Interior deadbolt lock cover

A deadbolt lock cover is removably attachable to an anchor plate. While a door is opened, the deadbolt lock cover may be removably engaged with the anchor plate by means of bolts and hooks. When the cover has been engaged with the anchor plate and the door is closed, the interior portion of the deadbolt lock, having the manually operable knob, is inaccessible, being completely covered by the deadbolt lock cover. Thus, the deadbolt lock may only be unlocked by using a key on the outside tumbler of the lock. The cover may include a frame for supporting the bolts and may be of a variety of different geometries.

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NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC AND INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF THE MATERIAL

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Endeavor

The present invention relates to devices and methods for preventing intrusion into a building by accessing the interior tumbler of a deadbolt. More particularly, the invention relates to a cover that may be secured over the inside portion of a deadbolt lock, thereby preventing a person from actuating a lever and retracting the deadbolt such that a door may be opened.

2. Background Information

It is well known in the art to provide a door with a deadbolt lock. Such locks are generally provided where security is a concern, such as the door of a home, business, or hotel room. The deadbolt is often mounted above the doorknob that actuates the less secure spring loaded latch. The deadbolt lock is operable by a key on the outside. It may be operable without a key on the inside by a simple knob or lever. This enables escape in an emergency without a key. The knob or lever is elliptical in shape so that a user can visually determine whether the deadbolt is locked or unlocked. The long axis of the ellipse is generally vertical when the bolt is in the locked position. When a person is secure behind a deadbolt locked door, that security may be breached by someone with a key, or someone with means to retract the bolt.

It is advantageous to provide a knob or lever on the inside of a deadbolt lock for ease of use as well as for safety reasons. In an emergency, it is generally preferable for the lock to be opened easily and quickly from the inside. However, this may provide a security risk if there is a window close to the deadbolt lock. An intruder may break the glass of the window and reach inside and twist the lever of the deadbolt lock, thereby permitting access through the locked door.

To prevent an intruder from opening the door by reaching through a broken window, one may use a deadbolt lock that may only be opened or closed with a key on both the inside and the outside. However, this results in the deadbolt lock being considerably more difficult to use.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a deadbolt lock that may be easily opened from the inside, but may not be easily opened by an intruder. It is therefore desirable to provide a deadbolt lock having an easily operated lever on the inside while also preventing access to the lever by an intruder on the outside of a door.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a device for preventing intrusion into a building by preventing engagement and actuation of the knob on the interior portion of a deadbolt lock.

In greater detail, the present invention provides a means for covering and blocking access to the knob on the interior portion of a deadbolt lock when the door is otherwise locked. The invention prevents removing of the deadbolt from the locked position by any means other than use of a key on the tumbler located on the exterior portion of the deadbolt lock.

In one embodiment, the deadbolt lock cover comprises a cover having a top wall and one or more side walls, a frame, and one or more bolts protruding from the frame. The invention also includes an anchor plate having one or more hooks for removable engagement with the bolts of the frame. The bolts and hooks may only be disengaged such that the deadbolt lock cover may be removed from its position blocking access to the interior portion of the deadbolt lock when the door has been opened. As a result, the deadbolt lock may not be moved into the unlocked position without use of a key on the exterior of the deadbolt lock.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is a deadbolt lock cover that may be secured into place such that the lever on the interior of a deadbolt lock may be inaccessible.

In greater detail, a cover for the interior of a deadbolt lock may be secured to an anchor plate adjacent to the door. Once the cover is secured to the anchor plate, the interior deadbolt latch may be inaccessible.

FIG. 1shows a cross section of an interior deadbolt lock cover10in accordance with the principles of the invention. A lock cover may include a shell22having an interior frame24. The frame supports the shell and one or more bolts26. An anchor plate18may be affixed to a wall17adjacent to a doorjamb. The anchor plate18may include one or more hooks20which may engage bolts26of the frame24. A door12swings open and shut along directional arrow16. When the door12is shut, the interior portion of a deadbolt lock14and the knob28are covered by the shell22, such that they are inaccessible. The only way to detach the lock cover shell22from the anchor plate18is to push the shell22in the direction of arrow19, which requires that the door be opened. Thus, there is no means to open the door without use of the key to the deadbolt.

When a user desires to use the deadbolt lock cover10, he or she may swing the door12open. The shell22may then be engaged with the anchor plate18by engaging the bolts26with the hooks20and pushing the shell22in a direction opposite to arrow19. As a result, the shell22engages the anchor plate18securely. Next, the door12is shut such that it lies flush with the doorjamb17. A key may then be used to engage the deadbolt and lock the door12. When the door12is locked shut, the shell22completely covers the interior of the deadbolt lock14. The interior deadlock cover10in accordance with the principles of the invention, when used in this manner, securely locks the door12such that the only means for unlocking the door12is by using a key with the exterior of the deadbolt lock15.

FIG. 2shows the shell22and the anchor plate18disengaged from one another and with anchor plate18not attached to a wall. In this embodiment, anchor plate18may include two hooks20and three screw holes21. Screw holes21may be used to affix the anchor plate18to a wall adjacent to a doorjamb.

Shell22may include two sidewalls30on each end of the top wall32. Sidewalls30and top wall32, substantially cover the interior side of a deadbolt lock and knob. In this embodiment, the shell22is substantially rectangular with the top wall32being curved. However, the shell22may be any of a variety of geometric configurations so long as it substantially covers and prevents access to the interior side of a deadbolt lock. For example, the side walls30and the top wall32may be replaced with a single curved wall that forms a hemispherical shape, or may be of other configurations.

InFIG. 2, the frame24of the deadbolt lock shell22may also be seen. Frame24supports one or more bolts26that may engage hooks20in order to securely affix the deadbolt covering shell22to the anchor plate18. Other mechanisms may be used in place of the hooks and bolts. For example, the hooks20and bolts26may be reversed, such that the anchor plate has bolts and the frame has hooks. Other mechanisms may also be suitable so long as they require the cover to slide in relation to the plate in a direction toward the door in order to disengage the cover from the anchor plate.

FIG. 3shows a cross-section of an interior deadbolt lock covering shell22. Top wall32curves so as to form an end wall. Together with sidewalls30, top wall32conceals the entire interior portion of a deadbolt lock. Bolts26protrude from frame24and are designed to engage hooks20which protrude from anchor plate18.

In another embodiment, shown inFIG. 4, an interior deadbolt lock covering shell50is removably attachable to anchor plate60in accordance with the principles of the invention. Deadbolt lock covering shell50includes a top wall54and two side walls56that together cover the interior of a deadbolt lock. Frame52includes two bolts58, for attachment to hooks62of the anchor plate60. In this embodiment, frame52is more extensive than the frame shown inFIGS. 1-3. So long as a frame provides sufficient room in which to house and contain the interior of a deadbolt lock, the frame52may be of any configuration.

FIG. 5shows the interior deadbolt lock covering shell50engaged with anchor plate60. In this figure, it may be seen how bolt58engages hook62. When the anchor plate60is a fixed to a wall adjacent to a door, and the shell50is engaged with the anchor plate60, the deadbolt lock cover may be secured over the anterior portion of a deadbolt lock such that it is not possible to utilize the knob and withdraw the bolt from the doorframe. Thus, the door may be unlocked only by using a key on the exterior deadbolt lock.

Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention. Descriptions of the embodiments shown in the drawings should not be construed as limiting or defining the ordinary and plain meanings of the terms of the claims unless such is explicitly indicated.