CN114929981A - Cylinder lock and key thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A cylinder lock (1) and a key (2) therefor, the lock (1) comprising a stator (3), a rotor (4) being rotatable within the stator (3), the rotor (4) being provided with a longitudinal channel (5), respective pins (6, 7) being arranged substantially opposite each other within the longitudinal channel (5). The channel (5) is suitable for inserting a key (2), the key (2) being provided with a receptacle (8), the receptacle (8) being intended to receive a corresponding rod (9), the rod (9) being freely orientable and suitable for actuating the pins (6, 7). At least one of the pins (6) is constituted by a concave tip (10) and a contoured frustum (11), the frustum (11) having an end (12), the shape and dimensions of the end (12) being complementary to those of an internal cavity (13) of the tip (10). Axially acting resilient means (14) are interposed between the tip member (10) and the tip member (11) to correspondingly space the tip member (10) and the tip member (11) from each other in the absence of an external force applied to the tip member (11) towards the tip member (10). The stator (3) comprises a recess (15), the shape and dimensions of the recess (15) being complementary to the shape and dimensions of the terminal front portion of the tip (10) to temporarily accommodate the front portion; the recess (15) is aligned with a bore (16) of the rotor (4), and the tip member (10) and the planar head member (11) are disposed within the bore (16). At least one elastic element (17) is interposed between the stator (3) and the at least one additional pin (7) to force the at least one additional pin (7) to be located within the longitudinal channel (5). After the key (2) is inserted in the longitudinal channel (5), the end of the pin (7) and the head (18) of the flat (11) abut against the rod (9), with the result that, in a configuration in which the pin (6) is free to translate within the hole (16) of the rotor (4), the rod (9) is partially inclined with respect to the key (2), while the front of the point (10) does not protrude with respect to the profile of the rotor (4) during the rotation of the rotor (4).

Description

Cylinder lock and key thereof

The present invention relates to a cylinder lock and to a key therefor.

There are cylinder locks that can be operated by means of a corresponding key, the characteristics of which are described in IT1235586, 6 th 1989 and EP1728944, 6 th 2005, 1 st priority, both in the name of the same applicant. These documents describe a cylinder lock whose coding cannot be immediately deciphered from the outside to prevent its tampering.

Such results are obtained by: at least two pins are arranged so that they are mutually opposite in the rotor of the cylinder with respect to the key insertion channel, said pins having respective ends projecting into said channel.

These pins are associated with respective complementary pins that can be elastically translated from a configuration entirely housed inside the stator to at least one configuration housed simultaneously in the stator and in the rotor, so as to integrally couple these two parts.

The key has a rod which is housed so that it can rotate within a respective housing and which, when the key is inserted in the channel, actuates the pins so as to arrange them in a configuration in which the complementary pins are all housed within the stator, allowing the rotor to perform a selective movement following the rotation of said key.

The presence of a bar in the key, associated with at least two pins, ensures greater security of the lock against the action of intrusion, commonly known as picking (mechanical tampering).

In order to prevent an ill-intentioned person from being able to open said cylinder lock using a mechanical tampering tool and method of conventional type, by using a suitable intruding tool adapted to faithfully reproduce the orientable bar at the pin, the possibility is introduced (by means of the content of EP 1728944) of coding the portion of the bar against which the mutually opposite pins of the lock abut.

However, it is necessary to improve the security against intrusion, since the locks described so far in any case still have a risk of tampering (although this risk is minimal).

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above problems, proposing a cylinder lock and a key therefor, having a higher security standard against intrusion than that ensured by the known technical solutions.

Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a cylinder lock and its key that are compatible with known types of lock and its key.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder lock which is composed of a limited number of components which can be assembled in an assembled configuration in a substantially simple manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder lock and a key therefor which have low cost, are relatively simple to provide in practice and are safe in application.

This aim, as well as these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a cylinder lock of the type comprising a stator within which a rotor can rotate, the rotor being provided with a longitudinal channel in which respective pins are arranged substantially opposite one another, said channel being adapted to be inserted into a key provided with a receptacle for housing a respective rod that can be freely oriented and adapted to actuate said pins, characterized in that:

at least one of said pins is constituted by a concave tip (thigh) and a contoured frustum (grub) having an end with a shape and dimensions complementary to those of the internal cavity of said tip;

axially acting resilient means are interposed between said tip member and said blunting member to cause said tip member and said blunting member to be correspondingly spaced apart from each other in the absence of an external force applied to said blunting member towards said tip member;

said stator including a recess complementary in shape and size to a terminal front portion of said tip member to temporarily receive said front portion, said recess being aligned with a bore of said rotor in which said tip member and said blunting member are disposed;

at least one elastic element is interposed between the stator and the at least one additional pin to force the at least one additional pin to be located within the longitudinal channel;

after insertion of the key in the longitudinal channel, the end of the pin and the head of the flat head abut against the rod, with the result that, in the configuration in which the pin is free to translate inside the hole of the rotor, the rod is inclined with respect to the key portion without the front part of the pointed piece projecting into the groove of the stator.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a cylinder lock and its key, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a cylinder lock according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of a key according to the present invention;

fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock of fig. 1 and 2 and its key in a first opening step, taken along the plane a-a outlined in fig. 1;

figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock of figures 1 and 2 and its key in a second opening step, taken along the plane a-a sketched in figure 1;

figure 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a cylinder lock according to the invention with a different key inserted;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock of FIG. 5 and a different key taken along plane B-B as sketched in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock of FIG. 5 and a different key in a rotational locking configuration taken along plane B-B taken in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock without the key taken along plane A-A taken in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the keyless cylinder lock in the rotational locking configuration taken along plane A-A as taken in FIG. 1;

figure 11 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a variant of the cylinder lock according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock without the key taken along plane C-C of FIG. 11;

figure 13 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a variant of the lock of figure 11 and its key;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock of FIG. 13 and its key taken along plane D-D as sketched in FIG. 13;

figure 15 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a variant of the cylinder lock according to the invention;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock without the key taken along plane E-E as sketched in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a variation of the lock of FIG. 15 and its key;

fig. 18 is a sectional view of the cylinder lock of fig. 17 and its key taken along the plane F-F sketched in fig. 17.

With particular reference to the figures cited above, reference numeral 1 denotes a cylinder lock as a whole and reference numeral 2 denotes its key.

The cylinder lock 1 comprises a stator 3, a rotor 4 rotatable within the stator 3, the rotor 4 being provided with a longitudinal channel 5, respective pins 6, 7 being substantially opposed to each other within the longitudinal channel 5.

Both pins 6, 7 can slide laterally with respect to the channel 5 between respective configurations of different interference with said channel 5, even until the interference thereof is eliminated.

The channel 5 is adapted to receive the key 2 (inserted from the outside), the key 2 being provided with a housing 8 for housing a respective freely orientable rod 9.

The rod 9 is designed for the correct alignment of the pins 6, 7, since these pins are actuated by the rod 9 (which, when the key 2 is correctly inserted in the channel 5, rest on the rod 9) and are arranged in a specific coding configuration by the rod 9.

With particular reference to the more innovative aspect of the invention, it is specified that at least one of the pins 6 is constituted by a concave pointed member 10 and a contoured flattened member 11, the flattened member 11 having an end 12, the shape and dimensions of the end 12 being complementary to those of the internal cavity 13 of the pointed member 10.

The behaviour of the pin 6 during use of the lock 1 is ensured by inserting between the tip element 10 and the nose element 11 axially acting elastic means 14, which elastic means 14 are used to space the tip element 10 and the nose element 11 from each other in the absence of an external force applied to the nose element 11 towards the tip element 10.

The stator 3 comprises a recess 15, the shape and dimensions of the recess 15 being complementary to those of the front part of the terminal end of the pointed element 10, to temporarily house said front part. The recess 15 is aligned with a hole 16 of the rotor 4, inside which hole 16 the pointed member 10 and the planar head member 11 are arranged.

