Automatic seal for sliding doors or gates

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic seal for sliding doors or gates - with a housing (1), - with a sealing strip (2, 3) which has a sealing element (3), - with a movement mechanism by which the sealing strip (2, 3) is connected to the housing (1) and by means of which the sealing strip (2, 3) can be moved between a sealing position and a release position, - with a trigger (4) by which a force for moving the sealing strip (2, 3) from the release position to the sealing position can be introduced into the movement mechanism, and - with a return spring in which a force for moving the sealing strip (2, 3) by the movement mechanism from the sealing position to the release position can be stored.- wherein the seal has a force transmission means (5), - which has a mounting tab (51) with which the force transmission means is attached to the housing (1), and - which has a lever (52) of which one end is pivotably connected to the mounting tab (51) via a joint with a pivot axis extending transversely to a longitudinal direction of the sealing strip (2, 3) and to the direction of movement of the sealing strip (2, 3) during movement between the sealing position and the release position, wherein the lever (52) rests against a stop side of the trigger (4) and of which a free end projects beyond the stop side of the trigger (4) in a longitudinal direction of the housing (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic seal for sliding doors or gates. a. with a housing, b. with a sealing strip which has a sealing element, c. with a movement mechanism by which the sealing strip is connected to the housing and by means of which the sealing strip can be moved between a sealing position and a release position, d. with a trigger by which a force to move the sealing strip from the release position to the sealing position can be introduced into the movement mechanism, and e. with a return spring in which a force to move the sealing strip through the movement mechanism from the sealing position to the release position can be stored.

[0002] Automatic seals of this type are used in large numbers to seal gaps between a door or gate leaf and a floor, ceiling, lintel, or frame. This seal prevents drafts, noise, smoke, or flames from passing from one side of the door to the other.

[0003] To move the sealing strip from the release position to the sealing position, a force is applied to the trigger when the door or gate is closed. The trigger is pressed against a stationary object, usually the door frame or a stop mounted on a floor or building. The force applied to the trigger not only moves the sealing strip from the release position to the sealing position, but also stores a force in the return spring to move the sealing strip from the sealing position to the release position. When the door or gate closes, the return spring is deflected, which requires working against the spring's resistance.The force stored by the deflection of the return spring opposes the force applied to close the door or gate and introduced into the movement mechanism when the trigger is struck. This is why closing the door or gate is more difficult at the end of the closing movement than during the rest of the movement, and the force remains at the trigger even when the door or gate is closed. Sliding doors or gates therefore tend to open when the force applied to close them, usually by a person, is no longer present. In unfavorable cases, the force stored in the return spring can be so great that, for example, frictional forces or other forces holding the door or gate leaf closed are less than the force exerted by the return spring on the trigger.If this is the case, the door or gate will open a crack until the energy stored in the return spring is dissipated.

[0004] The effect of the return spring on the trigger when closing the door or gate, as well as when the door or gate is closed, can therefore be a disadvantage.

[0005] Document US 11,118,395 B2 discloses in Figures 11 to 22 a sliding door seal with a release mechanism that, in a known manner, projects from the end face of the seal housing and is actuated by pressing to lower the sealing strip. Since the release mechanism is located on the side of the door leaf opposite the closing movement, the release mechanism cannot strike anything when the door is closed to be depressed and lower the seal. To enable release, the seal known from document US 11,118,395 B2 has a force transmission element with a tab and a lever with which the seal can be actuated. One end of the lever is connected to the mounting tab via a hinge. The hinge has a pivot axis extending transversely to a longitudinal direction of the sealing strip and to the direction of movement of the sealing strip when moving between the sealed and released positions.The lever extends under the door leaf and, when the door closes, rests against a base plate, causing the lever to pivot. As the lever pivots, it presses on the trigger, which actuates the seal. During this process, a free end of the lever extends lengthwise along the housing beyond the trigger's stop side, pointing under the door leaf.

[0006] However, the solution disclosed in document US 11 118 395 B2 does not help if the trigger is located on the side of the door leaf facing the closing movement.

[0007] This is where the present invention comes in.

[0008] The invention is based on the objective of reducing the effect of the return spring when closing the door or gate and in the closed state of the door or gate.

