JP7649593B2 - Electronic lock - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic lock.

Electric locks that use an electric thumb turn to activate a door deadbolt are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Electronic locks that can be retrofitted to the thumb turn of an existing door are also known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Electronic locks that are retrofitted to the thumb turn of an existing door are provided with a thumb turn for manual operation so that the lock can be opened and locked manually even if the battery runs out and electric operation is not possible. However, if manual operation is performed with the motor and gear engaged in the manual operation thumb turn, excessive load is placed on the motor and gear, which may cause damage, so an idling mechanism is often provided to keep the motor and gear from engaging during manual operation.

JP 2009-30426 A JP 2016-148208 A

However, the thumbturn's freewheeling mechanism increases the number of parts, making the electronic lock larger, and there are problems with designing the mechanism for add-on electronic locks that have limited space for installation. In addition, the thumbturn's drive mechanism, including the thumbturn's freewheeling mechanism, requires high position and rotation accuracy, but the thumbturn's drive mechanism is subjected to a relatively large torque, making it difficult to improve position and rotation accuracy, which also makes miniaturization difficult.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an electronic lock that can reduce the number of parts while improving the accuracy of position and rotation.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, an electronic lock according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a knob, a thumbturn connecting portion, a gear, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The knob is for manual operation. The thumbturn connecting portion is fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft. The gear has a surface facing the bottom surface of the knob and is arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft. The first protrusion is provided on the bottom surface of the knob. The second protrusion is provided on the surface of the gear facing the bottom surface of the knob and is capable of abutting against the first protrusion in the rotational direction.

An electronic lock according to one embodiment of the present invention can reduce the number of parts while improving position and rotation accuracy.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic lock according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the external appearance of the electronic lock with the top cover removed. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view (1) of the main members connected to the knob and the surrounding members. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view (2) of the main components connected to the knob and the main peripheral components. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a gear configuration on the drive side from the motor. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration around the switch operation plate. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another example of a configuration for operating a microswitch. FIG. 8 is a flowchart (1) showing an operation example of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart (2) showing an operation example of the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the structure of a knob in the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the potentiometer, the microswitch, and the magnetic sensor in the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a first modified example of an arrangement of the potentiometer, the microswitch, and the magnetic sensor. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an electronic lock is installed on a door with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an electronic lock is installed on a door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the left-right direction. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer, the microswitch, and the magnetic sensor. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a switching structure of a microswitch in the second embodiment. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the switching structure shown in FIG. 16 as viewed from the z negative direction side. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the switching structure shown in FIG. 16 as viewed from the z negative direction side.

Below, an electronic lock according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships of each element in the drawings, the ratios of each element, etc. may differ from reality. The drawings may also include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios. Furthermore, the contents described in one embodiment or variant apply, in principle, to other embodiments or variants.

[First embodiment]
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the following description, the x, y, and z directions are perpendicular to each other. The x direction is the longitudinal direction of the electronic lock 1, and is the direction in which the thumbturn connection part 9 and the motor 22 are arranged. The y direction is the transverse direction of the electronic lock 1, and is the direction along the main surface of the bottom housing 7, etc. The z direction is the extension direction of the rotation axis of the thumbturn connection part 9.

Figure 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic lock 1 according to a first embodiment. The electronic lock 1 is attached to the thumb turn (not shown) of an existing door, and receives operation instructions wirelessly or via wire from a controller (not shown) such as a smartphone or control panel to perform the corresponding operation (locking, unlocking, etc.). Bluetooth (registered trademark), WiFi, etc. are used as the wireless method.

In Figure 1, electronic lock 1 has a generally rectangular appearance with about half of the back surface cut away, and the front surface is covered by top cover 2. A thumb turn connector 9 that engages with a thumb turn of an existing door (not shown) is provided in the cut-out portion of the back surface. A knob 3 that can be manually operated by a user is provided on the opposite side of top cover 2 from thumb turn connector 9. Knob 3 has a concave surface 3a that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of knob 3, and a generally crescent-shaped knob portion 3b provided in the center of concave surface 3a. Note that the shape of knob 3 is not limited to that shown in the figure.

Figure 2 is an external perspective view of the electronic lock 1 with the top cover 2 removed. In Figure 2, the knob 3 is connected to a gear 6 and continues to a thumb turn connection part 9.

Figures 3 and 4 are exploded perspective views of the main components and peripheral components connected to the knob 3, with Figure 3 showing the state as seen from diagonally above (the same perspective as Figures 1 and 2), and Figure 4 showing the state as seen from diagonally below. In Figures 3 and 4, arranged from the top of the figure are the knob 3, rotating shaft 4, top housing 5, gear 6, bottom housing 7, switch operation plate 8, and thumb turn connecting part 9. The thumb turn connecting part 9 is composed of a circular plate 10, a rectangular plate 11, a circular plate 12, and a thumb turn clamping part 13.

A switch operation plate 8 and thumbturn connector 9 are fixed to the knob 3 via the rotating shaft 4, and the switch operation plate 8 and thumbturn connector 9 rotate together with the knob 3. One end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixed to a hole 3f on the back side of the knob 3, and the other end of the rotating shaft 4 is fixed to a rectangular plate 11 of the thumbturn connector 9 through the switch operation plate 8.

A cylindrical portion 3c is connected to the periphery of the concave surface 3a on the front side of the knob 3, and a potentiometer gear 3d is integrally provided around the lower end of the cylindrical portion 3c. Since the front surface of the knob 3 is exposed to the outer surface of the electronic lock 1 and the appearance should be taken into consideration, it is desirable to use an appropriate material from the viewpoint of appearance. In addition, an appropriate material is desirable for the potentiometer gear 3d, since it is required to have mechanical strength and abrasion resistance. Therefore, the potentiometer gear 3d may be configured separately from the knob 3. The relationship with the potentiometer (28) will be described later. In addition, a protrusion 3e is provided on the back side of the knob 3. From the viewpoint of material selection, the protrusion 3e may also be configured separately from the knob 3.

A cylindrical portion 7a is provided at approximately the center of the bottom of the bottom housing 7, and the inner peripheral surface of this cylindrical portion 7a forms a bearing for the rotating shaft 4, and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 7a forms a bearing for the gear 6. The top housing 5 and the bottom housing 7 are assembled with the gear 6 inside. The rotating shaft 4 is supported rotatably by one bearing on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 7a of the bottom housing 7, so that assembly errors are reduced and positional accuracy is improved compared to when the rotating shaft 4 is supported by a pair (two) of bearings. In addition, the gear 6 is supported rotatably by the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 7a of the bottom housing 7, so that the gear 6 is not affected by the rotating shaft 4, and the accuracy of the axial distance between the gear 6 and the spur gear (27) described later, which meshes with the gear 6, is improved.

The surface of the gear 6 facing the bottom surface of the knob 3 is provided with a protrusion 6a that can come into contact with the protrusion 3e on the back surface of the knob 3 in the rotational direction. The protrusion 3e of the knob 3 and the protrusion 6a of the gear 6 form a so-called idling mechanism, and the rotation of the drive-side gear 6 causes the protrusion 6a to come into contact with and push the protrusion 3e of the knob 3, rotating the knob 3. Then, by reversing the gear 6 by a predetermined angle, a space is created between the protrusion 6a and the protrusion 3e, making it possible to manually reverse the knob 3 without affecting the drive-side gear 6.

The switch operation plate 8 is substantially disk-shaped, and has, for example, eight protrusions 8a at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the switch operation plate 8. The switch operation plate 8 is for detecting that the knob 3 has been rotated by manual operation by the user, and is used to control the sleep state in order to reduce power consumption and extend battery life. Details will be described later.

Returning to Figure 2, a motor 22 is disposed on the base housing 21, and driving force is transmitted from the output shaft of the motor 22 to the gear 6 via the worm 23, worm gear 24, ..., spur gears 26 and 27 disposed in the bottom housing 7. In addition, the potentiometer gear 29 on the bottom housing 7 meshes with the potentiometer gear 3d of the knob 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the gear configuration on the drive side from the motor 22. In Figure 5, the drive side includes a worm 23, which is a first drive side gear fixed to the output shaft 22a of the motor 22, and a worm gear 24, which is a second drive side gear that meshes with the worm 23. The drive side also includes a spur gear 25, which is a third drive side gear formed integrally with the worm gear 24, a spur gear 26, which is a fourth drive side gear that meshes with the spur gear 25, and a spur gear 27, which is a fifth drive side gear formed integrally with the spur gear 26 and meshes with gear 6 (Figure 2, etc.).

A potentiometer gear 29 is fixed to the central input shaft of a thin, roughly rectangular potentiometer 28. The potentiometer 28 is a component that outputs an analog value (resistance value) according to the angular position of the input shaft.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration around the switch operation plate 8. In Figure 6, a microswitch 16 is provided on the bottom side of a substrate 14 arranged inside the bottom surface of the bottom housing 7 (Figure 3). In addition, an arm 15 is rotatably supported by an axis 15a on the bottom housing 7, and the tip of the arm 15 is biased toward the switch operation plate 8. Therefore, when the knob 3 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by manual operation by the user and the switch operation plate 8 rotates in conjunction with the rotation, the protrusion 8a provided on the outer periphery of the switch operation plate 8 pushes the tip of the arm 15 outward. As a result, the outer surface of the arm 15 presses the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, turning the microswitch 16 on (or off).

In addition, the substrate 14 is equipped with a circuit section (electronic circuit) that realizes functions such as communication with a controller such as a smartphone or a control panel, and control of the motor 22.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing another example of a configuration for operating the microswitch 16. In Figure 7, multiple (e.g., eight) protrusions 3e are integrally provided on the outer periphery of the knob 3, and the microswitch 16 is provided on the substrate 17. Here, when the knob 3 is manually rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the user, the protrusions 3e press the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, turning the microswitch 16 on (or off).

7 also shows a magnetic sensor 18 on board 17. This magnetic sensor 18 is for determining whether the door is open or closed by detecting its proximity to a magnet provided on the side of an existing door (not shown). A similar magnetic sensor is also provided on board 14 shown in FIG. 6, but is not shown. Also, in FIG. 7, in addition to board 17, board 19 is provided, and a circuit section (electronic circuit) is mounted on board 19 to realize functions such as communication with a controller such as a smartphone or control panel and control of motor 22.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the first embodiment described above, and is an example of processing by the circuit section when an operation signal is received from a controller such as a smartphone or an operation panel.

In Figure 8, when the circuit unit of the electronic lock 1 receives an operation signal from the controller and starts processing, the circuit unit cancels the sleep state (step S101). In the sleep state, only functions that respond to limited state changes, such as whether or not an operation signal is received from the controller and the microswitch 16 being turned on, are active, and other functions are stopped, reducing power consumption. When the sleep state is cancelled, the functions that were restricted in the sleep state are enabled.

When the sleep state is released, the circuit unit reads the value of the potentiometer 28 (the value corresponding to the rotation angle of the knob 3), obtains the current state (locked state, unlocked state, etc.), and records it in non-volatile memory within the circuit unit (step S102).

Next, the circuit unit receives the operation content from the controller (step S103) and branches the processing depending on the operation content (step S104).

If the operation content is related to the settings (setting in step S104), the circuit unit determines whether the setting content is appropriate (step S105), and if it is determined that the setting content is not appropriate (No in step S105), the process returns to accepting the operation content (step S103). The setting content being appropriate means, for example, that there are no inconsistencies in the setting content.

If the circuit unit determines that the setting contents are appropriate (Yes in step S105), it performs the corresponding setting process (step S106). The setting process includes, for example, setting the angle position and direction of locking and unlocking, which is performed for the first time after the installation of the electronic lock 1. More specifically, the angle position (whether the knob part faces vertically or horizontally) in each of the locked and unlocked states of the thumb turn of the existing door and the direction of rotation (clockwise or counterclockwise) to transition to each of the locked and unlocked states are set, and the setting contents are recorded in a non-volatile memory or the like in the circuit unit. The setting process also includes setting processes for the second and subsequent electronic locks 1 and setting processes for duplicate keys.

Next, the circuit unit determines whether the setting is complete (step S107), and if it determines that the setting is not complete (No in step S107), it returns to accepting operation contents (step S103). If the circuit unit determines that the setting is complete (Yes in step S107), it transitions to a sleep state (step S114) and ends the process.

On the other hand, if the operation command is to lock (lock in step S104), the circuit unit judges whether the operation command matches the state (step S108). For example, if the door is currently locked and a command to lock is issued, the circuit unit judges that the operation command does not match the state. If a command to lock is issued while the door is open, the circuit unit also judges that the operation command does not match the state.

If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state are inconsistent (No in step S108), it returns to accepting the operation content (step S103).

If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state match (Yes in step S108), it drives the motor 22 in the set locking direction to rotate the thumb turn connection part 9 (which also links the knob 3) by a predetermined angle to lock (step S109), and records the latest state in a non-volatile memory or the like in the circuit unit. If, for example, the locking direction is set to clockwise, power is applied to the motor 22 with a polarity corresponding to the clockwise rotation of the knob 3, and the motor is driven until the value of the potentiometer 28 changes by a predetermined angle (for example, 90°).

Next, the circuit unit rotates the motor 22 a predetermined angle to set the knob 3 in an idling state without engaging with the gear (step S110). For example, if the knob 3 has been rotated 90° clockwise to lock the door, the motor 22 is rotated counterclockwise by an angle equivalent to 90°. Next, the circuit unit transitions to a sleep state (step S114) and ends the process.

On the other hand, if the operation command is to unlock the door (unlock in step S104), the circuit unit determines whether the operation command matches the state (step S111). For example, if the door is currently in an unlocked state and an unlock command is issued, the circuit unit determines that the operation command does not match the state. If the door is opened and an unlock command is issued, the circuit unit also determines that the operation command does not match the state.

If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state are inconsistent (No in step S111), it returns to accepting the operation content (step S103).

If the circuit unit determines that the operation content and the state match (Yes in step S111), it drives the motor 22 in the set unlocking direction to rotate the thumb turn connection part 9 (which also links the knob 3) by a predetermined angle to unlock (step S112), and records the latest state in a non-volatile memory or the like in the circuit unit. If, for example, the counterclockwise direction is set as the unlocking direction, power is applied to the motor 22 with a polarity corresponding to the counterclockwise rotation of the knob 3, and the motor is driven until the value of the potentiometer 28 changes by a predetermined angle (for example, 90°).

Next, the circuit unit rotates the motor 22 a predetermined angle to set the knob 3 in an idling state without engaging with the gear (step S113). For example, if the knob 3 has been rotated 90° counterclockwise to unlock the door, the motor 22 is rotated clockwise by an angle equivalent to 90°. Next, the circuit unit transitions to a sleep state (step S114) and ends the process.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the first embodiment, and is an example of processing of the circuit section when a manual operation is performed to turn the knob 3 of the electronic lock 1 and the microswitch 16 (Figures 6 and 7) is turned on (or off).

In Figure 9, when a manual operation is performed by turning the knob 3 of the electronic lock 1 and the microswitch 16 is turned on (or off) to start processing, the circuit unit cancels the sleep state (step S201).

Next, when the sleep state is released, the circuit unit reads the value of potentiometer 28, obtains the current state (locked state, unlocked state, etc.), and records it in non-volatile memory or the like within the circuit unit (step S202).

Next, the circuit unit determines whether the state of no change in the state of the microswitch 16 has continued for a predetermined time (step S203), and if it determines that the state of no change in the state has not continued for the predetermined time (there has been a state change within the predetermined time) (No in step S203), it returns to status acquisition (step S202).

If the circuit unit determines that the state of the microswitch 16 has not changed for a predetermined period of time (Yes in step S203), it transitions to a sleep state (step S204) and terminates processing.

The above describes the first embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

As described above, the electronic lock according to the first embodiment comprises a knob for manual operation, a thumbturn coupling part fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft, a gear having a surface facing the bottom surface of the knob and arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft, a first protrusion provided on the bottom surface of the knob, and a second protrusion provided on the surface of the gear facing the bottom surface of the knob and capable of abutting against the first protrusion in the direction of rotation. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts and increase the accuracy of positioning and rotation.

The bottom housing has a cylindrical section whose inner surface constitutes a bearing for the rotating shaft and whose outer surface constitutes a bearing for the gear. This allows for increased precision in the positioning of the rotating shaft and gears.

In addition, a potentiometer gear is provided, either integrally with the outer periphery of the knob or separately, and engages with a gear fixed to the rotating shaft of a position-detecting potentiometer. This allows the rotation angle of the knob to be directly and accurately grasped.

The motor also includes a first drive side gear fixed to the output shaft of the motor, a second drive side gear meshing with the first drive side gear, a third drive side gear formed integrally with the second drive side gear, a fourth drive side gear meshing with the third drive side gear, and a fifth drive side gear formed integrally with the fourth drive side gear and meshing with the gear. This makes it easy to configure the drive system.

The device also includes a switch operation plate that is fixed to the rotating shaft and has a protrusion that presses the operation part of the switch for detecting manual operation. This makes it easy to detect the rotation of the knob caused by the user's manual operation.

The knob also has a protrusion that is integral with the outer periphery of the knob and presses the operation part of the switch for detecting manual operation. This makes it easy to detect the rotation of the knob by the user's manual operation.

[Second embodiment]
The second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 18. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

<Knob 3 Configuration>
The electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment is characterized by the configuration of the knob 3. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the structure of the knob 3 in the second embodiment. The knob 3 according to the second embodiment can also be expressed as a modified example of the knob 3 according to the first embodiment described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 10, the knob 3 of the second embodiment has a first member 31 and a second member 32. The first member 31 is a part of the knob 3 that is exposed to the outside and has a knob portion 3b used for manual operation. The knob portion 3b is formed to protrude on the z positive side of the first member 31. The second member 32 is a part of the knob 3 that is disposed inside the housing and has a potentiometer gear 3d (gear portion) that transmits the rotation angle of the knob 3 to the potentiometer 28 (first detection portion). The potentiometer gear 3d is formed concentrically with the hole 3f in the center of the main surface on the z negative side of the main surface of the second member 32.

The first member 31 and the second member 32 are formed from different materials. In other words, the knob portion 3b of the first member 31 and the potentiometer gear 3d of the second member 32 are formed separately.

The knob portion 3b of the first member 31 is an exterior part exposed on the outer surface of the electronic lock 1, so it is preferable to use a material suitable from the standpoint of appearance (e.g., a material that can be given an attractive surface texture or a material that is easy to paint, etc.) for the first member 31. On the other hand, it is preferable to use a material suitable for the power transmission function (e.g., a material that is not easily slippery or abrasive) for the potentiometer gear 3d of the second member 32. In the second embodiment, by making the knob 3 into separate members, the first member 31 and the second member 32, it is possible to use materials suitable for the function of each part individually, which has the advantage of forming a knob 3 that is easier to use.

A protrusion 33 that can be placed in the recess 61 of the gear 6 is provided on the main surface of the first member 31 opposite the knob portion 3b (the negative z direction side). For ease of explanation, in Figure 10, the first member 31 and the second member 32 of the knob 3 are shown in a perspective view seen from the negative z direction side, and the gear 6 is shown in a perspective view seen from the positive z direction side.

As shown in FIG. 10, the protrusion 33 is formed to protrude toward the negative z direction of the first member 31. The second member 32 is provided with a hole 34 penetrating in the z direction, through which the protrusion 33 is inserted. When the first member 31 and the second member 32 are integrally connected to form the knob 3, the protrusion 33 protrudes through the hole 34 toward the negative z direction of the knob 3. When the knob 3 and the gear 6 are assembled inside the electronic lock 1, the protrusion 33 of the knob 3 enters the recess 61 of the gear 6. The recess 61 is formed in the region between the hole 63 in the center of the gear 6 and the gear 64 on the outer edge, recessed toward the negative z direction, and extends along the circumferential direction of the gear 6.

The recess 61 is divided into two regions by a wall portion 62 extending along the radial direction of the gear 6, and one protrusion 33 of the knob 3 is disposed in each of the two regions. The protrusion 33 of the knob 3 and the wall portion 62 of the gear 6 constitute an idling mechanism, similar to the protrusion 3e of the knob 3 and the protrusion 6a of the gear 6 in the first embodiment. That is, the rotation of the driving side gear 6 causes the wall portion 62 to abut against and push the protrusion 33 of the knob 3, thereby rotating the knob 3, and then the gear 6 is reversed by a predetermined angle, creating a space between the wall portion 62 and the protrusion 33, making it possible to manually reverse the knob 3 without affecting the driving side gear 6.

In the example of Figure 10, the knob 3 has two protrusions 33, but the number of protrusions 33 may be other than two. The number of recesses 61 of the gear 6 is changed according to the number of protrusions 33.

<Sensor placement>
The electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment is characterized by the arrangement of the potentiometer 28 (first detection unit), the microswitch 16 (second detection unit), and the magnetic sensor 18 (third detection unit). FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18 in the second embodiment. In FIG. 11, the parts arranged on the z positive side of the board 20, such as the knob 3 and the gear 6, are removed from the external perspective view of the electronic lock 1 with the top housing 5 removed as shown in FIG. 2, and the vicinity of the rotating shaft 4 is further enlarged. The arrangement of the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18 according to the second embodiment can also be expressed as a modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and the like.

As shown in Figure 11, in the second embodiment, the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16 and the magnetic sensor 18 are mounted on the same substrate 20 located inside the electronic lock 1.

This configuration allows the board installed inside the housing of the electronic lock 1 to be made smaller, which in turn allows the entire electronic lock 1 to be made smaller. In addition, since processing of multiple sensors can be performed collectively on a single board 20, costs can be reduced.

In addition, it is preferable that the magnetic sensor 18 is disposed near the rotation axis 4 of the thumb turn connection portion 9. In the example of Figure 11, the magnetic sensor 18 is disposed on the negative y side (the short side of the electronic lock 1) from the rotation axis 4.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, microswitch 16, and magnetic sensor 18. The overview of Figure 12 is similar to that of Figure 11. As shown in Figure 12, the magnetic sensor 18 only needs to be arranged near the rotation axis 4 of the thumb turn connecting portion 9, and may be arranged in a position different from that shown in Figure 11. In the example of Figure 12, the magnetic sensor 18 is arranged on the negative x-direction side from the rotation axis 4 (the motor 22 side, the longitudinal direction side of the electronic lock 1).

The effect of placing the magnetic sensor 18 near the rotation axis 4 will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the electronic lock 1 installed on the door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the up-down direction. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the electronic lock 1 installed on the door with its longitudinal direction oriented in the left-right direction.

As shown in Figure 13, the electronic lock 1 of this embodiment engages with the thumb turn 41 of an existing door 40 to operate the thumb turn 41. The magnetic sensor 18 can detect the open/closed state of the door 40 by detecting its proximity to a magnet 43 provided on the building side where the door 40 on which the electronic lock 1 is installed is installed (e.g., the door frame 42 on which the door 40 is attached).

For example, as shown in Figure 13, consider a magnetic sensor 18 placed near the rotating shaft 4 as an embodiment, and a magnetic sensor 18a placed away from the rotating shaft 4 as a comparative example. In the example of Figure 13, the magnetic sensor 18 of the embodiment and the magnetic sensor 18a of the comparative example are both placed on the center line C of the electronic lock 1 in the longitudinal direction (the up-down direction in Figure 13).

In this example, when the electronic lock 1 is installed on the door 40 with its longitudinal direction facing up and down as shown in Figure 13, the distance D1 between the magnetic sensor 18 and the magnet 43 in the embodiment is approximately the same as the distance D1a between the magnetic sensor 18a and the magnet 43 in the comparative example.

On the other hand, when the electronic lock 1 is installed on the door 40 with its longitudinal direction oriented left-right as shown in Figure 14, the distance D2 between the magnetic sensor 18 and magnet 43 in the embodiment is significantly different from the distance D2a between the magnetic sensor 18a and magnet 43 in the comparative example.

The difference between distance D1 of the embodiment in Fig. 13 and distance D2 of the embodiment in Fig. 14 is relatively small, so differences in the detection accuracy of magnetic sensor 18 of the embodiment are unlikely to occur. On the other hand, the difference between distance D1a of the comparative example in Fig. 13 and distance D2a of the comparative example in Fig. 14 is relatively large, so differences in the detection accuracy of magnetic sensor 18a of the comparative example are likely to occur.

In this way, by positioning the magnetic sensor 18 near the rotation axis 4 as in this embodiment, the difference in positional relationship with the magnet 43 can be reduced regardless of whether the electronic lock 1 is installed on the door 40 in the left-right or up-down direction, making it less likely that there will be a difference in detection accuracy depending on the installation direction.

15 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the arrangement of the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18. In the second embodiment, at least the potentiometer 28, the microswitch 16, and the magnetic sensor 18 may be mounted on the same substrate 20, and the magnetic sensor 18 may not necessarily be arranged near the rotating shaft 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the magnetic sensor 18 may be arranged near the side wall of the peripheral portion of the housing (bottom housing 7). For example, the magnetic sensor 18 shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 is arranged at a position closer to the rotating shaft 4 than the side wall of the peripheral portion of the bottom housing 7, whereas the magnetic sensor 18 shown in FIG. 15 is arranged at a position closer to the side wall of the peripheral portion of the bottom housing 7 than the rotating shaft 4.

