Continuous Locking Hinge Assembly for Unmachined Folding Door Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Folding door assemblies require machining of panels for mounting hinges and weather seals, which is time-consuming and costly, and existing locking mechanisms are cumbersome and require additional hardware installation.
Innovation Solution
A continuous hinge assembly with integrated pivots, rollers, and a locking system that secures to the door panels without machining, featuring adjustable gaps and seals, and a locking mechanism that transitions between extended and retracted positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional surface-mounted hinges are used on folding door assemblies, then the panels can be connected and guided, but additional machining (grooves, channels, or mortises) is required in the panel edges, which is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple hinge components (leaves, pivots, rollers, locking mechanisms, and weather seals) into a single integrated continuous hinge assembly that mounts to the panel edge without requiring separate machining operations for each component. This merging eliminates the need for multiple grooves and channels that would otherwise be required.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous hinge assembly performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides pivoting motion, rolling support, locking capability, and weather sealing, all within a single integrated structure that mounts to the panel edge without requiring specialized machining beyond basic mounting surfaces.
2Reliability
If traditional locking hardware is mounted to panel edges or faces, then panels can be locked in closed position, but additional machining and hardware installation are required
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is integrated into the continuous hinge assembly itself, combining the pivoting and locking functions into a single unit. The shoot bolt and latch mechanisms are built into the hinge structure, eliminating the need for separate locking hardware mounted to panel edges or faces.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous hinge assembly provides its own locking capability through integrated shoot bolts and latches that are part of the hinge structure itself, rather than requiring external locking hardware to be added to the panels.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If weather seals are attached to panels with mounting slots, then gaps between panels can be sealed, but additional machining of mounting slots is required in each panel
Solution Approach 1:
The weather seal is integrated into the continuous hinge assembly structure itself, forming part of the same unit that provides pivoting and locking functions. This eliminates the need for separate mounting slots in each panel that would otherwise be required to attach weather seals.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous hinge assembly provides its own weather sealing capability through integrated seals that are part of the hinge structure, rather than requiring separate weather seal components to be mounted to the panels via machining-created slots.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components (hinges, locks, seals) are installed on folding door assemblies, then each function can be provided, but the overall system becomes more complex and installation more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple previously separate components (hinge leaves, pivots, rollers, locking mechanisms with shoot bolts and latches, and weather seals) into a single continuous hinge assembly unit, reducing the number of separate components while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous hinge assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides pivoting motion, rolling support, locking capability with shoot bolts and latches, and weather sealing, all within a single integrated structure that replaces multiple separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
A threshold assembly has an interior side, an exterior side opposite the interior side, a top side, and a bottom side opposite the top side and includes a substrate and a sill deck. The sill deck is attached to the substrate and includes a deck cover and a sill track. The deck cover may be positioned over a portion of the substrate. The deck cover extends towards the exterior side of the threshold assembly. The sill track has an attachment wall, an exterior wall, and a bottom wall, the attachment wall is positioned on an exterior side of the substrate. The exterior wall is positioned on an exterior side of the attachment wall and defines the exterior side of the threshold assembly. The attachment wall and the exterior wall define a channel therebetween with the channel being open upward and closed on the bottom by the bottom wall.