Door handle-mounted eurocylinder-type assembly for electronic lock and key system

• US 5,685,182 A
• Filed: 05/16/1995
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: INTELLIKEY Corp.
• Original Assignee: INTELLIKEY Corp.
• Inventors: Chhatwal, KN Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US08/442,003
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 70/224, 70/277-283, 292/144, 292/356, 292/357
• US Class Current: 70/224
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/22 Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/063 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00603 by power transmission from lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00785 by light
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1021 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/88 Knob bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/91 Knob rose plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5832 Lock and handle assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator

Abstract

A handle-operated lock and latch assembly for interfacing a Eurocylinder type of electronic lock with a rose-accessible door lock/latch mechanism employs a handle of the type used in a mechanical handle-actuated door latch, but in which the shank portion of the handle is modified to include a cavity that accommodates a Eurocylinder-configured electronic lock. The original rose is replaced by a rose having a slightly larger circular aperture, so that it may receive a rotatable collar that is configured to engage the modified handle shank, whereby the handle and the collar are rotatable relative to the rose, with the cam of the electronic lock being inserted into the door'"'"'s existing lock spindle mechanism. In addition to physically interfacing the modified handle with the rose, the collar provides an annular passageway that accommodates a flex circuit ribbon extending from the electronic lock through the collar and the rose for electrical connection between the electronic lock and control circuitry external to the lock. The flex circuit ribbon has a segmented meandering shape, that allows it to form a loop around the lock spindle, which is capable of expanding and contracting around the lock spindle as the handle and collar rotate relative to the rose during operation of the door latch.

Claims

1. A handle-mounted lock assembly comprising:

an electronic lock;

a handle having a shank and a lever extending from said shank, said shank having a cavity configured to retain therein said electronic lock, said electronic lock having a cam that is configured to engage and operate a rose-accessible door latch mechanism installed in a door behind a rose; and

a collar, which is adapted to be mounted with said rose and is configured to receive said shank of said handle and enable said handle to rotate relative to said rose as said cam of said electronic lock engages said rose-accessible door latch mechanism; and

further including

a flexible interconnect circuit extending from said electronic lock through said collar and adapted to extend through said rose for connection to a control circuit external thereto, wherein said flexible interconnect circuit has a first generally linear portion connected to said electronic lock in said shank of said handle, a second generally linear portion that extends generally transversely from said first generally linear portion and forms a loop around the interior of said collar and is adapted to extend into said rose, and a third generally linear portion that extends generally transversely from said second generally linear portion so that it is adapted to pass from said rose for connection to said control circuit.

2. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electronic lock comprises a body having a first body portion containing a bore configured to accommodate a rotatable plug, said rotatable plug having a keyway into which an electronic key is insertable for operating said electronic lock, and a second body portion which contains a controlled actuation device for selectively enabling said plug to rotate within said bore, and wherein

said controlled actuation device comprises a solenoid device, energization current for which is supplied by way of said flexible interconnect circuit extending from said electronic lock through said collar and adapted to extend through said rose for connection to the control circuit external thereto, said solenoid device having a movable plunger that is translatable to engage said rotatable plug.

3. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 2, wherein said second body portion includes an opto-electronic communication unit having a pair of opto-electronic transmit and receive devices, which are operative to communicate with mutually aligned receive and transmit devices of an opto-electronic communication unit contained within a handle portion of said electronic key.

4. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 3, wherein electrical connections to said pair of opto-electronic transmit and receive devices in said second body portion are provided by way of conductor tracks of said flexible interconnect circuit extending from said electronic lock through said collar and adapted to extend through said rose for connection to the control circuit external thereto.

5. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 3, wherein said bore in said first body portion contains an insulated conductive contact that is coupled to said flexible interconnect circuit and is operative to provide an electrical circuit path between said flexible interconnect circuit extending from said electronic lock through said collar and adapted to extend through said rose for connection to a control circuit external thereto and an insulated terminal on a keyblade of said electronic key.

6. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 5, wherein said insulated conductive contact is configured to be electrically engaged by a raised key terminal contact that is insulated and physically offset from a main body portion of said keyblade, so that when said key is inserted into said keyway, an electrical circuit path is provided between said raised key terminal contact on said key blade and said insulated conductive contact in said bore.

7. A handle-mounted lock assembly comprising:

an electronic lock;

a handle having a shank and a lever extending from said shank, said shank having a cavity configured to retain therein said electronic lock, said electronic lock having a cam that is configured to engage and operate a rose-accessible door latch mechanism installed in a door behind a rose; and

a collar, which is adapted to be mounted with said rose and is configured to receive said shank of said handle and enable said handle to rotate relative to said rose as said cam of said electronic lock engages said rose-accessible door latch mechanism, and

wherein said collar has a circular exterior front face that is surrounded by and is solid with an annular rim thereof that is adapted to abut and be rotatable relative to said rose, said collar further including a depression that conforms with a shape of said shank of said handle, and a generally cylindrical wall portion sized to pass around a lock spindle mechanism of said door latch mechanism and permit said cam of said electronic lock to engage said lock spindle mechanism.

8. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 7, wherein said generally cylindrical wall portion of said collar extends beyond said annular rim, so as to be adapted to enter into an aperture in said rose and engage spring retention members of said door latch mechanism.

9. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 8, further including a flexible interconnect circuit extending from said electronic lock through said collar and adapted to extend through said rose for connection to a control circuit external thereto.

10. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 9, wherein said flexible interconnect circuit has a meandering shape, so that it may pass from said electronic lock in said shank of said handle through said collar and is adapted to pass through said rose, while allowing rotation of said handle and said collar relative to said rose.

11. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 10, wherein said shank has a shank bore that extends inwardly toward said cavity from a bottom surface of said shank, said shank bore being sized to receive a fastener for affixing said electronic lock in said cavity, such that said bottom surface of said shank is adapted to face said rose and is covered by said collar, thereby preventing access to said fastener from the door'"'"'s exterior.

12. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 11, wherein said flexible interconnect circuit is formed of respective segments of a continuous meandering, generally elongated, thin dielectric strip containing a plurality of conductive tracks that extend between terminal regions at opposite ends of said flexible interconnect circuit and provide electrical connections to said conductor tracks in said flexible interconnect circuit, said segments forming a loop that expands and contracts within an interior region of said collar surrounding said cylindrical wall portion of said collar as said handle and collar rotate relative to said rose during operation of said door latch mechanism.

13. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 12, wherein said electronic lock comprises a body having a first body portion containing a bore configured to accommodate a rotatable plug, said rotatable plug having a keyway into which an electronic key is insertable for operating said electronic lock, and a second body portion which contains a controlled actuation device for selectively enabling said plug to rotate within said bore.

14. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 13, wherein said controlled actuation device comprises a solenoid device, energization current for which is supplied by way of said flexible interconnect circuit, said solenoid device having a movable plunger that is translatable to engage said rotatable plug.

15. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 14, wherein said second body portion includes an opto-electronic communication unit having a pair of opto-electronic transmit and receive devices, which are operative to communicate with mutually aligned receive and transmit devices of an opto-electronic communication unit contained within a handle portion of said electronic key.

16. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 15, wherein electrical connections to said pair of opto-electronic transmit and receive devices in said second body portion are provided by way of conductor tracks of said flexible interconnect circuit.

17. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 16, wherein said bore in said first body portion contains an insulated conductive contact that is coupled to said flexible interconnect circuit and is operative to provide an electrical circuit path between said flexible interconnect circuit and an insulated terminal on a keyblade of said electronic key.

18. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 17, wherein said insulated conductive contact is configured to be electrically engaged by a raised key terminal contact that is insulated and physically offset from a main body portion of said keyblade, so that when said key is inserted into said keyway, an electrical circuit path is provided between said raised key terminal contact on said key blade and said insulated conductive contact in said bore.

19. A handle-mounted lock assembly comprising a Eurocylinder-configured electronic lock, a handle having a lever extending from a shank containing a cavity in which said Eurocylinder-configured electronic lock is installed from a bottom portion of said shank by means of a fastener into said Eurocylinder-configured electronic lock, a rose adapted to abut against an exterior surface of a door so as to provide a shroud for a spring assembly mechanism of a door latch mechanism installed in said door behind said rose, a collar having a bottom rim that abuts against said rose, and a cylindrical wall portion that passes through an aperture of said rose, such that said cylindrical wall portion of said collar is adapted to surround a cam-engaging lock spindle of said door latch mechanism installed in said door, said cylindrical wall portion of said collar being adapted to engage spring retention members of said door latch mechanism in said door, said shank fitting within a depression in said collar to allow a cam of said Eurocylinder-configured electronic lock retained in said shank cavity to be coupled with said lock spindle, so that said bottom portion of said shank faces said rose and is covered by said collar, thereby preventing said fastener from being accessed from the door'"'"'s exterior, and a flexible interconnect circuit extending from said electronic lock through said collar and said rose for connection to a control circuit external thereto, said flexible interconnect circuit having a meandering shape passing from said electronic lock in said shank of said handle through said collar and said rose, while allowing rotation of said handle and said collar relative to said rose.

20. A handle-mounted lock assembly according to claim 19, wherein said flexible interconnect circuit is formed of respective segments of a continuous meandering, generally elongated, thin dielectric strip containing a plurality of conductive tracks that extend between terminal regions at opposite ends of said flexible interconnect circuit and provide electrical connections to said conductor tracks in said flexible interconnect circuit, said segments forming a loop that expands and contracts within an interior region of said collar surrounding said cylindrical wall portion of said collar as said handle and collar rotate relative to said rose during operation of said door latch mechanism.