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US 12,203,288 B1Granted
Driven lock systems, fenestration units and methods
AssigneeAndersen Corporation
InventorsChad Wernlund, Justin Depew
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Driven lock systems, fenestration units including the driven lock systems, and methods of operating the driven lock systems are described herein. The driven lock systems as described herein offer a combination of powered or motorized operation in addition to manual operation, with the opportunity for a user to manually switch the lock assembly between its locked and unlocked states as needed. The need for manual operation may arise if, for example, the system loses power, the controls of the system are unavailable, etc.
Claims20
A driven lock system for a fenestration unit, the system comprising:
- a lock mechanism comprising a lock element movable between a locked state and an unlocked state;
- a lock actuator assembly comprising a manual actuator operably coupled to the lock element of the lock mechanism, the manual actuator configured to move the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state;
- a drive assembly operably connected to the lock element of the lock mechanism, wherein the drive assembly comprises a driven actuator comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the driven actuator is configured to move the drive assembly between an extended configuration, a neutral configuration, and a retracted configuration;
- wherein the first end and the second end are located farther away from each other when the drive assembly is in the extended configuration than when the drive assembly is in the neutral configuration;
- wherein the first end and the second end are located closer to each other when the drive assembly is in the retracted configuration than when the drive assembly is in the neutral configuration;
- wherein a distance between the first end and the second end of the driven actuator remains constant when the lock element is moved between the locked state and the unlocked state using the manual actuator;
- wherein movement of the drive assembly from the neutral configuration to the extended configuration changes the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state;
- wherein movement of the drive assembly from the neutral configuration to the retracted configuration changes the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state;
- and wherein the driven actuator of the drive assembly moves when the lock element is moved between the locked and unlocked states using the manual actuator.
6 more elements
A method of operating a lock on a movable panel of a fenestration unit, wherein the method comprises:
- moving a lock element of a lock mechanism between a locked state and an unlocked state using a manual actuator of a lock actuator assembly operably coupled to the lock element of the lock mechanism;
- and
- moving the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state using a driven actuator of a drive assembly operably connected to the lock element, wherein the driven actuator comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the driven actuator is configured to move the drive assembly between an extended configuration, a neutral configuration, and a retracted configuration, wherein the first end and the second end are located farther away from each other when the drive assembly is in the extended configuration than when the drive assembly is in the neutral configuration, wherein the first end and the second end are located closer to each other when the drive assembly is in the retracted configuration than when the drive assembly is in the neutral configuration,
- wherein a distance between the first end and the second of the driven actuator remains constant when moving the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state using the manual actuator;
- wherein moving the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state using the driven actuator comprises moving the drive assembly from the neutral configuration to the extended configuration;
- wherein moving the lock element between the locked state and the unlocked state using the driven actuator comprises moving the drive assembly from the neutral configuration to the retracted configuration,
- and wherein the driven actuator of the drive assembly moves when the lock element is moved between the locked and unlocked states using the manual actuator.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.