EP1939385A1

EP1939385A1 - Cover and protection device for a movement mechanism of a sectional door, gate or the like

Info

Publication number: EP1939385A1
Application number: EP07150080A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enrico Breda
Original assignee: Breda Sistemi Industriali SpA
Current assignee: Breda Sistemi Industriali SpA
Priority date: 2006-12-20
Filing date: 2007-12-18
Publication date: 2008-07-02
Also published as: ITUD20060269A1

Abstract

A cover and protection device (10) to cover and protect a lifting mechanism (11) in a sectional frame such as a door, main door, gate or suchlike, comprises first attachment means (22) able to be attached in a position substantially under the bulk of the lifting mechanism (11), second attachment means (23, 25) able to be attached in a position substantially above the lifting mechanism (11) and an elastically flexible blade (26), having a first edge able to be associated with the first attachment means (22) and a second edge, opposite the first edge, and able to be associated with the second attachment means (23, 25), so that the blade (26) is disposed elastically arched around at least one portion of the lifting mechanism (11).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a cover and protection device, or more simply guard, for a movement mechanism of a sectional frame such as a door, main door, gate or suchlike, or a frame consisting of several longitudinal sections or panels, parallel and hinged to each other and mobile along guide means between a closed position and an open position. In particular, the present invention concerns the guard provided to cover and protect the spring mechanism or mechanisms for servo-lifting the sectional frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sectional frames are known, such as doors, main doors, gates or suchlike, with horizontal sections, or panels, hinged one to the other by means of hinges located on the internal side.
In such frames, each panel has sliding means at the ends, able to slide in suitable sliding guides, to pass from a closed position of the frame, which is normally substantially vertical and prevents transit, to an open position of the frame, in which transit is permitted.
It is also known to provide servo-assisted movement mechanisms of the frame which, for example by means of suitable torsion springs connected with a cable kinematism to the sliding means, allow to facilitate the lifting of the frame, to pass from the closed position to the open position.
The servo-assisted movement mechanisms are generally disposed above the sliding guides for the whole width of the frame, and are normally left uncovered, thus generating sources of danger. Alternatively, the mechanisms are simply covered and protected by a metal guard transversely shaped by means of a pressing/bending method, so that it follow for its whole length the profile of the springs and of the possible attachment brackets of the latter.
The known guard is made entirely by bending, starting from a plane metal sheet of considerable thickness, and is installed already shaped.
Due to the considerable size of the guard, which can even reach 6 meters and more in length, it is particularly difficult to make and, due to the intrinsic characteristics of the metal sheet, once bent may tend to twist axially, making it complex to mount on the frame. Furthermore, possible maintenance operations, after assembly, make it necessary to totally remove the guard, with a considerable increase in costs.
Another disadvantage of the known guard is its transport which, due to its arched shape, is particularly complex and bulky, especially to guarantee that its shape is maintained, keeping it from accidental knocks or compression.
Moreover, the predefined arched shape of the guard does not allow, during assembly, to make small modifications or adaptations to the components of the frame which sometimes become necessary, in order to install the frame, and it is thus necessary to remodel the guard manually, with a consequent reduction in quality.
Purpose of the present invention is to make a cover and protection device for a movement mechanism of a sectional frame which is simple and economical to make and is easy and convenient to assemble and transport.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purpose, a cover and protection device according to the present invention is applied to cover and protect a lifting mechanism, for example with a spring, of a sectional frame such as a door, a main door, a gate or suchlike.
According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the cover and protection device comprises:

first attachment means able to be attached in a position substantially under the bulk of the lifting mechanism;
second attachment means able to be attached in a position substantially above the lifting mechanism; and
a blade, substantially flat, for example made of thin sheet, elastically flexible, having a first edge able to be associated with the first attachment means and a second edge, opposite and substantially parallel to the first edge, and able to be associated with the second attachment means, so that the blade is disposed elastically arched around at least a portion of the lifting mechanism.

In this way the blade is curved and shaped elastically around the lifting mechanism, and thus covers and protects the latter.
With the present invention therefore, the blade, which constitutes the protection for the lifting mechanism, is shaped autonomously and directly during the assembly step, in a simple and rapid manner, and as a function of the specific installation made.
Furthermore, during transport, the blade occupies a space equal to its thickness, thus reducing the spaces occupied in transport and substantially eliminating the risk that accidental knocks or compression may compromise the shaping.
Another advantage of the present invention is that no prior steps of bending and/or shaping the blade need to be provided, thus reducing any possible axial twisting, and also the costs of production of the entire device. Moreover, the present invention is easily removed so as to allow possible maintenance work on the frame.
Advantageously, the first attachment means consists of a first metal profile which is attached to the supporting wall of the frame, while the second attachment means consists of two metal profiles, respectively, a second positioning profile, and a third attachment profile. The third attachment profile is shaped so as to be able to be coupled and slotted in removably to the second positioning profile, so that, by slotting the third attachment profile into the second positioning profile, the operation of elastic bending of the plane blade between the first attachment means and the second attachment means is further simplified.
In particular, the second positioning profile and the third attachment profile are reciprocally shaped so as to exploit the elastic reaction of the flexible blade in order to guarantee that their condition of slotted-in coupling is maintained.
In one form of embodiment of the present invention, the first metal profile of the first attachment means comprises at least a longitudinal groove in which an anti-wind packing is attached, able to cooperate with respective sections of the sectional frame, in order to prevent infiltrations from outside to inside in the closed position of the frame, of cold or hot air, or other unwanted elements, such as leaves, dust, insects or other small animals.
Advantageously, the longitudinal groove of the first metal profile has an inclination such that the anti-wind packing is normally kept under pressure against the respective sections of the frame, increasing its insulating functions, and exploits the normal thrust action of the wind to adhere more to the relative section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view from inside a sectional door to which the cover and protection device according to the present invention is applied;
fig. 2 is a lateral view of the cover and protection device in fig. 1;
fig. 3 is a three-dimensional view of a first assembly step of the cover and protection device in fig. 1;
fig. 4 is a three-dimensional view of a second assembly step of the cover and protection device in fig. 1;
fig. 5 is a three-dimensional view of a third assembly step of the cover and protection device in fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, a device or guard 10 according to the present invention is disposed to cover and protect a servo-assisted movement mechanism 11 of a sectional frame 12 disposed to close an aperture.
Simply to give an example, the sectional frame 12 to which the guard 10 according to the present invention is applied comprises, in this case, a main door 13 with hinged horizontal sections 13a. The door 13 is able to slide along sliding guides 15 fixed at the sides of the aperture to a vertical wall 16 made of brickwork, so that it is able to be selectively moved between a closed position in which it prevents transit through the aperture, and an open position, not shown, in which it allows transit through the aperture.
The servo-assisted movement mechanism 11 is disposed between the two sliding guides 15 above the aperture, and comprises a transmission shaft 17 provided at the ends with two movement pulleys 19 on which relative cables, not shown, are wound, which cooperate with the horizontal sections 13a in order to determine the guided and uniform movement of the door 13 with respect to the sliding guides 15.
The servo-assisted movement mechanism 11 also comprises a plurality of axial torsion springs 20, mounted coaxial on the length of the transmission shaft 17, so as to generate thereon a moment of torque which facilitates the lifting of the door 13 from the closed position to the open position.
The transmission shaft 17 is attached to the wall 16 by means of relative brackets 21, shaped like a quarter circumference (fig. 2), that is, each provided with a vertical edge 21 a, a horizontal edge 21 b and a curved front edge 21 c.
The guard 10 according to the present invention comprises an attachment profile 22, a positioning profile 23, an attachment profile 25 and a metal blade 26, initially flat.
The attachment profile 22 is attached to the vertical wall 16 under the servo-assisted movement mechanism 11, in correspondence with a lower segment of the curved edge 21c, and comprises a substantially vertical supporting wall 27, positioned close up to the vertical wall 16, and an attachment wall 29 substantially orthogonal to the supporting wall 27 and defining, with an upper edge of the latter, a positioning rib 30 disposed during use in contact with the curved edge 2 1 c.
In this case, the positioning rib 30 has a height, with respect to the attachment wall 29, such as to define a first housing recess 28 for the metal blade 26.
The attachment profile 22 also comprises two longitudinal grooves 31 and 32, made at the front and facing reciprocally divergent towards the outside, that is, with the relative median axes disposed substantially in a V.
The positioning profile 23 is attached above the servo-assisted movement mechanism 11, in correspondence with a front segment of the horizontal edge 21b, and comprises a substantially horizontal supporting wall 33, positioned close to the horizontal edge 21b, and an L-shaped wall 35 defining with the supporting wall 33 a front seating 36. The L-shaped wall 35 comprises an attachment tooth 37 facing towards the inside of the front seating 36.
The positioning profile 23 also comprises a positioning shoulder 39 made orthogonal, at the front of the supporting wall 33, and able to cooperate with an upper segment of the curved edge 21c, to define the positioning of the positioning profile 23 with respect to the brackets 21.
The attachment profile 25 comprises:

