Abstract:
Systems and methods according to the present invention relate generally to hardware, and more specifically to door guiding hardware. Cantilevered mounting brackets are provided to interface with a track, which may be mounted to a vertical support surface such as a wall or doorway. One of the brackets is stationarily mounted with respect to the track and the other includes a bearing that is movable in and guided by the track. The brackets are suited for affixation to a multi-panel door, such as a bi-fold door.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/935,609, filed on 5 Feb. 2014, and titled “Cantilevered Bi-Fold Door Support.” 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    At times it may be desirable to conceal the existence of room or other space by use of a disguised door or passageway. For example, a homeowner may wish to create a safe room wherein the doorway is disguised to thereby deceive a casual viewer of its existence. Such doorway disguise may be in the form of a bookcase or other large furniture item that conceals the passageway to such a room. Such passageway closure disguise may conceal any number of spaces, such as those containing a safe or other valuables, private areas, or novelty rooms. The passageway closure of such spaces and others may include the use of bi-fold doors. A typical bi-fold door may included require a valance member to support a mounting track immediately above the door for supporting the door in a closed position. Moreover, known arrangements such as these can be costly and inflexible in design. Embodiments according to the present invention relate to passageway closures, and more specifically to an improved guide system for a bi-fold door that does not require use of a valance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to an improved guide system for a hinged door having a plurality of panel sections, such as a bi-fold door. The guide system may include a cantilevered pivot assembly, a cantilevered slide assembly and a top track. The cantilevered pivot assembly may further include a door mounting bracket adapted to be fixedly secured to a top surface of one of the panel sections. The cantilevered pivot assembly may further include a support bracket rotatably coupled to the mounting bracket at a pivot point. A track mounting bracket may also be provided on the cantilevered pivot assembly. The present guide system provides installation flexibility and eliminates the need of a costly valance. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of an embodiment of a prior bi-fold door arrangement. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a first perspective, partial assembly view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a second perspective, partial assembly view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of an embodiment of a bi-fold door including a support mechanism according to the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a perspective, partial assembly view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pivot assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a slide assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a guide track according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a right end view of the assembly of  FIG. 6  interfacing the track of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 10A  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , with the door in the open position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10B  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 10A , but showing the door and relative movement of the parts as it moves to the closed position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10C  is a view similar to that of  FIGS. 10A and 10C , but showing the door in the closed position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
         [0017]    With reference now to  FIGS. 1-3 , a prior art bi-fold door system  10  may be seen. Generally, the prior art system  10  includes a door  20  and a valance  60 . The door  20  has a first panel section  22  and a second panel section  24 , joined along a hinged juncture. The first panel section  22  extends from a bottom end  22   a  to a top end  22   b,  through a height  32 . The first panel section  22  may further include a plurality of shelves  22   c,  which may be adjustable at various positions along the height  32 . The second panel section  24  extends from a bottom end  24   a  to a top end  24   b,  through the height  32 . The second panel section  24  may further include a plurality of shelves  24   c,  which may be adjustable at various positions along the height  32 . The door  20  is adapted to be positioned in front of a passageway or doorway  2 , so as to obscure same. Thus a combined width  30  (of the first panel section  22  and the second panel section  24 ) and the height  32  are preferably dimensioned to be at least as wide and high, respectively, as the dimensions of the passageway  2 , and more preferably larger than the dimensions of the passageway  2 . For guiding purposes, each panel section  22 ,  24  is provided with hardware. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a pivot pin  26  is mounted to the top surface  24   b  of the second panel section  24 , extending vertically upward therefrom. A bearing  28  is mounted to the top surface  22   b  of the first panel section  22 , extending vertically upward therefrom. 
         [0018]    The valance  60  generally has a top surface  62  and a bottom surface  64 . The bottom surface  64  generally supports hardware to interface with the hardware mounted to the door  20 . A pivot plate  66  is stationarily mounted to the bottom surface  64  of the valance  60 . The pivot plate  66  provides a rotational bearing surface that accepts the pivot pin  26 , allowing rotation thereof. A guide track  68  is also stationarily mounted to the bottom surface  64  of the valence  60 , generally in longitudinal alignment with the pivot plate  66 . The guide track  68  receives the bearing  28  in sliding or rolling engagement to allow movement of the bearing  28  along the track  68 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a prior art bottom guide arrangement for use with the prior art bi-fold door system  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As shown, a pivot plate  82  may be securely fastened to the bottom surface  24   a  of the second panel section  24 . The pivot plate  82  provides a rotational bearing surface (e.g. a hole) which is adapted to accept a pivot pin  84 , which may be fixedly attached to a floor. A bottom track  86  is affixed to the floor, generally in longitudinal alignment with the pivot pin, and a caster plate  88  is secured to the bottom surface  22   a  of the first panel section  22 . A caster wheel  90  is coupled to and at least indirectly rotatably supported in a vertical plane by the caster plate  88 . The caster wheel  90  is also at least indirectly rotatably supported in a horizontal plane by the caster plate  88 . The caster wheel  90  is adapted to interface with the bottom track  86 , preferably including a circumferential surface having a cross-section which mates with a cross-section of the track  86 . For example, the track  86  may be provided with a raised, partially cylindrical upper guide surface and the wheel  90  may have a groove adapted to follow such guide surface to allow longitudinal translation of the wheel  90  along the track  88 . 
