Patent Application
20110227352
The present invention relates to the field of pre-hung door assemblies, and more particularly to a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping.
In present day construction it is common practice to manufacture doors as pre-hung door assemblies to simplify the installation and to reduce the cost. Pre-hung door assemblies include a frame structure in which a door is pre-hung (hinged). The door is properly spaced relative to opposing frame portions. The door and the door jambs are prepared for the installation of door hardware—such as lock sets, knobs, latches, etc.—but are not fitted therewith. The pre-hung door is attached to the hinge jamb by hinges and requires a fastener to hold the door in a closed position relative to the door jambs during shipment. If the door is not secured to the door jambs in a closed position, the door and the door jamb are readily damaged.
Manufacturers use various techniques to secure the door to the door jambs. For example, nails are driven through the strike jamb into the edge of the door. However, removing the nails prior installation is a laborious task and leave holes in the edge of the door and the face of the strike jamb. Another example is the use of nylon straps placed around the door and the door jambs or through the lock bore of the door and around the strike jamb. The nylon straps frequently rub against sharp edges during shipping and break. Further examples include fastening devices that are disposed in the lock bolt bore of the door and the respective lock bolt bore of the strike jamb as well as wooden blocks and felt pads that are attached through the lock bore. Unfortunately, the mounting and removal of such fastening devices are complex and time consuming tasks.
It is desirable to provide a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that is easy to mount and remove.
It is also desirable to provide a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that reliably secures the door to the door jamb during shipping.
It is also desirable to provide a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that is simple and cost effective to manufacture.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that is easy to install and remove.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that reliably secures the door to the door jamb during shipping.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that is simple and cost effective to manufacture.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping. The door shipping clip comprises a substantially rigid door interacting portion for interacting with a surface of the door in proximity of a door lock bore disposed in the door and an elongated bendable strike jamb interacting portion extending from the door interacting portion for being disposed through the door lock bore and for interacting with a surface of the strike jamb. The strike jamb interacting portion in concert with the door interacting portion for holds the door in a closed position with a strike edge of the door abutting a respective abutting surface of the strike jamb.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping. The door shipping clip comprises a substantially rigid door interacting portion for interacting with a surface of the door in proximity of a door lock bore disposed in the door and an elongated bendable strike jamb interacting portion extending from the door interacting portion for being disposed through the door lock bore and for interacting with a surface of the strike jamb. The strike jamb interacting portion in concert with the door interacting portion for holds the door in a closed position with a strike edge of the door abutting a respective abutting surface of the strike jamb. The door shipping clip further comprises a guiding portion interposed between the door interacting portion and the strike jamb interacting portion for interacting with a surface of the door lock bore to position the door shipping clip with respect to the door lock bore.
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that is easy to install and remove.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that reliably secures the door to the door jamb during shipping.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a door shipping clip for securing a pre-hung door to a door jamb in a closed position during shipping that is simple and cost effective to manufacture.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
a is a simplified block diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a pre-hung door assembly;
b and 1c are simplified block diagrams illustrating in a detail of the cross-sectional view illustrated in
a and 2b are simplified diagrams illustrating a perspective view of a preferred implementation of the door shipping clip according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
a to 3c are simplified diagrams illustrating a perspective view of a pre-hung door assembly with the preferred implementation of the door shipping clip according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
a is a simplified block diagram illustrating a side view of a door shipping clip according to yet another embodiment of the invention;
b is a simplified block diagram illustrating in a detail of the cross-sectional view illustrated in
a is a simplified block diagram illustrating a top view of a door shipping clip according to yet another embodiment of the invention before folding; and,
b and 6c are simplified block diagrams illustrating a top view and a side view of the door shipping clip illustrated in
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.
Referring to
The door shipping clip 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a substantially rigid door interacting portion 102 having interacting surface 104 for interacting with the surface 24 of the door 10 in proximity of the door lock bore 22. Elongated bendable strike jamb interacting portion 110 extends, preferably substantially perpendicular to the interacting surface 104, from the door interacting portion 102. During a mounting process the strike jamb interacting portion 110 is disposed through the lock bore 22, as illustrated in
Optionally, a protective layer of a soft material such as, for example, felt is interposed between the interacting surface 104 of the door shipping clip 100 and the surface 24 of the door 10 in order to protect the surface 24 from damage such as abrasions.
Preferably, a guiding portion 106 is interposed between the door interacting portion 102 and the strike jamb interacting portion 110. The guiding portion 106 is designed such that it is accommodated in the door lock bore 22 having, for example, a substantially snug fit between surface 108 of the guiding portion 106 and surface 23 of the door lock bore 22. Provision of the guiding portion 106 facilitates mounting of the door clip 100 by holding the door shipping clip 100 in a fixed predetermined position when inserted into the door lock bore 22.
Further preferably, the door shipping clip 100 is manufactured as a single unit, as illustrated in
Optionally, the door shipping clip 100 is manufactured using other materials such as, for example, various types of metals or metal alloys. Further optionally, the door shipping clip 100 comprises a plurality of components made of different materials mounted together. For example, the door interacting portion 102 and the guiding portion 106 are manufactured as one piece made of wood having the strike jamb interacting portion 110 made of a flexible plastic material mounted thereto using standard mounting devices such as, for example, screws or nails.
a to 3c illustrate perspective views of a pre-hung door assembly with the door shipping clip 100 for holding the door 10 in a closed position. As illustrated in
Furthermore, the door shipping clip 100 is simple to remove. For example, the nails 112 are removed and the strike jamb interacting portion 110 is pulled through the door lock bore prior installation of the door assembly. Alternatively, the door assembly is installed with the door shipping clip 100. The strike jamb interacting portion 110 is then cut in proximity of the edge 17 between the outside facing surface 15 and the wall facing surface 13 of the strike jamb 12 allowing pulling a first part of the strike jamb interacting portion 110 through the door lock bore 22 for removing the door shipping clip. The remaining second part of the strike jamb interacting portion 110 mounted to the wall facing surface 13 of the strike jamb 12 is then hidden after installation of a cover plate for covering the gap between the door frame and the wall.
Use of the door shipping clip 100 made of plastic material with standard door assemblies securely holds the door 10 in the closed position without damaging the surface 24 of the door 10 absent a protective layer of a soft material interposed between the interacting surface 104 of the door shipping clip 100 and the surface 24 of the door 10.
Referring to
Further alternatively, mounting of the strike jamb interacting portion 110 to the wall facing surface 13 of the strike jamb 12 is obviated by manufacturing the strike jamb interacting portion 110 using a material that enables plastic deformation during the process of bending around the edge 17 between the outside facing surface 15 and the wall facing surface 13 of the strike jamb 12, i.e. the strike jamb interacting portion 110 keeps its U-shape after bending. Suitable materials that are plastically deformable and provide sufficient strength for holding the door 10 in the closed position are, for example, metals such as steel or aluminum as well as some types of plastic materials.
Referring to
Referring to
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.
