Back to results
US 10,508,468 B2Granted
Door lock chassis assembly
AssigneeSchlage Lock Company LLC
InventorsNathanael S. Murphy, Peter Malenkovic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus that at least assists in maintaining a lever or knob of a lock device in a relatively neutral and static position. The apparatus includes a biasing element that can be constructed from a compliant material that may at least assist in reducing impact forces between interfacing surfaces at least when the lever or knob is returns to the neutral, static position from one or more activated positions. The compliant nature of the damper can further alleviate issues relating to manufacturing tolerances and wear between interfacing surfaces.
Claims20
An apparatus for a door lock chassis assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
- an actuation mechanism rotatably mounted to the housing and configured to be coupled with a handle;
- a biasing element engaged between the actuation mechanism and the housing, the biasing element configured to provide a biasing force urging the actuation mechanism toward a neutral position corresponding to an unactuated position of the handle;
- and
- a damper engaged between the biasing element and at least one of the actuation mechanism and the housing, wherein the damper is configured to absorb an impact force imparted against the damper by the biasing element as the actuation mechanism is rotatably displaced from a rotated position that corresponds to an actuated position of the handle to the neutral position and thereby provide a cushion between the biasing element and the at least one of the actuation mechanism and the housing;
- and
- wherein the biasing element includes a first arm and a second arm, wherein the actuation mechanism is positioned to press against and displace the first arm as the actuation mechanism is rotatably displaced from the neutral position to the rotated position, and wherein the first arm and the second arm are shaped and positioned to be displaced into direct contact with the damper as the biasing element returns the actuation mechanism to the neutral position.
4 more elements
An apparatus for biasing a position of a handle, comprising:
- a housing having a first side and a second side;
- an actuation plate rotatably coupled to the housing, the actuation plate rotatably displaceable in a first direction from a neutral position to a first actuation position and in second direction from the neutral position to a second actuation position, the first direction being opposite the second direction, the actuation plate including one or more engagement sections sized to directly or indirectly couple the actuation plate to the handle, the handle being in an unactuated position when the actuation plate is at the neutral positon and an actuated position when the actuation plate is at a rotated position away from the neutral position;
- a biasing element coupled to the actuation plate, the biasing element providing a biasing force that biases the actuation plate to the neutral position;
- and
- a damper constructed from a compliant material and positioned between at least one interface between the actuation plate and the housing, the damper being configured to absorb at least a portion of an impact force from contact of the biasing element with the damper as the actuation mechanism is rotatably displaced to the neutral position;
- and
- wherein the biasing element includes a first arm and a second arm, and wherein each of the arms is in direct contact with the damper as the biasing element returns the actuation mechanism to the neutral position.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a handle rotatably displaceable between an unactuated position and at least one actuated position;
- a housing having an aperture;
- an actuation plate having an actuation body and one or more engagement sections, the one or more engagement sections directly or indirectly coupled to the handle, the actuation plate rotatably displaceable from a neutral position upon rotational displacement of the handle;
- one or more dampers constructed from a compliant material, at least one of the one or more dampers positioned between at least one interface between the actuation plate and the housing;
- and
- a biasing element providing a biasing force to bias the actuation plate to the neutral position, at least a portion of the biasing element directly contact at least a portion of one of the one or more dampers as the actuation plate is rotatably displaced to the neutral position, the damper being configured to absorb at least a portion of an impact force from such contact of the biasing element with the at least a portion of one of the one or more dampers and thus provide a cushion against the biasing element as the displacement of biasing element to the neutral position is brought to a stop:
- and
- wherein the one or more engagement sections at least assist in retaining the handle in the unactuated position when the actuation plate is in the neutral position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.