Abstract
A flexible door latch strike plate for reducing noise of a closing door includes a rectangular body having rounded corners and a rectangular center opening, one or more flaps around the center opening intended to deform around a door latching bolt assembly, one or more protrusions on the back of the body intended to prevent the door and door jamb from directly colliding and two screw hole openings to fasten to a door jamb.
Claims
1. A strike plate for reducing noise of a closing door comprising: a rectangular body; a rectangular opening; and one or more flaps around the rectangular opening enabled to deform within the rectangular opening; wherein the rectangular body, rectangular opening and one or more flaps are formed of a flexible material enabling a latch bolt from a door latching mechanism to engage the strike plate and force the one or more flaps into the rectangular opening while dampening noise from the engagement.
2. The strike plate of claim 1, wherein the flexible material is any one or more of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), silicone, polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), nylon (polyamide), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Kevlar, and flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
3. The strike plate of claim 1, wherein a first flap and a second flap extend over the rectangular opening from opposing sides of the rectangular opening.
4. The strike plate of claim 1 including a slam barrier also formed of the flexible material enabled to absorb force of a closing door.
5. The strike plate of claim 1 including a curved impact ramp formed from the flexible material enabled to make initial contact with the latch bolt and dampen sound from the contact.
6. A method comprising the steps of: a) mounting a strike plate to a door jamb, said strike plate manufactured from a flexible material and including a rectangular body, a rectangular opening enabled to accept a latch bolt from door opening mechanism, and one or more flaps around the rectangular opening; b) closing a door having the door opening mechanism in alignment with the strike plate causing further steps of; i) making contact between the latch bolt and a the strike plate; ii) the latch bolt, when aligned over the rectangular opening forces the one or more flaps into the rectangular opening.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the flexible material is any one or more of of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), silicone, polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), nylon (polyamide), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Kevlar, and flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
8. The method of claim 6, wherein a first flap and a second flap extend over the rectangular opening from opposing sides of the rectangular opening.
9. The method of claim 6 including a slam barrier also formed of the flexible material enabled to absorb force of the closing door.
10. The method of claim 6 including a curved impact ramp formed from the flexible material enabled to make initial contact with the latch bolt and dampen sound from the contact.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a strike plate, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the strike plate of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective rear view of the strike plate of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the strike plate according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the strike plate of FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a top edge of the strike plate of FIG. 4.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a left edge view of the strike plate of FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a right edge view of the strike plate of FIG. 4.
[0016] FIG. 9A is a section view of the strike plate, door and door jamb of FIG. 1 viewed along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 9B is a section view of the strike plate of FIG. 1 viewed along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 depicting motion of a door, a latch bolt and a strike plate.
[0018] FIG. 9C is a section view of the strike plate of FIG. 1 viewed along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 depicting motion of a door, a latch bolt and a strike plate.
[0019] FIG. 9D is a section view of the strike plate of FIG. 1 viewed along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 depicting motion of a door, a latch bolt and a strike plate.
[0020] FIG. 9E is a section view of the strike plate of FIG. 1 viewed along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 depicting motion of a door, a latch bolt and a strike plate.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the strike plate according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The inventor provides a door strike plate adapted in a preferred embodiment to reduce the noise of a closing door and that incorporates a flexible material to absorb and lessen noise. The present invention is described in enabling detail using following examples, which may describe more than one relevant embodiment falling within the scope of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a strike plate 100 in this example installed in a door jamb 107 showing a door 109 and a door latch mechanism 108 with which it interacts according to one embodiment of the present invention. Strike plate 100 is rectangular in shape and made of a flexible material, in this example. The strike plate 100 is compressed of elements that work together to dampen the noise including an impact ramp 103, guide ramp 104, catch flap 102, ramp 105 and slam barrier 101. Flexible material such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), silicone, polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), nylon (polyamide), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Kevlar, and flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can be used to construct the strike plate 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention which gives impact ramp 103 the ability to flex when coming in contact with a door latch mechanism 108. Guide ramp 104 and catch flap 102, in this example, act to slow the latch bolt. The ramp 105, in this example, connects with the slam barrier 101 which prevents the door 109 and door jamb 107 from making direct contact. Mounting screws 106 are used to attach the strike plate 100 to the door jamb 107 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 is an perspective view of the strike plate 100 of FIG. 1 viewed from front/top. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced. Screw hole opening 200 is a recessed opening allowing the screw head to sit flush with the surface of the strike plate 100 in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 3 is an perspective view of the strike plate 100 of FIG. 2 viewed from bottom/top. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced. A raised rim 300 allows a screw hole opening 200 to keep from spreading when a screw is tightened through the strike plate 100 in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a front view of the strike plate 100 of FIG. 2. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the strike plate 100 of FIG. 2. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced.
[0028] FIG. 6 elevation view of a top edge the strike plate 100 of FIG. 2. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a left edge view of the strike plate 100 of FIG. 2. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced.
[0030] FIG. 8 is a right edge view of the strike plate 100 of FIG. 2. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Those components previously introduced that have not changed in this example retain their original element numbers and are not reintroduced.
[0031] FIG. 9A is a section view of the strike plate 100 door 109 and door jamb 107 of FIG. 1 viewed along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this example the door 109 is rotating towards the front of the strike plate 100, making initial contact with the impact ramp 103. This causes a latch bolt 900 to recess upwards into a recess inside the door 901 and the impact ramp 103 to deform and deaden the impact noise according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 9B is a continuation of motion of FIG. 9A. In this phase the door 109 has rotated further towards the door jamb 107. The latch bolt 900 has recessed further into the recess inside the door 901 and is gliding along the surface of the strike plate 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 9C is a continuation of motion of FIG. 9B. In this phase the door 109 is inline with the door jamb 107. The latch bolt is moving downwards toward a bolt opening 902 in the door jamb 107 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Guide ramp 104 and catch flap 102 are being spread open by the latch bolt as it lowers into the bolt opening 902. Guide ramp 104 and catch flap 102 slow the latch bolt and deaden the sound produced by pent up energy of the latch bolt being released according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 9D is a continuation of motion of FIG. 9C. In this phase the door 109 rides up on the ramp 105 and hits against the slam barrier 101 which then folds back to slow the door 109 and acts as a cushion between door 109 and door jamb 107 to deaden the sound of a door 109 and door jamb 107 collision according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 9E is the finale of motion of FIG. 9D. In this phase the door 109 is in a resting latched state. The latch bolt is fully extended into the bolt opening 902. Guide ramp 104 and catch flap 102 are spread around the latch bolt and keep it from making contact with the edges of the bolt opening 902. The slam barrier 101 has returned back to its original shape according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 10 is an perspective front/bottom view of a strike plate 1000. The strike plate has a front, rear surface, top edge bottom edge and a right and left edge when not installed in the door jamb according to an embodiment of the present invention. Strike plate 1000 is in this example shown with a slimmer and creased catch flap 1001. A wider and taller slam barrier 1002. A hard plastic or metal insert 1003 embedded in into the greater flexible strike plate 1000.
[0037] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the door latch strike plate and method of the invention may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention that may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
