Sliding door arrangement

A sliding door arrangement includes a plurality of door units; at least one upright post connecting adjacent door units; a lower beam located at the bottom of and connected with the upright post; and a plurality of cross rod assemblies disposed at one side or both sides of the door units respectively to adjust the tightness of the sliding door arrangement. The sliding door arrangement of the present invention can be packaged and transported in separate parts and then quickly and conveniently assembled on site. In addition, the sliding door arrangement of the present invention is perfectly integral and decorative and provides sufficient strength.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Chinese application serial no. 200810066257.1, filed Mar. 28, 2008. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sliding door which is opened or closed in an integrally sliding way, particularly relates to a door arrangement for a sliding door, which is convenient to transport and assembly, and which is perfectly integral and decorative.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Doors are important component parts for buildings and public facilities. Doors are also the most frequently used architectural components. Common doors include doors opened pivotally, telescopic doors opened or closed telescopically as yard doors and sliding doors opened in a push-pull way as yard doors. Conventional sliding door consists of a door body and a roller mounted at the bottom of the door body, and requires sliding track to be laid on the ground. With external force, the sliding door can slide on the sliding track through the roller at the bottom thereof. The door bodies for conventional sliding doors are all fixed structures. The connections between the door frames and the vertical bars and the connections between the door frames and the upper beam and the lower beam are made by welding or riveting. Sliding doors are usually large in size, some even to the extent of dozens of meters in length and/or width. Due to the fixed structure of the conventional sliding doors, these doors cannot be transported in separate parts and assembled on site later, thus cause great inconvenience and cost increase in both packaging and transportation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a sliding door arrangement, which can be packaged and transported in separate parts and then quickly and conveniently assembled on site.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sliding door arrangement which is perfectly integral and decorative and provides sufficient strength.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sliding door arrangement which comprises: a plurality of door units; at least one upright post, connecting two adjacent door units; a lower beam, located at a bottom of the lower beams and connected with the upright post; and a plurality of cross rod assemblies, disposed at one side or both sides of each door unit respectively to adjust a tightness of the sliding door arrangement.

The door units are grid type, to be specific, the door units are formed by connecting an outer frame and a plurality of vertical rods which are arranged vertically and spaced apart.

The sliding door arrangement further comprises: an upper beam, located on a top of the sliding door arrangement; and a plurality of connectors, connecting the lower beam, the upper beam and the cross rod assembly with the upright post.

The upright post is hollow in its center and comprises: a plurality of positioning slots on right side and left side thereof for engaging respective door units; an upper connecting hole near the upper end thereof; a lower connecting hole near the lower end thereof; an upper opening at the upper end thereof for connecting the upright post with the upper beam; a lower opening at the lower end thereof for connecting the upright post with the lower beam.

The lower beam generally has an inverted U shape cross-section, and comprises: a groove on its top surface along the longitudinal direction, to engage with the door unit; and a plurality of connecting holes disposed corresponding to the position of the upright post, to connect the lower beam with the upright post.

The connector includes a plurality of connecting sleeves, with a shape conforming to the internal shape of the upright post for inserting therein. The connecting sleeve comprises: an opening, facing to the upper opening or the lower opening of the upright post when assembled; a bottom, having a plurality of vertical connecting holes thereon; at least two sidewalls, having a plurality of horizontal connecting holes thereon for connecting with the rods.

The connector further includes: a plurality of connecting blocks, disposed in the upper beam and the lower beam corresponding to the positions of the connecting sleeves respectively, and having a plurality of threaded holes thereon corresponding to the plurality of vertical connecting holes of the connecting sleeves; and a plurality of connecting bolts, each with one end disposed in corresponding connecting sleeve and the other end threadedly connected with the connecting block through the lower beam or the upper beam respectively, so that the lower beam and the upper beam are connected with the upright post.

Each of cross rod assemblies comprises two rods substantially diagonally disposed across the side surface of each door unit. Both ends of each rod have a rod connecting hole. The rod is connected with the upright post by a pin shaft or bolt. The pin shaft or bolt passes through the rod connecting hole, the upper connecting hole and the lower connecting hole of the upright post, and the horizontal connecting hole of the connecting sleeve respectively. Each of the two rods has a shaft hole at an intersection of two rods. Each of cross rod assemblies further comprises a center shaft assembly, for rotatablely connecting the two rods together at the intersection. Furthermore, each of the rods consists of several threadedly connected rod segments, and the revolving direction of the rod segments is configured so that the tightness of the sliding door arrangement could be adjusted by revolving corresponding rod segments.

The contribution of the present invention is in that it overcomes various defects in conventional sliding doors. Since the connections of the various members of the sliding door according to the present invention, including the connections between each door unit and the upright posts and the connections between the upright posts and the upper beam and the lower beam, are formed by insertion, these members are not only easy to be processed, but also convenient to be packaged and transported in separate parts and assembled quickly on site. Thus, the cost for packaging and transportation is saved considerably and the work efficiency is improved significantly. In addition, the cross rods disposed at both sides of the sliding door arrangement which are used to adjust the tightness thereof ensure the strength of the sliding door arrangement, and also enhance the decorativeness and the aesthetic appearance of the sliding door arrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments are intended to further explain and illustrate the present invention, but not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the sliding door arrangement according to the present invention includes a plurality of door units10, a plurality of upright posts20, a lower beam30, cross rod assemblies40and connectors60. The sliding door arrangement may selectively include an upper beam50. The door unit10is grid type, to be specific, the door unit10is a grid type part formed by connecting an outer frame11of aluminum profile and a plurality of vertical rods12of hollow aluminum tube which are arranged vertically and spaced apart from each other, and the door unit10can be packaged and transported separately. The sliding door arrangement100of the present invention is generally configured by connecting the door units by the plurality of the upright posts. Though only two door units are shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the number of the door units is not limited to this; obviously, the number of the door units depends on the actual length and design requirements of the sliding door arrangement.

As shown inFIG. 2B, the upright post20is a hollow tubular body of aluminum profile with a substantially rectangular cross section, the height of which is about the same as that of the sliding door arrangement. The upright post has positioning slots21on the right side and the left side, so that the right side and the left side of the door unit10can be positioned in these slots. The upright post20has an upper opening22and a lower opening23at the upper end and the lower end respectively to connect with the upper beam50and the lower beam30. The upright post20has an upper connecting hole24near the upper end thereof for connecting the cross rod assembly to the upright post. The upright post20further has a lower connecting hole25near the lower end thereof for connecting the cross rod assembly to the upright post.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an upper beam50, which is a hollow tubular body of aluminum profile with U shape cross section, is mounted on the top of the sliding door arrangement100. The upper beam50has connecting holes (not shown) on the lower sidewall at positions corresponding to the upright posts20in order to connect with the upright posts20through connectors60.

As show inFIG. 2A, the lower beam30, which is made of aluminum profile, with an approximately rectangular cross-section (also could be regarded as an inverted U shape cross-section), is mounted at the bottom of the sliding door arrangement100. As shown inFIG. 3, a spacer plate33, which has an inverted T shape, is disposed in the lower beam near the upper portion thereof in order to increase the strength of the lower beam. The lower beam has two grooves on the top surface along the longitudinal direction, which are corresponding to a wall thickness of the outer frame11of the door units, so that the outer frame11of the plurality of door units10can be embedded and engaged in these grooves. The lower beam30has a plurality of connecting holes32on its top surface at positions corresponding to the upright posts20and connects with the upright posts20though connectors60.

As shown inFIG. 2A,FIG. 2BandFIG. 3, the connector60includes a connecting sleeve61, at least a connecting block62and several connecting bolts63. As shown inFIG. 2A, the connecting sleeve61is in a rectangular shape conforming to the internal shape of the upright post20for inserting therein. For example, the connecting sleeve61is made of plastic material. The connecting sleeve61includes an opening, a bottom and at least two sidewalls (not labeled). The opening faces to the upper opening22or the lower opening23of the upright post20when assembled. The bottom has a plurality of vertical connecting holes611thereon. The sidewalls have a plurality of horizontal connecting holes612thereon for connecting with the rods41,42(below mentioned). The connecting sleeve for connecting the lower beam30is opened upward, while the connecting sleeve for connecting the upper beam50is opened downward.

InFIG. 2B, the connecting block62which is a plate like body has a plurality of threaded holes621corresponding to the plurality of vertical connecting holes611on the connecting sleeve61. As shown inFIG. 3, the connecting block62is disposed in the lower beam30or the upper beam50at the position corresponding to the upright post20respectively, where the connecting block in the lower beam30is mounted in the top portion inside of the lower beam, while the connecting block in the upper beam50is mounted at the bottom of the upper beam, and the connecting block is mounted into the upper beam or lower beam by a special fixture. When the lower beam30and the upper beam50are connected with the upright post20, one end of the connecting bolt63with a screw cap is disposed in the connecting sleeve61, while the other end passes through the lower beam30or the lower beam50to threadedly connect with the connecting block62, so that the lower beam30and the upper beam50could connect with the upright post.

As shown inFIG. 2A,FIG. 2BandFIG. 3, each door unit10is equipped with a pair of cross rod assemblies40on the front side and the rear side respectively to adjust the degree of tightness. The rod assembly, as shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 4AandFIG. 4B, includes two rods41,42and a center shaft assembly43. Refer toFIG. 4B, the rods41,42are formed by threadedly connecting several rod segments made of hollow tube. In this example, each of the rods41,42is formed by threadedly connecting three rod segments411,412,413and421,422,423respectively. The two ends of each of the rod segments411,413and421,423located at the edges have threaded portions with a smaller external diameter than an internal diameter of the rod segments412and422located at center. The revolving directions of the external threads at the two ends of each of the rod segments411,413and421,422are opposite, that is, if one end revolves to the left, then the other end revolves to the right. Correspondingly, both ends of each of the rod segments412,412located at the center have internal threads that revolve in the same direction as the external threads of the rod segments411,413and421,423and threadedly connect with them respectively. Rod segments412,422have shaft holes4121,4221respectively at the intersection of two rods41,42. In this example, both ends of each of rods41,42are provided with adapters414,424respectively. The adapters414and424have rod connecting holes4141and4241respectively to connect with the upright post20. The adapters414and424have internal threads that revolve in the same direction as the external threads of the rod segments411,413and421,423and threadedly connect with them respectively. As shown inFIG. 1, the rods41,42are diagonally connected on the side surface of each door unit, the upper end and the lower end of each of the rods41,42connecting with the upright posts20by a shaft pin44passing through the rod connecting holes4141,4241and the upper connecting hole24and lower connecting hole25of the upright post. The center shaft assembly43is rotatablely connected at the intersection of two rods. The center shaft assembly43, as shown inFIG. 4AandFIG. 4B, includes a center shaft431, a front shaft seat432and a rear shaft seat433, wherein, the front shaft seat432and the rear shaft seat433are in cover shape with shaft holes, and function to support and decorate the center shaft. A shaft sleeve4331is disposed in the rear shaft seat433and passes through the shaft holes4121,4221. The center shaft431passes through the front shaft seat432and the shaft sleeve4331of the rear shaft seat433and is fixed by at least a bolt, so that the rods41,42can rotate around the center shaft431. The degree of tightness of the rods41,42is adjustable. When adjusting, clamp any of the rod segments411,413and421,423of the rods41or42with a specific tool and rotate to simultaneously tighten or release the rods41or42to a suitable degree of tightness.

Referring toFIG. 2AandFIG. 2B, when assembling the sliding door arrangement of the present invention, firstly, engage each door unit10with the upright posts20on both sides; next, connect the upper end and the lower end of each upright post20with the upper beam50and the lower beam30through the connectors60respectively; then connect both ends of each of the rods41,42with the upright posts20respectively by the shaft pin44through connectors60.