Door system with wire harness routed inside of door and outer door frame for connection with electric devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492591-B2
Application number	US-202217670861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2022
Priority date	Feb 12, 2021
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

An exterior, residential door system comprises an outer door frame adapted to be mounted within an exterior opening of a residence, an exterior residential door pivotally attached to the outer door frame, at least one electric device installed on the door, a main controller mounted to the door, an electric power supply unit operably associated with the door, and a wire harness integrated into the door for transmitting electric power and electrical signals between the electric device, the controller and the source of electric power. The main controller is configured to cooperate with the wire harness to supply power to the at least one electric device and to supply operating signals to the at least one electric device for operating the at least one electric device and to receive operational signals from the at least one electric device responsive to the operating signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An exterior, residential door system, comprising:
an outer door frame adapted to be mounted within an exterior opening of a residence; an exterior, residential door pivotally attached to the outer door frame; at least one electric device installed on the door; a main controller mounted in a pocket formed in a stile of the door; an electric power supply unit operably associated with the door; and a wire harness integrated into the door for transmitting electric power and electrical signals between the electric device, the main controller and the source of electric power, wherein the door and the outer door frame each includes a respective wiring conduit defined by respective grooves that are cut, routed or extruded into the door and the outer door frame for receiving and routing the wire harness to connect with the at least one electric device; wherein the main controller is configured to cooperate with the wire harness to supply power to the at least one electric device and to supply operating signals to the at least one electric device for operating the at least one electric device and to receive operational signals from the at least one electric device responsive to the operating signals.

2 . The door system of claim 1 , further comprising a wiring mounting device secured to a front side of the outer door frame facing the door when the door is closed, wherein the wiring mounting device is configured for mounting power and data wiring on the outer door frame.

3 . The door system of claim 2 , wherein the wiring mounting device includes a base member and a snap-on protective cover removably attachable to the base member.

4 . The door system of claim 3 , wherein the outer door frame includes hinge side and latch side jamb members and a header connecting upper ends of the hinge side jamb member and the latch side jamb member, and wherein the base member is secured to a front side of at least one of the hinge side jamb member, the latch side jamb member and the header of the outer door frame so as to face the door when the door is closed.

5 . The door system of claim 1 , wherein the door comprises an inner door frame formed with an inner wiring groove defining the respective wiring conduit of the door.

6 . The door system of claim 5 , wherein the inner door frame includes first and second stiles and a top rail extend between the first and second stiles, and wherein at least one of the first and second stiles and the top rail is formed with the inner wiring groove.

7 . The door system of claim 1 , wherein the outer door frame includes at least one of an inner wiring groove formed on a front side of the outer door frame and an outer wiring groove formed on a back side of the outer door frame, and wherein the inner wiring groove and the outer wiring groove define the respective wiring conduit of the outer door frame.

8 . The door system of claim 7 , wherein the outer door frame includes first and second jamb members and a header connecting upper ends of the first and second jamb members, and wherein at least one of the first and second jamb members and the header is formed with at least one of the inner wiring groove and the outer wiring groove.

9 . An exterior, residential door system, comprising:
an outer door frame adapted to be mounted within an opening of a residence; an exterior, residential door pivotally attached to the outer door frame; a DC power supply unit mounted in the outer door frame and configured to be electrically connected to an AC power unit disposed adjacent the outer door frame, the DC power supply unit configured to convert AC power to DC power and to step down the voltage of the DC power so that the DC voltage is less than the AC voltage; a DC electric device mounted to the door or the outer door frame; at least one sensor mounted to or proximate the door; a main controller mounted in a pocket formed in a stile of the door, the outer door frame, and proximate the door system; and a wire harness integrated into the door system for transmitting electric power and electrical signals between the main controller, the DC electric device, the at least one sensor, and the DC power supply unit, wherein the door and the outer door frame each includes a respective wiring conduit defined by respective grooves that are cut, routed or extruded into the door and the outer door frame for receiving and routing the wire harness; wherein the main controller is configured to cooperate with the wire harness to supply DC power to the DC electric device and the at least one sensor, and to supply operating signals to the DC electric device in response to signals from the at least one sensor for operating the DC electric device and to receive operational signals from the DC electric device responsive to the operating signals.

10 . The door system of claim 9 , further comprising an electric power transfer device electrically connecting the DC power supply unit to the main controller via the wire harness.

11 . The door system of claim 9 , wherein the DC electric device includes at least one of an electric power door lock mounted to the door and a camera.

12 . The door system of claim 11 , wherein the DC electric device further includes at least one of a door illumination light and a sidejamb light both mounted to the outer door frame.

13 . The door system of claim 12 , wherein the door illumination light is mounted to the header of the outer door frame, and wherein the side jamb light is mounted to the latch side jamb member of the outer door frame.

14 . The door system of claim 11 , wherein the DC electric device further includes at least one of a doorbell, a motion sensor, an ambient light sensor, a door state sensor all mounted to the door or the outer door frame.

15 . The door system of claim 9 , further comprising a back-up battery mounted to the door and electrically connected to the DC electric device.

16 . The door system of claim 9 , wherein the DC power supply unit includes an AC to DC power converter.

17 . The door system of claim 9 , wherein the door comprises an inner door frame including first and second stiles and a top rail extend between the first and second stiles, and wherein at least one of the first and second stiles and the top rail is formed with a wiring groove defining the respective wiring conduit of the door.

18 . The door system of claim 9 , further comprising a wiring mounting device secured to the outer door frame, wherein the wiring mounting device is configured for mounting power and data wiring on the outer door frame.

Assignees

• Masonite Corp

Inventors

• Bodurka Alex
• Swartzmiller Steven B
• Sorice Cory J

Classifications

• E05D11/0081 Primary

  for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing · CPC title

• H02G3/36

  Installations of cables or lines in walls, floors or ceilings · CPC title

• H02G3/04

  Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs · CPC title

• F21V33/006

  General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols · CPC title

• E06B7/28

  Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners {(edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66)} · CPC title