Closing and/or opening damping device for sliding doors

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a closing and/or opening damping device for sliding doors in general within the field of construction and/or building and, more particularly, for those doors provided with one or more sliding glass or wooden panes which are suspended from an upper profile or guide rail which allows to guide the displacement of said sliding panes during the opening and closing of the door.

Background of the invention

Sliding doors of the type described are widely used in the field of construction and/or building to allow communication and/or separation between different rooms, enclosures and/or spaces in general, as well as to allow the opening and closing of various types of furniture, such as closets.

This type of doors have at least one manually operated sliding glass or wooden door pane, which the user pulls to allow the opening and/or closing of the door. In many cases, especially in doors of considerable size, these panes have a remarkable weight and/or considerable inertia, so that if the user releases the door panes prematurely, it can keep moving by its own inertia and/or by the impulse exerted by the user, until it ends up impacting strongly against the doorframe and/or the enclosures that delimit the door. These impacts can damage the door itself or other adjacent elements.

To avoid this problem, damping devices are often used, which can be used to close and/or open the door, depending on their arrangement and assembling inside the door. In any case, these devices are usually arranged on the sliding door pane in solidarity with it, in order to displace with it, and within the upper profile or guide rail, in order to interact with an external actuator of a fixed nature usually arranged at one end of said upper profile or guide rail, so that it can come into action shortly before the closing and/or opening of the door is completed. These devices have a housing with two laterally symmetrically arranged guiding slots; a cylinder-piston assembly, whose piston has an actuating end; a spring with a movable end and a fixed end with respect to the housing; and a trigger attached to the movable end, configured to move along the guiding slots from a loading position to a unloading position by the action of the external actuator, interacting during its travel with the actuating end to dampen such displacement. Thus, the closing and/or opening of the door occurs at its final instant in a controlled, smooth and/or progressive manner, damping and/or reducing the speed of the sliding door pane to avoid shocks, in case it displaces quickly due to its inertia. Also, with this, the closing and/or opening of the door is carried out in a firm way so that once it reaches the final closing and/or opening position it is not improperly closed and/or loose. An example of this type of damping device can be seen in Figures 1a, 1b and 1c.

In any case, in damping devices of the above type, the trigger always encounters the external actuator in the loading position of the device, i.e. when the trigger is separated from the cylinder-piston assembly, with the piston and spring extended. The contact between the trigger and the external actuator then produces a trigger movement that releases the trigger from its position and, at the same time, allows the trigger to engage the external actuator. The spring tension then pulls the sliding pane, while the cylinder-piston assembly controls its speed at the final moment of closing and/or opening of the door, without manual intervention by the user. All this occurs as the trigger moves from the loading to the unloading position, due to the sliding of the trigger along the guiding slots. Once in the unloading position, the trigger is adjacent to the cylinder-piston assembly, with the piston and spring retracted. The trigger remains attached to the external actuator, once the door has been closed and/or opened, with no freedom of movement. It is the user himself who, by manually pulling the sliding pane to restart the process of opening and/or closing the door, provides the necessary force to tension the spring and bring the trigger back to the loading position. When the trigger reaches this loading position, it is locked in it, allowing the release of the external actuator. The system is then ready to repeat the previous process.

The correct operation of the above type of damping devices necessarily requires a previous conditioning of the same before proceeding to their installation and/or assembling on site. Specifically, it requires a spring preload to leave the trigger in the loading position, as well as arranging the damping device on the correct side so that the external actuator meets the trigger frontally and not upside down. If the trigger is left in the unloading position, since the trigger has no freedom of movement in the unloading position, when the external actuator encounters the trigger it impacts the trigger with force. The trigger therefore opposes the advance of the external actuator, without allowing it to pass, so that the external actuator cannot engage the trigger in order to bring it to the loading position.

The operators must therefore ensure that the spring is preloaded and that the damping device, together with the associated sliding pane, is correctly positioned with respect to the external actuator. This in itself is already a series of disadvantages because, in addition to increasing installation time, a simple mistake in assembling, such as forgetting to preload the spring, could render the damping device unusable, or inoperative, once the door has been assembled, making it necessary to disassemble the sliding pane together with the device, and to assemble it again once the spring has been preloaded.

But even on properly assembled and functioning sliding doors, problems can occur over time that render the damping device unusable. This usually occurs when the trigger accidentally jumps from its loading position due to vibrations and/or external shocks, so that, under spring tension, it moves directly to the unloading position without engaging the external trigger. It is therefore out of service for the reasons stated above. In this case, furthermore, the consequences may be worse. Such systems are often assembled on top profiles or guide rails concealed in suspended ceilings, so that the damping device is not easily accessible. Thus requiring the intervention of operators in assembling and/or works already completed, to disassemble and assemble again the sliding door.

The present invention solves the above problems by means of a damping device, the configuration of which allows the external actuator to engage the trigger even when it is in the unloading position. This ensures the continuous operation of the sliding door at all times, the reactivation of the system even in the event of an accidental unloading of the system, as well as facilitating installation and/or assembling operations by not having to pre-condition the device, thereby also guaranteeing efficient assembling and reducing the risk of errors occurring.

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to a closing and/or opening damping device for sliding doors, comprising: a housing having two laterally symmetrically arranged guiding slots; a cylinder-piston assembly, the piston of which has an actuating end; a spring having a movable end and a fixed end with respect to the housing; and a trigger attached to the movable end of the spring, configured to move along the guiding slots from a loading position to an unloading position by the action of an external actuator, interacting during its travel with the actuating end to dampen such displacement; where: in the loading position, the trigger is separated from the cylinder-piston assembly, with the piston and spring extended; and in the unloading position, the trigger is adjacent to the cylinder-piston assembly, with the piston and spring retracted or compressed.

Said damping device is characterized in that the trigger has a retractable movement in the unloading position configured to allow the engagement or re-engagement of the external actuator to the trigger.

In this way, in the event of a possible accidental unloading of the device or unexpected release of the trigger, the external actuator finds the trigger in the unloading position and gently contacts it, producing a retractable movement of the trigger that displaces and/or retracts it sufficiently to allow the external actuator to pass through. There is therefore a slight contact with the front of the trigger, but in no case a sudden impact against it, nor an opposition to the advance of the external actuator, since the trigger has a certain freedom of movement in the unloading position.

In turn, this displacement and/or retracted position of the trigger does not prevent the trigger from re-engaging the external actuator by reversing the direction of travel of the sliding pane, bringing it back to the loading position. This restores the full operability and/or functioning of the damping device in any situation, without the need to disassemble the door and/or access the damping device. It is therefore not necessary to preload the trigger to bring it into the loading position during door assembling, since, after installation, the damping device can be enabled by simply moving the sliding pane in the appropriate direction.

Preferably, the retractable movement allows the trigger to be tilted with respect to the housing, and more specifically with respect to the guiding slots, in the unloading position. So that the trigger is configured to tilt (rotate, swivel, pivot...) in order to retract, conceal and/or displace as necessary to allow the external actuator to pass through. Such a tilting movement may also be accompanied by a slight sliding and/or linear displacement of the trigger along the guiding slots while turning and/or rotating the trigger in the unloading position.

According to other particular embodiment cases, the retractable movement can be produced by the flexible configuration of certain parts of the trigger which, upon contact with the external actuator, allow its passage. The tilting of the trigger and its partially flexible behavior can be used separately or in combination.

Preferably, the trigger is made of engineering plastics.

Preferably, the trigger comprises two sliding pivots that protrude laterally in a symmetrical manner to be housed each one of them inside the corresponding guiding slot defining a tilting or rotation axis, where said sliding pivots are configured to slide along said guiding slots from the loading position to the unloading position.

Preferably, the trigger comprises at least one auxiliary pivot protruding laterally to lie outside the guiding slot. This auxiliary pivot is configured to tilt or rotate around the tilting axis defined by the sliding pivots. According to a preferred embodiment, there are two auxiliary pivots arranged symmetrically on the trigger, aligned along an axis parallel to the tilting axis.

These auxiliary pivots have multiple functions. First, the arrangement of the auxiliary pivots outside the guiding slots allows the trigger to pivot or tilt around the sliding pivots arranged inside the guiding slots. Secondly, these auxiliary pivots work in collaboration with the sliding pivots to assist the locking of the trigger in the loading position, as well as to allow its subsequent unlocking. Then, they also serve to accompany and/or give greater stability to the movement and/or sliding of the trigger along the guiding slots, combining sliding pivots that go inside the guiding slots with auxiliary pivots outside them. And finally, they have a top stop function to keep the trigger in the proper place in the unloading position, preventing it from tilting upward or upward before being retracted and/or protruding excessively at the top, which could hinder the proper movement of the damping device or collide with other elements. Optionally, these auxiliary pivots can also act as a bottom stop, working with other elements of the housing to limit downward or descending retraction movement.

Both the sliding pivots and the auxiliary pivots can be shaped by means of protruding elements and/or ends, preferably cylindrical and with a flat surface to facilitate their sliding and rotation both inside and outside the guiding slots. Preferably, the pivots are made of metallic materials.

Preferably, the trigger comprises: a first protrusion configured to receive the external actuator in the loading position; a second protrusion; and a housing defined between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, configured to engage the external actuator when moving from the loading position to the unloading position.

Under normal operating conditions, the first protrusion is configured to contact the external actuator frontally. This contact causes the trigger to tilt in the loading position, causing it to release. The tilting of the trigger causes at the same time an upward or ascending displacement of the second protrusion, sufficient to engage a protruding part of the external actuator between the housing defined between the two protrusions. Once the trigger is released from the loading position, it is trapped in the external actuator, which is in a fixed position at the top of the door, either in the top profile or guide rail, or in the wall or ceiling itself. So the spring tension causes the sliding pane to move until the trigger reaches the unloading position. The speed of this displacement is damped and/or controlled by the cylinder-piston assembly, which at the same time ensures that the sliding pane remains firm and/or secure in any of the closing and/or opening positions, preventing it from becoming loose.

After an accidental release of the trigger, the trigger automatically displaces suddenly along the guiding slots, due to the spring tension, until the trigger reaches the release position. Since the external actuator is in a fixed position, released from the trigger, the accidental displacement of the trigger does not result in any movement and/or damping of the sliding pane, which remains stationary during the accidental release. To reset the damping device so that it is operational again, the user must move the sliding pane towards the external actuator. In this case, it is the second protrusion that makes frontal contact with the external actuator. The contact of the external actuator with said second protrusion causes the trigger to move retractively, so that the second protrusion in turn undergoes a slight downward or descending displacement, just enough to allow the protruding part of the external actuator to pass over the second protrusion. Once the protruding part of the actuator is in the housing defined between the two protrusions, the contact on the second protrusion disappears, thus stopping the force that causes the trigger to retract downward. Since the trigger is still engaged in the spring, which has displaced slightly downward during the retracting movement of the trigger, it is the spring itself which, upon returning to its rest position, pulls slightly on the trigger to reverse the retracting movement, i.e. to make it tilt in the opposite direction and return to the position it had before coming into contact with the external actuator. When the trigger recovers its position, it engages the external actuator between the two protrusions, so that the damping device becomes operational again.

Preferably, the first protrusion protrudes above the second protrusion, so that each of the protrusions frontally contacts the external actuator in a corresponding manner, depending on each of the situations indicated above.

Preferably, the trigger comprises an actuation wall configured to interact with the actuation end of the piston, where said actuation wall features a cam profile or curved profile. This type of profile facilitates the retractable movement of the trigger in the unloading position, allowing it to tilt and/or rotate as required. In particular, such a cam or curved profile prevents the trigger from abutting against the top of the actuating end before completing the necessary turn to allow the external actuator to pass in an accidental unloading situation. It also reduces the friction of the actuation wall with the actuation end of the piston during trigger tilting, so that there is smooth sliding between the two and no blockage.

Preferably, the trigger comprises a recess or open space in a central part of the actuation wall, so as to further reduce friction with the actuation end of the piston, also favoring sliding between the actuation wall and the actuation end during the retractable movement of the trigger.

Preferably, the trigger comprises an engagement element configured to receive the movable end of the spring. Preferably, said engagement presents a central arrangement on the trigger to accommodate a single spring. This embodiment reduces the number of components of the damping device, resulting in a simpler and lower cost device. However, according to other particular embodiments, the trigger may comprise one or more engagement elements for engaging more than one spring, e.g., two or three springs arranged horizontally in parallel, etc.

Preferably, the trigger comprises an upper stop configured to limit the downward retractable movement of the trigger by contact of said upper stop with the actuating end of the piston. This prevents the trigger from tilting down excessively and from interfering with other elements below and/or being blocked by them.

