EP4237645A1

EP4237645A1 - Locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: EP4237645A1
Application number: EP21815370.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nikolaos ZAFEIRAKIS; Eleni ZAFEIRAKI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-11-01
Filing date: 2021-11-02
Publication date: 2023-09-06
Also published as: WO2022090567A1

Abstract

A locking mechanism comprising: a cylindrical part (5, 21) which has an axis of a cylinder and has grooves which are rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the cylinder, the grooves defining a guiding curve; a component (15) which comprises a set of two symmetrical pins (13, 14, 36, 37) which are movable with respect to the cylindrical part or vice versa, and the set's pins (13, 14, 36, 37) fit inside the grooves and are movable along the guiding curve from locking positions (45) to respective unlocked positions (41) and vice versa, and the component (15) and the set's pins are rotatable with respect to the cylindrical part about the axis of the cylinder by 360 degrees divided by the number of locking or unlocked positions from a first unlocked position to a second unlocked position or from a first locking position to a second locking position.

Description

LOCKING MECHANISM

Technical Field

The present invention refers to a locking mechanism. It particularly refers to a push to lock / push to unlock type locking mechanism, i.e. a mechanism that locks and unlocks in a serial manner each time an element of the mechanism is moved along the locking axis.

Background

There are several types of serial locking mechanisms. For example, many objects have serial locking mechanisms. In pens, pressure is applied on one component which in turn moves the next one which in turn displaces the ink cartridge. In electrical button switches there is a mechanism that locks the switch when it is pushed. A similar mechanism exists in cupboard securing mechanisms. However, previously known mechanisms are not suitable for cases where the force applied for locking must be applied directly to the component to be locked, nor for cases where the locking component needs to follow a long travel during locking or unlocking, or where there is needed the ability to adjust the size of the locking mechanism to adapt to the size of the structure in which the locking mechanism is to be integrated.

Summary of the Invention

The present disclosure concerns a locking mechanism which is intended to be used in cases where the force applied to the lock must be applied directly to the component to be locked. The locking mechanism advantageously allows for using a locking bolt which may move along its axis with a high degree of reliability during its use and which may have a long travel. Likewise, the present invention allows for easily adjusting the size of the locking mechanism to adapt to the size of the structure to be integrated. The mechanism’s design allows its manufacture at low cost, e.g. using CNC or casting or 3D printing etc. manufacturing methods.

The present invention is suitable for structures where high reliability and durability of the mechanism are required. An advantage of the mechanism is that, in it, the applied forces and friction are reduced to a minimum. The mechanism has a rotary function, which reduces the mechanism’s size and at the same time allows the use of the mechanism on a shaft. The minimum number of components sufficient for locking and unlocking is only two.

The present invention in a first aspect concerns a locking mechanism comprising: a cylindrical part which has an axis of a cylinder and has grooves which are rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the cylinder, the grooves defining a guiding curve; a component which comprises a set of two or more pins which are movable with respect to the cylindrical part or vice versa, and the set’s pins fit inside the grooves and are movable along the guiding curve from locking positions to respective unlocked positions and vice versa, and the component and the set’s pins are rotatable with respect to the cylindrical part about the axis of the cylinder by a number of degrees which is equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of pins from a first unlocked position to a second unlocked position or from a first locking position to a second locking position, wherein between each two consecutive locking positions there is a corresponding one of the unlocked positions, and between each two consecutive unlocked positions there is a corresponding one of the locking positions. Hence, the number of components/elements sufficient/necessary for locking and unlocking is limited to only two: the cylindrical part which has the grooves and the component which has the set of pins. It may be understood that in an embodiment the pins may glide inside and along the grooves. Most preferably the number of pins is a divisor of 360.

From the above, and considering that every cylindrical part can be considered as having two bases (i.e. the bases of a cylinder) it can be understood that the axis of the cylinder, i.e. the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical part, is normal to the bases of the cylindrical part i.e. to the bases of the cylinder. Nevertheless, said bases are not necessarily flat. In fact, the grooves may be at an interior or at an exterior or at base of the cylindrical part. Hence in the optional case that the grooves are at one base of the cylindrical part, then said base or a profile of said base may not be flat and may comprise recessions or protrusions which may be profound and extend along the circumference of the base. The presence of two or more locking and unlocking positions along a rotation or arc about the axis of the cylinder may advantageously enable the use of multiple, e.g. two or more (if needed) pins, thusly advantageously distributing the load to two or more points for enhancing the reliability of the mechanism. The pins may also be called securing pins. According to the above, optionally the cylindrical part has an additional guiding curve which is defined by additional grooves on the cylindrical part. The component’s grooves and the optional additional grooves may preferably be at the two bases of the cylindrical part, i.e. the grooves may be at a first base/end of the cylindrical part and the optional additional grooves be at a cylindrical part’s second base/end which is opposite and distal to the first one. The additional groove may serve for optionally using more than one sets of pins, e.g. for advantageously distributing the load to more than two points as described above regarding a corresponding optional case. Hence, in one embodiment of the locking mechanism, the cylindrical part has additional grooves thereon, and the additional groves are rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the cylinder, the additional grooves defining an additional guiding curve. Preferably each of the grooves and the additional grooves have a corresponding rotational symmetry and the respective corresponding geometrical symmetries have with respect to each other an angular difference of 90 degrees. More preferably the rotational symmetries of the grooves and the additional grooves are the same, albeit more preferably with the aforementioned angular difference. Hence, when herein reference is made to the grooves or the additional grooves being symmetrical, it can be understood that said grooves present a rotational symmetry about the axis of the cylinder, i.e. the longitudinal axis of the (corresponding) cylindrical part. In fact, the feature that the grooves have a rotational symmetry advantageously offers the possibility that a specific pattern/path or part along/of the guiding curve can preferably be repeated several times along a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical part for enabling the preferred use of multiple securing pins. It may be further understood that in an exemplary embodiment wherein along a 360 rotation about the cylinder axis there are 2 locked and 2 unlocked positions, the rotation for going from the first locked to the second locked position is 180 degrees.

Preferably the grooves and/or the additional grooves are at an interior or at an exterior or at a base of the cylindrical part. Likewise, in an embodiment which comprises the aforementioned optional additional grooves, the latter and the grooves are at both bases of the cylindrical part, i.e. the grooves are at one base, and the additional grooves are at the other base.

Optionally, the locking mechanism comprises a solid that comprises integrated therein the cylindrical part, preferable the solid having a rectangular or cylindrical form. The presence of said solid may advantageously protect and increase the reliability of the cylindrical part and of the overall mechanism, and may also facilitate the integration of the locking mechanism and of its cylindrical part in a larger system, by attaching said solid to said larger system, and for the same purpose, preferably said solid is rectangular or cylindrical. Likewise, optionally and preferably the cylindrical part comprises two subparts which are joinable together or separable from each other, and each of said two subparts has a respective grooves’ subpart, the respective groove subparts being shaped to jointly form the grooves when the subparts join each other. Fabricating the cylindrical part and its grooves in subparts can advantageously reduce the cost and complexity of the fabrication of the cylindrical part, as well as may permit using industrially important, accurate and substantially low-cost manufacturing methods such as with CNC, casting, additive manufacturing (3D printing) etc. Nevertheless, there are available manufacturing techniques, e.g. 3D printing, for making the cylindrical part directly as a single piece.

In the optional case that the cylindrical part comprises said two subparts, optionally the locking mechanism (further) comprises two solids each of which comprises integrated therein a respective subpart of the cylindrical part. Preferably each of the two solids comprises alignment means which are configured to facilitate aligning the subparts or the two solids to each other and/or fixing the object on a support, more preferably said alignment means comprising holes. Hence, when two holes are positioned so they can be aligned during assembly of the solids, they can be used so that the user may understand when do the two solids become correctly aligned.

In some preferred embodiments the locking mechanism comprises a second cylindrical part which herein is also called complementary cylindrical part. The complementary cylindrical part’s longitudinal axis, i.e. the axis of the cylinder of the complementary cylindrical part, herein is also called axis of the complementary cylinder, for better distinguishing from the corresponding axis of the (first) cylindrical part. Accordingly, in some embodiments which are according to the first aspect of the invention, the locking mechanism further comprises said complementary cylindrical part which has a respective axis of a complementary cylinder and complementary grooves, and the complementary groves are rotationally symmetrical about the respective axis of the complementary cylinder, the complementary grooves defining a complementary guiding curve, the respective axis of the complementary cylinder being parallel to the axis of the cylinder, and preferably each of the grooves and the complementary grooves having respective rotational symmetries which with respect to each other are the same and shifted by 90 degrees (i.e. they have a 90 degrees angular difference). The complementary grooves can be used for guiding additional optional pins of the mechanism and for better distributing the forces and corresponding pressure or tension between all the pins and the cylindrical parts with respect to which the pins rotate, and/or can be used for optionally enabling that always some pins are in contact with the cylindrical part or the complementary cylindrical part. This may further increase the durability and firmness of the locking mechanism.

In the optional case that the locking mechanism comprises the complementary grooves, then preferably the locking mechanism comprises a first solid that comprises the cylindrical part and a second solid that comprises the complementary cylindrical part. More preferably, each of the first and second solids comprise a respective rectangular part from/to which the cylindrical part or the complementary part protrude/is attached. Even more preferably, the aforementioned respective rectangular parts of the first and second solids connect to each other and preferably contact each other, and the cylindrical and complementary cylindrical parts extend, preferably lengthwise, from the rectangular parts. The above are optional features which permit the cylindrical parts to be manufactured, combined and assembled with each other and with any other elements in a relatively easy way. Likewise, such optional features advantageously facilitate that the resulting structure and mechanism can be made to be compact. Likewise, in some preferred embodiments the cylindrical part and the optional complementary cylindrical part are axially aligned to each other, thereby advantageously further optimizing the compactness and simplicity of the locking mechanism.

As can be understood, in the locking mechanism preferably the two symmetrical pins of the set lengthwise extend from the component towards opposite directions with respect each other. Thereby, the symmetrical pins when inserted/fitted in, i.e. engaged with, the grooves, may prevent the cylindrical part from disengaging from the component that has the pins.

The durability of the locking mechanism can advantageously further be increased when using an optional additional set of two symmetrical pins. Hence, in the locking mechanism according to the invention optionally the component comprises an additional set of two symmetrical pins which are movable with respect to the cylindrical part or vice versa, and/or the additional set’s pins are movable with respect to the complementary cylindrical part (when the latter exists) or vice versa, and the additional set’s pins fit inside the additional grooves or the complementary grooves and, with respect to the cylindrical part or to the complementary cylindrical part, the additional set’s pins are respectively movable along the additional or the complementary guiding curve, and are rotatable about respectively the axis of the cylinder or the axis of the complementary cylinder. Preferably the additional set’s pins, with respect to the cylindrical part or to the complementary cylindrical part, are movable along the additional curve or the complementary curve from respective locking positions to respective unlocked positions and vice versa. More preferably, the additional set’s pins are rotatable about the axis of the cylinder or the axis of the complementary cylinder by 360 degrees divided by the number of the respective locking or unlocked positions from the first unlocked position to the second unlocked position or from the first locking position to the second locking position, wherein between each two consecutive respective locking positions there is a corresponding one of the respective unlocked positions, and between each two consecutive respective unlocked positions there is corresponding one of the respective locking positions. The locking and unlocking positions of each of the set of and of the additional set of pins may define corresponding locking and unlocked positions of the component which comprises said sets of pins, especially when all the pins are on a single solid piece which may be the component.

Accidental unlocking or locking can be reduced, and the overall firmness of the locking can advantageously be further increased in the optional and preferable case where the groves are shaped to restrict the pins’ movement from the locking to the unlocked positions in the absence of an external force, said external force being parallel to the axis of the cylinder and being applied to the component or to the cylindrical part, and where the groves are shaped to permit such movement when said external force is applied. However, a force which is parallel to the axis of the cylinder, like a pushing force being applied by a user, may be used for the intentional locking or unlocking of the mechanism, and hence the groove may be shaped to allow the movement between locking and unlocking positions in the presence of such force.

For advantageously facilitating the application of a force for the rotation of the component relatively to the cylindrical part or the rotation of the cylindrical part relatively to the component, the mechanism may comprise a bolt which is attached on the component or on the cylindrical part. Hence, said bolt may optionally rotate (or not) with the cylindrical part or with the components with the pins, and may respectively execute a relative movement and a relative stop at the locking positions which are defined by the relative motion of the pins along the grooves. Nevertheless, the component with the pins may be attached to the bolt and configured to move together with the bolt along the axis of the cylinder or the longitudinal axis of the bolt, and simultaneously rotate about said axis (of the cylinder or the longitudinal axis of the bolt) independently from the bolt. The latter is the case in an embodiment wherein the locking mechanism comprises a bolt which comprises two separable cylinders and a ring which fits between said cylinders which restrict the movement of the ring along the bolt’s longitudinal axis but do not restrict the rotation of the ring about the same axis. Hence, the bolt optionally may not rotate about its longitudinal axis nor may rotate about the axis of the cylinder. The grooves are most preferably shaped such that said relative movement of the bolt and the ring between the locking and the unlocked positions is or causes an axial relative motion of the bolt along the cylindrical part’s axis. Hence, said axial motion may define a locking and unlocking, by the bolt, of a system into which the locking mechanism is integrated. For example, the locking mechanism may be integrated in a door, which may be locked when the bolt along the axis of the cylinder moves towards one direction, and the door is unlocked when the bolt moves towards a second direction which is opposite to the first one. The motion towards the first and the second direction may correspond and caused by the cylindrical part or component part executing the aforementioned relative rotation from an unlocked position to a respective locking position with respect to, correspondingly, the pins or to the cylindrical part. As the rotating element rotates (relatively to a part of the locking mechanism) passing through successive unlocked and locked positions, it may correspondingly cause said optional bolt to successively unlock and lock the door by reciprocating along the geometrical axis of the cylinder. Hence, the bolt may allow translating the locking of the mechanism into a blocking of an element of a larger system into which the locking mechanism may be integrated, e.g. for blocking a door into which optionally a locking mechanism according to the invention may be integrated.

According to the above, in a preferred embodiment the locking mechanism’s component comprises a bolt and a ring or a first cylinder, and said ring or first cylinder is at the bolt and has the set of pins thereon. Also, preferably, said ring or first cylinder is attached at the bolt. Likewise, preferably, the bolt and the ring or first cylinder are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part. Likewise, in an embodiment the bolt comprises two separable sections or second cylinders, and the ring or the first cylinder fits between the two separable sections or second cylinders. These above optional features regarding the bolt, may advantageously further contribute to having a locking mechanism that is compact and easy to fabricate, maintain and operate.

In some embodiments which comprise said optional bolt, the cylindrical part fits around the bolt, the latter is axially aligned with the cylindrical part, the set’s pins protrude from the aforementioned optional first cylinder or ring towards the cylindrical part. Moreover, as mentioned further above, the bolt is movable along the axis of the cylinder. Hence, the cylindrical part with respect to the pins may also be movable along the axis of the cylinder. Likewise, if the bolt is attached to the cylindrical part, it may be movable with respect to the pins along the axis (the geometrical axis) of the cylindrical part.

In another embodiment that is advantageously particularly easy to assemble and operate, the cylindrical part is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt and the optional first cylinder or ring mentioned above passes, and the grooves are at an interior of the cylindrical part. In one embodiment that advantageously is also ease to assemble and operate, and comprises the aforementioned optional complementary cylindrical part and first cylinder, the mechanism’s component (the component with the pins) comprises the first cylinder; the first cylinder has the additional set of pins thereon; the set’s pins protrude from the first cylinder or ring towards the cylindrical part; the cylindrical part is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt and the first cylinder passes, and the grooves are at a respective base of the cylindrical part; the complementary cylindrical part is hollow and has a complementary hole through which the bolt and the first cylinder passes, and the grooves are at a base of the complementary cylindrical part; the respective bases of the cylindrical part and of the complementary cylindrical part are opposite to each other.

In an embodiment the locking mechanism further comprises a bolt; the grooves are at an exterior or at a distal end of the cylindrical part; the cylindrical part is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt passes; the cylindrical part is fixed to the bolt and rotatable about the cylindrical part’s axis; the bolt and the cylindrical part pass through the component. Likewise, in one embodiment which is according to the previous one, the component is hollow and is a ring or preferably a first cylinder; the bolt and the ring or first cylinder are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part; and the bolt and the ring or first cylinder are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part. The locking mechanism may further comprise further optional elements, e.g. a nut, a washer and a spring, which advantageously may contribute to the low cost and easy manufacturing and assembly of the mechanism, and to the optimization of the mechanism’s reliability. Hence, in a preferred embodiment of the invention which comprises said optional bolt, the locking mechanism further comprises: a nut that secures the cylindrical part on the bolt; a washer which is between the cylindrical part and the nut; two additional components with respective holes via which the bolt passes through, said holes defining an axis of motion of the bolt; a spring via which the bolt passes through, the spring being between and restricted by the two additional components and the bolt being shaped and configured to compress the spring when the cylindrical part moves with respect to the symmetrical pins from the first locking position to the first unlocked position or from the second locking position to the second unlocked position, and the spring when compressed being configured to extend applying a force for moving the cylindrical part and bolt along the axis of the cylinder .

The present invention in its second aspect concerns a door which comprises a locking mechanism according to the first aspect of the invention. A further aspect of the present invention concerns the use of the locking mechanism, e.g., the latter’s use in a door.

Brief Description of Drawing

FIG. 1 shows embodiments of the cylindrical part, parts therein and a planar view a surface of the cylindrical part.

FIG. 2 shows a guiding curve formed by grooves in a cylindrical part of an embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows parts of an embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment according to the invention, and parts therein. FIG 5 shows an embodiment according to the invention, and parts therein. FIG. 6 shows an embodiment according to the invention, and parts therein. FIG. 7 shows parts of an embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment according to the invention, and parts therein.

FIG. 9 shows parts of an embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show an embodiment according to the invention. Detailed Description

