Apparatus for a Door Latch

• US 20140361552A1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne Hartford
• Original Assignee: Wayne Hartford
• Inventors: Hartford, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 9,145,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/163
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/0038 Sliding handles, e.g. push buttons E05B13/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/007 Devices for reducing friction between lock parts E05B17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/22 Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0035 for privacy rooms, e.g. bathrooms
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 1/02 without latching action
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 1/14 the handle or member moving essentially towards or away from the plane of the wing or frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0969 Spring projected

Abstract

An improved apparatus for a door latch, which enables the user to open the door with a simple pull or push (force) on the door handle, has a door handle, which is removably connected to an actuator, which translates this force to disengage a bolt from the strike plate in the door frame. The bolt has an angled actuator engagement area (AES), which engages a bushing or sliding area on the actuator, such that when said force is applied the actuator, said bushing or sliding area is able to translate said force along the AES and move the bolt from a first position to a second position and to disengage the bolt from the strike plate and to allow the door to be opened. There is also at least one actuator support structure with at least one roller bearing and a roller bearing pin.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a handle for a door and a door frame and a strike plate on said door frame comprising:

a bolt assembly having a bolt and a spring;

said spring with a first spring end and a second spring end;

the first spring end engages the bolt;

the second spring end is connected to the bolt housing;

said spring applies a resistant force against said bolt;

the bolt having a first bolt end and a second bolt end;

the first bolt end being able to engage the strike plate so that the apparatus engages the door and so that the door is closed;

the second bolt end having an angled engagement surface;

an actuator has a first actuator end and a second actuator end;

an actuator bushing and a bushing axle lies between said first and the second actuator ends;

the actuator is oriented to said bolt so that the actuator bushing is able to roll along the angled engagement surface of the bolt, such that when a force is applied to the first actuator end, said actuator bushing is able to translate said force along the angled engagement surface and move the bolt from a first position to a second position, which disengages the first bolt end from the strike plate and the door can be opened,

a pair of actuator support structures surround the first and second actuator ends;

each actuator support structure has a central opening, which accommodates the actuator;

on an edge of the opening of each actuator support structures, there is at least one roller bearing and at least one roller bearing pin;

whereby when the force is applied to the first actuator end;

said actuator support structures allow the actuator to move freely within said actuator supports and provides a uniform support around said actuator ends.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pair of actuator support structures have at least one guide tube for connecting said pair of actuator supports to one another with a screw, a bolt or a threaded pin.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said actuator supports has an alignment guide structure for holding said bolt.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said actuator supports has a rotatable arm with a first arm end and a second arm end;

the first arm end can engage a hole on said actuator in a first locked position;

said rotatable arm is swung from a first locked position to a second unlocked position,

wherein in the second unlocked position, said first arm end is free from the hole on the actuator and said actuator can move against said bolt.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator has a stop structure, which restricts the range of travel of the actuator along one axis length.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a door handle is removably attached to the first and the second actuator ends;

the door handle has a first handle end and a second handle end;

the second handle end has a release ring, a locking ring with teeth, at least one door handle spring and a mounting piece;

whereby the user will rotate the release ring so that the locking ring will rotate against the at least one door handle spring, and the teeth of the locking ring will be able to disengage matching slots on the actuator ends, and the door handle will be able to be detached from the actuator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator bushing and bushing axle is an actuator sliding surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actuator support structures has a base section, a midlevel section and a cover section;

the base section has a matching number of grooves for the at least one roller bearing pin and a base section opening;

the midlevel section provides an elevation space to allow the at least one roller bearing to rotate freely about the at least one roller bearing pin;

the cover section keeps the base section, the midlevel section, the at least one roller bearing and the at least one roller bearing axle to be contained and with a proper alignment and orientation with respect to the actuator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor, a light, a battery, a computing device, a wireless communication connection or a speaker.

