Dual-Locking Electric Door Strike for Low-Power Mode Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric door strikes require significant power consumption and often necessitate replacement or modification to switch between fail-safe and fail-secure modes of operation, lacking the ability to return to an original state during power failures.

Innovation Solution

A low-power electric door strike with a dual shaft motor and dual plungers, utilizing a locking mechanism that includes worm cams and resilient members to selectively engage and disengage with a keeper, allowing easy mode switching and power failure recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dual solenoid design is used to secure the keeper in locked state, then the reliability of forced entry prevention is improved, but the power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforced entry preventionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dual shaft motor that operates intermittently rather than continuously. The motor rotates the shafts periodically to position the resilient members and plungers, rather than requiring continuous power to maintain the locked state. This periodic action significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional dual solenoid mechanical system with a motor-driven system using resilient members and worm cams. This substitution allows the system to use mechanical energy storage (spring potential energy) and friction (worm gear self-locking) to maintain the locked state without continuous electrical power, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a dual solenoid design is used for fail-safe and fail-secure modes, then the reliability of security operation is improved, but the device complexity increases requiring replacement or modification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity operationVSAvoidmode switching complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs a universal locking mechanism where the same dual shaft motor, resilient members, and plungers serve both fail-safe and fail-secure modes. By configuring the motor rotation direction and plunger positioning, the system can operate in either mode without requiring different hardware components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining security reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a mode selector switch that dynamically configures the electrical connections to the motor. This allows the system to switch between fail-safe and fail-secure modes by changing the control logic and wiring configuration, rather than requiring physical hardware changes. The dynamic reconfiguration simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining both security modes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If continuous power is supplied to dual solenoid, then the reliability of locked state maintenance is improved, but the loss of energy increases during extended operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocked state maintenanceVSAvoidenergy loss during extended operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses resilient members (springs) that store mechanical energy in advance. When the motor positions the plungers to engage with the strike housing, the resilient members are compressed or extended to store potential energy. This stored energy maintains the locked state without requiring continuous electrical power, thereby reducing energy loss during extended operation while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The worm cam mechanism provides self-locking through friction, automatically maintaining the plunger position without requiring continuous motor power. The system serves itself by using the mechanical properties of the worm cam and resilient members to hold the locked state, eliminating the need for continuous energy input while maintaining security reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260043274A1Low-power electric door strike including dual locking mechanism

Publication Date: 2026.02.12 HANCHETT ENTRY SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A locking mechanism associated with a keeper of an electric strike is provided. The mechanism comprises a dual shaft actuator, first and second worm cams coupled to respective shafts, and first and second plungers. A first end portion of first and second resilient members are operably engaged with first and second worm cams, and a second end portion is fixedly coupled with respective first and second plungers. When the actuator rotates the shafts in a first rotational direction, the first and second worm gears move the first and second resilient members toward one another to place the first and the second plungers in a retracted position. When the actuator rotates the first and second shafts in a second rotational direction, the first and second worm gears move the first and second resilient members away from one another to thereby place the first and second plungers in an extended position.