The housing of the damping device can adopt various structural configurations and/or materials, preferably adopting a substantially narrow and elongated shape of rigid plastic material, with the appropriate dimensions to be housed inside the guide rail or upper profile of the door, and to be able to move inside it.

Preferably, the housing is formed by two side bodies, preferably symmetrical, and removable from each other, in order to facilitate the assembly and/or manufacture of the damping device, as well as the access to its internal components for repair and/or maintenance issues.

Preferably, the housing comprises at least one recess arranged below the guiding slots, separated from the corresponding guiding slot by a boundary wall. This free space allows the housing and displacement of the auxiliary pivots outside the guiding slots. This in turn allows the trigger to be tilted in both the loading and unloading positions.

Preferably, the boundary wall is configured to limit the upward or ascending retractable movement of the trigger by contacting the auxiliary pivot against said boundary wall.

Preferably, each guiding slot comprises: a curved section in the loading position; and a straight section extending from the curved section to the unloading position.

The curved section in the loading position is the cause of the trigger being locked in this position, retaining the sliding pivots in spite of the spring tension on the trigger.

The straight section is the one that allows a relative movement between the sliding pivots and the guiding slots to bring the trigger from the loading position to the unloading position once unlocked by the external actuator.

Preferably, the damping device also comprises rolling means, preferably wheels and/or rollers, integrated in the housing configured to allow the device to move along a guide rail. This also reduces the number of components required for the correct operation of the door, while the resulting damping device is more compact and robust. Such rolling means can be arranged on the front and/or rear of the damping device on the same or different number of elements (wheels, rollers...).

Alternatively, the rolling means may be arranged apart from the damping device, as a separate and independent element thereof duly linked to the sliding pane, resulting in the system of the present invention being equally functional.

Preferably, the damping device comprises fastening means, preferably screws and/or bolts, integrated in the housing configured to allow the fastening of a sliding pane. This also reduces the number of components required for the correct operation of the door, while the resulting damping device is more compact and robust. Such fastening means can be arranged on the front and/or rear of the damping device in an equal or different number of elements (screws, bolts...).

Alternatively, the fastening means may be arranged apart from the damping device, as a separate and independent element thereof duly linked to the sliding pane, resulting in the system of the present invention being equally functional.

Brief description of the drawings

The following is a very brief description of a series of drawings which help to better understand the invention, and which relate expressly to one embodiment of said invention which is presented as non-limiting examples thereof.

Figure 1a shows an interior longitudinal view of a damping device according to the prior art in the loading position.

Figure 1b shows an interior longitudinal view of a damping device according to the prior art in the unloading position.

Figure 1c shows an interior longitudinal view of a damping device according to the prior art in the event of an accidental unloading situation. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the damping device of the present invention.

Figure 3a shows an interior longitudinal view of the damping device of the present invention in the loading position.

Figure 3b shows an interior longitudinal view of the damping device of the present invention in the unloading position.

Figure 3c shows an interior longitudinal view of the damping device of the present invention in the event of an accidental unloading situation.

Figure 4 shows a bottom view of the damping device of the present invention.

Figure 5 shows a cross section of the damping device of the present invention in the unloading position.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the trigger of the damping device of the present invention.

Figure 7 shows a front view of the trigger of figure 6.

Figure 8 shows a back view of the trigger of figure 6.

Figure 9 shows a top view of the trigger of figure 6.

Figure 10 shows a bottom view of the trigger of figure 6.

Figure 11 shows a first side view of the trigger of figure 6.

Figure 12 shows a second side view of the trigger of figure 6.

Figure 13 shows an applicability example of the damping device of the present invention on a sliding door, illustrating the sliding pane in the open position.

Figure 14 shows an enlarged view of the top of the sliding door of the applicability example of figure 13, illustrating the sliding pane in the closed position.

Figure 15 shows a detail view of one of the damping devices of the applicability example of fgure 13 in the loading position.

Figure 16 shows a detail view of one of the damping devices of the applicability example of figure 13 in the unloading position.

Detailed description of the invention

Figures 1a and 1b show respectively an interior longitudinal view of a damping device (1') according to the prior art in the loading position (P1) and in the unloading position (P2).

As can be seen, the damping device (1') has a housing (2') with two guiding slots (3') arranged laterally symmetrically (although only one of them is illustrated in the image); a cylinder-piston assembly (4'), whose piston (41') has an actuating end (42'); a spring (5') with a movable end (51') and a fixed end (52') with respect to the housing (2'); and a trigger (6') attached to the movable end (51'), configured to move along the guiding slots (3') from a loading position (P1) to a unloading position (P2) by the action of the external actuator (A), interacting during its travel with the actuating end (42') to dampen such displacement. The trigger (6') moves along the guiding slots (3') by means of sliding pivots (6T), all arranged inside said guiding slots (3').

The correct operation of this damping device (T) necessarily requires a preloading of the spring (5') to leave the trigger (6') in the loading position (P1), Figure 1a, as well as arranging the damping device (T) on the correct side during its installation and/or assembling so that the external actuator (A) encounters the trigger (6') frontally and not the other way around.

Figure 1c shows an interior longitudinal view of a damping device (T) according to the prior art when faced with an accidental unloading situation.

As can be seen, the trigger (6') has accidentally jumped from its loading position (P1), so that, tensioned by the spring (5'), it has displaced directly to the unloading position (P2) without having engaged the external actuator (A). Since the trigger (6') has no freedom of movement in the unloading position (P2), when the external actuator (A) encounters the trigger (6') it impacts with force against the latter. This freedom of movement is mainly imposed by the arrangement in series of the two sets of sliding pivots (6T) inside the guide slots (3'), which prevent it from tilting in the unloading position (P2), as well as by the configuration of the trigger (6') itself, which causes it to be completely glued and adjusted against the actuation end (42') of the piston (4 ) in said unloading position (P2). The trigger (6') therefore opposes the advance of the external actuator (A), without allowing it to pass, so that the external actuator (A) cannot engage the trigger (6') in order to bring it to the loading position (P1). The damping device (T) is therefore inoperative.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the damping device (1) of the present invention, represented in this case in the unloading position (P2). According to the present example, the housing (2) is formed by two side bodies (2a, 2b), preferably symmetrical, and dismountable from each other, in order to facilitate the assembly of the damping device (1) and the access to its internal components for repair and/or maintenance issues.

Figures 3a and 3b show respectively an interior longitudinal view of the damping device (1) for closing and/or opening sliding doors of the present invention in the loading position (P1) and in the unloading position (P2). It corresponds to the damping device in Figure 2, without one of the side bodies (2a, 2b).

As can be seen, the damping device (1) comprises: a housing (2) having two guiding slots (3) arranged laterally symmetrically; a cylinder-piston assembly (4), the piston (41) of which has an actuation end (42); a spring (5) having a movable end (51) and a fixed end (52) with respect to the housing (2); and a trigger (6) attached to the movable end (51), configured to be displaced along the guiding slots (3) from a loading position (P1) to a unloading position (P2) by the action of an external actuator (A), interacting during its travel with the actuating end (41) to dampen such displacement; where: in the loading position (P1), the trigger (6) is separated from the cylinder-piston assembly (4), with the piston (41) and spring (5) extended; and in the loading position (P1), the trigger (6) is separated from the cylinder-piston assembly (4), with the piston (41) and spring (5) extended; and In Figures 3a - 3c, only one of the guiding slots (3) is shown, since only one of the side bodies (2a, 2b) of the damping device (1) is depicted. The two guiding slots (3) can be seen in the cross section of Figure 5.

The housing (2) comprises at least one recess (7) arranged below the guiding slots (3), separated from the corresponding guiding slot (3) by a boundary wall (71).

Each guiding slot (3) comprises: a curved section (31) in the loading position (P1); and a straight section (32) extending from the curved section (31) to the unloading position (P2).

The curved section (31) in the loading position (P1) causes the trigger (6) to remain locked in this position, despite the tension of the spring (5) on the trigger (6). The straight section (32) is the one that allows a relative movement between the trigger (6) and the guiding slots (3) to bring the trigger (6) from the loading position (P1) to the unloading position (P2) once unlocked by the external actuator (A).

