REVERSIBLE LOCK CORE STRUCTURE FOR AN INTERCHANGEABLE LOCK CORE OF A DOOR LOCK MECHANISM

Abstract

A door lock mechanism includes a rotatable spindle, an invertable tubular adapter, a doorknob and an interchangeable lock core. The rotatable spindle has a first longitudinal assembling slot, a second longitudinal assembling slot and a pair of retaining notches. The invertable tubular adapter has a third longitudinal assembling slot, at least one positioning protrusion and an upraised engaging block. In assembling, the third longitudinal assembling slot of the invertable tubular adapter and one of the first longitudinal assembling slot and the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle are aligned to receive the interchangeable lock core. The upraised engaging block is engaged with one of the first longitudinal assembling slot and the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle. The positioning protrusion is positioned in one of the retaining notches of the rotatable spindle to prevent any radial movement of the invertable tubular adapter in the rotatable spindle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a reversible lock core structure for an interchangeable lock core of a door lock mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a rotatable spindle and an invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism for providing the reversible lock core structure in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view illustrating a combination of the rotatable spindle with the invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, determining a core direction of the interchangeable lock core;

FIG. 4 is an assembled front view illustrating the interchangeable lock core received in the combination of the rotatable spindle and the invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental, cross-sectional view, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4, illustrating the interchangeable lock core received in the combination of the rotatable spindle with the invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating a rotatable spindle and an invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism for providing the reversible lock core structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view, similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a combination of the rotatable spindle with the invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, determining a core direction of the interchangeable lock core; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmental, cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the interchangeable lock core received in the combination of the rotatable spindle with the invertable tubular adapter of the door lock mechanism in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reversible lock core structure for an interchangeable lock core of a door lock mechanism, comprising: a rotatable spindle including a front end, a rear end and an axial hole communicated between the front end and the rear end, the rear end being connected with a door lock body of the door lock mechanism, the front end provided with a first longitudinal assembling slot and a second longitudinal assembling slot to define a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall at the front end;at least one first retaining notch formed on a distal end edge of the first lateral wall of the rotatable spindle; andan invertable tubular adapter received in the axial hole of the rotatable spindle and being provided with at least one positioning protrusion on an outer circumference of the invertable tubular adapter,wherein the positioning protrusion is engageable with the at least one first retaining notch of the rotatable spindle so as to prevent the invertable tubular adapter from being separated from the rotatable spindle,wherein the invertable tubular adapter provides a third longitudinal assembling slot aligning with the first longitudinal assembling slot so as to mutually receive the interchangeable lock core in the combination of the rotatable spindle and the invertable tubular adapter in a first direction when the door lock mechanism is assembled, andwherein the invertable tubular adapter provides a third longitudinal assembling slot aligning with the second longitudinal assembling slot so as to mutually receive the interchangeable lock core in the combination of the rotatable spindle and the invertable tubular adapter in a second direction when the door lock mechanism is assembled.

2. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the retaining notch is formed from a substantially U-shaped opening or provided with a neck portion.

3. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotatable spindle further provides at least one second retaining notch formed on a distal end edge of the second lateral wall of the rotatable spindle, and the outer circumference of the invertable tubular adapter provides with a pair of the positioning protrusions each of which is engagable with each said retaining notch of the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall of the rotatable spindle.

4. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the invertable tubular adapter further including an upraised engaging block to engage in one of the first longitudinal assembling slot or the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle when the door lock mechanism is assembled.

5. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 4, wherein the invertable tubular adapter further including an engaging recess formed on an inner circumference, the engaging recess is adapted to be engaged with an engaging tooth of a doorknob of the door lock mechanism.

6. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the invertable tubular adapter further including an engaging recess to engage with an engaging tooth of a doorknob of the door lock mechanism.

7. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the invertable tubular adapter further including an axial hole to receive the interchangeable lock core.

8. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 7, wherein the interchangeable lock core having an 8-shaped cross-sectional section, the interchangeable lock core further including a retractable stop disposed at a central position of the 8-shaped cross section.

9. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 8, wherein each of the first longitudinal assembling slot and the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle including a retaining edge to engage with the retractable stop of the interchangeable lock core.

10. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 8, wherein the third longitudinal assembling slot of the invertable tubular adapter including a retaining edge to engage with the retractable stop of the interchangeable lock core.

11. The reversible lock core structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the first lateral wall of the rotatable spindle further including a slit connected with the first retaining notch.

12. A reversible lock core with positioning structure for an interchangeable lock core of a door lock mechanism, comprising: a rotatable spindle including a front end, a rear end and an axial hole communicated between the front end and the rear end, the rear end being connected with the door lock body, the front end provided with two protruding lateral walls, each having a retaining portion formed on the distal end edge of each of the lateral walls of the rotatable spindle, thereby forming a first longitudinal assembling slot and a second longitudinal assembling slot; andan invertable tubular adapter received in the axial hole of the rotatable spindle, the invertable tubular adapter including a third longitudinal assembling slot, a pair of positioning portions and an engaging block, said pair of positioning portions being engaged in the retaining portions of the two protruding lateral walls, and said engaging block is engaged in the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle with said third longitudinal assembling slot aligning with the first longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle to prevent the invertable tubular adapter from being separated from the rotatable spindle,wherein the invertable tubular adapter has a hollow receiving space and the interchangeable lock core further including an engaging portion, andwherein the interchangeable lock core is received in the hollow receiving space with the engaging portion engaged in the third longitudinal assembling slot of the invertable tubular adapter such that a combination of the interchangeable lock core and the invertable tubular adapter is mutually received in the axial hole of the rotatable spindle.

13. The reversible lock core with positioning structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 12, wherein the engaging block of the invertable tubular adapter is formed and upraised from on an outer circumference of the invertable tubular adapter and has an axial length substantially identical with that of each of the first longitudinal assembling slot and the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle.

14. The reversible lock core with positioning structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 12, wherein the interchangeable lock core further including a retractable stop, and each of the first longitudinal assembling slot and the second longitudinal assembling slot of the rotatable spindle including a retaining edge to engage with the retractable stop of the interchangeable lock core.

15. The reversible lock core with positioning structure for the interchangeable lock core of the door lock mechanism as defined in claim 12, wherein the invertable tubular adapter further including an engaging recess formed in the engaging block to engage with an engaging tooth of a doorknob of the door lock mechanism.