Manually driven electronic deadbolt assembly with free-spinning bezel

An exterior actuator assembly configured to operate a deadbolt mechanism, comprising:

• a chassis body configured to mount the exterior actuator assembly to a door;
• a manually operable bezel rotatably coupled to the chassis body and configured to selectively operate the deadbolt mechanism;
• a code input mechanism coupled to the chassis body, the code input mechanism being configured to receive an input code from a user;
• a control circuit coupled in electrical communication with the code input mechanism, the control circuit being configured with control logic to discriminate between a valid input code and an invalid input code;
• an electro-mechanical coupling mechanism mounted to the chassis body, and configured to selectively operatively couple the manually operable bezel to the deadbolt mechanism, the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism being communicatively coupled to the control circuit;
• the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism being configured such that in a locked condition the manually operable bezel is drivably decoupled from the deadbolt mechanism in which the manually operable bezel is free-spinning when rotated and incapable of operating the deadbolt mechanism;
• the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism being configured to drivably couple the manually operable bezel to the torque blade when the valid input code is received by the code input mechanism to facilitate an unlocked condition in which a rotation of the manually operable bezel effects operation of the deadbolt mechanism;
• the chassis body defining a rotational axis, and wherein the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism comprises:
• a torque blade driver rotatable around the rotational axis, the torque blade driver having a driver body having a proximal cavity, and the driver body having a first recess that extends radially outwardly from the proximal cavity into the driver body, the torque blade driver being configured to be mechanically coupled to the deadbolt mechanism via a torque blade;
• a gear sleeve rotatable around the rotational axis and rotatably coupled to the manually operable bezel, the gear sleeve having a sleeve body with a distal sleeve portion configured to be rotatably received in the proximal cavity of the torque blade driver, the sleeve body having a proximal sleeve portion with a circumferential gear having external gear teeth extending outwardly from the sleeve body, the sleeve body having an internal cavity, the sleeve body having a second recess in the distal sleeve portion that extends radially inwardly from an exterior surface of the distal sleeve portion;
• a coupling member configured to be radially positioned in at least one of the first recess of the torque blade driver and the second recess of the gear sleeve;
• and
• an actuator mechanism configured to selectively position the coupling member relative to the first recess of the torque blade driver and the second recess of the gear sleeve to select one of the locked condition and the unlocked condition.

A method for operating a deadbolt mechanism mounted on a door that separates an exterior space from a secured space, comprising:

• providing a torque blade to be drivably received in a spindle drive opening of the deadbolt mechanism, the torque blade having a first end and a second end;
• providing an interior actuator assembly for operating the deadbolt mechanism from the secured space, the interior actuator being mechanically connected to the first end of the torque blade;
• and
• providing an exterior actuator assembly for operating the deadbolt mechanism from the exterior space, the exterior actuator assembly having a locked condition and an unlocked condition, the exterior actuator assembly having:
• a chassis body configured to mount the exterior actuator assembly to the door;
• a manually operable bezel rotatably coupled to the chassis body and configured to selectively operate the deadbolt mechanism;
• a code input mechanism coupled to the chassis body, the code input mechanism being configured to receive an input code from a user;
• a control circuit coupled in electrical communication with the code input mechanism, the control circuit being configured with control logic to discriminate between a valid input code and an invalid input code;
• an electro-mechanical coupling mechanism mounted to the chassis body, and configured to selectively couple the manually operable bezel to the torque blade, the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism being communicatively coupled to the control circuit and mechanically connected to the second end of the torque blade;
• the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism being configured such that in the locked condition the manually operable bezel is drivably decoupled from the torque blade in which the manually operable bezel is free-spinning when rotated and incapable of rotating the torque blade to operate the deadbolt mechanism;
• the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism being configured to drivably couple the manually operable bezel to the torque blade when the valid input code is input to the code input mechanism to facilitate the unlocked condition in which a rotation of the manually operable bezel effects a rotation of the torque blade to operate the deadbolt mechanism;
• wherein the chassis body defines a rotational axis, and wherein the electro-mechanical coupling mechanism comprises:
• a torque blade driver rotatable around the rotational axis, the torque blade driver having a driver body having a proximal cavity, and the driver body having a first recess that extends radially outwardly from the proximal cavity into the driver body, the torque blade driver being configured to be mechanically coupled to the deadbolt mechanism via a torque blade;
• a gear sleeve rotatable around the rotational axis and rotatably coupled to the manually operable bezel, the gear sleeve having a sleeve body with a distal sleeve portion configured to be rotatably received in the proximal cavity of the torque blade driver, the sleeve body having a proximal sleeve portion with a circumferential gear having external gear teeth extending outwardly from the sleeve body, the sleeve body having an internal cavity, the sleeve body having a second recess in the distal sleeve portion that extends radially inwardly from an exterior surface of the distal sleeve portion;
• a coupling member configured to be radially positioned in at least one of the first recess of the torque blade driver and the second recess of the gear sleeve;
• and
• an actuator mechanism configured to selectively position the coupling member relative to the first recess of the torque blade driver and the second recess of the gear sleeve to select one of the locked condition and the unlocked condition.