Rail connector and rail connecting method using the same

Abstract

To make it possible to connect rails attached to a door frame of a sliding door to each other in a butted state without a gap in the longitudinal direction and without a positional deviation in the width direction.SOLUTION: The operation for eliminating a gap in the longitudinal direction between both rails 2 can be performed in such a manner of: fixing the whole of one rail 2 of a pair of rails 2 for connection to a door frame, causing the other rail 2 to oppose the one rail in the longitudinal direction; disposing a rail connector 10 including a connection adapter 11 having a U-shaped cross section and a connection plate 14 detachably attached to a bottom wall of the connection adapter 11 in such a way of straddling both rails 2 and for being fitted between both side plate sections 2b, 2c of each row of each of the rails 2; thereby adjusting the position in the width direction of the other rail 2 to a position where there is no deviation from the one rail 2; and screwing a connection screw 15 passed through the connection adapter 11 into the door frame from the connection plate 14 through each rail 2 in a state where there is no deviation in the position in the width direction between the rails 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rail connector for connecting rails attached to a sliding door frame in a state where the rails are butted together in the longitudinal direction, and to a rail connecting method using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Rails that guide the running of runners attached to the upper or lower ends of the door panels that make up a sliding door are usually sold in fixed lengths. However, when installing a sliding door, the length of the rail required varies depending on the opening width of the building, etc., so there are cases where rails that have been cut into short lengths or a cut rail and a fixed-length rail are butted together in the longitudinal direction and fixed to the door frame as necessary. In such cases, a rail connector for connecting rails that are butted together is known, such as that described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The rail connector (split rail connector) described in Patent Document 1 has a pair of screw mounting holes formed at a predetermined interval in a rectangular plate-shaped main body, and a protrusion protruding from the periphery of each screw mounting hole and tapered on one side of the main body. The distance between the pair of screw mounting holes (the center-to-center distance between both screw mounting holes) is set to be equal to or slightly larger than the sum of the distances from the butted ends of the pair of rails to be connected to the center of the nearest rail hole (hole for screwing the rail to the door frame).

[0004] In this rail connection method using the rail connector, a pair of rails to be connected are temporarily fixed to a door frame in a state of facing each other in the longitudinal direction, the rail connector is positioned so that its protrusions fit into the rail holes of each rail, and then connection screws are screwed into the door frame through both screw mounting holes of the rail connector and the rail holes of the rails to tighten the rail connector and the butted ends of each rail. This tightening causes the peripheral parts of the rail holes of each rail to be pressed by the tapered surfaces of the protrusions of the rail connector, and the rails move closer to each other, even if there is a gap between the temporarily fixed rails, so that the gap between the rails is minimized. In addition, if the protrusions of the rail connector are formed in a ring shape around the screw mounting holes, the positional deviation between the rails in the width direction can be automatically adjusted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-130395 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the rail connection method of Patent Document 1, the longitudinal and lateral position adjustments of the rails to be connected are performed simultaneously. Therefore, if there is a large misalignment between the rails in the width direction, there is a risk that the rails will be connected in a state where the longitudinal gap has been eliminated but a certain degree of misalignment in the width direction remains.

[0007] In other words, when the connecting screws are screwed into the door frame and the butt ends of the two rails come into contact, even if there is a widthwise misalignment between the rails, the relative widthwise movement of the two rails is restricted by the frictional force acting between their respective end faces, so the widthwise misalignment may remain.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to connect rails attached to the door frame of a sliding door in a butted state without any gaps in the longitudinal direction and without any positional misalignment in the width direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a rail connector for connecting a pair of rails, each having a bottom plate portion fixed to the door frame of a sliding door and side plate portions extending vertically from both sides of the bottom plate portion, in a state where they are butted together in the longitudinal direction, the rail connector comprising a connection adapter having a U-shaped cross section that fits between both side plate portions of the rail, and a connection plate that is detachably attached to the outer surface of the bottom wall connecting both side walls of the U-shaped cross section of the connection adapter, the connection plate having a pair of screw mounting holes formed at a predetermined interval such that the shank of a connection screw can be passed through but the head of the connection screw cannot pass through, and a protrusion that protrudes from the periphery of each of the screw mounting holes and has a tapered outer circumferential surface is provided on the surface opposite the mounting surface to the connection adapter, and the connection adapter has a pair of through holes formed in the bottom wall at positions that overlap with the screw mounting holes in the connection plate and are large enough to pass the entire screw through.

[0010] The rail connector of the above configuration 1 uses a connecting plate having a pair of screw mounting holes spaced apart corresponding to the distance from at least one end face to the center of the nearest rail hole in a normal commercially available rail, which is constant depending on the type of rail. Specifically, the connecting plate has a screw mounting hole spacing (center-to-center distance between both screw mounting holes) set to be equal to or slightly smaller than the sum of the distances from the butted ends of the pair of rails to the centers of the nearest rail holes.

[0011] With this rail connector, one rail is fixed to the door frame, the other rail is placed facing the first rail in the longitudinal direction, and the rail connector is placed between both side plates of the rails to straddle the two rails, so that the widthwise position of the other rail can be adjusted to a position without misalignment with the first rail. In this state, a connection screw is passed through each through hole of the connection adapter, and the screw is screwed into the door frame through each screw mounting hole of the connection plate and through the rail hole of each rail to fasten the connection plate and each rail, so that the tapered surface of the protrusion of the connection plate presses the periphery of the rail hole of each rail, bringing the other rail close to the one rail fixed to the door frame, and the two rails can be connected in a butted state without any gap in the longitudinal direction and without any misalignment in the width direction. Then, while in this connected state, the connection adapter can be separated from the connection plate and removed from the rail, and the other rail can be fixed to the door frame in its entirety.

[0012] Here, if the rail connector of configuration 1 above is configured so that an engagement protrusion is provided on the outer surface of the bottom wall of the connection adapter, which engages with the edge portion of the connection plate by snap fit (configuration 2), then after connecting the two rails, the connection adapter can be easily separated from the connection plate and removed from the rail.

[0013] Furthermore, if the rail connector of configuration 1 or 2 above is configured so that the outer surface of each side wall of the connection adapter is provided with an engaging recess that receives, by snap fit, an engaging protrusion protruding from the side plate portion of the rail toward the inside of the rail (configuration 3), when the frame of the sliding door to which the rail is attached is the upper frame of a hanging door, there is less risk of the rail connector being accidentally dropped after being fitted between the two side plate portions of the rail, and the rail connection work can be performed more efficiently.

[0014] The rail connection method of the present invention is a rail connection method using the rail connector of configurations 1 to 3 above, and includes the steps of fixing the entire one of the pair of rails to the door frame, positioning the rail connector across both rails and fitting it between both side plate portions of each rail while the other of the pair of rails is facing the one rail in the longitudinal direction, passing the screws through each of the through holes of the connection adapter and screwing the screws through each screw mounting hole of the connection plate and into the door frame through rail holes provided in the bottom plate portions of each rail to tighten the connection plate and the bottom plate portions of each rail, separating the connection adapter from the connection plate and removing it from the rail, and fixing the entire other rail to the door frame. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, as described above, the widthwise position of the pair of rails to be connected can be adjusted without misalignment, and then the work of eliminating the longitudinal gap between the two rails can be performed, so that the rails can be reliably connected with no longitudinal gap and no widthwise positional misalignment, with the rails butted together. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing an installation state of a hanging door to which the rail connector and rail connection method of the embodiment are applied. [Diagram 2] A side cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the rail connector according to the embodiment; [Figure 4] 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the rail connector of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the rail connector of FIG. [Figure 6] A front cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a connecting procedure of the rail connecting method according to the embodiment, as viewed from below. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a connection procedure following FIG. 7, as seen from below. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing the state of the rail connector and its surroundings after the connection procedure of FIG. 9 is performed. [Figure 11] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of Figure 10 [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a connection procedure subsequent to FIG. 9, as viewed from below. [Figure 13] 13 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in the middle of the connection procedure of FIG. 12 corresponding to FIG. 10; [Figure 14] (a) is a front cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13, and (b) is a front cross-sectional view showing the state in which the screw has been further screwed in from the state in (a) (the state after the connection procedure in FIG. 12 has been performed). [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a connection procedure subsequent to FIG. 12, as viewed from below. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 and 2 show the installed state of a hanging door as a sliding door to which the rail connector and rail connection method of this embodiment are applied. This hanging door has a pair of rails 2 fixed to an upper frame 1, which is part of a door frame installed in an opening of a building, in a state where they are butted together in the longitudinal direction, and the rails 2 support a number of runners 4 attached to the upper ends of two door panels 3 so that they can run freely along the upper frame 1.

[0018] Each rail 2 is a structure for suspending one door panel 3, which is arranged in two rows in the width direction and integrated together. The structure of one row is composed of a bottom plate 2a that is screwed to the upper frame 1, side plate parts 2b and 2c that extend vertically from both sides of the bottom plate 2a, and a pair of protrusions 2d that protrude from the lower surface of the bottom plate 2a and extend parallel in the longitudinal direction, sandwiching the screw-fastening position of the bottom plate 2a. The bottom plate 2a of each row has a plurality of rail holes 2e for screw fastening in the longitudinal direction between the pair of protrusions 2d. The side plate parts 2b on the outer side of each row are formed in an L-shaped cross section, and the side plate part 2c in the center of the width direction shared by both rows is formed in a T-shaped cross section, and the rollers 4a of each runner 4 are supported for free rolling by the arms extending inward in the width direction of the outer side plate parts 2b and the arms extending on both sides of the side plate part 2c in the center of the width direction.

[0019] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rail connector 10 of the embodiment comprises a resin connection adapter 11 having a U-shaped cross section that fits between the side plate portions 2b, 2c of each row of rails 2, and a metal connection plate 14 that is detachably attached to the outer surface of a bottom wall 13 that connects both side walls 12 of the U-shaped cross section of the connection adapter 11. The connection adapter 11 is formed in a box shape, and the box There are two reinforcing ribs on the inside in the longitudinal direction (see Figure 9).

[0020] The connecting plate 14 is formed with a pair of screw mounting holes 14a at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction. The interval L0 between the screw mounting holes 14a (the center-to-center distance between both screw mounting holes 14a) is set to be equal to or slightly smaller than the sum (L1+L2) of the distance from each butted end of each rail 2 to the center of the nearest rail hole 2e (see FIG. 14). For example, when L1+L2=60 mm (L1=L2=30 mm), L0=59.4 mm. The inner peripheral surface of each screw mounting hole 14a is tapered, and the minimum inner diameter is formed to be large enough to pass the shaft of a connecting screw 15 (see FIG. 12) but not the head.

[0021] 3 to 6, the upper surface of the connection plate 14 (the surface opposite to the surface attached to the connection adapter 11) is provided with protrusions 14b that protrude from the periphery of each screw attachment hole 14a and have a tapered outer circumferential surface. Semicircular notches 14c are formed on both longitudinal ends of the connection plate 14, and the periphery of the notches 14c is adapted to engage with the connection adapter 11.

[0022] The connection adapter 11 has a pair of through holes 13a formed in the bottom wall 13 at positions overlapping with the screw mounting holes 14a of the connection plate 14, the size of which allows the entire screw 15 to pass through. In addition, on the upper surface (outer surface) of the bottom wall 13, two engagement protrusions 13b, which are arc-shaped in plan view and protrude upward from the same circumference at positions axially outward from the through holes 13a, are provided, and the tip of each engagement protrusion 13b bulges slightly radially outward from the arc. As a result, when the connection plate 14 is brought close to the connection adapter 11 from above, each engagement protrusion 13b of the connection adapter 11 is pushed by the peripheral portion of the notch 14c of the connection plate 14, bent toward the center of the arc, and then elastically restored, so that the bulging portion of the tip overlaps the upper surface of the peripheral portion of the notch 14c. In other words, the engagement protrusions 13b are engaged with the peripheral portions at both ends of the connection plate 14 in the longitudinal direction by snap-fitting. A plate-shaped protrusion 13c having approximately the same width and thickness as the connecting plate 14 is provided axially outward of the engaging projection 13b.

[0023] Each side wall 12 of the connection adapter 11 has an arm 12a that extends outward in the width direction from its lower end and is divided into two in the longitudinal direction. An engagement recess 12b is provided on the outer surface of each side wall 12 at a position facing the base of the arm 12a, which receives, by snap fit, the tip end portions of the arms of the side plate portions 2b and 2c of the rail 2, which will be described later and serve as engagement protrusions (see FIG. 10).

[0024] The rail connector 10 of the embodiment is configured as described above. Next, a connection procedure of a rail connecting method using this rail connector 10 will be described.

[0025] When fixing the pair of rails 2 described above to the upper frame 1 while butting them together in the longitudinal direction, as a first step, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, screws 5 are screwed into the upper frame 1 through multiple rail holes 2e (excluding the connecting rail hole 2e closest to the butt end) provided in the bottom plate portion 2a of one of the rails 2 to fix the entire one of the rails 2 to the upper frame 1.

[0026] Next, in the second step, as shown in Fig. 9, the other rail 2 is longitudinally opposed to the one rail 2 previously fixed to the upper frame 1, and two rail connectors 10 are arranged to straddle both rails 2 and inserted between the two side plate parts 2b, 2c of each row of each rail 2. Then, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the arm parts 12a of each side wall 12 of the connection adapter 11 come into contact with the undersides of the arms of the side plate parts 2b, 2c of the rail 2, and at the same time, the engaging recess parts 12b of each side wall 12 of the connection adapter 11 receive the tip parts (engaging protrusion parts) of the arms of the side plate parts 2b, 2c of the rail 2 by snap-fitting, and the rail connector 10 is locked to the rail 2. At this time, the connecting plate 14 of the rail connector 10 is in a state where a part of the protrusion part 14b on the upper surface thereof is inserted into the rail hole 2e for connecting the rail 2.

[0027] In this second step, by fitting the rail connector 10 between the side plate portions 2b, 2c of the rail 2 as described above, the widthwise position of the other rail 2 is adjusted to a position without misalignment with the one rail 2. This makes it possible to carry out the subsequent steps in a state without misalignment of the widthwise positions of both rails 2. In addition, since the rail connector 10 is locked to the rail 2, there is little risk of the rail connector 10 being accidentally dropped thereafter, and the rail connecting work can be carried out efficiently.

[0028] In the third step, as shown in Figures 12 to 14(a) and (b), connection screws 15 are passed through each through hole 13a of the connection adapter 11, and the screws 15 are screwed into the upper frame 1 through each screw mounting hole 14a of the connection plate 14 and the connecting rail holes 2e of each rail 2, thereby tightening the connection plate 14 and the bottom plate portions 2a of each rail 2.

[0029] At this time, just before the connecting plate 14 and rails 2 are fastened by the screw 15, as shown in Figures 13 and 14(a), the connecting plate 14 is held with the tapered surface of its protrusion 14b abutting the tapered surface of the inner circumference of the rail hole 2e at the butting end, and usually there is a small gap in the longitudinal direction between both rails 2. Then, when the screw 15 is further screwed in from this state, as shown in Figure 14(b), the connecting plate 14 pressed by the head of the screw 15 presses the tapered surface of the protrusion 14b against the periphery of the rail hole 2e of each rail 2, so that one rail 2 approaches the other rail 2 that is already fixed to the upper frame 1, and finally both rails 2 are butted together in the longitudinal direction with no gap.

[0030] Then, in a fourth step, as shown in Fig. 15, the connection adapter 11 is separated from the connection plate 14 and removed from the rail 2. As described above, the connection plate 14 is detachably attached to the connection adapter 11 by snap-fitting, and the connection adapter 11 itself is also engaged with the side plate portions 2b, 2c of the rail 2 by snap-fitting, so that the connection adapter 11 can be easily removed. Finally, in a fifth step, the other rail 2 is entirely fixed to the upper frame 1 by screws 5 in the same manner as the one rail 2 (not shown), thereby completing the rail connection work.

[0031] In the rail connection method using the rail connector 10 of this embodiment, as described above, the work of eliminating any longitudinal gaps between the pair of rails 2 to be connected can be performed while the widthwise positions of the rails 2 to be connected are adjusted without any misalignment, so that the rails 2 can be reliably connected together with no longitudinal gaps and no widthwise positional misalignment, with the rails 2 butted together.

[0032] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0033] For example, the materials for forming the connection adapter and the connection plate of the rail connector are not limited to those in the embodiment, but may be any materials that can ensure the required strength.

[0034] In addition, in the embodiment, the rails having a structure for supporting the door panel formed in two rows are to be connected, but the present invention can of course also be applied to a rail having a structure with a single row.

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to rails fixed to the upper frame of a hanging door as in the embodiment, but also to the connection of rails fixed to the lower frames of various sliding doors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1 Upper frame (door frame) 2 Rail 2a Bottom plate part 2b, 2c side plate part 2e Rail hole 3 Door Board 4Runner 5 Screws 10 Rail Connector 11 Connection adapter 12 Side wall 12b Engagement recess 13 Bottom wall 13a Through hole 13b Engagement protrusion 14 Connection plate 14a Screw mounting hole 14b Protrusion 15 Screws (for connection)

Claims

1. A rail connector for connecting a pair of rails having a bottom plate portion fixed to a door frame of a sliding door and side plate portions extending vertically from both sides of the bottom plate portion in a state where the rails are butted together in the longitudinal direction, a connecting adapter having a U-shaped cross section that fits between both side plate portions of the rail, and a connecting plate that is detachably attached to an outer surface of a bottom wall that connects both side walls of the U-shaped cross section of the connecting adapter, the connection plate is provided with a pair of screw mounting holes at a predetermined interval, each of which is large enough to receive a shank of a connection screw but not allow the head of the connection screw to pass therethrough, and is provided with protrusions on a surface opposite to the surface attached to the connection adapter, the protrusions protruding from the periphery of each screw mounting hole and having a tapered outer circumferential surface; The connection adapter is a rail connector having a pair of through holes formed in the bottom wall at positions that overlap the respective screw mounting holes of the connection plate and are large enough to allow the entire screws to pass through.

2. 2. The rail connector according to claim 1, wherein an engaging projection is provided on an outer surface of a bottom wall of the connection adapter, the engaging projection engaging with an edge portion of the connection plate by snap-fitting.

3. The rail connector according to claim 1, characterized in that an engaging recess is provided on the outer surface of each side wall of the connection adapter to receive an engaging protrusion protruding from the side plate portion of the rail toward the inside of the rail by a snap fit.

4. A rail connection method using the rail connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, fixing an entire one of the pair of rails to the door frame; a step of placing the rail connector across both rails and fitting the rail connector between both side plate portions of each rail in a state where the other rail of the pair of rails faces the one rail in a longitudinal direction; a step of inserting the screws into the through holes of the connection adapter, and screwing the screws into the door frame through the screw mounting holes of the connection plate and rail holes provided in the bottom plate portions of the rails, thereby fastening the connection plate and the bottom plate portions of the rails; separating the connection adapter from the connection plate and removing it from the rail; and fixing the other rail entirely to the door frame.

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