Patent Publication Number: US-6901707-B2

Title: Arched jamb member and method of shipping and installing same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to an arched jamb member for defining the upper end of an arched wall opening such as a door or window opening. 
   Arched jamb assemblies provide arched wall openings, such as doorways, in homes and other buildings. Arched jamb assemblies generally cost more than conventional rectangular jamb assemblies, but they dramatically enhance the aesthetic appeal and thus the market value of a home, for example. 
   Prior art arched jamb assemblies generally have a pair of upright jamb members defining opposite sides of the wall opening and an upper, arched jamb member defining the top of the arched wall opening. The upright jamb members have upper end portions which support the upper arched jamb member at its opposite ends. My co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/954,683 filed Sep. 11, 2001 is directed to such an arched jamb assembly in which a standard interface is provided between the respective end of the upper arched jamb member and the upper end portion of the upright jamb member, regardless of the curvature of the upper arched jamb member. 
   One factor which increases expense of an arched jamb assembly is that the upper arched jamb member cannot be packed flat with the two straight upright members, and must often be shipped and stored separately, in a larger package. Thus, the expense of packing and shipping, and the space required for storage, is relatively high. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved upper arched jamb member for an arched jamb assembly. 
   According to one aspect of the present invention, an arched jamb member is provided, which comprises an elongate strip member having opposite upper and lower faces, opposite side edges, and opposite ends, the strip member being formed into an arch of predetermined curvature, and the strip member being of sufficient flexibility to enable it to be forced into a flat condition for shipping and storage purposes. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the strip member is of plastic material pre-formed or molded into an arched shape. The upper face of the strip member may have a plurality of parallel, transverse kerfs across its upper face for providing sufficient flexibility to enable it to be forced into a flat condition. Alternatively, the strip member may be of reduced thickness along at least the majority of its length, such that it is sufficiently flexible in the thinner region to allow it to be forced flat. In another alternative embodiment, the strip member has side stiffener elements engageable in slots along its opposite side edges. When the side stiffener elements are engaged, the strip member is held in its arched condition. When the stiffener elements are released, the strip member is sufficiently flexible to be forced into the flat condition. 
   When released from the forced flat condition, the arched jamb member will spring back into an arched condition and may be installed in an arched wall opening. Thus, the member is forced flat and placed into a flat container, along with the upright side jambs and casing of an arched jamb assembly. When the container is closed, the arched jamb member will be held in the flat condition. When the container is unpacked, the arched jamb member will be released and will spring back into an arched condition, which can be adjusted as needed to adopt the desired curvature at the top of the door opening. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of shipping and installation of an arched jamb member is provided, which comprises the steps of: 
   providing an elongate strip member which is pre-formed into an arched shape and which is of predetermined flexibility; 
   forcing the arched strip member into a flat condition; 
   placing the flattened strip member into a flat packaging container and constraining it in the flat condition in the container; 
   transporting the flattened strip member in the container to an installation location; 
   releasing the flattened strip member from the container, whereby it springs back into an arched condition; and 
   installing the jamb member at the top of an arched wall opening. 
   The arched jamb member of this invention is preformed with the desired arch curvature for the top of an arched wall opening, yet can be shipped readily in a flat condition along with the other, straight components of an arched jamb assembly. The jamb member is designed to have sufficient flexibility to be forced flat, while retaining its memory and springing back into an arched configuration on release, so that it is immediately ready to be installed when unpacked. When installed in the doorway with spacers, the arched jamb will adopt the correct curvature. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of some exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the top portion of a typical door jamb with the arched top installed; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlargement of one end of an arch attachment using an arched jamb member according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the entire arched jamb member of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the arch member shown flattened for ease of storage and shipping; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged side view of the arch member partially in section; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view taken on line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the arched jamb member; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a further arched jamb member with side stiffeners; and 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged sectional view taken on line  9 — 9  of FIG.  8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1  of the drawings illustrates an arched jamb assembly for forming an arched wall opening, such as a doorway. The assembly illustrated is described in my co-pending application Ser. No. 09/954,683 filed Sep. 11, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The assembly basically comprises a pair of upright jamb members  10  extending along opposite sides of the opening, and an upper arched jamb member  12  extending between the upper ends of jamb members  10  at the upper end of the arched opening. The arched jamb member  12  is generally of rigid construction, having generally smooth, planar upper and lower faces and is of uniform thickness along its length. 
   The arched upper jamb member  12  will be of predetermined curvature and radius of curvature, depending on the desired arch shape at the top of the opening. Each upright jamb member  10  has an angled cut-out  14  at its upper end, while the outer ends of the arched jamb member  12  have angled cuts  15 ,  16  designed for mating engagement in the respective angled cut-outs  14 . 
     FIGS. 2  to  6  of the drawings illustrate an arched jamb member  20  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is designed to replace the arched jamb member  12  of  FIG. 1  as indicated in FIG.  2 . The opposite ends of the jamb member  20  have angled cuts  22 , 24  equivalent to the cuts  15 ,  16  of the prior jamb member  12  so that they can mate with the cut-outs  14  at the upper ends of the upright jamb members  10 . The opposite ends of jamb member  20  are secured in the respective cutouts  14  via fastener screws  25  or the like, as indicated in FIG.  2 . 
