DESCRIPTION

The present invention regards a system for driving a telescopic gate of the type comprising a plurality of sliding doors arranged facing each other.

In addition, the present invention regards a telescopic gate comprising the aforementioned driving system, as well as a method for obtaining a telescopic gate.

Telescopic gates comprising two or more doors arranged mutually adjacent and sliding according to respective parallel directions are known.

It should be observed right away that, in the present description, reference to the sides of a door shall indicate the two juxtaposed faces of the door, substantially parallel to the sliding direction. Similarly, reference to two adjacent doors shall be used to indicate two doors arranged with the respective sides facing each other.

Lastly, the aforementioned doors are arranged so as to occupy respective different segments of the width of the gate. When the gate is opened, the aforementioned gates are moved so as to be arranged adjacent to each other, so as to occupy a length substantially corresponding to that of a single door. Thus, a gate of the aforementioned type has the advantage of having, when opening, a more limited length with respect to that of a slidable gate with a single door.

A known embodiment of a telescopic gate provides for that a first door be connected to a motor for the movement thereof.

The second door receives the motion from the first by means of a driving system comprising a cable, stretched loop-like around the first door through pulleys respectively arranged on the two juxtaposed lateral edges of the first door.

It should be observed right away that, in the present description, reference to the juxtaposed lateral edges shall indicate the two edges of the door juxtaposed according to the sliding direction of the door.

The section of the aforementioned cable interposed between the two doors is fixed to the second door whereas the other is fixed to the ground.

Thus, when the first door is driven in movement with respect to the ground, the second door is subjected to a displacement twice as much with respect to the first door, so that the door can be opened and closed by moving the first door for a distance equivalent to half the length of the gate in the extended position. Due to the arrangement of the pulleys, the driving system of the known type described above reveals the drawback of only being applicable to the lower edge or upper edge of each door.

Thus, in presence of the overall dimensions requirements that prevent applying the driving system to the lower edge of the door, the only alternative is to apply it to the upper edge, where the drawbacks regarding the safety of the gate and the aesthetic aspect thereof however arise.

A further drawback of the driving system described above lies in the fact that it is not suitable for moving more than one door beyond the first.

As a matter of fact, a driving system of the type described above has to be connected to the second door in order to move a third door but the corresponding cable would interfere with the cable arranged around the first door.

The driving system described above reveals the further drawback lying in the fact that it cannot be applied to doors of different thicknesses with respect to that for which the system was made.

The present invention aims at overcoming all the drawbacks described above regarding the telescopic gates of the known type.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to obtain a system for driving telescopic gates applicable to the door in any position, thus not only to the lower and upper edges thereof but also at intermediate heights of the door. Another object of the invention is to obtain a driving system that can be used for actuating gates with any number of doors, in a simple manner and without increasing the overall dimension of the gate.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a driving system adaptable to doors of any thickness.

Last but not least, an object of the invention lies in the fact that the driving system can be applied to the door and maintained in a simpler and quicker manner with respect to the driving systems of the known type.

The aforementioned objects are attained by a driving system for telescopic gates according to claim 1 .

The aforementioned objects are also attained by a telescopic gate according to claim 13.

The aforementioned objects are also attained by a method for obtaining a telescopic gate according to claim 14.

Further detailed characteristics of the invention are outlined in the relative dependent claims.

Advantageously, the greater adaptability of the driving system of the invention allows using it for actuating telescopic gates for which the systems of the known type are not suitable.

Still advantageously, the applicability of the driving system of the invention to doors of different thicknesses allows reducing the construction types of the driving system, reducing the components thereof.

Even more advantageously, the greater ease of installation of the driving system of the invention allows reducing the relative costs.

The aforementioned objects and advantages, alongside others to be mentioned hereinafter, shall be more apparent from the description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, that will be outlined hereinafter by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

- figs. 1 and 2 represent two axonometric views of a telescopic gate according to the invention, in open and closed configuration respectively; - fig. 3 represents the telescopic gate of fig. 1 , in front view;

- fig. 4 represents the driving system of the invention, in plan view;

- fig. 5 represents the driving system of fig. 4 applied to the gate of fig. 1 , in partly sectioned axonometric view;

- fig. 6 represents a detail of fig. 5;

- fig. 7 represents a further detail of fig. 5;

- fig. 8 represents the detail of fig. 7, in front view;

- figs. 9 and 10 represent a component of the driving system of fig. 4, according to the respective operating configurations, in axonometric view;

- fig. 1 1 represents the component of fig. 9, in bottom view;

- figs. 12 and 13 represent further components of the driving system of fig. 4, in axonometric view;

- fig. 14 represents further components of the driving system of fig. 4, in exploded axonometric view.

