Patent Publication Number: US-6336247-B1

Title: Screen door hanger assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a hanger assembly for a sliding screen door and more particularly to a hanger assembly for a sliding screen door that allows for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the screen door relative to the frame for the screen door and equal hanging support for the screen door, smooth and continuous operation of the screen door, and the conversion or replacement of an existing screen door from sliding along a bottom track to a screen door that slides along a horizontally top mounted track. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Sliding screen doors of the type used for the common sliding patio door have a myriad of problems associated with them due to the typical design whereby the screen door slides on rollers in a bottom track. These problems include difficult operation such as dragging and skipping, often, due to dirt and debris clogging the bottom track and the fact that the mechanism is often exposed to the weather due to its position, the tendency to “pop off” the bottom track, and the inability of the screen to be adjusted to fit an uneven frame. As such, many sliding screen doors are either in disrepair, from acts such as pushing too hard on the door in order to move it, are removed due to the problems and not replaced as the same problems will occur again, and/or are not used. 
     While there are a number of prior art patents that show hanger assemblies for adjustably supporting doors for sliding movement along a horizontally disposed track, not one shows or suggests an assembly for use with a screen door. The prior art hanger assemblies are shown being used or suggest use only with interior sliding pocket doors, shower doors, closet doors and sound absorption panels. In addition, the prior art does not show a hanger assembly that allows for simple, economical and complete adjustability i.e. vertical and horizontal adjustability of any type of door in combination with the hanger assembly providing equal hanging support on both sides of a door in order to maintain smooth and continuous sliding movement of the door. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,005 to Dishaw discloses a sliding door hanger that allows for vertical adjustment only via a specially manufactured threaded bolt. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,891 to Gardner discloses a panel structure with a hanger that allows for vertical adjustment only via an inclined slot at its upper end. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,942 to Edeus discloses a hanger assembly for sliding doors that allows for vertical adjustment only through the use of a circular hand wheel. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,612 to Procton discloses a hanger assembly that utilizes parallel angularly displaced slots for permitting horizontal and vertical positioning of a door. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, several objects of the present invention are to provide: 
     a. continuous, smooth and easy operation of a sliding screen door, with reduction in dragging and skipping; 
     b. a design whereby the operating mechanism is protected from the weather; 
     c. a simply way to convert or to replace existing sliding screen doors to top rolling sliding screen doors whereby the bottom existing rollers operate as guides only; 
     d. for simple installation and conversion or replacement of screen doors due to the ability to adjust the top mounting assembly to fit uneven frames; 
     e. for a device that adapts to industry standard replacement screens, custom screens, or existing screens; and 
     f. to provide for a screen that stays in the roller track. 
     These and further objects will be apparent from the following description and drawings of the preferred embodiments thereof. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is the use of a top mounting hanger assembly with sliding screen doors that allows for both vertical and horizontal adjustability of the screen door while equally supporting the screen door on both sides of the door. The hanger assembly generally comprises a track horizontally mounted within a door frame and a roller assembly, the roller assembly including a roller for horizontal movement along the track and a holder, said holder including a connector bar attached to the roller at one end and a bracket shaped to fit snugly around a screen door. The bracket also includes a slot for adjustability of the screen door within the bracket. Preferably, the track is an integral molded extrusion that includes a c shaped area with lips that retain the roller assembly roller within the track, and upwardly extending flanges and a downwardly extending c shaped area that together interlock and allow two track pieces to fit together thereby reducing bulkiness in shipping. The track preferably also includes a horizontally extending “bug strip” that acts to prevent weathering of the hanger assembly. Preferably, two roller assemblies are utilized per screen door, one attached at each end of the screen door, and include two rollers per roller assembly. The roller assembly holder is also an integrally molded extrusion and the bracket portion is in the shape of a U, the U shaped portion including the slot, which is preferably either vertically disposed for vertical adjustment of the screen door, or angularly disposed for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the screen door. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the screen door hanger assembly and a screen door. 
     FIG. 2 shows two side views of the preferred embodiment of the screen door hanger assembly of FIG. 1 showing the vertical adjustment of the screen door. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view cut away of the preferred embodiment if FIGS. 1 and 2 of the screen door hanger assembly and a screen door. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1-3 show the preferred embodiment of the hanger assembly. The hanger assembly comprises an integrally extruded track  2  which is horizontally mounted and secured to a header of a door, preferably with screws  3 . The extruded track  2  includes a roller guide area  4  in a c shape with square corners including a back  6 , a top  8  and bottom  10 , the back  6  in a right angle relationship to the top  8  and bottom  10 . The top  8  includes a downwardly projecting lip  12  and the bottom  10  includes an upwardly projecting lip  14 , each lip  12  and  14  extending along the length of the track  2  opposite the back  6 . The track  2  further includes two identical flanges  16  parallel to each other that extend vertically from the outer edges  18  of the top  8  and are in perpendicular relationship to the top  8 . Each flange  16  further includes a rib  20  and  22  extending along each inner wall  24  and  26  of each flange  16  for the length of the track  2 . The bottom  10  includes a downwardly extending c  28 , also with square comers in a right angle relationship with the bottom  10 . The flanges  16  and the downwardly extending c  28  are shaped in the manner described to allow for the interlocking of two pieces of track  2  for shipping in an economical manner. The top  8  outer edge further includes an extension  30  extending along the track  2 , generally shaped also in a downwardly facing c, for the retention of a bug strip  32  to prevent weathering of the hanger assembly. The bug strip  32  is preferably fashioned of a vinyl material including a thickened top edge  34 , the edge shaped and sized to fit snugly in the extension  30 . 
     While this type of track is shown, the track can be of any configuration or material suitable for the movement of rollers along the track for a screen door. 
     The hanger assembly further comprises a roller assembly  36  for connection of a roller  38  or rollers to a screen door. Preferably the roller assembly  36  includes at least a roller  38  for horizontal movement along the track  2 , and an integrally extruded holder  40  for connection of the roller  38  to the screen door. The holder  40  includes a connecting bar portion  42  attached to the roller  38  and a bracket  44  portion for adjustably holding a screen door, the bracket portion  44  shaped generally as a U extending downwardly from the connecting bar portion  42 , one side of the U including a slot  46 . The slot may be vertically disposed for vertical adjustment or angularly disposed for horizontal and vertical adjustment of the screen door. The screen door fits snugly into the U shape of the bracket portion  44  and can be adjusted up and down by the positioning of a screw  48  or other connecting or attaching means in the slot  44 . Preferably, the holder  40  is 2″ wide, and there are two per screen door, one toward each end of the screen door, and preferably there are two rollers  38  per roller assembly  36 . 
     The bracket can include other variations in shape such as a cross section c. 
     FIG. 2 shows the adjustment of the screen within the bracket portion  44  of the holder  40  by movement of the screw  48  within the slot  46 .