EP1835106A2

EP1835106A2 - Guide particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates

Info

Publication number: EP1835106A2
Application number: EP07103551A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mario Dal Canton
Original assignee: Rolling Center SpA
Current assignee: Rolling Center SpA
Priority date: 2006-03-13
Filing date: 2007-03-06
Publication date: 2007-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-06
Also published as: ATE472658T1; EP1835106A3; ITTV20060013U1; EP1835106B1; DE602007007381D1

Abstract

A guide (1) particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates, comprising a profiled element (2) which has a head (3) provided with a circular and hollow cross-section from which a stem (4) protrudes radially; the guide (1) comprises at least one reinforcement element (11) which is arranged so as to surround coaxially at least the head of the profiled element.

Description

The present invention relates to a guide particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates.
Guides are currently known which are constituted by a rail which is fixed to the ground by embedding in a cement conglomerate and is used to allow the rolling thereon of wheels which are associated for example with a wing of a sliding entrance door or gate.
Utility model No. 0225818, filed on February 6, 1991 , is known in particular and discloses a guide, particularly for gates or entrance doors with sliding wings, which is constituted by a profiled element obtained by drawing a metal plate.
The profiled element has a head which has a circular hollow cross-section and from which a stem protrudes radially and diverges so as to constitute two wings, each of which has an inclined region for connection to an end which is approximately perpendicular to the stem.
A complementarily shaped pin is associable longitudinally within the head of the rail, is approximately cylindrical and externally knurled, and is adapted to allow quick and easy connection of two or more guide portions to each other, so as to obtain a guide of the chosen length.
This known type of guide is installed by embedding in the cement conglomerate its wings and partially its head.
The shape of the wings, and particularly of their ends, allows to achieve excellent adhesion to the ground of the guide and high resistance to lateral forces.
Such known type of guide, however, has a drawback: in order to withstand the intense forces imparted by the rolling of the wheels, the thickness of the head must be considerable, typically at least equal to four millimeters; since the head and the wings are obtained by drawing a single metal plate, the wings therefore also have a high thickness, and this entails a high weight for the guide, with consequent difficulties in storage and installation and high transport costs.
Further, this drawback entails a waste of material, since for the guide portion which is embedded in the cement conglomerate it would be sufficient to use a reduced thickness in order to achieve sufficient strength.
Another drawback of this known type of guide is that depending on the different operating conditions the head portion that protrudes from the cement conglomerate must have different wear resistance and corrosion resistance characteristics, and it is therefore necessary to subject it to an appropriate surface treatment; since it is rather difficult to subject to a surface treatment only the head of the guide, said guide must therefore be treated also in the region which is embedded in the cement conglomerate, with the consequent additional costs that this entails.
The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited background, by providing a guide, particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates, which has a high resistance to the forces to which it is subjected during use and also has lower storage, transport and installation costs than the background art.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a guide which can be adapted to the various operating conditions, at the same time maintaining low production costs.
Another object is to provide a guide which is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a guide particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates, which comprises a profiled element which has a head provided with a circular and hollow cross-section from which a stem protrudes radially, characterized in that it comprises at least one reinforcement element which is arranged so as to surround coaxially at least said head of said profiled element.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a guide according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the guide of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side view of the guide according to the invention and of a wheel which can roll thereon;
Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.
Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.
With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 designates a guide, particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates, which are not shown in the accompanying figures.
The guide 1 comprises a profiled element 2, which has a first head 3 having a substantially circular and hollow cross-section, from which a stem 4 protrudes radially and is provided with a straight portion 5 which diverges, on the opposite side with respect to the first head 3, so as to constitute a pair of wings designated respectively by the reference numerals 6a and 6b.
Advantageously, the wings 6a and 6b have an inclined region 7a, 7b which is blended with a respective end 8a, 8b which is arranged approximately at right angles to the stem 4.
Advantageously, the profiled element 2 is obtained by drawing a metal plate which has a thickness comprised preferably between one and two millimeters.
Advantageously but not necessarily, the profiled element 2 is made of galvanized iron plate.
Advantageously, on the straight portion 5 of the stem 4 there are a plurality of beading points 9, which are adapted to increase the mechanical strength of the stem 4; the beading points 9 are preferably approximately equidistant along the entire length of the profiled element 2.
A plurality of drawing points 10 are provided advantageously in the region for blending between the inclined regions 7a and 7b and the respective ends 8a and 8b and are adapted to increase the mechanical strength of the wings 6a and 6b; the drawing points 10 are preferably approximately equidistant along the entire length of the profiled element 2.
A complementarily cylindrical pin, not shown in the accompanying figures, can optionally be associated detachably within the first head 3 and is preferably at least partially knurled externally and such as to allow the longitudinal connection of two mutually adjacent guides 1.
The guide 1 comprises at least one reinforcement element 11, which is arranged so as to surround coaxially, and preferably along its entire length, at least the first head 3 of the profiled element 2.
Advantageously, the reinforcement element 11 is constituted by a lamina which is folded so as to assume, in a transverse cross-section, an approximately Ω-like shape, which partially follows the shape of the profiled element 2, and therefore has a second head 12, which has an approximately C-shaped transverse cross-section and is arranged so as to surround coaxially the first head 3 of the profiled element 2; two arms, designated respectively by the reference numerals 13a and 13b, protrude downward from the second head 12 on opposite sides with respect to the stem 4, are approximately straight and preferably mutually diverge away from the second head 12.
Advantageously, the reinforcement element 11 is obtained by drawing a steel plate which has high mechanical strength and high wear resistance.
The reinforcement element 11 and the profiled element 2 can be mutually associated preferably by simultaneous drawing of the two metal plates that constitute them.
The reinforcement element 11 is advantageously thicker than the profiled element 2 and its thickness is preferably comprised between approximately three and four millimeters.
The metal plate that constitutes the reinforcement element 11 can be subjected conveniently, before drawing and therefore before its application to the profiled element 2, to a chosen surface treatment, such as for example galvanization or tropicalization.
Operation is therefore as follows: with reference to Figure 4, the guide 1 is installed by embedding in a cement conglomerate the wings 6a and 6b, the stem 4, the arms 13a and 13b of the reinforcement element 11, and part of the lower portion of the second head 12.
The shape of the wings 6a and 6b and in particular of the ends 8a and 8b thereof, and the inclination of the arms 13a and 13b of the reinforcement element 11, ensure high adhesion of the guide 1 to the ground and optimum resistance to lateral forces.
By associating a truck with the guide 1, the wheels of the truck, one of which is designated by the reference numeral 14 and is shown schematically in the accompanying figures, engage slidingly the second head 12 of the reinforcement element 11.
The high mechanical strength of the reinforcement element 11 protects the guide 1 against wear caused by the rolling of the wheels of the truck, thus increasing the life of the guide 1.
Further, the possibility to subject to a chosen surface treatment the metal plate that constitutes the reinforcement element 11 allows to improve the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of the guide 1, thus limiting its production costs.
It has thus been found that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a guide particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates having been provided which is capable of withstanding appropriately the forces and wear imparted by the rolling of the wheels of trucks, while having a reduced weight, since thanks to the presence of the reinforcement element in the region affected by engagement with the wheels of the trucks the thickness, and consequently the total weight of the guide, is kept low, and this entails easy transport and installation of the guide.
Further, the reduction in the thickness of the profiled element entails a reduction in the production costs of the guide according to the invention with respect to known types of guide.
Moreover, the guide according to the invention, by way of the possibility to use a reinforcement covering made of a chosen material, is adapted for use in the chosen operating conditions.
The invention is of course susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
The materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the invention, may of course be more pertinent according to specific requirements.
The various means for performing certain different functions need not certainly coexist only in the illustrated embodiment but can be present per se in many embodiments, including ones that are not illustrated.
The characteristics indicated as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.
The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. TV2006U000013 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A guide particularly for sliding entrance doors or gates, comprising a profiled element which has a head provided with a circular and hollow cross-section from which a stem protrudes radially, characterized in that it comprises at least one reinforcement element which is arranged so as to surround coaxially at least said head of said profiled element.
The guide according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one reinforcement element surrounds coaxially said first head of said profiled element along its entire length.
The guide according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said at least one reinforcement element is constituted by a lamina which is folded so as to assume, in a transverse cross-section, an approximately Ω-like shape, which partially follows the shape of said profiled element, and therefore has a second head, which has an approximately C-shaped transverse cross-section and is arranged so as to surround coaxially said first head.
The guide according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that two arms protrude from said second head downward on opposite sides with respect to said stem.
The guide according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that said arms of said at least one reinforcement element are approximately straight and preferably mutually diverge away from said second head.
The guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one reinforcement element is obtained by drawing a steel plate which has high mechanical strength and wear resistance.
The guide according to claims 1 and 6, characterized in that said profiled element is obtained by drawing a metal plate, and in that said at least one reinforcement element and said profiled element can be mutually associated by simultaneous drawing of the two metal plates that constitute them.
The guide according to claims 1 and 7, characterized in that said at least one reinforcement element is thicker than said profiled element.
The guide according to claims 1 and 8, characterized in that the thickness of said metal plate which constitutes said profiled element is comprised between approximately one and two millimeters, said at least one reinforcement element having a thickness comprised between approximately three and four millimeters.
The guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said metal plate which constitutes said at least one reinforcement element is subjected to a chosen surface treatment before drawing.
The guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said metal plate which constitutes said at least one reinforcement element is subjected to a surface treatment for galvanization or tropicalization before drawing.
The guide according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stem of said profiled element has a straight portion which diverges, away from said first head, so as to constitute a pair of wings, a plurality of beading points being provided on said straight portion of said stem and are adapted to increase the mechanical strength of said stem.
The guide according to claims 1 and 12, characterized in that said wings of said profiled element have an inclined region which blends with a respective end which is arranged approximately at right angles to said stem, and in that a plurality of drawing points are provided in the blending region between said inclined regions and the respective said ends and are adapted to increase the mechanical strength of said wings.