Electric release fastening device for thin-profile space

• US 8,319,604 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chih-Lung Peng, Chun-Sung Cheng, Ping-Hsun Weng
• Original Assignee: Chih-Lung Peng, Chun-Sung Cheng, Ping-Hsun Weng
• Inventors: Weng, Ping-Hsun, Cheng, Chun-Sung, Peng, Chih-Lung
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUN, NAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/697,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 340 551- 555, 340/5.8, 340 551- 585, 292/194, 292/230, 292/231, 292/237, 292/238, 70275-277, 702781-2787, 70280-282
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2035/009 Locks where a characteristic part of the user's body is used as a key
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/002 Geared transmissions
• 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 65/52 Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1063 Gravity actuated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1071 Push or pull rod

Abstract

An electric release fastening device for a thin-profile space has a fingerprint identifier, a micro drive motor, a change gear set, an electric controller, an electric battery, a moveable fastening cassette, a fastening cassette control unit and a locking locator. When the fingerprint identifier reads the correct identification information, the micro drive motor is ordered by the electric controller to drive the change gear set, and then change the position of the fastening cassette control unit. This switches the positioning or release state between the moveable fastening cassette and the locking locator, and controls or electrically releases the product cover. With this configuration, the electric release fastening device can be assembled into thin-profile spaces with improved applicability.

Claims

1. An electric release fastening apparatus comprising:

a casing having a thin-profile space therein;

a cover connected to said casing, said cover extending over said casing in one position;

a fingerprint identifier mounted to at least one of said casing and said cover, said fingerprint identifier having a scanner head exposed on a surface of the cover or the casing;

a micro drive motor mounted in said thin-profile space, said micro drive motor having an output screw;

a change gear set mounted in said thin-profile space, said change gear set having a start gear and an end gear and a plurality of change gears cooperative between said start gear and said end gear, said start gear being meshed with and driven by said output screw of said micro drive motor, said end gear having a driving portion protruding from one side thereof;

an electric controller mounted in said thin-profile space, said electric-controller having a circuit board and a processor and an electric control component, said fingerprint identifier and said micro drive motor electrically connected to said electric controller so as to actuate said micro drive motor as a result of a signal received from said fingerprint identifier;

a battery mounted in said thin-profile space and electrically connected to said electric controller so as to provide power to said fingerprint identifier and to said micro drive motor to said electric controller;

a movable fastening cassette mounted to a side of one of said casing and said cover, said movable fastening cassette having a movable fastening portion and a release control portion, said movable fastening portion extending toward the other of said casing and said cover, said movable fastening cassette being a plate having a first portion and a second portion, said movable fastening cassette having a shaft positioned at a corner of said plate, said movable fastening portion extending from an end of said first portion of said plate, said second portion of said plate having a semi-circular groove formed therein so as to define said release control portion;

a fastening cassette control unit movably mounted between said end gear and said movable fastening cassette, said fastening cassette control unit having a driven end and a positioning portion and a resetter, said driven end being driven by said driving portion of said end gear, said positioning portion being mated with said semi-circular groove so as to switch a positioning and a displacement of said movable fastening cassette, said resetter suitable for automatically resetting the position of said fastening cassette control unit, said driven end of said fastening cassette control unit having a hook shape, said positioning portion of said fastening cassette control unit having a cylindrical shape that is mated with said semi-circular groove, said resetter being a helical spring; and

at least one locking locator mounted at a side of one of said casing or said cover and cooperative with said movable fastening portion of said movable fastening cassette so as to lock said movable fastening cassette in said one position.

2. The electric release fastening apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power-off sensing switch positioned in said thin-profile space adjacent to said driven end of said fastening cassette control unit, said power-off sensing switch electrically connected to said electric controller so as to generate a power-off signal to stop said micro drive motor when said driven end reaches a desired position.

3. The electric release fastening apparatus of claim 1, said casing having a cover jacking member at an exterior of said movable fastening cassette, said cover jacking member having a movable top plate and an elastic supporting member, said movable top plate being urged by said elastic supporting member so as to push said cover.

4. The electric release fastening apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a buzzer mounted in said thin-profile space, said buzzer being electrically connected to said electric controller.

5. The electric release fastening apparatus of claim 1, the locking locator being prefabricated onto one of said cover and said casing.

6. The electric release fastening apparatus of claim 1, the locking locator being formed of a metallic material that is buried into one of said cover and said casing.