Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6623050
-
Patent Number
6,623,050
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, June 5, 200223 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 23, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 292 92
- 292 93
- 292 21
- 292 DIG 65
- 070 92
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A door lock device includes a striker plate for engaging with a latch of a base, and a pawl pivotally secured to the latch and having a tongue biased to lock the latch to the base, to prevent the latch from being rotated relative to the base. A beam is engageable with the pawl for preventing the pawl from moving out of the latch. A bar is biased to engage with the pawl. A catch is pivotally supported on the base has two recesses for selectively receiving the bar in a lower and an upper position. A lever is pivotally secured to the base and has one end for moving the pawl into the latch.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door lock assembly, and more particularly to a door lock assembly having a safety and anti-theft structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical door lock assemblies have been developed for anti-theft purposes. However, some of the door locks may also lock the doors for preventing the door from being easily opened from inside of the house buildings. When fires happened, the users may also be locked inside the house building and may not easily escape from the house building.
The other door locks may be easily unlocked by the unauthorized persons by engaging a planer member into the slit formed between the door panel and the door frame or the wall, and by moving or actuating the latch inward of the lock device by the planer member, from outside of the house buildings.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional door lock assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a door lock assembly including a safety and anti-theft structure for preventing the door from being opened from outside, and for allowing the door to be easily opened from inside of the house building.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a door lock assembly for a door panel, the door lock assembly comprising a striker plate including a cavity formed therein, a base, a latch rotatably supported on the base with a pivot shaft, and including a front portion extendible outward of the base and engageable into the cavity of the striker plate, for locking the door panel, and a locking device provided for locking the latch to the base, to prevent the latch from being rotated relative to the base.
The base includes a fence extended therefrom and having an opening for rotatably receiving the latch. The latch includes a chamber for receiving a pawl of the locking device which has a first end pivotally secured to the latch with an axle and which has a second end, and a tongue provided on the second end of the pawl, and a biasing device provided for biasing the tongue of the pawl to engage with the base and to lock the latch to the base.
The latch includes a first end having a notch formed by two ears, for receiving the first end of the pawl, the axle is engaged through the first end of the pawl and the ears of the latch. The base includes a bulge for engaging with the tongue and for locking the latch to the base.
A limiting device is further provided for limiting the pawl to move relative to the latch, and includes a beam engaged through the chamber of the latch, and engageable with the pawl, for preventing the pawl from moving out of the chamber of the latch.
A disengaging device is further provided for disengaging the tongue of the pawl from the base, and includes a spring for biasing the tongue of the pawl away from the base.
The disengaging device includes a bar having a first end pivotally secured to the base, and having a second end engaged with the pawl, the spring is engaged between the second end of the bar and the base.
A limiting device is further provided for limiting a movement of the bar relative to the base and includes a catch pivotally supported on the base, and having a pair of recesses formed therein for selectively receiving the bar.
The bar is retained in a lower position when the bar is received in a first of the recesses of the catch, and in a higher position when the bar is received if a second of the recesses of the catch.
The disengaging device includes a lever pivotally secured to the base with a rod, and having a first end engaged with the pawl for moving the pawl inward the chamber of the latch. The lever includes a second end having a hand grip for rotating the lever and for forcing the first end of the lever to move the pawl inward the chamber of the latch.
The disengaging device includes a forcing device provided for forcing the first end of the lever to move the pawl inward the chamber of the latch, and having an actuator rotatably supported in the base and having at least one actuating surface formed therein and engaged with the first end of the lever.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1
,
2
are partial perspective views illustrating the attachment of a door lock assembly in accordance with the present invention onto the door of a house building;
FIG. 3
is a partial exploded view of the door lock assembly;
FIG. 4
is an exploded view of the door lock assembly;
FIG. 5
is a partial perspective view of the door lock assembly, in which the cover has been removed from the door lock assembly;
FIGS. 6
,
7
are partial perspective views similar to
FIG. 5
, illustrating the operation of the door lock assembly;
FIG. 8
is a partial perspective view of the door lock assembly;
FIGS. 9
,
10
are side schematic views illustrating the operation of the door lock assembly; and
FIGS. 11
,
12
are schematic views illustrating the operation of the door lock assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, and initially to
FIGS. 1-3
, a door lock assembly in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated with a reference numeral “10” and is to be attached onto a door panel
90
, and comprises a striker plate
91
attached onto a door frame or a wall
92
and including one or more cavities
93
formed therein, for locking the door panel
90
to the door frame or the wall
92
, and for preventing the door panel
90
from being opened from outside by the unauthorized persons, and for allowing the door panel
90
to be easily opened from inside the house building.
