Adapter for electronic door lock

Abstract

A first aspect of the invention provides an adaptor for an electronic door lock, the adaptor configured to operatively connect with a locking element of a door lock cylinder, the adaptor comprising: a cylindrical housing having an open end and a receiving gear circumferentially around the exterior of the cylindrical housing, the receiving gear configured to operatively connect with a gear mechanism of an electronic door lock; a frame connected with the interior of the cylindrical housing, the frame comprising a plurality of openings; a plurality of telescoping pins bundled in parallel, the telescoping pins operatively connected with the openings, portions of the telescoping pins being variably retractable to accommodate the shape of the locking element when the adaptor is operatively connected with the locking element.

Description

[0001] This invention is an application filed in China for the national phase of the invention patent PCT / SG2022 / 050341 entitled "Adapter for Electronic Door Lock". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates primarily to door lock systems. More specifically, this invention relates to an adapter for electronic door locks, which is configured to be operatively connected to any door lock component. Background Technology

[0003] The following discussion of the background of the invention is intended to aid in understanding the invention. However, it should be noted that this discussion does not constitute an endorsement or acknowledgment of the materials mentioned, whether such materials were published, known, or fall under the category of common knowledge in any jurisdiction at the time of the application priority date.

[0004] Electronic door locks are commonly used in homes and businesses to provide convenience, increased security, and flexibility by using password and / or biometric authentication processes instead of physical keys. Installing electronic door locks on door lock components typically requires professional locksmith knowledge because different types of door lock components are used worldwide. In cases where the homeowner installs the lock themselves, a user manual should be provided to accommodate various types of door lock components for installation. For example, there are generally two types of lock cylinders commonly used in door lock components: American-style cylinders and European-style cylinders, the latter often referred to as European custom-designed cylinders.

[0005] European-style mortise lock cylinders are designed to operate European mortise lock systems. Unlike traditional mortise and rim lock cylinders, European-style mortise lock cylinders use a separate metal connector between the two sides of the lock. It employs a single-cam assembly positioned between the two sides of the lock and directly connected to the lock tubes on both sides. It has a uniquely shaped housing and is mounted on the door. One side of the European-style mortise lock cylinder is configured to receive the key, while the other side can be configured to receive either the key or an internal knob. When homeowners want to install an electronic lock on a European mortise lock, they may have to purchase a special adapter to accommodate the internal knob, completely remove the original mortise lock cylinder and install an electronic lock with its own mortise lock cylinder, or undergo special fitting to adapt the electronic lock to the door. American-style lock cylinders present similar issues.

[0006] To address the compatibility issues between these two types of mortise locks, electronic lock manufacturers will have to provide various adapters or accessories to assist users or installers during the installation process. Another problem with installing electronic locks is that manufacturers typically have to provide separate adapters or accessories for key-actuated or knob-actuated lock cylinders to accommodate key-actuated or knob-actuated lock components. If the manufacturer doesn't provide adapters or accessories, homeowners will have to purchase them from hardware stores, leading to additional inconvenience and frustration when these purchased accessories or adapters fail to function. In these cases, both homeowners and manufacturers will have to provide multiple different adapters to accommodate any of these configurations.

[0007] This leads to frustration and inefficiency among homeowners, which in turn increases manufacturing and sales costs for manufacturers. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The following provides a simplified overview of one or more aspects, intended to offer a basic understanding of these aspects. This overview is not a comprehensive overview of all anticipated aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or core elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description that will follow later.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, an adapter for an electronic door lock is provided, the adapter being operably connected to a locking element of a door lock cylinder, the adapter comprising: a cylindrical housing having an open end and a receiving gear circumferentially surrounding the exterior of the cylindrical housing, the receiving gear being configured for operably connecting to a gear mechanism of the electronic door lock; a frame connected internally to the cylindrical housing, the frame including a plurality of openings; and a plurality of telescopic pins bundled in parallel with each other, the telescopic pins being adapted to the openings, wherein, when the adapter is operably connected to the locking element, a portion of the telescopic pins is variably retracted to adapt to the locking element.

