WO2015004060A1

WO2015004060A1 - Slat for roll up doors and roll up door

Info

Publication number: WO2015004060A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/064456
Authority: WO
Inventors: Angel Mir Darnaculleta
Original assignee: Portes Bisbal, S.L.
Priority date: 2013-07-08
Filing date: 2014-07-07
Publication date: 2015-01-15
Also published as: EP3019685A1; ES2526473A1; ES2718345T3; EP3019685B1; PT3019685T; ES2526473B1

Abstract

The invention refers to a slat for roll up doors that comprises an external metal sheet (40) and a body (10) of thermally insulating material, characterisedin that it further comprises a first profile (20) of plastic material attached to the external sheet (40) and to the body (10) along one of its edges, and a second profile (30) of plastic material, attached to the external sheet (40) and to the body (10) along another one of its edges. This configuration prevents the thermal bridge between the external sheet (40) and the internal face of the slat, and therefore, the slat has very good insulating properties.

Description

SLAT FOR ROLL UP DOORS AND ROLL UP DOOR

The present invention refers to a slat for roll up doors, of the type comprising an external metal sheet and a body of thermally insulating material. It also refers to a roll up door that comprises a plurality of this type of slat.

PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

There are roll up doors made from sheet metal known in the market which include an insulating material and that are used for the purpose of avoiding or reducing heat transfer from one side of the door to the other. However, even though the use of sheet metal on roll up doors is very useful because it provides good resistance at a reasonable price, these known roll up doors are not very effective from the insulation point of view.

Indeed, they are usually made of slats that have a sheet metal housing with an internal space filled with insulation. The drawback to this is that a relevant heat transfer takes place from one side of the door to the other side through the metal housing.

The present invention has the purpose of providing a slat for roll up doors which has improved heat insulation properties without significantly reducing or compromising the strength and security of the door. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention provides a slat for roll up doors which comprises an external metal sheet and a body of thermally insulating material, and which is characterised in that it further comprises a first profile of plastic material attached to the external sheet and to the body along one of its edges, and a second profile of plastic material attached to the external sheet and to the body along another one of its edges.

In combination with the insulating body, the configuration of the slat having two profiles of plastic material finishing the edges of the external metal sheet makes it possible to prevent a thermal bridge between the external sheet and the internal face, because plastic is not a good heat conductor. Consequently, the slat has very good insulating qualities that are clearly better than those of a metal sheet slat filled with insulating material.

At the same time, the security of the door in not significantly compromised because the door continues having an external face made of metal sheets with suitable resistance. "Plastic material profiles" is understood herein to be elongated pieces made at least in part of a plastic material with insulating properties, suitable for breaking the thermal bridge between the two sheets of the slat.

In some embodiments the external sheet has a first curved edge having substantially a U shape, with the free end intended to be inserted into a groove made in the first profile, and a second curved edge having substantially a U shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove made in the second profile. In other variants, the external sheet has a first curved edge having substantially a U shape, with the free edge intended to be inserted in a groove made in the first profile, and a second curved edge with the free end intended to encircle a corresponding projection made on the second profile.

Preferably the external sheet is in contact with the body of insulating material. The sheet may be corrugated.

The slat may also comprise an internal metal sheet in contact with the body of insulating material on the side opposite to the external sheet. This internal sheet may display a first curved edge having substantially an L shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove made in the first profile and a second curved edge substantially in an L shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove made in the second profile. Alternatively, the internal sheet may display a first curved edge having substantially a hook shape, intended to be inserted elastically in a recess made in the first profile, and a second curved edge having substantially a hook shape, intended to be inserted elastically in a recess made in the second profile.

The internal sheet may display a concavity in the side opposite to the body of insulating material.

In some embodiments the first profile and the second profile are attached to the body of insulating material by respective projections intended to remain embedded in the material of the body. According to other embodiments, the first profile and the second profile can be attached to the body of insulating material by means of a shape with notches that are intended to be filled in with the material of the body. The first profile and the second profile comprise, preferably, complementary coupling means, intended for coupling the slat to other adjacent slats with a certain rotational freedom between them. These coupling means can comprise a hook made in the first profile, and a recess made in the second profile, the hook and the recess having matching circumference arcs; the recess of the second profile can be delimited on one side by a retaining tab.

In some embodiments the thermally insulating material of the body is polyurethane foam. The material can be adhered to the profiles and the sheets, and constitutes a joining material between said pieces.

The slat can also comprise a reinforcement incorporated into at least one of the profiles.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a roll up door which comprises a plurality of slats coupled to each other and which is characterised in that it comprises slats according to the first aspect of the invention. Other objects, advantages and features of embodiments of the invention will be understood by the person skilled in the art based on the description, or can be learned by practicing the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following particular embodiments of the present invention will be described, by way of non-limiting examples and in reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 depicts a slat in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, with its pieces partially separated;

Figure 2 depicts the slat of Figure 1 , with the different pieces joined together; Figure 3 depicts the profiles of a slat in accordance with another manner of embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 depicts the process of assembling a slat with the profiles of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 depicts a portion of a roll up door comprising slats in accordance with Figures 3 and 4.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF MANNERS OF EMBODIMENT

Figures 1 and 2 show a schematic depiction of a specific and non-limiting example of a slat for a roll up door, in cross-section according to a vertical plane perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. In the figures this slat comprises a body 10 of thermally insulating material, such as, for example, polyurethane foam, joined along the length of its top edge to a first profile 20 of plastic material and joined along the length of its bottom edge to a second profile 30 of plastic material.

