Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ELECTRONIC LOCK WITH ELECTROADHESIVE ELEMENTS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The invention relates to devices that use fixing mechanisms and locking
devices, and particularly to electronic locks for doors, safes, vehicles, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
In known electronic locks a control element interacts with a lock bar, most
often by electromagnets in which the coils are supplied with electrical signal
from
an enable means (USSR Author's Certificate N~1694066, Int. Cl. E OS B 47/00,
published 1990).
A disadvantage of locks of this type is in the power coupling between the
bar and the control element, which coupling is performed via a sufficiently
powerful electromagnet. Because of the high consumed power of such lock, it
may operate only from external mains, or an energy-intensive battery.
In another known electronic lock taken as a prior art, an electromagnet is
employed only for deblocking the bar, and is turned on via a processor by a
signal from an electronic key (US Patent N~5,005,393, Int. Cl. E OS B 47/00,
published 1991 ).
However, even such a small electromagnet consumes a significant power
and in the case of an autonomous power source, it requires to be periodically
recharged or replaced thus deteriorating the lock performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
This invention provides means for significantly reducing the power
consumed by the electronic lock.
For this purpose, there is provided an electronic lock comprising a bar, a
bar shift mechanism, and a blocking device; the blocking device is made in the
form of an electromechanical catch including interactive elements mounted with
the possibility of their mutual shifting and of their electroadhesive fixing,
and the
blocking device is coupled to a limner blocking the shift of said bar.
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The Applicant is not aware of locking devices, and more particularly
electronic locks, having the same set of essential features. Thus, the present
invention is considered to meet the PCT criterion of novelty.
The Applicant is aware of systems in which the electroadhesive effect is
employed for fixing in place on a working plate (USSR Author's Certificate
N°-1291395, Int. Cl. B 25 J 15/06, published 1987; Nq1320057, Int. Cl.
B 25 J
15/06, published 1987; N°-1451000, Int. Cl. B 25 J 15/06, published
1989).
However, the employing of the electroadhesive effect to blocking elements
mutually moved in mechanical devices, and more particularly in door locks, is
not
known to the Applicant. Thus, the present invention is considered to meet the
PCT criterion of inventive step.
The reasons to consider the accordance of the present invention to the PCT
criterion of industrial applicability will be provided below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
As an example of a simple variant of an electric door lock which clearly
illustrates a technical aspect of this invention, Applicant refers to:
Figure 1 is a general schematic view showing the main components of the
preferred embodiment of the electronic lock of the present invention, with the
electronic lock in an initial locked state;
Figure 2 is view similar to Figure 1, with the electronic lock in a cocked
state; and
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, with the electronic lock in an
opened state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
An embodiment of this invention will be described now with the reference
to the drawings.
An electronic lock includes a bar 1, a bar shift mechanism consisted of a
crossbar 2 and a control lever 3 having a dowel 4. A vertical hole (marked on
the local cross-section) is made in a body of the crossbar 2, in which hole a
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cylindrical pin 7 is inserted having a transverse tip 5 going out of a slot in
the
lower plane part of the crossbar 2. The pin 7 is under an effect of a
returning
spring 6 by means of the transversal tip 5. The bar shifting blocking device
has
a limner 8 moved by the pin 7 and the spring 10 in a fixed bush 9, and is
coupled
to a moving plate 11 of the electromechanical catch by a chain 13. A second
plate 12 of the catch is fixed in a lock body 14.
The catch plates 11 and 12 are divided by a thin dielectric clearance, and
in the simplest case the surfaces of both plates, turned on to the other, are
produced with a high degree of polishing and have electrical conductivity.
From
the electrical point of view the catch is equivalent to a capacitor: Once a
voltage
is applied on its plates, they are charged with opposite polar charges. As is
well
known, as shown in the background art and particularly from the above
mentioned
references, electrostatic attraction arises between the charged plates
leading, under
some conditions, to a considerable mutual adhesion of these plates, that is
the so-
called electroadhesive interaction. In the illustrated schematic structure,
these
catch plates are able to move mutually, and their mutual location may be fixed
at
any arbitrary moment due to the electroadhesion, by applying an electrical
charge
to these plates.
Figure 1 shows a starting state of the electronic lock mechanism. The bar
1 is slid out of the body 14 (the status of the lock is "closed"), the limiter
8 of the
block device is lowered into the vertical hole of the crossbar 2 by the spring
10,
and thus shifting of the bar 1 is blocked.
Figure 2 illustrates "cocking" of the blocking device. When the control
lever 3 is turned clockwise, its left cam contacts the tip 5 and raises the
pin 7,
which in its turn raises the limiter 8. In the final position shown in Figure
2, the
pin 7 comes into the fixed bush 9, and thus operates as a limiter. The moving
plate 11 of the electromechanical catch shifts away from its starting position
with
regard to the fixed plate 12.
After the control lever 3 is turned counter-clockwise to its starting
position,
there are possible two versions of the whole mechanism operation.
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The first version, "idling", takes place when the catch plates 11, 12 are not
supplied by voltage. In this case, an interaction between these plates is
absent,
and they are free in their mutual movement. The spring 10 lowers the limner 8
after the pin 7 is lowered to its starting position (Figure 1 ).
The second version, "deblocking the lock", takes place when the catch
plates 11, 12 are supplied by a voltage high enough for such an
electroadhesive
coupling of plates that counteracts a force of the tensed spring 10, and thus
keeps
the limiter 8 in a "cocked" state. The pin 7 is precluded by its returning
spring
6 from entering into the vertical hole of the crossbar 2, enabling it to shift
longitudinally.
Figure 3 shows the final state of the lock mechanism. The bar 1 is drawn
into the lock body 14 (the status of the lock is "open"). The longitudinal
shift of
the bar crossbar 2 is performed by the dowel 4 of the control lever 3 co-
operating
with the vertical slot of the crossbar 2.
This reciprocating motion of the crossbar 2 and the bar 1 is possible until
the limner 8 is in the "cocked" position. If the voltage maintaining the
electroadhesive coupling of the catch plates 1 l, 12 is removed, then the
spring 10
returns the blocking mechanism to its starting state at the moment when the
vertical hole of the shifted crossbar 2 comes under the limner 8.
It follows from the given description of this invention, that the apparatus
hereof may be used as the electromechanical blocking mechanism in automatic
systems and particularly for its proper purposes, i.e., as an electronic lock
for
doors of premises, safes, vehicles, etc.
A simple design of the discussed electronic lock allows it to be
manufactured in large-scale production. In addition, a use of the
electroadhesive
effect based on the electrostatic interaction of the mechanism elements for
blocking the mechanisms, requires much smaller power consumption unlike the
use of the electrodynamic interaction in known blocking mechanisms having
electromagnetic coils.
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Thus, this invention allows to use the piezoelectricity (and triboelectricity,
or other types and methods of a quasistatic charge accumulation) to supply
electronic locks having electroadhesive blocking devices.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the above description is
5 only one of possible embodiments.
In other possible design versions of the described lock elements, the bar,
the bar shifting mechanism, methods for mechanical blocking of the bar
shifting
mechanism by means of the limiter, the form and the construction of
electroadhesive catch elements etc., may differ.
Thus, the above mentioned example of the electronic lock implementation
is only an illustration, and does not limit in any case the scope of this
invention
as defined in the claims appended hereto.
