Electromechanical locks and related methods
AssigneeLock II, LLC
InventorsJ. Clayton Miller, Michael P. Harvey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dial ring assembly for an electromechanical combination lock. The dial ring assembly includes a housing configured to be mounted on an exterior of a securable enclosure. A dial is rotatably disposed on the housing, the dial being rotatable about a dial axis for use in connection with entry of a combination and a sensor configured to detect a rotation of the dial. The sensor provides an output signal based at least in part on the rotation of the dial and wherein the sensor is configured to detect the rotation of the dial over a range of dial rotational speeds.
Claims39
An electromechanical combination lock comprising:
- a dial ring assembly including:
- a housing configured to be mounted on an exterior of a securable enclosure, and
- a dial rotatably disposed on the housing, the dial being rotatable about a dial axis for use in connection with entry of a combination;
- and
- a lock assembly including:
- a bolt, the bolt being selectively extendable and retractable,
- an internal generator configured to generate electrical energy, operatively coupled to the dial such that rotation of the dial causes the internal generator to produce electrical energy, and
- a sensor integrated into the internal generator and configured to detect both a rotation of the dial and a rotational speed of the dial;
- wherein the sensor provides an output signal based at least in part on the rotation of the dial and the rotational speed of the dial, the rotational speed being represented by a temporal characteristic of the output signal;
- and
- wherein the sensor is configured to detect the rotation of the dial over a range of the dial rotational speeds.
A dial ring assembly for an electromechanical combination lock, the dial ring assembly comprising:
- a housing configured to be mounted on an exterior of a securable enclosure;
- a dial rotatably disposed on the housing, the dial being rotatable about a dial axis for use in connection with entry of a combination;
- an external generator disposed in the housing and configured to generate electrical energy;
- and
- a sensor integrated into the external generator and configured to detect both a rotation of the dial and a rotational speed of the dial;
- wherein the external generator is operatively coupled to the dial such that rotation of the dial causes the external generator to produce electrical energy;
- wherein the sensor provides an output signal based at least in part on the rotation of the dial and the rotational speed of the dial, the rotational speed being represented by a temporal characteristic of the output signal;
- and
- wherein the sensor is configured to detect the rotation of the dial over a range of the dial rotational speeds.
A dial ring assembly for an electromechanical combination lock, the dial ring assembly comprising:
- a housing configured to be mounted on an exterior of a securable enclosure;
- a dial rotatably disposed on the housing, the dial being rotatable about a dial axis for use in connection with entry of a combination;
- an external generator disposed in the housing and configured to generate electrical energy;
- and
- a sensor integrated into the external generator and configured to detect a rotation of the dial;
- wherein the external generator is operatively coupled to the dial such that rotation of the dial causes the external generator to produce electrical energy;
- wherein the sensor provides an output signal based at least in part on the rotation of the dial;
- wherein the sensor is configured to detect the rotation of the dial over a range of dial rotational speeds;
- and
- wherein a resolution of the output signal of the sensor dynamically changes based on a rotation speed of the dial.
A method of operating an electromechanical combination lock, the method comprising:
- choosing between at least two modes associated with a combination necessary for a user to input for unlocking the lock, wherein the inputted combination appears on an electronic display disposed on a housing of a dial ring assembly, each mode including a type of indicium associated with the inputted combination;
- entering the combination by rotating a dial disposed on the dial ring assembly about a dial axis, wherein rotating the dial comprises producing electrical energy by rotating an external generator shaft of an external generator disposed in the housing of the dial ring assembly and generating an output signal based at least partly on the rotation of the dial;
- and
- viewing the inputted at least one indicium associated with the combination on the electronic display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.