EP4092228B1 - Electronic lock cylinder with sealed actuator - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic lock cylinder with components, in particular an actuator, in a sealed area within the housing of the lock cylinder.

BACKGROUND

Typically, mortise locks according to DIN 18251 for doors are provided with mechanical locking cylinders according to DIN 18252. Such lock cylinders have a cylinder housing and a cylinder core therein, which can be rotated in the housing with a suitable key and moves a locking bit (driver) protruding from the cylinder housing in order to unlock or lock the lock. There are different designs such as profile cylinders, round cylinders, oval cylinders (see also DIN EN 1303). Today, the lock cylinder is the heart of lock and door security.

The well-known mechanical locking cylinders leave a lot to be desired in terms of security, locking plan design and flexibility, because the mechanical keys are easy to copy, locking plans that indicate which person has access to which door must be structured hierarchically, and if the key is lost and the locking plan is modified, the Lock cylinder to be completely replaced. Electronic lock cylinders have been proposed to avoid these problems.

For example, the DE 198 51 308 a lock cylinder with a cylinder housing that can be inserted into a door lock, a lock bit that is rotatably mounted with respect to the housing for actuating locking devices of the door lock, a handle on the inside of the door for actuating the lock bit, and a handle on the outside of the door for actuating the lock bit when access authorization has been established. Access control electronics for verifying the access authorization of a person requesting access is arranged in the handle on the inside of the door.

Electronic locking cylinders are available, for example, as single-knob cylinders (half cylinders) and as double-knob cylinders. To install or remove an electronic single-knob cylinder, the knob is turned a few degrees, depending on the manufacturer and type, so that the cam does not protrude from the cylinder housing or locking cylinder and the locking cylinder can be inserted into the lock housing. The lock cylinder is mounted on the lock housing with a relatively long screw, the so-called forend screw. When installing double knob cylinders, one of the knobs must also be removed so that the locking cylinder can be inserted into the lock housing.

Electronic locking cylinders are generally characterized by the fact that electronic coding, e.g. in the form of electrical signals, is used instead of the mechanical coding of the key. Instead of a mechanical key, an "electronic key" in the form of a transmitter or transponder is used, which transmits the electrical signals from the transponder to the lock cylinder by means of electromagnetic waves. The signals are verified by means of an electronic device, with the electronic device usually being accommodated in a knob or in two knobs that are provided on the locking cylinder or profile cylinder. In addition to accommodating electronic components, the knob or knobs also serve as handle(s) for operating the locking cylinder and its locking bit.

Electronic locking cylinders offer a number of advantages over purely mechanical locking cylinders. On the other hand, electronic locking cylinders have a more complex structure and, in addition to the electronics for authentication of an authorization, also contain an energy source and at least one electrical actuator (often an electric motor or electromagnet), which couples the coupling between a knob and the lock bit after successful authentication. Such an actuator can be housed in a knob, for example, where it can be manipulated more easily. It is therefore preferred to position an actuator within the body of the lock cylinder (lock cylinder housing), as a result of which the actuator is better protected against unauthorized access and manipulation from the outside. If the door to be secured is an external door, relevant mechanical parts and in particular the actuator must be protected from moisture; this also offers further protection against tampering with liquids.

In a non-coupled state of an electronic locking cylinder, the areas to be coupled by the actuator (coupling area driver and coupling area knob) can be freely rotated relative to each other. A resulting gap between these two areas, however, offers moisture a possible path from the outside to the inside of the actuator or even into the actuator. To prevent this, the area around the actuator and/or the electronics inside the lock cylinder housing should be sealed. The seal should also ensure that in the uncoupled state no torque or only such a small torque is transmitted from a rotating knob to the driver that the driver cannot rotate when installed and rotational manipulation, for example by turning it quickly, is prevented .

A common solution for sealing an actuator within a lock cylinder is implemented with an O-ring, which is located, for example, radially between an internal shaft and a hollow shaft arranged radially thereto, which, however, has disadvantages. A simple O-ring clamped radially between two shafts generates a very high frictional force due to its squeezing and thus a frictional torque transmission regardless of the coupling status of the actuator. The use of known radial shaft sealing rings (RWDR), which have a sealing lip, is also unsuitable for use within a lock cylinder. Although these RWDR transmit only a small amount of torque, they cannot be used for lock cylinders because there is not enough space for such RWDR within a DIN-standard lock cylinder.

Examples of electronic lock cylinders with O-ring seals between a shaft and another element are from US Pat EP 1 148 189 B1 or the DE 100 49 476 A1 known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to seal off two coupling sections that can be rotated in relation to one another within a lock cylinder housing. In particular, there is a need to provide a sealed installation space within a lock cylinder housing without negatively affecting the rotatable mechanism.

The object of the invention is achieved with the features of the independent claims solved. Further inventive embodiments of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The present invention relates to an electronic lock cylinder with at least one lock cylinder housing; a shaft which is arranged at least partially within the lock cylinder housing so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the lock cylinder housing, and a cam which is arranged so as to be rotatable with respect to the longitudinal axis and is fixedly connected to a cam bit coupling part. The driving bit coupling part is arranged within the lock cylinder housing such that it can rotate about the longitudinal axis.

In contrast to the prior art, a gap, preferably a substantially V-shaped groove, which is sealed with a sealing ring, is formed at the transition between the driver bit coupling part and the shaft. This V-shaped groove has significant advantages over the standard prior art solutions, as discussed in more detail below.

The V-shaped groove can essentially be formed in three different ways. According to a first embodiment, the tang coupling part may include a conical portion located adjacent one end of the shaft. This forms a V-groove between the tapered section and the end. The end face of the end of the shaft preferably runs essentially radially or perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. However, the face of the end of the shaft need not be exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. For example, the end face could also run slightly obliquely at an angle of between 50-130°, 55-125°, 60-120°, 65-115°, 70-110°, 75-105°, 80-100° to the longitudinal axis, preferably 85-95°, more preferably 88-92°.

According to a second embodiment, the shaft can have a conical section which is adjacent to the driver coupling part. This also creates an (asymmetrical) V-groove. An end face of the driver coupling part then preferably runs essentially radially or perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. However, this end face also does not have to run exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. For example, the end face could also run slightly obliquely at an angle of between 80-100° to the longitudinal axis, preferably 85-95°, more preferably 88-92°.

According to a third embodiment, both surfaces can be conical at the transition from the driver coupling part to the shaft.

According to the invention, the terms conical and tapering or widening are used synonymously in relation to the driver coupling part and in relation to the shaft, with the tapering course not having to be linear, but also following a curve, which is preferably monotonically increasing or monotonically decreasing is.

According to the invention, a seal, preferably a circumferential seal, is located in the groove or V-groove formed as a result. The seal is preferably a ring or a sealing ring which is arranged radially circumferentially in the gap or the groove. According to the invention, an O-ring, preferably an O-ring that is standardized according to ISO 3601, can be used as the sealing ring.

In order to seal the lock cylinder or the lock cylinder housing, it is preferable for the transition discussed above between the end of the shaft and the driver coupling part to be arranged inside the lock cylinder and for the shaft or the driver coupling part to be designed as a hollow shaft or hollow shaft at least in one section at the end .

The seal according to the invention makes it possible for a cavity to be provided inside the lock cylinder housing, in which components such as electronics and/or an actuator are hermetically sealed to the outside. According to the invention, an actuator is preferably located within the lock cylinder housing, which is hermetically sealed through the use of the seal according to the invention. The actuator can preferably be used to produce a non-rotatable coupling between the driver bit coupling part and the shaft, so that a torque is transmitted from the shaft to the driver bit, and a lock can thus be unlocked or locked. The actuator also serves to decouple the tang coupling part from the shaft so that substantially no torque is transmitted from the shaft to the tang, i.e. the lock cylinder cannot be locked or unlocked.

According to preferred embodiments, the electronic locking cylinder has at least one knob (single-knob cylinder) which can be rotated relative to the longitudinal axis A of the Lock cylinder housing is attached. According to a further preferred embodiment, the electronic lock cylinder has two knobs, one of which can preferably be connected/detached to the lock bit by means of the actuator described above and the other knob is preferably permanently coupled or connected to the lock bit. However, the present invention is not limited to knob cylinders. For example, an electronic actuator can also be present in an electronic lock cylinder without knobs, with a type of electronic "key" then being connected to the lock cylinder, for example being inserted, so that the "key" serves as a handle for locking and unlocking. This electronic key preferably has information on access authorization stored in electronic and optionally also in mechanical form.

The lock cylinder housing is preferably a profile cylinder housing, preferably a profile cylinder housing according to DIN 18252 or DIN EN 1303, a round cylinder or an oval cylinder or a Scandinavian cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• Fig. 1 zeigt eine perspektivische Außenansicht eines elektronischen Doppelknauf-Schließzylinders.
• Fig. 2 zeigt eine Querschnittsansicht durch einen Teil eines Zylindergehäuses mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Dichtung zwischen zwei Kupplungsbereichen.
• Fig. 3 zeigt eine vergrößerte Ansicht des kreisförmig markierten Bereichs von Fig. 2.

Advantageous and preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the figures, in which identical or similar reference symbols denote identical or similar elements.

• 1 shows a perspective external view of an electronic double-knob locking cylinder.
• 2 shows a cross-sectional view through part of a cylinder housing with a seal according to the invention between two coupling areas.
• 3 shows an enlarged view of the circled area of 2 .

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. Embodiments relate to an electronic lock cylinder with an actuator housed within the body of the lock cylinder. Usually at least one side, preferably both On opposite sides of the lock cylinder there is a knob for operating the driver or the lock bit. However, the present invention can also be used on electronic lock cylinders without a knob, in which case the electronics and mechanics for coupling and decoupling are then accommodated within the cylinder housing. A key, for example, which is inserted into the cylinder housing, is then used as a handle. This key can have a mechanical coding (e.g. prongs, indentations, etc.) and/or an electronic coding, with the electronic coding a data exchange preferably taking place via electrical contacts between the lock cylinder and the inserted key.

1 shows a perspective view of an electronic double knob cylinder 42 with an inner knob 1 (inner knob) and an outer knob 2 (outer knob), which are attached to a lock cylinder or to the lock cylinder housing 40 . The locking cylinder shown is a profile cylinder, as is common in Germany and Austria, for example. However, the present invention is not limited to this form of lock cylinder and can also be used, for example, in Scandinavian oval cylinders. The driver or lock bit 3 on the lock cylinder 40 is used for coupling to the lock or lock case, ie for unlocking or locking the bolt and preferably also for actuation in the case of a lock. This lock bit 3 is at least partially rotatable about an axis of rotation or longitudinal axis A of the lock cylinder.

Mechanical coupling elements for coupling one or both knobs to the lock bit 3 are preferably located inside the body of the lock cylinder 40, as a result of which the mechanism is better protected against manipulation from the outside. An actuator can be used to switch back and forth between a coupled state, in which torque is transmitted from a turned knob to the lock bit 3, and an uncoupled state, in which essentially no torque is transmitted from a knob to the lock bit 3 become. The actuator (not shown) is preferably an electronic actuator, for example an electric motor. However, the present invention is not limited to a specific type of actuator. This actuator is preferably located within the lock cylinder housing 40, whereby he is also protected against manipulation from outside.

2 shows a cross section through a part of a lock cylinder 40, with part of a shaft 20 being shown on the right-hand side, which can be rotated about the longitudinal axis A. The rotation takes place, for example, via a key inserted into the lock cylinder or a knob 1, 2 which is connected to the shaft 20 in a rotationally fixed manner. The illustrated shaft 20 is, for example, a shaft which is at least partially hollow or a hollow shaft with a cavity 25 which lies within the shaft 20 at a point which lies adjacent to a clutch area.

