Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A PANEL STRUCTURE EQUIPPED WITH A SEAL, AND A PANEL SYSTEM
The invention relates to a panel structure equipped with a seal, and a panel
system.
Balcony facilities of a building are equipped with glazing systems of prior
art, which are
called e.g. balcony glazings. The systems typically comprise an upper profile
and a
lower profile, or another corresponding guide track, inside which the
necessary guide
track parts are placed, between which, in turn, the single glass panes are
suspended.
The glass panes are used as panels which limit the space or protect it, for
example,
from weather conditions, for example on balconies or terraces, or divide the
space into
several parts and partition spaces, like in rooms or business facilities, in
which the
panels form doors and walls. Typically, the profiles extend in the horizontal
direction and
are fastened to the structures of the building. By means of guide track parts,
single
panels can be opened and closed, normally around a vertical axis of rotation,
and
profiles can be moved. The panels can be moved aside when they are not needed
or
when a larger space or passage is to be taken into use. Some known balcony
glazings
are presented in the publications Fl-84645-B and Fl-90796-B. One system for
glazing a
space is presented in the publication WO 97/11247. The panels can also extend
down
to the floor, as in the publications GB-1456283-B, FR-2545143-A and EP-0 457
286-A1.
When a guide track is placed on a floor, a disadvantage is often the formation
of a
structure that is elevated higher than the surface of the floor. Therefore, it
is convenient
to place the guide track in a groove in the floor, but in that case it is not
possible to use,
for example, guide rolls according the publication Fl-90796 B which extend to
the inside
the guide track, because the side of the guide track cannot be provided with
an opening
from which the roller guides fixed to the panel would come out when the panel
is
opened. The lower end of the panel, normally both edges of the same, must
normally be
provided with some kind of guiding members or guide track parts to prevent the
bouncing of the lower end of the panel during the use or transfers. It is
possible to install
in the panel manually transferrable locking guide pins which are movable in
the vertical
direction. One mechanical solution is disclosed in EP 1 482 117 A2, in which
locking
and unlocking are achieved by moving the panel. The guide mechanism releases
the
lower end of the panel, wherein the panel can be opened and turned around a
hinge
mechanism in the panel. At the upper end of the panel, it is possible to use
guide track
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parts of prior art and openings made in the upper profile which make it
possible to open
the panel.
It is often necessary to seal the gap between the lower end of the panel and
the floor or
the guide track, for example because of draught, of which examples are given
in EP
0 595 000 A2 and DE 9209496 U1. Other examples of movable seals are disclosed
in
documents JP 10306664 A and JP 2005054397 A, in which the seal tends to be
pressed continuously downwards, and documents JP 1022016 A, JP 9060444 A, JP
10220123 A, and JP 11182154 A, in which the seal is forced out and downwards,
and
documents DE 19829783 A1 and DE 29508535 U1, in which the seal is pressed
freely
and flexibly against the floor. In many cases, a control mechanism separate
from the
panel and/or the guide track is used for moving the seal in the desired
position. The
movable seals also take into account irregularities in the floor when the
height of the
gap between the panel and the floor varies, or the guide is not horizontal.
DE 19829783 A1 discloses a long guiding member which moves in a groove, is
continuously pushed downwards by a spring, and simultaneously guides the
moving
panel, preventing, among other things, its bouncing. The guiding member can be
guided off the groove, in which case the panel can be moved and turned more
freely,
but the guiding member is continuously pushed against the floor. A
disadvantage is that
the guide may be stuck in grooves and irregularities in the floor, which
limits the use and
damages and wears the structures. Furthermore, the alignment of the guide into
the
groove is difficult and requires a long transfer movement of the panel. The
structure
could be equipped with a manual locking for lifting up the seal and locking it
in its place,
but a locking mechanism requires space, is complex and requires active
measures by
the user. According to JP 10220126 A, JP 10306664 A and JP 11182154 A, it
would be
possible to include separate guiding members to force the seal in the desired
position.
The problem would be that a number of separate guiding members would have to
be
placed on the floor, separately for each panel, wherein unnecessary steps are
formed
above the floor surface, or their placement in the storage location of the
panels (cf. WO
97/11247 and EP 0 457 286 A1) would be impossible for aesthetic reasons or in
view of
space utilization. The principle disclosed in JP 9060444 A, in turn, requires
the precise
placement and laborious fastening of a number of guide pins. Moreover, a
workable
system should also be compatible with the locking and hinge mechanisms
according to,
for example, WO 03/042482 A1.
