US3896590A

US3896590A - Door safety edge construction

Info

Publication number: US3896590A
Application number: US496113A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman K Miller
Original assignee: Miller Brothers Inc
Current assignee: MILLER NORMAN K
Priority date: 1974-08-09
Filing date: 1974-08-09
Publication date: 1975-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-29
Also published as: CA1030813A

Abstract

A safety edge construction for a door including an edge plate coextensive with a door edge and having one surface facing away from the door, the edge plate being formed in its outer surface with an undercut longitudinal groove, a pressure sensitive inner body extending along the groove, and a stiff flexible attachment member secured to the body and having a rib conformably engaged in the groove for retention of the body against separation from the plate.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Miller 1 DOOR SAFETY EDGE CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventor: Norman K. Miller, Concordville, Pa. [73] Assignee: Miller Brothers, Concordville, Pa.

[22] Filed: Aug. 9, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 496,113

[52] U.S. Cl. 49/488; 49/27; 49/489; 200/6143 {51] Int. Cl. E06B 7/16; HOlH 3/16 [58] Field of Search 49/488, 489, 27, 28, 469; 200/6143, 61.73

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,329,791 9/1943 Sevison 49/488 3,226,367 12/1965 Monti 49/489 X [111 3,896,590 July 29, 1975 3,303,303 2/1967 Miller 49/27 X 3,380,194 4/1968 Biro 49/488 X 3,462,885 8/1969 Miller 49/27 Primary Examiner-Philip C. Kannan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert K. Youtie [57] ABSTRACT A safety edge construction for a door including an edge plate coextensive with a door edge and having one surface facing away front the door, the edge plate being formed in its outer surface with an undercut longitudinal groove, a pressure sensitive inner body extending along the groove, and a stiff flexible attachment member secured to the body and having a rib conformably engaged in the groove for retention of the body against separation from the plate.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 1 DOOR SAFETY EDGE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those versed in the art of safety edges for doors and the like, considerable problems have heretofore been experienced in attachment of safety edges to both new door construction and existing doors. Also, repair and replacement of worn out safety edge constructions involve substantial labor costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a door safety edge construction which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, permitting of quick and easy attachment to both new door construction, either at the factory or the installation sight, as well as facilitating insulation on existing doors, both by way of replacing a previously existing safety edge, and by the addition of a safety edge to an existing door not previously having a safety edge.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door edge construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, wherein the labor time and skill required for installation or attachment is greatly reduced, without sacrificing quality of workmanship or integrity of the finished structure.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a door safety edge construction of the type described wherein an effectively sealed unit may be quickly and easily installed on or removed from a door, whether it be new door construction at the factory, or a previously installed door at the sight of operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door safety edge construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is extremely simple and durable in structure, economic in manufacture, installation and maintenance, and highly reliable in operation throughout a long useful life.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partialperspective view showing an installed door, which may be an overhead or rolled type, and may incorporate the safety edge construction of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional elevational view, taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom perspective view showing a slightly modified form of door edge plate of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevational view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating a further embodiment of the instant invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial bottom perspective view showing the attachment member of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line l0l0 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a partial bottom perspective view showing another slightly modified embodiment of attachment member of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line l2-l2 of FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 1-5 thereof, in FIG. 1 is shown a building 20 having an opening or doorway 21 and a door 22 movable into and out of closing relation with respect to the doorway. The door 22 may be of any suitable type, and is shown therein as an overhead door, say of roll-up construction including a plurality of pivotally connected or articulated, side-by-side slats 23.

The extreme or edgemost door slat or panel, which moves into and out of proximate closing relation with the door threshold, is designated 24, and includes a safety edge construction of the present invention, generally designated 25. That is, the extreme or edgemost door panel 24 may be suitably articulated to the next adjacent slat or panel 23, as seen in FIG. 2, as by interfitting hinge formations 25 and. 26, for movement of the panel 24 toward and away from a door jamb or threshold with the safety edge construction 25 carried into and out of closing engagement with the door jamb or threshold.

The safety edge construction 25 is generally of elongate configuration, extending closely along and secured to the panel 24. More specifically, the safety edge construction 25 includes an elongate inner body or core 26, say of the type disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,050. Thus, the inner body 26 is resiliently compressible, say fabricated of rubber or plastic foam material, and pressure sensitive to actuate switch means,

say to close an electric circuit by moving

flexible contact strips

27 and 28 into electrical contact with each other.

The inner body or foam core 26 is completely encompassed, throughout its length and on all sides, by a casing 30, which may advantageously be fabricated of flexible sheet material, such as suitable plastic. The casing 30 is fabricated of a flexible sheet material which is impervious to liquid, vapor and gas, and effectively sealed, as by suitable adhesive, thermosealing, radiofrequency welding, or other suitable means to insure an hermetically sealed casing 30 entirely and conformably enclosing the inner body 26.

As illustrated, the inner body 26 may be of a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, and sub stantially constant throughout its length. In conformance with the inner body 26, the casing 30 may include a generally rectangular bottom wall 31, generally

rectangular side walls

32 and 33, which may upstand integrally from opposite sides of the bottom wall, and generally rectangular end walls 34, see FIG. 3 which may upstand from the bottom wall 31 extending laterally between

side walls

32 and 33, being respectively secured thereto by suitable hermetically sealed

seams

35, 36 and 37. The casing may further include an additional generally rectangular closing or covering sheet 38, also of generally rectangular outline configuration and suitably hermetically secured along its margins to the upper edges of

said walls

32 and 33, and end walls 34, as by securements or

seams

39, 40 and 41.

The movable edge of door 22, say along the free edge of slat or panel 24, is provided with an edge plate 45, say of generally rectangular configuration extending along and longitudinally coextensive with door slat 24. In practice, the edge plate may be formed integrally with the door slat 24 extending generally normal thereto remote from the hinge part 26 and terminating at opposite

longitudinal edges

46 and 47, which may be equally spaced on opposite sides of the door slat 24. The lateral dimension or extent of edge plate 45, as between

longitudinal edges

46 and 47, may approximate the lateral or horizontal dimension of the pressure sensitive edge assembly 25, being located congruent thereto.

The edge plate 45 is generally planar or flat, and may have its under or outer surface 48 recessed, as at 49 to form a downwardly or outwardly facing groove. Further, the groove 49 may extend longitudinally of the edge plate 45, being longitudinally coextensive therewith so as to terminate at opposite ends of the edge plate, and may be located laterally medially of the edge plate, say equally spaced between the

side edges

46 and 47 of the plate. The downwardly or outwardly facing groove or recess 49 is formed with a pair of laterally opposed, facing, spaced internal undercuts, as at 50 and 51, all for purposes appearing presently.

In addition, the door edge plate 45 is formed with an access passageway, opening or groove 55, see FIG. 4, which is located adjacent to one end, as at 56, of the edge plate and communicates with the groove 49. The access opening or passageway may be of a cross sectional configuration essentially similar to that of groove 49, as best seen in FIG. 5, and the access passageway 55 may extend from one side edge, say edge 47 of the plate 45 diagonally inwardly for mergence with the groove 49.

Interposed between the edge plate 45 and upper side or covering sheet 38 of the pressure sensitive edge assembly 25 is a generally rectangular attachment member 56, being sandwiched between and generally congruent to both the plate 45 and cover sheet 38. Further, the generally rectangular attachment member 56 may advantageously be of a flexible characteristic, but somewhat stiffer than the rather freely compressible and flexible assembly of body 26 and cover 30. In practice, the attachment member 56 may be of suitable plastic material, having a thickness sufficient to afford the desired stiffness and flexibility, and is hermetically sealed about its peripheral margins, as by thermosealing, welding or other suitable means. Specifically, the attachment member 56 may be secured by suitable hermetic sealing, as along

longitudinal edge seams

57 and 58 to respective longitudinal margins of cover sheet 38, and also suitable hermetically sealed, as at 59, along opposite end margins to respective adjacent end margins of the cover sheet 38. Thus, the attachment member 56 is hermetically sealed about its entire periphery to the entire periphery of the nether cover sheet 38.

Provided on the upper side of attachment member 56, say being formed integrally therewith and longitudinally coextensive is an upstanding rib 60. The rib 60 may be located laterally medially between the longitudinal side edges of attachment member 56, longitudinally coextensive therewith, and generally T-shaped in section, having an upper cross region 61 defining opposite lateral extensions or

outstanding edges

62 and 63.

It will now be appreciated that the rib 60 is crosssectionally similar to the groove 49, and is conformably engaged therein, as seen in FIG. 2, the laterally

outstanding edges

62 and 63 engaging in the

undercuts

50 and 51 for positive retention against separation. That is, the entire

safety edge unit

25, 56 is somewhat longitudinally flexible or bendable for longitudinal or endwise movement of rib 60 into groove 49 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In the attachment procedure. the flexibility of the

unit

25, 56 permits of endwise movement of rib 60 into access passageway 55 and thence into groove 49. While there is usually some space available adjacent to the open end of groove 49, beyond the plate edge 56, this space may not be sufficient to accommodate the entire safety edge unit, so that the access passageway 55 may be advantageous.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, there is provided an access passagewy 55a in the nature of an enlarged opening or hole entering through the outer space 48a of edge plate 450 into the groove 49a. The enlarged access passageway or hole 500 may be adjacent to and spaced from the plate end edge 56a and is sized to permit movement therethrough of the entire rib 60, including the

lateral extensions

62 and 63.

A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 8-10, wherein a pressure sensitive unit 25b includes an attachment member 56b-and isattached to a door edge plate 45b carried by a door slat or panel 24b.

The embodiment of FIGS. 8-10 may be essentially similar to the first described embodiment, except that the attachment member 56b is provided on its upper side with a pair of parallel spaced longitudinally extending, upstanding ribs 61b and l61b, which may be substantially identical, each including a laterally enlarged upper portion. The ribs 61b and l61b may be suitably provided, as by integral formation, on the upper side of attachment member 56b.

In addition, the under or outer surface 48b of edge plate 45b is formed with a pair of parallel spaced longitudinally extending grooves 49b and 14% configured and arranged to respectively conformably receive ribs 61b and l6lb to retain the same against separation from the plate.

Further, as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, edge plate 45b may be formed with a pair of access passageways or grooves 55b and l55b extending in parallelism with each other diagonally of the plate, adjacent to one end thereof for mergence with respective grooves 49b and l49b. These access passageways or grooves 55b and l55b may be used to facilitate entry of ribs 61b and l6lb endwise into grooves 49b and 14% when there is insufficient space available beyond the end 56b of plate 45b.

A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, wherein a plate 450 is provided with a pair of parallel spaced, longitudinally extending grooves 490 and 149a adapted to respectively receive the ribs 61b and l6lb of the

unit

25b, 56b. However, the plate 45c is provided with a pair of access passageways or

openings

55c and 1550, which communicate respectively with grooves 490 and 1490. The access openings or passageways 55c and l55c are enlarged holes of sufficient dimension to pass the laterally extended regions of ribs 611) and 161!) into the undercuts of grooves 490 and 149C, in essentially the same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6.

From the foregoing, it will now be appreciated that the device of the present invention provides a door safety edge construction which greatly simplifies and expedites installation, maintenance and repair, and otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made withint the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A door safety edge comprising a door edge plate for longitudinal extension along a door edge and having an outer surface facing away from the door, said door edge plate having its outer surface generally flat, there being at least one longitudinally extending groove in said outer edge plate surface, said groove having opposite internal undercuts, a resiliently compressible pressure sensitive inner body extending longitudinally along said edge plate adjacent to said groove, a casing of flexible sheet material covering said inner body, an attachment member of relatively stiff flexible material secured to said body adjacent to the door, and at least one relatively stiff rib on said attachment member and located in said groove, said rib including lateral extensions engaged in said undercuts for retention against separation from said plate, said attachment member being generally flat and secured in facing relation with said inner body interposed between the latter and said edge plate, said outer edge plate surface having an access passageway communicating with said groove adjacent to and spaced inwardly from one groove end for passing said rib into said groove.

2. A door safety edge construction according to claim 1, said casing completely encompassing said body in sealing relation therewith, and said attachment member being secured to said casing in sealing relation with the latter about a closed configuration.

3. A door safety edge construction comprising a door edge plate for longitudinal coextension along a door edge and having an outer surface facing away from the door, said door edge plate having its outer surface generally flat, there being at least one longitudinally extending groove in said outer edge plate surface, said groove having opposite internal undercuts, a resiliently compressible pressure sensitive inner body extending longitudinally along said edge plate adjacent to said groove, a casing of flexible sheet material covering said inner body, an attachment member of relatively stiff flexible material secured to said body adjacent to said door, and at least one relatively stiff rib on said attachment member and located in said groove, said rib including lateral extensions engaged in said undercuts for retention against separation from said plate, said inner body, casing, attachment member and rib being a longitudinally flexible unit, and said outer edge plate surface having an access passageway communicating with said groove adjacent to and spaced inwardly from one groove end for passing said rib into said groove upon flexure of said unit.

4. A door safety edge construction according to claim 3, there being an additional longitudinally extending undercut groove in said outer edge plate surface parallel to and spaced from said first mentioned groove, and an additional relatively stiff flexible rib on said attachment member parallel to and spaced from said frist mentioned rib and located in said additional groove, said first rib including lateral extensions engaged in said undercut additional groove for retention against separation from said plate.

5. A door safety edge construction according to claim 3, said attachment member being generally flat and secured in facing relation with said inner body interposed between the latter and said edge plate.

6. A door safety edge construction according to claim 3, said casing completely encompassing said body'in sealing relation therewith, and said attachment member being secured to said casing in sealing relation with the latter about a closed configuration.

Claims

1. A door safety edge comprising a door edge plate for longitudinal extension along a door edge and having an outer surface facing away from the door, said door edge plate having its outer surface generally flat, there being at least one longitudinally extending groove in said outer edge plate surface, said groove having opposite internal undercuts, a resiliently compressible preSsure sensitive inner body extending longitudinally along said edge plate adjacent to said groove, a casing of flexible sheet material covering said inner body, an attachment member of relatively stiff flexible material secured to said body adjacent to the door, and at least one relatively stiff rib on said attachment member and located in said groove, said rib including lateral extensions engaged in said undercuts for retention against separation from said plate, said attachment member being generally flat and secured in facing relation with said inner body interposed between the latter and said edge plate, said outer edge plate surface having an access passageway communicating with said groove adjacent to and spaced inwardly from one groove end for passing said rib into said groove.

6. A door safety edge construction according to claim 3, said casing completely encompassing said body in sealing relation therewith, and said attachment member being secured to said casing in sealing relation with the latter about a closed configuration.