EP4660405A1

EP4660405A1 - Lifting mechanism for sliding leaf

Info

Publication number: EP4660405A1
Application number: EP25178371.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexandros MYLONAS; Antonios Rizos
Original assignee: Seu Plastics One Man LLC
Current assignee: Seu Plastics One Man LLC
Priority date: 2024-06-05
Filing date: 2025-05-22
Publication date: 2025-12-10
Also published as: GR20240100417A

Abstract

The invention relates to lifting (raising) sliding leaves. The sliding leaf 80 has a panel and a frame surrounding the panel. The frame comprises a lifting assembly 10 with a platform 70 configured to be connected to the sliding leaf 80 and a carriage 60 with contact elements 46, configured to allow the lifting assembly 10 to roll or slide along a guide 91. The carriage 60 and the platform 70 are configured to perform relative motion between two positions A and B, which differ in terms of the distance between the carriage 60 and the platform 70. The platform 70 comprises a magnetic interaction element 40, which interacts with a corresponding element 95 that is fixed relative to the guide 91, exerting an attractive or repulsive force therebetween. The use of the assembly reduces resistance (drag) during the motion of the sliding sash, maintaining the advantages of its lifting/raising.

Description

The invention relates to a lifting mechanism - raising mechanism - for a sliding leaf and to lifting - raising - sliding leaves.
Sliding leaves are supported by wheels or rollers that roll along the lower guide or the upper guide of a fixed frame, i.e. the casing. The rollers are placed on the horizontal lower and/or upper profile of their frame.
To maintain sufficient sealing between the sliding leaf and the fixed casing, sliding leaves have a very small clearance from the guides, which is covered by sealing gaskets. However, during operation, these sealing gaskets hinder the motion of the frame, and over time, friction wears down the sealing gaskets (brush seals), reducing the sealing they provide.
In some cases, to avoid such wear, sliding leaves are equipped with a lifting assembly that raises the leaf when users rotate the handle. This arrangement prevents the friction that would otherwise wear down the elements placed between the frame and the fixed casing, such as seals, rubber gaskets, brush seals, etc. A sliding leaf with a lifting assembly has a door-locking mechanism, so that when the door handle is lifted, the door rises, facilitating its motion, and when the handle is turned downward, the door remains stationary in place.
The motion of sliding leaves is sometimes facilitated by magnets that keep the leaf at a distance from the guide. Sliding leaves with magnets may be significantly heavier than those without magnets. In some cases, a sliding leaf without magnets may weigh 200 kg, while the corresponding leaf with magnets may weigh 400 kg and still slide or glide as easily as a sliding leaf without a lifting assembly.
The object of the invention is to provide an assembly that can slide a raised leaf of relatively large weight along a guide. Another purpose of the invention is to provide an assembly that can slide a raised leaf of relatively large weight along a guide while simultaneously ensuring insulation against heat transfer.
A lifting assembly for sliding leaf has a platform configured to be connected to the sliding leaf and a carriage with contact elements, configured to allow the lifting assembly to roll or slide along a guide. The platform, carriage, and guide extend along a longitudinal direction, and the carriage and platform are configured to perform relative motion between two positions A and B, which differ in the transverse distance between the carriage and the platform, i.e., the distance perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The platform has at least one magnetic interaction element which interacts with a corresponding element positioned fixedly relative to the guide, exerting an attractive or repulsive force therebetween, thus partially balancing the weight of the sliding leaf.
The magnetic interaction element that establishes a magnetic field with a polar axis that is normal to the plane of the leaf and to the longitudinal direction.
With the arrangement of the invention, a force is exerted on the sliding leaf that counteracts its weight, reducing the force generated between the fixed guide and the leaf. The use of the assembly reduces resistance (drag) during the motion of the sliding leaf, maintaining the advantages of its lifting/raising and avoiding wearing of the gaskets due to friction.
The force may be repulsive when the leaf slides on a floor-mounted guide, i.e., the lower guide, and attractive when the leaf hangs from a ceiling-mounted guide, i.e., the upper guide. The magnetic interaction element is mounted on a member of the platform.
Optionally, the contact elements are arranged in the longitudinal direction on either side of this member.
In some embodiments of the invention, the carriage has an elongated portion that passes through a member of the platform, on which the magnetic interaction element is mounted. The configuration facilitates simultaneously, the lifting of the sliding leaf, the sliding of the sliding leaf on the guide without loosing contact with it and the decrease of the "effective weight" of the sliding leaf by increasing the force acting between the magnetic interaction element and the corresponding element.
In some embodiments of the invention, the platform has three members arranged in series, i.e., two end members and a central member. Optionally, the magnetic interaction element is mounted on the central member.
In some embodiments of the invention, the carriage has three distinct portions arranged in series, namely two side portions and one central elongated portion.
Optionally, the contact elements are mounted on or joined with the side portions.
In some embodiments of the invention, the lifting assembly has a girder with three segments arranged in series along the longitudinal direction, namely two lateral segments and one central segment positioned between the two lateral segments. Each of the lateral segments is an element of the carriage, and the central segment is an element of the platform and is located between the platform members. There may be clearance between the central segment on each one of the lateral segments, facilitating the relative movement of the segments. The central segment is rigidly connected to the central member of the platform.
The girder may be elongated and extend along the longitudinal direction. The girder may have a constant cross-section.
In some embodiments, the girder has an I-profile cross-section - double T. Its cross-section may be constant only in the central segment. The cross-section may have other profiles, e.g., U-shaped, rectangular, or other.
Optionally, the contact elements are mounted on the lateral segments, and the magnetic interaction element is connected to the central segment.
In some embodiments, the girder has two flanges - an upper flange and a lower flange. In some embodiments of the invention, the central segment of the girder is connected to a platform member, and the carriage has an elongated portion that passes through this member.
The contact elements may be wheels (rollers).
The magnetic interaction element may be an element with two legs and with at least a magnet arranged on each one of the two legs, with the opposite poles of the magnets in opposite legs facing each other. Thus, a magnetic field is established with a polar axis extending from one leg to the other. In some examples the magnetic interaction element is Π shaped, with two legs and an element therebetween connecting the legs.
The lifting assembly may include a connector that operates between two positions, corresponding to position A and position B
The lifting assembly may be detachable from the frame of a sliding leaf. Alternatively, the lifting assembly may be integrated into a profile of the frame of a sliding leaf. The lifting assembly may have means to connect it to the profiles that make the frame of the sliding leaf.
The magnetic interaction element of the lifting assembly interacts with a corresponding element positioned fixedly relative to the guide of the fixed frame on which the sliding leaf slides or rolls, exerting an attractive or repulsive force therebetween. This force partially balances the weight of the sliding leaf. The force may be repulsive when the magnetic interaction element of the lifting assembly is on the lower horizontal profile, and the corresponding interacting element is on the floor; the force may be attractive when the magnetic interaction element of the lifting assembly is on the upper horizontal profile, and the corresponding interacting element is on the ceiling.
The relative position of the magnetic interaction element of the lifting assembly and the corresponding element in the fixed frame may influence the magnitude of the force developed therebetween. In some embodiments of the invention, the force is greater when the sliding frame is raised (position B) compared to the force developed when the leaf is in the lower position (position A). This arrangement provides a further advantage to the invention by facilitating the movement of the sliding leaf along the guide.
The invention is defined in the independent claim.
Dependent claims define features that offer further advantages to the invention.
Embodiments of the invention is described with reference to the following Figures:

Figure 1 illustrates the front view, two sections, and a side view of a sliding leaf with the fixed frame around it
Figure 2 illustrates a sliding leaf with a lifting assembly
Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the sliding leaf in Figure 2
Figure 4 illustrates a sliding leaf with the fixed lower guide
Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the lifting assembly
Figure 6 illustrates the lower κάτω όψη view of the lifting assembly in Figure 5
Figure 7 illustrates the lifting assembly in Figure 5 in the lifted position (raised)
Figure 8 illustrates an end view of the lifting assembly
Figure 9 illustrates a perspective view of the lifting assembly
Figure 10 illustrates the lifting assembly disassembled
Figure 11 illustrates the top view of the lifting assembly with the wrench used for assembling it
Figure 12 illustrates the side view of the lifting assembly in Figure 11
Figure 13 illustrates the top view of the lifting assembly in Figure 11
Figure 14 illustrates a section of the fixed casing and the sliding leaf in the region of the lower guide, as installed on a floor
Figure 15 illustrates the section in Figure 14 in the lifted position (with the sliding leaf raised)
Figure 16 illustrates another embodiment of a lifting assembly according to the invention
Figure 17 illustrates an element of the carriage of the lifting assembly

Figure 1 illustrates a sliding leaf 80 mounted on a fixed casing 90. The casing 90 has two guides: the lower guide 91 and the upper guide 92, with profiles 93, 94 between them. The sliding leaf 80 has a panel surrounded by a frame with profiles 81, 82, 83, 84. Profiles 81, 82 are parallel to the guides 91, 92, and profiles 83, 84 are parallel to profiles 93, 94.
As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4 , profile 81 of sliding leaf 80 is connected to a lifting assembly 10 that is placed between profile 81 and guide 91. The lifting assembly 10 extends in a longitudinal direction, parallel to guides 91, 92. The system of the lifting assembly 10 and guide 91 operates between two positions, which differ by the distance of the sliding leaf 80 from guide 91, when this distance is measured perpendicularly to guide 91.
The lifting assembly 10 is described below with reference to Figures 5 to 10 :
The lifting assembly 10 comprises a carriage 60 and a platform 70 for the sliding leaf 80.
The carriage 60 includes an elongated central portion 62 and two side portions 61, 63 on either side of the central portion 62. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10 , the side portions 61, 63 are at disposed at the two ends of the carriage 60 and the central portion 62 of the carriage has the form of a beam. In the example of Figure 10 the beam has a circular cross-section. Other shapes of cross-section are anticipated.
The carriage 60 includes a component 65 with contact elements 46, e.g., wheels (rollers), that slide on the lower guide 91 or the upper guide 92. The contact elements 46 maintain contact with the guides of the fixed frame 90 regardless of the position of the sliding leaf 80, i.e., regardless of whether the sliding leaf 80 is raised or not. In the illustrated embodiment, the carriage 60 has four components 65 with contact elements 46, two of which are located on each side portions 61, 63 of the carriage 60.
The platform 70 includes two side members 71, 73, each of which is joined to one of the side portions 61, 63 of the carriage 60. The connection of each end member 71, 73 of the platform 70 to the corresponding portion 61, 63 of the carriage 60 allows for relative movement between them. Between the two side members 71, 73, there is a central member 72 indirectly connected to them via the sliding leaf 80. The carriage 60 and platform 70 are arranged in parallel layout irrespective of their relative position.
A connector 67 operates between the carriage 60 and platform 70. The connector 67 is connected to the handle, which is not shown in the Figures and is used by the user to operate the sliding leaf 80.
The lifting assembly 10 has a girder 20 with three segments 21,22,23 arranged in series along the longitudinal direction, namely two lateral segments 21, 23 and one central segment 22 positioned between the two lateral segments 21, 23. Each of the side segments 21, 23 is an element of the carriage 60 and is connected to portions 61, 63 of the carriage 60, respectively. The central segment 22 is an element of the platform 70 and is located between the side segments 71, 73 of the girder 20. There is a clearance between the central segment 22 and each one of the side segments 21, 23.
In the embodiment illustrated in the Figures, the girder 20 has an I-beam profile (double T) cross-section (I-beam). In other embodiments, the girder 20 may have profiles with other cross-sectional forms. The segments' ends of the girder 20 may feature end caps 27, 28.
The sliding leaf 80 is connected to the lifting assembly 10 via the platform 70. Figure 9 shows the socket elements 88 of the platform 70, which connect to corresponding elements located on the sliding leaf 80. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9 , the sliding leaf 80 is connected to the members 71, 73 of the platform and the central segment 22. The connection of the central segment 22 to the sliding leaf 80 is effected via the central member 72 of the platform 70, which in the embodiment of Figure 10 is a hollow element. The central member 72 of the platform 70 is connected to the central segment 22 of the girder 20.
When the user activates connector 67 to raise the sliding leaf 80, the platform 70 moves away from the carriage 60, which is connected to the lower guide 91 which remains in place on the lower guide 91. In this position, the sliding leaf 80 can move along guides 91, 92. When the platform 70 with the sliding leaf 80 is in the lowest position, the sliding leaf 80 is prevented from moving along the guides 91, 92. When the sliding leaf 80 is raised or lifted, the platform 70 and the carriage 60 form the parallel sides of a parallelogram.
