Claims
- 1. A sliding door for selectively opening and closing an opening, the opening having a top, a bottom, and opposed side walls, the door comprising:
a first guide track defining a first linear guide path; a second guide track defining a second linear guide path, the second guide track being spaced from the first guide track; and, a door panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the door panel being adapted to translate laterally relative to the opening between a closed position and an open position, wherein a first portion of the door panel is attached to the first guide track and a second portion of the door panel is attached to the second guide track.
- 2. The door of claim 1, wherein the first portion is proximate attached closer to leading edge of the door panel relative to the second portion.
- 3. The door of claim 1, further comprising a first recess defined in the first guide track and a second recess defined in the second guide track, the second recess being linearly spaced from the first recess.
- 4. The door of claim 3, wherein the first and second guide tracks are each made from a first material and the first and second recesses each include a material different from the first material.
- 5. The door of claim 4, wherein the different material is a lower-friction material than the first material.
- 6. The door of claim 6, wherein the first and second recesses are each defined by a drop block attached to the respective guide tracks, each drop block comprising a downwardly canting surface that transitions to a substantially linear surface.
- 7. The door of claim 6, wherein the linear surface of each drop block terminates in a upwardly canting surface.
- 8. The door of claim 3, wherein the door panel is attached to the guide tracks by a first trolley and second trolley, the first trolley comprising a first roller mount and the second trolley comprising a second roller mount, the first and second roller mounts each having at least one roller attached thereto for operably engaging one of respective first and second guide tracks, wherein the first and second trolleys assist the door panel to translate laterally to a closed position and the rollers of the respective roller mounts to substantially contemporaneously engage in the recesses in the respective guide tracks, causing the door panel to move toward the bottom of the opening.
- 9. The door of claim 8, further comprising a bottom seal disposed proximate the bottom edge of the door panel, wherein when the door panel is in an open position the bottom seal is disengaged from the bottom of the opening and when the door panel translates to the closed position the bottom seal of the panel is in sealing engagement with the bottom of the opening.
- 10. The door of claim 8, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are each parallel linear surfaces.
- 11. The door of claim 10, wherein at least one roller is attached on opposing sides of each of the roller mounts, wherein the rollers attached to the first roller mount operably engage the parallel linear surfaces of the first guide track and the rollers attached to the second roller mount operably engage the parallel linear surfaces of the second guide track.
- 12. The door of claim 1, further comprising:
a motor operably coupled to a drive system, wherein the drive system and motor move the door panel between the open and closed positions; and, a controller in electronic communication with the motor, the controller for controlling the starting, stopping, speed and direction of the motor.
- 13. The door of claim 1, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are plates.
- 14. The door of claim 1, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are rods.
- 15. The door of claim 1, wherein the first guide track is disposed above the second guide track.
- 16. The door of claim 15, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are each parallel linear surfaces.
- 17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one roller is attached on opposing sides of each of the roller mounts, wherein the rollers attached to the first roller mount operably engage the parallel linear surfaces of the first guide track, and wherein the roller mount of the second trolley extends between the parallel linear surfaces of the first guide track and the rollers attached to the second roller mount operably engage the parallel linear surfaces of the second guide track.
- 18. The door of claim 15, wherein the first guide track is disposed proximate the top of the opening and the second guide track is disposed between the top and the bottom of the opening.
- 19. A bi-parting sliding door for selectively opening and closing an opening, the opening having a top, a bottom, and opposed side walls, the door comprising:
a first guide track defining a first linear guide path, the first guide track being mounted proximate the top of the opening and including a first recess and a second recess defined therein, the first and second recesses being linearly spaced on opposed sides of a midpoint of the first guide track; a second guide track defining a second linear guide path, the second guide track being mounted proximate the top of the opening and spaced from the first guide track, the second guide track including a first recess and a second recess defined therein, the first and second recesses in the second track being linearly spaced from the midpoint of the first guide track and at an outward distance from first and second recesses of the first guide track; and, a first door panel and a second door panel each having a top edge, a bottom edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the first and second door panel each being adapted to translate laterally relative to the opening between a closed position and an open position, wherein a first portion of each of the first and second door panels is attached to the first guide track and a second portion of each of the first and second door panels is attached to the second guide track.
- 20. The door of claim 19, wherein the first and second guide tracks are each made from a first material and the first and second recesses in each of the first and second guide tracks each include a material different than the first material.
- 21. The door of claim 20, wherein the different material is a lower-friction material than the first material.
- 22. The door of claim 20, wherein the first and second recesses of each of the first and second guide tracks are each defined by a drop block attached to the respective guide tracks, each drop block comprising a downwardly canting surface that transitions to a substantially linear surface.
- 23. The door of claim 22, wherein the linear surface of each drop block terminates in a upwardly canting surface
- 24. The door of claim 19, wherein the first and second door panels are attached to the guide tracks by a trolley system, the trolley system comprising:
a first trolley and a second trolley, the first trolley comprising a first roller mount and the second trolley comprising a second roller mount, the first and second roller mounts each having at least one roller attached thereto, wherein the at least one roller of the first roller mount operably engages the first guide track, and the at least one roller of the second roller mount operably engages the second guide track and wherein the first door panel is attached to the first trolley proximate the leading edge of the door panel and the door panel is attached to the second trolley proximate the trailing edge of the door panel; a third trolley and a fourth trolley, the third trolley comprising a first roller mount and the fourth trolley comprising a second roller mount, the first and second roller mounts each having at least one roller attached thereto, wherein the at least one roller of the first roller mount operably engages the first guide track, and the at least one roller of the second roller mount operably engages the second guide track and wherein the second door panel is attached to the third trolley proximate the leading edge of the door panel and the door panel is attached to the fourth trolley proximate the trailing edge of the door panel; and, wherein the trolleys assist each door panel to translate laterally to the closed position, and the rollers of the respective roller mounts to substantially contemporaneously engage in the recesses in the respective guide tracks, causing a bottom edge of each of the panels to move toward the bottom of the opening.
- 25. The door of claim 24, further comprising a bottom seal disposed proximate the bottom edge of each of the first and second door panels, wherein when the door panels are in an open position the bottom seal of each of the first and second door panels is disengaged from the bottom of the opening and when the door panels translate to the closed position the bottom seal of each of the firs and second door panels are in sealing engagement a the bottom of the opening.
- 26. The door of claim 24, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are each parallel linear surfaces.
- 27. The door of claim 26, wherein the first guide track is disposed above the second guide track.
- 28. The door of claim 26, wherein at least one roller is attached on opposing sides of each of the roller mounts, wherein the rollers attached to the first roller mount and third roller mount operably engage the parallel linear surfaces of the first guide track, and wherein the roller mounts of the second and fourth trolleys extend between the parallel linear surfaces of the first guide track and the rollers attached to the second roller mount and the fourth roller mount operably engage the parallel linear surfaces of the second guide track.
- 29. The door of claim 19, further comprising:
a motor operably coupled to a drive system, wherein the drive system and motor moves the door panel between the open and closed positions; and, a controller in electronic communication with the motor, the controller for controlling the starting, stopping, speed and direction of the motor.
- 30. The door of claim 19, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are plates.
- 31. The door of claim 19, wherein the first guide track and the second guide track are rods.
- 32. The door of claim 19, further comprising a third guide track defining a third linear guide path, wherein the third guide track is disposed between the top and the bottom of the opening.
- 33. The door of claim 19, wherein the first and second guide tracks are canted downward toward an apex formed proximate the midpoint of the opening.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/407,889, entitled “Dual Overhead Track For a Sliding Door,” filed Sep. 3, 2002. This application is incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60407889 |
Sep 2002 |
US |