EP3309337B1

EP3309337B1 - Upward acting door

Info

Publication number: EP3309337B1
Application number: EP17192307.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pekka Hosio
Original assignee: Champion Door Oy
Current assignee: Champion Door Oy
Priority date: 2016-10-13
Filing date: 2017-09-21
Publication date: 2021-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2037-09-21
Also published as: FI20165779A; EP3309337A1; FI128167B; PL3309337T3

Description

The invention relates to an upward acting door with a door leaf, lower beam and lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the door leaf, the lifting mechanism comprising a first shaft, which first shaft has first coils for suspension elements, such as lifting wires, to be wrapped around the first coils, the suspension elements wrapped around the first coils being attached from their first ends to the lower beam, and at least one first motor for rotating the first shaft.
Fabric upward acting doors are generally used as space dividers in production premises and halls and as passage doorways in halls and plants. Fabric upward acting doors comprising two fabrics have an inner and outer fabric, with transverse horizontal reinforcements placed between them. At the upper edge of the upward acting door there is the door's lifting mechanism and the motor belonging to it. At the lower edge of the upward acting door there is a lower beam, which is connected to the lifting mechanism with at least two lifting slings or wires travelling between the inner and outer fabric. The vertical edges of the upward acting door are provided with edge rails, which guide the linear movement of the horizontal reinforcements and the ends of the lower beam. The upward acting door is opened by raising the lower beam up with the lifting mechanism so that the horizontal reinforcements are accumulated onto the lower beam, and the inner and outer fabric are folded to different sides of the lower beam. Respectively, the upward acting door is closed by lowering the lower beam against the lower edge of the opening on lifting slings or wires.
Fabric upward acting doors are typically large. For example, the area of an upward acting door functioning as the door for an aeroplane hangar can be thousands of square meters and its weight tens of tons. The width of the door leaf can easily be tens of metres so that a large bending stress is applied to the horizontal reinforcements of the door leaf because of wind pressure. To achieve sufficient bending stress, the horizontal reinforcements need therefore be made very wide. The width of the horizontal reinforcement of a large upward acting door can be 1.0 - 2.5 metres.
In known fabric upward acting doors, the lifting mechanism comprises one shaft, on which there are several coils for suspension elements, such as wires or lifting slings supporting the lower beam. The shaft and suspension elements are located on the middle line of the door leaf in the direction of depth of the door leaf, i.e. half way of the width of the horizontal reinforcements. Especially in large, thick doors the horizontal reinforcements can tilt when the door is raised or lowered, causing the slide reinforcements at the ends of the horizontal reinforcements to wear prematurely and the door to make noise. In the coils arranged on one shaft, the tensile stress applied to an individual suspension element is high, which leads to the growing size of the suspension element and coil.
Document DE 202015000252 U1 discloses an upward acting door according to the preamble of claim 1. Document EP 2990573 A1 discloses an upward acting door comprising an axle provided with coils around which lift wires are wound FR 2 861 121 A1 , EP 2 947 256 A1 , US 2 336 692 A and FR 2 586 355 A1 also disclose an upward acting door or blind.
It is an object of the invention is to introduce an upward acting door, with which drawbacks and disadvantages relating to the prior art can be minimized.
The objects of the invention are achieved with an upward acting door, which is characterized in what is disclosed in the independent patent claim. Some advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent patent claims.
The upward acting door of the invention has a door leaf, lower beam and lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the door leaf. The lifting mechanism comprises a first shaft, on which there are first coils for suspension elements, such as lifting wires, to be wrapped around the coils and at least one first motor for rotating the first shaft. The suspension elements wrapping around the first coils are attached from their first ends to the lower beam. The lifting mechanism further comprises at least one second shaft, the second shaft being located adjacent to the first shaft, at a distance from the first shaft, and the second shaft having second coils for suspension elements, such as lifting slings wrapping around the second coils. The suspension elements wrapping around the first coils are attached from their first ends to the lower beam at a distance from the suspension elements of the first coil. Thus, the lifting mechanism has at least two parallel shafts, both having coils for own suspension elements. There may also be more than two shafts. The number of shafts can be chosen, for example, on the basis of the total weight of the upward acting door and/or thickness of the door leaf.