As shown in Figure 3a, the trigger (6) finds the external actuator (A) in the loading position (P1) of the damping device (1). The contact between the trigger (6) and the external actuator (A) then produces a movement of the trigger (6) which releases it from its position and, at the same time, allows to engage said trigger (6) to the external actuator (A). The tension of the spring (5) then pulls the sliding pane (H), Figures 13 and 14, while the cylinder-piston assembly (4) controls its speed at the final moment of closing and/or opening of the door (P), without manual intervention by the user. All this occurs while the trigger (6) passes from the loading position (P1) to the unloading position (P2), due to the sliding of said trigger (6) along the guiding slots (3).

As shown in Figure 3b, once in the unloading position (P2), the trigger (6) is adjacent to the cylinder-piston assembly (4), with the piston (41) and spring (5) retracted. The trigger (6) therefore remains attached to the external actuator (A), once the door has been closed and/or opened. It is the user himself or herself who, by manually pulling the sliding pane (H), Figures 13 and 14, to restart the process of opening and/or closing the door (P), provides the necessary force to tension the spring (5) and bring the trigger (6) back to the load position (P1), Figure 3a. When the trigger (6) reaches the loading position (P1) it is locked in this position, allowing the release of the external actuator (A). The system is then ready to repeat the process of opening and/or closing the door (P).

Figure 3c shows an interior longitudinal view of the damping device (1) of the present invention in the face of an accidental unloading situation.

As can be seen, the trigger (6) has accidentally jumped from its loading position (P1), so that, tensioned by the spring (5) it has displaced directly to the unloading position (P2) without having engaged the external actuator (A). In this case, however, the trigger (6) presents in the unloading position (P2) a retractable movement (MR) configured to allow the re-engagement of the external actuator (A) to the trigger (6).

Specifically, when the user moves the sliding pane (H), the external actuator (A) encounters the trigger (6) in the unloading position (P2) and gently contacts it, causing a retracting movement (MR) of the trigger (6) that displaces and/or retracts it sufficiently to allow the external actuator (A) to pass. There is therefore a slight contact with a front part of the trigger (6), but in no case a sudden impact against it, nor an opposition to the advance of the external actuator (A), since the trigger (6) presents a certain freedom of movement in the unloading position (P2). Once the external actuator (A) has passed, it is the spring (5) itself which, on returning to its rest position, slightly pulls the trigger (6) to reverse the retractable movement (MR), i.e. to make it tilt in the opposite direction and/or upwards, in order to recover the position it had before coming into contact with the external actuator (A). When the trigger (6) recovers its position, it engages the external actuator (A) again and becomes as shown in Figure 3b, so that the damping device (1) is again fully operational.

Figures 4 and 5 show respectively a bottom view and a cross section of the damping device (1) of the present invention, also reflected in the unloading position (P2).

Figures 6 - 12 show various views of the trigger (6) of the damping device (1) of the present invention.

As can be seen, the trigger (6) comprises two sliding pivots (61) that protrude laterally in a symmetrical manner to be housed each of them inside the corresponding guiding slot (3) defining a tilting axis (61b), Figure 5. Said sliding pivots (61) are configured to slide along said guiding slots (3) from the loading position (P1) to the unloading position (P2). The trigger (6) comprises two symmetrically arranged auxiliary pivots (62), aligned along an axis parallel to the tilting axis (61b), which protrude laterally to lie outside the guiding slot (3), Figure 5. Said auxiliary pivots (62) are configured to tilt according to the tilting axis (61b) defined by the sliding pivots (61).

The auxiliary pivots (62) are housed outside the guiding slots (3), and with the possibility of displacement, in the recess (7) of the housing (2). This allows the trigger (6) to be tilted in the unloading position (P2), both downward (MRD) and upward (MRA). Also, the auxiliary pivots (62) are configured to contact the boundary wall (71) in order to limit the retractable movement (MR) of the trigger (6) in the upward direction (MRA). Figures 3c, 4 and 5.

The trigger (6) comprises: a first protrusion (63) configured to receive the external actuator (A) in the loading position (P1); a second protrusion(64); and a housing (65) defined between the first protrusion (63) and the second protrusion (64), configured to engage the external actuator (A) when passing from the loading position (P1) to the unloading position (P2).

In normal operating conditions, the first protrusion (63) is configured to frontally contact the external actuator (A), Figure 3a. This contact tilts the trigger (6) to the loading position (P1), causing it to unlock. The tilting of the trigger (6) causes at the same time an upward or ascending displacement of the second protrusion (64), sufficient to engage a protruding part of the external actuator (A) between the housing (65) defined between the two protrusions (63, 64). Once the trigger (6) is released from the loading position (P1), it is trapped in the external actuator (A), which is in a fixed position on the top of the door, either on the upper profile or guide rail (C), or on the wall or ceiling itself. So the tension of the spring (5) causes the sliding pane (H) to move until the trigger (6) reaches the unloading position (P2), Figure 3b. The speed of such displacement is damped and/or controlled by the cylinder-piston assembly (4), which at the same time ensures that the sliding pane (H) remains firm and/or secure in any of the closing and/or opening positions, preventing it from becoming loose.

After an accidental unloading of the damping device (1), it is the second protrusion (64) that contacts frontally the external actuator (A), Figure 3c. The contact of the external actuator (A) with said second protrusion (64) causes the retractable movement (MR) of the trigger (6), so that the second protrusion (64), dragged by the movement of the trigger (6), undergoes in turn a slight downward or descending displacement, just enough to let the protruding part of the external actuator (A) pass over the second protrusion (64). Once the protruding part of the actuator (A) is in the housing (65) defined between the two protrusions (63, 64) the contact on the second protrusion (64) disappears, thus stopping the retractable movement (MR) of the trigger (6) in the downward direction. Since the trigger (6) is still attached to the spring (5), which has displaced slightly downward during the retracting movement (MR) of said trigger (6), it is the spring (5) itself which, upon returning to its rest position, slightly pulls the trigger (6) to reverse the retracting movement (MR), that is, to make it tilt in the opposite direction and recover the position it had before coming into contact with the external actuator (A). When the trigger (6) recovers its position, it engages the external actuator (A) between the two protrusions (63, 64), so that the damping device (1) becomes operational again, Figure 3b.

The first protrusion (63) protrudes above the second protrusion (64) by a certain distance (h), Figure 12, so that each of the protrusions (63, 64) frontally contacts the external actuator (A) in a corresponding manner, depending on the situations indicated above.

The second protrusion (64) may additionally present a flexible nature to favor the passage of the external actuator (A).

The trigger (6) comprises an actuation wall (66) configured to interact with the actuation end (42) of the piston (41), where said actuation wall (66) features a cam profile or curved profile.

The trigger (6) comprises an open space (69) in a central part of the actuation wall (66), so as to further reduce friction with the actuation end (42) of the piston (41).

The trigger (6) comprises a engagement element (67) configured to receive the movable end (51) of the spring (5). Said engagement (67) has a central arrangement on the trigger (6) to receive a single spring (5).

The trigger (6) comprises an upper stop (68) configured to limit the retractable movement (MR) of the trigger (6) in the downward direction (MRD) by contacting said upper stop (68) with the actuation end (42) of the piston (41), Figure 3c. Figures 13 and 14 show an applicability example of the damping device (1) of the present invention on a sliding door (P), illustrating the sliding pane (H) in open and closed position respectively. Said sliding pane (H) allows to open and/or close a passage between two walls or partitions (T).

As can be seen, the sliding pane (H) is suspended from two damping devices (1) according to the present invention, which also act as door fastening elements (P). The damping devices (1) are configured to move inside the upper profile or guide rail (C). To control the closing and/or opening of the door (P) there are two external actuators (A) in fixed position, also inside the upper profile or guide rail (C) and close to the ends thereof, one for each damping device (1). Said external actuators (A) are arranged so that they can interact with the damping device (1) corresponding to the closing or opening of the door (P). In this case, the damping device (1) on the left of Figure 13 is responsible for damping the displacement of the sliding pane (H) when closing the door (P), while the damping device (1) on the right of Figure 13 is responsible for damping the displacement of the sliding pane (H) when opening the door (P).

Figures 15 and 16 show the damping devices (1) of the applicability example of Figure 13 in the loading position (P1) and in the unloading position (P2), respectively.

As can be seen, the damping device (1) also comprises rolling means (8), preferably wheels and/or rollers, integrated in the housing (2) configured to allow the device (1) to move along a guide rail (C). In this case, the rolling means (8) are arranged both at the front and at the rear of the damping device (1).

The damping device (1) also comprises fastening means (9) in the form of screws and/or bolts, integrated in the housing (2) configured to allow the sliding pane (H) to be fastened.