Abstract:
A door lock assembly is provided for use on multiple types of door latches. The assembly includes a housing, a paddle pivotally mounted on the housing, and a pivot plate pivotally mounted on the housing and operatively connected to the door latch. An actuator is mounted on the housing and is operatively connected to the paddle. A pin is slideably received within a slot in the pivot plate and moved between first and second positions in response to locking and unlocking of a locked cylinder. The actuator engages the pin in the first position so as to actuate the pivot plate and thereby open the door latch when the paddle is pulled. The actuator disengages the pin in the second position so that the paddle free floats when pulled and precludes the pivot plate from opening the door latch when the locked cylinder is locked or the power actuator is actuated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Paddle type door lock assemblies are well known for the release of a door latching mechanism, and are commonly found on automotive, industrial, commercial and recreational vehicles. However, most paddle lock assemblies have limited application. For example, U.S. Pat No. 4,320,642 discloses a paddle handle and a single rotor latch or plunger latch assembly that utilizes a bolt that is movable between latching and unlatching positions. When the assembly is locked, the bolt moves out of contact with the handle operating arm, thereby allowing the paddle to be pivoted without operating the bolt. This assembly cannot be used for a remote latching or for electronic power locking, but can only be used in combination with an attached rotary or plunger latch. This assembly will not work with a remote single or 2-point latch. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,619 discloses a tailgate handle assembly with a sliding and pivoting lever, wherein the paddle handle utilizes a lever that is slideably actuated from a locked and unlocked mode by rotation of the locked cylinder or electrically via a power actuator. This invention utilizes a torsion spring to return the paddle and a U-shaped flat wire spring to return the extended lever. This invention can only be used with a single latch and latch rod, and not with a single or 2 point rotary latch or plunger bolt latch. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,104 discloses a paddle handle and single rotor latch assembly that utilizes an operating member that is moved out of contact position with the actuating member, thereby allowing the paddle to be pivoted without operating the actuating member. This invention does not have provisions for a remote latch or power locking, and can only be used in combination with an attached rotary latch. This invention will not work with a remote single or 2-point latch. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,937 discloses a flush door latch assembly that has a built-in plunger bolt or a remote single or 2-point latch, but does not have provisions for power locking. 
     Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door lock assembly which can be utilized with multiple types of latches. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door lock assembly which can be used with a single or 2-point latch, as well as a plunger bolt latch. 
     A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door lock assembly which can be used with a remotely located latch. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved door lock assembly that can be operated mechanically or electronically with a power actuator. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a door lock assembly having a paddle handle which is free floating when the assembly is locked. 
     Another objective of the present is the provision of a door lock assembly utilizing a compression spring to normally urge a paddle handle to a closed position. 
     A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a door lock assembly which is economically manufactured and durable and safe in use. 
     These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The door lock assembly of the present invention includes a housing with a paddle handle pivotally mounted in the housing for movement between a normally closed position and an open position. A plastic slide actuator is mounted on the housing and is operatively connected to the paddle for sliding linear movement between first and second positions. A pivot plate is pivotally mounted on the housing and is operatively connected to a door latch. A lock actuator is mounted in the housing and is operatively connected to the pivot plate, and is moveable between unlocked and locked positions. The slide actuator operatively engages the pivot plate when the lock actuator is in the unlocked position, whereby movement of the paddle to the open position slides the slide actuator to the second position and pivots the pivot plate to open or release door latch. The slide lock disengages the pivot plate when the lock actuator is in the locked position, whereby movement of the paddle to the open position slides the slide actuator to the second position without pivoting the pivot plate, such that the door latch is not opened. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the door lock assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the door lock assembly in an unlocked state with the paddle handle being in the normally closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the assembly being locked and the paddle handle being in the closed position. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the assembly in the unlocked state, with the paddle handle pulled to an open position. 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the assembly in a locked condition, with the paddle handle pulled to an open position. 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the door lock assembly in an unlocked condition, with the paddle handle in the normally closed position. 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the door lock assembly with the paddle handle in the closed position. 
     FIG. 8 is an elevation view showing the door lock assembly of the present invention mounted on a door having a 2-point plunger type latch and an electrically operated power actuator. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An exploded view of the components of the door lock assembly of the present invention is shown in FIG.  1 . The assembly includes a housing  12  with a paddle type handle  14  pivotally mounted to the housing  12 . The housing  12  includes a recessed portion  13  defined by a sidewall  15  and a bottom wall  16 . The paddle  14  includes a pair of legs  17 ,  18  for pivotally mounting the paddle to the housing  12  over the recessed portion  13 . The leg  17  includes a stub shaft  20  received in an opening or recess sidewall  15  of the  22  in the housing  12 . The leg  18  includes a slot  24  through which an axle  26  extends. The axle extends through a bushing  28  mounted in the leg  18  and through an arm  30 . The axle  26  terminates in a T-shaped end  32  which extends through a slot (not shown) in the housing  12  with the axle  26  being rotated 90 degrees for retention by the housing. The arm  30  extends through a slot (not shown) in the bottom  16  wall of the housing  12   
     The housing  12  includes a recess  34  for receipt of a lock cylinder comprising a plug  36  and a mechanical actuator  38 . The lower end  40  of the lock actuator  38  extends through the housing  12 . A lock cam  42  is mounted on an end  40  of the lock actuator  38  and retained with a lock washer  44 . A cam spring  46  is secured to a first end  48  of the lock cam  42  and to the housing  12  to normally bias the lock cam  42  to an unlocked position 
     A pivot plate  52  is pivotally mounted on a stub axle  54  on the bottom wall  16  and retained by a lock washer  56 . A low friction washer  58  may be provided between the pivot plate  52  and the axle  54 . The pivot plate  52  includes opposite ends  60 ,  62 . The second end  62  includes a leg  64  with a slot  66 . The first end  60  of the pivot plate  52  is operatively connected to linkage connected to the door latch (not shown). Thus, the pivot plate is connected by linkage to the door latch, which may be a single rotor or two point rotor, or a plunger bolt latch. The linkage allows the latch to be mounted remotely from the door handle assembly  10 . 
     A link arm  68  extends between the pivot plate  52  and the lock cam  42 . More particularly, a pin or rivet  70  extends through the slot  66  in the pivot plate and through a corresponding hole in the first end  72  of the link arm  68 . The opposite end of the link arm  68  has a leg  74  with a T-shaped head adapted to be received within a slot  76  in the second end  50  of the lock cam  42 . By turning the link arm  68  approximately 90 degrees, the leg  74  is secured to the lock cam  42 . 
     A slide actuator  78  is mounted on the bottom wall  16  of the housing  12 . More particularly, actuator  78  includes a slot  80  through which a pair of pins  82  extending form the bottom wall  16  of the housing  12  extend. A pair of lock washers  84  are secured on the pins  82  to retain the slide actuator  78  on the housing  12  and allow sliding movement of the actuator  78  along the longitudinal axis of the slot  80 . A second slot or notch  86  is provided in the actuator  78  and extends transversely to the slot  76 . The slide actuator  78  also includes a semi-circular tube portion  88  adapted to house a compression spring  90 . One end of  92  of the tube portion  88  is closed, while the opposite end is open. When the slide actuator  78  is mounted on the housing  12 , the spring  90  is retained by the tube portion, the bottom wall  16  of the housing  12 , the closed end  92  of the tube portion  88 , and a tab  94  extending from the bottom wall  16 . 
     The housing  12  includes a plurality of mounting legs  96  for mounting the assembly  10  onto a door (not shown) using screws or bolts. A sealing gasket  98  extends around the perimeter  12  to provide a moisture seal with the door when the assembly  10  is mounted. 
     When the handle assembly  10  is in an unlocked mode, as controlled by the actuator  38  of the lock cylinder, the lock cam  42  is in the position shown in FIG.  2 . When the paddle  14  is lifted or pulled to the open position, the lever arm  30 , which engages the slide actuator  78 , slides the slide the actuator  78  to the position shown in FIG.  4 . The sliding movement of the actuator  78  is controlled by the pins  82  within the slot  80 . As the slide actuator  78  moves from the first position to the second position as the paddle  14  is pulled, the actuator  78  pulls the pin or rivet  70  which extends through the transverse slot  86  of the actuator  78 . Accordingly, as the slide actuator  78  moves to the second position, the pivot plate  52  and link arm  68  are also pulled to a second position via the pin  70 , which slides in the slot  66  of the pivot plate  52  to the position shown in FIG.  4 . As the pivot plate  52  pivots to the second position, the end  60  of the pivot plate opens the latch via the interconnecting linkage to release or open the latch so that the door can be opened. 
     The compression spring  90  housed within the tubular portion  88  of the slide actuator  78  biases the paddle  14  back to its normal closed position, as shown in FIG. 7, when the paddle is released by the user. Thus, when the paddle is released, all the moving components of the assembly  10  will automatically return to their first position as shown in FIG. 2 when the assembly  10  is in an unlocked condition. 
     When a key is used to lock the assembly  10 , the lock cylinder actuator  38  pivots the lock cam  42  to the position shown in FIG.  3 . If a power lock actuator is used to lock the assembly  10 , the push-pull motion of the actuator is connected to the hole  124  of lock cam  42  with an actuator rod  118 , as described below. This push-pull motion pivots the lock cam  42  to the position shown in FIG.  3 . Either of these pivotal movements to the lock cam  42  moves the connecting link  68  and pin  70  to the opposite end of the slot  66  of the pivot plate  52 , as seen in FIG.  3 . The pin  70  is then disengaged from the slot  86  of the slide actuator  78 . Thus, when the paddle  14  is pulled to an open position by a user, the arm  30  slides to slide the actuator  78  to the position shown in FIG. 5, but since the pin  70  is not engaged with the slide actuator  78 , the pivot plate  52  and connecting link  68  remain stationary, so that there is no action by the pivot plate  52  on the door latch. Accordingly, the paddle  14  free floats when the assembly  10  is in a locked condition. Upon release of the paddle  14 , the compression spring  90  returns the slide actuator  78  and the paddle  14  to their first positions, as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     With the assembly  10  of the present invention, the pivot plate  52  can be connected through linkage to various types of latches, including a single or 2-point latch, and a plunger bolt latch. Thus, the construction of the assembly  10  makes the assembly more versatile and useful in different applications. 
     FIG. 8 shows the door lock assembly  10  mounted on a door  100  having a plunger bolt assembly  102  located on opposite sides of the door  100 . Each plunger bolt assembly  102  has a release rod  104  extending therefrom with the inner ends of the release rods  104  extending through holes  106  in the opposite ends of the pivot plate  52 . Thus, when the pivot plate  52  is pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 4, the release rods  104  unlatch the plunger bolts  108  so that the door  100  can be opened. 
     FIG. 8 also shows a power actuator  110  operatively connected to the lock assembly  10 . More particularly, the power actuator  110  is mounted on a mounting bracket  112 . The lock assembly  10  is also secured to the mounting bracket  112  by self tapping screws or fasteners  114  which thread into the mounting legs  96 . Electrical leads  116  extend from the power actuator  110  and are connected to a power source, such as a battery of the vehicle. The power actuator includes a latch rod  118  to which one end of a power actuator rod  120  is connected. The opposite end of the actuator rod  120  extends through a slot  122  in the mounting bracket  12  and into a hole  124  in the lock cam  42 . The power actuator  110  moves the latch rod  118  inwardly and outwardly (left and right in FIG. 8) so that the power actuator rod  120  moves the lock cam  42  between the unlocked and locked positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, in response to an electrical switch or receipt of a signal by the power actuator  110  from a transmitter. Thus, the lock assembly  10  can be controlled by remote transmitter, for example on the user&#39;s key ring. 
     While FIG. 8 shows the lock assembly  10  used on a 2-point latch assembly, it is understood that the lock assembly  10  can be used on a single point latch assembly using a single actuator rod connected to one of the holes  106  in the pivot plate  52 . Also, the latch assemblies may be rotor type latches, as opposed to the plunger bolts  108  shown in FIG.  8 . 
     The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.