Method of producing core component, and product thereof

A structural member system, comprising:

• (a) a structural member shell defining an interior void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof;
• and
• (b) a contoured core component adapted to be contained within said shell and comprising:
• (i) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said core component;
• and
• (ii) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom;
• wherein said core component is a solid, integral structure comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and having a density in the range of about 10 lbs./ft..sup.3 to about 30 lbs./ft..sup.3 and said depressions are located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate each of said variations in depth of said structural member shell.

A door, comprising:

• (I) a doorskin face and a doorskin back, wherein each of said doorskins has a contoured inner surface and a contoured outer surface and is formed of a molded composite cellulosic material, said doorskins defining an interior void therebetween, said void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof;
• and
• (II) a core pre-form component disposed in said interior void and comprising cellulosic material and sufficient binder to adhere the cellulosic material together into a structurally sound member comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and having a density in the range of about 10 lbs./ft..sup.3 to about 30 lbs./ft..sup.3, said core component comprising:
• (a) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said component;
• and
• (b) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom;
• wherein said depressions are located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate each of said variations in depth of said interior void.

A method for the preparation of a consolidated cellulosic article useful as a core component for a structural member, comprising the steps of:

• (a) combining a fibrous cellulosic filler and a binder resin in an amount sufficient to adhere the cellulosic filler together into a structurally sound article;
• (b) placing the product of step (a) into a mold cavity;
• (c) compressing the cellulosic material and binder in said cavity under elevated temperature to cure said binder resin and consolidate said cellulosic material into a structurally sound blank member having two opposing major planar surfaces, said blank member comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and having a density in the range of about 10 lbs./ft..sup.3 to about 30 lbs./ft..sup.3 ;
• (d) removing said blank member from said cavity;
• and
• (e) providing, after step (d), at least one interior depression in each major surface of said consolidated blank member to form a core component having front and rear sides, said depressions projecting inwardly from said major planar surfaces such that the rear side of the core component is the mirror image of the front side.

A method for the preparation of a consolidated cellulosic article useful as a core component for a structural member defining an internal void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a mat by combining a cellulosic filler and a binder resin in an amount sufficient to adhere the cellulosic filler together into a structurally sound article;
• (b) placing the product of step (a) into a mold cavity;
• (c) compressing the cellulosic material and binder in said cavity under elevated temperature to cure said binder resin and consolidate said cellulosic material into said structurally sound consolidated article having a shape which corresponds to the shape of said mold cavity and comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and having a density in the range of about 10 lbs./ft..sup.3 to about 30 lbs./ft..sup.3 ;
• and
• (d) molding said cellulosic filler and binder in said mold cavity to include:
• (i) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said component;
• and
• (ii) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom;
• wherein said depressions are located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate each of said variations in depth of said structural member.

A method for the preparation of a composite cellulosic article useful as a core component for a structural member defining an internal void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof, comprising the steps of:

• (a) combining a cellulosic filler, a binder resin, and sufficient water to form a wet mat;
• (b) subjecting said wet mat to elevated temperature to cure said binder resin and form said mat into a structurally sound core component having two opposing major planar surfaces, said component comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and having a density in the range of about 10 lbs./ft..sup.3 to about 30 lbs./ft..sup.3 ;
• (c) molding said cellulosic filler and binder in step (b) to include:
• (i) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said component;
• and
• (ii) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom;
• wherein said depressions are located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate each of said variations in depth of said structural member.

A core component adapted to be contained within a structural member defining an internal void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof, said component comprising:

• (a) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said component;
• and
• (b) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom, each of said depressions comprising:
• (i) a first, inclined depression wall having an upper surface integral with, and extending downwardly from, said major surface;
• (ii) a depression bottom wall having an upper surface integral with, and extending from, said upper surface of said first inclined wall;
• and (iii) a second, inclined depression wall having an upper surface integral with, and extending from, both of (A) said depression bottom wall surface and (B) said major surface and wherein each of said depression wall surfaces intersects with said bottom wall surface at an angle in the range of about twenty to about sixty degrees;
• and
• wherein (i) said core component is a solid, integral structure formed from consolidated composite sheet material comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and (ii) said depressions are located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate each of said variations in depth of said structural member.

A core component adapted to be contained within a structural member defining an internal void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof, said core component comprising:

• (a) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said component;
• and
• (b) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom, said depressions being located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate said two or more variations in depth and said arrangement is adapted so that said core component is able to be alternatively inserted into at least two different styles of structural members having different internal void dimensions;
• and
• wherein said core component is a solid structure formed from composite cellulosic sheet material.

A method for the preparation of a consolidated cellulosic article useful as a core component for a structural member defining an internal void having a depth varying at two or more locations thereof, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a mat by combining a cellulosic filler and a binder resin in an amount sufficient to adhere the cellulosic filler together into a structurally sound article;
• (b) placing the product of step (a) into a mold cavity;
• (c) compressing the cellulosic material and binder in said cavity under elevated temperature to cure said binder resin and consolidate said cellulosic material into a structurally sound consolidated article having a shape which corresponds to the shape of said mold cavity;
• and
• (d) molding said cellulosic filler and binder in said mold cavity to include:
• (i) two major exterior surfaces defining respective front and rear sides of said component;
• and
• (ii) at least one depression in each major surface projecting inwardly therefrom, each of said depressions comprising:
• (A) a first, inclined depression wall having an upper surface integral with, and extending downwardly from, said major surface;
• (B) a depression bottom wall having an upper surface integral with, and extending from, said upper surface of said first inclined wall;
• and (C) a second, inclined depression wall having an upper surface integral with, and extending from, both of (1) said depression bottom wall surface and (2) said major surface and wherein each of said depression wall surfaces intersects with said bottom wall surface at an angle in the range of about twenty to about sixty degrees;
• wherein said core component is a solid, integral structure formed from consolidated composite sheet material comprising at least 90 weight percent wood fibers and said depressions are located in a predetermined arrangement to accommodate each of said variations in depth of said structural member.