Automatic sliding door

Abstract

To provide a slide-type automatic door capable of being realized by simple modification of an existing sliding door structure while securing an opening effective width without performing large-scale construction of a peripheral wall.SOLUTION: A slide-type automatic door, which is a modified version of an existing one side sliding door structure, includes: a door tip side vertical frame 11, a mullion frame 12, and an upper frame 13 which define an opening 1 of an existing sliding door structure; a sliding door 2 for opening / closing the opening 1; and engine devices 31 and 32 for driving the sliding door. A vertical member 4 extending vertically in contact with the door tip side vertical frame 11 is provided in the opening 1, and a starting device 60 for transmitting a starting signal required for starting the engine devices 31 and 32 is arranged in the vertical member 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic sliding door, and more particularly to an automatic sliding door obtained by modifying an existing single-sliding door structure to an automated door. [Background technology]

[0002] As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads, outbreaks of infection have occurred in medical facilities, clinics, and welfare facilities such as nursing homes (hereinafter referred to as "facilities") across the country. Although the route of infection in the facilities has not been confirmed, it is possible that handles used to open and close doors within the facilities and thumb turns used to lock doors may have been routes of infection. Door handles and other contact operating parts that are touched by everyone are often made of stainless steel or resin, which are believed to allow the novel coronavirus to remain on the surface for a relatively long time.

[0003] Many facilities use a sliding door structure that does not require a large body movement when opening and closing the door. A cylindrical handle, for example, 300 mm to 600 mm long, is attached to the sliding door of the sliding door structure to make it easy to open and close the door. In order to prevent infection through contact operating parts such as such handles, it is possible to modify the existing sliding door structure to an automatic door that does not require handle operation.

[0004] An example of a conventional automatic sliding door is described in Patent Document 1. In the automatic sliding door described in Patent Document 1, an opening / closing switch 32 for the automatic door is provided on the wall on the door end side of the opening. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-60066 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] By the way, in order to convert an existing sliding door structure into a sliding automatic door, it is necessary to install an engine device that drives the sliding door, a sensor and a switch that send a start signal for the engine device, and even wiring to install the sensor, etc. Furthermore, in order to install the sensor, etc. and wiring in the surrounding walls, large-scale construction work is required, including the door frame that constitutes the opening of the sliding door structure and the surrounding walls. However, it is not easy to carry out large-scale construction work over a long period of time, especially in facilities where residents are already living in the facility.

[0007] Furthermore, when converting an existing wall-mounted sliding door structure into an automatic door, even if the existing sliding door is removed, the opening width of the door pocket is narrow compared to its depth, making it difficult to install the rails and engine unit for the automatic door inside the door pocket.

[0008] Additionally, medical and welfare facilities are being asked to make the width of entrances to patient rooms and other areas wider so that wheelchairs, stretchers, beds, etc. can pass through. For example, a minimum width of 750 mm is required for wheelchairs to pass through, and the New Barrier-Free Law requires that 800 mm be secured. Also, in areas where medical beds and stretchers enter and exit, a width of 1000 to 1200 mm may be required. For this reason, even when replacing existing sliding door structures with sliding automatic doors, it is necessary to maintain the effective width of the opening.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an automatic sliding door that can be realized by simply renovating an existing sliding door structure while ensuring the effective width of the opening and without the need for extensive construction of surrounding walls. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The inventor of the present invention has noticed that in the sliding door structure of a facility, a part of the leading edge of the sliding door is left inside the opening even when the sliding door is fully opened so that the hand is not caught between the handle and the frame member on the trailing edge when the sliding door is opened by putting a hand on the handle. For example, the guidelines for facility design stipulate that a part of the leading edge of the sliding door should be left inside the opening with a width of about 90 mm to 120 mm.

[0011] The inventor of the present invention then conceived that because there is no need to provide a handle or the like on the sliding door of the modified sliding-type automatic door, there is no need for a remaining pull, and the effective width of the opening can be maintained even if a vertical member is placed inside the opening of the sliding door structure, so long as it is within the range of the remaining pull width before the modification, and further, if a sensor or switch for opening and closing the automatic door is provided on the vertical member, the door can be modified to a sliding-type automatic door without carrying out major construction work on the surrounding walls.

