[0001] The present invention is part of the devices that allow the guiding of a fabric like
a retractable screen mode.
State of the prior art
[0002] From the state of the art there are known devices that allow the guiding of fabrics
like retractable screens comprising chains or rigid elements articulated as those
described for example in the patents
EP1903175,
EP1905944,
EP2312113. The problem in the rigid elements or chain for retractable screens from state of
the art is that have surfaces with nooks which allow the accumulation of dirt.
[0003] In addition, another major problem that have is the way in which is performed the
binding among the different links in the chain that has a delicate security system
so that the links do not loose among themselves during the operation of the retractable
screen motion system.
Explanation of the invention
[0004] Retractable screens include for example the pleated anti-mosquito nets. These screens
are devices characterized by extending a fabric closing a gap, and then being able
to pick it again, remaining in the initial state. The fabric is arranged between two
vertical rigid elements, joined together by two flexible or rigid articulated elements
or chains that slide to the inside of the vertical rigid elements, while its outer
span remains horizontal.
[0005] The main objective of the present invention is to propose a link chain which exceeds
the limitations of the previous ones, introducing a new principle of assembly, a minimization
of nooks where dirt can accumulate, and a novel anti-rotation and anti-disassembly
security system.
[0006] The links in the chain have a structure formed by two side walls parallel each other
and joined by a perpendicular surface to them which has a hook at the front with an
opening and has attached to its rear a cylindrical axis. When the links join together
to form a chain two adjacent links join each other in an articulated way with the
cylindrical axis of one of them being introduced through the hook opening of the adjacent
link.
[0007] In addition the links of the present invention has a geometric shape that allows
only the rotation of the chain in a direction and limiting the angle of rotation of
the chain in the permitted direction. The links incorporate flanges at the top, both
the front and the rear in such a way that when the chain is mounted the front top
flange of a link is placed in contact with the rear top flange of an adjacent link
in such a way that they allow the rotation only in a direction.
[0008] The limitation of the angle of rotation is achieved due to a vertical step that is
inside of the links and which has curved shape. When this vertical step from a link
comes into contact with a vertical side of an adjacent link allows the rotation of
both of them, but only to an extent in which the curvature of the vertical step changes
and the inclined vertical side of a link can not continue sliding by said step.
[0009] In addition the links have on its top a front limit surface and a rear limit surface
that when the links are mounted, allow the separation of the top part so that the
rear part of a link is introduced inside of the front of a second link.
[0010] Throughout the description and claims the word "comprises" and its variants are not
intended to exclude other technical features, additives, components or steps. For
those skills in the art, other objects, advantages and features of the invention will
be understood partly of the description and partly of the practice of the invention.
The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration, and are not
intended to be limiting of the present invention. In addition, the present invention
covers all possible combinations of particular and preferred embodiments here indicated.
Brief description of the drawings
[0011]
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a link chain object of the invention in which the
limitation of the rotation is appreciated (in the right area of figure it can be seen
how the chain can only rotate upwardly) and it can be seen how the links are placed
in the chain (in the left area of the figure it can be seen a link placed perpendicularly
to the chain for its placement in this chain).
FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective of a link in the chain.
FIG. 3 shows a section of a link in the chain for its plane of symmetry.
FIG. 4 shows a profile view of a link in the chain.
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a link in the chain of the invention in perpendicular
position to the chain for its assembly.
References
[0012] 1: Link; 2: First flange; 3: Cylindrical axis; 4: Hook; 5: Vertical step; 6: Second
flange; 7: Tilted vertical sides; 8: Lateral walls; 9: Perpendicular surface; 10:
Front limit surface; 11: Rear limit surface; 12: Opening
Detailed exposition of embodiments
[0013] The link chain for retractable screens of the invention consists of (1) links that
are rigid elements, being these links articulated to each other.
[0014] Each link is composed by two lateral walls (8) parallel to each other and joined
by a perpendicular surface (9) to them. This perpendicular surface (9) has in his
front end a hook (4) with a cylindrical shape and an opening (12). In the area of
the rear end of the perpendicular surface (9) there is a cylindrical axis (3) placed
in parallel with the perpendicular surface (9) and joined in a fixed way to the perpendicular
surface (9). When mounting the chain, the links are connected to each other by placing
the hook (4) of a second link around the cylindrical axis (3) of a first link that
is adjacent to it in the chain. In this way the links are joined in an articulated
way because this type of join allows the rotation of the links one with regarding
to the other.
[0015] The lateral walls (8) comprise in the side that is inward of the links (1) a vertical
step (5) so that the rear area, which is the area in which is the cylindrical axis
(3), it is narrower than the front area, which is the area in which it is the hook
(4). This allows that when the chain is mounted, the rear area of a first link remains
inside of a second link adjacent to it, remaining the front area of the second link
outside of the rear area of the first link.
[0016] The vertical step (5) is curve-shaped to ensure that the rotation of a link to its
adjacent link occurs only in one direction. Thus the vertical step (5) is curve-shaped
in the top part and is straight on the bottom so that the link adjacent to it can
rotate in respect of the top, and in relation to the bottom is, at most, perpendicular.
The vertical step (5) has a different shape in the inner surface of the lateral walls
(8) than on the outer face to properly limit the rotation to only a direction.
[0017] Links (1) also comprise other limitative surfaces of rotation of the links. Specifically,
they comprise a first flange (2) which is located at the rear top of each of the side
walls (8). Each side wall (8) has two inclined vertical sides (7) and has its bottom
end curve-shaped to allow the rotation in relation to the adjacent steps and has straight
horizontal sides. The inclined vertical sides (7) limit the rotation of the links
when coming into contact with the vertical step (5) of the adjacent link. Thus, when
the inclined vertical side (7) of a second link slides by the vertical step (5) because
of the movement of rotation of the chain, there is a moment in which the vertical
step (5) of the first link, due to the above described geometry, avoids that the rotation
of the second continues.
[0018] The first flange (2) is vertical and is located in the outer face of the lateral
walls, in the rear part. The links also comprise a second flange (6), also vertical,
and located in the inner side of the front top of each of the side walls (8). When
the chain has been mounted, the rotation of the links is limited since when it is
intended to turn the chain in a direction in which has limited, the first flange (2)
in a first link comes into contact with the second flange (6) of the second link thus
avoiding the rotation of the chain in this direction.
[0019] The first flange (2) and the second flange (6) come to contact during the assembly
of the chain so that the top of the links (1) separates to allow the assembly and
subsequently restores its initial position which is the final position in the chain.
[0020] The assembly of the link chain will be carried out placing a second link in perpendicular
with respect to a first link so that the hook (4) is placed under pressure around
the cylindrical axis (3) allowing an articulated join. Then the second link is rotated
about a quarter until the bottom of the second link is left to the height of the bottom
of the first link.
[0021] The lateral walls (8) have a front limit surface (10) which is located at the upper
front part of the link (1) where the second flange is located (6). They also have
a rear limit surface (11) which is located in the upper back part of the link where
it is the first flange (2). When the chain is mounted, when turning the second link
with respect to the first link to leave both links to the same height, the front limit
surface (10) of the second link comes into contact with the rear limit surface (11)
of the first link in such a way that the front top part of the second link is separated.
In this way the rear part of the first link is introduced into the inside of the front
part of the second link. Hence the limit surfaces (10, 11) open elastically the lateral
walls of the link at the top.
[0022] Once mounted the chain, the first flange (2) and the second flange (6) limit the
rotation of the chain in such a way that they allow this rotation only in a direction
since in attempting to rotate the chain in the contrary direction the first flange
(2) and the second flange (6) come into contact. The inclined vertical surfaces (7)
together with the vertical step (5) limit the angle of rotation of the chain in the
direction in which the rotation is allowed. The limit surfaces (10, 11) allow assembly
of the chain since the limit surfaces of two links adjacent to each other come into
contact separating the front top part of one of the links so as the rear top part
of the other one is left inside.
1. Link chain for retractable screens which allows the rotation only in a direction,
and in this direction the rotation is limited at an angle determined, link chain being
formed by links joined in an articulated way each other and characterized in that each link (1) comprises two lateral walls (8) attached by a perpendicular surface
(9) to them which has a hook (4) in its front end with an opening (12) and there is
a cylindrical axis (3) attached to its rear end, placed in parallel with the perpendicular
surface (9) in such a way that in the chain the hook (4) of a second link is around
the cylindrical axis (3) of a first link, and the rotation of the chain is limited
by the contact with a vertical step (5) which is in the inner part of the lateral
walls (8) of a link and a inclined vertical side (7) of the side walls (8) of an adjacent
link and by the contact of a first flange (2) located on the rear top of the side
walls (8) with a second flange (6) located in the front top of the side walls (8).
2. Link chain according to the claim 1 wherein the vertical step (5) of the links is
on the inside of the side walls (8) such that the back area of the links (1), which
is the area in which it is the cylindrical axis (3), is narrower than the front area,
which is the area which is the hook (4) such that in the position of the links in
the chain, the back area of a first link is inside of the front area of a second link,
and the vertical step (5) has a curve shape to ensure that the rotation of a link
in relation to its adjacent rotation occurs only in one direction.
3. Link chain according to the claim 1 wherein each link has a front limit surface (10)
which is located in the upper front of the link (1) where the second flange (6) is
located, and has a rear limit surface (11) which is located on the upper back of the
link where it is the first flange (2) being both limit surfaces flexible such that
when they come into contact to join a link (1) to its adjacent link, they detach the
front top of a second link, and the rear top of a first link is inserted into the
front of the above-mentioned second link.
1. Gliederkette für einziehbare Schirme, die eine Drehung in nur eine Richtung ermöglicht
und deren Drehung in diese Richtung auf einen bestimmten Winkel begrenzt ist, wobei
die Gliederkette aus gelenkig miteinander verbundene Kettengliedern besteht und dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass jedes Kettenglied (1) zwei Seitenwände (8) umfasst, die über eine zu ihnen senkrecht
stehende Fläche (9) verbunden sind, die am vorderen Ende einen Haken (4) mit einer
Öffnung (12) aufweist und an deren hinterem Ende eine zylinderförmige Achse (3) vorgesehen
ist, die parallel zur senkrechten Fläche (9) ausgerichtet ist, so dass in der Kette
der Haken (4) eines zweiten Kettenglieds um die zylinderförmige Achse (3) eines ersten
Kettenglieds zu liegen kommt und die Drehung der Kette begrenzt ist durch den Kontakt
eines senkrechten Absatzes (5), der sich im Innenteil der Seitenwände (8) eines Kettenglieds
befindet, mit einer schräg verlaufenden senkrechten Seite (7) der Seitenwände (8)
eines angrenzenden Kettenglieds und durch den Kontakt eines ersten Flanschansatzes
(2) am hinteren oberen Teil der Seitenwände (8) mit einem zweiten Flanschansatz (6),
der sich am vorderen oberen Ende der Seitenwände (8) befindet.
2. Gliederkette nach Anspruch 1, in der der senkrechte Absatz (5) der Kettenglieder sich
am Innenteil der Seitenwände (8) befindet, so dass der hintere Bereich der Kettenglieder
(1), also der Bereich, in dem sich die zylinderförmige Achse (3) befindet, schmäler
ist als der vordere Bereich, also der Bereich, in dem sich der Haken (4) befindet,
so dass in der Position der Kettenglieder in der Kette der hintere Bereich eines ersten
Kettenglieds im Inneren des vorderen Bereichs eines zweiten Kettenglieds zu liegen
kommt und der senkrechte Absatz (5) bogenförmig ausgestaltet ist, um zu gewährleisten,
dass die Drehung eines Kettenglieds in Bezug auf das angrenzende Kettenglied nur in
eine Richtung stattfindet.
3. Gliederkette nach Anspruch 1, in der jedes Kettenglied eine vordere Anschlagfläche
(10) hat, die sich am vorderen oberen Teil des Kettenglieds (1) befindet, wo sich
der zweite Flanschansatz (6) befindet, sowie eine hintere Anschlagfläche (11), die
sich am hinteren oberen Teil des Kettenglieds befindet, wo sich der erste Flanschansatz
(2) befindet, wobei beide Anschlagflächen flexibel ausgeführt sind, so dass sie, wenn
sie bei Verbinden eines Kettenglieds (1) mit dem angrenzenden Kettenglied miteinander
in Kontakt kommen, den vorderen oberen Teil von einem zweiten Kettenglied trennen
und der hintere obere Teil eines ersten Kettenglieds in den vorderen Teil des genannten
zweiten Kettenglieds eingeführt wird.
1. Chaîne de maillons destinée à des écrans rétractiles qui permet le tour dans un seul
sens, avec un tour limité à un angle déterminé; la chaîne de maillons est composée
de maillons unis de façon articulée entre eux et elle est caractérisée en ce que chaque maillon (1) comprend deux parois latérales (8) unies par une surface perpendiculaire
(9) à celles-ci qui possède en son extrémité antérieure un crochet (4) doté d'une
ouverture (12), uni à un essieu cylindrique (3) dans son extrémité arrière, placé
parallèlement par rapport à la surface perpendiculaire (9) de façon à ce que dans
la chaîne, le crochet (4) d'un deuxième maillon est placé autour de l'essieu cylindrique
(3) d'un premier maillon et le tour de la chaîne est donc limité en raison du contact
avec une marche verticale (5) située dans la partie intérieure des parois latérales
(8) du maillon et un côté vertical incliné (7) des parois latérales (8) d'un maillon
adjacent et en raison du contact d'une première languette (2) située dans la partie
supérieure arrière des parois latérales (8) avec une deuxième languette (6) située
dans la partie postérieure avant des parois latérales (8).
2. Chaîne de maillons selon la revendication 1 dans laquelle la marche verticale (5)
des maillons se situe dans la partie intérieure des parois latérales (8) de façon
à ce que la zone postérieure des maillons (1), où se trouve l'essieu cylindrique (3)
est plus étroite que la zone précédente, qui est la zone où se trouve le crochet (4)
de façon à ce que dans la position des maillons dans la chaîne, la zone postérieure
d'un premier maillon demeure à l'intérieur de la zone antérieure d'un deuxième maillon
et la marche verticale (5) a une forme courbe afin de garantir que le tour d'un maillon
ne se produise qu'en un seul sens par rapport à son maillon adjacent.
3. Chaîne de maillons selon la revendication 1 dans laquelle chaque maillon possède une
surface butoir avant (10) située dans la partie avant supérieure du maillon (1) où
se situe la deuxième languette (6), et une surface butoir arrière (11) située dans
la partie arrière supérieure du maillon où se situe la première languette (2) ; ces
deux surfaces butoir sont flexibles puisque, lorsqu'elles rentrent en contact et unissent
un maillon (1) à son maillon adjacent, elle séparent la partie supérieure avant d'un
deuxième maillon et la partie supérieure arrière d'un premier maillon s'introduit
dans la partie avant de ce deuxième maillon.