FR2660914A1 - DEVICE FOR FOLDING AND FOLDING A FILIFORM LINK ON ITSELF. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for gathering and paying-out of a string, for example a sliding device for a curtain. The device according to the invention comprises a linear extension guide rail (3) delimiting a displacement section (4a) of the curtain, and a section (4b) for storage or gathering-up of the same curtain, a plurality of suspension carriages (5) mounted freely in translation relative to the rails (3), a pulling strip (10), as well as reversible attachment means (10b, 14a) for the various carriages (50), so as to couple the latter in translation with the pulling strip (10) on closure of the curtain. The invention may also be applied to the field of decoration, display, etc.

Description

I

  DEVICE FOR FOLDING AND FOLDING ON ITSELF

A FILIFORM LINK

  The present invention relates to a device for unfolding and folding over itself a threadlike link, to which is linked at least one vertical extension part. By "filiform link" is meant any elongated element, of the wire, ribbon, strap or edging type, etc., having a relative flexibility or suppleness depending on its length, which makes it possible to pick up its linear size by folding back on itself, for example according to a conformation

zigzag.

  "Vertical extension piece" means any element extending

  vertically downward, linked in one way or another to the filiform link, for example suspended from the latter, at one or more places regularly distributed according to the length of the filiform link This piece may be an isolated element falling towards the bottom, as it can be a flexible continuous wall of horizontal extension, of the fabric, fabric, curtain type,

  panel or sheet, capable of being picked up on itself by folding.

  The present invention is now introduced and explained with respect to the field of curtain sliding devices, with unfolding and folding of the latter, it being understood that the definition of

  the invention established by the appended claims covers many other

  fields of application, within the limits of the general definitions set out above. With regard to the sliding of a curtain, the filiform link previously introduced consists of the upper edge of said curtain, for example folded and sewn on itself, or in an attached ribbon or strap, for example by sewing, on the upper edge of the curtain And the vertical extension part, also introduced previously, consists in this case in the

curtain itself.

  The most widely used curtain sliding device, known as a "railroad", generally comprises: a guide rail, of straight and / or curved linear extension, solid or hollow; this rail comprises in an integrated manner, outside or inside, one or more parallel, superimposed or adjacent slides, for the movement of the curtain; and each circulation slide comprises at least one section for moving the curtain, in unfolded or unfolded form, and at least one section for storing or "massaging" the curtain, folded or folded

  a plurality of suspension trolleys, mounted free in trans-

  relation to the guide rail; each carriage comprises rolling means, for example one or more rollers, engaged in one or more guideways for circulation of the guide rail, as well as a hooking means, for example a hook for hanging the curtain at the level of said carriage , by its upper border or a ribbon attached a draw loop, of the cord type; this loop partly passes over pulleys supported in rotation by the guide rail, for example, respectively by two pulleys with a horizontal axis located in a pulling end piece, and by a flat return pulley located in a return end piece, these two end pieces being fitted at the two ends of the guide rail respectively; this loop passes for its remaining part outside the guide rail, for example around a tension pulley, to define a control section of the pulling loop; for its part located on the guide rail, the pulling loop is generally guided by the latter; moreover, this pulling loop comprises one or more motor strands, in particular depending on the type of closure sought, for example simple or with crossing, and each motor strand is secured in translation with one of the suspending carriages, which will then be conductive , in the sense that it is he who will, at the opening of the curtain pull one by one the other suspension carriages in the displacement section of the guide rail, and at the closing of the curtain push against each other these same trolleys, in the storage section of the guide rail, all through the curtain itself or the tape attached

head of the latter.

  A device as previously described has the drawbacks

following customers.

  It is through the curtain, and more precisely the strap attached to the latter, or its upper edge, that one by one the suspension carriages move, both in the direction of unfolding and in the other direction folding the curtain In particular, when the curtain is closed, all of the effort to move the curtain rests: on the strap attached to the head of the curtain, or on the upper edge of the latter on the attachment or securing in translation of each conductive carriage with the pulling loop on the suspension or the hanging of the curtain on the conductive carriage. If one of these elements breaks, then no more maneuver of the

  curtain is not possible Now precisely, for curtains of great length

  aunt, or relatively heavy curtains, such as stage curtains, the movement effort can become significant, for example if the draw loop is motorized, to the point that ruptures of the elements

  above mentioned actually meet in practice.

  These displacement forces are further increased when the rail of

  guidance includes curves, generating friction or even blocking

  cages of the suspension trolleys, in relation to their circulation slides.

  For a device of the "railroad" type as previously described and discussed, the present invention relates to a solution making it possible to distribute the displacement effort of the curtain, over its entire upper edge,

  both when opening and closing the curtain.

  According to the present invention, at least one suspension trolley other than the conductive trolley, known as the driven trolley, and / or the strand

  motor of the pulling loop include reversing hooking means

  seats of said carriage driven on said motor strand, ensuring: in the unfolding direction, the translational coupling of said driven carriage with the pulling loop, when said driven carriage is pulled by the filiform link, for example the upper edge of the curtain in the other direction of folding, uncoupling of said carriage driven relative to the pulling loop, when said carriage arrives

  in the massage section of the circulation slide.

  Consequently, by applying the principle of the invention to all the suspension trolleys, each of these is found to be driven, like the conductive trolley, by the draw loop, both in the direction of unfolding and in the direction of folding back , for example both in the closing direction and in the opening of the curtain Thus, when a curtain is opened, each carriage is pulled by the motor strand of the pulling loop,

and not by the curtain itself.

  The present invention further provides the following critical advantages. The threadlike link, in this case the upper border of the curtain,

  being drawn to points regularly distributed according to its length

  soon, it becomes possible to make devices with guide rail

  curve These convex or concave zones can be passed without difficulty.

  cultivated by each hanging trolley.

  By providing for the same circulation slide two massage sections separated by a single movement section, and a hooking-off of the carriages driven at each junction between a massage section and the movement section, it becomes possible to open a curtain and massage it opposite to its starting point And in the displacement section, the curtain will be moved evenly, almost

  straight and flat, giving the impression of a scrolling Such a possibility

  lity appears particularly interesting for display devices.

  Still in the field of curtains, the present invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically represent, in horizontal section, a device for unfolding and folding a curtain, in accordance with the present invention , respectively in the open position of the curtain, and in the closed position of the latter Figure 3 shows on an enlarged scale, a top view of a device according to the invention, with cutaway in horizontal section, along the line III III of FIG. 4 of the retaining profile and of the pulling loop of the device according to the invention, FIG. 4 represents a view in vertical section, along line IV.IV of FIG. 3, of the guide rail of the device according to the invention, on which a suspension carriage belonging to the latter is engaged

  FIG. 5 represents a front view of the device according to the invention.

  vention shown in Figure 3 Figure 6 shows, similarly to Figure 4, a vertical sectional view of another device according to the invention Figure 7 shows a front view of the device shown in

figure 6.

  In accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2, a device according to the invention, for opening and closing a stage curtain for example, is arranged or fixed, in a manner not shown, between two vertical walls 24 and 25 This device ensures opening and closing a curtain 2, in

  a window between two front panels 26 and 27.

  The device according to the invention, in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 5,

  takes: a guide rail 3, of straight linear extension, possibly consisting of several elements assembled to each other, with or without connection, this guide rail is more particularly detailed in FIGS. 3 and 4; this rail comprises, on the one hand a section for moving the curtain, in the direction of the unfolding marked by the arrow 15, in the opening between the panels 26 and 27, and on the other hand, a section for storing or massaging the curtain , in the direction of folding indicated by the arrow 16, behind the panel 27 a plurality of suspension carriages 5, mounted free in translation relative to the guide rails 3 a pulling loop 10, represented by a dotted line in Figures 1 and 2 , passing on pulleys 11 and 12 rotatably supported by the guide rail 3, namely a driving pulley 11 and a driven pulley 12 i this loop 10 comprises a motor strand 10 a, adjacent to the section of movement of the guide rail 3, and a return strand 10 c located on the other side of the reversible attachment means, described below, and more particularly constituted by the various perforations l Ob of the pulling loop, and by various attachment pins 14 a, belonging to

different carts 5.

  The guide rail 3 has a single circulation slide 4

  carriages 5, as previously comprising a displacement section

  cement 4 has curtain, unfolded or unfolded, and a storage section 4b of the same curtain, folded or folded The same rail 3 comprises a slide 13 for holding or guiding the pulling loop 10, arranged substantially at right angles relative to the circulation slide 4 Furthermore, the latter comprises two raceways 4 a and 4 b, arranged one above the other, and directed in opposite cross section; each raceway 4 a or 4 b, with a cross section in a "U" shape, has a strip or lining of elastic material 46, disposed on its bottom, and capable of damping the noise generated by the

moving the carriages 5.

  As shown more particularly in FIG. 4, the circulation slide 4 and the slide 13 for holding or guiding the strip 10 are in fact two sections respectively, assembled relative to one another at

  Right angle More specifically, the guide rail 3 is obtained by assembling

  blocking of modular sections 4, differentiated for the needs of the description

  ption according to 41 and 42, and modular sections 13, also differentiated for the same purpose according to references 131 and 132 A section 4 has a hollow core, determining on both sides the two raceways 4 a and 4 b to cross section in "U", a 4 th collar being provided

  on the inner side of said profile.

  Each retaining section 13 has a hollowed-out central core opening to the outside On either side of this core are provided respectively a male stud 13 a for attachment, and a female groove 13 b also for attachment On both sides other of the profile 13, between the stud 13 a and the groove 13 b, two notches facing each other are formed, each forming

  guide path and maintenance of the pulling loop 10.

  The guide rail is obtained accordingly by assembling the two retaining sections 131 and 132, by clipping the stud of one into the groove of the other, by providing between them two interstices 19, in which are inserted and locked respectively. the circulation profiles 4, thanks to the collars 4 e provided on the latter The profiles 132 and 42 have no role with respect to the device according to the invention, except to ensure and

  complete the assembly by clipping the guide rail 3.

  Such an embodiment of the guide rail makes it possible to obtain slides for circulation and for maintaining the pulling loop, which are much more precise. It is also much easier to make connections, in a safe manner, between different elements of 'a rail thus produced Furthermore, when the pulling loop is traditionally constituted by a cord, the latter can be taken over its entire length in the recess of the retaining profile 13, which ensures good guidance , including

when the rail 3 is bent.

  Each suspension carriage 5 comprises three rolling rollers 6, 7 and 8, arranged in an equilateral triangle, and mounted by means of ball bearings on a spacer 20 external to the guide rail 3, having a planar shape in an equilateral triangle. Consequently, each carriage comprises, on one side, two rollers, for example 6 and 7 for the carriage, situated on the same level, and a roller, for example 8, located below, the height interval separating these two levels of rolling being equal to

  the distance between the two raceways 4 c and 4 d.

  Each suspension carriage 5 comprising, at its lower part, a hooking means or ring 9, is mounted on the guide rail 3, so as to grip the circulation slide 4 For this purpose, two rollers, for example 6 and 7 for the carriage 50, are arranged in the upper raceway 4 c, and the other roller, for example 8 for the carriage, is disposed in the other lower raceway 4 d There is thus obtained a mechanical and precise guidance, without pendulum movement, of each

hanging trolley 5.

  The different carriages 5 are also differentiated from each other, depending on the relative position of the hook 9 For carriages 50 and 52 for example, the hook 9 is integral with the spacer 20, below a roller 8; for the carriages 51 and 53, the hook 9 is integral with a straight edge of the spacer 20 between two rollers 6 and 7 This makes it possible to arrange the different carriages 5 in relative position "head to tail", with respect to each other One thus obtains an interpenetration of the suspending carriages 5, contiguous in the massage section 4b, as shown in FIG. 5 In total, one can thus bring the hooking hooks 9 closer to one another, and thus limit the length of the section of

massage 4 b, for the same curtain.

  As also shown in FIG. 5, the hooks 9 serve for the suspension or connection with a ribbon 1, attached, for example by sewing on the upper edge of a curtain 2, which is then suspended by the

ribbon 1.

  The pulling loop 10 consists of a flat strip comprising

  a plurality of perforations 10 b regularly spaced from each other.

  This strip circulates endlessly around the pulleys Il and 12, one driven and the other driven, while being guided over its entire travel in the groove 13 e provided for this purpose on the section 13 of the guide rail 3 The means of reversible attachment of the various suspension carriages 5 consist in making the perforations 10b of the motor strand 10a of the pulling loop 10 cooperate, with a reversible attachment member provided on each carriage, this cooperation allowing: in the direction of unfolding 15, to couple each carriage 5 in translation with the pulling strip 10, when the carriage in question is pulled by the curtain 2 in the movement section 4 a of the circulation slide 4; confer figure 2 and in the other direction of folding 16, to uncoupled the carriage considered, with respect to the pulling strip, when this carriage arrives in

  the massage section 4b of the circulation slide 4; confer figure 1.

  One of the suspending carriages 5, namely the carriage 50, is permanently coupled to the pulling strip 10, including in its massage position according to FIG. 1, so that it plays the role of a conductive carriage All the other carriages 5, for example 51, 52, 53 and 54, are hooked reversibly on the strip 10 by the general means described above, so that they play the role of driven carriages. In practice, the attachment member of each carriage 50 is

obtained in the following manner.

  One of the rolling rollers of each carriage 5, for example the roller 6 for the carriage 50, or the roller 8 for the carriage 51, is mounted to rotate about an axis 14 free in translation, both with respect to to the aforementioned rollers, and relative to the spacer 20 The internal end 14 a of the axis 14 protrudes from the suspending carriage 5, in the direction of the pulling strip, and forms a hooking pin The other end 14 b of the same axis 14, is returned to the pulling strip 10, by a return means 18 fixed on the carriage considered This return means consists of an elastic metal blade, one end of which is fixed on the spacer 20, and whose l 'other

  end is integral with the external end 14b of the axis 14.

  For each suspension trolley 5, the reversing hooking means

  sible then operates as follows: the motor strand 10 a of the pulling strip 10 extends adjacent to the travel of the various carriages 5, the junction of the motor strand l Oa and of the deflection strand 1 Oc, being in an exhaust zone 17, at the junction between the movement section 4 a and the massage section 4 b of the circulation slide 4, at the driven pulley 12 each driven carriage, for example 51, therefore comprises a hooking pin 14 a, returned by the return means 18, in the direction of

  unfolding 15, in a hooking position corresponding to the penetration

  tion of the pin 14 a in a perforation l Ob of the pulling strip 10, the peg 14 escaping in the direction of folding 16 at the same perforation, when the latter passes through the exhaust zone 17 of the pulling strip 10 According to the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 6 and 7, the guide rail 3 is obtained by assembling three retaining sections 131, 132, and 133, and four circulation sections 41, 42, 43 and 44 so to be determined: on the circulation profile 4 two opposite raceways, as already shown in FIG. 4 on the support profile 131, a guide for the pulling strip on the support profile, a guide for a strip or loop of

  control 22, separate from the pulling loop 10.

  The suspending carriage considered, for example the carriage 54 is mounted on the circulation profile, in the manner already described with reference to FIG. 4, and comprises a hanger 30, for a driven mechanism 21, in this case a reel 23 of winding / unwinding of a wire 24 for lifting the suspended curtain 2 The mechanism 21, which acts on the part of the curtain 2 suspended locally on the carriage 54, is coupled to the control loop 22, by means of teeth 23 a meshing with perforations 22 a of the strip 22 Not shown, the control loop 22 passes at least

  partly on pulleys rotatably supported by guide rail 3.

  By a relative displacement in translation of the com loop

  command 22 relative to the pulling loop 10, for example when the latter is stopped in translation while the second continues to move, it is possible to drive or control the mechanism 21, in this case the rotation of the reels 23, to locally raise the curtain 2. According to the invention, all other kinds of mechanisms can be envisaged, for example a mechanism for releasing the

  curtain at the level of a hanging trolley.

  The present invention can be applied in many other technical fields than that of curtains, for example in the field of decoration, display, etc.

Claims (11)

