Electric strike assembly

• US 6,874,830 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: dormakaba Canada, Inc. (dormakaba Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Rutherford Controls International Corporation
• Inventors: Bashford, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US10/259,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/341.18, 292/DIG.60, 292/DIG.65, 292/341.16, 292/341.15, 292/201, 292/244
• US Class Current: 292/341.16
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/0245 Movable elements held by friction, cooperating teeth, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/2003 Preventing opening by insertion of a tool, e.g. flexible, between door and jamb to withdraw the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0073 Current to unlock only
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0076 Current to lock only, i.e. "fail-safe"
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0047 Striker rotating about an axis parallel to the wing edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/60 Adjustment provisions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/65 Emergency or safety
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1097 Reversible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/696 With movable dog, catch or striker
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/699 Motor controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/705 Adjustable

Abstract

An electric strike includes a housing, a keeper pivotally arranged in the housing, and a holder slidably arranged in the housing. The electric strike also includes a blocking element slidably arranged in the holder, and the blocking element is configured to selectively prevent a rotation of the keeper and allow the rotation of the keeper. Moreover, the electric strike includes a two-position mode selector operable from outside the housing, and the selector is configured to selectively move the holder from a first position to a second position and vice versa. The electric strike also includes an actuator configured to selectively move the blocking element. Specifically, when the holder is in the first position, the blocking member allows the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is energized and prevents the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is not energized, and when the holder is in the second position, the blocking member prevents the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is energized and allows the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is not energized.

Claims

1. An electric strike for a door, comprising:

a housing;

a keeper pivotally arranged in said housing, positioned to prevent withdrawal of a door latch bolt when prevented from pivoting, and to allow withdrawal of said door latch bolt when allowed to pivot;

a holder slidably arranged in said housing;

a blocking element slidably arranged in said holder having blocking surfaces opposing abutments of said keeper for selectively preventing rotation of said keeper, movable between a blocking position wherein rotation of said keeper is prevented and a non-blocking position wherein rotation of said keeper is allowed, biased towards one of said positions;

a two-position mode selector operable from outside said housing for slidably moving said holder between a fail-secure and a fail-safe position, said blocking surfaces blocking rotation of said keeper when in said biased position when said holder is in said fail-secure position, and allowing rotation of said keeper when in said biased position when said holder is in said fail-safe position; and

actuation means mounted in said holder for moving said blocking element away from said biased position, to block or unblock said keeper.

2. An electric strike as in claim 1, wherein said mode selector comprises an eccentric rotatable through 180 degrees, said eccentric having a pin extending therefrom engaging a slot in said holder, eccentric motion of said pin thereby displacing said holder between two end positions corresponding to the position of said pin at opposite ends of 180 degrees of rotation.

3. An electric strike as in claim 1, further comprising means for biasing said mode selector into whichever of said two positions is selected.

4. An electric strike as in claim 2, further comprising means for biasing said mode selector into whichever of said two positions is selected.

5. An electric strike as in claim 4, wherein said means for biasing said mode selector is a spring positioned to act on said pin in a direction roughly 90 degrees to a diameter line drawn between end points of said pin'"'"'s 180 degree travel.

6. An electric strike as in claim 1, further comprising a latch monitor lever arm pivotally mounted in said housing, said latch monitor lever arm having an extension therefrom with a plate positioned to be depressed when a latch bolt is present in said strike, to thereby rotate said latch monitor lever arm from a home position to which it is biased, said rotation bringing a cam extending from said latch monitor lever arm into gradual contact with a switch button on a microswitch, thereby signalling whether or not a latch bolt is present.

7. An electric strike as in claim 1, further comprising a lip bracket securable to said housing along an interface at any of a plurality of possible relative positions, and a face plate securable to said lip bracket and securable to a doorjamb for installation of said strike.

8. An electric strike as in claim 7, wherein said interface has complementary saw-tooth projections from said housing and said lip bracket, said projections having mating surfaces which are generally perpendicular to said interface in a direction to oppose outward displacement of the housing relative to said lip bracket.

9. An electric strike as in claim 1, wherein said actuation means is a pull-type solenoid connected to said blocking element, and said blocking element is biased away from said solenoid.

10. An electric strike as in claim 1, wherein said actuation means is a push-type solenoid and said blocking element is biased towards said solenoid.

11. An electric strike as in claim 1, wherein said keeper and said housing are shaped so as to provide substantially no gap therebetween when said keeper is in a home position blocked by said blocking element, and wherein said keeper has a lip and said housing has a catch, said lip being positioned to direct any flexible inserted item towards said catch, said catch blocking further insertion.

12. An electric strike for a door, comprising:

a housing;

a keeper pivotally arranged in the housing;

a holder slidably arranged in the housing;

a blocking element slidably arranged in the holder, wherein the blocking element is configured to selectively prevent a rotation of the keeper and allow the rotation of the keeper;

a two-position mode selector operable from outside the housing, wherein the two-position mode selector is configured to selectively move the holder from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position; and

an actuator configured to selectively move the blocking element, wherein when the holder is in the first position, the blocking member allows the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is energized and prevents the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is not energized, wherein when the holder is in the second position, the blocking member prevents the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is energized and allows the rotation of the keeper when the actuator is not energized.