Patent Application
20150204127
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to the construction of and methods of construction of composite closures, such as entryway doors, bi-fold doors, and the like for openings between rooms in structures. More specifically, it relates to the construction of doors, including both single doors, bi-fold doors, and the like that allow for the doors to be constructed with increased strength, durability, and lifetime with the optional ability to be height modified so as to fit into an opening as necessary.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the market for customized homes and do-it-yourselfers increases, the demand for more decorative and architecturally interesting closures for openings, such as closets, cupboards, laundry rooms, linen closets, bath rooms and the like, have similarly increased. Various materials are used to construct architectural doors. Architectural wood doors are well known. Wood doors, however, when exposed to humidity in general (e.g., in humid climates, or in bathrooms), and especially when exposed to water, rain, snow, sun and other elements require frequent maintenance including the application of various stains and clear coats in order to prevent cracking, discoloration, deformation, and other similarly unwanted maladies. Wood doors can also warp and are subject to rot and insect damage, such as from termites. There is therefore a need for doors having low maintenance that are not susceptible to the elements. As a result of this need, various alternatives to wood have been developed and are available.
Doors having steel, aluminum, or other low-weight metals or bi-metals as facing panels or structural components are one of the common alternatives to wood architectural doors. While these metal panel doors are fairly inexpensive to construct and are somewhat dimensionally stable under temperature fluctuations, the initial start up costs associated with producing a metal door is high. High pressure tools are often required to form the panels. However, unless the metal panels used have a high thickness, doors constructed with metal panels are often subject to denting. Additionally, metal doors are often subject to oxidation and rust formation, which can adversely affect their aesthetic appearance and functionability. Similarly, due to the nature of their construction, metal doors often emit an unpleasant squeaking noise during their opening and closing, due to effects such as humidity and air oxidation of their working parts. In addition, imparting a crisp multi-directional wood grain appearance to a metal panel door to increase its aesthetic qualities is difficult and costly, and so this is typically not done.
Doors constructed with fiberglass facing panels are another, increasingly-common option. Fiberglass facing panels can have significant benefits over steel and other metals. For example, fiberglass facing panels can be constructed to resemble a panelized wooden door. However, such fiberglass doors are very expensive to construct. And, like steel or other metal doors, the start up costs associated with production is high and production rates are very slow. In example, expensive molds must often be used to produce the panels having a panelized wooden door appearance. The raw materials for fiberglass doors are also relatively expensive. Fiberglass doors also have problems with dimensional stability resulting from temperature fluctuations. Such dimensional instability may eventually damage a door, necessitating its (sometimes costly) replacement.
Traditionally, entrance doors to rooms, as well as bi-fold, half doors, and sliding doors (such as pocket doors) have been made of wood, but the ever-increasing cost of wood as lumber supplies decrease has caused the industry to search for other suitable materials. One economical approach has been with the use of aluminum for fabricating such door closures, due to the economics and the lightweight nature of the product.
However, while economical to make and produce, these lightweight doors suffer from a variety of problems similar to other metal doors as elucidated above, including low resistance to scratching and denting, and poor paintability characteristics. For example, the amount of force needed to dent or bend aluminum closures is relatively low compared to other approaches and materials, with such resultant malformations impacting both the aesthetics of the door as well as the operability of the door once it has been bent or dented. Additionally, such doors are typically available only in a limited number of colors, and cannot easily be painted in an acceptable manner or made to appear like real wood.
Several manufacturers have turned to fabricating such bi-fold type doors and standard doors from alternative materials, most commonly synthetic resins, using injection molding techniques, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,175. However, the injection molding process is limited in its application. Typically, the injection molding process involves making two rectangular hollow pans and joining the pans together by the edges to form a hollow door. According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,175, particular types of door construction is described, wherein a front face is made of injection molded plastic and has reinforcing members on the back side but no back face. Such a construction, while serving to maintain rigidity, provides a door having only one good “facing” side. The resultant door is thus often considered to be unsuited for a wide variety of general applications in the home or office, where it is likely that both faces of the door will be in view.
