(19)
(11) EP 0 076 879 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
19.02.1986 Bulletin 1986/08

(21) Application number: 81201146.8

(22) Date of filing: 14.10.1981
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4E06B 3/48, E06B 3/94

(54)

Folding wall

Faltwand

Cloison pliable


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE FR GB IT LU

(43) Date of publication of application:
20.04.1983 Bulletin 1983/16

(60) Divisional application:
85200668.3 / 0156451

(71) Applicant: Pella B.V.
5981 NK Panningen (NL)

(72) Inventor:
  • Peeters-Weem, Petrus Johannes Maria
    NL-4904 MC Oosterhout (NL)

(74) Representative: Cammel, Willem Frans et al
OCTROOIBUREAU ARNOLD & SIEDSMA Sweelinckplein 1
2517 GK Den Haag
2517 GK Den Haag (NL)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The invention relates to a folding wall comprising a double row of panels, foldable in zig-zag fashion by means of hinges respective pairs of opposite panels being pivotally interconnected by a coupling piece and spring means being provided for exerting an inwardly directed force on the associated panels when the wall is drawn out in order to stretch the panels in the direction of length of the wall.

    [0002] A folding wall as described above is known from DE-B-2.438.985. The spring means comprises a helical spring interconnecting a pair of rigid levers fastened to the inner side of opposite panels.

    [0003] The invention has for its object to simplify the spring means for stretching and folding the wall.

    [0004] The folding wall according to the invention is distinguished in that the spring means consists of two blades of resilient material, one end of each blade being fastened to the inner side of the respective panel and the other end of each blade being free and slidable between two relatively spaced guiding members fixed to the coupling piece.

    [0005] Owing to the resilient blades the panels connected with said blades will be subjected to an inwardly directed force when the wall is drawn out, so that these panels can be moved into parallel positions. By means of the pivotal connection with the further panels, the latter will follow said movement, and move to the same plane.

    [0006] According to the invention opening of the folding wall is facilitated because a lever is connected at a distance from the supporting members by means of a hinge with the coupling piece. By actuating said lever, which exerts pressure on the free ends of the resilient blades, an outwardly directed force is exerted on the associated panels so that the zigzag folding of the wall is facilitated.

    [0007] The proximal sides of the spring blades are preferably coated with a layer of rough material to avoid slip between the spring blades and to ensure uniform flattening of the panels.

    [0008] According to the invention the folding wall of the kind set forth in claim 1 is furthermore characterized in that every four panels and two head strips are combined to form a hollow module, the head strips being provided with means for fastening the strips to one another. Thus the mounting operation is drastically simplified, since every module is suspended to the guide rail required for the wall, after which only one operator need fasten the modules to one another. Since the modules are easily maniable, transport is also simplified.

    [0009] The coupling piece mentioned above is preferably formed by a head strip of a module.

    [0010] In order to reduce the friction of the spring blades along the supporting members, the latter are formed by rollers arranged, in the modular structure of the wall, in two opposite sides of an opening in the head strips.

    [0011] A simple construction and an effective soundproof assembly are obtained in that inter alia the panels and head strips are interconnected at the longitudinal edges by uninterrupted hinge profiles of synthetic resin.

    [0012] The invention will be described more fully with reference to an embodiment. The accompanying drawing shows in:

    Fig. 1 a perspective view of part of the folding wall in accordance with the invention,

    Fig. 2 a plan view of a detail of the wall of Fig. 1,

    Fig. 3 a horizontal sectional view of part of the folding wall in the stretched position,

    Fig. 4 a vertical sectional view of the folding wall of Fig. 3,

    Fig. 5 a perspective view of part of the folding wall illustrating the mounting operation.



    [0013] The folding wall shown in the Figures is composed of modules each consisting of two opposite pairs of relatively pivotable panels 1, the hinge being formed by a synthetic-resin strip 2 along the edges thereof (see, in particular, Fig. 5). By other longitudinal edges the panels 1 are connected through a pivotal strip 3 with head strips 4 in a manner such that each module forms a hollow structure. Each module is suspended by a runner system fastened to the top side of each head strip 4 to a rail 5 along the top edge of a passage between two rooms.

    [0014] The modules can be fastened to one another with the aid of the head strips 4, for which purpose they are provided with fastening means. Fig. 5 shows that the head strips 4 have a square hole 6 for passing a tool 7 and a tapped hole 8 are alternately off-set in the head strips 4 so that when one module is mounted by means of the foremost head strip, the hindmost can be fastened to the foremost head strip of the adjacent module.

    [0015] The head strips 4 have furthermore an opening 10, which openings are in register after mounting (see Fig. 2). Through these openings are passed two blade springs -11, one end 12 of which is fastened to the inner side of the adjacent panels 1. The spring blades 11 are provided on their proximal sides with a coating of rough material 19, which may have a ridge profile in order to avoid slip between the two spring blades 11.

    [0016] At the level of the hole 10 the spring blades are supported by supporting members 13 in the form of rollers, the distance between the supporting members 13 being such that the spring blades 11 contact with one another at point A.

    [0017] Near the end of the spring blades 11 is provided a cam 14, which prevents the spring blades from snapping from between the supporting members when the panels 1 are in the folded position.

    [0018] At a given distance above the supporting members 13 a lever 15 is secured to the head strip 4 by means of a hinge 16. At the level of the free ends of the spring blades 11 a pressing head 17 is fastened to the lever 15.

    [0019] The folding wall according to the invention can be actuated as follows.

    [0020] By drawing the folding wall of Fig. 1 forwards by means of the handle 18, the modules are moved into the stretched state, in which the panels 1 fold towards one another. Owing to this movement the spring blades 11 shift in place with respect to the pressure point 13 so that the spring blades 11 are deformed. The point A will then shift as far as beyond the pressure points 13 in dependence on the shape of the spring blades 11 as a result of which in the semi-stretched state of the panels 1 an inwardly directed force is exerted at the junction point 12 in the direction of the arrow P 1 in the panel 1. This force brings about stretching of the panels 1 in the direction of length of the wall.

    [0021] When the wall is folded, the levers 15 will come into contact by their free lower ends with the inner side of the opposite head strip 4, the lever thus exerting pressure by means of the pressing head 17 on the free end of the spring blades 11. This force in the direction of the arrow P 2 brings about an outwardly directed force P 3 at the junctions 12 so that the panels 1 are urged outwards. As soon as the pressure point A is located on the side of the junctions 12 with respect to the pressing members 13, the spring force generated in the spring blades by the deformation will further the spread of the panels 1.

    [0022] The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. The flattening stretching design by means of the resilient blades 11 may as well be used in another folding wall construction than that having the above-described module structure.


    Claims

    1. A folding wall comprising a double row of panels (1), foldable in zig-zag fashion by means of hinges (2) respective pairs of opposite panels being pivotally interconnected by a coupling piece and spring means (11) being provided for exerting an inwardly directed force on the associated panels when the wall is drawn out in order to stretch the panels in the direction of length of the wall, characterized in that the spring means consists of two blades (11) of resilient material, one end of each blade being fastened to the inner side of the respective panel (1) and the other end of each blade being free and slidable between two relatively spaced guiding members (13) fixed to the coupling piece.
     
    2. A folding wall as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that by means of a hinge (16) a lever (15) is connected with the coupling piece at a distance from the supporting members (13).
     
    3. A folding wall as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the proximal sides of the spring blades (11) are coated with a layer of rough material (19).
     
    4. A folding wall as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that every set of four panels (1) and two head strips (4) are assembled to form a hollow module, the head strips (4) being provided with means for fastening the head strips to one another.
     
    5. A folding wall as claimed in claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the coupling piece is formed by each head strip (4) of a module.
     
    6. A folding wall as claimed in claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the supporting members are formed by rollers (13) arranged on two opposite sides of an opening (6) in the head strips (4).
     
    7. A folding wall as claimed in claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the longitudinal edges of the panels (1) and the head strips (4) are interconnected by uninterrupted pivotal profiles of synthetic resin (2, 3).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Faltwand mit einer doppelten Reihe von Paneelen (1), welche zickzackförmig mittels Gelenken (2) faltbar ist, wobei entsprechende Paare von gegenüberliegenden Paneelen schwenkbar durch ein Kupplungsstück verbunden sind und wobei Federmittel (11) vorgesehen sind, um eine nach innen gerichtete Kraft auf die miteinander verbundenen Paneele auszuüben, wenn die Faltwand herausgezogen wird, um die Paneele in Längsrichtung der Wand zu strecken, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Federmittel aus zwei Federblättern (11) aus elastischem Materiäl bestehen, wobei ein Ende jedes Federblattes auf der inneren Seite des entsprechenden Paneels (1) angeordnet ist und wobei das andere Ende jedes Federblattes frei und verschieblich zwischen zwei räumlich zugeordneten Führungselementen (13) angeordnet ist, welche an dem Kupplungsstück befestigt sind.
     
    2. Faltwand gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß ein Hebel (15) mittels eines Gelenkes (16) mit dem Kupplungsstück verbunden ist, und zwar im Abstand von den Tragteilen (13).
     
    3. Faltwand gemäß Anspruch 1 und 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die einander gegenüberliegenden Seiten der Federblätter (11) mit einer Schicht aus rauhem Material (19) beschichtet sind.
     
    4. Faltwand gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß jeder Satz von vier Paneelen (1) und zwei Kopfstreifen (4) so einander zugeordnet ist, daß ein hohles Modul gebildet wird, wobei die Kopfstreifen (4) mit Mitteln versehen sind, um die Kopfstreifen aneinander zu befestigen.
     
    5. Faltwand gemäß den Ansprüchen 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Kupplungsstück durch jeden Kopfstreifen (4) eines Moduls gebildet wird.
     
    6. Faltwand gemäß den Ansprüchen 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Trageelemente durch Rollen (13) gebildet sind, die auf zwei gegenüberliegenden Seiten einer Öffnung (6) in dem Kopfstreifen (4) angeordnet sind.
     
    7. Faltwand gemäß den Ansprüchen 1 bis 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Längskanten der Paneele (1) und die Kopfstreifen (4) durch ein nicht unterbrochenes gelenkig bewegliches Profil aus Kunstharz (2, 3) gebildet sind.
     


    Revendications

    1. Cloison pliante comprenant une double rangée de panneaux (1) qui peut se plier en zig-zag au moyen de charnières (2), les paires de panneaux opposés correspondantes étant articulées entre elles par une pièce d'accouplement et des moyens élastiques (11) étant prévus pour exercer une force dirigée vers l'intérieur sur les panneaux associés lorsqu'on tire la cloison, pour déployer les panneaux dans le sens de la longueur de la cloison, caractérisée en ce que les moyens élastiques sont composés de deux lames (11) en matière élastique, une extrémité de chaque lame étant fixée à la face interne du panneau (1) correspondant et l'autre extrémité de chaque lame étant libre et pouvant glisser entre deux éléments de guidage (13) espacés l'un de l'autre et fixés à la pièce d'accouplement.
     
    2. Cloison pliante selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce qu'un levier (15) est relié à la pièce d'accouplement au moyen d'une charnière (16) à une certaine distance des éléments d'appui (13).
     
    3. Cloison pliante selon les revendications 1 et 2, caractérisée en ce que les faces proximales des lames élastiques (11) sont revêtues d'une couche d'une matière rugueuse (19).
     
    4. Cloison pliante selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que chaque ensemble de quatre panneaux (1) et deux bandes de tête (4) est assemblé pour former un module creux, les bandes de tête (4) étant équipées de moyens qui permettent de fixer les bandes de tête l'une à l'autre.
     
    5. Cloison pliante selon les revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que la pièce d'accouplement est formée par chacune des bandes de tête (4) d'un module.
     
    6. Cloison pliante selon les revendications 1 à 5, caractérisée en ce que les éléments d'appui sont formés'par des rouleaux (13) montés sur les deux côtés opposés d'une ouverture (6) ménagée dans les bandes de tête (4).
     
    7. Cloison pliante selon les revendications 1 à 6, caractérisée en ce que les bords longitudinaux des panneaux (1) et ceux des bandes de tête (4) sont assemblés par des profilés d'articulation continus en résine synthétique (2, 3).
     




    Drawing