System, Method and Apparatus for Producing Fire Rated Doors

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for producing fire rated doors having added strength, better finishing and low cost manufacturing flexibility. The fire rated doors are made from two panels “sandwiched” together. An optional interior layer (e.g., fire resistant material, lead sheeting, steel or Kevlar) can be added between the door panels for various purposes. Splines, stiles or sticks are inserted in longitudinal channels in the door panels to provide assistance in aligning the door panels and greater hardware holding strength. An intumescent banding material concealed by a banding material around the perimeter of the door seals the door within its frame during a fire. The door design and the automated manufacturing process provide greater design choice, reduced cost and faster fabrication.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective exploded view of a door in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view with a cut away of a fire rated door in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective exploded view of a door in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective exploded view of a door in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method to manufacture a door in accordance with one embodiment the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method to manufacture a door in accordance with another embodiment the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method to manufacture a door in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective exploded view of a fire rated door in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective exploded view of a fire rated door in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method to manufacture a fire rated door in accordance with one embodiment the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method to manufacture a fire rated door in accordance with another embodiment the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a method to manufacture a fire rated door in accordance with yet another embodiment the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a manufacturing line in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fire rated door comprising a first routable door panel attached to a second routable door panel wherein each door panel has two opposing longitudinal interior channels with each interior channel containing a spline, and attached door panels having a perimeter channel containing an intumescent banding material and an exterior banding to conceal the intumescent banding material.

2. The door as recited in claim 1, wherein the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel comprise a lignocellulosic substrate, a wood, a wood composite, a medium density fiberboard or a combination thereof.

3. The door as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more protective layers disposed between the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel.

4. The door as recited in claim 3, wherein the one or more protective layers comprise a fire resistant material, a blast resistant material, a ballistic resistant material, a shielding material, a chemical resistant material, a biohazard resistant material, a radiation resistant material, a dampening material, a grounding material or a combination thereof.

5. The door as recited in claim 3, wherein the one or more protective layers comprise one or more gypsum boards, one or more metallic sheets, one or more lead sheets, one or more Kevlar sheets, one or more ceramic sheets, a layer of urethane foam, a layer of graphite, a wire mesh or a combination thereof.

6. The door as recited in claim 3, wherein the one or more protective layers contain an intumescent or fire resistant material, or are coated with the intumescent or fire resistant material.

7. The door as recited in claim 1, wherein perimeter channel along the longitudinal sides of the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel extend to the spline.

8. The door as recited in claim 1, further comprising a data device containing production data embedded within the door.

9. The door as recited in claim 8, wherein the production data comprises a date that the door was manufactured, a time that the door was manufactured, an order number, a purchase number, a product identifier, a purchaser identifier, a shift identifier, a personnel identifier, a machine line identifier, one or more specifications for the door, a list of hardware for the door, a size of the door, a style of the door, a routing design identifier, a parts list, an options identifier, a special features identifier, an assembly program or a combination thereof.

10. The door as recited in claim 1, wherein the splines contain an intumescent or fire resistant material, or are coated with an intumescent or fire resistant material.

11. The door as recited in claim 1, wherein the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel contain an intumescent or fire resistant material, or are coated with the intumescent or fire resistant material.

12. A fire rated door comprising: a first routable door panel attached to a second routable door panel, each door panel having two opposing longitudinal interior channels and the attached door panels having a perimeter channel;a spline disposed within each interior channel;an intumescent banding material and an exterior banding to conceal the intumescent banding material disposed within the perimeter channel;one or more protective layers disposed between the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel; anda data device containing production data embedded within the door.

13. The door as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more protective layers comprise a fire resistant material, a blast resistant material, a ballistic resistant material, a shielding material, a chemical resistant material, a biohazard resistant material, a dampening material, a grounding material or a combination thereof.

14. The door as recited in claim 12, wherein perimeter channel along the longitudinal sides of the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel extend to the spline.

15. A fire rated door comprising: one or more protective layers disposed between a first routable medium density fiberboard door panel and a second routable medium density fiberboard door panel, wherein the protective layers are coated with an intumescent material, each door panel has two opposing longitudinal interior channels, and the attached door panels have a perimeter channel;a spline disposed within each interior channel wherein each spline is coated with the intumescent material; andan intumescent banding material and an exterior banding to conceal the intumescent banding material disposed within the perimeter channel.

16. The door as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more protective layers comprise a fire resistant material, a blast resistant material, a ballistic resistant material, a shielding material, a chemical resistant material, a biohazard resistant material, a dampening material, a grounding material or a combination thereof.

