US20210214978A1 - Door latch assembly - Google Patents
Door latch assembly Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20210214978A1 US20210214978A1 US17/215,634 US202117215634A US2021214978A1 US 20210214978 A1 US20210214978 A1 US 20210214978A1 US 202117215634 A US202117215634 A US 202117215634A US 2021214978 A1 US2021214978 A1 US 2021214978A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- latch
- plunger
- door
- door latch
- handle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
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Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05C—BOLTS OR FASTENING DEVICES FOR WINGS, SPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS
- E05C7/00—Fastening devices specially adapted for two wings
- E05C7/02—Fastening devices specially adapted for two wings for wings which lie one behind the other when closed
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
- E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
- E06B7/00—Special arrangements or measures in connection with doors or windows
- E06B7/28—Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners
- E06B7/32—Serving doors; Passing-through doors ; Pet-doors
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B15/00—Other details of locks; Parts for engagement by bolts of fastening devices
- E05B15/04—Spring arrangements in locks
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B83/00—Vehicle locks specially adapted for particular types of wing or vehicle
- E05B83/36—Locks for passenger or like doors
- E05B83/44—Locks for passenger or like doors for recreational vehicles, e.g. caravans or camper vans
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B9/00—Lock casings or latch-mechanism casings ; Fastening locks or fasteners or parts thereof to the wing
- E05B9/02—Casings of latch-bolt or deadbolt locks
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05C—BOLTS OR FASTENING DEVICES FOR WINGS, SPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS
- E05C1/00—Fastening devices with bolts moving rectilinearly
- E05C1/08—Fastening devices with bolts moving rectilinearly with latching action
- E05C1/12—Fastening devices with bolts moving rectilinearly with latching action with operating handle or equivalent member moving otherwise than rigidly with the latch
- E05C1/16—Fastening devices with bolts moving rectilinearly with latching action with operating handle or equivalent member moving otherwise than rigidly with the latch the handle or member moving essentially in a plane substantially parallel to the wing or frame
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
- E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
- E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
- E06B9/52—Devices affording protection against insects, e.g. fly screens; Mesh windows for other purposes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
- B60J5/00—Doors
- B60J5/04—Doors arranged at the vehicle sides
- B60J5/0486—Special type
- B60J5/049—Special type caravan door
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05B15/00—Other details of locks; Parts for engagement by bolts of fastening devices
- E05B15/04—Spring arrangements in locks
- E05B2015/0437—Attachments or mountings; Mounting of springs
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO HINGES OR OTHER SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS AND DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION, CHECKS FOR WINGS AND WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- E05Y2900/00—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
- E05Y2900/50—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for vehicles
- E05Y2900/512—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for vehicles for recreational vehicles
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/096—Sliding
- Y10T292/0961—Multiple head
- Y10T292/0962—Operating means
- Y10T292/0964—Cam
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/096—Sliding
- Y10T292/0969—Spring projected
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T292/00—Closure fasteners
- Y10T292/08—Bolts
- Y10T292/096—Sliding
- Y10T292/0969—Spring projected
- Y10T292/097—Operating means
- Y10T292/0977—Cam
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to lock assemblies for movable closures and the like, and, in particular, to a lock assembly for a recreational vehicle inner screen door that can be actuated from both the interior and exterior of the recreational vehicle.
- Egress/ingress doors for motorized vehicles and trailers commonly employ a combination door assembly having an exterior door detachably coupled with an inner screen door.
- the exterior door provides protection against the elements and otherwise encloses the recreational vehicle
- the inner screen door assembly provides ventilation to the interior of the recreational vehicle when the exterior door is placed in an open condition.
- the inner screen door also provides a barrier against unwelcome callers, such as insects and the like.
- Both the exterior door and the inner screen door may pivot about a common set of hinges along one side thereof and may be latched to an inner doorjamb along an opposite side thereof.
- the inner screen door is provided with an exterior lever-type latch on its exterior surface.
- the exterior lever-type latch may be pivotally mounted within a housing attached to the exterior surface the inner screen door, whereby rotating an exterior lever-type latch handle causes a latch pawl on an opposite end thereof to move out of engagement with an inner screen door latch striker assembly mounted on the inner doorjamb, and thereby unlatch the inner screen door.
- An inner screen door retention member is commonly provided on an interior surface of the exterior door that engages the exterior lever-type latch handle to maintain the latch assembly of the inner screen door in the unlatched position, while also coupling the inner screen door to the exterior door so as to allow operation of the combination door assembly as a single door unit.
- a solution heretofore has been the use of a slidable panel disposed proximate the exterior lever-type latch handle.
- the slidable panel may be supported by and slidable along a horizontal cross frame member extending between two side frame members of the inner screen door.
- the slidable panel which extends only a portion of the width of the inner screen door, is slidable between an open position and a closed position. When the slidable panel is in the open position, access to the exterior lever-type latch handle from the interior of the recreational vehicle is possible, and the inner screen door may be unlatched to allow egress from the recreational vehicle.
- a latch plunger is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, the latch plunger including a plunger leg having an inclined surface.
- a latch cam is operably coupled with each of the rotatable inside door latch handle and the rotatable outside door latch handle, and includes a crank arm slidably disposed against the inclined surface of the plunger leg.
- a biasing member mounted within the housing urges the latch plunger to an extended position, wherein rotation of either of the rotatable inside door latch handle or the rotatable outside door latch handle in a first direction rotates the crank arm of the latch cam and displaces the plunger leg of the latch plunger and the latch plunger to the retracted position against the urging of the biasing member.
- a door assembly comprises an inner screen door detachable coupled with an exterior door, wherein each of the inner screen door and exterior door are pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the exterior door having a latch retention member disposed on an interior surface thereof.
- An inner screen door latch assembly includes a housing, a rotatable inside door latch handle operably coupled with the housing, and a rotatable outside door latch handle operably coupled with the housing and the rotatable inside door latch handle.
- a latch plunger is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, the latch plunger further comprising a plunger leg having an inclined surface.
- a latch cam is operably coupled with each of the rotatable inside door latch handle and the rotatable outside door latch handle, the latch cam further comprising a crank arm slidably disposed against the inclined surface of the plunger leg.
- a biasing member is mounted within the housing urging the latch plunger to an extended position, wherein rotation of either of the rotatable inside door latch handle or the rotatable outside door latch handle in a first direction rotates the crank arm of the latch cam and displaces the plunger leg of the latch plunger and the latch plunger to the retracted position against the urging of the biasing member, and wherein when the inner screen door and the exterior door are in juxtaposed relation with one another, the latch retention member engages the outside door latch handle and rotates the outside door latch handle in the first direction and displaces the latch plunger to the retracted position.
- a door latch assembly comprises a housing, an inside and outside handle operably coupled with the housing, and a latch plunger.
- a latch cam is operably coupled with the inside and outside handles, and the latch cam further includes a crank arm slidably disposed against an inclined surface of a plunger leg operably coupled to the latch plunger.
- a biasing member urges the latch plunger to an extended position, wherein rotation of the inside or outside door latch handle in a first direction rotates the crank arm of the latch cam and displaces the plunger leg of the latch plunger and the latch plunger to a retracted position against the urging of the biasing member.
- FIG. 1 is a front side perspective view of a recreational vehicle provided with a combination door assembly in accordance with the present disclosure
- FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door and the interior surface of the exterior door;
- FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door;
- FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the interior of the egress/ingress door;
- FIG. 5 is an elevational side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door;
- FIG. 6 is an elevational side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the interior of the egress/ingress door;
- FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 8 is an elevational side view of the interior surface of the outer housing cover of the closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure with the latch plunger in the retracted position;
- FIG. 9 is an elevational side view of the interior surface of the outer housing cover of the closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure with the latch plunger in the extended position;
- FIG. 10 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door, with the slidable panel in the first closed position;
- FIG. 11 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door, with the slidable panel in the second open position;
- FIG. 12A is a top partial cross-sectional view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door coupled with the interior surface of the exterior door, taken along the line XII-XII of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 12B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 12A ;
- FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the outside latch handle and latch extension member of the present disclosure in the engaged position.
- the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “interior,” “exterior,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 2 .
- the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary.
- the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawing, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
- reference numeral 10 generally designates a recreational vehicle travel trailer particularly adapted for being towed by a motor vehicle (not shown).
- the recreational vehicle 10 generally comprises a body 12 that is primarily supported by a pair of axles 14 , each comprising at least one pair of opposing road wheels and an axle assembly 16 , and a trailer tongue 18 by which the recreational vehicle 10 be attached to the tow vehicle.
- the recreational vehicle 10 has a combination door assembly 20 for egress and ingress and a plurality of windows 22 arranged on sidewalls 24 of the body 12 .
- a roof portion 26 is provided to enclose the body 12 and typically includes one or more ceiling vents 30 , typically arranged along the longitudinal length of the recreational vehicle 10 .
- an air conditioning unit 32 can be mounted on the roof portion 26 as well.
- the combination door assembly 20 shown in FIG. 2 is primarily installed to provide egress and ingress from and into the interior 34 of the body 12 of the recreational vehicle 10 . That is, the combination door assembly 20 is typically operable between a closed position, in which the elements, such as the weather, are maintained outside of the interior 34 of the body 12 of the recreational vehicle 10 , and an open position, by which egress and ingress may occur relative the interior 34 of the body 12 of the recreational vehicle 10 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the combination door assembly 20 primarily consists of an exterior door 42 and an inner screen door 44 mounted about and sharing a common set of hinges 46 that share a vertical hinge pivot axis on one side thereof.
- each of the exterior door 42 and the inner screen door 44 may be pivotable, either separately or in combination, between an open position and a closed position.
- the exterior door 42 has a main latch assembly 48
- the inner screen door 44 has the aforementioned closable door latch assembly 40 , each disposed on a side opposite the side having the hinges 46 proximate the hinge pivot axis.
- Each of the main latch assembly 48 and the closable door latch assembly 40 engage corresponding striker plates 50 , 52 disposed on an interior surface of the inner doorjamb 38 , respectively.
- the exterior door 42 may be formed by a fiberglass clad exterior panel 54 , a fiberglass clad interior panel 56 , and a filler material 58 disposed between the fiberglass clad exterior and interior panels 54 , 56 .
- the filler material 58 may consist of a structural foam material that provides structural support, as well as high insulating qualities, at an extremely low weight.
- the main latch assembly 48 of the exterior door 42 may be provided with an exterior handle (not shown) and an interior handle 60 , such as a paddle handle, for actuation of the exterior door 42 .
- the exterior door 42 is also typically provided with a latch retention member 62 disposed on an interior surface 64 thereof, which may be provided to engage an exterior lever-type latch handle on the inner screen door 44 , as referred to above, and as further explained below.
- the inner screen door 44 may be constructed from a plurality of frame members 66 , 68 , 70 , 72 that form a substantially rigid outer periphery 74 within which one or more screen panels 76 may be mounted.
- the inner screen door 44 has a pair of opposed vertical side frame members 66 , 68 extending the entire height of the inner screen door 44 and a pair of opposed horizontal transverse frame members 70 , 72 at both the top and bottom of the inner screen door 44 that extends the width of the inner screen door 44 .
- a pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 is provided proximate the closable door latch assembly 40 of the inner screen door 44 to form an upper and lower screened portion, each of which may be constructed as a continuous screen panel 76 .
- the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 is preferably separated by a vertical distance and each is provided with a slot or groove 82 within an interior surface 84 thereof.
- the portion of the vertical side frame members 66 , 68 between the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 is provided with a slot or groove 82 within an interior surface 84 thereof.
- the slot or groove 82 on the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 receives a slidable panel 86 that may be slidably supported along a lower edge 88 thereof by the slot or groove 82 in the interior surface 84 of the lower of the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 and slidably retained along an upper edge 90 thereof by the slot or groove 82 in the interior surface 84 of the upper of the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 , thereby operably coupling the slidable panel 86 with the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 .
