D e s c r i p t i o n :

The invention relates to a high performance door, preferably high speed door, for closing an opening preferably in a wall, comprising a flexible curtain to be wound and unwound on a shaft to open and close the opening with a rigid bottom beam attached on the lower end of said curtain.

As is well-known for the skilled person, a high performance door is a roll up door, which preferably may be a high speed door (a type of roll up door which enables faster roll up of the wound flexible curtain).

Such kind of doors are causing a risk for its environment, e.g. operator, or other persons when opening. The main reason is, that the rigid bottom beam is thicker than the flexible door curtain. This is necessary to fulfill the requirements of a rigid bottom beam, e.g. costs, stiffness, height of bottom beam, material, fixation of parts. Thus, the bottom beam is overhanging the flexible curtain in both directions of thickness.

To reduce the risk for the environment, e.g. operator or other persons, the top-shape of the rigid bottom beam avoids sharp edges and has big radius and/or a big bevel. The rigid bottom beam is made as thin as possible, and, not more thick than really needed, considering costs, material, height stiffness of bottom beam.

But, even if the top-shape of the rigid bottom beam avoids sharp edges and has a big radius and/or a big bevel, the rigid bottom beam is overhanging the flexible curtain in both directions of thickness. Thus, the overhanging rigid bottom beam can hit its environment, e.g. the operator of the door or other persons upon opening of the door.

The problem to be solved by the invention is to reduce the risk from the bottom beam to the environment upon opening.

The problem is solved with a high performance door of the afore mentioned kind in, that the rigid bottom beam comprising at least one flush side at least almost flushing the curtain. Thus, the rigid bottom beam is not overhanging the flexible door curtain significantly on one side. Moreover, one side the rigid bottom beam is at least almost flush to the flexible door curtain. Furthermore, the rigid bottom beam may still fulfill the requirements of the door, although if the rigid bottom beam is not overhanging the curtain on one side. Since the rigid bottom beam is not overhanging the flexible curtain on one side, the risk for the environment, e.g. operator or other person, upon opening is reduced significantly at least at this one side. Still the rigid bottom beam may fulfil its requirements, e.g. costs, stiffness, thickness, height.

One preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in, that the rigid bottom beam is detachably connected to said curtain. This eases attachment of the bottom beam.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in, that said rigid bottom beam comprising an off center opening, preferably longitudinal slit for receiving said curtain. Accordingly, the curtain can be assembled in the slit for mounting. This simplifies mounting. Thus, said off center opening may be disposed at an offset distance from a longitudinal centerline of the bottom beam. Said longitudinal centerline extending along the bottom beam. The off center opening may extend parallel to said longitudinal centerline.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is characterized in, that adjacent to said off center opening there are arranged one, preferably two opposite protrusions for retaining a thickening at the lower end of said curtain. This leads to a more precise and still easy positioning of the curtain in the slit, wherein the thickening just has to be position between the protrusions opposite to the curtain to mount and fix the curtain to the rigid bottom beam.

Still another embodiment of the invention is characterized in, that said thickening is made by gluing, molding and/or crimping a, preferably longitudinal, strip on one or both side of said curtain. This gives a simple, cheap and stable construction.

It is of advantage, if the invention is characterized in guiding means assigned to one or both side ends of the curtain for substantially vertically guiding said curtain and preferably said bottom beam upon its up and down movement for opening and closing said opening. This stabilizes the curtain and prevents the rigid bottom beam from being tilted.

High performance door according to claim 6, characterized in, that said guiding means comprising slide bearing, preferably from synthetic resin material, roller bearing, ball bearing. This reduces friction reliably.

Another embodiment of the invention is comprising sliders, preferably from synthetic resin material. This gives a stable construction with very little friction. Still another embodiment of the inventions is characterized in, that said guiding means comprising at least one cord, wire, rod and/or one profile comprising a channel. This gives proper guidance with easy construction.

A further embodiment of the invention is comprising biasing means for biasing said curtain and/or said rigid bottom beam downwards to accelerate operation. Accordingly, closing speed is not restricted by gravity.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is comprising a sealing at the lower end of the rigid bottom beam. This ensure a better closure and insulation of the door.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is characterized in, that said sealing comprising a fastening section, preferably with a T-shape, for cooperative connection with a channel at the lower end of the rigid bottom beam, said channel comprising a C-shape. This makes fastening of the sealing to the rigid bottom beam very easy.

In the following an embodiment of the invention is described using the figures for illustration. The Figures show:

Fig. 1 a front view of a high performance door as an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2 a sectional view of a curtain and a rigid bottom beam of the door of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a high performance door 10 as an embodiment of the invention. As can be seen, the door 10 serves to close an opening 1 1 in a wall 12 of a building or the like. Preferably, this kind of door 10 is used to open access to machines, thus, the opening 1 1 can be the opening in a door frame of a fence instead of the wall 12. The door 10 comprises a flexible curtain 13 to close the opening. On the upper end of the opening a housing 14 is positioned. Within the housing 14 a not shown shaft is rotatably mounted. The curtain 13 is at its upper end fixed to the shaft and the shaft is driven by a not shown motor to wound and unwound the curtain 13 to open and close the opening 11. At the lower end of the curtain 13 a rigid bottom beam 15 is attached to smoothen the curtain 13 and to pull the curtain downwardly upon unwinding from the shaft.

The curtain 13 can be of any suitable material as fabric, sheet material, foam or the like. It may have insulating properties regarding to noise or heat if required. The rigid bottom beam 15 can be manufactured as a hollow profile or solid. The properties as height, thickness, weight and the like can be chosen as required. As can be seen further from Fig. 1 the housing is carried by two supports 16, 17 on opposite ends of the opening 1 1. The supports 16, 17 are frames 16, 17 in the shown embodiment. At the inner sides of the frames 16, 17 facing to the curtain 13 und facing towards profiles 18, 19 are mounted to guide the curtain 13. The profiles 18, 19 are of C-shape with a longitudinal channel thereof to one another. The curtain 13 comprises not shown sliding bricks guided with the respective profile channel to guide the curtain 13 upon opening and closing movement with only little friction.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a curtain 13 and a rigid bottom beam 15 of the door 10 of Fig. 1. The rigid bottom beam 15 comprises two opposite sides 20, 21. One side 20 is a flush side 20 substantially flushing with the curtain 13. The other side 21 is constructed as an oblique side 21 to reduce the risk for its environment, e.g. people. Since the flush side 20 flushes substantially with the curtain 13 there is no risk for the environment at this side upon opening the door 10.

Between the sides 20, 21 there is an opening 22 in the rigid bottom beam 15. Adjacent to the opening 22, but, slightly more inside there are two protrusions 23, 24 facing towards one another. As can be seen from Fig. 2 at the lower end of the curtain a thickening 25 is mounted. The curtain 13 is shifted with its lower end in the opening 22 and between the protrusions 24, 25 to locate the thickening 25 at the side of the protrusions 23, 24 opposite to the opening 22. By this way the curtain is fixedly mounted in the opening 22 and between the protrusions 23, 24 since the thickening 25 abuts the protrusions 23, 24 and is too thick to pass through between them.

The thickening 25 can be made from any suitable material or can be fixed in any suitable manner to the curtain 13. It can be made e.g. from synthetic resin, steel, alumina, wood or the like. It can be made from one, two or more parts glued, crimped, molded or nailed to the curtain 13. In the shown embodiment the thickening 25 has a circular cross section and is glued to the curtain.

At the lower side of the rigid bottom beam 15 and opposite to the opening 22 the rigid bottom beam comprises a channel 26. The channel 26 has a C-shape cross section. Adjacent to the opening of the C-shape channel 26 there is a sealing 27. The sealing 27 comprises a fastening section 28 adapted to be fastened to the rigid bottom beam. As shown the fastening section 28 is integrally with the sealing a has a T-shape cross section. The T-shape fastening section 28 is received within the C-shape channel 26 for fastening the sealing 27 to the rigid bottom beam. The sealing 27 can be any suitable sealing for noise, airtight or heat insulation purposes or the like as required. Furthermore, the sealing can be of any suitable material, e.g. rubber, plastic, card board, bristle or the like. In the shown embodiment the sealing 27 is made as a profile rubber sealing. L i s t o f r e f e r e n c e n u m b e r s :

door

opening

wall

curtain

housing

beam

support

support

profile

profile

flush side

oblique side

opening

protrusion

protrusion

thickening

channel

sealing

fastening section