Patent Application
20180266167
The present invention relates to a door frame protector. The door frame protector protects door frames, particularly door jambs, from damage, particularly when a building is under construction and/or when articles, such as equipment and furniture, are being moved in or out of the building or rooms of the building.
When a building is under construction and/or articles, such as equipment and furniture, are being moved in or out of the building or rooms in the building, door frames are exposed and susceptible to damage by being hit or bumped. For example, when a door frame, including a door jamb, is freshly painted, protection may be desired while the building remains under construction. Accordingly, there is a need for a door frame protector that can protect door frames from such damage.
A door frame protector comprising a tube which is 12-96 inches long and which has a slot extending the entire length of the tube, the tube having a first edge and a second, opposing, edge defined by the slot, the tube being sufficiently resilient such that the tube can be opened and placed around a door jamb and then released with the first edge and the second edge then compressively engaging a wall adjacent the door jamb. The invention also includes a method of protecting a door jamb of a door frame, comprising the following steps:
a) providing a tube which is 12-96 inches long and which has a slot extending the entire length of the tube, the tube having a first edge and a second, opposing, edge defined by the slot;
b) increasing a width of the slot and placing the tube around at least a portion of the door jamb and permitting the width of the slot to decrease so that at least a portion of the door jamb is within the tube and the first and second edges of the tube compressively engage a wall adjacent the door jamb.
The terminology as set forth herein is for description of the embodiments only and should not be construed as limiting the invention as a whole.
Herein, when a range such as 5-25 (or 5 to 25) is given, this means preferably at least 5 and, separately and independently, preferably not more than 25. In an example, such a range defines independently at least 5, and separately and independently, not more than 25.
As used herein, the term “resilient” means able to recoil or spring back or regain some or all of its shape after being bent, stretched, compressed or deformed. A door frame typically includes two vertical door jambs and a header connecting the tops of the two door jambs.
With reference to
The tube 10 has a slot 14 cut lengthwise the entire length of the tube, preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis. The slot 14 can be so narrow that it is a slit where the edges 15, 17 are touching. The first edge 15 and the second edge 17 are opposing each other. Preferably the slot 14 is 1/100-5, 1/100-4, ⅛-3, 0.4-2, 0.25-1.5, 0.5-1.5, 0.75-1.25 or about 15/16 or about 1, inches wide. Alternatively the slot 14 can be 0.75-2.5 or 1-2 inches wide, or the width can be about 1-2 inches less than the typically thickness (frequently 5 inches) of a wall adjacent a door frame in typical commercial, industrial or residential construction in the USA. Alternatively, the slot can be not more than 2, 3, 4 or 5 inches and/or can be at least 1, 2, 3 or 4 inches, wide. The tube 10 has a “C” shape in cross-sectional view.
The tube 10 is preferably non-metal and may be made of paper, plastic, rubber, polymers, paperboard, cardboard, fiberboard, or any other suitable or similar material known in the tubing art. The tube wall thickness is preferably 0.5-8, 1-6, 2-5 or 3-4 mm. The tube is preferably paperboard or cardboard as known in the tubing art, such as stiff 0.05 inches gauge cardboard or paperboard tubing, or it can be thicker or thinner by at least or not more than 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 200%, 300% or more. The cardboard or paper tube can be helically spun, bonded, latex bonded, or adhesively bonded, kraft paper or other paper, woven or spun to a 0.05 inch wall thickness, or similar cardboard or paperboard or fiberboard as known in the tubing art or similar material with similar characteristics. Preferably the tube is a paper tube, preferably a wound paper tube, preferably spiral or helically wound, preferably plain paper or Kraft paper. Suitable wound paper tubes include those available from Newkor Inc., 10410 Berea Road, Cleveland Ohio 44102, from Custom Paper Tubes, 15900 Industrial Parkway, Cleveland Ohio 44135, or available as Sonotubes from Sonoco Products Company, located in Hartsville, S.C. The slotted tube must be springy and resilient enough to work as described below.
The door frame protector 10 can also include a protective or polymeric layer/coating preferably on an exterior surface, preferably the entire exterior surface. For example, a plastic coating made of polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate over the exterior surface of the door frame protector 10 can improve the water resistance, tear strength, and/or abrasion resistance of the door frame protector 10. The door frame protector 10 may also include an advertisement 18 having a name and/or logo, preferably on the exterior surface, as shown in
In another embodiment, the door frame protector 10 may be made of plastic, including rigid or corrugated plastic, or any other suitable resilient material known in the tubing art.
In some embodiments, in
The door frame protector 10 may be of an appropriate diameter, appropriate thickness, and appropriate material so that it can be sprung or pried open, placed around a conventional door frame, and snapped back into position so it grips or compressively engages the wall adjacent the door frame (eg., adjacent the door jamb). The tube 10 can be cut to length and then machined by cutting with a pair of adjacent saw blades to provide the slot the entire length of the tube to create the “C” shape. When the tube 10 is a paper tube or made of paper, paperboard, cardboard or fiberboard, the cutting with saw blades tends to leave the edges 15, 17 disheveled or abraded or soft or fluffy, as a result of which the edges 15, 17 are less likely to scratch the door jamb or adjacent wall.
The following is an example embodiment of how a door frame protector 10 can be used or mounted on a door frame 12, as shown in
When the door frame protector 10 is no longer in use, it may be removed and stored for future re-use.
The door frame protector can be used to protect a door frame from damage. For example, the door frame protector can be used after a door frame is painted but is still susceptible to damage, such as scratches, dings, and/or dents. The door frame protector can be used to prevent such damage during construction of a building, when objects are moved into or out of a room and/or building, or any other type of event where a door frame may be bumped, hit, scratched, or otherwise damaged. Once the potentially damaging event concludes, the door frame protector may be removed without the use of tools and stored for future use.
As mentioned, the door frame protector can be used in advertising. For example, a name, logo, and/or any other advertisement of a store or person may be printed, preferably on the exterior of the door frame protector.
Although the above described embodiments of the invention constitute preferred embodiments, it should be understood that modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/472,150 filed on Mar. 16, 2017, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62472150 | Mar 2017 | US |
