Patent Description:
Mechanical lock cylinders in the European style are well known. A user pushes a key into the slot, which aligns the pins in the cylinder. The user turns the key, thereby turning a cam within the lock, which can translate a latch or a bolt in and out of the lock casing.

In recent years, attempts have been made to replace the mechanical lock cylinder with an electronically actuated lock. These include <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>. An electronically operated lock cylinder comprising a core and two coaxially mounted shafts, wherein a clutch and a motor are provided, is disclosed by <CIT>. An electronically operated lock cylinder with two cams, each providing a lug and a clutch is disclosed by <CIT>.

But despite these efforts, a neec remains for an effective, efficient, and dependable electronic lock cylinder.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, an electronically operated European style lock cylinder assembly <NUM> useful in a mortise-type door lock is shown. The lock cylinder assembly <NUM> can replace an existing standard European-style deadbolt cylinder in a mortise lock to convert the lock from a manual key-operated lock to a lock that can be operated by an electronic credential including, without limitation, RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, BLE, keypad, or biometric. It can further be connected wirelessly to the internet or an intranet, either directly or indirectly via controllers, which act as an intermediate between the lock and the internet, including connecting to cloud-based servers. It can then be accessed remotely via, e.g., a personal computer, cell phone, or tablet.

The lock cylinder assembly <NUM> can be mounted to standard mortise lock housing <NUM> disposed in a door <NUM>, the lock housing <NUM> including a bolt <NUM> and a faceplate <NUM>. The lock housing <NUM> is secured to the door <NUM> in standard fashion via screws <NUM>. The lock cylinder assembly <NUM> includes an access housing <NUM> having an access knob <NUM> disposed on an outside of the door <NUM>, and a control housing <NUM> having a control knob <NUM> disposed on an inside of the door <NUM>. As will be described in more detail below, the lock cylinder assembly <NUM> secures the door <NUM> in a closed position in known manner by extending the deadbolt <NUM> into a strike in the door jamb to secure a room or other space, and a user may provide a credential to the access housing <NUM> which will allow the user to rotate the access knob <NUM>, retract the bolt <NUM> from the strike, which will allow the user to open the door <NUM> and enter into the space.

Referring specifically to <FIG>, the access housing <NUM> includes a back panel <NUM> and a cover <NUM> fastened together by screws <NUM>. The access knob <NUM> is rotatably maintained on the cover <NUM> by a clip <NUM>. A circuit board <NUM> is disposed within the access housing <NUM>, and it may contain one or more sensors <NUM> such as antennas for receiving one or more wireless signals, including without limitation Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, NFC, and RFID. The wireless signals may comprise the credentials that authorize the user to open the lock. The access housing <NUM> may also include a keypad for entering a code, or may include any other known or yet to be developed structure or methods of entering an electronic credential, including fingerprint, facial scanning, retinal scanning, voice reader, other biometrics, and so forth. As will be described further, the lock <NUM> is constructed such that whether the lock is in a locked state or an unlocked state, a user within the space may rotate the control knob <NUM> on the control housing <NUM>, and extend and retract the bolt <NUM>. The circuit board <NUM> may also include a wireless internet antenna to allow the lock to be connected wirelessly to the internet for remote access control, usage data, audit trails, and the like.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, an internal cylinder assembly <NUM> of the lock cylinder assembly <NUM> is depicted in an assembled state and an exploded state, respectively. The cylinder assembly <NUM> includes a lock core <NUM> rotatably housing an access shaft <NUM> and a control shaft <NUM>. The access shaft <NUM> includes an access spline <NUM> and is mounted to the access knob <NUM> such that rotation of the access knob <NUM> is transmitted to the access shaft <NUM> via the access spline <NUM>. Likewise, the control shaft <NUM> includes a control spline <NUM> and is mounted to the control knob <NUM>. Rotation of the control knob <NUM> rotates the control shaft <NUM> via the control spline <NUM>. The internal cylinder assembly <NUM> further includes a first cam <NUM> and a second cam <NUM> that operate to retract and extend the bolt <NUM> in known fashion. A motor cover <NUM> is mounted to the core <NUM> to allow installation of an electric motor <NUM> within the core <NUM>. The core <NUM> includes a threaded mounting hole <NUM> used to mount the core to the mortise lock housing <NUM>. The core <NUM> further includes a wiring channel <NUM> extending the length of the core to allow for control wiring to extend from the access housing <NUM> to the control housing <NUM>. In this example the motor <NUM> is depicted as an electric motor, but those of ordinary skill will understand that other devices, such as gearmotors and electronic actuators, may work as well.

