WO2014203287A1

WO2014203287A1 - Anti-drop safety device against torsion spring break in rolling shutter

Info

Publication number: WO2014203287A1
Application number: PCT/IT2014/000165
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paolo PILUTTI; Stefano SCACCABAROZZI
Original assignee: Conegliano Serramenti S.R.L.
Priority date: 2013-06-20
Filing date: 2014-06-20
Publication date: 2014-12-24
Also published as: ITTV20130099A1

Abstract

This invention was developed to be used in civil or industrial rolling shutter With the purpose solution, it's possible to stop the falling of rolling shutter when the spring of enslavement, at motor o manual mechanism, breaks. In reality the device is made by a square mechanical shaft that may rotate few degrees respect an octagonal rotating tube, according with a mechanical device, in two torsion springs, one with a great torque and the other with a little opposite torque, in two gears, one rotating, the other fixed that may fit together, in one compressing spring and some other parts for mechanical connection. In normal working the powerful spring torque goes over the opposite little one obliging the devise to have a precarious position, however stable. In this position the gears are far each other and the octagonal tube may rotate winding or rewinding the rolling shutter. When the enslavement spring, which has the bigger torque, breaks, the device is obliged to move immediately toward a more stable position in which the rotating gear is strongly fit with the fixed gear. This position stops any rotation of the rotating gear and consequently the fall of the gate.

Description

ANTI-DROP SAFETY DEVICE AGAINST TORSION SPRING

BREAK IN ROLLING SHUTTER

DESCRIPTION

The use of mechanical shutting systems at accesses and openings, in civil or industrial areas, needs the observance of the rules provided in order to protect both the safety of the person who sets in action the system, and the safety of persons that might be near at the closing devices.

This concept is valid also for rolling shutters, usually used to protect shops and garages and further for the rolling shutters where the winding shaft is high, over the access to be protected and when a spring compensation device is applied for reduce the load on the driving shaft.

The spring break , or of other springy devices, might be a static and / or dynamic potential danger.

The spring is used in other to give an extra torque to the winding shaft permitting the use of a cheaper electric motor. The extra elastic torque, given at the spring during the installation, is transferred little by little while the rolling shutter rise up. If the spring break itself , the whole closing system begins unstable and potentially dangerous.

The background art has few solutions; there are some electric devices (micro-^ switch) able to notice the break of one spring but they are expensive, not practical and above all not reliable in time. Other mechanical devices find application only with plate spring (EP1270866 and JPS6314795) but can't be used with torsion spring. Others else, employed with torsion spring, intervening with delay, permit the rolling shutter increases kinetic energy with high danger. The present invention gives a technical solution, feasible, durable and cheap. This description, just for example and no restrictive, refers only the choosing device , known as shaft with compensation spring , ( FIG. 1) but this idea is easy applicable at some other similar springy systems with the necessary geometric modifications.

The FIG.1 represents a well known and used system, called shaft with balancing spring ; the rolling shutter goes up and down wrapping itself over the octagonal tube, that is tightly fixed at a rotating gear.

The FIG 2 and 3 show the conceived system before the powerful torsion spring is loaded.

The FIG 4 and 5 show the positions of all the parts during the regular working. The FIG. 6 shows the position of the device after the powerful spring break.

Now take a square mechanical shaft 1 , put inside in a strong torsion spring 2, having shorter length than mechanical shaft. . All these parts are both inside into the octagonal tube 3 used to wind - unwind the rolling shutter (only a part of octagonal tube is shown to permit the whole vision) FIG 1 .

The square mechanical shaft length, 1 , is enough to leak out of the strong torsion spring, 2, and the octagonal tube, 3 . One extreme of the strong torsion spring, 2, is fixed at the square mechanical shaft.1 (under 3B); the other extreme of the spring is fixed at the octagonal tube (in 3A). This tube may rotate on bearings around the axis of mechanical shaft , 1.

Keeping irremovable the square mechanical shaft, 1 , it's possible to accumulate springy potential energy between the internal mechanical shaft, 1 , and the external octagonal tube, 3. Rotate the external tube during the installation operations, and fixed the rolling shutter. The weight of the rolling shutter will be partly balanced from the springy torque and the motor will need less torque to move the rolling shutter.

This potential springy load generates a tension situation between the tube , 3, and the shaft, 1). With the abrupt break of the strong torsion spring, 2, both these two parts are subjected to a violent opposite reaction exploitable in the invented device.

Till now, in order to facilitate the understanding, the square mechanical shaft, 1 , was fixed and could not have any rotation. Be consented now a very small partial rotation, limited by a small metal plate, 9, partly adjustable. A small torsion spring, 7, operates on it , applied at one side to a structural metal plate, 6, put in tension with adjustable screw, 10, and at the other side to this small metal plate, 9. This torsion spring, 7, under stress from its assemblage, will rotate the small metal plate, 9, in opposite direction in regard to the direction of the strong torsion spring, 2. This rotation will be possible only if the strong torque spring, 2, is not operating.

With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG.3, put two metal parts, 4 and 5, appropriately built, between the structural plate, 6, and the octagonal tube, 3.

These two parts may fit together.

One of them, called "rotating gear" ,4, is tightly fixed at the rotating octagonal tube head, 3B, , that means it may rotate in regard to the square mechanical shaft, 1. The other one, 5, called "blocking gear" may axially slide along the square mechanical tube, 1. That means it can not rotate in regard to the shaft even if it may rotate some degrees together with it.

One tapered compression spring, 8, axial to the square mechanical shaft, 1 , pushes the "blocking gear", 5 , towards the "rotating gear" , 4 . The particular toothing permits the whole joint between these two parts preventing every rotating movement.

Moving away the "blocking gear", 5 , by means of axial sliding , winning the compression spring strength, 8 , the octagonal tube, 3 , may rotate loading the powerful torsion spring , 2 , or permitting that this spring performs its torque, if jet pre-loaded .

The manual axial moving back of blocking gear, 5, its particular conformation and the connection with screws, 12, the possibility to rotate the square mechanical shaft , 1 , (just for few degrees), permit to rotate together the shaft, 1 ,the blocking gear, 5. and the small plate, 9, till a new position above two mechanical stops, 11 .

The FIG. 4 and FIG.5 show the position of all the devices in normal working.

The compression spring, 8, will axially push the small metal plate, 9, towards these two stops, 11. The higher torque of powerful torsion spring, 2, will win the small opposite torque of little torque spring, 7, and the friction strength will keep the small metal plate, 9, in the position over the stops, 11 , keeping both gears , 4 and 5, aloof, permitting the normal up and down movement of rolling shutter. This precariuos position, however stable, will keep till the powerful torsion spring, 2, will not break.

With the break of the powerful torsion spring, 2, the existing tension between the square mechanical shaft, 1 , and the octagonal tube, 3, immediately stops, developing a violent opposite reaction. The high torque of bigger torsion spring, 2, will stop; the torque of the small torsion spring, 7, will be enough to rotate in opposite direction the small plate, 9, and together the blocking gear, 5, and the shaft, ! The small metal plate, 9, rotates out of the two mechanical stops, 11 , and the tapered compression spring, 8, will move the blocking gear, 5, against the rotating gear, 4.

The blocking gear, 5, permitted only in axially sliding and prevented any rotation around its axis, will fast move towards the rotating gear, 4, fitting in together . No rotation of the rolling shutter will be possible.

Claims

1) Mechanical system consisting of a shaft , 1 , that may rotate some degrees through a mechanical device put on it, 9. A weeder tine or other springy system, 7, operates on this shaft obliging it to have a static steady position. A mechanical part, named blocking gear, 5, is put on it ,and only axial motions are permitted . This part, in the shape of a lateral toothing gear, is in front of a similar gear, named rotating gear , 4, and their tooths may exactly mesh. The rotating gear may only rotate. The blocking gear , 5 , is always pushed against the rotating gear, 4 , by a pressure spring , 8. The rotating gear, 4, is fixed with the rotating tubular shaft , 3 , which is hooked with the gate. An extremity of a powerful torsion spring , 2 , named assist spring is fixed at the tubular shaft, 3 , and the other extremity is fixed at the shaft , 1 . On the blocking gear, on its external periphery, there are one or more areas, geometrically constructed for interfering with some external mechanical locks, 11. These locks are positioned at the maximum angular point of the rotation space of the mechanical shaft, 1. By hand it is possible moving the blocking gear, 5, away from the rotating gear, 4, winning the pressure spring strength, 8, and then, rotating the mechanical shaft as permitted, it is possible to move the blocking gear against the external mechanical locks, 11. Both the locks surfaces and the external blocking gear surface are wrinkled to create a friction strength able to balance the torque of the torsion spring , 7, on the mechanical shaft, 1 , and the metal plate 9 . So the new position of the blocking gear will be stable even if precarious. The blocking gear will move from this position when the assist spring, 2 , will break. The break of the spring, 2, previous pre-loaded to slave the gate motor or the manual devices, will produce a rebound on the mechanical shaft, 1 , and a torque which will add to the torsion spring torque, 7 , winning the friction strength . So at the break of the assist spring, 2 , almost immediately , the shaft, 1 , will rotate towards the more stable position and the pressure spring, 8, will push the blocking gear, 5 , against the rotating gear, 4. As the blocking gear can't rotate, when it will mesh with the rotating gear, it will block the rotating gear too, together with the tubular and the gate, eliminating the falling danger.

2) Mechanical system as claimed in claim 1 , where the mechanical shaft is replaced from an equivalent mechanical device

3) Mechanical system as claimed in claim 1 , where the small metal plate , 9 , with torsion spring, 7 , is replaced with similar mechanical device having the same function, both positioned outside of the load flange, 6 , and inside of it, and incorporated in the mechanical shaft too

4) Mechanical system as claimed in claim 1 , where the pressure spring, 8 , is replaced with similar elastic systems

5) Mechanical system as claimed in claim 1 , where the assist spring (powerful torsion spring) , 2 , is replaced from other elastic systems able to create a pre-loaded torque to slave the gate

6) Mechanical system as claimed in claim 1, where the mechanical locks, 11 , are on the blocking gear, 5 , and the worked surfaces, producing the friction strength, are outside the blocking gear

7) Mechanical system as claimed in claim 1 where the blocking gear and the rotating gear are replaced with gears with traditional toothing