Patent Application
20240229523
The present invention relates to door closures, and more particularly to door closures that can be easily assembled relative to a door.
A variety of structures include doors that provide access to the structure for ingress and egress. Most doors include some type of closure mechanism having a handle and a latch. The handle can be manually operated to actuate the latch and thereby engage or disengage a doorjamb adjacent the door. When the latch is engaged with the doorjamb, the door is secured in a closed orientation relative to the structure. When the latch is disengaged from the doorjamb, the door can be opened, providing access to the structure.
An exemplary type of structure that utilizes a door and a closure mechanism is a blind that can be used for hunting and/or wildlife observation. Such a blind can include one or more panels having windows that enable an occupant to view wildlife or game there through. One of the panels can include a door having a handle and a latch. Typically, these types of blinds are sold disassembled, and are packaged in a container for easier shipping. The end user or consumer usually assembles the blind using a variety of hardware installed with several tools. In most cases, the closure mechanism is constructed from metal components that must be tediously assembled relative to the door using screws, installed with appropriate tools, and carefully aligned with the doorjamb or another panel to provide consistent operation. Sometimes users do not precisely assemble and align the various components of the handle in the latch, which can create closure problems, such that the door does not properly close and latch. Further, in shipping or as part of the assembly process, the small fasteners and or portions of the latch can become lost. As a result, the end-user will need to improvise or order new replacement parts, which can take some time to receive.
In addition, because most closure mechanisms are constructed from metal, these parts can be harder to source, heavier and more costly than other components constructed from plastic. Further, the metal parts can wear away any plastic parts that they engage, which can cause premature wear and tear or failure of the closure mechanism or other parts of the line. Where the blind is left in the environment and the elements, and the closure mechanism fails, the door can swing open, allowing precipitation or animals to enter the blind and damage contents therein. In some cases, where the blind is not fully secured to the ground or a platform, and the door is unsecured, gusts of wind can lift and move the blind, resulting in damage to it.
Accordingly, there remains room for improvement in the field of door closures for a variety of structures including but not limited to hunting and wildlife observation blinds, and in particular door closures that are easy to assemble and of simple construction.
A closure for a door of a structure, for example, a wildlife observation or hunting blind, is provided. The closure can include a base plate, a door latch, a handle, and at least one tracking bar spaced from the base plate to form a gap that is sized to receive a panel of the door, such that the closure is moveably secured to the panel.
In one embodiment, the tracking bar can include a primary sliding surface that faces and slides relative to a first side of the panel when converting the closure from an unlocked or open mode to a closed or locked mode.
In another embodiment, the plate can include a guide bar slidable within a panel guide slot coextensive with a transverse opening. The transverse opening can be sized so the tracking bar can be installed through the opening. After insertion and movement of the bar relative to the opening, the bar can retain the base plate and handle in sliding relation proximate the panel. The door closure can be installed relative to the door panel manually, without the use of tools.
In still another embodiment, the closure can include a second tracking bar joined with the base plate, but spaced a third distance from the base plate to form another portion of the first gap to receive a portion of the panel therein. Optionally, the first tracking bar and the second tracking bar can trap a portion of the panel between these components and the base plate, thereby securing the base plate, latch and a handle in sliding relation to the panel.
In yet another embodiment, the handle, referred to as a first handle, can extend outward from a first side of the base plate. A second handle can extend outward from a second side of the base plate, opposite the first side. The first handle can be accessible only from the first side of the panel when converting from a closed mode to a locked mode. The second panel can be accessible only from the second side of the panel, opposite the first side when converting from the closed mode to the locked mode.
In even another embodiment, the door panel can define a recess in the first side of the panel. The recess can be bounded by a first edge or wall that limits movement of the base plate when transitioning to the closed or locked mode. The recess can be bounded by a second edge or wall that limits movement of the base plate when transitioning to the open or unlocked mode.
In a further embodiment, the door can define a guide slot. The guide slot can be associated with a transverse opening extending above and below the guide slot, coextensive with the guide slot. The transverse opening can be sized so that the first tracking bar and any second tracking bar can pass through the transverse opening upon installation of the base plate relative to the panel. The tracking bars can then move away from the transverse opening, and overlap the parts of the panel above and below the guide slot, thereby retaining the base plate and other components in a connected configuration relative to the panel.
In still a further embodiment, a method is provided. The method can include providing a door panel defining a guide slot and a transverse opening coextensive with the guide slot; inserting a first tracking bar through the transverse opening so that the first tracking bar passes from a first side, which can be an exterior side, of the panel to a second side, which can be an interior side, of the panel; sliding the first tracking bar relative to the second side of the panel; rotating a base plate joined with the first tracking bar toward the panel; and inserting a second tracking bar through the transverse opening so that second tracking bar passes from the first side of the panel to the second side of the panel. The panel adjacent the guide slot can be disposed between the base plate and the first and second tracking bars.
In yet a further embodiment, the first and second tracking bars can be vertically oriented. The transverse opening can be vertically oriented. The guide slot can be horizontally oriented. A latch can be joined with the base plate. The latch can be moveable along a horizontal path when the first tracking bar slides relative to the panel.
In even a further embodiment, the method can include inserting a first handle through the guide slot as the first tracking bar is inserted through the transverse opening and/or inserting a guide bar in the guide slot during the rotating step.
The current embodiments provide a door closure for a door of a structure, including but not limited to a wildlife observation and/or hunting blind, that can be easily and quickly assembled relative to a panel of the door, optionally without the use of tools. The door closure can be constructed primarily from a polymeric material, such as plastic that can reduce cost and weight, which might otherwise be associated with constructing a conventional closure from metal parts. The door closure can be easily and quickly assembled relative to the panel, and can use its own structure to secure the closure to the panel in a sliding arrangement. Where the closure includes opposing handles, the handles can be used and grasped by a user to manually move and/or slide the closure, converting it from a locked or closed mode to an unlocked or open mode. When included, the base plate can limit movement of the closure in locked and open modes, and can close off a guide slot through the panel to prevent elements from entering the structure through that slot.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the current embodiment and the drawings.
Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of operation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in various other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the invention to any specific order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components.
A current embodiment of the door closure is shown in
The door closure 10 can be mounted and movable relative to a panel 100 of a door 101 that is mounted with hinges 103 to the remainder of the structure 105, which can include several walls and an optional roof. The blind can come in a variety of other configurations that include other components depending on the application. The panel 100 can include a panel edge 100D that can be moveably disposed adjacent a doorjamb 100J surrounding the door 101 as shown in
The panel 100 and in particular the second side 100E can define a recess 107. This recess can include a first edge or wall 107A and an opposing second edge or wall 107B. Optionally, the first edge or wall 107A can limit linear movement of the closure element 20 in direction L1. The base plate 30 can engage the respective walls or edges 107A and 107B when moving in linear directions L1 and L2 as described below in connection with
The panel 100 as mentioned above can include a first side 100I and a second side 100E opposing the first side. The panel can further define a guide slot 90 that extends through the panel 100 from the first side 100I to the second side 100E. The guide slot 90 can include a first end 91 and a second opposing end 92. The first end can be adjacent a panel edge 100D of the panel and/or an edge 107A of the recess wall seven is also near the panel edge 100D. The second end 92 of the slot 90 can be distal from the panel edge 100D. The slot 90 can define a longitudinal axis LA, which optionally can be coincident with a horizontal path, upon which the various components of the closure element 20 can move as described below. The guide slot 90 can include an upper edge 90U and a lower edge 90L bounding the upper and lower portions of the guide slot 90. The first end 91 also can be bounded by a first edge 91E of the guide slot 90, and a second end 92 can be bounded by a second edge 92E of the guide slot. The guide slot 90 can be of an elongated, generally rectangular shape extending in and defined by the bottom wall 107K of the recess 107. Optionally, the guide slot 90 can extend with its longitudinal axis LA generally in a horizontal plane or generally in a horizontal orientation. In other applications, the guide slot and its longitudinal axis LA can be offset relative to horizontal, for example, in a vertical orientation or other orientation.
As shown in
The closure element 20 of the door closure 10 will be described in further detail with reference to
With reference to
The base plate 30 can include or can be joined with a guide bar 50 as shown in
With reference to
As shown in
As mentioned above, the closure element 20 can include a first tracking bar 41 and a second tracking bar 42. The first tracking bar optionally can be joined with a portion of the guide bar that extends in a cantilevered manner beyond the first end or edge 31 of the base plate 30. The first tracking bar 41 as mentioned above can be similar in structure to the second tracking bar 42, so the structure of the second tracking bar will not be described here. The first tracking bar 41 can have a generally vertical configuration as shown in
The first tracking bar 41 can extend above and below the guide bar 50 and can be of a greater vertical dimension than that guide bar and the guide slot 90 within which the guide bar is slidably journaled. As shown in
With further reference to
When the portions of the panel 100 are disposed between the first tracking bar and/or the second tracking bar 41, 42, and the base plate 30, the closure element 20 can be movably or slidably secured or constrained relative to the panel and the guide slot. Although with some manipulation, the closure element 20 can be removed from the panel and the slot, it is considered to be generally secured to the panel 100, and enabled to move between the locked mode and the open mode, thereby allowing the door closure to effect opening and closing of the door relative to the structure 105.
Each of the respective first 41 and second 42 tracking bars can include a primary sliding surface, for example, 41S and 42S. These primary sliding surfaces 41S and 42S can generally face toward the base plate 30. These primary sliding surfaces can engage and move or slide relative to the first side or interior side 100I of the panel 100 when the closure element 10 is moved or slides relative to the panel. Optionally, where the door panel 100 and the closure element 20, in particular the tracking bars 41, 42, are constructed from a polymeric material, these materials can slide or engage another with a low coefficient of friction, which in turn allows the closure element 20 to move with ease relative to the panel 100.
Optionally, the closure element 20 can be of a single unit construction, constructed from a homogeneous polymeric material such that all of the structures of the closure element are integral with one another. Of course, in some applications, the various components can be secured to the base plate and/or one another, and can be constructed from different materials. The closure element and the door closure as described herein can be constructed from a polymeric material, composites, and the like. In some limited cases, these items can be constructed from metals or alloys in high temperature applications and/or environments.
With reference to
With further reference to
As also shown in
A method of using the door closure 10 will now be described with further reference to
More particularly, with reference to
As shown in
The closure element 20 can be moved or rotated, such that the base plate 30 moves or rotates generally in direction M3 toward the recess 107. The second tracking bar 42 also can be aligned with and can move toward the transverse opening 95 during this movement M3. When the base plate 30 enters the recess wall 107, it can engage the panel 100 at the bottom 107K of the recess 107. As this occurs, the first handle 61 also can penetrate and insert through the guide slot 90. The tracking bar 42 can insert or move through the transverse opening 95 such that it passes from the second side 100E to the first side 100I of the panel and extends therefrom.
With the first tracking bar 41 and second tracking bar 42 disposed on the first side 100I of the panel 100, the closure element 20 can be moved in direction L1. This can further secure the closure element to the panel, with the portions of the panel adjacent the guide slot being received in the first and second gaps between the tracking bars and the base plate. The base plate 20 can be disposed in the recess 107 and slidable relative to the panel 100 within that recess in direction L1. As will be appreciated, the above installation of the closure element 20 of the door closure 10 relative to the panel 100 can be performed manually, without the use of tools. In turn, this can simplify the assembly process for the door closure 10, making overall construction of the door and/or structure 105 more efficient. The closure element 20 can be removed from the panel in a reverse order of steps from that described above when disassembly thereof is appropriate.
After the closure element 20 is installed in the recess 107, and the tracking bars 41, 42 are disposed on the first side or interior 100I of the panel 100, the panel is effectively constrained between the tracking bars and the base plate as shown for example in
Although the different elements and assemblies of the embodiments are described herein as having certain functional characteristics, each element and/or its relation to other elements can be depicted or oriented in a variety of different aesthetic configurations, which support the ornamental and aesthetic aspects of the same. Simply because a door closure, element or assembly of one or more elements is described herein as having a function does not mean its orientation, layout or configuration is not purely aesthetic and ornamental in nature.
Directional terms, such as “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “inner,” “inwardly,” “outer” and “outwardly” are used to assist in describing the invention based on the orientation of the embodiments shown in the illustrations. The use of directional terms should not be interpreted to limit the invention to any specific orientation(s).
In addition, when a component, part or layer is referred to as being “joined with,” “on,” “engaged with,” “adhered to,” “secured to,” or “coupled to” another component, part or layer, it may be directly joined with, on, engaged with, adhered to, secured to, or coupled to the other component, part or layer, or any number of intervening components, parts or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly joined with,” “directly on,” “directly engaged with,” “directly adhered to,” “directly secured to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between components, layers and parts should be interpreted in a like manner, such as “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent” and similar words. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
The above description is that of current embodiments of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. This disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the invention or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, and without limitation, any individual element(s) of the described invention may be replaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similar functionality or otherwise provide adequate operation. This includes, for example, presently known alternative elements, such as those that might be currently known to one skilled in the art, and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such as those that one skilled in the art might, upon development, recognize as an alternative. Further, the disclosed embodiments include a plurality of features that are described in concert and that might cooperatively provide a collection of benefits. The present invention is not limited to only those embodiments that include all of these features or that provide all of the stated benefits, except to the extent otherwise expressly set forth in the issued claims. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. Any reference to claim elements as “at least one of X, Y and Z” is meant to include any one of X, Y or Z individually, any combination of X, Y and Z, for example, X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; Y, Z, and/or any other possible combination together or alone of those elements, noting that the same is open ended and can include other elements.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20240133220 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |
