The present invention pertains to shields and guards for filling an opening, and more particularly pertains to an adjustable paint guard for placement within the opening of a door or window frame to make the painting more efficient and less wasteful. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Numerous problems are encountered when cleaning, finishing, refinishing or painting the window and door frames, sashes and panes, and more particularly, the area adjacent the window or door opening, that may or may not be filled with a glass pane. 
   In view of the above problems encountered in painting door and window panes, sashes and frames, shutters, wall areas adjacent trim and moldings, etc., the prior art discloses a range of devices and methods for facilitating such painting in an efficient and controlled manner. A first step in painting window and door frames and panes is to tape and cover the areas adjacent the opening in order to prevent paint from being splattered and streaked thereon. However, this can be a time-consuming and painstaking process, and if not done thoroughly will still leave surface areas on the frame or pane uncovered and exposed to paint smearing and streaking. Some prior art devices that attempt to surmount this problem include handheld paint guards that are positioned adjacent to the window to prevent paint from splattering upon the window and window pane. However, such paint guards are awkward to use, as they must be moved about the window pane during the painting process. 
   In addition, many houses and structures include shutters adjacent each window, and shutters require maintenance in the form of finishing, cleaning and painting while avoiding the splattering or marring of the window or the exterior surface surrounding the shutter and window. Thus, devices have been conceived to enclose or cover the shutter to protect the window and exterior surface. Moreover, there is also the need to protect window and door frames, sashes and panes that are being painted or treated as part of an assembly process in a factory or on site, such as on a residential or commercial construction site. Such construction sites can include a residential housing plan, a hotel, or a commercial mall where a large number of window or door frames must be painted quickly and efficiently for installation. In such situations, paint guards and shields that can be easily mounted to one frame and then dismounted therefrom for mounting to the next frame are desirable to prevent paint spray and splatter from reaching the non-paintable side of the frame. Paint guards and shields are especially useful in these circumstances as the painting is by a paint sprayer that is quicker—but obviously messier—than a brush. In order to meet the above situations, the prior art discloses a variety of paint guards, shields and protection devices. 
   For example, the Van Barriger patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,038) discloses a paint masking tool that includes panels that partially overlap one another and each of which includes a knob so that they can be manually moved with respect to each other for covering molding so that the adjacent wall surfaces can be painted. 
   The Vanstrom patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,692) discloses an adjustable paint guard that includes a frame within which are disposed four generally triangular-shaped sections that are movable by either a camming action or through telescoping arms from an open position to a closed position for closing off the door or window opening within which the guard is placed. 
   The Adams patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,852) discloses a painting and misting shield that includes a shield with a trough at the bottom for collecting excess spray and mist for possible future use. 
   The Keith patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,219) discloses a framework for covering a door or window opening that includes frame members that are adjustable for fitting to the given frame and a flexible cover mounted on rollers for covering the opening of the door or window. 
   The Pullens patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,503) discloses a shutter masking device that includes a pair of l-shaped panels that slide relative to each other through a tongue and groove arrangement for covering the area around a shutter so that the shutter can be cleaned, finished or painted without soiling or marking the siding or window adjacent to the shutter. 
   The Gleason et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,007) discloses a paint shield that includes a planar member and a blade portion for protecting the edge of a frame and a handle for positioning the planar member for covering the door or window frame. 
   The Brown patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,677) discloses a device for adjustably protecting surfaces adjacent door or window openings and includes a series of adjustable fins interconnected to a manually operable pole that is to adjoined the fins by a hinging element. 
   The Poague patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,811) discloses a spray shield that includes a planar element having support arms for hooking over the article to be treated, such as the top railing of a fence, and a trough at the bottom of the planar element for catching excess spray or paint. 
   The Erdfarb patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,974) discloses a paint cover for electrical outlets, switch assemblies and door knob covers and includes a square, rectangular or circle-shaped cover having a flexible arm for mounting to the article to be covered. 
   Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a paint cover, guard or shield that can be easily and quickly set up for minimizing the wastage and mess when painting door or window frames or panes, especially in an assembly line, bulk quantity manner. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprehends an adjustable paint guard or shield for placement within the opening of a door or window frame, pane or sash, for completely filling the opening in order to prevent paint that is either being brushed or sprayed on the facing side of the door or window frame from reaching the opposite, non-paintable side of the frame. The adjustable paint guard includes a nested multi-panel arrangement wherein at least one panel serves as the stationary base or main panel with the other panels being selectively slidable and movable therefrom in both the x and y axis for completely filling the opening of the frame. The panels are slidable and movable independent of each other and can be locked into place upon filling the opening, and easily unlocked for removal and placement in the next door or window frame. 
   It is an objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable paint guard that allows one side of a door frame to be painted while minimizing or eliminating the mess generally associated with such painting. 
   It is another objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable paint guard that is a time-saving accessory for painting contractors that must paint a large number of door frames during new construction or remodeling projects. 
   It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable paint guard that can be set up quickly for protecting the door opening and the opposite side of the door frame when using a paint sprayer to paint the door frame. 
   It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable paint guard that eliminates the need to interrupt the paint spraying process by using a paint brush, and thereby allows the contractor to use a paint sprayer throughout the painting process thereby reducing the time needed to complete the job of painting the door frame. 
   Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable paint guard that is easily adjustable to completely fit the openings of door frames of various sizes and dimensions. 
   Still yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable paint guard for painting door frames that is lightweight, durable and easily and quickly movable from one door frame to the next door frame for painting a large number of door frames such as on a construction site. 
   Still yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable paint guard for painting door frames that can also be adapted for use as a baby gate or dog gate. 
   A still further objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable paint guard for painting door frames that can be placed within the door opening for preventing dust, dirt and noise from entering the existing home while doing home renovations or additions. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. 


   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the adjustable paint guard of the present invention in the non-deployed disposition; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the adjustable paint guard of the present invention illustrating the disposition of the paint guard within the opening of a door frame and completely covering the opening of the door frame; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the adjustable paint guard illustrating the disposition of the paint guard disposed within the framework of the door frame; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the adjustable paint guard illustrating the disposition of the structural elements that are slidable with respect to each other for filling the opening of the door frame; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the adjustable paint guard illustrating several structural elements separated from each other to show their slidable interfitting arrangement; and 
       FIG. 6  is a sectioned elevational view of the adjustable door frame taken along lines  6 — 6  of  FIG. 3  illustrating the disposition of two release and locking members. 
   


   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Illustrated in  FIGS. 1–6  is an adjustable paint shield  10  for use with window and door frames, panes and sashes, and which is especially useful for preventing paint from reaching the opposite side—the unpainted side—of the frame, thereby assuring that only the facing side of the frame receives the paint. While the paint shield  10  can be used with a single door or window frame, it is ideally suited for use on a residential or commercial construction site, such as at a large housing plan under development or a mall under construction, where a large number of frames need to be quickly and efficiently painted. Thus, the adjustable paint shield  10  of the present invention is a lightweight (preferably manufactured from plastic), durable, manually portable and easily washable device that speeds up the painting of frames as the paint shield  10  can be quickly placed within one frame, the frame can be painted, and then the shield  10  can be easily removed for placement within the next frame to be painted. Use of this paint shield  10  substantially reduces the time needed to paint the desired surface of the door frame while preventing paint from reaching the opposite side of the frame and preventing the usual mess. 
   Illustrated in  FIGS. 2–4  is a representative door frame  12  that includes a generally rectangular-shaped framework  14  surrounding an opening  16  for receiving the window. The framework  14  that surrounds the window opening  16  includes upper and lower horizontal portions or members  18  and opposed vertical portions or members  20 . For explanatory purposes as will be hereinafter described, x-y axes  22  are shown in  FIG. 2 . The adjustable paint shield  10  includes a plurality of nested panels that are capable of selective manual slidable extension in both the horizontal direction and along the x-axis, and in the vertical direction along the y-axis. Furthermore, the panels are independently slidably movable and extendible so that not all the panels are required to slide when one panel slides. The adjustable paint shield  10  thus comprises a multi-panel nested arrangement that is adjustable to accommodate variously sized door frames and openings. The adjustable paint shield  10  thus provides maximum flexibility of use so that the adjustable shield  10  can be placed within the openings of variously sized door frames whereupon the appropriate panels are slidably extended for completely filling and covering the opening  16 . When the panels are fully extended and deployed, as shown in  FIG. 2 , they completely fill and cover the opening  16  so that paint is applied by a paint sprayer to only the facing side of the door frame  12  and is prevented from splattering, streaking or reaching the opposite side of the door frame  12 . 
   The nested multi-panel adjustable paint shield  10  of the present invention includes at least four panels, one of which is the base or main panel  24 . The base panel  24  is the stationary or non-extendible panel, and is the panel from which the other panels slidably extend in both the vertical and horizontal directions. The base panel  24  includes a front side  26 , an opposite rear side  28  and a main panel cavity  30 . A base panel locking and releasing manually operable knob  32  is mounted on the front side  26 . The base panel locking and releasing knob  32  is threadably mounted to the front side  26  and can be extended within the main panel cavity  30  and retracted or withdrawn therefrom. Also, a handle  34  is mounted on the front side  26 , and the handle  26  can be gripped by the worker or painter for placing the paint shield  10  within the opening  16  of the frame  12  and for removing the paint shield  10  from the frame  12  after the frame  12  has been painted. Mounted on the rear side  28  of the base panel  24 , and extending vertically along the full height of the base panel  24 , is a pair of spaced-apart track or guide means. For stability of movement one pair of track means are preferred, and the track or guide means include one pair of spaced-apart t-shaped runners or members  36  that extend along the full vertical height of the rear side  28  of the base panel  24 . 
   Illustrated in  FIGS. 1–5  is a first slidable panel  38  that is slidably connected to the base panel  24 . More specifically, the first slidable panel  38  includes an inner side  40  that is adjacent the rear side  28  of the base panel  24  and an opposite exterior side  42 . The first slidable panel  38  also includes a first panel cavity  44 . The first slidable panel  38  is snugly and slidably interconnected to the t-shaped members  36  of the base panel  24  through a pair of spaced-apart receiving slots  46  that vertically extend along the full length of the inner side  40 . Thus, each receiving slot  46  receives each respective t-shaped member  36  and is slidably extendible thereon for allowing the vertical adjustment and positioning—adjustment and positioning along the y-axis—of the first slidable panel  38 . The first slidable panel  38  thus fills or covers the opening  16  of the door frame  12  vertically along the y-axis. 
   The first slidable panel  38  includes a manual lifting or raising means mounted to the exterior side  42  thereof. The lifting or raising means includes a pair of lifting or raising knobs  48 , as shown most distinctly in  FIG. 5 , that are mounted to the exterior side  42  of the first slidable panel  38 . The knobs  48  can be manually gripped for extending or raising the first slidable panel  38  and for lowering the first slidable panel  38  back to the non-deployed position. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1–5 , the nested multi-panel adjustable paint shield  10  also includes a first auxiliary panel  50  that is disposed or contained within the main panel cavity  30  of the base panel  24 . The first auxiliary panel  50  is slidably movable and extendible from the main panel cavity  30  in the horizontal direction along the x-axis for abutting the vertical portion  20  of the framework  14  of the door frame  12 . After the first auxiliary panel  50  has been appropriately extended and positioned, as shown for example in  FIG. 2 , the base panel locking and releasing knob  32  is turned and tightened against the first auxiliary panel  50  thereby locking the first auxiliary panel  50  in place as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   In addition to the first auxiliary panel  50 , the adjustable paint shield  10  also includes a second auxiliary panel  52  that is disposed and contained within the first panel cavity  44  of the first slidable panel  38  as shown in  FIGS. 1–5 . The second auxiliary panel  52  is movable with the vertical adjustable extension of the first slidable panel  38 , but the second auxiliary panel  52  is independently slidably adjustable in the horizontal direction or along the x-axis as shown in  FIG. 2 . The second auxiliary panel  52  is slidably extended to abut the vertical portion  20  of the framework  14 , and can be repositioned, readjusted or returned to its non-deployed position of containment within the first panel cavity  44 . 
   Although the adjustable length and width of the adjustable paint shield  10  can vary, one preferred adjustable range from the non-deployed state, as shown in  FIG. 1 , to the fully deployed state, as shown in  FIG. 2 , is from five feet five inches to eight feet in the vertical direction, or along the y-axis, and from two feet to six feet in the horizontal direction and along the x-axis. This vertical and horizontal adjustable and extendible range assures that the paint shield  10  will completely fill the opening  16  of any door frame  12  currently in use. It should also be noted that the paint shield  10  can be adapted for use as a baby gate or dog gate whereupon the paint shield  10  is placed within the door frame  12  for preventing either a baby or a pet dog (or any pet) from wandering out of the house. In fact, the paint shield  10  can be used as a gate in the doorway of any room of a house to either prevent the child or pet from exiting that particular room, or for blocking entrance to a particular room so that the child or pet is barred from entering a room that the adults do not want the child or pet in. In addition, the paint shield  10  can be placed in the door frame  12  to prevent dust, dirt, and noise from getting into the house during home renovation and addition. Also, the paint shield  10  can be used to block off a room or portion of the house undergoing some type of construction or renovation so that dirt, dust and noise does not permeate the other rooms of the house. 
   Although a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications, alterations and variations are possible and practicable without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
An adjustable paint guard for filling the opening of a door frame so that one side of the door frame can be quickly painted without having paint strike the other side of the door frame includes a multi-panel nested arrangement wherein at least one panel serves as the stationary base panel from which the other panels are capable of selective and independent slidable movement along an x-y axis whereupon all the panels can be brought into abutting relationship with the interior vertical and horizontal portions of the door frame that surround the opening thereby completely filling the opening of the door frame and closing off the opening so that paint cannot reach the opposite side of the door frame.