SELF-POWERED LOCK SYSTEM WITH PASSIVE ID DETECTION

• US 20130000366A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dormakaba USA Incorporated (dormakaba Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: KABA ILCO Corporation (dormakaba Holding AG)
• Inventors: Martel, Sylvain, Nastasa, Catalin
• Granted Patent: US 9,650,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/280
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0062 by generator
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0087 Electric spare devices, e.g. auxiliary batteries or capacitors for back up
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7113 Projected and retracted electrically

Abstract

There is described a self-powered lock system for a movable member coupled to a lock mechanism having a first state in which the movable member is locked and a second state in which the movable member is unlocked. The system comprises an electrical energy storage device having an electrical charge stored therein, a control unit for controlling the lock mechanism, a trigger unit for triggering an unlocking of the lock mechanism, and a passive detection unit for detecting an activation of the trigger unit. Upon detection of the activation, a conductive path is provided between the control unit and the storage device for powering the control unit with the charge stored in the storage device. The lock mechanism is in turn unlocked by the control unit. A generator coupled to the storage device may then generate electrical energy and store the generated energy in the storage device for future use.

Claims

1. A self-powered lock system for a movable member, the system comprising:

an energy storage device having an electrical charge stored therein;

a generator coupled to the storage device and adapted to generate electrical energy;

a lock mechanism having a first state in which the movable member is locked and a second state in which the movable member is unlocked;

a control unit coupled to the lock mechanism and adapted to place the lock mechanism in one of the first state and the second state;

a trigger unit adapted to be activated with the lock mechanism in the first state, an activation of the trigger unit triggering a placement of the lock mechanism in the second state; and

a passive detection unit coupled to the trigger unit and to the control unit, the detection unit detecting the activation of the trigger unit and, upon detection of the activation, providing a conductive path between the control unit and the storage device, thereby powering the control unit with the stored electrical charge, the control unit, upon being powered, placing the lock mechanism in the second state and triggering a storage of the generated electrical energy in the storage device for future use.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit further interrupts the conductive path between the control unit and the storage device a first predetermined period of time after the lock mechanism is placed in the second state.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control unit further places the lock mechanism in the first state after a second predetermined period of time smaller than the first predetermined period of time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, upon detection of the activation of the trigger unit, the detection unit further compares a level of the electrical charge stored in the storage device to a predetermined threshold.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein, if the charge level is below the threshold, the detection unit causes the control unit to trigger the storage of the generated electrical energy in the storage device prior to providing the conductive path between the control unit and the storage device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the generator is operatively connected to the movable member and further wherein displacement of the movable member drives the generator to generate the electrical energy.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger unit is activated by a user providing input via a user interface coupled to the lock mechanism.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit, in detecting the activation of the trigger unit, consumes substantially no electrical energy.

9. A control system for controlling a self-powered electronic lock for a movable member, the lock comprising an electrical energy generator and a lock mechanism having a first state in which the movable member is locked and a second state in which the movable member is unlocked, the control system comprising:

an energy storage device having an electrical charge stored therein;

a control unit coupled to the lock mechanism and adapted to place the lock mechanism in one of the first state and the second state;

a trigger unit adapted to be activated with the lock mechanism in the first state, an activation of the trigger unit triggering a placement of the lock mechanism in the second state; and

a passive detection unit coupled to the trigger unit and to the control unit, the detection unit detecting the activation of the trigger unit and, upon detection of the activation, providing a conductive path between the control unit and the storage device, thereby powering the control unit with the stored electrical charge, the control unit, upon being powered, placing the lock mechanism in the second state and triggering a storage of the generated electrical energy in the storage device for future use.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the detection unit further interrupts the conductive path between the control unit and the storage device a first predetermined period of time after the lock mechanism is placed in the second state.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control unit places the lock mechanism in the first state after a second predetermined period of time smaller than the first predetermined period of time.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein, upon detection of the activation of the trigger unit, the detection unit further compares a level of the electrical charge stored in the storage device to a predetermined threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein, if the charge level is below the threshold, the detection unit causes the control unit to trigger the storage of the generated electrical energy in the storage device prior to providing the conductive path between the control unit and the storage device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the detection unit, in detecting the activation of the trigger unit, consumes substantially no electrical energy.

15. A method for controlling an electronic lock of a movable member, the method comprising:

passively detecting an activation of a trigger unit with the lock in a locked state;

upon said detection, providing a conductive path between a control unit coupled to the lock and a storage device having an electrical charge stored therein, thereby powering the control unit with the stored electrical charge;

upon said powering, the control unit placing the lock in an unlocked state; and

charging the storage device for a next use with electrical energy generated by a generator coupled to the storage device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising interrupting the conductive path between the control unit and the storage device a first predetermined period of time after the lock is placed in the unlocked state.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the control unit placing the lock in the locked state after a second predetermined period of time smaller than the first predetermined period of time.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising, upon said detection, comparing a level of the electrical charge stored in the storage device to a predetermined threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, if the charge level is below the threshold, charging the storage device with the generated electrical energy prior to providing the conductive path between the control unit and the storage device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein charging the storage device with the generated electrical energy comprises displacing the movable member for driving the generator to generate the electrical energy.