Sliding Door Seal Adjustment for Wear and Sealing Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Horizontally sliding doors face a tradeoff between strong sealing engagement and wear on seals due to the movement of door panels, as the distance between the panels and surrounding structures affects the sealing engagement and wear on the seals.
Innovation Solution
The carriers and retention blocks are adjustable to control the position of the door panels relative to the surrounding structure, allowing for selective control of sealing engagement and reducing wear on the seals by adjusting the gap between the panels and the wall, jambs, and header.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the door panels are positioned closer to the surrounding structure, then sealing engagement is improved, but wear on the seals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adjustable carriers that allow dynamic repositioning of door panels along the track system. This enables the sealing gap to be optimized for different operational conditions, balancing sealing performance with seal wear reduction through adjustable panel positions rather than fixed positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of panel position by adjusting carrier locations on the track. This parameter adjustment allows optimization of the gap between door panels and surrounding structure, achieving improved sealing engagement while controlling wear on seal components
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the door panels are positioned farther from the surrounding structure, then wear on the seals is reduced, but sealing engagement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable carrier system enables dynamic optimization of panel positioning. Operators can adjust the panel distance from surrounding structures to reduce seal wear when maximum sealing is not required, while maintaining the capability to achieve strong sealing engagement when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The door system is divided into independently adjustable panels mounted on separate carriers. This segmentation allows individual panel positioning to be optimized, enabling selective adjustment of sealing gaps to balance between sealing performance and wear reduction for different panels or operational scenarios
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for sliding panel door seal adjustment and calibration are disclosed. An example apparatus includes: a first plate including a slot through which a first threaded fastener is to connect to a door panel; a second plate to be between the first plate and a head of the first threaded fastener when the first threaded fastener is connected to the door panel; and a second threaded fastener to couple the first and second plates so that rotation of the second threaded fastener results in movement of the second plate and the connected door panel relative to the first plate.