Patent Application
20240426135
The present disclosure is directed to a lock system and an electromechanical lock device, more particularly, to the lock system incorporating the electromechanical lock device having a motor-driven cam for rotating a locking bolt between locked and unlocked positions.
Safes and other secure containers have traditionally used combination locks for controlling and authorizing entry. Early locks were entirely mechanical and relied on a person dialing a correct combination on a rotating dial. Rotation of the dial positioned mechanical elements within the lock such that dialing the correct combination allowed a locking bolt to release the container door. Proper dial rotation aligned gates in tumblers. Once the gates were aligned, a fence on a fence lever entered the aligned gates. Continued rotation of the dial and tumblers pulled the fence lever and withdrew the bolt.
However, over the years electromechanical locks have gradually replaced the mechanical locks described above. Indeed, electromechanical locks themselves have seen many improvements over the years. The use of sophisticated electronic logic circuitry has enabled the implementation of a series of complex and unique electronic combinations which has made improper entry into secured areas more difficult. When the lock is used to secure entry to a container, the electronic components are typically mounted within a housing inside the container door. The housing contains an actuating device and a circuit board. The electronic keypad transmits a signal to the circuit board, which contains the electronic circuitry that allows the lock to open and close. The keypad is located on the outside of the housing so as to be accessible to the user. A cable typically extends between the keypad and the circuit board for transmitting signals between the two components.
In addition to the electronic circuitry, electromechanical locks include a bolt. The bolt is movably constructed and is coupled to a bolt-displacing device enabling a user to selectively move the bolt into one of at least two end positions by means of the actuating device. The lock is “locked” in a first end position of the bolt and “open” or “unlocked” in a second end position of the bolt. When the user enters the correct combination into an electronic keypad, a signal is transmitted to the circuit board. The circuit board in turn actuates the actuating device, which allows the locking bolt to move to the unlocked position within the housing, thus allowing the user to open the safe door.
However, in existing electromechanical locks, the actuating device may have a complicated structure with mechanical components that are subject to wear with repeated use, and thus it would be desirable to provide a simpler, more reliable actuating device.
A lock system includes an electromechanical lock device that is configured to secure a container, and is mounted in a door between inner and outer walls of the door. The electromechanical lock device includes a housing, a locking bolt arranged in the housing and movable between locked and unlocked positions, a motor operable to actuate a motor cam to move between blocked and unblocked positions, and a slider that engages the motor cam and the locking bolt, where the slider engages the motor cam in the blocked position and moves away from the locking bolt in the unblocked position so that the locking bolt is unlocked, allowing the door to open for accessing the inside of the secure container.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electromechanical lock device may include: a housing including an opening; a locking bolt arranged in the housing and movable between a locked position in which the locking bolt is projected through the opening and an unlocked position in which the locking bolt is retracted in the housing; a motor mounted in the housing, the motor being operable to actuate a motor cam to move from a blocked position to an unblocked position; and a slider configured to engage the motor cam and the locking bolt in the blocked position of the motor cam, and move away from the locking bolt when the motor cam is actuated to the unblocked position, where the locking bolt is configured to move to the unlocked position when the slider moves away from the locking bolt.
The locking bolt may be a rotary locking bolt. The locking bolt may be configured to rotate relative to a pivot point connecting the locking bolt and the housing. The locking bolt may be formed in a crescent shape.
An outer surface of the locking bolt may include a serrated section formed on an outside of the locking bolt, the serrated section configured to engage with a serrated housing portion when the locking bolt is in the locked position.
The locking bolt may include a detent configured to engage with the slider in the locked position.
In the locked position, the locking bolt may be projected at least partially through the opening.
In the unlocked position, the locking bolt may be contained entirely within the housing.
The electromechanical lock device may further include a drive shaft operably connected to the motor, where the motor cam is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft. Upon actuation of the motor, the motor cam may be rotated on the drive shaft approximately 90 degrees from the blocked position to the unblocked position. Upon rotation of the motor cam, the slider may be configured to move in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. Upon rotation of the motor cam, the slider may be configured to move in a transverse direction away from the locking bolt, and the locking bolt is configured to rotate to the unlocked position. The slider may include at least a first side, a second side, and a center section for receiving the motor cam. The first side may include at least an outer rim configured to stop the locking bolt in the blocked position of the motor cam. The first side may include at least an inner rim configured to engage the motor cam in the blocked position of the motor cam. The second side may be configured to contact the housing when the motor cam is moved to the unblocked position of the motor cam.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a lock system may include: a door configured to secure a container, the door including an inner wall and an outer wall defining a wall volume between the inner wall and the outer wall; and an electromechanical lock device mounted to the door, the electromechanical lock device including: a housing including an opening; a locking bolt arranged in the housing and movable between a locked position in which the locking bolt is projected through the opening and an unlocked position in which the locking bolt is retracted in the housing; a motor mounted in the housing, the motor being operable to actuate a motor cam to move from a blocked position to an unblocked position; and a slider configured to engage the motor cam and the locking bolt in the blocked position of the motor cam, and move away from the locking bolt when the motor cam is actuated to the unblocked position, where the locking bolt is configured to move to the unlocked position when the slider moves away from the locking bolt.
The locking bolt may be a rotary locking bolt.
The lock system may include an electronic circuit board for controlling the motor. Upon entry of an authorized code, a signal may be transmitted to the electronic circuit board for actuating the motor. The electronic circuit board may be configured to transmit an electronic signal to the motor to actuate the motor.
The electromechanical lock device may be mounted on the inner wall of the door. The lock system may include a dial mounted on the outer wall of the door. The lock system may include a handle assembly mounted on the door, the handle assembly including a handle configured to be accessed on the outer wall of the door. The handle assembly may include a lock engagement device arranged on the inner wall of the door, the lock engagement device configured to engage the locking bolt in the locked position.
The following drawings are illustrative of particular embodiments of the present disclosure and therefore do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The drawings are not to scale and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description. Embodiments of the present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like numerals denote like elements.
The following discussion omits or only briefly describes conventional features of the disclosed technology that are apparent to those skilled in the art. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are intended to be non-limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the appended claims. Further, particular features described herein can be used in combination with other described features in each of the various possible combinations and permutations. A person of ordinary skill in the art would know how to use the instant disclosure, in combination with routine experiments, to achieve other outcomes not specifically disclosed in the examples or the embodiments.
Unless otherwise specifically defined herein, all terms are to be given their broadest possible interpretation including meanings implied from the specification as well as meanings understood by those skilled in the art and/or as defined in dictionaries, treatises, etc. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the field of the disclosed technology. It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless otherwise specified, and that the terms “includes” and/or “including,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Additionally, methods, equipment, and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the disclosed technology.
Various examples of the disclosed technology are provided throughout this disclosure. The use of these examples is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified form. Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to any particular preferred embodiments described herein. Indeed, modifications and variations of the disclosure may be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification, and can be made without departing from its spirit and scope. The disclosure is therefore to be limited only by the terms of the claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which the claims are entitled.
Certain relationships between features of the suppressor are described herein using the term “substantially” or “substantially equal.” As used herein, the terms “substantially” and “substantially equal” indicate that the equal relationship is not a strict relationship and does not exclude functionally similar variations therefrom. Unless context or the description indicates otherwise, the use of the term “substantially” or “substantially equal” in connection with two or more described dimensions indicates that the equal relationship between the dimensions includes variations that, using mathematical and industrial principles accepted in the art (e.g., rounding, measurement or other systematic errors, manufacturing tolerances, etc.), would not vary the least significant digit of the dimensions. As used herein, the term “substantially parallel” indicates that the parallel relationship is not a strict relationship and does not exclude functionally similar variations therefrom. As used herein, the term “substantially orthogonal” indicates that the orthogonal relationship is not a strict relationship and does not exclude functionally similar variations therefrom.
A safe or other secure container is referred to herein as a “container,” and may include a handle assembly for opening the container and a bolt locking device for securing the container. The bolt locking device includes a locking bolt configured to move between locked and unlocked positions (sometimes referred to as blocking and non-blocking positions, respectively). As provided herein, a bolt of a bolt locking device is referred to as a “locking bolt” and is described as movable between a “locked position” (blocking position) and an “unlocked position” (non-blocking position). When the locking bolt is in the locked position, it engages with corresponding boltwork mounted in the door of the container, such that when the locking bolt is moved to the unlocked position, the handle assembly can be manually actuated, allowing a user to open the door and access the container.
The handle assembly may include a handle on an outside of the door of the container and a lock engagement device (i.e., boltwork) mounted to an inside of the door. Alternatively, the lock engagement device can be a separate component that is operably connected to the handle assembly, and thus enables the user to access contents of the container, e.g., when the user enters the correct code via keypad entry, and thus causes the locking bolt of the bolt locking device to move to the unlocked position.
The door 12 of the container preferably includes an outer wall 13 and an inner wall 15 as shown in
Referring again to
The lock system 10 according to the present disclosure includes a device for unlocking the electromechanical lock device 40, such as by keypad entry. As shown in
Referring again to
In the locked state of
Details of the electromechanical lock device 40 will be described with reference to
As shown in
In addition, the locking bolt 50 optionally may be formed with a serrated section 53 on at least a portion of an exterior of the locking bolt 50, where the serrated section 53 is configured to mesh with a corresponding serrated housing section 43 that may be formed as part of the housing 44, or alternatively, may be included as a separate component mounted within the housing 44. Interaction between the serrated section 53 and the serrated housing section 43 may help to maintain the electromechanical lock device 40 in a locked state when the locking bolt 50 is in the locked position.
Referring to
As shown in greater detail in
The slider 80 includes at least a first side 81, a second side 83, and a center section 85 for receiving the motor cam 70. For example, the first and second sides 81, 83 includes structure that define the center section 85, which may be formed with a hollow portion for receiving the motor cam 70. The first side 81 may include an inner rim 82 protruding toward the center section 85, the inner rim 82 configured to engage with the nose 72 of the motor cam 70.
The slider 80 includes an outer rim 84 on an outside of the first side 81, where the outer rim 84 is configured to stop movement of a detent 54 of the locking bolt 50, and thus prevent rotation of the locking bolt 50 in the locked position. Whereas the locking bolt 50 is configured to rotate relative to the pivot point (e.g., via the peg 52 received in the hole 51), the slider 80 is configured to move in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 62.
Referring to
Hereinabove, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, but may be variously modified and altered by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure claimed in the following claims.
