Patent Publication Number: US-9416576-B2

Title: Mechanism for a sliding movement

Description:
This application is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 13/983,465, filed 15 Oct. 2013, which is a National Stage Application of PCT/EP2012/052258, filed 10 Feb. 2012, which claims benefit of Serial No. 20 2011 002 810.0, filed 16 Feb. 2011 in Germany and which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to a method of moving an element from a first location to a second location, which movement includes a sliding movement. The invention also relates to a mechanism for performing the method of moving the element. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The element to be moved may be any kind of element to be moved from an opening between adjacent elements or in a frame etc, such as walls, to a location displaced from the opening, whereby the element is to be slid to a position in parallel with the adjacent elements etc. in a last part of the movement. The element can be a door of different kinds of furniture, parts of buildings, hatches, such as roof hatches, etc. 
     One problem for this kind of movement is to get a smooth moving operation, as the element first has to be moved free of an adjacent element, before a sliding movement is performed. 
     For example sliding doors for furniture, e.g. cabinets, lockers, etc., normally implies disadvantages in sense of design options, space needed, and ability to access items in the furniture. It is therefore a desire to provide an improved method of opening and closing for instance a sliding door for cabinets. It is also a desire to provide a mechanism giving for instance sliding doors a desired movement. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object of the invention is to at least alleviate the above stated problem. The present invention is based on the understanding that provision of proper linkage mechanism together with a pull-out guide rail can give a flush appearance when for instance a sliding door of a cabinet is closed and a neat movement towards the open state and opposite towards the closed state. 
     One important part of the present invention is that a smooth movement, including a sliding movement, can be accomplished by first forcing one end of an element placed in between adjacent elements to be turned outwards. There after the opposite end of the element is turned outwards, whereby the element will be in a location parallel with the location in the opening. In said parallel location, but not before reaching it, the element is allowed to make a sliding movement. 
     In the detailed description below the element is a sliding door, but a person skilled in the art realises that the invention may be used for many different types of elements, as indicated above. Even though sliding doors often are made of some kind of wooden product, a person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention may be utilized for elements of any material. 
     According to a first aspect, there is provided a method of moving an element from a first location, inside an opening, to a second location, outside and displaced from the opening. The movement includes a sliding movement and the total movement has a number of separate steps. In a first step one end of the element is turned outwards to a first end position. In a second step the other end of the element is turned outwards until the element is in a location parallel to the original location. At the end of said second step a locking means is released. In a third step the element is slid into the second location by extending a pull-out guide rail, in which the element is received. The above steps of the movement are repeated in reversed order to move the element from the second location to the first location inside the opening. 
     According to a second aspect, there is provided a mechanism for performing the above movement. The mechanism has a housing. It also has a pull-out guide rail, having a first member thereof mounted to an element to be moved. The first member and a second member are slidably arranged with each other. The mechanism further comprises at least two lever arms. One end of a first lever arm is received in a pivoting point at the pull-out guide rail and the opposite end of said lever arm being received in a pivoting point at the housing of the mechanism. The pivoting point at the pull-out guide rail is placed at a first end of the pull-out guide rail. 
     For an element to be moved there is normally one mechanism at two opposing ends of the element. 
     The pull-out guide rail may have a third member slidably arranged between the first member and the second member for increasing the slidable range of the pull-out guide rail. 
     The mechanism may further comprise a lock-and-release mechanism arranged to lock mutual displacement between the first member and the second member of the pull-out guide rail when in a first location, and arranged to release the lock when in a second location. 
     Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached dependent claims as well as from the drawings. Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to “a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of different embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of a mechanism for an element in the form of a sliding door. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the mechanism of  FIG. 1  from another view. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an enlarged view of the mechanism of  FIG. 1  with a first embodiment of a lock-and-release mechanism. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the mechanism of  FIG. 1  when in another position. 
         FIGS. 5 to 10  illustrate in sequence an opening motion for the first embodiment of the mechanism, where the door is closed in  FIG. 5  and fully open in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIGS. 11 to 14  illustrate in sequence the lock-and-release mechanism of  FIG. 3  in the opening sequence. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates in perspective view of the mechanism mounted to a furniture frame and door, respectively, and with a cover plate mounted over the mechanism. 
         FIGS. 16 to 20  illustrate in sequence an opening motion for a second embodiment of a mechanism for a sliding door, 
         FIGS. 21 to 24  illustrate in sequence an opening motion for a third embodiment of a mechanism for a sliding door. 
         FIGS. 25 to 28  illustrate in sequence a second embodiment of a lock-and-release mechanism for a sliding door. 
         FIGS. 29 to 31  illustrate in sequence a third embodiment of a lock-and-release mechanism for a sliding door. 
         FIGS. 32 to 35  illustrate in sequence a fourth embodiment of a lock-and-release mechanism for a sliding door. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a mechanism for a sliding door  1  according to a first embodiment. The mechanism comprises a housing  2  arranged to be mounted on a frame  3  of a furniture having the door  1 . The furniture can for example be a closet, cabinet, locker, bookshelf with door, etc. The frame  3  can be made of wood, polymer, board material, metal, etc. and comprise sidepieces, a top piece, a bottom piece and preferably also a back piece. Together with the door  1 , the frame  3  preferably defines a space for storing clothes, gear, books, etc. Preferably, the housing  2  of the mechanism is mounted on the top piece of the frame, and an additional similar mechanism may be mounted on the bottom piece such that the door can be given a stabile mounting and movement pattern, which will be understood from the description below. 
     The mechanism further comprises a pull-out guide rail  4 . The pull-out guide rail  4  comprises a first member  5  and a second member  6  which are mutually slidable to implement the pull-out function. Such pull-out guide rails are known in the art of drawers as for example disclosed in European patent application with publication No. 2114206. As also indicated in this European patent application, the pull-out guide rail can have a third member  7  slidably arranged between the first member  5  and the second member  6  for increasing the slidable range of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The pull-out guide rail  4  being of the so called full expansion type enables the door to be fully out of way for access to items in the furniture. Further, as also disclosed in this European patent application, the sliding can be enhanced by balls or rollers for reduction of friction between the members. The pull-out guide rail can also be provided with damping elements for damping the sliding movement at its extreme points. 
     The first member  5  of the pull-out guide rail  4  is mounted to the door  1 , while the second member  6  is mounted to lever arms of the mechanism, as will be described below. 
     The pull-out guide rail  4  gives the advantage that the guide rail can be hidden behind the door, i.e. concealed to the user, when the door is closed, which enables improved design options. 
     In the following description, lever arms and pivoting points, respectively, are assigned identification as first, second, etc. to enable distinguishing the lever arms and pivoting points, respectively, from each other. The identification should not be construed to define any difference timing or importance. 
     The mechanism further comprises a first lever arm  8  pivotally arranged between a first pivoting point  9  of the housing  2  and a second pivoting point  10  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The mechanism further comprises a second lever arm  11  pivotally arranged between a third pivoting point  12  of the housing and a fourth pivoting point  13  of a third lever arm  14  which is pivotally arranged to a fifth pivoting point  15  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The mechanism further comprises a fourth lever arm  16  pivotally arranged between a sixth pivoting point  17  of the first lever arm  8  and a seventh pivoting point  18  of the third lever arm  14 . The arrangements of the housing  2 , the lever arms  8 ,  11 ,  14 ,  16  and the second member  6  can be seen to form a sort of semi-parallelogram, where the parallel properties only applies to a first position, i.e. as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , and a second position, i.e. as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , while there between, the second member  6  displaces in a non-parallel way, as will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 5 to 8 . 
     In the first position or location, where the door  1  is closed, the general direction of the second lever arm  11  is approximately parallel to a general direction of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The “approximately parallel direction” to the general direction of the pull-out guide rail  4  of the general direction of the second lever arm  11  is an angle between 5 degrees and 15 degrees to the general direction of the pull-out guide rail  4 , where positive angle means that the third pivoting point  12  is closer to the pull-out guide rail  4  than the fourth pivoting point  13 . Preferably, the angle is between 0 degrees and 10 degrees, most preferably about 5 degrees. The approximately parallel direction gives the advantage that the edge of the door is enabled to move out without interfering with a close-by item, e.g. a neighbouring door mounted in the same plane as the sliding door, which enables improved design options. Here, the third lever arm  14  is essentially perpendicular to the pull-out guide rail  4  to push out the door from the close-by item upon the movement, which will be demonstrated in greater detail below, towards the second position or location. The angle provides that the critical end of the door, i.e. the one to displace first when moving from the first to the second position, turns out without interfering with a neighbouring door or item. This is given by the fourth pivoting point  13  moving essentially perpendicular to the general direction of the pull-out guide rail during the first part of the movement from the first position towards the second position. 
