IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,863,472

Granted Patent B2

US 8,863,472 · App. 13/828,214 · Granted Oct 21, 2014

Door facing alignment assembly and method of forming a door

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 8,863,472
App. No.: 13/828,214
Granted: Oct 21, 2014
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A door facing is provided. The door facing includes a body portion, and male and female alignment members protruding from a main surface area of the body portion. Also provided are door assemblies including the door facing and methods of making the door facing and the door assembly.

Claims (65)

1. A method of making a door assembly, comprising:

providing a first door facing comprising a first body portion, the first body portion comprising

a first interior side having a first interior surface with a first substantially planar main surface area,

a first exterior surface oppositely disposed relative to the first interior surface,

a first male alignment member protruding in a direction of the first interior side relative to the first substantially planar main surface area, and

a first female alignment member protruding in the direction of the first interior side relative to the first substantially planar main surface area;

providing a second door facing comprising a second body portion, the second body portion comprising

a second interior side having a second interior surface with a second substantially planar main surface area,

a second exterior surface oppositely disposed relative to the second interior surface,

a second male alignment member protruding in a direction of the second interior side relative to the second substantially planar main surface area, the second male alignment member being configured to align and mate with the first female alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in a mating relationship in which the first and second interior surfaces face one another, the second male alignment member also being configured to nest with the first male alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in a stacking relationship in which the first interior surface faces the second exterior surface, and

a second female alignment member protruding in the direction of the second interior side relative to the second substantially planar main surface area, the second female alignment member being configured to align and mate with the first male alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the mating relationship, the second female alignment member also being configured to nest with the first female alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the stacking relationship; and

placing the first and second door facings in the mating relationship to align and mate the second male alignment member with the first female alignment member and to align and mate the second female alignment member with the first male alignment member, thereby reducing or preventing misalignment between the first and second door facings.

2. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second male alignment members are positioned in vertical symmetry with respect to the first and second female alignment members, respectively.

3. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the male alignment members each comprise a circular pin, and the female alignment members each comprise a circular locator.

4. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 3 , wherein each of the circular pins and each of the circular locators comprises a frusto-conical projection.

5. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the male alignment members each comprise a circular pin and the female alignment members each comprise an obround locator.

6. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 5 , wherein each of the circular pins comprises a frusto-conical projection and each of the obround locators comprises a truncated top.

7. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first male and female alignment members are identical to the second male and female alignment members, respectively.

8. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said second door facing and said first door facing are molded from the same die.

9. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first door facing further comprises

a third male alignment member protruding in the direction of the first interior side relative to the first substantially planar main surface area, and

a third female alignment member protruding in the direction of the first interior side relative to the first substantially planar main surface area;

the second door facing further comprises

a fourth male alignment member protruding in the direction of the second interior side relative to the second substantially planar main surface area, the fourth male alignment member being configured to align and mate with the third female alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the mating relationship, the fourth male alignment member also being configured to nest with the third male alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the stacking relationship, and

a fourth female alignment member protruding in the direction of the second interior side relative to the second substantially planar main surface area, the fourth female alignment member being configured to align and mate with the third male alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the mating relationship, the fourth female alignment member also being configured to nest with the third female alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the stacking relationship; and

said placing of the first and second door skins in the mating relationship to one another further comprises aligning and mating the third male alignment member with the fourth female alignment member and aligning and mating the fourth male alignment member with the third female alignment member, thereby further reducing or preventing misalignment between the first and second door facings.

10. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first, second third and fourth male alignment members are positioned in vertical symmetry with respect to the first, second, third, and fourth female alignment members, respectively.

11. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the male alignment members each comprise a circular pin and the female alignment members each comprise a circular locator.

12. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the male alignment members each comprise a circular pin, the first and second female alignment members each comprise a circular locator, and the third and fourth female alignment members each comprise an obround locator.

13. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 12 , wherein each of the circular pins and each of the circular locators comprises a frusto-conical projection, and wherein each of the obround locators comprises a frusto-obround projection.

14. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 13 , wherein each of the circular locators further comprises an inwardly facing frusto-conical detent and each of the obround locators further comprises an inwardly facing frusto-obround detent.

15. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first door facing has a first removable area encompassing the first male and female alignment members and the third male and female alignment members, wherein the second door facing has a second removable area encompassing the second male and female alignment members and the fourth male and female alignment members, and wherein the method further comprises

attaching the first and second door facings to a frame; and

removing the first and second removable areas from the first and second door facing subsequent to said attaching of the first and second door facings to the frame.

16. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first male and first female alignment members are identical to the second male and second female alignment members, respectively, and wherein the third male and third female alignment members are identical to the fourth male and fourth female alignment members, respectively.

17. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 16 wherein said first door facing and said second door facing are molded from the same die.

18. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising attaching the first and second door facings to a frame, wherein said frame comprises a first stile, a second stile, a top rail and a bottom rail.

19. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first substantially planar main surface area, the first male alignment member, and the first female alignment member are identical in thickness to one another, and wherein the second substantially planar main surface area, the second male alignment member, and the second female alignment member are identical in thickness to one another.

20. A method of making a door assembly comprising:

providing a first door facing comprising a first body portion, the first body portion having a first removable area and comprising

a first interior side having a first interior surface with a first substantially planar main surface area,

a first exterior surface oppositely disposed relative to the first interior surface,

a first male alignment member located within the first removable area, the first male alignment member protruding in a direction of the first interior side relative to the first substantially planar main surface area, and

a first female alignment member located within the first removable area, the first female alignment member protruding in the direction of the first interior side relative to the first substantially planar main surface area;

providing a second door facing comprising a second body portion, the second body portion having a second removable area and comprising

a second interior side having a second interior surface with a second substantially planar main surface area,

a second exterior surface oppositely disposed relative to the second interior surface,

a second male alignment member located within the second removable area, the second male alignment member protruding in a direction of the second interior side relative to the second substantially planar main surface area, the second male alignment member being configured to align and mate with the first female alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in a mating relationship in which the first and second interior surfaces face one another, the second male alignment member also being configured to nest with the first male alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in a stacking relationship in which the first interior surface faces the second exterior surface, and

a second female alignment member located within the second removable area, the second female alignment member protruding in the direction of the second interior side relative to the second substantially planar main surface area, the second female alignment member being configured to align and mate with the first male alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the mating relationship, the second female alignment member also being configured to nest with the first female alignment member when the first and second door facings are placed in the stacking relationship;

removing the first and second removable areas, which contain the first male and female alignment members and the second male and female alignment members, respectively, subsequent to said aligning and mating of the first and second door facings with one another.

21. A method of making a door assembly according to claim 20 , wherein the first substantially planar main surface area, the first male alignment member, and the first female alignment member are identical in thickness to one another, and wherein the second substantially planar main surface area, the second male alignment member, and the second female alignment member are identical in thickness to one another.

22. A method of making a door assembly, comprising: