Patent Application
20060238294
This invention is concerned with security of lockers, safes, desks, cabinets or other such storage devices assigned for temporary or long-term use. In particular, the invention relates to a lock for such storage situations.
Electro mechanical locks are well known. For example, hotel safes for temporary use by guests have included digital locks with keypad and other electronic identification means to provide access to the hotel guest. In some cases, the guest is able to select his/her own combination for the lock and in others the guest is issued a pre-selected number or some electronic identification means used as the “key” for the lock device.
The following U.S. patents are believed to have some relevance to this invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,886,644, 5,894,277 and 6,655,180, all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
There has been a need for a battery-powered electro mechanical lock operated by an electronic identification means of relatively inexpensive construction, with manager or attendant override and with provision for efficient access in a low-battery state.
The invention now described applies to locker locks and similar lock situations, with the electronic lock itself being similar to those described in the three patents referenced above and incorporated by reference. The '180 patent describes a manager key slot in an electronic locker lock that is normally opened using a PIN number entered into a keypad. That manager key slot, as described in the patent, is to receive a small key held by a manager, the key comprising a circuit board with traces connected to an ibutton, so that a manager can insert a key to open the locker without the need to enter a manager PIN code on the keypad. The '644 and '277 patents describe locker locks with jumper contacts available from the front of the lock, to allow a lock to be “jumped” with outside power when the lock battery is too low to open the lock. The application of “jump” power could be accomplished using a dedicated device having contacts arranged to align with and touch the jumper contacts on the lock body. In a situation where a particular lock would have a dead battery and the last assigned PIN code was also unknown or forgotten (as in an exercise club with many lockers), the manager key arrangement of the '180, even if it were provided with power jumping contacts as disclosed in the '644 and '277 patents, would provide for a cumbersome situation where the manager would have to apply and maintain jump contact between the contacts on the lock and the jumper device, while also making contact with the special access or manager key.
In the invention an electronic lock device of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,180, for lockers or similar uses, has an input for a user code (keypad or electronic key reader), and a separate input for a manager key. Contacts at the manager key include power jumper contacts, so that when a user is unable to open his assigned locker, whether this is due to a low battery in the lock or failure of the user's key or the user's forgetting a PIN code, the manager key device will open the lock.
The lock of the invention can typically be used on locker locks for day use or long-term assigned use, on cabinets with battery-powered locks, usually in a system including a number of such locks, on drug carts and drug cabinets in hospitals, and on computer-enclosing cabinets for securing access to computers that may have sensitive information such as patient records at hospitals. Any battery-powered lock that is electronically accessed, where a user chooses or is assigned a PIN code or an electronic key that could be lost, can advantageously employ the principles of the invention, with convenience, economy and security. These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings,
In the present invention in this particular embodiment the front face 18 of the electronic lock device 10 has a keypad 20 for entry of PIN codes, as discussed in the above referenced patents. Pursuant to the invention the front housing 16 of the electronic lock 10 also has an input or terminal 22 which functions to receive a manager's or attendant's special access key (in lieu of the manager's key slot 41 shown in the '180 patent). This input or terminal or port 22 also serves to receive a power jump when the battery powering the lock device 10 is too low to retract the bolt or latch. As shown in
The internal circuitry of the special access device 28 has an overriding unlock code for all locks 10 in the system, communicated via two of the contacts to the lock when the device 28 is pushed against or plugged into the lock as shown in
The drawings also illustrate a status indicator 40 which may be included on the front panels 18 and 18a of the lock devices. The status indicator 40 will be illuminated, such as with green, red, or yellow LED lighting, when a correct code has been entered, or when a wrong code has been entered or during programming. When the battery in either of the locks 10 or 10a is low, and the correct code is entered (via PIN or electronic key), the lock will emit an audible beep (e.g., two strings of three beeps each), indicating the battery low condition. This can be via a small speaker such as shown at 42 in
The above described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit its scope. Other embodiments and variations to these preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
