The present invention relates to a seal device and, more particularly, to a removable draft exclude device for protecting against cold drafts or the like by creating a seal to close the gap between a door and its underlying floor.
The need to create a thermal barrier at the base portion of doorway is a continuing pursuit in the construction industry. Various patents have been issued for devices that are directly attached to the door or the threshold base and act to inhibit the flow of cold or warm air, moisture or dust into the open space of the room.
The early 1900 saw the evolution of a number of devices that essentially acted as rain guards. These were generally metallic in nature and required the installation of the device on the door, frame or both. U.S. Pat. No. 16,341 granted to Smith on Jan. 6, 1857, U.S. Pat. No. 641,139 granted to Ogan on Jan. 9, 1900, U.S. Pat. No. 924,434 granted to Cox on Jun. 8, 1909, U.S. Pat. No. 2,202,482 granted to Dahl on May 8, 1940, U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,393 granted to Oswald on Aug. 21, 1951 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,244 granted to Rapin on Mar. 26, 1957 all show the evolution of the weather strip from its most basic form to the more sophisticated versions. More recently, the mechanisms disclosed in the patents became more sophisticated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,865 issued on Mar. 26, 1991 to Procton shows a molded threshold seal with a compressible member which must be installed into a stationary threshold base to create a weather seal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,400 granted Jan. 28, 1992 to Bowman discloses a device that uses a cylindrical tube that fits into a slot cut into the base of the door. The cylindrical tube is self-leveling and regulated by pistons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,665 granted on Nov. 28, 1995 to Biebuyck discloses the creation of a seal by bringing together two interlocking plate and their associated flaps. One of the plates has to be permanently attached to the doorframe while the other is attached to the threshold frame.
All of the above mentioned inventions require permanent installation, which entails drilling of the door, base portion or both. There is then a high cost associated with the installation procedure. Past inventions must be up kept and adjusted by a professional at regular intervals. Furthermore there is an added expense in the replacement of the unit as it wears down and all of the above-mentioned devices are not generally intended for doors other than those facing the outside.
Other prior art documents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,094 to Gemmell and 5,475,948 to Parke and published patent applications 1,079,667 to Stow, 2,238,069 to Paget and 2,255,121 to Smith et al. of the United Kingdom disclose draught excluders without any length adjustable blocking members for adapting to the width of the door and/or elongated sleeve members, receiving the blocking members, adapted to partially fold under the door for enhanced sealing effect of the excluder.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a removable draft excluder device that obviates the above noted disadvantages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a removable draft excluder device that can easily be installed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a removable draft excluder device that can easily be removed for convenience of the consumer on per need basic and reinstalled at any other location.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a removable draft excluder device that is manufactured at a minimum cost.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a removable draft excluder device that can simultaneously guard air gaps between a door and its respective floor from both sides of the door.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a removable draft excluder device that can be adjusted to the width of the door.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a removable draft excluder device that have deformable sleeve members partially entering into the gap under the bottom of the door to improve the seal thereat.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable draft excluder for excluding draft by sealing a gap between a bottom surface of a door and an underlying floor surface, the door bottom surface defining a bottom surface length and two generally opposed bottom surface longitudinal edges, the latter defining a bottom surface width therebetween, the draft excluder comprises:
a first and a second sleeve, each having a generally elongated configuration for respectively receiving a first and a second blocking member;
a base section extending between the first and second sleeves and maintaining the latter in a generally parallel and spaced apart relationship relative to each other;
the first sleeve defining a sleeve first end, a longitudinally opposed sleeve second end and a sleeve length therebetween, the sleeve first end being closed and the sleeve second end being open; the first blocking member defining a blocking member first end, a blocking member second end and a blocking member length therebetween; the blocking member length being smaller than the sleeve length so that when the first blocking member is inserted into the first sleeve with the blocking member first end positioned adjacent the sleeve first end the first sleeve defines a sleeve foldable segment extending between a fold line positioned generally in register with the blocking member second end and the sleeve second end, the foldable segment being foldable about the fold line towards the sleeve first end into a folded configuration, the length of the foldable segment being generally proportional to the difference between the sleeve length and the blocking member length;
wherein when the first sleeve is in an unfolded configuration with the sleeve foldable segment extending generally collinearly from the remainder of the sleeve, the sleeve foldable segment allows the insertion and withdrawal of the first blocking member into and from the first sleeve; and wherein when the foldable segment is in the folded configuration an abutting section of the first sleeve positioned adjacent the fold line abuttingly contacts the blocking member second end for preventing axial movement of the first blocking member relative to the first sleeve; and
fastening means for releasably maintaining the foldable segment in the folded configuration;
whereby the draft excluder sealing the gap with the base section being in a generally underlying and an overlying relationship relative to the door bottom surface and the floor surface, respectively; and with each of the first and second sleeves, with a respective one of the first and second blocking members inserted therein, generally extending adjacent a respective one of the bottom surface longitudinal edges to simultaneously substantially abut the respective one of the bottom surface longitudinal edges and the floor surface.
Preferably, the fastening means is a hook and loop fastener.
Preferably, the blocking member length is substantially equal to the door bottom surface length.
Preferably, the base section extends integrally from both the first and second sleeves.
Preferably, the fastening means is secured to the base section adjacent the sleeve second end.
Preferably, the first and second sleeves are made out of a fabric material that is water impermeable.
Typically, the base section is stretchable in a direction transverse to the first and second sleeves so as to enable both of the first and second sleeves, with corresponding of the first and second blocking members inserted therein, to be simultaneously in abutment contact with corresponding of the bottom surface longitudinal edges.
Preferably, the first and second sleeves are spaced away from each other by a distance substantially equal to the bottom surface width.
Preferably, both first and second sleeves include a foldable segment.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable draft excluder for excluding draft by sealing a gap between a bottom surface of a door and an underlying floor surface, the door bottom surface defining two generally opposed bottom surface longitudinal edges, the draft excluder comprises:
a first and a second sleeve, each having a generally elongated configuration for respectively receiving a first and a second blocking member;
a base section extending between the first and second sleeves and maintaining the latter in a generally parallel and spaced apart relationship relative to each other;
each one of the sleeves defining a sleeve first end, a longitudinally opposed sleeve second end and a sleeve length therebetween, the sleeve first end being closed and the sleeve second end being open; each one of the blocking members defining a blocking member first end, a blocking member second end and a blocking member length therebetween; the blocking member length being smaller than the sleeve length so that when the blocking member is inserted into the sleeve with the blocking member first end positioned adjacent the sleeve first end the sleeve defines a sleeve foldable segment extending between a fold line positioned generally in register with the blocking member second end and the sleeve second end, the foldable segment being foldable about the fold line towards the sleeve first end into a folded configuration, the length of the foldable segment being generally proportional to the difference between the sleeve length and the blocking member length;
wherein when the sleeve is in an unfolded configuration with the sleeve foldable segment extending generally collinearly from the remainder of the sleeve, the sleeve foldable segment allows the insertion and withdrawal of the blocking member into and from the sleeve; and wherein when the foldable segment is in the folded configuration an abutting section of the sleeve positioned adjacent the fold line abuttingly contacts the blocking member second end for preventing axial movement of the blocking member relative to the sleeve; and
fastening means for releasably maintaining the foldable segment in the folded configuration;
whereby the draft excluder sealing the gap with the base section being in a generally underlying and an overlying relationship relative to the door bottom surface and the floor surface, respectively; and with each of the first and second sleeves, with a respective one of the first and second blocking members inserted therein, generally extending adjacent a respective one of the bottom surface longitudinal edges to simultaneously substantially abut the respective one of the bottom surface longitudinal edges and the floor surface.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds