US3426482A - Door or related structure - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1969 D. E. MOCK 3,426,482

DOOR OR RELATED STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 10, 1968 Sheet 012 v I 5 54' 40 Ma 36 4a 1 32 54 22 44 2 45 v w\\\s w I 40 M/VEA/TOR 42 DONALD E MOCK 4 BY Z0 26 Z EDWARD D. O'BR/AA/ A TTOE/VEV Feb. 11, 1969 MQCK I 3,426,482

noon OR RELATED STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 10, 1968 Sheet 2 of 2 FIG. 2

IN l/EA/ 70R DONALD E. MOCK EDWARD D. OER/AN AWOE/VE) United States Patent 3,426,482 DUOR OR RELATED STRUCTURE Donald E. Mock, Covina, Calif., assignor to Anjac Plastics, Inc., El Monte, Calif. Filed Jan. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 696,879 US. Cl. 49--501 Int. Cl. E0670 3/00, 3/72 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention Traditionally doors and related structures have been formed so as to be relatively heavy in character. Frequently they have been constructed so as to be solid structures out of wood, metal and the like. More recently it has been conventional to form doors and various similar structures by using an edge frame and attaching this frame to whatever internal bracing may be required and then laminating or otherwise attaching exposed door surfaces to the frame. While structures of these and various other related categories are unquestionably satisfactory for many applications, they nevertheless are disadvantageous for others.

As an example of this in the recreational vehicle and aircraft industries weight is a matter of primary importance. Conventional door or related structures tend to be undesirably heavy for such uses. In these industries it is considered desirable and/or necessary to lower the weight of various items used to as great a degree as is reasonably possible. However, in so doing care must be taken so as not to detrimentally affect the performance and/ or utility of an item. Thus, for example, a door or related structure for use in industries such as are indicated should be as light in weight as is reasonably possible, yet should be structurally sufiiciently strong so as to function satisfactorily in the intended manner.

A door or similar structure for use in the recreational vehicle industry, in aircraft or in other related applications should not only be light in weight. Doors and similar structures for use in these fields should be capable, of being easily and conveniently manufactured with less difliculty and at a lower cost than various conventional door structures as indicated in the preceding. Further they should be of such a character as to present a neat, functional, yet attractive appearance. In the past it is considered that it has been difficult if not impossible to combine all of these desirable features or characteristics into a single door or related structure of a conventional type.

Summary of the invention An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved doors and related structures which overcome various disadvantages and limitations of more conventional related structures such as are briefly indicated in the preceding. Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved doors and related structures which are comparatively light in weight, which may be easily and conveniently constructed at a comparatively nominal cost, and which are capable of satisfactorily performing their intended functions. A further, but closely ice relative objective of this invention is to provide door and related structures which lend themselves to easy and con venient factory manufacture using pre-finished panels.

-In accordance with this invention these and other related objectives of this invention are achieved by using structural members, each of which has a back wall, two outer walls attached to the edges of the back wall so as to extend from one side thereof in such a manner as to converge towards one another and positioning means located on the back wall between the outer walls. Structural members of this type are used so as to frame a door in order to hold panels such. as pre-finished panels between the outer walls and the positioning means. Because of the construction of the outer Walls and the manner in which they converge the panels used are firmly and resiliently held so that the entire door or related structure created is structurally adequate for an intended use, and yet presents a very neat appearance while retaining a comparatively light weight.

Description of the drawings The actual details of this invention are best explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a presently preferred embodiment or form of a door of this invention in use on a cabinet;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of a structural member of this invention employed in the door in FIG. 1 showing the cross-sectional configuration of this member;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a corner structural angle used with the structural member shown in FIG. 3 in creating a door such as is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of another embodiment. or form of a door of this invention;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a corner structural angle used in creating a door such as is shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a further embodiment or form of a door of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a corner structural angle used in creating a door such as is shown in FIG. 7.

Description of the preferred embodiment In FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown a conventional cabinet 10 employing a door 12 of the present invention. This door utilizes four identically formed structural members 14 connected together by means of structural angles 16 as are shown in FIG. 4. One of the structural members 14 is attached to the cabinet 10 through the use of conventional hinges 18. These structural members 14 are used so as to hold panels 20 of a fiat configuration. One of the advantages of this invention lies in the fact that these panels 20 may be pre-finished so as to have any desired type of appearance or configuration at the time they are manufactured prior to their assembly into the door 12..

The nature of the structural member 14 is considered a matter of primary importance with respect to this invention. Preferably the structural members 14 are formed by known extrusion techniques out of a somewhat stiff, yet somewhat resilient polymer material such as rigid polyvinyl chloride or ABS or the like. As formed each of these structural members 14 has a generally flat back wall 22 having side edges 24. From each of these side edges 24 there extend on the same side of the wall 22 two outer walls 26 which gradually converge towards one another. If desired these walls 26 may have tapered ends 28 primarily for .appearance type purposes.

Between the walls 26 inner walls 30 extend from the back wall 22 so as to be perpendicular to these back walls.

