Abstract:
A door stopper device having a base securable to the floor adjacent to the door, and a stepper plate pivotally attachable to the base. A stopper plate is pivotally attached to the base and the stepper plate, with the stopper plate having a distal end portion opposite the stepper plate. The distal end portion of the stopper plate is raised upward and is engageable with the door when the door stopper device is in an engaged position, and the distal end of the stopper plate is lowered from the engaged position to assume a disengaged position, the stopper plate is not engageable with the door when the door stopper device is in the disengaged position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/357,990, filed Jul. 2, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/482,109, filed Apr. 5, 2017, the contents of both of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
       [0003]    The present disclosure relates generally to a door stopper, and more specifically, to a door stopper having a selectively deployable stopper plate adapted to engage with a door for limiting movement of the door toward its open position. 
       2. Description of the Related Art 
       [0004]    Securing a home, apartment, hotel room or other personal space from an intruder is important for protecting personal possessions, as well as to protect against physical harm. Indeed, most doors are equipped with some form of locking mechanism which maintains the door in its closed position. For instance, deadbolts or handle locks are commonly used on doors to lock the door. When the deadbolt or handle lock is “engaged,” a person entering the door from the outside is typically prevented from entering. In order to enter through the door, the deadbolt or handle lock may be “disengaged” to allow the door to transition from the closed position to the open position. 
         [0005]    In many cases, the locking mechanism may allow anyone located on the “inside” of the door to selectively transition the locking mechanism between the engaged and disengaged positions, while only permitting an individual in possession of a key to control the locking mechanism from the outside. As such, conventional locking mechanisms are effective in performing their intended functionality when the door is in its closed position. 
         [0006]    However, such conventional locking mechanisms tend to be ineffective at restrictive movement of the door when the door has been moved out of its closed position to a slightly ajar position. For instance, when one hears a doorbell or a knock on the door, an individual may unlock any locking mechanism and move the door to the slightly ajar position to see who may be outside. At this point, the individual may be susceptible to being overpowered by an intruder. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a door stopper which can be easily deployed for restricting movement of a door from a slightly ajar position toward a fully open position. Various aspects of the present disclosure address this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a door stopping device for blocking a door from transitioning toward an open position. The door stopping device is selectively deployable by an operator located on the side of the door toward which the door pivots as the door transitions from its closed position toward its open position. In this regard, the door stopping device provides the operator with control over opening of the door to restrict unwanted entry through the door. 
         [0009]    According to one embodiment, the door stopper device includes a base securable to the floor adjacent to the door, and a stepper plate pivotally attachable to the base. A stopper plate is pivotally attached to the base and the stepper plate, with the stopper plate having a distal end portion opposite the stepper plate. The distal end portion of the stopper plate is raised upward and is engageable with the door when the door stopper device is in an engaged position, and the distal end of the stopper plate is lowered from the engaged position to assume a disengaged position, the stopper plate is not engageable with the door when the door stopper device is in the disengaged position. 
         [0010]    The stepper plate may be flush with the base when the door stopper device is in the disengaged position. 
         [0011]    The base may include at least one cavity to receive portions of the stepper plate and the stopper plate. 
         [0012]    The stepper plate and the stopper plate may be sized and structured such that the distal end portion of the stopper plate moves in a first direction upon application of a force to the stepper plate in an opposing second direction. 
         [0013]    The door stopper device may additionally include a first pin affixed to the base and about which the stopper plate pivots. The stopper plate may be translatable relative to the first pin. The stopper plate may include a slot sized to receive the first pin and facilitate translation of the stopper plate relative to the first pin. The door stopper device may additionally include a second pin affixed to the base and about which the stepper plate pivots. The door stopper device may further include a third pin pivotally connecting the stopper plate to the stepper plate. 
         [0014]    The base may circumnavigate the stepper plate and the stopper plate. 
         [0015]    According to another embodiment, there is provided a door stopper device for use with a door. The door stopper device includes a base defining a base plane, and a press plate moveably engaged to the base. A stopper plate is operatively coupled to the press plate and includes a distal end portion. The stopper plate is transitional relative to the base between a disengaged position and an engaged position, with a distance between the distal end portion and the base plane increasing as the stopper plate transitions from the disengaged position toward the engaged position. 
         [0016]    The press plate may be parallel to the base plane when the stopper plate is in the disengaged position. The press plate may be non-parallel relative to the base plane when the stopper plate is in the engaged position. 
         [0017]    According to yet another embodiment, there is provided a method of inhibiting movement of a door. The method includes pivoting a press plate relative to a base from a first position toward a second position. The press plate is operatively connected to a stopper plate, such that pivoting of the press plate from the first position toward the second position causes the stopper plate to transition from a disengaged position toward an engaged position wherein the stopper plate is engageable with the door for inhibiting movement of the door. 
         [0018]    The present disclosure will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of an embodiment of a door stopper device in an engaged position for inhibiting the movement of a door toward its open position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional upper perspective view of the door stopper device depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional upper perspective view of the door stopper device in a disengaged position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is an exploded upper perspective view of the door stopper device depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is an upper perspective view of the door stopper device in the disengaged position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a stopper plate of the door stopper device; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6B  is a top view of the stopper plate; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6C  is a rear view of the stopper plate; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6D  is a side view of the stopper plate; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of a stepper plate of the door stopper device; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7B  is a top view of the stepper plate; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7C  is a rear view of the stepper plate; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7D  is a side view of the stepper plate; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8A  is a lower perspective view of a base of the door stopper device; 
           [0034]      FIG. 8B  is a top view of the base; 
           [0035]      FIG. 8C  is a rear view of the base; 
           [0036]      FIG. 8D  is a side view of the base; 
           [0037]      FIG. 9A  is an upper perspective view of a second embodiment of a door stopper device having a brace; 
           [0038]      FIG. 9B  is a top view of the door stopper device depicted in  FIG. 9A ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 9C  is a rear view of the door stopper device depicted in  FIG. 9A ; and 
           [0040]      FIG. 9D  is a side view of the door stopper device depicted in  FIG. 9A . 
       
    
    
       [0041]    Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0042]    Referring now to the drawings, a door stopper device  10  is shown. The door stopper device may be installed in front of a door  12  so that when a person on the other side or the distal side  16  of the door attempts to push the door open in the direction of rotational arrow  14 , the door does not hit a person on a proximal side  18  when the door stopper device  10  is in the engaged position as shown in  FIG. 1 . The person on the proximal side pushes down on a stepper plate  20  (i.e., a press plate) which in turn raises a stopper plate  22 . A distal end  24  is raised high enough in order to block the door  12  so that the door  12  cannot be rotated in the direction of arrow  14 . A person that wants to pass through the doorway by opening the door  12  from the proximal side  18  to the distal side  16  first steps on the stepper plate  20  which prevents the door  12  from being traversed toward the person on the proximal side, grips the handle, releases the stepper plate  20  so that the door stopper device  10  no longer prevents the door  12  from swinging open toward the proximal side then opens the door with the handle. In this way, the person on the proximal side of the door  12  maintains control of the door at all times. 
         [0043]    Referring now more particularly to  FIG. 1 , the door stopper device  10  is shown in the engaged position so that the door  12  cannot be rotated in the direction of arrow  14 . The door stopper device  10  has a base  26 . The base  26  receives the stepper plate  20  and the stopper plate  22 . Moreover, the stepper plate  20  and the stopper plate  22  are secured to a floor  28  by way of the base  26 . By way of example and not limitation, the base  26  may have four countersunk holes  30 . Screws may be received into the countersunk holes  30  and have countersunk heads so that a top surface of the screws lay flush with a top surface  32  of the base  26 . The screws may be screwed into the floor. Additionally or alternatively, the base may be adhered to the floor. It is also contemplated that the floor may be recessed and the base disposed within the recess to hold the device in place during use. The floor may have a recess that can snugly receive the base  26  in that the device does not move around excessively within the recess. Also, the floor may be defined by a concrete surface or carpet. In either case, the recess may be formed in the concrete or the carpet may be cut to receive the base of the device. The top surface  32  of the base  26  may be flat. When the stepper plate  20  is pushed down as shown in  FIG. 1  and the stopper plate  22  is raised up, the distal end  24  of the stopper plate  22  is raised sufficiently high in order to contact the door  12  if the door  12  is rotated toward the proximal side. However, when the stepper plate  20  is not pushed down but is raised up, the stopper plate  22  is lowered as shown in  FIG. 3 , the stopper plate  22  and the stepper plate  20  is preferably flush or below the top surface  32  of the base  26 . However, it is also contemplated that the stepper plate  20  and the stopper plate  22  may reside above the top surface  32  of the base  26  but in no instance would it be above a lower edge  34  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the door  12 . The reason is that this would allow the door  12  to swing toward the proximal side in the direction of arrow  14  when the door stopper device  10  is in the disengaged position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0044]    The base  26  may be fabricated from a single piece of material, preferably metallic. The material selection of the base  26  and its thickness is selected in order to withstand any forces imposed on the stopper plate  22  by the door  12  in the event someone on the distal side  16  attempts to push open the door when the user is trying to walk through the door from the proximal side to the distal side. The base  26  defines a base plane and preferably has first and second cavities  36 ,  38  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) extending into the base  26  from the base plane. The cavity  38  receives the distal end portion of the stopper plate  22 , as shown in  FIG. 3  when the door stopper device  10  is in the disengaged position (see  FIG. 3 ). Moreover, the cavity  36  receives the distal end portion of the stepper plate  20  and the proximal portion of the stopper plate  22  when a downward force  40  is applied to the distal portion of the stepper plate  20 . The distal end  24  raises upward when the downward force  40  is applied because there is a fixed pin  42  about which the stopper plate  22  pivots when the downward force  40  is applied. The base  26  may additionally have holes  44 ,  46 . The holes  44 ,  46  receive fixed pins  42 ,  48 . (See  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the door stopper device  10  may be assembled by first pivotally attaching the stepper plate  20  to the stopper plate  22  with a pivot pin  50 . The pivot pin  50  only secures the stepper plate  20  to the stopper plate  22 . The pivot pin  50  does not contact the base  26 . After the pivot pin  50  is used to pivotally join the stopper plate  22  and the stepper plate  20 , the fixed pin  48  may be inserted into hole  46  of the base  26  and hole  52  of the stepper plate  20 . The pin  48  extends from one side of the base  26  to the other side of the base  26  so that the stepper plate  20  is pivotally attached to the base with the fixed pin  48  forming a rotational axis of the stepper plate  20 . The fixed pin  42  may then be inserted into hole  44  and slot  54  of the stopper plate  22 . The pin  42  extends across both sides of the stopper plate  22  and engages both sides of the base  26  so that the stopper plate  22  pivots about the pin  42  and slides within the slot  54 . 
         [0046]    The sliding of the pin  42  inside slot  54  is shown by comparing  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , there is a slight gap between the pin  42  and a proximal end  56  of the slot  54 . In contrast, the pin  42  shown in  FIG. 3  is closer to the proximal end  56  of the slot  54 . 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the door stopper device  10  is shown both in the engaged position (see  FIG. 1 ) and the disengaged position (see  FIG. 5 ). The door stopper device  10  operates based on user actuation (i.e. pushing down on the stepper plate  20 ) to traverse the device  10  to the engaged position and releasing the stepper plate  20  which in turn traverses the stopper plate  22  back down to a lowered position. When the user depresses the stepper plate  20 , the user applies a downward force  40  (see  FIG. 2 ) with his or her foot. In doing so, the pivot joint defined by pin  50  is urged downward. The pin  42  is a fixed pin and acts as a fulcrum so that the stopper plate  22  pivots upward, and more particularly, the distal end  24  of the stopper plate  22  traverses upward, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The device  10  is now in the engaged position. The door  12  cannot be opened because the stopper plate  22  will stop the door  12  from being rotated open. 
         [0048]    The user may now confidently grip the handle of the door  12  with full confidence that the user will not be hit by the door when a person on the other side of the door quickly and with great force pushes the door open. In the event that a person on the other side of the door pushes the door with great force, the stopper plate  22  prevents the door from opening and hitting the user. After the user grips the handle, the user may now release the stepper plate  20  and utilize his or her hands to stop the door from opening quickly and hitting the user. The user may now open the door  12  with the handle with confidence knowing that he/she will not be hit by the door. 
         [0049]    When the user releases the stepper plate  20 , the stopper plate  22  is traversed downward until the door  12  can pass over the device  10 . The stopper plate  22  may be traversed under the weight of gravity. The stopper plate  22  may be fabricated from a sufficiently heavy material so that a weight force  58  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the stopper plate  22  traverses the stopper plate  22  back to the down position fast enough so that there is no perceivable delay by the user in releasing the stepper plate  20  and opening the door with the handle. Additionally, to further assist in the speed at which the stopper plate  22  is traversed back to the down position, the stepper plate  20  may be fabricated from a different and lighter material compared to the material from which the stopper plate  22  is fabricated from. By way of example and not limitation, the stepper plate  20  may be fabricated from a plastic injection material, whereas, the stopper plate  22  may be fabricated from a metallic material including but not limited to aluminum, steel, stainless steel. Additionally, weights may be added to the stopper plate  22  to further speed the transition from the up position to the down position. The weights may be added to a lower side of the stopper plate  22  near the distal end  24 . In order to accommodate the weights, the cavity  38  may be enlarged by milling down the base  26  at that portion of the base  26 . Additionally and alternatively, weights may be added to the top side of the stopper plate  22  so long as the weights do not hit the door  12  when the device  10  is in the disengaged position. 
         [0050]    It is also contemplated that the stopper plate  22  may be fabricated from a lighter material such as those used to fabricate the stepper plate  20 . 
         [0051]    Additionally, the stopper plate  22  may be traversed back to the down position at the aid of a spring. The spring may be an extension spring attached to the distal end portion of the stopper plate  22  and the base  26  in order to drive the stopper plate  22  with a downward force. Also, the spring may be a torsion spring is attached to the stepper plate  20  and the stopper plate  22 . The torsion spring may be disposed about pin  48 . The spring return mechanism may be useful when the stopper plate  22  is fabricated from a lighter material and the weight of the stopper plate may not be sufficient to drive the stopper plate  22  back downward when the user releases the stepper plate  20 . The spring may also be a flat spring including but not limited to a DIN Disc (2093), Belleville, Clover® Dome, Curved, Finger, Wave, and Multi-Wave types of flat springs. The flat spring may also have a round or circular shape but also have an elongate shape similar to a leaf spring. The flat spring  59  may be disposed between the stepper plate  20  and the floor of the cavity  36  of the base  26 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The flat spring may be located in a recess in either one or both of the floor of the cavity  36  of the base and the bottom surface of the stepper plate  20 . 
         [0052]    The device  10  also operates to prevent opening of the door when the device  10  is in the engaged position. When the device  10  is in the engaged position and the door is swung open, the stopper plate  22  engages the door and stops the door from opening. The door  12  must be swung back to the closed position and preferably closed in order to traverse the device  10  the back to disengaged position. The reason is that the stopper plate  22  pivots about a fulcrum defined by pin  42 . Because the stopper plate  22  pivots, in order for the stopper plate  22  to pivot back down to the down position or disengaged position, the distal end  24  of the stopper plate  22  must move forward toward the door  12  and the door swung back to the closed position. 
         [0053]    The stopper plate  22  stops the door  12  because a proximal end  60  contacts a bottom surface of the cavity  36  defined by the base  26 . If the cavity  36  is a through hole, then the proximal end  60  would contact the floor to which the device  10  is attached to. However, preferably the distal end  60  contacts a bottom surface of the cavity  36  so that the distal end  60  does not damage the floor over repeated use. The force of the door  12  is stopped by a torque created by the forces at pin  48  and  42 . It is also contemplated that the stopper plate  22  may stop the door  12  from opening by forces generated solely at pin  42 . To this end, the proximal end  60  of the stopper plate  22  is not allowed to contact the floor of the cavity  36  or the floor to which the device  10  is attached to. To prevent the proximal end  60  of the stopper plate  22  from making contact with the surface, the door  12  may be formed with a recess which receives the distal end  24  of the stopper plate  22  when the stopper plate is raised upward. Instead of or in addition to a recess, the door may have a plate attached to the door  12  at a level so that the distal end engages the underside of the plate and the door  12  when the other person on the other side attempts to open the door  12 . A bottom side of the distal end  60  may have a sponge material to prevent the distal end  60  from fully engaging or contacting a hard surface of the base  26  or the floor to which the device  10  is attached. The resilient material provides sufficient leeway so that when the user steps down on the stepper plate and the door  12  is opened, the distal end  24  may ride up on the face of the door  12  and be stopped by the groove or plate mounted to the door  12  before distal end  60  touches the surface. At this position, the resilient material or sponge material is not fully compressed. 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6A-6D , the stopper plate  22  is shown. The stopper plate may have slot  54  that receives pin  42 . The stopper plate  22  may have a stepped configuration at its proximal end portion and be receivable into a notch  64  (see  FIG. 7B ) of the stepper plate  20 .  FIG. 6B  is a front view of the stopper plate  22 . Figured  6 C is a right side view of the stopper plate  22 .  FIG. 6D  is a top view of the stopper plate  22 . 
         [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 7A , the stepper plate  20  is shown. The stepper plate may have a hole  66  that receives pin  48  and hole  68  that receives pin  50 .  FIG. 7A  is a perspective of the stepper plate  20 .  FIG. 7B  is a front view of the stepper plate  20 .  FIG. 7C  is a right side view of the stepper plate  20 .  FIG. 7D  is a top view of the stepper plate  20 . 
         [0056]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8A-8D , the base  26  is shown.  FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the base  26 .  FIG. 8B  is a front view of the base  26 .  FIG. 8C  is a right side view of the base  26 .  FIG. 8D  is a top view of the base  26 . 
         [0057]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9A-9D , a variant of the device  10  is shown wherein the braces  70  are secured to the base  26  and the stopper plate  22  on both sides of the stopper plate  22 . The braces  70  may be pivotally attached to the stopper plate  22  and pivotally and slidably attached to the base  26 . Directional arrow  72  shows that the braces  70  can be rotated in both directions with respect to the stopper plate  22 . Directional arrow  72  shows that the braces  70  can be rotated in both directions with respect to the base  26 . The braces  70  may also have slots  74  which allow pins  76  to slide there within. 
         [0058]    The base  26  may also have cutouts  78  to accommodate the braces  70 . The braces  70  may be pivotally attached to the stopper plate  22  by way of pin  80  and pivotally attached to the base  26  by way of pins  76  as discussed above. 
         [0059]    During operation, the user may step down on the stepper plate  20  in order to lift the stopper plate  22  up as shown in  FIG. 9D . Preferably, in this position, the intersection  82  of the stepper plate  20  and the stopper plate  22  may contact the floor of the cavity  36 . Also, the pins  76  may contact the end of the slot  74 . In the event that the door is opened when the stopper plate  22  is in the up position, the door pushes the stopper plate  22  and the force of the door is resisted by the braces  70 . When the downward force on the stepper plate  20  is removed, the stopper plate  22  may be traversed back downward so that the door can be opened. The stopper plate  22  may be traversed downward by either the weight of the stopper plate and/or a spring force of the flat spring  59 , torsion spring or other biasing force. The stepper plate  20  is traversed back upward. 
         [0060]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.