Rail device for supporting an element rail designed for laterally guiding a sun protection element to prevent sunlight from entering a building

Description

I. Area of ​​application

[0001] The present invention relates to a rail device for supporting an element rail designed for the lateral guidance of a sun protection element used to prevent sunlight from entering a building through a building opening. The sun protection element can be, for example, an external roller blind in the form of a so-called zip screen or a Venetian blind with slats. In the case of a zip screen, the element rail used is a known piping rail with a piping channel into which a piping on the zip screen can be threaded. In the case of a Venetian blind, the element rail used is a known guide rail in which guide pins attached to the slats can be guided. II. Technical background

[0002] Rail devices for supporting an element rail designed to guide a sun protection element laterally in a building opening are known in many different forms. For externally mounted sun protection elements, two rail devices are arranged vertically along opposite walls of the reveal of a building opening. The rail devices guide the sun protection element vertically upward and downward.

[0003] In connection with external roller blinds, particularly zip screens made of textile materials, rail devices are known that comprise a base rail and a retaining rail for holding a piping rail forming the element rail in the base rail. The piping rail serves to accommodate a piping that is attached to the sun protection element. During normal operation, the piping is guided in the piping rail. The piping rail is secured in the base rail by means of the retaining rail. The base rail is attached to the reveal of the building opening.

[0004] From WO 2009 / 098433 A1 a rail device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known.

[0005] For the purposes of maintenance or repair, the known rail devices of the type mentioned already have the advantage that the keder rail can be removed from the base rail without loosening any screws. Instead, only a locking connection between the holding rail and the base rail needs to be released. A disadvantage of the known rail devices is that releasing the locking connection usually requires a great deal of force. This is particularly the case when the base rail and the holding rail are made of metal such as aluminum or the like. The force required to release the locking connection between the holding rail and the base rail must always be applied by the installer across the entire length of both rails. III. Description of the invention a) Technical task

[0006] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a rail device for supporting an element rail which is designed for laterally guiding a sun protection element to prevent sunlight from entering a building, in which the element rail can be removed from the base rail of the rail device with the least possible effort. b) Solution to the task

[0007] This object is achieved by means of a rail device having the features of claim 1. Further embodiments of the present invention emerge from the subclaims.

[0008] According to the invention, a rail device for supporting an element rail designed for the lateral guidance of a sun protection element is proposed, wherein the sun protection element serves to prevent sunlight from entering a building through a building opening. The sun protection element can, in particular, be an external roller blind in the form of a so-called zip screen or a Venetian blind with slats. The rail device comprises a base rail that can be arranged in the reveal of the building opening and a retaining rail for retaining the element rail in the base rail.

[0009] The element rail can be a piping rail, which serves in a conventional manner to accommodate and guide a piping attached to the side of the sun protection element in the form of a zip screen. If the sun protection element does not have a piping on its side edges, an element rail is used that is designed for the lateral guidance of such a sun protection element. For example, in the case of a sun protection element in the form of a Venetian blind with slats, an element rail is used that can guide the guide pins attached to the slats.

[0010] The retaining rail is mounted in or on the base rail by means of a pivot bearing. The pivot bearing has a degree of freedom such that the retaining rail can be pivoted or rotated between a holding position, in which it can hold the element rail in the base rail, and an assembly position, in which it releases the element rail. The latter can be removed from or from the base rail, together with the retaining rail itself, if necessary.

[0011] Furthermore, a fixing device is provided for mechanically fixing the retaining rail in the holding position, wherein the fixing of the retaining rail can be released by releasing the fixing device in order to enable the retaining rail to be pivoted into its mounting position.

[0012] According to the invention, the retaining rail is mounted in or on the base rail by means of a linear bearing having a linear degree of freedom in such a way that the fixing device can be released by a linear movement of the retaining rail, and thus the retaining rail can subsequently be pivoted or rotated in the direction of the mounting position in the sense of the pivoting degree of freedom. The linear movement in the direction of releasing the retaining rail can be guided laterally in a form-fitting manner or can be guided laterally in a non-form-fitting manner. In the latter case, the linear bearing according to the invention can permit not only a purely linear movement in the direction of releasing the retaining rail, but also a certain movement transverse to the aforementioned direction.

[0013] The linear bearing enables linear movement of the retaining rail relative to the base rail, so that releasing the retaining rail from its holding position requires no significant forces to deform the base rail. To release the fastening device by moving the retaining rail, it is only necessary to push the retaining rail slightly in the direction of its linear degree of freedom. Compared to the prior art, releasing the retaining rail from its holding position requires relatively little manual force from the installer.

[0014] The pivot bearing of the retaining rail, on the one hand, and the linear bearing of the retaining rail, on the other, can be designed as separate bearing devices. For example, it is conceivable to design the pivot bearing as a joint acting between the retaining rail and the base rail, and the linear bearing as a telescopically extendable linear guide between two components of the retaining rail. The linear bearing can be preloaded by one or more springs into the extended telescopic position, in which the locking device secures the retaining rail in its holding position.

[0015] It is particularly advantageous to design the pivot bearing and the linear bearing in the form of a single bearing for supporting the retaining rail on the base rail. The bearing can preferably comprise an elastic bearing body that is elastically compressible by the linear movement of the retaining rail. Its restoring force causes the retaining rail to be pressed against the direction of its linear movement to release the securing device. The restoring force accordingly acts in such a way that the retaining rail is secured in its holding position by means of the securing device. This advantageously eliminates the need for a separate locking of the retaining rail in its holding position by flipping a separate locking element or the like.

[0016] The bearing, which provides both the pivoting and linear degrees of freedom, can have a bearing cup that at least partially surrounds the elastic bearing body. Advantageously, the bearing cup can be provided with an elongated cup cavity for at least partially accommodating the elastic bearing body. The cup cavity has an interior surface that is preferably shaped to conform to a surface of the bearing body.

[0017] Advantageously, the base rail can have guide walls along which the bearing cup of the retaining rail is linearly guided during its linear movement. This provides, in addition to the linear guidance provided by the mechanical cohesion of the material from which the elastic bearing body is made, a positive linear guide for the retaining rail is achieved. The guide walls of the base rail prevent any lateral movement of the bearing cup transverse to the direction of linear movement to release the retaining rail.

[0018] Preferably, the bearing socket is arranged on the support rail, and the bearing body is held in the bearing socket. For example, the bearing body can be pressed onto the bearing socket. The base rail can have one or more extensions aligned with one another in its longitudinal direction, on which the elastic bearing body is supported.

[0019] The bearing body is advantageously an elongated body with a predetermined cross-section. The cross-section of the bearing body is preferably circular or elliptical.

[0020] The guide device according to the invention can be designed as a so-called plastering variant or as a so-called safety variant.

[0021] In the plastered version, the base rail serves as a plaster-in rail. This means that the retaining rail is completely enclosed within the base rail, with one leg of the base rail facing away from the fastening side of the base rail being designed as a plaster-in leg. The fastening side is the side of the base rail that is attached to the frame, for example, of a window. The leg of the base rail facing away from or opposite it can be covered or plastered with plaster so that it is not visible from outside the building.

[0022] In the exposed variant, the base rail is not plastered in. In this variant, the retaining rail can be arranged on a side of the base rail facing away from a fastening side of the base rail, where it itself forms an unplastered visible surface of the guide device. In this variant, the retaining rail forms the leg of the base rail that faces away from the fastening side of the base rail in the plastered variant. The retaining rail is therefore not located inside the base rail and can be pivoted outwards in a direction away from the interior of the base rail when moving from its holding position to its installation position. This means that it does not hinder the removal of the element rail from the base rail.

[0023] Advantageously, first holding means are provided for supporting an element rail configured as a piping rail on the holding rail. First counter-holding means are formed on the holding rail. The first holding means and the first counter-holding means engage with each other when the holding rail is in the holding position, thereby securing the piping rail in the base rail. The first holding means can be elastically compressible.

[0024] Furthermore, second retaining means are advantageously provided for supporting an element rail configured as a keder rail on the base rail. Second counter-retaining means are formed on the base rail. The second retaining means and the second counter-retaining means engage with each other when the keder rail is installed in the base rail, thereby securing the keder rail in the base rail. The second retaining means can be elastically compressible. c) Examples of implementation

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention are described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1: a view of a building opening from outside a building, with a sun protection element in the form of a zip screen approximately half lowered; Fig. 2: a perspective sectional view of the Fig. 1 right, lower corner area, whereby the zip screen differs from Fig. 1 in its fully lowered position; Fig. 3: a horizontal section through a first embodiment of the rail device according to the invention, wherein the holding rail is in its holding position; Fig. 4: a horizontal section of the first embodiment corresponding Fig. 3, wherein the retaining rail has been moved out of its holding position; Fig. 5: a horizontal section through a second embodiment of the rail device according to the invention, wherein the retaining rail is in its holding position; Fig. 6: a horizontal section of the second embodiment corresponding Fig. 5 , wherein the holding rail has been moved out of its holding position; and Fig. 7: a horizontal section of the second embodiment according to Fig. 6 , whereby the holding rail was moved even further out of its holding position.

[0026] In the drawings, like reference numerals designate the same parts or elements within the same embodiment.

[0027] Fig. 1shows a view of a building opening viewed from outside the building. Within a roller blind box 20, a sun protection element can be wound onto a shaft (not shown) in a known manner. The sun protection element here is an external roller blind in the form of a zip screen 21 made of textile fabric. The zip screen 21 is guided on the right and left in rail devices 1, 1', which are arranged within the reveal 22 of the building opening. The rail devices 1, 1' are designed and arranged mirror-symmetrically to one another. At the lower end of the zip screen 21, a finishing strip 23 is located in a known manner. Fig. 1 The Zip-Screen 21 darkens the building opening by about half.

[0028] In order to increase the visibility of the rail devices 1, 1' according to the invention in Fig. 1To ensure the safety of the rails, they are shown in an unplastered state. In the plastered state, there is plaster in both vertical areas of the reveal 22, so that the rail devices 1, 1' are visible in the direction of the Fig. 1 would not be visible.

[0029] In Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the Fig. 1 lower right corner area. In contrast to Fig. 1 However, the Zip-Screen 21 with its end strip 23 is in its fully extended downward position. Zip-Screen 21 and end strip 23 are therefore in Fig. 2 partially visible.

[0030] Furthermore, in Fig. 2 a horizontal section through a first embodiment of the rail device 1 according to the invention can be seen. As shown, the Fig. 1The right edge area of ​​the zip screen 21 is guided in a piping rail 3, which in the illustrated embodiment forms the element rail for guiding the sun protection element formed by the zip screen 21. For this purpose, the edge area of ​​the zip screen 21 has a piping 24, which is threaded into a piping channel 25 of the piping rail 3. The piping 24 slides along the piping channel 25 when the zip screen 21 is moved up or down.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section through the Fig. 1Rail device 1 arranged on the right, wherein the zip screen 21 including the piping 24 and the reveal 22 are not shown. The rail device 1 comprises a base rail 2 and a holding rail 4 for holding the piping rail 3 in the base rail 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the base rail 2 and the holding rail 4 are preferably made of aluminum. The piping rail 3, as a known purchased part, is often made of plastic. It is also conceivable to construct the base rail 2 and / or the holding rail 4 from plastic.

[0032] In the embodiment shown, the base rail 2 has a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional geometry, wherein the U-opening in Fig. 3 to the left. Inside the base rail 2, the piping rail 3 is arranged with its piping channel 25 for guiding the piping 24. Piping rails of the type shown are known. The piping rail 3 is supported on its Fig. 3upper end on the base rail 2 and on its Fig. 3 lower end on the support rail 4. For this purpose, holding means 26 and 27 are provided, which in the illustrated embodiment are elastically compressible and made of foam rubber. A slight, horizontally acting tension force of the zip screen 21 pulls the piping rail 3 over the piping 24 into Fig. 3 to the left.

