GB2371586A

GB2371586A - A door frame

Info

Publication number: GB2371586A
Application number: GB0101046A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Jacobs; John Cocksedge
Original assignee: Stanley Works
Current assignee: Stanley Works
Priority date: 2001-01-15
Filing date: 2001-01-15
Publication date: 2002-07-31
Also published as: FR2819541A1; GB0101046D0; DE10201294A1

Abstract

The door, comprising a single panel (30) or a panel and mirror, has upper and lower rails (10, 20) fitting over the panel edges, and uprights (40) forming the edges of the door and connected to the two rails. The uprights have pairs of guides (50, 60) and fixings for the upper and lower rails, and the lower rail contains a carriage (70) with at least one roller (71) and a height regulating mechanism. The lower rail is also fitted with an anti-jump component.

Description

2371 586

- 1 DOUBLE SIDED DOOR ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to a double sided door ass qnbly including a height dju rn enr mechanism that adjusts the height of the double sided door assembly and an aurij unp mechanism that engages with a track TO prevent the double sided door assembly from derailing from the track. particular, this invention relates to a double sited door assembly including a height adjustment mechanism and an anti jump mechanism that are substantially hidden from view to provide the double sided door assembly with an aesthetically pleasing appearance. More particularly, this invention relates to a double sided door assembly including substantially hidden height adjustment and anlijump mechanisms having an aesthetically pleasing appearance on both sides of the double sided door assembly.

Conventional panel- ype doors generally ruclude a single fiat door panel, appropriate frame hardware surrounding the panel and comer connectors holding edge frame members together. Hinges to connect one side of the door to a doorway, or upper and lover tracks on which the door slides or rolls, are typically used as opening mechanisms. Double doors are constructed in which one door slides to one side in front or in back of another adjacent door, or the two doors we connected together by hinges so that they open by folding. The frame hardware typically includes horizontal rails and vertical stiles firred onto the ends and sides, respectively, of the panel. The rails and stiles each have a channel that receives the edge of Me panel and are interconnected at each comer by corner connectors positioned in The back of the channel. U.S. Parent 5, 231,418 lo Jacobs en al. discloses a panel door assembly used with bypass type sliding or rolling doors and win swing or pocket doors. U.S. Parent 5,:98,606 to Jacobs discloses a bottom slide for doors including a braclcer having mounting portions for mounting on a door and providing a channel opening at a lower end of the bracI;er. A slide guide having a guide portion extending below the bracket has a louver end adapted to extend within an upwardly opening channel of an associated floor tract;. U.S. Patent,,997,017 to Jacobs en al. discloses a sliding door bottom roller assembly with a rotatable antijump member. U.S. Patent s,97a,660 to

Jacob. discloses swing door pave,' assembly including vertical adjustment screws for adjusting the vertical position of the louver rail with respect to the floor. U.S. Parent 5,974,738 to Jacobs discloses a wheeled top guide for rolling movement of J door along a Pack including a housing her mounting on the door The venous doors and the vertical adjustment and an jump mechanisms discussed above provide doors that do no' have aesthetically pleasing appearances on both sides. The wheeled top guide of U.S. Patent 5,974,738 is provided in a housing that is visible from one side of the door and presents an unattractive appearance. The vertical adjustment screws of (J.S.

Patent 5,970,660 are covered by central wall panels on one side of the door that detract from the appearance ofthe door. The antijump member of IS. Parent 5,997,017 is housed in a bracket attached ro the door that is clearly visible Mom the side on which it is attached. The bottom slide of U.S. Parch 5,598,606 is clearly visible Mom the side on which it is attached. The corner connectors of lots. Parent ',251,41B that hold together the stiles and rails are clearly visible and provide an unaes hetic appearance Do the door.

There exists need for a double sided door assembly wherein the sules and rails are connected in a mariner so as to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance or both sides of the double sided door assembly. There also exists a need for a double sided door assembly includin, a height adjusunent mechanism and an antijump mechanism char do nor detract from the appearance of the double sided door assembly.

According to venous exemplary embodiments, a double sided door Dame according to the invention includes a top rail having opposing ends. a bottom rail having opposing ends corresponding to the rep rail opposing ends, a pair of stiles, each stile extending between corresponding opposing ends of the top and borrom rails, pair of top guides, each top guide inserted into a, stile and including an anac nent member ror attaching the opposing ends of Me top rail to the stiles, a pair of bottom guides, eacl, bottom guide inserted into a stile and including an attachment member for attaching the opposing ends of Me bottom rail to the stiles.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- 3 - fig. I is a top perspective view of an exemplary double sided door assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 Is a bottom perspective view of the double sided door assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a stile, Fig. 4 is a top perspective view of a top guide; Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the top guide of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a lop perspective view of a bonom guide according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the bottom guide of Fig. 6; Fig,. 8 is a side elevation view of a top rail; Fig. 9 is a: de elevation view of a bottom rail; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an antijwnp clip lever; Fig. I 1 is a plan view Me annjump clip lever of Pig. 10; Fig. 10 is a cross- secuor al side elevation view ofthe antijump clip lever of Fig. 11 taken along the line 11-11; Fi,. 13 is a plan view of an annjump clip; Fig. 14 is a front elevation view ofthe antijump clip of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a side elevation view of the anrijump clip of Fig. 13; Fig. 16 is a cross section view of the antijurnp clip of Figs. 13-15 in a bonom track; Fig. 17 is a side elevation view of a top track; Fig. 18 is a front elevation view of a wheel camage; Fig. 19 is a plan view of a wheel camage base block; Fig. 20 is a cross sectional side elevation view of the wheel carriage base block of Fig. 19 talcen along the line 1 9A-1 9A; Fig. 21 is a cross sectional front elevation view of The wheel carriage base block of Fig. 19 taken along the line l9 19B; and Fig. 22 is a plan view of the wheel carnage base blocI; and a support cap.

Various exemplary embodiments will now be described with reference to Me drawings in which like reference numbers represent like features.

Referring to Figs. 1 and a, an exemplary double sided door assembly 1 according To the invention includes a top rail 10 and a borrom rail 30 that define the top and bottom of the double

- 4 - s dcd ' or assembly I. The top rail 10 and the bottom rail 70 each include a slot I I and 21, shown in Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, that accepts an edge of a panel 30. As shown in Fig. 1, the top rail I O accepts a top edge 31 of the panel 36.

Two stiles 10 define the eddies of the double sided door assembly 1. Although only one stile 4() is shown on the right side of the double sided door assembly} in Figs. I and 9, it should be appreciated that second idenrica1 stile 40 is identical to the stile 40 shown on the right and present on the left side of the double sided door assembly I, but nor shourn in Fists. 1 and in order to expose details of other features of the invention. The panel is nor shown in Fig. 2.

The panel 30 may be a single panel Conned, for example, Rom particle board of suff cienr width to suit the width of the slots 1 1 and 21 in the top rail 10 and the bottom rail 90, respectively. In venous other exemplary embodiments, the panel 30 may be formed of a combination of two or Bee panels having a combined width to suit the width of the slots 11 and 91. For example, the panel 3() may be formed of a panicle board panel and a mirrored pane] of lesser width than the particle board panel. As another example, the panel JO may be formed of a particle board panel between nvo outer panels of glass.

Each end of the top rail I O is connected to a stile 40 by a top guide 50 and each end of the bottom rail 20 is connected to a stile 40 by a bottom guide 60. Although only one top guide 50 and one bottom guide 60 are shown in Figs. I and 2, it should be understood that, as discussed above with respect to the stiles 40, a top guide 50 and a borrom guide 60 are provided on the left side and the nght side of the double sided door assembly 1.

