Patent Publication Number: US-6216396-B1

Title: Entryway protector

Description:
This application is a continuation U.S. application Ser. No. 09/223,985, filed Dec. 31, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,862. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a barrier device for protecting exposed structural surfaces from the inadvertent contact and possible deformation by furniture, equipment, construction materials and the like being moved. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The relocation industry employs numerous devices and methods in order to provide the quickest, safest and most inexpensive move possible for their clients. Moving companies and related industries constantly develop, test and refine innovative products so that such a move is possible. For example, moving companies often utilize lifting devices that are easily movable through constricted spaces, such as door frames. These lifting devices can safely secure a heavy load and allow just a single man to navigate the load in and out of buildings. These devices also reduce the risk of injury to movers. 
     A typical office mover employs several individuals, most of whom are loading and unloading furniture on and off of moving equipment or moving the furniture by hand. The moving equipment typically is pushed or pulled through the office, through the office doors, into an elevator, out of the elevator, and through the building&#39;s front doors. This procedure is repeated, in reverse, to move the furniture into the new office space. Throughout this moving process, edges and comers of, for example, a hand truck or the furniture can inadvertently come in contact with walls, doors and jambs, not only damaging the moving equipment and furniture, but also the wall, door and jamb surfaces. 
     Similar to the moving process above, customized construction in an office space can pose a similar risk to both the moving equipment and building materials, and the surfaces of the building&#39;s walls, doors and jambs. The expense of repairing damaged walls, doors and door jambs typically falls upon the building owner, the landlord or building management. Thus, movers and contractors rarely bring to the site protective pads to place between the moving loads and the exposed surfaces. Even so, movers and contractors want to minimize such damage to buildings to maintain a quality reputation. Thus, movers and contractors utilize moving equipment designed to avoid this type of damage. 
     One such product is the Spider Crane® used by Office Moving Systems of Atlanta, Georgia. The Spider Crane® lifts full lateral files with suction high enough to roll a specially designed steel dolly underneath the files. While the cabinet is held safely suspended, a member of the moving crew slides the steel dolly underneath the cabinet which is then gently lowered. This type of device not only reduces injuries, but also enables the client to minimize down time since the Spider Crane® lifts a full file cabinet. Thus, the client need not unload the cabinets and pack the files in boxes. The proper use of this type of device also reduces the expense to the moving company of patching and painting walls damaged by moving the cabinets through the office versus when cabinets are moved in more traditional ways, such as by a two-wheel dolly or hand truck, where there is less control over the cabinets while they are moved in and out of buildings. 
     Even with the best of care, there is always the risk of damage to property during the moving process. Damage is not confined to the items and products being moved, but can also be sustained by the office or residential structure itself which can be banged, dinged or scratched by the items or the moving equipment such as dollies and hand trucks. The transportation of construction materials through a building passageway also can cause damage, specifically damaging areas of narrowing in the passageway, which are typically at doorways and elevators. An inadvertent scrape can damage the paint, wallpaper and other building surface material. 
     Barrier-type protection is known for use inside an elevator during a move or construction project. It is common to find hanging mats in the service elevators of many buildings. These hanging mats provide protection to the interior panels of the elevators, which are subjected to the ingress and egress of construction materials and furniture. Not only are the interior panels of a service elevator subjected to scratches and dents, but so are the hallway walls in proximity to the elevator doors, and the entrance doors of the office or residence that typically are propped opened for the movement of such items. Yet these hanging mats are limited for use inside the elevator and are of little use in doorways. Generally, the interior of an elevator is designed with hanging attachments extending from the tops of the interior panels upon which the mats are hung. Such hanging attachments are not incorporated in the construction of, for example, the glass doors of a building&#39;s entrance, nor in the design of the jamb panels and hallway walls immediately exterior of the elevator doors. So protecting doors, jamb panels and hallway walls with the hanging mats would require invasive construction of hanging attachments. 
     There are devices known to provide barrier-type protection between products that have a tendency to jostle together during shipment and transportation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,564 to Howlett, Jr. discloses an inflatable air bag to buffer, support, or stabilize cargo loads within transport vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,438 to Goshorn et al., discloses an inflatable dunnage bag having an average burst strength of 27 psig. U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,509 to Enzu discloses an absorber inserted into furniture to temporarily secure goods stored in the furniture. when the furniture is transported. The absorber or fastening pad comprises a flat sealed bag having sides of absorbing members. 
     While it is known to use dunnage bags between items to protect them from the rigors of shipment, none of the art teaches a method of using, or a device incorporating, an equally easy to use and low cost device that can protect building surfaces from damage from furniture or construction materials moved into and out of the building through the building&#39;s doors and elevators. Therefore it can be seen that there is a need in the art for a lightweight, easily constructed, inexpensive, noninvasive and portable barrier-type device that can protect such building surfaces. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly described, in its preferred form, the present invention fills a need not presently addressed in the industry by providing an inflatable barrier device for use with elevator door jamb panels and entryway doors and jambs to protect the surfaces of these panels and doors from sustaining damage from collisions with moving equipment, building materials and furniture. The present invention is a protection device placed against the at risk wall or door surface. The device protects the surfaces from scratches and dents when furniture and construction materials inadvertently bang into these protected surfaces. 
     The present entryway protector is a barrier-type device that a landlord or property manager can quickly and easily install both to protect the elevator jamb panels and the sidewalls of the adjacent elevator hallway, and to protect open doors from scratches and dents. The invention preferably comprises two sections and a securing component. A main rectangular section is separated by a line of stitching from a smaller section, or minor rectangular flap. The main section preferably has an air mattress surrounded by and slipped within a protective sleeve of thick vinyl. The minor flap preferably is a padding-type material fully enclosed by the same vinyl covering. 
     In applications where the present invention is placed at the entrance of an elevator, the air mattress in the main section is inflated through a stem leading from the air mattress through a hole in the vinyl, until the main section is sufficiently rigid to remain upright when leaned against the surface to be protected. Upon inflation of the main section, the protector is placed so that the minor flap folds along a perpendicular edge of the inflated, main section. The minor flap is placed in contact with, and is hung against, the jamb panel in proximity to the elevator door using the securing component. Preferably, the minor flap is hung on the jamb panel using suction cups. The line of stitching is preferably aligned with the comer edge of the door jamb panel and the hallway wall in which the elevator is set. The main section extends along a portion of the length of the hallway wall from the comer edge, away from the elevator. In this configuration, both the jamb panel of the elevator and a length of the hallway wall are protected from contact with moving equipment, construction materials and furniture. 
     In another application, the protector can “hug” an open door, so the door can remain open while protected from construction materials or furniture moving in and out of the entrance. In this embodiment, the securing component can comprise loop and hook fasteners combined with straps extending from the main section to secure the protector around the door. In this manner, the door is hugged and secured snug by the protector. The protector is held in place by inserting the straps through the spaces between the hinges of the door, which are then secured to the minor flap. 
     The main section of the present invention remains upright without any wall attachment because this inflated section has a sufficiently wide bottom edge surface to support it in the upright position, and remains somewhat rigid by inflation. When the minor flap of the present invention is hung against the elevator jamb panel by the securing component, both panels remain upright, and thus stay in place even when contacted by furniture or equipment. 
     Other features of the present invention include its economical cost, its inflatable activation, and the ease in which the device snugs around a door and is supported near an elevator. Further, unlike furniture pads, the present invention remains in the upright position so the protection device does not crumple to the floor. In order to use furniture pads to protect the hallway walls, hanging attachments must be secured into the wall, which attachments necessarily damage the wall. Conversely, the present invention is noninvasive. 
     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, portable and inexpensive protection device to protect wall and door surfaces from collision with furniture, moving equipment and construction materials. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a protection device that can be easily inflated and placed in position by one individual. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a protection device comprising an inflatable main section with a padded, minor flap. 
    
    
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of an entryway protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a back view of an entryway protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a conventional air mattress used in conjunction with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows the entryway protection device of FIG. 2 with the air mattress of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the main section of the present protector according to another preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates a conventional hallway having an inset elevator. 
     FIG. 9 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention protecting wall surfaces in proximity to the elevator and hallway of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 illustrates a conventional doorway with a door propped opened. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention hugging the open door of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is one embodiment of the present invention having straps and loops in order to secure the present invention to the door of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is a front view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the entryway protector of FIG. 13 hugging an open door. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present entryway protector  10 . Preferably, the entryway protector  10  comprises a main section  20 , a minor flap  50  and a securing component  60 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, main section  20  comprises a sheet or cover  21  having a front face  22 , a back face  24  and top, side and bottom edge walls  26   t,    26   s,    26   b.  Main section  20  preferably is rectangular in shape, but can easily incorporate a variety of other shapes and sizes. The front face  20  and back face  24  of main section  20  are separated from one another by edge walls  26   t,    26   s  and  26   b.  Cover  21  can be designed as an integral cover  21 , or faces  20 ,  24  and walls  26  can be formed of separate sections, and woven, or joined by other known means, together to form cover  21 . The width of edge walls  26  define the depth of main section  20 , or the amount of protection between an exposed surface and the moving equipment, materials or furniture. 
     Main section  20  is formed much the same way as a fancy pillowcase with an outer cover surrounding a pocket into which a pillow is slipped and placed. Back face  24  of main section  20  comprises back face first flap  28  and back face second flap  30 . Back face first flap  28  terminates at cut line  32 , and back face second flap  30  terminates at cut line  34  shown in dotted line extending under back face first flap  28 . Back face second flap  30  folds under back face first flap  28  and into the pocket of main section  20 . Thus, entrance inside main section  20  and into the pocket, between front face  22  and back face  24 , can be had under cut line  32 . Overlying zone  40  is formed by back side first panel  28  overlying back side second panel  30 . 
     In this preferred embodiment, an air mattress  36  is inserted into the pocket of main section  20  and thereafter inflated to form an inflated main section  20 . In FIG. 4, the air mattress  36  is surrounded by the cover  21  of main section  20 . As shown in FIG. 3, generally air mattress  36  is provided with air valve  38 , which may be a conventional spring bias check valve, of the type used in inner tubes and vehicle tires, and is for the purposes of inflating the air mattress  36 . The air valve  38  may be heat welded or adhesively secured to the air mattress  36 . Preferably, a deflated air mattress  36  is first slipped into the pocket of main section  20 , and the stem of air valve  38  extended through hole  42  cut in back face  24  of main section  20 . Then air mattress  36  is inflated. It will be understood that the stem of air valve  38  can extend through cover  21  through a hole  42  located anywhere on main section  20 . 
     In preferred form, sheet or cover  21  comprises a puncture-resistant material so as to protect the inflated air mattress  36  from puncture, such as vinyl and the like which can provide main section  20  with an outer surface that can at least resist bumps and scraps from most construction materials. The cover  21  preferably provides puncture resistance against those objects and forces that typically contact building surfaces during moving or custom construction. The cover  21  also should be of suitable construction to provide a lightweight protection device  10 . 
     The shape of inflated main section  20  is primarily dictated by the shape of inflated air mattress  36 . Thus, in one embodiment, main section  20  comprises the shape of the rectangular air mattress  36 , which is fully encased by the outer, protective cover  21 . 
     Inflated main section  20  preferably has a bottom depth, or width of bottom edge wall  26   b,  sufficient to allow main section  10  to remain upright against a wall when main section  20  is inflated. To increase the stability of main section  20 , the width of bottom edge wall  26   b  can be increased by providing a cover  21  wider at the bottom edge wall  26   b  than top edge wall  26   t.  With no constriction by cover  21 , air mattress  36  would inflate into a generally rectangular shape having a constant width. Yet in this embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 5, cover  21  is designed to constrict the full inflation of air mattress  36  at its top and middle portions, while providing air mattress  36  greater freedom to expand beyond the width of side wall  26   t  in proximity to bottom edge wall  26   b.  This provides main section  20  with a larger base, increasing the ability of main section  20  to remain upright without external securing. This allows a single main section  20  to adapt to a variety of different air mattress designs, and decreases the amount of cover  21  needed to produce main section  20 . 
     Should protector  10  encounter a puncture or scratch that passes through the cover  21 , and the air mattress  36  is punctured, one need only replace a relatively inexpensive air mattress  36  to reuse the protector  10 . Alternatively, main section  20  can itself comprise an air tight cover  21  wherein main section  20  merely resembles an air mattress itself. Yet in this embodiment, should the surface  21  of main section  20  be pierced, the whole of main section  20  would need replacement or the hole could be patched. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the entryway protector  10  preferably further comprises minor flap  50 . Minor flap  50  attaches to main section  20  along a substantial length of main section  20  by a line of stitching  52 . The line of stitching  52  enables the minor flap  50  to rotate independent of main section  20  as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. As will be obvious, minor flap  50  alternatively can be secured to main section  20  by a number of well known methods, other than by a line of stitching  52 . 
     Minor flap  50  generally comprises a cover material similar to, if not the same as, the cover  21  of main section  20 . The covering material  51  of minor flap  50  has a front side  54  and back side  56 , both sides  54 ,  56  continuously connected by edge walls  58 . In a preferred embodiment, minor flap  50  comprises a stuffing of padding material surrounded by a closed vinyl cover  21 . Alternatively, like main section  20 , minor flap  50  can be separately inflatable, or inflated upon inflation of an air tight main section  20 . 
     Line of stitching  52  may comprise a side edge of both main section  20  and flap panel  50 , as shown in FIG.  6 . Alternatively, main section  20  and minor flap  50  can be ringed entirely by their respective edge walls  26 ,  58  as shown in FIG.  7 . As shown in FIG. 7, line of stitching  52  can connect two adjacent corners of main section  20  and flap panel  50 . 
     In use, entryway protector  10  protects exposed surfaces from deformation from dents and scratches produced by a collision with construction material, furniture and moving equipment. FIG. 8 depicts a conventional hallway  100  having an elevator  110  set back from the side walls  102 ,  104  of hallway  100 . As shown, side wall  104  typically includes button panel  106 , buttons  108  and elevator indicator  112 . 
     Elevator  110  includes elevator doors  114 ,  116 , set back from hallway walls  102 ,  104 . Hallway  100  typically further comprises elevator jamb panels  120 ,  122  that span the set back depth of elevator doors  114 ,  116 . These jamb panels  120 ,  122  are specifically prone to damage from moving objects in and out of elevator  110 . Jamb panels  120 ,  122  have a length A being the distance that elevator  110  is set back from hallway walls  102 ,  104 . Generally, hallway walls  102 ,  104  are perpendicular to jamb panels  120 ,  122 , respectively, thus producing ninety degree corners  124 ,  126 , respectively. The present invention  10  works equally as well with acute or obtuse corners  124 ,  126 . 
     In one application of protector  10  shown in FIG. 9, protector  10  is placed as a protective barrier over side wall  102  and jamb panel  120 , to protect these surfaces from construction materials and the like passing through elevator doors  114 ,  116 . Main section  20  is left free standing against a length of hallway wall  102 . The depth of main section  20  upon inflation, enables main section  20  to remain upright without attaching main section  20  to side wall  102 . Thus, hallway wall  102  remains free of distracting holes or extensions that would provide a hanging assembly for the conventional mat or pad. 
     Protector  10  wraps around comer  124  at line of stitching  52  so that minor flap  50  rests over jamb panel  120 . Minor flap  50  preferably extends a substantial width A of jamb panel  120 . A top view of the protector  10  shown in FIG. 9 is illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     The minor flap  50  may not have a sufficient width or rigidity to remain upright without being releasably hung to jamb panel  120 . Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention  10 , minor flap  50  is provided with securing component  60  comprising straps  61  on its back face  56 , as shown in FIG.  2 . Preferably, the strap portions  61  are formed in the top portion of minor flap  50 . Straps  61  are formed to receive a hanging attachment such as the extending hooks  64  of suction cups  62 . As shown in FIG. 9, suction cups  62  with extending hooks  64  preferably engage straps  61  of minor flap  50  to releasably secure minor flap  50  in an upright position against jamb panel  122 . Suction cups  62  have been found to work well on jamb panels  120 ,  122  which have smooth, flat, non-porous surfaces, of, for example, aluminum, marble, steel and formica. Use of suction cups  62  does not require any setup construction in jamb panels  120 ,  122 . It has been found that conventional plastic or rubber suction cups  62  provide enough suction to hold the minor flap  50  upright. 
