Patent Application
20170254115
The present invention, as described in the title of this description, refers to an electronic lock for lockers and furniture; and in general for doors, drawers and other items that need to be closed by means of a closure element integrated in the lock, so that the lock which is the object of the invention provides optimum security conditions against non-authorised attempts to open the lock and against undesired blockages. The present invention is characterised in that it comprises an electronic control system guaranteeing that the lock opens and closes, as well as detecting when it is blocked or when a non-authorised manipulation of the lock takes place.
Currently, the electronic locking devices commonly used in the locks of the doors of lockers and furniture, and even in access doors, have a mechanism that is activated when a key is introduced or placed close to it, such as proper code or an electronic card, or they are activated remotely, moving a closure element to an open or closed position.
The problem with these locks appears when an obstacle gets in the way of the closure element, preventing it from freely coming out of the interior of the closure mechanism, and therefore inadequately closing the door wherein it is installed. Moreover, in the case of furniture or doors with incorrectly fitted fixed parts (the structure or frame of the furniture) and mobile parts (door, drawer, etc.), the closing operation would create friction on the closure element, impeding its free movement or even its capacity to come out of the lock if it were to abut against the side of the structure or frame.
In addition, there are currently no electronic locks at present as the one described in the invention, which have the means to know whether a lock has been or is in the process of being forced open, and even detect any problems with the movement of the latch or closure element due to friction or to any objects getting in its way.
Therefore, the technical problem addressed is to provide an electronic system for a lock that has the means to know whether it has been or is in the process of being forced open, and to detect in real time if the closing mechanism successfully completes the operation or if there are any obstacles preventing it from closing, that is, if the closure element is being blocked by an object when the lock is closing, therefore preventing the aforementioned lock from actually closing.
In order to reach the goals and avoid the drawbacks mentioned in the paragraphs above, the invention described herein proposes an electronic lock comprising a closure element that moves by means of an actuation mechanism. The movement of the closure element defines at least an open position and a closed position of the electronic lock.
The electronic lock also comprises:
In addition, if the electronic control module detects that the lock has been manipulated, it will trigger a local alarm (for example a buzzer or a visual or sound alarm) or a remote alarm (through messages or warnings sent by remote wired or wireless communication).
The closure element is in charge of activating the lock sensor so that when the closure element is in the closed position it deactivates the lock sensor, which in turn is connected to the electronic control module so that said module is aware that the closure element is in the closed position, whereas in the open position the closure element activates said lock sensor so that said module is aware that the closure element is in the open position.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the electronic control module comprises a timer that is activated after the electronic control module sends the order to close or to open the closure element. This timer adds a predetermined delay between the time the order is sent and the check that the lock sensor performs to detect or fail to detect whether the closure element is in the open position or not. This delay will generally be a few seconds and will give the inner mechanism of the lock the time to open or close the closure element, after which, if a non-authorised manipulation of the lock is detected, the electronic control module will take the necessary measures to protect the internal mechanism of the lock and/or trigger the alarms.
In another particular embodiment of the invention, the electronic lock also comprises a closure sensor connected to the electronic control module that detects when the mobile carriage is in the closed position. This allows the electronic control module to identify non-authorised manipulations of the electronic lock when the closure sensor simultaneously detects that the mobile carriage is in the closed position and the lock sensor detects that the closure element is not in the closed position.
In another particular embodiment of the invention, the electronic lock further comprises an opening sensor connected to the electronic control module that detects when the mobile carriage is in the open position. This allows the electronic control module to identify non-authorised manipulations of the electronic lock when the opening sensor simultaneously detects that the mobile carriage is in the open position and the lock sensor detects that the closure element is not in the open position.
These opening and closure sensors of the mobile carriage can be integrated together in the lock, both complementary to each other or independently.
The mobile carriage is the element in charge of activating the closing and opening sensors. When the mobile carriage is in the open position, it activates the opening sensor which in turn is connected to the electronic control module so that said module is aware that the mobile carriage is in the open position. When the mobile carriage is in the closed position, it activates the closure sensor which in turn is connected to the electronic control module so that said module is aware that the mobile carriage is in the closed position.
In another embodiment of the invention, the electronic lock also comprises:
The closure element comprises an end portion shaped like a bolt so that in the open position of the electronic lock, said end portion is placed in the interior of the electronic latch that is the object of the invention, while in the closed position of the electronic lock, the end portion protrudes from the housing that comprises and protects the electronic lock that is the object of the invention. It is this end portion that ultimately closes and opens the lock.
In another embodiment of the invention, the locking latch is not directly touching the closure element when it is in its locked position. This space between them allows the closure element to have a slight degree of movement in relation to the mobile carriage. This movement of the closure element from the closed position to the open position until said closure element stops against the locking latch makes the lock sensor change its state, allowing the control module to identify that there is non-authorised manipulation of the lock taking place. This situation would correspond to an attempt to force open the lock from the outside when the closure element is pushed inside the electronic lock. Optionally, the electronic control module can trigger a local or remote alarm to notify about the non-authorised manipulation.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the actuation mechanism comprises an engine with an axis fixed to a gear connected to a cog that is integrated on the mobile carriage. Therefore, when the gear turns it pulls the mobile carriage linearly in one direction or another depending on the direction the gear is turning. However, any other means of adequate dimensions for actuating the mobile carriage that is capable of moving said carriage from the open position to the closed position would be perfectly valid. For example, the means for actuating the carriage could also be an engine with an axis fixed to a cam making the mobile carriage move or a solenoid with an axis making the mobile carriage move.
Optionally, the electronic lock could also have means to automatically open the closure element when it detects that a non-authorised manipulation of the electronic lock is taking place. Therefore, when the lock is being forced open, the electronic module orders the closure element to open in order to prevent the manipulation attempt from damaging the internal mechanism of the lock itself. This solution would also trigger a local or remote alarm to warn that a manipulation has taken place.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the lock is integrated inside a housing.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the axis of the locking latch is fixed to the encasing axis of the lock. This encasing can be that of the housing or a lid of the lock.
The first and second elastic elements could also be located inside a cylinder made of flexible material and a slightly wider diameter in relation to the width of said elements to prevent said springs from moving sideways when they are compressed by the closure element and the male element respectively.
Therefore, the innovative electronic lock described previously provides a more reliable and safer solution against potential manipulations compared to other existing locks.
Therefore, in the embodiment that features closing and opening sensors, when the closure element is in the open position and an obstacle gets in the way to prevent the closure element from coming out of the lock, when the order to close the lock is given and the lock goes from the open to the closed position, the mobile carriage moves to the closed position sending information about its new state to the electronic control module by means of the closure sensor, which is activated, and the opening sensor, which is deactivated. The closure element cannot move forward due to the obstacle blocking it, causing the first spring to compress absorbing the movement of the mobile carriage, thus keeping the lock sensor activated. Similarly, the locking latch cannot turn on its axis since the closure element prevents it from doing so. When this happens, the male element touching the locking latch compresses the second spring, which also absorbs the movement of the mobile carriage.
While the obstacle is present, thanks to the various sensors the system is able to know in real time that the closure element of the lock is electronically closed yet not mechanically closed, since the closure sensor is being activated by the mobile carriage that has correctly moved to the closed position but the lock sensor remains activated since the closure element cannot move to the closed position due to the aforementioned obstacle.
Once the obstacle disappears, the closure element moves to the closed position pushed by the first spring; simultaneously the male element moves the locking latch to its locked position with the aid of the second spring, since the closure element is no longer touching it and preventing it from moving.
When this happens, the system recognises in real time that the obstacle is no longer present since the lock sensor detects it, without needing any other external means to the lock nor the intervention of the user.
In a similar fashion, if the closure element is held from the outside when the order to open the lock is sent, the closure element will not go inside the housing. Therefore, the opening sensor will activate when it detects the mobile carriage moving to the open position while the lock sensor still detects the “lock” since the closure element is being held and thus has not been able to move in order to change its state. This means that the lock is electronically open but not mechanically open. When this happens the electronic control module detects that the lock has been manipulated, and optionally it can activate an alarm to warn about it and/or perform other actions. Once the closure element is freed, the tension of the first spring will move said closure element to the correct open position.
When the electronic control module identifies the non-authorised manipulation of the lock, said module can choose between keeping the lock closed or opening it. If, for example, the lock is in the closed position and is externally manipulated in order to open it by forcefully pushing the closure element inside the lock, the electronic control module can opt to open the lock in order to prevent it from breaking. Similarly, if the manipulation is performed by holding the closure element when the order has been given to open the lock, in order to prevent the lock from opening, the electronic control module con opt to give the order to close the lock in order prevent the lock from getting damaged.
According to this description, when the electronic lock that is the object of the invention is operating normally, no problems should arise since it has the means to detect unexpected anomalies providing the electronic lock with added security, where said unexpected anomalies are detected by the three sensors sending signals to a control module in order to trigger an alarm or notify headquarters about the attempt to force open the lock.
Therefore, the structure of the electronic lock that is the object of the invention, in addition to protecting it from manipulations, allows it to retrieve information in real time about it status, so that if the lock was forced, the electronic control module could send warnings, trigger an alarm or notify headquarters remotely or locally about the attempt to force open the lock.
In another embodiment of the invention, the electronic control module comprises a memory that stores information about when the lock has been opened and closed. This information is retrieved by the opening, closing and lock sensors. Said information is related to the number of times it has closed and opened, the forcing attempts, the times of the day when the lock has opened and closed, etc.
In another embodiment of the invention, the mobile carriage defines the closed position and open position by means of a linear or turning movement.
In another embodiment of the invention, the first elastic element and the second elastic element are chosen between springs and fluid shock absorbers.
Hereinafter, in order to give a better understanding of the description, the object of the invention has been detailed in a series of drawings that are an integral part of the report and are for illustration purposes and without limitation.
Considering the numbering adopted in the figures, the closing and opening device of the electronic lock has the following nomenclature used in the description:
1—Housing.
2—Mobile carriage.
3—Closure element.
3
a.—End portion.
4—First spring.
5—Male element.
6—Second spring.
7—Engine.
8—Gear.
9—Cog.
10—Locking latch.
11—Axis.
12—Obstacle.
13—Lock sensor.
14—Closure sensor.
15—Opening sensor.
16—Electronic control module.
17—Timer.
The elements comprising the electronic lock are fixed inside a housing (1). The lock, by means of the housing (1), is fixed to a door or a similar element.
As shown on
The mobile carriage (2) is coupled to a male element (5) that can move in relation to the mobile carriage (2) in the same direction said mobile carriage (2) is moving. This movement is relative thanks to a second spring (6) located between the mobile carriage (2) and the male element (5).
The closure element (3) comprises an end portion (3a) shaped like a bolt, which is in charge of locking the door when said end portion (3a) protrudes from the housing (1) of the lock.
The linear movement of the assembly of the mobile carriage (2), the closure element (3), and the male element (5) is carried out by means of an actuation mechanism located inside the housing. Optionally, the mobile carriage (2) and the closure element (3) can move along a series of guides in the housing that are the same for both components. Additionally, the male element (5) could also have its own guides in the housing.
In one of the embodiments, the actuation mechanism comprises an engine (7) with an axis fixed to a gear (8) connected to a cog (9) that is integrated on the mobile carriage (2), so that when the gear (8) turns it pulls the assembly of the mobile carriage (2), the closure element (3) and the male element (5) to the closed position or the open position, depending on the direction the gear (8) is turning.
In other embodiments that are not shown in the figures, the actuation mechanism of the mobile carriage (2) is, for example, a cam mechanism, a linear engine, etc.
The lock also comprises a lock sensor (13) controlling the position of the closure element (3) at all times. When the electronic control module (16) sends the order to open or close the closure element (3), said module (16) only controls the position of said element (3) by means of the lock sensor (13), so that if the order given does not match the position of the closure element, the electronic control module (16) knows that a non-authorised manipulation of the lock is taking place. The electronic control module could also feature a programmable timer (17) that, once the order to open or close the closure element (3) is given, it triggers a predefined delay (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 seconds, for example) between the time the order is sent and the moment in which the electronic control module (16) checks if the lock sensor (13) detects or does not detect the closure element to determine its position and therefore if the lock has been closed or opened accordingly. Therefore, for example when the lock is open (
This electronic control module (16) will be in charge of receiving the signals of the sensors, controlling the movement of the engine and managing and storing the information sent by the sensors.
The electronic lock also comprises a locking latch (10) that turns around an axis (11) defining a locked position and an unlocked position of said locking latch (10). When said locking latch (10) is its locked position, it prevents the closure element (3) from moving from the closed position to the open position, and later on we will explain how it operates.
When the electronic lock receives an order, whether because a code has been introduced in the lock or a card has been placed near it or from a distance, said lock is capable of interpreting whether it should open or close and when it should do so, that is, it analyses whether it should change its state so that it will open if it was closed and vice versa.
If the lock is operating correctly, when the electronic lock goes from the open position (
The electronic control module (16) can check that the lock is operating correctly in real time by means of the two sensors (14,15) and the lock sensor (13), so that the final correct position of the electronic lock that is the object of the invention is as follows: the closure sensor (14) detects the closed position of the mobile carriage (2) (
When the lock goes from the closed position (
Equally, the open position can be checked by the two sensors (14,15) and the lock sensor (13), so that the final correct open position of the lock is as follows: the opening sensor (15) detects the open position of the mobile carriage (2), the lock sensor (13) does not detect the closed position of the closure element (3) in the open position and the closure sensor (14) does not detect the closed position of the mobile carriage (2).
Both the arrangement of the different elements as well as the sensors inside the housing (1) give versatility to the opening and closing device for all kinds of distances required for the open and/or closed positions.
Following, we will describe an abnormal operation of the electronic lock shown on
In the first example, a situation is described in which when the lock is in the process of opening (
If an obstacle (12) stands in the way of the closure element (3) (see
This system of springs ensures that no other element of the electronic lock is damaged due to stresses.
With the obstacle still blocking the mechanism, the system can check in real time thanks to its various sensors that the electronic lock is electronically closed but not mechanically closed since the lock sensor (13) has not sent the information about the closure of the lock, that is, said lock sensor (13) is detecting that the closure element (3) is not in the correct closed position.
Once the obstacle (12) disappears, the closure element (3) moves to the closed position pushed by the first spring (4); simultaneously the male element (5) moves the locking latch (10) to its locked position with the aid of the second spring (6), since the closure element (3) is no longer touching it and preventing it from moving. When this happens, the system recognises in real time that the obstacle (12) is no longer present since the lock sensor (13) detects that the closure element (3) is in the correct position, without needing any other external means to the lock nor the intervention of the user.
In the second example related to the manipulation attempt of the lock, when the closure element (3) is in the closed position (
In an attempt to manipulate the closure element (3), it would move until it stops against the locking latch (10), which prevents it from opening, moving enough so that this movement can be detected by the lock sensor (13), which is registered by the electronic control module (16). The electronic control module (16) will be able to trigger a local or remote alarm.
The third anomalous situation that could take place is when the closure element (3) is held from the outside when the order is sent to the lock to switch from the closed position to the open position. When this happens, the mobile carriage (2) moves to the open position activating the opening sensor (15), but the lock sensor (13) does not detect the closure element (3) since the closure element (3) is being held, and therefore remains inactive. Then the electronic control module (16) interprets that the closure element (3) is being held, registering the event in its internal memory and triggering a local or remote alarm.
When said closure element (3) is freed, the tension of the first spring (4) pulls said closure element (3) moving it to the correct open position, activating the lock sensor (13) and notifying the control module (16).
Therefore, the electronic lock that is the object of the invention, in addition to protecting itself from manipulations, is able to retrieve information in real time about its status so that if it detects that the lock is being forced, it can trigger an alarm or notify headquarters about the attempt to force open the lock.
Similarly, the sensors can retrieve information about the electronic lock such as the number of times it has been opened and closed, the attempts to force it open, the times of the day when it has been opened and closed, etc.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| P201431332 | Sep 2014 | ES | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2015/070659 | 9/11/2015 | WO | 00 |
