Drop-Down Seal

Abstract

A sealing device for a door has a housing rail, a sealing strip which is held in the housing rail, with a carrier rail and with a sealing profile, and a drop-down mechanism for raising and lowering the sealing strip. The drop-down mechanism is fastened to the housing rail in a first fastening point and to the carrier rail in a second fastening point. The second fastening point allows a displacement of the sealing strip in the longitudinal direction of the sealing device and relative to the housing rail. This allows simple adaption to door situations in situ, with it being possible particular for the drop-down seal to be shortened to a desired length without the carrier rail then protruding too far.

Claims

1. A sealing device for a door, the sealing device comprising: a housing rail; a sealing strip which is held in the housing rail; and a lowering mechanism for raising and lowering the sealing strip relative to the housing rail and transversely to a longitudinal direction of the scaling device, wherein the sealing strip in a raised state is displaceable from a starting position into another position in the longitudinal direction of the scaling device and relative to the housing rail.

2. The scaling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scaling strip is manually displaceable in the longitudinal direction into the another position relative to the housing rail.

3. The scaling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the starting position and the another position are at a distance from one another which corresponds at least approximately to a displacement path of the scaling strip which is measured in the longitudinal direction when the scaling strip is lowered.

4. The scaling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing strip is connected to the lowering mechanism by means of a fastening module, wherein a) the fastening module is fixedly connected to the lowering mechanism and wherein a position of the scaling strip is modifiable in the longitudinal direction with reference to the fastening module, or b) a position of the fastening module is modifiable in the longitudinal direction with reference to the lowering mechanism and wherein the scaling strip is connected fixedly to the fastening module.

5. The scaling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scaling strip comprises a carrier rail and a seal profile arranged thereon, wherein the carrier rail is displaceable in a longitudinal position thereof.

6. The scaling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing strip is displaceable in at least one discrete step.

7. The scaling device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lowering mechanism is fastened to the housing rail in a first fastening position and to the carrier rail in a second fastening position, and wherein the second fastening position enables the sealing strip to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the sealing device and relative to the housing rail.

8. The sealing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second fastening position enables the carrier rail to be displaced relative to the lowering mechanism.

9. The scaling device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second fastening position is formed by a connection between at least one journal and at least one displacement opening, wherein the at least one journal engages in the at least one displacement opening and is held in said displacement opening, and wherein the at least one displacement opening is realized in a larger manner than the at least one journal in the longitudinal direction of the scaling device so that the position of the at least one journal inside the displacement opening is modifiable in the longitudinal direction of the scaling device.

10. The sealing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one journal is connected fixedly to the lowering mechanism and the at least one displacement opening is arranged in the carrier profile.

11. The scaling device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the displacement opening, when viewed in the longitudinal direction, comprises in its central region a tapering which can be overcome by the journal under increased force.

12. The scaling device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lowering mechanism comprises at least one leaf spring which extends in the longitudinal direction of the sealing device inside the housing rail and which is connected to the housing rail at the first fastening position so as to be pivotable, to the carrier rail at the second fastening position in a hinged manner and to an actuating element at a third fastening position in a fixed manner.

13. The scaling device as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one leaf spring is connected fixedly to a fastening module.

14. The sealing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein there are present at least two leaf springs which are each fastened at the named first, second and third fastening points, wherein each of the second fastening points enable the carrier rail to be displaced.

15. The scaling device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fastening module is arranged between two side walls of the carrier rail and comprises two journals, wherein one of the two journals is directed toward a side wall and wherein each of the two side walls comprises one of the at least one displacement opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of the drawings which serve purely for explanation and are not to be seen as limiting. The drawings are as follows:

[0041] FIG. 1a shows a perspective representation of part of a drop-down seal according to the prior art in the raised state as produced in the factory;

[0042] FIG. 1b shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 1a in the lowered state prior to being shortened;

[0043] FIG. 1c shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 1a in the raised state after being shortened;

[0044] FIG. 1d shows the shortened drop-down seal according to FIG. 1c in the lowered state;

[0045] FIG. 2a shows a perspective representation of part of a drop-down seal according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 2b shows an enlarged detail of the drop-down seal according to FIG. 2a;

