually particularly downward, for example by pulling the front edge downwards of the curtain, the elastic means, and in particular the springs 27 compress a determined course greater than the necessary travel, so that said lug 13 no longer cooperates with the turns of the spring 11, and freely let the head carriage 7 on the raceway.

Advantageously, said actuating means 5 are in particular in the form of an electric geared motor unit provided with means for rotating said transmission means 4. In particular, the geared motor unit is provided with a driving pinion and transmission means 4 are provided with a worm gear adapted to mesh with said motor pinion. In this case, the axes of rotation of said transmission means 4 and of the motor shaft of said geared motor unit are substantially perpendicular, as illustrated in FIG.

According to another variant of motorization, more compact than the previous one, said electric motor-gear unit is provided with a motor pinion and said transmission means 4 are provided with a gear reduction gear able to mesh with said motor pinion. The axes of rotation of said transmission means 4 and the motor shaft of said geared motor block are therefore substantially parallel, which allows a space saving compared to the previous solution.

According to another embodiment, the actuating means 5 are in the form of a tubular motor or a tubular gear motor, in particular an electric motor, whose output shaft meshes directly and coaxially with said elongated element of said means for transmission 4. The electric motor comprises regulating means, for example in the form of an electric drive and in particular a frequency converter.

According to another advantageous characteristic, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 in particular, said raceway 3 is in the form of a second housing 14 provided at said rail 1 and cooperating with said drive path 8.

In particular, said rail 1 has two housings 9, 14 arranged one above the other, the upper housing 9 corresponding to said drive path 8 and the lower housing 14 corresponding to said raceway 3. In this case said longitudinal groove 10 is provided between said two housings 9, 14.

It is also conceivable to provide a rail 1 having two housings 9, 14, having a common side wall. In this case, said longitudinal groove 10 is advantageously at said common side wall.

Furthermore, the rail 1 having said first housing 9 and second 14 is extruded in one piece especially with a metal material. The rail 1 may also have a C-shaped attachment profile 30 used as a guide for a nut 32, in particular for fixing bracket brackets 31, or for fixing the actuating means and in particular the tubular motor. 5 by means of an offset part 33.

Advantageously, at least one of said housings 9, 14 is provided with stoppers at its ends. In particular, such stops stops to prevent either said head carriage 7, or said shuttle 12 out of said path they follow. In addition, such stops may comprise a switch, to interrupt the operation of the actuating means 5, which can also be interrupted by a torque limiter.

That being so, according to a feature of the present invention, the device has automatic embracing means 15, 16.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, said automatic embracing means may be in the form of a pendulum 16, secured to the rail 1, but able to move in the plane of the curtain. The upper end, said proximal, said pendulum is hinged near the field of the rail 1, the distal end of said pendulum 16 having retaining means 34 for cooperating and projecting with the curtain.

Moreover, said head carriage 7 has means 18 for driving the pendulum 16 in movement.

According to this embodiment, the means for driving the pendulum are in the form of a transverse pin 18 secured to said head carriage 7. Said pin 18 is transverse to said raceway 3 to project with said pendulum 16 in the direction opening said curtain.

In addition, the means 18 for driving in movement the pendulum 16 have resilient return means 28 of said pendulum 16 cooperating with the pin 18 to either keep the pendulum forward, substantially parallel to the rail 1, when the curtain is deployed, the space between the retaining means 34, illustrated in Figure 6, allowing the passage of the carriages 2, while allowing the driving of the curtain in the retraction direction, or let the head carriage 7 act when the curtain is in the opening phase, and allow the retraction of the curtain automatically, the distal end 34 then pressing the curtain to hold it in the open position.

The pendulum 16 is in the form of an inverted U surrounding the curtain, the pendulum being pivoted at its upper end, said proximal, at a guide bearing 17 secured to the rail 1.

Advantageously, the bearing 17 is made on a frame 15. The elastic return means consist of a spring 28 extending between the proximal portion of said pendulum 16 and a point of attachment of said frame 15.

