Exit device assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580944-B2
Application number	US-201213593041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2012
Priority date	Aug 23, 2011
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An exit device assembly for use in association with a door having a top, a bottom and a generally vertical surface. The exit door assembly includes an exit device configured to be mounted on the surface of the door, the exit device including a manually movable member, a latch mechanism configured to be mounted adjacent one of the top and the bottom of the door, the latch mechanism including a latch movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, and a non-rigid device for causing movement of the latch in response to movement of the manually movable member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An exit device assembly for use with a door having a top, a bottom and a generally vertical surface, the exit device assembly comprising:
an exit device configured to be mounted on the vertical surface of the door, the exit device including a manually movable member;
a latch mechanism configured to be mounted adjacent one of the top and the bottom of the door, the latch mechanism including a latch movable between a locking position and a non-locking position; and
a non-rigid device interconnected with the latch mechanism and the exit device and configured to cause movement of the latch in response to movement of the manually movable member;
wherein the non-rigid device includes a slide member movable in response to movement of the manually movable member, and a cable extending between the slide member and the latch mechanism;
wherein the latch mechanism further includes a blocking member movable between a blocking position in which the blocking member prevents movement of the latch from the locking position, and a non-blocking position in which the blocking member permits movement of the latch from the locking position, and wherein the cable extends between the slide member and the blocking member;
wherein the latch mechanism also includes a rod connected between the cable and the blocking member;
wherein the latch is pivotable between the locking and non-locking positions;
wherein the blocking member is pivotable between the blocking and non-blocking positions;
wherein the rod has an end connected to the blocking member, has an opposite end connected to the cable, and is biased by a spring in a blocking direction so as to bias the blocking member toward the blocking position; and
wherein movement of the slide member in an opening direction causes the cable to pull the rod against the force of the spring and in a direction opposite the blocking direction, thereby pivoting the blocking member from the blocking position to the non-blocking position, thereby permitting the latch to pivot from the locking position to the non-locking position.

2. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-rigid device is mechanical.

3. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-rigid device is non-mechanical.

4. The exit device assembly of claim 3 wherein the non-rigid device includes a solenoid or stepper motor operably connected to the latch.

5. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-rigid device includes a hydraulic device.

6. The exit device assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable is enclosed.

7. The exit device assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable is not enclosed.

8. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein the blocking member has therein a blocking member slot, and wherein the rod is connected to the blocking member by a pin movable in the slot.

9. The exit device assembly of claim 8 wherein the blocking member is pivotable about an axis, and wherein the slot extends radially from the axis.

10. The exit device assembly of claim 9 wherein the latch mechanism also includes a base member, wherein the blocking member is pivotally mounted on the base member, wherein the base member has therein a base member slot in which the pin travels, a first portion of the base member slot extending radially from the axis, and a second portion of the base member slot extending non-radially relative to the axis, wherein the pin is located in the first portion of the base member slot when the blocking member is in the blocking position, wherein movement of the pin is in the first portion of the base member slot during initial movement of the blocking member away from the blocking position, and wherein movement of the pin is in the second portion of the base member slot during subsequent movement of the blocking member away from the blocking position.

11. The exit device assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a second latch mechanism configured to be mounted adjacent the other of the top and the bottom of the door, the second latch mechanism including a second latch movable between a locking position and a non-locking position, and a second cable connected between the blocking member and the second latch mechanism such that movement of the blocking member operates the second latch mechanism.

12. The exit device assembly of claim 11 wherein the first-mentioned latch mechanism is configured to be mounted adjacent the top of the door and the second latch mechanism is configured to be mounted adjacent the bottom of the door.

13. The exit device assembly of claim 12 wherein the second latch is biased toward the non-locking position, wherein the second latch mechanism also includes a second blocking member movable between a blocking position in which the second blocking member prevents movement of the second latch from the locking position, and a non-blocking position in which the second blocking member permits movement of the second latch from the locking position, and wherein the second cable is connected to the second blocking member.

14. The exit device assembly of claim 13 wherein the second latch mechanism includes a rod connected between the second cable and the second blocking member.

15. The exit device assembly of claim 14 wherein the second latch is pivotable between the locking and non-locking positions, wherein the second blocking member is pivotable between the blocking and non-blocking positions, wherein the rod has an end connected to the second blocking member, has an opposite end connected to the second cable, and is biased by a second spring in a blocking direction so as to bias the second blocking member toward the blocking position, and wherein movement of the blocking member of the first-mentioned latch mechanism to the non-blocking position pulls on the second cable and causes the second cable to pull the rod against the force of the second spring and in a direction opposite the blocking direction, thereby pivoting the second blocking member from the blocking position to the non-blocking position, thereby permitting the second latch to pivot from the locking position to the non-locking position.

16. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein, during closing of the door, engagement with a strike moves the latch to the locking position, thereby allowing the blocking member to move to the blocking position.

17. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein, when the latch is in the non-locking position and the blocking member is in the non-blocking position, the latch prevents movement of the blocking member to the blocking position.

18. The exit device assembly of claim 17 wherein, during closing of the door, engagement with a strike moves the latch to the locking position, thereby allowing the blocking member to move to the blocking position.

19. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein, during opening of the door after movement of the blocking member to the non-blocking position, engagement with a strike moves the latch to the non-locking position.

20. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein the latch is biased toward the non-locking position such that the latch moves to the non-locking position when the blocking member moves to the non-blocking position.

21. The exit device assembly of claim 1 wherein the latch and the blocking member have respective surfaces that engage when the blocking member is in the blocking position such that a force on the latch in the direction toward the non-locking position will act through the surfac

Assignees

• Arlinghaus Paul R
• Schacht David M
• Coleman Michael D
• Shareef Abdur Rahman
• Phillips Matthew A
• Austin Marlin
• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Arlinghaus Paul R
• Schacht David M
• Coleman Michael D
• Shareef Abdur Rahman
• Phillips Matthew A
• Austin Marlin

Classifications

• Y10T292/1045

  Operating means · CPC title

• E05B65/1046

  Panic bars · CPC title

• E05B65/1006 Primary

  of the vertical rod type · CPC title

• E05B63/143 Primary

  Arrangement of several locks, e.g. in parallel or series, on one or more wings · CPC title

• E05B53/005

  Bowden · CPC title