CA1052182A - Metal door assembly and method of production - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A formed sheet metal rectugular-shaped frame is positioned between two sheet metal panels which may be embossed to provide the appearance of small wood panels. The frame include an elongated frame member for each edge of the doors and each frame member has two outwardly facing parallel spaced channel portions integrally connected by a center web portion. Extruded plastic trim members cover the top and slide frame members and include longitudlinal extendting hook-shaped leg portions which project into the channel portions and snap-fit onto inwardly formed edge portions of the side panels. A foam Insulation material is expanded between the side panels and also serves to space the side panels laterally from the frame to form a thermal barrier. The side trim members are interrupted or notched to receive the door hinges and a latch bolt housing which seat on the web portions of the corresponding frame members. A generally U-shaped elongated door seal is secured to the frame member which extends along the bottom of the door. The frame is preferably constructed in two opposing generally C-shaped sections which are expanded to receive the edge portions of the side panels before the foam is inserted and a block of more dense insulation material is placed between the slide panels adjacent one of the frame sec-tions for attaching a door lock set.

Description

105~ 2 ~- Background of the Inventlon In the constructlon of metal door~ ~uch as, for example, the doors dlacloaed In U. S. patants No. ~,297,609, No. 3,153 j817; No, 3, 273, 287, No. 3, 333, 385, No. 3, 455, 078 and No. 3, 7S0, 333, It has been found deslrable to provlde for a thermal barrler between the sheet metal sklna or slde panels of the door ln addltlon to provldlng for a door whlch 1~ rlgld and wlll remaln flat and not warp wlth changes In temperature and humldlty. It Is also deslrable for a metal door to be COtlBtrUCted 80 that the hlngeg may be mounted on elther door edge and In a rece~sed manner ~o that the hlngea are flu3h wlth the outer edge surface of the door, ç Slmllarly, lt 19 deslrable to provlde for mountlng the lock or latch bolt on elther slde of the door for maklng the door reverslble and ~to posltion the ~mounting flange for the bolt houalng 80 that the flange I5 Is flush wlth the correspondlng edge surface of the door. In addltlon to the above features, It 1~ sometlmes dcslrable for the metal door to lnclude ~j an adjuatable threshold seallng member along the bottom of the door and ~to provide for qulck and almpllfled as~embly and Installàtlon. `
Summary of the Inventlon The present Inventlon 18 dlrected to an Improved metal door asaembly whlch provldes all of the deslrable features mentloned above and, In addltlon, provldes for u31ng sheet metal alde panele each of whlch ., ., ~ , may be drawn to form a serles of rectangular Impresalons for produclng l`
the appearance of a conventlonal wood panel door constructlon. In the ` ~ 29 Illustrated nmbodlments of the Inve~tlon, the door assembly 18 constructed !
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by forming a set of generally rectang~llar sheet metal slde panels each having longitudinally extendLng opposlte edge portions and laterally extend~ng opposite edge portions. Each of the edge portLons of each slde panel Ls bent to form an angularly projecting corresponding return tab portion. A
rectangular frame ls formed with frame sections having outwardly facLng channels extending substantially around the entire periphery of the frame, and the frame sectlons are arranged In relative retracted positions between the side panels whlch are disposed in parallel opposing relatLon. The fxame sectlons are then expanded outwardly from the retracted posLttons ' ' and between the slde panels causLng the tab portion6 to pro]ect Lnto corres- v 1 pondLng channels of the frame sections around substantlally the entire ' ,, .,, . . 1 periphery of the frame. A foam Lnsulation materLal is Lnserted between ' I
the side panels and wIthln the frame. "
Extruded plastics trim members cover the channels of the 15 frame sections along the vertical edge~ and top of the door. Each trlm member Lncludes tntegral hook-shaped longitudinally extendLng leg portLons - whlch project Into the channels of the frame sections and snap-fit onto the ` ' Lnwardly formed edge portion of the sLde panels. The trlm member6 are ' 'i .,. . i notched or Lnterrupted to receLve the hinges and a door-latch ~olt assembly, ;

20 and an extruded plastlcs door sweep or seal wLth flexible aealing llps, La adju~tably connected to the metal frame member along the bottom of the door.

In the preferred embodLment, the frame secttons are generally C-shaped and are èxpanded outwardly between the sLde panels Lnto engagement wLth the edge portLons of the slde panels. In additLon, a block of rlgld expa~d-ed foam materLal Is posltloned between the side panels adjacent one of the ~ '~
`` frame sectLons and-has integral rlb portions which project Lnto correspond~g ~1 slots withLn the 'adjacent frame section for mountLng a door lock set. ' -3_ s~
Brlef Doscrlptiion of the Drawl~L
FIG, 1 1~ an elevational slde vlew of a metal door constructed In accordance wlth the pre~ent Inventlon;
FIG, 2 18 a fragmentary ~ectlon taken generally on the llna ~: 5 2-2 of FIG, l;
i- FIG, 3 18 an exploded perspectiive vlew of a top corner portlon of the door and lllustratlng the jolnlng of the ends of the frame member;
FIG, 4 10 a fragmentary per~pes~tlve vlew às would be ~een on the llne 4-4 o FIG. l;
: .. 10 FIG~ 5 la a fragmentary ~ectlon taken generally on the llne .. 5-5 of FIG, l;
'. , FIG. 6 1~ another fragmentaryt ~ectlon taken generally on the ~; llne 6-6 of FIG. l;
FIG. 7 18 a further fragmentary sectlon taken generall~ on :
15 the llne 7-7 of FIG. l and lllustratlng the support of a door ~weep or ~éallng membe~r;
- FIG, 8 1~ a fragmentary ~ectlon ~Imllar to ~IG, 5 and taken :-`1 . I
,. generally on the llne 8-8 of E`IG, l;
~: FlG. 9 18 a fragmentary sectlon slmllar to FIG. 7 and lllustratlng the seal formed by the seallng member between the bottom ~ ~:
of the door and a door threshold; I ~
FIG. lO 1~ a fragmentary per~pectlve vlew of a bottom portlon 1::
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of a door as~embly and showing a modlfled form of a door ~weep or :~
~eallng member;

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FIG. ll li~i a vlew of the Inner surface of one door slde panel and showlng a two-section metal frame expanded Into engagement wlth the edge portlons of the ~Ide panel;
;l . FIG. lZ is a vlew slmilar to FIG. 11 and showlng the arrange-S ment of the frame sectlons beforebelhg exl?anded tnto, th~ poaltt~n shcwn In FIG, 11;
FIC. 13 18 a perspectlve vlew of a rlgid hlgh den~lty foam biock whlch 18 posltloned between the slde panels, as lllustrated In FIG. ll;
FIG. 14 19 a fragmentary sectlon slml1ar to FIG. 7 and 10 ~howlng another form of door ~weep or seallng member constructed In.
~ accoxdance wlth the Inventlon; and ~;
: FIG. 15 ls a fragmentary sectlon slmllar to FIG. 2 and : ~ ~
~`,............................................. ' ~', Illustratlng a metal door slde panel al~o constructed In accordance wlth the Inventlon Descrlptlon of the Preferred Embodlment ~ ~ :
The 9 heet me t al door: assembly Illustrated In FIG. l ~ 1.
.i Include0 a rectangular-shaped metal Irame formed by an elongated frame member 10 extendLng along each edge of the door. The frame :
membera are constructed by roll forrnlng a 3heet metal strlp, and ~ ~`
Z0 each frame member Include6 a palr of parallel spaced U-=haped channel f : portlons 12 Integrally connected by a flat center web portlon 14. The outer longltudlnal edges of the channel portions 12 are formed Inwardly to produce oppoislng llp portlons 16 whlch are located sllghtl~r Inwardly ,,. ~: , ,,:
; from the web portlon 14. The rectangular frame Ig formied by notchlng 2S and bendlng the roll-~formed Etrlp for three of the corners of the door, . . .
:~ ` and the adjàcent mltered enda 17 (FIG, 3) o the strlp are joln~d : ~

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together at the fourth upper corner of the door by a formed sheet metal angle bracket 18 and a Aet of "Pop" (Trade Mark) rivets 19.
A pair of opposing rectangular side panels 25 are ` ~`
formed of sheet metal and are preferably either finish-coated with a baked-on-enamel or epoxy paint or are pr0coated with a durable pla~tic~ mater;al. The ~ide panels 25 are ~tamped or drawn to form -~
a serie~ of rectangular frame-like recesse~ or impresaion~ 27, 28 and 29 to provide each panel 25 with the app~arance of a paneled wood door. Ho~1vever, it is to be understood that the reces6es or impre~ions 27-29 may be omltted for flush door assemblies.
The top and longitudinal edge portion~ of each sIde panel 25 are formed Inwardly by two right angles to produce a corresponding flange : ~
~ portlon 31 and another flange or tab portion 32. The tab portIons 32 }rlay be ''~! contInuous along the ~ide and top edge~ of each slde panel 25 or may be i 15 interrupted to form a serie~ of spaced tabs. As shown in FI~;. 2-8, the tab portIons 32 of each side panel 25 contact or engage the ends of the adjacent lip portion~ 16 of the frame member8 10 and project Inwardly into the cavltle~ defLned by the channel portion~ lZ of the frame 10.
~` The bottom edge portion of each ~ide panel 25 i~ ~ecured to ~,;; 20 the bottom frame member 10 by a double-sided adhesive tape 34 having a ~' thtckness of about lI16 inch. The wIdth of the flange portions 31 of each ` ~ side panel 25 I~ ~omewhat greater than the width of the lip portion~ 16 of the ` :~
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~` frame member~ lO to form a narrow slot-ltke ~pace 36 between each of the side panels 2$ and the frame melnber~ lO around the pertphery of the .. :~ . .
25 frame. The outer surface of each flange portton 31 of each etde panel 25, ~
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l~ po~ltioned flush wlth the outer ~urface of the web portlon 14 . of the c~rre~pondlng frame member lO, ae Illu~trated In F'IGS. 5-8.
An expanded froth-typ~ polym~rlc foam In~ulatlon materlal 38 fills the entlre cavity defined wlthin the metal frame members lO between the slde panel~ 25 and extend~ outwardly into the space between the channel portions 12 of the frame member~ lO
. and the narrow ~pace~ 36 defined between the frame member~ lO and ~Ide panelY 25, Preferably, the Insulat;on materlal 38 con~i~te of a ~:. .rigld polyurethane foam whlch 1~ e~panded between the slde panel~
. lO 25 after the panels are a~.~embled onto the frame members 10 and `: whlle the panel~ 25 are conflned between rlgld back-up form members ~., ~;~ ' or platen~ ~not shown).
~ Reerring to FrC;S-, Z-4, an elongated ~.eml-rlgld -; trim member 40 extend~ along one vertical edge of the door and acro~
!;~ ` 1S the top of the door. The trim member 40 ha~ a width substantlally equal to the ~paclng between the ~ide panel~ Z5 and 1~ extruded from ,.......................... . . .
a plaetlcs materlal auch a~ a semi-rlgld polyvinyl chlorlde. ~ach trlm member 40 has a flat outer wall 42, and a ~et of Integral parallel flange portlons 44 project Inwardly irom the wall 42 to engage the , 1 20 . corre~pondlng Inwardly formed flange portion~ 31 oi the ulde panels Z5.
.` , Each trlm member 40 also lncludes an Inwardl~r projectlng longltudlnally `:.` extendlng Integral bead portton 46 whlch ~eate agaln~t the adjacent web ~:~, portlon 14 of the frame ~n~mbcr lO.
~ ~ A palr of Inte~ral hook-shaped leg portlona 48 extend :~ 1 25 longltudlnally oi the trlm membar and project lnto the cavltle~ iormed -:~ ~ ~ 7~ . - `
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)S~82 by the channel portlon~ 12 of the ~djacent frame member 10. The : leg portions 48 also project outwardly under the Inner e:nd~ o~ the Inwardly projectlng tab pc~rtion3 32 of the 3ide panel~ 25. The outer wall 42 of each of the trim members 40 18 flexed or bowed outwardly S to a slightly curved configuration by pinching the flange portlons 44 for in~ertlng the leg portlon~ 48 into the channel portions 12 of the adjacent frame member lO. When the outer wall 42 18 released, the leg portion~ 48 snap outwardly under the tab portlons 3Z (FIGS. Z and 3), to form a po~itlve rigid connection of the trlm member 40 to the fIame member 10.
Another elongated trim membex 40' (FIGS. 5 and 8) extend~ along thc opposlte vertical edge of the door and cover~ the correspondlng frame member 10. The trim member 40' 18 constructed substanti~ally the Fame as -the- trim member 40 and thus the corre~3pondLng 15. por10ns of the trlm member are identified with lik~ reference number wlth the addltion of a prlme ~nark. The main difference between thc -trlm member 40' and the trlm member 40 18 ~hown ln FIG, 5. That 1~ the QUter wall 42l taperA at a Rllght angle of approxlmately 3 relatlve to a reference plane normal to the slde panel~ Z5. Thls sllght angle or taper provide~ a be~eled outer edge surface for the outer edga of the door and rnlnlml~;es the wldth of the gap deflned betwcen tht~ edge of the door and thc adjacerlt door jamb.
~' . . Re~ferrlng to E'IC;, 6, a 3et of metal hlngeY 55 Include plaSe~ 56 whtch are mounted on tha oppo0lte or lnner edge of the door .
and are ~ecured to the adjacent frame member lO by a Het of screw~
57 whlch thread lnto hole~ formed wlthin the cha~nel portlon~ lZ o the ;~ ' - ' . ' .. ' - - ' , ., . :

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; frame member The hlnge platc~ 56 seat on the outer flange portlons 31 of the ~ide panel~ 25 and the web portlon 14 of the adjacent frame:
member lO, and the trim ~trip 40 is notched or interrupted for each of the hinges 55, Preferably, the flange~ 44 of the trim ~trip 40 have a thicknes~ which 1~ equal to the $hicknesEI of the attached h1nge plate 56 ~o that the outer surface of each hinge plate 18 substant1ally flu~h wLth the outer ~urface of the wall 42 of the trim member 40.
Referrlng to FlG, 8, a clrcular bore 58 i~ formed withln the web portion 14 of the frame member lO along the outer . edge oi the door and within the insulation materiaI 38 for. recelving a tubular hous1ng 61 which supports a latch bolt 62 projecting from a conventlonal door lock assembly 65~ The latch bolt houslrg 61 1ncludes a mounting flange 66 which l8 ~ecured to the web portlon 14 , ! ~ . . :
of the adjacent framè member IO by a set of ~crews 67 po~1tioned above and bell~w the Iatch bolt 62 and threaded into he web portlon 14, If desired, the mountlng flange 66 may ba tllted ~llghtly by a tapered .: . : . -wedge-llke sh1m 69 ~o that the outer ~urface of the mountlng flange 66 18 ~ubstant1ally flush wlth the outer tapered surface of the trlm membsr : 40 . --ZO : As shown ln FIGS. 7 and 9, the frame member lO which extend~ along the.bottom of the door, receives an elongated door sweep or deallng member 75 which lis preferably formed as a dual durometer extrusion of a pIaatlc~ matertal such ~ polyvlnyl chlorlde. The eallng member 75 Include~ a palr of parallel ~paced lnverted U-~haped .
~1 25 channel portions 76 whlch interflt lnto the correspondlng char~nel portlone .~,., ~
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12 of the frame member 10 and are integrally connected by a flat - bottom web portion 77. A ~et of ~pring-like longitudlnally extending flanges 79 are extruded a~ an int.egral part of the ~ealing member 75 and are inclined upwardly to engage the channel portion~ lZ of the bottom frame member 10, The flanges 79 urge the ~ealing member 75 downwardly again~t the head~ of a ~erle~ of spaced retalning Ycrew~
81 whlch are~ threaded upwardly into holes formed wlthln the web, portion 14 of the bottom frame member 10.
A set of longitudinally extendlng lip9 84 project ;~ 10 downwardly from the channel portlons 76 of the ~eallng member 75.
The longitudlnally extendlng lips 84 are extruded a~ an integral part of the seallng member 75 but are formed of a flexlble vinyl materlal a~ compared wlth the semi-rlgld vinyl materlal formlng the remalning ~;
~, . portlon of the ~eallng member 75.- -A~ shown in FIG. 9, the ~eallng ~:
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member 75 t~ po~ltioned relative to the bottom of the door by adjust- ~
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lng the screw~ 81 ~o that when the door is clo~ed, the Beall~g llp8 84 `` , engage the toe surface of a thre~hold 85 which 1~ ~ecured to the floor at the bottom of the doorway. To adju~t the po~ltlon of the seallng .
member.7$ relatlve to the thre~hold 85, the door l~ removod from tbe ZO hlnge~ 55 In order to ha-re convenlent acceH~ to the ~crew~
In some In~tallation~ where It ts not conver~lent to remove the door from the hlnge~ 55, a channel-llke door sweep or ;; ;
~eall~g member 90 ~FIG. lO) l~ attached to the bottom frame member ~.
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10 of th~ door l~l place of the ~eallug member 75. The seallng member ~" I 25 90 l~ also formed of axtruded pla~tic~ materlal and Includea a . : . '. . - ,, :
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sub~tantially flat bottom wall 9Z whlch lntegrally connect~ a palr of upwardly projectlng ~Ide wallY or flanges 94. The flanges 94 engage the outer surfacea of the slde panel3 Z5 and have a serles of longltudinally spaced vertlcal slots 96 whlch recelve correspondlng screws 97 for securlng the ~eallng member 90 to the bottom frasne member 10 of the door.
A serles of longitudlnally extendlng seallng llps ~9 are extruded as an lntegral part of the seallng member 90, but are formed of a flexlble plastlc~ materlal ln the same manner a~ the seallng llps 10 84 descrlbed above ln connectlon wlth FIGS. 7 and 9. The seallng .member 90 ls posltloned relatlve to the door threshold 85 slmply by releaslng the screws 97, adjustlng the posltlon of the seallng member 90 and then . retlghtenlng the screws 97.
- Referrlng to FIGS, 11-14 which show another method of15 constructlng a metal door in accordance wlth the lnventlon, a rectangular metal frame 18 constructed of a palr of mating frame sectlon~ 110 each havlng a generally C-shaped configura tlon and formed by a longitudlnally extendlng frame member 114 lntegrally connectlng a set of laterally ex-tendlng frame me.mbers 116 and 118. The cross-sectlonal configuratlon 20 of each frame sectlon 110 l8 Identlcal ta that of the frame member 10 descrlbed above ln connection wlth FIGS. 1-10, and th~ls the same reference . numbers are u~ed to Identify the corresponding components of each frame I section, A shaet metal connector channel lZ0 ls spot welded to the end 1~ 25 of the laterall~r extendlng frame member 116 of each frame ~ectlon 112, and after the frame ~ections 110 are positioned as shown ln FIG. 11, the : '' channels 120 are also welded to the correspondlng opposlng frame members ~l ' .. 118, . ~

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Referring to FlG. 13, a prcmok3ed block 122 of expanded rigld plastlcs foam materlal9 Is positloned adjacent one of the frame ~- members 114 whlch corresponds to the outer latch edge of the metal door.
The block 12Z has a denslty whlch 15 6ubstantially greater than the denslty S of the plastlcs foam materlal 38 wh~ch is expanded between the aheet metal sklns or slde panels lZ5 of the door. For example, the denslty of the block lZ2 Is on the order of 15 to 18 pounds per cublc foot, whereas the denslty of the expanded foam 38 is on the order of Z pounds per cublc foot.
The block 122 includes a set of longitudlnally extending Integral keys or bosses 128 and lZ9 whlch project through correspondlng slots formed wlthln the adjacent frame member 114, The outer surfaces of the bos~es 128 and 129 are flush with the outer surface of the web portlon 14 of the frame member 114. The block lZ2 also includes a set of 15 laterally extendlng grooves 134 In each of its side surfaces, and the :;
; grooves 134 are fllled wlth the foam materlal 38 durlng assembly of the door, The sheet metal slde panels lZ5 are constructed In the same manner ` ~ as the ~Ide panels Z5 descrlbed above, except that the Integral flange portlons 31 and the tab portlons 32 of each panel extend around the entlre 20 periphery of the panel, includlng the bottom edge.
In accordance wlth the Invention, a metal door Includlng thè
`-` frame ~ectlons 110 and side panels 125, Is assembled In the followlng .; `
;~ manner, One of the slde panels 125 Is placed on a table, and the frame sectlons 110 are posltloned adjacent the side panel In an Interflttlng manner, ~- 25 as shown In FIG. 12. The premolded block 122 of expanded foam materlal~
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~l~)S;~ 2 i8 placed on the one ~Ide panel, and the keys or bo~ses 128 and 129 are In~erted into the corre3pondlng filots wlthln the adjacent frame member 114, The other slde panel 125 18 then placed over the frame sectlons llO
90 that the rame ~ectlon~ 110 are Yandwlched between the sldn pan~ls 5 125, The frame section3 110 are then shlfted outwardly from thelr posltlons shown In FIG. 11, after whlch the connector channels lZ0 are welded to the corresponding frame member~ 118. When the frame ~ectlons 110 are expanded from thelr Interflttlng posltlons (FIG. lZ) to form the . .
rectangular frame 9hown In FIG. 11, the perlpherally extendlng channel portlons 12 of the frame sectlons 110, recelve the correapondlng perlpherally extendlng and Inwardly projectlng llp portlons 16 of the slde panels 125.
