Motorised door lock actuator

Abstract

Actuation system for a door lock, where the door lock comprises a lock bolt driven by rotation of a lock pin that is functionally connected to the lock bolt. The actuation system comprises a cylindrical handle (5) with an outer diameter of between 6 and 9 cm. The system comprises a first pin receiver (8a) centred on the cylinder axis and a second pin receiver (8b) provided off centred between the cylinder axis and the cylindrical handle in order to be flexible with respect to post-mounting the actuating system on doors with already existing lock.

Claims

1. Actuation system for a door lock, where the door lock comprises a lock bolt driven by rotation of a lock pin that is functionally connected to the lock bolt; the actuation system comprising a cylindrical casing (1) with a cylinder axis (5), the casing (1) being delimited by a cylindrical handle (5) with an outer diameter of between 6 and 9 cm, and a rear plate (26) and a circular front plate (2) provided at opposite ends of the cylindrical handle (5); wherein the actuator system comprises a centred, first pin receiver (8a) provided on the cylinder axis and an off-centred, second pin receiver (8b) provided between the cylinder axis and the handle remote from the cylinder axis; wherein inside the casing being provided a motor (14) which is connected to the first and the second pin receiver (8a, 8b) through a gear wheel arrangement (12, 13, 15, 17a, 17b) for rotating the pin receivers (8a, 8b) when running the motor (14); the pin receivers (8a, 8b) having a slot (9) for receiving one end of the lock pin for rotating the lock pin when the motor (14) is activated.

2. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical handle (5) is provided rotational about its cylinder axis and rotational relatively to the rear plate (26); wherein the cylindrical handle (5) comprises inner teeth (20) along the inner circumference of the cylindrical handle (5), the inner teeth (20) being in interlocking cooperation with the gear wheel arrangement (17b) for being driven rotationally by the motor (14) together with the pin receiver (8a, 8b) and for driving the pin receiver (8a, 8b) when manually rotating the cylindrical handle (5).

3. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the first pin receiver (8a) is provided with a first gear wheel (17a), and the second pin receiver (8b) is provided with a second gear wheel (17b), the first and the second gear wheel (17a, 17b) being in interlocking cooperation, and wherein the second gear wheel (17b) is in interlocking operation with the motor only through the first gear wheel (17a).

4. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein a plain bearing is provided between the rear plate (26) and the cylindrical handle (5) for rotational support of the cylindrical handle (5) by the rear plate (26), wherein the plain bearing comprises a groove (23) in the cylindrical handle (5) and a recess (27, 30) in the rear plate (26) and a largely ring shaped slider arrangement connecting the groove (23) and the recess (27, 30) for sliding movement between the groove (23) and the recess (27, 30) about the slider arrangement when the cylindrical handle (5) rotates relatively to the rear plate (26).

5. Actuation system according to claim 4, wherein the slider arrangement comprises a number of plates (24, 25), each curved as an arch piece of a ring, in order for the number of plates resembling a ring-formed structure when mounted in the recess (23) and the groove (27, 30).

6. Actuation system according to claim 5, wherein the recess (27, 30) has a first recess part (30) with a first width along more than of a circle, and the recess has a second recess part (27) with a second, larger width on a remaining part of a circle; wherein on the second recess part (27), a screw (28) or other type of fastener is provided for fastening one of the plates (25) in that second recess part (27); wherein mounting of a number of plates (24) in the first recess part (30) is only possible by insertion of the plates (24) from the second recess part (27) into the first recess part (30) due to the larger width of the first recess part (27); and wherein fastening of a plate (25) in the second recess part (27) by the screw (28) or other type of fastener prevents the number of plates (24) in the first recess part (30) from escaping from it.

7. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the actuation system comprises an integrated circuit with a receiver for wireless signal; the integrated circuit being configured and programmed for activating the motor (14) in either direction upon receiving a corresponding wireless command signal by the receiver.

8. Actuation system according to claim 7, wherein a gear wheel in the gear wheel arrangement is provided with a permanent magnet, and wherein a Hall sensor is provided near to that gear wheel for measuring and indicating the positioning of the magnet in front of the Hall sensor upon rotation of that gear wheel; wherein the Hall sensor is coupled to the integrated circuit, and the integrated circuit is programmed to halt the motion of the motor in response to the magnet reaching the Hall sensor after rotation of that gear wheel.

9. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein an adapter plate (11) is provided on the rear plate (26) for abutting a door, the adapter plate (11) being provided with a first and second opening (38a, 38b) corresponding to the position of the first and second pin receiver (8a,8b); the adapter plate (11) also comprising a number of threaded holes (7) for screwing the rear plate to the adapter plate (11); the adapter plate further comprising pairs of elongate mounting holes (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) for mounting the adapter plate (11) to a door in different positions and for different configurations of threaded fastening holes in standard door locks; the pairs of mounting holes (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) configured for pairs of bolts extending through the adapter plate (11) and into the standard door locks.

10. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein an adapter plate (11) is provided on the rear plate (26) for abutting a door, the adapter plate (11) being provided with a first opening (38a) corresponding to the position of the first pin receiver (8a); the adapter plate (11) comprising a number of threaded holes (7) for screwing the rear plate to the adapter plate (11); the adapter plate (11) further comprising a pair of elongate mounting holes (10c) for mounting the adapter plate (11) to a door in different positions and for different configurations of threaded fastening holes in standard door locks; the pair of mounting holes (10c) being configured for pairs of bolts extending through the adapter plate (11) and into the standard door locks; each of the mounting holes in the pair of mounting holes (10c) being kidney shaped.

11. Actuation system according to claim 10, wherein the kidney shaped mounting holes in the pair of mounting holes (10c) have a longitudinal bend, the bend being within an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees with to a symmetry line (L) between the two mounting holes of the pair of mounting holes (10c).

12. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the pin receiver (8a, 8b) comprises a base (31a, 31b) and an adapter (29a, 29b, 29c), the base (31) being configured as a mound for the adapter (29a, 29b, 29c) and having a first connector (9), and the adapter (29a, 29b, 29c) having a cooperating connector for mounting the adapter (29a, 29b, 29c) on the base (31a, 31b) of the pin receiver (8a, 8b), thereby forming part of the pin receiver (8a, 8b); the adapter (29a, 29b, 29c) further comprising a slot (32) for receiving an end of a lock pin; wherein a number of different exchangeable adapters (29a, 29b, 29c) are provided with identical first connectors but each of the adapters having a different slot (32), the different slots (32) being configured to different lock pin standards.

13. An adapter plate (11) for an actuation system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the adapter plate is provided with a centred opening (38a) corresponding to the position of a pin receiver (8a) in the actuation system; the adapter plate (11) comprising a number of threaded holes (7) for fastening the adapter plate (11) the actuation system; the adapter plate (11) further comprising a pair of elongate mounting holes (10c) for mounting the adapter plate (11) to a door in different positions and for different configurations of threaded fastening holes in standard door locks; the pair of mounting holes (10c) being configured for pairs of bolts extending through the adapter plate (11) and into the standard door locks; each of the mounting holes in the pair of mounting holes (10c) being kidney shaped.

14. An adapter plate according to claim 13, wherein the kidney shaped mounting holes in the pair of mounting holes (10c) have a longitudinal bend, the bend being within an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees with to a symmetry line (L) between the two mounting holes of the pair of mounting holes (10c).

15. Actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the pin receiver is provided as a combination of a mount (31a, 31b) and an adapter (29a, 29b, 29c), the mount having an opening into which an end part of the adapter is demountably inserted, the adapter having an opposite end part comprising the slot (9) for receiving one end of the lock pin.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, where

(2) FIG. 1a is a perspective overview drawing of the door lock actuation system in perspective front view;

(3) FIG. 1b is a perspective overview drawing of the door lock actuation system in perspective rear view,

(4) FIG. 1c is a perspective overview drawing of the door lock actuation system in perspective rear view with alternative adapter plate;

(5) FIG. 1d is a perspective overview drawing of the door lock actuation system with a head-on rear view of the alternative adapter plate;

(6) FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of the gearing system;

(7) FIG. 3 is a drawing with a view inside the casing from the back;

(8) FIG. 4a is a view into the door lock actuator system from a cut-open side perspective;

(9) FIG. 4b is an enhanced section D;

(10) FIG. 4c is an enhanced section E;

(11) FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing showing inner parts of the door lock actuator system;

(12) FIG. 6 shows various adapters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION/PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(13) FIG. 1 illustrates a post-mount door lock actuation and control system in perspective view, where FIG. 1a is a front view and FIG. 1b is a rear view.

(14) The actuation system 1 comprises a casing 1 with a front plate 2 with a passive visual indicator 3 that shows the rotational position of the front plate 2. The front plate 2 is provided with a circle of small windows 4 through which or from which the light from diodes is transmitted. Optionally, corresponding diodes can be provided behind the windows or inside the windows. For example, a green light transmission indicates that the door is unlocked, whereas a red light indicates that the door is locked. The front plate is fastened by a snap-lock 6 to a cylindrical handle 5. The cylindrical handle 5 forms part of the casing 1 and is mounted rotationally about a central rotation axis 5 and can be used for opening the lock manually. If the door lock is opened electrically, the cylindrical handle 5 would be driven by a motor.

(15) Optionally, the central part 2 of the front plate 2 is equipped with a touch sensitive sensor which when manually activated locks or unlocks the door. For example, one touch on the sensor toggles the lock between a locked and unlocked state. Alternatively, touching the central part of the touch sensitive sensor 2 locks the door if the touch is maintained for a period of less than a predetermined time duration limit, and unlocks the door if the touch is longer. For example, the predetermined time duration limit is suitably 1 second, 1.5 seconds, 2 seconds or 3 seconds.

(16) FIG. 1b illustrated the actuation system in perspective rear view. An adapter plate 11 constitutes the rear of the actuation system 1. The adapter plate 11 is provided with a row of pairs of elongate openings 10 as mounting holes for pairs of bolts in order to mount it onto a door in various orientations and positions. Typically, the adapter plate 11 is mounted onto the door first with screws or bolts, after which the remaining parts of the actuation system 1 are screwed onto the adapter plate 11, which for this purpose is provided with corresponding threaded screw holes 7 for screws extending from the front side and into the adapter plate 11.

(17) Typically, the door contains a lock inside the door blade with a lock bolt that is actuated by rotating a lock pin that extends into the lock. The lock pin is rotated by a lock handle or motor mounted on the door blade or by a key inserted into the lock. The lock handle or motor comprises a pin receiver for providing a connection to the lock pin to allow the rotation thereof by hand or by the motor. Such lock handles can have various forms as already described in the introduction.

(18) As it occurs from FIG. 1b, the actuation system 1 is equipped with a first pin receiver 8a and a second pin receiver 8b for receiving the rotational lock pins that drives the lock bolt inside the door. The first of the pin receivers 8a is provided centrally, for example with a rotational axis exactly coaxially with the cylinder axis 5 of the cylindrical handle 5 or slightly displaced with respect to the cylinder axis 5, for example a few millimeters, optionally within 5 mm from the cylinder axis. In contrast thereto, the second pin receiver 8b is provided off-centred relatively to the cylinder axis 5 of the cylindrical handle 5, typically a few centimeters off-centred, for example at least 2 cm or at least 3 centimeters. The advantage of having such two pin receivers 8a, 8b is a rich versatility with respect to mounting options. If the distance from the edge of the door to the location of the lock pin is less than the radius of the cylindrical handle 5, the off-centred lock pin receiver 8b is used. Otherwise, the central pin receiver 8a is used, which also has the advantage that the adapter plate 11, and thus the lock system 1, would cover even a relatively large access hole that is provided in the door blade for access to the lock inside the door.

(19) As seen, the pin receivers 8a and 8b extend outside the adapter plate 11. Alternatively, the pin receivers are provided flush with the rear side of the adapter plate 11.

(20) FIG. 1c illustrates a different embodiment for an adapter plate 11. This adapter plate 11 comprises a first pin receiver opening 38a that gives access to the centred pin receiver 8a or access to a corresponding centred mount for an adapter that in combination with the centred mount works as a centred pin receiver 8a. The use of adapters is explained in greater detail below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6. Additionally, the adapter plate 11 comprises a second pin receiver opening 38b that gives access to the off centred pin receiver 8b or access to a corresponding off-centred mount for an adapter which in combination with the mount functions as off-centred pin receiver 8b.

(21) The adapter plate 11 also comprises a first pair of mounting holes 10a and second pair of mounting holes 10b. Either of the first pair of mounting holes 10a and the second pair of mounting holes 10b comprises two mounting holes that are located symmetrically about a symmetry line L, which in FIG. 1c and FIG. 1d is also connecting the centres of the first pin receiver opening 38a and the second pin receiver opening 38b. The first pair of mounting holes 10a has a distance to the centre of the first pin receiver opening 38a that is identical to the distance of the second pair of mounting holes 10b to the centre of the second pin receiver opening 38b. The first pair of mounting holes 10a and the second pair of mounting holes 10b are elongate and extending laterally from the line L, which is best illustrate in FIGS. 1b and 1d. These first and second pairs of openings 10a, 10b correspond to the lock standard dimensions typically used in Europe, for example Scandinavia. Specifically, the second pair of mounting holes 10b is used for off centred mounting in Scandinavia in cases where the off-centred pin receiver 8b is used, and the first pair of mounting holes 10a is used for the centred mounting, for example in accordance with typical European standards.

(22) As illustrated in FIG. 1c, there is a third pair of mounting holes 10c, that comprises two elongate openings arranged symmetrically on either side of the symmetry line L. This third pair of mounting holes 10c have an elongate direction that extends under an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees with the line L.

(23) As best illustrated in FIG. 1d, which shows the adapter plate 11 with a side facing up which is normally facing towards the inside of the casing 1, the third pair of mounting holes 10c are kidney-shaped, also called bean-shaped, why the elongate direction of the holes is bending. This kidney shape is made for adaption to various lock systems on the market in the US, including the locks under the trademarks of Kwikset, Baldwin, Schlage, and Yale. A fourth pair of mounting holes 10d is located on the line L and is to be used as screw holes for locks of the European standard of locks.

(24) The off-centred pin-receiver 8b is typically used in Scandinavian doors, why the adapter plate 11, for example when used outside Scandinavia, can be modified to not contain an off-centered opening 38b and not comprise the second pair of mounting holes 10b. In this case, only the centred pin-receiver 8a would be possible to use, and the various mounting possibilities are included by the first pair of mounting holes 10a and the third pair of mounting holes 10c and optionally also the fourth pair of mounting holes 10d.

(25) FIG. 2 illustrates the motorised driving mechanism for the pin receivers 8a, and 8b. The motor 14 receives current from a number of batteries 19. The motor 14 drives a motor gear wheel 12 that in turn drives a larger gear wheel 13 in order to reduce the rotation speed. The larger gear wheel 13 is fastened to an axle 16 on which a further small gear wheel 15 is fastened as well. This further small gear wheel 15 drives the first gear wheel 17a of the first pin receiver 8a and the second gear wheel 17b of the pin receiver 8b, for example by being in direct cooperation only with the first gear wheel 17a of the off/centred pin receiver 8a, whereas the first gear wheel 17a transmits the driving force to the second gear wheel 17b.

(26) In case that only one pin receiver 8a or 8b is to be mounted, the gear wheel system is configured for the further small gear wheel 15 to be connected to the gear wheel 17a or 17b of that particular mounted pin receiver 8a or 8b. If the actuation system is configured for comprising both pin receivers 8a, 8b, simultaneously, the further small gear wheel 15 will drive the first of the gear wheels 17a or 17b of the pin receiver which in turn drives the second of the gear wheels 17b or 17a. Depending on whether the central pin receiver 8b or the off-centre pin receiver 8a is used, the motor 14 direction may have to be adjusted for locking and unlocking the door, respectively. This is typically done through software applications. Alternatively, an intermediate gear wheel is provided that transfers the rotation from one pin receiver to the other pin receiver, by which the rotation of the pin receivers are in the same direction simultaneously.

(27) FIG. 3 illustrates the actuation system as seen from the rear direction inside the casing where the adapter plate has been removed as well as a rear plate to be explained later. Two pin receivers 8a, 8b are shown, but only the second gear wheel 17b of the second pin receiver 8b for simplicity. Visible is the larger gear wheel 13 which is fastened to the axle 16 on which also the further small gear wheel 15 is mounted, which however is hidden by the larger gear wheel 13 in this drawing. When the motor 14 drives the first gear wheel 17a, the cylindrical handle 5 is rotating as well due to the gear train connection between the outer teeth 20 of the second gear wheel 17b and inner teeth of the cylindrical handle 5. In turn, if the cylindrical handle 5 is manually rotated, the second gear wheel 17b is driven for actuating the lock pin (not shown) and the lock bolt (not shown), which is mechanically connected to the opposite end of the lock pin.

(28) It is seen that the central pin receiver 8a has a rotational axis slightly offset from the position of the cylinder axis 5 of the casing 1, as indicated by the arrow 5; however, the lateral cross section, which is the cross section normal to the rotational axis, of the central pin receiver 8a extends across the cylinder axis 5, why it is justified to term it central pin receiver 8a despite slightly displaced rotation axis relatively to the cylinder axis 5. It is noted that the slight displacement of the centred pin receiver, which is typically less than 5 mm, is much less than the distance from the cylinder axis to the rotations axis of the off-centred pin receiver, which is typically more than 20 mm, for example more than 30 mm.

(29) FIG. 4a is a view into the actuation system from a cut-open side-perspective. It also shows the cylindrical axis as a stippled vertical line. As illustrated in FIG. 4a, there are two circular sections D and E, which, respectively, are shown in enhanced view in FIG. 4b and FIG. 4c. Behind the windows 4 in the front plate 2, diodes 22 are provided for indicating the locking status of the door. For example, a green light transmission indicates that the door is unlocked, whereas a red light indicates that the door is locked. The diodes 22 are provided on a printed circuit board (PCB) 21 with an integrated circuit for communication between the motor, the diodes, and an external wireless communication system, such as a WIFI, Bluetooth, Zigbee, or Z-wave system or another type of wireless radio frequency system. Further, there may be provided a magnet 13a in a gear wheel and a Hall sensor 13b for indicating to the integrated circuit when the magnet is rotated to the front of the Hall sensor, which can be used by the integrated circuit or by a wireless connected computer system to determine whether a door is in a locked or open state.

(30) The front plate 2 is fastened to the cylindrical handle 5 by a snap connection 6, which is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4b. The cylindrical handle 5 is connected to a rear plate 26 by a plain bearing. The plain bearing comprises a groove 23 in the cylindrical handle 5 in cooperation with a ring of slider plates 24, 25 which are used to secure and hold the cylindrical handle 5 in rotational connection to the rear plate 26.

(31) The typical mounting procedure is as follows. The adapter plate 11 is mounted onto the door blade. Subsequently, one of the pin receivers 8a or 8b is pushed over the lock pin from the door lock. While the specific pin receiver 8a or 8b is accommodating the lock pin, the rear plate 26 is screwed onto the adapter plate 25 in threaded screw holes 7. For the latter to be possible, the front plate 2 is removed and re-mounted after the fastening of the rear plate 26 onto the adapter plate 25.

(32) FIG. 5 illustrates a largely ring shaped slider arrangement with the number of plates 24, 25, each curved as an arch piece of a ring, in order for the number of plates resembling a ring-formed structure when mounted in the recess and the groove. The slider plates 24 and 25 are accommodated in a recess that resembles a circle and that has a first recess part 30, which is a peripheral recess, and a second recess part 27 which has a larger width than the first recess part 30. A first slider plate 25 is fastened to the rear plate 26 by a screw 28. The first slider plate 25 is accommodated in a correspondingly shaped second recess part 27. Removing the screw 28 allows removal of the first slider plate 25 from the second recess part 27. Once, the first slider plate 25 is removed from the second recess part 27, the further slider plates 24 can be inserted into the first recess part 30 or removed from the first recess part 30 by pushing them along the first recess part 30 and into the first, wider, second recess part 27. They can only be inserted or removed through the second recess part 27, which has a width larger than the width of the first recess part 30. Shown are one first slider plate 25 and four further slider plates 24, however, the number could be different, for example 3 or 5 further slider plates 24. Once mounted in the first recess part 30 and accommodated in the groove 23 of the cylindrical handle 5, as illustrated in FIG. 4a, the further slider plates 24 cannot be removed from the first recess part 30 in other ways that through the second recess part 27. Thus, when the first slider plate 25, which is also accommodated in the groove 23, is installed and fastened by a screw 28, the combination of the first slider plate 25 and the further slider plates 24 in the groove 23 provide a plain bearing which centres the cylindrical handle 5 about the rear plate 26.

(33) As illustrated in FIG. 5, the central pin receiver 8a is provided as a combination of a central mount 31a and an adapter 29a in order to adapt the opening 32 of the pin receiver 8a or 8b with the actual lock pin cross section. The adapter 29a, 29b, 29c can have different configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and is mounted onto a central mount 31a or off-centered mount 31b, which form a base for the adapter. A selection of such different adapters 29a, 29b, 29c is shown in FIG. 6. The adapters 29a, 29b, 29c have identical mail parts on one end for fitting into the mount opening 33 of the central mount 31a or the off-centered mount 31b and have different female parts at the opposite end in order to adjust the system to various international standards for lock pins.

(34) The various adapters 29a, 29b, 29c and the feature of the central pin receiver 8a and off-centred pin receiver 8b makes the system very flexible with respect to mounting on different types of doors and with different door lock standards.

(35) The actuation system may be configured with a centred mount 31a and an off-centred mount 31b for receiving in the respective mount an adapter 29a, 29b, 29c, where the mount 31a, 31b in combination with the adapter 29a, 29b, 29c constitutes the corresponding centred or off-centred pin receiver 8a, 8b. Such adapter 29a, 29b, 29c can be moved to the corresponding mount 31a, 31b in the centred position or the off centred position. Alternatively, the actuation system is provided with one adapter on each of the two mounts 31a, 31b but such that one of these adapters can be removed in order for the adapter plate 11 to flush with the door blade.