The invention concerns a locking cylinder of the type specified in the introductory clause of Claim 1.
An important area of application of locking cylinders of this type is their use in vehicle doors or hatches. The functions arising in this case are the securing and releasing of the doors and hatches. This is intended to bar access to the vehicle by unauthorized persons. However, authorized persons have a key that is assigned to the locking cylinder and is inserted in a key slot of the cylinder core and thereby moves the spring-loaded tumblers into the cylinder core. The cylinder core can then be moved by means of the key from a home position to various operating positions. The upper and lower parts of the housing enclose the cylinder core and all other components inside the housing. At one end of the joined housing parts, the key slot is accessible to the key, while a driver is rotatably supported at the other end. The driver transmits a rotation of the cylinder core via a connecting rod to the functional parts in the vehicle located behind the locking cylinder.
In the previously known locking cylinder of the type specified in the introductory clause of Claim 1, the two parts of the housing, together with the components they hold, must be held together by pins. When the two parts of the housing have to be separated from each other, e.g., to replace a defective component, the removal of the spiral pin is a laborious operation. In addition, points of application for the fastening means must be provided on the housing, by which the housing can be mounted on the body of the vehicle. This is time-consuming and takes up too much space.
The objective of the invention is to develop a locking cylinder of the type specified in the introductory clause of Claim 1, which avoids the disadvantages mentioned above. This objective is achieved by the measures specified in Claim 1, which have the following special significance.
In the invention, the fastening means for mounting the housing on the body has a dual function. The first, customary, function consists in mounting the locking cylinder on the body. However, the second function is to utilize the fastening means at the same time as joining means for fastening the upper part of the housing to the lower part of the housing. A single fastening device and a single handling are thus sufficient for realizing several functions in the locking cylinder at the same time. This saves space and assembly time. At the same time, the possible separation of the two parts of the housing is very simple, because then it is necessary to release only the one fastening device. This allows not only the locking cylinder to be detached from the body but also the housing to be separated into its two parts. This allows access to the components enclosed inside the housing.
Further measures and advantages of the invention are revealed in the dependent claims, the description below, and the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention.
a and 4a, on the one hand, and
As is best seen in
These components within the housing 10 include above all a cylinder core 20, which is rotatably supported inside a free-running sleeve 21. The free-running sleeve 21 is normally at rest in the housing 10. The cylinder core 20 has an axial key slot 22, which is traversed by several chambers 23. The chambers 23 serve to hold spring-loaded tumblers, whose ends, which are not seen in the drawing, fit into at least one axial groove of the free-running sleeve 21. The cylinder core 20 is then rotationally secured.
To release the cylinder core 20 for rotation, an associated key (not shown) must be inserted in the key slot 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow 24. The key then moves the tumblers flush with the cross section of the cylinder core 20. The ends of the tumblers than no longer engage the groove of the free-running sleeve 21, and the cylinder core 20 can be turned by the inserted key.
When the key is turned, the torque is transmitted from a terminal output end 25 of the cylinder core 20, via a free-running device 26 that comprises several components, to a driver 27, which is located at the inner outlet 13 of the housing 10. A pulse spring 28, which works to hold the driver 27 in a well-defined home position, normally also acts on the cylinder core 20. In the normal case, when the free-running sleeve 21 is at rest, the cylinder core 20 is also kept in this home position via the free-running device 26.
An armored faceplate 29 is mounted in front of the outer outlet 14 of the housing 10 and is nonrotatably joined with the cylinder core 20 by means of pins and recesses. An elastomer disk 19 is installed between the faceplate 29 and the cylinder core 20. The faceplate 29 defines the insertion hole for the key and is shaped to conform to the cross section of the key. The elastomer disk 19 has a sealing function and at the same times serves as a shock absorber for forceful blows made in the direction of insertion arrow 24 in an attempt to break into the vehicle.
As is best seen from the detail views of
a and 3b show the appearance of the upper part 12 of the housing. As is also apparent from the axial section in
When the unit 15 of
In the fastened state shown in
In the event of a forceful rotation of the cylinder core with burglary tools by unauthorized persons, the cylinder core 20 remains engaged with the free-running sleeve 21 by the aforementioned outwardly projecting ends of the tumblers. A catch between the free-running sleeve 21 and the housing 10 is then released, and the cylinder core 20 rotates inside the housing along with the free-running sleeve 21. During forced rotation, the free-running device 26 decouples the driver 27 relative to the terminal output end 25 of the cylinder core 20. Therefore, despite the forceful rotations by means of the burglary tool, the driver 27 and thus the rotary joint 40 connected with it remain at rest, and so no function is carried out in the vehicle.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2005 042 350.7 | Sep 2005 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2006/008708 | 9/7/2006 | WO | 00 | 3/7/2008 |