Two-way soft closing device for a sliding door and soft closing activation trigger assembly thereof

A two-way soft closing device is mounted in a sliding door and has a sliding door track, two soft closing activation triggers, two roller carriers and a soft closing device. The sliding door track is an elongated member. The soft closing activation triggers are mounted movably in two ends of the sliding door track respectively. The roller carriers are mounted slidably in the sliding door track and are spaced apart at an interval. The soft closing device is mounted in the sliding door track, is located between the roller carriers and is mounted firmly in one of the roller carriers. Therefore, the soft closing device absorbs a collision between a sliding door plate and a doorframe when the sliding door is opened or is closed. Meanwhile, the two-way soft closing device eliminates noise coming from the collision and prevents an elder or a little child from being hit by the sliding door plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a two-way soft closing device and a soft closing activation trigger assembly of the two-way soft closing device and, more particularly, to a two-way soft closing device for a sliding door that absorbs a collision incurred between a sliding door panel and a doorframe during a door-opening or a door-closing action. The two-way soft closing device eliminates noise coming from a door panel collision and prevents fingers of elders or children from being trapped or prevents accidents caused by a sliding door edge coming to a direct collision without any reduction of speed. The soft closing activation trigger assembly that is easily adjusted eliminates a door panel closing gap as well as allows users to adjust the closing distance according to their door opening and closing requirements. Furthermore, the present invention eliminates a malfunction that results from the soft closing activation trigger assembly becoming broken or loosened by colliding with the triggers at a high speed. Then, the present invention avoids the soft closing activation trigger assembly skidding with the sliding door, and prevents users from accidents caused by the door panel in a high speed sliding.

2. Description of the Related Art

A sliding door is usually mounted in an exit of a building or used for an internal building partitioning. The sliding door moves laterally along a sliding door track to open or to close an internal partitioning opening. The sliding door track has a soft closing device and a soft closing activation trigger. The length of the sliding door track is fitted in proportion to the width of the partitioning opening. The sliding door track is an elongated member and mounted in a top end of the opening. The soft closing device is mounted within the sliding door track. The sliding door is connected to the soft closing device. When a user pushes or pulls the sliding door to move towards a door-opening position or a door-closing position, the soft closing device moderates a moving speed of the sliding door with a soft closing cylinder which is activated by the soft closing activation trigger. Therefore, the soft closing device prevents the sliding door from moving too fast. The siding door in motion may cause the door panel to collide with a doorframe, which causes a collision noise, panels shattering and accidents. The sliding door at high speed may collide with elders or children.

However, a conventional soft closing device emphasizes a single-sided soft closing function to prevent one side of the door panel from colliding to the doorframe directly. Mounted in the interior ceiling or wall, the conventional soft closing device is affected by the perpendicular alignment of the interior ceiling. The non-perpendicular alignment of the ceiling or wall makes the sliding door track to be mounted improperly. The improper mounting of the sliding door track causes abrasions between the track and wheels, and makes a difficult maneuvering of the door panel. As mentioned above, the inconsistency in the construction site will increase the resilience of the soft-closing spring. The soft-closing spring maneuvers the door panel back to a pre-set closing position. The increasing resilience of the soft-closing spring causes a gap formed between the door panel and the wall. The soft closing device is usually disposed to the door-closing direction to cushion the door panel. The soft closing device maneuvers the door panel to move towards the closing position. Furthermore, since the conventional soft closing devices cannot adjust a latching range that is a distance between the locations of the trigger and the doorframe, the conventional soft closing device does not allow users or interior designers to adjust the soft closing distance as their requirements. The latching range affects whether the door panel closes in the doorframe. Besides, the interior designer adjusts the location of the sliding door panel, which makes the edge of the sliding door panel to outstand from a fixed doorframe. The user could easily grasp the sliding door panel to close. Furthermore, when the user pulls the door panel to open the sliding door, the soft closing activation trigger stretches a spring that is mounted in the soft closing device. Usually, the user has to exert a heavy effort to overcome a resilience of the spring to move the door panel. If the user exerts an excessive force, the door panel would directly hit the doorframe at a high speed, which results in a colliding noise and which damages the soft closing device, the door panel, and the doorframe. If the force exerted from the user is excessively small, the door panel would not be moved or would not trigger any soft closing action.

For solving the above-mentioned problems, a manufacturer could assemble two units of single-sided soft closing devices that have the same structures and in opposite mounting directions in the sliding door. One of the single-sided soft closing devices is mounted in the door-closing direction. The other single-sided soft closing device is mounted in a door-opening direction. However, assembling the two single-sided soft closing devices increases installing time and complexity of installation as well as production cost. Thus, selecting and using two single-sided soft closing devices creates a major hassle for end users.

