This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for repairing a damaged door frame, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for repairing damaged sections of a steel door frame without having to replace the entire steel door frame.
Door systems with welded steel door frames are widely used in numerous commercial, municipal, industrial, hospitality, retail and other building applications. Steel door frames are used both to frame interior openings (e.g., office, classroom, bathroom, etc. openings) and exterior openings (e.g., entry and exit openings). Steel door frames and their doors may be manufactured from cold rolled steel (CRS), galvanized steel, or galvannealed steel, for example. These doors and frames are valued for their strength, long service life, and one-piece finished appearance.
Once installed, both exterior and interior steel door frames may be susceptible to damage. For example, a steel door frame may become corroded. The exterior surfaces of a steel door frame are usually provided with a finish coat of primer or paint, helping to protect the exterior surfaces from weather, corrosive chemicals used to clean areas around the frame (e.g., cleaners in a hospital), and other environmental conditions (e.g., humidity or salt). If the interior surfaces of the steel door frame are coated with primer or paint, the same level of protection is afforded those surfaces as the exterior surfaces. Often, however, these interior surfaces may only be coated with primer, if at all.
Therefore, in the presence of moisture inside the steel door frame, many steel door frames are susceptible to corrosion from the inside out. This moisture may be present in the form of atmospheric humidity, water from cleaning, or leaks in a building structure, for example. Because the interior surfaces of the door frame are enclosed, the moisture may take a prolonged time to dissipate, exposing the interior surfaces to moisture for a long period of time. This enclosed condition may be further aggravated in buildings where a concrete or block wall is built adjacent to the steel door frame. In these applications, the steel door frame is often “slushed” (i.e., filled with masonry mix). While this provides for a robust installation of the steel door frame, the masonry mix can hold moisture within its porous structure, and thus, the moisture may in turn be placed in direct contact with the steel door frame for a prolonged period of time. This provides a humidity rich environment for corrosion to begin.
Steel door frames are also susceptible to other types of damage. For example, a steel door frame may suffer damage in a forced entry event, typically in the section of the steel door frame containing its strike. Certain steel door frames may also be damaged as the result of design or construction errors. For instance, when necessary reinforcements are inadvertently left out of critical sections of the steel door frame (e.g., at the section of the steel door frame where the door closer is mounted), those sections may become weakened and vulnerable to early failure.
Irrespective of the cause of damage, when damage to a steel door frame is identified, and a determination is made that the door frame requires repair, the usual solution is to completely remove the steel door frame and replace it with a new one. This is an inefficient and costly solution to a common problem and is therefore undesirable in the building industry. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method to repair a steel door frame without having to replace the entire steel door frame.
The present invention provides an apparatus for repairing a damaged door frame that provides a jamb patch having a first portion adaptable to replace a removed section of the door frame and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion of the jamb patch is adaptable to fit behind a remaining section of the door frame to assist in aligning the first portion of the jamb patch with the remaining section of the door frame. The second portion of the jamb patch may fixedly extend from the first portion of the jamb patch. The second portion of the jamb patch may also be slidably coupled to the first portion of the jamb patch for movement between a first position, wherein the first portion of the jamb patch overlaps the second portion of the jamb patch, and a second position, wherein the second portion of the jamb patch extends from the first portion of the jamb patch. The first portion of the jamb patch may include at least one aperture extending therethrough, wherein a fastener may extend through the at least one aperture for securing the second portion of the jamb patch in the second position. The first portion of the jamb patch may include at least one elongate channel to permit access to the second portion of the jamb patch to allow for adjusting the second portion of the jamb patch between the first portion and the second position. The second portion of the jamb patch may include at least one slot in alignment with the at least one elongate channel to assist with adjusting the second portion of the jamb patch between the first position and the second position. The first portion of the jamb patch may have a substantially U-shaped configuration similar to the remaining section of the door frame, wherein the U-shaped configuration has a pair of free ends. A plate is connectable to the pair of free ends of the first portion of the jamb patch, and the plate has an aperture extending therethrough. The first portion of the jamb patch also has an aperture extending therethrough. A substantially cylindrical tube is connected to the plate and the first portion of the jamb patch and extends between and is in communication with the aperture of the plate and the aperture of the first portion of the jamb patch. The substantially cylindrical tube is adaptable to receive a fastener to assist with securing the jamb patch in the place of the removed section of the door frame. The second portion of the jamb patch may provide a surface engageable with a filler compound. The first portion of the jamb patch and the second portion of the jamb patch may have substantially the same configuration.
The present invention may also include a method of repairing a damaged door frame comprising the steps of positioning a first portion of a jamb patch in the place of a removed section of the door frame, with the first portion being sized and shaped to match the outer contour of the door frame, and positioning a second portion of the jamb patch behind a remaining section of the door frame. The method may also include aligning the first portion of the jamb patch with the remaining section of the door frame. The second portion of the jamb patch may fixedly extend from the first portion of the jamb patch. When the second portion of the jamb patch is fixedly extended from the first portion of the jamb patch, the method may also include rotating the jamb patch to position the second portion into position behind the remaining section of the door frame while the first portion of the jamb patch is positioned in the place of the removed section of the door frame. A repair compound may be applied to an area between the first portion of the jamb patch and the remaining section of the door frame, using the second portion as a backing surface for the repair compound. The method may also include sliding the second portion of the jamb patch relative to the first portion of the jamb patch for movement between a first position, wherein the first portion of the jamb patch overlaps the second portion of the jamb patch, and a second position, wherein the second portion of the jamb patch extends from the first portion of the jamb patch. When the second portion of the jamb patch is slidably coupled to the first portion, the second portion may slide into position behind the remaining section of the door frame after the first portion of the jamb patch is positioned in the place of the removed section of the door frame. The first portion of the jamb patch may have a substantially U-shaped configuration similar to the remaining section of the door frame. The substantially U-shaped configuration has a pair of free ends. When the first portion of the jamb patch has a substantially U-shaped configuration, a plate may be connected to the pair of free ends of the first portion of the jamb patch, wherein the first portion of the jamb patch and the plate each have an aperture extending therethrough. A substantially cylindrical tube is connected to the plate and the first portion of the jamb patch, wherein the substantially cylindrical tube extends between and is in communication with the aperture of the plate and the aperture of the first portion of the jamb patch. A fastener is inserted through the substantially cylindrical tube to secure the jamb patch to the underlying wall structure in the place of the removed section of the door frame.
The various features, advantages and other uses of the present apparatus and method will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawings in which:
Typically, once a determination is made that a steel door frame requires repair, the steel door frame is removed and replaced with a new steel door frame. Even if the steel door frame itself is not prohibitively expensive, the total cost of removing and replacing the entire steel door frame can be significant, depending on how the steel door frame was originally installed. Moreover, since not all door frame sizes are readily available, there may be a long lead time associated with replacing a steel door frame. This approach, although functionally effective, can waste money, time, and materials if much of the steel door frame is still structurally sound and otherwise functional. The apparatus and method for repairing a steel door frame of the present invention provides for the repair of only the damaged section of the steel door frame, thus extending the useful service life of the functional remainder of the steel door frame. With the repair area isolated to the damaged section of the steel door frame, the total cost, lead time, and materials associated with the repair of the damaged steel door frame can be reduced as compared to removing and replacing the entire steel door frame. As shown in an installed position in
The details of the configuration and installation of the jamb patch 10 are described with additional reference to a door system 20, shown in
The jamb patch 10 of the present invention may be used to repair a damaged section 22a of the steel door frame 22, as represented in
As shown in
An example of the general construction of the jamb patch 10 of the present invention is shown in
To replace the damaged section 22a of the steel door frame 22, the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is placed adjacent to a remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22, such that one end of the first portion 30 abuts an end of the steel door frame 22 to create a substantially flush and continuous steel door frame 22 and first portion 30. The profile of the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is sized and shaped to match the cross-sectional contour of the steel door frame 22. That is, the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 has a generally U-shaped configuration, which may be sized and shaped to match the cross-sectional contour of a double rabbet door frame, although in other examples, the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 may be sized and shaped to match the cross-sectional contour of a single rabbet, double egress or other door frame. In the illustrated example, where the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is matched to the generally symmetric cross-sectional contour of the steel door frame 22, the jamb patch 10 as a whole has a non-handed configuration. That is, the jamb patch 10 can be rotated 180° for installation, with the second portion 32 extending from the opposite end of the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 in the opposite direction.