The central segment 22 of the girder 20 features at least one magnetic interaction element 40, which interacts with a corresponding element located in a fixed position relative to the fixed casing 90. In the embodiment of Figure 14 and Figure 15 , the element interacting with the magnetic interaction element 40 is a ferromagnetic rod 95, for example a steel rod, connected to the fixed casing 90 between two legs 44 of the magnetic interaction element 40. In the described embodiment, the central segment 22 features two magnetic interaction elements 40 that interact with the corresponding element. Each magnetic interaction element 40 forms a channel between two legs 44, through which the corresponding element, i.e. the rod 95 in the illustrated embodiment that is in a fixed position relative to the fixed casing 90, passes. In this example the magnetic interaction element 40 establishes a magnetic field that has a polar axis perpendicular - normal - to the two legs 44 and the corresponding element. The polar axis of the magnetic field crosses the channel from one of its banks, i.e. legs, to the other, and is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel.
The magnetic field generated between the magnetic interaction element 40 and the corresponding element, rod 95, acts on the sliding leaf 80, counterbalancing at least part of its weight, so that only part of the weight of the sliding leaf 80 is received by the lower guide 91 or the upper guide 92.
In the embodiment illustrated in the Figures, the connector 67 operates between two positions A and B: In position A, shown in Figure 5 and Figure 14 , the central segment 22 of the girder 20 and the lateral segments 21, 23 are aligned, and the sliding leaf 80 is in a lower position compared to its position when in position B. In position B, shown in Figure 7 and Figure 15 , the central segment 22 of the carriage 60 is raised relative to the lateral segments 21, 23, and the sliding leaf 80 is in a position where it can move freely along the guides 91, 92. Figure 14 presents a section where the magnetic interaction element 40 is not shown.
In position A, the relative position between the magnetic interaction element 40, which is connected to the sliding leaf 80, and the rod 95, which is connected to the fixed casing 90, creates a force F that balances a percentage of the weight of the sliding leaf 80. As a result, the lifting assembly 10 is subjected to a force that is the difference between the weight of the sliding leaf 80 and the force F.
In position B, the relative position between the magnetic interaction element 40, which is connected to the sliding leaf 80, and the rod 95, which is connected to the fixed casing 90, creates a force F'>F. This force balances a percentage of the weight of the sliding leaf 80 that is greater than that balanced by force F, and as a result the lifting assembly 10 is subjected to less stress as the sliding leaf 80 can slide along the guide 91.
In the embodiment illustrated in the Figures, the sliding leaf 80 is connected to the lifting assembly 10 via the platform 70. In other embodiments of the invention, the platform 70 is the same as the frame profile 81 of the sliding leaf 80. To facilitate the use of the lifting assembly with any sliding leaf 80 equipped with wheels (rollers) in a profile, the lifting assembly 10 is designed to allow its connection to and removal from the sliding leaf 80. In the embodiment of Figure 10 , the carriage 60 has the elements 61' and 63'. In some embodiments of the invention, the elements 61' and 63' have sockets for the wheels (rollers) of the profile of the sliding leaf 80. In these examples, when the lifting assembly 10 is assembled, the wheels (rollers) of the sliding leaf 80 remain inactive and that the sliding leaf 80 slides or rolls via contact elements 46 - Figure 10 illustrates the lifting assembly 10, disassembled. Figure 17 shows a cross-sectional example of the elements 61' and 63', with the configuration 68 that accommodates the inactive wheels (rollers) of the profile of the sliding leaf 80, before assembling it with the lifting assembly 10.
For assembling the sliding leaf 80 with the lifting assembly 10, a wrench 29 is provided to maintain the lateral segments 21, 23 of the girder 20 on one side and the central segment 22 on the other side in a fixed position relative to each other; see Figure 11 .

List of symbols

10:: lifting assembly
20:: girder
21,22, 23:: segments of girder 20
27, 28:: end caps
29:: wrench
40:: magnetic interaction element
44:: legs of magnetic interaction element 40:
46:: contact elements
60:: carriage
61,63:: side portions of carriage 60
61', 63':: elements with sockets for profile rollers
62:: elongated portion of carriage 60
65:: component
67:: connector operating between the carriage 60 and platform 70
68:: configuration of elements 61', 62'
70:: platform
71,73:: side members of platform 70
72:: central member of platform 70
80:: sliding leaf
81,82, 83, 84 :: frame's profiles
88:: socket elements
90:: fixed casing
95:: rod element interacting with the magnetic interaction element 40
91,92, 93, 94:: profiles of fixed casing 90

Claims

Lifting assembly (10) for a sliding leaf (80),
• which lifting assembly (10) comprises a platform (70) configured to be connected to the sliding leaf (80) and a carriage (60) with contact elements (46), which contact elements (46) are configured to facilitate the lifting assembly (10) to roll or slide along a guide (91),

• whereby the platform (70) and the carriage (60) extend along a longitudinal direction,

• whereby the carriage (60) and the platform (70) are configured to perform relative motion between two positions A and B, which differ in terms of the distance between the carriage (60) and the platform (70) when this distance is measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction,

• whereby the platform (70) comprises a magnetic interaction element (40) which interacts with a corresponding element (95) positioned in a fixed position relative to the guide (91), whereby an attractive or repulsive force develops between the magnetic interaction element (40) and the corresponding element (95), and

• whereby the magnetic interaction element (40) is mounted on a member (72) of the platform (70).
Lifting assembly (10) according to claim 1, whereby the contact elements (46) are arranged along the longitudinal direction on either side of the member (72) of the platform (70) on which the magnetic interaction element (40) is mounted.
Lifting assembly (10) according to claim 1 or claim 2, whereby the carriage (60) has an elongated portion (62) that passes through said member (72) of the platform (70).
Lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, whereby the platform (70) comprises three members (71, 72, 73) arranged in series, namely two side members (71, 73) and a central member (72), and the magnetic interaction element (40) is mounted on the central member (72).
Lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, whereby the carriage (60) has three distinct portions (61, 62, 63) arranged in series, namely two side portions (61, 63) and an elongated central portion (62), and whereby the contact elements (46) are connected with the side portions (61, 63).
Lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claim 4, comprising a girder (20) with three segments (21, 22, 23) arranged in series, namely two lateral segments (21, 23) and a central segment (22) between the two lateral segments (21, 23), whereby each of the lateral segments (21, 23) is a component of the carriage (60), and the central segment (22) is a component of the platform (70) and lies between the side members (71, 73) of the platform (70).
Lifting assembly (10) according to claim 6, whereby the girder (20) has two flanges, i.e. an upper flange and a lower flange, and whereby the contact elements (46) are mounted on the lateral segments (21, 23), and the magnetic interaction element (40) is connected to the central segment (22).
Lifting assembly (10) according to claim 6 or claim 7, whereby the central segment (22) is connected to a member (72) of the platform (70), and whereby the carriage has an elongated portion (62) that passes through said member (72).
Lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, whereby the contact elements (46) are wheels.
Lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, whereby the lifting assembly (10) has a connector (67) that operates between two positions, corresponding to positions A and B.
System including a lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, and the corresponding element (95) that interacts with the magnetic interaction element (40), whereby the lifting assembly (10) is movable with respect to the corresponding element (95).
System according to claim 11, whereby the corresponding element (95) passes between two legs (44) of the magnetic interaction element (40).
System according to claim 11 or claim 12, with a guide (91) carrying the corresponding element (95), developing a repulsive force between the magnetic interaction element (40) and the corresponding element (95), whereby the repulsive force in position A differs in magnitude from the repulsive force in position B.
Sliding leaf (80) with a panel and a frame (81, 82, 83, 84) surrounding the panel, whereby the frame (81, 82, 83, 84) includes a lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
Sliding leaf (80) with a panel and a frame (81, 82, 83, 84) surrounding the panel, whereby the frame (81, 82, 83, 84) is connected to a lifting assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which lifting assembly (10) is configured to allow its connection to and removal from said frame (81, 82, 83, 84).