Others have tried to use a number of composite materials to obtain the desired product. These materials, however, are often not suitable for use in the formation of composite doors from both manufacturing and product lifetime perspectives. For example, several issued patents have suggested the formation of structural members from a polymer and a large amount of wood composite material. The structural members are formed from a composite containing a large amount (30 to 50 wt-%) of sawdust along with 50 to 70 wt-% of a polyvinyl chloride polymer. The composite is reportedly first blended and then extruded into pellets. The pellets are then extruded into the desired structural member. The disclosed composite, however, is not suitable for use in the formation of many types of doors because the material can degrade when exposed to high temperatures. Furthermore, the use of the disclosed, specific composite requires additional manufacturing steps, and the composite must first be pelletized before formation into the final shape as a structural member. Finally, the final product does not have the appearance of real wood, further reducing its commercial appeal.
One of the main problems with full length doors made from injection molded plastic is their lack of rigidity. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for non-wooden doors, including both standard closures for rooms as well as bi-fold closures and sliding doors, which can be readily and economically produced for a variety of architectural openings, and methods for constructing such strengthened closures while maintaining economic integrity. There also exists a need for such alternative closures which are capable of being easily and efficiently tailored to the dimensions of the closure as necessary by the end use, similar to closures constructed of solid wood materials, while maintaining the same aesthetic qualities as they did prior to the custom tailoring. Similarly, it would be advantageous if such wood-alternative closures were capable of being painted or textured in order to provide the appearance of natural wood, increasing the aesthetics of the product closures.
This application for patent discloses polymer-wood composite closures which can be height-adjusted in a manner similar to that done with standard wood doors and closures, methods for making and painting such closures, and methods for their use.
The present invention addresses the above-described problems with standard manufactured closures, such as bi-fold doors, by providing composite closure assemblies with increased strength and stability, and/or a construction which allows for the closure to be height adjusted without adversely affecting the aesthetics of the closure itself.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a composite closure comprising two vertical stiles, at least two horizontal rails, and a reinforcement plate having openings formed therein is described, wherein the stiles have a channel formed along an inside edge and capable of receiving rails and slat assemblies, and an interior opening shaped to receive the reinforcement plate. In accordance with this embodiment of the present disclosure, the stiles can be fastened to the rails received in the channel by extending a fastener through the interior opening of the stile and the reinforcement plate, and into the rails themselves.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a closure comprising two vertical stiles and at least two horizontal rails is described, wherein at least one of the two horizontal rails comprises a rail extension assembly comprising a rail and a substantially solid extension member which are slidably connected. In accordance with this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the rail extension assembly is located at the top or bottom of the closure and between the two vertical stiles, the height of the closure can be adjusted without adversely affecting the structural integrity or the aesthetic value of the closure.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a composite closure is described, wherein the composite closure comprises two horizontal rails; two vertical stiles each having an interior opening proximate to a channel formed along an inner face of the stile, the channel sized to receive the horizontal rails; one or more reinforcement plates sized to fit within the interior opening in each stile; and a central, planar assembly formed to slidably mate with the channel on each stile; wherein each of the horizontal rails slidably mates with the channel at the top and the bottom of each stile to form a frame, the horizontal rails being attached to the stiles with a fastener that extends from the interior opening in each stile, through the reinforcement plate within the interior opening of each stile, and into the horizontal rails. In accordance with this embodiment, the composite closure may further comprise one or more hinge assemblies, and at least one of the two horizontal rails comprises a solid piece of material (such as a metal rod or bar) that integrally attached to, or integrally formed with, the at least one rail. In further accordance with this aspect of the disclosure, the stiles and the horizontal rails are comprised of a polymeric material, and further comprises at least one cellulose-based material and/or at least one wood substitute material.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a composite bi-fold closure assembly is described, wherein the assembly comprises two horizontal rails; two vertical stiles each having an interior opening proximate to a channel formed along an inner face of the stile, the channel sized to receive the horizontal rails; one or more reinforcement plates sized to fit within the interior opening in each stile; and a central assembly formed to slidably mate with the channel on each stile, wherein the rails and the stiles are comprised of a composite polymeric material and at least one cellulose-based material, a wood substitute material, or both, and wherein each of the horizontal rails slidably mates with the channel at the top and bottom of each stile to form a frame. The horizontal rails in accordance with this embodiment may be attached to the stiles with a fastener that extends from the interior opening in each stile, through the reinforcement plate within the interior opening of each stile, and into the horizontal rails. In further accord with this embodiment, the cellulose based material and/or the wood substitute material may each be present in the composite material in an amount ranging from about 0.01 wt. % to about 99 wt. ° a inclusive. The central, planar assembly may comprise a plurality of louvers, a raised panel, or both.