CN217812845U - Latch assembly for closure - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a latch assembly for a closure to be installed in a side edge of a closure. The latch assembly includes: an outer housing having an internal passage open from at least one side of the outer housing, the internal passage being at least partially defined by a first guide surface extending in a first direction; and a latch housing including a latch bolt extending from or at least partially retracted into the latch housing, the latch housing sized and shaped to fit within the internal passage of the outer housing and including at least a second guide surface for movement in a first direction along the first guide surface. An improvement in the form of adjustment is provided which can be advantageously utilized during the installation process of an multi-piece or single door, and which can improve the alignment at a stage where the alignment can be set for this latter operation.

Description

Latch assembly for closure

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority and benefit from U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/231,937, filed on 8/11/2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to door latch assemblies that include adjustability for alignment of the latch assembly when mounted to a door. The present invention is applicable to adjustability as applied to any single-serve door and to multi-serve doors in order to align the handle set (handleset) components with each other.

Background

Multi-piece doors have been developed that include two doors (e.g., a main door and a sub-door like a weight gate) that can be opened and closed together and independently of each other. In order for the two doors to open together, mechanisms are provided on the two doors that need to be aligned with each other. Specifically, when one door is moved into close proximity to the other door, the interlocking mechanisms on the two doors contact each other to secure the doors together. As with any assembly of multiple components, manufacturing tolerances can accumulate or build up during assembly, leading to misalignment issues. Such misalignment may prevent the door/doors from working properly and consistently over time.

Also, with conventional single-mount doors, other problems with the installation of the door may result in misalignment of the latch assembly relative to the door for proper installation and operation of the door.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

In the case of an integral door, it will be appreciated that the alignment of the interacting parts of the handle arrangement or lever arrangement will allow a better interlocking of the outer and inner doors so as to be able to open and close together in a reliable manner. Certain components are provided with surfaces or other features that facilitate alignment of such components once they are in close proximity to one another. Such component alignment also relies on the installation of the multi-piece door such that the interacting portions of the respective handle assemblies are properly aligned with one another to form an effective interconnection.

The utility model provides a bolt subassembly for closing member, treat to install in the side edge of closing member, wherein, the bolt subassembly includes: an outer housing having an internal passage open from at least one side of the outer housing, the internal passage being at least partially defined by a first guide surface extending in a first direction; and a bolt housing including a bolt extending from or at least partially retracted into the bolt housing, the bolt housing sized and shaped to fit within the internal passage of the outer housing and including at least a second guide surface for movement in a first direction along the first guide surface.

Additionally, the latch assembly may further include a rotatable member operatively connected with the latch such that the latch extends and retracts based on rotation of the rotatable member, wherein the latch housing includes a first opening providing access to the rotatable member for rotation of the rotatable member, and the outer housing includes a second opening providing access to the rotatable member when the rotatable member of the latch housing is inserted within the outer housing.

Preferably, the bolt housing and the outer housing each include at least one additional open area, the at least one additional open area being aligned with one another and arranged for allowing passage of a fastener component during installation of the bolt assembly and for securing the bolt housing and the outer housing in position to one another and to the door.

The bolt housing is adjustably supported within the interior passage of the outer housing along the first direction, and at least one of the first and second openings is oversized in a dimension of the at least one of the first and second openings extending along the first direction as compared to the shaped aperture of the rotatable component to provide a degree of adjustability of the bolt housing relative to the outer housing along the adjustment direction.

A degree of adjustability of the latch housing relative to the outer housing may be facilitated by a length of at least one of the first and second guide surfaces.

The plurality of guide surfaces of the latch housing are slidably engageable with the plurality of guide surfaces of the outer housing to allow adjustment of the latch housing relative to the outer housing in the adjustment direction.

The size of the at least one additional opening of at least one of the latch housing and the outer housing may also be oversized compared to the size required for passage of the fastener element in the first direction, so as to also provide a degree of adjustability of the latch housing relative to the outer housing.

The latch assembly may also include a latch plate secured with the outer housing for attachment to a side edge of the door to secure the outer housing in place.

Preferably, the first guide surface includes a slide element disposed along an inner surface of the internal passage extending in the first direction, and the second guide surface includes a guide element extending in the first direction and disposed along a surface of the latch shell to engage and slide along a slide of the outer housing for adjustability of the latch shell relative to the outer housing.

The at least one additional open area of the outer housing may comprise a slot extending from the second opening of the outer housing.

Drawings

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings. Where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

Fig. 1A is a top view of an embodiment of a door assembly including a pair of opposing doors sharing a common hinge assembly, wherein the doors are shown interlocked and each door is in a closed position relative to a door frame.

Fig. 1B is an enlarged view of a portion 1B of the door assembly illustrated in fig. 1A.

Fig. 2A is a top view of an embodiment of a hinge assembly illustrated in fig. 1A and 1B.

Fig. 2B is a perspective view of the hinge assembly illustrated in fig. 2A.

Fig. 3A is a top view of the door assembly illustrated in fig. 1A, shown with the doors separated from one another and with one of the doors in a closed position relative to the door frame and the other door in a partially open position relative to the door frame.

Fig. 3B is an enlarged view of portion 3B of the door assembly illustrated in fig. 3A.

Fig. 4A is a top view of the door assembly illustrated in fig. 1A and 3A, shown with the doors interlocked, and with both doors in a partially open position relative to the doorframe.

Fig. 4B is an enlarged view of portion 4B of the door assembly illustrated in fig. 4A.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a door handle arrangement mounted to the door assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B.

FIG. 6A is a front view of one of the door handle assemblies of the door handle arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5, shown mounted to one of the doors, as viewed on a surface opposite the other door.

FIG. 6B is a front view of another of the door handle assemblies of the door handle arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5, shown mounted to another door, as viewed on a surface opposite the one door.

Fig. 7A is a side view of two doors of the door assembly of fig. 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5, 6A, and 6B, shown with the two door handle assemblies separated and moving toward each other.

FIG. 7B is a side view similar to FIG. 7A showing two door handle assemblies interlocked.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of two interlocking door handle assemblies as viewed along section line 8-8 of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the door handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 6B, shown in a position that may be interlocked with the door handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the door handle assembly of FIG. 9A shown moved to a position detachable from the door handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 9C is a side view of the door handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 9B.

Fig. 10 is a top view of another embodiment of a door assembly including a pair of opposing doors sharing a common hinge assembly, wherein the doors are shown interlocked and each door is in a closed position relative to a door frame.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a hinge assembly illustrated in fig. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of the door frame of FIG. 10 to which an embodiment of a latch plate is mounted.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the door frame illustrated in fig. 10 and 12, with three of the hinge assemblies illustrated in fig. 11 mounted to the door frame, but without the door mounted to the door frame.

Fig. 14A is a cross-sectional view of the doorframe of fig. 13 as viewed along section line 14A-14A, shown with a corresponding one of the doors illustrated in fig. 10 mounted to the doorframe in a partially open position relative to the doorframe.

FIG. 14B is an enlarged view of a portion 14B of the door frame and door shown in FIG. 14A, illustrating an embodiment of an adjustable sweep carried by the door.

Fig. 14C is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the door frame and door illustrated in fig. 14A and 14B, illustrating an exploded view of additional components of the adjustable sweep.

Fig. 14D is a perspective view of the doorframe and door shown in fig. 14A to 14C, illustrating an assembled view of the components shown in the exploded view in fig. 14C.

Fig. 15 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a door handle arrangement mounted to the door assembly illustrated in fig. 10-14D.

FIG. 16A is a perspective view of an embodiment of one of the door handle assemblies of the door handle arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 15.

FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view of the door handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 16A as viewed along section line 16B-16B.

FIG. 17A is a perspective view of an embodiment of another of the door handle assemblies of the door handle arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 15.

FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view of the door handle assembly illustrated in FIG. 17A as viewed along section line 17B-17B.

Fig. 17C is a cross-sectional view similar to fig. 17B and illustrates a portion of the magnet assembly of the door handle assembly illustrated in fig. 17A and 17B.

Fig. 17D is a front view of the rear side of the magnet assembly of the door handle assembly illustrated in fig. 17A-17C.

Fig. 18A is a view of two doors of the door assembly of fig. 10-17D from the perspective of one of the doors, and is shown with the two door handle assemblies separated.

Fig. 18B is another view of two doors of the door assembly of fig. 18A from the perspective of the other of the doors.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the two door handle assemblies of FIGS. 18A and 18B interlocked as viewed along section line 19-19 of FIG. 10.

Fig. 20A is a perspective view of two doors of the door assembly of fig. 10-18B, shown interlocked as two door handle assemblies, and illustrating how the two doors may be opened and closed via actuation of either door handle assembly.

FIG. 20B is an elevational view similar to FIG. 17D, illustrating operation of the magnet assembly of the door handle assembly of FIGS. 17A-17C during opening and closing of the two doors as shown in FIG. 20A.

Fig. 21A is a perspective view of two doors of the door assembly of fig. 10-20B, shown interlocked as two door handle assemblies, and illustrating how the two door handle assemblies are separated via actuation of one of the door handle assemblies.

FIG. 21B is a perspective view similar to FIG. 21A, shown with the two door handle assemblies separated via actuation of one of the door handle assemblies.

Fig. 22A is an elevational view of the door handle assembly of fig. 17A-17D illustrating the positioning of the inside handle for opening a corresponding one of the doors.

Fig. 22B is an elevational view similar to fig. 22A illustrating opening of the door via actuation of the door handle assembly of fig. 17A-17D.

Fig. 23 is an exploded perspective view of a handle assembly including a latch assembly having an outer housing and a latch shell that are adjustable to each other to align the latch assembly with a door in accordance with an adjustment aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 23 showing the latch housing separated from the outer housing and the latch plate for mounting the outer housing to a door.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 24 with the bolt housing partially inserted into the outer housing along the adjustment direction.

FIG. 26 is a side view of the latch assembly of FIG. 25 in a partially inserted position.

FIG. 27 is a side view similar to FIG. 26 but with the bolt housing fully inserted into the outer housing and illustrating the amount of adjustability of the bolt housing to the outer housing based on the elongated size of the opening of the outer housing.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a latch assembly including a latch housing and an outer housing, wherein the outer housing provides an internal passage, but the outer housing is of a lesser configuration.

Detailed Description

While the concepts of the present invention are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the concepts of the present invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives consistent with the present invention and the appended claims.

References in the specification to "one embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases may or may not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. Still further, it is contemplated that any single feature, structure, or characteristic disclosed herein may be combined with any one or more other disclosed features, structures, or characteristics, whether or not explicitly described, and thus no limitation as to the type and/or number of such combinations is to be inferred.

Referring now to fig. 1A-1B, 3A-3B, and 4A-4B, an embodiment of a door assembly 10 is shown that includes a pair of selectively interlocking opposing doors 12, 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the doors 12, 22 share one or more common hinge assemblies 16. In one embodiment, the doors 12, 22 share three common hinge assemblies 16 spaced along the length of the door jamb 14A in a conventional manner, but in other embodiments the doors 12, 22 may alternatively share more or fewer common hinge assemblies 16. Door 12 includes a handle assembly 20 and door 22 includes a separate handle assembly 24. The handle assemblies 20, 24 may be selectively interlocked, i.e., selectively coupled or engaged with one another, such that the doors 12, 22 may be pivoted together about one or more hinge assemblies 16 between a closed position and an open position, as illustrated in fig. 1A, 1B and 4A, 4B, respectively. The handle assemblies 20, 24 may also be selectively disengaged or disengaged from one another such that the doors 12, 22 may each be individually pivotable about one or more hinge assemblies 16 so as to be independently openable and closable, as illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B.

The door assembly 10 includes a door jamb that can be mounted to a door frame of a building structure in a conventional manner. The door jamb illustratively includes a hinge jamb and a latch jamb, both coupled to the head jamb, wherein each such jamb can be separate from the other, all coupled together in a conventional manner to form the door jamb, or wherein two or more such jambs can have a unitary construction. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinged and latch side columns 14A, 14B of the door side column are shown, with the hinged side column 14A mounted, attached or otherwise secured to a column 18A (e.g., a so-called mini-column) that partially defines a doorway of the building structure in which the door assembly 10 is installed and to which the latch side column 14B is mounted, attached or otherwise secured to another column 18B (e.g., a so-called mini-column) that also partially defines a doorway of the building structure in which the door assembly 10 is installed and to which the doorway is mounted. The top jamb is also mounted, attached or otherwise secured to a conventional lintel or other door frame structure that also partially defines a doorway for a building structure in which the door assembly 10 is installed and mounted to the doorway. The structure 26 illustratively represents a threshold panel coupled to a floor of the building structure or other floor structure that is part of the building structure, which in any event also partially defines a doorway of the building structure. In some embodiments, the rocker panel 26 is coupled to one or both of the jambs 14A, 14B, but in alternative embodiments, the rocker panel 26 may be separate from one or both of the jambs 14A, 14B. The building structure may be, or may be part of, a residential building, a commercial building, an industrial building, or any other conventional building. The door frame is illustratively part of a building structure and may be constructed from one or more frame members (e.g., posts or small posts 18A, 18B and a header) made from one or more conventional materials, examples of which may include, but are not limited to, wood, composite wood, plastic or plasticized wood substitutes, steel or other metal material(s).

In the illustrated embodiment, door 12 defines a hinge side 12A to which one or more hinge assemblies 16 are mounted, and door 22 likewise defines a hinge side 22A to which one or more hinge assemblies 16 are mounted. One or more hinge assemblies 16 are also mounted to an inwardly facing, generally planar surface 14A1 of the hinge side post 14A. The door 12 also defines a latch side 12B, and at least one conventional door latch component (e.g., at least one latch tongue) of the handle assembly 20 extends from the latch side. At least one conventional door latch engaging member, such as at least one conventional strike plate 15A (see, e.g., fig. 4A), is mounted, attached, or otherwise secured to the latch jamb 14B, and the at least one door latch member and the at least one strike plate 15A extending from the door 12 are conventionally configured to selectively engage one another when the door 12 is pivoted about the one or more hinge assemblies 16 to the closed position, as illustrated in fig. 1A. Likewise, the door 22 defines a latch side 22B, and at least one conventional door latch component (e.g., at least one latch tongue) of the handle assembly 24 extends from the latch side. At least another conventional latch engaging member, such as at least another conventional strike plate 15B (see, e.g., fig. 4A), is mounted, attached or otherwise secured to a latch side stop 17B that is coupled to or integral with the latch side post 14B, and at least one latch member and at least another strike plate 15B extending from the door 22 are conventionally configured to selectively engage each other when the door 22 is pivoted about one or more hinge assemblies 16 to a closed position as illustrated in fig. 1A and 3A. All of these latch members and latch engaging members are also conventionally configured to be selectively disengaged from one another, such as via conventional actuation of the door handle assemblies 20, 24, respectively, to enable the doors 12, 22 to pivot about one or more of the hinge assemblies 16, respectively.

The door 12 also defines a first major surface 12C and a second major surface 12D opposite the first major surface 12C, and the door 22 likewise defines a first major surface 22C and a second major surface 22D opposite the first major surface 22C. The first major surface 12C of the door 12 generally faces the first major surface 22C defined by the door 22, and a space 28 is defined by the door handle assemblies 20, 24 between the first major surfaces 12C, 22C of the doors 12, 22, respectively, when the door handle assemblies 20, 24 are interlocked as illustrated in fig. 1A, 1B and 4A, 4B. In the illustrated embodiment, door 12 is a conventional exterior door with first major surface 12C generally facing door 22 and second major surface 12D facing the interior of the building, and door 22 is a conventional exterior door with first major surface 22C generally facing door 12 and second major surface 22D facing the exterior of the building. In some alternative embodiments, door 12 may represent a conventional outer heavy door, while door 22 may represent a conventional outer door. In other alternative embodiments, door 12 may represent any conventional inner, outer-weight, universal, or application-specific door, and door 22 may likewise represent any conventional inner, outer-weight, universal, or application-specific door. Door 12 may be formed from one or more conventional materials, examples of which may include, but are not limited to, wood, composites, plastics, fiber reinforced plastics, metal, any combination of the foregoing materials, any of which as one or more outer shells or skins having an inner core that is hollow or formed from conventional materials (e.g., foam, plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, etc.). Door 22 may likewise be formed from one or more conventional materials, examples of which may include, but are not limited to, wood, composites, plastics, fiber reinforced plastics, metal, any combination of the foregoing materials, any of the foregoing materials as one or more outer shells or skins having an inner core that is hollow or formed from conventional materials (e.g., foam, plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, etc.).

As best illustrated in fig. 1B and 4B, the door frame member 18A (e.g., a pillar or mini-pillar) has a first generally planar surface 18A1 and a second generally planar surface 18A2 opposite the surface 18A1, with opposite planar sides extending between the surfaces 18A1 and 18A 2. When hinge side door jamb 14A is mounted to door frame member 18A, the outward facing side of hinge side door jamb 14A opposite inward facing side 14A1 illustratively abuts an inward facing one of the sides of the door frame member. Hinge side door jamb 14A defines a generally planar surface 14A2 at one end of side 14A1 and another generally planar surface 14A3 at the opposite end of side 14A1. As illustrated in fig. 1B, the end surfaces 14A3 and 18A1 of the hinge side door jamb 14A and doorframe member 18A are illustratively flush with one another, as are the end surfaces 14A2 and 18A2, but in other embodiments either or both of the planar surfaces 14A2, 14A3 of the hinge side door jamb 14A may extend beyond the corresponding surfaces 18A2, 18A1 of doorframe member 18A, and vice versa. In any event, the latch side door jamb 14B and corresponding door frame member 18B are illustratively configured the same as just described, as are the top door jamb and corresponding door frame member.

The door jamb also illustratively includes a conventional door stop mounted to and around the inner periphery of the door jamb, which forms a physical stop and, in some embodiments, a sealing surface for the door 12. As further illustrated by the examples in fig. 1B, 3B, and 4B, the inner side of hinge side stop 17A is illustratively secured to the inward facing surface 14A1 of hinge side door pillar 14A along the length thereof, and the inner side of latch side stop 17B is likewise illustratively secured to the inward facing surface of hinge side door pillar 14B. A generally flat outer side surface 17A1 of hinge side stop 17A faces inwardly toward stop 17B, and a generally flat end surface 17A2 extends between the inner and outer side surfaces 17A1 of stop 17A and is generally parallel with end surfaces 14A2 and 14A3 of hinge side post 14A. The latch side door stop 17B and corresponding top side door stop are illustratively constructed the same as just described. The end surface 17A2 of hinge side stop 17A and the corresponding end surfaces of latch side stop 17B and the corresponding top side stop are sized to extend along sides 12A and 12B and the top thereof over the interior of the door jamb and a portion of the major surface 12C of door 12 to serve as a conventional physical stop for door 12 when door 12 is moved from an open position, such as illustrated in fig. 3A and 4A, to a closed position, such as illustrated in fig. 1A. In some embodiments, conventional sealing materials (e.g., foam, plastic, rubber, etc.) may be attached or secured to and along the end surfaces of the hinge side stop 17A and the corresponding end surfaces of the latch side stop 17B and the top side stop to form a seal between the major surface 12C of the door 12 and such stop surfaces when the door 12 is closed as illustrated in fig. 1A. In any event, as exemplified by the example in fig. 1A and 3A, the door 22 is illustratively sized such that the hinge side 22A abuts or is at least adjacent to an inward facing surface of the hinge side stop 17A, and such that the latch side 22B and the apex likewise abut or is at least adjacent to an inward facing surface of the latch side stop 17B and the apex stop, respectively.

As exemplified by the embodiment depicted in fig. 1A, 3A, and 4A, the doors 12, 22 pivot in the same direction about one or more hinges 16, and the doors 12, 22 thus each open and close in the same direction. In this regard, some embodiments of the door assembly 10 also illustratively include a second door stop mounted to and about the inner periphery of the door jamb to form a physical stop and, in some embodiments, a sealing surface for the door 22. As exemplified in the examples of fig. 1B, 3B, and 4B, the inner side of second hinge side door stop 19A is illustratively attached or secured to the inward facing surface 14A1 of hinge side door side post 14A along the length of that surface between end 14A3 of door side post 14A and stop 17A, and the inner side of latch side door stop 17B is also illustratively secured to the inward facing surface of hinge side door side post 14B. A generally flat outer side face 19A2 of hinge side door stop 19A faces inwardly toward door stop 19B, and generally flat and opposing end faces 19A1 and 19A2 extend between an inner side face of stop 19A and outer side face 19A 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the end surface 19A3 is generally parallel to the end surface 14A3 of the hinge side post 14A, but in an alternative embodiment, the end surface 19A3 may extend beyond the end surface 14A3, or vice versa. Also in the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the end surface 19A1 abuts or is at least adjacent to a corresponding end surface of the door stop 17A, and another portion extends beyond the outer side surface 17A1 of the stop 17A. In some alternative embodiments, the end of the stop 17A may extend to the end face 14A3 of the jamb 14A, and the stop 19A may be attached or secured to the inward facing surface 17A1 of the stop 17A along the length of that surface. In any case, the exposed end surface 19A1 of the stopper is substantially flat and parallel to the end surface 17A2 of the stopper 17A. The latch side door stop 19B and corresponding top side door stop are illustratively constructed the same as just described.

The end surface 19A1 of the hinge side stop 19A and the corresponding end surfaces of the latch side stop 19B and the corresponding top side stop are sized to extend along the sides 22A and 22B and tops thereof over the interior of the door jamb and a portion of the major surface 22D of the door 22 to serve as a conventional physical stop for the door 12 when the door 22 moves from an open position, such as illustrated in fig. 4A, to a closed position, such as illustrated in fig. 1A and 3A. In some embodiments, a conventional sealing material (e.g., foam, plastic, rubber, etc.) may be attached or secured to and along the end surfaces of the hinge side stop 19A and the corresponding end surfaces of the latch side stop 19B and the top side stop to form a seal between the major surface 22D of the door 22 and such stop surfaces when the door 22 is closed as illustrated in fig. 1A and 3A.

In some embodiments, as exemplified in fig. 1A and 3A-4B, the side posts 14A, 14B and the corresponding top side post are each separate components that are coupled together in a conventional manner, but in some alternative embodiments at least two such side post components may be unitary and of unitary construction, while in other alternative embodiments all three such side post components are unitary and of single unitary construction. Likewise, the side stops 17A, 17B and the corresponding top stops are each separate components that are coupled together in a conventional manner, but in some alternative embodiments at least two such stop components may be unitary and of unitary construction, while in other alternative embodiments all three such stop components are unitary and of single unitary construction. Still further, the side stops 19A, 19B and the corresponding top stops are also each illustratively separate components that are coupled together in a conventional manner, but in some alternative embodiments at least two such stop components may be unitary and of unitary construction, while in other alternative embodiments all three such stop components are unitary and of single unitary construction. In still other alternative embodiments, the jamb member and the stop member for door 12 can be unitary and of a single unitary construction, and the stop member for door 22 can be a separate piece mounted, fixed or otherwise attached to the unitary construction, and in still other alternative embodiments, all of the jamb and stop members can be unitary and of a single unitary construction. In any event, it will be appreciated that the common pivoting direction of the doors 12, 22, in conjunction with the door jamb and stop combination just described, advantageously provides a double seal of the door assembly against the door jamb, a feature that is not typically possible in conventional tambour door applications where the tambour door opens and closes in a direction opposite to the opening and closing direction of the main or outer door.

Referring now specifically to fig. 2A and 2B, an embodiment of one of the one or more hinge assemblies 16 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge assembly 16 includes three separate but inter-engaged hinges 30, 32A, and 32B. The hinge 30 defines a hinge plate having three integral flat hinge plate sections or portions 30A, 30B, 30C and a pair of opposed knuckles 30D, 30F at the ends of the hinge plate section 30C. The planes defined by the flat hinge plate sections 30A and 30C are illustratively parallel to each other, and the flat defined by the flat hinge plate section 30B connecting the hinge plate sections 30A, 30C is illustratively perpendicular to the plane defined by the flat hinge plate sections 30A, 30C. Hinge plate sections 30A, 30B, 30C are illustratively dimensioned to complement corresponding portions of surfaces 17A1, 17A2, and 14A1 of hinge side post 14A and stop 17A, respectively (see fig. 4B), such that when hinge 30 is pivoted into contact with stop 17A and/or hinge side post 14A, hinge plate sections 30A, 30B, 30C are in contact with surfaces 17A1, 17A2, and 14A1, respectively (see, e.g., fig. 1B and 3B). The joints 30D, 30F define centrally passing holes 30E, 30G such that the holes 30E, 30G are aligned and define a centrally passing pivot axis 30H.

Hinge 32A defines a flat hinge plate 34A and three knuckles 34B, 34C, 34D along one side thereof. The joints 34B, 34C, 34D define a hole therethrough centrally, and the holes defined through the joints 34B, 34C, 34D align such that the pivot axis 30H passes centrally through the hole. Similarly, hinge 32B defines a flat hinge plate 36A and two knuckles 36B, 36C along one side thereof. The joints 36B, 36C define a hole therethrough centered, and the holes defined through the joints 36B, 36C align such that the pivot axis 30H passes through the hole centered. The knuckles 30D, 30F, 34B, 34C, 34D, 36B, 36C are all arranged to be staggered in a conventional manner such that the holes defined therethrough are all aligned to define a composite elongated aperture with the pivot axis 30H centrally passing therethrough. The conventional hinge pin 38 is sized to be received in the compound elongated aperture such that each hinge 30, 32A, 32B pivots relative to the pin 38 about the pivot axis 30H. The hinge plate section 30C of the hinge 30 defines an opening 30I therethrough that is sized to allow each hinge plate 34A, 36A to pass through the opening between the upper and lower hinge plate portions 30C1, 30C2 as the hinge plates 34A, 36A pivot about the hinge axis 30H.

As illustrated in fig. 1A-1B, 3A-3B, and 4A-4B, a hinge plate portion 30A of the hinge 30 is mounted, attached, or otherwise secured to a hinge side 22A of the door 22, such as via one or more screws or other conventional securing members. In some embodiments, the hinge side 22A of the door 22 may illustratively be joggled to accommodate the hinge plate portion 30A. The hinge plate 36A is mounted, attached, or otherwise secured to the hinge side 12A of the door 12, such as via one or more screws or other securing means. In some embodiments, the hinge side 12A of the door 12 may illustratively be joggled to accommodate the hinge plate 36A. The hinge plate 34A is mounted, attached, or otherwise secured to the surface 14A1 of the hinge side post 14A, such as via one or more screws or other securing members. In some embodiments, the surface 14A1 of the hinge jamb 14A can illustratively be joggled to accommodate the hinge plate 34A.

In the door assembly example illustrated in fig. 1A and 1B, where the door handle assemblies 20, 24 are interlocked and the two doors 12, 22 are in their closed positions, the hinge plate portions 30A, 30B, and 30C are received in contact with the surfaces 17A1, 17A2, and 14A1 of the hinge jamb 14A and the stop 17A, respectively, and the hinge plates 34A, 36A are in contact with each other through an opening 30I defined through the hinge plate portion 30C of the hinge 30. In the door assembly example illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B, where the door handle assemblies 20, 24 are separated and the door 22 is in its closed position and the door 12 is partially open, the hinge plate portions 30A, 30B and 30C are received in contact with the surfaces 17A1, 17A2 and 14A1 of the hinge side pillar 14A and the stop 17A, respectively, and the hinge plate 34A is at least partially received within the opening 30I defined through the hinge plate portion 30C of the hinge 30, and the hinge plate 36A mounted to the hinge side 12A of the door 12 is pivoted outwardly away from the hinge plate portion 30C of the hinge 30. In the door assembly example illustrated in fig. 4A and 4B, where the door handle assemblies 20, 24 are interlocked and the two doors 12, 22 are in their partially open positions, the hinge plate portions 30A, 30B, and 30C are pivoted outwardly away from the surfaces 17A1, 17A2, and 14A1 of the hinge side pillar 14A and the stop 17A, respectively, the hinge plate 36A is likewise pivoted outwardly away from the hinge side pillar 14A and the hinge plate 34A and is at least partially received within the opening 30I defined through the hinge plate portion 30C of the hinge 30, and the hinge plate 34A remains fixed to the section 14A1 of the hinge side pillar 14A.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an exploded view of the door assembly 10 is shown, illustrating an embodiment of each door handle assembly 20, 24 and an embodiment of a latch assembly 40, 40' mounted to each door 12, 22, respectively. In the illustrated assembly, the door 12 defines a cylindrical opening or side aperture 12E therethrough (i.e., defined through the first and second major surfaces 12C, 12D of the door 12 adjacent the latch side 12B), and another cylindrical opening or side aperture 12F therein leading to the face aperture 12E. The conventional latch assembly 40 includes an elongated latch shell 42 coupled to a latch plate 44 from which a latch tongue 46 extends. The elongated latch housing 42 is illustratively sized to be received within the side bore 12F with at least a portion of the latch housing 42 extending into the face bore 12E and the latch plate 44 abutting the latch side 12B of the door 12. In some embodiments, the latch side 12B of the door may be joggled to receive the latch plate 44 therein. The latch housing 42 illustratively defines a bore 43 therethrough sized to receive a cam 52 of the door handle assembly 20 therethrough. The latch shell 42 and/or the handle arrangement 50 of the door handle assembly 20 illustratively carry one or more conventional biasing components such that the latch 46 is normally biased outwardly from the latch plate 44 (as illustrated, for example, in fig. 5) such that the latch engages and is captured by a conventional latch tab 15A mounted to a latch-side jamb 14B of the door assembly 10 (see, for example, fig. 4A), and such that axial rotation of the cam 52 causes the latch 46 to be pulled inwardly toward the latch shell 42 and into the latch shell 42 such that the latch disengages from the latch tab 15A to allow the door 12 to pivot between its open and closed positions via the hinge assembly 16. In the lockable embodiment of handle assembly 20, as illustrated in FIG. 5, aperture 43 also receives spindle 54 of door handle assembly 20 therethrough. Rotation of the spindle 54 about its longitudinal axis actuates conventional components within the handle arrangement 50 and/or within the latch housing 42 between the locked and unlocked positions in a conventional manner. For example, when the spindle 54 is rotated to the unlocked position, the handle arrangement 50 and/or conventional components within the latch housing 42 allow the cam 52 to rotate within the aperture 43 to draw the latch bolt 46 inwardly into the latch housing 42, as described above. When the spindle 54 is rotated to the locked position, the handle arrangement 50 and/or conventional components within the latch housing 42 prevent rotation of the cam 52, thereby preventing the cam 52 from pulling the latch 46 inwardly into the latch housing 42 such that the latch 46 remains engaged with the strike plate 15A. It should be understood that the present invention contemplates alternative embodiments in which the handle assembly 20 is not lockable, and in such embodiments, the spindle 54 may be omitted. In embodiments where the door handle 20 is lockable as just described, the combination of the door handle assembly 20 and the latch assembly 40 may be generally referred to as a "lockset".

The door 22 illustratively also defines a cylindrical opening or face hole 22E therethrough (i.e., defined through the first and second major surfaces 22C, 22D of the door 22 adjacent the latch side 22B), and another cylindrical opening or side hole 22F therein leading to the face hole 22E. The conventional latch assembly 40 'includes the same components as described above with respect to the latch assembly 40, and the latch housing 42 of the latch assembly 40' is received within the side aperture 22F and the face aperture 22E. The latch assembly 40 'may operate generally as described above with respect to the latch assembly 40 such that the latch bolt 46 of the latch assembly 40' is normally biased outwardly from the latch plate 44 via one or more conventional biasing components carried by the latch shell 42 of the door handle assembly 24 and/or the handle device 80 (as exemplified, for example, in fig. 5) such that the latch bolt engages and is captured by a conventional latch bolt 15B mounted to the latch-side column 14B of the door assembly 10 (see, for example, fig. 4A), and such that axial rotation of the cam 82 received through the aperture 43 causes the latch bolt 46 to be pulled inwardly toward and into the latch shell 42 such that the latch bolt disengages from the latch bolt 15B to allow the door 22 to pivot relative to the hinge assembly 16 between its open and closed positions. In the lockable embodiment of the handle assembly 24, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the aperture 43 also receives a spindle 85 of the door handle assembly 24 therethrough. Rotation of the spindle 85 about its longitudinal axis actuates conventional components within the handle arrangement 80 and/or within the latch housing 42 between the locked and unlocked positions in a conventional manner, as described above. It should be understood that the present invention contemplates alternative embodiments in which the handle assembly 24 is not lockable, and in such embodiments, the spindle 85 may be omitted. In embodiments where the handle assembly 24 is lockable as just described, the combination of the door handle assembly 24 and the latch assembly 40 may be generally referred to as a "lockset".

Referring now generally to the right side of fig. 5 and 8, respectively, door handle assembly 20 includes a handle arrangement 50 having a handle 50A rotatably coupled to a shroud 50B. In general, the handle 50A may be or include any structure or combination of structures that is rotatably coupled to the cover tray 50B. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the handle 50A is provided in the form of a conventional knob that is rotatable relative to the cover plate 50B, and in such embodiments, the handle arrangement 50 may alternatively be referred to as a "knob arrangement". In alternative embodiments, the handle 50A may be provided in the form of a lever rotatable relative to the shroud 50B, and in such embodiments, the handle arrangement 50 may alternatively be referred to as a "lever arrangement". The handle arrangement 50 also includes a cam 52 that is rotatably coupled to the handle 50A such that the cam rotates with the handle 50A about an axis of rotation. In some embodiments (such as the embodiment illustrated in fig. 5), the handle 50A defines a central bore 50C therein that is sized to receive one end of the spindle 54, and in such embodiments, an axis extending centrally through the bore 50C defines an axis of rotation for the handle 50A and the cam 52. In such an embodiment, the received end of spindle 54 illustratively engages and is coupled to an end of a lock spindle 50E carried by handle 50A. The opposite end of the lock spindle 50E is coupled to a conventional lock button 50D carried by the handle 50A (see, e.g., fig. 7A and 7B). Rotation of the lock button 50D rotates the lock spindle 50E, which in turn rotates the spindle 54 and vice versa.

The handle set 50 is mounted to the door 12 with the shroud 50B abutting the major surface 12D of the door 12 about the face 12E and the cam 52 extending into the face 12E and through the aperture 43 defined through the latch shell 42 of the latch assembly 40. In embodiments including a spindle, the spindle 54 also extends into the face 12E and also extends through the aperture 43 defined through the latch shell 42 of the latch assembly 40, as described above. Lock receivers 56 are illustratively secured to or integral with opposite ends of spindle 54 such that lock receivers 56 rotate with spindle 54, and in such embodiments, lock button 50D, lock spindle 50E, spindle 54, and lock receivers 56 are rotatable together relative to door handle 50A between an unlocked position, in which spindle 54 cooperates with components within handle arrangement 50 and/or latch assembly 40 to allow cam 52 to rotate via door handle 50A to operate latch bolt 46 as described above, and a locked position, in which spindle 54 cooperates with components within handle arrangement 50 and/or latch assembly 40 to prevent rotation of cam 52 such that handle 50A is prevented from rotating to operate latch bolt 46. Also as described above, in some embodiments, door handle assembly 20 may not include a locking feature, and in such embodiments, lock button 50D and lock receiver 56 may be omitted along with spindle 54.

The cylindrical chassis 58 defines an outer periphery 58A sized to be received within a face aperture 12E defined by the door 12. The bottom disk 58 also illustratively defines a lip 58B at one end thereof that abuts the first major surface 12C of the door 12 when the bottom disk 58 is received within the face 12E. The chassis 58 is illustratively secured to the shroud 50B of the handle arrangement 50 through the face 12E, for example, via one or more conventional securing members (not shown in fig. 5 or 8). Thus, chassis 58 and cover 50B are each fixed in position relative to door 12 such that neither cover 50B nor chassis 58 rotates with handle 50A, lock spindle 50E, cam 52, or spindle 54. In the illustrated example, the chassis 58 longitudinally defines a channel 58C along its outer periphery sized to receive the latch housing 42 laterally therethrough. In some embodiments, the passage 58C is sized to engage the latch housing 42 such that the latch housing 42 prevents the chassis 58 from rotating within and relative to the face 12E.

The chassis 58 also illustratively defines a recessed plate 62 inwardly of the lip 58B, and the plate 62 defines an opening 60 centrally therethrough sized to receive the lock receiver 56 and the spindle 54 therethrough. Between the end of the bottom disk 58 adjacent the lip 58B and the recessed plate 62, the bottom disk 58 defines a cylindrical pocket 62A sized to receive a cylindrical magnet housing 64 therein. The cylindrical magnet housing 64 defines a cylindrical body portion 64A having a first outer diameter sized to be received within the pocket 62A of the bottom disk 58 and rotatable within the pocket 62A relative to the bottom disk 58 about the opening 60. A cylindrical shaft 64B extends axially away from the body portion 64A, and the shaft 64B has a second outer diameter sized to be received within and through the opening 60 defined through the chassis 58. The body 64A defines a first bore 64C centrally therethrough and the shaft 64B defines a second bore 64D centrally therethrough, wherein the axes of the bores 64C and 64D are aligned and the diameter of the bore 64D is less than the diameter of the bore 64C. The bore 64C is sized to receive the lock-receiver 56 and the mast 54 therein such that the lock-receiver 56 is rotatable relative to the bore 64C, and the bore 64D is sized to receive the mast 54 therein without receiving the lock-receiver 56. Bore 64D also illustratively defines a recess in and along its surface sized to receive the tip of cam 52, and cam 52 is thereby fixed or otherwise coupled to shaft 64B within bore 64D such that magnet housing 64 rotates axially with cam 52 about opening 60 of cylindrical pocket 62A defined by bottom disk 58 and bore 64C.

