Structural unit, specifically a door including an injected molded frame

• US 6,952,899 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gemtron Corporation (SSW Holding Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gemtron Corporation (SSW Holding Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Bob, Daley, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US10/788,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 495/04, 495/01, 522/046, 526/565, 526/566
• US Class Current: 49/504
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042

Abstract

A door includes a U-shaped frame having opposing side channels. The channels include peripheral, inner and outer walls with the inner wall being of a larger size and configuration than the outer wall. A glass insert slightly smaller than the size of the inner wall is inserted therethrough and is guided to a centered position seated upon the outer wall. An open frame insert is slid into the two side channels, and a plurality of opposing pairs of walls deflect the open frame insert into bearing engagement with the glass insert. A peripheral edge of the open frame insert defines a peripheral channel with a terminal edge of the door frame inner wall for receipt therein of a peripheral securing boss of an elastomeric peripheral seal.

Claims

1. A structural unit comprising a first frame formed of molded synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material, said first frame being defined by a peripheral wall and spaced inwardly projecting inner and outer walls terminating in respective terminal edges, said inner and outer wall terminal edges defining respective inner and outer openings, said inner opening being larger than said outer opening, a first insert, said first insert having a peripheral edge of a size to pass through said inner opening along a path substantially parallel to an axis of said inner opening but of a size too large to pass through said outer opening, said first insert being located in a plane between said inner and outer walls, means for holding said first insert in said first frame, and said holding means being in sandwiched relationship between said first insert and said inwardly projecting inner wall.

2. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame includes opposite frame sides each defining a side channel, and said side channels open in opposing relationship to each other.

3. The structural unit as defined in claim 2 including means for guiding said first insert to a centered position relative to said first frame upon the movement of said first insert along an axis of said inner opening through said inner opening and toward said outer opening.

4. The structural unit as defined in claim 2 including means for locating said holding means between said inner wall and said first insert.

5. The structural unit as defined in claim 2 including means for urging said holding means against said first insert.

6. The structural unit as defined in claim 2 including means for locating said holding means between said inner wall and said first insert, and said holding means are surfaces located in said frame side channels.

7. The structural unit as defined in claim 2 including means for urging said holding means against said first insert, and said urging means are surfaces located in said frame side channels.

8. The structural unit as defined in claim 2 including means for guiding said first insert to a centered position relative to said first frame upon the movement of said first insert along said inner opening axis through said inner opening and toward said outer opening, and said guiding means are guiding surfaces located in and spaced along said frame side channels.

9. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame includes opposite frame sides and opposite frame ends collectively defining said first frame, said opposite frame sides each define a side channel, and said side channels open in opposing relationship to each other.

10. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 including means for guiding said first insert to a centered position relative to said first frame upon the movement of said first insert along an axis of said inner opening through said inner opening and toward said outer opening.

11. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means is a second insert in the form of an open second frame having a peripheral configuration corresponding to and a size greater than the size of said inner opening.

12. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frame includes opposite first frame sides each defining a channel, said channels open in opposing relationship to each other, said holding means is a second insert in the form of a second open frame having a peripheral configuration corresponding to and a size greater than the size of said inner opening, said second open frame having opposite sides, and said second open frame opposite sides being received each in one of said first frame side channels.

13. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 including a peripheral seal, and said peripheral seal includes a peripheral edge located between said first frame inner wall and said holding means.

14. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means is a second insert in the form of a second open frame having a peripheral configuration corresponding to and a size greater than the size of said inner opening, and said first frame includes means for locating said open frame between said inner wall and said first insert.

15. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means is a second insert in the form of a second open frame having a peripheral configuration corresponding to and a size greater than the size of said inner opening, and said first frame includes means for urging said second open frame against said first insert adjacent said first insert peripheral edge.

16. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 including means for locating said holding means between said inner wall and said first insert.

17. The structural unit as defined in claim 1 including means for urging said holding means against said first insert.