Patent Publication Number: US-2012042589-A1

Title: Door frame structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant disclosure relates to a door frame structure; in particular, a wall door frame structure. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 . A typical door frame structure  1   a  includes a main body  11   a  and a door stop  12   a . The main body  11   a  and the door stop  12   a  are formed integrally in one piece. One side of the main body  11   a  has two recesses  111   a , and the flip side forms the door stop  12   a . A plurality of nails  2   a  is placed inside the wall  3   a , such as a brick wall. One end of the nails  2   a  sinks into the main body  11   a  for anchoring the door frame  1   a  onto the wall  3   a . One side of the door stop  12   a  contacts the door  4   a , and each recess  111   a  holds a coating  5   a  placing over the surface of the wall  3   a.    
     Next,  FIG. 2  shows a different door frame structure  1   a . The door frame structure  1   a  has a door stop slot  112   a  on one side of the main body  11   a . As a separate piece, the door stop  12   a  has a protrusion  121   a . The size of the protrusion  121   a  matches correspondingly to the door stop slot  112   a , allowing the door stop  12   a  to insert or dislodge from the door stop slot  112   a . At the door stop slot  112   a , nails can be shot through the main body  11   a  to anchor the door frame structure  1   a  onto the wall  3   a.    
     Additional door frame structures are shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  FIG. 3  shows the wall  3   a  formed by a C-channel  31   a . In  FIG. 4 , the wall  3   a  is formed by bending a flat bar  32   a . Both structures use bolts  2   b  to secure the door frame structure  1   a  onto the wall  3   a.    
     Another typical door frame is shown in  FIG. 5 , where each side of the main body  11   a  is inserted with a set piece  13   a.    
     The above conventional door frame structures  1  have the following disadvantages. First, nails  2   a  must be pre-installed prior to anchor the main body  11   a  onto the wall  3   a , which increases the construction time. Second, when nailing the door stop  12   a  onto the main body  11   a , the head of the nails  2   a  are exposed on the outer surface of the door stop  12   a , giving a bad visual appearance. Thirdly, when the door hits the door stop  12   a  with a significant force, a loud noise is heard. 
     Based on research and engineering principles, the inventor proposes a solution to address the above issues. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the instant disclosure is to provide a door frame structure, which requires less construction labor, improves visual appearance, and reduces the noise by reducing the hitting force of the door to the door stop. 
     To achieve the above object, the instant disclosure provides a door frame structure comprises a plurality of door frame units. Each door frame unit has a main body and a door stop. A notch is formed in between the door stop and the main body, with a buffer strip inside the notch. 
     The instant disclosure has the following advantages:
     1. No nails need to be pre-installed in saving construction time. Instead, the door frame unit uses locking elements for anchoring to the wall. Also, the door frame unit can be directly installed over the finished floor, with no additional work required. For efficiency, the door frame unit can be easily disassembled.   2. The locking elements are located at the upper portion of the main body near the notch, allowing equal distribution of applied force on the main body in achieving structural stability.   3. Aesthetically, the buffer strip covers over the locking elements, which prevents the locking elements from exposing off the main body for improving visual appearance.   4. When the buffer strip is plugged into the notch, the buffer strip meshes into the exposed portions of the locking elements off the main body in achieving structural stability.   5. The notch accommodates the buffer strip for easing the hitting force from the door to the door stop, which reduces noise.   6. The set piece can be jointed to the main body, and the distance between both set pieces is adjustable based on the wall thickness. No extra work is needed.   7. Aesthetically, the set pieces cover over the locking elements, which prevent the locking elements from exposing off the main body for improving visual appearance.   8. When the set pieces are inserted, the set pieces press against the exposed portions of the locking elements off the main body in achieving structural stability.   

     In order to further appreciate the characteristics and technical contents of the instant disclosure, references are hereunder made to the detailed descriptions and appended drawings in connection with the instant disclosure. However, the appended drawings are merely shown for exemplary purposes, rather than being used to restrict the scope of the instant disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a cross-sectional view of a first door frame structure of the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of a second door frame structure of the prior art. 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of a third door frame structure of the prior art. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of a fourth door frame structure of the prior art. 
         FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of a fifth door frame structure of the prior art. 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic view of a door frame structure of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a first embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a second embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a third embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a fourth embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a fifth embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a sixth embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 13  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a seventh embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 14  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to an eight embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 15  shows a cross-sectional view of a door frame structure according to a ninth embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The instant disclosure provides a door frame structure having three door frame units  1  and a plurality of locking elements  2 . By surrounding about a door opening  31  of a wall  3 , the door frame units  1  are connected to each other. In the present embodiment, the wall  3  is a brick wall  32 . Next, the plurality of locking elements  2  are used to secure the three door frame units  1  onto the wall  3 , followed by assembling a door  4  (shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
     Each door frame unit  1  has a main body  11  and a door stop  12 . The main body  11  has a cylindrical shape, with the size based on the door opening  31 . The main body  11  has an outer surface  111 , an inner surface  112  opposite of the outer surface  111 , a front end surface  113 , and a rear end surface  114  opposite of the front end surface  113 . Both ends of the outer surface  111  and the inner surface  112  are adjacent to the front end surface  113  and the rear end surface  114 . When anchoring the door frame structure to the wall  3 , the outer surface  111  of the main body  11  meets the wall  3 , and the inner surface  112  faces the door opening  31 . 
     The door stop  12  is located at a surface of the main body  11 , namely, the inner surface  112  of the main body  11 , where the door stop  12  and the main body  11  are formed integrally in one piece. The door stop  12  has an elevated portion  121  and an overhang  122 . The elevated portion  121  protrudes from the main body  11  and extends forward in the direction of the front end surface  113  in forming the overhang  122 . The clearance between the door stop  12  and the main body  11  forms a notch  123 . 
     When installing the door  4 , one side of the door  4  is pivotally connected to the door frame structure for opening and closing. For a “closed” state (shown in  FIG. 7 ), a buffer strip  13  can be placed inside the notch  123  to ease the hitting force from the door  4  to the door stop  12 , which reduces noise. 
     The plurality of locking elements  2  are spaced evenly along each main body  11 . The locking elements  2  can be nails, U-shaped nails, or bolts. The locations of the locking elements  2  are critical for the fastening effect. For the present embodiment, the locking elements  2  are placed near the notch  123  of the main body  11 . The locking elements  2  sink through the main body  11  of the door frame unit  1  and into the wall  3 , hence securing the main body  11  of the door frame unit  1  to the wall  3 . To improve visual appearance for aesthetics, the buffer strip  13  also covers over the locking elements  2 , thereby keeping the locking elements  2  from exposing off the surface of the main body  11 . Notably, when the buffer strip  13  is plugged into the notch  123 , the buffer strip  13  meshes into the exposed portion of the locking elements  12  on the surface of the main body  11 . Hence, both the buffer strip  13  and the locking elements  12  are firmly secured on the main body  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 to 10 , the door frame unit  1  of the instant disclosure is not restricted physically. The door frame unit  1  can be varied accordingly based on the wall type such as a brick wall  32 , a C-channel  33 , or by bending of a flat bar  34 . 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  show the door frame unit  1  of the instant disclosure can further comprises two set pieces  14 . The front end surface  113  and the rear end surface  114  each has a slot  115  for inserting individual set piece  14 . The set piece  14  has an inserting portion  141  and a pressing portion  142 . The inserting portion  141  is inserted into the slot  115 , and the inserting portion  141  extends toward the outer surface  111  in forming the pressing portion  142 . The pressing portion  142  extends beyond the outer surface  111 . The space formed by the main body  11  and the two set pieces  14  is defined as a holding slot  143 . In addition, an extension  116  is formed off the rear end surface  114  near the outer surface  111 . When the door frame structure is anchored to the wall  3 , the wall  3  meets the outer surface  111  and is accommodated within the holding slot  143 . Since each set piece  14  can be dislodged from the main body  11 , the distance D between the two set pieces  14  can be adjusted based on the width of the wall  3 . The adjustment allows the pressing portions  142  to maintain a tight hold of the wall  3  in anchoring the main body  11  to the wall  3 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , when the door frame structure is installed to a wider wall  3 , the distance D between the two set pieces  14  is widened. In turn, the two set pieces  14  are able to maintain a tight grip to a wider wall  3  for securing the door frame structure. No additional construction labor is needed and work efficiency is increased. Furthermore, the length of the pressing portion  142  can be varied. A longer pressing portion  142  means more contact surface with the wall  3  for enhancing the anchoring effect. The length of the two pressing portions  142  can be the same or different. 
