EP2617922A1 - Swinging door device with assisted swinging - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a door (4) presenting a front face (6) and a rear face (5), and a guidance system (16) comprising a guidance element (18) arranged remote from another guidance element (17). The former element is arranged on a side in an offset manner relative to the rear face in an upright position. A spacer (19) is associated with the door and movable in rotation relative to the door. The spacer is mounted movable in rotation around an axis (24) parallel with the rear face, located below the guidance elements, and fixed at the guidance elements. The guidance elements are rollers. An independent claim is also included for a closure device assembly.

Description

The invention relates to a tilting door device with assisted tilting. More particularly, the invention relates to a closing and opening device of a construction comprising a garage door type door for tilting from a vertical position to a horizontal position to obstruct or not a passage.

In the remainder of the description, the terms "down", "up", "lower", "upper", "back", "forward" are used as part of a normal installation of the device, that is to say relative to a vertical concept compared to a flat horizontal ground.

It is known in the state of the art tilting doors that obstruct a passage in vertical position and tilt in a horizontal position to release said passage. These doors are for example for garages, individual or collective, and can be automated to let the cars without requiring the driver to get off the vehicle to open and close the door. In the open and horizontal position, the door is generally parallel to a ceiling along which it tilts to free the passage.

The tilting of the door is generally obtained by sliding along a guide device generally in the form of lateral guide rails which are mounted on a door jamb. This switch has its origin in the ad hoc application of a tilting force by a user, for example by pulling on a handle provided on said door. This force can also come from a motor controlled by the user.

To facilitate the tilting and so that the door remains horizontal despite the weight of the door, particularly when the initial tilting force is directly produced by a user, it is used in a known manner a traction system connected to the door to counterbalance the weight of the door, for example a counterweight or a system of springs. The traction system is connected to the door via a connecting element. This traction system exerts, via the connecting element, a vertical traction force on the door partially compensating for the weight of the door.

This weight compensation of the door facilitates the tilting of the door by a user. In the case of a counterweight, the connecting element, for example in the form of a cable, connects the counterweight to an anchoring device provided on the lower part of the door.

However, the pulling force resulting from this traction device is vertical and does not determine the orientation in which the door will swing. Thus, without particular guiding device, the pulling force can cause the door to swing in one direction or the other, that is to say inwardly along the ceiling of the garage or outside the garage .

In order to avoid this, it is known to guide the tilting of the door by means of guiding elements, generally pulleys mounted on the same face and on each side of said face of a door, cooperating with rails guidance. These guide rails are integrated in the door frame for example vertically on either side of the door and horizontally along the ceiling of the garage. Generally, these pulleys also serve as means for anchoring the connecting element, said connecting element being fixedly mounted on said pulleys for example in the center of the lower pulleys.

To guide the tilting of the door from its vertical position to its horizontal position, it is known for example to use guide rails having a curved area. Such rails cooperate with the pulleys and impose on said pulleys a path having a curved portion thus ensuring a tilting of the door according to the orientation defined by the rails. Optionally, to facilitate or provide the initial effort to tilt the door, an engine can be installed in the device. Such an engine can provide a force capable of completing or replacing the help provided by a traction system to tilt a door. An engine can also be a means of fully automating the tilting of the door avoiding a user having to provide the initial pulling force to tilt the door.

However, the guide rails having a curved area are complex in construction and installation. In addition, they do not help to avoid a significant effort required by the user to initially move the door from its vertical position to a horizontal position.

It is possible to tilt the door in the desired direction by motorizing it. However, such a solution is complex and adds an expensive, bulky and heavy device both in installation and maintenance. The curved rail guide and the motorization can be associated but do not allow to solve the aforementioned problems.

The invention therefore aims to provide a closure device whose opening / closing tilting system is simple to implement and installation, the device according to the invention requiring only few additional parts and being compact while allowing to guide the tilting of the oprte without requiring the application of excessive traction force.

According to the invention, the closure device comprises a door having two opposite general faces, said front face and rear face, a so-called upper side, an opposite side said lower and opposite lateral sides connecting the upper and lower sides, at least two guiding systems comprising a first guide element which is arranged in line with the door, each associated respectively with the two opposite lateral sides of the door and near the upper side of said door.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that each guide system comprises a second guide element remote from the first guide element and arranged on the side and offset from the rear face of the door in the vertical position thereof. , the first and second guide members of the same door guide system forming a pair of guide elements. Each guiding system further comprises a spacer associated with the door and movable in rotation with respect to said door, the spacer being on the one hand rotatably mounted around an axis parallel to the rear face of the door and below the guide elements and secondly fixed to said first and second guide elements.

The guide elements are of the known type and such as rollers or guide pulleys. They are intended to cooperate with a guiding device such as guide rails located on either side of an opening to be closed by the garage door. To ensure the positioning of the door from the vertical to the horizontal parallel to the ceiling, two sides are therefore provided with vertical rails and horizontal rails.

When the door is tilted open, the tilting of the door is made by cooperation of the horizontal rails with respectively the pair of guide elements of each guide system.

