Adjustable Rail Element for Sliding Door Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding door arrangements face issues with misalignment of locking bolts and bolt receptacles leading to increased wear, inadequate sealing, and energy inefficiency, particularly due to the need for manual machining that weakens components and is irreversible.
Innovation Solution
A sliding door arrangement with an adjustable rail element using a first adjustment device that allows precise alignment of the locking bolt and bolt receptacle, and a second adjustment mechanism for optimizing contact pressure, enabling reversible and energy-efficient operation regardless of door leaf or frame type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual machining is used to adapt the door leaf to the frame, then the locking bolt and bolt receptacle can be made to fit, but the components are weakened and the process is irreversible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the rail element adjustable rather than fixed. The rail element can be positioned at different locations along the rail, allowing alignment to be achieved through repositioning rather than permanent material removal. This maintains component strength while achieving precise alignment between the locking bolt and bolt receptacle.
2Ease of manufacture
If the locking bolt and bolt receptacle are not precisely aligned, then the door can be assembled easily, but wear increases and operation reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable rail element allows the system to adapt to different assembly conditions while maintaining precise alignment. The rail can be repositioned to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and installation variations, ensuring reliable operation without requiring extremely tight initial assembly tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the position parameter of the rail element along the rail to achieve proper alignment. By adjusting the location of the rail element, the alignment between the locking bolt and bolt receptacle can be optimized, thereby improving operation reliability while maintaining ease of assembly through a simple adjustment mechanism.
3Ease of manufacture
If the locking bolt and bolt receptacle are not precisely aligned, then assembly is simpler, but wear and tear increases reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable rail element provides a dynamic solution that maintains precise alignment throughout the service life of the door. The rail can be repositioned if misalignment develops over time due to wear or settlement, thereby extending the service life of the locking components by preventing excessive wear.
4Device complexity
If the door leaf is not properly sealed to the frame, then the structure remains simple, but energy efficiency decreases due to moisture and cold penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable rail element enables precise positioning to achieve proper sealing between the door leaf and frame. By adjusting the rail position, the locking components can be aligned to ensure tight closure, preventing moisture and cold penetration while maintaining a relatively simple structural design without requiring complex sealing mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sliding door arrangement comprising a stationary frame, a horizontally displaceable door leaf (16) and a locking device for securing the door leaf (16) to the frame, wherein the locking device has a locking bolt and a bolt receptacle (36) cooperating with the locking bolt, is designed and further developed with a view to permanently reliable and energy-efficient use, regardless of the design of the frame and/or door leaf, such that the bolt receptacle (36) is associated with a rail element (38) arranged on the door leaf (16) and that the rail element (38) is adjustable in at least one first adjustment direction by means of an adjustment device (48).