US3844062A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sliding door mechanism with semi-plug features
Assignee: Vapor Corp
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Filing: 1972-11-30
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1992-11-30
Abstract
Abstract Mechanism for driving a pair of doors through compound movement between open and closed positions wherein an inside semi-plug action is defined by moving the doors along guide tracks. An obstruction sensor may be provided in the drive linkage for recycling the door operation when an obstruction is encountered by the door.
Inventors
- 👤 K Daugirdas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:52
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05D; E05D15/00; E05D15/06; E05D15/10; E05D15/1002; E05F; E05F15/00; E05F15/60; E05F15/603; E05F15/632; E05F15/649; E05F11/00; E05F11/54; E05Y; E05Y2201/00; E05Y2201/20; E05Y2201/218; E05Y2201/22; E05Y2201/40; E05Y2201/43; E05Y2201/434; E05Y2201/60; E05Y2201/606; E05Y2201/608; E05Y2201/622; E05Y2201/676; E05Y2800/00; E05Y2800/25; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/50; E05Y2900/51
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
313 words
In a vehicle having a door opening in the vehicle wall selectively opened and closed by at least one sliding door leaf, a mechanism for supporting the door leaf and driving same between open and closed position relative the door opening by causing the door leaf to be moved through a compound movement inwardly of the vehicle wall and laterally of the door opening to a fully open position inside the vehicle wall and along one side of the opening, said mechanism comprising upper and lower straight door tracks positioned above and below the door opening and inside the vehicle wall, means received by at least one of said door tracks for supporting said door leaf, said door tracks being at a slight incline relative the door opening so that the leading edge of the door leaf moves directly into and out of the closed position, follower means on the leading edge of said door leaf slidably received in said door tracks to guide the leading edge of the door leaf, upper and lower plug tracks positioned above and below and laterally of the door opening and inside the vehicle wall, said plug tracks including a straight section inclined relative the vehicle wall and a curved section adjacent the door opening, said straight section of each plug track being substantially parallel to the adjacent door track, follower means at the trailing edge of said door leaf slidably received in said plug tracks to guide the trailing edge of the door leaf and plug the trailing edge of the door relative the door opening during movement of the door leaf into closed position, door actuator means, and linkage means for drivingly connecting said door actuator means to the door leaf intermediate the leading and trailing edges thereof to apply a force directly to the door leaf and drive same between open and closed positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
313 words
In a vehicle having a door opening in the vehicle wall selectively opened and closed by at least one sliding door leaf, a mechanism for supporting the door leaf and driving same between open and closed position relative the door opening by causing the door leaf to be moved through a compound movement inwardly of the vehicle wall and laterally of the door opening to a fully open position inside the vehicle wall and along one side of the opening, said mechanism comprising upper and lower straight door tracks positioned above and below the door opening and inside the vehicle wall, means received by at least one of said door tracks for supporting said door leaf, said door tracks being at a slight incline relative the door opening so that the leading edge of the door leaf moves directly into and out of the closed position, follower means on the leading edge of said door leaf slidably received in said door tracks to guide the leading edge of the door leaf, upper and lower plug tracks positioned above and below and laterally of the door opening and inside the vehicle wall, said plug tracks including a straight section inclined relative the vehicle wall and a curved section adjacent the door opening, said straight section of each plug track being substantially parallel to the adjacent door track, follower means at the trailing edge of said door leaf slidably received in said plug tracks to guide the trailing edge of the door leaf and plug the trailing edge of the door relative the door opening during movement of the door leaf into closed position, door actuator means, and linkage means for drivingly connecting said door actuator means to the door leaf intermediate the leading and trailing edges thereof to apply a force directly to the door leaf and drive same between open and closed positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said door leaf supporting means includes a slider bar in one of said door tracks connected to the door leaf.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein the follower meanS at the leading edge of the door leaf of the door track receiving the slider bar is connected thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein link means pivotally extends from the trailing edge of the door leaf and pivotally connects to the slider bar to provide support for the door leaf.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said linkage means includes a connecting link, a multiplying lever pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof and pivotally connected at one end to said connecting link, and a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said multiplying lever and at the other end to said door leaf.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination as defined in claim 5, and a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and multiplying lever defining an obstruction sensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
The combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said lost motion connection includes a lost motion bar pivoted at one end to the multiplying lever and pivotally connected at the other end to said connecting rod, means for limiting the relative pivotal movement between said multiplying lever and the lost motion bar and defining a biasing relation therebetween, a reversing switch on one of the lever or the bar, and means on one of the lever or the bar for actuating said switch when an obstruction is sensed by the door leaf.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
The combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said lost motion connection includes a lost motion bar pivotally connected at one end to the multiplying lever end pivotally connected at the other end to the connecting rod, a reversing cycle switch mounted on the multiplying lever actuatable by said lost motion bar, and means for limiting the pivotal movement between the lost motion bar and the multiplying lever and for biasing the lost motion bar to a first position where the bar does not actuate the switch, whereby encountering an obstruction by the door causes movement of the bar relative the lever to actuate said switch and cause a reversing cycle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said means for limiting pivotal movement between the lost motion bar and the multiplying lever includes a pin extending from said lost motion bar, and a slot formed in the multiplying lever receiving said pin and having a width greater than the pin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said biasing means includes a spring anchored to the multiplying lever at one end and the pin at the other end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
