Surface-Mounted Electric Strike With Limited Keeper Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead mounted strikes require extensive cutting and modification of the door frame for installation, leading to weakened structures and increased costs, and can result in doors being stuck due to improper latch alignment or vertical travel issues.
Innovation Solution
A surface mounted electric strike with a keeper that rotates between latched and unlatched positions without requiring frame cuts, using a compact design with an actuating assembly to allow for keeper rotation and latch release, and a plunger mechanism to control keeper movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a prior art electric strike with rotating keepers is used to release the latch, then the door can be opened without depressing the tubular door handle, but extensive cutting and modification of the door header is required for installation
Solution Approach 1:
The electric strike is divided into separate modular components: a base plate that mounts to the door header, a keeper assembly that rotates independently, and an actuator assembly. This segmentation allows the base plate to be installed without cutting the header, while the keeper assembly can rotate within the confines of the mounted base plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The keeper is designed to rotate within a limited angular range (approximately 45-60 degrees) rather than requiring full rotational clearance. This dimensional constraint allows the electric strike to be mounted on standard door headers without extensive cutting, while still providing the necessary rotation for latch release.
2Ease of operation
If significant cuts are made to the door header to provide clearance for rotating keepers, then the keepers can fully rotate to the unlatched position, but the door header structure is weakened and installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is designed as a separate component that provides the mounting surface and contains the keeper rotation mechanism. This eliminates the need to cut the door header itself, preserving its structural integrity while still allowing the keeper to rotate within the base plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The keeper rotation is limited to a specific angular range (45-60 degrees) rather than requiring full rotation. This parameter change allows the keeper to achieve the necessary unlatched position without requiring extensive clearance cuts in the door header.
3Ease of operation
If the strike is mounted away from the latch to provide keeper rotation clearance, then the keeper can rotate freely, but the latch alignment with the keeper becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is designed as a universal mounting component with a standardized interface that accommodates various latch types and positions. The keeper assembly can be positioned and aligned on the base plate to match the specific latch location, providing both rotation clearance and precise alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The installer can adjust and align the keeper assembly on the base plate after mounting, allowing the system to self-accommodate to the specific latch position without requiring precise pre-alignment during base plate installation.
4Ease of manufacture
If standard overhead surface mounted strikes are used with fixed thickness, then installation is straightforward, but the latch may not retract far enough to clear the upper lip of the cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The keeper is designed to rotate dynamically between latched and unlatched positions rather than relying on fixed vertical travel. This rotational movement provides the necessary clearance for the latch to be released, accommodating variations in latch retraction distance while maintaining a fixed-thickness base plate design.
Data Source
AI summary
A surface mounted electric strike for selectively retaining a door latch of a door is provided. A strike housing defines a cavity and is mounted to a door frame surface. A keeper is mounted within the housing and rotatable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The keeper includes a keeper stop face that is disposed at an angle relative to a keeper face to limit the rotation of the keeper about the axis of rotation between about 45-60 degrees when the keeper moves between latched and unlatched positions. An actuating assembly is configured for moving between a first mode and a second mode, wherein when the actuating assembly is in the first mode the keeper is prevented from moving toward the unlatched position, and wherein when the actuating assembly is in the second mode the keeper is permitted to move toward the unlatched position.