The invention relates to a sliding-door assembly, including a stationary frame, a horizontally movable door leaf, and a drive device for moving the door leaf, which drive device includes a drive motor, which is arranged on the leaf and has a toothed wheel, which interacts with a toothed belt arranged on the frame, wherein the toothed belt is wrapped around the toothed wheel over a partial periphery of the toothed wheel and wherein at least two teeth of the toothed wheel are simultaneously fully engaged with at least two teeth of the toothed belt.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/055311, filed on Mar. 13, 2015, and claims benefit to European Patent Application No. 14160171.6, filed on Mar. 17, 2014. The International Application was published in German on Sep. 24, 2015 as WO 2015/140068 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).

FIELD

The invention relates to a sliding door assembly, in particular a lift and slide door assembly, including a fixed frame, a horizontally displaceable door leaf and a drive device for displacing the door leaf which includes a drive motor, arranged on the leaf, having a gear wheel which cooperates with a toothed belt arranged on the frame.

BACKGROUND

A sliding door assembly for a stackable sliding wall is known from EP 0 953 706 B2. With sliding door assemblies or with lift and slide door assemblies which are used as part of the glazing of a building, there is the problem that in particular door leaves having multiple glazing can be very heavy, and may weigh for example 200 kilograms or more. If such a door leaf is to be displaceable not manually, but driven by a motor, the drive motor has to provide a correspondingly high motive force. At the same time, however, for visual reasons the drive motor should only take up as little installation space as possible.

SUMMARY

Proceeding therefrom, it is the object of the present invention to improve a sliding door assembly of the type referred to at the outset such that the drive device is also suitable for heavy door leaves and can be integrated in the door leaf as visually unobtrusively as possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the toothed belt wraps around the gear wheel over a partial circumference of the gear wheel, and in that at least two teeth of the gear wheel are simultaneously fully engaged with at least two teeth of the toothed belt.

According to the invention, a motive force of the drive motor is transmitted to a toothed belt by way of a gear wheel, at least two teeth of the gear wheel and at least two teeth of the toothed belt simultaneously being fully engaged with one other. The drive device according to the invention makes it possible to even out the transmission of force from the drive motor to the toothed belt. This evening-out thus involves the possibility of avoiding torque peaks of the drive motor. This allows the use of drive motors which are not designed for a high peak power and which therefore can be of comparatively small and slim construction. In this manner, it is possible to integrate the drive motor in the door leaf in a visually appealing manner, yet in which it is simultaneously able to displace even very heavy door leaves if required.

It is preferable if the partial circumference is at least 45°, preferably at least 90°, in particular at least 120°. In this manner, not only at least two pairs of teeth, but preferably at least three pairs of teeth, in particular at least four pairs of teeth, can be fully engaged with each other simultaneously if required.

Preferably at least a first deflecting element is provided which cooperates with a rear side of the toothed belt. Such a deflecting element enlarges the partial circumference over which the toothed belt wraps around the gear wheel.

It is particularly preferable if a second deflecting element is provided that cooperates with the rear side of the toothed belt. This makes possible further enlargement of the partial circumference with which the toothed belt wraps around the gear wheel.

When using two deflecting elements, it is preferable, viewed in the running direction of the toothed belt, if a first deflecting element is arranged on the input side of the gear wheel and the second deflecting element on the output side of the gear wheel.

It is possible for the deflecting element or the deflecting elements to have sliding faces along which the rear side of the toothed belt slides. However, it is preferable for the deflecting element to be formed as a deflecting roll, or for the deflecting elements to be formed as deflecting rolls. This allows particularly low-friction rolling contact between the rear side of the toothed belt and a deflecting face of the deflecting rolls.

It is preferable if the deflecting rolls and the gear wheel have axes of rotation which are parallel to one other, so that the toothed belt is not twisted, viewed in the running direction of the toothed belt.

In a preferred embodiment, the axes of rotation of the deflecting rolls and of the gear wheel are arranged within one plane. This makes a particularly compact arrangement of deflecting rolls and gear wheel possible.

It is possible to use a continuous toothed belt. However, it is preferable if a toothed belt which is open at the end and the ends of which are fixed to the frame is used. This facilitates particularly unobtrusive and space-saving integration of the toothed belt on the fixed frame.

The integration of the toothed belt is further facilitated if it is arranged on a horizontal frame part, at the top when in the installation position, of the fixed frame.

A drive motor of particularly small construction can be used if the drive device includes a reduction gear for reducing a drive speed of the drive motor. In this case, this is preferably a planetary gear which is of particularly compact construction, in particular a two-stage planetary gear. Using a two-stage planetary gear has the advantage that the self-locking of the reduction gear is not so great that manual displacement of the door leaf would no longer be possible.

However, it is also possible to use a direct drive (i.e. without a reduction gear), or an only single-stage reduction gear, in order to further reduce the self-locking of the drive.

It is further preferable if a drive axis of the drive motor is oriented in the vertical direction. In this manner, when using a toothed belt running in the horizontal direction it is possible to dispense with a deflection gear, for example an angular gear.

In order to integrate the drive motor in the door leaf, it is proposed that the drive motor be arranged in a vertical profile section of the door leaf, in particular in a vertical profile section remote from a handle side of the door leaf. This has the advantage that when the door leaf is upright, the drive motor can be mounted in a simple manner and can be accessed rapidly if required.

It is particularly preferable if at least one battery arranged on the leaf is provided to supply power to the drive motor. Such a battery has the advantage that it is, in principle, not necessary to also have suitable, but space-consuming, power supply equipment, for example trailing cables or conductor bars with sliding contacts.

The at least one battery is preferably likewise arranged in a vertical profile section of the door leaf, in particular in a vertical profile section remote from a handle side of the door leaf. This makes simple mounting of the at least one battery on an upright door leaf possible. In addition, the replacement of a battery which may possibly be necessary after a relatively long period of use is thus possible without problems.

Finally, it is preferable if a controller for controlling the drive motor is provided which is preferably arranged in a vertical profile section of the door leaf, in particular in a vertical profile section remote from a handle side of the door leaf. Not only does this result in a particularly visually appealing design but also in particularly good accessibility of all the components of the drive device which are arranged on the leaf, in particular in combination with integration of the drive motor and at least one battery in the same vertical profile section of the door leaf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a sliding door assembly is schematically illustrated inFIG. 1and is denoted by the reference numeral10. The assembly10includes a frame, represented by broken lines, which is fixed and is attached to the building. The frame12preferably has an in particular glazed fixed panel14which is marked with a diagonal cross in the drawing.

The frame12also serves for arranging a door leaf16, which can be displaced between a closed position illustrated inFIG. 1and an opened position in which the door leaf16overlaps the fixed panel14at least in portions.

The door leaf16is in particular a lift and slide door, which is therefore not only horizontally displaceable, but can also be raised and lowered. In a lowered state of the door leaf, effective sealing of the door leaf16on the frame12is facilitated. In a raised state of the door leaf16, it can be displaced horizontally.

The door leaf16has a sash frame18which delimits a sash panel20. The sash panel20may be formed for example by glazing. The sash frame18has an upper profile section22, a lower profile section24and also vertical profile sections26and28.

When the door leaf16is closed, the vertical profile section26is in contact with a vertical frame part30of the frame12. In the context of the present invention, this vertical profile section is understood to be the “handle-side” profile section. When the door leaf16is closed, it is possible for the vertical profile section26and the vertical frame part30of the frame12to be bolted together.

In the event that the door leaf16is to be raised by manual force, the first vertical profile section26serves for arranging a lift and turn handle (not shown).

The first vertical profile section26and the vertical frame part30also serve for arranging electrical contacts32and34, which, when the door leaf16is closed, are in contact with each other in order to supply power from the building. The electrical contacts32and34may touch each other, or alternatively may be designed inductively in order to achieve a contactless power supply.

