| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 1 903 167 B1 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
| (45) |
Mention of the grant of the patent: |
|
30.06.2010 Bulletin 2010/26 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 11.09.2007 |
|
| (51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC):
|
|
| (54) |
Cover plate
Abdeckplatte
Plaque de recouvrement
|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO
SE SI SK TR |
| (30) |
Priority: |
22.09.2006 FI 20065585
|
| (43) |
Date of publication of application: |
|
26.03.2008 Bulletin 2008/13 |
| (73) |
Proprietor: Abloy Oy |
|
80100 Joensuu (FI) |
|
| (72) |
Inventors: |
|
- Saarinen, Jarmo
FI-33880, Lempäälä (FI)
- Seppänen, Sauli
FI-80160, Joensuu (FI)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Gustafsson, Aulis Valdemar |
|
AWEK Industrial Patents Ltd Oy
P.O. Box 230 00101 Helsinki 00101 Helsinki (FI) |
| (56) |
References cited: :
EP-A- 0 565 382
|
EP-A- 1 526 230
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
|
Field of technology
[0001] The present invention relates to cover plates used in connection with locks on doors,
hatches etc. Cover plates can be associated with handles, pulls, knobs, other lock
accessories or cylinder bodies.
Prior art
[0002] Cover plates are used in connection with locks on doors, hatches etc. to cover machined
openings made in the mounting base, for example a door. In some cases, mounting plates
are used for attaching lock accessories. Machined openings are required for lock accessories
and the cylinder body. In other words, machined openings are required for using the
lock. Common lock accessories include a handle, a knob and a pull. A machined opening
is often made through the door, creating holes on both sides of the door. When there
are cover plates on opposite sides of the door to cover the machined opening, a normal
way is to fasten the cover plates to each other using through-screws or through-bolts
that make the cover plates press against the door. The fasteners - that is, the through-screws
or through-bolts - are arranged to go through holes in the lock body within the door.
[0003] EP 1526230 A2 describes this kind of a solution wherein cover plates are fixed to each other and
to the stile between them by using through-screws.
[0004] If the intention is to fit a handle with spindle into an opening made in the cover
plate for the spindle, the plate is often called a handle plate. On the other hand,
if the cover plate is intended for installation in connection with a cylinder body,
it is often called a cylinder body plate or protective ring. A cover plate with no
opening for a handle, cylinder body or other component is normally used for covering
the machined opening on the opposite side of the door. The cover plate may also be
designed for fitting a knob, in which case it is called a knob plate. Thus a cover
plate generally refers to all types of cover plates that cover the machined opening
made in the mounting base.
[0005] The purpose of cover plates is to protect the lock body and spindle within the door
against external contamination and vandalism. A cover plate is also aesthetically
more appealing than an open machined opening. Particularly in connection with external
doors, a cover plate is required to have a protective effect against burglary. The
burglar protection features of cover plates are already quite good but should be improved
for particularly demanding installations.
Short description of invention
[0006] The objective of the invention is to improve the burglar protection features of cover
plates. The purpose will be achieved as described in Claim 1. The other claims describe
various embodiments of the invention.
[0007] A cover plate 1, 11 according to the invention comprises at least one threaded hole
3, 4, 14 for a fastener. The fastener is usually a screw or a threaded bolt. The mouths
of the threaded hole or holes are on the back side of the cover plate. The mouth of
the threaded hole comprises an expansion 8, 13, 17, 18 so that the diameter of the
expansion crosswise to the axis of the threaded hole 3, 4, 14 is greater than the
outer diameter of the thread in the threaded hole at least in part of the expansion
area.
[0008] In an embodiment of the invention, the mouth of the threaded hole is bevelled to
make a conical shape in which the conical bevelled surface 8, 13 becomes narrower
from the mouth of the hole towards the bottom of the hole; the threaded edges 10,
15 of the hole are bevelled along the narrower section of the conical bevelling, and
along the wider section of the conical bevelling, the diameter of the bevelled hole
is greater than the outer diameter of the thread in the threaded hole.
[0009] The expansion at the mouth of the threaded hole reduces the shearing force imposed
on the fastener when an attempt is made to strike the cover plate off the mounting
base by an impact parallel to the mounting base surface.
List of figures
[0010] In the following, the invention is described in more detail by reference to the enclosed
drawings, where
- Figure 1
- illustrates an example of a cover plate viewed from the side of the front face,
- Figure 2
- illustrates the example of Figure 1 viewed from the back,
- Figure 3
- illustrates the example of Figure 1 viewed from the side,
- Figure 4
- illustrates a cross-section of the example of Figure 1,
- Figure 5
- illustrates another example of a cover plate according to the invention,
- Figure 6
- illustrates the example of Figure 5 viewed from the side,
- Figure 7
- illustrates a cross-section of the example of Figure 5,
- Figure 8
- illustrates an expansion to the mouth of the threaded hole according to the invention,
and
- Figure 9
- illustrates another example of an expansion to the mouth of the threaded hole according
to the invention.
Description of the invention
[0011] An embodiment of a cover plate 1 according to the invention is illustrated in Figure
1 viewed from the side of the front face of the plate. Figure 2 illustrates the same
embodiment viewed from the back, while Figure 3 illustrates it viewed from the side.
This embodiment is intended for so-called profile doors having a metal structure.
The front face 7 of the cover plate covers the machined openings or opening made in
the mounting base. Figure 4 illustrates a cross-section of this embodiment.
[0012] The embodiment in Figures 1 to 4 comprises two threaded holes 3, 4 for fasteners
that are used to attach the cover plate against the mounting base. The fasteners are
usually screws or threaded bolts. The mouths of the threaded holes 3, 4 are on the
back side of the cover plate. Furthermore, this embodiment has a separate threaded
hole 2 for the end of the spindle of the handle. Thus the cover plate 1 in the figures
is intended for installation in the machined openings or opening on the opposite side
of the door while the handle is on the other side. The cover plate also comprises
a support structure 6, 5 specific to each threaded hole, and each hole is located
within said support structure.
[0013] A cover plate according to the invention can naturally be implemented in some other
way as well. For example, the cover plate may have only one threaded hole for a fastener,
or the plate may be of some other type of cover plate. The support structure may be
common to all of the threaded holes.
[0014] Thus a cover plate 1 according to the invention comprises at least one threaded hole
3, 4 for a fastener. In this embodiment, the expansion at the mouth of the threaded
hole is bevelled to make a conical shape in which the conical bevelled surface 8 becomes
narrower from the mouth of the hole towards the bottom of the hole; the threaded edges
10 of the hole are bevelled along the narrower section of the conical bevelling, and
along the wider section of the conical bevelling, the diameter of the bevelled hole
is greater than the outer diameter of the thread in the threaded hole.
[0015] Figure 4 illustrates the outer diameter D of the thread 10 of the hole. As can be
seen, the diameter of the hole is greater than D along the part of the bevelling that
goes towards the mouth. Along the part of the bevelling going towards the bottom of
the hole, the threads 10 of the hole are bevelled in accordance with the conical bevelled
surface. Such a bevelling reduces the shearing force imposed on the fastening screw
or bolt when the installed cover plate receives a lateral impact. A lateral impact
has a force component parallel to the surface of the mounting base. In other words,
the bevelling is sufficiently deep and its outer diameter is sufficiently large.
[0016] The bevelling according to the invention and its operation differ from prior art
bevellings at the mouths of threaded holes, the purpose of which is to facilitate
screwing a screw into the hole. Figure 4 also illustrates a prior art bevelling 9
at the mouth of a threaded hole in connection with the spindle hole 2. In prior art
bevellings, the outer diameter of the thread in the hole corresponds to the greatest
diameter of the bevelling.
