US3577679A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiple automatically retractable and extensible sliding doors in planar alignment
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-05-18
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Granted: 1971-05-04
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Expires: 1990-05-18
Abstract
Abstract Presented is a sliding door structure for wide openings or for use as a partition to divide a large room into separate rooms and which utilizes separate door panels arranged in close juxtaposition while stored and which are moved individually from storage and placed in edge-to-edge planar alignment to close an opening when extended.
Inventors
- 👤 Emil M Petterborg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:44
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05D; E05D15/00; E05D15/06; E05D15/0604; E05D15/0608; E05F; E05F15/00; E05F15/60; E05F15/603; E05F15/632; E05F15/635; E05F15/638; E05Y; E05Y2201/00; E05Y2201/40; E05Y2201/404; E05Y2201/406; E05Y2201/60; E05Y2201/622; E05Y2201/674; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/10; E05Y2900/13; E05Y2900/142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
A multiple automatically retractable and extensible door structure adapted to support doors in planar alignment in an opening arranged to be closed by extension of the doors and opened by retraction of such doors, comprising: a. a main support frame including a door panel carriage support portion and a room track portion extending from the door panel carriage support portion and adapted to extend across a room opening; b. a door panel carriage movably associated with said support frame for movement in a direction transverse to said room track portion of the of the main support frame; c. a plurality of separate door panels movably suspended from said door panel carriage and adapted to be moved successively into planar alignment with said room track portion of said main support frame; d. door panel carriage drive means associated with said main support frame operable to effect transverse movement of said door panel carriage to effect planar alignment of each said door panel with said room track portion of said main support frame; e. door panel drive means associated with said main support frame operable to selectively propeL each door panel from said door panel carriage and along said room track portion of the main frame; and f. control means associated with said main support frame and operable to automatically control movement of said separate door panels from a retracted position in which said door panels are all suspended in said door panel carriage to an extended position in which all said doors are suspended from said room track portion of the main frame in planar alignment or returned from said extended position of said doors to their retracted juxtaposed position suspended on said door panel carriage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
285 words
A multiple automatically retractable and extensible door structure adapted to support doors in planar alignment in an opening arranged to be closed by extension of the doors and opened by retraction of such doors, comprising: a. a main support frame including a door panel carriage support portion and a room track portion extending from the door panel carriage support portion and adapted to extend across a room opening; b. a door panel carriage movably associated with said support frame for movement in a direction transverse to said room track portion of the of the main support frame; c. a plurality of separate door panels movably suspended from said door panel carriage and adapted to be moved successively into planar alignment with said room track portion of said main support frame; d. door panel carriage drive means associated with said main support frame operable to effect transverse movement of said door panel carriage to effect planar alignment of each said door panel with said room track portion of said main support frame; e. door panel drive means associated with said main support frame operable to selectively propeL each door panel from said door panel carriage and along said room track portion of the main frame; and f. control means associated with said main support frame and operable to automatically control movement of said separate door panels from a retracted position in which said door panels are all suspended in said door panel carriage to an extended position in which all said doors are suspended from said room track portion of the main frame in planar alignment or returned from said extended position of said doors to their retracted juxtaposed position suspended on said door panel carriage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said room track portion includes a plurality of track sections corresponding to the number of door panels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said room track portion includes a plurality of track sections, at least one of which is rigidly fixed and the remainder of which are movably mounted for up and down movement to lower a door panel onto the floor when it has reached its ultimate position and raise a door panel from the floor prior to retraction thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said main support frame includes a room track support portion superimposed over said room track portion coextensive therewith and constituting an extension of the door panel carriage support portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said main support frame is rigidly secured to the enclosing structure defining the opening which the door panels are adapted to close.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said door panel carriage includes a plurality of juxtaposed storage track members each adapted to support a sliding door panel in retracted position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said door panel carriage is movable intermittently in predetermined increments in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of sliding doors to close or open said opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said door panel carriage includes a plurality of juxtaposed storage track members each adapted to support a sliding door panel in retracted position, and detent means on said carriage operative to successively align each storage track member with said room track portion so that sliding door panels may move from said room track portions to said storage track members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which each said door panel is individually suspended from said door panel carriage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which each said door panel is individually suspended from a storage track member and is rollably supported thereon to facilitate displacement of said door panel longitudinally of said storage track member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said carriage drive means includes at least one drive spindle rotatably journaled on said main support frame and extending transversely thereacross, means interconnecting said drive spindle and said door panel carriage to effect translation of said door panel carriage laterally with respect to the main frame and longitudinally of said drive spindle upon rotation thereof, and reversible drive means for effecting rotation of said spindle
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said carriage drive means includes reversible electric motor means operably connected to said door panel carriage to effect transverse movement thereof to bring each said door panel into planar alignment with said room track portion, means operative upon attainment of such planar alignment to interrupt said reversible drive means, and means for interrupting said reversible drive means when all door panels have been retracted.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said door panel drive means includes a first drive wheel operable to move each door panel from its storage track member onto said room track portion, and a plurality of drive wheels spaced along Said room track portion and engaging said door panels to propel said door panels along said room track portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination according to claim 1, which said door panel drive means includes a plurality of door panel drive wheels rotatably disposed along said room track portion for selective rotation in a direction to effect either extension or retraction of said door panels, and drive means interconnecting said door panel drive wheels and selectively operable to effect rotation thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
126 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said door panel drive means includes a first drive wheel operable to move each door panel from its storage track member onto said room track portion when brought into driving engagement with each said door panel, means mounted on said support frame and operable to effect engagement of said first drive wheel successively with each door panel as it is aligned with said room track portion to move the door panel onto the room track portion, and drive means associated with said room track potion including a selectively reversible motor and a plurality of door panel drive wheels for selective rotation in a direction to effect extension or retraction of said door panels along said room track portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said control means for effecting extension and retraction of said multiple door panels includes a cam assembly operatively interposed between said main support frame and said door panel carriage to effect lowering of each door panel onto the floor when said door panel has reached its proper position along said room track portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said control means for effecting extension and retraction of said multiple door panels includes a plurality of limit and microswitches operable to monitor the position of said door panels when in retracted position and suspended from said door panel carriage so as to align each said door panel successively with said room track portion when said doors are being extended, and effect movement of said door panel carriage intermittently as each door panel is retracted and suspended from said door panel carriage during retraction of said door panels.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination according to claim 1, in which said control means operable to effect extension and retraction of said multiple door panels includes circuit means to control said door panel drive means in proper sequence to impose a driving force on each separate door panel as it moves from said storage track member along said room track portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-03 | 1974-11-02 | 1975-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-03 | 1978-11-02 | 1979-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-03 | 1982-11-02 | 1983-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |