Patent Application
20160123068
Some embodiments of the present invention relate to insert access doors that can readily be installed in construction surfaces. Some embodiments of the present invention relate to fire-rated insert access doors that can readily be installed in construction surfaces. Some embodiments of the present invention relate to fire-rated insert access doors that can readily be installed in wood-framed construction surfaces.
In building construction, it is often necessary to provide ready access to spaces containing functional building elements behind finished surfaces such as walls and ceilings. For example, access may be required to reach plumbing fixtures, valves on water lines, meters on gas lines, electrical fixtures, switches, circuit breakers, or the like positioned behind a finished building surface such as a wall or ceiling.
Frequently, access is accomplished by providing an opening in the finished construction surface and inserting an access door that can be opened in the opening. The access panel or access door provides access to the space behind the opening. In situations where the access panel or access door is regularly viewed by persons within the building, the access panel or access door may also provide an aesthetically pleasing look consistent with the finished construction surface.
Building codes and/or insurance requirements may mean that walls must possess a certain minimum level of fire and thermal resistance in certain circumstances. The installation of access panels or access doors in a wall can alter the wall's fire and thermal resistance. If the access door or access panel is not designed to resist fire and/or heat, then the fire and thermal resistance of the wall will be lowered.
Fire-rated access doors are frequently made of materials such as metal that have a high thermal conductivity. Installation of a fire-rated access door that will comply with typical building codes requires that the framing of the wall or other construction surface in which the access door is installed be insulated from the frame of the access door to provide a thermal break between the access door frame and the building framing. This is particularly so in the case of buildings having wood-framed construction, where a thermal break is required between a metal frame of the access door and the wood frame of the building.
Often, insulation of the framing at the site where an access door is installed is achieved by lining the opening in which the access door is to be installed with a thermally insulative material such as drywall or gypsum. The thermally insulative material provides a thermal break between the frame of the access door and the frame of the opening in the construction surface. However, installation of such materials is reliant on the installer, and in some cases the installer may forget to install the thermally insulative material, or even intentionally choose not to do so.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.
One aspect of the invention provides an access door for insertion into an opening in a construction surface. The access door has a frame for engagement with edges of the opening in the construction surface. The frame has a channel formed therein for receiving a thermally insulative material. The channel is positioned so that the thermally insulative material contacts an edge of the construction surface to provide a thermal break between the frame and the construction surface. A door is operatively coupled to the frame and movable between an open position allowing access through the opening in the construction surface and a closed position preventing access through the opening in the construction surface.
The channel can be lined with a thermally insulative material. In some embodiments, the thermally insulative material is drywall. In some embodiments, the access door can be installed with zero clearance against wood framing in the opening in the construction surface. The door can be configured to receive drywall, tile, a sheet of stone or concrete, a sheet of steel, a wood panel, a wall-papered or textured panel, or any other desired finishing material, on the front surface of the door, so that the front surface of the door has an appearance that matches the surrounding construction surface. A mechanical assistor such as a gas cylinder or a spring can be operatively coupled between the frame and the door for helping to actuate the door and/or for holding the door in its closed position.
In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions.
Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
As used herein, “front” means the side of an access door that is typically viewed by persons looking at the access door in its installed configuration. “Rear” means the side of an access door that is on the reverse side of a construction surface, which is not generally viewed by persons looking at the access door in its installed configuration.
As used herein, “inward” means the direction towards the centre of the access door, and “outward” means the opposite direction away from the centre of the access door, i.e. toward the edges of the construction surface in which the access door is situated in its installed configuration.
An access door having a frame with a channel formed in the outer periphery thereof for receiving a thermally insulative material is provided. In some embodiments, the access door can be easily installed in an opening in a construction surface by an end user, without the need for the user to separately line the opening with a thermally insulative material to meet applicable fire rating requirements. In some embodiments, the channel in the frame is lined with drywall. In some embodiments, the access door is installed with zero clearance (i.e. in direct contact with a frame of the building). In some embodiments, the access door is installed with zero clearance against wood framing. In some embodiments, the channel in the frame is lined with drywall, and the drywall directly contacts the frame of the building.
Insert access door 20 has a frame 22 for installation in an opening in a construction surface. Frame 22 has a channel 24 formed along its outside edge for receiving thermally insulative material. As described in more detail below and best seen in
In the illustrated embodiment, access door 20 further includes a drywall taping flange 26 and a drywall door insert 28. Drywall taping flange 26 extends outwardly from frame 22 and is configured to lie generally flush with the front surface of the construction surface in which frame 22 sits. For example, in embodiments in which access door 20 is inserted into an opening in drywall, drywall taping flange 26 is positioned and configured to lie generally flush with the drywall surrounding the opening, so that tape and/or drywall compound can be readily applied to drywall taping flange 26. In some embodiments, drywall taping flange 26 includes a plurality of apertures 27 formed therethrough. Apertures 27 can assist in receiving and/or securing drywall compound to drywall taping flange 26.
Used together or independently, drywall taping flange 26 and drywall door insert 28 are features that facilitate the incorporation of access door 20 into a construction surface comprising drywall in an aesthetically pleasing manner. In alternative embodiments intended for incorporation in other construction surfaces besides drywall, drywall door insert 28 could be replaced with another suitable material, for example, tile, a sheet of stone or concrete, a sheet of steel, a wood panel, a wall-papered or textured panel, or the like, to match the construction surface into which the access door 20 is to be incorporated.
Door 30 is movable between an open position in which door 30 is positioned to allow access through frame 22 and a closed position, in which door 30 is positioned to prevent access through frame 22. In some embodiments, the angle through which door 30 is permitted to rotate (i.e. the angle between the closed position and the open position) is restricted. For example, in one example embodiment of an access door intended for use in ceiling applications, where gas cylinders are provided to assist in opening the door, the maximum angle through which the door is permitted to rotate is just under 90 degrees, for example 88 degrees in one example embodiment. In another example embodiment of an access door intended for use in wall applications in which a spring is provided to assist in opening the door, the maximum angle through which the door is permitted to rotate is approximately 90 degrees. In alternative embodiments, the maximum angle through which the door is permitted to rotate is not limited, and the degree to which the door could open would depend on interference with other components of the construction surface in which access door 20 is installed.
In the illustrated embodiment, one or more securing mechanisms 34 are provided to secure door 30 in the closed position. Any suitable securing mechanism can be used to provide securing mechanism 34, for example, a cylinder key lock, an Allen (hex) key cylinder cam latch, a non-locking two position handle, or the like. In some embodiments, one or more securing mechanisms 34 are provided along an edge of door 30 opposite to hinges 32.
In some embodiments, a mechanical assistor can be provided to assist in moving door 30 between the open and closed positions. In the illustrated embodiment, one or more gas cylinders 36 are provided at the rear of door 30 to assist in moving door 30 between the open and closed positions. Any suitable type of spring mechanism or other mechanical assistor can be provided in place of gas cylinders 36 as may be suitable for any given application, for example, a spring could be used. In some embodiments, gas cylinders are used for access doors that are intended for use in ceiling applications. In some embodiments intended for ceiling applications in which a relatively smaller and lighter door is used, a spring is used. In some embodiments intended for use in wall applications (where the weight of the door is applied to the frame vertically rather than horizontally), a spring is used. In some embodiments, the spring is attached to the frame 22 and to the rear of door 30.
In some embodiments, to comply with applicable fire regulations, a spring mechanism such as a gas cylinder or a spring is used to pull door 30 to a closed position when door 30 is released. In this way, the default position of door 30 is the closed position, and a user must open the securing mechanism and manually move door 30 to the open position.
As can be seen in
As best seen in
In some embodiments, thermally insulative material is provided within a cavity 40 within door 30, as described in more detail below. Cavity 40 may be filled with any suitable thermally insulative material and/or non-flammable material, for example mineral wool, Rockwool™, concrete board, an intumescent seal, a non-combustible fiber insulation, a non-combustible acoustic insulation, or the like.
While in the foregoing paragraph portions 42, 44 and 50 have been described as extending generally parallel to an edge of the opening in the construction surface into which frame 22 is to be inserted, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that these portions would typically be configured to conform with the shape of the opening. Thus, if the shape of the opening is uneven or varied, the shape of these components could be varied to correspond to different shapes of openings.
Generally when frame 22 is in the installed configuration, portions 42 and 50, as well as drywall taping flange 26, will contact the construction surface. In embodiments in which a thermally insulative material such as drywall 38 is used, drywall 38 will generally also contact the construction surface. In this way, the thermally insulative material, such as drywall 38, provides a thermal break between frame 22 and the construction surface.
In some embodiments, portions 42, 44 and/or 50 are provided with apertures for receiving fasteners (for example, nails or screws) to secure frame 22 in place within the construction surface. For example, such an aperture 43 is shown in the cross-sectional view of
In the illustrated embodiment, the front edge of drywall pan 54 and the front edge of drywall door insert 28 are approximately evenly positioned relative to drywall taping flange 26, so that the front edge of door 30 and frame 22 will appear visually unobtrusive when the construction surface into which access door 20 is inserted is viewed.
The rearward portion of door 30 includes a liner pan 60. In some embodiments, liner pan 60 acts as a cover for any insulation installed in door 30. An insulation pan 62 is also provided so that insulation can be inserted into the interior cavity 40 of door 30 if desired. Any suitable insulative material can be inserted into interior cavity 40, for example mineral wool, Rockwool™, concrete board, an intumescent seal, a non-combustible fiber insulation, a non-combustible acoustic insulation, or the like.
With reference to
Without being bound by theory, it is believed that an access door with a frame having a channel formed in the outer periphery thereof can be made lighter than conventional access door frames because the profile is more rigid. This allows for the construction of access door 20 with a lighter gauge metal, and allows for the use of a lighter door 30, if desired. For example, some typical access doors may use 14 gauge metal plate for fabrication of its frames (a 14 gauge metal plate has a thickness of 0.0785 inches and a weight of 3.281 pounds per square foot). In some embodiments of the present invention, the inventors anticipate that a 20 gauge metal plate can be used to fabricate the frame of the access door (a 20 gauge metal plate has a thickness of 0.0396 inches and a weight of 1.656 pounds per square foot), making it possible to provide an access door that is almost half the weight of a conventional access door, but with similar strength.
Insert access door 20 can be installed in any type of opening depending on the desired application. In some embodiments, insert access door 20 is installed in a roof In some embodiments, insert access door 20 is installed in a wall. In some embodiments, insert access door 20 has a fire rating of 1 hour, 2 hours or 3 hours.
In some embodiments, a portion of drywall is provided in drywall pan 54. In some embodiments, such drywall is mudded over so that the front face of the access door is textured to match a surrounding surface, for example, a textured ceiling.
While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are consistent with the broadest interpretation of the specification as a whole.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/072,722 filed 30 Oct. 2014 entitled INSERT ACCESS DOOR, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62072722 | Oct 2014 | US |
