The present invention relates generally to door stoppers, and more particularly, to a removable door stopper device configured to adjustably control the pivot range of a door using a mechanism integrated with one of the door hinges.
All property owners are familiar with how expensive repairs for articles inside the property can be. For instance, repairing an air conditioning unit can cost a property owner a few thousand dollars to replace the outside unit. If the owner has to replace the air handler and the outside unit, the cost to replace the unit increases by a few hundred dollars. Similarly, the costs associated with plumbing or electrical work can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Some of these necessary repairs, however, are unavoidable and necessary over time due to normal usage of the equipment or article.
A common repair that occurs and is avoidable, but is sometimes not particularly focused on because its costs do not rival the costs to repair an airconditioning unit or plumbing or electrical work, is the cost to repair doors. Door repairs generally cost a few hundred dollars in the most expensive cases and one or two hundred when dealing with a door made out of cheap material. However, damaged doors made out of specialized or rare materials, such as highly-priced woods, metal, or glass, may cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace. It is highly desirable to protect highly-priced doors. Doors, irrespective of their material, however, are oftentimes damaged when being opened or closed because they strike an adjacent surface, such as a wall or an article in close proximity, e.g., a furniture piece.
To avoid and overcome unwanted damage to swinging doors, existing products such as door arm closers or door stoppers are available to control the movement and pivot angle of the door. These products, however, are eye soars and detract from the beauty and craftsmanship of the door construction. Some products are also costly and difficult to install, requiring a skilled laborer to work on its installation by affecting the surrounding areas proximate the door. For example, the installation of a door closer or door stopper requires the installer to make holes in the door or wall surface to install either product to function.
Accordingly, there is an established need for a door stopper mechanism configured to integrate with the door hinge without disassembly or alteration of the existing door hinge, and which facilitates adjustable control of the maximum available pivot angle of the door to prevent damage to the door or control the pivoting angle of the door.
The present invention is directed to a door stopper device configured to mount and attach to the hinge assembly of a door. The device includes a hinge-mounting structure in the form of a curved, elongate body having the form of a split sleeve construction. The split sleeve configuration defines a receptacle space configured to receive the pivot joint of a door hinge assembly. The sleeve-shaped body terminates with a pair of circular-shaped end structures disposed at respective axial ends of the body. A threaded, axially-extending through-hole or passageway is formed in each end structure and configured to receive a respective set screw. A carrier structure is formed at the convex-shaped, exterior side of the sleeve body. The carrier structure includes a threaded through-hole or passageway configured to receive a hinge-contactable and door-arresting stop screw.
During installation, the sleeve body is mounted to the pivot joint of the hinge assembly. In a conventional door hinge, the pivot joint involves the cooperation of a pair of hinge leaves to interlock and form a knuckle having the form of a hollow, cylindrical shape. The knuckle receives a hinge pin to complete the assembly and secure the hinge joint. The mounting relationship between the sleeve body and the pivot joint of the hinge assembly involves seating of the knuckle and pin combination within the receptacle space defined by the sleeve body. In this position, the end structures are located at respective ends of the installed hinge pin. A set screw is advanced into the threaded passageway of each respective end structure until it engages and forms a press fit connection with a respective end of the hinge pin. The press fit action of both set screws has the effect of clamping the door stopper device to the pivot joint of the door hinge. A stop screw is advanced through the threaded passageway of the carrier until it projects from the egress end of the passageway. The degree of projection of the stop screw functions as a means to control the range of rotation of the door. The combination of carrier structure and screw-receiving passageway formed in the carrier structure is configured so that the projecting part of the stop screw is aligned with the travel path of the exposed portion of the door-mounted, swing-side hinge leaf. In the event the door is opened to an angular displacement reaching the door stopper device, the exposed portion of the door-mounted, swing-side hinge leaf will encounter and strike the projecting part of the stop screw, halting any further rotation of the door.
Introducing a first embodiment of the invention, the present invention consists of a door stopper device for use in combination with a door hinge having a pivot joint, comprising:
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward a door stopper or door brake mechanism that removably attaches to one of the door hinges. The mechanism functions as a mechanical limiter for door travel, providing an adjustable feature that enables the user to selectively control the rotational or swing range of the door. The mechanism is installed on one of the door hinges in a retrofit arrangement that does not require disassembly, modification, or alteration to the existing door hinge. Additionally, the mechanism employs a mechanical stop feature which, at the set limit of door rotation, engages the movable, swing-side hinge leaf, avoiding the possibility of any damaging contact with the wall, trim or door structures.
Referring initially to
Briefly, by way of overview, a typical or conventional hinge assembly includes a pair of opposing wings or leafs that form complementary interlocking halves, one a stationary frame-side leaf and the other a swing-side leaf movable with the door. The frame-side leaf is stationary and fixedly attached to the door frame. The swing-side leaf is movable in view of its fixed attachment to the inside edge (side) of the door proximal its turning or pivot axis. Each leaf includes a rectangular-shaped mounting plate and a set of spaced-apart, cylindrical-shaped, pin-receiving projections at one edge of the plate. The leafs are designed as complementary pieces so that when the leafs are joined together, the projections interlock in alternating fashion to form a knuckle, a hollow cylindrical-shaped tube or space that defines the pivot axis of the hinge joint. A removable pin is inserted through the knuckle to complete assembly of the hinge. The door is typically equipped with a set of three spaced-apart hinges. The arrangement of the knuckle-pin combination forms the hinge or pivot joint of the hinge assembly. According to the present invention, the mechanism 100 is mounted to the pivot joint (knuckle-pin combination) of any one of the hinge assemblies associated with the door.
