Abstract:
An electric lock operating in conjunction with a wireless remote transmitter and having redundant manual operation capability. The key lock cylinder has a three way position. In the remote position, the lock is enabled or disabled via a remote wireless transmitter. Operation of the wireless transmitter switch allows electric power to a micro switch that allows electricity to drive open a mechanical latch when a circuit is completed touching a pushbutton switch. In a manual lock position, the electronic function of the lock are disabled by mechanical discontinuity of a circuit preventing the latch from being opened either by electrical or mechanical operation. Turning the key in the lock cylinder to the manual open position will mechanically actuate the latch to open through a linkage system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to application Ser. No. 10/286,690. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a locking device which may be electrically operated in conjunction with a remote transmitter, while also having the capability of independent manual operation.  
         [0003]     Pickup truck owners lack a secure area for storing tools and equipment, and one solution for this problem is a lockable, bed mounted storage box. The drawback of some of these existing boxes is that they do not utilize the electronic locking systems incorporated into most modern vehicles, and they do not permit remote operation. Rather, the owner who wants to permit other workers to access the box must either surrender the key or leave his work to accompany the worker to the box to unlock and relock it.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An electric lock with manual redundancy for operation in conjunction with a vehicle&#39;s electronic locking system, and the method of operation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of the electrical schematics of the device.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the device.  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the front of the device.  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the device in manual open position.  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the back of the device in the manual open position.  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the device in the remote position.  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the device in the remote position.  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the device in the manual locked position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The device comprises an electric lock for operation with a wireless transmitter with the ability both to lock the device remotely and to set the device remotely for keyless electric opening. Some embodiments of the present invention provide an electrical locking device capable of being operated with a motor vehicle&#39;s existing remote keyless entry transmitter system, so an owner need not carry separate transmitters for a vehicle&#39;s locks.  
         [0014]     An owner need not surrender his key or wireless transmitter to permit another worker to open the device.  
         [0015]     Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a redundancy feature which allows an owner to use a key to lock the device manually to override any remote operation, and to use a key to manually open the device. A power failure of the wireless transmitter or electric lock mechanism will not prohibit an owner from opening the device. Rather, in the event of failures such as loss of electric power, transmitter system malfunction or electric driver failure, an owner may still operate the lock by using a redundant manual mechanical system.  
         [0016]     The present device comprises a lock mechanism  2  having a key  4 . The key may be inserted and turned in a lock barrel  6  into a manual lock position  94 , a manual open position  12 , and a remote position  8 .  
         [0017]     When the key  4  in either manual lock position  94  or manual open position  12 , the lock mechanism  2  manually locks or unlocks the device respectively.  
         [0018]     When the key  4  is in remote position  8 , the device is ready for remote operation.  FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an electrical schematic of the device illustrating its remote operation. A wireless transmitter  32  sends a signal (not shown) to a transmitter receiver  34 . The receiver  34  is electrically connected to a relay  36 . The relay  36  sends an operational signal (not shown) to micro switch  28 . Relay  36  is shown with chassis ground  22  and battery  38 .  
         [0019]     An owner activates the keyless entry system of the vehicle to lock the vehicle&#39;s doors thereby sending a non-conditioning signal to relay switch  36 . This prevents any electrical operation of the lock device. However, turning key  4  in lock mechanism  2  to manual open position  12  will trip latch module  14  and open truck box lid  16 . Turning key  4  to the manual lock position  94  will prevent the lock mechanism  2  from opening by preventing latch module  14  from being tripped even if there is a conditioning signal sent to relay switch  36 .  
         [0020]     When the owner activates the keyless entry system to unlock the vehicle&#39;s doors, a conditioning signal is sent to relay switch  36 . An operator, either the owner or another person, can open the truck box lid  16  by pushing a pushbutton switch  18  incorporated into switch  28 , completing a circuit  20  between switch  28  and a chassis ground  22 . Switch  28  momentarily provides electrical power to linear actuators  26  and  46  to move return push rods  97  and  98 , to trip latch module  14  and open truck box lid  16 .  
         [0021]      FIGS. 2-6  illustrate the mechanical operation of the some embodiments of the present invention. Key  4  is insertable into a matingly receptive key shaft  40  in barrel lock assembly  2  in the remote position  8 . Key  4  may be rotated counter-clockwise approximately 90 degrees from the remote position  8  to the manual lock position  94 , preventing further key shaft  40  rotation if key  4  is removed. Key  4  can also be rotated approximately 90 degrees clockwise from the remote position  8  to the manual open position  12 .  
         [0022]     A latch activating arm  44  rotates coaxially with rotation of the key  4 .  
         [0023]     When key  4  is in the manual lock position  94 , latch activating arm  44  has been rotated where it cannot engage either manually or electrically with the latch linkage  93 .  
