GB1564798A

GB1564798A - Sliding door for a shower cubicle

Info

Publication number: GB1564798A
Application number: GB3922075A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: FOLDOR Ltd
Current assignee: FOLDOR Ltd
Priority date: 1976-09-27
Filing date: 1976-09-27
Publication date: 1980-04-16

Description

(54) A SLIDING DOOR FOR A SHOWER CUBICLE (71) We, FOLDOR LIMITED, a British Company of Cromwell Road, Bredbury, Stockport, Cheshire, SK6 2RX, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to a sliding door assembly and more particularly, but not exclusively, a sliding door assembly for a shower cubicle or bath tub enclosure.

One of the problems with sliding doors which run in upper and lower tracks is that unless care is exercised when moving the door, it may jam or bind in the tracks.

According to the present invention there is provided a sliding door assembly comprising a door, top and bottom tracks, gliders secured to, or secured adjacent to, the top and bottom of the door and adapted to slide in the top and bottom tracks respectively, each glider including a projecting leaf spring adapted, when the glider is located in a track, to be received in and bear against the track whereby the glider is resiliently movable relative to the track.

In the present invention, therefore, the door is in effect resiliently mounted by virtue of the relative resilient movement permitted between each glider and its associated track.

The invention may be applied to rigid or folding doors. In accordance with a feature of the invention, a folding door with which the invention may be advantageously be used comprises a plurality of flexible panels separated by spaced apart ribs. The panels and ribs are preferably integrally produced for example by vacuum forming. It is also preferred that each panel is curved so as to predispose it to fold in a predetermined direction. The vacuum forming process enables the panels to be plain or patterned as desired.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a part of a door; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a glider; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic top view of a foldable series of panels for a door; Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through a door jamb; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of glider; Fig. 7 is a section similar to that of Fig.

4 showing a modified arrangement, and Fig 8 is a section similar to that of Fig. 5 illustrating another modification.

In the different embodiments like parts have been given the same reference numerals.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings a folding slidable door 10 comprises a plurality of flexible panels 12. The door panels may be formed in the shape as shown in Fig. 3 by vacuum forming known per se so as to provide a plurality of spaced apart, parallel ribs 14 and with a slight curvature to each panel, which disposes the formed panel to fold in that predetermined direction.

A part of the door panels, which in the case of the arrangement of Fig. 3 is the rib 14, is adapted to be received in an extruded metal U-shaped upright 16 as shown in more detail in Fig. 4. It will be understood that the uprights are designed to grip the ribs when in position. In order to improve the connection between the ribs and uprights, an insert 17 of plastics or metal may, as shown in Fig. 4, be located within each rib 14. The insert preferably extends along the whole length of each rib. The top and bottom of each upright projects beyond the door panels as at 18 in Fig. 1 and an H-section glider 20 having a depending lug 22 is fixed, for example by a rivet or screw 23 as shown, to the top of each upright. Similarly a glider is fixed to the bottom of each upright although that is not shown in the drawing.

Each glider includes a resilient leaf spring 24 extending generally outwardly and upwardly from each end and adjacent the top thereof. The springs are preferably of plastics and may be formed integrally with the glider. Each leaf spring may, as shown, be journalled as at 26 for a roller 28. The glider is adapted to slide in a track 30 in the form of a channel as shown in Fig. 1 so that the springs 24, or rollers 28 if provided, bear against the inner surface of the web 31 of the track and the springs 24 allow limited resilient vertical movement of the glider relative to the track.

Fig. 1 only shows the top of the door but a similar arrangement is provided at the bottom of the door.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, each upright is provided with oppositely disposed projections 32. The projections which extend beyond the door on the uprights at each end of the door can be used to secure the door to a jamb. For example, the jamb may, as shown in Fig. 5, comprise an extruded, metal U-section member 34 having a spring clip 36 secured to the inner surface thereof. The jamb is arranged so that the projecton on the end upright on the door is receivable through the open mouth thereof and releasably retained in the spring clip. This arrangement provides a water seal at the door jamb. Furthermore, if a similar arrangement is provided at both sides of the door, then the door can be opened or closed at either side.

Another form of glider is shown in Fig.

6 and comprises a stem 40 fixed at one end for example by a screw 41, to the centre of the concave side of a gently arcuate and resilient strip 42. A small lug 44 is provided at each end of the strip 42 on the same side thereof as the stem 40. The glider of Fig. 6 is fixed to the upright in the same way as described in connection with the glider 20 in Fig. 1; that is to say by means of a screw or the like extending through one or both of the apertures 46 in the stem. If desired the screw or other fastening means linking the glider to the upright may be received in a slot in the upright so that the glider is capable of limited movement relative to the upright.

When the door panel is not formed with ribs as in Fig. 3 the door, which is flexible, must be deformed so that a part can be located in the uprights. However the upright may not reliably grip that part of the door therein received so that the insert becomes necessary. An alternative form of insert 17 is illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 shows another jamb assembly which can be used with the present invention. In this modification a resilient body 50 is fitted into the U-section jamb 34.

The body 50 has resilient jaws 52 for gripping a projection 32 and also has resilient projections 54 by which the body is retained in the jamb. If desired, adhesive may also be used to secure the body 50 in the jamb.

Other modifications can be made to the above described embodiment. For example, depressions or projections can be provided in the track for restraining movement of the gliders and thereby enabling the door to be releasably held in a predetermined disposition. It is preferred that the dimensions of the gliders be chosen such that when the door is collapsed they engage adjacent gliders and prevent engagement of projections 32 on adjacent uprights.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A sliding door assembly comprising a door, top and bottom tracks, gliders secured to, or secured adjacent to, the top and bottom of the door and adapted to slide in the top and bottom tracks respectively, each glider including a projecting leaf spring adapted, when the glider is located in a track, to be received in and bear against the track whereby the glider is resiliently movable relative to the track.

2. A sliding door assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the leaf spring is integral with the glider.

3. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the door comprises a plurality of rigid uprights linked by flexible panels.

4. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 3, wherein each upright includes a channel section and wherein a portion of a flexible panel is received in said channel section.

5. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the panel is held in the channel section by an insert.

6. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein a glider is connected to the top and bottom of each upright.

7. A sliding door substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

each rib. The top and bottom of each upright projects beyond the door panels as at 18 in Fig. 1 and an H-section glider 20 having a depending lug 22 is fixed, for example by a rivet or screw 23 as shown, to the top of each upright. Similarly a glider is fixed to the bottom of each upright although that is not shown in the drawing.

Each glider includes a resilient leaf spring 24 extending generally outwardly and upwardly from each end and adjacent the top thereof. The springs are preferably of plastics and may be formed integrally with the glider. Each leaf spring may, as shown, be journalled as at 26 for a roller 28. The glider is adapted to slide in a track 30 in the form of a channel as shown in Fig. 1 so that the springs 24, or rollers 28 if provided, bear against the inner surface of the web 31 of the track and the springs 24 allow limited resilient vertical movement of the glider relative to the track.

Fig. 1 only shows the top of the door but a similar arrangement is provided at the bottom of the door.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, each upright is provided with oppositely disposed projections 32. The projections which extend beyond the door on the uprights at each end of the door can be used to secure the door to a jamb. For example, the jamb may, as shown in Fig. 5, comprise an extruded, metal U-section member 34 having a spring clip 36 secured to the inner surface thereof. The jamb is arranged so that the projecton on the end upright on the door is receivable through the open mouth thereof and releasably retained in the spring clip. This arrangement provides a water seal at the door jamb. Furthermore, if a similar arrangement is provided at both sides of the door, then the door can be opened or closed at either side.

Another form of glider is shown in Fig.

6 and comprises a stem 40 fixed at one end for example by a screw 41, to the centre of the concave side of a gently arcuate and resilient strip 42. A small lug 44 is provided at each end of the strip 42 on the same side thereof as the stem 40. The glider of Fig. 6 is fixed to the upright in the same way as described in connection with the glider 20 in Fig. 1; that is to say by means of a screw or the like extending through one or both of the apertures 46 in the stem. If desired the screw or other fastening means linking the glider to the upright may be received in a slot in the upright so that the glider is capable of limited movement relative to the upright.

When the door panel is not formed with ribs as in Fig. 3 the door, which is flexible, must be deformed so that a part can be located in the uprights. However the upright may not reliably grip that part of the door therein received so that the insert becomes necessary. An alternative form of insert 17 is illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 shows another jamb assembly which can be used with the present invention. In this modification a resilient body 50 is fitted into the U-section jamb 34.

The body 50 has resilient jaws 52 for gripping a projection 32 and also has resilient projections 54 by which the body is retained in the jamb. If desired, adhesive may also be used to secure the body 50 in the jamb.

Other modifications can be made to the above described embodiment. For example, depressions or projections can be provided in the track for restraining movement of the gliders and thereby enabling the door to be releasably held in a predetermined disposition. It is preferred that the dimensions of the gliders be chosen such that when the door is collapsed they engage adjacent gliders and prevent engagement of projections 32 on adjacent uprights.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A sliding door assembly comprising a door, top and bottom tracks, gliders secured to, or secured adjacent to, the top and bottom of the door and adapted to slide in the top and bottom tracks respectively, each glider including a projecting leaf spring adapted, when the glider is located in a track, to be received in and bear against the track whereby the glider is resiliently movable relative to the track.
2. A sliding door assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the leaf spring is integral with the glider.
3. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the door comprises a plurality of rigid uprights linked by flexible panels.
4. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 3, wherein each upright includes a channel section and wherein a portion of a flexible panel is received in said channel section.
5. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the panel is held in the channel section by an insert.
6. A sliding door as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein a glider is connected to the top and bottom of each upright.
7. A sliding door substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.