Pawl & solenoid locking mechanism

• US 5,887,467 A
• Filed: 07/10/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: U-Code, Inc.
• Original Assignee: U-Code, Inc.
• Inventors: Phillips, Peter J., Gartner, Klaus W., Butterweck, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Meyers, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US08/890,017
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 70/119, 70/133, 70/108, 70/156, 70/271, 70/277, 70/278, 70/286, 70/445, 292/144, 292/139, 292/140
• US Class Current: 70/278.7
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0057 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0069 bolt position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 41/00 Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked indicator lights E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0673 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0017 Locks with sliding bolt without provision for latching
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/018 rotatably
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1021 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5336 Combination operable only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7102 And details of blocking system [e.g., linkage, latch, pawl, spring]

Abstract

An apparatus for an electronic lock having a movable bolt including a spring biased pawl movable when it is released by a solenoid mechanism for relative movement by the bolt as the bolt is moved from a blocked entrance way position to an unblocked entranceway position.

Claims

1. A combination lock, comprising:

a base plate having a rotatable cam member and a plurality of spaced apart detent hole members aligned along a common axis;

a bolt plate mounted slidably to said base plate for moving along a rectilinear path of travel substantially parallel to said common axis to block and unblock an entranceway in response to said cam member being rotated;

a rotatable electronic keypad coupled mechanically to said rotatable cam member for rotating said rotatable cam member about a common rotational axis with said keypad;

said rotatable electronic keypad having a plurality of pushbuttons for the entry of a sequence indicative of a correct combination code to facilitate the movement of said bolt plate from a blocking entranceway state to an unblocking entranceway state;

a lockable pawl member mounted to said bolt plate for engaging an individual one of said plurality of detent hole members to substantially prevent said bolt plate from moving along said rectilinear path of travel when said detent member is in a locked state;

said lockable pawl member having a detent groove to facilitate locking said pawl member in a fixed position;

a solenoid having a solenoid pin for engraving said detent groove to secure said pawl member in a locking engagement with an individual one of said plurality of detent holes to effectively prevent said bolt plate from traversing from entranceway blocking and unblocking states; and

said solenoid being coupled electrically to said rotatable electronic keyboard and being responsive to said correct combination code for retracting said solenoid pin from said locking engagement to permit said bolt plate to move along said rectilinear path of travel in response to said electronic keypad being rotated about said common rotational axis.

2. A combination lock according to claim 1, wherein said base plate includes a pair of spaced apart plate support members for receiving therebetween for slidable rectilinear movement said bolt plate.

3. A combination lock according to claim 2, wherein said plate support members are tabs.

4. A combination lock according to claim 3, wherein said tabs are punched out from said base plate.

5. A combination lock according to claim 2, further comprising an elongated rotatable member coupled between said rotatable cam member and said rotatable electronic keypad for defining the common rotational axis between the rotatable cam member and the rotatable electronic keypad.

6. A combination lock according to claim 5, wherein said elongated rotatable member is a shaft.

7. A combination lock according to claim 5, wherein said elongated rotational member includes a conductivity channel for electrically coupling said electronic keypad to said solenoid.

8. A combination lock according to claim 5, wherein said rotatable cam member includes:

a journalled wheel rotatably mounted to said base plate; and

a protuberance projecting perpendicularly outwardly from said wheel for engagement with said bolt plate to cause said bolt plate to move along said rectilinear path of travel when said wheel is rotated.

9. A combination lock according to claim 8, wherein said journalled wheel has a journalled hole for receiving therein an end portion of said elongated rotatable member.

10. A combination lock according to claim 8, wherein said bolt plate includes at least one lock bolt for blocking and unblocking said entrance way.

11. A combination lock according to claim 9, wherein said bolt plate includes an integrally formed translation member for receiving said protuberance therein and for converting the rotational movement of said electronic keyboard about said common rotational axis into rectilinear movement.

12. A combination lock according to claim 11, wherein said translational member causes the same linear movement in response to both clockwise and counter clockwise rotational movement of said electronic keyboard.

13. A combination lock according to claim 11, wherein said translational member includes an open slot.

14. A combination lock according to claim 13, wherein said open slot has two opposing narrow portions and two opposing wide portions.

15. A combination lock according to claim 14, wherein said narrow portions have a width that is sufficiently small to engage said protuberance for relative movement.

16. A combination lock, comprising

locking means comprising a base plate having a rotatable cam member and a plurality of spaced apart detent holes aligned along a common axis, and a blocking bolt plate mounted slidably to said base plate for moving along a first rectilinear path of travel substantially parallel to said common axis to block and unblock an entranceway in response to said rotatable cam member being rotated, said locking means movable along said first rectilinear path of travel between a blocked position and an unblocked position;

lockable detent means disposed in said first rectilinear path of travel such that said lockable detent means prevents said locking means from moving along said first rectilinear path of travel when said detent means is locked in a lockable position and allows said locking means to move along said first rectilinear path of travel when said detent means is unlocked in said lockable position, said lockable detent means movable along a second rectilinear path of travel between said lockable position and an unlockable position;

said locking means coupled to said lockable detent means such that said locking means causes said lockable detent means to move along said second rectilinear path of travel between said lockable position to said unlockable position when said locking means travels said first rectilinear path of travel between said blocked position and said unblocked position; and

rotatable electronic means coupled electrically to said lockable detent means to unlock said detent means in response to a given electrical sequence indicative of a combination code and to permit the rotation of said rotatable electronic means about a rotational axis; and

said rotatable electronic means coupled mechanically to said locking means such that said locking means responds to a rotation of said rotatable electronic means about said rotational axis for translating said rotation into a linear movement to move said lockable detent means to said unlockable position as said locking means travels along a substantial portion of said first rectilinear path of travel.

17. A combination lock according to claim 16, wherein said rotatable electronic means includes:

a rotatable electronic keypad coupled mechanically to said rotatable cam member for rotating said rotatable cam member about a common rotational axis with said keypad; and

said rotatable electronic keypad having a plurality of pushbuttons for the entry of a sequence indicative of a correction combination code to facilitate the movement of said blocking bolt plate from a blocking entranceway state to an unblocking entranceway state.

18. A combination lock according to claim 17, wherein said lockable detent means includes:

a lockable detent member mounted to said blocking bolt plate for engaging an individual one of said plurality of detent holes to substantially prevent said blocking bolt plate from moving along said rectilinear path of travel when said detent member is in a locked state;

a solenoid having a solenoid pin for engaging and securing said detent member in a locking engagement with an individual one of said plurality of detent holes to effectively prevent said blocking bolt plate from traversing from entranceway blocking and unblocking states; and

said solenoid being coupled electrically to said rotatable electronic keyboard and being responsive to said correct combination code for retracting said solenoid pin from said locking engagement to permit said blocking bolt plate to move along said rectilinear path of travel in response to said electronic keypad being rotated about said common rotational axis.