Patent ID: 7578096

Claim:
An apparatus for driving a separating element that can be moved linearly and/or on curves and that, if required, can be rotated and parked, the apparatus comprising: at least first and second drive assemblies attached to the separating element, the first and second drive assemblies including supporting rollers, the first drive assembly including a drive shaft that is aligned at right angles to a running direction of the first drive assembly, an electric motor coupled thereon, and a drive wheel rotated by the motor; and a guide rail on which the supporting rollers are guided, the guide rail comprising a center piece and two side pieces, running surfaces provided on the side pieces for the supporting rollers, and a toothed element attached to and arranged along an inner wall of the guide rail, wherein the drive wheel is rotated and engages in the toothed element, wherein the electric motor is mounted on the first drive assembly in such a way that the electric motor is guided above the running surfaces in an accordingly dimensioned space within the guide rail with the axis of the motor shaft being aligned between the supporting rollers at right angles to a plane that is defined by the running surfaces, the motor shaft is firmly coupled via a transmission to the drive shaft that is aligned in parallel to the axis of the motor shaft, the separating element is connected to the driving apparatus by means of an attachment element, that is held by a body of the first drive assembly and in parallel to the separating element, and a busbar extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail is arranged within the guide rail and is tapped by current collectors that are arranged on the first drive assembly.