As shown in
FIGS. 3-10
, the door lock assembly
10
includes a base
11
having one or more holes
12
formed therein for receiving fasteners (not shown) which may secure the base
11
onto the door panel
90
. The base
11
includes an orifice
13
formed in the middle portion thereof, and includes a fence
14
extended upward from the front portion thereof. The fence
14
includes an opening
15
and a channel
16
formed therein. The base
11
includes a bulge
17
extended upward and inward or into the opening
15
of the fence
14
for forming or defining a shoulder
18
in front of the bulge
17
. A pivot shaft
19
is secured in the fence
14
and engaged through the opening
15
and the channel
16
of the fence
14
.
The base
11
includes a seat
20
extended rearward therefrom and having a space
21
formed therein. A rod
22
is secured in the seat
20
and engaged or extended through the space
21
of the seat
20
. A lever
23
includes a hand grip
24
formed on one end thereof, and includes a middle portion received in the space
21
of the seat
20
, and includes a hole
25
formed in the middle portion thereof for receiving the rod
22
, and for pivotally securing the middle portion of the lever
23
to the seat
20
of the base
11
. The lever
23
includes the other end
26
located above the orifice
13
of the base
11
. The base
11
includes a pin
27
provided therein, and an aperture
28
formed in the fence
14
.
A latch
30
is received in the opening
15
of the fence
14
, and includes a hole
31
formed in the middle portion thereof for receiving the shaft
19
, and for allowing the latch
30
to be rotatably or pivotally secured to the fence
14
of the base
11
. A tubular member or a sleeve
32
may further be provided and engaged between the shaft
19
and the latch
30
, for allowing the latch .
30
to be smoothly rotated relative to the base
11
or the fence
14
about the shaft
19
. A post
34
has one end secured to a rear portion
33
of the latch
30
, and located behind the shaft
19
.
A spring
35
has one end coupled to the post
34
, and the other end coupled to a pole
36
which is secured to the fence
14
or to the base
11
, for biasing or forcing the front portion
39
of the latch
30
to engage into the cavity
93
of the striker plate
91
, and thus for latching or securing the door panel
90
to the door frame or the wall
92
. The latch
30
includes a chamber
301
formed therein (
FIGS. 9
,
10
), and includes a notch
37
formed in the rear portion thereof, and formed or defined by or between a pair of ears
38
.
A pawl
40
is received in the chamber
301
of the latch
30
, and has one end
41
received in the notch
37
and located between the ears
38
of the latch
30
, and pivotally or rotatably secured to the latch
30
with an axle
47
, and includes a tongue
42
bent or formed or extended from the other end thereof for engaging with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
. As best shown in
FIGS. 6 and 9
, when the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
is engaged with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, the pawl
40
and the latch
30
are arranged for preventing the front portion
39
of the latch
30
from being depressed toward or inward or into the opening
15
of the fence
14
or of the base
11
, and thus for locking the latch
30
to the base
11
.
The pawl
40
includes a depression
43
formed in the middle portion thereof for receiving one end of a spring
44
which has the other end engaged with the latch
30
(
FIGS. 9
,
10
) for biasing and forcing the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
to engage. with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
. The pawl
40
includes an extension
45
laterally extended therefrom. A beam
46
is engaged through the chamber
301
of the latch
30
, for engaging with the pawl
40
, and for preventing the pawl
40
from being disengaged or moved out of the chamber
301
of the latch
30
. The beam
46
thus forms a limiting device or means for limiting the movement of the pawl
40
relative to the latch
30
, or for preventing the pawl
40
from being disengaged from the chamber
301
of the latch
30
.
A catch
60
is further provided, and is received in the channel
16
of the fence
14
or of the base
11
, and includes a middle or upper portion having a hole
61
formed therein for receiving the shaft
19
and for rotatably or pivotally securing the catch
60
to the fence
14
of the base
11
. A sleeve
62
may further be provided and engaged between the shaft
19
and the catch
60
, for allowing the catch
60
to be smoothly rotated relative to the base
11
or the fence
14
about the shaft
19
. The catch
60
also includes a front end or portion
69
extendible outward of the channel
16
of the fence
14
or extendible outward of the base
11
.
The striker plate
91
includes a jut
94
for engaging with the front end or portion
69
of the catch
60
, and for moving the front portion
69
of the catch
60
inward of the channel
16
of the fence
14
or inward of the base
11
(FIG.
6
).
Another post
64
is secured to a rear portion
65
of the catch
60
, and also located behind the shaft
19
. A spring
63
has one end coupled to the post
64
, and the other end coupled to the pin
27
which may be secured to the fence
14
or to the base
11
, for biasing or forcing the front portion
69
of the catch
60
out of the channel
16
of the fence
14
, or for biasing the front portion
69
of the catch
60
to engage with the jut
94
of the striker plate
91
. The catch
60
includes two recesses
66
,
67
formed in the front and the rear portions thereof, and includes a curved guide surface
68
formed between the recesses
66
,
67
thereof.
A bar
70
has one end
71
pivotally or rotatably secured to the fence
14
or to the base
11
with a pivot pin
72
which may, for example, be engaged through the aperture
28
of the fence
14
. The bar
70
includes a middle portion engaged with the guide surface
68
of the catch
60
, and a stud
74
extended from the other end
73
thereof. A spring
77
has one end engaged onto the stud
74
, and the other end engaged into a cavity
29
of the base
11
(FIG.
4
), for biasing the bar
70
to engage into either of the recesses
66
,
67
of the catch
60
(FIGS.
5
-
7
), and thus for retaining or positioning the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
in engagement with or disengaging from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
. The other end
73
of the. bar
70
is engaged with the extension
45
of the pawl
40
for allowing the pawl
40
to be moved inward of the chamber
301
of the latch
30
by the bar
70
and the spring
77
.
The recesses
66
,
67
of the catch
60
are arranged for receiving and maintaining the bar
70
and thus the pawl
40
in the lower position and in the higher position respectively. For example, as shown in
FIGS. 5
,
6
, when the front portion
69
of the catch
60
is pushed or forced inward of the channel
16
of the fence
14
or inward of the base
11
, by the jut
94
of the striker plate
91
, the bar
70
may be forced to move into the recess
66
by the guide surface
68
of the catch
60
, and may be lowered and maintained in the lower position.
When the bar
70
is retained in the recess
66
of the catch
60
and maintained in the lower position, the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
may be biased to engage with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
(FIG.
9
), and thus to lock the latch
30
to the striker plate
91
, by the spring
44
and/or by the spring
35
, such that the spring
44
and/or the spring
35
may form the spring biasing device or means for biasing or forcing the pawl
40
or the tongue
42
to engage with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
.
At this moment, or when the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
is biased to engage with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, the latch
30
may be locked to the base
11
and may be prevented from rotating relative to the base
11
by the pawl
40
, such that the front portion
39
of the latch
30
may be prevented from being depressed toward or inward or into the opening
15
of the fence
14
or of the base
11
. For example, when any unauthorized person engage a planar member into the gap formed between the striker plate
91
and the base
11
, or formed between the door
90
and the door frame or the wall
92
, and try to prize open the latch
30
, the latch
30
may be locked by the pawl
40
and may not be opened from outside of the door.
