Patent ID: 7698918
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An electric door lock that is interchangeable between fail safe and fail secure modes, comprising: a housing; a latch bolt mounted within said housing and being movable between partially extended from and retracted into said housing; a doorknob mounted to said housing and rotatable to retract said latch bolt; and a solenoid assembly mounted within said housing that can be interchangeably arranged to cause said lock to operate a fail secure mode wherein said doorknob is prevented from retracting said latch bolt when said solenoid assembly is not energized, or a fail safe mode wherein said doorknob is allowed to retract said latch bolt when said solenoid assembly is not energized, said solenoid assembly nested in place within said housing in both modes, wherein said solenoid assembly comprises a solenoid body having a longitudinal bore, a plunger in said longitudinal bore, and a rod/tip assembly, said rod/tip assembly mounted at one end of said longitudinal bore when in fail secure mode, and the opposite end of said longitudinal bore when in fail safe mode, said solenoid assembly having a solenoid spring to allow operation in either fail secure mode or fail safe mode, said spring having a spring rate and said solenoid assembly having a power curve, said spring rate of said solenoid spring substantially matching the power curve of said solenoid assembly.