Field of the Disclosure

This invention relates to door locks.

Background

Door locks have remained almost unchanged in principle for over 100 years, but the advent of the computer age has brought a wide range of electronic locks having advantageous features such as electronic keypad entry, card readers, biometric recognition and remote unlocking. However, a disadvantage of such digital locks is that they are expensive and difficult to install, often requiring substantial adaptation of the door and/or surrounding doorframe. Another disadvantage of such digital locks is that they often have poor security and may not be of the required standard for insurers.

AU2006100498 and EP0129042 each disclose an electronic device for fitting to the outside of the door that comprise an electronic keypad, a card reader or a biometric reader that generate an output signal which allows the door to be opened without a key. The device comprises a body can be fitted over an existing door lock once a key has been inserted. A handle is provided on the body which can be turned to rotate the key and so unlock the door. The device prevents the handle from being turned unless an appropriate unlock signal has been received from the electronic keypad, a card reader or a biometric reader.

Whilst devices of the kind disclosed in AU2006100498 and EP0129042 solve the aforementioned problems of known digital locks, they create an inherent security risk because they are mounted on the outside of the door and could easily be removed, thereby allowing the door to be unlocked using the exposed key.

With the foregoing in mind, we have now devised a lock system.

Summary

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lock system comprising a first portion and a second remote portion for respectively mounting on opposite sides of a door or other structure having a lock, in use, the first and second portions of the system are respectively mounted on the inside and outside of the door, the first portion comprising means for engaging and rotating a key or other element of the lock, the second portion comprising recognition means for generating a wireless output signal upon recognition of a predetermined action by a user to open the door, the first portion being arranged to cause rotation of the key upon receipt of the wireless output signal, in which the recognition means comprises a biometric recognition sensor, a keypad, a tag reader and/or a card reader.

In use, the first and second portions of the system are respectively mounted on the inside and outside of the door. Since the first portion engages the key, there is no need to leave the key in the outside of the door and thus the above-mentioned security risk is avoided.

The means for rotating the key or other element may comprise a motor.

The means for rotating the key may comprise a rotatable adjustable insert having a formation adapted to receive the key or other element. In use, the position of the formation and/or the dimensions thereof can be adjusted to suit the particular type of lock fitted to the door. The insert may be removable and repositionable at a selected one of a plurality of different rotational positions. The insert may comprise a plurality of different formations having different dimensions.

The insert may be mounted in a knob or other handle.

The system may comprise a spacer for fitting between the first portion and the door. The system may comprise a kit comprising a plurality of spacers having different profiles to suit different types of lock escutcheons.

The system may be arranged to wirelessly connect to a remote device over the Internet, the remote device enabling the door to be unlocked remotely.

When installing a smart lock, the centre of the lock and the wheel of the smart lock cannot be guaranteed to coincide, which will lead to the shift of the smart lock in the rotation process of the switch lock. Over time, it is easy to cause the smart lock to fall off from the door or slip due to the wear of the gear. The system may comprise a movable runner, which can adjust the centre position through its own activities during rotation. In this way, the centre of the smart lock and the door lock overlap.

Also, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising the aforementioned lock system fitted to a door, wherein the first portion is fitted over a key or other element used to operate the lock of the door and wherein the second portion is mounted on or adjacent the opposite side of the door from the first portion.

Also, in accordance present invention, there is provided a method of unlocking a door using the aforementioned lock system, the method comprising fitting the first portion of the system over a key or other element on one side of the door and fitting the second portion on or adjacent the opposite side of the door, detecting a predetermined action by a user at the second portion, wirelessly transmitting an output signal from the second portion to the first portion upon detection of said predetermined action and causing the first portion to rotate the key or other element upon receipt of said signal.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric rear view of a lock system in accordance the present invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric front view of the lock system of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of a portion of the lock system of Figure 1; and

Figures 4 and 5 are respective isometric views of a rear and front portion of a door when fitted with the lock system of Figure 1.

Detailed Description

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a lock system comprising first and second portions 10, 11 disposed remote from each other. The first portion 10 comprises a body having a front casing 19 and a rear casing 20. The front casing 19 of the body comprises a large aperture 21 through which a knurled knob 22 projects. The interior of the knob 22 is hollow and is adapted to engage the proximal end of a cylindrical insert member 23 at a selected one of a plurality of angular orientations, the exterior of the insert member 23 being provided with a plurality of axially extending grooves 23C which are circumferentially-spaced and which are adapted to engage complementary formations arranged around the hollow interior of the knob 22. The insert member 23 comprises first and second internal passageways 23A, 23B which extend axially of the member between its opposite ends along the length thereof. The internal passageways 23A, 23B have a width arranged diametrically of the insert member 23 at respective orthogonal orientations. The second passageway 23 has a height which is substantially greater than that of the first passageway 23. The distal end of the cylindrical insert member 23 is mounted in a cylindrical collar surrounding an aperture 24 formed in the rear casing 20 of the body.

The body of the first portion 10 of the lock system is hollow and comprises a printed circuit board 25 on which a motor 27 is mounted. The printed circuit board 25 is connected to a battery 26. The distal end of the exterior surface of the knob 22 is provided with a ring of teeth 29 which is connected to the Rotary output shaft of the motor 27 via gearing 28.

The second portion 11 of the lock system comprises a body having a fingerprint recognition sensor 30 disposed on its front face. The interior of the body is hollow and comprises a printed circuit board and battery (not shown).

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, in use the first and second portions 10, 11 of the lock system are respectively fitted to the inside and outside of a door 12, although it will be appreciated that the second portion 11 does not have to be fitted to the door 12 itself as shown. In the example shown, the door 12 comprises a conventional mortise lock 13 fitted into the free edge of the door 12. The mortise lock 13 comprises an upper latch 13A which can be freely retracted using handles 14, 15 that are respectively mounted to the inside and outside of the door 12. The mortise lock 13 further comprises a lock cylinder which extends through the door and has its opposite ends projecting through respective escutcheon plates 16, 17 respectively mounted to the inside and outside of the door 12. The mortise lock 13 also comprises a lower deadbolt 13B which can only be extended and retracted by inserting a key 18 into one end of the lock cylinder and then rotating it in an appropriate direction.

Prior to fitting the first portion 10 to the interior of the door 12, and an appropriate apertured spacer 31 is fitted around the inner escutcheon 16. It will be appreciated that the lock system may be provided with a plurality of different spaces which can be selected and used according to the thickness or shape of the escutcheon 16. In some instances, the escutcheon may be formed into grey with the handle 14, in which case the spacer may comprise a passageway in which the escutcheon is seated. In the example shown, the key 18 is orientated in the vertical plane when being inserted into or removed from the lock cylinder. Hence, prior to fitting the first portion 10 to the door 12, the user has to ensure that the first passageway 23A of the insert member 23 is mounted in the knob 22 such that it also lies in the vertical plane. In order to facilitate this, the insert member 23 is freely removable from the knob 22 through the aperture 24 in the rear casing 20 of the first portion 10. The insert member 23 can then be engaged into the knob 22 at the desired angular orientation.

In some cases, the key 18 may lie in a horizontal orientation and it will be appreciated that this can easily be accommodated by setting the position of the insert member 23 such that the first passageway 23A thereof lies in the horizontal plane. In other cases, the inner end of the lock cylinder may be operated by a thumb turn instead of a key. In this case, the user simply has to position the insert member 23 such that the thumb turn is received in the wider second passageway 23B.

The first portion 10 of the lock system is then fitted onto the spacer 31 with the key 18 in situ. The spacer 31 may be mounted to the door 12 using a double-sided adhesive pad having the same footprint. The first portion 10 of the lock system may be mounted to the spacer 31 using a similar double-sided adhesive pad.

The second portion 11 of the lock system is then fitted to the outside of the door 12, perhaps at a position disposed alongside the outer escutcheon 17. The second portion 11 of the lock system may again be mounted to the door 12 using a double-sided theses pad having the same footprint.

The first and second portions 10, 11 of the lock system are paired to wirelessly communicate with each other. Prior to use of the system, the fingerprint of at least one user has to be pre programmed into the system. This can either be done using the fingerprint reader 30 on the second portion 11 and/or by using dedicated application software running on a PC, tablet or mobile device. In order to open the door 12, a registered user simply places their relevant finger on the sensor 30 on the second portion 11 , whereupon the second portion 11 sends a wireless unlock command signal to the first portion 10 on the other side of the door 12. The motor 27 is momentarily activated upon receipt of an unlock signal by the first portion 10, to turn the knob 22 thereby causing rotation of the key 18 and unlocking the door. The first and second portions 10, 11 of the lock system comprise respective actuators 32 which can be actuated to momentarily activate the motor 27 to turn the knob in the opposite direction so as to lock the door.

It will be appreciated that users can easily be added or removed. It will also be appreciated that the door can be unlocked remotely for example using the aforementioned application software. It will also be appreciated that other kinds of biometric recognition sensors or other kinds of devices such as keypads, tag readers and card readers may be provided on the second device in addition to or instead of the fingerprint sensor 31. In a further embodiment, another motor may be provided for grasping and pulling the key 18 out of the lock cylinder into the insert member 23 in the event of a low battery. In this manner, a user is then able to open the door from the outside using another key.

A lock system in accordance with the present invention conveniently enables existing doors to be unlocked by biometric recognition without substantial adaptation of the door or lock and without unduly compromising security.