Method for installing a leaf of a sliding door and set used thereby

Abstract

Set for installing a leaf (3) of a sliding door (1) provided with a wheel set (12) in a frame (2), the set including a leaf (3), a frame (2), a wheel set (12) and an aid (1), whereby the aid (15) includes supporting elements (17) that each define a support point (20) for the leaf (3), whereby the distance (D.sub.s) between the support points (20) is less than the thickness (D.sub.v) of the leaf (3) and whereby the aid (15) includes at least one connecting element (16) to fix the supporting elements (17) with respect one another.

Claims

1. A method for installing a sliding door (1) with an aid, wherein the sliding door includes a leaf (3), a frame (2), and a plurality of wheels forming a wheel set (12) for supporting a lower side of the leaf in the frame and that is not affixed to the leaf before installation of the sliding door, an upper side of the frame having a cavity (7) and a lower side of the frame having a channel (5) in which the leaf, when mounted in the frame, slides supported by the wheel set, a lower side of the leaf having a thickness (D.sub.v) smaller than an interior width (B.sub.g) of the channel in the lower side of the frame, and wherein the aid (15), which is not affixed to any of the leaf, the frame, and the wheel set, includes two supporting elements (17) that each defines, at an upper portion, a respective support (20) for the lower side of the leaf (3), and at least one connecting element (16) that fixes the two supporting elements with respect to one another and defines a space between the two supporting elements that receives the wheel set between the two supporting elements, wherein an interior distance (D.sub.s) between the supports (20) is less than the thickness (D.sub.v) of the lower side of the leaf (3), and wherein the aid (15) with its two supporting elements has a maximum width (B.sub.h) that is less than the interior width (B.sub.g) of the channel so that the two supporting elements fit in the channel, the method comprising the following steps: A: placing the aid (15) in the channel (5) with the connecting element (16) lower than the supports (20); B: after placing the aid in the channel and before the wheel set (12) is installed, placing the leaf (3), without the wheel set, in a vertical orientation with the lower side of the leaf on the supports (20); C: after placing the leaf on the supports, placing the wheel set (12) in the channel underneath the lower side the leaf (3); and D: after placing the wheel set underneath the leaf, removing the aid (15) from the channel and then lowering the leaf (3) until it is supported by the wheel set (12).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step C the wheel set (12) is mounted in or via a space between the two supporting elements (17).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step C the wheel set (12) and the aid (15) are movable with respect to one another while the aid (15) is in the channel.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step A, a further said aid (15) is provided, and in step B the leaf (3) is placed on both said aids (15) in such a way that above each of the two aids (15) there is a respective vertical edge of the leaf (3), and in step D both said aids (15) are removed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step C is implemented by providing the leaf (3) with a groove (10) on its underside that is open underneath and which has undercut flanks (11) and the wheel set (12) comprises a T-shaped base (13), wherein the base (13) slides in the groove (10).

Description

(1) With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a preferred embodiment of the aid and the method according to the invention are described hereinafter by way of an example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a sliding door;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an aid according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a frame of a sliding door, during a first step in a method according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross-section according to line VI-VI of the frame of FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a frame and leaf of a sliding door, during a subsequent step in a method according to the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a detail of a leaf and an aid according to the invention during a later subsequent step in a method according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a cross-section analogous to FIG. 4 of a sliding door during the step of the method shown in FIG. 6; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows a cross-section analogous to FIG. 7 but after the final step of the method.

(10) The sliding door 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a frame 2, of which only the top and the bottom are shown in this drawing, and a movable leaf 3.

(11) The underside of the frame 2 is built into the floor 4 and has a channel 5, with a rail 6 therein. At the top there is a cavity 7 in the frame 2 for movements of the leaf 3 and the frame 2 is built into a wall there.

(12) The leaf 3 essentially consists of a glass panel 8, on which a leaf profile 9 is fastened at the top edge, bottom edge and side edges. On the side turned away from the glass panel 8 this leaf profile 9 is provided with a groove 10 that is defined by two undercut flanks 11.

(13) A wheel set 12 with a width B.sub.w and a height H.sub.W is affixed on the bottom edge of the leaf. This wheel set 12 essentially consists of a T-shaped base 13 that fits in the groove 10 and small wheels 14 mounted on the base. Hereby the base 13 is affixed in the groove 10, which is open underneath. The small wheels 14 rest on the rail 6 in the channel 5 and can ride on it during use in order to enable the leaf 3 to move.

(14) The aid 15 shown in FIG. 2 is intended for a specific thickness D.sub.v of a leaf 3, which means the thickness on the underside of the leaf 3 and for a specific width B.sub.g of a channel.

(15) The aid 15 has a total width B.sub.h and is formed from a profile. The profile is roughly U-shaped with a back 16 and two parallel arms 17.

(16) Each of the arms 17, fitted to its end 18, is provided with a narrowed section 19 that runs into the rest of the arm 17 via a stepped transition 20.

(17) The back 16 is provided with a groove 21 running in the longitudinal direction L that has a corresponding shape and size to the rail 6 of a frame 2 for which the aid 15 is intended. The width B.sub.h of the aid 15 is such that it fits quite well in the channel of such a frame 2.

(18) The aid 15 described above can more generally be described as being an aid that comprises two supporting elements, which in this case are formed by the arms 17 and a connecting element in order to fix the supporting elements with respect one another, which in this case is formed by the back 16.

(19) Such an aid 15 is used as follows to install a leaf 3 of a sliding door 1 in a frame 2.

(20) This method concerns the installation of a leaf 3 with a certain width B.sub.v, whereby two aids 15 are used and is described on the basis of FIGS. 3 to 7.

(21) First the two aids 15 are selected, that fit to the dimensions and shape of the channel 5, and of the leaf 3 that has to be installed.

(22) To this end the width B.sub.h of the aid 15 has to be smaller than the width B.sub.g of the channel 5, so that the aid 15 fits freely in the channel 5.

(23) The distance D.sub.u between the end 18 of the arms 17 must be greater than the thickness D.sub.v of the leaf 3.

(24) The distance D.sub.s between the arms 17 at the location of the stepped transition 20 must be less than the thickness D.sub.v of the leaf 3, so that the stepped transitions 20 can form support points for the leaf 3.

(25) This distance D.sub.s must be greater than the width B.sub.w of the wheel set 12, and the distance H.sub.s between the stepped transitions 20 and the back 16 must be greater than the height H.sub.w of the wheel set 12, to ensure that the wheel set 12 fits in the space between the arms 17.

(26) The two aids 15 are placed in the channel 5 of the frame 3, with a distance A.sub.h between them that is less than the width B.sub.v of the leaf 3. This is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thanks to the dimensions of an aid 15 and the shape of the back 16, the aids 15 are hereby only slightly movable sideways, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the leaf 3 lies.

(27) Then a leaf 3, which in this case is not provided with a wheel set 12, is placed by its top edge in the cavity 7 at the top of the frame 2, with a slight deviation from a completely vertical orientation.

(28) Then the leaf 3 is placed in a vertical orientation to above the aids 15. Hereby the top of the leaf 3 only has to be placed in the cavity 7 at the top of the frame 3 over a small distance, because there are still no small wheels 14 that could come into contact with the aids 15 or with the frame 2 or the floor 4.

(29) The leaf 3 is now lowered onto the aids 15, whereby the narrowed sections 19 of the arms 17 of the aids 15 provide a certain guide for the leaf 3 and the stepped transitions 20 form support points for the leaf 3. Hereby the leaf 3 is fitted such that the side edges, thus the vertical edges of the leaf 3, are each above an aid 15.

(30) The situation now obtained is shown in FIG. 5.

(31) Then a wheel set 12 is mounted underneath the leaf 3 from both sides by sliding the base 13 of the wheel set 12 in the groove 10 of the bottom leaf profile 9 in the direction of arrow P, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, until the wheel sets 12 are completely under the leaf 3. The wheel sets 12 are thus hereby fitted via the space between the arms 17 of the aids 15.

(32) In order to ensure the correct position of the bases 13, an end stop for each base 13 can be provided in the groove 10. There can also be facilities to fasten a base 13 in the groove 10, so that the wheel set 12 cannot move with respect to the leaf 3.

(33) Then the leaf 3 is again raised over a small distance, the aids 15 are slid in the longitudinal direction of the channel 5 from under the small wheels 14 and the leaf 3 is again lowered until the small wheels 14 rest on the rail 6 and the leaf 3 is thereby supported by the wheel sets 12, so that the situation shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 8 is obtained.

(34) The leaf 3 is now installed and can move, or roll on the small wheels 14, in the channel 5.

(35) The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described as an example and shown in the drawings, but an aid and method according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of forms, dimensions and variants without departing from the scope of the invention.