Powered folding doors

Abstract

A powered folding door or window system includes at least two rigid panels that are linked together by at least one vertical hinge/pivot to fold between a closed state, where the panels extend across an opening, to an open state, where they are retracted to one side of the opening and stacked against each other. The system incorporates a motor and a drive belt mechanism as primary means for driving the panels. The system further includes a powered actuator on one of the panels and a co-operative element on a linked adjoining panel; whereby the powered actuator cooperates with the co-operative element on the linked adjoining panel to move the linked adjoining panel and said one panel about the vertical hinge/pivot linking them; whereby the powered actuator may start the opening of the door or window system and/or complete the closing of the system.

Claims

1. A powered folding door or window system comprising: at least two rigid panels; wherein the at least two rigid panels are linked together by at least one vertical hinge or pivot to fold between a closed state, where the panels extend across an opening, to an open state, where they are retracted to one side of the opening and stacked against each other; a primary drive comprising a motor; and a drive belt linked to the at least two panels for driving the at least two panels to move substantially fully between the open and closed states, and a secondary drive comprising a powered actuator on a first panel of the at least two rigid panels and a co-operative element on a linked adjoining second panel of the at least two rigid panels the powered actuator of the second drive being powered to move reversibly extending from the first panel and releasably engaging and it cooperating with the co-operative element on the linked adjoining second panel to move the linked adjoining second panel and said first panel about the vertical hinge or pivot linking them so that the powered actuator starts the opening of the door or window system and or completes the closing of the door or window system.

2. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powered actuator is powered by an electric motor.

3. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, comprising said two linked rigid panels and a further linked rigid panel and there is a respective powered actuator and co-operative element arranged between, one of said two linked panels and the further rigid panel.

4. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the motor is an electric motor that powers the actuator and is housed in the panel with the actuator.

5. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door or window system is installed in a door or window opening and the primary drive's motor is housed in a frame that lines the opening.

6. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powered actuator is a linear reciprocating actuator.

7. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powered actuator is substantially housed in one of the at least two rigid panels, within said panel and an end thereof projecting out through a vertical edge face of said panel.

8. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second drive's motor to power the powered actuator is housed within the panel within which the powered actuator is substantially housed.

9. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powered actuator engages and co-operates with the co-operative engagement feature to push apart the panels to start the door or window system's movement to the opened state and is operated in reverse, to pull together the panels to complete the door or window system's movement to the closed state.

10. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the actuator and the co-operative element has a hook while the other has a pin or rod to be releasably engaged by the hook.

11. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the hook is of shape, extent and position that it pivots about the pin or rod for part of a turn that is up to no more than 20 in operation.

12. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the actuator has the hook on one end of the actuator to engage the co-operative element on the linked adjoining second panel.

13. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the actuator and the co-operative element has an annular eye while the other has a pin or rod to be releasably engaged by the eye.

14. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the annular eye is of shape, extent and position that it pivots about the pin or rod for part of a turn that is up to no more than 20 in operation.

15. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator and co-operative element are each positioned substantially mid-way between a first major face and a second major face of the at least two rigid panels in a closed state, the second major face being obverse to the first major face.

16. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding door or window system comprises at least said at least two rigid panels and a further rigid panel in a series.

17. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the folding door or window system comprises said at least two rigid panels and a further two rigid panels in a series.

18. The powered folding door or window system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the actuator and the co-operative element comprises: a pin or pivot pin that comprises a ring, tube or cylinder that is a roller, wherein the roller rolls around a longitudinal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

(2) A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising sliding folding French doors will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(3) FIGS. 1 and 2 are, respectively, a front elevation view and a top plan view of the French doors in the closed state;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 are, respectively, a front elevation view and a top plan view of the French doors in the opened state with the panels stacked neatly to one side of the opening;

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view from below of the guide rail for the sliding folding doors, showing the substantially conventional belt drive mechanism;

(6) FIGS. 6 to 12 are plan views from above of two adjoining panels of the sliding folding doors, the successive figures showing the successive stages of the folding doors as they move from fully closed to part open (at 0 open, 2.5 open, 5 open, 7.5 open, and 10 open respectively);

