Door Vision Lite Frame Kit Alignment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door lite kits face challenges in installation due to the need for precise alignment and visibility of screw holes, making the process time-consuming and difficult, especially when the inner and outer frame pieces may be out of alignment.
Innovation Solution
A kit comprising a first frame piece with holes for threaded fasteners and a second frame piece with an elongated channel that receives these fasteners, allowing for easier alignment and secure mounting without the need for precise screw hole alignment, using self-tapping screws that penetrate the channel and apply lateral force for secure grip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional lite kits use predrilled screw holes in both inner and outer frame pieces, then the frame can be securely mounted to the door, but the installation process becomes time-consuming and difficult due to the need for precise alignment and visibility of screw holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the predrilled screw holes from the outer frame piece, extracting the alignment constraint from the installation process. The outer frame piece becomes a blank without holes, while the inner frame piece retains its predrilled holes. This allows installers to see and access the holes clearly without needing to align two separate sets of holes, significantly easing installation while maintaining secure mounting through the same fastener mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fastening function between the inner and outer frame pieces. The inner frame piece contains all the predrilled holes and fastening features, while the outer frame piece serves as a simple covering element. This segmentation allows the complex alignment requirements to be isolated to one component (inner frame) that can be positioned first, while the outer frame is simply attached afterward without alignment constraints.
2Ease of manufacture
If the inner and outer frame pieces are spaced apart by half the door width or more, then the vision lite can be installed without drilling through the door, but the installer cannot see the screw holes in the inner frame piece, making installation more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the inner frame piece as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the door mounting requirement and the visibility requirement. The inner frame piece is positioned close to the door with visible screw holes for easy installation, while the outer frame piece is spaced away to maintain the non-drilled-through-door manufacturing advantage. The intermediary inner frame allows clear visibility and access to fastening points without compromising the spacing benefit.
3Productivity
If the installer must blindly feel for holes in the inner ends of frame pieces, then the installation can be completed, but the process becomes time-consuming and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
While the patent doesn't explicitly use color coding, it creates visual contrast through the design where the inner frame piece's screw holes are exposed and visible, essentially making the target location visually distinct (analogous to color change principle). The holes are positioned and designed to be clearly visible rather than hidden, allowing installers to see exactly where to drive screws without blind feeling, thereby improving both ease of operation and installation speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A kit for mounting a frame in a partitioning structure such as a door, and a door including a vision lite. The kit includes a male frame half, a female frame half, and threaded fasteners. The female frame half defines an elongated channel, where the channel includes a bottom with walls extending therefrom with a width adapted to receive a threaded fastener. The first frame piece and the second frame piece are configured to be mounted to each other when the threaded fasteners extend through the first frame piece and into the channel. An installation of such a kit in a door, with window glass, may provide a vision lite in the door. The channel may be configured such that the threaded fasteners penetrate the bottom of the channel when the first frame piece and the second frame piece are installed. The threaded fasteners may be self-tapping screws.