Locking apparatus

• US 7,102,486 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Junichi Yamagishi, Unirec Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Junichi Yamagishi, Unirec Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US10/603,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20040012482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 340/5.3, 340/5.33, 340/540, 340/541, 283/68, 283/70, 702/24, 702/781
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5832 Lock and handle assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]

Abstract

A locking apparatus has improved operability and is manufacturable at low cost. The locking apparatus has a fingerprint reader (23), a fingerprint verifier (11), and a power supply circuit. The fingerprint reader reads a fingerprint. The fingerprint verifier verifies the read fingerprint based on registered fingerprint data, and according to a result of the verification, authenticates a person who entered the fingerprint. If the person is authenticated, the locking apparatus unlocks a door locked with the locking apparatus. The locking apparatus comprises a chamber (19) configured to contain the fingerprint reader, a lid (25) configured to open and close the opening of the chamber, and a switch (41) provided for the power supply circuit and configured to interlock with the lid so as to turn on and off the power supply circuit in response to the opening and closing of the lid.

Claims

1. A locking apparatus comprising:

a fingerprint reader, a fingerprint verifier, and a power supply circuit, the fingerprint reader being configured to read a fingerprint, the fingerprint verifier being configured to verity the read fingerprint based on registered fingerprint data, and according to a result of the verification, authenticate a person who entered the fingerprint;

a locking mechanism configured to unlock, if the person is authenticated, a door locked with the locking apparatus;

a chamber having an opening, opposing sides at the opening and a planar bottom surface extending from the sides and across a bottom edge of the opening with a surface of the fingerprint reader disposed in and level with the planar bottom surface, the chamber being configured aligned about the fingerprint reader to receive a finger through the opening in an insertion orientation guided by the opening and the chamber to alien the finger with the fingerprint reader;

a lid configured to open and close the opening of the chamber, the lid being rotatably supported to rotate inward with respect to said chamber to open the opening of the chamber when urged by insertion of the finger and to allow access to the fingerprint reader by the finger to input the fingerprint; and

a switch provided for the power supply circuit and configured to interlock with the lid so as to turn on and off the power supply circuit in response to the opening and closing of the lid.

2. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid is made of conductive material and is grounded.

3. The locking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a biasing device biasing the lid toward a position where the lid closes the opening of the chamber.

4. The locking apparatus of claim 2, further comprising

a biasing device biasing the lid toward a position where the lid closes the opening of the chamber.