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US 12,529,245 B2Granted
Electronic lock
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsWilliam Albert Tartal, Gabriel Michael Yessin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lock can include a motor assembly, a gear assembly, and an unlocking assembly. The motor assembly can include a motor and a drive shaft. The gear assembly can include a cam, a pinion gear, and a pinion. The pinion gear can include a plurality of teeth disposed along only a portion of a perimeter of the pinion gear. The pinion gear can be configured to engage the pinion. The pinion can be configured to translate laterally to release a biasing member to unlock a door of a container.
Claims11
A method of operating a lock, the method comprising:
- engaging an end of a rack with a locking member to retain a door in a closed position, wherein the rack comprises a plurality of teeth;
- rotating, via a motor, a pinion gear, the pinion gear comprising a plurality of teeth;
- engaging one or more of the plurality of teeth of the pinion gear with one or more of the plurality of teeth of the rack;
- moving the rack in a first direction by the engagement of the one or more teeth of the pinion gear with the one or more of the plurality of teeth of the rack;
- disengaging the end of the rack from the locking member;
- further rotating the pinion gear to a position where the plurality of teeth of the pinion gear do not engage any of the plurality of teeth of the rack;
- contacting, via the teeth of the pinion gear or a cam connected to the pinion gear, a switch proximate the pinion gear;
- deactivating the motor in response to contacting the switch;
- and
- moving, via a first biasing element, the rack in a second direction.
7 more elements
A method of operating a lock, the method comprising:
- engaging an end of a rack with a first locking member to retain a door in a closed position, wherein the rack comprises a plurality of teeth;
- turning a key in a key lock mechanism, the key lock mechanism coupled to a locking arm, and wherein turning the key in a first direction causes the locking arm to disengage a second locking member;
- rotating, via a motor, a pinion gear, the pinion gear comprising a plurality of teeth;
- engaging one or more of the plurality of teeth of the pinion gear with one or more of the plurality of teeth of the rack;
- moving the rack in a first direction by the engagement of the one or more teeth of the pinion gear with the one or more of the plurality of teeth of the rack;
- disengaging the end of the rack from the first locking member;
- further rotating the pinion gear to a position where the plurality of teeth of the pinion gear do not engage any of the plurality of teeth of the rack;
- moving, via a first biasing element, the rack in a second direction;
- and
- turning the key in the key lock mechanism, where turning the key in a second direction causes the locking arm to engage the second locking member of the door of the receptacle to retain the door in a closed position.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.