This disclosure generally relates to sliding door panels and, more specifically, to a door pusher for multi-track sliding door panels and related methods for making and using the same to improve the functionality, durability, and aesthetic appearance of the sliding door panels.
Multi-track sliding door panels can feature three or more expansive panels that slide open easily and intuitively, stacking against each other or tucking away out of sight into a wall pocket. Large door panels can travel to one side or part in the middle, creating wide openings that expand the living space. Because of their stacking feature, multi-track sliding door panels create a seamless transition between indoor living spaces and patios, decks, or garden rooms.
In a typical configuration, the multi-track sliding door panels feature elements known as bumpers that prevent the complete overlap of the panels when the multi-track sliding door is fully collapsed (e.g., when the multi-track sliding door is in its fully open position). In addition, these elements can assist with the opening operation of the sliding panels. For example, when the end panel of the sliding door (referred to herein as the “first” panel) is pushed from its fully closed position towards its fully open position, the first panel travels over a portion of the immediately preceding panel (the “second” panel) until it contacts the bumper attached to the second panel. The opening motion now pushes both first and second panels towards the open position and over a third panel until the second panel contacts the bumper of the third panel. This cascading effect eventually pushes all the panels towards the fully open position even though force is applied only to the first panel.
In a typical design configuration, the bumper element is a piece of metal or other durable material (e.g., hardened plastic, wood, etc.) mounted on the rail of the door panel with the bumper's base positioned parallel to the sliding motion of the panel. Therefore, when the first panel traverses over the second panel during the opening motion, the vertical side of the first panel (e.g., the panel's stile) contacts the rail mounted bumper of the second door panel. Thus, the force applied to the first panel is transferred via the rail mounted bumper of the second panel to the second panel. As a result, both panels start moving together in a synchronous motion. This process repeats until all the panels are fully collapsed or stacked.
Despite their functionality, rail mounted bumpers have several disadvantages. First, the alignment of the bumper element with its base being parallel to the sliding motion means that the fasteners securing the bumper on the rail can be subjected to shear stress. This is because the fasteners are positioned perpendicular to the applied force on the rail mounted bumper. Over time, this shear stress can be detrimental to the rail mounted bumper, its fasteners, and the panel's mounting surface, and may result in premature failure. Second, rail mounted bumpers limit the overlapping length of the panels in the fully open position. This is because the overlapping length can be limited by the location of the rail mounted bumper and the dimensions of the bumper. Thus, panels with rail mounted bumpers may have non-overlapping portions that occupy substantial real estate. Finally, the rail mounted bumpers, being located on the face of the panels, are highly visible, which may not be aesthetically desirable.
Therefore, there is a need for a door pusher configuration that has the functionality of rail mounted bumpers but none of their drawbacks.
To address the aforementioned shortcomings, a door pusher for multi-track sliding doors and a method for making the same is provided. In certain examples, the door pusher includes a bumper portion and a mounting portion that are directly attached and secured to the panel's stile via an interlock and a common fastener. The door pusher described herein is positioned such that the fastener is advantageously oriented parallel to the direction of the panel's travel. In some embodiments, the interlock features a cavity in which the mounting portion of the door pusher slides into position prior to being secured with the fastener. Therefore, and according to some embodiments, the mounting portion of the door pusher is attached across or on a vertical edge of the door panel (e.g., attached to a stile of the panel) while the bumper portion extends sideways towards an external side surface of the panel. As a result, a side profile of the bumper portion of the door pusher is substantially smaller than that of a rail mounted bumper whose entire length is on the external side surface of the door panel. As such, the door pusher disclosed herein is less visible, and thus, more aesthetically pleasing than a rail mounted bumper. Further, the disclosed door pusher allows for a larger overlap between the stacked panels, which reduces the overall length of the collapsed sliding door and permits a larger opening when the panels are fully opened. Additionally or alternatively, because the fastener securing the door pusher can be positioned parallel to a force exerted on the panel during the opening movement, there is limited or no shear stress applied to the fastener, which substantially improves the longevity of the door pusher installation.
The above and other preferred features, including various novel details of implementation and combination of elements, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular methods and apparatuses are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the principles and features explained herein may be employed in various and numerous embodiments.
The disclosed embodiments have advantages and features which will be more readily apparent from the detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying figures (or drawings). A brief introduction of the figures is below.
The Figures (FIGS.) and the following description relate to some embodiments by way of illustration only. It should be noted that from the following discussion alternative embodiments of the structures and methods disclosed herein will be readily recognized as viable alternatives that may be employed without departing from the principles of the present disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. It should be noted that wherever practicable similar or like reference numbers may be used in the figures and may indicate similar or like functionality. The figures depict embodiments of the disclosed door pusher apparatus and its installation methods for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles described herein.
According to some embodiments,
As depicted in
According to some embodiments, the bumper portion c of the door pusher 120 extends (e.g., substantially in the x-direction) from the mounting portion b to a region beyond a plane defined by the external surface A of the panel. This can allow the bumper portion c to come into contact with an adjacent door panel, as described herein. In some examples, a height h1 of door pusher 120 along the x-direction and beyond the plane defined by the external surface A of the panel can be from about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) to about 1 inch (25.4 mm), or about 0.75 inches (19.05 mm). In some examples, bumper portion c can cover a side portion of interlock 110 and/or can overlap slightly, or not at all, with the external surface A of the panel. According to some embodiments, the arrangement can allow multiple panels to be stacked closer together as will be discussed in detail below. The bumper portion c further includes a member 120a that functions as a cushion when an adjacent panel is pushed against the bumper portion c of the door pusher 120 during the opening of the multi-panel sliding door. A width w of door pusher 120 near a side edge of interlock 110 can be, for example, from about 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) to about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm), or about 0.375 inches (9.5 mm).
According to some embodiments, door pusher 120 can be made of or include a cast alloy, such as a zinc (Zn) cast alloy; however, this is not limiting, and door pusher 120 can be made from any suitable material, including one or more metals, polymeric materials, or any combination thereof. Further, member 120a can be made of a cushioning material (e.g., rubber, an elastomer, silicone, Neoprene, ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM), and the like) that provides acceptable cushioning performance and durability. In some embodiments, mounting portion b and bumper portion c of door pusher 120 can be made from the same or different materials. For example, door pusher 120 can have a unitary construction. In some embodiments, one or more portions of interlock 110 can be designed to fit into or around the panel stile 130. In some embodiments, the interlock 110 functions as an interface between the panel stile 130 and the door pusher 120. For example, interlock 110 can facilitate the attachment of the door pusher 120 to the panel. In certain examples, door pusher 120 may be designed around the interlock 110 to achieve a desired fit, or the other way around. Accordingly, the door pusher 120 (e.g., including mounting portion b and/or bumper portion c) may have grooves, cavities, protrusions, tabs, or other surface features that fit into or are conformed with respective surface features of the interlock 110, to achieve an appropriate fit or surface contact.
According to some embodiments,
Referring to
According to some embodiments, a flow chart of a method 400 for installing the door pusher 120 on a door panel is shown in
Method 400 begins with operation or step 410 where a sliding door panel with a stile is provided. In some examples, the term “stile” refers to vertical framing components of the panel located on a perimeter or sides of the panel. For example, a panel 300 with a stile 130 is shown in
In operation or step 420, door pusher 120 is provided with the mounting portion b and the bumper portion c, which collectively form door pusher 120. In
As discussed above in reference to
The fully installed door pusher 120 is shown in
As shown in
Further, the orientation of the door pusher 120 and fastener 310 prevents or minimizes shearing forces exerted on the door pusher 120 or the fastener 310 while the sliding door is being operated. This is because the fastener 310 is aligned with or parallel to the panel's direction of travel—e.g., in the y-direction. This is different from rail mounted bumper configurations in which fasteners for the bumpers are oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel (e.g., in the x-direction). According to some embodiments, aligning the fastener 310 with the panel's direction of travel, as described herein, improves the robustness and longevity of the door pusher 120. Further, because the door pusher 120 is attached to an edge of the panel and not on the external surface A of the panel (e.g., on a front or back surface of the stile), the door pusher 120 is less visible and more discrete, compared to previous designs. Mounting the door pusher 120 on the panel edge (e.g., attached to the stile 130 via the interlock 110), as described herein, provides a mechanical advantage and is more compact, compared to rail mounted bumpers.
The operation of a three-panel sliding door equipped with the door pushers 120 will be described with reference to
According to some embodiments, a total stacking displacement L of the sliding door shown in
In some embodiments, the location of the door pusher 120 can be at the top corner of the door panel, at the bottom corner of the door panel, or at any convenient or preferred location.
Table 1 provides ranges for certain dimensions associated with pusher 120, in accordance with some embodiments. Each listed value can be a minimum, maximum, or average value. Various embodiments include any parameter value (e.g., integer or decimal value) within the cited ranges. For example, the height h1 can be greater than, greater than or equal to, less than, less than or equal to, or equal to 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, . . . , or 1.0 inches. Express support and written description of these parameter values for each parameter are hereby represented.
The construction and arrangement of the elements of the apparatus as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a certain number of embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes, and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited.
Further, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the assemblies may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connectors or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment or attachment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present subject matter.
The features and functions of the various embodiments may be arranged in various combinations and permutations, and all are considered to be within the scope of the disclosed invention. Accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as only illustrative and not restrictive. Furthermore, the configurations, materials, and dimensions described herein are intended as illustrative and in no way limiting. Similarly, although physical explanations have been provided for explanatory purposes, there is no intent to be bound by any particular theory or mechanism, or to limit the claims in accordance therewith.
It should be also understood that as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Finally, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meanings of “and” and “or” include both the conjunctive and disjunctive and may be used interchangeably unless the context expressly dictates otherwise; the phrase “exclusive or” may be used to indicate situations where only the disjunctive meaning may apply.
Each numerical value presented herein, for example, in a table, a chart, or a graph, is contemplated to represent a minimum value or a maximum value in a range for a corresponding parameter. Accordingly, when added to the claims, the numerical value provides express support for claiming the range, which may lie above or below the numerical value, in accordance with the teachings herein. Absent inclusion in the claims, each numerical value presented herein is not to be considered limiting in any regard.
The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms and expressions of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. In addition, having described certain embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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