     In the second position, the pull-out guide rail  4  is parallel displaced compared to when in the first position by pivoting the second lever arm  11  around the third pivoting point  12  such that the first, third and fourth lever arms  8 ,  14 ,  16  ensures the pull-out guide rail  4  to be essentially parallel displaced compared to when in the first position, and the door  1  can be slid into an open position by extending the pull-out guide rail  4 . The parallel displacement places the door  1  in a position where it can be opened by the pull-out guide rail without interfering with a close-by item, e.g. a neighbouring door mounted in the same plane as the sliding door, which enables improved design options. 
     The arrangement of pivot axes makes the mechanism move straight between the first and second positions, i.e. the door is kept in the same altitude during the movement although moving according to the preferred pattern in the other two directions. For enabling this, all axes of pivoting of the first to seventh pivoting points  9 ,  10 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15 ,  17 ,  18  are mutually essentially parallel and perpendicular to the general direction of the pull-out guide rail  4  and perpendicular to a direction of the parallel displacement between the first position and the second position. 
     The sliding movement is desired only when the mechanism is in its second position. Therefore, the mechanism can further comprise a lock-and-release mechanism  19  arranged to lock mutual displacement between the first member  5  and the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4  when in the first position, and arranged to release the lock when in the second position. The lock-and-release mechanism keeps the door in place until the slide-open action is to be made. In addition to easier handling and an increased quality feeling, the feature also prevents neighbouring doors or other items mounted in the same plane as the closed door to be exposed to wear or damage by the sliding of the door to be opened. The lock-and-release mechanism  19 , which also is illustrated in magnification in  FIG. 3 , can comprise a two-armed lever, pivotably arranged around an eighth pivoting point  20  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . A spring acts on the lever urging it towards the position as shown in  FIG. 3 . A first arm  21  of the two-armed lever is arranged to abut the third lever arm  14  when in the second position such that a second arm  22  of the two-armed lever disengages the lock upon the two-armed lever pivoting around the eighth pivoting point  20 , by the second arm  22  being lifted free of a pin  45  on the pull-out guide rail  4 . This configuration of the lock-and-release mechanism combines a non-complex and automatically working mechanism. 
     The mechanism can be configured such that on the third lever arm  14 , the fourth pivoting point  13  is arranged between the fifth pivoting point  15  and the seventh pivoting point  18  considered in a general direction of the third lever arm  14 . Further, the configuration can be such that on the first lever arm  8 , the sixth pivoting point  17  is arranged between the first pivoting point  9  and the second pivoting point  10  considered in a general direction of the first lever arm  8 . The configuration of the pivoting points provides a particularly suitable movement of the door and pull-out guide rail from the first to the second positions and back. 
     The load on a lever arm can be considerable, depending on the weight of the door, and especially when in the second position and the pull-out guide rail in its extended position. If the entire load is to be taken at the pivoting point at the housing, the dimensions for this pivot would in case of a heavy door need to be considerable. In the light of a versatile mechanism for different sizes and materials of the door, the mechanism would not be economically viable for most of its applications. An approach for solving this has been found by providing a support at a distance from the pivot. The housing  2  can for example comprise an arc-formed slot forming an arc with a constant radius to the pivoting point, and the lever arm can comprises a guiding knob for enabling taking up force both towards and away from the housing  2  to and from the lever arm, arranged to engage with the arc-formed slot. In addition to enabling a more economical dimension of the pivot, this solution enables to limit displacement in a direction parallel to a pivoting axis of the pivoting point. Such an arrangement can be provided either to the first lever arm or to the second lever arm, or to both. With reference to the discussion above when the door is slid out, the application of a knob approach on the second lever arm is particularly advantageous when the mechanism is provided on an top piece of the frame of the furniture, and the application of a knob approach on the first lever arm is particularly advantageous when the mechanism is provided on an bottom piece of the frame of the furniture. 
     Thus, the housing  2  can further comprise a first arc-formed slot  23  forming an arc with a constant radius to the first pivoting point  9 , and the first lever arm  8  comprises a first guiding knob  24  arranged to engage with the first arc-formed slot  23  to limit displacement in a direction parallel to a pivoting axis of the first pivoting point  9 , and/or the housing  2  further comprises a second arc-formed slot  25  forming an arc with a constant radius to the third pivoting point  12 , and the second lever arm  11  comprises a second guiding knob  26  arranged to engage with the second arc-formed slot  25  to limit displacement in a direction parallel to a pivoting axis of the third pivoting point  12 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4  for the respective first and second positions. The slots and knobs strengthen the construction and prevent the door from unintentional change in altitude or twisting as the load from the door changes during displacement. 
     An alternative to a slot approach is to have a support surface with similar geometries as the arc-formed slot, i.e. to provide a support at a distance from the pivot. The support surface is thus only enabled to take up a force between the surface and the lever arm. However, if a mechanism is provided at both top piece and bottom piece of the frame of the furniture, and the support surface is provided both for the first and second lever arms  8 ,  11 , this solution will provide similar advantages as the knob approach. 
       FIGS. 5 to 10  illustrate in sequence the opening motion, where the door is closed in  FIG. 5  and fully open in  FIG. 10 . The closing motion follows the opposite way, i.e. in sequence from  FIG. 10  to  FIG. 5 .  FIGS. 11 to 14  illustrate in sequence the optional lock-and-release mechanism  19  in the opening sequence, where  FIG. 14  illustrates the lock-and-release mechanism  19  being in its release position such that the door can be slid to its open state, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . As shown during the opening motion the third lever arm  14  will make contact with the first arm  21  of the two-armed lever and press the arm  21  downwards. By the movement of the first arm  21  the two-armed lever will turn in the eight pivoting point  20  lifting the second arm  22  of the two-armed lever. When the second arm  22  has been lifted free of the pin  45 , the door  1  may be slid open. The two-armed lever is pre-tensioned by means of a spring to a position where the second arm  22  abuts a member of the pull-out guide rail  4 . Thus, when releasing the lock-and-release mechanism the movement of the third lever arm  14  has to overcome the force of the spring. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates the assembled mechanism mounted to a furniture frame and door, respectively, with a cover plate mounted. 
     Below further embodiments of mechanisms of the sliding door and further embodiments of the lock-and-release mechanism will be described with reference to the Figs., showing the different embodiments. Parts corresponding with parts of the other embodiments are given the same reference numbers and are normally not discussed extensively for each embodiment. 
     As stated above there is preferably one mechanism mounted at one end of an element, such as a sliding door, and an additional similar mechanism may be mounted at an opposite end of the element, such that the element can be given a stabile mounting and movement pattern below. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 16 to 20  the mechanism comprises a first lever arm  27  pivotally arranged between a first pivoting point  28  of the housing  2  and a second pivoting point  29  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The mechanism further comprises a second lever arm  30  pivotally arranged with one end at a third pivoting point  31  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The other end of the second lever arm  30  is arranged displaceable along a groove  32  of the housing  2 . A third lever arm  33  is pivotally arranged between a fourth pivoting point  34  on the second lever arm  30  and a fifth pivoting point  35  in the housing  2 . The second pivoting point  29  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4  and the first lever arm  27  is placed at one end of said second member  6 . The third pivoting point  31  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  2  and the second lever arm  30  is placed at a short distance from the other end of said second member  6 . The groove  32  of the housing  2  receiving one end of the second lever arm  30 , has a first part  36  inclining forward from a inner position of the housing  2  and towards an end of the housing  2  at which the third lever arm  33  is placed. Said end of the housing  2 , is the end at which one end of the sliding door  1  is given a first movement outwards. The first inclined part  36  of the groove  32  is followed by a second part  37  having a general extension perpendicular to the sliding door. Said second part  37  of the groove  32  has a slightly bent form, whereby the end of the groove  32  is placed closer to the end of the housing  2  at which the third lever arm  33  is placed, than the area of the groove  32  going over from the first part  36  to the second part  37 . The second lever arm  30  is displaceable along the groove  32  by means of a guiding wheel  38 . The second lever arm  30  has a bent form and the fifth pivoting point  35  is placed on the inside of the bend of the second lever arm  30 . 
     In opening of the sliding door  1  of this embodiment, one end of the sliding door  1  is pulled outwards, whereby the guiding wheel  38  of the second lever arm  30  will go along the first part  36  of the groove  32 . The third lever arm  33  will be pivoted outwards as the second lever arm  30  goes along the groove  32 . When the guide wheel  38  of the second lever arm  30  has reached the area where the groove  32  goes over from the first part  36  to the second part  37 , the first lever arm  27  will start to turn outwards. The first lever arm  27  will turn until it is approximately perpendicular to the sliding door  1 . When the first lever arm  27  has been turned outwards to the position perpendicular to the sliding door  1 , the guide wheel  38  of the second lever arm  30  has reached the end of the second part  37  of the groove  32 . The third lever arm  33  will turn outward until it is perpendicular to the sliding door  1 . In the position where both the first lever arm  27  and the third lever arm  33  are perpendicular to the sliding door  1 , the sliding door  1  will be slid open. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 21 to 24  the mechanism comprises a first lever arm  39  pivotally arranged between a first pivoting point  40  of the housing  2  and a second pivoting point  41  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The mechanism further comprises a second lever arm  42  pivotally arranged between a third pivoting point  43  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4  and a fourth pivoting point  44  of the housing  2 . The second pivoting point  41  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  4  and the first lever arm  39  is placed at one end of said second member  6 . The third pivoting point  43  of the second member  6  of the pull-out guide rail  2  and the second lever arm  42  is placed at a distance from the other end of said second member  6 . The second lever arm  42  have a bent form whereby the lower part of the second lever arm  42  will be directed forward in the open position. 
     Common for all embodiments is that the pivoting point between one lever arm and the pull-out guide is placed at one end of the pull-out guide, while the pivoting point of one lever arm is placed a distance from the other end of the pull-out guide. 
     In  FIGS. 25 to 28  a further embodiment for a lock-and-release mechanism is shown. A lever arm  46  will act on a locking arm  47  to release the sliding door  1  for a sliding movement. The locking arm  47  is turned around a pivoting point  48  by means of the lever arm  46 . The locking arm  47  is spring loaded towards a locking position. The lever arm  46  has an edge  49  placed at a distance from the locking arm  47  in the closed position. The locking arm  47  has a detent  50  at one end, which detent abuts an edge  52  of an extension  51  of a member of the pull-out guide rail  4  in the closed position. The edge  49  of the lever arm  46  will act on the locking arm  47  at the end of the locking arm  47  opposite the end having the detent  50 , in relation to the pivoting point  48 . Thereby, the detent  50  of the locking arm  47  will be lifted free from the edge  52  of the extension  51  of a member of the pull-out guide rail  4  when the locking arm  47  is turned by the movement of the lever arm  46 . The turning movement of the locking arm  47 , activated by the edge  49  of the lever arm  46 , is acting against the spring load of the locking arm  47 . The detent  50  is lifted free of the edge  52  in the open position of the opening and closing mechanism for the sliding door. 
     In the  FIGS. 29 to 31  a further embodiment of a lock-and-release mechanism is shown. A lever arm  53  is received in a pivoting point  54  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . An end part  55  of the lever arm  53  has a groove  57  to receive a pin  56 , placed at a member of the pull-out guide rail  4 . The end part  55  is an integrated part of the lever arm  53  or a separate part fixed to the lever arm  53 . During the opening movement the lever arm  53  will turn in the pivoting point  54 , whereby the end part  55  is also turned and there will be a relative movement between the pin  56  and the groove  57  of the end part  55  of the lever arm  53 . The form of the groove  57  is such that the pin  56  will be free from the groove  57  in the open position of the opening and closing mechanism for the sliding door  1 . Thus, in said open position the sliding door  1  may be slid open. 
     In the  FIGS. 32 to 35  still a further embodiment of a lock-and-release mechanism is shown. A lever arm  58  is received in a pivoting point  59  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . An end part  60  of the lever arm  58  will act on one end of a locking pin  61 . The locking pin  61  has a projecting part  62  at the end opposite the end of the locking pin  61  acted on by the lever arm  58 . The locking pin  61  is pressed towards the lever arm  58  by means of a spring. The locking pin  61  may be moved in a guide groove  63  on the pull-out guide rail  4 . The locking pin  61  has a projecting part  62  at the end opposite the end acted on by the lever arm  58 . In the closed position the projecting part  62  of the locking pin  61  is received in a recess  64  at the guide groove  63  of the pull-out guide rail  4 . When the projecting part  62  of the locking pin  61  is received in the recess of the guide groove  63 , two members of the pull-out guide rail  4  are hindered from moving relative each other. During the opening movement the lever arm  58  will turn around the pivoting point  59 . The end part  60  of the lever arm  58  will then move towards the locking pin  61 . When the end part  60  of the lever arm  58  starts to press on the locking pin  61 , the projecting part  62  of the locking pin  61  will be displaced in direction away from the recess  64 . In the open position the projecting part  62  has left the recess, whereby the two members of the pull-out guide rail  4  may be displaced relative each other, whereby the sliding door  1  may be slid to an open position. 
     The different embodiments of the lock-and-release mechanism may be used with any of the different embodiments of opening and closing mechanism for the sliding door. 
     The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.