Cylindrical Lock Status Indicator Using Magnetic Field Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cylindrical door locks face challenges in transmitting the lock status between the ingress and egress sides of a door, making it difficult to signal whether the door is locked or unlocked effectively.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical lock design incorporating a magnet holder with permanent magnets, a flag, and a cuff that transitions between locked and unlocked positions, using magnetic fields to drive the cuff and flag to display the lock status on either side of the door, allowing for clear indication of the lock's state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a mechanical linkage system is used to transmit lock status between door sides, then the lock status can be transmitted, but the device complexity increases and wear on internal components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical linkage system with a magnetic field-based indicator mechanism. The lock status is transmitted through magnetic interaction between a magnet on the locking lug and a magnetic indicator assembly, eliminating the need for complex mechanical linkages and reducing wear on internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary to transmit lock status information. The magnet on the locking lug creates a magnetic field that acts on the magnetic indicator assembly, serving as a non-contact mediator to communicate lock status between the ingress and egress sides of the door.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a magnetic indicator system is used, then wear on internal components is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical contact-based status transmission with a magnetic field-based system. The magnet on the locking lug interacts with the magnetic indicator assembly through magnetic attraction/repulsion, eliminating physical wear while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
3Speed
If the flag is magnetically driven by permanent magnets, then quick status updates are achieved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic indicator assembly is designed to be self-actuating through magnetic field interaction. The magnet on the locking lug automatically drives the flag to the appropriate position (locked or unlocked) through magnetic attraction or repulsion, achieving quick status updates without requiring external actuators or complex control mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective communication of the lock status across the door, reducing wear on internal components and providing quick status updates, ensuring users can easily determine if the door is locked or unlocked.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet holder having at least one permanent magnet, the magnet holder selectively operably coupled to the first locking lug such that the magnet holder moves with the first locking lug between the locked position and the unlocked position when the magnet holder and the first locking lug are operably coupled; and a flag having a lock signal signaling the locked position of the first locking lug and an unlock signal signaling the unlocked position of the first locking lug, the flag being magnetically-driven by the at least one permanent magnet of the magnet holder
Data Source
AI summary
Lock indicators useable to signal the locked or unlocked state of one side of a cylindrical lock across the door selectively secured by the lock. For example, the present disclosure provides a cylindrical lock having an entry function with an indicator viewable by occupants of an area secured by the cylindrical lock. The lock indicators are magnetically driven.