Movable screen panel closure apparatus
First Claim
1. An automatic closure apparatus for a sliding panel having a top slide and bottom slide and being mounted for sliding movement relative to an opening having a predetermined height, said closure apparatus comprising:
- (a) a cord retainer sized and configured for attachment intermediate the top slide and bottom slide and being mountable to a first edge of the sliding panel; and
(b) a compact closure assembly sized and configured for attachment to a non-movable object intermediate the top slide and bottom slide and adjacent to that side of the opening addressed by said first edge of the sliding panel when positioned so as to close the opening, said closure assembly including;
(i) a compact housing having a wall defining an internal cavity and having a cord opening therethrough;
said housing being configured for mounted to said nonmovable object;
(ii) a rotatable take-up reel mounted within said housing and being rotatable about an axis and having a wound length of cord thereon;
(iii) a cord having an end, said cord being initially wound on said take-up reel and passing through said cord opening, said cord end for securement to said cord retainer; and
(iv) at least one power spring having an inner end and an outer end located within said internal cavity of said housing, said inner end of said power spring cooperatively engaging said rotatable take-up reel and said outer end engaging said wall of said compact housing whereby, said power spring is placed in tension as said take-up reel rotates to release said wound length of cord therefrom thereby applying torque to said take-up reel to thereby retract said cord back onto said take-up reel;
said power spring being mounted and being operational in its generally linear torque range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic closure assembly for a sliding panel, particularly of the screen door type, is disclosed. One or more power springs, operable in their linear ranges are mounted within a compact housing configured for ready attachment to a surface adjacent the sliding panel. The springs apply tension to a cord wound on a take-up reel within the housing. One end of the cord is screwed to the sliding panel such that as the panel is moved in an opening direction, the power spring(s) are wound in tension to apply closure forces to the panel. Different selections are provided for enabling an operator to select a plurality of different discrete tension forces to be applied by the closure assembly to the sliding panel.
57 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An automatic closure apparatus for a sliding panel having a top slide and bottom slide and being mounted for sliding movement relative to an opening having a predetermined height, said closure apparatus comprising:
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(a) a cord retainer sized and configured for attachment intermediate the top slide and bottom slide and being mountable to a first edge of the sliding panel; and (b) a compact closure assembly sized and configured for attachment to a non-movable object intermediate the top slide and bottom slide and adjacent to that side of the opening addressed by said first edge of the sliding panel when positioned so as to close the opening, said closure assembly including; (i) a compact housing having a wall defining an internal cavity and having a cord opening therethrough;
said housing being configured for mounted to said nonmovable object;(ii) a rotatable take-up reel mounted within said housing and being rotatable about an axis and having a wound length of cord thereon; (iii) a cord having an end, said cord being initially wound on said take-up reel and passing through said cord opening, said cord end for securement to said cord retainer; and (iv) at least one power spring having an inner end and an outer end located within said internal cavity of said housing, said inner end of said power spring cooperatively engaging said rotatable take-up reel and said outer end engaging said wall of said compact housing whereby, said power spring is placed in tension as said take-up reel rotates to release said wound length of cord therefrom thereby applying torque to said take-up reel to thereby retract said cord back onto said take-up reel;
said power spring being mounted and being operational in its generally linear torque range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An automatic closure apparatus being constructed and arranged for operation intermediate the top and bottom of a sliding door panel, comprising:
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(a) a compact housing having a wall defining an internal cavity and being constructed and arranged for mounting to a surface of an object in proximity to the sliding door panel; (b) a cord; (c) a take-up reel means rotatably mounted to said housing and releasably holding said cord for withdrawal from and retraction back into said housing; (d) a power spring mounted within said internal cavity of said housing, said power spring having an inner end and an outer end said outer end engaging said wall of said compact housing and being fixed with respect thereto; (e) coupling means operatively interconnecting said inner end of said power spring and being constructed and arranged to move with said take-up reel means such that said power spring applies rotational torque forces to said take-up reel means whenever said take-up reel means has been rotated due to cord withdrawal therefrom from an initial full cord retraction position; and (f) means connecting said cord to said sliding door panel wherein said cord is withdrawn from said take-up reel means when said sliding door panel is moved in an opening direction and is retracted by said take-up reel means when said sliding door panel is moved in a closing direction. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A door assembly having an automatically dosing movable panel, comprising:
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(a) a frame, defining an opening; (b) at least one movable panel operatively slideably mounted to said frame and being movable relative to said opening; and (c) an automatic closure apparatus operative between said frame and said at least one movable panel including; (i) a cord retainer attached to a first edge of said movable panel; and (ii) a compact closure assembly attached to a nonmovable object adjacent to that side of the opening addressed by said first edge of said movable panel when positioned so as to close the opening, including; (A) a compact housing having a wall defining an internal cavity and having a cord opening therethrough;
said housing being mounted to said nonmovable object;(B) a take-up reel mounted within said housing and being rotatable about an axis and having a wound length of cord thereon; (C) a cord having an end, said cord being wound on said take-up reel and passing through said cord opening, said cord end being secured to said cord retainer; and (D) at least one power spring within said internal cavity of said housing said power spring having an outside end engaging said wall of said housing and said power spring having an inner end cooperatively engaging said take-up reel, such that said power spring is placed in tension as said take-up reel rotates to release the wound cord therefrom thereby applying torque to said take-up reel to retract said cord back onto the take-up reel;
said power spring being mounted and selected and being operational in its generally linear torque range.
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Specification