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(11) | EP 0 357 214 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | An opening and closing assembly for a sectional up and over panel |
| (57) An up and over door assembly is disclosed comprising a door (1) constructed of hinged
horizontal panels (4) guided by inverted L-shaped tracks (not shown) between a vertical
closed position and a raised open position in which the door panel lies horizonally
above the door opening. Characteristically the lift mechanism comprises two pairs
of preferably rodless piston and cylinder units (12,14), one pair (12) to lift and
take the weight of the door initially, and the other pair (16) to pull it into the
open position. |
[0001] This invention relates to an opening and closing assembly for a sectional up and over panel, and concerns such an assembly either alone or in combination with a sectional up and over panel.
[0002] Up and over panels such as doors or shutters may be made up of a plurality of elongated panel sections hingedly connected together in edge to edge array to hinge with respect to each other about substantially parallel substantially horizontally extending axes. Such panels are generally movably guided at their edges to form opening and closing members for a substantially vertical aperture and move from a substantially vertical closed position across the aperture into a substantially horizontal position above the aperture somewhat in the manner of a tambour door, with each panel section when it reaches the uppermost position of vertical travel hinging about its connection to the next vertical panel section into the substantially horizontal position.
[0003] Such sectional up and over panels usually are made of metal such as steel for strength, rigidity, security and long life with or without foam, plywood or fireboard laminations, and when a large aperture is to be closed by such a panel then the panel is very heavy. This heavy weight requires the provision of a strong and safe opening and closing assembly which preferably should occupy as little space as possible and operate in a reliable and fail safe manner.
[0004] Proposals have been made to support and move the weight of a sectional up and over door during opening and closing using conventional stored energy systems incorporating torsion springs and electric motors but these conventional systems necessarily occupy a substantial amount of space and can be relatively expensive to manufacture and install.
[0005] There is thus a need for a generally improved opening and closing assembly for a sectional up and over panel which is simpler, more compact and does not involve the use of torsion springs or electric motors.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an opening and closing assembly for a sectional up and over door or shutter, made up of a plurality of elongated panel sections hingedly connected together in edge to edge array to hinge with respect to each other about substantially parallel, substantially horizontally extending hinge axes, with lateral edges of the panel, formed by the panel section end edges, being movably guided so that the panel extends in a closed position substantially vertically across a substantially vertical aperture and in an open position in a plane substantially horizontally above the aperture, and lifting means for moving the panel between the two positions, wherein the lifting means comprise a first pair of hydraulically or pneumatically operable piston and cylinder units locatable to extend substantially in parallel, laterally spaced apart, and substantially vertically, one on each side of the aperture for releasable engagement with the adjoining panel edge via the respective first unit movable piston, a second pair of hydraulically or pneumatically operable piston and cylinder units locatable to extend substantially in parallel, laterally spaced apart, and substantially horizontally, one on each side of the aperture substantially at right angles to said first pair of units in the region of the top edge of the aperture and of the top edge of the panel, and a pair of link means each connected at one end to a respective one of the second unit movable pistons and connected at the other end to the panel adjacent the top edge thereof, so that in operation, with the assembly in operative association with a said panel and aperture, the panel is moved from the substantially vertical closed position across the aperture into the substantially horizontal open position in a plane above the aperture by the steps of first operating the second units such that the top panel section is pulled by the second unit pistons and link means to hinge about its hinged connection to the next panel section, out of a substantially vertical position towards a horizontal position, and then operating the first units together with the second units such that the pistons of the first units engage the panel, directly or indirectly, at or adjacent the panel section thereof lowermost in the closed position and lift the panel, whilst supporting the weight thereof, vertically upwardly into the open position, with the second units pulling the hinged over panel sections horizonally during the opening movement, and returned to the substantially vertical closed position by reversal of said operating steps.
[0007] Such a construction has the advantage of supporting the panel at all times by the first pair of units until the major portion of its weight has moved Into the horizontal position.
[0008] Preferably the first and second piston and cylinder units are rodless units operated by air under pressure and each being in the form of an elongated cylinder having a slot through one wall thereof extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder and a yoke fixedly secured to said piston so as to project laterally out of said cylinder through said slot through seal means provided at said slot.
[0009] Conveniently the assembly includes a pair of support brackets fixedly attachable to the panel, preferably to the panel section lowermost in the closed position, one at or adjacent each end edge thereof to project therefrom substantially at right angles to the plane of the panel sections, for engagement by the respective pistons of the first units, preferably via said piston yokes.
[0010] Advantageously the assembly includes a pair of guide rails or channels each substantially L shaped in side elevation, fixedly locatable one on each vertical side of the aperture to extend substantially vertically up the aperture sides and substantially horizonally away from the aperture at or adjacent to the top thereof for engagement by the end edges of the panel sections either directly or indirectly to guide movement of the panel. In this way the weight of the panel in the horizontal open position is taken on the horizontal parts of the guide rails or channels.
[0011] Preferably each link means comprises a pair of a control arms pivotally connected one at each end to the panel section uppermost in the closed position, at or adjacent the top edge of said panel section, and pivotally connected at the other end to the respective piston yoke(s) of the second piston units.
[0012] Conveniently the assembly includes a pneumatic logic or electrical/electronic control system for ensuring operation of the first and second piston and cylinder units in the correct sequence.
[0013] Advantageously the apparatus includes a main source of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure and a secondary source of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure, which secondary source is connected via a manually operable valve to the first and second piston and cylinder units for emergency operation of the assembly.
[0014] Preferably the apparatus incorporates a fail safe system including a plurality of burst valves associated two with each piston and cylinder unit and each operable on detecting of a rupture in the associated hydraulic or pneumatic line and seal off escape of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure from all unit cylinders so as to halt the panel at the position occupied at rupture of the associated hydraulic or pneumatic line and thereby prevent any downward movement of the panel under gravity.
[0015] For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective rear view of an opening and closing assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention shown in operative association with a sectional up and over panel in a closed position across an aperture to be opened and closed by the panel with the view being taken from the side of the panel remote from the aperture;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the assembly of Figure 1 taken in the same direction as that of Figure 1 showing the panel in a part open position; and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembly of Figures 1 and 2 taken in the same direction as that of Figures 1 and 2 but with the panel in the substantially fully open position.
[0016] An opening and closing assembly of the invention is intended for operating a sectional up and over panel 1 such as a door or shutter and is particularly suitable for use with an aperture 2 provided substantially vertically in a substantially vertical wall 3 which may form the side wall of a building or a container such as a road or rail truck or carriage. In such a case the assembly is housed inside the building, truck or carriage with the panel 1 innermost of the aperture 2, in a manner such that the assembly itself occupies as little space as possible inside the building or container such as a truck or carriage so as to take up as little of the internal volume of the building or container as possible.
[0017] The panel 1 is made up of a plurality of elongated panel sections 4 made conveniently of any semi stiff substantially rigid material such as metal with or without foam, plywood or fireboard laminations. The panel sections 4 are hingedly connected together in edge to edge array to hinge with respect to each other about substantially parallel substantially horizontally extending hinge axes. To this end hinges 5 are provided between each panel section 4 as can best be seen from Figure 1.
[0018] Lateral edges of the panel 1, formed by the panel section end edges 4a, are movably guided such as by means of rollers 6 provided at least one on each end edge 4a as can be seen from Figure 1, movably engaging in a substantially L-shaped inside elevation guide rail or channel 7. Two such guide rails or channels 7 are provided fixedly locatable one on either vertical side of the aperture 2 to extend substantially vertically up the aperture sides and substantially horizontally away from the aperture at or adjacent the top thereof for engagement by the end edges 4a of the panel sections 4 either directly or indirectly to guide movement of the panel 1. To this end each guide rail or channel 7 has a substantially vertically extending portion 8, a substantially horizontally extending portion 9 and a radiussed portion 10 connecting the portions 8 and 9. The guide rail or channel portions 8 and 9 may be fixed directly to the walls of the container having the aperture 2 such as to the vertical wall 3 and to a horizontal roof like wall 11. In order to accommodate the roller 6 each guide rail or channel 7 has a substantially U-shaped cross section with the open mouth of the U-shape of each guide rail or channel 7 facing the open mouth of the other guide rail or channel 7 so that as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the open mouths of the spaced apart guide rail or channel 7 are directed towards each other. A slot is provided through a side wall of each guide rail or channel 7 in the radiussed portion 10 to enable the rollers 6 to be brought into and out of the channel portion 9 when moving from or into the vertical position.
[0019] In this way the panel 1 extends in an open position substantially vertically across the substantially vertical aperture 2 as can be seen in Figure 1 and in an open position, as can be seen in Figure 3, extends in a plane extending substantially horizontally above the aperture 2, and projects inwardly of the aperture 2.
[0020] The assembly includes a first pair of hydraulically or pneumatically, in this case pneumatically, operable piston and cylinder units 12 locatable to extend substantially in parallel, laterally spaced apart and substantially vertically, one on each side of the aperture 2 for releasable engagement with the adjoining panel edge via the respective first unit movable piston (not shown). Preferably each unit 12 is a rodless unit operated by air under pressure. To this end each unit 12 is in the form of an elongated cylinder having a slot through one side wall thereof extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder and a yoke 13 fixedly secured to the piston so as to project laterally out of the cylinder through the slot through seal means provided at the slot. Such rodless piston and cylinder units are well known.
[0021] The assembly also includes a second pair of hydraulically or pneumatically, in this case pneumatically, operable piston and cylinder units 14 locatable to extend substantially in parallel, laterally spaced apart, and substantially horizontally, one on each side of the aperture 2 substantially at right angles to the first pair of units 12 in the region of the top edge of the aperture 2 and of the top edge of the panel 1. The second pair of units 14 preferably are also air operated rodless units as hereinbefore described in respect of the first pair of units 12. The second pair of units 14 also each have a yoke 15. The units 12 are mounted adjacent to and parallel with the substantially vertically extending portions 8 of the guide rail or channels 7 and the units 14 are mounted substantially parallel with and adjacent to the substantially horizontally extending portions 9 of the guide rail or channels 7.
[0022] The assembly also includes a pair of link means conveniently in the form of two control arms 16 each pivotally connected at one end to the top edge of the panel section 4 uppermost in the closed position, namely the panel section 4b, at or adjacent to the top edge of the panel section 4b and pivotally connected at the other end to the respective piston yoke 15 of the second pair of piston and cylinder units 14.
[0023] A pair of support brackets 17 are provided fixedly attachable to the panel 1, preferably to the panel section 4c lowermost in the closed position of the panel 1, one at or adjacent each end edge thereof to project therefrom substantially at right angles to the plane of the panel sections 4 for engagement by the respective yokes 13 carried on the movable pistons of the first pair of piston and cylinder units 12. In the fully open position of the panel 1 the support brackets 17 move away from engagement with the yokes 13.
[0024] The assembly includes a pneumatic logic or electrical/electronic control system for ensuring operation of the first and second piston and cylinder units in the correct sequence as will be hereinafter described. The assembly also includes a main source of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure such as an air reservoir and compressor (not shown) and a secondary source of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure, such as a secondary reservoir of air under pressure, (not shown), which secondary source is connected via a manually operated valve (not shown) to the first and second piston and cylinder units 12 and 14 for emergency operation of the assembly by a manually controlled supply of air to the piston and cylinder units 12 and 14. Additionally the assembly includes a fail safe system including a plurality of burst valves associated two with each piston and cylinder unit 12 and 14 and each operable on detection of a rupture in the associated hydraulic or pneumatic line and seal off escape of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure from the associated unit cylinder so as to halt the panel 1 at the position occupied at rupture of the associated hydraulic or pneumatic line and thereby prevent any downward movement of the panel 1 under gravity if in an open or part open position.
[0025] The operating sequence of the assembly is as follows. The panel 1 is moved from the substantially vertical closed position of Figure 1 across the aperture 2 into the substantially horizontal open position of Figure 3 above and to the inner side of the aperture 2 by the steps of first operating the second pair of piston and cylinder units 14 such that the top panel section 4b is pulled by the second unit pistons and link means via the yokes 15 and control arms 16 to hinge about its hinged connection to the next panel section 4, as shown in Figure 1, out of the substantially vertical position towards a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2. Then the first piston and cylinder units 12 are operated together with the second units 14 such that the pistons of the first units 12 move and the yokes 13 thereof engage the panel directly or indirectly, by engagement with the support brackets 17 at or adjacent at the panels section 4c thereof lowermost in the close position and lift the panel 1, while supporting the weight thereof, vertically upwardly into the open position, with the second pair of piston and cylinder units 14 pulling the hinged over panel sections 4 horizontally during the open position as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The panel 1 is returned to the substantially vertical close position by reversal of the foregoing operating steps.
[0026] As can be seen from the foregoing the first pair of piston and cylinder units 12 support the weight of the door at all times until the major portion of its weight is taken on the substantially horizontally extending portions 9 of the guide rail or channels 7. This ensures that the function of the first pair of piston and cylinder units 12 is purely to displace the weight of the panel 1 upwardly or downwardly whilst the function of the second pair of piston and cylinder units 14 is purely to displace the uppermost panel section 4b out of and into the vertical position and to draw the horizontally located panel sections into the substantially fully opened position shown in Figure 3 whilst the weight of these sections in the vertical position is being carried purely by the first pair of piston and cylinder units 12. In this way the size and capacity of the first and second pair of piston and cylinder units can be chosen to suit their functions and the first pair of piston and cylinder units 12 can be made of a suitable size and capacity to carry the full weight of the panel 1 so as to reduce the effort required of the second pair of piston and cylinder units which can be made accordingly of a lesser size and capacity to suit their primary function of providing additional motive power and the initial movement of the top panel section 4b for the opening and closing cycles.
1. An opening and closing assembly for a sectional up and over door or shutter (1),
made up of a plurality of elongated panel sections (4) hingedly connected together
in edge to edge array to hinge with respect to each other about substantially parallel,
substantially horizontally extending hinge axes, with lateral edges of the panel,
formed by the panel section end edges, being movably guided so that the panel (1)
extends in a closed position substantially vertically across a substantially vertical
aperture and in an open position in a plane substantially horizontally above the aperture,
and lifting means (12, 14) for moving the panel between the two positions, characterised
in that the lifting means comprise a first pair of hydraulically or pneumatically
operable piston and cylinder units (12) locatable to extend substantially in parallel,
laterally spaced apart, and substantially vertically, one on each side of the aperture
for releasable engagement with the adjoining panel edge via the respective first unit
movable piston, a second pair of hydraulically or pneumatically operable piston and
cylinder units (14) locatable to extend substantially in parallel, laterally spaced
apart, and substantially horizontally, one on each side of the aperture substantially
at right angles to said first pair of units in the region of the top edge of the aperture
and of the top edge of the panel, and a pair of link means (16) each connected at
one end to a respective one of the second unit movable pistons and connected at the
other end to the panel (1) adjacent the top edge thereof, so that in operation, with
the assembly in operative association with a said panel and aperture, the panel (1)
is moved from the substantially vertical closed position across the aperture into
the substantially horizontal open position in a plane above the aperture by the steps
of first operating the second units (13) such that the top panel section (4b) is pulled
by the second unit pistons (12) and link means (16) to hinge about its hinged connection
to the next panel section, out of a substantially vertical position towards a horizontal
position, and then operating the first units (12) together with the second units (14)
such that the pistons of the first units (12) engage the panel, directly or indirectly,
at or adjacent the panel section (4c) thereof lowermost in the closed position and
lift the panel, whilst supporting the weight thereof, vertically upwardly into the
open position, with the second units (14) pulling the hinged over panel sections horizonally
during the opening movement, and returned to the substantially vertical closed position
by reversal of said operating steps.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and second piston
and cylinder units (12, 14) are rodless units operated by air under pressure and each
being in the form of an elongated cylinder having a slot through one wall thereof
extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, a piston slidably
mounted in said cylinder and a yoke (13, 15) fixedly secured to said piston so as
to project laterally out of said cylinder through said slot through seal means provided
at said slot.
3. An assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the assembly includes a
pair of support brackets (17) fixedly attachable to the panel section (4c) lowermost
in the closed position, one at or adjacent each end edge thereof to project therefrom
substantially at right angles to the plane of the panel sections, for engagement by
the respective piston yokes (13) of the first piston units (12).
4. An assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the assembly includes
a pair of guide rails or channels (7) each substantially L-shaped in side elevation,
fixedly locatable one on each vertical side of the aperture to extend substantially
vertically up the aperture sides and substantially horizonally away from the aperture
at or adjacent to the top thereof for engagement by the end edges of the panel sections
either directly or indirectly to guide movement of the panel.
5. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each link
means (16) comprises a pair of a control arms pivotally connected one at each end
to the panel section (4b) uppermost in the closed position, at or adjacent the top
edge of said panel section, and pivotally connected at the other end to the respective
piston yoke(s) of the second piston units (14).
6. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the apparatus
includes a main source of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure and a secondary
source of hydraulic or pneumatic medium under pressure, which secondary source is
connected via a manually operable valve to the first and second piston and cylinder
units for emergency operation of the assembly.
7. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the apparatus
incorporates a fail safe system including a plurality of burst valves associated two
with each piston and cylinder unit and each operable on detecting of a rupture in
the associated hydraulic or pneumatic line and seal off escape of hydraulic or pneumatic
medium under pressure from all unit cylinders so as to halt the panel at the position
occupied at rupture of the associated hydraulic or pneumatic line and thereby prevent
any downward movement of the panel under gravity.