PADLOCK

• US 20170009491A1
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rynan Technologies Pte. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rynan Technologies Pte. Ltd.
• Inventors: NGUYEN, My T., HONG, Cuong Q., TRUONG, Luong V., NGUYEN, Hien H., NGUYEN, Brian D., NGUYEN, Christina M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0067 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0069 bolt position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0095 Mechanical aspects of locks controlled by telephone signals, e.g. by mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0003 having a movable core
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/10 with devices for securing the free end of the shackle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00642 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A padlock is disclosed comprising an electronic circuitry and such that the padlock may be opened via a near field communication network such as Bluetooth™ or via other electronic means such as an integrated fingerprint scanner. In one embodiment the padlock is capable of receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals from nearby sensor nodes containing information regarding temperature, humidity, moisture, speed, vibration, liquid level, concentration of gases and other sensing devices for use in a system for monitoring, tracking, tracing, alarms, access management, access recording, authenticity and integrity of goods, documents or other valued objects in storage or transit.

Claims

1. A padlock comprising:

a shackle comprising a heel end pivotally attached to a padlock body for rotation about a first axis perpendicular to a plane and a toe end opposite said heel end and moveable in said plane between a first position wherein said toe end is away from said body, and a second position wherein said toe end is received within a detent in said body;

a detent mechanism comprising a stop and an actuator for moving said stop in a direction parallel to said axis between a locked position wherein said stop engages said toe end securing said toe end within said detent and an unlocked position wherein said stop no longer engages said toe end;

an electronic circuit comprising at least one user input for controlling said actuator such that said stop is moved between said locked position and said unlocked position; and

a battery for powering said electronic circuit and said actuator.

2. The padlock of claim 1, wherein said at least one user input comprises a fingerprint sensor and such that identification of an authorized fingerprint activates said actuator such that said stop is moved between said locked position and said unlocked position.

3. The padlock of claim 1, wherein said at least one user input comprises a wireless receiver and such that reception of a wireless control signal from an authorized wireless control device activates said actuator such that said stop is moved between said locked position and said unlocked position.

4. The padlock of claim 1, wherein shackle is elongate and u-shaped.

5. The padlock of claim 1, wherein said body defines a threaded bore about a second axis parallel to said first axis, said second axis aligned with a center of said toe end when in said locked positon, wherein said actuator comprises a stepper motor and said stop comprises a threaded locking cylinder mounted within said threaded bore and attached to a shaft of said stepper motor for rotation therewith and further wherein rotation of said stepper motor and said locking cylinder in a first direction moves said locking cylinder toward said toe end and rotation of said stepper motor and said locking cylinder in a second direction moves said locking cylinder away from said toe end.

6. The padlock of claim 1, wherein said body defines a bore about a second axis parallel to said first axis, said second axis aligned with a center of said toe end when in said locked positon, wherein said actuator comprises a solenoid and said stop comprises a pin attached to a shaft of said solenoid for movement therewith along said second axis and further wherein said solenoid is normally biased towards said toe end such that actuation of said solenoid moves said pin away from said toe end.

7. The padlock of claim 1, wherein said detent comprises a curved ridge for engaging a circumferential grove in said toe end when said toe end is in said locked position, thereby preventing said toe end from moving vertically.

8. The padlock of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting when said toe end is in said locked position.

9. The padlock of claim 1, wherein said shackle is dimensioned to fit a bicycle.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein said near field network comprises a Bluetooth™

network.

10. A system for securing a load in a closed storage compartment, the compartment comprising a door comprising a latching mechanism actuated from outside the storage compartment, said system comprising:

a wireless communication network;

at least one sensor node for placement within the storage compartment, said sensor node comprising a nearfield module and at least one sensor for detecting a condition selected from a group comprising temperature, humidity, moisture, speed, vibration, liquid level, gas concentration and combinations thereof;

a padlock for securing the door latch mechanism, said padlock comprising;

electronics comprising a near field interface for communicating with said at least one sensor node, and a wireless interface for receiving and transmitting in real-time said detected condition to the user via said communication network; and

a locking mechanism actuatable electronically by at least one of an authorized fingerprint, an unlock signal received via said nearfield interface and an unlock signal received from said wireless communication network via said wireless interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said padlock further comprises a GPS module for determining a current location and further wherein said location is transmitted to the user using said wireless module and via said communication network.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said near field network comprises a Bluetooth™

network.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said wireless network comprises GSM.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said detected condition is transfered using SMS.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the load comprises one of pharmaceuticals and food stuffs and said sensor comprises a thermostat.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the load comprises at least one of off-set print printing plates and ink jet inks and said at least one sensor comprises a thermostat and a humidity sensor.

18. A method for securing an item of luggage suitable for locking with a padlock, the method comprising:

attaching a padlock to the luggage to be locked, said padlock comprising;

electronics comprising a near field interface; and

a locking mechanism actuatable electronically by an unlock signal received via said nearfield communication network;

establishing a communication link between a smartphone executing a padlock control application and said nearfield interface using a near field network; and

locking the luggage using said padlock by said padlock control application issuing a locking command.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising subsequently unlocking said padlock and the luggage by establishing a communication link between said smartphone executing said padlock control application and said nearfield interface using said near field network and said padlock control application issuing an unlocking command.