Referring specifically to <FIG>, the access shaft <NUM> is disposed in an access channel <NUM> within the core <NUM>. The access shaft <NUM> is maintained within the access channel <NUM> by a first clip <NUM> which sits in a first slot <NUM> in the core <NUM> and engages a circumferential recess <NUM> in the access shaft <NUM> to maintain the access shaft <NUM> axially but allow it to rotate. The access shaft <NUM> also includes a cylindrical recess <NUM> that accommodates a first spring <NUM> and a first ball <NUM>. The first ball <NUM> can engage a detent on an inside surface of the access channel <NUM> to locate the access shaft <NUM> at a predeterminled rotational orientation.

The control shaft <NUM> likewise is disposed in a control channel <NUM> within the core <NUM>. Similarly, the control shaft <NUM> is maintained within the control channel <NUM> by a second clip <NUM> disposed within a second slot <NUM> in the core <NUM> that engages a circumferential recess <NUM> in the control shaft <NUM>. The second clip <NUM> also maintains the control shaft <NUM> longitudinally but allows for rotation. The control shaft <NUM> also includes a cylindrical recess <NUM> that houses a second spring <NUM> and a second ball <NUM> which can engage a detent on an inner surface of the control channel <NUM> to maintain the control shaft <NUM> in a predetermined rotational orientation.

The control shaft <NUM> includes a second spline <NUM> and a control rod <NUM>. Disposed on the control rod <NUM> is a clutch <NUM> having a hub <NUM> and a clutch spline <NUM>. The hub <NUM> includes recesses (not seen in <FIG>) that receive the second spline <NUM> such that rotation of the control shaft <NUM> causes rotation of the clutch <NUM>. The clutch <NUM> is axially translatable along the control rod <NUM> such that clutch spline <NUM> selectively engages either (a) the first cam <NUM>, or (b) the second cam <NUM> and hub recesses <NUM> of the access shaft <NUM>, as will be discussed further below.

The motor cover <NUM> is detachably connected to the core <NUM> via two screws <NUM>. The motor cover <NUM> and the core <NUM> define a seat <NUM> that houses the motor <NUM> and a worm gear <NUM> connected to the motor <NUM>. A slider <NUM> is also disposed in the seat <NUM>, the slider <NUM> having a spring <NUM> disposed therein. The spring <NUM> includes a narrowed portion <NUM> which is disposed on the worm gear <NUM> and engages the teeth of the worm gear <NUM> such that rotation of the worm gear <NUM> pushes the spring <NUM> in directions U and L, and therefore the slider <NUM>, forward and backward. The slider <NUM> has a finger <NUM> extending upwardly into a circumferential recess <NUM> in the clutch <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, the core <NUM> is shown in the locked position. In this position, the motor <NUM> has rotated the worm gear <NUM> and pulled the spring <NUM> in direction L. This action pulls the slider <NUM> and the clutch <NUM> in the same direction. The second spline <NUM> engages recesses <NUM> in the hub <NUM>, and the clutch spline <NUM> engages recesses in the first cam <NUM>. Accordingly, in this position, a user may rotate the control knob <NUM>, which will rotate the first cam <NUM>, which will operate to retract and extend the bolt <NUM> as is known. The clutch <NUM> is disconnected, however, from the second cam <NUM> and the access shaft <NUM>. Thus, a user can freely rotate the access knob <NUM> and access shaft <NUM>, and no action is made upon either the first cam <NUM> or the second cam <NUM>, and therefore the position of the deadbolt <NUM> does not change.

Referring now to <FIG>, the core <NUM> is shown in the unlocked position. The motor <NUM> has rotated the worm gear <NUM> and pushed the spring <NUM> in direction U. This action pushes the slider <NUM> and clutch <NUM> in the same direction. With the clutch <NUM> pushed in direction U, the clutch spline <NUM> engages the second cam <NUM>, and, at the same time, the clutch spline <NUM> engages the block recesses <NUM> in the access shaft <NUM>. In this position, a user rotating the access knob <NUM> will rotate the second cam <NUM>, and extend or retract the bolt <NUM> as known. The second spline <NUM> of the control shaft <NUM> still engages the recesses <NUM> of the hub <NUM> of the clutch <NUM>, and therefore rotation of the control knob <NUM> will rotate the control spline <NUM> and the second cam <NUM>. Accordingly, in this position, rotation of both the access knob <NUM> and the control knob <NUM> will cause rotation of the second cam <NUM>, moving the bolt <NUM> in and out as is known.

Referring now to <FIG> and <NUM>-<NUM>, installation of the lock cylinder assembly <NUM> is disclosed. The back panel <NUM> of the access housing <NUM> can be mounted to the cylinder assembly <NUM> by a screw <NUM> extending through a through hole <NUM> of the back panel <NUM> and into a threaded hole <NUM> of the lock assembly. The screws <NUM> then affix the back panel <NUM> to the cover <NUM> and also support the circuit board <NUM>. Typically this would be done by the manufacturer and not in the field.

Referring specifically to <FIG>, the door <NUM> includes a core through hole <NUM> and a pair of fastener through holes <NUM>. The access housing <NUM> includes a pair of internally threaded cylinders <NUM> extending laterally and generally in parallel with the core <NUM>. The control housing <NUM> includes a mounting plate <NUM> having a keyway <NUM> for receiving the core <NUM> and through holes <NUM> coaxial with the threaded cylinders <NUM> of the access housing <NUM>. The control housing <NUM> further includes a cover <NUM>. First control wiring <NUM> extends from within the access housing <NUM> to a connector <NUM> and travels through the wiring channel <NUM>, thereby connecting, at least in part, the sensor <NUM> in the access housing <NUM> to the connector <NUM>. Accordingly, credentials captured by the sensor <NUM> in the access housing <NUM> can be transmitted to the connector <NUM>. Second control wiring <NUM> extends from the motor <NUM> to the connector <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the core <NUM> is mounted to the access housing <NUM> and the access knob <NUM> as described above. The core <NUM> is disposed within the door <NUM> in the core through hole <NUM>, and the internally threaded cylinders <NUM> are disposed within the fastening through holes <NUM>. A core mounting screw <NUM> is then inserted through the faceplate <NUM> and into the core threaded mounting hole <NUM> to fix the core <NUM> within the door <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the mounting plate <NUM> is affixed to the access housing <NUM> by inserting fasteners <NUM> through the through holes <NUM> and into the internally threaded cylinders <NUM>, thereby clamping to the access housing <NUM> and the mounting plate <NUM> to the door <NUM>. Disposed on the mounting plate is a circuit board <NUM>. The circuit board <NUM> may include one or more of a processor, memory, and/or other components useful for receiving the credential, analyzing the credential, and providing instructions to power the motor <NUM>. A receiver <NUM> is disposed on the circuit board <NUM> configured to receive the connector <NUM> that can connect the processor with the motor <NUM> and sensors <NUM>.

Also in connection with the circuit board <NUM> is a battery pack <NUM> for powering the lock <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, batteries <NUM> may be installed in the battery pack <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the cover <NUM> can then be mounted to the mounting plate <NUM> via fasteners <NUM>. Other means of fastening can be employed, such as latches and snaps.

Claim 1:
An electronically operated lock cylinder (<NUM>), comprising:
a core (<NUM>);
a first shaft (<NUM>) rotatably mounted in the core;
a second shaft (<NUM>) rotatably mounted in the core and coaxial with the first shaft;
a first cam (<NUM>) and a second cam (<NUM>), each rotatably mounted in the core and coaxial with the first shaft, the first cam including a first lug and the second cam including a second lug, the first lug and the second lug each operatively couplable to a deadbolt;
a clutch (<NUM>) disposed on the first shaft and shiftable from a first position to a second position;
a motor (<NUM>) disposed in the core and operatively coupled to the clutch and configured to shift the clutch from the first position to the second position;
wherein when the clutch is in the first position, the first shaft is operatively coupled to the first cam, and the second shaft is decoupled from both the first cam and the second cam; and
wherein when the clutch is in the second position, both the first shaft and the second shaft are operatively coupled to the second cam.