Patent Application
20220195780
The present invention relates to a sliding door assembly and an attachment device for a sliding door assembly.
The use of automatic opening and closing of sliding doors is commonly known to facilitate access to buildings, rooms and other areas.
Conventional sliding doors are driven by a drive unit mounted at the door frame for driving a wagon along a rail via a driving belt. The wagon, in turn, is attached to the sliding door leaf, whereby the sliding door leaf is driven by the drive unit.
Often, power consuming devices of different kinds, such as sensor units, lights etc, are mounted to the door leaf. To provide power to the power consuming device cables connects the door operator of the sliding door system and the components mounted to the door leaf. This is associated with a number of challenges.
In most cases, the cables are integrated into a hollow rigid belt which serves to drive the door leaf by means of a motor of the door operator. The cables are routed from said hollow rigid belt downwards to the door blade. Such a hollow rigid belt is associated with high costs. Further, it is cumbersome for the service personnel to install and mount.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide a more simple solution to provide communication and/or power between the operator and the components mounted to the door leaf.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problem, reducing the disadvantages of prior art solutions.
According to a first aspect a sliding door assembly is provided. The sliding door assembly comprises at least one sliding door leaf, a sliding door rail and a door operating assembly for operating the at least one sliding door leaf. The door operating assembly comprises a drive unit configured to drive the at least one sliding door leaf along the sliding door rail.
The sliding door assembly comprises at least one wagon member movable along the sliding door rail. Each sliding door leaf has one of the at least one wagon members attached thereto, said one of the at least one wagon member being in driving connection with the drive unit.
The sliding door assembly further comprises an electric component mounted to the sliding door leaf and a cable arrangement for transferring power and/or communication signals between the door operating assembly and the electric component. The cable arrangement comprises a cable member routed to the electric component from the door operating assembly. The cable member comprises a flexible portion having an end section which is fix in relation to the sliding door leaf to allow for extension of the flexible portion to compensate for the movement of said sliding door leaf.
Embodiments of the invention will be described in the following; reference being made appended drawings which illustrate non-limiting examples of how the inventive concept can be reduced into practice.
An example of a door operating assembly 100 will be described in the following. With reference to
The door leaf(s) 121, 122 may be made of wood, metal, plastic, glass or other suitable materials. The door leaf 121, 122 may also be a fire proof door having a fire resistant core made of various suitable materials generally known in the art.
A drive member 130 of the sliding door assembly is in driving connection with the drive unit 112. The drive member 130 is mounted to the sliding door leaf 121, 122. The drive member 130 may thus be arranged to transfer torque provided by the drive unit 112 of the door operator 100 to the sliding door leaf 121, 122. The drive member 130 is in the form of a wagon member 130.
The door leaf 121, 122 is slidingly connected to the sliding door rail 110 for example by means of the wagon member 130. The wagon member 130 is movable along the sliding door rail, e.g. is arranged to be in movably connected to the sliding door rail 110. The door leaf(s) 120, 121 are suspended to the sliding door rail 110 by means of the wagon member(s).
In one embodiment, the wagon unit is engaging with the sliding door rail 110 via at least one wheel allowing the sliding door leaf 121, 122 to move into a closed and open position along the horizontal sliding door rail 110. The at least one wheel may be a low friction wheel.
In one embodiment, the wagon unit is engaging with the sliding door rail 110 via a sliding contact between the wagon unit and the sliding door rail 110.
Each sliding door leaf 120, 121 may have one or more wagon member 130 attached thereto. Referencing
Several applications for an automated sliding door assembly require the sliding door leaf 121, 122 to serve as a barrier minimizing any transfer of mediums between the rooms separated by the sliding door assembly. For such applications the sliding door leaf 121, 122 may be provided with sealings adapted to be pushed against the door frame 102 and/or the ground when the sliding door leaf 121, 122 is in a closed position.
Further referring to
In one embodiment, the drive member 130 is in driving connection with the drive unit 112 by means of a belt drive arrangement 170. The belt drive arrangement 170 comprises a first belt wheel 175 and a second belt wheel 176. Said first and second wheel are connected by a belt 171.
Again referring to
In one embodiment, in which the sliding door assembly 200 comprises a first sliding door leaf 121 and a second sliding door leaf 122, a wagon member 130 attached to the first sliding door leaf 121 may be connected to a lower belt portion of the drive belt 171 and a wagon member 130 attached to the second sliding door leaf 122 may be connected to an upper belt portion of the drive belt 171. The upper and lower belt portion may be arranged opposite and parallel to each other between the wheels 175 and 176. The upper and lower belt portions moves in opposite direction when the belt arrangement is driven, whereby the wagon members of the first and second sliding door leaf moves in opposite directions, e.g. the closing or opening directions of the sliding door leafs.
