GB2098646A - A sliding bay provided with a guiding device in translational movement - Google Patents

Abstract

A sliding bay consisting of an opening element, a fixed element, a translational guiding device consisting of guiding rollers and bearing rollers which operate in conjunction with guiding paths and a bearing track. The guiding track (22a, 22b) consists of a linear section 35 which is parallel to the translational axis (18) and tilted ramps (36). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A sliding bay provided with a guiding device in translational movement The invention relates to a sliding bay consisting of a device for guiding in translational movement.

A vertical sliding bay is already known, which consists of a moving element (opening element) which has a movable frame and a filling element and a fixed element (immovable) which has a fixed frame, a filling and an opening. The opening element can be displaced by means of longitudinal sliding between a closed position in which the frames are supported one against the other, the opening being closed, and an open position in which the fillers are facing one another and the opening is free, owing to a horizontal longitudinal translation guiding device which includes guiding and bearing rollers associated with the moving frame which operates in conjunction with guiding and bearing tracks associated with the fixed frame. Compressible hermetic seals compressed in the closed position are placed between the fixed and movable frames.

In the case of a first known guiding device, the moving frame is likewise supported on the fixed frame in the open position, whatever its degree may be. The movement of the opening element is made in opposition to the friction exerted by the hermetic seals. This manoeuvre is hence difficult and causes premature wear ofthe hermetic element; moreover the rollers and guiding and bearing tracks have large contact surfaces, which increases the friction and accelerates their wear.

In the case of a second known guiding device, the guiding and bearing rollers have their axis of rotation assembled in a movable manner on the movable frame, around a rocking axis which is orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the roller and parallel to the longitudinal sliding axis. The opening element is applied against the fixed element in the closed position and moved laterally away from the latter in the open position which makes it possible to avoid wear of the hermetic seals and makes the manoeuvre easier. However, the forces are transmitted to the roller in a direction which is oblique to their axis of rotation which causes them to deteriorate rapidly.

Finally, in a known guiding device, guiding ramps are provided with complex profiles so that they can overlap by means of the guiding rollers and springs for the displacement of the guiding rollers. However, this form of execution is very complex and costly and the component elements are exposed.

The aim of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to propose a guiding device consisting of guiding rollers and bearing rollers associated with the opening element which operate in conjunction with guiding tracks and a bearing track associated with the immovable element, a guiding track consisting of a linear section which is parallel to the translational axis and tilted ramps.

The invention makes it possible to avoid the friction of the hermetic elements on opening and closing, which prevents them from wearing prematurely and makes sliding easier. The frictions between the rolling bearings and the bearing tracks are reduced in order to avoid too rapid wear. The forces are transmitted perpendicularly to the axes of the bearing rollers which make it possible for them to operate in an optimal manner.

The other characteristics of the invention will result from the following description with reference to the attached drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic cross section view through a horizontal plane of a bay provided with a guiding device according to the invention in the closed position; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic cross section view through a vertical plane according to the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, likewise in the closed position; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic cross section view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the open position.

A guiding device is intended for a vertical sliding bay which consists of an opening element 1 which is movable in relation to a fixed element 2.

The opening element 1 consists of a frame 3, and, rigidly connected with it, a filling element 4 (glazing) which covers it completely. The fixed element 2 consists of a frame 5 and, connected rigidly with it a filling element 6 (glazing) which covers it partially by arranging an opening 7 which can be covered by the filling element 4.

The frame 3, which is flat, includes two cross pieces connected rigidly together by their free ends, two upper 8 and lower 9 cross pieces which are horizontal and two upright elements 10 and 11 which are vertical.

The frame 5 which is flat, includes likewise two upper 12 and lower 13 horizontal cross pieces; two vertical upright elements 14 and 15; and a middle upright element 16, which is rigidly connected by its free ends to the cross pieces 12, 13 and is arranged approximately at equal distance from the upright elements 14, 15 dividing the frame 5 into two lon gitudinallyjuztaposed subframes, one defined by the cross pieces 12, 13 and the upright elements 14, 16 in which the filling element 6 is situated and the other defined by the cross pieces 12, 13 and the uprights 15, 16 in which the opening 7 is situated.

The cross pieces 8, 12 and the cross pieces 9, 13 are respectively adjacent and connected together by the translational guiding device 17, along a horizontal longitudinal axis 18, parallel to the plane of the elements, 1,2 and the cross pieces 8, 9, 12, 13.