In a preferred embodiment, the first vertical profile section26serves for arranging an operating unit36, which is built into the door leaf16in particular instead of a handle.

In a preferred embodiment, the door leaf16can be raised by way of a motor-driven lifting device38. When the door leaf16is raised, rollers40arranged in the leaf are in contact with a runner rail42arranged on the frame. When the door leaf16is lowered, the door leaf16lies with an underside44on the runner rail42.

The second vertical profile section28serves for arranging components of a drive device46, described below, for displacing the door leaf16in the horizontal direction.

A drive motor48, the drive axis50of which is oriented in the vertical direction, is arranged in an upper region of the second vertical profile section28. The drive motor48cooperates with an output stage52which is preferably arranged beneath the drive motor48in the second vertical profile section28.

An output stage54which cooperates with the motor-driven lifting device38is preferably arranged on a lower end of the second vertical profile section28.

Furthermore, the second vertical profile section28serves for arranging a controller56and also at least one battery58,60.

In the schematic view ofFIG. 1, lines between the described components of the sliding door assembly10are illustrated with unbroken or dotted lines. In this case, the unbroken lines represent current-conducting lines, while the dotted lines represent data lines. The lines mentioned likewise run within the profile sections22,24,26, and28of the door leaf16; however, in order to improve clarity, inFIG. 1the lines are illustrated as if they run through the panel20.

The drive motor48has an output shaft62which cooperates in positive manner with a shaft64illustrated inFIG. 2. The shaft64is connected for conjoint rotation with a gear wheel66. The gear wheel66meshes with a toothed belt68which is arranged within an upper, horizontal frame part70of the frame12.

The toothed belt68is open at the end and is fastened by its ends72and74to the frame part70of the frame12.

Upon displacement of the door leaf16, the door leaf16, together with the above-described components of the drive device46and together with the components illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, moves along the fixed toothed belt68. In this case, the components illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3slide within a sliding guide, which is open at the bottom and is formed on the frame part70.

The unit ofFIGS. 2 and 3includes a support76on which two deflecting elements in the form of deflecting rolls78,80are mounted. Bearing pins82,84which are fixed to the support are provided for mounting the deflecting rolls78,80, which bearing pins define axes of rotation86,88of the deflecting rolls78,80.

The support76preferably also serves for guiding a side of the gear wheel66which is remote from the drive motor48. For example, an annular guide face90can be provided for this.

The support76also serves for arranging a curved guide face92which is in the form of part of a circle and cooperates with a rear side94of the toothed belt68. The rear side94of the toothed belt68furthermore cooperates with the running faces96,98of the deflecting rolls78,80which point radially outwards.

The axes of rotation86,88of the deflecting rolls78,80extend in parallel with one another and are arranged within one plane. An axis of rotation100of the gear wheel66extends preferably likewise within the plane or is spaced apart only slightly, for example by at most 20 mm, from the plane.

A minimum spacing provided between the deflecting faces96,98is only slightly greater (for example by at most 20 mm) than a diameter of the gear wheel66measured on the outside of the teeth. In this manner, the toothed belt68can be guided such that it wraps around the gear wheel66over a partial circumference of at least approximately 120°. In this manner, at least two, in particular at least four, teeth102of the gear wheel66are simultaneously fully engaged with respective teeth104of the toothed belt68.

It is preferable for the deflecting rolls78and80and of the gear wheel66to be secured on the support76, in particular using a plate106, illustrated merely inFIG. 2, which can be screwed to the support76by way of a screw108.

For particularly low-friction running of the door of the door leaf16, it is preferable to use deflecting rolls78,80. In a simplified and particularly inexpensive embodiment, provision is made for the deflecting elements110,112to have immobile deflecting faces114,116. The rear side94of the toothed belt78slides on these deflecting faces. Moreover, the functions of the components illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3and also in the figure correspond to each other.