For as long as there have been walls, there have been doors. For as long as there have been doors, there has been a need to maintain the door in a desired position and/or to protect the door or a nearby wall from damage resulting from opening the door.
Doors are used in all types of facilities and have any number of design configurations. Some doors are free-swinging and some are spring biased towards a closed configuration. With either a free-swinging door or with a biased door, it can sometimes be desirable to maintain the door in an open configuration. The most common way to maintain a door in an open position is with a door holding wedge that is positioned under the door. However, door holding wedges suffer from several disadvantages. For example, a door holding wedge is easy to misplace and is not always easily locatable in a fixed location. This can lead to frustration when a wedge cannot be found. In addition, the process of retaining the door in an open position with a wedge requires some awkward movements such as bending over, pulling the door onto the wedge, and holding the wedge still with a foot. These movements can lead to injuries, especially in the case of workers that have to prop open several doors. Also, if the floor is slick or if the wedge is not sufficiently inserted under the door, the door may not be properly retained. Furthermore, when door retaining wedges are lying around, they can create a tripping hazard and can look untidy.
Another problem that arises with doors is when an object, such as a wall, is within the path of the door's swing arc. For example, sometimes a door will only be able to open about 90 degrees before abutting a wall. Because of this potential abutment, damage can readily occur to the door, wall, and/or doorknob if steps are not taken to prevent the damage. Commonly, a doorstop is installed on the baseboard of the abutting wall or on the door so that the doorstop makes contact with the door and/or wall. However, while these doorstops reduce the damage that occurs, there remains the potential for damage from the part that contacts the doorstop, especially over multiple uses. In addition, when the doorstop is positioned to make contact near the bottom of the door, the bottom force on the door creates an uneven force application to the hinges of the door, and this uneven force can damage the hinges over time.
There is therefore a need for an improved door retention device. There is a further need for a door retention device that can also serve as a door stop. There is a further need for a door retention device that is easily locatable in a known position. There is a further need for a door retention device that is easily operated. There is a further need for a door retention device that is adjustable. There is a further need for a door retention device that is universally applicable to multiple types of doors.
The present invention satisfies these needs. In one aspect of the invention, an improved door retention device is disclosed.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device can also serve as a door stop.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device is easily locatable at a known position and is easily operated to retain a door in an open configuration.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device is universally applicable to multiple types of doors, doorknobs, and/or handles.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device can be maintained in an upward or door receiving position.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device can be latched in a downward or door retaining position.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device is automatically locked in a downward or door retaining position when moved into that position.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device is latchable in a downward or door retaining position and the latch is releasable by pressing down on the door retention device.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device includes an arm that is adjustable.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device includes an arm that is adjustable in length and/or in angular orientation.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device comprises a door retaining member and a wall mounting member, the door retaining member having a door contacting member that is capable of contacting a door in a manner that selectively maintains the door in an open configuration.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device comprises a wall mounting member adapted to be mounted on a wall or other object at a position where the door retention device can engage an open door; a door retaining member comprising an arm and a door engaging member; and a connection mechanism rotatably connecting the door retaining member to the wall mounting member, wherein the door retaining member is rotatable relative to the wall mounting member between a door receiving position where a door can be received without being retained and a door retaining position where the door engaging member can engage the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration, and wherein the connection mechanism includes a mechanism that maintains the door retaining member in the door receiving position and that allows selective movement of the door retaining member to the door retaining position.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device comprises a wall mounting member adapted to be mounted on a wall or other object at a position where the door retention device can engage an open door; a door retaining member comprising an arm and a door engaging member; and a connection mechanism rotatably connecting the door retaining member to the wall mounting member, wherein the door retaining member is rotatable relative to the wall mounting member between a door receiving position where a door can be received without being retained and a door retaining position where the door engaging member can engage the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration, and wherein the connection mechanism includes a latching mechanism that latches the door retaining member to maintain it in the door retaining position.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device comprises a wall mounting member adapted to be mounted on a wall or other object at a position where the door retention device can engage an open door; a door retaining member comprising an arm and a door engaging member; and a connection mechanism rotatably connecting the door retaining member to the wall mounting member, wherein the door retaining member is rotatable relative to the wall mounting member between a door receiving position where a door can be received without being retained and a door retaining position where the door engaging member can engage the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration, and wherein the arm is adjustable so that the position of the door engaging member relative to the wall mounting member can be adjusted.
In another aspect of the invention, a door retention device comprises a wall mounting member adapted to be mounted on a wall or other object at a position where the door retention device can engage an open door; a door retaining member comprising an arm and a door engaging member; and a connection mechanism rotatably connecting the door retaining member to the wall mounting member, wherein the door retaining member is rotatable relative to the wall mounting member between a door receiving position where a door can be received without being retained and a door retaining position where the door engaging member can engage the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration, and wherein the door engaging member comprises a pair of downward extending prongs that define a doorknob shank receiving space whereby the downward extending prongs can engage the backside of a doorknob by receiving a shank of the doorknob in the doorknob shank receiving space.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of maintaining a door in an open configuration comprises providing a door retention device on a wall the door abuts when open, the door retention device comprising a door retaining member having an arm and a door engaging member; maintaining the door retaining member is a door receiving position where the door can be opened and closed; selectively moving the door retaining member out of the door receiving position by overcoming the bias of a spring and into a door retaining position where the door engaging member engages the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of maintaining a door in an open configuration comprises providing a door retention device on a wall the door abuts when open, the door retention device comprising a door retaining member having an arm and a door engaging member; maintaining the door retaining member is a door receiving position where the door can be opened and closed; selectively moving the door retaining member out of the door receiving position and into a door retaining position where the door engaging member engages the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration and latching the door retaining member in the door retaining position.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of maintaining a door in an open configuration comprises providing a door retention device on a wall the door abuts when open, the door retention device comprising a door retaining member having an arm and a door engaging member; maintaining the door retaining member is a door receiving position where the door can be opened and closed; selectively moving the door retaining member out of the door receiving position and into a door retaining position where the door engaging member engages the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration and latching the door retaining member in the door retaining position, and releasing the latch by pressing down on the arm.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of maintaining a door in an open configuration comprises providing a door retention device on a wall the door abuts when open, the door retention device comprising a door retaining member having an arm and a door engaging member; maintaining the door retaining member is a door receiving position where the door can be opened and closed; selectively moving the door retaining member out of the door receiving position and into a door retaining position where the door engaging member engages the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration, and adjusting the arm by changing its length and/or angular orientation.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of maintaining a door in an open configuration comprises providing a door retention device on a wall the door abuts when open, the door retention device comprising a door retaining member having an arm and a door engaging member in the form of a hook; maintaining the door retaining member is a door receiving position where the door can be opened and closed; selectively moving the door retaining member out of the door receiving position and into a door retaining position where the door engaging member engages the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of maintaining a door in an open configuration comprises providing a door retention device on a wall the door abuts when open, the door retention device comprising a door retaining member having an arm and a door engaging member; maintaining the door retaining member is a door receiving position where the door can be opened and closed; selectively moving the door retaining member out of the door receiving position and into a door retaining position where the door engaging member engages the door in a manner that retains the door in an open configuration; automatically latching the door retaining member in the door retaining position upon movement from the door receiving position to the door retaining position; and releasing the latch to return the door retaining member to the door receiving position to allow the door to be closed.
These features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings which illustrate exemplary features of the invention. However, it is to be understood that each of the features can be used in the invention in general, not merely in the context of the particular drawings, and the invention includes any combination of these features, where:
The present invention relates to a door retention device. In particular, the invention relates to a door retention device that can be mounted on a wall or other object to selectively maintain a door in an open configuration. Although the invention is illustrated and described in the context of being useful for retaining a door, the present invention can be used in other ways, as would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the present invention should not be limited just to the examples and embodiments described herein.
