Patent Publication Number: US-2005134060-A1

Title: Lock

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a lock. In particular, the present invention relates to a lock that allows a handle assembly to be used with latch housings with various specifications through the use of an adaptor plate.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
       FIG. 1  of the drawings illustrates a conventional lock including a first handle assembly  1 , a second handle assembly  2 , and a latch assembly. The first handle assembly  1  includes a first rose liner  11  having two positioning posts  12  extending from a side of the first rose liner  11 . The first handle assembly  1  further includes a spindle  13 . The latch assembly includes a latch housing  3  having a first positioning hole  31 , a second positioning hole  32 , and an actuating wheel  33 . In assembly, the housing  3  is mounted into a receiving hole (not labeled) in a door  9 , with the first positioning hole  31 , the second positioning hole  32 , and a non-circular hole  331  of the actuating wheel  33  being located in a mounting hole  91  of the door  9 . Next, the positioning posts  12  of the first rose liner  11  are respectively extended through the first positioning hole  31  and the second positioning hole  32  and through two positioning holes  22  in a second rose liner  21  of the second handle assembly  2 . Meanwhile, the spindle  13  is extended through the non-circular hole  331  of the actuating wheel  33 , thereby rapidly mounting the lock to the door  9 . However, the positioning posts  12  of a certain specification can only be used with a latch housing  3  having correspondingly located first and second positioning holes  31  and  32 . Namely, the first handle assembly  1  cannot be used with the latch housing  3  in a case that the distance between the first positioning hole  31  and the second positioning hole  32  is not equal to that between the positioning posts  12 .  
       FIG. 2  of the drawings illustrates another conventional lock including a first handle assembly  1 , a second handle assembly  2 , and a latch assembly, which are substantially the same as those of the lock in  FIG. 1 . Further, the lock in  FIG. 2  includes a reinforcing plate  8  having an axial hole  81 , two pegs  82  extending from a side of the reinforcing plate  8 , and a plurality of grooves  83 . The respective peg  82  is at an angle with the respective adjacent groove  83 . In assembly, the positioning posts  12  of the first rose liner  11  are extended through two of the grooves  83 , and the pegs  82  are extended through the positioning holes  31  and  32  of the latch housing  3 . Thus, the first handle assembly  1  can be attached to the latch housing  3  with the handle of either handle assembly  1 ,  2  being located in a position at 45 degrees with respect to a longitudinal direction of the latch housing  3 , assisting disabled, aged, or children in easily opening the door  9  without changing the handle assemblies  1  and  2  and the latch assembly. Nevertheless, the distance between the pegs  82  of the reinforcing plate  8  has to be equal to that between the positioning holes  31  and  32  of the latch housing  3 . Further, the reinforcing plate  8  is not reliably supported and abuts against an elastic means  14 . Thus, the reinforcing plate  8  is apt to wobble and adversely affects smooth rotation of the first handle assembly  1 .  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide a lock that allows a handle assembly to be used with latch housings with various specifications (i.e., various distances between the positioning holes), increasing the assembling tolerance and increasing the application range while assembling the handle assembly and the latch housing.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a lock with improved assembling reliability and improved assembling stability.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a lock includes a handle assembly, a latch housing, and an adaptor plate. The handle assembly includes a rose liner and a spindle, the rose liner including two positioning posts. The latch housing includes two positioning holes and an actuating wheel. A distance between the positioning holes is not equal to that between the positioning posts of the rose liner. The actuating wheel has a non-circular hole.  
      The adaptor plate includes an axial hole, two positioning holes, two pegs and at least one leg. The spindle extends through the axial hole of the adaptor plate and the non-circular hole of the actuating wheel. A distance between the positioning holes of the adaptor plate is equal to the distance between the positioning posts of the rose liner, allowing the positioning posts of the rose liner to respectively extend through the positioning holes of the adaptor plate. A distance between the pegs of the adaptor plate is equal to the distance between the positioning holes of the latch housing, allowing the pegs to respectively extend through the positioning holes of the latch housing. Through use of adaptor plates of various specifications, a handle assembly of a certain specification can be used with latch housings with various specifications (i.e., various distances between the positioning holes of the latch housings).  
      The leg extends from the adaptor plate and abuts against the rose liner, thereby retaining the adaptor plate in place. Thus, improved assembling reliability and improved stability are provided.  
      Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a conventional lock;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of another conventional lock;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a lock in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the lock in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along plane  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; and  
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 5 , illustrating a modified embodiment of a reinforcing plate of the lock in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Preferred embodiments of the present invention are now to be described hereinafter in detail, in which the same reference numerals are used in the preferred embodiments for the same parts as those in the prior art to avoid redundant description.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , a lock in accordance with the present invention includes a first handle assembly  1 , a second handle assembly  2 , an adaptor plate  4 , and a latch assembly. The first handle assembly  1  includes a first rose liner  11  having two positioning posts  12  extending from a side of the first rose liner  11 . The first handle assembly  1  further includes a spindle  13  and an elastic means  14 . The second handle assembly  2  includes a second rose liner  21  having two positioning holes  22  through which the positioning posts  12  respectively extend.  
      The latch assembly includes a latch housing  3  having a first positioning hole  31 , a second positioning hole  32 , and an actuating wheel  33 . Each of the first and second positioning holes  31  and  32  is a through-hole or a hole having an open side. Referring to  FIG. 5 , a distance “b” between the centers of the first and second positioning holes  31  and  32  is smaller (or greater, when desired) than a distance “a” between the centers of the positioning posts  12 .  
      The adaptor plate  4  includes an axial hole  41 , two positioning holes  42 , two pegs  43  formed on a side of the adaptor plate  4 , and a plurality of legs  44 . The spindle  13  extends through the axial hole  41  of the adaptor plate  4 . A distance “a” between the centers of the positioning holes  42  of the adaptor plate  4  is equal to that between the centers of the positioning posts  12 . Each positioning hole  42  is a through-hole or a hole having an open side. The respective peg  43  is at an angle (preferably 90 degrees) with the respective positioning groove  42 . A distance “b” between the centers of the pegs  43  is equal to that between the centers of the positioning holes  31  and  32  of the latch housing  3 . Each leg  44  extends toward the first rose liner  11  and abuts against the first rose liner  11 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the adaptor plate  4  is useful when engaging the first handle assembly  1  with the latch housing  3  in a case that a distance between the centers of the positioning holes  31  and  32  that is not equal to the distance between the centers of the positioning rods  12 . The positioning posts  12  of the first rose liner  11  are respectively extended through the positioning holes  42  of the adaptor plate  4 , and the spindle  13  is extended through the axial hole  41  of the adaptor plate  4 , with the legs  44  pressing abutting against the first rose liner  11 . Thus, the adaptor plate  4  does not contact the elastic means  14  and thus would not interfere with operation of the elastic means  14 . Next, the pegs  43  of the adaptor plate  4  are respectively extended through the first positioning hole  31  and the second positioning hole  32  of the latch housing  3 . Thus, the handle assembly having a certain specification (i.e., a fixed distance between the positioning posts  12  of the inside rose liner  11 ) can be used with latch housings  3  with various distances between the positioning holes  31  and  32  through the use of the adaptor plate  4 . A manufacturer may produce adaptor plates  4  of various specifications for latch housings having various specifications (i.e., various distances between the positioning holes  31  and  32 ). The overall cost for the molds for manufacturing the adaptor plates  4  is much lower than the cost for manufacturing handle assemblies of various specifications and latch housings of various specifications.  
       FIG. 6  of the drawings illustrates a modified embodiment of the adaptor plate  4 . In this embodiment, in a case that the distance “a” between the centers of the positioning posts  12  of the first handle assembly  1  is smaller that the distance “c” between the centers of the first and second positioning holes  31  and  32  of the latch housing  3 . In this case, an adaptor plate  4  including two pegs  43  whose centers having a distance “c” therebetween can be used. Thus, the first handle assembly  1  can be rapidly coupled to the latch housing  3  through the use of the adaptor plate  4 . The positioning hole  42  of the adaptor plate  4  can be U-shaped. Similar to the above embodiment, the assembling tolerance and application range for assembling the first handle assembly  1  and the latch assembly are increased, and the cost for assembling and manufacturing is reduced.  
      Still referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the legs  44  of the adaptor plate  4  can be fixed to the first rose liner  11  by snapping members, screws, welding, or heat pressing, further improving the assembling reliability and the assembling stability.  
      While the principles of this invention have been disclosed in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that any modification and variation without departing the spirit of the invention is intended to be covered by the scope of this invention defined only by the appended claims.