Magnetic door lock control system and method
AssigneeFrameless Hardware Company
InventorGary Sprague
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A magnetic door lock control system for use with an egress handle system and a door is provided. The magnetic door lock control system employs magnets that communicate with one another across the door jamb thereby eliminating the need for a hard wired electrical connection between the egress handle system (e.g., a mechanical switch bar) configured with a door and a door locking mechanism mounted above the door in the header of the entranceway. In this way, the need for an electrical wire loop between the egress handles and the door locking mechanism is eliminated.
Claims20
A system for unlocking a door, the door including an egress handle system, the system comprising:
- a first magnet aligned with a second magnet, the first and second magnets separated by a first gap, the first magnet configured with the egress handle system and the second magnet coupled to an actuator arm;
- and
- a switch configured with the actuator arm;
- wherein a first movement of the egress handle system causes a second movement of the first magnet, and the second movement of the first magnet causes a third movement of the second magnet;
- wherein the third movement is caused solely by a first magnetic force across the first gap;
- wherein the third movement triggers the switch to unlock the door.
A method for unlocking a door, the door including an egress handle system, the method comprising:
- (A) aligning a first magnet across a first gap from a second magnet;
- (B) configuring the first magnet with the egress handle system;
- (C) providing an actuator arm;
- (D) coupling the second magnet to the actuator arm;
- (E) configuring a switch with the actuator arm;
- (F) enabling a first movement of the egress handle system to cause a second movement of the first magnet, and the second movement of the first magnet to cause a third movement of the second magnet, wherein the third movement is caused solely by a first magnetic force across the first gap;
- (G) causing the third movement to trigger the switch to unlock the door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.