EP3175069B1

EP3175069B1 - Hinging device for a movable panel system with panel gripping group

Info

Publication number: EP3175069B1
Application number: EP15767263.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giordano Bonomi
Original assignee: Metalglas Bonomi Srl
Current assignee: Metalglas Bonomi Srl
Priority date: 2014-07-31
Filing date: 2015-07-28
Publication date: 2019-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2035-07-28
Also published as: WO2016016801A1; ES2726655T3; EP3175069A1

Description

This invention relates to a hinging device for the panels of a pack-wise movable panel system, in particular glass panels, and the pack-wise movable panel system that comprises it.
Recently, pack-wise movable panel systems are experiencing significant diffusion, as they allow closing an environment, such as a veranda, when weather conditions are unpleasant, in this way being able to use it as an additional sheltered space. When, however, the weather permits, the panels can be packed into a small space and the veranda can thus be used as an open environment.
In the known embodiments, the panels, preferably glass, are large, so as to allow an effective illumination of the environment even with the panels in the closed position.
Large glass panels are not easy to handle. In fact, packing the panels and placing them in a position to open the environment requires translating them to one side of the guides and then rotating them.
Embodiments are known in which the panel, in a rotated position, is placed cantilevered with respect to the guides; in fact, the panel is supported only at one side, while the other is rotated outside of the guide; preferably, the side where the panel is supported is the side where the hinging device is found.
A critical problem of these typical solutions of the prior art therefore lies in the fact that the panels, in the open position, due to their dimensions and their weight, tend to tilt, assuming an undesirable and unappealing appearance. Specifically this tilting appearance gives the user the impression that the system is weak and unreliable.
There are many pack-wise movable panel solutions that have tried to solve this problem Examples of know hinge devices are for example shown in documents US306521A , US2574312A DE10333612A1 , DE102010038084A1 and FR1118140A .
The purpose of this invention is to provide a hinging device for a panel of a pack-wise movable panel system that meets the above-mentioned needs related to the handling of the panel s and is particularly effective in their cantilevered support.
This purpose is achieved by a hinging device realised according to claim 1 below, this purpose is similarly also realised by a pack-wise movable panel system according to claim 6.
The characteristics and advantages of the hinging device according to this invention will be apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example, in accordance with the accompanying figures, wherein:

Figures 1, 1a and 1b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in a closed configuration, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 2, 2a and 2b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in an open configuration of a first panel, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 3, 3a and 3b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in an intermediate configuration with a second panel moved slidingly, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 4, 4a and 4b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in an intermediate open configuration, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 5, 5a and 5b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in which the second panel is in an open configuration, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 6, 6a and 6b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in an intermediate open configuration with a third panel moved slidingly, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 7, 7a and 7b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in which the third panel is in an intermediate open configuration, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figures 8, 8a and 8b show respectively a scheme of a pack-wise movable panel system in which the third panel is in an open configuration, in a perspective view, an enlarged perspective view from above and an enlarged perspective view from below;
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the hinging device covered by this invention according to a preferred embodiment;
Figures 9a, 9b and 9c show three perspective views of the hinging device shown in Figure 9, in a closed, intermediate and open position;
Figures 10a and 10b show two perspective views of an engagement element part of the hinging device;
Figures 11a and 11b show two perspective views of a guide element part of the hinging device;
Figure 12 shows a perspective view of two panels and the respective hinging devices, according to a further preferred embodiment, mutually coupled;
Figures 12a and 12b show two views from above of a hinging device in an open position and a closed position;
Figures 13a and 13b illustrate two section views of the hinging device shown in Figures 12a and 12b;
Figure 14 shows, in section, two mutually coupled hinging devices, according to what is shown in Figure 12.

According to an embodiment of this invention, a pack-wise movable panel system 50 comprises, at least one panel 5, preferably a plurality of panels 5, 5' and at least one guide 500, preferably, located above.
In other words, the panel (s) 5 comprised in the system 50 are suitable to be moved with respect to the guide 500 as described in detail below.
Preferably, the axis of vertical extension along which the panel extends is indicated with Z-Z; the horizontal sliding axis along which the guide extends is indicated by X-X.
Preferably, the guide 500 is realised with box-shaped profiles.
In a closed configuration of the system (Figure 1), the panels 5 are in a closed position, i.e., substantially coplanar: the glass surfaces are substantially lying on the plane defined by the vertical axis Z-Z and the sliding axis X-X. In such a configuration, the system closes, at least partially, an opening of an environment, for example a veranda or a balcony.
Preferably, an end panel, for example, the first panel 5 of the system, is provided with a lock for locking in the closed position.
In an open configuration of the system (Figure 8), the panels are packed at one side of said guides and are rotated 90° with respect to the closed position, i.e., they are cantilevered on the guides. The opening of the environment is thus free.
In the transition between the closed configuration and the open configuration, a plurality of intermediate configurations (Figures 2 to 7) are identifiable, the panels are translated along the sliding axes X-X and, when they come into abutment with the previous panel, they are rotated, arranging themselves cantilevered on the guides. The first end panel, which already is on the packing side, is usually only rotated from the closed position to the open position.
According to a preferred embodiment, a panel 5 comprises a sheet 51, preferably of glass, an upper profile 52 and a lower profile 53, respectively fixed to upper and lower edge of the sheet 51, to hold it and to protect its edges.
In a preferred embodiment according to the invention, the system further comprises a hinging device 1, mountable on a panel 5 to support it in sliding and, once arrived to a default position, in rotation with respect to the guide 500.
According to the preferred embodiment, the device 1 comprises a carrying body 10 for supporting and locking the panel 5, preferably to one of its profiles, preferably to the upper profile 51.
The carrying body 10 comprises a guide portion 11 suitable to be accommodated in the guide 500 and to allow the sliding of the device 1. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the carrying body 10 comprises a panel portion 12 fixable to the panel 5, preferably to its upper profile 52, wherein the panel portion 12 is rotatable relative to the guide 500 allowing the rotation of the panel 5.
Preferably, the guide portion 11 and the portion of panel 12 are operatively connected by a rotation shaft 15, comprised in the carrying body 10, fixed to the panel portion 12 that extends in the guide portion 11. Preferably, the shaft 15 extends vertically along the vertical axis Z-Z.
In addition, the carrying body 10 has sliding and rotation means, suitable to engage the guide 500, preferably, on its inside, in such a way as to as to slide and rotate in it. Preferably, the sliding and rotation means comprise specific wheels or rollers placed on the guide portion 11 for the above purpose.
The hinging device 1 also comprises gripping means suitable to operate during rotation of the panel 5 with respect to the guide 500, in such a way as to avoid the above-mentioned problem of the prior art. Specifically, the gripping means are suitable to create the mutual engagement s between conponent s so as to be able to discharge the action of the panel placed cantilevered, and thus keep it in a vertical position and not tilted or bent.
The gripping means comprise a panel gripping group 20 comprising an engagement element 21 and a guide element 22 suitable to engage each other by mutual threading, in a rotated configuration of the panel 5 in relation to the guide 500.
In other words, the engagement element 21 and the guide element 22 are suitable to thread into one another during the rotation of the panel 5. In particular, they are suitable to be engaged as soon as the panel is rotated.
The engagement element 21 is placed on the panel 5, preferably on the panel portion 12 of the carrying body 10 fixed to it, preferably to one of its profiles.
The guide element 22 is located on the guide 500. In further preferred embodirrents, the guide element 22 is, instead, formed on the carrying body 10, preferably on the guide portion 11.
In other words, the engagement element 21 and the guide element 22 are facing each other.
The guide element 22 has a rail 220, which extends in a curved trajectory, in which the engagement element 21 is suitable to slide.
Pref erably, the rail 220 is formed inside of the engagement element 21 laterally delimited by rail walls 221. The engagement element 21 is suitable to engage said rail walls 221.
Pref erably, the rail 220 extends for an arc of circumference between 0 and 90°.
In a preferred embodiment, the guide element 22 is, in its entirety or at least inside the rail 220, made of a material having a low friction coefficient, for example a material chosen from the group of polyamides, preferably, synthetic, preferably nylon.
The engagement element 21 comprises an elongated portion 210 that extends in length in such a way as to maintain the engagement with the guide element 22 at each angle of rotation of the panel 5. In other words, the elongated portion 210 extends in such a way as to remain housed at least in a portion thereof inside the rail 220 at every angle of rotation of the panel 5.
The elongated portion 210 extends in an arcuate manner in accordance with the radius of the rail 220. The length of the elongated portion 210 depends on the arc of circumference along which the rail 220 extends.
Pref erably, the elongated portion 210 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the rail 220.
In other words, the elongated portion 210 has its own sectional shape complementary to the shape of the rail 210, possibly leaving a minimum space, for example through dimensional tolerances, to allow the mutual sliding between components.
According to a preferred embodiment, the gripping means further comprise a carrying body gripping group 30 suitable to engage, during the rotation of the panel 5, an additional carrying body 10' of a further adjacent hinging device 1' so as to mutually lock the carrying body 10 of the device 1 and the further carrying body 10' of the further device 1'.
In other words, the carrying body gripping group 30 is suitable to allow that two hinging devices 1 and 1' of two consecutive panels 5 and 5', are mutually engaged, preferably integrally locked to each other in a rotated position of the panel 5.
Below, terms such as hinging device 1 will be used to refer to the first hinging device that performs the locking action, placed in rotation by the panel, while terms such as the further hinging device 1' will be used for the hinging device that undergoes the locking action.
According to a preferred embodiment, carrying body gripping group 30 is located in the guide portion 11.
Preferably, the carrying body gripping group 30 comprises a control element 31 suitable to be rotated by the rotation of the panel 5 and a locking element 32 actuated by the control element 31 to lock with the further hinging device 1'.
According to a preferred embodiment, the guide portion 11 has, at one of its sides the locking element 32, while at the opposite side a special locking housing 33 suitable to house at least a portion of the locking element 32 of the further hinging device 1'.
Preferably, the carrying body gripping group 30 is operatively connected with said rotation shaft 15. In particular, the control element 31 is fixed to the rotation shaft 15 and extends radially from it. The carrying body 10 is, therefore, designed with a special cavity such as to allow the movement of the control element 31.
According to a preferred embodiment, the locking element 32 comprises a pin 320 suitable to be positioned in a rest position, in which it is accommodated in the guide portion 11 and a locking position, in which it protrudes from the guide portion 11 to engage the further hinging device 1'.
Preferably, in the locking position, the pin 320 is housed in the respective locking housing 33' of the further hinging device 1'.
Preferably, the pin 320 is in the locked position as a function of the rotation of the panel 5, and thus of the position of the control element 31.
According to a preferred embodiment, the pin 320 extends vertically, preferably parallel to the rotation shaft 15. The pin 320 is thus engaged by the control element 31 as s function of the rotation of the rotation shaft 15.
Preferably, moreover, the locking element 32 comprises elastic means 325 suitable to act on the pin 320 to hold it in said locked position. According to an embodiment, the elastic means 325 are a helical spring that acts on the pin 320.
According to a preferred embodiment, the pin 320 comprises a control housing 321 in which the control element 31 is suitable to act to bring the pin 320 from the locked position to the rest position.
Preferably, the control housing 321 has, preferably at its axial ends, at least one inclined wall 321' suitable to be pressed by the control element 31 to bring the pin 320 from the locked position to the rest position.
In a preferred embodiment, the hinging device 1 in its gripping means comprises both the panel gripping group 20 and the carrying body gripping group 30. In this embodiment, the synergistic effect of both gripping groups is suitable to achieve the purpose of this invention in an improved manner.
According to preferred embodiments, the hinging device 1 described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, as inserted only in the guide 500 is also foreseeable as insertable in a possible lower guide.
Innovatively, the pack-wise movable panel system is particularly effective to support the rotated panel, without it tilting. In particular, this is made possible thanks to the hinging device covered by this invention and part of the system.
Advantageously, the gripping means are suitable to operate to discharge the action of forces related to the weight of the panel.
A further advantageous aspect is that the gripping means are suitable to act as soon as the panel is rotated; in this way, as soon as the panel is rotated, in other words, in any of its angles of rotation, it is prevented from tilting.
A still further advantageous aspect lies in the fact that the gripping means remain in engagement with the rotated panel and only cease to act when the panel is returned to a sliding position relative to the guide so as not to interfere with the sliding operations.
Advantageously, the guides do not need any modification with respect to the guides of the systems already known in the art, since the hinging device works on different components. Therefore, advantageously, the guides are not directly pushed by the gripping means, and thus can be dedicated to their original purpose of acting solely as sliding means.
A further advantageous aspect lies in the simplicity of design of the hinging device and in the low complexity of mutual interaction between the gripping means.
It is clear that one skilled in the art, in order to meet specific needs, may make changes to the panel system and to the hinging device described above, all contained within the scope of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

