IP Library Granted Patent US 12,297,680
Granted Patent B2
US 12,297,680 · App. 17/921,764 · Granted May 13, 2025

Sliding closet door assembly and method of assembling a sliding closet door

Inventor: Tomas Eskilsson (Hamneda, SE)
Assignee: Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
E05D15/063E06B3/4663E06B3/70E05Y2201/47E05Y2600/528E05Y2600/53E05Y2900/20E06B2003/7011
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,297,680
App. No.
17/921,764
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sliding closet door assembly comprises a first door panel ( 22 a ); and a door frame assembly comprising at least a first side edge strip arrangement, a second side edge strip arrangement, a top edge strip arrangement, and a bottom edge strip arrangement configured to define a door frame ( 20 ) extending in a door frame plane, the door frame ( 20 ) being adapted to receive and hold said first door panel ( 22 a ), wherein the door frame ( 20 ) is configured to receive said first door panel ( 22 a ) in a door panel insertion direction (T) transversal to the door frame plane.

Claims (45)

1. A sliding closet door assembly comprising:

a first door panel; and

a door frame assembly comprising at least a first side edge strip arrangement, a second side edge strip arrangement, a top edge strip arrangement and a bottom edge strip arrangement, the first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement configured to define a door frame extending in a door frame plane, the door frame being adapted to receive and hold said first door panel,

wherein the door frame is configured to receive said first door panel in a door panel insertion direction (T) transversal to the door frame plane,

wherein at least one of said first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement comprises:

a support strip configured to be rigidly connected to adjacent strip arrangements of said first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement; and

a lock strip movable in relation to said support strip between an open position, in which the lock strip allows free passage of a respective door panel edge, of said first door panel, into the door frame, and a lock position, in which the lock strip locks said edge of said first door panel within the door frame.

2. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and a bottom edge strip arrangement comprises an attachment arrangement configured to attach said first door panel to the door frame.

3. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first door panel is lockable to the door frame via a snap-lock.

4. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said lock strip is pivotally connected to the support strip, to pivot about a pivot axis (A) parallel to the support strip, between said open position and said lock position.

5. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement further comprises a compressible sealing strip configured to be squeezed between said first door panel and at least one of said support strip and said lock strip.

6. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said support strip and said lock strip is configured as an extruded profile.

7. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the lock strip is lockable in the locking position by an interlocking engagement between a support strip locking portion and a mating lock strip locking portion.

8. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said support strip and said lock strip is configured as an extruded profile,

wherein the lock strip is lockable in the locking position by an interlocking engagement between a support strip locking portion and a mating lock strip locking portion,

wherein a shape of said extruded profile of said at least one of said support strip and said lock strip defines said at least one of said support strip locking portion and said lock strip locking portion.

9. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said lock strip is configured to cover, when in said lock position, an outer face of said door panel edge.

10. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement is configured as a strip arrangement not having a lock strip,

and/or wherein at least one of said first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement is configured as a fixed-groove strip arrangement comprising a fixed groove configured to receive a respective door panel edge in an edge insertion direction along the door frame plane (P 1 ),

and/or wherein said door frame is configured to, after having received said first door panel, vertically support said first door panel prior to locking the first door panel to the door frame,

and/or wherein the sliding closet door assembly is configured to define an inside face facing an interior of a closet, and an opposite outside face facing an exterior space, wherein the door frame is configured to receive said first door panel in a door panel insertion direction (T) from the exterior space.

11. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second door panel; and

a divider strip configured to divide the door frame into a first subframe and a second subframe, the first subframe configured to hold said first door panel and the second subframe configured to hold said second door panel.

12. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the divider strip is configured to straddle an edge of at least one of the first and second door panels.

13. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the divider strip is configured to be positioned on top of said first door panel, and the second door panel is configured to be positioned on top of the divider strip.

14. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the divider strip is configured to be attached to at least one of said first and second side edge strip arrangements.

15. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the divider strip is configured to be attached to said at least one of said first and second side edge strip arrangements via a clamping arrangement, wherein the clamping arrangement is provided with barbs which, when clamped, lock the divider strip to the at least one of said first and second side edge strip arrangements.

16. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 14 , wherein two longitudinal ends of the divider strip are configured to, when mounted in the door frame, be inserted in respective grooves extending along the respective first and second side edge strip arrangements.

17. The sliding closet door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first door panel is tool-less attachable to the door frame, and/or the sliding closet door assembly further comprising a rider arrangement configured to ride in, and be guided by, a door guide rail extending along the door frame plane (P 1 ; P 2 ).

18. A method of assembling a sliding closet door, the method comprising:

providing a door frame defined by a top edge strip arrangement, a bottom edge strip arrangement, a first side edge strip arrangement and a second side edge strip arrangement attached to each other in a rectangular configuration, the door frame extending in a door frame plane (P 1 ; P 2 );

connecting the door frame to a door guide rail configured to enable sliding the door frame along a vertical plane coinciding with the door frame plane (P 1 ; P 2 ); and

after connecting the door frame to the door guide rail, mounting a first door panel in the door frame.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

prior to mounting said first door panel in the door frame, operating an adjustment arrangement to adjust the position of the door frame in relation to the door guide rail,

and/or wherein mounting said first door panel in the door frame comprises inserting the at least one door panel into the door frame in an insertion direction (T) transversal to the door frame plane (P 1 ; P 2 ),

and/or the method further comprising:

mounting a first divider strip to the door frame, the first divider strip dividing the door frame into a first subframe and a second subframe, the first subframe holding said first door panel; and

mounting a second door panel in said second subframe.

20. A sliding closet door assembly comprising:

a first door panel defined by a top edge strip arrangement, a bottom edge strip arrangement, a first side edge strip arrangement and a second side edge strip arrangement attached to each other in a rectangular configuration; and

a door frame assembly comprising at least a first side edge strip arrangement, a second side edge strip arrangement, a top edge strip arrangement and a bottom edge strip arrangement, the first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement configured to define a door frame extending in a door frame plane, the door frame being adapted to receive and hold said first door panel to form a door guided along a guide rail,

wherein the door frame is configured to receive said first door panel in a door panel insertion direction transversal to the door frame plane, and

wherein at least one of said first side edge strip arrangement, second side edge strip arrangement, top edge strip arrangement, and bottom edge strip arrangement is configured as a fixed-groove strip arrangement comprising a fixed groove configured to receive a respective door panel edge in an edge insertion direction along the door frame plane.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2024
From: IKEA SUPPLY AG
To: INTER IKEA SYSTEMS B.V.
Reel/Frame 069106/0516 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2022
From: ESKILSSON, TOMAS
To: IKEA SUPPLY AG
Reel/Frame 061565/0024 →
Priority Claims (1)
SE 2050505-3 · May 4, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230160247A1 · May 25, 2023
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