[0010] Preferably, the locking element is secured by a bundle of telescopic pins.

[0011] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins includes a bottom portion and a telescopic portion, wherein the telescopic portion can retract from the extended position of the telescopic pin to the top of the bottom portion.

[0012] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins further includes an overlapping portion between the telescopic portion and the bottom portion.

[0013] Preferably, each of the telescopic portions includes a first tube and a second tube overlapping the first tube.

[0014] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins has a circular cross-section.

[0015] Preferably, the bottom portion of each of the telescopic pins is configured to receive a biasing device that interacts with the telescopic portion.

[0016] Preferably, the housing includes a bottom cover configured to be operably connected to the motor frame bracket of the electronic door lock.

[0017] Preferably, the bottom cover has an opening for receiving a connector that connects the locking element of the electronic door lock to the adapter.

[0018] Preferably, the locking element is an internal knob or a key.

[0019] Preferably, the door lock cylinder is an American-style lock cylinder.

[0020] Preferably, the door lock cylinder is a European-style irregular lock cylinder.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an electronic door lock is provided, comprising: an adapter configured to be operatively connected to a locking element of the door lock cylinder; the adapter comprising:

[0022] A cylindrical housing having an open end and a receiving gear circumferentially surrounding the exterior of the cylindrical housing, the receiving gear being configured for operably connecting with a gear mechanism of an electronic door lock;

[0023] A frame connected to the interior of the cylindrical housing, the frame including multiple openings;

[0024] A plurality of telescopic pins are bundled in parallel, the telescopic pins being adapted to the opening, and when the adapter is operably connected to the locking element, some of the telescopic pins are variablely retracted to accommodate the shape of the locking element.

[0025] Preferably, the locking element is secured by a bundle of telescopic pins.

[0026] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins includes a bottom portion and a telescopic portion, the telescopic portion being retractable from the extended position of the telescopic pin to the top position of the bottom portion.

[0027] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins further includes an overlapping portion between the telescopic portion and the bottom portion.

[0028] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins has a circular cross-section.

[0029] Preferably, each of the telescopic pins includes a bottom portion configured to receive a biasing device that interacts with the telescopic portion.

[0030] Preferably, the housing includes a bottom cover configured to be operably connected to the motor frame bracket of the electronic door lock.

[0031] Preferably, the bottom cover has an opening for receiving a connector that connects the locking element of the electronic door lock to the adapter.

[0032] Preferably, the locking element is an internal knob or a key.

[0033] Preferably, the door lock cylinder is an American-style lock cylinder.

[0034] Preferably, the door lock cylinder is a European-style irregular lock cylinder.

[0035] Preferably, the telescopic portion includes a first tube and a second tube that overlaps with the first tube. Attached Figure Description

[0036] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals generally refer to the same parts in different views. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but generally emphasize the principles of the invention. For clarity, the dimensions of various features or elements may be subjectively expanded or reduced. In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, wherein:

[0037] Figure 1 A perspective view of an adapter for an electronic door lock, according to various embodiments, is shown;

[0038] Figure 2a A top view of an exemplary embodiment of an adapter according to various embodiments is shown;

[0039] Figure 2b A side view of an exemplary embodiment of an adapter according to various embodiments is shown;

[0040] Figure 3 A side view of a telescopic pin used in an adapter according to various embodiments is shown;

[0041] Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of the internal components of an electronic door lock according to various embodiments and an exploded perspective view of the interaction between the adapter and other components are shown.

[0042] Figure 5 An exploded perspective view of the internal components of an electronic door lock according to another embodiment and an exploded perspective view of the adapter interacting with other components are shown.

[0043] Figure 6 A perspective view of an adapter mounted on a door according to various embodiments is shown;

[0044] Figure 7a A side view is shown of the first step of a method for installing an electronic door lock on a door according to various embodiments.

[0045] Figure 7b A side view is shown of the second step of a method for installing an electronic door lock on a door according to various embodiments.

[0046] Figure 8 A perspective view of an adapter mounted on a door according to another embodiment is shown;

[0047] Figure 9 A perspective view of an adapter mounted on a door according to another embodiment is shown;

[0048] Figure 10a A side view is shown of the first step of a method for installing an electronic door lock on a door according to various embodiments.

[0049] Figure 10b A side view is shown of the second step of a method for installing an electronic door lock on a door according to various embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific details and embodiments of the invention in an illustrative manner. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be used, and structural and logical changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the invention. Since some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments, the various embodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

[0051] In this specification, the term "comprising" should be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including," and should be understood to mean including the stated unit, step, group of units, or set of steps, without excluding any other unit, step, group of units, or set of steps. This definition also applies to variations of the term "comprising," such as "including" and "containing."

[0052] The term “connection” (or “coupling”) in this article can be understood as an electrical or mechanical connection, such as a connection or fixation, or simply contact without fixation, and should be understood as providing a direct or indirect connection (in other words: a connection that does not require direct contact).

[0053] To achieve the aforementioned features, advantages, and objectives, the present invention provides a universal adapter for electronic door locks, configured to be operatively connected to various door lock components, such as key-actuated or knob-actuated locks. The electronic door lock, together with the adapter, is also configured to be mountable on any mortise lock type to improve the efficiency of mounting the electronic door lock on a door.

[0054] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a universal adapter comprising a frame with multiple openings and a plurality of telescopic pins bundled closely together in parallel, each telescopic pin having a top end and a bottom end, and having a circular cross-sectional shape. The bottom end passes through the openings in the frame and is slidably mounted on the frame. Each telescopic pin is provided with an elastic member that pushes the top of the telescopic pin away from the frame, and a housing that partially surrounds the frame. In the extended state, the top end of the telescopic pin is exposed through the housing. The plurality of telescopic pins are bundled together in parallel within the frame and are telescopic. The telescopic pins can move longitudinally and are elastically biased, pushed away from the frame. When the adapter is forcibly fitted onto an inner knob or a key inserted into a lock, one set of telescopic pins is pushed inward into the frame and into the housing, thereby adapting the telescopic pins to the contours of the inner knob or key. The torque applied to the adapter is transmitted to the bundled telescopic pins, and further to the inner knob or key.

[0055] Therefore, the present invention provides an adapter having a bundle of telescopic pins having a circular cross-section and no sharp corners. The circular telescopic pins avoid many problems caused by telescopic pins with sharp edges or flat sides, which could cause scratches or marks on the inner knob or key.

[0056] Figure 1 A perspective view of an adapter 10 for an electronic door lock mounted on a door lock, according to various embodiments, is shown. The adapter 10 includes a housing 12 with an open end exposing a plurality of telescopic pins 20 arranged in a bundle parallel to each other. A frame 16 is housed within the housing 12 for receiving the plurality of telescopic pins 20. The frame 16 includes a plurality of openings 15, each opening 15 for receiving one telescopic pin 20. A receiving gear 11 is located on the housing 12, surrounding the exterior of the housing, configured to interact with the gear mechanism of the electronic door lock, the details of which will be explained later.

[0057] The housing 12 has a bottom cover 17 configured to be received by the motor frame bracket of the electronic door lock. The bottom cover 17 is fitted within the motor frame bracket such that it is securely fixed by an interference fit or friction fit between the adapter 10 and the motor frame bracket. The bottom cover 17 includes an opening for receiving a connector that connects the locking element of the electronic door lock to the adapter 10. For example, the locking element could be a key or an internal knob, allowing the user to manually and mechanically open the door without using the internal motor of the electronic door lock. The bottom cover 17 is attached to the housing 12. Screws connect two screw holes on the bottom cover 17 (e.g., ...). Figure 2a (As shown). The purpose of the bottom cover 17 is to ensure the distribution position of the telescopic pin 20. A spacer is provided between the bottom cover and the housing frame to accommodate a wider range of key types, such as keys that may have greater depth.

