AU2004205091B2 - Method and apparatus for sliding door track installation - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: PETER ANDREW HARRIS PETER ANDREW HARRIS SANDERCOCK COWIE SUITE 8C, 50-54 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SLIDING DOOR TRACK INSTALLATION Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. 2003904622 Filed: 2 7 th August, 2003 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 2004-08-16,A:\506harris.file.wpd, -la- TITLE: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SLIDING DOOR TRACK INSTALLATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a method and apparatus for installing the door track of a sliding door. Such tracks are commonly made of soft metal such as aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

2004-08-16,A:\505harris.cap.wpd, I -2- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When doors run on wheels across a floor mounted track, the track is commonly fastened to the floor by screws. These detract from the appearance and are sometimes covered with moulded caps. Once the piece of track is pierced by drilling it must be used on the job for which it is intended. If it is cut to incorrect length and has been drilled, the track must be scrapped. Another source of waste track is the inadvertent scratching of the surface which may occur even prior to installation as the track awaits cutting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method aspect of the invention provides a method of installing a sliding door track, comprising positioning a track support strip on the floor, mounting multiple track retainers on the face of the support strip, which retainers present a snap fit and retention facility to the track and snap fitting the track over the retainers, whereby the track is secured to the strip without piercing the track. Also the bottom track can be packed upside down to prevent scratching on face surface in transit or etc.

In an alternative method, the support strip is supplied to the installer with the track retainers already fitted to the face of the support in the correct position to receive the snap on track. The strip may be part of a door casing kit, wherein the strip is located by the jambs. Thejambs and header are nailed to the framing timbers in the typical construction and these locate the strip which is not itself secured to the floor but it may be. The bottom track can be put on later at the job when head and jamb stiles are fitted and completed.

The extruded track may have a pair of peripheral longitudinal ribs and a pair of parallel inner ribs which all contact the strip. The top face of the track has a pair of grooves which guide the wheels on the sliding door.

The mounting of the retainers on the strip and the way in which they abut the ribs gives rise to a significant advantage. The retainers are preferably positioned in pairs across the width of the strip in order to lie each between a peripheral rib and the adjacent inner rib.

2004-08-16,A:\O5hamis.cap.wpd,2 -3- The spacing may be 5-50mm. The longitudinal spacing may be 400-800mm.

The retainers may be positioned with the help of a jig with a pair of windows which space the retainers in alignment with an edge of the strip. The retainer may be secured in a jigged position by fasteners. The retainer may have a reaction surface and the adjacent rib may have a hook formation preferably on the extremity which snaps past the reaction surface of the retainer and engages the same. The retainer is thus hidden from view by the overlying track and it is not apparent how the track has been installed. There are no screws or other visible fastenings. The component which makes this method possible is the retainer.

The apparatus aspect of this invention provides a stud for retention by the strip, comprising a body with an outer wall for abutting the peripheral rib and an inner wall for abutting the inner rib, the outer wall having the reaction surface over which the hook of the peripheral rib can be snapped.

The upper face of the stud may have one or more wells countersunk areas or grooves which allow the stud fasteners to sit below the surface of the stud. It is usual to space the top edge of the door from the adjacent track by drilling the door and pushing a nylon button which slides along the track and keeps the doors about 8mm apart. This feature may be incorporated in the stud which preferably has an integral lug projecting from one side edge. The lug projects in the same manner as the button.

In a variant the track has a pair of downwardly depending ribs each with an inturned hook and a single row of studs is fastened to the track supporting strip, each stud having a pair of mutually opposite edges, both edges having a snapover profile for retaining the hook.

Accordingly, the invention includes the combination of a track with-a pair of inboard ribs which are not peripheral and a stud which spans the distance between the ribs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to accompanying drawings, in which:- 2004-08-16,A:\505harriscap.wpd,3 -4- Figure 1 is a section through the track strip.

Figure 2 is a section of the track strip showing a template used to apply the track retainer.

Figure 3 is plan of a strip ready to receive a track.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a retainer stud.

Figure 5 shows the track ready to be snapped over the retainers.

Figure 6 is a plan of a retainer stud with a lug.

