Partition wall element
A motor-driven wall element of a dividing wall is secured and sealed in an end position by at least one motor-driven closure profile. The voltage applied to the wall element for moving the element is switched in an end position of the element by a switching apparatus in such a way that the at least one closure profile is moved out after the end position is reached and is moved in before the end position is exited.
The invention is directed to a motor-driven element of a partition wall or dividing wall, particularly a horizontally sliding wall, with at least one motor-driven closure profile according to the preamble of claim 1.
Mobile dividing walls with closure profiles are sufficiently well known and are described, e.g., in DE 199 07 232 A1 and DE 199 07 242 A1. In these references, closure elements are provided in wall elements of a dividing wall that are suspended from a track and these closure elements can be braced between the floor and ceiling. In this case, pressing of the closure profiles against the floor and ceiling is carried out in a mechanical manner when locking the mobile dividing wall. Lifting members which are arranged in the wall elements are swiveled by means of a horizontal displacement of these wall elements so that the closure profiles which are provided with sealing strips are pressed into position.
Further, there are also known dividing wall elements 1 which are described in DE 24 04 875 B2 and shown in
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a motor-driven element of a dividing wall having at least one motor-driven closure profile, in which additional expenditure on controls for the motor-driven closure profile is as low as possible or nonexistent, particularly with respect to the voltage supply rails, control lines and a control device for the mobile dividing wall.
This object is met by the features indicated in patent claim 1 for a motor-driven element of a dividing wall having at least one motor-driven closure profile. Advantageous developments of the subject matter of patent claim 1 follow from the subclaims.
By means of the switching apparatus, indicated in patent claim 1, which is arranged in an element, the control carried out for controlling the motor that is provided for moving the element need not be converted or modified, and the second motor for driving the at least one closure profile does not need its own control but rather is controlled automatically by the control provided for moving the element.
The switching apparatus has a first sensor for determining the end position (closed wall) of the element. This sensor can be a mechanical sensor or an electronic sensor and ensures that the switching apparatus can correctly switch the supplied energy after the end position has been reached.
Further, the switching apparatus has a second sensor for determining an end position of the at least one moved in closure profile. This sensor can also be mechanical or electronic.
Further, the element preferably has a first motor for driving the element and a second motor for driving the at least one closure profile. The switching apparatus switches the voltage applied to the element for moving the element in the end position of the element between the first motor and the second motor in such a way that the second motor moves the at least one closure profile out after the element reaches its end position and moves it in before the element exits its end position.
According to a preferred construction of the invention, the switching apparatus is preferably switched between a first voltage supply connection of the element and a first connection of the first motor and of the second motor, respectively, wherein a second connection of the first motor and of the second motor, respectively, is connected to a second voltage supply connection of the element.
Further, the voltage applied to the element via the first voltage supply connection and the second voltage supply connection has a first polarity direction for moving the element into the end position and a second polarity direction, which is the reverse of the first polarity direction, for moving the element out of the end position.
Through this kind of construction of the element according to the invention and further preferable constructions, the control, including the voltage supply bars, provided for moving the element can be used without modification for automatic (parallel) control of the second motor provided for driving the at least one closure profile, and a switching apparatus which is constructed using few component parts can be achieved at the same time, since a defined switching which is always identical can be carried out after the end position is reached and before the end position is exited.
The first sensor advantageously has a switch whose switchable connection is connected to the first voltage supply connection, whose first fixed connection is connected to the first connection of the first motor, and whose second fixed connection is connected to the first connection of the second motor by a first diode. The switch connects the switchable connection to the second fixed connection in the end position and connects it to the first fixed connection in a parked position.
The second sensor advantageously has a dual switch whose first switching path is connected parallel to the first diode and bypasses the first diode when the closure profile is in a moved in end position and whose second switching path is connected parallel to the switch in a series connection with a second diode and bypasses the switch when the closure profile is not in a moved in end position.
This results in a particularly ingenious switching apparatus which does not need to be controlled by a microprocessor or by a complicated logic circuit, but makes do with two preferably mechanical switches and two diodes. This switching apparatus according to the invention is suitable for all common control devices for the first motor that is provided for driving the element, particularly also for those in which the supply of energy to the element is switched off depending upon the power consumed by the element. This also includes the case in which the element is not connected to the current or voltage supply rails directly but rather via a control device which can also be arranged in the element of the dividing wall. As used in the preceding and in the following description, the supply of energy to the element or the voltage applied to the element refers to the voltage applied to the first motor that is provided for driving the element, i.e., for moving the element.
Further details, features and advantages of the invention are indicated in the following description of preferred embodiment examples with reference to the drawings.
When the monitoring of the end position of the element 1 is carried out normally, i.e., without the additional pressing, according to the invention, of the closure profile, e.g., by means of monitoring the power consumed by the drive motor of the element 1, the supply voltage need only be switched in a suitable manner from the drive motor to the pressing motor, e.g., by means of a mechanical end position detector, so that the element 1 is closed according to the invention, i.e., by pressing the at least one closure profile 5. After this, the “normal” control now monitors the pressing motor in step S4 and switches it off when the power consumption increases as a result of a blocking of the motor, because the end position of the at least one closure profile 5 is then reached. This assumes either that the drive motor of the element 1 and the pressing motor consume an approximately equal amount of current when blocking or that the control device is adapted to the power requirement of the pressing motor. Naturally, switching can also be achieved in some other way than by means of a mechanical end position switch for the element 1.
Only a power supply with a control part or output part is needed for the procedure described above. The drive motor and the pressing motor are accordingly fed by the same power consumer.
When the end position is reached, the switch ES2 is switched in such a way that the switchable connection 8 is connected to the second fixed connection 10 as is shown in
By means of a corresponding control, a dividing wall element 1 can also be in an end position before it moves toward another dividing wall element 1 or toward another stop, i.e., the switch ES2 can be switched so as to be controlled differently. The at least one closure profile 5 also need not necessarily or exclusively be pressed against the floor and ceiling; naturally, pressing in horizontal direction is also possible.
After the drive motor M1 is switched off in the twentieth step S20, the pressing motor M2 is controlled by the switching apparatus according to the invention in a twenty-third step S23 in such a way that the at least one closure profile 5 closes, i.e., the dividing wall element 1 is pressed. In a subsequent twenty-fourth step S24, it is checked whether the at least one closure profile 5 is completely moved out. If this is not the case, step S23 is carried out again. If it is the case, the pressing motor M2 is switched off in a subsequent step S25, whereupon the process is concluded in a twenty-sixth step S26.
Accordingly, in contrast to the first embodiment example of the invention, the dividing wall element 1 according to the second preferred embodiment form of the invention is always pressed in the stationary state, that is, for example, also in the parked position.
The preceding description of the embodiment examples according to the present invention serves only to illustrate and not to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications are possible within the framework of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention and its equivalents.
REFERENCE NUMBERS
- 1 dividing wall element
- 2 spindle
- 3 scissors
- 4 lifting rods
- 5 closure profile
- M1 first motor, drive motor
- M2 second motor, pressing motor
- D1 diode
- D2 diode
- ES1 dual switch
- ES2 switch
- 6 first voltage supply connection of the dividing wall element
- 7 second voltage supply connection of the dividing wall element
- 8 switchable connection of the switch ES2
- 9 first fixed connection of the switch ES2
- 10 second fixed connection of the switch ES2
- 11 first switching path of the dual switch ES1
- 12 second switching path of the dual switch ES2
Claims
1-6. (canceled)
7. A dividing wall comprising:
- a wall element which can be driven between a closed position and an open position by a voltage;
- a closure element associated with said wall element, wherein said closure element can be driven between a closed position and an open position by applying a voltage; and
- switching apparatus for switching the voltage to move the closure element to the closed position after the wall element has reached the closed position, and for switching the voltage to move the closure element to the open position before the wall element exits the closed position, said switching apparatus comprising
- a first sensor for determining when the wall element has reached the closed position; and
- a second sensor for determining when the closure element has reached the open position.
8. The dividing wall of claim 7 further comprising:
- a first reversible motor for driving the wall element; and
- a second reversible motor for driving the closure element,
- wherein the switching apparatus switches the voltage from the first motor to the second motor to move the closure element to the closed position after the wall element reaches the closed position, and to move the closure element to the open position before the wall element exits the closed position.
9. The dividing wall of claim 8 comprising:
- a first voltage supply connection which can be switched between a first connection of the first motor and a first connection of the second motor; and
- a second voltage supply connection which is connected to a second connection of the first motor and to a second connection of the second motor.
10. The dividing wall of claim 8 wherein the first voltage supply connection has a first polarity for moving the wall element to the closed position and a second polarity for moving the wall element to the open position, the second voltage supply connection having an opposite polarity in each case.
11. The dividing wall of claim 9 wherein the first sensor comprises a first switch having a switchable connection connected to the first voltage supply connection, a first fixed connection connected to the first connection of the first motor, and a second fixed connection connected to the first connection of the second motor via a first diode, wherein the first switch connects the switchable connection to the second fixed connection in the closed position of the wall element and to the first fixed connection in the open position of the wall element.
12. The dividing wall of claim 11 wherein the second sensor comprises a dual switch having a first switching path which is connected in parallel to the first diode and bypasses the first diode when the closure element is in the open position, and having a second switching path which is connected in series with a second diode parallel to the switchable connection of the first switch and bypasses the first switch when the closure element is not in the open position.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 9, 2004
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2005
Inventor: Markus Bischof (Au)
Application Number: 10/517,397