  1 Device for unfolding and folding over itself a threadlike link (1), to which is linked at least one piece (2) of vertical extension, comprising: a rail (3) for linear extension guide, comprising at least one circulation slide (4), comprising at least one displacement section (4 a) of the filiform link, unfolded or unfolded, and at least one storage or massage section (4 b) of the filiform link, folded or folded a plurality of suspension carriages (5), mounted free in translation relative to the guide rail (3), each comprising rolling means (6, 7, 8) engaged in at least one circulation slide (4), as well as a attachment means (9) of the filiform link at least one pulling loop (10) passing at least partly over pulleys (11, 12) supported in rotation by the guide rail, guided (13) at least partly by the guide rail, said loop comprising at least one motor strand (10 a) secured in translation with one of the suspending carriages, known as the conducting carriage (50) characterized in that at least one suspending carriage (51, 52) other than the conducting carriage (50), known as the driven carriage, and / or the motor strand (10 a) of the pulling loop (10) comprise reversible hooking means (lob, 14 a) of said carriage driven on said motor strand, ensuring, in the direction of unfolding (15), the coupling in translation of said carriage driven with the pulling loop, when said carriage driven is pulled by the filiform link in the movement section (4 a) of the circulation slide (4), and in the other direction of folding (16), uncoupling of said carriage driven relative to the pulling loop, when said carriage arrives in the section of   massage (4 b) of the circulation slide (4).   2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hooking means of a driven carriage (51, 52) are provided both, and on   the draw loop (10), and on the driven carriage (51, 52).   3 Device according to claim 2, characterized in that, on the one hand the pulling loop (10) comprises a perforated flat strip, whose motor strand (10a) extends adjacent to the travel of the carriages (50 , 51, 52), the junction of the motor strand (10 a) and the return strand (l Oc) being located in an exhaust zone (17) located at the junction between the displacement section (4 a) and the massage section (4 b) of the rail of the circulation slide, and on the other hand, the driven carriage (51, 52) comprises a hooking pin (14 a) returned by a return means (18 ), in the direction of unfolding (15), in a hooking position corresponding to the penetration of said pin in a said perforation (l Ob) of the pulling strip, -5 said pin escaping in the direction of folding (16) , at said perforation, when the latter passes through the exhaust zone (17) of the strip of print (10).   4 Device according to claim 3, according to which the circulation slide (4) comprises at least one raceway (4 a), and each suspension carriage (5) comprises at least one roller (6, 8) of rolling arranged on said raceway, mounted for rotation about an axis (14), characterized in that one end (14a) of said free axis in translation projects from the suspension carriage in the direction of the pulling strip (10) and forms the pin hooking, while another end (14b) of the same axis is biased towards the pulling strip, by the biasing means (18) fixed on the hanging trolley.   Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide rail (3) comprises, along its cross section, at least one profile   circulation (4) of the suspension carriages (5), forming a circulation slide   lation of the latter, and at least one retaining section (13) of the pulling loop (10), forming a guide for the latter, disposed substantially at   right angle to said rolling profile.   6 Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the rail   guide (3) is obtained by assembling at least two modular profiles   laires (4, 13) fitting into each other.   7 Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the rail   guide (3) is obtained by assembling at least one circular profile   lation (4), and at least one retaining section (13) of the pulling loop, one of these sections comprising a male stud (13 a) for hooking on one side,   and a female groove (13 b) for hooking on the other side.   8 Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it is the retaining profile (13) of the pulling loop which comprises the male stud (13 a) and the female groove (13 b), whereby two retaining profiles can be joined to each other, sparing them together   at least one gap (19) for blocking a profile (4) of the bearing.   9 Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the rolling profile (4) comprises a collar (4 e) for insertion into the gap   blocking (19) between two retaining sections (13) of the pulling loop.   IO.A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the circulation slide comprises two raceways (4 c, 4 d), arranged one above the other, and directed in opposite cross-section, and in that each suspension trolley (5) comprises at least two rollers (6, 8) for rolling, located one above the other, taking in pincers the circulation slide (4), and disposed respectively   in the two raceways respectively.   11 Device according to claim 10, characterized in that each suspension carriage (5) comprises three rollers (6, 7, 8), arranged in an equilateral triangle, of which at least two (6, 7) are arranged in one (4 c) raceways, and the other (8) in the other (4 d) raceway. 12 Device according to claim 10, characterized in that at least the two rollers (6, 7, 8) are mounted on an outer spacer (20) to the guide rail (3), having a shape allowing an interpenetration of contiguous suspension trolleys (5) in the section of massage (4b).   2 ') 13 Device according to claims Il and 12, characterized in that   that the outer spacer (20) on which the rollers are mounted   bearing (6, 7, 8) has an equilateral shape.   14 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in combination: at least one suspension carriage (54) comprises a driven mechanism (21) acting on the part of the part (2) suspended locally from said carriage a control loop (22 ), distinct from the pulling loop (10), passes at least in part over pulleys supported in rotation by the guide rail (3), the latter ensuring at least in part the guiding (133) of said control loop, the driven mechanism (21) being coupled to the control loop (22), so as to drive or control said mechanism by a relative movement in translation of the control loop (22) relative to the loop draw (10).   Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the driven mechanism (21) comprises a reel (23) for winding / unwinding   a wire (24) for lifting the suspended part (2).