Solar Innovations, Inc.’s Introduces Fold-to-Fold Operable Doors

PINE GROVE, Pa. - July 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Pine Grove, PA, July 22, 2013 - Solar Innovations, Inc., a custom manufacturer of residential and commercial folding glass doors; greenhouses; garden windows; conservatories; sliding and stacking walls, doors, windows, and screens; sunrooms; and skylights; introduced a new folding glass wall configuration called the “fold-to-fold” door.

Like many of Solar’s product innovations, this design was inspired by a customer’s request. This particular end user had limited space for storing the “stacked panels” that make up a traditional folding door, but found the concept appealing, so the fold-to-fold door was created to address the issue.  

As with any product, Solar Innovations, Inc.’s
in-house engineers worked within the design parameters to meet the specific customer’s request. Collaboration between Solar’s manufacturing employees, engineers, and R&D team produced the fold-to-fold door.

Standard folding glass walls feature operable panels that open in an “accordion” style and then stack against the jamb. The fold-to-fold door system begins with all panels on a closed track. After disengaging the handle set, the panels become mobile. The operable panel opens 180 degrees, to lay flat against the adjoining stationary panel. A proprietary jamb release mechanism was designed to allow the two panels to open an additional 90 degrees in unison and remain flush against the adjacent wall. In a standard folding glass wall, the internal trolleys pin the panels in place; this function was altered for the specialty fold-to-fold configuration.

The fold-to-fold door system includes the same corrosion-resistant hinges and sills used on standard door units. Industry leading air, water, and structural test results can be achieved with fold-to-fold doors, depending on the panel’s swing direction. The extrusions used on the door maintain the same sightlines as regular Solar Innovations, Inc. folding glass walls and swing doors, ensuring a seamless whole house glazing package.  

The first fold-to-fold door was manufactured in May 2013 and installed in a residential, lake front property in Michigan; providing the homeowners with an impressive view of the lake. This particular project consisted of three door units; each set of doors consists of two panels with a combined length of 7'0" x 10'2" high. A recessed sill was used on each door, along with Solar Innovations, Inc.’s two point lock, and semi-concealed hinges.  

More information on specific projects can be found on Solar Innovations, Inc.’s website with a feature highlight for each of the product lines.  If you would like more information on Solar Innovations, Inc.’s fold to fold doors or are interested in receiving an updated brochure, please contact the marketing department at skylight@solarinnovations.com or call 800-618-0669.