EP3443186B1

EP3443186B1 - Anti-intrusion cylinder for locks

Info

Publication number: EP3443186B1
Application number: EP16728406.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matteo Fabbri; Fausto FAUSTINI
Original assignee: CISA SpA
Current assignee: CISA SpA
Priority date: 2016-04-13
Filing date: 2016-04-13
Publication date: 2020-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-13
Also published as: ES2786674T3; WO2017179077A8; RU2692876C1; ZA201807580B; WO2017179077A1; PT3443186T; EP3443186A1

Description

The present invention relates to an anti-intrusion cylinder for locks, particularly suitable to prevent intrusions comprising so-called lock picking (which consists in the selective movement of the pins by means of a picking tool in order to release them simultaneously) and/or so-called lock bumping (which consists in applying impulsive percussions to at least one part of such cylinder).
Currently there are locks which comprise a cylinder (in which the opening key is to be inserted) provided with a stator and a rotor mutually coupled by means of a plurality of coding pins and driver pins which can slide within stator and rotor channels: each channel of the stator faces and is aligned with the respective channel of the rotor when the cylinder is in the closed configuration (key not inserted or inserted but not rotated with respect to the insertion configuration).
Between the bottom of the channel of the stator and the lower surface of the driver pin there is an axially acting elastic element that is preset to keep the driver pin spaced from such bottom, barring external actions that entail the lowering of the driver pin (for example the insertion of the key in the cylinder).
The key, by way of its contoured (coded) profile, acts on the upper surface of the coding pins, lowering them and bringing the shear line that separates the bottom of the coding pin with the apex of the driver pin in perfect alignment with the shear line that is present between the rotor and the stator, which are substantially mutually uncoupled (when the key is inserted).
The rotor (when the key is inserted, therefore with the coding pins lowered according to the coding) can be turned by turning the head of the key that protrudes from the cylinder: in this manner it is possible to open the lock.
Intrusion operations that provide for lock picking actions consist in the constant application of a mechanical moment (in the direction of rotation that corresponds to opening) to the rotor, while the coding pins are moved with a picking tool, so as to arrange the shear line between such coding pins and the driver pins in alignment with the interface surface between the rotor and the stator, allowing the rotation of the rotor of the cylinder and accordingly the opening of the lock in which the cylinder is installed.
Intrusion operations that provide for lock bumping actions consist in the constant application of a mechanical moment (in the direction of rotation that corresponds to opening) to the rotor by means of a key, which is not coded, of the same type as the one associated with a given cylinder (contoured by providing a succession of grooves with a depth equal to or greater than the maximum depth that is present in the original key) and in the rhythmic striking of the head that protrudes from the cylinder of such key with a means having a substantial mass. Striking the mass on the head of the key entails a small and very fast advancement of the key in the cylinder, with a consequent impulsive collision of the inclined surface of each one of the grooves against the head of the respective coding pin of the cylinder: as a consequence of this impact, the coding pin transfers the accumulated energy to the driver pin (since they are in mutual contact), which is propelled toward the bottom of the channel of the stator, compressing the spring or other elastic means. If, as a consequence of a certain number of successive strikes, all the driver pins are at a same instant each completely inside the respective stator channel, at that instant the rotor and the stator are mutually uncoupled (the rotor is free to rotate): the torque applied to the head of the key at that moment entails a rotation of the rotor and therefore the opening of the lock.
Both of the described intrusions can be rendered complicated by adopting driver pins that are shaped appropriately in order to facilitate their misalignment and locking. In particular, it is known to adopt driver pins constituted by a stem that has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the respective stator channel (the driver pin is accommodated in the respective channel with a predefined mechanical play) and provided with a larger head (by way of indication, with a diameter/space occupation that is complementary to those of the respective stator channel).
Upon the described intrusion attempts, the driver pins tend to tilt with respect to the channel within which they are contained by way of the mechanical play that exists between their stem and the accommodation channel. This inclination prevents the head of the driver pins (which has the same diameter, the same space occupations, as the channel) from retracting into the channel, keeping the rotor locked with respect to the stator.
Actually, repetition of the lock picking and lock bumping attempts causes, after a certain time, a random condition of alignment that ensures the rotation of the rotor, with the consequent possibility to open the lock with which the cylinder is associated.
A lock with special features against anti bumping is e.g. known from patent document DE 10 2006 050 905 A1 .
Constructive solutions of the known type, despite being suitable to hinder any intrusions applied to the cylinders, do not allow to prevent them, with a consequent inherent lack of security with respect to tampering of cylinders of the known type.
The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above, by providing an anti-intrusion cylinder for locks that is highly secure against intrusions.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to devise an anti-intrusion cylinder for locks that hinders and renders ineffective lock picking actions.
Another object of the invention is to devise an anti-intrusion cylinder for locks that hinders and renders ineffective lock bumping actions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-intrusion lock cylinder for locks that has a low cost, is relatively simple to provide in practice and is safe in application.
This aim, as well as these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an anti-intrusion cylinder for locks of the type comprising a stator provided with a substantially cylindrical longitudinal cavity for accommodating a rotor with a longitudinal recess for the insertion of a key, said rotor and said stator comprising a plurality of channels, which are substantially aligned and face each other when the cylinder is in the closed configuration, said channels accommodating respective coding pins, driver pins and optional elastic means preset to prevent the rotation of the rotor in the stator in the absence of the key in said longitudinal recess, characterized in that at least one of said driver pins comprises a stem, which is accommodated slidingly with mechanical play in the portion of the stator of a respective channel, said stem being provided with a mushroom-shaped tip that has a smaller diameter than said stem, said tip facing and being proximate to the corresponding coding pin, at least one contoured annular body that has a diameter substantially similar to the diameter of said channel being fitted with mechanical play on said mushroom-shaped tip.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the anti-intrusion cylinder for locks according to the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front sectional view of the cylinder according to the invention with the key inserted in a first step of opening;
Figure 2 is a front sectional view of the cylinder of Figure 1 in a partially rotated locking configuration;
Figure 3 is a front sectional view of the cylinder of Figure 1 in the inactive configuration;
Figure 4 is a sectional side view of the cylinder of Figure 1 in the inactive configuration;
Figure 5 is an enlarged-scale sectional front view of the cylinder of Figure 1 in a locking configuration;
Figure 6 is an enlarged-scale view of Figure 5.

With particular reference to the figures, the numeral 1 generally designates an anti-intrusion cylinder for locks.
The cylinder 1 comprises a stator 2 provided with a substantially cylindrical longitudinal cavity 3 for accommodating a rotor 4.
The rotor 4 in turn is affected by a longitudinal recess 5 that is intended to accommodate a key 6: the insertion of the respective key 6 in the recess 5 causes the possibility to rotate the rotor 4 with respect to the stator 2, thus opening the lock with which the cylinder 1 is associated.
The rotor 4 and the stator 2 comprise a plurality of channels 7, which are substantially aligned and face each other when the cylinder 1 is in the closed configuration.
The channels 7 accommodate respective coding pins 8, driver pins 9 and optional elastic means 7a preset to prevent the rotation of the rotor 4 in the stator 2 in the absence of the key 6 in the longitudinal recess 5.
According to the invention, at least one of the driver pins 9 can validly comprise a stem 10, which is accommodated slidingly with mechanical play in the portion of the stator 2 of a respective channel 7.
The mechanical play that is present between the stem 10 and the respective channel 7 is such as to allow lateral translations of the stem 10 and slight inclinations thereof.
Merely by way of example, it is specified that the diameter of the stem 10 might be chosen between approximately half the diameter of the channel 7 and approximately 4/5 of the diameter of the channel 7.
In any case, the use of diameters of the stem 10 with a different ratio with the diameter of the channel 7 within which the stem 10 is accommodated (therefore determining the presence of a more or less large mechanical play) is not excluded.
The stem 10 is provided, according to the invention, with a mushroom-shaped tip 11 that has a smaller diameter than the stem 10.
The tip 11 faces and is proximate to the corresponding coding pin 8, in particular to the end face 12 of such coding pin 8.
According to the invention, at least one contoured annular body 13, which has a diameter that is substantially similar to the diameter of the channel 7, is fitted with mechanical play on the mushroom-shaped tip 11.
With particular reference to a specific constructive solution of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the mushroom-shaped tip 11 can validly comprise a stem 14, which has a first diameter with a value comprise between 1/6 and 3/4 of the diameter of the channel 7, surmounted by a pad 15, which has a second diameter with a value comprised between 1/5 and 5/6 of the diameter of the channel 7.
By viewing the accompanying figures it can be seen that, with reference to the constructive solution shown by way of example therein, the mushroom-shaped tip 11 can be shaped like the head of a screw that is engaged axially on a respective driver pin 9, on a terminal front thereof.
The contoured annular body 13 comprises an internal through opening 16, which has a larger diameter than the first diameter of the stem 14 and a smaller diameter than the second diameter of the pad 15.
Moreover, the maximum diameter of the pad 15 can also advantageously be smaller than the diameter of the through opening 16 of the contoured annular body 13, especially if the driver pin 9 is provided in one piece, comprising therein its tip 11. In this manner it is possible to fit easily the contoured annular body 13 on the driver pin 9 (in particular on its tip 11).
The contoured annular body 13 can move with respect to the mushroom-shaped tip 11 (although it remains in any case locked between the pad 15 and the top of the driver pin 9): in particular, it can perform translations, arranging itself according to various possible misalignments with respect to the condition of alignment and coaxiality, and rotations, tilting with respect to the axis of the stem 14.
Obviously, the combination of the translation and rotation movements ensures a considerably higher security level for the cylinder 1 according to the invention since, as will become apparent hereinafter, the annular body 13 can be locked between the rotor 4 and the stator 2 (in the case of intrusion attempts) according to an unlimited number of different configurations, preventing the fraudulent opening of such cylinder 1.
It is useful to specify that the contoured annular body 13 (fitted with a predefined mechanical play on the stem 14 of the mushroom-shaped tip 11) is locked between the pad 15, in an upward region, and the terminal front of the stem 11, in a downward region.
The locking of the contoured annular body 13 in this position is due to the fact that it is compressed between the driver pin 9 and the coding pin 8 and fitted on the terminal 11.
In this manner, in addition to ensuring the necessary security against intrusion, the mechanical stability of the entire cylinder 1 is also ensured, since the annular body 13 cannot exit accidentally from the mushroom-shaped tip 11.
With particular reference to an embodiment of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the internal through opening 16 of the contoured annular body 13 can comprise conveniently a first through hole 17 with a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of the pad 15 (in order to hinder the accidental extraction of the annular body 13 from the mushroom-shaped tip 11) and an external receptacle 18 that has a larger diameter than the pad 15; such receptacle 18 is suitable to accommodate temporarily such pad 15.
In stating that the first through hole 17 has a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of the pad 15, it is understood that it has a size that is proximate to the diameter of the pad; substantially, it can be slightly smaller, equal or slightly larger (by way of indication, the diameter of the through hole 17 might correspond to the diameter of the pad 15 plus or minus 2 mm).
It is deemed useful to point out, furthermore, that the contoured annular body 13 can have advantageously an external shape that is chosen preferably among cylindrical, toroidal, barrel-like, frustum-like, prism-like, truncated pyramid-like, droplet portion-like, and a combination thereof.
Depending on the shape that will be selected, the annular body 13 performs a different locking action in the case of intrusion attempts.
A shape that has a curved or rounded outer contour (for example toroidal, barrel-like, droplet portion-like) in fact facilitates the annular body 13 in assuming inclined configurations (with respect to the mushroom-shaped tip 11) since the absence of edges allows easier rotary motions.
A cylindrical, frustum-like, prism-like, truncated pyramid-like shape and the like instead will be more subject to translations for misalignment of the axis of symmetry of the body 13 with respect to the axis of symmetry of the mushroom-shaped tip 11.
Likewise, the driver pin 9 also can have an outer shape that is chosen preferably among cylindrical, toroidal, barrel-like, frustum-like, prism-like, truncated pyramid-like, droplet portion-like and a combination thereof. The adoption of even different shapes is not excluded.
The annular body 13 performs a different locking action in the case of intrusion attempts also for the driver pin 9, depending on the shape that will be selected.
A shape that has a curved or rounded outer contour (for example toroidal, barrel-like, droplet portion-like) in fact facilitates the annular body 13 in assuming inclined configurations (with respect to the mushroom-like tip 11), since the absence of edges allows easier rotary motions.
A cylindrical, frustum-like, prism-like, truncated pyramid-like shape and the like instead will be more subject to translations for misalignment of the axis of symmetry of the body 13 with respect to the axis of symmetry of the mushroom-shaped tip 11.
According to a particular constructive mode of unquestionable security with respect to intrusion attempts, the contoured annular bodies 13 can be at least two in number, mutually stacked and fitted with mechanical play on the mushroom-shaped tip 11.
The presence of a plurality of superimposed annular bodies 13 ensures a considerable implementation of the possible locking configurations that can occur in case of intrusion attempts, with a consequent increase in the inherent security of the cylinder 1.
It should be specified that the mutually stacked contoured annular bodies 13 might be mutually identical or different.
In the second case, at least one first contoured annular body 13 might also comprise a recess for the partial accommodation of at least one portion of at least one second contoured annular body 13, so that they can also assume a configuration for mutual coupling (and optional partial accommodation of one in the other). The presence of this recess in the first contoured body 13 and of the corresponding portion in the second contoured body 13 is in any case not necessary for the correct operation of the invention; the contoured bodies 13 might in fact have mutual abutments faces that are flat or shaped in a manner that is entirely independent of each other.
It is noted that the cylinder 1 according to the invention can achieve extremely high security standards when the presence is provided of a plurality (in particular at least two) of driver pins 9 provided with the stem 10 having a mushroom-shaped tip 11 (with a smaller diameter than the stem 10) and of at least one contoured annular body 13 fitted with mechanical play on the mushroom-shaped terminal 11: such driver pins 9 according to the invention can be distributed effectively in different channels 7.
Operation of the present invention is as follows.
If the specific key 6 is used, it is easily possible to move the rotor 4 with respect to the stator 2 of the cylinder 1.
If instead an ill-intentioned individual attempts an intrusion against the cylinder 1 according to the invention, the driver pin 9 provided with the mushroom-shaped tip 11 locks.
In particular, in the case of lock picking, the ill-intentioned individual applies a mechanical moment in order to impose a rotation of the rotor 4 and simultaneously acts with a picking tool on the coding pins 8 to lower them (aligning them with the shear line between the stator 2 and the rotor 4).
At the driver pin 9 provided with the mushroom-shaped tip 11 and the annular body 13, the forced rotation of the rotor 4 entails a misalignment of the annular body 13 with respect to the driver pin 9 on which it is fitted, with the impossibility to lower further such driver pin 9 (as shown in the accompanying Figures 2, 5 and 6).
The annular body 13 in fact always abuts with one of its surfaces against the longitudinal cavity 3, making impossible any further lowering of the driver pin 9 within the respective channel 7.
This locked configuration of the annular body 13 (which prevents the disengagement of the rotor 4 from the stator 2) can be eliminated only by interrupting the application of the mechanical moment on the rotor 4. The interruption of the application of the mechanical moment, however, entails that all the other coding pins 8 (already arranged in the open configuration by the ill-intentioned individual with the lock picking tool) return to the inactive configuration, thwarting all the diffraction steps that have already been performed.
A similar condition occurs also in the case of an intrusion attempt performed by lock bumping.
The application of the mechanical moment to the rotor 4, by means of a key that is not coded correctly, in fact brings the annular body 13 to a configuration in which a portion thereof rests on the longitudinal cavity 3.
At this point, even the repeated mechanical striking action on the head of the key (which is not coded) cannot cause the correct alignment of the driver pin 9 according to the invention and in particular does not allow to release the annular body 13, which remains always with a portion thereof forced on the internal cavity 3, until the application of the mechanical moment to the rotor 4 is interrupted.
In this case also, the elimination of the mechanical moment applied to the rotor 4 returns all the coding pins 8 to the inactive configuration (thwarting the previous intrusion steps already performed).
Advantageously, the present invention solves the problems described earlier, devising an anti-intrusion cylinder 1 for locks that has a high level of security against intrusions.
Conveniently, the cylinder 1 according to the invention hinders and renders ineffective any lock picking actions.
Validly, the cylinder 1 according to the invention hinders and renders ineffective also any lock bumping actions.
Positively, the present invention allows to provide an anti-intrusion cylinder 1 for locks in a relatively simple manner and also with substantially low costs: these characteristics ensure the certain practical application of the present invention.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; claims.
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

An anti-intrusion cylinder for locks of the type comprising a stator (2) provided with a substantially cylindrical longitudinal cavity (3) for accommodating a rotor (4) with a longitudinal recess (5) for the insertion of a key (6), said rotor (4) and said stator (2) comprising a plurality of channels (7), which are substantially aligned and face each other when the cylinder (1) is in the closed configuration, said channels (7) accommodating respective coding pins (8), driver pins (9) and optional elastic means (7a) preset to prevent the rotation of the rotor (4) in the stator (2) in the absence of the key (6) in said longitudinal recess (5), characterized in that at least one of said driver pins (9) comprises a stem (10), which is accommodated slidingly with mechanical play in the portion of the stator (2) of a respective channel (7), said stem (10) being provided with a mushroom-shaped tip (11) that has a smaller diameter than said stem (10), said tip (11) facing and being proximate to the corresponding coding pin (8), at least one contoured annular body (13) that has a diameter substantially similar to the diameter of said channel (7) being fitted with mechanical play on said mushroom-shaped tip (11).
The cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that said mushroom-shaped tip (11) comprises a stem (14), which has a first diameter with a value comprised between 1/6 and 3/4 of the diameter of said channel (7), surmounted by a pad (15), which has a second diameter with a value comprised between 1/5 and 5/6 of the diameter of said channel (7).
The cylinder according to claim 2, characterized in that said contoured annular body (13) comprises an internal through opening (16) that has a larger diameter than said first diameter of said stem (14) and is substantially complementary to said second diameter of said pad (15).
The cylinder according to claim 3, characterized in that said contoured annular body (13) is fitted with mechanical play on said stem (14) of said mushroom-shaped tip (11) and is interposed between said pad (15), in an upward region, and the terminal front of said stem (11), in a downward region.
The cylinder according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said internal through opening (16) of said contoured annular body (13) comprises a first through hole (17), which has a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of said pad (15), and an outer receptacle (18), which has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of said pad (15) and is suitable to accommodate temporarily said pad (15).
The cylinder according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one component chosen between said driver pin (9) and said contoured annular body (13) has an outer shape that is chosen preferably among cylindrical, toroidal, barrel-like, frustum-like, prism-like, truncated pyramid-like, droplet portion-like and a combination thereof.
The cylinder according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said contoured annular bodies (13) are at least two, mutually stacked and fitted with mechanical play on said mushroom-shaped tip (11).
The cylinder according to claim 7, characterized in that said mutually stacked contoured annular bodies (13) are mutually identical.
The cylinder according to claim 7, characterized in that said mutually stacked contoured annular bodies (13) are mutually different, at least one first contoured annular body (13) comprising a recess for the partial accommodation of at least one portion of at least one second contoured annular body (13).
The cylinder according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said driver pins (9), provided with said at least one stem (10) that has a mushroom-shaped tip (11) with a smaller diameter than said stem (10) and at least one contoured annular body (13) that is fitted with mechanical play on said mushroom-shaped tip (11), are at least two, distributed in different channels (7).