Hinge Mask

The present invention relates to masking devices for use during spray painting or similar operations.

Masking is a step commonly performed prior to spray painting in order to cover surfaces or objects that are not to be painted. One of the most troublesome objects to mask properly is a door hinge. Although the flat plates of the hinge can be masked without difficult, the hinge barrel is a cumbersome shape to which to apply masking tape. Furthermore, a hinge barrel masked with conventional masking tape will frequently become partially unmasked as a door is of necessity moved or articulated to allow spray painting of all of its surfaces. For this reason, hinges are often removed entirely prior to painting, a time-consuming step. In addition, when hinges are removed, it is important to keep track of the location from which each hinge on each door came, in order to ensure that all doors will operate properly once their hinges are replaced.

The present invention provides an inexpensive and easy to use hinge mask that will reliably mask hinges of various sizes, and that permits articulation of the door with the hinge mask in place.

In a preferred embodiment, the hinge mask of the present invention comprises a body composed of an elastic sheet material, such as latex rubber, and fastening means. The body has first and second body portions, the first body portion having first and second concabe sections and a center section. The concave sections are adapted to overlap the ends of a hinge barrel. The center section extends between the concave sections, and the concabe sections open toward the center section has a longitudinal opening extending between the concave sections. The second body portion comprises an elongated member having first and second ends. The first end of the second body portion is secured to the second concave section. The fastening means is connected to (i.e., affixed to or integrally formed with) the second body portion near the second end thereof, and includes means for securing the second end to one end of the hinge. A third body portion may also be provided secured to the first concave section. The fastening means may comprise a pair of hooks adapted to engage the hinge plates, or a loop adapted to engage the hinge barrel.

In another preferred embodiment, the hinge mask comprises a body having an elongated shape and first and second body ends. The first body end comprises first fastening means for both covering a first hinge barrel end and for securing the first body end to a corresponding first hinge end. Second body end comprises second fastening means for securing the second body end to the first hinge barrel end after the first body end has been secured to and is covering the first hinge barrel end. The length of the body between the first and second body end is selected such that the first body end can be secured to the first hinge barrel end, and the hinge mask then stretched such that it extends along one side of the hinge barrel, over the second hinge barrel end, and along the opposite side of the hinge barrel to the first hinge barrel end, whereupon the second body end is secured to the first hinge barrel end to mask the hinge. The first fastening means may include a concave section of the body or a looped shape element in combination with a flap.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the hinge mask of the present invention;

FIGS. 2-5 are a series of sequential perspective views showing the application of the hinge mask of FIG. 1 to a door hinge;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the hinge mask;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing the application of the hinge mask of FIG. 6 to a door hinge;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of the hinge mask;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the hinge mask; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the application of the hinge mask of FIG. 9 to a door hinge.

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the hinge mask of the present invention. The hinge mask 10 comprises body 12, flaps 14 and 16, and fasteners 20 and 22. Body 12 and flaps 14 and 16 are composed of an elastic sheet material, such as latex rubber, and fasteners 20 and 22 are composed of metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. Body 12 has a somewhat elongated shape, and includes ends 30 and 32 and intermediate section 34. Ends 30 and 32 both have concave shapes facing towards one another and toward center portion 34. Intermediate section 34 includes longitudinal opening 36 that extends essentially the full length of the center portion from end 30 to end 32.

Flaps 14 and 16 are secured to the inner surfaces of end 32 and end 30, respectively, and extend out of body 12 via opening 36. Flap 14 preferably has an overall length greater than the length of body 12, and has fasteners 20 and 22 fastened to its outer end. Fasteners 20 and 22 include hooks 40 and 42, respectively, the hooks extending toward body 12. Flap 16 is shorter than flap 14, having a total length that preferably is about one-third the length of body 12.

The use of hinge mask 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 2-5. FIG. 2 shows hinge mask 10 positioned adjacent hinge 50 that connects door frame 52 and door 54. Hinge 50 comprises hinge plates 56 and 58 and hinge barrel 60, the hinge barrel having upper end 62 and lower end 64. It is contemplated that during use of the present invention, plates 56 and 58 will be masked in place in a conventional manner using masking tape, and that hinge mask 10 will be used to mask hinge barrel 60.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first step in applying hinge mask 10 to hinge barrel 60 is to place concave end 30 over upper end 62 of the hinge barrel, such that flap 16 extends downward along the backside of hinge barrel 60, as shown in FIG. 4. Concave end 32 of the hinge mask 10 is then pulled downward until it is adjacent lower end 64 of hinge barrel 60. Flap 14 is then inserted between frame 52 and door 54 beneath hinge 50, and concave end 32 is placed over lower end 64. Flap 14 is then pulled upward along the backside of the hinge barrel, and hooks 40 and 42 are placed over the upper edges of hinge plates 56 and 58, respectively, as shown in FIG. 5. The hinge mask is dimensioned such that when the hinge mask is positioned as shown in FIG. 5, there is elastic tension in body 12 and flap 14, such that the hinge mask is securely held on the hinge.

