DEVICE FOR OPENING THERMALLY INSULATING SLIDING DOORS

Abstract

 The device (10) comprises: an outer handle (14); an inner handle (16); a shaft (18) inserted into a through hole (20) of a door leaf (12) of the sliding door, coaxially thereto, wherein the outer handle (14) and the inner handle (16) are attached (24, 28) to opposite ends of the shaft (18); a mounting plate (48) secured (50) to the inner side (12b) of the door leaf (12) in the region of the through hole (20); a bush-shaped inner support element (38) inserted into the through hole (20) of the door leaf (12), coaxially thereto, for supporting the shaft (18) for rotation about its own axis (x), the inner support element (38) being secured (52) to the mounting plate (48); an outer support element (40) for supporting, along with the inner support element (38), the shaft (18) for rotation about its own axis (x), the outer support element (40) comprising a head portion (66) and a stem portion (68); and guide means (54, 56) for bringing about, as a result of the rotation of the shaft (18) about its own axis (x), a simultaneous translation of the shaft (18) along said axis (x). According to the invention, the outer support element (40) has a plurality of axial threaded holes, and the device (10) further comprises a corresponding plurality of tie-rods (78) each having a head (80) and a threaded shaft (82), the tie-rods (78) being inserted each into a respective through hole (84) of the mounting plate (48) with the respective head (80) in abutment against said plate (48) and being each screwed in a respective axial threaded hole of the outer support element (40) so as to bring the head portion (66) of the outer support element (40) into abutment against the outer side (12a) of the door leaf (12).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for opening sliding doors, in particular thermally insulating sliding doors intended for example to be used in cold rooms, as set forth in the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] A device of the above-identified type is known for example from EP 2 439 366.

[0003] According to this known solution, the device basically comprises:

an inner handle, i.e. a handle intended to be mounted onto the inner side of a door leaf of the sliding door;

an outer handle, i.e. a handle intended to be mounted onto the outer side of the door leaf;

a bush-shaped inner support element, which in the assembled condition of the device on the door is wholly received in a through hole of the door leaf with its axis extending perpendicular to the door leaf;

a mounting plate, which is intended to be secured to the inner side of the door leaf and to which the inner support element is attached in the assembled condition of the device;

a mushroom-shaped outer support element having a head portion and a stem portion, which element is received with its stem portion in said through hole, on the outer side of the door leaf, coaxially to the inner support element, in the assembled condition of the device on the door;

a shaft inserted into the inner support element, coaxially thereto, so as to be able to rotate about the axis of that element, as well as to translate along the axis of that element; the inner handle and the outer handle being attached to the opposite ends of the shaft, that is the inner end and the outer end, respectively; and

guide means comprising a pair of opposed guide surfaces, which are formed in the inner support element and are inclined to the axis of that element, and a pair of pins drivingly connected to the shaft and radially projecting from the shaft, each pin being arranged to slide along a respective guide surface of the inner support element so as to bring about, as a result of the rotation of the shaft about its axis, a simultaneous translation of the shaft along its axis.

[0004] According to this known solution, in order for the device to be mounted onto door leafs with different thicknesses, the inner and outer support elements of the device can be telescopically coupled to each other, in that the inner support element can be inserted into the stem portion of the outer support element, coaxially thereto, and fixed to the latter in a plurality of relative axial positions so as to allow to change the length of the assembly formed by the two support elements. More particularly, according to this known solution the two support elements are fixed to each other by a plurality of screws which are inserted into respective through holes provided in the stem portion of the outer support element and are screwed into threaded holes provided in the inner support element. For each through hole on the stem portion of the outer support element there is provided a row of threaded holes in the inner support element, which holes are aligned to each other parallel to the axis of that element and spaced from each other by a given distance (for example 5 mm), thereby allowing to change in a stepwise manner (for example, by steps of 5 mm) the length of the assembly formed by the two support elements.

[0005] The assembly formed by the two support elements is therefore mounted onto the door leaf of the sliding door in the following manner. First, the inner support element is inserted into the outer support element and fixed thereto by means of the aforementioned screws in a given relative axial position, depending on the thickness of the door leaf. Once the two support elements have been fixed to each other, the assembly formed by those elements is inserted into the through hole of the door leaf, until the head portion of the outer support element comes into abutment against the outer side of the door leaf. Finally, the inner support element is secured by screws to the mounting plate, which has been previously secured to the inner side of the door leaf in the region of the through hole, thereby securing the assembly formed by the two support elements to the door leaf of the sliding door.

[0006] As explained above, such a known device allows a stepwise change in the length of the assembly formed by the two support elements, as those elements can be fixed to each other in predetermined relative axial positions, depending on the number of threaded holes provided in the inner support element as well as on the distance between said holes.

[0007] Therefore, the device can be used as such on door leafs of given thicknesses only, whereas in order for the device to be mounted onto door leafs with different thicknesses it is necessary to insert spacer elements of suitable thicknesses between the door leaf and, for example, the outer support element. This makes of course the mounting of the device onto the door leaf of the sliding door more difficult and expensive.

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for opening sliding doors which is not affected by the drawbacks of the prior art discussed above and can thus be adjusted in a continuous manner, rather than in a stepwise manner, for mounting onto door leafs of different thicknesses, without requiring the use of additional components, such as spacer elements.

[0009] This and other objects are fully achieved according to the invention by virtue of a device for opening sliding doors having the features set forth in independent claim 1.

[0010] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims, whose subject-matter is to be intended as forming an integral part of the following description.

[0011] In short, the invention is based on the idea of providing a device for opening sliding doors of the type identified above, which further comprises a plurality of tie-rods each of which has a head and a threaded shaft and is configured to be inserted into a respective through hole of the mounting plate, until the respective head comes into abutment against the mounting plate, and to be screwed in a respective axial threaded hole of the outer support element so as to bring the head portion of the outer support element into abutment against the outer side of the door leaf.

[0012] By virtue of such a configuration, the device according to the invention can be easily adjusted in a continuous manner depending on the thickness of the door leaf of the sliding door, without requiring any additional spacer element to compensate for possible gaps between the head portion of the outer support element and the outer side of the door leaf. The opening device according to the invention can thus be installed more easily, quickly and precisely than the prior art.

[0013] Preferably, the outer support element is made of plastic material and the axial threaded holes of that element are provided in respective metal inserts embedded (for example by co-moulding process) into that element.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the inner support element has a splined outer surface and the stem portion of the outer support element has a splined inner surface arranged to engage with the splined outer surface of the inner support element to allow said support elements to be coupled to each other in such a manner that they are axially slidable relative to each other, but drivingly connected for rotation with each other. This allows the outer support element to slide axially relative to the inner support element during mounting of the device onto the door leaf, but prevents the outer support element from rotating relative to the inner support element, and hence relative to the door leaf, when the device is operated to open and close the door.

[0015] As an alternative to the embodiment wherein the two support elements are drivingly connected for rotation with each other by splined coupling, it may be envisaged that the outer support element is not coupled to the inner support element, thus being rotatable relative to the latter, but is prevented from rotating relative to the door leaf by suitable rotation-preventing means (such as, for example, pegs) directly interposed between the outer support element and the door leaf.

[0016] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, given purely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Figures 1a to 1c are a front view from the outer side, a front view from the inner side and a partial side view (on an enlarged scale), respectively, of a door leaf of a sliding door on which an opening device according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted, with the opening device in the closed position;

Figures 2a to 2c are views corresponding to those of Figures 1a to 1c, with the opening device in the open position;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the opening device of Figures 1a-1c and 2a-2c;

Figure 4 is a section view, on an enlarged scale, of the opening device taken through section line IV-IV of Figure 1a;

Figure 5 is a section view, on an enlarged scale, of the opening device taken through section line V-V of Figure 2a;

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the inner support element of the opening device of Figure 4;

Figures 8 and 9 are section views of the inner support element of the opening device of Figure 4, taken through section line VIII-VIII and section line IX-IX of Figure 6, respectively;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the outer support element of the opening device of Figure 4; and

Figure 11 is a section view of the outer support element of the opening device of Figure 4, taken through section line XI-XI of Figure 10.

[0017] In the following description and claims, the terms "outer" and "inner" are used to identify components, as well as portions thereof, of the opening device according to the invention which in the assembled condition of the device on the sliding door are arranged on, or at least facing towards, the outer side and the inner side of the door, respectively, while the term "axial" is used to identify a direction coaxial, or at least parallel, to the axis of the through hole of the door leaf into which the shaft connecting the outer handle with the inner handle of the opening device is inserted, which axis extends perpendicular to the outer side and the inner side of the door leaf.

[0018] With reference first to Figures 1a-1c and 2a-2c, an opening device for opening a sliding door, in particular a thermally insulating sliding door for cold rooms, is generally indicated at 10.

[0019] The opening device 10 is movable between a closed position (Figures 1a-1c) and an open position (Figures 2a-2c). As a result of its movement from the closed position to the open position, the opening device 10 brings about, by cooperation with an upright (not shown) of a frame of the door, a sliding movement of a door leaf 12 of the door away from the upright. The outer side (or front side) and the inner side (or rear side) of the door leaf 12 are indicated at 12a and 12b, respectively.

[0020] The opening device 10 comprises, in a per-se-known manner, an outer handle 14, which can be operated by the user when the latter is in front of the outer side 12a of the door leaf 12, and an inner handle 16, which can be operated by the user when the latter is in front of the inner side 12b of the door leaf 12. The outer handle 14 and the inner handle 16 are rigidly connected to each other by a shaft 18 extending in a through hole 20 (whose axis is indicated x in Figures 1c and 2c) of the door leaf 12, coaxially to said hole.

[0021] The outer handle 14 is formed, in a per-se-known manner, by a rod (made in particular of metal) which is releasably fixed with an upper end thereof to an outer end (i.e. an end facing towards the outer side of the door) of the shaft 18. In particular, as shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5, the upper end of the rod forming the outer handle 14 is inserted into a special seat 22 provided in the shaft 18 and is fixed to the shaft 18, for example by screw 24.

[0022] The inner handle 16 comprises a rod 26 (made in particular of metal) which is releasably attached at an intermediate point thereof to an inner end (i.e. an end facing towards the inner side of the door) of the shaft 18, for example by screws 28. At an upper end thereof, the rod 26 carries a tip 30 which is preferably made of plastic material and is, for example, of semi-circular shape. The tip 30 is intended to come into contact, as a result of the rotation of the rod 26 of the inner handle 16 about the axis x from the closed position of Figures 1a-1c to the open position of Figures 2a-2c, against an abutment element (not shown) attached to the upright of the door frame, acting as a fulcrum to cause sliding of the door leaf 12 in the opening direction. The inner handle 16 further comprises a grip portion 32 fixed to the opposite end (lower end) of the rod 26 to allow the user to operate the inner handle 16, causing the rod 26 to rotate about the axis x in the opening direction. It is to be pointed out, in this regard, that the opening device 10 according to the invention can be used both on the left side and on the right side of the door leaf 12, and is thus able to cause opening of the door both by rotation of the inner handle 16 in the clockwise direction (as shown in Figure 2b) and by rotation of the inner handle 16 in the counter-clockwise direction.

[0023] With reference to Figures 1c, 2c and 3, the grip portion 32 is advantageously hinged by means of a shaft 34 to the lower end of the rod 26 so as to be able to tilt relative to the latter about an axis parallel to the door leaf 12 (as can be seen from the comparison between Figure 1c and Figure 2c) to allow the user to insert his fingers between the grip portion 32 and the door leaf 12 with no risks of pinching. The grip portion 32 is kept by an elastic element 36 (for example, a leaf spring) in a rest position, where it extends substantially parallel to the rod 26, and hence to the door leaf 12, and can be inclined by a certain angle relative to the rod 26, so as to move away from the inner side 12b of the door leaf 12, against the action of the elastic element 36.

[0024] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the opening device 10 further comprises a pair of support elements 38 and 40, that is, an inner support element 38 and an outer support element 40, for supporting the shaft 18 in the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12 so as to allow the shaft 18 to rotate about its axis (coaxial to the axis x of the through hole 20) and translate along its axis.

[0025] The inner support element 38 is a bush-shaped element (which is preferably made of plastic material), which is arranged coaxially to the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12 and has a through hole 42 through which the shaft 18 extends. The inner support element 38 preferably has a length smaller than the thickness of the door leaf 12 and is entirely received in the through hole 20 of the door leaf. However, in case of a door leaf 12 with a reduced thickness, the inner support element 38 may even project from the door leaf 12, but still remain not visible, as it is received inside the outer support element 40.

[0026] With reference also to Figures 6 and 7, the inner support element 38 comprises a tubular body 44, having an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12, and a flange 46 which extends radially from an end (the end facing towards the inner side 12a of the door leaf 12) of the tubular body 44 and has an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12. The inner support element 38 is secured to the door leaf 12 by means a mounting plate 48, preferably made of metal. More specifically, the mounting plate 48 is secured by means of a plurality of screws or rivets 50 to the door leaf 12, on the inner side 12a of the latter, in the region of the through hole 20, and the inner support element 38 is secured to the mounting plate 48, and hence to the door leaf 12, by means of a plurality of screws 52. The inner support element 38 is thus prevented both from rotating about the axis x and from translating along the axis x relative to the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12.

[0027] In a per-se-known manner, the inner support element 38 and the shaft 18 are provided with guide means configured to cause, as a result of the rotation of the shaft 18 about its axis (axis x), a simultaneous translation of the shaft along its axis. In particular, said guide means are configured to bring about, when the user rotates the outer handle 14 or the inner handle 16 in the direction from the closed position to the open position, thereby causing a corresponding rotation of the shaft 18 about its axis, a translation of the shaft 18 directed towards the inner side 12b of the door leaf 12, as indicated by arrow F in Figure 2c, and therefore a movement of the inner handle 16 away from the inner side 12b of the door leaf 12.

[0028] According to the illustrated embodiment, said guide means comprise a pair of opposed guide surfaces 54, which are formed on the inner surface of the inner support element 38 and are inclined to the axis x, as well as a pin 56 which is carried by the shaft 18 (in particular, received in a through hole 58 which extends radially through the shaft 18) and projects radially at both its opposite ends from the shaft 18, in such a manner that each end of the pin 56 slidably engages with a respective guide surface 54 of the inner support element 38.

[0029] Between the inner support element 38 and the shaft 18 there are provided elastic means, which are formed in particular by a cylindrical helical spring 60 and are configured to apply on the shaft 18 an elastic force which is directed axially towards the outer side 12a of the door leaf 12 and tends therefore to urge the shaft 18, along with the outer handle 14 and the inner handle 16, towards the closed position. The spring 60 is arranged about the shaft 18 and axially abuts at an end thereof against a shoulder 62 formed by the shaft 18 and at the opposite end against a shoulder 64 formed by the inner support element 38. As can be seen from the comparison between Figures 4 and 5, as a result of the movement from the closed position (Figure 4) to the open position (Figure 5) the spring 60 is compressed between the shoulder 62 of the shaft 18 and the shoulder 64 of the inner support element 38, since the shaft 18, during rotation from the closed position to the open position, translates axially towards the inner side 12a of the door leaf 12 and thus moves further into the inner support element 38.

[0030] The outer support element 40 is a mushroom-shaped element (made preferably of plastic material) comprising a head portion 66 and a tubular stem portion 68. The head portion 66 has a through hole 70 through which the shaft 18 extends. Sealing means, such as a sealing ring 72, are provided in the head portion 66 for sealingly cooperate with the shaft 18. The head portion 66 also receives a plurality of threaded inserts 74 (four threaded inserts, in the illustrated example), which are advantageously made of metal and are embedded by co-moulding process into the outer support element 40.

[0031] In the assembled condition of the opening device 10, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the head portion 66 of the outer support element 40 projects from the door leaf 12, with an annular face 66a thereof abutting against the outer side 12a of the door leaf, while the stem portion 68 is received in the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12, coaxially to said hole and hence coaxially to the inner support element 38. Sealing means, such as a sealing ring 76, are advantageously provided on the annular face 66a of the head portion 66 of the outer support element 40 for sealing against the door leaf 12.

[0032] According to an aspect of the present invention, the outer support element 40 is secured to the door leaf 12 by means of a plurality of tie-rods 78 (four tie-rods, in the illustrated example). Each tie-rod 78 comprises a head 80, which is arranged in abutment against a face of the mounting plate 48 opposite to the door leaf 12, and a threaded shaft 82, which is inserted into a respective through hole 84 of the mounting plate 48 and a respective through hole 86 of the inner support element 38 and is threaded at its end opposite to the head 80 into a respective threaded insert 74 of the outer support element 40. Once the mounting plate 48 has been secured to the door leaf 12 by means of the screws or rivets 50 and once the inner support element 38 has been inserted into the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12 and secured to the mounting plate 48 by means of the screws 52, the outer support element 40 is thus inserted with its stem portion 68 into the through hole 20 of the door leaf 12 and is then secured to the door leaf 12 by means of the tie-rods 78. In this regard, it will be understood that by screwing the tie-rods 78 in the respective threaded inserts 74 of the outer support element 40 the user is able to bring the head portion 66 (in particular, the annular face 66a of the head portion 66) of the outer support element 40 into abutment against the outer side 12a of the door leaf 12, irrespective of the thickness of the door leaf. By virtue, therefore, of the use of the tie-rods 78 for securing the outer support element 40 to the door leaf 12 it is possible, without modifying the components of the opening device 10 and without using additional components, to mount the device onto door leafs of different thicknesses. In other words, by virtue of the use of the tie-rods 78 for securing the outer support element 40 to the door leaf 12 it is possible to adjust continuously the distance between the mounting plate 48 and the head portion 66 of the outer support element 40, depending on the thickness of the door leaf 12.

[0033] Moreover, according to the illustrated embodiment the inner support element 38, and more specifically the tubular body 44 of that element, has a splined outer surface and the stem portion 68 of the outer support element 40 has a corresponding splined inner surface adapted to engage with the splined outer surface of the inner support element 38, whereby the support elements 38 and 40 are coupled to each other so as to be axially slidable relative to each other, but drivingly connected for rotation with each other. More specifically, the outer surface of the tubular body 44 of the inner support element 38 has a plurality of radial protrusions 88, having for example a cross-section of substantially rectangular shape, which radial protrusions extend axially over the entire length of the tubular body 44, and the inner surface of the stem portion 68 of the outer support element 40 has a corresponding plurality of grooves 90, having a cross-section with a shape mating that of the radial protrusions 88, which grooves extend axially and are each adapted to receive a respective radial protrusion 88 of the support element 38.

[0034] The arrangement of the radial protrusions 88 and of the grooves 90 may also be inverted with respect to the one illustrated herein, in that the radial protrusions and the grooves may be provided in the stem portion 68 of the outer support element 40 and in the tubular body 44 of the inner support element 38, respectively.

[0035] According to the illustrated embodiment, the outer surface of the tubular body 44 of the inner support element 38 also forms, between each pair of adjacent radial protrusions 88 and in the region of the through hole 86, a radial protrusion 92 which has a cross-section with the shape of an arc of circumference and extends axially over the entire length of the tubular body 44, and the inner surface of the stem portion 68 of the outer support element 40 has, for each radial protrusion 92, a corresponding recess 94 which has a cross-section with a shape mating that of the radial protrusion 92 and extends axially over the entire length of the stem portion 68.

[0036] Such a configuration of the inner and outer support elements 38 and 40 allows a relative axial sliding movement of the support elements during mounting of the opening device 10 onto the door leaf 12, but prevents the outer support element 40 from rotating relative to the inner support element 38, and hence relative to the door leaf 12, during operation of the device for opening and closing of the door.

[0037] As an alternative to the illustrated embodiment, wherein the support elements 38 and 40 are drivingly connected for rotation with each other about the axis x by means of a splined coupling, it may also be envisaged that the outer support element 40 is not coupled to the inner support element 38, and is therefore rotatable relative to the latter about the axis x, but is prevented from rotating about the axis x relative to the door leaf 12 by suitable rotation-preventing means (such as, for example, pegs) which are directly interposed between the outer support element 40 and the door leaf 12.

[0038] Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining unchanged, the embodiments and constructional details may vary widely from those described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Device (10) for opening a sliding door, in particular a thermally insulating sliding door for cold rooms, the device (10) comprising:

an outer handle (14);

an inner handle (16);

a shaft (18) arranged to be insertable into a through hole (20) of a door leaf (12) of the sliding door, coaxially thereto, wherein said through hole (20) extends with its axis (x) perpendicular to an outer side (12a) and to an inner side (12b) of the door leaf (12), and wherein the outer handle (14) and the inner handle (16) are arranged to be releasably attached (24, 28) to the opposite ends of the shaft (18) so as to be drivingly connected with each other for rotation about said axis (x), as well as for translation along said axis (x);

a bush-shaped inner support element (38) arranged to be insertable over at least a portion of its length into the through hole (20) of the door leaf (12), coaxially thereto, and to support the shaft (18) for rotation about said axis (x);

a mounting plate (48) arranged to be mountable onto the inner side (12b) of the door leaf (12), the inner support element (38) being adapted to be releasably attached (52) to the mounting plate (48) and, through the latter, to the door leaf (12);

an outer support element (40) arranged to support, along with the inner support element (38), the shaft (18) for rotation about said axis (x), the outer support element (40) comprising a head portion (66) and a stem portion (68), which in the assembled condition of the device (10) are arranged respectively outside the door leaf (12) and in the through hole (20) of the door leaf (12), coaxially to said through hole (20); and

guide means (54, 56) arranged to bring about, as a result of the rotation of the shaft (18) about said axis (x), a simultaneous translation of the shaft (18) along said axis (x);

the device being characterized

in that the outer support element (40) has a plurality of axial threaded holes, and

in that it further comprises a corresponding plurality of tie-rods (78), each having a head (80) and a threaded shaft (82), said tie-rods (78) being configured to be inserted each into a respective through hole (84) of the mounting plate (48), until the respective head (80) is in abutment against the mounting plate (48), and to be screwed each in a respective hole of said plurality of axial threaded holes of the outer support element (40) so as to bring the head portion (66) of the outer support element (40) into abutment against the outer side (12a) of the door leaf (12).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the outer support element (40) is made of plastic material and said axial threaded holes are provided in respective metal inserts (74) embedded into the outer support element (40).

3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the inner support element (38) has, for each tie-rod (78), a respective axial through hole (86) into which the threaded shaft (82) of the tie-rod (78) is insertable.

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising rotation-preventing means (88, 90) for preventing rotation of the outer support element (40) about said axis (x) relative to the door leaf (12).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said rotation-preventing means (88, 90) comprise at least one radial protrusion (88) extending axially over at least a length of the inner support element (38) and, for each radial protrusion (88), a respective groove (90) which has a shape mating that of the radial protrusion (88) and extends axially over at least a length of the stem portion (68) of the outer support element (40).

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said rotation-preventing means (88, 90) comprise at least one radial protrusion (88) extending axially over at least a length of the stem portion (68) of the outer support element (40) and, for each radial protrusion (88), a respective groove (90) which has a shape mating that of the radial protrusion (88) and extends axially over at least a length of the inner support element (38).

7. Sliding door, particularly for cold rooms, comprising a door leaf (12) having a through hole (20) extending perpendicular to an outer side (12a) and to an inner side (12b) of the door leaf (12), and an opening device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Drawing