AU2004237818A1 - Sliding Door Closer Mechanism - Google Patents

Description

10-12-04;11:44 :WATERMARK PATENT :61 3 9819E010 4 5/ 28 1901 Sectio 29 Regulaion 32(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number Lodged: Invention Title: Sliding Door Closer Mechanism The following statement Is a full description of this invention, Including the best method of performing it known to us: COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 16-12-04;11:44 ;WATERMARK PATENT ;61 3 98106310 G/ 28

O

oSLIDING DOOR !QLOSING MECHANISM The present invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for reclosing

C-)

Csliding doors once opened by a manual operation.

Closer mechanisms for swinging doors are commonly available and typically may include a lever arm pivoted with an actuator (pneumatic or hydraulic) usually connected between the upper door frame member and an 00 upper region of the door. Closer mechanisms for sliding doors or other panels 00 such as windows are far less well known. Attempts have been made with sliding trn doors to utilize hinged lever arms operated by an actuator of the type used with S 10 swing 'doors, however, in the closed position, the hinged lever arms depend o downwardly in an unsightly manner or obstruct sight through glass sliding doors, and as such, these types of actuators have not been generally commercially accepted. Other types of closers for sliding doors have included weights on a cord passed over pulleys to pull the door closed, however, such configurations have the disadvantage that the pulleys and weights must be mounted within specifically built door frames and therefore are expensive and cannot be readily retrofitted to existing sliding door installations. While pneumatic or hydraulic actuators can provide damper arrangements as the door approaches a fully closed position, weights operated over pulleys present an additional problem of providing some such damper means as would normally be required with a commercial product of this type.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved closer mechanism for a sliding panel, preferably being one that can both be installed as original equipment, or alternatively retrofitted to existing sliding panel installations.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a closer for use with a sliding panel, the sliding panel being movable relative to an opening defined by a stationary surround in a direction parallel to or coincident with the plane of said opening, said closer including an operating mechanism adapted to be mounted to one of the sliding panel or the stationary surround and an actuator means adapted to be at least connected to the other of said sliding panel or said stationary surround, said operating mechanism including a first rotation means cooperable in use with the actuator means to rotate said first rotation means In a first direction in response to an opening force being applied to the sliding panel to COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04:1 1 :44 ~WATEF~MARK PATENT :61 3 96195010 77 26 10-12-04:11:44 ;WATERMARK PATENT :61 3 9819BDlo *k 7/ 2E 2 o move the sliding panel in a first opening direction, and a restoration means N actuated in response to rotation of said first rotation means in said first direction C) to provide a restoring force to said first rotation means when the opening force is released.

In the foregoing paragraph and elsewhere in this specification, reference is made to a "sliding panel". It will be understood that in most oases this will be a 00 sliding door but other panels are envisaged including windows.

00 Preferred features and aspects of this invention may be as defined in en claims 2 to 21 as annexed hereto, the subject matter of these claims being 7- 10 incorporated into the disclosure of this specification by this reference thereto.

o A closer arrangement as described above may be fitted to a sliding door assembly either before or alter It has been installed and further enables in a preferred mode of operation, the inclusion of damper means to dampen the restoring force applied during closure of the door under applied forces by the restoration device.

The present invention also envisages providing an operator structure for a sliding panel that can be readily retrofitted into an opening already existing in a hollow panel frame member or the frame member of a surround for the sliding panel.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided an operating mechanism of a closer for a sliding panel adapted in use to close the sliding panel relative to an opening defined by a stationary surround the operating mechanism being configured to be Installed through an edge opening in a hollow frame member forming part of said sliding panel or said stationary surround, said operating mechanism having a support housing including two opposed side walls and peripheral wail means joining said side walls with a distance between said side walls being equal to or less than the thickness of a zone within said hollow frame member into which the operating mechanism is to be mounted, said peripheral wall means being shaped whereby said support housing can be moved through said edge opening by a combination of a transverse movement relative to said edge opening and a rotational movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane of said hollow frame member. An edge opening of the above described type will normally exist in a door frame or the like for mounting a conventional COMS IDNo; SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: ime 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 1O-12-04;11m44 :WATERMAR( PATENT i3989D0i6/2 ;61 3 98196D10 3/ 28 3 o roller support for the door. Removal of this roller construction then allows the operating mechanism to be fitted into the same edge opening thereby substantially hiding the mechanism from view despite the fact that in most instances 1 it will be retrofitted to the door.

