Front clutch structure of electronic lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a front clutch structure of an electronic lock in the field of clutch structures, which comprises a clutch plate fixedly connected with a handle outside a door, a clutch fixedly connected with one end of square steel, a clutch pin and a driving assembly for driving the clutch pin, and the clutch is close to the clutch plate and can rotate relative to the clutch plate; the edge of the clutch extends outwards to form a supporting seat for mounting the clutch pin, and one end, far away from the clutch plate, of the clutch pin is mounted on the supporting seat through a pin shaft, so that the clutch pin can tilt along the pin shaft. According to the lever structure, the stroke of the push plate pushed by the motor is shorter than that of an existing linear driving structure, the unlocking time for triggering the clutch is shorter than the triggering time of a traditional clutch structure, the dead weight of a clutch pin does not need to be overcome, the starting thrust of the motor needing to be matched is smaller, the number of transmission structures arranged on the whole is smaller, and the cost is reduced. And the comprehensive cost is lower. The clutch pin is prevented from moving due to external force, and the clutch safety performance is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of clutch structure, in particular to a front clutch structure of electronic lock. BACKGROUND

[0002] The front clutch structure of electronic lock is one of the core transmission components in modern intelligent door lock, mainly used for controlling the connection and separation between the outside handle and the lock tongue driving mechanism inside the lock body. When the user passes the verification through password, fingerprint, card or remote instruction, the clutch mechanism acts, so that the outside handle can drive the lock tongue to retract, realizing the opening of the door; in the non-verification state, the clutch is in the separated state, even if the handle is rotated or pressed by external force, the lock cannot be opened, thereby ensuring the anti-picking and safety performance of the door lock. The structure is widely used in electronic password lock, intelligent fingerprint lock and other products in home, office, hotel and other occasions.

[0003] At present, the common front clutch structure of electronic lock adopts a linear motion type clutch pin design. The structure generally includes a clutch plate, a clutch, a clutch pin, a return spring and a clutch pushing mechanism composed of a motor and a reduction mechanism. The clutch pin is usually a linear motion metal pin rod, which is usually in a disengaged position under the action of the return spring, so that the handle is separated from the clutch. When the motor receives the unlocking signal, the push plate drives the clutch pin straightly through the reduction mechanism, so that the clutch pin is inserted into the corresponding hole position on the clutch plate, thereby realizing the linkage of the handle and the clutch.

[0004] However, the above linear motion clutch pin structure still has several obvious defects in actual use: first, the clutch pin is easy to move along the axial direction and accidentally enter the linkage interval when subjected to external impact or vibration, resulting in illegal opening of the door lock in the non-verification state, and the safety and reliability are insufficient; secondly, since the clutch pin is a metal piece with certain weight and strength, its movement needs to overcome the weight and the return spring force at the same time, so the clutch pushing mechanism needs to be equipped with a relatively complex motor reduction device to provide sufficient pushing force, and a reduction mechanism needs to be additionally provided, resulting in complex structure and high cost; in addition, in order to avoid the misoperation caused by impact, a certain fault tolerance gap needs to be reserved between the clutch pin and the linkage interval, so that the pushing stroke is longer, thereby causing the opening response time to be prolonged, the overall energy consumption to be increased, and the battery endurance and use experience to be affected. SUMMARY

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to solve the above defects, and to provide a front clutch structure of electronic lock, which designs the conventional linear motion clutch pin into a rotary motion mode, solves the problem of poor safety of the traditional clutch structure, and also reduces the overall cost.

