Patent Publication Number: US-9850693-B2

Title: Adjustable door lock and associated method

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/955,552, filed Nov. 29, 2010, currently pending, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/264,896, filed Nov. 30, 2009, the entire disclosures which are both incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field 
     This invention relates to door locks and, more particularly, to an adjustable door lock for providing users with an easy and convenient means of locking offset and misaligned doors. 
     Prior Art 
     A barrel bolt is a sliding lock mechanism used to provide security for both average and heavy weight doors and windows. The bolt is surface mounted where the bolt slides into a catch on the other side of the door. Barrel bolts are most suitable for single leaf doors and passive leaf of double doors. They find wide application throughout industry and commerce; especially where a high level of physical security is required. These bolts are easy to fit and are available in a wide range of sockets. Some barrel bolts have spring action to hold the bolt in place while some others are lockable. These bolts are available in various sizes and come in various decorative finishes and with surface or universal strikes. Some barrel bolts are plain, simple looking while some others are highly decorative which are just perfect for installing on cabinet doors, windows etc. 
     Barrel bolts are installed on a variety of doors, and require high degree accuracy on installation, so that the bolt and catch align when engaged. Even when installed properly, the bolt and catch will become misaligned as the door and wall of the building shifts through use. This issue is common among barrel bolts, and to fix the issue homeowners or leasing managers must re-position the barrel bolt to realign, or find another inconvenient means of remedy. Usually either the lock or the catch has to be removed and the door and wall may require some annoying cosmetic repairs. 
     Accordingly, a need remains for a device in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an adjustable door lock that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for providing an easy means of locking offset and misaligned doors. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for locking a misaligned or off-set door relative to support wall adjacent to the door. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by an adjustable door lock. 
     The adjustable door lock may include a catch plate adapted to be secured adjacent to the door. A plurality of catch brackets may be connected to the catch plate. A catch may be adjustably connected to the catch plate and interfitted through the catch brackets. Such a catch preferably has a linear channel formed therein. A door plate may be disposed adjacent to the catch plate and adapted to be secured to the door. A locking bolt may further be housed within the door plate and may be linearly reciprocated along a first linear path passing through the door plate and the linear channel. In this way, the catch may be automatically adjusted along a second linear path orthogonally registered relative to the first linear path such that the linear channel automatically becomes axially aligned with the locking bolt as the locking bolt ingresses and egresses the catch. 
     Through the effects of temperature fluctuations and structural stresses induced when constructing a building, there is a tendency for the doors of buildings to shift from their original positions thus causing these doors to be misaligned with its frame over time. The shifting may cause the locking bolts and catches of these doors to be misaligned thereby causing the doors to be unboltable. Such an arrangement disclosed provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of automatically aligning the locking bolt to the catch of these misaligned doors without the need for removing and refitting the locking bolt or catch. 
     The first linear path may further traverse the second linear path and may be bi-directional and oriented along a horizontal plane while the second linear path may be bi-directional and oriented along a vertical plane. In this way, the locking bolt may linearly traverse the second linear path upon ingressing and egressing the linear channel respectively while the catch brackets remain statically mated to the catch plate as the catch is displaced along the second linear path. Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of providing a self-adjusting mechanism to the catch when a misaligned locking bolt is inserted into its linear channel. 
     The catch may include a plurality of guides diverging away from the linear channel towards the door plate for guiding the locking bolt along the linear channel. The plurality of guides may converge towards the linear channel away from the door plate for guiding the locking bolt along the linear channel. Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of ensuring that the locking bolt is guided into the catch easily without requiring an added step of aligning the catch to the locking bolt by the user. 
     The locking bolt may include a handle such that the locking bolt may be rotated about the first linear path thereby displacing the handle between locked and unlocked positions relative to the door plate. 
     The disclose may include a method of utilizing an adjustable door lock for locking a misaligned or off-set door relative to support wall adjacent to the door. Such a method may include the chronological steps of: providing and securing a catch plate adjacent to the door; providing a plurality of catch brackets; providing a catch preferably having a linear channel formed therein; adjustably connecting the catch to the catch plate by interfitting the catch through the catch brackets; connecting the catch brackets to the catch plate; providing and disposing a door plate adjacent to the catch plate; providing and housing a locking bolt within the door plate; securing the door plate to the door; linearly reciprocating the locking bolt along a first linear path passing through the door plate and the linear channel; automatically adjusting the catch along a second linear path orthogonally registered relative to the first linear path by ingressing and egressing the locking bolt through the catch; and automatically and axially aligning the linear channel with the locking bolt. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     It is noted the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an adjustable door lock in a locked position, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the adjustable door lock shown at an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the adjustable door lock shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the adjustable door lock showing the catch upwardly aligned relative to the locking bolt; and 
         FIG. 5  is front elevational view of the adjustable door lock showing the catch downwardly aligned relative to the locking bolt. 
     
