Door frame assembly having a retractable screen

Abstract

A door assembly configured for installation into an opening of a recreational vehicle (“RV”), the door assembly including a master frame having spaced apart jambs, a header, and a sill. The header and sill further include respective tracks. The door assembly further includes a door that is coupled with at least one of the jambs and a retractable screen assembly coupled to the frame, the screen assembly including a cassette and a screen. The screen includes a pull bar operably slidably engageable with the upper and lower tracks and selectively retractable between an open position and a closed position.

1 . A door assembly configured for installation into a recreational vehicle (“RV”) entry opening, comprising: 
 a master frame including first and second spaced apart jambs, and a header portion and a sill portion operably coupled to the first and second jambs, the header portion including an upper track and the sill portion including a lower track, the master frame adapted for operable securement to the RV entry opening;    a door hingedly operably coupled with one of the first and second jambs of the master frame and hingedly movable between an open position and a closed position; and    a screen assembly operably coupled to the first jamb of the master frame, the screen assembly including: 
 a roller mechanism; and  
 a screen having a first end portion operably coupled to the roller mechanism, and a second end portion having a pull member such that the screen is retractable onto and extractable from the roller mechanism and wherein the pull member operably engages the upper and lower tracks such that movement of the pull member away from the roll mechanism along the upper and lower tracks correspondingly extracts the screen from the roller mechanism and the first jamb toward the second jamb and a screen closed position.  
   
   
   
       2 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pull member comprises an upper glide member and a lower glide member, the upper glide member operably cooperating with the upper track and the lower glide member operably cooperating with the lower track during the movement of the pull member along the tracks.  
   
   
       3 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the upper and lower tracks include an engagement member along a length thereof, the engagement member adapted to engage at least an edge portion of the screen during movement of the screen along the upper and lower tracks.  
   
   
       4 . The door assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the engagement member is constructed of weatherstripping.  
   
   
       5 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pull member includes at least one glide portion and at least one of the upper and lower tracks includes a slide rail, the at least one glide portion matably engageable with the slide rail to facilitate movement of the pull member along the at least one track.  
   
   
       6 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the master frame further includes a first corner section and a second corner section, the first jamb and header portion being coupled at the first corner section and the second jamb and header portion being coupled at the second corner section, the first and second corner sections each comprising a notch portion.  
   
   
       7 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second jamb includes a vertical frame member and the upper track includes a horizontal member, the vertical frame member and the horizontal member being separately attachable to the master frame.  
   
   
       8 . The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the roller mechanism includes a spring operably coupled with the first end of the screen to impose a biasing force on the screen toward the roller mechanism.  
   
   
       9 . A door assembly configured for installation into a recreational vehicle (“RV”) opening, comprising: 
 a master frame including first and second spaced apart jambs, and a header portion operably coupled to and extending generally transverse between the first and second jambs, the master frame further including a first screen track,    a door hingedly operably coupled with one of the first and second jambs of the master frame and pivotally movable between a door open position and a door closed position; and    a screen assembly operably coupled to the first jamb of the master frame, the screen assembly including: 
 a roller mechanism; and  
 a screen having a first end portion operably coupled to the roller mechanism and a second end portion, the second end portion having a rigid member operably slidably engageable along a length of the first screen track between a screen closed position and a screen opened position.  
   
   
   
       10 . The door assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second jamb includes a latch adapted to secure the rigid member in place at the screen closed position.  
   
   
       11 . The door assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the master frame further includes a sill portion operably coupled to the first and second jambs and generally opposed to the header portion, the sill portion including a second screen track, wherein the rigid member operably slidably engages along a length of the first screen track and the second screen track.  
   
   
       12 . The door assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first screen track includes an engagement member along a length thereof, the engagement member adapted to engage at least an edge portion of the screen during sliding of the screen along the first screen track.  
   
   
       13 . The door assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the engagement member is constructed of weatherstripping.  
   
   
       14 . The door assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the sill portion includes a recess, the recess adapted to receive an end portion of the screen assembly therein such that the screen is aligned for slidable engagement with the second screen track.  
   
   
       15 . The door assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second jambs, the header portion, and the sill portion of the master frame define an interior operating margin.  
   
   
       16 . A method of providing an entry opening of a recreational vehicle (“RV”) with a door and screen assembly, comprising: 
 providing a frame having first and second spaced vertical jambs and a header operably coupled to the first and second jambs, the header including an upper track, the frame further having a sill operably coupled to the first and second jambs and generally opposed to the header, the sill including a lower track generally opposed to the upper track;    providing a door hingedly coupled to one of the first and second jambs, the door pivotally hingedly movable between an open position and a closed position;    providing a retractable screen mechanism operably coupled to the first jamb, the screen mechanism including a roller device and a screen, the screen attached to the roller device at a first screen end and to a pull member at a second screen end, the pull member and the screen being slidable along the upper and lower tracks;    securing a portion of the frame to the entry opening of the RV; and    applying a force upon the pull member to slidably move the pull member and the second screen end along the upper and lower tracks between an open position proximate the first jamb and a closed position proximate the second jamb.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the frame with the lower and upper tracks further includes providing at least one of the lower and upper tracks with at least one engagement member adapted to engage at least an edge portion of the retractable screen during sliding of the screen along the lower and upper tracks.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing the at least one engagement member includes providing a length of weatherstripping.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the header includes further providing a separate horizontal member operably coupled to the header to form a portion of the upper track.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the horizontal member is operably coupled to the header after the portion of the frame is secured to the entry opening.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the second jamb includes further providing a vertical member operably coupled to the second jamb.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vertical member is operably coupled to the second jamb after the portion of the frame is secured to the entry opening.  
   
   
       23 . A door assembly configured for installation into a recreational vehicle (“RV”) entry opening, comprising: 
 a master frame including first and second spaced apart jambs, and a header portion and a sill portion operably coupled to the first and second jambs, the header portion including means for screen tracking, the master frame adapted for operable securement to the RV entry opening;    a door hingedly operably coupled with one of the first and second jambs of the master frame and hingedly movable between an open position and a closed position; and    a screen assembly operably coupled to the first jamb of the master frame, the screen assembly including: 
 a slidable screen having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion having a pull bar, the pull bar and the slidable screen operably engageable with and adapted for travel along a length of the means for screen tracking;  
 means for extracting and retracting the slidable screen, wherein force upon the pull bar in a direction away from the means for extracting and retracting the slidable screen correspondingly extracts the slidable screen along the means for screen tracking toward a screen closed position proximate the second jamb.  
   
   
   
       24 . The door assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the means for screen tracking further includes means for engaging an edge portion of the slidable screen during extraction of the slidable screen along the means for screen tracking.