SINGLE-LEAF SLIDING SYSTEM
Patent Information
- Application Number
- MA44220
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MA · MA
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2016-11-23
- Filing Date
- 2017-11-22
- Publication Date
- 2018-05-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2037-11-22
Abstract
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sliding systems for window or door sashes. The invention is particularly applicable to sliding glass doors on a floor rail.
[0002] Generally, there are doors or windows with one or more sliding leaves relative to a frame. Such a leaf is able to slide in a generally vertical plane to open or close an opening defined by the frame in a wall, for example.
[0003] Typically, for its sliding movement, the sliding door or sash is guided along a guide rail within the frame, most often located on the floor at its lower rail. Opposite the guide rail, the sliding door or window has one or more carriages that slide along the rail, allowing the door or window to open and close. These carriages are attached to a rail on the door or window, usually beneath the lower rail. The weight of the door or window is supported by the carriages, which rest on the rail located in the floor rail.
[0004] One solution to meet energy efficiency standards is to increase the insulating or solar gain-enhancing surface area of window sashes, for example. Consequently, one trend is to maximize the sash panel height to increase and decrease the area of the technical profile surrounding the panel where energy loss occurs. For a bay window, the aim is therefore to increase the glazed area, known as the glazing area, relative to the technical section. Since the height of the sliding carriages supporting the sash determines the size of the metal technical section, the goal is to minimize the height occupied by these carriages on the sash.
[0005] The invention aims to address this need.
[0006] A conventional sliding carriage, in the case of a sliding door guided by a floor rail, consists of a support fixed under the lower rail of the sliding door, and a roller cage inserted into this support, the rollers being mounted to rotate on their respective axes. The carriage is not fixed to the rail. A solution to increase the surface area of the door panel would involve reducing the height of the carriages, and therefore that of the rollers. However, the applicant has observed that it is difficult to reduce the height of the rollers on such carriages without impairing their proper operation, particularly the smoothness of the movement.
[0007] Patent application KR 2009 0100876A describes a system for opening or closing a window sash by sliding, as described in the preamble of claim 1, comprising a ball-bearing carriage located under the window frame and guided in translation along a rail within the window frame. The carriage, in the shape of an inverted T, comprises a simple cage containing a single circuit for the circulation of balls between a housing at the top of the cage and a longitudinal open channel located in the center of the cage. The balls in the channel roll along a central track of the rail. The carriage rests on the rail without clamping it. The sash can have a larger glazed area; however, such a carriage is relatively unstable when rolling along a rail. It is prone to derailment or jamming.
[0008] JP H07 6350 U discloses a sliding system for curved tunnel elements equipped at their two lateral ends with ball recirculating carriages, each carriage clamping a guide rail per side of curved element.
[0009] JP 2003 184410 A discloses a sliding system for a partition mounted sliding at its upper part on ball recirculating carriages enclosing a suspended guide rail.
[0010] In these two documents JP H07 6350 U and JP 2003 184410 A, the trolleys each include two ball circulation circuits per side, i.e. four circuits in total, and at least one of the two circuits per side of trolley guides laterally the trolley which clamps the rail to stabilize the trolley on the rail.
[0011] The invention aims to provide an opening assembly in which the panel part occupies the largest possible surface area, and in which the sliding system is stable, reliable and capable of allowing the movement of a relatively heavy leaf, in particular a bay window, on a rail in a ground-mounted frame cross member.
[0012] To this end, the invention provides a sliding system for a leaf capable of sliding in a generally vertical plane to open or close an opening delimited by a frame, said system comprising the characteristics of claim 1.
[0013] The two housings and two channels are arranged so that a housing and a channel on the same longitudinal side of the cage communicate with each other via two recirculation sections, one section connecting the respective ends of the housing and channel closest to each other. This housing, this channel, and the connecting recirculation sections define a circulation circuit for the rolling elements of the trolley for a given side of the trolley. The trolley according to the invention therefore comprises two circulation circuits for the rolling elements arranged symmetrically with respect to the central longitudinal vertical plane of the cage. In particular, the housings are arranged parallel to each other, as are the channels. The central body of the cage is advantageously parallelepiped in shape.
[0014] The sliding system carriage according to the invention is thus very stable and is capable of rolling on a rail located at the bottom of a frame, particularly one placed on the floor. It is capable of sliding a door leaf along a guide rail with a tilting motion that allows it to follow the contours of the rail.
[0015] The rolling elements, balls or rollers, are arranged in close proximity so that they can be rotated and moved in translation by guidance within the circulation path under the action of the translational movement of the carriage, which rests along the guide rail under the weight of the door leaf, on which a thrust is exerted. The carriage of the sliding system according to the invention is capable of rolling while resting on the guide rail during the movement of the door leaf, said carriage resting on the rail without clamping it. Since the carriage is not fixed to the rail, it can therefore be installed or removed from the door leaf while the rail is in place.
[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the respective surfaces of the recirculation parts and the support parts coming into contact are formed, for the former, by a sloping internal ramp present on each of the longitudinal (internal) lateral walls of each of the said support parts, and for the latter, by a convex surface present on the upper face of each of the said recirculation parts.
[0017] Curved surfaces can be provided on the inside of the support parts and sloping surfaces provided at the cage level, however this embodiment is a little less efficient than the preferred method described above for generating the tilting movement of the carriage to follow the relief of the rail.
[0018] According to another embodiment of the invention, each recirculation piece comprises a proximal part whose surface is convex, and each said support piece has on its longitudinal lateral walls a sloping internal ramp coming into contact with the convex face of said upper face of the recirculation piece.
[0019] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, said recirculation parts each have an upper face comprising a generally horizontal proximal portion with a convex surface, extended by an inclined distal portion. The inclined portion particularly facilitates the handling of the trolley during its installation under the door leaf. The terms "distal" and "proximal" are defined relative to the central body of the cage.
[0020] For a given recirculation part, the cage comprising two circulation circuits of the rolling elements, this part includes two hollow and curved recirculation sections which are arranged opposite each other on either side of said part, in particular on either side of the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the housings and circulation channels, i.e. the central longitudinal vertical plane of the cage, so that one section opens on one side into the end of a housing in the upper part of the central body and on the other side into the end of a circulation channel in the lower part of the central body, a channel open at its base, and which are present on the same side of said plane of symmetry.
[0021] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the housings in the upper part of the central body of the cage are offset from the corresponding channels in the lower part, the recirculation sections connecting a housing and a channel on the same longitudinal side of the cage being in a plane substantially inclined relative to the vertical longitudinal plane of the cage. This configuration allows for a compact trolley cage, even though it has two circulation circuits, and it can be less tall than if a housing and a channel on the same side were superimposed directly above each other, for example. This configuration therefore makes it possible to further increase the panel area of the opening, in particular the clear glazing of a window.
[0022] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide rail comprises two longitudinal raceways arranged so that one raceway corresponds with the base of the trolley's circulation channel on the same side as the trolley. More particularly, these two raceways are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the trolley's longitudinal circulation channels, so that the rolling elements retained in a circulation channel appearing at the open base of said channel can rest on said raceway corresponding to the channel when the trolley is mounted under the door leaf. In particular, said raceways are parallel to each other. Said raceways are located on the upper face of the rail.
[0023] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, said two longitudinal rail tracks, arranged so that the rolling elements retained in a circulation channel and appearing at its open base can bear against the track corresponding to said channel (when the trolley is under the gate), are such that each track of the rail is in the form of a groove (carved in the rail) of a shape substantially adapted to that of the rolling elements.
[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said rail of the sliding system has a central longitudinal edge useful for guiding the carriage, said edge being positioned between the longitudinal channels of the carriage when the carriage is supported on the rail, i.e. when the carriage is mounted under the leaf.
[0025] In the preferred case where the rail has two running tracks, said tracks are separated by said central edge useful for guiding the trolley.
[0026] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said support pieces are held together by a screw-nut type connection.
[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the trolley is also height-adjustable, and by a screw-nut type connection securing the two support parts together.
[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment, said connecting screw allows the height adjustment of the cage in its support, under the action of screwing / unscrewing said screw, by sliding the upper face of a recirculation piece in its support piece which has on each of its longitudinal walls a sloping internal ramp coming into contact with a curved surface of said upper face of the cage.
[0029] According to a particular embodiment, said connecting screw also passes in a groove present along the upper face of the cage.
[0030] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said sliding system includes a fixing block attached to the carriage support by force fitting at the end of one of said parts of the carriage support, and which allows the carriage to be fixed to the crossbar of the leaf.
[0031] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said trolley can be equipped with scrapers, preferably of beveled shape, arranged at its ends, at the level of the recirculation parts, in order to remove various dirt, and in particular small pebbles or gravel present on the sliding rail.
[0032] The invention also relates to an opening assembly comprising a leaf capable of sliding in a generally vertical plane to open or close an opening delimited by a frame and a sliding system with at least one carriage attached to the bottom rail of the leaf, guided in support on a rail attached to the frame, characterized in that said sliding system is as described above.
[0033] Specifically, this rail is positioned in the lower part of the frame. More precisely, this rail is attached to the lower rail of the frame, which rests on the floor. The door leaf thus slides in its own vertical plane, on a rail within a rail on the floor.
[0034] In particular, the door leaf has a glazed panel. Preferably it is fully glazed, thus forming a glazed bay window.
[0035] The invention also relates to a sliding door leaf adapted to be guided along a guide rail, in particular a rail arranged in a horizontal bottom rail of the frame. Said door leaf comprises, attached to one of its horizontal rails, at least one carriage with recirculating bearings in the form of balls or rollers, which allows it to slide along said rail for opening and closing in a sliding system as described above according to the invention. In particular, the invention relates to a door leaf with a glazed panel, especially one that is fully glazed.
[0036] The invention will now be described more fully within the framework of a particular example and preferred features and their advantages, with reference to figures 1 à 7 in which: there figure 1 is a perspective view of a sliding system consisting of a sliding carriage and a rail, the carriage being shown positioned on the running rail according to the invention; the figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cart according to the invention shown in figure 1 ; there figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the trolley cage according to the invention shown in figure 1 Or 2 ; there figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the trolley cage of the figure 3 ; there figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the trolley cage positioned on a rail as shown in figure 1 ; there figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cart such as the one shown in figure 1 Or 2 , there figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a trolley mounted under a door leaf.
[0037] Not all elements are always represented at the same scale for the sake of clarity in the figures.
[0038] The invention will be described in the context of a particular, non-limiting example of a sliding system comprising a recirculating carriage of rolling elements in the form of balls, and fixed to the lower part of the leaf it supports.
[0039] There figure 1 represents a sliding system according to the invention, comprising a sliding carriage and a rail, said carriage comprising a cage 1, containing rolling balls, inserted in its support 2, and shown positioned on a guide rail 3, said carriage being intended to be fixed to the profile cross member P of a sliding leaf V, for example of a window, as schematically illustrated in figure 7 .
[0040] One feature of the invention is the trolley cage shown in exploded view. figure 3 and in longitudinal section figure 4 This cage 1 comprises two cylindrical longitudinal chambers 100 and 101, hollowed out in the upper part of the central body 10 of the cage. The central body of the cage has a generally parallelepiped shape. These chambers are arranged parallel to each other within the cage body, symmetrically with respect to the vertical longitudinal plane of the cage, and they contain marbles B0. Each end of the chambers is extended by a recirculation section formed by a cavity, having a cylindrical shape describing a curve in a substantially vertical longitudinal plane. Thus, a chamber 100 is extended by two end cavities 1001, 1002, located respectively at each end of the cage 11, 12, which guide the circulating marbles in a generally substantially vertical longitudinal plane. These cavities are connected at their other ends to channels located in the lower part of the central body of the cage.These longitudinal channels for the circulation of balls 102, 103, are open at their base (. figure 5 ou 4 The circulation channel is sufficiently open at its base to allow the B1 balls to contact the rail, while being sufficiently closed to keep the balls captive. The circulation channel has a generally cylindrical shape with a radius of curvature adapted to the size of the balls, which allows the balls to be retained while their movement is guided by contact along the raceway of the carriage's guide rail, which rests on the rail.
[0041] Thus, the balls in a housing 100 in the upper part of the cage's central body are set in motion by the balls moving contiguously in the circulation channel during the longitudinal translation of the carriage carrying the door leaf to be slid. This housing 100 guides them to its exit towards a recirculation cavity of the cage 1002, which guides them to the longitudinal circulation channel 102 in the lower part of the cage's central body 10, until they reach the other curved recirculation cavity 1001 at the end of the cage, which guides them back into the longitudinal housing 100. The balls thus circulate in a loop between their housing and the circulation channel, which is open to the carriage's guide rail, as the carriage moves to slide the door leaf in translation by bearing against the rail.The carriage comprises two symmetrical arrangements of adjacent rows of balls, and it rolls on two parallel longitudinal raceways, symmetrically positioned on either side of the guide rail. These raceways are advantageously separated by a central longitudinal edge that contributes to guiding the carriage.
[0042] Preferably, to increase the travel radius of the rolling elements in the end sections of the cage, the housings in the upper part of the central cage body are slightly offset from the channels in the lower part. The recirculation sections connecting a housing and a channel on the same side are then slightly inclined relative to the longitudinal vertical plane. The angle of inclination can be chosen between 30 and 45 degrees. This configuration allows for a relatively compact cage with a fairly small volume, consequently enabling a smaller carriage, thus allowing for a reduction in the technical section of the door leaf and therefore a larger panel area.
[0043] According to the invention, the sliding carriage, which carries the sliding leaf, is such that the cage comprises the rolling elements (balls or rollers) arranged closely together so as to form a continuous rolling surface in the open base of the channels.
[0044] The number of rolling elements in the trolley depends on the weight of the door leaf that the trolley must support. The length of the trolley therefore depends on the number of rolling elements required to keep the elements of a given circulation circuit together.
[0045] The material of the rolling elements is chosen according to technical criteria of use and physical characteristics of the leaves to be equipped. They can be, for example, made of metal, particularly steel, or of a polymer-based material, composite or even ceramic.
[0046] The diameter of the bearing elements is chosen to match the minimum dimensions of the carriage corresponding to the minimum sliding rail to be fitted. For example, a diameter of 4 mm would be suitable for a standard sliding glass door sash.
[0047] In this particular example, the cage ends are presented as separate parts 11, 12, called recirculation parts, which include curved cavities forming the recirculation sections, joined respectively on either side of the central body of the cage. For example, these recirculation parts 11, 12 are screwed to the central body of the cage 10. According to the example in figure 3 Two groups of fixing screws 13, 14; 15, 16, pass respectively through slots 130, 140; 150, 160 in said recirculation parts, until they screw into corresponding slots in the central body. On the figure 3 are shown the fixing screws 15, 16 of the recirculation part 12 which will pass through said part by passing through the respective corresponding light 150, 160 of said part to screw respectively into the corresponding lights 19, 18 of the central body 10.
[0048] Preferably, each end 11 and 12 of the carriage cage has a specific convex surface shape that, in conjunction with the sloping internal surfaces of the support, allows for a certain range of relative movement between the cage and its support. This creates a possible rocking motion between the straight, sloping ramps 210, 220 of the support members 21, 22 and the convex faces 111, 121 of the cage. The carriage can thus roll with a rocking motion that allows it to follow the guide rail's tracks, which may not be perfectly flat in either the horizontal or vertical plane. This shape includes a beveled portion in the distal upper part 110, 120 and a convex portion in the proximal upper part 111, 121.In other words, the upper face of each end of the trolley cage comprises a proximal part in a generally horizontal plane but whose surface is convex, extended by an inclined distal part.
[0049] These specific shapes also allow for height adjustment of the cage within its support. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support 2 may comprise two separate, hollowed-out parts 21, 22, which fit respectively onto the ends of the cage 11, 12. The two recirculation parts for the bearing elements are engaged on their upper faces 110, 111; 120, 121. A screw-nut type connection secures the support parts together, such that the support parts retain the cage. Inside each hollowed-out support part, on either side of their longitudinal lateral walls, are sloping ramps 210, 220 that bear against the convex proximal face of the corresponding cage end.
[0050] Once the cage is secured to its support, as explained below, the shape of these ends, mainly the domed shape, is useful for adjusting the height of the trolley by a wedge effect which will raise or lower the cage in the support under the action of a screw-nut type connection between the cage and the support.
[0051] A central concave groove 17 is cut longitudinally into the upper outer face of the cage, on the recirculation parts and the central body, to receive the connecting screw 23. The screw 23 is inserted into a slot made in the transverse (extreme) wall of one of the two support parts 22, which covers one extreme wall of the cage, where it is held by its head. The screw passes through the groove in the cage until its threaded end emerges through a slot in the transverse (extreme) wall of the other support part 21, which covers the other extreme wall of the cage, and is inserted and screwed into a nut 24 embedded in this end of the support part. The cage is thus held at its ends, clamped between the two support parts.By tightening the connecting screw 23 more or less, the parts of the support 21, 22 slide on the cage by sliding the internal ramps of the support parts in contact with the domed faces 111, 121 of the extreme parts of the cage 11, 12, which makes it possible to act on the height of the cage in the support, and consequently to adjust the height of the carriage by wedge effect.
[0052] The angle of inclination of the distal upper face of the ends of the cage is advantageously about 60 degrees with respect to the carriage's running tracks on the rail (i.e., the horizontal).
[0053] Furthermore, the connecting screw 23 between the cage and its support can have a relatively long adjustment range, which is advantageous for adjusting the height of a carriage carrying a relatively heavy door leaf. The carriage height adjustment can be easily finalized once the door leaf is positioned in its receiving frame.
[0054] Furthermore, a fixing lug 25 is attached to the carriage support, for example by press-fitting one end of the carriage support parts 22. This lug allows the carriage to be fixed to the leaf rail, in this example, to the lower rail of leaf V, specifically beneath the rail. Advantageously, this lug can also be used to guide the wrench for tightening the cage-support connecting screw and for adjusting the carriage height, for example, by means of a recess through which the wrench will pass.
[0055] The trolley according to the invention can operate on a guide rail known per se and commonly used for roller trolleys, the raceways for the rolling elements (balls or rollers) being located, on the upper face of the rail, on either side of the central longitudinal protrusion guide line with substantially triangular cross-section and which usually serves as the roller raceway.
[0056] However, preferably, the guide rail of the carriage is advantageously a rail adapted to the ball (or roller) bearing carriage described above. According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, each raceway of the guide rail is then in the form of a longitudinal groove 31, 32. The groove has a shape adapted to the rolling elements; for example, for balls, it has a concave shape with a rounded edge adapted to ensure good contact between the balls and the rail and to best assist in guiding and rolling the balls. Such an example is illustrated in figure 1 Or figure 5 . This figure 5Figure 3, following a central cross-sectional view of the carriage cage mounted on the guide rail, illustrates the balls B12 and B13 traveling on their respective longitudinal raceways 32 and 31 of the rail, while also being guided, respectively, at their carriage sides, in the longitudinal channels 102 and 103 opened in the lower part of the central body of the cage. Furthermore, the central edge 30, which projects outward, separating these raceways on the upper face of the rail, can be useful in improving the guidance of the carriage on the rail.
[0057] In addition, to avoid soiling when using the sliding trolley on a floor rail in particular, the trolley can advantageously be equipped with R1, R2 scrapers, preferably beveled for greater efficiency, placed at its ends, at the level of the recirculation parts 11, 12. Brushes can also be installed on the trolley and / or on the door leaf, and preferably placed further out than the scrapers when they are on the trolley.
[0058] The invention has been illustrated in the specific example of a ball recirculating carriage, but can easily be adapted to the case of rollers in the form of small cylinders. Indeed, according to the invention, when the rolling elements are in the form of a plurality of rollers, said elements are arranged one after the other, transversely, along their axis of revolution, in the receiving parts of the carriage cage, namely the housings, channels, and recirculation sections forming the circulation circuit of said elements. These receiving parts have a generally parallelepiped shape adapted to contain or retain these elements. Similarly, the grooves forming the raceways of the guide rail have a generally parallelepiped shape adapted to the rollers.
[0059] The preceding description clearly explains how the invention achieves its stated objectives. The sliding system according to the invention surprisingly achieves smooth rolling of the carriage on the rail, enabling the sliding of a door leaf it supports, even one of considerable weight, despite the fact that the rolling elements, balls or rollers, are smaller in diameter than the rollers typically used in this field. Because the carriage is less tall than a roller carriage, and the cage is very compact, the glazed area of the door leaf can be larger, thus maximizing solar gain while maintaining stable rolling. The carriage's balance, achieved through its operation with two circulation circuits, results in very stable sliding of the carriage, and therefore of the door leaf.The sliding system carriage according to the invention allows a door leaf to slide along a guide rail with a rocking motion that follows the rail's contours, preventing the carriage from jamming or derailing during its travel. This is achieved even though the rail and carriage are not directly connected to each other; the carriage is attached only to the door leaf, and the rail to the frame.
[0060] The sliding system according to the invention is well suited to provide a sliding system for sliding bay window on a guide rail arranged in the lower crossbar of a frame, particularly on the floor.
[0061] In addition, this trolley also has the added advantage of being height-adjustable, even when attached to a gate already installed.
Claims
1. A sliding system for a leaf intended to slide in a substantially vertical plane in order to open or close an opening delimited by a frame, said system comprising at least a sliding carriage being fixed under the leaf and a guiding rail for said carriage being provided at a lower part of the frame, said carriage including a bearing cage containing bearing elements under the form of balls or rollers, said carriage cage comprising in its upper part at least a longitudinal housing (100) which contains said bearing elements and in its lower part at least a longitudinal circulating channel (102) opened on its base, retaining said bearing elements, said housing and said channel being arranged so that they communicate between each other via hollow and curved sections (1001, 1002) accommodating bearing elements, defining recirculating sections, intended to the guidance of the bearing elements between said housing and said channel so that said bearing elements can circulate in loop between said housing and said channel during the translation movement of the carriage on the rail, said carriage being on the rail without surrounding said rail, characterized in that said carriage cage comprises a longitudinal central body (10) which includes in its upper part two of said longitudinal housings (100, 101), and provided substantially symmetrically relatively to the central longitudinal vertical plane of the cage and in its lower part two of said longitudinal circulating channels (102, 103), opened on their base, and provided substantially symmetrically relatively to said central longitudinal vertical plane of the cage, and in that said cage comprises two extreme recirculating parts (11, 12) respectively joined tip to tip with said central body (10), said parts including each one two recirculating sections provided facing each other on one part and the other of said central longitudinal vertical plane of the cage, the recirculating sections on the same longitudinal side of the recirculating parts respectively connecting an end of said housing and of said channel of said same side, and in that said cage is inserted into one support (2) to be fixed to the leaf, said support comprising two hollow support parts (21, 22) provided respectively engaged on said recirculating parts of the cage so that the cage is retained between these two support parts, and in that said support parts (21, 22) and said recirculating parts (11, 12) are provided with respective contacting surfaces which, for the ones, are sloping (210; 220) and, for the others, convex (111, 121) so that these said sloping and convex surfaces cooperate therebetween to allow a rocking movement of the carriage when it slides resting on the rail.
2. The sliding system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said respective surfaces of the recirculating parts (11, 12) and of the contacting support parts are for the ones formed with a sloping internal slope (210; 220) provided on each of the longitudinal side walls of each one of said support parts and, for the others, with a convex surface provided on the upper face of each one of said recirculating parts.
3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said recirculating parts (11, 12) are each one provided with an upper face comprising a substantially horizontal proximal part whose surface is convex (111, 121), extended by a sloping distal part (110, 120).
4. The system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said housings on the upper part of the cage central body are offset relatively to said corresponding channels on lower part, the recirculating sections connecting one said housing and one said channel on the same longitudinal side of the cage being in a plane substantially sloping relatively to the longitudinal vertical plane of the cage.
5. The system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said rail (3) comprises two longitudinal bearing pathways (31, 32), so that the bearing elements retained in a circulating channel and appearing into its open base can bear against the bearing pathway in correspondence with said channel, each bearing pathway of the rail being provided as a throat of a shape substantially adapted to that of the bearing elements.
6. The system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said rail (3) is provided with a central longitudinal edge (30) useful for the guidance of the carriage (30), said edge being positioned between the longitudinal channels of the carriage when the carriage is bearing against the rail.
7. The system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that said support parts (21, 22) are retained therebetween by a connection of screw-nut type.
8. The system according to one of claims 2 to 6 and to claim 7, characterized by the fact that said connecting screw allows the height adjustment of the cage in its support, under the screwing / unscrewing action of said screw, by slipping of the upper face of a recirculating part in its support part which is provided, on each one of its longitudinal walls, with a sloping internal slope (210; 220) contacting a convex surface of said cage upper face.
9. The system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by the fact that said connecting screw (23) further passes into a throat (17) provided along the cage upper face.
10. The sliding system according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a fixing pad (25) secured to the carriage support by force fitting at the tip of one of said parts of the carriage support (22), and which allows to secure the carriage to the leaf cross-piece.
11. An opening assembly comprising a leaf intended to slide in a substantially vertical plane in order to open or close an opening delimited by a frame and a sliding system with at least one carriage secured to the leaf lower cross-piece, guided by resting against a rail secured to the frame, characterized in that said sliding system is according to one of claims 1 to 10.
12. The opening assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that the guiding rail is secured to the frame lower cross-piece lying on the ground.
13. The opening assembly according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said leaf is provided with a totally glazed panel.