Electronic lock with selectable power off function

A lock apparatus, comprising:

• a lock housing;
• an electronic controller operable to control a state of the lock between locked and unlocked positions;
• an electronic actuator electrically coupled to the electronic controller and movable between first and second positions corresponding to a locked position and an unlocked position of the lock apparatus, respectively;
• and
• an electronic selector having a first portion disposed within the lock housing and a second portion extending from the lock housing, the second portion being transitionable between a connecting state and a disconnecting state, the electronic selector operable to define a desired electrical state of the lock apparatus as one of an electrically locked (EL) and an electrically unlocked (EU) state in an electric power-off condition.

An electronic lock, comprising:

• a lock housing;
• a printed circuit board (PCB) having a memory, a microcontroller, and an electrical energy storage device configured to store electrical energy;
• an electronic actuator operable to move the electronic lock between locked and unlocked positions when a command signal is received from the microcontroller;
• wherein the microcontroller and electronic actuator receive electrical power from an external power source under a power-on condition and receive electrical power from the electrical energy storage device during a power-off condition;
• and
• an electronic selector transitionable between a connecting state and a disconnecting state, the electronic selector configured to signal the microcontroller to set the operating mode of the electronic lock to one of an electric locked (EL) mode and an electric unlocked (EU) mode in the power-off condition, wherein the electrical energy storage device in the power-off condition is configured to supply stored electrical energy to the electronic actuator to move the electronic actuator between the locked and unlocked positions, wherein the connecting state and the disconnecting state correspond to one of the EL and EU states.

A method for controlling an electronic lock under a power-off condition, the lock including a lock member and a lock housing, the method comprising:

• selecting, with an electronic component having a first portion positioned partially internal to the lock housing and a second portion positioned partially external to the lock housing, a desired electrical state of the lock member in the power-off condition, wherein the desired electrical state includes one of an electrically locked (EL) and an electrically unlocked (EU) state;
• and
• moving the lock member to the desired electrical state with stored electrical energy in the power-off condition;
• and
• wherein the selecting includes accessing the electronic component without removing portions of the lock member or the lock housing.