Hands-free locking mechanism
A hands-free locking mechanism includes a locking component and a latching component. The locking component comprises a protruding element, a sensor, a controller and a motor. The protruding element comprises a spring configured to allow elastic movement of the protruding element into and out of the locking component. The elastic movement allows the locking mechanism to enter an unlocked and closed state when the protruding element is brought into contact with the latching component. When in the unlocked and closed state, the sensor senses user action and the controller causes the motor to extend the protruding element into an opening of the latching component, placing the locking mechanism into a locked and closed state. When in the locked and closed state, the sensor senses further user action and the controller causes the motor to retract the protruding element, placing the locking mechanism into an unlocked and open state.
1 . A locking mechanism comprising:
a latching component mounted on a door frame;
a locking component mounted on a door, the locking component comprising:
a sensor;
a controller;
a protruding element comprising a spring that allows elastic movement of the protruding element; and
a motor;
wherein:
in a first position, the protruding element extends without actuation from the motor from the locking component into an opening of the latching component by a first amount to hold the door in an unlocked and closed state with respect to the door frame;
the sensor senses user action and is configured to communicate sensed information to the controller; and
the controller is configured to control the motor such that in a second position, the motor, responsive to receiving the sensed information, extends the protruding element from the first amount to a second amount greater than the first amount into the opening of the latching component to hold the door in a locked and closed state with respect to the door frame.
2 . The locking mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a solid-state display to visually indicate whether the locking mechanism is locked or unlocked.
3 . The locking mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a tab connected to the locking component and configured for manually moving the protruding element into and out of the opening of the latching component to manually lock and unlock the locking mechanism.
4 . The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein in the first position, the door is openable via an applied force causing the protruding element to retract, via compression of the spring, into the locking component, and wherein in the second position, the door is not openable via the applied force.
5 . The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is one or more of: a break-beam sensor, an IR sensor, inductive sensor, capacitive sensor, magnetic sensor, and proximity sensor.
6 . The locking mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising an LED state indicator to indicate whether the locking mechanism is in a locked state or unlocked state.
7 . The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a communications module configured to transmit information to a device.
8 . The locking mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the communications module is configured to transmit information using one or more of: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RF, 3G, 4G, 5G, or UHB wireless technology.
9 . The locking mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the communications module is configured to transmit one or more of: a position of the door, a state of the locking mechanism, a battery level of the locking component, a number of locked and unlocked states, and an amount of time in the locked and unlocked states.
10 . A locking mechanism comprising:
a latching component mounted on a door;
a locking component mounted on a door frame, the locking component comprising:
a protruding element comprising a spring that allows elastic movement of the protruding element;
a sensor;
a controller; and
a motor;
wherein:
bringing the protruding element into contact with the latching component causes the protruding element to extend without actuation from the motor from the locking component into an opening of the latching component by a first amount to maintain the locking mechanism in an unlocked and closed state;
when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked and closed state, the sensor senses user action and communicates sensed information to the controller causing the controller to actuate the motor to extend the protruding element from the first amount to a second amount greater than the first amount into the opening of the latching component to place the locking mechanism into a locked and closed state; and
when the locking mechanism is in the locked and closed state, the sensor senses further user action and communicates further sensed information to the controller, causing the controller to actuate the motor to retract the protruding element out of the opening of the latching component to place the locking mechanism into an unlocked and open state.
11 . The locking mechanism of claim 10 , further comprising a solid-state display to visually indicate whether the locking mechanism is locked or unlocked.
12 . The locking mechanism of claim 10 , further comprising a tab connected to the locking component and configured for manually moving the protruding element into and out of the opening of the latching component to manually lock and unlock the locking mechanism.
13 . The locking mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is one or more of: a break-beam sensor, an IR sensor, inductive sensor, capacitive sensor, magnetic sensor, and proximity sensor.
14 . The locking mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a communications module configured to transmit information to a device.
15 . The locking mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to transmit information using one or more of: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RF, 3G, 4G, 5G, or UHB wireless technology.
16 . The locking mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to transmit one or more of: a position of the door, a state of the locking mechanism, a battery level of the locking component, a number of locked and unlocked states, and an amount of time in the locked and unlocked states.
17 . A locking mechanism comprising:
a latching component mounted on a door frame;
a locking component mounted on a door, the locking component comprising:
a protruding element comprising a spring that allows elastic movement of the protruding element;
a sensor;
a controller; and
a motor;
wherein;
bringing the protruding element into contact with the latching component causes the protruding element to extend without actuation from the motor from the locking component into an opening of the latching component by a first amount to maintain the locking mechanism in an unlocked and closed state;
when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked and closed state, the sensor senses user action and communicates sensed information to a controller, causing the controller to actuate the motor to extend the protruding element from the first amount to a second amount greater than the first amount into the opening of the latching component to place the locking mechanism into a locked and closed state; and
when the locking mechanism is in the locked and closed state, the sensor senses further user action and communicates further sensed information to the controller, causing the controller to actuate the motor to retract the protruding element out of the opening of the latching component to place the locking mechanism into an unlocked and open state.
18 . The locking mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the sensor is one or more of: a break-beam sensor, an IR sensor, inductive sensor, capacitive sensor, magnetic sensor, and proximity sensor.
19 . The locking mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a communications module configured to transmit information to a device.