Abstract:
An aesthetic security doorway is made up of a door with a support structure and a number of crossbars which are shaped and arranged to take on an aesthetically pleasing design, and a doorframe surrounding the door with ornamentation that continues the design of the door onto the doorframe so as to form a unitary decorative image. The crossbars and ornamentation can convey a variety of suitable design themes, such as palm tree branches and fronds, or vines and leaves. Also disclosed is a method for concealing a security door by arranging a number of crossbars on the door to form a decorative design, and providing ornamentation on the surrounding doorframe to continue the design of the door onto the doorframe.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/439,231, filed Nov. 12, 1999, entitled AESTHETIC SECURITY DOORWAY, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to a decorative doorway for use on a residential home or other type of building, or with an outdoor fence.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Security doors have been used for a number of years to provide additional security for a home, beyond that provided by a conventional door. These doors typically comprise a cage-door-like structure of wrought iron or other suitable metal, hung from the doorway in front of a standard wood or steel “panel” type door. While attempts have been made to enhance the attractiveness of these security doors by adding decor to the bars making up the cage, they nonetheless retain a “tacked-on” appearance, having been designed without regard to the look of the surrounding structure of the home or building to which they are affixed. Furthermore, an observer can easily identify these security doors, as they have a heavy, rectilinear appearance which limits the extent to which the door can blend into the design of the surrounding structure.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for a security door which has an aesthetically pleasing design that is not easily recognized by an observer as a security device.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    One aspect of the present invention is a doorway which is of sufficiently strong construction to provide the needed security, but which has an aesthetically pleasing design.  
           [0008]    Another aspect of the present invention is a security doorway with a door which is not easily identified as a security door by a nearby observer.  
           [0009]    An aesthetic security doorway is made up of a door with a support structure and a number of crossbars which are shaped and arranged to take on an aesthetically pleasing design, and a doorframe surrounding the door with ornamentation that continues the design of the door onto the doorframe so as to form a unitary decorative image. The crossbars and ornamentation can convey a variety of suitable design themes, such as palm tree branches and fronds, or vines and leaves.  
           [0010]    More generally, the aesthetic security doorway invention is useful for concealing and lending decor to security barriers of various types employed to enclose a structure or land.  
           [0011]    In accordance with one embodiment, a decorative security door system comprises a door, which in turn comprises a generally planar support structure, and a plurality of cross members connected to the support structure. The cross members are shaped and arranged to form an aesthetically pleasing design. The decorative security door system further comprises a doorframe surrounding the door, and the doorframe has ornamentation which continues and complements the design formed by the cross members. The door is slidably received in the doorframe.  
           [0012]    In accordance with another embodiment, a protective barrier system comprises a barrier, which in turn comprises a generally planar support frame and a plurality of cross pieces connected to the support frame. The cross pieces are shaped and arranged to form an aesthetically pleasing design. The protective barrier system further comprises a barrier frame surrounding the barrier. The barrier frame has decorative elements which extend the design formed by the cross pieces onto the barrier frame. The barrier is slidably received in the barrier frame.  
           [0013]    In accordance with another embodiment, a method for concealing a security door comprises mounting the door in a doorframe so as to be slidable therein, attaching a plurality of cross members to the door, arranging the cross members to form a decorative design, and providing ornamentation on the doorframe, so that the ornamentation continues the design formed by the cross members.  
           [0014]    In accordance with another embodiment, a decorative security door system comprises a door, which in turn comprises a generally planar support structure and a plurality of cross members connected to the support structure. The cross members are shaped and arranged to form a first portion of an image. The decorative security door system further comprises a doorframe surrounding the door. The doorframe has ornamentation which forms a second portion of the image, so that the perimeter of the door is obscured by the image. The door is slidably received in the doorframe.  
           [0015]    In accordance with another embodiment, a decorative security door system comprises a door, which in turn comprises a generally planar support structure, and a plurality of cross members connected to the support structure. The decorative security door system further comprises a wall surrounding the door. The wall has ornamentation, and the cross members and the ornamentation form an image which tends to conceal the shape of the door. The door is slidably received in the wall.  
           [0016]    In accordance with another embodiment, a method for concealing a security door comprises mounting the door in a doorframe so as to be slidable therein, attaching a plurality of cross members to the door, arranging the cross members to form a first portion of an image, and forming a second portion of the image by applying ornamentation to the doorframe, so that the image tends to conceal the overall shape of the door.  
           [0017]    The advantages and objects of the invention will become evident from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is an elevation view of one embodiment of an aesthetic security doorway in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is an elevation view of another embodiment of an aesthetic security doorway in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the aesthetic security doorway of FIG. 1 installed on a residential home.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a sliding-door embodiment of the aesthetic security doorway.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is an elevation view of another sliding-door embodiment of the aesthetic security doorway. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an aesthetic security doorway  10  in accordance with the present invention. The doorway  10  comprises a door  12  suspended within a doorframe  14 . The doorframe  14  may be integral with a wall  15  of a dwelling or other building, or the doorframe  14  can serve as entryway to a fenced-in outdoor area.  
         [0024]    The door  12  comprises a rigid main structure  16  with a plurality of similarly rigid crossbars, cross members or cross pieces  18  attached to the main structure  16 . The main structure  16  (shown here schematically) is made up of vertical bars  20   a,    20   b  and horizontal bars  22   a,    22   b  joined at the four corners formed thereby. Alternatively, the main structure  16  may comprise a solid panel of wood or metal with crossbars  18  across its outer surface. The main structure  16  is shown in a rectangular shape, but one of skill in the art will recognize that alternative forms are possible such as an arched-top style, with a rounded or arched horizontal bar  22   a.    
         [0025]    Crossbars  18  span the plane of the main structure  16  with the crossbars  18  attached to each other and/or the main structure  16  to form a substantially planar, rigid grill with openings which are small enough to prevent human passage through the door  12 . The crossbars  18  are shaped and arranged to create an aesthetically pleasing design for the door  12 , such as the palm tree theme shown in FIG. 1, or the vines and leaves shown in FIG. 2. Those familiar with the art can readily envision alternative design themes which lend themselves to use as pattern for the crossbars  18  of the door  12 .  
         [0026]    The doorframe  14  includes a plurality of decor elements  24  which complement the design formed by the crossbars  18 . The decor elements  24  can comprise either extensions  26  of the crossbars  18  beyond the perimeter of the door  16  or they can be independent but complementary elements  28 , which carry the design theme onto the doorframe  14  in a different manner. Both types of decor elements  24  cooperate with the design on the door  12  to create a single unitary design which visually blends the door  12  into the doorframe  14 . In this manner the otherwise rigid, rectilinear form of the security doorway  10  is obscured, making it difficult for an observer to recognize the door  12  as a security device.  
         [0027]    The decor elements  24  may be of lightweight construction so as to be purely decorative, or they may be composed of rigid material so as to reinforce the structure of the doorframe  14  and wall  15 , providing additional security.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the security doorway  10  in a residential home  30 , from the perspective of an observer on a sidewalk or street. Complementary decor  32  can be added adjacent to windows  34  or other parts of the home  30 , or the entryway area, to continue the design theme throughout the exterior of the home  30 . Furthermore, the design can be chosen to match or reflect the elements of the landscape  36  surrounding the home  30 .  
         [0029]    Naturally, one of skill in the art will recognize the invention is not limited to use with doorways; rather, it is equally suitable for use on windows or other passageways associated with the enclosure of buildings or land.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 depicts a sliding door embodiment  100  of the aesthetic security doorway. In this embodiment the door  12  is slidably received in the doorframe  14 , but the sliding-door embodiment may be largely similar to the embodiments described above, except as specified below. A secondary panel  102  may also be mounted in the doorframe  14  adjacent the door  12 . The secondary panel may be stationary, or it may slidable within the doorframe  14  like the door  12 .  
         [0031]    The door  12  of the sliding-door system  100  is preferably similar to that disclosed in the embodiments discussed above, with a rigid main structure  16  and a plurality of similarly rigid crossbars, cross members or cross pieces  18  attached to the main structure  16 . The secondary panel  102  includes a plurality of rigid, secondary crossbars, cross members or cross pieces  104  attached to a rigid main structure  106  of the secondary panel, and/or to adjacent portions of the doorframe  14 .  
         [0032]    The crossbars  18  and secondary crossbars  104  span the plane of the door  12  and secondary panel  102 , respectively, to form substantially planar, rigid grills with openings which are small enough to prevent human passage through the door  12 /secondary panel  102 . The crossbars  18  and secondary crossbars  104  are shaped and arranged to create an aesthetically pleasing design for the door  12  and secondary panel  102 , such as the palm tree theme shown in FIG. 4. Those familiar with the art can readily envision alternative design themes (including the vines and leaves shown in FIG. 2) which lend themselves to use as pattern for the crossbars  18  and secondary crossbars  104 , which alternatives are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0033]    The design formed by the crossbars  18  can be extended beyond the perimeter of the door  12  by the secondary crossbars  104 , which can be made to appear to be a continuation of the design onto the secondary panel  102 , as shown in FIG. 4. In addition, the decor elements  24  of the doorframe  14  carry the design or image from both the door and the secondary panel onto the doorframe. In this manner, the form or perimeter of the door and/or secondary panel is obscured as discussed above. That is, the decor elements  24  and/or the secondary crossbars  104  cooperate with the design on the door  12  to create a single unitary design which visually blends the door  12  into the secondary panel  102  and the doorframe  14 . In this manner the otherwise rigid, rectilinear form of the security doorway  100 , as well as the door  12  and secondary panel  102 , is obscured, making it difficult for an observer to recognize as a security device the door  12 , secondary panel  102  and the doorway as a whole.  
         [0034]    In addition, a glass panel (not shown) may be built into the door  12  and/or secondary panel  102 , either behind or integrated with the crossbars  18 /secondary crossbars  104 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 depicts another sliding-door embodiment  200  of the aesthetic security doorway. In this embodiment the door  12  is slidably received in the doorframe  14  and is preferably located (when in the closed position) between a left secondary panel  106   a  and a right secondary panel  106   b.  The door  12  is preferably configured to slide to the left or right to permit entry therethrough. In this embodiment, however, the door  12  may occupy any of the three positions depicted (when in the closed position), and any of the three may serve as a secondary panel  106 , so long as at least one of the three is moveable and functions as a door. The door  12  and/or secondary panels may have a built-in glass panel as discussed above.  
         [0036]    The crossbars  18  form a design which is continued or extended beyond the perimeter of the door  18  by the decor elements  24  extending from the doorframe  14  and/or by the secondary crossbars  104  of the secondary panels  102   a,    102   b.  The decor elements  24  may also extend the design of the crossbars  18  by appearing to continue the secondary crossbars  104  onto the doorframe  14  and/or the wall  15 .  
         [0037]    The doorway  200  may also include complementary windows  202  with tertiary crossbars  204  which extend and continue the design of the crossbars  18  and/or secondary crossbars  104  onto the windows  202 . Secondary decor elements  206  may be affixed to the wall  15  to carry the design beyond the windows  202 . The secondary decor elements  206  may be generally similar to the decor elements  24 .  
         [0038]    With the design of the cross members  18  thus extended beyond the perimeter of the door  12  and secondary panels  102   a,    102   b,  the form of the door is obscured against the secondary panels and doorframe, and the overall form of the entire doorway is obscured as well, making it difficult for an observer to recognize as a security device the door  12 , secondary panels  102  and the doorway as a whole.  
         [0039]    In a further embodiment, the decor elements  24  may be omitted so that the design is extended beyond the door  12  by only the secondary and/or tertiary crossbars  104 ,  204 .  
         [0040]    It should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited by the illustrations or the foregoing description thereof, but rather by the appended claims, and certain variations and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to one of ordinary skill in the art.