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US 6,681,607 B2Granted
Lock with sensor
AssigneeSecurity Door Controls
InventorArthur Geringer
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSecurity Door Controls
InventorArthur Geringer
Estimating the term…
A lock with sensor comprises a housing defining a chamber and a latch mechanism located within the chamber of the housing. The latch mechanism is movable relative to the housing between a retracted position wherein the latch mechanism is substantially within the housing and an extended position wherein the latch mechanism extends at least partially outside of the housing. A sensor mechanism is provided and has a fixed switch portion located within the chamber and a movable switch activator portion, the switch activator portion being mounted so as to move with the latch mechanism and thereby activate and deactivate the switch portion respectively.
A lock with sensor comprising:
A method of detecting the position of a latch mechanism within a housing of a lock having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the latch mechanism being movable in a direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the method comprising:
A lock with sensor comprising:
A lock with sensor comprising;
A locking device having a sensor to alert and send a warning signal if there is an attempt to actuate the locking device regardless of whether the locking device is in the locked or unlocked condition, said locking device with sensor comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
With contact making inside the lock or in the striking plate: by movement of the bolt
Accessories in connection with locks: means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening…
Monitoring: bolt position
Locks: switch lock
Term ended 29 Jul 2019 (estimated)
This invention relates to locks with sensors, and particularly a lock incorporating sensing and/or switching equipment therein in order to provide signals to an external source relating to the condition of the lock.
Locks are, of course, well known and are available in many different forms and configurations. For the most part, however, locks comprise some form of housing which accommodates a reciprocating latch or lever, the latch being movable between an unlocked withdrawn position and a locked extended position. In the withdrawn position, the latch would normally be contained within the housing, while in the extended position, the latch would engage an external and adjacent object to effect the locking operation. The latch would normally be movable between the withdrawn and extended position in response to the rotation of a key in the lock, or rotation of a handle, although such movements may also be in response to electrical, magnetic, pneumatic or other types of mechanical activation.
It is also known to provide external sensors with respect to such locks. Conventionally, a sensing switch or other device may be located externally of the lock, in order to sense or determine the position of the lever. The mechanical movement of the lever into the extended position has the effect of activating the sensor in one way to provide signals as to its condition, while the sensor would be activated in another manner to indicate the withdrawn or unlocked position of the lever.
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a lock with sensor of the invention, with the lever in the extended position;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the lock with sensor of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, with the lever in the retracted position;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a lock of the invention;
With reference to the drawings, there is shown schematically, as well as in various detailed embodiments, the lock with sensor of the invention. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown in schematic form the essential features which comprise the invention. These Figures show a lock with sensor 10 comprising a housing 12 which defines a space or chamber 14. The housing 12 has an opening 16 in a side wall 18. Within the chamber 14, there is located a latch 20 which is slidable within the housing 12 between an extended position, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 2. The lock with sensor 10 would typically be mounted to a door or the like, and align with another object, such as an adjacent door or jamb. The latch 20, when in the extended position, enters a catch or groove 22, in conventional fashion.
The lock with sensor includes a switch mechanism 24 mounted within the chamber 14, and in fixed position within the housing. The switch has wiring 26 extending therefrom to a source component 28, the source component 28 in the drawings being representative of any one of a number of devices, such as a camera, an alarm, lighting system, computer, or the like. The scope of the invention is not limited by the nature of the source component 20 or the function which it is to perform. Rather, the invention is intended to provide an electric or other signal from the switch 24 to any predetermined source component 28 to be used in the desired manner.
On the upper surface 30 of the latch 20, there is located a pin 32 which is fixed to the latch 20. The pin 32 reciprocates within the chamber 14 as the latch 20 moves between its extended and retracted positions. This is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. When the latch 20 is in the extended position, the pin 32 is remote from the switch 24. On the other hand, when the latch 20 is withdrawn into its retracted position, the pin 32 comes into contact with the switch 24, closing the electrical circuit in a conventional manner and changing the nature of the signal transmitted through the wiring 26 to the resource component 28. The reciprocation of the pin 32 therefore has the effect of turning on or off, as desired, the source component 28.