Patent Publication Number: US-6658696-B2

Title: Door hinge mounted container holder

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a door hinge mounted container holder for providing easy access to a container, such as a mace container, particularly for mounting such a container by a door for easy access when opening the door. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Crimes against persons are of growing concern. Many people feel safer when they have access to spray cans containing repelling substances such as mace or pepper solution. As a consequence, mace and pepper spray cans are increasingly popular. Frequently, people carry such spray cans in a purse, bag, or on a key chain, for use while traveling. However, they do not usually carry these items while at home. It may be necessary to use such a weapon when a threatening person is at the front door, or when an intruder is in the home and chases someone into a room. It is therefore desirable to be able to quickly and easily obtain access to a mace or pepper spray can while in the home. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,523 discloses a device for holding a deodorizing spray can that is operated by opening a door. A spray can is securely mounted to a bracket which is connected to two hinge plates. The hinge plates are secured to the hinge between the door and the wall by a hinge pin. The disadvantage of this device is that the spray can is firmly grasped by the holding device and parts of the device must be repositioned in order to remove the can, making retrieval in an emergency difficult. In addition, every time the door is opened the spray can is activated, which is not desirable when using a spray can with a repelling substance. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,732 discloses a combined intruder repellent and burglar alarm that is mounted above a door. When an intruder opens the door, an actuator releases a gas and activates an audible alarm signal. A disadvantage of this device is that, in order to function, the intruder must be standing in a limited area. Moreover, unless it is used with a safety device, an occupant of the house may forget that the device is activated and may accidently get sprayed by the device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,344 discloses an electrical actuator device for use with a spray can containing a repelling substance. The spray can is mounted outside a house, and a person actuates the spray can from inside the house. Disadvantages of this device are that the spray can is visible to a potential intruder outside so that it is accessible for deactivation, the potential intruder must be standing near the spray can for it to be effective, and the device is costly to manufacture. 
     Therefore, there is a need to provide a door hinge mounted container holder that is not visible to an intruder, that does not require any repositioning when retrieving the spray can, that does not trigger the spray can at undesirable times, that is not susceptible to deactivation by an intruder, and that is easy to manufacture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The door hinge mounted container holder of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems and meets the aforementioned needs by providing a housing having a body portion adapted to loosely receive a container such as a spray can of mace. The body portion is adapted for attachment to a door hinge and preferably includes a pair of door stops projecting therefrom. The door stops prevent the door from opening so far that a person cannot easily access the container. 
     Therefore, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved door hinge mounted container holder which is not visible to an intruder. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a door hinge mounted container holder that does not require repositioning of the parts in order to retrieve the spray can. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a door hinge mounted container holder that does not trigger at undesirable times. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door hinge mounted container holder that is easy to manufacture. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a door hinge mounted container holder that is not susceptible to deactivation by an intruder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a pictorial view of a first embodiment of a door hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 1B is a pictorial view of a door hinge onto which the door hinge mounted container holder of FIG. 1A may be mounted. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the door hinge mounted container holder of FIG. 1A, taken along a line  1 — 1  with the profile of the container shown in phantom lines. 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of a second embodiment of a door hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention. 
     FIGS. 4A-4C are plan schematic views of the door hinge mounted container holder of FIG. 3, showing stages of opening a door. 
     FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of a third embodiment of a door hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of the door hinge mounted container holder of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A first embodiment  10  of a door hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention is shown in FIG.  1 A. FIG. 1A shows the holder  10  holding a container  12  that may contain a repellent such as mace. However, the holder  10  may be used for holding any desired container that may contain any desired substance, including solid particles, without departing from the principles of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1B, the holder is adapted for attachment to a door hinge  16 , the hinge typically comprising hinge portions  16   a  and  16   b,  one being attached to the door  17   a  and the other being attached to the door jamb  17   b,  and being coupled together by use of a hinge pin  16   c  being inserted through respective apertures  16   d  and  16   e  thereof. 
     The container holder  10  includes a body portion  18 , preferably formed of a substantially cylindrically shaped tube. The tube has an open end  22  for loosely receiving the container  12 , and an opposite end  23  which may be open as well. The holder  10  is adapted, however, so that the intended container  12  will not fall through the end  23 , when the body is oriented as shown in FIG. 1A, as described below. While a tubular structure is preferably employed as the body  18 , any alternative structure that permits loosely receiving the container  12  may be employed as well, including such alternatives that do not completely surround the container  12 . 
     Turning to FIG. 2, illustrating the holder  10  in cross-section, the end  23  is preferably crimped to form a lip  32  that serves the aforementioned purpose of supporting the container  12 . Particularly, the lip  32  extends around the circumference of the inside wall  30  and creates a smaller diameter portion of the body  18  so that, when the container  12  is inserted into the holder, it rests on the lip  32 , rather than falling through the end  23 . 
     To permit attachment of the holder  10  to a door hinge, an attachment member  24  extends from an outside wall  26  of the body  18 . An aperture  28  extends through the attachment member  24  for alignment with the apertures  16   d  and  16   e  in the door hinge  16 . The attachment member  24  is shown in FIG. 1A as being a tab, but other attachment member structures, such as a projecting ring, can be used without departing from the principles of the invention. 
     A second embodiment  110  of a door hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3-4. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment and like parts are given the same number. An additional feature of this embodiment is that the container holder  110  has a pair of door stops  134  and  136  positioned approximately 90 degrees from each other around the circumference of the outside wall  26  of the container holder  110 . The door stops provide the additional feature of preventing the door from opening so far that access to the container  12  becomes difficult or impossible. Particularly, the door stops make contact with the door and door jamb to stop the opening of the door beyond a predetermined angle of access as discussed below. 
     The door stops are preferably formed of or include a plastic or rubber material to cushion contact with the door and the doorjamb, preferably so that neither is marked. The door stops may be attached to the container holder  110  by an adhesive. However, the door stops can be made from other materials and attached to the container holder by alternative means without departing from the principles of the invention. For example, the body  18  can be integrally formed with the door stops  134  and  136 , and the door stops can be coated with a cushioning material. Also, one or both door stops may be omitted, and the body  18  may be adapted in size or shape to serve the function of providing a door stop. 
     FIGS. 4A-4C show how the container holder  110  acts as a door stop. In FIG. 4A, the container holder  110  is attached to a hinge assembly between a closed door  150  and a doorjamb (or wall)  152 . The hinge pin  16   c  forms a pin joint. FIG. 4B shows the door  150  as it is being opened, the container holder  110  may or may not rotate along with the door hinge. In FIG. 4C, the door  150  is opened to a minimum access angle θ formed between the door and the door jamb  152 , which is as far as it can be opened due to the door stops  134  and  136 . The angle θ is selected to permit opening the door a sufficient amount for use as an entry or exit, but also to permit a person to access the holder  110  and the container  12 . Since the door typically opens to the interior of the room in which it is hung, the hinge pin aperture is in the inside of the room, thus preventing a potential intruder or other person from disabling it. 
     A third embodiment  210  of a door hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5-6. The third embodiment is similar to the other embodiments and like parts are given the same number. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that it has door stops whose length can be adjusted, so that the amount that the door can be opened can be varied. The doors stops  234  and  236  have threaded portions  238  and  240  that are connected to knob portions  242  and  244 . Threaded apertures  246  and  248  are made in the outside wall  26  through to the inside wall of the container holder  210 . The threaded portions of  238  and  240  of the door stops  234  and  236  are threaded through the apertures  246  and  248 , respectively. In order to decrease the amount that the door can be opened, the door stops  234  and  236  are unthreaded so that the knob portions  242  and  244  extend further out from the outside wall  26 . In order to increase the amount that the door can be opened, the door stops  234  and  236  are threaded in further, and the amount that the knob portions  242  and  244  extend from the outside wall  26  is decreased. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, another feature of the door stops  234  and  236  is that they may be used, instead of any other means, to support the container  12  (not shown in FIG. 6 for clarity). Particularly, when the container is placed in the holder  210 , it rests on the threaded portions  238  and  240  of the door stops  234  and  236 . The door stops  234  and  236  in FIGS. 5 and 6 are preferably formed of metal for durability, and the knob portions  242  and  244  are covered with a cushioning material, but other materials can be used without departing from the principles of the invention. 
     Returning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, in order to install and use the hinge mounted container holder  10 , the aperture  28  in the attachment member  24  is aligned with apertures  16   d  and  16   e  in the top of the door hinge  16 . The hinge pin  16   c  is inserted through the aperture  28  in the attachment member  24  and into the apertures  16   d  and  16   e  of the door hinge  16  in order to secure the container holder to the door hinge. A container  12 , such as a spray can of mace, is placed into the holder  10 . When someone arrives at the door, the container  12  can be reached and removed before the door is opened. Alternatively, if the door is opened, a person can place his or her arm between the door and the wall to quickly retrieve the container. A hinge mounted container holder according to the present invention can be mounted to the door hinge in every room in the house to ensure safety in all parts of the home. 
     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.