Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: WOOD DOOR
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a wood door, more particularly
to a wood door formed from a plurality of frame members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a conventional wood door
is shown to include two stiles 11, three rails 12
extending between and j oined to the stiles 11, two vertical
10 bars 13 extending between and joined to the corresponding
rails 12, and a plurality of decorative panels 14 disposed
among the stiles 11, the rails 12, and the vertical bars
13. A first joint surface 111 is provided on a
longitudinally extending surface of each of the stiles
11, whereas second joint surfaces 121 are provided
respectively on opposite end faces of each rail 12. First
and second holes 112, 122 are respectively formed in the
stiles 11 and the rails 12 to open at the first and second
joint surfaces 111, 121, respectively. When assembling
the stile 11 to the rail 12, glue is applied to the first
and second joint surfaces 111, 121, and connecting pins
15 are extended into the corresponding first and second
holes 112, 122 in the stile 11 and the rail 12. By applying
a proper force to both the stile 11 and the rail 12, the
stile 11 and rail 12 can be coupled together. However,
the conventional wood door 10 has a major setback. For
enhanced appearance, the wood grain in the stiles 11 and
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the rails 12 generally runs along the length thereof,
i.e., the stiles 11 and the rails 12 are formed from wood
that is cut lengthwise from the trunk of a tree. As the
second joint surface 122 provided on the end face of the
rail 12 extends crosswise with respect to the wood grain
of the rail 12, the adhesive bonding of the second joint
surface 122 to the first joint surface 111 is affected
adversely by numerous pores 123 distributed in the second
joint surface 122. After a period of use, seams between
the first and second joint surfaces ill, 121 will widen
to result in creaking of the wood door 10.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to
provide a wood door formed from interconnected frame
members that can be joined together firmly and that has
a nice appearance.
Accordingly, a wood door of this invention includes
a decorative panel unit, and a frame embracing the
decorative panel unit. The frame includes at least two
interconnected frame members that are transverse to each
other. Each of the frame members is formed as a wood
composite that includes two longitudinal components, at
least one transverse component connected between the
longitudinal components, and two face plates
respectively covering two opposite sides of each of the
longitudinal and transverse components. The frame
further includes at least one first j oint surface provided
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on one of the longitudinal components of at least one
of the frame members, and at least one second joint surface
provided on the longitudinal and transverse components
of the other one of the frame members. The first and
second joint surfaces are joined to each other. The
transverse component of the other one of the frame members
has a wood grain extending in a direction transverse to
that of the longitudinal components of the other one of
the frame members. The second joint surface extends
substantially along the direction. The one of the
longitudinal components of the one of the frame members
extends substantially in the direction, and has a wood
grain extending in the direction. The first joint surface
extends substantially along the direction. Each of the
face plates has a wood grain extending in a longitudinal
direction of the longitudinal components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Otherfeatures and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent in the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment with reference
to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a
conventional wood door;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of an end of a rail of
the conventional wood door, showing a multiplicity of
pores in a joint surface at an end face of the rail;
Figure3 is aperspectiveviewof apreferredembodiment
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of a wood door according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view
of a frame member of the preferred embodiment, which is
configured to serve as a top or bottom rail;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view
of another frame member of the preferred embodiment, which
is configured to serve as a stile;
Figure 6 is a sectional viewof the preferredembodiment
to illustrate the two frame members connected to each
other;
Figure 7 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view
of a frame member of the preferred embodiment, which is
configured to serve as a vertical bar; and
Figure 8 is a sectional viewof the preferred embodiment
to illustrate the frame member of Figure 7 connected to
another frame member that is configured to serve as an
intermediate rail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Before the present invention is described in greater
detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted
by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to Figure 3, the preferred embodiment of
a wood door 20 according to the present invention is shown
to include a four-sided frame 200 which embraces a
decorative panel unit including four decorative panels
21. The frame 200 includes a plurality of frame members
30, 40, 70, 80 each formed as a wood composite. While
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the frame 200 has all of its frame members 30, 40, 70,
80 formed as wood composites in this embodiment, at least
two interconnected frame members 30, 40, 70, 80 may be
formed as wood composites according to the present
5 invention.
Referring to Figure 4, the wood composite of each frame
member 30 includes two longitudinal components 31, 32
extending in a horizontal direction (I) , two transverse
components 33 which are connected between the
longitudinal components 31, 32, and two face plates 36
respectively covering two opposite sides of each of the
longitudinal and transverse components 31, 32, 33. A
filler 34 is disposed between the transverse components
33, between the longitudinal components 31, 32, and
between the face plates 36. In this embodiment, the frame
member 30 is a top or bottom rail, and each transverse
component 33 has a wood grain (G) extending in a vertical
direction (II) which is transverse to that of the
longitudinal components 31 32. Furthermore, the
longitudinal component 31 has a panel engaging groove
313 formed therein for engaging a corresponding one of
the decorative panels 21. For enhanced appearance, the
face plates 36 have a wood grain extending in a
longitudinal direction of the longitudinal components
31, 32, i.e., in the horizontal direction (I).
Referring to Figure 5, the wood composite of each frame
member 40 includes two longitudinal components 41, 42,
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two transverse components 43 which are connected between
the longitudinal components 41, 42, and two face plates
46 respectively covering two opposite sides of each of
the longitudinal and transverse components 41, 42, 43.
A f iller 44 is disposed between the transverse components
43, between the longitudinal components 41, 42, and
between the face plates 46. In this embodiment, the frame
member 40 is a stile, and the longitudinal components
41, 42 have a wood grain (G) extending substantially in
the vertical direction (II). Likewise, for enhanced
appearance, the face plates 46 have a wood grain extending
in a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal
components 41, 42, i.e., in the vertical direction (II) .
A first joint surface 411 is provided on the
longitudinal component 41 of the frame member 40, and
extends substantially from top to bottom of the
longitudinal component 41 in the vertical direction (II)
in the direction of the wood grain (G) . There are two
second joint surfaces 37 on two opposite ends of the frame
member 30, as best shown in Figure 4. Each second joint
surface 37 is provided on one of two opposite ends of
each of the longitudinal components 31, 32, and one of
two opposite ends of each of the transverse components
33 of the frame member 30, and extends substantially in
the vertical direction (II), i.e., in the direction of
the wood grain (G).
Furthermore, two first holes 47 are formed in the
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longitudinal component 41 of the frame member 40, and
open at the first joint surface 411, as best shown in
Figure 5. Two second holes 38 are formed in each end
of the transverse component 33 of the frame member 30,
and open at the corresponding second joint surface 37,
as best shown in Figure 4. Two connecting pins 60 are
each inserted into one of the first holes 47 and one of
the second holes 38, as best shown in Figure 6.
In this embodiment, each second joint surface 37 has
tongues 371 (see Figure 4) projecting from the
corresponding transverse component 3 3 of the frame member
30. The first joint surface 411 has a groove 412 (see
Figure 5) formed in the longitudinal component 41 of the
frame member 40 to interlock with the tongues 371. Each
of the second holes 38 extends through the tongue 371.
It is noted that the tongue 371 and the groove 412 can
be interchangeably provided on the f irst and second joint
surfaces 411, 37.
Each filler 34, 44 includes a composite material that
contains a binder and wood f ibers for reducing fabrication
costs. It is noted that, except the fillers 34, 44, the
longitudinal and transverse components 31, 32, 33, 41,
42, 43, as well as the face plates 36, 46, of the frame
members 30, 40 are all made from solid wood.
To join the frame members 30, 40, glue 50 is applied
to the second joint surface 37 on the frame member 30,
and one end of each of the connecting pins 60 is inserted
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into the corresponding first hole 38. Then, the frame
member 40 is moved toward the frame member 30 such that
the other ends of the connecting pins 60 fit into the
holes 47 and such that the groove 412 engages the tongues
371. By applying a force to the frame members 30, 40,
the frame members 30, 40 can be joined together firmly,
as best shown in Figure 6. It is noted that since the
second joint surface 37 extends in the direction of the
wood grain (G) , as is the first joint surface 411, the
joining effect of the frame members 30, 40 canbe enhanced.
Referring to Figures 7 and 8, like the frame members
30, 40, the frame member 70 includes two longitudinal
components 71, 72, two transverse components 73, two face
plates 76, and a filler 74. A pair of the second joint
surfaces 77, which are the same as the second joint
surfaces 37, are formed on the frame member 70 . The second
holes 78 open at each second j oint surface 77. Furthermore,
each of the longitudinal components 71, 72 of the frame
member 70 is provided with the panel engaging groove 713,
723 for engaging the decorative panels 21 (see Figure
3) to the left and right sides of the frame member 70.
The frame member 80 also includes two longitudinal
component s 8 1, 8 2, two t ransverse component s 8 3, twoface
plates 86 (see Figure 3) , and a filler 84. Two first joint
surfaces 811 which are the same as the first joint surface
411 are provided on an intermediate part of the frame
member 80. Further, two second joint surfaces 87 which
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are the same as the second joint surfaces 37 are provided
on the frame member 80. Second holes 88 open at the second
joint surfaces 87, whereas first holes 814 open at the
first joint surfaces 811. In addition, each of the
longitudinal components 81, 82 has a panelengaging groove
813, 823 for engaging the decorative panels 21 (see Figure
3) adjacent thereto.
Referring once again to Figure 8, one of the second
joint surfaces 77 on the frame member 70 is joined to
one of the first joint surfaces 811 on the frame member
80. Connecting pins 60 are inserted into the first and
second holes 814, 78. Referring again to Figures 3 and
8, the other second joint surface 77 is to be joined to
an intermediate part of the top frame member 30. The
two second joint surfaces 87 are to be joined to
intermediate parts of two frame members 40.
In sum, since the first and second joint surfaces 411,
811, 37, 77, 87 extend in the directions of the wood grains
(G) , the joints among the frame members 30, 40, 70 and
80 of the wood door 20 are more robust compared with the
conventional wood door 10. Besides, as the face plates
3 6, 86 of the f rame members 3 0, 8 0 are conf igured to have
horizontally extending wood grains, whereas the face
plates 46, 76 of the frame members 40, 70 are configured
to have vertically extending wood grains, the appearance
of the wood door 20 is comparable to that of the
conventional wood door 10 which is entirely made from
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solid wood.
While the present invention has been described in
connection with what is considered the most practical
and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this
invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but
is intended to covervarious arrangementsincluded within
the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so
as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent
arrangements.
