AU2005211522A1 - Door guard - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: DOOR GUARD Applicant: ASSA ABLOY Australia Pty Limited The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 2 DOOR GUARD The present invention relates to a guard for a door for improved security, and to a door and a door assembly which include a guard.

A guard according to the present invention has been developed for use with doors, typically called "screen" or "security" doors, in which a mesh screen, extending across a rectangular frame, forms the major component of the door.

Such doors are useful in that the screen permits ventilation and also allows a person on one side of the door to identify a person on the other. Such doors are additionally required in most cases to provide security against unauthorised entry through the door and they therefore include a locking arrangement for this purpose. For security, the mesh screen is usually a rigid metal mesh, with openings sufficiently large to allow for ventilation and visual identification, but sufficiently small to prevent an adult from extending his or her hand or arm through the mesh screen to gain access to the door handle or lock on the inside of the door.

Doors of the above kind usually employ a handle operated latch or lock assembly on one vertical frame member and the assembly is usually operable when activated to lock either a bolt of the assembly or the handle of the assembly. In some assemblies, a snib is employed whereby the snib can be shifted between two positions, the first being a locked position in which the bolt is locked against retraction by the handle and the second being a released position in which the handle can be operated to retract the latch. Alternatively or additionally, a key operated locking arrangement may be employed. Still alternatively, a lock arrangement may act on the handle on the outside of the door, to prevent its movement to retract the bolt when in a locked condition, but the lock arrangement may have no influence on the operation of the inside handle. In such an arrangement, the inside handle is permanently operable to retract the bolt, whereas the outside handle is selectively operable for bolt retraction.

W:Qu1ie\AndrevAComppetesDoor Guard.doc 3 It is recognised that the security of doors of the above kind can be deficient by permitting access to the inside of the door through the mesh screen from the outside of the door. For example, in some doors, the mesh screen can allow penetration by small or thin implements such as screw drivers or stiff wire which can be used for example, to shift a snib to the released position or to operate a key or handle, so that the door can be opened. To prevent this, the size of the opening in the mesh screen can be reduced, but that can increase the cost of the door and reduce its aesthetic appearance, as well as the ability to see through it and for it to provide acceptable ventilation.

It would be desirable to provide an arrangement which overcomes or at least alleviates one or more of the problems associated with the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a guard for use with a door, the door being of a kind which has a peripheral frame that defines a generally square or rectangular interior, a mesh screen which extends across the interior and is connected to the frame, a latch assembly which includes a bolt and which is operable by actuator means to move between extended and retracted positions, wherein the guard has a body which in use is positioned to overlie a portion of the screen in the vicinity of the latch assembly to hinder access to the actuator means from a side of the screen opposite the guard, and wherein a portion of the body extends in a direction which is transverse to the general plane of the screen.

It will be convenient to further describe the guard in the preferred form, which is of generally square or rectangular configuration in plan view. It should be appreciated however, that a guard according to the invention can be otherwise shaped, such as oval or circular. Additionally, it will be convenient to describe the guard in an in use condition, so that the guard will be oriented substantially vertically and if square or rectangular, will have upper and lower substantially parallel edges and a distal edge remote from the door frame and substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower edges.

W~uieAndfeMACpetesDouor Guard.doc 4 The transverse portion of the guard can be provided in any suitable manner and advantageously provides better security for the actuator means when compared to a body which is flat or planar only. This is because access to the actuator means becomes more difficult when an implement used to gain access to the actuator means is required to extend over or about the transverse portion.

Depending on the transverse depth of the transverse portion, the implement can be required to extend over or about the transverse portion and then return in the reverse direction to access the actuator means.

The transverse portion of the guard can be an edge portion which extends preferably upwardly from the adjacent part of the body, or it can be a lip portion which extends upwardly from inboard of, but adjacent one or more peripheral edges of the body. With a body of generally square or rectangular configuration in plan view, the body is preferably connected or formed integrally along one edge to the door frame, and an edge portion extends from each of the other three edges of the body, preferably continuously. The edge portion can be formed as a transversely extending lip which forms an upstanding wall or barrier about or adjacent the periphery of the body.

The transverse portion can extend from the body in any suitable manner and in one arrangement that portion extends at an angle to the body greater than 00 In a preferred arrangement, the transverse portion extends generally perpendicular to the body or at an obtuse angle, preferably within an arc of about 900 to 1100 to the body. The angle of the transverse portion can vary as it extends about the body and for example, the angle at the distal edge may be greater than 900, while at each of the upper and lower edges, it can be 90 In an alternative arrangement, the transverse portion is provided by the body being formed concave so that the edges of the body each extend transverse to, or away from, the screen as required. The body in this arrangement can form a dish or a cup in which upwardly extending sections extend transverse to the screen. In this arrangement, transverse portions extend away from the screen typically at a shallow angle. In one arrangement, the angle of the transverse portion can vary relative to the screen and in one arrangement, the distal edge WNUu1jaMAndrevAConpIetes\Door Guard.doc of the body can be a continuation of a concave formed or curved body while at the upper and lower edges of the body, the transverse portion is generally perpendicular to the body. Many other combinations of different forms of transverse portions could also be adopted.

The transverse portion may be straight or curved in both its extent along one or more edges of the body, or upwardly therefrom. In one preferred form, the transverse portion at the distal edge of the body is slightly curved convex when viewed from the door frame or the latch assembly, while it is straight at the upper and lower edges of the body. In this embodiment the transverse portion can extend generally perpendicular to the body at the upper and lower edges thereof and can extend at an obtuse angle at the distal edge.

The transverse portion preferably extends to a position of about equal or greater height than the components of the latch assembly the guard is associated with.

For example, the guard is envisaged to be appropriate for latch assemblies which employ a handle that extends to overlie the door screen and it is preferred that the distal edge of the transverse portion extend to a distance away from the screen about equal to the offset of the handle from the screen.

The transverse portion may vary in height from the body and for example, sections of the transverse portion which are disposed along the upper and lower edges of the body may gradually and preferably constantly reduce in height from adjacent the distal edge of the body toward the door frame.

The guard of the present invention can have a body which, other than the transverse portion thereof, is flat or planar, or generally curved. Alternatively it can include a combination of flat and planar sections, or a plurality of generally curved sections which are of different curvature. In one preferred arrangement, the body curves inwardly towards the screen from the upper and lower edges thereof, and further curves inwardly towards the screen from the door frame and the distal edge thereof. The curvature preferably brings the body close to, or in engagement with the screen. The curvature will typically be concave when viewed from the inside of the door. In an alternative arrangement, the body, W:Uulle\AndrewvCompletes\Door Guard.doc other than the transverse portion, can be flat or planar and can extend close to or in engagement with the screen portion it overlies.

A guard according to the present invention preferably includes a connection portion for connecting the guard to the frame of a door, preferably to the section of the frame to which the latch assembly is applied. Preferably the connection portion is sandwiched between the furniture plate of a latch assembly and the door frame. The connection portion preferably is planar and has a width which is about equal to, but preferably less than, the width of the door frame. Where the screen is offset from the outwardly facing surface of the door frame, the body may be connected to the connection portion by a step portion also.

Alternatively, the connection portion may be connected to an inwardly facing edge surface of the door frame and the body is connected to and extends from the connection portion generally perpendicular thereto.

In a preferred arrangement, the connection portion is flat to fit flush against the flat outer surface of a door frame. The connection portion can include openings for fasteners and for passage of other components of the latch assembly, such as a handle spindle.

The connection between the connection portion and the body preferably is integral, although a fastener connection could be employed. Preferably the guard is formed from moulded plastic so that the connection portion, body and the transverse portion can be formed integrally in a single moulding operation.

The guard could alternatively be formed integrally from pressed sheet metal, or fabricated from metal or wood.

The present invention further provides a door assembly including a guard of the above described kind and in such a door, the latch assembly in a basic form can include a bolt and actuator means to withdraw the bolt. The latch assembly will not necessarily include a locking function although it usually is the case that it will. In that case, the latch assembly can comprise a lock assembly. A lock assembly can include the bolt, actuator means to withdraw the bolt and locking means which act on the bolt and/or the operating means.

