Abstract:
A door with adjustable lock connection hardware is provided. The lock connection hardware is movable to allow desired positioning of lock hardware without the need for drilling extra holes or other laborious action.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention herein generally relates to doors, and more specifically relates to doors with adjustable connectors for lock and latch faces. 
         [0002]    While many doors are constructed in similar fashion, the height from the floor at which a plunger strikes the striker plate and into the striker plate opening and the height at which a deadbolt enters an opening may vary from door to door. 
         [0003]    Thus, it would be useful to have an easily adjustable lock height on a door to increase the versitility and decrease the labor involved in installing a door, especially in an industrial or commercial setting. 
         [0004]    The door of the present invention provides such an adjustability. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, a door comprises a front face, a rear face opposite to the front face, a first stile defining a first side edge and connecting the rear face to the front face, and a second stile defining a second side edge and connecting the rear face to the front face. The second side edge has an aperture in it. A flange is positioned at least partially between the front face and the rear face, and the flange has at least one support member and a leg extending inwardly from the support member. The second side edge and the leg together define a channel. At least one lock connection member is slidably engaged with the flange and has a slider portion at least partially residing within the channel and a connection portion exposed through the aperture in the second side edge. The connection portion is configured for connection to a lock. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, a door comprises a front face sheet, a rear face sheet spaced from the front face sheet, and an edge member in contact with both the front face sheet and the rear face sheet. The edge member comprises a lengthwise base, a first elongated extension extending from the base and being in contact with the front face sheet, and a second elongated extension extending from the base and being in contact with the rear face sheet. The first extension has an inwardly extending first leg which together with the base defines a first inner channel, the second extension having an inwardly extending second leg which together with the base forms a second inner channel. A lock connection member is provided and is slidably engaged with each of the first inner channel and the second inner channel, and is configured to connect to a lock. 
         [0007]    Yet another embodiment is a door comprising a unitary stile including an elongated base portion being substantially flat and defining a longitudinal axis, a width axis, a first side end, and a second side end, a first outer projection adjacent the first side end and extending in a direction transverse to the width axis, a second outer projection adjacent the second side and extending in a direction transverse to the width axis, a first extension extending in a direction transverse to the width axis, a second extension spaced from the first extension and extending in a direction transverse to the width axis, the first outer projection and the first extension together defining a first outer channel configured to receive a door face member, the second outer projection and the second extension together defining a second outer channel configured to receive a door face member, a first leg attached to and extending inwardly from the first extension, the first leg and the base portion defining a first inner channel, and a second leg attached to and extending inwardly from the second extension, the second leg and the base portion together defining a second inner channel which opposes the first inner channel. The door further comprises at least one connection member movable within the first inner channel and the second inner channel. The connection member is configured to attach to lock hardware. 
         [0008]    Other advantages, objects and/or purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a door system that includes a frame and a door that embodies the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view of the door of  FIG. 1 , taken along lines II-II in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the stile of the door of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4A  is a partial exploded perspective view of the door of  FIG. 1 , depicting the initial face plate and how it is attached to the door. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4B  is a partial exploded perspective view of the door of  FIG. 1 , depicting the lock and connection hardware, including lock blocks. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4C  is a partial perspective view of the door of  FIG. 1 , depicting the latch hardware and final face plates attached. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a lock block of the door of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the lock block of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the door of  FIG. 1 , depicting four movable lock blocks. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    Certain terminology will be used in this description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the door arrangement and designated parts thereof. This terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. 
         [0019]    The terms “lock” or “latch” herein will encompass any kind of attachment or locking hardware that may be used with a door to connect the door to a frame or other adjacent structure. This will include, but is not limited to, locks, latches, and strikers. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a door system  10  includes a door  12  and an adjacent frame  14  to which the door  12  is attached. The door system  10  includes one or more hinges  16  for attachment of the door  12  to the frame  14 . 
         [0021]    The door  12  of this embodiment generally includes a first stile  18  defining a first edge of the door  12 , a second stile  19  defining a second edge of the door  12 , a front face sheet  20 , a rear face sheet  22 , and latch hardware  24  to facilitate opening and closing of the door, as well as latching and/or locking of the door  12  to the frame  14  (see  FIGS. 1-2 ). 
