Sliding Door Roller Assembly and Safety Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding door systems experience noise due to friction, risk disengagement from tracks leading to safety hazards and are inflexible, requiring custom manufacturing for design changes, which is labor-intensive and costly.
Innovation Solution
A sliding door system with upper roller and lower wheel assemblies that eliminate friction between the door and upper track, incorporate a safety mechanism to keep the door on track, and allow for design flexibility through removable divider strips, enabling smooth operation, safety, and cost-effective customization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the upper track is designed to guide the door with minimal weight bearing, then the door remains in line and in place, but friction between the upper part of the door and upper track creates undesirable noises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional sliding contact mechanism in the upper track with a roller assembly that rotates on bearings. This substitution transforms the friction-based sliding motion into a rolling motion with minimal friction, eliminating the noise generated by direct contact between the door and upper track while maintaining proper door alignment and guidance.
2Ease of operation
If existing sliding door systems are used, then basic sliding function is provided, but the door may disengage from tracks creating safety hazards and requiring costly repair
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a safety mechanism that applies preliminary anti-action to prevent disengagement. The mechanism includes a protrusion on the door that engages with a corresponding receptacle in the track, creating a mechanical interlock that prevents the door from脱离ing the track during operation, thereby eliminating the safety hazard of door disengagement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If custom manufacturing is used to achieve design flexibility, then desired shapes and angles can be produced, but labor and manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the door into modular components: a standard door panel and removable divider strips. The divider strips can be detached and reattached in different configurations to create various design patterns (single panel, two-panel, three-panel designs). This segmentation allows design flexibility without requiring custom manufacturing of entire doors, significantly reducing labor and manufacturing costs while maintaining adaptability.
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
The system provides a quiet, safe, and customizable sliding door solution that prevents disengagement and allows for design variations without the need for new custom-made doors, ensuring smooth operation and enhanced safety while reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The roller assembly includes a housing, a shaft, and a roller. The shaft is rotatably mounted in the housing and has a perimeter that is in frictional contact with a portion of the upper track. The roller is mounted on the shaft in a manner that reduces the friction between the shaft and the upper track.
Implementation Method 2
The lower wheel assembly includes a lower wheel that is in contact with the lower track, allowing the door to slide smoothly along the track while supporting the door's weight.
Data Source
AI summary
A sliding door system includes a sliding door having an upper roller assembly disposed atop a portion of the door's frame, a lower wheel assembly disposed at a bottom portion of the frame, a channeled upper track, a lower track having at least one convex longitudinal rail configured to receive the lower wheel assembly, and one or more optional panel divider strips. The lower wheel assembly includes a vertical spine having a transverse shaft coupled to a bottom portion thereof, a lower wheel that has a concave contact surface and is rotatably coupled to the transverse shaft, and a transverse latch member disposed vertically below the lower wheel to slidably latch the lower wheel assembly to the lower track as the lower wheel rotates matingly on the convex longitudinal rail.