GB2562017A

GB2562017A - Folding door or window assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2562017A
Application number: GB1519543.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Weihe Mark
Original assignee: SELECTA SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: SELECTA SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2014-11-07
Filing date: 2015-11-05
Publication date: 2018-11-07
Also published as: GB201419850D0; GB201519543D0

Abstract

A folding, e.g. bi-fold, door or window assembly comprises at least first and second door panels 8, 9 hinged (11, 12) together at adjacent edges; upper and lower guide element 16 (18) mounted to the first panel for sliding within upper and lower guide tracks 19 (20). The guide tracks are mounted inline coplanar with the door panels when in the closed position such that the door panels cover the tracks; the guide element 16 (18) provide a sliding pivot axis of the first door and is offset from the door panel in a widthwise direction and spaced a distance from the edge of the door panel allowing pivoting away from any door jamb or overhang in the frame. Guide elements 16 (18) may be perpendicular pins 16 on a bracket 14 adjustably secured within channel 13 for altering the amount of offset of the guide pin from the door. The upper door frame may include an overhang with a resilient seal abutting the door when closed; similarly the door may also include a vertical lip and resilient seal abutting the frame when closed (fig.5)

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Folding door or window assembly

Abstract Title: Folding door or window assembly with offset pivot axis (57) A folding, e.g. bi-fold, door or window assembly comprises at least first and second door panels 8, 9 hinged (11, 12) together at adjacent edges; upper and lower guide element 16 (18) mounted to the first panel for sliding within upper and lower guide tracks 19 (20). The guide tracks are mounted inline coplanar with the door panels when in the closed position such that the door panels cover the tracks; the guide element 16 (18) provide a sliding pivot axis of the first door and is offset from the door panel in a widthwise direction and spaced a distance from the edge of the door panel allowing pivoting away from any doorjamb or overhang in the frame. Guide elements 16 (18) may be perpendicular pins 16 on a bracket 14 adjustably secured within channel 13 for altering the amount of offset of the guide pin from the door. The upper door frame may include an overhang with a resilient seal abutting the door when closed; similarly the door may also include a vertical lip and resilient seal abutting the frame when closed (fig-5)

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FOLDING DOOR OR WINDOW ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to folding door or window assemblies. These are sometimes referred to as concertina doors or bi-fold doors.

For convenience, the term folding door or window assembly in this specification is used as a term of reference for an assembly including two or more hinged panels which obscure an opening and which can be hinged outward or inward of an aperture to permit passage of a person or persons, or of light, through the aperture. It covers conventional doors which extend down to a floor level threshold so that they are easy to walk through, and to windows where the panels extending down to a sill which his located at a distance above a floor. It also covers doors and windows used on an interior or exterior wall of a building, whether commercial or domestic, such as a house or conservatory or factory.

Folding door or window assemblies are known that comprise two or more door panels, which are sized to fit side by side in a door aperture when in the closed position. The two adjacent panels are joined along an edge by upper and lower face mounted hinges and when opened the doors fold together, or concertina, along the hinged edges, moving out of the plane of the door aperture to rest face to face and thereby create a space through which the doorway can be entered or exited.

To guide the doors during this folding movement between open and closed position, the free edges of the doors by which we mean those edges that are opposite the hinged edges must be supported by guide pins at their upper and lower ends that engage respective upper and lower tracks in a door frame that is fitted to the door aperture. The guide pins are free to slide along the guide tracks as the doors open, helping support the door.

There are two main types of folding door or window assembly. The first is an inline folding door or window assembly in which the upper and lower guide tracks are located in the plane of the doorway so that they are concealed by the upper and lower edges of the door panels when closed. The guide pins are usually screwed directly into the upper and lower faces of the door panels slightly inboard of the free edges. This has the benefit that the guide rails are hidden when the door panels are closed. A disadvantage is that the range of movement of the door panels limits the possible forms of seal that can be used between door panels and the door frame. Typically the seals are located in the gap between the hinged edges of the door panels, and brush or foam type seals may be provided in the space between the top of door and the underside of the upper guide rail.

The second is an offset folding door or window assembly, in which the guide tracks are offset from the plane of the aperture and are not concealed by the doors when closed. The guide pins are located in support brackets fixed to the face of the door panels slightly inboard of the free edges. This offset type offers the option of an overlap type of sealing between the door panels and the aperture because the free edges of the door panels nearest the guide do not swing through the plane of the door aperture. However offset doors are not favoured as the visible tracks and protruding support brackets are unsightly and can harbour dirt.

According to a first aspect the invention provides a folding door or window assembly for fitment within an aperture, comprising: an upper guide track and a lower guide track, at least a first and a second door panel connected to each along adjacent edges by at least one hinge, an upper guide element secured to the first door panel adjacent to the edge furthest from the second door panel, a lower guide element secured to the first door panel adjacent to the edge furthest from the second panel;

the upper guide element being located within the upper guide track and the lower guide element being located within the lower guide track, the two elements defining a generally vertically oriented pivot axis about which the first door panel pivots as it is moved from an open position in which the two door panels rest face to face and a closed position in which the door panels rest inline with the door aperture, characterised in that the guide tracks are inline with the aperture so they are covered by the door panels when the panels are in the closed position and in that the pivot axis defined by the guide element is offset from the door panel.

By the axis being offset from the door we mean that the vertical axis does not pass through any part of the door panel but is offset horizontally along a widthwise direction of the door aperture. This is unlike prior inline doors in which the guide axis is located within the door, or a prior offset door in which the axis is offset from the door but also not inline with the door when closed.

The guide element may comprise a support part extends away from the door and a guide pin protruding from the support part into the guide track, the guide pin defining the pivot axis.

In a preferred arrangement the support part comprises a base plate which has fixed to it, or formed in it, at least one vertically extending tubes, the guide pin being carried by a carrier which comprises at least one elongate prong located within the at least one tube.

In an alternative, two tubes may be provided, each spaced horizontally from the other across the thickness of the edge of the door, and each one receiving a respective prong of a carrier for the guide pin. The use of the two tubes and the prongs provides a stable support of the door on the guide pin yet can be achieved with a low profile. This is important in reducing the spacing between adjacent door panels.

The two tubes may be spaced apart horizontally across the width of the door edge. They may be welded onto the base plate, which in turn may be secured to the door edge by one or more bolts or screws or other fastenings.

The pin may be terminated with a roller, which fits in the guide track to permit smooth opening and closing of the door panel.

Of course, in some arrangement a frameless assembly may be provided, in which case the elongate groove would be provided in the upper and lower parts of the aperture surround, for instance directly into a floor at the base of the aperture or upper wall part such as a lintel.

The support part may include at least one opening which receives a fastening that secures the slide rail part in the elongate groove. This may comprise a self tapping screw.

The guide element may be adjustable in position relative to the door to alter the amount of offset of the pivot axis from the edge of the door.

The assembly may include a door frame having an upper rail and two side rails extending along the top and sides of the door aperture. These may be of wood, metal of UPVC material. Where UPVC frames are provided they may comprise extruded frame sections.

The upper and lower guide tracks may comprise metal channels, for example aluminium channels. They may be retained in recesses milled into the door frame.

The folding door or window assembly may comprise only two hinged door panels defining a bi-fold door part. A further, conventional, hinged door panel may be provided that when closed is located next to the first door panel.

Of course, more than two folding door panels may be provided. There may be three, four or more panels.

It may comprise a series of three or more panels, connected by hinges on alternating door faces to allow them concertina and stack face to face when open.

The upper part of the door frame may include a depending seal part which abuts an outer face of a top part of the first door panel, the outer face being that face which is directed away from the side of the aperture that the door panels swing into when open. When closed the door panel will abut this depending seal part. A resilient seal may be located between the door panel and the depending seal part.

Likewise, an upstanding seal part may be provide on a top edge of the first door panel on an inner face, which abuts the inside face of the door frame when the door assembly is closed. Again, a resilient seal may be located between the door frame and the upstanding seal part.

There will now be described by way of example only one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings of which

Figure 1 is view from the inside of an embodiment of a three part folding door assembly in accordance with the present invention when in a closed position;

Figure 2 is a view from above of the door assembly of Figure 1 in the closed position;

Figure 3 is a corresponding view from above of the door assembly of Figure 1 when in the open position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of an upper guide element located in a top corner of the first door panel of the assembly of figure 1 (the lower guide element being substantially a mirror image located at the lower corner);

Figure 5 is a partial view of a part of the door assembly showing the relative locations of seals on the inside and outside of the door assembly taken along line A-A in Figure 1; and

Figure 6 shows a modification which includes two alternative guide parts secured to an edge of a door panel.

The example of a bi-fold door 1 assembly shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a door frame 2 made up of UPVC extruded sections. There are two upright sections 3, 4, an upper section 5 and a lower section 6, connected at their corners by welds 7.

Within the door frame are three door panels 8, 9, 10. A first panel 8 and a second panel 9 are connected together along adjacent edges to from a bifold door section. A third door 10, a so called access door, is located alongside the first panel 8 and is secured along an edge to a left hand side of a door frame fitted to a door aperture by two hinges 23, 24. This allows the access door to open inwards (which as shown corresponds to it swinging out of the plane of the image toward the observer). Likewise the bifold door section also opens inwards in this example.

In this example, each door panel is solid but they may comprise part glazed door panels. In so far as the term door panel is used herein to refer also to a window panel, the panels may comprise a frame, such as a UPVC frame, surrounding one or more single, double, or triple glazed window panes.

The first door panel 8 and the second door panel 9 are joined by upper 11 and lower hinges 12 secured to the outer face of the door panels. The first panel is provided with a channel 13 cut into the top edge which extends all the way to the edge of the door. A slide rail 14 of a guide element 15 is located within this channel as shown in Figure 4. The slide rail 14 supports a guide pin 16 which projects upwards above the top edge of the door panel. A similar channel is formed in the bottom edge of the first door panel into which a second slide rail 17 is located. This also carries a guide pin 18 that extends down from the bottom of the door panel. The two guide pins 16, 18 lie on a common, vertical, axis that is offset from the first door panel 8 and forms a pivot axis about which the door pivots when opening. The two slide rails 14, 17 are held in position by self tapping screws that pass through the slide rail and engage the door frame.

In an alternative, the slide rail may be omitted and a guide part may be provided which comprises a support plate 24 secured to the edge of the door panel 9. This carries two spaced apart vertical tubes 25,26, welded in place on the plate 24, and into which two vertical prongs 27,28 of a carrier for the guide pin 16 may be inserted. This again holds the axis of the pin offset from the door panel. The use of the two pins provides adequate support in a low profile in the space between the door panels when closed. This is shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. A single pin may be sufficient for the top guide part as it does not carry the weight of the door.

The upper guide pin 16 is located within an aluminium guide track 19 located in a slot milled into a lower face of the upper frame section 5. The guide track 19 is generally an inverted u-shape, the open face facing downwards to allow the guide pin 16 to enter track and to slide along it. Similarly, a lower guide track 20 is located in a slot in the bottom section of the frame. The guide pin may be terminated with a roller.

When closed the door panels are aligned as shown in Figures 1 and 2 to block the whole door aperture. The upper and lower guide rails 14, 17 are completely covered by the door panels giving a sleek easy to clean appearance to the closed door assembly. On opening the bifold door section, the first and second panels 8, 9 move to a position shown in Figure 3. The panels concertina together so that the outer faces of the panels face towards one another. The guide pins 16, 18 slide along the rail as required.

Notably, the offset of the pivot axis defined by the guide means ensures that during 5 opening no part of the door panel will swing outward beyond its position of rest with the door closed. This permits inner and outer seal part 21, 22 to be provided as shown in Figure 5, which compress rubber seals when the door is closed. Such an arrangement has not been possible previously with an inline door assembly but can be achieved by providing an offset pivot axis under the present invention.

Claims

1. A folding door or window assembly for fitment within an aperture, comprising: an upper guide track and a lower guide track, at least a first and a second door panel connected to each along adjacent edges by at least one hinge, an upper guide element secured to the first door panel adjacent to the edge furthest from the second door panel, a lower guide element secured to the first door panel adjacent to the edge furthest from the second panel;

2. A folding door or window assembly according to claim 1 in which the guide element comprises a support part which extends away from the door and a guide pin protruding from the support part into the guide track, the guide pin defining the pivot axis.

3. A folding door or window assembly according to claim 2 in which the support part includes at least one opening which receives a fastening that secures the support part to the door.

4. A folding door or window assembly according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the guide element is adjustable in position relative to the door to alter the amount of offset of the pivot axis from the edge of the door.

5. A folding door or window assembly according to any preceding claim which includes a door frame having an upper rail and two side rails extending along the top and sides of the door aperture.

6. A folding door or window assembly according to any preceding claim in which the upper and lower guide tracks comprise metal channels, for example aluminium channels.

7. A folding door or window assembly according to any preceding claim which door assembly comprises only two hinged door panels defining a bi-fold door part.

8. A folding door or window assembly according to any preceding claim in which the upper part of the door frame includes a depending seal part which abuts an outer face of a top part of the first door panel, the outer face being that face which is directed away from the side of the aperture that the door panels swing into when open and when closed the door panel will abut this depending seal part.

9. A folding door or window assembly according to claim 8 in which a resilient seal is located between the door panel and the depending seal part.

10. A folding door or window assembly according to any preceding claim in which an upstanding seal part is provided on a top edge of the first door panel on an inner face, which abuts the inside face of the door frame when the door assembly is closed.

11. A folding door or window assembly according to claim 10 in which a resilient seal is located between the door frame and the upstanding seal part.

12. A folding door or window assembly in accordance with any preceding claim, which is a folding door assembly.

13. A folding door or window assembly in accordance with any of claims 1 to 11, which is a folding window assembly.

14. A folding door or window assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1519543.1