PRIVACY KEYPAD

• US 20050134484A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yale Security Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Yale Security Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Hunt, Robert C., Case, Christopher N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,091,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/02 Striking-plates; Keepers; Bolt staples; Escutcheons keyhole finders E05B15/08; escutcheons made of hard materials E05B15/1614; finger-plates E06B7/285
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0003 preventing detection of the combination
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0056 Locks with adjustable or exchangeable lock parts adjustable strikers E05B15/024; adjustable to different keys E05B35/083; adjustable bolt or backset E05B63/06; adjustable coupling means for bars, rods, cables E05C9/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5774 Externally mounted locking device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7124 Retracted electrically only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8568 Escutcheons

Abstract

An privacy keypad providing privacy for keypad character entry and concealment of a joint in an escutcheon. A privacy keypad may include a faceplate, a keypad disposed on the faceplate, and at least one protrusion integral with the faceplate. An escutcheon for a door lock may include a housing, a keypad disposed on the housing for unlocking the door lock, and at least one protrusion integral with the housing. The protrusion may obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad. An escutcheon may include top and bottom covers with the top cover projecting outward from the surface of a door more than the lower cover, resulting in an at least partially hidden joint between covers. Top and bottom covers may be interchangeable with covers having similar edges.

Claims

1. A privacy keypad comprising:

a faceplate;

a keypad disposed on the faceplate; and

at least one protrusion integral with the faceplate and extending upwardly from the surface of the faceplate laterally adjacent to the keypad,

wherein the at least one protrusion is of a sufficient height and length along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad to obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad.

2. The privacy faceplate as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion is of unitary construction with the housing.

3. The privacy keypad as recited in claim 1, wherein a line from the center point of the keypad normal to the central longitudinal axis of the keypad to the top of the at least one protrusion forms an angle of at least about 10 degrees with a plane tangential to the surface of the faceplate along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad.

4. The privacy keypad as recited in claim 1, wherein the faceplate comprises a substantially planar portion on which the keypad is disposed.

5. The privacy keypad as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a light source.

6. The privacy keypad as recited in claim 5, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

7. The privacy keypad as recited in claim 1, wherein there are two parallel protrusions laterally adjacent to and on opposite sides of the keypad, and wherein each protrusion at least partially obstructs a line of sight to the keypad.

8. The privacy keypad as recited in claim 7, wherein the protrusions define a longitudinal channel in the faceplate for receiving the keypad.

9. An privacy keypad, comprising:

a faceplate;

a keypad disposed on the faceplate; and

two parallel protrusions, extending upwardly from the surface of the faceplate laterally adjacent to and on opposite sides of the keypad to define a longitudinal channel in the faceplate for receiving the keypad,

wherein the protrusions are integral and of unitary construction with the faceplate, and each protrusion is of a sufficient height and length along the longitudinal axis of the keypad to obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad.

10. An escutcheon for a door lock, comprising:

a housing;

a keypad disposed on the housing for unlocking the door lock; and

at least one protrusion integral with the housing and extending upwardly from the surface of the housing laterally adjacent to the keypad,

wherein the at least one protrusion is of a sufficient height and length along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad to obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad.

11. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one protrusion is of unitary construction with the housing.

12. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 10, wherein a line from the center point of the keypad normal to the central longitudinal axis of the keypad to the top of the at least one protrusion forms an angle of at least about 10 degrees with a plane tangential to the surface of the housing along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad.

13. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a substantially planar portion on which the keypad is disposed.

14. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a light source.

15. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 14, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

16. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 10, wherein there are two parallel protrusions laterally adjacent to and on opposite sides of the keypad, and

wherein each protrusion at least partially obstructs a line of sight to the keypad.

17. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 16, wherein the protrusions define a longitudinal channel in the housing for receiving the keypad.

18. An escutcheon for a door lock, comprising:

a housing;

a keypad disposed on the housing for unlocking the door lock; and

two parallel protrusions, extending upwardly from the surface of the housing laterally adjacent to and on opposite sides of the keypad to define a longitudinal channel in the housing for receiving the keypad,

wherein the protrusions are integral and of unitary construction with the housing, and each protrusion is of a sufficient height and length along the longitudinal axis of the keypad to obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad.

19. A lockset for a door, comprising:

a housing;

a lock disposed in the housing and able to be unlocked by an electrical signal;

a keypad disposed on the housing and operatively connected to the lock to provide the electrical signal; and

two parallel protrusions, extending upwardly from the surface of the housing laterally adjacent to and on opposite sides of the keypad to define a longitudinal channel in the housing for receiving the keypad,

wherein the protrusions are integral with the housing, and each protrusion is of a sufficient height and length along the longitudinal axis of the keypad to obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad.

20. The lockset for a door as recited in claim 19, wherein the protrusions are of unitary construction with the housing.

21. The lockset for a door as recited in claim 19, wherein a line from the center point of the keypad normal to the central longitudinal axis of the keypad to the top of the at least one protrusion forms an angle of at least about 10 degrees with a plane tangential to the surface of the housing along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad.

22. An escutcheon for a door lock, the door including a door latch operator, the escutcheon comprising:

a lower cover having an opening through which the latch operator passes, the lower cover having a surface projecting a first distance away from the surface of the door and having a top edge; and

an upper cover having a bottom edge and having a surface projecting away from the surface of the door a second distance that is greater than the first distance, the upper cover mounted to the surface of the door above the lower cover such that the bottom edge of the upper cover and top edge of the lower cover are in close and complementary registration.

23. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 22, wherein the top edge of the lower cover and the bottom edge of the upper cover are arcuate.

24. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 23, wherein the arcuate top edge of the lower cover is convex and the arcuate bottom edge of the upper cover is concave.

25. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 23, wherein the arcuate top edge of the lower cover is concave and the arcuate bottom edge of the upper cover is convex.

26. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 22, wherein the upper cover comprises a keypad for opening the lock.

27. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 26, wherein there are two parallel protrusions laterally adjacent to and on opposite sides of the keypad, and

wherein each protrusion at least partially obstructs a line of sight to the keypad.

28. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 22, wherein the upper cover houses batteries.

29. An escutcheon system for a lock on a door, the door having a door latch operator, the system comprising:

a lower cover through which the latch operator passes, adapted to be mounted to the surface of the door and having a top edge;

a first upper cover having a bottom edge, the first upper cover adapted to be mounted to the surface of the door above the lower cover such that the bottom edge of the first upper cover and the top edge of the lower cover are in close and complementary registration; and

a second upper cover differing from the first upper cover in size, features, or a combination thereof, having a bottom edge, the second upper cover adapted to be mounted to the surface of the door above the lower cover such that the bottom edge of the second upper cover and top edge of the lower cover are in close and complementary registration.

30. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 29, wherein the top edge of the lower cover, the bottom edge of the first upper cover, and the bottom edge of the second upper cover are arcuate.

31. The escutcheon system for a lock on a door as recited in claim 29, wherein when mounted to the door the lower cover has a surface projecting a first distance away from the surface of the door, the first upper cover has a surface projecting a second distance away from the surface of the door that is greater then the first distance, and the second upper cover has a surface projecting a third distance away from the surface of the door that is greater than the first distance.

32. An escutcheon system for a lock on a door, the door having a door latch operator, the system comprising:

an upper cover adapted to be mounted to the surface of the door and having a bottom edge;

a first lower cover through which the latch operator passes, having a top edge, the first lower cover adapted to be mounted to the surface of the door below the upper cover such that the top edge of the first lower cover and bottom edge of the upper cover are in close and complementary registration; and

a second lower cover differing from the first upper cover in size, features, or a combination thereof, through which the latch operator passes, having a top edge, the second lower cover adapted to be mounted to the surface of the door below the upper cover such that the top edge of the second lower cover and bottom edge of the upper cover are in close and complementary registration.

33. The escutcheon for a door lock as recited in claim 32, wherein the bottom edge of the upper cover, the top edge of the first lower cover, and the top edge of the second lower cover are arcuate.

34. The escutcheon system for a lock on a door as recited in claim 32, wherein when mounted to the door the upper cover has a surface projecting a first distance away from the surface of the door, the first lower cover has a surface projecting a second distance away from the surface of the door that is less than the first distance, and the second lower cover has a surface projecting a third distance away from the surface of the door that is less than the first distance.