Automatic folding door for a lift cage

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a folding door for a lift cage where the feature is that the transmission of movement in its mechanism (1) contributes to achieving the smallest possible dimensions for height, depth and width. This is effective in shafts where the space is restricted; the lift cage automatic folding doors are directly installed; and in the cases where it is not necessary to replace the cage where existing lifts are modernized.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to passenger Lifts.
Based on current legislation, the use of automatic sliding or folding lift cage doors have nowadays been imposed for safety reasons. The BUS type is the other usual terminology for automatic folding lift cage doors.

[0002] More specifically, in the cases where the shaft area is inadequate to accommodate the installation of automatic sliding doors, then the folding lift cage door is installed in conjunction with semi-automatic storey doors, which are in turn installed at the storey for each lift stop.

[0003] The transmission of movement for all the lift cage automatic sliding doors is carried out by the vertical rotating axes (2), which are connected to the door shutters (4). This transmission of movement is lever, belt or chain driven.

[0004] The transmission of movement methods are those that have been determined by the external dimensions of the mechanism (1), which do not always make their installation feasible, especially in those cases where the existing lifts are modernized, when the dimensions of the shaft are restricted. It must furthermore also be noted that the installation method for the motor (3) in the mechanism (1), which is a part of the transmission movement, plays a decisive role in the dimensions of the mechanism's (1) depth (5) and height (6).

[0005] A characteristic disadvantage in the lift cage automatic folding doors is that they entirely protrude above the horizontal level of the cage's storey (7). On many occasions, in the cases when existing lifts are modernized, where the area above the cage is restricted, it deters its immediate installation and requires the cage's replacement.

[0006] More specifically, the driving elements that transmit the movement in the vertical rotation axes (2), such as the levers, gears and the pulleys in the said mechanisms (1), are necessarily situated above the horizontal level of the cage's storey (7). This occurs for the following reasons.

[0007] In the case where there is transmission with levers, during their movement they protrude outside the mechanism's (1) external dimensions. In the cases of belt or chain drives, the pulleys or gears are installed concentrically at the top of the vertical rotation axes (2), which again results in their protrusion outside the mechanism's dimensions (1). It must finally also be noted that the motor's (3) installation method in the mechanism (1) plays a decisive role in the mechanism's (1) depth (5) and height (6) dimensions. In many automatic folding cage doors the motor's axis is installed vertically at the level that has been determined by the opening of the door's shutters (4), which results in the protrusion of the mechanism's (1) dimensions. In other cases the motor's axis is installed in parallel with the vertical rotation axes (2). This will result in an increase to the mechanism's (1) height (6) dimensions.

[0008] A feature of the folding automatic lift cage doors is that in their entirety, the mechanism's (1) height dimensions (6) are above 200 mm and the depth dimensions (5) are above 80 mm, which contribute to their protrusion above the horizontal level of the cage's storey (7).

[0009] A second disadvantage is elaborated below: In certain installations the mechanism's (1) width dimensions (8) in the automatic folding lift cage door are a significant factor in its installation.

[0010] More specifically, in all the automatic folding cage doors the drive transmission in the vertical axes rotation (2) occurs via a lever, pulley or gear. During movement this protrudes outside the mechanism's (1) dimensions. A feature of the automatic folding lift cage doors is that the mechanism's (1) width (8) dimensions are above 100 mm, which are larger than the dimensions of the door shutters (4) clear opening (9); and for all the automatic folding cage doors the mechanism's (1) width dimensions (8) protrude outside the total horizontal dimensions for older cages (10) from previous decades. Accordingly, in the shafts where the area adjacent to the cage is restricted, it deters the direct installation of automatic folding cage doors and requires the cage's replacement.

