Patent Application
20060123720
The present invention is directed to door frames, and more particularly to door frame components that increase both the aesthetic and structural integrity of a door frame and reduce maintenance requirements.
A conventional exterior door frame typically includes a door jamb system. The door jamb system provides a weather-tight seal between the interior and exterior of a building when a door attached thereto is shut within the frame. The jamb system includes vertical jamb legs that are located along the inner peripheral vertical edges of the frame and abut the side edges of the door when the door is shut within the frame. A jamb header is located along the top inner periphery of the door frame and abuts the top edge of the door when the door is shut into the frame. The jamb legs and jamb header also typically include some form of weather strip to prevent air and other outdoor elements from entering the building interior when the door abuts the jamb legs and header. In addition to providing the weather-tight seal, the jamb legs and header prevent the door from swinging through the frame.
Because an exterior door frame acts as an interface between the building interior and exterior, the associated jamb system is continually exposed to harsh conditions, such as moisture, sunlight and temperature extremes, which typically cause damage to and decrease the useful life of the jamb system. Components of the door frame system, such as, jambs, mullions, astragals and brick moulding, may also have important aesthetic functions since they are visible at the entrance to a building or structure. Therefore, system components must be protected from such conditions to ensure structural longevity and aesthetic quality.
Several approaches have been used in the past to protect jamb system components. In a traditional approach, wood-based door jambs are covered with paint, varnish or other wet applied protective coatings. However, such wood-based preservative systems require periodic reapplication and typically only provide marginal protection to the jamb.
In another approach, film or laminate envelopes are applied over door jambs and bonded thereto with adhesives. However, such coverings leave unattractive edges when the jamb is machined for the addition of hinges and strike holes. Further the adhesives often become detached from the jambs due to moisture seepage and thermal bow caused by extreme temperature differences between the interior and exterior of the building.
In yet another approach, to overcome the above-mentioned problems associated with wood-based door jamb systems, door jamb systems manufactured from solid cellular plastic material, hollow rigid plastic materials or composite materials have been produced. Door jamb systems made from such materials do not require the periodic reapplication of wet applied protective coverings, nor do such plastic-based systems require any type of protective covering. However, door jambs made from such synthetic materials often lack the structural integrity of wood-based door jambs—they often wobble or bow after a short period. In addition, such systems are typically vulnerable to thermal bow and thermal expansion and contraction. As a result, doors mounted within frames having such jamb systems typically do not fit in a weather-tight manner once the jamb system has been subjected to such conditions.
In another approach, door jamb clads manufactured from steel, aluminum or plastic have been used to cover portions of wood-based door frames to protect the door frames from exposure to extreme weather conditions. However, a typical door jamb clad covers only a part of the door frame, thereby requiring a high quality substrate, such as wood, to be used as the frame itself to maintain both the structural and aesthetic integrity of the frame. Further, such door jamb clads typically require a time consuming installation procedure, thereby increasing the associated cost of the door frame system.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a door frame having a clad/jamb system that is integrally attached to the door frame to enhance both the structural and aesthetic qualities of the door frame and to permit the frame to be constructed of a material less expensive than high quality wood while maintaining frame structural integrity. It would also be desirable to provide a door frame having a clad/jamb system that makes the frame less susceptible to changes caused by exposure to extreme weather conditions and thereby increases the overall life of the frame. With the rising popularity of fiberglass doors, it would also be desirable to match the finish and grain of door frame components with that of the fiberglass door. In view of the present disclosure or through practice of the present invention, other advantages may become apparent.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include a component for use with a door frame that may have a door hingedly attached thereto having, a main portion having a first portion having a first edge and a second edge and a second portion having a third edge, a fourth edge and being disposed on the first portion and a fiberglass cover member extending from about the first edge over the first portion to at least the second portion.
In one embodiment, cover member may extend over at least the first, second, third and fourth edges. The first portion may include a channel. The door may be made from fiberglass. One embodiment may also include having a stain on the door and component where the stains are substantially similar. The door and component may also match in texture, pattern and/or color.
In one embodiment the main portion may extend along the entire length of the jamb. The component may be a jamb, a mullion, a t-astragal, a brick mould or other similar door frame components. In one embodiment cover member may be adhered to the first portion with an adhesive and may be flush against the first portion. The cover member may be up to about ½ inch thick or between about 1/32 inch and about ½ inch thick. The cover member may be exposed to outdoor conditions and the second portion may be exposed to indoor conditions.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may also include, a door frame assembly which may have a plurality of vertical jamb legs, a jamb header connected to the plurality of vertical jamb legs, a door hingedly attached to one of the plurality of vertical jamb legs, at least one of the plurality of vertical jamb legs having a body portion and a doorstop portion which extend the length of said vertical jamb leg and a fiberglass cover member adhered at least to the doorstop portion. The doorstop portion may also have disposed therein a channel. One embodiment may also include a door jamb system which may have a plurality of vertical wood jamb legs, a jamb header connected to the plurality of vertical jamb legs, a fiberglass door hingedly attached to one of the plurality of vertical jamb legs, at least one of the plurality of vertical jamb legs having a body portion and a doorstop portion which extend the length of the vertical jamb leg and which form an L-shaped cross section and a fiberglass cover member adhered to said doorstop portion, wherein the door and cover member may have a stain and wherein the stains may be substantially similar.
In addition to the features mentioned above, other aspects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and exemplary embodiments, wherein like reference numerals across the several views refer to identical or equivalent features, and wherein:
When used in an exterior door jamb system, vertical jamb leg 20 is situated such that surfaces 25 and 26 are exposed to the outside of the building, while surfaces 21 and 22 are exposed to the inside of the building. Typically, the hinges and strike plate for mounting a door are disposed on surface 22. The intersection of surfaces 22 and 24 define inside corner 23. This may give main portion 28a an L-shaped cross section. Surface 24 acts as a doorstop upon which a door (not shown) hung in the door jamb system rests against when closed. An optional groove 27 may be disposed in surface 24 to accommodate the insertion of weather-stripping to improve the seal between a door and the door frame.
The cross section of the cover portion 28b is controlled through known fabrication techniques such as extruding; however, other suitable techniques may be employed. Although
In one embodiment, the main portion 28a is constructed from a single piece of wood; however, it may be constructed from a plurality of staves connected to one another in an end-to-end arrangement so as to mimic the use of a single piece of wood. Main portion 28a may also be formed from steel, plastic or any other similar building material. The cross section of the main portion 28a is created through known fabrication techniques such as milling; however other suitable techniques may be employed. It is not intended that the cross section of the main portion 28a used in the present invention is limited to that which is disclosed herein, but rather that the main portion may have a variety of possible cross sectional configurations, so long as the main portion has disposed thereupon - either unitarily or affixed thereto—a doorstop portion so as to define that portion of the jamb which is exposed to the outdoors and that portion which is exposed to the interior of the building.
In one embodiment, the cover portion 28b is constructed from a material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, fiberglass, wood composite, aluminum or any other suitable durable, moisture, decay and insect resistant material. Additionally, cover portion 28b may be made flush against the surface to which it is adhered. The cover portion 28b may be any desired thickness. Exemplary thicknesses may be between 1/32nd of an inch and ½ inch. Suitable adhesives for attaching the cover portion to the body portion include Titebond Polyurethane glue produced by Franklin International; however, any adhesive capable of maintaining adhesion throughout the temperature and humidity cycles that the cover portion of the jamb will be exposed to may be used.
The present invention may be made with a smooth or wood-grain surface. This surface may be finished in a variety of colors by painting or staining. In particular, fiberglass cover may be designed to match a fiberglass door to which it is assembled in both grain pattern and color. Manufacturing the component out of fiberglass allows the stain to be absorbed into the material. This allows the fiberglass door and component to be stained with the same stain, where both the door and component absorb the stain in a similar way, achieving a substantially similar look. This allows both the door and component to have the same traditional look of wood, while having increased durability, better insulation performance, improved resistance to the elements and low maintenance. Fiberglass may also allow the door and component to remain matched for a longer period of time, as the finish on fiberglass products lasts longer than traditional wood finishes.
While certain embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, the scope of the invention is not to be considered limited by such disclosure, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as evidenced by the following claims:
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/981,933, filed Nov. 5, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10981933 | Nov 2004 | US |
| Child | 11326530 | Jan 2006 | US |
