US 12,345,083 B2Granted

Continuous locking hinge assemblies and folding door assemblies including the same

AssigneeEndura Products, Inc.

InventorMichael K. Mitchell

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A continuous hinge includes first and second leaves, an upper pivot, and a lower pivot. The first leaf is configured to secure to a first panel and the second leaf is configured to secure to a second panel. The first and second leaves each have an uppermost end adjacent a top end of the respective panel and a lowermost end adjacent a bottom end of the respective panel. The upper pivot is formed between the first and second leaves adjacent the uppermost ends thereof. The lower pivot is formed between the first and second leaves adjacent the lowermost ends thereof. The first and second leaves are configured to pivot relative to one another between a closed position in which the first and second panels are aligned on edges with one another and an open position in which the first and second panels are out of alignment with one another.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A hinge assembly comprising:

a first leaf having a first mounting segment configured to secure to a first panel and extend along a majority of a hinged edge of the first panel;
a second leaf having a second mounting segment configured to secure to a second panel and extend along a majority of a hinged edge of the second panel, the first leaf and the second leaf having a closed position in which the first leaf and the second leaf are configured to align the first panel with the second panel such that an inside face of the first panel and an inside face of the second panel are coplanar with one another, the first leaf and the second leaf having an open position in which the first leaf and the second leaf are configured to position the first panel with the second panel such that the inside face of the first panel opposes the inside face of the second panel;
a top pivot assembly that is secured to a top end portion of the first leaf and a top end portion of the second leaf, the top pivot assembly defining a pivot axis such that the first leaf and the second leaf pivot relative to one another about the pivot axis between the closed position and the open position;
and
a top gap adjustment mechanism disposed in a first side or a second side of the top pivot assembly to adjust a distance defined between the first side and the second side of the top pivot assembly such that a top thickness defined between the first mounting segment and the second mounting segment in the closed position is adjusted.

2 more elements

A door panel system comprising:

a first panel having an inside face, an outside face, and a mounting edge extending between the inside face and the outside face thereof;
a second panel having an inside face, an outside face, and a mounting edge extending between the inside face and the outside face thereof;
and
a hinge having a first leaf secured to the mounting edge of the first panel and a second leaf secured to the mounting edge of the second panel, the hinge pivotally coupling the first panel to the second panel between a closed position in which the inside faces of the first panel and the second panel are coplanar with one another providing stackable folding doors in a multi-panel door system, and an open position in which the inside faces or the outside faces of the first panel and the second panel oppose one another, the hinge including a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts a distance between the mounting edges of the first panel and the second panel in the closed position.

1 more element

Surface mounted hardware for a folding door assembly, the surface mounted hardware comprising:

a first leaf configured to secure to an unmachined hinged edge of a first panel of a folding door assembly;
a second leaf configured to secure to an unmachined hinged edge of a second panel of the folding door assembly, the first leaf and the second leaf having a closed position in which the first and second leaves are configured to secure the first and second panels in a coplanar relationship with one another providing stackable folding doors in a multi-panel door system, and an open position in which the first and second leaves are configured to support the first and second panels in a stacked relationship with one another in which inner faces or outer faces of the first panel and the second panel oppose one another;
and
a gap adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a thickness of the first leaf and the second leaf in the closed position to adjust a distance between unmachined edges of the first and second panels in the closed position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/976,984Filed 31 Oct 2022 · continuation
Priority: 6 Jun 2019
Published: US 2023/0046401 A116 Feb 2023
Granted: 1 Jul 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

E05D 7/009
Hinges or pivots of special construction: elongate hinges, e.g. piano-hinges
E05D 11/1007
Devices for preventing movement between relatively-movable hinge parts: with positive locking
E05D 15/26
Suspension arrangements for wings: for folding wings
E05D 15/56
Suspension arrangements for wings: with successive different movements

Family

Application62/857,882Us provisional application · filed 6 Jun 2019
Application16/890,016Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jun 2020
US 2023/0046401 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Feb 2023
US 11,486,177 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2020/0386024 A1Published application
US 12,345,083 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.