[0047] FIG. 3a shows a perspective representation of part of a drop-down seal according to FIG. 1a in the raised state as produced in the factory;

[0048] FIG. 3b shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 3a with a displaced sealing strip;

[0049] FIG. 3c shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 3b in the shortened state;

[0050] FIG. 3d shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 3c with the sealing strip set back into its original horizontal position;

[0051] FIG. 3e shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 3d in the lowered state;

[0052] FIG. 3f shows the drop-down seal according to FIG. 3e with the seal profile protruding from the front of the carrier profile;

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a perspective representation of a region of the drop-down seal without housing rail and sealing profile, in a first position of the carrier profile;

[0054] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of the representation according to FIG. 4;

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the region according to FIG. 4 with a leaf spring only shown in part;

[0056] FIG. 7 shows a cross section along B-B according to FIG. 6 and along E-E according to FIG. 11;

[0057] FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal section along C-C according to FIG. 6;

[0058] FIG. 9 shows a perspective representation of a region of the drop-down seal without housing rail and seal profile, in a second position of the carrier profile;

[0059] FIG. 10 shows an enlarged detail of the representation according to FIG. 9;

[0060] FIG. 11 shows a side view of the region according to FIG. 9 with the leaf spring only shown in part and

[0061] FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal section along A-A according to FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0062] FIG. 2a shows a sealing device according to the invention, hereafter called a drop-down seal. Such drop-down seals are mounted in the lower region of a door leaf of a swing or sliding door.

[0063] For this purpose, they are either inserted into a lower groove of the door leaf, fastened to a lower end face or are arranged laterally in the lower region of the door leaf. Assemblies in the upper or lateral region of the door leaf are also possible. If terms such as below and above are used below, said locational and directional specifications refer to the use of the drop-down seal in the lower region of the door leaf. The terms are to be adapted in an analogous manner to the other mounting positions and the description and the patent claims should also include them.

[0064] The drop-down seal is automatically lowered mechanically when the door leaf is closed in order to protect a gap between the door leaf and the building floor against light transmission, draft and noise. Fire protection, smoke protection and flood protection are also possible depending on the design of the seal profile.

[0065] The drop-down seal according to the invention also comprises the housing rail 1 and the sealing strip which is raisable and lowerable therein. The sealing strip includes the carrier rail 2 and the seal profile 3 which is fastened thereto.

[0066] The housing rail 1 is preferably fastened to the door leaf on both sides by way of a fastening bracket. Other types of fastenings are disclosed in the prior art and are also applicable here.

[0067] The housing rail 1 and the carrier rail 2 are preferably produced from an extruded profile, in particular from aluminum. The seal profile 3 is preferably realized in one piece. It can also be realized in multiple pieces. The seal profile 3 preferably consists of silicone or rubber or from another elastomer material.

[0068] The drop-down seal additionally includes a lowering mechanism in order to lower the sealing strip automatically when the door leaf is closed. The lowering mechanism includes a release button 6 which protrudes from the housing rail 1 at a front end. It is connected via an actuating rod 60 to a flat slide 61. The actuating rod 60 and the slide 61 extend in the longitudinal direction L of the housing rail 1 and can be moved in said longitudinal direction relative to the housing rail 1.

[0069] The lowering mechanism additionally includes at least one, preferably two or more leaf springs 4 which are arranged one behind another in the longitudinal direction L of the drop-down seal.

[0070] Each leaf spring 4 is pivotably connected to the housing rail 1 at a first fastening position 7 by way of one of its ends. The central region of each leaf spring 4 is connected in a hinged manner to the carrier rail 2 at a second fastening position 8. The second end of each leaf spring 4 is connected fixedly to the slide 61 at a third fastening position 9. As an alternative to this, the first leaf spring 4 can also be connected directly to the actuating rod 60. The first fastening position 7 is preferably situated on the side of the leaf springs 4 which are remote from the release button 6.

