EP0524900B1 - Electro-mechanical drive device for overhead door, especially for overhead garage door - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electromechanical control device (1) for an overhead door (2), composed of a leaf balanced by lateral counterweights and connected to said leaves by means of cables or chains which are partially wound around pulleys or toothed pinions driven by transmission means co-operating with driving means of a geared-motor assembly. This electromechanical control device is characterised in that it comprises at least one driving plate (33, 33A) attached to the leaf (7) and capable of co-operating directly with the driving means (17) of the geared-motor assembly (14) in the respective initial and final opening and closing phases of the overhead door, said electromechanical control device comprising, furthermore, release means (6) actuated via the driving plate or driving plates (33, 33A) for releasing the geared-motor assembly (14) from said transmission means (18) during this respective initial and final opening and closing phase. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an electromechanical control device for an overhead door, in particular for an overhead garage door, comprising an opening balanced by lateral counterweights connected to said opening by cables or chains that are partially wound around pulleys or pinions. toothed driven by means of transmission cooperating with drive means of a geared motor assembly.

The present invention will find its application in the field of building joinery and, more particularly, in the manufacturers of tilting doors, in particular garage doors.

In fact, electromechanical control devices are already known for tilting door, in particular for garage tilting door corresponding to the description above.

Thus, such a device is described in particular in document EP-B-0.089.909.

Thus, this electromechanical control device known through this prior document applies, more particularly, to overhead garage doors comprising a frame made up of two uprights connected to their upper part by a lintel placed horizontally, as well as an opening tilting guided by means of guide pins or the like moving in vertical rails arranged, precisely, in the uprights of the frame. This opening is, moreover, balanced by means of lateral counterweights sliding in vertical slides situated, possibly, at the height of the uprights of the frame. In fact, these counterweights are connected to the opening by means of cables or chains which are partially wound around pulleys or toothed pinions driven, precisely, by means of the electromechanical control device.

This consists, more precisely, of a reducing electric motor assembly fixed by means of supports on the lintel of the frame.

This gear motor comprises a motor pinion which drives a driven pinion arranged at one end of a mechanical timer. The latter has the function of causing a shift in the opening and / or closing phase of the opening with respect to the unlocking and / or locking phase. More precisely, by means of this mechanical timer, there is obtained, in particular in the event of an opening control of the overhead door, a time lag between the moment when the electric motor is active and that when the transmission means, connected pulleys or toothed gears are driven. It is indeed necessary to ensure, prior to this opening, the unlocking of the opening. Of course, when closing, this offset occurs in the other direction insofar as the transmission means cease to be driven when the door is brought into contact with the frame, while the gear motor continues to operate in order to actuate the locking means.

As for the mechanical timer, it consists of a tubular element placed parallel to the gear motor and containing an elastic element, such as a helical spring which, when at rest has an outside diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of said tubular element. Furthermore, one end of this helical spring is made integral with the driven pinion cooperating with the motor pinion of the gear motor, while the other end is made integral in rotation, by appropriate means, of said element. tubular.

Note, moreover, that this mechanical timer is traversed, right through, by a drive shaft on which is mounted, free to rotate, the pinion driven while the tubular element is itself made integral with this drive shaft. This constitutes, in part, the transmission means coming to cooperate with the pulleys or toothed pinions.

Thus, the operation of this known device is as follows:
If we consider that the sash is closing and that it abuts against the lintel of the frame, this sash is immobilized, and the gear motor continues to be activated, it follows that the 'element tubular mechanical timer is blocked, while the driven pinion is still driven leading to the tensioning of the elastic element. In fact, this complementary rotation of the gear motor results in the locking of the tilting door by means of appropriate means actuated, precisely, during this phase by said gear motor.

The drawbacks encountered through this known electromechanical control device are twofold. First of all, this device is not able to guarantee perfect locking of the door against the frame, since, if the door encounters an obstacle preventing it from coming, perfectly, applied against the frame, the gear motor comes to actuate the locking means without the latter being able to actually cooperate with the opening. Thus, experience has shown that a less powerful wind was able to hinder, precisely, this locking operation.

