Locking device with configurable electrical connector key and internal circuit board for electronic door locks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845621-B2
Application number	US-201615267296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 25, 2010
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

Locks, systems and methods of monitoring a lock, the lock having a hub with a slot rotatable by a handle to open and close a latchbolt. A locking member is moveable into and out of engagement with the hub slot to prevent and permit movement of the hub and latchbolt. A sensor on the lock, adjacent the hub and locking member, monitors a moving lock component. The sensor may sense the position of the locking member in or out of engagement with the hub slot. The sensor may be a reed switch actuated by a magnet on the moving lock component. The lock may further include a magnet mounted on the hub and the sensor may comprise a reed switch capable of being actuated by the magnet on the hub. The lock and system may include an external control unit having an alarm for controlling operation of the lock.

First claim

Thus, having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring a lock comprising:
providing a lock having a plurality of electrical components mounted therein and a locking mechanism moveable between latched and unlatched positions;
providing an actuator to move the locking mechanism between the latched and unlatched positions, the actuator being activated by a command signal to move the locking mechanism between the latched and unlatched position;
providing a pair of sensors on the lock, one sensor being activated when the locking mechanism is in the latched position and the other sensor being activated when the locking mechanism is in the unlatched position;
providing an electrical connector removably engageable with the lock, the electrical connector being connectable to the electrical components in the lock and to an external control unit;
providing an external control unit for controlling operation of the lock and monitoring signals from the sensors, the external control unit including an alarm, wherein the external control unit is adapted to send a command signal to the actuator to move the locking mechanism between the latched and unlatched positions;
monitoring signals from the sensors to determine activation of the other sensor indicating that the locking mechanism is in the unlatched position; and
sending an alarm signal if a command signal was not previously sent to the actuator to move the locking mechanism to the unlatched position.

2. An electronic lock system comprising:
a lock having a plurality of electrical components mounted therein;
an electrical connector removably engageable with the lock, the electrical connector being connectable to the electrical components in the lock and to an external control unit;
a sensor on the lock or in the external control unit, the sensor adapted to be activated and send an engaged position signal when the electrical connector is engaged with the lock; and
an external control unit for controlling operation of the lock and monitoring signals from the sensor, the external control unit including an alarm, wherein the external control unit is adapted to detect the absence of the engaged position signal and send an alarm signal if the engaged position signal is not detected.

3. The lock system of claim 2 wherein the electrical connector is an electrical connector key that is selectively connectable to each of the electrical components in the lock.

4. The lock system of claim 2 wherein the sensor is in the external control unit, the lock is adapted to send a signal to the external control unit when the electrical connector is engaged with the lock, and the sensor monitors the presence of the signal and detects when the signal is absent to indicate that the electrical connector is out of engagement with the lock.

5. The lock system of claim 2 further comprising an external member covering at least a portion of the lock and a sensor for sensing whether the external member has been removed from the lock, wherein the external control unit is adapted to monitor signals from the external member sensor and to send an alarm signal if the external member sensor determines that the external member has been removed from the lock.

6. The lock system of claim 5 wherein the lock external member is selected from the group consisting of escutcheons, lock trim, card readers and keypads.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism has a magnet thereon and further including:
providing a pair of single throw reed switches on the lock, one reed switch being activated by the magnet and sending a latched position signal when the locking mechanism is in the latched position and the other reed switch being activated by the magnet and sending an unlatched position signal when the locking mechanism is in the unlatched position;
monitoring signals from the reed switches to determine activation of the reed switch indicating that the locking mechanism is in the unlatched position; and
sending an alarm signal if a command signal was not previously sent to the actuator to move the locking mechanism to the unlatched position.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the lock is a mortise lock and the locking mechanism comprises a deadbolt.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the lock has an external member covering at least a portion of the lock and further including providing a sensor for sensing whether the external member has been removed from the lock and monitoring the external member sensor to determine whether the external member has been removed from the lock, and wherein the alarm is activated if a command signal was not previously sent to the actuator to move the locking mechanism to the unlatched position and the external member sensor determines that the external member has been removed from the lock.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the lock external member is selected from the group consisting of escutcheons, lock trim, card readers and keypads.

11. The method of claim 1 further including providing a sensor for sensing whether the electrical connector has been removed from the lock and monitoring the electrical connector sensor to determine whether the electrical connector has been removed from the lock, and wherein the alarm is activated if a command signal was not previously sent to the actuator to move the locking mechanism to the unlatched position and the electrical connector sensor determines that the electrical connector has been removed from the lock.

12. A method of monitoring a lock comprising:
providing a lock having a locking mechanism moveable between latched and unlatched positions;
providing an actuator to move the locking mechanism between the latched and unlatched positions, the actuator being activated by a command signal to move the locking mechanism between the latched and unlatched position;
providing a pair of sensors on the lock, one sensor being activated when the locking mechanism is in the latched position and the other sensor being activated when the locking mechanism is in the unlatched position;
providing an external control unit for controlling operation of the lock and monitoring signals from the sensors, the external control unit including an alarm and being connectable to an electrical connector removably engageable with the lock, wherein the external control unit is adapted to send a command signal to the actuator to move the locking mechanism between the latched and unlatched positions;
monitoring signals from the sensors to determine activation of the other sensor indicating that the locking mechanism is in the unlatched position; and
sending an alarm signal if a command signal was not previously sent to the actuator to move the locking mechanism to the unlatched position.

Assignees

• Sargent Mfg Co

Inventors

• Lowder Scott B

Classifications

• E05B2047/0076

  Current to lock only, i.e. "fail-safe" · CPC title

• E05B2047/0069

  bolt position · CPC title

• Y10T292/1021

  Motor · CPC title

• E05B63/08 Primary

  Mortise locks {(mortised work B27F5/12)} · CPC title

• E05B17/22

  Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators {(E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence)} · CPC title