Electric strike having an interchangable actuator module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12540490-B2
Application number	US-202218056992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2022
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

An electric strike comprising a housing, keeper, actuator module, and actuator. The module comprises a keeper support bracket coupled with the actuator and configured to move between blocking and unblocking positions, and first and second keeper supports extending from opposite ends of the bracket. When the actuator is in a first position, the bracket is in the blocking position so that the first and second keeper supports are coupled to respective first and second ends of the keeper such that a load placed on the keeper when in a locked position is transferred through the keeper supports to a back housing wall. When the actuator is moved to a second position, the bracket is in the unblocking position so that the first and second keeper supports are decoupled with the respective first and second ends of the keeper to allow the keeper to rotate to an unlocked position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An actuator-controlled electric strike for operating in conjunction with a latch of a lockset, wherein the latch has an engaged position so as to secure a door in a closed state and a released position, the strike comprising:
a) a housing including a back wall, a bottom panel and side walls defining an entry chamber therein; b) a keeper disposed in the entry chamber about an axis of rotation parallel with the back wall, wherein the keeper includes a first distal end and a second distal end, wherein the first distal end and the second distal end are disposed at opposite ends of the keeper, wherein the keeper is rotatable about the axis of rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein the back wall is disposed opposite the keeper when the keeper is in the locked position; c) an actuator module comprising:
i) a body;
ii) a keeper support bracket disposed within the body and configured to move linearly along a first longitudinal axis between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein the keeper support bracket includes a first end and a second end;
iii) a first keeper support extending from the first end of the keeper support bracket;
iv) a second keeper support extending from the second end of the keeper support bracket;
v) an actuator extension including a first distal end and a second distal end; and
d) an actuator including a plunger, wherein the first distal end of the actuator extension is coupled to the keeper support bracket, wherein the second distal end of the actuator extension is coupled to the plunger, wherein the plunger is selectively movable along a second longitudinal axis between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, wherein the actuator is positioned in a location between the first keeper support and the second keeper support, wherein the first longitudinal axis is parallel with and off-set relative to the second longitudinal axis, wherein the actuator extension extends between the first distal end and the second distal end in a direction that is perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the first distal end of the actuator extension is coupled to the keeper support bracket between the first keeper support and the second keeper support, wherein when the actuator is in one of the first actuator position or the second actuator position, the keeper support bracket is in the blocking position so that the first keeper support is coupled to the first distal end of the keeper and the second keeper support is coupled to the second distal end of the keeper such that a load placed on the keeper when the keeper is in the locked position is transferred from the keeper through the first keeper support and the second keeper support to the back wall of the housing, and wherein when the actuator is selectively moved to the other of the first actuator position or the second actuator position, the keeper support bracket is in the unblocking position so that the first keeper support is decoupled with the first distal end of the keeper and the second keeper support is decoupled with the second distal end of the keeper to allow the keeper to rotate to the unlocked position.

2 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator module includes a first keeper release disposed between the keeper and the back wall, and wherein when the keeper support bracket is in the blocking position, the first keeper support and the first keeper release are positioned such that at least a portion of the load placed on the keeper is transferred from the keeper through the first keeper support and the first keeper release to the back wall of the housing.

3 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 2 wherein the actuator module includes a second keeper release disposed between the keeper and the back wall, and wherein when the keeper support bracket is in the blocking position the second keeper support and the second keeper release are positioned such that at least a portion of the load placed on the keeper is transferred from the keeper through the second keeper support and the second keeper release to the back wall of the housing.

4 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal axis extends in a direction that is parallel with the back wall of the housing.

5 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 4 wherein at least a portion of the first keeper support extends perpendicularly from the keeper support bracket toward the keeper.

6 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the second keeper support extends perpendicularly from the keeper support bracket toward the keeper.

7 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 4 wherein the actuator extension extends perpendicularly from the keeper support bracket.

8 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 4 further comprising a biasing mechanism configured for biasing the keeper support bracket towards one of the blocking position or the unblocking position.

9 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 8 wherein the actuator includes a solenoid.

10 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator module further includes a guide fixedly positioned relative to the body, wherein the keeper support bracket is slidably coupled with the guide.

11 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator includes an actuating device comprising a springless electromagnet actuator including a magnet.

12 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator includes an actuating device comprising a stepper motor.

13 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator module is a unitized first actuating module, wherein the unitized first actuating module is configured to be interchangeable with a unitized second actuating module of the electric strike including the features set forth in element c).

14 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator includes a DC motor.

15 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first keeper support is disposed adjacent to the first end of the actuator, and wherein the second keeper support is disposed adjacent to the second end of the actuator.

16 . The electric strike in accordance with claim 1 wherein the actuator is disposed within the actuator module, and wherein the actuator module is disposed within the housing.

17 . An actuator-controlled electric strike for operating in conjunction with a latch of a lockset, wherein the latch has an engaged position so as to secure a door in a closed state and a released position, the strike comprising:
a) a housing including a back wall, a bottom panel and side walls defining an entry chamber therein; b) a keeper disposed in the entry chamber about an axis of rotation parallel with the back wall, wherein the keeper includes a longitudinal length having a first half and a second half, wherein the keeper is rotatable about the axis of rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein the back wall is disposed opposite the keeper when the keeper is in the locked position; c) an actuator module comprising:
i) a body;
ii) a keeper support bracket disposed within the body and configured to move linearly along a first longitudinal axis between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein the keeper support bracket includes a first end and a s

Assignees

• Hanchett Entry Systems Inc

Inventors

• Sims Ryan Matthew

Classifications

• Y10T292/699

  Motor controlled · CPC title

• E05B47/0012

  with rotary electromotors (actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68) · CPC title

• E05B47/0002

  with electromagnets · CPC title

• E05B15/025

  the striker being movable by a screw/nut · CPC title

• E05B47/0047 Primary

  Striker rotating about an axis parallel to the wing edge · CPC title