Self draining door threshold

• US 5,067,279 A
• Filed: 02/04/1991
• Issued: 11/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pella Corporation (EPR of Buffalo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rolscreen Company (EPR of Buffalo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagemeyer, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): KANNAN, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US07/650,225
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 49/471, 49/469, 49/470, 49/408, 52/209, 52/198
• US Class Current: 49/471
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 1/70 Sills; Thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/14 Measures for draining-off condensed water or water leaking-in frame members for draining off condensation water, throats at the bottom of a sash
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2316 used as a seal between the floor and the wing

Abstract

A self draining door threshold includes a wedge-shaped silicone check valve in communication with a water reservoir on the interior side. The check valve is normally closed but will yieldably open in response to water pressure which overcomes the resilience of the silicone material and the air pressure on the top wall of the wege-shaped passageway. The check valve functions as a seal against incoming air but will open to allow escape of water as needed. The silicone material seals around foreign material in the valve making it air tight. The bottom edge of the door includes moisture resistant material having an upwardly extending portion received in a groove. The exterior side of the door is also covered with moisture resistant material which has inwardly extending portions received in a vertical groove between abutting panels. A moisture resistant plate extends along the bottom edge of the door and has downwardly extending portions engaging the weather seal on the threshold on the exterior side and a wood portion of the threshold on the interior side. The plate directs water from the vertical groove outwardly of the door.

Claims

1. A self draining door threshold comprising,

a threshold having a sill, said sill having an exterior section adapted to be positioned on the exterior side of a door and an interior section adapted to be positioned on the interior side of a door,

a check valve positioned in said sill and having an inlet side for receiving water from the interior section and an outlet side adapted to open to operatively drain water to the exterior side of a door, and

said check valve including a passageway converging from a substantially open end at said inlet side to a substantially normally closed end at said outlet side, said passageway including a flexible side wall in said exterior section which is adapted to be exposed to the exterior air pressure whereby water will flow through said check valve when pressure generated by said water in said passageway exceeds the opposing exterior air pressure combined with pressure required to flex said flexible side wall to open said closed end.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein water received in said interior section is adapted to be held in a reservoir in communication with said substantially open end of said passageway whereby the pressure generated by water in said reservoir is combined with said pressure generated by said water in said passageway.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said passageway is positioned in said exterior section.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said reservoir is positioned in said interior section.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said interior section includes a removable top wall for providing access to said reservoir.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said exterior section includes a removable top wall for providing access to said passageway.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said flexible sidewall is made of silicone material.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein said exterior and interior sections include an inner face which includes a weather strip adapted to engage a door when in a closed position.

9. A self draining door threshold comprising,

a door having a door way frame, said door having interior and exterior sides,

a threshold having a sill, said sill having an exterior section positioned on the exterior side of the door and an interior section positioned on the interior side of the door,

a check valve positioned in said sill and having an inlet side for receiving water from the interior section and an outlet side adapted to open to operatively drain water to the exterior side of said door, and

said check valve including a passageway converging from a substantially open end at said inlet side to a substantially normally closed end at said outlet side, said passageway including a flexible sidewall in said exterior section exposed to the exterior air pressure whereby water flows through said check valve when pressure generated by said water in said passageway exceeds the opposing exterior air pressure combined with the pressure required to flex said flexible sidewall to open said closed end.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein water received in said interior section is adapted to be held in a reservoir in communication with said substantially open end of said passageway whereby the pressure generated by water in said reservoir is combined with said pressure generated by said water in said passageway.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said passageway is positioned in said exterior section.

12. The structure of claim 11 wherein said reservoir is positioned in said interior section.

13. The structure of claim 12 wherein said interior section includes a removable top wall for providing access to said reservoir.

14. The structure of claim 12 wherein said exterior section includes a removable top wall for providing access to said passageway.

15. The structure of claim 9 wherein said flexible sidewall is made of silicone material.

16. The structure of claim 9 wherein said exterior and interior sections include an inner face which includes a weather strip adapted to engage said door when in a closed position.

17. The structure of claim 9 wherein said door is moveable between open and closed positions and has top and bottom ends and said sill includes a weather strip operatively engaged by the bottom end of said door when in said closed position.

18. The structure of claim 17 wherein said door is wood and has a bottom edge which includes a moisture resistant plate substantially covering said bottom edge to protect it from moisture.

19. The structure of claim 18 wherein said moisture resistant plate includes a downwardly extending flange on the exterior side of said door engaging said weather strip when said door is in said closed position.

20. The structure of claim 19 wherein said moisture resistant plate includes a downwardly extending weather strip on the interior side of said door engaging said sill when said door is in a closed position.

21. The structure of claim 18 wherein the exterior side of said door includes a moisture resistant plate at said bottom end having a portion which extends along said bottom edge in sealing engagement with said plate on said bottom edge.

22. The structure of claim 21 wherein said portion of said plate on the bottom edge includes an upwardly turned portion received in a groove formed in the bottom edge of said door to seal the bottom edge from moisture.

23. The structure of claim 22 wherein said door includes a plurality of panels in abutting relationship, said moisture resistant plate at said bottom end has inwardly turned portions received in a vertical groove between abutting panels whereby moisture received in said groove is directed outwardly by said moisture resistant plate on said bottom edge.

24. The structure of claim 9 wherein said passageway is wedge shaped and said flexible sidewall is a top wall thereof.

25. A self draining door comprising,

a door having oppositely disposed sides and a bottom edge, and including vertically arranged panels in substantial abutting relationship forming a vertical groove therebetween on one of said sides,

a plate extending over the bottom edge, and

moisture resistant material on said one side of said door having inwardly turned flanges received in said vertical groove between said panels, said groove extending to the bottom edge whereby moisture received in said vertical groove is directed outwardly by said plate on the bottom edge of said door.

26. The structure of claim 25 wherein said plate includes a downwardly extending flange in the plane of said one side of said door adapted to engage weather stripping on a door threshold.