Referring again to
The pair of end structures 120a,b each includes a generally cylindrical body 126a,b generally oriented in a plane orthogonal to the axis of sleeve body 110. Each end structure 120a,b includes a threaded, screw-receiving aperture, hole or passageway 122a,b (
In one exemplary alternative embodiment, the door stopper device 100 may include a pin 128 that is positioned within a screw-receiving aperture 122a,b. As specifically shown in exemplary embodiment
The combination of sleeve body 110 and the pair of end structures 120a,b effectively functions and/or acts as a clamping device to fasten, hold, attach and otherwise secure mechanism 100 to the door hinge assembly. In such a clamp configuration, the end structures 120a,b effectively function as jaw members to capture, enclose and hold tight against the hinge joint via the press fit connection between the driven set screws 124a,b and the installed hinge pin. The clamping action tends to fix the mechanism 100 in place during operation, so that as the door pivots, swivels or rotates, the mechanism 100 remains stationary in its secured location on the hinge joint. The clamping condition is releasable by appropriate removal of the press fit connection between the hinge pin and the pair of set screws 124a,b, which occurs by suitable withdrawal (reversal) of the set screws 124a,b from their apertures 122a,b. As disclosed, the mechanism 100 does not require any manipulation of the existing door hinge assembly, either by way of disassembly or part replacement. The mechanism 100 is simply mounted to the door hinge assembly as-is in its normal installed working arrangement.
Referring still to
Referring more particularly to
The stop screw 132 has an adjustment end 134 and a working end 136. The adjustment end 134 of stop screw 132 is configured to enable the user to selectively translate the stop screw 132 through the screw-receiving aperture 138. This translation conventionally includes an advancement (threading) and withdrawal (unthreading) of stop screw 132 relative to the screw-receiving aperture 138. The adjustment end 134, for example, may be equipped with a hex-shaped indent to facilitate turning or driving with an Allen wrench. The working end 136 of stop screw 132 is configured as a leaf-striking and/or leaf-colliding section of stop screw 132, at which the stop-inducing impact takes place between stop screw 132 and the exposed portion of the swing-side leaf plate of the door hinge assembly. The working end 136 defines a door-facing, leading portion of stop screw 132, while the adjustment end 134 defines a frame-facing, trailing portion. During operation, the stop screw 132 is threaded into the screw-receiving aperture 138, which occurs by advancing the leading portion of stop screw 132 (working end 136) into aperture 138 via ingress end 140. The stop screw 132 is threaded further until the working end 136 clears aperture 138 at its egress end 142, and is advanced an additional amount commensurate or proportional to where the user desires to establish the stop point for swinging rotation of the door. The projection of stop screw 132 from the egress end 142 of aperture 138 defines the section of stop screw 132 that contacts the hinge assembly to create the door-stopping action. In particular, the terminal face of the working end 136 of stop screw 132 makes contact with the swing-side hinge plate during the door-stopping event.
Referring now to
In one exemplary embodiment, the door stopper mechanism 100 may include an anti-ligature member 150 that is removably attachable to a set screw 124a that is disposable within receiving hole 122a. When removably attaching set screw 124a to the anti-ligature member 150, an upper portion head, opposite the end portion that goes into hole 122a, is inserted into aperture 152 on the anti-ligature member 150. As are the openings 122a,b of the sleeve body 110 threaded for threadable engagement with set screes 124a,b, the aperture 152 in the anti-ligature member 150 is threaded for threadable engagement with the set screw. The anti-ligature member in one exemplary form may comprise a thin profile body having a trapezoidal shape. Alternative shapes, however, for the anti-ligature member may include rectangular, square, triangular, circular, or any polygon shape. During use of the anti-ligature member 150, the thin body of the member is insertable between the gap 208 formed between the door edge and the hinge jamb.
Referring now to
The present invention offers several complementary ways to fix or set the range of motion of a door. For example, the hinge-mounting structure 102 of mechanism 100 (specifically the elongate curved sleeve 110) can be mounted to the hinge assembly at different circumferential or peripheral positions of the hinge joint, i.e., the cylindrical formation defined by the knuckle-pin combination. This selectivity involving the placement of hinge-receiving sleeve 110 allows the user to generally specify a smaller or larger range of rotation, which is then fine-tuned by selective adjustment of stop screw 132. For example, the placement of sleeve 110 at circumferential positions on the hinge joint closer to the fixed, frame-side hinge leaf will tend to increase the available range of motion of the door (notwithstanding the position of stop screw 132). Additionally, the range of door rotation can be independently adjusted by changing the degree of advancement or translation of stop screw 132 within its corresponding screw-receiving aperture 138 formed in carrier 130. For example, increasing the extension of stop screw 132 projecting from aperture 138 will correspondingly decrease the range of rotation, while the opposite occurs by shortening the projection of stop screw 132.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, it is understood that any of the features presented in the embodiments may be integrated into any of the other embodiments unless explicitly stated otherwise. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/305,895, filed on Feb. 2, 2022, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
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