Movable or removable closures – Threshold – With diverse seal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-03
2002-04-23
Strimbu, Gregory J. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Threshold
With diverse seal
C049S492100, C049S490100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374545
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to door assemblies and more particularly to door assemblies including a door and a weather-sealing type component attached to the bottom portion of the door thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical weather-sealing type components herein contemplated, referred to hereafter as door sweeps, comprise a fastening structure to be attached to the bottom portion of the door and a sealing structure deformably engaging with a door opening threshold to provide the weather seal. Many of these door sweeps are secured to the bottom portion of the door by fasteners or adhesives which can damage the door and make replacement difficult.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,263 discloses a door sweep secured without the use of fasteners or adhesives by installing the sweep from the end of the door by sliding rigid flanges on the sides of the sweep fastening structure through channels found in each side of the bottom portion of the door and pushing the component thereon. Manufacturing variations and tolerances in the commercial '263 door sweeps made this installation procedure difficult.
The '263 door sweep fastening structure comprises a transverse wall with vertical side walls on each side and opposed inwardly extending rigid flanges attached at the upper ends of the side walls. Each of the flanges has a tapered ramp surface at one end and a notch on the opposite end with the ramp surface and notch disposed in reverse relation in the two flanges. The sealing members of the sealing structure are constructed and arranged such that the door sweep will provide desirable sealing action in only one door opening direction. The sweep must be reversed if the direction is changed. The bottom portion of the door comprises horizontal channels in opposite sides thereof with each channel having a ramp portion at one end disposed in reverse relation in the two channels. In assembling the sweep to the door, the flanges are engaged with the channels and the ramp surface slides along the ramp portion of the channels which will cause the flanges and side walls to flex outwardly as the sweep is pushed on. The ramp portion abruptly returns to channel depth creating a point contact with which the flange and side walls flex outwardly therefrom. Once the other end of the sweep with the notch clears the ramp portion, flanges and side walls resiliently flex back inwardly positively locating the sweep at each end. The ramping portion of the door channels and the ramping surface and notch of the sweep were used only to lock the sweep in place at each end and keep it from moving in either direction. The sweep is fitted within the door channels without a gripping-type engagement.
Due to variations in the door sweep's extrusion process and the tolerance stack-ups in the door sweep and door channels, the installation process became difficult. An undersize door sweep matched with an oversize door required too great a force to slide the sweep on as the flanges and side walls were flexed outwardly. It was easy to start the ramp surface of the sweep out on the ramp portion, but as the ramp portion increased in size so did the force required to push it along. The rigid flanges and side walls being flexed outwardly from a point on the end of the ramp portion created too much friction to overcome manually. It caused customers to modify the door sweeps and doors often defeating the sealing properties in order to assemble them. The door sweeps are hammered on and sometimes they cannot be installed at all. If it is desired to remove the sweep to replace after wear or to accommodate an opposite swing direction of the door, pliers were needed to grip one flange and flex it back to clear the ramp and then forcefully pull it out. There is a need for a door sweep that facilitates the installation and replacement process allowing for similar manufacturing variations and tolerances as in the '263 commercial door sweep so as to not affect the overall cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to meet the above-described need. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective is achieved by providing a door assembly comprising a door including horizontal grooves formed in opposing sides thereof in upwardly spaced relation with respect to a bottom door surface. A snap-on door sweep is constructed and arranged to be attached to the door in an operative position with a gripping engagement to provide a seal between the bottom door surface and a door opening threshold when the door is disposed in a closed position within a door opening. The snap-on door sweep is constructed and arranged to be manually moved from an initial position into the operative position with a snap action.
The snap-on door sweep includes a rigid attaching structure constructed and arranged to be attached to the door in cooperating relation to the horizontal grooves and the bottom surface thereof when the snap-on door sweep is in the operative position with respect thereto. The snap-on door sweep also includes a flexible threshold engaging seal assembly carried by the rigid attaching structure in a position so as to extend downwardly therefrom when the snap-on door sweep is in the operative position thereof.
The rigid attaching structure includes an elongated bottom wall portion constructed and arranged to be operatively disposed below the bottom surface of the door when the snap-on door sweep is in the operative position thereof. The rigid attaching structure also includes a pair of groove engaging portions fixed to widthwise opposing sides of the bottom wall portion and extending inwardly in spaced relation thereto. One of the pair of groove engaging portions constitutes a snap-on portion having a cam portion fixed thereto. The pair of engaging portions are constructed and arranged to be operatively engaged in the horizontal grooves when the snap-on door sweep is in the operative position thereof to grippingly retain the snap-on door sweep therein.
The snap-on door sweep is constructed and arranged to be manually moved into the initial position thereof wherein the cam portion is engaged with the door adjacent the bottom door surface and one widthwise side thereof in generally lengthwise coextensive relation therewith. The cam portion includes a cam surface configured and positioned such that when the snap-on door sweep is moved from the initial position thereof into the operative position thereof the cam surface engages the door and moves the snap-on portion outwardly and allows the snap-on portion to move into the operative position thereof with the snap action as the snap-on door sweep reaches the operative position thereof.
Preferably, the seal assembly comprises a first and second elongated side sealing structure on opposing sides of the bottom wall portion. The first and second sealing structures are constructed and arranged to enable the door to be installed within the door opening so as to move from an inside position into the closed position wherein the first sealing structure is swept across the door threshold in sealing relation between the door bottom surface and the door threshold. The first and second sealing structures are also constructed and arranged to enable the door to be installed within the door opening so as to move from an outside position into the closed position wherein the second sealing structure is swept across the door threshold in sealing relation between the door bottom surface and the door threshold.
Preferably, the seal assembly also includes a water deflecting element disposed outwardly of the first sealing structure and extending downwardly in diverging relation with respect to the first sealing structure for an extent not greater than the downward extent of the first sealing structure when the snap-on door sweep is in the operative position thereof.
The objective can also be achieved by providing a door sweep assembly for use with a door including horizontal grooves formed in opposing sides thereof in upwardly spaced relat
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Strimbu Gregory J.
The Stanley Works
LandOfFree
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