110 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, further including circuit means for the actuator means controlling the opening and closing cycles of the door, wherein said linkage means includes a pivotal joint, and an obstruction sensor arranged in said linkage means at said pivotal joint, said sensor comprising a lost motion connection including a lost motion bar pivotally mounted at one end for movement between first and second positions and normally resiliently driven to said first position, and a sensing switch connected in said circuit means mounted to be actuated when said lost motion bar is forced to said second position in response to an obstruction encountered by the door.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a door operator for driving a door between open and closed positions including an actuator having an output shaft, a drive arm on the output shaft, drive linkage between the drive arm and the door including a pivotal joint, and circuit means for the actuator controlling the opening and closing cycles of the door, the improvement in a door obstruction sensor arranged in said drive linkage at said pivotal joint, said sensor comprising a lost motion connection including a lost motion bar pivotally mounted at one end for movement between first and second positions and normally resiliently driven to said first position, and a sensing switch connected in said circuit means mounted to be actuated when said lost motion bar is forced to said second position in response to an obstruction encountered by the door.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a door operator for driving a door between open and closed positions including an actuator having an output shaft, a drive arm on the output shaft, drive linkage between the drive arm and the door including a pivotal joint, and circuit means for the actuator controlling the opening and closing cycles of the door, the improvement in a door obstruction sensor arranged in said drive linkage at said pivotal joint, said sensor comprising a lost motion connection including a lost motion bar pivotally mounted at one end for movement between first and second positions and normally resiliently driven to said first position, and a sensing switch connected in said circuit means mounted to be actuated when said lost motion bar is forced to said second position in response to an obstruction encountered by the door.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said lost motion bar is pivotally mounted to the door.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said lost motion bar is pivotally mounted at the trailing edge of the door.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, wherein the actuator is electrically operated, and means in the circuit means responding to the actuation of said sensing switch to condition the circuit means to drive the door in reverse through the opening cycle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, wherein the actuator is pneumatically operated, and means in the circuit means responding to the actuation of said sensing switch to condition the citcuit means to pulsate the door until the obstruction is cleared.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination as defined in claim 16, wherein said drive linkage includes a multiplying lever and a connecting rod and said pivotal joint is between the multiplying lever and the connecting rod, and said lost motion bar being pivotally mounted at one end to the multiplying lever and pivotally connected at the other end to the connecting rod.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a door operator for driving a door between open and closed positions including a motor-reduction gear assembly having an output shaft, a drive arm on the output shaft, and drive linkage between the drive arm and the door having a multiplying lever and a connecting rod, the improvement in a lost motion connection between the multiplying lever and the connecting rod defining an obstruction sensor for the door, said lost motion connection comprising a lost motion bar pivotally connected at one end to the multiplying lever and pivotally connected at the other end to the connecting rod, a reversing cycle switch mounted on the multiplying lever actuatable by said lost motion bar, means for limiting the pivotal movement between the lost motion for and the multiplying lever and for biasing the lost motion bar to a first position where the bar does not actuate the switch, whereby encountering an obstruction by the door causes movement of the bar relative the lever to actuate said switch and cause a reversing cycle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a door operator for driving a door between open and closed positions including a motor-reduction gear assembly having an output shaft, a drive arm on the output shaft, and drive linkage between the drive arm and the door having a multiplying lever and a connecting rod, the improvement in a lost motion connection between the multiplying lever and the connecting rod defining an obstruction sensor for the door, said lost motion connection comprising a lost motion bar pivotally connected at one end to the multiplying lever and pivotally connected at the other end to the connecting rod, a reversing cycle switch mounted on the multiplying lever actuatable by said lost motion bar, means for limiting the pivotal movement between the lost motion for and the multiplying lever and for biasing the lost motion bar to a first position where the bar does not actuate the switch, whereby encountering an obstruction by the door causes movement of the bar relative the lever to actuate said switch and cause a reversing cycle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for limiting pivotal movement between the lost motion bar and the multiplying lever includes a pin extending from said lost motion bar, and a slot formed in the multiplying lever receiving said pin and having a width greater than the pin.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said biasing means includes a spring anchored to the multiplying lever at one end and the pin at the other end.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
210 words
A sliding door mechanism for mounting a door to slide between open and closed positions relative an opening and for causing the door to have a compound motion by moving inwardly of the opening and laterally thereof, said mechanism comprising upper and lower straight door tracks positioned above and below the opening and inward thereof, means received by at least one of said door tracks for connection to and supporting of the door, said door tracks being at a slight incline relative the door opening so that the leading edge of the door moves directly into and out of closed position, follower means in said door tracks connected to the leading edge of the door to guide same, upper and lower plug tracks positioned above, below, laterally and inward of the opening, said plug tracks including a straight section inclined relative the opening and a curved section adjacent thereto, said straight section of each plug track being substantially parallel to the adjacent door tracks, follower means in said plug tracks connected to the trailing edge of the door to guide same into and out of plugging relationship to the opening, door actuator means, and means for drivingly connecting said actuator means intermediate the leading and trailing edges of the door.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
210 words
A sliding door mechanism for mounting a door to slide between open and closed positions relative an opening and for causing the door to have a compound motion by moving inwardly of the opening and laterally thereof, said mechanism comprising upper and lower straight door tracks positioned above and below the opening and inward thereof, means received by at least one of said door tracks for connection to and supporting of the door, said door tracks being at a slight incline relative the door opening so that the leading edge of the door moves directly into and out of closed position, follower means in said door tracks connected to the leading edge of the door to guide same, upper and lower plug tracks positioned above, below, laterally and inward of the opening, said plug tracks including a straight section inclined relative the opening and a curved section adjacent thereto, said straight section of each plug track being substantially parallel to the adjacent door tracks, follower means in said plug tracks connected to the trailing edge of the door to guide same into and out of plugging relationship to the opening, door actuator means, and means for drivingly connecting said actuator means intermediate the leading and trailing edges of the door.
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) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |