Abstract:
A rotating door stop includes a base member which is mounted to a baseboard or other structure. A stop member is connected to the base member so that the stop member freely rotates about its longitudinal axis with respect to the base member. Because the stop member rotates, it cannot be grasped and unscrewed by a child.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention pertains generally to doors, and more particularly to a door stop which when installed rotates about its longitudinal axis and therefore cannot be removed by a child. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Door stops are attached to a baseboard or other structure to limit the travel of a door when the door is opened. The door stops are typically screwed into the baseboard using an attached projecting screw. A problem exists however in that children can unscrew and remove the door stop and possible injury themselves with the projecting sharp screw. The present invention solves this problem. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a rotating child-safe door stop which cannot be removed by a child. When the door stop is installed, the shaft of the door stop spins about the base, making it impossible to unscrew the door stop from the baseboard without a screw driver. As such, a child cannot unscrew the door stop and be injured by the projecting screw. 
   In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a door stop includes a base member and a stop member having a longitudinal axis. The stop member is connected to the base member so that the stop member may freely rotate with respect to the base member about its longitudinal axis. 
   In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the base member has a disk. The stop member has (1) a cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive the disk of the base member, (2) a lip for selectively capturing the disk, and (3) a compression mechanism for selectively placing the lip in an expanded state or a compressed state. With the lip in the expanded state the disk may be passed though the lip and received by the cavity. The compression mechanism may then be utilized to place the lip in the compressed state wherein the disk is captured by the lip and held within the cavity thereby rotatably connecting the stop member to the base member. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, when in the expanded state the lip has a first diameter, when in the compressed state the lip has a second diameter less than the first diameter, and the disk has a third diameter, wherein the third diameter is less than the first diameter and greater than the second diameter. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the compression mechanism includes (1) a sleeve which forms the cavity and the lip, the sleeve having a slot, (2) first and second bosses disposed on the sleeve on opposite sides of the slot, and (3) an adjustment screw connecting the first and second bosses, wherein by turning the adjustment screw the bosses may be brought closer together or further apart thereby compressing or expanding the lip. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the base member includes a mounting screw for attaching the base member to a baseboard. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, when the stop member is connected to the base member, a gap exists between the stop member and the baseboard. 
   Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a door stop in accordance with the present invention installed on a baseboard; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the door stop; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a stop member of the door stop; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the stop member; 
       FIG. 5  is an end elevation view of the stop member; 
       FIG. 6  is an opposite end elevation view of the stop member; 
       FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of a base member of the door stop; 
       FIG. 8  is an end elevation view of the base member; 
       FIG. 9  is an opposite end elevation view of the base member; 
       FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the base member installed on a baseboard; 
       FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of the stop member installed on the base member; 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view along the line  12 — 12  of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a partial cross sectional view showing how the base member is rotationally received by the stop member; 
       FIG. 14  is an exploded side elevation view of a second embodiment of the door stop; 
       FIG. 15  is an exploded side elevation view of a third embodiment of the door stop; and, 
       FIG. 16  is a side elevation view of the third embodiment installed on a baseboard. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there are illustrated perspective and exploded perspective views respectively of a door stop  20  in accordance with the present invention installed on a baseboard  500  or other structure. Door stop  20  includes a base member  22  and a stop member  24  having a longitudinal axis  26 . Stop member  24  is connected to base member  22  so that stop member  24  may freely rotate with respect to base member  22  in either direction about longitudinal axis  26 . 
   Now referring to  FIGS. 3–6 , there are illustrated top plan, side elevation, end elevation, and opposite end elevation views respectively of stop member  24 . Elongated stop member  24  has a cavity  28  (also refer to  FIG. 13 ) which is shaped and dimensioned to receive a disk  30  of base member  22  (refer also to  FIGS. 7–8 ), wherein when so received stop member  24  may freely rotate about its longitudinal axis  26 . Stop member  24  also has a substantially circular lip  32  (also refer to  FIG. 13 ) for selectively capturing disk  30 . Stop member  24  also has a compression mechanism  34  for selectively placing lip  32  in an expanded state (refer to  FIG. 5 ) or a compressed state (refer to  FIG. 12 ). With lip  32  in the expanded state disk  30  may be passed though lip  32  and received by cavity  28 , and compression mechanism  34  may then be utilized to place lip  32  in the compressed state wherein disk  30  is captured by lip  30  and held within cavity  28  thereby rotatably connecting stop member  24  to said base member  22  (refer to  FIG. 13 ). End  25  of stop member  24  comes in contact with the opening door. 
   In an embodiment of the invention, compression mechanism  34  includes a sleeve  36  which forms cavity  28  and lip  32 , sleeve  36  having a slot  38 . First  40  and second  42  bosses are disposed on sleeve  36  on opposite sides of slot  38 . A recessed adjustment screw  44  connects first  40  and second  42  bosses, wherein by turning adjustment screw  44  the bosses may be brought closer together or moved further apart. That is, adjustment screw  44  may be used to alter the diameter of lip  32  by changing the width of slot  38  (refer also to  FIG. 12 ). When lip  32  is in the expanded state it has a first diameter D 1  (refer to  FIG. 4 ). When lip  32  is in the compressed state it has a second diameter D 2  which is less than first diameter D 1  (refer to  FIG. 12 ). Disk  30  (refer to  FIG. 9 ) has a third diameter D 3  which is (1) less than first diameter D 1  so that disk  30  may enter cavity  28  when lip  32  is in the expanded state, and (2) greater than second diameter D 2  so that when disk  30  resides within cavity  28  and lip  32  is placed in the compressed state disk  30  is retained within cavity  28  by lip  32  (refer to  FIG. 13 ). 
     FIGS. 7–9  are side elevation, end elevation, and opposite end elevation views respectively of base member  22 . Base member includes disk  30 , shank  31 , and a mounting screw  33  for attaching base member  22  to a baseboard  500  (refer to  FIG. 10 ). 
     FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of base member  22  installed on a baseboard  500 . Mounting screw  33  is used to effect the installation. In this embodiment, disk  30  and shank  31  are attached to baseboard  500  by screw  33  so that disk  30  and shank  31  will not rotate about screw  33 . 
     FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of stop member  24  installed on base member  22 . In this view, disk  30  (refer to  FIG. 10 ) has been received by cavity  28  and lip  32  has been placed in the compressed state by compression mechanism  34  so that stop member  24  is rotatably connected to base member  22 . It is noted that a gap G exist between stop member  24  and baseboard  500  so that stop member  24  will not contact baseboard  500  and is therefore free to rotate with respect to base member  22  about longitudinal axis  26 . 
     FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view along the line  12 — 12  of  FIG. 11  showing lip  32  placed in the compressed state by adjustment screw  44 . That is bosses  40  and  42  have been moved together by adjustment screw  44  there reducing the diameter D 2  of lip  32 . 
     FIG. 13  is a partial cross sectional view showing how base member  22  is rotationally received by the stop member  24 . Disk  30  is inside cavity  28  and lip  32  has been placed in the compressed state thereby holding disk  30  within cavity  28 . 
     FIG. 14  is an exploded side elevation view of a second embodiment of the door stop generally designated as  120 . In this embodiment a sleeve  70  connects base member  122  to stop member  124 . Sleeve  70  has cavities  151  and  152  which receive disk  130  of base member  122  and disk  150  of stop member  124  respectively in a manner similar to embodiment  20 . 
     FIG. 15  is and exploded side elevation view of a third embodiment of the door stop generally designated as  220 , and  FIG. 16  is a side elevation view of door stop  220  installed on a baseboard  500 . This embodiment includes a base member  222  having a shank portion  221  having a first diameter D 4 . In the shown embodiment, base member  222  is a screw. Stop  220  further includes a stop member  224 . Stop member  224  includes a door stop portion  225  and a rotational portion  226 . Rotational portion  226  has a through hole  223  having a second diameter D 5  which is greater than first diameter D 4 . Rotational portion  226  is attached to baseboard  500  by base member  222  so that rotational portion  226  is rotatable about shank portion  221  of base member  222 . Door stop portion  225  may then be fixedly connected to rotational portion  226  so that stop member  224  may freely rotate with respect to base member  222  about longitudinal axis  227 . In the shown embodiment door stop portion  225  is press fit onto rotational portion  226 , however the clamping mechanism of embodiments  20  and  120  could also be utilized. 
   In terms of use, a method for installing a door stop, includes:
         (a) providing a baseboard  500 ;   (b) providing a door stop  20  including:
           a base member  22  having a disk  30 ;   a stop member  24  having:
               a longitudinal axis  26 ;   a cavity  28  shaped and dimensioned to receive disk  30  of base member  22 , wherein when so received stop member  24  may freely rotate about longitudinal axis  26 ;   a lip  32  for selectively capturing disk  30 ;   a compression mechanism  34  for selectively placing lip  32  in an expanded state or a compressed state;   
               
           (c) attaching base member  22  to baseboard  500 ;   (d) placing lip  32  in the expanded state;   (e) passing disk  30  through lip  32  and into cavity  28 ; and,   (f) using compression mechanism  34  to place lip  32  in compressed state wherein disk  30  is captured by lip  32 , wherein stop member  24  is rotatably connected to base member  22 .       

   The method further including:
         in step (b), when in the expanded state lip  32  having a first diameter D 1 ;   when in the compressed state lip  32  having a second diameter D 2  less than first diameter D 1 ; and,   disk  30  having a third diameter D 3 , wherein third diameter D 3  is less than first diameter D 1  and greater than second diameter D 2 .       

   The method further including:
         in step (b), compression mechanism  34  including:
           a sleeve  36  forming cavity  28  and lip  32 , sleeve  36  having a slot  38 ;   first  40  and second  42  bosses disposed on sleeve  36  on opposite sides of slot  38 ; and,   an adjustment screw  44  connecting first  40  and second  42  bosses, wherein by turning adjustment screw  44  the bosses may be brought closer together or further apart.   
               

   The method further including:
         in step (b), base member  22  including a mounting screw  33  for attaching base member  22  to baseboard  500  in step (c).       

   The method further including:
         after step (f), when stop member  24  is connected to base member  22 , a gap G existing between stop member  24  and baseboard  500 .       

   A second method for installing a door stop, includes:
         (a) providing a baseboard  500 ;   (b) providing a door stop  220  including:
           a base member  222  having a shank portion  221 ;   a stop member  224  having:
               a longitudinal axis  227 ;   a door stop portion  225 ;   a rotational portion  226  having a through hole  223  to accept base member  222 ;   
               
           (c) attaching base member  222  to baseboard  500  so that rotational portion  226  is rotatable about shank portion  221  of base member  222 ; and,   (d) connecting door stop portion  225  to rotational portion  226  so that stop member  224  freely rotates with respect to base member  222  about longitudinal axis  227 .       

   The preferred embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations, and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve an equivalent result, all of which are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims.