EP3211163B1

EP3211163B1 - Adjustable device for a sliding door trolley

Info

Publication number: EP3211163B1
Application number: EP16460011.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Grzegorz Dolny
Original assignee: Laguna Fabryka Okuc Spolka Z OO SK
Current assignee: Laguna Fabryka Okuc Spolka Z OO SJ
Priority date: 2016-02-29
Filing date: 2016-02-29
Publication date: 2021-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-29
Also published as: EP3211163A1; PL3211163T3

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustment mounting mechanism for a sliding door trolley, to be placed in a socket in the sliding door wing. Proposed device works with various sliding systems, and allows for easy adjustment of the sliding door. It also serves to stabilize the sliding door wing. It can be used for both top hung or bottom rolling systems.
Many inventions have been proposed related to clamping and sliding devices designed for the sliding door. Majority of these devices are mounted either externally to the door piece, or in a recess or a slot shaped in upper or lower edge, or a corner of the wing, preferably between the decorative linings.
Taiwanese patent document TW201414910 (A ) reveals a monorail suspended sliding door clamping and sliding device, which is combined with a rail and a glass door, and is provided with a body and a roller base. The body is provided with a clamping groove for clamping the glass door, a binding groove, a binding block, and an adjusting screw. The roller base is slidably coupled with the binding block of the body and is provided with at least one roller and an abutment surface. Proposed monorail suspended sliding door clamping and sliding device is capable of adjusting the door height and preventing fall-over of the door. The body is recessed with a clamping groove at the bottom. One side of the body is penetrated with a binding groove communicating with the clamping groove. The body is provided with a binding block and an adjusting screw at the binding groove close to the top surface. An upper end of the binding block is penetrated with an adjustment hole facing the roller base. The adjusting screw is rotatably combined with the adjustment hole of the binding block. The bottom of the adjusting screw penetrates through the binding block. The roller base is convexly provided with at least one roller on an outer surface of the bottom and the roller base is provided with an abutment surface at an upper end of the top surface for abutting the adjusting screw that penetrates the bottom end of the binding block, to thereby adjust the height of the roller base relative to the body through rotating the adjusting screw.
The invention presented in European patent application EP2894285 (A1 ) relates to a coupling element for suspending a sliding door wing from a roller body, comprising a fastening body having a fitting cavity with insertion opening and shoulder, a retaining element which is hingeable about a hinge pin next to the shoulder remote from the insertion opening in order to open or close the insertion opening, and a releasing element between the shoulder and the hinge pin above the retaining element which is adjustable to a position for the retaining element to be hingeable and to a position for retaining the retaining element in order to open the insertion opening.
German application of Italian inventor DE10244895 (A1 ) describes an adjustable sliding door device for heavy furniture doors where a horizontal sliding door forming part of a cabinet or cupboard is supported by a fitting consisting of two main right angled flanges. The lower flange is fitted to the door inner face and engages with the lower face of the upper flange. Their relative position is adjusted by a hand wheel on top of the upper flange and monitored against a scale.
Chinese patent document CN102482910 (A ) discloses a door suspension apparatus that is capable of adjusting the position of a door in the open-close direction thereof without adjusting the positions of a latching part and a part being latched in a locking device. A drive connection unit is provided with one from among the latching part and the part being latched in the locking device that locks the door to a structure in a fully-closed position through the latching of the latching part and the part being latched and is connected to an open-close drive mechanism. A door roller unit is connected to the door and provided with door rollers that run on a rail fixed on the structure, and supports the door in a suspended state freely sliding on the rail. A variable connection unit connects the drive connection unit and the door roller unit in a manner enabling the alteration of the relative positions of the drive connection unit and the door roller unit in a direction along the lengthwise direction of the rail.
There are also devices mounted in a socket shaped in the plane of the door wing near its horizontal upper and/or bottom edge.
Japanese invention JPH1162364 (A) discloses a roller device for upper suspension in which a first mount frame body is fixed beforehand in a mount recess of a mount surface, at a top rail of a sliding door. A wheel of a holding unit is fitted in a rail to suspend a second mount frame body of the unit from the rail beforehand. The body of the unit suspended from the rail is slipped into a space of the body from the front side. A snap ring is fitted in across circumferential grooves, to maintain the fitting state of both the bodies and further the bodies are locked together by means of a lock member. If an operation part, which can be operated from the front side, is turned by using a driver, the position of the wheel can be adjusted in front and rear, and up and down.
German utility model application DE202004003289 (U1 ) discloses a vertical adjustment system for sliding door in building provided with a horizontal screw forcing nut with sloping bottom surface against sloping ramp. A carriage at the top of a sliding door has a fastening flange fixed to the door at two sides of a main housing placed in the socket shaped in the door, and has an adjustment system. A screw engages a square nut which have fits inside an adjustment block. A sloping bottom edge of the nut rides up a sloping ramp in the adjustment block to give the vertical adjustment. The screw extends through a bore in a housing and has a hexagonal socket to accommodate an Allen (hexagonal) key. In none of the above mentioned mechanisms a problem of easy adjustment of the door wings hanged on the sliding devices or trolleys is solved acceptably. In particular a solution proposed in DE202004003289 cannot be used for heavy plates because of necessity to use very big force to overcome friction between oblique adjacent surfaces of a nut pressing on a "ramp" of an "adjustment block". Also possible range of vertical movement is very limited, because a slope of oblique surfaces cannot be too high for the same reason.
Another German patent application DE2546384 (A1 ) discloses a suspension system for sliding doors or partition walls which has a cylindrical self adjusting mounting on door panel. The mounting element is connected by an adjustable block to a connecting strap between the door and roller element and is readily adjusted without using an additional clamp. The mounting fitting has within its cylindrical shape a sliding block between two parallel guides. This block is connected to the suspension assembly overhead. The guides can be formed by a rectangular opening within the cylindrical mounting fitting. The block is guided in this opening without play and is moved vertically by an adjusting screw. German utility model application DE8334024 (U1 ) describes the invention which relates to a sliding door with a device for suspending the support of height-adjustable suspension elements arranged on the upper door edge. It is connected to a chassis running on profile rails, each suspension element projecting into a recess arranged in the side face of the sliding door and being connected there in a force-locking manner to the sliding door and being fixable in its height adjustment.
FR1548070 A discloses a sliding door trolley comprising a housing fixable in a cylindrical recess shaped in a base plate of the sliding door.
According to the invention, an adjustment device for a sliding door trolley comprises the features of claim 1. The screw is movable along vertical axis of the slider and works with the nut immovably mounted in the slider.
The term "vertical axis" is understood here as a straight line made by an intersection of a plane of symmetry of the housing, and a plane parallel to the front and/or rear plane of the housing but passing through its middle. It shall be obvious to a person skilled in the art that invented device can be mounted in any position, so that "vertical axis" has a conventional meaning, and shall not be necessarily understood as vertical if referred to the gravity field. In particular, vertical axis of claimed device can be positioned horizontally if the device is turned by a right angle. However, in most applications of the adjustment device for top hung and bottom rolling systems, its vertical axis is positioned vertically.
The housing has a shape enabling its mounting inside a cylindrical recess or socket shaped in a base plate of a sliding door wing.
The slider may have the protrusions fitting the sliding door trolleys. The slider may have openings to receive protrusions of the sliding door trolley.
In preferred embodiment the screw has a hexagonal head fitting a flat wrench. However, other screw heads can be applied, e.g. spherical or cylindrical with crossed through-holes, and the like.
In one embodiment the nut is hexagonal and is immobilized in a nut socket shaped in the slider, preferably in its top convex (cylindrical) wall. In the latter case the top wall of the slider has the same curvature as the cylindrical wall of the housing.
Alternatively, the nut is rectangular and is immobilized between the nut socket protrusions shaped in the slider. One of the nut rectangle sides is leaning against the bottom of the socket shaped in the base plate, e.g. the door wing, and then its rotation is blocked.
The slider has protruding side elements guided in vertical guides shaped inside the housing. Alternatively, the nut socket protrusions of the slider are guided in a rectangular hole shaped in the front wall of the housing.
The head of the screw abuts a thickening and/or a washer, e.g. a spring washer at the bottom of the slider.
The housing has the protruding bottom parts immobilizing the housing in the socket in the base plate. The cylindrical side walls of the housing, and optionally the cylindrical top wall of the slider, have ribs immobilizing the housing in the socket in the base plate. The housing cylindrical wall has a narrow flange around its front edge covering imperfections of the edge of the socket in the base plate, and positioning the housing front wall exactly in the plane of the base plate surface.
The housing has a rear wall increasing its rigidity, with rounded or beveled circular rear edge. However, if the front wall of the housing is found to stiffen the housing sufficiently, one may leave it without the rear wall. In this case it is advisable to bevel the rear circular edge anyway.
The adjustable device has a void space around a screw for inserting a string to remove the housing from the socket in the base plate.
Preferred embodiments of invented adjustable device are shown on the drawings, where:

