Sensor assemblies for locks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850684-B2
Application number	US-201414334515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2014
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A locking assembly including first and second hubs rotatably mounted in a case, a latch assembly which retracts in response to rotation of either of the hubs, and a locking member which selectively prevents rotation of at least one of the hubs. A sensor assembly is associated with at least one of the hubs, and is configured to transmit a signal in response to rotation of the at least one hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor assembly operable to detect a condition of a locking assembly including a case which houses a first hub having a first home position and a first rotated position, a second hub having a second home position and a second rotated position, and a retraction assembly operable to retract a latch bolt in response to an actuating force causing rotation of either of the first and second hubs, and wherein the case comprises an opening aligned with the first and second hubs, the sensor assembly comprising:
a bracket configured for receipt within the opening;
a sensor operable to transmit a signal in response to an actuating input;
a first coupling operable to couple the sensor to the bracket; and
a second coupling operable to couple the bracket to the case; and
wherein the sensor assembly is structured for connection to the locking assembly in each of a first configuration and a second configuration;
wherein, in the first configuration, the sensor is associated with the first hub, and the actuating input comprises one of the first home position and the first rotated position; and
wherein, in the second configuration, the sensor is associated with the second hub, and the actuating input comprises one of the second home position and the second rotated position.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a base plate and an arm extending from the base plate; and
wherein the first coupling couples the sensor to the arm.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling comprises a first releasable coupling structured to releasably couple the sensor to the bracket in each of a first position and a second position; and
wherein the second coupling comprises a second releasable coupling structured to releasably couple the bracket to the case in each of a first orientation and a second orientation; and
wherein, in the first configuration, the sensor is coupled to the bracket in the first position, and the bracket is coupled to the case in the first orientation; and
wherein, in the second configuration, the sensor is coupled to the bracket in the second position, and the bracket is coupled to the case in the second orientation.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the sensor comprises a microswitch including a leaf spring; and
wherein, in the first configuration, the leaf spring is engaged with a first cam surface when the first hub is in the first home position and is disengaged from the first cam surface when the first hub is in the first rotated position, and the actuating input comprises one of engagement with the first cam surface and disengagement from the first cam surface; and
wherein, in the second configuration, the leaf spring is engaged with a second cam surface when the second hub is in the second home position and is disengaged from the second cam surface when the second hub is in the second rotated position, and the actuating input comprises one of engagement with the second cam surface and disengagement from the second cam surface.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first position is angularly offset from the second position by 180° about a lateral axis of the microswitch; and
wherein the first orientation is angularly offset from the second orientation by 180° about a lateral axis of the bracket.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a snap-action switch including a first output terminal and a second output terminal; and
wherein the snap-action switch is configured to transmit the signal through the first output terminal in response to the actuating input, and is further configured to transmit the signal through the second output terminal in response to a secondary actuating input;
wherein, in the first configuration, the secondary actuating input comprises the other of the first home position and the first rotated position; and
wherein, in the second configuration, the secondary actuating input comprises the other of the second home position and the second rotated position.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the snap-action switch further comprises a resilient trigger arm having a first position and a second position;
wherein the first hub comprises a first cam surface; wherein the second hub comprises a second cam surface;
wherein, in the first configuration:
with the first hub in the first home position, the first cam surface is engaged with the trigger arm;
with the first hub in the first rotated position, the first cam surface is disengaged from the trigger arm;
the trigger arm comprises the first trigger arm position in response to engagement with the first cam surface;
the trigger arm comprises the second trigger arm position in response to disengagement from the first cam surface;
the actuating input further comprises the first trigger arm position; and
the secondary actuating input further comprises the second trigger arm position; and

wherein, in the second configuration:
with the second hub in the second home position, the second cam surface is engaged with the trigger arm;
with the second hub in the second rotated position, the second cam surface is disengaged from the trigger arm;
the trigger arm comprises the first trigger arm position in response to engagement with the second cam surface;
the trigger arm comprises the second trigger arm position in response to disengagement from the second cam surface;
the actuating input further comprises the first trigger arm position; and
the secondary actuating input further comprises the second trigger arm position.

8. A system, comprising:
a locking assembly including:
a case defining an opening;
first and second hubs rotatably mounted in the case and aligned with the opening, wherein each of the hubs is independently rotatable and is configured to rotate in response to an external actuating force applied thereto;
a latch assembly biased to a locking position and having an unlocking position in response to rotation of either of the first and second hubs; and
a locking element operable to selectively prevent rotation of the first hub; and

a sensor assembly including a sensor operable to transmit a signal and structured to be received in the opening in a first configuration and a second configuration; and
wherein, in the first configuration, the sensor is associated with the first hub and transmits the signal in response to rotation of the first hub; and
wherein, in the second configuration, the sensor is associated with the second hub and transmits the signal in response to rotation of the second hub.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a bracket, and wherein the sensor is releasably engaged to the bracket.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the bracket is operable to be selectively coupled to the case in a first bracket position and a second bracket position; and
wherein the sensor is structured for coupling to the bracket in a first sensor position and a second sensor position;
wherein the first configuration comprises the first bracket position and the first sensor position; and
wherein the second configuration comprises the second bracket position and the second sensor position.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises an electrical switch including a normally open terminal and a normally closed terminal, and wherein the electrical switch transmits the signal via one of the normally open terminal and the normally closed terminal in response to rotation of the hub with which the sensor is associated.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first hub comprises a first cam surface, and t

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Dore Vasudevan Sundar Raj
• Bangaru Dilip
• Litwinski Adam Michael
• Madrid Allen

Classifications

• E05B63/0056

  Locks with adjustable or exchangeable lock parts (adjustable strikers E05B15/024; adjustable to different keys E05B35/083; adjustable bolt or backset E05B63/06; adjustable coupling means for bars, rods, cables E05C9/20) · CPC title

• Y10T292/1097

  Reversible · CPC title

• E05B55/12

  the bolt being secured by the operation of a hidden parallel member {; Automatic latch bolt deadlocking mechanisms, e.g. using a trigger or a feeler} · CPC title

• E05B2047/0067

  Monitoring · CPC title

• E05B63/08

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