The opening element 1 is in two extreme positions in relation to the fixed element 2, a closed position (Figs. 1 and 2) in which the frame 3 is supported against the frame 5, facing the opening 7; a completely open position in which the frame 3 is slightly removed laterally away from the frameS, parallel to an axis 19 (horizontal, perpendiculartothe axis 18 and to the plane of the elements 1, 2), the filling elements 4, 6 being opposite.

The cross pieces and upright elements 8-16 can be solid, made from wood, metal sections or plastics.

The guiding means 17 consist of guiding rollers 20 associated with the cross pieces 8-9 and bearing rollers 21 associated with the cross piece 8, which operates respectively in conjunction with guiding races 22, and a bearing track 23, associated with the cross pieces 12, 13 extending along the axis 18.

As a variant, the rollers 20, 21 are associated with the element 2, and the tracks 22, 23 with the element 1. The rollers 20, 21 and the tracks 22, 23 can be replaced by equivalent elements which fulfil the same guiding and support function.

Compressible linear hermetic seals (made from elastomer or similar material) 24, are placed towards the inside of the bay between the upright pieces and cross pieces 8 to 16. These seals 24 are active (com pressed) when the opening element 1 is in its closed position or inactive (not compressed) when the opening element 1 is in a sufficiently open position; then the seals 24 do not rub against the element opposite the one to which they are fixed.

The guiding rollers 20 consist of upper rollers 20a and lower rollers 20b which are connected respectively with the upper 25a and lower 25b areas of the cross pieces 8, 9, pivoting freely around short axes of rotation 26, which are vertical, situated in the plane of the opening element 1 and orthogonal to the axis 18. The rollers 20a, 20b are placed in rebates 27 of the cross pieces 8, 9 directed towards the cross pieces 12, 13, and towards the inside ofthe bay. Two rollers 20a and two rollers 20b whose respective axes 26 are coaxial and situated to the right of the upright elements 10, 11, are provided. The axes 26 are fixed in relation to the cross pieces 8,9. The rollers 20a 20b are of a diameter which is sufficient for a convenient manoeuvre of the bay, for example, ofthe order of 25 mm.

The rolling rollers 21 are connected with the lower cross piece 9 and rest on the bearing track 23. Two end rollers are provided in the vicinity of the upright elements 10, 11, and of the rollers 20 and as many intermediate rollers as are necessary.

A roller 21 is assembled to pivot around a fixed axis of rotation 28 on the opening element 1 and parallel to the axis 19, it is carried by a flange 29, fixed rigidly to the cross piece 9, being seated in a hole 30 which emerges into the rebate 27. The width ofthe bearing band 31 of a roller 21 is at least equal to the lateral distance (along the axis 19) between the frames 3, 5 in the open position, that is, equal to the travel of the opening element 1 in the lateral direction, between its two extreme positions.

The greater part of the roller 21 is situated in the recess 30 and is hence protected. Only the lower, working part emerges. It is situated at approximately the same level as the lower rollers 20b. It is protected towards the outside by the vertical wing of the groove 27 and is thus masked. The smallness of the recess 30, which is just necessary for the roller 21, avoids weakening the cross piece 9. The axes of rotation 26, for their part, are fixed to the horizontal wing of the rebate 27.

The whole unit is thus a compact arrangement whilst at the same time being protected.

Two guiding tracks 22a, 22b, above and below which the rollers 20a, 20b, are respectively associated, are formed by a profiled component which is monolithic with the bearing 23, fixed in the rebates 32 of the cross pieces 12, 13, turned towards the rebates 27.

This arrangement is particularly advantageous.

The same profiled component can be used for the upper cross piece 12 and the lower cross piece 13.

This component is adaptable on any conventional cross piece with a rebate towards the outside and does not require the formation of a special throat.

This component is placed overhanging in relation to the lower cross piece 13, whilst being protected by the vertical wing of the rebate 27, which avoids deterioration.

The guiding track 22 consists of two guiding bands 33a, 33b, facing one another but at a distance from one another laterally, separated by an opening 34, in which a roller 20 is fixed without large play. A guiding track 22 consists of a linear section 35 parallel to the axis 18 and a number of ramps 36 equal to that of the rollers 20a, or 20b. The ramps 36 are horizontal and tilted on the linear section 35. The rollers 20a, 20b, work respectively and simultaneously in conjunction with the ramps 36 whose relative positions on the section 35 are consequently defined.The relative positions of the linear section 35, of the ramps 36, and of the guiding rollers 20 on the frames 2 and 3 are such that when the opening element 1 reaches or leaves its closed position, it moves according to a movement which is the combination of a double translation movement along the axis 18 and along the axis 19.

The translational movement along the axis 18 makes possible the longitudinal sliding of the opening element 1 and the variation of the closing of the opening 7. The translational movement along the axis 19 makes it possible for the lateral sliding ofthe opening element 1 and the variation of the distance between the elements 1, 2. The ramps 36 are placed and tilted in such a manner that in the closed position the lateral spacing is zero and that in a sufficiently closed position (in the vicinity of the closed position) it is maximum and hence equal to the maximum lateral distance between the frames 3, 5 in the open position.

In the illustrated preferential example, each guide track 22a or 22b consists of two ramps 36 which are situated in the vicinity of the upright elements 15, 16 respectively, tilted in the direction of the vertical plane of support 37 of the frame 3, defined by the bottom of the rebates 32, slightly tilted on the linear section 35 at an angle aof the order of approximately 10-30" in orderto avoid too rapid lateral translational movementofthe element 1 and a difficulty in moving this element 1 in the longitudinal direction. It is to be noted that a roller 20b must, at the maximum, be situated in the ramp 36, but it does not have to go across the latter. A ramp 36 is hence simply formed by a change of direction of the linear section 35. The ramp 36 is preferably linear.

The seals 24 are completely compressed, partially compressed or not compressed when the rollers 20 are at the end 36a, at the middle or at the beginning 36b of the ramps 36 respectively. When the rollers 20 are in the linear sections 36, the seals 24 are not compressed.

The bearing track 23 is a round iron or section, presenting its convex surface to the bearing roller 21, carried by a support 38, which is fixed to the cross piece 13 in the rebate 32. The support 38 can form the guiding track 22, appearing in the form of a profiled component used both for the cross piece 13 and the cross piece 12, the support 38 connected with the latter being without the round profile 23.

The round iron 23 has a very small radius of curvature (of the order of a few millimetres) so that the contact with each roller 21 is as small as possible and limited practically to one point.

A roller 21 rolls along the axis 18 on the round iron 23, when the rollers 20 operate in conjunction with the slide in the linear sections 35. It slides likewise in a lateral direction, along the axis 19, when the rollers 20 work in conjunction with and slide in the ramps 36.

The bearing track 23 is linear over its whole length, parallel to the axis 18 including to the right of the ramps 36. However, the bearing track 23 could consist of a set-back parallel to the ramps 36, the rollers 21 having a bearing surface of smaller width.

The forces are transmitted to the rollers 21 perpendicularly to their axes 28 and hence in the optimal conditions. The rollers 21 are ofthe ball bearing type and are hermetic. Their deterioration due to corrosion or abrasion is avoided.

The ramps 36 can form a continuous track with the section 35. The end 36a can be narrowed or can con sistofan internal locking projection. Beyond this, the ramp 36, especially on the side of the guiding band 33b, which is furthest from the plane 37, includes a return 36c, which likewise consists of a stop for the roller 20, the ramps 36 hence form stops for end of travel ofthe moving element 1.

The guiding stops 33b can also be replaced by a wedge screwed on the fixed cross pieces 12 and 13.

The guiding device 17 described in this manner is sufficient to ensure maintaining the opening element 1 in the correct lateral position, as a function of its longitudinal relative position. It should be noted that the seal 24 of the lower cross piece 13 is placed approximately to the right of the roller 21 and above the rollers 20b.

Claims (8)

1. Asliding bay consisting of an openingele- ment, a fixed element, a translational guiding device consisting of guiding rollers and bearing rollers which operate in conjunction with guiding paths and a bearing track characterised by the fact that the guiding track consists of a linear section which is parallel to the translational axis and tilted ramps.

2. A sliding bay according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the axes of the guiding rollers are fixed in relation to the cross pieces.

3. A sliding bay according to any one of the claims 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that the rollers are situated towards the interior of the bay, the axes of rotation being fixed to the horizontal wing of a rebate.

4. A sliding bay according to any of the claims 1-3, characterised by the fact the bearing rollers are situated in a recess of the cross piece, only the lower working part of a roller emerging from this recess, this working part being protected towards the outside by the vertical wing of the rebate.

5. A sliding bay according to any of the claims 1-4, characterised by the fact that a guiding track and a bearing track are formed from the same section placed in a rebate.

6. A sliding bay according to any of the claims 1-5, characterised by the fact that the same section is used for the lower cross piece and the upper cross piece.

7. Asliding bay according to any ofthe claims 1-6, characterised by the fact that it includes two ramps situated in the vicinity of the upright elements tilted in the direction of the vertical support plane, slightly tilted on the linear section by an angle aof the order of approximately 10-30 , the ramp being linear.

8. A sliding bay according to any of the claims 1-7, characterised by the fact that the bearing track is a round iron or section presenting its convex millimetres, to the bearing rollers.