Electronic lock

Abstract

To provide an electronic lock whose the number of parts can be reduced and whose position accuracy and rotation accuracy can be improved.SOLUTION: An electronic lock 1 of the present embodiment includes a top cover 2 covering a front surface of the electronic lock 1, a knob 3 for manual operation provided on the top cover 2, a thumb turn connecting portion 9 fixed to the knob 3 via a rotating shaft 4, a gear 6 having a surface facing the knob 3 and arranged coaxially with the rotating shaft 4, a top housing 5, and a bottom housing 7, the top housing 5 and the bottom housing 7 being combined to accommodate the gear 6 inside.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic lock. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric locks that use an electric thumb turn to activate a deadbolt on a door are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Electronic locks that can be retrofitted to the thumb turn of an existing door are also known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] In electronic locks that are retrofitted to the thumb turn of an existing door, a manual thumb turn is provided so that the lock can be unlocked and locked manually even when the electric operation is not possible due to a dead battery, etc. However, if the manual operation is performed with the motor and gear engaged in the manual thumb turn, excessive load is placed on the motor and gear, which may cause damage, so an idling mechanism is often provided to keep the motor and gear disengaged during manual operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-30426 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-148208 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the thumbturn idle mechanism increases the number of parts, making the electronic lock larger, and there are problems with designing the mechanism for add-on electronic locks, which are limited in installation space. Furthermore, while the thumbturn drive mechanism, including the thumbturn idle mechanism, requires precision in position and rotation, a relatively large torque is applied to the thumbturn drive mechanism, making it difficult to increase precision in position and rotation, which also makes miniaturization difficult.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, Downsizing The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electronic lock that can [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, an electronic lock according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a top cover that covers the front surface of the electronic lock, a knob for manual operation provided on the top cover, a thumb turn connecting part fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft, a gear having a surface facing the knob and arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft, a first housing, a second housing, a motor that rotates the thumb turn connecting portion; The first housing and the second housing are combined with each other with the gear inside. A driving force is transmitted from the output shaft of the motor to the gear via a plurality of driving gears arranged in the second housing. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] An electronic lock according to one aspect of the present invention includes: Downsizing can. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of an electronic lock according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electronic lock with the top cover removed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view (1) of the main components connected to the knob and the surrounding components. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view (2) of the main components connected to the knob and the main components around it. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the gear configuration on the drive side from the motor. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration around the switch operation plate. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another example of a configuration for operating a microswitch. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart (1) showing an example of the operation of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart (2) showing an example of the operation of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the structure of a knob in the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the potentiometer, the microswitch, and the magnetic sensor in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a first modified example of an arrangement of the potentiometer, the microswitch, and the magnetic sensor. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an electronic lock is installed on a door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the up-down direction. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an electronic lock is installed on a door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the left-right direction. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer, the microswitch, and the magnetic sensor. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a switching structure of a microswitch in the second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the switching structure shown in FIG. 16 as viewed from the negative z direction side. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the switching structure shown in FIG. 16 as viewed from the negative z direction side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An electronic lock according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements in the drawings may differ from reality. The dimensional relationships and ratios may differ between the drawings. Furthermore, the content described in one embodiment or variant also applies, in principle, to other embodiments or variants.

[0011] [First embodiment] The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0012] In the following description, the x, y, and z directions are perpendicular to each other. The x direction is the longitudinal direction of the electronic lock 1, and is the direction in which the thumb turn connecting portion 9 and the motor 22 are arranged. The y direction is the lateral direction of the electronic lock 1, and is the direction along the main surfaces of the bottom housing 7, etc. The z direction is the extension direction of the rotation axis of the thumb turn connecting portion 9.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of an electronic lock 1 according to a first embodiment. The electronic lock 1 is attached to a thumb turn (not shown) of an existing door, and receives operation instructions wirelessly or via wire from a controller (not shown) such as a smartphone or control panel, and performs the corresponding operation (locking, unlocking, etc.). Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi, etc. are used as the wireless method.

[0014] In FIG. 1, electronic lock 1 has a generally rectangular appearance with about half of the back surface cut away, and the front surface is covered by top cover 2. A thumb turn connector 9 that engages with a thumb turn of an existing door (not shown) is provided in the cut-out portion of the back surface. A knob 3 that can be manually operated by a user is provided on the opposite side of top cover 2 from thumb turn connector 9. Knob 3 has a concave surface 3a that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of knob 3, and a generally crescent-shaped knob portion 3b provided in the center of this concave surface 3a. Note that the shape of knob 3 is not limited to that shown in the figure.

[0015] 2 is a perspective view of the appearance of the electronic lock 1 with the top cover 2 removed. In FIG. 2, a gear 6 and the like are connected to the knob 3, and continue to a thumb turn connecting portion 9.

[0016] Figures 3 and 4 are exploded perspective views of the main components and peripheral components connected to the knob 3, with Figure 3 showing a view from diagonally above (the same perspective as Figures 1 and 2), and Figure 4 showing a view from diagonally below. In Figures 3 and 4, arranged from the top of the figure are the knob 3, rotating shaft 4, top housing 5 (first housing), gear 6, bottom housing 7 (second housing), switch operation plate 8, and thumb turn connecting portion 9. The thumb turn connecting portion 9 is made up of a circular plate 10, a rectangular plate 11, a circular plate 12, and a thumb turn clamping portion 13.

[0017] A switch operation plate 8 and a thumbturn connector 9 are fixed to the knob 3 via a rotating shaft 4, and the switch operation plate 8 and the thumbturn connector 9 rotate together with the knob 3. One end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixed to a hole 3f on the back side of the knob 3, and the other end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixed to a rectangular plate 11 of the thumbturn connector 9 through the switch operation plate 8.

[0018] A cylindrical portion 3c is connected to the periphery of the concave surface 3a on the front side of the knob 3, and a potentiometer gear 3d is integrally provided around the periphery of the lower end of the cylindrical portion 3c. Note that the front surface of the knob 3 is exposed to the exterior of the electronic lock 1, and since appearance is a consideration, it is desirable to use an appropriate material from an appearance perspective. Furthermore, the potentiometer gear 3d is desired to be made of an appropriate material since it is required to have mechanical strength and abrasion resistance. Therefore, the potentiometer gear 3d may be formed separately from the knob 3. The relationship with the potentiometer (28) will be described later. A protrusion 3e is provided on the back side of the knob 3. From the viewpoint of material selection, the protrusion 3e may also be formed separately from the knob 3.

[0019] A cylindrical portion 7a is provided at approximately the center of the bottom of the bottom housing 7, and the inner peripheral surface of this cylindrical portion 7a forms a bearing for the rotating shaft 4, while the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 7a forms a bearing for the gear 6. The top housing 5 and the bottom housing 7 are assembled together with the gear 6 inside. Because the rotating shaft 4 is rotatably supported by a single bearing on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 7a of the bottom housing 7, assembly errors are reduced compared to when the rotating shaft 4 is supported by a pair (two) of bearings, and positional accuracy is improved. Furthermore, because the gear 6 is rotatably supported by the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 7a of the bottom housing 7, it is not affected by the rotating shaft 4, and the accuracy of the axial distance between the gear 6 and a spur gear (27) (described later) that meshes with the gear 6 is improved.

[0020] A protrusion 6a is provided on the surface of the gear 6 facing the bottom surface of the knob 3, which can come into contact with the protrusion 3e on the back surface of the knob 3 in the rotational direction. The protrusion 3e of the knob 3 and the protrusion 6a of the gear 6 form a so-called idling mechanism, and when the drive-side gear 6 rotates, the protrusion 6a comes into contact with and pushes the protrusion 3e of the knob 3, rotating the knob 3. After that, by reversing the gear 6 by a predetermined angle, a space is created between the protrusion 6a and the protrusion 3e, and the knob 3 can be manually reversed without affecting the drive-side gear 6.

[0021] The switch operation plate 8 is substantially disk-shaped, and has, for example, eight protrusions 8a arranged at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the switch operation plate 8. The switch operation plate 8 is used to detect when the knob 3 is manually rotated by the user, and is used to control a sleep state in order to reduce power consumption and extend battery life. Details will be described later.

[0022] Returning to Figure 2, a motor 22 is disposed on the base housing 21, and driving force is transmitted from the output shaft of the motor 22 to the gear 6 via a worm 23, a worm gear 24, ..., and spur gears 26 and 27 disposed in the bottom housing 7. In addition, a potentiometer gear 29 on the bottom housing 7 meshes with a potentiometer gear 3d of the knob 3.

