Sliding Door Carriage With Projection-Recess Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sliding door systems face challenges in handling heavy and fragile glass door leaves, which are difficult to install due to their weight and require significant space for installation, leading to potential damage during handling and installation complications.

Innovation Solution

A sliding door system design that allows for a compact track construction by inserting the carriage into the track without the door leaf attached, using projections and recesses for alignment and weight transfer, with a fastening device that can be easily operated from the side, and incorporates a roller block and clamping device for stable guidance and secure attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door leaf is attached to the carriage before insertion into the track, then the carriage can be easily positioned, but the track requires significant space for the carriage to pivot during installation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of carriage positioningVSAvoidtrack space requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The installation process is segmented into two independent steps: first inserting the carriage into the track, then separately attaching the door leaf to the carriage. This segmentation eliminates the need for the carriage to pivot with the door leaf attached, reducing the required track space while maintaining ease of positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The carriage is preliminarily positioned in the track before the door leaf is attached. This preliminary action allows the carriage to be correctly placed in the compact track space, and only after this positioning is the door leaf connected to the carriage, avoiding the need for large pivot space during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If the door leaf is attached from below to the carriage, then the connection is secure, but the door leaf must be lifted which is dangerous for heavy and fragile glass door leaves

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoiddamage risk during installation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attaching the door leaf from below to the carriage, the invention inverts the attachment direction: the carriage is attached to the door leaf from above. This allows the heavy glass door leaf to remain supported by installers throughout the process, eliminating the need to lift it and attach it from below, thereby reducing damage risk while maintaining connection strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If the track is designed with space for carriage pivoting, then the carriage can be installed from the side, but the door leaf is positioned far from the wall

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation accessibilityVSAvoiddistance from wall
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The installation process is divided into two separate operations: first inserting the carriage into the compact track (which requires minimal space), then separately attaching the door leaf to the carriage. This segmentation allows the track to be positioned close to the wall while still enabling easy installation accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Area of stationary object

If the carriage is inserted without the door leaf, then the track can be compact, but the carriage must be moved longitudinally to connect to the door leaf

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrack compactnessVSAvoidconnection process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The projection-recess mechanism acts as an intermediary that guides and aligns the carriage with the door leaf during longitudinal movement. The projections on the carriage engage with corresponding recesses in the track, providing automatic alignment and simplifying the connection process despite the longitudinal movement required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables easy installation of glass door leaves with minimal space requirements, ensuring secure attachment and smooth operation while minimizing damage risks and play, allowing for precise alignment and stable fastening.

Implementation Method 1

The carriage rolls along one or more rollers in a track of the track

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling: Roller

Implementation Method 2

The projections extending longitudinally along the track engage in the corresponding recess, allowing the weight force to be transferred from the fastening device to the carriage via a positive fit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical interlocking: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 3

The distance in the vertical direction between the rail projection and the track can be selected such that the roller can be pivoted in under the rail projection when the carriage is inserted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPivoting: Hinge

Data Source

PatentEP3757324B1Sliding door system
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 GEBR WILLACH
  • EP3757324B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3757324B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3757324B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Sliding door system (1) with at least one longitudinally extending track (3) and a door leaf (100) guided thereon by at least one carriage (4), wherein the carriage (4) has a trolley (9) guided in the track (3) and a fastening device (11) connected to the trolley (9), by means of which the carriage (4) is attached to an upper edge (100a) of the door leaf (100), characterized in that the trolley (9) is attached to the fastening device (11) by means of at least one fastening means, wherein the at least one fastening means presses the trolley (9) and the fastening device (11) against each other in the longitudinal direction of the track (3), and wherein at least one projection is arranged on the trolley (9),which extends in the longitudinal direction of the running rail (3) and engages in a recess of the fastening device (11) and/or wherein at least one projection is arranged on the fastening device (11) which extends in the longitudinal direction of the running rail (3) and engages in a recess of the carriage (9).