Lock with water-resistant touch keypad
AssigneeSpectrum Brands, Inc.
InventorsJames Lin, Byron Quach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic lock with a latch assembly, an interior assembly and an exterior assembly. The latch assembly includes a bolt movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The interior assembly is configured to move the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position. The exterior assembly includes a touch keypad subassembly configured to detect touches to at least a portion of its surface. The touch keypad subassembly defines an opening through which a wiring harness extends. The opening in the touch keypad subassembly is sealed, at least in part, by an epoxy resin and/or internal structure of the touch keypad subassembly.
Claims22
An electronic lock comprising:
- a latch assembly including a bolt movable between an extended position and a retracted position;
- an interior assembly coupled to the latch assembly and configured to move the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position;
- an exterior assembly coupled to the latch assembly and including a touch keypad subassembly configured to detect touches to at least a portion of a surface;
- wherein the touch keypad subassembly defines an opening through which a wiring harness extends;
- wherein the opening of the touch keypad subassembly is sealed, at least in part by:
- (1) an epoxy resin;
- and/or (2) one or more structures of the touch keypad subassembly;
- and
- wherein one or more internal structures of the touch keypad subassembly form a close-ended cavity extending from the opening in the touch keypad subassembly and the epoxy resin is located in the close-ended cavity.
An electronic lock comprising:
- a latch assembly including a bolt movable between an extended position and a retracted position;
- an interior assembly coupled to the latch assembly and configured to move the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position;
- an exterior assembly coupled to the latch assembly and including a touch keypad subassembly comprising:
- a touch overlay;
- a touch circuit configured to detect touches on the touch overlay;
- a plurality of LEDs arranged to correspond with touch areas on the touch overlay;
- a wiring harness configured to be electrically connected with a circuit in the interior assembly;
- a screen holder with a recessed area dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the touch circuit, wherein the screen holder includes an opening dimensioned to receive the wiring harness;
- a diffuser assembly including a diffuser formed from a translucent material configured to diffuse light emanating from the LEDs, wherein the diffuser assembly includes a resilient portion configured to urge at least a portion of the touch circuit towards the screen holder;
- and
- wherein the opening in the screen holder is sealed, at least in part, by:
- (1) an epoxy resin and/or (2) one or a combination of the touch circuit, screen holder and diffuser assembly.
A method of manufacturing an electronic lock comprising:
- providing an electronic lock with a touch keypad subassembly including a touch overlay, a diffuser assembly, a touch circuit, and a screen holder configured to receive the touch keypad assembly with the diffuser assembly and touch circuit positioned between the touch overlay and screen holder, the screen holder formed to include an opening through which a wiring harness extends;
- forming a close-ended cavity extending from the opening in the screen holder with at least a portion of the touch circuit;
- and
- sealing the cavity:
- (1) by applying an epoxy resin;
- and/or (2) with one or more internal structures of the touch keypad subassembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.