Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/448,401 filed Mar. 2, 2011. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a device for blocking drafts from exterior doors, windows and the like, wherein said device exhibits improved insulating capabilities and does not require installation hardware. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    With today&#39;s rising energy costs, many homeowners and individuals responsible for heating and cooling buildings and other structures are continuously looking for ways to reduce energy costs associated with heating and/or cooling the structure. One well known way of conserving energy and reducing heating and cooling costs is through weatherproofing. One particular method of weatherproofing is preventing drafts of hot or cold air to enter or leave the home or structure beneath exterior doors and/or windows. More specifically, during colder months it is desirable to prevent cold air from entering a home or other structure in the form of a draft from beneath an exterior door or window. Similarly, during warmer months, for example when the homeowner may have the air conditioning turned on, it is oftentimes desirable to prevent the air conditioned air within the home or other structure from escaping through the openings beneath an exterior door and/or window. 
         [0004]    Draft stopping or excluding devices are generally known in the art, and are somewhat useful for preventing or reducing drafts from entering a home, building or other structures from beneath exterior doors, windows and the like, and for preventing heated or air conditioned air from escaping. Many of these prior art draft stopping devices are comprised of a flexible elongated member filled with wood shavings, sand or some other form of insulation, but said devices do not include any form of insulation on the exterior of the device. Moreover, because these prior art devices are flexible, they tend to bunch up and not lie flat on the floor thereby allowing drafts to enter the structure, particularly because the devices do not have any form of insulation on their exterior surface. 
         [0005]    Other prior art draft stopping devices must be attached to the door or window with hardware such as screws, fasteners and the like. However, the need for such installation hardware tends to increase the manufacturing cost and, therefore, the price of the device, and can be time-consuming to install. Further, the installation hardware can cause damage to the door or window to which the draft stopping device is attached that could be costly to repair or replace when the device is removed from the same. 
         [0006]    Yet other prior art draft stopping devices, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,094, have an attachment means that extends beneath the bottom surface of the exterior door or window and allegedly holds the device in position as the door is being opened or closed. While this type of draft stopping device does not require the use of installation hardware, the opening and closing of the door to which this type of device is attached tends to cause the device to shift out of position and fail of its essential purpose (i.e., preventing drafts from entering the structure). Moreover, over time, the continuous opening and closing of the door tends to cause damage to the attachment means, as well as the draft stopping device, thereby also diminishing its usefulness. 
         [0007]    Consequently, there exists in the art a long-felt need for an improved draft stopping device that overcomes the limitations associated with the prior art. More specifically, there is a long felt need in the art for a draft stopping device that can be comprised of both interior and exterior insulation and that does not require the use of installation hardware. Finally, there is a long-felt need for a draft stopping device that is relative easy and inexpensive to manufacture and use, and that can be used with a multitude of different types of exterior doors and/or windows. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0009]    The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises an improved draft stopping device comprised of an elongated member and an exterior insulating material removably attached thereto, wherein said elongated member further comprises a core containing interior insulating material and does not require installation hardware to be utilized in conjunction with an exterior door or window. In an alternative embodiment, said elongated member may be a solid, and not have an interior core. 
         [0010]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the top and side portions of one embodiment of the draft stopping device of the present invention with an exterior insulating material comprised of carpet fibers. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the draft stopping device depicted in  FIG. 1 , illustrating the core and interior insulating materials. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of the draft stopping device depicted in  FIG. 1 , but with a solid elongated member (i.e., no core). 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the bottom and side portions of one embodiment of the draft stopping device depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the draft stopping device of  FIG. 1  positioned away from the interior side of a door, thereby permitting a draft (depicted by arrows) to enter the structure from beneath the door. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the draft stopping of  FIG. 4  properly positioned adjacent to, and in contact with, the interior side of the door. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. 
         [0018]    Referring initially to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of but one embodiment of the draft stopping device  100  of the present invention. Draft stopping device  100  is preferably comprised of an elongated member  110  with a generally square or rectangular shaped cross-section, though it is contemplated that other shapes could also be used, and is substantially wrapped or encompassed in an exterior insulating material  130 , each of which is described in greater detail below. Draft stopping device  100  further comprises a top portion  102 , side portions  104 , end portions  106  and bottom portion  108 . 
         [0019]    Elongated member  110  is preferably formed of a substantially rigid material such as plastic, though it is contemplated that other materials such as wood, metal, and the like could also be used affecting the overall concept of the present invention. Elongated member  110  preferably has a hollow core  112 , which can be filled with interior insulating material  115 , such as sand, fiberglass, foam, commercially available insulation, or the like.  FIG. 2  illustrates a cross section of draft stopper device  100  and illustrates but one embodiment of core  112  and interior insulating material  115 . Alternatively, it is also contemplated that elongated member  110  could be a solid (i.e., without hollow core  112 ), as is illustrated in  FIG. 2A . 
         [0020]    As an important aspect of the present invention, exterior insulating material  130  is preferably comprised of carpet fibers, though it is contemplated that exterior insulating material  130  could also be comprised of other insulating materials such as sponge, cloth, velvet, weather seal or the like without affecting the overall concept of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, exterior insulating material  130  covers a substantial portion (i.e., more than 50% of the overall surface area) of elongated member  110 . For example, exterior insulating material  130  may cover side portions  104 , end portions  106 , bottom portion  108  and substantial amount of top portion  102 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . Nonetheless, it is contemplated that other embodiments could also be employed. For example, exterior insulating material  130  could be applied only to the side portion  104  of draft stopping device  100  that is placed in contact with an interior portion  410  of an exterior door or window  400 . In yet another embodiment, exterior insulating material  130  could be applied to the top surface  102 , bottom surface  108 , and the side portion  104  of draft stopping device  100  that is placed in contact with an interior portion  410  of an exterior door or window  400 . 
         [0021]    Exterior insulating material  130  may be in the form of an expandable sleeve or sock that can be removably attached to elongated member  110  by slipping exterior insulating material  130  over elongated member  110 . When exterior insulating material  130  is removably attached to elongated member  110 , it can easily be removed for periodic cleaning. Alternatively, and particularly if exterior insulating material  130  is used only to cover portions of draft stopping device  100 , exterior insulating material  130  may be fixedly attached to the desired portions of elongated member  110  by any common means known in the art such as glue, staples, brad nails or other types of fasteners including, without limitation, hook and loop fasteners. 
         [0022]    Draft stopping device  100  can be sized and manufactured to accommodate user preference, though it is contemplated that draft stopper device should be between 30 and 40 inches in length as measured from one end portion  106  to opposite end portion  106 , between one and five inches in width as measured from one side portion  104  to opposite side portion  104 , and between one and five inches in depth as measured from top portion  102  to bottom portion  108 . Notwithstanding, the length of draft stopping device  100  should be at least equal to the width of the door or window  400  for which it is being used. 
         [0023]    Having now described the preferred embodiment of draft stopping device  100 , its use and usefulness will now be described.  FIG. 4  shows a preferred embodiment of the draft stopping device  100  of the present invention placed on a floor  420  in spaced apart relationship from the interior portion  410  of exterior door  400 . To install draft stopping device  100 , a user (not shown) simply positions device  100  on the floor  420  and against the interior portion  410  of exterior door  400 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 5 , thereby blocking the flow of air from beneath door  400 . More specifically, elongated member  110 , and the insulating material  115  contained therein, working in conjunction with exterior insulating material  130  prevents or substantially reduces the amount of draft that is otherwise permitted to pass beneath door  400 , as illustrated by arrows in  FIG. 4 . In an alternative embodiment in which elongated member  110  is a solid (i.e., without an insulation filled core), elongated member  110  works in conjunction with exterior insulating material  130  to prevent or substantially reduce the amount of draft that is otherwise permitted to pass beneath door  400 . 
         [0024]    Moreover, because elongated member  110  is substantially rigid it will not substantially deform or bunch up like the flexible draft stopper devices of the prior art when jostled or repositioned, which could result in the flow of unwanted air into and out of the home or structure. More specifically, the rigidity of elongated member  110  helps to ensure that the bottom portion  108  of draft stopping device  100  remains in relatively constant contact with the floor  420 , as best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Similarly, the rigidity of elongated member  110  also helps to ensure that at least one side portion  104  of draft stopping device  100  remains in relatively constant contact with the interior portion  410  of door  400 , when properly installed. Notwithstanding, draft stopping device  100  is light enough that it will not unduly interfere with the opening and closing of door or window  400 . For example, as door  400  is opened inward (i.e., in the direction of draft stopping device  100 ), device  100  will be pushed along floor  420  by the interior portion  410  of door  400 . Once door  400  is closed, user (not shown) can simply reinstall device  100  as described supra. 
         [0025]    As illustrated in the various FIGS., draft stopping device  100  may further comprise a handle  200 , which may be mounted to the top surface  102  of draft stopping device  100  for easy handling and positioning of device  100 . Alternatively, it is contemplated that optional handle  200  could also be attached to any of the side portions  104  or end portions  106  of draft stopping device  100  without affecting the overall concept of the present invention. In either instance, handle  200  may be attached to device  100  by any means commonly known in the art such as with screws, nails, glue, fasteners or the like, or it may be a plastic handle  200  molded as a single unit with a plastic elongated member  110 . It is also contemplated that a logo or other message  300  could be printed on, or attached to, draft stopping device  100 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]    What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Technology Category: 0