Preferred features of this aspect may be as defined in claims 23 to 26 annexed hereto, the subject mailer of these claims being hereby incorporated into 00 the disclosure of the present specification by this reference thereto.

00 It will of course also be appreciated that the present Invention anticipates en providing a combination of both the features described above relative to the working parts of the operating mechanism and the configuration of the support o housing therefor.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the annexed drawings, in which: Fig 1 Is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an operating mechanism for a closer in accordance with the present invention; Fig 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view similar to Fig 1 but viewed in an opposite direction; .Fig 3 is a schematic plan view of a closer in accordance with the present invention in one possible position of use; Fig 4 is a perspective view of Fig 3; Fig 5 is an exploded perspective view of a further preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig 6 is an exploded perspective view of a still further preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig 7 is a part assembled perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig 6 where the sliding panel is in a closed or being opened configuration; Fig 8 is an elevation view similar to Fig 7; and Fig 9 is an elevation view similar to Fig 6 but where the sliding panel is in the process of being closed.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings, an operating mechanism 11 is Illustrated including a support housing 12 formed in two parts 13, 14 which is adapted, in use, to be secured to either a sliding door or a sliding door frame surround as described hereinafter. The support housing 12 defines a COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IF Australia: Time 11:55 Date 200-12-10 10-12-04:11:44 :WATERMARK PATENT 6 1 3 9 a 1 9 6 0 1 0 9/ 2r: 4 0 O hollow cuboid structure housing substantially therein, a plurality of rotationally mounted members supported by bearings 15. A first rotational member formed as a gear wheel 16 is supported by bearings 15 in a corner of the housing 12 such that a portion of the periphery of gear wheel 16 including at least its teeth region projects through an opening 17 in a side wall 18 of the housing 12. The extending portion of the gear wheel 16 might alternatively extend through an 00 opening 19 in an end wall 20 of the housing 12, or as is shown in the annexed 00 drawings, the gear wheel 12 might project through both the end wall 20 and the f side wall 18 of the housing because of its proximity to the corner of the housing 10 12.

0 The gear wheel 16 is conveniently in mesh with a second gear wheel 21 supported on a shaft 22 which in turn is supported by bearings 15. The shaft 22 also carries a tensioning device 23 which may be a torsion spring tensioning device with an adjuster device 24. The torsion spring tensioning device 23 conveniently tightens to store energy as the gear wheel 16 rotates in a door opening direction (arrow A) in the drawings. When external forces on the gear wheel 16 applied by opening an associated door are released, the stored energy in the tensioning device 23 is released to rotate the second gear wheel 21 and thereby the first gear wheel 16 in a direction adapted to close the door (arrow B) in the drawings. The adjuster device 24 for the tensioning device 23 Is positioned so as to be accessible through an opening 25 in the support housing side wall 26 so that the tensioning arrangement can be readily adjusted even after the closer device has been installed.

The second gear wheel 21 is conveniently in mesh with a third gear wheel 27 that is supported in a guide track 28 in bracket members 29 whereby when the second gear wheel 21 is rotating in a closing direction (arrow the third gear wheel 27 is moved thereby in its guide track 28 to the position illustrated in the annexed drawings. In this position, the third gear wheel 27 is In mesh with a fourth gear wheel 30 carried on a shaft 31 which also carries a flywheel 32. As a result of the intermeshing of gear wheels 27 and 30, the flywheel 32 becomes operational to dampen the return or closing forces applied by the tensioning device 23. When the door to which the closer arrangement is fitted is moved in an opening direction (arrow the second gear wheel 21 Is rotated in a direction COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04,11:44 :WATERMARK PATENT 10-1-0411:4 :ATEMAR PAENT61 3 98196010 10/ 2E o ensuring that the third gear wheel 27 is moved In Its guide track 28 to disengage from the fourth gear wheel 30 such that the flywheel 32 does not provide any C) additional dampening effects while the door is being opened. If desired, the movement of. the third gear wheel 27 in its track might also be spring loaded to urge the third gear wheel in a direction to disengage from the fourth gear wheel when the associated door is being opened.