According to the present invention, an electric component 61, 62 is mounted to the sliding door leaf 121, 122. The electric component may be any of device which utilizes communication and/or power to function. The electric component may for example be any one of: a lighting device, a sensor device, a user interface device, a panic bar, an electric lock etc.
To power and/or allow for operation of the electric component 61, 62 the sliding door assembly 200 further comprises a cable arrangement 70 for transferring power, e.g. electric power, and/or communication signals between the door operating assembly 100 and the electric component 61, 62. The cable arrangement 70 comprises a cable member 71, 72 routed to the electric component 61, 62 from the door operating assembly 100. In one embodiment, the door operating assembly 100 may comprise an electric terminal 51 to which the cable member 71, 72 is connected. In one embodiment, the electric terminal 51 is in an independent sub-unit mounted in the vicinity of the drive unit and the sliding door leafs. In one embodiment, the electric terminal 51 is mounted in the same casing as the drive unit.
The cable member 71, 72 comprises a flexible portion 73, 74. The flexible portion has an end section which is fix in relation to the sliding door leaf 121, 122 to allow for extension of the cable to compensate for the movement of said sliding door leaf 121, 122. The end section is accordingly fix in relation to sliding door leaf 121, 122 which has the electric component mounted thereto, whereby the cable arrangement 70 is configured to transfer power and/or communication signals to said electric component mounted to said sliding door leaf Thus, power and/or communication to the electric component may be transferred without implementing complex and often expensive winding solutions for allowing the cables to follow the movements of the sliding door leafs.
In one embodiment, the second end section of the flexible portion (73, 74) is in connection with the door operating assembly. In one embodiment, the second end section is fixated by means of a flexible cable support bracket 193, 194. Said second end section may be fixed to the door operating assembly by means of said flexible cable support bracket 193, 194.
Further referencing
In one embodiment, the (first) end section of the flexible portion 73, 74 which is fix in relation to the sliding door leaf 121, 122 and the second end section of said flexible portion 73, 74 which is fixed by means of the flexible cable support bracket 193, 194 are arranged at a distance from each other along a horizontal direction, e.g. along the sliding door rail 110. Preferably, said section of the flexible portion 73, 74 may be arranged parallel to the sliding door rail 110 above the at least one sliding door leaf 121, 122. In one embodiment, the entire flexible portion 73, 74 is routed in a substantially horizontal direction.
To allow for the horizontal routing the sliding door assembly 200 may further comprise a support structure 80. The support structure 80 extends parallel to the sliding door rail 110. The support structure 80 may also extend horizontally along the sliding door rail 110. The support structure 80 is arranged to support the flexible portion 73, 74 along the sliding door rail 110. The flexible portion may be routed at least partly along said support structure 80. Preferably, said support structure 80 is arranged above the at last one sliding door leaf 121, 122.
The flexible portion 73, 74 may extend horizontally towards the sliding door leaf 121, 122 in an opening direction of the sliding door leaf 121, 122 such that said flexible portion 73, 74 is in a relaxed state when the sliding door leaf 121, 122 is in a closed position and an extended state when the sliding door leaf 121, 122 is in an opened position. The usual opening and closing pattern of the sliding door leafs is associated with the sliding door leafs being in their closed position for longer period of times than their opened position. Thus, it is particularly advantageous in terms of the wear and tear of the cable arrangement 70 that the flexible portion of the cable member is in a relaxed state for longer periods of time.
An opening and closing direction is herein defined as the direction which the sliding door leaf moves during an opening and closing operation of the sliding door assembly.
Hence, the (first) end section of the flexible portion 73, 74 which is fix in relation to the sliding door leaf 121, 122 may be arranged distally in relation to the second end section of said flexible portion 73, 74 which is fixed by means of the flexible cable support bracket 193, 194 in the opening direction of the sliding door leaf 121, 122.
In one embodiment, the end section of flexible portion 73, 74 is fix in relation to the sliding door leaf 121, 122 by means of being attached to the wagon member attached to said sliding door leaf 121, 122. Thus, a less complex solution for routing of power and/or communication to the electric component is achieved, due to no additional brackets having to be mounted to the sliding door leaf for attaching the cable. Instead the functionality may be integrated into the wagon, which makes the sliding door assembly more cost-efficient and easier to install for service personnel.
In an alternative embodiment, the end section of the flexible portion may be fix in relation to the sliding door leaf 121, 122 by means of being attached to said sliding door leaf.
In one embodiment, the door operating assembly 100, the sliding door rail 110 and the flexible support brackets are comprised in a header unit of the sliding door arrangement 200. The header unit may be disposed above the sliding door leafs. The header unit may be mounted to a wall above said sliding door leafs. For example, the sliding door assembly according to the above may have two sliding door leafs, each having an electric component mounted thereto. Accordingly, the sliding door assembly may comprise a first sliding door leaf 121 and a second sliding door leaf 122. Analogously to the above described embodiments, the sliding door assembly comprises a first electric component 61 mounted to the first sliding door leaf 121 and a second electric component 62 mounted to the second sliding door leaf 122.
The cable arrangement 70 may thus comprise a first cable member 71 routed to the first electric component 61 and a second cable member 72 routed to the second electric component 62. The first cable member 71 and the second cable member 72 each comprises a flexible portion 73, 74, e.g. the first cable member comprises a flexible portion 73 and the second cable member 73 comprises a flexible portion 74. The flexible portion 73, 74 of the first and second cable member, each has an end section which is fix in relation to the first and second sliding door leaf, respectively, to allow for extension of the first and second cable members to compensate for the movement of the first 121 and second 122 sliding door leaf.
The second end section of each flexible portion (73, 74) may be in connection with the door operating assembly. In one embodiment, the second end section of each of the said flexible portions is fixated by means of a first and second flexible cable support bracket 193, 194, respectively. Said second end sections may be fixed to the door operating assembly by means of said flexible cable support brackets 193, 194. In one embodiment, the (first) end section of each of the flexible portions is attached to a wagon member in accordance to the above described example.
The flexible portion 73 of the first cable member 71 may extend horizontally towards the first sliding door leaf 121 in an opening direction of the first sliding door leaf 121. The flexible portion 74 of the second cable member 72 may extend horizontally towards the second sliding door leaf 122 in an opening direction of the second sliding door leaf 122 in an opening direction of the second sliding door leaf 122.
The flexible portions are arranged such that said flexible portions are in a relaxed state when the first and second sliding door leaf are in a closed position and an extended state when the first and second sliding door leaf are in an opened position.
As depicted in
Hence, the (first) end section of the flexible portion 73 of the first cable member 71 may be arranged distally in relation to the second end section of said flexible portion 73 in the opening direction of the first sliding door leaf 121, e.g. in an outward direction from the vertical centerline of the sliding door assembly.
Similarly, the (first) end section of the flexible portion 74 of the second cable member 72 may be arranged distally in relation to the second end section of said flexible portion 74 in the opening direction of the second sliding door leaf 121, e.g. in an outward direction from the vertical centerline of the sliding door assembly opposite to the opening direction of the first sliding door leaf.
As more closely depicted in
The flexible portion may thus be routed at least partly along said support wire 82. Preferably, said support wire 82 is arranged above the at last one sliding door leaf 121, 122.
The support wire 82 may be suspended by means of support wire brackets 191, 192. Thus, a first end of the support wire 82 may be attached to a first support wire bracket 191 and a second opposite end of said support wire 82 may be attached to a second support wire bracket 192. The first and second support wire bracket may be attached to the door operating assembly or to a wall. The first end of the support wire 82 may be suspended from a position disposed at a first side of the opening into which the sliding door arrangement is mounted, whereby the second end of the support wire 82 may be suspended from a position disposed at a second opposite side of said opening.
In one embodiment, a single continuous wire may extend along the sliding door rail. In one embodiment, multiple support wire sections arranged coaxially to each other may form the support structure. A support wire allows for a more compact support structure with a smaller cross-section, whereby a more compact and space-efficient sliding door leaf is achieved.
In one embodiment, the support wire is in an elastic material, e.g. is in the form an of an elastic support wire. The elastic support wire allows for easy alteration to different sliding door assemblies by means of extending the support wire in accordance with the width of the door opening covered by the sliding door assembly.
The elastic support wire is particularly advantageous in combination with having the flexible portion arranged such that it is in a relaxed state when the sliding door leaf is in a closed position and in an extended state when the sliding door leaf is in an opened position. This is due to the support wire and flexible portion bulging downwards because of their weight. Thus, the flexible portion will be pulled in an upward direction and compressed in a downward direction. Hence, the risk for the flexible portion getting tangled into itself or the support wire is mitigated.
In one embodiment, the flexible portion 73, 74 of the cable member 71, 72 is in the form of a spiraled cable portion, e.g. in the form of a spiral cable or a phone cord. This allows for compression and extension of the flexible portion in a simple manner. Compared to for example a continuous elastic wire in an elastic material, the spiraled design is less susceptible for wear and high loads due to the sliding door leafs extending it. Hence, the spiral cable solution enables a more safe and durable sliding door arrangement.
In one embodiment, the flexible portion 73, 74 may be wrapped around the support structure, e.g. the support wire. Thus the flexible portions compression and extension occurs mainly in a horizontal manner, further reducing the wear on the cable arrangement. Further, the flexible portion is prevented from slacking and moving vertically during the movement of the door, whereby a safer sliding door arrangement is achieved.
The flexible portion 73, 74 is thus twisted around the support structure, e.g. the support wire. Notably, the flexible portion may be twisted one or multiple revolutions around said support structure. However, it may also only be twisted less than revolution around side support structure, i.e. only partially surrounding said support structure.
In one embodiment, the flexible portion 73, 74 is in the form of the spiraled cable portion, whereby the structure comprises an elongated support member extending through the spiraled cable portion.
In one embodiment, the support wire 82 extends through the spiraled cable portion. The loops of the spiraled portion are thus supported by said support wire 82.
Further referencing
The attachment device 300 comprises apertures 316, 326 for allowing passage of the support wire 82 through said attachment device 300. The attachment device 300 further comprises a locking arrangement for receiving and fixating the end section of the flexible portion 73, 74.
Said attachment device 300 is arranged coaxially to the support wire 82. Accordingly, said aperture 316, 326 may be arranged coaxially to said support wire 82, whereby said support wire 82 extends through said aperture. The attachment device 300 may accordingly move together with the sliding door leaf along the support wire 82.
Further referencing
Thus, the flexible portion of the cable may be fixated to the wagon member in a simple manner which also compared to a conventional pinching fixation of the cable allows for a certain degree of freedom of movement. This further decreases the wear of the cable arrangement.
By means of coming into contact with inner surface of the first locking member aperture 316, the end section of the flexible portion wrapped around the locking protrusion 321 will be compressed and retained between said inner surface of the first locking member aperture 316 and the locking protrusion 321. Accordingly a locking section 311 of the first locking member is provided with the first locking member aperture 316, whereby said locking section 311 is arranged to at least partially surround the locking protrusion 321.
Hence, the first locking member 310 comprises the locking section 311 provided with the first locking member aperture 316. The locking section 311 is arranged to at least partially surround the locking protrusion 321 when the first and second locking members are connected and thereby fixate the end section of the flexible portion 73, 74 between the locking protrusion 321 and an inner surface of said locking section 311.
The inner surface of the locking section 311 of the first locking member 310 and the outer surface of locking protrusion 321 of the second locking member 320, e.g. the outer surface which the end section of the flexible portion is wrapped around, may be conical. The conical arrangement allows some degree of movement although the flexible portion is fixated to the wagon member. This reduces the wear on the cable arrangement.
In one embodiment, the inner surface of the locking section 311 of the first locking member 310 and the outer surface of locking protrusion 321 of the second locking member 320, e.g. the outer surface which the end section of the flexible portion is wrapped around, may be funnel shaped. The funnel shape makes it easier to accommodate different cable diameters, since adapting to a different cable diameter only requires a small displacement of the cable along the outer surface for achieving a sufficient locking.
In one embodiment, the inner surface of the locking section 311 of the first locking member 310 and the outer surface of locking protrusion 321 of the second locking member 320 may be tapered in a direction opposite to the horizontal direction which the end section of the flexible portion 73, 74 is received through the first locking member aperture 316 and is wrapped around the locking protrusion 321.
The cable member 73, 74 may thus be routed through attachment arrangement 300 and then routed downwards to the electrical component mounted to the sliding door leaf 121, 122. Accordingly, the cable member, e.g. the end section of the flexible portion of said cable member, is wrapped around the locking protrusion 311 and fixated by means of the first and second locking member and routed downwards to the electrical component mounted to the sliding door leaf 121, 122.
The first locking member 310 may comprise a first locking member base 317. The second locking member may comprise a second locking member base 322. The first locking member base 317 may be arranged to abut to the second locking member base 322 when the first and second locking member are connected. The locking protrusion 321 may protrude from the second locking member base 32
In one embodiment, the connecting arrangement may comprise a set of fastening elements for connecting the first and second locking member. Accordingly, the first and second locking member bases may comprise a number of holes for receiving fastening elements.
In one embodiment, the connecting arrangement is a snap-fit arrangement. The first or second locking member base 317, 322 may thus comprise at least one retention member 312 each provided with a retention heel 319. The other of the first or second locking member base 317, 322 is provided with at least one through-hole for receiving the retention member(s) 312. Upon insertion of the retention member(s) in the corresponding through-hole(s) the retention heel 319 of the retention member is arranged to resiliently grip to the base provided with the through-holes and securing the first and second locking base together.
The second locking member 320 may comprise at least one hole 324 extending in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the sliding door rail for receiving a fastening element to attach the second locking member 320 to the wagon member 130. The second locking member 320 may further comprise an attachment flange 323 arranged to abut to an upper surface of the wagon member 130. The attachment flange 323 may extend in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the sliding door rail.
It should be appreciated that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the description is only illustrative and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the scope of the invention to the full extent indicated by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930170-4 | May 2019 | SE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/063422 | 5/14/2020 | WO | 00 |
