Patent Application
20100224747
The present invention is related to door hooks.
There are a variety of hooks that fit over the top of a door. One common type of hook has a U-shaped bracket having an opening not greater than the width of the door hook to which it is to be attached. One or more hooks extend from either or both sides of the bracket. Examples of door hooks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,207,088, 7,185,864, 6,854,610, 6,311,851, 6,302,365, 5,607,131, 5,553,823, 5,413,297, 5,158,186, 4,817,239. and 3,907,118, and U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D549,08.3, D455,947, D422,198, D393,970, D374.168, D360,572, D360.355, D345,096, D342,889, D326,021, and D275,917. These door hooks are typically made of plastic or metal and are usually unitary structures.
In designing an over-the-door hook, the objective has always been to create an inexpensive hook that will fit the door while that door is open or closed and that will hold significant weight. Plastic is often used for many of the over-the-door hooks being sold, particularly those sold for hanging wreaths and other holiday decorations. However, the weight of the object being hung often causes the hook to laterally move or sway when the door is opened or closed and when the object is initially placed on the hook. If a wreath is hung on the outside of a door on a conventional U-shaped hook, the wind may cause the wreath to move laterally or swing like a pendulum. Such swaying can cause the wreath or other object to fall from the hook. Further, the swinging object or hook can scratch or otherwise mar the door when swinging back and forth. This damage is a significant problem for those who live in windy areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,186 discloses the use of a bumper that has a box-like structure to prevent a door hanging file system from contacting a door surface. The bumper is a rigid box-like structure that is affixed to rails in the file system and also affixed to the door. The bumper spaces the rails of a door hanging support or file system from contacting the vertical surface of the door.
Such a bumper system is impractical for many door hook applications because users prefer to easily remove door hooks without using tools or time consuming removal steps. This is particularly true for door hooks that are designed for being temporarily positioned on a door for a holiday season to hold a decoration, such as the hook disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. D360,355.
There is a need for an over-the-door hook that can hold significant weight when the door is open or closed and which permits the door to be moved without damaging the door or causing the hook to laterally sway. Such a hook must also stay in place when exposed to windy conditions. Preferably, the door hook is easily mounted and unmounted from a door.
A door hook is provided that includes a top member, a back member and a front member. The top member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The back member is attached to the first end of the top member and the front member is attached to the second end of the top member forming a U-shape. The front member extends below the top member and is resilient. A hook is attached to the front member and a leg extends from the front member below at least a portion of the hook. A resilient foot is attached to the leg such that the resilient foot is below the hook The front member is configured to flex into a generally convex shape after a downward force acts on the hook and the resilient foot is configured to flex after the downward force is exerted on the hook,
Preferably, the resilient foot is composed of a soft durometer material or an elastomeric material and the front member and leg are composed of a polymeric material such as plastic In one embodiment of my door hook, the leg and front member are integrally molded as a unitary structure composed of polycarbonate Preferably, the top member, back member, front member, hook and leg are integrally molded as a unitary structure.
In some embodiments of my door hook, the back member may extend below the top member at an angle of 80° to 85° relative to the lop member The front member may extend at an angle of 85° to 90° relative to the top member. A rib may also be attached to the front member. The leg may be attached to both the front member and the hook.
In one embodiment of my door hook, the resilient foot includes a body that has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. A first projection extends from the first side and a second projection extends from the second side. The first and second projections flex after a downward force acts on the hook of the door hook. The body of the resilient foot may include an opening sized and configured to receive a portion of the leg to attach the resilient foot to the leg.
Other details, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof and certain present preferred methods of practicing the same proceeds.
Present preferred embodiments of my door hook are shown in the accompanying drawings and certain present preferred methods of practicing the same are also illustrated therein.
A first present preferred embodiment 1 of my door hook is illustrated in
Preferably, the leg 8 also includes a brace 19 that is attached between the leg and the hook 9. I have found that the brace increases the bending distance and reduced the contact area with the door. In one embodiment with the brace, the peak of the curve defined by the flexed front member was 0.78 inches when a wreath was hung on the door hook. Without the brace, the peak was 0.72 inches from the door and a greater portion of the wreath hook was in contact with the door. Without the brace, 0.8 inches of the top portion of the door hook were in contact with the door With the brace, 0.76 inches of the top of the door hook were in contact with the door.
A resilient foot 11 is attached to the leg 8 at a position below at least a portion of the hook 9. As may be best appreciated from
The resilient foot 11 is preferably composed of a material that is soft relative to wood or other door materials so the resilient foot 11 does not scratch or otherwise mar the door when an object is placed on the hook 9 of the door hook 1 or the door is moved. The material of the resilient foot 11 also preferably has a high static coefficient of friction. For instance, the resilient foot 11 can be composed of an elastomeric material or soft material having a durometer of from 30 to 150. Preferably, the resilient foot is composed of soft vinyl, soft rubber, sanoprene or other soft material
The front member 7 may include one or more ribs 18. Each rib 18 can provide additional strength to the front member. Preferably, the one or more ribs 18 are integral with the front member.
The top member 3, back member 5, front member 7, hook 9 and leg 8 may be integrally molded as a unitary structure composed of a polymeric material such as plastic. For instance, the top member 3, back member 5, front member 7, leg 8 and hook 9 may be injection molded as a unitary structure. The top member 3, back member 5, front member 7, hook 9 and leg 8 are preferably be composed of polycarbonate or ABS.
It should be appreciated that the hook 9 of the door hook is sized and configured to hold objects. Preferably, the hook 9 is sized and configured to hold decorations such as wreaths, holiday dolls, figurines, or signs.
The door hook 1 is sized and configured so that when the hook 9 is holding an object 21, the front member 7 flexes into a convex shape, as may be seen in
It should be appreciated that the downward force provided by the weight of the wreath 21 is at least partially transferred as a holding force that acts against the resilient foot 11. The holding force causes the resilient foot 11 to significantly press against the door from which the door hook 1 is hung. Because the point of contact with the door is below the hook, the foot reduces or prevents the door hook 1 from laterally moving or swinging when the door is opened or closed. Of course, the friction property of the resilient foot 11 also helps reduce or stop the front member 7 from swinging or otherwise move laterally from movement of the door.
I have compared the door hook shown in the drawings to conventional door hooks when a wreath is hung on both hooks. I found that a greater lateral force acting on the wreath was required to move the wreath hung on the door hook here disclosed than is required to move the wreath on a conventional door hook such as the hook disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,297. Additionally, the leg decreases the area of contact between the door and the door hook. Consequently, if the door hook is moved, far less damage, if any, can occur than occurs with a conventional door hook rubbing repeatedly against the door surface
While certain present preferred embodiments of my door hook and certain embodiments of methods of practicing the same have been shown and described, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
