Abstract:
A multi-purpose door tool is designed specifically for door installation and repair. The door tool has a general “L” shape incorporating a plurality of level-indicating devices as well as measuring indicia, reference information, wedges, and lifting devices. It is also relatively small and can be produced inexpensively while remaining relatively durable and robust. The door tool can be used on a door and/or door frame to make them square and plumb; lift, wedge, and space them; check vertical and horizontal positioning and leveling; and determine appropriate measurements, locations, setbacks, etc. for door-related hardware. All of these tasks can now be accomplished with a single door tool instead of the plethora of tools formerly required to carry out all of these tasks.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/687,840 entitled DOOR TOOL and filed on May 1, 2012, which is specifically incorporated by reference herein for all that it discloses and teaches. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to residential and commercial construction, and more particularly to a door tool that simplifies the process of installing and/or repairing doors. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many years ago, doors in dwellings, businesses, etc. were often custom creations designed to fit the particular size and shape opening already present in a given wall. Eventually, a few standard sized and shaped doors were selected and wall openings began being built to accommodate pre-made, generic doors that could fit certain sized and shaped openings. Today, many doors can be purchased pre-assembled and pre-hung on a door frame. The framer or construction worker simply builds an opening in a wall of a certain size and shape and then ensures that the proper standard door and frame are selected and purchased for that opening. Although this is a much more streamlined and efficient means of building, buying, and installing doors, a significant amount of work and skill are still required to properly install the pre-assembled and/or pre-hung door into the standard wall opening. 
     In fact, not only does the construction worker that is tasked with installing doors need to be more skilled than a general worker, but he or she must also have a number of additional tools at hand in order to perform the door installation and/or repair. For example, it is common in the art for a door installation person to utilize a pry bar, a lifting bar, one or more levels, a plumb bob, one or more measuring devices, a reference paper/book, shims, and a number of squares and/or triangles. Because of the these extra tools, the relatively skilled type of construction worker required for door installation and/or repair, and the extra work time required, buildings with a larger number of doors will have a significantly higher cost of construction versus standard buildings. 
     What is needed is a tool that simplifies the installation and/or repair of doors so that a significantly fewer number of tools need to be employed and so that the job of installing and/or repairing doors can be done more quickly and easily. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment of the present invention comprises a multi-purpose door tool that is designed specifically for door installation and repair. The door tool is shaped somewhat like a standard carpenter&#39;s square or triangle; but in many ways, it is quite different from such known devices. From above, the door tool initially appears as a combination of both a carpenter&#39;s square and a triangle. It incorporations a plurality of level-indicating devices (e.g., level bubbles) as well as measuring indicia, reference information, wedges, and lifting devices. It is also relatively small and can be produced inexpensively while remaining relatively durable and robust. 
     The door tool can be used on a door and/or door frame to make them square and plumb; lift, wedge, and space them; check vertical and horizontal positioning and leveling; and determine appropriate measurements, locations, setbacks, etc. for door-related hardware. All of these tasks can now be accomplished with a single door tool instead of the plethora of tools formerly required to carry out all of these tasks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the front face of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the back face of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a right side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool being employed on a door frame to lift it into position; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a right side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. Furthermore, lists and/or examples are often provided and should be interpreted as exemplary only and in no way limiting embodiments to only those examples. 
     Exemplary embodiments are described below in the accompanying Figures. The following detailed description provides a comprehensive review of the drawing Figures in order to provide a thorough understanding of, and an enabling description for, these embodiments. One having ordinary skill in the art will understand that in some cases well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the front face  112  of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool  100 . The front face  112  is bounded on the bottom by the bottom edge  130  and the bottom face  132 , on the right side by the right edge  120  and the right face  122 , on the left by the left edge  150  and the left face  152  and on the top and left by the angled edge  140  and angled face  142 . Additionally, there can be a small face on the left called the left point  102  and a small face on the top called the top point  104  (not shown in  FIG. 1 , but it can approximately mirror the left point  102  in size and shape). The back face and other edges and surfaces are described in more detail in the other FIGs. below. 
     The bottom edge  130  and the right edge  120  form approximately a ninety degree angle, as do the bottom face  132  and the right face  122 . The front face  112  and the right face  122  form a right angle along the right edge  120 . The front face  112  and the bottom face  132  also form a right angle along the bottom edge  130 . The front face and the angled face  142  form an approximate right angle (this is preferred, but not strictly necessary) along the angled edge  140 . The front face  112  and the left face  152  form an approximate right angle (again, this is preferred, but not strictly necessary) along the left edge  150 . The top point  104  is preferably at a right angle to the front face  112  and the left point  102  is preferably at a right angle to the front face  112  as well. 
     Located within the front face  112  are a plurality of level indicating devices, they are not labeled in  FIG. 1 , instead look for more information in FIG.  2 . In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a number of measuring indicia are displayed. It is preferred to have a first measuring indicia beginning where the right edge  120  meets the bottom edge  130  and running along the bottom edge  130 . It is also preferred to have a second measuring indicia beginning where the right edge  120  meets the bottom edge  130  and running along the right edge  120 . Although the measuring indicia in  FIG. 1  is shown in quarters of inches increments, smaller or larger increments are contemplated as are other units of measurement such as millimeters, centimeters, etc. Additional indicia are illustrated, but not labeled and described until later FIGs. Also, see the descriptions below for more detail on the wedging and lifting shapes that are incorporated into the door tool. 
     The hanging means  119  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is a small hole, other hanging means are contemplated. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool  200 . Illustrated in  FIG. 2  are the left point  202 , top point  204 , hardware setback indicia  211 , front face  212 , exterior door indicia  213 , interior door indicia  215 , lifting step one indicia  216 , lifting step two indicia  217 , a plurality of measurement highlights  218 , a hanging means  219 , and all the surfaces and edges discussed above under  FIG. 1 . Additionally, a first level indicating device  260  and a second level indicating device  270  are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The measuring indicia shown in  FIG. 1  is not illustrated again in its entirety in  FIG. 2  in order to highlight other features of the door tool. 
     The right angle relationship between the right edge  220  and the bottom edge  230  is more clear in  FIG. 2 . Also, the left face  252 , right face  222 , bottom face  232 , angled face  242 , left point  202  and top point  204  are indicated, but not directly visible in  FIG. 2 . 
     The hardware setback indicia  211  illustrate exemplary indicia describing standard hardware setback measurements. In the example of  FIG. 2 , the measurements are two and three eighths inches, two and one half inches, and two and three quarters inches. The exterior door indicia  213  indicates a preferred exterior door width of one and three quarters inches and points to the proper position relative to that measurement on the door tool. The interior door indicia  215  indicates a preferred interior door width of one and three eighths inches. 
     The lifting step one indicia  216  informs the user that a door, door frame, or other material can be lifted by first placing the top point  204  under the item to be lifted, while the lifting step two indicia  217  informs the user that the second step in the lifting process is to step down on the lifting step two indicia  217 . This causes the door tool to act as a lever (see  FIGS. 3 and 4  for more detail on how this works) and lift the top point  204  upwards causing the door, door frame, etc. to lift upwards as well. 
     The first level indicating device  260  and the second level indicating device  270  are illustrated in  FIG. 2  as being the standard bubble level devices. When the nearest full straight edge  220  or  230  relative to the given level indicating device  260  or  270  is horizontally level, the bubble in the level indicating device  260  or  270  will be exactly spaced between the center lines therein. If the bubble is to the left of center, the left end of the edge  220  or  230  is above the horizontal relative to the right end of the edge  220  or  230 , respectively. Similarly, if the bubble is to the right of center, the right end of the edge  220  or  230  is above the horizontal relative to the left end of the edge  220  or  230 , respectively. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the back face  382  of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool  300 . The back face  382  is parallel to the front face  212  (see  FIG. 2 ) and forms a right angle relative to the right face  322  along the right back edge  324 ; a right angle relative to the bottom face  232  (see  FIG. 2 ) along the bottom back edge  334 ; and a right angle relative to the angled face  242  (see  FIG. 2 ) along the angled back edge  344 . The wedge face  384  also forms a right angle to the right face  322  along the right wedge edge  381 , it forms a right angle to the left face  252  (see  FIG. 2 ) along the left wedge edge  354 . 