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is described for assembling a closure comprising one or more horizontal rails, one or more vertical stiles having each having an interior opening proximate to a channel formed along an inner face of the stile, the channel being sized to receive the horizontal rails, a reinforcement plate sized to fit within the interior opening of the stile, and a central planar assembly, the method comprising cutting the two horizontal rails to a first length; cutting the two vertical stiles to a second length; cutting the central planar assembly to the first length; inserting the central planar assembly into the channel formed along an inner face of each stile; inserting a reinforcement plate into the interior opening of the stile; inserting the horizontal rails into the channel on each stile; and fastening the horizontal rails to each stile perpendicularly with a fastener that extends from the interior opening proximate to the channel, through the reinforcement plate, through the stile, and into the horizontal rail, wherein the perpendicularly fastened horizontal rails and vertical stiles form a closure.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, an extruded, foamed solid composite bifold door assembly formed in part from foamable plastic consisting of a polymer or polymer resin and cellulose-based material intermixed within the polymer or polymer resin, wherein the composite bifold door assembly is formed by an extrusion process is described, the process comprising the steps of compressing an extrudable composite at a compression stage by passage through an orifice, expanding said composite through a shaper, the shaper having an internal solid surface defining a channel of a predetermined configuration, and solidifying the foamed material to form a solid elongated member of a predetermined profile.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for assembling a closure comprising one or more horizontal rails, one or more vertical stiles having each having an interior opening proximate to a channel formed along an inner face of the stile, the channel being sized to receive the horizontal rails, a reinforcement plate sized to fit within the interior opening of the stile, and a central planar assembly is described, wherein the method comprises cutting the two horizontal rails to a first length; cutting the two vertical stiles to a second length; cutting the central planar assembly to the first length; inserting the central planar assembly into the channel formed along an inner face of each stile; inserting a reinforcement plate into the interior opening of the stile; inserting the horizontal rails into the channel on each stile; and fastening the horizontal rails to each stile perpendicularly with a fastener that extends from the interior opening proximate to the channel, through the reinforcement plate, through the stile, and into the horizontal rail, wherein the perpendicularly fastened horizontal rails and vertical stiles form a closure.
The following figures form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these figures in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.
While the inventions disclosed herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, only a few specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The figures and detailed descriptions of these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the breadth or scope of the inventive concepts or the appended claims in any manner. Rather, the figures and detailed written descriptions are provided to illustrate the inventive concepts to a person of ordinary skill in the art and to enable such person to make and use the inventive concepts.
The following definitions are provided in order to aid those skilled in the art in understanding the detailed description of the present invention.
As used herein, the term “closure” is meant to refer to any of a number of movable structures capable of being used to close off an entrance, such as to a room, a closet, or a building, typically consisting of a panel or similar structure that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates.
The term “wood composite”, as used herein, means a composition comprising at least one polymer component and at least one cellulose-based component, at least one wood substitute component, or both, such that the overall composite product is primarily polymeric, but has lighter weight characteristics than products which contain no cellulose-based or wood substitute components.
As used herein, the term “cellulose-based component” refers to a material comprising, cellulose, a complex carbohydrate that is the basic structure component of the plant cell wall of green terrestrial and marine plants as well as produced by several bacteria, animals and fungi, and both natural and synthetic derivatives of cellulose, polymorphs thereof, and ether- and ester-type cellulose derivatives, such as described and (Wiley-Interscience).
As used herein, the term “wood substitute component” refers to those materials which are known in the art to be suitable for use as substitutes for wood flour and wood dust fillers, wood dust, wood chips, and the like, especially in the context of polymeric and thermoplastic composite materials.
One or more illustrative embodiments incorporating the invention disclosed herein are presented below. Not all features of an actual implementation are described or shown in this application for the sake of clarity. It is understood that in the development of an actual embodiment incorporating the present invention, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's goals, such as compliance with system-related, business-related, government-related and other constraints, which vary by implementation and from time to time. While a developer's efforts might be complex and time-consuming, such efforts would be, nevertheless, a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill the art having benefit of this disclosure.
It should be noted that in the descriptions of the drawings, the same components will be provided with the same reference numerals and duplicate explanation for the same components is omitted. The ratios of sizes appearing in the various figures are not always coincident with the description. Additionally, this description is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” refers to such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship.
