US 4,745,784 AGranted

Electronic dial combination lock

AssigneeAlan Uyeda

InventorKlaus Gartner

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Abstract

An electronic dial combination lock has a spindle journalled within the lock for movement in two degrees of freedom, i.e., both rotational and axial displacement, to cause engagement of a push pin located on an internal cam wheel to engage one of a plurality of pressure-sensitive switches within the lock located in an evenly-spaced, circular pattern centered on the spindle's axis, each switch capable of making a discrete, unique electrical connection. Circuit means contained in the region sense the making of the electrical connections and detect when a given subset of connections has been made in a predetermined, sequential order corresponding to the lock's combination, to initiate an electrical signal within the region. The electrical signal may be used, e.g., to operate a solenoid to permit a conventional fence lever to engage the cam wheel such that a bolt within the lock may be withdrawn, such as in a safe door. The lock's internalization of all electronic circuitry renders it tamper-resistant relative to prior art electronic locks and as a suitable replacement for conventional, all-mechanical tumbler wheel locks.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An electronic dial combination lock for initiating a signal within a closed region in said housing in response to a manually-entered code, comprising:

a slidable bolt in said housing a combination dial having an elongated member mounted in said region and having two degrees of freedom of movement and normally biased toward one of two positions within the first of said two degrees,
said member having one end extending out of said region with member-positioning means located thereat for manually orienting said member at a plurality of distinct, identified orientations within the second of said two degrees and for displacing said member to the other of said two positions within said first degree at each said distinct orientation,
said member having a second end contained within said region with contacting means located thereat for exerting a contacting pressure at each of a plurality of distinct, unique locations within said region when said member is displaced to said second position at each said distinct orientation;
and
component mounting board means located entirely within said region, including switching means arrayed at said distinct locations for making one of a plurality of distinct, unique electrical connections when contacted by said contacting means at each said location, detecting means for detecting that a given subset of said connections has been made in a predetermined, sequential order corresponding to said code, and signal generating means for generating said signal when said code subset is detected for actuating said bolt.

2 more elements

An electronic dial combination lock, comprising:

a lock housing;
a bolt slidably-retained within said housing for movement between locked and unlocked positions;
a fence lever having one end pivotally-attached to said bolt, a second end having a nose part, and a transversely-extending fence member intermediate of said ends;
a spindle having a long axis generally normal to the front of said housing, one end external of said housing, a second end contained internally of said housing, and being journaled in said housing for both rotational and axial displacement;
means for biasing said spindle to a axially-outward position from said housing;
means for manually-indexing said spindle rotationally at a plurality of discrete, evenly-spaced, identified angular positions relative to said housing and for pushing said spindle axially into said housing for a given distance against said spindle biasing means;
a cam wheel attached to said internal end of said shaft for coaxial rotation and translation therewith, said cam wheel having a circumferential gate therein disposed to engage said fence lever nose part at a given angular orientation of said cam wheel upon rotation of said spindle in one direction, and to disengage said nose part upon rotation of said spindle in the other direction, said cam wheel having a rearwardly-extending push pin located thereon at an angular position corresponding to one of said discrete spindle positions and at a given radial position relative to said spindle axis;
means for biasing said fence lever towards said cam wheel;
a solenoid having a reciprocating armature normally biased into a frst position of engagement with said fence to prevent engagement of said nose part with said cam wheel, operatively responsive to an electrical stimulus for withdrawing said armature into a second position of disengagement from said fence, to permit said nose part to engage said cam wheel;
a component mounting board mounted in said housing behind said cam wheel in a plane generally normal to said spindle axis and spaced apart from said cam wheel push pin by said given distance;
a plurality of distinct, switches mounted on said mounting board and opposing said cam wheel push pin in an evenly-spaced, circular pattern centered on said spindle axis at a radial position coincident with that of said push pin and at angular positions corresponding to those of said push pin when said spindle is indexed at said identified angular positions, each said switch making a distinct electrical connection when contacted by said push pin;
circuit means contained in said housing and connected to said switches for sensing the making of said distinct electrical connections and for detecting when a given subset of said connections has been made in a predetermined, sequential order corresponding to the combination of said lock, further including means for generating said solenoid electrical stimulus for a predetermined period of time upon detection of said subset;
and
power supply means for bringing external electrical power to said lock.

11 more elements

A kit for retrofitting a mechanical combination lock for electronic operation, comprising:

means for remounting said lock's spindle for both rotational and axial displacement, including means for biasing said spindle in an axially-outward direction;
contacting means for installation on said lock's cam wheel for exerting a pushing force in a rearward direction at each of a plurality of distinct, unique locations within said lock when said spindle is displaced axially into said lock at each of a plurality of distinct rotational orientations of said spindle;
solenoid means for replacement of said lock's tumbler wheels having armature means normally biased into a first position of engagement with said lock's fence level to prevent engagement of said lever with said cam wheel, operatively responsive to an electrical stimulus for withdrawing said armature means into a second position of disengagement from said fence lever, to permit said fence lever to engage said cam wheel;
component mounting board means for installation within said lock behind said cam wheel, said mounting board means having mounting to it circuit means, including pressure-sensitive switching means arrayed at said distinct locations for making one of a plurality of distinct, unique electrical connections when contacted by said pushing means when said spindle is displaced axially into said lock at each said distinct angular orientation, detecting means for detecting that a given subset of said connections has been made in a predetermined, sequential order corresponding to said lock's combination, and signal generating means for generating said signal when said combination subset has been detected;
and
power supply means for bringing power to said circuit means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.