Handleset mechanism with reduced thumb latch force
AssigneeNewfrey LLC
InventorsGraham Wheatland, Elena Gorkovenko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handleset mechanism of the sort having a pivoting thumb latch and a rotary handle is provided with a force transmission path to generally improve the actuation by the thumb latch and reduce the required force. One feature is a heart-shaped cam that communicates movement between a spindle driven by the rotary handle, and a slider plate driven by the thumb latch. By using the cam, the force required by the thumb latch is reduced. Another feature is the provision of a curved surface between the thumb latch and the slider plate. Further, in one embodiment, the rotary handle can be actuated without any corresponding movement of the thumb latch.
Claims23
A handleset mechanism comprising:
- a latch;
- a rotary handle for being rotated to actuate said latch;
- a thumb latch for being pivoted to cause actuation of said latch;
- a spindle turned when said rotary handle turns, and a slider plate actuated to slide when said thumb latch pivots;
- and
- a force transmission path for translating actuation movement of said rotary handle, and said thumb latch actuator, to actuation of said latch, said force transmission path including a rotary plate with a cam, said rotary plate and said cam translating sliding movement of said slider plate to rotary movement of said spindle.
A handleset mechanism comprising:
- a latch;
- a rotary handle for being rotated to actuate said latch;
- a thumb latch for being pivoted to cause actuation of said latch;
- a spindle turned when said rotary handle turns;
- a slider plate actuated to slide when said thumb latch pivots;
- and
- said thumb latch having a generally curved contact surface engaged with a generally curved contact surface of said slider plate to provide a smooth force transmission path.
A handleset mechanism comprising:
- a latch;
- a rotary handle for being rotated to actuate said latch;
- a thumb latch for being pivoted to cause actuation of said latch;
- a spindle turned when said rotary handle turns, and a slider plate actuated to slide when said thumb latch pivots;
- and
- a force transmission path for transmitting force from either of said rotary handle and said thumb latch to actuate said latch, said force transmission path being constructed such that rotary movement of said rotary handle will not cause pivoting movement of said thumb latch.
A method of operating a handleset mechanism comprising the steps of:
- (1) providing a thumb latch for pivoting, providing a slider plate to be driven to slide by said thumb latch, providing a cam received within a surface on said slider plate, said cam being provided on a rotary plate, such that sliding movement of said slider plate causes rotary movement of said cam and said rotary plate, providing a shaft, and providing a latch actuation mechanism that actuates a latch when said shaft turns;
- (2) pivoting said thumb latch to cause said slider plate to slide, to in turn rotate said cam and said rotary plate along with said shaft to actuate the latch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.