17. The door as recited in claim 15, wherein perimeter channel along the longitudinal sides of the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel extend to the spline.

18. The door as recited in claim 15, further comprising a data device containing production data embedded within the door.

19. The door as recited in claim 15, wherein the first routable door panel and the second routable door panel are coated with the intumescent material.

20. A method for manufacturing a fire rated door comprising the steps of: cutting two longitudinal interior channels into a back side of a door panel;assembling a door slab by inserting a spline in each longitudinal interior channel of a first door panel, attaching a second door panel to the splines and the first door panel using an adhesive and applying pressure to the door slab to bond the splines and the door panels together;cutting a perimeter channel in the sides of the door slab;inserting an intumescent banding material and an exterior banding to conceal the intumescent banding material within the perimeter channel;routing a specified design into each panel of the door slab;applying one or more primer coats to the door slab; andmachining the door slab to receive a set of hinges and lockset hardware.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the door panel comprising a lignocellulosic substrate, a wood, a wood composite, a medium density fiberboard or a combination thereof.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein perimeter channel along the longitudinal sides of the first door panel and the second door panel extend to the spline.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, further the step of applying an intumescent coating to the splines.

24. The method as recited in claim 20, further the step of inserting a data device into the door slab.

25. The method as recited in claim 20, further the step of inserting one or more protective layers between the first door panel and the second panel.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further the step of applying an intumescent coating to the one or more protective layers.

27. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more primer coats include an intumescent material.

28. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more primer coats are applied with an electrostatic powder coating process.

29. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of injecting a chemical into one or more screw pilot holes to increase screw holding capacity or pull strength.

30. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium to control a set of machines to manufacture a fire rated door comprising: a code segment for cutting two longitudinal interior channels into a back side of a door panel;a code segment for assembling a door slab by inserting a spline in each longitudinal interior channel of a first door panel, attaching a second door panel to the splines and first door panel using an adhesive and applying pressure to door slab to bond the splines and door panels together;a code segment for cutting a perimeter channel in the sides of the door slab;a code segment for inserting an intumescent banding material and an exterior banding to conceal the intumescent banding material within the perimeter channel;a code segment for routing a specified design into each panel of the door slab;a code segment for applying one or more primer coats to the door slab; anda code segment for machining the door slab to receive a set of hinges and lockset hardware.

31. A manufacturing line to produce fire rated doors comprising: a first set of machines to cut two longitudinal interior channels into a back side of a door panel;a second set of machines to assemble a door slab by inserting a spline in each longitudinal interior channel of a first door panel, attaching a second door panel to the splines and first door panel using an adhesive and applying pressure to door slab to bond the splines and door panels together;a third set of machines to cut a perimeter channel in the sides of the door slab, and insert an intumescent banding material and an exterior banding to conceal the intumescent banding material within the perimeter channel;a fourth set of machines to route a specified design into each panel of the door slab;a fifth set of machines to apply one or more primer coats to the door slab;a sixth set of machines to machine the door slab to receive a set of hinges and lockset hardware; andone or more conveyors interconnecting the machines to move the door slabs.

32. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, further comprising a seventh set of machines to cut large sheets of a lignocellulosic substrate, a wood, a wood composite, a medium density fiberboard or a combination thereof into a door panel.

33. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the first set of machines further trims the long edges of the door panels.

34. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein perimeter channel along the longitudinal sides of the first door panel and the second door panel extend to the spline.

35. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the specified design is different for successive door slabs moving through the line.

36. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein each door slab is customized to satisfy a purchase order.

37. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, further comprising an eighth set of machines to apply an intumescent coating to the splines.

38. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the second set of machines further inserts a data device into the door slab.

39. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 38, wherein the data device provides one or more instructions to control one or more of the machines.

40. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the second set of machines further inserts one or more protective layers between the first door panel and the second panel.

41. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 40, further comprising a ninth set of machines to apply an intumescent coating to the one or more protective layers.

42. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more primer coats include an intumescent material.

43. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more primer coats are applied with an electrostatic powder coating process.

44. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein the sixth set of machines further injects a chemical into one or more screw pilot holes to increase screw holding capacity or pull strength.

45. The manufacturing line as recited in claim 31, wherein all of the machines are automated or semi-automated.

46. A fire rated door comprising a first routable door panel attached to a second routable door panel using a fire resistant adhesive and wherein each door panel has two opposing longitudinal interior channels with each interior channel containing a spline.

47. The door as recited in claim 46, wherein each door panel has a fire resistant coating.