- a stationary panel 92 is similarly mounted alongside and slightly offset from the slidable panel 86 , whereby the slidable panel 86 may be moved between an open and closed position, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 .
- a sealing frame member 94 is disposed between the slidable panel 86 and the stationary panel 92 .
- a handle 96 may be provided at one end of the slidable panel 86 to facilitate its operation. While the slidable panel 86 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is substantially planar, it should be noted that slidable panel 86 having a concave or plastic slider bubble that allows access to the exterior door 42 can be employed.
- the closable door latch assembly 40 of the inner screen door 44 of the present disclosure benefits the consumer by allowing the consumer to open the inner screen door 44 from the interior 34 of the recreational vehicle 10 without having to slide the slidable panel 86 , which may be particularly significant when the exterior door 42 is positioned in the open position.
- the closable door latch assembly 40 for the inner screen door 44 includes a housing 100 comprised of an inner housing cover 102 and an outer housing cover 104 in juxtaposed relation.
- the inner housing cover 102 and the outer housing cover 104 are fabricated of glass-filled nylon.
- one or more bosses 106 may be disposed on an interior surface 108 , 110 of either of the inner housing cover 102 or outer housing cover 104 , respectively, and aligned corresponding female receivers (not shown) may be disposed on an interior surface 108 , 110 of the other of the inner housing cover 102 or outer housing cover 104 , as is known.
- the housing 100 further comprises a longitudinal and exterior groove 112 that receives and supports a shaped cutout edge 114 of the slidable panel 86 provided to accommodate the closable door latch assembly 40 of the inner screen door 44 when installed and allows the slidable panel 86 to entirely seal the vertical gap between the pair of horizontal cross-members 78 , 80 when the slidable panel 86 is in the closed position.
- the housing 100 may be provided with a vertical flat edge 116 and a horizontal flat edge 118 that engage side frame member 68 and cross-member frame member 80 , respectively.
- each of the vertical flat edge 116 and the horizontal flat edge 118 of the housing 100 may include an elongated fin 120 that projects into and is fittingly received by the slot or groove 82 of side frame member 68 and the horizontal cross-member 80 , respectively.
- the closable door latch assembly 40 of the inner screen door 44 also improves the integrity of the inner screen door 44 by structurally reinforcing the vertical frame member 68 and horizontal cross-member 80 by having mounting points on the side frame member 68 and the horizontal cross-member 80 of the inner screen door 44 .
- This feature also assists during the installation of the closable door latch assembly 40 in the proper alignment of the closable door latch assembly 40 relative the side frame member 68 and the horizontal cross-member 80 of the inner screen door 44 .
- the elongated fins 120 will always locate the closable door latch assembly 40 on the inner screen door 44 in the same location, which is important for properly locating the closable door latch assembly 40 relative the latch retention member 62 on the exterior door 42 and the striker plate 52 for the closable door latch assembly 40 on the inner doorjamb 38 .
- the outer housing cover 104 further includes a forward mounting tab 122 and a lower mounting tab 124 that each overlays an exterior surface 126 of the one of the side frame member 68 and the horizontal cross-member 80 , and a fastener 128 extending through each of the forward mounting tab 122 and the lower mounting tab 124 to fixedly attach the housing 100 to the inner screen door 44 , as perhaps best shown in FIGS. 8-11 .
- each of the forward mounting tab 122 and the lower mounting tab 124 may be fixedly attached to an exterior surface 126 of the inner screen door 44 , as perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 10 , and 11 .
- closable door latch assembly 40 of the present disclosure An additional beneficial feature of closable door latch assembly 40 of the present disclosure is that the manufacturer of the inner screen door 44 does not have to make any special fixtures or holes in the side frame member 68 and the horizontal cross-member 80 in order to properly install the closable door latch assembly 40 . Rather, the closable door latch assembly 40 may be reliably situated in place and final installation can be accomplished merely through two fasteners 128 , preferably self-tapping screws, installed through each of the forward mounting tab 122 and lower mounting tab 124 .
- a rotatable inside door latch handle 130 is operably coupled with the housing 100 from the interior side of the closable door latch assembly 40
- a rotatable outside door latch handle 132 is operably coupled with the housing 100 from the exterior of the closable door latch assembly 40
- the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 is also operably coupled with the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 .
- Each of the rotatable inside and outside door latch handles 130 , 132 include a centroid portion 134 operably coupled with one another and the housing 100 .
- a handle arm 136 extends substantially radially outwardly from the centroid portion 134 of the door latch handles 130 , 132 , whereby rotation of the door latch handles 130 , 132 relative the housing 100 can be obtained by applying a tangential force to the handle arm 136 relative the centroid portion 134 of the door latch handles 130 , 132 .
- the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 also includes a pivotable shaft 138 extending orthogonally from the centroid portion 134 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 .
- An engaging surface 140 may be provided on an outer periphery 142 of the pivotable shaft 138 that is received within a corresponding central cavity 144 in the centroid portion 134 of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 .
- the pivotable shaft 138 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 may be mechanically coupled to the central cavity 144 within the centroid portion 134 of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 by any well-known method, such as a threaded fastener 146 screw, as shown in FIG. 7 .
- pivotable shaft 138 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 and the central cavity 144 in the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 have a square-shaped outer periphery, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 .
- a latch plunger 150 is moveable within the housing 100 between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein one of the inner housing cover 102 or outer housing cover 104 is further provided with an elongated recess 152 .
- the latch plunger 150 is preferably slidably mounted within the elongated recess 152 , which is even more preferably disposed on the interior surface 110 of the outer housing cover 104 , as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 .
- the latch plunger 150 comprises a main body 154 received within the elongated recess 152 disposed within the outer housing cover 104 .
- the elongated recess 152 is preferably provided with an opening 156 proximate a distal end 158 of the forward mounting tab 122 , whereby the distal end 158 is essentially flush with an outer edge 160 of the vertical side frame member 68 of the inner screen door 44 , through which a latch pawl 162 of the latch plunger 150 extends in the extended position.
- the latch plunger 150 also includes an offset portion 164 upon which a plunger leg 166 having an inclined surface 168 is mounted, such that the plunger leg 166 is disposed adjacent the interior surface 110 of the outer housing cover 104 .
- the elongated recess 152 preferably includes a first spring seat 170 at a first end 172 of the elongated recess 152
- the latch plunger 150 operably includes a second spring seat 174
- a biasing member 176 may be mounted within the housing 100 to urge the latch plunger 150 to be extended position.
- the biasing member 176 comprises a compression spring disposed in axial alignment with the latch plunger 150 within the elongated recess 152 , such that the compression spring 176 is disposed between the first spring seat 170 and the second spring seat 174 .
- the second spring seat 174 preferably also includes an axial pin 178 that is received within the compression spring 176 to maintain the compression spring 176 in position throughout its range of motion.
- the closable door latch assembly 40 further includes a latch cam 180 that is operably coupled with each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 .
- the latch cam 180 is preferably disposed adjacent the interior surface 110 of the outer housing cover 104 and comprises a centroid portion 182 operably coupled with the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 for rotation of the centroid portion 182 of the latch cam 180 relative the housing 100 .
- a crank arm 184 extends radially outwardly from the centroid portion 182 of the latch cam 180 , wherein the crank arm 184 is slidably disposed against the inclined surface 168 of the plunger leg 166 , as perhaps best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 .
- the latch cam 180 also has an opening 186 provided therethrough with at least one engaging edge 188 that may be engaged by the engaging surface 140 of the pivotable shaft 138 , thereby operably coupling each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 with the latch cam 180 .
- the opening 186 of the latch cam 180 and the outer periphery 142 of the pivotable shaft 138 each have a plurality of corresponding engaging edges 188 and engaging surfaces 140 , respectively. Even more preferably, the opening 186 of the latch cam 180 and the outer periphery 142 of the pivotable shaft 138 are square.
- each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 or the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 in the first direction rotates the crank arm 184 of the latch cam 180 and displaces the plunger leg 166 of the latch plunger 150 and the latch pawl 162 to the retracted position against the urging of the compression spring 176 .
- compression spring 176 constantly provides a restorative force against the second spring seat 174 on the latch plunger 150 , which, in turn, provides a restorative force to return the latch plunger 150 to the extended position.
- Compression spring 176 also provides a restorative force against the inclined surface 168 of the plunger leg 166 and upon the crank arm 184 , which ultimately provides a restorative force on each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 , thereby returning the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 to their normally latched position.
- the cavity 190 has a predefined distance D between the interior surface 108 of the inner housing cover 102 and the interior surface 110 of the outer housing cover 104 , and each of the plunger leg 166 and the latch cam 180 have a thickness T 1 and T 2 , respectively, in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the latch cam 180 that is less than the predefined distance D.
- the plunger leg 166 and the latch cam 180 may have a combined thickness T 1 +T 2 in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the latch cam 180 that is greater than one half of the predefined distance D.
- the exterior door 42 and the inner screen door 44 may be pivoted, either separately or in combination, between an open position and a closed position.
- a particularly beneficial feature of the closable door latch assembly 40 of the inner screen door 44 of the present disclosure is that when the exterior door 42 and the inner screen door 44 are operated separately, the inner screen door 44 may be opened from the interior 34 of the recreational vehicle 10 without having to slide the slidable panel 86 to its open position
- the latch retention member 62 may engage the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 on the outside of the closable door latch assembly 40 .
- the latch retention member 62 preferably includes an outwardly inclined surface 192 that pushes tangentially downward on the handle arm 136 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 as the exterior door 42 is brought into juxtaposed relation with the inner screen door 44 , which rotates the outside door latch handle 132 in the first direction to displace the latch plunger 150 to the retracted position, against the urging of the compression spring 176 , as noted above.
- a notch 194 on a lower portion of the latch retention member 62 engages the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 to retain the latch plunger 150 and the latch pawl 162 in the retracted position.
- the combination door assembly 20 may be then opened and closed as in a single unit, wherein the main latch assembly 48 of the exterior door 42 is solely relied upon to maintain the combination door assembly 20 in the closed and latched position.
- the inner screen door 44 becomes inoperative and merely opens and closes with the exterior door 42 is a component thereof.
- the closable door latch assembly 40 provides an exceedingly simple and elegant solution to the drawbacks of the prior art inner screen doors 44 noted above.
- the closable door latch assembly 40 may be relatively quickly assembled, that is, by merely installing the various components within the outer housing cover 104 and enclosing the same with the inner housing cover 102 , as noted above. Proper alignment is readily obtained through the bosses and female receivers internal to the housing 100 .
- Assembly of the housing 100 of the closable door latch assembly 40 is obtained through the use of merely a pair of threaded fasteners 196 , while the assembly of the rotatable inner and outer door latch handles 130 , 132 is obtained through the use of yet another threaded fastener 146 covered by an end cap 198 .
- the final assembly is thus very simple and obtained at a relatively low cost of construction.
- the term “coupled” or “operably coupled” in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc. generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
- connection or “operably connected” (in all of its forms, connect, connecting, connected, etc.) generally means that one component functions with respect to another component, even if there are other components located between the first and second component, and the term “operable” defines a functional relationship between components.
- elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied.
- the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating positions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
Abstract
Description
- The present application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 15/798,008, filed Oct. 30, 2017, entitled DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY, the entirety of which is incorporated hereby by reference.
- The present disclosure relates to lock assemblies for movable closures and the like, and, in particular, to a lock assembly for a recreational vehicle inner screen door that can be actuated from both the interior and exterior of the recreational vehicle.
- Egress/ingress doors for motorized vehicles and trailers, particularly those adapted for use with recreational vehicles, commonly employ a combination door assembly having an exterior door detachably coupled with an inner screen door. The exterior door provides protection against the elements and otherwise encloses the recreational vehicle, while the inner screen door assembly provides ventilation to the interior of the recreational vehicle when the exterior door is placed in an open condition. The inner screen door also provides a barrier against unwelcome callers, such as insects and the like. Both the exterior door and the inner screen door may pivot about a common set of hinges along one side thereof and may be latched to an inner doorjamb along an opposite side thereof.
- Typically, the inner screen door is provided with an exterior lever-type latch on its exterior surface. The exterior lever-type latch may be pivotally mounted within a housing attached to the exterior surface the inner screen door, whereby rotating an exterior lever-type latch handle causes a latch pawl on an opposite end thereof to move out of engagement with an inner screen door latch striker assembly mounted on the inner doorjamb, and thereby unlatch the inner screen door. An inner screen door retention member is commonly provided on an interior surface of the exterior door that engages the exterior lever-type latch handle to maintain the latch assembly of the inner screen door in the unlatched position, while also coupling the inner screen door to the exterior door so as to allow operation of the combination door assembly as a single door unit.
- One of the shortcomings of such combination door assemblies is access to the latch assembly of the inner screen door, particularly from the interior of the recreational vehicle. A solution heretofore has been the use of a slidable panel disposed proximate the exterior lever-type latch handle. The slidable panel may be supported by and slidable along a horizontal cross frame member extending between two side frame members of the inner screen door. The slidable panel, which extends only a portion of the width of the inner screen door, is slidable between an open position and a closed position. When the slidable panel is in the open position, access to the exterior lever-type latch handle from the interior of the recreational vehicle is possible, and the inner screen door may be unlatched to allow egress from the recreational vehicle. When the slidable panel is in the closed position, the interior of the recreational vehicle is again protected against unwelcome callers. However, during operation of the exterior lever type latch handle, the slidable panel must be placed in open position and thereby expose the recreational vehicle to such unwelcome callers. Hence, a handle accessible from the interior of the recreational vehicle without operation of a slidable panel would be advantageous.
- According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a closable door latch assembly for an egress/ingress door pivotable between an open position and a closed position includes an inner housing cover and an outer housing cover in juxtaposed relation with one another to define a housing, a rotatable inside door latch handle operably coupled with the housing, and a rotatable outside door latch handle operably coupled with the housing and the rotatable inside door latch handle. A latch plunger is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, the latch plunger including a plunger leg having an inclined surface. A latch cam is operably coupled with each of the rotatable inside door latch handle and the rotatable outside door latch handle, and includes a crank arm slidably disposed against the inclined surface of the plunger leg. A biasing member mounted within the housing urges the latch plunger to an extended position, wherein rotation of either of the rotatable inside door latch handle or the rotatable outside door latch handle in a first direction rotates the crank arm of the latch cam and displaces the plunger leg of the latch plunger and the latch plunger to the retracted position against the urging of the biasing member.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a door assembly comprises an inner screen door detachable coupled with an exterior door, wherein each of the inner screen door and exterior door are pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the exterior door having a latch retention member disposed on an interior surface thereof. An inner screen door latch assembly includes a housing, a rotatable inside door latch handle operably coupled with the housing, and a rotatable outside door latch handle operably coupled with the housing and the rotatable inside door latch handle. A latch plunger is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, the latch plunger further comprising a plunger leg having an inclined surface. A latch cam is operably coupled with each of the rotatable inside door latch handle and the rotatable outside door latch handle, the latch cam further comprising a crank arm slidably disposed against the inclined surface of the plunger leg. A biasing member is mounted within the housing urging the latch plunger to an extended position, wherein rotation of either of the rotatable inside door latch handle or the rotatable outside door latch handle in a first direction rotates the crank arm of the latch cam and displaces the plunger leg of the latch plunger and the latch plunger to the retracted position against the urging of the biasing member, and wherein when the inner screen door and the exterior door are in juxtaposed relation with one another, the latch retention member engages the outside door latch handle and rotates the outside door latch handle in the first direction and displaces the latch plunger to the retracted position.
- According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a door latch assembly comprises a housing, an inside and outside handle operably coupled with the housing, and a latch plunger. A latch cam is operably coupled with the inside and outside handles, and the latch cam further includes a crank arm slidably disposed against an inclined surface of a plunger leg operably coupled to the latch plunger. A biasing member urges the latch plunger to an extended position, wherein rotation of the inside or outside door latch handle in a first direction rotates the crank arm of the latch cam and displaces the plunger leg of the latch plunger and the latch plunger to a retracted position against the urging of the biasing member.
- These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
- In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 is a front side perspective view of a recreational vehicle provided with a combination door assembly in accordance with the present disclosure; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door and the interior surface of the exterior door; -
FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door; -
FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the interior of the egress/ingress door; -
FIG. 5 is an elevational side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door; -
FIG. 6 is an elevational side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the interior of the egress/ingress door; -
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 8 is an elevational side view of the interior surface of the outer housing cover of the closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure with the latch plunger in the retracted position; -
FIG. 9 is an elevational side view of the interior surface of the outer housing cover of the closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure with the latch plunger in the extended position; -
FIG. 10 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door, with the slidable panel in the first closed position; -
FIG. 11 is a perspective side view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door, with the slidable panel in the second open position; -
FIG. 12A is a top partial cross-sectional view of the installed closable door latch assembly of the present disclosure from the exterior of the egress/ingress door coupled with the interior surface of the exterior door, taken along the line XII-XII ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 12B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion ofFIG. 12A ; and -
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the outside latch handle and latch extension member of the present disclosure in the engaged position. - For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “interior,” “exterior,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
FIG. 2 . However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawing, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. - Referring to
FIG. 1 ,reference numeral 10 generally designates a recreational vehicle travel trailer particularly adapted for being towed by a motor vehicle (not shown). However, otherrecreational vehicle 10 configurations may advantageously employ the benefits of the present disclosure, such as and including motor coaches and so-called fifth wheel travel trailers. In the embodiment contemplated herein, therecreational vehicle 10 generally comprises abody 12 that is primarily supported by a pair ofaxles 14, each comprising at least one pair of opposing road wheels and anaxle assembly 16, and atrailer tongue 18 by which therecreational vehicle 10 be attached to the tow vehicle. As is typical, therecreational vehicle 10 has acombination door assembly 20 for egress and ingress and a plurality ofwindows 22 arranged onsidewalls 24 of thebody 12. Aroof portion 26 is provided to enclose thebody 12 and typically includes one ormore ceiling vents 30, typically arranged along the longitudinal length of therecreational vehicle 10. Optionally, anair conditioning unit 32 can be mounted on theroof portion 26 as well. - The
combination door assembly 20 shown inFIG. 2 , to which the closabledoor latch assembly 40 of the present disclosure may be applied, is primarily installed to provide egress and ingress from and into the interior 34 of thebody 12 of therecreational vehicle 10. That is, thecombination door assembly 20 is typically operable between a closed position, in which the elements, such as the weather, are maintained outside of the interior 34 of thebody 12 of therecreational vehicle 10, and an open position, by which egress and ingress may occur relative the interior 34 of thebody 12 of therecreational vehicle 10. As shown inFIG. 2 , thecombination door assembly 20 primarily consists of anexterior door 42 and aninner screen door 44 mounted about and sharing a common set ofhinges 46 that share a vertical hinge pivot axis on one side thereof. As shown inFIG. 2 , each of theexterior door 42 and theinner screen door 44 may be pivotable, either separately or in combination, between an open position and a closed position. Theexterior door 42 has amain latch assembly 48, and theinner screen door 44 has the aforementioned closabledoor latch assembly 40, each disposed on a side opposite the side having thehinges 46 proximate the hinge pivot axis. Each of themain latch assembly 48 and the closabledoor latch assembly 40 engage correspondingstriker plates inner doorjamb 38, respectively. - The
exterior door 42 may be formed by a fiberglass cladexterior panel 54, a fiberglass cladinterior panel 56, and afiller material 58 disposed between the fiberglass clad exterior andinterior panels filler material 58 may consist of a structural foam material that provides structural support, as well as high insulating qualities, at an extremely low weight. Themain latch assembly 48 of theexterior door 42 may be provided with an exterior handle (not shown) and aninterior handle 60, such as a paddle handle, for actuation of theexterior door 42. Theexterior door 42 is also typically provided with alatch retention member 62 disposed on aninterior surface 64 thereof, which may be provided to engage an exterior lever-type latch handle on theinner screen door 44, as referred to above, and as further explained below. - The
inner screen door 44 may be constructed from a plurality offrame members outer periphery 74 within which one ormore screen panels 76 may be mounted. Preferably, theinner screen door 44 has a pair of opposed verticalside frame members inner screen door 44 and a pair of opposed horizontaltransverse frame members inner screen door 44 that extends the width of theinner screen door 44. Even more preferably, a pair ofhorizontal cross-members door latch assembly 40 of theinner screen door 44 to form an upper and lower screened portion, each of which may be constructed as acontinuous screen panel 76. The pair ofhorizontal cross-members interior surface 84 thereof. Similarly, the portion of the verticalside frame members horizontal cross-members interior surface 84 thereof. - Preferably, the slot or groove 82 on the pair of
horizontal cross-members slidable panel 86 that may be slidably supported along alower edge 88 thereof by the slot orgroove 82 in theinterior surface 84 of the lower of the pair ofhorizontal cross-members upper edge 90 thereof by the slot orgroove 82 in theinterior surface 84 of the upper of the pair ofhorizontal cross-members slidable panel 86 with the pair ofhorizontal cross-members stationary panel 92 is similarly mounted alongside and slightly offset from theslidable panel 86, whereby theslidable panel 86 may be moved between an open and closed position, as shown inFIGS. 10 and 11 . Preferably, a sealingframe member 94 is disposed between theslidable panel 86 and thestationary panel 92. Similarly, ahandle 96 may be provided at one end of theslidable panel 86 to facilitate its operation. While theslidable panel 86 shown inFIGS. 10 and 11 is substantially planar, it should be noted thatslidable panel 86 having a concave or plastic slider bubble that allows access to theexterior door 42 can be employed. - As noted above, the closable
