Secondary blocking mechanism for a lock system including a solenoid

A secondary blocking mechanism for a lock system for an enclosure, wherein the enclosure includes a housing and a door, wherein the housing defines an interior compartment and includes an access opening, wherein the door is configured for being disposed in the access opening when in a closed position, wherein the lock system is coupled to at least one of the housing or the door, wherein the lock system comprises a locking mechanism, a first magnetizable blocking pin, a first biasing mechanism, and a solenoid mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism is configured for being selectively disposed in a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locked position prevents the door from being moved from the closed position, wherein the unlocked position allows the door to be moved from the closed position to allow access to the interior compartment, wherein the first magnetizable blocking pin is configured for moving along a first linear path between a first blocking position and a first unblocking position, wherein the first blocking pin prevents the locking mechanism from being moved to the unlocked position when disposed in the first blocking position, wherein the first biasing mechanism is coupled with the first blocking pin, wherein the first biasing mechanism imposes a first force on the first blocking pin in a first direction to place the first blocking pin in the first blocking position, wherein the solenoid mechanism has an energized state and an unenergized state, wherein the solenoid mechanism imposes a second force on the first blocking pin in a second direction opposite to the first direction in the energized state so that the first blocking pin is placed in the first unblocking position, and wherein the second force is greater than the first force, the secondary blocking mechanism comprising:

• a second magnetizable blocking pin configured for moving along the first linear path between a second blocking position and a second unblocking position, wherein the second blocking pin remains in contact with the first blocking pin when the solenoid mechanism is in the unenergized state;
• and
• a second biasing mechanism coupled with the second blocking pin, wherein the second biasing mechanism imposes a third force on the second blocking pin in the first direction to place the second blocking pin in the second unblocking position, and wherein the third force maintains the second blocking pin in the second unblocking position so that the second blocking pin is separated from the first blocking pin when the solenoid mechanism is in the energized state to allow the locking mechanism to be moved to the unlocked position.

A method of selectively securing an enclosure using a lock system, wherein the enclosure includes a housing and a door, wherein the housing defines an interior compartment and includes an access opening, wherein the door is configured for being disposed in the access opening when in a closed position, wherein the lock system includes a locking mechanism, a first magnetizable blocking pin, a first biasing mechanism, a solenoid mechanism, and a secondary blocking mechanism,

• wherein the locking mechanism is configured for being selectively disposed in a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locked position prevents the door from being moved from the closed position, wherein the unlocked position allows the door to be moved from the closed position to allow access to the interior compartment,
• wherein the first magnetizable blocking pin is configured for moving along a first linear path between a first blocking position and a first unblocking position,
• wherein the first blocking pin prevents the locking mechanism from being moved to the unlocked position when disposed in the first blocking position,
• wherein the first biasing mechanism imposes a first force on the first blocking pin in a first direction to place the first blocking pin in the first blocking position,
• wherein the solenoid mechanism has an energized state and an unenergized state, wherein the solenoid mechanism imposes a second force on the first blocking pin in a second direction opposite to the first direction in the energized state so that the first blocking pin is placed in the first unblocking position, wherein the second force is greater than the first force,
• wherein the secondary blocking mechanism includes a second magnetizable blocking pin and a second biasing mechanism,
• wherein the second blocking pin is configured for moving along the first linear path between a second blocking position and a second unblocking position, the method comprising:
• placing a magnet adjacent to the lock system when the solenoid mechanism is in the unenergized state;
• imposing a magnetic force on the first blocking pin and the second blocking pin in the second direction using the magnet;
• and
• magnetizing the first blocking pin and the second blocking pin using the magnet so that the first blocking pin and the second blocking pin are coupled with one another,
• wherein the second biasing mechanism imposes a third force on the second blocking pin in the first direction to place the second blocking pin in the second unblocking position and the first blocking pin in the first blocking position to place the locking mechanism in the locked position, and wherein the third force is greater than the magnetic force.

A method of selectively securing an enclosure using a lock system, wherein the enclosure includes a housing and a door, wherein the housing defines an interior compartment and includes an access opening, wherein the door is configured for being disposed in the access opening when in a dosed position, wherein the lock system is coupled to at least one of the housing or the door, wherein the lock system includes a locking mechanism, a first magnetizable blocking pin, a first biasing mechanism, a solenoid mechanism, and a secondary blocking mechanism,

• wherein the locking mechanism is configured for being selectively disposed in a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locked position prevents the door from being moved from the dosed position, wherein the unlocked position allows the door to be moved from the dosed position to allow access to the interior compartment,
• wherein the first magnetizable blocking pin is configured for moving along a first linear path between a first blocking position and a first unblocking position, wherein the first blocking pin prevents the locking mechanism from being moved to the unlocked position when disposed in the first blocking position,
• wherein the first biasing mechanism is coupled with the first blocking pin, wherein the first biasing mechanism imposes a first force on the first blocking pin in a first direction to place the first blocking pin in the first blocking position,
• wherein the solenoid mechanism has an energized state and an unenergized state, wherein the solenoid mechanism imposes a second force on the first blocking pin in a second direction opposite to the first direction in the energized state so that the first blocking pin is placed in the first unblocking position, wherein the second force is greater than the first force,
• wherein the secondary blocking mechanism includes a second magnetizable blocking pin and a second biasing mechanism, wherein the second blocking pin is configured for moving along the first linear path between a second blocking position and a second unblocking position, and
• wherein the second biasing mechanism imposes a third force on the second blocking pin in the first direction to place the second blocking pin in the second unblocking position, the method comprising:
• placing a magnet adjacent to the lock systemwhen the solenoid mechanism is in the unenergized state;
• and
• imposing a magnetic force on the first blocking pin and the second blocking pin in the second direction using the magnet,
• wherein the magnetic force is greater than the third force imposed on the second blocking pin by the second biasing mechanism, and wherein the magnetic force moves the first blocking pin to the first unblocking position and moves the second blocking pin to the second blocking position to place the locking mechanism in the locked position.