# US 10,309,136 B2 · Locking and unlocking mechanism for a door lock

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- Number: US 10,309,136 B2
- Document ID: US10309136B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/027,256
- Filed: 2014-08-12
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-11
- Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
- Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
- Inventors: Yang Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309136B2

## CPC

- D06F 37/42: Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door
- A47L 15/4259: {Arrangements of locking or security/safety devices for doors, e.g. door latches, switch to stop operation when door is open}
- D06F 39/14: Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
- E05B 47/0004: {said core being linearly movable}
- E05B 47/0603: {the detent moving rectilinearly}
- E05B 47/0657: {by locking the handle, spindle, follower or the like}
- E05C 1/08: with latching action
- E05C 19/063: {Released by pull or pressure on the wing (E05C19/022 takes precedence)}
- E05C 19/166: {electromagnetic}
- D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05C: BOLTS OR FASTENING DEVICES FOR WINGS, SPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS (latching means for sideboard or tailgate structures for vehicles B62D, {B62D33/02}; fastening devices for constructional or engineering elements E04, F16B; locks, fastening devices structurally or operatively combined or having significant cooperation with locks E05B; means for operating or controlling wing fasteners in conjunction with mechanisms for moving the wing E05F)

## Abstract

A door lock and an electrical appliance using the door lock. The door lock comprises: a switch housing; a pen core-like mechanism disposed in the switch housing; a control needle (state means) passing out of the pen core-like mechanism; and a manual unlocking pull rod mechanism. The manual unlocking pull rod mechanism is capable of moving towards the control needle and coming into contact therewith. The position of the control needle (state means) indicates the switch state of the door lock, such that when the door lock is in an unlocked position, further pulling of the manual unlocking pull rod mechanism has no effect on the door lock switch mechanism.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A door lock, wherein it comprises:
a manual unlocking means providing a handle exposed to be operable by a user;
a switch control means operable to move between an unlocked position unlocking the door and a locked position locking the door; and
a state means communicating with the switch control means to move therewith providing a position indicating a current position of the switch control, the state means interacting with the manual unlocking means to permit or forbid the manual unlocking means to move the switch control means depending on the position of the state means;
wherein: the state means is a mechanical means;
wherein: the manual unlocking means comprises a manual pull handle and a push rod, the push rod is provided with a stopping means, the manual unlocking means is further provided with blocking means, which is configured to block the stopping means on the push rod; and wherein the state means permits or forbids the push rod to move the switch control means depending on the position of the state means;
wherein the door lock further comprises: a switch housing which includes an opening; and wherein the manual unlocking means is disposed on the switch housing; and wherein the switch control means is disposed in the switch housing; the opening on the switch housing enables the push rod to enter the switch housing to move the switch control means;
wherein: when the position of the state means indicates that the switch control means is in the locked position, the stopping means on the push rod is not limited by the blocking means and thereby can enter an interior of the switch housing and contact with the switch control means to move the switch control means from the locked position to the unlocked position; when the position of the state means indicates that the switch control means is in the unlocked position, the stopping means on the push rod is limited by the blocking means and thereby cannot contact with the switch control means.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The door lock according to claim 1, wherein: the manual unlocking means further comprises: a shoulder disposed over the opening, a through hole is provided at the shoulder; one end of the push rod is connected to one end of the manual pull handle; the other end of the push rod is a pull end of the manual pull handle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The door lock according to claim 2, wherein: the blocking means is a sidewall of the through hole; the stopping means on the push rod is a protrusion or step disposed on the same side as the sidewall of the through hole.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The door lock according to claim 1, wherein the door lock further comprises: a switch slide block disposed on the switch control means; the switch slide block is configured to stay at a first position or a second position, i.e., the switch control means has the unlocked position and the locked position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The door lock according to claim 4, further including: an electromagnetic driving means is configured to drive the switch slide block.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An electrical appliance, wherein it uses the door lock according to claim 1.

### Claim 7

A door lock, wherein it comprises:
a manual unlocking means providing a handle exposed to be operable by a user;
a switch control means operable to move between an unlocked position unlocking the door and a locked position locking the door; and
a state means communicating with the switch control means to move therewith providing a position indicating a current position of the switch control, the state mean interacting with the manual unlocking means to permit or forbid the manual unlocking means to move the switch control means depending on the position of the state means;
wherein: the state means is a mechanical means;
wherein: the manual unlocking means comprises a manual pull handle and a push rod, the push rod is provided with a stopping means, the manual unlocking means is further provided with blocking means, which is configured to block the stopping means on the push rod; and wherein the state means permits or forbids the push rod to move the switch control means depending on the position of the state means;
wherein the door lock further comprises: a switch housing, which includes an opening; the manual unlocking means is disposed on the switch housing; the switch control means is disposed in the switch housing; the opening on the switch housing enables the push rod to enter the switch housing to move the switch control means,
wherein: the manual unlocking means further comprises: a shoulder disposed over the opening, a through hole is provided at the shoulder; one end of the push rod is connected to one end of the manual pull handle; the other end of the push rod is a pull end of the manual pull handle;
wherein: the blocking means is a sidewall of the through hole; the stopping means on the push rod is a protrusion or step disposed on the same side as the sidewall of the through hole,
wherein: the protrusion or step on the push rod has a downward inclination angle; one side of the shoulder has an inclination angle corresponding to the protrusion or step.

### Claim 8

A door lock, wherein it comprises: a switch housing; a pen core-like mechanism disposed in the switch housing; a control needle extending out of the pen core-like mechanism; and an manual unlocking pull handle mechanism capable of moving towards the control needle and contacting with the control needle;
wherein: the manual unlocking pull handle mechanism comprises a manual pull handle, the manual pull handle is provided with a push rod the push rod is provided with a step, the switch housing is provided with an opening so that the push rod can pass through the opening into the switch housing; a base is provided at one end of the switch housing, with a through hole provided in the base; one end of the base is connected to one end of the manual pull handle, the manual pull handle is pulled so that the push rod generates horizontal movement and downward movement; after the push rod moves horizontally above the through hole a predetermined distance, one side of the through hole catches the push rod to stop it from moving downwardly; when the pen core-like mechanism is at a locked position, the control needle gets adjacent to the through hole to block the horizontal movement of the push rod; when the pen core-like mechanism is at an unlocked position, the control needle gets away from the through hole to release the horizontal movement of the push rod.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The door lock according to claim 8, wherein: the manual unlocking pull handle mechanism is disposed on the switch housing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The door lock according to claim 8, wherein: at an inlet of the through hole is provided with a shoulder; after the push rod moves horizontally above the through hole a predetermined distance, one side of the step is caught by one side of the through hole to prevent the push rod from getting into the switch housing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The door lock according to claim 10, a bevel surface is provided on one side of the shoulder; the step on the push rod has an inclination angle relative to the push rod; the inclination angle matches with the bevel surface; after the push rod moves horizontally above the through hole a predetermined distance, the bevel surface of the shoulder catches the step on the push rod to prevent the push rod from getting into the switch housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The door lock according to claim 8, wherein the pen core-like mechanism comprises: a button; a rotor, installed in a cylindrical cavity of the button; the control needle is provided on the rotor, and extending out of a top end of the button.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The door lock according to claim 12, wherein the pen core-like mechanism further comprises: a spring seat; a reset spring, which is mounted on the spring seat.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The door lock according to claim 12, wherein the pen core-like mechanism has a locked position and an unlocked position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The door lock according to claim 14, wherein it further comprises: an electromagnetic driving mechanism for unidirectionally driving the pen core-like mechanism.