Shutter device with re-inserting element

• US 20050067118A1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DYNACO Europe NV (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Dynaco International SA
• Inventors: Coenrates, Benoit
• Granted Patent: US 7,036,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/267.100
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/13 with closing members of one piece, e.g. of corrugated sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/581 Means to prevent or induce disengagement of shutter from side rails

Abstract

The invention relates to a shutter device intended to close a bay (11) or other opening and able to experience a downwards and upwards movement, the shutter (1) having flexible lateral edges (5, 6) projecting with respect to the plane of the shutter (1) and roughly continuous running in guideways (7, 8) mounted on a fixed support (9), means being provided, at least in the region of the lower part of the bay (11) or the said other opening, for allowing the projecting lateral edges (5, 6) to disengage from their guideways (7, 8) as soon as a certain tensile force transverse to the longitudinal direction of the guideways (7, 8) is exerted on these edges (5, 6), reintroduction means being provided so as to allow the lateral edges (5, 6) to engage once again in the upper part of the guideways (7, 8) during the upwards movement of the shutter (1), this device being characterized in that the said reintroduction means comprise guide members (20) provided facing the guideways (7, 8) so as to divert the edges (5, 6) of the shutter (1) into the guideways (7, 8) during the upwards movement of the shutter (1).

Claims

1. Shutter device intended to close a bay (11) or other opening and able to experience a downwards and upwards movement, the shutter (1) having flexible lateral edges (5, 6) being substantially continuous and projecting with respect to the plane of the shutter (1) running in guideways (7, 8) mounted on a fixed support (9), means being provided, at least in the region of the lower part of the bay (11) or the said other opening, for allowing the projecting lateral edges (5, 6) to disengage from their guideways (7, 8) as soon as a certain tensile force transverse to the longitudinal direction of the guideways (7, 8) is exerted on these edges (5, 6), reintroduction means being provided so as to allow the lateral edges (5, 6) to engage once again in the upper part of the guideways (7, 8) during the upwards movement of the shutter (1), this device being characterized in that the said reintroduction means comprise guide members (20) provided facing the guideways (7, 8) so as to divert the edges (5, 6) of the shutter (1) into the guideways (7, 8) during the upwards movement of the shutter (1).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide members (20) occupy a fixed position with respect to the upper part of the guideways (7, 8).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance between the guide members (20) located on each side of the plane of the shutter (1) is greater than the thickness of the shutter (1) near the lateral edges (5,6) of the latter and smaller than the thickness of the lateral edge (5,6) of the shutter (1).

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least the lower end of the upper part of the guideway (7, 8) is mounted elastically with respect to the fixed support (9) on which the guideway (7, 8) is mounted.

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the guideways (7, 8) are mounted on the support (9) elastically and/or with pivoting about an axis roughly parallel to their longitudinal axis.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the guide members (20) and the upper part of the guideways (7, 8) are mounted on a separate chassis (27).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the chassis (27) is provided with a lug (48) at its upper end, resting against the aforementioned support (9) so that the position of the part of the guideways (7, 8) at the location of this lug (48) is practically unvarying.

8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the chassis (27) has a lip (40) at its lower end, extending along the upper end of the lower part of the guideways (7, 8) so that this lower part can be fixed to the chassis (27) by means of this lip (40) in the continuation of the upper part of the guideways (7, 8).

9. Device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the chassis (27) has a U-section and surrounds the upper part of the corresponding guideway (7, 8).

10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises, for each of the guideways (7, 8), a switch (47) mounted on the fixed support (9) thereof, near the guide members (20), this switch (47) being arranged in such a way as to generate a signal during a displacement, under the action of the shutter (1), of the guideways (7, 8) at the location of this switch (47).

11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that slowing means are provided, collaborating with the aforesaid switch (47) so as to slow the upwards movement of the shutter (1) when a signal is generated by the switch (47).

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a buffer (25) is provided at the lower part of the shutter (1), this buffer (25) collaborating with a stop (26) provided at the upper part of the guideways (7, 8) so as to guarantee that the lower end of the lateral edges (5, 6) of the shutter (1) cannot be moved upwards beyond the guide members (20).

13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a buffer (50) is provided at the upper part of the shutter (1), this buffer collaborating with a stop (26) provided at the upper part of the guideways (7, 8), in such a way that, when the buffer (50) rests against the stop (26), the shutter (1) is in its closed position.

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the buffer (50) is provided near the lateral edge (5, 6) of the shutter (1).

15. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises drive means for moving the shutter (1) in a downwards and upwards movement between the closed position and the open position and for forming a loop (49) in the shutter (1) over the guideways (7, 8) when the shutter (1) is in its closed position, the shutter (1) resting, at the location of this loop (49), against a wall (10) above the bay (11) or other opening, sealing between the shutter (1) and this wall (10).

16. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the guide members (20) comprise at least two successive rests (21, 22, 23, 24) distributed over a certain distance along the upper part of the guideways (7, 8), one of these rests (21, 22) being situated facing the point of introduction (19) of the lateral edges (5, 6) of the shutter (1) into the guideways (7, 8), the other rest (23, 24) being provided at the upper end of these guideways (7, 8).

17. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the guideway (7, 8) is interrupted between the upper part of the guideways (7, 8) and the lower part of the guideways (7, 8) so that the lower end of the upper part of the guideway (7, 8) can be moved with respect to the lower part of the guideway (7, 8) during the upwards movement of the shutter (1) when the corresponding lateral edge (5, 6) thereof becomes disengaged from the lower part of the guideway (7, 8).

18. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the guideways (7, 8) have an accessway (19) facing the guide members (20) and through which the corresponding lateral edge (5, 6) of the shutter (1) which may have become disengaged from the guideways (7, 8) can be reintroduced thereinto.

19. Reintroduction element to be mounted on a shutter device (1) intended to close a bay (11) or other opening, this shutter (1) being able to undergo a downwards and upwards movement and having flexible lateral edges (5, 6) projecting with respect to the plane of the shutter (1) and roughly continuous running in guideways (7, 8) mounted on a fixed support (9), means being provided, at least in the region of the lower part of the bay (11) or the said other opening, for allowing the projecting lateral edges (5, 6) to disengage from their guideways (7, 8) as soon as a certain tensile force transverse to the longitudinal direction of the guideways (7, 8) is exerted on these edges (5, 6), reintroduction means being provided so as to allow the lateral edges (5, 6) which may have become disengaged from the guideway (7, 8) to engage once again in the upper part of the guideway during the upwards movement of the shutter (1), this reintroduction element being characterized in that it comprises a chassis (27) on which guide members (20) and the upper part of the guideways (7, 8) are mounted, the guide members (20) being provided in such a way as to divert the edges (5, 6) of the shutter (1) into the guideways (7, 8) during the upwards movement of the shutter (1).