U.S. patent application number 16/687223 was filed with the patent office on 2020-12-03 for combination lock with electronic override key.
This patent application is currently assigned to Digilock Asia Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Digilock Asia Ltd.. Invention is credited to Asil Gokcebay, An Zhang.
Application Number | 20200378155 16/687223 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005218622 |
Filed Date | 2020-12-03 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200378155 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zhang; An ; et al. |
December 3, 2020 |
COMBINATION LOCK WITH ELECTRONIC OVERRIDE KEY
Abstract
A combination lock can be operated manually via the manipulation
of dials and by way of an electronic key. The lock includes one or
more rotatable selectors each having multiple indicia disposed
thereon. Rotation of the rotatable selectors to predetermined
indicia places the lock in the unlocked position. The lock can
further include an electronic port and an actuator. Upon receipt of
a predetermined credential via the port, the actuator can place the
lock in in the unlocked position. The lock further includes a knob
that, when the lock is in the unlocked position, can be rotated
between a first position in which the lock is in a closed position
and a second position in which the lock is in an open position. The
combination lock may automatically scramble the positions of the
dials upon opening for security purposes.
Inventors: |
Zhang; An; (Shaoguan,
CN) ; Gokcebay; Asil; (Petaluma, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Digilock Asia Ltd. |
Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon |
|
HK |
|
|
Assignee: |
Digilock Asia Ltd.
Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon
HK
|
Family ID: |
1000005218622 |
Appl. No.: |
16/687223 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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16427226 |
May 30, 2019 |
10487541 |
|
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16687223 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B 47/0657 20130101;
E05B 37/12 20130101; G07C 9/00182 20130101; E05B 49/00 20130101;
E05B 37/0034 20130101; E05B 47/0001 20130101; E05B 65/025 20130101;
E05B 47/0603 20130101; E05B 37/0048 20130101; E05B 47/0673
20130101 |
International
Class: |
E05B 47/06 20060101
E05B047/06; E05B 37/00 20060101 E05B037/00; E05B 47/00 20060101
E05B047/00; E05B 37/12 20060101 E05B037/12; E05B 49/00 20060101
E05B049/00; G07C 9/00 20060101 G07C009/00 |
Claims
1. A combination lock with electronic override, the combination
lock comprising: a knob or handle selectively rotatable between a
closed position and an open position; a rotatable core operatively
coupled to the knob or handle on a first end, the rotatable core
operatively coupled to a locking element on a second end; a slider
operatively coupled to the knob or handle and disposed between the
knob or handle and the locking element; one or more rotatable
selectors, each rotatable selector having multiple indicia disposed
thereon, wherein rotation of the one or more rotatable selectors to
predetermined indicia is configured to place the combination lock
in a first unlocked position; a microcontroller, an access terminal
configured to receive a credential and in communication with the
microcontroller, and an actuator in communication with the
microcontroller, the actuator operatively coupled to the locking
slider, wherein upon receipt of a predetermined credential by the
access terminal, the microcontroller is configured to direct the
actuator to translate the slider from a first slider position to a
second slider position, wherein when the slider is in the second
slider position, the combination lock is in a second unlocked
position; wherein the combination lock is configured such that in
either the first unlocked position or the second unlocked position,
the knob or handle and rotatable core are simultaneously rotatable
to shift the combination lock between the closed position and the
open position.
2. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a
linear actuator or electric motor.
3. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is
a connector configured to receive an electronic key.
4. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is
a wireless receiver configured to receive the predetermined
credential wirelessly.
5. The combination lock of claim 4, wherein the wireless receiver
is configured to receive one or more of Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, and
RFID signals.
6. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the actuator is
disposed in a chamber between the knob or handle and rotatable
core.
7. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the locking element is
a cam, bolt, or latch.
8. The combination lock of claim 1, the slider translating through
an opening in a sidewall of the rotatable core or knob or handle,
wherein in the first position, a locking end of the slider is
external to the sidewall.
9. The combination lock of claim 8, further comprising a locking
arm terminating in a locking end, the locking arm being shiftable
from a first locking arm position to a second locking arm position
upon rotation of the rotatable selectors to the predetermined
indicia.
10. The combination lock of claim 9, wherein when the slider is in
the first slider position and the locking arm is in the first
locking arm position, the locking end of the locking arm prevents
rotation of the knob or handle by blocking rotational movement of
the locking end of the slider.
11. A combination lock with electronic override, the combination
lock comprising: a knob or handle selectively rotatable between a
closed position and an open position; a rotatable core operatively
coupled to the knob or handle on a first end, the rotatable core
operatively coupled to a locking element on a second end; a slider
operatively coupled to the knob or handle and disposed between the
knob or handle and the locking element; one or more rotatable
selectors, each rotatable selector having multiple indicia disposed
thereon, wherein rotation of the one or more rotatable selectors to
a predetermined indicium is configured to place the combination
lock in a first unlocked position; a microcontroller, an access
terminal configured to receive a credential and in communication
with the microcontroller, and an actuator in communication with the
microcontroller, the actuator operatively coupled to the locking
slider, wherein upon receipt of a predetermined credential by the
access terminal, the microcontroller is configured to direct the
actuator to translate the slider from a first slider position to a
second slider position, wherein when the slider is in the second
slider position, the combination lock is in a second unlocked
position; wherein the combination lock is configured such that in
either the first unlocked position or the second unlocked position,
the knob or handle and rotatable core are simultaneously rotatable
to shift the combination lock between the closed position and the
open position; and a reset arm operatively connected to the knob or
handle, wherein rotation of the knob or handle shifts the reset arm
from a first reset arm position to a second reset arm position, the
one or more rotatable selectors each including a cam follower, the
reset arm configured to engage the cam followers in the second
reset arm position and drive the one or more rotatable selectors to
a reset position.
12. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a
linear actuator or electric motor.
13. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is
a connector configured to receive an electronic key.
14. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the access terminal is
a wireless receiver configured to receive the predetermined
credential wirelessly.
15. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the actuator is
disposed in a chamber between the knob or handle and rotatable
core.
16. The combination lock of claim 1, wherein the locking element is
a cam, bolt, or latch.
17. The combination lock of claim 1, the slider translating through
an opening in a sidewall of the rotatable core or knob or handle,
wherein in the first slider position, a locking end of the slider
is external to the sidewall.
18. The combination lock of claim 17, further comprising a locking
arm terminating in a locking end, the locking arm being shiftable
from a first locking arm position to a second locking arm position
upon rotation of the rotatable selectors to the predetermined
indicia.
19. The combination lock of claim 18, wherein when the slider is in
the first slider position and the locking arm is in the first
locking arm position, the locking end of the locking arm prevents
rotation of the knob or handle by blocking the rotational path of
the locking end of the slider.
20. A combination lock with electronic override configured to mount
to a standard three-hole locker prep on a door, the combination
lock comprising: a housing; a knob or handle located on a front
side of the housing and selectively rotatable between a closed
position and an open position; a rotatable core operatively coupled
to the knob or handle on a first end, the rotatable core
operatively coupled to a locking element on a second end, the
rotatable core extending out a rear side of the housing; a first
fastener and a second fastener each extending rearwardly from the
housing, the first fastener being on one side of the rotatable
core, the second fastener being on the opposite side of the
rotatable core; a slider operatively coupled to the knob or handle
and disposed between the knob or handle and the locking element;
one or more rotatable selectors, each rotatable selector having
multiple indicia disposed thereon, wherein rotation of the one or
more rotatable selectors to a predetermined indicium is configured
to place the combination lock in a first unlocked position; a
microcontroller, an access terminal configured to receive a
credential and in communication with the microcontroller, and an
actuator in communication with the microcontroller, the actuator
operatively coupled to the slider, wherein upon receipt of a
predetermined credential by the access terminal, the
microcontroller is configured to direct the actuator to translate
the slider from a first slider position to a second slider
position, wherein when the slider is in the second slider position,
the combination lock is in a second unlocked position; wherein the
combination lock is configured such that in either the first
unlocked position or the second unlocked position, the knob or
handle and rotatable core are simultaneously rotatable to shift the
combination lock between the closed position and the open
position.
21. The combination lock of claim, the one or more rotatable
selectors comprising a first rotatable selector and second
rotatable selector disposed on a first side of the knob or handle,
and a third rotatable selector and a fourth rotatable selector
disposed on a second side of the knob or handle opposite the
first.
22. The combination lock of claim 21, further comprising a reset
arm operatively connected to the knob or handle, wherein rotation
of the knob or handle shifts the reset arm from a first reset arm
position to a second reset arm position, the one or more rotatable
selectors each including a cam follower, the reset arm configured
to engage the cam followers in the second reset arm position and
drive the one or more rotatable selectors to a reset position.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims
priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/427,226, filed on
May 30, 2019, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,487,541 on Nov. 26,
2019.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present subject matter is concerned with security of
lockers, safes, desks, file cabinets, or other storage devices
assigned for temporary or long-term use, especially lockers. In
particular, disclosed herein is a mechanical combination lock,
having no battery power, that includes an electronic key override.
In one instance, the disclosed combination lock can be used in
conjunction with a locker having a standard three-hole locker door
prep layout, to replace a standard key or combination lock fitting
the same locker door. In another instance, the combination lock
automatically scrambles the positions of the dials upon opening for
security purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Combination locks, such as those for lockers, are known.
Lockers in secondary schools and health club locker rooms may
include a mechanical combination lock with a mechanical key
override. The mechanical key can be used when a student or a user
has forgotten his or her combination, and an administrator can use
the mechanical key to both open the lock and reset the combination.
Moreover, a school administrator uses the mechanical key at the end
of a school year to open all lockers, to individually re-set all
combinations, then records the new combinations of each locker.
Many of these locks have mechanical key lock cylinders inside the
lock which are either not accessible to rekey or very labor
intensive to remove, rekey, and reinstall. The administrator must
do so to ensure that the older students who were previously
assigned a locker do not have the combination for the forthcoming
years. This process is laborious, time-consuming, and expensive.
Moreover, if the administrator key is lost, the locks must be
re-cored or re-keyed. Other mechanical combination locks having
mechanical override keys are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.
9,222,283, assigned to the assignee of the present application,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,877,345, 7,444,844, 7,628,047, 7,958,757,
8,234,891, 8,316,675, and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos.
2009/0301147 and 2008/0307838.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 8,769,999 describes a mechanical combination
lock, where a mechanical key can be used with the lock to identify
the unlocking combination. While it primarily describes a
mechanical key, in a parenthetical it mentions an electronically
operated mechanism that can identify the unlocking combination. But
it fails to disclose any structure whatsoever for the
electronically operated mechanism or how it operates.
[0005] Electronically-operated locks, moreover, are known as well.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,886,644 and 5,894,277, owned by the assignee of
this application, describe electronic locker locks to fit a
standard three-hole door prep layout as well as other doors. The
electronic locks described in those patents comprise two housings,
mounted at front and back of the door, and electronically connected
through the center hole of the three-hole door prep layout, and
they included an electromagnetically-driven latch, retracted
automatically by the lock device when the proper code was entered
by a user, either via a keypad or an electronic ID device such as
an iButton.RTM.. U.S. Pat. No. 8,161,781 likewise discloses an
electronically-operated lock to fit a standard three-hole door
prep. All three patents are incorporated herein by reference.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 9,121,199 discloses an electronic combination
lock that can be operated via touchscreen and also with an
electronic key. The same access code is sent to the microprocessor
to open the lock, regardless of whether the access code is entered
via the touchscreen or input via the electronic key.
[0007] There is a need for a mechanical combination lock that can
be opened by an administrator or manager with an electronic key of
relatively inexpensive construction, particularly for lockers but
with more versatility as to use on various standard designs,
modularity as to assembly and opposite-hand use, easy
programmability and convenience and simplicity to the user. It
would be particularly advantageous if the mechanical combination
lock required no battery storage within its housing, but still
permitted an electronic key to override the mechanical combination
and unlock it. Finally, it would be advantageous if the lock
scrambled the dial combination upon opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A combination lock with electronic override includes a knob
or a handle that is selectively rotatable between a closed position
and an open position. A rotatable core is operatively coupled to
the knob or handle on a first end, and the rotatable core is
operatively coupled to a locking element on a second end. A slider
is operatively coupled to the knob or handle and disposed between
the knob or handle and the drive shaft. One or more rotatable
selectors each has multiple indicia disposed thereon, wherein
rotation of the one or more rotatable selectors to a predetermined
indicium is configured to place the combination lock in a first
unlocked position.
[0009] The combination lock further includes a microcontroller, an
access terminal in communication with the microcontroller that is
configured to receive a credential, and an actuator in
communication with the microcontroller, the actuator operatively
coupled to the locking slider, wherein upon receipt of a
predetermined credential by the access terminal, the
microcontroller is configured to direct the actuator to translate
the slider from a first slider position to a second slider
position, wherein when the slider is in the second slider position,
the combination lock is in a second unlocked position.
[0010] The combination lock is configured such that in either the
first unlocked position or the second unlocked position, the knob
or handle and rotatable core are simultaneously rotatable to shift
the combination lock between the closed position and the open
position. A reset arm is operatively connected to the knob or
handle, wherein rotation of the knob or handle shifts the reset arm
from a first reset arm position to a second reset arm position. The
one or more rotatable selectors each include a cam follower, and
the reset arm is configured to engage the cam followers in the
second reset arm position and drive the one or more rotatable
selectors to a reset position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective of a first example
of a combination lock with an electronic key override mounted to a
locker door.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a top view of the combination lock and door of
FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the combination lock of FIG.
1, including an alternative locking mechanism.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the combination lock of FIG. 3.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a front view of the outer housing of the
combination lock of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the outer housing
of the combination lock of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 6a is a detail view of a cam wheel of FIG. 6.
[0018] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the combination
lock of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A in FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-section and exploded detail view
of a knob assembly and drive shaft of the combination lock.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a second partial cross-section and exploded detail
view of the knob assembly and drive shaft of the combination
lock.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
A-A in FIG. 5, in which the outer housing of FIG. 1 is in the
unlocked position, and the knob is pointed to the closed
symbol.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, in which the outer housing is in the same position
as in FIG. 10.
[0023] FIG. 12 is a partial cross-section view taken along line A-A
in FIG. 5, in which the outer housing of FIG. 1 is in the unlocked
position, and the knob is pointed to the open symbol.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a partial cross section view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, in which the outer housing is in the same position
as in FIG. 12.
[0025] FIG. 14 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
A-A in FIG. 5, in which the outer housing of FIG. 1 is in the
locked position, and the knob is pointed to the closed symbol.
[0026] FIG. 15 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, in which the outer housing is in the same position
as in FIG. 14.
[0027] FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of the combination lock
of FIG. 1 and an electronic override key.
[0028] FIG. 17 is a partial cross-section view of the outer housing
of FIG. 1, taken along line B-B in FIG. 5, in which the electronic
key has overridden the mechanical combination lock and placed the
outer housing into the unlocked position.
[0029] FIG. 18 is a partially-exploded perspective view of the
outer housing of FIG. 1 depicting an indicator.
[0030] FIG. 19 is a partial cross-section view of an outer housing
for a second example of a combination lock, taken along B-B in FIG.
5, which includes an alternative actuating system, and in which the
electronic key has overridden the combination lock and placed the
lock into the unlocked position.
[0031] FIG. 20 is a partial cross-section and exploded detail view
of a knob assembly and drive shaft of the outer housing, for use
with a third example of a combination lock.
[0032] FIG. 21 is a second partial cross-section and exploded
detail view of the knob assembly and drive shaft of FIG. 20.
[0033] FIG. 22 is a partial cross-section view of the third example
of the combination lock, taken along line A-A in FIG. 5, having the
actuating system disclosed in FIG. 20, in which the outer housing
is in the unlocked position, and the knob is pointed to the closed
symbol.
[0034] FIG. 23 is a partial cross section view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing disclosed in FIG. 22, in which
the outer housing is in same position as in FIG. 22.
[0035] FIG. 24 is a partial cross-section view taken along line A-A
in FIG. 5, of the outer housing disclosed in FIG. 22, in which the
outer housing is in the unlocked position, and the knob has been
rotated to the open symbol.
[0036] FIG. 25 is a partial cross-section view taken along line B-B
in FIG. 5, of the outer housing disclosed in FIG. 22, in which the
outer housing is in the same position as in FIG. 24.
[0037] FIG. 26 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
A-A in FIG. 5, of the outer housing disclosed in FIG. 22, in which
the outer housing is in the locked position, and the knob is
pointed to the closed symbol.
[0038] FIG. 27 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing disclosed in FIG. 22, in which
the outer housing is in the same position as in FIG. 26.
[0039] FIG. 28 is a partial cross-section view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing disclosed in FIG. 22, in which
the electronic key has overridden the mechanical combination lock
and placed the outer housing in the unlocked position.
[0040] FIG. 29 is an exploded detail view of a knob assembly and
drive shaft for use with a fourth example of a combination
lock.
[0041] FIG. 30 is a perspective assembly view of the knob assembly
and drive shaft of FIG. 29.
[0042] FIG. 31 is a perspective view of an outer housing of the
fourth example of a combination lock with the knob exploded from
the casing.
[0043] FIG. 32 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of outer housing of FIG. 31, in the unlocked
position, incorporating the exemplary actuating system of FIG. 29,
and with the back plate removed.
[0044] FIG. 33 is a plan view of the outer housing of FIG. 32.
[0045] FIG. 34 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing of FIG. 32, in the locked
position.
[0046] FIG. 35 is a plan view of the outer housing of FIG. 34.
[0047] FIG. 36 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing of FIG. 32, in which the
electronic key has overridden the mechanical combination lock and
placed the outer housing into the unlocked position.
[0048] FIG. 37 is a side view of the outer housing of FIG. 32, in
partial cutaway, in which the electronic key has overridden the
mechanical combination lock and placed the outer housing into the
unlocked position.
[0049] FIG. 38 is an exploded detail view of a knob assembly and
drive shaft for use with a fifth example of a combination lock.
[0050] FIG. 39 is a perspective assembly view of the knob assembly
and drive shaft of FIG. 38.
[0051] FIG. 40 is an exploded detail view of the knob assembly and
drive shaft of FIG. 38 from a rear perspective.
[0052] FIG. 41 is an exploded perspective view in partial cutaway
of the actuating system of FIG. 38.
[0053] FIG. 42 is a partial cross-sectional view of the fifth
example of the combination lock, taken along line B-B in FIG. 5, of
an outer housing, in the unlocked position, incorporating the
actuating system of FIG. 38, with a bolt locking element.
[0054] FIG. 43 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing of FIG. 42, in the locked
position, incorporating the actuating system of FIG. 38 and with a
cam blade locking element.
[0055] FIG. 44 is a partial cross-sectional view, taken along line
B-B in FIG. 5, of the outer housing of FIG. 42, in partial cutaway,
in which the electronic key has overridden the mechanical
combination lock and placed the outer housing into the unlocked
position.
[0056] FIG. 45 is a perspective view of a sixth example of a
combination lock.
[0057] FIG. 46 is an exploded perspective view of the combination
lock of FIG. 45 mounted to a door or panel.
[0058] FIG. 47 is a top view of the combination lock of FIG. 45
mounted to a door or panel.
[0059] FIG. 48 is an exploded perspective view of the combination
lock of FIG. 45.
[0060] FIG. 49 is a section view of an electronic actuating
assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG. 48.
[0061] FIG. 50 is a section view of a second example of an
electronic actuating assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG.
48.
[0062] FIG. 51 is a front view of the combination lock of FIG. 45,
with the housing in partial cutaway, with the cam wheels engaged
with the rotatable dials.
[0063] FIG. 52 is a front view of the combination lock of FIG. 45,
with the housing in partial cutaway, with the cam wheels disengaged
from the rotatable dials.
[0064] FIG. 53 is a right side view of the combination lock of FIG.
45, with the housing in partial cutaway.
[0065] FIG. 54 is a perspective view of the combination lock of
FIG. 45, with the housing in partial cutaway.
[0066] FIG. 54A is a right side view of the combination lock of
FIG. 45, with the housing in partial cutaway.
[0067] FIG. 55 is a section view of the electronic actuating
assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG. 48.
[0068] FIG. 56 is a section view of the second example of the
electronic actuating assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG.
48.
[0069] FIG. 57 is a rear view of the combination lock of FIG. 45,
with the housing in partial cutaway.
[0070] FIG. 58 is a section view of the electronic actuating
assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG. 48.
[0071] FIG. 59 is a section view of the second example of the
electronic actuating assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG.
48.
[0072] FIG. 60 is a rear view of the combination lock of FIG. 45,
with the housing in partial cutaway.
[0073] FIG. 61 is a perspective view of the combination lock of
FIG. 45, in partial cutaway, with an electronic key applied.
[0074] FIG. 62 is a section view of the electronic actuating
assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG. 48.
[0075] FIG. 63 is a section view of the second example of the
electronic actuating assembly taken along line 49-49 in FIG.
48.
[0076] FIG. 64 is a perspective view of a seventh example of a
combination lock.
[0077] FIG. 65 is an exploded perspective view of the combination
lock of FIG. 64 mounted to a door or panel.
[0078] FIG. 66 is a front view of the combination lock of FIG. 64
in partial cutaway.
[0079] FIG. 67 is a front view of the combination lock of FIG. 64
in partial cutaway.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0080] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first example of a combination lock 10,
including an outer housing 12 and locking mechanism 14, that is
fixed to a door 16. In this example, the door 16 is a door for a
locker, and has the standard three-hole door prep as known in the
art, with two opposed mounting holes 18, 20 at top and bottom and a
larger center hole 22. The locking mechanism 14 includes through
holes 24, 26 that are coaxial with the mounting holes 18, 20 in the
locker door, and the outer housing 12 includes internally threaded
holes (not shown) likewise coaxial. The combination lock 10 can be
mounted to the door 16 via threaded bolts 28 as depicted in FIG. 1.
In other examples not shown, the combination lock 10 can be
integral to the locker door 16 and therefore mounted permanently to
the door 16. Moreover, the combination lock 10 and door 16 can be
one of many in a system of lockers, such as in a school, locker
room, or corporate environment. Further, the combination lock 10
can be employed in other enclosures, such as, for example, drawers,
desks, cabinets, and other panels.
[0081] The locking mechanism 14 includes a housing 30, a bolt 32,
and a rotatable shaft 34 operatively coupled to the bolt 32 in a
known manner. Rotation of the shaft 34 90 degrees will retract the
bolt 32 into the housing, such that the combination lock 10 is in
the open position. Rotating the shaft 34 90 degrees
counterclockwise will extend the bolt 32 out from the housing 30,
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, such that the combination lock 10 is in
the closed position.
[0082] The bolt locking mechanism 14 is a typical application of a
combination lock 10, and other locking mechanisms can be used. For
example, FIGS. 3 and 4 depict a second example of a locking
mechanism 36 operable with the outer housing 12 including a cam 38
that is likewise rotatable via operation of the combination lock
10. Rotation of the cam 38 while the door 16 is closed can place
the cam 38 behind a strike plate or door frame to lock the door
16.
[0083] One of ordinary skill will understand that other locking
mechanisms, such as slam-latch locking mechanisms, drop cam locking
mechanisms, and the like, can be adapted to the combination lock
10. As is known, in a slam latch, the latch is spring loaded and
has an angled face such that as the door is closing, the latch
contacts a strike plate on the door frame and is pushed into the
locking mechanism. Once the door is fully closed and the latch
passes by the strike plate, however, the latch extends out again
from the latch housing under the force of the spring, thereby
maintaining the door closed. Again, rotation of the shaft 34 will
retract the latch into the housing 12.
[0084] Referring now to FIG. 5, the outer housing 12 includes a
rotatable knob 40 with an arrow indicator 42 disposed on it. The
outer housing 12 also includes a closed position symbol 44 and open
position symbol 46. When the knob 40 is rotated such that the arrow
indicator 42 points to the closed position symbol 44, as shown in
FIG. 5, the combination lock is in the closed position, such that,
for example, the bolt 32 is extended out from the housing 30 of the
locking mechanism 14 (as shown in FIG. 1), or cam 38 is rotated
down, and the door 16 is secured in a closed position. In this
position, the bolt 32 or cam 38 can extend into a recess in or
behind a frame of the locker (not shown), or into or behind a
strike plate (not shown) affixed to the locker, to secure the
locker door shut, as is known in the art. Referring back to FIG. 5,
the knob 40 can be rotated counterclockwise so that the arrow
indicator 42 points to the open position symbol 46, the combination
lock 10 is in an open position. The bolt 32 is retracted into the
housing 30 of the locking mechanism 14 (or the cam 38 is rotated
upwardly) away from the frame of the locker or the locker strike
plate, and a user can freely open and close the door 16. While the
knob 40 is disclosed as generally cylindrical in shape, the knob 40
can also include a handle having a lever extending laterally
outward to allow easier rotation of the knob 40.
[0085] The outer housing 12 further includes four rotatable dials
48, each with the indicia 50 printed on them. In this example, the
indicia 50 are the numerals 0-9. The outer housing 12 also includes
four windows 52 that each allow a single numeral to be viewed, and
thereby indicate to the user the currently selected number for each
dial. As will be described herein, selection of four pre-selected
indicia 50 will place the combination lock 10 in an unlocked
position.
[0086] Referring now to FIGS. 6, 6a, and 7, the outer housing 12
further includes a casing 54 and a back plate 56. Dials shafts 58
extend from shaft recesses 60 in the back plate 56 to similar
recesses (not shown) in the casing 54. Disposed on the dial shafts
58 are the rotatable dials 48, cam wheels 62, and cam springs 64.
Moreover, as best shown in FIG. 7, disposed on the back of the
rotatable dials 48 and affixed to the dials 48 are 10-point star
drivers 66. The dial shafts 58 each define an axis A about which
the rotatable dials 48 and cam wheels 62 rotate. As best seen in
FIG. 6A, each of the cam wheels 62 have an outer periphery 68 that
is generally D-shaped in cross-section with a curved section 70 and
a flat section 72. Each of the cam wheels 62 further include a
shoulder 74 with a cylindrical projection 76 extending in a
direction F and a 10-point star recess 78 within the projection 76
that is complementary to the 10-point star drivers 66 of the
rotatable dials 48. The cam springs 64 bias the cam wheels 62 away
from the back plate 56 in direction F such that the star drivers 66
are normally engaged with the star recesses 78, and rotation of the
dials 48 rotates the cam wheels 62 about axis A.
[0087] Also disposed within the outer housing 12 is a locking plate
80 and a cam plate 82. The locking plate 80 includes locking
springs 84 that bear against posts 86 (best seen in FIG. 15) that
extend rearwardly from the casing 54. The locking springs 84 bias
the locking plate 80 in a downward direction D as shown in FIG. 6.
The peripheries 68 of the cam wheels 62 bear on linear bearing
surfaces 88 of the locking plate 80, and therefore rotational
motion of the cam wheels 62, in combination with the biasing force
of the locking springs 84, controls linear motion of the locking
plate 80 in directions U and D. In other words, when the flat
surfaces 72 of each of the four cam wheels 62 are engaged with the
linear bearing surfaces 88 of the locking plate 80, the locking
springs 84 bias the locking plate 80 and translate the locking
plate 80 in direction D. The locking plate 80 also includes a push
rod 90 that aids in the locking and unlocking of the combination
lock 10, as will be described below.
[0088] The cam plate 82 includes four circular openings 92 that are
coaxial with the dial shafts 58, and it is biased against the cam
wheels 62 by cam plate springs 94 (only two of which are shown in
FIG. 6). The shoulders 74 of the cam wheels 62 bear on the distal
side of the cam plate 82 with the projections 76 of the cam wheels
62 extending through openings 92 in the cam plate 82 such that the
cam wheels 62 rotate relative to the cam plate 82. The cam plate
springs 94 include detents 96, and the rotatable dials 48 include
complementary recesses 98 (see FIG. 7) corresponding to each
indicium 50, such that when rotating the rotatable dials 48, the
dial 48 will snap into place for each indicium 50 viewable through
a window 52.
[0089] Referring now to FIGS. 6, 8, and 9, a retaining plate 100 is
disposed in the outer housing 12 and is affixed to the knob 40 via
screws 102. As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the retaining plate 100
includes a slot 104 within which a locking slider 106 can slide
back and forth. Accordingly, rotation of the knob 40 will likewise
rotate the retaining plate 100 and the locking slider 106. As will
be discussed in further detail later, disposed within the knob 40
is a circuit board 108 with a microcontroller 109 and a swing
actuator 110 having an arm 112 that extends through a slotted hole
114 in the retaining plate 100 and into a recess 116 in the locking
slider 106. Moreover, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, the push bar
90 of the locking plate 80 engages the base portion of the locking
slider 106, and the translational movement of the locking plate 80
in directions U and D, as described above, in combination with the
swing actuator 110, serves to control movement of the locking
slider 106 within the slot 104.
[0090] Also disposed within the outer housing 12 is a drive shaft
118. Extending from the distal side of the drive shaft 118 is a
boss 120. The boss 120 extends through an opening in the back plate
56 of the outer housing 12, through the center hole 22 in the
locker door 16, and into the rotatable shaft 34 of the locking
mechanism 14. As can be seen and is known, rotation of the drive
shaft 118 controls the locking mechanism 14.
[0091] On the proximal side of the drive shaft 118 is an inner
cylinder 122 having upper and lower notches 124, 126 in the
sidewall of the inner cylinder 122. The locking slider 106 is sized
such that its length is shorter than the interior diameter of the
inner cylinder 122, that it can freely rotate within the inner
cylinder 122, and rotation of the knob 40 therefore does not engage
the drive shaft 118. When the locking slider 106 is within the
inner cylinder 122, the combination lock 10 is in the "locked
position." The position of the locking slider 106 can be linearly
shifted, however, such that it is disposed within either the upper
notch 124 or the lower notch 126. In these positions, the locking
slider 106 engages the inner cylinder 122, and rotation of the knob
40 will rotate the drive shaft 118. In this position, the
combination lock is in an "unlocked position." The drive shaft 118
also includes an outer cylinder 128 that defines a cylindrical cam
surface 130, which will be discussed in more detail below. The
upper and lower notches 124, 126 are collectively referred to
herein as a recess.
[0092] The operation of the combination lock 10 will now be
described. FIGS. 10 and 11 depict the outer housing 12 in the
unlocked position, but the knob 40 still positioned such that it
points to the closed position symbol 44; i.e., the user has
unlocked the combination lock 10, but has yet to open it. The user
has rotated the dials 48 to the pre-selected unlocking code such
that the flat surfaces 72 of the cam wheels 62 engage the linear
bearing surfaces 88 of the locking plate 80. Under the force of the
locking springs 84, the locking plate 80 moves in direction D,
thereby retracting the push rod 90 away from the locking slider
106. The biasing force of the swing actuator 110 pushes the locking
slider 106 in direction D, thereby forcing the locking slider 106
into the lower notch 124 in the inner cylinder 122 of the drive
shaft 118 (seen best in FIG. 9). Accordingly, it is now possible
for the user to rotate the knob 40 to rotate the drive shaft 118 in
direction R1 to move the combination lock 10 from the closed
position to the open position.
[0093] FIGS. 12 and 13 depict the outer housing 12 in the unlocked
position and the open position. In this position, the dials 48 and
cam wheels 62 are in the same position as depicted in FIGS. 10 and
11, with the flat surfaces 72 of the cam wheels 62 bearing against
the linear bearing surfaces 88 of the locking plate 80. In this
position, however, the user has rotated the knob 40 90.degree.
counterclockwise, and the arrow indicator 42 on the knob 40 now
points to the open position symbol 44. The bolt 32 is retracted
into the housing 30 of the locking mechanism 14, and the user is
free to open and close the locker door 16.
[0094] When the combination lock 10 is in the open position, the
user can change the unlocking code. Rotation of the drive shaft 118
also rotates its cylindrical cam surface 130 relative to a
cooperating cam surface 132 of the cam plate 82. When the
combination lock 10 is in the closed position, such as shown in
FIG. 10, the cylindrical cam surface 130 of the drive shaft 118
forces the cam plate 82 in direction F away from the back plate 56
of the outer housing 12. As the knob 40 is rotated and the
combination lock 10 is placed in the open position, however, the
cylindrical cam surfaces 130, 132 allow the cam plate 82 to move in
direction B toward the back plate 56 of the outer housing 12.
Moreover, the cam plate springs 94 overcome the force of the cam
wheel springs 64, and the cam plate springs 94 force the cam plate
82 in direction B. The cam plate 82 thereby lifts the cam wheels 62
off of the 10-point star drivers 66 and into cooperating D-shaped
recesses 134 in the back plate 56. Thus, when the combination lock
10 is in the open position, the cam wheels 62 are rotationally
fixed by the recesses 134 in the back plate 56 and in the unlocked
position. The dials 48 can be rotated independently of the cam
wheels 62, and the cam wheels 62 will stay in the rotational
position that places the combination lock 10 in the unlocked
position. The user can therefore set the dials 48 to a new
unlocking combination. Upon rotating the knob 40 in direction R2
back to the closed position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the
cylindrical cam surfaces 130, 132 force the cam plate 82 in
direction F, and the cam wheel springs 64 push the cam wheels 62
forwardly to again seat on the 10-point star drivers 66.
[0095] FIGS. 14 and 15 show the combination lock 10 while it is in
the locked position and the knob 40 is rotated such that the arrow
indicator 42 points to the closed position symbol 44. The rotatable
dials 48 have been rotated so that the curved surfaces 70 of the
cam wheels 62 engage the linear bearing surfaces 88 of the locking
plate 80, thereby forcing the locking plate 80 in direction U, as
seen in FIG. 14, and against the biasing force of the locking
springs 84. The push rod 90 of the locking plate 80 engages the
locking slider 106 and pushes it, again in direction U, so that the
locking slider 106 is wholly contained inside the inner cylinder
122 of the drive shaft 118. The swing actuator 110 is biased in
direction D, and thereby maintaining the locking slider 106 against
the push rod 90. As mentioned earlier, the locking slider 106 is
freely rotatable within the inner cylinder 122 of the drive shaft
118 when in the locked position, and therefore when the combination
lock 10 is in the locked position, rotation of the knob 40 will not
rotate the drive shaft 118. Note that the push rod 90 engages the
base of the locking slider 106, and therefore does not interfere
with the rotation of the locking slider 106 within the inner
cylinder 122. The combination lock 10 cannot, therefore, move from
the closed position to the open position.
[0096] Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, an electronic key 136 can
override the mechanical operation of the combination lock 10 and
shift the combination lock 10 from the locked position to the
unlocked position without regard to the position of dials 48 or cam
wheels 62. The knob 40 includes a removable face plate 138 which,
when removed, reveals an input or terminal or port 140 in a knob
cap 141 for receiving the electronic key 136. The circuit board 108
is affixed to the knob cap 141 by a screw 143 (see FIG. 6). The
port 140 includes three contacts 142 that serve to receive an
electrical current and data from the electronic key 136. The
terminal or port 140 preferably has a protective wall or collar
152, with the contacts 142 recessed inwardly, so as to protect
those contacts 142. Other electrical connections that can transmit
both data and current can also be used, such as the various USB
ports, and the term port shall be understood to encompass all such
connections.
[0097] The housing 12 further includes the circuit board 108 having
the microcontroller 109 and memory which is connected to the port
140 (see FIGS. 8-9). In this case, the circuit board 108 is
contained within the knob 40. Moreover, the swing actuator 110
includes a coil 146 that is connected to the circuit board 108. The
microcontroller 109 is pre-programmed such that it can read and
analyze a code passed to it by the electronic key 136 and compare
it to a code stored in its memory. Although the term
microcontroller is used herein, it will be understood by one of
ordinary skill that any number of structures can be used to
effectuate the functions described herein, e.g. controllers,
processors, microprocessors, and addressable switches, and
therefore the term microcontroller as used herein shall be
understood to encompass all such structures.
[0098] Referring back to FIGS. 16 & 17, the electronic key 136
includes a housing 148 and three contacts (not shown) that mate
with the contacts 142 of the port 140 and allow electrical
communication between the two. Disposed within the housing 148 is a
jump battery (not shown), which can be a rechargeable battery that
is recharged using two of the three contacts, and circuitry capable
of storing a master code or access code or both. The three contacts
142 of the port 140, and the mating contacts of the electronic key
136 are sufficient to transmit power from the jump battery using
two of the contacts (a common and a power contact), and to
communicate with the combination lock 10 using two of the contacts
(the common and a data contact). The jump battery can be of
sufficient voltage to provide the necessary current to power the
operation of the combination lock 10, thereby eliminating the need
for battery storage within the combination lock 10 itself. In other
words, the outer housing 12 has no battery compartment and needs no
batteries to permit the electronic key 136 to override the
mechanical operation of the combination lock 10.
[0099] The contacts of the electronic key 136 can be spring-biased
contacts or plug-in type contacts, with the contacts 142 of the
port 140 being sockets in the case of a plug-in arrangement. As
shown, the electronic key 136 preferably has a wall or collar 144
surrounding the contacts, so that the wall 144 fits closely within
the collar 152 of the knob 40, with a complementary shape to assure
correct orientation in engagement.
