Magnetic privacy lock control
View Patent ↗A method for unlocking and/or locking a privacy lockset from the exterior of the lockset or door and without the use of buttons, keys, or an object inserted into the lockset or door. The operator manipulates a magnetic object, such as a magnet or piece of ferrous metal, on the exterior of the door or lockset to cause an internal magnet attached to a rod to move the rod in and out of a collar, the far end of the rod in turn actuating the lock into a locked and/or unlocked position. Rotational, lateral, and/or thrust forces may be configured to actuate the lock. The invention may apply to rim locks, mortise locks, sliding door locks, cylinder locks, and non-keyed deadbolts.
1. A method for locking or unlocking a door privacy lock with a magnetic field and without an operator passing a key into any part of a lock mechanism or a door, comprising:
using a magnetic object to draw or push a shaft actuator magnet located at an end of a shaft;
the magnetic object causing the shaft to pass through a collar configured such that the shaft cannot rotate;
wherein the collar comprises collar magnets and the shaft further comprises shaft neutral position magnets of opposite polarity to the collar magnets, the shaft being retained in a starting position by attraction of said collar magnets and said shaft neutral position magnets prior to the magnetic object acting on the shaft actuator magnet;
moving said shaft through said collar, bringing a shaft magnet located on the opposite end of the shaft from the shaft actuator magnet into magnetic range of a lock trigger magnet of the same polarity as the shaft magnet, causing a lock actuator cam to move away from the the shaft magnet;
the lock actuator cam configured such that an end of the lock actuator cam is located a distance from the lock trigger magnet and the shaft magnet so that the end of the lock actuator cam moves a greater distance than the shaft trigger magnet moves from the shaft magnet;
withdrawing the magnetic object causing the collar magnets to attract the shaft neutral position magnets, drawing the shaft to the starting position;
the lock actuator cam remaining in the position located by the shaft magnet after withdrawal of the shaft magnet;
the shaft, the shaft actuator magnet, the collar, the collar magnets, the shaft magnet, the lock trigger magnet, and the lock actuator cam all being enclosed in the door or the lock mechanism;
wherein during operation manipulating the magnetic object moves the shaft actuator magnet, and moving of the shaft towards or away from the magnetic object causes a lock actuator cam to move, and wherein movement of the lock actuator cam is configured for securing or releasing the privacy lock.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shaft actuator magnet is connected to the end of the shaft.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shaft actuator magnet is formed integrally with the end of the shaft.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shaft actuator magnet is configured to be manipulated by the magnetic object from either side of the door.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lock actuator cam locks or unlocks privacy locks of the types consisting of: a rim lock, a cylinder lock, a mortise lock, a cam lock, a sliding door lock, and a non-keyed deadbolt lock.
6. An apparatus to lock or unlock a door privacy lock with a magnetic field and without an operator passing a key into any part of a lock mechanism or a door, comprising:
a magnetic object to draw or push a shaft actuator magnet located at a first end of a shaft;
a collar, wherein the shaft is configured to be inserted into and through the collar without rotation;
wherein the collar comprises collar magnets and the shaft further comprises shaft neutral position magnets of opposite polarity to the collar magnets, wherein said shaft is retained in a starting position by attraction of said collar magnets and said shaft neutral position magnets prior to application of the magnetic object, and wherein said shaft is returned to the starting position following removal of the magnetic object;
a shaft magnet located on the opposite end of the shaft from the shaft actuator magnet;
a lock actuator cam mounted and passed through by the shaft at an opposite end of the shaft containing the shaft magnet, and with the lock actuator cam containing a lock trigger magnet of the same polarity as the shaft magnet;
the lock actuator cam configured with an end of the lock actuator cam located a distance from the lock trigger magnet and the shaft magnet so that the end of the lock actuator cam moves a greater distance than the lock trigger magnet moves from the shaft magnet;
the shaft, the shaft actuator magnet, the collar, the collar magnets, the shaft magnet, the lock trigger magnet, and the lock actuator cam trigger all being enclosed in the door or the lock mechanism;
wherein during operation, the magnetic object is configured to manipulate the shaft actuator magnet and the shaft from the starting position towards or away from the magnetic object and through the collar, thereby causing the lock actuator cam to move, wherein the lock actuator cam is configured to secure or release the privacy lock;
wherein removal of the magnetic object returns the shaft to the starting position in the collar prior to manipulation by the magnetic object, and the lock actuator cam remains in a new position having secured or released the privacy lock.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the shaft actuator magnet connects to the end of the shaft.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the shaft actuator magnet is integrally formed with the end of the shaft.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the shaft actuator magnet is configured to be manipulated by the magnetic object from either side of the door.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the lock actuator cam locks or unlocks privacy locks of the types consisting of: a rim lock, a cylinder lock, a mortise lock, a cam lock, a sliding door lock, and a non-keyed deadbolt lock.