US3814493A - Plastic tambour door - Google Patents
Plastic tambour door Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3814493A US3814493A US00309533A US30953372A US3814493A US 3814493 A US3814493 A US 3814493A US 00309533 A US00309533 A US 00309533A US 30953372 A US30953372 A US 30953372A US 3814493 A US3814493 A US 3814493A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- door
- portions
- face strip
- face
- strip portions
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
- E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
- E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
- E06B9/02—Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary
- E06B9/08—Roll-type closures
- E06B9/11—Roller shutters
- E06B9/115—Roller shutters specially adapted for furniture
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
- Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
- Y10T428/24479—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including variation in thickness
- Y10T428/2457—Parallel ribs and/or grooves
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
- Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
- Y10T428/24802—Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
Definitions
- the relatively thicker face 160/231, 201; 161/123 strip portions provide rigidity to the door and resist vibration while the thin interconnecting portions act [56] References Cited as hinges to permit the door to be easily guided in a UNITED STATES PATENTS curved door track having a relatively small radius.
- the frictional resistance of the door to sliding in a curved track can be minimized by curving the connecting 269/893 12/1954 mum331:;...i:::::::::;1111113311.... 16.75 ooooooo so not they provide o w of 3:()68:7
- the front surface of the sheet 3,460,878 8/1969 Peterson 312/297 is preferably patterned with alternating raised and de- 3 7l2,697 l/1973 Kelly et a1 312/297 X pressed areas which not only provide a pleasing ap- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS pearance but also reduce the surface contact area in contact with the guides.
- Tambour doors are by no means new, having been used in roll top desks at least as early as the l800s. Tambour doors are especially useful for selectively closing compartments in structures such as desks and cabinets since they permit the door to be stored within the structure in a manner which takes up very little, if any, usable space. They are particularly useful as cabinet closures since they take up no floor space in front of the cabinet and do not present an obstacle into which a person could inadvertently walk, thus possibly injuring himself.
- the tambour door of the present invention meets these and other objectives quite readily.
- the improved tambour door is preferably made from a thin sheet of thermoplastic material such as ABS or vinyl by a vacuum forming operation but could also be made by an extrusion process.
- One particular advantage of the vacuum forming method in that it permits sheet material to be used which has an embossed face. The embossed face gives a far more pleasing appearance to the door than would be the case with a smooth finish. Furthermore.
- the embossed finish provides alternating raised and depressed areas which reduce the surface area of contact in the guide tracks and thus makes the door easier to slide.
- the leading and trailing ends are preferably afiixed to a stiffening bar.
- a handle, and latch means carried by the leading end stiffening bar permit the door to be easily moved in its track and latched to the cabinet in a closed position.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved door in combination with a cabinet
- FIG. 2 is a front view of thedoor as shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a side view of the door as shown in FIG. 2;
- FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken from FIG. 3.
- a tambour door indicated generally at 10 is shown in engagement with a pair of curved guide track members 12 which are stapled or otherwise fastened to end panels 14 of a cabinet 16.
- the tambour door 10 has a handle member 20 attached to it which enables it to be moved up and down in guide tracks 12 so that a latch member 22 carried by the door can be brought into or out of engagement with a cooperating latch member 24 mounted on the cabinet 16.
- the tambour door 10 may be formed from very thin plastic material 26 having a maximum thickness of approximately 0.045 inches, it would be possible to pull the door out of its guide tracks 12 if the end of the door to which the handle 20 is attached is not made relatively rigid.
- the necessary rigidity is provided by a stiffening bar 28 which may be formed of a material such as wood or plastic having a thickness much greater than the thickness of the plastic material 26.
- the upper end of the tambour door is fastened to the upper stiffening bar 28 by a plurality of screws 30. Additional screws 32 are provided to fasten the latch member 22 to the plastic sheet 26, the stiffening bar 28 and the handle 20.
- a stiffening bar 36 be fastened to the lower end of the door by screws 38.
- the tambour door 10 is preferably formed in a vacuum forming operation from a flat sheet of thermoplastic material such as ABS or vinyl so as to produce a plurality of relatively wide, face strip portions 40 having the thickness of the original material.
- the vacuum forming of the material while it is hot causes the portions of the plastic immediate the face strip portions 40 to be drawn away from the plane of the face strip portions and reduced in thickness so as to form generally U-shaped connecting portions 42 which include side portions 44 and rear portions 46.
- Theside and rear portions 44 and 46 are separated by rounded corner portions 48.
- One advantage of making the tambour door 10 by a vacuum forming process is that the flat plastic sheets which are formed to make the door can be quite simply embossed in their flat state to produce an aesthetically pleasing design.
- the embossing operation can be used for example, to provide a grained pattern of alternate raised portions 50 and depressed portions 50". Where this is done, the area extent of the raised portions 50' '3 guide track members 12 and the door willhave the additional advantage of offering less frictional resistance to sliding movement than if the door had a nonembossed surface.
- the louver door of the invention has been found especially useful for cabinets mounted inside recreational vehicles where its properties of extremely low weight, low cost, attractiveness, freedom from vibration, and resiliency in event of impact are very desirable.
- the cross sectional shape of the door can vary from the shapes shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it is desirable that the rear portions 46 be spaced at least several thicknesses of material away from the face strip portions 40. This spacing of the face strip portions 40 from the rear portions 46 so as to form a plurality of channel portions greatly increases the rigidity of the door. It would of course be possible in a vacuum forming operation to cause the rear portions 46 to be of a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the original material and the face strip portions 40 to be drawn to a reduced thickness. However, a door produced in such a matter would be more prone to vibrate and less able to resist impacts applied to the outside face of the door than would a door having thick face strip portions 40 and thin rear portions 46.
- the rear and side portions 46,44 have thicknesses about one half the thickness of the face strip portion 40. Although this thickness relationship is quite satisfactory and permits the material 26 of the door 10 to readily bend in the area of the corner portions 48, other thickness relationships can be used depending on the forming equipment used, the depth of side portions 44, and the relative widths of face and rear portions 40,46 desired. A spacing of the rear portion 46 from the face strip portion 40 by an amount approximately equal to the spacing between side portions 44 has been found to provide the door with a large resistance to bending relative to the plan of any face strip portion 40.
- a corrugated, vacuum formed, one piece plastic tambour door comprising a plurality of parallel, relatively wide, constant thickness face strip portions located in a common plane and spaced from each other by relatively narrow connecting portions which are recessed relative to said common plane so that the rear surface portions of said door which are defined thereby are spaced from said face strip portions by a distance equal to at least several times the thickness of said face strip portions, said connecting portions having a crosssectional thickness less than the thickness of said face strip portions and a transverse width in the plane of the rear surface of the door which is several times less than the transverse width of said face strip portions, said face strip portions having an embossed textured surface and said rear surface having a relatively smooth surface to facilitate sliding of said door.
Abstract
Description
Claims (1)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US00309533A US3814493A (en) | 1972-11-24 | 1972-11-24 | Plastic tambour door |
CA185,934A CA1003478A (en) | 1972-11-24 | 1973-11-15 | Plastic tambour door |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US00309533A US3814493A (en) | 1972-11-24 | 1972-11-24 | Plastic tambour door |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3814493A true US3814493A (en) | 1974-06-04 |
Family
ID=23198611
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US00309533A Expired - Lifetime US3814493A (en) | 1972-11-24 | 1972-11-24 | Plastic tambour door |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3814493A (en) |
CA (1) | CA1003478A (en) |
Cited By (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2373254A1 (en) * | 1976-12-09 | 1978-07-07 | Feierabend Gmbh Hans | Flexible sliding door for cupboards - has plane plastics sheet bonded to rear corrugated sheet with corrugations normal to travel |
US4846247A (en) * | 1988-09-07 | 1989-07-11 | Gerald Kessler | Silent tambour slats |
US5050664A (en) * | 1988-10-28 | 1991-09-24 | Joseph Legeais | Sectional slat for closure by curtain, and respective closing curtain |
US5052459A (en) * | 1988-03-23 | 1991-10-01 | Grossenbacher Marco G | Covering for covering an opening |
DE9203834U1 (en) * | 1992-03-21 | 1993-04-22 | Hymer Ag, 7967 Bad Waldsee, De | |
US5255970A (en) * | 1992-05-26 | 1993-10-26 | Theosabrata Yos S | Storage cabinet |
US5302013A (en) * | 1992-01-31 | 1994-04-12 | Kenneth Reiner | Lockable beauty supplies trolley |
US5314077A (en) * | 1993-02-18 | 1994-05-24 | Theosabrata Yos S | Storage rack |
US5546772A (en) * | 1994-05-02 | 1996-08-20 | Whirlpool Corporation | Tub door system for a top loading horizontal axis automatic washer |
FR2738620A1 (en) * | 1995-09-13 | 1997-03-14 | Peugeot | Cover for motor vehicle roof |
US6386658B1 (en) * | 1998-12-30 | 2002-05-14 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Housing for a packaging machine |
WO2005042868A1 (en) | 2003-10-30 | 2005-05-12 | Keter Plastic Ltd. | Tambour door and pliable panel |
US20080010924A1 (en) * | 2006-07-12 | 2008-01-17 | Pietruczynik Christopher B | Exterior building material having a hollow thin wall profile and an embossed low gloss surface |
US20120186754A1 (en) * | 2011-01-20 | 2012-07-26 | Klem Christopher S | Sectional door panel and method of thermoforming |
CN105522974A (en) * | 2014-10-20 | 2016-04-27 | 福特全球技术公司 | Flexible single piece sliding door |
US10926707B2 (en) | 2017-06-27 | 2021-02-23 | Shanghai Yanfeng Jinqiao Automotive Trim Systems Co. Ltd. | Vehicle interior component |
USD915968S1 (en) * | 2017-10-27 | 2021-04-13 | Textron Innovations, Inc. | Tambour door |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN107049093B (en) * | 2017-02-10 | 2021-04-20 | 康辉医疗科技(苏州)有限公司 | Bathtub suitable for people with mobility disabilities |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2411902A (en) * | 1944-07-14 | 1946-12-03 | James J Skelly | Flexible wall structure |
US2571715A (en) * | 1949-09-07 | 1951-10-16 | Western Electric Co | Strip material |
US2697893A (en) * | 1951-07-21 | 1954-12-28 | Fred W Hoch | Combination planishing plate and method of making the same |
DE1101458B (en) * | 1956-07-31 | 1961-03-09 | Siemens Elektrogeraete Gmbh | Roller door for a fridge or hot cupboard |
US3068710A (en) * | 1952-12-02 | 1962-12-18 | Continental Gumml Werke Ag | Transmission belt of plastic material |
FR1367727A (en) * | 1963-06-14 | 1964-07-24 | Flambo | Filing cabinet curtain |
US3460878A (en) * | 1967-09-08 | 1969-08-12 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Countertop dishwasher |
US3712697A (en) * | 1971-06-02 | 1973-01-23 | Miller H Inc | Locker |
-
1972
- 1972-11-24 US US00309533A patent/US3814493A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1973
- 1973-11-15 CA CA185,934A patent/CA1003478A/en not_active Expired
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2411902A (en) * | 1944-07-14 | 1946-12-03 | James J Skelly | Flexible wall structure |
US2571715A (en) * | 1949-09-07 | 1951-10-16 | Western Electric Co | Strip material |
US2697893A (en) * | 1951-07-21 | 1954-12-28 | Fred W Hoch | Combination planishing plate and method of making the same |
US3068710A (en) * | 1952-12-02 | 1962-12-18 | Continental Gumml Werke Ag | Transmission belt of plastic material |
DE1101458B (en) * | 1956-07-31 | 1961-03-09 | Siemens Elektrogeraete Gmbh | Roller door for a fridge or hot cupboard |
FR1367727A (en) * | 1963-06-14 | 1964-07-24 | Flambo | Filing cabinet curtain |
US3460878A (en) * | 1967-09-08 | 1969-08-12 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Countertop dishwasher |
US3712697A (en) * | 1971-06-02 | 1973-01-23 | Miller H Inc | Locker |
Cited By (22)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2373254A1 (en) * | 1976-12-09 | 1978-07-07 | Feierabend Gmbh Hans | Flexible sliding door for cupboards - has plane plastics sheet bonded to rear corrugated sheet with corrugations normal to travel |
US5052459A (en) * | 1988-03-23 | 1991-10-01 | Grossenbacher Marco G | Covering for covering an opening |
US4846247A (en) * | 1988-09-07 | 1989-07-11 | Gerald Kessler | Silent tambour slats |
US5050664A (en) * | 1988-10-28 | 1991-09-24 | Joseph Legeais | Sectional slat for closure by curtain, and respective closing curtain |
US5302013A (en) * | 1992-01-31 | 1994-04-12 | Kenneth Reiner | Lockable beauty supplies trolley |
DE9203834U1 (en) * | 1992-03-21 | 1993-04-22 | Hymer Ag, 7967 Bad Waldsee, De | |
US5255970A (en) * | 1992-05-26 | 1993-10-26 | Theosabrata Yos S | Storage cabinet |
US5314077A (en) * | 1993-02-18 | 1994-05-24 | Theosabrata Yos S | Storage rack |
US5546772A (en) * | 1994-05-02 | 1996-08-20 | Whirlpool Corporation | Tub door system for a top loading horizontal axis automatic washer |
FR2738620A1 (en) * | 1995-09-13 | 1997-03-14 | Peugeot | Cover for motor vehicle roof |
US8955281B2 (en) | 1998-11-12 | 2015-02-17 | Certainteed Corporation | Exterior building material having a hollow thin wall profile and an embossed low gloss surface |
US20100107530A1 (en) * | 1998-11-12 | 2010-05-06 | Pietruczynik Christopher B | Exterior Building Material Having a Hollow Thin Wall Profile and an Embossed Low Gloss Surface |
US6386658B1 (en) * | 1998-12-30 | 2002-05-14 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Housing for a packaging machine |
WO2005042868A1 (en) | 2003-10-30 | 2005-05-12 | Keter Plastic Ltd. | Tambour door and pliable panel |
US20080010924A1 (en) * | 2006-07-12 | 2008-01-17 | Pietruczynik Christopher B | Exterior building material having a hollow thin wall profile and an embossed low gloss surface |
US20120186754A1 (en) * | 2011-01-20 | 2012-07-26 | Klem Christopher S | Sectional door panel and method of thermoforming |
CN105522974A (en) * | 2014-10-20 | 2016-04-27 | 福特全球技术公司 | Flexible single piece sliding door |
US20160325694A1 (en) * | 2014-10-20 | 2016-11-10 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Flexible single piece sliding door |
US9969336B2 (en) * | 2014-10-20 | 2018-05-15 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Flexible single piece sliding door |
CN105522974B (en) * | 2014-10-20 | 2020-09-08 | 福特全球技术公司 | Flexible integral sliding door |
US10926707B2 (en) | 2017-06-27 | 2021-02-23 | Shanghai Yanfeng Jinqiao Automotive Trim Systems Co. Ltd. | Vehicle interior component |
USD915968S1 (en) * | 2017-10-27 | 2021-04-13 | Textron Innovations, Inc. | Tambour door |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA1003478A (en) | 1977-01-11 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BOSTROM ACQUISITION CORPORATION, A CORP OF DE;REEL/FRAME:004371/0101 Effective date: 19850220 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: BOSTROM SEATING CORPORATION Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:BOSTROM ACQUISITION CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004581/0641 Effective date: 19850515 Owner name: BOSTROM ACQUISITION CORPORATION, EAST LAYTON AVENU Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:UOP INC., A DE. CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004581/0676 Effective date: 19850220 Owner name: BOSTROM ACQUISITION CORPORATION,WISCONSIN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:UOP INC., A DE. CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004581/0676 Effective date: 19850220 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: DNC AMERICA BANKING CORPORATION, 600 FIFTH AVENUE, Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BOSTROM SEATING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004756/0209 Effective date: 19861015 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO, THE, ILLINOIS Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BOSTROM SEATING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:005122/0677 Effective date: 19881209 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TRANSAMERICA BUSINESS CREDIT CORPORATION, GEORGIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BOSTROM SEATING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:006705/0233 Effective date: 19930514 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: BOSTROM SEATING, INC., ALABAMA Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:TRANSAMERICA BUSINESS CREDIT CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:007317/0246 Effective date: 19950113 |