ITBO20120503A1 - LOCKING DEVICE, FOR CURTAINS, MOBILE WALLS, MOSQUITO NETS AND THE LIKE. - Google Patents

Description

Title: LOCKING DEVICE, FOR CURTAINS, MOVABLE WALLS, MOSQUITO NETS AND SIMILAR.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a locking apparatus for curtains, movable walls, mosquito nets and the like.

As is known, outdoor furnishing solutions (pergolas, awnings, gazebos, etc.) are increasingly widespread on the market, which involve the use of curtains and movable walls, in order to delimit and protect well-defined areas from atmospheric agents, typically adjacent to homes or other buildings for commercial use, such as restaurants, bathing establishments, etc. In this context, manufacturing companies are constantly looking for products capable of satisfying the needs of customers, in terms of performance and technical characteristics and / or as they have an attractive and pleasant design.

More particularly, furnishing solutions are now widespread that involve the use of curtains and movable walls, essentially consisting of a flexible sheet that can be unwound by a roller (according to a predefined direction, be it horizontal, vertical, oblique or curvilinear), to protect (from the top or side) a predefined area and / or constitute an obstacle to access from the outside by people, insects and other animals, atmospheric agents.

With further reference to these embodiments, one of the tasks that the manufacturers typically have to face is that of guaranteeing the user the possibility of locking the sheet, once the latter has been completely unwound by the roller, around which It is vice versa wrapped up when not in use.

Usually, the movement of the fabric is guided by profiles arranged on the sides of the awning, which internally define respective seats in which corresponding pins can slide. protruding from the ends of a terminal bar, fixed to the side of the sheet opposite the roller.

In correspondence of the complete unwinding of the fabric, and therefore of a certain stroke of the pins with respect to the position of complete winding, the pins themselves can automatically engage in respective recesses made in the profiles, which allow the blocking of the curtain itself and prevent its unwanted unwinding .

However, this construction solution is not without drawbacks.

The sheets that make up many tents and movable walls (and not only) are made of polymeric materials, subject to thermal expansion, even significant due to the changes in the environmental conditions to which they are inevitably subjected.

The extent of the stroke made by the pin to reach the limit switch, at which the pin itself is required to engage in the respective recess, is therefore in turn subject to undesired variations, due to these thermal expansions.

It therefore follows that the thermal expansion of the polymeric material can cause a malfunction, and the non-locking of the awning, since at the end of the stroke the pin is in a position different from the predetermined one, and in which the automatic engagement with the locking members.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above problems, realizing an apparatus capable of ensuring the locking in a predefined configuration of curtains, movable walls, mosquito nets, and the like, in a practical and effective way, even in the face of thermal expansion of the same.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which guarantees the correct locking of curtains, movable walls, mosquito nets and the like, without compromising the correct movement of the curtain itself during its unwinding and rewinding.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which ensures high operating reliability.

Not least object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be easily obtained starting from elements and materials commonly available on the market.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of low cost and safe application.

This task and these purposes are achieved by a locking apparatus, particularly for curtains, movable walls, mosquito nets and the like, substantially comprising at least one cloth, movable according to a predetermined direction of movement and provided with a shaft arranged transversely, said apparatus comprising at least one pin projecting laterally from the shaft and movable along a guide profile, defining the predetermined direction of movement, and at least one fastening pawl, normally arranged in interference with the trajectory of said at least one pin, one between said pawl and said pin being elastically movable , with respect to the other between said pawl and said pin, due to its oscillation in correspondence with the interception of said pin by said pawl and the subsequent advancement of said pin beyond said pawl, up to the substantial housing of said pin in a seat made along the profile of said harpoon, for the definition of a removable locking configuration of the sheet, characterized in that it comprises a shoulder, substantially facing and close to said seat and integral with it, defining an abutment for said pin in correspondence with said advancement of said pin beyond said pawl, for maintaining in substantial alignment of said pin and said seat and favoring the substantial housing of said pin in said seat.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the locking apparatus according to the invention installed on a first type of curtain or movable wall;

figure 2 is a first detail of figure 1; figure 3 is a second detail of figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking apparatus according to the invention installed on a second type of curtain or movable wall;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the fastening harpoon;

Figure 6 illustrates the fastening harpoon and a further element, in perspective view;

figure 7 illustrates the fastening pawl and the further element, in front elevation and partially sectioned;

figure 8 illustrates the fastening pawl and a further element, in lateral elevation;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the pin and a further component of the locking apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 10 illustrates the pin and the further component of the locking apparatus according to the invention, in an exploded perspective view;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the pin.

With particular reference to the aforementioned figures, the reference number 1 globally indicates an apparatus intended in particular for locking, in a specific configuration, curtains, movable walls 2, mosquito nets and the like, in any case substantially comprising at least one sheet 3, movable according to a predetermined direction of movement and provided with a shaft 3a arranged transversely (typically, but not exclusively, in correspondence with an end edge of the sheet 3 itself).

More in detail, the locking device 1 is intended to be installed on outdoor furnishing solutions, such as pergolas, awnings, gazebos, etc., which envisage the use of curtains and / or movable walls 2 (consisting precisely of sheets 3, usually made of polymeric materials and movable in a horizontal, oblique or vertical direction), in order to delimit and protect well-defined areas from atmospheric agents.

Even more specifically, according to the preferred application, the apparatus 1 is intended to be used for locking mobile sheets 3 in a vertical direction (as illustrated for example in Figure 1), but it is reiterated that these sheets 3 can also be movable according to a different horizontal or oblique direction (as for example in the solution proposed in Figure 4).

However, it should be noted from now on that the above-mentioned use constitutes a preferred, but not exclusive, application of the locking apparatus 1 according to the invention; constant reference will therefore be made to this preferred application in the rest of this discussion, but the possibility (in any case falling within the scope of protection claimed here) of using the locking device 1 on other furnishing elements (for external or internal) is not excluded. ), on other windows, or in any other sector, according to specific needs.

In any case, the locking apparatus 1 comprises at least one pin 4 protruding laterally from the shaft 3a and movable along a guide profile 5, which in fact defines the aforementioned predetermined direction of movement (which preferably, but not exclusively, is ̈ vertical). Furthermore, the locking apparatus 1 comprises at least one fastening pawl 6, normally arranged in interference with the trajectory of the pin 4.

One between the pawl 6 and the pin 4 is movable in an elastic way, with respect to the other, in order to be able to oscillate in correspondence with the interception of the pin 4 by the pawl 6, and the subsequent advancement of the pin 4 beyond the pawl 6, until the pin 4 is substantially housed in a seat 7 made along the profile of the pawl 6 (on the opposite side with respect to the direction of origin of the pin 4), in such a way as to define a removable locking configuration of the cloth 3, preventing the latter from retracting moving in the opposite direction.

According to the invention, the locking apparatus 1 comprises a shoulder 8, substantially facing and close to the seat 7 and integral with it, which defines a stop for the pin 4, when the latter advances beyond the pawl 6 in its stroke, guided by the profile 5, in such a way as to keep the pin 4 and the seat 7 in substantial alignment and thus favor the substantial housing of the pin 4 itself in the latter. More particularly, according to the preferred embodiment solution, proposed for example in Figures 1 and 4 for illustrative and non-limiting purposes of the application of the invention, the locking apparatus 1 comprises a pair of fastening pawls 6, which are normally arranged in proximity to of the predefined limit switch of the respective trajectories of two pins 4, which protrude laterally from the opposite ends of the shaft 3a and which are movable along corresponding guide profiles 5, which define the predetermined direction of movement of the sheet 3, chosen of the roll-up type.

According to the preferred application (not limiting the application of the invention), and with reference to the attached figure 1, the sheet 3 can be wrapped, in a first configuration, around a roller, and can be unwound vertically until it is completely extended, until it covers a predefined area. Precisely in correspondence with its complete extension, and therefore when the pins 4 reach their respective limit switches, the apparatus 1 acts, which therefore allows the sheet 3 to be locked in the configuration of complete unwinding.

Usefully, each pawl 6 is elastically articulated to the respective guide profile 5, to allow its oscillation in proximity of the reaching of the predefined limit switch by the respective pin 4 and the subsequent advancement of the latter beyond the respective pawl 6.

According to the preferred embodiment, therefore, proposed in the attached figures, the pin 4 has only the possibility of moving along the guide profile 5, while the pawl 6 can oscillate elastically with respect to the guide profile 5 itself.

However, it should be pointed out that the possibility of making locking apparatuses 1 according to the invention is not excluded in which the fastening pawl 6 is substantially fixed and therefore integral with the frame surrounding the sheet 3, while the pin 4, in addition to being able to sliding along profile 5, it can oscillate elastically.

In any case, the locking apparatus 1 positively comprises means for tensioning the sheet 3, which can be activated after the advancement of the pin 4 beyond the pawl 6 (typically after its abutment against the shoulder 8), to ensure the stable maintenance of the locking configuration defined above.

In particular, these tensioning means are substantially constituted by a driving unit of the sheet 3, which unit is entrusted with the task of controlling its unwinding and winding.

To determine the tension, when the pin 4 advances beyond the pawl 6, keeping itself aligned with the seat 7 thanks to the shoulder 8 on which it abuts, it is sufficient for the drive unit to rewind a minimum portion of the sheet 3 to bring the pin 4 itself to abut with force against the bottom of the seat 7, thus ensuring the stable maintenance of the locking configuration and avoiding the danger of deflection of the sheet 3 or of the pin 4 slipping out.

The tensioning of the cloth 3 can have a greater or lesser intensity depending on the amount of rewinding imposed, which in turn varies for example according to specific application requirements. In any case, in correspondence with the rewinding necessary for tensioning, the thrust of the pin 4 against the harpoon 6 is opposed by the resistance of the harpoon 6 itself and the other components involved, which are sized in such a way as to guarantee tensioning without risking breakages or in any case excessive stress.

For example, according to a first embodiment, the drive unit can be constituted by a motor, preferably of the electric type, operatively associated with the winding roller of the sheet 3: this motor can thus be operated on command, as well as to determine the winding and unwinding of the sheet 3 itself, also to ensure, as noted, its tensioning.

Or, in a different embodiment (which does not exhaust the possible embodiments of the tensioning means), the drive unit consists of a winch operatively associated with the winding roller of the sheet 3: the winch can be operated manually by means of a suitable crank to determine the winding and unwinding of the sheet 3.

According to an embodiment of considerable practical interest, cited for illustrative and non-limiting purposes of the application of the invention, each fixing harpoon 6 comprises a base plate 9, articulated to a base 10 fixed to the profile 5 around a pin 9a, which can be inserted in a hole 9b made on the plate 9 itself. On one side 9c of the plate 9 a lamina 11 develops parallel, which forms, with its terminal flap, a shaped projection 12, which in turn defines the perimeter of the seat 7. It is therefore precisely from the aforementioned side 9c of the plate 9 (which is opposed to the projection 12), which extends the shoulder 8, substantially facing and close to the seat 7.

Conveniently, the profile of each shaped projection 12 has, on the opposite side with respect to the seat 7, at least a first shaped guide portion 12a, for the respective pin 4. In this way, each pin 4 can slide along the respective first portion 12a during the oscillation of the harpoon 6 (which in fact therefore behaves like a cam), until it encounters against a first face 8a of the shoulder 8 in correspondence with the advancement of the pin 4 over the harpoon 6, to maintain, as already observed, the pin 4 and the seat 7 are substantially aligned, thus favoring the substantial housing of the pin 4 in the seat 7.

Furthermore, each shoulder 8 has a second shaped guide section 8b for the pin 4, in correspondence with a second face thereof, opposite the first face 8a: when the respective pin 4 is housed in the seat 7, requiring the unwinding of a minimum portion of the sheet 3, the respective pin 4 can slide on the second section 8b, with consequent oscillation of the pawl 6 for disengagement from the seat 7 and the release of the sheet 3 itself.

Advantageously, each pin 4 is substantially constituted by a first section 13a and by a second section 13b arranged coaxially: the first section 13a can be rigidly inserted in a duct 14 made in a respective head 15, which in turn can be associated in a stable manner at the corresponding end of the shaft 3a.

For example, as can be seen from the attached figures 9, 10 and 11, the rigid coupling between the first piece 13a and the head 15 can be obtained by means of a headless screw 16a (a hexagonal socket grain), whose stem, introduced in the duct 14, it can thus rest on the bottom of a recess 16b, made along the lateral surface of the first section 13, thus preventing the rotation and / or the extraction of the pin 4 (the forcing of the headless screw 16a also ensuring stability of the pin 4 itself in the duct 14).

The second segment 13b, as can be seen for example from Figure 11, has a substantially elliptical cross section and protrudes externally from the duct 14, in order to be able to be housed in the seat 7 in correspondence with the predefined limit switch.

