Patent Application
20090077911
The disclosure herein relates to framed openings, and more particularly to a frame for an opening for a door or a window, the frame including one or more frame members having a single-piece construction and further including, among other things, an open-well configured to receive a sealing means disposed therein for sealing with the door or window.
New construction or renovation/remold projects often require the framing of openings such as entry and exit points, for example, those for a door and/or a window. When installing a frame into an opening it is desirable to have a strong, durable frame that is prefabricated or easily assembled on the job site. Framing for openings are varied in design and construction, but are generally fabricated from wood or metal and are configured to frame along an inside portion and an outside portion of the opening's perimeter while retaining a closure device such as a door or window disposed between the framing.
Although existing frames for openings are generally well suited for their intended purpose, further refinement to the design, manufacture, and use of the frame for improved retention and sealing characteristics, durability and structural integrity is desirable.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a frame for an opening, the frame including one or more frame members having a single-piece construction and further including, among other things, an open-well configured to retain a sealing means disposed therein for sealing with a closure device such as a door or window.
For the purpose of summarizing the invention certain objects and advantages have been described. It is to be understood that not all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the device described herein may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages.
In one embodiment the disclosed subject matter includes a frame for an opening, the frame comprising one or more frame members formed from a single piece of material, the one or more frame members including an open-well configured to receive a sealing means disposed therein for sealing with a closure device such as a door or a window.
In one embodiment the disclosed subject matter includes a frame for an opening formed within a structure having one of a door or a window disposed within the opening. The frame including one or more frame members formed from a single piece of metal, the one or more frame members including: (1) an open-well configured to receive a sealing means disposed therein for sealing with the face of the one of a door or a window; (2) an abutting structure position between the sidewall and the lateral portion of the one of the door or the window, and forming a portion of the open-well; and (3) a casing positioned to be viewed from one side of the opening, the casing connecting the open-well and the abutting structure.
In one embodiment the disclosed subject matter includes a method for forming a frame for an opening, comprising the step(s) of bending one or more frame members from a single-piece of material, the one or more frame members including an open-well configured to receive a sealing means disposed therein for sealing with a closure device such as a door or a window.
These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.
Exemplary embodiments will now be described with references to the accompanying Figures, with like reference numerals referring to like elements throughout. The terminology used in the description is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner, simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description of certain embodiments. Furthermore, various embodiments (whether or not specifically described herein) may include novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the subject matter described herein.
Although the frame 5 is described herein as it relates to an opening for a door 35, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the term “opening” as used herein is a broad term and is meant to include an opening for both ingress and egress. In other words, if an object such as a person, animal, or item can enter through the opening it is generally understood that the object can exit through the opening. Accordingly, a frame5 having at least one frame member 10, 25, 30 as described here may be utilized to retain and seal with a window 36 such as one that is retained and sealed within a door 35, as shown in
In addition, it is understood that the frame 5 described herein may be in an opening where entrance and exit from the opening is not intended such as would be the case in an upper level window. Furthermore, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that materials other than metal, such as plastic and/or carbon fiber, to name a few, may be appropriate and utilized within the spirit and teachings of the disclosure provided herein.
As further shown in
As indicated above, the frame members, i.e., the header 10 and first and second side pieces 25, 30, each preferably include a casing or molding 10A, 25A, 30A that may be provided in a variety of shapes. As further indicated above, the casing or molding 10A of the header 10 begins at the upper bulkhead as referenced by point “C” and is shaped to extend toward the opening where the door 35 is retained therein. Similarly, as shown in
Each frame member 10, 25, 30 includes an open-well 10B, 25B, 30B shaped and configured to receive a gasket 70 or similar sealing element or compound such that the gasket 70 is retained within the open-well 10B, 25B, 30B while contacting a face 37, 38 of the door 35, i.e., either the front or back surface, thus providing a seal between exterior or outside environment relative to the opening and the interior or inside environment relative to the opening. As such, the frame members 10, 25, 30 in accordance with one embodiment may provide sealing along at least three sides of a door 35 and four sides of a window 36. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that embodiments of the frame described herein may be applicable to doors and/or window of various shape including, for example, a hexagon shaped window such as those used for portal similar to those used on water vessels.
Preferably, the open-well 30B is formed by bending the metal by hand, with the aid of a metal press, or similar device to form a three-sided pocket 85 for receiving the gasket 70. The open-well 30B is configured with sufficient width and depth to retain the gasket 70 within the pocket 85 of the open-well 30B while permitting the gasket 70 to protrude from the pocket 85 to seal with the door 35 when the door 35 in a closed position, as shown in
Each frame member 10, 25, 30 is further bent or formed by one or more of the methods described above to include an abutting structure 10C, 25C, 30C that extends from the casing or molding 10A, 25A, 30A, contacts a sidewall 45, 60, 65 (upper bulkhead, left sidewall or right sidewall) that define a portion of the opening, borders a lateral portion 73 (top, bottom, right or left side) of the closure device 27, and forms a portion of the pocket 85 of the open-well 10B, 25B, 30B. For example, as shown
As indicated above and shown in at least
Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the term “sidewall” is a broad term intended to include those elements, i.e., a plurality of sidewalls, formed in a structure (any professional, residential, recreational, storage dwelling) that generally define an opening for a door or window and may include structural support elements and non-structural support elements located about the periphery of the opening regardless of whether the element is considered a right or left sidewall, upper portion such as a bulkhead, or lower portion such as a footing.
In accordance with one embodiment, a method for forming a frame for an opening includes bending one or more frame member from a single piece of material such as metal, the one or more frame members including an open-well configured to receive a sealing means disposed therein for sealing with a closure device such as a door or window retained within the opening. The method further includes forming the open-well to include a three-sided pocket configured to retain the sealing means, a portion of the sealing means protruding from the pocket to seal with the closure device.
The apparatus and methods of the present invention have been described with some particularity, but the specific designs, constructions and steps disclosed are not to be taken as delimiting of the invention. Obvious modifications will make themselves apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, all of which will not depart from the essence of the invention and all such changes and modifications are intended to be encompassed within the appended claims.
