System and device for stiffening a door

Presented herein is a system for stiffening and strengthening a door, said system comprising a plurality of stoppers each having a channel, wherein said stoppers are affixed to the door; and at least one stiffening rod seated within the channels of said stoppers; and means for shortening the span of said stiffening rod disposed between said stoppers; whereby shortening the span results in straightening the door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

Many cabinets, closets, and other doorways are equipped with sliding doors. While sliding doors are easy to install and operate, requiring no hinges or even door knobs, these doors, over time, are prone to distortions such as bowing, wherein the wood bends against the grain, and warping or twisting. It is known in the art to attach some sort of wooden stiffener to a sheet of wood to help prevent the bowing. Provided the stiffener itself does not distort, this may prove an effective method of strengthening a sliding door. However, when heavy items such as mirrors are hung on a sliding door, a simple wood stiffener may not be sufficient to prevent the distortion of the door.

Another solution is offered by WO9743098, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, which teaches inserting a stiffener into a hole drilled across the grain through a sheet of wood. This may help prevent cupping, wherein the lateral sides of the sheet of wood bend towards each other, but may be ineffective against warping and does not address bowing at all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a system for protecting sliding doors as well as other panel type doors from bowing and warping. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a solution that addresses long-term problems. It is a further objective to provide such a system that is cost-effective, simple to install, and easy to maintain.

Accordingly, a system for stiffening and strengthening a door is provided, said system comprising: a plurality of stoppers each having a channel, wherein said stoppers are affixed to the door; at least one stiffening rod, wherein said stiffening rod is seated within the channels of said stoppers; and means for shortening the span of said stiffening rod disposed between said stoppers; whereby shortening the span results in straightening the door.

Additionally, said door may be a sliding door. Such a sliding door may be a panel door comprising solid wood or a metal profile or a hollow core.

Additionally, said sliding door may cover at least one entryway or cabinet.

Additionally, said means for shortening the span of said stiffening rod disposed between said stoppers may be at least two nuts that further secure said stiffening rod to said stoppers.

Additionally, said stiffening rod may be a threaded rod, and said stiffening rod may be of sufficient length to cover the height of the sliding door without interfering with the hanging hardware required by the sliding door.

Additionally, said stiffening rod may be attached to said sliding door by at least one upper stopper or central stopper or lower stopper.

Additionally, each stopper may be made of a sturdy material and may further have a channel through its middle, and the channel may have substantially the diameter of the stiffening rod.

Additionally, said upper stopper and said lower stopper may function together to hold the stiffening rod securely in an upright position and in close proximity to the desired plane of the sliding door.

Additionally, said plurality of central stoppers may be used to support and hold the stiffening rod in place.

Additionally, a plurality of nuts may be used for securing the stiffening rod to the upper and lower stoppers, and said nuts may be threaded onto the threaded areas of the stiffening rod, and as the nuts are tightened down on the stiffening rod, the span of the stiffening rod is shortened, thus forcing said sliding door to straighten.

Additionally, said nuts may be at least one of the following types: single hex nuts, paired nuts, nuts with locking washers.

The figures together with the description make apparent to those skilled in the art how the invention may be embodied in practice.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for stiffening and reinforcing sliding doors, thereby delaying and even preventing the distortion of said doors that may occur over time. Such distortions may simply be the result of age or moisture or may result from, for example, the weight of a mirror mounted on a closet door causing said door to sag or bow.FIG. 1describes such an example, wherein a closet10is equipped with a sliding door12that has become bowed. According to embodiments of the present invention, this distortion may be averted and even corrected by mounting a stiffening rod24onto sliding door12as shown inFIG. 2, which shows the same closet10and sliding door12, now equipped with a stiffening rod24of the present invention. The vertical arrows indicate the force being exerted onto sliding door12as stiffening rod24is being tightened. The result is seen inFIG. 3, wherein the same sliding door12has been straightened and is being held in place by stiffening rod24of the present invention.

It is to be understood that an embodiment is an example or implementation of the invention. The various appearances of “one embodiment,” “an embodiment” or “some embodiments” do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “other embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions.

It is understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and is for descriptive purpose only.

It is to be understood that the details set forth herein should not be construed as limiting any applications of the invention.

It is to be understood that the terms “including”, “comprising”, “consisting” and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, integers or groups thereof and that the terms are not to be construed as specifying components, features, steps or integers.

The phrase “consisting essentially of”, and grammatical variants thereof, when used herein, is not to be construed as excluding additional components, steps, features, integers or groups thereof but rather that the additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, device or method.

It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to “a” or “an” element, such reference is not to be construed as there being only one of that element.

The term “method” refers to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but is not limited to those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs.

The present invention can be implemented in the testing or practice with methods and materials equivalent or similar to those described herein.

The terms “bottom”, “below”, “top” and “above” as used herein do not necessarily indicate that a “bottom” component is below a “top” component, or that a component that is “below” is indeed “below” another component or that a component that is “above” is indeed “above” another component. As such, directions, components or both may be flipped, rotated, moved in space, placed in a diagonal orientation or position, placed horizontally or vertically, or similarly modified. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the terms “bottom”, “below”, “top” and “above” may be used herein for exemplary purposes only, to illustrate the relative positioning or placement of certain components, to indicate a first and a second component or to do both.

Any publications, including patents, patent applications and articles, referenced or mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in the description of some embodiments of the invention shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.

Referring now in detail to the figures, the present invention comprises a threaded stiffening rod24for strengthening a sliding door12, a plurality of stoppers18,20, and22affixed to said sliding door12that hold stiffening rod24in place, and means for shortening a span between the stoppers, which may be, for example, at least two nuts26that further secure stiffening rod24to stoppers18and22.FIG. 4shows the configured components of an embodiment of the present invention disposed on a sliding door12. According to some embodiments, sliding door12may reinforced with a metal profile14and further equipped with the aforementioned components of the present invention.

In addition to closets, the present invention is also applicable to doors covering other types of openings including, inter alia, entryways and cabinets. Furthermore, sliding door12may be any panel type door including, inter alia, hollow core and solid wood doors as well as metal doors and doors constructed from other materials. According to some embodiments of the present invention, sliding door12may be further equipped with an aluminum profile14, wherein profile14is applied to at least one lateral edge of sliding door12.

Stiffening rod24may be, for example, a metal rod of sufficient length to cover the height of sliding door12without interfering with the hanging hardware required by sliding door12. According to such an embodiment, threaded areas28may be disposed on both ends of stiffening rod24. According to some other embodiments of the present invention, stiffening rod24may be constructed from other suitable materials. Some embodiments of the present invention may utilize two or more shorter stiffening rods24that may be positioned along the length of sliding door12.

Stiffening rod24may be attached to sliding door12by means of an upper stopper18and a lower stopper20, and optionally, center stoppers22. Each stopper18,20, and22is made of sturdy material and has a channel through its middle that is substantially the same diameter as stiffening rod24. According to some embodiments of the present invention, upper stopper18and lower stopper20together function to hold stiffening rod24securely in an upright position and in close proximity to the desired plane of sliding door12. Center stoppers22are used optionally to provide additional support to and help hold stiffening rod24in place. The number of center stoppers22required may vary according to the length of each stiffening rod24. According to some other embodiments of the present invention, other types of fasteners may be used to secure stiffening rod24in place.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, nuts26may be used to secure stiffening rod24to upper stopper18and lower stopper20, wherein nuts26are threaded onto threaded areas28of stiffening rod24. As nuts26are tightened down on stiffening rod24, the span of stiffening rod24that resides between upper stopper18and lower stopper20is shortened, thus forcing sliding door12to straighten. While some embodiments of the present invention may use a single hex nut at each end of stiffening rod24, some other embodiments may use other securing methods such as, inter alia, paired nuts or nuts with locking washers.

FIG. 5Ashows a detail of the upper area of a profile14, with an upper stopper18mounted thereon, a stiffening rod24seated within the channel of upper stopper18, and a nut26threaded onto threaded area28of stiffening rod24and snugged down against upper stopper18.

FIG. 5Bshows a detail of a center region of a profile14, wherein an optional center stopper22is mounted on track16therein and stiffening rod24is seated within the channel of center stopper22.

FIG. 5Cshows a detail of the lower area of a profile14, with a lower stopper20mounted thereon, a stiffening rod24seated within the channel of lower stopper20, and a nut26threaded onto threaded area28of stiffening rod24and snugged up against lower stopper20.

In order to more fully describe the present invention, the following describes a mode of use.

Profile14may be secured to the lateral edges of a sliding door12according to known in the art methods. Upper stopper18, lower stopper20, and, optionally, center stoppers22may then be affixed within track16of profile14. Upper stopper18may be rigidly affixed below any hanging hardware that may be located in the upper region of sliding door12; and lower stopper20may be rigidly affixed above any hanging hardware that may be located in the lower region of sliding door12. One or more center stoppers22may also be rigidly attached to track16, as needed to support stiffening rod24. Upper stopper18, lower stopper20, and, optionally, center stoppers22may be attached by means of screws, nails, or any other appropriate attachment method.

Once upper stopper18, lower stopper20, and, optionally, center stoppers22are in place, a stiffening rod24may be inserted through the channels on each stopper18,20, and22. According to some embodiments, a nut26may then be threaded onto threaded areas28located at each end of stiffening rod24and tightened down. In cases where the present invention has been attached to a new, straight sliding door12, stiffening rod24helps sliding door12to maintain its unwrapped condition. In cases where the present invention is applied to a warped sliding door12, as represented inFIG. 1, stiffening rod24helps straighten sliding door12. This straightening is achieved by tightening nuts26. As nuts26are tightened, the area of stiffening rod24between upper stopper18and lower stopper20is shortened, forcing sliding door12to straighten.

In some embodiments of the present invention, upper stoppers18, lower stoppers20, and optionally, center stoppers22may be affixed directly to a solid wooden sliding door12, or any other type of panel door.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of some of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other possible variations, modifications, and applications that are also within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited by what has thus far been described, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it is to be understood that alternatives, modifications, and variations of the present invention are to be construed as being within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.