According to the invention, when applying a vertical pulling force upwards on the door, the guide elements of each guide system abut against the upper part of the horizontal guide rails. The presence and offset positioning of the secondary guide member provides the offset of the stop of the guide system against the upper portion of the guide rail relative to the axis of application of the pulling force. This offset generates a bearing axis of the door inclined relative to the axis of application of the tensile force, such an axis passing on the one hand by the anchor point of the connecting element and on the other hand, by the stop point of the guidance system. This inclination of the support axis with respect to the axis of application of the pulling force of the door makes it possible to ensure the tilting of the door according to the chosen orientation.

The first and second guide elements of each guide system are mounted on a common spacer so that they can both cooperate with the same horizontal guide rail. This spacer is itself rotated on the door, in particular near a lateral upper side of said door, to allow a change in positioning of the guide elements relative to the plane of the door during the tilting. It is thus possible that the secondary guide element is mounted on the spacer in a position ensuring the desired support axis when the door is in the vertical position, typically closed, and that during the opening swing of the The rotation of the spacer relative to the door causes said secondary guide element to be arranged in another arrangement with respect to the door, for example in a horizontal plane when the latter is in the open position. Such positioning allows to limit the size of the door above the guide rails when in the open position.

In order to be mounted in rotation on the door, the spacer comprises a movable part such as a hub cooperating with an interface piece integral with the rear face of the door and having at least one complementary orifice of said hub.

Advantageously, a guidance system comprises means for limiting the rotation of the spacer relative to the door. This means for limiting the rotation of the spacer cooperates for example in abutment with the door, in the vertical position of the door.

Preferably, the means for limiting the rotation of the spacer also constitutes a means for arranging the first and second guide elements together.

The guide elements are mounted in a fixed position on the spacer. Rotation of the latter changes in the relative positioning of the guide elements relative to the fixed elements of the doorframe, for example the guide rails. Thus, in the vertical position of the door, the means for limiting the spacer imposes on said spacer a fixed position such that a horizontal plane tangential to the upper end of the secondary guide element is above a plane horizontal tangent to an upper end of the first guide member of the same pair. Thus, during a tilting opening of the door from its closed position, that is to say vertical, the second guide element is in an initial position such that its upper portion is in direct contact with the upper internal part horizontal guide rail in which said guide member is inserted. The first element is positioned in this position without contact with said upper internal part of this guide rail. When applying the pulling force in opening, the initial stop of the guiding system, which determines the bearing axis of the door as defined above, is therefore directly and solely between the second element of guide and the inner upper part of the horizontal guide rail. This stop only performed on the second guide member provides a bearing axis having an inclination relative to the axis of traction greater than if the two guide elements simultaneously abut against the inner upper portion of the guide rail. This greater inclination of the support axis ensures better tilting of the door opening.

The positioning of the guiding elements of a guiding system is further such that, in the vertical position of the door, a horizontal horizontal tangent plane at a lower end of the secondary guiding element is above a tangent horizontal plane. at the lower end of the first guide member of the same pair.

Typically, in the vertical and closed position of the door, only the first guide element is in contact with the inner lower portion of the guide rail. This contact allows the guide system to carry the entire weight of the door on the first guide element. A support axis of the door defined by the point of contact between the first guide element and the lower internal part of the horizontal guide rail on the one hand and the center of gravity of the door on the other hand is thus substantially vertical. . This support axis makes it possible to avoid the tilting of the door or the application of significant forces on the vertical guide rails.

Thus, in the vertical position of the door, its weight is supported by the first guide element defining a substantially vertical support axis, and, during an opening swing, the stop of the guide system on the guide rail is with the second guide element, which is shifted by relative to the vertical of the door, thus defines a bearing axis inclined significantly with respect to the axis of application of the tensile force.

An improvement provides that the device according to the invention comprises at least one compression system, said system being, in the vertical position of the door, in a compressed state between the door and at least one spacer. This compression system applies on the spacer a force perpendicular to its axis of rotation. When switching the door open, this force imposes the maintenance of the relative positions of the guide elements in the guide rail until the equilibrium state of said compression system is reached, that is to say that is, the second guide member is held in contact with the upper inner part of the guide rail when the door is tilted to open from the closed position of the door until the compression system reaches its end. steady state. This maintenance of the contact between the second guide element and the inner upper part of the guide rail over a certain opening swing distance of the door makes it possible to maintain a bearing axis inclined significantly as long as possible. When the compression system reaches its equilibrium, the weight of the door associated with the inclination of the latter on the one hand, and the freedom of rotation of the spacer on the other hand, imposes on the second guide member contacting the inner lower part of the guide rail and supporting the weight of the door in conjunction with the first guide element, the support axis therefore no longer being defined by means of said second guide element alone.

In an alternative application of the compression system, the device according to the invention comprises an intermediate piece, this intermediate piece cooperating on the one hand in abutment with the spacer and on the other hand with the compression system. In this variant, the rotation of the spacer at the end of closing of the door brings the latter into abutment against the intermediate piece at first and then imposes a compression of the compression system by said intermediate part in a second time, and until the closing of the door. During an opening swing, the intermediate piece is inversely driven by the compression system and requires maintaining the spacer in such an orientation that the second guide member and the first guide member are maintained in their relative positions.

An improvement provides that in at least one guide system, an axis of rotation of the spacer is spaced from the guide elements on the one hand and the door on the other hand. Preferably this axis of rotation is located at a level below the axis of the horizontal guide rail cooperating with the guide element or elements of said guide system. This gap between the guide rail and the axis of rotation of the spacer allows positioning of the door horizontally, that is to say in the open position, at said guide rail, thus avoiding clutter imposed by the door in the open position above the guide rail as in the prior art. Advantageously, the distance between the axis of rotation of the spacer and the door is equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and the guide rail.

According to an advantageous variant, said spacer (or carriage) comprises two parts articulated with respect to each other, along a horizontal axis, transverse to the direction of movement of said spacer.

• une première partie associée aux deux éléments de guidage ;
• une seconde partie, en forme de L, articulée sur :
  • o la première partie ;
  • o la porte d'autre part ;
  • o les moyens d'entrainement de la porte.

More precisely, the spacer comprises:

• a first part associated with the two guide elements;
• a second part, L-shaped, articulated on:
  • o the first part;
  • o the door on the other hand;
  • o the drive means of the door.

The first part is elongated and the guide elements are mounted articulated at its ends.

The second part is L-shaped, with two branches, the upper end of a first branch being articulated substantially in the middle of the first part, the corner connecting the two branches being articulated on the drive means and the end the second branch being articulated on the door.

In addition, the device comprises on the one hand a movable abutment member associated with the door and on the other hand a fixed abutment disposed on the fixed part of the fixed structure on which the door is mounted, said fixed and movable abutments being suitable. to bear against said stop in the very first part of the movement of the door, opening and closing.

Preferably, the movable stop is a roller mounted to rotate freely on an upper extension of the interface piece of the guide system.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising the device of the invention described above and vertical and horizontal guide rails, the guide systems being complementary to guide rails, in the vertical position of the door, the first and second guide members of a guide system respectively in contact with an upper inner surface and a lower inner surface of a horizontal guide rail.

• La figure 1 représente une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif de l'art antérieur ;
• La figure 2 représente une vue en coupe latérale schématique partielle d'un dispositif selon l'invention en position fermée d'une porte ;
• La figure 3 représente une vue éclatée d'un détail de perfectionnement du dispositif selon l'invention ;
• Les figures 4A à 4C représentent des vue de détail schématiques du dispositif selon l'invention durant différentes phases du basculement d'une porte ;
• Les figures 5A, 5B et 5C montrent chacune une vue perspective partielle d'une porte de garage et sa structure fixée aux murs (non représentés) de la construction sur laquelle est montée la porte, en positions respectives fermée (porte verticale), au démarrage de l'ouverture, et en position ouverte (horizontale).

The present invention is now described with the aid of examples which are only illustrative and in no way limit the scope of the invention, and from the attached illustrations, in which:

• The figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device of the prior art;
• The figure 2 is a partial schematic side sectional view of a device according to the invention in the closed position of a door;
• The figure 3 represents an exploded view of an improvement detail of the device according to the invention;
• The Figures 4A to 4C represent schematic detail views of the device according to the invention during different phases of the swinging of a door;
• The FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C each show a partial perspective view of a garage door and its structure attached to the walls (not shown) of the construction on which the door is mounted, in respective closed positions (vertical door), at the start of the opening, and in open position (horizontal).

1.

Dispositif selon l'invention

2.

Structure/ Garage

3.

Ouverture

4.

Porte

5.

Face arrière de la porte 4

6.

Face avant de la porte 4

7.

Coté supérieur de la porte 4

8.

Coté inférieur de la porte 4

9.

Cotés latéraux de la porte 4

10.

Dispositif de guidage

11.

Eléments de guidage de la porte 4

12.

Plafond de la structure 2

13.

Elément de liaison/ Câble

14.

Dispositif d'entraînement/ Contrepoids

15.

Force d'entraînement

16.

Système de guidage

17.

Premier élément de guidage du système de guidage 16

18.

Second élément de guidage du système de guidage 16

19.

Entretoise du système de guidage 16

20.

Pièce d'interface

21.

Branches de la pièce d'interface 20

22.

Orifice de la branche complémentaire du moyeu 23

23.

Moyeu de l'entretoise

24.

Axe de rotation de l'entretoise

25.

Axe d'appui de la porte en ouverture

26.

Axe d'application de la force de traction 15

27.

Coté inférieur de l'entretoise 19

28.

Partie interne supérieure du rail de guidage horizontal 10B

29.

Angle d'inclinaison de l'axe 25 par rapport à l'axe 26 en position verticale de la porte 4

30.

Moyen de limitation de la rotation de l'entretoise 19

31.

Moyen de butée de l'entretoise coopérant avec la face arrière 5

32.

Plan/axe tangent à l'extrémité supérieure 33 du second élément de guidage 18

33.

Extrémité supérieure du second élément de guidage 18

34.

Plan/axe tangent à l'extrémité supérieure du premier élément de guidage 17

35.

Extrémité supérieure du premier élément de guidage 17

36.

Ecart entre l'axe 24 et la face arrière 5 de la porte 4

37.

Partie interne inférieure du rail de guidage 10B

38.

Plan/axe tangent à l'extrémité inférieure 39 du second élément de guidage 18

39.

Extrémité inférieure du second élément de guidage 18

40.

Plan/axe tangent à l'extrémité inférieure 41 du premier élément de guidage 17

41.

Extrémité inférieure du premier élément de guidage 17

42.

Système de compression

43.

Butée de l'entretoise/Vis

44.

Pièce intermédiaire

45.

Logement de la pièce 44 complémentaire de la butée 43

46.

Ecart entre l'axe 24 et le premier élément de guidage 17

47.

Coté supérieur de l'entretoise 19

48.

Ecart entre l'axe 24 et le second élément de guidage 18

50 .

Première partie de l'entretoise

51

Seconde partie de l'entretoise

52

Axe de rotation

53

Axe de rotation

54

54A et 54B moyens d'entrainement

55

Axe de rotation

56

Première branche de la seconde partie 51

57

Seconde branche de la seconde partie 51

58

Patte et son extrémité distale 58A

59

Bord franc de l'extrémité distale 58A de la patte 58

60

Bord franc de la première partie longiligne 50

61

Butée fixe

62

Montant transversal

63

Butée mobile

A list of references used hereinafter in the description and in the figures relating thereto is given below:

1.

Device according to the invention

2.

Structure / Garage

3.

Opening

4.

Door

5.

Rear of the door 4

6.

Front of the door 4

7.

Upper side of the door 4

8.

Lower side of the door 4

9.

Side sides of the door 4

10.

Guiding device

11.

Guiding elements of the door 4

12.

Ceiling of structure 2

13.

Connecting element / Cable

14.

Drive / counterbalance device

15.

Training force

16.

Guiding system

17.

First guiding element of the guiding system 16

18.

Second guide element of the guide system 16

19.

Spacer of the guide system 16

20.

Interface piece

21.

Branches of the interface part 20

22.

Orifice of the complementary branch of the hub 23

23.

Hub of the spacer

24.

Spindle rotation axis

25.

Axis of support of the door in opening

26.

Application axis of the traction force 15

27.

Bottom side of the spacer 19

28.

Upper inner part of the horizontal guide rail 10B

29.

Angle of inclination of the axis 25 with respect to the axis 26 in the vertical position of the door 4

30.

Means for limiting the rotation of the spacer 19

31.

Stop means of the spacer cooperating with the rear face 5

32.

Plan / axis tangential to the upper end 33 of the second guide member 18

33.

Upper end of the second guide member 18

34.

Plan / tangential axis at the upper end of the first guide member 17

35.

Upper end of the first guide member 17

36.

Distance between the axis 24 and the rear face 5 of the door 4

37.

Lower inner part of the guide rail 10B

38.

Plan / axis tangential to the lower end 39 of the second guide member 18

39.

Lower end of the second guide member 18

40.

Plan / axis tangential to the lower end 41 of the first guide member 17

41.

Lower end of the first guide member 17

42.

Compression system

43.

Stopper of the spacer / screw

44.

Intermediate piece

45.

Housing of the piece 44 complementary to the stop 43

46.

Distance between the axis 24 and the first guide element 17

47.

Upper side of the spacer 19

48.

Distance between the axis 24 and the second guide element 18

50.

First part of the spacer

51

Second part of the spacer

52

Rotation axis

53

Rotation axis

54

54A and 54B training means

55

Rotation axis

56

First limb of the second part 51

57

Second branch of the second part 51

58

Leg and distal end 58A

59

Free edge of the distal end 58A of the leg 58

60

Freeboard of the first part long line 50

61

Fixed stop

62

Transverse amount

63

Mobile stop

The figure 1 represents a schematic view of a device of the prior art.

A door 1 device is integrated in a structure 2, for example a garage 2 having an opening 3, to obstruct or release this opening 3 and thus allow or prohibit access to the interior of said structure 2.

Such a device comprises a door 4, for example a door 4 of garage 2, of substantially rectangular shape and complementary to the opening 3. Such a door 4 has two opposite planar faces, a rear face 5 and a front face 6. The door 4 comprises an upper side 7, a lower side 8 opposite the upper side 7, and two lateral sides 9 connecting the upper side 7 and the lower side 8.

The door 4 is mounted in a frame integral with the structure or fixed on it and intended to receive it. A guide device 10, for example guide rails 10 integrated with the door frame, cooperates with guide elements 11 of the door 4 to guide and allow it to tilt.

In the closed position, the door 4 is substantially vertical and obstructs the opening 3. In the open position, releasing the opening 3, the door 4 is located along a ceiling 12.

The guide elements 11 are generally in the form of pulleys 11 mounted on the door 4. These pulleys are inserted into the guide rails 10 and cooperate with the latter to guide the door 4 tilting. For this, the guide device 10 comprises vertical guide rails 1 0A located on each vertical side of the opening 3 and horizontal guide rails 10B located along the ceiling 12 of the structure 2.

Guiding elements 11 are mounted close to the upper side 7 and close to the lower side 8 of each lateral side 9 of the door 4. There are thus two upper guide members 11 B mounted close to the upper side 7 of the door 4 and cooperating with the horizontal guide rails 10B and two lower guide members 11A mounted near the lower side 8 of the door 4 and cooperating with the vertical guide rails 10A.

In order to facilitate the tilting of the door 4, each lower guide element 11 A is connected by a connecting element 13, for example a cable or the like, to a driving device 14, for example a counterweight 14. This counterweight 14 applied to the door 4 at the lower guide elements 11 A drive force 15 of vertical axis and intended to oppose the weight of the door 4.

The figure 2 represents a schematic side sectional view of a device according to the invention in the closed position.

The device 1 according to the invention comprises a door 4 as known from the prior art. On the other hand, the device according to the invention comprises at least two guiding systems 16 associated with the door 4 close to the upper side 7 and close respectively to the two lateral sides 9 of the door 4. The guiding system 16 of the invention replaces the upper guide element 11 B known from the prior art.

For reasons of understanding, the following description is performed only on a single guiding system 16, being obvious that such a guiding system 16 is installed on each lateral side 9 of the door 4 in the upper part 7 of said door and that the lower guide elements 11A are of any form and operation known to those skilled in the art, for example as in the prior art presented above.

The guide system 16 according to the invention comprises a first guide element 17 similar to the upper guide element 11 B as known from the prior art, as well as a secondary guide element 18. The first guide element 17 and the second guide element 18 of the same guide system 16 are located on the same lateral side 9 of the door 4 and form a pair of substantially similar guide elements.

The guide system 16 comprises a spacer 19 movable and mounted on an interface piece 20.

The interface piece 20 is fixed close to the upper side 7 of the door 4 and on the rear face 5 of the latter. It comprises two branches 21, or flanges 21, each provided with a circular orifice 22. The spacer 19 has a hub 23 complementary to the orifices 22 and mounted in rotation in the latter, that is to say that the spacer 19 is rotatably mounted on the interface part 20 according to an axis of rotation 24 defined by the hub 23 and passing through the center of the orifices 22.

The mounting of the spacer 19 described here is not limiting the scope of the invention and the latter could be mounted in rotation directly on the door 4.

The first guide element 17 and the second guide element 18 are both fixed on the spacer 19. In the case of guide elements 17 and 18 in the form of pulleys, they are rotatably mounted on the spacer 19 according to FIG. axes of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the spacer.

The spacer 19 ( figures 2 and 3 ) has a flat trapezoidal shape having two opposite major faces which extend in a vertical plane and perpendicular to the plane of the door 4. An upper side 47 of the spacer 19, at its two distal ends, respectively carries the two 17 and 18, while in the vicinity of its lower side 27 and in the vertical alignment of the first guide member 17 is located the axis of rotation of the spacer 19. The two guide members 17 and 18 are separated by a fixed distance.

The first guide member 17 is preferably mounted on the spacer 19 to be disposed in the vertical alignment of the lower guide member 11A when the door is in a vertical position.

The second guide member 18 is mounted on the spacer 19 offset from the plane of the rear face 5 of the door 4 when the latter is in the vertical position. Typically, in the vertical position of the door 4, the second guide element 18 is set back relative to the rear face 5 of the door. With regard to the figure 2 this offset provides a support axis 25 for the door 4, during an opening swing from its vertical position. The support axis is inclined, for example at an angle 29, relative to a vertical axis of application 26 of the driving force 15.

The bearing axis 25 of the door 4 passes on the one hand by the point of application of the force 15 on the lower guide element 11A and on the other hand by the point of application of the resistance force generated by the stop of the guide system 16 against an upper inner portion 28 of the horizontal guide rail 10B.

The point of application of the force 15 corresponds to the anchoring point of the connecting element 13 on the door 4, that is to say on the lower guide element 11A.

The point of application of the resistance force generated by the abutment of the guide system 16 on the upper inner portion 28 of the horizontal guide rail 10B corresponds to the point of contact between the guide system 16 and said upper inner portion 28 of said rail 10B when the traction force is applied to the door 4.

When the force is applied to the door 4 in the vertical position, the guiding system 16 abuts against the upper internal portion 28 of the horizontal guide rail 1 0B. This stop generates a resistance force opposing the lifting of the door 4 and causes the tilting of the latter. The positioning of the second guide element 18 relative to the rear face 5 of the door 4, that is to say offset back from said rear face 5, causes a rearward shift of the application point. this resistance force by the participation of said second guide member 18 to the abutment of the guide system 16 on the upper inner portion 28. This shift of the point of application of the resistance force towards the rear generates an axis d support 25 inclined relative to the axis 26 for applying the pulling force 15 in the vertical position of the door. This inclination of the support pin 25 promotes I tilting of the door 4 rearward towards the ceiling despite the application of the vertical pulling force.

In an improvement, the guiding system 16 includes a means 30 for limiting the rotation of the spacer 19 with respect to the door 4.

The guide elements 17 and 18 being mounted at fixed locations on the spacer 19, and possibly free in rotation, the rotation of the spacer 19 determines the respective position of the guide elements 17 and 18 with respect to said door 4.

In the embodiment shown on the figure 2 , the spacer 19 comprises a stop means 31 cooperating with the rear face 5 of the door 4 in order to block its rotation when said door 4 is in the vertical position. In this arrangement, the second guide element 18 is located above, in a horizontal plane, of the first guide element 17 so that in the vertical position of the door, the horizontal plane 32 tangents to the upper end 33 of the second guide member 18 is above the horizontal plane 34 tangential to an upper end 35 of the first guide member 17. Typically, the second guide member 18 is held in contact with the upper inner portion 28 of the guide rail 10B while the first guide member 17 is kept away from said upper inner portion 28 of the guide rail 10B.

When the door 4 is tilted from its closed position, the abutment of the guide system 16 on the upper internal part 28 of the guide rail 10B, determining the bearing axis 25 of the door 4, is therefore only at the contact between the second guide member 18 and said upper inner portion 28 of the guide rail 10B. The angle 29 between the bearing axis 25 and the axis of application 26 of the traction force 15 is therefore much greater than in case of simultaneous stop of the two guide members 17 and 18 on the upper inner portion 28 of the guide rail 1 0B, and for which the angle would be smaller.

In order to keep the vertical door 4 in its closed position, that is to say that the force opposing vertically the weight of the door 4 is located on or near a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the door 4, only the first guide element 17 located near the door 4 supports said weight of the door 4. Typically, in the vertical position of the door 4, only the first guide element 17 is in contact with a lower internal part 37 of the guide rail 10B, the horizontal plane 38 tangential to a lower end 39 of the second guide member 18 being above a horizontal plane 40 tangential to the lower end 41 of the first guide member 17. If the second element 17 should also participate in the support of the door 4 in its vertical position, the non-alignment along a vertical axis between the center of gravity of the door 4 and the point of application of the force ensuring the support of the door would cause a tilting of the lower side 8 of the door 4 towards the inside of the structure 2. In the prior art, this tilting is prevented by a stop of the lower guide element 1 1A in the vertical guide rail 10A, which is detrimental to the smooth sliding of the guide elements 11 in said guide rails 10.

The figure 3 is an exploded view of the invention, the guide system being provided with an improvement.

According to this improvement, the device 1 according to the invention comprises at least one compression system 42. In the vertical position of the door 4, this compression system 42 is maintained in a compressed state between the door 4 and the spacer 19. The compression system 42 can present itself in any form adaptable by those skilled in the art such as a stud 42 having a curved surface and made of deformable elastomeric shape memory.

In the embodiment described here, a stop 43, for example a screw 43, is provided on the hub 23 of the spacer 19. This stop 43 is complementary to an intermediate part 44 rotatably mounted on the hub 23. intermediate part comprises a recess 45 of complementary shape to the stop 43 so that during a tilting closing of the door 4, the rotation of the spacer 19 relative to said door 4 causes said stop 43 to be housed in said recess 45. If, once the stop 43 housed in the recess 45, the rotation of the spacer 19 continues, said stop 43 rotates the intermediate piece 44. During this rotation, the intermediate piece 44 is brought into contact compression system 42 and compresses the latter until that is in a compressed state and blocks the rotation of the spacer.

The Figures 4A to 4C represent the different stages of a swinging of the door according to the invention with regard to the detailed view of a guidance system in operation and according to the improvement of the figure 3 .

The Figure 4A shows the door 4 in vertical position, closing the passage 3. In this position, the first guide member 17 is alone in contact with the lower inner portion 37 of the guide rail 10B and substantially vertically to the lower guide member 1 1A. The second guide member 18 is alone in contact with the upper inner portion 28 of the guide rail 10B. The abutment 43 is housed in the recess 45 and holds the intermediate piece 44 in position, compressing the compression piece 42.

During a tilting opening of the door 4 from its vertical position, the second guide member 18 judiciously positioned offset determines the initial support axis 25, which will allow the tilting of the door 4 in the right direction.

The Figure 4B shows the device according to the invention in a state close to the equilibrium state of the compression system 42. After a beginning of tilting in opening of the door 4, the compression system 42 is only partially compressed, the rotation the spacer 19 with respect to the door 4 no longer allows the intermediate part 44 to be held against the compression system 42. The latter pushes back said intermediate piece 44 which, in cooperation with the stop 43, holds the spacer 19 of so that the second guide member 18 remains in contact with the upper inner portion 28 of the guide rail 10B, while the first guide member 17 remains in contact with the lower inner portion of said guide rail 10B.

The release of the compression system 42 makes it possible to provide a large angle 29 during the entire start of the opening swinging stroke of the door 4. Typically, this makes it possible to prevent the second guiding element 18 from being driven by the weight of the door 4 in contact with the lower inner part of the rail 10B from the beginning of the tilting of the door 4.

The figure 4C shows a device according to the invention in a fully open position of the door.

In this position, the two guide elements 17 and 18 are only in contact with the lower inner portion 37 of the guide rail 10B and participate jointly in the support of the door 4. Moreover, the positioning of the axis of rotation 24 of the spacer 19 is such that there are on the one hand constant gaps 46 and 48 between said axis 24 of rotation and respectively the guide elements 17 and 18 and, secondly, a constant distance 36 between said axis 24 of rotation and the rear face 5 of the door 4. These differences 36 and 46 associated with the rotation of the spacer 19 during the tilting avoid a congestion of the door 4 above the guide rail 10B allowing the housing of the door 4 in its horizontal position at the same level as said guide rails 10B.

The intermediate piece 44 is held in a substantially horizontal position, in order to prevent its rotation under the effect of gravity, by any means known to those skilled in the art, for example by internal shoulders provided on internal faces. branches 21 of the interface piece 20 on which the intermediate piece rests in horizontal position of the door or by guide grooves on the branches 21 limiting the rotation of said intermediate piece or any other system easily adaptable by the skilled in the art.