Hinging device (1) for a system with movable panels (50) with sliding guides (500), mountable to a panel (5) to support it in sliding and, once arrived to a default position, in rotation with respect to the guide (500), wherein the device (1) comprises:
- a carrying body (10) for the support and the locking of the panel (5) comprising:
i) a guide portion (11) suitable to be accommodated in the guide (500) and to allow the sliding of the device (1) ;

ii) a panel portion (12) attachable to the panel (5), wherein the panel portion (12) is rotatable relative to the guide (500) allowing the rotation of the panel (5);

- gripping means suitable to operate during the rotation of the panel (5) in relation to the guide (500), comprising a panel gripping group (20) comprising an engagement element (21), placed on the panel portion (12) of the carrying body (10), and a guide element (22) placed on the guide (500) in use, wherein the engagement element (21) and guide element (22) are facing each other so as to engage each other by mutual threading, in a rotated configuration of the panel (5) in relation to the guide (500);
wherein the guide element (22) has a rail (220), which extends in a curved trajectory, in which the engagement element (21) is suitable to slide;
wherein the hinging device is characterized by the fact that the engagement element (21) comprises an elongated portion (210) which extends in an arcuate manner in accordance with the radius of the rail and the length of the elongated portion (210) corresponds to the arc of circumference along which the rail (220) extends, in such a way as to remain housed at least in a portion thereof inside the rail (220) at every angle of rotation of the panel (5).
Hinging device (1) according to anyone of the previous claims, wherein said rail (220) is made inside the engagement element (21) laterally delimited by rail walls (221) and the engagement element (21) is suitable to engage said rail walls (221).
Hinging device (1) according to anyone of the previous claims, wherein the rail (220) extends for an arc of circumference between 0 and 90°.
Hinging device (1) according to anyone of the previous claims, wherein the guide element (22) is, in its entirety or at least inside the rail (220), made of a material having a low friction coefficient, for example a material chosen from the group of polyamides, preferably, synthetic, preferably nylon.
Hinging device (1) according anyone of the previous claims, wherein said elongated portion (210) has a corresponding shape to the shape of the rail (220).
Pack-wise movable panel system (50) comprising:
- a sliding guide (500), preferably, upper;

- a plurality of panels (5, 5'), at least two, for example with glass panes;

- a hinging device (1) attached to each panel (5), made according to any of the previous claims.