Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DOOR ASSEMBLY SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a modular or knock-down door assembly system,
comprising a plurality of modules forming a frame (stiles and rails) when
assembled and
one or more removable, and/or exchangeable panel. The invention relates to the
modules forming the frame and to kits comprising them along with instructions
for their
assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Doors come in all sizes and shapes. Most doors are generally one piece-doors,
or permanently fixed multipart doors, for example, frame and panel
construction type
doors (e.g. five piece doors) having the stiles and rails forming the frame
permanently
glued together.
Doors form part of the decor in which they are inserted and can be used as
decoration items as well. If one would change the environment surrounding the
door,
one would want to adapt the door to the new decoration style.
However, common doors do not allow for much variability. One piece doors may
only be painted or changed completely. Panels of common multipart doors cannot
be
removed without damaging the door as the stiles and rails forming the frame
holding the
panels are permanently fixed together. The only solution available is to
completely
replace the doors to adapt to the new decor, which requires considerable
expenses,
especially if the redecorated room contains several doors, such as hallways,
opened
main floors, corridors, or doors of kitchen cabinets. As such, there is a need
for a more
versatile, but yet sturdy, door assembly system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention provides a versatile, interchangeable, modular
door
assembly system in a "frame and panel" construction mode. The system comprises
a
plurality of modules, which when assembled, form a frame (stiles and rails of
a door, or a
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frame for a mirror, picture, etc), each module comprising means for connecting
each end
in a male-female configuration in a perpendicular fashion.
The invention provides a door assembly system comprising a plurality of
modules
adapted for assembly to form a frame of a "frame and panel" type of door, each
module
comprising a first and second end, each of which comprising one or more
complementary tongues and grooves for removably connecting each module to form
the
frame; and an interior and exterior edge, the interior edge having a groove
along its
longitudinal axis for slidably introducing one or more panels between the
modules when
assembled.
In one embodiment, the door assembly has a first and second modules, the first
module comprising two stiles and a rail, and the second module comprising a
second rail,
or a first module comprising two rails and a stile, and the second module
comprising a
second stile.
In another embodiment, the door assembly system comprises a first, second,
third and fourth modules. In this embodiment, the first and second modules are
each
adapted for perpendicular assembly to the third and fourth modules, with the
first and
second modules being parallel and facing each other, and the third and fourth
modules
being parallel and facing each other. The first and second modules may each
comprise
at each end a first and second tongues, and a groove, the first and second
tongues
being separated by the groove and pointing away from the modules along a
longitudinal
axis, preferably, the first tongue is the continuity of the exterior edge of
the module, and
the second tongue is the continuity of the interior edge of the module, and
preferably the
first and second tongues, taken together with the groove form an asymmetrical
square
U-shape. In a further embodiment, the first and second modules are
respectively hinge
and lock stiles, and third and fourth modules are respectively top and bottom
rails of the
door. In another embodiment, the first and second modules are respectively the
top and
bottom rail, and the third and fourth modules are respectively the hinge and
lock stiles of
the door. In another embodiment, the third and fourth modules are identical.
In yet
another embodiment, the third and fourth modules are different in size, shape
and/or
material from each other.
In a further embodiment, the third and fourth modules each comprise at each
end
a tongue and a groove, the tongue pointing perpendicularly from the modules,
preferably
the tongue being complementary to the groove of the first and second modules,
and
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wherein the groove of the third and fourth modules is complementary to the
second
tongue of the first and second modules.
In a further embodiment, the modules further comprise means for removably
fixing the first module to the second module through the third and fourth
modules. In one
embodiment, the fixing means include apertures going through the first tongue
of each
end of the first module, apertures going through the third and fourth modules
along their
longitudinal axis, apertures going through, completely or not, the first
tongue of the
second module, and rods, screws, bolts or another releasable locking mechanism
for
assembly through said apertures, preferably the first and second modules
comprise two
of these apertures at each end and the third and fourth modules each comprise
two
apertures, where the apertures of the third and fourth modules respectively,
are aligned
with the apertures of the first and second modules when assembled.
In another embodiment, the fixing means include apertures going through the
first tongue of each end of the first and second modules, apertures at each
end of each
of the third and fourth modules along their longitudinal axis, and rods,
screws or bolts,
for assembly through said apertures at each end of the third and fourth
modules,
preferably the first and second modules comprise two of these apertures on
first tongue,
and the third and fourth modules each comprise two apertures and each end,
where the
apertures of the third and fourth modules respectively, are aligned with the
apertures of
the first and second modules for assembly.
In one example, the door assembly system further comprises decorative covers
for hiding the apertures (e.g., for inserting in the apertures) when these
apertures go
completely through the first tongue to the exterior edge of the second module.
The door assembly system as described above may be sold separately from the
panels to be inserted in, or the assembly system may comprise one or more
panels. In
one embodiment, the assembly system comprises one panel. In another
embodiment,
the assembly system comprises two or more panels.
The door assembly system of the invention may also comprise, in the first and
second modules, means for removably fixing one or more separator panels (e.g.
cross
or lock rails) between the first and second modules. In another embodiment,
the door
assembly system further comprises at least one separator panel for slidably
mounting
between the modules, and between two panels. In one embodiment, these
separator
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panel fixing means comprise apertures going through the first module and the
second
module along an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, and rods for
assembly of a
separator through said apertures. In another embodiment, the assembly system
may
comprise separators for vertical or horizontal insertion between panels and/or
within the
longitudinal grooves of the modules.
In one embodiment, the modules of the door assembly system comprise a
material selected from wood, fiberboard, metal, polymer, wood-plastic
composite (WPC),
and combinations thereof. The panel or panels may be made of, for example,
wood,
glass, frosted glass, stained glass, polymer, or a combination thereof. In one
embodiment, the panels further comprise muntins, cross rails and/or mullions,
for
example, the panel or panels comprise muntins (e.g. wood made) in combination
with
one or more material selected from glass, frosted glass, or stained glass, for
example, to
form a French door-type pattern. In one embodiment, the panel separators,
cross rails,
muntins, and/or mullions are made of the same material as the modules.
One aspect of the invention provides a door selected from an interior door or
exterior door (e.g. a swinging (hinged), folding or pocket (sliding) door), a
cabinet door or
front panel of a drawer, a box or chest cover, and an interior or exterior
window shutter.
Another aspect of the invention further provides a door assembly system as
described in any of the foregoing embodiments, further comprising a side
window or
door header assembly system, or a combination thereof, each comprising a
plurality of
modules adapted for assembly to form a frame, each module comprising a first
and
second end, each of which comprising one or more complementary tongues and
grooves for removably connecting each module to form the frame; and an
interior and
exterior edge, said interior edge having a groove along its longitudinal axis
for slidably
introducing one or more panels between said modules when assembled.
In another aspect, the invention provides a frame assembly system for
embedding, for example, a mirror, glass (clear, frosted, or stained), picture,
painting,
image, photograph, or combination thereof, comprising a plurality of modules
adapted
for assembly to form a frame, each module comprising a first and second end,
each of
which comprising one or more complementary tongues and grooves for removably
connecting each module to form the frame; and an interior and exterior edge,
the interior
edge having a groove along its longitudinal axis for slidably introducing the
mirror, glass
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(clear, frosted, or stained), picture, painting, image, photograph, or
combination thereof,
between the modules when assembled.
According to one aspect, the invention also provides kits comprising a door
assembly system of the invention together with fixing means, along with
instructions for
assembling the door assembly system, the one or more exchangeable panels being
sold
separately.
The invention also provides for kits comprising a door assembly system of the
invention together with fixing means and one panel or a plurality of
interchangeable
panels, along with instructions for assembling the door assembly system.
According to another aspect, the invention also provides kits comprising a
frame
assembly system of the invention together with fixing means, along with
instructions for
assembling the fame assembly system, the interchangeable mirror, picture,
painting, etc,
being sold separately.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description of the invention will be made having reference to the
following
Figures, which constitute examples of door assembly systems according to
embodiments of the invention, and should not be construed as further limiting.
Figure 1(a) shows a front elevation view of an assembled door assembly system,
1(b) shows a top view, 1(c) shows a hinge side elevation view, and 1(d) shows
a lock
side elevation view;
Figure 2(a) shows a perspective view of a hinge stile module, 2(b) shows a
perspective view of a lock stile module, 2(c) shows a perspective view of a
top rail
module, 2(d) shows a perspective view of a bottom rail module, and 2(d) shows
a
perspective view of a lock or cross rail module or separator;
Figures 3(a) to (j) show front views of assembled door assembly systems: 3(a)
shows a door assembly system with one panel only, 3(b) to 3(j) show door
assemblies
with multiple panels, one or more cross or lock rail(s), one or more
mullion(s), and/or one
or more muntin(s);
Figure 4 shows an example of an assembled door assembly system and
matching side windows, including stained glass panels; and
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Figure 5 shows an example of kitchen cabinets and drawers made using the door
assembly systems.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the Figures, and especially Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a
door
assembly system 1, comprising a hinge stile module 10, a lock stile module 20,
a top rail
module 30, a bottom rail module 40, a cross or lock rail (or separator) 50,
and two
panels 60.
The lock and hinge stile modules 10 and 20 may be substantially identical (as
in
Figures 1 and 2(a) and (b)), or may be different. The top and bottom rail
modules 30 and
40 may be identical as in Figures 1 and 2(c) and (d). Alternatively, the top
and bottom
rail modules 30 and 40 can be of different size, shape and/or material from
each other.
As an example, when the top and bottom rail modules 30 and 40 would be laying
down
side by side on their exterior edge (the longest edge of each module) for
comparison,
the bottom rail module 40 would raise higher than the top rail module 30.
The modules are installed together in a tongue and groove fashion. Stile
modules
10 and 20 respectively include tongues 12 and 22, tongues 14 and 24 and
grooves 13
and 23 for receiving tongues 31 and 41, respectively from rails 30 and 40.
grooves 32
and 42 respectively from rails 30 and 40 are also adapted to receive tongues
14 and 24
from stile modules 10 and 20.
The door assembly system also includes means for removably assembling the
system modules. For that purpose, apertures 15, 35 and 45 are respectively
found in the
hinge stile module 10, the top rail module 30 and the bottom rail module 40.
The lock
stile module 20 does also include apertures not shown in the Figures. These
are similar
to the ones found in the hinge stile module with the exception that they do
not
completely go through tongues 22, such that they are not visible on the
outside egdge
once the system is assembled. Alternatively, the apertures could completely go
through
tongues 22, and the assembly system be provided with removable caps which
would
hide the apertures in a more aesthetic fashion.
The door system is assembled by first permanently or non-permanently fixing
bottom rail module 40 to hinge and lock stiles 10 and 20, by fitting a rod,
screw or bolt
through apertures 15 of module 10, through apertures 45 of the bottom rail
module 40,
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and into the apertures (not shown) of the lock stile module 20. The second
step would
be to insert a first panel 60 by sliding the panel into the longitudinal
grooves 16 and 26 of
the hinge stile and lock stile modules 10 and 20 until the panel 60 sits in
the longitudinal
groove 46 of bottom rail module 40. The cross rail 50 is then inserted by
sliding tongues
57 in grooves 16 and 26 until the bottom groove 56 sits on the first panel 60.
A second
panel 60 is inserted in the same manner until it sits into the top groove 56
of cross rail 50.
Finally, the top rail module is then inserted until tongues 31 are fitted into
grooves 13
and 23, tongues 14 and 24 fitted into grooves 32, and non-permanently secured
by
inserting rods (screws, or bolts) into apertures 15, 35 and the ones (not
shown) in the
lock stile module 20. The hinge stile module 10 also comprises hinge mortises
11 to
install the door into the door frame.
Alternatively, the cross rail 50 may comprise apertures such as for the top
and
bottom rails and be secured to the hinge and lock stiles with rods, bolts or
screws,
through apertures in the hinge and stiles.
Preferably, at least one of the bottom and top rails is removable, preferably
the
top rail, such that the desired versatility is obtained. For example, one may
remove the
top rail module and change the panels and/or cross rails with different panels
made from
different materials or having different appearances, such as going from a
wooden panel
to a stained glass panel.
Another example of a door assembly system further comprises one or more
mullion(s), such as shown in Figure 3(c), in which the mullion is a piece
similar to the
cross rail of Figure 2(e), i.e. comprising tongues 57 and grooves 56 as for
cross rail 50.
In this case, a mullion is to be inserted between two panels, where the panel
would fit
into grooves 56 of the mullion, and one tongue 57 inserted into the groove 46
of the
bottom rail module, a cross rail 50 is then inserted as previously described
until its
bottom groove 46 fits onto the two panels and the mullion's groove 57.
Alternatively,
mullions, muntins and cross rails are already part of the panel or panels to
be inserted.
The door may be an interior or exterior door, a swinging (hinged), folding or
pocket (sliding) door. It may also be a cabinet door, such as a kitchen
cabinet door or
the front panel of a drawer (for example, see Figure 5), a box or chest cover,
an interior
or exterior window shutter, or any other type of door. The same principle can
also be
applied to door headers or side windows matching the doors (see Figure 4),
preferably
non permanently fixed windows.
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The rail and stile modules, as well as the cross rails, muntins and mullions,
may
be made of any sturdy building material known to the skilled artisan such as,
without
limitation, wood (e.g. pine, mahogany, oak, alder, walnut, cherry, maple, and
the like),
metal (e.g. steel or aluminum), polymers (e.g. thermoplastic or thermosetting
polymers),
medium-density fiberboard (MDF), wood-plastic composite (WPC), or any
combination
of these.
The panels can be made out of any acceptable building materials, including,
but
not limited to wood, glass (e.g. clear, stained, or frosted glass, and
combinations thereof),
amorphous or semi-crystalline solid polymers (e.g. thermoplastics (e.g.
polyethylene,
polyvinyl chloride, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PlexiglasTM),
polytetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE), and the like) and thermosetting polymers (e.g. melamine)), medium-
density
fiberboard (MDF), or composite material (e.g. wood-plastic composite (commonly
abbreviated as WPC)). The panels may also include blinds or be in the form of
a louver
in a frame which is adapted for insertion into the longitudinal grooves of the
modules.
The panels may be flat or raised panels and/or include mouldings, muntins
and/or
mullions.
Another aspect of the invention provides a frame assembly system, such as for
a
mirror, picture, painting, image, or photograph, having the same
characteristics as
described for the door assembly system.
The invention also provides for kits comprising a door assembly system of the
invention together with fixing means and one panel or a plurality of
exchangeable panels,
along with instructions for assembling the door assembly system.
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