Door jamb protector

• US 7,204,059 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Custom Millworking Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Custom Millworking Incorporated
• Inventors: Schiffmann, Glenn P., Cox, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield; Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/615,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 522/11, 522/12, 527/170.1, 52/98, 52D/IG.12, 527/413, 494/60, 494/62
• US Class Current: 52/211
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/30 against mechanical damage or dirt, e.g. guard covers of stairs
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 1/34 Coverings, e.g. protecting against weather, for decorative purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 52/12 Temporary protective expedient

Abstract

Removable door jamb assembly guard, guarded jamb assembly, and methods of controlling a doorway. The guard preferably covers the full length of the jamb assembly, and the full width of the jamb assembly between an outer trim element and the door-arresting surface. The guard has a central section, a door leg section, an outer leg section disposed outwardly of the central section, and optionally a transition section between the central section and the outer leg section. Preferred embodiments of the guard can be installed on a jamb assembly while a conventional door slab is mounted to the jamb assembly, and the door slab can be closed and opened without the guard interfering with such operation of the door slab.

Claims

1. A doorjamb assembly guard, adapted and configured to be installed over a doorjamb assembly, such doorjamb assembly comprising a doorjamb, and an outer trim element joined with such door jamb, such outer trim element and such door jamb defining an interior corner, such door jamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said doorjamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such doorjamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side and facing away from such doorway opening,

said door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to extend between such trim element and such door jamb and to be spaced from such interior corner,

said third section comprising, in at least partial definition of said shock absorber, an interface member connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such door, said interface member being sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section, said interface member being arranged and configured such that said interface member can extend over, and overlie, at least a portion of such outer surface of such door jamb assembly, said third section further comprising a resiliently cushioning nose member extending outwardly in front of said interface member, a cavity optionally being defined between said interface member and said resiliently cushioning nose member.

2. A doorjamb assembly guard, said doorjamb assembly guard being adapted and configured to be installed over a doorjamb assembly, such door jamb assembly comprising a doorjamb, and an outer trim element joined with such door jamb, such outer trim element and such door jamb defining an interior corner, such door jamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said doorjamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side;

b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second and side facing away from such doorway opening,

said temporary door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to extend between such trim element and such door jamb and to be spaced from such interior corner,

further comprising a cover tab (92), extending from a distal end (88) of said third section, and adapted to extend over an outer face (94) of a trim element of such jamb assembly, with a line of weakness (102) in the third section.

3. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 2 the line of weakness in said third section being located at a locus overlying an outer surface (38) of a such trim element.

4. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 2, the line of weakness being adjacent, but displaced from, distal end (88) of said third section.

5. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 2, the lie of weakness being at the distal end (88) of the third section.

6. A doorjamb assembly guard, said doorjamb assembly guard being adapted and configured to be installed over a doorjamb assembly, such door jamb assembly comprising a door jamb, and an outer trim element joined with such door jamb, such outer trim element and such doorjamb defining an interior corner, such door jamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said doorjamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such doorway opening,

said door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to extend between such trim element and such doorjamb and to be spaced from such interior corner

said third section being designed and configured to fit, on a correspondingly configured door jamb assembly, between such door-arresting surface and a weather strip element mounted proximate such door arresting surface.

7. A doorjamb assembly guard, said doorjamb assembly guard being adapted and configured to be installed over a doorjamb assembly, such door jamb assembly comprising a doorjamb, and an outer trim element joined with such door jamb, such outer trim element and such door jamb defining an interior corner, such door jamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said doorjamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such doorway opening,

said door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to extend between such trim element and such door jamb and to be spaced from such interior corner,

and wherein said central section further comprises a release ridge (114) extending along a length thereof, which release ridge is displaced from an underlying jamb by a distance (D1) greater than a base distance (D2) by which a remainder of said central section is displaced from such jamb.

8. A doorjamb assembly guard, said doorjamb assembly guard being adapted and configured to be installed over a doorjamb assembly, such door jamb assembly comprising a door jamb, and an outer trim element joined with such door jamb, such outer trim element and such door jamb defining an interior corner, such door jamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said doorjamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such doorway opening,

said door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to extend between such trim element and such door jamb and to be spaced from such interior corner,

said central section comprising a line of weakness (101) extending along a length of said central section, wherein the line of weakness defines inner and outer separable pieces, and facilitates separating said guard into inner (36IN) and outer (360UT) separate pieces.

9. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 8, further comprising affixing a structure on at least one of the inner and outer separable pieces prior to separation at the line of weakness, adapted to affix the inner and outer separate pieces to each other in overlapping relationship.

10. A doorjamb assembly guard having a length, and being adapted and configured to be installed over a door jamb assembly, such door jamb assembly comprising a doorjamb, and an outer trim element joined with such doorjamb, such doorjamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, such outer trim element and such door jamb defining an interior corner where such outer surface of such doorjamb meets a doorway-facing surface of such outer trim element, said door jamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from such door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side and sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section along such door-arresting surface of such doorjamb assembly; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such doorway opening, said third section being sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section,

the second side of said central section of said door frame guard being arranged and configured such that the third section, connected thereto, can be disposed against a such surface of such doorjamb assembly, and can extend over, and overlie, at least a portion of such surface of such door jamb assembly, said door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to protect at least one of such trim element and such doorjamb and to be spaced from such interior corner, said guard defining a terminal edge thereof which does not extend substantially beyond the door leg section.

11. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 10 wherein said guard can be installed on a door jamb assembly, and wherein a respective conventional door mounted to such door jamb assembly can be closed with said guard so installed, without interfering with operation of such door.

12. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 10 wherein said guard is designed and configured to fit over and protect such outer trim element as part of such doorjamb assembly.

13. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 10, said door leg section having a first length between said first door-facing side of said central section and an opposing distal edge of said door leg section, said third section having a second length, substantially greater than the first length, between said second side of said central section and an opposing distal edge of said third section.

14. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 10 wherein said door jamb assembly guard covers less than the entirety of a width of the inner-facing surface of a such door jamb assembly for which said guard has been designed and configured.

15. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 10, said element of said shock absorber comprising a transition section between said central section and said outer leg section, said transition section comprising a contact web (83) overlying at least one transfer web (86A, 86B).

16. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 10, said central section comprising a line of weakness extending along a length of said central section, wherein the line of weakness defines inner and outer separable pieces, and facilitates separating said guard into inner (36IN) and outer (360UT) separate pieces.

17. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 16, further comprising affixing structure on at least one of the inner and outer separable pieces prior to separation at the line of weakness, adapted to affix the inner and outer separate pieces to each other in overlapping relationship.

18. A doorjamb assembly as in claim 10 wherein an element of said shock absorber is adapted and configured to be spaced from, and to extend over, at least a portion of such trim element and a portion of such doorjamb.

19. A doorjamb assembly guard, having a length, and being adapted and configured to be installed over a door jamb assembly, such door jamb assembly comprising a doorjamb, an outer trim element joined with such doorjamb, such outer trim element and such doorjamb defining an interior corner, such doorjamb having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said door jamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from such door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side and sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section along such door-arresting surface of said doorjamb assembly; and

(c) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such doorway opening, said third section being sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section,

the second side of said central section of said door frame guard being arranged and configured such that the third section, connected thereto, can be disposed against a such surface of such door jamb assembly, such that said third section can extend over, and overlie, at least a portion of such surface of such door jamb assembly, said door jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber, an element of said shock absorber being adapted and configured to protect at least one of such trim element and such door jamb and to be spaced from such interior corner, said guard defining a terminal edge thereof which does not extend substantially beyond the door leg section,

said third section comprising, in at least partial definition of said shock absorber, an interface member, sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section, said interface member being arranged and configured such that said interface member can extend over, and overlie, at least a portion of such outer surface of such door jamb assembly, said third section further comprising a resiliently cushioning nose member extending outwardly in front of said interface member, a cavity optionally being defined between said interface member and said resiliently cushioning nose member.

20. A doorjamb assembly guard for installation over, and for temporarily protecting, a doorjamb assembly, such doorjamb assembly having an inner-facing surface defining a door opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said door jamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which can overlie the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing trim side displaced from the door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side and extending at a transverse angle to said central section so as to extend along such door-arresting surface of said door jamb assembly;

(c) a third section, disposed outwardly of said central section at said second side facing away from such door opening, and disposed away from such wall, said third section extending at a transverse angle to said central section so as to extend over, and overlie, at least a portion of such outer surface of such doorjamb assembly; and

(d) a transition section between said central section and said third section, said transition section comprising an overlying contact structure directly interfacing with objects which impact on said transition element, and underlying support structure adapted and configured to interface with one or more underlying surfaces of such jamb assembly, said transition section being effective to absorb and distribute forces imposed thereon so as to attenuate damage to such jamb assembly.

21. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20 wherein said guard can be installed on a doorjamb assembly, and wherein a respective conventional door mounted to such door jamb assembly can be closed with said guard so installed, without interfering with operation of such door.

22. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20 wherein said guard is designed and configured to fit over and protect an outer trim element as part of such doorjamb assembly.

23. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20 wherein said door jamb assembly guard covers less than the entirety of a width of the inner-facing surface of a such door jamb assembly for which said guard has been designed and configured.

24. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20 wherein said door leg section terminates at a distal edge thereof comprising a distal edge of said guard, and consistent with termination in the vicinity of, and protecting, such door arresting surface.

25. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 20, further comprising a cover tab, extending from a distal end (88) of said third section, and adapted to extend over an outer face (94) of a trim element of such jamb assembly, with a line of weakness at the distal end (88) of the outer leg section.

26. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 20, further comprising a cover tab extending from a distal end of said third section, and adapted to extend over an outer face (94) of a trim element of such jamb assembly, and a line of weakness at a locus overlying an outer surface (38) of a such trim element adjacent, but displaced from, distal end (88) of said third section.

27. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 20, further comprising a flex joint in said third section, operative for rotating a distal edge of said third section away from an underlying such doorjamb assembly.

28. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20, said contact structure comprising a contact web (83) extending between first and second sides thereof at said third section and said central section, said underlying support structure comprising at least one transfer web, extending from one of said first and second sides of said contact structure in a direction along at least one of (i) a surface of a trim element or (ii) an outer surface of such jamb.

29. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20 wherein said contact structure comprises a contact web (83), and wherein said underlying support structure comprises a transfer web (86B) extending from said contact web (83) along an outer surface (26) of such doorjamb assembly to a locus proximate an intersection of such outer face (26) and an adjoining surface (87) of a trim element.

30. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 20, said underlying support structure of said transition section being adapted and configured to reside in a cavity defined between said contact structure, an inner facing surface (87) of such trim element, and an outer surface (26) of such jamb, and to transfer forces from said contact structure to underlying surfaces of such trim element and/or such jamb at locations away from outer corners (54, 55) of such trim element and such jamb.

31. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 20, said underlying support structure comprising transfer webs connected to said contact structure and to each other to define a cavity between said transfer webs and said contact structure, and further comprising support webs (112) extending between said contact structure and at least one of said transfer webs.

32. A doorjamb assembly guard as in claim 20, said central section comprising a line of weakness extending along a length of said central section, wherein the line of weakness defines separable inner and outer pieces of said guard, and facilitates separating said guard into inner (36 IN) and outer (360UT) separate pieces.

33. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 32, further comprising affixing structure on at least one of the inner and outer separable pieces prior to separation at the line of weakness, adapted to affix the inner and outer separate pieces to each other in overlapping relationship.

