Folding door

Abstract

To provide a folding door that can improve the aesthetic appeal. [Solution] The folding door comprises a connecting frame 51, left and right sliding doors 30A and 30B positioned on either side of the connecting frame 51, and hinges that connect the connecting frame 51 and the sliding doors 30A and 30B so that they can be opened and closed. The hinge is configured such that a first hinge, a component hinge 60, provided on the connecting frame 51, and a second hinge, an attachment 70, provided on the sliding doors 30A and 30B, are rotatably connected by a shaft portion 63. The second hinge is fitted with a hinge cover 80 that covers the first hinge, the component hinge 60, and the second hinge, the attachment 70, so that they are not exposed to the interior side when the sliding doors 30A and 30B are fully closed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to folding doors such as folding windows and bathroom folding doors.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a folding door having left and right shoji, a connecting frame, and hinge brackets and hinge fins that rotatably connect the shoji and the connecting frame. Each frame of the left and right shoji is configured to include a metal frame portion and a resin frame portion attached to the indoor side of the metal frame portion. The hinge bracket is a separate part from the connecting frame and is attached to the connecting frame. The hinge fin is integrally formed on the metal frame portion of the vertical frame of the shoji and extends to the indoor side beyond the resin frame portion. The hinge bracket and the hinge fin are rotatably connected by a hinge shaft inserted therethrough. A resin cover member is attached to the connecting frame, and this cover member covers the indoor finding surface of the connecting frame and the hinge bracket from the indoor side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, although the cover member covers the indoor side of the connecting frame and the hinge bracket, it does not cover the side surface side of the connecting frame and the hinge bracket. That is, it is necessary to configure the cover member so as not to interfere with the shoji when the shoji is opened, and the cover member cannot be extended to the side surface side of the connecting frame. For this reason, in the fully closed state of the shoji, a gap is generated between the shoji and the cover member, and hinges such as the hinge bracket and the hinge fin are exposed and visible from the indoor side, resulting in a problem of reduced design quality.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a folding door that can prevent the hinges from being exposed on the interior side when the shoji screen is fully closed, thereby improving its aesthetic appeal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a folding door comprising a connecting frame, left and right sliding doors arranged on either side of the connecting frame, and a hinge that connects the connecting frame and the sliding doors so that they can be opened and closed, wherein the hinge is configured such that a first hinge provided on the connecting frame and a second hinge provided on the sliding door are rotatably connected, and the second hinge is fitted with a hinge cover that covers the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior when the sliding doors are fully closed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the folding door of the present invention, the hinges can be prevented from being exposed on the interior side when the shoji screen is fully closed, thereby improving the aesthetic appearance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an interior view showing a folding door, which is a fixture of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a folding door of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the folding door in the fully closed state according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the fully open state of the folding door in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the main part of the folding door in the fully open state according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection structure between the vertical frame and the hinge-side sash of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the connecting structure between the vertical frame and the hanging side sash of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection structure between the abutting side sash and the abutting frame of the first embodiment. [Figure 9]It is a perspective view showing the connection structure between the vertical frame and the hanging-side shoji in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing the lower frame and the hanging-side shoji in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] It is an exploded perspective view showing the folding unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing the folding unit of the folding door in the fully closed state in the first embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view showing the folding unit of the folding door in the fully open state in the first embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a diagram for explaining the construction procedure of the folding door in the first embodiment. [Figure 15] It is a diagram for explaining the construction procedure of the folding door in the first embodiment. [Figure 16] It is a diagram for explaining the construction procedure of the folding door in the first embodiment. [Figure 17] It is a diagram for explaining another example of the construction procedure of the folding door in the first embodiment. [Figure 18] It is a diagram for explaining another example of the construction procedure of the folding door in the first embodiment. [Figure 19] It is an interior view showing the folding door which is a fitting in the second embodiment. [Figure 20] It is a cross-sectional view showing the folding door in the fully open state in the second embodiment. [Figure 21] It is a cross-sectional view showing the connecting frame of the folding door in the fully open state in the second embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is an internal view showing the folding door 1 which is a fitting according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the folding door 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the folding door 1 in the fully closed state, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the folding door 1 in the fully open state, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the main part of the folding door 1 in the fully open state. In each figure, the hatching indicating the cross section is omitted. Also, in each figure, the left-right direction of the folding door 1 is the X-axis direction, the up-down direction is the Y-axis direction, and the prospective direction is the Z-axis direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the folding door 1 includes a window frame 10 which is a fitting frame fixed to the opening of the building, a hanging-side shutter 30A and a butting-side shutter 30B arranged in the window frame 10, a butting frame 40, and a folding unit 50. The folding door 1 is an outward folding type folding window that folds so that the hanging-side shutter 30A and the butting-side shutter 30B protrude to the outdoor side.

[0010] [Window frame] As shown in FIG. 1, the window frame 10 is formed by assembling an upper frame 11, a lower frame 12, and left and right vertical frames 13 into a four-sided frame. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper frame 11 includes an outdoor member 111 made of metal and an indoor member 112 made of synthetic resin. The indoor member 112 is engaged and fixed to the outdoor member 111 and covers the indoor exposed surface of the outdoor member 111. The outdoor member 111 is provided with a groove-shaped guide groove 113 in which the upper door wheel 45 of the butting frame 40 described later is arranged. An outdoor side AT material 118 is attached to the outdoor member 111, and an indoor side AT material 119 is attached to the indoor member 112. Note that the outdoor side AT material 118, the indoor side AT material 119, and each AT material described later ensure watertightness by contacting and deforming the contact object. In each figure, since each AT material is shown in a non-contact state, it may be shown overlapping the contact object.

[0011] As shown in Figure 2, the lower frame 12 comprises a metal exterior member 121 and a synthetic resin interior member 122. The interior member 122 is engaged and fixed to the exterior member 121 and covers the interior exposed surface of the exterior member 121. The exterior member 121 has rails 123 formed thereon that guide the lower rollers 46 and guide rollers 47 of the butt joint frame 40, which will be described later. An interior AT material 129 is attached to the exterior member 121.

[0012] The left and right vertical frames 13 are symmetrical in shape and, as shown in Figure 4, comprise a metal exterior member 131 and a synthetic resin interior member 132. The interior member 132 is engaged and fixed to the exterior member 131 and covers the interior exposed surface of the exterior member 131. As shown in an enlarged view in Figure 6, the outdoor member 131 has an inner circumferential projection portion 133, and a groove portion 134 and an engaging portion 135 are formed in this projection portion 133. As shown in a further enlarged view in Figure 7, the engaging portion 135 is formed in a substantially L-shape in cross-section, comprising a regulating portion 1351 that protrudes in an in-plane direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the projection portion 133, and a retaining portion 1352 that extends in the direction toward the interior from the tip of the regulating portion 1351, and is formed continuously in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction, Y-axis direction) of the outdoor member 131. As shown in Figure 6, an outdoor AT material 138 is attached to the groove 134 of the outdoor member 131, and an indoor AT material 139 is attached to the indoor member 112.

[0013] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the window frame 10 includes a hinged side sash 30A that is rotatably connected to the vertical frame 13 via hinges 20, a butt joint side sash 30B that is rotatably connected to the hinged side sash 30A via a folding unit 50, and a butt joint frame 40 that is rotatably connected to the butt joint side sash 30B via hinges 20.

[0014] [Sliding door on the side facing the hinge] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the hinged side sash 30A is constructed by attaching the upper frame 31, lower frame 32, and left and right vertical frames 33 and 34 around the surface material 36 via a gasket 37 with a roughly U-shaped cross-section, and framing the upper frame 31, lower frame 32 and the vertical frames 33 and 34 with the vertical frames 33 and 34 being vertically dominant. The upper frame 31 and lower frame 32 are composed of metal exterior members 311 and 321 and synthetic resin interior members 312 and 322. The interior members 312 and 322 are engaged and fixed to the exterior members 311 and 321, and cover the interior exposed surfaces of the exterior members 311 and 321. Furthermore, since the exterior members 311 and 321 and the interior members 312 and 322 are parts with the same cross-section, the upper frame 31 and lower frame 32 are used by inverting a common part.

[0015] The vertical frame 33 is a vertical frame on the hinge side that is connected to the vertical frame 13, and as shown in Figures 6 and 7, it is composed of a metal outdoor member 331 and a synthetic resin indoor member 332 that is engaged and fixed to the outdoor member 331. The outdoor member 331 includes a visible surface portion 3311 to which the hinge 20, which will be described later, is fixed, an outdoor extension piece 3312 that extends from the outdoor end of the visible surface portion 3311 toward the outer circumference of the hinge side sash 30A, and an indoor extension piece 3313 that extends from the indoor end of the visible surface portion 3311 toward the outer circumference of the hinge side sash 30A. The vertical frame 34 is the vertical frame on the folding side that is connected to the folding unit 50, and as shown in Figure 4, it is composed of a metal outdoor member 341 and a synthetic resin indoor member 342 that is engaged and fixed to the outdoor member 341. The outdoor member 341 includes a visible surface portion 343 to which the folding unit 50, which will be described later, is fixed, and an outdoor extension portion 344 that extends from the outdoor end of the visible surface portion 343 toward the outer circumference of the hinge-side sash 30A. Unlike the vertical frame 33, the vertical frame 34 does not have an interior extension piece. Also, the visible surface of the interior member 342 is flush with the visible surface portion 343 of the exterior member 341, and a dovetail-shaped retaining groove 3421 is formed, with an internal width dimension that is larger than the width dimension of the opening.

[0016] The facing material 36 is, for example, double-glazed glass, and gaskets 37 are fitted around the outer edges on all four sides. The gaskets 37 are fitted between the metal exterior members 311, 321, 331, and 341, which are made of aluminum extruded profiles or the like, and the synthetic resin interior members 312, 322, 332, and 342, which are made of hard resin extruded profiles or the like.

[0017] [Butt joint sliding doors] The butt-joint side sash 30B is composed of an upper frame 31, a lower frame 32, vertical frames 34, 34B, a facing material 36, and a gasket 37. The upper frame 31, lower frame 32, facing material 36, and gasket 37 have the same configuration as the hinge-side sash 30A, so they are given the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. The vertical frame 34 is the vertical frame on the folding side of the butt-joint sliding door 30B that is connected to the folding unit 50. Since it has the same configuration as the vertical frame 34 of the hinge-side sliding door 30A, it is given the same reference numeral and its description is omitted. The vertical frame 34B is the vertical frame on the butt joint side that connects to the butt joint frame 40, and as shown in Figure 8, it is equipped with an exterior member 341 and an interior member 342, similar to the vertical frame 34. However, the vertical frame 34B differs from the vertical frame 34 in that an interior AT material 349 is attached to the retaining groove 3421 of the interior member 342.

[0018] [Hinged connecting structure] Next, we will describe the structure in which the vertical frame 33, which is the hanging side member of the hanging side sash 30A, is connected to the vertical frame 13, which is the hanging side support member, via a hinge 20. As shown in Figure 5, hinges 20 are provided at three locations on the vertical frame 33: the top, middle, and bottom. The middle section of the vertical frame 33 refers to the approximately central part between the top and bottom sections. The location and number of hinges 20 can be appropriately determined according to the size of the folding door 1. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the hinge 20 is configured to include a first wing portion 21 fixed to the vertical frame 13, a second wing portion 22 fixed to the vertical frame 33, and a pivot shaft portion 23 that rotatably connects the first wing portion 21 and the second wing portion 22.

[0019] The first blade portion 21 includes an engaging projection 211 and an engaging groove portion 212 that engage with the engaging portion 135 of the vertical frame 13, and a fixing portion 213 that is fixed to the projection portion 133. The engaging groove portion 212 is a recessed groove formed along the vertical direction on the outdoor surface of the first blade portion 21, and the engaging projection 211 is partitioned by the engaging groove portion 212. When the engaging portion 135 is inserted into the engaging groove portion 212, and the engaging projection 211 is inserted into the groove portion partitioned by the engaging portion 135, the position of the first blade portion 21 in the projection direction (Z-axis direction) relative to the vertical frame 13 is restricted. That is, when the first blade portion 21 is moved from the indoor side toward the engaging portion 135 toward the outdoor side with the projection portion 133 in contact with the projection portion 135, the retaining piece portion 1352 is inserted into the engaging groove portion 212, and the engaging projection 211 is inserted into the groove partitioned by the engaging portion 135. Therefore, when at least one of the retaining piece 1352 or the engaging projection 211 comes into contact with the engaging groove 212 or the restricting piece 1351, the movement of the first vane 21 toward the outside is restricted and its position in the direction of view is set. The opposing surface of the retaining piece 1352 that faces the forward piece 133 consists of a forward surface parallel to the forward piece 133, i.e., along the Z-axis direction, and an inclined surface that is inclined away from the forward piece 133 from the outside to the inside. Furthermore, the surface of the engaging groove 212, i.e., the engaging projection 211, that faces the retaining piece 1352 has a forward surface along the Z-axis direction and an inclined surface to match the shape of the retaining piece 1352. As a result, when the first wing portion 21 moves toward the engaging portion 135, the engaging portion 135 and the engaging groove 212 can be smoothly engaged. In addition, when the retaining piece 1352 is engaged with the engaging groove 212, the forward surface of the retaining piece 1352 and the forward surface of the engaging projection 211 face each other, restricting the engaging projection 211, i.e., the hinge 20, from moving away from the vertical frame 13 in the in-plane direction (X-axis direction). With the engaging portion 135 and the engaging groove portion 212 engaged, the fixing portion 213 of the first wing portion 21 is fixed to the projection portion 133 with a screw 24.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5, the second wing portion 22 is positioned above and below the first wing portion 21, flanking it. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the second wing portion 22 is fixed to the visible surface portion 3311 of the vertical frame 33 with screws 25. The rotating shaft portion 23 is composed of a rod-shaped shaft member inserted through cylindrical receiving portions formed in the first blade portion 21 and the second blade portion 22. The hinged side sash 30A is connected to the vertical frame 13 of the window frame 10 via a hinge 20 so that it can be opened and closed on the outside.

[0021] Of the three hinges 20 attached to the top, middle, and bottom of the vertical frame 13, the hinge 20 attached to the middle is held by a hinge retaining part 15 attached to the vertical frame 13, as shown in Figure 9. The hinge retaining part 15 may be made of metal or synthetic resin, as long as it is a part that can hold the hinge 20. The hinge retaining part 15 comprises a fixing piece 151 that is fixed to the vertical frame 13 with screws 16, and a retaining piece 152 that extends from the upper end of the fixing piece 151 and on which the lower end of the first wing portion 21 rests. The tip of the retaining piece 152 is bent upward to prevent the hinge 20 placed on the retaining piece 152 from falling off. The hinge retaining part 15 is used to set the height position of the hinge-side sash 30A relative to the vertical frame 13 when the hinge-side sash 30A is hung and installed in the window frame 10. When the hinge-side sash 30A is hung inside the window frame 10, the first wing portion 21 of the hinge 20 fixed to the vertical frame 33 is placed on the retaining piece 152 of the hinge retaining part 15. This positions the vertical frame 33 at an appropriate height relative to the vertical frame 13, and as shown in Figure 10, the lower ends of the hinge-side sash 30A and the butt-side sash 30B are positioned at a height that does not interfere with the rail 123 of the lower frame 12. In this state, the first wing portion 21 can be fixed to the vertical frame 13 with screws 24.

