GB2306995A

GB2306995A - Tensioned movable door with supported and guided edges

Info

Publication number: GB2306995A
Application number: GB9623335A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanley Robin Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-11-08
Filing date: 1996-11-08
Publication date: 1997-05-14
Also published as: GB9623335D0; GB9522851D0

Abstract

A tensioned movable door, which may be flexible, rigid or sectional sheet 5, and may be rolled or arranged to fold (figures 3 and 4), is supported and guided at its edges by supports, particularly wheeled trolleys 2, 3 running in tracks 1. Preferably, the trolleys are linked to the door sheet by connections 4 which may be hooks or springs through holes or eyelets in the door sheet edge. The door may be counterbalanced to open and close by its own weight, manually operated by cords or chains, or may be power operated electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically. Preferably the lower edge of the door is driven and may be provided with safety mechanisms.

Description

Industrial/Commercial Door This invention relates to an industrial/commercial door.

Most industrial buildings have access points through internal or external walls or partitions (e.g. for fork lift truck access), which it is desirable to close off when not in immediate use, usually to check air movement.

Existing means for doing this have drawbacks as follows: PVC strip curtains do not provide clear openings nor full vision through to the far side. This is also largely applicable to flap doors. Lifting sectional doors require strong, rigid sections, which tend to be heavy, and thus need a lot of force to lift them, and strong supportive framework, with the associated expense for both the heavy sections themselves and the supportive framework. Roll-up doors depend mainly on vertical tensioning for bracing the door against air movement, and thus require a lot of closure force, necessitating a relatively high rating of motor, which also results in high cost, including for its support, guarding and other protective devices required.Other types of roll-up door use horizontal bars with their ends running in a channel to provide bracing against wind pressure, which add significant weight to the door, necessitating strong opening forces and also creating a safety hazard.

The present invention provides a means whereby many of the above drawbacks can be avoided, while allowing easy access through the opening when required, and effective closure otherwise.

This invention provides a door In c I u ding a sheet attached at either side to some means of support that will prevent the edges from being drawn away from the sides of the doorway, while still allowing the sheet to move up and down.

This means of support could take the form of a pair of 'tracks', one each side of the doorway, with a component or components the movement of which is constrained to be parallel to the tracks. Such a means of support could thus provide a sideways force if necessary to hold the sheet in place, whether the forces trying to displace the door be to the left or right, forwards or backwards. If desired the sheet could be tensioned, perhaps to neaten appearance.

Thus any wind force incident on the door would be translated into tensional forces from side to side in the sheet, rather as downward forces incident on a catenary cable are translated into tensional forces in the cable, which can be resisted by the cable's anchors. Hence the sheet need not be rigid, although it could also be rigid if required.

If a rigid sheet is utilized, all that Is now required is a means of positioning the sheet within its constraints. The 'tracks' (what is herein described as a track is simply a means of defining in space the line of movement of the components which are the sheet's means of support) can be made long enough and so positioned to allow the door to move to whatever positions are required.

These w usually be the position in which the sheet covers the doorway, and the position immediately above which leaves the doorway uncovered, which is also true when the sheet is flexible.

The sheet could also be flexible. Where a flexible sheet is alluded to herein, it could be of any material or design that would flex as needed, be it a synthetic material, a natural material, woven or nonwoven, a laminate, a mesh, a quilted or padded material, or composed of components not necessarily themselves flexible, but either flexibly joined or not joined at all to allow relative movement, e.g. louvred slats. The 'sheet' need also not necessarily be flat.

If the sheet is flexible, then its supports may include one in each corner, and maybe others in between down the sides, to provide further support. Whatever is the case, there then needs to be a means of defining the position of each of these supportive components at any one time individually or maybe with springs, rigid bars or other rigid connection, flexible tapes, cords, or cables, or similar

grouping t the components, connected A directly or indirectly, to hold them at a desired distance from each other. Then all that needs to be done is to fix the desired position of one component in each group.In some cases it will be found that it is not necessary to fix the position of certain of these components, and these may then be allowed to float free, although they are likely to be prevented from passing a similar component either above or below them, which will in some circumstances prove a useful feature. Anyway, some system such as this could render it possible to move the whole door by moving just part of it.

ar With such an arrangement, It will be found that A the holding forces on the sheet, necessary to brace it against air movement, are all perpendicular to the forces required for movement of the door, (which allows for as much resistance to displacing forces as required while not affecting the amount of force required to open or close the door the door could easily be opened and closed, maybe by utilizing its own weight and/or facilitated by some other means such as a manual arrangement, perhaps using a pull-cord or similar, or chain and sprocket system, or a power device, maybe acting through a power transmission system, which locates whatever part(s) of . the door one desires at whatever position, within the constraints of the tracks, is required.

A possible embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings. In this instance the sheet is designed to fold and be gathered up.

Figure 1: A front view of tlle closed door.

Flgure 2: A plan view of the closed door.

Figure 3: A front view of the opened door.

Figure 4: A side view of the opened door.

The door comprlses two vertical trolley tracks, 1, of the section shown in the enlargement of a detail of Flgure 2, placed either side of the doorway with their open sides facing inwards, altllougll in some instances it may be found advantageous to rotate tiie tracks round a certain angle, e.g. to improve the seal between tlie sheet and the tracks. Within these, wheeled trolleys run, of two wheels, 2, or four wheels, 3, with the axes of their wheels being perpendicular to the plane of the door.From each of these a means of connection, (e.g. a hook connecting witli a hole or eyelet on the edge of the sheet) shown oily as a rectangle, 4, on the drawing, projects inwards out of the trolley track, and connects with a flexible reinforced PVC sheet, 5. The sheet is creased and sewn at the midpoiiits between pairs of trolleys, alternately to the front and the back, to prearrange how the sheet will fold. The dashed lines indicate the crease lines.

The top of tlie slleet is fixed to the top of the door. The lower two trolleys are each attached to a transmission belt (not shown) coming from the top of the trolley tracks, down to the bottom, round a pulley wheel, and back up to the top again. At one side the transmission belt then passes over pulley wheels and across to tile other side of the doorway over the top of it, and then passes round a drlve pulley attached to an electric motor.The electric motor is one capable of running in both directions, and is linked to a pusll button controller placed - within easy reach from floor level.

A push of a button would then start the motor running In one direction, which would be translated by the transmission system into an upward motion of the lower two trolleys, between which tlie lower edge of the PVC sheet is stretched. As the lower trolleys rise they push up adjacent higher trolleys, gathering up tie remainder of the sheet upwards, which falls in the prearranged folds onto the rising lower edge.

After the motor has operated for a preset number of revolutions, a limit switch stops it. This is preset on site to be equivalent to the door being fully raised. A further push of a buttoii then starts the motor In tlie opposite direction. Again, a preset limit switch stops it when tlie lower edge of the sheet has reached the floor.

As an alternative to preset remote limit switches, In situ limit switches mounted on the door, perhaps on its lower edge, or somewhere on the trans mission system, could be used.

The same motor could also be operated via an Induction loop set in the floor, or by an infa-red beam or detector, or via remote control.

The lower trolleys could also be lifted by hydraulic means, or by compressed air, (fed Into a flexible upright tube pinched by rollers to provide movement by peristalsis (a known patented Invention), for example).

The motor could be operated through a controller, which could ordinarily be activated via a push button(s), switch(es) or similar device(s), and/or by a limit switch(es). Possibly via a controller the door's movement could be varied according to its position and/or direction (e.g.

for soft start/stop) and the door could be stopped In the event of resistance being detected, and (on the close cycle)be reversed. A detector on the lower edge, such as a safety bar' could also be incorporated as an alternative for the same purpose, or as an additional measure.

To help in tensioning the door, the support components could be tensioned or sprung. Alternatively, or additionally, one or both upright tracks either side could be unfixed, or at least capable of moving sideways, and could be pulled outwards by a tension cable, rubber or elastic strip, or spring. A further Dossibilitv would be to make a vertical norUon(s0 of the sheet or the whnle

sneet, elastic, or springs could De inserted, witn overlapping material to malntaln a continuous sheet, or a strap and buckles arrangement used similarly with overlapping material, perhaps.

For safety, a window could be incorporated in the sheet, of clear flexible material, or the entire sheet could be made of clear, flexible material.

To help make a better seal, although the gap between the edges of the sheet and the trolley tracks can be reduced to almost nothing, brush strips of known deslgn could be Incorporated at the edges, or some other device to improve the seal. To facilitate the incorporation of brush strips, the trolleys could be placed at every other crease line of the sheet, rather than at the midpoints between Tulle creases, so Lllat tiie folded door would project inwards or outwards only, thereby eliminating snagging if the brush strips are placed against the opposite side.

To facilitate movement of high traffic through the doorway, and obviate the danger of tlle opened door being snagged, the tracks could be taken up past the top of the door, so that tlle whole folded sheet can be carried up above it. To allow for this, the trolleys at the top edge of the sheet must be held at a certain height when the door is closed, but be allowed to rise higher than this when the door Is open, owing to the necessary width of the trolleys themselves. This could be done by hanging the top trolleys from a fixed point by a short length of cable, or else trolleys could be omitted from the top half metre or so from the top of tlle sheet, and the top edge fixed permanently to tile top of the doorway opening.The rest of the folded sheet would then be free to be carried up past this level, assuming the top of the sheet is fixed in a position just in front or just behind the tracks.

As an additional measure, the sheet could have a 'weak link' incorporated for If the door gets snagged, welch would break before any real damage could be done to eltller tile sheet or tile framework. This would probably best be incorporated at the link between the sliding trolleys and the sheet, and could simply take the form of a small nylon tie of known design connecting the trolley to its eyelet. Alternatively the connection could be made via a press stud type of arrangement.

A bar could be added along the bottomzto help support the weight of the lifted sheet and prevent it sagging Into the path of traffic.

Where a particularly wide doorway is required, additional support could be Provided midwav along the sheet bv one or more roDes. cords. chains or cables

passing through eyele%^set In a line down the sheet, and this cord' could pull upwards In unison with the rest of tlle door being raised. It need not be expected to provide any bracing.

Should It be desirable the tracks could also be made retractable, perhaps to allow a greater area of access when required. Similarly, one or both sides of the door could be designed to be removable.

To improve the seal, the door could be set back from the doorway, and an infill provided at either side butting up to the sheet and to the side of the doorway. A twin version, similarly sealed, could provide an airlock, especially if any power device controllers were suitably linked.

A further embodiment would be where the door again comprises a flexible sheet, 5, held by its top at the top of the doorway, but with the rest allowed to fall under its own weight until the flexible sheet fully covers the doorway. A bottom bar could be added to assist this process. To open the door the lower edge is lifted and the rest of the sheet gathered up out of the way. As an alternative, the top of the sheet could be lowered to lower the sheet out of the way, perhaps by providing a suitable cavity for the sheet to droD into to allow traffic to pass over it without damaging it.The

A further embodiment of the idea would be where the sheet is held in

the same way, but tie sheet is not expected to fold, but Is litte J, from tne top, uiifolded up two double length tracks. This inlay be curved overhead, if there is not space above, or If this arrangement makes it easier to install or operate.

Couiiterbala1ciiig could be added to any of tlle above suggestions, but Is not esseiitial due to tlle low welgllt tlie door

Tile same principle could also be employed rotated about 30 (or any other angle) to provide a door moving horizontally (or diagonally).

A similar arrangment as described herein may also be used for other purposes where a sheet Is necded to be moved. It could be used to provide a partition that can be instantly removed whenever more space is required.

Rods could be added to a flexible sheet to give it rigidity, in one direction only if required, which could be used to define the desired distance between one supportive component and others. This rod could have some flexibility in itself, and could be of any material such as steel, plastic or carbon.

Supportive components, besides the trolleys so far revered to, could also be in the form of sliders, wheels, rollers, magnetically or electrically supported items A siirinn system tnot necessarily a number of items). a series of rinds

or tubes of whatever section, a continuous helical itenF,connected like a spine of a spiral-bound binder (such an item would help in positioning the sheet) all moving along, or parallel to, a suitable track, where applicable.

A transmission system could include timing belt to allow for accurate positioning. Any powered system could allow for automatic return after a time delay, or after a pressure pad, or induction loop indicates that there is nothing present any longer.

Portions of elastic could also be incorporated in a flexible sheet to help it to gather neatly, in a folding version of the door.

The door need not coincide entirely with any door-opening, it could only part cover with the rest covered by some other means, or it could extend beyond.

It could be used to cover things other than a door, such as a mural, or to provide a projection screen. If the door does only part cover a doorway, a removeable leg could be useful then to allow the whole doorway to be used at times.

Bars could still be incorporated in this type of door, but the section could be of a reduced size, due to the-bracing available from the sides.

Pivoted arms, perhaps pivoted on the support components, could help to guide a flexible sheet into neat folds.

Claims

1. A door including a sheet attached at either side to some means of support which can prevent the edges of the sheet from being drawn away from the sides of the doorway, while still allowing the sheet to move up and down.

2. A door as claimed in Claim 1 where the means of support ("support components") are constrained to move parallel to a pair of 'tracks' situated either side of the doorway.

