Granted Patent B2

US 12,723,433 · App. 18/655,713 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Kenton H. Barker (Fort Collins, CA); Nathanael S. Murphy (Queen Creek, AZ); Austin Roup (Woodland Park, CO); Appu Jacob Varghese (Monument, CO)

Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC

E05B41/00E05B1/0084

Abstract

Claims (52)

1 . An indicator assembly for a lockset having a first state and a second state, the indicator assembly comprising:

a backplate having a first side and an opposite second side, the backplate including an opening that extends between the first side and the second side, wherein the indicator assembly is configured for mounting to a door surface with the first side of the backplate facing the door surface and the second side of the backplate facing away from the door surface;

a transfer link mounted for rotation relative to the backplate between a first transfer link position and a second transfer link position, wherein the transfer link includes:

an input portion positioned on the first side of the backplate;

an actuating portion positioned on the second side of the backplate; and

an arm extending through the opening in the backplate and connected between the input portion and the actuating portion; and

wherein the input portion is configured to drive the transfer link from the first transfer link position to the second transfer link position in response to the lockset transitioning from the first state to the second state;

an indicator comprising a mechanical sign including a first indicium relating to the first state, wherein the mechanical sign is positioned on the second side of the backplate and is operable to be moved by the actuating portion such that the indicator selectively displays the first indicium; and

a transmission connected between the transfer link and the indicator, wherein the transmission is configured to drive the indicator from a first indicator position to a second indicator position in response to movement of the transfer link from the first transfer link position to the second transfer link position.

2 . The indicator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transmission comprises an input component, an output component engaged with the input component via a lost rotational motion connection, and a spring engaged between the input component and the output component.

3 . The indicator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transmission is engaged with the actuating portion via a pair of meshed gear segments.

4 . The indicator assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the arm extends parallel to a plane defined by the backplate.

5 . The indicator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an escutcheon that at least partially defines a receiving space;

wherein the receiving space is further defined by the second side of the backplate; and

wherein the indicator is positioned at least partially in the receiving space.

6 . An indicator assembly for a lockset having a first state and a second state, the indicator assembly comprising:

a link configured to move from a first link position to a second link position in response to the lockset transitioning from the first state to the second state, the link comprising a first gear segment;

a gear comprising a second gear segment meshed with the first gear segment such that the gear moves from a first gear position to a second gear position in response to movement of the link from the first link position to the second link position;

a lever arm having a first lever arm position and a second lever arm position;

an anti-jam spring interposed between the gear and the lever arm, wherein the anti-jam spring is configured to move the lever arm from the first lever arm position to the second lever arm position in response to movement of the gear from the first gear position to the second gear position when the lever arm is free to move, and wherein the anti-jam spring is configured to store mechanical energy in response to movement of the gear when the lever arm is blocked from movement; and

an indicator engaged with the lever arm such that the indicator displays a first indicium in response to the first lever arm position and does not display the first indicium in response to the second lever arm position.

7 . The indicator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the indicator comprises a mechanical sign including the first indicium.

8 . The indicator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the gear and the lever arm are coaxially mounted for pivotal movement.

9 . The indicator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the gear comprises a wall defining a cavity; and

wherein a portion of the lever arm is seated in the cavity.

10 . The indicator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the gear comprises a wall defining a cavity; and

wherein the anti-jam spring is seated in the cavity.

11 . An indicator assembly for a lockset having a first state and a second state, the indicator assembly comprising:

an escutcheon comprising a window and partially defining a receiving space;

a backplate having a first side configured to face toward a door and an opposite second side that further defines the receiving space;

a transfer link mounted for rotation relative to the backplate, wherein the transfer link is configured to rotate from a first transfer link position to a second transfer link position in response to movement of the lockset from the first state to the second state, and wherein the transfer link comprises a first gear segment;

an indicator sign mounted in the receiving space for movement between a first indicator sign position, in which a first indicium relating to the first state is displayed via the window, a second indicator sign position, in which the first indicium is not displayed via the window;

a geared component comprising a second gear segment meshed with the first gear segment, wherein the geared component is configured to cause urging of the indicator sign from the first indicator sign position toward the second indicator sign position in response to movement of the transfer link from the first transfer link position toward the second transfer link position; and

a lever arm engaged with the indicator sign, wherein the lever arm is engaged with the geared component via a lost rotational motion connection.

12 . The indicator assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a spring engaged between the lever arm component and the geared component.

13 . An indicator assembly for a lockset having a first state and a second state, the indicator assembly comprising:

an escutcheon comprising a window and partially defining a receiving space;

a backplate having a first side configured to face toward a door and an opposite second side that further defines the receiving space;

a transfer link mounted for rotation relative to the backplate, wherein the transfer link is configured to rotate from a first transfer link position to a second transfer link position in response to movement of the lockset from the first state to the second state, and wherein the transfer link comprises a first gear segment;

an indicator sign mounted in the receiving space for movement between a first indicator sign position, in which a first indicium relating to the first state is displayed via the window, and a second indicator sign position, in which the first indicium is not displayed via the window; and

a geared component comprising a second gear segment meshed with the first gear segment, wherein the geared component is configured to cause urging of the indicator sign from the first indicator sign position toward the second indicator sign position in response to movement of the transfer link from the first transfer link position toward the second transfer link position;

wherein the first gear segment is positioned in the receiving space and on the second side of the backplate; and

wherein the transfer link further comprises an input portion positioned on the first side of the backplate, and an arm extending through an opening in the backplate.

14 . An indicator assembly for a lockset having a first state and a second state, the indicator assembly comprising:

an input component configured to rotate about a first axis from a first input component position to a second input component position in response to movement of the lockset from the first state to the second state;

an output component operable to rotate about the first axis between a first output component position and a second output component position;

an anti-jam spring interposed between the input component and the output component, wherein the anti-jam spring is configured to drive the output component from the first output component position to the second output component position in response to rotation of the input component from the first input component position to the second input component position when the output component is free to move, and wherein the anti-jam spring is configured to store mechanical energy in response to rotation of the input component when the output component is blocked from movement;

an indicator engaged with the output component and configured to display a first indicium in response to the first output component position and to not display the first indicium in response to the second output component position; and

a transfer link configured to rotate about a second axis in response to movement of the lockset between the first state and the second state, wherein the transfer link is engaged with the input component such that the input component rotates about the first axis in response to rotation of the transfer link about the second axis.

15 . The indicator assembly of claim 14 , wherein a first gear segment of the transfer link is meshed with a second gear segment of the input component to thereby cause the input component to rotate about the first axis in response to rotation of the transfer link about the second axis.

16 . The indicator assembly of claim 14 , wherein the input component and the output component are further engaged with one another via a lost rotational motion connection.

17 . The indicator assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a cavity defined between the input component and the output component, wherein the anti-jam spring is seated in the cavity.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (23)