Abstract:
A protective device which closes and seals the gap which forms between a pivotally mounted door and its jamb. The protective device generally spans the door and jamb, and occupies and generally does not extend outside the gap. The protective device may include an elastic or resilient or expansive material or member, and a fastener securing the protective device at a selected orientation relative to

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to doors and closures, and more particularly, for an accessory to prevent people from inserting their fingers and other objects into the gap which exists between a door and its jamb when the door is opened. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Most doors are pivotally mounted to building to swing about a vertical axis. Doors are conventionally arranged to fit flushly to their associated door jambs. A gap is exposed when the door is swung open. Adults have little trouble with this gap, but children are apt to get fingers caught in the gap. 
         [0003]    Devices for sealing the gap exposed by a door have been proposed. Most of these are external to the gap and therefore project from the door and jamb to a degree that is unsightly or otherwise objectionable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention sets forth a gap protector for a door and jamb which avoids objectionable intrusion into the field of sight of an observer. The gap protector occupies the gap itself and expands so as to present a barrier covering the gap between the door and its jamb despite progressive increase in magnitude of the gap. 
         [0005]    The gap protector comprises a variable width expansible member disposed within the gap. According to one aspect of the invention, the expansible member may comprise a plurality of separate members which are urged apart, so that one member contacts the jamb and the other the door. Both members are pivotally connected to present a continuous barrier covering the gap. According to another aspect of the invention, the expansible member may be resilient. According to a further aspect of the invention, the expansible member may be elastic. 
         [0006]    Regardless of the nature of the expansible member, it is substantially limited to the void space existing between the door and its jamb, regardless of variations of this void space as the door swings open and shut, and does not unduly extend outside this void space. 
         [0007]    The gap protector includes a fastener for securing the gap protector to its mounting relative to the door and jamb. 
         [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide a covering for a gap which develops between a door and an associated jamb to which the door is pivotally connected, as the door is opened and closed. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the invention to limit the covering so that it occupies and generally does not extend outside the void space of the gap. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
         [0011]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is an environmental perspective view of one aspect of the invention, shown partly broken away. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of another aspect of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of a third aspect of the invention, shown partly broken away. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective detail view of a spring seen at the center left of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a fourth aspect of the invention, shown partly broken away. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective partial view of a fifth aspect of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective partial view of a sixth aspect of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a conventional hinge mounted door. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates the problem which is solved by the present invention. A door  2  is pivotally connected to an associated jamb  4  by a hinge  6  having a first hinge plate  8  and a pivotally connected second hinge plate  10 . The hinge  6  has a hinge pin  12  about which other hinge elements pivot, to enable the door  2  to assume any of a plurality of door angles, within a limited range. The hinge pin  12  conventionally may include an enlarged head to prevent the shaft of the hinge pin  12  (the shaft is not visible in the top plan view of  FIG. 8 ). 
         [0022]    The door  2  is shown in its closed position in broken lines. In the closed position, no gap which could entrap and injure a person&#39;s finger or fingers normally exists. However, as the door  2  is opened, an exemplary open angular position shown in solid lines in  FIG. 8 , a gap G is seen to develop. It is important to note that the gap G is accessible not only from the large opening shown at the upper portion of  FIG. 8 , but also from the side bearing the hinge  12 . In many cases, it is the latter approach that proves most dangerous to small children who have not yet developed awareness that the gap G exists and may injure them should a finger or fingers be inserted into the gap G and the door  2  closed. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a gap protecting arrangement  10  according to one aspect of the invention, for obstructing insertion of small objects (not shown) into the gap G which has been explained with reference to  FIG. 8 . The gap protecting arrangement  100  may include a generally Vee-shaped member  102  having a panel  104  and a second panel  106 . The panels  104  and  106  are joined at a joint  108  which may extend the full height of the panels  104  and  106 , as depicted. The first panel has a first contact surface  110  which may face a door jamb, such as the jamb  4  of  FIG. 8 , and a second contact surface  112 , which may face a door, such as the door  2 . The first contact surface  110  and the second contact surface  112  abut and contact the jamb and door, or in the alternative, come so close as to preclude insertion of a person&#39;s finger or fingers into the gap. It will be recognized that for purposes of preventing insertion of fingers into a gap, the first contact surface  110  and the second contact surface  112  may contact any solid object joined to the door or to the jamb, such as for example the hinge plate  8  and the hinge plate  10 . 
         [0024]    The first panel  104  and the second panel  106  collectively form an intervening barrier disposed to engage the first contact surface  110  and the second contact surface  112 . The intervening barrier so formed seals a gap such as the gap G shown in  FIG. 8  to entry of a person&#39;s fingers (not shown). To this end, the intervening barrier is dimensioned and configured to occupy the gap and to substantially avoid extending outside of the gap at all of the door angles, or angles which may be defined for example between the hinge plates  8  and  10  ( FIG. 8 ). 
         [0025]    The gap protecting arrangement  10  may include a fastener disposed to maintain the gap protecting arrangement  10  in operable position relative to the door and the associated jamb. The fastener may comprise a loop  114  and an arm  116  which connects the loop  114  to the generally Vee-shaped member  102  and holds the loop in a position from which it can overlie a nearby hinge such as the hinge  6 . The arm  116  engages the loop  114  at a predetermined orientation, and extends to and connects to the generally Vee-shaped member  102  to permit the latter to be secured to its operative position relative to the door and the jamb. Dimensions and configuration of the arm  116  may be varied to accommodate different hinge locations and dimensions. The loop  114  is dimensioned and configured to pass the shaft of a hinge pin, such as the hinge pin  12 . The loop will subsequently be entrapped between an enlarged head of the hinge pin and the rest of the hinge once the hinge pin is fully installed. This holds the generally Vee-shaped member  102  in a position wherein the first panel  104  and the second panel  106  are operably positioned to cover the gap. 
         [0026]    The gap protecting arrangement  10  may comprise a second fastener such as that having an arm  118  terminating at a second loop  120 , thereby being able to engage the head of a hinge pin at a hinge (not shown) located below the hinge  6 , as would apply to most doors which swing about vertical axes. It will be seen that the arm  118  is shorter than the arm  116 . This configuration is suitable where the arm  116  must span the length of the hinge itself, whereas it is contemplated that the panel  112  may terminate just above the lower hinge. The requirement for locating the lower loop  120  below the panel  112  is minimal, having to clear only the head of the hinge pin. Where provided with two fasteners, the gap protecting arrangement  10  is stably secured at two opposed ends. It is possible to utilize only one fastener, such as the arm  116  and the loop  114 , or alternatively, the arm  118  and the loop  120 , where desired. For example, a door (not shown) may have a lowermost hinge located sufficiently above the floor as to warrant a gap protecting arrangement dimensioned and configured to protect a short gap existing below the lowermost hinge. Such a gap would present only one hinge pin for attachment of a suitable gap protecting arrangement according to the present invention. 
         [0027]    The joint  108  is a pivotal joint in that its constituent material can flex sufficiently to enable the first panel  104  and the second panel  106  to abut a door and a jamb, such as the door  2  and the jamb  4 . The joint  108  may be of a material having inherent spring characteristics urging the first panel  104  apart from the second panel  106  such that an included angle defined therebetween is maximized in the absence of forces acting to close the door. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a gap protecting arrangement  200  according to a second aspect of the invention. The gap protecting arrangement  200  has a first panel  204 , a second panel  206 , and a loop  214  and associated supporting arm  216  which are generally functionally and structurally similar to their similarly named counterparts in the gap protecting arrangement  100  of  FIG. 1 . The gap protecting arrangement  200  has, in place of the flexible joint  108 , a pivotal pin joint  208 . The first panel  204  and the second panel  206  can pivot relative to one another in a manner similar to the hinge  6  of  FIG. 8  about an axis  220 . To this end, a pin  222  may be fixed to the first panel  204 , and may pivotally pass through a portion  224  of the second panel  206 . The pin  222  may have an enlarged head  226  to maintain the second panel  206  engaged with the first panel  204 . As with the gap protecting arrangement  100 , the gap protecting arrangement substantially occupies and remains substantially within the gap, such as the gap G of  FIG. 8 . 
         [0029]    The gap protecting arrangement  200  is shown assembled in  FIG. 3 , where a coiled spring  228  imposes spring force characteristics on the first panel  204  and on the second panel  206 , which spring force characteristics act to urge apart the first panel  204  and the second panel  206 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows the coiled spring  228  and its projecting fingers  230  and  232 , which respectively engage the first panel  204  and the second panel  206  to impose spring forces thereon. 
         [0031]    Turning now to  FIG. 5 , a gap protecting arrangement  300  is depicted. The gap protecting arrangement  300  comprises a wedge  302  of compressible material, such as an open cell elastomeric foam with memory properties. A first contact surface  310  is formed on one side of the wedge  302  and a second contact surface  312  is formed on an opposing side of the wedge  302 . An intervening barrier which spans the first contact surface  310  and the second contact surface  312  is provided by the constituent material of the wedge  302  which extends continuously from the first contact surface  310  to the second contact surface  312 . The first contact surface  310  and the second contact surface  312  are functionally equivalent to similarly named counterparts seen in the respective gap protecting arrangements  100  and  200 . In the gap protecting arrangement  300 , the fastener comprises adhesive  326  disposed upon at least one of the first contact surface  310  and the second contact surface  312 . The adhesive  326  may take the form of one discrete patch or alternatively may comprise plural patches of adhesive. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a gap protecting arrangement  400  according to still another aspect of the invention is seen to comprise a variably configured outer envelope  402  which distends responsive to opening and closing of the door, and an elastic inner material  404  contained within the variably configured outer envelope  402 . The variably configured outer envelope  402  may be pleated and may fold in accordion or bellows manner responsive to opening and closing of the door. The elastic inner member  404  is biased to expand, thereby urging the variably configured outer envelope  402  to fill the gap which is generated between the door and the jamb when the door is opened. The elastic inner material  404  may comprise an elastomeric foam, a gel, other elastic material, or any combination of these. 
         [0033]    A first contact surface  410  is disposed on one side of the variably configured outer envelope  402 , and a second contact surface  412  is disposed on an opposed side of the variably configured outer envelope  402 . The first contact surface  410  and the second contact surface  412  are functional equivalents of their similarly named counterparts in the gap protecting arrangements  100 ,  200 , and  300 . A fastener comprising adhesive  426  is disposed upon at least one of the first contact surface  410  and the second contact surface  412 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 7  shows a gap protecting arrangement  500  according to a further aspect of the invention. The gap protecting arrangement  500  comprises a variably configured outer envelope  502  which distends responsive to opening and closing of the door, and an elastic inner member in the form of a spring  504  contained within the variably configured outer envelope  502 . The variably configured outer envelope  502  may be similar to the variably configured outer envelope  402  in that it may be pleated and may fold in accordion or bellows manner responsive to opening and closing of the door. The variably configured outer envelope  502  is shown more distended or spread open than is the relatively collapsed configuration of the variably configured outer envelope  402  of  FIG. 6 . The spring  504  is biased to expand, thereby urging the variably configured outer envelope  502  to fill the gap which is generated between the door and the jamb when the door is opened. 
         [0035]    A first contact surface  510  is disposed on one side of the variably configured outer envelope  502 , and a second contact surface  512  is disposed on an opposed side of the variably configured outer envelope  502 . The first contact surface  510  and the second contact surface  512  are functional equivalents of their similarly named counterparts in the gap protecting arrangements  100 ,  200 ,  300 , and  400 . A fastener comprising adhesive  526  is disposed upon at least one of the first contact surface  510  and the second contact surface  512 . 
         [0036]    The present invention is susceptible to modifications and variations which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concepts. For example, although the invention has been described with respect to doors of the type typical of buildings, it may apply equally to hatches, gates, covers, closures of all types, and pivotal windows. 
         [0037]    Where it is desired that the expansible member of any of the aspects of the invention have volume greater than that of the gap, it would be possible to form the door or the jamb or both to include a recess for receiving volume of the expansible member. 
         [0038]    Although door orientation has been shown and described in terms of a vertical axis of pivot of the associated hinge, any orientation is contemplated. 
         [0039]    The present invention is not to be considered limited to the above descriptions and forms, but rather by the scope of the appended claims.