Abstract:
A folding device as a room divider or room closure has at least one wing chain of interconnected wings that upon opening of the folding device are folded against one another. One wing side has guide elements received in guide rails such that the wings are slidably guided. One wing is an opening wing connected only to a single neighboring wing and has a free wing edge guided in the guide rails. The guide elements on the free wing edge of the opening wing have a hinge, respectively. The hinges have a first end connected to the opening wing and a second end connected to holding elements in the guide rails. The free wing edge has a fixed profiled strip arranged between the holding elements. The profiled strip covers at least a width of the holding elements outside of the guide rails.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a folding device, in particular, a folding device with glass panes, comprised of wings having peripheral metal profiles filled preferably with glass panes and a peripheral frame usually comprised of metal profiles, for room dividers or room closures to be opened and closed as needed, for example, for sunrooms, business entrances, balcony enclosures or the like. The folding device comprises a series of wings connected to one another to form at least one wing chain, wherein the wings, for opening the device, are folded against one another, wherein each wing is pivotably connected to a neighboring wing within the wing chain and is slidably guided with one side, respectively, by means of guide elements in guide rails or is secured on lateral frames in a non-slidable but pivotable way. At least one wing is an opening wing being connected only with one side to a neighboring wing and having a free wing edge on the opposite side that is guided in the guide rail. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In principle, such folding devices have one or several pivotable and slidably connected wing chains so that a large front of a building or a room divider can be opened almost completely. Within the wing chain, each wing is pivotably connected to the neighboring wing but is guided slidably only with one side in the guide rails. The outer wings of a wing chain are either configured as opening wings, having one side without connection to another neighboring wing, or are secured pivotably and usually non-slidable on a lateral frame. When the opening wing is an individual wing, it can be configured simply as a rotary wing wherein the side connected to the neighboring wing is guided in the guide rails while the free wing edge is pivoted out of the plane which is formed by the guide rails and the lateral frame. 
     On the other hand, when the opening wing of the folding devices of the aforementioned kind is part of a double wing, i.e., a wing of a wing pair, its free edge must be guided in the guide rail. Because of construction prerequisites, the folding or pivot axes of the guide elements, provided for guiding the wings in the guide rails, must be arranged symmetrically between two neighboring, pivotably connected wings within the wing chain. Because the hinge parts required for the function of the device are arranged between the wings, in the closed state of the folding device a gap is formed which is closed by seals in order to fulfill the requirements with respect to draft prevention and heat insulation. When the guide element is arranged on the free wing edge of the opening wing, the guide element is positioned at the same spacing to the wing edge as in the arrangement within the wing chain and thus projects past the free wing edge. In order to enable a smooth end toward the neighboring wing or frame, generally a post is connected so as to be slidable to the free wing edge of this opening wing, the so-called pair end member, wherein the post remains in the frame plane defined between the guide rails. It represents essentially an additional wing which is reduced simply to the frame width. 
     Since the described folding devices are mostly embodied as folding devices with glass panes, a transparency as large as possible is desired, i.e., the view obstructing portion of the folding device caused by the frames and profiles should be as minimal as possible. However, the posts which have been used in the past increase the view obstructing portion of the vertical profiles at this location; this is not desired by architects and planners as well as consumers and users. In particular, when two opening wings of wing pairs meet one another, the view obstructing portion is undesirably large because of the two additional posts. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to configure a folding device of the aforementioned kind such that it provides a constructively light visual appearance with a minimal view obstructing portion. 
     In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the guide elements on the free wing edge of the opening wing have a hinge which is connected with one end to the opening wing and with the other end to a holding element and wherein the free wing edge between the holding elements has a profiled strip between the holding elements covering at least the width of the holding elements outside of the guide rail and being immobile relative to the opening wing. 
     The configuration of the guide elements provided on the free wing edges of the opening wing or opening wings comprising a hinge having at its free side a holding element and including covering of the intermediate space between the holding elements by means of the profiled strip connected fixedly at least to the opening wing, enables elimination of the conventionally used post. The connection of the free wing edge of the opening wing is realized simply by means of the holding elements which can be configured without problems and without any loss of stability with a very minimal height. The laterally projecting width of the holding elements can also be much smaller than that of the conventionally employed posts so that, even with the profiled strip connected to the opening wing, a significantly reduced view obstructing portion results. Since the profiled strip upon opening of the wings pivots together with the opening wing, the view obstructing portion or width is further reduced in the open state of the folding device. 
     A very slim configuration can be achieved when the holding element is configured as a unitary part together with the hinge part of the guide element connected thereto. 
     Preferably, the side of the free wing edge facing the hinge as well as the opposite side of the free wing edge of the opening wing are provided with profiled strips. The profiled strips can form a monolithic part with one another and/or with the wing edge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1   a-e  show schematically a folding device having four wings in a closed position in a frontal view and, in section, in several closing and opening positions. 
         FIG. 2  shows the lower central opening area, corresponding to detail II of  FIG. 1 , in a perspective illustration. 
         FIG. 3  shows the detail III of FIG.  2 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the object of  FIG. 3  when opening the folding device. 
         FIG. 5  shows the object of  FIG. 3  in a view from the opposite exterior side viewed in a direction of arrow V of FIG.  3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a magnified view of the detail VI of FIG.  2 . 
         FIG. 7  is a section in the direction VII—VII of the object of FIG.  2 . 
         FIGS. 8   a-c  show the object of  FIG. 7  in different positions when opening a wing. 
         FIGS. 9   a-f  show a different embodiment with a wing pair meeting a lateral frame in views corresponding to the views of  FIGS. 1 ,  7 , and  8 . 
         FIG. 10   a-d  show a different embodiment with a wing pair meeting a rotary wing in views corresponding to  FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8 . 
         FIG. 11  shows first and second profiled strips and the free wing edge forming a monolithic part. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1   a  shows a four-wing folding device with two wing pairs. Opening of this device is illustrated in pictograms in  FIGS. 1   b  through  1   e . The two free wing edges  3  of the opening wing  1  always remain in the plane  4  defined by the guide rails (not illustrated); this plane is indicated by dashed lines. 
       FIG. 2  shows the lower central area of the abutting two free edges of the opening wings  1  of the folding device. The opening wings  1  of the folding device in the illustrated embodiment open inwardly relative to the position of the viewer of FIG.  2 . The opening wings  1  are comprised of double pane panels  7  framed in wing frames  5 . The wings are slidably guided at the top and bottom in guide rails  8  by means of guide elements. The embodiments are illustrated in more detail in the following Figures. 
     The configuration according to the Invention is best illustrated in  FIGS. 6 through 10   a - 10   d . The inventive configuration is characterized in that the guide elements  10  have a hinge  11  which is connected with one end by conventional fasting means  12  to the opening wing  1  and with the other end is connected to a holding element  13  which remains within the guide rail  8  even when the wings are opened. Since the holding element  13  extends with portions thereof along the frame  5  and also outside of the guide rail  8  and projects laterally past the axis  14  of the hinge  11 , the opening wing  1  has profiled strips  15 ,  16  which cover at least the width B of the holding element  13 . On the side of the holding element  13  the profiled strip  15  extends into the area between the upper and the lower holding elements  13  while the profiled strip  16  extends on the opposite side across the entire height of the opening wing  1 . Both profiled strips  15 ,  16  are fixedly or non-moveably connected to the opening wing  1  so that they follow the pivoting movement of the opening wing  1  for opening or closing the folding device ( FIGS. 8   a - 8   c ), while the holding element  13  stays in the plane  4  between the guide rails  8 . For this reason also, for preferably has only a minimal height. The height corresponds preferably and for construction reasons simply to the height H (see  FIG. 3  ) of the hinge part  11 ′ facing the guide rail  8 . For a visual appearance as pleasing as possible, the holding element  13  should have maximally the height h of the frame  5 . In a particularly compact and therefore preferred embodiment, the holding element  13  is a monolithic part of the hinge part  11 ′ connected to it. 
     When the holding element  13  is not already matched with its basic configuration according to the plan view in the direction I to the profiled strip  15 , it should be provided with a strip part  17  matching the profiled strip  15  in order to provide a visually uniform configuration. This strip part  17  together with the holding element  13 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , remains in the plane  4  of the guide rail  8  when opening a wing. 
     For burglary-proofing the device and for preventing draft, the folding device can have a raised stop  18 , illustrated in particular in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . It is arranged on the side of the guide rail  8  opposite the opening side and the wings cannot move past it. In order to prevent that the profiled strips  16  of the opening wings  1 , which upon opening movement pivot about the central axis  14  of the hinge  11  guide element, do not collide with the stop  18 , the profiled strips  16  are slanted in the direction toward the free wing edge  3  at least in the area of the stop  18 , i.e., across the height A of the stop  18 . Preferably, this slanted portion, as in the illustrated embodiment, is configured as a rounded portion having a radius R having its point of origin approximately at the hinge axis  14  of the corresponding guide element  10 . In order to design this configuration on the side of the stop  18  visually as inconspicuous as possible, at least one profiled strip  16  has preferably a cover strip  19  in the inner opening height between the stop  18  and the opposite guide rail (not illustrated), or—if present—a second stop, wherein the cover strip  19  covers the slanted or rounded portion at least partially. The cover strip  19  increases also the safety with respect to burglary attempts because points of attack for burglary tools are covered. Also, this cover strip  19  can reduce draftiness.  FIG. 5  shows a view with the cover strip  19  viewed from the side of the stop  18 . When two opening wings  1  abut one another, as in the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 8 , it is advantageous to provide the cover strip  19  only on one of the opening wings  1  and to design it to have such a width that it covers or overlaps also the profiled strip  16  of the neighboring opening wing  1 . 
     The illustrated folding device has as a result of the alternatingly arranged hinges provided on the inner and outer sides its greatest width not in the completely closed state according to  FIG. 7  but in the slightly open state according to  FIG. 8  when the hinges  11  are aligned with one another. Upon opening of the folding device, the wing chain first becomes wider before the opening action actually takes place. This widening of the device upon opening is referred to as negative travel because the travel first occurs counter to the actual opening direction. In order to be able to compensate this negative travel, the profiled strips  15 ,  16  of the device according to the invention are configured such that they have a free space  20 ,  21  which allows movement of the previously closed opening wings  1  in the direction of its free wing edge  3 . In this way, the wing pair to be opened can move into the free spaces  20 ,  21  available at the neighboring wing. When the opening wing  1  is arranged at a lateral frame  22  (see FIG.  10 ), the required free spaces enabling movement of the wing can also be provided within the lateral frame  22 . 
     In order to ensure, despite these free spaces  20 ,  21 , that there is no draft, it is advantageous to provide on at least one of the profiled strips  15 ,  16  a flexible seal  24  which at least partially fills the free space  20 ,  21 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 7 and 8   a - 8   c , the two opening wings  1  have rubber seals  24  which, when the wings open, deform to compensate the negative travel, as illustrated in  FIG. 8   a . The profiled strip  15  on the side facing the guide elements  10 , the strip parts  17 , and the cover strip  19  are to be sealed relative to the neighboring opening wing  1  or the lateral frame  22  preferably by brush seals  26 . The profiled strips  15 ,  16  and/or the strip parts  17  themselves can be flexible, in particular, they can be embodied as sealing elements. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show different embodiments of the invention in which a wing pair  1  meets a lateral frame  22  ( FIGS. 9   a - 9   f ) and a wing pair  1  meets a rotary wing  2  ( FIGS. 10   a - 10   d ). Identical elements are indicated in these Figures with the same reference numerals as in  FIGS. 1 through 8 . 
     In  FIGS. 9   a - 9   c , a pictogram corresponding to  FIGS. 1   a  to  1   e  illustrates the opening action of a four-wing folding device having a wing pair  1  that meets on the left side the lateral frame  22 .  FIG. 9   d  shows a section of the lateral frame  22  and the adjoining opening wing  1  corresponding to the illustration of the first embodiment in FIG.  7 .  FIGS. 9   e  and  9   f  shows the further opening action of this configuration corresponding to the illustrations of  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   c . The opening wing  1  of this configuration has only an inner profiled strip  15  and strip parts  17 . The outer profiled strip is not needed because on the lateral frame  22  a covering strip  19 ′, corresponding to the cover strip  19 , is provided. For simplifying the drawing, the flexible seals  24  are illustrated in overlapped position in  FIG. 9   e . In practice, they deform, of course, in the same way as in the embodiment according to  FIGS. 1 through 8 . 
       FIGS. 10   a - 10   c  shows, in a pictogram illustration corresponding to  FIGS. 1   a - 1   e , a five-wing folding device with a wing pair  1  and a rotary wing  2  meeting one another in the opening area.  FIG. 10   d  shows a cross section of the opening area Xd of  FIG. 10   a  corresponding to  FIGS. 7 and 9   d . Opening of this folding device is not illustrated in additional figures because when a wing  1  of a wing pair meets a rotary wing  2 , generally the rotary wing is first pivoted by actuation of the handle  27 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 10   a - 10   c . In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 10   a  through  10   d , the gap between the wing  1  of the wing pair and the rotary wing  2  on the inner side is covered substantially by a corresponding widened portion  28  of the rotary wing profile with sealing lips  29  so that the profiled strip  15  of the wing of the wing pair, i.e., opening wing  1 , in this embodiment can be slim and must not cover entirely the width B of the holding element  13 . 
     The folding device according to the invention is characterized in all configurations by a visually light appearance while providing high stability and—in the case of a folding device with glass panes—a high transparency and a minimal view obstructing portion or width. When opening the folding device, the profiled strips  15  and  16  as well as the cover strip  19  are pivoted together with the opening wing  1  without leaving behind a post as is conventional in the plane  14 . Only the holding elements  13  of a minimal height provide the connection to the guide rails  8 . They do not impair however the optical transparency of the device because of their minimal height. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.