GB2340537A

GB2340537A - Door stop

Info

Publication number: GB2340537A
Application number: GB9817096A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Mckeon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-07
Filing date: 1998-08-07
Publication date: 2000-02-23
Also published as: GB9817096D0

Abstract

A door stop for restricting the movement of a door comprises a base (12), a first stop member (14) projecting from the base (12), and anchor means (22) coupled to the base (12) spaced apart from the first stop member. The anchor means (22) allows the door stop to be pivotally mounted on a floor and pivot between a door engaging state and a non-engaging state. Preferably the door stop comprises a second stop member (16) also projecting from the base (12), the second stop member being arranged between the first stop member (14) and the anchor means (22), or arranged so that the anchor means (22) is between the first and second stop members (14, 16).

Description

FB3868 A door stop The present invention relates to a door stop. In

particular, the present invention relates to a door stop for engagement with a door to restrict movement of said door about its hinge.

According to the present invention there is provided a door stop for restricting movement of a door, the door stop comprising a base; a first stop member projecting from the base; and anchor means coupled to the base, the anchor means being spaced-apart from the first stop member and being pivotably anchorable to a floor to allow pivotal movement of the door stop with respect to the floor.

Preferably, the door stop further comprises a second stop member which projects from the base in substantially the same direction as said first stop member and which is located between said first stop member and said anchor means, or is located substantially at said anchor means.

Alternatively, the second stop member is so located on the base that the anchor means is located between the first and second stop members.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a door stop according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the door stop of Figure 1 of the drawings; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the door stop of Figure 1 in situ. 10 Figure 4 is a side view of a second embodiment of the door stop according to the invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of the door stop of Figure 4 of 15 the drawings; Figure 6 is a plan view of the door stop of Figure 4, in situ.

Figure 7.a is a side view of the door stop according to a third embodiment of the invention; r-igure 7]2 is a plan view of the door stop of Figure 7.a; Figure 7-c is a plan view of the door stop of Figure 7.a, in situ.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of a door stop, generally indicated at 10, according to the invention. The door stop 10 comprises a base in the form of a bar 12 and first and second stop members 14, 16 fixed to the bar 12. The first and second stop members 14, 16 are substantially cylindrical in shape and are so fixed to the bar 12 that their respective longitudinal axes are substantially perpendicular with the longitudinal axis of the bar 12. The first and second stop members 14, 16 are mutually spaced-apart along the longitudinal axis of the bar 12 and project from the bar 12 in substantially the same direction as one another. In the present embodiment, the first and second stop members 14, 16 are fixed to the bar 12 by respective screws 18, 20, which screws 18, 20 are disposed along the longitudinal axis of the respective stop members 14, 16. It will be appreciated, however, that the first and second stop members 14, 16 can be fixed to the bar 12 using other conventional means or, alternatively, can be integrally formed with the bar 12.

Anchor means in the form of an anchor screw 22 and a washer 24 are coupled to the bar 12 via an aperture 26 formed in the bar 12. The aperture 26 is formed in the bar 12 substantially on the longitudinal axis of the bar 12 and is so located that the second stop member 16 lies between the aperture 26 and the first stop member 14. Alternatively, the aperture 26 is so located that the second stop member 16 is fixed to the bar 12 over the aperture 26.

Referring now to Figure 3, the door stop 10 is anchored, in use, to a floor 30 adjacent a door 32, which door 32 has a hinge 36 and a non-hinge side 34. To this effect, a hole (not shown) for receiving the anchor screw 22 is formed in the floor 30 by conventional means. The washer 24 is positioned between the floor 30 and the bar 12, and the screw 22 is located through the aperture 26 and the washer 24 to pivotally anchor the bar 12 to the floor 30. The arrangement is such that the first and second stop members 14, 16 project upwardly from the bar 12 in a direction away from the floor 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second stop members project perpendicularly upwards from the floor 30 but need not necessarily do so.

The door stop 10 is pivotable by a user (not shown) between a nonengaging position, in which the first and second stop members 14, 16 do not engage the door 32, and an engaging position, in which the non-hinge side 34 of the door 32 is located between the first and second stop members 14, 16. It will be appreciated that in the nonengaging position, the first and second stop members 14, 16 do not impede the opening/closing of the door 32 while in the engaging position, movement of the door 32 about its hinge 36 is restricted by the first and second stop members 14, 16. In Figure 3, the arrow A indicates movement of the door stop 10 from the non-engaging position to the engaging position. In use, the washer 24 friction between the bar 12 and the floor 30.

Preferably, the stop members 14, 16 are formed from rubber or plastics while the bar 12 is formed from steel or aluminium. It will be appreciated, however, that alternative conventional materials can be used. The first and second stop members 14, 16 must be sufficiently spaced-apart to allow the non-hinge side 34 of the door 32 to fit therebetween. The portion of the bar 12 between the first and second stop members 14, 16 must be sufficiently thin that it can pass between the door 32 and the floor 30.

In Figures 4 to 6 there is shown a second embodiment of the door stop, generally indicated at 110, according to the invention.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the door stop 110 has a base or bar 112, first and second stop members 114, 116 and anchor means in the form of an anchor screw 122 and a washer 124.