[0009] This problem is solved according to the invention by the fact that the free end of the lever, in a release position of the sealing strip, projects 1.5 to four times as far beyond the housing as the trigger projects beyond the housing in the release position of the sealing strip.

[0010] The invention utilizes the lever principle to reduce the force required to actuate the seal and thus also to overcome the force of the return spring. The force required to actuate the movement mechanism in the lever is less than the force transmitted from the lever to the trigger. Simultaneously, the force exerted by the lever on the stop when the door or gate is closed is also less than the force transmitted from the return spring, via the movement mechanism and the trigger, to the lever. This reduces the force required to open the door or gate.

[0011] Preferably, the force transmission element is designed such that it can be used to retrofit a known seal for use as a sliding door or gate seal. Preferably, the mounting tab of the force transmission element can be inserted into a channel in the housing and secured therein. Channels suitable for inserting the mounting tab are provided in the housings of many different seals. These channels are often used to insert mounting brackets. The mounting tab can be formed by one leg of such a mounting bracket.

[0012] It is possible that the mounting tab is glued, riveted, or pressed into the housing.

[0013] According to the invention, the free end of the lever can be located at a greater distance from the pivot axis than any contact point or area of ​​the lever on the trigger. In particular, the distance of the free end of the lever to the pivot axis can be three to six times greater than the distance of the contact point or area to the pivot axis. The greater the distance of the free end to the pivot axis relative to the distance of the contact point or area, the lower the force required to actuate the mechanism, and consequently, the lower the force acting between the free end of the lever and the stop that could force the door or gate open.

[0014] The mounting tab and the lever can be made of sheet metal. The hinge can be formed by a bolt and rolled sections of the sheet metal parts. According to the invention, the lever can have a groove. The groove prevents the lever from bending when a force is applied to actuate the movement mechanism of the seal.

[0015] Further features and advantages of an embodiment of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 the trigger-side end of a seal according to the invention in an isometric view, Fig. 2 the housing and a force transmission means of the seal according to the invention in an isometric view, Fig. 3 the force transmission means in an isometric view and Fig. 4 the force transmission means in a front view.

[0016] It is not necessary for a device according to the invention to have all the features described below. It is also possible for a device according to the invention to have only individual features of the embodiment described below.

[0017] The seal according to the invention comprises the housing 1, a sealing strip 2, 3, a movement mechanism (not shown), a trigger 4, a return spring (also not shown) and the force transmission means 5.

[0018] The housing 1 is a uniform profile with a substantially U-shaped, downwardly open cross-section, comprising a web 11 and two first legs 12 connected by the web 11. Parallel to each of these first legs 12, a second leg 13 projects downwards at a distance from the first legs. From each of these second legs 13, a third leg 14 projects inwards at a distance from the web 11. This third leg 14 and the web 11 form a first channel.

[0019] From the bridge 11, fourth legs 15 also extend upwards. The ends of these fourth legs 15 are angled inwards. The fourth legs 15 and the bridge form a second channel. In This second channel can be used, for example, to insert a mounting bracket in conventional seals.

[0020] The sealing strip 2, 3 comprises a retaining strip 2 and a sealing element 3. The sealing element is formed by an elastomer profile. It is attached to the retaining strip 2. For example, it can be inserted into the retaining strip 2 or glued to it. In the illustrated seal, the sealing element 3 is inserted into the retaining strip 2. The retaining strip 2 and the sealing element 3 are designed in a known manner.

[0021] The sealing strip 2, 3 is attached to the movement mechanism, which is attached to the housing 1. The movement mechanism can be, for example, a scissor mechanism, a leaf spring mechanism, or any other known movement mechanism used in automatic seals for moving sealing strips.

[0022] The trigger 4 is slidably arranged in the first channel and coupled to the movement mechanism. A force can be applied via the trigger 4 to move the sealing strip 2, 3 from the release position to the sealing position within the movement mechanism. In the release position, the sealing strip 2, 3 is retracted into the housing 1. In the sealing position, the sealing strip 2, 3 is extended from the housing 1.

[0023] The movement mechanism is further coupled to the return spring, or the return spring or several return springs are an integral part of the movement mechanism, as, for example, in a leaf spring mechanism. Energy can be stored in the return spring when the sealing strip 2, 3 is moved by a force acting on the release 4. When the release 4 is relieved, the return spring releases the energy, and it is used by the movement mechanism to generate a force to move the sealing strip 2, 3 from the sealing position to the release position.

[0024] Unlike conventional seals, the trigger 4 is not directly subjected to a load when a sliding door or gate equipped with the seal according to the invention is closed. Rather, when the door or gate is closed, the force is first applied to the force transmission means 5, which then transmits the load to the trigger 4.

[0025] The force transmission element 5 has a mounting tab 51 which is inserted into and secured in the second channel. In the illustrated seal, a trigger-side end of the mounting tab 51 projects beyond the trigger-side end of the housing 1. However, the mounting tab 51 can also be inserted further into the housing. This trigger-side end of the mounting tab 51 is partially rolled up and forms a first pivot point.

[0026] The force transmission device 5 further comprises a lever 52, which is pivotably mounted on the trigger-side end of the mounting bracket 51. The end of the lever 52 pivotally connected to the mounting bracket 51 is also partially coiled and forms a second joint part. The first joint part of the mounting bracket 51 and the second joint part of the lever 52 are connected to each other by a bolt, which is inserted into the coiled parts and defines the pivot axis.

[0027] The pivot axis is arranged transversely to the longitudinal extent of the housing 1 and transversely to the direction of movement of the sealing strip 2, 3.

[0028] The lever 52 rests with a contact area against a stop surface of the trigger 4. This causes the lever 52 to protrude outwards and extend further beyond the housing 1 than the trigger 4. The stop area of ​​the lever 52 is closer to the pivot axis than a free end of the lever 52. When the free end of the lever 52 strikes a fixed stop, possibly a frame or a wall, during the closing of the door, the force introduced into the lever 52 is converted into a greater force, according to the laws of leverage, which is then introduced into the trigger 4. Thus, the lever 52 makes it possible to actuate the seal with less force than is required for conventional seals. The lever 52 also acts in the other direction.Thus, the force exerted by the return spring on the trigger 4 is reduced by the lever 52 according to the laws of leverage and only acts in a reduced form on the stop, thereby minimizing the risk of the return spring pushing the door open.

Claims

1. Automatic seal for sliding doors or gates - with a housing (1), - with a sealing strip (2, 3) which has a sealing element (3), - with a movement mechanism via which the sealing strip (2, 3) is connected to the housing (1) and by means of which the sealing strip (2, 3) can be moved between a sealing position and a release position, - with a trigger (4) via which a force for moving the sealing strip (2, 3) from the release position into the sealing position can be introduced into the movement mechanism, and - with a restoring spring in which a force for moving the sealing strip (2, 3) from the sealing position into the release position by the movement mechanism can be stored, - wherein the seal has a force conversion means (5), - which has a fastening tab (51) by means of which the force conversion means is fastened to the housing (1), and - which has a lever (52), one end of which is connected pivotably to the fastening tab (51) via a joint with a pivot axis extending transversely to a longitudinal direction of the sealing strip (2, 3) and to the movement direction of the sealing strip (2, 3) during the movement between the sealing position and the release position, wherein the lever (52) bears against a stop side of the trigger (4) and a free end of which projects beyond the stop side of the trigger (4) in a longitudinal direction of the housing (1), characterized in that - the free end of the lever (52) in a release position of the sealing strip (2, 3) projects 1.5 times to four times as far beyond the housing (1) as the trigger (4) in the release position of the sealing strip (2, 3) projects beyond the housing (1).

2. Seal according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fastening tab (51) is inserted into a channel of the housing (1).

3. Seal according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fastening tab (51) is adhesively bonded, riveted or pressed into the housing (1).

4. Seal according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the free end of the lever (52) has a greater distance from the joint axis than a bearing point or bearing region of the lever (52) on the trigger (4).

5. Seal according to Claim 4, characterized in that the distance of the free end of the lever (52) from the joint axis is three to six times greater than the distance of the bearing point or bearing region from the joint axis.

6. Seal according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fastening tab (51) and the lever (52) are sheet metal parts.

7. Seal according to Claim 6, characterized in that the joint is formed by a bolt and rolled-in regions of the sheet metal parts.

8. Seal according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the lever (52) has a bead.

9. Seal according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the fastening tab (51) is formed by a limb of a fastening bracket.

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