Guide system

Abstract

 This invention relates to a guide system in an overhead sliding door (2) which comprises, a set of guide rails (3) provided on each side of a door panel. The set of guide rails describe a path for guiding said overhead sliding door. The path comprises an upper substantially horizontal section (4), a curved section (5) and a substantially vertical section (6). At least one door panel (7) having a lower door panel portion (9) is provided, said door panel (7) being interconnected via supporting runners (11). The supporting runners (11) are guided along at least part of said guide rails (3), and a lower portion of the lower door panel portion (9) is hingedly interconnected to a guide element (1) having at least two pivotally interconnected supporting runners (13a, 13b) arranged for guiding said lower door panel portion along said path.

Description

Technical Field of Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide system of an overhead sliding door which comprises, a set of guide rails provided on each side of the door, wherein said set describes a path for guiding said overhead sliding door, said path comprises an upper substantially horizontal section, a curved section and a substantially vertical section, at least one door panel having a lower door panel portion, said door panel being interconnected via supporting runners, which supporting runners are guided along at least part of said guide rails.

Technical Background

[0002] An overhead sliding door of the kind described in the introduction is previously known e.g. garage doors and industrial doors. Doors of this kind usually have guide rails wherein a runner, for example in the shape of a roller, is received so as to travel in a track devised for that purpose. The roller in turn is carried by a support, which is connected to the door panel. Further, the overhead sliding door can be motorized or manually handled.

[0003] One issue with such doors relates to when for example an obstacle occurs in the area between the lower end of the sliding door and the underlying floor during a closing operation of the overhead sliding door. The weight of the door and/or the power of the motorized door during closing movement present an evident risk for clamping injuries.

[0004] For reducing the risk of serious injuries, the lower door section is suitably provided with a lower seal arranged along the lowest edge of the door. The lower seal is preferably made of an elastic or shock absorbent material. This arrangement is used to soften the effect of any possible clamping.

[0005] One issue related to such a door is the risk for collision between the lower seal and the side-parts of the door during closing or opening of the door. Especially, when the lower section of the door is guided in the curved upper guide section, in a closing or opening operation, the wear and risk for jambing between said sealing and side-parts are significant. This is particularly a problem during closing operation of the door.

[0006] Furthermore, the door is often arranged with a vertical side sealing against the front of the door sections. The side sealings are normally arranged on the side walls, on both sides of the door opening, providing a sealing along the vertical direction. The described sealings are preferably made of a rubber like material or suitable sealing material. If there are side sealings the risk for jambing is still present since the lower seal will then possibly be forced against the side sealing, particularly, when the lower door section has reached the curved portion of the guide rail. A sealing being subject to wear will have reduced function after repeatedly being exposed to wear, resulting in poor sealing conditions.

[0007] The curved portion of the guide rail will guide the lower section provided with a lower seal, to be angled outwardly in a direction facing from the door plane and cause a contact (collision) with e.g. the side seals, side walls, etc. This effect is enhanced by the fact that the lower seal protrudes in the general direction of the door. Thus, there is a need for an improved solution for securing said lower section to a guide rail that allows for closing and opening operation without obstruction or jambing between lower door seal and the side parts of the door.

[0008] There exist in the art, overhead sliding doors that are provided with additional guide rails in the general vertical direction in order to overcome the issues described above. This represents an alternative solution which is quite costly since many different guide rails are to be mounted, requiring in addition significant space at the sides of the door in order to fit the construction.

[0009] A further issue related to such doors is that it is important to achieve substantial clearance in the door opening when the door is open, in order to preclude interference with the door and allow maximum height of objects entering the door.

[0010] The requirement for a soft lower sealing, in addition to the issues previously described, makes it difficult to solve the arrangement of the lower door panel to the runners, such that clearance is maintained, or improved and a smooth opening and closing operation is enabled.

Summary of the Invention

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide an alternative guide system of an overhead sliding door that overcomes the above issues, and presents a system for enabling smooth movement of a door panel, particularly the lower portion of said door panel, between an open and a closed position.

[0012] A further object of the present invention is to provide a guide system enabling substantial clearance in the door opening for objects entering the door.

[0013] It is still a further object to provide a guide system that achieves the above mentioned objects even when a lower sealing is fitted to the bottom of the door panel.

[0014] These and other objects are achieved by a guide system of an overhead sliding door according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0015] According to the invention there is provided a guide system in an overhead sliding door which comprises, a set of guide rails provided on each side of a door panel, wherein said set describes a path for guiding said overhead sliding door, said path comprises an upper substantially horizontal section, a curved section and a substantially vertical section, at least one door panel having a lower door panel portion, said door panel being interconnected via supporting runners, which supporting runners are guided along at least part of said guide rails, wherein a lower portion of the lower door panel portion is hingedly interconnected to a guide element having at least two pivotally interconnected supporting runners arranged for guiding said lower door panel portion along said path.

[0016] By providing the guide element associated to the path, the lower door panel portion will be able to reach a position allowing for substantial clearance, when in an open position, using a sole path comprising a substantially vertical section, a curved section and a substantially horizontal section. Furthermore, the use of a guide element allows for achieving a pivotal movement of the door panel in relation to the path during opening or closing of said door, which enables that the tip of the lower door panel portion do not interfere with any side walls or side sealings during movement. It is realized that by using a guide element according to the invention a guide system is achieved that allows for high flexibility in arranging the lower door panel portion in relation to the path of the overhead sliding door. Thus, a guide system is accomplished which is suitable for a number of overhead sliding doors adapted for various purposes.

[0017] Preferably, the door panel comprises a plurality of panel sections being hingedly interconnected via pivot joints and supporting runners, which supporting runners are guided along said guide rails.

[0018] In order to utilize the height of a building to a high degree a guide system is provided having a door pane, which comprises a top door panel section being hingedly interconnected via pivot joints and supporting runners, which supporting runners are guided in a separate upper substantially horizontal guide rail. It is realized that by letting the top door panel avoid the curved portion of the path the door panel will be able to cover a larger area, thus allowing a higher degree of open area in relation to the height of the building, which may motivate an additional separate upper guide rail for the top runner.

[0019] Preferably, a lifting cable is arranged associated to the guide element. More preferably, a lifting cable is arranged to the guide element in a point located on the inside relative to the front of the door panel, when the door is in a closed position. By arranging the cable to the guide element in such a manner the lower end of the door will reach a higher position in relation to the end portion of the cable, when the door is fully opened, thus a substantial increase in clearance is possible.

[0020] Suitably, a lifting cable is arranged to the guide element and further arranged along a guide ramp provided on the guide element, in order to achieve a high degree of clearance in an open condition and a robust performance during movement of the door panel.

[0021] Advantageously, a cable drum is associated to said lifting cable and provided above said guide rail, preferably in the front portion relative to said door panel.

[0022] Preferably, a lower sealing is provided on the below side of the lower door panel portion and the guide elements are arranged to the lower door panel, such that the lowest part of the guide element is above the lower sealing when the door is in a closed position. The lower sealing according to a preferred embodiment of the invention should not have any hard elements at least within 25 mm from the lowest part of the lower sealing when the door is in a closed position. This is to reduce the risk for injuries if e.g. a person is being hit by the door panel during closing movement. Hence, the guide element present a solution for the connection of the runners and the lifting cable and still fulfilling the before mentioned requirement.

[0023] In order to facilitate operation the supporting runner, preferably comprises a roller.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment a drive unit is provided to perform opening and closing operation of said door.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] A currently preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an overhead sliding door suitable for being provided with said guide system.

Fig. 2a is a schematic sectional side view of a guide system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention provided in an overhead sliding door between a closed and an open position and an enlarged partial side view of a guide element in such a position.

Fig. 2b is a schematic sectional side view of a guide system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention provided in an overhead sliding door in a position near fully opened and an enlarged partial side view of a guide element.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial view of a guide element of the guide system.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0026] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples described should not be regarded as restricting but merely as examples.

[0027] Fig 1 illustrates an essentially conventional overhead sliding door consisting of a door panel, generally designated by reference 2 and divided into a number of door-panel sections 7, which are hingedly joined together along horizontal pivot elements 10. The number of door-panel sections depends on the height of the door opening for which the overhead sliding door is intended. At each one of the vertical side edges of the door opening extends a vertical guide rail portion 6. The door-panel sections 7 are connected with and guided by the guide rails via runners, which preferably are rollers disposed in said rails, said rollers being mounted on shafts attached to the door-panel sections. Numeral reference 15 designates a drive unit designed to actuate the door panel for movement between a raised open position and a lowered closed position, in which latter position the door panel covers said door opening.

[0028] The function of the guide element system according to a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to fig 2a and 2b. The door panel 7 comprises a plurality of panel sections being hingedly interconnected via pivot joints 10 and supporting runners 11 at the lateral edges of the door panel 7, which supporting runners 11 are guided along said guide rails 6, 5, 4. The door panel 7 further comprises a top door panel section 8 being hingedly interconnected via pivot joints 10 and supporting runners 11 at the lateral edges of the door panel 7, which supporting runners 11 are guided in a separate upper substantially horizontal guide rail 16.

[0029] Furthermore, a lifting cable 17 is arranged to the guide element 1 in a point 19 located on the inside relative to the front of the door panel 7, when the door is in a closed position. The lifting cable 17 is further arranged along a guide ramp 22 provided on the guide element 1. The guide ramp 22 in combination with said guide element 1 allows for a higher degree of freedom in arranging the supporting runners 13a, 13b, the lower door panel portion and the lifting cable 17 such that an optimum point of rotation of the lower door panel portion 9 may be accomplished for the embodiment in question.

[0030] A cable drum 18 is associated to said lifting cable 17 and provided above said guide rail 3, preferably in the front portion 14 relative to said door panel 7. Furthermore, a lower sealing 20 is provided on the below side of the lower door panel portion 9 and the guide elements 1 are arranged to the lower door panel, such that the lowest part of the guide element 1 is above the lower sealing 20 when the door is in a closed position.

[0031] A lower portion of the lower door panel portion 9 is hingedly interconnected to a guide element 1 having at least two pivotally interconnected supporting runners 13a, 13b arranged for guiding said lower door panel portion along said path.

[0032] During opening of said door the lifting cable is activated on each side of the door panel in order to balance the door. The guide element 1 is following the vertical guide rail 6 of the path and continuing into the curved guide rail 5 of the path as probably best illustrated by fig 2b. The lifting cable is connected to a point 19 of the guide element 1.

[0033] Since the lifting cable has a limit to which the door panel can be hoisted the connection of the lifting cable in point 19, said point 19 being located on the inside of the door in relation to the front of the door panel, results in a higher degree of opening than if the lower door panel portion 9 would be arranged directly to a runner in a conventional manner. This will be better explained in the following. Conventionally, in prior art solutions a runner 11 is arranged somewhere along the extension of the lower door panel portion, as seen from the side, preferably near the tip of the lower door panel portion 9 as previously described. Hence the increase in opening height for an embodiment of the present invention in relation to a conventional door would be the difference in height between point 19 and a point chosen somewhere along the lower door portion in a fully opened condition.

[0034] After completing an opening operation the door panel may be lowered again to a closed position. Since the angle of the lower door panel portion 9, as seen from the side, may be controlled by correctly adapting the guide element 1 of the inventive guide system the risk for interaction between e.g. sidewalls or side sealings and the tip of the lower door panel portion is limited even in the curved guide rail section 5. This is probably best illustrated in fig 2b, where the tip of the lower door panel section 9 does not extend beyond the outer part of the guide rail 5, as seen from the side and in relation to the front of the door panel.

[0035] Referring now to fig 3, wherein an example of a guide element 1 is illustrated up-side down. The guide element 1 generally consists of a bracket being hingedly interconnected around a joint, in this case the joint coinciding with point 19. The other part of the joint consists of a bracket 21 arranged to the lower door panel portion 9. The guide element 1 is provided with two rollers 13a, 13b arranged to travel in at least part of said path (not shown). The lifting cable is provided between the lower door panel portion and the rollers and continuing further to a cable drum 18. By this arrangement the risk for obstruction of the lifting cable 17 along its propagation is reduced.

[0036] Although the present invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that various modifications, alterations and adaptations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is realized that the guide system is suitable for overhead sliding doors provided with a drive unit as well as for manually handled doors.

[0037] Furthermore, it is realized that a door panel may consist of one door panel section (although not shown) provided with a guide system that satisfies the conditions of the claimed invention. In addition the skilled man realizes that it would be possible to adapt the relation of point of rotation for the lower door panel portion 9 and the joint connection of the guide element 1 to said lower door panel portion in order to further improve or adapt the closing and opening conditions using the disclosed guide system. The bracket forming the supporting part of said guide element 1 is illustrated having an L-shape but also other guide element shapes are possible in order to adapt the guide system to suit a particular overhead sliding door arrangement.

Claims

1. A guide system of an overhead sliding door (2) which comprises,
   a set of guide rails (3) provided on each side of a door panel, wherein each said set describes a path for guiding said overhead sliding door (2), said path comprises an upper substantially horizontal section (4), a curved section (5) and a substantially vertical section (6), at least one door panel (7) having a lower door panel portion (9), said door panel (7) being interconnected via supporting runners (11), which supporting runners (11) are guided along at least part of said guide rails (3),
   characterised in that
a lower portion of the lower door panel portion (9) is hingedly interconnected to a guide element (1) having at least two pivotally interconnected supporting runners (13a, 13b) arranged for guiding said lower door panel portion along said path.

2. The guide system according to claim 1, wherein said door panel (7) comprises a plurality of panel sections being hingedly interconnected via pivot joints (10) and supporting runners (11), which supporting runners (11) are guided along said guide rails (3).

3. The guide system according to claim 2, wherein said door panel (7) comprises a top door panel section (8) being hingedly interconnected via pivot joints (10) and supporting runners (11), which supporting runners (11) are guided in a separate upper substantially horizontal guide rail (16).

4. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein a lifting cable (17) is arranged associated to the guide element (1).

5. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein a lifting cable (17) is arranged to the guide element (1) in a point (19) located on the inside relative to the front of the door panel (7), when the door is in a closed position.

6. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein a lifting cable (17) is arranged to the guide element (1) and further arranged along a guide ramp (22) provided on the guide element (1).

7. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein a cable drum (18) is associated to said lifting cable (17) and provided above said guide rail (3), preferably in the front portion (14) relative to said door panel (7).

8. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein a lower sealing (20) is provided on the below side of the lower door panel portion (9) and the guide elements (1) are arranged to the lower door panel, such that the lowest part of the guide element (1) is above the lower sealing (20) when the door is in a closed position.

9. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the supporting runner (11) comprises a roller.

10. The guide system according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein a drive unit (15) is provided to perform opening and closing operation of said door.

Drawing