Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ADJUSTABLE SHIM AND PRE-HUNG DOOR WITH THE SAME
[00011
Technical Field
[00021 The present disclosure relates to building products and components for
simplifying
installation of building products. More particularly, the present disclosure
relates to an
adjustable shim for assisting with the installation of pre-hung doors or
windows.
Background
[0003] Builders or contractors often install an exterior door using a pre-hung
door. As
shown in Fig. 1, a typical pre-hung door 10, includes a frame 12 and a door
panel 14. The
frame 12 typically includes a threshold 16, a header 18, a latch-side jamb 20,
and a hinge-
side jamb 22. A plurality of hinges (not shown) generally mount the door panel
14 to the
hinge-side jamb 22. The pre-hung door 10 may then be installed within a rough
opening 24
of an enclosure defined by at least a pair of studs 26 and a cross beam 28.
Sheathing 30,
such as oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood, may be applied around the
rough opening
24 adjacent to the exterior thereof, and sheet rock (not shown) may be applied
around the
interior of the rough opening.
[00041 Pre-hung doors 10, also referred to as door units, are often preferred
over separately
hanging slab doors, especially for exterior entryways. Pre-hung doors 10 may
be preferred
because they are pre-assembled to provide a tight fitting, substantially
watertight, seal
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between the frame 12 and the door panel 14. Pre-hung doors 10, however, can
lack rigidity
prior to installation. Thus, portions of pre-hung doors 10 have been found to
bend, bow,
twist, expand, contract, or otherwise shift during shipping, handling, and
installation. These
changes can reduce the quality of the pre-assembled seal between the frame 12
and the door
panel 14. Returning to proper alignment and spacing between the door panel 14
and the
surrounding frame 12 can be highly dependent upon installation practices and
the skill of
the installers.
100051 To support and position the pre-hung door 10 within the rough opening
24, wooden
tapered shim pairs are conventionally used between the frame 12 and the studs
26 or cross
beam 28. The tapered shim pairs may be used at several locations around the
frame 12 to
correspond with locations where the frame 12 is fastened to the rough opening
24.
[00061 There remains a need for an adjustable shim capable of adding support
between the
outside face of the frame 12 and an opposing inside face of the studs 26 or
cross beam 28,
such that a pre-hung door 10 may be more easily and accurately supported and
positioned
within a rough opening 24.
Summary
[0007] One embodiment of the present disclosure includes an adjustable shim.
The
adjustable shim comprises a base bracket configured for mounting to a frame
member of a
pre-hung door or window. The adjustable shim also includes a shim plate and an
actuator
operably attached between the base bracket and the shim plate. Rotation of the
actuator
raises or lowers the shim plate relative to the base bracket.
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[0008] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pre-hung door
comprising
a frame, a door panel hinged to the frame, and at least one adjustable shim
attached to the
frame. The at least one adjustable shim comprises a base bracket mounted to
the frame, a
shim plate, and an actuator operably attached between the base bracket and the
shim plate.
Rotation of the actuator raises or lowers the shim plate relative to the base
bracket.
[0009] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method of
installing a pre-
hung door. The method comprises positioning the pre-hung door within a rough
opening of
a building, wherein the pre-hung door comprises at least one frame member, a
door panel,
and at least one adjustable shim mounted on a back face of the at least one
frame member.
The method then includes rotating a first actuator to raise a shim plate of
the at least one
adjustable shim relative to the back face of the at least one frame member at
least until the
shim plate contacts a portion of the rough opening. The method also includes
attaching the
at least one adjustable shim to the rough opening and rotating a second
actuator to adjust
the pre-hung door relative to the rough opening along a plumb direction.
[0009a] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes an adjustable
shim, the
adjustable shim comprising: a base bracket configured to mount the adjustable
shim to a
pre-hung door or a rough opening; an inner shim; an outer shim; a first
actuator operably
attached between the base bracket and the inner shim; a plumb adjustment
bracket slideably
attached to the base bracket and configured for attachment to a rough opening
frame that
defines a rough opening; and a second actuator configured to convert
rotational motion of
the second actuator into linear motion, sliding the plumb adjustment bracket
relative to the
base bracket along a direction into and out of the rough opening, wherein at
least one of the
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inner shim and the outer shim is tapered, wherein rotation of the first
actuator translates the
inner shim substantially linearly relative to the outer shim, thereby
adjusting a combined
height of the inner shim and the outer shim.
