Horizontal sliding door guidance method

Abstract

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.