     Also illustrated in  FIG. 3  are the hanging means  319  and the top point  304 . Although not shown in  FIG. 3 , a number of cut-out spaces could be incorporated as weight saving features. Additionally, the windows in the front of the door tool could also be incorporated in the rear so that the plurality of level indicating devices can be viewed from this side as well. 
     The line of contact between the wedge face  384  and the back face  382  is indicated by the back face angle edge  383 . The angle formed between the wedge face  384  and the back face  382  creates the shape that is necessary for the levering/lifting functionality of the door tool as described above. The user simply places the top point  304  under the object that is desired to be lifted with the wedge face  384  on the ground, and then steps down on the bottom edge  230  near the junction of the bottom edge  230  and the right edge  320 . This causes the back face angle edge  383  to act as a lever and lifts the top point  304  upwards thereby lifting the object as well. The wedge face  384  and the top face  212  can also act in concert to wedge apart two items simply by inserting the top point  304  between the two items and pushing the door tool into the gap. This action will automatically spread the two items apart (assuming they were not already too far apart and that they can be moved apart by such manual forces/means). 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a right side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool  400  being employed on a door frame  498  to lift it into position. Also shown are the right edge  420 , the right back edge  424 , the right wedge edge  481 , and the right face  422 . The door frame  498  is shown in dashed lines. As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the top point is placed under the door frame  498  with the wedge face against the floor. The bottom back edge is then forced off the floor by the shape of the door tool  400  creating a gap  488  between the floor and the bottom back edge. Application of downwards pressure on the bottom edge near where the bottom edge meets the right edge and in the direction indicated by the arrow  489  will cause the bottom back edge of the door tool  400  to approach the floor and the lever action will cause the top point and wedge face to lift off of the floor thereby lifting the door frame  498 . 
     In addition to the lifting feature of the door tool  400 , the tool  400  can also be used to square a door frame. Each upper corner of a standard door frame should come together in the corner at a ninety degree angle (or right angle). By placing the bottom face of the door tool  400  against the inside top surface of a door frame and the right face against an inside upright surface of a door frame, the proper angle of ninety degrees can be visualized and the two door frame pieces can be repositioned to bring them to the proper angle relative to each other. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a right side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a door tool  500 . The components illustrated include the right edge  520 , the right back edge  524 , the right wedge edge  581 , and the right face  522 . In addition to the squaring feature of the door tool  500 , the tool  500  can also be used to plumb a door frame. An upper corner of a door frame can be defined by a hinge upright frame piece and by a top crosspiece. They should come together in the corner at a ninety degree angle (or right angle) and it should be plumb. By placing the bottom face against a door in the frame and the right face against the hinge upright frame piece, such can be verified or the components can be moved as necessary. 
     In addition to the plumb feature of the door tool  500 , the tool  500  can also be employed on a door to mark it for installation of door-related hardware. The door tool  600  is placed with the bottom surface against a door and the measuring indicia along the bottom edge (see  FIG. 1 ) can then indicate the proper place to mark the door for installation of door related hardware. 
     While particular embodiments have been described and disclosed in the present application, it is clear that any number of permutations, modifications, or embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of this disclosure. 
     Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the embodiments should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the claims encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the claimed subject matter. 
     The above detailed description of the embodiments is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise embodiment or form disclosed herein or to the particular fields of usage mentioned above. While specific embodiments and examples are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the embodiments provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. 
     Any patents, applications and other references that may be listed in accompanying or subsequent filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of embodiments can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of various references to provide yet further embodiments. 
     In light of the above “Detailed Description,” the Inventor may make changes to the disclosure. While the detailed description outlines possible embodiments and discloses the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, embodiments may be practiced in a myriad of ways. Thus, implementation details may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the spirit of the embodiments as disclosed by the inventor. As discussed herein, specific terminology used when describing certain features or aspects should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the embodiments with which that terminology is associated. 
     While certain aspects are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects. 
     The above specification, examples and data provide a description of the structure and use of exemplary implementations of the described articles of manufacture and methods. It is important to note that many implementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.