DOOR SAFETY GUARD

DISPOSITIF PROTECTEUR

English Abstract

A safety guard for blocking access to the hinges of a door during
closing of the door is described. The safety guard comprises a flexible guard
member, comprised of two outer rubber layers and an inner fabric layer, and
fastening means. The fastening means comprise a fastening strip including a
lip for insertion of an edge of the flexible guard member therein. The flexible
guard member is connected to the door and the door frame respectively by
inserting the edges of the flexible guard member into the lip of the fastening
strip and then passing screws through the lip of the fastening strip and the
edge of the flexible guard member and into the door or door frame. The
safety guard is connected to the door and the door frame on a side of the
door frame opposite the side of the door frame to which the door opens. As a
result of this arrangement, the safety guard blocks access to the hinges of a
door while the door is closing, thereby preventing individuals, such as small
children, from having the door closed on their fingers.

French Abstract

Dispositif protecteur pour bloquer l'accès aux charnières d'une porte pendant la fermeture, comprenant un élément flexible muni de deux couches extérieures de caoutchouc et d'une couche intérieure en tissu, et un dispositif de fixation. Le dispositif de fixation comprend une bande de fixation comportant une lèvre pour insérer un bord de l'élément flexible. L'élément flexible est raccordé à la porte et au cadre de porte respectivement en insérant ses bords sur la lèvre de la bande de fixation, puis en posant des vis à travers la lèvre de la bande de fixation et le bord de l'élément flexible, et dans la porte ou le cadre de porte. Le dispositif protecteur est raccordé à la porte et au cadre de porte sur un côté du cadre de porte opposé au côté du cadre de porte vers lequel la porte ouvre. Le dispositif protecteur bloque ainsi l'accès aux charnières de la porte pendant la fermeture, empêchant que la porte ne se referme sur les doigts des personnes, notamment des jeunes enfants.

Claims

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CLAIMS:
1. A safety guard for a door, said door comprising a door panel, a door
frame having a hinge jamb and a hinge mounting the door panel in the door
frame on the hinge jamb to swing to an open position with the door panel
extending to one side of the door frame and said safety guard comprising:
a flexible guard member; and
fastening means for connecting the flexible guard member to the
hinge jamb and the door panel on a side of the door frame opposite said one
side such that the flexible guard member blocks access to the hinge as the
door closes.
2. The safety guard according to Claim 1 wherein the flexible guard
member comprises edges and the fastening means comprises a fastening
strip, said fastening strip including a lip arranged for inserting the edges of
the flexible guard member therein.
3. The safety guard according to Claim 2 wherein the fastening strips are
connected to the door frame hinge jamb and the door panel by screws
inserted through the lip of the fastening strip and the edges of the flexible
guard member.
4. The safety guard according to Claim 1 wherein the flexible guard
member comprises two outer layers comprised of a flexible material and an
inner layer comprised of a flaccid material.
5. The safety guard according to Claim 4 wherein the flexible material is
rubber.
6. The safety guard according to Claim 4 wherein the flaccid material is a
fabrics material.

Description

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DOOR SAFETY GUARD
The present invention relates to a safety guard for a door. More
specifically, the present invention relates to a safety guard for blocking
access to the hinges of a door during closing of the door.
s
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
A common accident, particularly with young children, occurs when the
individual inadvertently places their fingers along the hinge jamb of a door
frame while the door mounted therein is closing and thus has the door shut
on their fingers. The danger is even greater when automatic doors are
involved, as these doors generally close with greater force than conventional
doors. Simply put, unprotected door hinges are an accident waiting to
happen. Clearly, a device for blocking access to the hinge jamb without
interfering with opening and closing of the door is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
It is one object of the invention, therefore, to provide a safety guard for
a door that blocks access to the hinges during closing of the door.
According to the invention, there is provided a safety guard for a door,
said door comprising a door panel, a door frame having a hinge jamb and a
hinge mounting the door panel in the door frame on the hinge jamb to swing
to an open position with the door panel extending to one side of the door
frame and said safety guard comprising:
a flexible guard member; and
fastening means for connecting the flexible guard member to the
hinge jamb and the door panel on a side of the door frame opposite said one
side such that the flexible guard member blocks access to the hinge as the
door closes.

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Preferably, the flexible guard member comprises edges and the
fastening means comprises a fastening strip, said fastening strip including a
lip arranged for inserting the edges of the flexible guard member therein. The
fastening strips are connected to the door frame hinge jamb and the door
5 panel by screws inserted through the lip of the fastening strip and the edges
of the flexible guard member.
The flexible guard member may comprise two outer layers comprised of
a flexible material and an inner layer comprised of a flaccid material. The
flexible material may be rubber and the flaccid material may be a fabrics
10 material. This arrangement produces a flexible guard member that is more
durable than one composed solely of rubber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES:
Figure 1 is a side view of the safety guard.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the safety guard with the door in the
open position.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the safety guard with the door in the
closed position.
20 DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
In one embodiment, the safety guard 1 comprises a flexible guard
member 10 and fastening means 12.
The flexible guard member 10 has a first edge 14 and a second edge
16. The flexible guard member 10 further comprises two outer rubber layers
25 18 and an inner fabric layer 20. This arrangement provides greater durabilityand flexibility than a flexible guard member 10 composed entirely of rubber.
In this embodiment, the flexible guard member 10 has a length of 48 inches
and a width of six and one-half inches.

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The fastening means 12 comprises an elongate fastening strip 22
including a lip 24 shaped and arranged for insertion of the edges 14, 16 of
the flexible guard member 10 therein, as described below. In this
embodiment, the elongate fastening strip 12 is approximately the same length
5 as the flexible guard member 10.
The safety guard 1 is connected to a door 26 comprising a door panel
28, a door frame 30 having a hinge jamb 32 and a hinge 34 mounting the
door panel 28 in the door frame 30 on the hinge jamb 32. The door 26 is
arranged to swing open to an open position with the door panel 28 extending
10 to one side of the door frame 30. The safety guard 1 is assembled as follows
and as shown in Figures 1-3. The first edge 14 of the flexible guard member
10 is inserted into the lip 24 of an elongate fastening strip 22. The elongate
fastening strip 22 is then positioned on the door panel 28 and connectors 36
are passed through the lip 24 and the flexible guard member 10 into the door
panel 28. The second edge 16 of the flexible guard member 10 is inserted
into the lip 24 of another elongate fastening strip 22. The elongate fastening
strip 22 is then positioned on the hinge jamb 32 and connectors 36 are
passed through the lip 24 and the flexible guard member 10 into the hinge
jamb 32. In the preferred embodiment, the connectors 36 comprise wood
screws. Of note is that the flexible guard member 10 is connected to the
hinge jamb 32 and the door panel 28 on a side of the door frame 30 that is
opposite the side of the door frame towards which the door 26 swings open.
As a result of this arrangement, the flexible guard member 10 blocks access
to the hinge 34 as the door closes, as described below.
In operation, the door 26 is initially in the open position, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2. As noted above, the flexible guard member 10 is connected
to the hinge jamb 32 and the door panel 28 on a side of the door frame 30
that is opposite the side of the door frame towards which the door 26 swings

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open. Of note is that the flexible guard member 10 is relatively taut and
blocks access to the hinge 34 while the door 26 is in the open position. The
door 26 is then swung towards the closed position, as shown in Figure 3. As
the flexible guide member 10 is flexible, the flexible guard member 10 bends
5 and does not hinder the closing of the door while continuing to block access
to the hinges 34. This in turn prevents the fingers of an individual, particularly
of a young child, from becoming inadvertently trapped between the door
panel 28 and the hinge jamb 32. In other embodiments of the invention, a
lesser or greater portion of the hinge jamb 32 may be blocked by varying the
10 length and/or the width of the safety guard 1 as desired.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein
above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same
made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such
spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying
15 specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Representative Drawing