# US 2024/0200359 A1 · Exit trim with simplified lever handing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0200359 A1 - Document ID: US20240200359A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/239,505 - Filed: 2023-08-29 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-09 - Assignees: Schlage Lock Company LLC - Applicants: Schlage Lock Company LLC - Inventors: Jack R. Lehner, JR.; Joseph Janik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200359A1 ## CPC - E05B 3/06: by means arranged in or on the rose {or escutcheon} - E05B 63/042: {constructed symmetrically} - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS ## Abstract There is disclosed an exit trim that permits simplified changing of the handing of a lever handle between a left hand and a right hand orientation. The handing orientation of the lever handle can be repositioned without disassembling the exit trim or removing components positioned within the exit trim. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-22. (canceled) ### Claim 23 A method for handing an exit trim assembly for a door, the method comprising: positioning a lever handle through an input cam located within an escutcheon; coupling the lever handle to the input cam in a first orientation relative to the door with a locking member; displacing the locking member relative to the input cam and the lever handle in order to decouple the lever handle from the input cam; rotating the de-coupled lever handle from the first orientation to a second orientation that is substantially opposite the first orientation; and coupling the lever handle in the second orientation to the input cam with the locking member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein positioning the lever handle including positioning the lever handle through both the locking member and the input cam. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising positioning a locking projection in a recess in order to couple the lever handle with the input cam in each of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein a biasing member biases the locking projection into the recess. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the locking member is positioned in a recess of the input cam and the locking member is movable in the recess to couple and de-couple the lever handle from the input cam. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the lever handle is rotatable about a rotation axis between the first orientation and the second orientation, and the locking member is displaced perpendicularly to the rotation axis to decouple the input cam from the lever handle. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first orientation and the second orientation of the lever handle are each non-perpendicular to an adjacent edge of the door. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein displacing the locking member includes threading the locking member along the input cam away from the lever handle in order to decouple the lever handle from the input cam. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein displacing the locking member includes inserting an engagement tool in a notch of the locking member and manipulating the locking member with the engagement tool in order to de-couple the lever handle from locking member. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the engagement tool is inserted through a gap between a wall of the escutcheon and an end plate mounted to the lever handle adjacent to the input cam in order to be inserted in the notch. ### Claim 33 A method for handing an exit trim assembly for a door, the method comprising: positioning a lever handle through an input cam assembly located within an escutcheon, the input cam assembly being configured to operate a latch mechanism to open and close the door; rotating the lever handle to select one of a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the door, wherein the second orientation is substantially opposite the first orientation; and locking the lever handle in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation with the input cam assembly, wherein the input cam assembly can be unlocked from the lever handle to re-orient the lever handle to the other of the first orientation and the second orientation and then locked with the input cam assembly in the other of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein locking the lever handle includes locking the input cam assembly onto an elongated spindle of the lever handle in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein an outer surface of the spindle includes locking recesses along opposite sides of the spindle, and the input cam assembly is locked into one of the locking recesses in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the spindle includes at least one locking bore extending into the spindle, and the input cam assembly is locked into the at least one locking bore in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 37 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein the input cam assembly includes a locking member and an input cam, the locking member coupling the lever handle to the input cam in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the locking member is biased into engagement with lever handle in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the locking member is threadingly engaged to the input cam and extends into the lever handle in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, wherein the locking member is threadingly engaged to the lever handle in the selected one of the first orientation and the second orientation. ### Claim 41 A method for handing an exit trim assembly for a door, the method comprising: inserting an engagement tool into engagement with a locking mechanism located within an escutcheon; manipulating the engagement tool to displace the locking member relative to an input cam in order to de-couple a lever handle from the input cam, wherein the input cam is configured to operate a latch mechanism of the door; rotating the de-coupled lever handle from a first orientation relative to the door to a second orientation relative to the door that is substantially opposite the first orientation; and coupling the lever handle in the second orientation to the input cam with the locking member. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein manipulating the engagement tool displaces the locking member transversely to a spindle of the lever handle to disengage the locking member from the spindle.