Electrified latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12529244-B2
Application number	US-202217705829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 1, 2019
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

An electromechanical component for a locking mechanism is provided. The locking mechanism includes a latching component having a latch member reciprocally movable between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation. The electromechanical component comprises a drive member configured to be coupled to the latch member, an actuator operably coupled to the drive member, a temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature associated with the locking mechanism; and a printed circuit board (PCB) in communication with the temperature sensor and the actuator. When the PCB receives a control signal to move the latch member between the locked orientation and the unlocked orientation, and the temperature sensor senses that the ambient temperature is below a predetermined threshold temperature, the PCB is configured to direct a pulsed current signal to the actuator to move the latch member between the locked orientation and the unlocked orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cabinet lock for securing a door panel to a cabinet housing, the cabinet lock comprising:
a) a latching component having a latch housing and a latch member reciprocally translatable between a locked orientation to secure said door panel to said cabinet housing and an unlocked orientation to free said door panel from said cabinet housing; b) a temperature sensor configured for sensing an ambient temperature associated with said cabinet lock; c) a position sensor; and d) an electromechanical component including a printed circuit board (PCB) and an actuator, wherein said actuator is operably coupled to a drive member, wherein said drive member is coupled to said latch member, wherein said PCB is in communication with said temperature sensor, said position sensor and said actuator, wherein when said PCB receives a control signal to move said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation and said temperature sensor senses that said ambient temperature is below a predetermined threshold temperature, said PCB is configured to direct a pulsed current signal to said actuator to move said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation, wherein said pulsed current signal is associated with a first motor drive profile, wherein said first motor drive profile is one of a plurality of motor drive profiles, wherein each of said plurality of motor drive profiles comprise a plurality of motor drive parameters, wherein said PCB is further configured to detect whether said latch member has reached said unlocked orientation utilizing said position sensor, and wherein said PCB selects a second motor drive profile to move said latch member to said unlocked orientation based on a determination by said position sensor that said latch member has not reached said unlocked orientation, wherein said second motor drive profile is one of said plurality of motor drive profiles, and wherein said plurality of motor drive parameters of said second motor drive profile are dynamically adjusted based on said ambient temperature sensed by said temperature sensor.

2 . The cabinet lock in accordance with claim 1 wherein said actuator is a stepper motor.

3 . The cabinet lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said PCB is configured to direct said pulsed current signal to said actuator to move said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation according to a third motor drive profile when said ambient temperature is at or above said predetermined threshold temperature, and wherein said first motor drive profile is different than said third motor drive profile.

4 . The cabinet lock in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said PCB is configured for selecting said first motor drive profile from said plurality of motor drive profiles based on said sensed ambient temperature.

5 . The cabinet lock in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the plurality of motor drive parameters includes acceleration rate, deceleration rate, maximum speed, minimum speed, acceleration motor torque current, deceleration motor torque current, run speed motor torque current, motor holding torque current, and stepping modes.

6 . The cabinet lock in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said PCB is further configured to adjust any of said motor drive parameters when said pulse current signal is provided to said actuator to optimize retraction of said latch member.

7 . The cabinet lock in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said first motor drive profile includes a speed profile, wherein said PCB is further configured to vary at least one of a period, a duration, a shape, and/or a sequence of said speed profile when said actuator is moving said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation.

8 . A traffic signal control box comprising:
a) a cabinet having a cabinet housing defining an interior therein; b) a door panel mounted to said cabinet housing and configured to cover said interior when in a closed condition; and c) the cabinet lock as set forth in claim 1 .

9 . An electromechanical component for a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism includes a latching component having a latch member reciprocally movable between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation, said electromechanical component comprising:
a) a drive member configured to be coupled to said latch member; b) an actuator operably coupled to said drive member; c) a temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature associated with said locking mechanism; d) a position sensor; and e) a printed circuit board (PCB) in communication with said temperature sensor, said position sensor and said actuator, wherein when said PCB receives a control signal to move said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation and said temperature sensor senses that said ambient temperature is below a predetermined threshold temperature, said PCB is configured to direct a pulsed current signal to said actuator to move said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation, wherein said pulsed current signal is associated with a first motor drive profile, wherein said first motor drive profile is one of a plurality of motor drive profiles, wherein each of said plurality of motor drive profiles comprise a plurality of motor drive parameters, wherein said PCB is further configured to detect whether said latch member has reached said unlocked orientation utilizing said position sensor, wherein said PCB selects a second motor drive profile to move said latch member to said unlocked orientation based on a determination by said position sensor that said latch member has not reached said unlocked orientation, wherein said second motor drive profile is one of said plurality of motor drive profiles, and wherein said plurality of motor drive parameters of said second motor drive profile are dynamically adjusted based on said ambient temperature sensed by said temperature sensor.

10 . The electromechanical component in accordance with claim 9 wherein said actuator is a stepper motor.

11 . The electromechanical component in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said PCB is configured to direct said pulsed current signal to said actuator to move said latch member between said locked orientation and said unlocked orientation according to a third motor drive profile when said ambient temperature is at or above said predetermined threshold temperature, and wherein said first motor drive profile is different than said third motor drive profile.

12 . The electromechanical component in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said PCB is configured for selecting said first motor drive profile from said plurality of motor drive profiles based on said sensed ambient temperature.

13 . The electromechanical component in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the plurality of motor drive parameters includes acceleration rate, deceleration rate, maximum speed, minimum speed, acceleration motor torque current, deceleration motor torque current, run speed motor torque current, motor holding torque current, and stepping modes.

14 . The electromechanical component in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said PCB is further configured to adjust any of said motor drive parameters when said pulse current signal is provided to said actuator to optimize retraction of said latch member.

15 . The electromechanical component in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said first motor drive profile includes a speed profile, wherein said PCB is further confi

Assignees

• Hanchett Entry Systems Inc

Inventors

• Spence Baruch
• Sims Ryan M
• Williams Ben
• Griffin James

Classifications

• E05B2063/0091

  Lock actuation dependent on temperature · CPC title

• G01K3/005 Primary

  Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature (fire detection G08B17/00) · CPC title

• E05B2047/0069

  bolt position · CPC title

• E05B2047/0017

  with rotary motion · CPC title

• E05B2047/0074

  holding means other than current (mechanical, magnetic) · CPC title