Door Lock Indication Lights Behind Face Plate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional door lock state indication systems using lights are costly and aesthetically unappealing due to the need for drilling holes and extensive wiring, which detract from the door's appearance and increase installation complexity.

Innovation Solution

The installation of indication lights within the lock case behind the face plate, with a ring-shaped aperture in the face plate allowing light visibility from the front, utilizing a light-diffusing inside piece with recesses for LED lights that receive power directly from the lock case, eliminating the need for additional wiring and machining.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If indication lights are installed in the door or door frame by drilling holes and installing wiring, then the lock state can be indicated, but the installation cost increases and the door appearance is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelock state indicationVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The indication light system is merged with the lock case assembly, integrating the light source, diffusing element, and indication mechanism into a single unified component that installs with the lock itself, eliminating separate installation steps and additional wiring requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A light-diffusing inside piece is introduced as an intermediary element between the LED light source and the face plate aperture, serving as a mediator that diffuses the light uniformly while maintaining a compact installation structure within the lock case

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If indication lights are installed in the door or door frame by drilling holes and installing wiring, then the lock state can be indicated, but the door appearance is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelock state indicationVSAvoiddoor appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The indication light installation is extracted from the door structure itself and relocated to the lock case assembly, removing the need to drill holes in the door or frame and thereby preserving the door's original appearance while maintaining full indication functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The light indication is localized to the face plate aperture area, with the light-diffusing inside piece concentrating and directing light through the aperture to provide clear visual indication without requiring visible external components or modifications to the door surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple colors and modes of indication are implemented, then more lock states can be indicated, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindication capabilityVSAvoidlight system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The light-diffusing inside piece serves multiple functions simultaneously: it diffuses light uniformly, defines the indication pattern through its aperture geometry, and can accommodate multiple LED colors, making a single component perform what would otherwise require multiple separate elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the light-diffusing inside piece are designed with different properties (different aperture patterns, diffusing densities, or material characteristics) to enable multiple indication modes and colors from a single integrated component, allowing localized differentiation without overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This solution provides a cost-effective and stylish door lock state indication system that maintains the door's appearance without additional installation work, allowing any handle to be used and enabling various color codes for lock status indication.

Implementation Method 1

an inside piece that is of light-diffusing material is fixed behind the face plate in the lock case, in the bottom side of which inside piece recesses are made for one or more LED lights

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

an inside piece that is of light-diffusing material is fixed behind the face plate in the lock case

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight diffusion: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP2986795B1Arrangement for indicating the state of the lock of a door with indication lights, and a face plate
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 ROLLOCK
  • EP2986795B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2986795B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

Arrangement for indicating the state of the lock of a door with indication lights, which lock comprises a lock case installed in a lock housing inside the door, a handle (1), by means of which the door is opened, and a face plate (2) installed onto the surface of the door, which face plate covers the lock housing and through which the handle is installed. The invention is thus implemented in such a way that indication lights (7) are installed in the lock case behind the face plate (2), and that at least one aperture (3) is made in the face plate, through which aperture the light is visible from the front of the door.