The first and second stop members 114, 116 are fixed to the bar 112 in a mutually spaced-apart relationship in a similar manner to that described for the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, however, the arrangement is such that the anchor screw 122 and washer 124 are located between the first and second stop members 114, 116.

Figure 6 illustrates the door stop 110 in situ. As for the first embodiment, the door stop 110 is pivotably anchored to a floor 130 adjacent a door 132. The door stop 110 is pivotable between a retaining state (shown in solid outline in Figure 6), in which the non-hinge end 134 of the door is retained between the first and second stop members 114, 116 and thus prevented from pivoting about its hinge 136, and a non-retaining state (shown in broken outline in Figure 6) in which the door 132 is free to pivot about the hinge 136.

The door stop 110 is positioned with respect to the door 132 so that, in the non-retaining state, the second stop member 116 lies in the path of the non-hinge end 134 of the door 132. Thus, when the door 132 is pivoted towards the door stop 110 and the door stop 110 is in the non retaining state, the non-hinge end 134 engages with the second stop member 116. Continued movement of the door 132 about its hinge 136 causes the bar 112 to pivot about the anchor screw 122 until the door stop 110 adopts the retaining state.

In Figure 6, the door stop 110 is shown holding the door 132 in a fully open state although it will be appreciated that the door stop 110 can equally be placed in a number of locations adjacent the door 132 to hold the door 132 in a number of respective positions. In the illustrated examvle, however, it can be seen that the door stop 110 is automatically pivoted from the non-retaining state to the retaining state upon opening of the door 132 by, for example, a user (not shown). When it is desired to close the door 132, the door stop 110 is manually pivoted into the non-retaining state by the user. 5 In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the second stop member 16, 116 is located over the aperture 26 and is thus located substantially at the anchor means. In such an embodiment, the second stop member 16, 116 lies in the path of the door 32, 132 in both the engaging and non- engaging positions. Hence, the second stop member 16, 116 always restricts the extent to which the door 32, 132 can be opened.

Alternatively still, it is envisaged that the door stop according to the present invention can comprise only one stop member, said one stop member being equivalent to said first stop member 14, 114. In such an embodiment, the door stop limits movement of the door in one direction only.

Referring now to Figures 7a-7-c of the drawings, there is shown a third embodiment of a door stop, generally indicated at 210. The door stop 210 is of similar construction to the door stops 10, 110 and similar numerals are therefore used to indicate like parts.

In the third embodiment, the door stop 210 is used to prevent the door 232 from opening fully. To this end, the door stop 210 is pivotably anchored to the floor 230 adjacent the non-hinge side 240 of a door frame or doorway 242 using the anchor screw 222. The door stop 210 has a first stop member 214 but no second stop member.

The door stop 210 is pivotable, as indicated by the arrow B, between a non-obstructing state (shown in dashed outline in Figure 7_Q) and an obstructing state (shown in solid outline in Figure 7-c).

In the non-obstructing state, the door stop 210 does not interfere with the path of the door 232 (indicated by the broken line C). In the obstructing state, the door stop 210 crosses the path C of the door 232 so that the first stop member 214 engages with the non-hinge end 234 of the door 232 as the door is opened. The arrangement is such that the door 234 is prevented from opening further once it engages the first stop member 214.

It will be appreciated that the extent to which the door 232 can be opened when the door stop 210 is in the obstructing state depends on the length of the bar 212.

Typically, the bar 212 is dimensioned to enable the door 232 to open far enough to allow a user to see a caller (not shown) outside of the door while preventing the caller from entering through the doorway or putting his foot between the door frame 240 and the non-hinge end of the door 232.

In use, before answering the door 232, the user can select whether or not to pivot the door stop 210 into the obstructing state. If the user decides to do so, then this is readily achieved by using his foot or by other suitable means. The caller can thus be prevented from passing through the doorway until his identity has been established at which time, if the caller is welcome, the user can readily pivot the door stop 210 into the nonobstructing state.

Conventionally doors can be obstructed in a similar manner by a door chain and slide arrangement. Such devices suffer from the disadvantage that the process of engaging and disengaging the chain and slide requires a certain amount of digital dexterity and can therefore prove difficult for elderly or disabled people. In contrast, the door stop 210 is extremely simple to use. In addition, the door stop 210 is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which can be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A door stop for restricting movement of a door, the door stop comprising a base; a first stop member projecting from the base; and anchor means coupled to the base, the anchor means being spaced- apart from the first stop member and being pivotably anchorable to a floor to allow pivotal movement of the door stop with respect to 10 the floor.

2. A door stop according to Claim 1 in which the door stop further comprises a second stop member which projects from the base in substantially the same direction as said is first stop member and which is located between said first stop member and said anchor means, or is located substantially at said anchor means.

3. A door stop according to Claim 1 in which the second 20 stop member is arranged on the base so that the anchor means is located between the first and second stop members.

4. A door stop substantially as hereinbefore described 25 with reference to Figures 1-3 of the drawings.

5. A door stop as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4-6 of the drawings.

6. A door stop substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7a-7c of the drawings.