Patent ID: 6851291
Filing Date: 2005-02-08
Classification: E05B,E05C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A motorized locking mechanism for locking and unlocking a device having a hub rotatable by a handle about a hub axis, the motorized locking mechanism comprising: a reversible motor having a shaft; a spring screw mounted on the shaft, the motor rotating the spring screw in a locking direction to lock the device and in an opposite unlocking direction to unlock the device; a locking spring having an engaged portion moved by the spring screw towards a first position when the motor rotates the spring screw in the locking direction and towards a second position when the motor rotates the spring screw in the unlocking direction; a connecting arm mounted for motion between locked and unlocked positions, the locking spring urging the connecting arm towards the locked position when the engaged portion of the locking spring is in the first position and the locking spring urging the connecting arm towards the unlocked position when the engaged portion of the locking spring is in the second position; and a locking slide driven by the connecting arm through a pivoting connection, the pivoting connection having an axis of pivot parallel to the hub axis, the locking slide interferingly engaging the hub to prevent rotation of the hub and lock the device when the connecting arm is in the locked position and the locking slide disengaging from the hub to allow rotation of the hub and unlock the device when the connecting arm is in the unlocked position, the pivoting action of the locking slide parallel to the hub axis operating to limit the transmission of damaging forces from the hub to the connecting arm; the locking spring having sufficient spring action to allow the engaged portion of the spring to move to the first position when the connecting arm is prevented from moving to the locked position by misalignment between the hub and the locking slide, the spring action of the locking spring being sufficient thereafter to move the connecting arm to the locked position when the hub is aligned with the locking slide.