EP2195502B1

EP2195502B1 - A carriage for sliding doors and windows

Info

Publication number: EP2195502B1
Application number: EP09797613A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Lambertini
Original assignee: GSG International SpA
Current assignee: GSG International SpA
Priority date: 2008-07-14
Filing date: 2009-07-10
Publication date: 2011-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2029-07-10
Also published as: ITBO20080446A1; DE602009001087D1; WO2010007567A1; BRPI0904800B1; IT1390715B1; EP2195502A1; ES2364177T3; ATE505612T1; CN101835950B; BRPI0904800A2; CN101835950A

Abstract

Described is a carriage for sliding doors and windows comprising: a fixed frame (2); a sliding sash (3) that moves horizontally relative to the fixed frame (2) between an open position and a closed position; at least one carriage (4, 5) associated with the bottom horizontal member (6) of the sash (3) and resting on a horizontal base track (7) to enable the sash (3) to slide, the carriage (4, 5) comprising a frame (8) for mounting a pair of wheels (9, 10) and a member (11) for connecting the frame (8) to the bottom horizontal member (6), the connecting member (11) being movably connected to the frame (8) in such a way as to enable the sash (3) to be lifted and lowered relative to the mounting frame (8); a control member (12) mounted on the sash (3) and designed to allow the sash (3) to be lifted relative to the carriage (4, 5) in order to enable it to slide open, and to allow the sash (3) to be lowered when the sash (3) is in the closed position; the carriage (4, 5) is also equipped with means (14) for adjusting the distance (D) of the mobile sash (3) relative to the track (7).

Description

Technical Field

This invention relates to a carriage for sliding doors and windows, in particular forming part of a carriage unit for doors and windows of the type known in the jargon of the trade as "lift and slide".

Background Art

These doors and windows normally comprise:

a fixed frame;
at least one mobile frame, or sash, that slides horizontally relative to the fixed frame between an open position and a closed position;
at least one sliding unit, or carriage unit, associated with the bottom horizontal member of the sash and resting on a horizontal base track to enable the sash to slide in both directions to and from the open and closed positions;
a control handle mounted on the sash and enabling the sash firstly to be lifted so as to move the sides of the track away from the weather-strips at the bottom of the sash to allow the latter to slide to and from the open and closed positions, and secondly to be lowered when it reaches the closed position so that the strips create a substantially weather-tight seal;
locking/unlocking means acting between the vertical member of the sash and the fixed frame to lock/unlock the sash in the closed position under the action of the handle.

This specification focuses on the carriage unit which, in most of the constructional solutions currently available on the market, comprises a pair of carriages (main and secondary) so that the weight of the sliding sash can be distributed uniformly.
Usually, each carriage comprises: a box-shaped frame that supports at its ends a pair of wheels designed to run on the track; and a connecting member interposed between the box-shaped frame and the bottom of the sliding sash to enable the sash to be lifted and lowered relative to the box-shaped frame.
In particular, in a prior art structure (some embodiments of which are described in publications DE 7816563U , EP 1.298.271 , EP 1.298.272 and EP 1.437.471 ), the connecting member is, on one side, connected to the bottom of the sash and, on the other, connected to the box-shaped frame by a coupling between a pin and an inclined slot (applied to, and formed in, the box-shaped frame and connecting member, or vice versa, depending on the solution adopted).
The movement of the connecting member (and of the sash) relative to the box-shaped frame of the carriage is imparted by the above mentioned control handle through a drive system which changes the relative position between the pin and the inclined slot.
One of the problems that may be encountered in lift and slide doors and windows of this type is the imprecise alignment between the vertical member of the fixed frame and the vertical member of the mobile sash after assembly.
This shortcoming, felt particularly strongly in very tall doors and windows, results in visible slanting of the mobile sash relative to the fixed frame when the door or window is closed.
This defect may be caused by imprecise cutting and/or assembling of the profiles of the mobile sash (or to incorrect compensation of the glazing mounted) tending, however slight the imprecision, to give the sash the shape of a "rhombus" rather than that of a "rectangle", or by a defect or imperfection in the straightness ("levelness") of the brickwork supporting the fixed bottom horizontal frame member; thus, by following incorrect shape (for example, a slight sag), the latter can lead to misalignment between the fixed frame and the sash.
At present, to correct this defect, in the first situation and in the worst of cases, it is necessary to reassemble the sash altogether, whilst in the second situation, the horizontal alignment of the bottom horizontal member (the one with the tracks on it) mist be corrected using shims or plugs to make the vertical members of the fixed and mobile frames exactly vertical and parallel with each other again.
This alignment operation must be carried out by an installer with considerable skill and experience and even then, is highly time consuming. In some cases, the mobile sash must be removed and re-installed (before and after adjustment) and this is not always an easy task.

Disclosure of the Invention

This invention therefore has for aim to overcome these drawbacks by providing a carriage for lift and slide sliding doors/windows that is quick and easy to adjust in order to align the position of the mobile sash relative to the fixed frame.
According to the invention, the above aim is achieved by a carriage for sliding doors/windows, in particular doors/windows of the lift and slide type, comprising the characteristics as defined in claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The technical features of the invention, with reference to the above aims, are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages are more apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred non-limiting example embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a sliding door/window equipped with the carriage according to the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a scaled-up detail A of the door/window of Figure 1, with some parts in cross section;
Figures 3 and 4 are side views illustrating a carriage, with reference to Figure 2, in two different operating configurations;
Figure 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the carriage of Figures 3 and 4;
Figure 6 is a cross section through line VI - VI of Figure 4.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings, in particular Figures 1 and 2, the carriage according to the invention, labelled 1 in its entirety, can be used on sliding doors/windows of the "lift and slide" type.
These doors/windows 1 basically comprise: a fixed frame 2; at least one mobile sash 3; one or two carriages 4 and 5; and a control member 12.
More specifically, the sash 3 is slidable relative to the fixed frame 2 between a closed position (see Figure 1) and an open position (not illustrated).
More in detail, the sash 3 is slidable horizontally on a fixed track 7 positioned at the base of the fixed frame 3 and, in its fully open position (not illustrates), can (purely by way of an example) be superposed over a fixed sash 101.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a pair of carriages 4, 5, each of which is associated with the bottom horizontal member 6 of the sash 3 and runs in the guide track 7 to enable the sash 3 to move to and from the open and closed positions.
Hereinafter, the carriage 4 is referred to as the "main carriage", being located, relative to the closing direction F2 of the sash 3, in front of the other carriage 5 which, instead, is referred as the "secondary carriage" connected in series with the main carriage 4.
As already stated, the door/window 1 comprises a control member 12, that is to say, a handle, mounted on the sash 3, firstly enabling:

the sash 3 to be lifted so as to move the sides of the track 7 away from the weather-strips at the bottom of the sash 3 to allow the latter to slide to and from the open and closed positions (see arrow F1); and
secondly enabling the sash 3 to be lowered when it reaches the closed position so that the weather strips seal the door/window 1 in weather-tight manner (see arrow F2).

Looking more closely at the constructional details, each of the carriages 4 and 5 comprises at least one frame 8 for mounting a pair of wheels 9, 10, rotatably constrained to the frame 8, and a member 11 for connecting the frame 8 to the bottom horizontal member 6.
The connecting member 11 is movably connected to the frame 8 in such a way as to enable the sash 3 to be lifted and lowered relative to the mounting frame 8.
More specifically, (see also Figures 3 to 6) the connecting member 11 is interposed between the frame 8 and the horizontal member 6 of the sash 3 and comprises a substantially rectangular upper plate 11a coupled to a groove 6a in the underside of the horizontal member 6 (illustrated schematically in Figures 2, 3 and 4).
Each carriage 4 and 5 is provided with elastic means, interposed between the member 11 and the frame 8 and being in particular in the form of a helical spring M, designed to facilitate the lifting of the sash 3 (not described in detail here since it does not strictly fall within the scope of this invention).
From a middle portion of the plate 11 a there extends a bottom protrusion 11b of the connecting member 11 by which the latter is movably constrained to a central portion of the frame 8.
More specifically, the protrusion 11b has an elongated slot-like housing 20 that is inclined in such a way that its lower end is in front of the upper end in the above mentioned sash 3 closing direction F2.
As will become clearer as this description continues, the slot 20 is engaged by a pin 19 through a pair of bushes 26.
Between the main carriage 4 and the handle 12 there is an interposed transmission system 13 enabling the handle 12 to be used to lift and lower the sash 3 relative to the mounting frame 8 (this system is not illustrated in detail since it does not strictly fall within the scope of this invention).
Besides the above, one or both the carriages 4 and 5 are equipped with means 14 for adjusting the distance D of the mobile sash 3 relative to the track 7.
As illustrated clearly in Figures 3 to 6, the adjustment means 14 comprise:

a pair of grooves 15 located on both sides of the outer longitudinal surfaces of the mounting frame 8, each groove 15 being provided with a respective first through slot 16 extending vertically in the vicinity of the area engaged by the connecting member 11;
an adjustment slider 17, slidably positioned in the pair of grooves 15 and having second through slots 18 extending in an inclined direction;
the above mentioned pin 19 for locking the slider 17 to the frame 8, passing through the first and second slots 16 and 18 and engaging the inclined slot-like housing 20 made in the bottom protrusion 11b of the connecting member 11 in such a way as to hold the connecting member 11 to the frame 8;
movement means 21 acting between the slider 17 and the frame 8 and designed to enable the latter to move in both directions in such a way as to lower or lift the pin 19 and thereby varying the position of the connecting member 11 relative to the frame 8 (see arrows F21, Figures 3 and 4).

Preferably but without limiting the scope of the invention, the distance D of the mobile sash 3 relative to the track 7 can be adjusted when the sash 3 is either in the raised or in the lowered position: this facilitates better alignment of the sash 3 relative to the fixed frame 2 in the closed position.
In the embodiment illustrated, the adjustment means 14 are located on the secondary carriage 5.
Obviously, the first and second slots 16 and 18 are positioned in pairs to partly coincide in such a way as to farm at least one through cavity for the passage of the pin 19.
Looking more closely at the details, the first slots 16 in the pair of grooves 15 in the frame 8 extend vertically, that is to say, perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of the grooves 15.
In other terms, the first slots 16 delimit the vertical stroke of the pin 19, with two, upper and lower, end positions for adjustment of the connecting member 11 (the end positions are shown in Figures 3 and 4).
The above mentioned slider 17 comprises two branches 17a and 17b slidable in the longitudinal grooves 15, and a head 22 joining the two branches 17a and 17b and facing a front end 8a of the frame 8.
The movement means 21 are positioned between the head 22 and the front end 8a in such a way as to enable the pair of branches 17a and 17b to slide in the grooves 15 (see arrows F17, Figures 3 and 4), thereby moving the head 22 towards and away from the front end 8a.
The second slots 18 in the pair of branches 17a and 17b extend at an angle and, as the head 22 moves to and fro, produce a pushing or pulling action on the locking pin 19, which is guided vertically along the first slots 16 in such a way as to vary the initial position of the connecting member 11.
The adjustment means comprise a screw 21 passing through a first hole 23 in the connecting head 22 and rotatably connected and retained by a lock nut 24 in a second through hole 25 made in the front end 8a of the frame 8.
The screw 21 can then be driven from the outside of the slider 17 in such a way as to move the connecting head 22 towards or away from the front end 8a of the frame 8, depending on the rotation direction, so as to vary the position of the connecting member 11.
In other terms, with one or more carriages 4 and 5 equipped with the adjustment means 14, the sash 3 can, when necessary, be aligned with the fixed frame 2.
Once the sash 3 has been mounted on the track 7, the installer can, if necessary, proceed to aligning it using a suitable spanner (for example an Allen key) to turn the screw 21 in order to lift or lower the connecting member 11 (and hence the sash 3) relative to the track 7 according to the position of the sash 3 with respect to the fixed frame 2.
Thus, as mentioned above, the sliding movement of the slider 17 causes the second slots 18 to lift or lower the pin 19, thereby moving the connecting member 11 which in turn drives or lifts the bottom horizontal member 6 of the sash 3.
A carriage made in this way thus achieves the above mentioned aims thanks to the presence of a simple, yet very effective adjustment system that does not require corrective action to be taken directly on the door/window frames.
The adjustment means are made in such a way that the basic structure of the carriages can be maintained. The basic parts, and hence the quality and effectiveness of the carriages thus remains unchanged.
The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application and may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A carriage unit for sliding doors and windows, the doors and windows (1) comprising at least
a fixed frame (2) and
at least one sliding sash (3) that moves horizontally relative to the fixed frame (2) between an open position and a closed position; said carriage unit comprising:
- at least one carriage (4, 5) associated with a bottom horizontal member (6) of the sash (3) and resting on a horizontal base track (7) to enable the sash (3) to slide in both the opening and closing directions; the carriage (4, 5) comprising at least one frame (8) for mounting a pair of wheels (9, 10) rotatably connected to the frame (8), and a member (11) for connecting the frame (8) to the bottom horizontal member (6); said connecting member (11) being movably connected to the frame (8) in such a way as to enable the sash (3) to be lifted and lowered relative to the mounting frame (8), said connecting member (11) comprising therefore an inclined slot-like housing (20) engaged by a pin (19), the pin (19) being held by the frame (8);

- a control member (12) mounted on the sash (3) and designed to allow the sash (3) to be lifted relative to the carriage (4, 5) in order to enable it to slide open, and to allow the sash (3) to be lowered when the sash (3) is in the closed position; there being, between the carriage (4, 5) and the control member (12), an interposed drive system (13) through which the control member (12) lifts and lowers the sash (3) relative to the mounting frame (8), characterized in that the at least one carriage (4, 5) further comprises means (14) for adjusting the distance (D) of the mobile sash (3) relative to the track (7), said means (14) comprising at least:

- a pair of grooves (15) located on both sides of the outer longitudinal surfaces of the mounting frame (8), said grooves (15) being provided with respective first through slots (16) extending vertically in the vicinity of the area engaged by the connecting member (11);

- an adjustment slider (17), slidably positioned in the pair of grooves (15) and having second through slots (18) extending in an inclined direction;

- the said pin (19) for locking the slider (17) to the frame (8), passing through the first slots (16) and second slots (18) and engaging the inclined slot-like housing (20) made in the connecting member (11) in such a way as to hold the connecting member (11) to the frame (8);

- movement means (21) acting between the slider (17) and the frame (8) and designed to enable the latter to move in both directions in such a way as to lower or lift the pin (19) and thereby varying the position of the connecting member (11) relative to the frame (8).
The carriage according to claim 1, where the door or window (1) is equipped with at least a pair of said carriages (4, 5) and where the first carriage (4) is connected to the drive system (13) and the second, secondary carriage (5), is connected in series to the first carriage (4), characterized in that at least the second carriage (5) is equipped with the adjustment means (14).
The carriage according to claim 1, characterized in that the first slots (16) in the pair of grooves (15) in the frame (8) extend vertically, that is to say, perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction in which the grooves (15) extend; said first slots (16) defining the vertical stroke of the pin (19), with two respective top and bottom end positions, for adjusting the connecting member (11).
The carriage according to claim 1, characterized in that the slider (17) comprises a pair of branches (17a, 17b) slidable in the longitudinal grooves (15), and a head (22) joining the two branches (17a, 17b) and facing a front end (8a) of the frame (8); the movement means (21) being positioned between the head (22) and the front end (8a) in such a way as to enable the pair of branches (17a, 17b) to slide in the grooves (15) and to move the head (22) towards and away from the front end (8a).
The carriage according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that the second slots (18) in the pair of branches (17a, 17b) extend at an angle and, as the head (22) moves to and fro, produce a pushing or pulling action on the locking pin (19), which is guided vertically along the first slots (16) in such a way as to vary the initial position of the connecting member (11).
The carriage according to claim 4, characterized in that the adjustment means comprise a screw (21) passing through a first hole (23) in the connecting head (22) and rotatably connected and retained by a lock nut (24) in a second through hole (25) made in the front end (8a) of the frame (8); said screw (21) being driven from the outside of the slider (17) in such a way as to move the connecting head (22) towards or away from the front end (8a) of the frame (8), depending on the rotation direction, so as to vary the position of the connecting member (11).
The carriage according to claim 1, characterized in that the first slots (16) and the second slots (18) are positioned in pairs in such a way as to partly coincide to form at least one through hole for the passage of the pin (19).
The carriage according to claim 1, characterized in that the pin (19) axially engages a pair of bushes (26) located in the slotted groove (20) in the connecting member (11) and designed to form the element that holds the connecting member (11) itself to the frame (8).