Electronic lock with movable in-line locking lug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9834959-B2
Application number	US-201615156703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A lock assembly is disclosed to lock a moveable structure to a fixed structure. The lock assembly includes an electric actuator operable to move a locking lug between first and second axial positions to correspond with a locked and unlocked configuration of the lock assembly. A resilient member can couple the locking lug to the electric actuator and drive the locking lug between the first and second positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lock apparatus comprising:
a rotatable lever spindle;
a locking lug having a locking tab, a drive tab, and a body, the locking tab extending radially outward from the body, the drive tab extending inwardly into the body, the locking lug moveable between first and second axial positions corresponding to an uncoupled and coupled configuration respectively of the lever spindle;
wherein the lever spindle is operable for transmitting rotational torque through the locking lug in the coupled configuration;
an electric motor having a rotatable shaft extending therefrom;
a coil spring connected to the rotatable shaft proximate one end and engaged with the drive tab within the body of the locking lug proximate the other end, the coil spring structured to engage a first side of the drive tab to displace the locking lug toward the first axial position when the coil spring is rotated in a first direction, the coil spring structured to engage a second side of the drive tab to displace the locking lug toward the second axial position when the coil spring is rotated in a second direction, the first side and the second side being on opposing sides of the drive tab; and
wherein the electric motor is operable for rotating the coil spring in the first and second directions to displace the locking lug between the first and second axial positions with the coil spring.

2. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the locking lug is a substantially hollow cylindrical body.

3. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the locking tab is engaged within a slot formed in a wall of a rotatable key cam assembly at least partially disposed within the lever spindle when the locking lug is in the second position, and wherein the electric motor is housed within a motor housing, the locking lug being housed within, and displaceable about, a lug receiving portion extending from the motor housing, the locking tab outwardly extending from an aperture in a sidewall of the lug receiving portion.

4. The lock apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the locking tab is operable to transmit rotational torque from the lever spindle to the key cam assembly when the locking tab is engaged with the slot of the key cam assembly.

5. The lock apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the locking tab will not couple with the key cam assembly when the locking tab and the slot of the key cam assembly are circumferentially misaligned.

6. The lock apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the coil spring is operable to store energy when the electric motor rotates the coil spring and the locking tab is not circumferentially aligned with the slot of the key cam assembly.

7. The lock apparatus of claim 6 , wherein stored energy in the coil spring moves the locking tab into engagement with the slot after the locking tab becomes aligned with the slot of the key cam assembly.

8. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lever connected to the lever spindle.

9. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronic controller to control the electric motor.

10. The lock apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
a manual override mechanism connected to a key cam assembly structured to permit a key to manually override the electronic controller.

11. The lock apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the electronic controller is activated by electronic credentials.

12. The lock apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the electronic credentials includes one of a code generated by an electronic key pad and an RF signal transmitted from an identification card or the like.

13. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one of an AC and a DC electric power source connected to the electric motor.

14. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a latch assembly connected to a key cam assembly and being operable to convert rotational motion of the key cam assembly to sliding motion of a slidable latch retractor.

15. The lock apparatus of claim 1 , further including a key cam assembly having a key cam shaft and a key cam ear drive, the key cam shaft structured for engagement with a latch retractor to linearly displace the latch retractor as the key cam ear drive is rotatably displaced by rotational displacement of the key cam shaft, and wherein the rotational displacement of the key cam shaft is independent of the locking lug being in either of the first and second positions.

16. The lock apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the key cam shaft is coupled to a key cylinder, the key cam shaft structured for rotational displacement upon rotation of a key positioned in the key cylinder.

17. A lock apparatus comprising:
a locking lug movable between locked and unlocked positions, the locking lug having a drive tab and a body, the drive tab extending inwardly into the body;
a lever spindle connecting a hand actuated lever to the locking lug;
wherein rotational torque from the lever spindle is transferred through the locking lug in the unlocked position;
an electric actuator;
that provides a moving force to displace the locking lug in an axial direction between the locked and unlocked positions, and wherein the electric actuator is operable to rotate a drive member in a first direction and a second direction, the drive member structured to engage a first side of the drive tab and displace the locking lug toward the locked position when the drive member is rotated in the first direction, the drive member further structured to engage a second side of the drive tab and displace the locking lug toward the unlocked position when the drive member is rotated in the second direction.

18. The lock apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the electric actuator is an electric motor, and wherein the body is a substantially hollow cylindrical body of the locking lug.

19. The lock apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the drive member stores energy from the electric actuator when the locking lug is prevented from engaging with a key cam assembly at least partially disposed within the lever spindle.

20. The lock apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the stored energy of the drive member is operable to move the locking lug into engagement with the key cam assembly when a locking tab extending from the locking lug becomes circumferentially aligned with a receiving slot formed in the key cam assembly.

21. The lock apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a programmable electronic controller connected to the electronic actuator being operable to lock and unlock the lock apparatus.

22. The lock apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the electric actuator is one of an electric solenoid actuator and an electric motor.

23. The lock apparatus of claim 17 , further including a key cam assembly having a key cam shaft and a key cam ear drive, the key cam shaft structured for engagement with a latch retractor to linearly displace the latch retractor as the key cam ear drive is rotatably displaced by rotational displacement of the key cam shaft, and wherein the rotational displacement of the key cam shaft is independent of the locking lug being in either of the first and second positions.

24. The lock apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the key cam shaft is coupled to a key cylinder, the key cam shaft structured for rotational displacement upon rotation of a key positioned in the key cylinder.

25. The lock apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a key cam assembly disposed at least partially within the lever s

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Mani Vijayakumar
• Ram Prem Ratan Mohan
• Mannanayak Abdul Khadar Jailani

Classifications

• E05B47/068

  axially, i.e. with an axially disengaging coupling element · CPC title

• E05B47/0004

  said core being linearly movable · CPC title

• E05B2047/0084

  Key or electric means; Emergency release · CPC title

• Y10T70/7062

  Electrical type [e.g., solenoid] · CPC title

• E05B47/0642

  axially, i.e. with an axially disengaging coupling element · CPC title