Self-opening mechanism for folding doors, and folding doors equipped with such mechanism

Abstract

The present invention provides a self-opening mechanism that allows a folding door to open on its own, and a folding door equipped with the same. [Solution] The self-opening mechanism 100 is composed of a tension spring 110 attached to a pair of sliding door panels 12 and 13 that make up the folding door 10. Each of the pair of sliding door panels 12 and 13 is equipped with a runner 16 that runs within a guide rail 14 mounted above it. One end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the runner 16 on one of the sliding door panels 12. Furthermore, the other end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the runner 16 on the other door panel 13. Then, the tension spring 110 is housed within the guide rail 14.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic opening mechanism for automatically opening a folding door, and a folding door provided with the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a self-opening folding door that automatically opens when the hand is released after being closed by hand has been developed (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the self-opening folding door of Patent Document 1 performs a special operation such as "automatically opening when the hand is released after being closed by hand" as described above, and is not a folding door that can be used, for example, for a closet in a general household.

[0005] The present invention has been developed in view of such problems of the prior art. Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an automatic opening mechanism that can automatically fully open the folding door after reaching a certain opening position when opening the folding door from the fully closed state, and a folding door provided with the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an automatic opening mechanism having a tension spring attached to a pair of hanging door panels constituting a folding door, the pair of the hanging door panels each include a runner that travels in a guide rail attached above, One end of the aforementioned tension spring is attached to the runner on one of the aforementioned sliding door panels. The other end of the tension spring is attached to the runner on the other sliding door panel. The tension spring is housed within the guide rail. An automated development mechanism is provided.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, A self-opening mechanism having a tension spring attached to a pair of sliding door panels that make up a folding door, One of the pair of sliding door panels is equipped with a runner that travels within a guide rail mounted above it. The other of the pair of sliding door panels is provided with a pivot shaft at the widthwise end of the other sliding door panel for rotating the other sliding door panel on a virtual axis extending vertically, One end of the aforementioned tension spring is attached to the runner on one of the aforementioned sliding door panels. The other end of the tension spring is attached near the pivot axis on the other sliding door panel. The tension spring is housed within the guide rail. An automated development mechanism is provided.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, The above self-opening mechanism, It comprises a pair of sliding door panels that constitute a folding door. Folding doors are provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, when opening a folding door from a fully closed position, once it reaches a certain opening position, the folding door can be automatically opened to its fullest extent. Furthermore, by attaching one end and the other end of the tension spring to runners provided on the sliding door panel, and housing the tension spring itself within a guide rail, the tension spring can be moved smoothly, and the presence of the tension spring is not conspicuous, providing a simple-looking self-opening mechanism. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] It is a front view seen from the back of the hanging door panels 12 and 13, showing the folding door 10 (closed state) including the self-opening mechanism 100 to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the folding door 10 (closed state) including the self-opening mechanism 100 to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the folding door 10 (fully open state) including the self-opening mechanism 100 to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing the tension spring member 102 and the runner 16. [Figure 5] It is a front view showing the tension spring member 102 and the runner 16. [Figure 6] It is an exploded perspective view showing the tension spring member 102 and the runner 16. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the tension spring holding member 104 and the runner 16. [Figure 8] It is a front view showing the tension spring holding member 104 and the runner 16. [Figure 9] It is an exploded perspective view showing the tension spring holding member 104 and the runner 16. [Figure 10] It is a front view seen from the back of the hanging door panels 12 and 13, showing the folding door 10 (closed state) including the self-opening mechanism 100 according to the first modification. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing the folding door 10 (closed state) including the self-opening mechanism 100 according to the first modification. [Figure 12] It is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 10. [Figure 13] It is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 11. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view showing the bracket 192 according to the first modification.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] (Configuration of the folding door 10 provided with the self-opening mechanism 100) The self-opening mechanism 100 to which the present invention is applied and the folding door 10 equipped therewith will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the folding door 10 according to this embodiment consists of at least a door frame 11, a pair of hanging door panels 12 and 13, a guide rail 14, a runner 16, a hinge 18, and a self-opening mechanism 100.