         [0024]     When key  4  is turned to the manual open position  12 , arm  44  has been rotated clockwise coaxially with key  4 . This causes arm  44  to manually drive latch linkage  93  to slide within linkage slide connector  95  to slide linkage  50  such that lock pin  52  is released. Lock pin  52  is fixed to latch stop  53  and projects vertically between latch stop  53  and lock strike  54  when the truck bed lid  16  is closed. Sliding of linkage slide connector  95  turns latch stop  53  causing lock pin  52  to release lock strike  54 , unlocking the truck bed lid.  
         [0025]     With key  4  in the remote position  8 , latch module  14  can be triggered to open electrically. In the remote position key shaft  40  holds latch activating arm  44  in a vertical orientation. When switch  28  is conditioned by a conditioning signal (not shown) from transmitter receiver  34  and push button switch  18  is operated, power is provided to linear actuator  26  and  46 . Linear actuator  26  and  46  overcomes a return spring  96  and retracts pushrods  97  and  98 . Pushrods  97  and  98  retract linkage  50 , thereby pulling linkage slide connector  95 , thus turning lock pin  52  and releasing lock strike  54 . When power is no longer provided to linear actuator  26  and  46 , return spring  96  forces pushrods  97  and  98  back to a extended configuration.  
         [0026]     When key  4  is in remote position  8  but in the absence of the conditioning signal, operation of push button switch  18  cannot provide sufficient current (not shown) or complete circuit  20 . Return spring  96  maintains pushrods  97  and  98  in the extended position and correspondingly, the lock pin  52  remains unrotateable.  
         [0027]     In some embodiments of the present invention, switch  28  provides a pulsed 12 volt signal through solenoid  56  to linear actuator  26  and  46 .  
         [0028]     Lock pin  52  is fixedly attached to latch stop  53 . Latch stop  53  abuts arm  44  when the device is in the remote position  8  on a side  55  of the latch stop. The opposite side  57  of the latch stop  53  abuts interior truck box surface  5  to halt the rotation of lock pin  52 .  
         [0029]     As  FIG. 2 , a top view of the device, illustrates, a bracket  58  supports latch stop  53 , which is glidingly attached to linkage slide connector  95  by latch linkage  93  (shown on  FIG. 4 ) with connector  50 . The latch actuators  26  and  46  further comprise pushrods  97  and  98  respectively. Latch actuator  26  further comprises return spring  96 . Lock pin  52  and latch activating arm  44  are capable of coaxial rotation, and are mounted with bracket  58  to align with lock strike  54  (not shown) in either the remote position  8  or the manual lock position  94 .  
         [0030]     As  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of the front of the device, illustrates, lock barrel  6  is matingly receptive for key  4  (not shown) and the key is capable of rotation between an approximately vertical remote position  8  and manual lock or open positions  94  and  12  at approximately quarter turns counterclockwise and clockwise respectively. As can be seen from this description, some embodiment the present invention may comprise a lock mechanism orientation which places the remote position  8  at an orientation other than vertical and permits relative rotation to the other positions  94  and  12 .  
         [0031]     As  FIG. 4 , a top view of the device in manual open position  12 , illustrates, key  4  has been inserted into barrel lock  6  and rotated clockwise from the remote position  8  turning latch activating arm  44  such that it moves latch stop  53  and linkage  95 , while simultaneously turning lock pin  52 , thereby releasing it from lock strike  54 .  
         [0032]     As  FIG. 5 , a perspective view of the back of the device in the remote position, illustrates, key shaft  40  places latch activating arm in proximity to switch  8  (seen in  FIG. 6 ) which comprises the incorporated push button switch  18 . In this configuration linear actuator  26  and  46  can retract pushrods  97  and  98  causing activating arm  44  to move linkage  50  thereby releasing lock pin  52 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the device in the remote position, illustrated without the bracket  58  and without latch stop  53  to show the slidingly mated relationship of the linkage  50 , linkage slide connector  95 , and latch linkage  93 . Latch linkage  93  is capable of pulling on the latch stop  53  causing latch stop  53  to rotate, thereby driving the rotation of lock pin  52 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the device in the remote position  8 . Latch activating arm  44  is capable of contact with switch  28 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the device in the manual lock position  94 . Rotation of key  4  to the manual lock position  94  moves the latch activating arm  44  out of range of contact with switch  28 . This prevents electrical operation of the lock and provides manual lock override of the device for additional security.  
         [0036]     In some embodiments of the present invention, latch module  14  is a “slam” latch which is well know in the industry. Substitution of other types of latches compatible with the other components of this invention would be well know to one skilled in the art.  
         [0037]     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the forgoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalence of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.