These inner walls 30 preferably have grooved surfaces 31 and terminate in curved lips 32 extending towards one another. In the structural members 14 the inner walls 30 are prevented from leaning or deforming towards one another by a spacer wall 34 attached to the inner walls 30 adjacent to the lips 32 in such a manner so as to extend between the inner walls 30 parallel to the back wall 22 so as to define an elongated cavity 36. This assembly of the walls 30 and 34 can be considered a positioning means because of its function as hereinafter explained. U-shaped channels 38 are in effect defined by the outer walls 26, the back wall 22 and the inner walls 39. Because of the structure described these channels are larger at their bases along the back wall 22 than at their open ends between the edges 24 and the curved lips 32.

The structural members 14 preferably also include a trim lip 40 which is integral with the back wall 22 on the side thereof remote from the walls 26 and 30. The particular trim lip 40 shown has a curved normally exposed wall 42 leading to an abutting wall 44 which extends roughly perpendicular to the back wall 22. This abutting wall 44 preferably is provided with an offset 46 adjacent to the back wall 22 so that only a small area of the abutting wall 44 will touch and contact the cabinet around the complete door 12 and a retainer bead 45. This lip 40 in effect defines an enclosed channel.

The structural angles 16 used with the door 12 in order to connect the structural members 14 are shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. These angles 16 may conveniently be made of metal or other rigid material and are attaching members. Each of these angles 16 has two elongated back legs or walls 48, adjacent edges 49 of which are joined at a right angle.

In assembling the door 12 the ends of the structural members 14- are mitred in the conventional manner. Next all except one of the structural members 14 in the door 12 may be connected by inserting angles 16 within the interiors of the lips 40 of these structural members 14 so that the back walls 48 fit closely against the walls 44 adjacent the walls 22 and so that the walls 52 lie against the walls 22 so as to resiliently and rigidly engage these walls and hold the structural members 14 at a right angle with respect to one another. If desired a conventional adhesive may be applied to the surfaces of the angles 16 which contact these walls so as to seemly hold them in place.

Then the panels 20 may be slipped into place within the channels 38 by causing a slight deformation of the outer walls 26. The curved lips 32 are considered to facilitate this operation. As a result of this deformation the outer walls '26 will firmly and resiliently engage the panels 20 so as to create a unitary structure. If desired, a small quantity of adhesive may be inserted in the channels so as to hold the panels 20 in place even more securely. If an adhesive is used here the grooves 31 aid in achieving the intended holding action. If the adhesive will only bond to the panels 20 because of the material used in the members 1 4 such adhesive will tend to form a mechanical interlock with the grooves 31. Then after these operations are completed the remaining structural members 14 will be attached using two more of the structural angles 16 in the general manner indicated.

As a result of this sequence of operations it is possible to create a structural door such as the door 12 in which the structural members 14 serve .as a frame, this door having sufiicient rigidity and structural strength for normal satisfactory use in vehicles such as trailers, campers, aircraft or the like. In such uses a door such as the door 12 is considered to be particularly advantageous because of its light weight. Such doors are also particularly desirable inasmuch as they can be easily and conveniently assembled using pre-finished panels as the panels 20 so as to have any desired decor or appearance.

One item of particular significance with respect to the door 12 is the manner in which. the Structural angles 16 are used. It is possible to connect the structural members 14 by using structural angles corresponding to the angle 16 which fit within the cavity 36. Structures of this type are utilitarian in nature. However, with them there may be a problem in getting the end edges of the mitred corners to fit closely enough so as to have a desired appearance. With the door 12 this difficulty is eliminated because the structural angles 16 are located as closely adjacent to the extreme ends of the mitred corners as is conveniently possible and are tightly held in place by fitting against adjacent parts. It is considered significant that structural angles such as the angles 16 located in this location adequately connect the structural members 14 so that the ends of the mitred corners of these members are adequately held in order to accomplish applicants purposes.

In FIG. 5 of the drawing there is shown a modified door 50 of the present invention. This door 50 uses parts which are identical to parts of the door 12 previously described. For this reason various parts of the door 50 which are the same as parts of the door 12 are not separately identified herein, and when necessary for descriptive and illustrative purposes are described by the primes of the numerals previously used.

In the door 50 the structural angles 16 are replaced by much simpler structural angles 52 each consisting of a bent piece of metal having pointed legs 54 joined together at a right angle. These structural angles 52 are designed to be used in the same manner as the structural angles 16. When employed they fit against the beads 45 so as to abut against the back walls 22 and the abutting walls 44. Preferably the structural angles 52 are dimensioned so as to fit tightly within these locations. The structural angles 52 are not considered to be as satisfactory as the structural angles 16 since because of the nature of their construction they cannot resiliently engage the parts contacted by them so as to achieve a resilient holding action.

In FIG. 7 of the drawing there is shown a modified door 60 of the present invention. This door 60 also uses parts which are identical to parts of the door 12 previously described. In the interest of brevity the various parts of the door 60 which are the same as parts of the door 12 are not separately described or identified herein. When necessary for descriptive and/or illustrative purposes these parts which are the same are indicated by the double primes of the numerals previously used.

In the door 60 the structure angles 16 are replaced by different structural angles 62, each consisting of a fiat metal base 64 in an L-like shape having legs 65 equal length. The outer edges of this base 64 carry a turned up lip 66 having a rounded corner 78. The inner edges of this base 64 carry right angle walls 70 which preferably are provided with sloping ends 72. A sloping corner 74 may be provided at each of the ends of the base 64.

The structure of this structural angle 62 is designed so that an angle 62 may be inserted in a structural number 14" as shown in FIG. 7 with the base 64 fitting against the wall 44" and with the lip 66 reaching up so as to engage in a press fit manner the wall 42". In this position a wall 70 fits against the back wall 22 so as to extend between the walls 42 and 44- in a press fit type of engagement, firmly holding the angle member 62 in place. The sloping end 72 and the corner 74 aid in the insertion of the angle member 62 in the desired position.

It will be realized that the doors 12, 50 and 60 can be classified as structurally stable members resistant to sagging and the like by virtue of the manner in which panels are held within them. This makes the structures described sufficiently strong to be used as doors or the like for structural purposes even when comparatively thin and weak panels are employed. Although it is not considered desirable or necessary for specialized purposes it is possible to fill the space between the panels 20 in the doors 12 and 50 with a nonstructural insulating or sound absorbing material.

I claim:

1. A door structure which comprises:

a plurality of structural members;

each of said structural members including a back wall panel holding means located on one side of said back wall so as to extend outwardly therefrom and trim means located on the other side of said back wall so as to extend outwardly therefrom;

each of said structural members having mitered ends;

each of said trim means including an abutting wall exa back wall having opposite sides and longitudinal side edges;

panel holding means attached to one of said sides so as to extend therefrom;

said panel holding means including two outer walls attached to the side edges of said back wall so as to extend therefrom;

said outer walls converging towards one another prior to the use of said structural members and being capable of being deflected outwardly by contact with tending perpendicular to said back wall and other 10 the panel means during the use of said structural wall means extending from the extremity of said abutmember;

tin-g wall to said back wall, said abutting wall and positioning means carried on said back wall between said other wall means defining a hollow section besaid outer walls;

tween the longitudinal edges of Said back Wall; said positioning means including two inner walls spaced said structural members being located with respect to from said outer walls and from one another and one another in a position defining a frame so that the extending away from said back wall and a spacer mitered ends of said structural members fit against all extending between said inner walls;

one another with the hollow interiors of said trim said positioning means including curved lips forming means being in communication with one another and extensions of said inner walls on the extremities of with said panel holding means being adjacent to one said inner walls remote from said back wall;

another; said lips being curved towards one another so as to rigid structural angle means located at the adjacent be adapted to facilitate the introduction of panel ends of said structural members, each of said angl means between said inner walls and said outer walls;

means having two leg means, each of said leg means hollow trim means attached to the other of said sides extending into the hollow interior of one of said trim of said back wall adjacent one edge thereof so as means so as to fit against the interior thereof, said to extend therefrom;

structural angle means holding said structural memsaid hollow trim means having an interior shaped so bers in position with respect to one another; as to receive and hold a rigid member used in joinretainer means formed integrally with each of said trim 3O ing two adjacent of said structural members together means within the interior thereof, said retainer means at a right angle;

engaging said structural means so as to position said said trim means including an abutting wall extending structural angle means within said hollow trim means; per endi ularly to aid back wall and other wall and means extending from the extremity of said abutting panel means held by said panel h g means n each wall to said back wall, said abutting wall and said of said structural members so as to extend across the ther wall mean defining a hollow section between interior of the frame defined by said structural memthe longitudinal edges of said back wall.

bers. 4. A structural member as claimed in claim 3 wherein: 2. A door structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said abutting wall is provided with an offset adjacent each of said panel holding means comprises: to said back wall, said offset providing a portion of two outer walls attached to edges of said back walls aid abutting all remot fro said ba k w ll exso as to extend therefrom; tending outwardly from the remainder of said abutpositioning means carried on said back Wall between ting wall.

said outer walls; References Cited said positioning means and said outer walls defining UNITED STATES PATENTS continuous spaced channels opening away from said back Wall; 2,776,735 1/1957 Bancroft 2.87189.36 said outer walls prior to the assembly of said door 2,909,814 10/1959 Schwartz 52309 structure converged towards one another; 0 3,363,390 1/ 1968 Crane et al 52-627 said positioning means have curved lips extending out- 0 wardly therefrom, said lips being adapted to facili- FOREIGN PATENTS tate the introduction of said panel means into said 606,418 10/1960 Canadachannels, said panel means deforming said outer wall 1,371,645 7/ 1964 Francemeans outwardly upon the introduction of said panel means into said channels; and 55 KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner.

said panel means comprising a panel in each of said continuous spaced channels.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

3. A structural member for use in forming a door 49-401; 52616, 627, 656 structure, which structural member comprises:

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