Methods of operating a lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11686126-B2
Application number	US-202016932305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Jul 18, 2019
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A method of controlling a lock mechanism of an active door includes transiting an access controller of the lock mechanism to an authorized access mode and transitioning the access controller from the authorized access mode to an entry mode. Transitioning the access controller to the authorized access mode is in response to an authorized user being sensed approaching the active door from an exterior side of the active door or in response to input on a remote device. In the authorized access mode, an exterior handle of the active door is decoupled from a main latch of the lock mechanism. Transitioning the access controller to the entry mode is in response to sensed contact with the exterior handle. In the entry mode, the exterior handle is capable of rotating to transition the access controller to an unlocked mode in which the exterior handle is operably coupled to the main latch.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of controlling a lock mechanism of an active door, the method comprising:
transitioning an access controller of the lock mechanism to an authorized access mode in response to an authorized user being sensed approaching the active door from an exterior side of the active door or in response to input on a remote device, in the authorized access mode, an exterior handle of the active door is decoupled within the door from a main latch of the lock mechanism; and
transitioning the access controller from the authorized access mode to an entry mode, in the entry mode the exterior handle is capable of rotating to transition the access controller to an unlocked mode in which the exterior handle is operably coupled to the main latch and capable of retracting the main latch of the active door such that the active door is capable of moving to an open position.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein transitioning the access controller to the authorized access mode includes setting the access controller to the authorized access mode for a predetermined access time, and the method further comprising transitioning the access controller to a latch disconnect mode if the access controller remains in the authorized access mode after the predetermined access time, the exterior handle remaining decoupled from the main latch in the latch disconnect mode of the access controller.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined access time is in a range of 5 seconds to 30 seconds.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein transitioning the access controller to the entry mode includes setting the access controller to the entry mode for a predetermined entry time, and the method further comprising transitioning the access controller to a latch disconnect mode if the access controller remains in the entry mode after the predetermined entry time, the exterior handle remaining decoupled from the main latch in the latch disconnect mode of the access controller.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined entry time is in a range of 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transitioning the access controller from the entry mode to an unlocked mode in response to the exterior handle being rotated from a neutral position in a first direction, the access controller switching the lock mechanism to an operating configuration when in the unlocked mode such that the exterior handle is operably coupled to the main latch and capable of retracting the main latch, the active door capable of moving to an open position when the main latch is retracted.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising transitioning the access controller from the entry mode or the unlocked mode to a latch disconnect mode such that the exterior handle is decoupled from the main latch in response to the exterior handle being rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction from the neutral position.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the access controller transitioning to a latch disconnect mode in response to extension of the main latch or a deadbolt of the lock mechanism to a deadbolt position.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transitioning the access controller to a latch disconnect mode in response to direct input on the remote device.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein transitioning the access controller of the lock mechanism to the authorized access mode is in response to sensing the remote device approaching the active door from the exterior side of the active door or in response to direct input on the remote device, the remote device in operable communication with the access controller.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein transitioning the access controller of to the entry mode is in response to sensing contact with the exterior handle when the access controller is in the authorized access mode.

12. A method of operating a lock mechanism of an active door, the method comprising:
detecting an authorized user approaching an exterior side of the active door or receiving direct input on a remote device such that an access controller of the lock mechanism transitions to an authorized access mode, an exterior handle of the lock mechanism being decoupled from a main latch of the lock mechanism in the authorized access mode such that the exterior handle is prevented from operating a main latch of the lock mechanism;
transitioning the access controller to an entry mode such that the exterior handle is operably coupled to the main latch; and
transitioning the access controller to an unlocked mode in response to movement of the exterior handle of the active door in a first direction from a neutral position when the access controller is in the entry mode, in the unlocked mode of the access controller, the exterior handle is operably coupled to the main latch such that movement of the exterior handle in the first direction retracts the main latch to allow the active door to move to an open position and movement in a second direction, opposite the first direction, transitions the access controller to a latch disconnect mode in which the exterior handle is decoupled from the main latch.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising rotating a deadbolt hub to extend the main latch or a deadbolt to a deadbolt position such that the access controller transitions from the unlocked mode to a latch disconnect mode in which the exterior handle is decoupled from the main latch.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising transitioning the access controller from the unlocked mode to a latch disconnect mode in which the exterior handle is decoupled from the main latch in response to direct input on the remote device.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising transitioning the access controller to a latch disconnect mode from the authorized access mode after a predetermined access time in the authorized access mode or from the entry mode after a predetermined entry time in the entry mode.

16. A lock mechanism for a door, the lock mechanism comprising:
a drive hub configured to rotate in response to rotation of an exterior handle of the door;
a main latch having a latched position in which the door is prevented from moving from a closed position and a retracted position in which the door is allowed to move from the closed position; and
an access controller having a first mode in which the main latch is decoupled from the drive hub and a second mode in which the main latch is operably coupled to the drive hub such that the drive hub is configured to actuate the main latch between the latched position and the retracted position.

17. The lock mechanism according to claim 16 , wherein the access controller is configured to translate a pin between the first mode and the second mode.

18. The lock mechanism according to claim 16 , wherein the access controller transitions from the first mode to the second mode in response to input from a remote device and contact with an exterior handle of the door.

19. The lock mechanism according to claim 18 , wherein the input from the remote device is proximity of the remote device to the access controller or is direct input on the remote device.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the access controller is in the authorized access mode the exterior handle is prevented from rotating away from a neutral position.

Assignees

• Endura Products Llc

Inventors

• Simon Stephen
• Jaskiewicz Tomasz

Classifications

• E05C9/008

  mounted in an elongate casing on the surface of the wing · CPC title

• G07C9/28

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• G07C9/00182

  operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• E05B63/0065

  Operating modes; Transformable to different operating modes · CPC title

• G07C9/00714

  with passive electrical components, e.g. resistor, capacitor, inductor · CPC title