STRIKE PLATE WITH BOLT SENSING FEATURE
A sensor assembly includes a sensor located within an opening formed in a strike box of the strike assembly. The sensor, which could be an optical, mechanical, continuity, inductive, ultrasonic, and/or mechanical sensor, is configured to detect whether the bolt of the bolt assembly is encompassed by the strike box. The sensor assembly is configured to interact with a surface of the bolt when the bolt is located within the opening.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/350,774 filed Jun. 16, 2016 for a “Strike Plate with Bolt Sensing Feature,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to sensors for doors; in particular, this disclosure relates to sensors for detecting whether a door is fully latched.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARYSecurity systems are in widespread use in residential and commercial markets. These devices control ingress through doors to secured areas, such as a building or other secured space, by requiring certain authorized credentials. Existing security systems may include a sensor for determining whether a door is open or closed. In various embodiments of such systems, such a sensor may be located within the electronic latch mechanism in the door to determine if the bolt of the latch mechanism is retracted or extended. However, existing sensors are not able to provide exact location information regarding the bolt to determine whether the bolt is secured within a strike box of the door frame to ensure the door is closed. Further, existing sensors cannot determine whether a door is merely slightly ajar with the bolt extended or closed with the bolt secured within the strike box. Moreover, installation of existing sensors can be time consuming and aesthetically unpleasing. As one example, installers may be forced to separately install a magnet to a door and a magnetic sensor to molding surrounding the door (or vice versa) to determine orientation of the door to the door frame. Although such sensors are available in different colors to try to blend in with the door and molding colors, it can still have an unsightly appearance.
According to one aspect, this disclosure provides a sensor assembly that includes a sensor located within an opening formed in a strike box of the strike assembly. The sensor, which could be an optical, mechanical, continuity, inductive, ultrasonic, and/or mechanical sensor, is configured to detect whether the bolt of the bolt assembly is encompassed by the strike box. The sensor assembly is configured to interact with a surface of the bolt when the bolt is located within the opening.
The detailed description makes references to the accompanying figures in which:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principals and functions of the invention. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the invention, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONWhile the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the concepts of the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Those of ordinary skill may recognize that other elements and/or operations may be desirable and/or necessary to implement the devices, systems, and methods described herein. Because such elements and operations are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements and operations may not be provided herein.
In the drawings, some structural features may be shown in specific arrangements and/or orderings. However, it should be appreciated that such specific arrangements and/or orderings may not be required. Rather, in some embodiments, such features may be arranged in a different manner and/or order than shown in the illustrative figures. Additionally, the inclusion of a structural or method feature in a particular figure is not meant to imply that such feature is required in all embodiments and, in some embodiments, may not be included or may be combined with other features.
As illustrated in
In illustrative embodiments, the latch assembly 100 is configured to be operated by the interior and/or exterior assemblies 112 and 114 to latch or unlatch the door from a surrounding door frame/jamb 116 to restrict or permit access through the door frame 116. In various embodiments, for example, the interior assembly 114 includes an interior cover 144 that houses internal components (not shown) of the internal assembly 114 which interact with the latch assembly 100 to operate the latch assembly 100. Alternatively, the exterior assembly 112 may include components (not shown) which interact with the latch assembly 100 to operate the latch assembly 100. As another embodiment, both the internal and external assemblies 112 and 114 can be configured with components to operate the latch assembly 100.
As illustrated in
In illustrative embodiments, the bolt assembly 102 comprises the bolt 118, a sleeve 120, a base plate 122, and a bolt-driving mechanism 126. The bolt 118 may be connected to the sleeve 120 and the bolt-driving mechanism 126 such that the bolt-retracting mechanism 126 can operate to extend or retract the bolt 118 within the sleeve 120. For example, the bolt 118 may be configured to move linearly in and out of the sleeve 120 of the bolt assembly 102 along an extension axis 130 when the bolt-driving mechanism 126 is actuated (via the interior or exterior assemblies 112 and 114, for example) to retract the bolt 118. Various forms of bolt-retracting mechanisms are known in the art and considered within the scope of this disclosure. The sleeve 120 may be fixedly coupled to the base plate 122 to permit the bolt assembly 102 to be secured to the door 110. For example, as is typical, the bolt assembly 102 may be located within the core 108 of the door 110 and further attached to at least a connecting edge 138 of the door 110 that extends between an exterior edge 140 (
The bolt 118 may be configured of various dimensions that can be received within the strike box 124. In illustrative embodiments, the bolt 118 could generally be rectangular in cross-section and includes at least a first end 132, a first side 150, a second side 152, a top surface 154, and a bottom surface 156. When the bolt 118 is retracted within the sleeve 120, the first end 132 of the bolt 118 is generally flush with the base plate 122. When the bolt 118 is extended, the bolt 118 protrudes through an edge bore 134 in the door 110 into the strike box 124, which is positioned in the jamb 116 adjacent the door 110, in order to secure the door 110 to the jamb 116.
