Method of fabricating a door and a door

A method of fabricating a door and a door. A first step involves molding a first door skin. A second step involves molding a second door skin. One or both of the first door skin and the second door skin have molded in place rails. One or both of the first door skin and the second door skin have molded in place stiles. A third step involves integrally bonding the first door skin and the second door skin. This produces a door having a body with integrally formed skins, rails, and stiles. A lock latch area and hinge pockets can also be integrally molded into the door.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a door and a door 
fabricated in accordance with the teachings of the method. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Solid wood doors are becoming increasingly rare. Most door manufacturers 
produce what has come to be know as a "door blank". A door blank has two 
door skins separated along top and bottom edges by wooded members known as 
"rails" and along side edges by wooden members known as "stiles". A wooden 
"lock block" is placed between the skins where a door latch is to be 
positioned. A cavity between the skins within boundaries defined by the 
rails and stiles is referred to as a "core" of the door and the material 
that fills the core is referred to as "coring". The above described 
components are subjected to a glue pressing process in order to produce a 
door blank. The most popular type of door blank for interior doors is a 
"hollow core" door. For exterior doors, insulating foam is injected into 
the core. 
Door blanks manufactured, as described above, are sold to "Prehangers". 
Prehangers are secondary manufacturers who machine the door blank in 
preparation for receiving door hinges and latch hardware. The Prehangers 
bore holes to receive the door latch and machine recesses for placement of 
hinges. Some manufacturing processes have been developed that produce a 
door with characteristics that reduce the amount of machining that 
Prehangers must perform. An example of such a door is U.S. Pat. No. 
4,218,848 by Nelson entitled "Plastic Foam-filled Door Having Integral 
Plastic Housing Defining Lock Cylinder and Lock Bolt Chambers". The Nelson 
reference discloses a door in which a borehole is premachined through the 
door skins. The boreholes in the two door skins are then aligned and a 
plastic lock housing insert is positioned in the borehole prior to the 
door being subjected to the glue pressing process and the injection of 
insulating foam coring. 
Both interior and exterior doors manufactured through the glue pressing 
process, as described above, have experienced problems. Interior doors 
have a problem with delamination, where the door skin comes away from one 
of the rails or stiles as a results of glue failure. They are also prone 
to warp when subjected to climactic changes. Exterior doors are subject to 
moisture infiltration in the area of the lock latch. In cold climates this 
causes the lock latch to freeze and fail. In moist climates this results 
in warpage of wooden skins and rusting of metallic skins. Warpage can also 
occur in exterior doors due to temperature differentials, for example when 
it is 70 degrees fahrenheit indoors and minus 30 degrees fahrenheit 
outdoors. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
What is required is an alternative method of fabricating a door that will 
not be as prone to warpage or moisture infiltration, and a door fabricated 
in accordance with the teachings of the method. 
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method 
of fabricating a door. A first step involves molding a first door skin. A 
second step involves molding a second door skin. One or both of the first 
door skin and the second door skin have molded in place rails. One or both 
of the first door skin and the second door skin have molded in place 
stiles. A third step involves integrally bonding the first door skin and 
the second door skin. This produces a body having integrally formed skins, 
rails, and stiles. 
A door produced in accordance with the teachings of the above described 
method is hermetically sealed against moisture. It is formed by a molding 
and not a glue pressing process, and will, therefore, not "delaminate". 
The mode of fabrication, as described, will produce a door that will be 
less subject to warpage. In addition, there are a number of collateral 
benefits from using this method. At the completion of fabrication, the 
door is prefinished. It can be molded to any size, design and colour 
desired. Once molded in a selected colour, scratches will be less visible 
as the material is the same colour throughout. A scratch merely reveals 
material of the same colour. 
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, 
as described above, the dramatically different approach permits a number 
of innovations to be introduced. Even more beneficial results may be 
obtained when one or both of the first door skin and the second door skin 
has a molded in place latch area with a lock chamber and a lock bolt bore. 
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, 
as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when one 
or both of the first door skin and the second door skin have molded in 
place hinge pockets, such that upon integrally bonding the first door skin 
and the second door skin the door blank has integral hinge pockets. This 
eliminates the need for Prehangers. 
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, 
as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when the 
integral hinge pockets include integrally formed screw receiving 
apertures. This reduces the time and effort necessary to prepare the door 
for hanging as holes do not have to be drilled. 
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, 
as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when the 
first door skin and the second door skin have molded in place bevelled 
edges. This reduces the time and effort necessary to plane the doors edges 
to prepare the door for hanging as the edges come bevelled. 
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, 
as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when the 
body has a cavity into which is injected insulating foam. This both 
insulates and sound proofs the door. 
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a 
door which includes a body of moldable material having integrally molded 
skins, rails, and stiles. 
As described above in relation to the preferred method, the door can be 
further improved to reduce or eliminate the need for prehangers and reduce 
the need for preparation at the time of hanging by adding selected 
features. It is preferred that the body also have an integrally molded 
latch area including a lock chamber and a lock bolt bore. It is preferred 
that the body have integrally molded hinge pockets. It is preferred that 
the integrally molded hinge pockets have integrally molded screw receiving 
apertures. It is preferred that the body have integrally molded bevelled 
edges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The preferred method of fabricating a door, generally indicated by the 
reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 
through 6. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the preferred method of fabricating door 10 includes a 
first step of molding a first door skin 12 and a second step of molding a 
second door skin 14. At least one of first door skin 12 and second door 
skin 14 has a pair of molded in place rails 16. In the illustrated 
embodiment both first door skin 12 and second door skin 14 has molded in 
place rails 16. At least one of first door skin 12 and second door skin 14 
has molded in place stiles 18 and 20. In the illustrated embodiment both 
first door skin 12 and second door skin 14 has molded in place stiles 18 
and 20. Referring to FIG. 3, at least one of first door skin 12 and second 
door skin 14 has a molded in place lock latch area 22 adjoining first 
stile 18. In the illustrated embodiment both first door skin 12 and second 
door skin 14 have molded in placed lock latch areas 22. Each half of lock 
latch area 22 has a molded lock chamber 24 and one half of a molded lock 
bolt bore 26. A third step is integrally bonding first door skin 12 and 
second door skin 14 at a matching interface 23 of first door skin 12 and 
second door skin 14, as illustrated in FIG. 6. This produces door 10 which 
has integral skins 12 and 14, rails 16, first stile 18, second stile 20, 
and lock latch area 22 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 4, when 
first door skin 12 and second door skin 14 are bonded to form an 
integrated body the two halves of lock latch area 22 are integrated to 
form lock latch area 22, thereby integrating the two halves of lock 
chamber 24 and the two halves of lock bolt bore 26. 
Referring to FIG. 2, each of first door skin 12 and second door skin 14 
each have second stile 20. Referring to FIG. 6, second stile 20 of first 
door skin 12 overlaps second stile 20 of second door skin 14. Second stile 
20 of first door skin 12 has molded in place hinge pockets 28. Referring 
to FIG. 5, upon integrally bonding first door skin 12 and second door skin 
14 a door blank so formed has integral hinge pockets 28. For purposes of 
illustration three hinge pockets are shown as integral components of 
second stile 20. Referring to FIG. 5, Second stile 20 of first door skin 
12 has molded in place screw receiving apertures 30 positioned within 
hinge pockets 28. Referring to FIG. 2, second stile 20 of second door skin 
14 also has integrally formed screw receiving apertures 30 which 
facilitates penetration of screws into second door skin 14. Referring to 
FIG. 5, when first door skin 12 and second door skin 14 are integrally 
bonded together screw receiving apertures 30 on first door skin 12 and 
second door skin 14 are positioned in register. For purposes of 
illustration three screw apertures 30 are shown in each hinge pocket 28. 
Referring to FIG. 6, each first stile 18 and second stile 20 has molded in 
place bevelled edge 32 and 34, respectively. Referring to FIG. 6, body of 
door 10 fabricated according to the described method has a cavity 36 into 
which is injected insulating foam 38. 
Referring to FIG. 2, door 10 fabricated by following the teachings of the 
above described method comprises a body of moldable material having first 
integrally molded skin 12, second integrally molded skin 14, rails 16, 
first stile 18 and second stile 20. Referring to FIG. 4, door 10 also has 
an integrally molded lock latch area 22 with lock chamber 24 and lock bolt 
bore 26. Referring to FIG. 5, second stile 20 of door 10 has integral 
hinge pockets 28 each having integrally formed screw receiving apertures 
30. Referring to FIG. 6, door 10 has integrally molded bevelled edges 32 
and 34 and foam core 38. 
Door 10 fabricated according to the above teachings has advantages 
including that it is hermetically sealed, is prefinished and is ready for 
hanging. It will not "delaminate". The mode of fabrication, as described, 
will produce a door that will be less subject to warpage. The door 
produced is prefinished. It can be molded to any size, design and colour 
desired. Once molded in a selected colour, scratches will be less visible 
as the material is the same colour throughout. A scratch merely reveals 
underlying material of the same colour. 
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be 
made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and 
scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the claims.