EP4115037B1

EP4115037B1 - Cylinder lock and key thereof

Info

Publication number: EP4115037B1
Application number: EP20751317.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matteo Fabbri; Enzo Talamonti; Giovanni Ferri
Original assignee: CISA SpA
Current assignee: CISA SpA
Priority date: 2020-03-05
Filing date: 2020-03-05
Publication date: 2024-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2040-03-05
Also published as: EP4115037A1; TW202140904A; WO2021176482A1; ZA202207497B; CN114929981A; EP4115037C0

Description

The present invention relates to a cylinder lock and to the key thereof.
Currently there is a cylinder lock which can be operated by means of a respective key, the characteristics of which are described in IT1235586 dated September 6, 1989 and in EP1728944 with priority date June 1, 2005, both in the name of the same Applicant. These documents describe a cylinder lock the code of which cannot be deciphered immediately from the outside in order to hinder its tampering.
This result is obtained by arranging at least two pins so that they are mutually opposite, with respect to the key insertion channel, in the rotor of the cylinder, said pins having a respective end that protrudes into said channel.
The pins are associated with respective complementary pins which can translate elastically from a configuration of total accommodation within the stator to at least one configuration of simultaneous accommodation in the stator and in the rotor with consequent integral coupling of these two parts.
The key has a lever, which is accommodated so that it can rotate within a respective seat and which, when the key is inserted in the channel, actuates the pins, arranging them so that the complementary pins are in the configuration of total accommodation within the stator, allowing an optional movement of the rotor following a rotation of said key.
The presence of the lever in the key, associated with the at least two pins, ensures greater security of the lock against break-in actions generally termed picking (mechanical tampering).
In order to prevent that an ill-intentioned individual can open said cylinder lock by using an appropriate break-in tool suitable to faithfully reproduce the orientable lever at the pins, using mechanical tampering tools and methods of a traditional type, the possibility to code the portion of lever on which the mutually opposite pins of the lock abut has been introduced (by means of the content of EP1728944 ).
However, there is the need to increase security against break-ins, since the locks described so far in any case still have a tampering risk (albeit an extremely reduced one).
Furthermore, WO2015/059723 discloses a cylinder lock and a key, whereby mutually opposite pins cooperate with a pair of movable elements in the key. Each pin comprises a concave ogive and a contoured grub which has an end whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the internal cavity of the ogive. Axially acting elastic means are interposed between the ogive and the grub. The stator comprises a recess whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the terminal front of the ogive 11.
The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above, proposing a cylinder lock and the key thereof that have higher security standards against break-ins than those ensured by known technical solutions.
Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a cylinder lock and the key thereof that are compatible with locks and keys thereof of the known type.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cylinder lock that is constituted by a limited number of components that can be assembled in the assembly configuration in a substantially simple manner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder lock and the key thereof that have low costs, are relatively simple to provide in practice and are safe in application.
This aim, as well as these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a cylinder lock and a key thereof of the type comprising a stator within which a rotor can rotate which is provided with a longitudinal channel inside which respective pins are arranged substantially mutually opposite, said channel being adapted for the insertion of a key provided with a seat for the accommodation of a respective lever which can be oriented freely and is adapted to actuate said pins, wherein

at least one of said pins is constituted by a concave ogive and a contoured grub which has an end whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the internal cavity of said ogive;
axially acting elastic means are interposed between said ogive and said grub for their respective mutual spacing without external forces applied to said grub toward said ogive;
said stator comprises a recess whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the terminal front of said ogive for the temporary accommodation of said front, said recess being aligned with the hole of said rotor within which said ogive and said grub are arranged;
at least one elastic element is interposed between said stator and at least one additional pin for the forcing thereof within said longitudinal channel;
following the insertion of said key in said longitudinal channel, the end of said at least one additional pin and a head of said grub abutting against said lever, with consequent partial inclination thereof with respect to said key in the configuration for free translation of said pin within said hole of said rotor, without protrusion of the front of said ogive within said recess of said stator.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the cylinder lock and of the key thereof according to the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a cylinder lock forming part of the invention;
Figure 2 is a partially sectional side view of a key forming part of the invention;
Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the plane A-A outlined in Figure 1, of the cylinder lock and of the key thereof of Figures 1 and 2 in a first opening step;
Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken along the plane A-A outlined in Figure 1, of the cylinder lock and of the key thereof of Figures 1 and 2 in a second opening step;
Figure 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a cylinder lock according to the invention in which a different key is inserted;
Figure 6 is a sectional view, taken along the plane B-B outlined in Figure 5, of the cylinder lock and of the different key of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken along the plane B-B outlined in Figure 5, of the cylinder lock and of the different key of Figure 5 in the rotation locking configuration;
Figure 8 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a sectional view, taken along the plane A-A outlined in Figure 1, of the cylinder lock without the key;
Figure 10 is a sectional view, taken along the plane A-A outlined in Figure 1, of the cylinder lock without the key in the rotation locking configuration;
Figure 11 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a variation of the cylinder lock forming part of the invention;
Figure 12 is a sectional view, taken along the plane C-C outlined in Figure 11, of the cylinder lock without the key;
Figure 13 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a variation of the lock of Figure 11 and of the key thereof;
Figure 14 is a sectional view, taken along the plane D-D outlined in Figure 13, of the cylinder lock and of the key thereof of Figure 13;
Figure 15 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of a variation of the cylinder lock forming part of the invention;
Figure 16 is a sectional view, taken along the plane E-E outlined in Figure 15, of the cylinder lock without the key;
Figure 17 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of the variation of the lock of Figure 15 and of the key thereof;
Figure 18 is a sectional view, taken along the plane F-F outlined in Figure 17, of the cylinder lock and of the key thereof of Figure 17.

With particular reference to the figures cited above, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a cylinder lock and the reference numeral 2 designates the key thereof.
The cylinder lock 1 comprises a stator 3 within which a rotor 4 can rotate which is provided with a longitudinal channel 5 within which respective pins 6, 7 are substantially mutually opposite.
Both pins 6, 7 can slide transversely with respect to the channel 5 between respective configurations of different interference (even up to the elimination thereof) with said channel 5.
The channel 5 is adapted to receive a key 2 (inserted from the outside) provided with a seat 8 for the accommodation of a respective freely orientable lever 9.
The lever 9 is designed for the correct alignment of the pins 6, 7, since they are actuated by the lever 9 (on which they abut when the key 2 is inserted correctly in the channel 5) and are arranged in a specific coding configuration by it.
With particular reference to the more innovative aspects of the present invention, it is specified that at least one of the pins 6 is constituted by a concave ogive 10 and a contoured grub 11, which has an end 12 whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the internal cavity 13 of the ogive 10.
The behavior of the pin 6 during the use of the lock 1 is ensured by the interposition, between the ogive 10 and the grub 11, of axially acting elastic means 14 for the mutual spacing of the ogive 10 and of the grub 11 in conditions of absence of external forces applied to the grub 11 toward the ogive 10.
The stator 3 comprises a recess 15 whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the terminal front of the ogive 10 for the temporary accommodation of said front. The recess 15 is aligned with the hole 16 of the rotor 4 within which the ogive 10 and the grub 11 are arranged.
At least one elastic element 17 is interposed in the lock 1 according to the invention between the stator 3 and the at least one additional pin 7 in order to force it toward the longitudinal channel 5 (so that its end protrudes therein in the absence of external forces).
In the lock 1 according to the invention, following the insertion of the key 2 in the longitudinal channel 5, the end of the pin 7 and a head 18 of the grub 11 abut against the lever 9, with consequent partial inclination thereof with respect to the key 2, in the configuration for free translation of the pin 6 within the respective hole 16 of the rotor 4, without protrusion of the front of the ogive 10 with respect to the outline of the rotor 4 during the rotation thereof.
With particular reference to an embodiment of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, it is specified that the hole 16 of the rotor 4 within which the pin 6 is accommodated can conveniently comprise consecutive portions of different diameter.
At least one first portion 19 has a width that is greater than that of the ogive 10 (so that a play is defined between said ogive 10 and the delimiting walls of the portion 19), at least one second portion 20 has a shape and dimensions that are substantially complementary to those of the ogive 10 (so that it can accommodate the ogive 10 with substantially negligible play), and at least one third portion 21 has a shape and dimensions that are substantially complementary to those of the head 18 of the grub 11, so as to form a cylindrical pair with it.
Furthermore, it is specified that the grub 11 comprises a substantially cylindrical head 22 (which ends with the actual head 18), at least one intermediate shoulder portion 23 whose diameter is substantially similar to the outside diameter of the ogive 10, and at least one terminal portion whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the internal cavity of the ogive 10.
The terminal portion in turn comprises a central cylindrical part 24 having a larger diameter and a terminal cylindrical part 25 having a smaller diameter.
The cavity inside the ogive 10 conveniently comprises a first opening 26 which faces the grub 11, in the assembly configuration, and has a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of the central cylindrical part 24 and a second opening 27 the diameter of which is complementary to the diameter of the terminal cylindrical part 25.
In order to exactly clarify the structure, it is noted that the elastic means 14 are interposed between the front (which forms an annular shoulder) of the central cylindrical part 24 having the larger diameter, which protrudes radially with respect to the terminal cylindrical part 25, and the flat annular portion of the cavity that is formed between the first opening 26 that faces the grub 11 and the second opening 27.
The correct and regular operation of the lock 1 according to the invention is ensured furthermore by the fact that the recess 15 of the stator 3 is delimited between two intersecting inclined planes 28 and 29, which are mutually blended at the bottom of said recess 15 and blended with the surface of the duct 30 of the stator 3 meant for the rotary accommodation of the rotor 4. From a constructive standpoint, the recess 15 can be provided by milling (or in general by chip-forming machining) of the internal surface of the duct 30 of the stator 3: the milling can be localized exclusively at an area that is aligned with the hole 16 of the rotor 4 in the assembly configuration or, more probably, extend from the terminal face of the stator 3 up to said area.
It is specified that in a particular embodiment which allows to obtain optimum security against break-ins, the lever 9 can advantageously have a thickness that is variable, even locally and with discontinuity, according to a substantially coded shape, which depends on the geometry and arrangement of the end of the pins 6 and 7 which are substantially aligned therewith and abut against it.
The particular shape of the lever 9 conveniently defines a particular resting configuration of the ends of the pins 6 and 7 on its surface: in practice, the ends of the pins 6, 7 can be shaped appropriately in order to engage corresponding complementarily shaped regions provided on the lever 9, allowing the overall arrangement of the lock 1 and of the key 2 thereof in the open configuration only upon the correct abutment of each shaped region in the corresponding complementarily shaped region.
Furthermore, it is specified that the pin 7 can slide within a contoured channel 31 of the rotor 3: the channel 31 comprises a portion 32, which is outermost with respect to the rotor 4 in the radial direction, and has a larger diameter suitable to accommodate slidingly a base plate 33 of the pin 7, and an internal portion 34 which has a smaller diameter and is suitable to accommodate slidingly an elongated stem 35 of the pin 7.
The at least one elastic element 17 is validly interposed between the bottom of the channel 31 and the base plate 33.
With particular reference to specific embodiments (one of which is shown merely by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying Figures 11 to 18), the stator 3 can conveniently comprise a cylindrical recess 36 that is aligned with said channel 31.
The recess 36 can be used exclusively for the assembly of the components (pin 7, elastic element 17 and base plate 33) and be closed by means of a plug 37.
In some embodiments that are particularly secure against break-ins, the recess 36 is used to accommodate a complementary pin 38 which abuts against the base plate 33 for the elastic element 17.
An axially acting spring 39 can be arranged conveniently between the complementary pin 38 and the bottom of the cylindrical recess 36 in order to force the complementary pin 38 towards the longitudinal channel 5 of the rotor 4.
Finally, it is specified that the lever 9 can have a substantially flattened shape and can be pivoted within a seat 8 which is complementary to the contour of the lever 9, at a perimetric edge thereof.
The opposite edge of the lever 9 is the one that oscillates freely between extreme configurations of protrusion from the profile of the key 2.
The operation of the invention is as follows. When the key 2 is inserted correctly and completely 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 accompanying Figures 3, 4, 13 and 14).
The same condition of uncoupling the rotor 4 from the stator 3, when the key 2 is inserted in the channel 5, also occurs in the embodiment that comprises the complementary pin 38 (as shown in the accompanying Figures 17 and 18).
If instead a key X that does not correspond to the present invention is inserted in the channel 5, an attempt to turn the rotor 4 with respect to the stator 3 will lock the grub 11 in the ogive 10 (in accordance to what is shown by way of example in Figure 8), preventing the completion of the rotation.
Likewise, if one attempts to start the rotation of the rotor 4 (acting from the outside by means of picking tools), the grub 11 jams in the ogive 10 (in accordance to what has been shown by way of example in the accompanying Figure 10), preventing the completion of the rotation.
Advantageously, the present invention solves the problems described above, providing a cylinder lock 1 and the key 2 thereof that have security standards against break-ins that are higher than those ensured by known technical solutions.
Conveniently, the cylinder lock 1 and the key 2 thereof are compatible with the locks and keys thereof of the known type that belong to the same product category.
Positively, the cylinder lock 1 is constituted by a limited number of components that can be assembled in the assembly configuration in a substantially simple manner.
Validly, the cylinder lock 1 and the key 2 thereof are relatively simple to provide in practice and substantially of low cost: these characteristics make the lock 1 and the key 2 according to the invention extremely valid.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the accompanying claims.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and 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

