Patent Application
20170204644
The disclosure relates to door devices and more particularly pertains to a new door device for combining elements of a hinged door and a sliding door.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a frame that may be coupled to a wall of a building. A door is hingedly coupled to the frame such that the door is positionable between an open position and a closed position. The door comprises a first half that is slidably coupled to a second half. The second half is positionable in an open position when the door is positioned in the closed position. Thus, the second half is configured to allow egress and entry to the building when the door is in the closed position.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A pair of tracks 30 is provided. Each of the tracks 30 is coupled to an associated one of the lateral arms 18. Each of the tracks 30 extends from the first longitudinal arm 22 to a point positioned between the first longitudinal arm 22 and the second longitudinal arm 24. Each of the tracks 30 is positioned on the inwardly facing surface 28 of the associated lateral arm 18.
A door 32 is hingedly coupled to the frame 12 and the door 32 is positionable between an open position and a closed position. The door 32 comprises a first half 34 and a second half 36. The second half 36 is slidably coupled to the first half 34. The second half 36 is positionable in an open position when the door 32 is positioned in the closed position. Thus, the second half 36 facilitates egress and entry to the building 16 when the door 32 is in the closed position. Each of the first half 34 and the second half 36 may comprise a glass door or the like.
The first half 34 is hingedly coupled to the second longitudinal arm 24 such that the first half 34 extends between the lateral arms 18. The first half 34 has a first lip 38 extending away from a bottom side 40 of the first half 34. The first lip 38 is coextensive with the bottom side 40. The first half 34 has a second lip 42 extending outwardly from a top side 44 of the first half 34. The second lip 42 is coextensive with the top side 44. Each of the first lip 38 and the second lip 42 has a ledge 46 extending toward a center 48 of the first half 34. The ledge 46 corresponding to each of the first lip 38 and the second lip 42 is spaced from the first half 34.
The second half 36 is slidably positioned on each of the first lip 38 and the second lip 42. The second half 36 is positioned between the first half 34 and the ledge 46 corresponding to each of the first lip 38 and the second lip 42. Thus, the first half 34 is slidably retained on the second half 36. Each of the first lip 38 and the second lip 42 is aligned with an associated one of the tracks 30 when the door 32 is positioned in the closed position. The second half 36 is slidable along each of the tracks 30 to abut the first longitudinal arm 22 when the second half 36 is positioned in a closed position. Thus, the opening 26 is completely closed.
A latch 50 is movably coupled to the second half 36. The latch 50 engages the first half 34 when the second half 36 is positioned in the open position. Thus, the second half 36 is coupled to the first half 34. An actuator 52 is movably coupled to the second half 36 and the actuator 52 may be manipulated. The actuator 52 is in mechanical communication with the latch 50. The latch 50 is urged to disengage from the first half 34 when the actuator 52 is manipulated. Thus, the second half 36 may be positioned in the open position.
A plurality of rollers 54 is provided. Each of the rollers 54 is rollably coupled to a bottom side 56 of the second half 36. The rollers 54 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the bottom side 56 corresponding to the second half 36. Each of the rollers 54 rolls along an associated one of the tracks 30 and the first lip 38 when the second half 36 is positioned between the closed position and the open position.
A pair of locks 58 is provided. Each of the locks 58 is movably coupled to the first half 34 and each of the locks 58 may be manipulated. Each of the locks 58 is positionable between a locking position and a releasing position. Each of the locks 58 may engage an associated one of the lateral arms 18 of the frame 12 when the locks 58 are positioned in the locking position. Thus, the door 32 is retained in the closed position.
Each of the locks 58 disengages the associated lateral arms 18 when the locks 58 are positioned in the releasing position. Thus, the door 32 is positionable in the open position. Each of the locks 58 may comprise a lever 60 that is mechanically coupled to a rod 62. The rod 62 may extend outwardly from the first half 32 when the lever 60 is manipulated into a locking position. The rod 62 corresponding to each of the locks 60 may engage the associated lateral arm 18. The rod 62 may retract into the first half 34 when the lever 60 is manipulated into a releasing position.
A screen door 64 may be provided. The screen door 64 may be positionable to extend between each of the tracks 30. The screen door 64 may cover the exposed opening 26 when the first half 34 is positioned in the open position. The screen door 64 may be an exterior screen door or the like.
In use, the door 32 is positioned in the closed position to completely close the opening 26. The first half 34 is positioned in the open position when the door 32 is positioned in the closed position. Thus, the opening 26 is partially exposed. The door 32 is positioned in the open position when the first half 34 is in the open position. Thus, the opening 26 is fully exposed. Each of the locks 58 is positioned in the locking position when the door 32 is in the closed position. Thus, the door 32 is retained in the closed position. The actuator 52 is manipulated to facilitate the first half 34 to be positioned in the closed position.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