In the lock 1 according to the invention, at least one elastic element 17 is interposed between the stator 3 and the at least one additional pin 7, so as to force the at least one additional pin 7 towards the longitudinal channel 5 (so that the end of the at least one additional pin 7 protrudes into the longitudinal channel 5 in the absence of external forces).

In the lock 1 according to the invention, after the key 2 has been inserted in the longitudinal channel 5, the end of the pin 7 and the head 18 of the tailpiece 11 abut against the rod 9, with the result that, in the configuration in which the pin 6 is free to translate inside the corresponding hole 16 of the rotor 4, the rod 9 is partially inclined with respect to the key 2, while the front part of the beak 10 does not protrude with respect to the profile of the rotor 4 during the rotation of the rotor 4.

With particular reference to the embodiments of particular interest in practice and application, it is specified that the hole 16 of the rotor 4, in which the pin 6 is housed, may conveniently comprise successive portions of different diameter.

The at least one first portion 19 has a width greater than the width of the tip 10 (so as to define a gap (play) between said tip 10 and the delimiting wall of the portion 19), the at least one second portion 20 has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of the tip 10 (so that the second portion 20 can house the tip 10 with a gap substantially negligible), and the at least one third portion 21 has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of the head 18 of the tack 11 so as to form a cylindrical pairing with the head 18.

It is furthermore specified that the tack element 11 comprises a substantially cylindrical head 22 (which ends with the actual head 18), at least one intermediate shoulder portion 23 of diameter substantially similar to the outer diameter of the pointed element 10, and at least one terminal portion of shape and size complementary to the shape and size of the internal cavity of the pointed element 10.

The terminal portion in turn comprises a central cylindrical portion 24 having a larger diameter and a terminal cylindrical portion 25 having a smaller diameter.

The cavity in the tip element 10 conveniently comprises a first opening 26 and a second opening 27, the first opening 26 facing the frustum part 11 in the assembled configuration and having a diameter complementary to that of the central cylindrical portion 24, the second opening 27 having a diameter complementary to that of the terminal cylindrical portion 25.

In order to clarify the structure precisely, it should be noted that the elastic means 14 are interposed between a front portion of the central cylindrical portion 24 with a larger diameter, which projects radially with respect to the terminal cylindrical portion 25 (which forms an annular shoulder), and a flat annular portion of the cavity, which is formed between the second opening 27 and the first opening 26 facing the flat head member 11.

In addition, the fact that the groove 15 of the stator 3 is delimited between two intersecting inclined surfaces 28 and 29, these two inclined surfaces 28 and 29 engaging each other at the bottom of said groove 15 and engaging the surface of the duct 30 of the stator 3 for the rotary housing of the rotor 4, ensures the correct and correct operation of the lock 1 according to the invention. From a constructional point of view, the groove 15 can be provided by milling (or generally by chip forming machining) the inner surface of the duct 30 of the stator 3: the milling may be positioned only in the region aligned with the hole 16 of the rotor 4 in the assembled configuration, or more likely, extend from the terminal face of the stator 3 up to said region.

It is specifically pointed out that, in a particular embodiment allowing to obtain the best safety against intrusion, the bar 9 may advantageously have a thickness that is variable, even locally and discontinuously, according to a basic coding shape that depends on the geometry and arrangement of the ends of the pins 6 and 7 that are substantially aligned with the bar 9 and abut against the bar 9.

The particular shape of the lever 9 conveniently defines a particular resting configuration of the ends of the pins 6 and 7 on the surface of the lever 9: in fact, the ends of the pins 6, 7 may be suitably shaped so as to engage with respective complementary shaped areas provided on the rod 9, so as to allow the overall arrangement of the lock 1 and its key 2 in the open configuration only when each shaped area is correctly abutted in the respective complementary shaped area.

Furthermore, it is specifically pointed out that the pin 7 can slide inside the profiled channel 31 of the rotor 3: the channel 31 comprises a portion 32, which is outermost in the radial direction with respect to the rotor 4 and has a larger diameter suitable for slidingly receiving the base plate 33 of the pin 7, and an inner portion 34, which has a smaller diameter and is suitable for slidingly receiving the elongated shank 35 of the pin 7.

