GB2429038A

GB2429038A - Lock assembly with removable sensor module

Info

Publication number: GB2429038A
Application number: GB0516632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Stace; Gary Brookes; Simon James Baker
Original assignee: Assa Abloy Ltd
Current assignee: Assa Abloy Ltd
Priority date: 2005-08-12
Filing date: 2005-08-12
Publication date: 2007-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-12
Also published as: GB0516632D0; GB2429038B

Abstract

A mortice lock assembly for a door comprises a casing 1 and a locking mechanism arranged at least partly within the casing. In the exterior of the casing 1 there is provided a recess 8 for receiving a sensor module 9 for monitoring the locking mechanism. The sensor module 9 enables remote monitoring of whether the door is locked or unlocked to be carried out. The module 9 may be affixed by a screw. The locking mechanism may include a hook bolt 7, which may contact a sensing portion 20 of the sensor in use.

Description

Lock assembly The invention relates to lock assemblies.

Mortise locks offer a relatively high level of door security as a consequence of the main part of the lock mechanism being embedded within the door. In order to fit a mortise lock, a recess ("mortise") suitably configured for receiving the lock is created in the opening edge of the door. The lock is fitted within the mortise. It is sometimes desired to include with the lock a sensor device, which is arranged to provide a signal to a remote point, the signal indicating whether the lock is in the locked or unlocked condition. Conventionally, the sensor device is added to the lock on fitting, but that is a relatively laborious process.

There is a need for a mortise lock assembly that is of simple construction but can nonetheless include a sensor device for monitoring whether or not the lock is in the locked condition.

The invention provides a mortise lock assembly for a door, comprising: a casing; a locking mechanism arranged at least partly within the casing; a recess in the exterior of the casing for receiving a sensor module for monitoring the locking mechanism; and a removable module received in the recess.

The structure of the invention enables a lock assembly to be provided in simple fashion with a sensor during or after manufacture. For example, the lock assembly may be provided, during manufacture, with a module housing a sensor, or may instead be fitted with a blank module during manufacture, which can then optionally be replaced by a module including a sensor when the lock is to be fitted.

In general, it is preferred for the recess to be in communication with the interior of the casing, for example via an aperture in the base of the recess. Any suitable kind of sensor may be used. For example, the sensor may be a mechanical sensor which, in use, detects mechanically through the aperture whether the lock mechanism is engaged.

It is preferred, however, for the sensor to be an electrical sensor.

The sensor module can be pre-manufactured so as to be capable of simple insertion in modular fashion into the recess. In addition to simplifying fitting, that reduces the risk of malfunction of the sensor through poor fitting thereof.

By way of example, certain embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lock assembly according to the invention, having a sensor module; Fig. 2a is a side view of the sensor module, with the door locked; Fig. 2b is a side view of the sensor module, with the door unlocked; Fig. 3 is a side view of the lock assembly with the side wall removed and with the door unlocked; Fig. 4 is a top view of the lock assembly of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a top portion of another lock assembly according to the invention.

With reference to Fig. 1, the lock assembly is in many respects conventional. It is a mortise lock and includes a lock casing 1 into which the locking mechanism of the lock is fitted. The lock casing includes a faceplate 2 and a rear wall 3. The lock casing also includes opposed side walls 4 and opposed upper and lower walls 5,6.

The lock assembly shown in the drawings is a mortise lock suitable for use in a door, for example, but not exclusively, a sliding door. Whilst the invention is described below with reference to a lock having a hook bolt, it is also applicable to locks having other kinds of bolts.

The lock assembly includes a hook bolt 7, which is arranged in the vicinity of an aperture in the faceplate 2. The hook bolt 7 is arranged to be interlockable with a keeper mounted on the door surround, for example with a cooperating member or aperture provided on the keeper. The cooperating member and keeper are not shown in the drawings. The lock assembly is designed to be mortise fitted within the section of a part of the door, typically within a frame section of the door. When received within the door, the housing of the lock assembly is concealed except for the faceplate 2, which is arranged to be substantially in the same plane as the surrounding surface of the side edge of the door, that is, the surface that in use will be the leading surface when the door is slid shut. In use, other lock furniture may be affixed to the lock assembly. For example, a lock cylinder and a handle (not shown in Fig. 1) may extend through the front face of the door.