• fermée (porte verticale)
• au démarrage de l'ouverture
• en position ouverte (horizontale).

Reference is made to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C showing an alternative embodiment of the invention, according to each a partial perspective view of a garage door and its structure attached to the walls (not shown) of the construction on which the door is mounted, in respective positions:

• closed (vertical door)
• at the start of the opening
• in open (horizontal) position.

Elements identical or similar to those of Figures 1 to 4 bear the same references.

According to this variant, said spacer (or carriage) 19 comprises two parts 50 and 51, articulated with respect to each other, along a horizontal axis 52, transverse to the direction of movement of said spacer 19 along the rail 10 through the guide members 17 and 18.

• une première partie longiligne 50 associée aux deux éléments de guidage 17 et 18 ;
• une seconde partie 51, en forme de L, articulée sur :
  • o la première partie 50 selon un axe de rotation 52 ;
  • o la porte d'autre part selon un axe de rotation 53, par la pièce 21 à section droite en U ;
  • o les moyens d'entrainement 54A et 54B (liés à un moteur non représenté) de la porte 4 selon un axe de rotation 55.

More precisely, the spacer 19 comprises:

• a first elongated portion 50 associated with the two guide members 17 and 18;
• a second portion 51, L-shaped, articulated on:
  • the first part 50 along an axis of rotation 52;
  • o the door on the other hand along an axis of rotation 53, by the U-shaped cross section piece 21;
  • o the drive means 54A and 54B (linked to a motor not shown) of the door 4 along an axis of rotation 55.

The first part 50 is elongate and the guide elements 17 and 18 are articulated at its ends.

The second part 51 is in the general shape of L, with two branches 56 and 57.

The upper end 56A of a first branch 56 being hinged (substantially to 2/3 of the first elongated portion 50) along the axis of rotation 52. The corner connecting the two branches 56, 57 being articulated on the means of 54A drive (rotation axis 55). The end of the second leg 57 is articulated (axis of rotation 53) on the door 4.

In addition, the second leg 57 of the second portion 51 L comprises a lug 58 substantially parallel to the first leg 56 (of the second portion 51 L).

The distal end 58A of the lug 58 has a straight edge 59 orthogonal near or abutting against a straight edge 60 of the first elongate portion 50.

• une butée fixe 61, solidaire d'un montant transversal 62, sensiblement à l'aplomb et au-dessus de la pièce 21 solidaire de la porte 4 et matérialisant l'axe de rotation 53 ; ladite butée fixe 61 comporte un plan d'appui 61 A incliné en pente ascendante vers l'arrière ;
• une butée mobile 63 solidaire de la pièce 21, donc de la porte, sous la forme d'un galet 63 monté à rotation libre sur un axe 64 lui-même disposé sur des prolongements 21 A des flancs latéraux parallèles de la pièce 21

Finally, according to this variant, it is planned:

• a fixed stop 61 secured to a transverse upright 62 substantially perpendicular to and above the part 21 integral with the door 4 and embodying the axis of rotation 53; said fixed stop 61 has a bearing plane 61 A inclined upwardly upwards;
• a movable stop 63 secured to the part 21, and therefore to the door, in the form of a roller 63 mounted to rotate freely on an axis 64 itself disposed on extensions 21 A of the parallel lateral flanks of the part 21

The FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show the successive steps of opening the door.

• la porte est verticale
• le galet de butée mobile 63 est à distance et en-dessous de la butée fixe 61
• l'entretoise 19 est en bout de course dans le rail 10, en direction de la porte
• la branche 56 du L que forme la seconde partie 51 (de l'entretoise 19) est verticale et la branche 57 dudit L est horizontale
• la patte 58 de la seconde partie 51 est verticale
• les bords francs respectifs de la première partie 50 d'une part et de la patte 58 d'autre part sont en butée l'un contre l'autre
• les moyens d'entrainement 54A et 54B sont en bout de course vers la porte verticale

The door is closed ( Figure 5A ,) the various elements are in the following positions:

• the door is vertical
• the movable thrust roller 63 is at a distance and below the fixed stop 61
• the spacer 19 is at the end of travel in the rail 10, in the direction of the door
• the branch 56 of the L that forms the second part 51 (of the spacer 19) is vertical and the branch 57 of said L is horizontal
• the leg 58 of the second part 51 is vertical
• the respective free edges of the first part 50 on the one hand and the tab 58 on the other hand abut against each other
• the drive means 54A and 54B are ultimately towards the vertical door

On the Figure 5B there is shown a position where the wear has begun to be driven through the drive means 54A, 54B; these move in translation backward (opposite the door). This figure shows a position at the very beginning of the opening process.

• la porte est quasi verticale, avec un angle par rapport à la verticale de quelques degrés, et est légèrement (2 à 5 cm) en arrière
• le galet de butée 63 porte contre le plan incliné 61 A de la butée fixe 61
• l'entretoise 19 a été entrainée en translation sur le rail 10 d'une distance équivalente au déplacement des moyens d'entrainement 54A et 54B
• la seconde partie 51 en L de l'entretoise a pivoté vers l'arrière par rapport à l'axe de rotation 55, ce qui fait que :
  • o la branche 56 du L est légèrement inclinée vers l'arrière
  • o la branche 57 dudit L est légèrement inclinée par rapport à l'horizontale
• la patte 58 de la seconde partie 51 est légèrement inclinée par rapport à l'horizontale
• les bords francs respectifs de la première partie 50 d'une part et de la patte 58 sont légèrement écartés l'un de l'autre
• les moyens d'entrainement 54A et 54B sont translatés en arrière de quelques cm.

