GB2317415A

GB2317415A - Roll-up door:brake

Info

Publication number: GB2317415A
Application number: GB9717677A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kari Nieminen
Original assignee: MARTELA AG; MARTELA Oy
Current assignee: MARTELA AG; MARTELA Oy
Priority date: 1996-09-19
Filing date: 1997-08-20
Publication date: 1998-03-25
Also published as: NO974305D0; SE9703361L; SE9703361D0; GB9717677D0; FI963706A0; DE19739274A1; NO974305L; DK103397A; FI963706A

Abstract

A slatted roll-up door is braked by a roller 2, or a non-rotating member, that is spring-biased against the inner face of the door.

Description

2317415 Brake device for a roll-up door The invention concerns a brake

device for a flexible roll-up door, which door is composed of parallel slats, laths or equivalent fitted side by side in the cross direction of the roll-up door, which slats or equivalent can pivot in relation to one another in relation to their longitudinal axis and which roll-up door has been mounted from its transverse edges so that it can move back and forth in grooves or in equivalent guide rails formed into the opposite side walls.

Cabinets with roll-up doors are currently in very common use in particular in office furniture. Such doors are, of course, also used in other items of furniture, and roll- up doors have also been found to be usable elsewhere, besides in connection with cabinets. It is a decisive reason for the popularity of cabinets with roll-up doors that, from the point of view of utilization of space, they are highly advantageous. Cabinets with roll-up doors occupy the same space irrespective of whether the rollup door is open or closed. Conventional cabinet doors with hinges occupy an abundance of extra space in relation to the cabinet itselL The roll-up doors in cabinets have been arranged commonly so that grooves have been made into the vertical side walls of the cabinets, and the roll- up door has been fitted to move along said grooves. It has also been possible to attach separate, for example, U-section slide rails to the side walls of the cabinet, in which rails the rollup door has been fitted to move sliding so that it moves in the door opening in the direction up-down. A roll-up door can also be installed so that it moves towards the sides, in which case the grooves for the door have been formed into the top and bottom walls of the cabinet or equivalent. lle roll-up door itself most commonly consists of slats, laths or equivalent, whose rear face has been fixed to a continuous fabric or to an equivalent web, which keeps the slats and the door together. The rollup door has been fitted into the cabinet or equivalent so that the endl of the slats run in the grooves provided in the walls of the cabinet.

2 Quite a considerable problem in existing cabinets and equivalent with rofi-up doors in which the door has been arranged to move vertically is the mobility and movability of the door in the grooves. On one hand, the grooves must be made wide enough so that the door moves in them readily without a major use of power. On the other hand, however, the door must not move excessively easily in the grooves, because, in such a case, the door might fall onto the operator's fingers and in this way cause damage to the fingers. In particular in high cabinets with roll-up doors which are provided with a single continuous door, it is a problem how to make the mobility of the door optimal.

Earlier, attempts have been made to solve said problem in a number of different ways. One mode of solving said problem is the use of a complicated spring system in the rear part of the door and the cabinet. Indeed, by means of the spring system, the movement of the door can be made easier so that, on one hand, it moves readily, but does not move by itself in the groove. Thus, the door does not fall onto the fingers. However, it is a significant drawback of this solution that, first, it requires a double rear wall for the cabinet and, on the other hand, its cost is very high. Such a solution has been used mainly just in connection with expensive cabinets. Further modes in which attempts have been made to solve the problem include, for example, a solution in which the groove has first been formed quite wide in order to improve the mobility of the door, after which some braking material (e. g. polyurethane) has been fitted into the groove in order to slow down the movement of the door. It is a further mode that friction pins have been provided on certain slats in the door, which pins move along the groove and brake down the movement of the door. However, considerable drawbacks and problems have been noticed in the operability of solutions.

lle object of the present invention is to provide a novel brake device for a roll-up door, by means of which brake device drawbacks described above and related to the prior art are eliminated and by whose means a considerable improvement is achieved over the prior art. In view of achieving this the invention is mainly characterized in that the brake device for a roll-up door comprises a member that rests against the

3 inner face of the roll-up door and that is loaded by means of spring force, which member, by the effect of the spring force, loads the roll-up door towards the outer edge of the groove or an equivalent rail in order to increase the friction force that counteracts the movement of the rollup door.