[0100] The internal circuitry of the electronic key 136 can include
an access code or master code for all combination locks 10 in the
system, communicated via two of the contacts to the combination
lock 10 when the electronic key 136 is pushed against or plugged
into the combination lock 10 as shown in FIG. 17. At the same time,
the battery of the electronic key 136 will provide jump power to
the combination lock 10. If desired, the casing 148 can have an
external switch, such as a momentary switch, to switch on the power
jumping function only when needed to conserve battery power, and
not when the only problem is a lost electronic code. The design of
the collars 144, 152 and the contacts provide protection against
inadvertent shorting of the power.
[0101] The electronic key 136 can be pre-programmed to be
multi-functional. For example, the electronic key 136 can be
programmed to only open combination locks 10 during business hours
to ensure that, should the key fall into the wrong hands, it cannot
be operated after hours. Further, the electronic key 136 can
include a memory to record operational data, such as the date and
time it is used to open any combination lock 10, the identity of
the combination lock 10 that has been opened, and so forth.
Finally, the electronic key 136 can have differing levels of
authorization, such as administrator keys and manager keys.
Administrator keys can be restricted such that they, for example,
may only be authorized to open the lock at certain times or they
may only open lockers in certain locations (such as restricting
staffers from opening locks in health club lockers in locker rooms
of the opposite gender). They may further be programmed with an
access code, whereby they can open a lock but not change the
electronic code that opens the lock.
[0102] A manager key, however, may be programmed with a master
code, which will both open the lock and set a new electronic code
for the combination lock. This can be important if one of the
administrator keys is lost or stolen. By setting a new code for a
combination lock, the administrator keys are rendered inoperable
until they are reprogrammed with the new code set by the
administrator key. This process is far more efficient than
re-coring and/or re-keying the lockers with mechanical override
keys if a master key is lost. Other examples of items that can
serve as an electronic key 136 could be, for example, smart phones,
tablet computers, and laptop computers.
[0103] In another example of electronic keys 136, a key 136 can be
configured to store a credential comprising a serial number and a
revision number. The serial number is specific to the end user of
the lockers, and may be specific to the location of the end user.
In other words, an end user may have several sites, and each site
may have its own serial number. Each credential also can include a
revision number appended to the end of the serial number. By
connecting a key 136 with this configuration to a lock 10 via the
port 140, the key 136 will provide the credential that can
electronically unlock the lock 10, and the microcontroller 109 will
store the credential in memory. In the case of an end user losing a
key 136, a new key 136 can be sent to the end user by the
manufacturer having the same serial number but with a revision
number incremented by one relative to the lost key 136. By
connecting the new master key 136 to the port 140, the
microcontroller 109 recognizes the incrementally-advanced revision
number, then rewrites and stores the new credential in memory.
Moreover, this process will work even if the revision number for
the new key 136 is more than one higher than the current revision
number. In other words, a key 136 with revision number four can
update a lock have revision number 2 stored therein if any of the
locks were forgotten in the previous round of updates. But the keys
with the lower revision number will no longer be operable.
[0104] Although a key 136 is disclosed herein, it is contemplated
that outer housing 12 could be adapted and or modified to include a
wireless reader, such that a user could transmit a code wirelessly
to the circuit board 108 via RFID, BLE, Bluetooth, NFC, or the
like. In this scenario, the outer housing 12 would likely require
batteries or line power to power the wireless reader. In this
example, the wireless reader serves the same function as the port
140 and can be considered a port.
[0105] Referring now to FIG. 16, to operate the combination lock 10
with the electronic key 136, the user first opens the face plate
138 to expose the contacts 142 of the port 140. The user then
inserts the contacts of the electronic key 136 into the contacts
142 of the port 140 to power the circuit board 108. The
microcontroller reads the access code (or master code) from the
electronic key 136; if it matches with the pre-programmed code
stored in the memory associated with the microcontroller, the
microcontroller allows the electronic key 136 to power the coil 146
of the swing actuator 110, and the magnetic field generated by the
coil 146 pushes the magnet of swing actuator 110 to swing in
direction U, thereby forcing the locking slider 106 into the upper
slot 126 of the inner cylinder 122 of the drive shaft 118. The user
can then rotate the knob 40, which will rotate the drive shaft 118,
from the closed position to the open position, despite the dials 48
not being in the pre-selected unlocking combination.
[0106] If desired, the user can then re-set the unlocking
combination. Because the dials 48 are not in the pre-selected
unlocking combination, the cam wheels 62 will not initially be
seated within the D-shaped recesses 134 of the back plate 56. The
cam wheels 62 will be, however, forced against the back plate 56
due to the force of the cam plate springs 94. The user can rotate
each dial 48 until he or she feels or hears the cam wheels 62
`click` into place within the recesses 130 (or rotate the cam
wheels 360.degree. in any event). At that point, with the cam
wheels 62 will be secured in the recesses 130 and therefore in the
unlocked position, the user can then rotate the dials 48 to select
a new unlocking combination prior to rotating the knob 40 back to
the closed position.
[0107] FIG. 18 depicts an indicator system that indicates to the
user whether the combination lock 10 is in the locked position or
the unlocked position. The outer housing 12 includes an opening 154
that serves as an indicator window. An indicator 156 extends
forward from the locking plate 80 and includes a two-colored face
158. In this example, the indicator face 158 includes a red portion
160 and a green portion 162, but only one of the portions is
visible through the indicator window 154 at a time. When the user
places the dials 48 in the unlocking combination, the locking
springs 84 push the locking plate 80 downwardly in the direction D,
and the green portion 162 of the indicator 156 can be viewed
through the indicator window 154. Similarly, when the user places
the dials 48 in a locking combination, the cam wheels 62 force the
locking plate 80 upwardly in a direction U, and the red portion 160
of the indicator 156 can be viewed through the indicator window
154.
[0108] The indicator system requires no power or current to provide
the information to the user, and it therefore adds nothing to any
power storage requirements of the combination lock 10.
[0109] Referring now to FIG. 19, an outer housing 170 is depicted
that is generally the same as outer housing 12 except for an
alternative electronic actuator 172. The same numbers used in the
previous examples reference the same elements in this example. The
actuator 172 here is a linear solenoid actuator with a direction of
travel in direction U. Other actuators, such as an electric motor,
could be employed as well. The actuator 172 includes a coil 174, a
spring 176, and a wrap-around shaft 178 having an end portion 180
that extends perpendicularly to direction U of the actuator 172.
Similar to earlier embodiments, the end portion 180 of the shaft
178 extends into a recess 116 in the locking slider 106.
[0110] In other regards, the outer housing 170 operates similarly
to the outer housing 12. When in the locked position, the push rod
90 maintains the locking slider 106 within the inner cylinder 122.
The knob 40 rotates freely without engaging the drive shaft 118.
When the user unlocks the outer housing 170 by rotating the dials
48, the locking plate 80 moves in direction D, the push rod 90
moves laterally in the same direction away from the locking slider
106, and the spring 176 biases the wrap-around shaft 178 in the
same direction, such that the shaft 178 slides the locking slider
106 into the lower notch 124 of the inner cylinder 122. At this
point, rotation of the knob 40 will rotate the drive shaft 118.
[0111] Alternatively, the user can electronically override the lock
by way of the key 136 or other electronic means, and the actuator
172 will drive the wrap-around shaft 178 in direction U such that
the slider 106 slides into upper notch 126 of the inner cylinder
122. Again, rotation of the knob 40 will rotate the drive shaft
118.
[0112] FIGS. 20 & 21 depict another example of a system for
shifting the outer housing 12 between the locked position and the
unlocked position. Disclosed is a knob 40 including a port 140 and
a circuit board 108, similar to the previous embodiments. A linear
solenoid actuator 200 is further disclosed that includes a coil 202
and a push rod 204. Unlike previous embodiments, the direction of
actuation of the push rod 204 is in direction B, i.e., toward the
back plate 56.
[0113] A retaining plate 206 is affixed to the knob 40 via two
screws 208. The retaining plate 206 includes two tongues 210
extending upwardly in parallel and a push rod hole 212 that allows
the push rod 204 to traverse through it. A sliding plate 214 is
disposed on the retaining plate 206 and includes parallel passages
216 that are configured to receive the tongues 210. The passages
216 in the sliding plate 214 are longer than the tongues 210, and
so sliding plate 214 can slide laterally relative to the retaining
plate 206 in a direction perpendicular to direction B. The tongues
210 have a height that is greater than the thickness of sliding
plate 214 and therefore extend above the top surface of the sliding
plate 214 to form a slot therebetween. The sliding plate 214
further includes a pair of ramps 218 disposed between the passages
216 and a push rod slot 220 through which the push rod 204 can
traverse.
[0114] A locking slider 222 is disposed on the sliding plate 214 in
the slot defined by the tongues 210 extending up through the
passages 216 from the retaining plate 206. On the bottom of the
locking slider 222 is a pair of ramp followers 224 configured to
interact with the ramps 218 such that translational movement of the
sliding plate 214 results in movement of the locking slider 222 in
direction B. The locking slider 222 further includes a post 226
extending upwardly, and a spring 228 is disposed about the post
226.
