Patent Grant
8474185
This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP2008/005534, filed on Jul. 8, 2008.Priority is claimed on German Application No.: 10 2007 032 474.1 filed Jul. 10, 2007, the content of which is incorporated here by reference.
The invention relates to a sliding door with an integral linear drive system, in particular with a linear motor.
Sliding doors are very well known. If sliding doors are to be provided with a linear drive system, the challenge is having to modify already existing suspensions as little as possible or not at all.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a solution to the above mentioned problem.
An inventive suspension for at least one panel, in particular a sliding door leaf, movable along a travel path, has a guiding profile, which is configured such as to extend longitudinally along a travel path of the at least one movable panel, and has sidewall sections. The sidewall sections are configured to extend in a direction of the longitudinal extension of the guiding profile and parallel to a vertical extension of the movable panel. In addition, at an end facing away from the at least one movable panel, the sidewall sections are connected to each other by means of a horizontal wall section. At an end facing the guiding profile, the at least one movable panel is received in a guided and supported manner in the guiding profile. A driver member of the linear drive system is operatively connected to the at least one movable panel such that, during a movement, the driver member entrains the at least one movable panel. In the guiding profile, in a space between the horizontal wall section and the driver member, a reception space is formed into which a driving profile is fitted and stationarily mounted to the guiding profile, the linear drive system, at least partially, being accommodated in the driving profile and the driving profile being disposed in the guiding profile above a guide of the movable panel. It is thereby possible to provide the movable panel with a linear drive system while using an already existing guiding profile without having to machine the guiding profile. Therefore, the possibility of retrofitting to another linear drive system or even of re-establishing a manually operated installation is given.
The linear drive system may be formed by means of a flexible drive. The flexible drive has at least one traction means, for example in the shape of a rope. The traction means is guided revolving around two deflection pulleys, respectively one of the two deflection pulleys being disposed freely rotatably at the driving profile in a terminal area of the travel path. A drive motor is operatively connected to one of the two deflection pulleys or to a driving wheel of the flexible drive, which driving wheel is in a driving operative connection with the traction means. In this case, one end of the driver member, facing away from the at least one movable panel, is attached to the traction means. The deflection pulleys are preferably supported on axles, which in turn, at both ends, are supported against sidewall sections of the driving profile. Thereby, a compact linear drive system is built and formed as a module. The traction means can be formed by means of a traction rope, a toothed belt or a chain.
The linear drive system may be formed as well by means of a spindle drive. A drive motor is operatively connected to a threaded spindle. The threaded spindle is freely rotatably supported in spindle bearings and disposed to extend in the direction of the travel path. The spindle bearings are attached to the driving profile or are integrally formed with it. At an end facing away from the movable panel, the driver member has a threaded bush section. The threaded bush section has a threaded section, which is configured complementarily to the threaded spindle and is screwed onto the threaded spindle by means of this threaded section. Preferably, the driver member has a roller, which is disposed such as to roll along a travel path of the movable panel, on a side of the horizontal wall section facing it, and to be supported on the side facing it. Thereby, the threaded spindle is prevented from bending in the direction of the horizontal wall section.
As an alternative, the linear drive system may be formed by means of a linear motor. The driver member is preferably formed by means of a body of a rotor member. A stator of the linear motor is attached to a mounting member and extends over a predetermined area of the travel path along this area. At a side facing away from the movable panel, the rotor has a row of magnets. The rotor and the stator are interacting in such a way that energizing the stator effects a movement of the rotor, the body being operatively connected to the movable panel at a side facing the movable panel.
The plurality of possible linear drive systems having the above mentioned advantages provide the freedom of choosing the linear drive system depending on certain advantages and of not being limited to one particular linear drive system.
The movable panel may consist of a sliding door leaf, of a curved sliding door leaf, of a revolving door leaf, of a folding door leaf or even of a partitioning wall module.
