AU2008237576A1

AU2008237576A1 - Door threshold fastening system

Info

Publication number: AU2008237576A1
Application number: AU2008237576A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Neil Andrew Raven
Original assignee: Raven Products Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Raven Products Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2008-10-29
Filing date: 2008-10-29
Publication date: 2010-05-13
Also published as: AU2013206127A1

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Raven Products Pty Ltd Actual Inventor(s): Russell Clark Address for Service: A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys PO Box 222, Mitcham, SA 5062 Invention Title: Door threshold fastening system The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 2 Door threshold fastening system FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a door threshold fastening system and in particular to a device including a sealing member attached to a door and a cooperating 5 plate attached to a corresponding threshold sill. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Door seals are used on openings such as the bottom of doors to prevent the entry of water, draughts, heat, dust, noise, and insects. The seals are typically used on exterior doors exposed to the weather and are fitted in such a way that they do not 10 impede the normal operation of the door. Door threshold seals are also used to insulate the interior of the building. The heat loss from an unsealed home through gaps around doors and windows is around 12%. The door seal therefore assists in significantly lowering this heat loss. The seals can also be used on interior doors, such as those opening into a garage, to 15 prevent the entry of vehicle fumes and for insulation purposes. Typically an aluminium plate is attached to the doorway threshold sill and a sealing member, which includes a rubber fin or blade, is fix to the bottom of the door. The rubber blade acts as a sweep to remove excess water or foreign bodies from the threshold plate that may affect the operation of the seal. Stormproof threshold seals, 20 which include multiple blades, are used in situations where maximum weather protection is required. Currently available threshold seals are attached to the door and sill by way of screws. The person installing the seal must therefore use various tools to fix the seal in place. This may include a drill for drilling a pilot hole and a screwdriver. An 25 unskilled person may find it difficult to attach the seal, which may result in misalignment of pilot holes in the door or inappropriate fastening of the threshold plate to the sill.

3 The unskilled person may also find it difficult to position the threshold plate so that it aligns with the bottom of the door when closed. This is especially the case where the threshold sill does not include an upstand to which the plate can be attached. 5 Even where a skilled tradesman is able to provide the requisite alignment, it will be appreciated that fixing of a door threshold requires considerable effort and suitable equipment. It should be appreciated that any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification is included solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present 10 invention and should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art was widely known or formed part of the common general knowledge in the field as it existed before the priority date of the application. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect of the invention but not necessarily the broadest or only 15 aspect, there is proposed a door seal for use in a doorway having a door and a threshold sill, including: a sealing member attached to, and extending below, the door; a locating member attached to said threshold sill; and a threshold plate attached to said locating member, and extending above the threshold 20 sill, the sealing member and threshold plate cooperating to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill; wherein said sealing member and locating member including respective adhesive layers by which they are attached to the door and threshold sill respectively and said threshold plate including an adhesive layer for attachment to the locating member. 25 In one form the adhesive layer is a strip of double-sided tape. In another form the locating member is an elongate block having a top, side walls and a base. The base includes two downwardly projecting elongate flanges, being positioned longitudinally along the edges of the base such that they form a groove there between. The double-sided tape is positioned within the groove and 30 used to affix the locating member to the threshold sill.

4 The terminal ends of the projecting flanges may include an irregular surface adapted to grip onto the surface of the threshold sill when the locating member has been affixed. The irregular surfaces on the flanges assist in inhibiting movement of the locating member once attached. 5 In preference the locating member is constructed from semi-rigid foamed PVC. In this way additional fastening means such as staples or nails can be driven through the locating member into the threshold sill to ensure it does not detach from the surface. The sealing member preferably includes an elongate base rigidly adjoining an 10 upwardly extending elongate flange, wherein the base is perpendicular to the flange. The flange is adapted to act as an attachment surface and includes a strip of double sided tape by which it can be attached to a side of the door. In preference the flange is attached adjacent the bottom of the door. In this way the elongate base can be positioned, parallel and adjacent the bottom surface of the door. The user then applies 15 lateral force to the flange to ensure that the adhesive layer positively registers with the side of the door to thereby affix the sealing member to said door. Making it simple to fix the sealing member without unhinging the door. In a further form the elongate base adjoins at least one downwardly projecting flexible fin. The flexible fin is adapted to releasably engage an upper surface of the 20 threshold plate. More preferably the elongate base also includes a flexible biased seal. The biased seal is in the form of a downwardly projecting loop of flexible material. The lowermost portion of the flexible fin and biased seal are adapted to contact the threshold plate when the door is located directly above said threshold plate to thereby provide a seal. 25 The flexible fin and biased seal are adapted to both remove excess water or foreign bodies from the surface of the threshold plate and provide a flexible sealing means that can accommodate various distance between the door and threshold sill. This configuration also means that the seal can compensate for variation in the gap due to ground movement and other environmental factors.

5 In yet a further form the elongate base includes a plurality of depending or downwardly projecting elongate flexible fins and one elongate downwardly projecting biased seal. In preference the sealing member is an elongate extrusion constructed from 5 different materials. The different materials are preferable rigid and flexible PVC. Preferably the base and flange are constructed from rigid PVC and the fins and biased seal are constructed from flexible PVC. During production the two materials are co extruded to thereby form the sealing member. The threshold plate preferably includes an upwardly projecting elongate lip 10 adapted to deflect excess water during opening of the door to prevent it entering the interior of the building. The threshold plate may include a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves adapted to provide slip resistance when a person is traversing the doorway. In a second aspect of the invention there is proposed a method of sealing a gap 15 between a door and a corresponding threshold sill, comprising the steps of: providing an sealing member, a locating member and a threshold plate; attaching the sealing member to a lower portion of the door by way of double-sided tape such that the sealing member extends below the door; attaching the locating member to the threshold sill; 20 attaching the threshold plate to the locating plate by way of double-sided tape such that the threshold plate extends above the threshold sill; operating the door such that the sealing member and threshold plate cooperate to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill. Preferably the locating member is constructed from a block of semi-rigid 25 material such as but not limited to semi-rigid PVC. In preference the locating member is attached to the threshold sill using double-sided tape. The tape is preferably located within a groove on underside of the locating member. Alternatively the locating member is attached to the threshold sill by way of 30 staples, nails or screws.

