Lighted deadbolt

• US 7,172,306 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricky Campa
• Original Assignee: Ricky Campa
• Inventors: Campa, Ricky
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US11/097,704
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 362/100, 362/94
• US Class Current: 362/100
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights

Abstract

A deadbolt having an integral light that is activated only when the deadbolt is properly locked includes a conventional deadbolt housing attached to a door. The housing includes a latch section that is mounted on an inner surface of a door having a drive member thereon. The drive member operates a latch shaft that extends and retracts a striker to lock and unlock the door. An LED is positioned on the latch section that is activated with an internally disposed magnetic reed switch. When the shaft is rotated to a locked position, a magnet positioned thereon substantially aligns with the magnetic reed switch to activate the LED. When the deadbolt is unlocked, the magnet is rotated out of alignment with the reed switch thereby deactivating the LED.

Claims

1. A lighted locking device comprising:

a housing including a key receptacle section positioned on an exterior surface of a door and an inner section positioned on an interior surface of a door;

a locking latch means for locking engagement with a door jamb, said latch means moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a light means on said inner section that is activated when said latch means is moved into the locked position for visually indicating to persons nearby that a door is securely locked.

2. The lighted deadbolt according to claim 1 wherein said light means includes:

a light positioned on said inner section;

a magnetic reed switch for activating said light, said switch positioned within said housing and connected to said light and a power source;

a magnet carried by said latch means that when said latch means is moved to the locked position, the magnet is substantially aligned with the magnetic reed switch thereby activating the light.

3. The lighted deadbolt according to claim 1 further comprising an oscillator electrically connected to said light and said magnetic reed switch for pulsing said light.

4. A lighted lock comprising:

a housing including a key receptacle section positioned on an exterior surface of a door and a latch section with a rotatable drive member for positioning on an interior surface of a door;

an internal shaft received within said housing and operably connected to said key receptacle and said drive member;

a striker movable between a locked, extended position and an unlocked retracted position by rotation of said shaft;

a light positioned on the latch section of the housing;

a magnetic reed switch positioned adjacent said shaft and electrically connected to a power source and said light;

a magnet positioned on the shaft such that when the shaft is rotated to a position where the striker is in the locked, extended position, the magnet is substantially aligned with the magnetic reed switch thereby activating the light, and when the shaft is rotated to a position where the striker is in an unlocked, retracted position, the magnet and reed switch are misaligned thereby disabling the light.