Reterring to Figs. 3-5, each top guide 50 has a profiled portion 5 I having a perimeter that subsraorially matches the perimeter of the stile 40. The top Wide 50 also includes a first attachment member 59 thar fits into a channel formed by projections I in the interior of the stile 40. The projections 41 may run the entire length of the stile 40. It should also be appreciated thar rwo sets of projections 41 may be fanned, one ser at the top of the stile 40 and another set at the bottom of the stile 40. The top guide 50 also includes a second artachmenr member,3 perpendicular to the first attachment member 59 that srreng hens the lop guide JO and engages a firs: cross member 42 and a second cross member 43 of the stile 40. The stile 40 also includes a slot 44 rhea accepts a side edge 33 of the panel 30. The slot is defined by the first cross member 40 and a third cross member 45, each of which includes a resilient tab 46 and 47, respectively, that allows the slot 44 to accept panels 30 of varying wid th. Two capstans 55 that

arc prig idea with wheels (nor shoving' for example Stanicy U.S. wheels", are formed on the top guide 50. The whecis of the capstans SS engage vertical walls 211 of an E-shaped top track 110, shown in Fig. 17, to assist in guiding the double sided door assembly 1.

Referring lo Figs. and 7, each bottom guide 60 includes profiled portion 61 having a perimeter that substantially matches the profile of the stile 40. The bottom guide 60 also includes a first attachment member 62 that firs into the channel formed by the projections 41.

The bottom guide 60 also includes a second attachment member 63 perpendicular to the first attachment member 6' that strengthens the bottom guide 60 and engages the first cross member 42 and the second cross member 43 of the stile 40. A projection do extends from Me bottom guide 60 to assist in guiding the double sided door assanbly I along a bottom track 900, shown in Fig. 16. As the projection 65 extents below the bottom rail,0, i: does not detract Mom the appearance of the double sides door assembly I. Referring again IO Figs. 1 and 2, the top guide 50 is connected to the top =1 1O by a shirt attachsnen member '6. The third attachment member 56 has a bore 57 that accepts a fastener (not shown), such as an M5 machine screw. The fastener passes through Me bore 57 and Is received by a bracket section 1' bombed in the TOp rail 10. As shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the bracket section 1, includes a threaded portion 13 that accepts the fastener.

The bottom guide 60 is connected to the boredom rail 20 by a third aTrac ent member 66.

The third attachment member 66 has a bore 67 Thai accepts a fastener, such as an M5 machine screw. The fastener passes through the bore 67 and is received by a bracket section 22 formed in the borrom rail. As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the bracket section 23 includes a Threaded portion 23 that accepts the fastener.

As clearly shourn in Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9, the third artac}unen: members 56 and 66 of the TOp and bottom guides 50 and 60, respectively, are attached to the TOp and barrom rails 10 and 70, respectively, a: the bracket sections 12 and 22, respectively, which are within The perimeters of the top and bottom Ails 10 and 20. The third attachment members 56 and 66, and the corresponding fasteners, are thus no' visible and do not detract from the appearance to the double sided door assembly 1.

Referring again to Figs. I and a, a wheel carriage 70 is accommodated within a channe1 4 of the bottom rail 00, shown in Fig. 9. A pair of wheels 71 are attached to The wheel carriage 70. Although two wheels 71 are shown, it should be appreciated the: any number of wheels may

- 6 - be all ed lo the wheel carriage 70. The wheels 71 engage the bottom oracle 200 shown in Fig. 16, which may be Crutched lo a floor 220, so that the double sided door assembly I may be rolled along the track,00. Although only one wheel camage 70 Is shown on the right side of the double sided door assembly 1, it should be appreciated that an identical wheel camage 70 is provided on the left side or the double sided door assembly 1.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the bottom guide 60 includes a U-shaped receiving portion 64.

The U-shaped receiving portion 64 receives a support cap 80, shown in Fig. 2', attached to Me wheel carriage 70. AS further shoved in Figs. 18-91, a height adjustment mechanism that adjusts the height of the wheel camage 70, and thus the height of the bottom Wide 60 and the bonom rail 20, includes a wheel carriage base block 79 that is received within a recess 73 of the wheel carrisoe 70. A bolt 74 extends through a bore Hi in the wheel carriage base block 72, a nut 76 aria the wheel camage 70 "d engages the support cap 80 (no: shown in Fig. 18). The nut 76 is received in a recess 77 of The wheel carnage base block 72 so that the nut 76 can nor rotate when the bolt 74 is rotated. Rotation of the bon 74 causes the nut 76 and the wheel carriage base block 73 tO translate along the longi diml axis of the bolt 74 and Must Me height of the wheel carriage 70, and thus the height of the bottom guide 60 and The borrom rail 20.

