2. Discussion Locksets are used on doors to selectively prevent access therethrough. In a locked mode, the door handle cannot be rotated thereby preventing access through the door. In an unlocked mode, the door handle may be rotated thereby allowing entry through the door.

According to the prior art, switching the lockset from a locked mode to an unlocked mode required manual movement of a locking device internal of the lockset.

This was accomplished by way of a key or an external turn button. For convenience, it would be desirable to provide a lockset which offers both remote operation and manual operation of the locking device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, a remote lockset is provided including a first knob having a shaft extending therefrom. A turn piece is coupled to the shaft and includes at least one cam pin extending therefrom. A slider is disposed adjacent the turn piece and includes at least one cam slot formed therein receiving the cam pin of the turn piece. The slider also includes a cam follower formed thereon. A drive gear is disposed adjacent the slider opposite the turn piece. The drive gear includes a driving cam thereon engaging the cam follower of the slider. A cluster gear engages the drive gear and a worm gear. A motor is connected to the worm gear and a controller.

Upon rotation of the turn piece by manual manipulation of a turn button associated with the first knob, the cam pins engage the slider adjacent the cam slots and move it between locked and unlocked positions. Similarly, upon receipt of an activation signal, the controller energizes the motor which rotates the drive gear by way of the worm and cluster gears. The driving cam of the drive gear engages the cam follower

of the slider such that the slider is moved between locked and unlocked positions. As such, a single lockset is provided having both manual and remote actuators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to appreciate the manner in which the advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings only depict preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting in scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lockset of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the lockset of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lockset of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a more detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of the lockset of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the lockset of the present invention; FIG. 6 is an elevational view illustrating the slider, internal turn piece and drive gear of the present in a first position; FIG. 7 is an elevational view illustrating the slider, internal turn piece and drive gear of the present invention in a second position; FIG. 8 is an elevational view illustrating the slider, internal turn piece and drive gear of the present invention in a third position; and FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the control logic of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a lockset 10 including an external knob 12 and an internal knob 14. A key 16 is disposed within external knob 12. A turn knob 22 is disposed within internal knob 14.

A stem rose and knob spindle assembly 18 is coupled to external knob 12 so as to axially extend therefrom. The assembly 18 is spaced apart from an interior module 20 coupled to the internal knob 14. The distance between assembly 18 and interior module 20 is approximately the width of a conventional home or office entry door. As such, the majority of assembly 18 will reside inside the door.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the lockset 10 is illustrated in greater detail.

The key 16 is inserted within a knob cylinder 24. The knob cylinder 24 is accommodated within the external knob 12. The assembly 18 includes a round spindle 25 and a half-round spindle 26 (known in the industry simply as a half-round) extending therefrom. The assembly 18 also includes a shield 28, wire harness 30, bearing 32, buzzer 34, LED spacer 36, and LED 38.

The interior module 20 includes a generally rectangular mounting plate 40 coupled to a complimentary shaped motor cover 42 which is disposed opposite a hollow chassis 44. A hollow interior cover 46 and battery cover 48 are removably secured to the chassis 44. The chassis 44 includes a battery receiving section 50 including dual battery contacts 52 and single battery contacts 54 for coupling with batteries 56.

A compression spring 58 in the shape of a coil is coupled between the motor cover 42 and an internal turn piece 60. A slider 62 is disposed adjacent the internal turn piece 60 and is laterally movable with respect thereto. A drive gear 64 is disposed adjacent the slider 62 opposite the internal turn piece 60. A cluster gear 66 meshingly engages the drive gear 64. A worm gear 68 meshing engages the cluster gear 66. The worm gear 68 is connected to a motor 70.

A printed circuit board (PCB) 72 is disposed adjacent the drive gear 64 and is electrically coupled to the motor 70. An index arm 74 is connected to the PCB 72 and disposed adjacent the drive gear 64 so that its angular position may be tracked (discrete cams on the drive gear periodically strike the arm 74 which then depresses a micro-

switch on the PCB 72). A status arm 75 is coupled to the PCB 72 and is disposed adjacent the internal turn piece 60 so that the manual operation of the lockset 10 may be detected (another micro-switch on the PCB 72 is depressed by the arm 75 when the lockset 10 is being manually operated, the switch prevents simultaneous remote operation).

A gear pin 76 rotatably supports the cluster gear 66 between the chassis 44 and motor cover 42. A stop plate 78, torque spring 80, and retaining rings 82 are disposed between the drive gear 64 and the chassis 44.

A more detailed illustration of certain components of the lockset 10 are illustrated in FIG. 4. The internal turn piece 60 includes a pin 84 axially extending therefrom. The pin 84 resides within a caming slot 86 formed within the slider 62. A cam follower 88 axially extends from the slider 62. The cam follower 88 engages a driving cam 90 axially extending from the drive gear 64.

As will be described in greater detail below, rotational movement of turn piece 60 causes pin 84 to impinge upon slider 62 adjacent caming slot 86. This causes linear movement of the slider 62. Similarly, rotational movement of the drive gear 64 causes the driving cam 90 to engage the cam follower 88. This also causes linear movement of slider 62.

Referring to FIG. 5, upon energizing motor 70, worm gear 68 is rotated.

External gear teeth of worm gear 68 meshingly engage with first external gear teeth 92 of cluster gear 66. As such, rotation of worm gear 68 by motor 70 imparts rotation to cluster gear 66. Second gear teeth 94 of cluster gear 66 meshingly engage with external gear teeth of drive gear 64. Accordingly, rotation of cluster gear 66 causes rotation of drive gear 64.

Referring again to FIG. 3, it should be appreciated that turn button 22 is coupled to internal turn piece 60. Similarly, internal turn piece 60 is coupled to half- round spindle 26, which is operably coupled to the key receiver 24. As such, rotation of key 16 rotates internal turn piece 60 by way of half-round spindle 26. Similarly, rotation of turn knob 22 rotates internal turn piece 60.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, the operation of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 6, the slider 62 is illustrated in a first or unlocked position. Upon

rotation of the drive gear 64, the driving cam 90 abuttingly engages the cam follower 88 of the slider 62. As shown in FIG. 7, further rotation of the drive gear 64 causes the driving cam 90 to ride along the surface of the follower cam 88 thereby forcing the slider 62 linearly away from the first position. As shown in FIG. 8, still further rotation of drive gear 64 causes the driving cam 90 to move the slider 62 to a second or locked position. The slider 62 is returned to its original position by continuing rotation of the drive gear 64 such that the driving cam 90 engages and drives the second cam follower 88'of the slider 62.

Referring again to FIG. 6, the slider may also be moved between its first and second positions by way of the turn piece 60. As the turn piece 60 is rotated, the pin 84 abuttingly engages the surface of the slider 62 adjacent slot 86. As shown in FIG.

7, further rotation of the turn piece 60 causes the pin 84 to ride along the slot 86 thereby forcing the slider 62 linearly away from its first position. Such rotation also causes the second turn piece pin 84'to move along the second slider slot 86'. As best seen in FIG. 8, still further rotation of the turn piece 60 results in movement of the slider 62 to its second position.

Although the slider 62 can be linearly moved by rotation of the drive gear 64 or the turn piece 60, it should be appreciated that rotation of the turn piece 60 does not rotate the drive gear 64. Also, it should be appreciated that the slot 86'is a lost motion slot and that its primary purpose is to accommodate the second pin 84'of the internal turn piece 60. Its secondary purpose is to work in conjunction with the second pin 84'to maintain the slider 62 in a preselected location relative to the turn piece 60, particularly when the pin 84 is rotated out of the slot 86. Referring now also to FIG.

2, the lockset 10 can be switched from a left hand unit to a right hand unit. This is accomplished by pulling the turn piece 60 outwardly and rotating it by 180 degrees.

This simultaneously disengages the pins 84 and 84'from their respective slots 86 and 86'and then inserts them in the opposite slot. The restoring force is provided by the compression spring 58.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a flowchart for activating the automatic unlocking feature of the present invention as illustrated.

Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that

the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms.

Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.