Sliding Door Limiting Device With Lateral Coupling Part

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sliding door systems face challenges in ensuring precise alignment and easy assembly, as the coordination between components attached to the running rail and those attached to the door leaf requires precise positioning, leading to potential errors and time-consuming adjustments during installation.

Innovation Solution

Combining the limiting device with the coupling part to form a structural unit that can be mounted on the running rail as a whole, featuring a flat arm with a coupling part that is stationary and does not require height adjustment, ensuring accurate engagement with the damper and facilitating easy assembly by fixing the positions relative to each other.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the limiting device and coupling element are separate components requiring precise alignment, then the door can achieve proper closing function, but the installation becomes complex and time-consuming with potential positioning errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclosing functionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the limiting device (15) and the coupling element (32) into a single integrated unit mounted on the guide rail. This merging eliminates the need for separate alignment of two components, reducing installation complexity while maintaining the reliable closing function through the unified structure's predetermined geometric relationships.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate components are used for limiting device and coupling element, then functional flexibility is maintained, but installation time increases and positioning accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional flexibilityVSAvoidinstallation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the limiting device and coupling element into one unit, the patent reduces installation time from aligning and fastening two separate components to installing a single pre-aligned assembly, directly addressing the time loss issue while preserving functional flexibility through the unit's design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling element's position is predetermined during manufacturing of the integrated unit, with its lateral position fixed by the pre-tensioned arm's geometry and vertical position ensured by the arm being significantly larger vertically than the engagement element. This preliminary positioning eliminates time-consuming field adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If height adjustment is required for coupling element, then precise engagement can be achieved, but the assembly process becomes more difficult and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveengagement precisionVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates an equipotential condition for vertical positioning by making the coupling element's vertical position independent of the door leaf's mounting height. The pre-tensioned arm's geometry and the cover's stop function provide a self-aligning mechanism that ensures correct engagement regardless of vertical variations, eliminating the need for height adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

4Ease of operation

If the coupling element position is not fixed relative to the limiting device, then installation flexibility is improved, but positioning errors occur leading to faulty adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation flexibilityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The integration of the coupling element and limiting device into a single unit ensures their relative positions are fixed by design rather than by installation skill. The unit can be installed flexibly at different locations on the guide rail, but once mounted, the internal geometry guarantees precise relative positioning, combining installation flexibility with positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This solution simplifies the assembly process by ensuring correct alignment and preventing errors, allowing the door to be accurately guided into its closed position without needing precise height adjustments, thus making the installation process more efficient and error-proof.

Implementation Method 1

The arm is pre-tensioned such that the coupling element is pushed away from the door leaf

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the damper first slows down the door leaf when closing and then drives it into the closed position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Implementation Method 3

the tension force of the spring inside the damper takes over. This causes the door leaf to be gently pushed into its final position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP2286047B2Sliding door
Publication Date: 2020.11.25 GEBR WILLACH
  • EP2286047B2 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The sliding door comprises a rail (10) with a door leaf guided thereon by way of a drive (13). The path of the door leaf is limited by a limiting device (15). The limiting device (15) forms an arm (31) together with an elongated coupler (30), said arm running parallel to the rail (10) and comprising a coupling part (32) for gripping together with the gripper part (17) of the damper (20). The coupling part (32) stands out laterally from the flat arm (31) so that no height adjustment of the coupling part or the gripper part is required when the height of the door leaf (12) changes.