an attachment wall 40;
a slot-in wall 41, of a size mating with the front seating 36 of the positioning profile 23 and extending laterally from the attachment wall 40 with an inclination of about 90°;
a fitted rib 42, offset and parallel to the attachment wall 40, and able to fit on the attachment tooth 37 of the positioning profile 23; and
a protection wall 43 which develops from the opposite side of the slot-in wall 41 with respect to the attachment wall 40.

In this case, once the positioning profile 23 and the attachment profile 26 have been coupled, the staggering between the fitted rib 42 and the attachment wall 40 defines, between the latter and the positioning shoulder 39, a second housing recess 44 for the metal blade 26.
Initially, as we said, the metal blade 26 has a flat extension and a length equal to that of the servo-assisted movement mechanism 11 to be covered and protected.
In particular, the metal blade 26 has a thickness equal to about 0.4 mm, so as to be resistant and flexible enough to be wound elastically on the curved edge 21 c of the brackets 21.
The metal blade comprises a first longitudinal edge 26a, able to be housed inside the first housing recess 28, and a second longitudinal edge 26b, substantially parallel and opposite the first longitudinal edge 26a, and able to be housed inside the second housing recess 44.
The guard 10 according to the present invention also comprises an anti-wind packing 45, made of plastic material and assembled, by means of an end rib 46 thereof, on the longitudinal groove 31 of the attachment profile 22.
In particular, the orientation of the longitudinal groove 31 and the size of the anti-wind packing 45 are such as to guarantee that the latter is kept under pressure against a relative section of the horizontal sections 13a, increasing the insulation.
Furthermore, the orientation taken by the anti-wind packing 45 due to the orientation of the longitudinal groove 31 is such that the wind pushes the anti-wind packing 45 even more against the horizontal section 13a, increasing the insulation effect.
The guard 10 as described heretofore is assembled on a wall 16, to cover the servo-assisted movement mechanism 11, as follows.
With reference to fig. 4, the attachment profile 22 is first of all positioned in such a manner that its supporting wall 27 contacts the vertical wall 16 and the positioning rib 30 contacts the curved edge 21c, so as to define the first housing recess 28. This positioning is consolidated by means of further attachment screws 47, inserted into the longitudinal groove 31 or 32 of the attachment profile 22 and screwed into the vertical wall 16.
Subsequently, the positioning profile 23 is positioned, so that its supporting wall 33 contacts the horizontal edge 21b, and its positioning shoulder 39 contacts the curved edge 21 c. The positioning is consolidated by means of attachment screws 47, cooperating with a relative attachment fin 49 made on the horizontal edge 21b of the bracket 21.
Once the attachment profile 22 and the positioning profile 23 have been attached, the first longitudinal edge 26a is inserted into the first housing recess 28, while the second longitudinal edge 26b of the metal blade 26 is temporarily associated with the attachment wall 40 of the attachment profile 25.
The attachment profile 25 is taken into cooperation with the positioning profile, thus lifting the second longitudinal edge 26b and elastically curving the metal blade 26 close to the curved edge 21c of the bracket 21 (fig. 5). In particular, the slot-in wall 41 of the attachment profile 25 is inserted inside the front seating 36 of the positioning profile 23, until the fitted rib 42 contacts the attachment tooth 37.
The elastic reaction developed by the metal blade 26 due to the effect of its bending is such that the attachment profile 25 is subjected to a revolving moment centered in the point of contact between the fitted rib 42 and the attachment tooth 37, and a direction such as to determine a contact pressure between the slot-in wall 41 and the part of the supporting wall 33 provided inside the front seating 36.
In this way, it is possible to exploit the elasticity of the metal blade 26 both to achieve the covering and protecting curve of the servo-assisted movement mechanism 11, and also to keep the profiles which make up the guard 10 according to the invention assembled with each other.
It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the guard 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.
For example, it comes within the field of the present invention to provide that the positioning profile 23 and the attachment profile 25 are made as a single profile, and that the second positioning recess 44 is provided directly during the extrusion of the single profile.
According to another variant, for example, instead of the housing recesses 28 and 44, it is provided to attach the longitudinal edges 26a and 26b of the metal blade 26 to the profiles 22, 23 and 25 directly by means of screws, bolts, rivets or other, or by gluing, welding or other known methods.
It also comes within the field of the present invention to provide that the attachment profile 22 also consists of two distinct profiles, able to be selectively associated with each other by slot-in coupling during the assembly steps of the guard.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of cover and protection device for a movement mechanism of a sectional frame such as a door, a main door, a gate or suchlike, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