3. A door as claimed in Claim 2 where the sheet is rigid.

4. A door as claimed in Claim 2 where the sheet is flexible.

5. A door as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 where the sheet is of a synthetic material.

6. A door as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 where the sheet is of a natural material.

7. A door as claimed in Claim 5 or 6 where the sheet is of a woven material.

8. A door as claimed in Claim 5 or 6 where the sheet is of a non-woven material.

9. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is a laminate.

10. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is a mesh.

11. A door as claimed in any of Claims 1-9 where the sheet is of a quilted or padded material.

12. A door as claimed in Claim 2 where the sheet is composed of components not necessarily themselves flexible, but either flexibly joined or not joined at all to allow relative movement, e.g. louvred slats.

13. A door as claimed in Claim 5 where the sheet is a flexible reinforced PVC sheet.

14. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is flat.

15. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is not flat.

16. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is tensioned.

17. A door as claimed in Claim 16 where assistance in tensioning the door is provided with the devices to which the sheet is attached, such as that provided by the inclusion of springs.

18. A door as claimed in Claim 16 where any 'suitable tracks' used may be tensioned apart, e.g. by springs or tensioned cable.

19. A door as claimed in Claim 16 where elasticity is provided within the flexible sheet itself.

20. A door as claimed in Claim 19 where the whole sheet is substantially of an elastic material.

21. A door as claimed in Claim 19 where elasticity is provided by strips of elastic material incorporated within the sheet.

22. A door as claimed in Claim 19 where elasticity is provided by springs attached to the sheet.

23. A door as claimed in Claim 19 where tension is provided within the flexible sheet by means of a strap and buckle arrangement.

24. A door as claimed in Claim 19, 21, 22 or 23 where overlapping material is incorporated to allow the sheet to remain continuous.

25. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet's supports include one in each corner.

26. A door as claimed in Claim 25 where there are additional supports in between the corners down the sides of the sheet.

27. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the door folds.

28. A door as claimed in any preceding claim in which the door folds where the sheet is creased and sewn at the midpoints between pairs of supports, alternately to the front and back, to prearrange how the sheet will fold.

29. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the door is opened by raising one part causing the rest to be raised.

30. A door as claimed in Claim 29 where the part raised is the lower edge.

31. A door as claimed in any preceding claim in which the door folds where opening of the door involves gathering up the flexible sheet.

32. A door as claimed in Claim 31 where the rest of the sheet is gathered onto the lower edge.

33. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where support components have their positions at any one time defined individually.

34. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where support components have their positions at any one time defined in groups.

35. A door as claimed in Claim 34 where support components are grouped together by a rigid connection such as rigid bars.

36. A door as claimed in Claim 34 where support components are grouped together by springs.

37. A door as claimed in Claim 34 where support components are grouped together by flexible tapes, cords, or cables, or similar.

38. A door as claimed in any of Claims 34 - 37 where the means of grouping of support components is connected to them directly.

39. A door as claimed in any of Claims 34 - 37 where the means of grouping of support components is connected to them indirectly.

40. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where some support components are allowed to float free.

41. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the door is opened and/or closed utilizing its own weight.

42. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the opening and/or closing of the door is facilitated by some means other than the door's own weight.

43. A door as claimed in Claim 42 where the means of facilitating the opening and/or closing of the door is a manual arrangement.

44. A door as claimed in Claim 42 where a pull-cord or similar is utilized.

45. A door as claimed in Claim 42 where a chain and sprocket system is used.

46. A door as claimed in Claim 42 where a power device is utilized.

47. A door as claimed in Claim 46 where a motor is used.

48. A door as claimed in Claim 47 where the motor is capable of running in both directions.

49. A door as claimed in Claim 46 where a hydraulic system is used.

50. A door as claimed in Claim 46 where a system using compressed air is used.

51. A door as claimed in Claim 46 where a system using peristaltic action is used.

52. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where any power device is regulated by a controller.

53. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where limit switches regulate the movement of the door, whether within a power device, any controller, or attached to the door itself or any transmission system.

54. A door as claimed in any of Claims 42 - 53 where a power transmission system is used.

55. A door as claimed in Claim 54 where the lower edge is attached, directly or indirectly, to the transmission system.

56. A door as claimed in Claim 46 or 52 where the power device is activated via a push button(s), switch(es) or similar device(s).

57. A door as claimed in Claim 46 or 52 where the power device can be operated by remote control.

58. A door as claimed in Claim 46 or 52 where the power device can be operated by a device utilizing infra-red radiation.

59. A door as claimed in Claim 46 or 52 where the power device can be operated by a device utilizing an 'induction loop' e.g. for detecting the presence of something about to go through the door.

60. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the movement of the door is modifiable according to its position and/or direction of movement of the door e.g. to allow for 'soft start/stop'.

61. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the door may be reversed or stopped if it encounters any resistance, or an obstruction is detected.

62. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where a detector is added to the lower edge to detect obstructions, such as a safety bar.

63. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the 'tracks' which define the line of movement in space of the support components are two vertical trolley tracks.

64. A door as claimed in Claim 63 where the tracks are of a 'C'-section or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

65. A door as claimed in Claim 63 where a trolley track has its open side facing inwards.

66. A door as claimed in Claim 65 except that the tracks are rotated round a certain angle.

67. A door as claimed in Claim 66 where rotation improves the seal between the sheet and the tracks.

68. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where wheeled trolleys are utilized.

69. A door as claimed in Claim 68 where the axes of the wheels are perpendicular to the plane of the door.

70. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where there is a means of connection such as a hook attached to the support components.

71. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where holes and/or eyelets are provided in the sheet for the support components to connect with.

72. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the top of the sheet is fixed to the top of the door.

73. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where a 'weak link' is provided to prevent excessive forces from causing any further damage to the door.

74. A door as claimed in Claim 73 where the weak link is incorporated at the link between the supportive components and the sheet.

75. A door as claimed in Claim 74 where the connection between the devices and the flexible sheet are made via a press stud or similar arrangement.

76. A door as claimed in Claim 74 where the devices to which the sheet is attached are connected to it with a nylon tie.

77. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the whole door is allowed to rise above the doorway, by providing additional length to the tracks, with the topmost supportive components suspended such that they can rise higher than their normal position.

78. A door as claimed in Claim 77 where the topmost suportive components are suspended by a short length of cable or analogous item.

79. A door as claimed in Claim 77 except that the topmost supportive components are omitted, and the top ed e of the sheet is fixed to the top of the doorway out of the line of movement of the rest of the sheet so as not to prevent rising above the top of the doorway.

80. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where a bar is added along the bottom of the sheet, rising with it, to help support the weight of the lifted sheet, e.g. so as to ensure that none sags into the way of through traffic.

81. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where additional support to the door is available by the use of a rope(s), cord(s), chain(s) or cable(s), perhaps passing vertically through eyelets in the sheet, which would pull, possibly in unison, with any other method used to open the door.

82. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where any tracks are retractable.

83. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where one or both sides of the door is/are designed to be removable.

84. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the door is set back from the doorway, with an infill provided at either side butting up to the sheet and to the side of the doorway.

85. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where two of them are used to provide an airlock.

86. A door as claimed in Claim 85 where any power device controllers are suitably linked to ensure that the door acts as an airlock.

87. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the top of the door is supported.

88. A door as claimed in Claim 87 where the top is held to, or near, the top of the doorway.

89. A door as claimed in Claim 88 where the rest of the door is allowed to fall under its own weight.

90. A door as claimed in Claim 88 where the rest of the door is assisted down.

91. A door as claimed in Claim 88 or 89 where a bottom bar is added.

92. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where where there are pivoted arms incorporated attached to the sheet so as to guide it into neat folds.

93. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where elastic is added such as to draw certain parts of the sheet together as the door opens so as to guide it into neat folds.

94. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where part of the door is fabricated from clear material so as to allow vision through the door.

95. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is made entirely of a transparent material.

96. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where brush strips or similar are incorporated to allow for greater seal.

97. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the folds are arranged (e.g. by positioning the devices to which the sheet is attached) at every other fold line) so as to lie entirely to one side of the door, e.g. so as to avoid obstruction such as might arise with the incorporation of brush strips.

98. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where counterbalancing is incorporated.

99. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where it is arranged so as to provide what is effectively an instantly removable partition.

100. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the sheet is not expected to fold, and the tracks are extended to allow the entire unfolded sheet to be moved out of the way of the doorway.

101. A door as claimed in Claim 100 where the tracks are curved overhead.

102. A door as claimed in any preceding claim where the door is rotated through 90 , or any other angle, to provide a door moving horizontally, or diagonally.

103. A door substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

104. A door comprising any combination of the features claimed in Claim 1 and any of the other claims preceding this one.