Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural strip – slat – or panel type – Roll type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-10
2004-07-27
Purol, David (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural strip, slat, or panel type
Roll type
C160S232000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06766845
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an industrial gate having a multiplicity of segments a double-walled segment and furthermore a method for manufacturing such a segment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Industrial gates having a gate body covering the gateway and comprising a multiplicity of segments, or lamellae, which are interconnected such that they may be oriented at a relative angle, wherein the segments are formed to be double-walled, have been found to be excellently suited under practical conditions. They are known as fast-moving industrial gates from German patent applications DE 40 15 214 A, DE 40 15 215 A, and DE 40 15 216 A, for example. The fast-moving spiral gate described here is at the same time a burglar-proof external gate and weather-resistant fast-moving gate, to thus also be suited for frequently used closures of buildings.
Inasmuch as such external gates in many cases furthermore subdivide areas of substantially different temperatures, i.e., the range of the generally warm, heated inner space and the free external surroundings, they frequently are desired to also have heat-insulation properties. The double-walled segments which are mostly produced of aluminum, however, basically conduct heat well; for the like applications it is therefore intended to thermally separate the walls of the segments. This is practically achieved in that the segment walls are interconnected at their longitudinal edges through the intermediary of a respective web formed of a material which has a lower heat conductivity than the material of the segment walls. Frequently a GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) is used as a material for the webs. For accommodating the edges of the webs, e.g., substantially dovetail-shaped grooves are formed in the range of the longitudinal edges of the segment walls, with the edges of the webs traditionally having a complementary shape. When the webs are fitted in the dovetail-shaped grooves, one groove wall is deformed with the aid of a deformation process whereby the edges of the webs are squeezed.
A thermally disconnected, double-walled segment formed in this way possesses high stability owing to the materials used and the positive engagement at the locations of connection, so that it is equally suited for fast-moving industrial gates. At the same time, a clearly reduced heat transfer across the gate body of the industrial gate is achieved through the thermal separation of the segment walls.
Under practical conditions, however, problems resulted even with such a design: Thus the reduced heat transfer within the segment had the result that the segment walls may present clearly different temperatures. This is the case, for instance, when the internal space closed off by the industrial gate is air-conditioned or refrigerated, whereas the outside of the gate body is exposed to direct insolation. The quite considerable longitudinal expansion of aluminum under thermal influences then results in a very different behavior of the internal wall compared with the external wall of the segment. This brought about a flexure of the segment in the direction of its longitudinal extension. This problem is of considerable importance particularly in the case of gate widths exceeding three meters. In particular this may also result in an impaired functional safety of the industrial gate, for segments thus bent exhibit a different behavior under the quite considerable dynamic loads in high-velocity operation than under normal conditions. Problems may possibly occur during opening of the gate, i.e., during retraction of the gate body into the spiral section in the lintel range of the gateway.
Damage may furthermore be caused to the very segment, for the GFRP web may be subjected to considerable tensions owing to its rigidly clamped condition relative to the two segment walls. In an extreme case, this may lead to fatigue of the web material, or even to destruction of a web.
This problem is further intensified if such an industrial gate is constantly subjected to such uses. This is true, for instance, for cases when continually cooled spaces, such as refrigerator rooms or the like, are closed off by the segmented gate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is therefore based on the objective of further developing a generic industrial gate in such a way that even areas of clearly different room temperatures may be separated at a preserved functional safety of the industrial gate. In addition, a corresponding segment and a method for manufacturing such a segment are to be furnished in accordance with the invention.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, this object is attained by an industrial gate having the features of claim
1
. It is particularly characterized in that one substantially U-shaped profile groove each for receiving the edges of the webs is formed at the longitudinal edges of the segment walls, and in that one elastomer plastic element each is arranged between the edges of the webs and the inner surface of the profile groove in a press-fit, i.e., under deformation of the plastic element in comparison with the load-free state.
Here it was found in accordance with the invention that the problem of a flexure of the segments due to the different expansion of the segment walls may be mitigated in that the coupling of the webs to the segment walls is designed, other than in the prior art, such that a displacement of the segment walls relative to the webs is possible to a certain extent. Based on this insight, it was surprisingly found in the course of the invention that this may be achieved, at comparatively low expense, by the intermediate arrangement of an elastomer plastic element under lasting deformation at the locations of connection. In contrast with the prior art, a double-walled segment designed in such a way no longer constitutes a rigid structure but admits the necessary compensatory movements.
At the same time, however, it was also found entirely surprisingly that this type of connection is furthermore suited for forming a segment which is stable in itself and suffices the demands and particularly the dynamic demands to high-velocity operation of the industrial gate. The manner of connecting the segment walls by means of the webs in accordance with the invention therefore allows for a cohesion of the single elements of the segment such that the latter will furthermore be burglar-proof.
Here it was found in the framework of the invention that surprisingly even press-fitting an elastomer plastic element between the edges of the web and the inner surface of the respective profile groove is sufficient for generating the necessary retaining forces, i.e., enable a reliable connection of the members. Here the elastomer plastic element acts as a kind of “spring”; specific examinations showed that it stretches when the insert panel is pressed into the U-shaped profile groove, to then contract again when insertion is complete.
It is another advantage of the invention that hereby a substantially greater freedom of construction is provided with regard to choice of a material for the web, so that even materials having a lower heat conductivity than GFRP may be employed. Hereby the insulating effect of the segment and thus of the entire gate body of the industrial gate may be improved further. This expands the possibilities of use for the industrial gate in accordance with the invention, in particular also in the field of climate-controlled spaces.
At the same time, the industrial gate in accordance with the invention continues to furnish a reliable external closure and may readily be operated at high velocities of, e.g., 3 m/s. It is moreover suited for large gate widths.
Advantageous developments of the invention result from the features of subclaims
2
to
10
.
It is thus, for example, also possible for the segments to be made translucent in a center region of the segment walls, with the segment walls comprising two profile members extending over the length of the segments and a translucent insert panel arranged between these, wherein
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Efaflex Tor-und Sicherheitssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
Purol David
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