[0012] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the self-opening mechanism 100 is applied to a folding door 10 that opens and closes an opening 20 of a storage room or warehouse, which is made up of a door frame 11 installed inside a building. However, the application of the self-opening mechanism 100 and the folding door 10 equipped therewith according to the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to folding doors of various sizes.

[0013] The door frame 11 is a component that forms an opening 20, which is opened and closed by the sliding and rotating motion of a pair of sliding door panels 12 and 13 as a runner 16 travels within the guide rail 14. Furthermore, the materials used to construct the door frame 11 can be any material, such as metal, resin, or wood, as long as they can ensure the necessary strength.

[0014] The pair of sliding door panels 12 and 13 are panels that open and close the opening 20 formed by the door frame 11, as described above.

[0015] The guide rail 14 is a member with a roughly "U" shaped cross-section, which is attached to the top surface of the opening 20 where a pair of sliding door panels 12 and 13 are attached, with one rail common to each door panel 12 and 13.

[0016] Furthermore, each guide rail 14 has a runner 16 attached to the top surface of the sliding door panels 12 and 13, and a runner running surface 17 on which the runner 16 runs. The materials used to construct the guide rail 14 can be any material, such as metal, resin, or wood, as long as sufficient strength is ensured.

[0017] The runner 16 is mounted above the pair of sliding door panels 12 and 13, and comprises a runner body 30, four wheels 32, a suspension shaft 34, and a door panel mounting member 36.

[0018] The runner body 30 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped made of a material such as metal, resin, or wood, and four wheels 32 are attached to this runner body 30, allowing the runner body 30 to run on the runner running surface 17 within the guide rail 14.

[0019] The suspension shaft 34 is a component whose upper end is housed within the runner body 30 and whose lower end is fixed to the top surface of the sliding door panels 12 and 13. The upper end of the suspension shaft 34 is housed within the runner body 30 so as to be rotatable, and the lower end of the suspension shaft 34 is fixed to the door panel mounting member 36.

[0020] As described above, the door panel mounting member 36 is a member fixed to the lower end of the suspension shaft 34 and is fitted and fixed into recesses formed at the upper corners of each suspended door panel 12, 13.

[0021] As a result, the sliding door panels 12 and 13 are suspended from their respective runners 16 so as to be rotatable, and as shown in Figure 3, the two sliding door panels 12 and 13 can be bent relative to each other by multiple hinges 18, with the adjacent side edges of the sliding door panels 12 and 13 being bent relative to the other sliding door panel 13.

[0022] The self-opening mechanism 100 of this embodiment includes a tension spring member 102 and a tension spring holding member 104.

[0023] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the tension spring member 102 comprises a tension spring 110, a bracket 112, and a bobbin 113.

[0024] The tension spring 110 is a "constant-load spring" that always provides a nearly constant return force regardless of the length of the stretched stroke. One end of the tension spring 110 is attached to a roughly cylindrical bobbin 113, and almost the entire tension spring 110 is wound around the bobbin 113. The tension spring 110 is also attached to the side of the runner body 30 of the runner 16 attached to one sliding door panel 12, facing the runner 16 attached to the other sliding door panel 12, via the bobbin 113 and the bracket 112 to which the bobbin 113 is attached.

[0025] Furthermore, the other end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the tension spring retaining member 104.

[0026] The bracket 112 is a member that, in plan view, is roughly "square" shaped, consisting of a pair of roughly rectangular base portions 140 and a pair of side plate portions 142 that protrude in the same direction from both ends of the base portions 140. The bobbin 113 is mounted in the inner space 143 enclosed by the pair of base portions 140 and the pair of side plate portions 142.

[0027] Furthermore, as described above, the bracket 112 is attached to the side of the runner body 30 of the runner 16 attached to one of the sliding door panels 12 that faces the runner 16 attached to the other sliding door panel 12. In other words, one end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the runner 16 on one of the sliding door panels 12.

[0028] The bobbin 113 comprises a bobbin body 144 and a bobbin shaft 146.

[0029] The bobbin body 144 has a central portion 148 around which the tension spring 110 is wound, and a pair of flange portions 150 formed at both longitudinal ends of the central portion 148, which have a larger diameter than the central portion 148 (see Figure 6). In addition, a bobbin shaft insertion hole 152 into which the bobbin shaft 146 is fitted is formed in the radial center of the bobbin body 144.

[0030] The bobbin shaft 146 is a substantially cylindrical member and is mounted and fixed between the pair of side plate portions 142 of the bracket 112 described above (inner space 143).

[0031] As explained above, in the self-opening mechanism 100 according to this embodiment, the tension spring member 102 has the bobbin body 144 of the bobbin 113 to which the tension spring 110 is attached rotatably mounted with respect to the bobbin shaft 146, so that the tension spring 110 can be freely extended and retracted.

[0032] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the tension spring holding member 104 is a roughly rectangular member and has a rectangular member 160 and a clamping member 162.

[0033] The strip member 160 is a substantially flat member, and has two fixing screw holes 164 through which fixing screws 170 for fixing the strip member 160 to the runner body 30 of the runner 16 are inserted, as well as one fastening screw hole 166 through which a fastening screw 168 for fastening together with the clamping member 162 is inserted.

[0034] The clamping member 162 is a member with a roughly U-shaped cross-section and is fixed to the tip of the strip member 160 with a fastening screw 168. The other end of the tension spring 110 is inserted between the clamping member 162 and the strip member 160, and the tension spring holding member 104 is attached to the other end of the tension spring 110.

[0035] Furthermore, the tension spring retaining member 104 is attached to the end of the runner body 30 of the runner 16 attached to the other sliding door panel 12, on the side facing the runner 16 attached to the one sliding door panel 12. In other words, the other end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the runner 16 on the other sliding door panel 12.

[0036] Furthermore, a damper 180 is provided on the runner 16 to which the tension spring retaining member 104 is attached. This damper 180 is fitted into a damper mounting groove 182 formed in the runner body 30 and protrudes toward the runner 16 attached to one of the sliding door panels 12, and is designed to absorb the impact when the pair of runners 16 collide with each other due to the inertial force of the tension spring 110 when the folding door 10 is opened.

[0037] In this embodiment, the tip of the damper 180 is in contact with the base portion 140 of the bracket 112 attached to one of the runners 16.

[0038] (Operation of self-opening mechanism 100) Next, the operation of the self-opening mechanism 100 in the folding door 10 described above will be explained. First, in Figures 1 and 2, the folding door 10 is in a closed state (both sliding door panels 12 and 13 are on approximately the same plane), and the distance between the tension spring member 102 and the tension spring holding member 104 that constitute the self-opening mechanism 100 is at its longest. Therefore, the tension spring 110 is also in its longest extended state. In this state, the sliding door panels 12 and 13 are stationary in their respective closed positions.

[0039] From this state, if the user slightly pulls a handle (not shown) attached to the surface of either of the sliding door panels 12, 13, causing both sliding door panels 12, 13 to bend slightly around the hinge 18, the elastic force of the tension spring 110 reduces the distance between the tension spring member 102 and the tension spring retaining member 104 (simultaneously reducing the distance between both runners 16), increasing the bending angle of both sliding door panels 12, 13 and automatically opening them completely (Figure 3). According to the self-opening mechanism 100 of this embodiment, the self-opening function of the sliding door panels 12, 13 can be realized in this way.

[0040] In addition, in the self-opening mechanism 100 according to this embodiment, the runners 16 to which both ends of the tension spring 110 are connected are rotatable relative to each of the sliding door panels 12 and 13. As a result, when the relative angle between one sliding door panel 12 and the other sliding door panel 13 changes (from approximately 180° to several degrees) from the closed state to the fully open state of the folding door 10, the angle of the runners 16 relative to both sliding door panels 12 and 13 changes in accordance with this change, so that the tension spring 110 can always maintain a straight line. Therefore, the tension spring 110 can be moved smoothly from the closed state to the fully open state of the folding door 10.

[0041] (Variation 1) In the embodiment described above, each of the pair of sliding door panels 12 is equipped with a runner 16 that runs within a guide rail 14 mounted above, and both ends of the tension spring 110 are attached to the runner 16. However, as shown in Figures 10 to 13, instead, a runner 16 may be provided on one of the pair of sliding door panels 12, and the other sliding door panel 12 may be provided with a pivot shaft 190 at its widthwise end for rotating the other sliding door panel 12 on a virtual axis X that extends vertically.

[0042] In this case, one end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the runner 16 on one of the sliding door panels 12, and the other end of the tension spring 110 is attached near the pivot axis 190 on the other sliding door panel 12.

[0043] The runner 16, the tension spring retaining member 104 to which the other end of the tension spring 110 is attached to the runner 16, and the bobbin 113 will be described by referring to the above-described embodiment, and below we will describe the bracket 192 which is attached near the pivot shaft 190.

[0044] As shown in Figure 14, the bracket 192 is attached to a fixing member 193 fixed within the guide rail 14 near the side of the pivot shaft 190 attached to the other sliding door panel 12 that faces the runner 16 attached to one of the sliding door panels 12, as described above.

[0045] Furthermore, the bracket 192 is a member that is roughly U-shaped in plan view, consisting of a roughly rectangular base portion 194 and a pair of side plate portions 196 that protrude in the same direction from both ends of the base portion 194. The ends of the pair of side plate portions 196 are each attached to a fixing member 193. As a result, the bobbin 113 is mounted in the inner space 198 enclosed by the base portion 194, the pair of side plate portions 196, and the fixing member 193.

[0046] Thus, since the bracket 192 does not rotate with the pivot axis 190, even if the bracket 192 is fixed within the guide rail 14, the tension spring 110 can always maintain a straight line as the relative angle between one sliding door panel 13 and one sliding door panel 12 changes (from approximately 180° to several°) from the closed state to the fully open state of the folding door 10. Therefore, the tension spring 110 can move smoothly from the closed state to the fully open state of the folding door 10.

[0047] (Modification 2) In the embodiments and modified example 1 described above, a "constant-load spring" was used as the tension spring 110 constituting the self-opening mechanism 100. However, the tension spring 110 is not limited to this, and for example, a simple coil spring may be used. However, it is preferable to use a "constant-load spring" that always provides a nearly constant pull-back force (biasing force) regardless of the length of the stretched stroke.

[0048] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 10...Folding door, 11...Door frame, 12...Sliding door panel, 13...Sliding door panel, 14...Guide rail, 16...Runner, 17...Runner running surface, 18...Hinge, 20...Opening, 30...Runner body, 32...Wheel, 34...Suspension shaft, 36...Door panel mounting component 100...Self-opening mechanism, 102...Tension spring member, 104...Tension spring retaining member 110...Tension spring, 112...Bracket, 113...Bobbin 140...Base section, 142...Side plate section, 143...Internal space, 144...Bobbin body, 146...Bobbin shaft, 148...Center section, 150...Flange section, 152...Bobbin shaft insertion hole 160... Strip member, 162... Clamping member, 164... Fixing screw hole, 166... ​​Screw hole for shared fastening, 168... Screw for shared fastening, 170... Fixing screw 180... Damper, 182... Damper mounting groove 190...Rotating shaft, 192...Bracket, 193...Fixing member, 194...Base part, 196...Side plate part, 198...Inner space

Claims

1. A self-opening mechanism having a tension spring attached to a pair of sliding door panels that make up a folding door, Each of the pair of aforementioned sliding door panels is equipped with a runner that runs within a guide rail mounted above it. One end of the aforementioned tension spring is attached to the runner on one of the aforementioned sliding door panels. The other end of the tension spring is attached to the runner on the other sliding door panel. The tension spring is housed within the guide rail. Self-opening mechanism.

2. A self-opening mechanism having a tension spring attached to a pair of sliding door panels that make up a folding door, One of the pair of sliding door panels is equipped with a runner that travels within a guide rail mounted above it. The other of the pair of sliding door panels is provided with a pivot shaft at the widthwise end of the other sliding door panel for rotating the other sliding door panel on a virtual axis extending vertically, One end of the aforementioned tension spring is attached to the runner on one of the aforementioned sliding door panels. The other end of the tension spring is attached near the pivot axis on the other sliding door panel. The tension spring is housed within the guide rail. Self-opening mechanism.

3. The self-opening mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, It comprises a pair of sliding door panels that constitute a folding door. Folding door.

Images