While not excluding the possibility (in any case falling within the scope of protection defined here) of using second lengths 13b (and / or pins 4) provided with different cross sections, for example circular or polygonal, according to specific needs, it should be noted that the the choice of providing the second section 13b with a substantially elliptical cross section contributes to the optimal operation of the apparatus 1, since the reduced transverse dimension of this second section 13b is more easily insertable in the seat 7, making it improbable, if not impossible, to fail housing in it or any jamming against its edges.

Positively, each base 10 has a cavity 17 suitable for accommodating a spring 18, which acts elastically on the fastening pawl 6, to keep it in interference with the trajectory of the respective pin 4 (and which tends to return it elastically to this arrangement, when the pin 4 itself advances beyond the harpoon 6).

The operation of the locking apparatus according to the invention is as follows.

When the movement of the sheet 3 is required, the user can act on the drive unit (be it a motor, a winch or other) to control the unwinding from the roller, and thus allow the progressive covering of a predetermined area (laterally bounded by the sections 5).

During unwinding, the pin 4 moves along the profiles 5 until it intercepts the fastening pawl 6, kept in the interference position by the elastic action of the spring 18. In its further advancement along the profile 5, the pin 4 slides along the first guide section 12a and at the same time overcomes the elastic action of the spring 18, causing oscillation of the pawl 6 around its axis of rotation, defined by the pin 9a, until it passes the pawl 6 itself.

The thrust action of the pin 4, opposed by the elastic reaction of the spring 18, keeps the pin 4 in contact with the pawl 6 during the oscillation of the latter, up to the substantial housing in the seat 7, in correspondence with which the thrust of the pin 4 is interrupted and the harpoon 6 returns to its initial position, offering a contrast to the possible retraction of the pin 4.

The locking configuration of the sheet 3 is thus determined, made more stable by the action of the tensioning means, which in the preferred solution consist of the drive unit, which commands a minimum rewinding of the sheet 3, thus allowing the pin 4 to abut with force against the bottom of the seat 7, thus preventing inflections and / or slips.

The locking configuration is thus obtained first of all, thanks to the action of the pawl 6 which, being elastically maintained along the trajectory of the pin 4, is automatically able to intercept it and subsequently to ensure locking; moreover, the presence of the tensioning means is a further guarantee of determining an optimal locking.

Even more important is to observe how when the pin 4 advances beyond the pawl 6, and therefore shortly before the substantial housing in the seat 7, the pin 4 itself strikes against the shoulder 8, which in fact keeps it aligned with the seat 7, favoring precisely the housing in the latter, in a practical and easy way.

It is also evident that even if the stroke of the pin 4 beyond the harpoon 6 is higher than a design value, or in any case of a significant amount (as can happen in the case of thermal expansion of the polymeric material with which the sheet 3), the presence of the shoulder 8 ensures the constant and optimal alignment of the pin 4 with the seat 7, in such a way as to avoid the non-housing of the pin 4 itself in the latter (for example following an undesired reverse oscillation of the harpoon 6, now completely disengaged from the pin 4, as could occur with known solutions).

It should be noted that locking and subsequent unlocking are guaranteed by the cooperation of components which perform their function without resorting to the action of gravity, as vice versa occurs with some known type locking apparatuses. It follows that the application of the locking apparatus 1 is possible on sheets 3 which extend in any direction: in particular, it is possible to use the apparatus 1 to effectively block in a desired configuration sheets 3 with horizontal or inclined development although, as already observed, according to the preferred application the apparatus 1 is intended to operate on curtains and movable vertical walls 2.

Finally, it should be noted that the pin 4 is limited to covering, integrally with the sheet 3, the unwinding trajectory defined by the profile 5, and it is not necessary to impose further movements, as instead happens by resorting to known locking groups, with consequent structural complications , which often compromise the correct handling of the curtain itself during its unwinding and rewinding.

In practice it has been found that the apparatus according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since the presence of the shoulder, substantially facing and close to the seat that houses the pin, offers a feedback to the latter in correspondence with its advancement beyond the harpoon, keeping the pin and the seat in substantial alignment and favoring the substantial housing of the first in the second, thus ensuring the locking in a predefined configuration of curtains, movable walls, mosquito nets, and the like, in a practical and effective way , even in the face of thermal expansion of the same.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

In the illustrated embodiments, individual characteristics, reported in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims (10)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1. Locking apparatus, particularly for curtains, movable walls (2), mosquito nets and the like, substantially comprising at least one sheet (3), movable according to a predetermined direction of movement and provided with a shaft (3a) arranged transversely, said apparatus ( 1) comprising at least one pin (4) protruding laterally from the shaft (3a) and movable along a guide profile (5), defining the predetermined direction of movement, and at least one fastening pawl (6), normally arranged in interference with respect to to the trajectory of said at least one pin (4), one between said pawl (6) and said pin (4) being elastically movable, with respect to the other between said pawl (6) and said pin (4), due to its oscillation in correspondence of the interception of said pin (4) by said pawl (6) and of the subsequent advancement of said pin (4) beyond said pawl (6), until the substantial housing of said pin (4) in a seat (7 ) made along the profile of said harpoon (6), for the definition of a removable locking configuration of the sheet (3), characterized by the fact of comprising a shoulder (8), substantially facing and close to said seat (7) and integral with it, defining an abutment for said pin (4) in correspondence with said advancement of said pin (4) beyond said pawl (6), for keeping said pin (4) and said seat (7) in substantial alignment and favoring the substantial housing of said pin ( 4) in said seat (7). 2. Locking apparatus, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a pair of said fastening pawls (6), normally arranged in proximity to the predefined limit switch of the respective trajectories of two of said pins (4), protruding laterally from opposite ends of the shaft (3a) and movable along corresponding guide profiles (5), defining the predetermined direction of movement of the sheet (3), chosen of the roller shutter type. 3. Locking apparatus, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each of said pawl (6) is elastically articulated to the respective guide profile (5), due to its oscillation in proximity of reaching the predefined limit switch to be part of the respective said pin (4) and of the subsequent advancement of said pin (4) beyond said pawl (6). 4. Locking apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for tensioning the sheet (3), which can be activated after the advancement of said pin (4) past said pawl (6) and of its abutment against said shoulder (8), to ensure the stable maintenance of said locking configuration. 5. Locking apparatus, according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that said tensioning means are substantially constituted by a drive unit of the sheet (3), adapted to control its unwinding and winding, a rewinding of a minimum portion of the sheet (3), in correspondence with said advancement of said pin (4) beyond said pawl (6) and its abutment against said shoulder (8), determining the tensioning of the sheet (3) to ensure the stable maintenance of said configuration of locking. 6. Locking apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said fixing hooks (6) comprises a base plate (9), articulated to a base (10) fixed to the profile (5), on one side (9c) of said plate (9), a lamina (11) developing parallel, conforming, with its terminal edge, a shaped projection (12), defining the perimeter of said seat (7), on said side (9c) of said plate (9) extending said shoulder (8), substantially facing and close to said seat (7). 7. Locking apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said profile of each of said shaped projections (12) has, on the opposite side with respect to said seat (7), at least a first shaped guide section ( 12a), for the respective said pin (4), each of said pins (4) sliding along the respective said first portion (12a) during the oscillation of said pawl (6), until it abuts against a first face (8a) of said shoulder (8) in correspondence with said advancement of said pin (4) beyond said pawl (6), to keep said pin (4) and said seat (7) in substantial alignment and favor the substantial housing of said pin (4) in said seat (7). 8. Locking apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said shoulders (8) has a second shaped guide section (8b) for the pin (4), in correspondence with a second face thereof, opposite to said first face (8a), when the respective said pin (4) is substantially housed in the corresponding said seat (7), following the unwinding of a minimum portion of the sheet (3), the respective said pin (4) sliding on said second section (8b) with consequent oscillation of said pawl (6) for disengagement from said seat (7) and release of sheet (3). 9. Locking apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said pins (4) is substantially constituted by a first section (13a) and by a second section (13b) arranged coaxially, said first section (13a) being rigidly insertable in a duct (14) made in a respective head (15), stably associable to the corresponding end of the shaft (3a), the second section (13b), having a substantially elliptical cross section and protruding externally from said duct (14), due to its substantial housing in said seat (7) in correspondence with the predefined limit switch. 10. Locking apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said bases (10) has a cavity (17) suitable for accommodating a spring (18), acting elastically on said fastening pawl ( 6), to keep it in interference with respect to the trajectory of the respective said pin (4).