Privacy keypad

• US 7,334,442 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corbin Russwin Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yale Security Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Case, Christopher N., Hunt, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US11/164,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20060037373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 702/781, 704/52
• US Class Current: 70/278.1
• 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

A 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. An escutcheon for a door lock, comprising:

a housing including a faceplate;

a keypad disposed on the faceplate for unlocking the door lock and having a central longitudinal axis and a center point; 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, and

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 20 degrees with a plane tangential to the surface of the faceplate along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad.

2. An escutcheon for a lock for a door, the door lock 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 spaced 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, and the upper cover and lower cover are independent from each other.

3. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 2, wherein the upper cover comprises a keypad for opening the lock.

4. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 3, 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.

5. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 2, wherein the upper cover houses batteries.

6. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 2, wherein a joint is formed by the close and complementary registration of the bottom edge of the upper cover and the top edge of the lower cover, and wherein the joint is obstructed from view when the escutcheon is viewed from above the upper cover.

7. An escutcheon for a lock for a door, the door lock 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,

wherein the top edge of the lower cover and the bottom edge of the upper cover are arcuate.

8. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 7, wherein the arcuate top edge of the lower cover is convex and the arcuate bottom edge of the upper cover is concave.

9. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 7, wherein the arcuate top edge of the lower cover is concave and the arcuate bottom edge of the upper cover is convex.

10. An escutcheon system for a lock for a door, the door lock 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.

11. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 10, 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.

12. The escutcheon system for a lock on a door as recited in claim 10, 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.

13. An escutcheon system for a lock on a door, the door lock 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.

14. The escutcheon for a lock as recited in claim 13, 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.

15. The escutcheon system for a lock for a door as recited in claim 13, 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.

16. An escutcheon for a door lock, comprising:

a housing;

a keypad disposed on the housing for unlocking the door lock and having a central longitudinal axis; and

exactly 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.

17. An escutcheon for a door lock, comprising:

a housing;

a keypad disposed on the housing for unlocking the door lock and having a central longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of 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 plurality of protrusions defines a channel having open ends, and wherein the plurality of protrusions is of sufficient height and length along the central longitudinal axis of the keypad to obstruct at least partially a line of sight to the keypad.

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

a lower cover mounted to the door and having an opening adapted to receive the latch operator, the lower cover having a surface spaced a first distance away from the surface of the door and having a top edge; and

an upper cover mounted to the door, having a bottom edge, and having a surface spaced from the surface of the door a second distance, the second distance being 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 to form a joint.

19. The escutcheon for a lock for a door as recited in claim 18, wherein the top edge of the lower cover and the bottom edge of the upper cover are arcuate.

20. The escutcheon for a lock for a door as recited in claim 19, wherein the arcuate top edge of the lower cover is convex and the arcuate bottom edge of the upper cover is concave.

21. The escutcheon for a lock for a door as recited in claim 19, wherein the arcuate top edge of the lower cover is concave and the arcuate bottom edge of the upper cover is convex.

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

a first cover including a first facing having a front surface and a back surface, sidewalls extending therefrom terminating in edges, first and second ends, and an opening adapted to receive the latch operator, the first cover facing spaced a first distance from the first cover sidewall edges; and

a second cover including a second facing having a front surface and a back surface, sidewalls extending therefrom terminating in edges, and first and second ends, the second cover facing spaced a second distance from the second cover sidewall edges, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that when the first cover sidewall edges and second cover sidewall edges are coplanar the second cover facing extends beyond the first cover facing, the first cover first end and the second cover first end are adapted to abut in close and complementary registration to form a joint, and the first cover and second cover are independent from each other.

23. The escutcheon for a lock for a door as recited in claim 22, wherein the first end of the first cover and the first end of the second cover are arcuate.

24. The escutcheon for a lock for a door as recited in claim 23, wherein the arcuate first end of the first cover is convex and the arcuate first end of the second cover is concave.

25. The escutcheon for a lock for a door as recited in claim 23, wherein the arcuate first end of the first cover is concave and the arcuate first end of the second cover is convex.