Movable or removable closures – Mounted for movement to facially stacked position
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-17
2001-08-21
Strimbu, Gregory J. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Mounted for movement to facially stacked position
C049S413000, C049S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276091
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to sliding doors, and in particular to an assembly that utilizes two sliding glass doors and a stationary screen.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A sliding glass door in combination with a sliding screen door are commonly used to provide access to and from houses and other buildings. They provide greater sunlight and view than a standard swinging door, without the dangers that might be associated with a glass door that swings open. Furthermore, objects may be placed close to the sliding door without need to leave a path for the door to swing open. In the standard arrangement, there are two glass components and a single screen component all contained within a doorframe. Each of the glass components comprises a rectangular frame, typically made of wood, steel, aluminum, or vinyl, which surrounds a glass pane. The screen component comprises a rectangular frame across which a mesh screen is stretched. One of the glass components is stationary and forms a seal at one end of the doorframe, while the other can slide back and forth within the doorframe. The screen also slides back and forth within the doorframe.
This standard arrangement has a fully closed position to prevent access through the doorframe and to prevent natural ventilation across the doorframe. In this fully closed position the sliding glass component is slid to the opposite end of the doorframe from the stationary component. The frames of the glass components form a seal to prevent drafts, water, or insects from crossing the doorframe. When it is desired to have natural ventilation, while still maintaining a barrier to insects, birds, and the like, the sliding glass component is slid within the door frame towards the same end as the stationary component. The screen component is adjusted so that it is slid to the opposite end from the stationary glass component. In this arrangement, ventilation across the screen is allowed, while the screen provides a barrier to insects, small animals, and the like. In order to go in or out of the doorway, the screen must be slid back and forth.
The sliding glass component and the screen are retained in the doorframe by standard trackways. One of the common problems with this standard arrangement is that the screen becomes untracked easily. When this happens it is difficult to move the screen and it is necessary to fix the screen so that it is back in proper engagement with the track. However, getting the screen back into proper engagement with the track can be difficult and frustrating. As a result of its weight and rigidity, the sliding glass component is generally very reliable and rarely becomes untracked.
Another difficulty with standard sliding doorway designs is that the mechanism for locking the doors closed tends to be easily defeated. For this reason, it is common to wedge a broomstick, or other elongated rigid item, between the rear of the sliding glass door and the door frame to prevent the door from being opened. For this reason it would be beneficial to provide a secondary locking mechanism integrated with the door that would reinforce the standard locking mechanism.
In certain instances it would be desirable to change the side of the doorway that is being used for entrance and exit. For this reason it would be advantageous to have a sliding glass door system that is capable of quick conversion between left-hand and right-hand orientation.
The difficulties encountered in the prior art and discussed above are substantially eliminated by the present invention.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sliding glass door entryway in which the screen remains stationary and the glass components are both slidable.
It is another object of the present invention that is more reliable than past sliding glass door entryways.
By the present invention it is proposed to overcome the difficulties encountered heretofore. To that end, a sliding door assembly is proposed for connection within a standard sliding door doorway or the type having a lower frame member, an upper frame member, and first and second vertical frame members at opposite ends of the upper and lower doorway frame members. The doorway is located between an inside area and outside area. The sliding door assembly has first and second glass doors slidably received by the upper and lower frame members of the doorway, the second glass door being located to the outside of the first glass door. A screen panel is operably received by the upper and lower frame members of the doorway and is located to the outside of the first and second glass doors. The assembly includes means for locking the screen panel in place against the first vertical frame member of the doorway such that when the glass doors are slid against the second vertical frame member the screen panel in combination with the glass doors form a barrier to prevent insects and the like from crossing the doorway but still allow ventilation between the inside area and the outside area across the screen panel. When the screen panel is locked in place against the first vertical frame member, and one of the glass doors is against first vertical frame member and the other glass door is against the second vertical frame member, the glass doors form a barrier that substantially prevents ventilation across the doorway. When the screen panel is locked in place against the first vertical frame member of the doorway and both glass doors are slid toward the first vertical frame member of the doorway, an opening is formed between the doors and the second vertical frame member to allow egress across the doorway between the inside and outside areas. Preferably, the screen panel is adapted to be used in both a right-hand and a left-hand orientation.
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Gilchrist Michael C.
Laurenzo Brian J.
Strimbu Gregory J.
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