GB2209789A

GB2209789A - Rolled curtain

Info

Publication number: GB2209789A
Application number: GB8821307A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Machill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-09-12
Filing date: 1988-09-12
Publication date: 1989-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-12
Also published as: GB8821307D0; GB2209789B

Abstract

A roller curtain made up of several curtain slats, consisting of an outer skin 2, preferably of metal, an inner skin 3, preferably of plastics, surrounding an insulating inner core and connected by a hook joint, has a sealing edge 13 located on at least one edge of the inner skin of each seat to cover the space between adjacent slats. Various types of seal are described. …<IMAGE>…

Description

1 Title:. SEALED ROLLER CURTAIN U 5 With this type of heat insulating

roller curtains, as they are used for example for roll-up doors, the joint area between the various roller slats becomes in refernce to its heat retaining qualities perhaps the least desireable, since there is no attempt in this area to separate the air of the inner space from the air of the outer space. Large area roller curtains and areas of high temperature differences between inner and outer space will show that this lack of insulation between slats is significant.

To this must be added, that the joints are not airtight and that at certain pressure differences between the inner and outer air an air flow is created, that even at its minimum creates a heat transfer.

1 The sealing of the joint area between the slats, therefore is a problem, if considered that the roller curtain in order to open and close must be able to roll up or down. When used as a commercial roll-up door, for example in warehouses or simular facilities, such a roller curtain is used very frequently and it becomes important that the seal of the curtain maintains kts integrity as much as the roller curtain itself.

2 The task of this invention is to create a roller curtain that meets the already described standards, that it is simple to manufacture, that it is reliable in its sealing performance and that even at high usage of the roller curtain it virtually shows no wear.

i This invention solves the task by using a sealer edge, which is fastened to every roller slat at the inner skin along at least one edge of the slat and which seals off the joint area by covering the joint space and resting against the edge of the neighboring roller slat. This design has the advantage, that through the joint and sealing edge in the area of the joint, a hollow air space is created which serves as an insulator. More important, however, is that the joint space toward the inside of a facility is sealed off by a s ealing edge made of elastic material and that the bridge of cold transfer between inside and outside through the joint is stopped, since the material of the sealing edge is mostly rubber or plastic. Either of these materials possess a very low heat transfer ability in comparison to the material of the outer skin of which the joint is formed and part of. Another advantage lies in the feature, that the sealing edge is located on the inside of the roller curtain and that it is no longer exposed to weather conditions, specifically direct sunlight, which for most materials is destructive and of which most of these type of sealing edges are made of. Since during the rollup of the 3 curtain the joint space on the outside opens up and on the inside closes down, the pick up of any foreign object into the joint space is stopped through the sealing edge which always covers the joint space and rests against the neighboring slat. Depending on the design of the sealing edge and its connections with both of the neighboring slats, it is even possible to permanently connect the sealing edge on both sides with the roller slats, since during the roll up of the curtain the material of the sealing edge is not stretched, but rather compacted, so that there is no stress or damage to the material of this type of seal design beyond its normal expectation of performance.

As part of its design, it was planned that the sealing edge was to be attached to one of its sides along with the inner skin of a roller slat. Through this, it was possible to conceive the sealing edge as an integrated structural member of a roller slat, which then assures/guarantees that each roller slat is equipped with at least one sealing edge and one edge on which the sealing edge of a neighboring slat can rest. The design stipulates the sealing edge to be located at the lower edge of each slat, so that the cross stress on the sealing edge experienced during roll up is always located on the side of its attachment to the roller slat. This eliminates the possibility of jamming, which could leid to damage of the open side of the sealing edge. As part of the specific design, it was provided for that the sealing 4 edge should be made of an elastic material and that it should be attached to the inner skin of a roller slat, made of plastic, through coextrusion. This construction has the advantage that it requires no further assembly work and that precision concerning the exact size, alignment and form is always guaranteed.

A specifically useful aspect of the design of this invention is the lip like shape of the free edge of the sealing edge which is curved into the jointspace and rests against the edge of the neighboring roller slat. This design has the advantage that the opefi side of the sealing edge together with the edge of the neighboring slat which complete the actual seal, are protected from any adverse influences from the outside, so that any danger of damaging the seal edge or the neighboring roller slat edge is eliminated. Furthermore, the design has the advantage, that the inner side of the roller curtain remains smooth and that during the roll up process of the curtain no stress is experienced against the seal, outsideof the change of seal position during the movement of the slats. Further that this movement is minimized reducing the normal wear experienced.

Another design feature of this invention is, that one edge e of the inner skin of a roller slat-extends all the way into the inner surface of the hook like outer skin and that through this overlap the curved edge of the roller slat is P formed against which the curved sealing edge lip creates the seal. It is now possible to achieve a material interface of plastic against plastic, which for the movement of the sealing lip against the surface of the curved edge of the roller slat virtually eliminates wear. Another advantage of this design is, that through the hook like joint of the slats and the seal of the sealing edge, a heat insulating space is created; which reduces the heat dissipation through the joints of the slats.

In another version the invention is so designed that the part of the slat edge, which is an extension of the inner skin, extends into and overlaps part of the inner surface of th.e hook like outer skin. The part of the inner skin that extends and overlaps is a double walled hollow profile of which the outer wall is made of an elastic material, serving as the sealing surface. This special elastic, hollow profile.surface wall together with the free edge of the inner skin of the neighboring slat form the seal. This free edge of the slat is made of the same basic material as that of the hollow profile surface wall. The sealing effect is created through the slight depression of the slat edge into the surface wall.

Another intention of the design is, that the surface area for the free edge of the sealing edge - seen as a cross section view - provides a circular outline of which the 6 center coincides with the center of the joint. This design has the advantage-that the lip of th e sealing edge can rest against the neighboring roller slat edge either in the rolled out or rolled up position of the curtain without any change of intended tension against the neighboring slat edge surface and wl-thout any danger of jamming or damaging the sealing edge.

In a different design of the invention the connection of the sealing.edge to the roller slat is arranged in such a way, that at least one edge of the sealing edges is featured with a flared retaining secion which is held by a retaining channel located at the slat edge of the inne"r skin of a roller slat. This allows the use of the seal as described in this invention, even in such cases where through choice of the material for the inner skin of a roller slat a cdnnection of the sealing edge to the inner skin through coextru1on or other adhesive process cannot be achieved. However, this design requires the extra assembly step of inserting the flared sealing edge into the retaining channel.

An additional feature of this design,.is the sealing strip which extends across the slats and which in the rolled out 4 position of the curtain, fits flush with the inner surface of the slats. This sealing strip is fastened on both edges to the edge of the inner skins of two neighboring roller Z1 Z 7 slats. Through this, a complete, almost hermetic closure of the joint s. pace is achieved. Fastening of the sealer strip can be accomplished according to one design by connecting the sealer strip as one piece with the inner skin of a roller slat on one end and a flared retainer section on the other end which fits into a retaining channel of a neighboring roller slat. With this particular design the sealing strip can be connected on one of its edges to the inner skin of a roller slat either through coextrusion or possibly some other adhesive process. In another design, the sealer strip is fastened on both edges to the edge of the inner skins of two neighboring roller slats through flared out retainer sections which fit into the retaining channels located on the edges of both neighboring roller slats.

This invention is made more plaugible through the schematic drawing of each design variation:

Fig. 1 A vertical cross section of a roller curtain in its rolled clown position.

Fig. 2 Details of the seal in the joint area for the roller curtain according to Fig. I.

J Fig. 3 Another variation of the sealing edge design.

8 Fig. 4 A different sealing edge with a different joint d.es 1 gn.

Fig. 5 The joint design of a roller curtain according to Fig. 1 with a bulb-sealing edge.

Fig. 6 The joint design of the roller curtain according to Fig. I with the hermatically sealed off joint space.

Fig. 7 A design variation of the sealing strip shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 and 9 a variation of the design shown in Fig. 1 The cross section of a roller curtain as shown in Fig. 1 is assembled together with several roller slats 1, each made of a metal outer skin 2. Connected to the outer skin 2 is an inner skin 3 made up of a plastic material, for example PVC. The inner space created through the outer and inner skin of a roller slat is foamed with a heat insulating material 4, for example polyurethane. A ridge 5, that is part of the inner skin 3, extends throughout the length of the slat and is fastened to the outer skin 2 through its flared out end that fits into the outer skins retaining channel. The ridge 5 separates the inner space of the slat into two halves. It absorbs the foaming pressure during the foaming process and stabilizes the structure of the slat against vertical stress during the roll up process.

P t 1 9 The upper edge 6 of the outer skin has a hook like ridge 7 directed toward the inside of the slat, while the lower edge 8 has a hook like ridge 9 directed toward the outside of the slat, which with its free end 10 points upward toward the hollowed out channel 11 of the lower edge 8 of the slat. The hook like ridges 7 and 9 at each neighboring slat fit into each other and form the joint. Assembly of the curtain is achieved through inserting the hooklike ridges of each slat into each other.

The joint space 12 between two neighboring slats is closed off through a lip like sealing edge 13 which is fastened to the lower edge of the inner skin of each upper roller slat. A variety of designs for such a sealing edge are shown in Fig. 2 through 7 and will be discussed further.

1 1 The design in Fig. 2 shows that the sealing edge 13 is connected to the inner skin 3 as one piece. This can be accomplished through an adhesive process or coextrusion, which means that during the manufacturing process of the profile of the inner skin 3, made of a strong plastic material, the rubber-elastic plastic material of the sealing edge' 13 is being formed and attached to the inner skin at the same time. The sealing edge 13 has a lip like appearance and is curved with its free edge 14 into the joint space. This assures that the inner curtain area comprised of inner skins 3 of the roller slats, remains even during the roll up of the curtain, since the free edge 14 of the sealing lip 13 can move freely into the joint space.

In the neighboring lower roller slat 1 1, the upper edge 15 of the inner skin 3 extends into and over the inner area of the hook like outer skin edge 7, which forms the surface against which the sealing edge 13 rests. Through this sealing action a heat insulating area in the joint is created. This upper edge of the inner skin 15 is formed, when viewed as a crosssection, as a curved circular surface. whose center lies approximately in the area of the joint, which is defined by the supporting lip 18 of the hook like edge 7 of the outer skin of the upper roller slat.

The design of Fig. 3 shows an alternative to the design of Fig. 2. Here the lower edge 16 of the inner skin 3 of the upper roller slat 1 is extended over the outer area of the support lip of the hook like edge 9 of the outer skin of the upper roller slat 1, whereby the lower edge 16 of the inner skin of the upper roller slat is made of the same material as the inner skin 3.

Complementing this design is the double walled edge 15 of the inner skin 3 which extends into the inner surface of'the hook like edge 7 of the outer surface of the lower roller slat 1 This as sealing surface serving outer well 17 of t, i 11 1 11 the edge is made of an elastic material used to create a flexible hollow profile, which is fitted tightly against the lower lip 16 of the inner skin of the upper roller slat, thereby creating a sealing action.

The design of Fig. 4 basically uses the same principle of the sealing edge 13 as the one shown in Fig. 2. Only the design of hook like joint is different. While in the design of Fig. 2 the two hook like edges hook into each other after the fashion of an edge bearing, the circular design of these hook like edges 7 and 9 work off the principle of a slide bearing. The lip seal designed sealing edge 13 rests under the outer surface of the circular causes a slight deformation of the lip edge. The circular design of the hook like edge 9 of the roller slat causes no further deformation of the sealing lip during roll up of the curtain than it does under conditions of rest.

slight pressure against hook like edne 9 which The design of Fig. 5 follows the similar design principle of Fig. 3. The difference is, that the double walled profile of the sealing edge of the inner skin 3, is not integrated as one piece, but rather that a bulb sealing edge 19 is used, which is inserted into a retaining channel 20 at the upper edge of the low& roller slat 1 1 and which builds a seal in conjunction with the lower edge 16 of the inner skin 3 of the upper roller slat.

12 Fig. 6 and 7 show designs of a sealing strip 21 hermetically sealing off the inside of the joint space. In the design of Fig. 6 the strip sealing edge 21 is fastened on one end 22 to the-edge of the inner skin 3 of the upper roller sla-t 1 either through an adhesive process like glueing or through coextrusion. The other end of the strip sealing edge 23 is designed with a flared out retaining section 24, which is inserted into a retaining channel 25 on the upper edge of the lower roller slat 1 ' when fully assembled. Since during the roll up process the distance between the roller slats becomes slightly shortibr and since the strip sealing edge 21 is located at the inside of the roller curtains, the strip se. aling edge is slightly depressed into the open joirit space without any harmful effect. For this purpose, it is important that through the design of the hook like edge 9 at the upper roller slat and its counterpart of the lower roller slat 1 an area of free space is created, into which the strip seal edge 21 can fold without experiencing the stress of the curtain weight.

The design of Fig. 7 has basically the same functional features in mind as Fig. 6 with the exception that the strip sealing edge 21 is fastened on both ends through flared out retaining section 24, which are inserted into two retaining channels 25 located on both upper and lower edges of the neighboring roller slats.

1 1 1 13 In Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 is shown a design, which is a modi fication of the design according to Fig. 1 The inner side of the hook like ridge 7 bears a groove like zone 26 so that remains a small edge 27.

If the roller curtain is lowerd and the slats are all together in an aligned position, as shown in Fig. 8, the sealing edge 13 is in full contact with the small edge 27 of the neighboring roller slat 11 so that the joint space is kept tight.

By rolling up, as shown in Fig. 9, the sealing edge 13 disengages from the small edge 27 and remains free within the groove like part 26. By this the frcition between the sealing edge 13 and the neighboring roller slat 11 will be remarkable reduced, so that even in a dust-burdened atmosphere prectically any wear of the sealing edge will be avoided.

14

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A roller curtain wherein the curtain comprises a plurality of curtain slats, each consisting of an outer skin and an inner skin surrounding an insulating inner core and fitted together at their joining edges, the slats being connected to one another at their edges through a joint, and wherein a sealing edge located on at least one edge of the inner skin of each roller slat covers the joint space between adjacent slats and rests against the upper edge of the neighbouring roller slat.

2. A roller curtain according to Claim 1, wherein the sealing edge is connected as one piece with the inner skin of a roller slat.

3. A roller curtain according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner skin is made of plastics and the sealing edge is made of an elastic material which has been attached as one piece to the inner skin through coextrusion.

4. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the sealing edge is a slightly curved liplike edge which extends with its open end into the joint space and which rests and seals against the edge of the neighbouring slat for its entire length.

5. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein an inner lip of the inner skin of a roller slat extends onto the inner surface of the hooklike edge of the outer skin of the slat, and provides the sealing surface for an elastic open sealing edge of the neighbouring roller slat.

6. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner skin of a slat has a double walled construction at the inner lip which covers parts of a hook like surface of the outer skin, and wherein the outer wall, made of an elastic material, serves as a sealing surface.

7. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the sealing surface for the open end of the sealing edge in cross section follows an arc of a circle of which the centre of curvature coincides with the centre of the joint.

i 1% is

8. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the edge of the inner skin of the slat is provided with a bulb seal edge with a flared retaining section held by a retaining channel which is located at the inner edge of the slat.

9. A roller curtain according to Claim 8, wherein a sealing strip extends across the slats and in the rolled out position of the curtain fits flush with the inner surface of the slates, and wherein this sealing strip is fastened on both edges to the edge of the inner skins of two neighbouring roller slats.

10. A roller curtain according to Claim 9, wherein one edge of the sealing strip is fastened as one piece to the inner skin of a slat and the other edge is fastened by its flared retaining section that fits into a retaining channel of the neighbouring slat.

11. A roller curtain according to Claim 9, wherein the sealing strip is fastened on either side and between two slats with a flared retaining section at the edge of the strip and a retaining channel on either side of the neighbouring slats.

12. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the edge of the neighbouring slat bears at the inner side a groove like zone with a small edge remaining at the outer for the tightening contact with the sealing edge.

13. A roller curtain according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the outer skin is made of metal and the inner skin is made of plastics.

14. A roller curtain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 1 and 2 as modified by any one of Figures 3 to 7, or Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.

1 Published 1988 at The Patent Office. State House. 6671 High Holborn. London WC1 R 4TP. Ftirther COpleS maybe obtained frorn The Patent Office. Sales Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpington, Kent BM 3RD Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent Con 1'87