In addition, given that the mechanical timer involves a spring which the gear motor must put under tension at each closing and locking of the tilting leaf, the electric motor itself must have a much higher power at the power actually required to open and close the door, knowing that the door is balanced.

However, if this excessive power is not really a handicap if we consider the economic point of view of the overhead door, it is particularly undesirable from the point of view of safety. In fact, the less powerful the electric motor, the less dangerous the opening and closing operations of the opening are for a possible user located nearby. Furthermore, current standardization leads to reducing to a minimum this power of the motor means for the automatic opening control of the overhead door, a power which is no longer compatible with the constraints encountered in the context of the electromechanical control device precisely described in this document. EP-B-0.089.909.

It should also be noted that in the event of a clutch release command to authorize the manual opening or closing of the door tilting, this disengagement occurs between the electric motor part and the speed reduction part. Consequently, during a manual opening of the tilting door, the fact of maintaining the connection between the transmission means, connected to the leaf, and said speed reducer also obliges, to drive the latter. As a result, the tilting opening can only be operated very slowly with an impression of heaviness of the latter.

The present invention has therefore proposed to remedy all of the aforementioned drawbacks and the solution which has been adopted is both simple, which is synonymous with reliability, and safe insofar as the operation of the device electromechanical control loses its randomness, while involving a lower power electric motor.

In fact, the invention as characterized in the claims solves the problem and consists of an electromechanical control device for an up-and-over door, in particular for an up-and-over garage door, composed of an opening balanced by lateral counterweights. connected to said opening by cables or chains partially winding around toothed pulleys or pinions driven by means of transmission cooperating with means for driving a motor-reduction unit, characterized in that it comprises at least one drive shoe attached to the opening and able to cooperate, directly, with the drive means of the gear motor assembly in the initial, respectively, final, opening and closing phases of the tilting door, corresponding to the locking and unlocking phases of the opening, said electromechanical control device further comprising disengaging means e actuated through the drive shoe (s) to disengage the motor-reduction unit from said transmission means during this initial, respectively, final opening and closing phase.

According to another characteristic of this invention, the electromechanical control device comprises means for locking the opening against the frame, said locking means being formed by cooperation, in the closed position of the tilting door, of the pad or pads with the means drive of the gear motor assembly which includes a mechanical brake actuated when the electric motor is not stressed.

According to another characteristic of the invention, this electromechanical control device comprises clutch release and manual unlocking means acting on said clutch release means, on the one hand, to undo the cooperation between the transmission means and the transmission means. drive of the gear motor assembly and, on the other hand, between said drive means of the latter and the drive shoe or pads associated with the opening.

The main advantages obtained thanks to this invention consist, essentially, in that the electric motor associated with the geared motor assembly must only have the power necessary to control the opening and closing of a balanced opening, since 'no additional function is associated with it. In fact, this electromechanical control device is devoid of any mechanical timer, but also of specific locking means which can be operated individually, since these locking means are constituted, essentially, by the simple cooperation of the drive pads with the motorized assembly. reducer through the latter's drive means.

• la figure 1 représente une vue schématisée d'une porte basculante équipée d'un dispositif de commande électromécanique conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue schématisée et en perspective, illustrant, plus particulièrement, ce dispositif de commande électromécanique ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue schématisée et en coupe selon III-III de la figure 1 illustrant, plus particulièrement, les moyens de commande de débrayage et de déverrouillage manuel ;
• les figures 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B correspondent à des schémas illustrant le principe de fonctionnement du dispositif de commande électromécanique ;
• la figure 6 représente une vue schématisée et en coupe d'une porte basculante, munie d'un dispositif de commande électromécanique conforme à l'invention, ceci dans le cadre d'une application spécifique, l'ouvrant ayant été représenté, à la fois en position de fermeture et, dans différentes positions occupées en phase d'ouverture.

The invention is set out below in more detail with the aid of drawings representing only one embodiment.

• Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a tilting door equipped with an electromechanical control device according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 represents a schematic and perspective view, illustrating, more particularly, this electromechanical control device;
• Figure 3 shows a schematic sectional view along III-III of Figure 1 illustrating, more particularly, the clutch release and manual unlocking means;
• FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B correspond to diagrams illustrating the operating principle of the electromechanical control device;
• FIG. 6 represents a schematic view in section of a tilting door, provided with an electromechanical control device according to the invention, this in the context of a specific application, the opening having been shown, both in the closed position and in different positions occupied during the open phase.

As shown in Figure 1, the present invention relates to an electromechanical control device 1 for overhead door 2. Thus, this device is more particularly applicable to a garage overhead door comprising a frame 3 composed of two uprights 4, 5 , connected at their upper part by a lintel 6 placed horizontally. This tilting door 2 is further provided with a tilting opening 7, the latter being guided, by means of guide pins or the like moving in vertical rails precisely arranged in the uprights 4, 5, of the frame. 3. The opening 7 is, moreover, balanced by means of counterweights 8, 9 sliding in vertical slides located, possibly at the height of the uprights 4, 5 of the frame 3.

More precisely, these counterweights are connected to the opening 7 by means of cables or chains 10, 11 which are partially wound around pulleys or toothed pinions 12, 13. The latter are driven by means of the electromechanical control device 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, this electromechanical control device 1 consists of an electric geared motor assembly 14 made integral by means of a support 15 of the internal face 16 of the lintel 6 and comprising drive means 17 cooperating with transmission means 18 which are connected to the pulleys or toothed pinions 12, 13 in order to drive them in rotation.

It should be noted that the electric motor associated with the geared motor assembly 14 is equipped with a mechanical brake actuated when the electric power supply to said motor is cut off.

As regards, more particularly, the drive means 17 equipping the geared motor assembly 14, these are in the form of a motor drum 19 with horizontal axis of rotation and kept free in rotation, at the level of its ends 20, 21 in bearings 22, 23 associated with the support 15. In fact, this drum motor 19 may have in its internal part and in a manner known to those skilled in the art, an electric motor with which a reduction gear is associated . However, this electric motor and this reducer are also able to take a position externally to this motor drum 19 while ensuring the drive. Furthermore, the latter comprises, on its outer periphery, one or more friction drive elements 24, 24A, such as rubber belts, one of which at least comes to cooperate with said transmission means 18.

The latter consist of a shaft 25 parallel to the motor drum 19 and passing right through from the bearings 26, 27 arranged in the same vertical planes as the bearings 22, 23. Just like the latter, these bearings 26, 27 are dependent on the support 15.

Furthermore, beyond these bearings 26, 27, in which the shaft 25 is, finally, mounted to rotate freely, the latter cooperates, through cardan joints 28, 29, with drive shafts 30, 31 connected to the pulleys or toothed pinions 12, 13, in order to ensure the drive in rotation.

It should be noted, moreover, that on the shaft 25, located under the motor drum 19, is mounted integral or in rotation at least one driven roller 32 intended to cooperate with a friction drive element 24 in particular to guarantee opening and closing of the tilting door 2. Preferably, both the driven roller 32 and the friction drive elements 24, 24A are made of a relatively adherent material, for example rubber.

Thus, depending on the direction of rotation imparted to the motor drum 19, one obtains, by means of said transmission means 18, the opening or closing of the tilting door 2. However, arises, more particularly, the problem of locking the sash 7 once closed on the frame 3.

Also and according to the invention, the electromechanical control device 1 comprises at least one drive shoe 33, 33A attached at the upper edge 34 and on the internal side 35 of said opening 7 and able to cooperate, directly, with the drive means 17 of the geared motor assembly 14, more particularly, in the initial, respectively, final, opening and closing phase of the tilting door 2. Ultimately, these initial, respectively, final phases of opening and closing correspond during the locking and unlocking phases of the sash 7.

However, and so as to allow the cooperation of the drive shoes 33, 33A with said drive means 17, the electromechanical control device 1 is further provided with declutching means 36 actuated through said drive shoes 33 , 33A, specifically, to disengage the motor-reducer assembly 14 of the transmission means 18 during this initial, respectively, final opening and closing phase.

According to a preferred embodiment, these declutching means 36 consist of elastic connection means 37 connecting the bearings 26, 27, corresponding to the shaft 25, to the bearings 22, 23, supporting the motor drum 19, a single set of bearing 22, 23 or 26, 27 being rigidly mounted on the crosspiece 38 corresponding to the support 15 and fixed on the internal face 16 of the lintel 6. In fact, it is, through this relative mobility between the bearings 22 , 23 of the drum motor 19 and the bearings 26, 27 of the shaft 25, of authorizing the disengagement of the drive means 17 relative to the transmission means 18 by stressing elastic means capable of bringing the elements back into their engagement position.

In the context of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and more particularly in FIG. 2, the case has been retained where the bearings 22, 23, corresponding to the motor drum 19, are made integral with said cross member 38, while the bearings 26, 27, supporting the shaft 25 are made mobile through elastic connection means 37 connecting them, precisely, to said bearings 22, 23. Note that this mobility takes place, in particular, in the vertical direction so that in case of intervention of the driving pads 33, 33A or of manual control means 39, said shaft 25 is able to move away from the motor drum 19 so that its driven roller 32 no longer comes to adhere to the corresponding friction drive element 24.

In this regard, it should be noted that on the shaft 25 are further mounted, free to rotate, rollers 40, 40A with the outside diameter 41 just slightly less than the diameter 42 of the driven roller (s) 32. These rollers 40 , 41 are arranged in correspondence with the friction drive elements 24, 24A of the motor drum 19.

Thus, at the time of closing the tilting door 2 (see FIGS. 4A, 4B; 5A, 5B) the drive shoe or pads 33, 33A, being in the form of a blade 43 arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of the opening 7 and oriented in the direction of the frame 3, are inserted between said friction drive elements 24, 24A and the rollers 40, 40A. This results by means of declutching means 36 and in particular elastic connection means 37, the spacing of the shaft 25 relative to the motor drum 19 over a distance 44, from said blade 33. In fact, this spacing suffices to prevent the adhesion of the friction drive element or elements 24 to the driven roller (s) 32. This results in the stopping of the drive of the transmission means 18 while the motor-reducer assembly 14 continues to operate so that through the cooperation of the friction drive elements 24, 24A on said drive pads 33, 33A, there is obtained a direct drive of the leaf 7 until the applied surface of the latter against the frame 3. A sensor equipping, advantageously, the electromechanical control device 1 makes it possible to detect this closed position of the tilting door 2.

In this regard, it should be observed that in this closed position, on the one hand, the maintenance of the cooperation of the drive shoes 33, 33A with the friction drive elements 24, 24A, in particular through the thrust exerted by the rollers 40, 40A and, on the other hand, the use of a motor fitted with a mechanical brake, gives this combination of elements the structure of locking means. In fact, unlocking can only be obtained under these conditions by actuating the geared motor assembly 14 or by intervening on the manual control means 39 capable of actuating the means of declutching 36 to further separate the shaft 25 from the motor drum 19 and, ultimately, to eliminate or reduce the adhesion of the drive shoes 33, 33A to the friction drive elements 24, 24A under the action of the pressure of the rollers 40, 40A.

