Hinge cap

Abstract

A product and a method employing a block having a downwardly angled front surface suitable for covering the top surface of a continuous geared door hinge after the door is installed in a frame. The block has one or more recessed counter bored holes in the front surface to accommodate security screws without compromising the angle of the front surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of deterring a person from hanging objects on an exposed top surface of a continuous geared door hinge, the to top surface of the continuous geared door hinge is exposed when the door is closed in a door frame, the door frame consisting of comprising a header and two side jambs, the continuous geared door hinge is installed between a door and one of the side jambs, the method comprising the step of securely attaching a suitably shaped and sized block to the header to overlay the exposed top surface of the continuous geared door hinge and thereby make the exposed top surface inaccessible for hanging objects. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the block is securely affixed to the header with at least one security screw having a head, the block having a downwardly sloping front side with at least one counterbored hole having an opening deep enough so that the head of the at least one security screw does not interfere with the downwardly sloping front side of the block. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the block further comprises
 a bottom side sized and shaped to cover an entire portion of the exposed top surface of the continuous geared door hinge when the door is closed in the door frame, a back side perpendicular to the bottom side and the at least one counterbored hole has an axis parallel to the bottom side. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the continuous geared door hinge is a mortise hinge and the block has one counterbored hole. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the continuous geared door hinge is a full surface continuous geared door hinge and the block has two counterbored holes. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein the block includes a bottom surface that is planar and substantially perpendicular to a mounting surface of the header that is engaged by a back side of the block.  
     
     
       7. A hinge cap for preventing objects from being supported by an exposed top surface of a continuous geared hinge when a door is closed in a door frame, said hinge cap comprising:
 a block composed of hard durable material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, or fiberglass, the block comprising (i) a back side that is configured to securely attach to a door frame above a continuous geared hinge that supports a door that closes into the door frame, (ii) a bottom side configured to overlay an exposed top surface of the continuous geared hinge and thereby makes the exposed top surface inaccessible for hanging objects, and (iii) a front angled side that extends between a top edge of the back side to a front edge of the bottom side to provide a sloped surface, wherein the block has a counterbored attachment hole that extends through the front angled side and the back side for receiving a fastener that attaches the block to the door frame and does not substantially interfere with the sloped surface of the block.    
     
     
       8. The hinge cap of claim 7, wherein the block includes a bottom surface that is generally planar and substantially parallel to an axis of the counterbored attachment hole.  
     
     
       9. The hinge cap of claim 7, wherein the sloped surface of the block includes a downward angle of about 45 degrees when measure from the bottom surface.  
     
     
       10. The hinge cap of claim 9, wherein the block includes a bottom surface that is planar and substantially perpendicular to the back side of the block.