FR2824099A1 - Motor drive for sliding door comprises independent, self-propelled chassis for attachment to door, running along ground surface on wheels - Google Patents

Abstract

The motorised block (100) includes an electric motor (4), such as is used for operating windows in a vehicle. There is also a battery (5) and an electronic control circuit (6). The motor drives two wheels (7) via a reducing gear, in order to propel itself along, and take with it a sliding door. The motorised block (100) comprises a chassis (1) formed from a U-shaped plate. The horizontal base of the chassis supports an electric motor (4), such as is used for operating windows in a vehicle. There is also a battery (5) and an electronic control circuit (6). Two wheels (7) are provided to carry the device, and are driven by the motor via a reducing gear (13) attached to a vertical plate. Connections (19) are provided on the end of the device, making contact with further fixed contacts (20) in order to charge the battery when the device is parked at one end of its movement. The device is attached to a door (17) in order to move this in the open (O) and closed (F) directions. If complete autonomy is required, the unit may include solar cells to charge the battery.

Description

AUTONOMOUS MOTORIZED DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF A

SLIDING ELEMENT

  The invention relates to motorized opening and closing devices for gates and more particularly to devices intended for

sliding gates.

  We already know automated devices for opening and closing a sliding gate between two columns or other fixed structures. These devices generally include a motor fixed to the ground which drives a toothed pinion. The pinion meshes with a rack fixed on a leaf to drive the latter in translation. The leaf also has wheels which allow it to move along the ground during opening and closing. To facilitate the guiding of the wheels, grooves can

  be provided on the floor between the two columns.

  These types of gates are generally provided with a presence detector between the two columns which makes it possible to stop the movement of the leaf if an object or a person is on its path. These detectors generally include an infrared transmitter fixed on one of the columns and a receiver placed opposite the transmitter on the other column.

  and able to detect the light rays emitted by the transmitter.

  A drawback of these systems is that they require the machining of a pinion and a rack whose length is at least equal to the distance over which the leaf moves. The manufacture of these parts

mechanical is therefore expensive.

  Another drawback is that the installation of the cream it can be difficult, in particular on openwork gates. In addition, the motor must be fixed on sufficiently hard ground and at a height allowing the contact of the pinion and the rack. Generally, we make a screed

  concrete to consolidate the ground and adjust the height of the engine.

  Another disadvantage of these systems is that they require the installation of connections allowing the supply of the motor and the

presence detector.

  The object of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a motorized assembly for driving a horizontally sliding element, characterized in that it comprises a motorized block and a support in which the block can slide in a generally vertical direction , the motorized unit comprising a motor, at least one wheel driven by the motor and a battery for supplying the motor, the wheel being able to come into contact with the ground under the effect of the own weight of the

motorized block.

  Such an assembly has the advantage of being autonomous and of not requiring a material link with an external power supply. This feature allows very rapid installation of the device

opening and closing.

  Preferred but nonlimiting aspects of the invention are as follows: the support is fixed to the sliding element and in that the motorized unit is capable of coming into horizontal abutment on said support so as to tow the sliding element, - The motorized unit comprises projecting support elements by means of which it comes to bear on a wall of the support fixed on

The sliding element.

  In an implementation of the opening and closing device, the motorized unit comprises at least two wheels aligned in the direction of movement of the sliding element. This characteristic makes it possible to increase the contact surface of the wheels with the ground and to multiply the

  torque allowing the assembly to tow the sliding element.

  The motorized unit can advantageously be mounted with play on the support so as to be able to tilt in the plane of the wheels. In this way, the block most of the time keeps its two wheels in contact with the ground despite the irregularities of the latter. This advantageously allows it to adapt to the surface of the ground and to cross the

irregularities encountered.

  The block may include a transmission element and the motor is capable of driving at least two of the wheels in rotation via the transmission element. Since the motor drives two wheels, the block can tilt while keeping at least one drive wheel in contact with the ground. This characteristic makes it possible to drive the leaf despite the presence of elements of small dimensions lying in its path. Other preferred but nonlimiting aspects of the invention are as follows: - the assembly includes contact means coming into engagement with external power supply means when the sliding element is in an extreme position of its trajectory and driving the charge of the battery, - the assembly includes a solar panel connected to the battery, - presence detection means are fixed on the support, - the assembly also comprises a control module capable of cutting the supplying the motor or controlling the rotation of the motor in the opposite direction, - the detection means are connected to the control module and the module is able to cut off the supply to the motor when a presence is detected on the path of the element sliding, - the control module comprises means for detecting a

battery charging phase.

  Other characteristics and advantages will also emerge from the

  description which follows, which is purely illustrative and not limiting and must

  be read with reference to the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a front view of an example of an autonomous motorized unit according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a side view of the unit of Figure 1, the Figure 3 is a front view of a mounting bracket for the motorized block on the sliding leaf, - Figure 4 is a bottom view of the motorized block of Figure 1 inserted in the mounting bracket of Figure 3, - the FIG. 5 is a front view of a device for opening and closing a sliding leaf comprising the motorized block and the fixing support, - FIG. 6 is a top view of the motorized block inserted in the fixing support . Figures 1 and 2 are front and side views of a motorized block 100. This block 100 comprises a frame 1 consisting of a plate in the general shape of U in horizontal section. A horizontal sole 2 and a vertical plate 3 are fixed between the two wings of the chassis 1. The sole 2 supports an electric motor 4 (of the vehicle window motor type for example) as well as a battery 5 and an electronic card control 6. Two wheels 7 are mounted in cantilever on the vertical plate 3. The motor 4 rotates ies two wheels 7 by means of a reduction gear 13 fixed on the vertical plate 3 by

1 5 bolting.

  The electronic control card 6 has four connections 7, 8, 9 and 10. This card 6 is connected to the battery 5 at connection 7. The power supply cable 11 of the motor 4 is connected to connection 8. The connections 9 and 10 are respectively connected to a presence detection cell and to end of detection means

  race not shown in Figures 1 and 2.

  Projecting support elements 12 are fixed on the wings of the U-shaped chassis 1 so as to come to bear on a fixing support 200 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, in which the motorized block 100 is inserted. These support elements 12 are in the form of a half-cylinder slice made of polymer material (for example Delrin or TeflonO), the bearing surface being constituted by the portion of cylindrical surface. These elements 12 may have lateral chamfers making it possible to reduce their contact surface with the support 200 and to

limit friction.

  The mounting support 200 shown in Figure 3 has a general U-shape in horizontal section with a bottom plate 14 and two wings 15. It has a length L2 slightly greater than the length L1 of the motorized unit 100 so as to allow the sliding but also a certain tilting of the motorized unit 100 in the support 200. Preferably the length L2 is longer than the length L1 by 1 to 2%. The bottom plate 14 has holes (not shown) for fixing the support 200 by bolting on the lower part of a sliding leaf. A photosensitive cell 16 is mounted on the fixing support 200. FIGS. 4 to 6 represent bottom, front and top views of the motorized unit 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2 inserted in the fixing support 200 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 also represents the motorized block inserted in the fixing support 200 such that they can be incorporated

  in a device for opening and closing a sliding leaf 17.

  In FIG. 5, the fixing support 200 is mounted integrally on a leaf 17 at one of its lower ends. The motorized block has been inserted into the U-shaped mounting support 200. In this way, the wheels 7 are in contact with the ground 18. When the wheels 7 are rotated by the motor 4, the block 100 moves on the ground 18 and the elements 12 come to bear on one of the wings 15 of the fixing support located in the direction of movement. The motorized block 100 drives

  the leaf 17 in translation by means of the fixing support 200.

  Because the block 100 includes two wheels 7 and is mounted in the fixing support 200 with play, it is free to tilt. The block 100 most of the time retains its two wheels 7 in contact with the ground 18 despite the irregularities thereof. This characteristic guarantees good

  adhesion of block 100 on the ground 18.

  Since the motor drives the two wheels 7 in rotation, the block 100 can tilt while retaining at least one drive wheel 7 in contact with the ground 18. This characteristic makes it possible to drive the leaf 17 despite the presence of elements of small dimensions

finding it on its path.

  In addition, the battery 5 advantageously constitutes a weight which further increases the grip of the wheels 7 on the ground 18. This avoids the need to add an additional weight which would contribute to

the size of the block 100.

  The fixing support 200 has a pair of power contactors 19 disposed on the external surface of the wing of the fixing support 200 located on the side corresponding to the direction F of closing of the gate. These contactors 19 are connected to the connector 10 of the electronic control card 6 of the motor 4. This pair of contactors 19 is positioned opposite a second pair of contactors 20 fixed on one of the columns 21, so that the two pairs of contactors 19 and 20 come into contact with one another when the leaf 17 is in

closed position.

  The contactors 20 fixed on the column 21 are connected to an electrical power source. When the fan 17 is in the closed position, the battery 5 is charged by this source via the contactors 19 and 20. The electronic control card 6 comprises means for detecting the passage of the charging current from the battery 5 (by example in the form of a resistance associated with a threshold detector) which allow it to detect the end of travel of the leaf during its closing F. An infrared emitter 22 is fixed on the column 21 and connected to the power source supra. This transmitter 22 is positioned opposite the detection cell 16 secured to the fixing support 200. The detection cell 16 is connected to the electronic control card 6. When a presence on the leaf of the leaf 17 is detected by the cell 16 while the leaf 17 is in motion, the electronic card 6 controls the stopping of the motor 4 and if necessary its rotation in the opposite direction. Thus, conventionally, if a presence is detected during a closing phase F of the leaf 17, the electronic card 6 controls the stopping then if necessary the reopening O of the leaf 17. Similarly, if the presence is detected during a opening phase O. the electronic card 6

controls the leaf 17 to stop.

  In the implementation of the invention described above, the motorized unit 100 advantageously constitutes an autonomous assembly which does not

  requiring no constraining cabling w ith an external power supply.

  Once the mounting support 200 has been screwed onto the leaf 17, the operator responsible for the installation need only insert the motorized unit 100 into the support 200. He must then install a pair of contactors 20 on column 21 and supply wiring for these contactors. This feature allows very rapid installation of the device

opening and closing.

  Other implementations of the invention are of course possible.

  For example, in the case where the sliding gate is found most of the time in the open position (this is the case for example of gates located at the entrances of certain companies), it is possible to place a pair of contactors on the outer surface of the wing of the mounting bracket

  200 located on the side corresponding to the opening direction O of the leaf 17.

  In this case, power contactors must be installed on the column located opposite wing 15 on which the contactors are placed. It is also possible to envisage installing them in contact with each other, on one of the wings 15 of the support 200, so as to supply the

  battery 5 in both the open and closed position of the gate.

  This implementation can advantageously make it possible to detect the end of

  travel in both directions O and F of the leaf movement 17.

  Finally, for the assembly to be completely autonomous, a solar panel can be fixed on the leaf and the emitter as well as the photosensitive cell can both be fixed on the fixing support 200 opposite a mirror or reflector installed on one of the columns. In this way, the motorized unit no longer requires any energy input via the contactors placed on one of the columns. The opening and closing device thus implemented is even faster to install since it requires no installation of contactors or

external energy sources.

Claims (12)

REVEN DICATIONS   1. Motorized drive assembly (100) of a horizontally sliding element (17), characterized in that it comprises a motorized block (100) and a support (200) in which the block (100) can slide in a generally vertical direction, the motorized unit (100) comprising a motor (4), at least one wheel (7) driven by the motor (4) and a battery (5) for supplying the motor (4), the wheel ( 7) being able to come into contact with the ground (18) under the effect of the own weight of the motorized unit (100).   2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the support (200) is fixed on the sliding element (17) and in that the motorized block (100) is able to come into horizontal abutment on said support (200)   so as to tow the sliding element (17).   3. Assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the motorized block (100) comprises projecting support elements (12) by means of which it comes to bear on a wall (15) of the support (200)   fixed on the sliding element (17).   4. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the motorized unit (100) comprises at least two wheels   (7) aligned in the direction of movement of the sliding element (17).   5. Assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that the motorized block (100) is mounted with clearance on the support (200) so as to be able   tilt in the plane of the wheels (7).   6. Assembly according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in   that the block (100) comprises a transmission element (13) and that the motor (4) is capable of driving at least two of the wheels in rotation   (7) via the transmission element (13).   7. Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that   that it comprises means (19) forming contact engaging with external supply means (20) when the sliding element (17) is in an extreme position of its path and causing the load of the battery (5).   8. Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that   that it includes a solar panel connected to the battery (5).   9. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that presence detection means (16) are fixed on the support (200).   10. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that it further comprises a control module (6) capable of cutting off the power to the motor (4) or of controlling the rotation of the motor (4) in reverse.   11. Assembly according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that   that the detection means (16) are connected to the control module (6) and that the module (6) is capable of cutting off the power to the motor (4) when a presence is detected on the trajectory of the sliding element (17).   12. Assembly according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized   in that the control module (6) comprises means for detecting