Thus when the frame sectlon3 llO are welded together, the 31de panels 125 are locked to the rectangular frame around the entlre perlphery of the frame and can:lot bn dl~a~sembled wlthout detachlng the wslded connector ,.
channels 120. Thl~ ~tructure i8 hlghly deslrable for provldlng a flre reslstant metal door and to às~ure that the slde panels 125 do not separate from the metal frame.
.
After the sldQ panels 125 are mechanlcally connect~?d by ,,, 20 tbe rectangular frame ~ectlons llO, wlth the preformed block 12Z sand-wlched betwe,en the side panels, the assembly 13 placed wlthln a pre~s ., i ` having parallel spaced backup platens for the slde panels 125, The foam materlal 38 18 then Injected through an openlng wlthln one of the ràme se~tlon~ 110 and Into the chamber or cavity deflned between the side panels 125. As the foam Insulation r~aterlal expand~3 withln the cavlty, the foam :"`

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materlal also extrudes Into the grooves 134 withln tho block 12Z, Thus when the expanded foam lnsulation materlal ~ets, It form~ a poaltive boncl between each of the slde panels 125 and the preformed foam block 122 90 that the slde panel cannot move or flex outwardly relative to the block 122. The substantial size of the den~e foam block 122 and the projectlng bo3ses 128 and 129 provlde for accommodatlrlg varlous types and deslgn~ of door lock sets and dead bolt sets.
Referring to FIG. 14, the rigldly connected bottom ~embers 116 and 118 of the rectangular frame are adapted to recelve a threshold door sweep or seallng member 140 which 19 extruded from a dual durometer thermoplastlcs materlal such as the seallng members 75 and 90 described . ~ above ln connectlon wlth FIGS, 7 and 10. The elongated seallng member 140 Includes a substantlally flat base wal1 142 whlch extends along the ~ bottom of the metal door and has a wldth substantially equal to the wldth : 15 of the door, A palr of longitud~nally e~tending hook-llke leg portlon~ 144 are Integrally connected by the base wall 142 and project upwardly Into , the correspondLng channel portlons 12 of the bottom frame member, Each of the leg portlon~ 144 Includes an outwardly projectlng rlb portlon 146 whlch snap~ over the upper edge of the upwardly projectlng tab portlon 3Z
of the correspondlng side panel lZ5 90 that the seallng member 140 ~nap-flts .~
Into engagement with the bottom edge portlon of a door in the same manner ~ a~ the trlm member 40 and 40~ snap-flt Into engagement wlth the vertlcal `~ and upper edge portlons of the door, A palr of longitudlnally extending rlbs 148 are formed as Z5 an Integral part of the seallng member 140 and project upwardly on opposlte '` - ' '' :`
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sldes of the center web portion 14 of the bottom frame member, The ribs 148 cooperate with the leg portlons 144 to prevent lateral ~hiftlng of the sealing member 140 relatlve to the bottom edge surface of the door durlng opening and closlng of the door, The seallng member 140 al~o includes a plurallty of longltudinally extending and downwardly projectlng ~; flexible seallng lip8 151 which are IntegralIy connected by the relatively L rigld base wall 142, The flexlble seallng llps 151 are adapted to engage a threshold ln a manner slmllar to the engagement of the seallng llps 84 or 99 wlth the threshold 85, as descrlbed above ln connectlon with EIGS, 9 and 10. The 9ealing member 140 also includes a longltudlnally extendlng !
drlp llp 153 which ls formed as an lntagral part of the base wall 142 and slopea downwardly adjacent the bottom edge of the outer slde panel 12S.
As mentloned above, it ls also wlthin the scope of the invention to form a metal door slde or border panel assembly 160 ~IG, lS) whlch may be used adjacent the metal door shown In E`IG. 1, but whlch l8 flxed ln posltlon and ls not supported by hlnges for plvotal movement, The border panel assembly 160 lncludes a palr of sheet metal slde panels 165 whlch are constructed ln the same manner as the slde panels 125 but have approximately one-half of the wldth of the slde panel~ 125, The ~` 20 slde panels 165 are preferably provlded with a single vertlcal row of ;~ rectangular embossments or lmpresslons which correspond to the lmpresslons 27, 28 and 29 as shown In FIG, I.
The metal border panel assembIy 160 doe~ not requlre a rectangular metal frame, and the slde panels 165 are bonded together by the expanded foam Insulation materlal 38 and the Interfltting connectlon . ~, i .
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of a set of trlm members 40 which extend around the entlre perlphery - of the border panel as~embly 160. In the production of a metal border panel assembly 160, a palr of sheet metal side panels 165 are posltloned In parallel spaced relatlon, and a 0et of trlm members 40 are snap^fltted 5 Into engagement wlth the ~Ide panels 165 around the perlphery of the slde pahels. Whlle the slde pane1s 165 are conflned between parallel spaced p1atens, and the trlm member3 40 are ~upported by a rlgld rectangular back^up frame, the foam Insulatlon materlal 38 1~ expanded wlthin the chamber or cavlty deflned betwsen the slde panels 165 untll the materlal 10 fllls the entlre cavlty Includlng the 9pace between the leg portlons 48 of each trlm member 40. When the expanded foam Ins~1atlon materlal 38 1 set~, the resu1t Is a rlgld border panel assembly 160 whlch has a smooth perlphera1 edge surface formed by the trim members 4Q ln addltlon to the decoratlve appearance of the sheet metal side panels 165.
- ~ 15 From the drawlng and the above de~criptlonllt 18 apparent - that a metal door constructed In accordance wlth the pre6ent Inventlon, ~;
. ., ~;, provldes deslrable features and advantages. For example, the assembly of tha metal door frame members 10 or frame sectlons 110 and the metal slde panel~ Z5 or lZ5, provldes a rlgld const;ructlon whlch ls not affected Z0 by changes In temperature and humldlty, and the expanded foam Insulatlon materlal 38 cooperates to mlnlml~e heat and sound tran~fer, The exten- ~ i slon of the Insulatlon materlal Into the narrow spaces 36 between the slde ; panels 25 and the door frame members 10 al~o provldes a thermal barrler - ~ 90 that the frame members 10 do not conduct heat from one slde panel 2S ~ j 25 to the other slde panel 25, .'' ' - ~,.
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i ~ nother Important feature is provlded by the cooperatlon of the door frame member~ I0 or fxame ~ectlons 110 and the trlm members 40 and 40'. That 19, the trim members not onIy provlde a cover for the cavltlas daflned by the channel portlon~ 12 of the correapondlng frame S members, the trlm members also provlde for convenlently mountlng the hlnges and the flange of the latch bolt hou~lng ~o that they are fIush with the outer corre6pondlng edge ~urfaces of the door. In addltlon, the trlm member 40' may be convenlently reversed to provlde for elther a left hlngLng or a right hlnglng door. As mentloned above, the frame mcmber I0 along the bottom of the door, provldes for posltlveIy retalnlng the door ~weep or ~eallng member 75 or 140 and for adjustlng the member 75 ;` wlthln the lower edge portlon of the door so that the seaIlng lip~ 84 engage ~` the door threshoId 85 wlth the deslred flexing as llIustrated In FIG. 9.
~, ~ It 19 also apparent that the expandlng of the frame sectlona 15 lI0 into engagement wlth the InwardIy projectlng edge portlans of the slde paneIs I251 provldes for posltlvely retalnlng each slde panel around the entlre perlphery of thè door wlthout requlrlng an adhe~lve. In addltlon~

.... . .
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the den~e foam block 122 provldes for convenlently mountlng a doox lock ... . .
~. i set and, If dsslred, a dead-bolt lock set slnce the block IZ2 ls effectlve :, . . ~ :
`;; Z0 to retaln the mountlng ~crews Whlle the forms of door assemblles hereln descrlbed i,' 1.
,: ( .
constltute preerred embodlments of the Inventlon, It 19 to be understood that ths inventlon 19 not llmlted to these preclse forms of door assemblles~
. ,~a~ ~ and that changes may be made thereln wlthout departing fxom the scope ` 'i ~ ' . , ~

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and ~pirlt of the ~nventlon a~ defined In the appended clalms.
The invention havlng thu~ been de~erlbed, the followlng le clalmed:

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Claims (13)

1. The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
   
   l. An improved metal door or panel assembly comprising a rigid rectangular frame including longitudinally extending parallel frame mem-bers and laterally extending parallel frame members, said frame members having channel portions defining outwardly facing corresponding channels extending substantially around the entire outer periphery of said frame, a set of generally rectangular sheet metal side panels each having outer edge portions extending substantially around the entire outer periphery of said panel and projecting into corresponding said channels of said frame members, a thermal insulation material disposed within said frame between said side panels, said edge portions of said side panels confining said longitudinally and laterally extending frame members around substantially the entire said frame and restricting said frame members from outward movement, said channel portions of said longitudinally and laterally extending frame members confining said edge portions of said side panels around substantially the entire said frame and restricting said side panels from separating, and said longitudinally and laterally extending frame members, being connected by means which provide for expanding said longitudinally and laterally extending frame members outwardly into the corresponding said edge portions of said side panels after said side panels are positioned on said frame members.
2. 2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said insulation material comprised a panel of expanded substantially rigid foam material having a predetermined density, a preformed block of expanded substantially rigid foam material disposed within said panel of foam material adjacent one of said longitudinally extending frame members, and said block of foam material having a density substantially greater than said density of said panel of foam material.
3. 3. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said insulation material comprises an expanded substantially rigid foam material urging said frame members outwardly against said edge portions of said side panels.
4. 4. An assembly as defined in claim 1 including a set of elongated trim members extending adjacent corresponding frame members and cover-ing said channels, and each of said trim members includes a set of longi-tudinally extending and integrally connected hook-like leg portions engaging the corresponding edge portions of said side panels for retaining said trim member.
5. 5. An assembly as defined in claim 1 including an elongated bottom sealing member having a substantially flat base wall extending adjacent the lower said edge portions of said side panels, and a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel spaced leg portions projecting upwardly from said base wall into correspondlng said channels and over corresponding said edge portions of said side panels.
6. 6. An assembly as defined in claim 1 Including an elongated door seal having a substantially flat base wall extending adjacent the lower said edge portions of said side panels, a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible sealing lips projecting downwardly from said base wall and integrally connected thereby, a set of longitudinally extending flanges projecting upward-ly from said base wall adjacent said side panels, and means for adjustably securing at least one of said flanges to the adjacent said side panel.
7. 7. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said rectangular frame includes a set of opposing generally C-shaped frame sections each having a longitudinally extending said frame member integrally connecting parallel spaced said laterally extending frame members, and said connecting means rigidly connect said frame sections to form said frame.
8. 8. An assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein one of said laterally extending frame members of each said frame section is substantially longer than the other said laterally extending frame member of said frame section to facilitate assembly of said frame sections.
9. 9. A method of producing a metal door or panel assembly comprising the steps of forming a set of generally rectangular sheet metal side panels each having longitudinally extending opposite edge portions and laterally extending opposite edge portions, bending each said edge portion of each said side panel to form angularly projectlng corresponding return tab portion, forming a rectangular frame with frame sections having outwardly facing channels extend-ing substantially around the entire periphery of said frame, arranging said frame sections in relative retracted positions between said side panels disposed In parallel relation, expanding said frame sections outwardly from said retracted positions and between said slide panels causing said tab portions to project into corresponding said channels of said frame sections around sub-stantially the entire periphery of said frame, and inserting a foam insulation material between said side pane1s and within said frame.
10. 10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said frame sec-tions i9 formed by roll-forming a flat strip of metal to form channel portions defining said channels, and bending the roll formed strip to produce corres-ponding corners of said frame sections.
11. 11. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said frame sec-tions is formed with a longitudinally extending frame member integrally connecting a set of laterally extending frame members, and forming one of said laterally extending frame members of each said frame section with a length greater than the length of the other laterally extending frame member of said frame section.
12. 12. A method as defined in claim 9 including the step of preforming a block of expanded foam insulation material having a density substantially greater than the insulation material expanded between the side panels, and inserting said block between said side panels and adjacent one of said frame sections prior to expanding the foam insulation material between the side panels,
13. 13. A method as defined in claim 12 including the step of forming a plurality of grooves in said block of insulation material for receiving the insulation material expanded between the side panels and to effect bonding of the block with the side panels.