The right part in this case is directed towards a user (proximal), the shaft 20 having a distal end 21 located inside the lock cylinder housing. The distal end of the shaft is located adjacent a tang coupling part/tang coupling portion 30 . The driver 3 is preferably located essentially in the central area of the lock cylinder housing 40 with respect to the longitudinal axis A. In order to enable locking and unlocking, a coupling or decoupling between the driver coupling area 30, which is firmly connected to the driver 3, and the distal end 21 of the shaft 20 is made or released. This is done with the help of an actuator, not shown, which is preferably located in cavity 25 . Possible coupling principles are not described in more detail below, but are known to a person skilled in the art. Rather, the invention is about a seal between the driving bit coupling area 30 and the shaft 20. According to the invention, a cavity 25, preferably a hermetically sealed cavity 25, is provided, with the seal 100 between the mutually rotatable areas 20, 30 being important because the Seal should not only seal, but should also ensure that no or minimal torques are transmitted between the two areas 20, 30 in the uncoupled state in order to advantageously protect against manipulation.

The seal 100 in the form of an O-ring is preferably not located radially between the two areas/parts 20 and 30, but in a circumferential V-groove 101, which is formed from the mutually rotatable surfaces of the two clutch sides 20 and 30 Embodiment, the V-groove 101 by a conical portion 30 and an end surface 22 which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. However, a person skilled in the art understands that it is also possible according to the invention that the conical area is formed by the area 20 and the driver-coupling area 30 forms the vertically oriented end surface. In the following, however, only the first variant is described in detail, with a person skilled in the art also being able to implement the mirrored variant.

A preferred advantage of the present invention is, for example, that standard O-rings can be used as sealing elements. O-rings are ring-shaped sealing elements, the name deriving from the round (O-shaped) cross-section of the ring. For example, O-rings that are standardized according to ISO 3601 are often used, this standard being valid in Germany as DIN ISO 3601 at the time the present invention was filed. The DIN standard DIN 3771 was valid in Germany until August 2010.

The O-ring is preferably made of an elastic and/or flexible material. For example, the O-ring is made of a rubber type, perfluoro rubber (FFKM or FFPM), polyethylene (PE) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or at least partially comprises these materials.

O-ring 100 preferably pulls itself into this groove 101 as a result of its pretension so that both clutch sides 102, 22 are touched. The contact pressure force required for the sealing effect is thus given on both sides 102, 22 of the clutch, without the O-ring being crushed. The pressing force is preferably so low that a torque transmission from one coupling part to the other coupling part is so low that manipulation in the uncoupled state is not possible, even at very high speeds or very high rotational accelerations.

Preferably, the contact surface 22 of one of the two coupling halves is perpendicular to the axis of rotation A. This preferably ensures that even if there is an axial offset between the actually coaxially rotating clutch surfaces, the O-ring completely touches both clutch halves all the way around.

The O-ring is preferably attached with very little prestress, as a result of which a seal with sufficient contact pressure that seals is achieved.

In addition, it is achieved that a frictional torque transmission between the two coupling halves is low, in particular so low that this maximum torque transmission is below a critical value for commercially available locks for opening.

A further advantage of the construction of the seal according to the invention comes into its own when, as a result of temperature changes and a simultaneous increase or decrease in the gas volume within the cavity or the actuator, gas exchange takes place between the inside and the outside. If there is a gas exchange with the environment, there is a potential risk that moisture (humidity) will also be transported. If, for example, the ambient temperature of the actuator decreases (and at the same time the relative humidity increases), a negative pressure develops in the cavity 25 or on the actuator. Here the O-ring acts like a self-locking valve, no (moist) air penetrates into the actuator. If the ambient temperature of the actuator increases, overpressure occurs in the actuator. As soon as the overpressure is sufficiently high, the air can flow unhindered past the O-ring and at the same time transport any moisture that may be present out of the actuator.

REFERENCE LIST

A

longitudinal axis

1

inside knob

2

outside knob

3

Driver bit, locking bit or driver

20

Shaft or Knauf coupling part / Knauf coupling area

21

[distal] end of shaft

22

[distal] face of shaft

25

hermetically sealed area/cavity

26

proximal seal

30

Driving bit coupling part / driving bit coupling area

40

Lock cylinder body or lock cylinder or lock cylinder housing

42

electronic locking cylinder

50

actuator

100

poetry

101

Gap or V-groove

102

conical section

103

gap

105

Section of tang coupling part

Claims (12)

1. An electronic locking cylinder (42) comprising:

   a locking cylinder housing (40);

   a shaft (20) which is arranged at least partially within the locking cylinder housing (40) rotatably about a longitudinal axis (A) of the locking cylinder housing;

   a lock bit (3) which is arranged rotatably to the longitudinal axis (A) and firmly connected to a lock bit coupling member (30) which is arranged rotatably about the longitudinal axis (A) within the locking cylinder body (40),

   wherein the lock bit coupling member (30) comprises a conical portion (102) which is arranged adjacent to an end (21) of the shaft (20) and a gap or a V-groove (101) is formed between the conical portion (102) and the end; and

   a sealing (100) which is located in the gap (101).
2. An electronic locking cylinder (42) comprising:

   a locking cylinder housing (40);

   a shaft (20) which is located at least partially within the locking cylinder housing (40) rotatably about a longitudinal axis (A) of the locking cylinder housing;

   a lock bit (3) which is arranged rotatably to the longitudinal axis (A) and firmly connected to a lock bit coupling member (30) which is arranged rotatably about the longitudinal axis (A) within the locking cylinder body (40),

   wherein the shaft comprises a conical portion (102) which is located adjacent to an end of the lock bit coupling member and a gap (101) is formed between the conical portion and the end; and

   a sealing (100) which is located in the gap (101).
3. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing (100) is a ring which is located in the gap (101) in a radially circumferential manner.
4. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to claim 3, wherein the sealing is a sealing ring, in particular an O-ring, preferably standardized according to ISO 3601.
5. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein

   (i) the conical portion (102) tapers with respect to the longitudinal axis (A) in the direction towards the end (21) of the shaft (20) or

   (ii) the conical portion (102) widens with respect to the longitudinal axis (A) in the direction towards the end of the shaft (20).
6. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end of the shaft (20) is located within the locking cylinder and the shaft (20) is formed in at least one portion at the end (21) as hollow shaft or in a tube-shaped manner, and preferably one portion (105) of the lock bit coupling member (30) is located radially within the shaft (20).
7. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to claim 6, wherein

   (i) the end (21) of the shaft (20) comprises a front surface (22) which extends substantially radially or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A), if dependent from claim 1;

   (ii) the lock bit coupling member (30) comprises a front surface which extends substantially radially or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A), if dependent from claim 2; or

   (iii) the end of the shaft (20) and the lock bit coupling member extend conically.
8. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to claim 7, wherein the sealing (100) is directly adjacent between the conical portion (102) and the front surface (22).
9. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shaft (20) comprises a sealed hollow chamber (25) in which an actuator (50) is located.
10. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to claim 9, wherein the actuator (50) is located within the locking cylinder body (40) to

    - produce a torque-proof coupling between the lock bit coupling member (30) and the shaft (20) so that a torque is transmitted from the shaft (20) to the lock bit (3), and

    - achieve a decoupling between the lock bit coupling element (30) and the shaft (20) so that substantially no torque is transmitted from the shaft (20) to the lock bit (3).
11. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a knob (1, 2) is located rotatably to the longitudinal axis (A) of the locking cylinder housing (40) and the knob (1, 2) is firmly connected to the shaft (20).
12. The electronic locking cylinder (42) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking cylinder housing (40) is a profile cylinder housing, preferably a profile cylinder housing according to DIN 18252 or DIN EN 1303, a round cylinder or an oval cylinder or a Scandinavian cylinder.

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