Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A PANEL SYSTEM AND THE CONTROL OF ITS LOCKING
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a panel system.
Background of the Invention
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 FI-90796-B. The
panels
may also extend down to the floor.
The panels are normally separate, and openable panels comprise, at least on
one
edge of the panel, at its lower end and upper end, a guide track part that
acts
simultaneously as a hinge when the panel is turned aside. Furthermore, the
panel
comprises at least one guide track part, in many cases two guide track parts
or guiding
members which are supported to the upper profile and/or the lower profile,
preventing
the opening of the panel. When the panel is turned, the panel is supported to
only two
guide track parts, wherein the opening of the panel is allowed in a certain
position
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only. In said position, the guide track parts are interlocked to the guide
track parts of
the adjacent opened panel, for example by means of locking and hinge
mechanisms of
WO 03/042482 Al, or to a locking arranged inside the upper profile. The
locking
prevents the upper edge of the panel from moving and letting the panel in an
inclined
position. In many cases, the upper profile is also provided with a guiding
member with
a guiding surface, to which the guide track part is supported until the
locking has
engaged reliably. Normally, the locking requires accurate positioning of the
panel. The
guiding member is placed at an opening in the upper profile, through which the
guide
track part comes out of the profile. The guiding member secures the effective
locking
by keeping the panel in the correct position for locking or unlocking. Guiding
members
supported to guide track parts are disclosed in documents EP 1 538 292 A2, DE
10333612 Al, US 5,272,839, and WO 03/042478 Al.
The opening in the profile must be kept as small as possible, so that the
panel does
not open before entering the turning position. For this reason, those guide
track parts
which are located closest to the opening edge of the panel, must be placed in
a slightly
different position in each panel, as presented in documents WO 00/79088 Al, US
5,749,172 and SE 512602 C2. The guide track parts can be placed in the corners
of
the panels, according to the documents SE 509554 C2 and US 5,448,855, wherein
the
passage through the corner of the profile becomes easier and the panels do not
hit, for
example, a railing or the walls of the balcony.
If the panels are still to be opened, the opening at the edge of the profile
must be
enlarged in a corresponding manner, because now the guide track part of each
panel
is placed in a different location from the guide track part of the preceding
panel. As a
result, the guide track parts of the panels to be turned first come to the
opening even
long before the guide track parts acting as a hinge are in the location where
locking is
possible. Document Fl 115989 B (F1 20041265 Al) discloses a long opening and a
guiding member capable of supporting the panel when the roller acting as the
guide
track part is at the long opening. The guiding member can keep the roller
inside the
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profile which can be arranged to support the roller and the panel. The turning
of the
panel is allowed first after the piece fastened to the panel has passed the
guiding
member, because in said position of the panel, the panel is capable of being
locked to
another panel or profile.
Document US 2574312 discloses a mechanism for operating panels.
Guiding members protruding from the profile disturb the installation of
curtains and
shields or their fastenings and suspensions, so that their length must be
limited.
However, a short guiding member does not support the panel so long that the
different
parts of the locking mechanism would be interlocked in a reliable manner. The
guiding
member must also support the panel at the initial stage of the interlocking,
which
prevents damage to the locking mechanism due to great forces.
Summary of the Invention
It is an aim of the invention to develop a usable panel system with its
guiding
members, which is simple to use and to install. The invention makes it
possible to
move the panel safely and to open it without extra measures.
The guiding members of the guide track parts can be made shorter and smaller
by
means of the use of the invention. In spite of its small size, the guiding
member
according to the invention makes it possible to support the panel in a large
angular
range. The invention is also suitable for use with other guiding members. The
invention is suitable for various panels that can be opened, irrespective of
the
placement of the guide track part. The location point of the different parts
of the
invention is standardized in relation to the hinging, which enables accurate
and easy
installation.
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The invention can be applied in panels intended e.g. for balconies as well as
in panels
which partition or limit various spaces in buildings and extend down to the
floor, also
on balconies.
Short Description of the Drawings
In the following, the invention will be illustrated in more detail by means of
a preferred
embodiment, wherein reference will also be made to the appended drawings, in
which
Fig. 1 shows the panel system according to a first example of the invention
in a
principle view,
Fig. 2 shows the operation according to a second example of the
invention
during the transfer of the panel,
Fig. 3 shows the operation of the examples of Figs. 1 and 2 in more
detail,
Fig. 4 shows the operation of an example after the panel has been
transferred to
its location for turning, and
Fig. 5 shows the operation according to the example of Fig. 4 when the
panel is
being opened, and
Fig. 6 shows the operation of the example of Fig. 4 when the panel is
being
opened more.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Figure 1 shows a panel according to a first example and a panel system that is
simultaneously, for example, a glazing for e.g. balconies, or a wall limiting
a space.
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The panel system normally comprises several successive glass panes 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 direction of the guide tracks, which is
typically the
5 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, for
example, on
one side of the opening of a balcony in a building, where they have 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 an upper guide track part 6 and a lower guide
track part
7 are placed inside them and are simultaneously used as guiding members,
between
which the panels 1 are fixed from above and from below, and the panel is in
the
vertical plane. 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 the guide track parts is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in which the
principles
known from WO 03/042482 Al are applied. The panel 1 is normally provided with
a
fillet 9, to which a hinge pin 10 is fastened. The hinge pin 10 is shaped and
unrotatable
in relation to the panel 1, and a locking piece 12 is locked to the hinge pin
10. The
hinge pin 10 of the guide track part 7 allows the turning of the panel 1 and
its rotation
around a vertical rotation axis X1 from the closed position to the open
position, and
vice versa. The rotating takes place around the hinge pin 10. The guide track
part 6 is
suspended by the guide track 4 and is supported to it by means of, for
example,
horizontal rollers, which are normally two in number and which are fixed
around the
hinge pin 10. The rollers support the panel 1, and by means of the rollers,
the panel 1
moves along the guide track 4. A locking piece 13 sliding in the guide track 4
guides
the movement and interlocks the different panels, if necessary. The locking
piece 13
remains aligned to the guide track 4, and the panel 1 is capable of turning in
relation to
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it. In this example, the locking piece 13 is locked to the hinge pin of the
guide track
part of the adjacent corresponding panel. The guide track 4 is also provided
with a
corresponding locking piece 12, to which the first panel 1 to be turned is
locked. The
rollers of the guide track part 6 correspond to the rollers 11 of the guide
track part 7.
The structure of the guide track part 6 placed in the guide track 4
corresponds
substantially to the guide track part 7. The guide track parts 6 and 7 are
placed on the
same vertical rotation axis X1, wherein the opening of the panel 1 is
possible, and they
are normally placed close to the first edge of the panel 1 and close to the
corners of
the panel 1. The guide track part 6 is provided with a locking piece 26 that
is locked to
the adjacent panel. The guide track part 6, in turn, is locked to a locking
piece 19
provided in a frame part 21a.
Another upper guide track part 3, in turn, whose hinge pin 2 is fixed to the
fillet 9, is
placed close to the second edge of the panel 1, which is an openable edge and
opposite to the first edge. The guide track part 3 is suspended by the guide
track 4 and
is supported to it by means of, for example, horizontal rollers 14 fixed
around the hinge
pin 2. The rollers 14 support the panel 1, and by means of the rollers 14, the
panel 1
moves along the guide track 4. When inside the guide track 4, the rollers 14
are
supported to the structure 15 inside the guide track 4, supporting the panel.
The
structure of the guide track part 3 may vary from the structure of the guide
track part 6,
and it is placed inside the guide 4, keeping the panel 1 closed. The function
of the
guide track part 3 is to guide the opening edge of the panel 1 during the
transfers, and
it is placed close to the corner of the panel 1 in the example of Fig. 1. A
guide track
part or a simple guide pin 20 can be placed at the lower edge of the panel 1,
in the
corner close to the other edge of the panel, to prevent bouncing of the panel
1. In the
example of Fig. 1, the guide track part or guiding pin 20 must be lifted up
from the
guide track 5 before opening the panel 1. The guide track 5 can also be placed
lower
than the floor surface. Said guide track part or guide pin 20 and the hinge
pin 2 are
placed on the same vertical rotation axis X2, if the panel 1 is moved across
the
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corners of the guide track 5 and the guide track part or the guide pin 20 is
lowered
down.
For opening the panel 1, an opening 16 is provided at the side of the guide
track 4,
through which at least one guide track part 3 can come out of the guide track
4 for the
turning. Thus, the panel 1 to be opened has been transferred to the opening
position
A, in which the panel 1 is to be opened. It is a predetermined location where
the panel
is to be opened and where it can be opened. The opened panels are aligned next
to
each other, wherein the guide track part of each panel that can be opened and
is
placed in the opening position is placed in a slightly different location in
the guide track
4. The length of the opening 16 is selected the greater, the more panels there
are to
be opened. In Fig. 3, the first panel 27 to be turned is mounted in a fixed
position and it
cannot be transferred. The panel 27 is provided with similar members as in the
panel
1, but movable guide track parts are not necessary, wherein the hinge pin of
the panel
27 is fixed to the frame part 21a in a rotating manner. A corresponding frame
part is
mounted to the guide track 5.
As the panel 1 is moved to the opening position shown in Fig. 1, 2 or 3, where
the
panel 1 can be turned and opened, the guide track part 3 is moved to the
opening 16
before the first and second guide track parts 6, 7 are in contact with e.g.
the locking
piece 19. As shown in Fig. 2, the guide track part 3 is kept supported to the
structures
15 of the guide track 4 so that the panel 1 is not allowed to open or to turn
in an
inclined position.
In the example of Fig. 1, the panel 1 or the fillet 9 fixed to it is provided
with a counter
element 18 which, in turn, is placed against the guiding member 17 in the
guide track
4, when the guide track 3 is being transferred to the location of the opening
16 or just
moving into the opening 16. The counter element 18 has, for example, a
rectangular
shape. The panel 1 is supported to the guiding member 17 by means of the
counter
element 18 only. The guiding member 17 comprises a counter surface parallel to
the
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panel and in contact with the counter element 18. The counter element 18 has a
side
surface which acts as a counter surface and along which the counter surface of
the
guiding member 17 slides. The length of the side surface of the counter
element 18 is
clearly greater than the length of the counter surface of the guiding member
17,
typically multiple.
The guiding member 17 extends to a distance from the guide track 4 in the
direction in
which the panel 1 opens, wherein the side surface of the guiding member 17
acts as a
counter surface and keeps the guide track part 6 pushed against the locking
piece 19
when the panel 1 is turned. Figure 1 shows a situation, in which the counter
surface of
the guiding member 17 and the counter surface of the counter element 18 are
placed
in a mutual position such that allows the opening of the panel 1. The counter
element
18 has passed the guiding member 17. The counter surface of the counter
element 18
can slide against the counter surface of the guiding member 17 when the panel
1 is
opened.
The guiding member 17 can also be provided with a function where the counter
surface is allowed to rock around a vertical rotation axis, wherein it will
conform better
to the movement of the counter element 18 during the turning. The operation
can also
be arranged so that the counter element 18 is supported to the guiding member
17
during the transfer of the panel 1 only, when the guide track part 3 moves at
the
opening 16, but the counter element 18 is not supported to the guiding member
17
during the turning. Thus, during the turning, the panel 1 is supported either
by another
member fastened to the guide track 4, or by the locking only. Thus, the
function of the
counter element 18 is solely to prevent the turning.
The guiding member 17 is fixed in place in the guide track 4. The counter
elements of
all panels, corresponding to the counter element 18, are placed in different
locations in
the different panels. The counter element 18 can be installed on the fillet 9
provided
with a fastening groove 28 shown in Fig. 6, where also the guide track parts 3
and 6
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are fastened. The counter element 18 and the guiding member 3 are separate
parts,
and their distance can be adjusted.
Figure 2 shows another panel system whose parts correspond primarily to the
example of Fig. 1. In the example of Fig. 2, the opening 16 is narrow, and the
guiding
member 29 is placed at the opening 16. The guiding member 29 is fastened to
the
guide track 4, and the guiding member 29 comprises a counter surface which may
be
rocking and which is in contact with the guide track part 3 when the panel 1
is opened.
