Patent Application
20170211312
Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to doors and more particularly pertains to a new door equipped with an adjustable sweep.
Summary of the Disclosure
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a panel. A groove, positioned in a bottom of the panel, extends from proximate to a first side to proximate to a second side of the panel. Each of a plurality of openings is positioned through the panel and extends to the groove. The door comprises a plate that is rigid and complementary to the groove. Each of a plurality of biasers is coupled to the panel proximate to an associated opening. Each biaser also is coupled to a top face of the plate. A seal is coupled to a bottom face of the plate and extends from a first end to a second end of the plate. The seal is configured to sealably engage a threshold of a door opening. Each biaser is accessible through an associated opening, such that the seal is adjustably positionable relative to the bottom of the panel.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
Each of a plurality of openings 26 is positioned through the panel 12 and extends to the groove 14. The plurality of openings 26 may be positioned through the interior face 22 of the panel. The plurality of openings 26 may comprise four openings 26 positioned in the interior face 22 of the panel 12. The plurality of openings 26 may comprise two openings 26 positioned singly on the first side 18 and the second side 20 of the panel 12.
The door 10 also comprises a plate 28 that is complementary to the groove 14. The plate 28 has a top face 30 and a bottom face 32. The plate 28 is rigid and may comprise aluminum.
Each of a plurality of biasers 34 is coupled to the panel 12 proximate to an associated opening 26. Each biaser 34 also is coupled to the top face 30 of the plate 28. The plurality of biasers 34 may comprise four biasers 34, with two of the biasers 34 being positioned singly proximate to the first side 18 and the second side 20 of the panel 12 and another two of the biasers 34 substantially evenly positioned between the first side 18 and the second side 20 of the panel 12. The plurality of biasers 34 may comprise two biasers 34.
More specifically, each biaser 34 comprises a channel 36 that extends upwardly from the groove 14 between the interior face 22 and the exterior face 24 of the panel 12. A rack gear 38 is coupled to the top face 30 of the plate 12 and extends upwardly from the plate 12 into the channel 36. Preferably, the rack gear 38 is positioned substantially equally distant from the interior face 22 and the exterior face 24 of the panel 12. A pinion gear 40 is rotationally coupled to the panel 12 within the channel 36 and proximate to an associated opening 26. The pinion gear 40 is operationally coupled to the rack gear 38. A screw slot 42 is positioned in the pinion gear 40, such that the screw slot 42 is accessible through the associated opening 26. Preferably, the screw slot 42 comprises a standard screw slot 44. The pinion gear 40 is configured to be turned by a screw driver inserted through the associated opening 26. The pinion gear 40 is positioned to motivate the rack gear 38 upwardly upon clockwise rotation of the pinion gear 40 and downwardly upon counter-clockwise rotation of the pinion gear 40, such that the plate 12 is adjustably positionable relative to the bottom 16 of the panel 12.
A seal 46 is coupled to the bottom face 32 of the plate 28. The seal 46 extends from a first end 48 of the plate 12 to a second end 50 of the plate 12. The seal 46 is configured to sealably engage a threshold of a door opening. Preferably, the seal 46 is deformable. The seal 46 may comprise vinyl. The seal 46 may comprise reinforced rubber.
In use, the plate 28 is positioned in the groove 14 such that the seal 46 is positioned along the bottom 16 of the panel 12. The pinion gears 40 are rotatable through the associated openings 26 such that rack gear 38, which is coupled to the top of the plate 28, is adjustable relative to the bottom 16 of the panel 12. The seal 46 is coupled to the bottom face 32 of the plate 28, such that adjustment of the plate 28 allows the seal 46 to be configured to meet the threshold of the door opening in which the panel 12 is installed.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
