Abstract
A door having a door body that can be lifted, along a predetermined path, from a closed position in which it closes a wall opening into an open position in which it is located substantially overhead, the door body having two, three or more door body elements arranged one on top of the other in the closed position, is modified according to the invention in that a lower edge of the door body in the closed position and trailing during the lifting can be lifted separately, when the door reaches the open position, by a pivoting movement of a lower door body element having said edge in a lifting direction with respect to a door body element situated above it in the closed position relative to the predetermined path.
Claims
1. A door having a door body that is to be lifted, along a predetermined path, from a closed position in which the door closes a wall opening into an open position in which the door is located substantially overhead, the door body having two, three or more door body elements arranged one on top of the other in the closed position and hinged together along articulation axes running roughly perpendicular to the predetermined path, wherein a lower edge of the door body in the closed position and trailing during the lifting is to be lifted separately, at least when the door reaches the open position, by a pivoting movement of a lower door body element having said edge in a lifting direction with respect to a door body element situated above the lower door body element in the closed position relative to the predetermined path, characterized by a limiting device which limits the pivoting movement of the lower door body element in the lifting direction at least along a segment of the predetermined path, wherein a traction means lifting the door body from the closed position to the open position is connected at one end of the traction means to the lower edge of the door body by a coupling device and is coupled at another end of the traction means to a weight equalizing device, said coupling device arranged at the lower edge and able to pivot relative to a pivot axis running parallel to the articulation axes, and wherein the traction means opposes a first pretensioning device configured to force the separately liftable edge of the lower door body element into the predetermined path upon moving from the open position to the closed position, wherein the lower door body element with the separately liftable edge is connected to a guide element by means of a pivoting lever of a lever assembly making possible a changing of a distance between the guide element arranged on the door body element and the lower door body element, wherein the guide element is pivoted upon reaching the open position, by a pivoting of the pivoting lever relative to a lever axis in a direction opposite the lifting direction with respect to the lower door body element, wherein the limiting device comprises a first limiting element coordinated with the coupling device and able to pivot with the first limiting element relative to the pivot axis, and a second limiting element coordinated with the lever assembly and able to pivot with the second limiting element relative to the lever axis, wherein the first limiting element comprises a limiting link at least partly embracing the lever axis or the pivot axis, the pivot axis being situated beneath the lever axis in the closed position, wherein the limiting link comprises a collar extending transversely from a bracket of the coupling device that runs roughly perpendicular to the articulation axes, and an end stop element of the second limiting element is mounted on the pivoting lever and comes to bear against the limiting surface of the limiting link facing toward the pivot axis during the pivoting movement of the lower door body element in the lifting direction.
2. The door according to claim 1, wherein a second pretensioning device opposes a movement of the separately liftable edge in a direction orthogonal to the door body plane in the closed position of the door body.
3. The door according to claim 2, characterized in that the first or the second pretensioning device comprises a spring element.
4. The door according to claim 2, characterized in that the first or the second pretensioning device comprises a torsion spring.
5. The door according to claim 1, wherein the door is guided by a guide rail assembly along the predetermined path.
6. The door according to claim 5, wherein the guide rail assembly comprises two guide rails arranged at opposite edges of the door body, and each guide rail comprises respectively at least one vertical guide rail segment running roughly parallel to the direction of gravity, at least one guide rail segment running overhead, in the horizontal direction, and at least one arc-shaped guide rail segment joining together the vertical and the overhead guide rail segment.
7. The door according to claim 5, wherein the door body is led along the predetermined path by an interaction of the guide rail assembly with the guide elements arranged on the door body.
8. The door according to claim 7, wherein the guide elements comprise rollers.
9. The door according to claim 7, wherein at least one guide element is arranged at the lower edge of the door body element having the separately liftable edge, on each of the sides of the door body element facing toward a guide rail.
10. The door according to claim 7, wherein the liftable edge of the door body element in the open position is spaced further away from a guide element situated on the door body element in a direction running perpendicular to it than in the closed position and it is raised upward relative to the guide element.
11. The door according to claim 7, wherein the separate liftable door body element is connected, by means of the pivoting lever of the lever assembly, to the guide element, wherein the guide element is pivoted upon reaching the open position by a pivoting of the pivoting lever relative to a lever axis in a direction opposite the lifting direction with respect to the lower door body element.
12. The door according to claim 11, wherein the first and/or a second pretensioning device forces the separate liftable edge of the door body element into the predetermined path during the movement to the closed position and/or forces it into a position completely closing the wall opening in the closed position.
13. The door according to claim 1, characterized in that the traction means is coupled to the lower edge of the door body by a coupling device arranged at the lower edge and able to pivot relative to a pivot axis running parallel to the articulation axes.
14. The door according to claim 13, characterized in that the coupling device under an action of the traction means is pivoted in a direction opposite the lifting direction relative to the lower door body element upon reaching the open position.
15. The door according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the limiting elements comprises the end stop element abutting against the limiting link during the pivoting movement of the lower door body element in the lifting direction.
16. The door according to claim 1, characterized in that the end stop element is released upon reaching the open position by the limiting link.
17. The door according to claim 1, characterized in that the limiting device comprises a fixed guide surface interacting with a third limiting element arranged on the lower edge of the lower door body element upon reaching the open position.
18. The door according to claim 17, characterized in that the fixed guide surface is arranged on the wall and extends upward at a slant.
19. The door according to claim 17, characterized by a thrusting device situated at an end of the overhead guide rail segment facing away from an arc-shaped guide rail segment and able to be placed in the opening movement against the leading edge of the door body during an opening movement, by which the third limiting element arranged at the lower edge of the door body is forced in the open position against the guide surface.
20. The door according to claim 19, characterized in that the radius of curvature of the arc-shaped guide rail segment at an inner guide surface thereof is 400 mm or more.
21. The door according to claim 19, characterized in that the inner radius of the arc-shaped guide rail segment is less than 800 mm.
22. The door according to claim 21, characterized in that a ratio of the inner radius to the height of at least one door body element in a direction running parallel to side edges of the at least one door body element is 3:5 or more, or less than 3:4.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention shall be explained in the following with reference to the drawing, which should be consulted for all details essential to the invention and not explicitly mentioned in the specification. The drawing shows:
(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a cut-out portion of a sectional door in the open position,
(3) FIG. 2 a perspective view of a cut-out portion of a sectional door shortly before reaching the closed position,
(4) FIG. 3 a limiting device of a door according to the invention in the closed position and
(5) FIG. 4 the limiting device of FIG. 3 in the open position
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(6) FIG. 1 shows a cut-out portion of a perspective view of a sectional door 1 in the open position. The door body 2 of the sectional door 1 has been moved from the closed position to the open position by a chain 80, which is fastened to the lower edge 14 of the door body 2 via a coupling device 82, which is pivotably mounted on the lower edge 14 of the door body 2. The chain 80 is coupled via a deflection roller 90 having a chain sprocket 92 to a driving device, not shown. The door body 2 comprises multiple door body elements 10, 12. In the figure, only the lower door body element 12 can be seen. The door body elements are hinged together by a preferably roughly horizontal articulation axis with respect to a roughly perpendicular path predetermined by a guide rail assembly 20 (see FIG. 2). In the closed position (see FIG. 2), the door body elements 10, 12 are arranged one above the other. The door body 2 is then located roughly in the vertical plane. The door body element which is situated near the floor in the closed position is called the lower door body element 12. This door body element 12 is the trailing door body element during the movement from the closed position to the open position. The leading door body element during the movement from the closed position to the open position is called the upper door body element. Further door body elements may be arranged between the upper door body element and the lower door body element. These door body elements are called intermediate elements.
(7) The guiding of the door body 2 from the open position to the closed position and vice versa along a predetermined path occurs thanks to the interplay of a guide rail assembly 20 and guide elements, which are configured in FIG. 1 in the form of rollers 16.
(8) The guide rail assembly 20 comprises two guide rails 22, which are arranged on opposite side walls of the wall opening 100. In FIG. 1, only one of the two guide rails can be seen. The guide rails 22 comprise a vertical guide rail segment 26 (not seen in FIG. 1), a roughly horizontal overhead guide rail segment (not seen in FIG. 1), and an arc-shaped guide rail segment 22 joining the vertical guide rail segment 26 and the horizontal guide rail segment. The guide rail assembly 20 shown in FIG. 1 additionally has a second overhead guide rail segment 24 to mount the guide element arranged at the upper edge of the upper door body element. This second overhead guide rail segment 24 is arranged above the overhead guide rail segment in the direction of gravity S. In the open position, the intermediate elements are situated in the plane dictated by the overhead guide rail segments. The upper edge of the lower door body element 12 in the open position is also situated in the plane subtended by the intermediate elements. In the open position, the rollers 16 situated on the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 are arranged in the arc-shaped guide rail segment 22. The rollers 16 are connected to the lower door body element 12 not rigidly, but via a lever assembly 40 (see FIG. 2) able to swivel relative to the lower door body element 12.
(9) The lever assembly 40 comprises a mount 42 and a pivoting lever 60. The pivoting lever 60 is connected to the mount 42 at one end 64a and able to swivel relative to a lever axis 68. At its second end 64b situated opposite the first end 64a, the pivoting lever 60 is connected to the roller 16. The connection of the roller 16 to the pivoting lever 60 is by way of the roller axis 18 being received in a tubular mount 69 of the pivoting lever 60. Further details about the articulation assembly 40 will be presented afterwards with reference to FIG. 2.
(10) FIG. 1 shows the lever assembly 40 in the pivot position. The separately liftable edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 is lifted upward relative to the roller 16. The lifting is done by applying a traction force in a chain 80 fastened by a coupling device 82 to the liftable edge 14 of the lower door body element 12. The liftable edge 14 is situated above the arc-shaped guide rail section 22. The clear wall opening 100 is further freed up as compared to traditional sectional doors in which the rollers 16 are not connected pivotably to the door body element 14. Moreover, the separately liftable edge has greater potential energy as compared to a door body in which the lower edge is not pivotably connected to the rollers. This is transformed into kinetic energy during the closing movement and helps generate the breakaway torque. The lifting of the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 occurs against the restoring force of the pretensioning device 30, described below. The pretensioning device 30 thus finds itself in a pretensioned state. If the door body 2 is moved from the open position shown in FIG. 1 to the closed position shown in FIG. 2, the restoring force of the pretensioning device 30 has the effect of forcing the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 against the roller 16. This provides a further contribution to the breakaway torque needed to initiate the closing movement. Moreover, the lower edge of the lower door body element 12 can be reliably led in the path predetermined by the guide rail assembly 20. The pretensioning device 30 thus corresponds to the first pretensioning device.
(11) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cut-out of the sectional door 1 shortly before reaching the closed position. The figure shows a guide rail 22 of the guide rail assembly 20. In the cut-out, only the vertical guide rail segment 26 is depicted. This is fastened to a frame member 28.
(12) Moreover, FIG. 2 shows the lower door body element 12 with the separate liftable edge 14. The runner 16 is fastened to the separate liftable edge 14 of the lower door body element 12. The runner 16 is connected via the lever assembly 40 to the lower door body element 14 and can pivot relative to it. The chain 80 for lifting and lowering the door body 2 is fastened via the coupling device 82 (cf. FIG. 1) to the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12.
(13) In the following, the lever assembly 40 of the door 1 according to the invention shall be described. The lever assembly 40 comprises a mount 42 and a pivoting lever 60. The pivoting lever 60 is connected pivotably to the mount 42 by the lever axis 68. The mount 42 comprises a mounting base 44, a first mounting side wall 46a and a second mounting side wall 46b. The mount 42 is connected via the mounting base 44 firmly to the lower door body element 12. The mount 42 is connected in the region of the liftable edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 to the latter. For the fastening of the mount 42, fastening holes 48 and oblong holes 50 are formed in the mounting base 44. In FIG. 2, the mount 42 is connected by a screw 52 led through the oblong hole 50 to the door body element 12. The mounting base 44 extends roughly parallel to the lower door body element 12. The mounting base 44 is fashioned roughly rectangular. But it may also have any other shape. The first mounting side wall 46a and the second mounting side wall 46b are situated, in the closed position, in a lower region of the mount 42. The first and the second mounting side wall 46a, 46b extend from the mounting base 44 roughly perpendicular to the mounting base 44, and extend roughly in the direction of gravity S. The first mounting side wall 46a is arranged at a first side edge of the mounting base 44. The second mounting side wall 46b is arranged at a second side edge of the mounting base 44, so that the second mounting side wall 46b is situated opposite the first mounting side wall 46a. In the first mounting side wall 46a there is formed a first opening 47a, and in the second mounting side wall 46b a second opening 47b. A shaft 68 extending between the first mounting side wall 46a and the second mounting side wall 46b and determining the lever axis is received by the first opening 47a and the second opening 47b and secured in the mount 42. The shaft 68 serves for coupling the pivoting lever 60 to the mount 42. The pivoting lever 60 comprises a pivoting lever base 62, a first pivoting lever side wall 66a and a second pivoting lever side wall 66b. In the guide position shown in FIG. 2, the pivoting lever base 62 is situated roughly parallel to the mounting base 44. The pivoting lever base 62 consequently extends roughly parallel to the lower door body element 12. The pivoting lever base 62 is formed roughly rectangular and has a dimension which allows the pivoting lever base 62 to be received entirely by the mount 42. Extending out from the pivoting lever base 62 are a first pivoting lever side wall 66a and a second pivoting lever side wall 66b, such that the first pivoting lever side wall 66a lies opposite the second pivoting lever side wall 66b. The first pivoting lever side wall 66a and the second pivoting lever side wall 66b are also received entirely by the mount 42. The shaft 68 is firmly connected to the first pivoting lever side wall 66a and the second pivoting lever side wall 66b. The shaft 68 is arranged at a first end 64a of the pivoting lever. Thanks to this design, the pivoting lever 60 can swivel relative to the mount 42 by the lever axis 68 in a direction away from the plane of the lower door body element. At a second end side 64b of the pivoting lever 60 situated opposite the first end side 64a there is formed a tubular mount 69 to hold the roller axis 18. Hence, the roller 16 is firmly connected by the roller axis 18 to the pivoting lever 60. The pivoting lever 60 can swivel with respect to the mount 42 firmly connected to the lower door body element 12. Hence, the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 can swivel with respect to the guide roller 16.
(14) The articulation assembly 40 shown in FIG. 2 moreover comprises the pretensioning device 30. This pretensioning device 30 in the closed position, as represented in FIG. 2, forces the door body into a closed position completely closing the wall opening 100. Thus, the pretensioning device 30 also corresponds to the second pretensioning device. The pretensioning device 30 comprises a torsion spring 32. This torsion spring 32 comprises a first leg 34, a second leg 36 and a third leg 38 (not shown). The first and the third leg 34, 38 are respectively formed at the end sides of the torsion spring facing toward the first and second pivoting lever side wall 66b, c. The torsion spring 32 encircles the shaft 68 of the pivoting lever 60. The first leg 34 (and also the third leg 38 not shown here) lies against the pivoting lever base 62. The second leg 36 is formed roughly in the middle of the torsion spring 32. The second leg 36 is U-shaped. The U-shaped segment of the second leg 36 lies against the mounting base 44 of the lever assembly 40. In order to move the lever assembly 40 from the guide position shown in FIG. 2 to the pivot position shown in FIG. 1, the pivoting lever 60 and the mount 42 must be swiveled toward each other against the restoring force produced by the torsion spring 32. By this restoring force, the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 can be forced in the closed position shown in FIG. 2 into a position completely closing the wall opening 100. Moreover, as was already mentioned above, the pretensioning device 30 can force the lower door body element 12 into the path dictated by the guide rail assembly 20 during a movement from the open position shown in FIG. 1 to the closed position shown in FIG. 2. Another function of the pretensioning device 30 is that it can generate the breakaway torque needed to initiate the closing movement. When the door body 2 is lifted upward by means of the chain 80, the torsion spring 32 is pretensioned by the swiveling of the pivoting lever 60. If the tension exerted by the chain 80 on the lower edge of the door body 2 decreases, a force will be exerted on the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 by virtue of the spring force of the torsion spring 32, and this can initiate the closing movement of the sectional door.
(15) FIGS. 3 and 4 show schematically the limiting device of a door according to the invention. The limiting device 200 comprises a first limiting element 220 and a second limiting element 240. The first limiting element 220 can swivel together with the coupling device 82 about a pivot axis 250 relative to the lower door body element 12. The pivot axis 250 runs parallel to the articulation axes, relative to which the individual door body elements are hinged together. The limiting element 220 comprises a holding plate 220 extending roughly perpendicular to the pivot axis 250 and a limiting link 230 in the form of a collar 230 partially encircling the pivot axis 250, situated at the edge of the holding plate 220 facing away from the pivot axis 250 and extending roughly perpendicular to that edge. The limiting element 240 is in the form of an end stop element arranged on the pivoting lever 60. The end stop element in the embodiment of the invention explained with the aid of the drawing is fashioned in the form of a stop pin extending roughly parallel to the pivot axis 250. The end stop element 220 and the end stop element 240 are arranged next to, in the drawing of FIG. 3 behind the door body element 12, in the direction of the pivot axis 250. In the closed position shown in FIG. 3, the limiting pin 240 comes to bear against the limiting link 230 upon swiveling of the pivoting lever 60 in the direction of the interior space closed by the door in the direction indicated by the arrow P3. Likewise, the limiting link 230 comes to bear against the limiting piece 240 upon swiveling of the lower door body element 12 in the lifting direction indicated by the arrow P1. In this way, a swinging out of the lower door body element 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow P1 relative to the guide roller 16 arranged on the pivoting lever 60 is prevented. A swinging in of the door body element 12 in the direction opposite the lifting direction P1 can be prevented with the aid of an end stop not shown in the drawing and mounted stationary on the pivoting lever 60.
(16) Upon moving of the door body from the closed position shown in FIG. 3 to the open position shown in FIG. 4, the coupling device 82 and thus also the limiting link 230 are swiveled under the traction force of the traction means 80, designed as a roller chain at least in the region of a segment coupled to the door body, in the direction indicated by the arrow P2 relative to the lower edge 14 of the door body element 12 about the pivot axis 250. As can be appreciated by comparing FIGS. 3 and 4, the limiting element 240 configured as a limiting pin is released by the limiting link 230 in the course of the pivoting movement of the limiting link 230 about the pivot axis 250 and can be swiveled in the direction indicated by the arrow P3 relative to the lower door body element 12 about the lever axis 68. This enables a swiveling movement of the lower door body edge 14 in the lifting direction indicated by the arrow P1 relative to the door body element located above it in the closed position. As can be seen especially clearly in FIG. 2, the radial spacing of the limiting collar 230 from the pivot axis 250 increases in a direction opposite the arrow P2. This makes possible a gradual deflection of the pivoting lever 60 relative to the door body element 12 about the lever axis 68 to initiate the pivoting movement of the door body element 12 in the lifting direction. At the same time, an inlet funnel is formed in the region 232 of the limiting collar 230 with larger radial spacing from the pivot axis 250, which makes it easier to thread the limiting pin 240 arranged on the pivoting lever 60 in the course of the closing movement of the door body. The pivoting movement of the pivoting lever 60 about the lever axis 68 in the direction P3 opposite the lifting direction P1 can be limited by an end stop, not shown, which is arranged on the pivoting lever 60. This reduces the risk of the lower edge 14 of the lower door body element 12 being forced under the action of the traction force mediated by the roller chain 80 against the deflection sprocket deflecting the roller chain 80. In addition, the limiting device 200 comprises a guide surface 260 situated in the upper region of the building opening being closed with the door body, extending upward at a slant. The guide surface is associated with another limiting element situated in the region of the lower edge of the door body element 12. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the further limiting element is a roller 270 mounted rotatably relative to the pivot axis 250 and protruding beyond the lower edge 14 of the door body element 12.
(17) As already described above, the upper edge of the door body which is the leading edge during the opening movement arrives in the course of the opening movement at a thrusting device, associated with the guide rail assembly 20, which is arranged for example in the form of a compression spring. Under the action of the compression spring, the limiting roller 270 is forced against the stationary limiting surface 250, thus making possible a low-play guiding of the door body movement in the area of the lower edge 14, while at the same time the lower edge 14 of the door body element 12 can be lifted separately in the lifting direction 81. It should be noted that the pivoting lever 60 and the limiting element 220 are swiveled in the course of the opening movement of the door body in the same direction of turning relative to the lever axis 68 or the pivot axis 250, while the lower edge 14 of the door body element 12 is swiveled in an opposite lever turning direction relative to the door body element situated above this lower door body element 12 in the closed position. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments explained with the aid of the drawings. Instead, a limiting device with a pivoting link arranged on the pivoting lever 60 and a limiting pin associated with the coupling device 82 can also be provided. In advantageous embodiments of the invention, the position of the limiting pin 240 and the limiting link 230 are attuned to each other so that there is a noncontact movement of these parts relative to each other without the intervention of outside forces. The lever axis 68 is arranged above the pivot axis 250 in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the guide roller 16 is situated between the lever axis 68 and the pivot axis 250. In all embodiments of the invention, the coupling device 82 may be used at the same time as a catching device, which prevents a dropping of the door body if the traction means breaks or the weight equalization device coupled to the traction means fails.
(18) In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the roller 16 associated with the lower door body edge is fastened on the door body element 12 via a pivoting lever 60 arranged pivotably on the lower door body element relative to a lever axis 68. In order to assure a low-friction and nonwearing movement of the roller 16 in the guide rail assembly, it is necessary for the roller axis of the guide roller 16 to have a predetermined spacing from the inner limiting surface of the lower door body element 12 at least in the closed position of the door body. From this standpoint, the installation of doors according to the invention can be made easier if the spacing between the roller axis of the guide roller 16 and the inner limiting surface of the lower door body element 12 can be adjusted separately with a suitable adjustment device. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide roller 16 is fastened by a cam assembly to the pivoting lever 60. Depending on the rotary position of the cam assembly relative to a cam axis running parallel to the roller axis, the distance of the axis of rotation of the guide roller 16 from the inner limiting surface of the lower door body element 12 can be changed, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 3.
(19) In addition or alternatively, the pivoting lever 60 can be associated with an adjusting bolt braced against the inner limiting surface of the lower door body element 12 or an extension piece, with which a pivot position of the pivoting lever 60 in the door body closed position can be adjusted by swiveling it relative to the lever axis 68 in the direction indicated by the arrow P3 or in a direction opposite to this, in order to likewise adjust the position of the axis of rotation of the guide roller 16 in the direction indicated by the double arrow A. The adjusting bolt may be implemented, for example, in the form of a screw bolt, passing through a thread arranged stationary on the pivoting lever 60 and braced against the door body element 12 or an extension piece.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
(20) 1 Sectional door 2 Door body 10 Door body element 12 Lower door body element 14 Lifting edge 16 Roller 18 Roller axes 20 Guide rail assembly 22 Guide rails 23 Arc-shaped guide rail segment 24 Second overhead guide rail segment 26 Vertical guide rail segment 28 Frame member 30 Pretensioning device 32 Torsion spring 34 First leg 36 Second leg 38 Third leg 40 Articulation assembly 42 Mount 44 Mounting base 46a First mounting side wall 46b Second mounting side wall 47a First opening 47b Second opening 48 Fastening hole 50 Oblong hole 52 Screw 60 Pivoting lever 62 Pivoting lever base 64a First end side 64b Second end side 66a First pivoting lever side wall 66b Second pivoting lever side wall 68 Shaft/lever axis 69 Tubular mount 80 Chain 82 Coupling device 90 Deflection roller 92 Chain sprocket 100 Wall opening S Direction of gravity
