A transferrable and turnable panel structure, and a guide for the same

Abstract

 A transferrable and turnable panel structure which comprises a panel (1) which is intended for partitioning and protecting various spaces, an upper guide track (4) and a lower guide track (5), between which said panel is suspended in such a way that the panel is allowed to move along said guide tracks and to open to the side, and at least one guide (17) which is coupled to the panel and is arranged to follow the upper or lower guide track. The guide comprises a locking position, in which the guide follows the guide track and the opening of the panel is prevented, a released position in which the guide is allowed to withdraw from the guide track and the opening of the panel to the side is allowed, and a mechanism (19, 30) which is, at a predetermined point in the guide track, arranged to move the guide from said locking position to said released position, when the panel is simultaneously moving forward, and back to said locking position when the panel is simultaneously moving back in the opposite direction.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a transferrable and turnable panel structure according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention relates to a guide for a panel structure according to the preamble of claim 13.

[0002] Balcony facilities of a building are equipped with glazing systems of prior art, which are called e.g. balcony glazings. The systems typically comprise an upper profile and a lower profile, or another corresponding guide track, inside which the necessary guide track parts are placed, between which, in turn, single glass panes are suspended. The glass panes are used as panels which limit the space or isolate it better, for example, from weather conditions, for example on balconies or terraces, dividing the space into several parts and partitioning the spaces from each other, like doors which separate rooms or business facilities. Typically, the profiles extend in the horizontal direction and are fastened to the structures of the building. By the guide track parts, the single glass panes can be opened and closed, normally around a vertical axis of rotation, as well as moved aside along the profiles, for example for opening. The panels can be moved aside when they are not needed or when a larger space or passage is to be taken into use. Some known balcony glazings are presented in the publications FI-84645-B and FI-90796-B. One system for glazing a space is presented in the publication WO 97/11247. The panels can also extend all the way to the floor, as in the publications GB-1456283-B, FR-2545143-A and EP-0457286-A1.

[0003] When the above-mentioned lower guide track or profile is placed on the floor, the disadvantage is that an elevation, a threshold or another structure is formed which extends above the floor surface, as in said FR publication, or when the lower profile according to said WO publication is placed directly on the floor. An elevation, in turn, encumbers the use of such a large space in its entirety which can be partitioned by panels into smaller spaces and which also causes a risk of stumbling. The natural way is therefore to place the profile used as a guide track and a guide in a groove in the floor, but in this case it is not possible to to use e.g. the roll-like guides of the lower profiles according to said FI and WO publications, because the side of the profile cannot be provided with an opening, from which the guides fixed to the panel would come out when the panel is opened, because the guides extend into the lower profile or guide track. The lower end of the panel, normally both edges of the same, are normally provided with some kind of guides or guide track parts to prevent the bouncing of the lower end of the panel during its use or transfers. The panel could be provided wth manually transferrable locking guide pins which are movable in the vertical direction, but their use would be cumbersome and the space required by them would be relatively large.

[0004] It is an aim of the invention to eliminate the above-described problems by introducing a control mechanism of a new type. The transferrable and turnable panel structure according to the invention is presented in claim 1. The guide for a panel structure according to the invention is presented in claim 13.

[0005] The guide according to the invention is characterized in that the locking and releasing are produced simultaneously when the glass panel is transferred in any case. By means of an external settable control it is possible to determine those locations in the guide track in which opening is possible and in which the panel always follows the guide track.

[0006] By means of the guide according to the invention, and the mechanism of the same, the guide track, the profile or a corresponding structure can be placed further underneath the floor surface. The guide is particularly easy to use, because in one particular embodiment, it is automatically transferred to the desired position and at the desired moment, simultaneously when the panel window or wall is transferred, so that separate measures to open and close the guide will not be necessary and the use will not require special skills. The guide with its mechanism is small in size and unnoticeable, so that it can be easily placed, for example, in the lower profile. The point at which the panel is located when the guide is disconnected from the lower profile or is re-connected to it, can be easily adjusted by means of a separate counterpiece. This separate counterpiece can be placed in a location away from walking paths, for example in the location where the panels are turned aside and stored. What is noteworthy is that the mechanism of the guide works when the panel is moved along the guide tracks, that is, normally in the direction of the surface of the panel. The guide mechanism releases the lower end of the panel, wherein the panel can be opened and turned around a hinge mechanism at one edge. The guide is placed at the other end of the panel or at a suitable distance from the guide track parts used as the hinge mechanism. At the upper end of the panel, it is possible to use guide track parts of prior art and openings made in the upper profile which make it possible to open the panel. Normally, opening is only possible in one lateral direction in relation to the guide tracks.