(7) FIGS. 13 to 15 are close-ups of the plan views of the two adjoining panels where they join, showing the upper door hinge that links them and showing the actuator on one of the panels and the co-operating element on the other of the panels that initiate the opening and complete the closing of the doors, with FIG. 13 being in the closed state, FIG. 14 being transitional to the closed state and FIG. 15 being in the open state with the panels stacked against each other;

(8) FIG. 16 is a front elevation view corresponding to FIG. 13 and

(9) FIG. 17 is an elevation view similar to FIG. 16 but with the adjoining panels in a transitional position;

(10) FIGS. 18 to 22 are close-ups of the plan views of the two adjoining panels where they join, and are similar to FIGS. 13 to 15 but show the incremental initial stages of opening of the door at the join (at fully closed, 2.5 open, 5 open, 7.5 open, and 10 open respectively);

(11) FIGS. 23 to 27 are close-up views similar to FIGS. 18 to 22 but show the incremental completion stages of closing of the door at the join (at 10 from closed, 7.5 from closed, 5 from closed, 2.5 from closed, and fully closed respectively);

(12) FIGS. 28 and 29 are detail views of the hook of the actuator in the form of a bracket; and

(13) FIG. 30 is a detail view of a preferred form of the co-operative element that co-operates with the hook.

(14) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

(15) Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

(16) In the illustrated embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 17 the French doors have four glazed panels, or leaves, 1a-d that are hingedly linked in series and framed within a threshold frame 2 that lines the doorway opening 10 in the building. The threshold frame 2 hereshown has a respective one of a pair of upright members 2a, 2b at each end of the opening 10 and a horizontal top member 2c running along the top of the opening 10. Each glazed panel/leaf 1a-d has a rectangular frame of wood or PVC and aluminium extrusions and inlaid with a double glazing unit. The horizontal and vertical frame members of each pane/leaf 1a-d are suitably of box section, having a hollow interior.

(17) The horizontal top member 2c of the thresh-hold frame 2 has a downwards facing channel along its length and serves as a guide rail to guide the panels 1a-d between opened and closed states. The thresh-hold frame's horizontal top member 2c accommodates a belt drive mechanism 3 (comprising a toothed belt 3a along its length and a DC electric drive motor 3b at one end) as the primary drive for pulling the panels 1a-d between the opened and closed states. Although not shown in the drawings, the system may further have a corresponding bottom guide rail too.

(18) The panels 1a-d are hinged in series by each adjacent/adjoining pair of panels having a conventional pair of upper and lower door hinges 4 between them near the front of the panels. The upper hinges are close to the top edge of the door and the pivot pin of alternate ones of the upper hinges 4 is extended upwardly 5 to couple with the drive belt 3a so as to be dragged along the guide rail in the opening or closing directions by the motion of the belt 3a.

(19) The first panel 1a of the door is hinged to the left-hand upright 2a of the door thresh-hold frame 2 and anchors that end of the series of panels 1a-d. The first panel 1a simply pivots on the spot but its upper hinge 4 does not slide along the top member/guide rail 2c, while the hinges 4 of the successive panels 1b-d are able to move. The hinge 4 between the first panel 1a of the door and the second panel 1b of the door is not coupled to the drive belt 3a and is free move away from the plane of the opening 10/door frame 2 as the first panel 1a of the door and the second panel 1b of the door fold together to stack against the left-hand upright 2a of the door thresh-hold frame 2. The same is true of the hinge 4 between the third panel 1a of the door and the fourth panel 1b.

(20) The hinge 4 between the second panel 1b and the third panel 1c is coupled 5 to the drive belt 3a, as is the hinge 4 at the right hand end of the fourth panel 1d. Between the first 1a and second 1b adjoining panels and between the third 1c and fourth 1d adjoining panels the hinge 4 (that is free to move away from the plane of the opening 10) is augmented by a motorized hinge. As noted earlier, the drive belt mechanism 3a, 3b for opening and closing the sliding folding doors is substantially conventional and it is incapable of initiating the opening or completing the closing without user intervention, for example by pushing or pulling on the end panel 2d. To free the system from the need for manual intervention and allow it to become fully automated, the system of the present invention is provided with a unique set of motorized hinges.

(21) The motorized hinge is not a door hinge in the conventional sense, it is not like the hinges 4, but rather it is a transient semi-pivotal linkage between the first and second adjoining panels 1a, 1b and between the third and fourth panels 1c, 1d. This linkage is powered to push the adjoining/substantially abutting edge faces of these door panels apart folding through several degrees (e.g. 10 degrees) about the hinge 4 to initiate opening or to pull them fully back together the last few degrees to complete closure. As illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5C and FIGS. 6 and 7, the transient semi-pivotal linkage is provided between each of the two adjoining panels 1a, 1b or 1c, 1d just above the upper door hinge 4 that links the pair of panels and slightly rearwards of the hinge 4, close to the mid-section of the panels.

(22) The transient semi-pivotal linkage comprises on one side a DC electric motor 7-powered linear reciprocating actuator 6 housed in the right hand side of the first panel 1a (and this arrangement is repeated in the third panel 1c). The other side of the transient pivotal linkage comprises a co-operating element 8 on the left side edge of the adjoining panel 1b (and this is repeated in the left side edge of the fourth panel 1d). The DC electric motor 7 is wholly housed within the box-section upper horizontal frame member of the panel and the actuator 6 is substantially wholly housed therewithin too, but with the free end/distal end of the actuator rod 6a protruding out of the panel edge face. The extent to which the actuator rod 6a projects from the panel edge face is adjusted by the operation of the motor 7 during the initial door-opening and final door closing procedures.

(23) The free end/distal end of the actuator rod/arm 6a carries a circular cylindrical column/pin 6b that is oriented vertically, and which serves as the pivot pin part of the transient semi-pivotal linkage. As shown in FIG. 30, the pin/pivot pin 6b is embodied as a ring, tube or cylinder of a robust low friction material and configured as a roller, i.e. being carried in a way that allows it to roll around its longitudinal axis, so that it facilitates reduction of static friction in use allowing the system to more readily initiate door opening or closing. The pin/pivot pin 6b may be secured to the actuator arm/rod 6b by a nut and bolt securement as illustrated in FIG. 30.

(24) The co-operating element 8 on the left side edge of the adjoining panel 1b is formed as a shallow hook that can catch onto/engage with the cylindrical column/pin 6b and pivot around it through approximately 10 to 15. Both the actuator rod or its pin 6b and the hook 8 are preferably moulded of a robust low friction and highly wear resistant material or appropriately coated to be low friction and highly wear resistant. They can both be moulded of a plastics such as nylon.

(25) The manner and sequence of operation of the transient semi-pivotal linkage for initiating door opening is illustrated in FIGS. 18 to 22; and for completing door closing is illustrated in FIGS. 23 to 27.

(26) The method of driving the powered folding door or window system to close as shown in FIGS. 18 to 22 suitably follows the steps of: i) the doors are dragged to the nearly closed position (approximately 15 degrees) by the belt drive mechanism 3; ii) each powered actuator 6 is extended and it is then progressively retracted and catches on the hook 8 that is in a fixed position on the meeting door leaf 1b, 1d; iii) as each actuator 6 continues to be retracted the hook 8 is pulled by the pivot pin 6b of the actuator 6 and this forces the hook 8 and rigidly associated leaf to pivot around the pivot pin 6b by several degrees causing the door leaves to flatten towards the plane of the door opening 10/threshold frame 2; and iv) the powered actuator 6 pulls on the hook 6 until the first and third door leaf and their adjoining/meeting door leaf 1b, 1d are substantially in the same plane (0), i.e. the plane of the door opening 10/threshold frame 2, with the adjoining door leaf vertical edge faces facing and substantially abutting each other.

(27) The method of driving the powered folding door or window system to open as shown in FIGS. 23 to 27 is substantially the reverse of the above: i) the actuator 6 is powered by its motor to extend; ii) the pivot pin 6b of the actuator 6 thus pushes against the back of the inside of the hook 8 and this causes the hook 8 to pivot about the pivot pin 6b of the actuator 6 and with the hook 8 its rigidly-connected leaf turns too so that it opens the door from zero to approximately 15 degrees; and iii) The belt drive mechanism 3 then drags the doors 1a-d open to stack neatly at one end of the opening 10 and each actuator 6 is retracted to be unobtrusive.

(28) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.