   Jamb member  20  in the illustrated embodiment is formed of paint grade plastic material, but may alternatively be formed in wood, laminate, or composite material, or combinations thereof. Member  20  is of elongate, strip-like shape having upper and lower faces  26 , 28 , opposite side edges  30 , and opposite ends  32 , and is molded to have a predetermined curvature. Arched jamb members  20  may be made in various different curvatures to form different arched wall openings. 
   The upper face  26  of jamb member  20  has a plurality of spaced, transverse cuts or kerfs forming spaced parallel ribs  34  extending between its opposite side edges  30 , with the kerfs terminating short of opposite ends  32  of the member  20  to leave uncut end portions  35  for mounting in the opposite upright jamb members  10 . The kerfs are of predetermined depth to leave a sufficient thickness  36  of material beneath the kerfs for nailing or attachment of a casing head or the like. 
   The kerfs render the jamb member sufficiently flexible to enable it to be forced flat as indicated in  FIG. 4 , so that it may be packed into a flat container along with the upright jambs  12  and casing head (not illustrated). This avoids the need to ship the arched jamb member separately, which increases packaging and shipping costs. Once the package arrives at its destination and the parts are unpacked, the jamb member  20  will automatically spring back into an arched configuration, so that it is ready for immediate installation, when it can be adjusted by the installer as necessary to adopt the correct curvature. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates an arched jamb member  40  according to another embodiment of the invention, in which there are no kerfs as in the previous embodiment. Instead, jamb member  40  has thicker end portions  42  of similar shape and dimensions to the end portions  35  of the previous embodiment, and a downwardly recessed or indented region  44  of reduced thickness extending between the end portions  42 . The reduced thickness of the jamb member  40  in the extended region  44  will provide sufficient flexibility for the member  40  to be forced flat for packaging purposes. At the same time, the member is pre-formed into the arched condition illustrated in  FIG. 7 , and will spring back into an arched form when released from its flat packaging. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate a multi-part arched jamb  50  according to another embodiment of the invention, comprising a main jamb element or member  52  and a pair of stiffener strip members  74  which engage in indents  66  in opposite sides of the jamb member  52 . As in the previous embodiments, the jamb element  52  is of elongate, strip-like shape, with upper and lower faces  54 , 55 , opposite side edges  56 , and opposite ends  58  which have angled cuts  60 , 62  for fitting into angled cut-outs  14  at the upper ends of the side jamb members  10 . Element  52  has a pair of uninterrupted, full thickness end portions  63  and series of spaced transverse grooves or kerfs  64  defining upstanding spaced ribs  65  extending across a central portion of its width between the opposite end portions  63 . Elongate cut outs or indents  66  extend inwardly from each side edge  56  of element  52  up to the ribs  65 , with each rib  65  having an undercut portion  68  facing the respective indents  66 . The indents  66  extend between the opposite end portions  63 , and the end face  70  of each end portion which faces the kerfed central region and indents is also undercut to provide a slot or recess  72 . 
   A pair of elongate, arcuate side strip members or elements  74  are designed for mating engagement in the respective indents  66 . Each strip member  74  is of shape and dimensions substantially matching that of the indent  66 , and has an outwardly projecting flange or rim  75  extending along one side edge, and outwardly projecting flanges or rims  76  extending from each end. When the member  74  is pushed transversely into indent  66 , the rims  76  will engage under undercuts or recesses  72  at each end of the indent  66 , while rim  75  engages under the undercut portions  68  of each rib. 
   Both the main element  52  and stiffener strip members  74  of the jamb  50  are pre-formed into a desired arched configuration. When both strip members  74  are engaged in the respective indents  66  as indicated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the overall arched jamb will be relatively stiff and not bendable. In order to permit the jamb to be packaged in a flat container, the side strip members  74  are simply pulled out of the respective indents. The main element  52  alone, without the side strip members, will be sufficiently flexible to permit it to be forced into a flat configuration, as was the case with jamb member  20  as illustrated in FIG.  4 . Similarly, the side strip members  74  alone are flexible and can be forced flat. Thus, all three parts of the arched jamb member can be packaged in a single flat container, along with the other parts of the arched jamb assembly. Once the package arrives at its destination, the parts can be unpacked and will then spring back into an arched configuration. The side strip members will then be engaged in the indents  66  in order to increase the rigidity of the arched jamb member  50  and make it return to the correct curvature, making it easier to install while maintaining the correct curvature or arch. 
   In each of the above embodiments, the arched jamb member is preformed to have the correct curvature for defining an arched opening, yet can be packaged for storage and shipping in a flat rectangular container along with the other components of an arched jamb assembly. This will significantly reduce both storage and shipping costs. Additionally, although the arched jamb member is packaged in a flat condition, it will spring back automatically into an arched configuration when released from the package. 
   Although some exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described above by way of example only, it will be understood by those skilled in the field that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.