Patent US4090175A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4090175A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Opto-electronic lock device
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1977-02-04
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Granted: 1978-05-16
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Expires: 1997-02-04
Abstract
Abstract An opto-electronic, key-operated lock device means which provides a connection for one or more opto-electric circuits (control circuits employing light and logic for control of electrical circuits) as an incident to the insertion and operation therein of the proper key. The proper key is encoded for completion of predetermined light paths to photosensors coupled to decoder logic circuits for establishment and disestablishment of the opto-electrical circuits coincident with the use of the proper key.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Lee Hart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:39
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B49/00; E05B49/002; E05B49/006; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S70/00; Y10S70/51; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/70; Y10T70/7051; Y10T70/7062; Y10T70/7068; Y10T70/7073; Y10T70/7441; Y10T70/7486; Y10T70/7508; Y10T70/7559; Y10T70/7588; Y10T70/7593
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
318 words
A lock comprising: a lock housing having a key opening in it; a key cylinder received in said housing and rotatable on its cylindrical axis in said housing from a lock position to an unlock position, said cylinder having an axially-extending keyway therein facing said opening and extending from an outer end of said cylinder toward an inner end of said cylinder; a support secured to said housing in alignment with the inner end of said cylinder; a plurality of cylinder lock pins in said support and movable therein parallel to said axis; pin-loading means in said support and urging said pins axially into pin-receiving apertures in said cylinder; a plurality of lock pin locators in said apertures and seated in said cylinder and having front ends exposed in said keyway and rear ends supporting said lock pins against said urging, said locators being of varied overall lengths from their front ends to rear ends whereby said lock pins extend partially in said support and partially in said cylinder and lock said cylinder from rotating, and said locators being axially movable by a key having an end contour matched to said varied lengths such that when said key is applied to said locators in said keyway, it will push said lock pins out of said key cylinder and place the rear ends of said locators substantially flush with the rear end of said cylinder to unlock said cylinder for rotation by said key to said unlock position. a first switch located on said support and having an operator member; a switch actuator pin extending in said support in alignment with one of said lock pins and aligned with said operator member, said actuator pin being linearly movable into switch-operating engagement with said switch operator member by the lock pin aligned with said actuator pin when the said one lock pin has been pushed out of said key cylinder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
318 words
A lock comprising: a lock housing having a key opening in it; a key cylinder received in said housing and rotatable on its cylindrical axis in said housing from a lock position to an unlock position, said cylinder having an axially-extending keyway therein facing said opening and extending from an outer end of said cylinder toward an inner end of said cylinder; a support secured to said housing in alignment with the inner end of said cylinder; a plurality of cylinder lock pins in said support and movable therein parallel to said axis; pin-loading means in said support and urging said pins axially into pin-receiving apertures in said cylinder; a plurality of lock pin locators in said apertures and seated in said cylinder and having front ends exposed in said keyway and rear ends supporting said lock pins against said urging, said locators being of varied overall lengths from their front ends to rear ends whereby said lock pins extend partially in said support and partially in said cylinder and lock said cylinder from rotating, and said locators being axially movable by a key having an end contour matched to said varied lengths such that when said key is applied to said locators in said keyway, it will push said lock pins out of said key cylinder and place the rear ends of said locators substantially flush with the rear end of said cylinder to unlock said cylinder for rotation by said key to said unlock position. a first switch located on said support and having an operator member; a switch actuator pin extending in said support in alignment with one of said lock pins and aligned with said operator member, said actuator pin being linearly movable into switch-operating engagement with said switch operator member by the lock pin aligned with said actuator pin when the said one lock pin has been pushed out of said key cylinder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The lock of claim 1 wherein: the inner end of said key cylinder in an arc at the radius of the actuator pin is substantially coplanar with the end of that locator operable on said one lock pin when said one lock pin is pushed out of said key cylinder, to thereby maintain operation of said switch as said cylinder is rotated from said lock position to said unlock position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The lock of claim 1 and further comprising: a radially outwardly projecting lug on said key cylinder; a second switch secured to said housing, said second switch being operable by said lug when said cylinder is rotated to said unlock position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
308 words
A lock comprising: a lock housing having a key opening in it; a key cylinder received in said housing and rotatable on its cylindrical axis in said housing from a lock position to an unlock position, said cylinder having an axially-extending keyway therein facing said opening and extending from an outer end of said cylinder toward an inner end of said cylinder; a support secured to said housing in alignment with the inner end of said cylinder; a plurality of cylinder lock pins in said support and movable therein parallel to said axis; pin-loading means in said support and urging said pins axially into pin-receiving apertures in said cylinder; a plurality of lock locators in said apertures and seated in said cylinder and having front ends exposed in said keyway and rear ends supporting said lock pins against said urging, said locators being of varied overall lengths from their front ends to rear ends whereby said lock pins extend partially in said support and partially in said cylinder and lock said cylinder from rotating, and said locators being axially movable by a key having an end contour matched to said varied lengths such that when said key is applied to said locators in said keyway, it will push said lock pins out of said key cylinder and place the rear ends of said locators substantially flush with the rear end of said cylinder to unlock said cylinder for rotation by said key to said unlock position; light inlet means in said housing; light receiver means in said housing; a switch; a switch actuator in said support and cooperative with said switch; and light-responsive electrical conductor means in said receiver means; a plurality of light-transmitting transverse passageways in said key cylinder registrable with said inlet means and with said conductor means when said cylinder is in said unlock position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
308 words
A lock comprising: a lock housing having a key opening in it; a key cylinder received in said housing and rotatable on its cylindrical axis in said housing from a lock position to an unlock position, said cylinder having an axially-extending keyway therein facing said opening and extending from an outer end of said cylinder toward an inner end of said cylinder; a support secured to said housing in alignment with the inner end of said cylinder; a plurality of cylinder lock pins in said support and movable therein parallel to said axis; pin-loading means in said support and urging said pins axially into pin-receiving apertures in said cylinder; a plurality of lock locators in said apertures and seated in said cylinder and having front ends exposed in said keyway and rear ends supporting said lock pins against said urging, said locators being of varied overall lengths from their front ends to rear ends whereby said lock pins extend partially in said support and partially in said cylinder and lock said cylinder from rotating, and said locators being axially movable by a key having an end contour matched to said varied lengths such that when said key is applied to said locators in said keyway, it will push said lock pins out of said key cylinder and place the rear ends of said locators substantially flush with the rear end of said cylinder to unlock said cylinder for rotation by said key to said unlock position; light inlet means in said housing; light receiver means in said housing; a switch; a switch actuator in said support and cooperative with said switch; and light-responsive electrical conductor means in said receiver means; a plurality of light-transmitting transverse passageways in said key cylinder registrable with said inlet means and with said conductor means when said cylinder is in said unlock position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The lock of claim 4 and further comprising: a key in said keyway, said key having an array of apertures and indentations corresponding to said passageways, and said key having an inner end having a contour matching the combination of lengths of said locators, for unlocking said lock pins and thereby unlocking said cylinder upon bottoming of said key in said cylinder keyway.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The lock of claim 5 wherein: said key is elongated substantially rectangular and flat, and said array comprises three rows of five depressions and apertures each in a face of said key.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
The lock of claim 4 and further comprising; a radially outwardly projecting lug on said key cylinder; a second switch secured to said housing, said second switch being operable by said lug when said cylinder is rotated to said unlock position; a lamp associated with one of said switches and operable thereby; logic gate means associated with said conductor means and responsive to light transmitted to said conductor means through said passageways from said inlet means to produce an output signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The lock of claim 7 and further comprising: a plurality of light pipes conducting light from said lamp to said inlet means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The lock of claim 8 and further comprising: an alarm coupled to an output of said gate means and operable to produce an alarm in response to said output signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The lock of claim 7 and further comprising: a utilization device coupled to said gate means and operable in response to operation of correct key rotating said cylinder from locked to unlocked position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-15 | 1981-11-14 | 1982-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-15 | 1985-11-14 | 1986-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-15 | 1989-11-14 | 1990-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |