Overhead door closer with slide rail for concealed installation in door panels or door frames

Apparatus for moving a door from a first position to a second position, the door being supported by supporting member means and said apparatus comprising:

• a housing, said housing being configured for being disposed within one of the door and the supporting member means, said housing having an interior space therein;
• shaft means disposed at least partially within said interior space of said housing and having a first end extending from said housing, said shaft means having a first position within said housing corresponding to said second position of the door, and said shaft means being rotatable to a second position within said housing upon movement of the door from said second position to said first position;
• means for rotating said shaft means from said first position to said second position upon movement of the door from the second position to the first position, said means for rotating comprising attachment means connected between said first extending end of said shaft means and the other of the door and the supporting member means;
• means for returning said shaft means to said first position within said housing from said second position within said housing to move the door from the first position to the second position, said means for returning being disposed within said interior space of said housing;
• said shaft means comprising a cam, said cam comprising at least one cam surface disposed about at least a portion of the circumference of said cam;
• said means for returning comprises:
• first cam follower means for being disposed adjacent said cam, said first cam follower means comprising a first roller for rotatably engaging said at least one cam surface at an engagement location, said first roller comprising a sole roller of said first cam follower means;
• and
• first resilient member means for pressing said first roller against said cam, said first resilient member means being configured for being compressed upon rotation of said shaft means from said first position to said second position, said first resilient member means applying a first pressure on said first roller;
• said at least one cam surface being configured to compress said first resilient member means upon rotation of said shaft means from said first position to said second position;
• damping piston means disposed within said housing, said damping piston means comprising second cam follower means disposed adjacent said cam, said second cam follower means being movable independently of said first cam follower means, said damping piston comprising second resilient member means for pressing said second cam follower means against said cam, said second resilient member means being configured for being compressed upon rotation of said shaft means from said second position to said first position, said second resilient member means applying a second pressure on said second cam follower;
• said at least one cam surface being configured to compress said second resilient member means upon rotation of said shaft means from said second position to said first position;
• said first pressure of said first resilient member for pressing said first roller into engagement with said cam being substantially greater than said second pressure of said second resilient member means for pressing said second cam follower means into engagement with said cam;
• said door having a moment of resistance resisting movement of the door from the second position to the first position;
• and
• said at least one cam surface being configured to provide a decreasing moment of resistance during movement of the door from said second position to said first position.