Patent ID: 6883839

Claim:
A lock assembly for a door comprising: a locking member movable between a locked position and a released position; a pawl for holding said locking member in said locked position and movable to release said locking member; an actuator activated from outside the door for moving said pawl and releasing said locking member; a coupling mechanism including a coupling arm, said coupling arm movable between an enabled and a disabled position; a lever operable from inside the door for moving said pawl to release said locking member when said coupling arm is in said enabled position, where said enabled position comprises said coupling arm disposed within a space defined between said pawl and said lever, said lever inoperable for moving said pawl when said coupling arm is in said disabled positions; and a coupling release lever attached in said lever and movable into a position between said actuator and said pawl for forming a mechanical transmission path between said actuator and said pawl.