Abstract:
A door mounting system for mounting a door includes a door mounting frame and a lifter mount. The door mounting frame is attachable to a door and is removable from that door. The lifter mount is attachable to a propulsion device such as a forklift. The lifter mount is attached to the door mounting frame so that the propulsion device provides a way to transport the door mounting frame and the door to a location where it is desired to install the door.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The current invention relates generally to apparatus, systems and methods for hanging doors. More particularly, the apparatus, systems and methods relate to hanging doors on trailers. Specifically, the apparatus, systems and methods provide for a movable framing device useful in hanging doors on trailers. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Hanging doors can be clumsy, difficult and awkward. This is because doors are often large in size and a bit larger than the average person installing a door. Thus, it is awkward for a person to physically manipulate the door into position while at the same time connecting the door to a frame. Often the door will be recessed into a frame when in a closed position. It can be difficult to install the door in the closed position while recessed in the frame and at the same time physically connecting the door to the frame. Alternatively, it is awkward to try and connect the door to a frame while the door is in an open position. This is because the door is now movable in a 3-dimensional space so that it must be controlled in the three dimensional space while at the same time attempting to physically connect the door to its frame. Further, some doors can be large and quite heavy. For example, tractor trailer doors can be large and made out of metal so that they are heavy and awkward to manipulate. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    One aspect of an embodiment of the invention may include a door mounting system for mounting a door. The door mounting system includes a door mounting frame and a lifter mount. The door mounting frame is attachable to a door and is removable from that door. The lifter mount is attachable to a propulsion device such as a forklift. The lifter mount is attached to the door mounting frame so that the propulsion device provides a way to transport the door mounting frame and the door to a location where it is desired to install the door. 
         [0006]    In one aspect the invention may provide for a method of mounting a door. The method begins by attaching a door mounting frame to a door. The door mounting frame can be similar to the one discussed below. The door mounting frame is then picked up by a forklift and moved into position by, at least in part, driving a forklift to a location to where the door will be hung. The door is then hung to an object while the door is attached to the door mounting frame. Once the door is mounted to the object, the door mounting frame is removed from the door. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    One or more preferred embodiments that illustrate the best mode(s) are set forth in the drawings and in the following description. The appended claims particularly and distinctly point out and set forth the invention. 
           [0008]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example methods, and other example embodiments of various aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a system for mounting a door. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example lock mechanism used to secure a door to the system for mounting a door. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates example door support brackets used to secure a door to the system for mounting a door. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example top view of the pivot assembly of the system for mounting a door. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example cross-sectional view of the pivot assembly of the system for mounting a door. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example view of the system for mounting a door attached to a forklift. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example view of the system for mounting a door attached to a forklift with a door mounted in the system for mounting the door. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  illustrates how example door support brackets are used to secure a door to the system for mounting a door. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  illustrates an example view of the system for mounting a door attached to a forklift as the door is being positioned on a trailer. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  illustrates a configuration of the preferred embodiment as a method of using a door mounting frame to mount a door on a trailer. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred embodiment of a door mounting system  1 . The preferred embodiment will be described with respect to a rectangular shaped door mounting frame  3  for mounting trailer doors but in other embodiments it could be any shape for mounting any shape of door or for mounting doors other than trailer doors. The door mounting frame  3  includes a top end  5 A, a left end  5 B, a bottom end  5 C and a right end  5 D. The door mounting frame  3  is rectangular in shape with an opening  7 . The door mounting frame  3  is formed with a top beam  9 A, a left beam  9 B, a bottom beam  9 C and a right beam  9 D. In the preferred embodiment, the beams  9 A-D are formed out of angle iron and connected (e.g., welded) at their corners, but in other embodiments they could be any suitable ridged material. 
         [0021]    An upper central cross-member  11  is rigidly attached to the left beam  9 B and the right beam  9 D. In the preferred embodiment the upper central cross-member  11  is a metal C-channel that is welded between the left beam  9 B and the right beam  9 D but it can be other ridged materials and can be attached to the left beam  9 B and the right beam  9 D in other ways. The upper central cross-member  11  is located approximately a quarter of the way below the upper end  5 A and about three quarters of the way above the bottom end  5 C. Of course, it can be located in other positions preferably more than half way above the bottom end  5 C. 
         [0022]    A pivotal positioning device  13  is connected to the cross-member  11 . The pivotal positioning device  13  includes a pivot assembly  15  and a lifter mount  17 . As discussed further below, the pivot assembly  15  allows the door mounting frame  3  and the lifter mount  13  to at least partially move in the x-direction, the y-direction and the z-direction as indicated by arrows A 1 -A 3  ( FIG. 1 ). The lifter mount  17  includes two lift beams  19 , a front cross-member  21  and a rear cross-member  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the lift beams  19  are elongated rectangular shaped pieces of metal with openings  24  extending their length. Ideally, the openings  24  are of a size so that a lifting tooth of a forklift can fit inside each opening  24 . The lift beams  19  are connected together by the front cross-member  21  and the rear cross-member  22  that are welded between them. The cross-members  21 ,  22  are C-shaped pieces of metal. 
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment, the pivot assembly  15  includes a bolt  25  and a nut  26 , as best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . This bolt  25  passes through a pivot attachment plate  28  that is attached to the cross-beam  11  and a rotation limiting plate  30  that is attached to the front cross-member  21 . Each of these plates are flat pieces of steel welded to the cross-beam  11  and a rotation limiting plate  30  welded to the front cross-member  21 , respectively. Additional gussets  31  are welded to the cross-beam  11  and the front cross-member  21  for additional strength. As understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the pivot assembly  15  be any device that allows for this type of pivotal movement. For example, it can also be a universal joint or it can be formed with pivotal rotating shafts and/or hinges and/or other devices. 
         [0024]    The lifter mount  17  further includes (as best seen in  FIG. 1 ) a retaining device  33 . The retaining device  33  includes a bolt  35 , a nut  36  and a handle  37 . In the preferred embodiment, the nut  36  is welded onto one of the lift beams  19 . The bolt  35  is at least partially threaded through the nut  36  into the lift beam  19 . The handle  37  is, in the preferred embodiment, a cylindrical rod welded to the top end of the bolt  35 . As discussed below the bolt is screwed into the lift beam  19  when a forklift or other device is inserted into the lift beams  19  to lift a door mounted in the door mounting frame  3  to ensure the door mounting system  1  does not separate from the forklift. Those of ordinary skill in this art will appreciate that other locking mechanisms and other components could be used to lock the door mounting mechanism  1  to the forklift or other devices used to manipulate the door mounting mechanism  1  and all of these locking mechanisms are included in other embodiments of this invention. 
         [0025]    The door mounting frame  3  further includes lock mechanisms  39  on the left beam  9 B and the right beam  9 D of the door mounting frame  3 , as best seen in  FIG. 2  that illustrates in detail the lock mechanism  39  attached to the right beam  9 D. This lock mechanism  39  includes a lock bracket  41 , a lock pin  42  and a chain  43 . The lock pin  42  has a rounded top  51  that extends outward from a central shaft  52  that has a diameter smaller than the rounded top  51 . The lock pin  42  is attached to the right beam  9 D by attaching its central shaft to the right beam  9 D. A first end of the chain  43  is attached to a first chain attachment device  44  with the first chain attachment device  44  attached to the right beam  9 D with a screw  49 . The second end of the chain  43  is attached to a second chain attachment device  45  which is in turn is attached to the lock bracket  41 . The lock bracket  41 , in the preferred embodiment is formed out of a flat piece of metal and includes a pair of flanges parallel to each other. A lock flange  47  is larger and parallel to an alignment flange  48 . As discussed below, the lock flange  47  is used to hold a door to the door mounting frame. A key hole opening  46  is cut into the lock bracket  41  as illustrated. A larger diameter opening of the key hole opening  46  allows the lock bracket to be slid onto the lock pin  42 . The narrow portion of the key hole opening  46  allows the lock bracket  41  to be slid onto the narrow shaft  52  of the lock pin  42  to lock the lock bracket  41  to the lock pin  42 . 
