Patent Application
20130069375
The present invention relates to a door holder for securing a door of an ambulance or other vehicle in a closed position.
A door holder is herein described. The door holder may be used to secure a door of an ambulance or other vehicle in a closed position. The door holder includes a loop portion and a base portion. The loop portion is affixed or attached to an exterior surface of the door. The base portion is affixed or attached to a rear end wall of the ambulance. When an ambulance worker opens the door to the ambulance, the worker may insert the loop portion into the base portion in order to hold or maintain the door in the open position.
The door holder provides numerous advantages over existing door holders and door grabbers. The door holder is adjustable, which makes installation easier and more efficient. The base portion and/or the loop portion include slots that receive fasteners to attach the base portion and loop portion to the door or vehicle. The slots provide a range of adjustment for positioning the base portion and the loop portion on the door or vehicle. The slots also provide the ability to fine-tune the positions of the base portion and the loop portion to improve or modify the engaging/securing characteristics between the base portion and the loop portion.
The door holder further includes gaskets that provide a neater appearance and improved corrosion resistance. The gaskets include opening covers that fold over the base portion or the loop portion to cover the slots or other openings that receive the fasteners. The opening covers shield or hide the fasteners.
Further, the structure of the door holder provides improved strength and rigidity as compared to existing door holders and door grabbers. The loop portion receives threaded fasteners in a threaded internal diameter of legs of the loop portion. The threaded fasteners enter the legs generally parallel to a length of the legs.
Although the door holder is well suited for use with ambulances and other emergency vehicles, the door holder may be used with any of a variety of utility, cargo, rescue, fire, emergency, or other vehicles. Importantly, the door holder allows the worker to open the door and securely maintain the door in an open position in a single movement. As the door is moved to a fully open position, the loop portion inserts or removably attaches to the base portion and holds the door in the open position. This is helpful to the workers who need to quickly get the door open and maintain the door in an open position while the rear of the ambulance or other vehicle is accessed or entered. In order to close the door, the worker simply pulls on the door to release the loop portion from the base portion.
In one aspect, an adjustable door holder is described. The door holder includes a loop portion. The loop portion includes a loop having a first leg and a second leg attached or integral with a loop base. The loop base includes one or more slots to receive fasteners, and the fasteners are adjustably positionable in the slots. The door holder includes a base portion, which includes a catch. The catch receives the loop in order to hold the door open.
In another aspect, a door holder is described with a loop that fastens in a longitudinal manner to a loop base. The door holder includes a loop portion having the loop. The loop includes a first leg and a second leg attached or integral with the loop base. The first leg and the second leg define or form threaded internal diameters that are generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first leg and the second leg. Fasteners pass through the loop base and into the threaded internal diameters to secure the loop to the loop base. The door holder includes a base portion. The base portion includes a catch, and the catch receives the loop.
In another aspect, a door holder with an adjustable base is described. The door holder includes a loop portion, and the loop portion includes a loop having a first leg and a second leg attached or integral with a loop base. The door holder includes a base portion, and the base portion includes a catch. The catch receives the loop. The base portion further includes one or more slots to receive fasteners. The fasteners are adjustably positionable in the slots.
In another aspect, a door holder with a novel gasket is described. The door holder includes a loop portion, and the loop portion includes a loop having a first leg and a second leg attached or integral with a loop base. The loop base includes recesses, and the recesses define slots or openings to receive fasteners. The door holder includes a loop gasket having opening covers that cover or fold over the slots or the openings of the loop base. The door holder includes a base portion, and the base portion includes a catch. The catch receives the loop.
In another aspect, a door holder with multiple gaskets is described. The door holder includes a loop base having slots or openings. The door holder includes a loop having a first leg and a second leg attached or integral with the loop base. The door holder includes a loop gasket having openings. The loop gasket includes integral opening covers that cover or fold over the slots or the openings of the loop base. The door holder includes a catch. The door holder includes a base to hold the catch, and the base has slots or openings. The door holder includes a base gasket having openings, and the base gasket includes integral opening covers that cover or fold over the slots or the openings of the base.
A door holder will now be described with reference to the FIGS. A door holder 10 is shown in
As the door 30 of the ambulance 20 swings to an open position, the loop portion 100 engages the base portion 300, and the base portion 300 holds the loop portion 100, thus holding the door 30 in the open position. Although the loop portion 100 is typically installed on the door 30 and the base portion 300 is typically installed on the rear end wall 40, the relative positions of the loop portion 100 and the base portion 300 may be reversed, i.e., to loop portion 100 may be installed on the rear end wall 40 and the base portion 300 may be installed on the door 30.
In operation, the worker swings open the door 30 in a conventional manner and urges the loop portion 100 into the base portion 300 to maintain the door 30 in an open position. The base portion 300 frictionally or flexibly holds the loop portion 100. This is useful when the ambulance 20 is parked on a hill or other incline and the doors 30 of the ambulance 20 are prone to or tend to swing to the closed position, which may be a hindrance or in the way of the worker. One or more door holders 10 may be used on the ambulance 20. The ambulance 20 of
The door holder 10 provides the ambulance worker or technician an efficient way to swing open the door 30 and quickly secure the door 30 in the open position. When it is time to close the door 30, the worker or technician simply pulls the door 30 and the loop portion 100 from the base portion 300 in a single movement that only requires one hand of the worker or technician.
The loop portion 100 will now be described with reference to
The lower portions 126 and 136 include threaded internal diameters 127 and 137. The openings 170 have a depth to receive all or a portion of the lower portions 126 and 136 to provide stability and structural integrity to the loop 120. Fasteners 173 pass through the loop base 160 and engage to the threaded internal diameters 127 and 137. As such, the loop 120 may be screwed or otherwise affixed to the loop base 160. The fasteners 173 are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis or length of the first leg 125 and the second leg 135. This promotes strength and structural integrity.
The loop base 160 includes sides 163 that lead into an outer surface 166. The openings 170 are in the outer surface 166 and form the depth into the loop base 160. The loop base 160 further includes recesses 176 to provide attachment to the door 30. The recesses 176 include or define slots or openings 180. Fasteners 183 pass from the exterior of the loop base 160 through the slots 180 and into the door 30 of the ambulance 20.
The shape of the slots 180 provides adjustability for positioning the loop base 160 on the door 30 of the ambulance 20. The fasteners 183 may be loosened or not fully tightened to allow the loop base 160 to move relative to the door 30 in order to properly position the loop base 160. With the fasteners 183 loosened or not fully tightened, the length of the slots 180 slide on the fasteners 183. The length of the slots 180 provide a range of varying positions for the loop base 160 to be fastened to the door 30.
When the loop base 160 is in the correct position, the fasteners 183 are fully tightened to hold the loop base 160 on the door 30. As shown in
A loop gasket 200 is shown in
The loop gasket 200 includes opening covers 236 that cover or fold over the recesses 176 and/or slots 180. The opening covers 236 may substantially fill the recesses 176. The opening covers 236 may be integral to the loop gasket 200 via a hinge portion 239. The opening covers 236 include sidewalls 237 that lead into an outer surface 238. The combination of the sidewalls 237 and the outer surface 238 provides a geometry, configuration or shape that approximates the outer surface 166 of the loop base 166. When the opening covers 236 fold over to cover the openings 230, the appearance of the loop base 160 is provided with a generally uniform appearance. The opening covers 236 further reduce corrosion by reducing the likelihood of moisture or water from entering into the recesses 176 and contacting the fasteners 183.
The base portion 300 will now be described with reference to
The base 310 includes a front surface 311. The base 310 further includes slots 330 in wells 332 of the front surface 311 that allow fasteners 433 to pass through the base portion 300. The base 310 positions the catch 350 in order for the catch 350 to receive the loop 120 of the loop portion 100. The catch 350 may be made of a flexible or deformable material that flexes or expands to hold and receive the loop 120. The catch 350 may include opposing members that flexibility or frictionally hold the loop 120. In the aspect shown in
As shown in
As described above, the loop base 160 may be moved in a vertical manner, i.e. up and down, on the door 30 of the ambulance 20, and the base portion 300 may be moved in a horizontal manner, i.e., left and right, on the rear end wall 40 of the ambulance 20. This allows the operator to fine tune the positioning of the loop base 160 and the base portion 300 such that the loop 120 is directed toward a center of the catch 350 and into the central opening 370 of the catch 350. The operator may adjust the position of the loop base 160 and the base portion 300 so that the middle portion 130 of the loop 120 is approximately centered between the first side 355 and the second side 360 of the catch 350. This provides the proper and consistent holding of the loop base 160 by the base portion 300. If one or both of the loop base 160 and the base portion 300 are out of position, then the middle portion 130 may be forced more strongly against one of the first side 355 or the second side 360 of the catch 350, resulting in uneven holding and poor performance.
With reference to
The base gasket 400 further includes opening covers 436 that cover the slots 330 and/or wells 332. The opening covers 436 may substantially fill the wells 332. The opening covers 436 are connected via a hinge portion 439 to the base gasket 400. As shown in
The loop gasket 200 and the base gasket 400 may be formed from an elastomeric material, such as a neoprene rubber. The base gasket 400 and the loop gasket 200 assist in sealing the loop portion 100 to the door 30 and the base portion 300 to the rear end wall 40.
The base portion 300 may be made from a zinc metal or other suitable metals or alloys. The loop 120 may be made from a stainless steel metal or other suitable metals or alloys.
The door holder 10 herein described provides a stronger and more durable door holder or door grabber as compared to existing designs. Workers and technicians often use the loop portions of such door holders or door grabbers as a step to reach the top of the ambulance or other utility vehicle. As such, it is important that the loop portion 100 is designed to withstand the weight of such individuals.
The adjustability of the loop portion 100 and the base portion 300 allows a greater ease of installation for the loop portion 100 and the base portion 300 to the ambulance 20. The loop portion 100 may be adjusted slightly vertically in order to better align with the base portion 300. Likewise, the base portion 300 may be adjusted horizontally to better align with the loop portion 100. In addition to making installation easier, the adjustability of both the loop portion 100 and the base portion 300 allow the operator to fine-tune the closing characteristics of the door holder 10, such that doors 30 on an individual ambulance 20 or the doors 30 in a fleet of ambulances 20 or other vehicles may all close with approximately the same closing force or pressure.
Although the ambulance 20 shows a door holder 10 on each of the doors 30, the ambulance 20 may include a single door holder 10 on only one of its doors 30. Further, in other aspects, the base portion 300 may be designed to adjust vertically, and the loop portion 100 may be designed to adjust horizontally.
The fasteners 183, 173, and 433 may be any of a variety of conventional screws, bolts, rivets, or other fastening hardware.
The loop 120 may have an overall length of approximately 2 inches to approximately 10 inches. The loop 120 may have a diameter of approximately ΒΌ inch to approximately 1 inch.
In other aspects, as shown in
It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is not intended that the invention be limited by the specification; instead, the scope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
