FR2622917A1 - Device for bringing two sliding doors into the same plane in the closing position - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for bringing two sliding doors into the same plane in the closing position. This device comprises, for each of the doors 10, 12, an upper horizontal plate and a lower horizontal plate 36, 36', each having a length substantially equal to that of the door, and intended for guiding respectively the upper and lower edges of the corresponding door, each upper and lower plate being equipped for this purpose, on its face confronting the door, with first guide means intended for cooperating with complementary second guide means fastened to the door, the assembly formed by each door and the associated upper and lower plates being mounted movably between a first position, in which the said door is closed and is in the same frontal plane as the other door likewise in the closed position, and a second position, in which the said door is in a parallel plane offset relative to the other door in a closed position and can thus slide towards an open position.

Description

Device for bringing two sliding doors
in the same plane, closed position.

 The sliding doors currently used to equip certain pieces of furniture, such as cupboards or cupboards, slide in two front planes located one behind the other. To this end, the doors are guided at each of their upper and lower edges by rails or slides rigidly fixed along the horizontal edges of the opening to be closed of the cabinet. Said rails or slides are arranged parallel one behind the other and extend over the entire length of the opening, so that each of the doors can be brought by sliding into any position in 1 t opening between the two positions extreme closure.

 Link such sliding doors are entirely satisfactory in terms of operation, they have the disadvantage of having, when they are both in the closed position, an offset at least equal to the thickness of a door, which causes naturally a prejudice to the aesthetics of the cabinet or cupboard. This aesthetic defect is aggravated by the fact that the two upper or lower front rails or slides are visible over half of their length which is not occupied by the front door.

 The aim of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks of the known technique by proposing a device which makes it possible to bring two sliding doors in the same frontal plane, when they are in the closed position, no portion of rail or slideway then being visible from 1 t outside.

 To this end, the device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises for each of the doors an upper horizontal plate and a lower horizontal plate each having a length substantially equal to that of a door, and intended to guide the upper and lower edges of the corresponding door, each upper and lower plate being provided for this purpose on its face facing the door, first guide means intended to cooperate with second complementary guide means fixed on the door, the assembly formed by each door and the associated upper and lower plates being mounted movable between a first position where said door is closed and is in the same frontal plane as the other door, also in the closed position, and a second position where said door is in a parallel plane offset with respect to another door in the closed position, and can thus slide towards an open position.

 Thus, in said first position, the two doors are in the same frontal plane without having the slightest offset between them.

 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each upper and lower plate is provided with two parallel guide tracks, arranged one behind the other, the doors being placed in the closed position, ie both on the guide tracks front, or both on the rear guide tracks, the assembly formed by each door and the associated upper and lower plates being mounted movable between a first position where the guide tracks of the plates associated with said door are respectively in line with the guide tracks of the plates associated with the other door, and a second position where the guide tracks on which said door is placed are in line with the free guide tracks of the other door, said door being able to slide in the open position .

 On each plate are articulated the ends of two parallel rods of the same length, the other ends of which are articulated in the frame of the cabinet at two points located at the rear of the door and chosen so that the articulated parallelogram formed by the rods and the door is completely flattened when the door is brought into said second position and is extended when it is in said first position.

 It follows that during the pi # vote between its two extreme positions, the door moves parallel to itself, mainly in a direction perpendicular to its plane and that the lateral component of its movement is very weak.

 To open a door, you must first give it a movement back and forth. Simply push the door slightly backwards using the door button. In this movement, the plate holder-upper link and associated lower link assembly pivots until the front guide tracks of the plates of the door to be opened come in alignment with the rear guide tracks of the plates of the other door. . The door to be opened can then be slid to be placed behind your door.

 In accordance with the invention, fixed abutment means are provided to ensure on the one hand, the correct positioning of the pivoting assembly relating to each door in each of its open and closed positions, and on the other hand, the maintenance of the assembly pivoting in these positions.

 Advantageously, so that the pivoting movement of each door is strictly identical over its entire surface, the two articulated parallelograms located above and below the door are made integral in movement. For example, one of the upper links and one of the lower links are rigidly fixed by their end opposite to that which is articulated on the plate, on a vertical axis whose ends revolve at the upper and lower walls of the frame of wardrobe or closet.

 According to another embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower plates are rotatably mounted around vertical half-axes which they respectively carry at the geometric center of their upper and lower faces, the lower plates as well as the upper plates being connected between them respectively, by two rods, each of which is articulated by its middle on the frame of the furniture, while its two ends slide in two longitudinal rails formed on the external or internal faces of the plates.

 When we want to open a door equipped with such a device, we start by pulling the door button towards you, which makes the whole door and its plates pivot around the corresponding semi-axes. The connecting rods cause the assembly of the other door and its plates to rotate simultaneously and in the same direction, until the front rail of the door plate to be opened comes in line with the rear rail from the plate on the other door.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a cabinet provided with two sliding doors provided with the device according to the invention, the doors being both shown in the closed position;
Figure 2 shows a partial perspective view of one of the doors and its associated plates;
Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line
III-III of Figure 1;
Figure 4 shows the same section as Figure 3, but with the left door in the open position;
Figure 5 is a side view in the direction of the arrow F in Figure 1;
Figure 6 shows the same view as Figure 5, but with the left door in the open position; ;
Figure 7 is a schematic view of the two lower slide plates according to another embodiment of the invention, when the doors are closed; and
Figure 8 shows the same plates when opening a door.

 With reference first to Figures 1 to 6, it is assumed that the sliding doors 10 and 12 equip a cupboard which has been shown schematically only the upper 14 and lower 16 walls of the frame.

It goes without saying that this is only an example of application, because as we will realize, the invention can also be applied to storage cupboards or to sliding doors to partition a local.

 According to the invention, the sliding doors are each equipped with a guiding device which allows on the one hand, to slide any one of them to place it in the open position behind the other door and on the other hand , to bring them both in the closed position, strictly in the same frontal plane without having the slightest offset between them.

 The guiding devices relating to the two doors being symmetrical with respect to the vertical median plane of the cupboard, only the one below, 20, located for example on the right in FIG. 1, will be described below. will be those of the homologous elements of the right-hand device assigned the prime index.

 The guide device 20 essentially comprises an upper plate 22 and a lower plate 24, respectively for guiding the upper edge and the lower edge of the door 12.

 The upper plate 22 is rectangular, of length substantially equal to that of a door and is arranged horizontally. On its underside come from manufacture, for example by molding, or are fixed longitudinally by any suitable means, for example by means of screws 26 (FIG. 2), two parallel rails 28, 30 on which rollers 32 can be rolled, journalled around axes carried by strips 34, 34 respectively fixed on the upper edge of the doors.

For the convenience of the language, the rails 28 and 30 respectively will be designated by front rail and rear rail respectively.

 The lower plate 24 is also rectangular, and the same length as the upper plate. It carries on its upper face two parallel longitudinal slides 36, 38, in which can slide guide fingers 40 fixed on the lower edge of each of the doors. The lower plate and its slides can constitute a one-piece element obtained for example by molding. The slides can also be fixed to the plate, for example by means of screws. The spacing between the slides is identical to that existing between the rails 28, 30 and it is greater than the thickness of a door, so that when a door is engaged on the front rail 28 and on the front slide 36, it is possible to slide the other door behind it on the rail and the rear slide without rubbing one on the other .

 In accordance with the invention, the rail-carrying plate 22 is pivotally mounted thanks to the use of two rods 42, 44 of the same length and parallel, which are articulated by their ends, on the one hand, at two points on the upper face of the plate 22, located on a longitudinal axis of the latter, and on the other hand, on the upper wall 14 of the frame. The two links therefore constitute an articulated parallelogram which allows the plate 22 to pivot while maintaining a direction parallel to itself.

 Two lower links 46, 48 are used in the same way to allow the pivoting of the slide-holder plate 24. These links, which are parallel and of the same length, are articulated, on the one hand, on the lower face of the plate lower 24 at two points situated on a longitudinal axis of the latter and on the lower wall 16 of the frame.

 According to a more improved variant embodiment, the rail-carrying plate and the slide-carrying plate relating to each door are made integral in movement by the fact that the straight ends of the rods 44 and 48 in FIG. 1 are rigidly secured with a vertical axis 50, the ends of which rotate in housings formed in the upper 14 and lower 16 walls of the frame.

