Rearrangable Door Locking Assembly for Swing Direction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional locking assemblies for doors are cumbersome to reconfigure between left hand swing and right hand swing operative use, requiring relocation of nearly all components, including complex locking mechanisms with many fasteners, which increases the time and effort required for reconfiguration.
Innovation Solution
A locking assembly with a control mechanism that can be moved between two operative positions to facilitate easy reconfiguration, allowing the door to be converted between left hand swing and right hand swing operative use without relocating the locking assembly, by using a housing and coupling member that actuates the locking mechanism differently in each position, enabling conversion through translational or rotational motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the locking assembly is reconfigured by relocating all components including the locking mechanism, then the door can be converted between left hand swing and right hand swing operative use, but the time and effort required for reconfiguration increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The locking assembly is divided into separable components: the locking mechanism remains fixed on the door, while the control mechanism can be independently relocated. This segmentation allows only the necessary control mechanism to be moved during reconfiguration, rather than relocating the entire locking assembly including the complex locking mechanism with multiple fasteners.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to work with the control mechanism in different configurations. The same locking mechanism can serve both left hand swing and right hand swing operations by simply relocating the control mechanism to the appropriate side, making the locking mechanism universal for both door swing directions.
2Reliability
If the locking assembly uses a complex locking mechanism with many fasteners, then the door security is maintained, but the ease of reconfiguration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking assembly is segmented into a secure, fixed locking mechanism and a movable control mechanism. The locking mechanism with its multiple fasteners remains permanently mounted to maintain security, while only the control mechanism requiring fewer fasteners is relocated during reconfiguration, thus maintaining both security and ease of reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The control mechanism is extracted as a separate relocatable component from the locking mechanism. This allows the locking mechanism to remain securely fastened with multiple fasteners for security purposes, while the extracted control mechanism can be easily moved to different positions for reconfiguration between left and right hand swing operations.
3Ease of operation
If the control mechanism is moved between operative positions, then the reconfiguration effort is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control mechanism is designed with dynamic repositioning capability, allowing it to be moved between different operative positions corresponding to left hand swing and right hand swing configurations. This dynamic feature enables easy reconfiguration without permanently fixing the control mechanism in one position, maintaining ease of operation while managing complexity through standardized mounting interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a locking assembly for facilitated reconfiguring of a door between left hand swing operative use and right hand swing operative use. The locking assembly comprising a locking mechanism configured to secure a door to a door frame in a locking state; at least one door bracket by which the locking mechanism is arranged to the door; a control mechanism comprising a housing and a coupling member configured to couple to a handle, wherein the control mechanism, in a first operative position relative said at least one door bracket, is configured to actuate the locking mechanism out of the locking state by operatively moving the coupling member relative the housing in a first direction, and wherein the control mechanism is configured to be moved from the first operative position relative said at least one door bracket to a second operative position relative said at least one door bracket, in which second operative position the control mechanism is configured to actuate the locking mechanism out of the locking state by operatively moving the coupling member relative the housing in a second direction different from said first direction.