GB2394754A - A shutter or door operating mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A shutter or door operating mechanism, comprising a member 13 for winding up and paying out a door closure member 30, a source of torque 17 and a coupling 22 between the source of torque 17 and the door closure member 30 adopted to prevent transmission of reverse torque. The operating mechanism may comprise reduction gearing 18, a clutch (not shown) or both. Preferably, the coupling 22 is a rotary coupling. In the embodiment of the accompanying figure, the operating mechanism may comprise a drive motor 17 as the source of torque 17.

Description

of t DOOR AND SHUTTER MECHANISM

This invention relates to a door and shutter mechanism for the operation of doors and shutters of all kinds which are closed and / or 5 opened by rotation of a part which pivots or winds up a member such as a door leaf or flexible shutter.

In the case of flexible shutter type doors, made up of a plurality of mutually articulated panels or slats, the closures may be wound up onto and unwound from rollers which are driven by an electric or 10 hydraulic motor, or chain hoist. In order to eliminate backlash or back torque which might cause a closure for example to unwind or redeploy having been opened, and thus pose a hazard to users of the doorway, it is currently practice with motors, including worm sets in their transmissions, to make use of an anti-fall device to prevent the door 15 closures dropping in the event of sudden failure and in accordance with impending safety legalisation spring assistance devices, formerly used, are no longer considered to be adequately safe.

An object of the invention is to provide a door or shutter operating mechanism which incorporates an anti-backlash or reverse 20 torque resistant device such as to render the mechanism safe against failures causing accidental closure or closing movement of a shutter or door leaf during or after opening.

In accordance with the invention a shutter or door operating mechanism comprises a barrel member for winding up and paying out a 25 door closure member, a source of torque, and a coupling between the source of torque and the door closure member adapted to prevent transmission of reverse torque.

The mechanism may also comprise a reduction gear, and clutch device to uncouple the coupling to permit reversal of the barrel member when desired.

The coupling may be a rotary coupling of the kind described in 5 GB-A-2, 343,923 which is effective to prevent transmission of reverse torque or backlash from a driven member such as a barrel member for winding up door closure members, to a drive member including a source of torque such as an electric or hydraulic motor or chain hoist.

In one embodiment of the invention, the source of torque may 10 be an electric motor, and the motor, a reduction gearing, coupling and any clutch may be housed in the barrel member.

In other embodiments, the drive motor, reduction gearing coupling device and any clutch may be mounted externally of the barrel to drive the barrel.

15 Some embodiments of shutter or door operating mechanisms according to the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a plan elevation, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation, showing together the general 20 arrangement of a first embodiment of door operating mechanism according to the invention, incorporating a rolling shutter mechanism; Fig. 3 is an axial crosssection of the motor and transmission used in Figs. 1 and 2; 25 Fig. 4 is a detailed elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan elevation of the mounting of a further embodiment of motor and transmission;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a first mounting position for the motor and transmission in relation to a slide-over door mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing a second, alternative position 5 for the motor and transmission in relation to a slide-over door mechanism; Fig. 8 is an axial cross-section of the motor and transmission used in the Fig. 5, 6 and 7 embodiments; Fig. 9 is a detail and elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 8, and 10 Fig. 10 is an axial cross-section of a tubular or in-line motor and transmission, which can be used in place of those shown, in any type of door installation.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a rolling shutter door mechanism. A motor and aligned reduction gear are mounted in a first housing 10, and 15 connected via a sprocket and chain drive contained in a drive housing 11, to a transmission in a housing 12, which is arranged to drive a rotatable drum 13 for taking up and paying out a rolling shutter door 14. The drive is mounted on a support beam 15 by a bracket 16.

The drive and transmission are shown in more detail in Figs. 3 20 and 4, and comprise a motor 17 and reduction gear 18 on a first axis, terminating in a drive sprocket 19 in the housing 1 1, which is connected to a drivers sprocket 20, of greater diameter, by a chain 21. Sprocket 20 is mounted on a second axis which is parallel to and displaced from the first axis, and is arranged to drive the drum 13 through a transmission 25 comprising a rotary coupling 22 which is a coupling of a kind described in GB-A-2,343,923 referred to above. This coupling has the effect of reliably transmitting forward or wind-up direction torque to the drum 13,

but also prevents the transmission of back torque, so that the drum 13 is locked against unwinding direction rotation unless the coupling 22 is deliberately disengaged.

Fig. 5 shows a further drive arrangement, wherein an apparatus S similar to that described in Figs 3 and 4 is provided with two output connections 25, 26, one to each side of the transmission.

Fig. 6 shows a diagrammatic side elevation of a first slide over door mechanism, the door panel 30 consisting of an array of horizontally extending sub-panels 31 connected by hinges, and guided by side rails 10 32, which at least where the panel 30 is required to deviate from the vertical, has a number of guides in the form of stub shafts or rollers 33 at each side. The door is operated by a motor and transmission combination 34, with traction being exerted on the door panel 30 by means of cables received on drums not shown fixed to drive shafts or drive tubes 15 extending across the top of the doorway. The apparatus 34 may be mounted half way across the doorway as in Fig. 5 or to one side.

Fig. 7 shows a variation on Fig. 6, wherein the motor and transmission combination 34 is mounted at a point below the top of the doorway, on a support beam 35 with drive shafts extending across the 20 door to both sides of the doorway. The apparatus 34 drives a cable drum (not shown) from which a cable 36 reeved over a pulley 37 at the top of the doorway, acts on the door panel 30 to haul it up, or to allow it to be lowered in a controlled release by unwinding the cable 36 from the cable drum.

25 The apparatus 34, shown in Figs. 8 and 9, comprises a motor 40 and coaxial reduction gear 41, on a first axis, arranged to drive a drive sprocket 42, which via a chain 43 in a housing 44 drives a larger

diameter driven sprocket 45 mounted with a rotary coupling 46 on a second parallel axis. The coupling 46 is arranged to drive two output shafts, 47, 48 together via optional clutch means to engage or disengage both shafts built into the transmission. The coupling 46 is of the kind S described in the UK patent application 2,343,923 mentioned above.

Finally, Fig. 10 is an axial cross section of a coaxial or in-line motor which may be used in place of the motors described above, and for example it may be housed within the drum 13 of the wind-up door of Figs. 1 and 2.

10 The motor comprises an outer barrel casing 50, containing an electric motor 51, and reduction gear 52, connected by a rotary coupling 53 of the kind already mentioned, which selectively connects the drive to an output shaft 54, within the barrel casing 50.

Any of the motor arrangements can be used with any of the IS types of doors, being interchangeable.

The benefits of the arrangements shown and described include the use of low voltage DC motors and controls due to lower torques being used, and can negate the need for springs, spring shafts, drums, spring-break devices bearing plates, bearings or other counter balance 20 components as the rotary coupling eliminates the unwanted transmission of reverse torque, e.g. acting in the closing direction during opening of the door, or vice versa. The construction according to the invention enables the use of any track configuration for guiding the door leaf panels, can eliminate any need for cable brake devices, and is simple and 25 safe to install, being capable of being retro-fitted to existing doors. It is passively safe due to provision of the rotary coupling, and will comply with all current and expected legislation.

The device can cope with variations in panel weights and types, and an emergency manual override device can be provided associated with drive motors located at low level. The bottom panel can be used to lift the other panels in place.

5 The device can be installed by a single worker, and can be provided in kit form including the tracks, so that filters can alter the basic design to suit site conditions and dimensions.

The device enables efficient inline or planetary gearboxes to be used in place of worn sets, which are usually used to prevent back torque, 10 but are only about half as efficient as inline or planetary gear boxes.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiments which are described by way of example only.

The use of DC motors, if selected, allows the use of programmable 15 control panels for unlimited modes of control, pro-active maintenance of the door and drive for Health and Safety reasons, provision of an interface in the panel to a fire alarm system, security alarm and building management systems. The use of batteries for dedicated battery back-up thus eliminates the need for emergency manual operation and can be powered easily using 20 renewable resources. The drives can be assembled so as to be tamper proof thus maintaining their safety, and the batteries can be replaced as directed by the control panel or at set service times. The drives can comply with relevant standards and regulations and also be converted to become explosion proof.

25 The drives an also be manual, or with a manual override for emergency operation.

Claims (8)

1. A shutter or door operating mechanism, comprising a member for winding up and paying out a door closure member, a source of torque and a 5 coupling between the source of torque and the door closure member adopted to prevent transmission of reverse torque.

2. A mechanism according to Claim 1, wherein a reduction gear is also

present, the coupling serving to permit reversal of the winding-up member 10 when desired.

3. A mechanism according to Claim 1 or 2 further including a clutch.

4. A mechanism according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the coupling comprises a 15 rotary coupling substantially as described in GB-A-2,343,923.

5. A mechanism according to Claim 4, wherein the operating mechanism is mounted adjacent a slide-over door closure mechanism, and comprises a motor and reduction gear mounted on a first axis, said coupling and an 20 output shaft mounted on a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a connecting element adopted to be driven by said output shaft of the mechanism, connected to a side over door closure element to raise and lower said door closure element.

25

6. A mechanism according to Claim 4 comprising an in-line drive mechanism comprising a motor, reduction gearing, said coupling and an output shaft all dispersed on a common axis, to operate a door closure mechanism.

7. A mechanism according to Claim 4 whereby a motor and reduction gearing are mounted on a first axis, and said coupling and an output shaft connected to a wind-up drum for winding up and releasing a rolling S shutter door closure, on a second axis parallel to said first axis, the axes being driveably coupled by a sprocket an chain transmission.

8. A shutter or door operating mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, or Figs. 5, 6, 10 7, or Figs. 8 and 9, or in Fig. 10 of the accompanying drawings.