In an upper region of the lock assembly is a recess 8 for receiving a module 9 including a sensor 10. At the bottom of the recess is a rectangular aperture 11 communicating with the interior of the casing. Adjacent to the recess 8 in the front, in the upper wall, is a bore 12 for receiving an attachment screw. Adjacent to the recess at the rear are a series of upstanding guides including two guides 13 that could have an open-topped region 14 and a number of further guides 15 that each include an aperture 16 aligned with open-topped regions 14. When the module 9 is placed in the recess, a cable 17 for transmitting signals to and from the sensor can be passed through the apertures 16, the part of the cable nearer the module 9 then being receivable snugly in open-topped regions 14 as shown in Fig. 4. There may be more or fewer than two guides 13 including open-topped regions 14. An embodiment having a single guide 13 is shown in Fig. 5.

With reference to Fig. 2a, the module 9 comprises a housing 18 and a sensor device 19 partially contained within the housing. The housing 18 includes an extension portion 18a having an aperture which can be positioned in register with the bore 12 whereby an attachment screw (not shown) can be inserted through the extension portion l8a and into bore 12 for fixing the module into position. A sensing portion of the sensor device protrudes beyond a lower wall of the housing and, when the sensor module 9 is placed within the recess 8, extends through the aperture 11 into the interior of the housing where it is so positioned that it can sense whether the hook bolt 7 is in the locked position. In Fig. 2a, the hook bolt is shown in the locked position, with a contact surface 21 of the hook bolt removed from the sensing portion 20. Fig. 2b shows the lock assembly in an unlocked condition in which the contact surface 21 of the hook bolt has moved into contact with the sensing portion 20. Sensor devices f or monitoring locks are known and further description of the sensor itself is therefore unnecessary.

It will be appreciated that any suitable sensor can be used, provided that it is suitable for incorporation into a modular unit.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the module in situ with the cable 17 passing through the guides 13, 15.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5, many of the parts are identical or similar to corresponding parts in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4, and are shown with corresponding reference numerals. As already mentioned, there is a single guide 13 with an open-topped region 14, whilst the remaining six guides 15 have apertures through which cable 17 can pass. The embodiment of Fig. 5 is shown with a blank module 22 having an extension portion 22a in place of a sensor module 9. The blank module 22 can be removed and replaced by a sensor module 9 (for example of the structure shown in Figs. 2a and 2b) before fitting the lock, if desired.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the module is attached to the casing by screw-threaded means. It will be appreciated that any other mode of attachment may be used, for example the module may be arranged to be attached by other fastener devices or to fit in snap-fit fashion into the recess.

In practice, when the lock is manufactured, it may be equipped either with a sensor module or, alternatively, with an empty casing module which occupies the recess. Where the lock is manufactured with the sensor module in situ, all that the fitter is required to do is to fit the lock as normal. Where the lock is supplied with an empty casing module in place of the sensor module, the empty casing module can be removed and replaced by the sensor module.

After attachment of the sensor module into the recess, the lock assembly can be fitted in the normal way.

Whilst there is described above a mortise lock having a hook bolt, it will be apparent that the invention is applicable to any mortise lock, including mortise locks having hook bolts or other types of bolt, and which are suitable for any kind of door, including hinged doors or sliding doors.

Claims

Claims 1. A mortise lock assembly for a door, comprising: a casing; a

locking mechanism arranged at least partly within the casing; a recess in the exterior of the casing for receiving a sensor module for monitoring the locking mechanism; and a removable module receivable in the recess.
2. A lock assembly according to claim 1, in which the casing has a front faceplate, a rear wall opposed to the front faceplate, two side walls and upper and lower walls.
3. A lock assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the removable module contains a sensor device.
4. A lock assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the removable module is empty.
5. A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the recess is in communication with the interior of the casing.
6. A lock assembly according to claim 5, in which the recess communicates with the interior of the casing through an aperture in the casing.
7. A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the module comprises an electrical sensor device.
8. A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the module can be affixed by a screw element into the recess.
9. A lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the locking mechanism includes a hook bolt, which in use can be monitored by the sensor module.
10. A lock assembly comprising a removable module containing a sensor, the lock assembly casing and the removable module being substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the drawings.
11. A lock system comprising a lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims together with a further module removably receivable in the recess in the exterior of the casing, in which said modules are interchangeable and a first one of said modules is blank whilst a second one of said modules includes a sensor device.
12. A method of fitting a mortise lock assembly, comprising providing a mortise lock assembly having a removable module, removing the removable module and replacing the removable module by a module containing a sensor device for monitoring whether the lock assembly is locked.