ES2844726T3 - Drive system for two-leaf folding door - Google Patents

Abstract

Set consisting of: two panels (10, 12) articulated to each other by means of hinges on one edge of the same and assembled to fold vertically like a book, one on top of the other, in front of a gap to be covered; a device (MC) for moving the two panels (10, 12), comprising: - a rack (30) mounted on the sides of the span, within the vertical posts on both sides; - an electric motor (64) located on the lower panel (12); - a rotary pinion (60) driven by the motor and which can be coupled to the rack to translate on the rack and thereby lift the bottom panel vertically; the rack being mounted to be able to move linearly along its longitudinal axis, so that, as a reaction to the moment it is imparted by the pinion, the rack can move as a function of the position of the panels and / or of the force imparted by the pinion, the assembly also comprising - a locking and unlocking mechanism (70) of the rack with respect to the sides of the span, the locking and unlocking mechanism being designed to prevent or allow the movement of the rack, and - an element (36) integrated in a panel and designed to activate the locking and unlocking mechanism, the assembly being characterized in that the rack (30) is vertical and can move vertically along its longitudinal axis, and that said integral element ( 36) comprises or consists of a mobile base (36) on which the pinion is rotatably mounted

Description

DESCRIPTION

Drive system for two-leaf folding door

The invention relates, in general, to a displacement system for two panels, in particular, for building protection panels, an application chosen below as an example. The displacement system can be used to move, in general, two generic panels or concealment elements articulated with each other by means of hinges such as doors or sectional doors.

To reduce the energy consumption of heating and cooling systems, external protection systems are used in buildings, as in document DE102009014579, which takes advantage of two hinged panels that can be closed like a bellows to each other to reveal a window. When the panels are coplanar (covered window), these structures not only present the problem that to close and lift them, they must be prevented from getting stuck with expensive and bulky auxiliary mechanisms (with the function of moving outside the panels and stopping their alignment) , but, in addition, the hinge of the panels is not blocked. Therefore, a pressure on the central hinge is sufficient to cause the panels to oscillate with obvious safety and stability problems. Lastly, the lifting mechanisms for the panels generally consist of mechanisms that are complicated or difficult to adapt to the different models or sizes of the panels. For example, devices are known that move two lift panels in front of an opening. These use a rack mounted on the sides of the span and a pinion driven by an electric motor installed on board the bottom panel. The motor works on the rack to lift the panels vertically. This system, in particular, is quite primitive. To equip it with sophisticated or additional controls for panel dynamics, it is necessary to use sensors or switches, long wiring and a management control unit. It would be desirable to assist the electronic control unit with mechanical feedback indicating the dynamics of the panels, thus avoiding the use of expensive and complicated electronic sensors.

US 1862860 and EP 1462601 disclose two panels folded, one on top of the other, by a motor driven with a pinion on a flexible toothed rack.

The main objective of the invention is to improve the functionality of a known displacement system for the front panels.

Another objective is to solve the problem of moving said panels simply and inexpensively. Another object is to solve the problem of moving the above-mentioned panels with a reliable and simple to construct device and with a method for moving (for example, only) two panels that is reliable and simple to implement.

The present invention is defined in claim 1.

In the prior art, the rack is fixed, immobile in the side uprights of the span. Instead, by making the rack movable in reaction to the timing of the pinion, it can move depending on, for example, the position of the panels and / or the force imparted by the pinion. Thus, the stroke of the rack can indicate a system state variable, easily usable for the control of the panels (for example, by coupling a microswitch to the rack to be read by the control unit) or other functions. The rack can move, for example, by reaction to the moment of the pinion and / or due to the weight of the panels. This is useful, for example, in the peripheral monitoring of an anti-theft system and / or as a system for detecting the position or speed of the panels, for example, as a control included in the regulation of the end of travel.

The device comprises a (first) locking and unlocking mechanism or device for (for example, temporarily) locking and unlocking the zipper with respect to the sides of the opening and thus allowing or preventing movement of the zipper under some conditions. In this way, the rack can remain integrated in the uprights of the span, acting, for example, as a fixed guide for the pinion and allowing the stable transfer of this, and moving to perform other functions.

