Abstract:
An overhead track for suspension of a pocket door is disclosed. The overhead track has one or more troughs for hanging an pocket door by a plurality of gliders. The overhead track has a flat end for mounting at the pocket door opening and a spiked end for mounting against the door jamb within the pocket. The spiked end is forced into the door jamb within the pocket, then the flat end is screwed into the pocket door header for support and to prevent the spikes from disengaging with the door jamb within the pocket.

Description:
[0001]     This application is related and claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 60/563,246, filed Apr. 15, 2004, entitled “GHOSTRACKS RETRO MODEL S”, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein, including all of the documents referenced therein. This application is related and claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 60/563,248, filed Apr. 15, 2004, entitled “GHOSTRACKS RETRO MODEL B”, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein, including all of the documents referenced therein. This application is related and claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 60/563,249, filed Apr. 15, 2004, entitled “GHOSTRACKS MODEL P”, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein, including all of the documents referenced therein.  
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to the field of suspending pocket doors, and in particular, a replacement track for suspension of a pocket door.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Pocket doors are widely used where space is at a premium, in that they don&#39;t require space a traditional door to swing open. Pocket doors are sliding doors that slide into a hidden cavity in the wall and are generally suspended by an overhead track whereas the track has a trough on which a set of gliders are attached to the top of the overhead door rests, the gliders in some doors have wheels to reduce friction when moving the door in and out of the pocket. The overhead track extends into a cavity within a wall next to the door opening so that opening the door is accomplished by sliding the door into the cavity.  
         [0006]     Unfortunately, the overhead track may be damaged, perhaps by something jarring the door while it is open or partially open, thereby causing difficulty in opening or closing the door or, in some cases, bending the overhead track enough such that to door falls off the track when its glider passes the break. Possibly the damage is due to wear or vibration, for example a screw used to hold the overhead track to the header may become loose and interfere with closing the door or perhaps causing the overhead track to sag, resulting in the door rubbing against the floor inside the pocket. When this damage occurs, the overhead track must be replaced with a new track. Unfortunately, the replacement is difficult because the pocket is usually encased in drywall or other covering material, plaster or some other covering material on both sides, preventing attachment of the overhead track to the door header. Current overhead track replacement requires the wall surrounding the pocket to be at least partially cut open to remove the old overhead track and fasten the new overhead track to the door header within the pocket, then patching or replacing the drywall or other covering material, taping and spackling, and painting. This process is very expensive, time consuming and messy.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a overhead track that can be installed from outside the pocket without cutting into the drywall or other covering material that encases the pocket.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In one embodiment, an overhead track for suspension of a pocket door is disclosed including an overhead track with an end for insertion into a pocket and an end for attachment in a door opening. The overhead track has at least one trough for accepting pocket door gliders that are affixed to a pocket door. At the end of the overhead track that is inserted into a pocket, there are spikes configured to be forced into a door jamb within the pocket, thereby supporting that end of the overhead track. At the end for attachment in a door opening there are holes for fastening the overhead track to a header of the pocket door opening.  
         [0009]     In another embodiment, a method of installing an overhead track for suspension of a pocket door is disclosed including the steps of inserting an overhead track into a pocket, the overhead track having spikes at the end that is inserted into the pocket and screw holes at the end that is outside of the pocket and angling the overhead track within the pocket so that the spikes meet with a door jamb located within the pocket. Next, forcing the overhead track towards the door jamb located within the pocket so the spikes pierce the door jamb located, thereby supporting the end of the overhead track that is inserted into the pocket, then pressing the overhead track against a pocket door header at the end of the overhead track that extends outside of the pocket and screwing the overhead track into the header at that end.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates an end-view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a broken overhead track for suspension of a pocket door that needs repair.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates the repair of a broken overhead track for suspension of a pocket door using an overhead track of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. In all figures, the materials used to make the overhead track may be any sufficiently sturdy material including aluminum, steel, copper and a sturdy plastic.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a three-dimensional view of the present invention is shown. The overhead track  100  for suspension of a pocket door is shown having an end  110  configured to attach to the door header  560  using screws that fasten through holes  150  in the overhead track  100  and into the pocket door header  560  at the door opening  515 . The pocket end  120  is configured to attach to the door jamb  540  that is within the pocket  505  using spikes  125  formed by cutting or molding the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  100  into a plurality of spikes  125  which can be forced into the door jamb  540  that is within the pocket during installation. The spikes may be cut into angular shapes, preferably having acute angles at the tip for piercing the door jamb  540 . For completeness, the tracks that hold the pocket door gliders or wheels are shown formed by flat surfaces  130 / 135 . Although, in this embodiment, the sides of the overhead track and the tracks are shown meeting at right angles, in other embodiments it is anticipated that other shapes may work equally well or better, including rounded edges.  
