EP3702568B1 - Sectional door with two dynamic sections - Google Patents
Sectional door with two dynamic sections Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3702568B1 EP3702568B1 EP19382138.6A EP19382138A EP3702568B1 EP 3702568 B1 EP3702568 B1 EP 3702568B1 EP 19382138 A EP19382138 A EP 19382138A EP 3702568 B1 EP3702568 B1 EP 3702568B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- door
- housing
- standby position
- sectional door
- coupling
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 76
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 76
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 76
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims description 44
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 6
- 230000003068 static effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003032 molecular docking Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005286 illumination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000005477 standard model Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002195 synergetic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
- E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
- E06B3/00—Window sashes, door leaves, or like elements for closing wall or like openings; Layout of fixed or moving closures, e.g. windows in wall or like openings; Features of rigidly-mounted outer frames relating to the mounting of wing frames
- E06B3/32—Arrangements of wings characterised by the manner of movement; Arrangements of movable wings in openings; Features of wings or frames relating solely to the manner of movement of the wing
- E06B3/48—Wings connected at their edges, e.g. foldable wings
- E06B3/485—Sectional doors
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05D—HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS
- E05D15/00—Suspension arrangements for wings
- E05D15/16—Suspension arrangements for wings for wings sliding vertically more or less in their own plane
- E05D15/24—Suspension arrangements for wings for wings sliding vertically more or less in their own plane consisting of parts connected at their edges
- E05D15/242—Hinge connections between the parts
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05D—HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS
- E05D15/00—Suspension arrangements for wings
- E05D15/16—Suspension arrangements for wings for wings sliding vertically more or less in their own plane
- E05D15/22—Suspension arrangements for wings for wings sliding vertically more or less in their own plane allowing an additional movement
- E05D2015/225—Suspension arrangements for wings for wings sliding vertically more or less in their own plane allowing an additional movement specially adapted for overhead wings
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
- E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
- E06B3/00—Window sashes, door leaves, or like elements for closing wall or like openings; Layout of fixed or moving closures, e.g. windows in wall or like openings; Features of rigidly-mounted outer frames relating to the mounting of wing frames
- E06B3/70—Door leaves
- E06B2003/7044—Garage doors
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a sectional door, suitable for installation in garage doors, industrial warehouses or docking bays, amongst others.
- the sectional door described herein includes a coupling mechanism which allows said door to be completely or partially lowered, wherein when it is partially lowered, a lower section of the door is grounded on the floor whereas an upper section of the door is in a raised position, leaving an opening between said sections of the door for ventilation, safety and/or illumination reasons.
- sectional doors are widespread in industrial warehouses, docking or loading bay areas and garage openings of private households, amongst other similar locations. Furthermore, there are have been certain improvements of sectional doors which allow independent sections of the door, basically an upper section and a lower section (each section comprising one or more panels), to be moved independently from one another, usually when the door has already been grounded and disconnecting the upper section from the lower section, raising it to a preferred position. This improves lighting, temperature and air circulation inside the property where it is installed, whilst still providing certain safety measures as the lower section is still grounded in a closed position.
- patent EP 1825093 B1 discloses a vertically movable door, made up of an upper and a lower section, which is movable between an open and a closed position. When the door is in a closed position, the lower section can be released from the upper section by means of a disconnectable joint, enabling the upper section to be lifted whilst leaving the lower section in a barrier position, providing an opening between the upper and lower sections of the door.
- the different disconnectable joints described herein are either manually operated or use an electromechanical actuator.
- Patent US 7726378 B1 discloses a similar door configuration, wherein upper door panels of the door may be partially raised with regards to lower panels of the door, when said lower panels of the door are resting on the ground, leaving a space between the upper and lower panels.
- The includes split hinges arranged on both the left and right-hand door edge as well as a central location of the door, so that said split hinges may connect or disconnect adjacent panels of the door, through the use of quick-release pins.
- US patent application 2016/265582 A1 discloses an automatic or manually operated sectional door hinge system which enables a sectional door to change between a single door section rollable as a single unit, to a separated configuration having a plurality of rollable door sections.
- the sectional door has an upper section which may be moved to an elevated or raised position independently from a lower door section adjacent to the ground.
- the invention disclosed herein aims to improve existing coupling mechanisms used in sectional doors, by using a mechanical solution which doesn't require the use of either a person to manually operate a component of said mechanism or the use of electronic or electromechanical control systems, in order to couple or uncouple the upper and lower sections of a door.
- the present invention discloses a sectional door which can be used for industrial applications (warehouse doors, cargo or loading bay areas, etc.) as well as household applications (garage doors of private households) which is capable of being completely opened, completely closed or partially opened.
- These sectional doors are made up of:
- said one or more panels that make up each section of the door are joined or fastened together in an articulated configuration in order to allow both sections of the door to be guided adequately along different possible frame designs.
- the present invention differs from other similar doors in that the one or more coupling units it has installed on the door make use of a coupling mechanism which is purely mechanical, and doesn't require the use of additional electronic control systems or manual labour in order to couple or uncouple the upper section of the door from the lower section of the door.
- the coupling unit disclosed herein is made up of a first housing attached to a lower end of the upper section of the door, a second housing attached to an upper end of the lower section of the door and at least one coupling mechanism.
- both the first housing and the second housing are each made up of two lateral walls and a transversal wall, perpendicular to and in a central position of both lateral walls, thus having a shape resembling an "H", with both housings having an upper cavity and a lower cavity.
- the upper cavity of the first housing is attached to a lower end of the upper section of the door
- the lower cavity of the second housing is attached to an upper end of the lower section of the door.
- the first housing and the second housing are each made up of two lateral walls and a transversal wall, perpendicular to and in contact with a distal end of both lateral walls, thus having a shape resembling a "U", with both housings defining a cavity.
- the transversal wall of each housing is attached to a lower end of the upper section of the door, and to an upper end of the lower section of the door.
- the coupling mechanism is made up of an elongated appendix, having a base portion, an intermediate portion and a thickened end portion, distal and opposite its base portion, designed so that its thickened end portion is wider than said intermediate portion and so that its base portion is wider than the thickened end portion, and a clamping connector with an adjustable opening and an interior chamber suitable for receiving, inserted, the cited elongated appendix, with at least one retaining device which is movable between an initial standby position, a final standby position and one or more intermediate positions.
- the base portion of the elongated appendix is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the upper cavity of the second housing, and the clamping connector is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the lower cavity of the first housing, whereas according to the second embodiment the base portion of the elongated appendix is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the cavity defined by the second housing, and the clamping connector is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the cavity defined by the first housing.
- Both the elongated appendix and the clamping connector are fastened to their respective housings by means of mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts and nuts.
- the coupling mechanism included in the one or more coupling units is configured to transition between a coupling configuration and an uncoupling configuration.
- the thickened end portion elongated appendix is partially inside the interior chamber of the clamping connector, inserted through its adjustable opening, with at least one retaining device transitioning from its initial standby position to a first intermediate position and then back to its initial standby position, following a wall surface of the thickened end portion of the elongated appendix until the retaining device is adjacent to a wall of the intermediate portion clamping the thickened end portion.
- the elongated appendix is arranged inside the interior chamber of the clamping connector, up to at least the beginning of its base portion and the at least one retaining device transitions from said initial standby position to its final standby position allowing the elongated appendix to be removed from inside the clamping connector, as the adjustable opening of the clamping connector is at least as wide as the base portion of the elongated appendix.
- the at least one retaining device is preferably a horizontal cylindrical rod arranged inside a guiding groove, wherein the guiding groove is configured to guide and limit the cylindrical rod from its first standby position to its final standby position and one or more intermediate positions.
- the elongated appendix is designed so that it is either symmetrical or asymmetrical. If it is symmetrical, the clamping connector comprises two cylindrical rods, opposite one another, arranged inside respective symmetrical guiding grooves, whereas if it is asymmetrical, then the clamping connector would suffice with one cylindrical rod arranged inside a respective guiding groove.
- the number of coupling units used and their positioning on either section of the door changes according to a width of the door onto which they are installed, as well as a weight they must be capable of withstanding, in order to operate in optimum working conditions. For example, if the width of the door is equal to or lower than 4600mm the number of coupling units used in comparison to doors with a width larger than 4600mm, is smaller, wherein each coupling unit can include one or more coupling mechanisms each.
- the actuator can be configured to move either the upper section of the door, the lower section of the door or both sections of the door independently.
- a brake device is installed on either the lower section of the door, the upper section of the door or both, and configured to stop either the lower, upper or both sections of the door from falling in the event of the coupling unit and/or the actuator failing.
- the lower section of the door has a first standard brake device installed on either side, positioned on the guiding tracks or rails of the frame, said first brake device being a standard device readily available in the market.
- the upper section of the door has a second brake device installed on either side of, preferably, the lower panel of the upper section of the sectional door, said second brake device being designed so that it includes an adjusting mechanism allowing it to be installed adequately onto both the frame and the upper section of the door.
- references to geometric position such as parallel, perpendicular, tangent, etc. allow deviations up to ⁇ 5° from the theoretical position defined by this nomenclature.
- FIG. 1a to FIG. 1d show a section of one of the coupling units 3 installed on a sectional door 2, showing the different elements which together form one of its coupling mechanisms 7 and how they cooperate with one another in order to couple or uncouple an upper section 2a and a lower section 2b of the door 2, according to a first embodiment of the present invention in which the coupling mechanism 7 is symmetrical.
- the coupling unit 3 is made up of a first housing 5 and a second housing 6, opposite one another, which together form a hollow box-type casing or enclosure.
- Both the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are made up of two lateral opposite walls, 5a, 6a, and a central transversal wall 5b, 6b, which joins both lateral walls 5a, 6a, of each respective housing 5, 6, defining for each one an upper cavity 50a, 60a and a lower cavity 50b, 60b.
- the upper cavity 50a of the first housing 5 is attached or fixed to a lower end of the upper section 2a of the door 2, whereas the lower cavity 60b of the second housing 6 is attached or fixed to an upper end of the lower section 2b of the door 2.
- the coupling mechanism 7 is primarily made up of a clamping connector 9, arranged inside the lower cavity 50b of the first housing 5, fixed to its central wall 5b, and an elongated appendix 8 arranged inside the upper cavity 60a of the second housing 6, fixed to its central wall 6b.
- the elongated appendix 8 is symmetrical, and the clamping connector 9 has two retaining devices 10, preferably cylindrical rods, located inside respective guiding grooves 100, which allow their respective retaining device 10 to transition from an initial standby position 11 to a final standby position 13, when the elongated appendix 8 is inserted or removed from inside the clamping connector 9.
- the final standby position 13 is at a different height with reference to that of the initial standby position 11.
- FIG. 1a shows the coupling mechanism 7 in a coupled configuration, in which the upper section 2a and the lower section 2b of the door 2 are coupled/fastened together as the door 2 is being lowered due to a thickened end portion 8c of the elongated appendix 8 being arranged inside the clamping connector 9 through its adjustable opening 9a.
- This configuration allows the door 2 to move as a single unit when the actuator (not shown) is powered, guided by a frame 1 (not shown).
- the two retaining devices 10 in this example cylindrical rods, in their initial standby position 11 of their respective guiding grooves 100, are located below the thickened end portion 8c and adjacent to an intermediate portion 8b of the elongated appendix 8.
- FIG. 1b also illustrates the coupling mechanism 7 shown and described in FIG. 1a , however this particular figure is a representation of how the coupling mechanism 7 acts when the sections of the door 2 are in an articulated position, when the door 2 is either being lowered or rolled up.
- FIG. 1c shows the coupling mechanism 7 in an uncoupling configuration (in fact in a first step indicated by the arrow A), in which the lower section 2b of the door 2 is on the ground, but the actuator is still operative which allows the upper section 2a of the door 2 to be mechanically uncoupled from the lower section 2b of the door 2, so it can be moved independently.
- the clamping connector 9 proceeds to engulf the elongated appendix 8, until it has reached its base portion 8a, of a substantial larger width than that of the thickened end portion 8c or the central portion 8c.
- the two retaining devices 10 in their respective guiding grooves 100, transition from their initial standby position 11 towards a final standby position 13, in which the retaining devices 10 are adjacent respective walls of the base portion 8a of the elongated appendix 8, and the adjustable opening 9a has a width at least as wide as the width of the base portion 8a.
- the second housing 6 is also partially inserted in the lower cavity 50b of the first housing 5.
- the actuator 4 proceeds to raise the upper section 2a of the door 2 up to a prearranged position (see Fig. 4 ), such as completely or partially raised, whilst the lower section 2b of the door 2 remains grounded.
- the width of the adjustable opening 9a of the clamping connector 9 is at least as wide as that of the base portion 8a, it can be removed easily as both the thickened end portion 8c and the intermediate portion 8b of the elongated appendix 8 are both narrower than its base portion 8a, and the retaining devices 10 are also at a sufficient distance when in their final standby positions 13 in order to avoid collisions with the elongated appendix 8 whilst the upper section 2a of the door 2 is being raised.
- FIG. 1d shows the coupling mechanism 7 of the coupling unit in an uncoupled configuration in which the upper section 2a of the door 2 has been separated from the lower section 2b of the door 2, following its extraction (see arrow A) as seen in FIG. 1c .
- the two retaining devices 10 When the coupling mechanism 7 is in this uncoupled configuration, the two retaining devices 10 have returned to their initial standby position 11 of their respective guiding grooves 100, due to protruding ends 6c of the lateral walls 6a of the second housing, wherein said protruding ends 6c are facing towards the inside of the upper cavity 60a of the second housing 6, in the shape of an arc.
- FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d show a section of one of the coupling units 3 installed on a sectional door 2, showing the different elements which together form one of its coupling mechanisms 7 and how they cooperate with one another in order to couple or uncouple an upper section 2a and a lower section 2b of the door 2, according to a second embodiment of the present invention in which the coupling mechanism 7 is asymmetrical.
- the coupling unit 3 is made up of a first housing 5 and a second housing 6, opposite one another, which together form a hollow box-type casing or enclosure.
- Both the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 are made up of two lateral opposite walls, 5a, 6a, and a transversal wall 5b, 6b, which joins both lateral walls 5a, 6a, of each respective housing 5, 6, defining for each one a cavity 50, 60, resembling the shape of a "U".
- transversal wall 5b of the first housing 5 is attached or fixed to a lower end of the upper section 2a of the door 2
- transversal wall 6b of the second housing 6 is attached or fixed to an upper end of the lower section 2b of the door 2.
- the coupling mechanism 7 is primarily made up of a clamping connector 9, arranged inside cavity 50 of the first housing 5, fixed to its wall 5b, and an elongated appendix 8 arranged inside cavity 60 of the second housing 6, also fixed to its wall 6b.
- the elongated appendix 8 is asymmetrical having a wall or side which is substantially flat whilst the other wall or side varies in width throughout its extension.
- FIGs. 1a to 1d The explanation used in FIGs. 1a to 1d is also valid for FIGs. 2a to 2d , with the only difference that the elongated appendix 8 is asymmetrical, as stated previously, and therefore it only uses one of its two retaining devices 10 in its respective groove 100 to block the different positions of the coupling mechanism 7, using the remaining retaining device 10' and groove 100' as a guiding element, granting the coupling mechanism 7 more stability.
- the clamping connector 9 has two retaining devices 10, 10', preferably cylindrical rods, located inside respective guiding grooves 100, 100', one of the retaining devices 10' is only used as guiding element as it has a groove 100' which only allows the cylindrical rod to move longitudinally against the flat side of the elongated appendix 8.
- the remaining retaining device 10 has a guiding groove 100 which allows it to transition from an initial standby position 11 to a final standby position 13, when the elongated appendix 8 is inserted or removed from inside the clamping connector 9, in a similar fashion as described previously in FIGs. 1a to 1d .
- the final standby position 13 is at a different height with reference to that of the initial standby position 11.
- FIG. 3a illustrates a sectional door 2, according to the present invention, in a specific position in which the upper section 2a of the door 2 has been uncoupled and elevated from the lower section 2b of the door 2 which is grounded.
- This is possible through the use of one or more coupling units 7, installed in the door 2 and which are currently in an uncoupled configuration so that the upper section 2a of the door 2 can be uncoupled and elevated independently from the lower section 2b of the door 2, which remains grounded acting as a barrier.
- This allows the inside of a building, where the door 2 has been installed, to be ventilated adequately as well as improving lighting of the areas near the door 2, whilst simultaneously using the lower section 2b of the door as a safety measure.
- An actuator or motor (not shown in this figure) is connected to the upper section 2a of the door 2. It should be noted that even though no figure illustrates it, both sections 2a, 2b of the door 2 can also be moved as a single unit when the coupling unit 3 is in a coupling configuration.
- FIG. 3a also shows the first housing 5 and the second housing 6 attached, respectively, to a lower end of the upper section 2a of the door 2 and to an upper end of the lower section 2b of the door, which together form the coupling unit 3.
- FIG. 3a also shows:
- the second brake device 15 is shown in great detail in FIGs. 4a to 4c , wherein its main components are: a mounting or support plate 151 which is fastened or attached to a panel of the upper section 2a of the door 2, in a position adjacent to the guiding rail or track of the frame 1, so that a first guiding wheel 153a, fastened to said mounting or support plate 151, can be positioned in said guiding rail or track of the frame 1.
- the first guiding wheel 153a is designed to include a recess or cavity into which a transmission cable (not shown) is arranged, with one of its distal ends fastened to a hook 157 of the second brake device 15 and the remaining distal end connected to an actuator or motor of the sectional door 2.
- a main plate 156 is fastened to the support plate 151 through the use of a first cylindrical dowel pin 152a, which defines a rotation axis or pivoting point for the main plate 156 to shift position with regards to the support plate 151.
- the main plate 156 has a clamping device 155 fastened to it through the use of a second cylindrical dowel pin 152b which allows said clamping device 155 to vary its position between an active and a passive arrangement, wherein the hook 157 is fastened to a lower portion of the clamping device 155.
- a distal end of the second cylindrical dowel pin 152b has a second guiding wheel 153b which is positioned or inserted inside the guiding track or rail of frame 1 of the door 2.
- the second brake device 15 includes an adjusting mechanism 154 made up of a bolt and a nut, whereby the position of the nut along the thread of the bolt defines an angle, a, between the main plate 156 and the mounting plate 151, rotating or pivoting around a rotation axis defined by the first cylindrical dowel pin 152a, as seen in FIG. 4c .
- This is necessary due to a gradual increase in an inclination of the frame 1 for these types of doors, from the ground upwards, and therefore the adjusting mechanism 154 allows a user to regulate a distance between the second brake device 15 and the guiding rail of frame 1, so that the second guiding wheel 153b is in an optimum position.
- the clamping device 155 shifts from a passive arrangement, as seen in these figures, to an active arrangement upon failure of the transmission cable connected to the actuator of door 2, whereupon the clamping device 155 automatically rotates around an axis of rotation defined by the second cylindrical dowel pin 152b, as a result of a slackening of the transmission cable fastened to the hook 157, resulting in the clamping device 155 exerting a force or pressure against frame 1, which stops the upper section 2a of the door 2 from falling.
- FIGs. 5a and 5b shows two positions of a safety device 16 installed on either side of the coupling unit 3, adjacent to the guiding rails or tracks of frame 1.
- This safety device 16 is necessary mainly for two reasons:
- the safety device 16 (see Figs. 5a and 5b ) is made up of a static protruding element 161, facing downwards, mechanically fastened to the upper housing 5 of the coupling unit 3, and a mobile protruding element 163 fastened to the lower housing 6 of the coupling unit 3.
- the mobile protruding element 163 has a cable connecting it to a far end of a piston 164, said piston being mounted on a support 167 comprising to parallel walls with orifices through which the piston 164 is guided.
- the piston 164 has a coaxial spring 165 mounted on a shaft and set between both walls of the support 167.
- the mobile protruding element 163 has a transmission cable 166 connected to a first brake device 14, using a guiding wheel 168, arranged on the lowermost panel or portion of the lower section 2b of the door 2, adjacent to the guiding rail of frame 1.
- the first brake device 14 is used to stop the lower section of the door from falling or collapsing in the event of transmission cable 166 failing.
- the static protruding element 161 has a wheel 162, or other equivalent rotating device, fastened to it, so that when it is lowered, the wheel 162 moves along a surface of mobile protruding element 163, and forcing it to move laterally (see arrow C of FIG. 5b ), counteracting a force exerted by the spring 165, which also causes a head of the piston 164 (seen in FIG. 5b ) to exit the guiding rail of frame 1, as well as changing the configuration of the first break device 14 to a passive or inactive arrangement, thus allowing the lower section 2b of the door 2 to be raised, together with the upper section 2a of the door 2, as a single unit.
- the safety device 16 operates synergistically with the coupling mechanism 7 included in the coupling unit 3, which allows both sections 2a, 2b of the door 2 to be either coupled or uncoupled.
- FIG. 5a it can be observed that a portion of the piston 164, specifically the head of the piston 164, is located inside the guiding rail or track of frame 1 of the door 2, so that the lower section 2b is kept in a fixed position. Furthermore, even though it isn't seen in these figures, when the upper section 2a of the door 2 is uncoupled from the lower section 2b, the first brake device 14 is in an active position, meaning that its clamp or retention element is exerting a force against frame 1, even when in a grounded position.
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Description
- The present invention relates to a sectional door, suitable for installation in garage doors, industrial warehouses or docking bays, amongst others.
- The sectional door described herein includes a coupling mechanism which allows said door to be completely or partially lowered, wherein when it is partially lowered, a lower section of the door is grounded on the floor whereas an upper section of the door is in a raised position, leaving an opening between said sections of the door for ventilation, safety and/or illumination reasons.
- The use of sectional doors is widespread in industrial warehouses, docking or loading bay areas and garage openings of private households, amongst other similar locations. Furthermore, there are have been certain improvements of sectional doors which allow independent sections of the door, basically an upper section and a lower section (each section comprising one or more panels), to be moved independently from one another, usually when the door has already been grounded and disconnecting the upper section from the lower section, raising it to a preferred position. This improves lighting, temperature and air circulation inside the property where it is installed, whilst still providing certain safety measures as the lower section is still grounded in a closed position.
- These type of sectional doors usually include manually operated, electronically operated or electromechanically operated fastening or coupling mechanisms in order to separate or attach the upper section to the lower section of the door, as seen in the following documents. For instance, patent
EP 1825093 B1 discloses a vertically movable door, made up of an upper and a lower section, which is movable between an open and a closed position. When the door is in a closed position, the lower section can be released from the upper section by means of a disconnectable joint, enabling the upper section to be lifted whilst leaving the lower section in a barrier position, providing an opening between the upper and lower sections of the door. The different disconnectable joints described herein are either manually operated or use an electromechanical actuator. - Patent
US 7726378 B1 discloses a similar door configuration, wherein upper door panels of the door may be partially raised with regards to lower panels of the door, when said lower panels of the door are resting on the ground, leaving a space between the upper and lower panels. The includes split hinges arranged on both the left and right-hand door edge as well as a central location of the door, so that said split hinges may connect or disconnect adjacent panels of the door, through the use of quick-release pins. - Finally,
US patent application 2016/265582 A1 discloses an automatic or manually operated sectional door hinge system which enables a sectional door to change between a single door section rollable as a single unit, to a separated configuration having a plurality of rollable door sections. In said separated configuration, the sectional door has an upper section which may be moved to an elevated or raised position independently from a lower door section adjacent to the ground. - The invention disclosed herein aims to improve existing coupling mechanisms used in sectional doors, by using a mechanical solution which doesn't require the use of either a person to manually operate a component of said mechanism or the use of electronic or electromechanical control systems, in order to couple or uncouple the upper and lower sections of a door.
- The present invention discloses a sectional door which can be used for industrial applications (warehouse doors, cargo or loading bay areas, etc.) as well as household applications (garage doors of private households) which is capable of being completely opened, completely closed or partially opened. These sectional doors are made up of:
- a door comprising a plurality of panels divided into an upper section and a lower section, each section made up of one or more panels joined together,
- a frame installed in a building opening made up of at least two lateral structural elements, which can also serve as guiding tracks or rails for the door,
- one or more coupling units, configured to couple or uncouple the upper section of the door from said lower section of the door, and
- an actuator, such as an electric motor, which is configured to move the door.
- Preferably, said one or more panels that make up each section of the door are joined or fastened together in an articulated configuration in order to allow both sections of the door to be guided adequately along different possible frame designs.
- The present invention differs from other similar doors in that the one or more coupling units it has installed on the door make use of a coupling mechanism which is purely mechanical, and doesn't require the use of additional electronic control systems or manual labour in order to couple or uncouple the upper section of the door from the lower section of the door.
- The coupling unit disclosed herein is made up of a first housing attached to a lower end of the upper section of the door, a second housing attached to an upper end of the lower section of the door and at least one coupling mechanism.
- In a first particular embodiment, both the first housing and the second housing are each made up of two lateral walls and a transversal wall, perpendicular to and in a central position of both lateral walls, thus having a shape resembling an "H", with both housings having an upper cavity and a lower cavity. Furthermore, for this particular embodiment, the upper cavity of the first housing is attached to a lower end of the upper section of the door, and the lower cavity of the second housing is attached to an upper end of the lower section of the door.
- In a second particular embodiment, the first housing and the second housing are each made up of two lateral walls and a transversal wall, perpendicular to and in contact with a distal end of both lateral walls, thus having a shape resembling a "U", with both housings defining a cavity. Furthermore, for this particular embodiment, the transversal wall of each housing is attached to a lower end of the upper section of the door, and to an upper end of the lower section of the door.
- The coupling mechanism is made up of an elongated appendix, having a base portion, an intermediate portion and a thickened end portion, distal and opposite its base portion, designed so that its thickened end portion is wider than said intermediate portion and so that its base portion is wider than the thickened end portion, and a clamping connector with an adjustable opening and an interior chamber suitable for receiving, inserted, the cited elongated appendix, with at least one retaining device which is movable between an initial standby position, a final standby position and one or more intermediate positions.
- According to a first embodiment, the base portion of the elongated appendix is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the upper cavity of the second housing, and the clamping connector is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the lower cavity of the first housing, whereas according to the second embodiment the base portion of the elongated appendix is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the cavity defined by the second housing, and the clamping connector is fastened to the transversal wall and located in the cavity defined by the first housing.
- Both the elongated appendix and the clamping connector are fastened to their respective housings by means of mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts and nuts.
- The coupling mechanism included in the one or more coupling units is configured to transition between a coupling configuration and an uncoupling configuration.
- In the coupling configuration, the thickened end portion elongated appendix is partially inside the interior chamber of the clamping connector, inserted through its adjustable opening, with at least one retaining device transitioning from its initial standby position to a first intermediate position and then back to its initial standby position, following a wall surface of the thickened end portion of the elongated appendix until the retaining device is adjacent to a wall of the intermediate portion clamping the thickened end portion.
- On the other hand, in the uncoupling configuration, the elongated appendix is arranged inside the interior chamber of the clamping connector, up to at least the beginning of its base portion and the at least one retaining device transitions from said initial standby position to its final standby position allowing the elongated appendix to be removed from inside the clamping connector, as the adjustable opening of the clamping connector is at least as wide as the base portion of the elongated appendix.