Surrounding the body portion 64A of the magnet housing 64 between the outer diameter of the body portion 64A and the bore 64C, the body portion 64A defines a plurality of bores 66 therein such that the central axes of the bores 66 are parallel with the central axes of the bores 64C, 64D. Each aperture 66 is illustratively sized to receive a different one of a corresponding plurality of cylindrical magnets 68 therein, each magnet defining a planar face oriented in a direction away from the recessed plate 62. A cylindrical cover plate 70 is received over and engages the exposed end face of the main body portion 64A of the magnet housing 64. In the illustrated embodiment, the cylindrical cover plate 70 has an outer diameter that is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the body portion 64A of the magnet housing 64, although alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the outer diameter of the cover plate 70 is smaller or larger than the outer diameter of the body portion 64A of the magnet housing 64. In any event, the cover plate 70 illustratively defines a hole 70A centrally therethrough that is aligned with the holes 64C, 64D and the opening 60, with the hole 70A sized to receive the lock-receiver 56 therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the end face of cover plate 70 extends beyond the end face of lock receiver 56 when door handle assembly 20 is assembled and mounted to door 12, although alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the end face of lock receiver 56 may extend beyond the end face of cover plate 70, or the end face of lock receiver 56 is substantially flush with the end face of cover plate 70. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover plate 70 further defines a plurality of apertures 72 therethrough that are distributed about the aperture 70A such that each aperture 72 is axially aligned with a corresponding one of the apertures 66 such that the flat outer surface of a corresponding one of the magnets 68 is exposed through each aperture 72. In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter of the bore 72 is sized such that the exposed planar face of the magnet 68 is coplanar with the outer surface of the cover plate 70, although the present invention contemplates alternative embodiments in which the exposed planar face of the magnet 68 is at least partially recessed within the opening 72. In an alternative embodiment, the cover plate 70 may be solid such that the cover plate 70 covers the flat outer surface of the magnet 68. In any event, the magnet housing 64, the magnet 66, and the cover plate 70 together illustratively define a magnet assembly 74 that is coupled to the door handle 50A via the cam 52 and rotates with the handle 50A and the cam 52 within and relative to the pocket 62A of the chassis 58.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of magnets 68 illustratively includes eight magnets 68 equally spaced about the circumference of the axially aligned bores 64C, 64D, 70A of the magnet assembly 74. Alternatively, the magnet assembly 74 may be configured to include more or fewer magnets, e.g., such that the total number of magnets is one or more. In embodiments including two or more magnets 68, such magnets may be equally or unequally spaced about the circumference of the axially aligned bores 64C, 64D, 70A, equally or unequally spaced only partially about the circumference of the axially aligned bores 64C, 64D, 70A, or equally or unequally spaced individually and/or in subsets about or partially about the circumference of the axially aligned bores 64C, 64D, 70A. In any of the foregoing embodiments, each of the one or more magnets 68 may be a conventional permanent magnet. Alternatively or additionally, one or more magnets 68 may be or include one or more conventional programmable magnets, each having a programmable magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength, and/or each having two or more regions in which the magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength may be programmed in a conventional manner. In one exemplary such embodiment, which should not be considered limiting in any way, a single programmable magnet 68 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define at least two magnetic regions of opposite magnetic polarity, and in one particular example, a single programmable magnet 68 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define a plurality of magnetic regions radially distributed about its exposed surface, with each region having a magnetic polarity opposite that of the adjacent region.

In embodiments that include the lock receiver 56, the locking end 56A of the lock receiver 56 exposed through the opening 70A is illustratively configured (e.g., keyed) to rotatably engage, i.e., couple to, a locking projection carried by the door handle assembly 24 such that the locking projection and the lock receiver 56 rotate together in response to rotation of one or the other. An example configuration of the locking end 56A of the lock receiver 56 is illustrated in the front view of fig. 6A, showing the door handle assembly 20 assembled and mounted to the major surface 12C of the door 12.

As described above, cover plate 50B of handle arrangement 50 and chassis 58 of door handle assembly 20 are illustratively coupled to one another and both are fixed in position relative to door 12, while door handle 50A, cam 52, and magnet assembly 74 are rotatable together relative to cover plate 50B, chassis 58, and door 12. In embodiments including lock button 50D, lock spindle 50E, spindle 54, and lock receiver 56, lock button 50D, lock spindle 50E, spindle 54, and lock receiver 56 may rotate together relative to chassis 58, cover 50B, and door 12, and relative to door handle 50A, cam 52, and magnet assembly 74 to lock and unlock door handle assembly 20 as also described above.

Referring now generally to the left side of fig. 5 and 8, respectively, the door handle assembly 24 includes a handle arrangement 80 having a handle 80A rotatably coupled to a cover tray 80B. In general, the handle 80A may be or include any structure or combination of structures that is rotatably coupled to the cover tray 80B. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the handle 80A is provided in the form of a conventional knob that is rotatable relative to the shroud plate 80B, and in such embodiments, the handle arrangement 80 may alternatively be referred to as a "knob arrangement". In alternative embodiments, the handle 80A may be provided in the form of a lever that is rotatable relative to the cover tray 80B, and in such embodiments, the handle arrangement 80 may alternatively be referred to as a "lever arrangement". The handle arrangement 80 also includes a cam 82 that is rotatably coupled to the handle 80A such that the cam 82 rotates with the handle 80A about an axis of rotation. In some embodiments (e.g., the embodiment illustrated in fig. 5), the handle 80A defines a central bore 80C (see, e.g., fig. 8) therein that is sized to receive one end of the spindle 85, and in such embodiments, an axis extending centrally through the bore 80C defines an axis of rotation for the handle 80A and the cam 82. In such embodiments, the received end of the spindle 85 illustratively engages a conventional keyway (keyway) 80D carried by the handle 80A, and in such embodiments, the keyway 80D is rotatable, e.g., via a conventional key configured complementary to the keyway 80D, between an unlocked position, in which the spindle 85 cooperates with components within the handle arrangement 80 and/or within the latch assembly 40 'to allow rotation of the handle 80A to operate the latch 46 extending from the latch assembly 40', and a locked position, in which the spindle 85 cooperates with components within the handle arrangement 80 and/or within the latch assembly 40 'to prevent rotation of the handle 80A such that the handle 80A is prevented from operating the latch 46 extending from the latch assembly 40'. In other embodiments, the door handle assembly 24 may not include a locking feature, and in such embodiments, the keyway 80D may be omitted along with the spindle 85.

The handle set 80 is mounted to the door 22 with the shroud disc 80B abutting the major surface 22D of the door 12 about the face opening 22E and the cam 82 extending into the face opening 22E and through the aperture 43 defined through the latch shell 42 of the latch assembly 40'. In embodiments including a spindle, the spindle 85 also extends into the face 22E and also extends through the aperture 43 defined through the latch shell 42 of the latch assembly 40', as described above. The lock member 104 is illustratively secured to an opposite end of the spindle 85 such that the lock member 104 rotates with the spindle 85, and in such embodiments, the keyway 80D, spindle 85, and lock member 104 may rotate together between the locked and unlocked positions relative to the door handle 80A as described above. Also as described above, in some embodiments, door handle assembly 24 may not include a locking feature, and in such embodiments, keyway 80D and lock member 104 may be omitted along with spindle 85.

A mounting plate 84, for example in the form of an annular disc, is received in contact with major surface 22C of door 22 around face 22D and is defined through aperture 86 of mounting plate 85 in centered alignment with face 22E. The mounting plate 84 is illustratively secured to the shroud 80B of the handle arrangement 80 through the face aperture 22E, such as via one or more conventional securing members. Thus, the mounting plate 84 and the shroud disc 80B are each fixed in position relative to the door 22 such that neither the shroud disc 80B nor the mounting plate 84 rotates with the handle 80A, the cam 82, or the spindle 85.

The bushing 88 defines an outer periphery 90 sized to be received within the aperture 86 defined through the mounting plate 84, and also defines a lip or flange 92 at one end thereof that abuts the inner surface 84A of the mounting plate 84 when the bushing 88 is received through the aperture 86. The bushing 88 defines a bore 94 centrally therethrough sized to receive a spindle 95 therein. One end of the bushing 88 is illustratively notched around the bore 94 to receive the distal end of the lock member 104 therein. The bushing 88 also defines a recess or channel 94A adjacent the bore 94 that is sized to receive the end of the cam 82 therein, and the cam 82 is fixed or otherwise coupled to the bushing 88 within the channel 94A such that the bushing 88 rotates axially with the cam 82 about the bore 94. In embodiments where door handle assembly 24 is configured to be lockable, spindle 85 extends through aperture 94 between handle 80A and lock member 104.

The interlock handle 96 defines a bore 98 therethrough that is sized and configured to receive the bushing 88 therein. The outer periphery 90 of the bushing and/or the inner surface of the bore 98 defined through the interlock handle 96 are illustratively configured to rotatably couple to one another such that the interlock handle 96 rotates with the bushing about the axially aligned bores 94 and 98, and vice versa. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the outer periphery 90 of the bushing 88 and the inner surface of the bore 98 of the interlock handle each illustratively have a segmented circular cross-section defined by a plurality of sequentially connected flat segments. When the bushing 88 is axially received within the aperture 98 of the interlock handle 96, the ridges defined at the junction of the flat sections of the outer periphery 90 align with the corresponding creases defined at the junction of the flat sections of the aperture 98 to rotationally couple the interlock handle 96 to the bushing 88 such that the bushing 88 rotates with the interlock handle 96 and vice versa. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig. 5, the outer periphery 90 and the inner surface of the bore 98 are both hexagonal in cross-section, although other segmented circular cross-sections are contemplated by the present invention.

Around the hole 98, an exposed face 99 of the interlock handle 96 defines a plurality of holes 100 therein (see, e.g., fig. 6B) such that a central axis of the holes 100 is parallel with a central axis of the hole 98. Each aperture 100 is illustratively sized to receive a different one of a corresponding plurality of cylindrical magnets 102 therein, each magnet defining a planar face oriented in a direction away from the mounting plate 84. In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture 100 is sized such that the exposed planar face of the magnet 102 is coplanar with the exposed face 99 of the mounting plate 84, although the present disclosure contemplates alternative embodiments in which the exposed planar face of the magnet 102 is at least partially recessed within the aperture 100. In any event, the interlock handle 96 and the magnet 102 together illustratively define a magnet assembly 110 that is coupled to the door handle 80A via the cam 82 and rotates with the handle 80A and the cam 82 relative to the mounting plate 84.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig. 5 and 6B, the plurality of magnets 102 illustratively includes eight magnets 68 equally spaced about the perimeter of the bore 98 of the magnet assembly 110. Alternatively, the magnet assembly 110 may be configured to include more or fewer magnets, e.g., such that the total number of magnets is one or more. In embodiments including two or more magnets 110, such magnets may be equally or unequally spaced about the perimeter of the aperture 98, equally or unequally spaced only partially about the perimeter of the aperture 98, or equally or unequally spaced individually and/or in subsets about or partially about the perimeter of the aperture 98. In any of the foregoing embodiments, each of the one or more magnets 102 may be a conventional permanent magnet. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more magnets 102 may be or include one or more conventional programmable magnets, each conventional programmable magnet having a programmable magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength, and/or each conventional programmable magnet having two or more regions in which the magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength may be programmed in a conventional manner. In one exemplary such embodiment, which should not be considered limiting in any way, a single programmable magnet 102 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define at least two magnetic regions of opposite magnetic polarity, and in one particular example, a single programmable magnet 102 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define a plurality of magnetic regions radially distributed about its exposed surface, with each region having a magnetic polarity opposite that of the adjacent region.

One end of lock member 104 defines an outer periphery 108 sized to be received in bore 94 of the end of bushing 88 extending away from mounting plate 84 such that lock member 104 rotates within bore 94 relative to bushing 88 and interlock handle 96. As described above, the lock member 104 is fixed or otherwise coupled to one end of the spindle 85, and the lock member 104 thus rotates with the spindle 85 and keyway 80D relative to the door handle 80A, cover plate 80B, mounting plate 84, bushing 88, and interlock handle 96.

Locking tab 106 extends outwardly away from the opposite end of lock member 104, and locking tab 106 is illustratively configured to complement locking end 56A of lock receiver 56 such that when door handle assemblies 20 and 24 are brought together into contact with each other, the locking tab rotatably engages locking end 56A of the lock receiver. An example configuration in which locking tab 106 extends from lock member 104 is illustrated in the front view of FIG. 6B, showing door handle assembly 24 assembled and mounted to major surface 22C of door 22. As shown in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig. 6A and 6B, the locking end 56A of the lock receiver 56 is illustratively provided in the form of a pair of intersecting slotted channels, and the locking projection 106 of the lock member 104 is illustratively provided in the form of a linear blade or edge that is sized to be received within either of the intersecting slotted channels such that the lock receiver 56 and the lock member 104 are rotationally coupled together. It should be understood that the configuration of the locking end 56A of the lock receiver 56 and the locking tab 106 extending from the lock member 104 illustrated in fig. 5-8 represents only one exemplary configuration. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other configurations of locking end 56A of lock receiver 56 and/or locking tab 106 of lock member 104 may be implemented to rotationally couple lock receiver 56 and lock member 104 when door handle assemblies 20 and 24 are brought together into contact with each other, and it is understood that any such other configuration is contemplated by the present invention.

As described above, the shroud 80B of the handle arrangement 80 and the mounting plate 84 of the door handle assembly 24 are illustratively fixed to each other and are both fixed in position relative to the door 22, while the door handle 80A, cam 82, bushing 88, and magnet assembly 110 are rotatable together relative to the shroud 80B, mounting plate 84, and door 22. In embodiments including the keyway 80D, spindle 85, and lock member 104, the keyway 80D, spindle 85, and lock member 104 may rotate together relative to the cover plate 50B, mounting plate 84, and door 22, and relative to the door handle 80A, cam 82, bushing 88, and magnet assembly 110 to lock and unlock the door handle assembly 24 as also described above.

Door handle assemblies 20, 24 may be selectively interlocked, coupled together, or otherwise engaged with one another such that doors 12, 22 pivot together about one or more hinge assemblies 16 (e.g., as illustrated in fig. 4A and 4B), and door handle assemblies 20, 24 may be selectively disengaged or disengaged from one another such that doors 12, 22 pivot independently of one another about one or more hinge assemblies 16 (e.g., as illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B). In the illustrated embodiment, this selective interlocking of door handle assemblies 20, 24 is illustratively accomplished by selective alignment of two sets of magnets 68, 102 by: the interlock handle 96 is properly positioned relative to the door 22 and then both sets of magnets 68, 102 are magnetically coupled and between the two sets of magnets when the two handle assemblies 20, 24 are then in contact with each other. The selective disengagement or disengagement of the interlocking door handle assemblies 20, 24 is illustratively accomplished by: the door handle 50A is rotated in a release direction (e.g., counterclockwise) until the interlock handle 96, which is magnetically coupled to and rotates with the magnet assembly 74, reaches a release position at which further rotation of the interlock handle 96 in the release direction is prevented, and then the door handle 50A is further rotated in the release direction with a rotational force sufficient to overcome the magnetic coupling force between the two sets of magnets 68, 102, thereby separating the two door handle assemblies 20, 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A-8, the selective interlocking of door handle assemblies 20, 24 is graphically illustrated. In the example door assemblies 20, 24 illustrated in fig. 6A and 6B, respectively, the magnets 68, 102 are illustratively arranged such that the exposed surfaces of the magnets 68 alternate in magnetic polarity around the lock receivers 56, and the exposed surfaces of the magnets 102 likewise alternate in magnetic polarity around the lock members 104. As the interlock door handle 96 is rotated clockwise (e.g., manually) to the interlock position illustrated in fig. 6B, the magnetic polarity of the exposed surface of the magnet 68 is opposite the magnetic polarity of the magnet 102 that is axially aligned therewith. When door handle assemblies 20, 24 are brought toward each other by pivoting one door 12 toward the other door 22 about one or more hinge assemblies 16 or pivoting both doors 12, 22 toward each other, as illustrated in fig. 7A, a magnetic attractive force is generated between each pair of axially aligned and oppositely polarized magnets in opposing magnet sets 68, 102. As the distance between interlocking door handle 96 and cover 70 decreases, the magnetic attraction between the respective aligned pairs of opposing magnet sets 68, 102 around the periphery of lock receiver 56 and lock member 104 increases until a magnetic coupling occurs between the respective aligned and oppositely poled pairs of magnets 68, 102, which pulls them into contact with each other, magnetically coupling door handle assemblies 20, 24 together, as illustrated in fig. 7B.

Such magnetic coupling between the exposed surfaces of the two exemplary opposing magnet pairs 68A, 102A and 68B, 102B is illustrated in fig. 8. As a result of such magnetic coupling, the door handle assemblies 20, 24, and thus the doors 12, 22, are secured together adjacent to the latch sides 12B, 22B thereof, respectively, such that the doors 12, 22 are pivotable together about the one or more hinge assemblies 16 between a common open and closed position, as illustrated in fig. 3A and 4A. And because magnet assembly 74 rotates with door handle 50A and interlock door handle 96 rotates with door handle 80A, rotating door handle 50A or 80A operates both latch assemblies 40, 40' simultaneously. By rotating the door handles 50A, 80A with the door handle assemblies 20, 24 interlocked (i.e., magnetically coupled together as illustrated in fig. 7B and 8), the latch tongues 46 of the two latch assemblies 40, 40' can thus be selectively and simultaneously engaged/disengaged with the strike plates 15A, 15B, respectively.

As illustrated in fig. 7A, 7B and 8, when door handle assemblies 20, 24 are brought together and interlocked, locking tab 106 extending from lock member 104 is received within and rotatably engaged with locking end 56A of lock receiver 56. With the locking projection 106 rotatably engaged with the locking end 56A of the lock receiver, the lock member 104 rotates with rotation of the lock receiver 56 and vice versa, such that rotation of the lock button 50D to the locked or unlocked position of the door handle 50A is transmitted through the rotatably engaged lock receiver 56 and lock member 104 to also lock or unlock the door handle 80A, respectively, via actuation of the keyway 80D. Rotation of the keyway 80D to the locked or unlocked position of the door handle 80A, such as by a complementarily configured key, is likewise transmitted through the rotatably engaged lock member 104 and lock receiver 56 to respectively lock or unlock the door handle 50A by actuation of the lock button 50D. By rotating the lock button 50D or the keyway 80D with the door handle assemblies 20, 24 interlocked (i.e., magnetically coupled together), as illustrated in fig. 7A and 7B, the door handles 50A, 80A can thus be selectively and simultaneously locked/unlocked.

Referring now to fig. 9A and 9B, the interlock handle 96 is shown in its interlocked and released positions, respectively. With door handle assemblies 20, 24 separated as illustrated in fig. 3A and 7A, interlock handle 96 may be manually moved (e.g., rotated) from the interlocked position (fig. 9A) to the released position (fig. 9B) by rotating interlock handle 96 in a counterclockwise direction, and may be moved from the released position (fig. 9B) to the interlocked position (fig. 9A) by rotating interlock handle 96 in a clockwise direction. With door handle assemblies 20, 24 interlocked as illustrated in fig. 7B and 8, interlock handle 96 can be moved from the interlocked position to the released position to separate door handle assemblies 20, 24 by: rotating the door handle 50A in the counterclockwise direction, which through the magnetic coupling between the magnet sets 68, 102, also rotates the interlock handle 96 in the counterclockwise direction, as described above.

The release position of the interlock door handle 96 is illustratively defined by a physical stop that prevents further rotation of the interlock door handle 96 in the counterclockwise direction. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 9A-9C, such physical stops are illustratively embodied in the form of a protrusion 120 extending away from the inner surface of the interlock door handle 96 toward the mount plate 84 and another protrusion 122 extending away from the mount plate 84 toward the inner surface of the interlock door handle 96. The position of tabs 120, 122 relative to interlock door handle 96 and mounting plate 84, respectively, may be selected to provide any amount of rotational distance between the interlocked and released positions of interlock door handle 96 relative to mounting plate 84. Typically, the rotational distance between the interlocked and released positions of interlocking door handle 96 will be selected to provide selective disengagement of latch 46 of latch assemblies 40, 40' from strike plates 15A, 15B, respectively, by rotation of door handle 50A and/or door handle 80A before reaching the physical stop of interlocking door handle 96 defined by projections 120, 122.

In any event, with interlock door handle 96 rotated counterclockwise to the release position illustrated in FIG. 9B in which protrusion 120 contacts protrusion 122, interlock door handle 96 cannot be further rotated in the counterclockwise direction, and door handle assemblies 20, 24 can be separated from one another by further rotating door handle 50A in the counterclockwise direction with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic coupling between the aligned magnet pairs 68, 102. With the position of the interlocked door handle 96 fixed in its released position by the abutting tabs 120, 122, this further rotation of the door handle 50A in the counterclockwise direction with a force greater than the magnetic coupling force between the aligned magnet pairs 68, 102 causes the magnet assembly 74 to rotate counterclockwise relative to the exposed face 99 of the interlocked door handle 96, thereby rotationally pulling the magnet 68 away from the previously aligned and oppositely polarized magnet 102. As the magnet assembly 74 continues to rotate counterclockwise (with door handle 50A) relative to the surface 99 of the interlock handle 96, the exposed surface of the magnet 68 continues to pull away from the exposed surface of the magnet 102 having the opposite magnetic polarity and toward the exposed surface of the magnet 102 having the same polarity. When the exposed surface of the magnet 68 is rotated sufficiently away from the exposed surface of the previously aligned and oppositely polarized magnet 102, the door assemblies 20, 24 are magnetically separated from one another so that the doors 12, 22 can be separated from one another. When the exposed surface of the magnet 68 is moved (e.g., with further rotation of the door handle 50A in the counterclockwise direction) into alignment with the exposed surface of the magnet 102 having the same polarity, a magnetic repulsion force is generated therebetween. Such magnetic repulsion forces act to force the magnet assemblies 74, 110 away from one another, thereby magnetically assisting in the separation of the door handle assemblies 20, 24 and the doors 12, 22 from one another.

