EP1657398B1 - Operating device for a roller shutter - Google Patents

Description

• un tube d'enroulement autour duquel est conçu apte à venir s'enrouler ledit tablier en position repliée ;
• un axe dérouleur, notamment pour la commande de déplacement dudit tablier ;
• des moyens, par exemple un moteur, pour l'entraînement en rotation de l'axe dérouleur ;
• et des moyens de transmission reliant l'axe dérouleur au tube d'enroulement et conçus aptes à entraîner ce dernier selon un rapport de transmission variable.

The invention relates to a drive device for rolling shutter apron comprising:

• a winding tube around which is designed able to come winding said apron in the folded position;
• an unwinding axis, in particular for controlling movement of said apron;
• means, for example a motor, for driving the unwinding axis in rotation;
• and transmission means connecting the unwinding shaft to the winding tube and designed to drive the latter in a variable transmission ratio.

The present invention will find application in the field of building closure systems. It will find a particular interest in the field of roller shutters whose apron is intended to be deployed in an inclined position, even flat, in the case of shutters for windows of roofs, verandas or similar.

A roller shutter comprises, in a usual manner, an apron composed of a juxtaposition of blades at least hinged together capable of being deployed from a winding tube, knowing that slides provide lateral guidance of this deck to ensure its deployment in front of a door, window or the like.

Generally, a drive mechanism acts on the winding tube to, depending on the direction of rotation communicated to the latter, control the deployment or folding of the deck. Note, in this regard, that, to ensure the recovery of an apron, the direction of rotation communicated to the winding tube has the effect of exerting traction on the deck which largely compensate for the forces resulting from the friction of the latter, in particular at the level of the lateral guidance of the blades in the wings.

Conversely, the apron deploys, usually, under the effect of its own weight during the unwind command. If, in a vertical position, the weight of the blades is sufficient to compensate for the friction forces to which reference has been made above, at the slightest inclination imparted to this roller shutter, these friction forces increase considerably and it is no longer possible to ensure the deployment of the deck by gravity. In sum, in this case, it is advisable to push the apron behind the scenes.

Different solutions have been adopted to overcome this difficulty. Thus, it is particularly known to use an unwinding axis which extends parallel and downstream of the winding tube in the direction of deployment of said deck and comprises meshing means or the like which, by action on the blades the apron, push the latter back into the guide slides during the deployment phase.

In particular, it is known to provide at the end of this unwinding axis drive sprockets capable of engaging, as the case may be, with openings in the ends of the apron blades or training fingers of which are provided with these blades at their end edges.

It is understood that because of the multiple turns formed by the apron around the winding tube, for a given rotational speed imparted to the latter, this results in a linear movement speed of said apron which is variable. On the contrary, a determined rotational speed imparted to the unwinding axis produces a constant linear speed drive of the apron.

To overcome this difficulty, a first solution consisted in conferring a driving function, as the case may be, on the unwinding shaft or the winding tube, this as a function of the direction of movement to be communicated to the deck.

For example, in the deployment phase, the unwinding axis is driven, motorized or manual, whereas the rotation imparted to the winding tube through the deployment of the deck results in the tensioning of a spring of torsion. When folding, this spring causes, in turn, the winding tube. Note that, if for this lift of the deck is acting on the manual or motorized means controlling the rotation of the unwinding shaft, this action has the sole function of releasing that of the spring for the drive of the winding tube.

This solution has the disadvantage of essentially solicit the torsion spring and poses the problem of its mechanical fatigue. It requires in all cases the use of a more expensive quality spring. This stress applied to the spring is necessarily passed on all the mechanical parts of the shutter and generates, again, a certain mechanical fatigue of these parts reducing their longevity.

In addition, during assembly the torsion spring must be prestressed which makes this operation, as post-sales interventions, particularly restrictive.

He is also known, by the document EP-1131530 such a roller shutter whose apron is likely to come to wind around a winding tube knowing that an unwinding axis which, depending on maneuvers, rotates in the same direction of rotation as the winding tube, acts on said apron by means of appropriate driving elements.

Furthermore, a torsion spring is connected at one of its ends to the winding tube, while the opposite end of this torsion spring is integral with a drive shaft connected by transmission means to the winding tube. unwinding axis.

In sum, here we solve the technical problem posed by the rotation differential between the winding tube and the unwinding shaft by a torsion spring through which the latter transmits its movement to the winding tube.

However, in the event of a blockage, the torsion spring can store a compressive force such that, at the time of release, the roller shutter, in particular the apron, can be damaged.

Another solution, described in DE 3607205A1 has consisted in equipping both the unwinding shaft and the winding tube with drive means, in particular motorized, having the particularity of being disengageable. In sum, the driving means of the unwinding shaft or of the winding tube are activated, depending on the operation, knowing that, conversely, the driving means of the winding tube or unwinding shaft are disengaged . Obviously, such a design is relatively expensive.

The present invention attempts to address the problems of these known solutions.

In particular, the drive device, according to the invention, makes it possible to preserve a mechanical transmission, whether manual or motorized, between the unwinding shaft and the winding tube, this through a differential allowing to ensure a variable transmission ratio.

In particular, this variable transmission ratio results from the transformation of a control in rotation both in a rotation and an axially variable displacement of a drive wheel acting on the winding tube.

Advantageously, according to the speed differential of the output drive wheel acting on the winding tube with respect to the input rotation control, resilient return means contribute to the axial displacement of said output wheel.

In particular, the input rotation control is provided through an axis in the form of a worm on which is mounted the output wheel defined as a nut integral in rotation of the winding tube while by being movable axially on the axis that defines the worm.

Thus, if depending on the winding section of the apron around the winding tube, it rotates at a speed of rotation greater or less than the speed of the axis corresponding to the worm, the nut that defines the drive wheel and output move axially in one direction or the other, either under the braking effect of the winding tube, resulting in the stressing of elastic return means, or by acceleration of the winding tube resulting from the return of the energy of these elastic return means in the preferred form of a compression spring.

• un tube d'enroulement autour duquel est conçu apte à venir s'enrouler ledit tablier en position repliée ;
• un axe dérouleur, notamment pour la commande de déplacement dudit tablier ;
• des moyens, par exemple un moteur, pour l'entraînement en rotation de l'axe dérouleur ;
• et des moyens de transmission reliant l'axe dérouleur au tube d'enroulement et conçus aptes à entraîner ce dernier selon un rapport de transmission variable ;

caractérisé par le fait que ces moyens de transmission comportent un dispositif différentiel intégré comportant un arbre d'entrée sur lequel est montée en rotation une roue d'entraînement de sortie, des moyens étant conçus pour autoriser la transformation de la rotation de l'arbre d'entrée à la fois en une rotation et en un déplacement linéaire axial de la roue d'entraînement de sortie, pour autoriser un différentiel de rotation angulaire de l'arbre d'entrée par rapport à la roue d'entraînement de sortie.Thus, the invention relates to a drive device for rolling shutter apron comprising:

• a winding tube around which is designed able to come winding said apron in the folded position;
• an unwinding axis, in particular for controlling movement of said apron;
• means, for example a motor, for driving the unwinding axis in rotation;
• and transmission means connecting the unwinding shaft to the winding tube and designed to drive the latter in a variable transmission ratio;

characterized by the fact that these transmission means comprise an integrated differential device comprising an input shaft on which is rotated an output drive wheel, means being adapted to allow the transformation of the rotation of the drive shaft input at both a rotation and a linear axial displacement of the output drive wheel, to allow a differential angular rotation of the input shaft relative to the output drive wheel.

The advantages deriving from the present invention consist in that the retransmission, at variable speed, of the drive of the unwinding shaft to the winding tube takes place through a direct mechanical connection without the interposition of a spring knowing that the elastic return means used here do not provide a retransmission of movement, but allow, through the energy they are able to accumulate according to the direction of rotation communicated, to ensure, if necessary , a play catch that can present this transmission mechanism through a differential speed.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the following description relating to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématisée et en perspective d'un volet roulant comportant un dispositif d'entraînement selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématisée sous forme d'une vue éclatée d'un dispositif d'entraînement selon l'invention ;
• la figure 3 est une représentation en coupe d'un mode de réalisation du dispositif selon l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est une représentation en coupe d'un autre mode de réalisation du dispositif selon l'invention ; et
• la figure 5 est une représentation en coupe d'un autre mode encore de réalisation du dispositif selon l'invention.

