Patent Application
20180087311
The present disclosure relates to bolts, particularly slide bolts, used to secure a passive door of a double door entryway.
French door, or double door, entryway units are popular in commercial and residential settings for their pleasing aesthetics and functional practicality. The optional ability to open a secondary (i.e. passive) door panel greatly increases the ability for ingress and egress of persons and household items.
As seen in
To secure the passive door panel 12 in a closed position, the astragal 16 may be provided with hardware 18, such as conventional sliding bolts, adjacent to at least one of a top and a bottom of the passive door panel. The hardware 18 typically engages a frame 19 of the entryway. The frame may have a header 20 spanning the top of the entryway 10 and a threshold 22 (also referred to as a door sill) spanning the bottom of the entryway. Hardware 18 mounted near the top of the passive door panel would extend upward to engage the header 20, and hardware mounted near the bottom of the passive door panel would extend downward to engage the threshold 22.
Improper assembly or installation of an entryway 10 can create conditions where the hardware 18 is prevented from moving into its fully engaged position. This can lead to reduced strength under wind loads and to sub-optimal compression of sealing components. In some existing hardware 18, the pin may be able to retreat from its extended position inadvertently as a result of repeated active door use. This movement can lead to partial or even full disengagement from the frame and reduced sealing performance. Therefore, designers continue to make improvements to the hardware 18 to provide a more secure, robust and consistent device for maintaining the passive door panel 12 in a closed position.
One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a bolt assembly configured to secure a passive door panel relative to an entryway frame. The bolt assembly comprises an anchoring base configured to be mounted to the passive door panel or an astragal on the passive door panel. The base is configured to be fixed relative to the passive door panel. The base comprises a first side and a second side. The first side is configured to be arranged facing away from a stile of the passive door panel. The second side is configured to be arranged facing toward the passive door panel relative to the stile, and opposite the first side. The base also has at least one column of spaced apart teeth extending from the second side. The column of spaced apart teeth provides notches between the teeth and adjacent to at least one end of the at least one column. The bolt assembly further comprises a bolt configured to slide relative to the base between at least a first position and a second position. The bolt includes a slide having a finger configured to mate into at least one of the notches in the first position and the second position. The bolt also has a pin attached to the slide for movement therewith. The pin is configured to engage the entryway frame when the bolt is in the second position.
Other embodiments of the present disclosure include a bolt assembly configured to secure a passive door panel relative to an entryway frame. The bolt assembly comprises an anchoring base configured to be mounted to the passive door panel or an astragal on the passive door panel. The base is configured to be fixed relative to the passive door panel. The base comprises a pair of columns of teeth, each column comprising a plurality of spaced apart teeth, and notches formed between the plurality of spaced apart teeth and adjacent to at least one end of each column. The bolt assembly also comprises a bolt configured to slide relative to the base between at least a first position and a second position along a direction parallel with each column. The bolt comprises a slide having a finger, the finger having two distal ends, a first distal end mates into notches along a first column of the pair of columns and a second distal end simultaneously mates into notches along a second column of the pair of columns. The bolt also includes a pin attached to the slide for movement therewith, the pin configured to engage the entryway frame when the bolt is in the second position.
Yet other embodiments of the present disclosure include an astragal configured to be mounted to a passive door panel. The astragal comprises an astragal body having a channel running along a length of the astragal body, a first bolt assembly positioned at a lower end of the astragal body, and a second bolt assembly positioned at an upper end of the astragal body. The first bolt assembly comprises an anchoring base fixedly mounted to the astragal body, wherein the anchoring base comprises a pair of columns of teeth, each column of the pair of columns comprising a plurality of spaced apart teeth with notches formed between the spaced apart teeth. The first bolt assembly also includes a bolt configured to slide relative to the astragal body between a retracted position and an extended position. The bolt comprises a pin configured to engage a threshold when the bolt is in the extended position, the pin having a longitudinal axis, and a slide. The slide has a finger at one end of the slide relative to the longitudinal axis, the finger having two distal ends, a first distal end mates with notches along a first column of the pair of columns and a second distal end mates with notches along a second column of the pair of columns. The slide also has a finger pocket to assist with moving the slide relative to the base. The first bolt assembly includes a lock block, the lock block configured to translate relative to the base and the bolt, and a compression spring positioned between the bolt and the lock block. The compression spring biases the slide of the bolt in an inward direction. The second bolt assembly of the astragal also comprises an anchoring body and a bolt like the first bolt assembly. The second bolt assembly further comprises a guide block fixedly mounted adjacent to the top end of the astragal body, the guide block having a passage through which the pin is configured to slidably extend.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiments, when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. The embodiments described provide examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, and modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such other embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention. Features from one embodiment or aspect may be combined with features from any other embodiment or aspect in any appropriate combination. For example, any individual or collective features of method aspects or embodiments may be applied to apparatus, product or component aspects or embodiments and vice versa.
As used herein, the passive door panel 12, is defined to include a height axis H and a width axis W that each bisect the major plane of the passive door panel 12 as shown in
Turning to
The base 32 is used to position and slidably secure a bolt 40 relative to the passive door panel 12. To facilitate this functionality, the base 32, for example the rear side 36, includes a plurality of spaced apart teeth 50 extending from the rear side. The spaces that result between each of the plurality of spaced apart teeth may be referred as notches 52. Additional notches 52 may be located between an inwardmost tooth 50 and an inward stop wall 54, and between an outwardmost tooth 50 and an outward stop wall 56 of the base 32. One or more of the teeth 50 may include an inward portion 58 configured to be located toward a center of the passive door panel 12 along a height thereof when the base 32 is mounted relative to the passive door panel. Similarly, one or more of the teeth 50 may include an outward portion 60 configured to be located toward an end of the passive door panel 12 along the height thereof relative to the inward portion 58 when the base 32 is mounted relative to the passive door panel. The system of teeth 50 and notches 52 may be referred to as a ratchet system.
The outward portion 60 of each tooth 50 may be configured to limit inadvertent motion of the bolt 40 toward a retracted position. For example, the outward portion 60 may include an abutment surface 62 arranged normal to the longitudinal axis A of the base 32. The inward portion 58 of each tooth 50, on the other hand, may be configured to assist with sliding the bolt 40 toward an extended position. Therefore, for example, the inward portion 58 may include a ramp surface 64 oblique relative to the longitudinal axis A of the base 32.
The base 32 includes a cut-out 68 providing access to the bolt 40. The cut-out 68 may help guide a portion of the bolt 40 during sliding from a retracted position to an extended position and vice versa. The cut-out 68 may be centrally located along the width of the base 32. When mounted relative to the passive door panel 12, the width of the base 32 may correspond with the interior/exterior direction of the entryway 10 as shown by axis Y in
As possibly best seen in
The base 32 may provide a plurality of fastener apertures 70 for accepting fasteners. The fasteners, including but not limited to screws or bolts, fixedly mount the base 32 relative to the passive door panel 12.
Returning briefly to
In the illustrated embodiment, a slide 80, formed from a polymer, is over-molded onto the pin 74. In other embodiments, the pin 74 and the slide 80 may be formed as a unitary, integral component formed from metal or plastic, or as a multi-piece assembly. In some embodiments, one or more flanges 82 may be provided along the length of the slide 80. The flanges 82 extend perpendicular to the longitudinal pin axis P. The flanges 82 can help position and retain the slide 80 within an astragal as discussed below. The flanges 82 may be continuous along some or all of the length of the slide 80. Alternatively, the flanges 82 may be provided as various segments along the slide 80.
In the illustrated embodiment, the bolt 40 also includes an interface 86 located on an opposite end of the slide 80 from the pin 74. The interface 86 is accessed by a user to manually translate the bolt 40 from an extended position to a retracted position and vice versa. Various structures may be provided to assist the user with gripping and translating the bolt 40. Projections may act as handles. Alternatively, grooves, apertures, or a pocket 88 may be configured to assist with manipulation of the bolt 40 with the user's finger(s).
The slide 80 is formed with a positioning finger 90, hereafter simply finger 90 configured to selectively mate into the notches 52, between and adjacent to the plurality of spaced apart teeth 50, to position the bolt 40 relative to the base 32. In the illustrated embodiment of
To assist with outward motion of the bolt 40, the finger 90 may include a tapered portion 94 on an outward region of the finger. The combination of the tapered portion 94 of the finger 90 and the ramp surface 64 on the inward portion 58 of each tooth 50 promotes sliding of the bolt 40 outward relative to the base 32.
The illustrated finger 90 may be described as having two distal ends 96 and 98. The first distal end 96 can mate within the notches 52 along of a first column of teeth 50 and the second distal end 98 may simultaneously mate within the notches 52 along a second column of teeth 50.
The engagement between the base 32 and the bolt 40 in a most retracted and a most extended position may be best understood from the cross sections of
In the most retracted position shown in
Returning to
A compression spring 106 is positioned between the slide 80 and the lock block 100. The compression spring 106 may be provided around a portion of the pin 74. The compression spring 106 seeks to force the lock block 100 toward the engagement end 72 of the bolt 40. When the bolt 40 is translated toward an extended position, the lock block 100 is similarly urged outward. Contact between the lock block 100 and the threshold 22 may cause shortening of the compression spring 106. A bottom sealing pad 108 may be carried on the bottom of the lock block 100 and configured to help seal the lock block against the threshold 22. An optional corner sealing pad 110 may also be provided on and carried with the lock block 100 for sealing against the stile of the active door panel 14. In addition, an optional back sealing pad (not shown) may be provided on and carried with the lock block 100 on a face of the lock block opposite the corner sealing pad 110. When provided, the back sealing pad helps seal between the lock block 100 and an edge of the passive door panel by residing in an opening in the astragal body.
The compression spring 106 biases the lock block 100 and the slide 80 in opposite directions. Therefore, while the lock block 100 is biased outward, the slide 80 is biased inward. The inward biasing of the slide 80 provided by the compression spring 106 urges contact between the inward facing surface 92 of the finger 90 and the abutment surface 62 of a respective tooth 50, helping to secure the bolt 40 in its current position of extension.
Turning to
The astragal body 122 defines a channel 128 running along a length of the astragal body. The length of the astragal body 122 is parallel with the height axis H of the passive door panel 12 when the astragal assembly 120 is attached to the passive door panel.
One or more trim covers (not shown) may be mounted to the astragal body 122 to at least partially enclose the channel 128. The trim cover may be provided with an opening for providing access to the pocket 88 of the slide 80.
Although the above disclosure has been presented in the context of exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
