Field retrofittable refrigerator lock with audit trail

• US 7,768,378 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CompX International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CompX International Incorporated
• Inventors: Kaczmarz, Kenneth A., Brewczynski, Robert, Zimmerman, Francis H., Vaughn, Ernest, Belzek, Steven A., Mlynarczyk, Mitchell S., Hill, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US11/411,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.28, 340/5.73, 70/81, 701/02, 701/06
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/2088 Means to prevent disengagement of lock and keeper E05B63/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0016 with linearly reciprocating motion
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/002 Geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/04 with counting or registering devices time recording locks G07C1/32
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0004 Additional locks added to existing lock arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0042 For refrigerators or cold rooms E05B17/0075 takes precedence; magnetic E05C19/16
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5111 Projectable bolt
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5221 Locking latch bolt, biased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]

Abstract

Disclosed is apparatus and methodology for providing a retrofittable lock assembly for an enclosure. A manually or electronically accessible lock assembly has been provided that may be attached to an enclosure to control access to items stored in the enclosure. In a particular form, the retrofittable lock may be applied to a refrigerator used to store controlled medications. The retrofittable lock contains electronic circuitry that maintains a record of user identification, date, and time of access of users seeking access to items stored in the enclosure.

Claims

1. A retrofittable lock assembly for an enclosure, said enclosure comprising an exterior portion and an access door, the retrofittable lock comprising:

a strike plate removably mountable to the exterior of said enclosure;

a housing removably mountable to said access door of said enclosure;

a latch bolt mounted in said housing and operatively configured to cooperate with said strike plate to inhibit relative movement between said strike plate and said latch bolt;

a drive motor mounted in said housing and operatively configured to retract said latch bolt into said housing to allow relative movement between said strike plate and said latch bolt;

a microprocessor mounted in said housing;

a memory mounted in said housing; and

an access authorization circuit associated with said housing for receiving access authorization request data from a user,

wherein data received by said access authorization circuit is verified by said microprocessor by comparing the data to a plurality of valid data sequences whereby, upon validation, said microprocessor energizes said drive motor to operate said latch bolt and stores lock operation data in said memory.

2. A lock assembly as in claim 1, wherein the access authorization circuit comprises a keypad.

3. A lock assembly as in claim 1, wherein the access authorization circuit comprises a proximity card reader.

4. A lock assembly as in claim 1, wherein the access authorization circuit is configured to be responsive to data provided by one of the group consisting of magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, RF fobs, IR fobs, iButtons, and biometric readers.

5. A lock assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a communications port coupled to the microprocessor and memory for exchanging data between the lock assembly and an external device.

6. A lock assembly as in claim 5, wherein said communications port is configured to transmit lock operation data stored in said memory to an external device.

7. A lock assembly as in claim 5, wherein said communications port is configured to receive lock operation data from an external device.

8. A lock assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a gear train coupled between said drive motor and said latch bolt.

9. A lock assembly as in claim 8, further comprising:

a rack gear positioned on the side of said latch bolt; and

a spring positioned to urge said latch bolt toward an extended position,

wherein said rack gear is configured for engagement with a final gear in said gear train and wherein the final gear includes a peripheral portion having no gear teeth whereby upon continued rotation of the final gear and upon reaching the peripheral portion having no gear teeth, the latch bolt is extended from the housing.

10. A lock assembly as in claim 1, wherein said strike plate and said housing are configured for retrofittable installation on an enclosure having an access door to control access to the enclosure.

11. A lock assembly as in claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a refrigerator for controlled medicinal products.

12. A method of controlling access to selected items, comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure for enclosing the selected items, the enclosure including at least an exterior portion and an access door;

attaching a strike plate to the exterior portion;

said strike plate being removably attachable to said exterior portion;

attaching a housing containing a latch bolt, a drive motor, a microprocessor, a memory, and an access authorization circuit to the access door;

said housing being removably attachable to said access door;

programming the memory with a first predetermined plurality of code sequences;

providing a predetermined plurality of users access to at least one of the first predetermined plurality of code sequences; and

storing data in the memory corresponding to user identification and date and time of access,

whereby an audit trail of access to the stored items may be maintained.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the access authorization circuit comprises a keypad and the step of providing a predetermined plurality of users access to at least one of the first predetermined plurality of code sequences comprises assigning a predetermined plurality of users at least one of the first predetermined plurality of code sequences for manual entry on the keypad.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the access authorization circuit comprises a proximity card reader and the step of providing a predetermined plurality of users access to at least one of the first predetermined plurality of code sequences comprises assigning proximity cards to a predetermined plurality of users for presentation to the proximity card reader, the proximity cards containing at least one of the first predetermined plurality of code sequences.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing an enclosure comprises providing a refrigerator.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of associating a communications port with the housing, the microprocessor, and the memory whereby data may be exchanged with the microprocessor and the memory and an external device.

17. Lock assembly apparatus for retrofittable use with an enclosure of the type for enclosing selected items, and including at least an exterior portion and an access door, said apparatus comprising:

a strike plate removably attachable to the exterior portion of an enclosure;

a housing removably attachable to the access door of such enclosure;

a latch bolt mounted in said housing and operatively configured to cooperate with said strike plate to inhibit relative movement between said strike plate and said latch bolt;

a drive motor mounted in said housing and operatively configured to retract said latch bolt into said housing to allow relative movement between said strike plate and said latch bolt;

a microprocessor mounted in said housing;

a memory mounted in said housing; and

an access authorization circuit associated with said housing for receiving access authorization request data from a user,

wherein data received by said access authorization circuit is verified by said microprocessor by comparing the data to a plurality of valid data sequences whereby, upon validation, said microprocessor energizes said drive motor to operate said latch bolt for movement of said strike plate for corresponding opening or closing of the access door of the enclosure, and said microprocessor stores lock operation data in said memory to reflect an audit trail of access to selected items enclosed in such enclosure.

18. A lock assembly apparatus as in claim 17, wherein:

said access authorization circuit comprises at least one of a keypad and a proximity card reader; and

further wherein said access authorization circuit is configured to be responsive to data provided by one of the group consisting of magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, RF fobs, IR fobs, iButtons, and biometric readers.

19. A lock assembly apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

a communications port coupled to said microprocessor and said memory for exchanging data between the lock assembly apparatus and an external device; and

wherein said communications port is configured to receive lock operation data from an external device.

20. A lock assembly apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

a communications port coupled to said microprocessor and said memory for exchanging data between the lock assembly apparatus and an external device; and

wherein said communications port is configured to transmit lock operation data stored in said memory to an external device.

21. A lock assembly apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising a gear train coupled between said drive motor and said latch bolt.

22. A lock assembly apparatus as in claim 21, further comprising:

a rack gear positioned on the side of said latch bolt; and

a spring positioned to urge said latch bolt toward an extended position,

wherein said rack gear is configured for engagement with a final gear in said gear train and wherein the final gear includes a peripheral portion having no gear teeth whereby upon continued rotation of the final gear and upon reaching the peripheral portion having no gear teeth, the latch bolt is extended from the housing.

23. A lock assembly apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the enclosure comprises a refrigerator for controlled medicinal products.