Electronic lock with clutch

A method, comprising:

• mounting a bolt mechanism in a door, the bolt mechanism including a bolt having an extended position and a retracted position;
• mounting an exterior assembly to an exterior side of the door, the exterior assembly comprising an exterior manual actuator;
• positioning a driving tailpiece such that the driving tailpiece is operably coupled with the exterior manual actuator and extends at least partially through the door;
• positioning a driven tailpiece in engagement with the bolt mechanism such that rotation of the driven tailpiece drives the bolt between the extended and retracted positions;
• mounting an interior assembly to an interior side of the door, the interior assembly including a clutch;
• engaging the clutch with the driving tailpiece and the driven tailpiece such that the clutch is operable to selectively couple the driving tailpiece with the driven tailpiece, the driving tailpiece is connected between the exterior manual actuator and the clutch, the driven tailpiece is connected between the clutch and the bolt, and rotation of the driven tailpiece drives the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position;
• and
• selectively moving the clutch between a coupling state and a decoupling state;
• wherein the clutch, in the coupling state, operably connects the driving tailpiece with the driven tailpiece such that rotation of the driving tailpiece causes a corresponding rotation of the driven tailpiece, thereby enabling the exterior manual actuator to drive the bolt between the extended and retracted positions;
• and
• wherein the clutch, in the decoupling state, operably disconnects the driving tailpiece from the driven tailpiece such that rotation of the exterior manual actuator does not drive the bolt between the extended and retracted positions.

An interior assembly for a lockset, the interior assembly comprising:

• an interior escutcheon;
• a clutch mounted in the interior escutcheon, the clutch comprising:
• an input component rotatable about a first longitudinal axis;
• an output component mounted for sliding movement along the first longitudinal axis and for rotation about the first longitudinal axis;
• and
• a cam interface configured to longitudinally drive the output component between a coupling position and a decoupling position in response to rotation of the input component;
• a driving gear rotatably mounted to the interior escutcheon, wherein the output component in the coupling position is operable to rotate the driving gear, and wherein the output component in the decoupling position is inoperable to rotate the driving gear;
• a driven gear rotatably mounted to the interior escutcheon, wherein the driven gear is operably connected with the driving gear such that rotation of the driving gear causes a corresponding rotation of the driven gear;
• an interior manual actuator rotatably mounted to the interior escutcheon for rotation about a second longitudinal axis, wherein the interior manual actuator is operably connected with the driven gear such that rotation of the driven gear causes a corresponding rotation of the interior manual actuator;
• and
• a driven tailpiece connected between the clutch and a bolt such that rotation of the driven tailpiece drives the bolt between an extended position and a retracted position;
• wherein the clutch has a coupling state in which the output component is in the coupling position and the clutch is operable to couple a driving tailpiece with the driven tailpiece such that an exterior manual actuator is operable to drive the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position by rotating the driving tailpiece;
• and
• wherein the clutch has a decoupling state in which the output component is in the decoupling position and the clutch decouples the driving tailpiece from the driven tailpiece such that the exterior manual actuator is inoperable to drive the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position.