According to the invention, the lifting mechanism further comprises at least one second motor for rotating the second shaft. The length of the shaft is typically selected so that the length of the shaft is substantially equal to the width of the door leaf. In this case, the length of the shaft can be several tens of metres. Especially in long shafts, it is often appropriate to use several motors for rotating the shaft so that the power, size and weight of the motors remain reasonable.
According to the invention, the first shaft and the second shaft of said lifting mechanism are connected to each other by at least one synchronizer synchronizing the rotational speed of the shafts. The synchronizer forces the shafts to rotate with the same rotational speed, even though they are rotated by different motors. Preferably said synchronizer comprises a first cogwheel fitted onto the first shaft, a second cogwheel fitted onto the second shaft, and a chain encircling the first cogwheel and the second cogwheel.
In an advantageous embodiment of the upward acting door of the invention the first shaft and the second shaft of the lifting mechanism comprise spacer shafts and connection elements, with which the spacer shafts are attached to each other to form one uniform shaft. The connection elements can be end flanges arranged to the ends of the spacer shafts, which can be attached to each other with a bolt fastening, or jointing sleeves, inside which the ends of the spacer shafts can be fitted. The length of the spacer shafts can suitably be chosen so that a shaft having a length which is substantially equal to the width of the upward acting door can be assembled of the spacer shafts. By varying the lengths of the spacer shafts and the number of motors and coils, a suitable mechanism can thus be formed of the lifting mechanism in each case for upward acting doors of different widths and weights.
Yet another advantageous embodiment of the upward acting door of the invention comprises a lower beam with a lattice-type structure. The lattice-type lower beam is structurally rigid, but light at the same time. According to the invention, the suspension elements wrapping around the first coils of the upward acting door are attached to the lower beam from their first end, and likewise, the suspension elements wrapping around the second coils are attached to the lower beam from their first end at a distance from the suspension elements of the first coil, viewed in the direction of width of the lower beam. The suspension elements thus raise the lower beam within two distances in the direction of width of the lower beam, which prevents the lower beam from tilting during lifting.
In yet another advantageous embodiment of the upward acting door of the invention, the first and second coils are installed into coil bases, which can be supported to the frame structures of a building or to the structures of a door opening. Thus, the lifting mechanism has no uniform frame of its own, but the coils and motors belonging to the mechanism are supported as separate parts to the frame structures of a building and combined into a uniform entity by the spacer shafts. In yet another advantageous embodiment of the upward acting door of the invention the door leaf comprises horizontal reinforcements, which are of a lattice-type structure. The lattice-type horizontal reinforcements are light and they withstand well bending stress in the direction of wind load burdening the upward acting door. The lattice-type horizontal reinforcements have multiple openings, because of which it is easy to arrange to suspension elements to travel through the horizontal reinforcements from the first and second coils to the lower beam. Preferably the lattice-type lower beam and the horizontal reinforcements are formed of parts attached to each other with bolted joints.
Yet another advantageous embodiment of the upward acting door of the invention is an upwards folding fabric upward acting door with two fabrics. The door leaf preferably comprises a first surface fabric and a second surface fabric with a lower edge, the first surface fabric being attached from its lower edge to the first edge of the lower beam and the second surface fabric being attached from its lower edge to the second edge of the lower beam.
It is an advantage of the upward acting door of the invention that it prevents the lower beam of the door and the horizontal reinforcements from tilting during the raising and lowering of the door, thus reducing the wear of the sliding pads and the noise of the door.
It is a further advantage of the invention that it makes it possible to increase the number of coils so that the cross-sectional size of the lifting wires or lifting slings on the coils and the size of the coils can be reduced. Smaller and lighter coils facilitate the assembly stage of the lifting mechanism.
The invention is next explained in detail. In the specification, reference is made to the following drawings, in which

Figure 1a illustrates in an exemplary manner an upward acting door of the invention seen from the front;
Figure 1b illustrates the upward acting door of Figure 1a as a cross-sectional view; and
Figure 2 illustrates in an exemplary manner a part of a lifting mechanism of the upward acting door of the invention.

In Figure 1a there is illustrated in an exemplary manner an upward acting door of the invention seen from the front, and in Figure 1b the same door is illustrated as a cross-sectional view, cut in the sectional plane A-A. In the following both figures are next explained simultaneously. The upward acting door illustrated in the figures is an upwards folding fabric upward acting door with two fabrics, which has a rectangular flexible door leaf 10. The door leaf comprises two substantially parallel surface fabrics at a distance from each other; the first surface fabric 12 and the second surface fabric 14, and a number of horizontal reinforcements 16 between the first and second surface fabric. The horizontal reinforcements are beam-shaped parts made preferably of aluminium, which are located in a horizontal position at a distance from each other. The surface fabrics are PVC fabrics reinforced with polyester web or some other sufficiently durable fabric material suitable for the purpose. Preferably the surface fabrics are fire, mould and UV resistant. At the lower edge of the door leaf there is a lattice-type lower beam 18 with hollow edge girders. The first surface fabric is attached from its lower edge to the first edge of the edge girder and the second surface fabric is attached from its lower edge to the second edge of the same lower beam. The lifting mechanism for the door leaf is at the upper edge of the door leaf.
The lifting mechanism includes two shafts, a first shaft 20a and a second shaft 20b, the length of which shafts is substantially equal to the width of the door leaf. In the first shaft 20a there are located at a distance from each other first coils 22a, around which lifting wire 24 has been wrapped. The shafts are rotated with first electric motors 28a, which are connected to the shafts via the gearing 30. The second shaft 20b is similar to the first shaft, and like the first shaft, it has second coils 22b with lifting wire around them. The second shafts are rotated with second electric motors 28b, which are connected to the shafts via the gearing 30. The lifting wires 24 wrapping around the first coils 22a are attached from their first ends to the lower beam 18 close to the first edge of the lower beam, and the lifting wires wrapping around the second coils 22a are attached from their first ends to the lower beam 18 close to the second edge of the lower beam at a distance from the lifting wires of the first coil. In the longitudinal direction of the lower beam, the attachment points of the lifting wires are substantially facing each other.
The coils and electric motors are installed on support beams 100 at the upper edge of the door opening. The operation of the lifting mechanism is controlled by the control centre 32, which is located adjacent to the upward acting door on the wall of the room. The vertical edges of the upward acting door have side rails 26a, 26b, which guide the lower beam and the ends of the horizontal reinforcements to move in the direction of the side rails (Figure 1a). At the ends of the horizontal reinforcements there are sliding pads reducing the friction between the contact surfaces.
In Figure 2 there is illustrated in an exemplary manner a part of a lifting mechanism of the invention, viewed obliquely from above. In the figure, there is visible a part of the first shaft 20a and a part of the second shaft 20b of the lifting mechanism. Both shafts have a similar structure and they are rectilinear in relation to each other. The shafts have spacer shafts 40, with end flanges 42 at their ends. The entire shaft of the lifting mechanism consists of spacer shafts attached to each other from their end flanges, a part of the spacer shafts travelling through the coils 22a, 22b and the gearings 30, and a part being separate rod-type parts. Thus, the lifting mechanism consists of modules, of which a suitable lifting mechanism appropriate for upward acting doors of different widths and weights can be assembled by including in the mechanism a necessary number of gearings 30 equipped with the motor 28a, 28b, coils 22a, 22b and spacer shafts 40 connecting the coils and gearings. The part of the lifting mechanism illustrated in Figure 2 has two parallel shafts. There can also be more than two parallel shafts; for example, three, four or five. The number of shafts can be chosen on the basis of the weight and/or thickness of the door leaf.
The first shaft 20a of the part of the lifting mechanism illustrated in Figure 2 has two first coils 22a, and between them the first motor 28a rotating the first shaft. Respectively, on the second shaft 20b there are two second coils 22b, between which there is located the second motor 28b rotating the second shaft. The motors are electric motors, and they are connected to the shafts via the gearings 30. The motors and gearings are installed on bases 46, which are supported on the parallel support beams 100 at the upper edge of the door opening. The first and second shaft are rectilinear at a distance from each other, and they are connected to each other via a synchronizer 38, which includes the first cogwheel 34a arranged on the first shaft, a second cogwheel 34b arranged on the second shaft, and a chain 36 circling around the first and second cogwheel. The synchronizer forces the shafts to rotate always with the same rotational speed, even if they are rotated by different motors. With the synchronizer, it is ensured that the lifting wire 24 is discharged from the coils and wrapped around the coils always with the same speed so that the width of the upward acting door is distributed evenly to the lifting wires. All coils on the shafts are of a similar structure. The coils are attached to coil bases 44, which are installed on parallel support beams 100 at the upper edge of the door opening so that the coils on the first shaft 20a are settled on the two closest support beams and the coils on the second shaft are settled on the two farthest support beams. Between the support beams bearing the coils there is a gap, through which the lifting wire discharging from the coil is led to the lower beam of an upward acting door, which is not shown in the Figure. The lifting mechanism is equipped with loosening switches observing the tightness of the lifting wires, stopping the motors of the lifting mechanism, if the tightness of a lifting wire remains below the set threshold value.
Some advantageous embodiments of the lifting mechanism for an upward acting door and an upward acting door of the invention have been explained above. The invention is especially well suited to be used in flexible fabric doors. The invention is not limited to the described solutions, but the inventional idea can be applied in several ways within the limits set by the patent claims.

