Low profile anti-ligature latch handle for sliding doors

1 . A door handle system comprising:

a door handle having a front surface facing away from a door and having a back surface facing toward the door, the door handle comprising:

a lower grip portion;

an upper actuation portion;

a protrusion located on the upper actuation portion, the protrusion extending closer to the door than the back surface; and

a handle attaching structure, and

a door plate comprising:

an attaching structure configured to allow the door plate to attach to the door;

a door plate attaching structure for interfacing with the handle attaching structure for allowing the door handle to pivotally attach to the door plate;

a front face; and

a channel defining structure in the front face defining a channel in the front face for allowing clearance for the protrusion to extend through the front face into the channel and move in the channel when the door handle is pivoted with respect to the door plate.

2 . The door handle system of claim 1 , further comprising smooth surfaces located on the door handle angled downward and configured to cause a ligature contacting the door handle to slide off of the door handle.

3 . The door handle system of claim 2 , further comprising a smooth surface on the door plate configured to cause a ligature to slide off of the door plate onto the door handle and the smooth surfaces on the door handle and off the door handle system.

4 . The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a front side facing away from the door and a back side facing toward the door, the front side having a smooth surface and the back side entering the channel in the door plate,

wherein the smooth surface on the door plate or the smooth surface on the front side of the protrusion is configured to direct a ligature that contacts the door plate or the door handle away from a space between the door handle and the door plate.

5 . The door handle system of claim 1 further comprising:

a stop projection located on either one of the door handle and door plate;

a structure defining a stop hole located on the other of the door handle and door plate than the stop projection the structure defining the stop hole configured and dimensioned to allow the stop projection to fit in the stop hole and limit pivotal movement of the door handle with respect to the door plate; and

a spring located in at least one of either the handle attaching structure and the door plate attaching structure and configured to bias the door handle to a particular pivotal position with respect to the door plate.

6 . The door handle system of claim 5 , wherein one of either the handle attaching structure or the door plate attaching structure is an attaching projection, and the other of the handle attaching structure or the door plate attaching structure that is not an attaching projection incudes an attaching hole dimensioned and configured to allow the attaching projection to fit in the attaching hole.

7 . The door handle system of claim 6 , further comprising a retaining groove located on the attaching projection; and a snap ring and the spring is mounted on the attaching projection and held in place by a snap ring located in the retaining groove.

8 . The door handle system of claim 7 further comprising a shim mounted on the attaching projection and contacting the spring.

9 . The door handle system of claim 6 , further comprising;

an elongated end on the spring;

a spring retaining groove located adjacent to the attaching hole; and the elongated end of the spring is located in the spring retaining groove.

10 . The door handle system of claim 9 , further comprising spring groove located on the attaching projection and dimensioned and configured to receive an end of the spring opposite the elongated end of the spring and allow the spring to urge against the door handle.

11 . The door handle system of claim 5 , further comprising:

a stop tab groove in the stop hole; and

a stop tab configured to fit in the stop tab groove and thereby further limit travel of the stop projection in the stop hole than what would be permitted by the stop hole if the stop tab is not present.

12 . The door handle system of claim 11 , further comprising a second stop tab groove in the stop hole there by allowing the stop tab to be placed in either stop tab groove and thereby further limit travel of the stop projection in the stop hole than what would be permitted by the stop hole if the stop tab was not present.

13 . The door handle system of claim 1 , further comprising door latching interface structure located on the door handle for permitting the door handle to connect to a door latch and articulate the door latch when the door handle is pivoted.

14 . The door handle system of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is at an angle between 3-5 degrees from a flat surface on a back portion of the door handle.

15 . A door handle system comprising:

a door handle having a front surface facing away from a door and having a back surface facing toward the door, the door handle comprising:

a lower grip portion;

an upper actuation portion;

a protrusion located on the upper actuation portion, the protrusion extending closer to the door than the back surface; and

a handle attaching structure, and

a door plate comprising:

an attaching structure configured to allow the door plate to attach to the door;

a door plate attaching structure for interfacing with the handle attaching structure for allowing the door handle to pivotally attach to the door plate wherein both the door handle and the door plate are pivotally attached to each other via the handle attaching structure and the door plate attaching structure and the handle attaching structure and the door plate attaching structure are covered by the door handle and the door plate;

a front face; and

snag free smooth surfaces located on the door handle and the door plate wherein, the smooth surfaces on the door plate and the door handle are configured to direct a ligature that contacts the door handle system away from the door handle and away from a space between the door handle and the door plate.

16 . The door handle system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a stop projection located on either one of the door handle and door plate;

a structure defining a stop hole located on the other of the door handle and door plate than the stop projection, the structure defining the stop hole configured and dimensioned to allow the stop projection to fit in the stop hole and limit pivotal movement of the door handle with respect to the door plate; and

a spring located in at least one of either the handle attaching structure and the door plate attaching structure and configured to bias the door handle to a particular pivotal position with respect to the door plate.

17 . The door handle system of claim 15 , further comprising:

an anti-ligature projection located on the door handle; and

a channel defining structure in the front face defining a channel in the front face for allowing clearance for the anti-ligature projection to extend through the front face into the channel and move in the channel when the door handle is pivoted with respect to the door plate.

18 . A method of keeping elongated members from being retained by a door handle system comprising:

providing snag free smooth surfaces located on a door handle, the door handle having a front surface facing away from a door and having a back surface facing toward the door;

providing snag free smooth surfaces on a door plate;

covering a space between the door handle and door plate with a protrusion on the door handle extending toward the door plate, the protrusion extending closer to the door than the back surface; and

defining a handle protrusion channel in the door plate to allow the protrusion on the door handle to move within the door plate when the door handle pivots with respect to the door plate,

wherein, the smooth surfaces on the door handle and door plate and protrusion on the door handle are configured to direct elongated members that contact the door handle system away from the door handle and away from a space between the door handle and the door plate.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising locating the door handle proximate to the door plate.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising angling the protrusion between 3-5 degrees toward the door plate from a flat surface on a back portion of the door handle.