Electronic lockbox
AssigneeSentriLock, LLC
InventorsScott R. Fisher, Alan F. Deardoff, Nancy C. Griffiths, Daniel C. Cambron, Matthew K. Caskey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic lockbox uses a rotary actuator with multiple positions to achieve multiple locking states. Multiple positions of the actuator are detected, using optical sensors. The locking mechanism includes an outer sleeve and an inner cylindrical barrel that are coupled with torsion springs. The lockbox has a shackle and a key bin that are retained by the inner barrel when in the locked state, and the barrel can be rotated to either release the shackle or to release the key bin that typically holds a building's key.
Claims5
A latching apparatus for an electronic lockbox comprising:
- (a) a movable actuator having the general shape of a hollow cylinder with at least two open ends, said hollow cylinder including at least one interior protrusion;
- the movable actuator including:
- (i) a cylindrically-shaped rotatable barrel;
- (ii) a movable two-piece outer sleeve, including a bottom sleeve and a top sleeve;
- and
- (iii) a first torsion spring mechanically coupled to said cylindrically-shaped rotatable barrel and said top sleeve, in a configuration that holds said first torsion spring under tension to a predetermined torque;
- (iv) a second torsion spring mechanically coupled to said top sleeve and said bottom sleeve in a configuration that holds said second torsion spring under tension to a predetermined torque in a direction opposite said first torsion spring;
- and
- (b) a first latch hook at the distal end of a first latch pin;
- (c) wherein:
- an interior protrusion of said at least one interior protrusions exhibits a helical geometry surface, such that if said first latch pin is inserted into said cylindrically-shaped rotatable barrel, said first latch pin slides along said helical geometry surface, forcing said barrel to rotate, and once said first latch pin mechanically clears a final portion of said helical geometry surface, said first latch pin latches with said interior protrusion, and said cylindrically-shaped rotatable barrel rotates back to a neutral position, due to the tension of said first torsion spring and said second torsion spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.