[0011] The above problems are resolved with the present invention. According to the present invention, the folding cage door is comprised of a mechanism (1) in which the movement is transmitted to the vertical rotation axes (2) with the use of a horizontal rotation axis (11) and not with rotation levers, belt or chain drives. In the present invention the connection of the vertical rotation axes (2) to the horizontal rotation axis (11) is angular with the use of a Cardan connection (12) and the motor's installation (3) is such, whereby the motor's axis is in parallel with the level that has been determined by the opening of the door's shutters (4).

[0012] In conclusion, the previously mentioned transmission of movement contributes to the attainment of the mechanism's (1) smallest possible height (6) and depth (5) dimensions.

[0013] This results in the mechanism's (1) depth dimensions (5) being restricted to 60 mm. These depth (5) dimensions permit the installation of the entire mechanism (1) in front of the cage without the need for its location above the cage's horizontal storey (7) level.

[0014] Furthermore, the mechanism's (1) height dimensions (6) are achieved at 170 mm. This height permits the mechanism (1) to be located below the cage's horizontal storey (7) level.

[0015] Accordingly, the automatic folding cage door can be installed in the cases where older lifts from previous decades are modernized, where the gap between the ceiling (7) of the cage and wall at the highest point in the shaft is restricted and it does not permit a section of the mechanism (1) to protrude above the cage's horizontal storey (7) level.

[0016] This installation may be made easily without the need to reconstruct the already existing cage. It is significant to note that the replacement of the cage is a complex process that is very costly and time consuming.

[0017] Another advantage of this invention is elaborated below:
According to the present invention, the folding cage door is comprised of a mechanism (1) in which the movement of the vertical rotation axes (2) is attained with the use of a horizontal rotation axis (11). In this way the mechanism's (1) width dimensions (8) do not protrude outside the cage's total horizontal dimensions (10), which results in the total exploitation of the shaft's area, a fact that is very significant especially for older shafts from previous decades.

[0018] According to the present invention, the mechanism's (1) width dimensions (8) are 50 mm greater than the dimensions of the door's clear opening (9) for the shutters (4).

[0019] The invention shall be presented in accordance with the following attached plans:

In Plan 1 the front aspect of the automatic folding lift cage door is depicted, which is comprised of a mechanism (1) that is fully installed in front of the cage's ceiling (7) and a section of the mechanism (1) does not protrude above the horizontal level of the cage's ceiling (7).

In Plan 2 the side aspect of the automatic folding lift cage door is depicted with the door's shutters (4) in the open position.

In Plan 3 the cross section of the automatic folding lift cage door is depicted with the door's shutters (4) in the open position.

In Plan 4 the side assembly of the Cardan connection is depicted.

In Plan 5 the side assembly of the bevel gears is depicted.

Claims

1. Automatic folding lift cage door that is comprised of the mechanism (1), the vertical rotating axes (2) and the door shutters (4). The feature is in the vertical rotating axes (2) that have been incorporated in the shutters (4), where the transmission of movement is carried out by the horizontal rotating axis (11) and the angular assembly between the vertical rotating axes (2); and the horizontal rotating axis (11) where the transmission of movement is carried out by the Cardan joint (12); and the installation of the motor (3) where the drive shaft is in parallel with the direction of the opening of the door shutters (4).

2. Automatic folding lift cage door, in accordance with the claim (1), where the feature is that the height dimension (6) in the mechanism (1) is 170 mm.

3. Automatic folding lift cage door, in accordance with the claim (1), where the feature is that the depth dimension (6) in the mechanism (1) is 60 mm.

4. Automatic folding lift cage door, in accordance with the claim (1), where the feature is that the width dimension (8) in the mechanism (1) is 50 mm greater than the dimension of the clear opening (9) by the shutters (4) in the door and it does not protrude outside the horizontal dimension (10) of the lift cage.

5. Automatic folding lift cage door, in accordance with the claim (1), where the feature is that the angular assembly between the vertical rotating axes (2) and the horizontal rotating axes (11) in the mechanism (1) is carried out by the associated bevel gears (13).

Drawing