Vinyl frame, multi-panel, sliding door assembly

Filing Information

• Patent Number: US4398373
• Application Number: US6210514
• Filing date: 11/28/1980
• Issue date: 08/16/1983
• Predicted expiration date: 11/28/2000

• U.S. Classifications: /494.25  · /494.58  ·
• International Classifications: E05D 1302 ·
• International Classifications: 49425;404;504;406;458;454;456 ·
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Patent Family

Abstract

A sliding glass door assembly comprises a frame of rigid plastic, for example polyvinyl chloride, extruded in the form of a plurality of adjacent hollow sections. The upright and horizontal frame members are attached together by screws extending horizontally through the upright members into longitudinally extending screw bosses in the horizontal frame members. The frame members include depending guides for supporting door panels, at least one of which slides open and closed. The door panels are formed of vertical and horizontal sash members which support at least one, but preferably several, glass panels. The sash members are also formed of plural hollow sections that cooperate for strength, and are attached by screw bosses. Preferably, the screw bosses in the sash of the moveable panel or panels are contained in the upright sash members, and preferably each upright sash member has a pair of screw bosses for attaching not only the lower sash member, but also for attaching roller elements at each end of the moveable sash. The roller elements are supported on a track held in the lower horizontal frame member.

Independent Claims | See all claims (16)

1. 1. A frame assembly for a door having at least one sliding panel comprising a pair of elongated upright frame members formed of rigid plastic, a pair of elongated horizontal frame members formed of rigid plastic, means for rigidly attaching said horizontal members to said upright members to form a frame, and guide means on said frame members for supporting said panel and for moving said panel longitudinally between closed and open positions, wherein each said member is formed to have, in cross-section, a series of laterally contiguous hollow sections cooperating to render each frame member rigid over its entire length and forming a rigid frame assembly which is capable of supporting a sliding door assembly; wherein said series in one of said upright frame members and said horizontal frame members comprises a plurality of in-line, first hollow sections, separated by smaller, second hollow sections arranged to accept attaching screws, wherein said second hollow sections maintain the rigidity of said frame members and are capable of withstanding compressive and bending forces associated with attaching the horizontal and vertical frame members together at said second hollow sections.
2. 5. A door assembly comprising at least two panels, each panel comprising a plurality of sash members, and a frame assembly, said frame assembly comprising a plurality of elongated frame members formed of rigid plastic for supporting said panels, depending members for capturing and supporting said panels, and guide means for supporting said panels and for permitting at least one of said panels to move longitudinally, in a horizontal direction between closed and open positions, wherein each frame member is formed to have, in cross-section, a series of laterally contiguous hollow sections cooperating to support adjacent hollow sections to render each member rigid over its entire length and forming a frame assembly which is capable of supporting glass door panels, wherein said series in one of said upright frame members and said horizontal frame members comprises a plurality of in-line, first hollow sections, separated by smaller, second hollow sections arranged to accept attaching screws, wherein said second hollow sections maintain the rigidity of said frame members and are capable of withstanding compressive and bending forces associated with attaching the horizontal and vertical frame members together at said second hollow sections.