Roller assembly for slidable panel

Abstract

To provide a roller assembly which reduces manufacturing costs by reducing the number of components.SOLUTION: The roller assembly comprises: two end support blocks; a plurality of roller carriages disposed between the end support blocks; and an intermediate support block disposed between respective adjacent pairs of roller carriages. The roller carriages have inclined side surfaces in engagement with inclined side surfaces of the end support blocks. The roller carriages are biased to be separated from an undersurface of a slidable panel by inclination of side surfaces when the two end blocks are biased toward one another. A formation part in which the end blocks are directly fixed to the undersurface of the slidable panel is formed at each of the end blocks, and at least one of the end blocks is formed by two components. One component has the formation part which enables the component to be fixed to the slidable panel, and the other component is slidably engaged with the roller carriage and is adjustably connected to a first component.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a roller assembly for a slidable panel. [Background technology]

[0002] The present invention is an improvement over the roller carriage assembly proposed by the applicant in U.S. Patent No. 6,277,649. Such an assembly is shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is an exploded view of a similar assembly and corresponds to Figure 1a of U.S. Patent No. 6,277,649. Figures 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams demonstrating the operating principle of this assembly. These figures are described herein to the extent necessary for understanding the present invention, but to avoid unnecessary repetition, the entire contents of U.S. Patent No. 6,277,649 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The roller carriage assembly 10 of Figures 1 and 4 includes rollers 12 mounted by axes 14 to roller carriages 16. Each roller carriage is generally trapezoidal in shape, with sloping sides tapering to a peak. The assembly includes a housing 20, shown most clearly in Figure 4, which is secured to the underside of the slidable panel. Supported within the housing are two end support blocks 22 (only one is shown in Figure 1) and two middle support blocks 24. Bolts 26 and nuts 28 allow the position of one of the end blocks 22 to be adjusted relative to the housing 20, thereby shortening or lengthening the distance between the two end blocks 22.

[0004] Support blocks 22 and 24 all have angled sides that tongue and groove engage the angled sides of roller carriage 16, allowing these components to slide relative to one another. The tongue and groove configuration prevents the components from pulling apart in any direction perpendicular to the sliding direction.

[0005] 2 and 3, when the force represented by arrow 30 acts by bolt 26 to push the components toward each other, roller carriage 16 is pushed downward, thereby adjusting the height of the slidable panel. Also, as can be seen from FIG. 3, if the reaction forces acting on the roller carriages are uneven, for example due to uneven ground, their heights will automatically adjust independently of each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] GB Patent Application Publication No. 2573876 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a roller assembly that operates on the same principle as that of Patent Document 1, but that can reduce manufacturing costs by reducing the number of components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This object is achieved in the present invention by omitting the housing and designing the wheel carriage and support block so that no housing is required.

[0009] According to the present invention there is provided a roller assembly as set out in claim 1 of the accompanying claims.

[0010] In some embodiments, the angled sides of the support block and roller carriage engage one another with tongue and grooves to prevent relative movement in the plane of sliding and in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction.

[0011] To prevent adjacent components from separating in a direction perpendicular to the sliding plane while allowing movement along the sliding direction, one component may be provided with a pin that is captured in a slot in the other component.

[0012] A fastener may be provided between the roller carriage and the support block, which holds all components in a predetermined relative orientation to aid in installing the assembly on the slidable panel.

[0013] A further possibility is that the bar-like elements may be slidably connected to the end support blocks and, optionally, to the intermediate support blocks, such as by a friction fit, which is strong enough to temporarily hold the roller assembly in a desired position when the roller assembly is installed, but not strong enough to withstand the load of the slidable panel when the roller assembly is in use.

[0014] The components are prevented from separating from one another, eliminating the need for an enclosure. Instead, during assembly, the component assembly can be placed on the underside of a slidable panel, with the end blocks secured directly to the panel by appropriate fasteners.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a roller assembly for mounting on the underside of a slidable panel as set out in claim 9 of the accompanying claims.

[0016] As with the first aspect of the invention, the components of the roller assembly are fixed relative to each other and to the sliding panel without the need for a housing. The range of movement of the roller carriage away from the sliding panel is limited in this case not by the end blocks, but by directly restricting the extent to which the roller carriage can slide relative to the support blocks.

[0017] As used herein, terms such as "top," "bottom," and "underside" are understood to refer to the orientation of the slidable panel when it is in use, i.e., when the panel is vertical and its weight is supported by the rollers of the assembly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a roller assembly known from US Pat. No. 5,949,999. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic diagram of the components of the roller assembly of FIG. 1 illustrating the operating principle of the assembly. [Figure 3] 2 is a schematic diagram of the components of the roller assembly of FIG. 1 illustrating the operating principle of the assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the roller assembly of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roller assembly of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of the assembly of FIG. 5 when secured to the underside of the slidable panel. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the roller assembly of FIGS. 5 and 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a front view of the roller assembly of FIG. 6 adjusted to raise the height of the slidable panel. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the circle A in FIG. 8 drawn on an enlarged scale. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable end block. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a detailed exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] To avoid unnecessary repetition, components in Figures 5 to 11 that correspond to components of the prior art roller assembly of Figures 1 and 4 are designated by the same last two digits and will not be described again.

[0021] A brief comparison of Figures 4 and 5 reveals that the assembly of the present invention, unlike the prior art assembly of Figure 4, does not have an outer housing 20 for securing to the underside of the slidable panel. Instead, roller carriage 116, intermediate support block 124, end support block 122a, and end support block 122b are all clearly visible in the assembled state shown in Figure 5. We will now explain the differences in the structure of these components of the roller assembly and explain how housing 20 can be omitted.

[0022] 6 and 7, the sliding engagement of roller carriage 116 with support blocks 122a, 122b, and 124 has been modified from that shown in Figure 1. Roller carriage 116 has tongues 111 that are slidably received in grooves 113 in blocks 122a, 122b, and 124. This tongue and groove engagement keeps the components coplanar, i.e., ensures that the components do not move relative to one another in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the slidable panels.

[0023] Additionally, the tongue and groove engagement, while allowing the components to slide relative to one another, does not include any form of undercut, as is present in the assembled structure of Figure 1. This prevents each roller carriage 116 from pulling away from the adjacent support block 122a, support block 122b, or support block 124. Therefore, tongue 111 does not have a T-shaped cross section, and groove 113 does not need to be machined to be wider at the base than at the mouth. Eliminating the need to machine an undercut into groove 113 greatly simplifies manufacturing.

[0024] However, it is necessary to ensure that roller carriage 116 does not separate from adjacent support block 122a, support block 122b, or support block 124, which in the illustrated embodiment is achieved by slots 115 formed in the sides of support block 122a, support block 122b, and support block 124. These slots 115 accept pins 117 that are inserted into lateral holes 119 in tongue 111 after tongue 111 engages with groove 113. Once pin 117 is inserted into tongue 111, roller carriage 116 can no longer move in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction. Furthermore, the length of slot 115 limits the extent to which each component can slide relative to each other, thereby preventing all components from separating from each other.

[0025] Intermediate block 124 is substantially the same as intermediate block 24 described in Patent Document 1, except for the shape of groove 113 and the presence of slot 115. In use, the upper part of intermediate block 124 abuts against the underside of the slidable panel, but it is not fixed in place because it needs to be able to move left and right. This is clear from a comparison of the position of intermediate block 24 in Figures 2 and 3.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, one of the end blocks 122a is non-adjustable and only the other end block 122b is adjustable, although this configuration is not required and both end blocks could be adjustable.

[0027] The non-adjustable end block 122a is essentially half of the intermediate block 24 but is further provided with fixing holes 121 for screw fixing to the underside of the slidable panel.

[0028] As best shown in Figures 8 and 10, adjustable end block 122b is formed from two separate parts 140 and 142 connected to one another by a nut 128 and a bolt 126. Nut 128 is captively held within a pocket in part 140 and is slidable laterally, while the head of bolt 126 is captively held within a pocket in part 142 and is slidable in a similar manner. After nut 128 and bolt 126 are inserted into parts 140 and 142, respectively, they can be threadedly engaged to secure the two parts 140 and 142 together. Part 142 has a hole 144 formed therein for receiving a locking screw, which allows part 140 to move relative to the slidable panel by rotating bolt 126, while still allowing part 142 to be securely attached to the underside of the slidable panel.

[0029] Once bolt 126 is threaded into the nut, the nut cannot be separated from part 140; however, the head of bolt 126 can slide out of the pocket in part 142. To keep all components aligned together during installation, mating surfaces of parts 140 and 142 have interlocking formations. In the illustrated embodiment, a protruding nose 146 of part 142 is received within a recessed pocket in part 140. With parts 140 and 142 interlocked in the position shown in FIG. 6 , bolt 126 cannot be separated from part 142.

