Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Pleating type – With slide guides
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-22
2002-11-19
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Pleating type
With slide guides
C160S264000, C160S277000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06481487
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a guidance device for a flexible curtain containing horizontal cross-pieces forming the panel of a motor-driven flexible curtain door, allowing the panel to be moved quickly between a closed position and an open position.
The guidance device in this invention is intended in particular for doors in which the flexible curtain is either rolled around a drum or folded, concertina-style, in a given space.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
There are known flexible curtain doors which have two vertical, parallel metal supports in a U or C shape which can be fitted either directly into a concrete frame on which the door is fitted, or via elastic components placed between the vertical jambs of the concrete frame and the metal supports, as described in European Patent Application No. 92 909384 (i.e., EP 0 587 586).
Each metal support receives a straight guidance path in which the lateral edges of the flexible curtain run when it is moved between a closed position and an open position.
The guidance paths are made from channel in which a slideway is placed to guide the lateral edges of the curtain in each direction. Each guidance path includes a slideway whose internal profile is roughly square, with one edge having a slot running the full height of the guidance path for the curtain to pass along.
The guidance paths are made of a semi-elastic material, so that when a pulling force is exerted on the curtain, the lateral edges of the curtain are released from the guidance paths.
This type of flexible curtain door has certain problems in that it is impossible to have access to and to clean the internal walls of the slideways fitted in each guidance path. When these doors are installed in rooms where food products are processed, it is essential to clean the door, and in particular the guidance paths completely after each day's work. The structure of the guidance paths described above means that this procedure is impossible without completely dismantling the door.
In addition, the guidance paths have very low resistance to impact, since the semi-elastic material of which the section is made is weakened by the slot made along its full height.
Slideways are more traditionally made of an open, U-shaped section the width across which is identical from top to bottom, a solution which is unsuitable for the way in which these doors operate.
Thus for concertina-style flexible curtain doors, these slideways have made it necessary to accommodate, when the door is open, a significant volume of stacked slats, while the passage that is necessary and sufficient in the closed position is limited to the thickness of the door.
Similarly, for roll-up doors, the curtain shifts in its vertical plane because of the change in the diameter of the roller curtain, depending on whether it is in the open or closed position. It is therefore recommended that the upper part of the slideway should be wider, to allow the panel to drop without restriction and without friction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The guidance device in the invention includes, on the vertical and opposite jambs of a flexible curtain door, straps which are arranged opposite each other to form a guideway on each jamb for the horizontal cross-pieces, with the straps each being stretched and fixed between two end points built into the corresponding jamb to allow each strap, when subjected to an external force, to deform elastically and return undamaged to its original position.
The guidance device according to at least one embodiment of this invention has on each jamb of the door two straps with a sloping part to provide accommodation space for the flexible curtain, and a straight-vertical part so that the straps are parallel with each other to guide the curtain in its vertical movements between a closed position and an open position.
The guidance device may also provide that each strap has, between a holding pin and a stop, a sloping part to form, with the other strap, a V-shaped space to accommodate the unwinding of the flexible curtain of a roll-up door when it is blocked in its descent by an obstacle.
The guidance device may also provide that each strap has, between a holding pin and a stop, a first sloping part, and between the stop and another midway stop a second sloping part to form, with the other strap, a graduated opening space to accommodate the folds of the flexible curtain of a concertina-style door, when it is closed.
The invention may include straps, the width of each of which is dependent on that of the flexible curtain of the door.
The guidance device may utilize stops against which the straps bear so that the line of each strap is defined along its whole length.
The guidance device may have, between two straps on a jamb of the door, and especially in the straight vertical part of these, a distance “d” close to that of the thickness of the flexible curtain.
The invention may provide that the guidance device has straps, each of which is able, when subjected to an external force, to deform elastically, on the one hand around its vertical axis, and on the other hand perpendicularly to its vertical axis, and to return undamaged to its original position.
The invention may also provide for a flexible curtain door that includes vertical and opposite jambs on which are fixed straps which are arranged opposite each other to form a guideway on each jamb for the horizontal cross-pieces of the flexible curtain, with the straps each being stretched and fixed between two end points, built into the jambs to allow each strap, when subjected to an external force, to deform elastically and return undamaged to its original position.
The invention further provides for a device for guiding a curtain in an opening, the device comprising a first guideway mounted to a first jamb adjacent the opening. The first guideway comprises a space adapted to receive a portion of the curtain and at least one elastically deformable member which is arranged between at least two points on the first jamb. A second guideway is mounted to a second jamb adjacent the opening. The second guideway comprises a space adapted to receive a portion of the curtain and at least one elastically deformable member which is arranged between at least two points on the second jamb. The first and second guideways flexibly guide the curtain within the space of the guideways.
At least one of the elastically deformable members may be oriented generally vertically. At least one of the elastically deformable members may be adapted to deform elastically and return undamaged to an original position. At least one of the elastically deformable members may be adapted to deform elastically perpendicularly to one of a corresponding first and second jambs and to return to an original position. At least one of the elastically deformable members may comprise an elastic strap. At least one of the elastically deformable members may be stretched between the at least two points. At least one of the first and second guideways may be adapted to guide side portions of the curtain within the space of the respective first and second guideways.
The invention provides for a device for guiding a curtain in an opening, the device comprising a first guideway mounted to a first jamb adjacent the opening. The first guideway comprises at least two members defining a space therebetween and is adapted to receive a portion of the curtain. At least one of the two members of the first guideway is an elastically deformable member arranged between at least two points on the first jamb. A second guideway is mounted to a second jamb adjacent the opening. The second guideway comprises at least two members defining a space therebetween and which is adapted to receive a side portion of the curtain. At least one of the two members of the second guideway is an elastically deformable member arranged between at least two points on the second jamb. The first and second guideways flexibly guide side portions of the curtain within the space of th
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