The present Invention relates to a pinch guard*- a protectiv device for mounting on doors to prevent or reduce injurie due to pinching between the door and door frame when the doo is unintentionally closed, e.g., when a door is blown shut and of the nature disclosed in the preamble of the followin independent claim 1.

A great many different devices are known for the preventio of pinch injuries caused by closing of doors. Generally, these have the common feature that the door hinges ar designed to be capable of yielding to prevent pinch injuries between the door and the door frame on the hinge side of th door. Such injury may also be prevented by, for example, mounting a guard rail over the crack at the doorjamb to prevent children from inserting their fingers into this dangerous area. These various known solutions can be both expensive and complicated, and their use has not been particularly widespread.

The mentioned devices have no effect whatsoever in connection with prevention of pinch injuries at the door's free edge opposite the hinge edge.

From US patent no. 1,117,253 there is known a device for mounting on the free edge of the door opposite the hinge edge, designed to pivot out and come to rest between the door itself and the door frame with rapid closing of the door— for example, when a door is blown shut "— in order to reduce the force of impact, and thereby also reducing noise. This device comprises a pivotably mounted arm on the door itself, having a pliable lower section, for example, a rubber body, which swings out on movement of the door as a result of the generated centrifugal force, so that said body comes to rest

between the door itself and the frame. The arm together with the stop member will then pivot back so that the door may be completely closed. Aside from reducing impact and noise, this device would also contribute toward prevention of pinch injuries at the free edge of the door itself, inasmuch as the spacer member prevents complete closure of the door when it is unintentionally and rapidly shut.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a protective device against pinch injuries (a pinch guard) of a very simple construction, which will in all cases reduce the effect of pinch injuries to fingers that might come into the crack on the hinge side of the door, or on the opposite side thereto near the door handle, when the door is unintentional¬ ly closed, and where the pinch guard's spacer member will fulfill its purpose regardless of whether the door is closed rapidly or slowly.

This is achieved according to the present invention with the aid of the features disclosed in the characterizing clause o the following independent claim 1 and in the characterizin clause of the subsequent dependent claims.

We thus obtain a pinch guard that may readily be mounted o existing doors, and in a particular embodiment form th pinch guard designed with an undercut groove may be presse in onto the shaft portion of the door handle whereupon it i ready for use.

The invention will be described in more detail in th following, in connection with three embodiment forms shown i the drawings.

Figure 1 shows in perspective a pinch guard constructed i one part, which may easily be pressed in to fasten securel to the shaft portion of the door handle,

Figure 2 shows in perspective a second embodiment form of t pinch guard, and

Figure 3 shows a third embodiment form of the pinch guard.

The pinch guard as shown in the above mentioned three figur comprises, in general, a spacer member 3 movably mounted the side surface of a door 1, facing the door frame and the side edge opposite the hinge edge of the door 1. T spacer member 3 is movable between an active position whe it projects past the side edge la of the door 1, and passive position where it is contained entirely Inside t side edge la of the door 1. The spacer member 3 is actuat by force in the direction toward its active position and m be manipulated from both sides of the door 1 with the aid appropriate means.

The spacer member 3 may be pivotably mounted as shown figures 1 and 2 near or on the door 1, with the pivotab movement being limited by two stop means 4, 5; 4', 5' whi define active and passive position. The spacer memb extends outwardly from its mounting toward the side edge of the door 1 and pivots as a result of the force of gravi from its upper passive position to its lower active positio

In its active position where it projects past the side ed la of the door 1, the spacer member 3 will, on unintention closing of the door, remain situated between the door 1 a the door frame 2 and will thus prevent the door from slammi or closing tightly, as the spacer member 3 will cause a g to remain between the side edge la of the door 1 and the do frame 2. The width of this gap may be determined by means the thickness of the spacer member 3. This enables, at t same time, the provision of a gap between the side edge o the door 1 at the hinge edge and the door frame 2, whereb pinch injury to any fingers that might be found in said ga is prevented or reduced.

The pinch guard as shown in figure 1 comprises a spacer member 3 one end of which is formed with an undercut groove 6 extending crosswise thereto for pivotable engagement with the shaft portion 7a of the door's handle 7. At the end of the undercut groove 6 there are provided two striking surfaces constituting stop means 4,5 crosswise to the groove 6 above and below the grip member 7b of the door handle 7. The distance between the two stop means 4,5 permits some space between said means and the grip member 7b of the door handle 7, thereby allowing some play of movement whereby upon downward pressure on the grip member 7b, the spacer member 3 may be pivoted in from its active position when the door is being closed, while in its subsequent upward swing back to normal position — and if the door is closed — the grip member 7b does not press the spacer member 3 against the door frame 2.

This embodiment form of the pinch guard affords a very simple mounting thereof onto the shaft portion 7a of the door handle 7, involving quite simply pressing the undercut groove 6 onto the shaft portion 7a, where the pinch guard will be pivotabl secured. The pinch guard may be manipulated from both sides of the door by pressing down the grip member 7b of the door handle 7.

In a second embodiment form of the pinch guard as shown i figure 2, where the spacer member 3 is still pivotabl disposed, said spacer member 3 is pivotably mounted at poin 9 on an arm 8 and at the same time forms an extension of sai arm which projects from the shaft portion 7a of the doo handle 7. On the arm 8 there are provided stop means 4', 5' for limiting the pivotable movement of the spacer membe between active and passive position.

In this embodiment form, the arm 8 must be non-pivotabl disposed on the shaft portion 7a of the door handle 7. B designing the arm's 8 fastening means for engagement with th

designing the arm's 8 fastening means for engagement with th shaft portion 7a, in various ways, this embodiment of th pinch guard may be mounted on a wide array of different doo handles 7, ranging from door handles with rounded heads t handles with the most imaginatively configured grip member 7b.

In a third embodiment form of the pinch guard, as shown i figure 3, the spacer member 3' is slidably disposed in guide means 10 attached to the door 1, between an active an a passive position, and is spring-actuated in the directio toward its active position, where the spacer member projects past the side edge la of the door 1, thereby comin to rest against the door frame 2 upon unintentional closin of the door.

To manipulate the spacer member 3' from active to passive position, there is provided a carrier arm 11, secured to and projecting from the shaft portion 7a of the door handle 7 and in between two stop means 4* ' , 5' ' on the spacer member 3'. The distance between the stop means corresponds to at least the sliding length for the spacer member 3' between passive and active position, together with the width of the end section 11a of the carrier arm 11.

With the present invention there is thus provided a pinch guard of a simple and robust construction that is easy and inexpensive to produce and simple to mount. By virture of the three different embodiment forms, the pinch guard may be used on all possible types of doors where the door itself is hinged.