The present invention relates generally to building construction. In particular the invention relates to the hanging of doors in the construction of buildings.
Construction, including improvements to existing buildings as well as new construction, have led to a demand for more simplified and more economical building materials, components and techniques. One particular segment of the increased volume which has exhibited widespread growth is the field of home improvement where a great deal of the work is accomplished by carpenters and builders seeking easier and more foolproof procedures reducing time and thus reducing cost. In response to the demand, the building supply industry has offered various modular door and frame assemblies in which a good deal of the operations which require more skill and specialized tools are completed in the factory, leaving only less complex procedures for the installer in the field.
Among the more successful assemblies offered for building construction is the pre-hung door assembly in which a door is fully prepared for the reception of latching hardware and is hinged in a door frame so that all the installer need do is mount the door frame within a prepared building wall in order to achieve a properly hung door. The precision with which the door is located and hung within the frame and the accuracy with which the door is prepared for the reception of latching hardware is maintained at a high level by virtue of accomplishing those operations in the factory, with specialized manufacturing tooling, leaving little to chance and to the less sophisticated tools and procedures available to installers in the field.
In order to accommodate the requirement for both right-hand and left-hand openings, it has been necessary to supply pre-hung door assemblies in both configurations, enabling an installer to select the appropriate assembly for a particular installation. The necessity to make available pre-hung door assemblies in both hands essentially doubles the number of assemblies which must be made available by the manufacturer and by the distributor and retailer, requiring larger inventories and the concomitant dedication of greater amounts of space, both for storage and on the selling floor.
However, modular door assemblies present particular difficulties of their own. Specifically, there is scope for confusion as to the handedness of the door. Door sets are not symmetrical, as a door can open on the left-hand side or the right-hand side. In addition, the door can open inwardly or outwardly. It would be apparent that an inward opening door hinged on the left is physically identical to an outward opening door hinged on the right. The same applies to inward opening doors hinged on the right and outward opening doors hinged on the left. However, this presents difficulty in definition, since designers will normally specify, for example a “left-hinged door” which can be of either configuration. It is not unknown for door sets to be supplied to site only to find that the orders have been reversed and further supplies are needed. Examples of compelex door assemblies are disclosed in patent literature, for example FR2268970, US2004/0016182, U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,670 and WO2005/033458. None of these door assemblies offer an effective simple solution for reversing a door in a door frame.
In addition, problems in the installation and design of doors often only become apparent when they are fitted on site. Clashes between nearby doors or between doors and other fittings may not have been noticed at the design stage. If this happens, the door set must often be scrapped and replaced with an opposite door set.
There is therefore a need to provide door and frame assembly system and method to overcome the above mentioned problems.
According to the invention there is provided, as set out in the appended claims, a door frame assembly, suitable for hanging a door panel in a number of different positions, comprising:
at least one side wall support to form part of the frame to provide a support to hang a door panel using at least one hinge, characterised in that:
The advantage of the door frame assembly according to the invention is the routering both sides of the hinged wall support which then allows it to be reversed depending on which way one wishes to hang the door. In addition as the door edge is routered across the entire thickness (or edge) therefore allows the hinge to hang the door in the frame in either direction. An important aspect of the invention is that the bull nose edge on the hinge, which matches the bull nose edge of a door, and in turn cancels out the risk of splinters at the edge of the door. The term ‘bull nose’ is used in the context of the invention to provide a smooth, rounded edge for countertops, building corners, or other types of construction.
In one embodiment a second side wall support of the frame comprises a routered portion to receive a receiver plate.
In one embodiment the second side wall support is routered on opposing faces, both faces adapted to receive the receiver plate.
In one embodiment there is optionally provided an adjustable architrave for attaching into the door frame. Alternatively a flat jamb may also be used and therefore an architrave with no adjustment is required.
In one embodiment the adjustable architrave comprises a leg for engaging the door frame to suit different block/stud wall dimensions. Alternatively a flat jamb may also be used and therefore an architrave with no adjustment is required.
In one embodiment the side wall supports each comprise a ‘finished’ veneer on all surfaces of the side wall supports. In another embodiment the side wall supports can be made of solid wood or multi layered veneered wood.
In one embodiment one edge of the door panel comprises a bull nosed edge to match the bull nosed of the hinge to provide a smooth surface. Optionally one edge of the door panel comprises a smooth chamfered edge.
In one embodiment a support header comprises means to engage the side walls to form said door frame. The means to engage comprises a single screw at each end of the support header, such that each single screw is centred across the width of the support header to allow the side wall to pivot on its axis to reverse the side wall as necessary.
In one embodiment the means to engage comprises a single screw at each end of the support header. Extra screws can be added after handedness of door is decided, this will secure the door jambs and resist the door jambs twisting. Two or more screws can provide extra strength of the frame assembly.
In one embodiment the hinge comprises optional bearings. The optional bearings means that the hinge does not have to have a pin or pins.
In one embodiment the part of the hinge to engage with the door panel is dimensioned to be substantially equal the width of the door panel. It will be appreciated that the term door panel should be interpreted broadly, and to mean any type of door.
In one embodiment the hinge comprises the first plate and second plates.
In one embodiment the first plate is releasably connectable to the second plate of the hinge.
In one embodiment the connection is by way of a removable pin which passes through a receptor means on each part.
In another embodiment there is provided a hinge suitable for incorporating in the door assembly as hereinbefore described, said hinge comprising at least one plate, wherein one edge of the plate comprises a bull nose edge.
The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—
a illustrates a plan view of the door frame of
b illustrates an alternative plan view of the door frame of
a-7d illustrates various steps of the door frame and door into an assembled position;
a-8d illustrates various steps of reversing the door in the door frame; and
Referring to the drawings and initially to
A side wall support 2 makes up part of the frame assembly 1 and is routered on front and back faces 3a and 3b to receive a hinge plate 4. A second side wall support 5 of the frame comprises a routered portion to receive a receiver plate 6. The second side wall support is routered on opposing faces 6a and 6b, both faces are adapted to receive the receiver plate. A support header 7 comprises means to engage the side walls to form the door frame, according to the invention. An adjustable architrave 8 can be affixed to the door frame or a plant on architrave can also be fixed on to a flat jamb door frame. A door stop 9 can be attached to the inner surface of the supports 2, 5 and 7.
Referring to
Referring to
b to 7d illustrate how the door panel is hung with the hinges of the present invention. The other wall support panel can form part of the door frame set to provide a support for the receiver plate. The side wall frame is routered on front and rear faces, thus making this wall frame reversible also. This allows for the side wall to be reversible also depending on which orientation the door panel needs to be hung.
a-8d illustrate various steps of reversing the door in the door frame. Once a door has been hung in its frame, it is a simple process to change the handedness of the door in the frame.
It will be appreciated that the door assembly may comprise a ‘finished’ veneer on all surfaces of the side wall supports. Alternatively the door frame assembly can be made of solid wood or a mixture of both wood and a veneer.
It will be appreciated that the term ‘routering’ means copying precisely from a template at a set depth, and in the context of the present invention routering is using a router to carve an image or an indentation on a piece of wood.
While the invention has been described herein with reference to several especially preferred embodiments, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and not to limit the scope of the invention. Additional embodiments thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this detailed description, especially to meet specific requirements or conditions. Further modifications are also possible in alternative embodiments without departing from the inventive concept.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described but may be varied in both construction and detail.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0904197.1 | Mar 2009 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2010/001525 | 3/11/2010 | WO | 00 | 9/9/2011 |