door latch assembly 40 of theinner screen door 44 of the present disclosure benefits the consumer by allowing the consumer to open theinner screen door 44 from theinterior 34 of therecreational vehicle 10 without having to slide theslidable panel 86, which may be particularly significant when theexterior door 42 is positioned in the open position. To this end, the closabledoor latch assembly 40 for theinner screen door 44 includes ahousing 100 comprised of aninner housing cover 102 and anouter housing cover 104 in juxtaposed relation. Preferably, theinner housing cover 102 and theouter housing cover 104 are fabricated of glass-filled nylon. In order to provide consistent and reliable assembly of thehousing 100, one ormore bosses 106 may be disposed on aninterior surface inner housing cover 102 orouter housing cover 104, respectively, and aligned corresponding female receivers (not shown) may be disposed on aninterior surface inner housing cover 102 orouter housing cover 104, as is known. Thehousing 100 further comprises a longitudinal andexterior groove 112 that receives and supports a shapedcutout edge 114 of theslidable panel 86 provided to accommodate the closabledoor latch assembly 40 of theinner screen door 44 when installed and allows theslidable panel 86 to entirely seal the vertical gap between the pair ofhorizontal cross-members slidable panel 86 is in the closed position. - In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 5-9 , thehousing 100 may be provided with a verticalflat edge 116 and a horizontalflat edge 118 that engageside frame member 68 andcross-member frame member 80, respectively. Preferably, each of the verticalflat edge 116 and the horizontalflat edge 118 of thehousing 100 may include anelongated fin 120 that projects into and is fittingly received by the slot or groove 82 ofside frame member 68 and thehorizontal cross-member 80, respectively. This feature is particularly advantageous in that by the addition of theelongated fins 120, the closabledoor latch assembly 40 of theinner screen door 44 also improves the integrity of theinner screen door 44 by structurally reinforcing thevertical frame member 68 andhorizontal cross-member 80 by having mounting points on theside frame member 68 and thehorizontal cross-member 80 of theinner screen door 44. This feature also assists during the installation of the closabledoor latch assembly 40 in the proper alignment of the closabledoor latch assembly 40 relative theside frame member 68 and thehorizontal cross-member 80 of theinner screen door 44. That is, theelongated fins 120 will always locate the closabledoor latch assembly 40 on theinner screen door 44 in the same location, which is important for properly locating the closabledoor latch assembly 40 relative thelatch retention member 62 on theexterior door 42 and thestriker plate 52 for the closabledoor latch assembly 40 on theinner doorjamb 38. - Even more preferably, the
outer housing cover 104 further includes aforward mounting tab 122 and alower mounting tab 124 that each overlays anexterior surface 126 of the one of theside frame member 68 and thehorizontal cross-member 80, and afastener 128 extending through each of theforward mounting tab 122 and thelower mounting tab 124 to fixedly attach thehousing 100 to theinner screen door 44, as perhaps best shown inFIGS. 8-11 . Thus, each of theforward mounting tab 122 and thelower mounting tab 124 may be fixedly attached to anexterior surface 126 of theinner screen door 44, as perhaps best shown inFIGS. 3, 5, 10 , and 11. An additional beneficial feature of closabledoor latch assembly 40 of the present disclosure is that the manufacturer of theinner screen door 44 does not have to make any special fixtures or holes in theside frame member 68 and thehorizontal cross-member 80 in order to properly install the closabledoor latch assembly 40. Rather, the closabledoor latch assembly 40 may be reliably situated in place and final installation can be accomplished merely through twofasteners 128, preferably self-tapping screws, installed through each of theforward mounting tab 122 andlower mounting tab 124. - A rotatable inside door latch handle 130 is operably coupled with the
housing 100 from the interior side of the closabledoor latch assembly 40, and a rotatable outside door latch handle 132 is operably coupled with thehousing 100 from the exterior of the closabledoor latch assembly 40. The rotatable inside door latch handle 130 is also operably coupled with the rotatable outsidedoor latch handle 132. Each of the rotatable inside and outside door latch handles 130, 132 include acentroid portion 134 operably coupled with one another and thehousing 100. In each, ahandle arm 136 extends substantially radially outwardly from thecentroid portion 134 of the door latch handles 130, 132, whereby rotation of the door latch handles 130, 132 relative thehousing 100 can be obtained by applying a tangential force to thehandle arm 136 relative thecentroid portion 134 of the door latch handles 130, 132. - Preferably, the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 also includes a
pivotable shaft 138 extending orthogonally from thecentroid portion 134 of the rotatable outsidedoor latch handle 132. Anengaging surface 140 may be provided on anouter periphery 142 of thepivotable shaft 138 that is received within a correspondingcentral cavity 144 in thecentroid portion 134 of the rotatable insidedoor latch handle 130. Thepivotable shaft 138 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 may be mechanically coupled to thecentral cavity 144 within thecentroid portion 134 of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 by any well-known method, such as a threadedfastener 146 screw, as shown inFIG. 7 . While it should be appreciated that a singleengaging surface 140 on thepivotable shaft 138 may be sufficient, it is preferred that a plurality of engagingsurface 140 is provided. Even more preferably, thepivotable shaft 138 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 and thecentral cavity 144 in the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 have a square-shaped outer periphery, as shown inFIGS. 7, 8, and 9 . - A
latch plunger 150, also preferably fabricated of glass-filled nylon, is moveable within thehousing 100 between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein one of theinner housing cover 102 orouter housing cover 104 is further provided with anelongated recess 152. Thelatch plunger 150 is preferably slidably mounted within theelongated recess 152, which is even more preferably disposed on theinterior surface 110 of theouter housing cover 104, as shown inFIGS. 7, 8, and 9 . As seen inFIG. 7 , thelatch plunger 150 comprises amain body 154 received within theelongated recess 152 disposed within theouter housing cover 104. Theelongated recess 152 is preferably provided with anopening 156 proximate adistal end 158 of theforward mounting tab 122, whereby thedistal end 158 is essentially flush with anouter edge 160 of the verticalside frame member 68 of theinner screen door 44, through which alatch pawl 162 of thelatch plunger 150 extends in the extended position. Thelatch plunger 150 also includes an offsetportion 164 upon which aplunger leg 166 having aninclined surface 168 is mounted, such that theplunger leg 166 is disposed adjacent theinterior surface 110 of theouter housing cover 104. - The
elongated recess 152 preferably includes afirst spring seat 170 at afirst end 172 of theelongated recess 152, and thelatch plunger 150 operably includes asecond spring seat 174, whereby a biasingmember 176 may be mounted within thehousing 100 to urge thelatch plunger 150 to be extended position. Preferably, the biasingmember 176 comprises a compression spring disposed in axial alignment with thelatch plunger 150 within theelongated recess 152, such that thecompression spring 176 is disposed between thefirst spring seat 170 and thesecond spring seat 174. Thesecond spring seat 174 preferably also includes anaxial pin 178 that is received within thecompression spring 176 to maintain thecompression spring 176 in position throughout its range of motion. - The closable
door latch assembly 40 further includes alatch cam 180 that is operably coupled with each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outsidedoor latch handle 132. Thelatch cam 180 is preferably disposed adjacent theinterior surface 110 of theouter housing cover 104 and comprises acentroid portion 182 operably coupled with the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 for rotation of thecentroid portion 182 of thelatch cam 180 relative thehousing 100. Acrank arm 184 extends radially outwardly from thecentroid portion 182 of thelatch cam 180, wherein thecrank arm 184 is slidably disposed against theinclined surface 168 of theplunger leg 166, as perhaps best shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 . - The
latch cam 180 also has anopening 186 provided therethrough with at least oneengaging edge 188 that may be engaged by the engagingsurface 140 of thepivotable shaft 138, thereby operably coupling each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 with thelatch cam 180. Similar to the construction of the rotatable inside door latch handle 132 noted above, theopening 186 of thelatch cam 180 and theouter periphery 142 of thepivotable shaft 138 each have a plurality of corresponding engagingedges 188 and engagingsurfaces 140, respectively. Even more preferably, theopening 186 of thelatch cam 180 and theouter periphery 142 of thepivotable shaft 138 are square. Accordingly, rotation of each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 or the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 in the first direction rotates thecrank arm 184 of thelatch cam 180 and displaces theplunger leg 166 of thelatch plunger 150 and thelatch pawl 162 to the retracted position against the urging of thecompression spring 176. - Conversely, the
compression spring 176 constantly provides a restorative force against thesecond spring seat 174 on thelatch plunger 150, which, in turn, provides a restorative force to return thelatch plunger 150 to the extended position.Compression spring 176 also provides a restorative force against theinclined surface 168 of theplunger leg 166 and upon thecrank arm 184, which ultimately provides a restorative force on each of the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132, thereby returning the rotatable inside door latch handle 130 and the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 to their normally latched position. - As the
inner housing cover 102 and theouter housing cover 104 are in juxtaposed relation with one another, they together define acavity 190 within thehousing 100. Preferably, thecavity 190 has a predefined distance D between theinterior surface 108 of theinner housing cover 102 and theinterior surface 110 of theouter housing cover 104, and each of theplunger leg 166 and thelatch cam 180 have a thickness T1 and T2, respectively, in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of thelatch cam 180 that is less than the predefined distance D. Even more preferably, in order to maintain the relative positions of the components inside thehousing 100 during operation, together theplunger leg 166 and thelatch cam 180 may have a combined thickness T1+T2 in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of thelatch cam 180 that is greater than one half of the predefined distance D. - As noted above, the
exterior door 42 and theinner screen door 44 may be pivoted, either separately or in combination, between an open position and a closed position. A particularly beneficial feature of the closabledoor latch assembly 40 of theinner screen door 44 of the present disclosure is that when theexterior door 42 and theinner screen door 44 are operated separately, theinner screen door 44 may be opened from theinterior 34 of therecreational vehicle 10 without having to slide theslidable panel 86 to its open position - Conversely, when the
exterior door 42 is coupled to theinner screen door 44 by of thelatch retention member 62 disposed on aninterior surface 64 thereof, thelatch retention member 62 may engage the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 on the outside of the closabledoor latch assembly 40. For this purpose, thelatch retention member 62 preferably includes an outwardlyinclined surface 192 that pushes tangentially downward on thehandle arm 136 of the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 as theexterior door 42 is brought into juxtaposed relation with theinner screen door 44, which rotates the outside door latch handle 132 in the first direction to displace thelatch plunger 150 to the retracted position, against the urging of thecompression spring 176, as noted above. Anotch 194 on a lower portion of thelatch retention member 62 engages the rotatable outside door latch handle 132 to retain thelatch plunger 150 and thelatch pawl 162 in the retracted position. Thecombination door assembly 20 may be then opened and closed as in a single unit, wherein themain latch assembly 48 of theexterior door 42 is solely relied upon to maintain thecombination door assembly 20 in the closed and latched position. In effect, theinner screen door 44 becomes inoperative and merely opens and closes with theexterior door 42 is a component thereof. - The closable
door latch assembly 40 the present disclosure provides an exceedingly simple and elegant solution to the drawbacks of the prior artinner screen doors 44 noted above. In particular, the closabledoor latch assembly 40 may be relatively quickly assembled, that is, by merely installing the various components within theouter housing cover 104 and enclosing the same with theinner housing cover 102, as noted above. Proper alignment is readily obtained through the bosses and female receivers internal to thehousing 100. Assembly of thehousing 100 of the closabledoor latch assembly 40 is obtained through the use of merely a pair of threadedfasteners 196, while the assembly of the rotatable inner and outer door latch handles 130, 132 is obtained through the use of yet another threadedfastener 146 covered by anend cap 198. The final assembly is thus very simple and obtained at a relatively low cost of construction. - It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the present disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
- For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” or “operably coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
- For purposes of this disclosure, the term “connected” or “operably connected” (in all of its forms, connect, connecting, connected, etc.) generally means that one component functions with respect to another component, even if there are other components located between the first and second component, and the term “operable” defines a functional relationship between components.
- It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the present disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that, unless otherwise described, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating positions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
- It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
- It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
Claims (23)
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US17/215,634 US20210214978A1 (en) | 2017-10-30 | 2021-03-29 | Door latch assembly |
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US15/798,008 Active 2039-09-08 US10988963B2 (en) | 2017-10-30 | 2017-10-30 | Door latch assembly |
US17/215,634 Pending US20210214978A1 (en) | 2017-10-30 | 2021-03-29 | Door latch assembly |
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US10988963B2 (en) * | 2017-10-30 | 2021-04-27 | Bauer Products, Inc. | Door latch assembly |
US11692379B2 (en) | 2018-04-12 | 2023-07-04 | Bauer Products, Inc. | Squeeze trigger latch |
US20190362576A1 (en) * | 2018-05-25 | 2019-11-28 | James Messina | Openable Door Slot with Automatic Package Delivery |
US11691488B2 (en) * | 2018-09-04 | 2023-07-04 | Roam Safe Pty Ltd | Door hatch assembly |
CN116648548A (en) * | 2020-07-10 | 2023-08-25 | 斯派克初姆布兰斯有限公司 | sliding mortise lock |
US11390147B2 (en) * | 2020-10-13 | 2022-07-19 | Fca Us Llc | Convertible vehicle doors |
CN115070653B (en) * | 2022-06-30 | 2023-08-29 | 东风汽车集团股份有限公司 | Car door latch assembly positioning tool |
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US10988963B2 (en) | 2021-04-27 |
US20190128030A1 (en) | 2019-05-02 |
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