Abstract:
A method of making a door and a door so made in which a board having a size of about that of the finished door is provided, an opening is cut out of the board, a peripheral inwardly extending tongue or flange is produced by cutting the edges that define the opening, a first molding having a width greater than the width of the flange is fixedly mounted on one side of the flange; a panel having a size and configuration of the hole is mounted on that part of the first molding extending beyond the flange, and a second molding having a width greater than the width of the flange is fixedly mounted on the other side of the flange so that the that part of the parts of the first and second molding overlap and sandwich the panel. In one such constructed door, the panel is smaller than the cutout opening such that the peripheral edges of the panel are spaced from the peripheral edges of the flange.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of the Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/686,043, filed Jun. 1, 2005 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a novel door and a novel method of constructing a door. In particular, the present invention relates to a high quality panel door made for example of wood, metal or a synthetic having panels made of glass, wood, metal, plastics and similar types of materials generally used in the construction of panel doors.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In general, most high quality panel doors usually made of wood, of the type used on public buildings, churches, synagogues, and private organizations to add a distinguishing and decorative, visually pleasing appearance to the building, have been manufactured by numerous steps, many conducted by hand by highly skilled laborers over a period of time.  
         [0004]     Such conventional doors are comprised of individual pieces that are glued and nailed together. The panels can be either raised or depressed with respect to the plane of the door. In the case of depressed panels, the conventional, high quality door is comprised of a number of individual pieces which include top and bottom horizontally extending rails, left and right vertically extending styles, center mullions and individual panels inserted between these pieces and rigidly connected together. The panels can be raised, in which case the door can be constructed of a flat core and panels located on top of and rigidly adhered to the flat core.  
         [0005]     The prior art is replete with examples of panel doors and panel door construction, but each has its shortcomings. The following U.S. patents, incorporated herein by reference, disclose such examples.  
         [0006]     The U.S. Frumkin U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,684,590 and 6,584,667 disclose a method of making a panel door construction and the door so constructed. The method starts with providing two rectangular boards  22  and  45 , each one-half the thickness of a finished door (see  FIG. 10 ), and cutting corresponding rectangular openings through each board (see, e.g., Col. 2:30-37 &amp; Col. 3:8-25 in &#39;667 patent). A dado  38  and beading strips  41  and  43  are also cut and a panel  212  and the two door halves are glued in place to form the panel section of the door.  
         [0007]     The Ballantyne et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,434, Audia U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,675 and Shovlin published patent application No. 2003/0066257 each discloses a method of making a simulated panel door structure that includes single-body core and partial cutouts therein. In the Ballantyne et al. patent the cutouts are about ⅓ through the door face in each side opposite each other. Panels are inserted into the cutouts. ( FIGS. 2-3 ). In the Shovlin application, a trim piece is secured within the groove (§ 0021).  
         [0008]     The Turner U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,350 discloses a method of making a panel-style door which includes forming elongate channels in a core panel which has a rectangular outline, and length and width dimensions substantially corresponding to those of the final door (Col. 1:46-68).  
         [0009]     However, in each of these examples, there is still a lot of hand work that is required and the resulting product has a somewhat artificial appearance. In addition, under some circumstances the inserted panels can expand an amount different from the base into which they are installed causing either a weaker door or even a door that has warped. Further, the replacement of a cracked or broken panel in the prior art panel doors is somewhat difficult, if possible at all.  
         [0010]     Thus, there is needed a process of constructing high quality doors that have versatility, can be constructed faster, yet more accurately, have the appearance of a high quality door, and can have their panels easily removed, yet still firmly and positively retained in place.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention provides a high quality panel door that can be accurately and repeatedly made of different types of materials at a relatively rapid speed. The present invention further provides a panel door in which the panel can be easily removed and replaced, yet when installed, is strongly retained in place.  
         [0012]     A door according to one embodiment of the invention includes a main board having a central section surrounded by peripheral edge sections, having opposed front and back major surfaces, and having an opening completely through said board central section. The opening is defined by a circumferential inward edge of an inward edge section of said board, and the opening edge section includes an inward protruding, central tongue. A front and a back molding is mounted to the board opening edge section and extends inwardly beyond the end of the tongue. The extensions of the front and back moldings define a gap therebetween. The door also includes a panel that has peripheral edges and is located in the opening with the peripheral edges thereof located in the gap defined by the front and back moldings. The panel has a shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the opening, but has planar dimensions that are smaller than planar dimensions of the opening such that the panel edge section located in the gap is spaced from the end of the tongue.  
         [0013]     A method of making a panel door according to the present invention includes the step of cutting an opening through a solid door board having a front side and a back side, the opening being defined by board internal edges. Next a T-shaped tongue is cut in said board internal edges such that there is an internally extending central tongue portion and two side portions indented on either side thereof. Next a front molding is attached to the board internal edges and a panel is placed in said opening such that the edge of the panel is supported by the first molding. Then a back molding is attached to the board internal edges above the panel edge so that the back molding extends beyond the internal end of said flange.  
         [0014]     Other advantages of the present invention will be discussed in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments or apparent therefrom. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The present invention will become better understood by reference to the following drawings, wherein:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a panel door according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a photograph of a perspective view of a section of the panel door of  FIG. 1  during the construction thereof; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an “H” shaped router that is used to produce a peripheral tongue in an opening in the panel door.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     With reference now to the Figures in which like elements in the several views are designed by like numerals, and in particular with reference to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , a panel door  10  according to the present invention is depicted. Panel door  10  has a front side  12  and a rear or back side  14 . It is noted that the designation of front and back with respect to door  10  is arbitrary and the selected sides of door  10  are so designated merely for convenience in describing the present invention.  
         [0022]     Door board  12  is comprised of a conventional planar, solid wood stable core board  16 , a conventional veneer covering  18  on front side  12  and a conventional veneer covering  20  on rear side  14 . Door  10  also includes solid wood end caps  22  on top and bottom horizontal edges of door  10  and side end caps  24  on the right and left vertical edges of door  10  (when installed). End caps  24  and  26  are rigidly attached to core board  16  with fasteners such as one or more of nails, adhesive and screws. Veneer coverings  18  and  20  are adhered to core board  16  with conventional means usually comprised of conventional adhesives such as polyvinyl acetate to form together with end caps  22  and  24  a composite, one piece, unitary solid board  12 . Veneer coverings  18  and  20  are usually a solid quality wood sheet made of woods such as birch, pine, maple, oak or mahogany. However, veneer coverings  16  and  20  can be of other materials such as medium density fiberboard, high density composite door skin, or even a plastic laminate having a wood grain imprinted thereon. Any combination of materials can be used for veneers  18  and  20  and core board  16 . End caps  22  and  24  are usually solid and made of a hard wood such as maple or oak, and often are of the same wood as that of veneer coverings  18  and  20 . Core board  16  is preferably a less expensive wood product such as particle board, timber strand, wood stave lumber, flake board, medium density fiberboard, or mineralfire composite material, plywood, and chipboard. Exemplary dimensions of door  10  are 80 inches high by 36 inches wide by one and a half inch to one and three-quarters inch thick. Veneer coverings  18  and  20  are typically one-eighth inch thick.  
         [0023]     Panel door  10 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 , has a central area  25  surrounded by two solid side sections  26  and  27  that are typically 6 inches in width and a solid top section  28  and a solid bottom section  29  that are typically 6 inches and 9 inches in width, respectively. There are also internal vertical and horizontal sections  31  and  33 . Located in door area  25 , and surrounded by side sections  26  and  27  and top and bottom sections  28  and  29  are six panels in three rows, two top row rectangular panels  30  and  32 , two central row rectangular panels  34  and  36 , and two bottom row rectangular panels  38 , and  40 . Panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and  40  are mounted in six corresponding openings, such as opening  48  depicted in  FIG. 4 , as explained in greater detail herein below.  
         [0024]     As would be obvious to those skilled in the art, the number and organization of the panels in door  10  are a matter of artistic design. The present invention is directed not to the organization of panels in door  10 , but rather to the structure of the door mounting, a method of installing the panels and making door  10 , and the resulting door  10 .  
         [0025]     Panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and  40  can have any shape and dimension, such as square, triangular, round or oval, but are typically rectangular as depicted in  FIG. 1 . Further, although the corners of panels  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and  40  have meeting orthogonal sides and square corners, the corners can be rounded or pointed. Top panels  30  and  32  have exemplary dimensions of 9.625 inches wide by 6.875 inches high and can be up to about one inch in thickness. Panels  30  and  32  are made of a conventional glass product, such as up to one inch leaded glass, or an insulated or tempered glass with a thickness of up to five-eights inch (⅝″).  
         [0026]     Panels  30  and  32  are enclosed by circumferential front moldings  60  and  62 , respectively, together with back moldings, only back molding  53  for panel  32  being shown (see  FIG. 2 ), described in greater detail herein below. Panels  34 ,  36 ,  38  and  40  in the embodiment of  FIG. 1  are similarly enclosed by circumferential moldings, only front moldings  64 ,  66 ,  68 , and  70 , respectively, being shown (see  FIG. 1 ) together with a back molding  71  for panel  40  (see  FIG. 3 ) being shown. Panels  34 ,  36 ,  38  and  40  all have the same dimensions which are 22.75 inches high by 9½ inches wide. Panels  34 ,  36 ,  38  and  40  are of a conventional wood.  
         [0027]     In actuality, moldings  60 ,  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  66 ,  68 ,  70  and  71 , as well as the other, not shown, back moldings for the other panels, are each comprised of four sections with adjacent sections butting up against each other at the corners of the opening containing the corresponding panel. Each molding section is typically one-half inch in width as is described in greater detail herein below. Moldings  60 ,  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  66 ,  68 ,  70  and  71 , as well as the unnumbered moldings for the other panels, are conventional, are usually a solid high quality wood, and can have any cross-sectional configuration depending upon the desired design. It is noted that the term “molding” is used herein in a generic sense and includes glazing stops and profiles.  
         [0028]     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that panel  32  is made of glass. Panel  32  has a circumferential edge section  74  with opposed front and back sides  76  and  77  connected by a terminal edge  78  such that edge  78  is orthogonal to front and back sides  76  and  77 .  
         [0029]     Core board at opening  48  has a circumferential inward edge  80  of an inwardly extending edge section  82 . Section  82  includes an inwardly protruding central tongue  84  having opposed front and back faces  86  and  88  connected by a terminal end  90 . When assembled, as can be seen in  FIG. 3 , panel terminal edge  76  is spaced from tongue terminal end  90  to produce a gap  92 . Panel  32  has a width and a height with respect to its corresponding opening such that gap  92  extends all around the circumference where panel  32  is adjacent to, but does not touch the end of tongue  84 . This permits expansion of a panel and/or of door  10  without jeopardizing the structural integrity of either.  
         [0030]     Front molding  62  is comprised of an inward first part  102  that overlaps tongue front face  86  and an outward second part  104  that extends inwardly into door opening  48 . Although all moldings according to the present invention have similar inward and outward parts, in some moldings such as molding  62  the two parts are separate individual elements and in other moldings, such as back molding  63  described in detail hereinbelow, the two parts are integral and form one piece. An adhesive (not shown) fixedly attaches inward molding part  102  to tongue  84  and the base of tongue  84 . A nail or tack  106  rigidly, but removably, attaches outward part  104  to inward part  102 . In this way, should glass panel  32  be damaged, it can be easily replaced simply by removing tack  106  and then removing outward part  104 . Outward part  104  can even be destructively removed and simply replaced by another.  
         [0031]     Rear molding  63  is comprised of a single, unitary block having an inward section  110  that overlaps tongue back face  88  and an outward section  112  that extends inwardly into opening  48 . Back molding  63  is sometimes called a glazing stop in the industry. A tack or nail  114  and an adhesive (not shown) rigidly and somewhat permanently, fixedly retain rear molding  63  in place. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , outward parts  104  and  112  are spaced apart to form a gap therebetween and mutually engage and sandwich edge section  74  of panel  32 .  
         [0032]     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that panel  40  is made of wood. In one embodiment, panel  40  has a central core  120  made of bladder pressed wood and a matching veneer  122 . A typical thickness of panel  40  is one and one-sixteenth inches (1  1 / 16 ″). Panel  40  has a circumferential edge section  124  integral with a main body section  126 . Edge section  124  has a reduced width with respect to main body section  126  and a curvilinear cross-sectional shape. Edge section  124  has opposed front and back sides  128  and  130  connected by a terminal edge  132  such that edge  78  is orthogonal to front and back sides  128  and  130  where they meet.  
         [0033]     As seen in  FIG. 3 , molding  70  is comprised of a single, one piece, integral block  140  of wood that has an inward section  142  overlapping a central tongue  84 ′ of core board  16  and an outward section  144  extending beyond tongue  84 ′ into opening  48 . Molding  71  similarly is comprised of a single, one piece, integral block  150  of wood that has an inward section  152  overlapping a central tongue  84 ′ of core board  16  and an outward section  154  extending beyond tongue  84 ′ into opening  48 . Block outward sections  142  and  152  have respective inward facing surfaces  156  and  157  that are spaced apart to form a circumferential gap  158  therebetween.  
         [0034]     Nails (not shown) and an adhesive (not shown rigidly, fixedly, permanently mount molding  70  and  72  to core board  16 . Because panel  40  is wood, there is little chance that it will have to be replaced. Thus, panel  40  is left floating within gap  158  and moldings  70  and  72  can be permanently attached to core board  16 .  
         [0035]     Door  10  is manufactured in a relatively fast manner. A commercial stamping machine cuts the desired number and shape of each opening  48 , Reference is made to  FIG. 4  wherein a door  10  is depicted in the process of being manufactured. Next a high speed, H-shaped routing tool,  180 , depicted in  FIG. 5 , is used to fashion a T-shaped tongue  182  completely around the internal edges of opening  48  (i.e. a circumferential tongue). In some embodiments, however, it may be desirable to make tongue  182  in spaced apart sections (not shown). Next a front circumferential molding  184  (located on the bottom of door  10  as shown in  FIG. 4 ) is mounted onto tongue  182  and core board  16 . Then a panel (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) is placed in opening  48  on the outward part of molding  184 . Finally, the panel section is completed by attaching a back molding  186  onto tongue  182  and core board  16 . An adhesive is selectively used to attach moldings, as explained above. Also, a nail is usually used to tack the molding in place.  
         [0036]     The present invention has been described with respect to a number of embodiments thereof. However, other embodiments would be obvious to those skilled in the art using the teachings of this specification.