Adjustable Pin Mechanism for Lift-and-Slide Door Airgap Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lift-and-slide doors or windows face challenges in adjusting the airgap between the fixed frame and the leaf due to out-of-plumb positions, misalignment, and dimensional tolerances, leading to inefficient locking and increased vulnerability to draughts and break-ins, with current adjustment methods being complex, expensive, and imprecise.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable pin device with a support element and locking mechanism that allows the pin to move along a support seat to engage guides correctly, compensating for anomalous inclinations and distances, enabling precise adjustment without the need for multiple pin sizes or shims.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed pins of a single size are used, then the device structure is simple, but the airgap cannot be adjusted to compensate for out-of-plumb positions
Solution Approach 1:
The pin is made adjustable in length through a threading mechanism that allows the pin to extend or retract along its axis. This dynamic adjustment enables the pin to compensate for varying airgaps caused by out-of-plumb positions without requiring multiple fixed-size pins, thus maintaining structural simplicity while achieving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The length parameter of the pin is made variable through a threading mechanism. By changing the effective length of the pin (rather than using pins of different fixed sizes), the system can adapt to different airgap conditions. This parameter change approach resolves the contradiction by providing adjustability without requiring multiple discrete pin components.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple pin sizes are used to compensate for out-of-plumb positions, then the airgap can be adjusted precisely, but the device complexity and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of selecting from multiple fixed-size pins during installation, the system uses a single pin type with an adjustable length mechanism. The installer can precisely adjust the pin length in-situ using a threading mechanism, eliminating the need to stock and select from multiple pin sizes. This reduces manufacturing complexity and installation burden while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable pin mechanism allows the installer to self-adjust the pin length to the precise requirement without needing specialized tools or complex procedures. The threading mechanism enables direct, intuitive adjustment during installation, making the process simpler and more self-service oriented compared to selecting and installing different pin sizes.
3Reliability
If shims are inserted between the pin and upright to adjust airgap, then the out-of-plumb position can be compensated, but the adjustment process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pin length can be dynamically adjusted by rotating the pin along its axis, which changes the effective length through the threading mechanism. This allows rapid adjustment during installation without the time-consuming process of inserting and positioning shims. The adjustment is achieved through a simple rotational motion rather than manual shim placement, significantly reducing adjustment time while ensuring reliable locking.
4Manufacturing precision
If the pin length is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the pin cannot engage guides correctly when the leaf is out-of-plumb
Solution Approach 1:
The pin incorporates a threading mechanism that allows its effective length to be adjusted dynamically. This enables the pin to engage guides accurately even when the leaf is out-of-plumb, without requiring a completely different pin structure. The threading mechanism adds minimal structural complexity while providing the necessary adjustability for precise engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The effective length parameter of the pin is made variable through a threading mechanism. By adjusting this parameter, the pin can achieve correct engagement with the guides despite out-of-plumb conditions. This parameter change approach maintains relative structural simplicity while achieving the required engagement accuracy.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
An adjusting device (100) for a lift-and-slide door or window comprising a leaf (A) and a fixed frame (T) and in which the leaf (A) is slidably movable along an opening and closing direction (X) to come to abut mechanically on the fixed frame (T), said adjusting device (100) comprising a support element (10) inserted or insertable into a housing (T1, A1) made in one between the frame (T) and the leaf (A), said support element (10) presenting a first wall (11a) and a second wall (11b) substantially opposite said first wall (11a); a support seat (12) made in the first wall (11a) of the support element (10) and extending through the support element (10) to the second wall (11b); an adjustable pin (20) housed in said support seat (12) and comprising a head end (21a), protruding operationally from said support seat (12) and engageable in a guide (G) placed in a housing (T1, A1) obtained in the other said frame (T) or said leaf (A), and a bottom end (21b) inserted into said support seat (12), said adjustable pin (20) being movable along the support seat (12) to assume a plurality of stable positions comprised between a first maximum insertion position of the adjustable pin (20) in the support seat (12), and a second minimum insertion position of the adjustable pin (20) in the support seat (12); locking means (30) configured to lock the adjustable pin (20) in one of said stable positions in the support seat (12). Further, an adjusting method is disclosed for adjusting a lift-and-slide door or window, in particular to compensate for an anomalous distance ("airgap") between the leaf and frame because of the out-of-plumb position.