34. A doorjamb assembly as in claim 20, such doorjamb assembly defining first and second outer corners (54, 55) facing generally outwardly of a building into which such door jamb assembly may be installed, and an adjacent interior corner, said overlying contact structure being adapted and configured to extend between such outer corners (54, 55) and across, and spaced from, such interior corner.

35. A doorjamb assembly guard for installation over a door jamb assembly, such door jamb assembly having an inner-facing surface defining a doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from such door-arresting surface, such inner-facing surface extending from such door-arresting surface to such outer surface, said door jamb assembly guard comprising:

(a) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of such door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side facing away from such door side;

(b) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side and sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section along such door-arresting surface of such door jamb assembly; and

(c) a third section directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side facing away from such door opening, said third section at least in part defining a resiliently cushioning nose member,

said guard defining a terminal edge thereof which does not extend substantially beyond the door leg section,

said central section comprising a line of weakness extending along a length of said central section, wherein the line of weakness defines inner and outer separable pieces of said guard, and facilitates separating said guard into inner (36IN) and outer (360UT) separate pieces.

36. A door jamb assembly guard as in claim 35, further comprising the step of placing affixation structure on at least one of the inner and outer separable pieces prior to separation at the line of weakness, the affixation structure being adapted to affix the inner and outer separate pieces to each other in overlapping relationship.

37. In combination, a doorjamb assembly defining a doorway opening, and a guard mounted over and overlying at least a portion of said door jamb assembly, the combination comprising:

(a) said door jamb assembly having a door jamb, and an outer trim element joined with the doorjamb, said doorjamb comprising an inner-facing surface facing into the doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from the door-arresting surface, the inner-facing surface extending from the door-arresting surface to the outer surface, said outer trim element and such doorjamb defining first and second outer corners (54, 55) and an interior corner between said outer corners; and

(b) said guard protecting said doorjamb assembly from incidental damage, and comprising

(i) a central section overlying the inner-facing surface of the door jamb assembly, said central section having a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side, and

(ii) a third section, directly or indirectly connected to said central section at said second side, and extending away from the door opening, said third section extending at a transverse angle to said central section, said third section being disposed against, and protecting, the outer surface of the door jamb assembly,

said guard defining a shock absorber adjacent the joinder of the door jamb and the trim element, at least a portion of said shock absorber being spaced from said interior corner, said shock absorber protecting at least one of such door jamb and such trim element proximate the respective outer corner (54, 55), so as to transfer forces away from the respective outer corner (54, 55), thereby to reduce damage to said jamb assembly,

further comprising weather stripping adjacent the door-arresting surface, said door leg section being disposed between the door-arresting surface and said weather stripping, without interfering with routine mounting, or routine operation, of the weather stripping.

38. A combination as in claim 37 wherein a conventional door, mounted to said doorjamb assembly, can be closed with said guard so installed, without interfering with operation of such door.

39. A combination as in claim 37 wherein said guard overlies and protects a brick mold as part of said door jamb assembly.

40. A combination as in claim 37, said third section comprising an interface member sized and configured to extend at a transverse angle to said central section, the second side of said central section of said door frame guard being arranged and configured such that said interface member can extend over, and overlie, at least a portion of the outer surface of the door jamb assembly, said third section further comprising a resiliently cushioning nose member extending outwardly in front of said interface member, a cavity being optionally defined between said interface member and said resiliently cushioning nose member.

41. A combination as in claim 37 wherein said guard covers less than the entirety of a width of the inner-facing surface of a said doorjamb assembly.

42. A combination as in claim 37, said shock absorber comprising a transition section between said central section and said outer leg section.

43. A combination as in claim 37, said guard comprising inner (36IN) and outer (360UT) separate pieces, overlapping each other at said central section, and secured to each other.

44. A method of protecting a doorjamb assembly which defines a doorway opening, from incidental damage during a construction project which is associated with a building, and which has a beginning and an end, the doorjamb assembly comprising left and right upstanding jamb assembly elements, and optionally an upper jamb assembly element extending between the left and right upstanding jamb assembly elements, each such jamb assembly element having an inner-facing surface facing into the doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from the door-arresting surface, the inner facing surface extending from the door-arresting surface to the outer surface, the door jamb assembly defining first (54) and second (55) outer corners, and an inwardly directed corner disposed generally between the first and second outer corners, the method comprising:

(a) early in the construction project, mounting a combination of the jamb assembly, a first door slab, and a removable jamb assembly guard in a doorway opening of the building, thus controlling access to the building while protecting the door jamb assembly from incidental damage, the jamb assembly guard comprising

(i) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of the door jamb assembly, and which has a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side,

(ii) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side, and

(iii) a third section, connected directly or indirectly to the central section at the second side displaced from the doorway opening, the third section extending at a transverse angle to the central section,

the third section of the guard thus being disposed against the door jamb assembly such that the third section extends over, and overlies, at least a portion of the doorjamb assembly,

the outer corners (54, 55) underlying the jamb assembly guard,

the jamb assembly guard defining a shock absorber which extends generally between the underlying outer corners (54, 55), and which transfers forces away from the underlying corners (54, 55); and

(b) toward or at the end of the construction project, removing the jamb assembly guard from the door jamb assembly and replacing the first door slab with a second door slab.

45. A method as in claim 44, including installing the guard on the jamb assembly in combination with a door slab being installed on the jamb assembly, and including closing the door slab, thus to close the door opening, with the guard so installed and without interference between operation of the door slab and the guard.

46. A method as in claim 44, the central section comprising inner and outer section elements, for interlocking with each other thereby to establish an adjusted width of the central section, the method comprising placing the guard over the jamb assembly with the central section in surface-to-surface contact with the inner-facing surface of the jamb assembly, the outer section element being disposed relatively outwardly of the doorway opening, the inner section element being disposed at the door-arresting surface, the method further comprising urging the inner and outer section elements toward each other, thus slidingly engaging the inner and outer sections with each other and causing the inner and outer sections to grippingly engage the door-arresting surface of the jamb assembly and the outer surface of the jamb assembly, thus to custom adjust the guard to the respective jamb assembly.

47. A method as in claim 44, the method further comprising separating the guard into separate inner and outer pieces, at the central section, installing the inner and outer pieces on one of the jamb assembly elements, with elements of the central section overlapping each other over an inner facing surface of the respective jamb assembly element so as to form respective inner and outer surfaces of an overlap area of the central section, and affixing the overlapped central section elements to each other so as to maintain the overlapped elements in overlapping relationship, and so as to hold the guard on the jamb assembly.

48. A method of protecting a doorjamb assembly which defines a doorway opening, from incidental damage during a construction project which is associated with a building, and which has a beginning and an end, the doorjamb assembly comprising left and right upstanding jamb assembly elements, and optionally an upper jamb assembly element extending between the left and right upstanding jamb assembly elements, each such jamb assembly element having an inner-facing surface facing into the doorway opening, a door-arresting surface, and an outer surface facing away from the door-arresting surface, the inner facing surface extending from the door-arresting surface to the outer surface, the door jamb assembly defining first (54) and second (55) outer corners, and an inwardly directed corner disposed generally between the first and second outer corners, the method comprising:

(a) early in the construction project, mounting a combination of the jamb assembly, a door slab, and a removable jamb assembly guard in a doorway opening of the building, thus controlling access to the building while protecting the door jamb assembly from incidental damage, the jamb assembly guard comprising

(i) a central section which overlies the inner-facing surface of the door jamb assembly, and which has a first door side, and a second opposing side displaced from the door side,

(ii) a door leg section, connected to said central section at said first door side, and

(iii) a third section, connected directly or indirectly to the central section at the second side displaced from the doorway opening, the third section extending at a transverse angle to the central section; and

(b) toward or at the end of the construction project, removing the jamb assembly guard from the doorjamb assembly.