Locking device with embedded circuit board

Abstract

Electrified access-control technology devices for a door, particularly electrified locks for a door, having embedded circuitry therein, and methods of making the same. One or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) having various electronic circuitry are secured inside a housing that encases an access-control device, particularly a lock, for a door. The one or more PCB(s) may be embedded on an internal surface of the housing such that the embedded PCB resides inside the housing along with the lock itself. The embedded PCB(s) avoid interference of both any working components of the lock inside the housing and any openings residing in the housing.

Thus, having described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrified lock comprising:
 a mortise lock housing having a first side and a second side, each side having an internal surface facing an inside of the housing, the second side including an opening therein;   a lock mechanism residing inside the housing, the lock mechanism including a latch bolt and a latch retract lever;   a printed circuit board (PCB) residing inside the housing adjacent the internal surface of the second side and in proximity to the latch retract lever, the PCB including an electrical switch, the PCB having a configuration and residing in a location that avoids interference with the latch retract lever of the lock mechanism and that permits access to the PCB through the opening in the second side.   
     
     
         2 . The electrified mortise lock of  claim 1  wherein the lock includes a motor actuator within the housing for moving a locking element, with a surface of the circuit board being located adjacent to the motor actuator, and a magnetically operated sensor mounted to the surface of the circuit board adjacent to the motor actuator to monitor movement thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The locking device of  claim 2  wherein the sensor is a reed switch. 
     
     
         4 . The locking device of  claim 2  wherein the sensor is a Hall effect sensor. 
     
     
         5 . An electrified lock comprising:
 a housing including at least one side having an internal surface facing an inside of said housing;   an access-control device residing in the inside of said housing and facing said internal surface of said at least one side;   a circuit board residing inside said housing and adjacent said internal surface of said at least one side, said circuit board having a configuration that avoids interference with working components of said access-control device; and   at least one opening in said at least one side residing in a location adjacent said circuit board to expose at least a portion thereof to access said circuit board from outside said housing.   
     
     
         6 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein said housing comprises a singular enclosed chamber housing. 
     
     
         7 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein a backside of said circuit board is accessed via said at least one opening in said at least one side. 
     
     
         8 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein said access-control device comprises a lock that is electrified by the circuit board, the electrified lock being provided with both digital monitoring and electronic actuation capabilities. 
     
     
         9 . The electrified lock of  claim 8  wherein said electrified lock is selected from the group consisting of a mortise lock, a bored lock, an electric strike, a cylindrical lock, a tubular lock, an auxiliary lock, and a deadbolt. 
     
     
         10 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein said access-control device is selected from the group consisting of an exit device, an electronic door strike, a door operator and a door closer. 
     
     
         11 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  further including a variety of electrical components attached to said circuit board to electrify said access-control device. 
     
     
         12 . The electrified lock of  claim 11  wherein said various electrical components are selected from the group consisting of one or more sensors, magnetically operated sensors, actuators, motor actuators, surface mount connectors, signal output devices, accelerometers, temperature sensors, heating components, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The electrified lock of  claim 11  wherein said variety of electrical components include an actuator residing inside said housing and in electrical communication with said circuit board. 
     
     
         14 . The electrified lock of  claim 13  wherein said actuator is selected from the group consisting of a solenoid, motor, brush DC motor, stepper motor, piezo motor, and shape memory actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein said circuit board is secured inside said housing using mounts or harnesses residing in locations on internal surfaces of said housing that avoid interference with working components of said access-control device. 
     
     
         16 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein said circuit board includes one or more sensors residing on said circuit board and positioned at various locations across said circuit board, said various locations corresponding to locations where one or more magnets reside on mechanical working components of said access-control device, whereby said one or more sensors sense said one or more magnets to detect positions of said mechanical working components of said access-control device. 
     
     
         17 . The electrified lock of  claim 16  wherein said one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of non-contact sensors, analogue transducers, Hall effect sensors, electrical switches, reed switches, reed sensors, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The electrified lock of  claim 16  wherein at least one of said one or more sensors is raised away from an exposed surface of said circuit board to sense said one or more magnets residing adjacent an opposing side of said housing. 
     
     
         19 . The electrified lock of  claim 5  wherein said access-control device is a moving lock component residing inside said housing, whereby said configuration of said circuit board avoids interference with said moving lock component. 
     
     
         20 . The electrified lock of  claim 19  wherein said circuit board has an outer perimeter with a portion thereof shaped to fit adjacent an edge of the housing and a portion thereof having a concave shape that avoids interference with said moving lock component. 
     
     
         21 . An electrified lock comprising:
 a housing including at least one side having an internal surface facing an inside of said housing;   a moving lock component residing inside said housing and facing said internal surface of said at least one side;   an actuator residing inside said housing for moving said moving lock component;   a circuit board residing inside said housing adjacent said internal surface and said actuator, said circuit board having a configuration that avoids interference with working components of said access-control device;   a magnetically operated sensor mounted to the surface of the circuit board adjacent to the actuator to monitor movement thereof; and   at least one opening in said at least one side residing in a location adjacent said circuit board to expose at least a portion thereof to access said circuit board from outside said housing.   
     
     
         22 . The electrified lock of  claim 21  wherein at least one of said one or more magnets resides on said actuator to detect positions thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The electrified lock of  claim 21  wherein the actuator comprises a motor actuator having a magnet residing on a surface thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The electrified lock of  claim 21  wherein said circuit board has at least a portion thereof that is received in a slot on an interior surface of the housing. 
     
     
         25 . The electrified lock of  claim 24  wherein said circuit board is secured inside said housing using mounts or harnesses residing in locations on internal surfaces of said housing that avoid interference with working components of said access-control device. 
     
     
         26 . The electrified lock of  claim 21  wherein said circuit board has an outer perimeter with a portion thereof shaped to fit adjacent an edge of the housing and a portion thereof having a concave shape that avoids interference with said moving lock component.