The training means moved from 2 to 5 cm (indicative value), and in doing so the various elements took the following respective positions:

• the door is almost vertical, with an angle to the vertical of a few degrees, and is slightly (2 to 5 cm) back
• the stop roller 63 bears against the inclined plane 61 A of the fixed stop 61
• the spacer 19 has been driven in translation on the rail 10 by a distance equivalent to the displacement of the drive means 54A and 54B
• the second L-shaped portion 51 of the spacer has pivoted rearwardly with respect to the axis of rotation 55, so that:
  • o branch 56 of L is tilted slightly backwards
  • o the branch 57 of said L is slightly inclined relative to the horizontal
• the leg 58 of the second portion 51 is slightly inclined relative to the horizontal
• the respective free edges of the first portion 50 on the one hand and the leg 58 are slightly apart from each other
• the drive means 54A and 54B are translated back a few cm.

The rotation of the second portion 51 L is that the axis 53 and therefore the part 21, and thus the door 4 undergoes an upward vertical translation movement, in addition to a translation movement back.

This last upward movement causes the movable stop roller 63 to bear against the inclined plane 61 A of the fixed stop 61. This on the one hand limits the amplitude of the upward movement of the door and on the other hand "pushes" the door towards the rear, then increasing the horizontal translation effect resulting from the translation of the spacer 19 to which the door is linked.

• la porte est horizontale ou quasi horizontale
• l'entretoise 19 est en bout de course (ou quasiment) dans le rail 10, vers l'arrière
• la branche 56 du L que forme la seconde partie 51 (de l'entretoise 19) est verticale et la branche 57 dudit L est horizontale
• la patte 58 de la seconde partie 51 est verticale
• les bords francs respectifs de la première partie 50 d'une part et de la patte 58 sont proches et/ou en butée l'un contre l'autre
• les moyens d'entrainement 54A et 54B sont en bout de course (ou quasiment) vers l'arrière.

The Figure 5C shows the elements for a totally open (or almost completely open) position of the door, and where:

• the door is horizontal or almost horizontal
• the spacer 19 is at the end of travel (or almost) in the rail 10, towards the rear
• the branch 56 of the L that forms the second part 51 (of the spacer 19) is vertical and the branch 57 of said L is horizontal
• the leg 58 of the second part 51 is vertical
• the respective free edges of the first part 50 on the one hand and the tab 58 are close and / or abutting against each other
• the drive means 54A and 54B are at the end (or almost) towards the rear.

Claims (10)

Closing device comprising - a door (4) having two opposite general faces said front face (6) and rear face (5), a side (7) said upper, an opposite side (8) said lower and opposite sides (9) connecting the upper and lower sides, at least two guiding systems (16) comprising a first guiding element (17) which is arranged in line with the door, and associated respectively with the two opposite lateral sides of the door and close to its upper side,
characterized in that each guide system (16) comprises a second guide element (18) remote from the first (17) guide element and arranged on the side and offset from the rear face of the door in vertical position thereof, - A spacer (19) associated with the door and movable in rotation relative thereto, the spacer being on the one hand rotatably mounted about an axis (24) parallel to the rear face of the door and located below the guide elements, and secondly attached to the first and second guide members (17, 18). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a guide system comprises a means (30) for limiting the rotation of the spacer relative to the door. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the means for limiting the rotation of the spacer also constitutes a means for arranging the first and second guide elements together. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the vertical position of the door, a horizontal plane (32) tangential to the upper end (33) of the second guide element (18) is above a plane horizontal (34) tangential to an upper end (35) of the first guide member (17). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the vertical position of the door, a horizontal plane (38) tangential to a lower end (39) of the second guide element (18) is above a plane horizontal (40) tangential to the lower end (41) of the first guide member (17). 15 Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in at least one guide system, an axis of rotation (24) of the spacer is distant from the guide elements on the one hand and the door on the other hand . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spacer comprises two parts articulated with respect to each other, along a horizontal axis, transverse to the direction of movement of said spacer. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said spacer comprises: a first part associated with the two guide elements; - a second part, L-shaped, articulated on: o the first part; o the door on the other hand; in that the first part is elongate and the guide elements are articulated at its ends, and in that the second part is L-shaped, with two branches, the upper end of a first branch being articulated substantially to the middle of the first part, the corner connecting the two branches being articulated on the drive means and the end of the second branch being articulated on the door. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises on the one hand a movable abutment member associated with the door and on the other hand a fixed abutment disposed on the fixed part of the fixed structure on which the door is mounted, said fixed and movable stops being able to bear against said stop in the very first part of the movement of the door, opening and closing, and in that the movable stop is a roller mounted to rotate freely on an upper extension of the interface piece of the guidance system. Assembly comprising the device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guiding systems are complementary to guide rails (10) in the vertical position of the door, the first and second guiding elements of a guiding system being in contact respectively with an upper inner surface (28) and a lower inner surface (37) of a horizontal guide rail (10B).

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