Patent Publication Number: US-8534012-B2

Title: Trim molding structure

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of this invention relate to a trim molding structure for use with metal door and window frames by making use of magnetic properties of the metal frame. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Metal frames such as door and window frames are widely used in commercial construction. These metal frames are generally less expensive and more durable than comparable wooden frames, and they have the added benefit of better fire resistance than wooden frames. Metal door and window frames are commonly manufactured from steel and other metals. The exposed side of an installed metal door or window frame is typically finished with paint and has minimal, if any, decorative appearance. 
     Because of the plain appearance of metal door and window frames, it is sometimes desirable to overlay such frames with decorative trim molding. However, it is often expensive and time consuming to install and remove trim moldings. Further, trim molding installation can be labor intensive commonly involving the use of nails, screws or similar mechanical fastening devices to secure the trim molding to the frame or the adjacent wall. Thus, it is likely that the metal frame and the wall surrounding the metal frame would be damaged during installation and removal of the trim molding. 
     Past attempts to overcome these problems have involved use of complimentary door frame and trim molding designed specifically to fit each other. Such an approach is contemplated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,112 to Smith et al. Another similar approach is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,759 to Day et al. These past approaches are directed at the installation of a trim molding that is specifically designed to fit a door frame that is manufactured with particularized attachment structures to aid in the installation. Additionally, these approaches do not address the installation of trim molding on existing metal frames that do not have the attachment structures designed to fit a specific trim molding type. 
     Another approach intended to ease installation of trim molding on door and window frames is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,915 to Wood. Wood presented a mounting device for trim moldings. While this approach does not require complimentarily designed frame and trim molding, it requires complimentarily designed trim molding and mounting structure. Further, installation of the mounting structure requires use of mechanical fastening devices such as screws to be placed through the frame. Thus, installation and removal of the mounting device disfigures the frame. 
     Past approaches do not address the increased risk of the spreading of fire that is associated with trim moldings attached to metal frames. Ignitable materials such as wood are often used to make trim moldings for metal frames. When an ignitable material is used to make a trim molding, existing approaches diminish the fire resistance quality associated with metal door frames. If, for instance, there is fire inside a room that has trim moldings installed on the outside facing side of its metal door frame, existing approaches facilitate the spreading of fire from the outside of the room. Three common standards for fire test of door assemblies are UL 10C, NFPA 252, and ASTM 2074. 
     The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above. 
     SUMMARY 
     A trim molding structure having at least one trim member that has at least one magnetic element attached to the trim member is used to decorate metal frames such as metal door and window frames. The magnetic element that is affixed to the underside of the trim member can preferably be a rare earth magnet. Alternatively, the magnetic element can be a metal clip that has a magnet, preferably a rare earth magnet, magnetically attached thereto. Preferably, several magnetic elements are affixed to the underside of the trim member. The magnetic element can be affixed to the underside of the trim member by an adhesive material, mechanical devices such as screws and nails or a combination of adhesive material and mechanical fastening devices. The trim member that has a magnetic element affixed thereto is then attached to a flange of a metal frame. 
     In one embodiment, the adhesive material has a temperature limit such that it loses adhesiveness when its temperature exceeds its temperature limit. The temperature of the adhesive material can exceed its temperature limit because of conditions such as nearby fire. Similarly, even though the exact temperature depends on several conditions, the trim member has an ignition temperature beyond which it would ignite. The temperature limit of the adhesive material is preferably below the ignition temperature of the trim member such that the adhesive material loses adhesiveness before the trim member ignites. When the adhesive material loses its adhesiveness because its temperature exceeds its temperature limit, the adhesive material releases the magnetic element from the trim member, thereby releasing and separating the trim member from the flange of the metal frame. 
     The trim molding structure can further comprise an intumescent material that is placed between a flange of a metal frame and trim member. The intumescent material can be affixed to the flange or the underside of a trim member. Further, the intumescent material has an activation temperature such that it expands when its temperature approximately exceeds its activation temperature. Preferably, the activation temperature of the intumescent material is higher than the temperature limit of the adhesive material and lower than the ignition temperature of the trim member. Thus, in case of a nearby fire that raises the temperature of the adhesive and intumescent materials, the adhesive material first loses its adhesiveness and releases the trim member from the metal frame. The intumescent material then expands and pushes the trim member away from the flange of the metal frame before the trim member catches fire. 
     In one embodiment, a spring can be placed between a trim member and a flange. Preferably, the spring is compressed between the trim member and the flange. In case of fire, when the adhesive material used to attach the magnetic element loses its adhesiveness, the spring pushes the trim member away from the flange of the metal frame before the trim member ignites and spreads the fire. 
     In one embodiment, the trim molding structure comprises at least one vertical trim member and one horizontal trim member. A vertical trim member is used to decorate a vertical flange of a metal frame such as a hollow metal door frame. A horizontal trim member is used to decorate the horizontal flange of a metal frame as the top horizontal flange of a metal door frame. The vertical trim member can abut against the horizontal trim member. Alternatively, the vertical trim member can fit into a recessed section in the horizontal trim member which allows use of a fixed length vertical trim member on flanges of different height. 
     Additionally, when a flange of a metal frame protrudes far from a wall adjacent to the metal frame, there may be a gap between the trim member attached to the flange of the metal door frame and the wall adjacent to the metal door frame. In such cases, an adapting structure can be connected to the trim member so as to close the gap that might otherwise exist between the trim member and the wall adjacent to the metal door frame. 
     Accordingly, the trim molding structure for metal frames significantly eases the installation and removal process. Further, installation and removal of the trim molding structure does not disfigure or damage the metal frame or the wall adjacent to the metal frame. It also allows for adaptability to different site conditions because the magnetic elements do not require physical contact to attach the trim molding structure to the metal frame. Selection of magnet types can also be made based on site conditions, and magnets can be swapped at the time of installation. Additionally, the trim molding structure maintains the fire resistance quality of the metal frame to which it is attached by detaching from the metal frame before the trim molding structure ignites. 
     The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a slightly angled frontal view of a door that has a metal door frame with a trim molding structure attached thereto. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an underside of a trim molding structure. 
         FIG. 3   a  illustrates a cross sectional view of a trim molding structure that is attached to a left vertical flange of a metal frame. 
         FIG. 3   b  illustrates a cross sectional view of a trim molding structure that is attached to a top horizontal flange of a metal frame. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a horizontal trim member. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a horizontal trim member that has a recessed section for the insertion of a vertical trim member. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a trim member of a trim molding structure with several magnetic elements affixed to it. 
         FIG. 7   a  illustrates an adapting structure for attachment to a trim member of a trim molding structure. 
         FIG. 7   b  illustrates an adapting structure for attachment to a trim member of a trim molding structure. 
         FIG. 8   a  illustrates a trim molding structure with the trim member interlocked with an adapting structure. 
         FIG. 8   b  illustrates a trim molding structure with the trim member interlocked with an adapting structure. 
         FIG. 9   a  illustrates a trim molding structure that has an intumescent material placed between the trim member and the flange. 
         FIG. 9   b  illustrates a trim molding structure that has an intumescent material placed between the trim member and the flange. 
         FIG. 10   a  illustrates a trim molding structure that has a spring placed between the trim member and the flange. 
         FIG. 10   b  illustrates a trim molding structure that has a spring placed between the trim member and the flange. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like components throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a typical door  10  with a metal frame  11 . A trim molding structure is attached to the flanges  12  of the metal frame  11 . The trim member  14  can be made of a material such as wood. A trim member  14   a  is attached to one vertical flange  12   a  and another vertical trim member  14   b  is attached to another vertical flange  12   b . A horizontal trim member  14   c  is attached to the top horizontal flange  12   c  of the metal frame  11 . The outer surface  21  of the trim members  14  can have various decorative appearances. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the trim molding structure shown in  FIG. 2 , a trim member  14  of the trim molding structure has an outer surface  21 , an underside  22 , a back leg  23  at one end and a front leg  24  at the opposite end from the back leg  23 . The outer surface  21  has a decorative groove  25 . The underside  22  has a groove  26 . Within the groove  26  of the underside  22 , a magnetic element  20   a , which includes a metal clip  27   a  and a magnet  28   a  as a preferred embodiment, is affixed. The back leg  23  comprises a bottom portion  30  and an inner side  31 . Another magnetic element  20   b , which also includes a metal clip and a magnet as the preferred embodiment, is affixed to the inner side  31  of the back leg  23 . 
     Continuing with the preferred embodiment of the trim molding structure, the trim member is made of wood. While the exact ignition temperature depends on various conditions, a trim member that is made of wood has a typical ignition temperature above approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The ignition temperature is the temperature above which a material used to make the trim member would ignite. The metal clip  27  that is attached to the underside  22  of the trim member  14  is made of a magnet attracting material such as steel. The magnet  28  which is magnetically affixed to the metal clip  27  is used to magnetically attach the trim member  14  to the flange  12  ( FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b ) of the metal frame  11  ( FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b .) 
     Many types of magnet  28  can be used to magnetically attach the trim member  14  to a flange  12 . Many kinds of magnets  28  can also be magnetically affixed to the metal clip  27 . In the preferred embodiment, the magnet  28  is a rare earth magnet such as a neodymium magnet. The magnet  28   a  is intended to magnetically attach the trim member  14  to the flange  12 . The magnet  28   a  does not need to make physical contact with the flange  12  to magnetically attach the trim member  14  thereto. Similarly, the magnet  28   b  does not need to make physical contact with the backend  33  ( FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b ) of the flange  12  to magnetically attach the trim member  14  thereto. 
     The metal clip  27  that holds the magnet  28  can be affixed to the underside  22  of the trim member  14  by an adhesive material, mechanical fastening devices such as screws and nails or a combination of adhesive material and mechanical fastening devices. In the preferred embodiment, an adhesive material is used to affix the metal clip  27  to the trim member  14 . The adhesive material has a temperature limit beyond which it loses its adhesiveness. In other words, when the temperature of the adhesive material approximately exceeds its temperature limit, the adhesive material loses its adhesiveness. An example of an adhesive material with such a characteristic is 3M 3747—3M Scotch-Weld Hot Melt Adhesive. The 3M adhesive material preferably loses adhesiveness when its temperature exceeds approximately 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, in case of a nearby fire that raises the temperature of an adhesive material, the adhesive material loses its adhesiveness and releases the trim member  14  from the flange  12  before the trim member  14  ignites and helps spread the fire. 
     A cross sectional view of one embodiment of a trim molding structure that is attached to a metal frame  11  is shown in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b . Among many possibilities, the metal frame  11  can be a metal door frame such as those commonly found in commercial buildings. The metal frame  11  can also be a metal window frame such as those in a hospital nursery. As shown in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , a trim member  14  of the trim molding structure comprises an outer surface  21  with decorative grooves  25 , an underside  22 , a back leg  23  at one end and a front leg  24  at the opposite end from the back leg  23 . The underside  22  comprises a groove  26 . Within the groove  26 , a metal clip  27   a  is affixed by an adhesive material that loses adhesiveness when its temperature exceeds approximately its temperature limit. A magnet  28   a  that is magnetically affixed to the metal clip  27   a  is used to magnetically attach the trim member  14  to the flange  12  of the metal frame  11 . The magnet  28   a  does not need to make physical contact with the flange  12  to magnetically attach the trim member  14  thereto. 
     Continuing with  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , the back leg  23  comprises a bottom portion  30  that contacts the wall  32  adjacent to the metal frame  11 . A metal clip  27   b  is attached to the inner side  31  of the back leg by an adhesive material that loses adhesiveness when its temperature exceeds approximately its temperature limit. A magnet  28   b  that is magnetically affixed to the metal clip  27   b  is used to magnetically attach the trim member  14  to the flange  12  of the metal frame  11 . The magnet  28   b  does not need to make physical contact with the backend  33  of the flange  12  to magnetically attach the trim member  14  thereto. 
     In another embodiment of the trim molding structure, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a trim member  14   c  of a trim molding structure has an outer surface  21 , an underside  22 , a back leg  23  at one end and a front leg  24  at the opposite end from the back leg  23 . The underside  22  comprises a groove  26 . A metal clip  27   b  is affixed to the inner side  31  of the back leg  23  by an adhesive material that loses adhesiveness when its temperature exceeds approximately its temperature limit. A magnet  28   b  that is magnetically affixed to the metal clip  27   b  is used to magnetically attach the trim member  14   c  to the flange  12   c  of the metal frame  11 . The magnet  28   b  does not need to make physical contact with the backend  33  of the flange  12   c  to magnetically attach the trim member  14   c  thereto. 