[0017] It has been observed that in the conical bevelling according to the invention, a
solid angle α that is between 15 and 45 degrees and a length C of the bevelling in
the direction of the hole that is between 3 and 6 mm are preferred dimensions for
reducing the shearing force imposed on the fastener. The dimensions of the bevelling
can naturally deviate from those specified here, particularly if the embodiment of
the cover plate deviates greatly from conventional cover plates.
[0018] Figures 5 to 7 illustrate another type of a cover plate 11 containing a structure
12 that is intended to be embedded into the machined opening. The more extensive part
of the cover plate structure is not intended to be embedded. The threaded holes 14
are placed within the entire structure of the cover place so that some of the holes
are intended to be embedded into the machined opening together with the embedded structure.
Furthermore, the embedded structure 12 is common to the threaded holes. The mouths
of the threaded holes comprise a conical bevelling 13 according to the invention so
that the threads 15 of the hole are bevelled only along the narrower part of the bevelling.
In the centre, there is a hole 16 for the end of the spindle.
[0019] Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the expansion at the
mouth of the threaded hole has the shape of a cylinder 17, the diameter of said cylinder
being greater than the outer diameter of the thread in the threaded hole. The diameter
of the cylinder is preferably 0.3 to 2 mm greater than the outer diameter of the thread
in the threaded hole.
[0020] Figure 9 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the expansion at the
mouth of the threaded hole has the shape of a convex-surfaced funnel 18 that becomes
narrower from the mouth of the hole towards the bottom of the hole; the threaded edges
10 of the hole are bevelled along the narrower part of the funnel, and along the wider
part of the funnel, the diameter of the funnel is greater than the outer diameter
of the thread in the hole. In the embodiments of both Figure 8 and Figure 9, the preferred
length of the expansion in the axial direction of the hole is 3 to 6 mm.
[0021] As can be noted, the expansion at the mouth of the threaded hole can be implemented
in many different ways. Methods other than those illustrated in the figures are also
possible; an example is a square conical bevelling (pyramid-shaped bevelling). The
dimensions specified above are preferable in connection with common implementations
but different dimensions may also be used depending on the implementation.
[0022] The expansion at the mouth of the threaded hole is on the back side of the cover
plate that faces the mounting base when installed. Thus the expansion remains hidden
and is not intended for the head of a screw, for example, like bores located in connection
with some holes on external surfaces. The hidden expansion efficiently distributes
the force of a lateral impact imposed on the cover plate across several points or
a more extensive area, reducing the shearing force imposed on the fastener.
[0023] The structure 6, 12 of the cover plate within which the threaded hole is located
can be arranged to partially sink into the machined opening in the mounting base as
illustrated in the examples in the figures. The structure may be specific to each
threaded hole or common. A structure embedded into the machined opening increases
break-in strength and reduces the shearing force imposed on the fasteners as a lateral
impact makes the embedded structure lean on the edge of the machined opening, receiving
part of the force of the lateral impact.
[0024] At the depth A of the embedded structure, the mouth of the threaded hole can be moved
away from the level of the mounting base, which will also reduce the shearing force
manifested at the mouth of the threaded hole. Thus the expansion at the mouth of the
threaded hole can be entirely located within the part of the structure that is intended
to sink into the machined opening. The thickness B of the structure also affects break-in
strength.
1. A cover plate (1, 11) intended to be arranged to cover a machined opening made in
a mounting base for the purpose of using a lock, said cover plate (1, 11) comprising
at least one threaded hole (3, 4, 14) for a fastener and the mouth of the threaded
hole (3,4,14) being on the back side of the cover plate, characterised in that the mouth of the threaded hole comprises an expansion (8, 13, 17, 18) so that the
diameter of the expansion crosswise to the axis of the threaded hole (3, 4, 14) is
greater than the outer diameter of the thread in the threaded hole at least in part
of the expansion area.
2. A cover plate according to Claim 1, characterised in that the expansion at the mouth of the threaded hole is conical so that the conical bevelled
surface (8) becomes narrower from the mouth of the hole towards the bottom of the
hole and that the threaded edges (10) of the hole are bevelled along the narrower
section of the conical bevelling, and along the wider section of the conical bevelling,
the diameter of the bevelled hole is greater than the outer diameter of the thread
in the threaded hole.
3. A cover plate according to Claim 2, characterised in that the solid angle of the conical bevelling is 15 to 45 degrees and the length of the
conical bevelling in the direction of the hole is 3 to 6 mm.
4. A cover plate according to Claim 1, characterised in that the expansion at the mouth of the threaded hole has the shape of a convex-surfaced
funnel (18) that becomes narrower from the mouth of the hole towards the bottom of
the hole and that the threaded edges (10) of the hole are bevelled along the narrower
part of the funnel, and along the wider part of the funnel, the diameter of the funnel
is greater than the outer diameter of the thread in the hole.
5. A cover plate according to claim 1, characterised in that the expansion at the mouth of the threaded hole has the shape of a cylinder (17),
the diameter of said cylinder being greater than the outer diameter of the thread
in the threaded hole.
6. A cover plate according to Claim 5, characterised in that the diameter of the cylinder is 0.3 to 2 mm greater than the outer diameter of the
thread in the threaded hole.
7. A cover plate according to Claim 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that the length of the expansion in the direction of the hole is 3 to 6 mm.
8. A cover plate according to any of the Claims from 1 to 7, characterised in that the structure (6, 12) of the cover plate in which the threaded hole is located is,
in use, arranged to sink at least partially into the machined opening in the mounting
base.
9. A cover plate according to Claim 8, characterised in that the expansion (8, 13, 17, 18) at the mouth of the threaded hole is located in a part
of the structure (6, 12) that is intended to sink into the machined opening.
1. Abdeckplatte (1, 11), die zum Anordnen zum Abdecken einer maschinell gefertigten Öffnung
bestimmt ist, welche in einer Grundplatte zum Benutzen einer Verriegelung hergestellt
ist, die Abdeckplatte (1, 11) umfassend zumindest ein Gewindeloch (3, 4, 14) für ein
Befestigungselement, wobei sich die Mündung des Gewindelochs (3, 4, 14) auf der Rückseite
der Abdeckplatte befindet, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Mündung des Gewindelochs eine Aufweitung (8, 13, 17, 18) umfasst, sodass der
Durchmesser der Aufweitung quer zu der Achse des Gewindelochs (3, 4, 14) größer als
der Außendurchmesser des Gewindes in dem Gewindeloch zumindest in einem Teil des Aufweitungsbereichs
ist.
2. Abdeckplatte nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Aufweitung an der Mündung des Gewindelochs konisch ist, sodass die konisch abgefaste
Fläche (8) von der Mündung des Lochs zum Boden des Lochs enger wird, und dass die
Gewindekanten (10) des Lochs den engeren Teil des Trichters entlang abgefast sind
und der Durchmesser des Trichters entlang des breiteren Teils des Trichters größer
als der Außendurchmesser des Gewindes in dem Gewindeloch ist.
3. Abdeckplatte nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Raumwinkel der konischen Abfasung 15 bis 45 Grad beträgt und die Länge der konischen
Abfasung in der Richtung des Lochs 3 bis 6 mm beträgt.
4. Abdeckplatte nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Aufweitung an der Mündung des Gewindelochs die Form eines Trichters (18) mit
konvexer Fläche aufweist, der von der Mündung des Lochs zum Boden des Lochs enger
wird, und dass die Gewindekanten (10) des Lochs den engeren Teil des Trichters entlang
abgefast sind und der Durchmesser des Trichters entlang des breiteren Teils des Trichters
größer als der Außendurchmesser des Gewindes in dem Loch ist.
