EP0551784B1 - Antibacterial overhead industrial door - Google Patents

Abstract

Roller shutter door of the type comprising a flexible shutter (4) which can roll or fold up in the upper part of the door, the said shutter being strengthened by at least one reinforcement bar (6), characterised in that the bar is made up of two half-bars arranged at the same level on the two faces of the shutter, clamping means (20) being provided so that the two edges of each half-bar are applied against the shutter in a sealed manner in such a way as to prevent the introduction of dust or dirt between each half-bar and the wall of the shutter. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to lifting doors called handling, that is to say for industrial buildings, sheds or shops, most generally large, to let trucks and carts, which can open and close quickly. These doors have a curtain that can be raised and lowered quickly. One type of door has a flexible curtain, which can be rolled up or folded down like an accordion at the top of the door. When these doors have a certain width, or must resist the pressure of the wind, they are reinforced by reinforcing bars placed at regular intervals on the height of the door. The ends of the bars can slide in slides formed by, or contained in, lateral uprights framing the opening, the opening and closing of which are controlled by the door.

The invention relates more particularly to a door of the latter kind and relates to a door more particularly suitable for use in workshops or food or pharmaceutical warehouses. In this type of installation, we seek to eliminate dirt traps, spaces or volumes inaccessible to cleaning in which all kinds of dust or waste can be hung and stagnate and allow the development of bacteria. In particular, the doors, with their operating systems and their operating constraints constitute privileged areas for dirt traps and volumes inaccessible to cleaning.

The document EP-A-0 113 634 describes a lifting handling door of the type comprising a flexible curtain which can be rolled up or folded up at the upper part of the door, said curtain being reinforced by at least one load bar or reinforcement, the bar being made up of two half-bars, arranged at the same level on the two faces of the curtain, clamping means being provided to connect the two bars. However, the half bars are not tightly applied to the curtain, and therefore dust or dirt can accumulate between each half bar and the curtain.

The object of the invention is to provide a door which can be washed completely, and in which the bacteria traps are reduced or eliminated.

This object is achieved by the present invention which relates to a lifting handling door of the type comprising a flexible curtain which can be rolled up or folded up at the upper part of the door, said curtain being reinforced by at least one load bar or of reinforcement, the bar being made up of two half-bars, arranged at the same level on the two faces of the curtain, clamping means being provided to connect the two bars, characterized in that the two edges of each half-bar are applied against the curtain tightly over their entire length, so as to prevent the introduction of dust or dirt between each half-bar and the curtain wall.

Advantageously, the surfaces of the half-bars in contact with the curtain have no cavity, the half-bar being applied against the curtain by a continuous surface, preferably flat.

It may also be advantageous to place a sealing material of the adhesive or mastic type between the half-bar and the adjacent surface of the curtain at least in the vicinity of the edges of each half-bar.

Quite frequently, the ends of the rebar move in guide rails placed on both sides of the opening, the curtain of which controls opening or closing. These slides can form the lateral uprights of the door, or be housed in these uprights.

French patent 91 13435 describes a liftable curtain door intended to close a bay, comprising two lateral uprights each having a slide, the curtain comprising lateral parts sliding in said slides, each lateral upright comprising a front wall having a slot which forms the slide of said upright, said front wall being at least locally not parallel to the curtain in the vicinity of the slot, said front wall being provided with a first surface substantially directed towards said bay and with a second surface substantially directed opposite bay, characterized in that said second surface is accessible so that it can be cleaned.

In particular, each lateral upright has a substantially U-shaped section, comprising an opening not directed towards the opening to be closed.

These doors allow the interior of the slides to be cleaned, which prevents the retention of dirt and the development of bacteria. For this reason, the present invention is particularly advantageously combined with the arrangement described in this patent.

The invention therefore also relates to a door of the type defined above in which the ends of the bars move in guide rails, these being open on their faces opposite to the door.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows, given by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, and which will make it easier to understand how the invention can be implemented.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un porte de manutention à rideau relevable à laquelle peut s'appliquer la présente invention,
• la figure 2 est un exemple de système de fonctionnement de la porte de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est un autre exemple de système de fonctionnement de la porte de la figure 1,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe par un plan horizontal d'un barre de renforcement d'un rideau de porte de manutention selon l'invention,
• les figures 5, 6 et 7 sont des vues en coupe par les plans V-V, VI-VI, et VII-VII de la figure 4,
• les figures 8, 9 et 10 sont des vues en coupe d'autres barres de renforcement de rideau selon l'invention, par des plans perpendiculaires aux barres, et
• la figure 11 est une vue en coupe partielle d'un élément de la figure 10 par un plan horizontal XI-XI de la figure 10.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lifting curtain door to which the present invention can be applied,
• FIG. 2 is an example of the operating system of the door of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is another example of the operating system of the door of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view through a horizontal plane of a reinforcement bar of a handling door curtain according to the invention,
• FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views through the planes VV, VI-VI, and VII-VII of FIG. 4,
• FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views of other curtain reinforcing bars according to the invention, by planes perpendicular to the bars, and
• FIG. 11 is a partial section view of an element in FIG. 10 by a horizontal plane XI-XI in FIG. 10.

In the different figures, the same references designate the same elements or similar elements.

As shown in Figure 1, the present invention relates to a door for closing a bay 5 in a wall 9, particularly in a place where must be maintained very strict hygiene. The door comprises a lifting curtain 4 and two lateral uprights 1, 2 each formed with a slide 8 for guiding the curtain 4. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the lateral uprights 1, 2 are joined at their upper ends by a cross 3, but this feature could be omitted without departing from the scope of the present invention. The door shown in Figure 1 is of the type commonly called "handling door", that is to say a quick opening door intended to open to the passage of a handling machine and to close after the passage of said device.

Each lateral upright 1, 2 comprises a front wall 7, which here is substantially perpendicular to the curtain 4, and which is formed with a longitudinal slot 8 constituting said slide. Note that the wall 7 does not necessarily have to be perpendicular to the curtain 4: it suffices that the wall 7 is locally not parallel to the curtain 4 in the vicinity of the slot 8. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the lateral uprights 1 , 2 have a U-shaped section, and each have two walls 10 which extend a certain distance from said wall 7, towards the outside of the opening 5. This U-shaped section is not no limiting way.

The curtain 4 has lateral parts which slide in the slots 8 of the uprights 1 and 2. In the particular example of FIG. 1, the curtain 4 is flexible and has horizontal reinforcing bars 6 having axial ends 6a which slide in the slots 8. As a variant, the curtain 4 could have continuous or discontinuous lateral edges sliding in the slots 8: in this case, the curtain 4 could have only one lower load bar.

The door according to the invention can be actuated by mechanical or electrical means well known in the state of the art. The curtain can be raised in various ways. For example, in Figure 2, the curtain 4 can be wound on a horizontal axis 11 in the upper part of the door. According to another example shown diagrammatically in section in FIG. 3, the curtain 4 is constituted by a flexible wall provided with horizontal reinforcing bars 6, one in two of which slides in the slots 8 of the uprights 1, 2. The lowest bar is linked to straps 12 which are wound on a drum 13, in the upper part of the door. The winding of the straps 12 on the drum 13 causes the raising the lower bar, which carries with it the other reinforcing bars 6 whose ends slide in the slides 8, folding the curtain 4 in accordion. To do this, the straps pass through loops fixed to some of the bars, or if necessary to all the bars.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through a horizontal plane of an example of a reinforcing bar according to the invention of the curtain of Figure 1. The middle part of the bar, the longest has been partially removed to reduce the size of the drawing. The bar consists of two halves 15, 16 identical except at the fixing points. The two halves can be made of plastic, metal, or any other fairly rigid material, however having a certain flexibility. These halves can be tightened one against the other, by pinching the curtain (canvas or plastic) between them by means of countersunk screws 20.

The ends of the bar can be thinned to promote sealing between the edges of the slide. On the right of the figure, there is shown the front wall 7 of the right upright. This wall is made up of two parts 7, 7 'defining between them the slot 8.

The edges of the slot, on the walls 7, 7 ′ may be provided with a flexible lining 17 for sliding and sealing, a bead 17 being mounted on the edge of the wall 7 and a plastic veil 18 forming an integral part of the bead, so that the two webs 18 are biased against each other. The part 15A of the bar arranged between the webs 18 can be very thin, and connected to the main part 15C by an intermediate part 15B. Figures 5, 6 and 7 are sections made respectively in the planes V-V, VI-VI and VII-VII.

The section of Figure 6 was made on the connecting portion 15B at a location where the bar is full. The sections in Figures 5 and 7 were made at the location of the cap screws. The two halves of the bar tighten curtain 4 between them. The use of countersunk head screws ensures the tightness of the hole thanks to the tightening pressure of the conical part of the screw.

In order to save material, or to lighten the door, hollow bars 21 could be produced, as shown in section in FIG. 8. But the cavities 22 thus produced could become volumes of development of bacteria if the seal device was in default. One can consider filling the cavity with a filling material, and sealing the joints of the edges of bars with a sealing material 23 such as silicone applied against the edges of the bars and against the curtain. Advantageously, in the case where a bar element is hollow, the outside of the part will have a different color from the mass, so as to easily identify fractures and change the defective bar element.

The bars can be used to hold two strips of curtain fabric together. For example, a transparent strip and an opaque strip. From the sealing point of view, such a junction must be taken care of so as not to become a nest of bacteria. An example of such a junction is shown in section in FIG. 9. Two curtain strips 41 and 42 overlap over a certain height H and this height H is taken internally between two half-bars 24, 25. The edges of each tape does not come out on the other side. Along the edges 24A, 25A where the bars join, it is therefore not possible to tighten the curtain hard enough, since there is only one thickness of curtain and in the center, between the bars, there are two thicknesses. The voids are therefore filled with a sealing material, for example of the silicone type, and in order to hang it well, there is provided on the internal section of each bar, on the two edges, a groove 26 which allows good attachment of the sealing material. This gives a connection between clean and aesthetic strips.

To make a sliding connection between a bar and a pulling strap 12, it is advantageous according to the present invention to form a passage 27 in the thickness of the bar, with rounded edges to facilitate good cleaning.

The attachment of a pulling strap to the lower bar, if necessary a load bar, can be carried out in accordance with FIG. 10. One of the half-bars is divided in two across the width of the strap, and therefore has along this length a section as shown in FIG. 11.

The half-bar 30 has a hollow flat area 31 extending over a length equal to or slightly greater than the width of the lifting strap 12. The strap is wedged between this flat area 31 and a plug 32 in which a groove 33 which accommodates the folded end of the strap, possibly with a rod 34 placed in the fold of the strap. The cap 32 can be screwed to the half-bar 30, through the strap, or beyond the latter on its two sides. The fixing can be filled with a sealing material.

Such a flat area can also be provided for fixing for example a sliding pad, used with another type of slide.

It will be noted that one of the half-bars can be made up of several elements, for example plates, each being applied through the curtain 4 against a unitary bar arranged on the other side of the curtain.

In an advantageous embodiment, the bar, as shown in FIG. 10, can have an inclined upper surface 35, in the shape of a roof, to favor the water flow (washing or condensation) and avoid stagnation on the top of the half bar.

Claims (9)

1. A raisable goods-handling door of the type comprising a flexible curtain (4) capable of being wound up or of being folded up in the top portion of the door, said curtain being reinforced by at least one reinforcing or loading bar (6), the bar is being made up of two half-bars disposed at the same level on the two faces of the curtain, clamping means (20) being provided for connecting the two half-bars, the door being characterized in that the two edges of each half-bar are pressed against the curtain in sealed manner along the whole length of the bar, thereby preventing dust or dirt penetrating between either half-bar and the wall of the curtain.
2. A door according to claim 1, in which the surfaces of the half-bars making contact with the curtain do not have any cavities, each half-bar being pressed against the curtain (4) via a continuous surface that is preferably plane.
3. A door according to claim 1 or 2, in which a sealant (23) is placed between the half-bar and the adjacent surface of the curtain, at least in the vicinity of the edges of the half-bar.
4. A door according to any preceding claim, in which the ends (15A) of the bars move in guiding slideways (8), the ends of the bars being narrowed.
5. A door according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the ends of the bars move in guiding slideways (2), the guiding slideways being open on their faces facing away from the door.
6. A door according to any preceding claim, in which one of the half-bars is constituted by a plurality of elements, such as plates, each element being pressed through the curtain (4) against a single bar disposed on the other side of the curtain.
7. A door according to any preceding claim, in which a groove (26) is provided on the face of the bar pressed against the curtain, in the vicinity of each edge of said face, for the purpose of receiving and retaining a sealant.
8. A door according to any preceding claim, in which a hollow or flat zone (31) is provided on at least one bar for the purpose of receiving a fastening for a strap, a sliding shoe, or some other accessory.
9. A door according to any preceding claim, in which the bars have respective top portions (35) in the form of a roof for enhancing water run-off.

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