Patent Application
20050268559
This invention relates generally to entryway systems and more specifically to seals for sealing around a closed door of an entryway system.
Flexible door and weather seals are common in modern entryways to prevent drafts through a closed door. In many commercial applications, such as in hotels, flexible seals may be provided on interior doors to dampen noise or prevent drafts. Fire and smoke seals also are common, particularly in commercial buildings, and may be required in some fire districts. Many commercial door seals are made from two or more pieces, one piece being an elongated aluminum strip and the second piece being a flexible rubberized seal member attached to the metal strip. The metal strip is attached to a door jamb with the rubberized seal contacting and sealing against a closed door. Single piece extruded plastic seals also have been available, some with an adhesive backing that allows them to be attached adhesively to a door jamb. Smoke seals incorporating intumescent strips that expand in the presence of the heat of a fire also have been available. Such smoke seals are attached in various ways to door jambs within the gaps between a closed door and the jamb so that when the seals expand in the event of a fire, they fill these gaps and prevent smoke infiltration.
Prior art door seals have had various problems and shortcomings. For instance, multi-piece seals with a metal portion and attached rubberized seals must be sized and cut carefully for installation. Further, these types of seals necessarily are manufactured in long strips, which presents storage and shipping problems because of their size. To the extent that flexible coilable door seals have been available, they usually have been made of felt or soft rubberized plastic and generally are too flimsy for commercial applications. Smoke seals in the form of intumescent strips generally have been separate items that are installed in addition to standard door seals, which is inconvenient and inefficient. A need exists for a door seal system that is rollable into a compact configuration for storage and shipping, that is sufficiently robust for commercial applications when installed, that is easily and efficiently installed, and that can incorporate both a traditional seal and a smoke seal that each is properly positioned when the system is installed in a doorway. It is to the provision of such a door seal system that the present invention is primarily directed.
Briefly described, the present invention is a door seal system that successfully addresses the problems and shortcomings of the prior art. The system includes a unitary co-extruded one-piece plastic seal member. The seal member has first and second legs made of a relatively hard plastic and that are interconnected by a co-extruded flexible hinge made of a softer flexible plastic. In a preferred embodiment, a traditional flexible rubberized seal is co-extruded along the first leg and a strip of intumescent material is co-extruded or otherwise applied to the second leg. The seal member is co-extruded in long strips. For storage and shipping, the two legs are hinged or folded into a flat co-extensive configuration and the member can be rolled or coiled into a relatively compact roll. For installation, an appropriate length is cut from the roll and folded along the hinge so that the first leg forms a substantial right angle relative to the second leg. The folded member is then applied to a door frame, preferably with a previously applied adhesive backing, with the first leg extending along the door stop and the second leg extending along the jamb next to the stop. When the door is shut, the flexible seal on the first leg bears and seals against the outside face of the door around the door edges to seal against drafts. The intumescent strip on the second leg, which does not normally contact the door, is properly positioned in the gaps between the door edges and the jamb. In the event of a fire, resulting heat causes the intumescent strip to expand and fill these gaps to prevent smoke infiltration.
Thus, the door seal system of this invention is economically manufactured in a single co-extrusion process, is coilable into a compact configuration for storage and shipping, is easily installed, is sufficiently rugged for commercial applications, and provides both a traditional seal and a smoke seal in one convenient easily installed package. These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the detailed description presented below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows.
Referring now in more detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals designate, where appropriate, like parts throughout the several views,
A door seal system, configure according to the present invention, is installed in the entryway system spanning the corner 14. The door seal system comprises a seal member 21 that preferably is made from a unitary piece of co-extruded plastic material and includes a first leg 23 and a second leg 22, each composed of a relatively hard and rigid plastic such as PVC, ABS, or any other appropriate plastic. The first and second legs 23 and 22 are joined together along corresponding edges by a co-extruded flexible hinge 24, which is composed of a relatively low durometer flexible or rubberized plastic material. The hinge 24 allows the seal member 21 to be hinged or bent easily along the length of the hinge so that the seal member fits snuggly within the corner 14 between the jamb 12 and stop 13 as illustrated. Preferably, the seal member is attached to the entryway by means of pre-applied adhesive backings 28 and 29 applied along the back sides of the legs 23 and 22 respectively. However, attachment may be by post applied adhesive, screws, nails, or any other appropriate fastening mechanism.
A flexible rubberized seal 26 is co-extruded with and extends along the length of the first leg 23 facing the outside face of the door 16 as the door is shut. In this embodiment, the seal 26 is a flexible fin that projects outwardly at an angle from the edge of the leg 23 toward the door. As the door shuts, the flexible fin engages and is flexed by the door toward the leg 23. In this way, the flexible fin bears against and forms a seal with the outside face of the door around the edges thereof to form a seal against sound and drafts in the traditional way.
A strip 27 of intumescent material preferably is co-extruded with, but may be otherwise applied to, the second leg 22. The intumescent material may be any appropriate material that expands in the presence of heat such as, for instance, a Graphite Intumescent Sealing Material available from the 3M Corporation of St. Paul, Minn. In any event, the strip 27 of intumescent material extends along the length of the second leg 22 and, when the seal member is installed as shown, is positioned so that it resides in the gaps between the edges of a closed door and the face of the jamb 12. In normal use, the strip 27 does not contact the edges of the closed door. However, in the event of a fire, the resulting heat causes the strip to expand to several times its thickness, according to the properties of intumescent materials, to fill and seal these gaps to prevent infiltration of smoke from one side of the door to the other.
As mentioned above, the seal member of this invention is rollable into a compact coiled configuration for storage and shipping.
Finally,
The invention has been described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and methodologies. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that a wide variety of additions, deletions, and modifications might be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, while various configurations of flexible seals have been illustrated in the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to any particular configuration. Any type of flexible seal might be incorporated. The material forming the intumescent strip preferably is co-extruded as a unitary part of the system; however, the invention is not limited in this way and the strip can be applied after extrusion if desired. A prime aspect of the invention is its ability to be extruded economically as a unitary piece, configured for rolling into a compact coil, and unrolled and configured for installation. Furthermore, although in the preferred embodiment the entire seal member is co-extruded of plastics materials, the invention is not limited to all plastic co-extrusions. It may be suitable, for instance, that the first and second legs be made of metal such as aluminum connected together by a separate rubberized hinge. Any combination of materials may therefore be selected as an alternative to co-extruded plastic materials, all within the scope of the invention. These and other modifications to the illustrated embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
Priority is hereby claimed to the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/573,509 filed on May 21, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60573509 | May 2004 | US |
