Pocket door assembly

Abstract

The specification discloses a pocket door assembly having a notch or recess in a pocket portion of the frame that allows for use of a protruding handle, such as a doorknob, to be used on a door portion of the assembly. In a second aspect, the specification discloses a latch mechanism for use with pocket doors that may utilize rotary handles, such as standard doorknobs.

1 . A pocket door assembly comprising: 
 a frame comprising a doorway portion defining an aperture, and the frame also comprising a pocket portion defining a cavity;    a vertically oriented door slidingly coupled to the frame, the door adapted to slide into the cavity defined by the pocket portion of the frame;    a handle coupled to the door and extending outward from the door a distance greater than a clearance between the door and a first vertical member of the pocket portion of the frame;    a latch assembly coupled within the door and in operational relationship to the handle; and    wherein the latch assembly latches the door in a closed position, and wherein the handle releases the latch assembly from a latched position.    
   
   
       2 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a notch in the pocket portion of the frame at a boundary between the pocket portion and the aperture, the notch at approximately a same elevation as the handle; and    wherein the handle resides at least partially within an area defined by the notch when the door is open.    
   
   
       3 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 2  wherein the pocket portion further comprises: 
 a second vertical member, the first and second vertical members defining an opening through which the door slides into the cavity; and    said notch formed, at least in part, by an offset in one of the first and second vertical members.    
   
   
       4 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 3  wherein the notch is formed by corresponding offsets in both the first and second vertical members.  
   
   
       5 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 2  wherein the notch is semicircular.  
   
   
       6 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 2  wherein the notch is defined by three straight sides.  
   
   
       7 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 2  wherein the notch is rectangular.  
   
   
       8 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 2  wherein the notch is defined by two straight sides.  
   
   
       9 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 1  wherein the handle extends outward in both directions from the door.  
   
   
       10 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 9  wherein the handle further comprises a rotary doorknob.  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 1  wherein the latch assembly further comprises: 
 an outer housing;    a bolt mounted within the outer housing, the bolt having a curved strike area and a slot, the strike area in operational relationship to the slot, and wherein the bolt has an axis aligned substantially with a direction of translation of the door; and    wherein latching of the door pitches the bolt until the slot mechanically mates with a corresponding structure on the doorway portion of the frame.    
   
   
       13 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 12  wherein the latch assembly further comprises: 
 a bolt housing hingedly coupled within the outer housing, the bolt slidingly coupled within the bolt housing;    a first spring within the bolt housing biasing the bolt to an extended position; and    a second spring mounted within the outer housing, the second spring biasing the bolt housing against an inside portion of the outer housing.    
   
   
       14 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 13  wherein the bolt housing further comprises: 
 a rotary hinge portion, the rotary hinge portion coupled to a stationary hinge portion on the outer housing;    a bolt arm coupling the rotary hinge portion to a bolt cavity, the bolt and first spring within the bolt cavity; and    wherein the bolt arm is adapted to be a point of contact for rotational force that pitches the bolt housing and releases the slot of the bolt from the corresponding structure on the doorway portion of the frame.    
   
   
       15 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 14  wherein the bolt arm is further adapted to operationally couple to a rotary door handle.  
   
   
       16 . A pocket door assembly comprising: 
 a horizontal header assembly;    a door slidingly mounted to the horizontal header assembly;    a first and second vertical members coupled to the horizontal header assembly, the first and second vertical members defining an opening;    a first plurality of coplanar members coupled to the first vertical member, a plane defined by the first plurality of coplanar members substantially parallel to a plane defined by the door;    a second plurality of coplanar members coupled to the second vertical member and extending a same direction as the first plurality of coplanar members, a plane defined by the second plurality of coplanar members substantially parallel to the plane defined by the door;    wherein the first and second vertical members, and the first and second plurality of coplanar members, define a pocket into which the door slides;    a handle coupled to the door and extending substantially perpendicularly from the plane defined by the door, the handle extending a distance greater than a clearance between the door and one of the first and second vertical members;    a latch assembly coupled within the door and in operational relationship to the handle; and    wherein the latch assembly latches the door in a closed position, and wherein the handle releases the latch assembly from a latched position when the handle is rotated.    
   
   
       17 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 16  further comprising: 
 one of the first and second vertical members defining an indention, the indention having a deflection toward a back of the pocket; and    wherein the handle resides at least partially in an area defined by the indention when the door is substantially within the pocket.    
   
   
       18 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 17  wherein the indention is rectangular.  
   
   
       19 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 17  wherein the indention is semicircular.  
   
   
       20 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 17  wherein the indention is defined by three straight sides.  
   
   
       21 . The pocket door assembly as defined in  claim 17  wherein the indention is defined by two straight sides.  
   
   
       22 - 25 . (canceled)  
   
   
       26 . A latch assembly for a pocket door comprising: 
 an elongated outer housing having an axis;    a bolt mounted within the outer housing, the bolt having a curved strike area, and wherein the bolt has an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the elongated outer housing when the bolt is in a rest position;    an elongated bolt housing hingedly mounted within the elongated outer housing, the bolt slidingly coupled within the bolt housing;    a first spring within the bolt housing biasing the bolt to an extended position; and    a second spring mounted within the elongated outer housing, the second spring biasing the bolt housing against a lower portion of the outer housing in the rest position    wherein the bolt pitches when a force is applied to the strike area and wherein the bolt's axis becomes substantially parallel with the axis of the elongated outer housing when the latch assembly latches.    
   
   
       27 . The latch assembly as defined in  claim 26  wherein the elongated bolt housing further comprises: 
 a rotary hinge portion, the rotary hinge portion coupled to the a stationary hinge portion on the elongated outer housing;    a bolt arm coupling the rotary hinge portion to a bolt cavity, the bolt and first spring within the bolt cavity; and    wherein the bolt arm is adapted to be a point of contact for rotational force to release the latch assembly.    
   
   
       28 . The latch assembly as defined in  claim 27  wherein the bolt arm is further adapted to operationally couple to a rotary door handle.  
   
   
       29 . The latch assembly as defined in  claim 26  wherein the bolt telescopes, at least partially, into the bolt housing and compresses the first spring when the location of the force application is near a tip of the bolt.  
   
   
       30 . The latch assembly as defined in  claim 29  wherein the bolt telescopes out of the bolt housing as a location of the force application approaches a slot, the slot in operational relationship to the strike area.