Entryway system with truss reinforced mullions

Abstract

An improved sidelight and transom entryway system able to meet stringent building codes in hurricane prone coastal regions and other regions is provided. The entryway system comprises a frame formed of a sill, a pair of vertical jambs, a head jamb, a transom mull below the head jamb, and at least one mull post extending upwardly from the sill to a top end attached to the transom mull. The mull post and transom mull define a door opening, at least one sidelight panel opening, and a transom opening. The mull post and transom mull have cores formed of a multiple ply truss that extends continuously from a position adjacent the outside edges to a position adjacent the inside edges of the mullions. The trusses may be formed of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) or with plies of wooden material and at least one ply of non-wooden material such as plastic, composites, fiberglass, or metal. Because of the strength imparted to the mulls by their reinforcing trusses, they are able to withstand the high pressures and resultant forces and stresses caused by high winds against a door mounted in the entryway without breaking. Further, since the screws mounting door hardware to the mull post are threaded into the multiple ply truss, the mull post will not split at the locations of hinges and other door hardware in high wind conditions as is common in traditional entryways.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.