Electronic Lock Cylinder Length Adjustment via Segmented Handles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lock cylinders require precise measurement of door leaf thickness and are not easily adjustable, leading to measurement errors and the need for additional components and specialist installation, which increases costs and waiting time.

Innovation Solution

An electronic lock cylinder with RFID access electronics for wireless communication, allowing for precise axial length adjustment using housing extension elements and a coupling device that ensures secure access control, enabling end customers to easily adjust the lock cylinder to match door leaf thickness without complex designs or extensive cabling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If modular locking cylinders with housing extension elements are used to adjust length, then the lock cylinder can be adapted to different door leaf thicknesses, but skilled personnel are required for assembly and additional costs and waiting time are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelength adjustment capabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The locking cylinder is divided into modular components: a basic locking cylinder unit, interchangeable housing extension elements with different lengths, and a second handle that can be positioned at different axial locations. This segmentation allows the system to be configured for different door thicknesses by simply adding or removing extension elements, making length adjustment straightforward while maintaining ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If access electronics are integrated into the first handle, then wiring effort is minimized and the second handle can accommodate excess shaft length, but the design must ensure secure coupling and access control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiring effortVSAvoidcoupling security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The access control electronics are extracted from the shaft and integrated entirely into the first handle. This eliminates the need for cables or electrical connections between the two handles, simplifying the wiring effort. The second handle is then free to be designed with sufficient internal space to accommodate any excess shaft length without electronic components interfering with the adjustment capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A coupling device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the first handle and the shaft. This coupling device ensures secure mechanical and functional connection while allowing the electronics to remain isolated in the first handle. The coupling device transmits the coupling signal from the access electronics to the shaft, maintaining reliability without requiring extensive wiring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the second handle is optimized to accommodate excess shaft length, then the adjustment range is increased, but the handle design must provide sufficient internal space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment rangeVSAvoidhandle internal space
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The second handle is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be adjusted to different axial positions along the shaft. The handle can be positioned at various locations depending on the required adjustment range, and once positioned, it is fixed in place. This dynamic design allows the same handle to accommodate different excess shaft lengths by simply changing its axial position rather than requiring different handle sizes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Facilitates easy, precise, and cost-effective length adjustment of the lock cylinder, allowing end customers to install it correctly, reducing waiting time and costs by enabling simple, secure, and accurate alignment with minimal cabling and a robust design.

Implementation Method 1

the first handle has access electronics (RFID electronic unit) for wireless communication with an electronic identification carrier (RFID transponder)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRFID wireless communication: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3348751B1Electronic locking cylinder
Publication Date: 2019.10.09 BKS
  • EP3348751B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3348751B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3348751B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic locking cylinder (10), comprising a cylinder housing (12) with an axial passage (14), a shaft (18) rotatably mounted in the axial passage (14), and a locking bolt (20) non-rotatably coupled to the shaft (18), wherein the cylinder housing (12) is configured to be axially extended by means of housing extension elements (22), and wherein a first handle (24) and a second handle (26) are arranged at each end of the cylinder housing (12), is designed and further developed in such a way as to enable simple and precise length adjustment by means of simple design features, such that the first handle (24) has access electronics (28) for wireless communication with an electronic identification carrier (30), wherein the access electronics (28) are configured to generate a release signal when the identification carrier (30) is authorized to access the cylinder.that the second handle (26) is connected to the shaft (18), wherein the axial position of the second handle (26) relative to the shaft (18) is adjustable, and that the second handle (26) is designed such that it can accommodate an excess length of the shaft (18) inside (32) the second handle (26).