Sliding door systems

Abstract

An exemplary closure assembly includes a rail assembly and a door assembly movably mounted to the rail assembly. The door assembly includes a rotary damper having a pinion, and the rail assembly includes a rack member operable to engage the pinion. As the door moves from first position to a second position, the rack member engages the pinion, thereby causing the pinion to rotate in a first rotational direction. The rotary damper resists rotation of the pinion in the first direction, thereby slowing movement of the door toward the second position. The rotary damper may be a one-way damper that does not resist rotation of the pinion in a second rotational direction such that the rotary damper does not resist movement of the door from the second position toward the first position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly configured for mounting to a door, the assembly comprising:
 a bracket configured for mounting to the door;   a wheel rotatably mounted to the bracket, the wheel including a circumferential groove operable to receive a rail;   an anti jump lug projecting from the bracket, positioned below the wheel, and configured to be positioned below the rail to maintain engagement between the assembly and the rail;   a rotary damper mounted to the bracket, the rotary damper comprising a pinion, wherein the rotary damper is configured to resist rotation of the pinion in a first rotational direction; and   a movement assistance mechanism mounted to the bracket, the movement assistance mechanism comprising:
 a housing; 
 a latch mechanism movably mounted to the housing, the latch mechanism having a cocked position, a release position, and a home position; and 
 a spring engaged between the housing and the latch mechanism, the spring biasing the latch mechanism toward the home position; 
 wherein the housing is configured to retain the latch mechanism in the cocked position against a biasing force exerted by the spring; 
 wherein the latch mechanism is configured to move from the cocked position to a release position in response to an externally-applied force; and 
 wherein the spring is configured to move the latch mechanism from the release position to the home position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary damper is a one-way rotary damper that does not resist rotation of the pinion in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot bracket pivotably mounted to the bracket, wherein the wheel is rotatably mounted to the pivot bracket, and wherein a second wheel having a second circumferential groove operable to receive the rail is mounted to the pivot bracket. 
     
     
         4 . A system comprising a first of the assembly recited in  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 the door, wherein the bracket of the first assembly is secured to the door, and wherein the door is movable between a first position and a second position; and   a rail assembly configured for mounting to a wall adjacent the door, the rail assembly comprising:
 a rail member defining the rail, wherein the wheel of the first assembly and the anti-jump lug of the first assembly are positioned on opposite sides of the rail; 
 a first trigger mounted to the rail member, wherein the first trigger is configured to engage the latch mechanism of the first assembly as the door approaches the second position from the first position, thereby moving the latch mechanism of the first assembly from the cocked position to the release position, thereby causing the spring of the first assembly to release stored mechanical energy to assist in moving the door to the second position; and 
 a first rack member mounted to the rail member, the first rack member defining a first rack gear, wherein the first rack gear is configured to engage the pinion of the first assembly as the door approaches the second position from the first position such that the rotary damper of the first assembly slows movement of the door as the door moves to the second position. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second of the assembly recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second assembly is a mirror image of the first assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising an additional assembly mounted between the first assembly and the second assembly, the additional assembly comprising:
 an additional bracket mounted to the door;   an additional wheel rotatably mounted to the additional bracket; and   an additional anti jump lug projecting from the additional bracket below the additional wheel.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second of the assembly recited in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the wheel of the second assembly and the anti jump lug of the second assembly are positioned on opposite sides of the rail; and   wherein the rail assembly further comprises:
 a second trigger mounted to the rail member, wherein the second trigger is configured to engage the latch mechanism of the second assembly as the door approaches the first position from the second position, thereby moving the latch mechanism of the second assembly from the cocked position to the release position, thereby causing the spring of the second assembly to release stored mechanical energy to assist in moving the door to the first position; and 
 a second rack member mounted to the rail member, the second rack member defining a second rack gear, wherein the second rack gear is configured to engage the pinion of the second assembly as the door approaches the first position from the second position such that the rotary damper of the second assembly slows movement of the door as the door moves to the first position. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a biasing assembly mounted to the rail member and biasing the door toward one of the first position or the second position, the biasing assembly comprising:
 a biasing assembly housing mounted to the rail member;   a spool rotatably mounted to the biasing assembly housing;   a spring engaged between the biasing assembly housing and the spool, the spring urging the spool to rotate in a retracting direction; and   a tether having a first end connected to the spool and an opposite second end connected to the door.   
     
     
         9 . A closure assembly, comprising:
 a rail assembly configured for mounting to a wall, the rail assembly comprising:   a rail member defining a rail, the rail member having a first end portion and a second end portion;   a first engagement zone mounted to the first end portion, the first engagement zone comprising a first trigger and a first rack gear;   a door assembly mounted to the rail assembly for movement between a first position and a second position, the door assembly comprising:
 a door; and 
 a first module mounted to the door and operable to engage the first engagement zone of the rail assembly, the first module comprising:
 a first movement assistance mechanism configured to engage the first trigger as the door approaches the first position, and to urge the door toward the first position when engaged with the first trigger; and 
 a first rotary damper including a first pinion configured to engage the first rack gear as the door approaches the first position, wherein the first rotary damper is configured to resist rotation of the first pinion to thereby slow movement of the door toward the first position. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The closure assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the rail assembly further comprises a second engagement zone mounted to the second end portion, the second engagement zone comprising a second trigger and a second rack gear; and
 wherein the system further comprises a second module mounted to the door and operable to engage the second engagement zone of the rail assembly, the second module comprising:
 a second movement assistance mechanism configured to engage the second trigger as the door approaches the second position, and to urge the door toward the second position when engaged with the second trigger; and 
 a second rotary damper including a second pinion configured to engage the second rack gear as the door approaches the second position, wherein the second rotary damper is configured to resist rotation of the second pinion to thereby slow movement of the door toward the second position. 
   
     
     
         11 . The closure assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the rail assembly further comprises an additional rack gear, and wherein the first movement assistance mechanism further comprises:
 a spring operable to store mechanical energy when the first movement assistance mechanism is in a loaded state, and to release the stored mechanical energy to drive the door to the first position when the first movement assistance mechanism is engaged with the first trigger; and   a gear train including a pinion gear configured to engage the additional rack gear and to load the spring as the door moves between the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         12 . The closure assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a gear ratio of the gear train is selected such that an output force exerted by the gear train on the spring is greater than an input force exerted by the user on the door to move the door between the first position and the second position during loading of the spring. 
     
     
         13 . A movement assistance mechanism for a door, the movement assistance mechanism comprising:
 a housing extending along a longitudinal axis defining a proximal direction and an opposite distal direction, the housing defining a track first including a first longitudinal portion extending between and connecting a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion, the first distal end portion defining a first jog that is angled relative to the first longitudinal portion;   a latch mechanism movably mounted to the housing, the latch mechanism engaged with the first track such that the first track guides movement of the latch mechanism between a proximal home position and a distal cocked position in which the latch mechanism is engaged with the first jog;   a spring engaged between the housing and the latch mechanism, the spring exerting a proximal biasing force urging the latch mechanism toward the home position; and   a gear train comprising:
 a pinion gear rotatably mounted to the housing; and 
 a rack member defining a rack engaged with the pinion gear such that rotation of the pinion gear causes a corresponding linear movement of the rack; 
   wherein the rack member is coupled with the latch mechanism such that rotation of the pinion gear in a first rotational direction distally drives the latch mechanism from the home position toward the cocked position, thereby storing mechanical energy in the spring; and   wherein the first jog is configured to retain the latch mechanism in the cocked position against the biasing force of the spring.   
     
     
         14 . The movement assistance mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the latch mechanism is configured to move from the cocked position to a release position in response to an externally-applied proximal force on the latch mechanism, and wherein the spring is configured to release the stored mechanical energy to drive the latch mechanism from the release position to the home position. 
     
     
         15 . The movement assistance mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the housing further defines a second track including a second longitudinal portion extending between and connecting a second proximal end portion and a second distal end portion, the second proximal end portion defining a second jog that is angled relative to the second longitudinal portion;
 wherein the latch mechanism comprises a carriage and a latch body movably mounted to the carriage;   wherein a first pin extends from the carriage into the first track; and   wherein a second pin extends from the latch body into the second track.   
     
     
         16 . The movement assistance mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the latch mechanism comprises a carriage and a latch body movably mounted to the carriage, wherein the latch body is movable relative to the carriage between an extended position and a retracted position, and wherein the latch body is in the retracted position when the latch mechanism is in the home position. 
     
     
         17 . The movement assistance mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the gear train further comprises at least one intermediate gear connected between the pinion and the rack gear. 
     
     
         18 . The movement assistance mechanism of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one intermediate gear alters a gear ratio of the gear train such that an output force applied by the rack member to the latch mechanism is greater than an input force applied to rotate the pinion. 
     
     
         19 . A module configured for mounting to a sliding door, the module comprising the movement assistance mechanism of  claim 13 , the module further comprising:
 a bracket to which the movement assistance mechanism is mounted;   a wheel rotatably mounted to the bracket, the wheel including a circumferential groove; and   a rotary damper mounted to the bracket, the rotary damper including a damper pinion, wherein the rotary damper is configured to resist rotation of the damper pinion in a first rotational direction.   
     
     
         20 . The module of  claim 19 , wherein the rotary damper is a one-way rotary damper that does not resist rotation of the damper pinion in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.