A low power electronic lock

Abstract

A low-power electric control lock is fixed to a fixed mechanism of a cabinet, and the electric control lock comprises a lock body shell, a movable pawl rotatably connected to the lock body shell and provided with a reset spring, a sliding lock pin slidably connected to the lock body shell, and a driving mechanism fixedly connected to the lock body shell. Wherein, the driving mechanism comprises a low-voltage DC motor, and a push rod slidably connected to the low-voltage DC motor and fixedly connected to the sliding lock pin and located between the low-voltage DC motor and the sliding lock pin, when the movable pawl abuts against the fixed mechanism and rotates, the low-voltage DC motor drives the push rod to move in a first direction, the sliding lock pin abuts against the movable pawl and limits the rotation of the movable pawl, and the electric control lock is fixed to the cabinet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent security products, and in particular to a low-power electronically controlled lock. Background Technology

[0002] Existing electronic locks for cabinets and lockers are widely used in various cabinets and lockers that require controlled opening, such as storage cabinets, filing cabinets, and safes. These electronic locks typically employ a simple design with a beveled bolt, a design that has some significant drawbacks in practical use.

[0003] First, while the beveled latch structure is simple in design, its larger contact area with the cabinet door during locking increases friction and operational difficulty during locking and unlocking. Furthermore, the beveled latch is prone to slipping and malfunctioning under external impact, which can easily lead to locking failure.

[0004] Secondly, the drive mechanism of most existing electronic locks uses an electromagnet coil structure. Electromagnet coils require high starting voltage and large current to operate, resulting in high energy consumption for the entire electronic lock. With continuous operation of the electromagnet coil, the power consumption of the electronic lock increases significantly, placing higher demands on the power supply system and significantly shortening battery life. Therefore, electronic locks often cannot operate stably for extended periods when powered by battery, increasing maintenance costs and inconvenience.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a low-power electronic lock that can avoid locking failure and reduce power consumption. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a low-power electronic lock that can avoid locking failure and reduce power consumption.

[0007] According to one aspect of this application, a low-power electronic lock is provided, fixed to a cabinet or enclosure, the electronic lock comprising:

[0008] The lock body housing includes a movable pawl rotatably connected to the lock body housing and provided with a return spring, a sliding lock stop pin slidably connected to the lock body housing, and a drive mechanism fixedly connected to the lock body housing;

[0009] The drive mechanism includes a low-voltage DC motor and a push rod that is slidably connected to the low-voltage DC motor and fixedly connected to the sliding lock stop pin, and located between the low-voltage DC motor and the sliding lock stop pin. When the movable pawl abuts against the fixed mechanism and rotates, the low-voltage DC motor drives the push rod to move in a first direction. The sliding lock stop pin abuts against the movable pawl and restricts the rotation of the movable pawl. The electronic lock is fixed to the cabinet.

[0010] More preferably, the sliding lock stop pin is provided with a movable spring, which is fixedly connected between the sliding lock stop pin and the push rod. When the movable spring is pressed by an external force, the movable spring drives the sliding lock stop pin to slide in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and slides until the sliding lock stop pin leaves the rotation path of the movable pawl.

[0011] More preferably, the lock body shell is also integrally formed with an emergency unlocking groove, which penetrates the lock body shell and connects the outside to the inside of the lock body shell along the penetration direction.

[0012] When an external object passes through the emergency unlocking groove, it applies external force to the sliding lock stop pin inside the lock body shell.

[0013] More preferably, the lock body housing further includes:

[0014] The battery compartment cover is fixedly connected to the surface of the lock body shell;

[0015] The battery compartment is fixedly connected to the battery cover and extends integrally from the cover into the interior of the lock body housing.

[0016] More preferably, the electronically controlled lock further includes:

[0017] The battery is fixedly connected in the battery compartment;

[0018] The front cover of the lock body is fixedly connected to the outer shell of the lock body.

[0019] More preferably, the electronically controlled lock further includes:

[0020] The main control circuit board is fixedly connected inside the front cover of the lock body. The main control circuit board is electrically connected to the battery and also electrically connected to the low-voltage DC motor.

[0021] The limit switch is fixedly connected inside the lock body housing and is located between the movable pawl and the front cover of the lock body.

[0022] More preferably, when the movable pawl rotates, the limit switch detects the position of the movable pawl.

[0023] The limit switch is connected to the main control circuit board and controls the movement of the drive mechanism through the main control circuit board.

[0024] More preferably, the electronically controlled lock further includes:

[0025] An e-ink screen is fixedly connected to the front cover of the lock body and is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body away from the outer shell of the lock body;

[0026] A glass panel is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body where the ink screen is located, and is fixedly connected to the ink screen. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the glass panel, the ink screen is located inside the glass panel.

[0027] The glass panel is electrically connected to the e-ink screen, the e-ink screen is electrically connected to the main control circuit board, and the glass panel is also electrically connected to the main control circuit board.

[0028] More preferably, the front cover of the lock body is also integrally formed with a reverse buckle edge, which is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body where the ink screen is located. When viewed in a direction parallel to the surface of the ink screen, the reverse buckle edge and the front cover of the lock body are stepped.

[0029] More preferably, the front cover of the lock body is also integrally formed with a snap-fit ​​opening, which is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body when viewed in a direction parallel to the surface of the ink screen.

[0030] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0031] By using a low-voltage DC motor to drive the sliding lock stop pin to slide and lock and unlock the movable pawl, the sliding lock stop pin can restrict the rotation of the movable pawl, thus preventing the electronic lock from failing to lock. Furthermore, using a low-voltage DC motor to drive the sliding lock stop pin in the drive mechanism replaces the electromagnet coil drive method, resulting in lower power consumption and reduced battery power consumption of the electronic lock. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the electronically controlled lock described in one embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the electronically controlled lock after removing part of the lock body shell in one embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 For the Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross section AA cut along the shear line AA;

[0036] Figure 4This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the electronically controlled lock after removing the outer shell of the lock body and the outer shell of the sliding lock stop pin in one embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the electronically controlled lock after disassembling the battery compartment cover, according to one embodiment of this application;

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals: 100, Electric lock; 10, Lock body shell; 11, Movable pawl; 11A, Return spring; 12, Sliding lock stop pin; 12A, Movable spring; 13, Drive mechanism; 13A, Low-voltage DC motor; 13B, Push rod; 14, Emergency unlocking slot; 15, Battery compartment cover; 16, Battery compartment; 20, Battery; 30, Lock body front cover; 31, Reverse snap edge; 32, Buckle mount; 40, Main control circuit board; 50, Limit switch; 60, E-ink screen; 70, Glass panel; F1, First direction; F2, Second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0040] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 5 One embodiment of this application provides a low-power electronic lock 100, which is fixed to a cabinet. The electronic lock 100 includes a lock body shell 10.

[0043] The lock body housing 10 includes a movable pawl 11 rotatably connected to the lock body housing 10 and equipped with a return spring 11A, a sliding lock stop pin 12 slidably connected to the lock body housing 10, and a drive mechanism 13 fixedly connected to the lock body housing 10. The drive mechanism 13 includes a low-voltage DC motor 13A and a push rod 13B slidably connected to the low-voltage DC motor 13A, fixedly connected to the sliding lock stop pin 12, and located between the low-voltage DC motor 13A and the sliding lock stop pin 12. When the movable pawl 11 abuts against the fixed mechanism and rotates, the low-voltage DC motor 13A drives the push rod 13B to move along a first direction F1. The sliding lock stop pin 12 abuts against the movable pawl 11 and restricts the rotation of the movable pawl 11. The electronic lock 100 is fixed to the cabinet.

[0044] The movable pawl 11 and the sliding lock stop pin 12 cooperate to form a mechanical locking mechanism, while the low-voltage DC motor 13A controls the movement of the lock stop pin via a push rod 13B. The motor only operates briefly when the lock needs to move, such as when unlocking or locking, and the locking is maintained entirely by the mechanical structure, requiring no continuous power supply. Compared to electromagnetic locks or continuously powered motor locks, this electronically controlled lock 100 can significantly reduce energy consumption, making it particularly suitable for battery-powered scenarios. The return spring 11A ensures that the movable pawl 11 automatically returns to its original position when no external force is applied, preventing abnormal unlocking of the lock due to vibration or accidental contact.

[0045] Inside the low-voltage DC motor 13A, a bevel gear is installed on the rotor shaft inside the motor, and another bevel gear meshing with it is installed on the output shaft. When the rotor rotates, the rotational motion of the rotor is changed through the meshing transmission of the two bevel gears, so that the output shaft, i.e., the push rod 13B, can move in a first direction F1 and a second direction F2 perpendicular to the rotor rotation direction.

[0046] More preferably, the sliding lock stop pin 12 is provided with a movable spring 12A, which is fixedly connected between the sliding lock stop pin 12 and the push rod 13B. When the external force compresses the movable spring 12A, the movable spring 12A drives the sliding lock stop pin to slide in the second direction F2, which is opposite to the first direction F1, and slides until the sliding lock stop pin leaves the rotation path of the movable pawl 11.

[0047] In the normal locking state, the movable spring 12A is in a naturally extended state, ensuring that the sliding lock stop pin 12 can be firmly engaged in the rotation path of the movable pawl 11, achieving stable locking. When the electric lock 100 is subjected to external force and the lock stop pin is moved through the emergency unlocking slot 14, the movable spring 12A can be compressed, allowing the lock stop pin to briefly retract in the second direction F2, i.e., the unlocking direction. This design not only meets the functional requirements in emergency situations but also does not rely on electricity or complex mechanical structures, complying with the safety principle that security equipment can be opened even if it fails. At the same time, the elastic buffering mechanism of the movable spring 12A also prevents key components such as the lock tongue, pawl, or motor push rod 13B from deforming or breaking due to rigid collisions, improving the electric lock 100's resistance to damage.

[0048] More preferably, the lock body shell 10 is also integrally formed with an emergency unlocking groove 14, which penetrates the lock body shell 10 and connects the outside to the inside of the lock body shell 10 along the penetration direction. External objects apply external force to the sliding lock stop pin 12 inside the lock body shell 10 through the emergency unlocking groove 14.

[0049] This emergency unlocking design provides a mechanical backup solution in case of electronic system failure of the electronic lock 100. It ensures that the lock can still be unlocked physically even when the battery 20 is depleted or the circuit malfunctions, avoiding the risk of the locker being completely unopenable. The emergency unlocking slot 14 features a concealed through-hole design, ensuring that authorized personnel can use specialized tools, such as thin iron bars, to apply force precisely, while preventing accidental activation or the entry of foreign objects during daily use. Furthermore, this structure, in conjunction with the movable spring 12A, forms a complete emergency unlocking mechanism. Unlocking is triggered simply by applying a certain axial pressure to the sliding lock stop pin 12, ensuring that it is not easily damaged during normal use while ensuring simple and reliable operation in emergencies.

[0050] More preferably, the lock body housing 10 further includes a battery compartment cover 15 and a battery compartment 16.

[0051] The battery compartment cover 15 is fixedly connected to the surface of the lock body housing 10. The battery compartment 16 is fixedly connected to the battery 20 cover and is integrally formed extending from the cover into the interior of the lock body housing 10.

[0052] The battery compartment 16 and its cover 15 are designed to be separate, facilitating the replacement and maintenance of the internal battery 20. Battery replacement can be completed quickly simply by removing the cover 15, without disassembling the entire lock body. The integrated structure of the battery compartment 16 extending into the lock body ensures the stability of the battery 20 installation and optimizes the utilization of internal space, resulting in a more compact overall layout. Furthermore, this integrated design improves waterproof and dustproof performance; the tight fit between the battery compartment 16 and the lock body shell 10 effectively prevents external moisture and dust from entering the core circuit area of ​​the electronic lock 100.

[0053] More preferably, the electronically controlled lock 100 further includes a battery 20 and a lock body front cover 30.

[0054] The battery 20 is fixedly connected to the battery compartment 16. The lock body front cover 30 is fixedly connected to the lock body outer shell 10.

[0055] The design of fixing the battery 20 within the battery compartment 16 ensures power supply stability and prevents the battery 20 from becoming loose due to vibration or movement, thus guaranteeing the long-term reliable operation of the electric lock 100. The lock body front cover 30 and the lock body outer shell 10 are connected by a threaded connection. While this method cannot achieve quick disassembly and assembly compared to a snap-fit ​​connection, it offers stronger connection stability and structural strength, and is more resistant to forced disassembly. The physical isolation between the power unit and the lock body structure in the electric lock 100 facilitates individual replacement of the battery 20 or circuit maintenance, while effectively protecting the internal electronic components from external environmental influences.

[0056] More preferably, the electric lock 100 further includes a main control circuit board 40 and a limit switch 50.

[0057] The main control circuit board 40 is fixedly connected inside the front cover 30 of the lock body. The main control circuit board 40 is electrically connected to the battery 20 and the low-voltage DC motor 13A. The limit switch 50 is fixedly connected inside the outer shell 10 of the lock body and is located between the movable pawl 11 and the front cover 30 of the lock body.

[0058] Integrating the main control circuit board 40 into the front cover 30 of the lock body facilitates both production assembly and subsequent disassembly and maintenance. The limit switch 50, installed near the movable pawl 11, accurately detects the position of the latch after the movable pawl 11 rotates. Based on the distance between the latch and the limit switch 50, it provides real-time signal feedback to the main control circuit board 40, ensuring that the low-voltage DC motor 13A engages in locking only the moment the movable pawl 11 contacts the fixed structure of the cabinet after rotation. This not only reduces the energy consumption of the electric lock 100 but also improves its locking response speed.

[0059] More preferably, when the movable pawl 11 rotates, the limit switch 50 detects the position of the movable pawl 11. The limit switch 50 is signal-connected to the main control circuit board 40 and controls the movement of the drive mechanism 13 through the main control circuit board 40.

[0060] By monitoring the rotational position of the movable pawl 11 in real time, the limit switch 50 can accurately determine the required state of the locking tongue, such as whether it is locked or unlocked, providing reliable mechanical position feedback to the main control circuit. The main control circuit board 40 intelligently controls the motor operation based on the limit signal, activating the drive mechanism 13 only when necessary, avoiding motor idling or overload, and significantly reducing standby power consumption.

[0061] More preferably, the electronically controlled lock 100 further includes an e-ink screen 60 and a glass panel 70.

[0062] The e-ink screen 60 is fixedly connected to the front cover 30 of the lock body and is located on the side of the front cover 30 opposite to the outer shell 10 of the lock body. The glass panel 70 is located on the side of the front cover 30 where the e-ink screen 60 is located and is fixedly connected to the e-ink screen 60. When viewed in a direction perpendicular to the glass panel 70, the e-ink screen 60 is located inside the glass panel 70. The glass panel 70 is electrically connected to the e-ink screen 60, the e-ink screen 60 is electrically connected to the main control circuit board 40, and the glass panel 70 is also electrically connected to the main control circuit board 40.

[0063] The e-ink screen 60 consumes only a small amount of power when refreshing content, and almost zero power consumption when displaying static content. Compared to traditional LCD or LED displays, this design, combined with a low-voltage DC motor 13A, further reduces the overall energy consumption of the electric lock 100, making it suitable for locks and cabinets that rely on battery power 20 for extended periods. The main control circuit board 40 communicates with the e-ink screen 60 via an SPI interface, updating the displayed content, such as QR codes, unlocking passwords, or battery level indicators, only when the lock status changes or a remote command is triggered. A tempered glass panel 70 surrounds and covers the surface of the e-ink screen 60, improving its scratch resistance and impact resistance, and mitigating damage caused by external forces during outdoor use. The glass panel 70 integrates a capacitive touch layer, connected to the main control circuit board 40, upgrading the traditional passive display to an interactive panel interface, allowing users to directly click buttons on the screen to enter passwords or perform other system operations.

[0064] More preferably, the front cover 30 of the lock body is also integrally formed with a reverse buckle edge 31, which is located on the side of the front cover 30 of the lock body where the ink screen 60 is located. When viewed in a direction parallel to the surface of the ink screen 60, the reverse buckle edge 31 and the front cover 30 of the lock body are stepped.

[0065] The mechanical latching structure formed by the reverse-fastening edge 31 enhances the interlocking strength between the lock body front cover 30 and the cabinet in embedded installation scenarios, preventing the panel from falling off due to external prying and improving overall anti-theft performance. The stepped design of the reverse-fastening edge 31, combined with the waterproof strip, effectively blocks rainwater and dust penetration, raising the protection level to IP65 or even IP67 standards. In addition, the inward-curving stepped design of the reverse-fastening edge 31 provides an extra protective frame for the e-ink screen 60 and the glass panel 70, dispersing stress and reducing the risk of screen breakage when subjected to side impacts.

[0066] More preferably, the front cover 30 of the lock body is also integrally formed with a snap-fit ​​slot 32, which is located on the side of the front cover 30 of the lock body when viewed in a direction parallel to the surface of the ink screen 60.

[0067] Among them, the lateral latch structure parallel to the ink screen 60 enables quick assembly and disassembly of the lock body. It can be quickly fixed by simply pushing it horizontally into the cabinet mounting slot, which greatly improves the installation efficiency. Secondly, the latch position and the reverse snap edge 31 form a mechanical complement, so that when the lock body is subjected to vertical or oblique external forces, the stress can be evenly distributed to the cabinet frame through the lateral latch.

[0068] Therefore, by using the low-voltage DC motor to drive the sliding lock stop pin to slide and lock and unlock the movable pawl 11, the sliding lock stop pin can restrict the rotation of the movable pawl 11, thus preventing the electronic lock 100 from failing to lock. Furthermore, using the low-voltage DC motor 13A in the drive mechanism 13 to drive the sliding lock stop pin replaces the electromagnet coil drive method, resulting in lower power consumption and reducing the power consumption of the battery 20 of the electronic lock 100.

[0069] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A low-power electronic lock, fixed to a cabinet's fixing mechanism, characterized in that, The electronically controlled lock includes: The lock body housing includes a movable pawl rotatably connected to the lock body housing and provided with a return spring, a sliding lock stop pin slidably connected to the lock body housing, and a drive mechanism fixedly connected to the lock body housing; The drive mechanism includes a low-voltage DC motor and a push rod that is slidably connected to the low-voltage DC motor and fixedly connected to the sliding lock stop pin, and located between the low-voltage DC motor and the sliding lock stop pin. When the movable pawl abuts against the fixed mechanism and rotates, the low-voltage DC motor drives the push rod to move in a first direction. The sliding lock stop pin abuts against the movable pawl and restricts the rotation of the movable pawl. The electronic lock is fixed to the cabinet.

2. The low-power electronic lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding lock stop pin is provided with a movable spring, which is fixedly connected between the sliding lock stop pin and the push rod. When an external force compresses the movable spring, the movable spring drives the sliding lock stop pin to slide in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and slides until the sliding lock stop pin leaves the rotation path of the movable pawl.

3. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lock body shell also integrally forms an emergency unlocking groove, which penetrates the lock body shell and connects the outside to the inside of the lock body shell along the penetration direction. When an external object passes through the emergency unlocking groove, it applies external force to the sliding lock stop pin inside the lock body shell.

4. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lock body housing also includes: The battery compartment cover is fixedly connected to the surface of the lock body shell; The battery compartment is fixedly connected to the battery cover and extends integrally from the cover into the interior of the lock body housing.

5. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 4, characterized in that, The electronically controlled lock also includes: The battery is fixedly connected in the battery compartment; The front cover of the lock body is fixedly connected to the outer shell of the lock body.

6. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 5, characterized in that, The electronically controlled lock also includes: The main control circuit board is fixedly connected inside the front cover of the lock body. The main control circuit board is electrically connected to the battery and also electrically connected to the low-voltage DC motor. The limit switch is fixedly connected inside the lock body housing and is located between the movable pawl and the front cover of the lock body.

7. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the movable pawl rotates, the limit switch detects the position of the movable pawl. The limit switch is connected to the main control circuit board and controls the movement of the drive mechanism through the main control circuit board.

8. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 7, characterized in that, The electronically controlled lock also includes: An e-ink screen is fixedly connected to the front cover of the lock body and is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body away from the outer shell of the lock body; A glass panel is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body where the ink screen is located, and is fixedly connected to the ink screen. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the glass panel, the ink screen is located inside the glass panel. The glass panel is electrically connected to the e-ink screen, the e-ink screen is electrically connected to the main control circuit board, and the glass panel is also electrically connected to the main control circuit board.

9. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 8, characterized in that, The front cover of the lock body also has an integrally formed reverse buckle edge, which is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body where the ink screen is located. When viewed in a direction parallel to the surface of the ink screen, the reverse buckle edge and the front cover of the lock body are stepped.

10. A low-power electronic lock according to claim 9, characterized in that, The front cover of the lock body also has an integrally formed snap-fit ​​opening, which is located on the side of the front cover of the lock body when viewed in a direction parallel to the surface of the ink screen.

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