[0115] Like in previous examples, a drive shaft 118 includes an
outer cylinder 128 having a cam surface 130 and an inner cylinder
122. But unlike in previous examples, disposed within the inner
cylinder 122 in this example is a slotted recess 230 configured to
receive the locking slider 222 and a post recess 232 configured to
receive the post 226 of the locking slider 222. Accordingly, when
the sliding plate 214 translates laterally, the ramps 218 force the
locking slider 222 in direction B into the slotted recess 230, such
that rotation of the knob 40 now causes rotation of the drive shaft
118. Typically, the spring 228 biases the locking slider 222 away
from and out of the slotted recess 230.
[0116] Referring now to FIGS. 22 and 23, the outer housing 12 is in
the unlocked position, but the knob 40 still positioned such that
it points to the closed position symbol 44; i.e., the user has
unlocked the combination lock 10, but has yet to open it. The user
has rotated the dials 48 to the pre-selected unlocking code such
that the flat surfaces 72 of the cam wheels 62 engage the linear
bearing surfaces 88 of the locking plate 80. Under the force of the
locking springs 84, the locking plate 80 has moved in direction D,
thereby forcing the push rod 90 toward the sliding plate 214. The
sliding plate 214 translates laterally in direction D, and its
lateral motion is constrained by the tongues 210 disposed in the
slots 216 as described above. The ramps 218 of the sliding plate
214 interact with the ramp followers 224 of the locking slider 222,
and force locking slider 222 upwardly into the slotted recess 230
of the drive shaft 118. Accordingly, it is now possible for the
user to rotate the knob 40 to rotate the drive shaft 118 to move
the combination lock 10 from the closed position to the open
position.
[0117] Referring now to FIGS. 24 and 25, the dials 48 remain
rotated to the pre-selected unlocking code such that the flat
surfaces 72 of the cam wheels 62 engage the linear bearing surfaces
88 of the locking plate 80. In this position, however, the user has
rotated the knob 40 90.degree. counterclockwise, and the arrow
indicator 42 on the knob 40 now points to the open position symbol
44. The bolt 32 is retracted into the housing 30 of the locking
mechanism 14, and the user is free to open and close the locker
door 16. The action of the cam plate 82 lifting the cam wheels 62
off the star drivers 66 and into the D-shaped recesses 134 is the
same as described with respect to FIGS. 12 and 13.
[0118] FIGS. 26 and 27 show the outer housing while it is in the
locked position and the knob 40 is rotated such that the arrow
indicator 42 points to the closed position symbol 44. The rotatable
dials 48 have been rotated so that the curved surfaces 70 of the
cam wheels 62 engage the linear bearing surfaces 88 of the locking
plate 80, thereby forcing the locking plate 80 in direction U, as
seen in FIG. 26, and against the biasing force of the locking
springs 84. The push rod 90 of the locking plate 80 retracts from
the sliding plate 214, and the spring 228 pushes the locking slider
222 downwardly, forcing the sliding plate 214 in direction U due to
the interaction of the ramps 218 and the ramp followers 224, and
further forcing the locking slider 222 and out of the slotted
recess 230. The locking slider 222 no longer engages the drive
shaft 118, and therefore when the combination lock 10 is in the
locked position, rotation of the knob 40 will not rotate the drive
shaft 118. The combination lock 10 cannot, therefore, move from the
closed position to the open position.
[0119] Referring now to FIG. 28, the combination lock 10 can be
operated with the electronic key 136 as described earlier. The user
first opens the face plate 138 to expose the contacts 142 of the
port 140. The user then inserts the contacts of the electronic key
136 into the contacts 142 of the port 140 to power the circuit
board 108. The microcontroller reads the access code (or master
code) from the electronic key 136; if it matches with the
pre-programmed code stored in the memory associated with the
microcontroller, the microcontroller allows the electronic key 136
to power the coil 202 of the solenoid actuator 200, and the
magnetic field generated by the coil 202 pushes the push rod 204 in
direction B, thereby lifting the locking slider 222 off the sliding
plate 214 and into the slotted recess 230 of the drive shaft 118.
The user can then rotate the knob 40, which will rotate the drive
shaft 118, from the closed position to the open position, despite
the dials 48 not being in the pre-selected unlocking
combination.
[0120] Other structures, including other actuators, will be seen by
those of skill in the art that can translate the sliders 106, 222
as described above. These other structures could include, for
example, electric motors, pneumatic actuators, screw actuators, and
the like.
[0121] Referring now to FIGS. 29 and 30, an actuating system 250
for a fourth example of a combination lock is shown. Like in the
previous examples, the actuating system 250 includes a knob 252
with a port and a microcontroller disposed therein, which are not
shown in FIGS. 29 and 30 but can be the same as described with
respect to FIGS. 6, 8, and 9. And again as in previous examples,
the port can be a connector for receiving an electronic key 136 or
it can be a wireless reader for receiving RFID, BLE, Bluetooth,
NFC, or other wireless signals.
[0122] The actuating system 250 further includes a drive shaft 254
that is coupled to the knob 252. The knob 252 includes a set of
pins 256 extending in the direction B, and the drive shaft 254
includes recesses (not shown) for receiving the pins 256.
Accordingly, rotational motion of the knob 252 is transferred to
the drive shaft 254 via pins 256. The drive shaft 254 further
includes an opening 258 in its side, a first layer 260 generally
having a circular cross-section, a second layer 262 having an
irregular cross-section, and an annular surface 264 extending out
from a base of the second layer 262. As in the previous examples,
the first layer 260 rotates within an opening in the back plate
56.
[0123] The drive shaft 254 further includes a recess 266 that forms
an interior (seen best in FIG. 32), and the opening 258 in its side
extends through the first layer 260 and second layer 262. Finally,
the drive shaft 254 includes the cylindrical cam surface 130 as in
previous examples, which serves the same function as in the
previous examples.
[0124] A slider 268 is disposed within the recess 266 with a
locking end 270 of the slider 268 extending through the opening 258
and outside of the drive shaft 254 (seen best in FIG. 30). A spring
272 is disposed in the recess 266 as well and biases the slider 268
in the direction F such that the locking end 270 of the slider 268
sits against the annular surface 264 (see FIG. 30).
[0125] This example includes a locking plate 274 that is slightly
different than in previous embodiments. While the locking plate 274
of this embodiment also includes linear bearing surfaces 88 that
interact with the cam wheels 62 similarly to previous examples, it
also includes an interior opening 276 with a bearing surface 278
that can selectively interact with the locking end 270 of the
slider 268.
[0126] Finally, the actuating system 250 includes a linear actuator
280 with a push rod 282. When actuated, the push rod 282 of the
linear actuator 280 translates in direction B, thereby translating
the slider 268 off and away from the annular surface 264 and
against the biasing force of the spring 272.
[0127] Referring now to FIGS. 29 and 31, the knob 252 includes a
quarter-turn annular projection 284, and the casing 54 includes a
half turn recess 286 sized and shaped to receive the quarter-turn
projection 284 (see also FIG. 6). As will be understood, the
quarter turn projection 284 slides within the half turn recess 286
as the knob 252 rotates, and the half-turn recess 286 limits the
rotation of the knob 252 to a quarter turn between the open
position and the closed position.
[0128] Referring now to FIGS. 32 and 33, the outer housing 288 is
in the unlocked position. The user has rotated the dials 48 to the
pre-selected unlocking code such that the flat sections 72 of the
cam wheels 62 engage the linear bearing surfaces 88 of the locking
plate 274. Under the force of the locking springs 84, the locking
plate 274 has moved in direction D. The bearing surface 278 defined
by the interior opening 276 is removed from the locking end 270 of
the slider 268. A user is free to rotate the knob 252, which will
simultaneously rotate the drive shaft 254.
[0129] Referring now to FIGS. 34 and 35, the dials 48 of the outer
housing 288 have been rotated such that the curved sections 70 of
the cam wheels 62 engage the linear bearing surfaces 88 of the
locking plate 274. The cam wheels 62 force the locking plate 274 in
direction U, with the bearing surface 278 of the interior opening
276 now engaging the locking end 270 of the slider 268. The knob
252 cannot be rotated in the counter-clockwise direction because of
the interaction of the slider 268 and the bearing surface 278.
Further, the knob 252 cannot be rotated in the clockwise direction
due to the position of the quarter-turn projection 284 within the
half turn recess 286. Accordingly, the knob 252 is precluded from
rotation in either direction when in the locked position.
[0130] FIGS. 36 and 37 depict the outer housing 288 with the
electronic override key 136 applied to the port. In this example,
when the actuator 280 is activated, it translates the push rod 282
in direction B. The actuator 280 overcomes the biasing force of the
spring 272 and forces the slider 268 in direction B. The slider 268
moves to a position where it is no longer co-planar with the
locking plate 274, and therefore the locking end 270 of the slider
268 no longer engages the bearing surface 278 of the locking plate
274. The user is therefore free to turn the knob 252 between the
open position and the closed position while the actuator 280 is
activated, regardless of the positioning of the dials 48.
[0131] Referring now to FIGS. 38-41, a fifth example of an
actuating system 300 is depicted. The actuating system 300 operates
similarly to the actuating system 250, but with several of the
components inverted. The actuating system 300 includes a knob 302
with pins 304 that couple the knob 302 to a drive shaft 306. The
drive shaft 306 includes a recess 308 and an opening 310 extending
through a first layer 312 and a second layer 314. As best seen in
FIG. 41, disposed within the recess 308 is a connector 316 that is
in communication with the microcontroller 109 disposed on the
circuit board 108 within the knob 302. As in previous examples, the
microcontroller 109 is in communication with the port 140. And
similar to the previous example, also disposed within the recess
308 is a lower spring 318 and a slider 320. Again, the slider 320
extends through the opening 310 in the first and second layers 312,
314, such that a locking end 322 of the slider 320 is external to
the drive shaft 306.