         [0026]    As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the door mounting frame further includes door support brackets  55 . The door support brackets  55  protrude outward from the bottom beam  9 C toward a front side of the door mounting frame  3  that is opposite the back side of the door mounting frame  3  that the pivotal positioning device  13  is mounted to. In the preferred embodiment, the door support brackets are formed out of angled metal, such as steel, and welded to the bottom beam  9 C. 
         [0027]    Having described the structure and components of the door mounting system  1 , it use and operation will now be discussed. In one example use, a forklift  57  is brought to the door mounting frame  3  and lifting teeth  59  of the forklift are inserted into the openings of the lift beams in the direction of arrow A 4  as seen in  FIG. 6 . Next, the retaining device  33  is tightened to the lifting teeth  59  by turning the handle  37  of the retaining device  33  to tighten its bolt down onto the lifting teeth  59  so that the door mounting frame cannot slide off of the lifting teeth  59 . 
         [0028]    The forklift  57  is then driven to where a door is located and the door  61  is positioned onto the door support brackets  55  as best seen in  FIG. 7 . At the same time while the door is resting on the door support brackets  55 , the lock mechanisms  39  are secured to the door  61  by pushing them downward in the direction of arrow A 5  as seen in  FIG. 8 . This is accomplished by placing the lock flange  47  on a side of the door and placing the large opening of the key hole  46  over the lock pin  42 . The lock bracket  41  is then pressed onto the beam it is attached to until the top  51  of the lock pin  42  extends out of the key hole  46 . Now, the lock bracket  41  is moved in the direction of arrow A 5  so that the narrow portion of the key hole  46  is positioned adjacent the narrow shaft  52  of the lock pin  42 . Both the lock mechanisms  39  on the left beam  9 B and the right beam  9 D are attached to the door  61  to secure the door to the door mounting frame  3 . 
         [0029]    Now the forklift  57  can transport the door  61  to a position where it is to be installed. For example, the door  61  can be a trailer door that is going to be mounted on a trailer  88 . Once brought to a position to where the door  61  is to be mounted, the door  61  can be more finely positioned using the forklift  57  as well as the pivot assembly  15  of the door mounting frame  3  to manipulate the door  61  in the direction of arrows A 6  and A 7  ( FIG. 9 ). As discussed above, the pivot assemble  15  allows the door mounting frame  3  and the door  61  to pivot in three dimensions. The rotation limiting plate  30  will prevent complete rotation of the door  61  but there is still enough rotation available to properly position the door  61  for initialization of the door  61 . Once in position, the door  61  can be installed, for example, by attaching hinges to the door  61  and a frame of the trailer  88  it is to be attached to. Once installed, the lock mechanisms  38  are removed from the door and the forklift  57  can then move onto to its next task. 
         [0030]    Example methods may be better appreciated with reference to flow diagrams. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the illustrated methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described. Moreover, less than all the illustrated blocks may be required to implement an example methodology. Blocks may be combined or separated into multiple components. Furthermore, additional and/or alternative methodologies can employ additional, not illustrated blocks. 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  illustrates a method  800  of method of mounting a door. The method  800  begins by attaching a door mounting frame to a door, at  802 . The door mounting frame can be similar to the one discussed above. The door mounting frame is then picked up by a forklift, at  804 , and move into position by, at least in part, driving the forklift to a location, at  806 , to where the door will be hung. The door is then mounted to an object, at  808 , while the door is attached to the door mounting frame. Once the door is mounted to the object, the door mounting frame is removed from the door,  810 . 
         [0032]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, the representative embodiments, and illustrative examples shown and described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. 
         [0033]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. References to “the preferred embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example”, “an example”, and so on, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in the preferred embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it may.