GB2244077A

GB2244077A - Panelled door

Info

Publication number: GB2244077A
Application number: GB9010979A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Haslam
Original assignee: P C Henderson Ltd; PC Henderson Ltd
Current assignee: P C Henderson Ltd; PC Henderson Ltd
Priority date: 1990-05-16
Filing date: 1990-05-16
Publication date: 1991-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-16
Also published as: EP0457446A3; DE69102493D1; IE911441A1; IE64957B1; ATE107392T1; ES2055537T3; EP0457446A2; DE69102493T2; GB2244077B; EP0457446B1; GB9010979D0

Abstract

A panelled door, for example for a garage, devised to allow fabrication in a range of different sizes while being of sound construction and attractive appearance, comprises a box-section frame (10) having a peripheral flange (14) extending into the plane of the door and a flat zone (13) of reduced thickness perpendicular to the plane of the door. One or more, for example three, door panels (15; 20; 23, 24) are located within the frame against the rear of the peripheral flange and are secured in that position by fixing means (18; 22; 25) passing through the flat zone. <IMAGE>

Description

-- 7- -I- PanellEd Door The present invention relates to panelled doorsp

such as may be installed as the vehicle access doors of garages, especially dcnestic garages, but including similar doors for other purposes. The invention will be described as applied to doors for garages.

Garage doors are required to be produced in a wide range of different sizes and it is therefore ccmnon for manufacturers to make such doors in the form of a generally rectangular frame into which one or more panels may be fitted. This approach allows doors to be assembled from different nLmg:)ers of differently-sized panels and also permits panels of different designs to be assembled. However existing doors of the panelled type suffer fram various disadvantages.

is First of all, the panels are usually secured to peripheral flanges extending into the plane of the door f=m the supporting frame and, in order to make the panel fixings invisible fram the front of the doors the panels are mounted forward of the flanges and secured thereto frcm the rear. A result is that the max thickness of door panel that is aesthetically acceptable is determined by the distance from the front of the frame to the flange. Panels %dlose thickness di,ffer.s much frcm this distance tend to give the assembled door an unattractive appearance. Secondly, if the panels are of timber, aesthetic considerations have led them to be secured with screws frcm the rear but, when the timber is relatively thin, fixing in this way does not produce a satisfactorily strong construction.

It is an object of the present ixivention to provide a panelled door which is a significant improvement over such doors of the above-described, present1yavailable type and wherein smv-. at least of the disadvantages of such doors are reduced or eliminated.

The panelled door of the present invention comprises a generally rectangular frame formed fram. lengths of a metal box section, a peripheral flange extending into the plane of the door from said frame along a line in the region of the front of the door, a zone of said box section of reduced thickness having a generally flat surface extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the door, and one or nvre flat door panels located within the framep abutting a rearward face of sald peripheral flange and secured in said position by f L-4ng means passing through said generally flat surface.

Thus it is characteristic of the door of the present invention that the frame is of box section# that the panel or. panels are fitted into the frame behind the peripheral flange and that the panel or panels are secured fram the side. As a result, the appearance of the front-of the door will be independent of the thickness of the panel(s)r the fixing of the panel (sl is not visible fram the front or even the back of the doort and even relatively thin timber panels can be well secured in a mamer which is not dependent on the panel thickness.

The door frame is formed frcm metal lengths of box section, as indicated, and this structure itself contributes significantly to the overall rigidity of the door. However it is particularly preferred that the metal section should have a profile formed as two parallel box sections, spaced apart by the flat zone of reduced thickness through which the paneles) are secured. The flat zone may comprise a single thickness of metal but it is preferred that it comprise two thicknesses of metal, for example as described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accxpanying drawings. When the frame comprises a double-box profile as referred to above, the t;mD box sections may be of different diuemions4, at least in the direction of the thickness of the door.

The.peripheral flange against which the panel(s) are secured preferably extends from the foreffest edge of the frgme but my if desired be located a little to the rear of that edge. The width of the flange in the direction of the plane of the door is determined by both structural and aesthetic considerations but nay typically lie within the range frcm 1 am. to 2 cm. The metal frame overall may typically have a thickness perpendicular to the plane of the door within the range from 4 an. to 8 cm., especialllr fram 5 cm. to 7 cm.

Although the door according to the present Invention rray rise a single panel within the frame, usually it will mnprise t!vn or more panels. Typically the door will ccrnprise at least three panels in its width. In subsequent description in this specification, reference will be rnade to the door having "Panels" (in the plural) but it will be understood that this is not intended to limit the invention to doors having mre than one panel.

The panels my be of metal, timber or glass-reinforced plastic and their thickness is independent of the front-toback thickness of the frame. However the structure of the door according to the invention is such that the panels may be relatively thin; thus the panels will usually be less in thickness than the frame. For example, a suitable metal panel my ccrnprise a single thickness of pressed netal, fonned with a peripheral f lange extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the panel to enable the panel to be secured to the frame or to an adjacent panel.

The method of securing the panels to the frame will be deten-nined in part by the material of the panels. Thus t panels will preferably be secured by wood screws passing through the flat zone of the frame into the panel. Vietal panels my be secured by rivets or similar methods of fixing. As one alternative, the panels may be secured in place against the peripheral flange by lengths of metal of angle section,, abutting the rear of the panel and secured to the frame by fixing means passing through eve generally 5 flat zone of the frame.

Preferably the door is given additional strength by means of one or more bracing struts, extending across the frame at the rear of the panels.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Fig. 1 is a partial view, in horizontal cross-section, of a first preferred embodiment of the door according to the present invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 are corresponding views,, respectively, of second and third preferred embodiments of the door.

In each of the illustrated embodiments of the door, the frame is formed from four lengths of double-box section steel, only one of which is visible in these partial views. These steel sections are formed frcm. sheet steel by roll forming and seaming and are assembled into the frame by welding at the four corners of the generally rectangular fraft)e.

The steel section 10 comprises a first box section 11, joi.ned to a second bax section 12 by a narrow double-thickness neck fonrung a generally flat zone 13 extending throughout the length of each steel section. The dimensions of the second box section 12 are increased as shown in Fig. 1 as OCEL ed with the corresponding box section 12 in Figs. 2 and 3, to provide addi tional strength for a relatively larger door. Frcm the box section 11, a flange 14 extends into the plane of the door around the whole of the door periphery, at the front face of the door.

The door of Fig. 1 is formed from three pressed s panels 15, only one of which is visible. Each panel 15 is formed with a pair of opposed side flanges 16p with an external locating rib 17 in one side flange and a corresponding 9)ove in the other; the rib 17 and grooves assist location and correct orientation of the panels and also assist in forming a seal betwem adjacent panels. The panels 15 are secured in place against the rearward face of the peripheral flange 14 by means of rivets 18 passing through the flat zone 13 and the flange 16. The wtx:)le door assembly is given added rigidity by =ss-bracing struts 19.

In the door illustrated in Fig. 2, the relatively thinner panels 20 are held in place by lengths 21 of L-section steel,, in turn secured by rivets 22 to the flat zone 13 of the frame sections 10.

Fig. 3 shows a third form of door, in which the door panels each rise a structure of timber nws 23 and a flat sheet of plywood 24. In this case the panels- are 1 secured by wood screws 25 passing through the flat zone 13 into the timber noTbers 23, and by L-section lengths 26, secured by rivets 27 extending into the box section 12,. As can be seen, the door according to the present invention is able to present a neat front surface independently of the thickness of the various forms of panel illustrated and even timber panels may be securely held in place by fastening fram the side of the frame. In addition,, the channel formed betNqem the two box sections in the region of the flat zone 13 may be used for mounting optional additional features of the doors, including, for example,, snap-in plastics rubbing strips and/or lower dust seals.

Claims

1. A panellea door ccimprising a generally rectangular frame fo from lengths of a metal box section, a peripheral flange extending into the plane of the door frcin said frame along a line in the region of the front of the door, a zone of said box section of reduced thickness having a generally flat surface extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the door, and one or nnre flat door panels located within the frame, abutting a rearward face of said peripheral flange and secured in said position by f ixing means passing through said generally flat surface.

2. A panelled door as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal section has a prof ile formed as two parallel box sections, spaced apart by said zone of reduced thickness.

3. A panelled door as claimed in claim 2, wherein said two parallel box sections are of different dimensions in the direction of thickness of the door.

4. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said zone of reduced thickness cises two thicknesses of metal.

5. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the width of said peripheral flange in -1 1 the direction of the plane of the door lies within the range frcin 1 an to 2 an.

6. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the thickness of the frame overall in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the door lies within the range fram 4 an to 8 an.

7. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, camprising at least three said panels.

8. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding plaims, wflerein each said panel is of metal, timber or glass-reinforced plastic.

9. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each said panel is less in thickness than the frame.

10. A panelled door as cla in any of the preceding claimst wherein each said panel =prises a single thickness of pressed metal, formed with a peripheral flange extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the panel.

11. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each said panel is secured in place by said fixing means passing through said flat zone of the frame into the panel.

b 1 X' -10

12. A panelled door as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein each said panel is secured in place by lengths of metal of angle section, abutting the rear of the panel and secured to the frame by fixing means passing through said flat zone of the frame.

13. A panelled door as claimed in any of the preceding claims, having one or more bracing struts extending across the frame at the rear of the panel(s).

14. A panelled door substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Fig. 1, 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings.

V Published 1991 at The Patent Office, Concept House, Cardiff Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 IRH- Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6, Nine Mile Point, Cwmfelinfach, Cross Keys. Newport, NP1 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent.