[0001] The present invention relates to a panel for a sectional door, a sectional door,
and the use of a profile.
[0002] More specifically the invention concerns sectional doors, i.e. doors with a number
of horizontal panels that can be pulled upwards to open the door, and which can be
1ct or pushed downwards again to close the door.
[0003] Such sectional doors are generally designed and/or installed such that if the panels
are opened from the closed position, they are pulled upwards, but also move slightly
in the direction of the inside of the door, i.e. in the direction of the space that
is closed off by the door. This can be achieved for example by sloping the plane in
which the panels are located slightly towards the inside when the sectional door is
closed.
[0004] Such a door is closed in the reverse way, whereby during the majority of the closing
movement the panels move with relatively little friction, and during the last stage
of closing they are pushed somewhat towards the outside, against a seal provided to
this end.
[0005] This can be caused by gravity in combination with the design of the door, and acts
to prevent or reduce friction of the components of the door against one another, for
example the panels against seals or guide wheels against guide rails, so that these
components are subject to less wear, and less force is needed to open and close the
door.
[0006] However, this does not work with doors provided with a seal that acts against the
side and/or top of the panels, for example a rubber strip that is fastened to the
frame of the door and which uses the side of the panels as an cnd stop in order to
be able to properly seal a closed door.
[0007] Such a sectional door is described for example in
EP2426309, and can be applied to obtain a very good insulation value.
[0008] In this case the side and/or top of the panels slides along the seal, resulting in
wear and/or a risk of detachment of the seals, which leads to higher costs and a poorer
seal.
[0009] As a result the panels of the door also move less flexibly, such that a greater force
is needed to operate them.
[0010] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to at least one of
the aforementioned and other disadvantages, by providing a panel for a sectional door,
whereby one or both sides have a surface that forms an angle with the outside and
inside of the panel, whereby the included angle of this surface with the outside is
an obtuse angle and the included angle of this surface with the inside is an acute
angle.
[0011] This has the advantage that such a panel can be used in a sectional door with a seal
on the sides of the panels and on the top of the top panel, whereby the panels easily
come away from this seal during opening and thus can continue further movement with
relatively little friction.
[0012] This has further advantages that a limited force is required for opening, and that
wear on the soal and panels is reduced.
[0013] Because such a panel is pushed against the seal during the last phase of a closing
movement of a sectional door, on account of the said surface that makes an acute angle
with the inside of the panel, a better fitting seal is obtained in any case.
[0014] The outside and inside of the panels are hereby the sides of the panel that are respectively
oriented towards the outside and inside of the building in which a sectional door
is used with such panels. The sides are the transverse ends of the panels.
[0015] Preferably the acute angle is between 45° and 85° and even more preferably between
60° and 85°.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment the panel comprises a panel body and profiles at each of
the sides and the top of the panel bocy, whereby the said surface is formed by the
profile.
[0017] This is a practical way to manufacture such a profile.
[0018] In a further preferred embodiment the panel body is hollow with one or more openings
on the sides, whereby the profile is of such a size and is affixed such that the profile
closes the openings.
[0019] A hollow panel body, whereby the cavity of this panel body can be filled with an
insulating product, must be closed off, so that no air transport can take place via
the cavity of the panel between the inside and outside of the building in which the
panel is intended to be used. Traditionally this is done with a cap.
[0020] In the preferred embodiment described the profile takes over the function of this
cap, so that a separate cap is no longer necessary.
[0021] The invention also concerns a sectional door that comprises at least one panel as
described above.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment this sectional door also has at least cne seal that seals
off the sectional door in a closed position, whereby the dimensions of the components
of the door are such that in a closed position of the sectional door the said surface
or the said surfaces acts or act as an end stop for the seal.
[0023] Such a sectional has the advantage of reduced wear of a side seal and a light operation,
as explained above.
[0024] Furthermore the invention also concerns the use of an open profile with a base and
two parallel flanks, whereby the base and the flanks of the profile are straight and
the angle included by the outer surfaces of the base and a flank is acute, and preferably
lies between 45° and 85° at the side and if applicable the top of a panel of a sectional
door, whereby the base of the profile forms an end stop for a seal of the sectional
door in the closed position.
[0025] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a preferred
embodiment of a sectional door according to the invention is described hereinafter
by way of an example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of an opening in a wall that is provided
with a sectional door according to the invention that is provided with panels according
to the invention; and
Figure 2 shows a cross-section according to line II-II when the sectional door is
closed; and
Figure 3 shows the same cress-section as figure 2, but in a different position of
use of the sectional door.
Figure 4 shows a cross-section according to line IV-IV when the sectional door is
closed; and
Figure 5 shows the same cross-section as figure 4, but in a different position of
use of the sectional door.
[0026] The sectional door 1 in figures 1 to 5 closes an opening between the inside and outside
of a building and essentially consists of a frame 2 and a number, in this case four,
of panels 3 connected on top of one another.
[0027] The bottom three panels 3, as shown in figures 2 and 3, have an inside 4, an outside
5 and two sides 6. They consist of hollow panel bodies 7 that are provided on both
sides with profiles 8 that form the sides 6 of the panel. The profiles 8 are affixed
over the sides of the panel bodies 7 such that they close off the cavity 9 in a panel
body 7.
[0028] This done for example by bonding the profiles 8 over the entire surface with which
they are in contact with the panel bodies 7, and by filling up the remaining openings,
for example on the top and bottom of a panel. The cavity 9 is provided with insulating
material, for example insulating foam.
[0029] It can also be useful here to saw off the panel bodies 7 at their sides obliquely
to obtain a better fit with the profiles 9.
[0030] The thickness of the panel bodies 7 is D.
[0031] The profiles 8 are open profiles, i.e. their cress section is approximately U-shaped
or hook shaped, and are made from polyester. They have a straight base 1.0 and two
straight parallel flanks, i.e. a first straight flank 11, that is on the inside 4
of the panel, and a second straight flank 12 that is on the outside 5 of the panel.
The distance A between the two flanks A is equal to the thickness D of a panel body
7.
[0032] The outer surface 13 of the base 10 and the outer surface 14 of the first flank 11
make an included angle α with one another of approx. 80°. As the first flank 11 runs
parallel to the inside 4 of the panels 3, the outer surface 13 of the base 10 makes
the same angle α with the inside 4 of the panels 3.
[0033] The top panel 3, as shown in figures 4 and 5, also has a profile 8 in addition to
its top, so that a top surface 16 of the panel 3 is formed by the outer surface 13
of the base 10 of this profile 8.
[0034] In this case this is a profile 8 whose outer surface 13 of the base 10 and the outer
surface 14 of the first flank 11 make an included angle β with one another of approx.
75°.
[0035] Four seals are fastened to the frame 2 of the sectional door 1, constructed as rubber
strips, i.e. a first seal 17 and second seal 18, that are on the side of the sectional
door 1, and a third seal 19 and a fourth seal 20 that are on the top of the sectional
door 1. The second seal 18 is hereby constructed as a seal with three ribs, and the
fourth seal 20 is a double construction.
[0036] The first seal 17 preferably connects to the third seal 19 and the second seal 18
preferably connects to the fourth seal 20, to form two sealing arches for a good airtight
fit of the sectional door 1 in the closed position.
[0037] With the sectional door 1 in the closed position, as shown in figures 2 and 4, the
first and third seals 17 and 19 are in contact with the outside of the panels 3, in
this case more specifically with the second flank 12 of the profile 8, and the second
and fourth seal 18 and 20 are in contact with the outer surface 13 of the base 10
of the profile 8.
[0038] The second flank 12, respectively on the sides 6 of the panels 3 and on the top 15
of the top panel 3, thus forms end stops for the first and third seals 17 and 19 respectively.
[0039] The outer surface 13 of the base 10, respectively on the sides 6 of the panels 3
and on the top 15 of the top panel 3, forms end stops for the second and fourth seals
18 and 20 respectively.
