SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC RETRACTION AND REPOSITIONING OF PANELS

Abstract

 The present application describes a system for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels (1). Said system comprises a mobile technical closet (2) and a frame system, consisting of frame profiles which are internal (5, 5a) and external (6) to said closet (2), enabling panel (1) to slide from its action position to storage position. The closet (2) comprises a control unit (4) configured to command a driving module responsible for moving said closet (2) along two slide rails arranged perpendicularly to the shifting of the panels (1) on the rails (5, 5a, 6).
In this way, the entering and storing the panels (1) in the technical closet is successively and sequentially performed.

Description

Technical domain

[0001] The present application describes a system for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels.

Background

[0002] Currently, existing structures to perform the retraction of glass sheets or plates are mainly based on using a static technical closet. These structures comprise a rail system, applied to the base and top of said technical closet, which promote the shifting of the panels, consisting of sheets or plates of glass or any other material, such as for example wooden or aluminium plates, from an action position to a resting or storage position. These structures may or may not be automated, the shifting of the panels being promoted either by an engine or by human action.

[0003] Document US2884136 A describes a storage system for glass sheets or plates of large dimensions. More particularly, the system that has been developed is based on a rigid panel support structure, which promotes the shifting of the panels through rails assembled at its base and top. Due to the rails, panels are guided from their action position to their storage position or vice versa. This approach necessarily requires that the number of panels is equal to the number of rails installed in the structure, the shifting action not being motorized.

[0004] Along the same lines, document US3829189 A describes a mobile storage apparatus including a plurality of mobile units guided to move in a direction perpendicular to the storage faces, each mobile unit having a separated engine. In practice, each mobile unit corresponds to a rail equipped with an engine, the shifting of the respective panel being provided by the action of such mechanism. Also, in this case the number of mobile units employed must be the same as the number of panels to store.

[0005] In this way, one can see that, in practice, known solutions do not present an integrated solution with regard to optimal usage of the rails and the respective storage operation.

Summary

[0006] The present application describes a system for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels comprising:

• a technical closet comprising at least two storage compartments;
• a frame system comprised of at least one frame profile installed outside the closet and at least two frame profiles installed inside the closet, one per each storage compartment;

Wherein said system is characterised in that:

• the frame system further comprises at least two slide rails (in this case, only one rail may be used, the glasses thus being coplanar), disposed on the axis perpendicular to the frame profiles, both interior and exterior to the technical closet, to which the technical closet is fixed;
• and in that it comprises a control unit configured to actuate a driving module responsible for the shifting of the technical closet along the slide rails.

[0007] In a particular embodiment of the system, the driving module is comprised of a motor coupled to a shaft which, in turn, is connected to two toothed wheels engaging two rack bars installed at the base of the technical closet.

[0008] In another particular embodiment of the system, the motor is of the stepping type.

[0009] In yet another particular embodiment of the system, the external frame profile has the same direction as one internal frame profile.

[0010] In yet another particular embodiment of the system, a frame profile is comprised of one lower rail and one upper rail.

[0011] In yet another particular embodiment of the system, the lower and upper rails of the interior frame profile are installed at the base and the top of the technical closet, respectively.

[0012] In yet another particular embodiment of the system, the lower and upper rails of the exterior frame profile are installed on the pavement or at the pavement level, and at the ceiling or under the ceiling, respectively.

General description

[0013] The present application describes a system for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels. Within the scope of the present application, the definition of panel is considered to include any coplanar sheet or plate made of glass or any other material.

[0014] The system that has been developed for the retraction and repositioning allows for the storage of at least one panel. For that purpose, said system comprises a mobile technical closet. The mobile characteristic of said closet is translated in the movement thereof along an axis perpendicular to the shifting of the panels.

[0015] The system that has been developed further comprises a frame system in order to promote the movement both of the panels and of the mobile technical closet. For that purpose, the frame system is comprised of at least one frame profile external to the technical closet, and which extends in the same direction as at least two internal frame profiles installed in the interior of said closet. These frame profiles are composed of one upper rail and one lower rail, installed at the top and the base of the corresponding structures, respectively, being adapted to panels sliding along the respective profiles. The sliding of panels may be performed either manually or mechanically, by using an external motor unit. Given that the system will be applied to an aperture, by corresponding structure is meant, with regard to an external frame profile, that the lower rail is installed under the pavement or at the pavement level, being the upper rail installed at the ceiling or under the ceiling.

[0016] Through the frame system a panel slides along an external profile into the technical closet, being totally retracted in the interior thereof. This closet is subdivided into storage compartments, at least two, each of them equipped with an internal frame profile. Since both internal and external frame profiles are adjacent to each other, and also aligned and plumbed, the sliding of the panel from its action position, external to the technical closet, to its storage position inside said closet is ensured.

[0017] In turn, the shifting of the technical closet is performed over two lower rails, installed at the pavement surface, which are disposed perpendicular to the internal and external frame profiles, and on which the support structure of the technical closet is fitted, enabling it to be shifted along said rails. The movement of the closet, perpendicular to the shifting of the panels, allows for the alignment between internal and external frame profiles, enabling the panels to successively and sequentially enter and be stored in the technical closet, as long as there are unoccupied compartments in its interior. The shifting being sequential, when the technical closet reaches its final position, it means that all storage compartments are occupied, the closet returning to its initial position in order to proceed with the reverse operation of repositioning the panels in the aperture.

[0018] The movement of technical closet is controlled by a control unit commanding the operation of a driving module, the power of which varies according to the weight of the panels to be operated. The driving module is comprised of a motor coupled to a shaft, which in turn is connected to two toothed wheels causing the technical closet to move through two rack bars installed at the base of the technical closet.

Brief description of the figures

[0019] For an easier understanding of the present application figures are appended, which depict preferred implementations that, however, are not meant to limit the art disclosed herein.

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the system proposed for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels, wherein the reference numbers represent:

1 - panel;

2 - mobile technical closet;

3 - lower slide rail;

4 - control unit;

5 - lower rail of internal frame profile;

5a) - upper rail of internal frame profile;

6 - upper rail of external frame profile;

Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment of the traction system employed, where the reference signs represent:

2 - mobile technical closet;

3 - lower sliding rail;

7 - rack;

8 -toothed wheel for traction;

9 - shaft.

Description of embodiments

[0020] Referring to the figures, some embodiments are now described in a more detail, which are not meant, however, to limit the scope of the present application.

[0021] In a particular embodiment, the system that has been developed is used in the automatic retraction and repositioning of glass panels in a window aperture.

[0022] The system that has been developed for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels (1) comprises a mobile technical closet (2) where said panels (1) are stored in its interior in storage compartments. The shifting of the panels (1) is ensured by external frame profiles (6), installed under or at the level of the pavement, and at the ceiling or under the ceiling, where they slide, and by internal frame profiles (5, 5a), installed in the interior of the closet (2). Both internal (5, 5a) and external (6) frame profiles are totally aligned and plumbed with each other, in order to ensure the appropriate sliding of the panels (1).

[0023] For the opening of the window aperture, the panels (1) slide on the external profiles (6) and enter the technical closet (2) by sliding along the internal profiles (5, 5a) while it shifts perpendicularly to the alignment of the profiles (5, 5a, 6) where the panels (1) slide, until all storage compartments are occupied. At that point, the technical closet (2) retracts to its initial position, with the panels (1) in its interior, being totally hidden in the support structure of the aperture. In order to close the aperture, the reverse movement is performed.

[0024] For this movement to be possible, there is a control unit configured to operate a driving module (4). In an embodiment, the driving module (4) is a stepping motor, which is coupled to a shaft (9), which in turn connects to two toothed wheels (8) causing the technical closet (2) to move through two rack bars (7). In order to slide, the technical closet (2) is supported on and fixed to lower slide rails (3).

[0025] In a particular embodiment, the control unit (4) is configured to operate the driving module according to a movement management software.

[0026] Additionally, the control unit (4) comprises an ON/OFF switch to command the operation of the driving module.

[0027] The number of slide rails, castor wheel, motors, auger conveyor and all system elements vary according to the dimension and weight of the panels.

[0028] Sealing elements such as plush and seals may be coupled to the sliding panels.

[0029] The present specification is not, naturally, in any way restricted to the embodiments presented herein and a person of ordinary skill in the art may foresee many possibilities for modification thereof without departing from the main idea, as defined in the claims. The preferred embodiments above described are obviously combinable with each other. The following claims further define preferred embodiments.

Claims

1. System for the automatic retraction and repositioning of panels comprising:

- a technical closet comprising at least two storage compartments;

- a frame system comprising at least one frame profile installed outside the closet and at least two frame profiles installed inside the closet, one per each storage compartment;

Where said system is characterised in that:

- the frame system further comprises two slide rails, arranged on the axis perpendicular to the frame profiles, internal and external to the technical closet, to which the technical closet is fixed;

- and in that it comprises a control unit configured to actuate a driving module responsible for the shifting of the technical closet along the slide rails.

2. System according to claim 1 characterised in that the driving module comprises a motor coupled to a shaft which in turn is connected to two toothed wheels that engage two rack bars installed at the base of the technical closet.

3. System according to claim 2 characterised in that the motor is of the stepping type.

4. System according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the external frame profile extends in the same direction as one internal frame profile.

5. System according to the preceding claims, characterised in that a frame profile comprises one lower rail and one upper rail.

6. System according to claim 5 characterised in that the lower and upper rails of the interior frame profile are installed at the base and the top of the technical closet, respectively.

7. System according to claim 5 characterised in that the lower and upper rails of the exterior frame profile are installed on the pavement or at the pavement level, and at the ceiling or under the ceiling, respectively.

Drawing