Sentrilock, LLC

Matthew K Caskey

Scott R Fisher

Daniel C Cambron

Alan F Deardoff

Nancy C Griffiths

Jeffrey W Stone

John P Crutcher

Robin S Glassburn

Wendell H Morris

An electronic lockbox 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 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.

Electronic lockbox

An electronic lockbox including a key bin having an embedded insert. The insert is embedded during a die cast process. The insert enhances the attack resistance of the lockbox from hammering, chiseling, and drilling attacks. The insert includes '3D features' that help with the casting process and attack resistance, including at least one through-hole, at least one slot, and at least one ridge. A housing portion is constructed over multiple drawing stages to increase its hardness and strength, thereby increasing resistance to prying attacks.

Electronic lockbox with embedded insert

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, a first interior protrusion is sufficiently wide such that after the first latch pin has been inserted into the barrel and has become latched, the first latch pin does not unlatch itself as the second latch pin is inserted and rotates the rotatable barrel during the second latch pin insertion.

Latching apparatus for an electronic lockbox

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.

An electronic lock box contains a mechanical structure that allows the lock box to work in several different mechanical states. A first state is a key compartment door unlocking state, while a second state is a shackle release state. A third state is a 'soft lock' state, which allows the key compartment door to be closed, or the shackle to be re-installed, and once this has occurred, the door will not fall open, and the shackle will not fall out. A fourth state is a 'hard lock' state in which the key compartment door and the shackle are not easily disturbed by vibration or intentional impact by a would-be thief, who is attempting to unlawfully open the door or remove the shackle.

Growing community of inventors

Loveland, OH, United States of America

Matthew K Caskey