Privacy system for sliding doors
View Patent ↗A privacy system for sliding doors that that has an upper privacy assembly and side privacy assemblies for coving gaps between a sliding door and walls and/or door frames of a door opening. The upper privacy assembly has a first upper member on a door and a second upper member on a wall or frame, and the first upper member will slide with respect to the second upper member when the sliding door moves. The one or more side privacy assemblies has a first side member on the door and a second side member on the wall and/or door frame that engage and disengage. When the sliding door is in the closed position, the engagement between the first upper member and the second upper member, and the first side members and second side members, aid in restricting light from passing through gaps between the door and wall and/or frame.
1 . A privacy system for a sliding door, the system comprising:
two or more privacy assemblies configured to be operatively coupled to the sliding door and a door opening surface, wherein the two or more privacy assemblies comprise:
an upper privacy assembly comprising:
a first upper member configured to be operatively coupled to the sliding door, wherein the first upper member is an upper flexible member; and
a second upper member configured to be operatively coupled to the door opening surface opposite of the first upper member, wherein the second upper member is an upper contact member comprising a top surface and a face surface;
wherein the upper flexible member is configured to engage and slide with respect to the top surface of the upper contact member as the sliding door moves with respect to the door opening surface;
one or more side privacy assemblies, wherein one of the one or more side privacy assemblies comprises:
a first side member operatively coupled to the sliding door; and
a second side member operatively coupled to the door opening surface;
wherein the first side member or the second side member comprise a side flexible member;
wherein the other of the first side member or the second side member comprises a side contact member having one or more contact surfaces, the one or more contact surfaces comprising a contoured surface comprising a first rib and a second rib and a groove therebetween;
wherein the side flexible member engages the one or more contact surfaces of the side contact member, and wherein the contoured surface restricts movement of the side flexible member;
wherein the first side member and the second side member engage and disengage during the opening and closing of the sliding door;
wherein the two or more privacy assemblies are configured to at least partially cover one or more gaps between the sliding door and the door opening surface.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the side flexible member comprises:
a side flexible portion comprising a gasket having a curved surface and one or more legs.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first upper member extends along a majority of a length of a top of the sliding door.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the top surface and the face surface of the upper contact member are positioned relative one another in an L-shaped configuration.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first rib and the second rib extend away from the door opening surface towards the side flexible member.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, upon movement of the sliding door, the side flexible member is compressed by the contoured surface of the side contact member to allow the side flexible member to disengage from the side contact member.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper flexible member comprises an upper flexible portion comprising a curved gasket.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the curved gasket is parabolic in cross sectional shape.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the side flexible member comprises:
a mounting member operatively coupled to the sliding door;
a cover member operatively coupled to the mounting member; and
a side flexible portion operatively coupled to the mounting member or the cover member.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the side flexible portion comprises:
a flexible surface; and
one or more legs operatively coupled the flexible surface;
wherein the one or more legs are operatively coupled to the mounting member or the cover member.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more legs comprises:
a base leg for operatively coupling with the mounting member or the cover member.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the mounting member or the cover member comprise:
a channel, wherein the channel is operatively coupled to the base leg of the side flexible portion.
13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more legs comprise:
a support leg for operatively coupling between the mounting member and the cover member.
14 . A method for providing privacy to a sliding door system, the method comprises:
providing a privacy system comprising two or more privacy assemblies for a sliding door, wherein the two or more privacy assemblies comprise;
an upper privacy assembly comprising:
a first upper member operatively coupled to the sliding door, wherein the first upper member is an upper flexible member; and
a second upper member operatively coupled to a door opening surface opposite of the first upper member, wherein the second upper member is an upper contact member comprising a top surface and a face surface;
wherein the upper flexible member engages and slides with respect to the top surface of the upper contact member as the sliding door moves with respect to the door opening surface;
one or more side privacy assemblies, wherein one of the one or more side privacy assemblies comprises:
a first side member operatively coupled to the sliding door; and
a second side member operatively coupled to the door opening surface;
wherein the first side member or the second side member comprise a side flexible member;
wherein the other of the first side member or the second side member comprises a side contact member having one or more contact surfaces, the one or more contact surfaces comprising a contoured surface comprising a first rib and a second rib and a groove therebetween;
wherein the side flexible member engages the one or more contact surfaces of the side contact member, and wherein the contoured surface restricts movement of the side flexible member;
wherein the first side member and the second side member engage and disengage during the opening and closing of the sliding door;
wherein when the sliding door is in a closed position, the two or more privacy assemblies span one or more gaps to restrict light from passing through the one or more gaps; and
wherein the two or more privacy assemblies at least partially disengage exposing the one or more gaps as the sliding door moves from the closed position to one or more open positions.