- The at least one retaining device is preferably a horizontal cylindrical rod arranged inside a guiding groove, wherein the guiding groove is configured to guide and limit the cylindrical rod from its first standby position to its final standby position and one or more intermediate positions.
- The elongated appendix is designed so that it is either symmetrical or asymmetrical. If it is symmetrical, the clamping connector comprises two cylindrical rods, opposite one another, arranged inside respective symmetrical guiding grooves, whereas if it is asymmetrical, then the clamping connector would suffice with one cylindrical rod arranged inside a respective guiding groove.
- The procedure of both configurations will be explained in detail in the description of
FIGs. 1a to 1d for a first embodiment of the coupling mechanism, which has a symmetrical design, and inFIGs. 2a to 2d for a second embodiment of the coupling mechanism, which has an asymmetrical design, and the differences between both embodiments. - For different embodiments of the present invention, the number of coupling units used and their positioning on either section of the door changes according to a width of the door onto which they are installed, as well as a weight they must be capable of withstanding, in order to operate in optimum working conditions. For example, if the width of the door is equal to or lower than 4600mm the number of coupling units used in comparison to doors with a width larger than 4600mm, is smaller, wherein each coupling unit can include one or more coupling mechanisms each.
- The actuator can be configured to move either the upper section of the door, the lower section of the door or both sections of the door independently.
- In a particular embodiment, a brake device is installed on either the lower section of the door, the upper section of the door or both, and configured to stop either the lower, upper or both sections of the door from falling in the event of the coupling unit and/or the actuator failing.
- Preferably, the lower section of the door has a first standard brake device installed on either side, positioned on the guiding tracks or rails of the frame, said first brake device being a standard device readily available in the market. Furthermore, the upper section of the door has a second brake device installed on either side of, preferably, the lower panel of the upper section of the sectional door, said second brake device being designed so that it includes an adjusting mechanism allowing it to be installed adequately onto both the frame and the upper section of the door.
- It will be understood that references to geometric position, such as parallel, perpendicular, tangent, etc. allow deviations up to ± 5° from the theoretical position defined by this nomenclature.
- Other features of the invention appear from the following detailed description of an embodiment.
- The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and not limitative, in which:
-
FIGs. 1a to 1d illustrate a first embodiment of a coupling mechanism with a symmetrical design in which:-
FIG. 1a shows the coupling mechanism in a coupling configuration, in which the upper and lower sections of the door are coupled together, mechanically fastened, so that the door moves as a single unit; -
FIG. 1b illustrates the coupling mechanism as seen inFIG. 1a , but with the sections of the door in an articulated position, when the door is being opened or else rolled up; -
FIG. 1c illustrates the coupling mechanism in an uncoupling configuration (see arrow A), so that the upper section of the door can be released and moved independently from the lower section of the door; and -
FIG. 1d illustrates the coupling mechanism, included in the coupling units, in an uncoupled configuration, wherein the upper section of the door has been separated from the lower section of the door;
-
-
FIGs. 2a to 2d illustrate a second embodiment of a coupling mechanism with an asymmetrical design in which:-
FIG. 2a shows the coupling mechanism in a coupling configuration, in which the upper and lower sections of the door are coupled together, mechanically fastened, so that the door moves as a single unit; -
FIG. 2b illustrates the coupling mechanism as seen inFIG. 2a , but with the sections of the door in an articulated position, when the door is being opened or else rolled up; -
FIG. 2c illustrates the coupling mechanism in an uncoupling configuration (see arrow A), so that the upper section of the door can be released and moved independently from the lower section of the door; and -
FIG. 2d illustrates the coupling mechanism, included in the coupling units, in an uncoupled configuration, wherein the upper section of the door has been separated from the lower section of the door;
-
-
FIGs. 3a illustrates an embodiment of a door in which the upper section of the door has been elevated by uncoupling the coupling units installed therein from the lower section of the door, having two detail views of:- a first standard brake device, as seen in
FIG. 3b ; and - a second adjustable brake device, as seen in
FIG. 3c ;
- a first standard brake device, as seen in
-
FIGs. 4a to 4c illustrate the design of the secondadjustable brake device 15, shown inFIG. 3c , in which:-
FIG. 4a shows a perspective representation of the second brake device and its main components; -
FIG. 4b shows the second brake device in a predetermined initial position; and -
FIG. 4c shows the second brake device in an adjusted position through the use of an adjusting mechanism; and finally
-
-
FIGs. 5a and 5b illustrate the safety device, wherein:-
FIG. 5a shows the safety device in a first position in which the upper section and lower section of the door are uncoupled; and -
FIG. 5b shows the safety device in a second position in which the upper section and lower section of the door are coupled.
-
- The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and non-limitative manner.
-
FIG. 1a to FIG. 1d show a section of one of the coupling units 3 installed on a sectional door 2, showing the different elements which together form one of its coupling mechanisms 7 and how they cooperate with one another in order to couple or uncouple anupper section 2a and alower section 2b of the door 2, according to a first embodiment of the present invention in which the coupling mechanism 7 is symmetrical. - For each one of these figures,
FIG. 1a to FIG. 1d , the coupling unit 3 is made up of afirst housing 5 and asecond housing 6, opposite one another, which together form a hollow box-type casing or enclosure. Both thefirst housing 5 and thesecond housing 6 are made up of two lateral opposite walls, 5a, 6a, and a centraltransversal wall lateral walls respective housing upper cavity lower cavity - The
upper cavity 50a of thefirst housing 5 is attached or fixed to a lower end of theupper section 2a of the door 2, whereas thelower cavity 60b of thesecond housing 6 is attached or fixed to an upper end of thelower section 2b of the door 2. - The coupling mechanism 7 is primarily made up of a clamping
connector 9, arranged inside thelower cavity 50b of thefirst housing 5, fixed to itscentral wall 5b, and anelongated appendix 8 arranged inside theupper cavity 60a of thesecond housing 6, fixed to itscentral wall 6b. - For this particular embodiment, shown in
FIG.1a to FIG. 1d , theelongated appendix 8 is symmetrical, and the clampingconnector 9 has two retainingdevices 10, preferably cylindrical rods, located inside respective guidinggrooves 100, which allow theirrespective retaining device 10 to transition from aninitial standby position 11 to afinal standby position 13, when theelongated appendix 8 is inserted or removed from inside the clampingconnector 9. Thefinal standby position 13 is at a different height with reference to that of theinitial standby position 11. -
FIG. 1a shows the coupling mechanism 7 in a coupled configuration, in which theupper section 2a and thelower section 2b of the door 2 are coupled/fastened together as the door 2 is being lowered due to athickened end portion 8c of theelongated appendix 8 being arranged inside the clampingconnector 9 through its adjustable opening 9a. This configuration allows the door 2 to move as a single unit when the actuator (not shown) is powered, guided by a frame 1 (not shown). - In order to retain the