6 The locating member and threshold plate are elongated, such that in use they can be cut to a selected length to ensure that they extend across the threshold from one side of the doorframe to the other. Likewise the sealing member is also elongated such that in use it can be cut to a length to ensure that it extends across the bottom of 5 the door. In a third aspect of the invention there is proposed a seal for use in a doorway having a door and a threshold sill, including: a sealing member attached to, and extending below, the door; and a threshold plate attached to, and extending above, the threshold sill, the sealing 10 member and threshold plate cooperating to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill; said sealing member and threshold plate including respective adhesive layers by which they are attached to the door and threshold sill respectively. In one form the threshold plate is attached to an upper surface of an upstand of 15 said threshold sill. Preferably the adhesive layers are strips of double-sided tape. The double sided tape is attached to both the sealing member and threshold plate, with a protective film left on the exposed side of the tape. In this way the user can simply peel away the protective film on the adhesive tape and attach the sealing member or 20 threshold plate to a surface of the door or threshold sill respectively. Preferably the threshold plate fits over an upstand that extends upwardly from the surface of the threshold sill. Upstands are typically found on wooden threshold sills and extend around 4-6mm above the surface of the threshold sill to provide a registry point for the threshold plate. The upstand also acts as a barrier to water 25 ingress. The threshold plate is elongate and adapted to fit over the upstand and may engage with at least a portion of the threshold sill. In preference a downwardly projecting leg is configured to rest upon or grip the threshold sill. The terminal end of the leg includes at least one tapered tooth such that upon attachment to the upstand the 7 plate is able to resist lateral movement. The leg acts to grip onto the surface of the threshold sill to prevent movement after installation. In a fourth aspect of the invention there is proposed a method of sealing a gap between a door and a corresponding threshold sill having an upstand, comprising the 5 steps of: providing a sealing member and a threshold plate; attaching the sealing member to a lower portion of the door by way of double-sided tape such that the sealing member extends below the door; attaching the threshold plate to the threshold sill upstand by way of double-sided tape 10 such that the threshold plate extends above the threshold sill; such that the sealing member and threshold plate cooperate to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill. The double-sided tape may be attached to the sealing member and threshold plate during production. The exposed side of the tape is preferably protected by way 15 of a protective film, which a user can remove before installation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the 20 drawings, Figure la is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a threshold seal of the present invention attached to a threshold having an upstand; Figure lb is a cross-sectional view of the threshold seal of figure 1 attached to a smaller upstand; 25 Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a threshold seal of the present invention, illustrating the use of a locating block; Figure 3 is perspective view of the threshold seal of figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the threshold seal of figure 3; 8 Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the threshold seal of figure 1 illustrating the threshold plate gripping the door sill; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the threshold plate of the present invention; and 5 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the locating block of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED AND EXEMPLIFIED EMBODIMENTS Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been 10 modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration. Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description, a door threshold seal 10 is illustrated, demonstrating by way of examples arrangements in which the principles of the present invention may be employed. The door threshold seal 10 includes an elongate threshold plate 12 for attachment to a threshold sill 14 and an 15 elongate sealing member 16 for attachment to a door 18. As illustrated in figure la and lb the threshold plate 12 and sealing member 16 cooperate to thereby provide a seal when the door 18 is in the closed position and positioned vertically above the threshold sill 14. The threshold plate 12 can be attached to threshold plates of varying size as illustrated in figure la and lb. 20 The threshold sill 14 illustrated in figure 1, includes an upstand 20 that extends above the surface of the sill to a distance of around 4-6mm. The threshold plate 12 is adapted to fit over the upstand 20. The upstand 20 is used to position the threshold plate 12 upon installation, so that it cooperates with the sealing member 16 when the door is closed. 25 The threshold plate 12 and sealing member 16 both include an adhesive layer 22 and 24 by which they are attachment to the door 18 and threshold sill upstand 20 respectively. The adhesive layers 22, 24 are strips of double-sided tape. In this way the double-sided tape can be attached to the threshold plate 12 and sealing member 16 9 during manufacture. A protective film covers the exposed adhesive surface during transportation. Once on site the user can then simply peal away the protective films on the adhesive tape and attach the threshold plate 12 to the surface of the threshold sill upstand 20 and the sealing member 16 to the door 18. It should however be 5 appreciated that other bonding agents could be used. The sealing member 16 includes an elongate base 26 rigidly adjoining an upwardly extending elongate flange 28. The base 26 is perpendicular to the flange 28 such that they have an L-shaped cross-sectional profile. The flange 28 is attached to the side 30 of the door 18 using a strip of double-sided tape 24. Because the base 26 10 and flange 28 rigidly adjoin, the base 26 is held in position parallel and adjacent the bottom surface 32 of the door 18. During installation the user applies lateral force to the surface of the flange 28 to ensure that the adhesive positively registers with the side 30 of the door 18 to thereby affix the sealing member 16 to the door. As illustrated in the figures the elongate base 26 adjoins three downwardly 15 projecting flexible fins 34, 36, 38 and a flexible elongate biased seal 40. The flexible fins 34, 36, 38 and biased seal 40 are adapted to releasably engage the threshold plate 12. The flexible fins 34, 36, 38 and biased seal 40 are adapted to remove excess water or foreign bodies from the surface of the threshold plate. The use of flexible fins and biased seal ensures that different distances between the door and threshold can be 20 accommodated using the same threshold seal 10. Furthermore the flexible nature of the seal ensures that it can compensate for movement between the door and threshold due to environmental factors, which results in variations in the distance between the bottom of the door and the threshold. These environmental factors could be ground movement or swelling of the door and doorframe due to moisture. 25 The sealing member 16 is an elongate extrusion constructed from different materials. The base 26 and flange 28 are constructed from rigid PVC and the fins 34, 36, 38 and elongate biased seal 40 are constructed from flexible PVC. During production the two materials are co-extruded to form the sealing member. The threshold plate 12 includes an elongate engagement member 42 rigidly 30 adjoining two legs 44 and 46. The legs 44, 46 longitudinally extend along the edges of the engagement member 42.

10 The threshold plate 12 fits over the upstand 20 and the leg 44 engages with a portion of the threshold sill 14 as illustrated in figure 1. The terminal end 48 of the leg 44 includes tapered teeth 50, 52 that rest upon or incise the surface of threshold sill 14. The teeth 50, 52 grip onto the surface of the threshold sill 14 thereby resisting 5 lateral or longitudinal movement of the threshold plate 12 once installed. The threshold plate 12 includes an upwardly projecting elongate lip 54 and a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 56. The elongate lip 54 is adapted to deflect excess water during opening of the door 18 to prevent the water from entering the interior of the building. The grooves 56 are adapted to provide slip resistance 10 when a person if traversing the threshold. As illustrated in figure 2 the door seal 10 can include an elongate locating member or block 58 which is adapted to be attached to a flat threshold sill 14. Such flat threshold sills do not include an upstand and are typically found on buildings having concrete foundations. The elongate locating member 58, in the form of a 15 semi-rigid PVC block, is attached to the threshold sill 14 by way of adhesive tape 60 and the threshold plate 12 is then attached by way of adhesive tape 22. It should however be appreciated that the locating member 58 can be attached to the threshold sill 14 by way of other fixing means such as staples, nails or screws. The locating member 58 includes two downwardly projecting elongate flanges 20 62, 64 as illustrated in figure 3. The flanges 62, 64 form a groove 66 into which the strip of adhesive tape 60 is positioned. The terminal ends of the projecting flanges 62, 64 include an irregular surface such that they are able to grip onto the surface of the threshold sill 14 when the locating member 12 has been affix. This means that the locating member 12 can positively register with the surface of the threshold sill 14 25 thereby reducing movement. The skilled addressee will now appreciate the many advantages of the illustrated invention. The door threshold seal 10 provides a sealing means for doorways that can be easily installed. The use of double-side tape means that the user can simply remove the protective film from the tape and attach the elongate threshold 30 plate 12 to the threshold sill 14 and the elongate sealing member 16 to the door 18, without the use of tools or having to drill pilot holes. The use of the locating block 58 11 on flat threshold sills, wherein there in no upstand, means that the door threshold seal 10 provides a single unit that can be used on a range of doors ways having a threshold. The use of the locating block 58 also means that the threshold plate 12 can be positioned under the bottom of the door when closed so that it provides a positive 5 seal with the elongate sealing member 16. As the reader would appreciate this means that the users does not have to drill pilot holes that may be in the wrong position. The present invention therefore provides a functional door seal that can be modified for use on doorways having different configurations. Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described 10 in connection with the exemplified embodiments of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate and that the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly the invention can include various modifications, which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. For the purpose of the specification the word "comprise" or "comprising" means "including but not limited 15 to".

Claims

1. A door seal for use in a doorway having a door and a threshold sill, including: a sealing member attached to, and extending below, the door; a locating member attached to said threshold sill; and 5 a threshold plate attached to said locating member, and extending above the threshold sill, the sealing member and threshold plate cooperating to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill; wherein said sealing member and locating member including respective adhesive layers by which they are attached to the door and threshold sill 10 respectively and said threshold plate including an adhesive layer for attachment to the locating member.

2. The door seal according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer is a strip of double-sided tape.

3. The door seal according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the locating member is an 15 elongate block having a top, side walls and a base.

4. The door seal according to claim 3 wherein the base includes two downwardly projecting elongate flanges, being positioned longitudinally along the edges of the base such that they form a groove there between.

5. The door seal according to claim 4 wherein said double-sided tape is 20 positioned within the groove and used to affix the locating member to the threshold sill.

6. The door seal according to claims 4 or 5 wherein a terminal ends of the projecting flanges includes an irregular surface adapted to grip onto the surface of the threshold sill when the locating member has been affixed. 25

7. The door seal according to any one of the above claims wherein the sealing member includes an elongate base rigidly adjoining an upwardly extending elongate flange, wherein the base is perpendicular to the flange. 13

8. The door seal according to claim 7 wherein the flange includes a strip of double-sided tape by which it can be attached to a side of the door.

9. The door seal according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the flange is attached adjacent the bottom of the door. 5

10. The door seal according to any one of the above claims wherein the elongate base adjoins at least one downwardly projecting flexible fin.

11. The door seal according to claim 10 wherein the flexible fin is adapted to releasably engage an upper surface of the threshold plate.

12. The door seal according to any one of the above claims wherein the elongate 10 base further includes a flexible biased seal.

13. The door seal according to claim 12 wherein the biased seal is in the form of a downwardly projecting loop of flexible material.

14. The door seal according to any one of the above claims wherein the threshold plate fits over an upstand that extends upwardly from the surface of the 15 threshold sill.

15. The door seal according to claim 14 wherein the threshold plate engages with at least a portion of the threshold sill.

16. The seal according to any one of the above claims wherein the threshold plate includes a downwardly projecting leg configured to rest upon or grip the 20 threshold sill.

17. The door seal according to claim 16 wherein the terminal end of the leg includes at least one tapered tooth such that upon attachment to the upstand the plate is able to resist horizontal movement.

18. The door seal according to any one of the above claims wherein the threshold 25 plate includes an upwardly projecting elongate lip.

19. A method of sealing a gap between a door and a corresponding threshold sill, comprising the steps of: 14 providing an sealing member, a locating member and a threshold plate; attaching the sealing member to a lower portion of the door by way of double sided tape such that the sealing member extends below the door; attaching the locating member to the threshold sill; 5 attaching the threshold plate to the locating plate by way of double-sided tape such that the threshold plate extends above the threshold sill; operating the door such that the sealing member and threshold plate cooperate to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the locating member is attached to 10 the threshold sill using double-sided tape.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the tape is preferably located within a groove on underside of the locating member.

22. A method according to claims any one of claims 19, 20 or 21 wherein the locating member, threshold plate and sealing member are elongate, such that 15 in use they can be cut to a selected length.

23. A seal for use in a doorway having a door and a threshold sill, including: a sealing member attached to, and extending below, the door; and a threshold plate attached to, and extending above, the threshold sill, the sealing member and threshold plate cooperating to thereby provide a seal 20 when said door is located above the threshold sill; said sealing member and threshold plate including respective adhesive layers by which they are attached to the door and threshold sill respectively.

24. The seal according to claim 23 wherein the threshold plate is attached to an upper surface of an upstand of said threshold sill.

25 25. The seal according to claims 23 or 24 wherein the adhesive layers are strips of double-sided tape.

26. A method of sealing a gap between a door and a corresponding threshold sill having an upstand, comprising the steps of: providing a sealing member and a threshold plate; 15 attaching the sealing member to a lower portion of the door by way of double sided tape such that the sealing member extends below the door; attaching the threshold plate to the threshold sill upstand by way of double sided tape such that the threshold plate extends above the threshold sill; 5 such that the sealing member and threshold plate cooperate to thereby provide a seal when said door is located above the threshold sill.

27. A seal substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings.