Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21 96253
,
IMPROVED RAISED PANEL DOOR
Backqround of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved
raised panel door.
Raised panel doors for internal use are
currently formed on a very large scale for use as doors
to internal rooms of dwelling houses, office suites,
wardrobes, and similar internal cupboard arrangements.
The doors are normally formed from either medium or high
density fibre-board. A large market exists for such
doors in view of the high quality which is achievable by
producing doors formed from two opposed pressed medium
density fibre-board sides or forms, interconnected by
spacing members and edge members. The doors can be
primed and painted to provide appropriate coloring, wood
texture, and shading.
The advantage of pressed doors is that
outwardly they appear to have formed elevated panels in
accordance with traditional paneled door construction,
which are far more time consuming and costly to make.
The market requirements are such that at times
it is desirable to have glass panels rather than solid
wood panels. The glass panels can either be transparent,
translucent, or mirrored. This requirement has pre-
viously been achieved after manufacture of the door
assembly by cutting out along the elevated edges of the
surrounding elevated outer edging "timbers" the relevant
depressed elongate timber-like areas of the door and the
included elevated panel or panels. Thereafter, in its
place, a framework or "cassette" of wood or plastic mate-
- rial is inserted to support glazed panels and to engage
within the aperture formed in the prefabricated door.
Typically, the cassette includes the
surrounding supports for the glazing panel to be
attached, for example, by adherence to the edges of the
door from which the recessed elongate parts and elevated
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panel or panels have been removed. Also glazing-bars may
be attached to the glazing and/or disposable above the
glazing to simulate smaller glazing pieces or panes. For
example, the glazing pieces or panes may provide the
appearance of 4, 6, 8, or 12 rectangular pane doors.
While such arrangements enable construction of
doors with glazed portions, the arrangement is neces-
sarily such that often the portion that surrounds the
glazed panels in particular, but also sometimes the sepa-
rating plastic glazing bars delineating the individualglazed panels, protrude above the plane of the elevated
parts of the door on each side thereof. This protrusion
has a disadvantage of not having an aesthetic appearance,
and also requires during the manufacture, storage, and
distribution of the doors costly additional temporary
spacing members to ensure that when stacking glazed doors
upon one another no detrimental or damaging contact
between parts of the doors occur.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example of such
a door 10 includes two pressed together fibre-board
panels 14a and 14b to define elevated portions 16 with
internal solid supports 18. Recessed portions 22a-22d
provide a timber-like appearance both horizontally and
vertically, and define four central elevated portions
20a-20d, respectively. The four central elevated por-
tions 20a-20d include respective internal solid supports
24a-24d. The overall appearance is a panelled door that
is producible in different panel types, such as 2, 4, or
6 panels. The recessed portions 22a-22d preferably have
a contoured finish to give the appearance of timber
beading holding the elevated portions 2Oa-2Od in place.
Referring to FIG. 3, the door of FIG. 1 may be
cut along the interior edges 27a-27d of the outer ele-
vated portion 16 in order to remove the recessed portions
22a-22d and elevated portions 20a-20d. A glass insert 29
is held in position within each cut away portion by
timber or UPVC glazing beads 32 protruding outwardly
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beyond the elevated portion 16. The glass insert 29 may
be 4mm thick toughened glass. Glazing bars 30 (one
shown) of UPVC are adhered to both sides of the glass
insert 29 to give the appearance of a multi-panned glass
panel.
What is desired, therefore, is a raised panel
door that is constructed so that the internal elevated
portions are readily removable in such a manner to
support inserts therein, such as glass.
Summary of the Present Invention
The present invention overcomes the
aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing,
in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
method of forming a door pressed from fiberboard opposing
door forms. The door forms are elevated surrounding the
perimeter and include timber-like elongate depressions
within the perimeter portions of the door. Within the
depressions are disposed elevated-panels. Each fiber-
board door form is processed to release the elevatedpanels along the elongate timber-like depressions there-
around. The facing two sets of door forms are pressed
together with spacers of a solid spacing nature, together
with edging spacers. The edges of the door form from
which the elevated panels are removed are provided with
plastic edging strips on the opposing edges of each side
of the door forms for support.
In accordance with another aspect of the
present invention, the door is pressed from fiberboard
opposing door forms to define elongate depressions of
timber-like appearance disposed around the door or parts
thereof within an elevated outer periphery portion of the
door. Each of the depressed elongate timber-like por-
tions surround a number of elevated door panels that are
removed. The facing set of door forms have spacers and
edging members, wherein the edges of the door forms from
which the elevated panels are removed have plastic edging
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strips disposed on the opposing edges of each face of the
door forms to support glazing therein.
In the preferred embodiment, the upper edge
member of the door may be provided with an appropriately
dimensioned slot to enable the glazing panel to be
inserted therethrough for subsequent engagement with the
plastic edging strips provided on the two sides and the
base of the edges Gf the removed elevated panels.
The plastic edging strips may be generally
concave, such as U-shaped, strips arranged to fit jointly
around the edges of the two half door forms cut edges to
support the glazing panel inserted from the upper edge of
the door. The strips may include cut edges at the
corners thereof to facilitate a push-in fit. Parts of
the base of the U-shaped strips may be cutaway, for
example, along the upper edge of the glazed panel, to
enable insertion of the pane of glass therethrough.
The extrusion of the U-shaped plastic strips
may incorporate a coextruded softer plastic portion at
the base of the U-shaped member within which the glazing
panel at its edges are disposed to provide a softer
resilient support. In addition, tongues of softer
plastic material may be arranged to protrude from the
sidewalls of the U-shaped member to provide additionally
resilient support for both sides of the glazing panel.
In an alternative arrangement, the plastic
edging strips may include separate resilient elongate
plastic glazing clips, each of which is attached to
opposing edges of the depressed portions of the panel
to be glazed. These resilient clips may incorporate
inwardly extending fingers to grip firmly, but resil-
iently, the glazing panel to be inserted, and configured
to cover the edge of each opposed fiberboard panel so as
to engage firmly around the edge and within the wall of
each form.
An appropriate mouth recession may be provided
along the length of each of the clips (disposed in use
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within each form) to receive the edges of a locating
cross-piece strip down the sides and along the lower edge
of the opening within the door on opposite parts of the
door members. This limits the movement of the glass
panel vertically and horizontally when inserted from an
overhead opening slot in the upper edge of the door.
While the plastic elongate glazing clips are
configured to provide movement of the glass panel
therein, subject to the restraining effect of the
inwardly protruding fingers and the cross-piece strip
connected therebetween, the dimensions of the glazing
bars may be such as to conform tightly and accurately to
the glazed opening movement of the glass.
In another alternative, the clips may differ
slightly, with one clip having a recess along its length
and the other clip (where movement within the door is to
be prevented) incorporating a matching protrusion. This
replaces the need for the cross-piece strip.
It will be appreciated -that the glass panel may
have applied to it the usual plastic glazing bars secured
to the surface of the glass on each side to provide sepa-
ration of the glazing into a plurality of separate small
rectangular or other shaped portions. Where glazing
clips are used, the glazing may be either carried out
prior to actual formation of the door or at the same time
with an appropriate jig.
The edge strips for each glass panel may be
separate for each edge of the aperture or a single strip,
both of which are appropriately notched for the four
corners of the aperture.
The door may incorporate two fiberboard door
forms with the necessary solid and card separation.
Appropriate neck formations around the inner edges of the
depressed elongate portions surrounding the raised door
panels are provided, suitable to be "punched out" during
the formation of the door. The door may be provided with
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glazed panel edging strips and glazing therein at levels
below the elevated edge portions of the door.
The foregoing and other objectives, features,
and advantages of the invention will be more readily
understood upon consideration of the following detailed
description of the invention, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a known
raised panel door.
FIG. 2 is a breakaway sectional view taken
along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a breakaway sectional view of a form
of glazing applied to the door of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a glazed
door suitable for use with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5
of FIG. 4 showing the shape of a portion of the door and
a notch.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of one form of
resilient plastic glazing edging strip suitable for use
with the door of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7
of FIG. 4 detailing the placement of the edging strip
shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an alternative
plastic edging strip or clip suitable for use with the
- door of FIG. 4.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a door detailing
the placement of the alternative plastic edging strip or
clip shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a breakaway pictorial view of the
upper portion of a door of the present invention
detailing a slot.
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FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a further
alternative plastic edging strip or clip suitable for use
with the door of FIG. 4.
FIG. 12 is a breakaway sectional view of the
door of FIG. 4 detailing the placement of the plastic
edging strip shown in FIG. 11.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
The prior art door described above may be
modified by removing at least a portion of the recessed
portions 22a-22d and elevated portions 20a-20d, as
described in relation to FIG. 3. The glass 29 is
inserted through a slot 68 at the upper end of the door
(FIG. 10). A plurality of glazing bars 30 are adhesively
attached to both sides of the glass 29 to separate the
glazing into a plurality of glazed portions 44.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a door, such as the
one shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is pressed together with
recessed portions 40 between the elevated portions 16 and
20a-20d. Each of the recessed portions 40 defines a neck
42 at its lowest portion. The door preferably is con-
structed from medium density fiberboard. After pressing
the door together, the neck 42 can be "punched" from the
panels 14a and 14b to permit removal of respective inner
portions. In other words, the notch 42 provides a weak-
ened portion around the circumference of the respective
portion 20a-20d that is easily broken apart from the
remainder of the door so that the broken away portions
20a-20d can be readily removed. Other types of weakened
portions may likewise be used.
The notch 42 enables the production from a pair
of forms, of the general configuration shown in FIG. 2,
to enable the provision of a glazed panel 29 as illus-
trated, for example, in FIGS. 7 and 9. The glazed panel
may also be a wood panel. It will be appreciated that in
different embodiments of the invention, only some panels
of a door may be removed to leave some solid door panels
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in the finished door with only some panels of the door
replaced by glazing in accordance with the invention.
After removal of the internal panels of the
door by breaking the notch 42, the door may then be
passed though its necessary forming stages with internal
solid supports 18 around the elevated portions 16, and
wherever else is required, together with supporting
transverse strips of card or corrugated card (not shown)
elsewhere in the door.
Referring to FIG. 10, as part of the forming
process the door is provided with edge members 54 adhered
to the door. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in one embodi-
ment of the present invention, a resilient plastic strip
60 may be applied around the edges of the two side parts
62, 64 and the lower ledge of the panel door (panels 14a
and 14b). At the upper edge of the opening, the base of
the strip is cut away, and appropriately sized glass 29
is inserted from the slot 68 in the top surface edge
member 54 of the door such that it engages upon softer
resilient plastic material 70 at the base of the lower
plastic edging strip 60, and is held by inwardly
protruding strips 72 of soft plastic material.
Artificial glazing bars may then be added to
the glass panel to provide sub-division of the glass
panel into desirable rectangular portions, which firmly
locate the glass in place.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, an alternative
arrangement is illustrated that includes separate resil-
ient plastic clips 78 and 79, one being the mirror image
of the other when inserted or simply turned 180 degrees.
The resilient plastic clips 78 and 79 are located around
each of the two edges of the depressed portions 74 and 76
of the door side forms 81, 83, each of these conforming
internally to the configuration and dimensions of the
relevant door sides as it reduces from the outer exten-
sion to the inner depression of the pressed door panel.
End portions 84 and clipping portions 86 fit over the
2 1 96253
edges of the depressed portions 74 and 76 for firm loca-
tion of the individual strips within their respective
door panel portions.
It will be observed that inwardly of the two
door sides the strip is provided with two glass engaging
inwardly protruding fingers 87 and there is provided an
elongate recessed tongue 88 adapted to receive one side
of a locating cross-piece strip 90 which is arranged to
close the space within which the glazing panel may fit
and hold it securely therein.
With the arrangement as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9
it is possible to apply the clips 78 and 79, the cross-
piece strip 90, the glass plane 29, and by using appro-
priate jigging, the glazing bars, all before bonding the
door forms together.
Referring to FIG. 9, the glazing panel 29 fits
closely within the two resilient plastic clips 78 and 79
being held by the two inwardly extending tongues 88 of
each of the clips thereof, and is located to prevent
longitudinal movement of the glazing panel 29 further
into the body of the door by means of the strip 90 which
locates within the elongate tongues 88 of the plastic
clips 78 and 79. In case of breakage of the glass it may
be removed and a new one provided by the slot 68 in the
upper surface of the assembled door (FIG. lO).
Glazing bars, as mentioned above, if not
already fitted, can be added to both sides of the glazing
panel 29 to subdivide it into appropriately shaped and
dimension rectangular glazing portions.
Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 a further
alternative embodiment illustrates glazing strips 96 and
98 similar to those shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, which obviate
the need for the cross-piece strip 90.
The lower part of the clips 96 an 98 have an
elongate recess 97 and a matching elongate protrusion 99.
Referring to FIG. 12, these features prevent movement of
the glass 29 within the door. Where such movement is not
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to be prevented, such as the elongate upper edge of the
glazing panel, both sides of the edge may be provided
with clips 96.
It will be apparent that the invention has
enabled the preparation of a glazed door formed by oppos-
ing pressed medium density fiberboard panels which can be
prepared for and even provided with glazing during its
formation. Complete with the insertion of edge support-
ing resilient plastic strips thereof and a glazing panel
which only thereafter requires the addition of glazing
bars to separate the panel into the market required
rectangular portions considered so appropriate for such
glazing doors.
The terms and expressions which have been
employed in the foregoing specification are used therein
as terms of description and not of limitation, and there
is no intention, in the use of such terms and expres-
sions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and
described or portions thereof, it being recognized that
the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by
the claims which follow.
