GUIDING DEVICE FOR AN ELEVATOR DOOR LEAF

Technical field

The present invention relates to a guiding device for an elevator door leaf.

The floor doors of lifts or elevators are normally provided below with shoes which slide into a groove obtained in the sill and have the purpose of guiding the doors during the opening and closing movement which occurs when the cabin is located at the floor door.

Background art

The known type of shoes adopted in this context include the use of an end portion which slides inside a track obtained in the sill. Both the end portion and the track have corresponding flat surfaces, therefore during the opening and closing movement of the door leaves a relative sliding occurs between two portions of flat surfaces. This causes high sliding friction leading to rapid wear of the components, for which periodic replacement of the shoes is necessary.

Since the shoes are fixed to the door leaves, the maintenance is long and costly.

In this context, the technical task underpinning the present invention is to propose a guiding device for an elevator door leaf which obviates the drawbacks of the prior art as cited above.

Disclosure of the invention

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to propose a guiding device for an elevator door leaf, in which the components have a longer life than the known solutions and therefore require less maintenance.

The stated technical task and specified aims are substantially achieved by a guiding device for an elevator door leaf, comprising:

- a body within which at least a first cavity open outwards of said body is obtained;

- a first spherical element rotatably inserted in the first cavity and arranged so as to protrude from the first cavity outwards; - anti-friction means interposed between the first spherical element and at least one wall delimiting the first cavity to limit the movement of the first spherical element within the first cavity.

In accordance with an embodiment, a second cavity open outwards of the body is obtained within the body and within which a second spherical element is rotatably inserted. The second spherical element is arranged so as to protrude from the second cavity outwards.

In accordance with an embodiment, the first cavity and the second cavity are separate, i.e., non-communicating.

Preferably, the first cavity and the second cavity are substantially identical in shape and size and are obtained within the body so that the first spherical element and the second spherical element protrude outside the body on opposite sides.

In accordance with an embodiment, the anti-friction means comprises at least one abutment sphere arranged within the first cavity. The abutment sphere has smaller dimensions with respect to the first spherical element.

Preferably, the abutment spheres arranged within the first cavity are a plurality and are arranged circumferentially around the first spherical element.

In accordance with an embodiment, the body has a recess suitable for being coupled to a corresponding portion of a head of a door leaf.

In accordance with an embodiment, the first cavity is blind and has an opening outwards. The first spherical element is in contact with an edge of the body delimiting the opening.

Brief description of drawings

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the illustrative and thus non-limiting description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a guiding device for an elevator door leaf, as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

- figure 1 illustrates a guiding device of an elevator door leaf, according to the present invention, in perspective view; - figure 2 illustrates a lateral view of the guiding device of figure 1 ;

- figure 3 illustrates a sectional view of the guiding device of figure 1 (according to the axis A-A visible in figure 2);

- figure 4 illustrates a sectional view of the guiding device of figure 1 (section according to an axis orthogonal to the axis A-A visible in figure 2);

- figures 5a and 5b illustrate an elevator door leaf comprising the device of figure 1 , in perspective view respectively from the front and from the back.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the figures, reference numeral 1 indicates a guiding device 1 of an elevator door leaf.

The guiding device 1 comprises a body 2 within which at least a first cavity 3a open outwards of the body 2 is obtained. In other words, the first cavity 3a communicates with the outside through an opening 4. Preferably, the first cavity 3a is blind. Preferably, the first cavity 3a has a substantially cylindrical shape.

A first spherical element 5a is rotatably inserted in the first cavity 3a. Such a first spherical element 5a is arranged so as to protrude outwards from the first cavity 3a. The portion of the first spherical element 5a protruding from the opening 4 is intended to roll on one of the surfaces of the sill of an elevator.

Preferably, the first spherical element 5a is arranged so as to be able to contact an edge 4a of the body 2 delimiting the opening 4.

In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, there are two cavities 3a, 3b open outwards of the body 2, each having a corresponding spherical element 5a, 5b therein free to rotate on itself and partially protruding outwards.

For reasons of clarity, the number 3b indicates the second cavity and the number 5b indicates the second spherical element.

In accordance with the embodiment described and illustrated herein, the two cavities 3a, 3b are separate, i.e., non-communicating.

Preferably, the two cavities 3a, 3b are substantially identical in shape and size and are obtained within the body 2 so that the first spherical element 5a and the second spherical element 5b protrude outside the body 2 on opposite sides.

The guiding device 1 comprises anti-friction means 7 interposed between the first spherical element 5a and at least one wall delimiting the first cavity 3a to limit the movement of the first spherical element 5a within the first cavity 3a.

In particular, the anti-friction means 7 limits the translation of the first spherical element 5a inside the first cavity 3a without however preventing the rotation thereof.

Preferably, the anti-friction means 7 comprises at least one abutment sphere 7 arranged in the first cavity 3a. The abutment sphere 7 has smaller dimensions with respect to the first spherical element 5a.

Preferably, the abutment spheres housed within the first cavity 3a are a plurality. Preferably, the abutment spheres 7 are arranged circumferentially around the first spherical element 5a.

In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, there are four abutment spheres 7.

Thereby, the first spherical element 5a is interposed between the abutment spheres 7.

Also in the second cavity 3b there is anti-friction means 7 similar to that described for the first cavity 3a.

Preferably, the body 2 has a recess 8 suitable for being coupled to a corresponding portion of a head 11 of a door leaf 10.

In the embodiment described and illustrated herein, the body 2 comprises two opposite side surfaces 2a, 2b on which the openings 4 are obtained and a connecting surface 2c between the two side surfaces 2a, 2b. The recess 8 is obtained along the connecting surface 2c. Preferably, the recess 8 extends through the connecting surface 2c. Preferably, the body 2 comprises a substantially flat upper surface 2d. The recess 8 extends from one side of the upper surface 2d to an opposite side according to a distancing/approaching extension with respect to the upper surface 2d which follows the connecting surface 2c.

Figures 5a and 5b illustrate an elevator door leaf, indicated with the number 10.

The leaf 10 comprises one or more guiding devices 1 as described above. Preferably, the door leaf 10 comprises a head 11 . The head 11 is a known type of device which couples with the sill of an elevator and will not be further described herein. The guiding devices 1 are coupled with the head 11.

In the embodiment in which the body 2 of the guiding device 1 has a recess 8, the guiding device 1 is coupled to the head 11 by means of the recess 8.

The features of the guiding device of an elevator door leaf, according to the present invention, are clear from the description, as are the advantages.

In particular, the provision of a rotatable spherical element in the cavity allows to obtain a rolling contact between the guiding device and the elevator sill, replacing the sliding of the known solutions. This reduces the wear on components, increasing the life thereof. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to resort to the use of expedients to reduce the friction from sliding.

Furthermore, the use of anti-friction means allows the contact between the spherical element and the cavity to be minimized, limiting friction and wear. At the same time, the anti-friction means reduces or eliminates the lateral or translational displacement of the spherical element, constraining it to rotate on itself in its seat.