Electric strike including a biasing mechanism for a keeper support bracket

A method of improving the performance of an electric strike, wherein said electric strike includes a keeper movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a support bracket movable by an actuating mechanism between a first position and a second position, wherein when said support bracket is in said first position said keeper is in one of said locked position or said unlocked position, and wherein when said support bracket is in said second position said keeper is in the other of said locked position or said unlocked position, said method comprises the steps of:

• a) providing a first biasing mechanism operatively coupled to said support bracket to apply a first force in a first direction to move said support bracket toward said first position, wherein said first biasing mechanism includes a first biasing characteristic value;
• b) providing a second biasing mechanism operatively coupled to said support bracket to apply a second force in a second direction opposite said first direction to move said support bracket toward said second position, wherein said second biasing mechanism includes a second biasing characteristic value that is different than said first biasing characteristic value;
• c) selecting said first and second biasing characteristic values so that a net force exerted on said support bracket by said first and second biasing mechanisms is approximately zero when said support bracket is in said first position,
• whereby said performance of said electric strike is improved by increasing an acceleration of said support bracket upon an initial movement of said support bracket toward one of said first position or said second position by said actuating mechanism.

An actuator module for an electric strike for operating in conjunction with a latch of a lockset, wherein said latch has an engaged position so as to secure a door in a closed state and a released position, wherein said electric strike comprises a housing defining an entry chamber and a keeper disposed in said entry chamber movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said actuator module comprises:

• a) a keeper support bracket movable between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein when said keeper support bracket is in said blocking position, said keeper is held in said locked position, and wherein when said keeper support bracket is in said unblocking position said keeper is able to be moved to said unlocked position;
• b) an actuating mechanism operatively connected to said keeper support bracket and actionable in a first direction to move said keeper support bracket toward said blocking position, and actionable in a second direction to move said keeper support bracket toward said unblocking position, wherein said second direction is different than said first direction;
• and
• c) a biasing member applying a net force to said keeper support bracket, said biasing member comprising a first biasing mechanism and a second biasing mechanism, wherein a first biasing characteristic value of said first biasing mechanism is different than a second biasing characteristic value of said second spring, wherein said first biasing mechanism applies a first force to said keeper support bracket in said first direction, wherein said second biasing mechanism applies a second force to said keeper support bracket in said second direction, and wherein when said keeper support bracket is in said blocking position, said net force of said biasing member is approximately zero.

A method of improving the performance of an actuator module of an electric strike, wherein said electric strike includes a keeper movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said actuator module includes a support bracket movable by an actuating mechanism between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein when said support bracket is in said blocking position said keeper is in said locked position, and wherein when said support bracket is in said unblocking position said keeper is in said unlocked position, said method comprises the steps of:

• a) providing a first biasing mechanism operatively coupled to said support bracket to apply a first force in a first direction to move said support bracket toward said blocking position, wherein said first biasing mechanism includes a first biasing characteristic value;
• b) providing a second biasing mechanism operatively coupled to said support bracket to apply a second force in a second direction opposite said first direction to move said support bracket toward said unblocking position, wherein said second biasing mechanism includes a second biasing characteristic value that is different than said first biasing characteristic value;
• c) selecting said first and second biasing characteristic values so that a net force exerted on said support bracket by said first and second biasing mechanisms is approximately zero when said support bracket is in said blocking position,
• whereby said performance of said actuator module is improved by increasing an acceleration of said support bracket upon an initial movement of said support bracket toward said unblocking position by said actuating mechanism.

An actuator module for an electric strike for operating in conjunction with a latch of a lockset, wherein said latch has an engaged position so as to secure a door in a closed state and a released position, wherein said electric strike comprises a housing defining an entry chamber and a keeper disposed in said entry chamber movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said actuator module comprises:

• a) a keeper support bracket movable between a first position a second position, wherein when said keeper support bracket is in said first position, said keeper is in one of said locked position or said unlocked position, and wherein when said keeper support bracket is in said second position said keeper is in the other of said locked position or said unlocked position;
• b) an actuating mechanism operatively connected to said keeper support bracket, wherein said actuating mechanism is actionable in a first direction to move said keeper support bracket toward said first position, and wherein said actuating mechanism is configured to allow said keeper support bracket to move in a second direction toward said second position, wherein said second direction is different than said first direction;
• and
• c) a biasing member applying a net force to said keeper support bracket, said biasing member comprising a first biasing mechanism and a second biasing mechanism, wherein said first biasing mechanism has at least one biasing characteristic value different from that of said second biasing mechanism, wherein said first biasing mechanism applies a first force to said keeper support bracket in said first direction, wherein said second biasing mechanism applies a second force to said keeper support bracket in said second direction, and wherein when said keeper support bracket is in said first position, said net force of said biasing member is approximately zero.

A method of improving the performance of an actuator module of an electric strike, wherein said electric strike includes a keeper movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said actuator module includes a support bracket movable by an actuating mechanism between a first position and a second position, wherein when said support bracket is in said first position said keeper is in one of said locked position or said unlocked position, and wherein when said support bracket is in said second position said keeper is in the other of said locked position or said unlocked position, said method comprises the steps of:

• a) providing a first biasing mechanism operatively coupled to said support bracket to apply a first force in a first direction to move said support bracket toward said first position, wherein said first biasing mechanism includes a first biasing characteristic value;
• b) providing a second biasing mechanism operatively coupled to said support bracket to apply a second force in a second direction opposite said first direction to move said support bracket toward said second position, wherein said second biasing mechanism includes a second biasing characteristic value that is different than said first biasing characteristic value;
• c) selecting said first and second biasing characteristic values so that a net force exerted on said support bracket by said first and second biasing mechanisms is approximately zero when said support bracket is in said first position,
• whereby said performance of said actuator module is improved by increasing an acceleration of said support bracket upon an initial movement of said support bracket toward one of said first position or said second position by said actuating mechanism.