Figs. 1 to 8 show various views of the adjustable device made of cast metal, e.g. ZnAI, or plastics;
Figs. 9 to 14 show various views of the adjustable device made of metal sheet, e.g. steel sheet, or plastics; the subject-matter shown in these figures does not fall within the scope of the claims, it does not form part of the invention but might be useful for better understanding the invention claimed;
Fig. 15 shows regulation of the device with a flat wrench, and
Figs. 16 to 19 show examples of the external hardware (trolleys) coupled with the adjustment device and fastened to the base plate.

Invented adjustment device for a sliding door trolley in preferred embodiment comprises a housing (1) with a slider (2) movable along vertical axis of the housing (1), and provided with a screw (3) and a nut (4). The screw (3) is movable along vertical axis of the slider (2), and works with the nut (4) immovably mounted in the slider (2). Turning the screw (3) on right moves the slider (2) downwards, and the door wing is rising up. And conversely, turning the screw (3) on left moves the slider (2) upwards, and the door wing is lowered. The housing (1) has a shape enabling its mounting inside a cylindrical recess (5) shaped in a base plate (6) of the sliding door wing. The standardized diameter of a cylindrical recess (5) made in the base plate (6), e.g. for hinges in a furniture door wing, equals 35 mm. Therefore preferred diameter of claimed device is also 35 mm, however this is not a factor limiting possible applications of the invention.
The slider (2) has the protrusions (7) fitting the openings or recesses in the external sliding door trolleys. Examples of trolleys fitted to claimed device are schematically shown in figs. 16 to 19. The main plate of the trolley is immobilized on the base plate (6) with the screws inserted into oblong holes (fig. 17, left) in the trolley main plate, allowing for vertical regulation of the trolley coupled to the adjustable device. With loosened screws of the trolley the regulating screw (3) is adjusted with use of a flat wrench, and finally the screws of the trolley are tightened. The screw (3) has a hexagonal head (9) fitting a flat wrench (10), as shown in fig. 15. The trolley main plate blocks the adjustable device inside the cylindrical recess (5), cf. figs. 16 to 19. The slider (2) has also the openings (8) to receive the protrusions shaped in the trolley main plate.
The nut (4) is hexagonal and is immobilized in a nut socket (11) shaped in the slider (2), cf. fig. 5. However, in the embodiment made of the steel sheet the nut (4) is rectangular and is immobilized between the nut socket protrusions (12) drawn in the slider (2). The nut (4) can be spot-welded to the nut socket protrusions (12).
The slider (2) has protruding side elements (13) guided in vertical guides (14) shaped inside the housing (1). But again, in the embodiment made of the steel sheet the nut socket protrusions (12) of the slider (2) are guided in a rectangular hole (15) shaped in the front wall (16) of the housing (1).
The top wall (17) of the slider (2) has the same curvature as the cylindrical wall (18) of the housing (1). The head (9) of the regulating screw (3) abuts a thickening and/or a washer (19), preferably a spring washer.
The housing (1) has the protruding bottom parts (20) immobilizing the housing (1) in the cylindrical recess (5) machined in the base plate (6). The cylindrical wall (18) of the housing (1) has the ribs (21) or knurling immobilizing the housing (1) in the cylindrical recess (5) in the base plate (6). The cylindrical wall (18) also has a flange (22) around its front edge covering imperfections of the edge of the cylindrical recess (5) in the base plate (6), and positioning the front wall (16) of the housing (1) in the plane of the base plate (6) surface. The housing (1) has a rear wall (23) increasing its rigidity, with rounded or beveled circular rear edge.
The adjustable device according to the invention can be easily removed from the cylindrical recess (5) in the base plate (6) with use of a string looped through a void space (24) around a screw (3).

List of elements of figures

1 - housing
2 - slider
3 - screw
4 - nut
5 - cylindrical recess in the base plate
6 - base plate
7 - protrusion of the slider
8 - opening in the slider
9 - head of the screw
10 - flat wrench
11 - nut socket
12 - nut socket protrusions
13 - side elements of the slider
14 - vertical guides in the housing
15 - rectangular hole in the housing
16 - front wall of the housing
17 - top wall of the slider
18 - cylindrical wall of the housing
19 - thickening and/or a washer
20 - bottom parts of the housing
21 - ribs or knurling
22 - flange
23 - rear wall of the housing
24 - void space

Claims

An adjustment device for a sliding door trolley, comprising a housing (1) fixable in a cylindrical recess (5) shaped in a base plate (6) of the sliding door, a slider (2) fixable to the sliding door trolley and movable along vertical axis of the housing (1) and provided with a screw (3) movable along vertical axis of the slider (2) and working with a nut (4) immovably mounted in the slider (2), wherein the housing (1) has a cylindrical wall (18) which has a flange (22) around its front edge covering imperfections of the edge of the cylindrical recess (5) in the base plate (6), and positioning the front wall (16) of the housing (1) in the plane of the base plate (6) surface, characterized in that the cylindrical wall (18) of the housing (1) has ribs (21) or knurling for immobilizing the housing (1) in the cylindrical recess (5) in the base plate (6), and in that the top wall (17) of the slider (2) has the same curvature as the cylindrical wall (18) of the housing (1), and wherein a head (9) of the screw (3) abuts a thickening of the housing (1) and/or a washer (19).
The adjustment device according to claim 1, characterized in that the slider (2) has protrusions (7) fitting the opening or recesses in the sliding door trolley.
The adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the slider (2) has openings (8) to receive protrusions of the sliding door trolley.
The adjustment device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the screw (3) has a hexagonal head (9) fitting a flat wrench (10).
The adjustment device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the nut (4) is hexagonal and is immobilized in a nut socket (11) shaped in the slider (2).
The adjustment device according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the slider (2) has protruding side elements (13) guided in vertical guides (14) shaped inside the housing (1).
The adjustment device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the washer (19) is a spring washer.
The adjustment device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the housing (1) has protruding bottom parts (20) immobilizing the housing (1) in the cylindrical recess (5) in the base plate (6).
The adjustment device according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the housing (1) has a rear wall (23) increasing its rigidity, with rounded or beveled circular rear edge.