FIELD

The invention relates to an electromechanical lock. BACKGROUND

Electromechanical locks are replacing traditional locks. Further refinement is needed for making the electromechanical lock to consume as little electric energy as possible, and/or improving the break-in security of the electromechanical lock, and/or simplifying the mechanical structure of the electromechanical lock.

EP 2813647 describes an electromechanical lock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The present invention seeks to provide an improved electromechanical lock.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electromechanical lock as specified in claim 1.

LIST OF DRAWINGS

Example embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 illustrates example embodiments of an electromechanical lock;

Figures 2, 3 A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B and 5 illustrate example embodiments, of a drive head and a driven gear; and

Figures 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A, 7B and 7C illustrate further example embodiments of the electromechanical lock. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments are only examples. Although the specification may refer to "an" embodiment in several locations, this does not necessarily mean that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments. Furthermore, words "comprising" and "including" should be understood as not limiting the described embodiments to consist of only those features that have been mentioned and such embodiments may contain also features/structures that have not been specifically mentioned.

The Applicant, iLOQ Oy, has invented many improvements for the electromechanical locks, such as those disclosed in various EP and US patent applications / patents, incorporated herein as references in all jurisdictions where applicable. A complete discussion of all those details is not repeated here, but the reader is advised to consult those applications.

Let us now turn to Figures 1, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A, 7B and 7C, which illustrate example embodiments of an electromechanical lock 100, but with only such parts shown that are relevant to the present example embodiments.

The electromechanical lock 100 comprises an electronic circuit 112 configured to read data 162 from an external source 130 and match the data 162 against a predetermined criterion. In an example embodiment, besides reading, the electronic circuit 112 may also write data to the external source 130.

The electromechanical lock 100 also comprises an actuator 103 comprising a drive head 109 rotatable by electric power 160.

The electromechanical lock 100 also comprises an access control mechanism 104 comprising a driven gear 101 with cogs, and a grip mechanism 111 holding the driven gear 101 stationary in a locked position.

The access control mechanism 104 is configured to be rotatable 152 by a user.

As shown in Figure 2, the drive head 109 comprises two pins 210, 212 configured and positioned so that one of the pins 210, 212 is in a notch between two cogs 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 of the driven gear 101.

Provided that the data 162 matches the predetermined criterion, the drive head 109 rotates the driven gear 101 to an open position 400, by the two pins 210, 212 driving the cogs 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 and overcoming the grip mechanism 111, and thereby setting the access control mechanism 104 to be rotatable 152 by a user. The driven gear 101 may rotate around an axis 230.

If an external mechanical break-in force 172 is applied from outside of the electromechanical lock 100, the drive head 109 remains stationary by at least one of the pins 210, 212 contacting at least one of the cogs 220, 222, 224, and by the grip mechanism 111 holding the driven gear 101 stationary in the locked position 200.

In an example embodiment, the external mechanical break-in force 172 is generated during an unauthorized entry attempt, by subjecting the electromechanical lock 100 to hammer blows or vibration caused by another tool, for example.

In an example embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the cogs 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 cover a limited sector less than 360 degrees of the driven gear 101. The actuator 103 is configured to rotate the drive head 109 from the locked position 200 to the open position 400 so that the drive head 109 rotates the driven gear 101 from one end LOCKED of the limited sector to the other end OPEN of the limited sector.

In an alternative example embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the cogs 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, 500, 502, 504 cover 360 degrees of the driven gear 101, and the actuator 103 is configured to rotate the drive head 109 from the locked position 200 to the open position 400 so that the drive head 109 rotates the driven gear 101 one or more times around the 360 degrees.

In an example embodiment illustrated in Figures 2, 3A and 5, the grip mechanism 111 comprises one or more permanent magnets 240 attached to the driven gear 101, and one or more counterpart permanent magnets 242 attached to an immovable part (such a lock body 102) of the electromechanical lock 100, and the overcoming of the grip mechanism 111 comprises overcoming the magnetic field forces 300 between the one or more permanent magnets 240 and the one or more counterpart permanent magnets 242.

The permanent magnets 240, 242 are positioned so that they attract each other. With pole naming conventions, the North pole N and the South pole S: the opposite poles (S-N) attract each other, whereas similar poles (N-N or S-S) repel each other. Consequently, opposite poles of the permanent magnets 240, 242 are positioned to face each other.

With this example embodiment, the grip mechanism 111 may be implemented by selecting suitable stock permanent magnets with appropriate magnetic fields and forces. A permanent magnet is an object made from a material that is magnetized and creates its own persistent magnetic field. Additionally, or instead of, two polymagnets incorporating correlated patterns of magnets programmed to simultaneously attract and repel may be used as the one or more permanent magnets 240 and the one or more counterpart permanent magnets 242. By using a polymagnet, stronger holding force and shear resistance may be achieved. Additionally, correlated magnets may be programmed to interact only with other magnetic structures that have been coded to respond.

In an example embodiment shown in Figure 1, the electronic circuit 112 electrically controls 164 the access control mechanism 104.

In an example embodiment, an electric power supply 114 powers 160 the actuator 103 and the electronic circuit 112.

In an example embodiment, the electric energy 160 is generated in a self-powered fashion within the electromechanical lock 100 so that the electric power supply 114 comprises a generator 116.

In an example embodiment, rotating 150 a knob 106 may operate 158 the generator 116.

In an example embodiment, pushing down 150 a door handle 110 may operate 158 the generator 116.

In an example embodiment, rotating 150 a key 134 in a keyway 108, or pushing the key 134 into the keyway 108, may operate 158 the generator 116.

In an example embodiment, rotating 150 the knob 106, and/or pushing down 150 the door handle 110, and/or rotating 150 the key 134 in the keyway 108 may mechanically affect 152, such as cause rotation of, the access control mechanism 104 (via the actuator 103).

In an example embodiment, the electric power supply 114 comprises a battery 118. The battery 118 may be a single use or rechargeable accumulator, possibly based on at least one electrochemical cell.

In an example embodiment, the electric power supply 114 comprises mains electricity 120, i.e., the electromechanical lock 100 may be coupled to the general-purpose alternating-current electric power supply, either directly or through a voltage transformer.

In an example embodiment, the electric power supply 114 comprises an energy harvesting device 122, such as a solar cell that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect.

In an example embodiment, the electric energy 160 required by the actuator 103 and the electronic circuit 112 is sporadically imported from some external source 130.

In an example embodiment, the external source 130 comprises a remote control system 132 coupled in a wired or wireless fashion with the electronic circuit 112 and the actuator 103.

In an example embodiment, the external source 130 comprises NFC

(Near Field Communication) technology 136 containing also the data 162, i.e., a smartphone or some other user terminal holds the data 162. NFC is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity.

In an example embodiment, the NFC technology 136 may be utilized to provide

160 the electric energy for the actuator 103 and the electronic circuit 112. In an example embodiment, the smartphone or other portable electronic device 136 creates an electromagnetic field around it and an NFC tag embedded in electromechanical lock 100 is charged by that field. Alternatively, an antenna with an energy harvesting circuit embedded in the electromechanical lock 100 is charged by that field, and the charge powers the electronic circuit 112, which emulates NFC traffic towards the portable electronic device 136.

In an example embodiment, the external source 130 comprises the key

134 containing the data 120, stored and transferred by suitable techniques (for example: encryption, RFID, iButton® etc.).

As shown in Figure 1, in an example embodiment, the electromechanical lock 100 may be placed in a lock body 102, and the access control mechanism 104 may control 154 a latch (or a lock bolt) 126 moving in

156 and out (of a door fitted with the electromechanical lock 100, for example).

In an example embodiment, the lock body 102 is implemented as a lock cylinder, which may be configured to interact with a latch mechanism 124 operating the latch 126.

In an example embodiment, the actuator 103, the access control mechanism 104 and the electronic circuit 112 may be placed inside the lock cylinder 102.

Although not illustrated in Figure 1, the generator 116 may be placed inside the lock cylinder 102 as well.

Let us study Figures 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A, 7B and 7C in more detail.

In an example embodiment, the actuator 103 also comprises a moving shaft 510 coupled with the drive head 109. In the shown example embodiments, the moving shaft 510 is a rotating shaft.

In an example embodiment, the actuator 103 comprises a transducer 602 that accepts electric energy and produces the kinetic motion for the moving shaft 510. In an example embodiment, the transducer 602 is an electric motor, which is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. In an example embodiment, the transducer 602 is a stepper motor, which may be capable of producing precise rotations. In an example embodiment, the transducer 602 is a solenoid, such as an electromechanical solenoid converting electrical energy into the kinetic motion. In an example embodiment, the electromechanical lock 100 comprises the lock body 102, a first axle 600 configured to receive the rotation 152 from the user, the transducer 602, a part 604 accommodating the driven gear 101, the drive head 109, and a second axle 606 permanently coupled with the latch mechanism 124. In our example embodiment, the rotation 152 by the user is transmitted, in the unlocked position 400 of the actuator 103 through the turning of the first axle 600 in unison with the second axle 606 to the latch mechanism 124 withdrawing 156 the latch 126. However, a "reversed" example embodiment is also feasible: the first axle 600 may be permanently coupled with the latch mechanism 124 and the second axle 606 may be configured to receive the rotation 152 by the user. If we apply this alternate example embodiment to the Figure 1, this means that the knob 106 (or the key 134 in the keyway 108, or the handle 110) rotates freely in the locked position 260 of the actuator 103, whereas the backend 606 is blocked to rotate, and, in the open position 400 of the actuator 103, the backend 606 is released to rotate and the first axle 600 and the second axle 606 are coupled together.

Now that the general structure of the electromechanical lock 100 has been described, let us next study its operation with reference Figures 2, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A and 4B.

Figures 2, 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D illustrate that even if the external mechanical break-in force 172 is applied from outside of the electromechanical lock 100, the drive head 109 remains stationary by at least one of the pins 210, 212 contacting at least one of the cogs 220, 222, 224, and by the grip mechanism 111 holding the driven gear 101 stationary in the locked position 200.

In Figure 2, the driven gear 101 is in the locked position 200, wherein the two pins 210, 212 of the drive head 109 are on both sides of the cog 220 of the driven gear 101. In this position, the external mechanical break-in force 172 cannot cause moving of the driven gear 101. This is because the grip mechanism 111, 240, 242 holds the driven gear 101 stationary. Also, the shape of the cog 220 is such that the drive head 109 cannot exert sufficient force to the driven gear 101 so that it would move.

Figure 3A illustrates a situation wherein the external mechanical break-in force 172 has managed to rotate the drive head 109 so that the two pins 210, 212 are now on both sides of the cog 222. Still, the grip mechanism 111 (in our example embodiment, the magnetic field forces 300 between the two permanent magnets 240, 242) attempts to hold the driven gear 101 stationary. As shown in detail in Figure 3B, the two pins 210, 212 are on an arched surface 300 of the cog 222. The drive head 109 may turn and its pins 210, 212 may move over this arched surface 300, but it cannot apply sufficient force to the driven gear 101, whereby the driven gear 101 remains stationary. Figures 3C and 3D show that even at these extreme positions the drive head 109 still cannot turn the driven gear 101. In an example embodiment, the shape of each cog 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 is such that it has an arched surface 300 on both sides, ending to a planar (not pointed) tip.

With the structure of the driven gear 101 of Figure 2, the drive head 109 must rotate at least two full rotations in order to rotate the driven gear 101 from the locked position 200 to the open position 400. It may be even more, as the driven gear 101 may be configured to be in the locked position 200 so that the pin 210 is driven to the bottom of the first notch adjacent to the first cog 220, and in the open position 400 so that the pin 212 is driven to the bottom of the last notch adjacent to the last cog 228. With the structure of the driven gear 101 of Figure 5, the break-in security may be improved even more, supposing that the driven gear 101 must rotate one full rotation, or even a plurality of rotations, before the lock mechanics are arranged into such an order that the rotation 152 causes the retraction 156 of the latch 126.

Figures 4A and 4B illustrate that, provided that the data 162 matches the predetermined criterion, the drive head 109 rotates the driven gear 101 to the open position 400, by the two pins 210, 212 driving the cogs 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 and overcoming the grip mechanism 111, and thereby setting the access control mechanism 104 to be rotatable 152 by the user.

As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, when the drive head 109 is authorized to rotate with the electric power 160, the driven gear 101 is rotated to the open position 400 efficiently.

It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the example embodiments described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.