GB2312231A

GB2312231A - Sliding door assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2312231A
Application number: GB9707795A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Albert Dolton; Barry Kenneth Riggott
Original assignee: Kanda
Current assignee: Kanda
Priority date: 1996-04-19
Filing date: 1997-04-17
Publication date: 1997-10-22
Also published as: GB9608139D0; GB9707795D0

Abstract

A sliding door assembly is constructed as a pre-fabricated module 1 and comprises a support structure including a door opening 3 and a door 2 mounted for sliding movement from a closed position in which the door closes the door opening to an open position in which the door is received within a recess formed within the structure. The door is suspended from a track fitted to the top edge of the door opening and extending into the recess. The door may be opened by means of an electric motor.

Description

Title: Improvements In Or Relating To Doors This invention relates to improvements in or relating to doors, and in particular to sliding doors for use in residential or commercial properties.

Conventional sliding doors consist of a door frame defining an opening which is covered by a sliding door. The door travels on a track and trolley system along the structure holding the door frame. In the open position the door parks alongside the structure, which is normally a blockwork wall or stud partition. This effectively wastes both floor and wall space, as no furniture or decorations can be placed in this area. The unsightly running gear for the door is either visible or is concealed by a pelmet which itself is visually unattractive.

There has now been devised an improved sliding door assembly which overcomes or substantially mitigates these and other disadvantages.

According to the invention, there is provided a sliding door assembly comprising a support structure including a door opening and a door slidably mounted for sliding movement from a closed position in which the door closes the door opening to an open position in which the door is withdrawn from the opening, wherein in the open position the door occupies a recess formed within the structure, and the assembly is constructed as a pre-fabricated module.

The sliding door assembly according to the invention is advantageous primarily in that, as a preformed module, it can easily be incorporated into a building, either during initial construction of the building or during refurbishment. Because the door is received within the adjacent support structure when opened, no adjacent floor or wall space is wasted. Furniture, for example, may be positioned immediately adjacent to the door opening without interfering with operation of the door, and similarly decorations may be applied to the wall adjacent the door opening; As the recess into which the door is received is formed within the support structure, the running gear for the door is concealed without the need for a pelmet or the like.

The support structure preferably comprises a frame to which surface panels are fixed. The frame may be of a wide variety of materials, examples being medium density fibreboard, timber and lightweight steel. In the region adjacent the door opening the surface panels define the recess into which the door is received. The surface panels may be of a wide variety of materials, eg plasterboard or medium density fibreboard. Such timber-frame construction permits modules to be produced easily in a range of thicknesses and sizes.

Architraves, which may have any suitable decorative form and are preferably of natural timber, are preferably fitted around the door opening. The architraves adjacent to the opening of the recess into which the door slides are preferably fitted with seals, most preferably nylon pile seals or intumescent strips, to exclude draughts and to support the door in its sliding movement. A wide variety of architrave designs, chosen to match the surrounding decor, can easily be fitted.

Each side of the frame of the support structure preferably comprises, in the region which defines the recess, a pair of upright frame members connected by a plurality of horizontal crossmembers. Where the frame is of timber, the abutting surfaces of the uprights and cross-members are preferably chamfered. This is found to give the assembled structure greater strength and resistance to inward deformation.

The door is preferably suspended from a track fitted to the top internal edge of the door opening and extending into the recess. Because the door in such an arrangement is supported by the sides of the recess, it is generally not necessary for there also to be provided a further track underneath the door. This has the important advantages that the path of a user through the door is completely unobstructed and floor coverings, eg a carpet, may extend through the door opening without interruption.

The door may be manually slidable, and be provided with suitable means to facilitate manual sliding, or may be driven by, for example, an electric motor. In the former case, the means to facilitate manual sliding of the door may comprise suitable handles, an end-pull set into the leading edge of the door, or a flush or recessed pull set into the side of the door, preferably close to the leading edge. In the latter case, a switch, eg a push-button switch, may be positioned adjacent the door opening for operation of the door. Alternatively, or in addition, the door may be operated automatically. For example, passive infra-red detectors, an infra-red remote control device or underfloor or wall pressure sensors may be operably linked to the door operating mechanism. The door may close again automatically after use, after a pre-determined delay. The door operating mechanism may also be connected to a fire detection or alarm system, for automatic opening or closing in the event of fire. One or more microswitches are preferably provided to disengage the motor as the door approaches the fully open and/or fully closed position.

An automatic door operating mechanism for use in the invention preferably comprises an electric motor, eg a 1 2V or 24V electric motor, connected to the main supply via a transformer. The motor and transformer are preferably housed within the support structure, most preferably to one side of the door opening. The motor preferably drives a belt fixed to the door, eg by driving a toothed wheel which engages the belt.

The door assembly module of the invention is preferably manufactured in one or more standard sizes, for compatibility with conventional construction materials and methods.

The sliding door assembly of the present invention may also be utilised as an external door. In such a case the prefabricated module may be installed in the internal leaf of a cavity wall. One side of the recess within which the door is received may be open, that side being effectively closed by the external leaf of the cavity wall. The module may be fixed to the internal face of the external leaf by suitable brackets.

Where the sliding door assembly is used as an external door, it is preferably provided with a suitable cill, most preferably with a groove to accommodate the bottom edge of the door. The groove may be provided with drainage channels and means, eg a weather bar, for preventing the draughts and the ingress of rainwater.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sliding door module according to the invention; Figure 2 shows constructional details of a module generally similar to that of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of part of a module generally similar to that of Figure 1, in a manually operable embodiment; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a further, fire-proof embodiment; and Figure 5 is a partial schematic view of a further, electrically-operated embodiment.

Referring first to Figure 1, a prefabricated sliding door module (generally designated 1) for installation as part of an internal wall is shown in skeletal view, ie with surface panelling omitted to show the details of construction. The module 1 comprises a lower section 1 a which houses a sliding door 2 and an upper section lb dimensioned to match the height of the module 1 to ceiling height.

The lower section la comprises a timber frame formed from uprights and cross-members. As viewed in Figure 1, the left-hand half of the lower section la defines a door opening 3, while the right-hand half is covered with panelling of, for example, plasterboard or fibreboard (not shown in Figure 1). The front and back surfaces of the lower section la are spaced apart to define a pocket between them into which the door 2 may slide. A moulded timber architrave 4 (shown cut away in Figure 1) is fitted around the edges of the door opening 3.

The upper section ib also comprises a timber frame with a panelling skin (again not shown).

Figures 2a,b,c and d show respectively exploded constructional details of the timber frame of the lower section 1 a at the points A,B,C and D indicated on Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 2a, the construction at the top of the door opening 3 (point A) includes a track 21 for the running gear of the sliding door 2. Figure 2b shows the architrave 4 fitted around the edges of the door opening 3. Figure 2c is of particular note as it shows the chamfered butt joints between a cross-member 31 and an upright 32. The ends of the cross-member 31 and the upright 32 are chamfered at angles of approximately 300. It is found that this construction increases the rigidity of the timber frame and in particular reduces the deformability of the cross-members 31 inwards. Finally, Figure 2d shows constructional details at the top of a central upright adjacent the door opening 3. The central upright is provided with a rebate 33 which can be used to house an electrical cable connected to a switch mounted on the module for an electrically operated embodiment.

Turning now to Figure 3, a cross-sectional view is shown of a module similar to that of Figure 1, in the region of the upper part of the pocket into which the door 2 is received. In this embodiment, panels 41 of 6mm thick medium density fibreboard (MDF) laminated to an outer plasterboard skin are fixed to a timber header 42. A C-section track 43 similar to that of Figure 2a is fixed to the underside of the header 42 and is supported at its sides by packing elements 44.

The sliding door 2 has a roller trolley 45 fitted to its top edge, the rollers of the trolley 45 running along the track 43.

Figure 4 shows a similar view to Figure 3, but of a 30 minute fire door embodiment. This differs from the Figure 3 embodiment in that a lmm steel sheet 51 is bonded to the MDF, between the MDF and the plasterboard outer skin.

An electrically operated embodiment of a sliding door module according to the invention is shown schematically in Figure 5. In this embodiment, a sliding door 61 runs on two trolleys 62.

A driven belt 63 is fixed at both ends to the upper edge ofthe door 61. The belt 63 passes around an idler pulley 64 located at the innermost end of the pocket of the module and around a drive pulley 65 which is connected to a 24V DC electric motor 66. The electrical assembly of motor 66 and an associated transformer and the drive pulley 65 is located within the module to one side of the door opening. The motor 66 may be operated manually, using a switch fitted adjacent the door 61 and/or automatically, eg in response to the approach of a person to the door, detected by a passive infra-red sensor or a wall pressure sensor. After opening, the door 61 may be automatically closed after a predetermined delay.

Claims

1. A sliding door assembly comprising a support structure including a door opening and a door slidably mounted for sliding movement from a closed position in which the door closes the door opening to an open position in which the door is withdrawn from the opening, wherein in the open position the door occupies a recess formed within the structure, and the assembly is constructed as a pre-fabricated module.

2. A sliding door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a frame to which surface panels are fixed.

3. A sliding door assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein architraves are fitted around-the door opening.

4. A sliding door assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each side of the frame of the support structure comprises, in the region which defines the recess, a pair of upright frame members connected by a plurality of horizontal cross-members.

5. A sliding door assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein abutting surfaces of the uprights and cross-members are chamfered.

6. A sliding door assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is suspended from a track fitted to the top internal edge of the door opening and extending into the recess.

7. A sliding door assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is manually slidable, and is provided with suitable means to facilitate manual sliding.

8. A sliding door assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the door is driven by an electric motor.

9. A sliding door assembly as claimed in claim 8, which is operated automatically.

10. A sliding door assembly as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the motor is housed within the support structure.

11. A sliding door assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is an internal door.

12. A sliding door assembly as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the door is an external door.

13. A building fitted with a sliding door assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.

14. A sliding door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 1.

15. A sliding door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 5.