Doorknob indicating system

Abstract

A doorknob indicating system includes an exterior doorknob disposed on an interior side of a door, an interior doorknob disposed on an exterior side of the door, an LED on an escutcheon of said exterior doorknob, a user interface on an escutcheon of said interior doorknob, a source of electrical power, and a controller. The LED, the user interface, and the source of electrical power are operatively connected to the controller. The controller is programmed to illuminate the LED for one or more determined time intervals based upon an input received by the user interface.

Claims

1. A doorknob indicating system for visually indicating a status of a room, the doorknob indicating system comprising: an interior doorknob disposed on an interior side of a door; an exterior doorknob disposed on an exterior side of the door; an LED on an escutcheon of said exterior doorknob; a user interface on an escutcheon of said interior doorknob; an electrically operated lock; a first source of electrical power; a first wireless transceiver; a first controller, said LED, said user interface, said electrically operated lock, said source of electrical power, and said first wireless transceiver operatively connected to said first controller; an exhaust fan having a motor; a second source of electrical power; a second wireless transceiver; a second controller, said motor, said second source of electrical power, and said second wireless transceiver operatively connected to said second controller; said first controller programmed to illuminate said LED for a determined time intervals based upon an input received by said user interface; and said first controller operating to send a wireless signal via said first wireless transceiver to said second controller via said second wireless transceiver to turn said motor on at the start of said time interval and then again to turn the fan motor off when the time interval expires, said first controller further operating to in response to the input received by said user interface place said electrically operated lock in a locked state during said time interval and in an unlocked state when said time interval expires.

2. The doorknob indicating system of claim 1, wherein said LED is a multi-color LED.

3. The doorknob of indicating system of claim 1, wherein said user interface is a button.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The following drawings illustrate by way of example and are included to provide further understanding of the invention for the purpose of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the invention. No attempt is made to show structural details of the embodiments in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. Identical reference numerals do not necessarily indicate an identical structure. Rather, the same reference numeral may be used to indicate a similar feature of a feature with similar functionality. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a prospective view of a doorknob indicator system constructed in accordance with the principles of an embodiment of the invention, showing the system on an exterior portion of a door;

(3) FIG. 2 is a prospective view of a doorknob indicator system constructed in accordance with the principles of an embodiment of the invention, showing the system on an interior portion of a door;

(4) FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a doorknob indicator system constructed in accordance with the principles of an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an alternative doorknob indicator system constructed in accordance with the principles of an embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exhaust fan used in conjunction with the doorknob indicator system constructed in accordance with the principles of an embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the exhaust fan and doorknob indicator system; and

(8) FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an alternative doorknob indicator system constructed in accordance with the principles of an embodiment of the invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is representatively illustrated a doorknob indicating system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. System 10 includes an exterior knob 14 located on the exterior side 16 of the door 12 and an interior knob 18 located on the interior side 20 of the door. Conventionally, a lock 22 that is located on the interior knob 18 is selectable to lock or unlock latch 24.

(10) A status indicator in the form of an LED light 26 is located on the escutcheon 32 of the exterior knob 14 so as to be seen by a person approaching the door 12. A user interface 34, representatively shown as a button, is located on the escutcheon 36 of the interior knob 18 so as to be accessed by a user of the system 10. The LED light 26, the button 34, and source of electrical power 40 (e.g., battery, solar, etc.) are operatively connected to controller 38, such as a PLC or the like. In the representatively illustrated embodiment, a person desiring to notify others that the restroom was previously used and may contain offensive odors would press the button 34 causing the controller 38 to operatively illuminate the LED 26 for a predetermined time period, such as, for example 15 minutes. Thus while the LED 26 is illuminated, a person from outside the door 12 would be alerted that the restroom was just used and may have offensive odor.

(11) Alternative embodiments are possible. For example, different pre-set time periods could be selected by pressing the button more than once. In such an example, time periods could be stacked in five minute intervals (e.g., 5, 10, and 15 minutes) depending on the number of times the button is pressed. In other embodiments, duration of one or more time periods may be customized by the user. Further yet, the LED 26 could be a multi-color LED that could illuminate red and then green after the time expired, for example. Alternatively, the LED 26 could illuminate red for a time interval, then orange for a second time interval, then yellow for a third time interval, and then green after the time expires. In further embodiments, multiple LEDs could be used, each having a different color and being illuminated during a particular time interval. In yet further embodiment, the user interface may include more than one button and may also include a status indicator 35 to the user.

(12) With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the system 10 can also be configured to operate an exhaust fan 42. The exhaust fan motor 44, power 46, and wireless transceiver 48 are operatively connected to a controller 50. And a wireless transceiver 52 is operatively connected to controller 38. In this embodiment, controller 38 operates to send a wireless signal via transceiver 52 to controller 50 via transceiver 48 to turn the fan motor 44 on at the start of a time interval and then again to turn the fan motor off when the time interval expires. In other words, the exhaust fan 42 would be wirelessly controlled such that the fan is turned on upon activating a time interval and then turned off at the expiration of the time interval. For instance, if a user selected a five minute interval, the exhaust fan would operate during that five minute period.

(13) With reference to FIG. 7, in another configuration, the door lock could be an electrically operated lock 54 that is operatively connected to the controller 38 to be locked and unlocked by the controller. For instance, in such a configuration, controller 38 could operate to control lock 54 to be in a locked state during the time interval and then operate to unlock the lock when the time interval expires. For instance, if a user selected a five minute interval, the lock 54 would be locked during that five minute period and then unlocked after the period expires. An example of an electrically operated lock that could be used is described by U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,594, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

(14) It should further be noted that none of the embodiments described herein are mutually exclusive unless otherwise noted. For example, the embodiment described in connection with FIG. 7 can be combined with any other embodiment or embodiments described herein. Similarly, the embodiment described in connection with FIGS. 4 to 6 can also be combined with any other embodiment or embodiments described herein.

(15) Further it should be noted that while the above description is made in connection with a restroom, it should be understood that the doorknob indicating system could be used in connection with a bedroom or other room to indicate that an occupant of the room requires privacy while the light is illuminated.

(16) Further yet, while a number of embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.