[0058] Figure 2a and Figure 2b Top and side views are provided, respectively, showing the interaction between the telescopic pins 20 and the housing 12. Each telescopic pin 20 has a top end and a bottom end, and each telescopic pin 20 is driven by a spring or other similar mechanism, allowing the telescopic pin to extend and retract. Each telescopic pin 20 includes a bottom end 21 and a telescopic portion 22 that retracts from an extended position to a position where the bottom end 21 is at its top. The bottom end 21 of each telescopic pin 20 is attached to one of a plurality of openings 15 on the frame. In one embodiment, the telescopic portion 22 includes at least one first tube. In another embodiment, the telescopic portion 22 includes at least one first tube and a second tube. In general, these telescopic pins 20 are bundled together in parallel with each other, and when the adapter is pressed against the locking element of an electronic door lock mounted on a door, these telescopic pins 20 collectively adapt to the shape of the locking element, such as a key or inner knob.

[0059] Back Figure 2a In some embodiments, the frame 16 is polygonal, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the frame 16 can be of any shape, including the cylindrical housing 12, as long as its dimensions are suitable for receiving the locking element, i.e., the key or inner knob, of the lock assembly to which the electronic lock is connected. Specific details of the adapter in operation will be explained later.

[0060] Figure 3A side view of the telescopic pin 20 is shown, configured to fit into each opening 15 in the frame. Each telescopic pin 20 has an overlap between a telescopic portion 22 and a bottom end 21. In some embodiments, the telescopic portion 22 includes at least one tube. In some embodiments, the telescopic portion 22 includes a first tube 22a and a second tube 22b. This provides additional stability when the telescopic portion 22 is fully extended. The overlap distance between the telescopic portion and the bottom end is variable. Moreover, a longer extension range is advantageous as long as the stability of the telescopic pin 20 is not affected. The bottom end of each telescopic pin 20 is configured to receive a helical spring (not shown) that engages with the telescopic portion 22. The helical spring holds the telescopic pin in an extended position 16 such that the tip of the telescopic portion is biased or pushed away from the bottom end 21. Each helical spring is mounted longitudinally along the bottom end of the telescopic pin and moves the tip of the telescopic pin away from the bottom end. The helical spring 14 is preferably preloaded when the telescopic pin 20 is in its fully extended state. The circumferential diameter of the bottom end 21 is larger than the circumferential diameter of the telescopic portion 22 to accommodate the telescopic portion. The diameter of the first tube is larger than the diameter of the second tube. In some embodiments, the length of the bottom end is approximately 9.0 mm, and the length of the exposed portion of the telescopic part is approximately 14.0 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the first tube is approximately 7 mm, and the length of the second tube is approximately 5.5 mm. The first tube and the second tube include portions that overlap each other. The length of the bottom end 21 is greater than the length of the first tube and the second tube, and the length of the first tube is greater than the length of the second tube.

[0061] Figure 4An exploded perspective view of one embodiment of an electronic door lock 50 is shown, configured to house an adapter 10 within the electronic door lock 50. The electronic door lock 50 includes a housing 52 that includes a gear mechanism 53 operably communicates with a mechanical motor 54 controlled by a controller (not shown) for locking or unlocking the door to which the electronic door lock is attached. The gear mechanism 53 is operably communicated with the adapter 10, which is directly connected to a locking element of a door lock mortise of a door lock assembly. In some embodiments, the gear mechanism 53 is operably communicated with a receiver gear 11 surrounding the adapter 53. The electronic door lock 50 can be mounted on any door that serves as an entrance to a building, residential unit, room, hotel room, car, safe, cabinet, etc. The controller controls the mechanical motor 54 to open or close the physical lock. The mechanical motor 54 interacts with the associated gear mechanism 53 to generate torque. The associated gear mechanism 53 interacts with the receiving gear 11 of the adapter 10. When the mechanical motor generates torque, the receiving gear 11 operably rotates the adapter 10, thereby moving the locking element of the lock cylinder from the locked position to the desired unlocking position, and vice versa. The lock cylinder can take many forms, including padlocks, deadbolts, bolt locks, ring locks, bolts, and electromagnetic locks. The controller includes a memory 40 that stores digital keys, biometric data, access details, user interaction logs or related timestamps, and owner or administrator data records. The memory 40 can be volatile memory, such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), or non-volatile memory, such as PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), or flash memory, such as floating gate memory, charge trap memory, MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory), or PCRAM (Phase Change Random Access Memory).

[0062] The electronic door lock 50 includes a power supply 55 for providing power to the electronic door lock. The power supply 55 is supported by a bracket 56 for storing the power supply 55. The power supply can be battery-powered, such as a rechargeable battery.

[0063] Figure 5 An exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the electronic door lock 50 is shown, which is configured to house an adapter 10 within the electronic door lock 50. In this embodiment, the adapter 10 is configured to accommodate a European-style lock cylinder 33 on the door panel. Figure 4Similar to the electronic door lock 50 shown, the outer casing 52 of the electronic door lock 50 houses the European-style irregular lock cylinder 33 on the door panel during installation. In this case, if the user wishes to replace the existing lock cylinder with a new or better one, this is achieved by removing the existing lock cylinder, fixing the base plate 58 to the door panel 30, and inserting the new lock cylinder 33 through the opening in the base plate 58 and the lock cylinder opening on the door panel. Figure 4 As shown, the electronic door lock 50 has a housing 52 that includes a gear mechanism 53 (not shown) operably connected to a motor 54 controlled by a controller (not shown) for locking and unlocking the door to which the electronic door lock is attached. The gear mechanism 53 is operably connected to a receiving gear 11 of an adapter 10, which is directly connected to the locking element of the door lock cylinder 33. The controller controls a mechanical motor 54 to open or close the physical lock. The mechanical motor 54 interacts with the associated gear mechanism 53 to generate torque. The associated gear mechanism 53, in turn, interacts with the receiving gear 11 of the adapter 10, which operably rotates the adapter 10 to move the locking element, which is secured by a plurality of telescopic pins within the adapter, thereby allowing the locking element to move from a locked position to an unlocked position. The reverse is also true when the mechanical motor generates torque.

[0064] Various types of European-style custom lock cylinders are available on the market today. A common characteristic of European-style custom lock cylinders is that they all have a similar overall size, making it easy to replace older custom lock cylinders with newer or better ones. A typical European-style custom lock cylinder usually consists of a main body that receives the lock cylinder, which in turn receives a key. Turning the key rotates the lock cylinder and moves a cam inside, which in turn moves the internal locking mechanism that controls the latch and bolt. Depending on the intended use and function of the door, there may be another lock cylinder at the other end of the key-receiving cylinder that receives the key or an internal knob.

[0065] Figure 6An exploded view of an electronic door lock 100 is shown, configured for attachment to a door panel 30. The door panel 30 includes a straight spring latch handle 31 that actuates a spring latch 35 in a door lock 36. A bolt 32 is actuated by a lock cylinder 33, which has a locking tube for receiving a key 34. The lock cylinder has a lock actuator pin (not shown) at its opposite end facing the door panel for connection to another locking element, such as an internal knob, which, through rotation of the lock actuator pin, operates the bolt between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position, the fully extended position often referred to as the locked position. In some embodiments, the locking element is a key. In some embodiments, the lock cylinder 33 is a European-style lock cylinder. In some embodiments, the lock cylinder 33 is an American-style lock cylinder. In operation, the electronic door lock is mounted on the locking element 34 and simultaneously received by the lock cylinder 33. The multiple telescopic pins 20 in the adapter of the electronic door lock 100 receive the locking element 34 by adapting some of the telescopic pins to the shape of the locking element 34, thereby securing the locking element 34 by the multiple bundled telescopic pins 20.

