WO2019018897A1

WO2019018897A1 - Mortice lock assembly having electronic switching element

Info

Publication number: WO2019018897A1
Application number: PCT/AU2018/050780
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Thomas SPENCER; Andrew Williams
Original assignee: Assa Abloy Australia Pty Limited
Priority date: 2017-07-27
Filing date: 2018-07-27
Publication date: 2019-01-31
Also published as: AU2018305775B2; AU2018305775A1; CN111226016A; CN111315949A; AU2018305774B2; NZ761122A; NZ761119A; CN111226017B; WO2019018900A1; CN111263840B; AU2018305728A1; CN111263840A; CN111315949B; WO2019018899A1; AU2018305774A1; WO2019018901A1; AU2018308949B2; NZ761112A; NZ761127A; CN111226017A

Abstract

The invention is directed to a mortice lock assembly for use with a door. The mortice lock assembly includes a housing, a bolt movable relative to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position, a manual actuator including an inner hub and an outer hub each being operable from an inner side or an outer side of the housing respectively to move the bolt from at least the extended position to the retracted position, a lock mechanism which interacts with the manual actuator to render each of the inner hub and outer hub of the manual actuator independently inoperable or operable, and an electronic control module for controlling operations of the lock mechanism. The electronic control module includes at least one electronic switching element for allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode, the at least one electronic switching element being adjustable from outside the housing.

Description

Mortice Lock Assembly Having Electronic Switching Element Related Applications

[0001 ] The present application is related to the disclosure of Australian provisional application no. 2017902959 entitled A Mortice Lock Assembly with a Powered Lock Actuator filed on 27 July 2017, and the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application is further related to PCT applications entitled "Mortice Lock Assembly having Electronic Control Module" and "Monitoring System for Lock Assembly" in the name of Assa Abloy Australia Pty Ltd having an

international filing date of 27 July 2018, and the entire contents of each of the related PCT applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

[0003] This invention generally relates to a mortice lock assembly and an electronic control module for the mortice lock assembly.

Background of Invention

[0004] A mortice lock assembly typically includes a bolt, a manual actuator operable to move the bolt, and a lock mechanism having a powered actuator for controlling operation of the manual actuator. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with particular reference to a latch assembly, however it will be appreciated that the invention may be applicable to other forms of mortice lock assembly such as a deadbolt assembly.

[0005] A mortice lock assembly of the foregoing kind may include a pair of hubs that are each rotatable relative to a housing, to move a latch bolt from an extended position to a retracted position. The lock mechanism may include a detent bar that can be adjusted to adopt a locked position thereby preventing rotation of the respective hub. The detent bar can be moved by operation of a cylinder lock, or by a powered actuator. [0006] Where the lock mechanism includes a powered actuator, it may take the form of a solenoid, which utilises changes in the supply of power to alter the position of the detent bar. The solenoid may for example remain powered so as to retract its plunger against a biasing force of a compression spring, so that selectively turning the power off releases the plunger to move with force of the spring to in turn move the detent bar.

[0007] The manner in which the solenoid is physically arranged relative to the detent can be adjusted to allow the lock mechanism to respond to a power failure event in a predetermined manner. The arrangement can be referred to as fail secure or fail safe, and the spring in the solenoid is used to respond accordingly. When a power failure event occurs and the lock mechanism is set to fail secure, the detent bar will remain in or move to the locked position whereby rotation of either hub is prevented. Alternatively when the lock mechanism is set to fail safe, the detent bar will remain in or move to a release position whereby rotation of either hub is

permitted.

[0008] The adjustment arrangement of the solenoid relative to the detent bar to allow the lock mechanism to respond to a power failure event in the desired manner is typically achieved via mechanical means either during factory configuration or field configuration.

[0009] Factory configuration requires the lock mechanism to be configured to operate in a predetermined manner before being dispatched to a customer. The configuration typically cannot be changed without disassembling the housing and using specialised tools. There are a number of disadvantages associated with factory configured mortice lock assemblies, such as lengthy lead time, higher labour costs, the configuration is prone to handling error, and the lock mechanism is difficult to reconfigure (e.g. for a change of application).

[0010] Field configuration typically also requires disassembling of the housing, for example, by manual adjustment of screws to remove walls of the housing, in order to access and rearrange components of the lock mechanism within the housing, which can be time consuming and also prone to user handling error. In particular, allowing a user to disassemble the housing and rearrange internal components of the lock mechanism may expose the internal components to mishandling or damage, which may undesirably affect the integrity and proper operation of the lock mechanism.

[001 1 ] A reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

Summary of Invention

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mortice lock assembly for use with a door, the mortice lock assembly including

a housing,

a bolt movable relative to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position,

a manual actuator including an inner hub and an outer hub each being operable from an inner side or an outer side of the housing respectively to move the bolt from at least the extended position to the retracted position,

a lock mechanism which interacts with the manual actuator to render each of the inner hub and outer hub of the manual actuator independently inoperable or operable,

an electronic control module for controlling operations of the lock mechanism, the electronic control module including at least one electronic switching element for allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode, the at least one electronic switching element being adjustable from outside the housing.

[0013] The electronic switching element being adjustable from outside the housing advantageously allows the lock mechanism to be configured, for example, to respond to a power failure event in a desired manner, conveniently and efficiently, without the need to disassemble the housing of the lock assembly or use specialised tools. [0014] Any suitable electronic switching element may be used. For example, the electronic switching element may include one or more slide switches, rotary switches, buttons, toggle switches and the like, or any combination thereof.

[0015] Each electronic switching element may be accessible via an opening in the housing. The opening may be positioned in any suitable location in the housing. In one embodiment, the opening is located on a rear or side wall of the housing such that access to the at least one switching element is hindered once the lock assembly is installed in a door. Positioning the opening for accessing the one or more switching elements on a rear or side wall of the housing allows the lock mechanism to be conveniently field configured before installation, and prevents unauthorised tampering or inadvertent re-setting of the operating mode of the lock mechanism after installation. In some embodiments, one or more switching elements may be accessible via a front wall of the housing such that the settings can be changed after installation of the lock assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the switching element may include transistors controlled by a switching circuit and configurable via remote control or contactless communication.

[0017] The electronic control module may include two electronic switching elements and the operating mode may be selected based on a setting of each of the two electronic switching elements. Moreover, the setting for each electronic switching element may be selectable from a group including at least three different available settings. The setting for each electronic switching element may allow configuration of the lock mechanism to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator in a predetermined manner.

[0018] The operating mode may include a combination of any two or more of an escape mode, a fail-safe mode or a fail-secure mode, wherein the fail-safe mode or fail-secure mode can be selected to determine the operation of the lock mechanism in a power failure event.

[0019] More specifically, the three different available settings may include a 'power to unlock' (Fail Secure, also known as 'power to open') setting, a 'power to lock' (Fail Safe) setting, and an 'always unlocked' (Escape) setting. The setting of each switching element corresponds to a desired operation for each inner and outer hub of the manual actuator of the lock assembly, which corresponds to operation of the lock assembly from a respective inner side or an outer side of the housing.

[0020] For example, setting both electronic switching elements to 'power to unlock' (Fail Secure) will configure the lock mechanism in such a way that the manual actuator is rendered inoperable (e.g. in a locked condition) from both the inner side and the outer side of the housing, in a power failure event. Similarly, setting both electronic switching elements to 'power to lock' (Fail Safe) will configure the lock mechanism in such a way that manual actuator is rendered operable (e.g. in an unlocked condition) from either the inner side or the outer side of the housing, in a power failure event.

[0021 ] Moreover, setting one electronic switching elements to 'power to unlock' (Fail Secure) and one electronic switching elements to 'power to lock' (Fail Safe) will configure the lock mechanism in such a way that manual actuator is rendered inoperable (e.g. in a locked condition) from one side of the housing, and operable (e.g. in a unlocked condition) from an opposite side of the housing, in a power failure event.

[0022] In addition, setting either one of the electronic switching elements to the 'always unlocked' (Escape) setting, will configure the lock mechanism in such a way that the manual actuator is always operable (e.g. in an unlocked condition) from a corresponding side of the housing.

[0023] The electronic control module may include a microcontroller. The microcontroller may be configured to

determine whether the operation of the inner hub and/or the outer hub of the manual actuator requires changing based on the selected operating mode in a power failure event, and

upon determining that a change is required, generate a drive circuit control signal for a drive circuit to effect movement of a respective portion of the lock mechanism to change the operation of the respective inner hub and/or outer hub of the manual actuator.

[0024] The electronic control module may include a motor for adjusting the respective portion of the lock mechanism between a locked condition and an unlocked condition to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator. The drive circuit may drive the motor according to the selected operating mode in a power failure event.

[0025] The electronic control module may include a single motor for adjusting the respective portion of the lock mechanism between a locked condition and an unlocked condition to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator.

[0026] The lock mechanism may include inner and outer pawls, each

independently movable by action of the motor between locked and unlocked conditions. In the locked condition, each pawl may engage with a respective hub of the lock mechanism to prevent the respective hub from movement, thereby rendering the respective hub inoperable. In one embodiment, the inner and outer pawls can be moved between four different position combinations, the position combinations being a locked condition for each of the inner and outer pawls;

an unlocked condition for each of the inner and outer pawls;

a locked condition for the inner pawl and an unlocked condition for the outer pawl; and

an unlocked condition for the inner pawl and a locked condition for the outer pawl.

[0027] Each of the four position combination of the inner and outer pawls may correspond to an angular position of an output shaft of the motor and associated cam such that each position combination may be achieved by moving the motor and thus the output shaft to the corresponding angular position. The motor, its output shaft and the associated cam may have four predetermined angular positions corresponding to each position combination of the inner and outer pawls. [0028] The motor may be driven between the four predetermined angular positions by a motor driver circuit. The drive circuit control signal generated by the micro-controller may operate the motor driver circuit to drive the motor between the predetermined angular positions.

[0029] The control module may include a motor position sensor to monitor the position of the motor and provide feedback to the micro-controller. The microcontroller may generate a drive circuit control signal for the motor driver circuit to drive the motor until the motor sensor detects that the motor has reached the desired angular position.

[0030] Any suitable position sensor may be used. In one embodiment, the position sensor may include a magnetic rotary encoder and an associated magnet attached to the output shaft of the motor.

[0031 ] The electronic control module may include a power storage device within the housing for providing power to the micro-controller, drive circuit and motor during the power failure event. Any suitable power storage device may be used, for example, a battery or capacitor or the like. In one embodiment, the power storage device is a capacitor.

[0032] The electronic control module may include a capacitor management circuit for charging the capacitor during normal operation and discharging the capacitor to supply power to the module in a power failure event. In a power failure event, the capacitor may provide the micro-controller with sufficient power to generate an appropriate drive circuit control signal based on a setting of the at least one switching element, and for the motor driver circuit to drive the motor based on the drive circuit control signal until the motor sensor detects that the motor has reached the desired angular position.

[0033] The electronic control module may receive input control signals in the form of power on or power off signals from a pair of input lines. Alternatively, the electronic control module may receive input control signals in the form of a combination of power on and power off signals from three input lines. When the electronic control module is configured to operate with three input lines, two of the input lines may consistently supply power to the module, and one of the input lines may provide a lock and unlock signal in the form of a power on or power off signal. The electronic control module may determine whether a lock signal corresponds to a power on or power off signal based on a setting of the at least one switching element.

[0034] The electronic control module may be coupled to an external monitoring system, and wherein the external monitoring system generates input control signals to operate the lock mechanism, the input control signals being preconfigured based on a setting of the at least one switching element.