In one embodiment, bushing 88 is configured to form a friction fit within aperture 86 defined through mounting plate 84, and such friction fit illustratively causes interlock handle 96 to generally remain in any position to which it is moved until interlock handle 96 is subsequently moved. In an alternative embodiment, the interlock handle 96 may be biased to the interlocked position illustrated in FIG. 9A, for example, via one or more conventional springs, such that when the door handle assemblies 20, 24 are separated, the interlock handle 96 returns to the interlocked position under the bias.

With the door handle assemblies 20, 24 separated from one another as illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B, the door handle assembly 24 may be operated in a conventional manner (e.g., by rotating the handle 80A and/or the interlock handle 96) to selectively engage and release the latch bolt 46 with and from the strike plate 15B. Illustratively, the rotational distance between the interlocked and released positions of interlock door handle 96 relative to mount plate 84 is selected to allow such rotation of interlock handle 96 to engage and release latch 46 before reaching a physical stop that defines the released position of handle 96. In embodiments where door handle assembly 24 is lockable (i.e., selectively preventing release of latch 46 from strike plate 15B) and unlockable (i.e., selectively allowing release of latch 46 from strike plate 15B), door handle assembly 24 may also be operated in a conventional manner (e.g., by manually rotating locking tab 106 and/or by actuating keyway 80D with a complementarily configured key) to lock and unlock door handle assembly 24.

Door handle assembly 20 may also be operated in a conventional manner (e.g., by rotating handle 50A) with door handle assemblies 20, 24 separated from one another to selectively engage and release latch bolt 46 with and from strike plate 15A. In embodiments where door handle assembly 20 is lockable (i.e., selectively preventing release of latch 46 from strike plate 15A) and unlockable (i.e., selectively allowing release of latch 46 from strike plate 15A), door handle assembly 20 may also be operated in a conventional manner (e.g., by manually rotating lock button 50D) to lock and unlock door handle assembly 20. However, as illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B, the door handle assembly 20 need not be operable from the side of the major surface 12C of the door 12 to selectively engage/release the latch bolt 46 or lock/unlock the door handle assembly 20, as with the door handle assemblies 20, 24 separated, the doors 12, 22 will typically be separated from one another, in which case the door 12 will typically be at least partially opened, and the operator of the doors 12, 22 will thus be able to access the side of the major surface 12D of the door 12, and in turn will be able to access the handle 50A and lock button 50D.

With the door handle assemblies 20, 24 interlocked and thus coupled to each other as illustrated in fig. 1A, 1B and 4A, 4B, the door handle assemblies 20, 24 may be operated together and simultaneously (e.g., by rotating the handle 80A and/or the handle 50A) as described above. Merely rotating the handle 80A causes the latch assembly 40' to selectively engage and release the latch bolt 46 with and from the strike plate 15B in a conventional manner. And with door handle assemblies 20, 24 coupled together, such rotational movement of handle 80A is transmitted through the components of door handle assemblies 20, 24 as described above to also simultaneously rotate handle 50A and cause latch assembly 40 to selectively engage and release latch bolt 46 with and from strike plate 15A. Similarly, simply rotating handle 50A causes latch assembly 40 to selectively engage and release latch 46 with strike plate 15A in a conventional manner, and this rotational movement of handle 50A is transmitted through the components of door handle assemblies 20, 24 as described above to also simultaneously rotate handle 80A and cause latch assembly 40' to selectively engage and release latch 46 with strike plate 15B. As described above, the rotational distance between the interlocked and released positions of interlock door handle 96 relative to mounting plate 84 is illustratively selected to allow such rotation of door handle assembly 24 to engage and release latch bolt 46 before reaching the physical stop defining the released position of interlock door handle 96. If the applied rotational force is sufficient to overcome the magnetic coupling force between aligned magnet sets 68, 102 as described above, further rotation of door handle 50A after reaching the physical stop defining the release position of interlocked door handle 96 (e.g., counterclockwise) causes door handle assemblies 20, 24 to separate from one another.

In embodiments in which door handle assemblies 20, 24 are lockable (i.e., selectively preventing release of latch 46 from strike plate 15A and preventing release of latch 46 from strike plate 15B) and unlockable (i.e., selectively allowing release of latch 46 from strike plates 15A, 15B), door handle assemblies 20, 24 may each be individually operated in a conventional manner (e.g., by manually rotating lock button 50D or by selectively actuating key slot 80D with a complementarily configured key) to lock and unlock respective door handle assemblies 20, 24, as described above. When door handle assemblies 20, 24 are interlocked as described above, rotation of lock button 50D to lock or unlock door handle assembly 20 is transmitted to keyway 80D, as described above, to also lock or unlock door handle assembly 24 simultaneously, and rotation of keyway 80D to lock or unlock door handle assembly 24 is also transmitted to lock button 50D to lock or unlock door handle assembly 20 simultaneously.

Referring now to fig. 10-22B, another embodiment of a door assembly 210 is shown that includes a pair of selectively interlocking opposing doors 212, 222. The door assembly 210 is similar in some respects to the door assembly 10 illustrated in fig. 1-9C, and like reference numeral +200 is used to identify like components. In one embodiment, the doors 212, 222 share three common hinge assemblies 216 spaced along the length of the door jamb 214A in a conventional manner, but in other embodiments the doors 212, 222 may alternatively share more or fewer common hinge assemblies 216. Door 212 includes a handle assembly 220 and door 222 includes a separate handle assembly 224. The handle assemblies 220, 224 may be selectively interlocked, i.e., selectively coupled or engaged with one another, such that the doors 212, 222 may be pivoted together about the one or more hinge assemblies 216 between a closed position and an open position, as exemplified in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 1A, 1B and 4A, 4B, respectively, and described above. The handle assemblies 220, 224 may also be selectively disengaged or disengaged from each other such that the doors 212, 222 may each be individually pivoted about one or more hinge assemblies 216 so as to be independently openable and closable, as exemplified in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B and described above.

Similar to the door assembly 10 illustrated in fig. 1-9C, the door assembly 210 includes a door jamb that can be mounted to a door frame of a building structure in a conventional manner. The door jamb illustratively includes a hinge jamb and a latch jamb, both coupled to the top jamb, wherein each such jamb can be separate from the other, all such jambs coupled together in a conventional manner to form the door jamb, or wherein two or more such jambs can have a unitary construction. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 10, 12, 13 and 14A-14D, the hinge and latch side and top side posts 214A, 214B, 214C, respectively, of the door side post are coupled together in a conventional manner, and it should be understood that such side posts 214A, 214B, 214 may be mounted, secured or otherwise attached to conventional door frame members of the building structure, as described above with respect to embodiment 10. Similar to the structure 26 of the embodiment 10 illustrated in the embodiment 10 of fig. 1-9C, the structure 226 illustratively represents a threshold panel coupled to a floor of the building structure or other floor structure that is part of the building structure, which in any event also partially defines a doorway of the building structure. In some embodiments, the rocker panel 226 is coupled to one or both of the side pillars 214A, 214B, but in alternative embodiments, the rocker panel 226 may be separate from one or both of the side pillars 214A, 214B.

In the illustrated embodiment, the door 212 defines a hinge side 212A to which the one or more hinge assemblies 216 are mounted, and the door 222 likewise defines a hinge side 222A to which the one or more hinge assemblies 216 are mounted. One or more hinge assemblies 216 are also mounted to an inwardly facing, generally planar surface 214A2 of hinge side post 214A. The door 212 also defines a latch side 212B, and at least one conventional door latch component (e.g., at least one latch tongue) of the handle assembly 220 extends from the latch side. At least one latch engaging member, such as at least one strike plate 215 (see, e.g., fig. 12), is mounted, attached or otherwise secured to at least latch side post 214B, and the at least one latch engaging member and the at least one strike plate 215 extending from door 212 are configured to selectively engage one another in a conventional manner when door 212 is pivoted about one or more hinge assemblies 216 to a closed position, as illustrated in fig. 10. Likewise, the door 222 defines a latch side 222B, and at least one conventional door latch component (e.g., at least one latch tongue) of the handle assembly 224 extends from the latch side. In the illustrated embodiment, at least one latch engaging member (e.g., at least one strike plate 215) is also mounted, attached, or otherwise secured to a latch-side stop 217B that is coupled to or integral with the latch-side post 214B, and the at least one latch member and at least one strike plate 215 extending from the door 222 are configured in a conventional manner to selectively engage one another when the door 222 is pivoted about one or more hinge assemblies 216 to a closed position as illustrated in fig. 10. All of these latch members and at least one latch engaging member are also configured in a conventional manner to be selectively disengaged from each other, such as by conventional actuation of the door handle assemblies 220, 224, respectively, to enable the doors 212, 222 to pivot about the one or more hinge assemblies 216, respectively.

Door 212 also defines a first major surface 212C and a second major surface 212D opposite first major surface 212C, and door 222 likewise defines a first major surface 222C and a second major surface 222D opposite first major surface 222C. The first major surface 212C of the door 212 generally faces the first major surface 222C defined by the door 222, and a space 228 is defined by the door handle assemblies 220, 224 between the first major surfaces 212C, 222C of the doors 212, 222, respectively, when the door handle assemblies 220, 224 are interlocked as illustrated in fig. 10, 20A, and 21A. In the illustrated embodiment, door 212 is a conventional exterior door with first major surface 212C facing generally toward door 222 and second major surface 212D facing the interior of the building, and door 222 is a conventional exterior door with first major surface 222C facing generally toward door 212 and second major surface 222D facing the exterior of the building. In some alternative embodiments, door 212 may represent a conventional outer heavy door, while door 222 may represent a conventional outer door. In other alternative embodiments, door 212 may represent any conventional inner, outer, universal, or dedicated door, and door 222 may likewise represent any conventional inner, outer, universal, or dedicated door.

Door 212 may be formed from one or more conventional materials, examples of which may include, but are not limited to, wood, composites, plastics, fiber reinforced plastics, metals, any combination of the foregoing materials, any of which acts as one or more outer shells or skins having an inner core that is hollow or formed from conventional materials (e.g., foam, plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, etc.). In the illustrated embodiment, which should not be considered limiting in any way, the door 212 is described as a solid core door made of wood. Door 222 may likewise be formed from one or more conventional materials, examples of which may include, but are not limited to, wood, composites, plastics, fiber reinforced plastics, metals, any combination of the foregoing materials, any of which acts as one or more outer shells or skins having an inner core that is hollow or formed from conventional materials (e.g., foam, plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, etc.). As exemplified in fig. 14A-14D, which should not be considered limiting in any way, door 222 is depicted as including a top stile 223A, a bottom stile 223B, a hinge side stile 223C, and a latch side stile 223D, all of which are coupled together in a conventional manner, with stiles 223A-223D illustratively being hollow stiles formed of a metal skin. In the illustrated embodiment, door 222 also illustratively includes a panel 221 surrounded by and coupled to each stile 223A-223D. The panel 223 is illustrated by way of example as being formed of a transparent material, examples of which may include, but are not limited to, glass, plexiglas, tempered glass, plastic, etc., although in other embodiments the panel 223 may be or include one or more translucent and/or opaque materials and/or one or more solid and/or other materials that block or otherwise do not transmit light. It should be understood that while the exemplary door 222 illustrated in fig. 14A-14D includes only a single panel 223, alternative embodiments including more panels or no panels are contemplated. In some embodiments, as illustrated in the example of fig. 10, stile covers 225A and 225B may be mounted, attached, or otherwise positioned over stiles 223C and 223D, respectively, to prevent moisture from entering door 222.

As best illustrated in fig. 10, 13, 14A, 14C and 14D, the hinge side door jamb 214A defines a generally planar surface 214A1 at one end of the side 214A2, another generally planar surface 214A3 at the opposite end of the side 214A2, and the latch side door jamb 214B likewise defines a generally planar surface 214B1 at one end of the side 214B2 and another generally planar surface 214B3 at the opposite end of the side 214B2. The top door jamb is illustratively identically configured.

The door jamb also illustratively includes a conventional door stop mounted to and around the inner periphery of the door jamb, which forms a physical stop and, in some embodiments, a sealing surface for the door 212. As further illustrated by the examples in fig. 10, 13, 14A, 14C, and 14D, the inner side of the hinge side door stop 217A is illustratively secured to the inward facing surface 214A2 of the hinge side door pillar 214A along the length thereof, and the inner side of the latch side door stop 217B is likewise illustratively secured to the inward facing surface 214B2 of the hinge side door pillar 214B. A generally flat outer side surface 217A2 of the hinge side stop 217A faces inwardly toward the stop 217B, and a generally flat end surface 217A1 extends between the inner and outer side surfaces 217A2 of the stop 217A and is generally parallel with the end surfaces 214A1 and 214A3 of the hinge side post 214A. In the illustrated embodiment, the generally flat opposing end surface 217A3 of the hinge side stop 217A is flush with the end surface 214A3 of the hinge side post 214A, but in an alternative embodiment, the end surface 217A3 may extend beyond the end surface 214A3, and vice versa. The latch side door stop 217B is illustratively identically configured to the hinge side door stop 217A, having corresponding surfaces 217B1, 217B2, and 217B3, and the corresponding top side door stop 217C is illustratively identically configured as just described. The end surfaces 217A1 and 217B1 of the hinge side stop 217A and latch side stop 217B, and the corresponding end surfaces of the top side stop 217C are sized to extend inward of the door jambs 214A, 214B, 214C and extend over a portion of the major surface 212C of the door 212 along the sides 212A and 212B and top thereof to serve as a conventional physical stop for the door 212 as the door 212 moves from its open position to its closed position. In some embodiments, conventional sealing materials (e.g., foam, plastic, rubber, etc.) may be attached or secured to and along the end surfaces 217A1, 217B1 of the hinge and latch side stops 217A, 217B, respectively, to form a seal between the major surface 212C of the door 212 and such stop surfaces when the door 212 is closed as illustrated in fig. 10.

As with the embodiment depicted in fig. 1A-9C, the doors 212, 222 pivot in the same direction about the one or more hinges 216, and the doors 212, 222 thus each open and close in the same direction. In this regard, some embodiments of the door assembly 210 also illustratively include a second door stop mounted to and around the inner periphery of the door jamb to form a physical stop and, in some embodiments, a sealing surface for the door 222. As exemplified by the examples in fig. 10, 13, 14A, 14C, and 14D, the inner side of the second hinge side stop 219A is illustratively attached or secured to the inward facing surface 217A2 of the hinge side stop 217A along a length between its two ends 217A1 and 217A3 to that surface 217A2, and the inner side of the latch side stop 219B is likewise illustratively secured to the inward facing surface 217B2 of the hinge side stop 217B along a length between its two ends 217B1 and 217B3 to that surface 217B2. A generally flat outer side 219A2 of the hinge side stop 219A faces inwardly toward the stop 219B, and generally flat and opposing end surfaces 219A1 and 219A2 extend between the inner and outer sides 219A2 of the stop 219A. The latch side door stop 219A is illustratively configured the same as the corresponding surfaces 219B1, 219B2, 219B3 just described, as is the corresponding top door stop 219C. In the illustrated embodiment, the end surfaces 219A3, 219B3 of the stops 219A, 219B are generally parallel with the end surfaces 214A3, 214B3 of the hinge side post 214A and latch side post 214B and the end surfaces 217A3, 217B3 of the hinge side stop 217A and latch side stop 217B, respectively, as are the corresponding end surfaces of the top stop 219C described in fig. 13, but in an alternative embodiment, the end surface 19A3 can extend beyond the end surfaces 214A3 and/or 217A3, or vice versa, as described in fig. 10.

The end face 219A1 of hinge side stop 19A and the corresponding end face 219B1 of latch side stop 219B and the corresponding end face of top side stop 219C are sized to extend along sides 222A and 222B and their tops over the interior of the door jamb and a portion of the major surface 222D of door 222 to serve as a conventional physical stop for door 12 when door 222 is moved from the open position to the closed position, as illustrated, for example, in fig. 10. In some embodiments, a conventional sealing material (e.g., foam, plastic, rubber, etc.) may be attached or secured to and along the end surfaces 219A1 of the hinge side stop 219A and the corresponding end surfaces 219B1 of the latch side stop 219B and the top side stop to form a seal between the major surface 222D of the door 222 and such stop surfaces when the door 222 is closed as illustrated in fig. 10.

In some embodiments, as exemplified in fig. 10, 12-14A, 14C, and 14D, the jambs 214A, 214B and the top jamb 214C are each separate components that are coupled together in a conventional manner, but in some alternative embodiments at least two such jamb components can be unitary and of unitary construction, while in other alternative embodiments all three such jamb components are unitary and of single unitary construction. Likewise, side stops 217A, 217B and top side stop 217C are each illustratively separate components that are coupled together in a conventional manner, but in some alternative embodiments at least two such stop components may be unitary and of unitary construction, while in other alternative embodiments all three such stop components are unitary and of single unitary construction. Still further, the side stops 219A, 219B and top side stop 219C are also each illustratively separate components that are coupled together in a conventional manner, but in some alternative embodiments at least two such stop components may be unitary and of unitary construction, while in other alternative embodiments all three such stop components are unitary and of single unitary construction. In still other alternative embodiments, the side post members 214A-214C and the stop members 217A-217C may be unitary and of a single unitary construction, and the stop members 219A-219C may be separate pieces mounted, fixed, or otherwise attached to the unitary construction, and in still other alternative embodiments, all of the side post members 214A-214C and all of the stop members 217A-217C and 219A-219C may be unitary and of a single unitary construction. In any event, it will be appreciated that the common pivoting direction of the doors 212, 222, in conjunction with the door jamb and stop combination just described, advantageously provides a double seal of the door assembly relative to the door jamb, a feature that is not typically achievable in conventional tambour door applications where a tambour door opens and closes in a direction opposite to the opening and closing direction of the main or outer door.

Referring now specifically to fig. 11, an embodiment of one of the one or more hinge assemblies 216 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge assembly 216 is identical in many respects to the hinge assembly 16 illustrated in fig. 2A-2B, such that the hinge assembly 216 includes three separate, abutting hinges 230, 232A, and 232B that are interengaged by a hinge pin 238 extending through axially aligned knuckles associated with each hinge 230, 232A, 232B. Like hinge 30, hinge 230 has three integral flat hinge plate sections or portions 30A, 30B, 30C and a plurality of axially aligned knuckles at the ends of hinge plate portion 230C. The planes defined by the flat hinge plate sections 230A and 230C are illustratively parallel to each other, and the flat defined by the flat hinge plate section 230B connecting the hinge plate sections 230A, 230C is illustratively perpendicular to the plane defined by the flat hinge plate sections 230A, 230C. Hinge plate sections 230A, 230B, 230C are illustratively sized to complement corresponding portions of surfaces 217A2, 217A1, and 214A2 of hinge side post 214A and stop 217A, respectively.

The hinge 232A defines a flat hinge plate 234A and a plurality of axially aligned knuckles along one side thereof, and the hinge 232B likewise defines a flat hinge plate 234B and a plurality of axially aligned knuckles along one side thereof. The axially aligned knuckles of each hinge 230, 232A, 232B are staggered as illustrated, and a hinge pin 238 extends through each knuckle to couple the hinges 230, 232A, 232B together such that they both pivot or rotate about a longitudinal axis defined centrally through the hinge pin 238. Hinges 230, 232A, 232B each define a plurality of passages 230D, 233, 235 therethrough, respectively, via which hinges 230, 232A, 232B are mounted or attached, respectively, such as via conventional securing members (e.g., screws, etc.), to the hinge side of door 222, the hinge side of door 212, and the hinge side 214A2 of jamb 214A. Unlike the hinge plate section 30C of the hinge 30, the hinge plate portion 230C is solid.

As illustrated in the example of fig. 10, and unlike the door assembly 10 illustrated in fig. 1A-9C, the door 222 is illustratively sized such that the hinge side 222B is spaced from the inward facing surface 217A2 of the door stop 217A. As shown, this additional spacing is illustratively provided to accommodate the combined thickness of the three hinges 230, 232A, 232B as they are forced together when both doors 212, 222 are closed. In alternative embodiments, one or more of the hinge assemblies 16 illustrated in fig. 2A and 2B may be used in place of one or more of the hinge assemblies 216, and in such embodiments, the door 222 may be sized as described above with respect to the door 22. In any event, the doors 212, 222 of the door assembly 210 are illustratively configured to open and close together and individually, as described above with respect to the door assembly 10 illustrated in fig. 1A-4B.

Referring now to fig. 12, an embodiment of at least one latch engaging member 215 is illustrated. In the embodiment depicted in fig. 12, the at least one latch engaging member 215 is illustratively provided in the form of a single, integral strike plate that is mountable to the inwardly facing surface 214B of the latch side post 214B, and the inwardly facing surface 217B2 of the door stop 217B. The strike plate 215 illustratively includes a first generally planar plate section 215A that defines a latch opening 215D therethrough that is sized to receive a latch 246 of the door handle assembly 220 (see, e.g., fig. 15). The plate section 215A is illustratively sized and configured to be received on and secured to an inwardly facing surface 214B2 of the latch-side jamb 214B (e.g., via one or more conventional securing members) through one or more corresponding apertures defined through the plate section 215A (e.g., two such apertures defined through the plate section 215A above and below the latch opening 215D shown in fig. 12). Illustratively, the inwardly facing surface 214B2 of the bolt side post 214B is joggled in a conventional manner to provide a guide for mounting and positioning the plate section 215A to the bolt side post 214B and relative thereto to allow the exposed major surface of the plate section 215A to be mounted flush with the inwardly facing surface 214B2 of the bolt side post 214B and to provide a passage of sufficient depth to allow the latch 246 to properly pass through the latch opening 215D. In some embodiments, the latch plate portion 215A includes a flange 215F along an end of the plate 215A adjacent the end face 214B1 of the latch side post 214B to act as a guide for guiding the latch 246 toward the latch opening 215D. In embodiments that include the flange 215F, the flange 215F can illustratively be angled toward the end face 214B1 of the latch side post 214B (e.g., at an acute angle relative to the substantially right-angled surfaces 214B1 and 214B2 of the latch side post 214B).

The strike plate 215 also illustratively includes a second generally planar plate section 215B that defines a latch opening 215E therethrough that is sized to receive a latch 246 of the door handle assembly 224 (see, e.g., fig. 15). The plate section 215B is illustratively sized and configured to be received on and secured to an inwardly facing surface 217B2 of the latch side door stop 217B (e.g., via one or more conventional securing members) through one or more corresponding holes defined through the plate section 215B (e.g., two such holes defined through the plate portion 215B above and below the latch opening 215E shown in fig. 12). Illustratively, an inwardly facing surface 217B2 of the latch side door stop 217B is jogged in a conventional manner to provide a guide for mounting and positioning the plate section 215B to and relative to the latch side door stop 217B to allow the exposed major surface of the plate section 215B to be mounted flush with the inwardly facing surface 217B2 of the latch side door stop 217B and to provide a passage of sufficient depth to allow the latch 246 to properly pass through the latch opening 215E. In some embodiments, the latch plate portion 215B includes a flange 215G extending downwardly along a lower end of the plate 215B to serve as a support for supporting the plate section 215B on the latch side stop 217B. In embodiments including the flange 215G, the flange 215G can illustratively be angled toward the surface 217B2 of the latch side door stop 217B (e.g., at an oblique angle relative to the exposed major surface of the plate segment 215B). In other embodiments, the flange 215G may be omitted.

In the illustrated embodiment, the panel sections 215A, 215B are connected by a generally flat panel section 215C extending between adjacent ends of the panel sections 215A, 215B and are at substantially right angles to each other such that when the panel section 215A is mounted to the latch side post 214B and the panel section 215B is mounted to the latch side door stop 217B, the panel section 215C abuts an end 217B1 of the latch side door stop 217B. In some embodiments, the portion of the surface 217B1 of the latch side door stop 217 that abuts the panel section 215C may be joggled to accommodate flush mounting thereof, but in other embodiments, the portion of the surface 217B1 of the latch side door stop 217 that abuts the panel section 215C may not be joggled. In the illustrated embodiment, the plate sections 215A, 215B, and 215C are unitary such that the entire strike plate 215 is of unitary construction. In other embodiments, only one of the plate segments 215A, 215B may be integrally and monolithically constructed with the plate segment 215C, the remaining plate segments may be mounted, fixed, or otherwise attached to the plate segment 215C, and in still other embodiments, each of the plate segments 215A, 215B, 215C may be separate components mounted, fixed, or otherwise attached together as illustrated in fig. 12. In any event, it should be appreciated that such a single latch plate 215 sized to accommodate both latch tongues 246, 246' and mounted to both the latch side post 214B and the latch side catch 217B advantageously provides a number of advantages over a separate latch plate as illustrated in fig. 4A. For example, such a single latch plate 215 provides greater strength than such separate latch plates, thus providing a concomitant increase in security of the door assembly 210 (e.g., protection from intruders). As another example, the horizontal and vertical alignment of the latch openings 215D, 215E is preset with a single latch plate 215, thereby eliminating or at least reducing manual alignment of the latch openings 215D, 215E with the corresponding latches 246, 246'. Notwithstanding such advantages, it should be understood that in some alternative embodiments, separate latch plates (such as the latch plates 15A, 15B illustrated in FIG. 4A) may be used in place of the single latch plate 215 just described.

Referring now to fig. 13 and 14A-14D, fig. 13 depicts an overall perspective view of a door jamb assembly including the door jamb components 214A, 214B and 214C, the door stop components 217A, 217B and 217C, the door stop components 219A, 219B and 219C, and three hinge assemblies 216 spaced apart and mounted to the bolt jamb 14A as described above. Although doors 212 and 222 are omitted from fig. 13 in order not to obscure the illustrated doorjamb assembly, door 222 is included in the cross-sectional views of fig. 14A and 14B as it is included in fig. 13 to illustrate another feature of door assembly 210. As noted above, the door 222 in the embodiment depicted in fig. 14A-14D is illustrated as including a hollow top stile, a bottom stile, a hinged side stile, and a latch side stile 223A-223D, respectively, all of which are coupled together in a conventional manner, with the panel 221 being surrounded around its perimeter by and coupled to each stile 223A-223D.

Referring now specifically to fig. 14B, an enlarged view of bottom stile 223B of door 222 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, bottom stile 223B includes a pair of opposing and spaced apart sides or skins 223B ₁ And 223B ₂ Which passes through a top wall or skin 223B on top of stile 223B ₃ Are connected together. Side 223B ₁ Free bottom end 223B of ₅ And side 223B ₂ Free bottom end 223B ₆ Laterally spaced, and in some embodiments, laterally extending walls 223B ₄ In the ceiling or skin 223B respectively ₃ And side 223B ₁ 、223B ₂ Free end 223B of ₅ 、223B ₆ Between two sides 223B ₁ 、223B ₂ To the opposite inner surface of the side wall 223B ₄ And side 223B ₁ 、223B ₂ Free end 223B of ₅ 、223B ₆ Forming an elongate channel 223B extending longitudinally along the length of the stile 223B therebetween _C . In other embodiments, stiles 223B may not include side walls 223B ₄ In such an embodiment, the passage 223B _C May be defined in the top wall 223B ₃ And side 223B ₁ 、223B ₂ Free end 223B of ₅ 、223B ₆ In the meantime. In any event, an elongated sweep (sweep) 229 is received within the channel 223B _C Internally, such that the sweep 229 may be along the length of the stile 223B at the channel 223B _C In and opposite to the passage 223B _C And (4) vertically moving. In the illustrated embodiment, the sweep 229 is illustratively a hollow structure configured to communicate with the passage 223B _C Is defined by complementary shaped opposing side walls and a top wall, and is illustratively defined by a generally planar bottom wall 229A. In the illustrated example, the channel 223B _C Is an inverted U-shape with defined corners at the top of the U-shape and the opposing side walls and top wall of the elongated sweep are complementarily shaped to be received in the channel 223B _C Within and within the passage and opposite the passage 223B _C Move vertically, but in other embodiments, the passage 223B _C And the elongate sweep 229 may have other complementary cross-sectional shapes. In any event, the top wall of the sweep 229 is illustrativelyDefining a hole or channel 229B sized to receive and engage a conventional fixation member (e.g., a screw, etc.). In some embodiments, the holes or channels 229B extend along the length of the top wall of the sweep 229, but in other embodiments, separate holes or channels 229B may be provided only at or adjacent to each end of the stiles 223B defining a portion of the respective side 222A, 222B of the door 222. In the illustrated embodiment, the exposed outer (bottom) surface of bottom wall 229A defines another aperture or channel 229C that extends along the length of bottom stile 223B. The top surface of the elongated flexible seal member 231 is configured to be received within and along the channel 229C, and the bottom surface of the flexible seal member 231 is illustratively configured to engage the top surface 226 of the rocker panel 226 when the door 222 is closed _T In contact with and forming at least a partial seal therewith. In one embodiment, the flexible sealing member 231 is provided in the form of a conventional fiber brush, but in alternative embodiments, the flexible sealing member 231 may additionally or alternatively be formed from one or more other conventional flexible sealing materials.

The rocker panel 226 is illustratively shown in fig. 14B in the form of a conventional solid wood rocker panel 226 that is or will be mounted to the floor of the building structure in which the door assembly 210 is installed, with a conventional elongated plastic dam 227 along the top surface 226 of the rocker panel 226 _T Is mounted, fixed or otherwise attached to the top surface 226 _T Such that when closed, the bottom edge of the door 212 is positioned above the dam 227 along the length of the dam 227. In some embodiments, a conventional sealing material (e.g., foam, plastic, rubber, etc.) may be attached or secured to and along the bottom surface of door 212 to form a seal between the bottom surface of door 212 and the top surface of dam 227.

In some alternative embodiments, the rocker panel 226 may be formed of a solid core (e.g., wood or composite) covered by a metal skin, and in other alternative embodiments, the rocker panel 226 may be formed of a hollow or filled core composite that may or may not be covered by a metal skin. Dam 227 may also alternatively be formed from a solid core covered by a metal skin, or from a hollow or filled core composite material that may or may not be covered by a metal skin. In some embodiments, as illustrated in fig. 14B, the rocker panel 226 and the dam 227 are separate components that are then attached, secured, or otherwise connected together in a conventional manner, and in other embodiments, the rocker panel 226 and the dam 227 may be unitary and of unitary construction.

As mentioned above, the flexible sealing member 231 is illustratively disposed to contact the top surface 226 of the rocker panel 226 _T And along with the sweeps 229, the bottom surface of the stiles 223B and the top surface 226 of the threshold plate 226 when the door 222 is closed _T And forming at least a partial seal between the bottom surface and the top surface. However, as also described above and illustrated in fig. 14B, door 222 is configured to open inwardly, whereby it is seen that it is desirable that the bottom edge or bottom surface of stile 223B be positioned relative to threshold plate 226 such that it passes over dam 227 when door 222 is open, and also such that flexible seal member 231 and top surface 226 of threshold plate 226 are closed when door 222 is closed _T Contacting and illustratively forming at least a partial seal. Moreover, it is contemplated that door 222 may be implemented with a variety of different threshold plates 226, wherein the top surface of dam 227 is on top surface 226 of threshold plate 226 _T The height above may vary. In this regard, the elongated sweep 229 is in the channel 223B defined in the bottom stile 223B _C The vertical position within is configured to be adjustable to a position wherein the bottom surface of the sweeper 229 and/or the bottom end 223B of the bottom stile 223B ₅ 、223B ₆ At least the bottom edge of the flexible sealing member 231 contacts the top surface 226 of the threshold plate 226 when and as the door 222 is opened, and when the door 222 is in its closed position _T So that the flexible seal member 231 is engaged with the top surface 226 of the rocker panel 226 _T And the bottom surface of the sweep 229 and/or the bottom surface of the stile 223B and forms at least a partial seal between the top and bottom surfaces.

Referring now to fig. 14C and 14D, the elongated swept-position adjustment plate 233 is provided with a through hole 233A at or near one end thereof and an elongated through slot 233B at or near an opposite end thereof, wherein the longitudinal axis of the slot 233B is illustratively parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated plate 233. Illustratively, the plate 233 is flat anda generally planar plate sized to be received on and in contact with side 222B of the door inboard of or flush with the major surface of stile 223D. In the illustrated embodiment, it should be understood that the elongate channel 223B _C Elongated sweep 229 and elongated flexible sealing member 231 each extend through and along the length of bottom stile 223B, but also extend through stiles 223C and 223D along the bottom edges of stiles 223C and 223D in the same direction. In any case, as illustrated in fig. 14C, conventional fixing members 235A (e.g., screws, etc.) pass through the through holes 233A of the sweep position adjustment plate 233 and engage with the channels 229C of the sweep 229 to fix the sweep adjustment plate 233 to the sweep 229. Another conventional securing element 235B (e.g., a screw, etc.) passes through slot 233B and into side 222B of door 222, but is not fully tightened onto plate 233. Then, another such sweep position adjustment plate 233 is attached to the opposite end of the sweep 229 and the opposite side 222A of the door 222, as just described. The elongated sweep 229 is then manually adjusted in the elongated channel 223B by moving the plate 233 to a position along the channel 233B relative to the fixed member 235A _C An inner vertical position in which a bottom edge of the sweep 229 passes over the dam 227 when and as the door 222 is opened, and at least a bottom edge of the flexible sealing member 231 contacts the top surface 226 of the threshold plate 226 when the door 222 is closed _T The securing members 235A are then tightened against the plate 233 to secure the plate 233 to the sides 222A, 222B of the door 222 with the elongated sweeps 229 in their adjusted positions.

Referring now to FIG. 15, an exploded view of the door assembly 210 is shown, illustrating an embodiment of each door handle assembly 220, 224 and an embodiment of the latch assembly 240, 240' and an embodiment of the interlockable deadbolt assembly 350, 370 mounted to each door 212, 222, respectively. In the illustrated assembly, the door 212 defines a cylindrical opening or side aperture 212E therethrough (i.e., defined through first and second major surfaces 212C, 212D of the door 212 adjacent the latch side 212B), and another cylindrical opening or side aperture 212F therein leading to the face aperture 212E. The conventional latch assembly 240 includes an elongated latch shell 242 coupled to a latch plate 244 from which a latch bolt 246 extends. The elongated latch housing 242 is illustratively sized to be received within the side bore 212F with at least a portion of the latch housing 242 extending into the face bore 212E and the latch plate 244 abutting the latch side 212B of the door 212. In some embodiments, the latch side 212B of the door can be joggled to receive the latch plate 244 therein. The latch shell 242 illustratively defines an aperture 243 therethrough that is sized to receive the cam 252A of the door handle assembly 220 therethrough. The latch shell 242 and/or the lever device 250 of the door handle assembly 220 illustratively carry one or more conventional biasing components such that the latch 246 is normally biased outwardly from the latch plate 244 (as illustrated, for example, in fig. 15) such that the latch engages and is captured by the latch opening 215D of the strike plate 215 (see, for example, fig. 12), and such that axial rotation of the cam 252A causes the latch 246 to be pulled inwardly toward the latch shell 242 and into the latch shell 42 such that the latch disengages from the latch opening 215D of the strike plate 215 to allow the door 212 to pivot between its open and closed positions via the hinge assembly 216. In the lockable embodiment of the door handle assembly 220, as illustrated in fig. 16B and 19, the aperture 243 also receives therethrough a spindle 252B carried by the cam 252A. Rotation of the main shaft 252B about its longitudinal axis actuates conventional components within the lever device 250 between the locked and unlocked positions in a conventional manner. For example, when the main shaft 252B is rotated to the unlocked position, conventional features within the lever arrangement 250 allow the cam 252A to rotate within the bore 43 to draw the latch bolt 246 inwardly into the latch housing 242, as described above. When the main shaft 252B is rotated to the locked position, conventional features within the operating lever arrangement 250 prevent rotation of the cam 252A, thereby preventing the cam 252A from pulling the latch 246 inward into the latch housing 242 such that the latch 246 remains engaged with the strike plate 215. It should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates alternative embodiments in which handle assembly 220 is not lockable, and in such embodiments, spindle 252B may be omitted. In embodiments where the handle assembly 220 is lockable as just described, the combination of the door handle assembly 220 and the latch assembly 240 may be generally referred to as a "lockset".

The door 22 illustratively also defines a cylindrical opening or face hole 222E therethrough (i.e., defined through the first and second major surfaces 222C, 222D of the door 222 adjacent the latch side 222B), and another cylindrical opening or side hole 222F therein leading to the face hole 222E. The conventional latch assembly 240' includes the same components as described above with respect to the latch assembly 240, and the latch housing 242' of the latch assembly 240' is received within the side aperture 222F and the face aperture 222E. In the illustrated embodiment, the latch assembly 240 'also illustratively includes a latch plate extension 245 that receives the latch assembly 240' therethrough and a latch plate 244 'therein and mounts to the latch side 222B of the door 222 to move the position of the latch bolt 246' toward the strike plate 215. Illustratively, the thickness of the latch plate extension is configured to correspond with the width of the door 222, as described above, to accommodate and compensate for the thickness of the at least one hinge assembly 216. In any event, the latch assembly 240 'can operate generally as described above with respect to the latch assembly 240 such that the latch bolt 246' of the latch assembly 240 'is normally biased outwardly from the latch plate 244' (and latch plate extension 245) via one or more conventional biasing members carried by the latch shell 242 'and/or operative lever arrangement 280 of the door handle assembly 224 (as illustrated, for example, in fig. 15) such that the latch bolt engages and is captured by the latch bolt opening 215E of the latch bolt 215 (see, for example, fig. 12), and such that axial rotation of the cam 282A received through the aperture 243' causes the latch bolt 246 'to be pulled inwardly toward and into the latch shell 242' such that the latch bolt disengages from the latch bolt opening 215E of the latch bolt 215 to allow the door 222 to pivot relative to the hinge assembly 216 between its open and closed positions. In the lockable embodiment of the door handle assembly 224, as illustrated in fig. 17B and 19, the aperture 243' also receives therethrough a spindle 282B carried by a cam 282A. Rotation of the main shaft 282B about its longitudinal axis actuates conventional components within the lever device 280 between the locked and unlocked positions in a conventional manner, as described above. It should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates alternative embodiments in which handle assembly 224 is not lockable, and in such embodiments, main shaft 282B may be omitted. In embodiments where the handle assembly 224 is lockable as just described, the combination of the door handle assembly 224 and the latch assembly 240 may be generally referred to as a "lockset".

Referring now generally to the right side of fig. 15 and 19 and 16A-16B, respectively, the door handle assembly 220 includes a lever arrangement 250 having a handle 250A rotatably coupled to a shroud 250B. In general, the handle 250A may be or include any structure or combination of structures that is rotatably coupled to the shroud 250B. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the handle 250A is provided in the form of a conventional lever that is rotatable relative to the shroud plate 250B. In alternative embodiments, the handle 250A may be provided in the form of a knob or other structure that is rotatable relative to the shroud 250B, and in such embodiments, the lever arrangement 250 may alternatively be referred to as a "handle arrangement". The lever device 250 also includes a cam 252A that is rotatably coupled to the handle 250A such that the cam 252A rotates with the handle 250A about an axis of rotation and such that the cam 252A and the handle 250A rotate together relative to the rosette 250B. In the lockable embodiment of the door handle assembly 220, the handle 250A illustratively defines a central bore 250C that is sized to receive a rotatable shaft 250E therein having one end coupled to a lock knob 250D carried by the handle 250A and an opposite end coupled to one end of a spindle 252B, and in such an embodiment, an axis extending centrally through the bore 250C defines an axis of rotation for the handle 250A, cam 252A, and spindle 252B. In such embodiments, rotation of the lock button 250D rotates the shaft 250E and the spindle 252B relative to and independent of the handle 250A, the cam 252B, and the rosette 250B, and rotation of the spindle 252B likewise rotates the shaft 250E and the lock button 250D relative to and independent of the handle 250A, the cam 252B, and the rosette 250B.

The lever device 250 is mounted to the door 212 with the shroud 250B abutting the major surface 212D of the door 212 about the face opening 212E and the cam 252A extending into the face opening 212E and through an aperture 243 defined through the latch shell 242 of the latch assembly 240. In embodiments that include a main shaft, the main shaft 252B also extends into the face hole 212E along with the cam 252A and also extends through the hole 243 defined through the latch shell 242 of the latch assembly 240, as described above. A lock receiver 256 is illustratively secured to or integral with one end of the lock receiver spindle 254, and an opposite end of the lock receiver spindle 254 is coupled to a spindle 252B carried by a cam 252A such that the lock receiver 256 rotates with the spindle 252B. In the illustrated embodiment, cam 252A is illustratively provided in the form of an elongated hollow tube, illustratively having a square, rectangular, or other cross-sectional shape, configured such that one or more components that receive cam 252A therein or are received within cam 252A rotate with cam 252A, and vice versa. The main shaft 252B is illustratively provided in the form of an elongated structure having a flat and square or rectangular or other cross-sectional shape configured such that one or more components in which the main shaft 252B is housed rotate with the main shaft 252B, and vice versa. In the illustrated embodiment, lock receiver spindle 254 illustratively defines a channel therein that is configured to complement the shape of spindle 252B such that when spindle 252B is received within the channel defined in lock receiver spindle 254, spindle 252B is rotatably coupled to the lock receiver spindle and thus to lock receiver 256. In such an embodiment where the door handle assembly 220 is lockable, the lock knob 250D, rotatable shaft 250E, spindle 252B, lock receiver spindle 254, and lock receiver 256 may rotate together relative to the door handle 250A between an unlocked position, where the spindle 252B and/or rotatable shaft 250E and/or lock knob 250D cooperate with components within the lever arrangement 250 to allow the cam 252A to rotate via the door handle 250A to operate the latch bolt 246 as described above, and a locked position, where the spindle 252B and/or rotatable shaft 250E and/or lock knob 250D cooperate with components within the lever arrangement 250 to prevent rotation of the cam 252A such that the handle 250A is prevented from rotating to operate the latch bolt 246. Also as described above, in some embodiments, door handle assembly 220 may not include a locking feature, and in such embodiments, lock button 250D, rotatable shaft 250E, spindle 252B, lock receiver spindle 254, and lock receiver 56 may be omitted.

The remainder of the handle assembly 220 is similar in many respects to the handle assembly 20 illustrated in fig. 1A-9C and described above. For example, the cylindrical bottom pan 258 is similar to the bottom pan 58 described above and defines an outer periphery sized to be received within the face 212E defined by the door 212. The bottom disc 258 also illustratively defines a lip at one end thereof that abuts the first major surface 212C of the door 212 when the bottom disc 258 is received within the face hole 212E. The bottom plate 258 is illustratively secured to the cover plate 250B of the lever device 250 through the face 212E, such as via one or more conventional securing members (not shown in fig. 15). Thus, the bottom plate 258 and the cover plate 250B are each fixed in position relative to the door 212 such that neither the cover plate 250B nor the bottom plate 258 rotate with the handle 250A, the axle 250E, the cam 252A, the lock-receiver spindle 254, or the lock receiver 256. In the illustrated example, the bottom pan 258 longitudinally defines a channel along its outer periphery sized to receive the latch shell 242 laterally therethrough. In some embodiments, the passage is sized to engage the latch shell 242 such that the latch shell 242 prevents the chassis 258 from rotating within and relative to the face 212E.

The chassis 258 also illustratively defines a recessed plate inward of the radial lip, and the plate defines an opening centrally therethrough sized to receive the lock-receiver 256 and the lock-receiver spindle 254 therethrough. Between the end of the bottom disc 258 adjacent the radial lip and the recessed plate, the bottom disc 258 defines a cylindrical pocket sized to receive a cylindrical magnet housing 264 therein, similar to the cylindrical magnet housing 64 described above. The cylindrical magnet housing 264 defines a cylindrical body portion having an outer diameter sized to be received within the pocket of the bottom plate 258 and rotatable within the pocket relative to the bottom plate 258. A cylindrical shaft extends axially away from the body portion, and the shaft has an outer diameter sized to be received within and through an opening defined through the chassis. The body defines a bore centrally therethrough and the shaft likewise defines an alignment bore centrally therethrough, wherein the axes of the two bores are aligned and the diameter of the bore through the shaft is less than the diameter of the bore through the body. The bore through the main body of the magnet housing 264 is sized to receive the lock receiver 256 and the lock receiver spindle 254 therein such that the lock receiver 256 is rotatable relative to the bore through the main body, and the bore through the spindle is sized to receive the lock receiver spindle 254 therein without receiving the lock receiver 256. The shape of the bore through the shaft is complementary to the shape of the cam 252A such that the magnet housing 264 rotates axially with the cam 252A about the cylindrical recess defined by the bottom plate 258, as illustrated in fig. 16B.

A main body portion surrounding the magnet housing 264, which defines a plurality of apertures therein such that the central axes of these apertures are parallel to the central axis of the aperture defined centrally through the magnet housing 264, is between the outer diameter of the main body portion and the lock receiver 256. Each magnet bore is illustratively sized to receive a different one of a corresponding plurality of cylindrical magnets 268 therein, each magnet defining a planar face oriented in a direction away from the magnet housing 264. The rear surface of the main body portion of the magnet housing 264 defines a pair of opposed arcuate slots, each slot sized to receive an arcuate metal plate 265A, 265B therein. The arcuate plates 265A, 265B illustratively operate to retain the magnet 268 within the magnet bore. A cylindrical cover plate 270 is received over and engages the exposed end face of the main body portion of the magnet housing 264. The cover plate 270 illustratively defines a hole 270A centrally therethrough that is aligned with the hole defined centrally through the magnet housing 264 and the bottom plate 258, and the hole 270A is sized to receive the lock receiver 256 therein and expose the lock receiver 256 therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the end face of the cover plate 270 is solid such that it covers the surface of the magnet 268, but in an alternative embodiment, the magnet cover plate 270 may define an opening therethrough that is aligned with the magnet 268, as described with respect to the embodiment 10 illustrated in fig. 1A-9C. In any case, the magnet housing 264, the magnet 268, the metal plates 265A, 265B, and the cover plate 270 together illustratively define a magnet assembly 274 that is coupled to the door handle 250A via the cam 252A and rotates with the handle 250A and the cam 252A within and relative to the chassis 258.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of magnets 268 illustratively includes four magnets 268 equally spaced about the perimeter of the lock receiver 256, as illustrated in fig. 16A. Alternatively, the magnet assembly 274 may be configured to include more or fewer magnets, e.g., such that the total number of magnets is one or more. In embodiments including two or more magnets 268, such magnets may be equally or unequally spaced about lock receivers 256, only partially equally or unequally spaced about lock receivers 256, or equally or unequally spaced about or partially about lock receivers 256 individually and/or in subsets. In any of the foregoing embodiments, each of the one or more magnets 268 may be a conventional permanent magnet. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more magnets 268 may be or include one or more conventional programmable magnets, each conventional programmable magnet having a programmable magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength, and/or each conventional programmable magnet having two or more regions in which the magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength may be programmed in a conventional manner. In one exemplary such embodiment, which should not be considered limiting in any way, a single programmable magnet 268 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define at least two magnetic regions of opposite magnetic polarity, and in one particular example, a single programmable magnet 268 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define a plurality of magnetic regions radially distributed about its exposed surface, with each region having a magnetic polarity opposite that of the adjacent region.

In embodiments including the lock receiver 256, the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256 exposed through the opening 270A is illustratively configured (e.g., keyed) to rotatably engage a locking projection carried by the door handle assembly 224, i.e., coupled to a locking projection carried by the door handle assembly 224, such that the locking projection and the lock receiver 256 rotate together in response to rotation of one or the other. An example configuration of the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256 is illustrated in the perspective view of fig. 16A, and in some embodiments is the same as the locking end 56A of the lock receiver 56.

As described above, the shroud 250B of the lever device 250 and the chassis 258 of the door handle assembly 220 are illustratively coupled to one another and both are fixed in position relative to the door 212, while the door handle 250A, the cam 252A, and the magnet assembly 274 are rotatable together relative to the shroud 250B, the chassis 258, and the door 212. In embodiments including lock button 250D, rotatable shaft 250E, spindle 252B, lock receiver spindle 254, and lock receiver 256, lock button 250D, rotatable shaft 250E, spindle 252B, lock receiver spindle 254, and lock receiver 256 may rotate together relative to chassis 258, cover 250B, and door 212, and relative to door handle 250A, cam 252A, and magnet assembly 274 to lock and unlock door handle assembly 220 as also described above.

Still referring generally to the right side of fig. 15, deadbolt assembly 350 illustratively includes a housing pan 360 to which a deadbolt lock lever 362 is rotatably coupled, a lock receiver cup 364 to which a deadbolt lock receiver 366 is rotatably coupled, and a conventional deadbolt assembly 352. In the illustrated assembly, the door 212 defines another cylindrical opening or face 212G therethrough (i.e., defined through the first and second major surfaces 212C, 212D of the door 212 adjacent the latch side 212B), and another cylindrical opening or side opening or passageway 212H therein leading to the face 212G. The deadbolt latch assembly 352 includes an elongated latch housing 354 coupled to a latch plate 356 from which a deadbolt 358 extends. The elongated latch housing 354 is illustratively sized to be received within the side opening or passage 212H with at least a portion of the latch housing 354 extending into the face opening 212G and the latch plate 356 abutting the latch side 212B of the door 212. In some embodiments, the latch side 212B of the door may be joggled to receive the latch plate 356 therein. The latch housing 354 is illustratively conventional and defines a bore therethrough sized to receive a cam extending from the deadbolt lock lever 362 therethrough. The latch housing 354 may operate in a conventional manner to cause the dead bolt 358 to extend therefrom and engage a dead bolt opening in a dead bolt tab adapted to be mounted to the bolt side post 214A when the dead bolt lock lever 362 is rotated in one direction and to cause the dead bolt 358 to be withdrawn from the dead bolt opening in the dead bolt tab when the dead bolt lock lever 362 is rotated in the opposite direction.

The cover pan 360 is mounted to the face aperture 212G and passes through the face aperture 212G, with at least the outer periphery of the cover pan 360 abutting against the major surface 212D of the door 212 around the face aperture 212G, and the cam of the deadbolt lock lever 362 extending into the face aperture 212G and through the aperture defined through the latch housing 354 of the latch assembly 352. The lock receiver cup 364 is mounted in alignment with the face hole 212G with at least the outer periphery of the cup 364 abutting the major surface 212C of the door 212. Deadbolt lock receiver 366 is centrally located within cup 364 and is coupled to the cam of deadbolt lock lever 362. As illustrated in fig. 18B, a plurality of prongs 368 extend outwardly from deadbolt lock receiver 366 in a pattern. Thus, the deadbolt lock receiver 364 may rotate with the deadbolt lock lever 362, and rotation of either the deadbolt lock receiver 364 or the deadbolt lock lever 362 operates the deadbolt 358 as described above.

Referring now generally to the left side of fig. 15 and 19 and 17A-17D, respectively, the door handle assembly 224 includes a lever arrangement 280 having a handle 280A rotatably coupled to a shroud 280B. In general, the handle 280A may be or include any structure or combination of structures that is rotatably coupled to the cover plate 280B. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the handle 280A is provided in the form of a conventional lever that is rotatable relative to the cover plate 280B. In alternative embodiments, the handle 280A may be provided in the form of a knob or other structure that is rotatable relative to the shroud 280B, and in such embodiments, the lever arrangement 280 may alternatively be referred to as a "handle arrangement". The lever device 280 also includes a cam 282A that is rotatably coupled to the handle 280A such that the cam 282A rotates with the handle 280A about the axis of rotation and such that the cam 282A and the handle 280A rotate together relative to the rosette 280B. In embodiments where the door handle assembly 224 is lockable, the handle 280A illustratively defines a central bore 280C sized to receive a rotatable shaft 280E therein having one end coupled to a keyway 280D carried by the handle 280A and an opposite end coupled to one end of a spindle 282B, and in such embodiments, an axis extending centrally through the bore 280C defines the axis of rotation of the handle 280A, cam 282A, and spindle 282B. In such embodiments, rotation of the keyway 280D causes the shaft 280E and the spindle 282B to rotate relative to and independent of the handle 280A, the cam 282A, and the rosette 280B, and rotation of the spindle 282B likewise causes the shaft 280E and the lock button 280D to rotate relative to and independent of the handle 280A, the cam 282A, and the rosette 280B.

The lever arrangement 280 is mounted to the door 222 with the cover plate 280B abutting the major surface 222D of the door 222 about the face opening 222E and the cam 282A extending into the face opening 222E and through the aperture 243' defined through the latch shell 242' of the latch assembly 240 '. In embodiments that include a main shaft, the main shaft 282B also extends into the face aperture 222E along with the cam 282A, and also extends through the aperture 243' defined through the latch shell 242' of the latch assembly 240', as described above. The lock member 304 is illustratively secured to or integral with one end of the lock member spindle 303, and the opposite end of the lock member spindle 303 is coupled to a spindle 282B carried by a cam 282A, such that the lock member 304 rotates with the spindle 282B. In the illustrated embodiment, cam 258A is illustratively provided in the form of an elongated hollow tube, illustratively having a square, rectangular, or other cross-sectional shape, configured such that one or more components that receive cam 282A therein or are received within cam 282A rotate with cam 282A, and vice versa. Spindle 282B is illustratively provided in the form of an elongated structure having a flat and square or rectangular or other cross-sectional shape configured to cause one or more components within which spindle 282B is received to rotate with spindle 282B, and vice versa. In the illustrated embodiment, the lock member spindle 303 illustratively defines a channel 305 therein that is configured to complement the shape of the spindle 282B such that when the spindle 282B is received within the channel 305 defined in the lock member spindle 303, the spindle 282B is rotatably coupled to the lock member spindle 303, and thus to the lock member 304. In such an embodiment where the door handle assembly 224 is lockable, the key slot 280D, the rotatable shaft 280E, the spindle 282B, the lock member spindle 303, and the lock member 304 may rotate together relative to the door handle 280A between an unlocked position, where the spindle 282B and/or the rotatable shaft 280E and/or the key slot 280D cooperate with a component within the lever arrangement 280 to allow the cam 282A to rotate via the door handle 280A to operate the latch bolt 246 'as described above, and a locked position, where the spindle 282B and/or the rotatable shaft 280E and/or the key slot 280D cooperate with a component within the lever arrangement 280 to prevent rotation of the cam 282A such that the handle 280A is prevented from rotating to operate the latch bolt 246'. Also as described above, in some embodiments, door handle assembly 224 may not include a locking feature, and in such embodiments, keyway 280D, rotatable shaft 280E, spindle 282B, lock member spindle 303, and lock member 304 may be omitted.

Mounting plate 284, for example in the form of an annular disc, defines an aperture 284A therethrough that is centrally aligned with face aperture 222E. Bushing 288 defines an outer periphery 288E sized to be received within a bore 284A defined through mounting plate 284. Mounting plate 284 is illustratively secured to cover plate 280B of lock 280 through face aperture 222E, such as via one or more conventional securing members. Thus, the mounting plate 284 and the cover tray 280B are each fixed in position relative to the door 222 such that neither the cover tray 280B nor the mounting plate 284 rotates with the handle 280A, the cam 282A, or the spindle 282B.

The bushing 288 defines a bore 288A centrally therethrough that is sized and configured to receive the cam 282A therein, as shown in fig. 17B, such that the bushing 282 rotates with the cam 282A. A recess or bore 288D is defined in one end 288B of bushing 288 and is sized to receive lock member receiving bushing 320 therein. The walls of the recess or bore 288D have notches 288B, 288C to receive and engage the projections 320B, 320C extending from the bushing 320 to retain the bushing 320 within the recess or bore 288D. The lock member spindle 303 of the lock member 304 is received within and engages the bore 320A defined by the bushing 320 such that the lock protrusions 306 defined at the opposite ends of the lock member 304 project outwardly from the bushing 320. Spindle 282B is received through bushing hole 288A and into hole 305 of lock member spindle 303 to engage lock member 304 such that lock member 304 rotates with spindle 282B.

The magnet housing 298 defines a bore centrally therethrough that is sized to receive the outer periphery 288E of the bushing therethrough. Notches 298C, 298D are defined in the rear side of the magnet housing 298 and engage protrusions 289B and 289A, respectively, extending from the outer periphery 288E of the bushing to rotatably couple the bushing to the magnet housing 298 such that the magnet housing 298 rotates with the bushing 288, which in turn rotates with the cam 282A, as described above. The rear side of the magnet housing 298 also defines opposed arcuate channels 298A, 298B therein that are sized to receive the complementarily-shaped arcuate metal plates 295A, 295B. At opposite locations around the outer periphery of the magnet housing 298, the magnet housing 298 defines apertures 299A, 299B therein, each sized to receive a pin connector 312A, 312B. The C-shaped handle 296 defines complementarily configured holes 314A, 314B therein adjacent each end of the C, and the pin connectors 312A, 312B are received within the holes 314A, 314B to couple the C-shaped handle 296 to the outer periphery of the magnet housing 298.

The rear portion of bushing 288 extends rearward of mounting plate 284, and the outer periphery 288E of this portion of bushing 288 illustratively defines a pair of spaced annular channels therein, each annular channel sized to lockingly engage one of the pair of retaining rings 342A, 342B. For example, the outer periphery 288E of the bushing is illustratively notched at 288F and 288G to receive the tabs 342A2 and 342A1 therein such that the retaining rings 342A, 342B do not rotate relative to the bushing 288. The mounting plate 284 is thus captured between the projections 289A, 289B extending from the outer periphery 288E of the bushing 288 on one side and the retaining ring 342B on the other side. In any event, the stop ring 340 is illustratively positioned on the bushing's outer periphery 288E and held in place by the retaining rings 342A, 342B. In one embodiment, as illustrated in fig. 20B, the stop ring is illustratively prevented from rotating relative to the outer periphery 288E of bushing 288 by key-controlled projections 340B1 and 340B2 extending into notches 288G and 288F, respectively, of the bushing. The stop ring 340 illustratively includes a protrusion 340A that is sized and configured to engage a stop protrusion 284C that extends axially away from the back side 288B of the mounting plate 284. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusions 340A extending from the stop ring 340 and the stop protrusions 284C positioned on the rear surface 288B of the mounting plate 284 together act as a rotation stop mechanism that prevents clockwise rotation of the bushing 288 (and thus the magnet housing 298), but allows counterclockwise rotation of the bushing 288 and the magnet housing 298.

The front surface 298G of the magnet housing illustratively defines a plurality of holes 298H distributed around the lock member 304 such that the central axes of the holes 298H are parallel with the central axis of the hole 288A defined through the bushing 288. Each hole 298H is illustratively sized to receive a different one of a corresponding plurality of cylindrical magnets 302 therein, each magnet defining a planar face oriented in a direction away from the magnet housing 298, and each magnet having an opposing planar face magnetically coupled to one of the metal plates 295A, 295B in order to secure the magnet 302 within the hole 298H. In the illustrated embodiment, the bore 298H is sized such that the exposed planar face of the magnet 302 is coplanar with the exposed front surface 298G of the magnet housing 298, although the present disclosure contemplates alternative embodiments in which the exposed planar face of the magnet 302 is at least partially recessed within the bore 298H. The magnet housing 298 illustratively defines a pair of channels therein, each sized to receive one of a pair of engagement tabs T1, T2 extending from the rear surface of the disc-shaped cover plate 330. The magnet housing 298 illustratively defines a flexible lip 298F around its periphery, and the cover plate 330 illustratively fits against the front surface 298G of the magnet housing 298 with the flexible lip 298F around the periphery of the cover plate 330. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover plate 330 is solid, but in alternative embodiments, the cover plate 330 may define a passage therethrough that is aligned with the magnet positioned within the bore 298H. In any case, the metal plates 295A, 295B, the magnet housing 298, the magnet 302, the cover plate 330, and the handle 296 together illustratively define the magnet assembly 110, which is coupled to the door handle 280A via the cam 282A and rotates with the handle 280A and cam 282A relative to the mounting plate 284.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig. 15, 17B, 17C, and 19, the plurality of magnets 302 illustratively includes four magnets 302 equally spaced around the perimeter of the lock member 304. Alternatively, the magnet assembly 310 may be configured to include more or fewer magnets, e.g., such that the total number of magnets is one or more. In embodiments including two or more magnets 302, such magnets may be equally or unequally spaced about the lock member 304, only partially equally or unequally spaced about the lock member 304, or equally or unequally spaced about or partially about the lock member 304 individually and/or in subsets. In any of the foregoing embodiments, each of the one or more magnets 302 may be a conventional permanent magnet. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more magnets 302 may be or include one or more conventional programmable magnets, each conventional programmable magnet having a programmable magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength, and/or each conventional programmable magnet having two or more regions in which the magnetic polarity and/or magnetic field strength may be programmed in a conventional manner. In one exemplary such embodiment, which should not be considered limiting in any way, a single programmable magnet 302 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define at least two magnetic regions of opposite magnetic polarity, and in one particular example, a single programmable magnet 302 may be used and programmed in a conventional manner to define a plurality of magnetic regions radially distributed about its exposed surface, with each region having a magnetic polarity opposite that of an adjacent region.

As described above, one end of the lock member 304 is coupled to the spindle 282B, and the lock member 304 thus rotates with the spindle 282B and the key slot 280D relative to the door handle 280A, the cover 280B, the mounting plate 284, the bushing 288, the magnet housing 298, and the handle 296. The locking tab 306 extends outwardly away from the opposite end of the lock member 304, and the locking tab 306 is illustratively configured to complement the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256 such that the locking tab 306 rotatably engages the locking end 256A of the lock receiver when the door handle assemblies 220 and 224 are brought together into contact with one another. The exemplary configuration of the locking tab 306 extending from the lock member 304 is illustratively the same as the exemplary configuration of the locking tab 106 illustrated in fig. 6B and described above, and the exemplary configuration of the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256 is illustratively the same as the exemplary configuration of the locking end 56A of the lock receiver 56 illustrated in fig. 6A, although it should be understood that other configurations of the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256 and the locking tab 306 extending from the lock member 304 are contemplated.

As described above, the cover plate 280B of the lever arrangement 280 and the mounting plate 284 of the door handle assembly 224 are illustratively fixed to each other and are both fixed in position relative to the door 222, while the door handle 280A, cam 282A, bushing 288, and magnet assembly 310 are rotatable together relative to the cover plate 280B, mounting plate 284, and door 222. In embodiments that include the key slot 280D, the spindle 282B, and the lock member 304, the key slot 280D, the spindle 282B, and the lock member 304 may rotate together relative to the cover plate 280B, the mounting plate 284, and the door 222, and relative to the door handle 280A, the cam 282A, the bushing 288, and the magnet assembly 310 to lock and unlock the door handle assembly 224, as also described above.

Still referring generally to the left side of fig. 15, the deadbolt assembly 370 illustratively includes a housing disk 380 having a key slot 382 disposed therein, a housing disk 384 to which a deadbolt lock lever 386 is rotatably coupled, and a deadbolt latch assembly 372. In the illustrated assembly, the door 222 defines another cylindrical opening or face hole 222G therethrough (i.e., defined through first and second major surfaces 222C, 222D of the door 222 adjacent the latch side 222B), and another cylindrical opening or side hole or passageway 222H therein leading to the face hole 222G. The deadbolt latch assembly 372 includes an elongated latch housing 374 coupled to a latch plate 376 with a cover extending over and attached to the latch plate 376. The elongated latch housing 374 is illustratively sized to be received within the side opening or passage 222H with at least a portion of the latch housing 374 extending into the face opening 222G and the latch plate 376 abutting the latch side 222B of the door 222. In some embodiments, the latch side 222B of the door can be joggled to receive the latch plate 376 therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the latch side catch 17B does not include a dead bolt strike plate, and thus the latch shell 374 is illustratively a dummy latch shell 374 and serves only as a channel between the key slot 382 and the lock bar 382.

A cover disk 384 is mounted to the face hole 222G and passes through the face hole 222G, wherein at least the outer periphery of the cover disk 384 abuts against the major surface 222C of the door 222 around the face hole 222G, and the cam of the deadbolt lock lever 386 extends into the face hole 212G and through a hole defined through the bolt housing 374 of the deadbolt latch assembly 372. The cage 380 is mounted in alignment with the face aperture 222G with at least the outer periphery of the cage 380 abutting the major surface 222D of the door 222, and the keyway 382 carried by the cage 380 is coupled to the cam of the deadbolt lock lever 386. As illustrated in fig. 18A and 18B, the deadbolt lock bar 386 is configured to complement the pattern defined by a plurality of prongs 368 extending outwardly from the deadbolt lock receiver 366 and/or vice versa such that when the doors 212, 222 are interlocked, the deadbolt lock bar 382 is captured between the prongs 368, thereby rotatably coupling to the deadbolt lock bar 362. With the doors 212, 222 interlocked, either the key slot 382 or the deadbolt lock lever 362 may be rotated to operate the deadbolt 358 as described above. When the doors 212, 222 are separated, the deadbolt lock lever 362 or deadbolt lock receiver 366 may be rotated to operate the deadbolt 358 as described above.

The door handle assemblies 220, 224 may be selectively interlocked, coupled together, or otherwise engaged with one another such that the doors 212, 222 pivot together about one or more hinge assemblies 216, and the door handle assemblies 220, 224 may be selectively disengaged or disengaged from one another such that the doors 212, 222 pivot independently of one another about one or more hinge assemblies 216 (e.g., as illustrated in fig. 3A-4B and described above with respect to door assembly 10). As also described above with respect to door assembly 10 and illustrated in fig. 8, this selective interlocking of door handle assemblies 220, 224 is illustratively achieved by selectively aligning the two sets of magnets 268, 302, then magnetically coupling the two sets of magnets 268, 302 and magnetically coupling therebetween when the two handle assemblies 220, 224 are subsequently brought into contact with one another. When the two door handle assemblies 220, 224 are interlocked, the two deadbolt assemblies 350, 370 are likewise interlocked as described above, and when so interlocked, the deadbolt 358 is operable with the door 212 closed to further secure the door 212 to the bolt jamb 214B as described above. The selective disengagement or disengagement of the interlocking door handle assemblies 220, 224 is illustratively accomplished by: the door lever 250A is rotated in a release direction (as will be described below) until the stop ring 340 of the magnet assembly 310 rotatably coupled to the door handle assembly 224 reaches a release position at which the lever 280A of the door handle assembly 224 is prevented from further rotation in the release direction, and then the door lever 250A is further rotated in the release direction with a rotational force sufficient to overcome the magnetic coupling force between the two sets of magnets 268, 302, thereby separating the two door handle assemblies 220, 224.

As described above with respect to the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1A-9C, the magnets 268, 302 are illustratively arranged such that the exposed surfaces of the magnets 268 alternate in magnetic polarity around the lock receivers 256, and the exposed surfaces of the magnets 302 likewise alternate in magnetic polarity around the lock members 304. With levers 250A and 280A in their un-actuated positions (e.g., horizontal as illustrated in fig. 18A and 18B), the magnetic polarity of the exposed surface of magnet 268 is opposite the magnetic polarity of magnet 302 with which it is axially aligned. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 10-22B, the levers 250A and 280A are each biased to their unactuated or default positions (i.e., the positions the levers 250A, 280A assume when external forces external to the door handle assemblies 220, 224 are not acting on the levers) illustratively by: the latch assemblies 240, 240 'act on the cams 252A, 282A, respectively (e.g., by one or more conventional biasing members carried by the latch assemblies 240, 240') and force the cams 252A, 282A to rotate to a position in which the levers 250A, 280A are in their default positions (e.g., each lever 250A, 280A is horizontal as illustrated in fig. 15, 16A-17B, and 18A-18B). In this embodiment, the interlocked position of the door handle assembly 220 is thus the position of the lever 250A in its default unactuated position, and the interlocked position of the door handle assembly 224 is the position of the lever 280A in its default unactuated position. In some alternative embodiments, the door handle assembly 220 and/or 224 may alternatively or additionally include one or more conventional biasing members that act directly on the lever 250A and/or the lever 280A, respectively, and/or one or more other components that rotate with the lever 250A and/or the lever 280A, respectively, to bias the handle assembly 220, and thus the lever 250A, to its default unactuated and interlocked position and/or to bias the handle assembly 224, and thus the lever 280A, to its default unactuated and interlocked position. Those skilled in the art will recognize other conventional structures and/or techniques for biasing the door handle assembly 220 and/or the door handle assembly 224 to their default, unactuated, and interlocked positions, and it should be understood that any such other conventional structures and/or techniques are contemplated by the present invention.

When the door handle assemblies 220, 224 are brought towards each other by pivoting one door 212 towards the other door 222 about one or more hinge assemblies 216 or pivoting both doors 212, 222 towards each other as illustrated in fig. 18A and 18B, a magnetic attraction is created between each axially aligned and oppositely poled pair of opposing magnet sets 268, 302 such that as the distance between the cover plates 270 and 330 decreases, the magnetic attraction between each aligned pair of opposing magnet sets 268, 302 increases until a magnetic coupling occurs between each of the aligned and oppositely poled magnet pairs 268, 302, which pulls the magnets into contact with each other, magnetically coupling the door handle assemblies 220, 224 together as illustrated in fig. 20A.

Due to such magnetic coupling, the door handle assemblies 220, 224, and thus the doors 212, 222, are secured together adjacent their latch sides 212B, 222B, respectively, such that the doors 212, 222 are pivotable together about the one or more hinge assemblies 216 between a common open and closed position. And because the magnet assembly 274 rotates with the door handle 250A and the magnet assembly 310 rotates with the door handle 280A, rotating the door handle 250A in a clockwise direction or rotating the door handle 280A in a counterclockwise direction, as exemplified by the example in fig. 20A, operates both latch assemblies 240, 240 'simultaneously to couple and disengage the latches 246, 246' from the latch plate 215, as described above.

Fig. 20B illustratively depicts the operation of the stop ring 340 and stop tab 284C when the door handle 280A is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as depicted and described immediately above with respect to fig. 20A. When the door handle 280A is rotated counterclockwise, the stop ring protrusion 340A is rotationally pulled away from the stop protrusion 284C positioned on the rear side 284B of the mounting plate 284, and when the door handle 280A is then rotated clockwise, the stop ring protrusion 340A is rotationally pulled toward the mounting plate protrusion 284C and eventually contacts it, preventing further clockwise rotation of the door handle 280A, as illustrated in fig. 17D. Thus, the default and unactuated positions of the door handle assembly 224 define not only the interlocked position of the door handle assembly, but also the released position of the door handle assembly 224, in which the stop ring tab 304A is in contact with the mounting plate tab 284C, and in which the lever 280A is illustratively horizontal, as illustrated in fig. 17A and 17B. The door handle 280A of the door handle assembly 280 is thus configured to operate the latch assembly 240 'to open the door 222 or to operate both latch assemblies 240', 240 to open both doors 222, 212 simply by rotating the handle 208A counterclockwise to force the stop ring tab 340A away from the mounting plate tab 284C. It should be appreciated that in some alternative embodiments, the door handle assembly 280 may alternatively be configured to operate the latch assembly 240 'to open the door 222 or to operate both latch assemblies 240', 240 to open both doors 222, 212 simply by rotating the handle 208A clockwise to force the stop ring tab 340A away from the mounting plate tab 284C. In any event, the positioning of the stop ring tab 340A and the mounting plate tab 284C relative to the operation of the latch bolt 246 'of the latch assembly 240' or relative to the operation of the latch bolts 246', 246 of the latch assemblies 240', 240 can be as described above with respect to fig. 9A-9C.

With the door handle assemblies 220, 224 brought together and interlocked as illustrated in fig. 19 and 20A, the locking projection 306 extending from the lock member 304 is received within and rotatably engaged with the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256. With the locking protrusion 306 rotatably engaged with the locking end 256A of the lock receiver 256, the lock member 304 rotates with rotation of the lock receiver 256, and vice versa, such that rotation of the lock button 250D to the locked or unlocked position of the door lever 250A is transmitted through the rotatably engaged lock receiver 256 and lock member 304, so that actuation via the keyway 280D also locks or unlocks, respectively, the door lever 280A. Rotation of the key slot 280D, such as by a complementarily configured key, to the locked or unlocked position of the door lever 280A is likewise transmitted through the rotatably engaged lock member 304 and lock receiver 256 to respectively lock or unlock the door lever 250A by actuation of the lock button 250D. By rotating the lock button 250D or the keyway 280D with the door handle assemblies 220, 224 interlocked (i.e., magnetically coupled together), as illustrated in fig. 19 and 20A, the door levers 250A, 280A can thus be selectively and simultaneously locked/unlocked.

As illustrated in fig. 21A and 21B, the door handle assemblies 220, 224 may be separated by rotating the door handle 250A in a counterclockwise direction with the door lever 280A in its default un-actuated and released position (e.g., with the lever 280A horizontal). With the door lever 280A in its unactuated, default and released position, and when the door lever 250A is rotated in a counterclockwise direction with a force greater than the magnetic coupling force between the aligned magnet pairs 268, 302 as illustrated in fig. 21A, the magnet assembly 274 is also rotated counterclockwise relative to the magnet assembly 310 by the counterclockwise rotation of the lever 250A, rotationally pulling the magnet 268 away from the previously aligned and oppositely polarized magnet 302. As the magnet assembly 274 continues to rotate with the counterclockwise rotation of the door lever 250A, the exposed surface of the magnet 268 continues to be pulled away from the exposed surface of the magnet 302 having the opposite magnetic polarity and toward the exposed surface of the magnet 302 having the same polarity. When the exposed surface of magnet 268 is rotated sufficiently away from the exposed surface of previously aligned and oppositely polarized magnet 302, the door assemblies 220, 224 are magnetically separated from one another so that the doors 212, 222 can be separated from one another. When the exposed surface of the magnet 268 is moved into alignment with the exposed surface of the magnet 302 having the same polarity, for example, as the door lever 250A is further rotated counterclockwise, a magnetic repulsion force is generated therebetween for forcing the magnet assemblies 274, 310 away from one another, thereby magnetically assisting in the separation of the door handle assemblies 220, 224 and the separation of the doors 212, 222 from one another, as illustrated in fig. 21B.

With the door handle assemblies 220, 224 separated from one another as illustrated in FIG. 21B, the door handle assembly 224 can be operated from either side (e.g., by rotating the lever 280A and/or the handle 296) to selectively engage and release the latch 246' with and from the strike plate 215. The operation of the door handle 296 is illustrated in fig. 22A and 22B. As illustrated in fig. 21A, the handle 296 is first folded or unfolded outwardly from its default position alongside the magnet assembly 310, as illustrated in fig. 17A and 18A. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 22B, handle 296 can be rotated clockwise to actuate latch 246'. In some embodiments, the handle 296 is configured to return to its default position upon release.

It should be noted that in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 10-22B, the interlock and release position of door handle assembly 224, and thus the operation and positioning of door handle assemblies 220, 224 to interlock and release door handle assemblies 220, 224, is configured differently than in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1A-9C. In the former case, the unactuated, default position of the door handle assembly 224 is its interlocked and released position such that when each of the door handle assemblies 220, 224 is in its unactuated and default positions, the door handle assemblies 220, 224 can be interlocked as described above, and when so interlocked, the latch tongues 246, 246 'of the two latch assemblies 240, 240' can be operated with the door handle assembly 224 by applying an external rotational force to the operating lever 280A to rotate it counterclockwise (or clockwise in an alternative embodiment) from its unactuated, default position, and when the external rotational force is removed from the operating lever 280A, the operating lever automatically returns to its unactuated, default position under bias. Then, to disengage the door handle assemblies 220, 224, an external rotational force is applied to the lever 250A to rotate it counterclockwise, which applies a clockwise rotational force (or counterclockwise force in an alternative embodiment) through the magnetic coupling to the door handle assembly 224, which is initially in its unactuated, default position. Because the stop ring protrusion 340A is in contact with the mounting plate protrusion 284C in the un-actuated default position of the door handle assembly 224, this is also its release position, as the clockwise force applied to the door handle assembly 224 via the counterclockwise force applied to the lever 250A of the door handle assembly 220 further forces the stop ring protrusion 340A against the mounting plate protrusion 284C, eventually separating the door handle assemblies 220, 224. In contrast, in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1A-9C, the door handle assembly 24 has different interlock and release positions, and there is no default position of non-actuation, i.e., the rotational position of the magnet assembly 110 at any one time corresponds to the position to which the interlock lever 96 has recently moved. Door handle assembly 24 must be manually moved to its interlocked position, such as by manually rotating interlock lever 96 clockwise, as illustrated in FIG. 6B (or counterclockwise in an alternative embodiment), and then forcing door handle assemblies 20, 24 together to interlock them via the magnetic coupling as described above. To disengage the door handle assemblies 20, 24, the door handle assembly 20 must be rotated counterclockwise from its interlocked position (such as illustrated in fig. 6B) to its released position (such as illustrated in fig. 9B and 9C) via counterclockwise rotation of the door handle assembly 20, and then rotated further counterclockwise via further counterclockwise rotation of the door handle assembly 20 to disengage the door handle assemblies 20, 24. To thereafter interlock the door handle assembly, the interlock handle 96 must first be manually returned to the interlocked position illustrated in FIG. 6B via a clockwise rotation thereof.

The present invention contemplates the door assembly 10, 210 being provided as an OEM component or aftermarket component. In the latter case, it should be noted that there is no need to provide the jambs 14, 214 and door stops 17, 217, the rocker panels 26, 226 and the doors 12, 212, as they are already in place and installed on and into the building structure, i.e., such a structure would be pre-existing. Rather, in the present application, only one or more of hinge assemblies 16, 216, doors 22, 222, door stop features 19, 219, door handle assemblies 20, 24 or 220, 224, latch assemblies 40, 40 'or 240, 240', and in some cases, locking tab(s) 15A, 15B, or 215 need be provided and installed. In some such applications, deadbolt assemblies 250, 370 and corresponding latch assemblies 352, 372 may also be provided and installed. In some such applications, the door stop member 19, 219 may be keyed to facilitate attachment to an existing, corresponding jamb member 14, 214 and/or to an existing, corresponding door stop member 17, 217.

Embodiments of interlocking door handle assemblies 20, 24, 220, 224 have been illustrated and described herein as implementing rotatable door handles 50A, 80A, 250A, 280A, and in this regard, magnet assemblies 74, 110, 274, 310, lock receivers 56, 256 and lock members 104, 304, door handles 96, 296 and physical stops 120, 122, 340, 284C have all been implemented in the context of such rotatable door handles. However, it should be understood that the present invention contemplates alternative embodiments in which either or both of the door handle assemblies include one or more non-rotating door handles (e.g., a linearly actuated door handle, a non-linearly actuated door handle that is not a circular rotating door handle, etc.).

In the case of an multi-piece door, as described above, it will be appreciated that the alignment of the interacting portions of the handle arrangement or lever arrangement will allow for a better interlocking of the outer and inner doors so as to be able to open and close together in a reliable manner. Certain components are described above as having surfaces or other features that facilitate alignment of such components once they are in close proximity to one another. Such component alignment also relies on the installation of the multi-piece door such that the interacting sides of the respective handle assemblies (20 and 24 above) are properly aligned with one another to form an effective interconnection, as also described above.

Note that when assembling such an integrated door system, misalignment may also result because manufacturing tolerances may accumulate or build up. It can thus be seen that the present invention provides an improvement in the form of adjustment which can be advantageously utilized during the installation process of a multi-piece or single door, and which can improve alignment at a stage where alignment can be set for this latter operation. In the case of multi-piece doors, the adjustment may result from an alignment process that includes mating the coupling or interlocking features of one door with the coupling or interlocking features of another door to self-adjust the at least one latch assembly. For a single door, such adjustment may be used for final alignment of the individual handle assembly components based on door opening or other installation specifications. Such adjustment may be made by the installer. For example, the door opening may be offset or may be in one of a plurality of designated positions. The adjustments and mechanisms for doing so may accommodate such differences as specified or unspecified. The following description is provided as being applicable to an outer door of an integrated door system, it being well understood that this could alternatively be provided for an inner door of an integrated system, or for any single door assembly that may include conventional door handles or levers on both sides of the single door.

Referring now to fig. 23, a handle assembly 520 is illustrated in a partially exploded view showing a lever arrangement or handle arrangement 550 mounted to one side of the door and a coupling element housing 564 mounted to a second side of the door in the manner described above. The handle 550A is rotatably mounted to the door and is surrounded by a shroud or annular ring 550B that is mounted to the surface of the door and is not movable relative to the door. A pair of elongated projections 551 are structurally connected to the annular ring 550B so as not to rotate and extend from the rear side of the annular ring 550B. The rotatable knob 550A is operatively connected to the cam 552 to rotate with the door knob 550A. The spindle 554 is also illustrated as part of a locking mechanism as described above, for example under control of a key as shown. On the other side of the door, a coupling member housing 564 is rotatably mounted to the door by a non-rotating chassis (not shown, but similar to chassis 58 described above) such that, when assembled, coupling member housing 564 may rotate with door handle 550A and cam 552. The ring portion 553 of the coupling element housing 564 may be integrally provided or provided as a separate component to rotate with the coupling element housing 564 and may also be connected with the handle 554 for operation by a user from that side of the door.

A latch assembly 540 is shown operably positioned between the handle device 550 and the coupling element housing 564 to be fitted within a side aperture of a door (e.g., aperture 12F as described above). Such side apertures are preferably shaped and sized to accommodate the shape and size of the latch assembly 540 and position the aperture 543 of the latch assembly 540 in place within the central region of the door through aperture, for example as described above at 12E. The aperture 543 accommodates passage of the shaped cam 552, which includes the spindle 554 (if provided) within a hollow interior thereof. The cam 552 is also operatively connected with the rotating coupling member housing 564 in the manner described above such that the coupling member housing 564 also rotates relative to its chassis as described above. The cam is preferably shaped to transmit rotational motion to the coupling element housing 564 and also to rotate a rotatable member that is operably supported within the latch assembly 540 and through which a hole 543 is provided, as such a hole 543 is preferably shaped similarly to the cam 552. The rotatable member rotates to convert rotational motion into linear motion of the latch 546 in a conventional manner.

Referring now to fig. 24, the latch assembly 540 can include an outer housing 560 that fits within the door side aperture 12F and is fixedly connected (e.g., by welding, spot welding, fasteners, other bonding techniques, metal deformation techniques, etc.) to the latch plate 544. The latch plate 544 preferably includes a first set of openings 588 for mounting the latch plate 544 to a side edge of a door to secure the latch plate and the outer housing 560 to the door. Other ways of securing outer housing 560 in place are also contemplated.

The interior passage 564 of the outer housing 560 accommodates insertion of a latch shell 542 that is operably similar to the latch shell 42 having the more elongated shape described above. As shown, the latch housing 542 includes an opening 566 to provide access to the bore 543 of the rotatable member within the latch housing 542 and to facilitate passage of the cam 552. The latch housing 542 further includes an opening 568 through the latch housing 542 and a slot 570 that also provides a passageway through the latch housing 542. This combination of opening 568 and slot 570 provides for the passage of a pair of assembly screws 562 (see FIG. 23) that connect a non-rotating chassis (not shown) associated with the rotating coupling element housing 564 with the internally threaded boss 551 of the annular ring 550B to position and secure the handle assembly 520 in place to the door. Projection 551 may extend sufficiently such that projection 551 also extends through opening 568 and slot 570 with at least a portion of screw 562, or projection 551 may extend sufficiently through opening 568 and slot 570 such that screw 562 may engage projection 551 without any portion of screw 562 passing through opening 568 and slot 570. The assembly screws 562 and/or the bosses 551 collectively provide a fastening element for connecting the handle assembly 520 together and to the proper location of the door. A hole 561 provided through the coupling element housing 564 accommodates passage of a screw 562 to be secured with the chassis (not shown). Once these screws are tightened in place, the handle assembly 520 is placed in a final operating position on the door.

The latch housing 542 is preferably sized and shaped to be slidably inserted into the outer housing 560 through the interior passage 564 and is adjustable in an insertion or extraction direction, preferably in a linear direction defined by one or more guide surfaces of the outer housing 560, as these guide surfaces slidably contact one or more guide surfaces of the latch housing 542. The outer housing also preferably includes an opening 572 providing access to the bore 543, another opening 574 aligned with the opening 568 of the latch shell 542, and a slot 576 aligned with the slot 570 of the latch shell 542. It can thus be seen that the outer housing 560 provides accommodation for the cam 552 and the screw 562, similar to that which is done for the same purpose with the latch housing 542, to securely mount the handle assembly 520 in place.

Preferably, the latch housing 542 further includes a guide rail 578, which may be an integral or separately provided component that may be sized and configured to interact with a slider 580, which may be integrally or separately disposed on an inner surface of the outer housing 560, such as within the inner passage 564. Such tracks 578 and slides 580 may be provided in any number of different manners and with any number of complementary components to provide an inner guide surface of the outer housing 560 that cooperates with an outer surface of the latch housing 542 to define a direction of movement and, thus, an adjustment of the latch housing 542 relative to the outer housing 560, as further facilitated below. Such tracks 578 and slides 580 may be provided by a combination of guide surfaces of the latch housing 542 and guide surfaces of the outer housing 560, and need not provide any particular guide structure other than at least some guide surfaces of any portion of the latch housing 542 and some guide surfaces of any portion of the outer housing 560, which together define the linear adjustability of the latch housing 542 relative to the outer housing 560 in the adjustment direction.

Also shown in FIG. 24 is a latch cover 582 which may be mounted over the latch plate 544 for aesthetic purposes and which covers portions of the latch housing 542. The opening 584 is sized and shaped for passage of the latch tongue 546 and may provide openings 586 for screws to mount the latch cover 582, which screws will also pass through the openings 563 of the latch plate 544 to further secure the latch plate 544 and the outer housing 560 in place. It is also contemplated that the opening 586 through the latch cover 582 may be aligned with the opening 588 such that the latch cover 582 may be attached to the door by passing through the openings 586 and 588 using screws. In such a case, as described above, the opening 563 may alternatively be used to mount the latch plate 544 to a door side edge, with the latch assembly 540 located within the opening along the door side edge (e.g., at 12F above).

As described above, adjustment is preferably provided between the outer housing 560 and the latch housing 542 in a defined adjustment direction. This defined adjustment direction is preferably horizontal when viewing the installed door, as this direction most likely includes a build-up of manufacturing tolerances. However, the defined adjustment direction may be other, such as vertical or side-to-side, so long as the outer housing 560 is sized to accommodate any other such adjustment direction. It is also contemplated that the latch housing 542 may be adjustable in more than one defined adjustment direction, again so long as the outer housing is appropriately designed to accommodate the adjustment movement. Fig. 25 and 26 show the latch housing 542 partially inserted into the outer housing 560, which may be facilitated by complementary guides 578 and slides 580 to define an adjustment direction. While the openings 566, 568 and slots 570 of the latch shell 542 are preferably circular, the corresponding openings 572, 574 and slots 576 of the outer housing 560 are preferably oversized (e.g., elongated) to provide the outer housing 560 with openings and slots having larger dimensions than the openings and slots of the latch shell 542, at least in the adjustment direction. The openings/ slots 574, 576 may also be oversized in any other dimension. By oversized is meant a dimension larger than necessary to accommodate passage of the screw 562 and/or boss 551, or to accommodate passage of the cam 552 into and through the hole 543. While each of these openings of the outer housing similarly facilitates the passage of the screw 562 or boss 551 and cam 552 (as with the opening of the latch housing 542), the amount of adjustment accommodation or adjustment is limited by the larger opening size of the opening of the outer housing 560 in the direction of adjustment. It should be understood that the latch housing may also be provided with oversized or elongated openings, but it is preferred that the openings/slots of the latch housing 542 be sized to accommodate the screws/bosses 562/551 so that the screws/bosses 562/551 and the latch housing 542 engage and support one another. With the outer housing 560 secured in place to the door during installation, the latch housing 542 can be adjusted relative to the stationary housing 560. FIG. 27 shows the latch housing 542 inserted within the outer housing 560 and with the openings/slots arranged to allow adjustment in either linear manner (to the right or left as shown in the figure) in the adjustment direction.

Such a handle assembly 520 may be provided to one or both doors during door installation, such as an multi-door. At least one of the latch assembly 540 installation procedures will include the steps of: inserting the outer housing 560 into an opening along the side edge of the door, inserting the latch shell 542 into the outer housing, and passing through the chassis, the outer housing 560, the latch shell 542, and into the boss of the annular ring 550B potentially positions the screw 562 in a loose, semi-tightened, or snug state. The cam 552 may also be operatively connected from the handle set 550 to the coupling member housing 564. The two doors may then be brought into close proximity and contact with each other. Thus, the contact may cause adjustment of the at least one latch assembly 540 in the adjustment direction by interaction of the guide surfaces of the cooperating members of the two doors, which preferably may include certain guide features, as described above. It is also contemplated that any number of manipulations may be performed by the installer for alignment purposes. For example, if slightly oversized in the vertical direction, additional vertical adjustment may be provided between the outer housing 560 and the door when positioned within the opening along the door side edge. Bringing the doors together may also cause vertical self-alignment prior to securing the outer housing in place (e.g., by screws through openings 588 and 562). Once alignment is complete or any other adjustment for any reason, the screws through the handle assembly 520 may be tightened to secure the handle assembly 520 in place to one or both doors. If one or the other of the handle assemblies 520 is mounted in place and tightened to one door before the multi-piece doors are brought into contact with one another, while the other handle assembly 520 or the other is more loosely mounted to the other door, the tightened handle assembly may cause self-alignment of the looser handle assembly, which may then be tightened into place upon alignment.

For a single door installation, the process would be the same except that there is no adjustment by contact of one door with another (e.g., based on the installer's manipulation), which may accommodate the installer's adjustments to door or opening modifications, etc.

Another embodiment of a latch assembly 640 is illustrated in fig. 28 and includes a latch housing 642 and an outer housing 660. The outer housing 660 provides an inner passage 664 similar to the inner passage 564 described above, but the outer housing 660 has less structure. In particular, the design of the outer housing 660 may advantageously be formed by a stamping operation from a sheet of material (e.g. metal or any other deformable material). If suitable materials are used or machined, the outer housing 660 may be otherwise formed (e.g., by injection molding), or assembled from parts, or by any other known or developed forming technique. As illustrated, the outer housing 660 includes side walls 661 connected to a bottom wall 665, a top wall 662, and a back wall 669. The top and bottom walls 662, 665 are also preferably connected to side wall portions 667. Together, these walls 661, 662, 665, 667, and 669 define a portion of the box-like volume and provide an interior channel 664. As shown, the individual sheets of material may be sequentially bent as a stamping process to create a box-like volume having a front opening for accessing the interior passage 664 and having a sidewall portion 667 that provides sufficient structure as a second sidewall that can accommodate most of the opening of the latch shell 642. Top wall 662 is also preferably formed to connect with top latch plate portion 644B and bottom wall 665 is preferably formed to connect with bottom latch plate portion 644A; the latch plate portions 644B and 644A provide mounting openings 663 and 688 that are used as described above with respect to the openings 563 and 588 of the latch plate 544.

As described above, the internal channel 664 provides a sliding guide for receiving the latch housing 642 through the internal guide surfaces of the outer housing 660. In particular, the side walls 661 can provide upper and lower guide surface portions, as indicated at 680C, that can slidably engage upper and lower side edge portions of the latch housing 642. Likewise, the upper and lower sidewall portions 667, 667 can provide similar guide surfaces. At least portions of the inner surfaces of the top and bottom walls 662, 665 can also provide guide surfaces. Each or any combination of such surfaces may work together to provide generally linear motion in the adjustment direction. Preferably, the extent of the at least one guide surface of the latch shell 642 and the at least one guide surface of the outer housing 660 facilitates a degree of adjustability of the latch shell 642 relative to the outer housing 660. More preferably, the combination of multiple guide surfaces of each of the latch housing 642 and the outer housing 660 allows for a desired degree of adjustability of the latch housing 642 relative to the outer housing 660 in the adjustment direction. Such guide surfaces may include a track and slide as described above or other complementary structures. The latch shell 642 is shown with a slight track 678 that extends just past the top and bottom edges of the latch shell 642 to reduce contact and, thus, friction during any adjustment in the adjustment direction. The rear wall 669 may provide a limit of movement of the latch shell 642 within the interior channel 664 that preferably allows for a range of adjustment in the direction of adjustment of the position of the latch shell 642 relative to the outer housing 660 in accordance with the present invention.

The housing 642 is otherwise similar to the housing 542 illustration above, including an opening 666 that provides access to the hole 643, and a combination of openings 668 and slots 670 that accommodate screws 562 or other fasteners. The latch 646 is operatively connected to a rotatable element that provides an aperture 643 to extend and retract from the latch housing 642 when the rotatable member is rotated by the cam, as also described above.

The outer housing 660 is shown with certain modified features to accommodate passage of the screw 562 for installation, as described above, and to allow a predetermined amount of play to accommodate a desired amount of adjustability in the direction of adjustment of the latch housing 642 relative to the outer housing 660. In particular, instead of three openings (one opening providing access to the bore 643 and two openings accommodating passage of the mounting screws 562 (which may be openings and slots as described above)), a single opening is provided that includes a central opening portion 672 that provides access to the bore 643 with two opening extensions 674 and 676 that preferably extend at least in a desired adjustable direction between the latch housing 642 and the outer housing 660. It is contemplated that one or more openings may be provided to allow desired access to the apertures 643 and to accommodate the passage of any number of fasteners through the latch assembly 640. Openings 675 and 677 illustrate material saving openings that can be incorporated into the outer housing 660 design in any shape or form as desired.

It is also contemplated that the alignment and adjustment features described above as incorporated into the handle assembly design may also be applied to deadbolt assemblies such as the deadbolt assemblies 350 and 370 (see fig. 15 and 18A, 18B) described above for multi-piece doors. As illustrated in fig. 15, the deadbolt 358 may be extended or retracted from the deadbolt housing 354 into the deadbolt housing similar to the extension or retraction of the latch bolt 246 from the bolt housing 242 into the bolt housing. In accordance with the present invention, such a deadbolt 358 is a particular type of bolt that extends from or retracts into the deadbolt housing 354, which is a particular type of bolt housing, as presently described. Such a locking plug housing 354 can be modified in the same manner as the bolt housing 242 is modified in the above example of the bolt housing 542. Likewise, an outer housing may also be provided that is operatively positioned between the deadbolt housing and the side door opening (e.g., opening 212H) within which the outer housing is to be positioned. During installation for an on-board door, the interaction between the operational connections 366 and 386 of fig. 15 may be used during alignment prior to final tightening of the assembly screws. In the case of a single door with a deadbolt, such adjustment in a defined adjustment direction may be used as part of a designated or otherwise desired adjustment during installation.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that are consistent with the invention and the appended claims are desired to be protected. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, in view of the concepts illustrated and described in detail herein, any modification of one or more of the structures illustrated and described herein to any such alternative embodiments would be a mechanical step.

Claims (10)

1. A latch assembly for a closure to be installed within a side edge of a closure, the latch assembly comprising:

an outer housing having an internal passage open from at least one side of the outer housing, the internal passage defined at least in part by a first guide surface extending in a first direction; and

a latch housing including a latch bolt extending from or at least partially retracted into the latch housing, the latch housing sized and shaped to fit within the internal passage of the outer housing and including at least a second guide surface for movement along the first guide surface in the first direction.

2. The latch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable member operatively connected with the latch bolt such that the latch bolt extends and retracts based on rotation of the rotatable member, wherein the latch housing includes a first opening providing access to the rotatable member for rotation of the rotatable member and the outer housing includes a second opening providing access to the rotatable member when the rotatable member of the latch housing is inserted within the outer housing.

3. The latch assembly of claim 2, wherein the latch shell and the outer housing each include at least one additional open area, the at least one additional open area being aligned with one another and being configured for allowing passage of fastener components during installation of the latch assembly and for securing the latch shell and the outer housing in place to one another and to a door.

4. The latch assembly of claim 3 wherein the latch shell is adjustably supported within the interior passage of the outer housing along the first direction and at least one of the first and second openings is oversized in a dimension of the at least one of the first and second openings extending along the first direction as compared to the shaped aperture of the rotatable component to provide a degree of adjustability of the latch shell relative to the outer housing along an adjustment direction.

5. The latch assembly of claim 4 wherein the degree of adjustability of the latch housing relative to the outer housing is facilitated by a length of at least one of the first and second guide surfaces.

6. The latch assembly of claim 5 wherein the plurality of guide surfaces of the latch shell slidingly engage the plurality of guide surfaces of the outer housing to allow adjustment of the latch shell relative to the outer housing in the adjustment direction.

7. The latch assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one additional opening of at least one of the latch housing and the outer housing is also oversized as compared to a dimension required for the fastener element to pass in the first direction so as to also provide a degree of adjustability of the latch housing relative to the outer housing.

8. The latch assembly of claim 1 further comprising a latch plate secured with the outer housing for attachment to a side edge of a door to secure the outer housing in place.

9. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the first guide surface includes a sliding element disposed along an inner surface of the internal passage extending in the first direction and the second guide surface includes a guide element extending in the first direction and disposed along a surface of the latch housing to engage and slide along a slide of the outer housing for adjustability of the latch housing relative to the outer housing.

10. The latch assembly of claim 3 wherein the at least one additional open area of the outer housing comprises a slot extending from the second opening of the outer housing.

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