According to a preferred embodiment, the manual control means 39 of the declutching means 36 consist of an eccentric 45 disposed between the bearings 22, 23 and 26, 27 and the rotation of which is ensured through a control rod 46 and of an operating lever 47, causes, precisely, the spacing of the bearing 22 relative to the bearing 26, respectively, of the bearing 23 relative to the bearing 27. As regards the elastic connection means 37 these consist , mainly, by at least one spring 48 prestressed in order to keep the bearings 22, 23 close to the bearings 26, 27. However, suitable guide means 49 can also supplement these elastic connection means 37 in order to control their movement, the bearings 26, 27 or, as the case may be the bearings 22, 23. Furthermore and according to another embodiment, these guide means 49 can be replaced by articulation means connecting the set of mobile bearings either at the cross-member 38, or at the set of fixed bearings. In fact, here again, such articulation means have the function of guiding said movable bearings in their movement.

It will be observed that the present invention has the advantage that in the event of manual declutching, the geared motor assembly 14 is completely disconnected from the transmission means 18. This results in a manual opening and closing control of the door tilting 2 considerably facilitated.

We refer, more particularly, to FIG. 6.

Ultimately, it should be observed that the longer the blade 43 of the drive shoes 33, 33A, that is to say extends in front of the opening 7, rather a direct drive will be obtained of this opening 7 via the motor-reducer assembly 14 and less the operation of the electromechanical control device will be dependent on obstacles that the opening 7 may encounter in the final closing phase. However, by extending this blade 43 more, it is necessary to provide in the lintel 6, corresponding to the frame 3, and, may be, in the lintel 50 in the masonry, an opening in which can engage the front end 51 of said blade 43 in the closed and locked position of the opening 7. Note that this front end 51 can be slightly tapered so as to limit the notching of the lintels 6 and 50.

In addition, the particular situation should be considered where, due to a low ceiling, the upper edge of the lintel 6, corresponding to the frame 3, respects only a small distance from the ceiling 52. Under such conditions, a very long blade 43 associated with the drive shoe 33, 33A, can create discomfort and, more particularly, when the tilting door 2 is closed. In particular, the front end 51 of this blade 43 can abut against this ceiling 52 and can prevent the opening and / or closing of the opening 7. In such a situation, said blade 43 can be provided pivoting about a horizontal axis of rotation, at the level of its rear end 53 so that during the opening of the tilting door 2, it is able to fold in the direction of the opening 7 under the action of a cam 54 disposed on the ceiling 52 of the construction. Ultimately, this cam 54 makes it possible to prevent the front end 51 of the blade 43 corresponding to the drive shoes 33, 33A from forming a stop coming to cooperate with the ceiling 52 and not, more particularly, opposing closing the opening 7. Such a blade 43 is still subjected to elastic return means enabling it to return to its initial position after leaving the cam 54.

Thus, the present invention allows, despite great simplicity, to meet all of the problems encountered in the past through known electromechanical control devices. This simplicity is, of course, a guarantee of reliability, which is not a vain quality in the context of up-and-over doors 2 where the concept of security against break-in intervenes.

Claims (11)

