Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a balcony glazing arrangement com- prising at least one window pane, which is hanging vertically from an main guide rail and is horizontally displaceable along the main guide rail by means of a first carriage that is arranged along a top horizontal edge of the window pane at a rear vertical side edge of the window pane, wherein the window pane is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation by means of a rotary bearing of said carriage between a closed position, in which the window pane extends along the main guide rail, and an open position, in which a front vertical side edge of the window pane is rotated away from the main guide rail, wherein the window pane comprises a second carriage arranged along the top hori- zontal edge of the window pane at a distance from the rear vertical side edge of the window pane, said second carriage being arranged to run along a par- allel guide rail in parallel with the main guide rail when the window pane is displaced horizontally in its closed position.

Background of the Invention

A balcony glazing arrangement according to the preamble is known from WO 2015/065264 A1. The known arrangement works well when the win- dow panes at hand are small and rather light. However, it turns out that large window panes often cause trouble due to the force required during closure of a window pane to lift the second carriage onto the parallel guide rail. To assist during closure, the known device uses ramp surfaces, but these cannot be made all too long and do therefore tend to be rather steep.

In the light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to pro- vide an improved balcony glazing arrangement that renders closure of win- dow panes easy even when these are large and heavy. Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention in a balcony glazing arrangement according to the preamble this is achieved in that the second carriage comprises a lifting roller, which is rotatable about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the window pane and is arranged to rollingly climb up onto the guide rail.

By having the lifting roller have its axis of rotation perpendicular to the window pane, it can roll along the parallel guide rail and while rolling gradually climb onto the parallel guide rail. To that the lifting roller only has to be shaped or arranged such that it while closing the window pane finds its way onto the parallel guide rail.

Preferably, the parallel guide rail is defined by a bottom wall of a profile, which further comprises a front wall in parallel with the parallel guide rail, a bottom slot, which is arranged between the parallel guide rail and the front wall to render horizontal displacement of the window pane possible, and a front opening, which allows the second carriage to enter the profile when the window pane is rotated toward its closed position.

A profile, usually of extruded aluminium and comprising the above features, is easy to accomplish and is lean on resources.

According to a preferred embodiment, the second carriage comprises a guide wheel, which is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation and is arranged to help rotating the window pane toward its closed position by contacting the front wall from inside the profile.

Again, a rotating member is used to reduce the forces required for closing , and again displacement of the window pane along the guide rails is rendered exceptionally smooth.

Preferably, the profile further comprises a top wall, from which the main guide rail projects inside the profile, wherein the first carriage has a pair of rear wheels that pinches the main guide rail inbetween and a pair of front wheels that pinches the main guide rail inbetween, thus that the first carriage is supported by and rendered displaceable along the main guide rail.

A profile comprising a main guide rail integrated therein is easy to accomlish, even if the main guide rail has to comprise some sort of longitudinal flange to support the first carriage and the window pane hanging thereon. The wheel pairs are lying down and pinch the main guide rail sideways. By this the first carriage and the profile too can be made compact and lean on resources.

Preferably, the first carriage has at least one rear magnetic means and at least one front magnetic means mounted thereon for interaction with carriages of other window panes hanging vertically from the main guide rail.

The magnetic means are used for instance when a number of opened window panes are to be stored in a compact arrangement close to each other and held together by means of the magnet means.

According to a first embodiment, the lifting roller comprises a conical portion, which tapers away from the window pane and is arranged at such a height in relation to the parallel guide rail that, when rotating the window pane toward its closed position, first a narrow end of the conical portion of the lifting roller comes into abutment with a top of the parallel guide rail at a first abutment point on a circumference of the lifting roller, and then, when continuously rotating the window pane toward its closed position while displacing it horizontally along the parallel guide rail, gradually thicker parts of the conical portion of the now rotating lifting roller come into abutment with the top of the parallel guide rail at further abutment points along a helix curve on the circumference of the lifting roller, by which the front vertical side edge of the window pane is lifted in relation to the parallel guide rail.

By means of the conical portion of the lifting roller and by letting the lift- ing roller roll along the parallel guide rail, it is rendered possible to considera- bly prolong the path along which the lifting roller climbs onto the parallel guide rail. The path, if viewed on the circumference of the lifting roller, is a helical one that begins at the narrow end of the conical portion and ends where the lifting roller has reached its maximum diameter. Further, the climbing action is facilitated by the fact that the rolling motion reduces friction to a minimum.

Preferably, the conical portion of the lifting roller thickens gradually and finally evolves into a straight cylindrical portion, with which in an all closed position of the window pane the lifting roller abuts on the top of the parallel guide rail. The advantage with the straight cylindrical portion is that the lifting roller has less tendency to deviate from a straight path along the parallel guide rail. Hence, performance of the second carriage is improved and displacement of the window pane rendered smoother.

According to a second embodiment, the parallel guide rail merges into a ramp surface, which slopes to meet the lifting roller on level.

To provide the parallel guide rail with a ramp surface is easy to accom- plish, e.g. by extruding a profile comprising a flange that comprises both the parallel guide rail and the ramp surface.

Preferably, the lifting roller of the second embodiment consists of a straight cylindrical wheel.

Such a straight cylindrical wheel can for instance be some sort of standard wheel, which is easy available and inexpensive.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will hereafter be described in more detail and with refer- ence to the appended schematic drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates parts of a balcony glazing arrangement according to a preferred embodiment in a perspective view with a window pane in an open position.

Fig. 2A illustrates the balcony glazing of fig. 1 in a sectional view from above with the window pane in a first position during closure.

Fig. 2B illustrates the balcony glazing of fig. 2A in a sectional perspec- tive view and in a side detail view.

Fig. 3A illustrates the balcony glazing of fig. 2A in a sectional view from above with the window pane in a second position during closure.

Fig. 3B illustrates the balcony glazing of fig. 3A in a sectional perspec- tive view and in a side detail view.

Fig. 4A illustrates the balcony glazing of figs. 2A and 3A in a sectional view from above with the window pane in a third position during closure.

Fig. 4B illustrates the balcony glazing of figs. 2A and 3A in a sectional perspective view and in a side detail view.

Fig. 5A illustrates parts of a balcony glazing arrangement according to an alternative embodiment in a sectional view in a first position. Fig. 5B illustrates the balcony glazing arrangement of fig. 5A in a sec- tional view in a second position.

Fig. 5C illustrates the balcony glazing arrangement of fig. 5A in a sec- tional view in a third position.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Fig. 1 illustrates in a schematic perspective view crucial parts of a first and preferred embodiment of a balcony glazing arrangement 1 according to the present invention. The crucial parts are a profile 10, which preferably is made of extruded aluminum and in a well-known way is to be horizontally mounted under a ceiling of a balcony (not shown).

The profile 10 has a substantially rectangular cross section and corn- prises a bottom wall 12, a top wall 14, a rear wall 15, and a front wall 16. The bottom wall 12 is all flat and serves a guide rail, which below is called parallel guide rail and, just as the bottom wall, is depicted 12. The parallel guide rail 12 extends along and is connected to a bottom edge of the rear wall 15. To the front, that is in a direction toward a lower edge of the front wall 16, the parallel guide rail 12 leaves a free space that forms a bottom slot 13 extend- ing along the bottom edge of the front wall 16.

The front wall 16 is in this context called front wall as it is placed in front on the drawings. In reality it is usually turned toward a balcony, that is away from a front of a building. In the front wall 16 there is a front wall open- ing 17, which extends all the way down to the lower edge of the front wall 16 but not all the way up to the top wall 14.

The top wall 14 stretches between and is connected to upper edges of the rear and front walls 15, 16. Along a longitudinal center of the top wall 14 an upper or main guide rail 11 projects downward. The main guide rail 14 comprises a bottom bead that stretches along its entire length in parallel with said parallel guide rail 12.

Finally, the profile 10 can comprise an end cap 18 on at least one of its ends. The end cap 18 shown to the right in fig. 1 terminates the profile 10 and its guide rails 11 , 12. It can be made of a magnetic material or comprise a magnet. Besides the profile 10, a window pane of the balcony glazing arrange- ment 1 is shown in fig. 1. The window pane 2 is shown in an open state, which in this context means it is swung away from the profile 10. The window pane 2 comprises a top horizontal edge 3, a rear vertical side edge 4 and a front vertical side edge 5. Again, the features rear and front have been cho- sen mainly based on how it is shown in the drawings.

At its rear vertical side edge, the window pane 2 hangs down from the profile 10 to which it is connected by means of a first carriage 20, which is shown in detail in the remaining figures and will be described in connection with these. And close to its front vertical side edge 5, the window pane 2 car- ries on its top horizontal edge 3 a second carriage 30, which is shown in greater detail in the remaining figures and will be described in connection with these. It is, however, important to note arrow A1 in fig. 1 which illustrates a curved closing motion that moves the second carriage 30 into the front wall opening 17, that is into the situation illustrated in figs. 2A and 2B.

In fig. 2A the profile 10 is shown from above in a sectional view. To the right the end cap 18 can be seen, and from there and to the left the rear wall 15, the front wall 16 with its front wall opening 17, the bottom wall or parallel guide rail 12, and the bottom slot 13.

Close to the end cap 18, the first carriage 20 can be seen. In its center it comprises a rotary bearing 21 , by which the window pane 2 (shown obliquely in fig. 2A) is held rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation. On its top the first carriage 20 has a pair of rear wheels 22, 23 and a pair of front wheels 24, 25. The wheels 22-25 are rotatable about vertical axes of rotation and are used to in pairs pinch the bead of the main guide rail 11 (c.f. fig. 1 ) by means of recesses in their circumference. By this the first carriage 20 is able to sup- port the window pane 2 hanging on the rotary bearing 21 of the first carriage 20.

Close to the front vertical side edge 5, the second carriage 30 is shown in fig. 2A on top of the top horizontal edge 3 of the window pane 2. The sec- ond carriage 30 comprises a lifting roller 32, which is rotatable about a hori- zontal axis perpendicular to the window pane 2. The lifting roller 32 comprises a frusto conical portion 33, which tapers away from the window pane 2. To- ward the window pane 2 the conical portion 33 thickens gradually and finally evolves into a straight cylindrical portion 34. Finally, on its top the second car- riage 30 comprises a guide wheel 38, which is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation.

From fig. 2A it can be seen that the second carriage 30 can enter the profile 10 through the front wall opening 17. When doing so, the tapering frusto conical portion 33 of the lifting roller 32 comes into abutment with a top edge of the parallel guide rail 12 and the circumference of the guide wheel 38 comes into contact with an edge of the front wall opening 17. The contact be- tween the guide wheel 38 and the front wall opening 17 is indicated in fig. 2A as a contact point 39 along the circumference of the guide wheel 38. The abutment of the lifting roller 32 against the parallel guide rail 12 is instead in- dicated as a first abutment point 35 in the enlarged detail view of fig. 2B, where the two different portions 33, 34 of the lifting roller 32 also are clearly shown.

In fig. 2B it can be seen that the second carriage 30 comprises a body 31 , which is attached to the top horizontal edge 3 of the window pane 2 and that this body 31 is still partially located outside the profile 10. Finally, in the enlarged view of fig. 2B an arrow A2 illustrates the direction in which the lifting roller 32 is moved until it encounters the parallel guide rail 12 during closing of the window pane 2.

Figs. 3A and 3B correspond essentially to figs. 2A and 2B but illustrate a later step during closing of the window pane 2. In fig. 3A a large arrow A3 illustrates movement of the window pane 2 and carriages 20 and 30 along the profile 10 in a direction away from the end cap 18. Due to this movement, the guide wheel 38 of the second carriage 30, now in contact with an inside of the front wall 16, urges the lifting roller 32 toward the rear wall 15 (c.f. arrow A4) and onto the parallel guide rail 12 at the same time as it is moved along the parallel guide rail 12 (c.f. arrow A5). In other words, the frusto conical portion 33 of the lifting roller 32 climbs onto the parallel guide rail 12 along a helical curve on its circumference. Finally, in figs. 4A and 4B a final step during closing of the window pane 2 is shown. The second carriage 30 is now completely within the profile 10 and the cylindrical portion 34 of the lifting roller 32 is shown completely on top of the parallel guide rail 11. Hence, the window pane 2 is in a closed posi- tion and is displaceable along arrows A3.

In figs. 5A-C an alternative embodiment of the balcony glazing ar- rangement 1 according to the invention is shown. As the second embodiment resembles the described first embodiment in many ways, below only essential differences are pointed out, wherein features resembling the ones of the first embodiment have been given the same references.

First, the profile 10 differs slightly from the one of the first embodiment. Just like in the first embodiment it comprises a bottom wall 12. However, the bottom wall 12 is not as wide as before and merges, as clearly shown in figs. 5A-C, into a ramp surface 19, which slopes towards the bottom slot 13 of the profile 10. Second, the lifting roller 32 of the second carriage 30 is different. It is according to the second embodiment a simple wheel without the tapering frusto conical portion 33 of the lifting roller 32 of the first embodiment.

In all that means that the ramping work previously done by the tapering frusto conical portion 33 of the lifting roller 32 now is done by the ramp sur- face 19 of the profile 10 instead. To be more precise, when as shown in fig. 2 closing a window pane 2, the second carriage 30 according to the second embodiment enters, as illustrated in fig. 5A by arrow A2, a front wall opening 17 in the front wall 16 of the profile 10. Now, if the window pane 2 is displaced along the profile 10, a guide wheel 38 of the second carriage 30 as before hits the front wall 16 where the front opening 17 ends. This is illustrated in fig. 5B and leads to that the lifting roller 32 is urged (c.f. arrow A4) to rollingly climb up the ramp surface 19. However, the slope that the lifting roller 32 has to climb up is significantly less than the actual inclination of the ramp surface 19, since the lifting roller 32 does not climb straight up but rolls along the ramp surface 19 as well. Finally, and as illustrated in fig. 5C, when the window pane 2 is all closed the guide wheel 38 is all inside the front wall 16 and the lifting roller 32 running along the planar bottom wall 12. To a person skilled in the art it is obvious that the profile 10 and the carriages 20 and 30 can be shaped differently within the scope of the inven- tion. Thus, the main guide rail 11 and the parallel guide rail 12 could very well be placed in other ways than shown or could even comprise of one single guide rail. Further, it is obvious that usually a plurality of window panes 2 are at hand. If so, the first carriage 20 is best equipped with rear magnets 26, 27 or a magnetic material and front magnets 28, 29 or a magnetic material to magnetically connect with carriages of other window panes 2 when window panes 2 are in an open position.