     A vertical trim member ( 14   a  and  14   b ), shown in  FIG. 1 , that is attached to a vertical flange ( 12   a  and  12   b ) can abut against a horizontal trim member  14   c  that is attached to a top horizontal flange  12   c . In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a horizontal trim member  14   c  has a recessed section  34  into which the vertical trim member ( 14   a  and  14   b ) fits. The vertical trim member ( 14   a  and  14   b ) can move up and down within the recessed section  34 . With a recessed section  34  at each end of a horizontal trim molding  14   c , the same size vertical trim member ( 14   a  and  14   b ) can be attached to the vertical flanges ( 12   a  and  12   b ) of a metal frame  11  even when the two vertical flanges ( 12   a  and  12   b ) have a difference in height because of reasons such as uneven flooring below the flanges of a metal door frame. 
       FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of a trim molding structure with magnetic elements  20  affixed along the length of a trim member  14 . Two pairs  35  and  38  of magnetic elements  20  are affixed close to the two ends of the trim member  14 . The other two pairs  36  and  37  of magnetic elements  20  are intermittently affixed between the first two magnetic pairs  35  and  38  of elements  20 . 
     When a flange  12  of a metal frame protrudes far from a wall  32  adjacent to the metal frame  11 , there may be a gap between the bottom portion  30  of a back leg  23  of a trim member  14  that is attached to the metal door frame and the wall  32  adjacent to the metal door frame  11 . In such cases, an adapting structure  60 , shown in  FIGS. 7   a ,  7   b ,  8   a  and  8   b , can be used to close the gap. The protruding projection  62  of the adapting structure  60  interlocks with the back legs  23  of a trim member  14  such that the base  61  of the adapting structure  60  makes contact with the wall  32  adjacent to the metal door frame  11 . 
     In another embodiment of a trim molding structure shown in  FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b , an intumescent material  55  that is placed between a flange  12  of a metal frame  11  and trim member  14 . The intumescent material can be affixed to the flange  12  or the underside  22  of a trim member  14 , for example, using an adhesive material or other suitable means of attachment. The intumescent material  55  has an activation temperature such that it expands when its temperature exceeds approximately its activation temperature. Preferably, the activation temperature of the intumescent material  55  is higher than the temperature limit of the adhesive material that is used to affix the magnetic element  20  to the underside  22  of the trim member  14 . Further, the activation temperature of the intumescent material is lower than the ignition temperature of the trim member  20 . The intumescent material, such as Product No. FS3003 from ZERO International, expands when its temperature exceeds approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit and can expand up to twenty times its normal size. 
     In one embodiment, the trim member  14  is made of wood which has an ignition temperature above approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature limit of the adhesive material used to affix the magnetic element  20  to the trim member  14  is approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Further, the activation temperature of the intumescent material is approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit. In case of a nearby fire, the adhesive material first loses its adhesiveness and releases the trim member  14  from the flange  12  of metal frame  11 . The intumescent material  55  then expands and pushes the trim member  14  away from the flange  12  of the metal frame  11  before the trim member  14  ignites and spreads the fire. 
     In another embodiment of a trim molding structure shown in  FIGS. 10   a  and  10   b , a spring  56  such as a finger spring or cone spring is placed between the trim member  14  and the flange  12  of the metal frame  11 . The spring  56  is preferably compressed between the trim member  14  and the flange  12 . A magnetic element  20  is affixed to the underside  22  of the trim member  14  by an adhesive material that has a temperature limit beyond which it loses its adhesiveness. In case of fire, when the adhesive material loses its adhesiveness, the spring pushes the trim member  14  away from the flange  12  of the metal frame  11  before the trim member  14  ignites and spreads the fire. 
     Accordingly, the trim molding structure for metal frames significantly eases the installation and removal process. Further, installation and removal of the trim molding structure does not disfigure or damage the metal frame or the wall adjacent to the metal frame. It also allows for adaptability to different site conditions because the magnetic elements do not require physical contact to attach the trim molding structure to the metal frame. Selection of magnet types can also be made based on site conditions, and magnets can be swapped at the time of installation. Additionally, the trim molding structure maintains the fire resistance quality of the metal frame to which it is attached by detaching from the metal frame before the trim molding structure ignites. 
     The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the Applicants. In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein, the Applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof.