Magnetic lockset
AssigneeSchlage Lock Company LLC
InventorsDustin Swartz, Ryan Martin, Jeffrey Morovich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exemplary lockset includes a mortise case, a magnet assembly mounted in the mortise case, and a manual actuator operable to move the magnet assembly between a coupling position in which a first magnet of the magnet assembly is aligned with a reference point and a decoupling position in which the first magnet is misaligned with the reference point. In certain embodiments, the magnet assembly further includes a second magnet having an opposite polarity as the first magnet, and the second magnet is misaligned with the reference point when the magnet assembly is in the coupling position and is aligned with the reference point when the magnet assembly is in the decoupling position.
Claims24
A lockset configured for mounting in a door having a free edge, the lockset comprising:
- a mortise case configured for mounting within the door, the mortise case including a faceplate configured for mounting to the free edge, the faceplate defining a reference plane including a reference point having a fixed location relative to the faceplate;
- a first magnet assembly movably mounted in the mortise case adjacent the faceplate, the first magnet assembly comprising a first plurality of magnets, wherein each magnet of the first plurality of magnets has a first pole and a second pole of an opposite polarity as the first pole, wherein the first plurality of magnets includes a first magnet and a second magnet, wherein the first pole of the first magnet faces the reference plane, wherein the second pole of the second magnet faces the reference plane, and wherein the first magnet assembly generates a first magnetic field;
- and
- a manual actuator movably mounted to the mortise case, wherein the manual actuator is operably coupled with the first magnet assembly such that actuation of the manual actuator moves the first magnet assembly from a coupling position to a decoupling position;
- and
- wherein movement of the first magnet assembly between the coupling position and the decoupling position alters a polarity of the magnetic field at the reference point.
A system configured for use with a closure assembly comprising a doorframe and a door movably mounted to the doorframe, the system comprising:
- a lockset, comprising:
- a mortise case configured for mounting in one of the door or the doorframe;
- a lockset magnet assembly movably mounted in the mortise case for movement along a movement axis between a coupling position and a decoupling position;
- and
- a manual actuator movably mounted to the mortise case and engaged with the lockset magnet assembly, wherein the manual actuator is operable to move the lockset magnet assembly along the movement axis between the coupling position and the decoupling position;
- and
- a strikebox, comprising:
- a housing configured for mounting in the other of the door or the doorframe;
- and
- a strikebox magnet assembly mounted in the housing;
- wherein, with the lockset magnet assembly in the coupling position, magnetic attraction between the lockset magnet assembly and the strikebox magnet assembly urges the lockset and the strikebox toward one another;
- and
- wherein, with the lockset magnet assembly in the decoupling position, magnetic repulsion between the lockset magnet assembly and the strikebox magnet assembly urges the lockset and the strikebox away from one another.
A method, comprising:
- mounting a lockset to a door having an open position and a closed position, the lockset including a lockset magnet assembly having a first lockset magnet and a manual actuator operable to move the lockset magnet assembly between a coupling position and a decoupling position;
- and
- mounting a strikebox comprising a strikebox magnet assembly including a first strikebox magnet to a doorframe associated with the door such that the first lockset magnet is operable to magnetically interact with the first strikebox magnet when the door is in a closed position;
- wherein, with the door in the closed position and the lockset magnet assembly in the coupling position, the first lockset magnet is aligned with the first strikebox magnet such that magnetic attraction between the first lockset magnet and the first strikebox magnet generates a closing force urging the door to remain in the closed position;
- wherein, with the door in the closed position and the lockset magnet assembly in the decoupling position, the first lockset magnet is misaligned with the first strikebox magnet such that the closing force generated by the magnetic interaction between the first lockset magnet and the first strikebox magnet is reduced;
- and
- wherein actuation of the manual actuator drives the lockset magnet assembly from the coupling position to the decoupling position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.