The driving system of the invention is described with reference to a telescopic gate of the type comprising two or more doors mutually parallel and facing each other and slidingly associated to the ground according to respective motion directions parallel to each other.

By way of example, fig. 1 represents a telescopic gate of the aforementioned type, indicated in its entirety with reference number 40 and comprising three doors 41 , 43 and 44. Obviously, variant embodiments of the gate of the invention may provide for a number of doors lower or higher than three.

Preferably but not necessarily, the sliding directions of the doors are defined by corresponding tracks 45 resting against the ground, to which the lower edge of each door is slidably associated through corresponding lower wheels, one of which is indicated in fig. 3 with reference number 46.

Preferably but not necessarily, the doors 41 , 43 and 44 are guided even at the upper edge thereof through corresponding upper wheels 47.

A first of the aforementioned doors, indicated with 41 , is connected to a motor 48 for the movement.

The first door 41 supports a driving system 1 for the movement of the second door 43 adjacent to the first.

The aforementioned driving system 1 may be observed in plan view in fig. 4 and in the application to the first door 41 in fig. 5. It should be observed that, in fig. 5, the first door 41 and part of the protective cover of the driving system 1 were removed to allow observing the internal components of the driving system 1 and the second door 43.

The driving system 1 comprises two cable-guide units 2, 3, respectively connected to two lateral edges 41a, 41 b of the first door 41 juxtaposed according to the sliding direction of the door, as indicated in figs. 1 and 2.

Each of the aforementioned cable-guide units 2, 3 comprises a support structure 5 provided with means for connecting to the lateral edge 41a, 41 b of the first door 41.

As observable in figs. 7 and 8, the cable-guide unit 2 comprises a plurality of pulleys 7, 8 rotatably associated to the support structure 5, adapted to slidably guide a cable 4, according to respective guide planes W, Y, Z, indicated in fig. 4.

Preferably, each pulley 7, 8 has a corresponding circumferential cavity which defines the respective guide plane W, Y, Z and which, advantageously, guarantees a precise guide to the cable 4.

What has been described above regarding the cable-guide unit 2 also similarly applies to the juxtaposed cable-guide unit 3.

In particular, the positions of the pulleys 7, 8 are such to stretch the cable 4 between the aforementioned cable-guide units 2, 3 according to a loop-like trajectory, so as to have two sections 4a, 4b substantially parallel to the sliding direction of the first door 41 and facing the respective juxtaposed sides 42a, 42b of the same.

Preferably, both the aforementioned sections 4a, 4b are protected by respective protective covers 49, visible in fig. 2, which advantageously prevent a user from inadvertently accessing the cable 4.

A first of the aforementioned sections 4a of the cable 4 is fixed to the ground through a first fixing unit 14, while the second section 4b is fixed to the second door 43 through a second fixing unit 15.

Thus, the movement of the first door 41 in the corresponding direction of motion produces a corresponding movement of the second door 43 in the same direction but twice as much.

Obviously, the first fixing unit 14 is arranged facing the side 42a of the first door 41 juxtaposed to the second door 43, while the second fixing unit 15 is arranged between the first door 41 and the second door 43.

According to the invention, the support structure 5 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 defines a through channel 6 extended according to a corresponding longitudinal direction X, which receives the respective lateral edge 41a, 41 b of the first door 41.

In addition, the pulleys 7, 8 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 comprise two first pulleys 7, arranged facing corresponding juxtaposed sides of the relative through channel 6 and having the corresponding guide planes W, Y parallel to each other, and two second pulleys 8, arranged facing the bottom of the relative through channel 6, having the corresponding guide planes Z mutually coplanar.

Each second pulley 8 is arranged so as to be able to return the cable 4 between a corresponding first pulley 7 and the other second pulley 8.

Thus, the cable 4 is returned from one side 41a to the other 41 b of the first door 41 passing, in sequence, at contact with a first pulley 7, a corresponding second pulley 8, the other second pulley 8 and, lastly, the other first pulley 7. In particular, the guide plane W, Y of each first pulley 7 of the cable-guide unit 2 is coplanar to the guide plane W, Y of a corresponding first pulley 7 of the other cable-guide unit 3 and, thus, also a corresponding cable section 41a, 41 b lies thereon.

The aforementioned configuration of the cable-guide units 2, 3 and, in particular, of the respective pulleys 7 and 8, allows fixing the cable-guide units 2, 3 at any height along the lateral edges 41 a, 41 b of the first door 41.

Thus, the object of obtaining a more versatile driving system 1 with respect to the driving systems of the known type is attained. As a matter of fact, the aforementioned driving system 1 may not only be fixed at the lower or upper edges of the first door 41 , but also at any intermediate position, depending on the needs required by the particular use.

Preferably, the guide planes W, Y, Z of the first pulleys 7 and the second pulleys 8 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction X of the corresponding through channel 6. This allows arranging the pulleys 7, 8 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 very close to the lateral edge 41a, 41 b of the first door 41 , with the advantage of limiting the overall dimensions of the gate 40.

A further driving system 1 identical to the previous one may be applied to the second door 43 to move a third door 44. In this case, the first door 41 serves as an external structure for the further driving system 1 , so that the motion transmitted to the third door 44 is equivalent to three times the motion of the first door 41 .

Obviously, what has just been said may similarly apply for moving further doors subsequent to the third door 44.

Preferably and as observable more in detail in fig. 6, the support structure 5 comprises an inner wall 5a and an outer wall 5b parallel to each other which define an interspace within which the pulleys 7, 8 are arranged thus advantageously allowing protecting the cable 4.

Still advantageously, the arrangement of the pulleys 7, 8 in the aforementioned interspace allows using the inner wall 5a as a reference surface to be placed at contact with the door so as to allow the correct and stable positioning of the support structure 5 with respect to the door.

Preferably, one or both second pulleys 8 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 are associated to the respective support structure 5 through an eccentric pin 13 with axis parallel to the rotation axis of the respective second pulley 8.

Advantageously, the aforementioned eccentric pin 13 allows adjusting the second pulley 8 on the respective guide plane Z so as to be able to stretch the cable 4 subsequently to mounting the driving system 1 to the door.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the two first pulleys 7 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 are preferably configured so that the two sections 4a, 4b of the cable 4 lie on the corresponding planes 9, 10 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the through channel 6 and spaced from each other. In other words, the two sections 4a, 4b of the trajectory of the cable 4 are preferably arranged at corresponding heights different from each other according to the height of the first door 41 .

Advantageously, the configuration just described above allows using identical driving systems 1 for all the doors of the gate 40, regardless of the number thereof, without affecting the ease of construction and operation of the gate and/or the overall dimensions.

As a matter of fact, all driving systems 1 may be associated to the relative doors at the same height given that the respective cable sections 4 interposed between any pair of doors and, in particular, the respective fixing units 14, 15, do not interfere with each other during the movements, given that they follow superimposed trajectories.

The possibility of applying all driving systems 1 at the same height avoids construction complications of the gate 40. In addition, the superimposition of the trajectories of the fixing units 14, 15 avoids the increase of the transversal overall dimension of the gate 40.

For example, with reference to the driving systems 1 associated to the first door 41 and the second door 43, fig. 5 shows that the second fixing unit 15 used for fixing the cable 4 arranged around the first door 41 to the second door 43 moves on a different plane with respect to the first fixing unit 14 used for fixing the cable 4 arranged around the second door 43 to the first door 41 , the two planes being spaced from each other in the direction of the height of the doors.

In particular, the distance between the two planes corresponding to the two sections 4a, 4b of the cable 4 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 is at least equivalent to the overall height of the portions of the first fixing unit 14 and the second fixing unit 15 comprised between the aforementioned two planes.

According to a further aspect of the invention, in each cable-guide unit 2, 3, the guide planes W, Y of the first pulleys 7 are preferably orthogonal with respect to the guide planes Z of the second pulleys 8.

Advantageously, the orthogonality of the second pulleys 8 with respect to the first pulleys 7 allows using a support structure 5 extensible according to a direction parallel to the guide plane Z of the second pulleys 8, so that it is possible to vary the mutual distance between the two first pulleys 7 and, thus, the width of the through channel 6.

Advantageously, the aforementioned adjustability allows adapting the driving system 1 to doors of different thickness, thus attaining a further object of the invention.

In particular, the requirement just described above may be obtained by dividing the support structures 5 of each cable-guide unit 2, 3 into two corresponding pairs of support bodies that are distinct and can be spaced from each other according to a direction parallel to the guide plane Z of the second pulleys 8. For example, as observable in fig. 14, the support structure 5 of the cable- guide unit 3 is composed of a pair of physically separated support bodies 12, 12', each of which carries a corresponding first pulley 7 and a corresponding second pulley 8 of the relative cable-guide unit 2, 3.

Preferably, the two bodies 12, 12' are connectable to the door independently from each other through respective connection elements 32 which, preferably, comprise two or more through holes for the insertion of corresponding screws. A variant embodiment of the invention, not represented in the drawings, provides for that the two support bodies be mutually connected through adjustable connection means which allow modifying the mutual distance thereof.

Preferably, the support bodies 12, 12' are identical to each other and configured so as to be approached to each other, when rotated, by 180° on the guide plane Z of the second pulleys 8, so as to form the corresponding support structure 5.

Advantageously, the configuration just described above allows reducing the number of different components of the support structure 5.

Obviously, the support structure 5 of the cable-guide unit 2 juxtaposed to the one described above may be made up of two corresponding support bodies 11 , 11 ' entirely similar to the support bodies 12, 12' and having respective symmetrical configurations with respect to the latter.

As regards the fixing units 14, 15 used for fixing the cable 4 to an external structure or to an adjacent door, each of them preferably comprises a support bracket 16, represented in figs. 9 to 1 1 , connectable to the aforementioned external structure and/or adjacent door.

The fixing units 14, 15 further comprise corresponding counter-brackets 17, 18, respectively represented in figs. 12 and 13, adapted to be fixed to the cable 4 and stably connectable to a corresponding support bracket 16 through releasable coupling means 19.

Advantageously, the configuration just described above for the fixing units 14, 15 allows quick mounting and demounting of the driving system 1 , thus attaining a further object of the invention.

Preferably, the aforementioned support bracket 16 defines a reference surface 20 provided with a first through opening 21.

In addition, the coupling means 19 comprise a fixing plate 22 having an intermediate portion 23 faced to the aforementioned reference surface 20 and comprised between a first end 24, rotatably associated to the support bracket 16, and a second end 25 juxtaposed to the first.

The second end 25 can be inserted into the first through opening 21 by rotating the fixing plate 22 around the aforementioned first end 24, so as to project beyond the first through opening 21 on the side of the support bracket 16 juxtaposed with respect to the reference surface 20.

The intermediate portion 23 of the fixing plate 22 further comprises a recess 26 arranged facing the reference surface 20 and configured so that, when the fixing plate 22 is arranged with the second end 25 inserted in the first through opening 21 , the recess 26 defines a through opening delimited by the reference surface 20 and the fixing plate 22.

The coupling means 19 further comprise releasable locking means 27 associated to the support bracket 16 on the juxtaposed side with respect to the reference surface 20, cooperating with the portion of the second end 25 of the fixing plate 22 that projects beyond the first through opening 21 so as to lock it, preventing the removal of the second end 25 from the first through opening 21. The coupling means 19 further comprise a shaped surface 28 belonging to each counter-bracket 17, 18, configured so as to be non-removably coupled in the recess 26 of the fixing plate 22 when the relative second end 25 is inserted into the first through opening 21.

The aforementioned shaped surface 28 is also configured so as to be separated from the recess 26 of the fixing plate 22 when the relative second end 25 is removed from the first through opening 21.

The aforementioned configuration of the coupling means 19 allows the quick coupling and decoupling of the counter-bracket with respect to the support bracket 16, thus making the mounting of the driving system 1 onto the door and the demounting thereof for possible maintenance easier and quicker, thus attaining another object of the invention.

Preferably, the aforementioned requirements are attained by providing for, in the shaped surface 28, two juxtaposed recesses, adapted to be coupled to the corresponding lateral edges which delimit the recess 26 of the fixing plate 22 on two juxtaposed sides.

As regards the releasable locking means 27, they preferably comprise a locking plate 29 associated to the support bracket 16 and provided with a second through opening 30 arranged facing the first through opening 21 of the support bracket 16, as observable in fig. 1 1 .

In particular, the locking plate 29 is removably associated to the support bracket 16 so as to be moveable between a first position, in which it engages the second end 25 of the fixing plate 22 so as to prevent the removal thereof from the second through opening 30, and a second position, in which it allows the aforementioned removal.

Preferably, elastic means 31 adapted to hold the aforementioned locking plate 29 in the aforementioned first engagement position, so as to prevent the inadvertent release of the fixing plate 22, are provided for.

Still preferably, the first end 24 of the fixing plate 22 is associated to the support bracket 16 by interposing corresponding elastic means 33 adapted to spontaneously arrange the fixing plate 22 so that the second end 25 thereof is inserted in the first through opening 21.

The elastic means 33 just described above facilitate the coupling of the counter-bracket 17, 18 to the support bracket 16, in that they automatically arrange the fixing plate 22 in the position for locking the counter-bracket 17, 18.

As regards the first fixing unit 14 in particular, it preferably comprises elastic means 34 for the connection of the ends of the cable 4 to the counter-bracket 17, as observable in fig. 12.

Advantageously, the aforementioned elastic means 34 allow reducing the stresses transmitted by the counter-bracket 17 on the ends of the cable 4 during the start and stop operations of the gate 40.

Preferably, the aforementioned elastic means 34 comprise a cylindrical body 35 made of elastomeric material or equivalent material, interposed between two juxtaposed containment bodies 36 each of which carries connection means 37 on each end of the cable 4.

Preferably, the cylindrical body 35 is made of polyurethane or any other material having similar elasticity characteristics.

The aforementioned cylindrical body 35 and the two containment bodies 36 are preferably interposed between two juxtaposed walls of the counter-bracket 17 so as to be constrained according to the axial direction of the cylindrical body 35.

Preferably, the connection means 37 of each containment body 36 comprise a pin inserted in a through opening in the corresponding wall of the counter- bracket 17 and terminating with a ring which can be connected to an end of the cable 4.

In particular, a regards the second fixing unit 15, preferably and as observable in fig. 13, the relative counter-bracket 18 comprises a plurality of pins, around which the cable 4 is arranged so as to follow a tortuous path, and a clamp for fixing the cable 4.

In variant embodiments of the invention, the fixing units 14, 15, may be of the type different from the ones described above, as long as they are adapted to allow the fixing of the cable 4.

Operatively, the telescopic gate 40 is operated by arranging the doors 41 , 43, 44 facing each other and slidingly associated on the ground according to the respective sliding directions.

The first door 41 is associated to the motor 48 for the movement thereof along the sliding direction.

The second door 43 adjacent to the previous one is driven through a driving system 1 of the type described above, which is associated to the first door 41. In particular, the relative cable 4 is fixed to the ground at the section 4a thereof arranged facing the side 42a of the first door 41 juxtaposed to the second door 43 through the first fixing unit 14 described above.

The other section 4b of the cable 4 is fixed to the second door 43 through the second fixing unit 15 described above. The third door 44 is driven through a driving system 1 entirely similar to the previous one, associated to the second door 43.

In particular, the section 4a of the relative cable 4 arranged facing the first door 41 is fixed to the latter through a respective first fixing unit 14 of the type described above, while the section 4b arranged facing the third door 44 is fixed to the latter through a respective second fixing unit 15 of the type described above.

Obviously, additional doors may be driven in a manner entirely similar to the third door 44.

In the light of the above, it is clear that the driving system of the invention attains all the preset objects.

In particular, the position of the pulleys of the driving system of the invention allows application thereof to the door in any position, thus not only at the lower and upper edge, but also any intermediate height, both to the advantage of flexibility of use of the driving system and the ease of use thereof.

In addition, the fact that the cable is returned from one side to the other of the door at respective different heights allows using the driving system for actuating gates with a number of doors greater than two, without affecting the construction complexity or increasing the overall dimension of the gate.

In addition, the driving system of the invention can be adjusted width-wise, so as to be adaptable to doors of different thicknesses.

In addition, the presence of quick coupling means allows easy and quick application of the driving system to the door and facilitates the maintenance thereof.