Electronic Deadbolt Operator with Toggle Follower for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic deadbolts face inefficiencies in energy usage and battery life due to lack of precise control over motor operation and alignment, often requiring excessive rotation and power to complete lock or unlock operations, especially when transitioning from electronic to manual operation.
Innovation Solution
The electronic deadbolt operator incorporates a powered driver with a lost motion connection and a follower that toggles between off-center positions, allowing for efficient corrective rotations and reduced power usage, along with a sensor assembly and controller that calculate initial speed and operation time based on previous lock states, enabling energy-saving operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the electronic actuator performs corrective rotation to realign with the follower after manual operation, then the deadbolt can complete lock functions from any position, but the power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts motor operation based on the current position of the deadbolt and follower. The controller determines the necessary corrective rotation angle and power duration based on real-time sensor feedback, allowing the actuator to perform minimal necessary corrections rather than fixed-length rotations, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining operational flexibility from any position
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor assembly provides continuous feedback on the angular position of the powered driver and follower. The controller uses this feedback to calculate the precise corrective rotation needed and determines when to stop motor operation, preventing excessive power consumption while ensuring proper alignment is achieved from any starting position
2Device complexity
If the powered driver rotates in a single direction from any position, then the operation is simplified, but the follower may not be properly aligned after corrective rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor assembly continuously monitors the angular position of the powered driver and follower, providing feedback to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to calculate the precise corrective rotation angle needed to realign the components after manual operation, ensuring reliable alignment is achieved while maintaining simplified single-direction rotation operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the rotation parameters (angle, duration, speed) of the powered driver based on the detected position of the follower and deadbolt. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system achieves proper alignment from any starting position while maintaining relatively simple single-direction rotation, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and alignment reliability
3Device complexity
If the electronic actuator runs for a fixed time to complete lock operations, then the control is simplified, but energy is wasted when minimal correction is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from fixed-time control to dynamic, position-based control. The controller calculates the actual rotation time needed based on the current angular position of the deadbolt and follower, allowing the actuator to run only as long as necessary to complete the lock function, thereby eliminating energy waste while maintaining relatively simple control through automated position detection and calculation
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic deadbolt operator for a deadbolt lockset comprises an electronic actuator that rotates a powered driver and a follower that has a lost motion connection with the powered driver, enabling the follower to rotate with the powered driver when the follower is inside its range of travel, and enabling the powered driver to rotate freely of the follower after the follower is pushed to a travel limit. The follower is mounted to a connector driver, which drives the deadbolt, to toggle between two oppositely-disposed off-center positions relative to the connector driver. In one off-center position, only clockwise rotation of the powered driver is operative to rotate the follower. In the opposite position, only counterclockwise rotation of the powered driver is operative to rotate the follower. The interaction between the powered driver, the follower, and stops causes the follower to toggle to an opposite position after hitting a stop.