Patent ID: 6276091
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: E05B,E05C,E06B

Abstract:
A sliding door assembly comprising:a substantially rectangular sliding door doorway, the sliding door doorway having a door frame formed by a lower doorway frame member, an upper doorway frame member, a first vertical doorway frame member, and a second vertical doorway frame member, the sliding door doorway being between an inside area and an outside area;a first glass door slidably received by the upper and lower doorway frame members, said first glass door having a first rectangular door frame, said first rectangular door frame having a first vertical door frame member and a second vertical door frame member, said first vertical door frame member having a coupling passageway formed therein, said second vertical door frame member having a locking passageway formed therein, said first glass door being adapted to slide to a position wherein said first vertical door frame member is in sealed engagement with said first vertical doorway frame member;a second glass door slidably received by the upper and lower doorway frame members, said second glass door having a second rectangular door frame, said second rectangular door frame having a third vertical door frame member and a fourth vertical door frame member, said second glass door being adapted to slide to a position wherein said fourth vertical door frame member is in sealed engagement with said second vertical doorway frame member, said second glass door being adapted to slide to a position wherein said first vertical door frame member is in alignment with said third vertical door frame member;a screen panel operably received by the upper and lower doorway frame members;a coupling member operably received in said third vertical door frame member such that said coupling member can engage said coupling passageway when said second glass door is in said position wherein said first vertical door frame member is in alignment with said third vertical door frame member to selectively connect said first glass door with said second glass door such that said first and second glass doors are slidable together as a unit in a fixed relation to each other between said first and second vertical doorway frame members, said coupling member further being able to engage said locking passageway when said first glass door is in said position wherein said first vertical door frame member is in sealed engagement with said first vertical doorway frame member and said second glass door is in said position wherein said fourth vertical door frame member is in sealed engagement with said second vertical doorway frame member to lock said glass doors within said sliding door doorway; andmeans for locking said screen panel against the first vertical doorway frame member such that when said first and second glass doors are slid to engage the second vertical doorway frame member and said screen panel is locked against the first vertical doorway frame member said screen panel in combination with said glass doors prevent egress across the sliding door doorway but still allow ventilation between the inside area and the outside area across said screen panel, such that when said first glass door is in said position wherein said first vertical door frame member is in sealed engagement with said first vertical doorway frame member and said second glass door is in said position wherein said fourth vertical door frame member is in sealed engagement with said second vertical doorway frame member said first and second glass doors substantially prevent ventilation and egress between the inside area and the outside area across the sliding door doorway, and such that when said first and second glass doors and said screen panel engage said first vertical doorway frame member an opening is formed between said first and second glass doors and said second vertical doorway frame member to allow egress across the sliding door doorway between the inside and outside areas.