DOOR SYSTEM WITH LINEAR GUIDE WITHOUT GUIDE RAIL

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a door system, in particular a sliding or swing-sliding door system, for a public transport vehicle, comprising a door leaf which, by means of a drive unit, can be moved from a position closing a door portal of the vehicle to an opening position allowing passenger access through the door portal, wherein the door leaf is supported in a support guide, the support guide comprising a guide device.

[0002] The term "vehicle" in public transport can refer to both wheeled and rail-bound vehicles. A wheeled vehicle could be, for example, a bus or other transport vehicle designed for passenger transport. A rail-bound vehicle could be a train (e.g., a high-speed train or a regional train), a tram, a light rail system, a subway, etc.

[0003] The invention can relate to single-leaf or double-leaf passenger doors, which can be designed as sliding doors or swing-sliding doors. For the sake of simplicity, the following descriptions refer to a passenger door equipped with a single door leaf. The terms and descriptive passages used here, which refer to "one" door leaf, therefore do not preclude the invention from also being applicable to two- or multi-leaf passenger doors. The term "door leaf" can also be understood synonymously as "door panel."

[0004] Guide devices for door systems are generally known from the prior art and often feature recirculating ball bearings, especially to provide heavy-duty and high-precision guides.

[0005] A guide device with a recirculating ball bearing according to the prior art comprises a guide rail and a runner that engages at least partially in the guide rail and is guided linearly within the guide rail by means of a recirculating ball bearing. The rolling elements belonging to the recirculating ball bearing are arranged in at least one row of balls and guided in at least one, usually two, partial ball guide tracks. The first partial ball guide track is formed in the runner and extends along a longitudinal axis of the runner; the second partial ball guide track is formed by a runner guide groove formed on the runner and extending along the longitudinal axis of the runner, and a guide rail guide groove formed on the guide rail opposite the runner guide groove.In the area of ​​the first and second runner ends, relative to the longitudinal axis of the runner, deflection means are arranged to deflect the rolling elements from the first to the second partial ball guide track and vice versa.

[0006] A guide device used in a passenger door with the features described above is known, for example, from EP 1 914 372 A2. The guide rail is attached to a rigid support profile, which in turn is connected to the vehicle, via T-nuts and screws.

[0007] The manufacture of a guide rail according to EP 1 914 372 A2 is relatively expensive, as it is produced from steel using a drawing process in order to withstand the loads, then hardened, straightened, and surface-protected. A disadvantage of such a guide device – especially when used in a passenger door of a public transport vehicle – is the relatively high weight resulting from its robust construction, as well as the relatively large installation space required.

[0008] Documents US 2011 / 0209306 A1, WO 2007 / 128771 A1, US 2 068 647 A, EP 1 637 684 A2 and EP 1 619 339 A1 also show alternative drive or guide devices for sliding or swing-sliding doors.

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a door system for a public transport vehicle that can be manufactured with minimal effort and cost. The weight and space required should be as low as possible.

[0010] To solve this problem, a door system with the features of claim 1 is proposed.

[0011] It should be noted that the conjunction "and / or" used herein, which stands between two features and links them together, is always to be interpreted in such a way that in a first embodiment of the object according to the invention only the first feature may be present, in a second embodiment only the second feature may be present, and in a third embodiment both the first and the second feature may be present.

[0012] The term rolling body is used within the meaning of the invention as a synonym for all suitable bodies that can roll on bearings, in particular balls, rollers or wheels.

[0013] A key aspect of the invention is the complete elimination of the guide rail, which is always present in the prior art. The runner is guided directly within the longitudinal profile, which is rigidly connected to the vehicle. Eliminating the guide rails results in significant cost and weight savings. The effort required for assembly and maintenance of the guide system is also considerably reduced.

[0014] The applicant further recognized that it is not necessary to manufacture the entire longitudinal profile, which is usually made of less resistant aluminum, from a sufficiently hard and resistant material; rather, it is sufficient to provide suitable bearing elements within the longitudinal profile on which the runner can be guided permanently and with minimal wear. According to the invention, the bearing elements are therefore made of a harder material than the longitudinal profile itself. For example, it is advantageous to manufacture the longitudinal profile itself from aluminum, but the bearing elements from steel, preferably hardened and surface-treated steel.

[0015] Advantageously, opposing inner surfaces of the side walls each have at least one bearing element, with a guide area of ​​the longitudinal profile extending centrally into the U-shaped guide track in cross-section. Thus, rolling elements are arranged on both sides of the guide area between the bearing elements and the guide area.