     Alternatively, suction cups  62  may be formed integral with minor flap  50  as shown in FIG.  1 . The suction cups  62  can either be placed on the front or back sides  54 ,  56 , in any location so as to hold minor panel  50  against jamb panel  120 . 
     Thus described, protector  10  protects portions of hallway wall  102  and jamb panel  120  in proximity to elevator  110 . It will be understood that protector  10  can similarly protect hallway wall  104  and jamb panel  122 . Protector  10  is easily inflated and hung by just one individual, without in any way damaging hallway wall  102  or jamb panel  120 . Should an object either entering or exiting elevator  110  puncture main section  20  and deflate air mattress  36 , the protector  10  is removed from contact with hallway wall  102  and jamb panel  120  so that main section  20  can be fitted with a new air mattress  36 . 
     In another use of entryway protector  10 , the protector  10  is fitted around a door of a doorway through which the furniture, moving or construction materials pass. FIG. 10 illustrates a common doorway  200  having a door  210  with a handle  220  rotational fixed to a door jamb by hinges  212 . Doorway  200  can be a doorway to an apartment complex, office building, or any other type of building. Doorway  200  with door  210  typically creates an obstruction, or narrowing, of a hallway or other passageway in which the doorway is set. For this reason, the open door is often bumped into by objects moving through the passageway. 
     As shown in FIG. 10, door  210  has an inner surface  214  and an outer surface  216  opposed to surface  214 . Inner surface  214  is the exposed surface of door  210  because when door  210  is opened, surface  214  is vulnerable to bumps and scratches from objects traveling through the doorway  200 . Similarly, door width  218  is vulnerable to collision from objects moving through doorway  200 . It will be understood that should door  210  open the other way through doorway  200 , the exposed surface of door  210  would be surface  216 . 
     As shown in FIG. 11, door  210  can be wrapped behind entryway protector  10 ; thus, providing a barrier between moving objects or construction materials and a substantial portion of exposed surface  214  and width  218  of door  210 . As shown, minor flap  50  is placed over width  218  and wrapped around a portion of outer surface  216  of door  210 . 
     The main section  20  of protector  10  lies against a substantial portion of exposed surface  214  of door  210 , and again can remain upright upon inflation because of its bottom width. Unlike flap  50  if stuffed with padding, main section  20  resists bending to a degree relative to its amount of inflation. 
     In order to ensure protector  10  will remain in contact with the surfaces of door  210  even upon collision with furniture, moving or construction materials, securing component  60  can comprise belts  230 . Preferably, belts  230  adjustably secure main section  20  to minor flap  50  around the width of the door opposed to width  218 . Hinges  212  space the door  210  a distance away from the door jamb of doorway  200 . This distance allows belts  230  to pass through and around the width of door  210 . 
     In this embodiment, securing component  60  further comprises buckles and the like to lock the adjustment of belts  230  so that protector  10  stays in place around door  210 . For example, as shown in FIG. 12 belts  230  extend from edge wall  26  of main section  20 , and minor flap  50  is provided with a securing mechanism  232 . As shown, edge walls  26 ,  50  are those walls opposite the edge walls in proximity to the line of stitching  52 . The three ends  238  of belts  230  slip in and through locking mechanism  232  and secure protector  10  around door  210 . 
     It will be understood that other suitable embodiments of securing component  60  can be constructed. Belts  230  may extend from any suitable location on main section  20  and secure to minor flap  50  in any suitable location and by a variety of securing components. For example, securing components  60  may comprise snaps located on the free end  238  of belts  230  or a strap buckle assembly. In another embodiment, hook and loop fasteners can be used to secure belts  230 . Further, protector  10  can be secured to door  210  by similar means as described previously in relation to the elevator  110 . In this embodiment, no belts  230  would be required. 
     Other embodiments of protector  10  can be constructed. As shown in FIG. 13, entryway protector  10  can comprise a single inflatable unit  300  having a line of folding  302  providing a fold about which inflatable unit  300  can be folded to form configurations as discussed above. For example, FIG. 14 shows unit  300  wrapping around door  210  generally at line of folding  302 . 
     While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the following claims.