         [0022]    The latch hardware  24  as shown in  FIGS. 1-2  includes a handle  26  which rotates to move a plunger  28 . The plunger  28  is positioned and configured to engage with a striker plate  30  which has an aperture therein for receiving the plunger  28  when the door  12  is closed. 
         [0023]    The plunger  28  is attached to the door  12  by use of a latch face  32 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . One or more face plates  34  is also preferably used to cover up an aperture in the edge of stile  18 , which is discussed in more detail below. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the edge stile  18  is attached to both the front face sheet  20  and the rear face sheet  22 . Also attached to the edge stile  18  are reinforcements  36 ,  38  for reinforcing at least a portion of the front face sheet  20  and the rear face sheet  22 , respectively. 
         [0025]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , the edge stile  18  includes an elongated base  40  which extends the length, i.e. height, of the door and defines a longitudinal axis along the height of the door, as well as a width axis, depicted as W in  FIG. 3 , of the stile  18 . The base  40  defines the edge of the stile  18  and thus the door  12 . At one side of the stile  18  is a first outer projection  42 , which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular, or at a few degrees offset from perpendicular to the width axis W. Spaced from but adjacent the first outer projection  42  is a first flange or extension  44 . The first extension  44  also extends in a direction substantially perpendicular, or slightly offset from perpendicular, to the width axis W. The first extension  44  is positioned mostly between the front face sheet  20  and the rear face sheet  22  when the door is assembled (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0026]    The first extension  44  has a straight portion  46  which is connected to the base  40 , a wavy portion  48  near the center of the first extension  44  and extending from the straight portion  46 , and another straight portion  50  extending from the wavy portion  48 . Extending inwardly from the straight portion  46  is a leg  52  and extending from the straight portion  50  is a reinforcement attachment member  54 . The base  40 , the straight portion  46  of the first extension  44 , and the leg  52  together define a first inner channel  53  which is sized to receive a portion of a connection member. 
         [0027]    The first outer projection  42  and the first extension  44 , and in particular, the straight portion  46 , together define a first outer channel  56 . The channel  56  receives an edge portion of the rear face sheet  22 . 
         [0028]    On the opposite side of the stile  18  is a second outer projection  58  adjacent a second flange or extension  60 . The second extension  60  is essentially a mirror image of the first extension  44 . The second extension  60  is positioned mostly between the front face sheet  20  and the rear face sheet  22  when the door  12  is assembled (see  FIG. 2 ). As such, the second extension  60  includes a straight portion  62  that is attached to the base  40 , a wavy central portion  64  extending from the straight portion  62 , and a second straight portion  66  extending from the wavy portion  64 . The second extension  60  has a leg  68  extending inwardly therefrom, and in the general direction of the leg  52 , and extends from the straight portion  62 . The base  40 , the straight portion  62 , and the leg  68  together define a second inner channel  69  which is sized to receive a portion of a connection member. The second extension  60  also has a reinforcement attachment member  70  extending from the straight portion  66 . 
         [0029]    The second extension  60  is spaced from the second outer projection  58 , which together define a channel  72  in which an edge portion of the front face sheet  20  resides. 
         [0030]    Each of the legs  52 ,  68  extends inwardly and may be straight, but preferably has a rearwardly facing finger. The leg  52  has a finger  74  and the leg  68  has a finger  76 . The fingers  74 ,  76  assist in retaining the connection members, which are discussed in more detail below. 
         [0031]    Each of the reinforcement attachment members  54 ,  70  is generally C-shaped and is shaped and sized to receive and hold a portion of a reinforcement such as reinforcements  36 ,  38 , which reinforce a portion of the door, adjacent the handle and/or lock. 
         [0032]    The first extension  44  and the second extension  60  generally extend rearwardly in a direction D, shown in  FIG. 3 , which is perpendicular to the width axis W. However, preferably, the extensions  44 ,  60  are at a slight angle with respect to the direction D. This angle is depicted as A in  FIG. 3  and is preferably between 0.5° and 3.5°, more preferably between 1° and 3°, and most preferably about 2°. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C  show the attachment of the lock  24  to the door  12 . The stile  18  has an aperture  80  in the base  40 . The aperture  80  is located at a position at which a lock will be attached. When delivered, a long initial face plate  81  is attached to the door  12  and completely covers the aperture  80 . The initial face plate  81  is preferably attached by screws to stationary lock blocks, discussed below, and can be removed to gain access to the connection hardware for connecting a latch face to the door  12 . 
         [0034]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C , the door includes a top stationary connection member such as a lock block  82  which is located adjacent the top edge of the aperture  80 , and a bottom stationary connection member such as a lock block  84  which is positioned adjacent the bottom edge of the aperture  80 . The lock blocks  82 ,  84  preferably have attachment means such as threaded apertures therein. Also provided are two movable lock blocks  86 . The lock blocks  86  are movable both with respect to the stationary lock blocks  82 ,  84  as well as each other. The lock blocks are connected to the stile  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 . A portion of each lock block fits within the channels  53 ,  69 . The stationary lock blocks  82 ,  84  are fixedly attached to the stile  18  in any conventional manner. The movable lock blocks  86  are not fixedly attached but are slidable within the channels  53 ,  69 , and may move only minimally in the directions of the W axis and D axis. 
         [0035]    Each of the movable lock blocks  86  has a first portion  90  and a deeper or thicker second portion  92 . The first portion  90 , shown as the lower portion in  FIG. 5 , contains an attachment means such as a threaded aperture  94  for attachment to a lock hardware such as a latch face. The second portion  92  also includes attachment means such as a threaded bore  96  for attachment to the face plate  34 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lock blocks  86  include opposing grooves  98 ,  100  which are generally in the shape of the legs  52 ,  68  such that the grooves  98 ,  100  engage the legs  52 ,  68  and slide therealong. On one side of each groove is a slide-portion  99 ,  101 . The legs  52 ,  68  help retain the lock blocks  86  and at the same time allow longitudinal movement. 
         [0036]    It is contemplated that the door  12  may have more than two movable lock blocks  86 . In an alternative embodiment, the door  12  has four movable lock blocks  86 , in addition to the top stationary lock block  82  and the bottom stationary lock block  84  (see  FIG. 7 ). This will allow attachment of both a plunger and a lock such as a deadbolt, for instance. 
         [0037]    In operation, the main structure of the door is assembled by attaching lock blocks  82 ,  84 , and  86  to the stile  18 , attaching reinforcements  36 ,  38  to the stile  18 , and attaching the front face sheet  20  and the rear face sheet to the stile  18 . The additional stile  19  is also attached to the door  12  to connect the front face sheet  20  to the rear face sheet  22 . The extension  44  is in contact with the rear face plate  22  and the extension  60  is in contact with the front face plate  20 . The initial face plate  81  is attached to lock blocks  82 ,  84  to cover the aperture  80 , and the door  12  is ready for shipment. 
         [0038]    Either before hanging or after hanging the door  12 , it is determined at what height the lock hardware  24  needs to be or is desired to be positioned. The initial face plate  81  is removed from the door by unscrewing it from the lock blocks  82 ,  84 . The movable lock blocks  86  are positioned accordingly, by sliding if necessary to the desired positions. The lock hardware  24  is then attached to the movable lock blocks  86 , specifically by attachment of a latch face  32  to the threaded bore  94  of the first portion  90  of two separate lock blocks  86  (see  FIG. 4A ). The front  102  of the latch face  32  remains exposed. The initial face plate  81  is then sized by cutting into one or more face plates  34  and additional holes are drilled for attachment of the face plates  34  to the lock blocks  82 ,  84 ,  86 . The face plate  34 , in one or more parts, is then attached to a movable lock block  86  and a stationary lock block, such as the top stationary lock block  82 , to cover the remainder of the aperture  80 . The handle  26  and any other necessary hardware is then attached and the door  12  is ready for use. 
         [0039]    The door  12  can be relatively inexpensively made, while giving the versatility of and ease of adjustment of the height of the lock to installers. 
         [0040]    Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.