[0006] The purpose of the present application is achieved in the following way:

[0007] The electronic lock pre-clutch structure comprises a clutch plate fixedly connected with an outside handle of a door, a clutch fixedly connected with one end of a square steel, the clutch being close to the clutch plate and capable of rotating relative to the clutch plate, the clutch plate being provided with a clutch hole, a clutch pin and a driving assembly for driving the clutch pin; one end of the clutch pin close to the clutch plate is a clutch part, the clutch part extending to the clutch hole of the clutch plate, the other end of the clutch pin away from the clutch plate being a trigger part; the edge of the clutch extends outward to form a supporting seat for mounting the clutch pin, the other end of the clutch pin away from the clutch plate being mounted on the supporting seat through a pin shaft, the clutch pin being capable of being warped along the pin shaft, and a reset spring being provided between the supporting seat and the clutch pin and being compressed, the reset spring being used for providing the clutch pin with a spring force always away from the clutch plate; the driving assembly comprising a motor and a push plate driven by the motor to move linearly, one end of the push plate being used for pushing the trigger part, when the push plate is driven by the motor to an extended state, the push plate pushes the clutch pin along the trigger part, the clutch pin being warped, at this time, being in a clamping state, the clutch part overcoming the spring force of the reset spring and swinging into the clutch hole, when the pushing force of the push plate disappears, the clutch pin is driven to reset by the spring force of the reset spring, the clutch pin being warped along the spring force direction of the reset spring, at this time, being in a disengaging state, the clutch part disengaging from the clutch hole.

[0008] A lever type clutch mechanism is constructed with the pin shaft as the fulcrum. By pushing the trigger part of the clutch pin with a short stroke, the clutch part can be made to realize a large displacement by the lever principle, thereby quickly and labor-savingly completing the clamping and disengaging actions. This not only greatly shortens the unlocking response time, but also reduces the requirement for the motor pushing force, so that the driving structure can be simplified. Meanwhile, in the disengaging state, the spring force of the reset spring can ensure the stable disengagement of the clutch part, effectively preventing accidental combination caused by external force impact, and having high safety and reliability.

[0009] Further, the middle part of the supporting seat is provided with a positioning groove for matching and accommodating the reset spring.

[0010] The positioning groove provides the reset spring with accurate installation and limiting space, ensuring that the position of the spring is stable and not easy to be skewed or fall off in the long-term working process, thereby ensuring the consistency of the reset force direction and the action reliability, and prolonging the service life.

[0011] Further, the clutch pin is in a C shape, and the supporting seat is provided with a clearance hole corresponding to the position of the clutch hole, when the clutch pin is warped along the pin shaft, the clutch part can swing along the clearance hole to the clutch hole.

[0012] The C-shaped structure optimizes the force arm of the clutch pin, making the swinging more efficient. The clearance hole provides a necessary space channel for the swinging of the clutch part, ensuring that the clutch part can be accurately inserted or withdrawn from the clutch hole smoothly and without interference, and improving the smoothness of the action and the accuracy of the combination position.

[0013] Further, the support seat is further provided with a limiting slot communicated with the avoidance hole, an opening of the limiting slot faces the clutch hole, and an end of the clutch pin close to the avoidance hole is provided with a limiting stop edge capable of abutting to the limiting slot, when the clutch pin is driven to reset by the elastic force of the reset spring, the limiting stop edge abuts to the limiting slot.

[0014] The cooperation of the limiting slot and the limiting stop edge provides a clear mechanical limit for the final position of the clutch pin in the reset (disengagement) state. This prevents the clutch pin from over-swinging under the action of the spring, ensuring that the clutch part can stably stay in a safe position completely disengaged from the clutch hole, further enhancing the safety of the anti-misoperation.

[0015] Further, the trigger part forms an outward convex structure in the direction of the push plate, and the trigger part is spherical or arc-shaped.

[0016] The spherical or arc-shaped trigger part forms a point contact or a line contact with the push plate, which can effectively reduce the frictional resistance and wear between the two during pushing, making the pushing action smoother and more convenient, and helping to improve the durability of the components.

[0017] Further, the push plate is composed of a transmission plate and a push plate connected thereto, the push plate is close to the trigger part and is used to push the trigger part, and the motor is connected to the transmission plate and is used to drive the transmission plate to move linearly.

[0018] The push plate is connected by the transmission plate and the push plate, wherein the transmission plate is responsible for interfacing with the motor and converting motion, and the push plate is specially responsible for acting with the clutch pin.

[0019] Further, one side of the transmission plate is provided with a linear rack, and the output shaft of the motor is provided with a gear that is paired and engaged with the linear rack, when the motor works, the synchronous transmission of the gear and the linear rack drives the push plate to push the trigger part.

[0020] The gear and rack transmission mode has the advantages of accurate transmission ratio, stable motion and high reliability. It can efficiently and accurately convert the rotary motion of the motor into the linear motion required by the push plate, realize precise control of the pushing stroke and speed of the clutch pin, and improve the consistency and controllability of the entire clutch action.

[0021] Further, the output shaft of the motor is provided with a cam, the cam includes a raised portion and a base circle portion, one side of the transmission plate is provided with a stroke slot for paired accommodation of the cam, an opening of the stroke slot faces the clutch plate, a length of the stroke slot is paired with a length of the cam, when the motor works to drive the raised portion of the cam to rotate towards the push plate, the push plate is driven to push the trigger part, and when the motor works to drive the base circle portion of the cam to rotate towards the push plate, the push plate is reset.

[0022] The cam driving structure is simple and compact, only half a rotation of the motor is needed to complete a complete push-out and reset cycle, the driving efficiency is high and the response is rapid. This direct driving mode eliminates the complex speed reduction mechanism, significantly simplifies the overall structure of the clutch and push mechanism, greatly reduces the manufacturing cost and energy consumption, and further shortens the unlocking time.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the present application are: the clutch pin is provided with a pin shaft which can be tilted, the clutch pin is pushed by the push plate to form a lever structure which can rotate, in the engaged state, the motor drives the push plate, the push plate pushes the clutch pin along the trigger part to make the clutch pin tilt, the clutch part overcomes the elastic force of the reset spring and swings into the clutch hole, in the disengaged state, the motor resets, the pushing force of the push plate disappears, the clutch pin is driven to reset by the elastic force of the reset spring, and the clutch part is disengaged from the clutch hole. The stroke of the motor pushing the push plate needs to be shorter compared with the existing linear driving structure when the lever structure is set, the unlocking time of the trigger clutch is shorter than that of the traditional clutch structure, therefore, the reaction time of the trigger clutch with the rotatable lever structure is faster, the starting pushing force of the motor needs to be smaller, the overall transmission structure needs to be less, and the comprehensive cost is lower. In addition, the clutch pin installed through the pin shaft is always away from the clutch plate under the elastic force of the reset spring, when the clutch pin and the push plate bear impact force from all directions outside the door, the clutch pin cannot move towards the clutch plate and be illegally opened, the safety performance of the clutch is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic view of the engaged state in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic view of the engaged state and installed on the electronic lock body in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 It is Figure 2 It is a partial enlarged schematic view of A in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic view of the engaged state of the clutch and the clutch plate in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 It is a partial structure exploded schematic view of the engaged state of the clutch and the clutch plate in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0029] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic view of the disengaged state in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0030] Figure 7 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic view of the disengaged state of the clutch and the clutch plate in the embodiment one of the present application;

[0031] Figure 8 Figure is a perspective view of the clutch in a disengaged state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 9 Figure is a perspective view of the clutch pin according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 10 Figure is a perspective view of the clutch according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 11 Figure is an exploded view of the clutch and the clutch pin according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 12 Figure is a perspective view of the clutch in a disengaged state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 13 Figure is a perspective view of the clutch in a disengaged state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] In the figure, 1 is a clutch plate, 101 is a clutch hole, 2 is a clutch, 201 is a bearing seat, 202 is a clearance hole, 203 is a positioning groove, 204 is a limiting groove, 3 is a clutch pin, 301 is a clutch part, 302 is a trigger part, 303 is a limiting stop, 4 is a handle, 5 is a square steel, 6 is a return spring, 7 is a pin shaft, 8 is a motor, 9 is a transmission plate, 10 is a push plate, 11 is a cam, and 12 is a gear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0039] Embodiment I

[0040] In this embodiment, reference is made to Figures 1-11 The electronic lock pre-clutch structure specifically implemented by the present application aims to overcome the defects of poor safety, complex driving mechanism, slow response speed, and high energy consumption of the existing linear motion clutch pin 3 structure. The core idea is to innovatively design the traditional axial linear motion clutch pin 3 as a lever structure rotating around the pin shaft 7. This fundamental change enables the clutch part 301 of the clutch pin 3 to stably move away from the clutch plate 1 under the action of the return spring 6 in the disengaged state, so that even if the front panel is subjected to impact force in multiple directions, it cannot be driven into the occlusion position, thereby greatly improving the safety against violent opening. At the same time, the application of the lever principle greatly reduces the force and stroke required to drive it to swing, which simplifies the driving mechanism, significantly reduces the manufacturing cost, shortens the unlocking response time (which can be shortened from about 0.25 seconds in the traditional structure to about 0.2 milliseconds), and reduces the power consumption, prolonging the battery life.

[0041] The electronic lock pre-clutch structure mainly comprises a clutch plate 1, a clutch 2, a clutch pin 3, a reset spring 6, a pin shaft 7 and a driving assembly.

[0042] The clutch plate 1 is fixedly connected with a handle 4 outside the door, and a clutch hole 101 is formed in the clutch plate 1. The clutch 2 is fixedly connected with one end of a square steel 5 for driving a lock tongue, and is arranged on the inner side of the clutch plate 1 (i.e. the side facing the door body) and can rotate relative to the clutch plate 1. A supporting seat 201 is formed on the edge of the clutch 2 and extends outward.

[0043] The clutch pin 3 is a key innovative component of the present application. The clutch pin 3 is generally in the shape of a C or a similar lever, comprising a clutch portion 301 close to one end of the clutch plate 1 and a trigger portion 302 away from the other end of the clutch plate 1. The clutch pin 3 is installed on the supporting seat 201 through the pin shaft 7, so that the clutch pin 3 can be tilted (i.e. swing at a small angle around the pin shaft 7) with the pin shaft 7 as the fulcrum. The supporting seat 201 is provided with a clearance hole 202 corresponding to the position of the clutch hole 101, which provides a space channel for the swing of the clutch portion 301.

[0044] The reset spring 6 is compressed between the supporting seat 201 and the trigger portion 302 of the clutch pin 3. Preferably, the supporting seat 201 is provided with a positioning groove 203 for accommodating one end of the reset spring 6 to ensure stable installation. The reset spring 6 provides a constant elastic force to the clutch portion 301 to keep it away from the clutch plate 1, i.e. to pull the clutch portion 301 away from the clutch hole 101 in the normal state (disengaged state).

[0045] The driving assembly is used to drive the clutch pin 3 to act. In the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, it comprises a motor 8 and a push plate driven by the motor 8 to move linearly. The push plate can be an integral component or can be composed of a transmission plate 9 and a push plate 10. The end of the push plate 10 is used to abut and push the trigger portion 302 of the clutch pin 3. The trigger portion 302 of the present embodiment is designed as a spherical structure protruding outward in the direction of the push plate to reduce the contact friction.

[0046] The driving mode of the motor 8 of the present embodiment adopts a cam 11 driving mode, and the output shaft of the motor 8 is directly installed with a cam 11 (i.e. an eccentric wheel). One side of the transmission plate 9 is provided with a stroke groove. The profile of the cam 11 comprises a convex portion and a base circle portion. When the motor 8 receives an unlocking signal and rotates for about half a circle, the convex portion of the cam 11 enters the stroke groove and pushes the transmission plate 9 and the push plate 10 to move linearly for a very short stroke (e.g. about 1.5 mm), and the push plate 10 immediately pushes the trigger portion 302 of the clutch pin 3.

[0047] For further optimization, the support seat 201 can also be provided with a limiting groove 204 communicated with the clearance hole 202, and a limiting stop edge 303 is arranged at the corresponding position of the clutch pin 3. When the clutch pin 3 is reset to the disengagement state under the action of the reset spring 6, the limiting stop edge 303 abuts against the end of the limiting groove 204, thereby providing clear mechanical limiting for the clutch pin 3 and ensuring that the clutch pin 3 is always in the safe disengagement position.

[0048] Embodiment two

[0049] In this embodiment, with reference to Figure 12 The difference between the specific implementation of the electronic lock pre-clutch structure and that of embodiment one is that the driving mode of the motor 8 adopts a gear 12 and rack driving mode. In this embodiment, a straight rack is arranged on one side of the transmission plate 9, and the output shaft of the motor 8 is provided with a gear 12 engaged with the straight rack. The motor 8 drives the straight rack through the gear 12, thereby driving the push plate to perform accurate linear motion.

[0050] Embodiment three

[0051] In this embodiment, with reference to Figure 13 The difference between the specific implementation of the electronic lock pre-clutch structure and that of embodiment two is that the trigger part 302 is designed as a circular arc structure protruding outward in the direction of the push plate, so as to reduce the contact friction.

[0052] In work:

[0053] Engaged state (unlocking): after verification, the motor 8 is started. Taking the cam 11 driving as an example, the motor 8 is rapidly rotated, and the push plate is pushed forward by the cam 11. The push plate acts on the trigger part 302 of the clutch pin 3 with very small pushing force, so as to force the clutch pin 3 to overcome the small elastic force of the reset spring 6 and be tilted around the pin shaft 7. The clutch part 301 immediately passes through the clearance hole 202 and is quickly inserted into the clutch hole 101 of the clutch plate 1. At this time, the rotary door outer handle 4 drives the clutch plate 1, so that the torque is transmitted to the clutch 2 and the square steel 5 through the clutch pin 3, thereby realizing unlocking. Since the lever is tilted and the required stroke is extremely short, the actual driving time of the process can be shortened from about 0.25 seconds of the traditional structure to 0.2 milliseconds.

[0054] The disengagement state (locked): after the unlocking action is completed, the motor 8 is reversed to reset (or continues to rotate half a circle to make the base circle part of the eccentric wheel opposite the travel groove), and the pushing force of the push plate disappears. Under the action of the elastic force of the reset spring 6, the clutch pin 3 is immediately reversed to reset, and the clutch part 301 quickly and reliably exits from the clutch hole 101. At this time, no matter how hard the door handle 4 is pressed or rotated in any direction, the clutch plate 1 is idling, cannot drive the clutch 2, and the door lock remains locked. It is particularly important that the swing axis (pin shaft 7) of the clutch pin 3 is different from the direction of the possible external impact (such as the force generated by knocking the front panel), and the elastic force of the reset spring 6 is stable and tends to disengage, so the impact force from all directions outside the door cannot force the clutch part 301 to move towards the clutch hole 101, completely solving the security risk of the straight-line clutch pin 3 being easily impacted and dislodged to illegally open.

[0055] The significant technical effects and implementation data of the present application are as follows:

[0056] Safety: The rotating lever structure cooperates with the reset spring 6, so that the clutch pin 3 has inherent anti-impact displacement characteristics, and the risk of illegal opening is extremely low.

[0057] Simplified structure and cost: Because the required pushing force and stroke are very small (only the force of the small reset spring 6 needs to be overcome, not the weight of the heavy clutch pin 3 and the strong spring force), the drive mechanism can omit the complex multi-stage gear 12 reduction box, and a simplified scheme of motor 8 directly connected to eccentric wheel or simple gear 12 can be used. This greatly reduces the number of parts, material cost and assembly time of the clutch pushing mechanism, and the comprehensive cost can be reduced by about 50%.

