Electronic combination lock

• US 7,712,341 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fritz Hugo Johansson, James P. Davidson
• Original Assignee: Fritz Hugo Johansson, James P. Davidson
• Inventors: Davidson, James P., Johansson, Fritz Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo; Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, ALYSON MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/847,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20080060393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 702/76, 702/77, 702/781, 702/782, 702/783, 702/785, 702/786, 702/787, 702/791, 70280-283, 702/831, 702/84, 702/85, 704/93, 702/07
• US Class Current: 70/278.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0091 Retrofittable electric locks, e.g. an electric module can be attached to an existing manual lock electrically driven keys E05B2047/0083
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0006 having a non-movable core; with permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/063 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5155 Door
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7605 Pin tumblers

Abstract

An electronic combination lock includes a door handle having a code entry button and housing a lock assembly and an electrical circuit. The lock assembly includes a lock body, a rotating cylinder, spring loaded lift lock pins and corresponding key pins, a reset cam path and a programming cam path formed on the cylinder, a lift comb for lifting the lift lock pins, a latch for latching the lift comb and a magnet being selectively activated to cause the latch to release the lift comb. The electrical circuit receives a first input signal indicative of an input code entered at the code entry button and a second input signal from a program switch actuated by the programming cam path and is operated to store an entry code when the program switch is actuated and to activate the magnet when an input code matching the stored entry code is received.

Claims

1. An electronic combination lock for keyed and keyless access, comprising:

a door handle having a turn button and a code entry button formed thereon, the code entry button capable of receiving an input code of sequential digits in the form of groups of momentary taps of the code entry button, each group of momentary taps of the code entry button being associated with a digit of the input code and groups of momentary taps forming the sequential digits of the input code, the door handle housing a lock assembly and an electrical circuit;

the lock assembly comprising;

a lock body including an axial opening for housing a cylinder movable within the lock body and one or more vertical bores for housing one or more spring loaded lift lock pins and one or more lift lock pin force springs, each of the one or more lift lock pin force springs applying a spring-loaded force to a respective one of the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins;

the cylinder comprising a key slot for engaging a key to operate the lock, and one or more bores for accommodating one or more key pins with variable length matching a pattern on the key, the one or more bores being aligned with the one or more vertical bores of the lock body to allow the one or more key pins to be positioned under the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins, each of the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins being associated with a respective one of the one or more key pins, the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins being positioned at least partially in the bores of the cylinder in a locked position, the cylinder further comprising a latch reset cam path which engages a latch reset pin when the cylinder is rotated and a code programming cam path which engages a program switch when the cylinder is rotated, wherein the cylinder is rotated within the axial opening by the key or the turn button when the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins are lifted out of the cylinder;

a lift comb comprising fingers for engaging the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins and a notch, the lift comb being mounted on a first rod and spring loaded by a lift comb spring to pivot about the first rod to lift the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins out of the cylinder in an unlock position;

a latch comprising a finger for engaging the notch of the lift comb, the latch being mounted on a second rod and spring loaded by a torsion spring to pivot about the second rod to engage the lift comb, wherein the latch reset pin, when engaged by the latch reset cam path, pushes the lift comb against a spring-loaded force of the lift comb spring to cause the lift comb to be engaged with the latch; and

a magnetic coil being selectively activated by the electrical circuit to engage the latch, the magnetic coil pulling the latch against a spring-loaded force of the torsion spring to cause the latch to release the lift comb,

wherein the electrical circuit receives a first input signal from a number switch being actuated by the code entry button and a second input signal from the program switch, the electrical circuit being operative to store an entry code when the program switch is actuated and to activate the magnetic coil when an input code matching the stored entry code is received for providing keyless access,

wherein when the input code entered through the code entry button matches the stored entry code, the magnetic coil is activated to pull on the latch to release the lift comb, the lift comb lifting the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins out of the cylinder to allow the cylinder to be rotated within the axial opening using only the turn button, thereby providing keyless access.

2. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the cylinder is operable to engage a door latch locking mechanism to lock or unlock a spring-driven door latch.

3. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the cylinder is operable to engage a cam for extending or retracting a bolt.

4. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the input code is configured to accept a group of momentary taps of the code entry button to represent each digit of the input code and pauses to separate the groups of momentary taps associated with each digit of the sequential digits of the input code.

5. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the door handler further comprises an enter button, wherein the input code is configured to accept a group of momentary taps of the code entry button to represent each digit of the input code and a momentary tap of the enter button to separate the groups of momentary taps associated with each digit of the sequential digits in ut code.

6. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more lift lock pin force springs is positioned above a respective one of the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins in a respective vertical bore of the lock body for applying the spring-loaded force onto the respective spring loaded lift lock pin to cause the pin to extend into the respective bore of the cylinder.

7. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the lift comb spring is coupled to the lift comb for applying the spring-loaded force to cause the lift comb to pivot, and the torsion spring is coupled to the latch for applying the spring-loaded force to cause the latch to engage the lift comb.

8. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the lock assembly further comprises a code program reed disposed between the code programming cam path and the program switch, the code program reed being engaged by the code programming cam path to actuate the program switch when the cylinder is rotated.

9. The electronic combination lock of claim 8, wherein the cylinder is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise to actuate the program switch.

10. The electronic combination lock of claim 9, wherein the electrical circuit is operative to store the input code entered via the code entry button as the entry code when the key is inserted in the key slot and the program switch is actuated one or more times within a predetermined time duration by turning the cylinder clockwise or counter-clockwise using the key.

11. The electronic combination lock of claim 9, wherein the electrical circuit is operative to store the input code entered via the code entry button as the entry code when the key is inserted in the key slot and the program switch is actuated twice within a predetermined time duration by turning the cylinder clockwise and counter-clockwise using the key.

12. The electronic combination lock of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit comprises:

an input signal conditioning circuit for receiving the first input signal at the number switch and converting each actuation of the number switch to a signal pulse;

a power activation circuit for allowing power from at least one battery to be provided to the electrical circuit upon the receipt of the first signal pulse corresponding to the first actuation of the number switch;

a voltage boost circuit for generating a charge voltage at a first node, the charge voltage to be applied to activate the magnetic coil; and

a microprocessor receiving the second input signal actuated by the program switch and the signal pulses corresponding to the first input signal, the microprocessor operative to store the input code as the entry code when the program switch is actuated and operative to compare the input code with the stored entry code when the program switch is not actuated, the microprocessor further operative to apply the charge voltage to the magnetic coil when the input code matches the stored entry code.

13. The electronic combination lock of claim 12, wherein the at least one battery further comprises a first battery and a second battery electrically connected in parallel to supply power to the electrical circuit.

14. The electronic combination lock of claim 5, wherein the electrical circuit comprises:

a first input signal conditioning circuit for receiving the first input signal at the number switch and converting each actuation of the number switch to a signal pulse having a first pulse width;

an enter switch actuated by the enter button;

a second input signal conditioning circuit for receiving a third input signal at the enter switch and converting each actuation of the enter switch to a signal pulse having a second pulse width different from the first pulse width;

a power activation circuit for allowing power from a battery to be provided to the electrical circuit upon the receipt of the first signal pulse corresponding to the first actuation of the number switch;

a voltage boost circuit for generating a charge voltage at a first node, the charge voltage to be applied to activate the magnetic coil; and

a microprocessor receiving the second input signal actuated by the program switch and the signal pulses corresponding to the first input signal and the third input signal, the microprocessor operative to store the input code as the entry code when the program switch is actuated and operative to compare the input code with the stored entry code when the program switch is not actuated, the microprocessor further operative to apply the charge voltage to the magnetic coil when the input code matches the stored entry code.

15. The electronic combination lock of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor receives the first input signal and the third input signal on the same input terminal, the microprocessor distinguishing the first and third input signals based on the first and second pulse widths.

16. A lock assembly for an electronic combination lock for keyed and keyless access, comprising:

a lock body including an axial opening for housing a cylinder movable within the lock body and one or more vertical bores for housing one or more spring loaded lift lock pins and one or more lift lock pin force springs, each of the one or more lift lock pin force springs applying a spring-loaded force to a respective one of the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins;

the cylinder comprising a key slot for engaging a key to operate the lock, and one or more bores for accommodating one or more key pins with variable length matching a pattern on the key, the one or more bores being aligned with the one or more vertical bores of the lock body to allow the one or more key pins to be positioned under the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins, each of the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins being associated with a respective one of the one or more key pins, the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins being positioned at least partially in the bores of the cylinder in a locked position, the cylinder further comprising a latch reset cam path which engages a latch reset pin when the cylinder is rotated, wherein the cylinder is capable of being rotated within the axial opening when the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins are lifted out of the cylinder, wherein, when the key is engage with the key slot, the cooperation of the pattern of the key and the one or more key pins provides the keyed access;

a lift comb comprising fingers for engaging the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins and a notch, the lift comb being mounted on a first rod and spring loaded by a lift comb spring to pivot about the first rod to lift the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins out of the cylinder in an unlock position;

a latch comprising a finger for engaging the notch of the lift comb, the latch being mounted on a second rod and spring loaded by a torsion spring to pivot about the second rod to engage the lift comb, wherein the latch reset pin, when engaged by the latch reset cam path, pushes the lift comb against a spring-loaded force of the lift comb spring to cause the lift comb to be engaged with the latch; and

a magnetic coil being capable of being selectively activated to engage the latch, the magnetic coil pulling the latch against a spring-loaded force of the torsion spring to cause the latch to release the lift comb,

wherein when the magnetic coil is activated with an input code to pull on the latch to release the lift comb, the lift comb lifts the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins out of the cylinder to allow the cylinder to be rotated within the axial opening, thereby providing keyless access.

17. The lock assembly of claim 16, wherein the cylinder is operable to engage a door latch locking mechanism to lock or unlock a spring-driven door latch.

18. The lock assembly of claim 16, wherein the cylinder is operable to engage a cam for extending or retracting a bolt.

19. The lock assembly of claim 16, wherein each of the one or more lift lock pin force springs is positioned above a respective one of the one or more spring loaded lift lock pins in a respective vertical bore of the lock body for applying the spring-loaded force onto the respective spring loaded lift lock pin to cause the pin to extend into the respective bore of the cylinder.

20. The lock assembly of claim 16, wherein the lift comb spring is coupled to the lift comb for applying the spring-loaded force to cause the lift comb to pivot, and the torsion spring is coupled to the latch for applying the spring-loaded force to cause the latch to engage the lift comb.

21. The lock assembly of claim 16, further comprising a turn button formed on the key slot of the cylinder, the turn button being rotated to rotate the cylinder when the cylinder is in the unlock position.

22. The lock assembly of claim 21, wherein the turn button is formed integrated with the key slot of the cylinder.