00 Referring now to Figs 3 and 4, the door closer mechanism 10 is shown 00 mounted relative to a sliding door 33 and a stationary door surround 34. The en operating mechanism 11, as illustrated is mounted to an upright member 35 of the door 33 with the first gear wheel 16 in meshing engagement with a gear track o 36 secured to the door surround 34. The gear track 36 may be made up of N modular lengths 37 of gear track sections intermeshing with one another and secured through openings 36 to the door surround 34. It will, however, be appreciated that the arrangement shown in Figs 3 and 4 is merely illustrative as many other configurations could be used. For example, the gear track 36 might be disposed in a horizontal surface rather than a vertical surface as Illustrated.

The gear track 38 might be installed on the door with the operating mechanism being installed in the door track surround 34. Normally, the closer mechanism will be installed adjacent or at the top of a sliding door, however, even this could be varied if circumstances require mounting in a different location, for example at the bottom of the door or at some intermediate position between the bottom and the top of the door.

Referring now to Fig 5, a still further preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated showing an operating mechanism 40 including a support housing 41 formed in two parts 42, 43 adapted to be fitted inside a hollow frame member (not shown) typically being part of a sliding door frame. The working parts of the operating mechanism are similar to the embodiments of Figures 1 to 4 and like features In these embodiments have been given the same reference number.

The support housing 41 has two opposed side walls, 44, 45, each with a perip heral edge wall part 48, 47 which together form the peripheral edge wall 48 of the support housing 41. The peripheral edge wall 48 includes a first portion 49 adapted in use to overlie an edge opening (not shown) in the hollow frame member in which it is to be mounted. Typically this edge opening will be the COMB ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by 1P Australia: Time (H~rn) 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04;11:44 ;WATFRMARK PATENT i3S8SDO 1/2 ;81 3 9819eDlO 11 28 6 o mounting opening for a support roller assembly of the sliding door when the door closer mechanism is being retrofitted. The first portion 49 of the peripheral edge wall 48 includes an opening 50 through which a part of the gear wheel 16 projects as described -hereinafter. A second portion 51 of the peripheral edge wall 48 extends as a mounting flange from the first portion and when installed Is intended to overlie an outside surface of the hollow frame member on one side of the edge 00 opening and be secured thereto by a fastener passed through the aperture 52.

00 On the other side of the first portion 49 Is a third portion 53 that is adapted in use cc) to engage an inside surface of the hollow frame member on an opposite side of the edge opening to the second part 51. Finally a fourth portion 54 of the o peripheral edge wall 48 connects the third portion 53 to the first portion 49 and is curved to define an internal zone 55 to accommodate the working parts 56 of the operating mechanism 40. The length of the support housing 41 is significantly longer than the edge opening in the frame member to accommodate the working parts 56 but its width (or height as installed) is no wider than the length of the edge opening at any point along the length of the support housing 41. To install the operating mechanism the end 57 of the support housing 41 is introduced first into the edge opening of the frame member and it Is moved transversely into the frame member through the edge opening. Thereafter the support housing 41 is rotated about an axis or axes parallel to the axes of rotation of the working parts 56 such that the end 57 is positioned along an inside of the hollow frame member with the first, second and third portions 49, 51, 53 of the peripheral edge wall 48 engaged against the frame member at or adjacent the edge opening therein as described above. In this position the third portion 53 of the edge wall 48 and the region 58 of the fourth portion 54 of the edge wall 48 preferably engage opposed inside edge surfaces of the hollow frame member in which the operating mechanism 40 has been mounted. The housing parts 42, 43 may also include a moulded leaf spring element 59 with ratchet teeth 60 that will enable the housing to click into and be retained by the peripheral edge of the edge opening in the hollow frame member.

Reference will now be made to the working parts 56. In this embodiment actuating gear wheel 16 is mounted via bearing means 15 onto a shaft 61 such that a portion of the periphery of the gear wheel 16 extends through the opening COMB ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received b y IP Australia: ime 11:55 Oats 2004-12-10 1C-12-04;11:44 ;WATERMARK PATENT :61 3 98196310 121 28 S7 o 50 to engage in use and actuating gear track such as the gear track 36 described in earlier embodiments. In the embodiment of Fig 5 the gear wheel 16 may C) enable actuation of the closer mechanism and at the same time at least partially support the sliding door during its opening and closing movements. The gear wheel 16 in use Is arranged to mesh with gear wheel 21 supported by a bearing means 15 on shaft 62. A torsion spring (not shown) but similar to the spring 00 utilized in the earlier embodiments is housed In the space 63 between the gear 00 wheels 21 and 23 and adjustment of the tension may be achieved by adjusting en the gear wheel 23 via a mechanism 24 accessed via opening 64 on the support housing part 41 which similarly might be accessed through an opening formed in Sthe wall of the hollow frame member such that the tension in the torsion spring can be adjusted after installation. A gear wheel 27 is supported for rotation and sliding movement in guides 28 formed on the inner surfaces of the side walls 44, of the support housing parts 42, 43. The gear wheel 27 remains in mesh with the gear wheel 21 at all times but is forced into a meshing relation with the gear wheel 30' only when the sliding panel or door to which it is mounted is moving in a closing direction by sliding motion in the guides 28 forced by the direction of rotation of the gear wheel 21. The retarding mechanisrg 65 including the gear wheel 30' includes cone friction surface on the gear wheel 30' engaging with a complimentary shaped friction surface 66 on a stationary member 67 integrally formed on the side wail 44 of the support housing part 42. The frlctldn surfaces remain engaged by operation of a spring member 68 and the retarding mechanism 65 is retained together and adjusted by a threaded adjusting member 69 threadably engaged with a square nut 70 engaged in a square recess 71 in the housing part 43. Again the head 72 of the threaded adjusting member 69 might be accessed through a purpose formed hole or aperture in the hollow frame member in which the mechanism is mounted to allow adjustment after installation of same. The entire support housing 41 and the internal working parts 56 may be assembled together and held in the assembled condition via threaded fasteners passed through apertures 73 in the part 43 and into receiving bores 74 provided on part 42.

Reference will now be made to Figs 6, 7, 8 and 9 which illustrate a still further preferred embodiment of this invention somewhat similar to the COMS ID No: SBM-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04;11:44 :WATERMARK PATENT:6391910$Iv2 ;61 3 98195010 40 13/ 2ko embodiment illustrated in Fig 5 but with further features as described below. In this still further embodiment, features similar to Fig 5 have been given the same reference numbers. The operating mechanism 40 Includes a two part support housing 41 that in this case does not require an opening 50 or a gear wheel 16 partially projecting there through as shown in Fig 5. In this case activation of the mechanism is achieved by an elongate flexible inextensible member (98) such as 00 a string, cord, wire, cable or the like passing through an opening in a guide 00 with its distal end, in user being connected to the stationary surround.

M Conveniently, the operating mechanism 40 might be installed in an upper Ni horizontal frame member of a sliding door with the flexible elongate number 98 o extending therefrom generally horizontally and preferably hidden within a stationary channel associated with the stationary surround. The inboard end of the elongate flexible member, in use, is connected to a rotational member 81 including a gear wheel 21 and a storage drum 82 for the elongate flexible member. The rotational member 81 is supported via a bearing 15 on a shaft 83 and the member 81 Includes a recessed zone 84 housing a torsional spring One end 86 of the torsional spring 85 is connected to the storage drum 82 at a filling 87 therefor. The other inner end 88 of the torsional spring 85 is connected to the inner end 89 of the shaft 83 such that rotation of the shaft 83 accessed through an opening in the housing 41 allows the tension in the torsional spring to be adjusted.

Again, like the earlier embodiments a gear wheel 27 is provided with shafts sidably engaged in arcuate guides 28. The gear wheel 27, because of the shape and disposition of the guides 28 always remains In drive engagement with the gear wheel 21. On the other hand, depending on the position of the gear wheel 27 in the guides 28, the gear wheel 27 is either engaged with or disengaged from a further gear wheel 90. The further gear wheel 90 together with a brake mechanism 91 forms a retarding mechanism similar In function to the retarding mechanism 65 in Fig 5. In this embodiment the brake mechanism 91 in this case a resilient member 92, a press member 93, a nut 94, and an adjuster member including a threaded shaft 69 and head 72 with the threaded shaft 69 being engagable with the nut 94. The resilient member 92 is conveniently made from cork but other resilient materials could be used. Rotation of the head 72 of the COMS IDNo: SBMI.01034149 Received by P1 Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04:41:44 :WATERMARK PATENT:13319 10# 4/2 :61 3 98195010 9 14/ 2E 9 o adjuster member 95 causes the resilient member 92 to be pressed mare firmly or less firmly by the press member 93 against the gear wheel 90 to thereby vary the braking force thereon.

As shown in Figso6and 7, the sliding panel may be being opened. In this the rotational member 81 is being -rotated in clockwise direction by forces applied by the elongate flexible member not shown which then moves the 00 gear wheel 27 bodily in the guides 28 and out of engagement with the gear wheel 00 90. Reverse rotation of the member 81 under forces applied by the spring en during closing of the sliding panel forces the gear wheel 27 to engage with the r- 10 gear wheel o The embodiment illustrated in Figs 6 to 9 has certain advantages over that N disclosed In Fig 5 including fewer parts providing therefore a simpler and less expensive assembly. The operating mechanism, is however, functionally the similar to that shown in Fig 5 but is quieter in operation.

While the foregoing illustrates and describes a number of variations, many other possible alternative arrangements will be apparent to those skilled in this art. For example, the retardation force controlling the closing movement of the sliding panel or door might be provided by many mechanisms including brakes such as band brakes and clutch couplings of various kinds including fluid couplings. Those variations and modifications within the scope of the annexed claims are regarded as being part of the present invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time (Itm) 11:55 Dale 2004-12-10

Claims (12)

10-12-04:11:44 :WArERMARK PATENT :13916)0$1/2 :61 3 98196010 st 15/ 2E oHE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: o1. A closer for use with a sliding panel, the sliding panel being movable relative to an opening defined by a stationary surround in a direction parallel to or 0 coincident with the plane of said opening, said closer Including an operating mechanism adapted to be mounted to one of the sliding panel or the stationary 00 surround and an actuator means adapted to be at least connected to the other of 0c said sliding panel or said stationary surround, said operating mechanism including a first rotation means cooperable in use with the actuator means to rotate said first rotation means in a first direction in response to an opening force o 10 being applied to the sliding panel to move the sliding panel in a first opening Ci direction, and a restoration means actuated in response to rotation of said first rotation means in said first direction to provide a restoring force to said first rotation means when the opening force is released. 2. A closer according to claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes a track having a linear construction and includes a plurality of teeth engagable by gear teeth of a first gear wheel forming at least part of the first rotation means. 3. A closer according to claim 2 wherein said first rotation means includes said first gear wheel and a second gear wheel meshing with said first gear wheel. 4. A closer according to claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes an elongate non extensible flexible member adapted to be wound onto and extended from a rotatable storage member forming at least part of the first rotation means. A closer according to claim 4 wherein the elongate non extensible flexible member is selected from string, cord, wire, cable or similar. 6. A closer according to claim 4 or 5 wherein said first rotation means includes a second gear wheel rotatable with or in response to rotation of said rotatable storage member. COMS ID No: SBMI-010c341d9 Receied by 1PAustrala: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04;11:44 :WATERMARK PATENT :61 3 981SE010 16/ 28 rt 11 0 o 7. A closer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized by a damper means to dampen the restoring force applied to said first rotation means when the C) door opening force is released. 8. A closer according to claim 7 wherein the damper means includes a rotatable member including a restriction to rotation, said rotatable member being 00 drivingly engaged with said first rotation means, only when said sliding panel is 00 moved in a closing direction under action of the restoring force applied by said Cr) restoration means. 9. A closer according to claim 8 wherein the rotatable member is a flywheel. 10. A closer according to claim 8 wherein the rotatable member is arranged to engage a friction member to provide said restriction to rotation.

11. A closer according to claim 10 wherein adjustment means is provided to enable selective adjusting of the friction level between said rotatable member and said stationary friction member.

12. A closer according to claim 3 or claim 6 wherein a third gear wheel is provided drivingly engaged with said second gear wheel, said third gear wheel being drivingly engaged with a rotatable member having a restriction to rotation when said sliding panel is moved in a closing direction under action of the restoring force applied by said restoration means, and being drivingly disengaged from said rotation member when said sliding panel is moved in an opening direction.

13. A closer according to claim 12 wherein said third gear wheel is movable in guide track means depending on the direction of rotation of the second gear wheel to drivingly engage or disengage the third gear wheel from said rotation member.

14. A closer according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the rotation member is a flywheel. COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04:t1:44 ;WATERMARK PATENT :61 3 98188010 jV 17/ 2e 12 0 o 15. A closer according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the rotation member is arranged to engage a stationary friction member to provide said restriction to drotation. S16. A closer according to claim 15 wherein adjustment means is provided to enable selective adjusting of the friction level between said rotatable member and 00 said stationary friction member. 00

17. A closer according to any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the restoration Smeans is selectably adjustable by adjuster means to vary the restoring force. C18. A closer according to claim 17 wherein said adjuster means is accessible from outwardly of a support housing.

19. A closer according to claim 18 wherein said support housing is generally cuboid in shape having two opposed side edge surfaces and two opposed end edge surfaces, said first rotation means having at least a part extending from one of said side edge surfaces.

20. A closer according to claim 18 wherein said support housing is generally cuboid in shape having two opposed side edge surfaces and two opposed end edge surfaces, said first rotation means having at least a part extending from a said end face.

21. A closer according to claim 20 wherein said first rotation means is located at a corner region of said support housing with said part of said first rotation means extending from both said end edge surface and an adjacent said side edge surface.

22. An operating mechanism of a closer for a sliding panel adapted in use to close the sliding panel relative to an opening defined by a stationary surround, the operating mechanism being configured to be installed through an edge opening in a hollow frame member forming part of said sliding panel or said stationary surround, said operating mechanism having a support housing including two COMS ID No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 1C-12-04;11:44 :WATERMARI< PA ENT 1386SOO#1/8 6 1 3 9 a 9 6 0 1 0 18/ 28 13 o opposed side walls and peripheral wall. means joining said side walls with a N distance between said side walls being equal to or less than the thickness of a C) zone within said hollow frame member into which the operating mechanism Is to be mounted, said peripheral wall means being shaped whereby said support housing can be moved through said edge opening by a combination of a transverse movement relative to said edge opening and a rotational movement 00 about an axis perpendicular to the plane of said hollow frame member. 00 M 23. An operating mechanism according to claim 22 wherein the support housing has a length substantially greater than said edge opening in the hollow o 10 frame member.

24. An operating mechanism according to claim 23 wherein Ihe support housing has a width dimension along its full length no greater than the length of said edge open ing i n the hol low f rame member. An operating mechanism according to claim 24 wherein the peripheral waill means Includes a first portion defining an opening through which a portion of working parts of the operating mechanism projects adapted to be mounted in the edge opening of the hollow frame member, a second portion on one side of said first portion adapted to overly an outer surface of the hollow frame member on one side of the edge opening, a third portion to engage an inner surface of the hollow frame member on the other side of said edge opening, and a fourth portion joining said third portion to said first portion, the fourth portion being generally curved to define an internal zone housing the working parts of said operating mechanism.

26. An operating mechanism according to claim 25 wherein the second portion is a flange including means to enable the flange to be connected to said hollow frame member. COMB ID No: 3DM -01034149 Received b~j IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10 10-12-04:11 44 ;WATERMARK PATENT ;61 3 98186010 19/ 2P 14 S27, A closer for a sliding panel substantially as described herein with reference a to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 10 t h day of December 2004 ANTHONY BEARINGS PTY LTD 00 00 SWATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS C 290 BURWOOD ROAD 0 HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 O AUSTRALIA P23532AU00 SKP/JC/MEH COMS JD No: SBMI-01034149 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:55 Date 2004-12-10