Electrically controlled door lock

• US 20060006662A1
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pbt Ip Limited
• Original Assignee: Pbt Ip Limited
• Inventors: Powell, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,270,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/32
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0009 with thermo-electric actuators, e.g. heated bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0011 with piezoelectric actuators piezoelectric devices per se H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0047 Striker rotating about an axis parallel to the wing edge
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0065 Operating modes; Transformable to different operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0834 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/68 Keepers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/696 With movable dog, catch or striker
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/699 Motor controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/702 Pivoted or swinging

Abstract

An electrically controlled door lock (11) provided with a blocking member (21) and a detent (20), the blocking member being in contract with an electrically controlled actuator (24) such as a piezo-electric member which is used to control movement of the blocking member which in turn causes either the release of a locking member (12) from a door to allow the door to be opened or the engagement of the locking member to prevent the door from being opened.

Claims

1. A latching mechanism arranged to receive a locking member of a lock, the mechanism comprising a means for blocking movement of the locking member in a first direction and permitting movement of the locking member in the first direction by movement in a direction transverse to the first direction and a pawl engagemenable with the blocking means, the pawl being electrically controllable in order to selectively control operation of the blocking means.

2. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism further comprises an electrical actuator which is in contact with an index member to electrically control the pawl, the index member and the pawl member each being provided with a plurality of protrusions.

3. A latching mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is a piezo electric actuator.

4. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein movement of the actuator causes alignment between protrusions of the pawl and protrusions of the index member, to enable the latching mechanism to be in a locked condition.

5. A latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein movement of the actuator causes misalignment of the protrusions of the pawl and the protrusions of the index member, to enable the latching mechanism to be in an unlocked condition.

6. A latching mechanism according to claim 2, wherein movement of the actuator causes alignment between protrusions of the pawl and protrusions of the index member, to enable the latching mechanism to be in a locked condition.

7. A latching mechanism according to claim 2, wherein movement of the actuator causes misalignment of the protrusions of the pawl and the protrusions of the index member, to enable the latching mechanism to be in an unlocked condition.