EP1971742B1

EP1971742B1 - Mechanism for the operation of multiple panels door with increased insulating properties

Info

Publication number: EP1971742B1
Application number: EP07701655.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jacques Lussier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-09
Filing date: 2007-01-09
Publication date: 2014-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 2027-01-09
Also published as: CA2574253C; CA2574253A1; EP1971742A1; EP1971742A4; WO2007079576A1

Description

The invention relates generally to doors having multiple panels such as, for example, garage doors but more specifically to a mechanism which provides for better insulating properties.
Vertically opening doors having multiple panels are mostly known for their use as car garage doors although they can be used for other applications. Over the years steel, aluminum or vinyl covered doors with an insulating core have been developed to increase insulating properties. No matter the insulating properties of the core, there remains heat loss due to the poor sealing characteristics of the perimeter seal which allows air to circulate. The problem is not so much that the seal is poor, it is because the constant friction of the door opening and closing against the seal makes it less efficient, plus the fact that, to begin with, in order not to cause too much of a hindrance to the operation of the door, the seal cannot create too much friction against the door so that it can open or close relatively effort free so as not to over work the motor doing the opening and closing operation or a user manually opening or closing the door. US 2,039,296 discloses a door having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and which door shifts laterally when it reaches its closed position in order to fit tightly with the door frame. However, the mechanism has to be activated by a stop when the door reaches its closed position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known devices now present in the prior art, the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide objects and advantages which are:
To provide for an improved mechanism for the operation of a multiple panels door which improves insulating properties.
To provide for an improved mechanism for the operation of a multiple panels door which does not create undue resistance on the door movement so as to require a more powerful motor or require unnecessary strain on the part of a user manually operating the door.
To attain these ends, the invention provides for a mechanism for the operation of a vertically opening multiple panels door in accordance with claim 1. The invention comprises a means that keeps the door panels away from the seal as they move up or down vertically and that brings the panels tightly against the seal when the panels have completed their vertical course.
The invention comprises a pair of hinge mechanism for each of the door panels and the hinge mechanism is further comprised of a clamshell module and a cam.
The clamshell module having a first part on one of the panels and a second part on another panel. Each of the cams is associated with one of the clamshell modules by way of a plate fixedly attached to any one of the panels. The plate is located proximal to the clamshell module and the cam is rotationally attached to the plate at its proximal end and rotationally attached to a blade at its distal end. Each of the blades is connected to a caster and each of the caster rolls within the guide rail.
A top cam, rotationally attached to the plate on its proximal end and the plate fixedly attached on one of the panels and the top cam is rotationally attached to a secondary cam on its distal end. An auxiliary cam is situated between a top caster and an attachment bracket.
A « Y » configuration between the secondary cam, the cam and the top blade is able to change into a « T » configuration.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which contains illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figs. 1a-b-c Side views of the mechanism with the door partially open and the door closed, with a detail side view of the hinge mechanism, respectively.
Figs. 2a-b Front view of the mechanism with detail front view, respectively.
Figs. 3a-b Top views of the door interacting with the seal, open and closed, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A mechanism for the operation of multiple panels door 10 works in conjunction with a pair of guide rails 12 (only one shown in dotted lines in figs.1ab) as are commonly used in the art. The guide rails 12 do not require any special modifications except that they are set back from a door frame 14 in a distance greater than is usually used in the art. It is also recommended that the guide rails 12 have additional bracing (not shown) so that they can sustain more stress than normal in the art.
The door panels 16 are also well known in the art and standard off the shelf panels 16 can be used in conjunction with standard off the shelf guide rails 12, where the invention mostly lies is in the hinge mechanism 18 which is substantially different from hinges of the prior art (not shown).
When the panels 16 have run their course along the path of the guide rails 12, they are moved away from the guide rails 12 to be put against the door frame 14. which results in the door panels 16 applying pressure against an insulating strip 20. This insulating strip 20 can be derived from existing types known in the art or it can be specially created or adapted for this application since, by moving towards the insulating strip 20, the door 10 applies pressure onto the strip 20 which can thus be thicker and resiliently deformable which can provide for a better seal. A variety of elastomers could be used to perform that function. It is not, however, within the scope of this invention to give more details on the exact composition or properties of such a sealing strip.
The hinge mechanism 18 is comprised of a clamshell module 22 and a cam 24. For each two panels 16, there is a pair of such hinge mechanism 18 that is shared since the clamshell module 22 requires to have a first part 22' on one panel 16 and a second part 22" on another panel 16', this is obvious for anyone familiar with the workings of any hinge.
Each cam 24 is associated with a clamshell module 22 by way of a plate 26 fixedly attached to a panel 16 proximal the clamshell module 22. The cam 24 is rotationally attached to the plate 26 at its proximal end 28 and rotationally attached to a blade 32 at its distal end 30. Each blade 32 is connected to a caster 34 and each caster 34 rolls within the guide rail 12 as is known for any prior art multiple panel door except that in this case, the blades 32 act as if they were door panels 16.
As the panels 16 move upwardly or downwardly, the cams 24 are in a substantially parallel relation with the guide rails 12 as per fig.1a. When a top caster 34' reaches the end of the guide rail 12', all panels 16 are now parallel with the guide rails 12. A top cam 24' has the unique feature of being, on its proximal end 28, rotationally attached to a top plate 27 on a top panel 16" wherein another plate 26 is also fixedly attached and, on its distal end 30, being rotationally attached to a secondary cam 36.
This arrangement induces all cams 24 to move from a substantially parallel position in relation to the guide rails 12, to a substantially perpendicular relation to the guide rails 12. As can be seen in fig. 1a, there is a « Y » configuration between the secondary cam 36, the cam 24 and a top blade 38 whereas in fig. 1b there is a « T » configuration between these same elements.
The arctuate shape of the guide rails 12 forces this change in configuration between what is seen in fig. 1 a and fig. 1b as a top panel 16" passes from a horizontal position into a vertical position. The top blade 38' being substantially longer than the cams 24 makes the top panel 16" move faster which has the effect of changing that configuration and lift all other cams 24, which moves the door 10 away from the frame 14 when the door 10 is opening, and moving the door 10 against the frame 14 when it is closing.
Also, an auxiliary cam 40 situated between the top caster 34' and an attachment bracket 26' contributes to the changing in the configuration by maintaining a relative distance between the attachment bracket 26' and the top caster 34' so as to force the change between the configuration of fig. 1a and the that of fig. 1 b.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

A mechanism for the operation of a vertically opening multiple panels door working in conjunction with a pair of guide rails (12) and panels (16), said mechanism comprising:
a pair of hinge mechanisms (18) for each of said panels (16);
each hinge mechanism consisting of a clamshell (22) module and a cam (24);

said clamshell module (22) having a first part (22") on one (16') of said panels

and a second part (22') on an adjacent one (16") of said panels;
each said cam (24) being rotationally attached to a plate (26) associated with one of said clamshell modules (22) fixedly attached to it;

the plate (26) being fixedly attached to one of said panels (16); each of said cams (24) being rotationally attached to a said plate (26) at its proximal end and rotationally attached to a blade (32) at its distal end;

each of said blades (32) being connected to a caster (34) and each said caster (34) rolling within one of said pair of guide rails (12);

a top cam (24') rotationally attached to a top plate (27) on its proximal end (28) and said top plate (27) being fixedly attached to a top panel and;
said top cam (24') being rotationally attached to a secondary cam (36) on its distal end (30);

one top caster (34') on each rail (12) of said pair of rails;

characterized in that
said secondary cam (36) being situated between said top caster (34') and said top cam (24');

said top caster (34') being rotationally attached to said secondary cam (36) and an auxiliary cam (40);

said top cam (24') having its distal end (30) rotationally attached to a top blade (38);

said top blade (38) having its proximal end rotationally attached to said secondary cam (36) and said distal end (30) of said top cam (24');

said auxiliary cam (40) having its proximal end rotationally attached to said top caster (34');

said auxiliary cam (40) having its distal end rotationally attached to an attachment bracket (26');

said top panel (16") passing from a horizontal into a vertical position as said multiple panels door closes, said secondary cam (36), said top cam (24') and said top blade (38) change their relative positions from a "Y" configuration into a "T" configuration;

said "T" configuration inducing said cams (24', 36) to move from a substantially parallel position in relation to said rail (12) to a substantially perpendicular position in relation to said rail (12).