    
    
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the figures are not intended to be drawn to any particular scale; nor are the figures intended to illustrate every embodiment of the invention. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments depicted in the figures or the shapes, relative sizes or proportions shown in the figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, this embodiment is provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the figures. 
     The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may be exaggerated, while other proportions may be minimized. Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. 
     One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “present invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description. 
     The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter. 
     The below disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. 
     The device of this invention is referred to generally in  FIGS. 1-5  and is intended to provide an adjustable door lock. It should be understood that the present invention may be used to provide a door lock for off-set and misaligned doors as well as different types of movable barriers, and should not be limited to the uses described herein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the adjustable door lock  10  may include a catch plate  22  adapted to be secured adjacent to a door (not shown), such as a wall or a portion of a door frame. A plurality of catch brackets  23  may be connected to the catch plate  22 . A catch  20  may be adjustably connected to the catch plate  22  and interfitted through the catch brackets  23 . Such a catch  20  preferably has a linear channel  27  formed therein. A door plate  24  may be disposed adjacent to the catch plate  22  and adapted to be secured to the door (not shown). As best shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a locking bolt  25  may be housed within the door plate  24  and may be linearly reciprocated along a first linear path  90  passing through the door plate  24  and the linear channel  27 . Such a structural arrangement provides the unpredicted and unexpected advantage of automatically adjusting the catch  20  along a second linear path  91  that is orthogonally registered relative to the first linear path  90  such that the linear channel  27  automatically becomes axially aligned with the locking bolt  25  as the locking bolt  25  ingresses and egresses the catch  20 . 
     From exposure to temperature fluctuations and structural stresses during building construction, doors/frames shift from their original positions and thereby become misaligned over time. Such misalignment causes conventional locking bolts and catches to become misaligned thereby preventing easy locking/unlocking. The present disclosure provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of automatically aligning the locking bolt  25  with the catch  20  during such misalignment without the need for removing and refitting the locking bolt  25  or catch  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first linear path  90  may traverse the second linear path  91  and may be bi-directionally oriented along a horizontal plane while the second linear path  91  may be bi-directionally oriented along a vertical plane. In this way, the locking bolt  25  may linearly traverse the second linear path  91  upon ingressing and egressing the linear channel  27  respectively, while the catch brackets  23  remain statically mated to the catch plate  22  as the catch  20  is displaced along the second linear path  91 . Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of providing a self-adjusting catch  20  when a misaligned locking bolt  25  is inserted into its linear channel  27 , without undesirably shifting the catch brackets  23 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the catch  20  may include a plurality of guides  28 , diverging away from the linear channel  27  and towards the door plate  24  for guiding the locking bolt  25  along the linear channel  27 . Such guides  28  preferably converge towards the linear channel  27  and away from the door plate  24  for guiding the locking bolt  25  along the linear channel  27 . Such a structural arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of ensuring locking bolt  25  is smoothly guided into the catch  20  without requiring an added step of aligning the catch  20  to the locking bolt  25  by the user. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3  again, the locking bolt  25  may include a handle  26  such that locking bolt  25  may be rotated about the first linear path  90  (see  FIG. 3 ) thereby displacing the handle  26  between locked and unlocked positions relative to the door plate  24 . Such a structural arrangement provides the benefit of freely rotating locking bolt  25  while ingressed and egressed from linear channel  27 . 
     The present disclosure may include a method of utilizing an adjustable door lock  10  for locking a misaligned or off-set door relative to support wall adjacent to the door. Such a method may include the chronological steps of: providing and securing a catch plate  22  adjacent to the door; providing a plurality of catch brackets  23 ; providing a catch  20  preferably having a linear channel  27  formed therein; connecting the catch brackets  23  to the catch plate  22 ; and adjustably connecting the catch  20  to the catch plate  22  by interfitting the catch  20  through the catch brackets  23 . 
     Such a method may further include the chronological steps of: providing and disposing a door plate  24  adjacent to the catch plate  22 ; providing and housing a locking bolt  25  within the door plate  24 ; securing the door plate  24  to the door; linearly reciprocating the locking bolt  25  along a first linear path  90  passing through the door plate  24  and the linear channel  27 ; automatically adjusting the catch  20  along a second linear path  91  orthogonally registered relative to the first linear path  90  by ingressing and egressing the locking bolt  25  through the catch  20 ; and automatically and axially aligning the linear channel  27  with the locking bolt  25 . 
     As a non-limiting example, the catch plate  22  may further include a plurality of holes  31  such that a plurality of screws may be inserted to fixedly engage the catch plate  22  with a door frame. Guides  28  may extend outwardly from the linear channel  27  such that the distal end portions of the guides  28  may be wider than the linear channel  27 . In this way, the guides  28  may form a generally “V” shaped path thereby enabling the locking bolt  25  to slidably enter the linear channel  27  and may easily secure the locking bolt  25  to a locked position. As noted hereinabove, catch  20  is slidably mated to the catch plate  22  by catch brackets  23  such that the catch  20  is automatically aligned with the locking bolt  25  even if there is a change in the door alignment relative to the linear channel  27 . 
     As a non-limiting example, locking bolt  25  may be slidably enclosed within the linear channel  27  formed on the first linear path  90  of the door plate  24 . The locking bolt handle  26  may be fixedly mated to the locking bolt  25  such that the handle  26  may be slidably engaged with the catch  20  in a locked and an unlocked position on the door plate  24 . Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the door plate  24  may include a plurality of holes  32  that receive fasteners to engage the door plate  24  fixedly with a door. 
     Notably, the locking door mechanism  10  may advantageously allows the catch  20  and the locking bolt  25  to be automatically adjusted to compensate for any misalignment of the door relative to a support surface during extended use. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to a certain specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation.