Lockset with cylinder integrity sensor
AssigneeSpectrum Brands, Inc.
InventorsMarc Tobias, Tobias Bluzmanis, Mark S. Bloom, James Lin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lockset is provided with a sensor assembly for detecting tampering with the cylinder. A lock cylinder with a cylinder body and a cylinder plug disposed in the cylinder body is provided. The cylinder plug is configured to deform and/or separate from the cylinder body when a sufficient force is applied. A sensor assembly is provided that detects when the cylinder plug deforms and/or separates from the cylinder body. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly could detect when the cylinder plug deforms and/or separates from the cylinder body with a strain gauge, a continuity circuit, a micro-switch, an optical sensor, an accelerometer and/or a contact microphone.
Claims43
A lock cylinder comprising:
- a cylinder body;
- a cylinder plug disposed in the cylinder body, wherein at least a portion of the cylinder plug is configured to deform and/or separate from the cylinder body when a sufficient force is applied;
- and
- a sensor assembly configured to detect when the cylinder plug deforms and/or separates from the cylinder body.
A lock cylinder comprising:
- a cylinder body;
- a cylinder plug disposed in the cylinder body, wherein the cylinder plug is configured to deform and/or separate from the cylinder body when a sufficient force is applied;
- and
- means for detecting when at least a portion of the cylinder plug deforms and/or separates from the cylinder body.
A lockset comprising:
- an exterior assembly comprising:
- a cylinder body;
- a cylinder plug disposed in the cylinder body, wherein the cylinder plug is configured to deform and/or separate from the cylinder body when a sufficient force is applied;
- a sensor assembly configured to detect when at least a portion of the cylinder plug deforms and/or separates from the cylinder body;
- an interior assembly comprising:
- an interior driver operatively coupled to the cylinder plug with a torque blade extending there between;
- a circuit electrically connected to the sensor assembly, wherein the interior driver is configured to control movement of the interior driver;
- a tamper lock operative to restrict movement of the interior driver;
- and
- wherein the circuit is configured to actuate the tamper lock responsive to detection by the sensor assembly that at least a portion of the cylinder plug has deformed and/or separated from the cylinder body.
A method of detecting tampering with a lock cylinder, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a cylinder body;
- providing a cylinder plug disposed in the cylinder body, wherein the cylinder plug is configured to deform and/or separate from the cylinder body when a sufficient force is applied;
- monitoring the cylinder plug to detect when at least a portion of the cylinder plug deforms and/or separates from the cylinder body;
- and
- responsive to detection that at least a portion of the cylinder plug has deformed and/or separated from the cylinder body, generating an electrical signal indicating tampering of the cylinder plug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.