Patent Publication Number: US-6901705-B1

Title: Guide rail for a sliding closure having a guide groove with a groove filling device

Description:
A sliding door system acts as the same with a sliding window system in the specification, and thus description of the window-includes description of the door. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a sliding window and door system, which cuts off external dust, rainwater, air, noise, and heat by mounting a window frame provided with upper, lower, left, and right members assembled in a rectangular shape on a wall and mounting a window leaf provided with upper, lower, left, and right members assembled in a rectangular shape in the window frame. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   A related art window and door system will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  is a front view showing a window and door to which a related art window and door system is applied.  FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG.  1 . 
   The related art window and door system includes a window frame lower member  1  and window leaf lower members  2   a  and  2   b . The window frame lower member  1  is provided with exposed rails  11 . The window leaf lower members  2   a  and  2   b  are provided with rollers  21  mounted and arranged on the rails  11 , and are guided by mohair members  22  and the rails  11  to open and close. 
   In the aforementioned related art window and door system, since the window leaf is opened and closed depending on the exposed rails, rainwater is drained out between the rails. For this reason, air tightness, water tightness, and thermal insulation cannot be improved. This could lead to low energy efficiency. 
   Furthermore, since the window leaf is inserted into the window frame, it is simple to assembly and disassembly the window leaf. However, it is likely that the window leaf is detached due to strong wind or manipulation. Accordingly, when the window leaf is used in a multistoried building, the window leaf is likely to be fallen down by being detached from the window frame. This causes dangerous situations. 
   Moreover, since stains of dust and rainwater piled between the rails are not easily removed, cleaning is difficult. If the piled dust is left uncleaned, the piled dust is raised when opening and closing the window leaf, thereby causing the air to be impure. It is therefore difficult to maintain a clean state. It a drainage outlet for rainwater between the rails is blocked by the dust and the like, or in case of a heavy rain accompanied by strong wind, damage may occur due to the rainwater. Also, an uneven lower structure has limitation in improving the appearance of the window and door system. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a sliding window and door system that substantially obviate one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a sliding window and door system of filling a rail having an even structure to remarkably improve air tightness, water tightness, and thermal insulation. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a sliding window and door system, which is likely to maintain a cleaning state and prevents a window leaf from being detached, thereby ensuring stability. 
   Other object of the present invention is to provide a sliding window and door system, which is likely to improve appearance depending on taste and functions, thereby providing high quality. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a sliding window and door system according to the present invention includes: a window frame (or door frame) lower member provided with surface members and rail filling device grooves in a window frame (or door frame) base member, for inserting rail filling devices into the rail filling device grooves, the rail filling devices including a rail filling device base member corresponding to the rail filling device grooves, a rail filling member, and a roller supporting member; window leaf (or door leaf) lower members for driving height control rollers provided with projections to correspond to the rail filling systems by inserting the control rollers into roller grooves formed in window leaf (or door leaf) base members to be guided by the projections and the rail filling devices, and for mounting gaskets to maintain air tightness between the window leaf base members and the surface members; a window frame (or door frame) upper member having a window frame (or door frame) base member similar to the window frame base member of the window frame lower member, expect that the rail filling device grooves correspond to supporting grooves to which upper insertion portions of window leaf (or door leaf) upper members are inserted; and the window leaf upper members provided with control rollers mounted in the upper insertion portions to prevent the window leaf from being detached, thereby forming an even structure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view showing a window and door to which a related art window and door system is applied; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken along line A—A of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view showing a window and door to which a window and door system according to the present invention is applied; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line B—B of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a rail filling system of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 7  shows other embodiment of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line C—C of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an installation view of a detachment prevention roller of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 10  shows another embodiment of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 11  shows other embodiment of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a front view showing a window and door viewed from an outside, in which an outdoor window leaf (or door leaf) is replaced with a fixed window (or fixed door); 
       FIG. 13  is a sectional view taken along line D—D of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a sectional view taken along line E—E of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 15  is a front view showing a window and door viewed from an outside, in which an indoor window leaf (or door leaf) is replaced with a fixed window (or fixed door); 
       FIG. 16  is a sectional view taken along line F—F of  FIG. 15 ; 
       FIG. 17  is a sectional view taken along line G—G of  FIG. 15 ; and 
       FIG. 18  is an installation view of a fixed window (or fixed door) groove cover. 
   

   BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   “Outdoor” and “indoor” which will now be described in sectional views respectively mean “left side” and “right side” on the drawings. 
     FIG. 3  is a front view showing a window and door viewed from an outside, to which a window and door system according to the present invention is applied. Sectional views taken along lines B—B and C—C are shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  10 , and  11 . 
     FIGS. 4 ,  6 , and  7  are sectional views taken along line B—B of  FIG. 3 , in which main elements of a sliding window and door system are shown. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a window frame lower member  3  includes a window frame base member  31 , surface members  32 , rail filling device grooves  33 , and rail filling devices  38 . The rail filling device grooves  33  for installation of the rail filling devices  38  and the surface members  32  are provided in the window frame base member  31 . The rail filling device  38  has a rail filling device base member  34  corresponding to the rail filling device grooves  33 , an elastic member  35 , a rail filling member  36 , and a roller supporting member  37  is inserted into each rail filling device groove  33  provided in the window frame base member  31 . An even structure of the window frame lower member  3  is constructed as above (see a schematic view of the rail filling system of FIG.  5 ). 
   The construction of window leaf lower members  4   a  and  4   b  will now be described. Height control rollers  42  provided with projections  41  to correspond to the rail filling devices  38  are inserted into roller grooves  44  provided in respective window leaf base members  43 , so that the rollers  42  are guided and driven by the projections  41  and the rail filling devices  38 . To maintain air tightness between the window leaf base members  43  and the surface members  32 , gaskets  45  are mounted. Thus, the window leaf lower members  4   a  and  4   b  can correspond to the window frame lower member  3 . 
   The operation and driving principles of the height control rollers  42  provided with the projections  41  of the window leaf lower members  4   a  and  4   b  and the rail filling devices  38  of the window frame lower member  3  will be described below. 
   The projection  41  of the roller  42  pushes the rail filling member  36  of the rail filling device  38  and contracts the elastic member  35 . Thus, the projection  41  is inserted into the groove provided between the roller supporting members  37 . The roller  42  is guided into the groove between the roller supporting members  37  and then driven. If the rollers  42  are driven, the contracted elastic member  35  is returned to its original state and the rail filling member  36  fills the groove between the roller supporting members  37  to form an even surface. 
   In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , to form the even structure of  FIG. 4  in a frame type structure, window frame lower members  5  and  6  include surface members  52  and  62  provided in window frame base members  51  and  61  in a frame type. In this case, rainwater is smoothly guided to the outside. 
   Heights of window leaf lower members  7   a  and  7   b  are controlled to correspond to the window frame lower members  5  and  6 . 
     FIGS. 8 ,  10 , and  11  are sectional views taken along line C—C of  FIG. 3 , in which main elements of a sliding window and door system are shown. 
   In  FIG. 8 , a window frame base member  81  of a window frame upper member  8  is similar to the window frame base member  31  of the window frame lower member, but is mounted in an upper side of the window and door system. In this case, the rail filling device grooves  33  correspond to supporting grooves  82 , to which upper insertion portions  91  of window leaf upper members  9   a  and  9   b  are inserted. 
   The window leaf upper members  9   a  and  9   b  include the upper insertion portions  91  to correspond to the window frame upper member  8 . Control rollers  93  for preventing the window leaf from being detached by cutting a cutting portion  92  of the upper insertion portions  91  are mounted in the window leaf upper members  9   a  and  9   b  (see installation view of FIG.  9 ). 
   The construction of preventing the window leaf from being detached will be described below. 
   For installation of the upper insertion portions  91 , the height of the control rollers  93  is downwardly controlled. The upper insertion portions  91  are deeply inserted into the supporting grooves  82  to facilitate installation of the lower member. After installation of the lower member, an inner space formed between the upper insertion portions  91  and the supporting grooves  82  is finished up by upwardly controlling the height of the control rollers  93 . 
     FIG. 8  shows an installation state, in which the window leaf upper members  9   a  and  9   b  cannot be detached due to the control rollers  93 . 
   Since the window frame base member  81  of the window frame upper member  8  is equivalent to the window frame base member  31  of the window frame lower member  3 , the even structure can be constructed in a frame type structure. 
   In  FIGS. 10 and 11 , window frame upper members  10  and  20  of a frame type structure and window leaf upper members  30   a  and  30   b  are shown. The height of the window leaf upper members  30   a  and  30   b  is controlled to correspond to the window frame upper members  10  and  20 . 
     FIG. 12  is a front view showing a window and door viewed from an outside, in which an outdoor window leaf is replaced with a fixed window  FIGS. 13 and 14  are sectional views taken along lines D—D and E—E of FIG.  12 . 
   In  FIG. 13 , the window leaf lower member  3  is replaced with an outdoor window leaf  4   a  in such a manner that a fixed window  40  is mounted into an outdoor rail filling device groove  39 , and finished up with a gasket  401  and a supporting member  402 . 
   In  FIG. 14 , a window frame upper member  8  is replaced with an outdoor window leaf  9   a  in such a manner that a fixed window  40  is mounted into an indoor supporting groove  83  and finished up with a gasket  401 . 
     FIG. 15  is a front view showing a window and door viewed from an outside, in which an indoor window leaf is replaced with a fixed window.  FIGS. 16 and 17  are sectional views taken along lines F—F and G—G of FIG.  15 . 
   In  FIG. 16 , the window leaf lower member  3  is replaced with an indoor window leaf  4   b  in such a manner that a fixed window  50  is mounted into an indoor rail filling device groove  3   a  and finished up with gaskets  501  and a supporting member  502 . 
     FIG. 17 , a window frame upper member  8  is replaced with an indoor window leaf  9   b  in such a manner that a fixed window  50  is mounted into an indoor supporting groove  84  and finished up with gaskets  501  and  501 . 
   In  FIG. 18 , a groove  50  in a portion having no fixed windows  40  and  50  in  FIGS. 13 ,  14 ,  16  and  17  is finished up with a fixed window groove cover  70 . 
   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   As aforementioned, the sliding window and door system according to the present invention has the following advantages. 
   In the related art, a drainage outlet is provided in a rail to drain out rainwater because the rail is exposed. However, in the present invention, rainwater is guided to the outside on the surface. Accordingly, the rainwater is essentially prevented from being induced into the indoor. Also, since no separate drainage outlet is provided, air tightness, water tightness, and thermal insulation can be improved. Since the process steps can be reduced, the productivity can be improved. 
   In the upper structure, a detachment prevention structure is applied, so that vertical movement of the window leaf in the upper and lower directions can be avoided. Accordingly, safety can be ensured by solving the problem related to detachment due to strong wind or manipulation. 
   The related art window and door system has a problem in that movement and noise of the window leaf occur and a window frame should be exchanged with another one if the rail is abraded. However, in the present invention, a rail filling system is only to be exchanged with another one if the rail is abraded. Accordingly, the production cost and time can be reduced. 
   Furthermore, in the present inventor, since an even structure not an uneven structure is formed, pile of dust is avoided and it is easy to maintain cleaning state. Appearance such as an even type and a frame type can be improved depending on taste and function. Thus, a window and door system of high quality can be obtained. 
   While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the that various modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.