To assist in supporting the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 with the steel door frame 22, the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 is configured to extend from the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 and fit behind and engage the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 when the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is positioned in the place of the damaged section 22a of the steel door frame 22. The fitment of the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 behind the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 assist in aligning the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 with the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 to achieve a substantially flush and contiguous repaired steel door frame 22. Once the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is positioned and secured in alignment with the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22, the repair can be aesthetically finished by applying a repair compound (not shown) to a joint area 40 formed between the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 and the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10. It can be seen that the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 provides a backing surface for the repair compound, preventing the compound from falling into a cavity of the repaired steel door frame 22 behind the joint area 40 thereby permitting a complete, effective and professional looking repair of the steel door frame 22.
The jamb patch 10 can be configured as shown in
In
The first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 may include elongate channels 50 to permit access to the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 to allow for sliding the second portion 32 into the second, extended position. The second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 may include slots 58 that are aligned within the elongate channels 50 to allow a tool, such as a flathead screwdriver, to raise the second portion 32 into the second, extended position. In addition, the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 may include apertures 54 to permit the passing of conventional fasteners (not shown), such as screws, to engage and secure the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 in the second, extended position. Similarly, the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 may include apertures 52 to permit the passing or engagement of the conventional fasteners used to secure the second portion 32 in the second, extended position. The conventional fasteners may extend beyond the jamb patch 10 and into the underlying wall structure 26 of the steel door frame 22 to secure the position of the first portion 30 relative to the second portion 32, as well as the position of the jamb patch 10 as a whole.
The operations of an exemplary process 100 for using the jamb patch 10 to repair damage to the steel door frame 22 are shown in
Once the damaged section 22a of the steel door frame 22 is removed, and the surrounding area is cleaned of debris or any other obstructions that could interfere with the installation of the jamb patch 10, as noted in operation 106, the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is positioned in place of the damaged section 22a of the steel door frame 22.
Operation 108 is performed in conjunction with operation 106 for the configuration of the jamb patch 10 where the second portion 32 is coupled to the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 in a fixed position. In operation 108, the jamb patch 10 is rotated in order to fit the second portion 32 in position behind the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 while the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is positioned into the space vacated by the removed damaged section 22a of the steel door frame 22. Following operation 108, the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 is aligned with the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22.
Alternatively, if the jamb patch 10 is configured with the second portion 32 coupled to the first portion 30 in a sliding engagement, operations 110 and 112 are performed subsequently to operation 106. In particular, in operation 110, the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 is raised into the second, extended position, thereby fitting the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 into engagement behind the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 and aligning the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 with the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22. In operation 112, the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 is secured in the second, extended position by extending conventional fasteners, such as screws, through the corresponding apertures 54 of the first portion 30 and the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10.
Once the jamb patch 10 is in position, as noted in operation 114, the jamb patch 10 is mounted or otherwise secured, for example using appropriate fasteners, to the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 and/or to the underlying wall structure 26 surrounding the steel door frame 22 by extending a conventional fastener 60, such as an anchor bolt, through the aperture 56 of the first portion 30 and a corresponding cutout 70 of the second portion 32, as shown in
In operation 116, with the jamb patch 10 mounted and the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10 positioned in alignment with the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22, a repair compound is applied to the joint area 40 formed between the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 and the first portion 30 of the jamb patch 10, using the second portion 32 of the jamb patch 10 as a backing surface for the repair compound. After the repair compound dries, it can be prepared for finish painting, and once the jamb patch 10 and surrounding areas of the remaining section 22b of the steel door frame 22 are painted, the installer's repair of the steel door frame 22 is complete.
While recited characteristics and conditions have been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/895,659, filed on Oct. 25, 2013, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150113897 A1 | Apr 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61895659 | Oct 2013 | US |