Polymeric door facing with textured interior surface, and method of forming same

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a door facing formed from a polymeric composite material. The door facing has a first major surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second major surface intended to be exteriorly disposed. At least a portion of the first major surface is to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly. The first major surface has a textured pattern in the portion to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses. The textured pattern includes a plurality of spaced grooves extending into the first major surface and minimizing thermal and mechanical stresses. A door formed with the disclosed polymeric door facing and a method of forming a door facing are also disclosed.

1 . A polymeric door facing, comprising:
 a door facing formed from a polymeric composite material, said door facing having a first major surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second major surface intended to be exteriorly disposed, at least a portion of said first major surface to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly, said first major surface having a textured pattern in said portion to be subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses, said textured pattern including a plurality of spaced grooves extending into said first major surface and minimizing thermal and mechanical stresses.   
   
   
       2 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A door, comprising:
 a perimeter frame having first and second opposite sides; first and second polymeric door facings, each of said facings having a first major surface secured to a corresponding one of said sides of said perimeter frame and an exteriorly disposed second major surface, at least a portion of said first major surface of at least one of said door facings subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly, said first major surface having a textured pattern in said portion subjected to thermal and mechanical stresses, said textured pattern including a plurality of spaced grooves extending into said first major surface and minimizing thermal and mechanical stresses.   
   
   
       14 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A method of forming a door facing, comprising the steps of:
 providing a mold press having an upper die and a lower die defining a mold cavity, the lower die having a mold surface having a plurality of spaced ridges extending therefrom;   disposing a charge of sheet molding compound within the mold cavity;   compressing the charge between the upper and lower dies and thereby expanding the sheet molding compound outwardly toward a periphery of the dies so that the sheet molding compound is forced over the ridges, wherein turbulent flow of the sheet molding compound is increased as the sheet molding compound is forced over the ridges, thereby forming a door facing having a plurality of spaced grooves extending into an intended interior major surface which minimize thermal and mechanical stresses during door assembly.   
   
   
       22 - 28 . (canceled)