Furthermore according to the invention, it is intended that the guiding profile has several reception spaces, which are disposed side by side transversally to a direction of movement of the at least one movable panel and are essentially aligned parallel to each other. It is thereby possible to use several sliding doors with their own linear drive system respectively, while utilizing the existing guiding profile.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, in which:
As shown in
As an alternative, the lower rollers 6 are omitted such that the sliding door leaf 1 is received in the guiding profile 10 such as to freely float.
At a top side, i.e., at a side facing the guiding profile 10, when seen in the y-coordinate direction, the upper frame part 5 has a roller mounting 8 preferably at both ends of the upper frame part 5,
In the example illustrated in
Above the guiding rollers 16, a driving profile 20 is fitted or inserted into the guiding profile 10. The driving profile 20 is intended to receive or to support parts of a linear drive system, which is not visible in
In relation to the sliding door leaf 1, the rollers 6 are preferably supported in a resilient manner. This means the rotating axles of the rollers 6 are preferably not stationarily accommodated in the sliding door leaf 1 or attached to the latter. Preferably, the rotating axles of the rollers 6, as shown in
As an alternative, the suspension, as illustrated by way of example in
A drive motor 54 is dimensioned such that, when seen in the ±z-coordinate direction, it is completely received in the driving profile 20. A motor mounting 23 is placed in the driving profile 20, in which mounting the drive motor 54 is received torque-proof with regard to the driving profile 20.
The motor mounting 23 and the drive motor 54 are configured such that neither the motor mounting 23 nor the drive motor 54 is able to rotate about an x-coordinate axis in
A transmission element in the shape of a cylindrical gear 57 is disposed torque-proof at a free end of an output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54. The cylindrical gear 57 is operatively connected to a crown wheel 58, which itself is torque-proof connected to a first deflection pulley 53 or, as is shown in
A second deflection pulley 53′, around which the rope 52 is likewise guided, is freely rotatably disposed at an end of the driving profile 20 facing away from the drive motor 54, such as to form a revolving rope drive. The rotating axles 56, 56′ of the deflection pulleys 53, 53′ are preferably supported at opposite sidewall sections 22 of the driving profile 20 and are supported freely rotatably.
As all parts of the linear drive system are stationarily mounted at or in the driving profile 20, the result is a drive module which can be easily placed, respectively inserted into the guiding profile 10 of the above described sliding door suspension, allowing for a simple installation, respectively for retrofitting of a so far manually operated sliding door, and of a sliding door leaf 1 which is already suspended, respectively guided by means of a guiding profile 10.
If the drive motor 54 has a larger dimension than a reception space of the driving profile 20, it is intended to mount the drive motor 54 stationarily at the right end of the driving profile 20, as is shown in
According to an embodiment illustrated in
The insert portion 23a has a through-opening 23t serving for a reception and passage of the output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54. A freely rotatable bushing, which is received in the through-opening for example supported by ball bearings and freely rotatably, is preferably disposed inside the through-opening 23t. As an alternative, the bushing itself can serve as a pivot bearing for the output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54. At an end of the insert portion 23a facing the driving profile 20, the output shaft 54s protrudes from the former. The above described cylindrical gear 57 is torque-proof disposed at this protruding end 54p of the output shaft 54s.
In order to prevent the drive motor 54 from falling out of the holding portion 23b, the drive motor 54 is held by means of clamping within the reception space 23m of the holding portion 23b.
As an alternative or in addition, the drive motor 54 can be secured within the holding portion 23b by means of snap connection(s). For this purpose, suitably disposed latching projections, respectively latching receptions are to be provided at an exterior surface of the drive motor 54 and at corresponding reception surfaces of the holding portion 23b.
Again, as an alternative or in addition, a motor fixing can be provided, which is formed by means of a cover 23c, which, once the drive motor 54 has been installed into the holding portion 23b, is placed onto the end of the holding portion 23b facing away from the driving profile 20. Preferably, at the end, facing away from the driving profile 20, the holding portion 23b has threaded bores 23h. At corresponding locations, the cover 23c has through-openings 23f. Attachment screws 23e, passing through the through-openings 23f, are screwed into a respective threaded bore 23h of the holding portion 23b. As an alternative or in addition, on the other hand, the cover 23c can be fastened by means of snap connection(s) at the holding portion 23b.
The motor mounting 23 is preferably configured such that it will at least not protrude beyond an upper exterior face of the horizontal wall section 13 of the guiding profile 10, once the motor mounting 23 is installed in the driving profile 20 and once the driving profile 20 is installed into the guiding profile 10. It is thereby possible to mount the guiding profile 10 including the linear drive system, for example, at a ceiling (see,
If the drive motor 54 has external dimensions, which will not allow to mount the above described cylindrical gear 57 torque-proof onto the output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54 and to couple it operatively to the crown wheel 58, a disposition according to
The through-opening 23t of the insert portion 23a communicates with an opening 23t′ in the holding portion 23b at the end facing the insert portion 23a up to a pre-determined extension measure. This means the holding portion 23b has an axle reception 23t′ with a cross-sectional shape, which essentially corresponds to a cross-sectional shape of the through-opening 23t of the insert portion 23a. The above described cylindrical gear 57 is disposed torque-proof on one end of a drive shaft 54d. The drive shaft 54d extends from the cylindrical gear 57 passing through the insert portion 23a into the axle reception 23t′ of the holding portion 23b. At the end of the drive shaft 54d, located within the holding portion 23b, a transmission element, for example in the shape of another cylindrical gear 57′, is disposed torque-proof. Another transmission element, again preferably in the shape of a cylindrical gear 57″, is in engagement with the one transmission element 57′. On a side facing the insert portion 23a, the other cylindrical gear 57″ is disposed torque-proof on an axle which in turn is freely rotatably supported in a second axle reception formed within the holding portion 23b. On an opposite side, namely facing away from the insert portion 23a, the other transmission element 57″ has a recess 57r″ with a non-circular interior contour. At the free end, the output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54 has an exterior contour, which essentially is configured complementarily to the interior contour of the recess 57r″ of the other transmission element 57″. When installing the drive motor 54, the output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54 reaches positive rotational engagement with the other transmission element 57″. By means of the transmission in the holding portion 23b, the drive motor 54 is thereby operatively connected to the above described cylindrical gear 57.
According to an advantageous further development of the invention, the other transmission element 57″, on both sides, is torque-proof disposed on an axle 57a″, hence has no recess with a non-circular interior contour. The axle 57a″, on both sides of the other transmission element 57″, is received and freely rotatably supported within the second axle reception of the holding portion 23b. At an end facing the drive motor 54, the axle 57a″ has now a recess analogously to the recess 57r″ described above for the other transmission element 57″, which recess serves for the reception of the free end of the output shaft 54s of the drive motor 54. This further development has the advantage that the axle 57a″ is supported not only on one side, but on both sides of the other transmission element 57″ in two locations, providing constructional advantages.
According to an advantageous further development of the invention, the motor mounting 23 is configured such that the holding portion 23b and possibly the cover 23c have an exterior contour, which corresponds to an exterior contour of the guiding profile 10 such that a user gets the impression that the holding portion 23b and possibly the cover 23c, in the installed condition, seem to be a part of the guiding profile 10 and thus appear to be a continuation thereof.
Again, according to another advantageous further development of the invention, the motor mounting 23 is configured such that the holding portion 23b and possibly the cover 23c have an exterior contour which corresponds to an exterior contour of the driving profile 20. Therefore, the holding portion 23b can be considered as a continuation of the driving profile 20 and, like the driving profile 20, can be reliably and invisibly for a user accommodated within the guiding profile 10.
In case of a multi-leaf sliding door, two or more driving modules can be placed into the guiding profile(s) 10. For the purpose of a possibly required synchronization, they may be additionally interconnected or connected to a centralized control circuit.
In the above described linear drive systems, a tensioning device 52t for the traction means 52 is preferably provided, which, advantageously, automatically tensions itself to a pre-determined extent.
As an alternative, the linear drive system may be likewise configured by means of a chain drive 50, as illustrated in
The described cylindrical gear-crown wheel and bevel gears 55 are interchangeable. In addition, they may be replaced by any other possible transmission, as long as the function is maintained.
A drive motor 64 is mounted in the driving profile 20 respectively in a motor mounting 23, analogously to the above described linear drive systems. An output shaft 64s of the drive motor 64 is operatively coupled to a threaded spindle 62. The threaded spindle 62 is freely rotatably supported in a spindle bearing 63. According to an embodiment of the invention illustrated in
As an alternative, the through-openings 63t, 63t′ are provided with a female thread into which the threaded spindle 62 is screwed.
As an alternative, as shown in
As shown in
A driver 61 of a non-illustrated sliding door leaf 1 likewise has a through-opening 61t for the reception of the threaded spindle 62 and has a female thread on the inside, into which the threaded spindle 62 is screwed. The driver 61 may have an above described bearing bushing 61b with the restriction that the bearing bushing 61b is disposed torque-proof in relation to the driver 61. In addition, at an end facing away from the sliding door leaf 1, the driver 61 has a roller 65, the axis of rotation thereof extending in the ±z-coordinate direction in
According to another embodiment of the invention illustrated in
In order to achieve a higher stability, according to another variant shown in
In
The at least one stator module is preferably inserted into a reception profile, which is adapted to be inserted into the above described driving profile 20. This means, instead of the above described linear drive systems as complete modules, in this case, just the stator 30, as a component of the linear motor 2, is inserted into the driving profile 20. The reception profile is preferably configured such that, during insertion into the driving profile 20, the reception profile is locked in order to be reliably retained. As an alternative, latching connections, screw connections or any other attachment options are possible.
As an alternative, each stator module is directly inserted into the driving profile 20.
Preferably, the stator modules have a height hS, which is inferior to a height hA of a reception space of the driving profile 20 for the stator 30. This means that a hollow space is provided above the stator 30. This hollow space is useful for example if, when seen in ±z-coordinate direction in
The ends of the sidewall sections 22, facing away from the horizontal wall section 25, are adjoined by projections 26, which are configured parallel to the horizontal wall section 25 and are facing each other. Upper surfaces of the projections 26 form bearing surfaces for the stator 30. The stator 30 is thus resting with its underside on these projections 26.
The rotor 40 associated to the linear motor 2 is formed by means of one or more rotor parts 41, as is shown in
In order to prevent the rotor 40 from sticking to the stator 30, the rotor members 41 are provided with rotor rollers 46. Advantageously, the rotor rollers 46 are disposed such as to roll respectively on an underside of the above described projections 26 of the driving profile 20. Thus, the projections 26 have several functions. On the one side they serve to support the stator 30 to the top of the linear motor 2 and the rotor 40 to the bottom of the linear motor 2. On the other side, in conjunction with the rotor rollers 46, the projections 26 guarantee a predetermined minimum distance between stator 30 and rotor 40. Thereby, in terms of an interaction between the stator 30 and the rotor 40, a desired operation of the linear motor 2 is made possible. Furthermore, the rotor 40 is guided along the projections 26 and thus along a travel path to be respected. For this purpose, the rotor rollers 46 have preferably at least one wheel flange.
Overall, the achieved result is a very compact and space-saving structure of the linear motor 2, as well as a simple incorporation into the above described guiding profile 10 of the sliding door suspension of
According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
In contact surfaces with the connecting pin 45, the reception 47a is preferably covered with an elastic plastic material or is formed by means of this plastic material. Thereby, despite a constant contact between the connecting pin 45 and the reception, a certain play is possible between them without resulting in delays in the movements of the rotor 40 and the sliding door leaf 1, and therefore without resulting in a jerky or irregular movement of the sliding door leaf 1.
Preferably, the reception 47a is configured such that the sliding door leaf 1 can move to a predetermined extent in the ±z-coordinate direction with regard to the connecting pin 45. For this purpose, when seen in the ±y-coordinate direction in
In
Preferably, already in a resting state of the sliding door leaf 1, the spring elements 70 are pre-tensioned. Thus, on account of the spring elements 70, the rotor 40 is pressed in the direction of the stator 30. In conjunction with the rotor rollers 46 it is thus guaranteed that the rotor 40 has an almost constant distance to the stator 30, which is required for the operation of the linear motor 2. Furthermore, the spring elements 70 achieve that possible unevenness along the travel path of the sliding door leaf 1 and/or other movements of the sliding door leaf 1, as a desired, or “ideal” travel motion, are not transferred to the rotor 40, at least not to a considerable extent. Despite the fact that the sliding door leaf 1 is entrained by the rotor 40, the furthest going uncoupling of rotor 40 and sliding door leaf 1 is realized with regard to unwanted movements of the sliding door leaf 1. In addition, an attraction force is possible between the rotor 40 and the stator 30, which force is smaller than the weight of the rotor 40.
As an alternative or in addition thereto, it is intended to support the connecting pin 45 in the body 43 pivotably to a predetermined extent, at least about one ±x-coordinate axis in
The mounting portion 47 is preferably manufactured from an elastic material. The spring elements 70 are abutting the mounting portion 47 laterally such that they clamp the mounting portion 47 to a predetermined extent and are thus able to relieve the connecting pin 45.
According to an embodiment of the invention shown in
In the linear drive systems 50, based on a traction means 52, usually rigidly formed drivers are intended for the operative connection of the traction means 52 to the respective sliding door leaf 1.
Basically, such rigid drivers are also suitable for the spindle drive 60 and for the linear motor 2. With the linear motor 2, a respective driver 51 is stationarily mounted, preferably at an underside of the rotor 40 or at a carriage 28.
In
A separate connecting element 44 may be provided for each helical spring 70, as shown in the center of
In both variants, the spring element 70 additionally assumes a driver function with regard to the sliding door leaf 1.
If no mounting portion 47 is provided, according to a third embodiment of the invention shown in
In
Furthermore, the spring element 70 is made from an elastically deformable material. Similar to the above described embodiments, free ends 70a, 70b of the spring element 70 are supported at an upper surface of a sliding door leaf 1 or of an upper frame part 5. Preferably, one end 70a is configured to be flatter than the respective other end 70b and is fitted into a reception formed at the upper surface of the sliding door leaf 1 or of the frame part 5.
An alternative spring element 70, according to yet another embodiment of the invention shown in
According to an embodiment of the invention shown in
Yet another embodiment of the spring element 70 is shown in
In order to prevent the sliding door leaf 1 from tilting in ±z-coordinate direction in
If an above described flexible drive 50 or spindle drive 60 is used, a driver 51 is coupled to the respective traction means 52.
If a linear motor 2 per se is to be utilized as a drive with the sliding door 1 according to
If the available space is not sufficient, an embodiment shown in
In order for the rotor 40 to bridge the angle between the two driving profiles 20, the rotor 40 is configured to be flexible. According to an embodiment of the invention illustrated in
It is preferably intended that the two bearing bushings 43b of one rotor member 41 are respectively flush with different sides of the associated rotor member 41. This means, the bearing bushings 43b are rotationally symmetrically disposed such that the respective rotor member 41, in one position and in another position, in which it has rotated about the y-coordinate axis about 180° in
When assembling two directly adjacent rotor members 41, the bearing bushings 43b facing each other result in one entire bearing bushing 43b for an axle, the rotor rollers 46 being provided at the ends thereof. The rotor rollers 46 are preferably freely rotatably disposed on the associated axle. Therefore, the axle can be formed as an insert axle, which is stationarily insertable into a respective entire bearing bushing 43b.
As an alternative, the rotor rollers 46 are torque-proof disposed on the associated axle, and the axle is freely rotatably supported in the respective entire bearing bushing 43b.
In rotor members 41, which are disposed at the ends of the rotor 40, it is preferably intended that the bearing bushing 43b of the respective end rotor member 41 facing away from the other rotor members 41 extends over a total width of this terminal rotor member 41. Thus this bearing bushing 43b itself forms an entire bearing bushing 43b.
In order to prevent the rotor members 41 from sticking to one of the stator modules, respectively one arrangement of rotor rollers 46 is provided, preferably between each pair of directly adjacent rotor members 41, as shown in
As an alternative, the bearing bushings 43b may be configured such as to allow pivoting of directly adjacent rotor members 41 exclusively in −y-coordinate direction in
A carriage 28, disposed above the connecting element 44, is connected to the connecting element 44 by means of a not illustrated driver such that the carriage 28 entrains the sliding door leaf 1 upon movement.
If the weight of the sliding door leaf 1 is completely absorbed by the rollers 6, an arrangement of guiding rollers 21 is not required.
As an alternative, according to an embodiment of the invention shown in
The stator 30 of the linear motor 2 is interacting with a side of the rotor 40 opposite the toothing, on which side a row of magnets 42 of the rotor 40 is located. Thus, a translational up and down movement of the rotor 40 is transformed into a rotational movement of the right deflection pulley 53, which after that moves the traction means 52 with a not illustrated driver 51 which is mounted thereto.
If the space above the sliding door leaf 1 is not sufficient for the rotor 40, it may be intended, according to another disposition shown in
From a position of one respective deflection pulley 53 on, the stator 30 of the linear motor extends essentially downwards, i.e., vertically with regard to a direction of motion of the sliding door leaf 1. Coils 33 of the stator 30 are preferably fitted onto coil forms 34, which in turn may be fitted onto a magnetizable keeper 35. The thus formed stator module is preferably moulded and placed into a reception profile 36.
Furthermore, the reception profile 36 has preferably guiding rails 32 pointing towards the rotor 40. A body 43 of the rotor 40 has preferably a recess for a row of magnets 42. As an alternative, the body 43 has a plane surface facing the stator 30, on which surface the row of magnets 42, respectively are attached, for example by means of glueing. Rotor rollers 46 are freely rotatably disposed laterally of the body 43 such that they correspond to the guiding rails 32. Advantageously, the guiding rails 32 have crowned or convex shaped running surfaces, whereas the rotor rollers 46 have a running surface which is complementarily configured to the running surface of the respective guiding rail 32.
As an alternative, the running surfaces of the guiding rails 32 may be flat. In this case, the rotor rollers 46 are configured similar to wheels of rail vehicles. This means the rotor rollers 46 have a running surface with a flat cross-section and extending essentially parallel or slightly inclined with regard to the running surface of the respective guiding rail 32 and have at least one wheel flange, which can prevent the rotor 40 from derailing. At a side of the rotor 40 facing away from the stator 30, an additional driver 51 is mounted, which in turn is attached to a traction means 52 preferably by means of clamping and which is preferably configured similarly to one of the above described drivers 51. This traction means 52 is put around two additional deflection pulleys 53. The two additional deflection pulleys 53 are disposed so as to have the traction means 52, in the area of a travel path of the additional driver 51, extend parallel to a longitudinal extension of the rotor 40. An upper one of the two additional deflection pulleys 53 is either integrally configured with the right deflection pulley 53 of
The additional driver 51 is preferably disposed so as to be located close to the lower additional deflection pulley 53, in a position in which the non-illustrated sliding door leaf 1 is situated on the far left side in
The above described linear drive systems are respectively configured as a unit or as a drive module. They do not assume any function with regard to the factual carrying or guiding of a respective sliding door leaf 1. The sliding door leaf 1 is separately supported and guided along its travel path by means of a guiding profile 10, a floor rail 3 or by both. In this regard, the linear drive system is thus decoupled from the sliding door leaf 1.
In such a guiding profile 10, the sliding door leaf 1 with a possible linear drive system and the inactive leaf 80 are interchangeable.
A driving profile 20, disposed on the right hand side in
In
Attachment sections, which are disposed prestressed in the guiding profile 10, are provided for mounting the driving profiles 20.
Even, if the invention has been described in conjunction with a sliding door leaf 1, it is applicable to any other panel which is to be moved along a travel path, such as curved sliding doors, circular sliding doors, partitioning wall modules and the like.
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2007 032 474 | Jul 2007 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2008/005534 | 7/8/2008 | WO | 00 | 1/11/2010 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009/007086 | 1/15/2009 | WO | A |
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