At least one elastic element 17 is effectively interposed between the bottom of the channel 31 and the base plate 33.

With particular reference to particular embodiments (one of which is shown by way of non-limiting example only in the appended figures 11 to 18), the stator 3 may conveniently comprise a cylindrical recess 36 aligned with said channel 31.

The groove 36 can be dedicated to the assembly of the components (pin 7, elastic element 17 and base plate 33) and is closed by means of a plunger 37.

In some embodiments, which particularly ensure protection against intrusions, the recess 36 is intended to receive a complementary pin 38, the complementary pin 38 abutting against the base plate 33 for the elastic element 17.

An axially acting spring 39 may be conveniently arranged between the complementary pin 38 and the bottom of the cylindrical recess 36 to urge the complementary pin 38 towards the longitudinal channel 5 of the rotor 4.

Finally, it is specified that the lever 9 may have a substantially flat shape and may pivot inside the receptacle 8, the receptacle 8 being complementary to the profile of the lever 9 at the peripheral edge of the lever 9.

The opposite edge of the rod 9 is the edge that is free to swing between extreme configurations projecting from the profile of the key 2.

The operation of the present invention is as follows. When the key 2 is correctly and completely inserted in the longitudinal channel 5 of the lock 1, the pins 6 and 7 can assume the correct arrangement, uncoupling the rotor 3 from the stator 4 and allowing opening (as shown in the appended figures 3, 4, 13 and 14).

In the embodiment comprising complementary pins 38 (shown in the appended fig. 17 and 18), the same occurs when the rotor 4 is uncoupled from the stator 3 when the key 2 is inserted in the channel 5.

Conversely, if a key X not corresponding to the invention is inserted in the channel 5, an attempt to rotate the rotor 4 with respect to the stator 3 locks the flat head 11 in the tip 10 (according to the example shown in fig. 8), thus preventing the completion of the rotation.

Likewise, if an attempt is made to start the rotation of the rotor 4 (acting from the outside by means of a prying tool), the head 11 is blocked in the pointed member 10 (already shown according to the example in fig. 10), thus preventing the completion of the rotation.

Advantageously, the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, providing a cylinder lock 1 and a key 2 therefor, having a higher security standard against intrusion than that ensured by the known technical solutions.

Conveniently, the cylinder lock 1 and its key 2 are compatible with known types of locks and their keys belonging to the same product category.

Positively, the cylinder lock 1 is constituted by a limited number of components that can be assembled in an assembled configuration in a substantially simple manner.

Effectively, the cylinder lock 1 and its key 2 are relatively simple to provide in practice and are substantially low cost: these characteristics make the lock 1 and the key 2 according to the invention very effective.

Thus, many modifications and variations of the present invention are contemplated, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In the embodiments shown, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other examples of embodiments.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims (10)

1. A cylinder lock and its key, of the type comprising a stator (3), inside which stator (3) a rotor (4) is able to rotate, said rotor (4) being provided with a longitudinal channel (5), inside which longitudinal channel (5) respective pins (6, 7) are arranged substantially opposite each other, said channel (5) being adapted to insert a key (2), said key (2) being provided with a housing (8), said housing (8) being intended to house a respective rod (9), said rod (9) being able to be freely oriented and being adapted to actuate said pins (6, 7), characterized in that,

at least one of said pins (6) is constituted by a concave tip (10) and a contoured frustum (11), said frustum (11) having an end (12), said end (12) having a shape and dimensions complementary to those of an internal cavity (13) of said tip (10);

axially acting elastic means (14) are interposed between said tip (10) and said blunting member (11) so as to cause said tip (10) and said blunting member (11) to be respectively spaced apart from each other in the absence of external forces applied to said blunting member (11) towards said tip (10);

the stator (3) comprises a recess (15), the shape and dimensions of the recess (15) being complementary to the shape and dimensions of the terminal front portion of the tip (10) to temporarily accommodate the front portion, the recess (15) being aligned with a hole (16) of the rotor (4), the tip (10) and the bluff piece (11) being arranged within the hole (16);

at least one elastic element (17) is interposed between the stator (3) and the at least one additional pin (7) to force the at least one additional pin (7) inside the longitudinal channel (5);

after insertion of the key (2) in the longitudinal channel (5), the end of the pin (7) and the head (18) of the blunting member (11) abut against the stem (9), with the result that, in a configuration in which the pin (6) is free to translate within the hole (16) of the rotor (4), the stem (9) is partially inclined with respect to the key (2), while the front part of the tip (10) does not protrude with respect to the profile of the rotor (4) during rotation of the rotor (4).

2. Cylinder lock and its key according to claim 1, characterized in that said hole (16) of the rotor (4) housing the pin (6) comprises successive portions of different diameter: at least one first portion (19), said at least one first portion (19) having a width greater than the width of said tip (10); at least one second portion (20), said at least one second portion (20) having a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said tip (10); and at least one third portion (21), said at least one third portion (21) having a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said head (18) of said headpiece (11) so as to define a cylindrical pairing with said head (18).

3. A cylinder lock and its key according to claim 1, characterized in that said flat head piece (11) comprises: a cylindrical head (22); at least one intermediate shoulder portion (23), said at least one intermediate shoulder portion (23) having a diameter substantially similar to the outer diameter of said tip (10); and at least one terminal portion having a shape and dimensions complementary to those of the internal cavity (13) of the tip (10).

4. A cylinder lock and its key according to claim 3, characterized in that said terminal portion comprises a central cylindrical portion (24) with a larger diameter and a terminal cylindrical portion (25) with a smaller diameter, said cavity (13) of said pin (10) comprising a first opening (26) and a second opening (27), said first opening (26) facing said flat head member (11) in the assembled configuration, said first opening (26) having a diameter complementary to the diameter of said central cylindrical portion (24), said second opening (27) having a diameter complementary to the diameter of said terminal cylindrical portion (25).

5. A cylinder lock and its key according to claim 4, characterized in that said elastic means (14) are interposed between a front portion of said central cylindrical portion (24) with larger diameter, projecting radially with respect to said terminal cylindrical portion (25), and a flat annular portion of said cavity (13), formed between said first opening (26) and said second opening (27), said first opening (26) facing said flat head member (11).

6. Cylinder lock and its key according to claim 1, characterized in that the groove (15) of the stator is delimited between two intersecting bevels (28, 29), the bevels (28, 29) being mutually coupled at the bottom of the groove (15) and being coupled with the surface of a duct (30) of the stator (3) for rotatably accommodating the rotor (4).

7. Cylinder lock and key therefor according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bar (9) has a variable thickness, even locally variable and discontinuous, according to a basic coded shape depending on the geometry and arrangement of the ends of said pins (6, 7) substantially aligned with said bar (9) and abutting against said bar (9), defining a specific resting configuration of said ends of said pins (6, 7) on the surface of said bar (9).

8. Cylinder lock and key thereof according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pin (7) is slidable inside a profiled channel (31) of said rotor (4), said channel (31) comprising a portion (32) and an inner portion (34), said portion (32) being external with respect to said rotor (4), having a larger diameter and being adapted to slidingly house a base plate (33) of said pin (7), said inner portion (34) having a smaller diameter and being adapted to slidingly house an elongated shank (35) of said pin (7), said at least one elastic element (17) being arranged between the bottom of said channel (31) and said base plate (33).

9. A cylinder lock and its key according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stator (3) comprises a cylindrical groove (36), said cylindrical groove (36) being aligned with said channel (31) to house a complementary pin (38), said complementary pin (38) being in abutment against said base plate (33) for said elastic element (17), an axially acting spring (39) being arranged between said complementary pin (38) and the bottom of said cylindrical groove (36) to force said complementary pin (38) towards said longitudinal channel (5) of said rotor (4).

10. A cylinder lock and its key according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lever (9) has a substantially flat shape and pivots inside a receptacle (8), said receptacle (8) being complementary to the profile of said lever (9) at the peripheral edge of said lever (9), the opposite edge of said lever (9) being free to oscillate between extreme configurations projecting from the profile of said key (2).

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