[0009b] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes an adjustable
shim, the
adjustable shim comprising: a base bracket configured to mount the adjustable
shim to a
pre-hung door or a rough opening; an inner shim; an outer shim; a first
actuator operably
attached between the base bracket and the inner shim; and at least one strap
rotatably
attached to the base bracket for attaching the adjustable shim to a rough
opening frame,
wherein at least one of the inner shim and the outer shim is tapered, wherein
rotation of the
first actuator translates the inner shim substantially linearly relative to
the outer shim,
thereby adjusting a combined height of the inner shim and the outer shim.
[0009c] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pre-hung door,
comprising: a pair of vertical frame members, a header spanning across a top
of the vertical
frame members; a threshold spanning across a bottom of the vertical frame
members; a door
panel hinged to one of the vertical frame members; and at least one adjustable
shim, the at
least one adjustable shim comprising: a base bracket configured to mount the
adjustable
shim to a pre-hung door or a rough opening; an inner shim; an outer shim; and
a first actuator
operably attached between the base bracket and the inner shim, wherein at
least one of the
inner shim and the outer shim is tapered, wherein rotation of the first
actuator translates the
inner shim substantially linearly relative to the outer shim, thereby
adjusting a combined
height of the inner shim and the outer shim, wherein a receiving recess is
formed in a back
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face of at least one of the vertical frame members into which a respective one
of the at least
one adjustable shim is mounted.
[0010] These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent
to those
skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the
preferred embodiments,
when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that
both the
foregoing general description and the following detailed description are
explanatory only
and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
3b
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[0011] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art pre-hung door
being installed
into an exterior rough opening of an enclosure.
[0012] Fig. 2 is a plan view of a pre-hung door installed in a rough opening
using a plurality
of adjustable shims according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] Fig. 3 is a detailed front view of an adjustable shim mounted to a
frame member
according to a first embodiment.
[0014] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the frame member of Fig. 3.
[0015] Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of an adjustable shim mounted to a
frame member
of a pre-hung door according to the first embodiment.
[0016] Fig. 6 is a detailed front perspective view of the adjustable shim of
Fig. 5.
100171 Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the adjustable shim take at line
VII of Fig. 5.
[0018] Fig. 8 is a detailed perspective view of the adjustable shim of Fig. 5
with a shim
plate removed.
[0019] Fig. 9 is a second detailed perspective view of the adjustable shim of
Fig. 5 with the
shim plate removed.
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[0020] Fig. 10 is a detailed side view of the adjustable shim of Fig. 9.
[0021] Fig. 11 is a detailed front view of an adjustable shim according to a
second
embodiment mounted to a frame member.
[0022] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of an adjustable shim mounted to a frame
member of a
pre-hung door according to the second embodiment.
[0023] Fig. 13 is a detailed perspective view of the adjustable shim of Fig.
12 with the shim
plate removed.
[0024] Fig. 14 is a second detailed perspective view of the adjustable shim of
Fig. 12 with
the shim plate removed.
[0025] Fig. 15 is a side view of the adjustable shim of Fig. 14.
Detailed Description
[0026] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below and
illustrated in the
accompanying figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout
the several
views. The embodiments described provide examples and should not be
interpreted as
limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, and modifications and
improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the
art and all
such other embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of
the
present invention. Features from one embodiment or aspect may be combined with
features
CA 2989961 2017-12-22
from any other embodiment or aspect in any appropriate combination. For
example, any
individual or collective features of method aspects or embodiments may be
applied to
apparatus, product or component aspects or embodiments and vice versa.
[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure include an adjustable shim for
attachment to
a pre-hung door or a rough opening for controlling a margin therebetween.
Other
embodiments of the present disclosure include methods of installing a pre-hung
door within
a rough opening in a building using at least one adjustable shim for
controlling the margin
therebetween.
[0028] With reference to Fig. 2, the pre-hung door 10 is shown installed
within a rough
opening 24 with the assistance of a plurality of adjustable shims 32. In
addition to the pre-
hung door 10, the shims 32 as described herein may also be useful for
installing windows
within rough openings. Windows may include a similar frame as pre-hung doors,
where the
door panel is replaced by a glass pane that is fixed or movable relative to
the frame.
[0029] In the illustrated embodiment of Fig. 2, shims 32 are provided with two
on either
side of the frame 12, near the upper and lower ends of the frame respectively.
Use of
additional shims 32 along the height of the frame 12 is also possible. Use of
one or more
shims 32 along the header 18 is also possible. The shims 32 are designed to
take up the
space, and provide support, between the frame 12 and the interior surfaces of
the rough
opening 24. This space may be referred to as the margin M. The direction
substantially
normal to the back face of the frame 12, and thus normal to the interior
surfaces of the rough
opening 24, along which the magnitude of the margin M is measured, may be
referred to as
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the margin direction. The margin direction is along the X-axis of Fig. 2 for
shims 32 on the
jambs 20, 22, and the margin direction is along the Z-axis of Fig. 2 for the
shim 32 shown
on the header 18.
[0030] In some embodiments, the shims 32 may also be useful for adjusting
portions of the
pre-hung door 10 into and out of the rough opening 24 along a direction
perpendicular to
the margin direction. This direction into and out of the rough opening 24 may
be referred
to herein as the plumb direction. The plumb direction is along the Y-axis in
Fig. 2.
[0031] As mentioned above, the pre-hung door 10 includes a frame 12 having a
latch-side
jamb 20 and a hinge-side jamb 22. The jambs 20, 22 may be referred to more
generally by
the term "frame member," to include any generally vertical portion of the
frame 12, such as
jambs, mullions, astragals, etc., as well as the generally horizontal header
18. As shown in
the detailed view of Fig. 3, the frame member (hereafter labeled 34) includes
a front face 36
and a back face 38. As used herein, the terms "front" and "back" are used
relative to the
X-axis or Z-axis, where the front face 36 is directed toward the door panel 14
(Fig. 2) and
the back face 38 is directed away from the door panel. The terms "interior"
and "exterior"
are used in relation to the Y-axis and should be understood relative to the
building that
defines the rough opening 24 (Fig. 1). The shims 32 described herein could be
used with
either in-swing or out-swing doors. As shown in Fig. 3, according to one
embodiment, the
shims 32 may be provided as part of the pre-hung door 10. Therefore, the shims
32, or at
least portions thereof, may be mounted to the frame members 34 when the pre-
hung door
(Fig. 2) arrives on a construction site. In Fig. 3, the shim 32 is shown
extended to a shim
height H out from the back face 38 of the frame member 34.
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[0032] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the frame member 34. To accommodate
the shim
32 (Fig. 3), the back face 38 of the frame member 34 may include respective
receiving
recesses 40 formed into the back face. The receiving recesses 40 may include a
first surface
42 substantially parallel with the back face 38 and inset from the back face
by a distance D1
along the margin direction (X-axis as illustrated). A second surface 44 may be
substantially
parallel with the back face 38 and offset inward from the back face more than
the first
surface 42. The second surface 44 may be inset from the back face 38 by a
distance D2
along the margin direction. A third surface 46 may be substantially parallel
with the back
face 38 and inset from the back face by a distance D3. A fourth surface 48 of
the receiving
recess 40 may be substantially perpendicular to the back face 38 and provide a
riser from
the third surface 46 to the first surface 42. The arrangement, configuration,
and depth of the
surfaces 42, 44, and 46 may be configured with the goal of accommodating the
shim 32
(Fig. 3) such that the shim 32 may be made flush with the back face 38 in a
most contracted
state. The shim 32 is preferably capable of being in a position flush with or
recessed relative
to the back face 38 so that the shim can be used even if the margin M between
the frame
member 34 and the stud 26 (Fig. 2) is zero. Also, if the shim 32 has a flush
position, it is
less likely to provide an impediment during transportation of the pre-hung
door 10 (Fig. 2).
[0033] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the shim 32 mounted to the frame
member 34.
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the shim 32 can be
alternatively mounted
to a latch-side jamb 20, hinge-side jamb 22, a header 18 (Fig. 2), or a window
frame in a
similar fashion as described below.
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100341 With reference to Figs. 5 and 6, the shim 32 may include a base bracket
50
configured to mount the shim to a corresponding frame member 34. The base
bracket 50
may support and form part of a margin adjustment assembly 52 and a plumb
adjustment
assembly 54.
[0035] The base bracket 50, and hence the shim 32, may be mounted to the frame
members
34 within respective receiving recesses 40 with one or more mounting fasteners
58. The
mounting fasteners 58 may pass through one or more mounting apertures 60
provided
through the base bracket 50.
[00361 As seen in Figs. 6-10, the margin adjustment assembly 52 can include an
actuator,
such as a first adjustment screw 76. The margin adjustment assembly 52 can
also include a
drive linkage 78, a follower linkage 80, and a shim plate 82. The first
adjustment screw 76
can be rotatably attached to the base bracket 50. Rotation of the first
adjustment screw 76
may translate a slide block 84 (Figs. 7 and 8), which can be threadingly
attached to the first
adjustment screw, relative to the base bracket 50. The slide block 84 (Fig. 8)
may form part
of a clevis structure. The base bracket 50 may be configured to guide
translation of the slide
block 84, such as along the second surface 44 of the recess 40 (Fig. 7). The
drive linkage
78 can be pivotably attached to the slide block 84 at one end of the drive
linkage and
pivotably attached to the shim plate 82 at another end of the drive linkage.
The follower
linkage 80 can be pivotably attached to the shim plate 82 at one end thereof,
and pivotably
attached to the base bracket 50 at the opposite end thereof. The drive linkage
78 and the
follower linkage 80 may be collectively referred to as jack legs. As will be
understood by
one of ordinary skill in the art, rotation of the first adjustment screw 76
translates the slide
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block 84 relative to the base bracket 50, which will raise or lower the shim
plate 82 relative
to the base bracket depending upon the direction of rotation, to adjust the
dimensions of the
adjustable shim 32 along the margin direction (X-axis as illustrated in Figs.
6-8).
[0037] With reference to Fig. 6, the shim plate 82 may be made from metal or
polymer. The
shim plate 82 may pivotably attach to the respective drive and follower
linkages 78, 80 with
a snap-fit or other attachment method. The shim plate 82 may present a
shimming surface
86 with a plurality of regions. In the illustrated example, the shimming
surface 86 includes
a central face 88 flanked by a pair of side faces 90 that are each angled
relative to the central
face 88 in a direction toward the base bracket 50. The central face 88 is
central to the side
faces 90 relative to the plumb direction of the pre-hung door 10 (Fig. 2).
[0038] In one embodiment, when the shim plate 82 is adjusted to be most near
the base
bracket 50, the distance between the shimming surface 86 and the first surface
42 may be
less than or equal to D1 (Fig. 5) so that the adjustable shim 32 does not
extend past the back
face 38, providing compact packaging for shipping of the pre-hung door 10
(Fig. 2), and
facilitating use of the pre-hung door in a rough opening 24 with zero margin,
without
needing to remove the adjustable shim(s) 32 from the frame member 34. When the
margin
adjustment assembly 52 is most extended, the shimming surface 86 may be
capable of filling
a margin M (FIG. 2) by having a shim height H (Fig. 3) of about five-eighths
inch or more.
[0039] Returning to Fig. 2, the pre-hung door 10 is plumb when it is vertical
along the z-
axis and is substantially co-planar with the rough opening 24. The plumb
condition of the
pre-hung door 10 is adjusted by moving portions of the frame 12 along the y-
axis, which is
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the axis normal to the plane of the pre-hung door 10, i.e. along the plumb
direction. This
direction of motion may also be referred to as movement into and out of the
rough opening
24 along an interior/exterior direction of the building as represented by the
y-axis in Fig. 2.
[0040] In the illustrated embodiment of Figs. 5-9, the shim 32 includes a
plumb adjustment
assembly 54 having a second adjustment screw 92 threadingly attached to the
base bracket
50. When the second adjustment screw 92 engages the base bracket 50, the screw
axis S
(Fig. 6) corresponds with the interior/exterior direction of the building. The
plumb
adjustment assembly 54 can also include a plumb adjustment bracket 94
configured for
guiding translation relative to the base bracket 50. The plumb adjustment
bracket 94 can
include an attachment bracket 96 configured to extend outward from the frame
member 34
and overlap the sheathing 30 (Fig. 2) on the exterior of the rough opening 24.
Once the
attachment bracket 96 is fixed to the sheathing 30, rotation of the second
adjustment screw
92 results in substantially linear movement of the frame 12 (Fig. 2)
perpendicular to the face
of the sheathing 30.
[0041] As seen in Fig. 5, the shim 32 may optionally include securing straps
98. The
securing straps 98 may be rotatably attached, by rivets for example, to the
base bracket 50.
In the illustrated embodiment, two securing straps 98 are provided for each
shim 32. One
securing strap 98 may be for attachment to the respective interior and
exterior sheathing 30
of the rough opening 24 (Fig. 2). By rotatably mounting the securing straps 98
to the base
bracket 50, the straps 98 can be rotated substantially parallel with the
length of a
corresponding frame member 34 during shipping and handling. Thus, the straps
98 may be
generally positioned out of the way, and not projecting past the interior or
exterior edges of
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the pre-hung door 10, prior to installation. Once the pre-hung door 10 is
properly positioned
within the rough opening 24 using one or both of the first and second
adjustment screws 76,
92, the straps 98 can be rotated to extend along the plumb direction. The
straps 98 can then
be bent away from the frame member 34 along the margin direction to overlap
both the
exterior sheathing 30 and rough stud's interior edge.
[0042] As possibly best shown in Fig. 9, the shim 32 may be provided with
optional features
that may assist an installer to assess the planar condition of the pre-hung
door 10. For
example, the base bracket 50 may include a slot 99. The slot 99 is configured
to receive and
secure an end of a string, or similar cord, rope, etc. When the pre-hung door
10 is provided
with shims 32 near the four corners thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, a string 176
may be attached
to span between the shim 32 at one upper corner of the pre-hung door 10, and
the shim to
the opposing diagonal lower corner of the pre-hung door. A another string 178
may be
placed likewise between slots 99 in shims 32 at the remaining two corners. The
pre-hung
door 10 is then determined to be in a substantially planar condition if the
two strings 176,
178 almost touch or lightly touch as they cross one another.
[0043] A second embodiment of an adjustable shim 132 is illustrated in Figs.
11-15. The
second embodiment of the adjustable shim 132 omits the plumb adjustment
assembly and
the securing straps of the first embodiment discussed above, thereby allowing
for a slightly
modified base bracket 150 (Fig. 12), which may be preferably a polymer
material. The
adjustable shim 132 may be useful at locations where the pre-hung door 10
(Fig. 2) does not
need to be anchored to the rough opening 24. The adjustable shim 132 may be
installed in
a recess 40 having the same configuration as shown in Fig. 3. The margin
adjustment
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assembly 152 (Fig. 12) of the adjustable shim 132 is substantially similar to
the margin
adjustment assembly 52 of the adjustable shim 32 shown in Figs. 5-10, as will
be understood
by one of ordinary skill in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art will
also appreciate that a
pre-hung door 10 (Fig. 2) may be configured to have a combination of
adjustable shims with
both first adjustable shims 32 and second adjustable shims 132 present.
[0044] Although the above disclosure has been presented in the context of
exemplary
embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be
utilized
without departing from the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art
will readily
understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the
purview and
scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
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