Automatically actuated door lock system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10407960-B2
Application number	US-201715424592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A door package or door assembly includes multiple door panels. A top frame member has one or more tracks upon which one or more door panels may slide relative to a door opening to close the door opening when in a fully extended position and to open the doorway when in a retracted position. When in its retracted or open position, a plurality of door panels may also pivot about a pivot plate attached to the floor to a broken open position essentially perpendicular to the plane of the doorway opening. Upper and lower magnetic latch assemblies automatically decouple to permit pivoting of the entire door panel assembly when the panels are fully retracted, and when the panels are not fully retracted, are automatically actuated to prevent pivoting of the door panel assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door system comprising:
a. an upper frame, the frame including a first sliding track configured to receive at least one sliding door panel;
b. a first door panel having a first vertical end and a second vertical end and a top and a bottom, the first door panel pivotally interconnected to the upper frame proximate the first vertical end of the first door panel;
c. a second door panel having a first vertical end and a second vertical end, the second door panel slideably engaged with the first sliding track and interconnected to the first door panel, the second door panel movable between a first position substantially alongside the first door panel and a second position extending beyond the first door panel, the second door panel having a top portion and a body portion and wherein the body portion is pivotally interconnected to the top portion proximate the first vertical end of the second panel;
d. a first latch assembly comprising a first catch, a first latch tongue, a first magnet associated with the first latch tongue and a second magnet, the first latch tongue biased to a first position wherein the first latch tongue engages the first catch and movable to a second position wherein the first latch tongue does not engage the first catch, the first catch disposed in one of the top portion or the body portion of the second door panel, the first latch tongue disposed in the other of the top portion or the body portion of the second door panel, the second magnet disposed in the first door panel, and wherein the first magnet has a first magnetic field and the second magnet has a second magnetic field;
e. wherein when the second door panel is substantially alongside the first door panel, the second magnet is positioned proximate the first magnet and the magnetic field of the second magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the first magnet to move the first latch tongue to the second position, and when the second door panel is not substantially alongside the first door panel, the first magnetic field of the first magnet does not interact with the second magnetic field of the second magnet and the first latch tongue is in the first position.

2. The door system of claim 1 , further comprising a third door panel having a first vertical end and a second vertical end and a top and a bottom and a second sliding track parallel to the first sliding track, the third door panel pivotally interconnected to the upper frame proximate the first vertical end of the third door panel and the first door panel slideably interconnected to the third door panel, wherein the third door panel does not slide relative to the upper frame, the first door panel slideably engaged with the second sliding track and movable between a first position wherein the first door panel is substantially alongside the third door panel and a second position wherein the first door panel extends beyond the third door panel, and the first, second and third door panels pivot about a pivot plate disposed proximate the first vertical end of the third door panel when the first door panel and second door panel are positioned substantially alongside the third door panel.

3. The door system of claim 1 , further comprising a first biasing member for biasing the first latch tongue in the first position.

4. The door system of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot plate engageable with a floor and with the first door panel and the second door panel, and wherein the first door panel and the second door panel pivot about the pivot plate.

5. The door package of claim 1 , further comprising:
a. a second sliding track associated with the upper frame;
b. a third door panel having a first vertical end and a second vertical end, the third door panel slideably engaged with the second sliding track, the third door panel movable between a first position substantially alongside the second door panel and a second position extending beyond the second door panel, the third door panel having a top portion and a body portion and wherein the body portion of the third door panel is pivotally interconnected to the top portion of the third door panel proximate the first vertical end of the third door panel;
c. a second latch assembly comprising a second catch, a second latch tongue, a third magnet associated with the second latch tongue and a fourth magnet, the second latch tongue biased to a first position wherein the second latch tongue engages the second catch and movable to a second position wherein the second latch tongue does not engage the second catch, the second catch disposed in one of the top portion or the body portion of the third door panel, the second latch tongue disposed in the other of the top portion or the body portion of the third door panel, and the fourth magnet disposed in the second door panel, and wherein the third magnet has a third magnetic field and the fourth magnet has a fourth magnetic field;
d. wherein when the third door panel is substantially alongside the second door panel, the fourth magnet is positioned proximate the third magnet and the fourth magnetic field of the fourth magnet interacts with the third magnetic field of the third magnet to move the second latch tongue to the second position, and when the third door panel is not substantially alongside the second door panel, the third magnetic field of the third magnet does not interact with the fourth magnetic field of the fourth magnet and the second latch tongue is in the first position.

6. The door system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a. a second latch assembly affixed to a portion of one of the first door panel or the second door panel, the second latch assembly having a second catch associated with a first plate, a second latch tongue associated with a second plate, the first plate pivotally interconnected to the first door panel and the second door panel and configured to pivot relative to the second plate, the second plate mounted to the one of the first door panel or the second door panel to which the second latch assembly is affixed, and a third magnet associated with the second latch tongue, the third magnet having a third magnetic field, the second latch tongue moveable between a first position and a second position, and wherein when the second latch tongue is in the first position the second latch tongue engages the second catch and prevents the first plate from pivoting relative to the second plate and the first plate maintains a first predetermined spacing between the first door panel and the second door panel, and when the second latch tongue is in the second position the second latch tongue disengages the second catch, the first plate is able to pivot relative to the second plate and the first door panel is configured to separate from the second door panel up to a second predetermined spacing greater than the first predetermined spacing;
b. a fourth magnet disposed within a portion of the other of the first door panel or the second door panel, the fourth magnet having a fourth magnetic field;
c. wherein, when the second door panel is in the second position, the third magnetic field of the third magnet does not overlap with the fourth magnetic field of the fourth magnet, the second latch member is in the first position and the first plate cannot pivot relative to the second plate, and when the second door panel is in the first position the third magnet is proximate the fourth magnet and the third magnetic field of the third magnet overlaps with the fourth magnetic field of the fourth magnet causing the second latch tongue to move to the second position.

7. The door system of claim 6 , wherein the first door panel and the second door panel each have a bottom edge, and the second latch assembly is affixed proximate the bottom edge of the

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Ab

Inventors

• Wolfe Jeffrey A

Classifications

• E06B3/509

  where one of the sliding and rotating movements necessarily precedes the other · CPC title

• E05D15/08

  consisting of two or more independent parts movable each in its own guides · CPC title

• E05B47/004

  the magnets acting directly on the bolt · CPC title

• E05Y2900/132

  Doors · CPC title

• E05B65/0085

  for folding wings, e.g. bi-fold wings · CPC title