초록 ▼

A guidance assembly (28) guides a door (22) to a cabinet (10) while it is moved between an open position, in which access to an interior chamber is provided through an opening (16) in the cabinet, and a closed position, in which the door covers the opening. The guidance system includes four pairs of

A guidance assembly (28) guides a door (22) to a cabinet (10) while it is moved between an open position, in which access to an interior chamber is provided through an opening (16) in the cabinet, and a closed position, in which the door covers the opening. The guidance system includes four pairs of rollers (32, 34) which are mounted to upper and lower horizontal sides of the door. The rollers roll along upper and lower horizontal tracks (38, 42) which are mounted to an exterior wall (18) of the cabinet, adjacent upper and lower ends of the opening. Leading and trailing recesses (56, 62) are defined in the tracks to receive the rollers when the door is in the closed position. Leading pairs (32) of the rollers have shorter shafts (52) than corresponding trailing pairs (34) of the rollers. The trailing recesses (62) are further from the door than the leading recesses (56), leaving a narrow strip of land (64) between the trailing recesses and the door. The leading rollers engage these strips of land while the door is moving between open and closed positions. This maintains a space between the door and the cabinet during opening and closing the door which prevents damage to the door and the exterior wall of the cabinet and to a sealing member (46) disposed between the door and the cabinet. Flanges (78,80,82,84) on four sides of the door engage retaining members (38,42,91,94) when the seal is activated to limit outward movement of the door. The upper and lower tracks provide the retaining members for the upper and lower horizontal sides of the door. As the door moves outward, inner rollers of each pair of rollers enter the corresponding recesses, thereby avoiding stress on the rollers.

대표청구항 ▼

[ Having thus described the preferred embodiment, the invention is now claimed to be:] [8.] A system which guides a door horizontally between an open position and a closed position, in which a chamber opening is sealed, the system comprising:two leading rollers rotatably mounted to the door by shaft

[ Having thus described the preferred embodiment, the invention is now claimed to be:] [8.] A system which guides a door horizontally between an open position and a closed position, in which a chamber opening is sealed, the system comprising:two leading rollers rotatably mounted to the door by shaft portions of each of the leading rollers adjacent a leading edge of the door, an upper leading roller of the two leading rollers mounted to an upper surface of the door and a lower leading roller of the two leading rollers mounted to a lower surface of the door;two trailing rollers rotatably mounted to the door by shaft portions of each of the trailing rollers adjacent a trailing edge of the door, an upper trailing roller of the two rollers mounted to an upper surface of the door and a lower trailing roller of the two rollers mounted to a lower surface of the door, the shaft portion of a first one of the upper trailing roller and the upper leading roller being longer than the shaft portion of a second one of the upper trailing roller and the upper leading roller, and the shaft portion of a first one of the lower trailing roller and the lower leading roller being longer than the shaft portion of a second one of the lower trailing roller and the lower leading roller;an upper track mounted adjacent an upper peripheral edge of the opening, the leading and trailing upper rollers engaging the upper track;a lower track mounted adjacent a lower peripheral edge of the opening, the leading and trailing lower rollers engaging the lower track;an upper leading recess defined in the upper track for receiving the upper leading roller when the door is in closed position;an upper trailing recess defined in the upper track for receiving the upper trailing roller when the door is in a the closed position, the upper trailing recess being vertically positioned such that the upper leading roller does not enter the upper trailing recess as the door is moved between the open position and the closed position;a lower leading recess defined in the lower track for receiving the lower leading roller when the door is in the closed position; and,a lower trailing recess defined in the lower track for receiving the lower trailing roller when the door is in the closed position, the lower trailing recess being vertically positioned such that the lower leading roller does not enter the lower trailing recess as the door is moved between the open position and the closed position.