[0012] The present invention The sliding automatic door of comprises a door end vertical frame, a mullion frame and a top frame that define an opening, a sliding door that opens and closes the opening, and an engine device that drives the sliding door. A vertical member that is in contact with the door end vertical frame and extends vertically is provided in the opening, and an activation device that transmits a start signal required to start the engine device is provided in the vertical member. Placed .

[0013] The present invention Preferably, the sliding automatic door is This is applied to an opening with a single-sliding door structure, but can also be applied to openings with existing single-sliding door structures.

[0014] When the present invention is applied to an opening with an existing sliding door structure, a vertical member extending vertically in contact with the vertical frame at the door end is provided, and this vertical member functions as the new vertical frame at the door end after the renovation. Since sliding automatic doors do not require a handle to be operated by hand, there is no need to provide a pull-back mechanism. Therefore, even if a vertical member is provided within the opening, the effective width of the opening can be secured.

[0015] Furthermore, a starting device that transmits the start-up signal required to start the engine unit is located on the vertical member. Therefore, in order to install the starting device, it is not necessary to carry out extensive construction work on the door frame and surrounding walls that make up the opening of the sliding door structure. This makes it possible to shorten the construction period for renovation work to convert to an automatic door.

[0016] In this way, the sliding automatic door of the present invention can be realized by simply modifying an existing sliding door structure while ensuring the effective width of the opening and without the need for extensive construction work on surrounding walls.

[0017] (Vertical member for a single swing door) In the present invention, preferably, the vertical member is attached to the door-end vertical frame by a hinge that rotates about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, forming a single-leaf door.

[0018] In this way, by making the vertical member a single-leaf door (child door), the single-leaf door can be opened as needed to expand the effective width of the opening. This allows the effective width to be substantially wider than before the renovation by the amount that was left behind by the renovation.

[0019] In addition, even if the vertical member is made rotatable by a hinge, the side of the vertical member close to the rotation axis of the hinge does not move significantly relative to the vertical frame at the door end. Therefore, there is little risk of malfunction of the automatic door due to disconnection of the wiring connected to the vertical member. In addition, wiring to the equipment of the vertical member can be easily done by using, for example, a wiring fitting for swing doors or a hinge that can incorporate wiring.

[0020] (Vertical member containing the lock mechanism) In the existing sliding door structure, not only the handle but also the lock thumb turn protrudes from the main surface of the sliding door. Therefore, in order to prevent the sliding door from being left behind, it is desirable to remove the lock thumb turn from the sliding door.

[0021] In a typical lock, the lock mechanism, including the deadbolt that locks the door and the thumbturn that operates the deadbolt, is installed on the door side as a lock box (case), and the deadbolt strike is installed on the door frame side. Here, in order to remove protrusions such as thumbturns from a sliding door while retaining the lock function, it is possible to switch the lock box and strike.

[0022] However, if you were to replace the lock box and strike plate, the lock box would have to be installed in the vertical door frame and its surrounding walls, which would require extensive construction work that would also involve the vertical door frame and its surrounding walls.

[0023] Therefore, in the present invention, preferably, the vertical member is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the sliding door.

[0024] In this way, by installing a lock on the vertical member, it is possible to eliminate the thumb turn of the lock from the sliding door without carrying out extensive construction work including on the vertical frame at the door end and the surrounding walls.

[0025] Furthermore, since the lock mechanism can be attached to the vertical member and the striker can be installed in the new sliding door beforehand prior to on-site construction, there is no need to replace the lock at the construction site, which shortens the construction period for the renovation work.

[0026] (Vertical member with electronic lock) In the present invention, preferably, the lock is an electric lock, and a lock activation device is disposed on the vertical member for transmitting a lock activation signal for activating the mechanism of the lock.

[0027] If the lock mechanism is installed on the vertical member, the signal wiring connecting the lock mechanism and the lock activation device can also be installed on the vertical member. Therefore, there is no need to carry out extensive construction work on the door end vertical frame or surrounding walls in order to install the signal wiring.

[0028] (Engine unit in door pocket) In many facilities, in order to secure a wall for attaching handrails to the corridor, a wall-retracted sliding door structure is used in which the sliding door is retracted into a door pocket inside the wall when the opening is open. When converting an existing wall-retracted sliding door structure into an automatic door, even if the existing sliding door is removed, the opening width is narrow compared to the depth of the door pocket, making it difficult to insert tools into the door pocket to carry out work. For this reason, it was not easy to install a new engine device and a rail and door roller (suspension wheel) compatible with that engine device into the door pocket in a manner that would withstand use without destroying the wall surface (small wall) of the door pocket.

[0029] Therefore, in the present invention, preferably, the existing sliding door structure is a wall-stored type sliding door structure in which the sliding door is stored in a door pocket in the wall when the opening is open, and is equipped with an integrated running unit in which the engine device, a door roller for suspending the sliding door, and a running rail on which the door roller runs are stored in a long and narrow housing extending along the upper frame, and the door trailing side end of the housing is supported by a fixing bracket fixed by a restraining part to a vertical member located at the end of the door trailing side in the door pocket.

[0030] In this way, by storing the engine device and other components in a long and narrow housing to form an integrated traveling unit, the integrated traveling unit can acquire the rigidity to withstand the operation of the sliding door, and can be attached and detached as a single unit, which makes it easy to perform maintenance such as replacing parts.

[0031] Furthermore, the end of the integrated traveling unit on the door trailing edge, i.e., the end of the housing on the door trailing edge, is supported by a fixing bracket fixed to a door stop frame located at the end of the door trailing edge inside the door pocket. The fixing bracket is fixed to the door stop frame using a restraining part such as a screw or bolt. The insertion direction of the restraining part is substantially horizontal from the door pocket opening toward the end of the door trailing edge inside the door pocket, so if a long-shaft screwdriver is used, the fixing bracket can be easily fixed to the vertical member with the restraining part.

[0032] Then, by inserting the integrated traveling unit through the opening of the door pocket into the door pocket to which the fixing bracket is fixed, its trailing edge end, i.e., the trailing edge end of the housing, can be easily supported by the fixing bracket. Furthermore, if the door end side of the integrated running unit is fixed to an upper frame or the like within the opening of an existing sliding door structure, not only will the integrated running unit not fall vertically, but horizontal misalignment will also be eliminated, allowing the integrated running unit to be fixed efficiently. Therefore, even when renovating a wall-mounted sliding door structure into a sliding automatic door, there is no need to demolish the small wall of the door pocket, which makes it possible to shorten the construction period for the renovation work.

[0033] (Fixing bracket positioning) When an existing sliding door structure is modified to a sliding automatic door, the remaining width can be eliminated or reduced, and the width of the sliding door along the sliding direction can be narrowed by the reduced width. As a result, even when the sliding door is fully opened, there can be more room in the depth of the door pocket. In other words, a space can be left between the rear edge of the sliding door and the door stop frame at the back of the door pocket. Therefore, in the present invention, it is more preferable that the door stop frame further include an additional vertical member having one end in contact with the upper frame, the floor surface or a lower frame arranged on the floor surface and fixed to the door stop frame, and the fixing bracket is positioned on the additional vertical member and fixed to the door stop frame via the additional vertical member. In this way, by fixing the fixing bracket to the door stop frame via the additional vertical member, the additional vertical member itself functions as a dimensional ruler, making it easier to attach the fixing bracket in an accurate position. Effect of the Invention

[0034] In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sliding automatic door that can be realized with simple modifications to existing sliding door structures while ensuring the effective width of the opening and without the need for large-scale construction of surrounding walls. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0035] [Figure 1]FIG. 1(A) is a front view of an automatic sliding door according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the automatic sliding door shown in (A). [Diagram 2] FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an existing sliding door structure when the sliding door is closed, FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of an existing sliding door structure when the sliding door is fully open, and FIG. 1C is a schematic cross-sectional view of an existing sliding door structure in a wall storage format. [Diagram 3] (A) is an explanatory diagram of the effective width of the existing sliding door structure and the renovated sliding automatic door, and (B) is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a sliding automatic door equipped with a vertical member for a single-leaf door. [Figure 4] FIG. 2A is a top view of the integrated traveling unit, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the integrated traveling unit. [Diagram 5] 1A is an explanatory diagram of the installation of the integrated traveling unit, FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a fixing bracket. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an opening of an automatic sliding door according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1(A) is a front view of an automatic sliding door according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the automatic sliding door shown in (A). [Figure 8] FIG. 10(A) is a front view of an automatic sliding door according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the automatic sliding door shown in (A). [Figure 9] FIG. 13(A) is a front view of an automatic sliding door according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the automatic sliding door shown in (A). [Figure 10] FIG. 13(A) is a front view of an automatic sliding door according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the automatic sliding door shown in (A). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] First, a sliding automatic door according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 6. Fig. 1 shows the sliding automatic door of this embodiment. Fig. 1(A) is a front view, and Fig. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view of the main part.

[0037] As shown in Figure 1, the sliding type automatic door of this embodiment is a sliding type automatic door that has been modified from an existing single-sliding door structure, and is equipped with a door-end vertical frame 11, a upright frame 12 and an upper frame 13 that defined the opening 1 (see Figure 2(A)) of the existing sliding door structure, a sliding door 2 that opens and closes the opening 1, and an integrated traveling unit 3 that houses engine devices 31, 32 (see Figure 4) that drive the sliding door 2. In many facilities, opening 1 does not have a lower frame in order to achieve barrier-free access. Therefore, even in this embodiment, the lower part of opening 1 is substantially defined by floor surface 14, not by a lower frame. Also, a cover 15 is provided along upper frame 13 at the upper part of opening 1 so as to cover integrated traveling unit 3.

[0038] (Vertical member) As shown in Figure 1, the sliding automatic door has a vertical member 4 that extends vertically at the opening 1 and contacts the existing vertical door frame 11. This vertical member 4 serves as the new vertical door frame after the renovation. The vertical member 4 may extend from the floor surface 14 to the upper frame 13, or may be provided only in a portion of the vertical direction of the opening 1. For example, when the integrated running unit 3 extends to the door end vertical frame 11, the vertical member 4 may extend from the floor surface 14 to the underside of the integrated running unit 3.

[0039] (effective width) Here, the effective width of the opening 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2(A) is a schematic cross-sectional view of an existing sliding door structure when the sliding door is closed. Fig. 2(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of an existing sliding door structure when the sliding door is fully open. Fig. 2(C) is a schematic cross-sectional view of an existing sliding door structure in a wall storage format.

[0040] In the existing sliding door structure shown in Figures 2(A) and 2(B), a gap 10 is provided to prevent a hand from being caught between the handle 21 and the mullion frame 12 of the sliding door structure when a hand is put on the handle 21 to open the sliding door 20. The gap 10 is a part that remains in the opening 1 even when the sliding door 20 is fully opened until its rear edge substantially abuts against the door stop frame 16. Similarly, in a wall-mounted sliding door structure having a door pocket 120 sandwiched between small walls 121 as shown in FIG. 2(C), there is a similar problem of the door remaining unslidden.

[0041] For this reason, in the existing sliding door structure shown in Figures 2(A), 2(B) and 2(C), the effective width is not the total width of the opening 1 between the door-end vertical frame 11 and the upright frame 12, but the remaining opening width W0 obtained by subtracting the width of the remaining part 10 from this total width.

[0042] Next, a comparison will be made between the effective width of the existing sliding door structure and the effective width of the refurbished sliding-type automatic door with reference to Fig. 3(A). Fig. 3(A) shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the existing sliding door structure before the renovation in the upper part, and a schematic cross-sectional view of the refurbished sliding-type automatic door in the lower part.

[0043] In the existing sliding door structure shown in the upper part, the opening width W0 between the door-front edge of the sliding door 20 and the door-front vertical frame 11 when the sliding door 20 is fully opened is the effective width. As described above, this effective width is the remaining opening width W0 obtained by subtracting the width of the remaining part 10 from the total width of the opening 1.

[0044] In contrast, in the renovated sliding automatic door shown in the lower part, the remaining space 10 of the sliding door 2 has been eliminated, and instead a vertical member 4 has been newly installed adjacent to the door-end vertical frame 11. In this case, the distance between the new door-end edge of the sliding door 2 when fully open and the vertical member 4 becomes the new effective width W0. Here, if the width of the remaining space 10 and the width of the vertical member 4 are made the same, the same effective width can be secured after the renovation as before the renovation.

[0045] In this way, since a sliding automatic door does not require a handle to be operated by hand, there is no need to provide a gap, and even if a vertical member 4 is provided within the opening 1, the effective width can be ensured.

[0046] In addition, the remaining amount of the pavement may or may not be completely eliminated after the renovation. Although some remaining amount of the pavement may be left after the renovation, in order to ensure the effective width, it is preferable that the remaining amount of the pavement be smaller than before the renovation.

[0047] (Vertical member where the starting device is located) Furthermore, the vertical member 4 is provided with a starting device 60 that transmits a starting signal required to start the engine devices 31, 32, and a signal wiring 7 that connects the starting device 60 to the integrated traveling unit 3. In this embodiment, the starting device 60 is a proximity sensor. When a hand or the like is held over the starting device 60, the starting device 60 detects the proximity of an object and transmits a starting signal required to start the engine devices 31, 32. The starting signal is sent to the integrated traveling unit 3 via the signal wiring 7, and the engine devices 31, 32 start up and the sliding door 2 opens.

[0048] In this way, the start-up device 60 and the signal wiring 7 of Since the starting device 60 and the signal wiring 7 are arranged on the vertical member 4, there is no need to carry out extensive construction work, including on the door frame constituting the opening of the sliding door structure and on the surrounding walls, in order to install the starting device 60 and the signal wiring 7. This makes it possible to shorten the construction period for the renovation work.

[0049] In this way, the sliding automatic door of this embodiment can be realized by simply modifying an existing sliding door structure while ensuring the effective width of the opening, without requiring extensive construction work on surrounding walls.

[0050] (Vertical member for a single swing door) Next, an example of the automatic sliding door of this embodiment in which the vertical member 4 is a single-leaf door will be described with reference to Fig. 3(B). Fig. 3(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the automatic sliding door equipped with the vertical member 4 that is a single-leaf door.

[0051] The vertical member 4 may be fixed to the front vertical frame 11, or, as shown in Figure 3(B), it may be attached to the front vertical frame 11 by a hinge 41 that rotates around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction to form a single-leaf door (child door).

[0052] In this way, by making the vertical member 4 a single-leaf door, it is possible to open the single-leaf door as necessary to further expand the effective width of the opening 1. This effectively reduces the remaining space, allowing for a wider effective width than before the renovation.

[0053] Even if some space remains after renovation, the single-leaf door can be opened to ensure the same effective width as before renovation. For example, a wide width is not necessarily required for people to enter and exit, but a sufficiently wide effective width can be ensured by opening the single-leaf door when bringing in or removing a bed or stretcher.

[0054] The vertical member 4 may be a single-leaf door in its entirety, or only a portion of the vertical member 4 may be a single-leaf door. For example, only the lower half of the vertical member 4 may be a single-leaf door. The vertical member 4 may be attached directly or indirectly to the end-of-door vertical frame 11 with hinges 41. For example, an additional vertical frame (not shown) made of a metal plate or plywood may be attached to the end-of-door vertical frame 11, and the vertical member 4 may be rotatably attached to this additional vertical frame with hinges.

[0055] Furthermore, even if the vertical member 4 is made rotatable by the hinge 41, the side of the vertical member 4 close to the rotation axis of the hinge 41 does not move significantly relative to the door-end vertical frame 11. Therefore, there is little risk of the automatic door malfunctioning due to disconnection of the wiring connected to the vertical member 4. Furthermore, even when wiring is provided between the door-end vertical frame 11 and the swing door vertical member 44, the wiring can be easily arranged by using, for example, a wiring fitting for swing doors or a hinge that can house the wiring.

[0056] (Integrated driving unit) Next, the integrated traveling unit including the engine device will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4(A) is a top view of the integrated traveling unit, and Fig. 4(B) is a side view of the integrated traveling unit.

[0057] In the case where the existing sliding door structure is a wall-retracted type sliding door structure in which the sliding door is retracted into a door pocket inside the wall when the opening 1 is open as shown in Figure 3, even if the existing sliding door is removed for the conversion to an automatic door, it is difficult to insert tools into the door pocket to work because the opening width is narrow compared to the depth of the door pocket.

[0058] 4, the present embodiment includes a control device 30 that receives a start signal from a starting device 60 to start the engine devices 31, 32, the engine devices 31, 32 that drive the sliding door 2 to open and close, a door roller 33 that suspends the sliding door 2, and a running rail 34 on which the door roller 33 runs, all of which are housed in a long and narrow housing 35 extending along the upper frame 13. The control device 30 is connected to the starting device 60 by a signal wiring 7, and is connected to a power source by a power supply wiring 7a.

[0059] In this way, by storing the engine devices 31, 32, etc. in the elongated housing 35 to form the integrated traveling unit 3, the integrated traveling unit 3 has the rigidity to withstand the operation of the sliding door 2, and can be attached and detached as a single unit. As a result, maintenance such as part replacement can be easily performed.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the engine devices 31, 32 constitute a linear motor having a fixed magnet device 31 that is fixed in position and a moving magnet device 32 that moves. By adopting a linear motor, it is possible to make the integrated traveling unit smaller and thinner.

[0061] The cross-sectional shape of the housing 35 in a cut surface perpendicular to the extending direction is not limited to a rectangle, and may be, for example, a U-shape or an L-shape. A part of the housing 35 may also serve as the running rail 34. The end of the housing 35 on the door-end side may extend to the vertical member 4 or to the door-end side vertical frame 11.

[0062] (Integrated driving unit installed) Next, the installation state of the integrated traveling unit will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5(A) is an explanatory diagram of the installation of the integrated traveling unit, Fig. 5(B) is an enlarged view of the main part of Fig. 5(A), and Fig. 5(C) is a perspective view of the fixing metal fitting. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the opening of the automatic sliding door of this embodiment.

[0063] As shown in Fig. 6, the opening width of the wall-mounted sliding door structure is narrow compared to the depth of the door pocket 120. When converting to an automatic door, it is desirable to attach the integrated traveling unit 3 without destroying the wall surface (small wall) of the door pocket 120. Therefore, in this embodiment, a fixing bracket 8 is fixed to the door stop frame 16 located at the end of the door trailing edge inside the door pocket, and the door trailing edge end 35a of the housing 35 of the integrated traveling unit 3 is supported by this fixing bracket 8.

[0064] The fixing bracket 8 is fixed to the door stop frame 16 using restraining parts (not shown) such as screws or bolts. The insertion direction of the restraining parts is substantially horizontal, from the opening of the door pocket 120 toward the end of the door trailing edge inside the door pocket, so if a long-shaft screwdriver is used, the fixing bracket 8 can be easily fixed to the door stop frame 16 with the restraining parts.

[0065] Then, as shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the integrated running unit 3 is inserted into the door pocket to which the fixing bracket 8 is fixed through the opening of the door pocket, and its trailing edge end, i.e., the trailing edge end 35a of the housing 35, is supported by the fixing bracket 8.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 5(C), the fixing bracket 8 is a metal member bent into a U-shape, and has a fixing part 81 with a bolt hole 81a formed therein that is fixed to the doorstop frame 16, a lower support part 82 formed by bending the lower edge of the fixing part 81 at a right angle, and an upper support part 83 formed by bending the upper edge of the fixing part 81 at a right angle. As shown in Fig. 5(B), a guide claw 83a at the tip of the upper support part 83 is bent diagonally downward to guide the door trailing end part 35a of the housing 35 inserted diagonally from below.

[0067] In this way, by supporting the trailing edge side end of the integrated running unit 3, i.e., the trailing edge side end 35a of the housing 35, with the fixing bracket 8 and fixing the door end side of the integrated running unit 3 to the upper frame 13 or the like within the opening 1, not only will the integrated running unit 3 not fall vertically, but it will also be possible to prevent horizontal misalignment, thereby efficiently fixing the integrated running unit 3. As a result, even when a wall-mounted sliding door structure is modified to a sliding automatic door, there is no need to demolish the small wall of the door pocket 120, and the construction period for the modification work can be shortened.

[0068] (Fixing bracket positioning) In the examples shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the fixing bracket 8 is directly fixed to the doorstop frame 16 with a restraining part, but as shown in Figure 5(C), the fixing bracket 8 may be indirectly fixed to the doorstop frame 16 via an additional vertical member 17 such as an iron plate or plywood. For example, as shown in Figure 5(C), the fixing bracket 8 may be positioned on the additional vertical member 17 and temporarily fixed thereto, and then a restraining part may be inserted into the bolt hole 81a to fix the fixing bracket 8 and the additional vertical member 17 together to the doorstop frame 16 inside the door pocket. Also, the fixing bracket 8 may be positioned on the additional vertical member 17 and fixed thereto, and the additional vertical member 17 may be further fixed to the doorstop frame 16 with a restraining part.

[0069] In particular, if one end of the additional vertical member 17 is abutted against the upper frame 13 or the floor surface 14 and fixed to the doorstop frame 16, the additional vertical member 17 itself functions as a dimensional ruler, and the fixing bracket 8 can be positioned accurately in the vertical position based on the upper frame 13 or the floor surface 14. If a bottom frame is arranged on the floor surface 14, the additional vertical member 17 may be fixed to the doorstop frame 16 by abutting one end of the additional vertical member 17 against the bottom frame. Furthermore, if the side edges of the additional vertical member 17 are abutted against the inner wall of the door pocket and the additional vertical member 17 is fixed to the door stop frame 16, the fixing metal fitting 8 can be accurately positioned in the horizontal direction.

[0070] In this way, by positioning the fixing bracket 8 on the additional vertical member 17 and fixing it to the door stop frame 16 via the additional vertical member 17, the fixing bracket 8 can be more easily attached in an accurate position. The dimensions and shape of the additional vertical member 17 are not limited to a plate shape, but may be, for example, a rod shape, a block shape, or an angle shape.

[0071] [Second embodiment] Next, a sliding automatic door according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 shows the sliding automatic door of this embodiment, with Fig. 7(A) being a front view and Fig. 7(B) being a cross-sectional view of the main part.

[0072] In this embodiment, a proximity reflective photoelectric sensor is disposed on the vertical member 4 as the activation device 61. The proximity reflective photoelectric sensor includes a light-projecting element that projects light such as infrared light in a predetermined direction, and a light-receiving element that receives diffuse reflected light of the projected light. When the activation device 61 detects the diffuse reflected light of an object such as a person approaching the automatic sliding door, it detects the proximity of the object and transmits an activation signal. The activation signal is sent to the integrated traveling unit 3 via the signal wiring 7. This allows the sliding door 2 to be opened without touching it.

[0073] In this manner, also in this embodiment, since the actuating device 61 and the signal wiring 7 are arranged in the vertical member 4, there is no need to carry out extensive construction work, including on the door frame and surrounding walls that form the opening of the sliding door structure, in order to install the actuating device 61 and the signal wiring 7.

[0074] [Third embodiment] Next, a sliding automatic door according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 shows the sliding automatic door of this embodiment, with Fig. 8(A) being a front view and Fig. 8(B) being a cross-sectional view of the main part. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0075] In this embodiment, a foot-insertion type activation device is disposed on the vertical member 4 as the activation device 62. The foot-insertion type activation device has an insertion detection device 62a that detects the insertion of a foot, and a control device 62b that transmits an activation signal when the insertion detection device 62a detects the insertion of a foot. When a foot is inserted into the recess of the insertion detection device 62a and the optical coupling between the light receiving and emitting elements in the recess is interrupted, an activation signal is transmitted, and the sliding door 2 can be opened without touching it.

[0076] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a sliding automatic door according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 shows the sliding automatic door of this embodiment, with Fig. 9(A) being a front view and Fig. 9(B) being a cross-sectional view of the main part. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] The activation device is not limited to a non-contact type, and may be a contact type as in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a push button type activation device is disposed on the vertical member 4 as the activation device 63. By operating the push button type activation device 63, an activation signal is transmitted, and the sliding door 2 can be opened. From the viewpoint of infection prevention, it is preferable to operate the push button type activation device 63 using a tool such as a pen, rather than directly touching it with fingers.

[0078] [Fifth embodiment] Next, a sliding automatic door according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 shows the sliding automatic door of this embodiment, with Fig. 10(A) being a front view and Fig. 10(B) being a cross-sectional view of the main part. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, in Fig. 10, the illustration of the activation devices 60, 61, 62, and 63 described in the first to fourth embodiments and disposed on the vertical member 4 is omitted.

[0079] In this embodiment, a mechanism unit (lock box) 92 of an electric lock 9 for locking the sliding door 2 is disposed on the vertical member 4. A sickle-shaped deadbolt enters and exits from the mechanism unit 92 on the vertical member 4 side, and a striker (not shown) for receiving the sickle-shaped deadbolt is provided on the sliding door 2 side.

[0080] Furthermore, a lock activation device is disposed on the vertical member 4, which transmits a lock activation signal to activate the mechanism section 92 of the lock 9. The lock activation device is composed of an input device 91 and a control device 93 that authenticates the input signal input to the input device 91. When the control device 93 authenticates the input signal, it transmits a lock activation signal to activate the mechanism section 92, and the sickle-shaped deadbolt extends and retracts from the mechanism section 92. The input device 91 may be, for example, a non-contact card reader, a numeric keypad unit for inputting a PIN number, or a push button switch.

[0081] In this way, by providing the mechanism 92 of the lock 9 on the vertical member 4, it is possible to eliminate the thumb turn of the lock from the sliding door 2 without carrying out extensive construction work including on the door end vertical frame 11 and its surrounding walls 100. In addition, since the input device 91 of the lock activation device, the control device 93, and the signal wiring 90 connected to the mechanism 92, as well as the power wiring 90a that supplies power to the electric lock 9, are also arranged on the vertical member 4, there is no need to carry out extensive construction work including on the door end vertical frame and its surrounding walls for wiring arrangement.

[0082] Furthermore, since the mechanism 92 of the lock 9 can be attached to the vertical member 4 and the striker can be installed in the new sliding door 2 beforehand prior to on-site construction, there is no need to replace the lock at the construction site. This makes it possible to shorten the construction period for the renovation work.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 10(B), the mechanism section 92 of the electric lock of this embodiment also includes a thumb turn 92a and a cylinder 92c into which a key 92b is inserted, but the thumb turn 92a and the cylinder 92c may be omitted. Also, instead of an electric lock, a mechanical lock mechanism may be disposed on the vertical member 4.

[0084] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiment, an example of a sliding automatic door in which an existing single-sliding door structure has been modified has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a newly installed sliding automatic door rather than a modification of an existing sliding door structure.

[0085] In the above embodiment, an example is described in which an integrated traveling unit 3 is provided in which a linear motor engine device is housed in the housing 35, but the present invention is not limited to an integrated traveling unit, and the engine device is not limited to a linear motor. For example, a rotary shaft motor may be used as the engine device, as in the case of a conventional drive device for a general automatic door, and a system may be used in which the sliding door is driven via a chain or pulley. Further, in the present invention, the existing sliding door structure is not limited to a wall-mounted type having a door pocket.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the vertical member 4 is configured as a single-leaf door, but the vertical member may be fixed to the door-front vertical frame.

[0087] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the lower part of the opening 1 is substantially defined by the floor surface 14, but in the present invention, a lower frame may be provided on the floor surface 14 of the opening 1.

[0088] In addition, in the above-mentioned fifth embodiment, an example was described in which an electric lock was arranged on the vertical member, but in the present invention, a mechanism part of a mechanical lock other than an electric lock may be arranged on the vertical member. [Industrial Applicability]

[0089] The sliding automatic door of the present invention is suitable for installation in various buildings including, for example, medical facilities, welfare facilities such as nursing homes, and small houses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1 Opening 10 Left Behind 11 Door end vertical frame 12. Mullion Frame 13 Upper frame 14 Floor 15 Cover 16 Door stop frame 17 Additional vertical members 2 Sliding door 20 Existing sliding door 21 Handle 3 Integrated driving unit 30 Control device 31,32 Engine equipment 33 Door Roller 34 Running rail 35 Case 35a Door bottom end 4 Vertical members 41 Hinge 60,61,62,63 Starting equipment 7 Signal Wiring 7a power wiring 8 Fixing bracket 81 Fixed part 81a Bolt hole 82 Lower support part 83 Upper support part 83a Guide claw 9 Locks, electronic locks 90 Signal wiring 90a power wiring 91 Input Devices 92 Mechanism section (lock box) 92a Thumb turn 92b Key 92c cylinder 93 Control Device 100,110 Periphery wall 120 Door pocket 121 Small wall

Claims

1. A door end vertical frame, a post frame and a top frame that define an opening of a sliding door structure; A sliding door for opening and closing the opening; An engine device that drives the sliding door; A vertical member extending vertically in contact with the door end vertical frame provided at the opening; a starting device arranged on the vertical member and configured to generate a starting signal required to start the engine device; A lock mechanism for locking the sliding door is disposed on the vertical member. A sliding automatic door.

2. A sliding automatic door as described in claim 1, wherein the vertical member is attached to the door-end vertical frame so as to rotate around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, thereby forming a single-leaf door.

3. The sliding door structure is a wall-mounted type sliding door structure in which the sliding door is stored in a door pocket in the wall when the opening is opened, The engine device, the door roller for suspending the sliding door, and the running rail on which the door roller runs are housed in an elongated housing extending along the upper frame. The door end side end of the housing is supported by a fixing metal fitting that is fixed to a door stop frame located at the end of the door end side inside the door pocket using a restraining part.

3. The automatic sliding door according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Further provided is an additional vertical member whose one end is in contact with the upper frame, the floor surface, or a lower frame disposed on the floor surface and fixed to the door stop frame; The fixing bracket is positioned on the additional vertical member and is fixed to the door stop frame via the additional vertical member.

4. The automatic sliding door according to claim 3.

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