[0132] The actuating system 300 further includes a collar 324 with
legs 326 extending into the recess 308 and connecting the collar
324 to the drive shaft 306. A plug 328 is disposed within the
collar 324 and connects to the connector 316. A generally
cylindrical cap 330 is affixed to the collar 324 and houses a
linear actuator 332, having a push rod 334, and an upper spring
336. The upper spring 336 biases the push rod 334 in direction F,
thereby pushing the slider 320 in direction F such that it is
co-planar with the locking plate 274. The actuator 332 is connected
electronically to the microcontroller 109 via the connector 316 and
the plug 328.
[0133] FIG. 42 depicts a combination lock 338 with a locking
mechanism 340 having a retractable bolt 342. The locking mechanism
340 operates as is known in the art, with rotation of the knob 302
causing the bolt 340 to alternately extend and retract from the
housing 344 of the locking mechanism 340 via gears 348 and 350. In
this example, the collar 324 is integral with the gear 348. Here,
the cam wheels 62 have been placed in the unlocking position, and
the locking plate 274 is translated to in direction D via springs
84. This is the same position of the slider 268 and locking plate
278 as in FIGS. 32 and 33, and the user can similarly rotate the
knob 302 between the open and closed position. In this example, the
actuator 332 is contained within the housing 344, and the spring
336 biases the push rod 334 in direction F, thereby pushing the
slider 320 in direction F such that it is maintained co-planar with
the locking plate 274.
[0134] FIG. 43 depicts the combination lock 338 with a cam blade
352 as the locking element. In this view, all of the cam wheels 62,
the locking plate 274, and the slider 320 are in the same position
as in FIGS. 34 and 35, with the locking plate 274 moved to in
direction U relative to FIG. 42. The combination lock 338 is
therefore in the locked position, with the upper spring 336 biasing
the push rod 334 in direction F, thereby biasing the slider 320 to
be co-planar with the locking plate 276. The locking end 322 of the
slider 320 bears against the bearing surface 278 of the locking
plate 274, thereby preventing rotational motion of the knob
302.
[0135] Referring now to FIG. 44, the electronic key 136 has been
inserted into the port 140 with the proper access code being
entered. The microcontroller 109 signals the actuator 332 to
energize, and the actuator 332 translates the push rod 334 in
direction B, against the biasing force of upper spring 336. The
slider 320 is then pushed in direction B under the force of lower
spring 318. The slider 320 is pushed above the plane of the locking
plate 274, as in the previous example, thereby removing the locking
end 322 of the slider 320 from the bearing surface 278 of the
locking plate 274. The knob 302 is thereby free to rotate, and
therefore the cam blade 352 is free to rotate, between the open
position and the closed position.
[0136] Referring now to FIG. 45, a fifth example of a combination
lock 400 with an electronic override is disclosed. The combination
lock 400 includes four openings 402 through which four rotatable
dials 404 are accessible, each of the rotatable dials 404 bearing
indicia 406, and this example the indicia 406 are numerals from
0-9. As is well known, a user may physically manipulate and rotate
the dials 404 to select a specific numeral 406 for each dial 404,
thereby selecting a set of numerals. In the example shown in FIG.
45, as is known, each dial 404 has the numeral "0" in the selected
position.
[0137] The combination lock 400 also includes a rotatable knob 408
located on a front side 410 of the combination lock 400. Again, as
is well known, and as will be described further, when predetermined
numerals 406 are each in the selected position, the combination
lock 400 is in the unlocked position, and the user may rotate the
knob 408. The knob 408 may include a port 414 that may serve as a
connection point for an electronic key 136, as described above. In
this example, the knob 408 includes an arrow 416, and the
combination lock 400 includes a `locked` symbol 418, such that when
the arrow 416 on the knob 408 points to the locked symbol 418, the
combination lock 400 is in the closed position, and the door or
panel to which the combination lock is attached normally cannot be
opened (that is, without the electronic override).
[0138] FIG. 46 is an exploded view depicting the combination lock
400 mounted to a door or panel 420, and FIG. 47 is a top assembly
view of the same. The door or panel 420 will be referred to simply
as a door 420 for ease of reference, and no limitation should be
inferred. The door 420 includes an opening 422 and has an exterior
face 424. The combination lock 400 has a main body portion 426 that
has a cross section that is complementary to the opening 422 in the
door 420, and the combination lock 400 further has a face portion
428 that includes a lip 430 that extends laterally out from the
main body portion 426. When the combination lock 400 is installed
on the door 420, the lip 430 bears against the exterior face 424 of
the door 420.
[0139] The combination lock 400 can be mounted to the door 420 with
the assistance of a separate mounting plate 432. The mounting plate
432 is disposed against a rear face of the door 420, and fasteners
434 extend through openings 436 in the mounting plate 432 and into
complementary threaded holes (not shown) in the lock 400. As is
well known in the art, a locking element 412 such as a cam blade
can be affixed to a rotatable core 438 extending out a rear side of
the main body portion 426 of the combination lock 400. Again,
although a cam blade is shown, other known locking elements, such
as bolts and latches, can be employed.
[0140] FIG. 48 is an exploded view of the combination lock 400. As
described above, disposed within the knob 408 is a port 414, and
under the port 414 is a circuit board 440 with a microcontroller
441 and a connector 442 disposed thereon. See also FIGS. 49 &
50. The connector 442 may serve to receive the electronic key 136
as described in previous examples. Disposed underneath the circuit
board 440 in the examples shown in FIGS. 48 and 49 is an electric
motor 444 which is operatively connected to a locking slider 446.
The knob 408 is mounted in fixed orientation to the rotatable core
438, and the port 414, circuit board 440, electric motor 444, and
locking slider 446 are disposed in a compartment 448 formed between
the knob 408 and the rotatable core 438. Further, the rotatable
core 438 includes an opening 450 in its sidewall, and the locking
slider 446 is disposed such that a locking end 452 of the locking
slider 446 is disposed outside the rotatable core 438. Operation of
the electric motor 444 translates the locking slider 446 between a
position where the locking end 452 is exterior to the rotatable
core 438 as shown in FIG. 49, to a position where the locking end
452 is within the compartment 448. Referring now to FIG. 50,
instead of an electric motor 444, a linear actuator 454 is
connected to the circuit board 440. The linear actuator 454
includes a push rod 456 terminating in a ramp 458, and a push rod
spring 459 biases the ramp 458 in direction U away from the locking
slider 446. Further, the locking slider 446 in this example
includes a sloped opening 460 and is biased by a spring 462 to a
position where the locking end 452 of the locking slider 446 is
exterior to the rotatable core 438. Operation of the linear
actuator 454 forces the ramp 458 in direction D, which translates
the locking end 452 of locking slider 446 into the compartment
448.
[0141] The combination lock 400 includes an upper housing 464 and a
lower housing 466 that can be fixed together using fasteners 468.
The upper housing 464 and the lower housing 466 include concentric
openings 470 through which the knob 408 and the rotatable core 438
are mounted. The lower housing 466 includes a first wall 472 and a
second wall 474 that define a chamber 476 in which many of the
mechanical components of the combination lock 400 are disposed and
mounted.
[0142] Referring now to FIGS. 48, 51, 52, and 53, the dials 404 are
rotatably disposed on a shaft 478. The shaft 478 is mounted through
a first opening 480 in the first wall 472. A push block 482 is
disposed in a first opening 484 in the second wall 474, and the
push block 482 includes a cylindrical opening 486 (seen best in
FIG. 57) in which the shaft 478 is disposed. The cylindrical
opening 486 is constructed such that the push block 482 can slide
laterally back and forth in directions F and S on the shaft 478 as
it slides within the first opening 484 in the second wall 474.
[0143] Also disposed on the shaft 478 is a series of cam wheels
488, one for each dial 404. Each cam wheel 488 includes a cylinder
490, a star gear 492, and a cam 494. Each cam 494 has a circular
portion 496 and a flat edge 498. Within each flat edge 498 is a
recess 500. Each dial 404 includes an internal star gear 502
complementary to the star gear 492 of the cam wheel 488.
Accordingly, when the star gears 492, 502 are engaged, rotation of
the dial 404 also rotates the cam wheel 488. Further, each cylinder
490 of each cam wheel 488 extends through an internal opening 504
of the associated dial 404, and the cylinder 490 of a cam wheel 488
abuts a cam 494 of an adjacent cam wheel 488. Therefore, as
disclosed in FIG. 51, translation of the push block 482 in the
direction F translates all four of the cam wheels 488 in the
direction F, while at the same time the dials 404 remain laterally
stationary and are prevented from lateral motion by the openings
402 in the upper housing 464, such that the star gears 492 of the
cam wheels 488 engage the internal star gears 502 of the dials
404.
[0144] Disposed on the shaft 478 on an end distal from the push
block 482 is a spring 506 and a washer 508. The spring 506 biases
the cam wheels 488 in direction S, to the position that they are
disengaged from the dials 404 (see FIG. 52), and only when the push
block 482 forces the cam wheels 488 in direction F are the cam
wheels 488 engaged with the dials 404 (see FIG. 51).