[0071] The release button 6 is present on the door frame when the door leaf is closed and is pressed in. As a result, it displaces the slide 61 in the longitudinal direction L of the drop-down seal. The leaf springs 4 are bent and the carrier rail 2 is lowered together with the seal profile 3 which is fastened thereto. When the door leaf is opened, the release button 6 is released again, the leaf springs 4 are able to relax and the sealing strip is raised again as a result.

[0072] Said lowering mechanism and said type of fastening are known and have proven their worth. Alternative arrangements and realizations are disclosed in the prior art and can also be used analogously in the drop-down seal according to the invention.

[0073] As already mentioned above, when the sealing strip is lowered said sealing strip is not only lowered but is also moved in the longitudinal direction L on one end side, namely the side remote from the release button 6. This is why, when the drop-down seal is manufactured, the carrier rail 2, in the raised starting state, is preferably arranged set back relative to the housing rail 1 on said side. The seal profile 3 is also arranged on said end face protruding from the carrier rail when the drop-down seal is manufactured. It preferably ends flush with the housing rail 1 and in an even more preferred manner it protrudes slightly from said housing rail. This is shown in FIG. 1a. This corresponds to the behavior of the seals according to the prior art, as explained in the introduction.

[0074] According to the invention, the sealing strip in the raised state is then displaceable in the longitudinal direction L of the drop-down seal. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the second fastening point 8 is realized correspondingly for this purpose. This can be seen, for example, in FIGS. 2a and 2b. Said realization is described in detail further below in the text. In FIGS. 2a and 2b, the sealing strip is already arranged offset forward in a manner according to the invention, as can be seen, for example, by way of the position of the journal 53 in the displacement opening 23. The sealing strip is consequently already situated in the second position.

[0075] The seal according to the invention as produced at the factory can be seen in FIG. 3a. The relative arrangement of housing rail 1, carrier rail 2 and seal profile 3 is no different to that according to FIG. 1a. In FIG. 3b the sealing strip is displaced according to the invention in the longitudinal direction L toward the free end of the housing rail 1. In said state, the entire seal can be shortened again by the housing rail 1, the carrier rail 2 and the seal profile 3 being shortened, in particular sawn through, together. One of the possible shortening lines is shown in FIG. 3b and is provided with the reference symbol K. The shortened seal is shown in FIG. 3c. There is no difference here either in the end-face appearance of said shortened seal compared to that of the seal according to FIG. 1c.

[0076] The sealing strip of the seal according to the invention can then be moved back, however, into its original position again with reference to the housing rail 1. This is shown in FIG. 3d. In the lowered state, as shown in FIG. 3e, the carrier rail 2, which has been set back again, and consequently the housing rail 1 still do not protrude. However, so that the seal profile 3 is able to reduce the vertical gap between the door frame and housing rail, the front end of the seal profile 3 can now be pushed forward. The result is shown in FIG. 3f. Once again, the seal according to 3f comprises the same appearance or at least a similar appearance at the front as the drop-down seal according to FIG. 3a which is original as supplied from the factory. It has been shortened, however, to a desired length compared to said drop-down seal in FIG. 3a.

[0077] Pulling out the end-face end of the seal profile 3 can be made easier in different ways. In simple embodiments, the seal profile 3 is displaced over its entire length relative to the carrier rail 2. In other embodiments, the seal profile 3 comprises a bellows-shaped region which is pulled apart in order to allow the free end to project out of the housing rail 1. In further embodiments, the seal profile 3 is massaged by hand in such a manner and at the same time pulled in the longitudinal direction L that the material stretches and the overall length of the seal profile 3 is thus increased, as a result of which the free end is also able to be pulled out of the housing rail 1.

[0078] FIGS. 4 to 13 show the elements of the drop-down seal according to the invention which enable, for example, the above-described adjustability of the sealing strip and the ability of the seal profile 3 to be shortened when the drop-down seal is in the already assembled state.

[0079] FIG. 4 shows a short portion of the carrier rail 2 in the region of the second fastening position 8. If the drop-down seal comprises multiple leaf springs 4 and consequently multiple second fastening positions 8, the other second fastening positions 8 are preferably realized in an identical manner. In any event, they also enable the displaceability of the sealing strip described below.

[0080] The carrier rail 2 is upwardly open, realized in a u-shaped manner in cross section with two side walls 20 which are arranged spaced apart from one another. The closure is formed by a downwardly projecting, T-shaped carrier part with a connecting web 21 and a carrier bar 22. The seal profile, not shown in said FIG. 4, is held at the T-shaped carrier part. The T-shaped carrier part forms, for this purpose, two laterally open receiving means for receiving correspondingly formed retaining ribs of the seal profile 3. The seal profile 3 is held at the carrier profile 2. It can be displaced, for example, in the longitudinal direction relative to the carrier profile 2 as a result of manual massaging.

[0081] A fastening module 5 is arranged in the cavity between the two side walls 20. Said fastening module preferably consists of plastics material. It comprises a cuboid, flat basic body 50 which is penetrated by one of the leaf springs 4. The leaf spring 4 is connected fixedly to the basic body 50 and cannot be displaced relative to said basic body.

[0082] Side walls 51, which are spaced apart from one another, are present, preferably integrally molded, on the basic body 50. They extend parallel to the side walls 20 of the carrier rail 2.

[0083] The upper end of each side wall 51 is realized by an upwardly protruding lug 52, which preferably projects above the carrier rail 2, as can be seen well in FIG. 5. A journal 53, which is preferably also realized in one piece with the rest of the fastening module 5, protrudes outwardly on each side wall 51 of the fastening module 5. This can be seen well in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0084] Each side wall 20 of the carrier rail 2 comprises a displacement opening 23 which is realized in the form of an elongated hole which extends in the longitudinal direction. The elongated hole is preferably realized as a figure of eight with a central tapering. One of the two journals 53 engages in said displacement opening 23.

[0085] The upwardly protruding lugs 52 make it easier to assemble the fastening module 5 in the carrier rail 2. The fastening module 5 is preferably pressed into said carrier rail.

[0086] The displacement openings 23 allow the carrier rail 2 and consequently the sealing strip to be displaced relative to the fastening module 5 and consequently to the leaf springs 4 and the housing rail 1.

[0087] The displacement opening 23 is preferably realized with one or multiple taperings 230 so that the journals 53 are able to latch into individual displacement positions. Two displacement positions and one tapering 230, which is arranged centrally in the longitudinal direction, are present in said exemplary embodiment, as can be seen well in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0088] In FIGS. 4 to 8 the carrier rail 2 is situated in a first position with reference to the housing. The journals 53 are latched in a first position inside the displacement opening 23.

[0089] In FIGS. 9 to 12 the carrier rail 2 has been displaced and the journals 53 are situated in a second position inside the displacement opening 23, as can be seen well by comparing the corresponding FIGS. 4 to 8.

[0090] If the release button 6 is situated on the right-hand side of the seal according to FIGS. 4 and 9, the first position is thus the starting position. If the carrier rail 2 is lowered, the seal profile 3 thus protrudes above the housing rail 1 laterally, as can be seen in FIG. 2a. In order to shorten the seal profile 3, the carrier rail 2 can then be pushed into the second position by pressure at the end face or by tension on the sealing strip. Said pressure or tension is preferably effected manually.

[0091] The length of the displacement opening 23 preferably corresponds at least approximately to the displacement of the sealing strip in the longitudinal direction when the sealing strip is lowered.

[0092] The drop-down seal can then be cut off using simple tools and consequently shortened to a desired measurement.

[0093] Said displaceability of the sealing strip in the longitudinal direction of the drop-down seal enables simple adaptation to door situations on site and at the door factory without the method of operation of the seal being diminished and in particular without the relative end-face arrangement of housing rail 1, carrier rail 2 and seal profile 3 being negatively impaired. In particular, the carrier rail 2 still does not protrude too far forward after shortening.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCES 1 Housing rail 2 Carrier rail 20 Side wall 21 Connecting web 22 Lower carrier bar 23 Displacement opening 230 Tapering 3 Seal profile 4 Leaf spring 5 Fastening module 50 Basic body 51 Side wall 52 Lug 53 Journal 6 Release button 60 Actuating rod 61 Slide 7 First fastening position 8 Second fastening position 9 Third fastening position L Longitudinal direction K Shortening line