The understanding of this description will be facilitated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of a shutter comprising a drive device according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a schematic representation in the form of an exploded view of a driving device according to the invention;
• the figure 3 is a sectional representation of an embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• the figure 4 is a sectional representation of another embodiment of the device according to the invention; and
• the figure 5 is a sectional representation of yet another embodiment of the device according to the invention.

The present invention is in the field of roller shutters 1, in particular whose apron 2 is provided capable of being deployed in a flat position, or more or less inclined, as is the case of roller shutters for roof windows, verandas or similar 3.

The apron 2 of such a shutter 1 is composed of a juxtaposition of blades 4 at least hinged together and capable of being deployed from a winding tube knowing that the slides 6 provide the lateral guidance of the apron 2 to guarantee its deployment at the front of the window 3 or the like.

The invention relates more particularly to a device 7 for driving such an apron 2 shutter, this drive device 7 comprising a winding tube 5 around which is designed able to come winding said apron 2 in folded position and an unwinding axis 8 for the deployment command of the latter.

Drive means 9, more particularly in the form of an electric motor, are provided for rotating the unwinding shaft 8, while transmission means 10, connecting the unwinding shaft 8 to the winding tube 5 are able to train the latter in a variable transmission ratio.

In particular, these transmission means 10 comprise an integrated differential device 11 comprising an input shaft 12 on which is mounted in rotation an output drive wheel 13 which is integral in rotation the winding tube 5, means 14 being adapted to allow the transformation of the rotation of the input shaft 12 into a rotation and / or an axial linear displacement of the output drive wheel 13, to allow a differential angular rotation of the input shaft 12 with respect to the output drive wheel 13.

This differential speed makes it possible to transmit to the winding tube 5 a variable rotational speed with respect to the driving speed communicated by the means 9 on the unwinding axis 8.

In this connection, on the input shaft 12 of the differential device 11, a suitable belt transmission or gearing can act.

Thus, for example, on the input shaft 12 can be mounted a pulley 15 around which is wound a belt 16, coming, moreover, to be wound at least around a second pulley 17 fast with rotation of the unwinding axis 8 on which the drive means 9 act. Note, however, that the pulley 17 is not necessarily mounted on the end of the unwinding shaft 8, knowing that it can be directly dependent of said drive means 9. This transmission can be defined by a gear adapted through which it is also possible to obtain a reversal of the direction of rotation between the unwinding shaft 8 and the winding tube 5. This reversal may be necessary depending on the passage of the deck 2 above or below the unwinding axis 8 and / or the winding direction around the winding tube 5.

The means 14, allowing through the input shaft 12 to communicate to the output drive wheel 13 a rotation and / or an axial displacement, substantially consist of an input shaft 12 in the form of a screw endless having a helical thread 18 with which is able to cooperate said output drive wheel 13 designed in the form of a nut.

In other words, this output drive wheel 13 may have, internally to its bore, a tapping or, as illustrated in FIG. figure 2 , sections of ribs 19 designed capable of engaging on the helical thread 18.

As is apparent from the figure 2 when it is communicated to the worm, which defines the drive shaft 12, a rotation through the pulley 15, while the output drive wheel 13 is locked in rotation, the latter moves axially along this input shaft 12 in a direction printed according to the direction of the helical thread 18. The same applies when, for the winding sections of the apron 2 around the winding tube 5, the wheel of output drive 13 can only rotate at angular speeds lower than the rotational speed of the input shaft 12.

Conversely, when the number of turns formed by the apron 2 around the winding tube 5 comes to reduce, in the deployment phase, this angular rotation speed of the winding tube 5 tends to gradually grow producing a axial displacement of the output inlet wheel 13 in the opposite direction.