[0145] A locking arm 510 is pivotably mounted within the first and
second walls 472, 474 of the lower housing 466. The locking arm 510
includes pins 512 disposed in second openings 514, 516 in the first
and second walls 472, 474. The locking arm 510 includes four
cradles 518, each cradle 518 bearing against a respective cam wheel
488. Each cradle 518 includes a protrusion 522 facing upwardly.
When the push block 482 is translated in direction F, and the cam
wheels 488 are engaged with the dials 404, then rotation of the
dials 404 will cause the cam wheels 488 to rotate freely within the
cradles 518 without engaging the protrusions 522. See FIG. 51.
[0146] The locking arm 510 is further biased upwardly (in direction
U) by leaf spring 520. See FIG. 53. Accordingly, when all of the
dials 404 are rotated such that the flat edges 498 of the cam
wheels 488 are facing down (direction D), the locking arm 510
pivots upwardly from the force of the leaf spring 520. As will be
described further below, this position defines an unlocked
position. When at least one of the dials 404 is rotated to a
position where its cam wheel 488 flat edge 498 is not down, that
cam wheel 488 will pivot the locking arm 510 in direction D. This
position defines a locked position.
[0147] Also disposed within the chamber 476 is a reset arm 526. See
FIGS. 48, 54, and 54A. The reset arm 526 includes pins 528 mounted
in a third hole in the first wall 472 (not seen) and a third hole
532 in the second wall 474, such that the reset arm 526 can pivot
about the pins 528. At an end of the reset arm 526 is a post 534
that servers as a follower, which is disposed within a channel 536
in the rotatable core 438 that serves as a cam. The channel 536 is
constructed such that as the rotatable core 438 is rotated, the
path of the channel 536 forces the post 534 up and down, and the
reset arm 526 pivots up and down about an axis defined by its pins
528.
[0148] The reset arm 526 further includes a plurality of cams 538,
where when the reset arm 526 is forced up by the channel 536, the
cams 538 pivot up. See FIGS. 54 & 54A. Further, on a side of
the dials 404 opposite the side incorporating the internal star
gear 502, each dial 404 includes an egg-shaped cam follower 540.
Accordingly, when the reset arm 526 pivots upwardly, the cams 538
engage the followers 540 and force the dials 404 to rotate to a
reset position (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 54A), and in this
example the numeral 0 is the reset position.
[0149] Referring now to FIGS. 55-57, the combination lock 400 is
depicted in the locked position. Referring particularly to FIG. 57,
the knob 408 includes a rib 542 that forces the push block 482 in
direction F. The push block 482 slides in direction F over the
shaft 478 and pushes all of the cam wheels 488 in direction F such
that the star gears 492 engage the internal star gears 502. The
dials 404 have been rotated such that at least one of the flat
edges 498 of the cam wheels 488 is not facing down, and the cam
wheel 488 is therefore pushing the locking arm 510 down. Moreover,
the locking end 452 of the locking slider 446 extends out from the
rotatable core 438. As shown in FIG. 55, the electric motor 444 has
placed the locking end 452 outside the rotatable core 438, and as
shown in FIG. 56, the actuator 454 has retracted and the spring 462
maintains the locking end 452 outside the rotatable core 438.
[0150] When the combination lock 400 is in the locked position, and
the locking end 524 of the locking arm 510 is down, it abuts the
locking end 452 of the locking slider 446 and prevents rotation of
the knob 408. The locking end 524 of the locking arm 510 prevents
the opening of the combination lock 400 by blocking movement of the
locking end 452 of the locking slider 446, and therefore a user
cannot rotate the knob 408.
[0151] Referring now to FIGS. 58-60, the combination lock 400 is
depicted in an unlocked position. The cam wheels 488 continue to
engage the dials 404 as in FIGS. 55-57, and the user has rotated
the dials 404 to the pre-selected unlocking code, where the flat
edges 498 of the cam wheels 488 all face downwardly. The locking
arm 510 is pivoted upwardly by the leaf spring 520 into the
unlocked position. When the locking arm 510 is up, the locking end
524 of the locking arm 510 is above the plane of the locking end
452 of the locking slider 446, and it no longer prevents rotation
of the knob 408, thereby allowing a user to rotate the knob 408
from a closed position to the open position. Although the locking
end 452 of the locking slider 446 is still external to the
rotatable core 438, the locking end 524 of the locking bar 510 no
longer interferes, and the user is able to rotate the knob 408.
Rotation of the knob 408 rotates the rotatable core 438, which will
rotate the locking element 412, as is known.
[0152] FIGS. 61-63 depict the combination lock 400 with the
electronic override key 136 applied. In this position, the locking
arm 510 is in the down position as in FIGS. 55-57, and the
combination lock 400 is in the locked position. Upon successful
application of the electronic key 136 to the knob 408, however, the
electronics associated with the circuit board 440 cause the
electric motor 444 (see FIG. 62) to rotate and pull the locking
slider 446 such that the locking end 452 of the locking slider 446
is within the rotatable core 438. In the other disclosed
embodiment, FIG. 63, the actuator 454 causes the push rod 456 and
the ramp 458 to push downwardly, which interacts with the sloped
surface 460 of the locking slider 446 to pull the locking end 452
of the locking slider 446 to within the rotatable core 438. With
the locking end 452 of the locking slider 446 pulled within the
rotatable core 438, it no longer abuts the locking end 524 of the
locking arm 510, and therefore does not prevent rotation of the
knob 408. The user can thereby open the combination lock 400.
Again, an override key 136 is disclosed, but wireless technologies
such as Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, and RFID may be used as well.
[0153] As discussed above, the scrambling of the dials 404 is
enabled by the interaction of the post 534 of the reset arm 526 and
the cam channel 536 of the rotatable core 438. As can be seen in
FIGS. 54 and 54A, the cam channel 536 can be designed such that
when the knob 408 is rotated a quarter turn to open the lock 400,
the cam channel 536 forces the reset arm 526 to pivot up, thereby
scrambling all of the dials 404 to a selected position of "0."
Thus, when a user turns the knob 408 to open the combination lock
400, the lock with automatically rotate the dials away from the
pre-selected unlocking code so that the user does not accidentally
leave the combination lock 400 in the unlocked position.
[0154] The unlocking combination for the combination lock 400 may
also be easily reset. As best seen in FIG. 54, the knob 408 also
may include a rib 542 extending radially outwardly. When the
combination lock 400 is in the closed position, the rib 542 forces
the push block 482 in the direction F, which forces the cam wheels
482 in direction F, such that the cam wheels 488 engage the dials
404.
[0155] Once the dials 404 are rotated and the cam wheels 488 are
placed with flat edges 498 down--and the lock 400 is in the
unlocked position--the user may rotate the knob 408 to the open
position. The rib 542 serves as a cam surface, and the push block
482 as a cam follower. As the knob 408 is rotated, the thickness of
the rib 542 relative to the push block 482 may recede. The push
block 482, along with the cam wheels 488, will travel in direction
S toward the knob 408 under force of spring 506. In this position,
the cam wheels 488 are disengaged from the dials 404, and the
recesses 500 of the cam wheels 488 are disposed on the protrusions
522 of the cradles 518. See FIG. 52. The dials 404 can therefore be
rotated freely without rotating the cam wheels 488, and the cam
wheels 488 remain in the unlocking position. In this manner, the
end user can change the unlocking code. The user can then rotate
the knob 408 back, with the rib 542 then re-engaging the push block
482 as the knob 408 is turned, which pushes the push block 482 back
in direction F, thereby forcing the cam wheels 488 to engage with
the dials 404 again, with the new unlocking code having been
set.
[0156] Referring now to FIGS. 64 & 65, a sixth example of a
combination lock 550 is disclosed. The combination lock 550 is
similar in many ways to the combination lock 400 of the fifth
example, with the following differences. The combination lock 550
is constructed to be mounted vertically, with first and second
dials 552, 554 disposed above the knob 556, and third and fourth
dials 558, 560 disposed below the knob 556. The dials 552, 554,
558, 560 rotate horizontally, with the indicia aligned
accordingly.
[0157] Referring now to FIG. 65, the combination lock 550 is
constructed to mount to a standard three-hole locker prep. Lockers
have an industry standard three-hole configuration, vertically
aligned, to which locks are mounted. The locker door 562 in FIG. 65
includes an upper hole 564, a middle hole 566, and a lower hole
568. Extending from a rear side of the combination lock 550 is a
first threaded post 570 configured to extend through the upper hole
564 and a second threaded post 572 configured to extend through the
lower hole 568. The rotatable core 574 extends through the middle
hole 566. Once the threaded posts 570, 572 are placed through the
first and third holes 564, 568, complementary nuts 576, 578 may be
threaded on to the first and second posts 570, 572 to fasten the
combination lock 550 to the door or panel 562, with the rotatable
core 574 extending through the middle hole 566 and the locking
element 580 affixed to the rotatable core 574 on the interior side
of the door 562.
[0158] Referring now to FIGS. 66 and 67, the combination lock 550
includes an opposing right side 582 and left side 584 on either
side of the knob 556. Each side 582, 584 can include structural
elements that are a mirror image of the other. Further, each side
582, 584 includes structural elements that are the same as in the
combination lock 400, but instead of having four dials 404 with
associated structural elements, each side 582, 584 includes a total
of two dials with associated structural elements. The structure and
function of the combination lock 550 can otherwise be the same as
the combination lock 400.
[0159] The above described preferred embodiments are intended to
illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit its
scope. Other embodiments and variations to these preferred
embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined in the following claims.
* * * * *