 As shown in Figure 4, the attachment points of the rods are chosen so that the parallelogram -formed by each set of rods is completely flattened for the depressed position of the door and very elongated for the advanced position of the door. it follows from this configuration that when a door is pushed, it describes a circular trajectory having a very small component of movement directed laterally. To avoid nevertheless that during this movement said door and its plates do not come into contact respectively against the other door and its plates, the adjacent edges 54, 54 of the doors are chamfered on their internal edge and a sufficient interval is left between the plates in the position where the doors are closed.

 In another alternative embodiment, the adjacent edges of the doors can be clearly separated, the gap thus formed being masked by a vertical board of width greater than said gap and which is fixed on the edge of one of the doors.

 It will be noted that in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, the inclination of the links has been exaggerated to better allow them to be distinguished. In reality, these rods can be practically horizontal and therefore occupy very little space. it goes without saying that the piece of furniture can include strips, not shown, to hide the rods, the plates and the vertical axes 50 and 50 ′.

 We will now describe the operation of the device in FIGS. 1 to 6: the doors being both closed (FIG. 3), when one wants to open one of them, for example the left door 10, it is printed using the button carries 52 'a push towards the bottom of the cupboard.

This thrust causes the pivoting of the assembly of the door 10, of its associated plates 22 ′, 24 and of the connecting rods which are attached to them, up to the depressed position shown in FIG. 4. Stop means, not shown, are provided to limit the pivoting movement of said assembly and to maintain it in the depressed position against any accidental stress towards the advanced position.

 In this position, the front slide 36 'of the lower plate 24' and the front rail 28 'of the upper plate 22' are respectively in the extension of the rear slide 38 of the lower plate 24 and the rear rail 30 of the plate upper 22. We can then slide the door 10 to the right so that it comes to be placed behind the right door 12.

 To close the door 10, the same maneuvers are carried out in the opposite direction, that is to say that the door 10 is slid to the left in FIG. 4, so that it comes to be placed on the front rail 28t and on the front slide 36 ', which is possible since the upper and lower plates 22', 24 'have been kept in the standby position by the abovementioned abutment means. By pulling on the door button 52 ′, the assembly of the door and its guide device is pivoted to its advanced position in FIG. 3.

 Naturally, to open the door 12, the procedure is the same as above.

 Several alternative embodiments can be made to the embodiment which has just been described without thereby departing from the basic idea of the invention.

 For example, the articulated links can be mounted between the doors and the rollers 32 or the guide fingers 40, the upper and lower plates 22, 24 being in this case fixed on the frame. The rollers can be fixed at the bottom of the door and the guide fingers at the top, or the upper rails can be replaced by slides. Likewise, the lower slides can be replaced by rails and the guide fingers by lower rollers. The rollers and slides can still be attached to the doors.

 it is also possible, instead of providing two slides on each plate, to use only one, of the telescopic type, comprising a first extension slide element mounted to slide in a second slide element fixed to the plate. When the door is closed, the extension element is completely retracted in the second slide element, while when the door is slid to its open position, the extension element expands to guide the door.

 On the other hand, the movement back and forth and vice versa of the doors can be ensured by a system of rods crossed in parallelograms, similar to those commonly used in the sliding curtains of elevators.

 The forward and backward movement of the doors can be effected by the use of jacks.

 We can still arrange for the door to be opened to slide in front of the door remaining closed. It suffices for this that the links are articulated in the vicinity of the front edge of the frame instead of being at the rear, and that in the closed position, the doors are mounted on the rear rails and slides.

 In the embodiment of Figure 7, the slide plates 24, 24 and the rail plates can be pivotally mounted around fixed vertical semi-axes 60, 62. In addition, the slide plates are connected between them by a single link 64 which pivots about a fixed vertical axis 66 through its middle, and the ends of which can move along slides 68, 68 arranged in the extension of one another on the plates 24, 24 '. In the same way, the rail-carrying plates are also connected by a link.

 The slides 68, 68 'can be fixed on the underside of the plates 24, 24' as well as on their upper face. In the latter case, however, so that the links do not hinder the movement of the doors, the level of the slides 36, 38 will be raised relative to that of the slides 68, 68 '.

 The axis 66 has the same role as the axes 50, 50t of the previous embodiment since it, too, secures the movement of the lower and upper plates.

 To open a door, for example door 10, traction is exerted on it by means of the corresponding door button. The door 10 and its plates then pivot about the axis 60. During this movement the link 64 causes the pivoting in the same direction of the other door and of the associated plates.

Stop means are provided to stop the movement of the plate 24 ′ when its front slide is in alignment with the rear slide of the plate 24, as shown in FIG. 8. The door 10 can then slide freely from its closed position to its open position.

Claims (15)

 1.- Device for bringing two sliding doors in the same plane, in the closed position, characterized in that it comprises for each of the doors (10, 12) an upper horizontal plate (22, 22t) and a lower horizontal plate ( 36, 361) each having a length substantially equal to that of a door, and intended to guide the upper and lower edges of the corresponding door respectively, each upper and lower plate being provided for this purpose on its face facing the door, first guide means (28, 30, 36, 38) intended to cooperate with second complementary guide means (32, 40) fixed on the door, the assembly formed by each door and the associated upper and lower plates being mounted movable between a first position where said door is closed and is in the same frontal plane as the other door also in the closed position, and a second position where said door is in a parallel plane offset from to the other door in the closed position, and can thus slide to an open position.  2.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each upper and lower plate is provided with two guide channels para # llèles (28, 30 and 36, 38), arranged one behind the other, the doors being placed in the closed position, either both on the front guide tracks (28, 36), or both on the rear guide tracks (30, 38), the assembly formed by each door (10) and the upper plates and associated lower being mounted movably between a first position where the guide tracks of the plates associated with said door are respectively in the extension of the guide tracks of the plates associated with the other door, and a second position where the guide tracks (36 ' , 28 ') on which said door is placed are in the extension of the free guide tracks (30, 38) of the other door (12), said door (10) being able to slide in the open position.  3.- Device according to claim 2, characterized in that on each plate are articulated the ends of two rods (42, 44 and 46, 48) parallel and of the same length, the other ends of which are articulated in the frame (14 , 16) of the fixed structure at two points chosen so that the articulated parallelogram formed by the rods and the door is completely flattened when the door is brought into said second position and is extended when it is in said first position, and in this that the doors in the closed position are placed on the front guide tracks of the plates.  4.- Device according to claim 2, characterized in that on each plate are articulated the ends of two rods (42, 44 and 46, 48) parallel and of the same length, the other ends of which are articulated in the frame (14 , 16) of the fixed structure at two points chosen so that the articulated parallelogram formed by the rods and the door is completely flattened when the door is brought into said first position and is extended when it is in said second position, and in that the doors in the closed position are placed on the rear guide tracks of the plates.  5.- Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that fixed stop means are provided to ensure on the one hand, the correct positioning of the pivoting assembly relating to each door in each of its open and closed positions , and secondly, maintaining the pivoting assembly in these positions.  6.- Device according to claim 3, characterized in that one of the upper rods (44) and one of the lower rods (48) are rigidly fixed by their end opposite to that which is articulated on the plate, on a vertical axis (50) whose ends rotate in the upper and lower walls (14, 16) of the fixed structure.  7.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide tracks are constituted by rails (28, 30) in which the rollers (32) can roll.  8.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide tracks are constituted by slides (36, 38) in which can move the guide fingers (40).  9.- Device according to one of claims 1, 3 and 8, characterized in that the articulated rods can be mounted between the doors and the rollers (32) or the guide fingers (40), the upper and lower plates ( 22, 24) being in this case fixed on the frame.  10.- Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the rollers are fixed at the bottom of the door and the guide fingers at the top of the door.  11.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rails and the slides are fixed to the doors, while the rollers and the guide fingers are carried by the plates.  12.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement back and forth and vice versa of the doors can be provided by a system of rods crossed in parallelogram.  13.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement back and forth of the doors can be performed through the use of cylinders.  14.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper and lower plates are rotatably mounted around vertical half-axes (60, 62) cuvelles carry respectively in the geometric center of their upper and lower faces, the lower plates (24 , 24 ') as well as the upper plates (22, 22t 3 being connected to each other respectively, by two rods (64) each of which is articulated by its center on the frame of fixed structure, while its two ends slide in two slides (68, 68 ') arranged along the longitudinal axis.  15.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each plate is provided with a single telescopic slide, comprising a first extension slide element mounted to slide in a second slide element fixed to the plate, said extension slide element being likely to deploy in the extension of the second slide element when the associated door is slid towards its open position.