The locking mechanism comprises an element that is integrated into a panel and that is designed to activate the locking and unlocking mechanism. In this way, the state of movement allowed or denied of the zipper can be synchronized with the dynamics of a panel (for example, position and / or speed).

Preferably, said integral element is mounted on the lower panel to activate the locking and unlocking mechanism or device in correspondence with the end-of-travel limit of the closure of the panels.

Said integral element comprises or consists of a mobile base on which the pinion is rotatably mounted.

According to a preferred embodiment, the locking and unlocking mechanism comprises or consists of a lever movable between two positions: a first position in which, by interference, it blocks the movement of the zipper and a second position in which the zipper is free so that it can be moved. The lever may be pivotally mounted and / or linearly translatable and, for example, mounted on a vertical post.

According to a preferred embodiment, the lever is mounted to be moved directly by the pinion or by the mobile base, in order to minimize the components and guarantee a safe and repetitive activation of the first mechanism or device.

Preferably, the first mechanism or device comprises an elastic element designed to generate an elastic force that activates the mechanism or device itself. In particular, the elastic element can be mounted to push the movable lever towards one of said two positions.

Preferably, the rack is mounted to activate, thanks to its movement, a second device or mechanism to lock and unlock a panel with respect to the sides of the opening. The advantage is to take advantage of the movement of the rack to lock a panel in the closed position to a stud.

Preferably, the second mechanism or device comprises one or more pins integrated in the rack, mounted to protrude from the posts. Afterwards, the pins can be moved together with the zipper and, according to their position, lock a panel, or not.

Preferably, a panel comprises grooves or slits, for example in an edge, into which one of said pins can enter during the closing movement of the panel itself.

Preferably, the rack is mounted to activate, thanks to its movement, a third device or mechanism designed to generate a force on a panel, said force being adapted to tilt it with respect to the vertical.

Preferably, the third mechanism or device comprises one or more pins integrated in the rack, mounted to protrude from the posts. The pins can then be translated together with the rack and, according to their position, slide on one or more inclined planes present on the side of a panel. The cooperation between a pin and an incline creates a cam mechanism.

Position terms such as lower or higher or vertical refer to the orientation that the system or device normally has in use.

The following description contemplates a preferred embodiment of the system and will highlight additional advantages, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a side view of a displacement system for the protection panels of a window, with the panels in the closed position;

figure 2 shows a side view of the system of figure 1 with the panels in the open position;

figure 3 shows a front view of the system of figure 1 with the panels in the closed position;

figure 4 shows an enlarged view of circle C1 of figure 1 of a first configuration of the system; figure 5 shows an enlarged view of circle C1 of figure 1 of a second configuration of the system; figure 6 shows an enlarged view of circle C1 of figure 1 of a third configuration of the system; - figure 7 shows a side view of some components of the system;

figure 8 shows a side view of the rack of the system;

Figure 9 shows a three-dimensional view of a detail of the panel of the system.

In the figures, identical numbers indicate identical or similar parts and the system is described as being in use. In order not to clutter up the drawings, not all elements that are the same are marked.

Figures 1-3 show an MC displacement system of two panels 10, 12 connected to each other by a hinge 18 with an imaginary horizontal axis X2 along a common edge. The panels 10, 12 are mounted to be stacked like bellows and slide vertically with respect to the side studs or pillars 14 positioned either on the masonry jambs or as the outline of a building span. The displacement of the panels 10, 12 makes it possible to cover or uncover said opening.

The upper panel 10 oscillates in a known way by means of pins about an imaginary axis X1 which passes slightly below the upper horizontal margin SP of the span.

Inside the uprights 14, on both sides, there is mounted a vertical rack 30 in which a pinion 60 arranged rotatably engages on a skid or mobile base 36 also provided with rolling wheels 22. For simplicity, the teeth of the pinion 60 is omitted in the figures.

Each pinion 60 is driven by a shaft 62, rotatable around an imaginary axis X3, connected to a motor electrical 64 housed on the underside of panel 12. Preferably, the MC system is symmetrical with respect to an imaginary vertical axis Y that passes through the center line of panels 10, 12 to balance the stresses.

The rack 30 is not attached to the posts 14, but when released it can slide vertically a short distance thanks to a lock / unlock mechanism, and the rack 30 can slide along its imaginary longitudinal axis R, parallel to the Y axis. The locking / unlocking mechanism is formed by or comprises a lever or tooth 70 hinged to the posts 14 so that one of their ends 78 can oscillate (arrow F). A spring (not shown) biases lever 70 toward rack 30 (on the right in Figures 4-6). The free end 78 of the lever 70 can reach (FIG. 8) a cavity or counter tooth 80 formed in the rack 30, on the surface opposite the toothing. The pinion 60 or a wheel 22 can push the lever 70, overcoming the force of the spring when the movable base 36 is in front of and to the side of the lever 70 (figure 4), for example, taking advantage of a tapered part or an inclined plane 72 included on lever 70.

On the rack of the rack 30 there are mounted protrusions or protruding pins 88, 92 (Figures 1 and 2) which protrude from the surface of the upright 14 by means of appropriate through slots or slots 58 that are present on the upright 14. Thus , at some points on upright 14, pins 88, 92 are exposed and move integrally with rack 30.

Pins 92 serve to lock one or each panel 10, 12 when panels 10, 12 are coplanar. In fact, the pins 92, during and thanks to the movement of the panels 10, 12, can enter the slits 98 present on the peripheral surface of the panel to be locked (figure 9), in correspondence with the edge of the panel adjacent to the studs 14.

Once inside slots 98, pins 92 can move "behind" an edge 99 of the slit itself to terminate in a slot or recess or guide 97 in which they become trapped. The guide or slot or recess 97 is formed on the side of the panel and extends parallel to the main surface of the panel, without openings, in a direction perpendicular to said main surface.

The pin 88 serves to overcome the dead center of the panels 10, 12 in the opening phase. This pin 88 can cooperate with a slot or inclined plane 86 present on one side of the top panel 10. In fact, the slot or inclined plane 86 constitutes a track for the pin 88, which has an entrance for the pin 88 on the side edge. of the panel 10, that is, the downward facing edge when the panel 10 is lifted. In the proposed example, the groove or inclined plane 86 is a simple guide that extends along the thickness (or side) of the panel 10 in an oblique direction with respect to the planes of its main surfaces.

FUNCTIONING

With the panels 10, 12 closed (window uncovered), the MC system is in the configuration of figure 2.

The rack 30 is moved all the way down (resting against the bottom of a post 14) and the lever 70 engages the cavity 80.

To lower the panels 10, 12, the motor 64 is activated and the shaft 62 rotates dragging the pinion 60, which descends along the rack 30, dividing the panels 10, 12 which, in this way, begin to move away from each other. another and the window is becoming more and more covered.

When the panels 10, 12 are almost coplanar, the movable base 36 approaches the lever 70 (Figure 6), so that a wheel 22 or the pinion can touch the lever 70 causing it to lower.

The lever 70 then begins to move away from the rack 30 until its end 78 comes out of the cavity 80 (Figure 5) and, consequently, at that point, the rack 30 can move freely.

The pinion 60 continues to roll on the rack 30 which, by reaction, begins to rise (figure 4) and to move the pins 88, 92 upwards. Meanwhile, the slits 98 of the panels 10, 12 have moved closer to the pins 92, so that these 92 enter the void space of the slit (see the schematic position P1 of a hatched pin 92 in Figure 9). The last amount of rotation of the pinion 70 completes the descent of the panels 10, 12 (figure 1) and the pins 92 move from the empty space of the slot 98 past the edges 99, into the guide or slot 97 , which in this phase is practically aligned with the rack 30. Now the pins 92 are blocked, by the interposed parts, by the walls of the guide 97 and, therefore, the retrograde angular movement of the panel is avoided (see the schematic position P2 of the same pin 92 hatched in figure 9). In the opening phase, operations are carried out in reverse order.

To lift the panels 10, 12, the motor 64 is activated in the opposite direction and the shaft 62 rotates dragging the pinion 60 in the opposite direction. Now rack 30 can move freely (figure 4) and goes down pinion 60 which, consequently, it moves slightly forward. The pins 92 and the slits 98 follow equal and opposite trajectories to the previous ones, so that the pins 92 exit first from the guide 97 and, later, from the slits 98, thus releasing the panels 10, 12.

Along with the rack 30, the pin 88 also descends, which meets the inclined plane 86 and slides over it, generating a force to move the panel 10 away from the opening (clockwise rotation in Figure 2). That is, the cooperation of the pin 88 and the inclined plane 86 generates a moment capable of rotating the panel 10 in the direction that lifts it. Thus, the dead center on the vertical of the panels 10, 12 is overcome when they are coplanar.

The rack 30 reaches the bottom of the post 14 and stops there, the mobile base 36 begins to climb the rack 30 until it moves away from and stops pressing the lever 70 which, pushed by the spring, returns its end 78 into the cavity 80. Now, the rack 30 is locked and the movable base 30 reaches the upper end position (figure 2).

Claims (11)

1. Set consisting of: two panels (10, 12) articulated to each other by means of hinges on one edge thereof and mounted to fold vertically like a book, one on top of the other, in front of a gap to be covered; a device (MC) to move the two panels (10, 12), comprising: - a rack (30) mounted on the sides of the span, inside the vertical posts on both sides; - an electric motor (64) located on the lower panel (12); - a rotary pinion (60) driven by the motor and which can be coupled to the rack to translate on the rack and thereby lift the bottom panel vertically; the rack being mounted to be able to move linearly along its longitudinal axis, so that, as a reaction to the moment it is imparted by the pinion, the rack can move depending on the position of the panels and / or the force imparted by the pinion, also comprising the set - a locking and unlocking mechanism (70) of the rack with respect to the sides of the opening, the locking and unlocking mechanism being designed to prevent or allow the movement of the rack, and - an element (36) integrated in a panel and designed to activate the locking and unlocking mechanism, the assembly being characterized in that the rack (30) is vertical and can move vertically along its longitudinal axis, and that said integral element (36) comprises or consists of a movable base (36) on which the pinion is rotatably mounted. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein said integral element (36) is mounted on the lower panel to activate the locking and unlocking mechanism (70) in correspondence with the end-of-travel limit of closing the panels. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking and unlocking mechanism comprises or consists of a lever (70) that can move between two positions: a first position, in which, by interference, it blocks the movement of the zipper, and a second position, which leaves the zipper free so that it can be moved. 4. Set according to claim 3, wherein the lever is mounted to be moved directly by the pinion or by the mobile base. 5. Assembly according to claims 3 or 4, comprising an elastic element designed to generate an elastic force that activates the locking and unlocking mechanism. Assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic element is mounted to push the movable lever towards one of said two positions. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rack is mounted to activate, thanks to its movement, a second locking and unlocking device (92) of a panel with respect to the sides of the opening. 8. Set according to claim 7, wherein the second device comprises one or more pins integrated in the rack, mounted to protrude from the posts, so that the pins can be translated together with the rack and, according to their position , lock a panel, or not. 9. Assembly according to claim 8, wherein a panel comprises grooves or slits, for example, in an edge, into which one of said pins can enter during the closing movement of the panel itself. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rack is mounted to activate, thanks to its movement, a third device (88) designed to generate a force on a panel to tilt it with respect to the vertical. Assembly according to claim 10, wherein the third device comprises one or more pins integrated in the rack, mounted to protrude from the posts, so that the pins can be moved together with the rack and, according to their position, sliding on one or more inclined planes present on the side of a panel, the cooperation between a pin and an inclined plane creating a cam mechanism.