Design and Implementation of a Door Latch Unlocking Mechanism

In recent years, a variety of identification systems and unlocking methods have been developed for electronic locks. However, a signal failure or power outage may lead to the malfunction of the electronic lock. Therefore, this research aims at developing a device that can process electronic signals while retaining the physical features for locking/unlocking function. Firstly, this work surveys commercially used unlocking methods and characterizes suitable motion requirements for unlocking mechanisms. Next, a mechanism with variable topology composed of gears, linkage, and a friction ring is provided. By adjusting the number of the grippers and the location of the latches, the presented mechanism can be compatible with different door locking systems. The presented device can be installed on traditional keyed door locks and integrated with electronic locks. The flexibility of the door latch unlocking mechanism is verified theoretically and digitally. Besides, the prototyping of the presented design is implemented through a 3D printing process. ? 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.