WO1987004485A1

WO1987004485A1 - A horizontally sliding door

Info

Publication number: WO1987004485A1
Application number: PCT/SE1987/000017
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernt Hugo Manns
Original assignee: Nomafa Ab
Priority date: 1986-01-20
Filing date: 1987-01-19
Publication date: 1987-07-30
Also published as: SE8600222D0; SE457976B; SE8600222L; JPH01501559A

Abstract

A sliding door comprising two door panels (12, 13) which are movable horizontally in opposite directions to open and close the door. The door panels are wound onto and wound off vertical roll-up cylinders (14, 15). Preferably, the door panel movements are coordinated by means of belts (16, 17, 18, 19) and spring means (34) arranged above and below the door panels. The belts may be wound onto belt drums (26, 27, 28, 29). At its forward edge each door panel carries a stiffening member in the form of beams which are attached to blocks or carriages (20, 21, 22, 23).

Description

A Horizontally Sliding Door

In many areas there is a need for doors that can be opened and closed rapidly. As examples of such doors may be mentioned doors for use in workshops, industrial premises, storage rooms and similar premises. The need for rapidly moving doors may be due to frequent passages through the door or that it is desirable to avoid exchange of air between two rooms or to prevent undesired outflow/leakage of heat from the premises.

Prior-art technology shows several examples of rapidly moving doors. All these doors are vertically moving roll-up doors having the wind-on roller positioned above the door opening. A door of this kind is disclosed in e.g. the Swedish Patent Specification No. 72 10 759-2. To improve the insulation properties double door panels may be used as shown in the Swedish Patent Application No. 83 00573-6.

When roll-up doors are used as outer doors or to separate rooms having different temperatures it is very important that the opening and closing movements are rapid. In vertically opening doors the weight of the door panel is well balanced, which considerably reduces the duration of the closing and opening movements of the door. However, balancing arrangements are expensive. In the absence of balancing means a large operating mechanism is required, which also increases the costs of the door.

Vertically moving doors also cause a problem when the ceiling height is reduced. Doors of this kind require a headroom space above the door opening of at least 60 cm to accommodate the roll-up roller, unless special arrangements are made.

The purpose of the subject invention is to provide a roll-up door by means of which it becomes possible to reduce the duration of the opening and closing movements of the door while at the same time the door is simple and cheap to manufacture and to operate.

The above purposes are achieved in accordance with the teachings of the invention by means of a sliding door or roll-up door which comprises two door panels and which is characterized therein that to open and close the door the two door panels are movable horizontally and in opposite directions in their individual track, said tracks being offset relative to each other, and in that the two door panels may be wound on and be wound off their individual vertical roll-up cylinder, one such cylinder being positioned on either side of the door opening. A sliding door in accordance with the subject invention does not need any balancing means and it is useful also in premises with a reduced ceiling height. Because two door panels are provided which operate in opposite directions towards and away from each other the opening and closing time for the door is ha!fed in compar son with conventional doors, provided that the door opening is of square configuration and that the wind-on speed is identical with that of a vertically moving roll-up door.

The tracks in which the two door panels sl de are offset relative to each other. The door panels may be arranged to stop at the door-opening midpoint but it is likewise possible to arrange for each door panel to cover the entire door opening, thus providing improved insulating effects from the double door panels. Both functions may be available, in which case the door panels may be switched from one function to the other so that during daytime with heavy traffic through the door the door panels may each cover half the width of the door opening whereas during night-time both door panels may be arranged to cover the entire door-opening. Also, the single panel closing arrangement may be chosen for the suπmer and the double door panel arrangement during the winter. Owing to the offset position of the door panels a space is formed between the panels and to fill up this space strips may be provided on the door panels positioned at an angle thereto. The strips need not interfere with the movements of the door panels when the latter pass each other to close the door opening in accordance with the double door panel arrangement.

At the forwards vertical edge of each door panel a stiffening member may be provided. Coordinating means may be connected to the stiffening members to synchronize the door panel movements to open and close the door. The coordinating means preferably are in the form of tensile stress absorbing drive belts or similar means for transfer of motive power. The stiffening members and the coordinating means may be interconnected via blocks or slides which run in horizontal tracks or in rails.

The drive belts may be arranged to be rolled up about belt drums which are coaxial with the rotary door panel wind-on cylinders and which are arranged to rotate in synchrony with the latter.

To compensate for any differences in movement between the drive belts and the door panels the coordinating means may be equipped with spring means. Alternatively, the belt roll-up drums may be resiliency held against the door panel wind-on cylinders.

The invention will be described in closer detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein

Fig. 1 is a general principal view of a roll-up door or sliding door in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of one of the door panels of the roll-up door or sliding door, and

Fig. 3 is a principal view of the means arranged to coordinate the movements of the door panels of the embodiment thereof illustrated in the previous drawing figures. For the sake of simplicity the coordinating means are shown partly broken.

The roll -up door or sliding door which is designated generally by 10, comprises a pair of single door panels 12, 13 which are movable towards and away from each other. Each door panel may be wound onto and wound off its individual roll-up cylinder 14, 15. Each door panel is equipped with a stiffening member in the form of a beam 24, 25 which is positioned at the door panel edge which constitutes the forwards edge when the panel moves towards its door-closing position. The door panels 12, 13 are paid out tangentially from the roll-up cylinders 14, 15 and each panel travels in its respective one of two tracks 30. The tracks 30 and therefore the paths of movement of the door panels 12, 13 are somewhat offset relative to each other. When the door 10 is closing the two door panels meet at the door 10 midpoint forming between them a gap which corresponds to the distance between the tracks 30. To make the door tightly closing the door panels 12, 13 are provided with one sealing strip 32 each, which strip is attached to the stiffening beams 24, 25 of the door panels 12, 13 and extends across the gap between the tracks 30 at essentially right angles to the door panels 12, 13. The door 10 is closed when the two door panels 12, 13 meet at the centre of the door. In this position, the strips 32 abut against each other and thus seal the door tightly. However, if desired the tracks 30 may be arranged to allow the door panels to be pulled out further, in which case the sliding door will be closed by means of double door panels. In this case, the strips 32 are shaped to allow them to pass each other freely and without interfering with each other.

In accordance with another embodiment the door panels may move in one single common track extending across the entire width of the door. In this embodiment the sealing strips 32 become superfluous. This embodiment of the door does not allow the door panels to be pulled out in such a manner that the door panels pass each other and thus closing by means of the single door panel arrangement is the only possible variety.

The door panels 12, 13 are operated with the aid of upper and lower coordinating means. In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in the drawings these means are in the form of belts 16, 17 which are positioned at the top of the door panels 12, 13 and belts 18, 19 positioned at the bottom of the door panels 12, 13. At one of its ends the belt 16 is connected to the beam 24 by means of two blocks 20 and an intermediate spring 34 whereas the opposite belt end is arranged to be rolled about a belt drum 27 which is mounted on the same rotational shaft as the roll-up cylinder 15 and which is placed above the latter. In a corresponding manner, the belt 17 is connected to the beam 25 by means of two blocks 21 and an intermediate spring 34 at one of its ends whereas the opposite belt end is arranged to be wound onto a belt drum 26 which is monted on the same rotational shaft as the roll-up cylinder 14 and which is positioned above the latter. The belts 16, 17 and. the blocks 20, 21 are arranged to travel in door casings (not shown) or similar means. In the same manner the lower belts 18, 19 (see Figs. 1 and 2) are connected to their respective one of beams 24, 25 by means of blocks 23 and 22, respectively, and intermediate springs 34 and they are arranged to be rolled onto belt drums 28 and 29 mounted on the same rotational shafts as and being positioned below the roll-up cylinders 14 and 15, respectively. The belts 18, 19 and their respective attachment blocks 23, 22 run in the tracks 30 which are made in the floor (see Fig. 2). The blocks 20, 21,

22 and 23 may be replaced by carriages which run in the upper casings or in the tracks 30 and which interconnect the belts 16, 17, 18, 19 with the door panels 12, 13.

Various types of drive mechanisms are possible to actuate the door in accordance with the invention. Preferably, one of the roll-up cylinders 14, 15 is driven and the coordinating means synchronize the movements of the two door panels. Since the door panels 12, 13 are wound off the cylinders 14, 15 when the belts 16, 17, 18, 19 are wound onto the belt drums 27, 26, 28, 29 and vice versa, it is necessary to compensate for the differences in diameter dimensions that arise as a consequence thereof. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment this compensation is effected by means of the springs 23 which are inserted between the pairs of blocks or carriages 20, 21, 22,

23 at the^' points of connection of the belts 16, 17, 18, 19 to the beams 24 and 25, respectively. The compensating means could also be incorporated into roll-up cylinders or belt drums.

The control of the .movements of the door 10 could be arranged in a number of optional ways. A conventionally manually operated regulating mechanism may be supplemented with an automatic control mechanism. The automatic system may be arranged to open the door when a truck or similar vehicle approaches the door.

The door 10 is provided with a safety mechanism which stops the door movements when a person or an object runs a risk of being caught between the door panels 12, 13. The safety system could be of any conventional prior-art type and be arranged to interrupt the movements of the door panels 12, 13 when an obstacle of a predetermined size or magnitude prevents the panels 12, 13 from moving.

The door panels 12, 13 could be made from a number of suitable materials, including plastics-coated fabrics or similar materials. In some applications it is desirable that the door is transparent and when this is the case the door panels are made from a see-through plastics material.

The horizontal movement of the door panels 12, 13 to close and open the door 10 results in a minimum of resistance against the door panel movements and a comparatively small force is required to operate the door panels. Each door panel 12, 13 covers half the door opening and consequently only half the time is required compared with that required to close and open a door opening which is to be covered by one single door panel only. As a result, the exchange of air and leakage of heat from the premises will be minimum. The door 10 in accordance with the invention therefore will be suitable for use in premises with frequent traffic through the door.

The embodiments of the invention described in the aforegoing are to be regarded as examples only and a variety of other embodiments are possible within the scope of the appended claims. The above description has suggested various ways of operating the door and controlling the door movements. However, a variety of other operating possibilities could be used. For instance, the door may be operated by means of the upper belt only, and thus the tracks in the floor may be eliminated. This is an advantage in positions when the door separates an indoor room from the outside one.

Claims

1. A sliding door comprising two door panels (12, 13), c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that to open and close the door the two door panels are movable horizontally and in opposite directions in their individual track, said tracks being offset relative to each other, and in that the two door panels may be wound onto and be wound off their individual vertical roll -up cylinder (14, 15 J, one such cylinder being positioned on either side of the door opening.

2. A sliding door as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d therein that means are provided to stop the movements of the door panels (12, 13) at a point corresponding to half the width of the door opening.

3. A sliding door as claimed in claim ^ c h a a c¬ e r i z e d therein that strips (22) are provided on the door panels (12, 13), said strips extending at an angle to the panels to fill out the gap caused by the offset relationship of the door panels (12, 13).

4. A sliding door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that each door panel (12, 13) is provided with a stiffening member (24, 25) at its forward edge.

5. A sliding door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that means are provided to coordinate the movements of the door panels (12, 13) to close or open the door (10).

6. A sliding door as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d therein that said coordinating means are tensile stress absorbing belts (16, 17, 18, 19) or similar means arranged above and/or below the door panels (12, 13).

7. A sliding door as claimed in claim 6, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d therein that the belts (16, 17, 18, 19) are provided with spring means (34) to compensate for the differences in movement of the belts (16, 17, 18, 19) and the door panels (12, 13).

8. A sliding door as claimed in claim 6 or 7, c h a r a c¬ t e r ! z e d therein that the belts (16, 17, 18, 19) are arranged to be wound about belt drums (26, 27, 28, 29).

9. A sliding door as claimed in claim 8, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d therein that the belt drums (26, 27, 28, 29) have the same rotational axis as the roll-up cylinders (14, 15) and are arranged to rotate in synchrony with said cylinders.