Patent Application
20080053175
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention includes a lock apparatus that may be opened with or without a key.
Reference is now made to
The term “axial” and “axially”, as used hereinbelow and in the claims is meant to describe a configuration generally parallel to an axis. Additionally, the terms “open”/“unlocked” and “locked”, when used hereinbelow and in the claims in reference to a state of the cylinder lock, are meant to describe the respective states whereby plug rotation is enabled and disabled. The terms “blind” and “slotted”, when used hereinbelow in reference to an end of the cylinder lock, are meant to describe, respectively, the ends of the cylinder lock which is blind (i.e., having no pin and tumbler set) and the end of the cylinder lock which may accept a key in the key slot (i.e., having a pin and tumbler set).
Cylinder lock 100 is a blind cylinder lock having a shaft opening mechanism 105, which comprises a shaft 107, to open the cylinder lock from within the lock. Shaft opening mechanism 105 is positioned generally within and at the blind end of the cylinder lock. Shaft 107 translates axially in and out of the cylinder lock, driven from the blind end of the cylinder lock. Shaft 107 has a key emulator 110, which comprises approximately one-half the length of the shaft, and which has a nearly square cross section, as shown in the figures.
Typically, one lateral dimension of the key emulator is approximately equal to less than the height (i.e. the smallest dimension) of the key slot, meaning the lateral dimension is similar to that of an equivalent key. The other lateral dimension is typically less than the width an equivalent key. In certain cases, the other lateral dimension of the key emulator may be only slightly wider than the width/diameter of the pins of cylinder lock 100. The cross section and lateral dimensions of key emulator 110 allow the key emulator to pass through clutch mechanism 200 and to enter and egress the key slot. Clutch mechanism 200 is described hereinbelow.
Shaft opening mechanism 105 is shown schematically in the figures in the form of a drive gear 108 and a gear shaft 109, which may be connected to a motor or to a mechanically driven linkage (not shown in the figure), or both. In 20 the embodiment where shaft 107 and key emulator 110 are formed essentially as one piece (as shown in
In another embodiment of the Current invention, threads 109a are pitched, and drive gear 108 and gear shaft 109 are matched to rotate the gear shaft and thereby yield axial translation of the gear shaft in and out of the cylinder lock. In this configuration, drive shaft 107 and key emulator 110 are not formed together as noted hereinabove, but a coupling is present (not shown in the figures), which allows relative rotational movement but minimal or no translational movement between the drive shaft and the key emulator as the key emulator is translated into the key slot. The coupling thereby allows the key emulator to be translated axially in and out of the cylinder lock, with virtually no rotational movement until the key emulator is fully translated into the slot.
Key emulator 110 is formed with indentations 112 which match tumbler pins 32, so that when key emulator 110 is translated completely into slot 25, it performs the same function of key 12 (as shown in
Substantially parallel indentations perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, arranged from the blind end of the shaft to the key emulator, in a form similar to threads, allow the drive gear of shaft opening mechanism 105 to drive the shaft into and out of the cylinder lock. Shaft opening mechanism 105 may be commanded by mechanical means and by wired or wireless connection to drive the shaft. Activation of shaft opening mechanism 105 as described hereinabove may be effected by direct wiring to a power and command unit outside of cylinder lock 100. Alternatively, power for the shaft opening mechanism operation may be obtained from at least one on-board battery and an activation command may be transferred through a wireless means, for example. Another example of wired and wireless activation is through a small number pad (not shown in the figure) located near cylinder lock 100. Additionally or alternatively, as noted hereinabove, shaft opening mechanism 105 may be driven by a mechanically driven linkage such as, but not limited to: a rotating knob or a lever (not shown in the current figures) so that cylinder lock 100 may be opened without electrical power, such as during a loss of electrical power.
In another embodiment of the present invention, shaft opening mechanism 105 translates key emulator 110 in and out of the key slot in a direction substantially perpendicular to the key slot so that cylinder lock 100 may be alternatively unlocked and locked.
Reference is now made to
Clutch mechanism 200, as shown in the exploded illustration of
The embodiments described hereinabove allow for opening cylinder lock 100 from the slotted side and rotating the rotating tongue using the key, in a manner similar to that of a prior art cylinder lock, if necessary. However, when no key is present in slot 25 and shaft opening mechanism 105 is activated to open cylinder lock 100, there must be a means with which to similarly rotate the rotating tongue when operating the lock from the slotted side and from the blind side, respectively. The following discussion addresses these considerations.
Reference is now made to
In the embodiment described hereinabove, where the shaft and the key emulator are joined with the coupling, grasping handle 152 is grasped and rotated to rotate the shaft and thereby translate the key emulator into the key slot. When the key emulator is fully translated into the key slot, such as shown in
The embodiments described hereinabove allow for operating and opening cylinder lock 100 in three possible operating states, as described below:
In the third state above, the lock may only be opened by mechanically or electrically activating the opening mechanism from blind end of the cylinder lock or by electrically activating the opening mechanism from the slotted end of the cylinder lock.
Cylinder lock 100 is typically positioned in a door, window, gate, or any configuration wherein a cylinder lock may be typically applied, so that the blind end faces the inside or generally unsecured side of the door, window, gate, etc., whereas the slotted end faces the outside or secured side. However, the cylinder lock may alternatively be positioned so that the blind side faces outside and the slotted side faces inside, depending on the application. Whereas references hereinabove have been made to a cylinder lock as typically used in a door, embodiments of the current invention are likewise applicable to any configuration herein a cylinder lock is typically applied. Such configurations may include, but are not limited to: drawers, windows, sates, gates, etc. Additionally, whereas various functions of cylinder lock 100 described hereinabove include electrical functioning, embodiments of the current invention include “fail-safe” operation by mechanical means only, such as in case of a power failure.
It will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended only to serve as examples, and that many other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