[0016] The bearing elements are advantageously attached to the inside of the U-shaped guides on the longitudinal profile, so that the rolling elements contact the bearing elements and roll on them when the runner moves. According to the invention, the bearing elements are recessed into the longitudinal profile in corresponding longitudinal grooves that extend along a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal profile or the guide track in the direction of movement of the runner. In cross-section, only a portion of the bearing elements protrudes from an inner surface of the guide track. Preferably, more than 50% of the recessed bearing elements are located within the base or side walls of the guide track.

[0017] According to the invention, round bars are used as bearing elements, which also extend in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal profile or guide track. A particular advantage is that round bars are especially easy and inexpensive to manufacture. Surface finishing is also relatively simple. For example, two round bars can be arranged directly next to each other and possibly even touching each other; alternatively, the two round bars can also be spaced apart from each other. In any case, two adjacent round bars also form a kind of concave depression between them in cross-section, so that the rolling elements are securely guided on two round bars. If the round bars are spaced apart, the distance is determined by the size or...The diameter of the rolling elements is adjusted in such a way that the rolling elements always contact both round bars and are therefore guided by both round bars.

[0018] The invention is suitable for recirculating ball bearings with balls as rolling elements. The balls belonging to each row of balls are also guided in a ball guide track consisting of a first and a second partial ball guide track, wherein the first partial ball guide tracks are formed in the runner and extend in a parallel arrangement along a longitudinal axis of the runner, the second partial ball guide tracks, in contrast to the prior art, are formed directly in the longitudinal profile, namely by a runner guide groove formed on the runner and extending along the longitudinal axis of the runner and a longitudinal profile guide groove formed on the inner side of the side wall of the longitudinal profile opposite the respective runner guide groove.

[0019] The invention relates not only to the use of aluminium for the manufacture of the longitudinal beam and hardened steel for the manufacture of the bearing elements, but alternatively other suitable materials can also be used.

[0020] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a guide device proposed by the invention can include a support designed to carry a load element, which is detachably connected to the runner. A load element can be directly attached or arranged on such a support. Alternatively, a load element can be indirectly attached to the support, i.e., by interposing suitable connecting, supporting, or guiding elements. "Attachment" does not preclude the support from also having guiding or bearing properties in addition to "carrying" a load. The detachable connection of the support to the runner simplifies the assembly of the guide device before commissioning. It also makes it easier to replace the support, for example, in case of damage or maintenance.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a guide device proposed by the invention can be provided in such a way that the load element is a door leaf of a passenger door, in particular a swing-sliding door or sliding door, of a vehicle. The support section can have a device for arranging a pivot joint with an axis of rotation parallel to the guide rail, wherein a door leaf bracket can be attached to the pivot joint. The described guide device is therefore particularly suitable for suspending and guiding a door leaf belonging to a door system, e.g., a swing-sliding or sliding door system. Likewise, the guide device is suitable for suspending and guiding one or more (e.g., two) door leaves; the guide device can therefore be used with single- or double-leaf door systems.

[0022] The support guide includes a guide device. The support guide or guide device is preferably arranged in the upper area of ​​the door portal.

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. These show exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are not to be understood as limiting. They show: Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention with two round bars as bearing elements on each side wall. Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention with two round bars as bearing elements on each side wall and a runner with rollers.

[0024] The figures show cross-sectional views of guide devices 20 according to the invention. A linearly movable runner 24 is arranged in a longitudinal profile 22. The runner 24 engages at least partially with a guide area 38 in the longitudinal profile 22, which is designed in the form of a U-profile. A longitudinal profile 22 with two guide tracks 26 is shown, with a runner 24 located only in the upper guide track 26. Of course, a runner 24 can also be guided in the lower guide track 26.

[0025] The two guide tracks 26 each have a base surface 28 and two side walls 30 extending at right angles to it, wherein the two inner side walls 30 of the two guide tracks 26 are formed by a common web in the illustrated embodiment.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, the linearly movable guidance of the runner 24 in the longitudinal profile 22 is achieved by a recirculating ball bearing. The rolling elements 32 belonging to the recirculating ball bearing are designed as balls and arranged in two rows within ball tracks, with the balls 32 belonging to each row being guided in a ball guide track. The ball guide track comprises a first partial ball guide track 37 and a second partial ball guide track 39, the first partial guide track 37 being formed within the runner 24 and extending along a longitudinal axis of the runner. The second partial ball track 39 is formed by a runner guide groove 44 formed on the runner 24 and extending along the longitudinal axis of the runner and a longitudinal profile guide groove 46 formed in the inner side 36 of a side wall 30 of the longitudinal profile 22 opposite the runner guide groove 44.The ball recirculating bearing is closed by a cover element 48.

[0027] In the area of ​​the first and second runner ends, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the runner, deflection means (not shown) are provided for deflecting the balls 32 into the respective partial ball guide tracks 37, 39.

[0028] According to the invention, the bearing elements 34 shown are made of a harder and more resistant material than the longitudinal profile 22.

[0029] Figure 1Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in which two longitudinally parallel round bars 42 are arranged as bearing elements 34 on the inner sides 36 of the side walls. The balls 32 contact both round bars 42 and roll on them. Alternatively, the round bars 42 can also be arranged directly next to each other. In the embodiment shown, the round bars 42 are also embedded in the side walls 30.

[0030] In a Fig. 2 In the further embodiment of the invention shown, the rolling elements 32 are designed as rollers and rotatably mounted on the runner 24, so that the ball bearing shown can be omitted. In the illustrated embodiment, round bars 42 are provided as bearing elements 34.

[0031] The guide device 20 is used in a vehicle door system (not shown) of a vehicle (e.g., a public transport vehicle). The guide device is primarily suitable for use in sliding or swing-sliding door systems. The door system comprises a door leaf (or possibly several, e.g., two door leaves) which, by means of a drive unit, can be moved from a position that closes the vehicle's door portal to an open position that allows passenger access through the door portal. The door leaf is supported in a guide rail. The guide rail includes the aforementioned guide device. The guide rail is preferably arranged in the upper area of ​​the door portal.

[0032] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but also includes further embodiment variants that are possible on the basis of the invention as defined in the claims. Reference symbol list

[0033] 20 Guide device 22 Longitudinal profile 24 Runner 26 Guide track 28 Base surface 30 Side wall 32 Rolling body / ball / roller 34 Bearing element 36 Inside 37 First partial ball guide track 38 Guide area 39 Second partial ball guide track 40 Raceway 42 Round bar 44 Runner guide groove 46 Longitudinal profile guide groove 48 Cover element

Claims

1. A door system, in particular sliding or swinging / sliding door system, for a public transportation vehicle, comprising - a door portal, - a door leaf which, by using a drive unit, can be moved from a position closing the door portal of the vehicle into an opening position enabling the entry of passengers through the door portal, wherein the door leaf is carried in a carrying guide, the carrying guide comprising a guide device (20), the guide device (20) comprising - a longitudinal profile (22) attached to the door portal and formed from a first material, which has a guide track (26) of U-shaped cross-section with a bottom surface (28) and two side walls (30) extending at right angles therefrom in such a manner that no separate, additional guide rail is provided, - a slider (24) engaging at least partially in the guide track (26) and mounted directly on rolling bodies (32) in a linearly movable manner in the guide track (26) of the longitudinal profile (22), wherein - in the guide track (26), in the opposing inner sides of the side walls (30), in each case at least one bearing element (34) formed from a second material is arranged, on which the rolling bodies (32) supporting the slider (24) roll during a linear movement of the slider (24), - the bearing elements (34) are each formed by two round rods (42) which are each embedded in a longitudinal groove of the longitudinal profile extending along a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal profile (22), and which extend along the guide track (26), - the round rods (42) are made of a second material which is harder than the first material forming the longitudinal profile (22).

2. The door system according to claim 1, characterized in that - a guide region (38) of the longitudinal profile (22) extends in cross-section centrally into the guide track (26) which is U-shaped in cross-section, - rolling bodies (32) are arranged in cross-section on both sides of the guide region (38) between the bearing elements (34) and the guide region (38).

3. The door system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the round rods (42) are arranged spaced apart from each other.

4. The door system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rolling bodies (32) are attached to the slider (24).

5. The door system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the slider (24) is guided in a linearly movable manner via a recirculating ball bearing, wherein the rolling bodies (32) associated with the recirculating ball bearing are designed as balls and are lined up in two rows of balls, wherein the balls (32) associated with a respective row of balls (12, 14) are guided in a ball guide track composed in each case of a first partial ball guide track (37) and a second partial ball guide track (39), wherein the first partial ball guide track (37) is formed in the slider (24) and extends along a longitudinal slider axis, and the second partial ball guide track (39) is formed by a slider guide groove (44) formed on the slider (24) and extending along the longitudinal slider axis, and a longitudinal profile guide groove (46) formed in the inner side (36) of the side wall (30) opposite the slider guide groove (44), and wherein deflection means for deflecting the balls (32) into the respective partial ball guide track are formed in the region of, in relation to the slider longitudinal axis, a first and second slider end.

6. The door system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first material is aluminum and the second material is steel, preferably hardened steel.