It will be noted, however, that if in the winding phase the brake which naturally constitutes the deck 2, makes it possible to act on the angular rotation speed of the winding tube 5, and therefore of the output drive wheel 13 with respect to the input shaft 12, in the deployment phase the latter tends to communicate to said output drive wheel 13 an identical speed of rotation. In this case the deck 2 may be caused to deploy from the winding tube 5 faster than the deployment controlled through the unwinding shaft 8. To ensure the braking of this angular rotation speed of the tube of winding 5 and avoid the uncontrolled deployment of the deck 2, there are provided suitable means.

Specifically, the device 7, according to the invention, further comprises elastic compression biasing means 20 capable of accumulating energy, in particular during the winding control phase of the deck 2, to be able to restore it in phase deployment of said deck 2, or vice versa. Thus, through this accumulated energy, these elastic return means 20 allow, by repelling in axial translation the output drive wheel 13 on the worm defined by the output shaft 12, to compensate the differential of when at the beginning of deployment, the initial section of the winding tube 5 requires the latter to be driven at a lower angular velocity at the angular velocity communicated to it by the input shaft 12 on which the transmission means 10.

In particular, the elastic return means 20 are in the form of a compression spring 21 interposed between the output drive wheel 13 and a stop plane 21A.

In this respect and as represented in figures 2 and 3 corresponding to a first embodiment, this abutment plane 21A can be located inside the winding tube 5 in which the compression spring 21 and the output drive wheel 13 further extend. illustrated, it can be rotatably mounted within the winding tube 5 while being movable in translation. Thus, inside this winding tube 5, may be formed one or more grooves, or ribs, axial 22 with which one or are able to cooperate one or more ribs, respectively grooves 23, that includes periphery and according to generators, the output drive wheel 13.

In the context of the embodiment corresponding to the figure 4 , the output drive wheel 13 and the compression spring 21 take place in a transmission cage 5A, located on one side of a support cheek J and in connection, for a transmission by rotation, with the tube of winding 5. The nature of this connection is exposed in the form of an exemplary embodiment in the following description. In the transmission housing 5A is the stop plane 21A with which the compression spring 21 cooperates, the output drive wheel 13 being mounted integrally in rotation and free in translation. Thus, inside this transmission cage 5A may be formed one or more grooves, or ribs, axial with the one or which is able to cooperate one or more ribs, respectively grooves, that includes periphery and generators, the output drive wheel 13.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the transmission by belt or gear acts on the input shaft 12 through an epicyclic gear train 39.

So, as visible in the figure 5 , on the input shaft 12 is mounted a sun gear carrier 40 engaged, through planetary gear 41, on the one hand, with a drive ring that defines the pulley 15, and on the other hand, with a drive shaft acting directly or through a torque limiting device 24 on the winding tube 5.

It is equipped with a transmission cage 5A in which is mounted, integral in rotation and free in translation, said output drive wheel 13, designed in the form of a nut and cooperating, through at least a helical thread 18, with the input shaft 12 on which this wheel 13 is mounted.

Here again, the device 7, according to the invention, comprises resilient compression biasing means 20 capable of accumulating energy, in particular during the winding control phase of the deck 2, to be able to restore it in phase. deployment of said deck 2, or vice versa. Thus, through this accumulated energy, these elastic return means 20 allow, by repelling in axial translation the output drive wheel 13 on the worm defined by the output shaft 12, to compensate the differential of when at the beginning of deployment, the initial section of the winding tube 5 requires the latter to be driven at a lower angular velocity at the angular velocity communicated to it by the input shaft 12 on which the transmission means 10.

In particular, the elastic return means 20 are in the form of a compression spring 21 interposed between the output drive wheel 13 and a stop plane 21A formed in the transmission cage 5A.

The operating principle is as follows:

When ordering, for example folding the deck 2, the motor, housed in the unwinding tube 8 and to which it communicates a constant speed of rotation, drives the pulley 17 and, through the belt 16, the pulley 15 in form drive crown.

Thanks to its internal toothing, it rotates the planetary 41 which, being in engagement with the teeth of a wheel 43 fixedly mounted at the end of a drive shaft 42 rotating the winding tube 5.

If, for reasons of variable section of this winding tube 5 (the number of turns formed by the apron around the latter contributing to a geometric growth of its section), it must rotate at a variable speed gradually slower this results in a braking of the rotation of this winding tube 5, therefore of the transmission cage 5A. More exactly, the speed differential, echoed by the input shaft 12 on the planetary support 40, leads to a progressive rotation of the planetary gear 41 around the wheel 43 secured to the drive shaft 42 under the influence of the crown corresponding to the pulley 15. Finally, the speed differential between the cage 5A and the input shaft 12, leads, under the effect of the helical thread 18, the linear displacement of the output wheel 13.

This movement is accompanied by the compression of the spring 21 whose energy can be restored during a reverse rotation control deployment. In particular, the energy accumulated by the spring 21 allows, in this case, to accelerate the output wheel 13 and thus the speed of rotation of the winding tube 5

It will be noted that this integrated differential solution makes it possible to drive the winding tube 5 in rotation in the opposite direction to that of the unwinding axis 8.

Moreover, this same result can be obtained according to the arrangement of the pulleys and belts, just as the transmission can still be envisaged by means of gears, solution not visible in the drawings, to obtain the desired direction of rotation and in particular, that the winding tube 5 rotates in the same direction as the unwinding axis 8 or vice versa.

According to another feature of the invention, the transmission means 10 comprise a torque limiter 24 to ensure their disengagement with respect to the winding tube 5 in case of blockage.

According to a first embodiment corresponding to figures 2 and 3 this torque limiter 24 is interposed between the pulley 15 and the input shaft 12 of the differential device 7.

In particular, this torque limiter 24 may be in the form of a disk 25 with a toothed face, mounted on the end 26 of the input shaft 12 and designed to cooperate with complementary shaped teeth 27 which is provided on one of its sides, the pulley 15. These teeth, with inclined teeth, are caused to cooperate through the maintenance of the disk 25 against the pulley 15 under the action of resilient return means 28, shown here in the form of a conical spring washer, called belleville.

Thus, this washer provides resistance to the axial displacement of the disc 25 relative to said pulley 15 which allows the torque limiter 24 declutch disengaging beyond a certain torque resistant.

According to a second embodiment and as visible in the figure 4 , the torque limiter 24 ensures the connection, for a transmission by rotation, between the transmission cage 5A and the winding tube 5. The cage 5A is, again, provided with a disc 25A toothed on one of its faces, which toothing is maintained, under the impulse of resilient return means 28, applied against a complementarily shaped toothing 27A which is provided with a flange 15A integral in rotation with the winding tube 5. More precisely, this flange 15A is mounted fixed in rotation on the shaft section ensuring the maintenance of rotation of said winding tube in the bearing which is provided the support cheek J.

In a particular embodiment, means 30 may be designed capable of adjusting the tension of the compression spring 21 in order to put the latter under stress during installation or in the context of after-sales interventions on the shutter 1 .

These means have been particularly represented in one exemplary embodiment in the context of the embodiment of the invention corresponding to the figure 4 . Thus, they comprise an adjusting screw 32 defined capable of controlling in rotation, directly or indirectly, the winding tube 5 and / or the transmission cage 5A. It is understood that by acting in rotation on any one of these elements, while the transmission means 10 are themselves stationary, the resulting angular velocity differential can be absorbed only when through an axial component displacement of the output drive wheel 13 on the input shaft 12. Depending on the direction of rotation communicated by the adjusting screw, this displacement leads to prestress the spring of compression 21.

In the example of the figure 4 , the adjusting screw 32 acts on a peripheral toothing 33 which the flange 15A integral with the winding tube 5 carries. Similarly, the disc 25A could be defined in the manner of a crown and carry a toothing with which it would be able to cooperate such a set screw 32.