elongated appendix 8 inside the clampingconnector 9, the two retaining devices 10 (in this example cylindrical rods), in theirinitial standby position 11 of theirrespective guiding grooves 100, are located below the thickenedend portion 8c and adjacent to anintermediate portion 8b of theelongated appendix 8. - This creates a synergistic effect in which the
retaining devices 10 of the clampingconnector 9 cannot shift their position due to a downwards force exerted by the thickenedend portion 8c due to the weight of thelower section 2b of the door 2, whilst simultaneously theelongated appendix 8 cannot be released from the clampingconnector 9 because the width of its adjustable opening 9a is smaller than the width of the thickenedend portion 8c due to the position of the retainingdevices 10 adjacent to theintermediate portion 8b of theelongated appendix 8. -
FIG. 1b also illustrates the coupling mechanism 7 shown and described inFIG. 1a , however this particular figure is a representation of how the coupling mechanism 7 acts when the sections of the door 2 are in an articulated position, when the door 2 is either being lowered or rolled up. -
FIG. 1c shows the coupling mechanism 7 in an uncoupling configuration (in fact in a first step indicated by the arrow A), in which thelower section 2b of the door 2 is on the ground, but the actuator is still operative which allows theupper section 2a of the door 2 to be mechanically uncoupled from thelower section 2b of the door 2, so it can be moved independently. - Starting from the position of the coupling mechanism 7 seen in
FIG. 1a , once the door 2 has been grounded, and if the actuator 4 is still operative, theupper section 2a is forced to be lowered (see arrow A) towards thelower section 2b of the door 2. - By forcing the
upper section 2a of the door 2 to move towards the groundedlower section 2b of the door 2, the clampingconnector 9 proceeds to engulf theelongated appendix 8, until it has reached itsbase portion 8a, of a substantial larger width than that of the thickenedend portion 8c or thecentral portion 8c. As the clampingconnector 9 is lowered onto theelongated appendix 8, the tworetaining devices 10, in theirrespective guiding grooves 100, transition from theirinitial standby position 11 towards afinal standby position 13, in which theretaining devices 10 are adjacent respective walls of thebase portion 8a of theelongated appendix 8, and the adjustable opening 9a has a width at least as wide as the width of thebase portion 8a. Thesecond housing 6 is also partially inserted in thelower cavity 50b of thefirst housing 5. - Once the retaining
devices 10 are in this position, the actuator 4 proceeds to raise theupper section 2a of the door 2 up to a prearranged position (seeFig. 4 ), such as completely or partially raised, whilst thelower section 2b of the door 2 remains grounded. - As the width of the adjustable opening 9a of the clamping
connector 9 is at least as wide as that of thebase portion 8a, it can be removed easily as both thethickened end portion 8c and theintermediate portion 8b of theelongated appendix 8 are both narrower than itsbase portion 8a, and the retainingdevices 10 are also at a sufficient distance when in their final standby positions 13 in order to avoid collisions with theelongated appendix 8 whilst theupper section 2a of the door 2 is being raised. -
FIG. 1d shows the coupling mechanism 7 of the coupling unit in an uncoupled configuration in which theupper section 2a of the door 2 has been separated from thelower section 2b of the door 2, following its extraction (see arrow A) as seen inFIG. 1c . - When the coupling mechanism 7 is in this uncoupled configuration, the two
retaining devices 10 have returned to theirinitial standby position 11 of theirrespective guiding grooves 100, due to protruding ends 6c of thelateral walls 6a of the second housing, wherein said protruding ends 6c are facing towards the inside of theupper cavity 60a of thesecond housing 6, in the shape of an arc. - When the actuator 4 is raising the
upper section 2a of the door 2, these protruding ends 6c collide, respectively, with one of the retainingdevices 10, which are currently in thefinal standby position 13, forcing the retainingdevices 10 to return back to theirinitial standby position 11, so that theupper section 2a of the door 2 can be mechanically coupled back with thelower section 2b of the door 2 when deemed necessary, by approaching the upper section 2A to the lower section 2B of the door 2. -
FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d show a section of one of the coupling units 3 installed on a sectional door 2, showing the different elements which together form one of its coupling mechanisms 7 and how they cooperate with one another in order to couple or uncouple anupper section 2a and alower section 2b of the door 2, according to a second embodiment of the present invention in which the coupling mechanism 7 is asymmetrical. - For each one of these figures,
FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d , the coupling unit 3 is made up of afirst housing 5 and asecond housing 6, opposite one another, which together form a hollow box-type casing or enclosure. Both thefirst housing 5 and thesecond housing 6 are made up of two lateral opposite walls, 5a, 6a, and atransversal wall lateral walls respective housing cavity - The
transversal wall 5b of thefirst housing 5 is attached or fixed to a lower end of theupper section 2a of the door 2, whereas thetransversal wall 6b of thesecond housing 6 is attached or fixed to an upper end of thelower section 2b of the door 2. - The coupling mechanism 7 is primarily made up of a clamping
connector 9, arranged insidecavity 50 of thefirst housing 5, fixed to itswall 5b, and anelongated appendix 8 arranged insidecavity 60 of thesecond housing 6, also fixed to itswall 6b. - For this particular embodiment, as seen in
FIG.2a to FIG. 2d , theelongated appendix 8 is asymmetrical having a wall or side which is substantially flat whilst the other wall or side varies in width throughout its extension. - The explanation used in
FIGs. 1a to 1d is also valid forFIGs. 2a to 2d , with the only difference that theelongated appendix 8 is asymmetrical, as stated previously, and therefore it only uses one of its tworetaining devices 10 in itsrespective groove 100 to block the different positions of the coupling mechanism 7, using the remaining retaining device 10' and groove 100' as a guiding element, granting the coupling mechanism 7 more stability. - Therefore, even though the clamping
connector 9 has two retainingdevices 10, 10', preferably cylindrical rods, located inside respective guidinggrooves 100, 100', one of the retaining devices 10' is only used as guiding element as it has a groove 100' which only allows the cylindrical rod to move longitudinally against the flat side of theelongated appendix 8. The remainingretaining device 10 has a guidinggroove 100 which allows it to transition from aninitial standby position 11 to afinal standby position 13, when theelongated appendix 8 is inserted or removed from inside the clampingconnector 9, in a similar fashion as described previously inFIGs. 1a to 1d . Thefinal standby position 13 is at a different height with reference to that of theinitial standby position 11. -
FIG. 3a illustrates a sectional door 2, according to the present invention, in a specific position in which theupper section 2a of the door 2 has been uncoupled and elevated from thelower section 2b of the door 2 which is grounded. This is possible through the use of one or more coupling units 7, installed in the door 2 and which are currently in an uncoupled configuration so that theupper section 2a of the door 2 can be uncoupled and elevated independently from thelower section 2b of the door 2, which remains grounded acting as a barrier. This allows the inside of a building, where the door 2 has been installed, to be ventilated adequately as well as improving lighting of the areas near the door 2, whilst simultaneously using thelower section 2b of the door as a safety measure. An actuator or motor (not shown in this figure) is connected to theupper section 2a of the door 2. It should be noted that even though no figure illustrates it, bothsections -
FIG. 3a also shows thefirst housing 5 and thesecond housing 6 attached, respectively, to a lower end of theupper section 2a of the door 2 and to an upper end of thelower section 2b of the door, which together form the coupling unit 3. - Additionally,
FIG. 3a also shows: - an arrangement of a
first brake device 14, preferably a standard model readily available in the market, with a detailed view seen inFIG. 3b , arranged on either side of a bottom end of thelower section 2b of the door 2, and being guided by theframe 1, which has guiding tracks or rails; - an arrangement of a
second brake device 15, with a detailed view seen inFIG. 3c , arranged on either side of a bottom end of theupper section 2a of the door 2, and being guided by guiding tracks or rails of theframe 1, saidsecond brake device 15 being adjustable with regards to the position and inclination of the guiding rails/tracks of theframe 1, shown in detail and discussed further inFIGs. 4a to 4c ; and - a
safety device 16, which will be discussed further and shown in detail inFIGs. 5a and 5b . - The
second brake device 15 is shown in great detail inFIGs. 4a to 4c , wherein its main components are: a mounting orsupport plate 151 which is fastened or attached to a panel of theupper section 2a of the door 2, in a position adjacent to the guiding rail or track of theframe 1, so that afirst guiding wheel 153a, fastened to said mounting orsupport plate 151, can be positioned in said guiding rail or track of theframe 1. Thefirst guiding wheel 153a is designed to include a recess or cavity into which a transmission cable (not shown) is arranged, with one of its distal ends fastened to ahook 157 of thesecond brake device 15 and the remaining distal end connected to an actuator or motor of the sectional door 2. - A
main plate 156 is fastened to thesupport plate 151 through the use of a firstcylindrical dowel pin 152a, which defines a rotation axis or pivoting point for themain plate 156 to shift position with regards to thesupport plate 151. Themain plate 156 has aclamping device 155 fastened to it through the use of a secondcylindrical dowel pin 152b which allows saidclamping device 155 to vary its position between an active and a passive arrangement, wherein thehook 157 is fastened to a lower portion of theclamping device 155. A distal end of the secondcylindrical dowel pin 152b has asecond guiding wheel 153b which is positioned or inserted inside the guiding track or rail offrame 1 of the door 2. - In order to adequately position the
second guiding wheel 153b inside the guiding rail offrame 1, thesecond brake device 15 includes anadjusting mechanism 154 made up of a bolt and a nut, whereby the position of the nut along the thread of the bolt defines an angle, a, between themain plate 156 and the mountingplate 151, rotating or pivoting around a rotation axis defined by the firstcylindrical dowel pin 152a, as seen inFIG. 4c . This is necessary due to a gradual increase in an inclination of theframe 1 for these types of doors, from the ground upwards, and therefore theadjusting mechanism 154 allows a user to regulate a distance between thesecond brake device 15 and the guiding rail offrame 1, so that thesecond guiding wheel 153b is in an optimum position. - Even though it isn't shown in
FIGs. 4a to 4c , theclamping device 155 shifts from a passive arrangement, as seen in these figures, to an active arrangement upon failure of the transmission cable connected to the actuator of door 2, whereupon theclamping device 155 automatically rotates around an axis of rotation defined by the secondcylindrical dowel pin 152b, as a result of a slackening of the transmission cable fastened to thehook 157, resulting in theclamping device 155 exerting a force or pressure againstframe 1, which stops theupper section 2a of the door 2 from falling. -
FIGs. 5a and 5b shows two positions of asafety device 16 installed on either side of the coupling unit 3, adjacent to the guiding rails or tracks offrame 1. Thissafety device 16 is necessary mainly for two reasons: - 1) controlling the
first brake device 14, and - 2) ensuring that the uppermost panel of the
lower section 2b of the door 2 is firmly secured to theframe 1 when theupper section 2a is uncoupled from thelower section 2b of the door, due to the fact that it doesn't have retention means which stop it from falling down as the panels are preferably fastened together in an articulated configuration. - The safety device 16 (see
Figs. 5a and 5b ) is made up of a staticprotruding element 161, facing downwards, mechanically fastened to theupper housing 5 of the coupling unit 3, and a mobileprotruding element 163 fastened to thelower housing 6 of the coupling unit 3. - The mobile
protruding element 163 has a cable connecting it to a far end of apiston 164, said piston being mounted on asupport 167 comprising to parallel walls with orifices through which thepiston 164 is guided. Thepiston 164 has acoaxial spring 165 mounted on a shaft and set between both walls of thesupport 167. Furthermore, the mobile protrudingelement 163 has atransmission cable 166 connected to afirst brake device 14, using aguiding wheel 168, arranged on the lowermost panel or portion of thelower section 2b of the door 2, adjacent to the guiding rail offrame 1. Thefirst brake device 14 is used to stop the lower section of the door from falling or collapsing in the event oftransmission cable 166 failing. - The static
protruding element 161 has awheel 162, or other equivalent rotating device, fastened to it, so that when it is lowered, thewheel 162 moves along a surface of mobileprotruding element 163, and forcing it to move laterally (see arrow C ofFIG. 5b ), counteracting a force exerted by thespring 165, which also causes a head of the piston 164 (seen inFIG. 5b ) to exit the guiding rail offrame 1, as well as changing the configuration of thefirst break device 14 to a passive or inactive arrangement, thus allowing thelower section 2b of the door 2 to be raised, together with theupper section 2a of the door 2, as a single unit. - The
safety device 16 operates synergistically with the coupling mechanism 7 included in the coupling unit 3, which allows bothsections - In
FIG. 5a it can be observed that a portion of thepiston 164, specifically the head of thepiston 164, is located inside the guiding rail or track offrame 1 of the door 2, so that thelower section 2b is kept in a fixed position. Furthermore, even though it isn't seen in these figures, when theupper section 2a of the door 2 is uncoupled from thelower section 2b, thefirst brake device 14 is in an active position, meaning that its clamp or retention element is exerting a force againstframe 1, even when in a grounded position. - If it is assumed that in
FIG. 5a theupper section 2a is being lowered towards thelower section 2b of the door (see arrow B), once bothsections FIG. 5b how the staticprotruding element 161 has caused the mobile protrudingelement 163 to shift position laterally (see arrow C), and as a result, the head of thepiston 164 has exited the guiding rail or track offrame 1, compressingspring 165, and by pulling thetransmission cable 166 configuration of thefirst brake device 14 has changed from an active arrangement to a passive or inactive arrangement, which will allow thelower section 2b of the door 2 to be elevated together with theupper section 2a. - It will be understood that various parts of one embodiment of the invention can be freely combined with parts described in other embodiments, even being said combination not explicitly described, provided that such combination falls under the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (14)
- A sectional door, comprising:- a frame (1),- a door (2) which is divided into an upper section (2a) and a lower section (2b), wherein each section (2a, 2b) comprises one or more panels,- one or more coupling units (3) configured to couple or uncouple said upper section (2a) of the door (2) from said lower section (2b) of the door (2), and- an actuator (4) configured to move the door (2),characterised in that said one or more coupling units (3) comprise:- a first housing (5) attached to a lower end of the upper section (2a) of the door (2),- a second housing (6) attached to an upper end of the lower section (2b) of the door (2) and- at least one coupling mechanism (7) comprising:wherein in a coupling configuration, the elongated appendix (8) is partially inside said interior chamber (9b) of the clamping connector (9) and said at least one retaining device (10) transitions from said initial standby position (11) to a first intermediate position (12) and then back to said initial standby position (11), adjacent to a wall of the intermediate portion (8b) of the elongated appendix (8), clamping the thickened end portion (8c),∘ an elongated appendix (8) having a base portion (8a) fastened to the second housing (6), an intermediate portion (8b) and a thickened end portion (8c), distal and opposite said base portion (8a), wherein said thickened end portion (8c) is wider than said intermediate portion (8b) and wherein the base portion (8a) is wider than the thickened end portion (8c), and∘ a clamping connector (9) fastened to the first housing (5) including an adjustable opening (9a) with an interior chamber (9b) suitable for receiving, inserted, said elongated appendix (8) and at least one retaining device (10) movable between an initial standby position (11), a final standby position (13) and one or more intermediate positions (12),
wherein in an uncoupling configuration, the elongated appendix (8) is inside said interior chamber (9b) of the clamping connector (9) and said at least one retaining device (10) transitions from said initial standby position (11) to said final standby position (13) allowing the elongated appendix (8) to be removed from inside the clamping connector (9), and wherein said at least one retaining device (10) returns to said initial standby position (11) when the elongated appendix (8) is removed. - The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein said at least one retaining device (10) is a horizontal cylindrical rod arranged inside a guiding groove (100), wherein said guiding groove (100) is configured to guide said cylindrical rod from the first standby position (11) to the final standby position (13) and one or more intermediate positions (12).
- The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein said first housing (5) and said second housing (6) each comprise two lateral walls (5a, 6a) and a transversal wall (5b, 6b), perpendicular to said two lateral walls (5a, 6a), wherein both housings (5, 6) have an upper cavity (50a, 60a) and a lower cavity (50b, 60b).
- The sectional door according to claim 3, wherein said upper cavity (50a) of the first housing (5) is attached to said lower end of the upper section (2a) of the door (2), and wherein said lower cavity (60b) of the second housing (6) is attached to said upper end of the lower section (2b) of the door (2), and wherein the elongated appendix (8) is fastened to said transversal wall (6b) and located in the upper cavity (60a) of the second housing (6), and wherein the clamping connector (9) is fastened to said transversal wall (5b) and located in the lower cavity (50b) of the first housing (5).
- The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein the at least one retaining device (10) returns to the initial standby position (11) by means of a protruding end (6c) of the lateral walls (6a) of the second housing (6) against which the at least one retaining device (10) abuts during the removal of the elongated appendix (8).
- The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein if a width of the door (2) is equal to or lower than 4600mm, the sectional door comprises two coupling units (3), each one arranged on a lateral portion of the door (2).
- The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein if a width of the door (2) is bigger than 4600mm, the sectional door comprises three coupling units (3), with two of said three coupling units (3) being arranged on a lateral portion of the door (2), and a third coupling unit (3) arranged in a central portion of the door (2).
- The sectional door according to claim 1, 6 or 7, wherein each coupling unit (3) includes three coupling mechanisms (7) arranged equidistantly from one another.
- The sectional door according to claim 1, wherein said actuator (4) is configured to move the upper section (2a) of the door (2).
- The sectional door according to claim 1, further comprising a first brake device (14) installed on the lower section (2b) of the door (2), and a second brake device (15) installed on the upper section (2a) of the door (2), said braking devices (14, 15) configured to prevent the sections (2a, 2b) of the door (2) from falling in the event of the one or more coupling units (3) or the actuator (4) or both failing.
- The sectional door according to claim 10, wherein said second brake device (15) installed on the upper section (2a) of the door (2) is adjustable with regards to the frame (1).
- The sectional door according to claim 2, wherein said elongated appendix (8) is either symmetrical or asymmetrical.
- The sectional door according to claim 12, wherein the elongated appendix (8) is symmetrical, and the clamping connector (9) comprises two cylindrical rods, opposite one another, arranged inside respective guiding grooves (100), wherein said guiding grooves (100) are symmetrical.
- The sectional door according to claim 12, wherein the elongated appendix (8) is asymmetrical, and the clamping connector (9) comprises at least one cylindrical rod arranged inside a respective guiding groove (100).
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP19382138.6A EP3702568B1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2019-02-27 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
PCT/EP2020/054430 WO2020173796A1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2020-02-20 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
EP20705370.3A EP3931420B1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2020-02-20 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
ES20705370T ES2914748T3 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2020-02-20 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP19382138.6A EP3702568B1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2019-02-27 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP3702568A1 EP3702568A1 (en) | 2020-09-02 |
EP3702568B1 true EP3702568B1 (en) | 2021-06-16 |
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ID=65766949
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19382138.6A Active EP3702568B1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2019-02-27 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
EP20705370.3A Active EP3931420B1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2020-02-20 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP20705370.3A Active EP3931420B1 (en) | 2019-02-27 | 2020-02-20 | Sectional door with two dynamic sections |
Country Status (3)
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EP (2) | EP3702568B1 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2914748T3 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2020173796A1 (en) |
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CN112983210B (en) * | 2021-03-02 | 2022-07-29 | 宏工科技股份有限公司 | Sliding door structure |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7832451B2 (en) * | 2004-12-14 | 2010-11-16 | Rite-Hite Holding Corporation | Vertically movable door with safety barrier |
US7726378B1 (en) | 2005-08-31 | 2010-06-01 | Savon Felix S | Door supported for movement on tracks between full and partial open and closed positions |
US20160265582A1 (en) | 2015-03-14 | 2016-09-15 | Sherif Abdalla | Sectional Door Hinge System |
-
2019
- 2019-02-27 EP EP19382138.6A patent/EP3702568B1/en active Active
-
2020
- 2020-02-20 EP EP20705370.3A patent/EP3931420B1/en active Active
- 2020-02-20 WO PCT/EP2020/054430 patent/WO2020173796A1/en unknown
- 2020-02-20 ES ES20705370T patent/ES2914748T3/en active Active
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WO2020173796A1 (en) | 2020-09-03 |
EP3931420A1 (en) | 2022-01-05 |
EP3702568A1 (en) | 2020-09-02 |
ES2914748T3 (en) | 2022-06-15 |
EP3931420B1 (en) | 2022-05-04 |
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