FPALM II fingerprint authentication lock mechanism II

• US 7,423,515 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2004
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biogy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biogy, Inc.
• Inventors: Fiske, Michael, Louis, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US10/889,237
• Time in Patent Office: 1,521 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340 57- 58, 340 582- 583, 704/16, 703/33, 702/80, 70/38, 70/63, 292/144, 292/341.16, 382/124
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0023 Nuts or nut-like elements moving along a driven threaded axle
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0024 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0603 the detent moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/22 Padlocks with sliding shackles, with or without rotary or pivotal movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7915 Tampering prevention or attack defeating

Abstract

In an embodiment, a lock mechanism has a lock shaft, a motor, and a lock cylinder, wherein the motor rotates a cog that moves the lock cylinder into and out of the lock shaft. The lock cylinder is oriented concentric to an axis about which the lock cylinder rotates. Rotating the cog causes the lock cylinder to rotate about the axis, which in turn causes the lock cylinder to more into and out of the lock shaft in a direction along the axis. In an embodiment, the cog has no translational motion in a direction parallel to the axis. The lock cylinder may have grooves, and the cog may engage the grooves. Rotating the cog may causes the lock cylinder to rotate with the cog, and the cog to slide within the grooves as the lock cylinder moves along the axis.

Claims

1. A lock mechanism, comprising:

(A) a lock shaft,

(B) a motor,

(C) a lock cylinder, and

(D) a power supply, wherein said motor rotates a cog to move said lock cylinder into and out of said lock shaft, the cog rotating about an axis, the lock cylinder being oriented concentric to the axis, and moving the lock cylinder into and out of the lock shaft is accomplished by moving the lock cylinder in a direction along the axis;

the cog having no translational motion in a direction parallel to the axis,

the lock cylinder having grooves, and

the cog engaging the grooves, rotating the cog causes

the lock cylinder to rotate with the cog, and

the cog to slide within the grooves as the lock cylinder moves along the axis.

2. The lock mechanism in claim 1, further comprising a user interface to the power supply, wherein the user interface includes at least a dial, the dial causing a motor to turn and generate current.

3. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply includes at least a motor.

4. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply includes at least a battery.

5. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply is at least partially recharged using a lock shaft current generator.

6. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply is at least partially recharged using a magnetic current generator.

7. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply is at least partially recharged using a user activated current generator in which the user turns a motor to generate current.

8. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply is at least partially recharged using an activation system.

9. The lock mechanism in claim 1, wherein said power supply includes at least a solar cell.

10. The lock mechanism in claim 1 further comprising a user interface to the power supply, wherein the user interface includes at least a lever that causes a motor to turn and generate power in the form of a current.

11. The lock mechanism in claim 1, further comprising a user interface to the power supply, wherein the user interface includes at least a button that causes a motor to turn and generate power in the form of a current.

12. The lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein

the lock shaft includes at least a cavity, and

the lock cylinder is movable such that the lock cylinder can engage the lock shaft via the cavity to therein hold the lock shaft in a particular position when the lock cylinder engages the lock shaft.

13. The lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein

the lock shaft is capable of sliding within a lock casing,

the lock shaft includes at least a permanent magnet;

and

the lock casing has a wire wrapped around the lock casing for generating a current caused by movement of the permanent magnet within the lock casing.

14. The lock mechanism of claim 1, the lock shaft having a straight portion and an arced portion.

15. A lock mechanism, comprising:

(A) a lock shaft,

(B) a motor,

(C) a lock cylinder, and

(D) a power supply, further comprising;

a nut having threading within which the lock cylinder moves; and

a threading on the lock cylinder, the threading on the lock cylinder encases the threading of the nut, such that rotation of the lock cylinder causes the lock cylinder to move inward or outward within the nut, further comprising;

the lock cylinder having grooves, and

a cog engaging the grooves, rotating a cog causes

the lock cylinder to rotate with the cog, and

the cog to slide within the grooves as the lock cylinder moves inward and outward within the nut.

16. The lock mechanism of claim 15, wherein the motor causes the rotation of the lock cylinder.