ADJUSTABLE SHIM AND PRE-HUNG DOOR WITH THE SAME

• US 20170204653A1
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Published: 07/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endura Products, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Endura Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Mitchell, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,246,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/0015 for mounting frames
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/7098 with bracing means crossing each other, e.g. diagonally disposed

Abstract

An adjustable shim is described for attachment to a pre-hung door or a rough opening. The adjustable shim may include a base bracket for mounting the adjustable shim to the pre-hung door or the rough opening, an inner shim, an outer shim, and a first actuator operably attached between the base bracket and the inner shim. At least one of the inner shim and the outer shim is tapered. Rotation of the first actuator translates the inner shim substantially linearly relative to the outer shim, thereby adjusting a combined height of the inner shim and the outer shim.

Claims

1. An adjustable shim, the adjustable shim comprising:

a base bracket configured to mount the adjustable shim to a pre-hung door or a rough opening;

an inner shim;

an outer shim; and

a first actuator operably attached between the base bracket and the inner shim,

wherein at least one of the inner shim and the outer shim is tapered,

wherein rotation of the first actuator translates the inner shim substantially linearly relative to the outer shim, thereby adjusting a combined height of the inner shim and the outer shim.

2. The adjustable shim of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a first adjustment screw.

3. The adjustable shim of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the base bracket is configured to be mounted at non-zero angle relative to a back face of a frame member of the pre-hung door.

4. The adjustable shim of claim 3, wherein the first portion is a plate including a channel in which the inner shim is positioned.

5. The adjustable shim of claim 3, wherein the outer shim comprises guide legs, and the first portion of the base bracket includes notches therethrough, wherein the guide legs are positioned to travel within the notches such that the outer shim moves perpendicular to the base bracket.

6. The adjustable shim of claim 1, further comprising:

a supplemental shim removably attached to the outer shim to selectively increase a maximum height of the adjustable shim.

7. The adjustable shim of claim 6, wherein the supplemental shim is provided integrally with the outer shim, and wherein the supplemental shim is configured to be separated from a first portion of the outer shim and stacked on a second portion of the outer shim to provide additional shim thickness to accommodate larger margins between the pre-hung door and a rough opening.

8. The adjustable shim of claim 1, further comprising:

a plumb adjustment bracket slideably attached to the base bracket and configured for attachment to a rough opening frame that defines a rough opening; and

a second actuator configured to convert rotational motion of the second actuator into linear motion, sliding the plumb adjustment bracket relative to the base bracket along a direction into and out of the rough opening.

9. The adjustable shim of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one strap rotatably attached to the base bracket for attaching the adjustable shim to a rough opening frame.

10. The adjustable shim of claim 9, wherein the at least one strap is bent away from the pre-hung door to overlap a portion of a face of the rough opening frame.

11. The adjustable shim of claim 1, wherein the base bracket comprises a slot extending into the base bracket from an edge thereof, wherein the slot is configured for securing a string used to judge a planar condition of the pre-hung door.

12. A pre-hung door, comprising:

a pair of vertical frame members,

a header spanning across a top of the vertical frame members;

a threshold spanning across a bottom of the vertical frame members;

a door panel hinged to one of the vertical frame members; and

at least one adjustable shim according to claim 1.

13. The pre-hung door of claim 12 comprising:

adjustable shims according to claim 1 attached to the pair of vertical frame members adjacent to respective upper and lower ends of each vertical frame member.

14. The pre-hung door of claim 12, wherein a receiving recess is formed in a back face of at least one of the vertical frame members into which a respective one of the at least one adjustable shim is mounted.

15. An entryway comprising:

at least a pair of studs, the studs at least partially defining a rough opening through a building; and

the pre-hung door of claim 12 positioned within the rough opening.

16. A method of installing a pre-hung door within a rough opening in a building, comprising:

positioning the pre-hung door within the rough opening, the pre-hung door comprising;

at least one frame member, and

at least one adjustable shim mounted on a back of the at least one frame member;

rotating a first actuator to relatively translate an inner shim relative to an outer shim of the at least one adjustable shim, at least until the outer shim contacts a portion of the rough opening; and

fastening the pre-hung door to a rough opening frame at a location adjacent to the at least one adjustable shim.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

attaching a portion of the at least one adjustable shim to the rough opening frame; and

rotating a second actuator to move the pre-hung door along a direction into and out of the rough opening.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one adjustable shim includes at least one strap rotatably mounted thereto, and fastening the pre-hung door to the rough opening frame comprises:

rotating the at least one strap to a substantially horizontal position;

bending at least a portion of the at least one strap to be substantially perpendicular to the back of the at least one frame member; and

fastening the at least one strap to the rough opening frame.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the outer shim of the at least one adjustable shim comprises an integral supplemental shim attached to a first portion of the outer shim, and the method further comprises:

separating the supplemental shim from the first portion of the outer shim; and

attaching the supplemental shim to a second portion of the outer shim to increase the height range of the adjustable shim.

20. An adjustable shim, comprising:

margin adjustment means for filling a space between a door frame and a stud of a rough opening; and

plumb adjustment means for translating the door frame relatively into or out of the rough opening.