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Solenoid locks use an electromagnetic device to open and close locks, and can be operated remotely or automatically. They can also be unlocked by passwords, RFID, or biometric data. The design of the lock determines whether it fails open or closed in the event of power loss.
A lock solenoid is a type of electric lock mechanism that uses an electromagnetic device containing a tightly wound coil of 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 front doors of many apartment complexes or situations where security is a particular concern.
The essential component of a lockout solenoid is a length of insulated copper wire connected to a source of electrical current. The wire is wound around a long core, often in the shape of a cylinder, made of iron or other ferromagnetic material, positioned so that it can move towards or away from the center of the coil when force is applied. When electric current passes through the wire, it generates a magnetic field that moves the nucleus, transforming electrical energy into mechanical energy and producing linear motion. This allows the solenoid to open or close the bolt in the lock.
Solenoid locks have several features that can make them desirable in many applications. Unlike purely mechanical locks, a lockout solenoid can open and close without the physical presence of a human to operate it, making it useful for locks that receive opening and closing instructions from a separate location or that they do this automatically based on a preset timer or signals from sensor equipment without direct human input. They can also be designed to be unlocked by something other than a physical key, like a password; a signal from a radio frequency identification device or personal digital assistant; or biometric data such as fingerprints, voiceprints or retina scans.
Another useful feature is that, depending on the design of the lock’s solenoid, the core can be positioned such that activation of the electric current pushes the core outward, throwing the bolt and closing the lock, or interrupts the lock. the core inward to open the lock. A lock that uses a magnetic field to close the lock will automatically open on failure, or “fail open”, while a lock that uses the magnetic field to open the lock will do the opposite and “fail closed”.
This is a useful attribute of solenoids and an important design consideration because it determines how the lock will react in the event of equipment failure or loss of electrical power. For example, lock solenoids used on doors to businesses or residences are usually designed not to open so that in the event of a dangerous event that causes a power outage, such as a building fire, people could escape the unobstructed building. On the other hand, in the case of some solenoid locks, such as the locks on a vault, safe, or cabinet containing money, valuables, or other potential targets for theft such as sensitive government or corporate information, the lock won’t close so that a loss of power won’t suddenly leave them vulnerable.
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