Patent ID: 6095229
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: E05D,E05Y,E06B,Y10T

Abstract:
A door releasable from its operative position upon an impact force in a release direction to prevent damage to the door, the door comprising:(a) a pair of mutually opposed, elongate tracks mountable on a structure defining a door opening, at least one of the tracks having an inwardly facing channel member, said channel member having:(1) a guide segment for guiding the movement of the door in a movement plane defined by the pair of opposed channels, said guide segment having a wall surface with a predetermined profile; and(2) a release segment communicating with said guide segment, said release segment having an oblique wall surface extending in the release direction to a distal release point;(b) a substantially rigid door panel for being positioned in the door opening defined between the pair of tracks and moved along a path of travel which is defined by the pair of tracks; and(c) a release assembly carried by the door panel and operable to releasably engage the door panel from at least one of the tracks, the release assembly including;(1) a plunger carried by the door panel and having an outwardly-extending distal end having a shape for being received in the guide segment of the channel of a respective one of the tracks for guiding the door panel along its predetermined path of travel during normal operation, and being displaceable from the guide segment of the channel and along the oblique wall surface of the release segment of the channel to the release point upon occurrence of impact to the door in the release direction; and(2) biasing means carried by the door panel for biasing the plunger in the guide segment of the channel and for permitting controlled movement of the plunger from the guide segment of the channel along the oblique wall surface of the release segment of the channel to the release point.