Patents by Inventor Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER

Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11879287
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a base plate configured to be coupled to a door, the door configured to be positioned in an open position and a closed position; a closing mechanism coupled to the base plate and configured to be coupled to a hinge of the door and having an unprimed state and a primed state, the closing mechanism configured to be transitioned between the unprimed state and the primed state by a user; wherein in the unprimed state the closing mechanism is decoupled from operation of the door; and in the primed state the closing mechanism is configured to move the door into the closed position responsive to receipt of a signal, and the closing mechanism is configured to allow movement of the door between the open position and the closed position in absence of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: MASONITE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joel Sellinger, Benjamin W. Docksteader
  • Publication number: 20230383967
    Abstract: An active HVAC door and a method of opening or closing a door having a door handle, at least one hinge configured to pivotally couple the door to a frame, a first fan assembly provided through the door on an upper portion and on the handle side thereof and a second fan assembly provided through the door on a lower portion and on the handle side thereof, wherein the first and second fan assemblies comprise at least one electrically reversible fan driven by an electric motor and movable louvers by using an actuator to move the louvers between open and closed positions based on a signal from an electronic control module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER, Joel SELLINGER
  • Publication number: 20230374843
    Abstract: An emergency door closing device that can be installed upon existing doors and hinges to automatically close doors in the response to smoke and fire. The improvements incorporated therein include a hinge cam pivot member that attaches to an existing hinge member of a door and produces a moment force about the existing hinge member allowing a reduced force necessary to pivot the door into a closed position. Further, a novel spring, cam, and lever system is incorporated to activate the moment force to close the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER, Joel SELLINGER
  • Publication number: 20230287724
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a baseplate configured to be coupled to a door configured to be positioned in an open door position, a closed door position, and a plurality of door positions in between the open position and closed position; a motor; a circuitry electrically coupled to the motor and configured to be in communication with a remote computing device; at least one proximity sensor electrically coupled to the circuitry and configured to determine the door position with respect to a door frame; a drive wheel coupled to the motor and the circuitry, the drive wheel comprising an external surface, the external surface of the drive wheel configured to rotatably contact a ground surface; and wherein the motor is configured to be remotely activated by the remote computing device to engage the drive wheel to rotatably contact the ground surface to reposition the door responsive to receipt of a signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Joel SELLINGER, Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER
  • Patent number: 11713610
    Abstract: An emergency door closing device that can be installed upon existing doors and hinges to automatically close doors in the response to smoke and fire. The improvements incorporated therein include a hinge cam pivot member that attaches to an existing hinge member of a door and produces a moment force about the existing hinge member allowing a reduced force necessary to pivot the door into a closed position. Further, a novel spring, cam, and lever system is incorporated to activate the moment force to close the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin W. Docksteader, Joel Sellinger
  • Publication number: 20230220721
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a base plate configured to be coupled to a door, the door configured to be positioned in an open position and a closed position; a closing mechanism coupled to the base plate and configured to be coupled to a hinge of the door and having an unprimed state and a primed state, the closing mechanism configured to be transitioned between the unprimed state and the primed state by a user; wherein in the unprimed state the closing mechanism is decoupled from operation of the door; and in the primed state the closing mechanism is configured to move the door into the closed position responsive to receipt of a signal, and the closing mechanism is configured to allow movement of the door between the open position and the closed position in absence of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Joel SELLINGER, Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER
  • Publication number: 20220403692
    Abstract: An emergency door closing device that can be installed upon existing doors and hinges to automatically close doors in the response to smoke and fire. The improvements incorporated therein include a hinge cam pivot member that attaches to an existing hinge member of a door and produces a moment force about the existing hinge member allowing a reduced force necessary to pivot the door into a closed position. Further, a novel spring, cam, and lever system is incorporated to activate the moment force to close the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Benjamin W. DOCKSTEADER, Joel SELLINGER