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining rail 4 is mounted on the base rail 2 by means of a combined pivot and linear bearing 5. The bearing 5 comprises an elastically compressible bearing body, which is accommodated in a bearing socket 9 with a semicircular cross-section. In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing body 8 has a circular cross-section and is made of foam rubber. Other materials that allow elastic compression of the bearing body 8 are also conceivable. The bearing body 8 is preferably pressed into the bearing socket 9.

[0034] As in Fig. 3As can be seen, the base rail 2 in the embodiment shown has a finger-shaped extension 10 in cross section, on which the elastic bearing body 8 can be supported. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, guide walls 18, 19 are formed on the base rail 2, arranged opposite one another, along which the bearing cup 9 is Fig. 3 can move linearly from left to right and vice versa.

[0035] In Fig. 3the retaining rail 4 is in a holding position in which it holds the piping rail 3 in the U-shaped base rail 2 via the holding means 27. In this holding position, the retaining rail 4 is secured or fixed by a fixing device in such a way that it is secured against pivoting or rotating movement about the bearing 5. In the embodiment shown, the fixing device is formed by a locking finger 6 on the retaining rail 4 and a locking lug 7 on the base rail 2. In the Fig. 3 In the holding position of the holding rail 4 shown, the locking finger 6 and the locking lug 7 are in engagement with one another so that they fix the holding rail 4 in a form-fitting manner.

[0036] If the holding rail 4 is to be released from its holding position on the rail device 1, for example for maintenance or repair purposes, it is pushed into Fig. 3to the right, whereby the elastic bearing body 8 is compressed. At the same time, the bearing cup 9 moves along the guide walls 18, 19 in Fig. 3 to the right. This movement of the retaining rail 4 in Fig. 3 to the right is made possible by the linear degree of freedom of the swivel and linear bearing 5.

[0037] Due to the linear movement of the holding rail 4 in Fig. 3 to the right, the locking finger 6 is released from its engagement with the locking lug 7. The pivoting and twist-proof fixing of the holding rail 4 in the base rail 2 is thereby released. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the holding rail 4 accordingly Fig. 4clockwise to pivot or rotate the bearing 5 toward an assembly position in which the retaining rail 4 can be removed from the interior of the base rail 2. This pivoting or rotating movement utilizes the degree of freedom of the combined pivot and linear bearing 5. After removing the retaining rail 4 in its assembly position from the base rail 2, the piping rail 3, including the retaining means 26 and 27, can also be removed from the base rail 2.

[0038] The pivot and linear bearing 5, which here simultaneously ensures a pivoting degree of freedom and a linear degree of freedom, enables in a simple manner a linear movement of the holding rail 4 for releasing the fixing device 6, 7 and a subsequent pivoting movement of the holding rail 4 when the holding rail 4 is to be removed from the base rail 2.

[0039] Conversely, the swivel and linear bearing 5 also initially enables a swivel or twisting movement in Fig. 4 counterclockwise and a subsequent linear movement in Fig. 4 to the left, if the retaining rail 4 is to be installed in the base rail 2 and secured positively by means of the securing device 6, 7. It is particularly advantageous to design the elastically compressible bearing body 8 in such a way that it Fig. 3 shown holding position of the holding rail 4 exerts a certain pre-tensioning force on the holding rail 4, which in Fig. 3 to the left and presses the locking finger 6 into engagement with the locking lug 7.

[0040] The Figures 3 and 4 The rail device 1 shown is fastened with its fastening side 11, which is located at the top in the figures, to a Fig. 2To do this, the rail device 1 is screwed to the stick frame 14 by means of several screws 16, of which Figures 3 and 4 one is shown. Opposite the fastening side 11, ie in the Figures 3 and 4 At the bottom, there is a leg 12 of the base rail 2, which is in the direction of view of the Fig. 1 can be seen as long as the vertical areas of the reveal 22 are not yet plastered.

[0041] The leg 12 of the base rail 2 of the rail device 1 can in particular be completely plastered in, so that it is visible in the direction of view of the Fig. 1 completely disappears behind the plaster at the reveal 22. In the first embodiment according to the Figures 2 , 3 and 4 This is therefore a so-called plastering variant of the guide device 1 according to the invention. The maintenance or repair of this plastering variant is from the left (see right rail device 1 in Fig. 1) or from the right (see left rail device 1' in Fig. 1 ) possible.

[0042] The Fig. 5 to 7 show horizontal sections of a second embodiment of the rail device 1 according to the invention. The same reference numerals in the Fig. 5 to 7 as in the Figs. 3 and 4 Identify parts or elements of the second embodiment that functionally correspond to the corresponding parts or elements of the first embodiment. Regarding the functions of these parts or elements of the second embodiment, reference is made to the above description of the corresponding parts or elements of the first embodiment to avoid repetition.

[0043] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment essentially in that the retaining rail 4 is not arranged within the hollow space of the base rail 2. Instead, the retaining rail 4 is located on a side of the base rail 2 facing away from the fastening side 11 of the base rail 2, ie in the Fig. 5 to 7 at the lower end of the cross-section. The geometric arrangement of the support rail 4 in the Fig. 5 to 7 thus corresponds to the geometric arrangement of the leg 12 of the U-shaped base rail 2 in the Figs. 3 and 4 shown first embodiment.

[0044] As in the Fig. 5 to 7 As illustrated, the retaining rail 4 can be Fig. 5 first be moved essentially linearly to the right, so that the elastic bearing body 8 is pressed against the extension 10 and thereby compressed. Subsequently, the holding rail 4 can be moved into the Figs. 6 and 7can be swivelled or rotated counterclockwise downwards around the combined swivel and linear bearing 5. In doing so, the holding rail 4 moves from its Fig. 5 holding position shown, in which it holds the piping rail 3, into the Fig. 7 assembly position shown, in which they can see the Fig. 7 lower end of the piping rail 3 together with the holding means 27 is released so that the latter can be removed from the base rail 2.

[0045] The fixing device according to the present invention comprises in the second embodiment, in addition to the locking finger 6 on the holding rail 4 and the locking lug 7 on the base rail 2, a further locking finger 28 on the holding rail 4 and a further locking lug 29 on the base rail 2. During linear movement of the holding rail 4 in Fig. 5to the right, the locking fingers 6 and 28 are simultaneously released from the corresponding locking lugs 7 and 29, so that the holding rail 4 is no longer prevented from pivoting counterclockwise around the bearing 5 by the positive engagement between the locking finger 6 and the locking lug 7 and between the locking finger 28 and the locking lug 29.

[0046] During the linear movement of the holding rail 4 in Fig. 5 To the right, the holding rail 4 is linearly guided at its rightmost end in the figures by a guide wall 30 which is formed on the underside of the extension 10.

[0047] The second embodiment according to the Fig. 5 to 7 is not intended to be plastered in like the first embodiment. If the second embodiment is in the Fig. 1shown building opening, an unplastered visible surface 17 of the rail device 1 is and remains visible. Accordingly, the second embodiment is a so-called visible variant of the rail device 1. In this variant, the retaining rail 4 can be moved against the viewing direction of the Fig. 1 , i.e. from the drawing plane of the Fig. 1 out, away from the base rail 2.