It is to be noted that the pawl
40
and/or the bar
70
may thus form a locking device or means for locking the latch
30
to the base
11
(FIG.
9
), and for preventing the latch
30
from being prized or opened from outside of the door
90
. The catch
60
may form a device or a means for limiting the bar
70
and thus the pawl
40
to move relative to the base
11
or relative to the latch
30
.
As shown in
FIGS. 3
,
7
, when the front portion
69
of the catch
60
is biased or forced outward of the channel
16
of the fence
14
or of the base
11
, by the spring
63
, the bar
70
may be forced to move into the other recess
67
by the guide surface
68
of the catch
60
, and may be elevated and maintained in the higher position, such that the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
may be elevated and disengaged from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
(FIG.
10
), and such that the latch
30
may no longer be locked to the striker plate
91
, and such that the front portion
39
of the latch
30
may be depressed toward or inward or into the opening
15
of the fence
14
or of the base
11
at this moment. The bar
70
and the spring
77
and/or the lever
23
may thus form a device or a means for selectively disengaging the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
from the bulge
17
of the base
11
.
As shown in
FIGS. 9
,
10
, when the hand grip
24
of the lever
23
is depressed toward the base
11
, the other end
26
of the lever
23
may be moved away from the base
11
and may be engaged with the pawl
40
and may actuate or force the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
to be disengaged from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, in order to release or to unlock the latch
30
from the base
11
, and for allowing the front portion
39
of the latch
30
to be depressed toward or inward or into the opening
15
of the fence
14
or of the base
11
.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the door panel
90
may include a receptacle
97
formed or attached thereto for receiving the lever
23
therein, and may include a slidable or movable presser
98
slidably attached to the receptacle
97
and engageable with the hand grip
24
of the lever
23
, for depressing the hand grip
24
to move the other end
26
to disengage the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, and thus to unlock the latch
30
from the base
11
, for allowing the latch
30
to be rotated relative to the base
11
about the shaft
19
.
An actuator
80
includes a barrel
81
extended downward therefrom and rotatably engaged in the orifice
13
of the base
11
and rotatably secured to the base
11
with a clamping or retaining ring
82
, and includes one or more, such as two swellings
83
extended upward therefrom and each having an inclined actuating surface
84
formed thereon for engaging with the other end
26
of the lever
23
, and for forcing the other end
26
of the lever
23
to disengage the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, when the actuator
80
is rotated relative to the base
11
.
As shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, a pole
85
is engaged through the door panel
90
and has one end secured in the barrel
81
of the actuator
80
, and the other end extended outwardly of the door panel
90
and secured to a handle
86
which may be rotated relative to the door panel
90
when a typical lock member is unlocked by a correct key (not shown). The actuator
80
may thus be rotated by the handle
86
to actuate the other end
26
of the lever
23
to unlock the pawl
40
and the latch
30
from the base
11
, when the handle
86
is unlocked by the correct key. A cover
87
may be secured onto the base
11
for shielding the actuator
80
, and includes one or more apertures
88
formed therein for receiving the catch
60
and the latch
30
respectively.
The actuator
80
may also be directly engaged with the pawl
40
in order to unlock the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, instead of via the other end
26
of the lever
23
. The actuator
80
and/or the lever
23
may thus form an unlocking device or means for moving the pawl
40
inward the chamber
301
of the latch
30
, or for unlocking the pawl
40
from the base
11
, or for disengaging the tongue
42
from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
.
In operation, as shown in
FIGS. 1
,
6
, the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
may be biased to engage with the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
(FIG.
9
), in order to lock the latch
30
to the striker plate
91
, when the door panel
90
is closed and when the front portion
69
of the catch
60
is pushed or forced inward of the channel
16
of the fence
14
or inward of the base
11
, by the jut
94
of the striker plate
91
, and when the bar
70
is forced to move into the recess
66
by the guide surface
68
of the catch
60
and when the bar
70
is maintained in the lower position. The latch
30
may thus be locked to the base
11
and may be prevented from being prized from outside of the door.
The pawl
40
may be moved inward the chamber
301
of the latch
30
, and the tongue
42
of the pawl
40
may be disengaged from the shoulder
18
or the bulge
17
of the base
11
, in order to unlock the latch
30
from the striker plate
91
, by depressing the hand grip
24
or by rotating the lever
23
to force the other end
26
of the lever
23
to move the pawl
40
inward the latch
30
, or by rotating the actuator
80
by the handle
86
. The door panel
90
may thus be easily opened by depressing the hand grip
24
of the lever
23
or by depressing the presser
98
, from inside of the door panel
90
.
Accordingly, the door lock assembly in accordance with the present invention includes a safety and anti-theft structure, for preventing the door from being opened from outside of the door, and for allowing the door to be easily opened from inside of the house building.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
- 1. A door lock assembly for a door panel, said door lock assembly comprising:a striker plate including a cavity formed therein, a base, a latch rotatably supported on said base with a pivot shaft, and including a front portion extendible outward of said base and engageable into said cavity of said striker plate, for locking the door panel, said latch including a chamber formed therein, and means for locking said latch to said base, to prevent said latch from being rotated relative to said base, said locking means including a pawl received in said chamber of said latch and having a first end pivotally secured to said latch with an axle and having a second end, and a tongue provided on said second end of said pawl, and means for biasing said tongue of said pawl to engage with said base and to lock said latch to said base.
- 2. The door lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said base includes a fence extended therefrom and having an opening formed therein for rotatably receiving said latch.
- 3. The door lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said latch includes a first end having a notch formed therein and formed by two ears, for receiving said first end of said pawl, said axle is engaged through said first end of said pawl and said ears of said latch.
- 4. The door lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said base includes a bulge extended therefrom for engaging with said tongue and for locking said latch to said base.
- 5. The door lock assembly according to claim 1 further comprising means for limiting said pawl to move relative to said latch.
- 6. The door lock assembly according to claim 5, wherein said limiting means includes a beam engaged through said chamber of said latch, and engageable with said pawl, for preventing said pawl from moving out of said chamber of said latch.
- 7. The door lock assembly according to claim 1 further comprising means for disengaging said tongue of said pawl from said base.
- 8. The door lock assembly according to claim 7, wherein said disengaging means includes a spring for biasing said tongue of said pawl away from said base.
- 9. The door lock assembly according to claim 8, wherein said disengaging means includes a bar having a first end pivotally secured to said base, and having a second end engaged with said pawl, said spring is engaged between said second end of said bar and said base.
- 10. The door lock assembly according to claim 7, wherein said disengaging means includes a bar engaged with said pawl, and means for biasing said bar to force said tongue of said pawl away from said base.
- 11. The door lock assembly according to claim 10 further comprising means for limiting a movement of said bar relative to said base.
- 12. The door lock assembly according to claim 11, wherein said limiting means includes a catch pivotally supported on said base, and having a pair of recesses formed therein for selectively receiving said bar.
- 13. The door lock assembly according to claim 12, wherein said bar is retained in a lower position when said bar is received in a first of said recesses of said catch, and in a higher position when said bar is received in a second of said recesses of said catch.
- 14. The door lock assembly according to claim 7, wherein said disengaging means includes a lever pivotally secured to said base with a rod, and having a first end engaged with said pawl for moving said pawl inward said chamber of said latch.
- 15. The door lock assembly according to claim 14, wherein said lever includes a second end having a hand grip for rotating said lever and for forcing said first end of said lever to move said pawl inward said chamber of said latch.
- 16. The door lock assembly according to claim 7, wherein said disengaging means includes means for forcing said first end of said lever to move said pawl inward said chamber of said latch.
- 17. The door lock assembly according to claim 16, wherein said forcing means includes an actuator rotatably supported in said base and having at least one actuating surface formed therein and engaged with said first end of said lever.
- 18. The door lock assembly according to claim 17, wherein said actuator includes at least one swelling extended therefrom and having said at least one actuating surface formed therein for engaging with said first end of said lever.
US Referenced Citations (10)