Project Overview

The modernising architectural industry’s focus on sustainability initiatives has consequently pressured door fabricators to uphold the increased demand for highly sustainable double and triple glazed panels.

CiiLOCK Engineering’s Mother of All Rollers’ ingenious design offers the industry a solution to maintaining these requirements. Inspired by the brilliance and supportive strength of the ancient Roman Arches, the Mother of All Rollers’ intelligent self-levelling mechanism contrasts traditional designs via its ability to sustain 300kg panels – all while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing, slim profile accommodating a diverse range of extrusions.

Organisation

CiiLOCK Engineering

Team

CiiLOCK Design Team

Project Brief

Designed to withstand the Australian climate, CiiLOCK’s ‘Mother of All Rollers’ enables incessant walls of double glazed panels; effortlessly pushed open in one smooth operation.

Simon Jaber, head of CiiLOCK product design says “driven by the Australian lifestyle, we set out to create a sliding door roller that allows you to bring the indoors out and the outdoors in. We wanted to create something truly exceptional and push the current limitations of the market.”

Granting greater energy efficiency, triple glazing substantially increases the weight of the door; creating a demand for more durable bottom roller hardware.

The seesaw mechanism found within current rollers suffers from the following disadvantages:

•Load is not equally shared on each wheel – increasing wear.
•Substantial bending force on body due to uneven weight distribution.
•No guarantee of consistent surface contact for all wheels.
•Wheel quantity limitation; restricted to an even number.

Eliminating these disadvantages, CiiLOCK’s Mother of All Rollers addresses all issues facing the market so far, including:

•Fitting into existing or even slimmer door extrusions.
•Simplified installation, adjustment and maintenance.
•Smooth operation, reliability and durability.
•Even distribution of door capacity for increased longevity.

Project Innovation/Need

The inspiration behind the Mother of All Rollers is derived from the incredible supportive structure of the ancient Roman Arches.

Based on pressure, the design operates upon an ingenious self-levelling mechanism that ensures even weight distribution across the three wheels and eliminates all bending forces commonly associated with conventional ‘see-saw’ rocking mechanisms, as well as accommodating any imperfections in the door or track.

Achieving architect requirements, the Mother Rollers’ ingenious self-levelling mechanism increases the load rating by up to 50% - supporting up to 300kg panels, while maintaining its fit into existing extrusions.

Upon application of the glass panel, a downward force exerted on one wheel causes it to sink into the carriage and in turn, forces the other wheel up; ultimately increasing the downward force exerted onto the second wheel.

Ultimately, the Mother of All Rollers addresses current market issues by:
• Eliminating all bending forces.
• Encasing each wheel in its own internal support structure.
• Distributing weight between two axles rather than one.
• Ensuring the external skin is not subject to any point loads.

Design Challenge

Eliminating the need to manufacture new extrusion systems, the Mother of All Rollers’ outer casing can be modified to fit a vast range of extrusion profiles without compromising the increased load bearing capacity.

Durability and lifespan are increased with proper door alignment and lowering rolling fiction. Aluminium and glass sags over time creating imperfections in the track, requiring a self-levelling mechanism.

Engineered polymer was specifically chosen for its characteristics to correctly nest and accommodate small changes in the panel and track over its lifespan, ensuring even load distribution, provide a lower coefficient of friction, higher durability and rigidity under load than metal, increasing the rollers lifespan – along with the force required to operate the door.

Reducing installation time, man power and ease of installation for the end user were important factors. Installing and adjusting sliding door panels can take up the bulk of the installation time and be quite tricky.

Precise adjustment (up to 14mm) can be made with a phillips or flathead screwdriver via an M8 screw located at the edge of the door. Adjustments can be made by fabricators or home owner without the need to disassemble sliding door and whilst under full load bearing.

Sustainability

A minimisation of material types used to construct the roller, paired with a consolidation of parts, ensures the Mother of All Rollers can easily be assembled and manufactured while still achieving the required industry needs.

Long term research and development has been invested into this product to enable a maximum lifespan via the unique patented self-levelling mechanism ensuring constant alignment to the track, distribution of load and a low coefficient of friction via the engineered polymers used.