Figure 7 is a plan of a fragment of door receiving a template modified to take the stud shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan of a template for positioning the retainer studs with buttons.

Figure 9 is a perspective of the template of Figure 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, soft wood strip 2 is 92 x 19mm. In the factory, ajig 6 with pairs of apertures 8 abut the front edge In Figure 2, moulded rectangular retainer studs 12 are inserted into the apertures 8 ofjig 6 and fastened to the strip using a pneumatic stapler 14.

The strip looks like Figure 3. Figure 4 shows that the retainers have an ramp face 16 with a rebate 18. The inner face 20 is shallow and joined to the top face 22 by a chamfer 24.

The top face is surrounded on three sides by a parapet 26. The parapet creates a well to guide the head of the stapler and allows an inserted staple 30 to lie under the top face.

Referring now to Figure 5, the track 32 has peripheral ribs 34 and inner ribs 36.

2004-08-16A:\505harris.cap.wpd,4 Peripheral ribs 34 have an inwardly directed bead 38 which snaps over the edge of rebate 18 and causes inner face 20 to abut rib 36.

In Figure 6, the lug 40 projects 5mm from the edge of the stud. The template 42 shown in Figure 7 is used to position the modified stud on the top edge 44 of the door 46 so that the lug projects into the space beside the door and makes sliding contact with the top track.

The stud shown in Figure 6 will function as a track retainer at floor level and a door guide at top track level. Figures 7 and 8 show the shape of the template 6 which accurately positions the stud on the top of the door. Figure 8 shows the apertures 8 which receive the studs for track installation.

I have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be:- 1. Improved appearance of the track through the absence of visible fixings.

2. Less track wastage due to drill free installation.

3. One stud can perform a dual function in the installation, ie. track retention and door guidance.

It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

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Claims (7)

1. A method of installing a sliding door track comprising, positioning a track support strip on the floor, locating multiple track retainers on the face of the support strip by a portablejig, mounting multiple track retainers on the face of the support strip which retainers present a snap fit and retention facility to the track and snap fitting the track over the retainers, whereby the track is secured to the strip without piercing the track.

2. A method of installing a sliding door track as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the track support strip is a timber strip of the same or greater width than the track.

3. A method of installing a sliding door track as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the track has on its hidden underneath surface, a pair of peripheral longitudinal ribs and a pair of parallel inner ribs, and the track retainers are installed in pairs in order to lie each between a peripheral rib and the adjacent inner rib.

4. A method of installing a sliding door track as claimed in any one of Claims 1-3, wherein the spacing of the retainers across the width of the support strip is A method of installing a sliding door track as claimed in any one of Claims 1-4, wherein the spacing of the retainers along the length of the support strip is 400- 800mm.

6. A method of installing a sliding door track as claimed in any one of Claims wherein the track has on its hidden underneath surface a pair of mutually parallel inboard ribs and the track retainers are installed in a row between the pair of ribs.

7. A kit of parts for installing a sliding door, comprising a track support strip for the floor, multiple track-retaining studs for fastening to the strip, a jig for accurate positioning of studs on the strip and a sliding door track capable of snap fitting

2007-07-24,H:\Specifications\harris.cap.wpd,7 onto the studs. S8. A track retaining stud for retention by a door track support strip, the door track C1 having a pair of outer mutually parallel ribs each with a hook formation and a pair of inner mutually parallel ribs, the ribs jointly taking the weight of the door, the stud comprising a body with an outer wall for abutting the outer rib and an inner Swall for abutting the inner rib, the outer wall having a reaction surface over which C the hook of the outer rib can be snapped. N 10 9. A track retaining stud as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the reaction surface is inclined to the vertical and broken by a recess. A track retaining stud, wherein the top face of the stud in use supports the underside of the door track. 11. A track retaining stud as claimed in any one of Claims 8-10, wherein the top face of the stud has a well to guide the head of a fastener gun. 12. A method of installing a door track substantially as herein described. 13. A track retaining stud substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 4 or as modified by Figure 6 or 7. 2007-07-24,H:\Speifications\harris.cap.wpdg