A cylinder lock and a key thereof of the type comprising a stator (3) within which a rotor (4) can rotate which is provided with a longitudinal channel (5) inside which respective pins (6, 7) are arranged substantially mutually opposite, said channel (5) being adapted for the insertion of a key (2) provided with a seat (8) for the accommodation of a respective lever (9) which can be oriented freely and is adapted to actuate said pins (6, 7), wherein
at least one of said pins (6) is constituted by a concave ogive (10) and a contoured grub (11) which has an end (12) whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the internal cavity (13) of said ogive (10);

axially acting elastic means (14) are interposed between said ogive (10) and said grub (11) for their respective mutual spacing in conditions of absence of external forces applied to said grub (11) toward said ogive (10);

said stator (3) comprises a recess (15) whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of the terminal front of said ogive (10) for the temporary accommodation of said front, said recess (15) being aligned with the hole (16) of said rotor (4) within which said ogive (10) and said grub (11) are arranged;

at least one elastic element (17) is interposed between said stator (3) and said at least one additional pin (7) for the forcing thereof within said longitudinal channel (5);

following the insertion of said key (2) in said longitudinal channel (5), the end of said at least one additional pin (7) and a head (18) of said grub (11) abutting against said lever (9), with consequent partial inclination thereof with respect to said key (2) in the configuration for free translation of said pin (6) within said hole (16) of said rotor (4), without protrusion of the front of said ogive (10) with respect to the contour of said rotor (4) during the rotation thereof.
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that said hole (16) of said rotor (4) that accommodates said pin (6) comprises consecutive portions of different diameter, at least one first portion (19) having a width that is greater than that of said ogive (10), at least one second portion (20) having a shape and dimensions that are substantially complementary to those of said ogive (10) and at least one third portion (21) having a shape and dimensions that are substantially complementary to those of said head (18) of said grub (11) so as to define a cylindrical pair with it.
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that said grub (11) comprises a cylindrical head (22), at least one intermediate shoulder portion (23) having a diameter that is substantially similar to the outside diameter of said ogive (10) and at least one terminal portion whose shape and dimensions are complementary to those of said internal cavity (13) of said ogive (10).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to claim 3, characterized in that said terminal portion comprises a central cylindrical part (24) having a larger diameter and a terminal cylindrical part (25) having a smaller diameter, said cavity (13) of said ogive (10) comprising a first opening (26), which faces said grub (11) in the assembly configuration, having a diameter that is complementary to the diameter of said central cylindrical part (24) and a second opening (27) whose diameter is complementary to the diameter of said terminal cylindrical part (25).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to claim 4, characterized in that said elastic means (14) are interposed between the front of said central cylindrical part (24) having a larger diameter, which protrudes radially with respect to said terminal cylindrical part (25) and the flat annular portion of said cavity (13) formed between said first opening (26) that faces said grub (11) and said second opening (27).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that said recess (15) of said stator is delimited between two intersecting inclined planes (28, 29) which are mutually blended at the bottom of said recess (15) and are blended with the surface of the duct (30) of said stator (3) that is meant for the rotatable accommodation of said rotor (4).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lever (9) has a thickness that is variable, even locally and with discontinuity, according to a substantially coded shape, which depends on the geometry and arrangement of the end of said pins (6, 7) which are substantially aligned with it and abut against it, defining a particular resting configuration of the ends of said pins (6, 7) on the surface of the lever (9).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said additional pin (7) can slide within a contoured channel (31) of said rotor (4), said channel (31) comprises a portion (32) which is external with respect to said rotor (4), has a larger diameter and is suitable to accommodate slidingly a base plate (33) of said additional pin (7), and an internal portion (34), which has a smaller diameter and is suitable to accommodate slidingly an elongated stem (35) of said additional pin (7), said at least one elastic element (17) being arranged between the bottom of said channel (31) and said base plate (33).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stator (3) comprises a cylindrical recess (36) that is aligned with said channel (31) for the accommodation of a complementary pin (38) which abuts 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 recess (36) in order to force said complementary pin (38) toward said longitudinal channel (5) of said rotor (4).
The cylinder lock and key thereof according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lever (9) has a substantially flattened shape and is pivoted within a seat (8) which is complementary to the contour of the lever (9) at a perimetric edge thereof, the opposite edge of said lever (9) oscillating freely between extreme configurations for protrusion from the profile of the key (2).