Security device for a door

A security device for a door comprises a U-shaped reinforcing plate on the vertical edge of a door on the deadbolt side of the door and an elongated frame plate. The door reinforcing plate and the frame plate are made of a hardened material such as cold rolled steel. The door reinforcing plate extends substantially the entire length of the door. A force applied to the door by a would-be intruder is transmitted from the deadbolt to the door reinforcing plate and the elongated frame plate, which then distribute the force over the vertical edge of the door and a significant part of the frame, respectively.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to security devices for doors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, a door may be secured by a lock having a metal deadbolt. A deadbolt is generally strong enough that it will not break if an intruder tries to break down the door. When a door fails, however, it is commonly due to the deadbolt or door latch breaking through the door or the door frame as shown inFIG. 1.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,499 to Boyle teaches a door security system that includes a lock security assembly, a reinforced strike plate and a door hinge assembly. The lock security assembly includes a wraparound cover plate that encircles the exterior lock portion, wraps around the edge of the door over the deadbolt, then encircles the interior lock portion. The cover plate does not extend significantly in the vertical direction along the edge of the door from the deadbolt. The lock security assembly further includes angle iron-shaped members attached to the wraparound cover plate. The angle iron-shaped members extend horizontally from the cover plate and reinforce the door proximate to the deadbolt. The reinforced strike plate is attached to the doorjamb and does not extend significantly in the vertical direction along the door jamb. The door hinge assembly reinforces the door and the door jamb proximate to the hinges.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,309 to Zarzycki teaches a plate that fits over the edge of a door and is used with a doorknob having the tumbler assembly located within. The plate does not extend significantly in the vertical direction along the edge of the door. Further, the plate does not accommodate a deadbolt assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,605 to Allenbaugh teaches a plate covering the edge of the door proximate to the deadbolt and latch. The plate does not extend significantly in the vertical direction along the edge of the door.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,234 to Hoos teaches a guard mount structure for a deadbolt assembly. The guard covers only the edge of the door proximate to the deadbolt assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,168 to Rotondi et al. teaches an L-shaped bracket for reinforcing a door proximate to the deadbolt and door latch. The L-shaped bracket is a plate including a first leg covering a portion of one face of the door and an integral second leg affixed to the edge of the door. The first leg includes passages for the doorknob and the deadbolt lock assembly. The second leg includes passages for the door latch and the deadbolt. The bracket doesn't continue to the inner face of the door and does not extend significantly in the vertical direction along the edge of the door.

The devices in the art tend to reinforce only one of the door frame or the door. Further, the devices in the art only cover the area proximate to the lock in the door or the strike plate in the door frame. Thus the force applied by the intruder trying to break down the door is directed in the proximity of the deadbolt.

Therefore, a security device for a door that reinforces a larger portion of the door and distributes an impact applied to the door is desired in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a security device for a door comprising a door reinforcing plate that is angled and crimped into a U-shape and over bend mounted to the edge of the door and a frame plate, which is a flat plate mounted to the door frame. This security device reinforces a larger part of the door and door frame than other reinforcing plates in the art and in an embodiment, distributes the force due to an impact on the door over substantially the entire length of the door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 2,2a,2b, and3, a security device10of the present invention includes a door reinforcing plate12and a frame plate14. The security device10cooperates with a new or existing door16, a door frame18including a deadbolt receptacle19a, a door latch receptacle19b, and a door jamb25, deadbolt lock assembly20including deadbolt21, and door latch assembly22including door latch23.

The door reinforcing plate12is angled and crimped into a U-shape, as shown inFIG. 2b, and includes an edge portion24, an interior portion26, an exterior portion28, a deadbolt passage30, and a door latch passage32. The door reinforcing plate12is preferably a hardened metal such as cold rolled steel. Alternatively, the door reinforcing plate12is a different, suitably hard material such as brass or stainless steel. In the preferred embodiment, the door reinforcing plate12is affixed to the vertical edge of a door using a silicon adhesive. The door reinforcing plate12may be alternatively affixed to the door16using any suitable adhesive or fasteners such as wood screws or machine screws. Further, in the case that the door16is a metal door, the door reinforcing plate12may be affixed to the door16by welding or brazing. The deadbolt passage30and the door latch passage32are located over the deadbolt21and the door latch23, respectively. Further the deadbolt21and the door latch23each are slideable within the deadbolt passage30and the door latch passage32, respectively. The door reinforcing plate12preferably extends substantially the entire length of the door16.

Referring toFIG. 2a, the frame plate14is a flat plate preferably made of cold rolled steel, brass, or stainless steel. Alternatively, the frame plate14is made of any sufficiently hard material. The frame plate14includes a first passage34and a second passage36. The frame plate14is mounted to the frame18such that the first passage34communicates with the deadbolt receptacle19aand the second passage36communicates with the door latch receptacle19b. Further, when the door16is in the closed position, the deadbolt21is slideable within the first passage34to engage the deadbolt receptacle19aand the door latch23is slideable within the second passage36to engage the door latch receptacle19b. The frame plate14is preferably affixed to the frame18by wood screws or machine screws. Alternatively, the frame plate14is affixed to the frame18by an adhesive. The frame plate14may be used in conjunction with a strike plate (not shown). The frame plate14may be mounted over the strike plate. Alternatively, the frame plate14is mounted to the frame18and the strike plate is affixed to the frame plate14. In the preferred embodiment, the frame plate14is at least 12 inches long and may extend the vertical length of the door frame18.

In use, the door16is secured by closing the door16such that the door latch23engages the door latch receptacle19band the deadbolt lock assembly20is operated normally such that the deadbolt21engages the deadbolt receptacle19a. When an impact is applied to the door16such as by an intruder trying to kick in the door16or when a crowbar is used to try and pry open the door16, the deadbolt21transmits the force from the door16to the frame18. The door reinforcing plate12and the frame plate14provide hard materials to reinforce the door16and the frame18where the deadbolt21is acting on them. Further, the door reinforcing plate12distributes the force applied to the door16by the deadbolt21along substantially the entire vertical edge of the door16. The frame plate14distributes the force applied to the frame18by the deadbolt21. This distribution of force in combination with the hard reinforcing materials allows the door16and the frame18to take a significantly increased amount of force applied by a would-be intruder.

Referring now toFIG. 4, a second embodiment of the security system is shown.FIG. 4shows a section of the door reinforcing plate12including the door latch passage32and a deadbolt guard38. The deadbolt guard38slides over the deadbolt21as the door reinforcing plate12is affixed to the door16as described in the first embodiment. The deadbolt21is slideable within the deadbolt guard38. The deadbolt guard38provides further reinforcement of the door16. The deadbolt guard38is preferably integral with the door reinforcing plate12. Alternatively, the deadbolt guard38is affixed to the door reinforcing plate12by any suitable method such as welding, brazing, epoxy, or use of fasteners.

A third embodiment of the security device is shown inFIG. 5. The security device110includes the door reinforcing plate12as described in the first embodiment. The security device110further includes a top edge reinforcing plate112, a bottom edge reinforcing plate114, a second vertical edge reinforcing plate116, and an elongated frame plate118. Each of the top edge plate112, the bottom edge plate114, and the second vertical edge plate116is U-shaped and affixed to the respective edge in substantially the same manner as the door reinforcing plate12is affixed to the door16. Door hinges40are affixed to the second vertical edge plate116. The second vertical edge plate116may be mortised such that the hinges40are flush with the outer surface of the second vertical edge plate116. The elongated frame plate118is affixed to the frame18in the same manner as frame plate14is affixed to frame18. Further, the elongated frame plate118includes the first passage34in communication with the deadbolt receptacle19aand the second passage36in communication with the door latch receptacle19b. In use, the security device110works in substantially the same manner as the security device10. The added door reinforcing plates and the elongated frame plate further reinforce the door16and the frame18, respectively, and further distributes the forces applied to the door16and the frame18by a would-be intruder-especially forces applied to areas of the door16that are remote from the deadbolt21.

In a forth embodiment,FIG. 6shows security device210. The security device210includes the top edge reinforcing plate112, the bottom edge reinforcing plate114, the second vertical edge reinforcing plate116, and the elongated frame plate118. The security device further includes an enhanced door reinforcing plate212, which includes all the features of the door reinforcing plate12with the added feature of a widened central portion214. The widened central portion214covers an area large enough to encompass the deadbolt lock assembly20and the door latch assembly22and is located on the interior and exterior surfaces of the door16. This provides further reinforcement of the door16in the place that it is most likely to fail under the stress applied by an intruder and it further distributes the applied forces.

It should be particularly noted that the edges of the door16may be mortised such that the outer surfaces of the door reinforcing plate12, the top edge plate112, the bottom edge plate114, and the second vertical edge plate116are flush with the outer surface of the door16. This may improve the way the door fits in the door frame and avoid misalignment issues between the deadbolt and the deadbolt receptacle.

Experimentation has shown that the security device disclosed in the first embodiment is sufficient to thwart an intruder. The added hardened materials required for the subsequent embodiments may increase the strength of the door and security device, however, they also increase the weight and cost of the same.

It should be even further particularly noted that an advantage of the invention is that the security device may be used with a new or existing door and door frame. Further, the security device may be installed on a door and door frame made of substantially any material. This provides the ability to retrofit doors or even to rehabilitate and improve doors that have been broken into.

Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.