1. Electromechanical drive device (1) for overhead door (2), especially for overhead garage door, comprising a leaf (7) balanced by side balance-weights (8, 9) sliding in vertical slides and connected to said leaf (7) by ropes or chains (10, 11) partly rolling up around pulleys or toothed gear wheels (12, 13) driven through transmission means (18) co-operating with driving means (17) of a gear-motor unit (14), characterized in that it includes one or several driving pads (33, 33A) inserted against the leaf (7) and capable of directly co-operating with the driving means (17) of the gear-motor unit (14) in the initial or final opening and closing phase, respectively, of the overhead door (2) corresponding to the locking- and unlocking phases of the leaf (7), said electromechanical drive device (1) furthermore including disengaging means (36) actuated through the driving pad or pads (33, 33A) to disengage the gear-motor unit (14) from said transmission means (18) during this initial or final opening and closing phase, respectively.
2. Electromechanical drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving means (17) of the gear-motor unit (14) are in the shape of a driving drum (19) with a horizontal rotation axis kept freely rotating, at the level of its ends (20, 21), in bearings (22, 23) associated with a support (15) located on the upper lintel (6) of the sash-frame (3), this driving drum (19) being driven by an electric motor provided with a mechanical brake and associated with a gear motor, on the outer periphery of this driving drum (19) being fitted one or several friction driving-members (24, 24A), such as rubber belts, aimed at co-operating with said transmission means (18).
3. Electromechanical drive device according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the transmission means (18) are comprised of a shaft (25) parallel to the driving drum (19) and passing straight through bearings (26, 27) into which it is rotatingly fitted so as to co-operate with driving shafts (30, 31) connected to the pulleys or toothed gear wheels (12, 13) with a view to ensuring their driving in rotation, on said shaft (25) being fitted, on the one hand, integral in rotation, at least a driven roller (32), viz. made of rubber, aimed at co-operating with a friction driving-member (24) and, on the other hand, freely rotating, rollers (40, 40A) with an outer diameter (41) hardly smaller than the diameter (42) of the driven roller or rollers (32), these rollers (40, 41) being arranged in correspondence with said friction driving-members (24, 24A) of the driving drum (19).
4. Electromechanical drive device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the disengaging means (36) are formed by springy connecting means (37) connecting the bearings (26, 27) corresponding to the shaft (25) of the transmission means (18) with the bearings (22, 23) supporting the driving drum (19), only one set of bearings (22, 23) or (26, 27) being rigidly fitted on a cross-bar (38) corresponding to the support (15) and fixed onto the inner face (16) of the lintel (6) the sash-frame (3) is partly comprised of.
5. Electromechanical drive device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the driving pad or pads (33, 33A) are formed by blades (43) arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of the leaf (7) and oriented towards the sash-frame (3) in the final closing phase of the overhead door (2), these blades (43) engaging between said friction driving-members (24, 24A) of the driving means (17) and the rollers (40, 40A) corresponding to the transmission means (18), in order to cause the separation, through the disengaging means (36) of the shaft (25), from the driving drum (19) and impede the driven rollers (32) from adhering to the friction driving-members (24, 24A).
6. Electromechanical drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes means for locking the leaf (7) against the sash-frame (3) formed by the co-operation, in closing position of the overhead door (2), between the driving pads (33, 33A) and the driving means (17) of the gear-motor unit (14) which includes a mechanical brake actuated when the electrical motor is not actuated.
7. Electromechanical drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes disengagement and manual-unlocking control-means (39) acting on said disengaging means (36) to undo the co-operation, on the one hand, between the transmission means (18) and the driving means (17) and, on the other hand, between said driving means (17) and the driving pads (33, 33A) associated with the leaf (7).
8. Electromechanical drive device according to claims 2, 3 and 7, characterized in that the disengagement and manual-unlocking control-means (39) are formed by an eccenter (45) arranged between the bearings (22, 23) and (26, 27) corresponding to the driving drum (19) and the shaft (25), respectively, the rotation of this eccenter (45) being ensured through an actuating rod (46) and an operating lever (47).
9. Electromechanical drive device according to claim 4, characterized in that the springy connecting means (37) are comprised of at least a prestressed spring (48) with a view to keeping the bearings (22, 23) corresponding to the driving drum (19) close to the bearings (26, 27) supporting the shaft (25), these springy connecting means (37) being completed by either guiding means (49) or hinging means with a view to controlling the movement of the bearings (26, 27) or, as the case may be, the bearings (22, 23).
10. Electromechanical drive device according to claim 5, characterized in that the front end (51) of the blades (43) corresponding to the driving pads (33, 33A) penetrates, in closing position of the overhead door (2), at least into an opening provided for in the lintel (6) of the sash-frame (3).
11. Electromechanical drive device according to claims 5, characterized in that the blade (43) corresponding to the driving pads (33, 33A) is, on the one hand, provided for pivoting about a horizontal rotation axis at the level of its rear end (53), with a view to allowing same to be tilted towards the leaf (7) under the action of a cam (54) arranged on the ceiling (52) of a building receiving said overhead door (2), and, on the other hand, subjected to springy restoring means allowing same to come back to its initial position after having left the cam (54).

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