Electronic token lock core

• US 6,668,606 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stanley Security Solutions Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Best Access Systems (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beylotte, James Edmond, Russell, Roger Keith, Palmer, Ralph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US10/115,749
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 702/782, 702/783, 702/786, 702/787, 702/791, 702/83, 702/831, 703/67--69, 703/71, 703/59, 702/77
• US Class Current: 70/278.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/04 Construction of the bow or head of the key; Attaching the bow to the shank
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0005 said core being rotary movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0006 having a non-movable core; with permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/063 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0634 with a pivotally moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7102 And details of blocking system [e.g., linkage, latch, pawl, spring]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7136 Key initiated actuation of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7571 Concentric tumblers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7661 Detachable or removable cylinder

Abstract

A lock system comprises a lock core and a token having an access code. The lock core comprises a core body, a lock actuator coupled to the core body for rotation about an axis, a blocker movable between a locking position in which the lock actuator is prevented from rotating about the axis and a releasing position in which the lock actuator is permitted to rotate about the axis, an electric circuit having a token reader, and an electromagnetic actuator having a shaft that is movable parallel with the axis. The token is couplable mechanically to the lock actuator. The electric circuit signals the electromagnetic actuator to move the shaft parallel with the axis so that the blocker is movable from the locking position to the releasing position if the access code read by the token reader matches a valid access code.

Claims

1. A lock system comprising:

a lock core comprising a core body, a lock actuator coupled to the core body for rotation about an axis, a blocker movable perpendicular to the axis between a locking position in which the lock actuator is prevented from rotating about the axis and a releasing position in which the lock actuator is permitted to rotate about the axis, an electric circuit having a token reader, and an electromagnetic actuator, the electromagnetic actuator having a shaft that is movable parallel with the axis between a first position in which the blocker is locked in the locking position and a second position in which the blocker is movable from the locking position to the releasing position, the electric circuit being configured to signal the electromagnetic actuator to move the shaft from the first position to the second position if the token reader reads a valid access code, the lock core further having a blocker spring that engages the blocker and biases the blocker toward the locking position when the blocker is in the releasing position, a long dimension of the blocker being perpendicular to the axis; and

a token that is couplable mechanically to the lock actuator, the token having an access code that is read by the token reader when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator, the electric circuit signaling the electromagnetic actuator to move the shaft parallel with the axis from the first position to the second position so that the blocker is movable perpendicular to the axis from the locking position to the releasing position if the access code read by the token reader matches the valid access code.

2. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the lock core includes a shaft spring that biases the shaft toward the first position.

3. The lock system of claim 2, wherein the shaft spring is a coil spring that extends parallel with the axis.

4. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the token has a power source that provides power to the electric circuit when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator.

5. The lock system of claim 4, wherein the lock actuator has a passage that receives a first portion of the token when the token is mechanically coupled to the lock actuator and the power source is carried by a second portion of the token that is situated outside the passage when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator.

6. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the token is moved manually about the axis to move the lock actuator about the axis when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator and the shaft is moved to the second position.

7. The lock system of claim 6, wherein the lock actuator has an initial position in which the token is mechanically couplable to and decouplable from the lock actuator and the lock core further comprises at least one tumbler element that prevents decoupling of the token from the lock actuator when the lock actuator is moved away from the initial position by the token.

8. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the blocker spring is compressed between the blocker and a portion of the core body when the blocker moves from the locking position to the releasing position.

9. The lock system of claim 8, wherein the core body has a bore extending perpendicular to the axis and the blocker spring is situated in the bore.

10. The lock system of claim 1, wherein the lock core further comprises a spring that biases the blocker away from the axis.

11. A lock system comprising:

a lock core comprising a core body, a lock actuator coupled to the core body for rotation about an axis, a blocker movable perpendicular to the axis between a locking position in which the lock actuator is prevented from rotating about the axis and a releasing position in which the lock actuator is permitted to rotate about the axis, an electric circuit having a token reader, and an electromagnetic actuator, the electromagnetic actuator having a shaft that is movable parallel with the axis between a first position in which the blocker is locked in the locking position and a second position in which the blocker is movable from the locking position to the releasing position, the electric circuit being configured to signal the electromagnetic actuator to move the shaft from the first position to the second position if the token reader reads a valid access code;

a token that is couplable mechanically to the lock actuator, the token having an access code that is read by the token reader when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator, the electric circuit signaling the electromagnetic actuator to move the shaft parallel with the axis from the first position to the second position so that the blocker is movable perpendicular to the axis from the locking position to the releasing position if the access code read by the token reader matches the valid access code;

a lock cylinder, the lock core being couplable to and decouplable from the lock cylinder, the lock core further comprising a tumbler element that is movable between a coupling position in which the lock core is prevented from being decoupled from the lock cylinder and a decoupling position in which the lock core is decouplable from the lock cylinder;

the token reader reading the access code and the electric circuit signaling the electromagnetic actuator to move from the locking position to the releasing position when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator, the tumbler element remaining in the coupling position when the token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator; and

a second token that is couplable mechanically to the lock actuator, the second token also having the access code, the token reader reading the access code and the electric circuit signaling the electromagnetic actuator to move from the locking position to the releasing position when the second token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator, the tumbler element moving from the coupling position to the decoupling position when the second token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator.

12. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the lock core comprises a sleeve coupled to the lock actuator, the lock core comprises a lug coupled to the sleeve, and the sleeve and the lug are rotatable with the lock actuator about the axis when the tumbler element is in the decoupling position to move the lug between an engaged position in which the lug engages the lock cylinder to prevent removal of the core body from the lock cylinder and a disengaged position in which the lug is disengaged from the lock cylinder to allow removal of the core body from the lock cylinder.

13. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the lock core includes a spring that biases the shaft toward the first position.

14. The lock system of claim 13, wherein the spring is a coil spring that extends parallel with the axis.

15. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the first token has a first power source that provides power to the electric circuit when the first token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator and the second token has a second power source that provides power to the electric circuit when the second token is coupled mechanically to the lock actuator.

16. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the first and second tokens are moved manually about the axis to move the lock actuator about the axis when the first and second tokens, respectively, are coupled mechanically to the lock actuator and the shaft is moved to the second position.

17. The lock system of claim 16, wherein the lock actuator has an initial position in which each of the first and second tokens are mechanically couplable to and decouplable from the lock actuator, the lock core further comprises at least one second tumbler element, the at least one second tumbler element prevents decoupling of the first token from the lock actuator when the lock actuator is moved away from the initial position by the first token, and the at least one second tumbler element prevents decoupling of the second token from the lock actuator when the lock actuator is moved away from the initial position by the second token.

18. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the lock core further comprises a spring that biases the blocker toward the locking position.

19. The lock system of claim 18, wherein the core body has a bore extending perpendicular to the axis and the spring is situated in the bore.

20. The lock system of claim 11, wherein the lock core further comprises a spring that biases the blocker away from the axis.