     The locations of the locking elements  2  are critical for anchoring the door frame structure. The locking elements  2  can be placed at the extension  116  and near the notch  123 , where the locking elements  2  sink through the main body  11  and into the wall  3 . When the set pieces  14  are inserted into the slots  115 , the set pieces  14  presses against the exposed portions of the locking elements  2  off the main body  11  in achieving structural stability. Similarly, when the buffer strip  13  is plugged into the notch  123 , the buffer strip  13  meshes into the exposed portions of the locking elements  2  on the main body  11 , thus also ensuring structural stability. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 13 . For a larger door frame unit  1 , a plurality of locking elements  2  can be placed underneath a hinge  5  of the door frame unit  1 , where the hinge  5  is connected pivotally to the door  4 . The plurality of locking elements  2  can also be placed underneath a strike plate (not shown). Aesthetically, the hinge  5  and the strike plate provide cover for the locking elements  2  to improve visual appearance. Structurally, the locking elements  2  drive through the main body  11  of the door frame unit  1  and into the wall  3  to provide the fastening effect. 
       FIG. 14  shows another embodiment of the instant disclosure, where the door frame unit  1  further comprises a set notch  117 . The set notch  117  is located at the inner surface  112  near the notch  123 . Functionally, the set notch  117  is used to accommodate the locking element  2  for better securing the locking element  2 . Similarly,  FIG. 15  shows another embodiment of the instant disclosure, where a door frame unit  1  includes a set notch  117  and a hinge  5 . A plurality of locking elements  2  can be placed underneath the hinge  5 . Aesthetically, the hinge  5  provides a cover for the locking elements  2  for improving visual appearance. Structurally, the locking elements  2  sink through the main body  11  of the door frame unit  1  and into the wall  3  to provide the fastening effect. 
     Based on the above discussions, the instant disclosure has the following characteristics:
     1. The door frame unit  1  can be securely fastened to the wall  3  by the locking elements  2 . The door frame unit  1  can be set directly over the finished floor with no extra work needed, and the unit can be disassembled with ease.   2. The door frame unit  1  does not require nails to be pre-installed, which saves construction labor and time.   3. The locking elements  2  are placed close to the center of the main body  11  near the notch  123 , allowing equal distribution of the applied force on the main body  11  for better structural stabilization. Aesthetically, the buffer strip  13  is placed over the locking elements  2  to prevent the locking elements  2  from exposing off the main body  11  to improve visual appearance.   4. When the buffer strip  13  is plugged into the notch  123 , the buffer strip  13  meshes into the exposed portions of the locking elements  2  off the main body  11  in achieving structural stability.   5. The door frame unit  1  has a notch  123  for holding the buffer strip  13 , which eases the hitting force from the door  4  to the door stop  12 , thus reducing the noise.   6. The set piece  14  can be individually installed to the main body  11 , and the distance D between the two set pieces  14  is adjustable based on the width of the wall  3 . No extra construction work is needed.   7. Aesthetically, the set piece  14  covers the exposed portions of the locking elements  2  off the main body  11  for improving visual appearance.   8. When the set pieces  14  are inserted into the slot  115 , the set pieces  14  press against the exposed portions of the locking elements  2  off the main body  11  in achieving structural stability.   

     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.