Perpendicular-Rotating Locking Member for Low-Force Motorized Joinery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional motorized locking devices for doors and windows require high-power motors and complex mechanisms to achieve multi-point security locking, making them bulky and inefficient, and often necessitate additional motor means for opening control, which complicates disengagement in ventilation positions.

Innovation Solution

A locking device with a locking member that rotates around an axis perpendicular to the striker plate, using a crown and toothed sector mechanism driven by an electric motor, allowing the locking member to move along a trajectory with two components: one for engagement and the other perpendicular, enabling effective locking and unlocking with lower control forces and reducing motor power requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high-power motors are used to guarantee locking function for doors and windows, then locking reliability is improved, but device size and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking function reliabilityVSAvoidmotor power and size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the locking member linearly along the engagement direction, the invention inverts the approach by rotating the locking member around an axis perpendicular to the strike plate. This rotation generates a trajectory with two components: one for engagement and one perpendicular to it, allowing the locking member to move from locked to unlocked position without requiring high linear forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from one-dimensional linear movement of the locking member to two-dimensional rotational movement around an axis perpendicular to the strike plate. This dimensional change allows the locking member to follow a curved trajectory that combines engagement direction movement with perpendicular displacement, reducing the force requirements for actuation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a single motor acts on control mechanism with transmission via operating triangles and angle drives, then multi-point security locking is achieved, but device size increases due to bulky motor housing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-point security locking capabilityVSAvoidmotor housing volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the conventional approach by having the locking member rotate around the strike plate rather than the strike plate moving relative to a fixed locking mechanism. This inversion eliminates the need for complex transmission mechanisms like operating triangles and angle drives, allowing direct actuation by a small motor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and eliminates the complex transmission mechanisms (operating triangles, angle drives) from the system by directly rotating the locking member around the strike plate axis. This extraction simplifies the mechanism while maintaining multi-point security capability through the rotational trajectory.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional motors are used for controlling opening in specific modes (tilting, ventilation), then opening mode control capability is improved, but device complexity and motor quantity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveopening mode control capabilityVSAvoidmotor quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotational control mechanism serves multiple functions: it enables full opening, tilting, and ventilation modes through different rotation angles and trajectories. The same motor and locking member configuration can achieve various opening modes by controlling the rotation extent, eliminating the need for separate motors for each function.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces dynamic control of the locking member's rotational position to achieve different opening modes. By controlling the rotation angle and trajectory, the system can dynamically switch between locked, tilted, ventilated, and fully opened states using a single motor, rather than requiring static mechanical configurations for each mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of operation

If locking member moves directly from locked to unlocked position, then locking function is simple, but control effort and required force are high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol effortVSAvoidcontrol force required
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces an intermediate ventilation position in the rotation trajectory before reaching the fully unlocked position. This preliminary action allows the locking member to gradually disengage from the strike plate, reducing the peak control force required compared to direct unlocking, while maintaining simple locking functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3101203B1Locking device and opening comprising such a device
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 FERCO
  • EP3101203B1 patent drawingFigure 1~7

AI summary

The present invention relates to a locking device (1) comprising a locking member (9) movable between at least one locked position (10) and an unlocked position (11) in cooperation with a strike plate (12) having a housing (13) provided with an opening (14) for the passage of this locking member (9), characterized in that it comprises means (15) for eccentrically controlling the rotation of said locking member (9) about an axis (16) substantially perpendicular to the plane (17) of the strike plate (12) so as, in cooperation with the latter, to move from at least one unlocked position (11) to at least one unlocked position (10). The invention further relates to joinery comprising such a locking device.