Sliding door corner connector

Claim 2

In a door having a flat panel, a stile along one edge and a rail along an adjacent edge, an improved corner connector comprising: means for engaging the stile in a direction normal to the plane of the panel; means for engaging the stile between three spaced apart points in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the panel on the rear side thereof, said means including at least one member for extending through a slot in the stile and engaging an end of the slot for carrying weight of the door; and means extending over the top of the rail and through a slot in the top of rail for holding the connector to the rail in directions parallel and normal to the plane of the panel.

Claim 3

In a combination as defined in claim 1, an improved connector wherein the means for holding the connector to the rail also extends over the end of the panel for engaging the front of the panel.

Claim 4

In a combination as defined in claim 1, a rail having an internal face flange interposed between the front of the door panel and the means for engaging the front of the panel.

Claim 5

In a combination as defined in claim 1, an improved connector comprising ear means for engaging the interior of the stile through an open end thereof.

Claim 6

In a combination as defined in claim 4, an improved corner connector wherein the means for engaging in a direction parallel to the plane of the panel comprises: a tang for extending through a slot in the stile at the opposite end of the connector from the ear; elastic detent means on the tang for preventing withdrawal of the tang through the slot; and at least one shoulder means on the connector for engaging the stile in opposition to the detent and the ear located therebetween.

Claim 7

In a combination as defined in claim 5, an improved connector wherein the means for engaging the stile in a direction normal to the plane of the panel comprises: a raised boss on the tang for engaging the slot through the stile; and a wing between the ear and boss for engaging the exterior of the stile in opposition to the ear and boss.

Claim 8

In a combination as defined in claim 6, an improved connector further comprising means for connecting a movable door suspension member thereto.

Claim 9

In a combination as defined in claim 7, an Improved corner connector having bilateral symmetry wherein the means for engaging are present on each side of the plane of symmetry.

Claim 10

A bilaterally symmetrical corner connector for a door having a panel, a hollow stile along a side edge of the panel, and a hollow rail along an end of the panel comprising: central means for receiving a door suspension member; a wing on each side of the central means for engaging the outer back wall of the stile; an ear on each side of the central means near one end for fitting over an open end of the stile including a portion for engaging the inner back wall of the stile; and a tang on each side of the central means near the opposite end for fitting through a slot in the stile, and including a portion for engaging the stile in opposition to the wing and a spring clip for engaging the interior of the stile for preventing withdrawal of the tang.

Claim 11

A bilaterally symmetrical corner connector for a door having a panel, a hollow stile along a side edge of the panel, and a hollow rail along an end of the panel comprising: central means for receiving a door suspension member; a wing on each side of the central means for engaging the outer back wall of the stile; an ear on each side of the central means near one end for fitting over an open end of the stile including a portion for engaging the inner back wall of the stile; and a tang on each side of the central means near the opposite end for fitting through a slot in the stile, and including a portion for engaging the stile in opposition to the wing and a spring clip for engaging the interior of the stile for preventing withdrawal of the tang.

Claim 12

A corner connector as defined in claim 9 further comprising a hook for extending over the rail and engaging the front face of the panel.

Claim 13

A corner connector as defined in claim 10 further comprising shoulder means on each side of the central means for engaging the exterior of the stile in opposition to the spring clip and a portion of the ear.

Claim 14

A corner connector as defined in claim 11 wherein the portion of tang for engaging the stile in opposition to the wing comprises a raised boss for engaging a portion of the slot through the stile; and wherein the spring clip comprises a spring arm connected to the tang and a finger on the arm twisted out of the plane of the tang in a direction opposite to the direction of raising of the boss, the finger extending in a direction from the outer end of the tang towards the central means.

Claim 15

A combination comprising: a substantially rectangular door panel; a generally U-shaped hollow rail along the top and bottom edges of the panel; a slot through the bight of the U-shaped rail near each end thereof; generally G-shaped hollow stile along each of the side edges of the panel, the panel entering the mouth of the G with the cross bar thereof adjacent the back of the panel; a slot through the leg of the G-shaped stile near each end thereof; and a bilaterally symmetrical corner connector at the back of the panel interconnecting an adjacent rail and stile comprising: a central generally U-shaped channel for receiving a door suspension member, the plane of symmetry of the channel being the plane of symmetry of the connector, a hook at one end of the channel passing through the slot in the rail, means for engaging the rail in opposition to the hook, an ear extending into the hollow interior of the stile through an open end thereof, a wing extending laterally from the plane of symmetry engaging the back of the stile in opposition to the ear, a tang extending laterally from the plane of symmetry of the connector through the slot in the stile and including a portion engaging the slot in opposition to the wing, and an elastic detent for preventing withdrawal of the tang from the slot.

Claim 16

A combination comprising: a substantially rectangular door panel; a generally U-shaped hollow rail along the top and bottom edges of the panel; a slot through the bight of the U-shaped rail near each end thereof; generally G-shaped hollow stile along each of the side edges of the panel, the panel entering the mouth of the G with the cross bar thereof adjacent the back of the panel; a slot through the leg of the G-shaped stile near each end thereof; and a bilaterally symmetrical corner connector at the back of the panel interconnecting an adjacent rail and stile comprising: a central generally U-shaped channel for receiving a door suspension member, the plane of symmetry of the channel being the plane of symmetry of the connector, a hook at one end of the channel passing through the slot in the rail, means for engaging the rail in opposition to the hook, an ear extending into the hollow interior of the stile through an open end thereof, a wing extending laterally from the plane of symmetry engaging the back of the stile in opposition to the ear, a tang extending laterally from the plane of symmetry of the connector through the slot in the stile and including a portion engaging the slot in opposition to the wing, and an elastic detent for preventing withdrawal of the tang from the slot.

Claim 17

A combination as defined in claim 13 wherein the hook extends over the edge of the panel and engages the front face thereof.

Claim 18

A combination as defined in claim 14 wherein the rail further comprises an inner flange interposed between the hook and the front face of the panel.

Claim 19

A combination as defined in claim 15 wherein the means for engaging the rail in opposition to the hook comprises a raised portion on the channel extending towards the hook.

Claim 20

A combination as defined in claim 13 wherein the ear extends at an angle to the plane of symmetry for entry into the end of the stile while the connector is skewed relative to the stile.

Claim 21

A combination as defined in claim 13 wherein the elastic detent comprises: a spring arm connected to the lateral end of the tang; and a clip finger extending from the spring arm towards the plane oF symmetry of the connector and curled towards the panel for engaging the inside of the leg of the G-shaped stile.

Claim 22

A combination as defined in claim 18 further comprising means on the connector between the ear and the clip finger for engaging the stile in opposition to the ear and clip finger.

Claim 23

A combination as defined in claim 19 wherein the hook extends over the edge of the panel and engages the front face thereof, and wherein the rail further comprises an inner flange interposed between the hook and the front face of the panel.

Claim 24

In a door having a flat panel, a stile along one edge and a rail along an adjacent edge, an improved corner connector comprising: means extending through a slot in the top of the rail for engagement therewith; ear means for engaging the interior of the stile through an open end thereof; a tang extending through a slot in the stile for carrying weight of the door; and means for preventing withdrawal of the tang from the slot.

Claim 25

In a door having a flat panel, a stile along one edge and a rail along an adjacent edge, an improved corner connector comprising: means extending through a slot in the top of the rail for engagement therewith; ear means for engaging the interior of the stile through an open end thereof; a tang extending through a slot in the stile for carrying weight of the door; and means for preventing withdrawal of the tang from the slot.

Claim 26

In a combination as defined in claim 21, an improved connector wherein the means for engaging the rail extends over the end of the panel for engaging the front of the panel.

Claim 27

In a combination as defined in claim 22, a rail having a face flange interposed between the front of the door panel and the means for engaging the rail.

Claim 28

In a combination as defined in claim 22, an improved connector wherein the ear means engages the back of the stile in a direction normal to the plane of the panel, the tang includes a portion for engaging the back side of the slot through the stile; and further comprising means for engaging the back of the stile in opposition to the ear means and tang.