Cover and protection device to cover and protect a lifting mechanism (11) of a sectional frame (13) such as a door, main door, gate or suchlike, characterized in that it comprises:
- first attachment means (22) able to be attached in a position substantially under the bulk of said lifting mechanism (11);

- second attachment means (23, 25) able to be attached in a position substantially above said lifting mechanism (11); and

- an elastically flexible blade (26), having a first edge (26a) able to be associated with said first attachment means (22) and a second edge (26b), opposite said first edge (26a), and able to be associated with said second attachment means (23, 25), so that said blade (26) is disposed elastically arched around at least one portion of said lifting mechanism (11).
Device as in claim 1, characterized in that said first attachment means consists of a first metal profile (22) comprising a substantially vertical supporting wall (27), and an attachment wall (29) substantially orthogonal to said supporting wall (27) and defining a positioning rib (30) able to define, during use, a positioning rib (30) in which said first edge (26a) of said flat blade (26) is able to be housed.
Device as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said second attachment means consists of a second positioning profile (23) able to be attached above said lifting mechanism (11), and a third attachment profile (25) with which said second edge (26b) of said blade (26) is able to be associated.
Device as in claim 3, characterized in that said second profile (23) and said third profile (25) are shaped so that they can be coupled with each other in slot-in manner and removably.
Device as in claim 4, characterized in that the shapes of said second profile (23) and of said third profile (25) are such as to exploit the elastic reaction of said blade (26) when said blade (26) is disposed elastically arched around at least a portion of said lifting mechanism (11), so as to guarantee that said slot-in coupling between said second profile (23) and said third profile (25) is maintained.
Device as in claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that said second profile (23) comprises a substantially horizontal supporting wall (33), a positioning shoulder (39) made at the front of said supporting wall (33), and an L-shaped wall (35) defining, with said supporting wall (33), a front seating (36) and comprising an attachment tooth (37), facing towards the inside of said front seating (36).
Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said third profile (25) comprises an attachment wall (40), a slot-in wall (41) having a size mating with that of said front seating (36) and extending laterally from said attachment wall (40) with an inclination of about 90° and a fitted rib (42), offset and parallel to said attachment wall (40), which is able to fit onto said attachment tooth (37).
Device as in claim 7, characterized in that the stagger between said fitted rib (42) and said attachment wall (40) is able to define, during use, a housing recess (44) for said second edge (26b) of said blade (26), between said attachment wall (40) and said positioning shoulder (39).
Device as in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said third profile (25) also comprises a protection wall (43) which develops from the side opposite said slot-in wall (41) with respect to said attachment wall (40).
Device as in claim 2, characterized in that said first metal profile (22) also comprises at least a longitudinal groove (31, 32) in which a packing element (45) is able to be positioned, able to cooperate with respective sections (13a) of said sectional frame (12), in order to prevent infiltrations of air or other unwanted elements such as dust, leaves, insects or other small animals.
Device as in claim 10, characterized in that said longitudinal groove (31, 32) has an inclination such that said packing element (45) is normally kept under pressure against said respective sections (13a).