Lock mechanism using one-way valve to lock piston

• US 8,347,659 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Powers, David R., Bertuna, Daniel, Aberizk, David K., Frankie, Keith L., Waddell, Stuart J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US12/825,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20100326147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 70/14, 702/56, 702/57, 702/63, 702/64, 702/75, 702/781, 70D/IG.48, 70D/IG.50, 292/259.R, 292/288, 292/289, 292/DIG.32
• US Class Current: 70/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0057 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0069 bolt position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0096 Mechanical aspects of locks whose actuation is dependent on geographical location, e.g. by means of a GPS system electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0097 including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 51/02 by pneumatic or hydraulic means E05B17/0029 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/10 Hydraulic or pneumatic hydraulic or pneumatic circuits E05B81/52
• 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: E05C 19/186 with a pair of hooks, which are movable towards each other for grasping of an element on the wing, respectively on the frame, or for grasping of an element on each of the wings forming a double door
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/06 by tampering with fastening
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/32 Freight car door fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/23 Cross bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/37 : Portable securer plate or bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/51 : Seal bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/40 : Portable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/498 : Shields or canopies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 : Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/554 : Cover, lid, cap, encasing shield
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5544 : Pivoted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5566 : External locking devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5765 : Rotary or swinging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5779 : With padlock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 : Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7051 : Using a powered device [e.g., motor]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 : Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A lock mechanism for locking at least one door of a container in a closed position includes a housing, at least one lock member at least partially enclosed within the housing, the at least one lock member comprising a first lock member configured to engage a first portion of a container to lock at least one container door in a closed position, and a latching mechanism coupled to the at least one lock member. The latching mechanism includes a fluid chamber configured to hold a fluid, a piston slidably housed within the fluid chamber, and a valve coupled to the fluid chamber and configured to be in one of two states, the two states including an open state where fluid can flow through the valve in two directions to allow the piston to be moved in two directions, and a closed state where fluid is inhibited from flowing through the valve in at least one direction to prevent the piston from moving in at least one direction. The lock mechanism further includes a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the lock circuit including memory, and a lock controller coupled to the memory and the latching mechanism and configured to receive commands related to the operation of the lock mechanism, wherein the lock controller is configured to cause the latching mechanism to be in one of the two states in response to the received commands.

Claims

1. A lock mechanism for locking at least one door of a container in a closed position, the lock mechanism comprising:

a housing;

at least one lock member at least partially enclosed within the housing, the at least one lock member comprising a first latch hook configured to engage a latch assembly bar on an exterior of the at least one door to lock the at least one door of the container in a closed position, wherein the lock member is removable from the at least one door;

a latching mechanism coupled to the at least one lock member, the latching mechanism comprising;

a fluid chamber configured to hold a fluid,

a piston slidably housed within the fluid chamber, and

a valve coupled to the fluid chamber and configured to be in one of two states, the two states including an open state where fluid can flow through the valve in two directions to allow the piston to be moved in two directions, and a closed state where fluid is inhibited from flowing through the valve in at least one direction to prevent the piston from moving in at least one direction; and

a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the lock circuit comprising;

memory, and

a lock controller coupled to the memory and the latching mechanism and configured to receive commands related to the operation of the lock mechanism, wherein the lock controller is configured to cause the latching mechanism to be in one of the two states in response to the received commands.

2. The lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the valve is a one-way valve configured to allow fluid to flow in only one direction when the valve is in the closed state.

3. The lock mechanism of claim 2, wherein the one-way valve is configured to allow the at least one lock member to be moved in a direction to lock the container door when the valve is in the closed state.

4. The lock mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a fluid coupling coupled to the valve and the fluid chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow between two portions of the fluid chamber on opposite sides of the piston.

5. The lock mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a second lock member, wherein the second lock member is coupled to the piston and the second lock member is configured to engage the first lock member when the first lock member is engaged to the first portion of the container to lock the container door in the closed position.

6. The lock mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a second lock member configured to engage a second portion of the container, the latching mechanism being coupled to the second lock member and the valve being configured to resist having the first and second lock members move apart from each other when the valve is in the closed state.

7. The lock mechanism of claim 6, wherein the lock controller is configured to cause the latching mechanism to resist having the first lock member be disengaged from the first portion of the container when the first lock members is engaged to the first portion of the container to secure the lock mechanism to the first portion of the container in response to the received commands.

8. The lock mechanism of claim 7, wherein the lock controller causes the latching mechanism to actuate the first one of the lock members to secure the lock mechanism to the latch assembly bar with the hook member in response to a first received command.

9. The lock mechanism of claim 7, wherein the lock controller causes the latching mechanism to resist having the first and second lock members be disengaged from the first and second portions of the container when the two lock members are engaged to the first and second bars of the container to secure the lock mechanism to the first and second portions of the container in response to a second received command, wherein the container doors are locked when both of the lock members are secured.

10. The lock mechanism of claim 6, further comprising a drive mechanism configured to cause the two lock members to engage the portions of the container.

11. The lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the housing is user detachable from the container.

12. A lock mechanism for locking at least one door of a container in a closed position, the lock mechanism comprising:

lock member means comprising at least one hook member configured to removably engage a latch assembly bar attached to an exterior of a container door in a closed position;

means for slidably coupling the at least one lock member of the lock member means to a portion of the lock mechanism;

latching means coupled to the slidably coupling means and configured to be in one of two states, the two states including an open state and a closed state, the latching means for allowing the at least one lock member of the lock member means to be moved in two directions when in the open state, and for preventing the at least one lock member of the lock member means from moving in at least one direction when in the closed state, wherein the latching means comprises a one-way valve configured to allow fluid to flow in only one direction when the valve is in the closed state;

means for receiving commands related to the operation of the lock mechanism; and

means for controlling the latching means to be in one of the two states in response to the received commands.

13. The lock mechanism of claim 12, wherein the one-way valve is configured to allow the at least one lock member to be moved in a direction to lock the container door when the valve is in the closed state.

14. The lock mechanism of claim 12, wherein the lock member means further comprises another lock member, wherein the another lock member is coupled to the piston and the another lock member is configured to engage the one lock member when the one lock member is engaged to the first portion of the container to lock the container door in the closed position.

15. The lock mechanism of claim 12, wherein the lock member means further comprising another lock member configured to engage a second portion of the container, the latching mechanism being coupled to the another lock member and the latching means being configured to resist having the at least one lock member and the another lock member move apart from each other when the latching means is in the closed state.

16. The lock mechanism of claim 15, wherein the controlling means is for causing the latching means to resist having the at least one lock member be disengaged from the first portion of the container when the at least one lock member is engaged to the first portion of the container to secure the lock mechanism to the first portion of the container in response to the received commands.

17. The lock mechanism of claim 16, wherein the controlling means is for causing the latching means to actuate the at least one lock member to secure the lock mechanism to the latch assembly bar with the hook member in response to a first received command.

18. The lock mechanism of claim 16, wherein the controlling means is for causing the latching means to resist having the at least one lock member and the another lock member be disengaged from the first and second portions of the container when the two lock members are engaged to the first and second bars of the container to secure the lock mechanism to the first and second portions of the container in response to a second received command, wherein the container doors are locked when both of the lock members are secured.

19. The lock mechanism of claim 12, wherein the lock mechanism is user detachable from the container.