10. An apparatus for a handle for a door and a door frame and a strike plate on said door frame comprising:

a bolt assembly having a bolt within a bolt housing;

said bolt having a spring with a first spring end and a second spring end;

the first spring end engages the bolt;

the second spring end is connected to the bolt housing;

the bolt can move within the bolt housing and said spring applies a resistant force against said bolt;

the bolt having a first bolt end and a second bolt end;

the first bolt end being able to engage the strike plate so that the apparatus engages the door and so that the door is closed;

the second bolt end having a curved engagement surface;

an actuator is placed perpendicularly to said bolt;

the actuator has a first actuator end and a second actuator end;

an actuator sliding surface lies between the first and the second actuator ends;

said actuator sliding surface being able to move along the curved engagement surface of the bolt, such that when a force is applied to the first actuator end, said actuator bushing is able to translate said force along the curved engagement surface and move the bolt from a first position to a second position, which disengages the first bolt end from the strike plate and the door can be opened,

a pair of actuator support structures surround the first and second actuator ends;

each actuator support structure has a central opening, which accommodates the actuator;

whereby when the pushing force is applied to the first actuator end;

said actuator support structures allow the actuator to move freely within said actuator supports and provides a uniform support around said actuator ends.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein on an edge of the opening of each actuator support structures, there is at least one roller bearing and at least one roller bearing axle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said actuator support structures has a base section, a midlevel section and a cover section;

the base section has a matching number of grooves for the at least one roller bearing axle and a base section opening;

the midlevel section provides an elevation space to allow the at least one roller bearing to rotate freely about the at least one roller bearing axle;

the cover section keeps the base section, the midlevel section, the at least one roller bearing and the at least one roller bearing axle to be contained and with a proper alignment and orientation with respect to the actuator.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the actuator sliding surface is a bearing or a bushing, which is mounted on a bearing axle or a bushing axle.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said pair of actuator support structures have at least one guide structure for connecting said pair of actuator supports to one another with a screw, a bolt or a threaded pin.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said actuator supports has an alignment guide structure for holding said bolt.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of said actuator supports has a rotatable arm with a first arm end and a second arm end;

the first arm end can engage a hole on said actuator in a first locked position;

said rotatable arm is swung from a first locked position to a second unlocked position,

wherein in the second unlocked position, said first arm end is free from the hole on the actuator and said actuator can move against said bolt.

17. An apparatus for a handle for a door and a door frame and a strike plate on said door frame comprising:

a bolt assembly having a bolt and a spring;

said spring with a first spring end and a second spring end;

the first spring end engages the bolt;

the second spring end is connected to the bolt housing;

said spring applies a resistant force against said bolt;

the bolt having a first bolt end and a second bolt end;

the first bolt end being able to engage the strike plate so that the apparatus engages the door and so that the door is closed;

the second bolt end having an angled engagement surface;

an actuator has a first actuator end and a second actuator end;

an actuator bushing and a bushing axle lies between said first and second actuator ends;

the actuator is oriented to said bolt so that the actuator bushing is able to roll along the angled engagement surface of the bolt, such that when a force is applied to the first actuator end, said actuator bushing is able to translate said force along the angled engagement surface and move the bolt from a first position to a second position, which disengages the first bolt end from the strike plate and the door can be opened,

a pair of actuator support structures surround the first and the second actuator ends;

each actuator support structure has a central opening, which accommodates the actuator;

on an edge of the opening of each actuator support structures, there is at least two roller bearings and at least two roller bearing pins;

said actuator support structures has a base section, a midlevel section and a cover section;

the base section has a matching number of grooves for the at least two roller bearing pins and a base section opening;

the midlevel section provides an elevation space to allow the roller bearings to rotate freely about the roller bearing pins;

the cover section keeps the base section, the midlevel section, the roller bearings and roller bearing pins to be contained and with a proper alignment and orientation with respect to the actuator;

whereby when the force is applied to the first actuator end;

said actuator support structures allow the actuator to move freely within said actuator supports and provides a uniform support around said actuator ends.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said pair of actuator support structures have at least one guide tube for connecting said pair of actuator supports to one another with a screw, a bolt or a threaded pin.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein one of said actuator supports has an alignment guide structure for holding said bolt.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein one of said actuator supports has a rotatable arm with a first arm end and a second arm end;

the first arm end can engage a hole on said actuator in a first locked position;

said rotatable arm is swung from a first locked position to a second unlocked position,

wherein in the second unlocked position, said first arm end is free from the hole on the actuator and said actuator can move against said bolt.