Locks – Operating mechanism – Using a powered device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-07-17
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Operating mechanism
Using a powered device
C070S278100, C070SDIG004, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260392
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a lock, in particular for a lock installation, having inside a door of a clothing locker or the like, a mounted housing for a bolt which is movable by a rotary handle extending outwardly through the door. Such locks have been known for many years on the market. With reference to the rotary handle this involves a key for a lock cylinder. Locking of the door of the locker is attained only by inserting a corresponding coin, with the door open, into a lock fastened to the inside of the door. After the door is closed, it is possible to close the locking bolt, using the key representing the rotary handle. The key representing the rotary handle can then be withdrawn, and accompanies the user while, for example, he uses a swimming facility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has, as its object, a lock of the kind mentioned, which is more user-friendly and secure.
This object is attained essentially by a lock with the characteristics of claim
1
, further involving the provision, after activation of an electronic verification apparatus and subsequent queries regarding the locking entitlement of a transponder, of electrical control of a locking-assist element, to release the locking activation, wherein, in order to activate the rotary handle which supports an antenna for querying the transponder, there is provided a switch sensitive to rotation and/or pressure.
The result of this configuration is a lock of the kind mentioned, having improved serviceability. It is no longer necessary to have a key to lock and unlock the bolt. Also unnecessary is a keyway of a locking cylinder accessible from the outside of the door, which can be taken out of operation by forcing instant glue or objects into the opening. The lock includes an electronic verification apparatus. The latter is accommodated in the rotary handle, and is activated by a switch sensitive to rotation and/or pressure, so that a transponder cooperating with the handle, using an antenna incorporated into the rotary handle, can be checked for locking entitlement. If this is confirmed, the result is an electrical guiding of the locking-assist element, thus releasing the locking action. For example, transponders and electronic verification apparatus can cooperate in such a way that each lock and each transponder constituting a unique closure element carries a locking-identity code storage and/or a key code storage, and each individual lock is closeable only by way of such individual closure elements or transponders, and only if the lock identity code and/or key code correspond with one another. The key-code storage of the lock and/or the lock-identity code storage of the transponder are storage facilities which can be erased and overwritten, such that, during a first activation of the lock-identity code of the lock in the lock identity code storage of the individual lock element, and/or the key code of the individual lock element in the key code storage of the lock, are entered. Consequently, the lock can be unbolted only by using that transponder which was utilized for the closing of the lock. Preferably it can be arranged that the key-code storage of the lock is erased at the time of the second use. By this means, the lock is always in a ready condition, so that a subsequent visitor with a different transponder can lock the lock and utilize the locker. However, it can also be provided that each transponder cooperates with an individual lock of the lock installation. In this case, the transponder and the corresponding lock carry the same number. To attained the inventive objective, it can also occur that the locking-assist element guides a bolt keeper from a position blocking the return movement of the bolt into a release position. In this situation the locking-assist element can be shifted by an electromagnet from a first position in which locking of the door is not possible, to a second position where the locking of the door can be carried out. In detail it appears that the guidance results from a dead-centre movement of a transfer spring. Further it is provided that the bolt is closeable against the spring force of a return spring. This makes easier the withdrawal of the bolt after the previous querying of the transponder regarding its locking entitlement. Positive movement of the bolt by the rotary handle is accomplished in a simple way by coupling the rotary handle to the bolt using a crank pin. In detail the bolt is held as a result of a dead-centre position of the crank pin. Reverse forces on the bolt are passed to the key housing, through the crank pin, such that high reverse forces can be accommodated without damage. Defined end positions of the locking-assist element are produced in that the bolt, with the locking-assist element in the second position, is held in locking position by the snapping-in of the holder element with respect to an abutment-offset in the bolt. This occurs due to the transfer spring extending beyond the dead-centre position. It can be anticipated that the armature of the electromagnet is held in each of its end positions as a result of the dead-centre positioning of the transfer spring. As an alternative, the electromagnet can be a permanent magnet, which in the first position is supported by permanent magnetic flux, and in the other position is held by an armature compression spring. Consequently, the electromagnet requires energy only when the armature is being moved in the first or second directions, such that a built-in energy storage in the form of batteries will have a long life. In order to reverse the lock left to right, the bolt itself is reversed. To achieve this, a blocking projection extending into the abutment-offset is located in the middle of the lock. Finally, an advantageous characteristic involves the provision, in the rotary handle, of multi-coloured light emitting diodes for the purpose of indicating status during transponder activation. If the green LED comes on, this indicates that the lock is bolted or unbolted in the ordinary way. The colour red indicates a problem, for example if there is an attempt to use the lock with a false transponder. A mixture of colours for the LED can be used to indicate that the batteries are no longer sufficiently charged, thus indicating that the batteries should be changed.
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Barrett Suzanne Dino
Farber Martin A.
Schulte-Schlagbaum Aktiengesellschaft
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