When the conventional sliding door is closed, a gap is formed between the door plate and the doorframe. Since a conventional trigger has a pre-set fixed travelling distance and a triggering distance on the soft closing device, the gap cannot be eliminated. Therefore, even when the user considers a door panel is variable size and weight, and once the door panel is mounted in an installation site of a doorframe, the gap is formed due to the door panel structural tolerances, doorframe tolerances, construction site inconsistencies and imperfectness of site conditions. The gap causes trouble and malfunction on the use of the sliding door.

Another conventional trigger is mounted in a rib of the sliding door track with two mounting plates. The mounting plates abut a top surface and a bottom surface of the rib respectively. The mounting plates are connected with a bolt. When the user adjusts a location of the trigger relative to the sliding door track, the bolt is loosened to move the mounting plates. However, the loosening degree of the bolt is not easy to control. The bolt may be removed from one mounting plate that abuts the top surface of the rib, and, then, the other mounting plate that abuts the bottom surface of the rib would drop and hit the user.

When the soft closing device of the conventional sliding door needs to be repaired, the whole sliding door track must be removed along with the soft closing device to repair or to replace components. Nevertheless, the length of the sliding door track is over2meters, so detaching or mounting the sliding door track is not easy. The repair of the soft closing device increases a working time and repairing cost for the end user. Also, repairing of the soft closing device further damages the interior decoration of the building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a two-way soft closing device and a soft closing activation trigger assembly of the two-way soft closing device and, more particularly, to provide a two-way soft closing device mounted in a sliding door that absorbs a collision which is incurred between a sliding door panel and a doorframe in a door-opening or door-closing scenario, that eliminates noise coming from the collision, and that prevents an elder or a little child from direct contact by the fast moving sliding door panel. A soft closing activation trigger is easily adjusted to eliminate a gap and prevents a user from injury from the soft closing activation trigger falling.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the two-way soft closing device in accordance with the present invention comprises a sliding door track, two soft closing activation triggers, two roller carriers and a soft closing assembly. The sliding door track is an elongated member and has a top plate, two side plates, a slot, two mounting parts and two supporting parts. The side plates protrude from two sides of a bottom surface of the top plate. The slot is formed longitudinally in a bottom surface of the sliding door track and is located between the side plates. The mounting parts are connected to each other. Each mounting part protrudes from a top end of a side surface of the side plate. The supporting parts are connected to each other. Each supporting part protrudes from a bottom end of the side surface of the side plate. The soft closing activation triggers are mounted movably between the mounting parts and are mounted in two ends of the sliding door track respectively, and each soft closing activation trigger has an abutting part that protrudes from the soft closing activation trigger. The roller carriers are mounted in the sliding door track, are spaced apart at an interval, are mounted through the slot and are mounted slidably in the supporting parts. The soft closing assembly is mounted in the sliding door track, is located between the roller carriers, is mounted firmly in one of the roller carriers and has a damper, two sliding bases, a spring, two tracking assemblies and two side frames. The sliding bases are mounted rotatably in the two ends of the damper, and each sliding base has an extending part, an embedding groove and multiple stubs. The extending part is formed in a top end of the sliding base. The embedding groove is defined in the extending part and is mounted detachably around the abutting part. The stubs protrude symmetrically from two side surfaces of the sliding base respectively. Two ends of the spring are mounted in the sliding bases respectively. The tracking assemblies are disposed above the two ends of the damper, and each tracking assembly has two tracking plates, two guiding grooves and two positioning parts. The tracking plates are disposed towards the damper and the sliding base respectively and are connected to each other. Each tracking plate has an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the tracking plates are connected to each other. The guiding grooves are mounted around the stubs of the sliding bases and are connected to each other. Each guiding groove is defined longitudinally in the inner surface of the tracking plate. The positioning parts are connected to each other. Each positioning part is defined in one of two ends of the tracking plate, communicates with the guiding groove, is curved, and is located away from the damper. The side frames are mounted in the tracking assemblies and are mounted in one of the roller carriers. Each side frame is mounted in the outer surface of the tracking plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, a two-way soft closing device in accordance with the present invention has a soft closing activation trigger assembly, two roller carriers30and a soft closing assembly40.

The soft closing activation trigger assembly has a sliding door track10and two soft closing activation triggers20.

With reference toFIG. 3, the sliding door track10is an elongated member and has a top plate11, two side plates12, a slot13, two mounting parts14and two supporting parts15.

The side plates12protrude from two sides of a bottom surface of the top plate11.

The slot13is formed longitudinally in a bottom surface of the sliding door track10and is located between the side plates12.

The mounting parts14are disposed corresponding in position to each other. Each mounting part14protrudes from a top end of a side surface of the side plate12and has a top limiting rib141, an abutting rib142, a bottom limiting rib143, a top mounting groove144and a bottom mounting groove145.

The top limiting rib141protrudes from the side plate12.

The abutting rib142protrudes from the side plate12and is disposed corresponding in position to the top limiting rib141at a spaced interval.

The bottom limiting rib143protrudes from the side plate12and is disposed corresponding in position to the abutting rib142at a spaced interval.

The top mounting groove144is formed between the top limiting rib141and the abutting rib142.

The bottom mounting groove145is formed between the abutting rib142and the bottom limiting rib143.

The supporting parts15are disposed corresponding in position to each other. Each supporting part15protrudes from a bottom end of the side surface of the side plate12.

With reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, specifically, the sliding door track10may be divided into a main sub-track101and a maintenance sub-track102and further has four track integration pins16. The main sub-track101is connected to the maintenance sub-track102with the four track integration pins16.

The main sub-track101has the top plate11, the side plates12, the slot13, the mounting parts14and the supporting parts15. The mounting parts14protrude from the side plates12respectively. The supporting parts15protrude from the side plates12respectively. Each mounting part14further has a top inserting groove146that is defined longitudinally in the mounting part14. Each supporting part15has a bottom inserting groove151that is defined longitudinally in the supporting part15.

The maintenance sub-track102has the top plate11, the side plates12, the slot13, the mounting parts14and the supporting parts15. The mounting parts14protrude from the side plates12respectively. The supporting parts15protrude from the side plates12respectively. Each mounting part14has the top inserting groove146. Each supporting part15has the bottom inserting groove151.

The track integration pins16connect the main sub-track101to the maintenance sub-track102and are disposed in parallel to each other. Each track integration pin16has a first end and a second end. The first ends of the track integration pins16are mounted respectively in the top inserting grooves146and the bottom inserting grooves151of the main sub-track101. The second ends of the track integration pins16are mounted respectively in the top inserting grooves146and the bottom inserting grooves151of the maintenance sub-track102.

With reference toFIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the soft closing activation triggers20are mounted movably between the mounting parts14and are mounted in two ends of the sliding door track10respectively. Specifically, the soft closing activation triggers20are mounted in the main sub-track101and the maintenance sub-track102respectively. Each soft closing activation trigger20has a top mounting plate21, a bottom mounting plate22and at least one connecting member23.

Two sides of the top mounting plate21are mounted respectively in the top mounting grooves144of the mounting parts14. The top mounting plate21abuts the abutting ribs142and has a rough part210, an abutting part211and at least one connecting hole212.

The rough part210is formed in a bottom surface of the top mounting plate21and abuts top surfaces of the abutting ribs142. Specifically, the rough part210has multiple projections that protrude from the top mounting plate21and abut the abutting ribs142.

The abutting part211protrudes from the bottom surface of the top mounting plate21and is located between the abutting ribs142of the mounting parts14.

The at least one connecting hole212is defined through the top mounting plate21.

Two sides of the bottom mounting plate22are mounted respectively in the bottom mounting grooves145of the mounting parts14. The bottom mounting plate22abuts the abutting ribs142and has at least one through hole221. A bottom surface of the bottom mounting plate22is extended over by the abutting part211.

The at least one through hole221is defined through the bottom mounting plate22and corresponds in position to the at least one connecting hole212of the top mounting plate21.

The protruding parts222protrude respectively from four corners of a top surface of the bottom mounting plate22and abut bottom surfaces of the abutting ribs142.

The at least one connecting member23is mounted through the at least one through hole221of the bottom mounting plate22and is mounted in the at least one connecting hole212of the top mounting plate21.

With reference toFIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the roller carriers30are mounted in the sliding door track10, are spaced apart at an interval, are mounted through the slot13, and are mounted slidably in the supporting parts15. Each roller carrier has a base part31, multiple rollers32and a hanger33.

The hanger33extends out of the slot13of the sliding door track10and is mounted in a bottom of the base part31.

With reference toFIGS. 6 and 7, the soft closing assembly40is mounted in the sliding door track10, is located between the roller carriers30, is mounted firmly in one of the roller carriers30and has a damper41, two sliding bases42, a spring43, two tracking assemblies44and two side frames45.

The damper41has a cylinder411and a rod412.

The rod412is mounted movably through the cylinder411axially. One of two ends of the rod412is mounted in one of two ends of the cylinder411, and the other end of the rod412extends out of the cylinder411.

Specifically, the damper41further has two attaching members413. One of the attaching members413is mounted in the other end of the cylinder411. The other attaching member413is mounted in the other end of the rod412. The attaching member413has a square hole defined through the attaching member413. The rod412has an outer thread that is formed in an outer surface of the other end of the rod412. The other end of the rod412is mounted through the square hole of the attaching member413, and the outer thread of the rod412is engaged with a nut by threading.

The sliding bases42are mounted rotatably in the two ends of the damper41. Each sliding base42has an extending part420, an embedding groove421, multiple stubs422, two sliding members423and a positioning groove424. Specifically, one of the sliding bases42is mounted pivotably in the attaching member413in the other end of the cylinder411. The other sliding base42is mounted pivotably in the attaching member413in the other end of the rod412.

The extending part420is formed in a top end of the sliding base42.

The embedding groove421is defined in the extending part420and is disposed detachably around the abutting part211.

The multiple stubs422protrude symmetrically from two side surfaces of the sliding base42respectively. Specifically, two stubs422protrude symmetrically from each side surface of the sliding base42.

The sliding members423protrude from the two side surfaces of the sliding base42respectively and are located beneath the stubs422.

The positioning groove424is defined in the sliding base42and is disposed around the attaching member413. The positioning groove424prevents the attaching member413from being pulled and disconnected from the sliding base42.

Two ends of the spring43are mounted in the sliding bases42respectively.

The tracking assemblies44are disposed above the two ends of the damper41. Each tracking assembly44has two tracking plates440, two guiding grooves441, two positioning parts442, two shock-absorbing members443and an embedding groove444.

The tracking plates440are disposed towards the damper41and the sliding base42respectively and are connected to each other. Each tracking plate440has an inner surface and an outer surface, and the inner surfaces of the tracking plates440are connected to each other.

The guiding grooves441are disposed around the stubs422of the sliding bases42and are connected to each other. Each guiding groove441is defined longitudinally in the inner surface of the tracking plate440.

The positioning parts442are connected to each other. Each positioning part442is curved, is defined in one of two ends of the tracking plate440, communicates with the guiding groove441and is located away from the damper41.

The shock-absorbing members443are mounted in the inner surfaces of the tracking plates440respectively. Each shock-absorbing member443is disposed corresponding in position to the positioning part442. The shock-absorbing members443are made of engineering plastic with high wear resistance and shock-absorbing ability.

The embedding groove444is defined longitudinally in the outer surface of the tracking plate440.

The side frames45are mounted in the tracking assemblies44and are mounted in one of the roller carriers30. Each side frame45is mounted in the outer surfaces of the tracking plates440and has a top extending tab451, a protruding rib452and a bottom extending tab453.

The top extending tab451protrudes from a top end of the side frame45and abuts a top end of the tracking plate440.

The protruding rib452protrudes longitudinally from the side frame45and is mounted in the embedding groove444.

The bottom extending tab453is formed longitudinally in a side surface of the side frame45and is located beneath the tracking plate440. The bottom extending tab453and a bottom end of the tracking plate440limit the sliding member423.

The two-way soft closing device of the present invention is mounted in an exit of a building, and a fixed door plate51and a sliding door plate52are mounted in the exit, as shown inFIG. 1. The fixed door plate51is mounted in one of two sides of the exit, and a passage is formed between the fixed door plate51and the other side of the exit. The sliding door plate52is mounted slidably in the other side of the exit and is side by side with the fixed door plate51. The sliding door track10is mounted laterally in a top end of the exit. The hangers33of the roller carriers30that are mounted inside the sliding door track10are mounted firmly in the sliding door plate52. When a user pushes or pulls the sliding door plate52along the sliding door track10, the passage is opened for door-opening or is closed for door-closing. When the user adjusts a location of the soft closing activation trigger20relative to the sliding door track10, a distance between the sliding door plate52and the doorframe is adjusted. A gap that is formed between the sliding door plate52and the doorframe is eliminated, and noise caused by the collision is avoided. The user removes the connecting member23, and the top mounting plate21and the bottom mounting plate22are moved from the abutting rib142. Since the bottom limiting rib143is located beneath the abutting rib142, the connecting member23that is removed from the top mounting plate21and the bottom mounting plate22is supported by the bottom limiting rib143that prevents the bottom mounting plate22from falling to hit the user.

The rollers32are mounted rotatably in the supporting part15as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3. A length of the sliding door track10is less than a length of the exit. A length of the main sub-track101is one hundred and fifty centimeters (cm), and the maintenance sub-track102is sixty cm. When the user repairs the soft closing assembly40, the maintenance sub-track102is removed from the track integration pins16and moved outwards longitudinally. Then, the soft closing assembly40is repaired, or components of the sliding door plate52are replaced. Since the track integration pins16connects the main sub-track101to the maintenance sub-track102, the supporting part15of the main sub-track101and the supporting part15of the maintenance sub-track102are level with each other. Noise is avoided when the rollers32pass a junction of the main sub-track101and the maintenance sub-track102. Furthermore, the level junction of the main sub-track101and the maintenance sub-track102prevents the rollers32from damaging in roundness, and the rollers32slide smoothly and stably between the main sub-track101and the maintenance sub-track102.

With reference toFIG. 7, when the sliding door plate52is not opening or not closing, the stubs422of the sliding base42of the soft closing assembly40are embedded in the positioning parts442that are defined in the tracking plates440and communicate with the guiding grooves441. Meanwhile, the spring43is stretched to accumulate resilience.

With reference toFIG. 8, when the user pushes the sliding door plate52to close the sliding door, the sliding door plate52drives the soft closing assembly40to move for closing the sliding door by the roller carriers30.

With reference toFIG. 9, when the sliding door plate52, the roller carrier30and the soft closing assembly40move towards one of the soft closing activation triggers20that is located in a door-closing position, the abutting part211of the soft closing activation trigger20is embedded in the embedding groove421of the sliding base42. As the sliding door plate52moves towards the door-closing position, the stubs422of the sliding base42that are driven by the abutting part211are removed from the positioning parts442.

With reference toFIG. 10, after the stubs422are removed from the positioning parts442, the resilience of the spring43drives the sliding door plate52, the roller carrier30and the soft closing assembly40to move towards the door-closing position. Meanwhile, the damper41moderates a moving speed of the sliding door plate52, the roller carrier30, the tracking plate440and the side frame45, and the sliding door plate52moves to the door-closing position slowly. Therefore, the two-way soft closing device of the present invention prevents an elder or a little child from being hit by the sliding door plate52.

When the user pulls the sliding door plate52to move towards a door-opening position, the tracking plate440and the side frame45are driven by the roller carrier30to move along the sliding door track10. Thus, the stub422of the sliding base42moves along the guiding groove441and is embedded in the positioning part442. Meanwhile, the spring43is stretched to accumulate the resilience again.

The bottom extending tab453provides the side frame45with a strength and an endurance and works in coordination with the sliding member423that is disposed between the tracking plate440and the bottom extending tab453, as shown inFIG. 6. The bottom extending tab453abuts the sliding member423to support the sliding base42. Thus, the bottom extending tab453prevents the sliding base42from an external impact and makes the sliding base42slide smoothly and stably between the side frames45.

The sliding member423is disposed between the bottom extending tab453of the side frame45and the tracking plate440, so that an offsetting range of the sliding base42is limited, which prevents the soft closing assembly40from malfunction. When the user pulls the sliding door plate52with an excessive force that makes the sliding door plate52and the soft closing assembly40move at a high speed, the sliding base42collides with the abutting part211. The sliding base42is pressed downwards and hits the tracking plate440, and the soft closing assembly40is displaced and offset drastically, which makes the soft closing assembly40malfunction. Then, the sliding member423of one of the two side surfaces of the sliding base42abuts the bottom extending tab453, and the sliding member423of the other side surface of the sliding base42abuts a bottom side of the tracking plate440. Thus, the bottom extending tab453keeps a cushioning ability of the soft closing assembly40and prevents the soft closing assembly40from loosening.

The bottom surface of the top mounting plate21abuts the top surfaces of the abutting ribs142made of aluminum, and a top surface of the bottom mounting plate22abuts bottom surfaces of the abutting ribs142. The top mounting plate21and the bottom mounting plate22enhance a clamping force for the abutting ribs142. Thus, the top mounting plate21and the bottom mounting plate22prevent the soft closing activation trigger20from removal by the collision of the sliding door.

With reference toFIG. 11, as the sliding door plate52, the roller carrier30and the soft closing activation trigger20move towards the door-opening position, the abutting part211of the soft closing activation trigger20that is located in the door-opening position is embedded in the embedding groove421of the sliding base42. The stub422is removed from the positioning part442. The resilience of the spring43drives the sliding door plate52, the roller carrier30, the tracking plate440and the side frame45to move towards the door-opening position. The damper41moderates the moving speed of the sliding door plate52, the roller carrier30, the tracking plate440and the side frame45, and the sliding door plate52moves towards the door-opening position slowly to prevent the sliding door plate52from damage caused by collision between the sliding door plate52and the doorframe and to reduce the noise.