The door retention device 100 includes a door retaining member 105 and a wall mounting member 110. The door retaining member 105 includes an arm 115 having a first end 120. At the first end 120 is a connection mechanism 125 that allows the door retaining member 105 to be connected to the wall mounting member 110. The arm 115 connects to the connection mechanism 125 at the first end and extends to a second end 130 having a door engaging member 135 that is capable of contacting or otherwise engaging a door in a manner that selectively maintains the door in an open configuration. In the version of
The rotational motion of the door retaining member 105 relative to the wall mounting member 110 is shown in
In one version, the door engaging member 135 comprises a hook 150 that extends downwardly from the second end 130 of the arm 115 of the door retaining member 105. The hook 150 can be sized and shaped to latch onto a portion of a door that is to be retained open. For example, in one particular version, the hook 150 can be designed to latch onto a doorknob or handle of the door or other portion of the door. The hook 150 may comprise one or more prongs 155 that project downwardly from the arm 115 when the door retention device is in a door retaining position and are adapted to contact a portion of the doorknob. The one or more prongs 155, the arm 115, and the wall and/or wall mounting member 110 form a knob receiving cavity 160 when the door retention device 100 is in the door retaining position. The knob receiving cavity 160 is sized and shaped to receive the at least a portion of the knob of a doorknob in a manner in which the one or more prongs 155 can engage the doorknob or other portion of the door to maintain the knob in the knob receiving cavity 160. In the version of
In operation, the door retention device 100 is mounted to a wall by the wall mounting member 110 at a height and location where it can engage a doorknob of a door when the door is open. The door retaining member 105 is rotated to the door receiving position as shown in
In one version, the door retention device 100 can also operate as a door stop that prevents damage to the wall from the doorknob or other portion of the door hitting the wall when the door is swung open. For example, the door retention device 100 can be positioned on a wall that would otherwise be contacted by the doorknob or other portion of a door when the door is fully opened at a location where the doorknob or other portion of the door will contact the door retention device 100 instead of the wall. In one version, the door retention device 100 includes a receiving position retaining mechanism 180 that maintains the door retention device 100 in the door receiving position as shown in
The door retention device 100 may be composed of any suitable material. For example, the door retaining member 105 and/or the wall mounting member 110 may be made of one or more of plastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, nylon, and the like, metal, such as aluminum, stainless steel, bronze, copper, bronze/copper alloys, carbon steel, tool steels, titanium, cobalt, cobalt chrome, and the like, rubber, silicone, glass, ceramic, and the like. The door retaining member 105 and the wall mounting member 110 may be made of the same or different materials. The parts can be made from injection molding, casting, forging, machining, 3D printing, and/or any other suitable manufacturing technique. The hook pad 170 and/or the wall mounting member pad 175 may be made of one or more of rubber, silicone, and similar synthetic materials.
A particular version of the door retention device 100 shown in
In one version, as shown in
Additionally or alternatively, as shown in
Another version of a door retention device 100 according to the invention is shown in
For some doors, such as doors that are spring-biased into a closed position, the force of the doorknob on the hook 150 is sufficient to maintain the door retaining member 105 in a downward position. Alternatively, a latching mechanism can be provided to maintain the door retaining member 105 in its downward position. The latching mechanism can include a latch member that is moveable between a latching position that prevents the door retaining member 105 from moving upward and a unlatching position where the door retention member 105 is allowed to move upward in response to the bias of the biasing mechanism 500.
A version of a door retention device 100 have a latching mechanism 515 is shown in
A particular version of the automatic latching mechanism 520 of
The door retention member 105 is receivable on the hinge mechanism 140 so that it can rotate about the hinge axis 630 from the door retaining position of
When moved from the door receiving position shown in
Additional optional features are shown in
The door retention device 100 can be further modified and varied as would be recognized by those skill in the art. For example, the door retaining member 105 can be designed to swing downward relative to the wall mounting member 110 rather than upward. Similarly, the door retaining member 105 can be designed to swing sideways, either horizontally or at a different angle, relative to the wall mounting member 110.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with regard to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible, and alterations, permutations and equivalents of the version shown will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of the drawings. For example, the cooperating components may be reversed or provided in additional or fewer number. Also, the various features of the versions herein can be combined in various ways to provide additional versions of the present invention. Furthermore, certain terminology has been used for the purposes of descriptive clarity, and not to limit the present invention. Throughout this specification and any claims appended hereto, unless the context makes it clear otherwise, the term “comprise” and its variations such as “comprises” and “comprising” should be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, limitation, or step but not the exclusion of any other elements, limitations, or steps. Therefore, any appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein and should include all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
The present application claims the benefit of domestic priority based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/948,108 filed on Dec. 13, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62948108 | Dec 2019 | US |