[0007] In the following, the invention will be illustrated in more detail by means of a preferred embodiment, wherein reference is at the same time made to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1

shows a cross section of a glazing system of related art, said glazing system being a balcony glazing,

Fig. 2

shows a perspective view of two guide track parts of prior art, on whose support the glass panes used as the panels are suspended,

Fig. 3

shows a perspective view of a guide according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention when it is fixed to a panel, in this case to a fillet at the lower edge of the panel,

Fig. 4

shows a perspective view of the body of the guide of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

shows a perspective view of the rocker lever of the guide of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6

shows a perspective view of the pinion of the guide of Fig. 3,

Fig. 7

shows the locking means of the guide of Fig. 3 in a perspec tive view,

Fig. 8

shows the rocker lever and pinion of the guide in the locking position,

Fig. 9

shows the rocker lever and pinion of the guide in the released position, and

Fig. 10

shows the back stop of the guide of Fig. 3 in a perspective view.

[0008] As shown in Fig. 1, a panel structure of prior art, particularly a glazing system for balconies, installed in its place, normally comprises several successive glass panes 1 which are movable. The glass panes 1 are normally rectangular, wherein they are normally in an upright position and form a closed wall or a large window when placed one after the other. They can be transferred in the direction of the guide tracks, which is typically the horizontal direction. The glass panes 1 can be opened into a position which is normally perpendicular to the closed position. In this position, the glass panes 1 are placed side by side close to each other, wherein they are stored on one side of the opening 3 in the building 2, when they have first been moved along the guide tracks. The upper guide track 4 and the lower guide track 5 are placed in the horizontal direction, and inside them, there are upper guide track parts 6 and lower guide track parts 7, to which the panels 1 are connected from above and from below. The guide tracks are normally profiles made of aluminium, provided with a long groove for the guide track parts. The panel preferably consists of a glass pane, whose lower and upper edges are provided with fillets 8 and 9, to which the guide track parts, in turn, are connected.

[0009] One example of known upper guide track parts 6 is shown in Fig. 2. Normally, the panes 1 are also provided with a fillet or a profile 9, to which a hinge pin 10 is connected. The hinge pin of the guide track parts makes it possible to swing the panel 1 around a vertical axis of rotation, from the closed position (position A) to the open position (position B), and vice versa The guide track parts 6 are placed on the support of the upper guide track 4 and are supported to it by means of, for example, vertical rolls 11. Alternatively, the rolls 11 can be connected horizontally at the end 12 of the hinge pin 10. The rolls 9 support the glass panel 1, and by means of them, the glass panel 1 moves along the upper guide track 4. A slider 13 controls the movement inside the guide track and locks the panels 1 to each other, if necessary. In this example, the slider 8 is locked to the hinge pin of the next guide track parts.

[0010] In Fig. 1, the structure of the guide track parts 7 placed in the lower guide track 5 corresponds substantially to the guide track parts 6, at least for the part of the hinge pin 10, but for example the rolls 9 are not necessary, if the guide is, for example, a piece corresponding to the piece 13. The guide track parts 6 and 7 are placed on the same vertical axis of rotation, wherein the opening of the panel is possible, and normally, they are placed at one edge of the panel, as shown in Fig. 2. For example a simple slider is, in turn, placed at one end of the panel or glass pane, or close to it. This slider can be a pin and/or a vertical or horizontal wheel which is connected to the fillet 8, is placed inside the lower guide track 5 and keeps the glass pane 1 closed. Its function is to guide the other end of the glass pane 1 during movements and transfers of the glass pane 1, wherein it keeps the glass pane 1 parallel to the guide tracks which are also aligned. For opening, an orifice is provided at the side of the lower guide track 5, through which orifice said pin or corresponding means can withdraw from the lower guide track 5. Corresponding provisions are normally made in the upper guide track 4 and in the upper edge of the panel 1 as well, so that the glass pane 1 would bounce to a lesser extent.

[0011] In a situation in which the lower guide track 5 is placed completely inside, for example, a floor, or the guide track parts 7 extend otherwise lower than the floor surface, it is possible to provide the orifice in the lower guide track 5, but in this case, at least one curved groove should be made in the floor, along which the guide track parts 7 travel when the panels 1 are opened.

[0012] Figure 3 shows a guide 14 according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, embedded in a fillet 15 corresponding to the fillet 8 of Fig. 1, located at the lower edge of the panel and connected, for example, underneath the transparent glass pane, close to the floor. The guide 14 comprises a guide pin 16 which can be lifted up, wherein it is transferred preferably completely inside the guide 14, and lowered down, wherein it extends to the groove or lower guide track (not shown in the figure) underneath the fillet 15. At the same time, the guide pin 16 extends lower than the fillet 15 and the body 17 of the guide 14. The lower guide track prevents the turning of the panel, supported by the hinge pin 10 in Fig. 2, sidewards to the position B, and thereby the opening of the panel. The guide pin 16 can only move in the direction of the panel, between the two side walls of the lower guide track, in the same way as the guide track parts 7 of Fig. 1.

[0013] In this embodiment, the guide 14 also comprises a counterpiece 18 which is connected to a desired point on the floor or to the lower guide track in such a way that it can cooperate with the mechanism of the guide 14 when the mechanism by-passes or travels across it. In the presented embodiment, the points at which the guide 14 moves into the different positions, are almost the same in the forth and back movements; however, this is not necessary, but these points can also be located at a distance from each other. In this case, the mechanism comprises a pinion 19 shown in Fig. 6, which pinion remains at a distance from the floor but which is capable of rolling along the counterpiece 18 and thereby moving between the two different rotary positions. The counterpiece 18 is elevated from the floor to such an extent that the pinion 19 hits it and is rotated to a desired extent. The pinion 19 is equipped with a cogging, and the counterpiece 18 is equipped with corresponding indents 20 and 21 to secure the rotation of the pinion 19. The rotation of the pinion 19 is controlled by the dimensions of the indents 20, 21 and the cogging. The pinion 19 is intended to rotate at the counterpiece 18 only and to a given extent only. The pinion 19 stops in the position where the lowermost cog 22 is ready to receive the returning counterpiece 18. The operation is arranged in such a way that when the panel moves in a first direction, the guide pin 16 is elevated at the counterpiece 18 and remains elevated even after that.

[0014] When the panel is moved back in the opposite direction, across the counterpiece 18 again, the guide pin 16 descends back and remains in the descended position after that. Consequently, through a force effect, the counterpiece 18 causes a change in the position of the guide. In Fig. 3, the guide pin 16 rises to its upper position, when the guide 14 moves from the right to the left, and goes down again to its lower position shown in Fig. 3, when the guide 14 moves in the opposite direction, from the left to the right. Consequently, when on the left hand side of the counterpiece 18, the guide pin 16 remains in the lower position, wherein the opening of the panel is prevented, and on the right hand side, it remains in the upper position, wherein opening of the panel is allowed and the guide pin 16 moves away from the inside of the guide track and can withdraw from the guide track.

[0015] In Fig. 4, the body 17 of the guide is shown in more detail. The front part 24 is placed visible outside the fillet 15 and the rear part 25 is placed inside the fillet 15. The fillet 15 is equipped with a recess or an opening for receiving the body 17. With screws and nuts, the body 17 is connected by means of a fixing lug 26 (at both ends of the body 17) to the fillet 15. For example, a screw used as a shaft and carrying the rocker lever 30 of the mechanism of Fig. 5, at the end of which the guide pin 16 is connected, can be fixed to the hole 27. A second hole 28 makes it possible to place the rocker lever in an opposite position, wherein the guide pin rises to its upper position when the guide moves from the left to the right and across the counterpiece. The body 17 has an open lower surface, wherein it can receive the rocker lever 30, the pinion 19 of the mechanism of Fig. 6, and the locking means 31 of the mechanism of Fig. 7.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 6, the pinion 19 comprises a cogging which rolls along the counterpiece 18 of Fig. 3. On the other side of the pinion, on the central shaft, there is a sleeve shaft 34 forming a protrusion. Via an opening through the sleeve shaft 34 and the pinion 19, for example a screw is inserted, which is used as a shaft and which is placed in the hole 29 in the body 17 shown in Fig. 3. The counterpiece 18 hits the lowermost cog 22, and the next cogs (e.g. 2 cogs) are received in the recesses (for example 2 recesses) 20 and 21 in the counterpiece 18.

[0017] The outermost cog 23 becomes the lowermost one, and the next time it hits the counterpiece 18 is when the guide 14 approaches the piece 18 from the opposite direction. In this case, the pinion 19 is rotated slightly less than 180°. The pinion 19 is provided with an eccentrically pin-like protrusion 35 which is parallel with the sleeve shaft 34. In this case, the pin 35 has a circular cross section and is partly integrated in the sleeve shaft 34.

