Description

Sliding door with variable dimensions

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sliding door with variable dimensions.

The integration of each component of furnishings in an overall framework that is uniform in terms of appearance and architecture is currently one of the leading requirements when designing a room. Whether it is intended to be lived in or as a workplace, other fundamentally important parameters to be considered are without doubt the ever smaller dimensions of the spaces available and the desire to keep costs as low as possible.

Background Art

Paying particular attention to doors, the most recent responses to the requirements described above indicate that the most widespread solutions of recent years are slide-away sliding doors, which allow significant space saving, and doors which open by turning, which, once closed, integrate perfectly in the wall in which they are inserted, lying flush with it.

However, while sliding doors are limited in that they cannot integrate with the wall of which they will become a part, since, at best, they can be brought flush with the wall only on one side of the wall, doors which open by turning still need more space when they are opened, which is something that is not always compatible with the dimensions of the room to be furnished.

In addition, in the case of slide-away sliding doors, the dimensions of the panel must be correlated both to the casing which contains it when the access opening between two rooms must remain clear, and to the dimensions of the wall of which it will become a part when the access opening is closed. That makes it impossible to also standardise the dimensions of panels and casings in terms of the depth.

Disclosure of the invention

The present invention therefore has for an aim to eliminate the above- mentioned disadvantages. This is achieved with a sliding door with variable dimensions.

The main advantage of the present invention basically consists of the fact that it allows space to be saved as well as perfectly integrating in the wall of which it is a part. In addition, this occurs irrespective of the finishes used, such as bricks, plasterboard, wood or other. Moreover, since the depth can be adapted according to requirements, it may be considered a standard product irrespective of the thickness of the wall in which it is to be inserted.

Other advantages derive from the fact that the play typical of sliding doors is practically eliminated. Therefore, high standards of heat and sound insulation are guaranteed, as well as screening and pressurisation for the rooms separated by the invention.

Finally, since all of the components of the invention can be connected in a removable way, it can be supplied in a kit, leaving the user free to adapt it to his requirements and allowing the manufacturer and the distributor to make significant savings in terms of warehouse management.

Brief description of the drawings

Further advantages and features of the invention are more apparent in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred, non-limiting example embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment; Figure 2 is an exploded view of several component parts of the invention, according to the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the invention according to the embodiment

of the previous figures, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others;

Figure 3a is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 3;

Figure 4 is longitudinal section of the invention according to the embodiment of the previous figures, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others;

Figure 4a is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 4;

Figures 5 and 5a are cross-sections at different levels of the invention according to the embodiment of the previous figures, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others; Figure 6 is a perspective schematic view of the invention according to an alternative embodiment to the previous one, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others;

Figure 6a is an exploded view of the diagram of Figure 6 and Figure 6b is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 6a; Figure 7 is a cross-section of a third embodiment of the invention, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others;

Figure 7a is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 7;

Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a detail of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

The invention relates to a sliding door with variable dimensions, comprising a casing (1) designed to house it, a closing wing (2), and at least one sliding track

(3).

Unlike prior art sliding doors (10), in this solution the wing (2) comprises a central frame (21), able to slide relative to the track (3), and at least two movable lateral panels (22, 23), connected to the central frame (21) at least by means of one articulated mechanism (24). In this way, the panels (22, 23) can pass from a retracted home position, when the wing (2) is housed in the casing (1), to an extracted operating position, when the wing (2) closes an opening, in which the wing (2) adopts the thickness of the wall in which the opening is made, and vice

versa. Control means (26) for the articulated mechanism (24) allow the position of the panels (22, 23) to be modified when necessary.

The wing (2) also comprises supporting means (25), interposed between the frame (21) and the panels (22, 23), which allow the panels (22, 23) to be kept at the correct level during their movement.

In a preferred embodiment, the control means (26) for the articulated mechanism (24) comprise a pair of handles (30), each projecting from a panel (22, 23), thus allowing operation of the articulated mechanism (24) from both sides of the door (10). Alternatively, as illustrated in Figure 8, the control means (26) for the articulated mechanism (24) comprise elastic elements (261) connecting the lateral panels (22, 23), for example springs, designed to pass from a compressed position, when the wing (2) is inside the casing (1), to an expanded position, when the wing (2) is extracted from the casing (1), and vice versa. While the elastic elements (261) automatically pass from the compressed position to the expanded position when the wing (2) is extracted from the casing (1), in order to return the wing (2) to its place inside the casing (1) it is sufficient to simply apply pressure on the outer face of at least one of the lateral panels (22, 23) and simultaneously slide the entire wing (2) into the casing (1).

The articulated mechanism (24) may be made in various ways which are functionally equivalent. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 to 5a, it comprises a pair of transmission rods (27), each integral with a handle (30), and at least one articulated quadrilateral (28), in which two opposite vertices (28a) pivot at the transmission rods (27) and are housed in corresponding cavities (22a, 23a) made in the panels (22, 23), so that they remain at the same level, and the other two opposite vertices (29a) are free to move vertically in a central frame (21) guide (21c), so that pushing or pulling at least one handle (30) causes symmetrical movements of the lateral panels (22, 23).

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6, 6a and 6b, the articulated mechanism (24) comprises a transmission bar (31), having the ends (31a, 31b) housed in corresponding cavities (21a, 21b) of the central frame (21), the bar

being connected to the handles (30) in such a way that pushing or pulling a handle (30) makes the bar (31) rotate. The bar also supports two symmetrical arms (32, 33), whose ends (32a, 32b; 33a, 33b) are free to slide in corresponding guides (22b, 22c; 23b, 23c) belonging to the panels (22, 23), in such a way that a rotation of the bar (31) causes symmetrical movements of the lateral panels (22, 23). In this version the ends (32a, 32b; 33a, 33b) of the arms (32, 33) are suitably fitted with wheels (34), designed to limit friction in the relative movement of the arms (32, 33) and guides (22b, 22c; 23b, 23c).

Finally, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 7 and 7a, the articulated mechanism (24) comprises pairs of racks (242, 243) which are integral with the movable panels (22, 23) one after another and engage, two by two, with corresponding gears (241) connected to the central frame (21) and free to rotate relative to a vertical axis, so that pushing or pulling at least one of the lateral panels (22, 23) causes symmetrical movements of the panels (22, 23). Although even a single pair of racks (242, 243) and a single corresponding gear (241) may be sufficient, the embodiment illustrated allows the forces applied to be shared over the entire width of the wing (2).

Figure 3a shows how the supporting means (25) comprise carriages (252, 253) which are integral with the panels (22, 23) one after another and matching sliding supports (251) which are integral with the central frame (21). To allow it to be adapted to different housing geometries, the central frame (21) has a guide (215) on its upper horizontal member, for modifying the fixing point for the sliding supports (251).

The door (10) also comprises a contact post (4), visible in Figures 1, 5 and 5a, designed to be installed on the wall against which the wing (2) stops its stroke when the opening is closed. The contact post has means (41) for adjusting its depth, so that it can be adapted to different wall thicknesses.

Also connected to the horizontal member to which the sliding track (3) is connected, there are end of stroke stops (42), visible in Figure 4a, designed to make contact with corresponding profiles (22d, 23d) of the panels (22, 23), so as

to eliminate any play between the door and the wall.

The invention described above may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

Moreover, all details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Obviously, in practice modifications and/or improvements are possible which are covered by the appended claims.