EP1536093B1 - Support structure and sliding guide for sectional door - Google Patents

Abstract

The structure has a vertical part with a sliding rail (40) for rollers (30), a fixing case (50), and supports (70, 71) of a sealing device (80) and of a safety rack. The sections (40, 50, 70, 71) are fixed on either sides of an opening closed by a sectional overhead door. A horizontal part has a horizontal sliding rail for rollers, a fixing case and a housing for protection of a balancing spring of the door.

Description

The present invention relates to a support and sliding structure for sectional door, having a first vertical portion, a second portion at least approximately horizontal and a third portion ensuring the connection between the first two parts.

To close premises such as garages for vehicles, storage rooms, etc., it is often used either sliding panel doors when the configuration of the premises allows, or doors with panels moving horizontally and folding accordion either doors swinging around a horizontal axis or blinds composed of several slats wrapping around a horizontal axis. Doors with horizontally sliding panels can only be used if sufficient space exists laterally. Accordion-folding doors reduce the available space of the door opening. Panels swinging about an axis are not always easy to handle and in principle the door is either fully open or completely closed, intermediate positions being difficult to obtain. The blinds wrapping around an axis do not have, by their structure, sufficient strength.

Sectional doors were then developed which consist of several panels hinged together by hinges or by means equivalent to horizontal hinge axis, the panels being provided at the lateral ends of the rollers sliding in two rails having a vertical portion and a horizontal part the two parts being connected by a curved portion providing a sliding path and continuous guidance. One or two tensioning springs ensure smooth sliding of the door and assist the user who does not have to not provide a great effort to get on and off the door. Thus, the door gradually moves from a vertical position to a horizontal position on the upper part of the door opening and vice versa. A so-called parachute mechanism located in the vertical part of the structure prevents the door under its weight from closing abruptly. A seal is, in principle, disposed on the two parts of the vertical structure to seal between the interior of the room to be closed and the outside.

Currently, for the vertical part of the structure is fixed on the wall a first sheet metal profile constituting the support of the seal and that of the parachute, and a second section constituting the housing inside which is fixed the sliding rail. For the horizontal section, is fixed or suspended from the ceiling a housing supporting the carrier rail and horizontal sliding and a protective housing of the tension spring. Each of the functions of the structure is thus ensured by a specific element. The implementation of these elements is long and tedious and often, even for a simple private garage door, requires the presence of two people.

The document FR 2,746,842 describes the features of the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of installation and cost of sectional doors by providing a support structure and sliding simpler.

The structure according to the invention is characterized in that the horizontal portion comprises two configured sections to constitute both the horizontal sliding rail for the rollers, the fixing housing and the protective housing of a balancing spring of the door section said housing being closed by a door and placed above the portion forming the rail.

Thus, by designing profiles, mainly folded sheet, providing several functions, it simplifies the assembly and uses less sheet which automatically has an impact on the cost of the installation both in terms of the amount of material used as the manpower for the assembly. Of course, the manufacture of special shapes has a price but, in total, we can reduce the overall cost.

According to alternative embodiments, the door is hinged relative to the rest of the profile by deforming it at a pre-folded angle or the door is removable and is articulated by means of male and female elements located on the door. carter and the door.

The door can be held in the closed position by tabs folded at the end of the profile, intended to be inserted in the profile of the lights after elastic deformation of the door.

According to another embodiment, the profiles are made of folded sheet according to the chosen profile.

According to another alternative embodiment, the lower portion of the spring housing serves as an anti-derailment device to the rollers of the sectional door sliding in the horizontal rail.

According to an alternative embodiment, the profiles of the vertical structure comprise an extension intended to serve as a support for a protective seal.

Finally, the connecting element may comprise a curve-shaped raceway extending the horizontal rail to allow guided passage of the rollers of the rail to the horizontal rail and vice versa and a straight path inclined towards the curve path extending the runway of the vertical rail, said oblique path being closed at its free end, said oblique path being intended to receive and positioned the roller peg of the sectional door in the open position and all the panels of the sectional door are in a horizontal plane .

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique en coupe de la partie verticale d'un support d'une porte sectionnelle habituelle.
• La figure 2 est une vue schématique en coupe de la partie horizontale d'un support de porte sectionnelle habituelle.
• La figure 3 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 1 selon la présente invention.
• La figure 4 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 2 selon la présente invention.
• La figure 5 est une variante de la figure 4.
• La figure 6 est une vue schématique d'une installation complète en perspective.
• La figure 7 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 3, représentant une variante de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 8 est une de côté d'une des structures rail horizontal-élément de raccord-rail horizontal.

The invention will be described with the aid of the accompanying drawing having a preferred embodiment.

• The figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of the vertical part of a support of a usual sectional door.
• The figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of the horizontal portion of a conventional sectional door support.
• The figure 3 is a view similar to that of the figure 1 according to the present invention.
• The figure 4 is a view similar to that of the figure 2 according to the present invention.
• The figure 5 is a variant of the figure 4 .
• The figure 6 is a schematic view of a complete installation in perspective.
• The figure 7 is a view similar to that of the figure 3 , representing an alternative embodiment of the invention.
• The figure 8 is a side of a horizontal rail-horizontal rail-connector element structures.

To the figure 1 there is a conventional construction for the vertical part of the support allowing both sliding of the sectional door, making a vertical protective casing and supporting a seal and a safety rack for a parachute. A door panel 1 is provided with a metal frame 2 supporting a roller 3 which rolls in a rail 4 fixed in a housing 5 itself fixed to a wall 6. A section 7 is also fixed on the wall 6 to serve as a support to a seal 8 and the parachute 9. Therefore uses three different profiles 4, 5, 7 for each vertical portion of the support.

To the figure 3 , a door panel 10 is provided with a frame 20 supporting a roller 30. A single profile takes the place of rail 40, housing 50 and support 70 for a seal 80 and support of the parachute 90. A sole reinforcement 71 allows attachment to the wall 61 by screws or the like. A single profile comprising sections 40, 50, 70 replaces the sections 4, 5 and 6 which overlap and require assembly manipulations. The advantages of this clever solution in terms of both manpower and use of the amount of material are obvious.

In an embodiment variant represented in figure 7 , the vertical profiles comprise between the rollers and the panels an extension 95 to support a protective seal 96. This seal is linked to the extension and is supported on the rear faces of the door panels. It protects the volume in which the rollers move while rolling in the rail and thus prevent the risk of accidents or damage to the door device by intrusion of foreign bodies in this volume.

To the figure 2 , we see a conventional construction of the horizontal part of the support for both to ensure the sliding of the sectional door, to achieve a horizontal protective housing and to protect a balancing spring of the door. A door panel 11 is provided with a frame 21 supporting a roller 31 rolling in a rail 41 fixed in a housing 51. Above the rail 41 and the housing 51 is fixed a housing 71 for protecting the tension spring 81. This assembly is in principle suspended from the ceiling by adequate elements.

To the figure 4 , a door panel 110 is provided with a frame 210 supporting a roller 310. A single profile takes the place of rail 410, housing 510 and protective housing 710 for a tension spring 810. The underside of the housing also serves In this case also instead of using two sections 41 and 51 and a housing 71, a section is formed comprising the sections 410, 510, 710 and 711 with a pre-folded angle 713. The section 711 acts as a door hinged around a hinge formed by the pre-folded angle 713. The pre-folded angle may, for example, be produced by means of a succession of oblong holes aligned along a line defining the angle to achieve. Thus, the housing 710 can be closed after the introduction of the spring 810. The superiority of this solution according to the invention in terms of simplicity and cost is obvious. The holding in the closed position of the door is provided by tabs 714 folded at the end of the profile, intended to be inserted in the slots 715 of the profile after elastic deformation of the door.

The door 711 can also be held in its closed position by screws or the like.

According to the variant illustrated in figure 5 , it is easier to access the spring 810 'for maintenance operations. A door panel 110 'is provided with a frame 210' supporting a roller 310 '. A single profile takes the place of rail 410 ', housing 510' and open protection housing 710 'for a tension spring 810'. In this case the housing 710 'is closed by a removable door 711' by the collaboration of the male and female elements located on the door 711 'and the housing 710'. The latter solution allows easier implementation during assembly and makes it easier to open the housing 710 'for subsequent interventions on the spring.

Finally at the figure 6 we have schematically represented a sectional door seen from the inside. We used the numerical references of figures 2 and 5 to identify the different elements.

The door comprises panels 10 hinged together by means not shown, such as hinges or the like. The ends of each panel 10 are provided with reinforcements 20 supporting sliding and guided rollers in a vertical structure 40, 50, 70 and 71 (see figure 2 ) fixed against the wall 6, followed by a connecting structure R after which is the horizontal structure 410, 510, 710, also housing the spring 810. The two horizontal structures are suspended from the ceiling or other intermediate support by devices S and are kept away by a spacer E.

Finally, at the figure 8 one of the structures comprising the horizontal rail 410, the connecting element R and the vertical rail 40 is seen from the side. The connecting element R comprises a first rolling track in curve R1 extending the track of the rollers in the horizontal rail to allow the guided passage of the rollers of the horizontal rail to the vertical rail and vice versa. A segment of straight path R2 in the extension of the raceway of the vertical rail 40 and slightly inclined towards the curved path allows in the open position of the sectional door to accommodate and position the last roller. Thus, all the panels of the sectional door are in horizontal position to avoid an accidental closing of the sectional door. We also see the pulley P of the parachute. The path R2 is closed at its free end to avoid the exit of the last roller.

Claims (8)

1. Support and sliding guide structure for sectional door, comprising a first, vertical portion (40, 50, 70, 71), a second, at least approximately horizontal portion (410, 510, 710), and a third portion (R) that establishes the connection between the two other portions, the vertical structure comprising two profile bars (40, 50, 70, 71) to be fastened on both sides of the opening to be closed by the sectional door, each of the profile bars being adapted for constituting at the same time the sliding rail (40) for the rollers (30) of the sectional door, the fastening box (50), and the support (70, 71) of a sealing joint (80) and of a security rack (90) of a parachute (9), characterised in that the horizontal portion comprises two profile bars (410, 510, 710, 711, 712; 410', 510', 710', 711'), each profile bar being adapted for constituting at the same time the horizontal sliding rail (410, 410') for the rollers (310, 310'), the fastening box (510; 510') and the protection housing (710, 711, 712; 710', 711') of a counterbalancing spring (810, 810') of the sectional door, said housing (710, 711, 712; 710', 711') being closed by a door (711; 711') and positioned above the rail forming portion.
2. Structure according to claim 1, characterised in that the door (711) is hinged to the remainder of the profile bar through the deformation of the latter at the level of a pre-bent angle (713).
3. Structure according to claim 1, characterised in that the door (711') is removable and is hinged through male and female elements located on the housing (710') and the door (711').
4. Structure according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the door (711; 711') is maintained closed by brackets (714) bent back at the end of the profile bar and destined to enter into openings (715) of the profile bar after the elastic deformation of the door.
5. Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the profile bars are manufactured from metal sheet bent according the selected profile.
6. Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the lower part of the housing (710, 711, 712; 710', 711') of the spring (810, 810') serves as a derailment guard for the rollers (310; 310') of the sectional door sliding in the horizontal rail.
7. Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the profile bars (40, 50, 70, 71) of the vertical structure portion comprise an extension (95) destined to serve as a support of a second protection joint (96).
8. Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that said connecting element (R) comprises a curved running path (R1) which forms the prolongation of the horizontal rail (410, 410') for allowing the guided passage of the rollers (30, 310, 310') from the vertical rail (40) into the horizontal rail and vice versa, and a straight, inclined path (R2) directed to the curved path that prolongates the running path of the vertical rail, said inclined path being closed at its free end, said inclined path being destined to receive and to position the trailing roller of the sectional door in its open position so that all slabs (10) of the sectional door are situated within a horizontal plane.

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