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An electromechanical locking mechanism provides a plug with a rekeyable primary lock mechanism such as a tumbler stack, an electromechanical operator such as a solenoid or a motor, and an electronic circuit having a memory, or an electronic memory and an electronic logic stage, controlling activitia

An electromechanical locking mechanism provides a plug with a rekeyable primary lock mechanism such as a tumbler stack, an electromechanical operator such as a solenoid or a motor, and an electronic circuit having a memory, or an electronic memory and an electronic logic stage, controlling activitiation and operation of the electromechanical operator, contained entirely within the plug. Insertion of a blade of a key that is properly profiled and bitted to correctly displace the primary lock assembly relative to a cylinder encasing the plug, and application by the key of electrical power, or of electrical power and a correct data signal, to the electronic circuit, will cause activation of the electrical operator and repositioning of a distal member of the operator relative to the cylinder, and thereby enable torque manually applied to the blade of the key to rotate the plug within the cylinder.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A rotatable lock barrel, comprising: an elongated, generally cylindrically shaped barrel member having an exterior configured for receipt in a bore of a lock cylinder and an interior containing a locking member, said barrel member having a recess formed therein;a detent borne by said barrel membe

1. A rotatable lock barrel, comprising: an elongated, generally cylindrically shaped barrel member having an exterior configured for receipt in a bore of a lock cylinder and an interior containing a locking member, said barrel member having a recess formed therein;a detent borne by said barrel member, that travels along a plane that extends approximately radially relative to said barrel member; andsaid locking member being disposed in the recess of the barrel member and being substantially entirely contained within the barrel member, said locking member being movable;said recess in said barrel member being configured to receive at least a portion of said detent to permit said detent to move into and out of engagement with a recess in the lock cylinder while selectively permitting and blocking rotation of said barrel member with respect to the lock cylinder; andan electronically powered drive mechanism located within and borne by the barrel member, said drive mechanism being disposed to move the locking member to a first position where said drive mechanism limits movement of said detent and alternately to a second position where said drive mechanism permits movement of said detent. 2. A plug, comprising: a detent mounted upon said plug, disposed between said plug and a cylinder removably receiving said plug, said detent engaging the cylinder while hindering rotation of said plug within said cylinder;a key engaging surface enabling driving of said plug while said plug resides within the cylinder;a memory borne by said plug, storing a code corresponding to said plug; andan electrical operator borne by said plug, said electrical, operator releasing said detent to move independently of said electrical operator relative to both said plug and the cylinder when a user manipulates a key to apply a torque to said engaging surface after said operator has received from the key a data signal that conforms to said code. 3. The plug of claim 2, further comprised of said electrical operator blocking said detent from moving relative to both said plug and the cylinder, absent reception by said operator of said data signal conforming to said code. 4. A plug, comprising: a detent disposed between said plug and a cylinder surrounding an exterior circumferential surface of said plug, said detent engaging the cylinder while hindering rotation of said plug within the cylinder;a key engaging surface provided by a face of said plug;a memory borne by said plug, storing a code corresponding to said plug; andan electrical operator borne by said plug and rotating with said plug within the cylinder, said operator responding to a data signal conforming to said code upon reception of said data signal from a key engaging said surface, by releasing said detent to move relative to both said plug and the cylinder when said detent accommodates said rotation upon application of a torque applied by a user manipulating a key while said key engages said surface. 5. A process of fitting a lock with a different plug, comprising the steps of: removing an existing plug from engagement with an existing recess within a bore of a cylinder; andreplacing said existing plug by inserting into said cylinder a different plug comprised of: a detent mounted upon said different plug, disposed between said different plug and said cylinder surrounding said different plug, said detent engaging the existing recess while hindering rotation of said different plug within said cylinder;a key engaging surface enabling operational movement of said different plug while said different plug resides within the cylinder;a memory borne by said different plug, storing a code corresponding to said different plug; andan electrical operator borne by said different plug, said electrical operator releasing said detent to move independently of said electrical operator relative to both said different plug and the cylinder when a user manipulates a key to apply a torque to said engaging surface after said operator has received from the key a data signal that conforms to said code. 6. The process of claim 5, further comprised of said electrical operator blocking said detent from moving relative to both said different plug and the cylinder, absent reception by said operator of said data signal conforming to said code. 7. A process of fitting a lock with a new lock cylinder, comprising the steps of: removing an existing cylinder; andreplacing said existing cylinder with a new lock cylinder comprised of: a plug;a detent mounted upon said plug, disposed between said plug and said new cylinder surrounding said plug, said detent engaging said new cylinder while hindering rotation of said plug within said new cylinder;a key engaging surface enabling driving of said plug while said plug resides within said new cylinder;a memory borne by said plug, storing a code corresponding to said plug; andan electrical operator borne by said plug, said electrical operator releasing said detent to move independently of said electrical operator relative to both said plug and said new cylinder when a user manipulates a key to apply a torque to said engaging surface after said operator has received from the key a data signal that conforms to said code. 8. The process of claim 7, further comprised of said electrical operator blocking said detent from moving relative to both said plug and said new cylinder, absent reception by said operator of said data signal conforming to said code. 9. The plug of claim 2, further comprised of said electrical operator blocking said detent from moving relative to both said plug and the cylinder, upon reception by said operator of said data signal conforming to said code. 10. The process of claim 5, further comprised of said electrical operator blocking said detent from moving relative to both said different plug and the cylinder, upon reception by said operator of said data signal conforming to said code. 11. The process of claim 7, further comprised of said electrical operator blocking said detent from moving relative to both said plug and said new cylinder, upon reception by said operator of said data signal conforming to said code. 12. A lock, comprising: a shell containing a hollow recess defining a longitudinal axis;a cylinder plug rotatable around said longitudinal axis while resident within said hollow recess;a detent interposed between said shell and said cylinder plug to reciprocate generally along a radial plane between a first position engaging both said shell and said plug while obstructing rotation of said cylinder plug within said hollow recess, and a second position accommodating said rotation;said cylinder plug comprising: a first base and a second base separated by an axial length of said cylinder plug from said first base; andan electrical operator comprising an electrical coil and an armature that is operationally responsive to said electrical coil, said electrical operator being borne by said cylinder plug and rotatable with said cylinder plug, said electrical operator being electrically operable to respond to a control signal by moving independently of said detent between a first orientation providing obstruction of said detent and a second and different orientation accommodating relative movement between said detent. 13. The lock of claim 12, further comprised of: a logic circuit generating said control signal in response to a comparison between a code set within said logic circuit and a data signal applied to said logic circuit; andsaid electrical operator moving between said second orientation and said first orientation in response to said control signal. 14. The lock of claim 12, further comprised of a locking mechanism borne by said cylinder plug, said cylinder plug being perforated by an aperture admitting reciprocal travel of a key relative to said locking mechanism, and said locking mechanism obstructing movement of said cylinder plug relative to said shell absent the key exhibiting a selected relation with said locking mechanism. 15. The lock of claim 12, further comprised of a plurality of electrical conductors borne by said lock to engage a circuit in a key inserted into said cylinder plug. 16. The lock of claim 12, further comprised of a power source to energize said electric operator. 17. The lock of claim 12, further comprised of a network of a plurality of cylinder plugs including said cylinder plug, and a switching device controlling operation of said network. 18. The lock of claim 12, with said detent comprising a bar.