Internal locking apparatus and methods for making and using same

• US 8,284,023 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innerloc, LLC
• Original Assignee: Inner LOC LLC
• Inventors: Coutermarsh, Richard Alfred, Eastman, John Reid
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US11/526,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,205 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.73, 340/5.7, 340/5.2, 340/5.1, 340/5.6, 340/825, 702/77, 702/75, 702/66
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/002 Geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0001 with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof for vehicles E05B81/04
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/52 Pneumatic or hydraulic circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/02 Locks for railway freight-cars, freight containers or the like; Locks for the cargo compartments of commercial lorries, trucks or vans
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

An internal locking system is disclosed, which utilizes electromechanical locking devices to lock and unlock lockable openings.

Claims

1. An apparatus further comprising:

a plurality of housings, where each housing includes;

a locking system comprising;

an electro-mechanical device and a retractable locking member,

where the locking system is adapted to transition between a first state and a second state, a locked state and an unlocked state via the electro-mechanical device extending or retracting the member,

an electronic control system, in electrical communication with the locking systems, including a command generator component adapted to generate and send commands to the locking systems causing the locking systems to transition between the two states, a transmitter component capable of transmitting;

(1) an authentication signal upon receiving an authentication command from the command generation component, where authentication signal is adapted to authenticate a received activation signal, (2) a completion signal, (3) a state of the locking system during transportation, and (4) optionally a status signal of an intermittent, period, or continuous basis,

a power supply comprising a primary battery, a secondary battery and power management system in electrical communication with the locking systems and the electronic control system and adapted to provide electric power to the locking systems and the electronic control system, and

a magnetic sensor having a one time combination for unlocking the locking system upon receipt of the one time combination,

where the housings include no internal voids or cavities to minimize tampering and manipulation of the locking systems, where the locking systems are mountable in an interior of a container in a spaced apart manner adjacent the openable member, where each locking system is capable of independently transitioning between the two states, where the container includes a plurality of apertures, one for each retractable locking members, and where the apertures are disposed in a spaced apart manner so that the apertures receive the members when the locking systems are in the locked state and where the secondary battery ensures there is sufficient power to open the locking system, if the primary battery fails or is incapable of opening the locking system, and where the power management system will not allow locking of the locking system, if the second battery is below a set voltage parameter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic control system further includes a receiver component capable of receiving an activation signal and/or a verification signal, where the activation signal causes the command generator component to issue a state transition command to the locking system and the verification signal causes the command generator component to issue an authentication command, and is adapted to issue commands to the plurality of locking systems to cause the locking systems to simultaneously or near simultaneously transition between the two states.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic control system is adapted to issue commands to the plurality of locking systems to cause the locking systems to sequentially transition between the two states.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a plurality of mounting plates adapted to be mounted onto the interior surface of the container, where each mounting plate is adapted to receive a locking system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each locking system is contained in a housing.