Electric door lock

• US 8,365,561 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yeong Du Trading Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yeong Du Trading Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chang, Jing-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): GALL, LLOYD A
• Application Number:
  US12/855,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 70280-282, 702/22, 702/23, 70188-190, 702/787, 702/77, 702/791, 704/22, 704/72, 701/49, 702/18, 192/52.6, 192/56.6, 192/56.62, 292/142, 292/144, 292/DIG.27, 464/36, 464/38
• US Class Current: 70/472
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0058 with non-destructive disengagement E05B17/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/22 Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/002 Geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0067 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0086 Emergency release, e.g. key or electromagnet E05B63/0073 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/02 Movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means; Adaptation of locks, latches, or parts thereof, for movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means by means in the striker E05B63/248
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1018 Gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1021 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5155 Door
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5416 Exterior manipulator declutched from bolt when dogged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5496 Freely movable external manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5805 Freely movable when locked
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5827 Axially movable clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7102 And details of blocking system [e.g., linkage, latch, pawl, spring]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.

Abstract

An electric door lock includes a door latch mechanism movable between latching and unlatching positions, a manual operation mechanism, and first and second rotatable members. The manual operation mechanism is manually operable to drive movement of the door latch mechanism between the latching and unlatching positions. The first rotatable member is rotatable about an axis, and includes a rotary body and a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism is disposed resiliently on the rotary body and is movable parallel to the axis toward and away from the rotary body. The second rotatable member is coupled to the manual operation mechanism for co-rotation therewith, and has one side that confronts the first rotatable member and that is provided with a pushed unit.

Claims

1. An electric door lock comprising:

a door latch mechanism operable for movement between latching and unlatching positions;

a manual operation mechanism including a spindle coupled operatively to said door latch mechanism, said manual operation mechanism being manually operable to drive movement of said door latch mechanism between the latching and unlatching positions;

an electric operation mechanism including an electric driving unit;

a first rotatable member driven by said electric driving unit to rotate about an axis, said first rotatable member including a rotary body formed with a groove, and a clutch mechanism;

a second rotatable member coupled to said manual operation mechanism for co-rotation with said spindle, said second rotatable member having one side that confronts said first rotatable member and that is provided with a pushed unit;

wherein said clutch mechanism includes a resilient plate disposed in said groove in said rotary body, and a pushing block biased by said resilient plate away from said rotary body and disposed to act upon said pushed unit to move parallel to the axis;

wherein, when said first rotatable member is driven by said electric driving unit to rotate, said pushing block of said clutch mechanism pushes said pushed unit to drive rotation of said second rotatable member and co-rotation of said spindle for moving said door latch mechanism from one of the latching and unlatching positions to the other one of the latching and unlatching positions;

wherein, when said first rotatable member is driven by said electric driving unit to rotate further after said door latch mechanism has been moved from said one of the latching and unlatching positions to the other one of the latching and unlatching positions, said pushed unit causes said pushing block of said clutch mechanism to move parallel to the axis toward said rotary body such that said pushing block slides over said pushed unit and is moved from one side of said pushed unit to a circumferentially opposite side of said pushed unit; and

an electric control mechanism for deactivating said electric driving unit after said door latch mechanism has been moved from said one of the latching and unlatching positions to the other one of the latching and unlatching positions.

2. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing unit that includes an external housing and an internal housing,

said manual operation mechanism further including a rotary knob mounted rotatably on said internal housing and coupled operatively to said spindle, and a key-operated plug mounted rotatably on said external housing and coupled operatively to said spindle.

3. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second rotatable member includes a ring body and said pushed unit includes a pair of protrusions disposed at angularly spaced apart positions on said ring body.

4. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electric control mechanism includes a circuit board, a magnetic unit disposed on said second rotatable member, and a sensing unit disposed on said circuit board and operably associated with said magnetic unit so as to determine whether said door latch mechanism is at one of the latching and unlatching positions.

5. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second rotatable member includes a ring body provided with said pushed unit,

said magnetic unit of said electric control mechanism including a magnetic component disposed on said ring body of said second rotatable member and angularly spaced apart from said pushed unit,

said sensing unit of said electric control mechanism including a first sensor aligned with and configured to sense said magnetic component when said door latch mechanism is at the unlatching position, and a second sensor aligned with and configured to sense said magnetic component when said door latch mechanism is at the latching position.

6. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 5, wherein said magnetic component is a magnet, and said first and second sensors are Hall sensors.

7. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second rotatable member includes a ring body and said pushed unit includes a pair of protrusions disposed at angularly spaced apart positions on said ring body.

8. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said magnetic unit of said electric control mechanism includes a magnetic component disposed on said ring body of said second rotatable member and angularly spaced apart from said protrusions; and

said sensing unit of said electric control mechanism includes a first sensor aligned with and configured to sense said magnetic component when said door latch mechanism is at the unlatching position, a second sensor aligned with and configured to sense said magnetic component when said electric door lock is mounted on a door that is operable to open from a first lateral side and said door latch mechanism is at the latching position, and a third sensor aligned with and configured to sense said magnetic component when said electric door lock is mounted on a door that is operable to open from a second lateral side opposite to the first lateral side and said door latch mechanism is at the latching position.

9. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 8, wherein said magnetic component is a magnet, and said first, second and third sensors are Hall sensors.

10. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said electric control mechanism further includes:

a pair of magnets disposed at said first rotatable member and angularly spaced apart from each other and from said clutch mechanism; and

a pair of sensors configured to sense said magnets to thereby enable said electric control mechanism to deactivate said electric driving unit after said clutch mechanism slides over said pushed unit.

11. The electric door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rotatable member further includes a cover joined to said rotary body and formed with an aperture registered with said groove in said rotary body;

wherein said rotary body includes a pair of mounting components respectively projecting from opposite longitudinal sides of said groove toward said cover, and a pair of stops disposed in said groove and adjacent to left and right lateral sides of said groove;

wherein said resilient plate is disposed in said groove and is positioned by said stops, and said pushing block is mounted on said mounting components and extends through said aperture in said cover.