Patents by Inventor James Schwingle
James Schwingle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 6923238Abstract: A multi-panel sliding door includes a main drive to directly move a leading door panel and includes an auxiliary drive to smoothly accelerate a lagging door panel. In some embodiments, the auxiliary drive includes a hanging weight that urges the lagging panel to its open position. In another embodiment, the auxiliary drive includes a belt and sheave arrangement attached to the lagging panel. The leading panel is coupled to move the belt around two sheaves as the leading panel moves relative to the lagging one. The belt's movement is limited by a bumper that is attached to one point on the belt and is constrained to travel between one of the sheaves and a fixed stop attached to a wall or the track. As the main drive starts moving the leading panel to its open position, the relative movement between the two panels causes the belt to move the bumper up against the fixed stop. From there, continued opening movement of the leading panel continues rotating the belt around the sheaves.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2001Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding CorporationInventors: Rodney Kern, James Schwingle
-
Publication number: 20040172882Abstract: A resilient, insulated door panel for a sliding door includes a resilient core protected by a compliant outer covering with a seal disposed about the perimeter of the panel. The panel has sufficient resilience to recover from an impact that temporarily deforms it, yet has sufficient rigidity to transmit a compressive force needed for effectively setting the seals. Much of the core is filled with air to not only provide effective insulation and resilience, but to also provide an extremely lightweight door panel that can be operated to travel rapidly along an overhead track. Some embodiments include relatively rigid backup plates that provide a solid foundation to which the perimeter seals can be attached. The backup plates are segmented so as not to completely restrict the flexibility of the door panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2004Publication date: September 9, 2004Applicant: RITE-HITE HOLDING CORPORATIONInventors: Rodney Kern, Joe Korman, Dave Leppert, Peter S. Schulte, James Schwingle, Dean Shanahan
-
Publication number: 20020092235Abstract: A resilient, insulated door panel for a sliding door includes a resilient core protected by a compliant outer covering with a seal disposed about the perimeter of the panel. The panel has sufficient resilience to recover from an impact that temporarily deforms it, yet has sufficient rigidity to transmit a compressive force needed for effectively setting the seals. Much of the core is filled with air to not only provide effective insulation and resilience, but to also provide an extremely lightweight door panel that can be operated to travel rapidly along an overhead track. Some embodiments include relatively rigid backup plates that provide a solid foundation to which the perimeter seals can be attached. The backup plates are segmented so as not to completely restrict the flexibility of the door panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Inventors: Rodney Kern, Joe Korman, Dave Leppert, Peter Schulte, James Schwingle, Dean Shanahan
-
Publication number: 20020062932Abstract: A multi-panel sliding door includes a main drive to directly move a leading door panel and includes an auxiliary drive to smoothly accelerate a lagging door panel. In some embodiments, the auxiliary drive includes a hanging weight that urges the lagging panel to its open position. In another embodiment, the auxiliary drive includes a belt and sheave arrangement attached to the lagging panel. The leading panel is coupled to move the belt around two sheaves as the leading panel moves relative to the lagging one. The belt's movement is limited by a bumper that is attached to one point on the belt and is constrained to travel between one of the sheaves and a fixed stop attached to a wall or the track. As the main drive starts moving the leading panel to its open position, the relative movement between the two panels causes the belt to move the bumper up against the fixed stop. From there, continued opening movement of the leading panel continues rotating the belt around the sheaves.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2001Publication date: May 30, 2002Inventors: Rodney Kern, James Schwingle
-
Patent number: 6360487Abstract: A resilient, insulated door panel for a sliding door includes a resilient core protected by a compliant outer covering with a seal disposed about the perimeter of the panel. The panel has sufficient resilience to recover from an impact that temporarily deforms it, yet has sufficient rigidity to transmit a compressive force needed for effectively setting the seals. Much of the core is filled with air to not only provide effective insulation and resilience, but to also provide an extremely lightweight door panel that can be operated to travel rapidly along an overhead track. Some embodiments include relatively rigid backup plates that provide a solid foundation to which the perimeter seals can be attached. The backup plates are segmented so as not to completely restrict the flexibility of the door panel.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1999Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding CorporationInventors: Rodney Kern, Joe Korman, Dave Leppert, Peter Schulte, James Schwingle, Dean Shanahan
-
Patent number: 6352097Abstract: A multi-panel sliding door includes a main drive to directly move a leading door panel and includes an auxiliary drive to smoothly accelerate a lagging door panel. In some embodiments, the auxiliary drive includes a hanging weight that urges the lagging panel to its open position. In another embodiment, the auxiliary drive includes a belt and sheave arrangement attached to the lagging panel. The leading panel is coupled to move the belt around two sheaves as the leading panel moves relative to the lagging one. The belt's movement is limited by a bumper that is attached to one point on the belt and is constrained to travel between one of the sheaves and a fixed stop attached to a wall or the track. As the main drive starts moving the leading panel to its open position, the relative movement between the two panels causes the belt to move the bumper up against the fixed stop. From there, continued opening movement of the leading panel continues rotating the belt around the sheaves.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1999Date of Patent: March 5, 2002Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding CorporationInventors: Rodney Kern, James Schwingle
-
Publication number: 20020017060Abstract: A generally horizontally sliding door includes a sliding or otherwise translating door panel with a full-perimeter seal that engages sealing surfaces upon closing and at least partially disengages the surfaces upon opening. The door panel travels along an overhead track that is slightly inclined to lower the panel=s upper and lower edge seals into engagement with sealing surfaces as the door closes. To provide a substantially full-perimeter seal, a leading edge seal and a trailing edge seal engage sealing surfaces as well. Some of the edge seals are joined to create corner seals. The seals are adapted for single panel sliding doors, bi-parting doors, multi-panel doors, and various combinations thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Applicant: Rite-Hite Holding CorporationInventors: Rodney Kern, Dave Leppert, Peter Schulte, James Schwingle, Dean Shanahan
-
Patent number: 6330763Abstract: A generally horizontally sliding door includes a sliding or otherwise translating door panel with a full-perimeter seal that engages sealing surfaces upon closing and at least partially disengages the surfaces upon opening. The door panel travels along an overhead track that is slightly inclined to lower the panel's upper and lower edge seals into engagement with sealing surfaces as the door closes. To provide a substantially full-perimeter seal, a leading edge seal and a trailing edge seal engage sealing surfaces as well. Some of the edge seals are joined to create corner seals. The seals are adapted for single panel sliding doors, bi-parting doors, multi-panel doors, and various combinations thereof.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1999Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding CorporationInventors: Rodney Kern, Dave Leppert, Peter Schulte, James Schwingle, Dean Shanahan