BY means of the invention, a considerable advantage is obtained over the prior art. Of the advantages, it might be stated first that the construction of the roll-up door brake device in accordance with the invention is as simple as possible, and therefore the solution is of low cost so that the use of the brake device does not increase the costs almost at all, compared with a solution with no brake. The brake device in accordance with the invention can be fitted easily as after- installation in existing constructions. Installation of the brake device is so easy and simple that ahnost anybody can fit the brake device in its place. lle further advantages and characteristic features of the invention come out from the following detailed description of the invention.

In the following, the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a front view of a cabinet with a roll-up door, to which the brake device in accordance with the invention can be fitted.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a cabinet shown in Fig. 1 taken along the line H-H.

2-5 Figure 3 is an axonometric view of a preferred embodiment of the brake device in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is an exemplifying illustration of a detail of a cabinet with a roll-up door viewed from the front, illustrating the installation of the brake device.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged detail of Fig. 2 with the brake device installed in its position.

4 Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of a brake device installed in its position.

Figures 6A and 6B illustrate a further improved embodiment of the solution shown in Fig. 6.

Figures 7 and 8 show alternative further embodiments of the brake device of Fig. 3.

Figure 9 shows a preferred mode of installation of the brake device of Fig. 3.

Thus, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a cabinet with a roll-up door to which a brake device in accordance with the invention can be fitted. The cabinet with a roll- up door is denoted with the reference numeral 10 in said illustrations. Ile cabinet 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises side walls 11, a bottom wall 12, a top wall 13, and a rear wall 14. Into the side walls 11, grooves 16 have been formed, which are placed in the area of the front part of the cabinet, i.e. in the area of the front opening, near the front edges of the opposite side walls 11. Into the grooves 16, a roll-up door 15 has been fitted moving, which door closes the opening of the cabinet 10 when lowered. Further, into the side walls 11, near the front and rear edges of the side walls, holes 17 have been formed, which have been meant primarily, in view of 20 installation of shelf boards and equivalent, for shelf holders (not shown). The holes 17 are commonly placed in vertical rows and uniformly spaced. The cabinet 10 with a rollup door shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a fully conventional cabinet with a roll-up door and of normal construction.

Fig. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of a brake device in accordance with the invention, which device can be installed in a cabinet 10 with a roll-up door as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Ite brake device is denoted generally w ith the reference numeral 1. Ile brake device 1 of this embodiment consists of a wire-like, metallic or equivalent bent spring, onto one of whose bent ends a cylindrical roll 2 has been 30 fitted so that the wire- like spring forms an axle for the roll 2, on which the roll 2 revolves. In its middle area, the wire-like spring 1 has been bent into spiral windings 3, and through the opening in the windings the brake device 1 can be attached to its position by means of a screw 5 or an equivalent fastening device, for example to the side wall 11 of the cabinet (the mode of installation is illustrated in more detail in Figs. 4 and 5). The opposite end of the wire-like spring 1 has been bent into a projection 4, which is substantially parallel to the axle of rotation of the roll 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are more detailed illustrations of the installation of a brake device in accordance with the invention (as shown in Fig. 3) in a cabinet with a roll-up door to constitute a brake for the roll-up door 15. lle reference numerals in Figs. 4 and 5 correspond to those used in Figs. 1 to 3. As was already explained above, the roll- up door 15 has been installed moving in guide grooves 16 that have been fori.ned into the side walls 11 of the cabinet. In stead of grooves 16 formed into the side walls 11, it is possible to use, for example, guide rails or equivalent installed onto the inner faces of the side walls. As is shown in Fig. 5, the roll-up door 15 consists of slats, laths or equivalent, whose rear faces (slat faces facing towards the interior of the cabinet) have been fixed to a continuous fabric, fibre, web, or equivalent 15a, which holds the door 15 together in the embodiment of Fig. 5. The door can also, for example, be composed of slats profiled in such a way that the slats remain elastically in engagement with one another without a rear fabric.

lle brake device 1 has been installed by means of the screw 5 into the side wall 11 of the cabinet in the way shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so that the roll 2 has first been fitted onto one bent end 6 of the wire-like spring 1 of the brake device, which end 6 operates as the axle 6 of rotation of the roll 2. Said bent end which operates as a axle of rotation has a length preferably slightly shorter than the axial width of the roll 2 so that the wire end does not rub against the side wall 11. The opposite end 4 of the wire-like spring, which has been bent into a projection, is fitted into one of the holes 17 formed into the side wall 11. The screw 5 has been passed through the opening in the spiral windings; 3 and threaded into one of the holes 17 so that the wire-like spring is brought into a tensioned position and the roll 2 rests against the inner face of the roll-up door 15, in which connection the spring force presses the ends of the slats of the roll-up door against the outer edge of the groove 16 and increases the friction force formed between the door 15 and the groove 16 and 6 produces a braking effect applied to the movement of the roll-up door 15. T-ne location of the brake device 1, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in a "corner" of the roll-up door 15 is the most advantageous location also because in said location it is possible to take advantage of the holes 17 already existing in the side walls 17. Of course, it is also possible to install the brake device 1 in some other location, for example on a straight portion of the roll-up door 15, but in such a case installation holes would have to be made separately for the installation. llus, the fastening process requires just one screw 5, because the roll 2 also remains in its location while resting against the inner face of the side wall 11. Mhe material of the roll 2 is, for example, some suitable plastic or equivalent which revolves quite readily against the inner face of the roll-up door 15 without damaging it. llus, the braking effect is based on increasing the friction between the roll-up door 15 and the groove 16. Of course, there may be several brake devices 1 per door, and at least in the case of larger doors it is preferable to install a brake device at least at each edge of the door.

Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative solution for the construction of the brake device. In this figure, the brake device is denoted with the reference numeral la. The brake device la shown in Fig. 6 differs from that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in the respect that this brake device la has no roll, but the end of the brake device (spring) rests against the inner face of the roll-up door 15. The rubbing and abrading effect of such a solution is, of course, higher than that described above, for which reason it can hardly be considered to be equally favourable as the solution described above, because in the long run it may abrade an undesirable groove into the inner face of the door. In the case of Fig. 6, it is advisable at least to provide the end of the spring with some glide face to prevent abrasion.

Figs. 6A and 6B show a considerably improved version of the construction of the brake device shown in Fig. 6. As is seen directly from said figures, this embodiment is also highly similar to the solution shown in the earlier Figs. 3 to 5, with the exception that the roll 2 of the preceding embodiments has been substituted for by a glide piece 2a, which rests against the inner face of the roll-up door 15 while loaded by the spring la. With said solution, a considerably better braking effect is 7 obtained in comparison with an embodiment with a roll 2, because the sliding friction is, of course, higher than the rolling friction. Fig. 613 also shows a preferred location of the glide piece 2a when installed. As comes out from said figure, the glide piece 2a is placed in the area of the "corner' of the roll-up door 15, where a favourable effect has been noticed and in which location fun advantage can be taken of the holes 17 existing in the side wall of the cabinet.

Figs. 7 and 8 show further embodiments of the brake device as shown in Figs. 3 to 5. In Fig. 7 the roll 2 of the brake device consists of two parts, so that it co M a bushing 21 which operates as a bearing and is made of a hard material. for example nylon or equivalent, into which bushing 21 a hole 23 has been formed for the axle 6 of rotation. Onto the bushing 21, a surface layer 22 or an equivalent coating has been formed, which consists of a softer, resilient material, for example rubber or equivalent. On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the roll 2 consists of a body 24 made of a hard material, such as nylon, into whose outer face circumferential grooves have been formed, into which grooves rings 25 of, for example, rubber have been fitted.

The embodiments shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are advantageous in particular with the mode of installation shown in Fig. 9. In the description given above, no particular attention has been paid to the alignment of the axle of rotation of the roll 2, in which case it can be assumed most commonly that it is preferable to arrange the axle 6 of rotation substantially parallel to the slats of the roll-up door 15, in which case the axle of rotation is substantially perpendicular to the direction of transfer of the roll- up door 15. However, in the illustration in Fig. 9, the direction A of the axle of rotation of the roll 2 has been diverted from said direction of transfer S, in which case, besides the friction effect arising from the spring force of the brake device, a dragging effect, "toe-in", is formed between the roll 2 and the roll-up door 15, which effect further increases the braking effect that is produced. This additional brake force" is the higher, the higher the friction between the roll 2 and the roll-up door 15 can be made. llus, the soft-faced roUs as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are advantageous from the point of view of such an installation. lle braking effect 8 produced by means of dragging is quite negligible in connection with a hard-faced and slippery roll.

Above, the invention has been described by way of example with reference to the exemplifying embodiments illustrated in the figures in the accompanying drawing.

Me invention is, however, not confined to the exemplifying embodiments shown in the figures alone, but different embodiments of the invention can show variation within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the accompanying patent claims.

9

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A brake device for a flexible roll-up door, (15), which door is composed of parallel slats, laths or equivalent fitted side by side in the cross direction of the roll- up door (15), which slats or equivalent can pivot in relation to one another in relation to their longitudinal axis and which roll-up door (15) has been mounted from its transverse edges so that it can move back and forth in grooves (16) or in equivalent guide rails formed into the opposite side walls (11), characterized in that the brake device (1,1a) for a roll-up door (15) comprises a member (2,2a) that rests against the inner face of the roll-up door and that is loaded by means of. spring force, which member, by the effect of the spring force, loads the roll-up door (15) towards the outer edge of the groove (16) or an equivalent rail in order to increase the friction force that counteracts the movement of the roll-up door (15).

2. A brake device for a roll-up door as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the brake device (1) consists of at least one spring member attached to at least one of the opposite side walls (11), in which spring member the member that is loaded against the inner face of the roll-up door (15) is a roll (2) revolving on said inner face.

3. A brake device for a roll-up door as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the brake device (1a) consists of at least one spring member attached to at least one of the opposite side walls (11), in which spring member the member that is loaded against the inner face of the roll-up door (15) is a glide piece (2a) or equivalent gliding against said inner face.

4. A brake device for a roll-up door as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the axle of rotation of the roll (2) is substantially verse to the direction of transfer (S) of the roll-up door.

5. A brake device for a roll-up door as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the direction (A) of the axle of rotation of the roll (2) has been diverted at an angle from the direction transverse to the direction of transfer (S) of the roll-up door (15).

6. A brake device for a roll-up door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brake device (1, la) is a wire-like or equivalent spring, one of whose ends has been bent into an axle (6) of rotation of the roll (2) or into a shaft of articulation of the glide piece (2a), respectively, and which spring device has been attached to the side wall (11) by means of a screw (5) or an equivalent fastening member.

7. A brake device for a roll-up door as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the attaching of the spring to the side wall (11) has been arranged from the middle area of the spring (1, 1 a), and that the opposite end of the spring has been bent into a projection (4) that is fixed to the side wall (11) and that is substantially parallel to the axle (6) of rotation of the roll (2) or to the shaft of articulation of the glide piece (2a), respectively.

8. A brake for a roll-up door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roll (2) or the glide piece (2a), respectively, consists of two parts and comprises a bushing (21) made of a hard material and operating as a bearing as well as a softer surface layer (22) or an equivalent coating placed on the bushing.

9. A brake for a roll-up door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, charactexized in that one or several rings (25), arranged side by side, has/have been fitted onto the roll (2).