Patent Publication Number: US-8966823-B1

Title: Press-in sill extender for thresholds

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates to thresholds used in commercial and residential building entryways. Particularly, this disclosure relates to sill deck extensions used to increase the width of the sill deck. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Entryway systems in commercial and residential buildings often include a header jamb connected across the top of two vertical side jambs. The bottom of the entryway often includes a threshold. These thresholds typically comprise a substrate, a sill deck and a cap. The substrate provides the base of the threshold, the sill deck provides the tread surface covering the substrate, and the cap fills a channel in, or adjacent, the substrate to form a seal with the bottom of a door panel. 
     Depending upon the width (as defined herein) of the entryway, height of the threshold substrate and desired size of the tread surface, the sill deck can often require an extension. Extensions for sill decks are known in the art. In order to connect the existing extensions, typically a curved projection is slid along the length direction (as defined herein) of the sill deck, or rotatably connected to the sill deck. Access along the length direction requires the extension to be assembled with the sill deck prior to installing the threshold within an entryway. Once installed in the entryway, either type of extension is no longer able to detach from the sill deck without damaging surrounding components, such as the door jambs. 
     Heavy traffic through the entryway can dent and damage the sill deck and extension. Thus the inventors have determined that there is a need for a sill extension that is capable of removable attachment to the sill deck without the high cost and complication of removing the entire threshold. 
     Further, existing extensions require caulking to provide for a seal between the sill deck and the extension. Caulking provides another impediment to the removability of these existing extensions. The inventors have determined that there is also a need for a sill deck extension that provides a removably sealed connection to the sill deck. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     This disclosure includes a first embodiment involving an improved sill extension. The sill extension has a sill extender defining a pocket formed adjacent an attachment edge thereof. The attachment edge is configured to abut the exterior side of a sill deck. The sill extension further comprises a seal within the pocket. 
     Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a threshold. The threshold includes a sill deck, a sill extender, and a seal. The sill extender slides into engagement with the sill deck, the seal providing a press-fit seal between the sill deck and the sill extender. 
     Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a threshold. The threshold includes a sill deck, a means for widening the sill deck, and a means for sealing the sill deck to the means for widening the sill deck. 
     These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiments, when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an entryway according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the entryway of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a detailed perspective view of the sill extender of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows the threshold from the entryway of  FIG. 1  with the sill extender attached. 
         FIG. 5  shows a detailed view of the attachment region of the threshold from  FIG. 3  with the sill extender detached. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. The embodiments described provide examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, and modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such other embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention. Features from one embodiment or aspect may be combined with features from any other embodiment or aspect in any appropriate combination. For example, any individual or collective features of method aspects or embodiments may be applied to apparatus, product or component aspects or embodiments and vice versa. 
     As used herein, the term “front” is used to describe portions of the assembly that would be encountered first by a person viewing the entryway and threshold from the exterior side of the entryway looking inward. The same person viewing the entryway from the exterior side provides a defining reference for the terms “inner” and “outer,” where an inner portion resides toward the interior relative to an outer portion. 
     As used herein, the term “width” is defined as the dimension along the X axis in  FIGS. 1-2  and  4 - 5 . The term “length” refers to the dimension or direction defined by the Y axis in  FIGS. 1-2  and  4 - 5 . The term “height” refers to a vertical dimension along the Z axis as defined in  FIGS. 1-2  and  4 - 5 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show perspective and exploded views respectively of one embodiment of an entryway  1  according to the present disclosure. The entryway  1  includes a door panel  4 , side jambs  8  and a threshold  10 . The threshold  10  includes an extension  100  according to the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 3  shows a detailed perspective view of the extension  100  with a sill extender  150  having a pocket  170  formed at the end of the sill extender  150 , and a seal  110  removably housed within the pocket  170 . The sill extender  150  provides a means for widening a sill deck  50  of the threshold  10 . The seal  110  provides a means for sealing the sill deck  50  with the sill extender  150 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of one embodiment of the threshold  10  combined with extension  100  as found in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The threshold  10  includes a substrate  15 , a nosing cover  25 , a cap  30 , and a sill deck  50 . The extension  100  includes the sill extender  150  and the seal  110 .  FIG. 5  shows a detailed view of the connection portions between the sill extender  150  and the seal  110  unattached to the sill deck  50 . 
     The substrate  15  may include a sill channel  20  in which the cap  30  is disposed. The sill deck  50  is configured to substantially cover the substrate  15  from at least a position adjacent to the sill channel  20  to approximate a front end  17  of the substrate  15 . 
     The sill deck  50  defines a tread surface  54  on a tread wall  58  extending the width of the sill deck  50 . The sill deck  50  may be connected to and supported by the substrate  15 . An exterior front edge  62  of the sill deck  50  defines, in part, a frontward-open cavity  66 . The cavity  66  should extend the length of the sill deck  50  and include a cavity opening  74  at the exterior front edge  62  of the sill deck  50 . The cavity  66  can be defined by a front portion of the tread wall  58 , a first projection  70  extending from the bottom of the tread wall  58  offset from the exterior front edge  62 , and at least a second projection  78  extending from the first projection  70  in a direction toward the exterior front edge  62 . 
     The sill extender  150  includes an extender tread wall  160 . The extender tread wall  160  may be configured to abut, at a rear attachment edge  164 , the exterior front edge  62  of the sill deck&#39;s tread wall  58  and form a continuous surface with tread wall  58 . In other embodiments, the extender tread wall  160  may be offset from the tread wall  58 . In either embodiment, the sill extender  150  is provided to increase the width of the threshold  10 , facilitating use with a wider entryway  1  and providing a wider surface for someone to walk on or over. The extender tread wall  160  can match, in height, design, and/or spacing, the tread surface  54  of the sill deck  50 . The sill extender  150  may include a plurality of support legs  156  extending from the underside of the extender tread wall  160  to support the extender tread wall  160  at the desired height. In a preferred embodiment, the extender tread wall  160  provides a downward slope away from the entryway  1 . Therefore the support legs  156  may vary in height based upon their location along the width direction of the extender tread wall  160 . 
     In at least one embodiment, the sill extender  150  comprises a pocket  170  positioned below the extender tread wall  160  and extending rearward of the rear attachment edge  164  of the extender tread wall  160 . The pocket  170  may preferably extend the entire length of the sill extender  150 . The pocket  170  is defined by a rear portion of the extender tread wall  160 , a first wall  174  extending downwardly from the extender tread wall  160 , a second wall  178  extending inwardly relative to the first wall  174 , and a third wall  182  extending upward from the inward end of the second wall  178 . The second wall  178  can extend substantially parallel to, and beyond the rear attachment edge  164  of the extender tread wall  160 . The third wall  182  ends below the level of a plane defined by the extender tread wall  160 . The pocket  170  therefore includes an upward opening  186  providing access to the pocket  170 . In one embodiment, a protrusion  190  can extend downwardly from the bottom of the second wall  178 . 
     The pocket  170  is configured to receive the seal  110 . The seal  110  may be seated in a press-fit manner within the pocket  170  by inserting the seal  110  through upward opening  186 . The insertion of the seal  110  within the pocket  170  may be performed on site, or the seal  110  can be preloaded within the pocket  170  when the extension  100  is sold to limit installer error. In a preferred embodiment, the seal  110  is an elongated extrusion extending substantially the full length of the threshold  10 . Alternatively, the seal  110  could comprise a plurality of separate sections be disposed at discrete portions along the threshold  10 , such as one section at each distal end of the threshold  10  with or without one or more sections in-between. 
     In one embodiment, the seal  110  has a body  114  formed of a first, relatively rigid polymer. The rigid body  114  can have a cross-sectional width substantially similar to the width of the pocket  170 . The rigid body  114  may include a plurality of barbs  118  extending from at least one surface thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the barbs  118  can be formed of a second, relatively resilient, flexible polymer. The barbs  118  may extend the full length of the rigid body  114 , or may extend along only a portion thereof. Preferably, the first and second polymers are co-extruded to form the rigid body  114  and barbs  118  of the seal  110 . In some embodiments, the first and second materials may be selected to provide enough durability such that the seal  110  can be removed from the pocket  170  and re-used when replacing the sill extender  150 . This provides a distinction with respect to caulked seal, which requires breaking the barrier and application of new caulk to form a new barrier. 
     The barbs  118  help provide a friction fit between the pocket  170  and the seal  110 . This friction fit between the pocket  170  and seal  110  allows for removal of the seal  110 , as compared to the use of caulk which creates a bonded connection with the threshold  10 . At least one of the barbs  118  is configured to be exposed through the upward opening  186  when the seal  110  is disposed within the pocket  170 . 
     In order to add the extension  100  to the threshold  10 , the seal  110  may or may not need to be inserted into the pocket  170  of the sill extender  150  through upward opening  186 . Once fully inserted, the seal  110  forms a friction fit inside the pocket  170  as at least one of said plurality of barbs  118  seals with the pocket  170 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the contact occurs between the underside of the extender tread wall  160  and barb  118 . In other embodiments, at least one of the barbs  118  may contact another portion of the pocket  170 . The sill extender  150  should then be aligned with the length of the sill deck  50 . To engage the sill extender  150  with the sill deck  50 , align the pocket  170  with the cavity opening  74 , and then slide the sill extender  150  generally in the width direction X (see arrow A in  FIG. 5 ) of the entryway  1  in order to couple the pocket  170  with the cavity  66 . Unlike other extenders, the need to rotate the sill extender  150  relative to the Y axis is substantially avoided. As a result, displacement of the sill extension  150  relative to the Z axis is minimized to allow the sill extender to slide under the abutment portions  9  of the side jambs  8 . 
     One or more of the following may be used to indicate complete installation of the extension  100  onto threshold  10 : one, the deck tread wall  58  abutting extender tread wall  160 ; two, the pocket&#39;s  170  third wall  182  contacting first projection  70 ; and/or three, protrusion  190  acts as an abutment surface, abutting second projection  78 . At this point, in the embodiment illustrated, the at least one barb  118  of the seal  110  that was exposed through the upward opening  186  of the pocket  170  will form a press-fit connection with the underside of the deck tread wall  58 . 
     Removal of the extension  100  can be accomplished in much the same way, by pulling the sill extender  150  away from the threshold  10  generally along the X direction. The downwardly sloped profile of extender tread wall  160  will allow the sill extender  150  to slide under the side jambs  8 , increasing the clearance therebetween, as the sill extender  150  is pulled away from the sill deck  50 , without damage to modification to the side jambs  8 . The press-fit provided by seal  110  will allow separation between the seal  110  and the cavity  66  without the need for additional labor to break a permanent caulked edge. 
     The press-fit sealed connection formed between the sill deck  50  and the sill extender  150  using seal  110  allows the sill extender  150  to be added to the threshold  10  after the threshold  10  is installed between side jambs  8 . Further, the press-fit connection avoids any more-permanent connection means that would require additional tools to be used when the sill extender  150  is ready to be replaced. The flexible barbs  118  provide a friction-fit that prevents inadvertent movement between the sill deck  50  and the sill extender  150 . In general the extension  100  allows for removal and replacement of a worn or damaged sill extender  150  without damage, modification or removal of the side jambs  8  or the threshold  10 . Further, the seal  110  can also be replaced by removing the sill extender  150  from the sill deck  50 , and replacing the old seal  110  with a new one through upward opening  186  of pocket  170 . 
     Although the above disclosure has been presented in the context of exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.