Electronic lock

An electronic lock for securing a door or access panel, the electronic lock comprising:

• a housing;
• a plunger that is mounted for movement relative to the housing, wherein the plunger is movable between a first position corresponding to a latched state of the electronic lock and a second position corresponding to an unlatched state of the electronic lock;
• a rotator that is coupled to the plunger and mounted for rotation relative to the housing between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, wherein in the first rotational position of the rotator corresponding to a locked state of the electronic lock, the plunger is prevented from moving from the first position to the second position, and, in the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to an unlocked state of the electronic lock, the plunger is permitted to move from the first position to the second position for unlatching the door or access panel;
• a motor having an output shaft that is mounted in the housing and configured to rotate the rotator between the first rotational position and the second rotational position;
• a spring that is directly or indirectly coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to resist the movement of the output shaft and the rotator between the first rotational position and the second rotational position;
• wherein the spring is positioned to bear on the rotator and the housing to resist the rotation of the output shaft as the output shaft moves the rotator (i) from the first rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the locked state of the electronic lock toward the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the unlocked state of the electronic lock, and (ii) from the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the unlocked state of the electronic lock toward the first rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the locked state of the electronic lock;
• and
• wherein the rotator includes one of a projection and a recess and the plunger includes the other of the projection and the recess, and wherein, in the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the unlocked state of the electronic lock, the projection is aligned and registers with the recess such that the plunger is permitted to move from the first position to the second position for unlatching the door or access panel.

A door or access panel assembly comprising:

• a door or access panel;
• an electronic lock associated with the door or access panel, the electronic lock having
• a housing;
• a plunger that is mounted for movement relative to the housing, wherein the plunger is movable between a first position corresponding to a latched state of the electronic lock and a second position corresponding to an unlatched state of the electronic lock;
• a rotator that is coupled to the plunger and mounted for rotation relative to the housing between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, wherein in the first rotational position of the rotator corresponding to a locked state of the electronic lock, the plunger is prevented from moving from the first position to the second position, and, in the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to an unlocked state of the electronic lock, the plunger is permitted to move from the first position to the second position for unlatching the door or access panel, wherein the rotator includes a rotation stop that is configured to rotate between two stop surfaces disposed on the housing, wherein one of the two stop surfaces corresponds to the locked state and the other of the two stop surfaces corresponds to the unlocked state of the electronic lock;
• a motor having an output shaft that is mounted in the housing and configured to rotate the rotator between the first rotational position and the second rotational position;
• and
• a spring that is directly or indirectly coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to resist the movement of the output shaft and the rotator between the first rotational position and the second rotational position, wherein the spring is positioned to bear on the rotator and the housing to resist the movement of the output shaft as the output shaft moves the rotator (i) from the first rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the locked state of the electronic lock toward the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the unlocked state of the electronic lock, and (ii) from the second rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the unlocked state of the electronic lock toward the first rotational position of the rotator corresponding to the locked state of the electronic lock;
• wherein movement of the door or access panel is prevented when the plunger is in the first position corresponding to the latched state of the electronic lock and the rotator is in the first rotational position corresponding to the locked state of the electronic lock.