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It is desirable to develop a usable panel and a seal which is simple to use
and to install.
The principle of operation of the seal is also suitable for panels that are
both transferred
and turned open. The operation of the seal is not affected by irregularities
in the floor.
The invention applies guiding members which are separate from the panel, but
the
number of the guiding members can be minimized. The invention can be used even
by
means of a single guiding member, even if there were several separate panels.
In one
example, the panel is supported to the upper profile by means of two guide
track parts
and to the lower profile by means of at least one guiding member, when a
second
guiding member is released. Supported in this way, the panel can be
transferred to a
storage location and opened. The advantage is that the placement of a separate
guiding
member is easy. In one example, the guiding member is integrated in the guide
track,
wherein a compact structure is obtained and several functions can be
integrated in the
guiding member: the control of the position of the seal, the guiding of the
panel along
the guide track, the hinging, and the locking of the panels. In addition, the
seal
compensates for skewness of the floor or the guide track. The seal and its
operation
exploit the guide track that is utilized by the panel when it is moving.
The invention can be applied in panels equipped with seals, and in panel
systems that
also allow the opening of the panels.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a panel structure equipped with
a seal,
comprising at least a panel for partitioning or protecting spaces and which
can be
coupled to a guide track so that the panel can move along the guide track, a
seal for
sealing the gap between the panel and the guide track and which is coupled to
the
panel so that the seal is movable in relation to the panel and the guide
track, and a
guiding member, by means of which the panel can be coupled to the guide track
and
which is fastened to the panel so that the guiding member is movable in
relation to the
panel and the guide track, wherein the guiding member is also coupled to the
seal so
that the guiding member controls the distance between the seal and the panel,
when
the guiding member is moving in the guide track.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a panel system that
comprises at least
a panel intended for the partitioning or protection of spaces, a guide track,
to which the
panel is coupled and along which the panel can be moved, a seal which is
intended for
sealing the gap between the panel and the guide track and which is coupled to
the
panel so that the seal is movable in relation to the panel and the guide
track, a guiding
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member, by means of which the panel is coupled to the guide track and which is
fastened to the panel so that the guiding member is movable in relation to the
panel and
the guide track, wherein the guiding member is also coupled to the seal so
that the
guiding member controls the distance between the seal and the panel, when the
guiding
member is moving along the guide track, and a guiding piece which is coupled
to the
guide track and forces the guiding member into the guide track and guides the
guiding
member off the guide track when the guiding member passes through the guiding
piece.
In the following, the invention will be illustrated in more detail by means of
an
embodiment, wherein reference will also be made to the appended drawings, in
which
Fig. 1 shows a panel system of prior art in a cross section,
Fig. 2 shows two guide tracks according to prior art in a perspective
view,
Fig. 3 shows the operation of guiding members and a seal according to
one
example of the invention in a side view,
Fig. 4 shows a fillet and a guide track according to the example of
Fig. 3,
Fig. 5 shows a guiding member according to the example of Fig. 3,
Fig. 6 shows the structure of the guiding member according to the
example of
Fig. 3,
Fig. 7 shows the operation and the locking of the guiding member
according to
the example of Fig. 3,
Fig. 8 shows the operation and the unlocking of the guiding member
according to
the example of Fig. 3,
Fig. 9 shows the structure of the guiding piece according to the
example of Fig. 8.
Figure 1 shows a panel structure of prior art which is installed in position
and which is
simultaneously a glazing system for e.g. balconies. The panel system normally
comprises several successive glass panes 1 which are movable. The panels 1 are
normally rectangular, wherein they are normally in an upright position and
form a closed
wall or a large window when placed one after the other. They can be
transferred in the
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direction of the guide tracks, which is typically the horizontal direction.
The panels 1 can
be opened into a position which is normally perpendicular to the closed
position shown
in Fig. 1. In the open position, the panels 1 are placed side by side close to
each other,
wherein they are stored at one side of the opening 3 in the building 2, where
they have
5 first been moved along the guide tracks. The upper guide track 4 and the
lower guide
track 5 are placed in the horizontal direction, and inside them, upper guide
track parts 6
and lower guide track parts 7 are positioned, which are simultaneously used as
guiding
members and between which the panels 1 are fastened from above and from below.
The guide tracks are normally profiles made of aluminium and provided with a
long
groove for the guide track parts. The panel 1 preferably consists of a glass
pane, whose
lower and upper edges are provided with fillets 8 and 9, to which the guide
track parts,
in turn, are fastened.
One example of known upper guide track parts 6 is shown in Fig. 2. The panel 1
is
normally provided with a fillet 9, to which a hinge pin 10 is fastened. The
hinge pin is
shaped and unrotatable with respect to the panel 1. The hinge pin 10 of the
guide track
parts 6 makes it possible to pivot the panel 1 around a vertical axis of
rotation, from the
closed position (position A) to the open position (position B), and vice
versa. The
rotating takes place around the hinge pint 10. The guide track parts 6 are
placed on the
support of the upper guide track 4 and are supported to it by means of, for
example,
vertical rolls 11. Alternatively, the rolls 11 can be connected horizontally
at the end 12 of
the hinge pin 10. The rolls 11 support the panel 1, and by means of the rolls
11, the
panel 1 is moved along the upper guide track 4. A locking piece 13 sliding in
the guide
track guides the movement and locks the panels 1 to each other, if necessary.
The
locking pieces remain in alignment with the guide track, and the panel 1 can
turn in
relation to them. In this example, the locking piece is locked to the hinge
pin of the next
guide track parts.
In Fig. 1, the structure of the guide track parts 7 placed in the lower guide
track 5
corresponds substantially to the guide track parts 6, at least for the part of
the hinge pin
10, but for example the rolls 9 are not necessary. The guide track parts 6 and
7 are
placed on the same vertical axis of rotation, wherein the opening of the panel
is
possible, and normally, they are placed at one edge of the panel 1, as shown
in Fig. 2.
For example a guiding member, which may be a pin and/or a guide roller, is, in
turn,
placed on the other, opposite edge of the panel 1, or close to it, and
fastened to the
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fillet, placed inside the guide track, and keeps the panel closed. The purpose
of the
guiding member is to guide the other edge of the panel 1 during transfers,
wherein the
guiding member keeps the panel 1 in alignment with the upper and lower guide
tracks,
which are normally parallel as well. The guiding member is fastened to both
the lower
edge and the upper edge of the panel 1.
According to known solutions, and for opening the panel, the side of the guide
track is
provided with an opening, through which the guiding member can come off the
guide
track. In a situation in which the lower guide track 5 is placed entirely
inside, for
example, a floor, or the guide track parts 7 otherwise extend lower than the
floor
surface, a liftable pin is used so that the panel 1 can be turned.
Figure 3 shows an example in which the panel extends down to the floor. The
lower
edge of the panel 14 is provided with a fillet 28, which is, for example, an
aluminium
profile, whose inside comprises a space into which a movable seal 15 can
withdraw and
from which the seal 15 protrudes but still remains connected to the fillet 28
which guides
the movement of the seal 15. The seal 15 is, for example, a profile extending
substantially over the whole width of the panel 1. The seal 15 may consist of
metal, for
example aluminium, and/or plastic, wherein the seal 15 is flexible, if
necessary. In the
example of Fig. 3, the seal 15 consists of one part which can be placed in an
inclined
position in relation to the fillet 28, wherein irregularities of the floor and
inclination of the
guide track 16 can be compensated for. The sealing 15 may also comprise
several
separate parts, and typically two guiding members are needed for each part. In
the
example shown in Fig. 4, the seal 15 is a U-shaped profile, a curved tongue
15a
extending downwards from one of its lower edges. When desired, the tongue 15a
is
placed against the upper surface of the guide track 16. The guide track 16 is
used as a
guiding rail. The guide track 16 can be embedded in the floor, if desired. The
movability
of the seal 15 makes it possible that the guide track 16 does not need to be
horizontal.
The panel 14 is supported by a guide track which is placed above the panel 1
and which
is installed in the horizontal direction. The panel 14 is supported to the
guide track 16
only in the lateral direction, because the guide track above the panel 14
supports the
panel 14 and receives all the vertical forces caused by the weight of the
panel 14.
Figure 5 shows one example of the implementation of the guiding member 17 and
its
placement inside the fillet 28. Figure 5 shows a frame part 19 which is fixed
inside the
fillet 28 and which is used for connecting the guiding member 17 and the shaft
26 of the
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guiding member 17 to the fillet 28. The frame part 19 is also placed partly
inside the
shape of the seal 15. The guiding member 18 of Fig. 3 corresponds closely to
the
implementation of the guiding member 17, and for the shaft 29 of the guiding
member
18, a corresponding frame part is provided and placed inside the fillet 28.
The frame
parts are placed at opposite ends of the fillet 28 and the seal 15, and by
means of them,
the seal 15 and the required mechanism can be easily placed in the panel 14.
Figure 4 shows an example of the fillet 28 in more detail. The fillet 28 may
consist of
one or more parts, preferably of an aluminium profile. The seal 15 is placed
partly inside
the fillet 28. The seal 15 is coupled to the fillet 28 by one or more means 20
shown in
Fig. 5 which pull the seal 15 into the fillet 28, that is, upwards. The means
20 is, for
example, a coil spring. On the other hand, the seal 15 is also connected to
the guiding
members 17 and 18, preferably to their vertical shafts 26 and 29 which extend
from the
fillet 28 towards the guide track 16 and into the guide track 16, when the
shafts 26 and
29 are pulled partly out of the fillet 28. The shafts 17 and 18 move up and
down in the
direction of their longitudinal axes. The frame part 19 is provided with a
hole 21 in which
the shaft 26 can move. The guiding member 17 and the shaft 26 are shown in
more
detail in Fig. 6. The shaft 62 is coupled to the frame part 19 with a member
22 that pulls
the shaft 26 into the fillet 28, that is, upwards. The member 22 is, for
example, a coil
spring that is placed around the shaft 26 and that is supported, on one hand,
to the
frame part 19 and, on the other hand, to the shaft 26. The guiding member 18
and the
shaft 29 are provided with a similar coupling to their respective frame part.
The seal 15 is also coupled to the shafts 26 and 29 so that, for example, the
position
and height level of the shaft 26 in relation to the guide track 16 also
determines the
position and height level of the seal 15. The shaft 26 pulled down will also
pull the seal
15 with it. The seal 15 is provided with for example an opening, through which
the shaft
26 extends. The shaft 26 is provided with a stopper 23, for example a collar
that cannot
extend through the opening but pushes the seal 15 downwards, so that the seal
15 is
carried along by the shaft 26. The member 20 that lifts up the seal 15 keeps
the seal 15
uplifted and tensioned against the stopper 23. The stopper 23 allows the seal
to go
down. According to another example, the seal 15 is coupled to the shaft 26 so
that the
seal 15 follows the movement of the shaft 25 also without the member 20. The
seal 15
is thus fixed, for example, between two stoppers. Thus, the members 20 and 22
tend to
pull the guiding member 17 and the seal 15 away from the guide track 16 and
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simultaneously from the floor. The guiding member and the seal tend to be
pulled away
from the guide track automatically and spontaneously, and continuously by the
members 20 and/or 22.
A guiding element 24 is fixed to the end of the shaft and placed inside the
guide track
16. A shown in Fig. 4, the cross-section of the guide track 16 has, for
example, a
C-shape, the shaft 26 fitting via the opening 16a of the C-shape and extending
into the
guide track 16. The guiding element 24 remains locked inside the guide track
16, even
though the shaft 26 is continuously pulled into the fillet 28 by, for example,
the force of a
spring. The guiding element 24 is, for example, a horizontal roll, whose
diameter is
greater than the width of the opening 16a. A long opening 16a on the upper
surface of
the guide track 16 allows the movement of the guiding member 17 and the shaft
26
along the guide track 16 when the element 24 is inside the guide track 16.
When the
element 24 moves inside the guide track 16, the element 24 simultaneously
secures
that the seal 15 is at a desired distance from the guide track 16 and pulled
out of the
panel 14. The guiding member 17, the shaft 26 and the seal 15 move towards or
away
from the panel 14 and the guide track 16. In the presented example, the
operation and
structure of the guide track 18 correspond substantially to those of the
guiding member
17. The guiding member can also be provided with another shape and with a part
that
remains locked inside the guide track. For example, an L-shape fixed to the
shaft is
feasible. Also another part which slides inside the guide track and for which
a
corresponding opening 16b is provided, is feasible.
The functioning of the seal 15 is controlled by the guiding member 17 and the
element
24, wherein the seal 15 is in the functional position when the element 24 is
inside the
guide track 16 and the guide track 16 keeps the guiding member 17 pulled down
together with the shaft 26 and the seal 15, as shown in Fig. 7. The seal 15 is
turned off
and pulled in the upper position when the guiding member 17 has been released
from
inside the guide track 16 and pulled up together with the shaft 26, wherein
the coupling
between the shaft 26 and the seal 15 also allows the pulling up of the seal
15, as shown
in Fig. 8. The guide track 16 is provided with a shorter and wider opening
16b, shown in
Fig. 4, through which the guiding member 17 and the element 24 can leave or
enter the
guide track 16. The distance between the seal 15 and the guide track 16 can be
set by
means of the coupling between the seal 15 and the shaft 26. Furthermore, a
sufficiently
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long clearance is arranged for the shaft 26 inside the fillet 28, so that even
a
considerable inclination of the guide track 16 can be compensated for.