Claims (17)

1. Operating device for an apron (2) of a roller shutter (1), including:

   - a winding-up tube (5), about which said apron (2) is designed capable of winding up into folded position;

   - an unwinding shaft (8), in particular for controlling the unfolding of said apron (2);

   - means (9), for example a motor, for driving the unwinding shaft (8) in rotation;

   - and transmission means (10) connecting the unwinding shaft (8) to the winding-up tube (5) and designed capable of driving the latter according to a varying transmission rate;

   wherein these transmission means (10) include an integrated differential device (11) including an input shaft (12) on which a transmission output wheel (13) is rotationally mounted, which the winding-up tube (5) is made integral in rotation with, means (14) being designed so as to permit to convert the rotation of the input shaft (12) into both a rotation and an axial linear motion of the transmission output wheel (13), in order to permit a differential angular rotation of the input shaft (12) with respect to the transmission output wheel (13).
2. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein a transmission by means of a belt or a gear acts on the input shaft (12) of the differential device (11).
3. Operating device according to claim 2, wherein the belt or gear transmission acts on the input shaft (12) through a train of planetary gears (39).
4. Operating device according to any of he preceding claims, wherein the means (14) are in the form of a worm defined by the input shaft (12), which includes a helical thread (18), which said transmission output wheel (13) in the form of a bolt is designed capable of cooperating with.
5. Operating device according to claim 4, wherein said transmission output wheel (13) includes a bore with an internal thread, rib lengths (19) or the like designed capable of engaging with the helical thread (18).
6. Operating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission output wheel (13) is mounted integral in rotation, while being movable in translation, in the winding-up tube (5).
7. Operating device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transmission output wheel (13) is mounted integral in rotation and freely movable in translation in a transmission cage (5A) in connection, for a transmission through rotation, with the winding-up tube (5).
8. Operating device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein inside the winding-up tube (5) or the transmission cage (5A) are provided for one or several axial grooves or ribs (22), which one or several ribs or grooves (23) are designed capable of cooperating with, which the transmission output wheel (13) includes at the periphery and according to generating lines.
9. Operating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein it includes furthermore springy means for restoring into compression (20) capable of storing energy, in particular during the phase of controlling the winding-up of the apron 2, so that it can be delivered, namely during the phase of unfolding of said apron (2) in the form of a thrust in axial translation of the transmission output wheel (13) onto the worm formed by the output shaft (12), in order to ensure a difference of speed between the winding-up tube (5) and the input shaft (12) on which the transmission means (10) act.
10. Operating device according to claim 9, wherein the springy restoring means (20) are in the form of a compression spring (21) intercalated between the transmission output wheel (13) and a stop plane (21A).
11. Operating device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means (10) include a torque limiter (24) for ensuring their declutching with respect to the winding-up tube (5).
12. Operating device according to claim 11, wherein the torque limiter (24) is intercalated between a pulley (15) and the input shaft (12) of the integrated differential device (11).
13. Operating device according to claim 12, wherein the torque limiter (24) is in the form of a disc (25) with a toothed side, mounted at the end (26) of the input shaft (12) and designed capable of cooperating with a complementarily shaped toothing (27), which the pulley (15) is provided with on one of its sides, these toothings, with inclined teeth, being brought into cooperation through maintaining the disc (25) applied against the pulley (15) under the action of springy restoring means (28).
14. Operating device according to claims 7 and 11, wherein the torque limiter (24) ensures the connection, for a transmission through rotation, between the transmission cage (5A) and the winding-up tube (5).
15. Operating device according to claim 14, wherein said torque limiter (24) is in the form of a disc (25A) toothed on one of its sides and which the transmission cage (5A) is provided with, the toothing of this disc (25A) being maintained, under the action of springy restoring means (28), applied against a complementary toothing (27A), which a side flange (15A) integral in rotation with the winding-up tube (5) is provided with.
16. Operating device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein it includes means (30) for adjusting the tension of the springy restoring means (20).
17. Operating device according to claim 3, wherein on said input shaft (12) is mounted a side gear support (40) engaging, through side gears (41), on the one hand, with a driving crown defined by the pulley (15) and, on the other hand, with a driving shaft (42), which acts, directly or through a torque limiting device (24), on said winding-up tube (5), which is provided with a transmission cage (5A) in which is mounted integral in rotation and freely movable in translation said transmission output wheel (13) in the form of a nut and cooperating, through at least one helical thread (18), with said input shaft (12) on which said wheel (13) is mounted.

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