Electro-mechanical lock and installation method having integrated electrical conductor
AssigneeLock II, LLC
InventorJ. Clayton Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-mechanical lock is provided for a door. The lock includes inner and outer lock components mounted on opposite sides of the door and a tube extending between the inner and outer lock components, the tube being configured to receive a spindle extending through the door. The tube includes an electrical conductor integrated with the tube as a one-piece construction for transmitting electrical power and/or control signals between first and second electrical connectors at the inner and outer lock components. The tube is less fragile than conventional double tube arrangements in locks and thus can be more easily cut to length and installed at the door, improving reliability and cost effectiveness of methods of installation.
Claims20
An electro-mechanical lock for a door, comprising:
- an inner lock component including a lock bolt movable between extended and retracted positions and a first electrical connector configured to send and receive electrical power and/or control signals,
- an outer lock component including a lock bolt moving element operatively coupled to a rotatable spindle, a user input device for providing control signals to selectively allow the lock bolt to be moved to the retracted position when a correct code is entered at the user input device, and a second electrical connector configured to send and receive electrical power and/or control signals, and
- a tube extending between the inner lock component and the outer lock component, wherein the spindle extends through the tube when the lock is fully assembled, and the tube includes at least one electrical conductor integrated with the tube as a one-piece construction and configured to transmit electrical power and/or control signals between the first and second electrical connectors.
A method of installing an electro-mechanical lock on a door, comprising:
- positioning an inner lock component on an inner side of the door, the inner lock component including a lock bolt,
- positioning an outer lock component on an outer side of the door,
- extending a tube between the inner lock component and the outer lock component, the tube including at least one electrical conductor integrated with the tube as a one-piece construction,
- positioning a spindle in the tube to extend through a length of the tube,
- coupling a first electrical connector to a first end of the tube within the inner lock component, and
- coupling a second electrical connector to a second end of the tube within the outer lock component,
- wherein electrical power and/or control signals are directed between the first and second electrical connectors along the length of the tube using the at least one electrical conductor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.