MANEUVER SYNCHRONIZATION MECHANISM FOR EMBEDDABLE SLIDING DOORS

Abstract: It comprises a hinged part (3) on fixed chassis (5) which, through a slot (6) directly receives the motion of the moving elements which bring about unlocking of door (1) and which act on the top end of said door, so that hinged part (3), through a rod (8) which runs downwards, transmits its motion to a second hinged part (11), similar to the former one, which through an arm (16) mounted on a transverse guide (17) carries a support bearing a pulley wheel (19) on which rests the inner surface of door (1), and thus the motion provided to the upper end of door (1) is transmitted in a synchronised manner to its lower end, which therefore assumes a correct position when the longitudinal motion of door (1) begins, corresponding to the opening of the door.

Description: OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an operation synchronisation mechanism particularly designed for sliding doors, which at the end of the closing stage move transversely fitting into the corresponding space to form a tight seal. The mechanism may be applied to the field of train cars and the like, in which doors move outwards with respect to the surface of the cars and fit in them in the closed position. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This applicant holds Spanish invention Patent application number 9601531, also EP-A1- 0 0911 473, in which an operation mechanism is described for sliding doors such as the aforementioned train car doors in which each door is related to a telescoping guide naturally parallel to said door and placed longitudinally in the context of the train car, telescoping guide which in turn is mounted so that it may move transversely on other guides, perpendicular to the former ones, so that any suitable driving mechanism such as a hydraulic piston, a step-down motor or any other transmits a transverse motion to the door so that it unlocks from the car, followed by a second driving element causing the longitudinal motion of the door towards its open position by extension of the telescoping guide. These mechanisms are placed on the top of the door and, in order to prevent possible malfunctions, guides are provided on the bottom which aid in both perpendicular displacements mentioned above. However, these motions are not perfectly synchronised, that is, the motorised motion exerted on the top of the door is always ahead of the response caused on the lower guides, so that during the opening and closing operations the door is jolted, generating anomalous efforts and unwanted vibrations, which in turn and with time cause plays and maladjustments which may even cause the door to drop. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The synchronising mechanism disclosed by the invention solves the aforementioned problems to full satisfaction, ensuring that the lower end of each door accompanies the upper end in its motion in a fully synchronised manner, so that the motion is controlled and perfectly guided at both levels. More specifically, said mechanism directly transmits the upper motion of the door to the lower guide, so that the action exerted exclusively on the top of the door becomes a double action, both on the top level and on the bottom of said door. For this the mechanism proposed by the invention comprises a L-shaped hinged part, jointed at its vertex or midpoint to the body of the train car or element involved by means of a suitable shaft and incorporating at its top segment a slot in which moves a pulley wheel which is suitably related to the moving element carried in the unlocking operation of the door, that is, during the outwards motion of the door, prior to its longitudinal displacement. Said hinged part on its lower end is jointed to a transmission rod which is directed to the lower area of the door, where in turn it is jointed to a second hinged part, also jointed to the body of the car or element involved, with a configuration practically identical to the upper one and in whose slot moves a second pulley wheel which, in the elevation motion of the rod due to tilting of the top part causes the transverse outwards motion of an arm ending in a support, on which support is placed the pulley wheel for the longitudinal displacement of the door, by means of the corresponding guide operationally established in the internal surface of the latter. According to this construction, when the first motion of the door takes place, generated at its upper area, that is unlocking with respect to the body of the car, a parallel and synchronised force is applied unlocking its lower area, so that at the critical moment at which the longitudinal displacement of the door begins the lower area of said door is in a correct position for said longitudinal motion and with its guide suitably resting on the corresponding pulley wheel. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and further characteristics of the invention will become clearer with the aid of the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the same, for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, where the following is shown: Figure 1.- Shows a partial side elevation of a locking sliding door to which is applicable the Operation synchronisation mechanism object of the present invention. Figure 2.- Shows a sectional profile of that shown in the previous figure, along the A-B line of said figure. Figure 3.- Shows an enlarged inset of the section of the previous figure, at the top of the door. Figure 4.- Shows, finally, a further enlarged inset of figure 2, here of the bottom of the door. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In view of these figures it may be seen how the mechanism disclosed by the invention is meant for doors (1) which when closed are perfectly locked in the corresponding space defined by the body (2) of the train car or element involved, so that it presents a perfectly aerodynamic outer surface and the door forms a sufficiently tight seal, with said door (1) opened or closed by means of two mutually perpendicular combined motions, a first outwards lateral displacement motion and a second longitudinal motion which moves it away from the corresponding doorway. The mechanism of the invention thus comprises an L-shaped hinged part (3), which in its mid area corresponding to its corner and with the aid of a shaft or pin (4) is jointed to a fixed element (5) which is suitably attached to the chassis of the train car or element involved, with hinged part (3) provided in its upper segment with a slot (6) on which acts a pulley wheel suitably related to the drive unit which causes the outwards transverse motion of door (1), so that in said motion part (3) swivels causing a rotation of its lower end (7), where it is jointed to a rod (8) which descends to the lower area of the door, shown in figure 4, so that after an obtuse inflexion (9) it is jointed by means of a pin (10) to a second hinged part (11), practically identical to upper hinged part (3), also mounted hinged to a fixed support (12) by the corresponding shaft or pin (13) and likewise provided in its top segment with a slot (14) in which moves a pulley wheel (15) associated to an arm (16) which, aided by a guide (17) ends in a support (18) bearing pulley wheel (19) which rests on the inner surface of door (1), in correspondence with a guide operationally provided in said door. In accordance with said structure and as mentioned before, when the top of door (1) is pushed outwards, corresponding to the initial stage of the opening operation, the push is transmitted simultaneously and synchronised by means of hinged part (3) and rod (8) to the lower hinged part (11), which in turn pushes arm (16) outwards, and through it pulley wheel (19), so that the simultaneous and synchronised push is achieved on the lower area of door (1), and thus when the longitudinal motion of the door begins at the top of the door, that is in the second stage of the opening operation, the lower area of the door is in a correct position, specifically with pulley wheel (19) in the position so that the longitudinal motion of door (1) takes place.

Claims: Operation synchronisation mechanism for locking sliding doors, of the type used in train cars, in which the opening manoeuvre is performed by an outward displacement of the whole door followed by a longitudinal displacement of said door, caused by guide and driving means established for this purpose on its top edge, said driving means causing the rotation of a first hinged part (3) jointed to a fixed element (5) attached to the chassis of the train, the lower segment of said first hinged part (3)transmitting its motion through a rod (8) which run downwards to a second hinged part (11) jointed on a fixed chassis (12) at the bottom of the door (1), characterised in that the first hinged part (3) is provided in its upper segment with a slot (6) for driving a pulley wheel connected to the driving means which causes the motion of the top end of the door, and the second hinged part (11) is provided with a slot (14) in which moves a second pulley wheel (15) acting through an arm (16) to a third pulley wheel (19) which pushes the lower end of the door (1), thus making said lower end of the door move in synchrony with the top end of the door in the displacement of the door perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the train car. Operation synchronisation mechanism for locking sliding doors as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the arm (16) passes through a transverse guide (17) and ends in a support (18) for the third pulley wheel (19).

Inventors: CARRION ESPELTA JUAN, CARRION ESPELTA, JUAN
Applicants: FAIVELEY ESPANOLA, FAIVELEY ESPANOLA, S.A.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B61D19
IPC codes: E05D15, B61D19