REMOTELY PROGRAMMABLE LOCK

• US 3,842,629 A
• Filed: 06/18/1973
• Issued: 10/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome Pazer, Michael C. Bach
• Original Assignee: Jerome Pazer, Michael C. Bach
• Inventors: Pazer, Jerome, Bach, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Craig, Jr., Albert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/371,074
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 70/263,264,276,277,382,413 317/134 340/149A
• US Class Current: 340/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7729 Permutation

Abstract

A remotely programmable lock is provided for use with a key having one or more permanent magnets for producing a magnetic field of predetermined configuration. The lock is provided with a cylinder for receiving the key and capable of rotation independent of the latch. A device is provided for coupling the latch and cylinder upon detection of a magnetic field of a predetermined orientation produced by the key. The configuration of the magnetic field which will open the lock may be remotely set in coordination with the polarization of the permanent magnets of the key.

Claims

1. A programmable lock for use with a key having at least one permanent magnet means adapted to produce a magnetic field of a predetermined orientation comprising latch means;

a fixed lock member;

a displaceable lock member mounted on said fixed lock member and formed for receipt of said key means;

said displaceable lock member being selectively displaceable relative to said fixed member independent of said latch means;

means for selectively coupling said displaceable lock member and said latch means for the operation of said latch means in response to the displacement of said displaceable lock member;

means for normally blocking the operation of said coupling means and for selectively permitting such operation in response to said predetermined orientation of said magnetic field; and

remotely actuable lock programming means operatively connected to said blocking means for selecting the magnetic field orientation in response to which said coupling means is permitted to operate.

2. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 1, including key programming means for receipt of said key for selectively magnetizing said permanent magnet means for the selection of the orientation of the magnetic field produced thereby;

and control means operatively coupled to said key programming means and lock programming means for the coordinate actuation thereof to produce a key capable of operating said lock.

3. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 1, wherein said blocking means includes first and second registration means, said first registration means being positioned by the orientation of said magnetic field, said second registration means being selectively positioned by said lock programming means, said coupling means being adapted to couple said displaceable lock member to said latch means when said first and second registration means are in alignment.

4. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 3, for use with a key having at least two of said permanent magnet means, said blocking means including one of said first and second registration means actuated by the magnetic field orientation of each of said permanent magnet means, and one of said lock programming means coupled to each of said second registration means for the independent positioning thereof, said coupling means being adapted to couple said displaceable lock member and said latch means when at least two of said first and second registration means are respectively in alignment.

5. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 4, including a rotor means mounted for free rotation in the magnetic field of each of said permanent magnet means, each of said permanent magnet means being selectively magnetizable so as to produce each of a plurality of discrete magnetic field orientations selected to rotationally position said rotor means at each of a plurality of rotational positions, said blocking means further including a programmable coupling member rotatably mounted on the axis of rotation of each of said rotor means and selectively rotatably positioned at each of a corresponding plurality of rotational positions by said lock programming means, said first and second registration means being respectively mounted on said rotor means and programmable coupling member for alignment at selected corresponding rotational positions thereof.

6. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 5, whereein one of said first and second registration means is a pin and the other of said first and second registration means is an aperture dimensioned to receive said pin, said programmable coupling member being axially displaceable toward said rotor means when said first and second registration means are in registration, said coupling means including a coupling assembly for coupling said displaceable lock member and said latch member when at least two of said programmable lock members are axially displaced toward the corresponding rotor means.

7. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 6, including third and fourth registration means associated with each of said permanent magnet means;

a second programmable coupling member mounted coaxially with each of said first-mentioned programmable coupling members for rotatable and axial displacement, said third registration means being on said rotor means, said fourth registration means being on said second programmable coupling member, one of said third and fourth registration means being a pin, the other of said third and fourth registration means being an aperture dimensioned to receive said pin when in alignment; and

a second lock programming means associated with each of said second programmable coupling members for the selective rotational positioning thereof independent of said first-mentioned programmable coupling member, said coupling assembly being adapted to couple said displaceable lock member and said latch means when one of the first and second or third and fourth registration means associated with at least two of said permanent magnet means are in alignment so that one of the first-mentioned or second of said programmAble coupling members associated with each of said permanent magnet means is axially displaced toward its respective rotor means.

8. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 7, wherein said coupling assembly includes carriage means mounted for displaceemnt laterally relative to the axis of said programmable coupling members between a locked position and an open position, said first-mentioned and second programmable coupling members being each formed with a region of a first diameter and a region of a second diameter smaller than said first diameter in the path of displacement of said carriage means, said carriage means including a block associated with each of said permanent magnet means and mounted thereon for slideable displacement in a direction lateral to both the path of displacement of said carriage means and the axis of the associated programmable coupling members, a pair of projecting fingers mounted on said slide block in spaced relation on oppposed sides of said programmable coupling members and formed with converging inclined camming surfaces for engagement against said programmable coupling members, one of said fingers normally engaging said first region of each of said first-mentioned and second programmable coupling members when said programmable coupling members and carriage means are at said locked position, one of said fingers engaging the second region of the associated programmable coupling member when said programmable coupling member has displaced axially towards the associated rotor means to permit displacement of said carriage means from said locked to said open position if one of the programmable coupling members associated with each of said permanent magnet means have been axially displaced.

9. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 8, wherein said carriage means is operatively coupled to said latch means for displacement therewith, registration means mounted on said displaceable lock member and said latch means for the coupling thereof when said carriage means is in said open position, cam follower means mounted on said carriage means, camming surface means mounted on said displaceable lock member for engagement with said cam follower means to return said carriage means and latch means to said locked position at a locked position of said displaceable lock member.

10. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 6, wherein said coupling assembly includes carriage means displaceable between a locked and an open position, said carriage means including shoe means associated with each of said programmable lock members, said programmable lock members being formed with a portion positioned to block the displacement of said carriage means from said locked to said open position before axial displacement of said programmable coupling member towards said rotor and to permit displacement of said carriage means upon axial displacement of said programmable coupling member toward the associated rotor means.

11. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 10, wherein said carriage means is operatively coupled to said latch means for diplacement therewith, registration means mounted on said displaceable lock member and said latch means for the coupling thereof when said carriage means is in said open position, cam follower means mounted on said carriage means, camming surface means mounted on said displaceable lock member for engagement with said cam follower means to return said carriage means and latch means to said locked position at a locked position of said displaceable lock member.

12. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 6, wherein said programmable coupling members are formed with a gear portion, said lock programming means each including a drive gear in meshing engagement with said gear portion of said programmable lock member and motor means operatively coupled to said drive gear.

13. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 12, wherein said drive motor means is a stepping motor.

14. A remotely pRogrammable lock as recited in claim 6, wherein said displaceable lock member includes a cylinder rotatably mounted in said fixed lock member and formed with a longitudinally extending key hole dimensioned to receive said key, and including magnetic circuit means in said cylinder and fixed lock member associated with each of said permanent magnet means for conveying the magnetic field orientation of said permanent magnet means through said cylinder and fixed lock member to the region of the associated rotor means.

15. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 14, wherein said magnetic circuit means includes a first array of flux tube means extending from said key hole in the vicinity of each of said permanent magnet means to the periphery of said cylinder, and a second array of flux tube means in said housing means positioned for registration with said first array at a locked position of said cylinder extending from said cylinder to the vicinity of said rotor means.

16. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 14, including at least one cam means mounted on said cylinder for rotation therewith and positoned in the path of axial displacement of each of said programmable coupling members, said cam means including a projecting portion engaged by said programmable coupling members when said cylinder is in said locked position, said coupling means including means for biasing said programmable coupling member against the associated cam means for the axial displacement of said programmable coupling member in response to the rotation of said cylinder and cam means, provided the corresponding first and second registration means are in alignment.

17. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 13, wherein said latch member is mounted for rotational displacement with said cylinder when coupled thereto and displacement toward and away from said cylinder between a locked and an open position, said lock including registration means on said latch member and cylinder for engagement and coupling when said latch member is in said open position, said latch member being coupled to said coupling assembly for displacement between said locked and open positions in response thereto.

18. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 2, including a plurality of said remotely programmable locks and a plurality of said keys, said control means being adapted to selectively and coordinately program each of said locks and associated key.

19. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 6, wherein said permanent magnet means includes an array of separate permanent magnets.

20. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 19, wherein said array of permanent magnets is circular, a first group of adjacent permanent magnets being disposable at one polarity, a second group of adjacent permanent magnets being disposable in the opposite polarity to define said magnetic field orientation.

21. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 6, wherein said permanent magnet means includes a member formed of a material such that an array of regions thereof may be discretely polarized.

22. A remotely programmable lock as recited in claim 21, wherein said array of discrete regions is circular, a first adjacent group of said regions being polarized to one polarity and a second adjacent group of said regions being polarized to an opposite polarity to define said magnetic field orientation.