Door handle adapter for sprung hub
View Patent ↗An adapter for either a handle set or a lever set door lever is equipped with a pair of springs to provide a pre-load on the spindle. The pre-load prevents sagging of the lever due to the large mass of the lever. A sleeve in the adapter is formed out of a compressible material that accepts the spindle in a press-fit configuration. This allows for greater manufacturing tolerances while still providing a solid and secure engagement between the spindle and the adapter. As a result, any free play in the lever is eliminated and the lever is maintained in a horizontal, home position when the lever is not in use. Following use through rotation of the lever, the springs promptly return the lever back to the home position while the sleeve prevents any slop or free-play in the lever's motion.
1. A door handle adapter assembly installable on a door and positionable adjacent a latch, the door handle adapter assembly comprising:
a spindle configured to engage a door handle and transfer an input rotational force from the door handle to the latch;
a door handle adapter including:
a flange configured to position the door handle adapter against an exterior surface of the door;
a hub with a central aperture configured to receive the spindle and further transfer the input rotational force from the spindle;
a first engager extending from an outer circumference of the hub;
a second engager opposite the first engager extending from the outer circumference of the hub;
a plate connected to the flange and having a plate opening;
a slider positioned between the plate and the flange, the slider having a slider opening enclosed, a side of the slider opening defining a first receiver and a second receiver, the first receiver configured to engage the first engager and the second receiver configured to engage the second engager such that as the input rotational force is transmitted to the hub, thereby axially rotating the hub, at least one of the first engager and the second engager linearly displace the slider;
the slider having a first spring stop and a second spring stop, wherein the slider and the plate cooperatively form opposing sides and an end of each of a first spring chamber and a second spring chamber,
a first spring positioned within the first spring chamber between the slider and the plate with a first spring end against the first spring stop of the slider and configured to compress when the input rotational force is in a first direction and also when the input rotational force is in an opposing direction;
a second spring positioned within the second spring chamber between the slider and the plate with a second spring end against the second spring stop of the slider and configured to compress when the input rotational force is in the first direction and also when the input rotational force is in the opposing direction; and
a spacer being formed of a material softer and more compressible than the hub and the spindle, the spacer being positioned between the spindle and the hub;
wherein the first spring chamber and the second spring chamber are oriented to hold the first spring in parallel with the second spring and the plate opening is located between the first spring chamber and the second spring chamber;
wherein when the first spring is in an extended position, the first spring stop is on an opposite side of the plate opening from an end of the first spring chamber defined by the plate; and
wherein the spindle extends through the plate opening.
2. The door handle adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the hub is formed of one of zinc, brass, steel, and aluminum, and the spacer is a polymer.
3. The door handle adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the slider is linearly displaced in the same direction when the hub is axially rotated the first direction as when the hub is axially rotated the opposing direction.
4. The door handle adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first spring and the second spring maintain a torsional resistance against the input rotational force at all times.
5. The door handle adapter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the plate opening and at least part of the slider opening are aligned with the central aperture of the hub to allow the spindle to pass through.
6. A door handle adapter comprising:
a flange configured to position the door handle adapter against an exterior surface of a door;
a hub with an open inner circumference configured to receive a spindle and transfer an input rotational force into the spindle;
a first engager extending from an outer circumference of the hub;
a second engager extending from the outer circumference of the hub;
a plate connected to the flange and having a plate opening;
a slider positioned between the plate and the flange, the slider having a slider opening enclosed, a side of the slider opening defining a first receiver and a second receiver, the first receiver configured to engage the first engager and the second receiver configured to engage the second engager such that as the input rotational force is transferred to the hub, the hub axially rotates thereby urging a linear displacement of the slider through contact between one of the first engager with the first receiver and the second engager with the second receiver;
the slider having a first spring stop and a second spring stop, wherein the slider and the plate cooperatively form opposing sides and an end of each of a first spring chamber and a second spring chamber;
a first spring positioned within the first spring chamber between the slider and the plate with a first spring end against the first spring stop of the slider and configured to compress when the input rotational force is in a first direction;
a second spring positioned within the second spring chamber between the slider and the plate with a second spring end against the second spring stop of the slider and configured to compress when the input rotational force is in a second direction opposing the first direction; and
a spacer being formed of a material softer and more compressible than the hub and the spindle, the spacer configured to be press-fitted between the spindle and the hub;
wherein the first spring chamber and the second spring chamber are oriented to hold the first spring in parallel with the second spring and the plate opening is located between the first spring chamber and the second spring chamber;
wherein when the first spring is in an extended position, the first spring stop is on an opposite side of the plate opening from an end of the first spring chamber defined by the plate; and
wherein the spindle extends through the plate opening.
7. The door handle adapter according to claim 6 , wherein the hub is formed of one of zinc, brass, steel, and aluminum, and the spacer is a polymer.
8. The door handle adapter according to claim 6 , wherein the slider is linearly displaced in the same direction irrespective of a direction of the input rotational force of the hub.
9. The door handle adapter according to claim 6 , wherein the first spring and the second spring maintain a torsional resistance against the input rotational force at all times.
10. A door handle adapter comprising:
a flange configured to position the door handle adapter against an exterior surface of a door;
a hub with an open inner circumference configured to receive a spindle and transfer an input rotational force into the spindle;
a first engager extending from an outer circumference of the hub;
a plate connected to the flange and having a plate opening;
a slider positioned between the plate and flange, the slider having a slider opening enclosed, a side of the slider opening defining a first receiver, the first receiver configured to engage the first engager such that as the input rotational force is transferred to the hub, the hub axially rotates thereby urging a linear displacement of the slider inwardly toward the spindle through contact between the first engager with the first receiver;
the slider having a first spring stop, wherein the slider and the plate cooperatively form a first spring chamber;
a first spring positioned within the first spring chamber between the slider and the plate with an end against the first spring stop of the slider and configured to compress when the input rotational force is in a first direction; and
a spacer being formed of a material softer and more compressible than the hub and the spindle, the spacer configured to be press-fitted between the spindle and the hub;
wherein the first spring chamber and a second spring chamber are oriented to hold the first spring in parallel with a second spring and the plate opening is located between the first spring chamber and the second spring chamber;
wherein when the first spring is in an extended position, the first spring stop is on an opposite side of the plate opening from an end of the first spring chamber defined by the plate; and
wherein the spindle extends through the plate opening.
11. The door handle adapter according to claim 10 , wherein the hub is formed of one of zinc, brass, steel, and aluminum, and the spacer is a polymer.
12. The door handle adapter according to claim 10 , wherein the slider is linearly displaced in the same direction irrespective of a direction of the input rotational force of the hub.
13. The door handle adapter according to claim 10 , wherein the first spring maintains a torsional resistance against the input rotational force at all times.