GB2490503A

GB2490503A - Multi-point lock handle with biometric and keypad input

Info

Publication number: GB2490503A
Application number: GB1107260.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luke Anthony Martin; Luo Xianhou
Original assignee: Digi Electronic Lock Co Ltd; TLJ ATTENDANCE SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: Digi Electronic Lock Co Ltd; TLJ ATTENDANCE SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-03
Filing date: 2011-05-03
Publication date: 2012-11-07
Also published as: GB201107260D0

Abstract

A multi-point lock handle comprising: a biometric sensor y and an electronic keypad x configured to communicate with a multi-point lock. Preferably the multi-point lock may be driven to the secure position by the handle and locked by pressing a lock button. The lock is preferably battery powered having external emergency power contacts e and also an override key operated locking cylinder d . A battery compartment may be on an inner side housing along with a motor which connects to a drive bar of the external cylinder lock, a thumbturn may be provided for internal operation. A sliding cover a may protect the keypad and biometric sensor, sliding the cover wakes up the device powering it ready for use. An tamper sensor may be provided on the external housing.

Description

Electronk Multipoint Handle The invention offers a Keyless alternative to locking and unlocking a multi point door lock. By means of a biometric sensor and digital keypad, the user is able to unlock the door with their unique fingerprint or personal PIN code. Furthermore, the user can then fully* secure the door with a simple touch of a button.

Multi Point door locks are traditionally found in uPVC and Composite doors; they offer high security by means of multiple hooks and/or bolts at the top, middle and bottom of the door. Meaning that when the door is locked, it is locked in multiple places, hence the name "multi point lock".

* When a multi point lock is secured by key, the handle Lever is raised and the key is rotated and this rotates part of the cylinder called a Cam. The Cam is a small black metal figure which sits within the Gearbox of the multi point lock, and as the Cam rotates it Deadlocks the hooks/bolts in place making the Lever of the handle stiff. The multi point lock would now be fully secure.

Primarily the invention is aimed at a residential market, where the huge majority of composite and upvc doors volumes are targeted, i.e. they utilise a multi point lock. This would give homeowners the ability to leave their home without the need to remember a key. Being able to secure the property with the simple touch of a button is convenient when in a hurry as well comforting, knowing that the door is not only locked but secured by a highly accredited locking device (see security tests below).

Besides the concept of keyless living, the handle utilises biometric verification to gain access into the property, a unique personal trait. The application of biometric verification would allow the user to place their finger tip onto the handle's fingerprint sensor allowing them to enter their home. This takes home security to another level, no more losing keys, or fear of keys being duplicated. The requirement to carry a key for your home around all day, every day is no more.

Additionally it would give the proprietor the flexibility of allowing visitors access to the property when not present, by means of a Visitor Access Code, using the push button keypad. So perhaps whilst on holiday, access can be given to a neighbour to check on pets. This eliminates the risk of leaving a key under the door matt. The Visitor Access Code can then be changed upon return. A similar application applies to the Emergency Access Code feature, where by an access code can be given over the phone to the fire brigade in case of a crisis. Again this Access code can be changed afterwards, so personnel cannot return and gain unauthorised access.

The electronic handle is a retro-fit product, meaning that it will work with new and existing doors. It is a self contained unit, with no external wiring or professional installation required, and is powered by 4 standard AA batteries located on the inside part of the handle. Even though the batteries will last 18 months (at 25 operations per day) the unit incorporates a low battery warning feature, alerting the user to change the batteries within the next few days. If the batteries were to run empty, the handle includes a high security over-ride cylinder, enabling the user to gain access by means of an emergency key. In addition to the over-ride key, the user has the ability to power the handle from the outside via the emergency battery terminals, this is primarily in the event that the batteries have run empty and the over-ride key has been left inside the property.

The Electronic handle will have undertaken the following assessment in order to achieve certain security standards and quality assurance: P45 23L24 -A security test for multi point doors, where by the door and the locking system on the door need to withstand specific attacks. The relevant part of this test would be the locking system attack which comprises of a 3 minute attack on the handle with a specific set of tools and equipment. The test engineer should not be able to gain access.

British Kitemark -A security test for Euro profile cylinders, where by the emergency over-ride cylinder should be of a high standard meaning that it cannot be bypassed by means of key bumping, picking, snapping and drilling.

Salt Corrosion -A material finish quality assurance test, where by the product is placed in a Salt spray chamber for a period of 500 hours, under a constant flow of salt water. The material finish should not corrode or decay.

Cycle Testing -A quality assurance test, where by the product will be operated (locked and unlocked) 50,000 times.

The Invention will now be described by means of a Keyless electronic handle in order to demonstrate how it functions using the attached drawings as a reference: Figures (1 -6) illustrate the various angles of the front/exterior part of the electronic handle.

Figures (7-12) illustrate the various angles of the back/interior part of the electronic handle.

Figures (13-16) illustrate the various angles of the electronic lock as it would be fitted to a door.

In figures (13-16) the multi point electronic handle utilises a biometric fingerprint scanner (y), to open the door or an electronic keypad (x). The user would slide up the protective slider (a) which wakes up the device and illuminates the fingerprint scanner (y), a valid fingerprint can then be placed on to the sensor to open the door. Alternatively, the user can input a personal PIN code using the combination keypad (x) located above the fingerprint scanner (y). Once the fingerprint or PIN code has been verified, the handle will give an audible indication that access is granted, and the bi-directional motor (z) will rotate the cylinder bar (g) which in turn rotates the cam and thus disabling the deadlock of the multi point lock's hooks and bolts. This then allows the handle lever (c) to be depressed, which retracts the hooks, bolts and centre latch, opening the door.

In order to secure the door from the outside, i.e. exiting the premises, the user would close the door and raise the handle lever (c) upwards, which engages the multi point lock's hooks and bolts. The user would then slide up the protective cover (a), waking up the device, and in turn press the Lock button on the combination keypad (x). This would then send a signal to the bidirectional motor (z) initiating it to rotate, which again would rotate the cylinder bar (g), and then the cam within the multi point lock, finally deadlocking the hooks and bolts in place. The handle lever (c) would then be stiff, indicating that the door is fully secure, to insurance requirements.

In the event of an emergency, i.e. a battery failure, the user can use the over-ride mechanical key in the enclosed high security cylinder (d) as a means of gaining access through the door. However if the over-ride key has been left inside the property, the user is able use the emergency battery connection (e) to manually power the handle by a 9volt PP3 battery, in order to gain access. The handle does give both a audible and visual warning (r) when the batteries are running low.

The handle has an inbuilt tamper alarm/siren (q), which activated if the handle is interfered with and raised from the face of door by 4mm. It is operated by the tamper alarm trigger switch (f) located on the back plate of the front/exterior handle body (i). An additional security feature is the M6 heavy duty fixing screws, which are used to secure the handle to the door. There are 4 possible screw locations, top, bottom and 1 of below spindle, above spindle, depending upon the type of multi point lock the user has. The unused fixing hole is covered by a cap. The 3 fixing screws which are used are threaded into hardened steel lugs, meaning that under extreme attack the door will remain secure as the handle will still be in position.

From the inside of the property the user is able to secure the door by raising the inside handle lever (j) which in turn will engage the multi point lock's hooks and bolts into the frame of the door/keep.

The user would then rotate the thumb turn (n), this would subsequently rotate the bidirectional motor (z) to which the cylinder bar (g) in connect, thus rotating this as well, and eventually rotating the cam which in succession deadlocks the multi point hooks and bolts in place, fully securing the door. Unlocking the door from the inside would be a very similar process all be it that the user would simply rotate the thumb turn (n) in the opposite direction. The direction is dependent upon whether the handle is installed on a left hinged door or right hinged door.

As the handle is installed, the user would use the handle direction toggle switch (w) located under the sliding battery cover (h) to select the hinge orientation of their door, i.e. left or right.

The 4 AA batteries are situated in the battery compartment (v) under the sliding battery cover (h).

The battery sliding cover is secured by a small grub screw (s), ensuring that a child does not interfere with the batteries or the handle direction toggle switch (w).

Integrated within the back/interior handle (m) is an LED (r), this is a light indicator which will flash when the batteries are running low or the handle alarm is activated. It ensures that users with hearing abilities have a visual aid, falls in conjunction with a new access control standard being launched at some point in 2011.

As the front/exterior handle will be subject to the open-air and weather, a rubber seal/gasket (p) is located between the handle and the door, and overlaps the handle by 1.5mm. This helps protect against weather conditions such as rain and snow.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A multi-point lock handle comprising: a biometric sensor and an electronic keypad each configured to communicate with a multi-point lock; wherein the multi-point lock can be unlocked using either the biometric sensor or the electronic keypad.
2. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor is a biometric fingerprint scanner.
3. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the electronic keypad is used to enter an access code.
4. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the access code is a personal access code, a visitor access code and/or an emergency access code.o
5. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the multi-point lock can be unlocked using either the biometric sensor or the electronic keypad and then disengaged using a handle lever.
6. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the electronic keypad comprises a lock button which is configured to lock the multi-point lock.
7. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the multi-point lock can be engaged using a handle lever and then locked using the lock button.
8. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising an interior part and an exterior part; the biometric sensor and electronic keypad being provided at the exterior part.
9. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the interior part comprises a battery compartment configured to power the multi-point lock handle.
10. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the exterior part comprises an emergency battery connection which can be used to power the multi-point lock handle.
11. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10, further comprising a tamper alarm, the tamper alarm comprising a trigger switch located on a back plate of the exterior part.
12. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a key-operated over-ride cylinder.
13. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a protective cover which is slidable between a first position in which the biometric sensor and the electronic keypad are covered by the protective cover and a second position in which the biometric sensor and the electronic keypad are exposed. r14. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 13, wherein a transition of the o protective cover between the first position and the second position wakes the multi-point lock handle.15. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: a rotatable bar configured to be connected to a cylinder of the multi-point lock; a bi-directional motor connected to the bar and configured to rotate the bar so as to enable and disable a deadlock of the multi-point lock, thereby locking or unlocking the multi-point lock; wherein the biometric sensor and the electronic keypad are each in communication with the bi-directional motor; and wherein the bi-directional motor can be activated using either the biometric sensor or electronic keypad so as to enable or disable the deadlock of the multi-point lock.16. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 15 when dependent on claim 8, wherein the bi-directional motor is provided at the interior part.17. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the multi-point lock can be engaged using a handle lever and then locked using the bi-directional motor or unlocked using the bi-directional motor and then disengaged using the handle lever.18. A multi-point lock handle as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17, further comprising a handle-direction toggle switch which is used to select the hinge orientation of the and to configure the bi-directional motor accordingly.19. A multi-point lock comprising a multi-point lock handle as claimed in any preceding claim.20. A door comprising a multi-point lock as claimed in claim 19. c\J r c\J