<Switching Structure of Microswitch 16>
In the electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment, the switching structure of the microswitch 16 for detecting manual operation is also characterized. Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the switching structure of the microswitch 16 in the second embodiment. The outline of Fig. 16 is the same as that of Fig. 11, and the vicinity of the microswitch 16 in Fig. 11 is enlarged. Figs. 17 and 18 are perspective views of the switching structure shown in Fig. 16 as seen from the z negative direction side. For convenience of explanation, the bottom housing 7 is omitted in Fig. 17. The switching structure of the microswitch 16 according to the second embodiment can also be expressed as a modified example of the switching structure of the microswitch 16 according to the first embodiment described with reference to Fig. 6 and the like.

As shown in Fig. 16, the electronic lock 1 of the second embodiment includes a cam 50 that rotates in response to the rotation of the knob 3. As described above with reference to Fig. 6, the microswitch 16 detects that the actuator 16a (operating unit) is pressed and switches to the on state (or off state).

The cam 50 is rotatably attached to a rotating shaft 54 that stands on the z positive side from the bottom surface of the bottom housing 7. The cam 50 has a cylindrical rotating part 51 that engages with the rotating shaft 54, and a first arm part 52 and a second arm part 53 that extend in different directions from the rotating part 51. The tip of the first arm part 52 has a pressing part 55 that presses the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16 when it rotates in response to the rotation of the knob 3.

The electronic lock 1 also includes a biasing unit 56 that biases the cam 50 in the direction opposite to the rotation direction that brings the pressing unit 55 closer to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16. The biasing unit 56 is, for example, a torsion spring, and one end of the torsion spring is connected to the tip of the second arm unit 53 of the cam 50, and the other end is fixed to the bottom housing 7 or the like. The cam 50 can rotate against the biasing force of the biasing unit 56 in response to the rotation of the knob 3.

As shown in Figure 17, a protrusion 57 that protrudes in the negative z direction is formed at the tip of the first arm portion 52. In an actual structure, this protrusion 57 passes through a slit 58 formed through the bottom surface of the bottom housing 7, as shown in Figure 18, and is exposed in the negative z direction from the bottom housing 7. The protrusion 57 that protrudes outward from the bottom housing 7 is positioned at a position where it can come into contact with a protrusion 8a that protrudes circumferentially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the switch operation plate 8, and is able to slide along the slit 58 in response to pressure from the protrusion 8a.

When the knob 3 is manually rotated clockwise or counterclockwise by the user, and the switch operation plate 8 rotates in conjunction with the knob 3 as shown by arrow A in Figures 17 and 18, the protrusion 8a on the outer periphery of the switch operation plate 8 presses the protrusion 57 of the first arm portion 52 of the cam 50 radially outward. The cam 50 rotates around the pivot shaft 54 due to the pressing force from the switch operation plate 8 that the protrusion 57 receives. As a result, the first arm portion 52 moves in the rotation direction that brings the cam 50 closer to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16 as shown by arrow B in Figures 16 to 18, and the second arm portion 53 moves in the rotation direction that brings the cam 50 closer to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16 as shown by arrow C in Figures 16 and 17.

When the first arm portion 52 rotates in this manner, the pressing portion 55 presses the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, turning the microswitch 16 on (or off).

16 and 17, the rotation of the second arm portion 53 causes the biasing portion 56 to apply a biasing force to the second arm portion 53 in the direction opposite to the rotation direction indicated by the arrow C. While the protrusion 57 of the first arm portion 52 is receiving a pressing force from the protrusion 8a of the switch operation plate 8, the cam 50 can rotate against the biasing force D applied by the biasing portion 56 in response to the rotation of the knob 3.

On the other hand, when the protrusion 57 of the first arm 52 passes over the protrusion 8a of the switch operation plate 8 and the pressing force that the protrusion 57 received from the protrusion 8a is released, the urging force D that the second arm 53 receives from the urging portion 56 causes the cam 50 to rotate in a direction that moves the pressing portion 55 away from the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16, i.e., in the opposite direction to the pressing direction (the direction of arrow D). This switches the microswitch 16 off (or on).

In this way, in the second embodiment, the start switch (microswitch 16) is not pressed directly by a plate (a rotating element such as the switch operation plate 8), but rather via a cam 50. With this configuration, by appropriately adjusting the shape of the cam 50 (for example, the length of the first arm portion 52 and the second arm portion 53, the position of the protrusion 57 relative to the protrusion 8a of the switch operation plate 8, etc.), the freedom of placement of the microswitch 16 is improved, making it easier to place it on the same board 20 together with other sensors.

Furthermore, by improving the freedom of placement of the microswitch 16 in this way, it is also easy to place the microswitch 16 near the magnetic sensor 18 near the rotation shaft 4, for example, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 16. With such a placement, it is also possible to reduce the area of the board 20 by eliminating the portion of the board 20 on the positive x-direction side (the portion shown by diagonal lines in Figure 16), for example, as shown in Figure 16, and therefore the electronic lock 1 can be made even lighter and more compact.

Similarly, by adjusting the shape of the cam 50, the pressing force and timing applied from the pressing portion 55 of the cam 50 to the actuator 16a of the microswitch 16 can be freely adjusted, thereby reducing the load that the microswitch 16 receives from the pressing force and also reducing the operating noise.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present invention also includes configurations in which the above-described components are appropriately combined. Further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible.

This international application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-217448, filed on November 29, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this international application.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electronic lock 2 Top cover 3 Knob 31 First member 32 Second member 3b Knob portion 3c Cylinder portion 3d Potentiometer gear (gear portion)
Reference Signs List 3e: Protrusion 4: Rotating shaft 5: Top housing 6: Gear 6a: Protrusion 7: Bottom housing 7a: Cylinder portion 8: Switch operation plate 8a: Protrusion 9: Thumb turn connecting portion 16: Micro switch (second detection portion)
16a Actuator (operation unit)
18 Magnetic sensor (third detection unit)
22 Motor 22a Output shaft 23 Worm 24 Worm gear 25 to 27 Spur gear 28 Potentiometer (first detection unit)
29 Potentiometer gear 20 Circuit board 40 Door 41 Thumb turn 42 Door frame 43 Magnet 50 Cam 55 Pressing portion 56 Pressing portion

Claims (11)

A knob for manual operation;
A thumb turn connection portion fixed to the knob via a rotation shaft;
a gear having a surface facing a bottom surface of the knob and arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft;
a first protrusion provided on a bottom surface of the knob;
a second protrusion provided on a surface of the gear facing a bottom surface of the knob, the second protrusion being capable of abutting against the first protrusion in a rotational direction;
An electronic lock equipped with 2. The electronic lock according to claim 1, further comprising a bottom housing having a cylindrical portion whose inner circumferential surface constitutes a bearing for the rotating shaft and whose outer circumferential surface constitutes a bearing for the gear. 3. The electronic lock according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a potentiometer gear provided integrally with or separately from the outer periphery of the knob and meshing with a gear fixed to the rotating shaft of a position detection potentiometer. a first driving gear fixed to an output shaft of the motor;
a second driving gear meshing with the first driving gear;
a third driving gear formed integrally with the second driving gear;
a fourth driving gear meshing with the third driving gear;
a fifth driving gear formed integrally with the fourth driving gear and meshing therewith; and
The electronic lock according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. An electronic lock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a switch operation plate fixed to the rotating shaft and having a protrusion for pressing an operation portion of a switch for detecting manual operation. An electronic lock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a protrusion integrally formed on the outer periphery of the knob for pressing an operating part of a switch for detecting manual operation. An electronic lock that engages with a thumb turn of an existing door to operate the thumb turn,
A knob for manual operation;
A first detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the knob;
A second detection unit that detects a manual operation of the knob;
A third detection unit that detects an open/close state of the door on which the electronic lock is installed;
Equipped with
The first detection unit, the second detection unit, and the third detection unit are mounted on the same substrate disposed inside the electronic lock,
Electronic lock. A thumb turn connecting portion that engages with the thumb turn is provided,
the third detection unit is a magnetic sensor that detects proximity to a magnet provided on a building in which the door is installed,
The magnetic sensor is disposed near the rotation axis of the thumb turn connection portion.
The electronic lock according to claim 7. A cam that rotates in response to rotation of the knob is provided.
the second detection unit is a switch that detects that the operation unit is pressed,
The cam has a pressing portion that presses the operating portion of the switch when the cam rotates in response to rotation of the knob.
9. An electronic lock as claimed in claim 7 or 8. a biasing portion that biases the cam in a direction opposite to a rotation direction in which the pressing portion approaches the operation portion of the switch,
The cam rotates against the biasing force of the biasing portion in response to rotation of the knob.
The electronic lock according to claim 9. The knob is
a first member having a knob portion exposed to the outside and used for manual operation;
a second member having a gear portion that transmits a rotation angle of the knob to the first detection portion,
The first member and the second member are formed of different materials.
The electronic lock according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

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