GB2412688A - Door edge finger guard - Google Patents

Abstract

A finger guard 10 for the gap between the hinged edge of a door and the frame is in the form of a gap cover strip 16 secured on one edge to a mounting strip 14 on the frame 30 and on the other edge to a mounting strip 18 on the door 31, The cover strip is generally planar, resiliently extensible across its width, and in use extends in a plane generally parallel to the door. The cover strip may be undulated of concertina-folded in cross-section.

Description

r 241 2688 A FINGERGI.ARD The present invention relates to a finQerguard

in particular but not exclusielv a fincrerguard which prevents fingers being trapped within a gap fonned between a door and door frame.

According to the present invention there is provided a fingercruard for mounting between a support frame and a leaf which is hingeclly mounted on the support fiance for moenent between a closed position and an open position. the leaf ha\ing an end edge defined at the juncture of an end face lo and a front face of the leaf' the end face of the leaf being closely spaced from the support frame ashen in its closed position to define a gap, the end face being snorted away from the support frame to cause said gap to be widened on movement of the leaf to its open position, the fingerguard including a first mounting strip for mounting on the support frame along one side of said crap and a second mounting strip for mounting ore said leaf along an opposite side of the gap, a cover strip having a pair of spaced longitudinal edges, one of said 10ngritudinal edges being secured to and aloe_ said first mounting strip and the other of said longitudinal edges being secured to and along the second mounting strip such that in use the cover to strip extends across and prevents access into said gap, the cover strip being generally planar and in use extends in a plane generally parallel to the front face of the leaf, the cover being resiliently extensible across its width as defined between said pair of longitudinal edges so as to have a mining width when the leaf is in its fully closed position and a maximum width :s when the leaf is in its fuller open position.

N7arious aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in hich: Figure I is a part perspective view of a fingerguard according to a first embodiment of the invention shown in situp Figures a. 2b are cross-sectional Views of the first embodiment shoNA'n in a fully contracted and fully extended condition. respectively, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional v few of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

N fingerguard 10 according to a first embodinnent of the present invention is illustrated in Figures I and 2 and comprises a first mounting strip]4, a cover strip 16 and a second mounting strip I 8.

o The cover strip 16 has a pair of longitudinal sides or edges 2O' 21 which are spaced apart frown one another to define the width of the cover strip 16.

The cover strip 16, inbetween the longitudinal sides 20, 21 has a planar body 94 which is adapted such that it is extensible in the widthwise > direction whilst remaining substantially planar to enable the width of the cover strip 16 to be increased and decreased between a minimum width dimension and a maximum width dimension ('illustrated schematically in Figures 2a, 2b as \7'ni, and \7'nax resl:)ectiN'ely).

JO As shown in Figures 1 and 27 in use, the fingerguard 10 is mounted on a door frame 30 and door leaf 31. The door leaf 31 has a door edge 32 at the juncture between a door end face 33 and door Wont face 34.

The door end face 33 is closely spaced fi-oll the door frame 30 to define a gap 38 therebetween. The door leaf 3] is hingedly mounted on the door frame 30 so as to be hingedly connected thereto for movement between a fully closed position (as shown in Figure 1) and a fully open position. The hinge axis about which the door leaf 31 moves is]oca.ted adjacent to the door edge 37.

Accordingly when the door leaf 31 movies towards its fully open position.

the end face 33 nn7es away from the door frame 30 to cause the gap 38 to evident particularly in the region of door edge 32.

The first mounting strip 14 is mounted on the door frame 3() close to the front face 34 and along one side of the gap 38. The second mounting strip 18 is mounted on the front face 34 along the opposite side of the gap 38.

Accordingly the coffer strip]6 extends across the gap 38 arid prevents access into it. The fingerguard 1() preferably extends along the full height 3. ofthe door leaf31.

As seen in Figures I and 2, the first and second mounting strips 14, 18 are arranged at 90 relative to one another with the planar body 24 of the cover strip 16 extending in parallel and along the front face 34. ]5

Accordingly, when the door leaf 31 is moved to its fully open position, the width of the body 24 is extended to its maximum width dimension Wmax and when the door leaf 3] is moved ba.cl; to its fully closed position, the body 24 is contracted back to its minimum width dimension Wmin.

A minor portion of the planar body 24 is caused to arc across the gap 38 as the door is opened and closed. Thus it will be appreciated that the extension and contraction of the planar body 24 primarily occurs within the plane of the planar body 24 and so the majority of the planar body 24 remains in a plane parallel to the Wont face 34 during opening and closing of the door leaf 31. This ensures that the fingerguard 10 of the present invention is relatively compact.

To enable the cover strip 16 to extend and contract lecithin a planer the body JO 24 is preferably formed fi^o2 a resilient plastics sheet which is formed into a series of undulations 4() and thereby define a concertinalike body. The undulations 4() are preferably of loop-like shape in crosssection having a pair of legs 41 extending from a base 4. Preferably the pair of legs 41 are Inca ardly inclined from their associated base 49 and each base 42 is preferably substantially flat. This enables adjacent bases 42 to be located in a closely spaced side by side manner arid provide the body 24 with substantially flat outer and inner faces.

It will be appreciated that extension of the body 94 to its maximum width Wax is causes by a pulling force exerted between the mounting strips 14.

JO I and that the pulling force causes the legs 41 to bend outwardly relative to their associated base 42.

Preferably the length of the legs 41 is chosen to ensure that extension of the body 24 to its maximum width Wn,ax is accommodated by resilient bending of legs 41 only and not stretching of the plastics sheet from which the legs 41 are fonned.

Preferably the juncture between each leg 4] and their associated base 42 is curved in order to spread the bending stresses evenly.

JO

Contraction of the body 94 from its maximum width WnaX to its minimum width Wnjn is achieved by resilient recovery of the bent legs 4 I back to their original positions as the door leaf is moved back to its fully closed position.

Preferably the cover strip 16 is moulded by extrusion from a suitable elastomers such as a conventional rubber, a silicone rubber, an ethylene propylene diene rnonoiller or a non-elastomeric material such as flexible polyvinylchl ori de.

A sealing Connation 50 is preferah]y provided on the ironer face of the planar body 24 adjacent to the longitudinal side 20 of the cover strip 6.

The sealing Connation 5() extends the full length of the cover strip 16 and preferah]y comprises two sealing lips 53 which project substantial]v perpendicularly away from the body 4 towards the front face 34 of the door leaf.

Preferably the lips 53 are integrally collected with the body 94 by being co-extruded therewith. The lips 53 may be foiled from the same elastomer from which the body 94 is formed or may be a different extrudable o elastomer.

Preferably as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the sealing Connation at least in part underlies the mounting strip 14 such that when the door deaf 3] is in its fully closed position the sealing Connation 50 is directly located between the front face 34 of the door leaf and the facing side 14a of the snorting strip] 4.

As schematically illustrated in Figure 3, the mounting strip 14 is preferably mounted on the Dame 30 so that its facing side 14a is spaced from the front JO face 34 by a distance DO which is less than the distance D, by which the terminal ends of the lips 53 project from the mounting strip 14.

Accordingly when the door leaf 31 is in its fully closed position, sealing lips 53 are compressed between the front face 34 and mounting strip 14 and so are resiliently urged into contact with the front face 34 to provide an effective seal.

It will be appreciated that, if desired the sealing Connation 5() may comprise one or more than two sealing lips 53.

JO It will be appreciated that the sealing formation 50 in combination with the mounting strip 14 and that portion of the cover strip 16 inbehT\een the sealing Connation >0 and strip 14 form an effective seal lo sealin=]y isolate tl:e gap 38 and so act to prevents smoke or sound passing from one side of the door leaf to the other thrc ucrh the gap.8.

s In the embodiment of Figure 2, the cover strip 16 is proN ided Edith enlarged rib formations 60 extending along its opposed longitudinal sides 20 21.

The rib Connations 60 enable the sides of the cover strip] 6 to be attached to a respective mountin' strip 14 18 by being secured within a closed channel 62 founded in the body of the mounting strip] 4] 8. Preferably each rib ](J Connation 6() is a push-fit within the receiving channel 62. With this arrangement, the mounting strip]4, ]8 may be fonned, prefeab]y by extrusion, from any suitable rigid material such as a metal, e.g. a] uminium or a plastics material.

s Preferably each mounting strip]4. 1 8 has a main body in the forth of an open topped channel having sides 66 and a bottom wall 67.

Preferably the strips 14, 18 are each secured to the frame 3() or door leaf 3] by fixing means 70, such as screws passing through the bottom wall 67. A JO capping strip 68 is preferably provided which is a snap-fit between the sides 66' the capping strip 68 serving to hide the fixing means 70 and improve the aesthetic appearance of the mounting strip.

The capping strip 68 is preferably extruded from a rigid or flexible poly!inylchloride.

The embodiment of Figure 3 is the saline as the embodiment of Figure 2 except for the namer of attachment of the cover strip] to the mounting strips]4, 18.

In this respect. in the embodiment of Figure 3. the sides of the cover scrip 16 are integrally coIected to the mounting ships 14. 18. Preferably the integral connection is achieved by co-extruding the cover strip 16 and the bodies of the mounting strips 14. 18 frown compatible plastics material such as rigid polNTNiny]chloride or polypropylene.

In the above described embodiments. the deaf comprises a door Leaf. It will be appreciated that the term deaf may apply to other types of planar body which are hirIgedly secured to a frame. such as for example a glazed assembly or window frame.

Claims (1)

1. CL MINIS

   ]. fingerruard for mounting hetN7een a SlJppO:: flame arid a deaf Which is hinged mounted OF the support fiance fo:- moN:e:Lnent betNNieDn Et closed position and an open position. the leaf havir_ are end educe defined at the juncture of al, end face and a fi-on: face of the leaf: the end face of the leaf Rein c]ose]N spaced foul: the sups France ache in its closed position to define a flap. the end fact- Heinz gloved an aN from the support frame to cause said trap to be:: idened on mo>7ern-nt of tl:e leaf tC! its open position.

   it! the fincercruard includillc, a first mountain strip for nlOUDtill" Oll the support France along one side of said gap and a second mounting Stlip fOI mOUiltill'r on said leaf aloncr an opposite side of the rap. a confer strip ha\Tintr a pair of spaced longitudinal eclges. one of said kin ritudiral edges being secured k' and agog said fist mounting strip and the other of said loncritudina] aches :- being secured to and along the second laountin_ strip such that in use the cotter strip extend) across and ple::ents acces.c; into said cap, the coffer strip being genel-allv planal- and in use extends in a plane cTeneralls parallel to the Font face of the leaf. the copier being resiliently e;ten..ible across its Width as defied between said pair of lontritudilal edges so as to have a OlilllUD) JO Width ashen the leaf is in its full:, closed position and a maximum Width ashen the leaf is in its fully opel1 position.

   9. A fingerruard according to Claire] Therein the cover strip. in crosssection7 comprises a series of undulations Which defile a concetina-lilie body.

   3. A fingercuard according to anti pleccdin 7 claim spheroid the cower >trip is extruded fi-om a suitable resilient plastics material. prefelabl\' an elastomer.

   4. A fingerguard according tO claim 3:herein each recounting Stlip is an extrusion formed from a suitable rigid material.

   5. A fin<Terrua.rd according to claim 4 Wherein the cover scrip and each mouriting strip are inteT,-aliN joined IN' being co-extruded With one anothe,-.

   6. .N finger-uard Generally as herein described Edith reference to andor illustrated in the a.ccolpan::ing drag ings.