The hinge mask 10 may be fabricated by any one of a number of different hand or automated processes. For producing a small number of hinge masks, a particularly simple fabrication method is to start with two elongated balloons having ends corresponding to the desired shapes and sizes of concave ends 30 and 32. In this arrangement, concave end 30 and center section 34 are fabricated from one of the balloons, and concave end 32 and flap 14 are fabricated from the second balloon. Line 38 then represents the seam between the two balloons, which are sealed to one another by any suitable adhesive. Alternate fabrication techniques are described below in connection with further embodiments of the invention.

Fasteners 20 and 22 may be adhesively secured directly to upper side 18 at the outer end of flap 14, as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, fasteners 20 and 22 could be secured to the underside of flap 14, as viewed in FIG. 1, such that only hooks 40 and 42 extend through the flap to upper side 18. Other conventional fastening techniques could be used. The sizes and shapes of hooks 40 and 42 are not critical, so long as the hooks are capable of being secured to the free portion of hinge plates, as shown in FIG. 5. However the fasteners should be able to rotate with respect to one another, such that door 54 can be articulated with the hinge mask in place.

A second preferred embodiment of the hinge mask of the present invention is shown in FIG. 6. The hinge mask 70 of FIG. 6 comprises body 72 and flaps 74 and 76 that are essentially identical to the corresponding elements of the hinge mask of FIG. 1. Body 72 includes concave ends 77 and 78 and intermediate section 79. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the fastener secured to the end of flap 74 comprises loop 80 that is secured to flap 74 at fastening points 82 and 84. Loop 80 may comprise a length of string having its ends secured to flap 74 by a suitable adhesive. Alternatively, loop 80 may be formed by cutting an opening in the end of flap 74. The body of the hinge mask of FIG. 6 may be fabricated from a first part comprising concave end 77 and intermediate section 79, a second part comprising concave end 78 and flap 74, and a third part comprising flap 76, all secured together by a suitable adhesive at seams 86 and 88 respectively.

The application of hinge mask 70 to a hinge is illustrated in FIG. 7. The hinge mask is used in an identical manner to that shown in FIG. 5, except that flap 74 is fastened to the upper end 62 of hinge barrel 60 by passing loop 80 over the hinge barrel end and the upper end of body 72. Preferably, the thickness of the material used to form loop 80 is sufficiently large so that the loop does not pass downward between hinge barrel 60 and hinge plate 56 and 58, but rather passes over the upper ends of the hinge plate.

A third preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by hinge mask 90 shown in FIG. 8. Hinge mask 90 comprises an elongated body having first end 92 and second end 94 connected by an elongated intermediate section 96. First end 92 has a concave shape, similar to end 30 of the hinge mask of FIG. 1. Second end 94 includes opening 98 that effectively forms an elastic loop 100 at the second end. Intermediate section 96 has a partial cylindrical shape. Hinge mask 90 is used to mask a hinge by placing first end 92 over one end of the hinge barrel, and then stretching the hinge mask such that it extends down along one side of the hinge barrel, around the second end of the hinge barrel, and then along the opposite side of the hinge barrel back to the first hinge barrel end. Loop 100 is then passed over the first end of the hinge barrel, in a manner generally similar to loop 80 shown in FIG. 7. Second end 94 may include reinforcing material along slit 98 to provide additional strength.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by hinge mask 110 shown in FIG. 9. Hinge mask 110 includes elongated body 112 having first end 114, second end 116 and elongated intermediate section 118. First end 114 includes loop 120 that is fastened to body 112 at fastening points 122 and 124. Fastening points 122 and 124 are spaced from edge 126 of body 112, to effectively form flap 128 at first end 114. Second end 116 includes loop 130 that is secured to body 112 at connection points 132 and 134. Connection points 132 and 134 are adjacent to edge 136 of body 112, in a manner generally similar to loop 80 shown in FIG. 6.

The application of hinge mask 110 to a hinge is illustrated in FIG. 10. First end 114 is first secured to one end 62 of hinge barrel 60 by covering end 62 with flap 128 and then passing loop 120 over the hinge barrel end and flap. The hinge mask is then pulled down one side of the hinge barrel, over the opposite hinge barrel end, and up the other side of the hinge barrel. Loop 130 is then passed over flap 128 and hinge barrel end 62, to secure end 116 to the hinge barrel.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, flap 16 is not an essential element of the present invention, and may be omitted for certain applications, as illustrated by the embodiments of FIGS. 6-10. The function of flap 16 is to provide backup for flap 14 near the top of the hinge barrel, particularly as the door is articulated with the hinge mask in place. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and the true scope and spirit of the invention is to be determined by reference to the following claims.