US 11,920,401 B2
Slow close mechanism for sliding applications
Nameer Shaaban, Lewiston, NY (US); Andrew McClure, Murray, KY (US); Riley Baggett, Union City, TN (US); and James Leland Marlowe, Troy, TN (US)
Assigned to KOHLER CO., Kohler, WI (US)
Filed by KOHLER CO., Kohler, WI (US)
Filed on Apr. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/721,811.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/183,316, filed on May 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0349231 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. E05F 5/00 (2017.01); E05D 15/06 (2006.01); E05F 1/16 (2006.01); E05F 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC E05F 5/003 (2013.01) [E05D 15/0652 (2013.01); E05F 1/16 (2013.01); E05F 5/08 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/212 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sliding door, comprising:
a frame positioned along at least a portion of the sliding door, the frame comprising a protrusion configured to slide along with the sliding door in a lateral direction; and
a slow close assembly repositionable between an outward position and a compressed position, the slow close assembly comprising:
a slow close mechanism laterally positioned within the slow close assembly;
a spring positioned at an end of the slow close assembly and providing an outward force onto the slow close assembly in an outward direction substantially perpendicular to the lateral direction; and
a soft close latch configured to engage the protrusion as the protrusion slides along with the sliding door in the lateral direction;
wherein the spring biases the slow close assembly into the outward position when the latch is not engaged with the protrusion;
wherein the latch is pivotably repositionable between an outer position and an inner position, and wherein the protrusion engages the latch to reposition the latch into the inner position;
wherein the latch is in the outer position when the slow close assembly is in the outward position, and wherein the latch is in the inner position when the slow close assembly is in the compressed position.