Patent Application
20210388634
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Doors latch mechanisms such as door knobs or door handles are intended for use by hand. Health experts have stressed that door knobs are one of the methods infectious diseases such as Covid-19 can be spread. During the height of the pandemic, it was not uncommon to see people doing their utmost best to avoid using their hands operating doors, resorting to using elbows, knees and even feet. Whereas unlocked push doors can be pushed open using the foot, latched doors present a more formidable challenge when the door needs to be pulled.
This invention relates to the field of door latches and more particularly, devices and methods to insure the safe operation of doors.
Door knobs and door handles are ubiquitous in everyday life. To open a door, the door handle must first be rotated fully and then the door is either pushed or pulled depending on the swing direction of the door.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the dangers of disease transmittal through hand contact with public doors. The revelation that viruses can linger on metal and other surfaces has raised concerns about the use of door knobs and door handles. People have been observed using protective gloves and paper towels to operate doors.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0218661 describes a foot operated door latch incorporating a foot pedal to rotate a door knob.
The present invention is a door latch handle that can be conveniently operated by foot, knee, elbow, as well as by hand and hand-held objects such as an umbrella.
The present invention is a door latch operating device for use on most types of hinged doors and sliding doors. Embodiments of this invention are designed to be used on any type of a door latch or dead bolt latch.
The embodiments of the device disclosed herein by the steps of providing a door latch which is operated by moving a multi surfaced plate instead of a handle. The plate can be of an item of art or logo made from a suitable material which inherently offer a multitude of projections and voids which are convenient for a person to operate using for example, a foot or umbrella. Furthermore, the axis of rotation is vertical whereas the prior art the axis of rotation is horizontal.
In the particular embodiment depicted in
An edge mounting plate 140 is one of the means by which the door latch device 100 is attached to the door 110.
A friction surface 199 in affixed to the end of pull side compound handle 120. This friction surface 199 in this embodiment is shaped in generally a semi-circle and it functions as a suitable surface on the pull side compound handle 120 for a foot or elbow to latch on to making it easier to pull open the door 110.
A consideration for the particular embodiment of the door latch device shown in
The inconvenience of operating doors without using hands is greater when the operator is on the side of the door requiring him or her to pull at the door. For example, a person exiting a house that has an in-swinging door or entering a house that has an out-swinging door has the added obstacle of pulling the door handle once they have unlatched the door. Opening a conventional prior art door generally requires the user to unlatch the door first by turning the door knob or door handle. Once the door is unlatched, it becomes free to swing open. When opening a door requires two motions, the first is to operate the latch via the door knob or handle to disengage the latch and free the door, and the second is to either push or pull the door in accordance with the swinging direction of the door. Pulling or pushing the door prior to operating the door latch will make it difficult to then operate the latch.
The most ubiquitous prior art door latch is the generally spherical or cylindrical door knob. These are almost impossible to operate without using a hand. A more practical variant of the door knob is the door handle which is in the shape of a short lever. For a prior art door latch with a door handle and with the operator on the side of the door where the door would have to be pushed open, it is possible to operate the door handle with an elbow to press down the door handle and following that, to push the door open using a knee, foot or body. In this scenario, if the user was on the other side of the door, he or she could still use the elbow to press down on the handle, and contort the elbow into a hook shape to engage the door handle and pull the door open. However, there is typically only approximately 2 inches of space between the door handle and the door.
The present invention seeks to provide relief for door users who wish to avoid hand contact with a commonly used surface. The everyday door knob or handle is replaced by a considerably larger device that is easier to operate using a foot, knee or elbow. Firstly, the physical interface to operate the door is no longer an approximately 3-inch cylindrical object or a short lever. Instead, the compound handle 120 is amply sized and inherently offers a variety of ways to operate. Furthermore, the axis of rotation is vertical instead of horizontal. This change of direction is more conducive to ease of operation. Consider the situation of a person carrying two bags of groceries at a door fitted with the present door latch device with the door hinge towards the person's left, the door latch device towards the right and assuming the door swings towards the person. That person will find it convenient and intuitive to use a knee to turn the compound handle towards the right until a physical limit is felt, and then use a foot to pull the door open. Alternatively, if the door is swinging away, the person could just as easily nudge the door open with any part of the body. This door latch device makes any door more accessible to the general public and is a boon for persons with physical disabilities.
