Electronic Lock Coupling for Energy Harvesting Under Latch Blocking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic locking systems face challenges in energy harvesting when the latch shaft is blocked or decoupled from the handle shaft, limiting seamless access and requiring additional power sources.
Innovation Solution
A lock device for an electronic locking system that incorporates an energy harvesting arrangement, a transfer device movable between locking and unlocking states, and a blocking device that allows energy harvesting even when the latch shaft is blocked, enabling seamless access with a single rotation of the input member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the latch shaft is blocked or decoupled from the handle shaft to provide protection against manipulation, then security is improved, but energy harvesting capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lock device is divided into functionally independent modules: the handle shaft assembly for energy harvesting, the latch shaft assembly for security, and the transfer device for state transition. This segmentation allows the handle shaft to rotate freely for energy harvesting even when the latch shaft is blocked, resolving the contradiction between security and energy harvesting capability
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the handle shaft and latch shaft. It selectively couples or decouples these shafts based on the locking state, enabling the handle shaft to rotate independently when blocked while still allowing energy transfer when uncoupled, thus maintaining both security and energy harvesting functionality
2Reliability
If a blocking device is added to prevent manipulation of the latch, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking device is integrated with the transfer device, combining the blocking function and the power transmission function into a single mechanical assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate components while maintaining the security function, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer device serves multiple functions: it transfers power from the handle shaft to the latch shaft, blocks the latch shaft when in the locked state, and enables decoupling for energy harvesting. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate blocking mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while improving security
3Use of energy by moving object
If the handle shaft is decoupled from the latch shaft to enable energy harvesting, then energy harvesting capability is improved, but power transmission efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between the handle shaft and latch shaft is made dynamic rather than static. The transfer device enables the system to switch between coupled and decoupled states based on operational requirements, allowing optimal power transmission when needed and independent energy harvesting when the latch is blocked, thus resolving the contradiction between power transmission efficiency and energy harvesting capability
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
The solution enables efficient energy harvesting and seamless access by allowing energy generation and unlocking with a single rotation of the input member, while maintaining a compact, reliable, and cost-effective design.
Implementation Method 1
an energy harvesting arrangement configured to generate electric energy from rotation of the input member in a first direction about the input rotational axis
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
Lock device (10) for an electronic locking system (126), the lock device (10) comprising an input member (12) arranged to rotate about an input rotational axis (16); an output member (18) arranged to rotate about an output rotational axis (22); an energy harvesting arrangement (26) configured to generate electric energy from rotation of the input member (12) in a first direction (28) about the input rotational axis (16); and a selective transfer device (54) movable between a locking state, in which the output member (18) cannot be rotated about the output rotational axis (22) by means of rotation of the input member (12) about the input rotational axis (16), and an unlocking state, in which the output member (18) can be rotated about the output rotational axis (22) by means of rotation of the input member (12) in the first direction (28) about the input rotational axis (16); wherein the transfer device (54) is powered by the energy harvesting arrangement (26). An electronic locking system (126) and a method are also provided.