Patent ID: 8205387
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: E05B,E05C,E05D,E05Y,E06B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A sliding door system comprising: a door assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted in a door frame, the door assembly including a door panel mounted on a hanger, and a drive system, wherein the drive system linearly drives the hanger thereby causing linear movement of the door panel within the door frame between open and closed linear positions when the door panel is a linear sliding mode, the door panel being mounted for pivotal movement between a normally closed pivotal position and an open pivotal position when the door panel is in a pivoting mode, a door lock that retains the door panel in the closed pivotal position when the door is operated in the linear sliding mode, a door release operatively associated with the door, wherein the door release is operable to generate a signal when actuated, the signal indicating a request to unlock the door lock and thus enable pivotal movement of the door panel from the closed pivotal position to the open pivotal position, a controller operatively connected with the door release so as to receive the signal generated when the door release is actuated, the controller generating a door release signal to unlock the door lock to enable movement of the door panel from the closed pivotal position to the open pivotal position after a period of time subsequent to actuation of the door release, and a sensor configured to detect movement of an object proximate to the doorway, the sensor operatively connected with the drive system such that detection of such movement causes movement of the door panel from the closed linear position to the open linear position when the door is operated in the linear sliding mode.