Patent Publication Number: US-8522479-B2

Title: Door assembly including astragal

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/673,643, filed on Sep. 30, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,058, which relates to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/414,654, entitled “Astragal Assembly For Use On Exterior Doors,” filed on Oct. 1, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to exterior double door systems for use on buildings. In particular, this invention relates to an astragal for use in such a double door system. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Double door systems used in buildings as exterior doors typically include a passive door and an active door. The passive door remains fixed in place while the active door is mounted for pivotal movement. The passive door can be fixed permanently in place or releasably secured in place so that it may be opened after the active door is opened. In any case, the passive door is fixed prior to closing the active door. 
     In these double door systems, molding commonly called an astragal is mounted on the passive door. The astragal fills in the gap between the passive door and the active door and forms an integral part of the door system. The astragal serves two main functions: to secure the passive door in place and to provide a positive stop with a weather strip for the active door. Another common function of the astragal is to provide a surface to receive door hardware, such as a strike plate. 
     The building industry offers many types of astragal designs. One type is all wood, another type is all aluminum, and a third type is a combination of aluminum and wood. 
     The all wood design is low cost and easily installed. The wood surface also allows an installer a great deal of flexibility to accept various types of door hardware. However, wood is a weak building material compared to metal and requires a great deal of maintenance to protect it from decay. 
     All aluminum astragals are strong and lightweight and provide a maintenance free exterior. These astragals are easily able to withstand the stresses of normal use of an exterior door. However, aluminum is significantly more expensive than wood and does not provide any insulation, which is critical in exterior installations. Additionally, aluminum moldings typically have preset fastening formations, such as predrilled holes, so that a limited number of hardware options are available to an installer. Further, use of a dead bolt requires boring into the passive door as the aluminum astragal does not have the depth to accept the full throw of a dead bolt latch. 
     In an effort to use the advantages of each of these known designs, the building industry has combined aluminum and wood astragals. Typically, a wooden body is clad with an aluminum cover. The combination design lowers the cost, as less aluminum is required, and offers flexibility to accept alternate door hardware to attach to the wooden body. The drawback of this design is poor performance and durability. The wooden body is weakened when machined to receive the attachment fastener, typically a bolt or screw. The remaining wood piece offers minimal structural support and easily breaks under the stresses of normal use. 
     There is a need to provide a strong, durable astragal that is usable in a variety of installations and offers flexibility with respect to hardware installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of embodiments of this invention provides an astragal formed of a combination of metallic material that offers strength and wood that offers hardware installation flexibility. 
     Another aspect of embodiments of this invention provides an astragal that is suitable for use in a variety of installations without requiring a custom design. 
     A further aspect of embodiments of this invention provides an astragal that uses universal components that can reduce inventory requirements. 
     An additional aspect of embodiments of this invention provides an astragal design that can fully accommodate a locking mechanism. 
     The invention is directed to an astragal assembly for attachment to a passive door comprising a metallic rail having an exterior portion, an interior portion spaced from and opposed to the exterior portion, and a side portion extending between the exterior portion and the interior portion. An elongated open channel is defined in the metallic rail with sides formed by the exterior portion and the interior portion and a base formed by the side portion. A wooden insert is retained within the elongated open channel in the metallic rail. 
     In particular, an aspect of embodiments of the invention relates to an astragal comprising an extruded aluminum rail with an exterior portion having an exterior flange extending from one side and a stop extending from an opposed side, an interior portion spaced from and opposed to the exterior portion, and a side portion extending between the exterior portion and the interior portion having a fastening formation. A wooden insert is retained within a channel in the extruded aluminum rail formed by the exterior portion, the interior portion and the side portion. The wooden insert presents an outer surface for attachment to hardware. 
     The invention is also directed to a door assembly comprising a passive door having an outer edge and an active door having an outer edge. The active door is mounted for movement between an open position and a closed position in which the outer edge is aligned with the outer edge of the passive door. An astragal is coupled to the outer edge of the passive door. The astragal includes a metallic rail having an exterior portion, an interior portion spaced from and opposed to the exterior portion, and a side portion that extends between the exterior portion and the interior portion and abuts the outer edge of the passive door. An elongated open channel is defined in the metallic rail with sides formed by the exterior portion and the interior portion and a base formed by the side portion. A wooden insert is retained within the elongated open channel in the metallic rail that faces the active door in the closed position. 
     These and other aspects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following disclosure in accordance with the Figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An understanding of the various embodiments of the invention may be gained by virtue of the following figures, of which like elements in various figures will have common reference numbers, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view partially broken away of a door assembly having an astragal in accordance with the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial top view of the door assembly with the astragal in cross section. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention is described with reference to an exterior double door assembly for use on a building for purposes of illustration. It is to be understood that various concepts and components of this invention can be implemented on any type of closure, including interior and exterior closures, and closures used in different applications other than buildings. 
       FIG. 1  shows an exterior double door assembly in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Although two doors are shown, any configuration of doors and windows could be used including different combinations of fixed and movable doors and side lights. Further, the door design shown generically in  FIG. 1  can encompass any known type of door design and hanging configuration. 
     For purposes of explanation, the terms exterior and interior are used in the following description. Conventionally, the exterior refers to the exterior portion of the building, and the interior refers to the interior portion of the building. However, these terms are intended to generically refer to the opposed sides of the door assembly, with the interior portion being the area that the active door opens toward. Thus, these terms are intended to cover all interior applications as well as an exterior application. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , a door assembly  10  is mounted in a wall, such as an exterior wall  12  of a building. The door assembly includes an active door  14  and a passive door  16 . As is known, the active door  14  and the passive door  16  are mounted in a frame  18  including a transom  20 . A sill  22  is positioned at the base of the frame  18  and provides a transition between the exterior and interior of the building, in this case. This invention is designed to fit within a universal frame, particularly a universal transom and sill. Thus, ideally no custom adaptations are necessary for use. Of course, if it is desired to provide custom options that would be possible. 
     Any known type of door may be used as the active door  14  and the passive door  16 , including but not limited to wooden doors, metal doors, and solid or glazed doors. Such doors suitable for use in this design are typically called French doors or patio doors. 
     The active door  14  is mounted for pivotal movement by hinges  24  to allow the active door  14  to swing between a closed position and an open position. The open position is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The passive door  16  is fixed in place to act as a stop for the active door  14 . The passive door  16  may be permanently mounted to the frame or may be mounted for pivotal movement. In the latter case, the passive door  16  can be unfastened and opened when the active door  14  is in the open position. 
     An astragal assembly  26  is mounted on the passive door  16 , as will be described below. The astragal assembly  26  is also preferably mounted to the frame  18  and the sill  22 . The astragal assembly  26  may be permanently mounted to the transom  20  and the sill  22  if the passive door  16  is the fixed type or releasably mounted to the transom  20  and/or the sill  22  by a movable fastener, such as a sliding bolt, if the passive door  16  is the movable type. Fastening the astragal assembly  26  to the structure provides a secure and stable door assembly  10 . Any known type of fastening arrangement may be used. It is also possible to fix the astragal assembly  26  to only the transom  20  and the sill  22 , in which case the step of attaching the astragal assembly  26  to the passive door  16  can be omitted. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the astragal assembly  26  is shown in detail. The astragal assembly  26  is formed as a composite including a frame  28  and an insert  30 . The frame  28  is formed of a strong, lightweight material, such as a metallic material, preferably extruded aluminum. Of course, any suitable material used in building that is strong and lightweight could be used, even plastics. The frame  28  in the preferred embodiment is an extruded aluminum rail that is easily manufactured in various shapes. 
     The insert  30  is formed of any inexpensive material for which minimal skill and effort is required for attachment of hardware. In the preferred embodiment, the insert  30  is made of wood. As will be explained below, the insert  30  may be made of a single strip or plural strips used together. Preferably, the insert  30  is designed to be symmetrical about at least one axis to reduce manufacturing costs and inventory requirements. The number, size, and composition of the strips may vary based on cost, manufacturing, and inventory considerations. Any known building material, including different types of wood and wood/plastic composites or even all plastic materials could be used if desired and remain within the scope of the invention. 
     The frame or rail  28  is formed with an interior portion  32 , and exterior portion  34  and a side portion  36  that define an internal channel  38  that opens outwardly. Preferably, the rail  28  is extruded as one piece. 
     The interior portion  32  is designed to face inwardly with respect to direction that the active door  14  opens. The interior portion  32  is formed of a single wall with an interior flange  40  at one end and a hook  42  at the other end. The interior flange  40  overlaps with an outer edge of the passive door  16 . The hook  42  curves inward toward the channel  38  and holds the insert  30  in place. 
     The exterior portion  34  is formed as a hollow elongate tubular section having an inner wall  44  and an outer wall  46 . The hollow shape allows a decorative face to be formed in the outer wall  46 , adds a thermal barrier between the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  46 , and adds thickness to the exterior portion  34  to facilitate the stopping function of the astragal assembly  26 . An exterior flange  48  is provided on one edge of the exterior portion  34  and overlaps an exterior surface of the passive door  16 . The exterior flange  48  is oriented at an angle to the interior flange  40  to facilitate attachment to the edge of the passive door  16 . By this arrangement, the outer edge of the passive door  16  is clamped between the interior flange  40  and the exterior flange  48 . 
     The other edge of the exterior portion  34  has a stop formation  50 . The stop formation  50  extends outwardly toward the active door  14  and limits the outer swing of the active door  14 . A gasket  52  is retained by the stop formation  50 . The gasket  52  cushions the active door  14  from the stop formation  50  and acts as a weather strip. The stop formation  50 , in the preferred embodiment shown, has a gap  54  that retains a clip  56  to which the gasket  52  is secured. Alternatively, the stop formation  50  can include a groove  58  that holds an edge of a gasket  52 . Any type of known gasket or weather strip can be used. 
     The inner wall  44  of the exterior portion  34  has a hook  60  on its outer end that protrudes into the channel  38  to retain the insert  30 , similar to the hook  42 . 
     The side portion  36  connects the interior portion  32  to the exterior portion  34  and extends between the inner wall  44  adjacent to the exterior flange  48  and the interior portion  32  adjacent to the interior flange  40 . The side portion  36  is formed as a thin wall designed to extend parallel to the outer edge of the passive door  16 . 
     An outer spacer  62  may be provided that extends a small distance outward from the side portion  36  to form a small gap between the outer edge of the passive door  16 . Any number and size of outer spacers  62  may be used, if desired, to allow air flow and prevent moisture from accumulating between the passive door  16  and the astragal assembly  26 . An inner spacer  64  that extends from the side portion  36  into the channel  38  can be provided to assist in positioning the insert  30  and/or for stiffening. Any number or configuration of inner spacers  64  can be used. 
     Preferably, a series of preformed fastener holes  66  are provided in the side portion  36  to permit the insertion of a fastener  68 , such as a screw, through the rail  28  into the passive door  16 . 
     A thermal break  70  is designed within the side portion  36  to form a thermal barrier between the external portion  34  and the internal portion  32 . The thermal break  70  is preferably formed as an elastomeric gasket  72  retained within a groove  74  formed in the side portion  36 . The groove  74  can be formed with a frangible wall  76  that can be removed at installation. Of course, any suitable thermal break can be used to inhibit the transfer of heat between the exterior portion  34  and the interior portion  32 . The wall of the groove  74  also acts as an inner spacer to assist in positioning the insert  30 . 
     The insert  30  is designed to be retained with the channel  38  of the rail  28 . Preferably, the insert  30  is formed symmetrically so that it is reversible and simply installed. As described above, the insert  30  is preferably wooden, but can be any inexpensive easily fastened material. The insert  30  can be formed as one piece, by a lathe for example, or as several simply shaped pieces to reduce the cost of manufacture. In the embodiment shown, the insert  30  includes a main strip  80  and a pair of secondary strips  82  and  84 . Each strip  80 ,  82  and  84  are formed with a central open groove to reduce weight. However, solid strips may be used and may even be preferred for strength purposes. 
     The main strip  80  has a width slightly smaller than the width of the channel  38  and is formed with corner cutouts  86  that interlock with the hooks  42  and  60 . The secondary strips  82  and  84  together have a width slightly smaller than a width between the inner spacer  64  and the wall of the groove  74 . A cushion  88  can be provided on the shoulder between the main strip  80  and the secondary strips  82  and  84  to form a snug fit between the insert  30  and the inner spacer  64 . This configuration allows the insert  30  to fit snugly within the rail  28  and be retained within the channel  38 . 
     Fastener openings  90  are provided in the insert  30  and may be preformed or drilled in place. The openings  90  are preferably preformed to ensure alignment between the openings  90  in the insert  30  and the holes  66  in the rail  28 . Fasteners  68  are secured within the openings  90  and holes  66  to hold the astragal assembly  26  in place on the passive door  16 . It is also possible to eliminate the use of a fastener  68  if other attachment mechanisms are used, such as an alternative clamping flange or a spline formed in the side portion  36  of the rail  28  that directly engages the passive door  16 . 
     Hardware is secured to the outer surface of the insert  30 , which in this case provides a wooden face that is easily drilled or screwed.  FIG. 2  shows a strike plate  92  attached in a groove in the insert  30 . The groove is also sized to accommodate the full throw of a dead bolt if desired. 
     Since the astragal assembly  26  is easily attached to a variety of doors, it is contemplated that the astragal assembly  26  of this invention is usable in a universal modular system in which various components can be interchanged within a single mounting frame  18  and/or sill  22 . The astragal assembly  26  can have a uniform width so that it will fit with conventional door sizes and locking mechanisms while remaining useful with a universal mounting system. 
     Additionally, as the astragal assembly  26  is designed to fit various installations without the requirement of custom sizes or components, manufacturing costs can be reduced and inventory can be decreased. 
     Although the above description contains specific examples of the present invention, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.