         [0019]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a side view of the present invention is shown. In this the overhead track has a surface on which the pocket door glider can rest  130  and an edge to keep the pocket door glider from falling off  135 . Although, in this embodiment, the sides of the overhead track  132 , the top of the overhead track  134 , the track bottom  130  and the track lip  135  are shown meeting at right angles, in other embodiments it is anticipated that other shapes may work equally well or better, including rounded edges.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a three-dimensional view of the present invention is shown. The overhead track  300  for suspension of a pocket door is shown having an end  110  configured to attach to the door header  560  using screws that fasten through holes  150  and into the pocket door header  560  at the door opening  515 . The pocket end  120  is configured to attach to the door jamb  540  within the pocket using spikes  340  that are formed from or attached to a plate  310 . Although eight spikes are shown in this example, any number may be included. The plate  310  may be fastened to the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  300  using fasteners  330  that past through a flange  320  bent from the plate  310  and through the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  300  or, in another embodiment, the plate  310  may be welded to the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  300 . The plate may be attached to the pocket end  120  at approximately right angles to the overhead track. Any fastening means known in the industry may be used to attach the plate  310  to the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  300 . The spikes  340  can be forced into the door jamb  540  that is within the pocket  505  during installation.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a three-dimensional view of the present invention is shown. The overhead track  400  for suspension of a pocket door is shown having an end  110  configured to attach to the door header  560  using screws that fasten through holes  150  in the overhead track  400  and into the pocket door header  560  at the door opening  515 . The pocket end  120  is configured to attach to the door jamb  540  within the pocket  505  using spikes  440  that are formed from or attached to a plate  410 . The plate  410  may be fastened to the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  400  using a fastener  430  that past through flanges  435  bent from the plate  410  and through the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  400 . Any fastening means known in the industry may be used to attach the plate  410  to the pocket end  120  of the overhead track  400 , including sheet metal screws, bolts/nuts and rivets, but in this embodiment, it is important that the attachment means allows the plate  410  to pivot around the attachment means, thereby a rivet may be the best means. Allowing the plate  410  to pivot around the fastener  430  provides greater flexibility for the overhead track  400  to be installed in places where there are uneven door jambs  540 . The spikes  440  can be forced into the door jamb  540  within the pocket  505  during installation. The spikes  440  may be separate components having a sharp enough edge to pierce framing materials and have a method of attaching to the plate  410 , or may be formed by punching out sharp protrusions from plate  410 , as is known in the industry. Although 4 spikes  440  are shown, any number may be used depending on the strength required.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a broken overhead track for suspension of a pocket door that needs repair of the prior art is shown. In this example, the broken overhead track is shown with a bend  530  located at the end  110  that is within the door opening  515 , though the present invention may be used to replace any broken overhead track. The track is attached to the pocket door header  560  with a plurality of fasteners  550 , perhaps wood screws. The end  520  of the overhead track that is installed within the pocket  505  is shown as many existing tracks would appear—that is a flat end  520  that doesn&#39;t have mounting spikes. This overhead track is held in place by a series of fasteners  550 . Although the pocket door is not shown, its travel within the drywall or other covering material  510  is limited by the door jamb  540  within the pocket  505 . In present methods of repairing the overhead track, a hole is cut in the drywall or other covering material  510  surrounding the pocket  505 , screws  550  are removed, the faulty overhead track is removed, a new overhead track is inserted and screwed into place and then the drywall or other covering material  510  is replaced, repaired and painted.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the repair of a broken overhead track for suspension of a pocket door using an overhead track of an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this example, the faulty overhead track has already been removed, perhaps using a crowbar to pull out any screws that held it in place. In this example, the new overhead track of  FIG. 1  is shown being installed, though any other overhead track of the present invention may be installed using the same method. To start, the pocket end  120  of the new overhead track is placed inside the pocket  505  with its spikes  125  set against the door jamb  540  and the end  110  configured to be in the door opening  515  is angled down slightly to allow the overhead track to fit between the door jambs  540 / 570 . Next, the overhead track is moved in an upward motion  610  until the spikes  125  start to force themselves into the door jamb  540 . At this point, the overhead track may be forced in the direction of the door jamb  540  so as to force the spikes  125  to enter into the jamb  540 , perhaps by applying additional vertical force, or by prying the door opening end  110  of the overhead track against the door opening jamb  570 . Once the spikes  125  are sufficiently forced into the door jamb  540 , the door end  110  of the overhead track may be screwed into the header  560  at the door opening end  110 . The spikes will support the pocket end  120  of the overhead track so that it will function when the door is positioned inside the pocket  505 .  
         [0024]     It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.