Patent Publication Number: US-8539641-B2

Title: Door stop for sliding doors

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/468,839, filed Mar. 28, 2011, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to door stops and, more particularly, to a rounded channel with a ball sliding into the rounded channel to hold a sliding door in place when closed. 
     Current sliding door stops stick out about 4 inches from the wall into the isle when sharp edges. They are hazards to horses in the isles. Legs could be caught in these edges, resulting in lacerations. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an improved door stop for a sliding door so that the door will not swing or be pushed back and forth. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a door stop for a sliding door comprises a ball member having a ball formed on one end thereof; and a channel member having a channel formed on one side thereof, wherein the ball of the ball member is adapted to fit into the channel of the channel member when the sliding door is closed. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method for keeping a sliding door closed comprises attaching a ball member, having a ball formed on one end thereof, to a sliding door; attaching a channel member, having a channel formed on one side thereof, to a wall adjacent to the sliding door; and closing the sliding door to cause the ball of the ball member to fit into the channel of the channel member to keep the sliding door closed. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a door stop for sliding doors according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of a ball element of the door stop for sliding doors of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the ball element of the door stop for sliding doors of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the ball element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the ball element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the ball element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of a pipe element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the pipe element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the pipe element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of the pipe element of the door stop of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 1   
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a rounded channel with a ball sliding into the rounded channel to hold a sliding door in place. The device of the present invention is smaller than conventional devices and, thus, minimize the hazard to horses getting lacerations from the larger sized conventional door holders. The device of the present invention is provided as a two-piece kit, the first piece fitting on the siding door and the second piece fitting on a wall, such that the first and second pieces fit together when the sliding door is closed, holding and/or stopping the door in place. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 11 , a door stop assembly may include a ball member  10  and a channel member  12 . The ball member  10  may include a ball  16  attached to an angled member  14 . Typically, the angled member  14  forms a 90 degree angle in an L-shape. The ball  16  may be attached to a shorter end of the L-shaped angled member  14 . The ball  16  may be attached by welding  18 , adhesive, of the like. In some embodiments, the ball  16  may be formed as an integral piece with the angled member  14  during manufacturing. 
     Typically, the ball member  10  is made from metal, such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or the like. However, the ball member  10  may also be made from one or more other materials, such as plastic, composite, wood, or the like. 
     The ball member  10  may include one or more holes  20 . Typically two holes  20  are formed along the long end of the L-shaped angled member  14 . The holes  20  may be counter-sunk holes such that a screw can be flush with the angled member  14  when holding the ball member  10  in place. 
     The channel member  12  may include a generally flat plate  22  having a channel  26  attached to one face thereof. The channel  26  may be a round channel, such as a pipe. The pipe may be attached to the flat plate  22  by, for example, welding  30 , adhesive, or the like. In some embodiments, the pipe may be formed integrally with the flat plate  22  during a manufacturing process. The channel  26  may have one edge  28  cut at an angle, typically from about 10 to about 45 degrees from perpendicular. 
     Typically, the channel member  12  is made from metal, such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or the like. However, the channel member  12  may also be made from one or more other materials, such as plastic, composite, wood, or the like. 
     The channel member  12  may include one or more holes  24 . Typically two holes  24  are formed along the flat plate  22  of the channel member  12 . The holes  24  may be counter-sunk holes such that a screw can be flush with the flat plate  22  when holding the channel member  12  in place. 
     As shown in the Figures, the ball member  10  may include the round ball  16 . The shape of the ball, however, may be changed within the scope of the present invention, provided that the ball, regardless of shape, fits into the channel  26 . Similarly, the channel  26  may typically be round, however, other shapes may be included within the scope of the present invention, provided that the channel  26  accepts the ball  16  therewithin. 
     The ball member  10  may typically be attached to a sliding door, while the channel member  12  may typically be attached to a wall in a position to accept the ball  16  of the ball member  10  when the sliding door is closed. This configuration may be reversed within the scope of the present invention. 
     The below describes one particular embodiment of the door stop of the present invention. The sizes described below are exemplary sizes and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. 
     The sliding door stop of the present invention is made of two parts. The ball member  10  may be made from about ⅛″ by about 1″ flat steel with about a 1″ ninety degree bend with about a ⅝″ steel ball welded at the ninety degree bend end. Two ⅛″ counter sunk holes, about 1″ apart, may be formed in the center of the flat steel in the ball member  10  to fasten by two ⅛″ screws to the sliding door. When the door closes the steel ball slides into the channel member  12  that is fastened to the wall. 
     The channel member  12  may be made of about ⅛″ by about 1″ flat, typically steel, about 3″ long plus about 1″ of ¾″ pipe welded on the flat steel. Two countersunk ⅛″ holes, about 1″ apart, may be formed in the center of the flat steel in the channel member  12  to fasten by two ⅛″ screws to the wall. The ball  16  of the ball member  10  can slide into the channel  26  of the channel member  12 , holding and or stopping the door in place. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.