[0018] In Fig. 5, the rocker lever 30 is shown in more detail. At the first end of the rocker lever 30, there is a hole 36 for the shaft, and at the second end, there is a guide pin or a guide protrusion 16 which, in its locking position, extends, for example, to the lower guide track or to a groove corresponding to it, and holds the whole panel in the desired position, as already described above. The positions of the rocker lever 30 and the pinion 19 in the locking position are shown in Fig. 8. The rocker lever 30 comprises an opening 37, inside which the sleeve shaft 34 and the protrusion 35 of the pinion move.

[0019] The protrusion 35 touches the rocker lever 30 and forces it into different positions. The sleeve shaft 34 moves between smaller recesses 39 and 40 in the opening 37, and the opening 37 is dimensioned so that the protrusion 35 can move with the pinion 19 into the different extreme positions in the opening. The extreme positions are limited by the walls of the opening 37, against which the protrusion 35 is pressed by the locking means 31. The locking means 31 according to Fig. 7 is fixed, for example with a screw, inside the rocker lever 30, where it is installed via the opening 38 shown in Fig. 5. A spring 33 pushes a shoe 32 against the protrusion 35, and the force of the shoe 32 keeps the protrusion 35 further against the wall of the opening 37. The opening 37 is designed and dimensioned in such a way that the pressing of the guide pin 16 from below in the situation of Fig. 8 will not cause a movement of the guide pin 16 into the position of Fig. 9. Thus, the edge of the opening 37 presses the protrusion 37. Preferably, said edge of the recess forces the protrusion 37 against the wall and thereby intensifies the effect of the spring 33. In Figs. 8 and 9, the positi ons of the opening 37 and the protrusion 35 in different situations are shown by means of broken lines.

[0020] In Fig. 3, a stopper 41 according to Fig. 10 can be placed on one side of the fillet 15 and attached to the floor, to the edge of the groove, to the lower guide track, or the like. Its function is particularly to act as a stopper when the panel is being closed again and being aligned with the guide track again, and particularly to place the up-lifted guide pin 16 against the guide track for lowering it down. The stopper 41 guides the movement of the panel when the guide pin is not yet lowered but is only approaching the counterpiece 18. The panel can be easily kept in the correct position by pushing it, during the movement, slightly against the stopper 41 which allows the gliding of the fillet along the same. If necessary, the stopper can be equipped with rolls.

[0021] The invention is not restricted solely to the advantageous embodiment presented above, but it may vary according to the appended claims. For example, the shape of the stopper 41 may vary from that presented, as long as its function remains the same. Similarly, the shape of the body 17 may vary, as well as the more detailed cross-section of the fillet 15. The bodies 17 can also be made in such a way that the rocker lever can be installed in them in one position only, wherein, for example, the structure corresponding to either the hole 27 or the hole 28 is in use, and in which case the whole body with its mechanism must be replaced if the function is to be changed to the reverse.

[0022] The above description has dealt with one embodiment of the rocker lever 30 and the pinion 19, which is simple and reliable, but the corresponding function can also be implemented with other mechanisms utilizing a wobbler, to convert a limited rotary movement to either a rocking movement or a linear movement (movement of the guide pin 16). However, it is a particular characteristic of one embodiment of the invention that the rotary movement is not manual but it is produced mechanically and depending on the location of the panel, simultaneously when the panel is moved in any case. The locking into the different positions is also significant.

[0023] In the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the guide is moved into either of the positions on the basis of external control. The mechanism can also be arranged so that the transfer into the different positions can be made manually as well, for example by using a turning knob coupled to the shaft of the pinion 19, or by turning the pinion 19 with a tool. In this case, the use of the mechanism will not be prevented by breaking of the cogging or the counterpiece.

[0024] In some structural embodiments, it is not necessary to couple the rocker lever onto a separate shaft (e.g. by means of the hole 36), but it is placed directly around the eccentric protrusion 35. In that case, the protrusion encloses the shaft 34, and for example the mechanism or the inner surface of the body 17 is equipped with guide track structures to guide the movement of the guide pin 16 up and down. The shape of the guide pin or means 16 may vary, wherein it may also have a wedge-like, conical or a rectangular shape. The guide pin 16 may also be provided with or replaced by a horizontally and/or vertically placed wheel which is supported to the inner walls of the guide track. At the counterpiece 18, on the upper surface of the lower guide track, there may be an opening which is wider than the normal groove and through which a wheel, wider than the groove, can move out of the guide track and back.

[0025] In this case, the pinion or other rotary means 19 is equipped with a cogging, but the number of cogs may be different from that presented. The hole 37 in the rocker lever 30 can also be formed in the protrusion or bulge on the side of the rocker lever, and the hole 37 does not need to extend through the rocker lever 30. In the rocker lever of Fig. 5, there is a hole on both sides, because the rocker lever can be installed in the body 17 in two different positions, which is not always necessary.

[0026] In the presented embodiment, the guide 14 is only coupled to the lower guide track, but in addition, a second guide can be installed at the upper guide track, possible coupled to the ceiling or the ceiling structures. Installation to the ceiing only is possible, provided that structures embedded in the ceiling are allowable, and if guide tracks installed on the floor surface are allowable. Simultaneous installation in the ceiling and in the floor is possible, if the other guide track parts support the panel to a sufficient extent, keep it in the desired position, and the moving is easy.

Claims

1. A transferrable and turnable panel structure, which comprises:

- a panel (1) which is intended to partition and protect various spaces in buildings,

- an upper guide track (4) and a lower guide track (5), between which said panel is suspended in such a way that the panel can move along said guide tracks and open sidewards, and

- at least one guide (17) connected to the panel and arranged to follow the upper or lower guide track,

characterized in that the guide comprises:

- a locking position, in which the guide follows the guide track and the opening of the panel to the side is prevented,

- a released position, in which the guide can withdraw from the guide track and the opening of the panel to the side is allowed, and

- a mechanism (19, 30), which is arranged, at a predetermined point in the guide track, to move the guide from said locking position to said released position, when the panel is simultaneously moving forward, and back to said locking position, when the panel is simultaneously moving back in the opposite direction.

2. The panel structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the panel structure also comprises at least one set of upper guide track parts (6) and at least one set of lower guide track parts (7), by means of which the panel is coupled in a movable manner to the upper guide track and the lower guide track and which allow the opening of the panel sidewards.

3. The panel structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said mechanism is a wobble mechanism (19, 30) which is arranged to convert a rotary movement to a turning movement or a linear movement, which moves the guide into different positions, wherein said rotary movement, in turn, is arranged to take place at said predetermined point.

4. The panel structure according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the guide comprises a separate counterpiece (17), which is connectable to said predetermined point on the path of the panel and which is arranged to affect said mechanism for transferring the position when the counterpiece (17) is bypassed by the guide.

5. The panel structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide is arranged to move into the released position always when the mechanism hits said counterpiece and the panel is moving in the first direction, and to move in the locking position always when the mechanism hits said counterpiece again and the panel is moving in the return direction opposite to the first direction.

6. The panel structure according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the mechanism comprises a rotary part (19) which is arranged to be rotated by said counterpiece and which, in turn, is arranged to move a guide part (16) into different positions, which guide part belongs to the guide and which, in the locking position, is arranged to follow the guide track.

7. The panel structure according to claim 6, characterized in that said guide part is connected to a rocking or back-and-forth moving arm (30) which belongs to the guide, and said rotary part (19) comprises an eccentrically placed protrusion (35) affecting said arm.

8. The panel structure according to claim 7, characterized in that said arm (30) comprises a recess (37), in which said protrusion is placed and in which it is allowed to move during the movement of the rotary part (19), wherein said recess and said protrusion are dimensioned, in relation to each other, in such a way that in the first position of the pinion of the rotary part (19), the guide part (16) is moved down, and in the second position, the guide part (16) is moved up.

9. The panel structure according to any of the claims 6 to 8, characterized in that said counterpiece is arranged to move said rotary means first from a first position to a second position and, during the return movement, back to the first position.

10. The panel structure according to any of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said mechanism is arranged to keep the guide (14) permanently in either the locking position or the released position, and to change the position at said predetermined point only.

11. The panel structure according to any of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the panel (1) is made of glass, comprising a lower fillet (8) and an upper fillet (8), to which said guide track parts are connected.

12. The panel structure according to any of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said guide can also be moved manually into the desired position.

13. A guide for a panel structure, intended to be coupled to said panel and to follow an upper guide track (4) or a lower guide track (5), along which the panel is arranged to move, characterized in that the guide comprises:

- a locking position, in which the guide follows the guide track and the turning of the panel to the side is prevented,

- a released position, in which the guide can withdraw from the guide track and the turning of the panel to the side is allowed, and

- a mechanism (19, 30), which is arranged, at a predetermined point in the guide track, to move the guide from said locking position to said released position, when the panel is simultaneously moving forward, and back to said locking position, when the panel is simultaneously moving back in the opposite direction.

14. The guide according to claim 13, characterized in that the guide comprises a separate counterpiece (17), which is connectable to said predetermined location on the path of the panel and which is arranged to affect said mechanism for transferring the position when it is bypassed by the guide.

Drawing