Apparatus for opening and closing a vertically hanging door
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2024712527
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-04-06
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-11
AI Technical Summary
Sliding doors face challenges in achieving a tight seal against both the wall and floor, particularly with roller-operated devices like hospital beds, and existing solutions often require heavy materials or complex tongue-and-groove systems that obstruct movement.
A device with two-armed levers pivotably mounted on inclined axes, allowing the door to be lowered and sealed against the wall and floor without a tongue-and-groove system, using a distance-maintaining connection and linear guide for precise movement, which can be powered pneumatically, electrically, or manually, ensuring secure sealing without damaging the floor.
Enables complete sealing of the door opening without damaging the floor, allowing obstacle-free movement of objects and maintaining tightness, even with heavy doors, by using a two-armed lever system that moves the door diagonally to seal against both the wall and floor, ensuring secure operation and easy assembly.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024057884_10102024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING A VERTICALLY HANGING DOOR
[0002] Technical area
[0003] The invention relates to a device for opening and closing a vertically hanging door, for example a sliding door, with a horizontal longitudinal direction parallel to the door, for closing a door opening in a wall down to the floor without a gap, comprising two supports spaced horizontally apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each with a fixed axis attached thereto, and a device which is fixedly connected to one of the supports.
[0004] State of the art
[0005] Many facilities require doors that have to seal very well. This seal is required both between the door and the wall where the door opening is located, as well as to the floor. Examples of applications include doors in nuclear power plants, clean rooms, or special rooms in hospitals, such as epidemic rooms or rooms where high levels of radiation protection are required. Accordingly, the doors themselves are made of suitable materials to meet the respective requirements. This can also lead to the doors being very heavy, for example, if radiation protection with lead is required.
[0006] Other applications, on the other hand, are only intended to provide acoustic shielding and therefore do not necessarily have to be heavy, but still have to close tightly.
[0007] To ensure a tight seal against the floor, positive-lock tongue-and-groove systems that extend along the length of the door are preferred. The disadvantage of this is the groove in the floor, which poses an obstacle for any roller-operated devices, such as hospital beds, that must be brought through such doorways. Sealing the door against the wall presents a significant challenge, especially with sliding doors.
[0008] Sliding doors have the advantage that, unlike hinged doors, they don't take up any space when opened and therefore cannot cause collisions with people or objects that are behind the door when opened. However, closing sliding doors completely tightly is more difficult. Description of the invention
[0009] Based on the prior art, the object of the present invention is to describe a device for opening and closing a vertically suspended door as described above, which can completely seal the door in the closed state both to the wall and to the floor, without requiring a tongue-and-groove system in the floor. The floor should be able to be designed to be completely flat.
[0010] The invention is solved by the features of the first patent claim.
[0011] Opening and closing the door involves two steps: The first step causes the door to be opened or closed, respectively, whereby the door opening is essentially closed / opened without sealing it. In the second step, the door, which is ultimately located in front of the door opening, is no longer moved significantly; it is simply placed against the wall and floor to achieve the desired seal. The invention essentially concerns the second step.
[0012] A two-armed lever, each with a first and a second free lever end, is pivotably mounted on each axis of the inventive design. A first coupling for articulated attachment to a door 2 is arranged at each first free lever end, and a second coupling for articulated attachment is arranged at each second free lever end. The two second couplings are articulated to one another by a spacer connection, so that, during use, the second couplings can be moved relative to the device by linearly displacing the connection along the longitudinal direction.
[0013] According to the invention, the axes are arranged in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction and inclined at an angle a of 45° + / - 10° to the horizontal, so that, during use, upon displacement of the connection, the first couplings can move both vertically and horizontally. Thus, during use, a door hinged to the first couplings can be lowered to the floor and simultaneously moved toward the wall to completely close the doorway. Conversely, the door can be moved in the opposite direction to completely distance the door from the floor and the wall, achieving the open position.
[0014] A linear guide is connected to the device, in which the distance-maintaining connection is mounted so that it can be moved longitudinally during use when force is applied and locked in the open position. The free ends of the axles are preferably directed downwards. This ensures that the door lowers to the floor when closed, sealing it and simultaneously moves toward the wall.
[0015] These movements for both work steps can preferably be accomplished pneumatically, by an electric motor, or manually using muscle power. All variants allow a secured open position in the second work step, in which the weight of the door can be fully supported by the device, even for an extended period. In the manual version, a locking mechanism can be provided for this purpose. Alternatively, the door can also be lowered while open. This is advantageous if the door remains open for an extended period. However, during the first work step, the door must remain in the raised, open position.
[0016] Optional guide wedges on the floor, on both sides of the door opening, can lock the door in place and secure its vertical position, for example, by providing at least partially wedge-shaped surfaces. The bottom edges of the doors are designed accordingly.
[0017] To seal the door when closed, sealing lips can be installed on the surfaces of the door that touch the wall and / or floor. These lips are located, for example, in a groove in the door and are compressed when the door is closed. Such sealing lips can also be attached directly to the wall.
[0018] Suitable joints, in particular ball joints or movable sliders guided on rails, allow the required freedom of movement, for example at the first and / or second free lever ends. Further preferred embodiments are described in the subclaims and / or in connection with the exemplary embodiments.
[0019] Short description of the drawings
[0020] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the figures. Like reference numerals refer to the same facts. They show:
[0021] Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention with a door hanging thereon in front of a wall with a door opening, in the open state;
[0022] Fig. 1a is a schematic representation of a preferred relief joint in the open state;
[0023] Fig. 2 is a sectional view through AA of Fig. 1, in schematic representation;
[0024] Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention with a door hanging thereon in front of a wall with a door opening, in the closed state;
[0025] Fig. 3a is a schematic representation of a preferred relief joint in the closed state;
[0026] Fig. 4 is a sectional view through AA of Fig. 3, in schematic representation;
[0027] Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the distance-maintaining connection between the second couplings.
[0028] Fig. 6 is a sectional view through AA in an alternative embodiment, in schematic representation;
[0029] Ways to implement the invention
[0030] Figures 1 to 4 show a preferred embodiment in a schematic representation, each from the front (Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) and in section AA (Fig. 2 and Fig. 4). They show the device 1 according to the invention for the gap-free closing of a door opening 5 in a wall 4 down to the floor 6 by means of a vertically hanging door 2, which in this embodiment is designed as a sliding door 2. The device 1 shown is also suitable for the linear movement of the door 2 along a longitudinal direction a, represented by a double arrow. This linear movement describes the first described work step. Figures 1 and 2 show the device 1 with the door 2 in the open state, while Figures 3 and 4 show it in the closed state. Figures 1a and 3a each show detailed views of Figures 1 and 3, respectively.
[0031] The features of device 1 that enable the second work step are described below. Device 1 comprises two supports 7, spaced horizontally apart in the longitudinal direction a, each with a fixedly attached spindle 9, as well as a device 8 that is fixedly connected to one of the supports 7. A two-armed lever 10, each with a first 11 and a second free lever end 12, is pivotally mounted on each spindle 9. A first coupling 13 for articulated attachment to a door 2 is arranged at each first free lever end 11, and a second coupling 14 for articulated attachment is arranged at each second free lever end 12. The two second couplings 14 are articulated to one another by a spacer connection 15, so that in use the second couplings 14 can be moved relative to device 8 by a linear displacement of the connection 15 along the longitudinal direction a.According to the invention, the axes 9 are arranged in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction a and inclined at an angle a of 45° + / - 10° to the horizontal. This causes the first couplings 13 to move both vertically and horizontally upon displacement of the connection 15, whereby, in use, a door 2, which is hingedly attached to these first couplings 13, is lowered to the floor 6 and simultaneously moved toward the wall 4. This completely closes the door opening 2, or, in the opposite direction, completely distances the door 2 from the floor 6 and the wall 4, achieving the open position.
[0032] A linear guide 15b is connected to the device 8, in which the distance-maintaining connection 15 is movably mounted in the longitudinal direction a, so that the connection 15 can be displaced in the longitudinal direction a during use upon the introduction of force and locked in the open position. The movement described here corresponds to the second work step.
[0033] In the first step, the door 2 is moved in the longitudinal direction a. In Figures 1 and 3, F indicates a force introduction at the device 8, by means of which the device 1 with the door 2 can be moved linearly to open or close the door opening 5 as a passage. This force F can preferably be pneumatic, electric, or muscle force. The force introduction required for the second step can also be pneumatic, electric, or muscle force.
[0034] The figures show sliding doors 2. Other designs with hinged doors, not shown here, are also possible. In this case, a pivoting arm can be used, to which the supports 7 and their axes 9 are permanently attached.
[0035] According to the invention, the axes 9 are arranged in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction a and are inclined at an angle a of 45° + / - 10° to the horizontal. As a result, during use, the first couplings 13 can move both vertically and horizontally in the direction of the wall 4 upon displacement of the connection 15. Since the first and second free lever ends 11, 12 are rigidly connected to the lever 10, upon rotation of the lever 10 about the axis 9, they each move on a short segment of a circular line, which, in the view according to Fig. 1a and 3a, describes a short section of a perspective circular line, thus visible as a circle flattened at the top and bottom, similar to an oval.
[0036] The axes 9 lie in the drawing plane of Fig. 2. Therefore, in this view, when the lever 10 rotates about the axis 9, the first and second free lever ends 11, 12 each move on straight lines that run perpendicular to the axes 9. However, it should be noted that the connection 15 is only slightly displaced, so that the free lever ends 11, 12 each move only a few degrees, at most by 30°, preferably up to a maximum of 15° on their circular lines. A displacement enforced by the translational movement of the distance-maintaining connection 15 inevitably leads to a rotation of the second couplings 14 on their circular line, represented by double arrows in the detailed views of Figs. 1a and 3a. This results in a further forced displacement of the first couplings 13 on the corresponding circular lines.This displacement of the first couplings 13 results in a lifting and simultaneous movement of the door 2 away from the wall 4, or, in the opposite direction, a lowering of the door 2 and simultaneous movement toward the wall 4, until the door 2 is completely closed. This closing preferably occurs approximately evenly in both directions, so that the approach to the wall 4 and floor 6 preferably occurs at an angle of approximately 45°.
[0037] During their movement, which is caused by the displacement of the connection 15, the second coupling plugs 14 are preferably located in the region of the zenith. There, the local displacement of the second coupling plugs 14 occurs primarily in the longitudinal direction a, with a slight deviation therefrom. However, this deviation, although slight, must be permitted by the connection 15. Therefore, the linear guide 15b preferably comprises a relief joint 24 near the device 8, which allows a deflection of the second couplings 14 from the linear guide of the connection 15. It allows small deviations in both directions orthogonal to the longitudinal direction a. The height differences K and Kl of the linear guide 15b in Fig. 1a and 3a can thus be permitted. The displacement of the linear guide 15b at the relief joint 24 leads to the same displacement of the connection 15.
[0038] The first couplings, however, should cover the greatest possible distance in both directions transverse to the longitudinal direction a during the movement caused by the displacement of the connection 15: They should move as far as possible in the 45° line, which leads diagonally downwards to the wall 4 and simultaneously to the floor 6. This is achieved in the horizontal position, since the movement there is at an angle of 45° (+ / - 10°) to the floor 6 and the wall 4. The first coupling 13 is attached to the first free lever end 11. The lever arm initially runs essentially horizontally and ultimately bends - for reasons of space - preferably downwards. These positions can be seen in the figures.
[0039] A door 2, which in use is hingedly attached to the first couplings 13, can be lowered by this linear movement of the connection 15 and simultaneously moved towards the wall 4, for the complete closing of the door 2 against the wall 4 and the floor 6, preferably without touching them. In Figures 3 and 4, the door 2 is therefore closed, whereas according to Figs. 1 and 2 it is open. The distances A in Figures 2 and 4 between the door 2 and the floor 6 or the wall 4 have been greatly reduced in Fig. 4 in contrast to Fig. 2. Sealing lips 27 are generally attached to the remaining distances A shown in Fig. 4. They can also be arranged in corresponding grooves in the door 2, so that the resulting distances A are minimized in the closed state.
[0040] Optionally, guide wedges 28 can be provided on the floor 6, laterally adjacent to the door opening 5, as shown in Figures 1-4. For this purpose, the lower edge of the door 2 is beveled at the same angle as the guide wedges 28. As a result, the door 2 is firmly clamped in the lower lateral areas next to the door opening 5 when lowered and closed, thus securing it.
[0041] According to the invention, the distance-maintaining connection 15 comprises a pneumatic cylinder 16 or electric motor 21 fixedly attached to the device 8, which can ensure the locking of the connection 15 in the raised open position and, if necessary, the linear displacement of the connection 15.
[0042] In a first preferred version, the linear guide 15b is designed as a pneumatic cylinder 16, and the connection 15 as a piston rod 17, which is attached to the second couplings 14. This version is shown in Figures 1-4. Only indicated is a pneumatic device 18, which is connected to the pneumatic cylinder 16 and, during operation, can move the piston rod 17 in the longitudinal direction a relative to the device 8. The pneumatic cylinder 16 comprises at least one outlet or inlet valve 19 and a check valve 20 to ensure the desired movement and locking of the piston rod 17.
[0043] The advantage of a pneumatic system is its cost-effective and reliable design. Pneumatic systems are already present in many buildings. They are also capable of lifting heavy doors and lowering them in a controlled manner. Furthermore, the open position can be easily maintained.
[0044] By using gas springs in the form of pneumatic cylinders 16, doors 2 of varying weights can be held in the raised position using the same devices 1. The supply of compressed air at varying pressures to the pneumatic cylinder 16 enables a wide range of adjustment for the spring stiffness. The use of two or more gas springs makes it possible to hold doors 2, even with heavy weights, in the raised position. If the door 2 is to remain open for an extended period, it can also be lowered in this position to relieve the mechanical load from the levers 10 and the axles 9. However, during the first step, i.e., during the sliding of the door 2, it must remain in the raised, open position.
[0045] Preferably, the force introduction F is also operated with the pneumatic device 18.
[0046] Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 5, the linear guide 15b can be designed as an electric motor 21. Accordingly, the connection 15 is then a threaded rod 22, which is attached at its ends to the second couplings 14 and can be moved in the longitudinal direction a relative to the device 8 by the electric motor 21 during operation. The open position can also be easily secured with the electric motor 21. In the end regions of the threaded rod 22, near the second couplings 14, joints, for example universal joints, ball joints, or other joints that allow small deviations transverse to the axis, can be provided as relief joints 24. These allow the second couplings 14 to assume positions that are not exactly on the axis of the threaded rod 22. These relief joints 24 should not have any play in the axial direction, but should allow a small deflection of the second couplings 14.They must be absolutely rigid in the axial direction of the threaded rod 22.
[0047] Alternatively, the linear guide 15b as a whole can be movably connected to the device 8 in such a way that a small displacement relative to the device 8 parallel to the longitudinal direction a is permitted, as long as its fixation in the longitudinal direction a is ensured. No elastic connection is permitted in the longitudinal direction a. This principle is explained in the description of Figs. 1a and 3a. Both described options for compensating the displacement can be used in all variants of the linear guide 15b: The compensation (K, K1) can take place either in the entire linear guide 15b or exclusively in the connection 15.
[0048] A controller 23 can be used to operate the pneumatic device 18 or the electric motor 21 in order to generate the desired displacements of the device 8 and / or the connection 15.
[0049] In a further alternative, the connection 15 and / or the displacement of the device 8 can be moved by muscle power and held in the open position by a locking mechanism. This guarantees the safety of operating the door 2 even if technical aids such as electricity or pneumatic systems fail in a building. Mechanical transmissions can be installed to move, raise, and lower the door 2, especially if it is heavy, with minimal effort. A pneumatic auxiliary device operated by muscle power is also possible. A mechanical or pneumatic locking mechanism can ensure the open position.
[0050] Preferably, the first and / or second couplings 13, 14 are designed as ball joints or axial hinges. This allows for movement in all directions without reducing the accuracy of the device.
[0051] In one variant, the second couplings 14 are preferably axial hinges. These also allow the required mobility and also meet all other technical specifications. These are also shown as such in Figures 2 and 4. The distance-maintaining connection 15 thus only forces a displacement of the second couplings 14 in the longitudinal direction and allows a small vertical displacement as well as a small horizontal displacement transverse to the longitudinal direction a.
[0052] If the door 2 is designed as a sliding door, the supports 7 are preferably designed as rolling devices 7 for linearly moving the door 2 along the longitudinal direction a on a horizontal ledge 3. The device 8 is then firmly connected to one of the rolling devices 7. Preferably, a rail support 25 is then provided, on which the device 8 can move, guided on the rolling devices 7 during use. This can be mounted on the horizontal ledge 3.
[0053] In yet another improved embodiment, shown in Fig. 6, the device 1 according to the invention can also comprise a horizontal platform 3, on which the device 8 can be guided and moved. The platform 3 then has a mounting device 26 for mounting on a wall 4. This has the advantage that the device 1 according to the invention can be attached to any wall 4 without the need for a platform 3 to be provided on site beforehand. The platform 3 of the device 1 can have the necessary strength and rigidity for this purpose and can have a rail support 25 with the necessary guidance.
[0054] Alternatively, not shown, this horizontal step 3 with its mounting device 26 can be pivotally attached to a wall 4 so that the doors 2 hanging thereon can function as hinged doors.
[0055] In general, universal joints and ball joints are equivalent.
[0056] The device 1 can also comprise a door 2, preferably a sliding door 2. The device 1 according to the invention can thus be easily installed and ensures a good seal with the wall 4 and the floor 6 without the need for grooves or elevations in the floor 6. A flat, continuous floor 6 on both sides of the wall 4 ensures unobstructed movement of rolling objects such as beds or vehicles through the door opening 5 of the open door 2. Sealing elements can be attached to the lower area of the door and can rest on the flat floor 6.
[0057] List of reference symbols
[0058] 1 device
[0059] 2 doors, sliding door
[0060] 3 Horizontal paragraph
[0061] 4 wall
[0062] 5 Door opening
[0063] 6 Floor
[0064] 7 support, rolling device
[0065] 8 Furnishings
[0066] 9 axes
[0067] 10 Two-arm lever
[0068] 11 First free lever end
[0069] 12 Second free lever end
[0070] 13 First coupling
[0071] 14 Second coupling
[0072] 15 Connection, distance-maintaining; 15b: Linear guide
[0073] 16 pneumatic cylinders
[0074] 17 Piston rod
[0075] 18 Pneumatic device
[0076] 19 Valve; Inlet valve; Exhaust valve
[0077] 20 Check valve
[0078] 21 Electric motor
[0079] 22 threaded rod
[0080] 23 Control
[0081] 24 Relief joint
[0082] 25 rail support
[0083] 26 Mounting device
[0084] 27 Sealing lip
[0085] 28 guide wedges
[0086] F Force introduction a Longitudinal direction, horizontal longitudinal direction a Angle
[0087] A Distance between door and floor or wall
[0088] K, Kl height differences
Claims
Patent claims 1. Device (1) for opening and closing a vertically hanging door (2), for example a sliding door (2), with a horizontal longitudinal direction (a) parallel to the door (4), for the gap-free closing of a door opening (5) in a wall (4) down to the floor (6), comprising two supports (7) spaced horizontally apart from one another in the longitudinal direction (a), each with a fixedly attached axle (9), and a device (8) which is fixedly connected to one of the supports (7), wherein a two-armed lever (10) with a first (11) and a second free lever end (12) is pivotally mounted on each axle (9), wherein a first coupling (13) for articulated fastening to a door (2) is arranged at each first free lever end (11) and a second coupling (14) for articulated fastening is arranged at each second free lever end (12), wherein the two second couplings (14) are articulated to one another by a spacing connection (15). are connected,so that, in use, the second couplings (14) can be moved relative to the device (8) by a linear displacement of the connection (15) along the longitudinal direction (a), characterized in that the axes (9) are arranged in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction (a) and are inclined at an angle (a) of 45° + / - 10° to the horizontal, so that, in use, upon displacement of the connection (15), the first couplings (13) can move both vertically and horizontally, whereby, in use, a door (2) which is hingedly attached to the first couplings (13) can be lowered to the floor (6) and simultaneously moved towards the wall (4) to completely close the door opening (2), or, in the opposite direction, to completely distance the door (2) from the floor (6) and from the wall (4) to achieve the open position, and wherein a linear guide (15b) is connected to the device (8),in which the distance-maintaining connection (15) is mounted so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction (a), so that the connection (15) can be displaced in the longitudinal direction (a) during use when a force is introduced and can be locked in the open position.
2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the linear guide (15b) is designed as a pneumatic cylinder (16) and the connection (15) as a piston rod (17) which is fastened to the second couplings (14).
3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized by a pneumatic device (18) which is connected to the pneumatic cylinder (16) and can move the piston rod (17) in the longitudinal direction (a) relative to the device (8) during operation.
4. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the pneumatic cylinder (16) comprises at least one outlet or inlet valve (19) and a check valve (20) to ensure the desired movement and locking of the piston rod (17).
5. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the linear guide (15b) is designed as an electric motor (21) and the connection (15) as a threaded rod (22) which is fastened to the second couplings (14) and can be moved in operation by the electric motor (21) in the longitudinal direction (a) relative to the device (8).
6. Device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by a controller (23) for operating the pneumatic device (18) or the electric motor (21).
7. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection (15) can be moved by muscle power and held in the open position by a locking device.
8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or second couplings (13, 14) are designed as ball joints or as axial hinges.
9. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second couplings (14) are designed as axial hinges.
10. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the linear guide (15b) or the connection (15) near the device (8) comprises a relief joint (24) which allows a deflection of the second couplings (14) from the line guide of the connection (15).
11. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the linear guide (15b) is movably connected to the device (8) in such a way that a displacement relative to the device (8) parallel to the longitudinal direction (a) is permitted.
12. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, for opening and closing a vertically suspended sliding door (2), characterized in that the supports (7) are designed as rolling devices (7) for linearly moving the door (2) along the longitudinal direction (a) on a horizontal step (3).
13. Device (1) according to claim 12, characterized by a rail support (25) on which, in use, the device (8) can move guided on the rolling devices (7), for mounting on a horizontal ledge (3).
14. Device (1) according to claim 12 or 13, characterized by a horizontal platform (3) on which the device (8) can move in use, guided on the roller devices (7), wherein the platform (3) has a mounting device (26) for mounting on a wall.
15. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a door (2), preferably a sliding door (2).