Latching apparatus for an electronic lockbox
US11598120B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 29, 2019 |
| Grant date | Mar 7, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 3, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07C2209/62
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An electronic lockbox includes a latching apparatus that uses a rotary actuator with multiple positions to achieve multiple locking states. Multiple positions of the actuator are detected, using optical sensors. The locking mechanism includes an outer sleeve and an inner cylindrical barrel that are coupled with torsion springs. The lockbox has a shackle and a key bin that include latch pins which are retained by the inner barrel when in the locked state, and the barrel can be rotated to either release the shackle or to release the key bin that typically holds a building's key. During insertion of a latch pin into the rotatable barrel, the maximum torque imparted on a first spur gear by the torsion spring, at a maximum rotation angle of the rotatable barrel, is sufficient to rotate the barrel back to its neutral position after the latch pin has been fully inserted into the barrel, and is less than or equal to a back drive torque limit of a prime mover of the rotary actuator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.