Device with a shutter and element for reinserting a shutter in a guide rail

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DESCRIPTION

Blind device and reintroduction element of a blind in a guided slide

Invention Domain

The present invention relates to flexible shutters for the sealing of bays.

The invention relates more particularly to a shutter device for sealing a bay, including

-at least one slide;

-a deformable blind, capable of being displaced in front of the bay, in a direction to cover said bay

or in the reverse direction to discover it, said blind includes at least one side weatherstrip that is slidably mounted on the slide and from which it can be extracted under the action of a defined tensile force, directed transversely towards the slide; and

-a means to reintroduce the weatherstrip removed from the slide, this means includes a guide member which is arranged in front of the slide and is designed so that, during the movement of the blind in the opposite direction mentioned above, it deflects towards the slide, the strip that has been removed from this slide.

State of the art

Deformable blinds are commonly used for the sealing of bays, mainly to insulate warehouses or industrial buildings. These blinds are often made up of large flexible tarpaulins whose lateral edges include weatherstrips that slide in the slides located on both sides of the bay that you wish to seal. The fastening of the side blinds of the blind on the slides is retractable, so that they can exit the slides if they are subjected to a tensile stress that exceeds a defined critical value, transversely to the slide. The objective is to prevent deterioration of the blind in case of accidental impact, which can for example happen when a vehicle accidentally hits the blind in a closed or insufficiently open position. This type of blind involves re-inserting the side seals that would have accidentally come out in the slides, to return the blind to conditions of use.

In EP-A 0 272 733, a blind device of the type described above is described, in which a means is provided so that the reintroduction of the side blinds of the blind in the slides is carried out automatically. This means consists of practicing a longitudinal opening at the top of the slides, so that by raising the blind, the lateral weatherstrips that would have left the slide return when they arrive in front of the opening.

In WO 03/048498, the reintroduction means of EP-A 0272 733 is perfected. In the blind device of WO 03/048498, the reintroduction means of the side blinds of the blind in the slides includes, in addition to the aforementioned opening, a pair of guiding blocks that are arranged on both sides of the blind, in front of the opening. The blocks are positioned on both sides of the blind and are separated from each other by a distance that is intermediate between the thickness of the blind and the weatherstripping. The blocks are positioned in front of the opening of the slide, so that, during the upward movement of the blind, the weatherstrip (which has left the slide) slides against the two guiding blocks that guide it by pushing it into the opening of the slide.

In this known blind device, the sliding of the blind of the blind over the two blocks generates a friction effort that requests the blind and hinders its upward movement.

In the devices of documents EP-A 0 272 733 and WO 03/048498 that have just been described, it is necessary to make an opening in the slide, whose width is sufficient to allow the passage of the weatherstrip that is desired to be reintroduced.

Summary of the Invention

The aim of the invention is to provide an improved blind device, which avoids the inconveniences related to the friction of the blind on guide blocks during their reinsertion into the slides.

For this purpose, according to the invention, the guiding member includes at least one pair of rollers, which are arranged respectively on both sides of the blind so that, while the blind is moved in the opposite direction mentioned above, they roll over the weatherstrip that has been removed from the slide, pushing it towards the slide.

Here, the word "bay" designates an opening made in a wall or an intermediate wall of a building or through the ground. The bay can be vertical (for example a door or a window made through a vertical wall of a building), a horizontal bay (for example an opening made through the ground or a horizontal roof of a building to give access to a room or a cavity), or also a bay

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oriented obliquely (as can be the case of an opening made through a sloping roof). The invention applies especially well to vertical bays.

The shape of the bay is not critical. In practice, the bay is generally square or rectangular. The dimensions of the bay are not critical either. The invention applies especially to vertical bays whose dimensions allow the passage of a land vehicle (for example a motor vehicle, a truck, a semi-trailer or a trailer at the entrance of a merchandise warehouse, an industrial workshop or a ship of exposure), of an aerial vehicle (for example an airplane in a ground maintenance workshop) or of a river vehicle (for example a barge, at the entrance of a discharge depot) [sample list not exhaustive]. The invention also applies to horizontal bays made through the ground and which define, for example, a swimming pool, a lake or a pond for the storage and / or treatment of industrial materials (example list, not exhaustive).

The word "blind" designates, in the broad sense, a removable wall, which is at least partially tame or flexible. The blind can for example include a set of articulated sheets, a canvas, a fabric or a grid (example list, not exhaustive). It can be totally or partially opaque, transparent or translucent. It can be made of metal or a copolymer obtained by chemical synthesis, for example of polyvinylchloride, possibly reinforced with a mineral material (for example glass fibers). Flexible tarpaulins are preferred.

In the device according to the invention, the blind is designed, in a manner known per se, to cover the bay

or discover it at will. For this purpose, the blind can be subjected to displacements in opposite directions in front of the bay, that is, in a direction to cover the bay and in the opposite direction to discover it.

In what follows of the present memory, the expression "inverse sense" designates the direction of the movement of the blind, for which the blind gradually discovers the bay.

The slide serves to guide the blind during its movements in the two opposite directions. It can be substantially rectilinear and is arranged along the bay. The guide of the blind is secured by at least one side weatherstrip of the blind, which is mounted by sliding on the slide. In the cross section, the shape of the weatherstrip must be adapted to that of the slide, so that it is retained therein and can slide during the aforementioned movements of the blind in front of the bay. Notwithstanding this general condition, the shape of the weatherstrip is not critical for the definition of the invention. The weatherstrip can, for example, have a circular or polygonal cross-section, for example square, rectangular or hexagonal. The circular cross section is preferred. The weatherstrip can be an integral part of the blind. As a variation it can be placed on an edge of the blind and fixed thereto by any appropriate means, for example by gluing, welding or riveting. The weatherstrip can be continuous or notched, and extends over the entire length of the side edge of the blind. As a variation, the shutter may include a row of several spaces spaced along the side edge of the blind. In what follows of the present report and in the absence of information against it, the word "weatherstrip" shall interchangeably designate a continuous or notched side weatherstrip, or a side row of several weatherstrips.

The slide generally includes a profile whose cross section is adapted to that of the weatherstrip and which is perforated with a longitudinal groove for the passage of the blind. It can be carried out in any way adapted to its technical function, for example with metal or with a copolymer obtained by chemical synthesis, for example of high density polyethylene, possibly reinforced with a mineral material (for example glass fibers).

The position of the slide in the vicinity of the bay will depend on various parameters, mainly the orientation of the bay (horizontal, oblique or vertical orientation) and the direction of the movements of the blind to cover or discover the bay. In the case of a horizontal bay, the slide is usually horizontal. In the case of an oblique bay, the slide is usually oblique. In the case of a vertical bay, the slide can be vertical or horizontal according to the direction chosen for the movement of the blind. The slide is vertical in the case where the blind is displaced vertically to open or close the bay. The slide is horizontal in the case where the blind is moved horizontally to open or close the bay.

The position of the side weatherstrip on the blind is conditioned by the position of the slide with which the weathers cooperate to guide the blind.

The weatherstrip and the slide are also designed and profiled so as to allow the weatherstrip to start from the slide, from the moment it is subjected to a defined tensile stress (greater than a setpoint value), directed in the plane from the blind and transversely to the slide.

In this definition of the invention, the term "blind plane" is understood to mean a fictitious geometric plane, defined by the blind when it covers the bay.

The removal of the strip from its slide under the action of the aforementioned force must be done without damaging the blind, or the strip, or the slide. The profile and dimensions of the slide and the weatherstrip and their capacities against deformation must therefore be adapted so that the tensile stress required to start the weatherstrip is less than a critical value capable of breaking the blind or deteriorate the

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Sliding or weatherstripping. The tensile stress must, however, be substantial and sufficient to prevent the weatherstrip from coming out of the slide unexpectedly during normal maneuvering of the blind.

Additional information on the blind, the sliding and the strip are accessible in documents EP-A 0 272 733 and WO 03/048498 (both in the name of Dynaco international).

The blind device according to the invention is also provided with a means designed so that, in the case where the weatherstrip has been removed from its slide, it is automatically reintroduced while the blind is displaced in the direction to discover the bay ("sense inverse ”defined above). According to the invention, this means includes at least one pair of rollers that are arranged on both sides of the blind, such that, during a displacement of the blind in the reverse direction (by which the bay is released), this rollers roll on the weatherstrip that has been torn from its slide and pushed into the slide.

In the blind device according to the invention, the position of the rollers in front of the slide is of great importance. It must be chosen in such a way that during the movement of the blind in the opposite direction mentioned above, the rollers rotate on the weatherstrip (which has been removed from the slide) and force it to pass through the longitudinal groove of the slide to penetrate this. To reinforce this action of the rollers, it is recommended, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, that the surface of the rollers have ribs. In this way a better adhesion of the weatherstripping is carried out on the rollers. In the device according to the invention, the separation between the two rollers must be greater than the thickness of the blind (so as not to impede its movements in front of the bay) and less than the thickness of the weatherstrip (so that they take support on it). A substantial separation is normally arranged between the rollers and the slide. Ideally, this separation should be small enough so that the effort exerted by the rollers on the weatherstrip is sufficient to reinsert this into the slide. However, it is necessary to avoid a separation that is too small, to avoid that the rollers, the weatherstrip and the slide are subjected to exaggerated mechanical stresses. The optimum separation must therefore be determined in each particular case by the expert.

In a particular embodiment of the blind device according to the invention, the separation between the rollers is adjustable. This embodiment is adapted to the use of blinds of different thicknesses.

In another particular embodiment of the invention, an opening is made in the slide in front of the rollers. In this embodiment of the invention, the opening has the function of reducing the effort exerted on the weatherstrip during its reinsertion into the slide. In this embodiment of the invention, the rollers may be partially inserted into the slider opening, so that they permanently roll over the weatherstrip, even when it is normally in place on its slider. However, it is preferred to maintain a substantial separation between the rollers and the weatherstrip, for the reasons stated above.

In the blind device according to the invention, the rollers can have any shape compatible with their technical function.

In the blind device according to the invention, the rollers are opposite each other with respect to the median plane of the blind (the median plane of the blind has been defined above).

Preferably, the rollers are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the median plane of the blind.

In the blind device according to the invention, the rollers include rotation axes that are opposite each other with respect to the median plane of the blind.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fixed axes of rotation of the rollers are symmetrically located on both sides of the median plane of the blind.

In this embodiment of the invention, the two axes of rotation of the two rollers are preferably located in the same geometric plane and this is preferably substantially perpendicular to the median plane of the blind.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the two rollers converge towards the slide. All other things being equal, on the other hand, the optimum angle of convergence of the two rollers is the result of a compromise between the search for a maximum value of the effort exerted by the rollers to force the weatherstrip to enter the slide of which has been torn off and the search for minimal wear of the rollers, the weatherstrip and the slide. The optimum angle of convergence must therefore be determined in each particular case by the expert, depending on the circumstances.

The rollers are advantageously mounted in rotation on one ball bearings or other similar bearings.

In the blind device according to the invention, the rollers must be sufficiently mechanically resistant to resist the mechanical stress exerted on them by the blind. Despite this condition, the dimensions of the rollers and the material with which they are made are not critical to the definition of the invention.

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The rollers can, for example, be made of metal (for example of steel) or of a copolymer obtained by chemical synthesis (for example a polyester, or a polyamide or an elastomer).

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the slides are provided with a reinforcement means, in the area close to the rollers. In this embodiment of the invention, the area close to the rollers is an area that is normally located in the immediate vicinity of the rollers, downstream of them with respect to the movement of the blind in the reverse direction defined above. This reinforcing means may, as an advantage, include a U-profile, in which the slide is inserted. The U-profile can be made of metal (for example of steel) or of a copolymer of high mechanical strength such as a polyamide, for example.

In an advantageous embodiment variant of the embodiment just described, the rollers are fixed to a chassis that includes the U-profile. This variant of the invention allows the rollers to be moved at will along the slide. It also facilitates the replacement of the rollers, for example in case of wear or deterioration thereof. For this purpose, in this variant of the invention, it is advantageous that the chassis and the slide are fixed on a fixed support, for example a metal reinforcement arranged along the bay and sealed in a suitable structure, for example a wall.

In a particular embodiment of this variant of the invention, the chassis includes an axial channel and at least part of the U-profile is constituted by this axial channel. In this embodiment of the invention, the chassis is advantageously obtained by molding.

In the device according to the invention, the blind can include a single slide and a single strip that cooperates with said slide to guide the blind. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the blind includes a second side weatherstrip that is slidably mounted on a second slide from which it can be extracted under the action of the defined tensile force, directed transversely to the slide and a second pair of rollers that are arranged respectively on both sides of the blind so that, while the blind is moved in the opposite direction mentioned above, the rollers of said second pair roll on said second weatherstrip that has been removed from said second slide, pushing it into this slide.

In the blind device according to the invention, the use of rollers to automatically reintroduce the or each blind of the blind in its slide has the advantage of considerably reducing the mechanical stresses exerted on the blind and on the or each weatherstripping. Consequently, the invention substantially increases the life of the blinds.

The invention also concerns an element for the reintroduction of a side weatherstrip of a blind in a slide from which said weatherstrip has been removed, this reintroduction element includes a chassis designed to be mounted on a slide support, including the chassis, on the one hand, a U-shaped axial channel in which the slide can be inserted and, on the other hand, at least one pair of rollers that are located beyond one end of said channel and that are positioned such that, when the slide is inserted into the chassis channel, the rollers roll over the weatherstrip that has been removed from the slide , pushing it to the slide when the blind is displaced in a defined direction.

In the reintroduction element according to the invention, the words "blind", "sliding", "weatherstrip", "guiding organ" and "roller" have been defined above, as well as their respective functions.

In a preferred embodiment of the reintroduction element according to the invention, the rollers have fixed axes of rotation and the two axes of rotation of the two rollers are symmetrically located on both sides of a medium plane of the U-channel of the chassis. These two axes are preferably located in the same plane that is substantially perpendicular to said median plane of the channel and are advantageously oriented obliquely so that the rollers converge towards the bottom of the channel.

The reintroduction element according to the invention can be easily adapted to blind devices according to the invention. It can be adapted to existing blinds that include a side weatherstrip that slides on a guide slide.

During the assembly of the reintroduction element according to the invention on an existing blind, the chassis of the reintroduction element must be oriented such that the rollers are located downstream of the aforementioned channel, with respect to the inverse direction defined above.

The invention finds multiple applications, mainly for the sealing of large vertical bays that give access to hangars or other warehouses, or to cover water-filled tanks (such as industrial water treatment ponds or swimming pools) or also to cover horizontal openings that They give access to Silos or other storage rooms for merchandise or industrial products.

Brief description of the figures

Particularities and details of the invention will appear in the course of the following description of the attached figures, which represent a particular embodiment of the invention.

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Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a blind device according to the invention, in the closed position;

Figure 2 shows the blind device of Figure 1, in vertical cross-section according to plane II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a large-scale view of a detail of Figure 1, showing reintroduction element according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows the blind of Figures 1 to 3, in horizontal cross-section according to the plane IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 4, in which a shutter of the blind has been torn off its slide;

Figure 6 shows in perspective the reintroduction element that equips the device of Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 7 is a front view of the reintroduction element of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the reintroduction element of Figures 6 and 7;

Figure 9 shows, on a large scale, a detail of Figure 8;

Figure 10 shows another detail of Figure 8, on a large scale;

Figure 11 shows, in axial vertical section according to the plane XI-XI of Figure 7, the reintroduction element of Figures 6 to 10, associated with a slide of a blind;

Figure 12 shows, on a large scale, a detail of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an analogous view of that of Figure 11, which schematizes the operation of the reintroduction element of Figures 6 to 10;

Figure 14 shows, on a large scale, a detail of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a perspective representation of the lower part of the reintroduction element according to the invention; and

Figure 16 shows a variant of the reintroduction element according to the invention.

The figures have not been drawn to scale.

Detailed description of the particular embodiments

Figures 1 to 3 show a vertical bay 1, perforated through a vertical intermediate wall 2 of a building, for example an industrial or commercial warehouse. The dimensions of the bay 1 allow the passage of a truck (not shown).

The intermediate wall 2 is provided with a blind device according to the invention. This blind device includes a shutter 3, formed by a flexible canvas, for example of polyvinyl chloride reinforced with glass fibers. The shutter 3 is fixed, in its upper part, to a horizontal drum 4 located above the bay 1. The drum 4 is coupled to an electric motor 5, whose drive allows the shutter 3 to descend to cover the bay 1 and close the building or raise it to discover the bay 1 and allow the passage of a truck.

A pair of vertical slides 7 and 8 are arranged respectively along the vertical edges of the bay 1. The slides 7, 8 are fixed to a metal frame 9 that is sealed with the floor 6. The slides 7,8 serve to guide the blind 3 along its upward and downward movements. For this purpose, the shutter 3 is equipped with two lateral strips 10 and 11, which are inserted in the slides 7 and 8. In Figure 4, the strips 10 and 11 have a circular profile and their thickness is greater than that of the blind 3. The slides 7 and 8 are circular section profiles, extended by two wings 12 and 13 that delimit each other a longitudinal groove vertical 16. The width of the groove 16 is intermediate between the thickness of the canvas of the blind 3 and the thickness of the weatherstrips 10 and 11. Thus, the strips 10 and 11 slide in the slides 7 and 8 during the descent or the rise of the blind 3. Each of the slides 7 and 8 is inserted in a chassis 14 which will be described later.

The slides 7 and 8, particularly their wings 12 and 13, are designed so that the strips 10 and 11 can be released from the slides through the groove 16, from the same moment that tensile forces X and Y (Figure 4) are exerted on the weatherstrips, in the plane of the blind and transversely to the slides. For example, the case may arise when, while the blind is being lowered or insufficiently raised, it is violently struck by a vehicle entering or leaving the warehouse. It is of interest that the tensile force X, Y necessary to tear the weather strips 10.11 from their respective slides 7 and 8 be as large as possible, to

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prevent the strips 10 and 11 from suddenly coming out of their slides 7 and 8 during the maneuver of the blind 3. This pulling force must, however, be less than a critical value, so as to prevent the tarp of the blind 3 from being tear.

Figure 5 shows the blind 3 whose weatherstrip 10 has been removed from its slide 7.

Slides 7 and 8 are for example high density polyethylene.

The blind device shown in the figures is provided with an element according to the invention, for the reintroduction of the weatherstrip 10 (or the weatherstrip 11) into its slide 7 (or 8), after it has been torn off. This device, best represented in Figures 6 to 10 includes a chassis 14 that is fixed to the frame 9 (Figures 1 and 3), on the top of the slide. The chassis 14 is perforated by a rectilinear axial channel 15 whose U-profile allows the slide 7, 8 to be inserted. The chassis 14 is advantageously a molded body of high strength plastic material, for example a polyamide.

In figures 6 to 10, the slide 7 is inserted into the channel 15 of the chassis 14. The chassis 14 has the function of reinforcing the rigidity of the slide 7 that is inserted. For this purpose, the chassis 14 has two longitudinal wings 21 that take support respectively on the wings 12 and 13 of the slide 7. The chassis 14 and its wings 21 must have a sufficient stiffness to avoid deformation of the slide 7 in the chassis 14, during the reintroduction of the weatherstrip into the slider in the manner set forth below.

Sufficient separation must be prepared between the two wings 21, to allow the passage of the blind 3.

In its lower part, the chassis 14 is provided with a pair of rollers 17, mounted on ball bearings 18 shod on two fixed trees 19. The shafts 19 are oriented such that the two rollers 17 are symmetrically located on both sides of the axial plane of the slide 7 and in the immediate proximity of the slot 16 of the slide 7. Furthermore, the rollers 17 are arranged near the lower end of the chassis 14. This is thus located downstream of the rollers 17, with respect to the direction of the rise of the blind 3.

Figure 9 shows in detail the position of the rollers 17 on the chassis 14, in relation to the slide 7 that is inserted and with a weatherstrip 10 that slides in the slide 7. The two rollers 17 are in front of the groove 16 of the slide 7 and converge towards slot 16. The separation between the two rollers 17 is chosen so as to maintain between each roller 17 and the blind 3 a distance A that is sufficient not to hinder the normal operation of the blind, without preventing the blind from the blind can pass between the rollers

17. On the other hand, the rollers 17 are positioned so as to maintain a substantial separation B from each other and the weatherstrip 10, when it normally slides in its slide 7.

Figure 10 shows an advantageous embodiment of the invention, in which the rollers 17 have ribs on their periphery. The ribs 22 of the rollers 17 serve to reinforce the adhesion of the rollers on the weatherstrip while it is reintroduced into its slide in the manner to be exposed later.

The operation of the reintroduction device according to the invention will be described below, with reference mainly to Figures 11 to 14.

In figure 11, it is seen that the strip 10 of the blind 3 is normally inserted in its slide 7. The strip 10 therefore slides normally in its slide 7, to guide the blind while it is subjected to ascending or descending displacements in the direction of the arrows Z-Z '.

An opening 23 has been cut in the slide 7 in front of the rollers 17. The opening 23 has been cut in the wings 12 and 13 of the slide 7. Figure 12 shows a substantial separation B between the rollers 17 and the weatherstrip

10. This has therefore not been requested by the rollers 17, during normal operation of the blind 3.

In FIGS. 13 and 14, the shutter 10 of the blind has been removed from its slide 7. By subjecting the blind to an upward movement in the direction of the arrow Z, the weatherstrip 10 is pushed upward in that direction of the arrow Z and rolls on the rollers 17 which, turning in the direction of the arrow C, push the weatherstrip 10 through the opening 23 to the slide 7. Figure 14 shows the forces D exerted by the rollers 17 on the weatherstrip

10.

Figure 15 shows a strip 27 of the blind 3, said strip 27 has a notched shape on both sides of the median plane of the blind 3. Advantageously, the notched strip 27 is provided with a continuous projection 28 which offers the rollers 17 a zone of continuous contact and support. For reasons of clarity of the drawing, the slide 7 has not been represented.

In Figure 16, it is seen that the reintroduction element according to the invention is integrated in a blind device that includes on each side a pulley transmission 24 with notches that allows a change of direction to the blind 3, with the pulleys being mounted of transmission 24 in rotation and being solidarity for example by means of an axis not shown. The transmission pulleys 24 can otherwise drag the blind 3. The reintroduction element has a curvilinear part 26 provided with a guide roller 25 which is intended for

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keep the notched strip 27 in contact with the drive pulley 24 and keep it, whatever the direction of sliding, inside the channel 15, or the slide 7.

In the description of the figures, it has been considered that the bay 1 is vertical, that the blind is suspended from a drum 4 disposed above the bay. In this embodiment, the blind is subjected to a

5 Upward scrolling to discover the bay. The invention also applies equally to the case where the drum 4 is located in the lower part of the bay 1. In this modified embodiment of the invention, the drum can for example be located in a recess located below the ground level . In this embodiment, the blind is subjected to a downward movement to discover the bay and an upward movement to cover it.

10 In another modified embodiment of the invention, the slide 7 is horizontal and is arranged along the upper horizontal edge of the bay 1, while the slide 8 is disposed along the lower horizontal edge of the bay. In this embodiment of the invention, the strips 10 and 11 of the blind 3 are horizontal and the drum 4 is vertical and is arranged along one of the vertical edges of the bay 1.