         [0020]    Turning now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an embodiment of a bi-fold door system  100  according to the present invention may be introduced. Similar to the prior art system  10 , described above, the door system  100  according to the present application includes a door member  120 . The door  120  has a first panel section  122  and a second panel section  124 , joined along a hinged juncture. The first panel section  122  extends from a bottom end  122   a  to a top end  122   b,  through a height  132 . The first panel section  122  may further include a plurality of shelves  122   c , which may be adjustable at various positions along the height  132 . The second panel section  124  extends from a bottom end  124   a  to a top end  124   b,  through the height  132 . The second panel section  124  may further include a plurality of shelves  124   c,  which may be adjustable at various positions along the height  132 . The door  120  is adapted to be positioned in front of a passageway or doorway  2 , so as to obscure same. Thus a combined width  130  (of the first panel section  122  and the second panel section  124 ) and the height  132  are preferably dimensioned to be at least as wide and high, respectively, as the dimensions of the passageway  2 , and more preferably larger than the dimensions of the passageway  2 . A bottom guide arrangement that is substantially similar to that shown in  FIG. 3 , and previously described, may be used in conjunction with an embodiment of a bi-fold door system  100  including cantilevered guides according to the present invention, as will be discussed. 
         [0021]    For guiding the top of the door  120 , each panel section  122 ,  124  is provided with novel hardware, including one or more of a cantilevered pivot assembly  140 , a cantilevered slide assembly  150  and a top track  160 .  FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of the cantilevered pivot assembly  140 . As seen, the assembly  140  preferably includes a door mounting bracket  142  adapted to be fixedly secured to the top surface  122   b  or  124   b  of one of the panel sections  122 ,  124 . The assembly  140  further includes a support bracket  144  rotatably coupled to the mounting bracket  142  at a pivot point  142   a.  The bracket  144  may include one or more openings  144   a  and/or support members  144   b  to strengthen such openings  144   a.  A track mounting bracket  146  is also provided on the assembly  140 . The track mounting bracket  146  may be coupled to the support bracket  144 , in a spaced relationship therefrom, by one or more threaded fasteners  148  cooperating with threaded apertures  146   a  formed in the bracket  146 . The spaced coupling of the track mounting bracket to the support bracket  144  allows for interface with and securement to a stationary track  160 , as is further described below. 
         [0022]      FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of a cantilevered slide assembly  150  for use with the present invention. The assembly  150  includes a door mounting bracket  152  adapted to be fixedly secured to the other top surface  124   b  or  122   b  of one of the panel sections  124 ,  122 . The assembly  150  further includes a support bracket  154  rotatably coupled to the mounting bracket  152  at a pivot point  152   a.  A bearing member  156  is also provided on the assembly  150 . The bearing  156  may be coupled to the support bracket  154  by one or more threaded fasteners  156   a  cooperating with a threaded aperture formed in the bracket  154 . The bearing  156  may be stationarily secured to the support bracket  154  to slide within the track  160 , or rotatably supported thereby (e.g. a ball bearing arrangement) to reduce sliding friction. 
         [0023]    With attention now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an embodiment of a top track  160  for use with the present invention may be seen. As illustrated, the top track  160  is a substantially longitudinal member extending between a first end  162  and a second end  164 . A channel  166  is preferably defined by a channel sidewall  160   c  extending between and including the first end  162  and the second end  164 . The ends of the channel  166  are preferably open, but may be capped after installation of the bearing  156 , track mounting bracket  146 , and/or an end stop assembly  170 . The end stop assembly  170  has a bottom plate  172  and a top plate  174  coupled to the bottom plate  172  in a spaced relationship by, e.g., a threaded fastener  176 . The end stop assembly  170  may be secured within the channel  166 , at one of the track ends  162 , 164  or between one of the track ends  162  or  164  and the bearing  156 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 9  shows an interface between the pivot assembly  140  and the track  160  according to the present invention. As can be seen, the track mounting bracket  146  is inserted at least partially, but preferably completely, into the channel  166  in the track  160 . Threaded fasteners  148  may then be inserted through the support bracket  144  to engage the track bracket  146  and, when tightened, secure the mounting bracket  144  to the track  160 . Also inserted into the channel  166  is the bearing  156  (not seen in this view). 
         [0025]    With reference now to  FIGS. 10A-10C , movement of the door  120  after installation may be seen. As illustrated, the track mounting bracket  146  is secured to the track  160  (which is preferably secured to a wall  6  just above a passageway  2 ), the bearing  156  disposed within the track channel  166 , and the end stop assembly  170  is also secured to the track  160 . In operation, substantially all of the weight of the door  120  is preferably supported by the bottom (such as bottom surfaces  122   a,    124   a ). The pivot assembly  140  provides a pivot point  142   a  for the second panel section  124 , and the slide assembly  150  provides a guide interface with the track  160  to enable the first section  122  to pivot on the hinge  29  and slide to close the passageway  2 . Dimensionally, the pivot point  142   a  is preferably stationarily fixed at a first distance  201  from the wall  6 . That first distance  201  is preferably greater than a second distance  202 , measured from the pivot point  142   a  to a right rear corner  124   d  of the second panel section  124  so as to provide clearance for such corner  124   d  during operation. In this fashion, a guide mechanism is provided including brackets that are cantilevered, extending radially outwardly beyond the edge of the top surface(s) of the door, thereby allowing for wall mounting of a track member, rather than requiring the mounting of a track immediately above the door when the door is in a closed position. This arrangement provides for great installation flexibility and eliminates the need of a costly valence. 
         [0026]    The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. For instance, while depicted as opening from left to right, the cantilevered assemblies  140 ,  150  may be swapped, such that the cantilevered pivot assembly  140  is on the first panel section  122  and the cantilevered slide assembly  150  is on the second panel section  124  so that the door  120  would open from right to left.