The rollers 14 of the guide track part 3 roll along the guiding member 29. The
guide
track part 3 enters the opening 16 in the opening position A. The guiding
member 29
extends to a distance from the guide track 4, wherein the counter surface of
the
guiding member 29 keeps the guide track part 6 pushed against the locking
piece 19
when the panel 1 is turned (see Fig. 3). The guide track parts of each panel,
corresponding to the guide track part 3, are placed in different locations in
the panels.
In this example, the guide track part or the hinge pin 20 passes out of the
guide track 5
via the opening (see Fig. 3).
Figures 1 and 2 also show an example of a guiding member 21 fastened to the
guide
track 4. The guide track 4 has typically a turned U-shape, and the guiding
member 21
is fastened to the underside of that wall of the guide track 4 to which the
guiding
member 17 or 29 is fastened and which is provided with the opening 16. The
guiding
member 21 consists of one or more openings 21d, via which the counter element
22
can pass, as shown in Fig. 5. The counter surface 22a of the counter element
22 is in
contact with the counter surface 21e of the guiding member 21, wherein the
counter
surface 21e of the guiding member 21 keeps the guide track part 6 pushed
against the
locking piece 19, when the panel 1 is turned. The counter surfaces 22a and 21e
are
substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the guide track 4.
The counter
element 22 is installed on the fillet 9 in the fastening groove 28. The
counter elements
of each panel, which correspond to the counter element 22, are placed in the
same
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location in the panels and at the same distance L1 from the rotation axis X1.
More
precisely, the counter surface 22a is located at the distance L1.
In the presented example, the distances L2 and L3 of the openings 21d are
equal, and
5 they correspond to the distance between the guide track part 6 and the
corresponding
guide track part of the next corresponding panel, when the panels are adjacent
and
interlocked. As shown in Fig. 3, the distance L4 between the rotation axis X3
of the
panel 27 and the counter surface 21e corresponds substantially to the distance
L4. In
the presented examples, openings are provided for three turnable panels,
wherein the
10 first opening on the left hand side is for the panel 27 and its counter
element. The
counter element 22 is placed close to the guide track part 6, closer than the
counter
element 18 in Fig. 1 or closer than the guiding member 29 or the guide track
part 3.
Because the counter element 22 is close to the guide track part 6, the counter
element
22 can be made smaller in relation to the guiding member 17, which is farther
away.
By making the counter element 22 larger, the panel 1 can be supported longer
than
with merely the guiding member 17 or 29. The panel 1 is capable of opening to
a very
large angle and remaining supported by the guiding member 21 all the time,
wherein
the locking is facilitated and secured. The guiding member 21 can be used to
improve
the function of various lockings and to supplement the operation of the
guiding
member 17 or 29 or to replace the guiding member 17 or 29 either in whole or
in part.
Those minimum and maximum opening angles, at which the panel 1 is supported by
the guiding member 21, can be influenced by the design of the counter element
22
and by a suitable selection of the length of the counter surface 21e. In the
presented
example, the length of the counter surface 22a is greater than the length of
the counter
surface 21e shown in Fig. 5.
Figure 4 shows a system according to one example and its operation in a
situation in
which the panel 1 is in the opening position, the locking is ready to be
engaged and
the counter element 22 is ready to be transferred via the guiding member 21.
The
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counter surface of the guiding member 21 is arranged to be convex, wherein it
is
placed better against the guiding member 21 during the turning. Figure 4 also
shows
the panel structure 27 fastened to the guide track 21. In Fig. 5, the counter
element 22
is in contact with the guiding member 21 and the locking is already partly
engaged. In
the situation of Fig. 6, the locking is engaged and prevents the movement of
the panel,
and the counter element 22 has been disengaged from the guiding member 21. In
Figs. 4 to 6, the guide track 6 has been omitted to expose the structure of
the guiding
member and the guide track part.
Figure 3 shows in more detail the guiding member 21 of the examples of Figs. 1
and 2,
wherein the guide track 4 is partly opened. The guiding member 21 comprises a
frame
part 21a which is placed inside the guide track 4 and mounted in its place.
