WO2003040506A1

WO2003040506A1 - A hinging and locking piece for a glazing system

Info

Publication number: WO2003040506A1
Application number: PCT/FI2002/000856
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erkki Hilliaho
Original assignee: Lumon Oy
Priority date: 2001-11-05
Filing date: 2002-11-05
Publication date: 2003-05-15
Also published as: CN1271304C; EP1442192A1; DE60234789D1; CN1494630A; EP1442192B1; NO20033095D0; FI20012127A0; NO20033095L; ATE452273T1; NO321893B1; FI115480B; FI20012127A

Abstract

A hinging and locking piece (14) for a glazing system that contains a rear end (142) comprising fitting means (143) for fastening a hinge pin (10) to the piece, in which the hinge pin supporting the glass pane is intended to pivot, a front end (141) comprising locking means (144) for locking a hinge pin (10) in a predetermined rotating position, said hinge pin being fastened to a preceding similar piece. The piece also comprises projecting members (148) for centering, said members being placed in the rear end and arranged to be positioned on both sides of the front end of the next similar piece in the Z direction in such a manner that the hinge pin of the next piece is at the same time centered with respect to the locking means when the pieces move closer to each other, and shoulder members (149) for controlling the position that are placed in the front end and arranged to be positioned underneath the projecting members of the preceding piece in the Y direction in such a manner that divergence of the rear end of the preceding piece from the front end in the Y direction is prevented.

Description

A HINGING AND LOCKING PIECE FOR A GLAZING SYSTEM

The invention relates to a hinging and locking piece for a glazing system according to the preamble of claim 1.

In the construction of new buildings and in building renovation, glazing systems of prior art are installed in connection with balconies, said glazing systems being called for example balcony glazings. The systems typically comprise an upper profile and a lower profile inside which necessary guide members are placed, single glass panes being suspended between said guide members. The profiles typically extend horizontally and they are fastened to the structures of the building. By means of guide members it is possible to open and close individual glass panes, typically around a vertical axis of rotation, and they can also be transferred aside along the profiles, wherein several glass panes form a vertical stack, and the balcony is completely open. A known balcony glazing is disclosed in FI patent publication 84645.

The guide members comprise a hinging and locking piece for each glass pane, by means of which the glass panes that have been turned aside are interlocked. The pieces are positioned against each other and locked when the glass panes are turned and taken close to each other. Said pieces are positioned at a distance from each other when the glass panes extend straight up, thus forming a continuous wall, wherein the distance of the pieces corresponds to the width of the glass panes.

In hinging and locking pieces of related art problems occasionally occur, wherein they break when the glass panes are opened and closed. The loading that causes the breaking occurs especially in the situation where the pieces interlock. Excessive use of force can also break the pieces. During the locking the purpose of the hinge pin that moves along with the preceding piece and is attached to the glass pane is to pivot in the fork-like locking part of the succeeding piece when the glass pane is turned. It is an aim of the invention to eliminate the aforementioned problems by introducing a hinging and locking piece of a new type. The hinging and locking piece according to the invention is presented in claim 1.

By means of the invention it is possible to avoid situations in which successive hinging and locking pieces are not positioned against each other, wherein for example the hinge pin pivots in that part of the locking piece that is narrow and not intended for the pivoting of the hinge pin. When a person moves the glass panes against each other, it is by means of the invention possible to avoid such situation in which it seems that the glass pane is in its correct place by because it does not move any further, but the pieces are nevertheless not positioned against each other. If one also thinks that the glass panes are located too far apart from each other, he/she uses more force and may break the pieces if they are positioned against each other at such points which are not meant to be against each other.

By means of the projection and shoulder arrangements according to the invention, the successive pieces are guided and centered with re- spect to each other. The position of the pieces may be different when they are located apart from each other and moving closer to each other, but the projection and shoulder arrangements adjust their mutual position when they are positioned against each other. At the same time it is possible to correct the disadvantageous effect of the guide ar- rangement to the position of the piece, which enables even the use of looser fittings, wherein the moving of pieces is facilitated.

In the following, the invention will be illustrated in more detail by means of a preferred embodiment, wherein reference is at the same time made to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a cross section of a glazing system of related art, said glazing system being a balcony glazing,

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of two hinging and locking pieces of related art that are positioned successively and the glass panes are suspended on their support, Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a hinging and locking piece according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4 shows the hinging and locking piece of Fig. 3 in the Y direction, and

Fig. 5 shows the hing«ng and locking piece of Fig. 3 in the Z direction.

