Patent Publication Number: US-6662606-B2

Title: Lock cylinder retainer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the case of some exterior door knob constructions, the lock cylinder does not exactly mate with the exterior knob due to slight variations in manufacturing tolerances. As a result, there is a small amount of movement between the lock cylinder and the knob that is undesirable. A lock cylinder retainer that eliminates the undesirable movement would be welcome by manufactures and consumers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A lock cylinder retainer comprises an annular portion and a rectangular portion extending from the annular portion. The annular portion is configured to engage a lock cylinder core and the rectangular portion is configured to engage a pin housing associated with the cylinder core. The annular portion includes a front edge and a flange extending radially inwardly from the front edge and the rectangular portion includes a front surface, a pair of parallel side surfaces and a top surface. The front, top and side surfaces cooperate to partially enclose the pin housing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a door knob assembly incorporating a lock cylinder retainer according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a lock cylinder retainer installed on a lock cylinder, with the door knob shown in section. 
     FIGS. 3-7 illustrate various views of a lock cylinder retainer. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A lock cylinder retainer  10  according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 in position relative to an otherwise conventional knob assembly  12 . The knob assembly  12  includes a sleeve subassembly  14  or chassis having a sleeve  16  extending from a shield  18 . A rose cover  22  lies over the shield  18  to provide a more pleasing appearance. A conventional lock cylinder  20  is disposed in the sleeve  16 . The lock cylinder  20  includes a cylinder core  24  and a pin housing  26 , with the pin housing  26  cooperating with the core  24  to house a plurality of locking pins (not shown). The core  24  extends axially beyond the pin housing  26 , and is received in a lock cylinder access opening in a front surface of the knob as seen in FIG. 2. A knob  28  includes a sleeve  32  that slides over the sleeve  16  to engage the sleeve subassembly  14 . 
     The lock cylinder retainer  10  includes an annular portion  34  and a rectangular portion  36  extending radially from the annular portion  34 . The annular portion  34 , which is sized and configured to align with, and fit over, the cylinder core  24 , includes a front edge  38  and a flange  42  extending inwardly from the front edge  38 . The rectangular portion  36  is sized and configured to align with, and fit over a portion of, the pin housing  26 . The rectangular portion  36  includes a front wall  44 , a pair of parallel sidewalls  46  and a top wall  48 , all of which cooperate to enclose the front portion of the pin housing  26  and prevent the retainer  10  from rotating about the cylinder core  24 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 2, the retainer  10  is disposed between the lock cylinder  20  and the knob  28  and fills any gap between the pin housing  26  and the inside surface of the knob  28 . Preferably, the retainer  10  is made from a plastic material that will deform as necessary to provide a snug fit. 
     While the present invention has been described with particular reference to a preferred embodiment of a lockset mechanism, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be readily adapted to embodiments other than those described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will readily recognize from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings and claims, that changes, modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the following claims.