Tim Hulford

The Milgard Smart Touch Sliding Glass Door Handle - Existing patio doors traditionally incoporate both a handle and separate lock lever, requiring two steps to open and close. Furthermore, the locked position is rarely apparent, leading to user frustration. By incorporating the locking action into the handle, the Milgard SmartTouch Patio Door handle delives a better, more intuitive "one touch" user experience.

Simple is Better. - Tucked between the door handle and the door, the standard locking lever is often awkward to use. Users must reach inside the handle with their fingertips to flip the lever to lock or unlock the door. The SmartTouch handle operates in a "one-touch" manner. The user simply pulls outward on the handle to unlock, then pushes the handle inward to lock. No levers. The motion is simple, natural and intuitive...

Universal Design is Design for Life - When it comes to the essential elements of a home, a product designed with accessibility in mind can have a direct impact on a person's ability to stay in their home. The SmartTouch handle is the first product of its kind to earn an Ease of Use Commendation from the National Arthritis Foundation. Its quality engineering, elegant appearance and outstanding secruity make it a great product. Its unprecedented ease of use makes it a great product for everyone.

Elegant Design - The final solution satisfied every one of Milgard's goals: safety, compatibility, improved ergonomics, unprecedented inuitive function, and one-handed ease of use. Distilling those objectives down into this one, simple mechanism was a difficult design problem in itself, but distilling it further into an elegant, flowing form which carries the vertical lines of the door through the curve of the handle...that is the bridge between innovative functionality and the lives of Milgard's customers.

Backwards Compatible - The new SmartTouch patio door handle delivers a whole new experience without requiring that the user buy a whole noew door. Milgard recognizes the kind of long-term investment their customers make when buying their products and meticulously engineered the door handle to build on that investment by utilizing the door's existing internal mechanisms. The SmartTouch door handle is a great advantage for Milgard's new customers, and an easy upgrade for their existing ones.

A Leap Forward - By meeting every one of these formidable goals, the SmartTouch patio door handle does something else that only a truly innovative product can: It distinguishes itself in the marketplace and increases consumer demand. Even amidst a deep downturn in the construction industry, the SmartTouch door handle quickly generated sales and fueled market share growth for Milgard. In a crowded marketplace where incremental advancement is the norm, the SmartTouch patio door handle is a giant leap forward.