Patent Publication Number: US-9416560-B2

Title: Door handle mounting system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a door handle mounting system wherein the shank portion of the handle is engaged from a rear face of a face plate by a retainer ring formed of flexible material and having integrally formed therewith a tensioning portion to apply a pulling force on the shank portion to retain the handle operationally secured to the face plate. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The door handle mounting system of the present invention is of a type as for example illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,042,268; 4,784,418; 5,067,758 and 7,188,873. In all of these types of door handle mounting systems, the shank portion of the handle is retained captive behind the face plate by an assembly of washers, connecting plates and retaining lock springs, all of which are formed of metal. These retainer assemblies are often difficult to assemble and are subjected to wear and rust over time. This can cause some of the elements to break or disengage thus rendering the door latch handle inoperative and in need of repair. Also, rust marks on the face plate are unpleasing to the eye. Because the face plate can have variations in thickness, this can result in a loose mounting assembly causing the handle to wobble. Still further, from periodic use, the metal component parts which rub about the front and rear face of the face plate cause wear to the face plate and therefore resulting in wear and a loose connection between the handle and the face plate and this is undesirable. Such problems also occur with the deadbolt turnpiece handle which is connected to the face plate, such as illustrated in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,873. When these handles become loose due to the wear in the opposed faces of the face plate about the mounting hole, the handle becomes loose and wobbles and therefore does not rest at a normal level position. This also causes rattling in the door handle assembly and in an attempt to remedy these problems various types of washer configurations have been suggested and this further complicates the assembly of the door handle and results in further parts, therefore increasing the risk of failure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide a door handle mounting system which substantially overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a door handle mounting system wherein the shank portion of the door handle is retained captive behind the face plate by a retainer ring formed of flexible polymer material having a memory, such as nylon, and which exerts a constant pulling force on the shank portion of the handle whereby the handle annular shoulder is biased against the outer face of the face plate about the handle mounting hole. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a door handle mounting system wherein a coupling sleeve is secured to the shank portion of the handle and projects through the mounting hole on the front face of the face plate and is adapted to be retained and biased in the handle mounting hole by a retainer ring formed of flexible material having a memory. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a door handle mounting system which is easy to install in the face plate through a handle mounting hole. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a door handle mounting system having a door handle and a deadbolt turnpiece handle each retained in a respective mounting hole formed in a face plate and held captive therein by a respective retainer ring formed of flexible material having a memory. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a door handle mounting system wherein the handle is retained in a face plate through a handle mounting hole by one or two non-metallic flexible retaining members. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a door handle mounting system which includes a retainer ring which applies a pulling force on the shank portion of the handle whereby to compensate for variations in the thickness of the face plate to prevent the handle from being loosely mounted or exhibiting wobbly motion. 
     According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a door handle mounting system comprising a face plate having a handle mounting hole therein. A handle having a shank portion having engageable means is also provided. Circumferential abutment means is associated with the handle for abutment about the mounting hole on an outer face of the face plate when the shank portion is disposed thereinto. A retainer ring, formed of flexible non-metallic material having a memory, is adapted for engagement with the shank portion adjacent a rear face of the face plate. The retainer ring, has an integrally formed locking portion for locking engagement with the engageable means and an integrally formed tensioning portion for flexible engagement with the rear face of the face plate to apply a pulling force on the shank portion while retaining the handle operationally secured to the face plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective explosive view illustrating one example of a door handle set incorporating the door handle mounting system of the present invention wherein a coupling sleeve is secured to the handle shank and adapted to be engaged by a retainer ring; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1A  but wherein the retainer ring is engageable with the handle shank without the use of a coupling sleeve; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the construction of the coupling sleeve adapted to be secured to the shank portion of the door handle as shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view illustrating the construction of the retainer ring adapted to be secured to the coupling sleeve of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 3B and 3C  are perspective views illustrating a retainer ring specifically adapted for connection and securement to the shank portion of the door handle, as shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are perspective views showing a further modification of a retainer ring specifically adapted for connection and securement to the shank portion of a deadbolt turnpiece; 
         FIG. 5  is a section view through the coupling sleeve of  FIG. 2  showing its position in the mounting hole of a face plate; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional fragmented view, partly fragmented, through the retainer ring of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a section fragmented view of the retainer ring of  FIGS. 4A and 4B ; 
         FIG. 7B  is a section view showing the retainer ring of  FIG. 7A  secured to a shank of a deadbolt turn piece; 
         FIG. 8  is a rear fragmented view of a face plate showing the retainer ring secured to the shank portion of a door handle as well as a retainer ring secured to the shank portion of a deadbolt turnpiece handle; and 
         FIG. 9  is a fragmented side view showing the door handle of  FIG. 1B  wherein the circumferential abutment means is provided by an annular shoulder portion of the handle adapted for frictional engagement about the outer surface of a face plate about the handle mounting hole. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1A , there is shown generally at  10  a door handle set which is adapted to be mounted on opposed sides of a door by attachment bolts  9 . The door handle set  10  is comprised of a pair of face plates  11  and  11 ′, each provided with handle mounting holes  12  for connecting handles  13  and  13 ′ thereto. One of the face plates  11  and  11 ′ is an external face plate  11 ′ while the other is an internal face plate  11 . A keylock  14  is associated with the external face plate  11 ′. The external face plate assembly is part of the prior art. 
     The door handle mounting system of the present invention will be described with relation to the door handle  13  secured to the face plate  11 . As herein shown the handle  13  is provided with a shank portion  15  which is hereinshown as being of cylindrical shape and of smaller diameter than the circumference of the handle  13  and it projects from an annular shoulder  16  formed with the handle. The shank portion  15  is hereinshown as being provided with engageable means in the form of a circumferential groove  17  located at a predetermined spacing from the free end  18  of the shank portion  15 . Engageable means in the form of a coupling sleeve  19  is adapted to interlock with the shank portion in the example of  FIG. 1A . 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , it can be seen that the coupling sleeve  19  is a cylindrical sleeve and it is dimensioned for close fit in the face plate handle mounting hole  12  from the outer face  20  of the face plate  11 . It also has an engageable cylindrical portion  21  for projecting behind the face plate  11  as better illustrated in  FIG. 5 . As better seen from  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the engageable cylindrical portion  21  is provided with spaced-apart engageable formations or openings  22  formed in the cylindrical side wall  23  thereof. Alignment ramps  22 ′ are formed in the side wall  23  to align a retainer ring  25  thereon. These engageable openings  22  each have an engageable edge  24  adapted to be engaged by a retainer ring  25 , as will be described later with reference to  FIG. 3A . The coupling sleeve  19  is further provided with a shank attachment means in the form of a circumferential rib  26  adapted for engagement within the circumferential groove  17  of the shank portion  15 . The cylindrical side wall is also provided with slots  27  to provide for the side wall  23  to flex outwardly. The coupling sleeve  19  is formed of a flexible polymer material having a memory, such as nylon, whereby when the coupling sleeve  19  is pushed over the shank portion  15 , the side wall will flex to permit the circumferential rib  26  to enter into the circumferential groove  17  and being retained therein due to the memory aspect of the coupling sleeve as well as the circumferential inner side edge  12 ′ of the handle mounting hole  12  being in close fit with the coupling sleeve. The rib  26  has a sloped side wall  26 ′ and a transverse sidewall  26 ″, as shown in  FIG. 5 , to permit ease of sliding displacement over the shank portion but preventing removal once engaged in the groove  17 . The flexible side wall  21  also provides flexing to facilitate the connection of the retainer ring over the shank portion, as will now be described. The coupling sleeve  19  is secured to the shank portion of the door handle and then located in the mounting hole of the face plate to be engaged by the retainer ring  25  from the back side of the face plate  11 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 3A and 6 , there is shown the construction of the retainer ring  25 . As hereinshown the retaining ring  25  is an annular ring also formed of flexible polymer material having a memory, such as nylon, and is dimensioned for engagement over the engageable cylindrical portion  21  of the coupling sleeve  19 . Such an engagement is shown in  FIG. 8 . The retainer ring  25  is provided with an integrally formed locking portion constituted by engaging fingers  30  formed integral with the circumferential side wall  31  of the retainer ring. As hereinshown, there are four flexible engaging fingers (but there could be three, four or six of these), two of which are disposed on transverse diametrical axes of the ring and each engaging finger has an internally projecting hook end  32  for clamping engagement with a respective one of the engageable edges  24  of the coupling sleeve  19  when the retainer ring  25  is pushed over the engageable, cylindrical portion  21  of the coupling sleeve from the backside of the face plate  11 . The retainer ring  25  is formed thicker than the side wall  21  of the coupling sleeve  19  and the hook end is formed with a beveled undertace  32 ′ to slide along the ramps  22 ′ and snap lock within an engageable opening  22 . 
     The retainer ring  25  is also provided with an integrally formed tensioning portion in the form of flexible tapered shoulder portions  33  formed integral with the circumferential side wall  31  of the retainer ring  25  and disposed between the engaging fingers  30 . The diameter of the side wall  31  is selected to prevent the side wall  23  to open and prevents the handle from being pulled out of the face plate  11 . The flexible shoulder portions  33  are dimensioned for flexible frictional engagement with the rear face  20 ′ of the face plate  11  when the retainer ring  25  is pushed over the engageable cylindrical portion  21  of the coupling sleeve with the hook ends  32  snapping into engagement with the engageable edge  24  of the engageable openings  22 . Accordingly, the door handle is now retained in clamping engagement by the flexible shoulder portion  33  exerting an inner pulling force onto the coupling sleeve which is immovably secured to the shank portion and accordingly applying a pulling force on the shank of the handle  13 . 
     As better seen from  FIG. 6 , the flexible shoulder portions  33  project beyond the free end  34  of the engaging fingers  30  and are provided with an outwardly projecting abutment wing free end portion  35  to provide contact with the rear face  20 ′ of the face plate  11  about the handle mounting hole  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A, 2 and 5 , the coupling sleeve  19  has an integrally formed, outwardly projecting, circumferential flange  36  for abutment about a circumferential portion of the outer face  20  of the face plate  11  and this is better shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIGS. 1B, 3B and 3C  illustrate a modification of the retainer ring  25 . As herein shown, the retainer ring  25 ″ is constructed to connect directly to the circumferential groove  50  of the shank portion  51  of the door handle  13 . The retainer ring  25 ″ does not have engaging fingers but instead a circumferential inner rib  8  disposed and projecting inwardly from the side wall  31 ′ of the ring  25 ″. The side wall  31 ′ is longer and dimensioned to permit the flexible shoulders  7  to flex against the rear surface  20 ′ of the face plate  11  when the ring  25 ″ is pushed over the shank portion until the rib  8  enters into the groove  50  of the shank portion  51  shown in  FIG. 1B . Accordingly, the retainer ring  25 ″ is sufficient to secure the handle to the face plate and applying retention force on the shank portion. The shoulder  16  of the handle  13  abuts the outer face  20  of the face plate  11  about the handle mounting hole  12 . The rib  8  has a cross-section and functions as the circumferential rib  26  previously described. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 1A, 4A, 4B, 7A and 7B , there is also shown a further example of a handle being secured to a face plate by a retainer ring  25 ′ formed in accordance with the present invention. As herein shown a deadbolt turnpiece handle  40  is provided with a shank portion  41  also provided with a circumferential groove  42  thereabout. The shank portion has a connecting slot  43  for receiving a deadbolt tailpiece  44  therein as is well known in the art and forming part of a standard deadbolt locking mechanism  45  as shown in  FIG. 1A . The retainer ring  25 ′ is provided with flexible shoulder portions  46  disposed substantially as with the retainer ring  25  and for engagement about the handle mounting hole and in contact with the rear face  20 ′ of the face plate  11 . The retainer ring  25 ′ is provided with a circumferential ring  47  projecting inwardly of the side wall  48  of the retaining ring  25 ′ and disposed for locking engagement within the circumferential groove  42  formed in the shank portion  41 . The ring  47  is shaped as the circumferential ring  26  and once in the groove  42  it does not come out. The side wall  48  has grooves  48 ′ formed therein to cause flexion of the sidewall portions  48 ″. Adjacent two diametrically opposed grooves  48 ′ there is provided two vertically projecting walls  46 ′ which project on opposed edges of the connecting slot  43  of the shank portion  41  of the turnpiece handle  40  to retain the tailpiece  44  in alignment the shank portion and trapped therein, see  FIG. 7B . Locking engagement is accomplished by pushing the retainer ring  25 ′ over the shank portion  41  from the backside of the face plate when the shank portion  41  is positioned within the handle mounting hole  12 ′ of the deadbolt turnpiece handle  40 . Accordingly, the retainer ring  25 ′ also interlocks the deadbolt turnpiece handle within its handle mounting hole  12 ′ and exerts a pulling force on the shank portion  41  similar to that as previously described in connection with the retainer ring  25 . The deadbolt turnpiece handle also has an annular shoulder  48  to abut about the front face  20  of the face plate about the handle mounting hole  12 ′. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1B and 9 , there is shown a further modification of the handle mounting assembly of the present invention. As hereinshown, the handle  13 ′ may be retained within its handle mounting hole  12  without a coupling sleeve  19 . For such an attachment, the retainer ring  25 ′ would engage with the circumferential groove  50  provided in the shank portion  51  of the handle  13 ′. The attachment would be as shown in  FIG. 7B . 
       FIGS. 3B, 3C and 9  illustrate a further modification of the retainer ring, herein retainer ring  25 ′. The ring  25 ″ is provided with an annular projecting flange  55  projecting forwardly thereof. This ring  25 ″ is used when the handle mounting hole  12 ′, see  FIG. 9 , is larger than the diameter of the shank. This flange  55  keeps the shank centrally aligned with the hole  12 ′. The shoulder  16  of the handle  13  is thus centrally disposed about the hole to engage the outer surface  20  of the face plate  11 . 
     With reference again to  FIG. 1A  it can be seen that the door handle  13  and the deadbolt turnpiece  40  can be preassembled to the face plate  11  ready to receive a respective one of a handle spindle  60  and the tailpiece  44 . The handle  13 , as hereinshown, is provided with a spindle receiving hole  61  in a free end thereof for receiving the spindle  60  in close fit therein. A countersunk Allen screw  62  secures the spindle  60  within the spindle receiving hole  61 . Although not shown, the assembly  10  would include a torsion coil spring to bias the handles  13 ,  13 ′ in a horizontal position. 
     It is pointed out that the door handle mounting system as herein described consists of very few parts, either a single retainer ring  25 ′ or a combination of retainer ring  25  and coupling sleeve  19  whereby to secure handles  40  and  13 , respectively, within respective handle mounting holes  12  and  12 ′ of a face plate, respectively. These retainer rings have the features of being easily connectable to the shank portion, either directly thereto or through a coupling sleeve and also have the further feature of providing a pulling force on the shank portion to bias the annular shoulder of the handle against the face plate while retaining the handle operationally secured to the face plate. Because the retainer ring  25  and coupling sleeve  19  are formed of nylon material or other suitable like flexible material having a memory, there are no oxidizing parts in the connection of the shank portion of the handles  13  and  40  into their respective handle mounting holes  12  and  12 ′ thus avoiding the formation of rust and the unsightly appearance that it can cause, particularly so on an outdoor face plate where such is exposed to high humidity, rain and snow. Further, the use of structural plastic eliminates the galvanic effect that is produced when different metals are placed in contact with one another. The retainer ring and the coupling sleeve isolate some of the metal parts from each other preventing such contact. 
     Another advantage in having fewer parts is that there are fewer parts which can be lost in kits wherein the parts are packaged in a loose form within a handle set package. Having fewer parts, it is also easier to ensure excellent quality control in the packaging of these door handle sets. It also provides for easier instructions for the installation of the handles to the face plate and the fact that the parts do not resemble one another further renders the assembly foolproof. As previously pointed out, because these face plates may vary in thickness, the assembly could result in loose or wobbly handle connections. Because the retainer ring  25  is provided with flexible shoulder portions  33 , it will compensate for any variation in such face plate thicknesses while still exerting a pulling force on the shank portion of the handle. 
     It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.