ELECTRONIC RECOGNITION DOOR LOCK

• US 3,733,861 A
• Filed: 01/19/1972
• Issued: 05/22/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Lester
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Lester
• Inventors: Lester, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Craig, Jr., Albert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/218,948
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 70/277,278,283,153
• US Class Current: 70/153
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0062 by generator
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00801 by acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5518 Connections only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

An electronic, door lock controlled by a passive transponder used as a key by the person desiring to open the door. A handoperated electric generator is coupled by a gearing system to the door handle, and generates power to operate a door lock transceiver which receives coded signals from the personal transponder to open the lock. Upon the reception of properly coded signals, a solenoid is activated to withdraw an abutment member from the path of a laterally slidable door bolt mechanism so that the door may be opened. The personal transponder may be disposed within a watch case, or have the size and shape of a conventional writing pen. The system may be radio frequency or ultrasonic.

Claims

1. An electronic lock, for a door having movable interior and exterior door handles, and a laterally-slidable door bolt coupled to said handles, comprising:

means, coupled to the exterior door handle and the door bolt, for laterally displacing the door bolt in response to movement of the exterior door handle;

means, moveable in and out of engagement with said door bolt displacement means, for limiting the lateral movement of said door bolt displacement means;

means,remotely positioned from said door lock, and carried by each individual using the door lock, for transmitting a coded signal having a form unique with respect to the door lock;

means, coupled to said exterior door handle, for generating electrical power in response to movement of the exterior door handle;

means, coupled to and responsive to the activation of said electric power generating means, for receiving said signals transmitted by said remote signal transmitting means; and

means, responsive to the reception of said coded signals, for positioning said limiting means in and out of engagement with said door bolt displacement means. 2. The door lock as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for actuating said signal transmitting means to initiate transmission of said coded signals to said door lock receiver means.

3. The electronic door lock as recited in claim 2, wherein said door bolt displacement means comprises an elongated, rectangular-shaped bar, slidably disposed and laterally moveable in said door, and coupled to said exterior door handle by a gear rack, provided on The top surface thereof, and a spur gear engaging said gear rack, coupled to said exterior handle, said bar also including a downwardly extending end portion disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, for engaging said door bolt and displacing said bolt in response to rotational movement of said door handle.

4. The lock as recited in claim 3, wherein said control bar further comprises an abutment member, disposed on the top surface thereof adjacent one end of said gear rack, and wherein said limiting means comprises an elongated, substantially rectangular-shaped member, pivotably mounted and biased so as to engage the surface of said control bar and said abutment member, and thereby limit the lateral displacement of said control bar, and prevent displacement of the door bolt when said coded signals are not received.

5. The lock as recited in claim 4, wherein said electric generating means comprises an electric generator, coupled to said handle by a plurality of gear-wheels, for imparting high angular speed to the rotor shaft of said generator in response to rotational movement of said handle.

6. The lock as recited in claim 5, wherein said signal transmitting means comprises, a transmitter, for transmitting said coded signals, a battery, coupled to said transmitter, and means, responsive to said transmitter actuating means, for coupling said battery to said transmitter and thereby causing transmission of said coded signals for opening the lock.

7. The door lock as recited in claim 6, wherein said signal receiving means comprises a receiver, for receiving said transmitted signals, coupled to and responsive to activation of said generator, for generating an output signal in response to the reception of said coded signals.

8. The door lock as recited in claim 7, wherein said stop member positioning means comprises a solenoid, mechanically coupled to said stop member and electrically coupled to said receiver, for moving said stop member out of engagement with said control bar, so that said bar displaces said door bolt in response to movement of said handle. 9. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said transponder actuating means comprises a permanent magnet, disposed in the end of said door handle, and wherein said transponder means for coupling said transmitter to said battery comprises at least one reed switch, responsive to the presence of a magnetic field, for coupling said battery to said transmitter when said transponder is placed in proximity to said magnet.

10. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said means for actuating said transponder comprises a pushbutton switch, coupled to said battery and said transmitter, for coupling said battery to said transmitter and thereby causing transmission of said coded signals.

11. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said transponder comprises a three-frequency transmitter, including three pushbutton switches, each coupled to separate frequency generation circuits in said transmitter, for generating a plurality of differently coded signals in a predetermined sequence by pressing said pushbuttons in said sequence, and wherein said door lock receiver comprises a three-frequency sensitive signal receiver, and a shift register coupled to said receiver, for receiving said three coded signals and generating an output signal for activating said solenoid when said signals are received in said predetermined sequence.12. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said door lock further comprises a transmitter, for transmitting coded signals from said door lock to said transponder, and wherein said transponder further comprises a receiver, for receiving said signals transmitted from said door lock and actuating said transponder to cause transmission of said coded signals to said door lock.

13. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said transponder transmitter comprises a three-frequency transmitter, coupled and responsive to the depression of a singlE pushbutton switch provided on the external surface thereof, and a shift register coupled to said three-frequency transmitter, for transmitting, in a selected sequence, three coded signals for opening said lock, and wherein said receiver in said door lock comprises a three-frequency receiver, and a shift register coupled to said receiver, for generating an output pulse in response to the reception of said plurality of coded signals in said door lock for activating said solenoid and opening the door lock.

14. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said signals transmitted and received are radio frequency signals, and wherein said transponder and said door lock further comprise antennas, coupled to said transmitters and receivers, for transmitting and receiving said radio frequency signals.

15. The door lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said signals transmitted and received are ultrasonic signals, and wherein said transponder and said door lock further comprise ultrasonic piezoelectric transducers, for transmitting and receiving said ultrasonic signals.

16. The door lock as recited in claim 15, wherein said transponder further comprises an elongated, tubular-shaped casing, having the dimensions and shape of a conventional writing pen, a cylindrically-shaped, electronic circuit module disposed within said casing and including said transmitter and receiver, a battery coupled to said module for supplying power to said transmitter and receiver, and an ultrasonic transducer, coupled to said electronic circuit module, for receiving and transmitting said coded signals.