[0058] Speed and energy consumption: The ultra-short mechanical movement stroke (about 1.5mm) and the simplified transmission chain make the unlocking trigger time achieve an order of magnitude reduction (from about 0.25 seconds in traditional structures to about 0.2 milliseconds). At the same time, the motor 8 needs to do much less work, and the power consumption is significantly reduced. In a typical electronic lock product powered by 4 AA batteries, the application of this structure can extend the battery life from the general 1-2 years to more than 4 years, with outstanding energy-saving and environmental protection benefits.

[0059] The above is a further detailed description of the present application in combination with specific preferred embodiments, and cannot be considered as limiting the specific implementation of the present application to these descriptions. For ordinary skilled persons in the technical field to which the present application belongs, without departing from the concept of the present application, a number of simple deductions or substitutions can be made, which should be considered as the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A front-mounted clutch structure for an electronic lock, comprising a clutch plate fixedly connected to an external door handle, and a clutch fixedly connected to one end of a square steel bar, the clutch being close to the clutch plate and capable of relative rotation with the clutch plate, and a clutch hole being provided on the clutch plate, characterized in that: It also includes a clutch pin and a drive assembly for driving the clutch pin; The end of the clutch pin closest to the clutch plate is the clutch part, which extends into the clutch hole of the clutch plate, and the end of the clutch pin furthest from the clutch plate is the trigger part. The edge of the clutch extends outward to form a support for mounting the clutch pin. The end of the clutch pin away from the clutch plate is mounted on the support via a pin shaft, allowing the clutch pin to tilt along the pin shaft. A return spring is provided, which is pressed between the support and the clutch pin. The return spring is used to provide the clutch pin with a spring force that keeps it away from the clutch plate. The drive assembly includes a motor and a push plate driven by the motor to perform linear motion. One end of the push plate is used to push the trigger part. When the push plate is driven by the motor to the extended state, the push plate pushes the clutch pin along the trigger part, causing the clutch pin to tilt. At this time, it is in the engagement state. The clutch part overcomes the elastic force of the return spring and swings into the clutch hole. When the pushing force of the push plate disappears, the clutch pin is driven to reset by the elastic force of the return spring, causing the clutch pin to tilt along the elastic force direction of the return spring. At this time, it is in the disengagement state, and the clutch part disengages from the clutch hole.

2. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support base has a positioning groove in the middle for accommodating and accommodating the return spring.

3. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clutch pin is C-shaped, and the end of the support seat near the clutch hole has a clearance hole corresponding to the position of the clutch hole. When the clutch pin moves along the pin shaft, the clutch part can swing to the clutch hole along the clearance hole.

4. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support base is also provided with a limiting groove that communicates with the clearance hole. The opening of the limiting groove faces the clutch hole. One end of the clutch pin near the clearance hole is provided with a limiting stop that can abut against the limiting groove. When the clutch pin is driven to reset by the elastic force of the reset spring, the limiting stop abuts against the limiting groove.

5. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The trigger part forms an outward convex structure along the direction of the push plate, and the trigger part is spherical or arc-shaped.

6. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The push plate is composed of a transmission plate and a push plate connected thereto. The push plate is close to the trigger part and is used to push the trigger part. The motor is connected to the transmission plate and is used to drive the transmission plate to perform linear motion.

7. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: A linear rack is provided on one side of the transmission plate, and a gear that meshes with the linear rack is installed on the output shaft of the motor. When the motor is working, the synchronous transmission between the gear and the linear rack drives the push plate to push the trigger part.

8. The electronic lock front-mounted clutch structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The output shaft of the motor is equipped with a cam, which includes a protruding part and a base circle part. One side of the transmission plate is provided with a stroke groove for matching and accommodating the cam. The opening of the stroke groove faces the clutch plate, and the length of the stroke groove matches the length of the cam. When the motor works, it drives the protruding part of the cam to rotate to face the push plate, thereby driving the push plate to push the trigger part. When the motor works, it drives the base circle part of the cam to rotate to face the push plate, thereby driving the push plate to reset.

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