[0040] The opening of the sectional door 1 has the following consequences, that are described
with the aid of figures 2 to 5.
[0041] The normally closed position of the sectional door is as described above, and as
shown in figures 2 and 4. As soon as an upward force is exerted on the panels 3, they
move upwards. As a result of the design of the sectional door a horizontal movement
shown by arrow P is also brought about, such that, as shown in figures 3 and 5, the
panels 3 come away from the seals 17 to 20.
[0042] The panels 3 can now be opened further upwards in the conventional way, without further
excessive friction cr risk of damage or wear to the seals 17 to 20, so that the sectional
door 1 is opened.
[0043] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described as an example
and shown in the drawings, but a panel and sectional door according to the invention
can be realised in all kinds of variants and in different ways, without departing
from the scope of the invention.
1. Panel (3) for a sectional door (1), characterised in that one or both sides (6) have a surface (13, 16) and this surface (13, 16) forms an
angle with the outside (5) and inside (4) of the panel (3), whereby the included angle
of this surface (13, 16) with the outside (5) is an obtuse angle and the included
angle (α, β) of this surface (13, 16) with the inside (4) is an acute angle.
2. Panel according to claim 1, characterised in that no seal is mounted on the surface (13, 16).
3. Panel (3) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that both sides (6) and the top (15) of the panel (3) have a surface (13) that forms an
angle with the outside (5) and inside (4) of the panel (3), whereby the included angle
of this surface (13) with the outside (5) is an obtuse angle and the included angle
(α, β) of this surface (13) with the inside (4) is an acute angle.
4. Panel according to claim any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the acute angle (α, β) is between 45° and 85°.
5. Panel according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the panel (3) comprises a panel body (7) and a profile (8) on the sides (15) of the
panel body (7), whereby the said surface (13) is formed by the profile (8).
6. Panel according to claim 5, characterised in that the profile (8) is an open profile (8) with a base (10) and two parallel flanks (11,
12) that is affixed with its open side over the panel body (7), whereby the said surface
(13) is formed by the base (10).
7. Panel according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the base (10) and the flanks (11,12) of the profile are straight, whereby the said
surface is formed by the outer surface (13) of the base (10) and whereby the included
angle (α, β) of the outer surfaces (13, 14) of the base (10) and a flank (11) is equal
to the acute angle (α, β), whereby this flank (11) is affixed on the inside (4) of
the panel (3).
8. Panel according to claim 6 of 7, characterised in that the distance (A) between the flanks (11, 12) corresponds to the thickness (D) of
the panel body (7).
9. Sectional door (1) that comprises at least one panel (3) according to any one of the
previous claims.
10. Sectional door according to claim 9, characterised in that it has at least one seal (18, 20) that seals off the sectional door (1) in a closed
position, whereby the dimensions of the components of the sectional door (1) are such
that in a closed position of the sectional door (1) the said surface or surfaces (13,
16) acts or act as an end stop for at least one seal (18, 20).
11. Sectional door according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that it is provided with two or more panels (3), whereby the top panel (3) is a panel
according to claim 3 and a panel (3) located underneath is a panel (3) according to
any one of the claims 1 to 8.
12. Sectional door according to any one of the claims 9 to 11-, characterised in that it is designed and/or installed such that during the first phase of the opening of
a closed sectional door (1) the panels (3) move both vertically and horizontally inwards.
13. Use of an open profile (8) on the side (6) of a panel (3) of a sectional door (1),
whereby the base (10) of the profile forms an end stop for a seal (18, 20) of the
sectional door (1) in a closed position, and whereby the profile is a profile with
a base (10) and two parallel flanks (11,12), whereby the base (10) and the flanks
(10) are straight and the included angle (α, β) by the outer surfaces (13,14) of the
base (10) and a flank (11) is acute.
14. Use according to claim 13, characterised in that the included acute angle (α, β) is between 45° and 85°.
15. Use according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that the panel (3) comprises a hollow panel body (7), whereby the profile (8) closes off
the hollow panel body (7).