The position of the frame 15 can be adjusted in translation, as a function of the width of the curtain and the number of carriages, along the longitudinal axis of the rail 1, said frame being able to have fastening means to said fastening profile 30 with in particular a nut 32 slidable in said attachment profile 30.

As has already been seen, said rail 1 can be bent, matching the shape of its support.

The present invention also relates to the application of a device for opening and closing a curtain, as described above, to air or rail transport, nautical, automobile, any devices premises or public facilities such as offices voting, photo booths, fitting rooms, or private, such as detached houses.

Of course, other modes of implementation, within the reach of those skilled in the art, could still be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

Device for opening and closing a curtain, comprising a rail (1) to which said curtain is suspended by means of carriages (2) adapted to cooperate with said rail (1), said rail (1) defining a path tread (3) followed by said trolleys (2) when opening or closing said curtain, characterized in that said device further comprises: transmission means (4) capable of transforming a rotational movement into linear motion, actuating means (5) of said transmission means (4) in the form of a motor member provided with means for rotating said transmission means (4), means for controlling the actuating means, and - Drive means (6) of at least one of said carriages (2), said head carriage (7), said drive means cooperating with said transmission means (4) for printing said head carriage (7). ) a linear movement corresponding to said raceway (3). Device according to claim 1, wherein said rail further defines a drive path (8) substantially parallel to said raceway (3), followed by said drive means (6). Device according to claim 2, wherein: said drive path (8) is in the form of a profile defining a first housing (9) provided at said rail (1), one of the walls of said first housing (9) being provided with a longitudinal groove (10), said transmission means (4) are in the form of an elongated element, able to be housed in said first housing (9) and of helical structure, said drive means (6) are in the form of a pin (13) slidable along said longitudinal groove (10) and said pin (13) being secured at its proximal end said head carriage (7), said lug (13) being located at least partly in said first housing (9) and cooperating directly or indirectly with said transmission means (4). Device according to claim 3, wherein said elongate element is in the form of a helical spring (11), said lug (13) being adapted to project with the turns of said spring (11). Device according to claim 1, wherein said head carriage has means for decoupling the drive means (6) from said transmission means (4). Device according to claim 5, wherein said transmission means are in the form of a helical spring (11), said drive means being in the form of a lug (13) secured to said head carriage and adapted to protrude into the turns of the spring (11). Device according to claim 6, wherein said lug (13) is constrained by elastic means (21) to protrude into the turns of the spring (11), said lug (13) being able to be retracted in an erasing position in which it does not cooperate with the turns of the spring (11). Device according to claim 3, wherein said actuating means are in the form of a tubular electric geared motor (5) whose output shaft meshes directly and coaxially with the elongated element, the electric motor unit further comprising regulating means in the form of an electric dimmer. Device according to claim 2, wherein said rail (1) has two housings (9, 14) arranged one above the other, the upper housing (9) corresponding to said drive path (8) and the lower housing (14) corresponding to said raceway (3). Device according to claim 1, wherein the device has automatic embracing means (15, 16). Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said automatic embrace means is in the form of a pendulum (16) adapted to move in the plane of the curtain, the proximal end of said pendulum being hinged near the edge of the rail, the distal end of said pendulum having retaining means 34 for cooperating with the curtain. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the head carriage (7) has means (18) for driving the pendulum (16) in motion. Device according to claim 12, wherein the pendulum (16) is in the form of an inverted U surrounding the curtain, said pendulum being pivoted at its upper end, said proximal, at a bearing (17) of guiding means (18) for driving in motion the pendulum (16) in the form of a pin (18) secured to said head carriage (7) and transverse to said raceway (3), said pin (18) ) being able to project with said pendulum (16), the automatic embrace means further having elastic return means (28) of said pendulum (16) cooperating with said spindle (18). Application of a device according to any one of the preceding claims to air or rail transport, nautical, automobile or local or public or private facilities.

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