Top edge and bottom edge are understood herein to be the longitudinal edges of body 10 when the slat is placed next to other slats on a vertical plane, forming a roll up door.

Profiles 20 and 30 are maintained joined together or attached to the body 10, among other things, thanks to projections 21 and 31 , respectively, that are embedded in the body material, and that can have any suitable shape, for example the shape represented in the figure with a ridge perpendicular to the surface of the profile, and horizontal tabs that protrude from the ridge.

Projections 21 , 31 can be extended continuously along the full length of the respective profile 20, 30, or can be a plurality of projections that protrude from the profile at different points of its length. The slat depicted in the figures further comprises an external metal sheet 40 intended to be positioned facing the street or external side of the door, and an internal metal sheet 50 intended to be positioned on the interior side of the door: sheets 40 and 50 are coupled to one side and to the other of the body 10 and cover it, as shown in Figure 2. For this, external sheet 40 has its two top and bottom edges, 41 and 42, respectively, curved having substantially a U shape, with its free end intended to be inserted in a corresponding groove 22, 32, foreseen along the length of profiles 20, 30.

As can be seen in the figures, groove 22 is made on the top surface of profile 20, while groove 32 is made on the bottom surface of profile 30, and both grooves can be on substantially the same plane. External sheet 40 covers the totality of the body 10 as well as the entire area of the profiles 20 and 30 which remains exposed when the slats are coupled together to form a roll up door, as shall be explained further below, and also a portion of the area that remains hidden between one slat and the other. For greater resistance, external sheet 40 can be corrugated, as shown in the figures.

The external sheet 40 can be coupled to the profiles by sliding the pieces lengthwise with respect to the other.

The internal sheet 50 can be coupled to profiles 20, 30 in like manner, and for this purpose its edges 51 and 52 are folded in an L shape; the free end of each L is intended to be inserted in a corresponding groove, 23, 33, foreseen along the length of profiles 20, 30.

Grooves 23, 33 can be parallel to each other and extend horizontally in such a way that the internal sheet 40 does not reach the top surface of profile 20 or the bottom surface of profile 30.

Internal sheet 40 can be concave to facilitate stacking of the slats when rolling up the door.

Figures 1 and 2 also show that slat profiles 20 and 30 comprise complementary coupling means 24 and 34, designed to couple a slat to other adjacent slats in a way that enables a certain rotational freedom between them, so that the door can be rolled up.

In the depicted example, these complementary coupling means comprise a hook 24 made on the first profile 20, and a recess 34 made in the second profile 30. The hook 24 and the recess 34 form matching circumference arcs, to allow the hook to rotate inside the recess. The recess 34 is limited on one side by a retaining tab 35, which holds the hook 24: the cooperation between these shapes enables maintaining a slat securely coupled to the adjacent slats while at the same time enabling the door to be rolled up.

A slat can be coupled to another by sliding it longitudinally with respect to the other.

It can be noted that when two slats like the one depicted in the figures are coupled to each other through the hook 24 and the recess 34 with the tab 35, the grooves 32, 33 and the ends of the external sheet 40 are left hidden and covered between the two adjacent slats, in such a way that the external metal sheet 40 is the only part of the slat that is left exposed, protecting the profiles 20, 30 and the body 10. In accordance with a possible variant (not shown), the profiles 20 and 30 can have reinforcements in their interior: for example, metal inserts that collaborate to stiffen the profiles, add more resistance to the coupling between two slats, and/or sustain the weight of the slats of the door. A reinforcement can also be considered that extends from the profile 20 to the profile 30 through the entire body 10 of thermally insulating material, which would also contribute to providing greater resistance and stiffness to the slat.

On a slat like the one described, the thermally insulating material can be adhered to the profiles and the sheets. In fact, the slat can be manufactured, for example, forming by any suitable technique (folded sheet metal, extrusion, etc.) the two metal sheets 40 and 50 and the two profiles of plastic material 20 and 30, sliding the profiles with respect to the sheets along the length of their edges to create a hollow housing, and injecting insulating material, such as polyurethane foam, in the empty space between the pieces, so that it forms the body 10 and also becomes firmly adhered to the sheets and the profiles, helping to maintain them joined and strengthening the assembly.

Based on the present description, it will be noted that a roll up door comprising a plurality of these coupled slats can have very good insulating properties due to the material of the body and thanks to the inclusion of plastic material in the profiles that break the thermal bridge between one side of the door and the other. At the same time, the resistance and safety of the door would not be compromised, because there would still be a face constituted entirely by resistant metal sheets, firmly attached, that prevent access to the internal portions of the slats. Figures 3 and 4 show a slat in accordance with another type of embodiment. In this case the profiles 20 and 30 of the sheet (figure 3) show a shape with notches 21 ' and 31 ', respectively, having the purpose of being filled with the material of the body 10 to help attach the different pieces of the slat. The top edge 41 ' of the external sheet 40 in inserted in a groove 22 of the profile 20, as is the case of the embodiment type of figures 1 and 20, but the bottom edge 42' of the external sheet has a somewhat more closed shape, so that it is arranged encircling a corresponding projection 32' that is foreseen for this purpose in profile 30 (see figure 4). With regard to internal sheet 50, as can be seen in figure 4, in this embodiment the top edges 51 ' and 52' are curved in a hook shape to be elastically inserted into corresponding recesses 23' and 33' of the profiles 20 and 30, which have a tab at one end to hold the edges 51 ' and 52' of the internal sheet 50. Figure 4 displays, from right to left, five slat assembly stages. As can be seen, in the first step the external sheet 40 is associated to the two profiles 20 and 30; next the internal sheet 50 is placed so that it remains clipped to the two profiles 20 and 30; and finally the internal space is filled with the material of the body 10, which adheres to all the surfaces and joins the pieces of the assembly to form an integral part.

Figure 5 shows in a schematic view a roll up door made from a plurality of slats, and the way in which the slats are arranged when wound up on a drum 50.

Even though only some embodiments and specific examples of the invention have been described herein, a person skilled in the art will understand that there are other possible alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention, as well as obvious modifications and equivalent elements. Furthermore, the present invention covers all possible combinations of the specific embodiments described herein. The numbers related to the drawings and written in parentheses in a claim are solely for the purpose of increasing the understanding of the claim and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the claim. The scope of the present invention should not be limited to specific embodiments, but rather it should only be determined by an adequate reading of the attached claims. For example, even though the drawings have schematically depicted a slat with a given shape of the metal sheets and the profiles, these pieces could have other shapes and be joined together in other alternative manners.

Claims

1 . Slat for roll up doors that comprises an external metal sheet (40) and a body (10) of thermally insulating material, characterised in that it further comprises a first profile (20) of plastic material attached to the external sheet (40) and to the body (10) along one of its edges, and a second profile (30) of plastic material, attached to the external sheet (40) and to the body (10) along another one of its edges.

2. Slat for roll up doors according to claim 1 , characterised in that the external sheet (40) has a first curved edge (41 ) having substantially a U shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove (22) made in the first profile (20) and a second curved edge (42), having substantially a U shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove (32) made in the second profile (30).

3. Slat for roll up doors according to claim 1 , characterised in that the external sheet (40) has a first curved edge (41 ') having substantially a U shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove (22) made in the first profile (20), and a second curved edge (42') with the free end intended to encircle a corresponding projection (32') made on the second profile (30).

4. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the external sheet (40) is in contact with the body (10) of insulating material.

5. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the external sheet (40) is corrugated.

6. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that it also comprises an internal metal sheet (50), in contact with the body (10) of insulating material on the side opposite to the external sheet (40).

7. Slat for roll up doors according to claim 6, characterised in that the internal sheet (50) has a first curved edge (51 ) having substantially an L shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove (23) made in the first profile (20), and a second curved edge (52) having substantially an L shape, with the free end intended to be inserted in a groove (33) made in the second profile (30).

8. Slat for roll up doors according to claim 6, characterised in that the internal sheet (50) has a first curved edge (51 ') having substantially a hook shape, intended to be elastically inserted in a recess (23') made in the first profile (20), and a second curved edge (52') having substantially a hook shape, intended to be elastically inserted in a recess (33') made in the second profile (30).

9. Slat for roll up doors according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the internal sheet (50) has a concavity on the side opposite to the body (10) of insulating material.

10. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the first profile (20) and the second profile (30) are attached to the body (10) of insulating material by means of respective projections (21 , 31 ) intended to remain embedded in the material of the body (10).

1 1 . Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the first profile (20) and the second profile (30) are attached to the body (10) of insulating material by means of a shape with notches (21 ', 31 ') intended to be filled with the material of the body (10).

12. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the first profile (20) and the second profile (30) comprise complementary coupling means (24, 34, 35), intended to couple the slat to other adjacent slats with a certain rotational freedom between them.

13. Slat for roll up doors according to claim 12, characterised in that said complementary coupling means comprise a hook (24) made in the first profile (20), and a recess (34) made in the second profile (30), the hook (24) and recess (34) having matching circumference arcs.

14. Slat for roll up doors according to claim 12, characterised in that the recess (34) of the second profile (30) is limited on one side by a retaining tab (35).

15. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the thermally insulating material is adhered to the profiles (20, 30) and to the sheets (40, 50) and constitutes a joining material between said pieces.

16. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the thermally insulating material of the body (10) is polyurethane foam.

17. Slat for roll up doors according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a reinforcement incorporated into at least one of the profiles (20, 30).

18. Roll up door comprising a plurality of slats coupled to each other, characterised in that it comprises slats according to any of the previous claims.