The frame
part 21a is also provided with a locking piece 19, in which the locking piece
26 of the
guide track part 6 is fitted and the hinge pin 25 is locked. The locking piece
19 is
fastened, for example, by means of the hinge pin.
In Fig. 3 the position of the frame part 21a determines the position of the
panel 27 to
be opened, which, in turn, determines the opening position of the next panel 1
to be
transferred and opened. The guiding member of each panel to be opened will
pass
through a separate opening. The guiding member 21 is provided with an
extension
part 21b integrated in the frame part 21a and comprising at least one opening
for the
panel 27 and placed underneath the guide track 4. During the installation, the
opening
21d of the extension part 21b is automatically placed at such a distance L4
from the
frame part 21a that corresponds to the distance between the counter element of
the
panel 27 and the frame part 21a. More precisely, there is a distance L4
between the
rotation axis X3 and the counter surface 21e. The rotation axis X1 and the
counter
surface 21e are placed at a predetermined distance L1 from each other,
corresponding to the distance L4, when the panel 1 is in the opening position,
wherein
the distance between the rotation axes X1 and X3 corresponds to the distance
L2. At
least one elongation part 21c can be placed after the extension part 21b,
normally
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provided with one or more openings 21d. The elongation part 21c is fastened to
the
guide track 4. Between the extension part 21b and the elongation part 21c, as
well as
between the elongation parts, there is a coupling 23 which comprises joint
faces and
by means of which the elongation parts and their openings are automatically
placed,
during the installation, at such distances from the frame part 21a that
correspond to
the distance between the counter elements corresponding to the counter element
22
and the frame part 21a. Also, a corresponding coupling used as a fitting can
be placed
between the frame part 21a and the extension part 21b. In the example, the
different
parts are fastened to the guide track 4 and to each other by means of, for
example, a
screw at the coupling 23.
In the example of Fig. 3, the counter element 22 is integrated in the hinge
pin 25 of the
guide track part 6 by means of an interconnector 24. The interconnector 24 is
placed
in a fastening groove 28 in the fillet 9 (see Fig. 6), and the counter element
22 extends
upwards from the fillet 9 towards the guide track 6 up to the opening 21d. The
counter
element 22 must be capable of leaving the guide track 6 also when the panel 1
is
moved across a corner in the guide track 4. For this reason, the extension
part 21b
and the elongation parts 21c are placed in an area between the frame part 21a
and
the opening 16, or between the guiding member 17 and the frame part 21a. The
counter element 22 does not extend so high that it would hit the wall of the
guide track
4. The counter element 22 allows the turning of the panel 1 only when the
counter
element 22 is at the opening 21d. By means of the interconnector 24, the
counter
surface 22a of the counter element 22 is placed, during the installation,
automatically
at the distance L1 from the guide track part 6. The counter element 22 is
turned
around the rotation axis X1 together with the panel 1. In the presented
example, only
one counter element is needed in each panel, placed close to the guide track
part
used as a hinge. Several counter elements may be fastened to the guide track
part by
means of the interconnector, when the distance between the openings is
constant.
The panel is thus supported to at least two counter surfaces of the guiding
member.
The counter element may also be separate, and two counter elements may be
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connected by the interconnector. Each panel may also comprise a series of
counter
elements, in which case the guiding member comprises a series of counter
surfaces.
The type of the locking may differ from the design shown in Fig. 3, but the
frame part
21a can be modified so that those parts of the locking which require accurate
positioning in relation to the guide track part 6 are engaged or fastened to
it. If the
frame part 21a does not comprise parts of the locking, it is used, for
example, as a
stopper for stopping the panel 1 in the opening position. Alternatively, a
kind of a
locking is used as a stopper, in which case the panel and the frame part are
placed at
a predetermined distance from each other, wherein simultaneously the extension
part
and the elongation part are placed in their correct positions in relation to
the panel and
its counter element. Thus, it is also possible to apply the above-presented
couplings
which place the parts at correct distances from each other in the guide track
4. A
corresponding frame part can be placed and fastened to the guide track 5, but
the use
of an extension part will not be necessary.
The invention is not restricted solely to the embodiments presented above. The
shapes of the guide track, the fillets and the profiles may vary to a desired
extent.
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