[0035] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a control module for a lock assembly for use with a door, the lock assembly including

a housing,

a bolt movable between an extended position and a retracted position, a manual actuator including an inner hub and an outer hub each being operable from an inner side or an outer side of the housing respectively to move the bolt from at least the extended position to the retracted position,

the control module being configured to control operations of the lock mechanism, the control module including at least one electronic switching element for allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode, the at least one electronic switching element being adjustable from outside the housing.

[0036] The control module may include control circuitry provided by the lock assembly. The control circuit may include a micro-processor for controlling a motor driver circuit to drive a motor and move the lock mechanism between locked and unlocked conditions.

[0037] The control circuitry may interface with external devices and systems, including external monitoring sensors, and an external monitoring system. The external monitoring system may receive 'request-to-enter' commands from an access verification device such as an access card reader, a combination code pin pad entry device or the like, and a generate corresponding lock or unlock signals as input control signals for the control circuit. The external monitoring system may be pre- configured to generate the appropriate lock and unlock signals based on a setting of the at least one electronic switching element.

[0038] In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practice, one or more preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Reference throughout this specification to One embodiment' or 'an embodiment' means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases 'in one embodiment' or 'in an embodiment' in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristic described herein may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0040] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a mortice lock assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, having a cover plate forming part of the housing removed.

[0041 ] Figure 2 is an exploded isometric view of the lock mechanism, inner hub and outer hub of the mortice lock assembly as shown in Figure 1 .

[0042] Figure 3A is an isometric view of a partially assembled lock mechanism shown in Figure 2 in which the inner pawl and outer pawl are both in an unlocked position.

[0043] Figure 3B is a side elevation view of the partial assembly shown in Figure 3A illustrating the inner pawl in the released position. [0044] Figure 3C is a top plan view of a portion of the partial assembly shown in Figures 3A and 3B illustrating an angular position of a cam associated with a motor of the lock mechanism when the inner and outer pawls are in the unlocked position.

[0045] Figure 3D is an isometric view of a partially assembled lock mechanism shown in Figure 2 in which the inner pawl is in a locked position and the outer pawl is in an unlocked position.

[0046] Figure 3E is a side elevation view of the partial assembly shown in Figure 3D illustrating the outer pawl in the released position.

[0047] Figure 3F is a top plan view of a portion of the partial assembly shown in Figures 3D and 3F illustrating an angular position of a cam associated with a motor of the lock mechanism when the inner pawl is in a locked position and the outer pawl is in an unlocked position.

[0048] Figure 4A is an isometric view of a partially assembled lock mechanism shown in Figure 2 in which the inner pawl and outer pawl are both in a locked position.

[0049] Figure 4B is a side elevation view of the partial assembly shown in Figure 4A illustrating the inner pawl in the locked condition.

[0050] Figure 4C is a top plan view of a portion of the partial assembly shown in Figures 4A and 4B illustrating an angular position of a cam associated with a motor of the lock mechanism when the inner and outer pawls are in the unlocked position.

[0051 ] Figure 4D is an isometric view of a partially assembled lock mechanism shown in Figure 2 in which the outer pawl is in a locked position and the inner pawl is in an unlocked position.

[0052] Figure 4E is a side elevation view of the partial assembly shown in Figure 4D illustrating the outer pawl in the locked position.

[0053] Figure 4F is a top plan view of a portion of the partial assembly shown in Figures 4D and 4F illustrating an angular position of a cam associated with a motor of the lock mechanism when the outer pawl is in a locked position and the inner pawl is in an unlocked position.

[0054] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a control system for a lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0055] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating different operating modes of the lock mechanism as shown in Figures 1 to 4C.

Detailed Description

[0056] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a mortice lock assembly 100 having an electronic control system 500 (see Figure 5) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The lock assembly 100 includes a housing 102, a bolt 106 movable between an extended position and a retracted position (Figure 1 only shows the bolt 106 in the extended position), a manual actuator 108 including an outer hub 1 10a and an inner hub 1 10b (see Figure 2) each being operable from an outer side or an inner side of the housing 102 respectively to move the bolt 106 between the extended position and the retracted position.

[0057] A cover plate (not shown) forming part of the housing 102 is removed to more clearly illustrate internal components of the mortice lock assembly 100. The mortice lock assembly 100 forms part of a lock set having inner and outer door furniture for installation in a door (not shown). Each inner and outer door furniture includes a handle (not shown) which is rotatable relative to the door furniture to engage with the manual actuator 108 and operate the lock assembly 100, from either an inner side of the door, or an outer side of the door respectively.

[0058] The bolt 106 forms part of a latch bolt assembly 1 14. The bolt assembly 1 14 includes a bolt body 1 16 within the housing 102 which is configured to slide within the housing 102 between the extended position as shown and a retracted position (not shown). A biasing spring (hidden) acts between a rear wall of the housing 102 and the bolt body 1 16 to urge the bolt assembly 1 14 towards the extended position. Figure 1 also illustrates an auxiliary bolt assembly 120 including an auxiliary bolt head 122 and an auxiliary bolt body 123. An auxiliary bolt spring (hidden) acts between the auxiliary bolt body 123 and a rear wall of the housing 102 in order to urge the auxiliary bolt head 120 towards the extended position as illustrated. The auxiliary bolt assembly 120 interacts with the latch bolt assembly 1 14 so as to deadlatch the latch bolt assembly 106 in the extended position, when the door is closed, in a manner that will be understood by those skilled in the art. The specifics of the structural interaction of the auxiliary bolt assembly 120 with the latch bolt assembly 1 14 is not essential to the current invention, only that it is preferred that there be some

interaction to achieve the deadlatching function.

[0059] The latch bolt assembly 1 14 can be adjusted relative to the housing 102 by operation of the manual actuator 108 which includes an outer hub 1 10a in Figure 1 , a hub lever 124 and an inner hub 1 10b (see Figure 2). Both of the inner hub 1 10b and outer hub 1 10a are independently rotatable about a hub axis X-X (see Figure 2) on rotation of the inner handle or outer handle respectively. Rotation of either the inner hub 1 10b or outer hub 1 10a about the hub axis X-X will cause the hub lever 124 to rotate also about the hub axis X-X to retract the latch bolt assembly.

[0060] The lock mechanism 104 interacts with the manual actuator 108 to render each of the outer hub 1 10a and inner hub 1 10b independently operable or inoperable. In particular, the lock mechanism 104 controls rotation of either or both the inner hub 1 10b and outer hub 1 10a. The lock mechanism 104 includes an outer pawl 126a and an inner pawl 126b (see Figure 2) which are each rotatable about a pawl axis Z-Z (see Figure 2). A motor 200 is used to move each of the outer and inner pawls 126a, 126b independently between locked and unlocked conditions to either prohibit or permit rotation of the outer or inner hub 1 10a, 1 10b respectively. When either of the outer or inner hubs 1 10a, 1 10b is prohibited from rotation, it is rendered inoperable and the latch assembly 1 14 cannot be moved from an extended (locked) position to a retracted (unlocked) position. Conversely, when either of the outer or inner hubs 1 10a, 1 10b is permitted to rotate, it is rendered operable and the latch assembly 1 14 can be moved from an extended (locked) position to a retracted (unlocked) position by rotation of the operable hub 1 10a, 1 10b. The incorporation of a motor 200, as opposed to a solenoid, can advantageously provide a lower power consumption alternative. The interaction between the motor 200, the pawls 126a, 126b and hubs 1 10a, 1 10b will be discussed in further detail below with reference to Figures 2 to 4C.

[0061 ] The lock assembly 100 also has electronic control module having control circuitry 128. The electronic control module 128 forms part of the control system 500, which will be discussed in further detail below with reference to Figure 5. The control module 128 includes two electronic switching elements in the form of two three- position slide switches 1 12a, 1 12b for configuring the lock mechanism 104 to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode, a number of sensors including a feedback position sensor for detecting the position of a drive motor 200 for driving the lock mechanism 104 between locked and unlocked conditions, a micro-controller for generating motor control signals based on the selected operating mode, and power storage in the form of a super capacitor (hidden) for providing power to the control system 500 in a power failure event. Other components of the circuitry 128 will be discussed in further detail before with reference to Figure 5.

[0062] Each of the switches 1 12a, 1 12b is readily accessible via an opening in a rear face of the housing 102 to conveniently allow configuration of the lock

mechanism 104 by specifying a setting for each of the switches 1 12a, 1 12b. As discussed in further detail below with reference to Figure 6, the switches 1 12a, 1 12b can be used to configure the lock mechanism 104 to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode from a range of possible operating modes. Advantageously, the ability to utilise a pair of switches 1 12a, 1 12b to select the desired operating mode significantly simplifies the configuration process for the lock mechanism 104, and effectively prevents user handling errors during installation.

[0063] As illustrated in Figure 1 , the housing 102 also includes an opening for a connection module 104 for coupling the lock assembly 100 to a power supply, and interfacing the control circuit 128 with an external monitoring system and other peripheral devices and components of the control system 500 as discussed further below with reference to Figure 5.

[0064] Now referring to Figures 2 to 4C, the lock mechanism 104 includes a single motor 200 with an output drive shaft 202 that rotates about a powered actuator axis A-A. The powered actuator axis A-A is substantially perpendicular and spaced from the pawl axis Z-Z.

[0065] The lock mechanism 104 also includes a drive arrangement between the motor 200 and the inner pawl 126b and outer pawl 126a. The drive arrangement includes a cam 204 which is rotatable on operation of the motor 200 about the actuator axis A-A. The drive arrangement also includes an inner cam follower 206b and an outer cam follower 206a that move linearly in response to rotation of the cam 202. The motor 200, inner cam follower 206b and outer cam follower 206a are located within a two part casing 208a, 208b. The casing 208a, 208b also houses an inner spring 210b and an outer spring 210a which act between the casing parts 208a, 208b and the inner cam follower 206b and outer cam follower 206a respectively to urge the inner and outer cam followers 206b, 206a towards the output shaft 202 of the motor 200 such that the cam followers 206b, 206a continuously abut a face of the cam 204.

[0066] Figure 2 also illustrates a pawl shaft 212 on which each of the inner pawl 126b and outer pawl 126a is mounted for rotation thereabouts. A sensor plate 214, which forms part of the control circuit 128 and includes a cam sensor 302 in the form of a magnetic rotary encoder which interfaces with a magnet 526 attached to the output shaft 202 of the motor to determine an angular position of the shaft 202 (see Figure 5). Similarly, the sensor plate 214 further includes hub sensors 300 for sensing an angular position of each of the hubs 1 10a, 1 10b. In some embodiments, other suitable sensors such as micro-switches may be used.

[0067] Referring now to Figures 3A to 3C which illustrates both the inner pawl 126b and outer pawl 126b in an unlocked condition relative to the inner 1 10b and outer hub 1 10a respectively. In this position, both the inner hub 1 10b and outer hub 1 10a are capable of being rotated about the actuation axis X-X.

[0068] As more clearly shown in Figure 3B, a lower arm 304 of the inner pawl 126a is received in a recess 306 of the inner cam follower 206a so as to move therewith. The inner spring 210a urges the inner cam follower 206a to cause the inner pawl 126a to adopt the position as illustrated in Figure 3B, and the inner cam follower 206a is considered to be in an unlocked position as illustrated in Figure 3B.

[0069] In the plan view as shown in Figure 3C, the cam 204 and both the inner cam follower 206a and outer cam follower 206b are in the unlocked position. In the unlocked condition, rotation of the inner hub 1 10b and outer hub 1 10a are permitted.

[0070] Figures 3D to 3F illustrates the cam 204 after being rotated through 90° by operation of the motor 200 (see Figure 3F) whereby the cam surface 204 slides over a bearing surface of each of the inner cam follower 206b and outer cam follower 206a. As more clearly shown in Figures 3E and 3F, rotation of the cam 204 has urged only the inner cam follower 206b to move towards a locked position causing rotation of the inner pawl 126b in an anti-clockwise direction such that an upper arm of the inner pawl 126b locates underneath a shoulder 31 1 of the inner hub 1 10b. As more clearly shown in Figure 3F, the inner pawl 126b is in a locked condition and the outer pawl 126a in an unlocked condition, as a result of a cam 204 adopting the position as illustrated in Figure 3F. In this condition, rotation of the inner hub 1 10b is prevented and rotation of the outer hub 1 10a is permitted.

[0071 ] Figure 4C illustrates the cam 204 after being rotated through 180° by operation of the motor 200 (see Figure 4B) whereby the cam surface 204 slides over a bearing surface of each of the inner cam follower 206b and outer cam follower 206a. As more clearly shown in Figures 4B and 4C, rotation of the cam 204 has urged the outer cam follower 206a to move towards a locked position causing rotation of the outer pawl 126a in an anti-clockwise direction such that an upper arm 308 of the outer pawl 126a locates underneath a shoulder 310 of the outer hub 1 10a. This arrangement corresponds to Figure 4C, which shows both the inner pawl 126b and outer pawl 126a in a locked condition, as a result of a cam 204 adopting the position as illustrated in Figure 4C. In the locked condition, rotation of the inner hub 1 10b and outer hub 1 10a respectively is prevented.

[0072] Figures 4D to 4F illustrates the cam 204 after being rotated through 270° by operation of the motor 200 (see Figure 4F) whereby the cam surface 204 slides over a bearing surface of each of the inner cam follower 206b and outer cam follower 206a. As more clearly shown in Figures 4E and 4F, rotation of the cam 204 has urged only the outer cam follower 206a to move towards a locked position causing rotation of the outer pawl 126a in an anti-clockwise direction such that an upper arm 308 of the outer pawl 126a locates underneath the shoulder 310 of the inner hub 1 10b. As more clearly shown in Figure 4F, the inner pawl 126b is in an unlocked condition and the outer pawl 126a in a locked condition, as a result of a cam 204 adopting the position as illustrated in Figure 4F. In this condition, rotation of the inner hub 1 10b is permitted and rotation of the outer hub 1 10a is prevented.

[0073] Further detail with respect to the mechanical control and operation of the lock assembly 100 is described in Australian provisional application no. 2017902959 entitled A Mortice Lock Assembly with a Powered Lock Actuator, which is being incorporated herein by reference.

[0074] The mortice lock assembly 100 is preferably configured to respond to a power failure event in a predetermined manner. In this regard, it is preferred that the each hub 1 10a, 1 10b of the lock mechanism 104 can be selected for operation in a 'power to lock' (i.e. fail-safe) setting, 'power to unlock' (i.e. fail-secure) setting or 'always unlocked' (i.e. escape) setting.

[0075] Each of the three positions (settings) of each slide switch 1 12a, 1 12b corresponds with one of the 'fail-safe', 'fail-secure' and 'escape' settings so that each slide switch 1 12a, 1 12b can be used to configure one of the two hubs 1 10a, 1 10b of the manual actuator 108 independently. In particular, the control circuit 128 drives the motor 200 according to the setting for each of the switches 1 12a, 1 12b to move each of the inner and outer pawls 126b, 126a between unlocked and locked positions respectively so as to govern the operation of the lock mechanism 104.

[0076] For example, during a power failure event, if the inner switch 1 12b is set to 'fail-safe' whilst the outer switch 1 12a is set to a 'fail-secure' the inner pawl 126b will adopt an unlocked condition whilst the outer pawl 126a will adopt a locked condition. This would allow the people within the building to continue to exit whilst preventing people outside of the building from entering the building during the power failure event. [0077] A schematic diagram of the control system 500 is illustrated in Figure 5. The control system 500 includes the control circuit (also referred to as control module) 128 of the lock assembly 100, an external monitoring system 502 coupled to the control circuit 128 via connector module 104, and an access card reader 504 for generating a "Request to Enter" signal upon successful verification of an access card to grant access to a user. The access card reader 504 may be a contactless or contact based card reader. Alternatively or in combination, an access control code keypad may be used.

[0078] The control circuit 128 includes a micro-controller 506 for determining an appropriate drive circuit control signal for a motor driver integrated circuit (Motor Driver IC) 508 to drive the motor 200 based on various control signals and settings, including input signals from the external monitoring signal 502, the setting of each switch 1 12a, 1 12b and whether there is a power failure event.

[0079] The control circuit 128 also includes a capacitor 510 in the form of a super capacitor and an associated capacitor management integrated circuit (Capacitor Management IC) 512. During normal operation, the capacitor 510 receives charge from an external power supply, such as mains power, and in the event of power failure, the capacitor 510 discharges and provides sufficient power to allow the control circuit 128 to drive the motor 200 and move the lock mechanism 104 according the selected operating mode.

[0080] Depending on the requirements of the premises, the control circuit 128 can be configured to interface with the external monitoring system 502 to receive input control signals via two input lines or three input lines. Whether the control system 500 is configured to provide 2 or 3 input lines for the control circuit 128 can depend on user preference, limitations or requirements of facility at which the lock assembly is to be installed, or capability of the available external monitoring system and the like, or any combination of these factors.

[0081 ] When configured to operate with 2 input lines, the input control signals are transmitted via input lines 514 (only one shown). One of the input lines 514 is connected to ground, and the other input line is connected to an external power supply, such as mains power. Accordingly, the input control signal received by the control circuit 128 when configured to operate with 2 input lines will be either a power on signal or a power off signal from input lines 514.

[0082] When configured to operate with 3 input lines, the input control signals are transmitted via the 2 input lines 514 and an additional input line 516. One of the input lines 514 is connected to ground, and the other 2 input lines 514, 516 are both connected to the external power supply. Power is always supplied to the control circuit 128 via input lines 514, and the input control signal received by the control circuit 128 when configured to operate with 3 input lines will be a power on or a power off signal from input line 516. The advantage of being configurable to operate with 3 input lines is so that additional operating modes can be achieved by the control circuit 128 as will be explained in further detail with reference to Figure 6. To achieve the same number of operating modes with 2 input lines, it is often necessary to configure the lock assembly 100 for use together with an electric strike locking device (not shown).

[0083] When the control circuit 128 is configured to operate with 3 input lines 514, 516, power is consistently supplied to the control circuit 128 via input lines 514. In particular, 9-28VDC mains voltage is stepped down via a step down power circuit module 518 to a regulated 3.6VDC. The third input line 516 provides a lock or unlock signal to the micro-controller 506. When configured to operate with 3 input lines 514, 516, a power detection circuit module 520 detects power connected to input line 516 so that the micro-controller 506 is able to process signals from the third input line 516 accordingly.

[0084] When the micro-controller 506 receives a lock or unlock signal from input line 516, it generates a driver circuit control signal 522 for the Motor Driver IC 508 to drive the motor 200 to move a corresponding pawl 126 of the lock mechanism 104 into a locked or unlocked condition as previous discussed with reference to Figures 2 to 4C.

[0085] Depending on the setting of the two switches 1 12, the lock signal or unlock signal could be a power on or power off signal. For example, if both switches 1 12 are set to 'fail-secure', a lock signal would correspond with a power off signal at the input line 516, and an unlock signal would correspond with a power on signal at the input line 516. Conversely, if both switches 1 12 are set to 'fail-safe', a lock signal would correspond with a power on signal at the input line 516, and an unlock signal would correspond with a power off signal at the input line 516. If either one of the switches 1 12 is set to 'escape' mode, the power on/off signal on the input line 516 will only be used to control the side of the lock mechanism 104 corresponding to the other switch.

[0086] During installation of the lock assembly 100, the external monitoring system 502 is pre-configured based on the settings of the switches 1 12 so that external monitoring system 502 converts an unlock signal (i.e. following successful verification of a user's access card at the card reader 504) to a power on or power off signal at the input line 516 accordingly.

[0087] When the micro-controller 506 receives a lock or unlock signal from input line 516, the micro-controller 506 calculates the angular displacement required for the motor 200 and cam 204 to achieve the desired locked or unlocked condition for each pawl 126 and generates a drive circuit control signal 522 to move the motor 200 according to the determined angular displacement. The micro-controller 506 determines the current angular position of the motor 200 and cam 204 based on the cam sensor 302 (also see Figure 3B), which is a magnetic rotary encoder located on sensor plate 214 (see Figure 2) which interfaces with a magnet 526 on the motor shaft to track the angular position of the output shaft 202. The drive circuit IC 508 then drives the motor 200 until the desired angular displacement is achieved based on the drive circuit control signal 522 and feedback from the magnetic rotary encoder 302.

[0088] The control circuit 128 PCB (not shown) includes power rails 513 for supplying power to circuit components. Typically, the power rails 513 provide regulated 3.6VDC stepped down from an external power supply, such as mains power supply.

[0089] During normal operation, power for the micro-controller 506, the Motor Driver IC 508 and the motor 200 is provided by the power rails 513. The Capacitor Management IC 512 also charges the capacitor 510 using power from power rail 513. Typically, the Capacitor Management IC 512 charges the capacitor to a maximum of 2.5VDC. The Capacitor Management IC 512 monitors the voltage of the capacitor 510 in combination with the required charging time to monitor the health of the capacitor 510.

[0090] In the event of a power failure, a digital input to the micro-controller 506 detects that voltage is no longer present on input line 516. Power is also no longer supplied through input lines 514. The Capacitor Management IC 512 draws power from the capacitor 510 and maintains the power rails 513 at 3.2VDC for a period of time. Typically, the capacitor 510 is capable of maintaining the power rails 513 at 3.2VDC for approximately 30 seconds. During this time, the micro-controller 508 determines the angular displacement required (if any) to move the respective pawls 126 of the lock mechanism 104 to the desired locked or unlocked conditions based on the settings of switches 1 12, and generates a drive circuit control signal 522 for the Motor Driver IC 508. The Motor Driver IC 508 then drives the motor 200 to the desired angular displacement as previously described. If feedback from the Magnetic rotary encoder 302 indicated that one or both of the respective pawls126 is already arranged in the desired locked/unlocked condition, the micro-controller 508 does not generate a drive circuit control signal 522 to move the motor 200.

[0091 ] When the control circuit 128 receives input signals from 2 input lines 514, input line 516 may be disconnected and not in use. The external monitoring system converts a lock/unlock signal based on the settings of the switches 1 12 in the same manner as when the control circuit 128 receives input signals from 3 input lines as discussed above. However, power to the control circuit 128 and a lock/unlock signal in the form of a power on or power off signal are provided by input lines 514 alone. When a lock/unlock signal in the form of a power on/off signal is received by the control circuit 128, the micro-controller 506 generates a drive control signal in the same manner as previously described for operation with 3 input lines to drive the motor 200 and move the respective pawls 126 to the desired locked/unlocked conditions.

[0092] In the event of a power failure, the Capacitor management IC draws power from the capacitor 510 to supply power to the power rails 315 for roughly 30 seconds in the same manner as previously described with respect to operation with 3 input lines so that the micro-controller 506 can generate a drive circuit control signal if a change in position for the pawls 126 is required based on the switch settings 1 12.

[0093] The control circuit 128 further includes a latching relay circuit module 528, a deadlatch monitoring module 532, a door position monitoring module 534, a key over-ride monitoring module 536 and a request-to-exit monitoring module 538 for providing feedback to the external monitoring system 502, so that the external monitoring system 502 can monitor the health of the lock assembly and detected anomalies. Each of the feedback modules 528, 532, 534, 536, 538 is coupled to the external monitoring module via main connector module 104. In addition, each feedback module 528, 532, 534, 536, 538 is connected to the main connector module 104.

[0094] The latching relay circuit 528 indicates a locked or unlocked position of each hub 1 10a, 1 10b of the lock mechanism 104 to the external monitoring system 502 based on the corresponding position of the cam 204, and a Relay Driver

Integrated Circuit (Relay Driver IC) 530 for driving a respective relay switch of the circuit 528 according to the position of each pawl 126 as determined by the microcontroller 506. As the latching relay does not require power to remain in a particular state, the latching relay will reliably indicate the correct position of each pawl 126 (which corresponds to the lock mechanism 104 being locked from either an inner side or outer side of the housing 102) even when the control circuit 128 loses power, for example during a fault, or a power outage event.

[0095] The deadlatch monitoring module 532 monitors at least the position of the auxiliary bolt assembly 120 (see Figure 1 ). The door position monitoring module 534 includes a magnet mounted in the door frame that interfaces with an associated reed switch (not shown) to detect a closed position for the door.

[0096] The key over-ride monitoring module 536 generates a notification signal for the external monitoring system 502 when an authorised user is using a key to retract the latch assembly 1 14 so that corresponding alarms generated from the door position monitoring module 534 and deadlatch monitoring module 532 can be ignored when door is opened.

[0097] The request-to-exit monitoring module 538 detects when a user is attempting to retract the latch assembly 1 14 via a handle attached to the outer hub 1 10a or inner hub 1 10b of the manual actuator 108 of the lock assembly 1 00. If a corresponding switch 1 12a, 1 12b setting for the operated handle is set to 'escape', the detected user operation of the handle will send a notification signal to the external monitoring system 502 so that when operation of the handle retracts the latch assembly 1 14 and unlocks the door, corresponding alarm signals generated by the deadlatch monitoring module 532 and the door position monitoring module 534 will be ignored.

[0098] Therefore, the external monitoring system may detect an unauthorised entry if an alarm signal from either the deadlatch monitoring module 532 and/or the door position monitoring module 534 without a preceding notification signal from either the key over-ride monitoring module 536 or the request to exit monitoring module 538.

[0099] The control circuit 128 further includes a USB connector 542 for allowing USB connection between the control circuit 128 and external devices and systems, such as diagnostic tools and systems. The step down power circuitry 544 steps down the typical 5VDC drawn from an external USB source to 3.3VDC to supply 3.3VDC to the power rails 513.

[0100] The control circuit 128 further includes LED output 548 controlled by an LED driver circuit 546. The LEDs 548 may be visible through inner and outer door furniture of the lock set associated with the lock assembly 100 to indicate an operating state and/or condition of the lock assembly 100. For example, an LED visible through an inner door furniture may be 'green' to indicate that the inner hub 1 10b is rendered operable by the lock mechanism 104 and therefore the door is unlocked from an inner side of the door, or 'red' to indicate that the door is locked from an inner side of the door. [0101 ] The control circuit 128 further includes a heartbeat LED 552 to assist with diagnosis during maintenance or repair of the lock assembly 100. The heartbeat LED 552 flashes at one pulsed rate when the control circuit 128 is powered. The heartbeat LED can flash one or more different pulsed rates to indicate one or more faults with the control circuit 128.

[0102] The control circuit 128 further includes a buzzer 550 to provide an audible signal when a fault is detected by the control circuit 128.

[0103] Figure 6 is a schematic table 600 illustrating different operating modes of the lock mechanism 104. In particular, as shown in the first row of table 600, the two switching elements 1 12a, 1 12b can be used to configure the lock assembly 100 to operate in the following operating modes:

• A first operating mode 602 in which the outer switching element 1 12a is set to 'fail- secure' and the inner switching element 1 12b is also set to 'fail-secure'.

• A second operating mode 604 in which the outer switching element 1 12a is set to 'fail-safe' and the inner switching element 1 12a is also set to 'fail-safe'.

• A third operating mode 606 in which the outer switching element 1 12a is set to 'fail-secure' and the inner switching element 1 12b is set to 'escape'.

• A fourth operating mode 608 in which the outer switching element 1 12a inner is set to 'fail-safe' and the switching element 1 12b is set to 'escape'.

• A fifth operating mode 610 in which the outer switching element 1 12a is set to 'fail- secure' and the inner switching element 1 12b is also set to 'fail-safe'.

[0104] Rows 620 and 622 of table 600 indicate the desired locked or unlocked positions for each of the respective outer and inner pawls 126a, 126b for each operating mode 602 to 610 when a power on (row 620) or a power off (row 622) is received from input 514 when the control circuit 128 is configured to operate with 2 input lines. As illustrates in table cells 624, 626, the control circuit 128 alone is not capable of achieving operating mode 610 when configured to operate with only 2 input lines 514. In this case, the lock assembly 100 can be installed to operate with an electric strike in order to achieve the desired operation under operating mode 610. Typically, the lock assembly is configured to have one hub 1 10 permanently locked and the electric strike is configured to operate in fail secure mode.

[0105] Rows 630, 632 and 634 of table 600 indicate the desired locked or unlocked positions for each of the respective outer and inner pawls 126a, 126b for each operating mode 602 to 610 when a lock signal (row 630) or a unlock signal (row 632) is received from input 516 when the control circuit 128 is configured to operate with 3 input lines. As illustrates in table cells 636, 638, 640, the control circuit 128 alone is capable of achieving operating mode 610 when configured to operate with 3 input lines 514, 516.

[0106] The foregoing embodiments are illustrative only of the principles of the invention, and various modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways and in other embodiments. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1 . A mortice lock assembly for use with a door, the mortice lock assembly including a housing, a bolt movable relative to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position, a manual actuator including an inner hub and an outer hub each being operable from an inner side or an outer side of the housing respectively to move the bolt from at least the extended position to the retracted position, a lock mechanism which interacts with the manual actuator to render each of the inner hub and outer hub of the manual actuator independently inoperable or operable, an electronic control module for controlling operations of the lock mechanism, the electronic control module including at least one electronic switching element for allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode, the at least one electronic switching element being adjustable from outside the housing.

2. A mortice lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control module includes two electronic switching elements and the operating mode is selected based on a setting of each of the two electronic switching elements, the setting for each electronic switching element allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator in a predetermined manner.

3. The mortice lock assembly of claim 2, wherein the setting for each electronic switching element is selectable from a group including at least three different available settings.

4. The mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating mode includes a combination of any two or more of an escape mode, a fail-safe mode or a fail-secure mode, wherein the fail-safe mode or fail- secure mode can be selected to determine the operation of the lock mechanism in a power failure event.

5. A mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each electronic switching element is accessible via an opening in the housing.

6. A mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the opening is located on a rear or side wall of the housing such that access to the at least one switching element is hindered once the lock assembly is installed in a door.

7. A mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic control module includes a microcontroller, the microcontroller being configured to determine whether the operation of the inner hub and/or the outer hub of the manual actuator requires changing based on the selected operating mode in a power failure event, and upon determining that a change is required, generate a drive circuit control signal for a drive circuit to effect movement of a respective portion of the lock mechanism to change the operation of the respective inner hub and/or outer hub of the manual actuator.

8. A mortice lock assembly of claim 7, wherein the electronic control module includes a motor for adjusting the respective portion of the lock mechanism between a locked condition and an unlocked condition to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator, and the drive circuit drives the motor according to the selected operating mode in a power failure event.

9. A mortice lock assembly of claim 7 or 8, wherein the electronic control module include a single motor for adjusting the respective portion of the lock mechanism between a locked condition and an unlocked condition to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator.

10. A mortice lock assembly of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the electronic control module includes a power storage device within the housing for providing power to the micro-controller, drive circuit and motor during the power failure event.

1 1 . A mortice lock assembly of claim 10, wherein the power storage device is a capacitor.

12. A mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 1 1 , wherein the electronic control module receives input control signals in the form of power on or power off signals from a pair of input lines.

13. A mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 1 1 , wherein the electronic control module receives input control signals in the form of a combination of power on and power off signals from three input lines.

14. A mortice lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic control module is coupled to an external monitoring system, and wherein the external monitoring module generates input control signals to operate the lock mechanism, the input control signals being preconfigured based on a setting of the at least one switching element.

15. A control module for a lock assembly for use with a door, the lock assembly including a housing, a bolt movable between an extended position and a retracted position, a manual actuator including an inner hub and an outer hub each being operable from an inner side or an outer side of the housing respectively to move the bolt from at least the extended position to the retracted position, a lock mechanism which interacts with the manual actuator to render each of the inner hub and outer hub of the manual actuator independently inoperable or operable, the control module being configured to control operations of the lock

mechanism, the control module including at least one electronic switching element for allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to operate in accordance with a selected operating mode, the at least one electronic switching element being adjustable from outside the housing.

16. A control module of claim 15, wherein the control module includes two electronic switching elements and the operating mode is selected based on a setting of each of the two electronic switching elements, the setting for each electronic switching element allowing configuration of the lock mechanism to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator in a predetermined manner.

17. A control module of claim 16, wherein the setting for each electronic switching element is selectable from a group including at least three different available settings.

18. A control module according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the operating mode includes a combination of any two or more of an escape mode, a failsafe mode or a fail-secure mode, wherein the fail-safe mode or fail-secure mode can be selected to determine the operation of the lock mechanism in a power failure event.

19. A control module according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein each electronic switching element is accessible via an opening in the housing.

20. A control module of claim 19, wherein the opening is located on a rear or side wall of the housing such that access to the at least one switching element is hindered once the lock assembly is installed in a door.

21 . A control module according to any one of claims 15 to 20, wherein the control module includes a microcontroller, the microcontroller being configured to determine whether the operation of the inner hub and/or the outer hub of the manual actuator requires changing based on the selected operating mode in a power failure event, and upon determining that a change is required, generate a drive circuit control signal for a drive circuit to effect movement of a respective portion of the lock mechanism to change the operation of the respective inner hub and/or outer hub of the manual actuator.

22. A control module of claim 21 , further including a motor for adjusting the respective portion of the lock mechanism between a locked condition and an unlocked condition to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator, and the drive circuit drives the motor according to the selected operating mode in a power failure event.

23. A control module of claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the control module includes a single motor for adjusting the respective portion of the lock mechanism between a locked condition and an unlocked condition to interact with a respective inner hub or outer hub of the manual actuator.

24. A control module of any one of claims 21 to 23, further including a power storage device within the housing for providing power to the micro-controller, drive circuit and motor during the power failure event.

25. A control module of claim 24, wherein the power storage device is a capacitor.

26. A control module according any one of claims 15 to 25, wherein the control module receives input control signals in the form of power on or power off signals from a pair of input lines.

27. A control module according any one of claims 15 to 25, wherein the control module receives input control signals in the form of a combination of power on or power off signals from three input lines.

28. A control module according any one of claims 15 to 27, wherein the control module is coupled to an external monitoring system, and wherein the external monitoring system generates input control signals to operate the lock mechanism, the input control signals being preconfigured based on a setting of the at least one switching element.