Door frame protector

• US 6,357,187 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matthew K. Haldeman
• Original Assignee: Matthew K. Haldeman
• Inventors: Haldeman, Matthew K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US09/406,079
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 527/170.1, 527/168, 527/170.3, 527/170.5, 527/170.6, 522/11, 494/62
• US Class Current: 52/211
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/028 used at protruding corners
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/88 Edge-protecting devices for door leaves astragals for double doors E06B3/365 ; finger guards for doors or windows E06B7/36

Abstract

A device for protecting the edge of a doorway. The device includes opposing contact edges which extend around the edge of a doorway to contact and grip opposing walls adjacent the doorway. The edge of the doorway, which may include a door frame, is enclosed within a protective space defined by the device. Alternatively, the device may be mounted on a doorway and an attached door so that both the edge of the doorway and a portion of the door are enclosed within a protective space defined by the device. The device may be modified in the field to fit doorways and/or doors of various sizes.

Claims

1. A door frame protector for temporary use on a doorway through a wall having opposing wall surfaces, comprising:

opposing contact edges adapted to contact and grip the opposing wall surfaces adjacent a doorway;

an impact-deflecting outer surface extending between the contact edges; and

an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface defining a continuous protective space along its length and between its contact edges and being sized to enclose, without contacting, an edge of the doorway when the contact edges are placed in contact with the opposing wall surfaces adjacent the doorway, wherein the protector is adapted to be cut anywhere along its length or cross-section with a knife to selectively resize the protector.

2. The door frame protector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the contact edges includes a protective cap to protect the wall surfaces, wherein the cap extends across the contact edge to prevent contact between the edge and the wall surface, and further wherein the cap is formed from a material adapted to prevent scratches to the wall surface.

3. The door frame protector of claim 1, further comprising cushioning material underlying at least a portion of the impact-deflecting outer surface.

4. The door frame protector of claim 1, wherein the outer surface is substantially rigid.

5. The door frame protector of claim 1, wherein the opposing contact edges are separated by a gap, and wherein the inner and outer surfaces are at least partially flexible so that the gap may be increased from an initial width to a larger flexed width.

6. The door frame protector of claim 1, wherein the inner surface is adapted to define a protective space sized to enclose, without contacting, a door frame mounted on the edge of the doorway so that the edge of the door frame is received into the slot and enclosed by the cylinder.

7. The door frame protector of claim 1, wherein the protector is at least substantially formed from cardboard.

8. The door frame protector of claim 2, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, cloth, and rubber.

9. The door frame protector of claim 3, wherein the cushioning material is at least substantially coextensive with the impact-deflecting outer surface.

10. The door frame protector of claim 6, wherein the protector is further adapted for use with a door frame having a door pivotally mounted thereon, and further wherein the protector is adapted to receive the door frame and a portion of the door within the protective space.

11. A method for protecting the edge of a doorway, comprising:

providing a substantially rigid, elongate cylinder having a slot extending along the length thereof, wherein the cylinder is adapted to be cut with a knife along at least one of its length or cross-section to resize the cylinder;

aligning the slot with the edge of the doorway; and

mounting the cylinder on the doorway so that the edge of the doorway extends into the slot and is enclosed by the cylinder.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising measuring the edge of the doorway and modifying the cylinder to fit the edge of the doorway by cutting the cylinder along at least one of its length or cross-section to enlarge the slot or shorten the length of the cylinder.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of mounting includes flexibly expanding the cylinder so that the slot extends around the edge of the doorway.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the doorway includes a door attached to the edge of the doorway, and wherein the step of mounting includes mounting the cylinder on the doorway so that the edge of the doorway and a portion of the door extend into the slot and are enclosed by the cylinder.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of mounting includes flexibly expanding the cylinder so that the slot extends around the edge of the doorway and the door.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the cylinder is formed at least substantially from cardboard.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the cylinder has a generally uniform cross-sectional configuration along its length to provide protection to the doorway along the entire length of the cylinder.

18. A door frame protector for temporary use on a doorway through a wall having opposing wall surfaces, comprising:

opposing contact edges adapted to contact and grip the opposing wall surfaces adjacent a doorway;

an impact-deflecting outer surface extending between the contact edges; and

an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface defining a protective space along its length that is sized to enclose an edge of the doorway when the contact edges are placed in contact with the opposing wall surfaces adjacent the doorway, wherein the protector is adapted to be cut along its length or along its cross-section to resize the gap or the length of the protector.

19. The door frame protector of claim 18, wherein the outer surface is formed at least substantially of cardboard.