Apparatus for minimizing closing force of a door

A door comprising:

• a door frame adapted for at least partially defining an opening in the wall;
• a door panel sized and shaped to cover the opening defined by the door frame in a closed position of the door, the door panel pivotally mounted at one edge in the door frame;
• and
• an apparatus for minimizing closing force of the door panel, the door closing force minimization apparatus comprising
• a housing including an inner surface defining a longitudinal bore with a closed end and an open end;
• a piston slidably mounted in the bore, the piston including
• a hollow cylinder closed at both a proximal end and a distal end,
• a piston head moveable within said cylinder,
• a piston rod connected to the piston head and slidingly extending through the distal end of the cylinder for engaging the inner surface of the housing closed end of the bore,
• a compression spring disposed on the piston rod between the cylinder and the piston head;
• and
• a button having an inner end and an outer end, the button disposed in the bore with the inner end of the button engaging the proximal end piston for urging the button toward a first extended position where the outer end of the button extends from the open end of the housing, the button slidable in the bore relative to the housing for reciprocal movement between the first extended position and a second position where the button is depressed into the bore against the force of the piston,
• wherein the housing is disposed in the edge of the door so that the outer end of the button engages the door frame for slowing movement of the door panel in a closing direction as the button is moved into the bore in a direction from the first position to the depressed second position for minimizing closing force of the door panel.