The guiding member 18 and the shaft 29 are controlled in a corresponding
manner.
When the guiding member 17 is pulled out of the guide track 16 in Fig. 3, the
panel 14
can be turned aside, wherein the guiding member 18 and its shaft 29 can act as
a
hinge, if the guiding member 18 is inside the guide track 16. The panel 14 can
be
moved along the guide track 16, for example, to the storage position or to
another
desired position. If the guide track 16 comprises the opening 16b, the guiding
member
17 rises up from the guide track 16, and the panel 14 can also be turned to a
desired
position. The guiding member 18 acting as a hinge can be arranged to be
different, for
example, in size or shape, than the element 24 of the guiding member 17 so
that the
guiding member 18 cannot come off the opening 16b or else it remains always
inside
the guide track 16. For example, flanges can be placed inside the guide track
16, which
flanges support the shaft 29 or the guide roller of the guiding member 18 but
do not
have an opening corresponding to the opening 16b. This arrangement can be
introduced particularly in panels that can be opened, but both of the guiding
members
17 and 18 can rise up in such panels which cannot be opened and which always
suspend from two guide track parts. In such panels, also the locking members,
which
will be presented later on, are not necessary.
The operation shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is controlled by means of a guiding piece
27 that
guides the approaching guiding member 17 either into the guide track 16 or out
of the
guide track 16. Thanks to the guiding piece 27, it will not be necessary to
transfer the
guiding member 17 into the guide track 16 manually or by means of a mechanism.
The
guiding piece 27 is placed on top of the guide track 16 and at the opening 16b
so that
the guiding member 17 hits the guiding piece 27, in which inclined and guiding
surfaces
are designed to pull the guiding member 17 into the guide track 16 when the
panel 14
moves from the left to the right in Fig. 7. In a corresponding manner, the
guiding
surfaces allow the guiding member 17 to rise, or even force the guiding member
17 up
off the guide track when the panel 14 moves from the right to the left in Fig.
8. The
shape and the structure of the guiding surfaces vary according to the shape of
the
guiding member 17 or the parts of the guiding member 17 that are locked into
the guide
track 16 or move inside the guide track 16. If necessary, the guiding piece 17
comprises
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an opening corresponding to the opening 16a in which the guiding member 18
that
remains continuously in the guide track 16 can pass the guiding piece 27.
The guiding piece 27 and its placement in the opening 16b are shown in more
detail in
Fig. 9. The guiding piece comprises two parts which are mirror images of each
other
5 and which are placed on both sides of the opening 16a.
As shown in Fig. 3, a locking member 25 is coupled to the guiding member 18
and the
shaft 29, corresponding substantially to the locking piece 13 of Fig. 2 and
its operation.
The locking member 25 extends from the shaft 29 towards the opposite shaft 24.
The
shaft 29 corresponds to the unrotatable, shaped hinge pin 10 of Fig. 2 that is
turned with
10 the panel and to which the locking member of the next panel is
interlocked when the
panels are turned e.g. 90 degrees in relation to the guide track 16. The
shapes of the
shaft and the locking member are locked to each other when the shaft 29
rotates with
the panel 28. The locking member 25 is placed between the seal 15 and the
guide track
16 and partly also in the opening 16a that guides the position of the locking
member 25
and keeps it directed towards the approaching hinge pin, shaft or
corresponding guiding
member of the adjacent panel. By means of the locking member 25, several
panels are
interlocked in a safe and unbouncing manner when the panels are in the storage
location. The guiding member 18 of each panel is interlocked to the
corresponding
guiding member 18 of the adjacent panel; in other words, the shaft 29 of the
guiding
member 18 is locked to the locking member of the adjacent panel, and the
locking
member 25 of the guiding member 18 is locked to the shaft of the guiding
member of
another adjacent panel.
The invention is not restricted solely to the embodiments presented above. The
shapes
of the guide track, the fillets, the profiles, and the seal may vary to a
desired extent.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by particular embodiments set
forth
herein, but should be construed in a manner consistent with the specification
as a
whole.
