Abstract:
A door safety device is disclosed. The door safety device includes a lock member, an attachment member carried by the lock member and an attachment device carried by the attachment member. A method of securing a sliding door in a closed position in a sliding door assembly is also disclosed.

Description:
FIELD 
   The present invention relates to devices for securing doors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a door safety device which is suitable for securing a sliding glass door in a closed position. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Sliding glass doors are often installed in homes to separate a patio or balcony, for example, from the interior of the home. A conventional sliding glass door has a fixed window pane and a sliding glass door which is slidably mounted in a track. The sliding glass door can be selectively closed by sliding the door to a position adjacent to the fixed window pane and opened by sliding the door to a position in front of the fixed window pane. When in the closed position, the door may be locked using a conventional locking mechanism and additionally secured by inserting a shortened broom stick, for example, between the edge of the door and the facing in which the fixed window pane is mounted. Persons must typically bend over to insert the stick in place in order to secure the door in a closed position or remove the stick in order to facilitate opening of the door. This may be difficult for persons who suffer from back problems or for the elderly, for example. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention is generally directed to a door safety device. In an illustrative embodiment, the door safety device includes a lock member, an attachment member carried by the lock member and an attachment device carried by the attachment member. 
   The present invention is further directed to a method of securing a sliding door in a closed position in a sliding door assembly. In an illustrative embodiment, the method includes providing a door safety device comprising a lock member, an attachment member carried by the lock member and an attachment device carried by the attachment member; and inserting the door safety device between the sliding door and the door facing in the sliding door assembly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a left side view of an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2A  is a sectional view illustrating an alternative technique for adjustably mounting a lock member on an attachment member element of an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of an illustrative sliding glass door assembly, illustrating an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention inserted in a door-securing position in the sliding glass door assembly to secure a sliding glass door in a closed position; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view, taken along section lines  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 , of an illustrative sliding glass door assembly, with a door safety device inserted in a door-securing position in the sliding glass door assembly; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of a sliding glass door assembly, with a door safety device according to the present invention inserted in a door-securing position in the sliding glass door assembly, more particularly illustrating a lock member element of the door safety device positioned in an upper position on an attachment member element of the door safety device; 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of a sliding glass door assembly, with an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device removed from the door-securing position in the sliding glass door assembly to facilitate opening of the sliding glass door; 
       FIG. 7  is a front view of an alternative illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a front view of an alternative illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention, with a lock member element detached from a clamp element of the door safety device; 
       FIG. 9  is a left side view of a clamp element of an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention, with the clamp element slidably and adjustably mounted in a clamp slot provided in the attachment member element of the door safety device; and 
       FIG. 9A  is a front view of a clamp element of an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-6  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . As shown in  FIG. 3  and will be hereinafter described, the door safety device  1  is suitable for securing a sliding glass door  13  in a closed position in a sliding glass door assembly  10 . The sliding glass door assembly  10  may be conventional and may include, for example, an opening  17  which is provided in a wall  11  of a home or business, for example. A window pane  12  is typically mounted in one half of the opening  17 , and a track  11   a  is provided in the bottom of the opening  17 . A sliding glass door  13  includes a door frame  14  which is mounted in the track  11   a , a door handle  15  which is provided in or on the door frame  14  and a door pane  16  which is provided in the door frame  14 . The sliding glass door  13  is capable of being selectively positioned in a closed position, in which the sliding glass door  13  is adjacent to the window pane  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , and an open position, in which the sliding glass door  13  is in front of the window pane  12  to permit ingress and egress through the open half  10   a  ( FIG. 6 ) of the sliding glass door assembly  10  adjacent to the window pane  12 . 
   The door safety device  1  includes a lock member  2  which may have a generally elongated configuration and may be metal, wood or durable plastic, for example. A cap  3 , which may be rubber or plastic, for example, may be provided on a distal end  2   a  of the lock member  2 . The door safety device  1  further includes an attachment member  6  which extends from the lock member  2 . The attachment member  6  may have a generally elongated configuration and may be metal, wood or durable plastic, for example. The attachment member  6  may be disposed at a generally perpendicular or 90-degree angle with respect to the lock member  2 . A proximal end  2   b  of the lock member  2  may be fixedly or adjustably associated with the attachment member  6 . For example, in one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a mount sleeve  4  is provided on the attachment member  6  and the lock member  2  extends from the mount sleeve  4 . The mount sleeve  4  slidably engages the attachment member  6  through a friction-fit or other mechanism in such a manner that the mount sleeve  4  can be adjusted to a selected position along the attachment member  6 , as indicated by the phantom lines in  FIG. 1 . In an alternative embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2A , a flange  2   c  extends from the proximal end  2   b  of the lock member  2 . A slot  6   a  is provided in the attachment member  6 . The flange  2   c  is slidably mounted in the slot  6   a  through a friction-fit or other mechanism in such a manner that the lock member  2  can be adjusted to a selected position along the attachment member  6  as the flange  2   c  slides in the slot  6   a.    
   An attachment device  7  may be provided on the attachment member  6  of the door safety device  1  to facilitate detachably securing the attachment member  6  to the window pane  12  or other element of the sliding glass door  10  in typical use of the door safety device  1 , as shown in  FIG. 3  and as will be hereinafter described. The attachment device  7  may be, for example, at least one suction cup. However, it is to be understood that the attachment device  7  may be any suitable alternative device, such as hook-and-loop fasteners, for example, which is capable of detachably securing the attachment member  6  to the window pane  12  or other element of the sliding glass door  10 . Furthermore, the attachment device  7  may be any combination of devices which are capable of securing the attachment member  6 . 
   In typical use, the door safety device  1  secures the sliding glass door  13  in the closed position in the sliding glass door assembly  10 . Accordingly, the sliding glass door  13  is initially positioned in the closed position in the sliding glass door assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 3 . The sliding glass door  13  may be locked in the closed position using a conventional locking mechanism (not shown). The door safety device  1  is then inserted between the door frame  14  of the sliding glass door  13  and the door facing inside the opening  17  in which the window pane  12  is mounted, as further shown in  FIG. 3 . Prior to insertion of the safety device  1 , the lock member  2  may be adjusted to a selected position along the attachment member  6 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Alternatively, the lock member  2  may remain positioned at the lower end of the attachment member  6 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The cap  3  on the lock member  2  typically engages the door frame  14  of the sliding glass door  13 , and the attachment member  6  engages the door facing inside the opening  17 . The attachment device  7  is attached to the window pane  12  of the sliding glass door assembly  10 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , to secure the door safety device  1  in an upright position. Accordingly, the lock member  2  with the attachment member  6  of the door safety device  1  span the gap between the door frame  14  and the door facing inside the opening  17  to prevent sliding of the sliding glass door  13  to the open position in the track  11   a . When it is desired to slide the sliding glass door  13  to the open position, the attachment device  7  is detached from the window pane  12  to facilitate subsequent removal of the door safety device  1  from the sliding glass door assembly  10 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a user (not shown) may insert the door safety device  1  in the sliding glass door assembly  10  and remove the door safety device  1  from the sliding glass door assembly  10  by manually grasping the attachment member  6 , thereby eliminating the need for the user to bend over during the insertion and removal steps. 
   Referring next to  FIGS. 7-9  of the drawings, an alternative illustrative embodiment of a door safety device according to the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  20 . The door safety device  20  includes an attachment member  21  which may have a generally elongated configuration and may be metal, wood or plastic, for example. An attachment device  30 , which may be a suction cup or hook-and-loop fasteners, for example, or any combination of attachment devices, may be provided on the attachment member  20 . A clamp  24  is provided on the attachment member  21  and, as shown in  FIG. 9 , includes a clamp interior  24   a  which is adapted to receive a lock member  32 . The lock member  32  may be a shortened broom stick or the like, for example. 
   The clamp  24  may be adjustably mounted on the attachment member  21 , as shown in phantom in  FIG. 7 . For example, a clamp slot  22  may be provided in the attachment member  21 . As shown in  FIG. 9A , a clamp flange  25  extends from the clamp  24  and is inserted in the clamp slot  22 . The clamp flange  25  may be fitted in the clamp slot  22  through a friction fit or other technique. A clamp tab  26  may be provided on the clamp  24  to facilitate finger adjustment of the clamp  24  along the attachment member  21 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , finger ridges  27  may be provided on the clamp tab  26 . It is to be understood that the clamp  24  may be adjustably mounted along the attachment member  21  using any suitable alternative technique which is known by those skilled in the art. 
   In typical use, the attachment device  30  secures a sliding glass door (not shown) in a closed position in a sliding glass door assembly typically in the same manner as was heretofore described with respect to securing of the sliding glass door  13  in the closed position using the door safety device  1  of  FIGS. 1-6 . Prior to use of the attachment device  30 , however, the lock member  32 , which may be a shortened broomstick or the like, for example, is attached to the clamp  24 , typically by inserting the lock member  32  into the clamp interior  24   a  of the clamp  24 . Therefore, when positioned in place in a sliding glass door assembly, the door safety device  20  is effective to prevent unauthorized opening of the sliding glass door in the sliding glass door assembly. 
   While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.