AU2011253789B2

AU2011253789B2 - Door handle mounting structures

Info

Publication number: AU2011253789B2
Application number: AU2011253789A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Yu
Original assignee: CLASSIC HARDWARE SUPPLIERS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: CLASSIC HARDWARE SUPPLIERS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-12-10
Filing date: 2011-12-02
Publication date: 2017-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-02
Also published as: AU2011253789A1; AU2015204351A1; NZ596917A

Abstract

The specification discloses a door handle mounting structure (10) having a mounting plate (12) with a defined first outer perimeter (16) and a plurality of retainer openings (15), each retainer opening cooperating with a threaded fastener (41) which, in use, passes through a transverse door opening (42) to engage with a cooperating mounting plate (12) on an opposite side of the door, the mounting structure (10) further including an adaptor plate member (17) having at least spaced outer edge portions (20) defining a second outer perimeter (21) greater than the first outer perimeter (16). 20 is- 15 12 10 f l19

Description

P001 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2) 2011253789 02 Dec 2011 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

Application Number: Lodged:

Invention Title: Door handle mounting structures

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P111HMU/0610 1

DOOR HANDLE MOUNTING STRUCTURES FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of door handles for opening and closing of doors and in particular to mounting structures for such door handles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A conventional door handle structure typically comprises a pair of monitoring plates with each mounting plate, in use, being arranged on either side of the door, the mounting plates being secured together by several threaded fastener members that pass through a generally circular transverse bored hole in the door with the threaded fasteners separately engaging and securing the mounting plates together and respectively against an outer surface of the door. Such handle structures include a handle and a mechanism for mounting the handle to one of the aforesaid mounting plates so as to be partially rotatable relative to the mounting plate to partially rotate a spindle shaft passing through the door that engages with the handle mounting mechanism. The operating structure for the door further typically includes a latch operating mechanism that is positioned in a recess formed in the door and opening through an edge of the door whereby the latch operating mechanism, in use, is positioned to cross the transverse bored hole in the door with the operating spindle shaft passing through and effectively actuating the latch operating mechanism upon rotational movement of a handle of the door handle structure.

In smaller installations, it is normal for a tradesman to install the door handle structure manually by forming the transverse bored hole and the edge opening latch operating mechanism recess in the door themselves. In larger installations utilizing multiple doors, it is common to preform the aforesaid transverse bored holes and edge opening recesses in the doors for the complete installation. A further complication is that in Australia and New Zealand, door handle mounting structures are dimensionally different to those used in other countries, typically in Europe, where the transverse bored hole for each of these structures ideally has a different diameter. As a result a preformed transverse bore hole in a door of a size that is suitable for an Australian originating door handle structure is generally too large for a typical European originating door handle structure. In consequence, to date, suppliers of door handle structures 2 2011253789 02 Dec 2011 have typically been required to maintain inventory of both Australian and European dimensioned door handle structures so that they can supply either to a customer on demand.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an improvement in a 5 door handle structure, whereby substantially the same assembly of parts with minimal modification can be used operationally with doors that have had differing sized door handle mounting openings formed therein, typically openings to suit either conventional Australian or European door handle structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 10 In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a door handle mounting structure for a door handle including a mounting plate having a defined first outer perimeter and a plurality of retainer openings, each said retainer opening being for cooperation with a threaded fastener which, in use, passes through a transverse door opening to engage with a cooperating mounting plate 15 on an opposite side of the door, said mounting structure further including an adaptor plate member cooperable with said mounting plate and having at least spaced outer edge portions defining a second outer perimeter greater than said first outer perimeter. By such a structure, it is possible to utilize the mounting plate only with the smaller first outer perimeter or to artificially increase this size 20 by utilizing the adaptor plate member with the larger second outer perimeter. In this second mode of operation, although the mounting plate itself may not be large enough to engage a door surface because of a large transverse bore formed therein, the adaptor plate member increases the effective size of the mounting plate with outer portions at least of the adaptor plate member engaging, 25 in use, the door surface.

Preferred features of the door mounting structure may include features as defined in claims 2 to 12 inclusive as annexed hereto. The subject matter of these claims is included in the disclosure of this specification by this reference thereto.

30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 3 2011253789 02 Dec 2011

Fig 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the mounting structure for one door handle; and

Fig 2 is a similarly exploded perspective view showing a second preferred embodiment; and 5 Fig 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of Fig 1 showing the

assembly mounted to the door with some parts and features omitted. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings, Fig 1 shows a mounting structure 10 for a door 10 handle 11, it being understood that a second door handle mounting structure and door handle would, in use be positioned on an opposite side of a door 40 (Fig 3). The mounting structure 10 comprises a mounting plate 12 with a door handle mounting mechanism 13 rotatably connected to the mounting plate 12 having a non-circular (typically generally square) drive recess 14 to receive a square 15 spindle shaft (not shown) passing through the door in use and received in a similar drive recess in the mounting mechanism on the other side of the door. The mounting plate 12 has an outer circular edge defining a first perimeter line 16. The mounting plate 12 further includes retainer openings 15 in the form of bores to cooperate with threaded fasteners 41 (Fig 3) engageable with similar 20 bores in the mounting plate 12 on the other side of the door to which the structure is mounted. The threaded fasteners 41 pass through the transverse bore 42 in the door 40 to hold the handle structure together. As explained previously, the drive spindle engageable with the drive recess 14 also passes, when installed, through a drive passage in the latch mechanism (not shown). 25 The mounting structure 10 further includes an adaptor plate member 17 having a ring portion 18 and generally equally spaced radially outwardly extending legs 19 each having a radially outer edge 20 located on a second circular perimeter line 21 that is larger or, in this embodiment, has a greater diameter than the first perimeter line 16. In use, the ring portion 18 fits within the 30 central recess 22 of the mounting plate with the radial legs 19 engaged within the grooves recesses 23 in the mounting plate face 24 intended to face toward the door when installed. In this configuration, the end edges 20 of the legs 19 extend 4 beyond the outer edge surface of the mounting plate 12 defining the first perimeter line 16.

The mounting structure 10 may further include a ring member 25 with recesses 26 formed in its edge 27 adapted to engage about the projecting end regions of the legs 19 in the installed position. Conveniently the ring member 25 may be moulded from an elastomeric material. The illustrated structure may also include a conventional outer fascia or cover plate 28 with its central opening 29 engaging about a boss in a conventional manner in the not seen side of the mounting plate 12. The circumferential flange 30 of the cover plate 28 might sandwich the ring member 25 between it and the surface 16 of the mounting plate 12. If preferred one or more grub screws can, in a known manner, connect the cover plate 28 to the mounting plate 12.

Fig 2 of the annexed drawings illustrates a possible alternative structure where the outer fascia or cover plate 28 has a rectangular perimeter flange 31. The opening 29 also has a square configuration engageable with a square boss on the underside (not shown) of the mounting plate 12. Alternatively, this opening 29 could be circular engaging with a circular boss on the underside of the mounting plate 12. The inner surface 32 of flange 31 might include at least one part circular section 33 to engage with the outer edge surface 16 of the mounting plate 12 and bores 34 might be provided for grub screws (not shown) to retain the cover plate 28 to the mounting plate 12.

While the annexed drawings show currently preferred embodiments, many variations or modifications may be provided within the scope of the annexed claims. While the drawings show four equally spaced legs 19, two three, five or six such legs might be provided. The legs 19 also do not need to be equally spaced.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A door handle mounting structure for a door handle including a mounting plate having a defined first outer perimeter and a plurality of retainer openings, each said retainer opening being for cooperation with a threaded fastener which, in use, passes through a transverse door opening to engage with a cooperating mounting plate on an opposite side of the door, said mounting structure further including an adaptor plate member cooperable with said mounting plate and having at least spaced outer edge portions defining a second outer perimeter greater than said first outer perimeter.
2. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 1 wherein said adaptor plate member is held, in use, in a fixed position relative to said cooperable mounting plate.
3. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said adaptor plate member includes a first ring region and a plurality of circumferentiaily spaced radial legs extending outwardly from said first ring region, outer ends of said legs, in use, being located on said second outer perimeter.
4. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 3 wherein at least three said radial legs on said adaptor plate member are provided.
5. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said mounting plate has a plurality of spaced groove recesses formed in a surface of said mounting plate which, in use, will face toward a surface of the door.
6. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 5 wherein the spaced groove recesses are sized and positioned to each receive one of said radial legs of the adaptor plate member.
7. A door handle mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said first and said second outer perimeters are circular.
8. A door handle mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said second outer perimeter is square or rectangular, said first outer perimeter being positioned, in use within said second outer perimeter.
9. A door handle mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further including a ring member positionable in use between the first outer perimeter defined by said mounting plate and an inner surface of an outer fascia plate of said handle mounting structure.
10. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 9 wherein said ring member is, in use, retained in position by engagement with said adaptor plate member.
11. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the ring member is made from an elastomeric material.
12. A door handle mounting structure according to claim 10 when appended to any one of claims 3, 4, 6 or 7 wherein the ring member includes spaced recessed regions engageable, in use, with a said radial leg of said adaptor plate member.