As illustrated in
The strike box 124 may be configured of various dimensions such that the opening 136 can receive the bolt 118 of the bolt assembly 102. In illustrative embodiments, the strike box 124 is generally rectangular in cross-section and includes a back panel 166, a first side panel 168, a second side panel 170, a top panel 172, and a bottom panel 174, and is formed to include an aperture 176 that is positioned opposite the back panel 166 and configured to align with the aperture 162 of the base plate 158 to permit access to the opening 136 of the strike box 124. The opening 136 is defined by the connection of the back panel 166, first side panel 168, second side panel 170, top panel 172 and bottom panel 174. Under desired conditions, when the bolt 118 is extended into the strike box 124, the bolt 118 is surrounded by the panels 166, 168, 170, 172 and 174, and at least the first and second side panels 168 and 170 block movement of the bolt 118 out of the strike box 124 in order to secure the door 110 to the jamb 116. In various embodiments, as illustrated in
In illustrative embodiments, the latch assembly 100 includes a sensor assembly 180 that is configured to detect whether the bolt 118 is located in the opening 136 of the strike box 124 a sufficient distance as to securely latch the door 110 to the jamb 116 in a closed position. In various embodiments, the sensor assembly 180 may be at least partially coupled to the strike assembly 104 to interact with the bolt 118 as it is received within the opening 136. The sensor assembly 180 may alternatively be coupled to another part of the latch assembly 100 to detect if the bolt 118 has entered the opening 136 of the strike box 124.
Various embodiments of the sensor assembly 180 will now be described herein. The various embodiments are provided to illustrate how the sensor assembly 180 can work in conjunction with the strike assembly 104 and/or bolt 118 to detect that the bolt 118 is adequately contained within the strike box 124 of the strike assembly 104 or not, and are not intended to limit the scope of the sensor assembly 180. It is within the scope of this disclosure for the determination of the amount of the bolt 118 that is required to be considered adequately secured may be performed during set up or installation, or may be mechanically configured by other factors. It is also within the scope of this disclosure that the sensor assembly 180 may be configured to have multiple sensing components that can determine the depth of the bolt 118 within the strike box 104, and also determine travel direction of the bolt 118. Other measurements and determinable characteristics of the bolt 118 as it travels into the strike box 104 will be understood to one of ordinary skill in the art.
In a first illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, an optical sensor 210 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a second illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the optical sensor 210 may operate in a similar manner as the first illustrative embodiment and as illustrated in
In a third illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the optical sensor 210 may operate in a similar manner as the first embodiment, except that the sensor assembly 180 may be located along an inside surface 184 of the top panel 172, as illustrated in
In a fourth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the optical sensor 210 may operate in a similar manner as the third illustrative embodiment and as illustrated in
In a fifth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, an optical sensor 220 may be located along both an inside surface 184 of the top panel 172 and an inside surface 186 of the bottom panel 174 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a sixth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, a mechanical sensor 230 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a seventh illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the sensor assembly 180 may operate in a similar manner as the sixth embodiment, except that the sensor assembly 180 may be located along an inside surface 184 of the top panel 172, as illustrated in
In an eighth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, a capacitive sensor 240 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a ninth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the sensor assembly 180 may operate in a similar manner as the seventh embodiment, except that the sensor assembly 180 may be located along an inside surface 188 of the first side panel 168 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a tenth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, an inductive sensor 250 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In an eleventh illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the sensor assembly 180 may operate in a similar manner as the tenth embodiment, except that the sensor assembly 180 may be positioned around an exterior circumference 190 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
As an alternative embodiment to the eleventh embodiment described above, the bolt 118 may include an optional RFID chip 292 that is in communication with the inductive sensor 250. The RFID chip 292 within the bolt 118 may be configured to be activated when the bolt 118 reaches a predetermined distance within the electrical field 254 created by the inductive coil element 252, as illustrated in
In a twelfth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, an ultrasonic sensor 260 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a thirteenth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, an ultrasonic sensor 260 may be located along both an inside surface 184 of the top panel 172 and an inside surface 186 of the bottom panel 174 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a fourteenth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, a continuity sensor 270 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a fifteenth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, a continuity sensor 280 may be located along both an inside surface 184 of the top panel 172 and an inside surface 186 of the bottom panel 174 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a sixteenth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, a magnet/hall sensor 290 may be located along an inside surface 182 of the back panel 166 of the strike box 124, as illustrated in
In a seventeenth illustrative embodiment of the sensor assembly 180, the sensor assembly 180 may operate in a similar manner as the sixteenth embodiment, except that the sensor assembly 180 may be located along an inside surface 184 of the top panel 172, as illustrated in
A method of using the sensor assembly 180 will now be described. The sensor assembly 180 is coupled to or incorporated in a latch assembly 100 to determine whether a bolt assembly 102 of the latch assembly 100 is engaged with a strike assembly 104 of the latch assembly, and in particular, whether a bolt 118 of the bolt assembly 102 is securely retained within a strike box 124 of the strike assembly 104. The bolt 118 may be positioned, in a first instance, outside of the strike box 124 such that a door 110 in which the bolt assembly 102 is retained is not securely latched. The sensor assembly 180 is at least partially coupled to or retained by the strike assembly 104 and operates to sense whether an interior cavity or opening 136 of the strike box 124 configured to receive the bolt 118 has an object (such as the bolt 118) retained therein. The sensor assembly 180 detects whether the bolt 118 is positioned within the strike box 124 by including at least one sensor retained by the strike box 124. In a first step of the method, the bolt 118 is positioned outside of the strike box 124 and the sensor of the sensor assembly 180 detects that the opening 136 of the strike box 124 does not contain the bolt 118. When the bolt 118 is moved into the opening 136 of the strike box 124, the sensor of the strike box 124 detects a change within the opening 136 and indicates that the bolt 118 has been positioned therein. In various embodiments, the sensor of the strike box 124 can detect how far away an end surface 132 of the bolt 118 is positioned from a back panel 166 of the strike box 124, and accordingly can detect whether the end surface 132 of the bolt 118 is adequately within the strike box 124 such that it is retained therein and will not exit the strike box 124 if a force is applied to the door 110 to which the bolt 118 is attached to disengage the door from its door jamb 116.
EXAMPLESExample 1 provides a sensor assembly for a lock assembly of a door. The sensor assembly includes a sensor located within an opening formed in a strike box of the lock assembly. The sensor is configured to detect whether a bolt of the lock assembly has entered the opening a sufficient distance so as to prevent removal of the bolt from the opening when an opening force is applied to the door.
In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the sensor is an optical sensor that transmits an optical signal that interacts with the bolt when the bolt is within the opening.
In Example 3, the subject matter of Example 2 is further configured such that the optical sensor includes a transmission portion and a receiver portion.
In Example 4, the subject matter of Example 2 is further configured such that the sensor is located along a back panel of the strike box.
In Example 5, the subject matter of Example 4 is further configured such that the bolt is located within the opening, the optical signal is transmitted from the optical sensor, bounces off of an end of the bolt, and is transmitted back to the optical sensor.
In Example 6, the subject matter of Example 2 is further configured such that the sensor is located along a top panel of the strike box.
In Example 7, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the sensor assembly includes two or more optical sensors.
In Example 8, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the optical sensor transmits the optical signal along a transmission axis that is parallel to an extension axis upon which the bolt extends within the opening.
In Example 9, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the sensor is a mechanical sensor.
In Example 10, the subject matter of Example 9 is further configured such that the mechanical sensor comprises a moveable switch that is biased to an open position by a biasing member.
In Example 11, the subject matter of Example 10 is further configured such that the mechanical sensor is positioned along a back panel of the strike box, and wherein the moveable switch extends toward an opening of the strike box in the open position.
In Example 12, the subject matter of Example 11 is further configured such that the movable switch is positioned in the path of movement of the bolt as the bolt is moved along an extension axis into the opening such that the moveable switch is capable of being engaged by an end of the bolt.
In Example 13, the subject matter of Example 9 is further configured such that the mechanical sensor is positioned along a top pane of the strike box.
In Example 14, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the sensor is a capacitive sensor that emits an electrical field within the opening.
In Example 15, the subject matter of Example 14 is further configured such that the capacitive sensor includes a sensor element that detects changes in the electrical field.
In Example 16, the subject matter of Example 14 is further configured such that the electrical field extends at least to an actuation axis, the actuation axis defined by being a predetermined distance into the opening of the strike box from an aperture providing access to the opening.
In Example 17, the subject matter of Example 14 is further configured such that the sensor is located along a back panel of the strike box.
In Example 18, the subject matter of Example 14 is further configured such that the sensor is located along a side panel of the strike box.
In Example 19, the subject matter of Example 18 is further configured such that the sensor element includes a plurality of sensing elements that detect changes in the electrical field, the plurality of sensing elements positioned in a linear arrangement that is substantially parallel with an extension axis of the bolt as it extends within the opening.
In Example 20, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the sensor is an inductive sensor.
In Example 21, the subject matter of Example 20 is further configured such that the inductive sensor is located along a back panel of the strike box.
In Example 22, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the inductive sensor is located along an exterior circumference of the strike box.
In Example 23, the subject matter of Example 20 is further configured such that the sensor includes one or more inductive coil elements that emit an electrical field within the opening, the sensor configured to detect the frequency of the electrical field.
In Example 24, the subject matter of Example 23 is further configured such that the bolt is configured to change the dielectric constant of air within the opening.
In Example 25, the subject matter of Example 24 is further configured such that the dialectical constant of air within the opening will reach a predetermined level when the bolt is located the predetermined distance within the strike box.
In Example 26, the subject matter of Example 25 is further configured such that the predetermined distance corresponds with an actuation axis of the bolt, and the electrical field extends to at least the actuation axis.
In Example 27, the subject matter of Example 27 is further configured such that the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.
In Example 28, the subject matter of Example 27 is further configured such that the sensor includes a transmission portion and a receiver portion.
In Example 29, the subject matter of Example 28 is further configured such that the transmission portion transmits an ultrasonic signal into a transmission field within the opening.
In Example 30, the subject matter of Example 29 is further configured such that the transmission field extends to at least an actuation axis of the bolt, wherein the actuation axis of located at the predetermined distance within the strike box.
In Example 31, the subject matter of Example 29 is further configured such that the sensor is located along a back panel of the strike box.
In Example 32, the subject matter of Example 31 is further configured such that the ultrasonic signal is transmitted along a transmission axis, the transmission axis being substantially parallel to an extension axis of the bolt.
In Example 33, the subject matter of Example 27 is further configured such that the sensor is located along top and bottom panels of the strike box.
In Example 34, the subject matter of Example 1 is further configured such that the sensor is a continuity sensor.
In Example 35, the subject matter of Example 34 is further configured such that the sensor includes a plurality of moveable features that extend from either a back panel, top panel, or bottom panel of the strike box into the opening.
In Example 36, the subject matter of Example 35 is further configured such that the plurality of moveable features include a free end that may be abutted by the bolt when the bolt is inserted into the opening.
In Example 37, the subject matter of Example 35 is further configured such that the plurality of moveable features are comprised of brushes.
In Example 38, the subject matter of Example 34 is further configured such that the sensor is comprises of one or more leaf springs.
Example 39 provides a lock assembly for a door with a latch assembly coupled to the door and including an extendable bolt. The lock assembly includes a strike assembly coupled to a jamb corresponding to the door. The strike assembly is configured to receive the bolt of the bolt assembly to secure the door to the jamb. A sensor assembly includes a sensor located within an opening formed in a strike box of the strike assembly. The sensor is configured to detect whether the bolt of the bolt assembly is encompassed by the strike box. The sensor assembly is configured to interact with a surface of the bolt when the bolt is located within the opening.
Claims
1. A sensor assembly for a lock assembly of a door, the sensor assembly comprising:
- a sensor located within an opening formed in a strike box of the lock assembly, the sensor configured to detect whether a bolt of the lock assembly has entered the opening a sufficient distance so as to prevent removal of the bolt from the opening when an opening force is applied to the door.
2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor that transmits an optical signal that interacts with the bolt when the bolt is within the opening.
3. The sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein, when the bolt is located within the opening, the optical signal is transmitted from the optical sensor, bounces off of an end of the bolt, and is transmitted back to the optical sensor.
4. The sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein the optical sensor transmits the optical signal along a transmission axis that is parallel to an extension axis upon which the bolt extends within the opening.
5. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a mechanical sensor comprising a moveable switch that is biased to an open position by a biasing member, wherein the movable switch is positioned in the path of movement of the bolt as the bolt is moved along an extension axis into the opening such that the moveable switch is capable of being engaged by an end of the bolt.
6. The sensor assembly of claim 1, where in the sensor is a capacitive sensor that emits an electrical field within the opening and includes a sensor element that detects changes in the electrical field, wherein the electrical field extends at least to an actuation axis defined by being a predetermined distance into the opening of the strike box from an aperture providing access to the opening.
7. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor element includes a plurality of sensing elements that detect changes in the electrical field, the plurality of sensing elements positioned in a linear arrangement that is substantially parallel with an extension axis of the bolt as it extends within the opening.
8. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an inductive sensor located in a back panel of the strike box and/or along an exterior circumference of the strike box.
9. The sensor assembly of claim 8, wherein the sensor includes one or more inductive coil elements that emit an electrical field within the opening, the sensor configured to detect the frequency of the electrical field.
10. The sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein the bolt is configured to change the dielectric constant of air within the opening, wherein the dialectical constant of air within the opening will reach a predetermined level when the bolt is located the predetermined distance within the strike box.
11. The sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the predetermined distance corresponds with an actuation axis of the bolt, and the electrical field extends to at least the actuation axis.
12. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal into a transmission field within the opening, wherein the transmission field extends to at least an actuation axis of the bolt, wherein the actuation axis of is located at the predetermined distance within the strike box.
13. The sensor assembly of claim 12, wherein the ultrasonic signal is transmitted along a transmission axis, the transmission axis being substantially parallel to an extension axis of the bolt.
14. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a plurality of moveable features that extend from either a back panel, top panel, or bottom panel of the strike box into the opening, wherein the plurality of moveable features include a free end that may be abutted by the bolt when the bolt is inserted into the opening.
15. The sensor assembly of claim 14, wherein the plurality of moveable features are comprised of brushes.
16. The sensor assembly of claim 15, wherein the sensor is comprises of one or more leaf springs.
17. A lock assembly for a door, the lock assembly comprising:
- a latch assembly coupled to the door and including an extendable bolt;
- a strike assembly coupled to a jamb corresponding to the door, the strike assembly configured to receive the bolt of the bolt assembly to secure the door to the jamb; and
- a sensor assembly comprising a sensor located within an opening formed in a strike box of the strike assembly, the sensor configured to detect whether the bolt of the latch assembly is encompassed by the strike box, the sensor assembly configured to interact with a surface of the bolt when the bolt is located within the opening.
18. The lock assembly of claim 17, wherein the sensor assembly is one or more of an optical, mechanical, continuity, inductive, ultrasonic, and/or mechanical sensor configured to detect whether the bolt of the bolt assembly is encompassed by the strike box.
19. The lock assembly claim 17, wherein the sensor is located on a back panel of the strike box and/or a circumferential wall of the strike box.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 12, 2017
Publication Date: Dec 21, 2017
Inventors: NEDAL ALMOMANI (MISSION VIEJO, CA), CHASEN BECK (COSTA MESA, CA), MATTHEW LOVETT (MISSION VIEJO, CA)
Application Number: 15/619,589