Abstract:
A door closer is provided to automatically pull a storm or screen door to a fully closed position without user action. The door closer includes a bracket housing with a cam switch movable along a track as the door opens and closes. The closer cylinder rod is engaged with the cam switch until the door is fully opened. The cam switch biases the closer cylinder and rod as the door approaches the closed position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. Ser. No. 13/950,522 filed Jul. 25, 2013, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A door closer assembly is provided for a screen or storm door to automatically fully close the door without user interaction. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Storm doors and screen doors have a long-term problem of failure to completely close on their own. Complaints from users and manufacturers indicate that these storm and screen doors do not always automatically close and fully seal shut when relying solely on the closing strength of the standard pneumatic or hydraulic door closer. This problem arises, at least in part, due to the air pocket or space between the primary door and storm door which prevents the outer storm/screen door from fully closing shut. Past attempts to resolve this problem include an air release mechanism which functions as the door closes to release air from the space as the space narrows, though results are inconsistent with this air release system. Also, consumers are hesitant to pay for add-on parts which attempt to fix the problem. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door closer which assures that a storm or screen door will be fully shut and sealed automatically solely by the action of the improved door closer. 
         [0005]    Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a door closer which mechanically urges a storm or screen door to a fully closed and sealed position. 
         [0006]    Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a storm and screen door closer which is spring biased to a fully closed position. 
         [0007]    Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a storm and screen door closer having cam action to facilitate complete closure of the door. 
         [0008]    Still another objective of the present invention is a provision of a storm and screen door closer which utilizes a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder in combination with a pivotal cam to facilitate full closure of the door. 
         [0009]    Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved storm and screen door closer which assures complete closure of the door without user effort. 
         [0010]    A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved storm and screen door closer which is economical to manufacture, and durable and safe in use. 
         [0011]    These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The storm and screen door closure of the present invention includes a bracket fixed on the door jamb and a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder fixed to the storm or screen door. The bracket includes a cam switch which is slidably and pivotally mounted in the bracket. The hydraulic cylinder includes a rod having an outer end slidably received in a slot in the cam switch so as to be engaged in the cam switch when the door is closed and disengaged from the cam switch when the door is fully opened. The cam switch is spring biased so as to urge the cylinder rod to a retracted position and thereby fully close the door. 
         [0013]    As the storm or screen door is opened, the outer end of the cylinder rod slides and pivots the cam switch until the rod is disengaged from the cam switch. As the door begins to close, the end of the rod re-engages with the cam switch. A spring connected to the cam switch pulls the cam switch so as to retract the rod and fully close the storm or screen door. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bracket door closer of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the bracket door closer of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is a top plan view of the bracket door closer mounted to a door jamb or frame and a screen or storm door, with the bracket door being in a fully closed position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is an enlarged plan view of the bracket door closer and cylinder rod when the door is fully closed. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3C  is a view similar to  FIG. 3B  showing the position and relationship between the cam switch and the closer rod when the door is fully closed. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are similar to  FIGS. 3A-3C , but showing the door in an initial opening position, and with the broken lines showing continued opening of the door. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 5A-5C  are similar to  FIGS. 4A-4C , but with the door opened further. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 6A-6C  are similar to  FIGS. 5A-5C , except with the door in a fully opened position. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 7A-7C  are similar to  FIGS. 6A-6C , except with the door in an initial closing position from the fully opened position, and with the broken lines showing continued closing of the door. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 8A-8C  are similar to  FIGS. 7A-7C , except with the door in a further closed position, and broken lines showing the door in a fully closed position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the bracket door closer of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the bracket door closer shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a partially exploded view of the cam switch, rod insert, and spring components of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    The door closer  10  of the present invention includes a bracket assembly  12  and a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder  14  with an extensible and retractable rod  16  extending between the bracket assembly  12  and the cylinder  14 . The cylinder  14  and rod  16  create a linear actuator for facilitating closure of the door. 
         [0028]    The bracket assembly  12  includes a housing  18  with a pivotal and slidable cam switch  20 . More particularly, a pair of track plates  22  are mounted on opposite sides of the housing  18  in any convenient manner. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the track plate  22  include stubs  24  which are press fit into holes  26  on the bracket housing  18 . The track plates  22  and the opposite sides of the housing  18  include an elongated slot  28  with an angled head  29 . The cam switch  20  resides between the opposite sides of the housing  18  and is slidable along the slots  28  via mounting pins  30 ,  31 . The cam switch  20  is biased to the outer ends of the slots  28  opposite the head  29  by a spring  32 . The spring  32  is mounted at opposite ends to the bracket housing  18  and to the cam switch  20  by pins  34  which extends through holes  36  in the bracket housing  18  and through a hole  38  in the cam switch  20 . 
         [0029]    A second spring  40  is offset from the first spring  32 . The spring  32  is connected to the bracket housing  18  and to the switch plate  20  by pins  42  extending through holes  44  in the bracket housing  18  and a hole  46  in the switch plate  20 . As discussed in more detail below, when the screen or storm door is fully opened, the spring  42  retains the switch plate at the inner end of the slot head  29 . 
         [0030]    The bracket assembly  12  also includes a rod insert  50 . The insert  50  has an open end to receive the outer end of the cylinder rod  16  which is retained in the insert  50  by a pin  52 . The pin  52  also extends through bushings  54  mounted in holes  56  in the bracket housing  18 , such that the rod insert  50  is pivotally mounted to the housing  18 . The rod insert  50  also has a free end  58  which is slidably received in a recess or notch  60  in the cam switch  20 . The insert  50  forms an extension on the end of the rod  16 . 
         [0031]    The bracket housing  18  includes opposite flanges  48  for mounting the housing  18  to a door frame or jamb  62 . The cylinder  14  is pivotally mounted to the storm or screen door  64  in a conventional manner. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 3-8  show a series of movements for the door  64  and door closer  10 . In  FIGS. 3A-3C , the door  64  is fully closed. The cylinder  14  and rod  16  extend at an angle of approximately 5 degrees from the plane of the door, when the door is closed. In the door closed position, the end  58  of the rod insert  50  is received in the notch  60  of the cam switch  20 , as shown in  FIG. 3C . The cam switch  20  is in a closed position and is biased to the outer end of the slot  28  by the spring  32 . 
         [0033]    As the door  64  begins to open, as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C , the rod  16  begins to retract from the cylinder  14  and the cam switch  20  moves inwardly along the slot  28  of the bracket housing  18  and track plates  22 , as seen in  FIGS. 4B and 4C . 
         [0034]    As the opening movement of the door  64  continues ( FIGS. 5A-5C ), the end  58  of the insert  50  moves out of the notch  60  of the cam switch  20 , and the cam switch  20  continues to move inwardly in the slots  28 . The second spring  40  pivots the cam switch  20  so that the second pin  31  moves into the head  29  of the slots  28 . 
         [0035]      FIGS. 6A-6C  show the door  64  in a fully open position, with the end  58  of the insert  50  completely disengaged from the cam switch  20  ( FIG. 6C ). The second spring  40  and the upper pin  31  in the head  29  of the slot  28  prevents the cam switch  20  from being pulled outwardly by the first spring  32  along the slot  28 . The cam switch  20  is pivoted inwardly to an open position by the spring  40 . 
         [0036]    As the door  64  begins to close, as shown in  FIGS. 7A-7C , the end  58  of the insert  50  is re-introduced into the notch  60  of the cam switch  20 , thereby pivoting the cam switch  20  so that the spring  32  will pull the pins  30 ,  31  outwardly along the slot  28 . As the door is nearing full closure, as shown in solid lines in  FIGS. 8A-8C , the spring  32  pivots the cam switch  20  against the end  58  of the rod insert  50 , thereby urging the door to a fully closed position, shown in broken lines in  FIGS. 8A-8C . Thus, the outward linear movement of the cam plate  20  along the slots  28  via the spring  32  provides a pivotal force on the rod insert  50 , rod  16  and cylinder  14  to automatically pull the door to the fully closed and sealed position, without user interaction. 
         [0037]    An alternative embodiment of the bracket door closer  12 A is shown in  FIGS. 9-11 . The primary difference between the alternative embodiment  12 A and the embodiment  12  shown in  FIGS. 1-8  is the use of a torsion spring  70  in the alternative embodiment, rather than the compression springs  32 ,  40  in the first embodiment  12 . Similar components are labeled with the same reference numerals in the alternative embodiment as in the first embodiment. 
         [0038]    More particularly, the torsion spring  70  includes opposite ends  72 ,  74 . The first end  72  is retained by a pin  76  extending through holes  78  in the bracket housing  18 . A bushing  80  extends through the housing  18  and the center of the spring  70 . The second end  74  of the spring  70  rests upon a lip or shelf  82  of the cam switch  20 . As seen in  FIG. 10 , the cam switch  20  may be comprised of plates  20 A,  20 B, and  20 C, with the center plate  20 B being sandwiched between the outer plates  20 A and  20 C. The shelf  82  is formed on the center plate  20 B. Alternatively, the cam switch can be formed as a one piece integral member. 
         [0039]    The function of the alternative embodiment closer  12 A is the same as the primary embodiment closer  12 . 
         [0040]    The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.