[0030] 9 also shows that each slot 115 has a notch or constriction 151 formed near its upper end to provide resistance to the pin 117 as it passes through the constriction. These constrictions 151 act as fasteners to ensure that the components remain in the relative positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and do not slide relative to one another. This allows the entire, precisely aligned roller assembly to be secured to the underside of the slidable panel by two set screws inserted through holes 121 in end block 122a and holes 144 in end block 122b.

[0031] 11 shows an alternative embodiment in which a different fastener configuration is used between the roller carriage 216 and the support block 224. In this embodiment, a recess 234 is formed at the top of each tongue 230 to receive a cylindrical protrusion 236. The cylindrical protrusion 236 protrudes from the support block at the top of the groove 232 that receives the tongue 230. The protrusion 236 is a press fit into the recess, providing resistance when the roller carriage 224 is raised to this highest relative position, ensuring that it remains in that position when installed.

[0032] Once secured to the slidable panel, rotating bolt 126 adjusts the distance between part 140 and end block 122a, thereby adjusting the height of the slidable panel. This can be seen by comparing Figures 6 and 8. Figure 6 shows the highest position in which roller carriage 116 contacts the underside of the slidable panel, while Figure 8 shows the position in which the roller carriage is furthest from the underside of the slidable panel.

[0033] Before installation, the roller assembly has the configuration shown in Figures 5 and 6. The two parts 140 and 142 are assembled together using bolts 126 and nuts 128, bringing them as close together as possible. After the tongues 111 of the roller carriage engage with the grooves 113 in the end blocks 122 and intermediate support blocks 124, the pins 117 are driven into the holes 119 in the tongues 111 to prevent separation of all components. The carriage 116 is then raised to its highest position where the pins 117 pass through the narrowed portions 151 (or, in the case of the embodiment of Figure 11, the cylinders 236 are received in the recesses 234), keeping the components aligned.

[0034] In this configuration, the roller assemblies are provided on the underside of the slidable panel, and fixing screws are inserted through holes 121 and 144 to secure the roller assemblies to the slidable panel. The panel is now positioned in the track, and its height can be adjusted by turning bolt 126. If the end support block fixation is strong enough to withstand the load due to the weight of the slidable panel, the housing present in the prior art assembly of the '661 patent is not necessary when the roller carriages are not in direct contact with the underside of the slidable panel, since its main function is to prevent the end support blocks from separating.

[0035] The operating principle of the roller assembly of the present invention is the same as that described in U.S. Patent No. 6,277,949. For this reason, the above description is limited to the modifications made to the assembly to enable it to dispense with the housing. To avoid unnecessary repetition of details, please refer to U.S. Patent No. 6,277,949, which is incorporated herein by reference, for details of the structure not described above.

[0036] In prior art roller assemblies having an outer housing, the outer housing had to be sized to accommodate the number of roller carriages. Heavier panels required more rollers and a larger housing. A key advantage of the present invention is that the roller assembly is modular in nature, allowing any number of roller carriages and intermediate support blocks of the same set to be combined to accommodate the load.

[0037] In some known roller assemblies, pairs of rollers are attached to opposite ends of a rocker, allowing the rollers to move independently, with each rocker acting similar to a bogie on a train. A drawback of relying on bascule is that rollers can only be added in pairs to accommodate increased loads. In contrast, the present invention allows for either an odd or even number of rollers.

[0038] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, instead of a pin in a slot, a coupling formation with an undercut, as taught in U.S. Patent No. 5,949,499, may be used to prevent the roller carriage from separating from the support block. Furthermore, alternative means may be used to limit the range of sliding movement, such as providing a protrusion on the side of the roller carriage to strike an obstacle on the side of the support block.

Claims

1. two end support blocks (122a, 122b); a plurality of roller carriages (116) disposed between the end support blocks (122, 122); a respective intermediate support block (124) disposed between each pair of adjacent roller carriages (116); 1. A roller assembly for securing to an underside of a slidable panel formed from a plurality of serially arranged interconnected components, comprising: the roller carriage (116) has inclined sides that engage with the inclined sides of the support blocks (122, 124) along a sliding plane; This engagement allows adjacent components to slide relative to one another in one direction within the sliding plane, while preventing relative movement within the sliding plane in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction, and also preventing relative movement perpendicular to the sliding plane; the slope of the sliding plane is configured to urge the roller carriage (116) away from the lower surface of the slidable panel when the two end blocks are urged toward each other; each of the end support blocks (122a, 122b) is formed with a formation (121, 144) that allows the end block (122a, 122b) to receive a fastener to secure the respective end block directly to the underside of the slidable panel; the fasteners alone are sufficient to maintain a fixed distance between the end support blocks (122a, 122b) when the weight of the slidable panel is supported by the roller carriage; at least one of the end support blocks (122b) is formed in two parts (140, 142), one part (142) having a formation that allows it to be fixed to the slidable panel, and the other part (144) slidably engages the roller carriage (116) and is adjustably connected to the first part (142).

2. 2. The roller assembly of claim 1, wherein the inclined sides of the support blocks (122, 124) and the roller carriage (116) engage with each other at tongues (230) and grooves (232) to prevent relative movement within the sliding plane in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction.

3. 3. A roller assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein one component is provided with a pin (119) that is captured in a slot (115) of the other component to prevent adjacent components from separating in a direction perpendicular to the sliding plane while allowing movement along the sliding direction.

4. 4. The roller assembly of claim 1, wherein fasteners (117) are provided between the roller carriage (116) and the support blocks (122, 124) to hold all components in a predetermined relative orientation to assist in installing the assembly on a slidable panel.

5. A roller assembly according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the catch is formed by a narrowing (117) in a slot (115) that receives the pin (119).

6. 5. A roller assembly according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the catch is formed by a recess (234) at the end of the tongue (230), the recess (234) receiving a protrusion (236) formed in the mating groove (232) by a press fit.

7. 2. The roller assembly of claim 1, wherein bar elements are slidably connected to the end support blocks to allow adjacent components to slide relative to one another while preventing separation, and the connections between the bar elements are strong enough to temporarily hold the roller assembly in a desired position during installation, but cannot withstand the load of the slidable panel during use of the roller assembly.

8. 8. A roller assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, secured to the underside of the slidable panel by fasteners which engage the formations in the end support blocks.

9. two end support blocks (122a, 122b); a plurality of roller carriages (116) disposed between the end support blocks (122, 122); a respective intermediate support block (124) disposed between each pair of adjacent roller carriages (116); 1. A roller assembly for securing to an underside of a slidable panel formed from a plurality of serially arranged interconnected components, comprising: the roller carriage (116) has inclined sides that engage with the inclined sides of the support blocks (122, 124) along a sliding plane; This engagement allows adjacent components to slide relative to one another in one direction within the sliding plane, while preventing relative movement within the sliding plane in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction, and also preventing relative movement perpendicular to the sliding plane; the slope of the sliding plane is configured to urge the roller carriage (116) away from the lower surface of the slidable panel when the two end blocks are urged toward each other; each of the end support blocks (122a, 122b) is formed with a formation (121, 144) that allows the end block to receive a fastener to secure the respective end block directly to the underside of the slidable panel; the fasteners function solely to maintain a fixed distance between the end support blocks when the weight of the slidable panel is supported by the roller carriage; A roller assembly in which engagement between adjacent components limits the extent to which the components can slide relative to one another to prevent the components from separating from one another.

10. 10. The roller assembly of claim 9, wherein the inclined sides of the support blocks (122, 124) and the roller carriage (116) engage with each other at tongues (230) and grooves (232) to prevent relative movement within the sliding plane in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction.

11. 11. A roller assembly according to claim 9 or 10, wherein one component is provided with a pin (119) that is captured in a slot (115) of the other component to prevent adjacent components from separating in a direction perpendicular to the sliding plane while allowing movement along the sliding direction.

12. 12. A roller assembly as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein fasteners (117) are provided between the roller carriage (116) and the support blocks (122, 124) to hold all components in a predetermined relative orientation to assist in installing the assembly on a slidable panel.

13. A roller assembly according to claim 12 when dependent on claim 11, wherein the catch is formed by a narrowing (117) in a slot (115) that receives the pin (119).

14. 13. A roller assembly according to claim 12 when dependent on claim 10, wherein the catch is formed by a recess (234) at the end of the tongue (230), the recess (234) receiving a protrusion (236) formed in the mating groove (232) by a press fit.

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