Patent Application
20070163863
The present invention relates to door locks, and more particularly to door locks having an electronic key card reader.
Door locks in properties such as hotels often use electronic key cards rather than mechanical keys to control operation of a lock. Electronic key cards and electronic locks are individually programmable and provide significant security in a convenient manner.
Electronic locks are typically self-powered through an internal battery. In addition to the electronic lock operational components, electronic locks provide visual feedback in the form of indicator lights that illuminate in response to card insertion and/or removal. All of these electrical components are powered by the internal battery. To maximize the operational life of the battery so as to minimize maintenance of the electronic lock, a keycard sensing switch powers up the electronics of the electronic lock only in response to insertion and contact with a keycard. Disadvantageously, hotel guests and the like often insert keycards which have been submersed in water such as from the guest being in a pool or spa. Although not damaging to the keycard, repeated introduction of moisture into the interior of the electronic lock may render the keycard sensing switch or other electronic components in communication with the keycard slot inoperable. Failure of an electronic lock component may render the entire electronic lock inoperable.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a moisture resistant electronic lock.
An electronic lock according to the present invention includes a keycard sensing assembly which interacts with a keycard sensing switch is mounted directly to a surface of a circuit board. The keycard sensing assembly is located adjacent a keycard slot such that when a key card is fully inserted into the keycard slot, the keycard activates the keycard sensing assembly. Such an arrangement permits a significant portion of the circuit board to be potted within a potting compound such that the keycard reader becomes essentially waterproof. Such a construction permits the insertion of a wet or damp keycard without concern for water damage to the electronics.
The keycard sensing assembly generally includes a switch activator and a switch activator spring. The switch activator is a generally L-shaped member having a first arm generally transverse to a second arm. The second arm extends transverse to the keycard slot while the first arm extends generally parallel thereto and over the keycard sensing switch.
When the keycard is inserted fully into the keycard slot, the keycard engages the second arm, overcomes the bias of the switch activator spring and pivots the switch activator about a pivot axis such that the first arm activates the keycard sensing switch. The switch activator provides a greater range of motion than the switch such that actuation is assured. The spring flexes when the full switch range of motion has been reached so as to accommodate lost motion. Switch actuation is therefore assured yet even significant force on the keycard will not damage the switch.
The present invention therefore provides a moisture resistant electronic lock.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
As schematically represented in block form at
The keycard reader 12 generally includes a processor 32 and memory 33 which communicates with the latch bolt 24 such that insertion of a correctly encoded key card C into the keycard reader 12 permits the latch bolt 24 to be retracted. It should be understood that the processor 32 and memory 33 may include a clock, access tracking information, card reading instructions, and lock operating instructions as program sets stored within the memory 33 and operated thereupon by the processor 32.
The specific way in which the keycard reader 12 and the latch bolt 24 interact to move the latch bolt 24 between the locked and unlocked positions may be via any known actuator mechanism without departing from the scope of the invention. If a correctly encoded key card is not inserted into the keycard reader 12, a motor-driven electronic lockout mechanism 30 mechanically prevents the handles 20, 22 from operating the latch bolt 24. The lockout mechanism 30 may also operably disconnect the bolt retraction mechanism 26 from the handles 20, 22 or otherwise block the bolt retraction mechanism 26 so that the latch bolt 24 will not retract even if the handles 20, 22 are turned. In other words, the lockout mechanism 30 controls whether the latch bolt 24 is an operable state or an inoperable state in response to the processor 32.
Referring to
An inner housing assembly 52 supports at least one light source 42 such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are mounted directly to a circuit board 50 and a read head assembly 44 such as a magnetic read head and/or a smart card read head. A keycard sensing switch 48 is located to detect when a card C is properly inserted into the card slot opening 38 formed by the inner housing assembly 52. The various components of the keycard reader 12 can be powered by any desired method, such as through a replaceable or rechargeable battery or though direct hard wiring to an external power source.
The keycard reader 12 generally includes the circuit board 50 mounted to the inner housing assembly 52. By mounting the light source 42, the processor 32 and the memory 33 directly onto the circuit board 50 and by using a light transmitting material in at least a portion of the inner housing assembly 52, the keycard reader 12 serves as both a keycard reader and a visual interface, eliminating the need for a separate visual interface. Preferably, the entirety of the inner housing assembly 52 is manufactured of a translucent light transmitting material. The front trim panel 14 (
The inner housing assembly 52 generally includes an upper inner housing 54 which supports the circuit board 50 and a lower inner housing 56 which supports the read head assembly 44. The upper inner housing 54 and the lower inner housing 56 are preferably manufactured of a light transmitting material such as translucent or transparent plastic. The interface between the upper inner housing 54 and the lower inner housing 56 defines a keycard slot 38 (also illustrated in
The lower inner housing 56 supports the read head assembly 44. A read head spring 45 biases the read head assembly 44 toward the keycard slot 38. A flexible printed circuit 47 preferably provides for communication between the read head assembly 44 and the circuit board 50 (also illustrated in
The inner housing assembly 52 supports a keycard sensing assembly 60 having a switch activator 68 and a switch activating spring 70. The keycard sensing assembly 60 provides remote activation of the keycard sensing switch 48 such that the keycard sensing switch 48 is directly surface mounted to the circuit board 50. The keycard sensing assembly 60 is preferably mounted adjacent a rear 62 of the inner housing assembly 54 (
Most preferably, the potting compound is a translucent light transmitting material such that the light source 42 may be completely contained within the potting compound. As the inner housing assembly 54 and the potting compound are manufactured of a light transmitting material, the light source 42, may be located between the circuit board 50 and the upper inner housing 54 such that the light source 42 will illuminate the key card slot 58 there through (
Only a movable button portion 64 of the keycard sensing switch 48, a flexible printed circuit 47 and the wiring harness 66 need extend from the potting compound. The wiring harness 66 is preferably a mil-spec wiring harness which is resistant to water and most preferably provides a completely waterproof plug connection. Such construction permits the insertion of a wet or damp keycard C without concern for water damage within the keycard reader 12.
Referring to
Referring to
When the keycard C is inserted fully into the keycard slot 38, the keycard C engages the second arm 74, overcomes the bias of spring 70 and pivots the switch activator 68 about the pivot axis P such that the first arm 72 activates the keycard sensing switch 48. The switch activator 68 preferably provides a greater range of motion than the keycard sensing switch 48 such that actuation is assured. The spring 70 flexes when the full switch range of motion has been reached so as to accommodate this lost motion. That is, once the movable button 64 of the keycard sensing switch 48 has reached full travel, the spring 70 will flex in response to further travel of the keycard C toward the rear 62 of the keycard slot 38. Switch actuation is therefore assured yet even relatively significant force on the keycard C will not result in damage to the keycard sensing switch 48.
It should be understood that relative positional terms such as “forward,” “aft,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude of the vehicle and should not be considered otherwise limiting.
It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements will benefit from the instant invention.
Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present invention.
The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