[0048] As in the Figs. 3 and 4 on the one hand and in the Fig. 5 to 7On the other hand, as can be seen, the piping rail 3 is held in the base rail 2 in both the first embodiment and the second embodiment by means of preferably elastic holding means 26, 27, which can be made of foam rubber, for example. As can be seen in the figures, counter-holding means 13 are formed on the base rail 2 and counter-holding means 15 are formed on the holding rail 4, which ensure that the holding means 26, 27 and thus the piping rail 3 are held in the Fig. 3 to 7 both upwards and downwards, ie in Fig. 1 both in and against their line of sight, are or will be held securely in the base rail 2. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0049] 1Rail device 1'Rail device (mirror-symmetrical to 1) 2Base rail 3Element rail, keder rail 4Holding rail 5Pivot and linear bearing 6Locking finger on the holding rail 4 7Locking lug on the base rail 2 8Bearing body of the bearing 5 9Bearing socket of the bearing 5 10Extension of the base rail 2 11Fastening side for fastening to the frame 12Plasterable leg of the base rail 2 13Counter-holding device on the base rail 2 14Frame 15Counter-holding device on the holding rail 4 16Screw 17Visible surface of the holding rail 4 18Guide wall 19Guide wall 20Roller blind box 21Sun protection element, Zip-Screen 22Reveal 23End strip 24Keder 25Keder channel 26Holding device 27Holding device 28Locking finger on the holding rail 4 29Locking lug on the base rail 2 30Guide wall on the extension 10

Claims

1. Rail device (1) for supporting an element rail (3), which is designed for the lateral guiding of a sun protection element (21) that serves to prevent sunlight from entering a building through a building opening, comprising - a base rail (2), - a holding rail (4) for holding the element rail (3) in the base rail (2), wherein the holding rail (4) is mounted by means of a pivot bearing (5) with one degree of freedom such that the holding rail (4) can pivot between a holding position, in which it can hold the element rail (3) in the base rail (2), and an assembly position, in which the element rail (3) can be removed from the base rail (2), and - a securing device (6, 7; 28, 29) for securing the holding rail (4) in the holding position, wherein the securing device (6, 7; 28, 29) can be released to pivot the holding rail (4) into the assembly position, characterized in that the holding rail (4) is mounted by means of a linear bearing (5) with one degree of linear freedom such that the securing device (6, 7; 28, 29) can be released by a linear movement of the holding rail (4) and thereby the holding rail (4) can be pivoted in the direction of the assembly position with respect to the pivoting degree of freedom.

2. Rail device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot bearing and the linear bearing are formed from one and the same bearing (5) for supporting the holding rail (4) on the base rail (2).

3. Rail device according to claim 2, characterized in that the bearing (5) has an elastic bearing body (8), which is elastically compressible by the linear movement of the holding rail (4).

4. Rail device according to claim 3, characterized in that the bearing (5) comprises a bearing cup (9) which at least partially surrounds the bearing body (8).

5. Rail device according to claim 4, characterized in that the bearing cup (9) has an elongated cup cavity for at least partially accommodating the bearing body (8), wherein the cup cavity has an interior surface that is shaped in such a way that it conforms to a surface of the bearing body (8).

6. Rail device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the base rail (2) has guide walls (18, 19) along which the bearing cup (9) is linearly guided during the linear movement of the holding rail (4).

7. Rail device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the bearing cup (9) is arranged on the holding rail (4) and the bearing body (8) is held in the bearing cup (9).

8. Rail device according to claim 7, characterized in that the base rail (2) has an extension (10) on which the bearing body (8) is supported.

9. Rail device according to claim 8, characterized in that a guide wall (30) is formed on the extension (10), along which the holding rail (4) is linearly guided during the linear movement.

10. Rail device according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the bearing body (8) is an elongated body with a predetermined cross-section.

11. Rail device according to claim 10, characterized in that the cross-section is designed to be circular or elliptical.

12. Rail device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding rail (4) is completely accommodated within the base rail (2), wherein a leg (12) of the base rail (2), facing away from a fastening side (11) of the base rail (2), is designed as a plasterable leg (12).

13. Rail device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the holding rail (4) is arranged on a side of the base rail (2) that is opposite a fastening side (11) of the base rail (2) and there forms an unplastered visible surface (17) of the rail device (1).