Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
TAMPER PROOF DEADBOLT LOCK SCREW
Inventor:
Benjamin Berube
TAMPER PROOF DEADBOLT LOCK SCREW
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[1] The present application claims priority to U.S Provisional Patent
Application serial number
62/386,434, filed on December 2, 2015 entitled "Lock screw test drilling", the
disclosure of which
is hereby incorporated in its entirety at least by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[2] The present invention relates generally to locking mechanisms such as
deadbolts, but more
particularly to a tamper proof deadbolt lock screw.
2. Description of Related Art
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
[31 Deadbolt lock screws are prone to drilling and unscrewing, allowing
burglars to break the
lock and disengage the locking mechanism. Fig. 5 shows an example of a prior
art using tempered
steel balls (128) that reduce the possibility of drilling or unscrewing, but
the installation of these
balls (128) is problematic. The balls (128), which are placed in front of the
screws (100), tend to
fall off during installation, maintenance, or adjustments, and can be easily
removed by a hook or
magnet, when the outside of the lock is perforated, since nothing holds the
balls (128) into position.
In such situations, a tamper proof lock screw could avoid this kind of dis-
assembly, and keep the
lock safe and functional.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[4] In one embodiment of the present invention a tamper proof deadbolt lock
screw is provided,
comprising a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, wherein the
second end includes
a hole having a first diameter, wherein the hole is drilled along an axis of
the cylindrical body; and a
tamper prevention element positioned in the hole.
[51 In one embodiment, a groove is provided, the groove having a second
diameter, wherein the
groove is machined adjacent to the hole along the axis of the cylindrical
body. In another
embodiment, the tamper prevention element is a nipple comprising a cap, a
split stem, and a pair of
footings having a third diameter, wherein the nipple is constructed from
steel. In one embodiment,
the third diameter is larger than the first diameter, and the second diameter
is larger than the third
diameter. In yet another embodiment, the nipple is inserted into the hole such
that the split stem
and pair of footings are compressed decreasing the third diameter allowing the
pair of footings to
pass through the hole into the groove, when the split stem and pair of
footings are decompressed the
nipple is in a locked position. In one embodiment, the nipple can rotate
freely such that drilling
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
tools and repeated impacts cannot unscrew the lock screw. In another
embodiment, the nipple
comprises an ultra-polished surface preventing drilling tools from gaining
traction on the surface.
[6] In one embodiment, the second end includes a rim portion. In another
embodiment, the
tamper prevention element is a ball, wherein the ball is constructed from a
hard metal. In one
embodiment, the ball is secured in position when pressure is applied to the
rim portion such that the
rim portion partially folds back over the ball preventing the ball from being
pulled and/or dislodged
from the hole. In one embodiment, the ball can rotate freely such that
drilling tools and repeated
impacts cannot unscrew the lock screw. In yet another embodiment, the ball
comprises an ultra-
polished surface preventing drilling tools from gaining traction on the
surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[7] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent when the
following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[8] FIGS. 1A-C illustrate exploded, isometric, and detail views of a tamper
proof deadbolt lock
screw in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[9] FIGS. 2A-B illustrate exploded and isometric views of a tamper proof
deadbolt lock screw
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[10] FIGS. 3A-C illustrate side views of components of a tamper proof deadbolt
lock screw in
accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.
[11] FIGS. 4A-B illustrate front and side views of tamper proof deadbolt
lock screws installed in
a locking system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
[12] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a deadbolt of the prior art using
tempered steel balls.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[13] The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the
art to make and use
the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of
carrying out their
invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to
those skilled in the art,
since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein
to specifically provide
a tamper proof deadbolt lock screw.
[14] FIGS. 1A-C illustrate exploded, isometric, and detail views of a
tamper proof deadbolt lock
screw 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring
now to FIGS. 1A-
C, the tamper proof deadbolt lock screw is illustrated. The tamper proof
deadbolt lock screw
comprises a hole 16 having a first diameter located at a tip portion 14 of the
lock screw. The hole is
drilled in the tip portion along the axis of the lock screw. In one
embodiment, a groove 24 (FIG.
3C) having a second dimeter is machined at a bottom portion of the hole. In
one embodiment, a
nipple 12 is inserted into the hole of the lock screw. The nipple is
constructed of a strong alloy,
such as steel. The nipple comprises a cap 18, a split stem 20, and footings 22
having a third
diameter. The third diameter of the footings is larger than the first diameter
of the hole, but smaller
than the second diameter of the groove.
[15] In operation, the nipple is inserted into the hole by squeezing the
split stem allowing the
footings to pass through the first diameter. Next, at the bottom portion of
the hole, the split stem is
released allowing the footings to spread out into the second diameter of the
groove. Specifically, by
squeezing the split stem, the footings touch temporally making the third
diameter smaller than the
first diameter allowing the footings to pass through the hole, and then when
the split stem is
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
released the footings spread out into the groove returning the third diameter
to its original size.
Once the footings are situated in the groove, the nipple is prevented from
exiting the hole. It is a
particular object of the present invention that the nipple can freely rotate
while securely positioned
in the tip portion while prevented from being withdrawn. Thus, drilling tools
and repeated impacts
of milling tools or other methods cannot unscrew the lock screw since these
actions simply make
the nipple rotate freely. The nipple is constructed with an ultra-polished
surface finish preventing
tampering methods, such as drilling tools from gaining traction on the surface
of the nipple, as these
tools slide of the surface failing to grasp the nipple.
[16] FIGS. 2A-B illustrate exploded and isometric views of a tamper proof
deadbolt lock screw
30 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Now referring to
FIGS. 2A-B, in
one embodiment a ball 28 is inserted into a hole 32 located in a tip portion
34 of the lock screw. In
this embodiment, the tip portion and hole of the lock screw are have different
features then
previously described above. In this embodiment, the tip portion comprises a
rim portion 34 (FIG.
3B), wherein pressure is applied to the rim portion in such a way so it
partially folds back over the
ball 36 (FIG. 3B) which prevents the ball from being pulled or dislodged out
of the hole once
inserted. It is important that the depth of the hole is deep enough to allow
the creation of the rim
portion. Although the ball is secured in the hole of the tip portion, it may
still freely rotate
allowing the lock screw to function similarly to the previous disclosed
embodiment featuring the
nipple. In one embodiment, the ball is constructed of a hard material, such as
metal with an ultra-
polished surface finish. Drilling tools and repeated impacts of milling tools
or other bits attached to
a drill in "hammer" mode cannot unscrew the lock because such actions make the
ball rotate freely.
The ball's spherical shape prevents drilling tools from gaining traction on
the surface of the ball, as
these tools slide of the surface failing to grasp the ball.
[17] FIGS. 3A-C illustrate side views of components of a tamper proof
deadbolt lock screw in
accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Referring now to
FIGS. 3A-C, the
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
previously disclosed embodiments are illustrated adjacent to each other. FIG.
3B illustrates the ball
28 inserted into hole 32, with the rim portion 34 securing the ball in
position as previously
described. FIG. 3C illustrates the nipple 12 inserted into hole 16, and
secured via the footings 22
positioned into groove 24 as previously described.
[18] FIGS. 4A-B illustrate front and side views of tamper proof deadbolt
lock screws 10 installed
in a locking system 40 in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. Referring now
to FIGS. 4A-B, the tamper proof lock screws are installed in a deadbolt
locking system 40 on a door
42 as well known in the art. The length of the lock screws are dependent on
the specific locking
system and door thickness as well known in the art.
[19] Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in
language specific to
structural features and or method acts, it is to be understood that the
invention defined in the
appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described. Rather, the
specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of
implementing the claimed
invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology employed
herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should
not be regarded as
limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention
have been
described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those
skilled in the art.
Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made
without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[20] It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the
labels such as left, right,
front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up,
down, or other similar
terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique,
proximal, distal, parallel,
perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience
purposes only and are
not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead,
they are used to reflect
CA 02949495 2016-11-24
relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of
an object.
[21] In
addition, reference to "first," "second," "third," and etc. members throughout
the
disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or
numerical limitation but
instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
