Frame with integral environment resistant members

ES 2 247 689 T3

DESCRIPTION

Frame with integral parts resistant to the environment.

The invention relates to window and door frames and, in particular, to frame components having integrally connected parts resistant to moisture, decay, and insects.

The construction industry is under constant pressure to provide quality products at low cost. Door frames and other building components are no exception.

During the construction of a house, or similar, a gap is left in the wall, in which the door or the advantage is installed. In some cases, a custom door frame is built in the doorway. After the door frame has been built, the door is hung, inside the door frame. While this provides builders with complete control, such a construction technique can be time consuming, and costly. The measurements, and the construction, must be very precise to precisely position the door frame in the opening, and take into account small variations in the door.

Another method of hanging frames is by using pre-hung doors or windows. In this case, the builder is provided with a complete frame and door. An example of an adjustable door frame arrangement is found in US-A-3 812 621. Thus, the frame and door are pre-adapted, for a stronger mounting of doors or windows.

Another example of an adjustable door or window is found in GB-A-2 112 437, in which, at the foot of each frame support piece, an optional detachable extension piece is provided, the purpose of which is to adjust the height of the frame. The extension pieces can be made of wood, or molded plastic materials, for example PVC.

Document EP-A-466 292 discloses a method for preventing rot experienced by posts that are, at least partially, located in the ground, showing us a post having an upper part of non-impregnated wood, and a lower part of recycled plastic, joined together by means of mechanical rivets and an anchoring element.

A known method of providing pre-built frames, at low cost, is with the use of industrial wood chips. Fragments of industrial wood are produced when a defect, such as a knot or imperfect edge, is removed from an original piece of industrial wood. This allows the original part to be sold as a higher quality part than it would otherwise be. The resulting scrap piece is then processed or recycled, by removing the defect, to produce a relatively small but still good quality piece of wood fiber. These small pieces are then serrated at their ends, and joined end to end, to produce a single long piece, which is used to produce the door frame.

Norlander, in US-A-5 074 092, describes a technique for overcoming certain deficiencies with cheap, industrial wood which has a number of knots or other defects. Quality veneers are assembled with end-to-end short transom cores of solid industrial wood to produce a laminated wood door product that has stability and good looks.

While these techniques have produced inexpensive window and door frames, the use of wood in these makes the frame vulnerable to moisture and insects. In the past, once water or termite damage caused part of the frame to disintegrate, that part of the wood was replaced. The repair was carried out while the frame was in place. A craftsman would cut out the decomposed part, and replace it with another section of wood or plastic. Thus, while the cost was initially low, the end result was often expensive.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a framework as defined in claim

1.

The present invention provides a window or door frame, which has durable, yet inexpensive characteristics, which are not found in the prior art. According to the invention, the jamb or side upright component is composed of a first or upper section, and a second or lower section. The second section is made of a material that is durable and resistant to moisture, rot and insects. The first section is made up of wood. Wood and durable parts are connected end-to-end by serrated, glued, or other mechanical connection to mount the component. Associated metallic components can be added.

A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is considered, in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a door frame system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of a side part of the door frame of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, a door frame F embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated. Door frame F, is composed of side jambs, vertical, spaced 1 and 2, connected together at the top, by means of a top, horizontal jamb 3. A side jamb 1 includes a suitable number of hinge slots 4, formed in the jamb, to mount hinges on it, while the opposite side jamb 2, is used to mount a strike plate. Each of the jambs 1, 2 and 3 has an L-shaped shoulder, 5, on an inner surface, to accommodate a door.

Each of the side jambs 1 and 2 are made of an upper wood part 6, and a lower durable part 7. The wood parts 6 are made of a series of smaller wood parts 6a6g. Side jamb 1 includes pieces of wood 6a, 6b, and 6c, and side jamb 2 includes pieces of wood 6d, 6e, 6f, and 6g. Wood pieces 6a-6g are formed from what were originally industrial wood fragments, which have been processed, or recycled, to remove imperfections such as knots, bark or uneven surfaces. As shown, the pieces of wood 6a-6g are not necessarily the same length, and the side jambs 1 and 2 may include comparatively an unequal number of pieces of wood. However, the number of pieces 6a-6g is not so great as to jeopardize the overall strength of the F-frame.

ES 2 247 689 T3

The upper jamb 3 is formed from a series of smaller pieces of wood 3a and 3b, in a similar way to the wooden part 6.

Durable part 7 can be a wood-based extrudate, such as Strandex®, ETR®, TREX^®, or the like, which can be shaped using conventional wood processing, painting or staining techniques. The durable part can also be made of plastic, vinyl, metal, and combinations of any of these materials. The durable part 7 has the characteristics of being resistant to moisture, rot and insects. Side jamb 1 includes a durable piece 7a, and a side jamb 2 includes a durable piece 7b. The location of the durable part 7 at the bottom of the frame prevents all but the most severe damage from weather and insects suffered by prior art door frames. Durable parts 7a and 7b can be provided based on expected exposure to adverse conditions such as rain, snow, or insects. Thus, the assembly of the wooden part 6 and the durable part 7, provides a durable, yet inexpensive door frame. It is noted that other materials, such as plastic or similar extrusions, can be used to achieve the principles of the present invention.

In the arrangement of the side jambs 1 and 2, the durable parts 7 are preferably connected end-to-end, by glued, serrated joint 10, to the wooden parts 6. One of the joints 10 is illustrated more clearly in figure 2. Referring now to Figure 2, the piece of wood 6g includes a series of fingers 11, projecting from an end face, and the durable piece 7b has a corresponding number of matching fingers 12, projecting from an adjacent end face. It should be understood that other wood joints are contemplated, such as edge gluing, or their equivalents.

Referring again to Figure 1, it is illustrated that, the pieces of wood that comprise the wood part 6, also have toothed joint, so that the arrangement of the wood part 6, with the durable part 7, forms a full side jamb 1 or 2.

In the arrangement of the door frame F, the upper jamb 3 is connected to the side jambs 1 and 2, with angle joints 13. After the assembly of the door frame F, the door frame F is ready to be placed in a doorway, in a wall. The hinges can then be attached, in the grooves 4, to the door frame F, and a strike plate can be added, to mount and receive a door. In use, the moisture, rot and insect resistant characteristics of the F door frame prevent the problems associated with prior art door frames.

It should be noted that the use of the present invention is not limited to door frames. The invention can be used in window frames, garage door frames, and other applications of this type, with frames, in which the wood is highly subjected to the weather or insects, but at the same time an economical solution is desired. . Furthermore, it should be noted that continuous, industrial stock lumber can be used in place of the pieces 6a-6g, without departing from the principles of the present invention. It should also be noted that protection against weather and insects can be provided by chemically treating the pieces of wood, albeit at a somewhat higher cost.

In describing the invention, reference has been made to a preferred embodiment and illustrative advantages of the invention. However, those skilled in the art and familiar with the disclosure of the present invention may recognize that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.