Further, there are other features inherent within the instantly-described products and compositions that will be recognized by those of skill in the art. For example, based on the compositions of the closures described herein, it should be noted that the instantly described and claimed closures are generally fire-resistant, or fire-retardant, in that due to their polymer-based compositions, such as PVC-based compositions, they can be inherently difficult to ignite and typically stop burning once the source of heat is removed. Depending upon the specific closure composition, many of the PVC- and other polymer-based closure compositions described herein may perform better in terms of lower combustibility, flammability, flame propagation, heat release, lower acid emission, and lower smoke generation than their counter-part wood closures.
Similarly, it will be recognized that that the presently disclosed closures and their methods of manufacture offer a number of additional advantages over the use of traditional wood or metal alternatives, as suggested above. For example, typical solid wood closures are either cost-prohibitive in nature due to material and manufacturing costs, or are unattractive due to the inherent physical characteristics and flaws (e.g., knots) of the wood itself. It is well known that wood over 18 inches in length is increasingly prone to swelling, warping, and bowing, which can lead to a closure (such as a bi-fold door or similar closure) no longer functioning properly. The presently described products offer an economical, often environmentally-friendly option to the use of wood and wood-based products (e.g., MDF or chipboard) for a variety of aesthetically-pleasing closures, including entrance doors, bi-fold closet doors, or similar closures.
Turning now to the figures,
While the bi-fold door closure assembly 10 in
Further details of the assembly strengthening embodiments of the present invention will now be described.
Turning now to
With continued reference to
A further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
For example, insertable supports 70 and 72 can be sized such that they are substantially the vertical length of the hinge to be attached. Alternatively, and equally acceptable, insertable supports 70 and 72 can also be sized to be substantially the same length as the vertical length of stiles 12a and 12b.
Further referencing
While hinge 15a, illustrated in association with an exemplary bi-fold door type closure, is shown to be a standard concealed, non-mortise hinge, this is by no means meant to be limiting. Hinges suitable for use with bi-fold door type closures of the present disclosure may include, without limitation, concealed non-mortise hinges, non-concealed non-mortise hinges, butt-type hinges, cylinder hinges, spring-loaded hinges, continuous hinges (a.k.a. “piano-type” hinges), partial wrap hinges, full-wrap hinges, semi-concealed hinges, 3-way hinges, knife hinges, and combinations of two or more of these hinges, which may be the same or different. Additionally, as will be recognized by those of skill in the art, the number, size, and type best suited for the individual closure types will vary, depending on the size and purpose of the closure assembly itself
In a further embodiment of the present invention, closures such as bi-fold doors 10 can have an assembly as illustrated in
Turning now to
Returning to
In accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a method of assembly of the bi-fold doors as described herein is illustrated in
Next, louver assembly 11 having vertical stiles 13 is inserted along the channel 20 in stiles 12a and 12b through the open end of the closure, as illustrated in
In accordance with further manufacturing methods of the present disclosure, variations on the method described above may be performed, with equally-acceptable results. For example, all or only selected parts, e.g., the slats, may be extruded or injection molded. In accordance with one variation on this aspect, and by way of example only, the stiles of the closure assembly may be extruded by any appropriate extrusion means, and the slat system could be injection molded, as appropriate, and the closure assembly then assembled off-line. In accordance with a further, equally acceptable aspect, and as illustrated generally by assembly 140 in
As suggested above, one or more of the central portions of the closures for use herein may be manufactured so as to have the appearance of a raised-panel door, for increased aesthetic appeal. Such panels may have the raised-panel formed in a number of manners, any of which are acceptable and may be combined with the manufacture and assembly methods outlined herein. Three exemplary, but non-limiting, methods of forming such raised-panel central sections include extrusion methods, vacuum form methods, and injection-molded methods. In accordance with the extrusion methods, the panels may be extruded using known techniques such that they have the desired shape, after which they may be painted as described herein. If the panels are formed by vacuum forming methods, the are typically vacuum-formed into the desired raised-panel shape, using a vacuum-forming assembly, and then painted as appropriate. In addition to these techniques, such raised-panel sections may also be formed by, for example, heat press methods, or using machining techniques, such as router techniques to form the “raised panel” from an appropriately thick blank. In the instance of the use of heat press methods, the panel “blank” is heated to a target temperature in order to make it deformable, and the panel “blank” is then pressed into a mold or using a pre-formed stamp, so as to create the raised-panel effect on the central section of the closure. It may then be painted as desired. Further, and as suggested before, the central panel sections that are substantially solid and having a raised-panel appearance may be manufactured to have a raised-panel appearance on one or both faces (front and back, respectively) of the closure assembly.
The structural, composite material components of the closures of the present disclosure can be made of a variety of composite materials, including any number of suitable polymeric (including polymers, copolylmers, and homopolymers), thermoplastic, or resinous plastic materials, including but not limited to polystyrene, polyvinylchloride (PVC) and modifications thereof (e.g., FR-PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) copolymers and resins, acrylonitrile/styrene/acrylate (ASA) polymers, styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymer resins, poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), acrylonitrile/EPDM/styrene (AES) copolymers, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (such as that coming from mixed post-consumer film waste like grocery bags and shrink wrap), and combinations thereof, as well as polymeric composite compositions that include one or more cellulose-based components, wood substitute components, environmentally-friendly materials such as recycled wood, and combinations thereof Exemplary composites that comprise one or more polymeric materials and at least one cellulose-based component include foamed wood-fiber composites and polymer-wood composite materials, such as PVC/wood composites known in the art, including monolayer, co-extruded and tri-extruded profiles, as well as mixtures and blends of these materials. Preferably, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the components for the closures described herein are made of composite materials comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and one or more cellulose-based components and/or one or more wood substitute components, due to such material's mechanical strength, durability, ease of extruding, abrasion resistance, resistance to weathering, chemical rotting, corrosion, and shock, and the light-weight characteristics of the products made from such materials.
The cellulose-based components include, as referenced above, any composition comprising cellulose or a cellulose derivative. Suitable examples of materials which may be used herein as cellulose-based components include but are not limited to wood fibers, wood flour, sawdust, rice hulls, tannin powder, cork dust, demolition wood (DW, wood fiber or flour coming from post-consumer waste), ground plant material, or combinations thereof, as well as materials such as carboxymethylcellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose (HMC), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), ethyl-2-hydroxy-ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, and the like. Such cellulose-based components may be of any desired size, or may be screened to any desired size for use in combination with a polymer material such as PVC, such sizes ranging from about −60 mesh to about 300 mesh and values in between, inclusive, such as −35 mesh and 40 mesh.
Wood substitute components which may be used in the composites used to form the closures of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, talc, calcium carbonate (CC), fiberglass (FG), asbestos fibers, stearates, inorganic materials such as clays and mica, starch (including non-plasticized starch and non-gelatinized starch), titanium dioxide (Ti02), and combinations thereof, in any desired particle or mesh size, e.g., −40 mesh to 120 mesh.
In accordance with the present disclosure, the amount of cellulose-based or wood substitute components in the “wood composite” products suitable for use herein ranges from about 0.1 wt. % to about 99 wt. %, inclusive, more preferably from about 0.1 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, more preferably from about 1 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, and more preferably from about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. %. For example, and without limitation, the wood composite compositions of the present disclosure may include about 0.1 wt. %, about 1 wt. %, about 5 wt. %, about 10 wt. %, about 15 wt. %, about 20 wt. %, about 25 wt. %, about 30 wt. %, about 35 wt. %, about 40 wt. %, about 45 wt. %, about 50 wt. %, about 55 wt. %, about 60 wt. %, about 65 wt. %, about 70 wt. %, about 75 wt. %, about 80 wt. %, about 85 wt. %, about 90 wt. %, about 95 wt. %, and about 99 wt. % cellulose-based components, wood substitute components, or both, as well as compositions having values ranging between any two of these amounts, such as from about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, or from about 10 wt. % to about 65 wt. %, without limitation.
In further accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the closure made in connection with the compositions and methods described herein may optionally have a composition that includes recycled material, such recycled material ranging in amount from about 0 wt. % to about 100 wt. % recycled material, or more preferably, from about 0.1 wt. % to about 75 wt. % recycled material, as well as amount of recycled materials falling between these ranges, inclusive (e.g., about 5 wt. % or about 25 wt. %).
In addition, the slats 13 which may be included in the compositions as described herein as part of the central, planar structural components, such as illustrated generally in
The materials used to make the components of the present disclosure, especially the polymer-based or polymer-containing materials such as PVC-cellulose based component compositions, can also optionally include one or more of the following ingredients, including but not limited to thickeners such as calcium carbonate; stabilizers, including sizing and heat stabilizers; lubricants, such as ethylene bis-stearamide (EBS), zinc stearate and other metallic stearates, amides and esters, paraffin waxes, oxidized polyethylene, and fatty acids; processing aids, such as acrylates, including methyl methacrylate; impact modifiers for plastics and engineered resins, such as the modified acrylics of the □Urastrength® product line available from Arkema (Philadelphia, Pa.); colorants and pigments, such as titanium dioxide and other known suitable pigments, for both aesthetics and for increasing UV resistance and/or increasing color fade resistance (color fastness); foaming agents, such as endothermic and exothermic foaming agents; coupling agents, such as long-chain chlorinated paraffin, maleates (such as polymers having malefic anhydride grafted onto the polylmer backbone); metal stabilizers, including chelators; waxes such as paraffin waxes; biocides, such as imidazoles and benzimidazoles (e.g., IRGAGUARD® F and B series products from Ciba Specialty Chemicals, which are thiazolyl benzimidazole), dichloro-octyl-isothiazolone (DCOIT) and DCOIT-based biocides (e.g., VINYZENE™ SB27 from Rohm and Haas), zinc borates, zinc napthenates, chromium copper arsenic (CCA), folpet (FUNGITROL® 11, [N(trichloromethylthio)phthalimide]) and quaternary ammonium compounds (e.g., Carboquat® from Lonza); fire retardants, such as zinc borate (e.g., Firebrake® ZB), alumina trihydrate, antimony trioxide (Sb203), metal hydroxides such as magnesium hydroxide, organophosphorus fire retardants, melamine-based fire retardants, brominated fire retardants, ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and combinations thereof; UV light stabilizers to protect the product from long-term degradation from exposure to numerous wavelengths of light, including ultraviolet, examples of such UV stabilizers including benzophenones (e.g, 4,41-dimethylbenzophenone) and related compounds, typically in concentrations ranging from about 0.01 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, as appropriate; and, one or more foaming agents, such as Celogen AZRV, a modified azodicarbonamide available from Chemtura Corp. (Middlebury, Conn.). All of these optional ingredients can be added in an amount sufficient to impart the desired and achieve the desired effect in the final product. For example, and without limitation, a material composition suitable for use within the present invention can comprise about 70 wt. % PVC, about 8 wt. % calcium carbonate, about 18 wt. % UV stabilizer, lubricant, a process aid, an impact modifier, titanium dioxide, wood-chips or wood powder (or the equivalent) and up to about 2 wt. % foaming agent. While compositions described herein preferably comprise at least one cellulose-based material, this is not meant to be limiting. That is, it is envisioned that the compositions described herein may optionally comprise one or more polymers as described above, such as PVC or AES, and have no cellulose-based material or wood-substitute material, and yet still be suitable for use in production of the closures described herein.
The closures described herein can be painted, stained, pre-fabricated, or pre-extruded to appear to have a number of stains or paint colors that are aesthetically pleasing, using methods known to those of skill in the art. For example, and without limitation, the components of the closures described herein may be pre-extruded with a base color, and then painted with a roller as described above with only one or two passes. Optionally, and equally acceptable, the painting may be done using only a single pass of a roller, as appropriate. Such stains or paints can also act to further enhance the ease of surface cleaning, UV light resistance, warp resistance, and/or moisture resistance associated with such closure assemblies manufactured from the materials as described herein, making them an even more attractive substitute for wood closures, such as wood bi-fold doors.
In the preferred embodiments, the polyvinyl chloride/wood composite closures described herein are painted in a manner such that they impart a variety of aesthetically pleasing, natural wood grain finishes. In accordance with this aspect of the present disclosure, the final closure, or alternatively, specific components of the final closure product, are preferably imparted a “faux wood” appearance through a process comprising a series of paint transfer stations that in combination impart a natural wood grain finish to the external surface of the product. The paint is preferably transferred with one or more printing rollers having at least one wood grain pattern pre-formed on its surface. In a brief overview of the process, the roller picks up paint from a source, such as a kiss coater, and then applies it to the surface of the article. The paint is preferably quick drying, owing to the multiple paint applications typically needed to create the natural wood grain furniture-quality finish. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the slat will make one pass through a series of paint transfer rollers in an assembly line fashion. Alternatively, and equally acceptable, the slat could make multiple runs through a smaller assembly line, but the handling requirement would make such a process less efficient.
The method of achieving a natural wood grain finish on the surface on the components of the closures described herein typically requires at least two-paint transfers from the one or more printing rollers, and a preferred method requires at least five transfers. While 1 paint transfer can be used, it has generally been found to be unsatisfactory in general appearance, and not a “true” stain; we really need at least 2 passes in order to get the 2 passes. The total number of paint transfers will, however, vary according to the look that is desired, and may range from at least two transfers up to and including thirty transfers, including three transfers, four transfers, five transfers, six transfers, seven transfers, eight transfers, nine transfers, ten transfers, eleven transfers, twelve transfers, thirteen transfers, fourteen transfers, fifteen transfers, sixteen transfers, seventeen transfers, eighteen transfers, nineteen transfers, twenty transfers, twenty-two transfers, twenty-four transfers, twenty-six transfers, twenty-eight transfers, and twenty-nine transfers. In accordance with this process, it should be noted that the natural wood grain “faux wood” finish becomes deeper and richer with each paint transfer step [good statement in favor of 2 or more passes vs. 1]. Since this natural wood grain finish is for aesthetic purposes, each manufacturer must determine the exact number of paint transfers necessary to create the look that they or their customers want, at the target retail price range. Typically, ten to twenty transfers are especially preferred for aesthetic purposes; with the right roller, only need 3 or 4 rollers; can go as many as 10, 20, or 30, but normally after the 2.sup.nd pass to obtain the target product, unless it is a special design.
The type of paint used to create the wood grain look on the closures and related components described herein may be organic solvent-based (e.g., hydrocarbon-based) or water-based, as appropriate, and may also include aerosol organic solvent-based and aerosol water-based paint compositions. Such paint compositions preferably comprise at least one pigment and the appropriate carrier (solvent, such as a hydrocarbon or water). Paint compositions suitable for use herein may further optionally comprise one or more polymers or resins, surfactants and/or dispersants, lubricants, plasticizers, antioxidants, ultraviolet light absorbers, various stabilizers, propellants, antimicrobial agents such as anti-mold compounds, and the like. As the polymers or reins, there may be used polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and polyisobutylene; thermoplastic resins such as polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, styrene-acrylic ester copolymers, chlorinated resins, styrene-vinyl acetate copolymers and polyamides; rosin-modified malefic acid resins; phenol resins; epoxy resins; polyester resins; ionomer resins; polyurethane resins; silicone resins; rosin-esters; rosins; natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers; or the like, as well as combinations thereof The additives may be added in an amount of usually not more than about 60% by weight based on the total amount of the pigment and the resin or polymer in the paint. When the amount of the additives added is more than 50% by weight, the obtained resin composition may be deteriorated in moldability.
The amount of the pigment blended in the paint according to the present invention is in the range of usually 0.5 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of a paint base material. In the consideration of handling of the paint, the amount of the pigment blended in the paint is preferably 1.0 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the paint base material. The paint base material comprises a resin and a solvent, and may further contain, if required, a defoamer, an extender pigment, a drying agent, a surfactant, a hardening accelerator, an assistant or the like.
Examples of the resins used in the paint base material for solvent-based paints may include those ordinarily used for solvent-based paints or oil-based printing inks such as acrylic resins, alkyd resins, polyester resins, polyurethane resins, epoxy resins, phenol resins, melamine resins, amino resins, vinyl chloride resins, silicone resins, rosin-based resins such as gum rosin and lime rosin, maleic acid resins, polyamide resins, nitrocellulose, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, rosin-modified resins such as rosin-modified phenol resins and rosin-modified maleic acid resins, petroleum resins or the like. Examples of the resins used in the paint base material for water-based paints may include those ordinarily used for water-based paints or aqueous inks such as water-soluble acrylic resins, water-soluble styrenemaleic acid copolymer resins, water-soluble alkyd resins, water-soluble melamine resins, water-soluble urethane emulsion resins, water-soluble epoxy resins, water-soluble polyester resins or the like.
As the solvent for solvent-based paints, there may be exemplified those solvents ordinarily used for solvent-based paints or oil-based printing inks such as soybean oil, toluene, xylene, thinner, butyl acetate, methyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, glycol ether-based solvents such as methyl cellosolve, ethyl cellosolve, propyl cellosolve, butyl cellosolve and propylene glycol monomethyl ether, ester-based solvents such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate and amyl acetate, aliphatic hydrocarbon-based solvents such as hexane, heptane and octane, alicyclic hydrocarbon-based solvents such as cyclohexane, petroleum-based solvents such as mineral spirits, ketone-based solvents such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, alcohol-based solvents such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol and butyl alcohol, aliphatic hydrocarbons or the like.
As the solvents for water-based paints, there may be used a mixture of water and a water-soluble organic solvent ordinarily used for water-based paints or aqueous inks such as alcohol-based solvents such as ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol and butyl alcohol, glycol ether-based solvents such as methyl cellosolve, ethyl cellosolve, propyl cellosolve and butyl cellosolve, oxyethylene or oxypropylene addition polymers such as diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, alkylene glycols such as ethylene glycol, Is propylene glycol and 1,2,6-hexanetriol, glycerin, 2-prolidone or the like. As the fats and oils, there may be used boiled oils obtained by processing drying oils such as linseed oil, tung oil, oiticica oil and safflower oil.
In accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure, it is preferred that the paint be quick drying to improve the efficiency of the process. The paint that is transferred with the printing roller can be any color that contrasts with the background color of the slat. For example, a dark brown or black color would form dark lines on a lighter colored background to create the natural wood grain finish. Finally, the slat can be coated with a clear coat to give it the look of varnished wood. This clear coat can also act to provide protection from ultraviolet light and scratch damage to the wood grain finish.
As recited above, optional embodiments of this disclosure use either a hydrocarbon-based paint or a water-based paint as a base-coat. In the methods utilizing a base-coat, the slat is fed through a painting station wherein a base-coat is first applied to the slat. After this base-coat dries, a series of paint transfers is applied over the base-coat to impart a natural wood grain finish, just as it is done in the previously disclosed preferred embodiment, using one or more paint transfer rollers. The color of this base-coat can be varied to simulate various types of natural wood, such as oak, cedar, mahogany, bamboo, or cherry, or to give the illusion of a stained wood product. Typically, colors ranging from beige to brown are suitable base-coats, although base-coats which are lighter or darker, such as black or red, are also suitable for use herein.
Additionally, and as suggested previously herein, the closures can be of any number of styles with regard to the center panels, including but not limited to louver/louver, louver/panel, panel/panel, and panel/panel/panel, among others. In accordance with this aspect, the louvers 13 in louvered panels used with the closures of the present invention can be of any appropriate width, preferably from about 1 inch to about 4 inches, and more preferably about 3-inches in width. [also, 2-inches].
Further additional embodiments of the present disclosure include the inclusion of one (or more) solid stiles for the closure, especially in the instance of interior or exterior closures, wherein the solid stile would allow for a hinge to be mortised and set into place in a standard manner, such that the hinge is flush-mounted with respect to the exterior surface of the stile. Optionally, and equally acceptable, one or more components of the closures described herein may be reinforced with wood, metal, plastic, or other suitable reinforcement means, while allowing the closures to remain light-weight. For example, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a plurality of the components of the closure itself, such as the rails and the stiles, but excluding the slats, may include a metal reinforcement means within their interior, so as to provide added strength to the closures.
While compositions and methods are described in terms of “comprising” various components or steps (interpreted as meaning “including, but not limited to”), the compositions and methods can also “consist essentially of or “consist of the various components and steps, such terminology should be interpreted as defining essentially closed-member groups.
The invention has been described in the context of preferred and other embodiments and not every embodiment of the invention has been described. Obvious modifications and alterations to the described embodiments are available to those of ordinary skill in the art. The disclosed and undisclosed embodiments are not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the invention conceived of by the Applicants, but rather, in conformity with the patent laws, Applicants intends to protect all such modifications and improvements to the full extent that such falls within the scope or range of equivalent of the following claims.
The present application claims priority to, and is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/750,118, filed Jan. 25, 2013, and is a continuation application, and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/107,676, filed May 13, 2011, and published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0214356, which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/736,206, filed Apr. 17, 2007, and published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0272118, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/802,895 filed May 24, 2006, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/894,529, filed Mar. 13, 2007. The contents the above applications are incorporated herein by specific reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60802895 | May 2006 | US | |
| 60894529 | Mar 2007 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13750118 | Jan 2013 | US |
| Child | 14674472 | US | |
| Parent | 11736206 | Apr 2007 | US |
| Child | 13107676 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13107676 | May 2011 | US |
| Child | 13750118 | US |