According to Fig. 1 , a glazing system that has been installed in its place typically comprises several successive glass panes 1 that can be moved. Typically the glass panes have a rectangular form, and they are positioned in the X and Y direction, wherein they are in an upright position, forming a closed wall when placed one after the other. They can be transferred in the X direction that is typically the horizontal direction. The glass panes 1 can be opened into a position in which they extend in the Y and Z direction, said position being perpendicular to the closed position. In this position the glass panes 1 can be moved aside in such a manner that they are positioned side by side close to each other, wherein they are stored on one side of an opening 3 in a building 2. The upper profile 4 and the lower profile 5 are positioned in parallel to the X direction and each one of them comprises the necessary guide members 6 and 7 to which the glass panes 1 are fastened both from above and below.

Fig. 2 shows in more detail a hinging and locking piece 8 of related art that belongs to the necessary guide members and is placed especially in the upper profile 4. The piece 8 comprises rolls 9, on the support of which the glass panes 1 of Fig. 1 hang from the upper profile, and a hinge pin 10 that is fastened pivotably to the piece 8 and via which the glass pane is fastened to the piece 8. There are also structures in which the rolls 9 that can be horizontal or vertical, and the hinge pin 10 are fastened to an element that is separate from the piece 8 itself. Thus, the piece 8 contains the necessary fitting means to which for example the rolls 9 and the separate element belong, by means of which the hinge pin 10 is fastened to the piece 8 in such a manner that the piece 8 moves when the separate element and the glass pane move. The hinging and locking piece 8 placed in the lower profile does not typically comprise rolls 9, and its position is upside down when compared to Fig. 2. The hinging and locking piece 11 shown in Fig. 3 is constructed according to the aforementioned principle. When the pieces 8 of Fig. 2 move in the X direction, the hinge pin 10 is parallel to the Y direction. The lateral direction, i.e. the Z direction is perpendicular both to the X direction and to the Y direction, wherein an orthogonal system of coordinates is formed at the same time.

The piece 8 contains a rear end 82 that comprises fitting means 83 for fastening the hinge pin 10, the hinge pin 10 also pivoting in said fitting means, being at the same time arranged in said guide members. The piece 8 also contains a front end 81 comprising locking means 84 for locking the hinge pin 10 in a determined rotating position. The hinge pin 10 that can be locked is fastened to a preceding similar piece. The pieces 8 are typically identical, wherein the structure and the dimensions are similar. The pieces 8 are typically also symmetrical in relation to such a plane that coincides with the X and Y directions and is lo- cated on the central line of the piece. The front end 81 and the rear end 82 comprise an upper surface and a lower surface each, said surfaces being planar in the X and Z directions.

The locking prevents the divergence of the pieces 8 in the X direction. For the locking the pieces 8 are transferred against each other, and the hinge pin must be positioned in a locking gap 85. The width of the hinge pin 10 in the first rotating position A is smaller than in its predetermined second rotating position B. In the position A it has access to and away from the locking gap 85, but not in the position B. The aperture 86 of the locking gap 85 controls the access inside and outside. The glass panes typically also contain a fillet or a profile 12 to which the hinge pin 10 is fastened by means of a groove 13.

Fig. 3 shows a hinging and locking piece 14 according to an advanta- geous embodiment of the invention. The piece 14 also contains a rear end 142 comprising fitting means 143 for fastening the hinge pin 10

(not shown in the drawing). The means 143 comprise at least an opening 146 that extends through the rear end 142 in the vertical direction and a recess 147 surrounding the opening 146, said recess being shown in Fig. 5 and in the position of Fig. 3 underneath the rear end 142. The hinge pin rotates in the opening 146 and the collar in the hinge pin is positioned in the recess 147, wherein the piece 14 can at the same time hang on the support of the hinge pin, wherein it is not necessary for the piece 14 to slide up along the upper profile. The piece 14 to be placed in the lower profile contains a recess whose shape corresponds to the shape of the recess 147, but it is located on top of the rear end 142. Inside the lower profile and the upper profile the position of the piece 14 is typically similar. In said piece 14 that is positioned inside the lower profile, the opening 146 is typically larger, and the locking gap is typically slightly smaller.

The piece 14 also contains a front end 141 comprising locking means 144 in whose locking gap 144a the hinge pin is positioned. The dimensioning of the aperture 144b of the locking gap 144a is adapted to allow the passage of the hinge pin in the position A of Fig. 2, but not in the position B. The front end 141 is positioned underneath the rear end of the preceding piece and the rear end 142 is positioned underneath the front end of the next piece. Because of the step-shaped structure of the piece 14, the front and rear ends of the other pieces are positioned on different sides of the piece 14.

With reference to Figs 3, 4 and 5, the locking means 144 form a bifurcate fork, and in the inner sides of the ends of its branches 144c, 144d there are roundings 144e, 144f for guidance of the hinge pin. The locking gap 144a is located between the branches 144c, 144d and on the outer edges of their ends there are oblique guiding surfaces 144g, 144h that guide the projections of the preceding piece on different sides of the front end 141 , wherein the front end 141 remains therebetween.

Further referring to Figs 3, 4 and 5, the piece 14 contains projecting members 148 for centering the hinge pin, said projecting members comprising two pin-like projections 148a and 148b that are fastened to the rear end 142 from their other end and extend backwards in the X direction. The means 148 are positioned in the lateral direction on both sides of the front end of the next similar approaching piece that corresponds to the piece 14. The piece 14 contains shoulder members 149 for controlling the position, said shoulder members comprising two longitudinal shoulders 149a and 149b that extend in the lateral direction and fasten to the sides of the front end 141 within their entire length. The shoulder members 149 also guide the front end 141 and the rear end of the preceding piece closer to each other in the Y direction, and for this purpose they are provided with oblique guiding sur- faces 149c and 149d that rise towards the front end 141. The shoulder members 149 contain longitudinal (X direction) supporting surfaces 149e, 149f and the projecting members 148 also contain longitudinal supporting surfaces 148c and 148d. The supporting surfaces 149e and 148c of different pieces are positioned against each other, wherein the mutual movement of the front end 141 and the rear end 142 in the Y direction is prevented. The supporting surfaces 149e, 149f are positioned in such a manner that the shoulder members 148 remain between the rear end of the preceding piece and the projecting members. On both sides of the front end 141 there are also vertical sliding sur- faces 150a and 150b extending in the Z direction and the projecting member 148 also contain vertical sliding surfaces 151a and 151b. The sliding surfaces 150a and 151b of different pieces are positioned against each other in such a manner that the front end 141 remains between the sliding surfaces 151a and 151b.

For additional guidance and to prevent collisions, the leading edge of the front end also comprises oblique guiding surfaces 145a and 145b, which guide the rear edge of the rear end of the preceding piece in the Y direction on top of the front end 141. The guiding surfaces 145a, 145b descend towards the front end 141. The guiding surfaces 145a and 145b are at the same time positioned at the ends of the branches 144c and 144d. Furthermore, the rear edge of the rear end 142 comprises a rounding 152 that guides the leading edge of the front end of the next piece underneath the rear end 142. The guiding surfaces and roundings slide the pieces to the right direction even if the pieces had collided to each other. The invention is not restricted solely to the advantageous embodiment presented above, but it may vary according to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hinging and locking piece (14) of a glazing system, which, when installed in its place, is intended movable in the X direction when it is arranged in guide members (4, 5, 6, 7) of the glazing system, by means of which guide members the glass panes (1) of the glazing system are intended to be moved, said piece comprising:

- a rear end (142) comprising fitting means (143) for fastening a hinge pin (10) to the piece, in which the hinge pin supporting the glass pane and extending substantially in the Y direction is intended to pivot, said hinge pin being arranged in the guide members,

- a front end (141) comprising locking means (144) for locking a hinge pin (10) in a predetermined rotating position, said hinge pin being attached to the preceding similar piece when two pieces are positioned successively in the X direction, wherein the lock- ing prevents the divergence of the pieces from each other in the

X direction,

characterized in that the piece also comprises:

- projecting members (148) for centering, said members being placed in the rear end and arranged to be positioned on both sides of the front end of the next similar piece in the Z direction perpendicular to the X direction and Y direction, in such a manner that the hinge pin of the next piece is at the same time cen- tered with respect to the locking means, when the pieces move closer to each other, and

- shoulder members (149) for controlling the position, said members being placed in the front end and arranged to be positioned underneath the projecting members of the preceding piece in such a manner that the divergence of the rear end of the pre- ceding piece from the front end in the Y direction is prevented when the pieces move closer to each other.

2. The hinging and locking piece according to claim 1 , characterized in that the front end is arranged to be positioned underneath the rear end of the preceding piece in the Y direction and that the rear end is arranged to be positioned underneath the front end of the next piece in the Y direction, wherein the front end is also arranged to be positioned on a different side of the piece than the rear end.

3. The hinging and locking piece according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking means comprise a locking gap (144a) extending through the front end in the Y direction and opening towards the preceding piece in the X direction, said locking gap being arranged to re- ceive the hinge pin of the preceding piece, wherein the aperture (144b) of the locking gap is arranged to allow the access of said hinge pin inside, when it is in a predetermined rotating position (A) and to prevent the access of said hinge pin outside when it is in a second predetermined position (B).

4. The hinging and locking piece according to claim 3, characterized in that the locking means comprise a bifurcate fork containing a rounding (144e, 144f) on the inner sides of the ends of its branches (144c, 144d) to guide the hinge pin to the locking gap positioned between the branches, wherein there are oblique guiding surfaces (144g, 144h) on the outer sides of the ends of the branches, said guiding surfaces being arranged to guide the projecting members of the preceding piece on different sides of said front end in the Z direction when the pieces move closer to each other.

5. The hinging and locking piece according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the overall width of the hinge pin in the Z direction in its first rotating position is smaller than in its predetermined second rotating position, and that the overall width of the aperture of the locking gap in the Z direction is smaller than the overall width of the hinge pin in said second rotating position and it is larger than the overall width of the hinge pin in said first rotating position.

6. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the shoulder members are at the same time arranged to guide the front end and the rear end of the preceding piece closer to each other in the Y direction when the pieces move closer to each other.

7. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that to control the movement in the Y direction the shoulder members comprise at least one oblique guiding surface (149c, 149d).

8. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the shoulder members comprise a supporting surface (149e, 149f) parallel to the X direction and that the shoulder members comprise a supporting surface (148c, 148d) parallel to the X direction that is arranged to be positioned against the supporting surface of the shoulder members of the preceding piece in the X direction.

9. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the fitting means comprise at least an opening (146) extending in the Y direction and through the rear end, and a recess (147) surrounding the opening, which is located on top of the rear end, wherein it is positioned between the rear end and the front end of the next piece, or which is positioned on top of the rear end.

10. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that for the guidance and reception of the projecting members of the preceding piece in the Z direction, there are guiding surfaces (150a, 150b) on both sides of the front end that are arranged to be positioned between said projecting members and arranged to guide said projecting members on different sides of the front end when the pieces move closer to each other.

11. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the leading edge of the front end comprises an oblique guiding surface (145a, 145b) that is arranged to guide the rear edge of the rear end of the preceding piece in the Y direction so that said front end would be positioned underneath said rear end.

12. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 11 , characterized in that the rear edge of the rear end comprises a rounding (152) that is arranged to guide the leading edge of the front end of the next piece in the Y direction, so that said rear edge would be positioned underneath said front end.

13. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to

12, characterized in that on both sides of the front end in the Z direction there is a sliding surface (150a, 150b) extending in the X direction, and that the projecting members comprise a sliding surface (151a, 151b) extending in the X direction, which is arranged to be positioned against the sliding surface of the front end of the next piece in the X direction.

14. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to

13, characterized in that the hinge pin is arranged to pivot to a first rotating position (A) that corresponds to the position of the glass pane in which its surface coincides with the X and Y directions, and at least to a second rotating position (B) that corresponds to the position of the glass pane in which its surface coincides with the Y and Z directions.

15. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to

14, characterized in that the X and Y directions are substantially horizontal directions, and the Y direction is a substantially vertical direction.

16. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it is symmetrical to a plane parallel to the X direction and Y direction.

17. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the front end and the rear end each comprise an upper surface and an lower surface parallel to the X direction and Z direction.

18. The hinging and locking piece according to any of the claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the overall height and width of the piece are equal to those of the preceding and succeeding piece, wherein the front end and the rear end are positioned in a step-shaped manner in the X-direction.