As shown in Fig. 1 S. the head 78 of the bolt 74 extends below the wheel carriage 70 so as to be accessible to a wrench or the lisle, for example, a peTsor 's fingers. However, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as the head 78 of the bolt 74 extends below the borrom rail 90 it is substantially hidden from view and does not detract Tom the appearance of the double sided door assembly 1.

Referring again to Figs. I and 2, an antijump lever 80 controls engagement and disengagement of a track engaging portion 91 of an antijump member 90 with the borrom track 900, shown in Fig. 16. As shown in Figs. 10-12, the aurijump lever 80 includes a round insertion portion 81 that is inserted through a round aperture 68 (Fig. 7) in the borrom guide 60.

resilient locking portion 89 of the round insertion portion 81 is inserted rbrough the round aperture 63 and a first shoulder 83 of the resilient locking portion 89 prevents removal of the antijump lever 80 from the boredom guide 60 after the round insertion portion 81 is Filly inserted through the aperture 68. The an ijump lever 80 includes a rounded projection 89 that is received within a rounded depression 69 (Figs. 2 and 7) of the bourn guide 60. Projections I Ola an I 01 b (Figs. and 7) on the bottom guide 60 define the rotational limit of Me anrijurnp lever 80.

- 7 - efemn again to Figs. 10-19. the round insertion portion 81 of the ar ijump lever 8u has a polygonal bore 85 Al hous,h the bore 85 is shown as rectangular, it should be appreciated that the bore 8' may be any polygonal shape, such as triangular, square, or pentagonal Referring to Figs. 13-15, the antijump member 90 includes a polygonal insertion portion 9_ that marches the shape of the rectangular bore 8i of the antij np lever 80 A resilient locking portion 93 of the polygonal insertion portion 99 is insme 1 through the polygonal bore 85 of the antijurnp lever 80 and a shoulder 94 of die resilient locking portion 93 engages with a second shoulder 85 (Fig. 12) of the anti jump lever to prevent removal of the anti jump member 90 from the anrijump lever 80 after the rectangular insertion portion 99 is fully inserted through the recrangul: r bore 85.

As the polygonal insertion portion 92 matches the shape of the polygonal bore 84, the anti jump member 90 is keyed for rotation with the and jump lever 80. As shown in Figs. 13-15, the anrijwnp member 90 includes an engagement. portion 95 above the crack engaging pomon 91. The engagement portion 95 extends below the channel 24 of the bottom rail 20 ant may be engaged by a person's fingers or a tool, such as a screw driver. As the length of the polygonal inse,. on portion 92 of die anujump member 90 is larger Man the round insertion portion 81 of Ale annjump lever 80, the antijump member 90 has a certain amount of axial play within the round insemon portion 81 aster the polygonal insertion portion 92 is Filly inserted Trough the polygonal bore 84 of the round insertion portion 81. The antijump member 90 may thus be louvered down to the level of the bottom track 200 (Fig. 16) for engagement wit e bonom track 200 by pressing the engagement portion 95 down and may also be raised above the borrom Track 300 by pushing the engagement portion 9S up Refemug again to Figs. 1 and 2, when the anrijurnp lever 80 is visible at the bottom of the double sided door assembly 1, the track engaging portion 91 of the antijurnp member is in a disengaged position with dovetail sections 201 (Fig. 16) of the borrom track 200. Rotatin, Me an ijurnp lever 80 until the lever engages the projection lOla and the rounded projection 89 engages the rounded recess 69 causes the track engages, portion 91 of me antijump member 90 co move lo its engaged position shown in Fig 16 The anrijump member 90 thus prevents we double sided door assembly 1 from jumping out of a channel 302 of the bonom tract; 200.

AS the an ijump lever 80, the an ijump member 90, the track engaging portion 91 and the engaging portion 9> are positioned below the bottom rail DIG and the bottom guide 60, ' hey

8 - are s';anrially hidden from view and do not detract from the appearance of the double sided door assembly 1. In addition, as the bottom track,00 has a relatively shallow profile and dovetail sections, when the double sided floor assembly I accordin, to the invention is placed into the bosom track 71)0 Ad the aurilump member 90 rotated to its engaged state, the double sided door assembly I is prevented from jumping Tom the bottom track 200. However, as shown in Fig. 16, as Acre is a small amount of vertical movement allowed by the anti jump member 90, the double sided door assembly I is easily placed back on the bottom track 200.

Referring again to Figs. 1, 2, and 16, the wheels 71 have a profile such that only a portion of the wheels 11 engage the dovetail sections 201 of the bottom track 200. This results in a smoother Sunning of the double sided door assembly 1 in the bottom Hack 200. The provision of rho wheel climaxes 70, one at each side of the double sided door assembly 1, results in better weight distribution ant provides a smoother running of' he double sided door assembly 1.

The double sided door assembly I is assembled by inserting the stiles 40 Onto the side edges JO of the panel 30. The top rail 10 and the bottom rail 20 are then inserted onto the top and bottom edges, respectively. of We panel 30. The top guide 50 and the bottom guide 60 are then inserted into the ends ofthe stiles 40 and the stiles 40 are attached to the top rail 10 and Me bottom rail 90 by secunug the fasteners, such as M5 machine screws, through the bores S7 and 67 of the third attachment members 56 and 66, respectively, into the bracket sections I and '2, respectively, of the top rail 10 and the bottom rail 20.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments described above, it should be appreciated that many variations are possible to one of ordinary skill in the err without departing from Me spins of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined in the claims attached hereto.

Claims

- 9 - CLAIMS

1. A double sided door frame, comprising: lop rail having opposing ends; a bottom rail having opposing ends co Tespondin g to the top rail opposing ends; a pair of stiles, each stile extending between corresponding opposin, ends of the top and bottom rails; a pair of top guides, each top,uide inserted into a stile and including art attachment member for attaching the opposing ends of the top rail to the stiles; pair of bottom guides, each bonom guide inserted into a stile and including an attachment member for attaching the opposing ends of the bottom rail to the stiles.

a. The double sided door Dame of claim 1, wherein the arrachment members are positioned within Me top and bottom rails.

3. The double sidled door frame of claim 1, filcher comprising a wheel camage having al least one wheel positioned within We bottom rail.

4. The double sided door feline of claim 3, further comprising a height adjusunent mechanism positioned within the wheel carriage.

5. The double sided door frame of claim 1,fi'rther composing an anti jump member positioned within the boredom rail.

6. A double sided door assembly, comprisin,: a top rail having opposing ends; a bottom rail having opposing ends corresponding to the lop rail opposing ends; a panel extending between the top and borrom rails; a pair of stiles, each stile extending between corresponding opposing ends of the top and bonom rails; a pair of top ides' each lop guide inserted into a stile and including an attachment member for attaching the opposing ends of the lop rail to The stiles; a pair of bottom guides, each bottom Guide inserted into a stile and including an ar achrnenT member tor attaching The opposing ends of the bottom rail TO The stiles.

7. The double sided door assembler of claim 6, wherein The attachment members are positioned within The Top and bottom rails.

- 10 The double sided door assembly of claim 6, funkier composing a wheel carriage having at least one wheel positioned vi hin the bottom rail 9. The double sided door assembly of claim 8, funkier comprising a height adjustment mechanism positioned within the wheel camage.

1 O. The double sided door assembly of claim 6,further comprising art anti jump member positioned within the bottom rail.

11. A double sided door frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or any combination of the accompanying drawings.

l 2. A double sided door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or any combination of the accompanying drawings.