Retrofit battery module
AssigneeMaster Lock Company LLC
InventorsDarren Learmonth, Jason Williams, Garrett Lovejoy, Martin Huddart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed here in is a retrofit device compatible with existing electronic locks, the device including a housing, one or more rechargeable batteries capable of providing power to the device, the existing electronic lock, and one or more accessories, and a module enabling wireless communication with one or more external electronic devices. The device is configured such that power can be delivered even when one or more of the batteries is removed, dead, or otherwise incapable of providing power. The module is configured to interface with the existing electronic lock such that commands can be delivered and executed wirelessly.
Claims17
A retrofit battery pack for a preexisting electronic lock, the preexisting electronic lock including (a) a housing having a connection interface and one or more battery slots with terminals and (b) a faceplate including one or more retainers and detachably coupled directly to the housing and secured thereto via the one or more retainers to (i) enclose the connection interface and the one or more battery slots and (ii) to define a cavity therebetween, the retrofit battery pack comprising:
- a battery pack housing configured to be received within the cavity of the preexisting electronic lock and enclosed therein by the faceplate where the one or more retainers of the faceplate engage with the housing of the preexisting electronic lock and not the battery pack housing, the battery pack housing including contact pads configured to engage with the terminals of the one or more battery slots;
- a rechargeable battery module removable from the battery pack housing, the rechargeable battery module configured to provide power to the contact pads to facilitate powering the preexisting electronic lock;
- and
- a wireless communication module coupled directly to or embedded within the battery pack housing, the wireless communication module powered by the rechargeable battery module, the wireless communication module configured to interact with the connection interface of the preexisting electronic lock to facilitate wireless communications between the preexisting electronic lock and at least one external wireless device.
A retrofit battery pack for a preexisting electronic lock, the preexisting electronic lock including (a) a housing having a connection interface and one or more battery slots with terminals and (b) a faceplate detachably coupled to the housing to (i) enclose the connection interface and the one or more battery slots and (ii) to define a cavity therebetween, the retrofit battery pack comprising:
- a battery pack housing configured to be received within the cavity of the preexisting electronic lock and enclosed therein by the faceplate where the faceplate engages with the housing of the preexisting electronic lock and not the battery pack housing, the battery pack housing including contact pads configured to engage with the terminals of the one or more battery slots;
- a rechargeable battery module disposed within the battery pack housing, the rechargeable battery module configured to provide power to the contact pads to facilitate powering the preexisting electronic lock;
- and
- a wireless communication module coupled to the battery pack housing, the wireless communication module powered by the rechargeable battery module, the wireless communication module configured to interact with the connection interface of the preexisting electronic lock to enable a wireless communication protocol for the preexisting electronic lock that the preexisting electronic lock is incapable of without the retrofit battery pack installed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.