[0022] [Butt joint frame] As shown in Figure 8, the butt joint frame 40 connected to the vertical frame 34 is rotatably connected to the vertical frame 34B of the butt joint side sash 30B via a hinge 20. Note that the hinge 20 is the same part as the hinge 20 that fixes the hanging side sash 30A to the vertical frame 13, so the same reference numeral is used and the explanation is simplified. The butt joint frame 40 is composed of a metal exterior member 41 and a synthetic resin interior member 42 that is engaged and fixed to the exterior member 41. The exterior member 41 is formed in a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape and includes an exterior surface portion 411, an interior surface portion 412, a connecting side facing surface portion 413, and a butt joint side facing surface portion 414. The exterior surface portion 411 has a hollow portion 415 integrally formed thereon that protrudes outward and can be used as an exterior profile handle. A groove 416 is formed at the outdoor end of the visible surface portion 413 and the visible surface portion 414, and an outdoor AT material 48 is attached to each groove 416.

[0023] The first wing portion 21 of the hinge 20 is fixed to the visible surface portion 413 by a screw 24. A spacer 26 is interposed between the visible surface portion 413 and the first wing portion 21. In addition, the portion of the exterior member 41 that interferes with the engaging projection 211 of the first wing portion 21 is cut out.

[0024] The indoor member 42 is formed in a substantially L-shape in cross-section and comprises a covering portion 421 that covers the indoor surface portion 412 of the outdoor member 41 and a butt-side covering portion 422 that covers the visible surface portion 414. The covering portion 421 has a hollow rectangular cross-section, and recessed groove portions 423 are formed on both visible surfaces, with indoor-side AT material 49 attached to each recessed groove portion 423. The indoor member 42 is attached by sliding it from the end face of the outdoor member 41 and engaging the engagement grooves 424 formed on the connecting end of the covering portion 421 and the outdoor end of the covering portion 422 with the outdoor member 41. The indoor member 42 is also fixed to the outdoor member 41 by inserting a screw 43 through a hole formed in the lower end of the covering portion 422 and screwing it into the visible surface portion 414. Furthermore, an internal pull handle 44 is provided, which penetrates the indoor member 42 and is fixed to the outdoor member 41 with a screw (not shown).

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, an upper roller 45 is attached to the upper end of the butt joint frame 40, and a lower roller 46 and a guide roller 47 are attached to the lower end of the butt joint frame 40. The upper roller 45 is positioned and guided in the guide groove 113 of the upper frame 11, the lower roller 46 is guided in the rail 123 of the lower frame 12, and the guide roller 47 is positioned on either side of the rail 123. This allows the butt joint frame 40 to move left and right along the upper frame 11 and the lower frame 12.

[0026] [Folding Unit] As shown in Figures 11 to 13, the folding unit 50 comprises a connecting frame 51, a hinge 60, left and right attachments 70, and a hinge cover 80. Furthermore, the folding unit 50 also includes a connecting frame cover 54, a cremone handle 55 (see Figure 5), an upper rod 56, a lower rod 57, a sway-preventing cap 58, and a cap 59.

[0027] The connecting frame 51 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum extruded profile, and as shown in Figures 12 and 13, it comprises a frame body 52 formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape and a pair of protruding pieces 53 that project inward from the frame body 52. As shown in Figure 13, the frame body 52 comprises an exterior surface portion 521, an interior surface portion 522, and left and right projection surfaces 523 connecting the exterior surface portion 521 and the interior surface portion 522. A recessed groove portion 524 is formed at the interior end of the projection surface portion 523, and vertically continuous interior AT material 525 is attached to each of these recessed groove portions 524.

[0028] A pair of protruding pieces 53 extend inward from the interior surface portion 522. The protruding pieces 53 are formed continuously in the vertical direction of the frame body 52, but the vertical dimension of the protruding pieces 53 is shorter than the vertical dimension of the frame body 52. ​​Therefore, the upper end of the protruding piece 53 is positioned below the upper end of the frame body 52, and the lower end of the protruding piece 53 is positioned above the lower end of the frame body 52. ​​This configuration prevents the upper and lower ends of the protruding pieces 53 from interfering with the upper frame 11 and lower frame 12 when each sliding door 30A and 30B is fully closed. Each of the pair of protruding pieces 53 has an interior-side end with a groove 531 that opens outwards. A connecting frame cover 54 is attached to this groove 531. The connecting frame cover 54 is an extruded profile made of synthetic resin and comprises a thin plate-shaped cover body 541 and a pair of substantially L-shaped engaging pieces 542 that protrude from the exterior surface of the cover body 541. The connecting frame cover 54 is attached to the connecting frame 51 by inserting the engaging pieces 542 into the grooves 531 of the protruding piece 53 from the upper and lower ends and sliding them, or by pressing the connecting frame cover 54 against the protruding piece 53 from the interior side, causing the protruding piece 53 to elastically deform. This connecting frame cover 54 covers the interior side exposed portion of the connecting frame 51.

[0029] Synthetic resin anti-sway caps 58 are positioned above and below the connecting frame cover 54. As shown in Figure 11, the anti-sway cap 58 comprises a fitting portion 581, a cover portion 582, and a contact portion 583. The fitting portion 581 is positioned between the protruding pieces 53 and is screwed to a fixing bracket (not shown) fixed to the protruding pieces 53. The cover portion 582 is positioned along the interior side of the interior surface portion 522 and prevents the aluminum frame 51 from being exposed to the interior side at the top and bottom of the connecting frame cover 54. As shown in Figure 13, the contact portion 583 contacts each vertical frame 34 when the sliding doors 30A and 30B are fully open, and is positioned so that the sliding doors 30A and 30B are approximately parallel. Therefore, the contact portion 583 of the anti-sway cap 58 functions as a stopper component that contacts the sliding doors 30A and 30B when they are fully open, preventing the opening angle from exceeding 90 degrees.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, a cremone handle 55 is attached to the middle of the connecting frame cover 54 in the vertical direction. Through holes (not shown) are formed in the interior surface 522 of the connecting frame cover 54 and the frame body 52, where connecting members that interlock with the cremone handle 55 are positioned. As shown in Figure 11, an upper rod 56 and a lower rod 57 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the hollow portion of the frame body 52, respectively, which move up and down in conjunction with the operation of the cremone handle 55, and caps 59 that guide the upper rod 56 and the lower rod 57. When the cremone handle 55 is operated, the upper rod 56 moves upward and is inserted into the guide groove 113 of the upper frame 11, and the lower rod 57 moves downward and is fitted into the rail 123 of the lower frame 12, thereby locking the connecting frame 51 so that it does not move to the outside.

[0031] A component hinge 60 is fixed to the connecting frame 51. The component hinge 60 comprises a wing portion 61 fixed to the connecting frame 51, a cylindrical tube portion 62 formed at the end of the wing portion 61, and a shaft portion 63 inserted and fixed into the tube portion 62. The component hinge 60 is attached to the left and right facing surfaces 523 at three locations: the upper, middle, and lower parts of the connecting frame 51. Specifically, at both the left and right ends of the interior surface 522, openings are formed at the upper, middle, and lower parts through which the wing portion 61 can be inserted. The wing portion 61 is positioned along the inner surface of the facing surface 523 and fixed to the facing surface 523 with screws 64. Furthermore, the hinge 60 attached to the upper part of the connecting frame 51 has its shaft portion 63 protruding downwards. The hinges 60 attached to the middle and lower parts of the connecting frame 51 have their shaft portions 63 protruding upwards.

[0032] As shown in Figures 11 to 13, the attachment 70 is rotatably connected to each hinge 60 and fixed to the vertical frames 34, 34 of the sliding doors 30A and 30B by screws 77. Each attachment 70 is an identical part made of a metal material such as an aluminum extruded profile, and is arranged symmetrically. Each attachment 70 comprises a fixing piece 71, a receiving piece 72, an extending piece 73, and a profile pull handle 74. The fixing piece 71 is shaped to conform to the depth surface of the vertical frame 34, and its vertical dimension is approximately the same as the vertical dimension of the vertical frame 34. Therefore, as shown in Figure 12, when the sliding doors 30A and 30B are fully closed, the fixing piece 71 is positioned along the depth direction (Z-axis direction), and as shown in Figure 13, when the sliding doors 30A and 30B are fully open, the fixing piece 71 is positioned along the left-right direction (X-axis direction). The fixing piece 71 has a substantially L-shaped engaging piece 711 formed continuously in the vertical direction, into which the hinge cover 80 engages. As shown in Figure 11, the fixing piece 71 has a plurality of through holes 712 through which screws 77 are inserted, and a machined hole 713 that engages with a stepped screw 345, which will be described later. The stepped screw 345 is a general stepped screw having a threaded portion, a stepped portion, and a head. The machined hole 713 has a hole portion machined to a size into which the head of the stepped screw 345 can be inserted, and a groove portion formed continuously upward from this hole portion, and is a hole called a keyhole or thumbhole. The width dimension of the groove portion is set to be larger than the diameter of the stepped portion of the stepped screw 345 and smaller than the diameter of the head of the stepped screw 345. This allows the head of the stepped screw 345 to be inserted into the hole portion of the machined hole 713, and the stepped portion of the stepped screw 345 to be inserted into the groove portion of the machined hole 713, and the attachment 70 can be positioned in the vertical and horizontal directions relative to the vertical frame 34. Furthermore, since the head of the stepped screw 345 is positioned on the exterior side of the groove in the machined hole 713, the attachment 70 can be prevented from moving away from the vertical frame 34 to the exterior side. Thus, the stepped screw 345 is a protruding part that protrudes from the visible surface portion 343, and the machined hole 713 is an insertion hole formed in the fixing piece portion 71 into which the stepped screw 345, which is the protruding part, is inserted.

[0033] The receiving portion 72 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is formed continuously in the vertical direction at one end of the fixing piece portion 71. Specifically, the receiving portion 72 is formed in the area where the protruding piece 53 of the connecting frame 51 is formed. The receiving portion 72 is also notched where the component hinge 60 is to be placed, allowing the tubular portion 62 of the component hinge 60 to be placed. The shaft portion 63 of the component hinge 60 is inserted into the receiving portion 72 through this notch. As a result, the attachment 70 functions as a profile hinge that is rotatably connected to the component hinge 60. The receiving portion 72 has a V-groove 721 formed in a continuous vertical direction, which is an engagement groove into which the hinge cover 80 engages.

[0034] The extended piece 73 extends perpendicularly from the other end of the fixed piece 71. A groove 75 is formed at the tip of the extended piece 73, and an outdoor AT material 78, which is continuous in the vertical direction, is attached to the groove 75. Therefore, as shown in Figure 12, when the sashes 30A and 30B are fully closed, the extended pieces 73 extend toward each other, so that the outdoor AT materials 78 attached to the groove 75 come into contact with each other, ensuring watertightness. As shown in Figure 13, the profile pull handle 74 is formed in a substantially L-shape in cross-section, comprising an extension piece 741 extending from the tip of the extension piece 73 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the extension piece 73, and a pull handle portion 742 extending from the tip of the extension piece 741.

[0035] The hinge cover 80 is an extruded profile made of synthetic resin and comprises a cover body 81, a substantially U-shaped locking groove 82 formed continuously in the vertical direction on one edge of the cover body 81, and a hook-shaped claw portion 83 formed continuously in the vertical direction on the other edge of the cover body 81. The hinge cover 80 is attached to the attachment 70 by engaging the locking groove 82 with the engaging piece 711 of the attachment 70 and engaging the claw portion 83 with the V-groove 721 of the attachment 70. The hinge cover 80 can also be attached by sliding it from the end of the attachment 70, or after hooking the locking groove 82 with the engaging piece 711, the claw portion 83 of the hinge cover 80 may be pressed against the receiving portion 72 to elastically deform the cover body 81 and engage the claw portion 83 with the V-groove 721. As shown in Figure 12, when the hinge-side sash 30A and the butt-side sash 30B are fully closed, the hinge cover 80 is positioned between the connecting frame cover 54 and the anti-sway cap 58 and the interior member 342 of the vertical frame 34, covering the aluminum hinge 60 and attachment 70. Therefore, the hinge cover 80 prevents the hinge 60 and attachment 70 from being exposed to the interior side, thereby improving the aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, when the hinge-side sash 30A and the butt-side sash 30B are fully open, the hinge cover 80 fits so as to overlap the exterior side of the connecting frame cover 54.

[0036] As described above, in the folding unit 50, the component hinge 60 and attachment 70 constitute a hinge that connects the connecting frame 51 and the left and right sliding doors 30A and 30B so that they can be opened and closed. The component hinge 60 fixed to the connecting frame 51 is the first hinge, and the attachments 70 fixed to the sliding doors 30A and 30B respectively are the second hinges, and these component hinges 60 and attachments 70 are rotatably connected by the shaft portion 63. Furthermore, the first shaft portion, shaft portion 63, is positioned on the interior side of the connecting frame 51 in the depth direction. The first hinge component, hinge 60, has a wing portion 61 as a first fixing portion that extends outward from the shaft portion 63, specifically from the pipe portion 62 to which the shaft portion 63 is attached, and is fixed to the connecting frame 51. The second hinge attachment 70 has a fixing piece portion 71 as a second fixing portion that extends from the receiving portion 72, which is the second shaft portion into which the shaft portion 63 is inserted, and is fixed to the sliding doors 30A and 30B. Since the fixing piece portion 71, which is the second fixing portion, is fixed to the depth surface portion 343 of the vertical frame 34 of the sliding doors 30A and 30B, in the fully closed state of the folding door 1 shown in Figure 12, it extends outward from the receiving portion 72, and in the fully open state of the folding door 1 shown in Figure 13, it extends in the left-right direction, i.e., along the X-axis direction.

[0037] Next, the assembly procedure for the folding unit 50 will be described. To assemble the folding unit 50, as shown in Figure 11, the shaft portion 63 of the hinge 60 is inserted through the notches in the receiving portions 72 of the two attachments 70. For the hinge 60 to be attached to the upper part of the attachment 70, the downward-facing shaft portion 63 of the hinge 60 is inserted into the small opening at the upper end of the receiving portion 72, and the hinge 60 is positioned in the notch at the upper end of the receiving portion 72. For the hinge 60 to be attached to the lower part of the attachment 70, the upward-facing shaft portion 63 of the hinge 60 is inserted into the small opening at the lower end of the receiving portion 72, and the hinge 60 is positioned in the notch at the lower end of the receiving portion 72. The component hinge 60, which is attached to the middle of the attachment 70, is positioned by placing the upward-facing shaft portion 63 of the component hinge 60 in the notch portion in the middle of the receiving portion 72, and inserting it into the small end of the middle portion of the receiving portion 72. At this time, the height dimension of the notch portion of the middle portion of the receiving portion 72 is set to twice the height dimension of the tube portion 62 of the component hinge 60, and is less than or equal to the sum of the height dimensions of the tube portion 62 and the shaft portion 63. Therefore, by inserting the tube portion 62 and shaft portion 63 of the component hinge 60 into the notch portion of the receiving portion 72 and moving the component hinge 60 upward, the shaft portion 63 can be inserted into the receiving portion 72. After that, a dummy component hinge 60B, which consists only of a wing portion 61 and a tube portion 62 without a shaft portion 63, is placed below the component hinge 60 to fill the notch in the receiving portion 72.

[0038] Next, the wing portion 61 of the hinge part 60 is inserted into the groove of the interior surface portion 522 of the frame body 52, the wing portion 61 is positioned along the inner surface of the projection surface portion 523, and the wing portion 61 is fixed to the projection surface portion 523 with screws 64. After that, the connecting frame cover 54 is attached to the protruding piece 53, and the anti-sway caps 58 are attached to the upper and lower ends between the protruding pieces 53. Furthermore, an upper rod 56 and a lower rod 57 are placed inside the frame body 52, and caps 59 are attached to the upper and lower ends of the frame body 52. ​​In addition, a cremone handle 55 is connected to the upper rod 56 and the lower rod 57 via a connecting member, and the cremone handle 55 is attached to the connecting frame cover 54. The folding unit 50 is assembled in this way.

[0039] Next, the installation procedure for folding door 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 14 and 15. The window frame 10, the hinge-side sash 30A, the butt-side sash 30B, and the folding unit 50 are transported to the construction site. The hinge-side sash 30A, the butt-side sash 30B, and the folding unit 50 are pre-assembled at the factory and transported separately to the construction site as finished products. The window frame 10 may be assembled at the factory, but due to its large size, it may also be assembled at the construction site. Next, the window frame 10 is fixed to the opening in the building, and the hinge retaining parts 15 are attached to the vertical frame 13. Then, as shown in Figure 14(A), the hanging side sash 30A with the hinges 20 attached is hung up. At this time, the first wing portion 21 of the intermediate hinge 20 is held by the hinge retaining parts 15. This sets the height position of the hanging side sash 30A relative to the window frame 10. In this state, the hinges 20 of the hanging side sash 30A are fixed to the vertical frame 13 with screws 24, and the hanging side sash 30A is rotatably attached to the window frame 10.

[0040] Next, as shown in Figure 14(B), the process of hanging the butt-side sash 30B, which is connected to the butt frame 40 by hinges 20, into the window frame 10 is performed. Specifically, the butt-side sash 30B is tilted relative to the window frame 10, and the lower roller 46 attached to the lower end of the butt frame 40 is placed on the rail 123 of the lower frame 12. Then, while raising the butt-side sash 30B, the upper roller 45 attached to the upper end of the butt frame 40 is placed in the guide groove 113 of the upper frame 11. Then, the butt-side sash 30B is moved so that it is parallel to the hinge-side sash 30A.

[0041] Next, as shown in Figure 15(C), the attachments 70 of the folding unit 50 are spread out and attached to the vertical frames 34 of the hinge-side sash 30A and the butt-side sash 30B with screws 77. In this case, a machined hole 713 is formed approximately in the center of the fixing piece 71 of the attachment 70 in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 16, and a stepped screw 345 is attached to the vertical frame 34 at a position corresponding to the machined hole 713. Note that Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the connection structure between the attachment 70 and the vertical frame 34, and in the folding unit 50, parts other than the attachment 70 are not shown. Then, as shown in Figures 15(D) and 16, the head of the stepped screw 345 is inserted into the hole of the machined hole 713, and the attachment 70 is shifted downward to position the shaft of the stepped screw 345 in the groove of the machined hole 713. In this way, each attachment 70 is locked in place by the stepped screw 345. At this time, the extension portion 73 of the attachment 70 is positioned along the extension portion 344 of the vertical frame 34, and the relative position between the vertical frame 34 and the attachment 70 is set, thereby aligning the left-right position of the machined hole 713 and the stepped screw 345. In order to position the extension portion 73 along the extension portion 344, it is usually sufficient to bring the extension portion 73 into contact with the extension portion 344, but it is also acceptable to position the extension portion 73 close to the extension portion 344, as long as the left-right position of the machined hole 713 and the stepped screw 345 can be aligned. Therefore, the extended portion 73 of the attachment 70 is positioned along the extended portion 344 and functions as a positioning portion that positions the machined hole 713 and the stepped screw 345 in the left-right direction. Then, the attachment 70 is fixed to the visible surface portion 343 of the vertical frame 34 with screws 77. Even when the extended piece 73 is positioned in contact with the extended portion 344, when the attachment 70 is fixed to the visible surface portion 343 with screws 77, a small clearance is set to be created between the extended piece 73 and the extended portion 344, taking into account the tolerances of the parts and material processing. As described above, the hinged side sash 30A and the butt side sash 30B are installed within the window frame 10. The remaining hinged side sash 30A and the butt side sash 30B are also installed within the window frame 10 using the same procedure. This allows the folding door 1 to be installed in the opening of the building. Furthermore, since each attachment 70 of the folding unit 50 and each sash 30A, 30B can be positioned relative to each other, and each attachment 70 can be attached to each sash 30A, 30B simultaneously, the workability of the installation can be improved.

[0042] Furthermore, the installation procedure for the folding door 1 may include the steps of: attaching the hinge-side sash 30A to the window frame 10 so that it can be rotated; attaching one attachment 70 of the folding unit 50 to the vertical frame 34 of the hinge-side sash 30A; hanging the butt-side sash 30B inside the window frame 10; and attaching the other attachment 70 of the folding unit 50 to the vertical frame 34 of the butt-side sash 30B. Specifically, as shown in Figure 17(A), the hinge 20 of the hanging side sash 30A is fixed to the vertical frame 13 with screws 24, and then, as shown in Figure 17(B), one attachment 70 of the folding unit 50 is attached to the vertical frame 34 of the hanging side sash 30A in the same manner as described in Figure 15. Next, as shown in Figures 18(C) and (D), after the butt joint sash 30B is hung inside the window frame 10, the other attachment 70 of the folding unit 50 is attached to the vertical frame 34 of the butt joint sash 30B. In this case, since the stepped screw 345 is not attached to the vertical frame 34 of the butt joint sash 30B, the attachment 70 can be positioned by rotating it to bring it into contact with the visible surface portion 343 of the vertical frame 34 of the butt joint sash 30B, and bringing the extended portion 344 of the vertical frame 34 into contact with the extended piece portion 73, and then fixing the attachment 70 to the vertical frame 34 with the screw 77. According to this construction procedure, one attachment 70 of the folding unit 50 is attached to the hinge-side sash 30A, and then the other attachment 70 is attached to the butt-side sash 30B. This allows for separate alignment of each attachment 70 with each sash 30A and 30B, thereby improving the workability of the construction process.

[0043] [Effects of the First Embodiment] According to this embodiment, an engaging portion 135 is formed on the vertical frame 13, and an engaging projection 211 and an engaging groove 212 are formed on the hinge 20, which are engaged portions into which the engaging portion 135 engages. Therefore, by engaging the hinge 20, which is fixed to the hanging side sash 30A, with the engaging portion 135 of the vertical frame 13, it is possible to restrict the hinge 20 from moving outwards. As a result, it is possible to prevent the hanging side sash 30A from falling outwards due to its own weight before the hinge 20 is fixed to the vertical frame 13 with screws 24. This eliminates the need for a worker to support the hanging side sash 30A to prevent it from falling outwards while fixing it with screws 24, thus improving the ease of installation of the hanging side sash 30A and improving the ease of construction of the folding door 1. In particular, the hinged side sash 30A is large in height and heavy because it incorporates a double-glazed panel 36, making it prone to falling outwards in the direction of opening. However, in this embodiment, the engaging projection 211 and engaging groove 212 of the hinge 20 are engaged with the engaging part 135, which prevents the hinged side sash 30A from falling outwards and improves workability during installation. Furthermore, by engaging the hinge 20 with the engaging portion 135, it is possible to prevent the sliding doors 30A and 30B from tilting and sagging outwards when opened. In addition, even if a force is applied to the hinge 20 outwards due to negative pressure when the sliding doors 30A and 30B are closed, the engaging portion 135 can support that force, reducing the force applied to the screw 24 and preventing deformation of the sliding door 30A.

[0044] Since the engaging portion 135 is formed continuously in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction) of the vertical frame 13, all hinges 20 attached to the vertical frame 13 can be engaged with the engaging portion 135. Therefore, the positioning of all hinges 20 in the depth direction can be easily performed, and when the sliding door is opened or when negative pressure is applied to the sliding door, each hinge 20 engages with the engaging portion 135, thereby distributing and supporting the force applied to the hinges 20. Furthermore, the vertical frame 13 having the engaging portion 135 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum extruded profile and can be easily manufactured by extrusion molding.

[0045] The engaging portion 135 of the vertical frame 13 is formed in a substantially L-shape in cross-section, comprising a restricting piece 1351 and a retaining piece 1352. The first wing portion 21 of the hinge 20 is formed with an engaging projection 211 that is inserted into the recessed groove portion of the engaging portion 135 and an engaging groove portion 212 into which the retaining piece 1352 is inserted. As a result, the engaging portion 135 can restrict the hinge 20 from moving outward, as well as from moving inward, that is, away from the projection piece 133 of the vertical frame 13. Therefore, the sliding door 30A can be prevented from tilting outward and inward, and the ease of installation of the sliding door 30A can be further improved.

[0046] Since the intermediate hinge 20 is held by the hinge holding part 15 attached to the vertical frame 13, the height position of the vertical frame 33 and the hinge 20 relative to the vertical frame 13 can be set, each hinge 20 can be easily positioned at the correct height, and can be easily fixed with screws 24.

[0047] Since the hinge-side sash 30A and the butt-side sash 30B are connected by the folding unit 50, there is no need to lift each sash 30A and 30B when connecting the connecting frame 51 to each sash 30A and 30B, thus improving the workability of the installation. The attachment 70 functions as a profile hinge, comprising a receiving portion 72 into which the shaft portion 63 of the hinge component 60 is inserted, and a fixing piece portion 71 fixed to the vertical frame 34. Therefore, it can be easily manufactured from aluminum extruded profiles or the like. Furthermore, by positioning the extension portion 73, which is the positioning portion of the attachment 70, in contact with the extension portion 344 of the vertical frame 34, the visible surface portion 343 of the vertical frame 34 and the fixing piece portion 71 of the attachment 70 can be easily positioned, improving the assembly workability of the folding unit 50.

[0048] By inserting the stepped screw 345, which is a protruding part provided on the vertical frame 34, into the processed hole 713, which is an insertion hole formed in the attachment 70, the attachment 70 can be easily positioned vertically relative to the vertical frame 34, improving the ease of connecting the folding unit 50 and the vertical frame 34. Furthermore, by positioning the stepped portion of the stepped screw 345 in the groove of the processed hole 713 and the head of the stepped screw 345 on the exterior side of the groove of the processed hole 713, it is possible to restrict the attachment 70 from moving away from the vertical frame 34. Therefore, when fixing the attachment 70 to the vertical frame 34 with screws 77, it is not necessary for the worker to support the attachment 70, improving the ease of installation. Since the attachment 70 is continuous in the vertical direction, the outdoor AT material 78 can be attached to the attachment 70, and the indoor AT material 525 attached to the connecting frame 51 can be brought into contact with the attachment 70, thereby improving watertightness. In addition, the attachment 70 can conceal the gap between the vertical frame 34 of each sash 30A, 30B and the connecting frame 51.

[0049] Since the folding unit 50 is used to connect the two sashes 30A and 30B, at the construction site, the two sashes 30A and 30B can be hung separately within the window frame 10 and then connected using the folding unit 50. On the other hand, if the two sashes 30A and 30B are connected so that they can rotate freely before being hung in the window frame, it is necessary to hang the two sashes while they are connected, and then install the glass after the sashes, which are in an empty assembly state without the glass or other facing material attached, are hung in that connected state. When the glass is installed later, a structure using a post-installed bead and batten is common, but in this case, the post-installed bead deteriorates over time, reducing the glass holding power, and the load of the glass may concentrate on the bottom frame, potentially causing the sash to sag. In contrast, in this embodiment, each shoji screen 30A and 30B can be hung separately within the window frame 10, so that the shoji screens 30A and 30B, with the glass or other facing material 36 incorporated, can be assembled in the factory and transported to the construction site. As a result, a structure can be created in which the facing material 36 is held by a roughly U-shaped gasket 37, which prevents a decrease in the holding force of the facing material 36 and thus prevents the shoji screens from sagging.

[0050] Since each component of the folding door 1 is made up of a metal exterior component and a synthetic resin interior component, the thermal insulation performance of the folding door 1 can be improved. The folding unit 50 is equipped with a synthetic resin connecting frame cover 54 and a sway-preventing cap 58 that cover the indoor exposed surface of the connecting frame 51, and a hinge cover 80 that covers the indoor exposed surfaces of the hinge 60 and attachment 70. This prevents aluminum components from being exposed on the indoor side of the folding door 1, improving the aesthetic appearance of the folding unit 50. Furthermore, since the indoor exposed parts of the window frame 10, the hinge-side sash 30A, the butt-side sash 30B, the butt frame 40, and the folding unit 50 can be made of synthetic resin, the aesthetic appearance of the folding door 1 can also be improved. Furthermore, even if condensation occurs on the hinge 60 and attachment 70, the condensation can be hidden by the hinge cover 80, thus improving the aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, even if the hinge 60 and attachment 70 deteriorate due to opening and closing the shoji screens 30A and 30B, they can be hidden by the hinge cover 80, thus preventing a decline in aesthetic appeal.

[0051] The hinge cover 80 is attached to the attachment 70 by hooking the locking groove 82 onto the engaging piece 711 and engaging the claw portion 83 with the V-groove 721, which is an engaging groove. This allows for easy attachment and detachment, improving the ease of installation of the hinge cover 80, and also allows for easy replacement if the hinge cover 80 is damaged. Since the hinge cover 80 is attached to the attachment 70, it does not interfere with the sliding doors 30A and 30B when opening and closing them, and each sliding door 30A and 30B can be rotated 90 degrees from the fully closed position to the fully open position. Furthermore, a sway-preventing cap 58 is provided as a stopper component that restricts the opening angle of the sliding doors 30A and 30B to 90 degrees or less, so that the sliding doors 30A and 30B can be stably held in the fully open position.

[0052] [Second Embodiment] Next, the folding door 1B of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 19 to 21. The folding door 1B of the second embodiment is a six-panel folding door with six sliding screens. Components identical or similar to those of the folding door 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted or simplified. As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the hinge-side sash 30A, folding unit 50, butt-side sash 30B, and butt-joint frame 40, which are connected to the left vertical frame 13 as viewed from the interior side, are the same as those in the folding door 1, so their description is omitted. On the other hand, four sashes are connected to the right vertical frame 13 as viewed from the interior side. Specifically, the hinge-side sash 30A is connected to the vertical frame 13, and the connecting-side sash 30C is connected to the hinge-side sash 30A via the folding unit 50. The connecting-side sash 30D is connected to this connecting-side sash 30C via the connecting frame 90, and the butt-side sash 30B is connected to the connecting-side sash 30D via the folding unit 50. The hinge-side sash 30A, butt-side sash 30B, and folding unit 50 are the same as those in the first embodiment, so their description is omitted.

[0053] The connecting side sashes 30C and 30D have the same configuration as the butt-joint side sash 30B and are equipped with vertical frames 34 and 34B. The vertical frame 34 is attached to the folding unit 50, just like the butt-joint side sash 30B. On the other hand, the vertical frame 34B is connected to the connecting frame 90, not to the butt-joint frame 40. As shown in an enlarged view in Figure 21, the connecting frame 90 is rotatably connected to the vertical frames 34B of the connecting side sashes 30C and 30D via hinges 20. Note that the hinges 20 are the same parts as the hinges 20 that rotatably connect the hanging side sash 30A and the butt side sash 30B to the vertical frame 13 and the butt frame 40, so the same reference numerals are used to simplify the explanation. The connecting frame 90 is composed of a metal outdoor member 91 and a synthetic resin indoor member 92 that is engaged and fixed to the outdoor member 91. The outdoor member 91 is formed in a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape and includes an outdoor surface portion 911, an indoor surface portion 912, an inner surface portion 913 that is connected to the connecting side sash 30C, and an inner surface portion 914 that is connected to the connecting side sash 30D. The outdoor surface portion 911 has an integrally formed hollow portion 915 with a substantially rectangular cross-section that protrudes outward and can be used as an outer profile handle. A groove 916 is formed at the outdoor end of the visible surface portion 913 and the visible surface portion 914, and an outdoor AT material 98 is attached to each groove 916. An engaging portion 917 is formed in the intermediate portion of the visible surface portion 913 and the visible surface portion 914 in the visible direction. The engaging portion 917 is formed in an L-shape in cross-section, similar to the engaging portion 135 of the vertical frame 13. At the interior-side ends of the visible surface portion 913 and the visible surface portion 914, a projection 918 is formed that protrudes perpendicularly from the visible surface portion 914. The first wing portion 21 of the hinge 20 is fixed to the visible surfaces 913 and 914 by screws 24. In this case, the engaging projection 211 of the first wing portion 21 is engaged with the engaging portion 917. Therefore, the connecting frame 90, like the vertical frame 13, is equipped with an engaging portion 917 that engages with the hinge 20 and functions as a support member on the hanging side.

[0054] The indoor member 92 comprises a covering portion 921 that covers the indoor surface portion 912 of the outdoor member 91, and a pair of recessed groove portions 922 into which each of the protruding pieces 918 of the outdoor member 91 is inserted. The covering portion 921 has a hollow shape with a rectangular cross-section, and recessed groove portions 923 are formed on the visible surfaces on both sides, and an indoor side AT material 99 is attached to each recessed groove portion 923. The indoor member 92 is attached by sliding it from the end face of the outdoor member 91 and engaging the groove 922 of the covering portion 921 with the projection 918 of the outdoor member 91. Furthermore, an internal pull handle 94 is provided which penetrates the indoor member 92 and is fixed to the outdoor member 91 with a screw (not shown).

[0055] Similar to the butt joint frame 40, the connecting frame 90 has an upper roller at its upper end that is guided by the guide groove 113 of the upper frame 11, and a lower roller at its lower end that is guided by the rail 123 of the lower frame 12, and is movable in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) along the upper frame 11 and the lower frame 12.

[0056] [Effects of the second embodiment] The folding door 1 of the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, an engaging portion 917 is also formed on the connecting frame 90, and the engaging projection 211 of the hinge 20 is engaged with it, so that the connecting side sash 30C and the connecting side sash 30D connected to the connecting frame 90 do not fall outwards when being hung up or opened and closed.

[0057] [Differentiation] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above. For example, the fixtures are not limited to four-panel or six-panel folding doors (folding windows); two-panel or eight-panel folding doors are also acceptable, and they can also be used as interior folding doors such as bathroom doors.

[0058] The first wing portion 21 of the hinge 20 was provided with an engaging projection 211 and an engaging groove portion 212, but it is also acceptable to have only the engaging projection 211. Furthermore, the engaging portions 135 and 917 provided on the vertical frame 13 and connecting frame 90 are not limited to having a substantially L-shaped cross-section with a restricting piece portion 1351 and a retaining piece portion 1352, but may also have only a restricting piece portion. In this case as well, the first wing portion 21 of the hinge 20 can be positioned and fixed in the depth direction by bringing it into contact with the restricting piece portion.

[0059] The folding unit 50 is not limited to the configuration of each embodiment described above. For example, although the pair of attachments 70 were formed as long plates continuous in the vertical direction along the connecting frame 51, attachments provided separately at three locations, such as the upper, middle, and lower parts, may also be used. Furthermore, the attachment 70 and the vertical frame 34 may not be provided with positioning extension pieces 73 and extensions 344. For example, without providing extension pieces 73 and extensions 344, stepped screws 345 may be attached to two or three locations on the top and bottom of the vertical frame 34, machined holes 713 corresponding to each stepped screw 345 may be formed in the attachment 70, and the stepped screws 345 may be inserted into the machined holes 713 to position the attachment 70 and the vertical frame 34. Furthermore, the configuration of the protrusion and insertion hole is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the protrusion may be a pin fixed to the visible surface portion 343 of the vertical frame 34, and the insertion hole may be a hole into which the pin is inserted. Alternatively, the protrusion may be formed on the fixing piece portion 71 of the attachment 70, and the insertion hole may be formed on the visible surface portion 343 of the vertical frame 34.

[0060] The first hinge is not limited to a separate hinge 60 from the connecting frame 51, but may be a profile hinge integrally formed with the connecting frame 51. For example, a profile hinge having a pair of extension pieces extending from the frame body 52 to form a first fixing part, and an engaging projection provided at the tip of the extension pieces to form a first shaft part with a substantially arc-shaped cross-section, can be provided along substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the connecting frame 51. In addition, the attachment 70 can be provided with a profile hinge having an engaging recess that forms a second shaft part with a substantially semi-cylindrical cross-section, along substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the attachment 70. The engaging projection, which is the first shaft part of the connecting frame 51, and the engaging recess, which is the second shaft part of the attachment 70 can be engaged to rotatably connect the first hinge and the second hinge. Furthermore, the second hinge is not limited to a profile hinge integrally formed with the attachment 70, but may be a component hinge fixed to the attachment 70, a profile hinge integrally formed with the vertical frame 34, or a component hinge fixed to the vertical frame 34. In other words, the first hinge provided on the connecting frame 51 may be a separate component hinge from the connecting frame 51, or it may be an integral profile hinge with the connecting frame 51. Furthermore, the second hinge provided on the sliding door may be an integral profile hinge formed with the attachment 70 fixed to the vertical frame 34, or it may be a separate component hinge fixed to the attachment 70, or it may be a component hinge directly fixed to the vertical frame 34, or an integral profile hinge with the vertical frame 34. The hinge provided on the vertical frame 33, which is the suspension-side member, is not limited to a component hinge, but may also be a profile hinge formed integrally with the vertical frame 33, i.e., the suspension-side member. Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, a shaft portion 63 was provided on the component hinge 60, which is the first hinge provided on the connecting frame 51, and a receiving portion 72 into which the shaft portion 63 was inserted was provided on the attachment 70, which functions as the second hinge. However, the receiving portion may be provided on the component hinge 60 and the shaft portion on the attachment 70.

[0061] [summary] The present invention relates to a folding door comprising a connecting frame, left and right sliding doors arranged on either side of the connecting frame, and a hinge that connects the connecting frame and the sliding doors so that they can be opened and closed, wherein the hinge is configured such that a first hinge provided on the connecting frame and a second hinge provided on the sliding door are rotatably connected, and the second hinge is fitted with a hinge cover that covers the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior when the sliding doors are fully closed. According to the present invention, the hinge cover is attached to the second hinge provided on the shoji screen, and moves together with the shoji screen and the second hinge when the shoji screen is opened and closed, so it does not interfere with the shoji screen. Therefore, when the shoji screen is fully closed, the parts of the first and second hinges that are exposed on the interior side can be hidden by the hinge cover, improving the design of the folding door.

[0062] In the folding door of the present invention, the first hinge is composed of a component hinge fixed to the connecting frame or a profile hinge integrally formed with the connecting frame, the second hinge is composed of an attachment having a second fixing part fixed to the sliding door and a second shaft part that rotatably engages with the first hinge, and the hinge cover is preferably mounted spanning the second fixing part and the second shaft part. According to the present invention, by constructing the first hinge with a component hinge fixed to the connecting frame, the cost of the connecting frame can be reduced compared to the case where a profiled hinge is integrally formed with the connecting frame. Furthermore, by constructing the first hinge with a profiled hinge integrally formed with the connecting frame, the work of fixing the component hinge to the connecting frame becomes unnecessary, improving assembly workability. In addition, since the second hinge is constructed as an attachment fixed to the shoji screen, there is no need to form a hinge profile on the vertical frame of the shoji screen, thus reducing costs.

[0063] In the folding door of the present invention, it is preferable that an engaging piece is formed in the second fixing portion, an engaging groove is formed in the second shaft portion, and the hinge cover comprises a locking groove portion that engages with the engaging piece and a claw portion that engages with the engaging groove. According to the present invention, the locking groove and claw formed on the hinge cover engage with the engaging piece and engaging groove formed on the second fixing part and second shaft part of the second hinge, allowing the hinge cover to be easily attached to and detached from the second hinge. This improves the ease of installation of the hinge cover, and allows for easy replacement if the hinge cover is damaged or deteriorated.

[0064] In the folding door of the present invention, a connecting frame cover is attached to the interior side of the connecting frame. When the folding door is fully closed, the hinge cover is positioned between the connecting frame cover and the sliding door to cover the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior side. When the folding door is fully open, the hinge cover is positioned overlapping the exterior side of the connecting frame cover and straddling the connecting frame cover and the sliding door so that the first hinge and the second hinge are not exposed to the interior side. According to the present invention, since the connecting frame cover is attached to the interior side of the connecting frame, the interior surface of the connecting frame can be hidden by the connecting frame cover. Furthermore, when the folding door is fully closed, the hinge cover is positioned between the connecting frame cover and the shoji screen, so the first and second hinges can be reliably hidden by the hinge cover so that they are not visible from the side of the connecting frame. Moreover, when the folding door is fully open, the hinge cover is positioned overlapping the interior side of the connecting frame cover and straddling the connecting frame cover and the shoji screen, so that the first and second hinges are not exposed through the gap between the connecting frame cover and the shoji screen.

[0065] In the folding door of the present invention, a connecting frame cover and a stopper component are attached to the interior side of the connecting frame, which abuts against the sliding screen when the screen is opened to prevent the opening angle from exceeding 90 degrees. The stopper component is arranged continuously above and below the connecting frame cover. When the folding door is fully closed, the hinge cover is preferably positioned between the connecting frame cover, the stopper component, and the sliding screen to cover the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior side. According to the present invention, since a stopper component is provided on the interior side of the connecting frame, the opening angle of the sliding door can be restricted to 90 degrees or less, and the left and right sliding doors connected to the connecting frame can be stably held in the fully open position. In addition, since a hinge cover is placed between the connecting frame cover and the stopper component and the sliding door, the first hinge and the second hinge can be prevented from being exposed on the interior side when the folding door is fully closed or fully open. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1...Folding door, 1B...Folding door, 10...Window frame, 11...Upper frame, 12...Lower frame, 13...Vertical frame, 15...Hinge retaining part, 20...Hinge, 21...First wing part, 22...Second wing part, 23...Rotating shaft part, 30A...Hinged side sash, 30B...Butt joint side sash, 30C...Connecting side sash, 30D...Connecting side sash, 31...Upper frame, 32...Lower frame, 3 3…Vertical frame, 34…Vertical frame, 34B…Vertical frame, 36…Face material, 37…Gasket, 40…Butt joint frame, 45…Upper roller, 46…Lower roller, 47…Guide roller, 50…Folding unit, 51…Connecting frame, 52…Frame body, 53…Protruding piece, 54…Connecting frame cover, 55…Cremone handle, 56…Upper rod, 57…Lower Rod, 58... Stopper cap, 59... Cap, 60... Part hinge, 60B... Part hinge, 61... Wing part, 62... Tube part, 63... Shaft part, 70... Attachment, 71... Fixing piece part, 72... Receiving part, 73... Extension piece part, 74... Profile pull handle, 80... Hinge cover, 81... Cover body, 82... Locking groove part, 83... Claw part, 90... Connecting frame, 133... Recessed piece part, 135... Engaging part, 151... Fixing piece, 152... Retaining piece, 211... Engaging projection, 212... Engaging groove part, 213... Fixing part, 343... Recessed surface part, 344... Extension part, 345... Stepped screw, 713... Machined hole, 721... V-groove, 917... Engaging part, 1351... Regulating piece part, 1352... Retaining piece part.

Claims

1. A folding door comprising a connecting frame, left and right sliding doors positioned on either side of the connecting frame, and hinges that connect the connecting frame and the sliding doors so that they can be opened and closed, The hinge is configured such that a first hinge provided on the connecting frame and a second hinge provided on the sliding door are rotatably connected. The second hinge is fitted with a hinge cover that prevents the first and second hinges from being exposed to the interior when the sliding door is fully closed. A folding door characterized by the following features.

2. In the folding door according to claim 1, The first hinge is composed of a component hinge fixed to the connecting frame, or a profile hinge integrally formed with the connecting frame. The second hinge is an attachment having a second fixing portion fixed to the sliding door and a second shaft portion that rotatably engages with the first hinge. The hinge cover is mounted across the second fixing portion and the second shaft portion. A folding door characterized by the following features.

3. In the folding door according to claim 2, An engaging piece is formed on the second fixing portion, and an engaging groove is formed on the second shaft portion. The hinge cover comprises a locking groove that engages with the engaging piece and a claw that engages with the engaging groove. A folding door characterized by the following features.

4. In the folding door according to claim 1, A connecting frame cover is attached to the interior side of the aforementioned connecting frame. When the folding door is fully closed, the hinge cover is positioned between the connecting frame cover and the sliding door, covering the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior side. When the folding door is fully open, the hinge cover is positioned to overlap the connecting frame cover on the exterior side and to straddle the connecting frame cover and the sliding door, covering the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior side. A folding door characterized by the following features.

5. In the folding door according to claim 1, On the interior side of the connecting frame, a connecting frame cover and a stopper component are attached, which contacts the shoji screen when it is opened to prevent the opening angle from exceeding 90 degrees. The stopper component is arranged continuously above and below the connecting frame cover. When the folding door is fully closed, the hinge cover is positioned between the connecting frame cover and the stopper component and the sliding door, covering the first hinge and the second hinge so that they are not exposed to the interior. A folding door characterized by the following features.

Images