FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the current invention relate to door barriers, door locks, and similar devices. More particularly, the invention relates to alert systems which monitor a status of door barriers, door locks, and similar devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Mass shootings and other attacks in schools, offices, and other buildings are occurring more frequently. To minimize deaths and injuries during such attacks, students, teachers, and other occupants are trained to hide behind locked doors until law enforcement arrives. Unfortunately, many schools and other buildings don't have lockable doors or have locks that are easy to circumvent.

To provide better protection against such attacks, many types of supplemental door locks, barriers, and barricades have been developed. Unfortunately, some of these devices are too flimsy or otherwise easy to circumvent; some require special knowledge to deploy; some can't be deployed quickly enough; some have stand-alone components that must be stored in closets or on shelves when not in use and then retrieved and deployed during emergencies; and/or some do not comply with fire and safety codes.

In addition, schools, offices, and other buildings may not have alarms or alert systems that notify law enforcement authorities outside the building or security personnel and administrators within the building when an emergency situation arises.

This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the current invention solve the above-mentioned problems and provide an improved supplemental door lock for securely locking a door during emergencies and an alert system to monitor a status of the supplemental door lock. The supplemental door lock is designed to be installed on the inside face of a door and an adjacent floor and is quickly and easily shiftable between an unlocked position in which the door may freely open (if no other locks or latches are deployed) and a locked position to prevent an attacker, intruder, etc. from opening the door. The supplemental door lock is fabricated from strong and durable materials; is nearly impossible to circumvent; is easy to install; has no unattached components that must be stored when not in use; can be deployed in seconds by anyone with no training; and complies with all known fire and safety codes.

The alert system includes components that couple to the supplemental door lock and directly monitor its status by detecting a position of the locking component. If the alert system detects that the locking component is in the locked position, then it generates an alarm and alerts law enforcement authorities.

An embodiment of the alert system broadly comprises a switch assembly and an alarm. The switch assembly is configured to detect whether one supplemental door lock is unlocked or locked and includes a switch, an indicator, and a communication element. The switch is to be coupled to a locking component of the supplemental door lock. The switch is configured to sense a position of the locking component and generate an electronic signal or data that varies according to the position of the locking component. The indicator is configured to provide a first indication of a status of the supplemental door lock, wherein the first indication varies according to whether the supplemental door lock is unlocked or locked. The communication element is configured to receive the electronic signal or data from the switch and generate a wireless signal that corresponds to the electronic signal or data. The alarm is configured to generate an audible or visible alarm when the switch assembly detects that the supplemental door lock is locked.

Another embodiment of the current invention provides an alert system configured to monitor statuses of a plurality of supplemental door locks. The alert system broadly comprises a plurality of switch assemblies and a plurality of alarms. Each switch assembly is configured to detect whether one supplemental door lock is unlocked or locked and includes a switch, an indicator, and a communication element. The switch is to be coupled to a locking component of the supplemental door lock. The switch is configured to sense a position of the locking component and generate an electronic signal or data that varies according to the position of the locking component. The indicator is configured to provide a first indication of a status of the supplemental door lock, wherein the first indication varies according to whether the supplemental door lock is unlocked or locked. The indicator is also configured to provide a second indication of an alarm situation in which at least one other switch assembly has detected that its corresponding supplemental door lock is locked. The communication element is configured to receive the electronic signal or data from the switch and generate a wireless signal that corresponds to the electronic signal or data. Each alarm is configured to generate an audible or visible alarm when one of the switch assemblies detects that its corresponding supplemental door lock is locked.

Yet another embodiment of the current invention provides supplemental door lock and alert system broadly comprising a supplemental door lock and an alert system. The supplement door lock includes a door-mounted component and a floor-mounted component. The door-mounted component is configured to be mounted on a door adjacent to a lower edge thereof and includes a locking assembly for locking the supplemental door lock with a hinge pin, a locking blade, and a locking post. The hinge pin is configured to be rotated between an unlocked position and a locked position. The locking blade includes a tab along a first edge of the locking blade such that the tab is attached to the hinge pin. The locking blade is configured to travel downward into a locking groove when the hinge pin is rotated from the unlocked position to the locked position. The locking post is attached to the locking blade along a second edge opposite the hinge pin and is oriented in a vertical fashion and extends downward from the locking blade. The floor-mounted component is to be mounted on a floor in alignment with the door-mounted component when the door is in a closed position. The floor-mounted component includes a floor plate configured to attach to the floor and a slot configured to retain the locking post when the hinge pin is in the locked position.

The alert system includes a switch assembly and an alarm. The switch assembly is configured to detect whether one supplemental door lock is unlocked or locked and includes a switch, an indicator, and a communication element. The switch is to be coupled to a locking component of the supplemental door lock. The switch is configured to sense a position of the locking component and generate an electronic signal or data that varies according to the position of the locking component. The indicator is configured to provide a first indication of a status of the supplemental door lock, wherein the first indication varies according to whether the supplemental door lock is unlocked or locked. The communication element is configured to receive the electronic signal or data from the switch and generate a wireless signal that corresponds to the electronic signal or data. The alarm is configured to generate an audible or visible alarm when the switch assembly detects that the supplemental door lock is locked.