[0023] Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the gear configuration on the drive side from the motor 22. In Fig. 5, the drive side includes a worm 23, which is a first drive side gear fixed to the output shaft 22a of the motor 22, and a worm gear 24, which is a second drive side gear that meshes with the worm 23. The drive side also includes a spur gear 25, which is a third drive side gear formed integrally with the worm gear 24, a spur gear 26, which is a fourth drive side gear that meshes with the spur gear 25, and a spur gear 27, which is a fifth drive side gear formed integrally with the spur gear 26 and meshes with gear 6 (Fig. 2, etc.).

[0024] A potentiometer gear 29 is fixed to the central input shaft of a thin, approximately rectangular parallelepiped potentiometer 28. Potentiometer 28 is a component that outputs an analog value (resistance value) according to the angular position of the input shaft.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration around the switch operation plate 8. In FIG. 6, a microswitch 16 is provided on the bottom side of a substrate 14 that is disposed inside the bottom surface of the bottom housing 7 (FIG. 3). An arm 15 is rotatably supported by a shaft 15a on the bottom housing 7, and the tip of the arm 15 is biased toward the switch operation plate 8. Therefore, when the knob 3 is manually rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by a user and the switch operation plate 8 rotates in conjunction with the rotation, a protrusion 8a provided on the outer periphery of the switch operation plate 8 pushes the tip of the arm 15 outward. As a result, the outer surface of the arm 15 presses an actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, turning the microswitch 16 on (or off).

[0026] The substrate 14 is mounted with a circuit section (electronic circuit) that realizes functions such as communication with a controller such as a smartphone or a control panel, and control of the motor 22.

[0027] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing another example of a configuration for operating the microswitch 16. In Fig. 7, a plurality of (eight, for example) protrusions 3e are integrally provided on the outer periphery of the knob 3, and the microswitch 16 is provided on the substrate 17. Here, when the knob 3 is manually rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the user, the protrusions 3e press the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, turning the microswitch 16 on (or off).

[0028] 7 also shows a magnetic sensor 18 on board 17. This magnetic sensor 18 is for determining whether the door is open or closed by detecting proximity to a magnet provided on the side of an existing door (not shown). A similar magnetic sensor is also provided on board 14 shown in FIG. 6, but is not shown. In addition to board 17, FIG. 7 also shows board 19, on which a circuit section (electronic circuit) is mounted that realizes functions such as communication with a controller such as a smartphone or control panel and control of motor 22.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the first embodiment, and is an example of processing by the circuit unit when an operation signal is received from a controller such as a smartphone or an operation panel.

[0030] 8, when the circuit unit of the electronic lock 1 receives an operation signal from the controller and starts processing, the circuit unit cancels the sleep state (step S101). In the sleep state, only functions that respond to limited state changes, such as whether or not an operation signal is received from the controller and whether the microswitch 16 is on, are active, and other functions are stopped, reducing power consumption. When the sleep state is canceled, the functions that were restricted in the sleep state are enabled.

[0031] When the sleep state is released, the circuit unit reads the value of the potentiometer 28 (the value corresponding to the rotation angle of the knob 3), obtains the current state (locked state, unlocked state, etc.), and records it in a non-volatile memory or the like within the circuit unit (step S102).

[0032] Next, the circuit unit receives the operation content from the controller (step S103), and branches the process according to the operation content (step S104).

[0033] If the operation content is related to the settings (setting in step S104), the circuit unit determines whether the settings are appropriate (step S105), and if it determines that the settings are not appropriate (No in step S105), the process returns to the operation content reception (step S103). The setting content being appropriate means, for example, that there are no contradictions in the setting content.

[0034] If the circuit unit determines that the settings are appropriate (Yes in step S105), it performs the corresponding setting process (step S106). The setting process includes, for example, setting the angle position and direction for locking and unlocking, which is performed the first time after the electronic lock 1 is installed. More specifically, the angle position (whether the knob is facing vertically or horizontally) for each of the locked and unlocked states of the thumb turn of the existing door and the direction of rotation (clockwise or counterclockwise) for transitioning to each of the locked and unlocked states are set, and the setting contents are recorded in a non-volatile memory or the like within the circuit unit. The setting process also includes setting processes for the second and subsequent electronic locks 1, setting duplicate keys, and the like.

[0035] Next, the circuit unit determines whether the setting is complete (step S107), and if it determines that the setting is not complete (No in step S107), it returns to accepting operation details (step S103). If it determines that the setting is complete (Yes in step S107), the circuit unit transitions to a sleep state (step S114) and ends the process.

[0036] On the other hand, if the operation command is to lock (lock in step S104), the circuit unit determines whether the operation command matches the state (step S108). For example, if the door is currently locked and a command to lock is issued, the circuit unit determines that the operation command does not match the state. If a command to lock is issued while the door is open, the circuit unit also determines that the operation command does not match the state.

[0037] If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state do not match (No in step S108), the process returns to the operation content reception (step S103).

[0038] If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state match (Yes in step S108), it drives motor 22 in the set locking direction to rotate thumb turn coupling part 9 (which also moves knob 3) a predetermined angle to lock (step S109), and records the latest state in a non-volatile memory or the like within the circuit unit. If, for example, clockwise is set as the locking direction, power is applied to motor 22 with a polarity corresponding to the clockwise rotation of knob 3, and the motor is driven until the value of potentiometer 28 changes by a predetermined angle (for example, 90°).

[0039] Next, the circuit unit reverses the rotation of the motor 22 by a predetermined angle to put the knob 3 into an idling state where the gear is not engaged with the knob 3 (step S110). For example, if the knob 3 has been rotated 90° clockwise to lock the door, the circuit unit rotates the motor 22 by an angle equivalent to 90° counterclockwise. Next, the circuit unit transitions to a sleep state (step S114) and ends the process.

[0040] On the other hand, if the operation command is to unlock the door (unlock in step S104), the circuit unit determines whether the operation command matches the state (step S111). For example, if the door is currently unlocked and an unlock command is issued, the circuit unit determines that the operation command does not match the state. If the door is opened and an unlock command is issued, the circuit unit also determines that the operation command does not match the state.

[0041] If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state do not match (No in step S111), the process returns to the operation content reception (step S103).

[0042] If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state match (Yes in step S111), it drives motor 22 in the set unlocking direction to rotate thumb turn coupling part 9 (which also moves knob 3) by a predetermined angle to unlock (step S112), and records the latest state in a non-volatile memory or the like in the circuit unit. If, for example, counterclockwise is set as the unlocking direction, power is applied to motor 22 with a polarity corresponding to the counterclockwise rotation of knob 3, and motor 22 is driven until the value of potentiometer 28 changes by a predetermined angle (for example, 90°).

[0043] Next, the circuit unit reverses the rotation of the motor 22 by a predetermined angle to set the motor 22 in an idling state where the knob 3 is not engaged with the gear (step S113). For example, if the knob 3 has been rotated counterclockwise by 90° to unlock the door, the circuit unit rotates the motor 22 by an angle equivalent to 90° clockwise. Next, the circuit unit transitions to a sleep state (step S114) and ends the process.

[0044] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the first embodiment, and is an example of processing of the circuit section when a manual operation is performed to turn the knob 3 of the electronic lock 1 and the microswitch 16 (Figures 6 and 7) is turned on (or off).

[0045] In FIG. 9, when the knob 3 of the electronic lock 1 is manually turned and the microswitch 16 is turned on (or off) to start processing, the circuit unit cancels the sleep state (step S201).

[0046] Next, when the sleep state is released, the circuit unit reads the value of the potentiometer 28, obtains the current state (locked state, unlocked state, etc.), and records it in a nonvolatile memory or the like within the circuit unit (step S202).

[0047] Next, the circuit unit determines whether the state of the microswitch 16 without any change in state has continued for a predetermined time (step S203), and if it determines that the state of the microswitch 16 without any change in state has not continued for the predetermined time (there has been a state change within the predetermined time) (No in step S203), it returns to status acquisition (step S202).

[0048] If the circuit unit determines that the state of the microswitch 16 has not changed for a predetermined time (Yes in step S203), it transitions to a sleep state (step S204) and ends the process.

[0049] Although the first embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0050] As described above, the electronic lock according to the first embodiment includes a knob for manual operation, a thumbturn coupling part fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft, a gear having a surface facing the bottom surface of the knob and arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft, a first protrusion provided on the bottom surface of the knob, and a second protrusion provided on the surface of the gear facing the bottom surface of the knob and capable of abutting against the first protrusion in the direction of rotation. This reduces the number of parts and increases the accuracy of positioning and rotation.

[0051] The bottom housing has a cylindrical portion whose inner circumferential surface forms a bearing for the rotating shaft and whose outer circumferential surface forms a bearing for the gear, thereby improving the accuracy of the arrangement of the rotating shaft and gear.

[0052] The knob also includes a potentiometer gear, which is either integral with the knob or separate from it and meshes with a gear fixed to the rotation shaft of a position-detecting potentiometer, allowing the rotation angle of the knob to be directly and accurately determined.

[0053] The drive system also includes a first drive gear fixed to the output shaft of the motor, a second drive gear meshing with the first drive gear, a third drive gear formed integrally with the second drive gear, a fourth drive gear meshing with the third drive gear, and a fifth drive gear formed integrally with the fourth drive gear and meshing with the gear. This makes it easy to configure the drive system.

[0054] The switch operation plate is fixed to the rotation shaft and has a protrusion that presses the operation part of the switch for detecting manual operation, making it easy to detect the rotation of the knob by manual operation by the user.

[0055] The knob also has a protrusion that is integrally formed on the outer periphery and presses the operating portion of the switch for detecting manual operation, making it easy to detect the rotation of the knob by manual operation by the user.

[0056] [Second embodiment] The second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 18. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0057] <Knob 3 Configuration> The electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment is characterized by the configuration of the knob 3. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the structure of the knob 3 in the second embodiment. The knob 3 of the second embodiment can also be expressed as a modified example of the knob 3 of the first embodiment described with reference to Figs. 3, 4, etc.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 10, the knob 3 of the second embodiment has a first member 31 and a second member 32. The first member 31 is the portion of the knob 3 that is exposed to the outside and has a knob portion 3b used for manual operation. The knob portion 3b is formed to protrude toward the z positive side of the first member 31. The second member 32 is the portion of the knob 3 that is placed inside the housing and has a potentiometer gear 3d (gear portion) that transmits the rotation angle of the knob 3 to a potentiometer 28 (first detection unit). The potentiometer gear 3d is formed concentrically with a hole 3f at the center of the main surface on the z negative side of the second member 32.

[0059] The first member 31 and the second member 32 are formed of different materials. That is, the knob portion 3b of the first member 31 and the potentiometer gear 3d of the second member 32 are formed as separate bodies.

[0060] Since the knob portion 3b of the first member 31 is an exterior component exposed on the outer surface of the electronic lock 1, it is preferable to use a material that is appropriate from the standpoint of appearance (for example, a material that can be given an attractive surface texture or a material that is easy to paint) for the first member 31. On the other hand, it is preferable to use a material that is suitable for the power transmission function (for example, a material that is non-slip and wear-resistant) for the potentiometer gear 3d of the second member 32. In the second embodiment, by making the knob 3 separate into the first member 31 and the second member 32, it is possible to use materials that are suitable for the function of each part individually, which has the advantage of forming a knob 3 that is easier to use.

[0061] A protrusion 33 that can be placed in the recess 61 of the gear 6 is provided on the main surface of the first member 31 opposite to the knob portion 3b (the z negative side). For ease of explanation, in Fig. 10, the first member 31 and the second member 32 of the knob 3 are shown in a perspective view as seen from the z negative side, and the gear 6 is shown in a perspective view as seen from the z positive side.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 10 , the protrusion 33 is formed to protrude toward the negative z direction of the first member 31. The second member 32 is provided with a hole 34 that penetrates in the z direction and through which the protrusion 33 is inserted. When the first member 31 and the second member 32 are integrally connected to form the knob 3, the protrusion 33 penetrates the hole 34 and protrudes toward the negative z direction of the knob 3. When the knob 3 and the gear 6 are assembled inside the electronic lock 1, the protrusion 33 of the knob 3 enters the recess 61 of the gear 6. The recess 61 is formed in a region between the hole 63 in the center of the gear 6 and the gear 64 on the outer edge, recessed toward the negative z direction, and extends along the circumferential direction of the gear 6.

[0063] The recess 61 is divided into two regions by a wall 62 extending along the radial direction of the gear 6, and one protrusion 33 of the knob 3 is disposed in each of the two regions. The protrusion 33 of the knob 3 and the wall 62 of the gear 6 constitute an idling mechanism, similar to the protrusion 3e of the knob 3 and the protrusion 6a of the gear 6 in the first embodiment. That is, when the drive-side gear 6 rotates, the wall 62 comes into contact with and pushes the protrusion 33 of the knob 3, thereby rotating the knob 3. Then, by reversing the gear 6 by a predetermined angle, a space is created between the wall 62 and the protrusion 33, and the knob 3 can be manually reversed without affecting the drive-side gear 6.

[0064] 10 illustrates a configuration in which the knob 3 has two protrusions 33, but the number of protrusions 33 may be other than two. The number of recesses 61 of the gear 6 is changed depending on the number of protrusions 33.

[0065] <Sensor placement> The electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment is characterized by the arrangement of the potentiometer 28 (first detection unit), microswitch 16 (second detection unit), and magnetic sensor 18 (third detection unit). Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, microswitch 16, and magnetic sensor 18 in the second embodiment. In Fig. 11, components arranged on the positive z-direction side of the circuit board 20, such as the knob 3 and gear 6, are removed from the external perspective view of the electronic lock 1 with the top housing 5 removed as shown in Fig. 2, etc., and the vicinity of the rotation shaft 4 is also shown in an enlarged view. The arrangement of the potentiometer 28, microswitch 16, and magnetic sensor 18 according to the second embodiment can also be expressed as a modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, microswitch 16, and magnetic sensor 18 according to the first embodiment described with reference to Figs. 6, 7, etc.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 11, in the second embodiment, a potentiometer 28, a microswitch 16, and a magnetic sensor 18 are mounted on the same board 20 disposed inside the electronic lock 1.

[0067] This configuration allows the board installed inside the housing of the electronic lock 1 to be miniaturized, thereby enabling the overall miniaturization of the electronic lock 1. In addition, since processing of multiple sensors can be performed collectively on a single board 20, costs can also be reduced.

[0068] Furthermore, the magnetic sensor 18 is preferably disposed near the rotation axis 4 of the thumb turn connecting portion 9. In the example of Fig. 11, the magnetic sensor 18 is disposed on the negative y side from the rotation axis 4 (on the short side of the electronic lock 1).

[0069] Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, microswitch 16, and magnetic sensor 18. The outline of Fig. 12 is the same as Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 12, the magnetic sensor 18 only needs to be arranged near the rotation axis 4 of the thumb turn connecting portion 9, and may be arranged in a position different from that shown in Fig. 11. In the example of Fig. 12, the magnetic sensor 18 is arranged on the negative x-direction side from the rotation axis 4 (towards the motor 22, in the longitudinal direction of the electronic lock 1).

[0070] The effect of placing the magnetic sensor 18 near the rotation axis 4 will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the electronic lock 1 installed on the door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the up-down direction. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the electronic lock 1 installed on the door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the left-right direction.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 13, the electronic lock 1 of this embodiment engages with a thumb turn 41 of an existing door 40 to operate the thumb turn 41. The magnetic sensor 18 can detect the open / closed state of the door 40 by detecting its proximity to a magnet 43 provided on the building side where the door 40 on which the electronic lock 1 is installed is installed (for example, the door frame 42 on which the door 40 is attached).

[0072] For example, as shown in Fig. 13, consider a magnetic sensor 18 placed near the rotating shaft 4 as an example, and a magnetic sensor 18a placed away from the rotating shaft 4 as a comparative example. In the example of Fig. 13, the magnetic sensor 18 of the example and the magnetic sensor 18a of the comparative example are both placed on the center line C of the electronic lock 1 in the longitudinal direction (the up-and-down direction in Fig. 13).

[0073] In this example, when the electronic lock 1 is installed on the door 40 with its longitudinal direction facing up and down as shown in Figure 13, the distance D1 between the magnetic sensor 18 and the magnet 43 in the embodiment is approximately the same as the distance D1a between the magnetic sensor 18a and the magnet 43 in the comparative example.

[0074] On the other hand, when the electronic lock 1 is installed on the door 40 with its longitudinal direction aligned left and right as shown in Figure 14, the distance D2 between the magnetic sensor 18 and the magnet 43 in the embodiment is significantly different from the distance D2a between the magnetic sensor 18a and the magnet 43 in the comparative example.

[0075] 13 and distance D2 of the embodiment in Fig. 14 is relatively small, so a difference in the detection accuracy of magnetic sensor 18 of the embodiment is unlikely to occur. On the other hand, a difference between distance D1a of the comparative example in Fig. 13 and distance D2a of the comparative example in Fig. 14 is relatively large, so a difference in the detection accuracy of magnetic sensor 18a of the comparative example is likely to occur.

[0076] In this way, by placing the magnetic sensor 18 near the rotation axis 4 as in this embodiment, the difference in positional relationship with the magnet 43 can be reduced regardless of whether the electronic lock 1 is installed left-right or up-down on the door 40, making it less likely that there will be differences in detection accuracy depending on the installation direction.

[0077] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18. In the second embodiment, it is sufficient that at least the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18 are mounted on the same substrate 20, and the magnetic sensor 18 does not necessarily have to be arranged near the rotating shaft 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the magnetic sensor 18 may be arranged near the side wall of the peripheral edge of the casing (bottom housing 7). For example, the magnetic sensor 18 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is arranged closer to the rotating shaft 4 than the side wall of the peripheral edge of the bottom housing 7, whereas the magnetic sensor 18 shown in FIG. 15 is arranged closer to the side wall of the peripheral edge of the bottom housing 7 than the rotating shaft 4.

[0078] <Switching structure of microswitch 16> The electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment also has a distinctive switching structure for the microswitch 16 used to detect manual operation. Figure 16 is a diagram showing the switching structure for the microswitch 16 of the second embodiment. The overview of Figure 16 is the same as that of Figure 11, with the vicinity of the microswitch 16 in Figure 11 shown enlarged. Figures 17 and 18 are perspective views of the switching structure shown in Figure 16 as viewed from the negative z direction. For ease of explanation, the bottom housing 7 is not shown in Figure 17. The switching structure for the microswitch 16 of the second embodiment can also be described as a modified example of the switching structure for the microswitch 16 of the first embodiment described with reference to Figure 6, etc.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 16, the electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment includes a cam 50 that rotates in response to rotation of the knob 3. As described above with reference to Fig. 6, the microswitch 16 detects that the actuator 16a (operating unit) is pressed and switches to the ON state (or OFF state).

[0080] Cam 50 is rotatably attached to a rotation shaft 54 ​​that stands upright in the positive z direction from the bottom surface of bottom housing 7. Cam 50 has a cylindrical rotation portion 51 that engages with rotation shaft 54, and a first arm portion 52 and a second arm portion 53 that extend in different directions from rotation portion 51. The tip of first arm portion 52 has a pressing portion 55 that presses actuator 16a of microswitch 16 when first arm portion 52 rotates in response to rotation of knob 3.

[0081] The electronic lock 1 also includes a biasing unit 56 that biases the cam 50 in the direction opposite to the rotation direction that brings the pressing unit 55 closer to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16. The biasing unit 56 is, for example, a torsion spring, and one end of the torsion spring is connected to the tip of the second arm 53 of the cam 50, and the other end is fixed to the bottom housing 7 or the like. The cam 50 can rotate against the biasing force of the biasing unit 56 in response to the rotation of the knob 3.

[0082] As shown in Fig. 17, a protrusion 57 that protrudes in the negative z direction is formed at the tip of first arm portion 52. In an actual structure, this protrusion 57 passes through a slit 58 that is formed penetrating the bottom surface of bottom housing 7, and is exposed in the negative z direction from bottom housing 7, as shown in Fig. 18. Protrusion 57 that protrudes to the outside from bottom housing 7 is positioned so as to be able to come into contact with protrusion 8a that protrudes outward in the circumferential direction from the outer peripheral surface of switch operation plate 8, and is able to slide along slit 58 in response to the pressure from protrusion 8a.

[0083] When the knob 3 is manually rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the user, and the switch operation plate 8 rotates in conjunction with the rotation as shown by arrow A in FIGS. 17 and 18, the protrusion 8a provided on the outer periphery of the switch operation plate 8 presses the protrusion 57 of the first arm portion 52 of the cam 50 radially outward. The pressing force from the switch operation plate 8 that the protrusion 57 receives causes the cam 50 to rotate around the rotation shaft 54. As a result, the first arm portion 52 moves in the rotation direction as shown by arrow B in FIGS. 16 to 18, and the second arm portion 53 moves in the rotation direction as shown by arrow C in FIGS. 16 and 17, bringing the cam 50 closer to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16.

[0084] Such rotation of the first arm portion 52 causes the pressing portion 55 to press the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, thereby turning the microswitch 16 on (or off).

[0085] 16 and 17, as second arm portion 53 rotates, biasing portion 56 applies a biasing force to second arm portion 53 in the direction opposite to the rotation direction indicated by arrow C. While protrusion 57 of first arm portion 52 is receiving a pressing force from protrusion 8a of switch operation plate 8, cam 50 can rotate against biasing force D from biasing portion 56 in response to rotation of knob 3.

[0086] On the other hand, when protrusion 57 of first arm 52 passes over protrusion 8a of switch operation plate 8 and the pressing force that protrusion 57 has been receiving from protrusion 8a is released, cam 50 rotates in a direction that moves pressing portion 55 away from actuator 16a of microswitch 16, i.e., in the direction opposite to the pressing direction (direction of arrow D) due to biasing force D that second arm 53 receives from biasing portion 56. This switches microswitch 16 off (or on).

[0087] As described above, in the second embodiment, the start-up switch (microswitch 16) is not pressed directly by a plate (a rotating element such as the switch operation plate 8), but is pressed via the cam 50. With this configuration, by appropriately adjusting the shape of the cam 50 (for example, the lengths of the first arm portion 52 and the second arm portion 53, the position of the protrusion 57 relative to the protrusion 8a of the switch operation plate 8, etc.), the degree of freedom in the placement location of the microswitch 16 is improved, making it easier to place the microswitch 16 together with other sensors on the same board 20.

[0088] Furthermore, if the degree of freedom in the placement of the microswitch 16 can be improved in this way, it is also possible to easily place the microswitch 16 near the magnetic sensor 18 near the rotation axis 4, for example, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 16. If such a placement is possible, it is also possible to reduce the area of ​​the board 20 by eliminating the portion of the board 20 on the positive x-direction side (the portion shown by diagonal lines in Fig. 16), for example, as shown in Fig. 16, and therefore the electronic lock 1 can be made even lighter and more compact.

[0089] Similarly, by adjusting the shape of the cam 50, the pressing force and timing applied from the pressing portion 55 of the cam 50 to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16 can be freely adjusted, thereby reducing the load that the microswitch 16 receives from the pressing force and also reducing the operating noise.

[0090] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Configurations in which the above-described components are appropriately combined are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible.

[0091] This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-217448, filed on November 29, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this international application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1 Electronic Lock 2 Top cover 3 knobs 31 First member 32 Second member 3b Knob 3c Cylinder part 3D Potentiometer Gear (Gear Part) 3e protrusion 4 rotation axes 5 Top housing (first housing) 6 gears 6a protrusion 7 Bottom housing (second housing) 7a Cylinder part 8 Switch operation panel 8a protrusion 9 Thumb turn connection part 16 Microswitch (second detection part) 16a Actuator (operating part) 18 Magnetic sensor (third detection unit) 21 Base housing 22 Motor 22a Output shaft 23 Warm 24 Worm Gear 25~27 Spur gear 28 Potentiometer (first detection unit) 29 Potentiometer gear 20 PCB 40 Doors 41 Thumb turn 42 Door Frame 43 Magnet 50 Cam 55 Pressing section 56 energizing section

Claims

1. An electronic lock, A top cover that covers the front surface of the electronic lock; a manual operation knob provided on the top cover; a thumb turn connecting portion fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft; a gear having a surface facing the knob and arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft; A first housing; A second housing; a motor that rotates the thumb turn connecting portion; Equipped with the first housing and the second housing are combined together with the gear therein, a driving force is transmitted from an output shaft of the motor to the gear via a plurality of driving gears arranged in the second housing; Electronic lock.

2. a base housing that accommodates the second housing; The motor is disposed on the base housing. The electronic lock according to claim 1.

3. An electronic lock, A top cover that covers the front surface of the electronic lock; a manual operation knob provided on the top cover; a thumb turn connecting portion fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft; a gear having a surface facing the knob and arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft; A first housing; A second housing; Equipped with the first housing and the second housing are combined together with a potentiometer gear therein that meshes with the gear and a gear fixed to a rotation shaft of a position detection potentiometer; Electronic lock.

Images