5. Abdeckplatte nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Aufweitung an der Mündung des Gewindelochs die Form eines Zylinders (17) aufweist,
wobei der Durchmesser des Zylinders größer als der Außendurchmesser des Gewindes in
dem Gewindeloch ist.
6. Abdeckplatte nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Durchmesser des Zylinders 0,3 bis 2 mm größer als der Außendurchmesser des Gewindes
in dem Gewindeloch ist.
7. Abdeckplatte nach einem der Ansprüche 4, 5 oder 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Länge der Aufweitung in der Richtung des Lochs 3 bis 6 mm beträgt.
8. Abdeckplatte nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Struktur (6, 12) der Abdeckplatte, in der sich das Gewindeloch befindet, im Gebrauch
zum Absenken zumindest teilweise in die maschinell gefertigte Öffnung in der Grundplatte
angeordnet ist.
9. Abdeckplatte nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sich die Aufweitung (8, 13, 17, 18) an der Mündung des Gewindelochs in einem Teil
der Struktur (6, 12) befindet, die zum Absinken in die maschinell gefertigte Öffnung
bestimmt ist.
1. Couvercle (1, 11) destiné à être aménagé pour recouvrir une ouverture mécanique réalisée
dans une base de montage dans le but d'utiliser un verrou, ledit couvercle (1, 11)
comprenant au moins un trou fileté (3, 4, 14) pour une fixation et l'embouchure du
trou fileté (3, 4, 14) étant sur la face arrière du couvercle, caractérisé en ce que l'embouchure du trou fileté comprend une expansion (8, 13, 17, 18) de façon à ce
que le diamètre de l'expansion transversalement à l'axe du trou fileté (3, 4, 14)
soit supérieur au diamètre extérieur du filet dans le trou fileté au moins en partie
de la zone de l'expansion.
2. Couvercle selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'expansion à l'embouchure du trou fileté est conique, de façon à ce que la surface
chanfreinée conique (8) rétrécit depuis l'embouchure du trou vers le fond du trou
et que les bords filetés (10) du trou sont chanfreinés le long de la section plus
étroite du chanfreinage conique, et le long de la section plus large du chanfreinage
conique, la diamètre du trou chanfreiné est supérieur au diamètre extérieur du filet
dans le trou fileté.
3. Couvercle selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que l'angle solide du chanfreinage conique est de 15 à 45 degrés et la longueur du chanfreinage
conique en direction du trou est de 3 à 6 mm.
4. Couvercle selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'expansion à l'embouchure du trou fileté a la forme d'un entonnoir à surface convexe
(18) qui rétrécit depuis l'embouchure du trou vers le fond du trou et que les bords
filetés (10) du trou sont chanfreinés le long de la section plus étroite de l'entonnoir,
et le long de la partie plus large de l'entonnoir, le diamètre de l'entonnoir est
supérieur au diamètre extérieur du filet dans le trou.
5. Couvercle selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'expansion à l'embouchure du trou fileté a la forme d'un cylindre (17), le diamètre
dudit cylindre étant supérieur au diamètre extérieur du filet dans le trou fileté.
6. Couvercle selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que le diamètre du cylindre est de 0,3 à 2 mm plus grand que le diamètre extérieur du
filet dans le trou fileté.
7. Couvercle selon la revendication 4, 5 ou 6, caractérisé en ce que la longueur de l'expansion dans la direction du trou est de 3 à 6 mm.
8. Couvercle selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes 1 à 7, caractérisé en ce que la structure (6, 12) du couvercle dans laquelle le trou fileté est placé est, en
utilisation, disposée pour plonger au moins partiellement dans l'ouverture mécanique
dans la base de montage.
9. Couvercle selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que l'expansion (8, 13, 17, 18) à l'embouchure du trou fileté est disposée dans une partie
de la structure (6, 12) qui est destinée à plonger dans l'ouverture mécanique.


REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description