W:ulMieAndrewCompleteslDoor Guarddoc 7 For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be performed, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of a door assembly incorporating a guard according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a more detailed illustration of the guard and lock assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a guard according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the guard illustrated in Figure 3.

Figures 5 to 8 illustrate different cross-sectional profiles of guards according to the invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating a guard having the cross-sectional profile shown in Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a guard having the cross-sectional profile shown in Figure 8.

Figure 1 illustrates a door 10 disposed within and hingedly fixed relative to an architrave 11 at hinges 12 and 13. The door 10 has a rectangular frame comprising horizontal upper and lower members 14 and vertical members A lock assembly 16 is fixed to one of the members 15 and includes a handle 17, a key lock cylinder 18, a bolt 19 and a furniture plate 20, all of which are more clearly shown in Figure 2.

The door 10 is a mesh screen door which has a security mesh screen 21 extending across the interior of the door frame and in connection with each of the frame members 14, W:UuIie\AndreCompetes\Door Guard.doc The door 10 includes a guard 25 which is sandwiched between the furniture plate 20 and the frame member 15. The guard 25 is generally rectangular in the view shown in Figures 1 and 2 and extends from its sandwich connection to overlie the security mesh 21. The guard 25 extends beyond the distal end of the handle 17 and slightly beyond each upper and lower end of the furniture plate 20. It will be appreciated that in the position shown, the guard 25 hinders access to both the handle 17 and the key lock cylinder 18 from the opposite side of the mesh screen 21.

With reference to Figure 2, the guard 25 includes a connection portion 26 for connection of the guard 25 to the door frame member 15, a body 27 which extends from the connection portion 26 and a transverse portion 28 which extends about the free edge of the body 27 and from upper and lower edges of the connection portion 26. The transverse portion 28 extends in a direction transversely away from the screen 21 and forms a lip or barrier to enhance the guard operation.

In the illustrated arrangement, the transverse portion 28 at the distal edge 29 of the body 27 extends to a height about equal to, or slightly greater than that of the handle 17 (see Figure 3) and by this arrangement, an implement which is used to tamper with the handle 17 from the opposite side of the screen 21 must extend over or about the edge portion 28. Thus, whatever implement is used, it must extend through the screen, then up over the edge portion 28 and down to engage the handle 17. This represents a difficult manoeuvre, which is unlikely to be successful with simple implements such as screw drivers or wire coat hangers.

The edge portion 28 extends also from the upper and lower guard edges 30 and 31 of the connecting portion 26 and the body 27, so that the same or similar impediment to handle access occurs completely about each edge of the guard that overlies the screen 21.

Uniquely, the body 27 of the guard 25 is curved, commencing at the junction 32 of the connection portion 26 and the body 27 and the body curves downwardly W:JUulie\AndrewvCompletesDoor Guard.doc from the frame member 15 towards the screen 21 and then curves upwardly away from the screen 21, to each of the edges 29, 30 and 31. In this arrangement, the body advantageously is concave and the handle 17 can be located to overlie the deepest section of the body 27. Thus, the guard provides minimal impediment to access to the handle from inside of the door, yet the guard 25 extends upwardly and around the handle 17, to limit access to it from the opposite side of the screen 21.

In the illustrated arrangement, the lock assembly 16 can be of a form that presently is employed in security mesh screen doors, without modification. It may be that the screws 33 employed to fix the lock assembly 16 to the frame member 15 are required to be longer, but that is a minor modification.

It will readily be appreciated that the guard 25 can be fitted to new doors when the lock assembly 16 is applied, but equally, the guard 25 can easily be retrofitted to existing doors.

The guard 25 can be made of any suitable material such as sheet metal or plastic, although a plastic material is likely to be most cost efficient. In either material, an advantageous feature of the present invention relates to the flexibility that the guard can have, which can further enhance the characteristics of the guard 25 to hinder access to the lock assembly 16. This is because, an implement that engages the guard from the opposite side of the screen 21 is likely to apply a load that shifts the guard 25 toward the handle 17 if the guard is sufficiently flexible, thereby further enveloping the handle 17 within the guard so that access to the handle 17 from the opposite side of the screen 21 is further hindered.

The lock assembly 16 is one form of such an assembly to which the present invention can apply. Other assemblies could include a door knob rather than the lever-type handle 17. Likewise, the key lock cylinder 18, which can lock either of the lever 17 or the bolt 19 against movement or both, can be replaced by a latch which is rotatably switched between locked and unlocked positions.

A snib lock may alternatively be providea which can be pressed between locked W:UuUe\AndreMCompetes\Door Guarddoc and unlocked positions. Thus, the lock assembly 16 which is illustrated could take many different forms and still be employed with the guard 25, or a guard of similar construction. The guard 25 is just one form of guard that falls within the scope of the present invention. Figures 5 to 8 show other guard configurations that are also within the scope of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 5, the guard 40 is shown in cross-section which is equivalent to a cross-section taken through the line A-A of Figure 2. Like the guard 25, the guard 40 includes a connection portion 41 and a body 42, but these portions are co-planar and co-extensive and there is no clearly defined junction between them. In fact, each of the connection portion 41 and the body 42 is formed in a single sheet of material which is itself, flat or planar. At the distal end of the guard 40, the end portion 43 extends transversely, generally perpendicular to the body 42 although the angle at which the end portion 43 extends from the body 42 can vary from perpendicular.

It is intended that the guard 40 would be generally square or rectangular in plan view and that the edge portion 43 would extend fully about the body 42 in a like manner to the edge portion 28 of the guard With reference to Figure 6 again taken through a cross-section equivalent to A- A of Figure 2, the guard 50 includes a connection portion 51 and a body 52 which, like the guard 40, are co-planar and co-extensive. The edge portion 53 extends from the distal end of the body 52 and is curved or rounded.

With reference to Figure 7 again taken through a cross-section equivalent to A- A of Figure 2, the guard 60 includes a connection portion 61 and a curved body 62 which extends therefrom. The body 62 could have a curvature the same as or similar to that of the body 27 of the guard 25, and typically the depth of curvature is governed by the spacing between the offset between the frame member 15 to which the connection portion 61 is fixed and the adjacent broad surface of the mesh screen 21 which the body 62 overlies. In the guard 60, the body 62 could be curved to form a concave dish similar to that of the body 27, or it could form a curved channel so that the cross-sectional curvature shown in W:Julie\And rewCOrmpletes\DoorGuarddoc 11 Figure 7 is constant between upper and lower guard edges (see the edges and 31 in Figure This latter arrangement would take the form shown in Figure 9, which is a perspective view showing the profile of the guard 60 of Figure 7. Referring to Figure 9, it is possible for the guard to include end walls 64 and 65 when the body 62 is formed as a channel. It can be seen from each of Figures 7 and 9, that the edge portion 63 is co-extensive with the body 62 so that there is not a clear junction between those two portions, in contrast to that of the guards 25, 40 and 50. Nevertheless, the edge portion 63 would extend transversely away from a mesh screen 21 to which the guard 60 was applied.

With reference to Figure 8, a guard 70 is illustrated which includes a connection portion 71 and a body 72 which are co-planar and co-extensive in the same manner as the guards 40 and 50 of Figures 5 and 6. In the guard 70 however, a lip portion 73 is upstanding from the body 72 inboard of the distal end 74.

While the lip portion 73 is shown extending generally perpendicular to the body 72, the angle at which the lip portion 73 extends can vary, like the edge portion 43 of the guard Figure 10 is a perspective view of the guard 70 and this shows that the lip 73 extends fully about the body 72 along each of upper and lower edges thereof and adjacent the distal edge thereof. Clearly, the body 72 could be curved similar to that of the guard 25, or of the guard 60 shown in Figure 9, or it can be planar as illustrated.

It will be clearly evident that a guard according to the invention can take many suitable shapes and forms. For example, the length of the guard between the connection portion and the distal edge of the body, can vary depending on the form of the lock assembly with which the guard is used. For example, if a lock assembly includes a lever handle 17 such as shown in Figures 1 to 4, then the guard typically will extend beyond the distal end of the handle. However, the length of the guard can be reduced in the event that the lock assembly does not include a lever handle, but instead includes a door knob. The dimensions of the door guard may also vary depending on the type of mesh screen that is applied to the door. If the mesh screen is very tight, then there will be less flexibility for W:Julle Andrew\Completes\Door Guard.doc 12 tamper access to the lock assembly, and therefore the guard may be of reduced dimensions. In contrast, if the mesh screen is more open, then a larger guard may be required.

The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or additions which fall within the spirit and scope of the above description.

W:\ulle\Andrew\Completes\Door Guard.doc

Claims (19)

1. A guard for use with a door, the door being of a kind which has a peripheral frame that defines a generally square or rectangular interior, a mesh screen which extends across the interior and is connected to the frame, a latch assembly which includes a bolt and which is operable by actuator means to move between extended and retracted positions, wherein the guard has a body which in use is positioned to overlie a portion of the screen in the vicinity of the latch assembly to hinder access to the actuator means from a side of the screen opposite the guard, and wherein a portion of the body extends in a direction which is transverse to the general plane of the screen.

2. A guard according to claim 1, wherein the transverse extending portion of the body is formed at an edge of the body.

3. A guard according to claim 1, wherein the transverse extending portion of the body is formed inboard of, but adjacent an edge of the body.

4. A guard according to claim 1, wherein the transverse extending portion of the body is a major portion of the body which is formed concave, with the interior of the concave portion in use facing away from the screen.

A guard according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body is generally square or rectangular in plan view, so that it defines four peripheral edges which are disposed generally perpendicular to each other, a first of the edges is arranged for connection to the frame of the door, while at least one of the other three edges extends in the direction which is transverse to the general plane of the screen.

6. A guard according to claim 5, wherein each of the other edges extends in the direction which is transverse to the general plane of the screen.

7. A guard according to claim 6, wherein the transverse extension of the three edges is continuous. W:uIIe\Andrew CompIetes\Door Guard.doc 14

8. A guard according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the angle of extension of the or each edge is with an arc of about 900 to about 1100 to the body.

9. A guard according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein each of the edges that extend generally perpendicular to the first edge are generally straight, while the edge that extends generally parallel to the first edge is curved convex.

A guard according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the portion of the body within the edges is concave.

11. A guard according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the guard is for use with the actuator means that includes an elongate handle that overlies the screen and the body of the guard is arranged to be positioned between the screen and the handle and is sized so that it fully underlies and extends beyond a free end of the handle.

12. A guard according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein in use, the transverse portion of the guard extends to a distance away from the screen, which is about equal to the distance of the actuator means away from the screen.

13. A guard according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the transverse portion stiffens the body against flexing.

14. A guard according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the guard includes a connection portion for connecting the guard to the peripheral frame of a door, the connection portion being arranged to be sandwiched between the furniture plate of a latch assembly and including openings for passage of parts of the latch assembly. A guard according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the guard is formed from moulded plastic.

WNUulieAndreM\Compl esDoor Guard.doc

16. A door assembly including a guard according to any one of claims 1 to

17. A door assembly including a door having a peripheral frame that defines a generally square or rectangular interior, a mesh screen which extends across the interior and is connected to the frame, a latch assembly which includes a bolt and which is operable by actuator means to move between extended and retracted positions, a guard which has a body which is positioned to overlie a portion of the screen in the vicinity of the latch assembly to hinder access to the actuator means from a side of the screen opposite the guard, and wherein a portion of the body extends in a direction which is transverse to the general plane of the screen.

18. A guard substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.

19. A door assembly as herein described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 4. DATED: 14 September 2005 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: ASSA ABLOY Australia Pty Limited q4a$u4 W:Uu1e\AndrewCompletesDoor Guard.doc