[0066] Figure 7a and 7b A side view is shown of an electronic door lock 50 and an adapter 20 for attachment to a door panel 30. Figure 7a The first step of installing the electronic door lock 50 onto the door panel 30 is shown. In use, a user wishing to install the electronic door lock 50 onto the door panel 30 first installs a base plate 58 onto the door panel 30. The base plate 58 has an opening sized to accommodate the lock cylinder 33 on the door panel 30. The base plate 58 is secured to the door panel 30 with screws, which are screwed into the door panel 30 to fix the base plate 58 to the door panel 30. Subsequently, a locking element 34, such as a key, is inserted into the lock cylinder 33 and placed in the unlocked position.

[0067] Figure 7b The second step of installing the electronic door lock 50 on the door panel 30 is shown. Once the electronic door lock is secured to the door panel 30, the housing 52 of the electronic door lock 50, including the adapter 20, is then placed on the base plate 58 and the locking element 34, so that the electronic door lock 50 can be secured to the base plate 58 with screws. At this time, a plurality of telescopic pins 20 within the adapter receive the locking element, such that some of the telescopic pins 20 can be variably extended and retracted to accommodate the shape of the locking element. Thus, the locking element 34 is secured by a plurality of bundled telescopic pins 20. Once the housing 52 of the electronic door lock is connected to the base plate, the locking element is secured in the appropriate position within the plurality of telescopic pins. This means that in use, when the receiving gear 11 of the adapter housing is operably rotated by the gear mechanism within the electronic door lock to rotate the locking element to the unlock or locked position, the locking element will rotate to the unlock or locked position in response to the rotation of the receiving gear.

[0068] Figure 8An exploded view of an electronic door lock 50 configured to be attached to a door panel 30 is shown. In this embodiment, the lock cylinder 33 includes a locking element 34, such as an inner knob, for locking and unlocking the door, instead of a key as shown in previous figures. The installation method is similar to that explained in previous figures. In use, a user wishing to install the electronic door lock 50 on the door first installs a base plate 58 on the door panel 30. Before attaching the base plate 58 to the door panel 30, the inner knob needs to be removed from the door, and then the base plate 58 is secured to the door panel. As previously mentioned, the base plate 58 has an opening sized to accommodate the lock cylinder 34 on the door panel 30. The base plate 58 is secured to the door panel 30 with screws that are screwed into the door to secure the base plate 58 to the door panel 30. The locking element is then repositioned to the unlocked position of the lock cylinder 34. Once the inner knob is secured to the door panel 30, the housing of the electronic door lock 50, including the adapter, is placed on the base plate 58 and the inner knob, allowing the electronic door lock 50 to be fixed to the base plate 58 with screws. At this time, multiple telescopic pins 20 within the adapter house the locking element, with some pins 20 being variablely telescopic to accommodate the shape of the locking element. This secures the locking element 34 to the multiple bundled telescopic pins 20. Once the housing 52 of the electronic door lock is secured to the base plate, the locking element is fixed in the appropriate position within the multiple telescopic pins 20. This means that in use, when the receiver gear 11 of the adapter housing is operably rotated by the gear mechanism within the electronic door lock to turn the inner knob to the unlock or lock position, the inner knob will rotate to the unlock or lock position due to the rotation of the receiver gear.

[0069] Figure 9 An exploded view of another embodiment of an electronic door lock 50 configured to be attached to a door panel 30 is shown. In this embodiment, the entire lock cylinder 33 is removed from the door panel 30 and mounted to the base plate of the electronic door lock. In this embodiment, a European-style lock cylinder is used, which typically includes a body capable of receiving a lock tube, which receives a key at one end and a key or internal knob at the other end. Turning the key rotates the lock cylinder and moves a cam within the lock cylinder, which in turn controls the movement of the internal locking mechanism of the latch and bolt. Depending on the intended use and function of the door, there may be another lock tube or internal knob at the other end of the lock cylinder for receiving a key. The body includes a cam for receiving the key to rotate the lock tube and move the cam within the lock tube, thereby locking or unlocking the latch. Figure 10aThe first step of installing an electronic door lock on a door is shown. In use, a user wishing to install the electronic door lock 100 on the door first needs to remove the lock cylinder 33 from the door panel 30. A base plate 58 has an opening sized to receive the lock cylinder frame on the door panel 30. The base plate 58 is secured to the door panel 30 with screws. In some embodiments, the next step is to reinsert the lock cylinder into its initial position on the door panel through the base plate. To accommodate insertion of the lock cylinder through the base plate, it may be necessary to first remove the inner knob from the lock cylinder, and then reinstall the inner knob after placing the lock cylinder back in its initial position. Figure 10b The next step in installing an electronic door lock on a door is shown. The housing of the electronic door lock is then placed on the base plate and the inner knob, allowing the electronic door lock to be secured to the base plate with screws. At this point, the telescopic pin 20 within the adapter receives the locking element, allowing a portion of the telescopic pin 20 to retract variably to accommodate the shape of the locking element. This secures the locking element 34 with a bundle of telescopic pins 20. Once the housing 52 of the electronic door lock is secured to the base plate, the locking element is fixed in place within the bundle of telescopic pins 20. This means that in use, when the receiver gear 11 of the adapter housing is operably rotated by the gear mechanism within the electronic door lock to turn the inner knob to the unlock or lock position, the inner knob will correspondingly rotate to the unlock or lock position corresponding to the rotation of the receiver gear.

[0070] Figure 10a and 10b A side view of an electronic door lock 50 is shown, which is configured to be attached to a door panel 30. Figure 10a The first step of installing the electronic door lock 50 on the door panel 30 is shown. In use, a user wishing to install the electronic door lock 50 on the door panel 30 first installs a base plate 58 on the door panel 30. The base plate 58 has an opening sized to receive the lock cylinder 33 on the door panel 30. The base plate 58 is secured to the door panel 30 with screws. Subsequently, a locking element 34, such as an inner knob, is inserted into the lock cylinder 33 and placed in the unlocked position.

[0071] Figure 10bThe second step of installing the electronic door lock 50 on the door panel 30 is shown. Once fixed to the door panel 30, the housing 52 of the electronic door lock 50 is then placed on the base plate 58 and the locking element 34, allowing the electronic door lock 50 to be secured to the base plate 58 with screws. At this point, a plurality of telescopic pins 20 within the adapter 20 receive the locking element 34, such that some of the telescopic pins 20 can be retracted variably to adapt to the shape of the locking element. Thus, the locking element 34 is secured by a plurality of bundled telescopic pins 20. Once the housing 52 of the electronic door lock is secured to the base plate, the locking element is fixed in the appropriate position within the plurality of telescopic pins 20. This means that in use, when the receiving gear 11 of the adapter housing is operably rotated by the gear mechanism within the electronic door lock to turn the locking element to the unlock or lock position, the locking element will correspondingly rotate to the unlock or lock position corresponding to the rotation of the receiving gear.

[0072] In some embodiments, the electronic door lock further includes a wireless transceiver (not shown) for wireless communication with a remote access management system or application server via a network. In some embodiments, the wireless transceiver can wirelessly communicate with a user device or through the remote access management system via a network. Such an electronic door lock can be referred to as a smart lock; and can rely on single-factor or multi-factor authentication methods to unlock the electronic door locking device. Multi-factor authentication is used where increased security is required. Multi-factor authentication is based on two or more factors, and these factors are based on what the user knows and the user's personal identity. For example, factors based on what the user knows may include a pre-configured password issued by the owner or administrator, or a password generated by the server or a one-time password. Factors based on the user's identity include biometric information, such as facial recognition or fingerprint information. Other embodiments include electronic door locks that cannot access the remote access management system and electronic door locks that can access the remote access management system.

[0073] In various implementations, wireless transceivers can communicate using a variety of technologies, such as cellular networks, short-range wireless networks, and wireless local area networks (WLANs). Cellular networks can be of various types, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, and 5G. Short-range wireless networks can also be of various types, such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT).

[0074] In this document, the term “controller” is used broadly to refer to, but not limited to, single-core or multi-core general-purpose processors, dedicated processors, conventional processors, graphics processing units, digital signal processors (DSPs), multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, controllers, microcontrollers, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits, any other type of integrated circuit, system-on-a-chip (SoC), and / or state machines.

[0075] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been specifically shown and described, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make various changes in form and detail thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of protection of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included in the invention.

Claims

1. An adapter for an electronic door lock, the adapter being configured for operably connecting to a locking element of a door lock cylinder, characterized in that, The adapter includes: A cylindrical housing having an open end and a receiving gear circumferentially surrounding the exterior of the cylindrical housing, the receiving gear being configured for operably connecting with a gear mechanism of an electronic door lock; A frame connected to the interior of the cylindrical housing, the frame including multiple openings; A plurality of telescopic pins are bundled together in parallel, the telescopic pins being adapted to the opening, and when the adapter is operably connected to the locking element, a portion of the telescopic pins are variablely retracted to adapt to the locking element.

2. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking element is secured by a bundle of telescopic pins.

3. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins includes a bottom portion and a telescopic portion, the telescopic portion being retractable from the extended position of the telescopic pin to the top of the bottom portion.

4. The adapter according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins further includes an overlapping portion between the telescopic portion and the bottom portion.

5. The adapter according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic portions includes a first tube and a second tube that overlaps with the first tube.

6. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins has a circular cross-section.

7. The adapter according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom portion of each of the telescopic pins is configured to receive a biasing device that interacts with the telescopic portion.

8. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a bottom cover configured to be operably connected to the motor frame bracket of the electronic door lock.

9. The adapter according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom cover has an opening for receiving a connector that connects the locking element of the electronic door lock to the adapter.

10. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking element is an internal knob or a key.

11. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The door lock cylinder is an American-style lock cylinder.

12. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein, The door lock cylinder is a European-style irregular lock cylinder.

13. An electronic door lock, characterized in that, include: An adapter, the adapter being configured to be operatively connected to the locking element of a door lock cylinder; The adapter includes: A cylindrical housing having an open end and a receiving gear circumferentially surrounding the exterior of the cylindrical housing, the receiving gear being configured for operably connecting with a gear mechanism of an electronic door lock; A frame connected to the interior of the cylindrical housing, the frame including multiple openings; A plurality of telescopic pins are bundled in parallel, the telescopic pins being adapted to the opening, and when the adapter is operably connected to the locking element, some of the telescopic pins are variablely retracted to accommodate the shape of the locking element.

14. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, The locking element is secured by a bundle of telescopic pins.

15. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins includes a bottom portion and a telescopic portion, the telescopic portion being retractable from the extended position of the telescopic pin to the top position of the bottom portion.

16. The electronic door lock according to claim 15, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins further includes an overlapping portion between the telescopic portion and the bottom portion.

17. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins has a circular cross-section.

18. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, Each of the telescopic pins includes a bottom portion configured to receive a biasing device that interacts with the telescopic portion.

19. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, The housing includes a bottom cover configured to be operably connected to the motor frame bracket of the electronic door lock.

20. The electronic door lock according to claim 19, characterized in that, The bottom cover has an opening for receiving a connector that connects the locking element of the electronic door lock to the adapter.

21. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, The locking element is an internal knob or a key.

22. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, The door lock cylinder is an American-style lock cylinder.

23. The electronic door lock according to claim 13, characterized in that, The door lock cylinder is a European-style irregular lock cylinder.

24. The electronic door lock according to claim 15, characterized in that, The telescopic portion includes a first tube and a second tube that overlaps with the first tube.

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