Patent Application
20160369538
Referring now to the drawings and in particular
Similarly, the strike plate 20 is sized and shaped to be positioned on a doorjamb (not shown) for use in substantially the same manner as a conventional strike plate for a deadbolt lock. The strike plate 20 defines a planar body having an enlarged locking aperture 21 and two securing apertures 22. The locking aperture 21 is sized and shaped to allow locking body 12 and hinge lips 13 from the modified face plate 10, as well as a locking bolt from the conventional bolt lock that the modified face plate 10 is attached to, pass through it. The securing apertures 22 are positioned to receive elongated fasteners that secure the strike plate 20 to a doorjamb in the same manner that conventional strike plates are secured to a doorjamb.
It is appreciated that conventional cylinder operated deadbolt locks, whether driven manually or by electronics and motors, as well as sliding latch bolt locks are each operative to move a locking bolt laterally to selectively position the locking bolt in an extended position wherein it extends from its bolt casing, through the face plate and beyond the edge of the door, and into the doorjamb (through the strike plate) and an retracted position wherein it is retracted back into the bolt casing. As used with conventional, swinging doors, by positioning the locking bolt in its extended position, the door is locked and other prevented from being swung open. A well known limitation of conventional bolt locking systems, however, is that simply extending and retracting a locking bolt laterally from a door (or from a doorjamb) is not effective for locking and unlocking doors that open and close by sliding laterally, such as sliding patio doors.
It is contemplated that because the modified face plate 10 and strike plate 20 in accordance with the present invention can be used with a conventional bolt locking assembly in place of a conventional face plate (or “end cap”) and conventional strike plate, respectively, the modified face plate 10 and strike plate 20 can be substituted for such conventional parts aftermarket to configure a conventional bolt locking assembly such that it is operative to lock and unlock a sliding door.
The locking body 12 is configured to swing between a first position relative to the plate body 11, as illustrated in
In this regard, the locking body 12 is configured to operate as a hinged fastener that, by virtue of its position and hinged attachment, is operated by the action of the locking bolt 30 and is effective to lock and unlock a door the moves laterally.
It is contemplated that in the one embodiment, a discrete hinge pin 16 is positioned between the hinge lips 13 and passes through the locking body 12, thereby attaching the locking body 12 to the hinge lips 13. In another embodiment, the locking body 12 includes an integrated hinge pin that extends from each side of its body into the hinge lips 13 and attaches it to the hinge lips 13. In other embodiments, a strap hinge or other connector which allows the locking body's 12 angled rotation may be employed.
It is appreciated that because the modified face plate 10 and strike plate 20 may be employed with conventional bolt lock assemblies, the sliding bolt action locking apparatus may enable the use newer security technologies, such as keyless digital code lock and unlock, in-lock cameras, various remote security features (including wireless access over the Internet), with sliding doors. The lack of standardization and the physical operation of the locking systems employed by sliding glass doors has commonly prevented the integration of such newer technologies, resulting in sliding doors often becoming the weak point in the security as well as not being able to have the advantages such as keyless entry. Thus, enabling the use of conventional bolt lock assemblies may allow such technological advances to be readily available for sliding doors.
The present invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.
