Electronic door locks are a way to replace keys or to add additional automation features, like remote locking or unlocking. Although most commonly found on cars, many cutting-edge security providers are offering electronic door locks for homes and businesses.
Types of door locks
In any type of door lock, a latch or bolt is made to cross the opening between the side of the door and the doorframe, preventing access. This can be a “spring bolt,” which is held in place by springs and allows the door to close (but not reopen) when locked, or the more secure “dead bolt,” which stays in place until manually unlocked. In both cases, locking and unlocking is achieved by rotating the visible element (a knob or a key in a lock cylinder) to move the bolt or latch.
Traditional key locks use some variation of the “pin and tumbler” method, in which the lock cylinder is held in place with a line of small metal pins, each of which consists of an upper and lower half. When a key is inserted and turned, the uneven “serrated” edge ensures that each pin is moved a certain distance. The cylinder may be turned only when each pin is moved just enough to create a straight separation between the upper and lower halves of all pins. There are also novel locks as fingerprint door lock.
Electronic lock also involves parts called “actuators,” which connect the bolt or the cylinder to a small motor completely buried within the door or frame itself. The motor is controlled by an electrical impulse, which may be triggered in a number of ways: by an electronic card reader, by a keypad or by a wireless remote control sensor. Either way, the electronic door lock, functioning as a door release, is configured to start the motor-driven actuator only once it has received the correct electronic input.
A lock solenoid is a type of electric locking mechanism that uses an electromagnetic lock device containing a tightly wound coil of metal wire called a solenoid to provide the mechanical energy that opens and closes the lock. Solenoid locks are often used as door locks and are also used to lock other things, such as cabinets or drawers. They are especially common for doors that are locked and unlocked remotely, such as the main doors of many apartment complexes or situations where security is a particular concern.