Claims

Upward acting door with a door leaf (10), a lower beam (18) and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the door leaf (10), the lifting mechanism comprising a first shaft (20a), at least one first motor (28a) for rotating the first shaft, at least one second shaft (20b), which second shaft (20b) is located parallel to the first shaft (20a) at a distance from the first shaft (20a),on which first shaft there are first coils (22a) for suspension elements, such as lifting wires (24), wrapping around the first coils (22a), the suspension elements wrapping around the first coils (22a) being attached from their first ends to the lower beam (18), and the second shaft (20b) has second coils (22b) for suspension elements, such as lifting wires (24), wrapping around the second coils (22b), characterized in that the suspension elements (24) wrapping around the second coils (22b) are attached from their first ends to the lower beam (18) at a distance from the suspension elements of the first coil (22a) viewed in the direction of width of the lower beam, wherein the lifting mechanism further comprises at least one second motor (28b) for rotating the second shaft (20b) and wherein the first shaft (20a) and the second shaft (20b) are connected to each other with a synchronizer (38) synchronising the rotational speed of the shafts.
Upward acting door according to claim 1, characterized in that the said synchronizer (38) comprises a first cogwheel (34a) fitted on the first shaft, a second cogwheel (34b) fitted on the second shaft, and a chain (36) circling around the first cogwheel (34a) and the second cogwheel (34b).
Upward acting door according to any claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the said first shaft (20a) and second shaft (20b) comprise spacer shafts (40) and connection elements, the spacer shafts (40) being attached to each other with the connection elements.
Upward acting door according to claim 3, characterized in that the said connection elements are end flanges (42) arranged at the ends of the spacer shafts (40).
Upward acting door according to any of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the lower beam (18) has a lattice-type structure.
Upward acting door according to any of the claims 1-5, characterized in that the first coils (22a) and second coils (22b) are installed onto coil bases (44), which can be supported to the frame structures of a building or to the structures of a door opening, such as support beams (100).
Upward acting door according to any of the claims 1-6, characterized in that said door leaf (10) comprises horizontal reinforcements (16), which have a lattice-type structure.
Upward acting door according to claim 7, characterized in that the said suspension elements (24) are arranged to travel through the horizontal reinforcements (16) from the first and second coils (22a, 22b) to the lower beam (18).
Upward acting door according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the said lower beam (18) and horizontal reinforcements (16) are formed of parts attached to each other with bolted joints.
Upward acting door according to any of the claims 1 - 9, characterized in that it is a fabric upward acting door with two fabrics folding upwards.
Upward acting door according to any of the claims 1 -10, characterized in that the door leaf (10) comprises a first surface fabric (12) and a second surface fabric (14), the surface fabrics (12, 14) having a lower edge, and the first surface fabric (12) being attached from its lower edge to the first edge of the lower beam (18) and the second surface fabric (14) being attached from its lower edge to the second edge of the lower beam (18).