Mechanism for closing and opening a swinging-sliding door leaf

Abstract

 The invention relates to a mechanism for closing and opening a swinging-sliding door leaf (1), comprising a fixed horizontal guide (4), over which a carriage (5) slides, and a groove-cam (6) which is almost entirely rectilinear, except in at least one of its ends in which it forms a curvilinear portion (6a) towards one of the sides of the door and over which a wheel (9) supported in the door leaf slides, the mechanism comprising a push-pull connecting rod (10), fixed in articulated manner to the carriage (5) and to the door leaf (1), the first point of articulation (11) with the door leaf of which remains during the closing of the door in front of the imaginary line (100) transverse to the guide (4) passing through its second point of articulation (12) with the carriage (5); whereas when the carriage (5) reaches the end of its path, due to the effect of the curvilinear portion (6a) of the groove, the connecting rod is forced to rotate until its first point of articulation (11) is located behind the mentioned imaginary line (100).

Description

Technical Field of the Invention.-

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanism for closing and opening a swinging-sliding door leaf, which is shifted to open it in a first outward swinging movement and in a second parallel sliding movement outside the wall in which the door frame is located. This mechanism, in the upper door frame, comprises a horizontal support guide over which a carriage slides in a rectilinear and alternating back and forth movement for closing and opening the door; an groove-cam which is almost entirely rectilinear, except in at least one of its ends in which it forms a curvilinear portion towards one of the sides of the door frame; and means for the slidable suspension of the leaf, attached in an articulated manner to the mentioned frame. The mechanism also comprises, in the door leaf, a vertical-axis wheel suitable for travelling inside the groove-cam during the opening and closing movements of the leaf.

Background of the Invention.-

[0002] Mechanisms of the mentioned type, particularly applicable to public transport vehicle doors and, more particularly, to trains and buses, are already known and widely used. They are also applicable to doors for platform closures, which separate the track from the actual platform and which are opened and closed simultaneously with the doors of the trains stopping at the platform.

[0003] Thus, the following can be mentioned among the multiple existing patents for these mechanisms: FR-A-1358198, GB 2118667, GB 2283054, AT-B-186232, DE-C-2003857, DE-C-3630229, ES P 553584, EP 0320591, EP 0517334, EP 0673464 and EP 820889. All of them describe respective mechanisms for opening and closing swinging-sliding doors which are very complicated and cumbersome and which, due to their complexity, are susceptible of experiencing relatively frequent breakdowns. Furthermore, such mechanisms almost always need the incorporation of an additional automatic locking device for the leaf to prevent the accidental opening of the latter even without the actuation of the leaf operating.

[0004] Special mention should be made to European patent application EP 0837209 which, in the applicant's opinion, is the state of the art closest to the invention, which in its third embodiment mentions a leaf support mechanism which is not formed by an articulated parallelogram but by a simple rotating arm, so the assembly of the mechanism is substantially more compact. However, such embodiment also additionally incorporates a driving lever, attached in an articulated manner to a rotating arm, as well as a gear wheel and a tab which, together with a spring and an adjustment roller, form the locking device. Obviously, all this rather complicates the mechanism.

Disclosure of the Invention.-

[0005] An objective of the present invention is to obtain a really compact and simple mechanism which is truly effective and which, by itself, determines at the end of the closing run of the leaf an automatic locking position preventing unwanted openings thereof.

[0006] Fixed to the upper door frame, the mechanism object of the invention comprises a horizontal support guide over which a carriage slides in a rectilinear and alternating back and forth movement for closing and opening the door; a groove-cam which is almost entirely rectilinear, except in at least one of its ends in which it forms a curvilinear portion towards one of the sides of the door; and means for the slidable suspension of the leaf, attached in an articulated manner to the upper door frame. Fixed to the door leaf, the mechanism further comprises a vertical-axis wheel suitable for travelling inside the groove-cam during the opening and closing movements of the leaf.

[0007] The mechanism of the invention, which complies with the mentioned objective, is essentially characterized in that it comprises a push-pull connecting rod, fixed in an articulated manner at its ends to the carriage and to the upper part of the door leaf such that during the shifting of the leaf from its open position to its closed position the connecting rod adopts an essentially longitudinal position parallel to the path of the door in which, in the forward movement direction of the carriage, its first point of articulation with the door leaf remains in front of the imaginary line transverse to the guide passing through its second point of articulation with the carriage; whereas when the carriage reaches the end of its path on the horizontal guide, when the wheel travels over the curvilinear portion of the groove-cam, the connecting rod is forced to rotate about the second point of articulation until its first point of articulation is located slightly behind the mentioned imaginary line, whereby the connecting rod is locked against possible openings by pushing the door leaf in its opening direction.

[0008] According to another feature of the invention, the means for the suspension of the leaf comprise a horizontal bar, pivotably suspended at its ends from respective points close to the ends of the horizontal support guide.

[0009] According to another feature of the invention, the vertical edges of the leaf are provided with respective rigid latches suitable for aiding in closing the leaf with corresponding strike plates arranged in the vertical edges of the door frame.

[0010] According to another feature of the invention, the horizontal bar is hung at its ends from the horizontal support guide by means of respective ties allowing the pivoting of the former with respect to the latter.

Brief Description of the Drawings.-

[0011] 

Figures 1a and 1b are schematic plan and side elevational views, respectively, of the mechanism according to the invention in the position in which the door leaf adopts the open position;

Figures 2a and 2b are also schematic plan and side elevational views, respectively, of the mechanism according to the invention in the position in which the door leaf adopts the closed position;

Figures 3a and 3b are schematic plan and side elevational views, respectively, of the mechanism according to the invention in a double-leaf door and when the first and second leaves adopt the open position; and

Figures 4a and 4b are also schematic plan and side elevational views, respectively of the door of Figures 3a and 3b when the first and second leaves adopt the closed position.

Detailed Description of the Invention.-

[0012] The mechanism depicted in the drawings is a mechanism especially suitable for the actuation of vehicle doors or for access from the platforms to the trains in an underground station, tram station or the like, of the type closing the access to the area of the tracks when there is no train stopped at the station, to thus prevent possible passenger agglomerations on the platforms from leading to hazardous situations, in which a passenger can accidentally fall onto the tracks. For this purpose screens separating the tracks are arranged, which screens are provided with opening for the access to the train and in which the aforementioned doors are arranged.

[0013] Figures 1 a and 1 b depict the mechanism of the invention in the situation in which the door leaf 1 adopts its open position. These Figures 1 a and 1 b depict the portions of the wall 3, or of the screens, on each side of the door opening. It can be observed that when the leaf 1 adopts the open position, said leaf 1 is shifted to one side of the door opening, and is located in a plane parallel to that of the door opening, for example outside the vehicle. Thus, for the leaf 1 to adopt its closed position, it must first perform a parallel sliding movement outside the wall 3 in which is the door frame 2 is located, and subsequently perform a swinging movement towards the inside of the vehicle until adopting the position depicted in Figures 2a and 2b.

[0014] For the actuation of the door leaf 1, the mechanism comprises a horizontal support guide 4, fixed to the upper door frame, over which a carriage 5 slides in a rectilinear and alternating back and forth movement for closing and opening the door. It is observed in Figure 1a that the carriage 5 is close to the end 4a of the guide 4, whereas in Figure 2a the same carriage 5 is at the end 4b of the guide 4.

[0015] Also fixed to the upper door frame, the mechanism comprises a groove-cam 6 which is almost entirely rectilinear, except in at least one of its ends in which it forms a curvilinear portion 6a towards one of the sides of the door, in this case towards the inside of the vehicle in the example of Figures 1 a and 2a, as well as means for the slidable suspension of the leaf 1, attached in an articulated manner to the mentioned frame, which in the example of the drawings comprise a horizontal bar 7 pivotably suspended by means of respective ties 13 at its ends to the upper door frame, in which a sleeve 8 integral with the leaf 1 is slidably assembled.

[0016] In addition, fixed to the door leaf 1 by means of the sleeve 8, the mechanism comprises a vertical-axis wheel 9 suitable for travelling inside the groove-cam 6 during the opening and closing movements of the leaf 1.

[0017] The carriage 5 and the sleeve 8 are connected to one another by a push-pull connecting rod 10 transmitting the movement of the carriage 5 to the sleeve 8. The connecting rod 10 is fixed in an articulated manner at its ends to the carriage 5 and to the sleeve 8 such that, during the shifting of the leaf 1 from the open position (see Figure 1a) towards its closed position, the connecting rod 10 adopts an essentially longitudinal position parallel to the path of the leaf 1 and therefore to the guide 4, whereas the wheel 9 travels over the rectilinear portion of the groove-cam 6. It is observed in Figure 1a that the first point of articulation 11 of the connecting rod 10 with the door leaf 1 remains in front of the imaginary line 100 transverse to the guide 4 passing through the second point of articulation 12 of said connecting rod 10 with the carriage 5.

[0018] Nevertheless, when the carriage 5 reaches the end 4b of the guide 4, the wheel 9 travels over the curvilinear portion 6a of the groove-cam 6, the assembly of the leaf 1 shifting towards the door opening and thus the point of articulation 11 of the connecting rod 10 also towards the side in which the curvilinear portion 6a extends, i.e., towards the door opening.

[0019] Both the shape of the curvilinear portion 6a and the location of the point of articulation 12 of the connecting rod 10 with the carriage 5 are selected such that when the door leaf 1 reaches the position depicted in Figure 2a, the connecting rod 10 is forced to rotate about its second point of articulation 12 with the carriage 5 such that its first point of articulation 11 is located slightly behind the imaginary line 100. In the example of the drawings this means that the connecting rod 10 rotates an angle greater than 90° when the carriage 5 reaches the end of its path on the horizontal guide 4, whereby the movement of the connecting rod 10 is locked against possible openings by pushing the leaf 1 in the opening direction.

[0020] Indeed, when the mechanism adopts the position depicted in Figure 2a, if the door leaf 1 is pushed in the direction indicated by arrow C, the connecting rod 10 transmit the pushing forces such that it tends to shift the carriage 5 towards the end 4a of the guide 4, and therefore to maintain the door leaf 1 in its closed position.

[0021] The mechanism of the invention is suitable for double-leaf doors such as the one depicted in Figures 3a, 3b, 4a and 4b. In this double-leaf door, the same reference numbers have been used to designate components equivalent to the mechanism explained in detail above.

[0022] In this door there are identified a first leaf 1 and a second leaf 1', which describe symmetrical opening and closing movements with respect to a plane normal to the door opening. In the example of the drawings, the first leaf 1 is actuated by a motor whereas the second leaf 1' is mechanically connected with the first leaf 1 in a known manner, such that the movement of the first leaf 1 is transferred, for example by means of a system of pulleys or belts, to the second leaf 1' to shift it simultaneously with said first leaf 1 during the opening and closing movements.

Claims

1. A mechanism for closing and opening a swinging-sliding door leaf (1), which is shifted to open it in a first outward swinging movement and in a second parallel sliding movement outside the wall (3) in which the door frame (2) is located, comprising

- fixed to the upper door frame, a horizontal support guide (4) over which a carriage (5) slides in a rectilinear and alternating back and forth movement for closing and opening the door; a groove-cam (6) which is almost entirely rectilinear, except in at least one of its ends in which it forms a curvilinear portion (6a) towards one of the sides of the door; and means for the slidable suspension of the leaf, attached in an articulated manner to the mentioned frame; and

- fixed to the door leaf, a vertical-axis wheel (9) suitable for travelling inside the groove-cam during the opening and closing movements of the leaf,

the device being characterized in that it further comprises a push-pull connecting rod (10), fixed in an articulated manner at its ends to the carriage and to the upper part of the door leaf such that, during the shifting of the leaf (1) from its open position to its closed position, the connecting rod (10) adopts an essentially longitudinal position parallel to the path of the door in which, in the forward movement direction of the carriage (5), its first point of articulation (11) with the door leaf remains in front of the imaginary line (100) transverse to the guide (4) passing through its second point of articulation (12) with the carriage (5); whereas when the carriage reaches the end of its path on the horizontal guide, when the wheel travels over said curvilinear portion (6a), the connecting rod is forced to rotate about the second point of articulation (12) until its first point of articulation (11) is located slightly behind the mentioned imaginary line (100), whereby the connecting rod is locked against possible openings by pushing the door leaf in its opening direction.

2. The mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for the slidable suspension of the leaf (1) comprise a horizontal bar (7) pivotably suspended at its ends from the upper door frame, in which a sleeve integral with the leaf is slidably assembled.

3. The mechanism according to the previous claims, characterized in that the vertical edges of the leaf (1) are provided with respective rigid latches suitable for aiding in closing the leaf with corresponding strike plates arranged in the vertical edges of the door frame (2).

4. The mechanism according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the horizontal bar (7) is hung at its ends from the horizontal support guide (4) by means of respective ties allowing the pivoting of the former with respect to the latter.

Drawing