Electromechanical Lock Coupling With Bolt Position Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric lock systems lack clear feedback to users about the lock's actual locked or unlocked state, leading to potential security risks and user confusion, and are difficult to retrofit to existing mechanical lock cases.
Innovation Solution
A lock device with an electromechanical coupling system and a sensor that provides feedback on the lock's position, allowing users to confirm if the lock is locked or unlocked, and can be easily retrofitted to existing lock cases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a sensor reading the position of a bolt is provided in a lock case, then the user receives clear feedback on lock status, but the design becomes complicated and retrofitting becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - a magnetic field sensor and magnet system - that indirectly detects bolt position without requiring direct mechanical connection or complex internal sensors within the lock case. The magnet is attached to the bolt and the sensor is positioned externally, creating a mediator system that transmits position information across the lock case boundary, thus providing feedback while keeping the lock case design relatively simple and compatible with existing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical position detection mechanisms (such as mechanical switches or direct contact sensors) with a magnetic field-based detection system. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical linkages and direct sensor integration within the lock case, reducing design complexity while still providing accurate bolt position feedback to the user through visual or auditory indicators.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coupling device can be brought to the coupled state at an arbitrary rotational position, then the lock system is flexible, but the user cannot determine the lock status based on knob position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a sensor detects the rotational position of the knob and provides real-time information about the bolt's locked or unlocked status to the user through visual (LED indicators) or auditory (beep sounds) signals. This feedback loop maintains the flexibility of arbitrary coupling positions while simultaneously solving the information loss problem by clearly indicating to the user whether the lock is secured or not, regardless of the knob's rotational position.
3Ease of operation
If no measures are taken to prevent intermediate bolt position, then the lock system is simple to operate, but the lock system may fail to meet lock standards due to unstable intermediate position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing user feedback before the locking operation is complete. The sensor system detects when the bolt reaches a stable locked position and provides confirmation feedback to the user. This allows the system to maintain operational simplicity while ensuring that the bolt achieves a secure, stable position that meets lock standards, as the user is guided to complete the rotation until confirmation is received.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism continuously monitors bolt position and provides real-time information to the user about whether the lock has reached a secure state. This prevents the bolt from remaining in unstable intermediate positions, as the user is informed when proper locking is achieved, thereby ensuring lock standard compliance without complicating the basic operation of turning the knob.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lock device (12a; 12b) comprising an input member (18) rotatable about an input axis (46); an output member (20) rotatable about an output axis (48); an electromechanical coupling device (22a; 22b) configured to adopt an uncoupled state (68), where rotation of the input member about the input axis is not transmitted to a rotation of the output member about the output axis, and a coupled state (98), where rotation of the input member about the input axis can be transmitted to a rotation of the output member about the output axis; an electric control system (24) configured to control the coupling device to switch between the uncoupled state and the coupled state; and a sensor (90) in signal communication with the control system, the sensor being configured to generate a position signal (92) indicative of a position of the output member about the output axis. A lock system (10) comprising a lock device is also provided.