Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural and/or with rigid closure – Diverse types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-21
2003-09-02
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural and/or with rigid closure
Diverse types
C049S164000, C049S489100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06612358
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to multi-track storm doors having movable panes. More particularly, the invention pertains to such doors which incorporate two tracks for pane movement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Storm doors with movable/storable panes of glass are known. Many such doors provide a fixed screen and a pane movable to open or close the screen.
Storm doors with removable, interchangeable panes and screens are also known. Full length and half-length panes and screens can be interchanged to provide a full glass door in cold weather and half or full screen doors in warm weather.
Triple track storm windows are also known. Such windows combine the advantages of double hung, independently movable panes with a movable screen.
Triple track storm windows while effective in fixed installations are heavy and present mounting problems in doors. While known doors can be opened or converted to screens, their flexibility and ease of use could be improved.
There continues to be a need for more versatile storm doors. Preferably such improvements could be made without substantially increasing door cost or weight. In addition, it would be preferable if ease of use and convenience could also be enhanced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A storm door incorporates first and second independently movable glass panes. The door has an elongated rectangular frame which bounds an interior region. A screen carried by the door covers the internal region.
The frame carries pairs of first and second tracks. One pair of tracks extends along each elongated side of the frame.
One glass pane is slidable along one track. A second is slidable, independently of the position of the first pane, along the second track. One of the panes is sandwiched between the screen and the other pane.
In one embodiment, the elongated sides of the frame are oriented so as to be substantially perpendicular to a horizontal plane. The panes can be moved vertically between upper and lower positions.
In one state, the panes completely close the interior region substantially blocking any flow therethrough. In a second state, one pane can be moved down to permit air to flow through an upper section of the screen. In a third state, one pane can be moved up to permit air to flow through a lower section of the screen. Finally, both panes can be moved down and up, respectively to permit simultaneous upper and lower air flow through the screen while only needing two inserts.
Latches can be used to lock the panes at selected locations. Minimal overlaps exist between the panes in one state, where the panes cover the interior region. As the interior region is uncovered, or opened to permit air to flow through, the panes relatively move toward one another and the overlap increases.
Advantages of the present door configuration include:
1. readily manufacturable and cost effective due to incorporating features, such as the screen, into the door frame; and
2. reduction in needed material due to incorporating necessary features into the frame.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1283918 (1918-11-01), Romuender
patent: 2914121 (1959-11-01), Taylor
patent: 4416089 (1983-11-01), Lambke, Jr.
patent: 4856243 (1989-08-01), Ault et al.
patent: 5039246 (1991-08-01), Woodruff et al.
patent: 5797223 (1998-08-01), Shoup et al.
patent: 6256931 (2001-07-01), Kenkel et al.
patent: 6363659 (2002-04-01), Wang
Columbia Manufacturing Corp., Screen Doors, published more than one year before Jun. 6, 2000.
Hay Bill R.
Lee Allen E.
Nordgaard Kelly D.
Zacher Bryan P.
Johnson Blair M.
Larson Manufacturing Company
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
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