Switching assembly for an exit alarm lock

Details Switching assembly for an exit alarm lock Switching assembly for an exit alarm lock

2000-05-05

2001-10-16

Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Condition responsive indicating system

Specific condition

C340S545100, C340S545200, C340S547000, C200S061670, C200S061680, C200S050030, C335S205000, C335S207000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06304177

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to exit devices and more particularly to alarm circuits for use with exit alarm devices.
An exit alarm lock is a door lock assembly that sounds an audible horn or alarm at the push-activated release of the locking element. These products are often used on the back doors of retail establishments such as restaurants and strip malls as a deterrent to unauthorized egress through the doors upon which the devices are installed. Their use is typically provoked by a security event such as internal losses by employees or customers. An exit alarm lock can be operated in two different modes: authorized exit/entry and unauthorized/panic exit. The authorized user, such as a store manager, owns a compatible key to the builders interior hardware installed on the exit alarm lock and is therefore able to arm or disarm the lock at his discretion. An unauthorized user does not own a key to the lock and is therefore not able to determine or alter the lock alarm state. However, this person can depress the pushpad for egress. In addition to this interior control, the lock is compatible with an exterior cylinder which affords an authorized user the ability to arm/disarm the lock from the outside.
These interface constraints require that the design of the exit lock and electronics be able to differentiate between the arm, disarm, and alarm states reliably over the life of the product. In current designs, these state transitions are handled adequately, but with significant shortcomings in the lock durability and end-user feedback. Some prior art exit alarm locks generate a misleading alarm sound while arming or disarming the lock. Further, some prior art devices are not able to allow switch link to pass through the same motion while being re-armed, so the link boss must “snap” the switch temporarily to an unarmed state before resting in an armed state. This temporary switch state change creates a higher resistance load to the end user rotating the key and can therefore create confusion or even concern of possible damage in the mind of the end user.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present alarm switching assemblies for exit alarm locks. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a switching assembly for use with an exit device having an alarm circuit, the alarm circuit having an enabled condition and a disabled condition, and a horn, the horn having an on and an off condition, the switching assembly comprising: a first switch means for switching the alarm circuit between the enabled condition and the disabled condition; and a second switch means for switching the horn on and off, when the alarm circuit is in the enable condition.
The foregoing and other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4123752 (1978-10-01), Novotny
patent: 5065136 (1991-11-01), Frolov et al.
patent: 5311168 (1994-05-01), Pease, Jr. et al.
patent: 5448027 (1995-09-01), Hoffman et al.
patent: 5479151 (1995-12-01), Lavelle et al.
patent: 5801625 (1998-09-01), Wang
patent: 5925861 (1999-07-01), Fromberg

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