Lock structure for bathroom use

Details Lock structure for bathroom use Lock structure for bathroom use

2002-06-18

2003-05-27

Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)

Locks

Special application

For closures

C292S358000, C292S359000, C070S472000, C070S477000, C070S489000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06568231

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock structure for bathroom use.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8
of the drawings illustrates a conventional lock structure for bathroom use. The lock structure includes a latch mechanism
91
mounted into a doorplate
90
through an end face of the doorplate
90
. An inner rose
92
is mounted to an inner side of the doorplate
90
. An inner handle
93
is pivotally mounted to the inner rose
92
such that pivotal movement of the inner handle
93
causes retraction of a latch bolt
911
of the latch mechanism
91
. A turn piece
96
is pivotally mounted to the inner rose
92
, and turning of the turn piece
96
causes locking or unlocking. An outer rose
94
is mounted to an outer side of the doorplate
90
. An outer handle
95
is pivotally mounted to the outer rose
94
such that pivotal movement of the outer handle
95
causes retraction of the latch bolt
911
of the latch mechanism
91
.
Referring to
FIG. 9
, a disc
97
and a slide plate
98
are mounted in the inner rose
92
. The disc
97
turns together with the inner handle
93
and includes a notch
971
in a top thereof. A portion of the turn piece
96
received in the inner rose
92
includes a diverging groove
961
having a guide pin
962
therein. An end of the guide pin
962
is pivotally engaged in a hole
981
of the slide plate
98
. The slide plate
98
has a protrusion
982
on a lower end thereof. The slide plate
98
may slide in the inner rose
92
along a vertical direction, allowing the protrusion
982
to engage with or disengage from the notch
971
of the disc
97
.
When it is desired to open the doorplate
90
from an inner side of the doorplate
90
in a locked state, the turn piece
96
is firstly turned to make the slide plate
98
slide upward in the inner rose
92
, thereby disengaging the protrusion
982
from the notch
971
of the disc
97
. Thus, either handle
93
,
95
can be turned for opening the door. However, the door-unlocking action through turning the turn piece
96
and moving the slide plate
98
depends on the turning direction of the turn piece
96
. Namely, the manufacturer must know the exact type of the door (a left-handed one or a right-handed one) to which the lock is to be mounted, and the customer must be aware of this fact to avoid wrong installation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a lock structure that allows easy installation to a door, regardless of the type of the door.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lock structure that can be easily unlocked from an inner side of the doorplate. Further, the lock can be easily unlatched by means of pressing of the inner handle.
A lock structure for bathroom use in accordance with the present invention includes an outer rose, an inner rose, an outer unlatching mechanism, and an inner unlatching mechanism. An outer handle is pivotally mounted to the outer rose. An outer spindle is connected to the outer handle to turn therewith. A wheel is mounted to the outer spindle to turn therewith and includes an engaging groove. A pair of plates is formed on the outer rose, and a hole is defined between the plates.
An inner handle is pivotally mounted to the inner rose. An inner spindle is connected to the inner handle to turn therewith. A drive wheel and a follower wheel are mounted on the inner spindle to turn therewith. An elastic element is mounted on the inner spindle for returning the inner handle. The follower wheel includes a notch. The inner rose further includes a hole.
The inner unlatching mechanism includes an inner unlatching rod, a fixing member, and a locking wheel. The inner unlatching rod is pivotally extended through the hole of the inner rose. The fixing member is fixed in the inner rose and includes a hole through which the inner unlatching rod extends. The fixing member further includes a first engaging notch and a second engaging notch shallower than the first engaging notch. The locking wheel is mounted on the inner unlatching rod to turn therewith. The locking wheel includes an engaging block and a plurality of teeth. When the engaging block is engaged in the first engaging notch of the fixing member, the locking wheel is disengaged from the follower wheel. When the engaging block is engaged in the second engaging notch of the fixing member, the locking wheel is engaged in the notch of the follower wheel.
The outer unlatching mechanism includes an outer unlatching rod, an elastic element, a stop plate, and a locking plate. The outer unlatching rod is pivotally extended through the hole of the outer rose and includes a first end securely engaged with the inner unlatching rod of the inner unlatching mechanism. The outer unlatching rod further includes a second end that is exposed outside the outer rose and that has a drive portion. The locking plate is mounted on the outer unlatching rod to turn therewith. The stop plate is mounted on the outer unlatching rod and rotatable relative to the locking plate. The locking plate includes a first engaging groove and a second engaging groove shallower than the first engaging groove. The stop plate includes a protrusion and is biased by the elastic element of the outer unlatching mechanism to be selectively engaged in one of the first engaging groove and the second engaging groove of the locking plate. When the protrusion of the stop plate is engaged in the first engaging groove of the locking plate, the stop plate is partially located between the plates on the outer rose and engaged in the engaging groove of the wheel. When the protrusion of the stop plate is engaged in the second engaging groove of the locking plate, the stop plate is received between the plates on the outer rose and disengaged from the engaging groove of the wheel.
Other objects, specific advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferable embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


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