Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING A PLURALITY OF DOORS IN AN UPRIGHT
POSITION, AND METHOD
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to doors and in
particular, to a
device for maintaining a plurality of doors in an upright position, and a
method.
Background of the Invention
[0002] During construction of a building such as a house or office
complex,
one or more doors may require treatment such as the application of paint or
finishing
materials such as stains and the like prior to being installed into a door
opening or
doorframe. One common method of positioning the door for treatment is to rest
the
door on one of its surfaces and treat the opposite surface. After the surface
has been
treated, the door is turned over and the untreated surface of the door is then
treated.
Such a method is time-consuming and requires excessive handling of the door.
Additionally, as the door is generally slanted during the treatment, excess
paint or
other finishing materials tend to collect in a particular location resulting
in an uneven
treatment.
[0003] To address such problems, door finishing racks have been
proposed
whereby the door is hung from a rack and is completely treated while supported
by
the rack. While such prior art devices work with varying degrees of
efficiency, they
tend to suffer from one or more drawbacks. Many door finishing racks are
unusually
complex in design and construction, making the racks expensive to manufacture
and
time-consuming to assemble and use. Exemplary door finishing racks of the
prior art
include United States Patents Nos. 2,814,321; 5,551,980; 5,894,945; and
6,702,130.
These devices have limited functionality and are large and cumbersome to
transport
from one construction site to another, thereby making such racks of limited
value to
builders. United States Patent No. 5,846,016 describes a portable device that
connects
to the hinge attachment location on the door, however, it is time-consuming to
affix
the device to the attachment location and subsequently remove it after
treatment has
been completed. Furthermore, there is a considerable risk of damaging the
screw
holes in the hinge attachment locations of the door by cross-threading when
attaching
the device to the hinge attachment locations.
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100041 Improvements are generally desired. It is therefore an
object of the
present invention at least to provide a novel device for maintaining a
plurality of
doors in an upright position, and a method.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] It should be appreciated that this summary is provided to
introduce a
selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the
detailed description. This summary is not intended to be used to limit the
scope of the
claimed subject matter.
[0006] Accordingly, in one aspect, there is provided a device for
maintaining
a plurality of doors in an upright position, the device comprising a body with
a
plurality of connecting portions extending therefrom, each connecting portion
having
a connecting surface configured to abut a side of one of the doors.
[0007] The body may have a triangular shape, and each connecting
portion
may be located at a respective vertex of the body. Each connecting portion may
be
equidistant from the other connecting portions. Each connecting portion may be
in
the form of a tab and has a score line formed therein adjacent the connecting
surface.
The score line may have a V-shaped section along its length to provide a line
of
reduced thickness. Each connecting portion may be configured to be bent along
the
score line. Each connecting portions may be coplanar along its length with the
body.
Each connecting portion may be in the form of an angled tab. Each connecting
portion may have a bore formed therein for accommodating a fastener. The
device
may be fabricated of a single piece of material.
[0008] In another aspect, there is provided a method of maintaining
a plurality
of doors in an upright position, the method comprising: connecting a device to
each of
the doors using a fastener, the device comprising a body with a plurality of
connecting
portions extending therefrom, each connecting portion having a bore formed
therein
for accommodating the fastener.
[0009] The connecting may comprise connecting the device to a hinge
plate
recess of each of the doors using the fastener. The fastener may be received
in a
hinge plate bore of each door. The method may further comprise: prior to said
connecting, removing a hinge plate from each of the doors. Each connecting
portion
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of the device may have a connecting surface, wherein said connecting surface
may
further comprise abutting each connecting surface against a side of each door.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[00010] Embodiments will now be described more fully with reference
to the
accompanying drawings in which:
[00011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for maintaining a
plurality of
doors in an upright position;
[00012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1, in
a use
configuration;
[00013] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of doors
maintained in the
upright position using the device of Figure 1;
[00014] Figure 4 is a top view of the plurality of doors of Figure 3
and the
device of Figure 1;
[00015] Figure 5 is a partially exploded view of one of the doors of
Figure 3,
showing a hinge plate and the device of Figure 1;
[00016] Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
device for
maintaining a plurality of doors in an upright position; and
[00017] Figure 7 is a perspective view of still another embodiment
of a device
for maintaining a plurality of doors in an upright position.
Detailed Description of the Embodiments
[00018] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description
of certain examples will be better understood when read in conjunction with
the
appended drawings. As used herein, an element or feature introduced in the
singular
and preceded by the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not necessarily
excluding the plural of the elements or features. Further, references to "one
example"
or "one embodiment" are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the
existence of
additional examples or embodiments that also incorporate the described
elements or
features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, examples or
embodiments
"comprising" or "having" or "including" an element or feature or a plurality
of
elements or features having a particular property may include additional
elements or
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features not having that property. Also, it will be appreciated that the terms
"comprises", "has", "includes" means "including by not limited to" and the
terms
"comprising", "having" and "including" have equivalent meanings.
[00019] As used herein, the term "and/or" can include any and all
combinations
of one or more of the associated listed elements or features.
[00020] It will be understood that when an element or feature is
referred to as
being "on", "attached" to, "connected" to, "coupled" with, "contacting", etc.
another
element or feature, that element or feature can be directly on, attached to,
connected
to, coupled with or contacting the other element or feature or intervening
elements
may also be present. In contrast, when an element or feature is referred to as
being,
for example, "directly on", "directly attached" to, "directly connected" to,
"directly
coupled" with or "directly contacting" another element of feature, there are
no
intervening elements or features present.
[00021] It will be understood that spatially relative terms, such as
"under",
"below", "lower", "over", "above", "upper", "front", "back" and the like, may
be
used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of an element
or feature
to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. The spatially
relative terms
can however, encompass different orientations in use or operation in addition
to the
orientation depicted in the figures.
[00022] Turning now to Figures 1 to 5, a device for maintaining a
plurality of
doors in an upright position is shown, and is generally indicated by reference
numeral
10. The device 10 is configured to be connected to three (3) doors 12, for
maintaining
the doors 12 in an upright and spaced position for treatment, such as the
application of
paint or finishing materials such as stains, and the like. When the device 10
is
connected to the doors 12, the sides of each door are simultaneously
accessible for
treatment.
[00023] The device 10 has a generally planar shape when not in use,
and
comprises a central, planar body 14 having three (3) connecting portions 16
extending
therefrom. In particular, the connecting portions 16 are each coplanar along
their
length with the body 14 when the device 10 is not in use. The device 10 is
fabricated
of a single piece of material, and in this embodiment the device 10 is
fabricated of
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) by injection molding. Each connecting portion
16
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is in the form of a tab, and has a bore 18 formed therein for accommodating a
fastener
22. Each connecting portion 16 extends radially from the body 14, and in
particular
each connecting portion 16 is spaced from the other connecting portions 16
such that
= when the device 10 is maintaining a plurality of doors 12 in the upright
position, the
sides of each door 12 remain accessible for treatment. In this embodiment, the
body
14 has an equilateral triangular shape, and each connecting portion 16 is
located at a
respective vertex of the body 14 and is equidistant from the other connecting
portions
16.
[00024] Each connecting portion 16 has a connecting surface
24 that is
configured to abut a side of the door 12. Each connecting portion 16 also has
a score
line 30 formed therein adjacent the connecting surface 24. The score line 30
has a V-
shaped section along its length, and provides a line of reduced thickness. As
will be
understood, each connecting portion 16 is configured to be bent along the
score line
30 to allow the connecting surface 24 to be brought into contact with a side
of the
door 12, during use.
[00025] In the example shown in Figures 3 to 5, the
connecting surface 24
abuts a hinge plate recess 42 of the door 12, which is configured to
accommodate a
hinge plate 44 forming part of a door hinge assembly (not shown). When the
device
is connected to the door 12, the bore 18 of the connecting portion 16 may be
aligned with a hinge plate bore 46 formed in the hinge plate recess 42 of the
door 12.
As will be understood, the hinge plate bores 46 are configured to receive
fasteners 22
for fastening each hinge plate 44 to the door 12, and in the example shown the
fasteners 22 are hinge screws.
[00026] In use, the device 10 is connected to a plurality of
doors 12 by first
removing hinge plates 44 from the doors 12. With the hinge plates 44 removed,
the
device 10 is connected directly to each door 12 by abutting the connecting
surface 24
of the connecting portion 16 against the hinge plate recess 42 of the door 12,
and
inserting a fastener 22 through the bore 18 into the hinge plate bore 46 of
the door 12.
This process is repeated until the three (3) connecting portions 16 are each
fastened to
a respective door 12. It will be understood that, once the device 10 is
connected
thereto, the doors 12 cooperate to hold one another in a stable upright
position. A
second device 10 may be connected to the plurality of doors 12 in the same
manner.
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[00027] As will be understood, if no hinge plate bore 46 exists, or
if another
already-formed bore (not shown) is desired to be used, the device 10 may
alternatively be connected directly to each door 12 by abutting the connecting
surface
24 of the connecting portion 16 against a side of the door 12, and either
forming a
bore in the side of the door 12 by driving the fastener 22 through the bore
18, or
inserting a fastener 22 through the bore 18 into the other, already-formed
bore.
[00028] As will be appreciated, the single piece construction of the
device 10
allows the device is simple in nature, and advantageously allows the device 10
to be
fabricated at lower cost than conventional devices for maintaining doors in an
upright
position.
[00029] As will be appreciated, the generally planar shape of the
device 10
when it is not in use advantageously allows the device 10 to be both shipped
and
packaged more compactly, and therefore at a lower cost, than conventional
devices
for maintaining doors in an upright position that do not have a generally
planar shape.
[00030] In other embodiments, the device may be differently
configured. For
example, although in the embodiment described above, each connecting portion
has a
single bore formed therein, in other embodiments, each connecting portion may
alternatively have two (2) or more bores formed therein. For example, Figure 6
shows another embodiment of a device for maintaining a plurality of doors in
an
upright and spaced position for treatment, generally indicated by reference
numeral
110. Device 110 is similar to device 10 described above and with reference to
Figures
1 to 5, and comprises a central, planar body 114 having three (3) connecting
portions
116 extending therefrom. In particular, the connecting portions 116 are each
coplanar
along their length with the body 114 when the device 110 is not in use. The
device
110 is fabricated of a single piece of material, and in this embodiment the
device 110
is fabricated of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) by injection molding. Each
connecting portion 116 is in the form of a tab, and has two (2) bores 118
formed
therein, each bore 118 for accommodating a respective fastener. Each
connecting
portion 116 extends radially from the body 114, and in particular each
connecting
portion 116 is spaced from the other connecting portions 116 such that when
the
device 110 is maintaining a plurality of doors 12 in the upright position, the
sides of
each door 12 remain accessible for treatment. In this embodiment, the body 114
has
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an equilateral triangular shape, and each connecting portion 116 is located at
a
respective vertex of the body 114 and is equidistant from the other connecting
portions 116.
[00031] Each connecting portion 116 has a connecting surface (not
shown) that
is configured to abut a side of the door 12. In this embodiment, each
connecting
portion 116 has the score line 30 formed therein adjacent the connecting
surface.
[00032] When the device 110 is connected to each door 12, one or
both bores
118 of the connecting portion 116 may be aligned with one or two hinge plate
bores
46 formed in the hinge plate recess 42 of the door 12. A fastener 22 is then
inserted
through each of the bores 118 into a respective hinge plate bore 46. If no
hinge plate
bore 46 exists, or if another bore is desired to be used, the device 110 may
alternatively be connected directly to each door 12 by abutting the connecting
surface
of the connecting portion 116 against a side of the door 12, and either
forming a bore
in the side of the door 12 by driving the fastener 22 through the bore 118, or
inserting
a fastener 22 through the bore 118 into the other, already-formed bore.
[00033] Still other configurations are possible. For example,
Figure 7 shows
still another embodiment of a device for maintaining a plurality of doors in
an upright
and spaced position for treatment, generally indicated by reference numeral
210.
Device 210 is generally similar to device 10 described above and with
reference to
Figures 1 to 5, but does not have a generally planar shape when the device is
not in
use. Rather, the device 210 comprises a central, planar body 214 having three
(3)
connecting portions 216 extending therefrom. Each connecting portion 216 is in
the
form of an angled tab, and has a bore 218 formed therein for accommodating a
fastener. Each connecting portion 216 extends radially from the body 214, and
in
particular each connecting portion 216 is spaced from the other connecting
portions
216 such that when the device 210 is maintaining a plurality of doors 12 in
the upright
position, the sides of each door 12 remain accessible for treatment. In this
embodiment, the body 214 has an equilateral triangular shape, and each
connecting
portion 216 is located at a respective vertex of the body 214 and is
equidistant from
the other connecting portions 216. The device 210 is fabricated of a single
piece of
material, and in this embodiment the device 210 is fabricated of polyurethane
by
injection molding.
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1000341 Each connecting portion 216 has a connecting surface 224
that is
configured to abut a side of the door 12. When the device 210 is connected to
the
door 12, the bore 218 of the connecting portion 216 may be aligned with a
hinge plate
bore 46 formed in the hinge plate recess 42 of the door 12. A fastener 22 is
then
inserted through the bores 218 into the hinge plate bore 46. If no hinge plate
bore 46
exists, or if another bore is desired to be used, the device 210 may
alternatively be
connected directly to each door 12 by abutting the connecting surface 224 of
the
connecting portion 216 against a side of the door 12, and either forming a
bore in the
side of the door 12 by driving the fastener 22 through the bore 218, or
inserting a
fastener 22 through the bore 218 into the other, already-formed bore.
[00035] Still yet other configurations are possible. For example,
although in
the embodiments described above, the body of the device has a triangular
shape, in
other embodiments, the body of the device may alternatively have a different
shape,
such as for example a generally circular shape. The body may alternatively
have still
other shapes.
[00036] Although in the embodiments described above, the device is
fabricated
of high-density polyethylene or polyurethane by injection molding, in other
embodiments, the device may alternatively be fabricated of another polymer by
injection molding. In still other embodiments, the device may alternatively be
fabricated of one or more other materials, such as metal sheet, metal plate,
wood, and
the like.
[00037] Although in the embodiments described above, the device is
fabricated
of a single piece of material, in other embodiments, the device may
alternatively be
fabricated of multiple pieces of material that are connected to form an
effectively
unitary device having a body with connecting portions. For example, in one
such
embodiment, the connecting portions may alternatively be separately fabricated
from
the body, and joined to the body to provide the device.
[00038] Although in the embodiments described above, each
connecting
portion of the device is equidistant from the other connecting portions, in
other
embodiments, each connecting portion may alternatively not be equidistant from
the
other connecting portions, provided that the sides of each door are accessible
for
treatment when the device is connected to the doors.
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[00039] Although in the embodiments described above, the device is
configured to hold three (3) doors, in other embodiments, the device may
alternatively
be configured to hold fewer than or more than three (3) doors, provided the
doors are
spaced sufficiently to allow the sides of each door to be accessible for
treatment when
the device is connected to the doors. For example, in other embodiments, the
device
may alternatively be configured to hold more than three (3) doors. If the
device is
used to hold up only one (1) door for finishing, it may be helpful to couple
at least one
other unused connecting portion to a door frame or to another supporting
structure, so
as to stabilize the device and the door.
[00040] Although in the embodiments described above, the connecting
portion
of the device defines a bore in the body of device, in other embodiments, one
of the
connecting portions may alternatively comprise a threaded protruding member
(not
shown). The threaded protruding member could be substantially elongate with a
diameter and outer threading commensurate with those of a hinge screw
configured to
engage the hinge plate bore of the door frame. With the device fastened to the
door
frame in this manner, one or more doors could then be connected to the device
in the
manner described above.
[00041] Although embodiments have been described above with
reference to
the accompanying drawings, those of skill in the art will appreciate that
variations and
modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined
by
the appended claims.
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