Elevator door and method for opening an elevator door having two sliding door panels

Abstract

Car door (1) comprising: two sliding door panels (2, 3); two profiles (6, 7), each of which is arranged below one of the two door panels (2, 3), the profiles (6, 7) being partially counter-shaped so as to slide with respect to one another therefore while the door (1) is opening they move towards one another to compose a sill (5).

Claims

1. Car door for an elevator comprising: at least two sliding door panels; means for moving said door panels between a first configuration wherein the door is closed and a second configuration wherein the door is open and vice versa; a car sill that can be horizontally aligned with a floor sill, characterised in that it comprises: a profile for each door panel, said profile being arranged below the corresponding door panel and having an elongated extension with a first portion integrally constrained to said door panel and a second portion projecting towards said floor sill, the second portion of one of the profiles having a groove in which the first portion of the other profile is slidably inserted, so that when passing from the first to the second configuration said second projecting portions move towards one another in order to compose said car sill which projects towards the floor sill, and when passing from the second to the first configuration said second projecting portions move away from one another in order to disassemble said car sill, each door panel dragging through its motion the corresponding profile integral to it.

2. Elevator door according to claim 1, wherein there are two door panels and the opening is central.

3. Elevator door according to claim 1, wherein the second projecting portion of one of the profiles has a groove in which the first portion of the other profile is slidably inserted.

4. Elevator door according to claim 1, wherein said door panels are constrained to the first portions of the corresponding profiles through screws or rivets.

5. Elevator door according to claim 1, wherein said door panel are welded to the first portions of the corresponding profiles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the approximate and thus non-limiting description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a car door and a method for opening a car door having two sliding door panels, as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an elevator door (car door), according to the present invention, in closed conditions;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of the car door of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the car door of FIG. 1, in partially open conditions;

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a plan view of the car door of FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the car door of FIG. 1, in totally open conditions;

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view of the car door of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the first profile of the car door of FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the second profile of the car door of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(10) With reference to the figures, number 1 indicates an elevator door, for example a car door to be used in the car of an elevator. In particular, the car door 1 comprises at least two sliding door panels 2, 3.

(11) In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, there are two door panels 2, 3 and the opening is central. In another embodiment (not illustrated), the opening of the door panels 2, 3 is lateral, i.e. telescopic.

(12) The car door 1 comprises means for moving the door panels 2, 3 to bring them from a first configuration wherein the car door 1 is closed to a second configuration wherein the car door 1 is open, and vice versa.

(13) In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, the door panels 2, 3 are moved away from one another to pass from the first to the second configuration and are moved towards one another to pass from the second to the first configuration.

(14) The movement means are of the known type and will not be described further.

(15) The car door 1 comprises a car sill 5 that can be horizontally aligned with a floor sill 50.

(16) As will be explained below, the car sill 5 is not always present but is constituted in the opening step of the car door 1 and remains assembled while the car door 1 remains open.

(17) Originally, the car door 1 comprises a profile 6, 7 for each door panel 2, 3. In other words, the same number of profiles 6, 7 as the number of door panels 2, 3 are provided.

(18) Each profile 6, 7 is arranged below the corresponding door panel 2, 3. This means that, with respect to the ground, each profile 6, 7 is at a lower horizontal level than the corresponding door panel 2, 3.

(19) For example, the profiles 6, 7 are made of metal or plastic or marble or glass or wood.

(20) Each profile 6, 7 has a first portion 6a, 7a which is integrally constrained to the corresponding door panel 2, 3.

(21) In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, the first portions 6a, 7a of the profiles 6, 7 are constrained to the corresponding door panels 2, 3 through fixing elements 8 such as screws or rivets.

(22) In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the door panels 2, 3 are welded to the first portions 6a, 7a of the corresponding profiles 6, 7.

(23) Each profile 6, 7 has a second projecting portion 6b, 7b, i.e. protruding, in the direction of the floor sill 50.

(24) Advantageously, the profiles 6, 7 are conformed so as to be mutually slidable therefore when the door panels 2, 3 pass from the first to the second configuration the second projecting portions 6b, 7b move towards each other to compose, i.e. assemble, the car sill 5.

(25) The car sill 5 thus obtained projects towards the floor sill 50 (see FIGS. 5-6).

(26) When the door panels 2, 3 pass from the second to the first configuration, the second projecting portions 6b, 7b move away from one another to decompose, i.e. disassemble, the car sill 5 (see figures from 1 to 4).

(27) Preferably, the profiles 6, 7 are partially counter-shaped so as to slide with respect to one another.

(28) In particular, the profiles 6, 7 slide parallel to the door panels 2, 3.

(29) In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, there are two profiles 6, 7 and two door panels 2, 3.

(30) In this case, one of the profiles (indicated for convenience purposes as first profile 6) has a groove 9 afforded in its second projecting portion 6b, as shown in FIG. 7.

(31) In such a groove 9 the first portion 7a of the other profile (indicated for convenience purposes as second profile 7 and illustrated in FIG. 8) is slidably inserted.

(32) Advantageously, the door panels 2, 3 slide dragging the corresponding profiles 6, 7 integral with them, which create the car sill 5 when required, without needing lower hollows for guiding the door panels 2, 3.

(33) Preferably, the car door 1 comprises means for detecting the load (not illustrated) operatively active on the profiles 6, 7 to detect the presence of a weight and a safety device (not illustrated) associated with the load detection means.

(34) In particular, in response to the detection of a weight over a pre-established value during the passage of the door panels 2, 3 from the second to the first configuration (i.e. when the car door 1 is closing), the safety device controls the return to the second configuration (i.e. it makes the car door 1 open again) or the stopping of the movement of the door panels 2, 3 until said weight is removed.

(35) In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, the car door 1 has a linear opening therefore the profiles 6, 7 extend along a prevalent direction that is longitudinal and parallel to the door panels 2, 3.

(36) In an alternative embodiment, the car door 1 has a circular opening therefore the profiles 6, 7 extend along a prevalent direction which is arched.

(37) Up to now a car door has been described, however the profiles 6, 7 thus conformed could be used to compose the sill of a floor door.

(38) The method for opening an elevator door having two sliding door panels is described below, with particular reference to the car door.

(39) The car, initially with a closed door (door panels 2, 3 in the first configuration), is moved vertically within an elevator compartment.

(40) When the car reaches the desired floor, the car door 1 faces the corresponding floor door.

(41) At this point, the door panels 2, 3 slide from the first to the second configuration.

(42) In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, the door panels 2, 3 are reciprocally moved away from one another so as to create a passage 11.

(43) When passing from the first to the second configuration, each door panel 2, 3 drags through its motion the corresponding profile 6, 7 integral to it.

(44) In particular, the first portion 7a of the second profile 7 slides with respect to the groove 9 present in the second projecting portion 6b of the first profile 6. Such mutual sliding causes the second projecting portions 6b, 7b of the profiles 6, 7 to move towards one another, thus defining the car sill 5 (see FIGS. 5-6).

(45) Preferably, the second projecting portions 6b, 7b move towards one another until they are adjacent to one another defining a car sill 5 in which no discontinuities are perceived by those walking over it.

(46) The car sill 5 thus formed projects towards the floor sill 50 and is 1 mm to 5 mm away from it.

(47) During the opening of the car door 1, the load detection means detect the passing of people, animals or objects (e.g. prams) through the passage 11. When their weight is over a pre-established value, the safety device intervenes which controls the reopening of the car door 1 or the stopping of the door panels 2, 3 until the object or person or animal is removed. In that way, there is no interference with the second projecting portions 6b, 7b which are moving towards one another.

(48) The characteristics of the elevator door and method for opening an elevator door having two sliding door panels appear clear from the description provided.

(49) In particular, the presence of the lower profiles integral with the door panels and conformed so as to slide mutually allows: the 25-30 mm opening to be maintained between the car and the floor door during the vertical movement of the car in the elevator compartment; a car sill to be created while the door is opening and for the whole time it remains open, hence reducing the 25-30 mm opening to 1-5 mm, corresponding to the distance between the car sill thus obtained and the floor sill.

(50) With respect to solutions that envisage the auxiliary sill (extractable/retractable), the invention described herein provides a further advantage, i.e. that of assembling and disassembling the car sill as required. In practice, when the car door is closed, the sill is not required therefore it does not exist (it is disassembled). Such car sill is composed, i.e. assembled, when the door opens.

(51) In fact, the projecting portions of the two profiles are arranged within the passage area only during the door opening step.

(52) Furthermore, the door panels no longer require a guide since it is the mutual sliding of the counter-shaped profiles that acts indirectly as a guide for the sliding of the door panels. Therefore, hollows for the sliding of the door panels are no longer required. Therefore, the proposed solution is not affected by problems of dirt accumulating in the hollows (as there are no hollows).

(53) Finally, the presence of load detection means and the safety device prevent tripping during the opening of the car door, i.e. when the car sill is being composed. In this way, not only are obstacles detected during the door closing step (as already happens in known solutions), but information can be generated for the system diagnostics thanks to the detection of obstacles during parking with the door open.