Electromechanical lock system

• US 5,946,956 A
• Filed: 04/20/1998
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROTO Frank Eisenwarenfabrik AG
• Original Assignee: ROTO Frank Eisenwarenfabrik AG
• Inventors: Hotzl, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US09/063,133
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 70/337, 70/276-283
• US Class Current: 70/276
• 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 2047/0091 Retrofittable electric locks, e.g. an electric module can be attached to an existing manual lock electrically driven keys E05B2047/0083
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 35/08 operable by a plurality of keys
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]

Abstract

An electromechanical lock system has a lock cylinder including a body, a rotatable core forming a key passage, and carrying at least one magnet, tumblers engageable between the core and the body and shiftable between positions blocking rotation of the core in the body and freeing positions permitting such rotation, a sensor juxtaposable with the magnet in an angular position of the core in the body, anda coupling member juxtaposed with an inner end of the core, forming an inner extension of the passage, and rotatable in the body independently of the core. A mechanically operable element is coupled mechanically to the coupling member and an electrically operable element is coupled electrically to the sensor. A long key engageable in the passage has a bitting fittable with the tumblers to set same in the freeing positions and is of a length sufficient to reach into the coupling member so that insertion of the long key fully into the passage and subsequent rotation of the key turns the core and the coupling member to operate both the mechanical and electrical elements. A short key engageable in the passage has a bitting fittable with the tumblers to set same in the freeing positions and is of a length insufficient to reach into the coupling member so that insertion of the short key fully into the passage and subsequent rotation of the key turns only the core to operate only the electrical element while not operating the mechanical element.

Claims

1. An electromechanical lock system comprising:

a lock cylinder including

a body,

a core forming a key passage, rotatable in the body about an axis, and carrying at least one magnet,

tumblers engageable between the core and the body and shiftable between positions blocking rotation of the core in the body and freeing positions permitting such rotation,

a sensor juxtaposable with the magnet in a predetermined angular position of the core in the body, and

a coupling member juxtaposed with an inner end of the core, forming an inner extension of the passage, and rotatable in the body independently of the core about the axis;

a mechanically operable element coupled mechanically to the coupling member;

an electrically operable element coupled electrically to the sensor;

a long key engageable in the passage, having a bitting fittable with the tumblers to set the tumblers in the freeing positions, and having a length sufficient to reach into the coupling member, whereby insertion of the long key fully into the passage and subsequent rotation of the key turns the core and the coupling member to operate both the mechanical and electrical elements; and

a short key engageable in the passage, having a bitting fittable with the tumblers to set the tumblers in the freeing positions, and having a length insufficient to reach into the coupling member, whereby insertion of the short key fully into the passage and subsequent rotation of the key turns only the core to operate only the electrical element while not operating the mechanical element.

2. The electromechanical lock system defined in claim 1 wherein the cylinder includes

a second such core forming a second key passage, rotatable in the body about the axis, and carrying at least one second magnet,

second tumblers engageable between the second core and the body and shiftable between positions blocking rotation of the second core in the body and freeing positions permitting such rotation, and

a second sensor juxtaposable with the second magnet in an angular position of the second core in the body, the coupling member juxtaposed with an inner end of the second core and forming an inner extension of the passage thereof.

3. The electromechanical lock system defined in claim 1, further comprising

a knob connected to the core and rotatable therewith for manual actuation of the core.

4. The electromechanical lock system defined in claim 3 wherein the electrical element includes an electrical strike and the knob is provided with a switch button for directly actuating the strike.

5. The electromechanical lock system defined in claim 1 wherein the short key has an overall length at most equal to a length of the passage in the core.