Patent ID: 7069755

Claim:
A deadbolt lock, comprising: a housing; a deadbolt latch mounted to the housing, the deadbolt latch having a bolt that is moveable between an extended, locked position, and a retracted, unlocked position, the deadbolt latch further including a deadbolt hub that is turned to move the bolt between its extended and refracted positions; an outside thumb-turn rotatably mounted to the housing; a clutch, having a core comprising a deadbolt shaft sleeve connected to the deadbolt hub; an outside thumb-turn shaft connected to the outside thumb-mm, and a clutch collar, slidably mounted onto the deadbolt shaft sleeve, the clutch collar being slidable between an engaged position, in which the deadbolt shaft sleeve and the outside thumb-turn shaft rotate as a unit to turn the deadbolt hub, and a disengaged position, in which the outside thumb-turn shaft rotates separately from the deadbolt shaft sleeve, the clutch further comprising an electric motor mounted along a first side of the clutch core, and a transmission axle mounted along a second side of the clutch core diametrically opposite the first side, the electric motor and the transmission axle being positioned such that the clutch core is positioned between the transmission axle and the electric motor, and such that the transmission axle is parallel to the electric motor shaft, the electric motor shaft and the transmission axle being coupled to each other by a gear train, the gear train extending along a third side of the clutch core, such that the clutch core is enclosed on three sides by the electric motor shaft, the gear train, and the transmission axle; and a cam movably mounted between the transmission axle and the clutch collar, such that rotation of the transmission axle causes the cam to move between a first position and a second position, the movement of the cam from its first position to its second position causing the clutch collar to move into its engaged position; a microcomputer disposed within the housing, the microcomputer being connected to the electric motor; and an electronic touch-key reader disposed in the housing, the electronic touch-key reader being electronically connected to the microcomputer and being capable of reading a digital security code from an electronic touch-key applied thereto, the microprocessor actuating the electric motor to engage the clutch only when an authorized digital security code is read by the electronic touch-key reader.