FIG. 1 shows the symmetrical grooves on surfaces of cylindrical parts of embodiments of the invention. In FIG. 1 , a view of the of the cylindrical part with grooves on its exterior surface is shown in D, and part of said surface is shown on C. A section of another embodiment wherein the grooves are on an interior surface of a corresponding cylindrical part is shown in B. Related to the embodiment of FIG. D, an expanded planar view of the surface with the grooves is shown in E of FIG. 1 , and half of said surface is shown in the planar view of A of FIG. 1 . The guiding curve defined by the grooves in the embodiment of D of FIG. 1 , is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2 where a part of a path/trajectory that may be followed by the pins (not shown in FIG. 2) is indicated with the dashed line. The movement of the pins along said line is determined by the shape of the guiding curve. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, starting from the right, a pin may start from the bottom 41 of the guiding curve, said bottom also being a first unlocked position, and then the pin may pass through the position 42 where it may meet at an angle the groove that may force the pin to move to the left and end at the edge 43 of the groove 43. Then the pin may retract in position 44 where it may meet at an angle the groove which may lead the pin to the left until the pin stops at a lock position 45 where it may remain. Herein said lock position is also called locking position or deployed position. When unlocked, the pin may move to position 46 where it may meet at an angle the groove that may force the pin to move to the left and stop at position 47. Then the pin may retract in position 48 where it may meet at an angle the groove that leads the pin to the left until the pin stops at position 41 , i.e. in the second unlocked position, of the second channel, having completed a lock / unlock cycle. Accordingly, in embodiments where the locking mechanism comprises an optional and preferable bolt that is attached and moves together with the pins relatively to the cylindrical part, the aforementioned trajectory described by FIG. 2 would also define the motion of the bolt, and in particular would define an axial motion/transition, this is to say a shift along the cylinder’s axis, from the first unlocked position 41 to the locking position 45, and then to the second unlocked position. The same would happen in the other optional case that the bolt is attached to the cylindrical part and moves relatively to the pins along the shown trajectory. From FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 it may also be understood that the guiding curve, specifically the features that defined a locking/unlock cycle, may be repeated several times along the cylindrical surface, thusly also enabling the optional use of multiple respective securing pins, for thereby advantageously distributing the load to more points and enhancing reliability. Overall, it may be understood that the guiding curves are such that the end position of one cycle is the starting position of the next cycle, thus enabling an infinite cycles operation. FIG. 3 concerns an embodiment of a locking mechanism comprising: a cylindrical part 5 which has an axis of a cylinder and has grooves which are rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the cylinder, the grooves defining a guiding curve; a component 15 which comprises a set of two pins 13, 14 which are movable with respect to the cylindrical part 5 or vice versa, and the set’s pins 13, 14 fit inside the grooves and are movable along the guiding curve from locking positions to respective unlocked positions and vice versa, and the component 15 and the set’s pins are rotatable with respect to the cylindrical part about the axis of the cylinder by a number of degrees that is equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of the set’s pins from a first unlocked position to a second unlocked position or from a first locking position to a second locking position, wherein between each two consecutive locking positions there is a corresponding one of the unlocked positions, and between each two consecutive unlocked positions there is corresponding one of the locking positions. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the set has two pins, and hence each of the set’s pins is rotatable with respect to the cylindrical part about the axis of the cylinder by 360/2=180 degrees from one unlocked position to the other unlocked position. The cylindrical part of FIG. 3, similarly to FIG. 1 and 2, has two unlocked and two locking positions along the periphery of the cylindrical part, and hence the pins with respect to the cylindrical part’s surface are rotatable 180 degrees going from one unlocked to the other unlocked position. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the mechanism also comprises a bolt and a ring 12 which has the two pins. In FIG. 3 the axis of the cylinder is not indicated, but it may be understood that said axis is the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical part and said axis is normal to the bases of the cylindrical part and is parallel to, and in fact coincides, with the longitudinal axis of the bolt which passes through and is attached to ring 12. Hence, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 the bolt and the ring 12 are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part 5. As shown in FIG. 3 the grooves are at an interior of the cylindrical part, and the cylindrical part 5 comprises two subparts 8, 9 which are joinable together or separable from each other, and each of said two subparts has a respective grooves’ subpart, the respective groove subparts being shaped to jointly form the grooves when the subparts 8, 9 join each other. Planar views 6, 7 of the two subparts, showing the groove subparts spaced from each other, are seen at the right in FIG. 3. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the symmetrical pins 13, 14 of the set lengthwise extend from the component towards opposite directions with respect each other, and moreover, the bolt comprises to two separable sections 11 , 10, and the ring 12 fits between the two separable sections 1 1 , 10. Likewise, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 the cylindrical part 5 fits around the bolt, the latter is axially aligned with the cylindrical part, the set’s pins protrude from the ring 12 towards the cylindrical part 5, the ring is rotatable with respect to the cylindrical part 5 or vice versa about the axis of the cylindrical part, and the bolt is movable along the axis of the cylinder with respect to the cylindrical part. Regarding FIG. 3 it may also be said that the cylinders 10 and 1 1 and the ring 12 form a component where the ring 12 can rotate freely.

Figure 4 shows assembled the embodiment of FIG. 3. Hence, as shown in FIG. 4 the ring 12 has two symmetrical pins 13 and 14 whose diameter is less than the width of the groove in the solid formed by uniting of pieces 8 and 9. This is so that the pins can move through the canal (the grooves) without difficulty. The bolt has an overall diameter such that it allows it to fit in the solid and due to the symmetrical channel, the pins follow the channel when the component 15 moves into the solid. A practical way for designing or arriving at the cylindrical part shown in FIG. 4, is to start with the planar grooved flat solid shown as the planar view or design E of FIG. 1 (or also shown in FIG. 2), and curve said grooved planar solid towards the solid’s grooved surface for thereby arriving at a cylindrical part which is as the one shown in FIG. 4 or indicated in B of FIG. 1 wherein the grooves are at the interior of the cylindrical part. In the latter case, in FIG. 4, part 8 may result from curving part 6, and part 9 may result from curving part 7. Alternatively, the grooved planar solids of E of FIG. 1 may be curved towards the surface which is opposite to the grooved surface, for arriving at a cylindrical part as shown in D of FIG. 1 wherein the grooves are at the exterior (surface) of the cylindrical part.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment wherein the cylindrical part comprises two subparts which may also be called cylindrical components, and said two subparts are joinable together and separable from each other, and each of said two subparts has a respective grooves’ subpart, the respective groove subparts being shaped to jointly form the grooves when the subparts join each other. FIG. 5 particularly shows that the mechanism comprises two solids 16, 17 each of which comprises integrated therein a respective subpart of the cylindrical part, wherein each of the two solids comprise holes which are a type of alignment means which are configured to facilitate aligning the subparts or the two solids to each other. Said holes may also serve for fixing the cylindrical subpart on a support. Hence, regarding FIG. 5 it may be also understood that the aforementioned cylindrical components (subparts) have a rectangular form 16 and 17 so their assembly forms a block 18 which has holes for alignment between them and fixing on a support. The block may interact with the component 15 as described above. FIG. 6 shows an embodiment which comprises a cylindrical part 21 which at one of its bases has grooves and also comprises a complementary cylindrical part 22 which has complementary grooves on one of its bases. The complementary cylindrical part 22 has a respective axis of a complementary cylinder, and the complementary groves are symmetrical about the respective axis of the complementary cylinder, the complementary grooves defining a complementary guiding curve, the respective axis of the complementary cylinder being parallel to the axis of the cylinder (the longitudinal axis of part 21 ), and each of the grooves and the complementary grooves have a corresponding rotation symmetry and the respective geometrical symmetries have with respect to each other have an angular difference of 90 degrees. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, part 21 may result from curving flat part 19, while part 22 may result from curving flat part 20, wherein flat parts 19 and 20 correspond to parts 6 and 7 shown in FIG. 4. Hence, the cylindrical and complementary cylindrical parts of FIG. 6 can be geometrically or conceptually derived from the cylindrical part 5 of FIG. 4. It is noted that in FIG. 6 part 21 compared to part 22 may be rotated by the aforementioned 90 degrees angle about the cylindrical axis. Hence, the cylindrical parts shown in FIG. 6 may be made by curving together pieces 19 and 20 for forming a cylindrical part which is as the one shown in D of FIG. 1 and comprises parts 21 and 22, then turning parts 21 and 22 upside down with respect to each other, and then rotating part 22 by 90 degrees about the axis of the cylinder, for arriving at the example configuration shown in FIG. 6. In the embodiment of FIG. 6 two cylindrical parts/solids 21 and 22 cab be joined upside down. The mechanism of FIG. 6 comprises a ring which may also be described as being a first cylinder 25. Said ring or first cylinder 25 has four pins. Hence, compared to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the embodiment of FIG. 6 comprises an additional set of two symmetrical pins which are movable with respect to the complementary cylindrical part or vice versa, and the additional set’s pins fit inside the complementary grooves and, with respect to the complementary cylindrical part, the additional set’s pins are respectively movable along the complementary guiding curve, and are rotatable about the axis of the complementary cylinder.

The mechanism of FIG. 6 further comprises a bolt which consists of sections 23 and 24, said sections also called second cylinders 23, 24 between which the ring/first cylinder 25 fits. In Figure 6 the cylinders numbered 21 and 22 have a 90 degrees angular difference and the 4 pins of the ring/component 25 are in the locked position. Likewise, the embodiment of FIG. 6 has the following features: the component comprises the first cylinder; the first cylinder has the additional set of pins thereon; the set’s pins protrude from the first cylinder 25 towards the cylindrical part 21 ; the cylindrical part is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt and the first cylinder passes, and the grooves are at a respective base of the cylindrical part; the complementary cylindrical part is hollow and has a complementary hole through which the bolt and the first cylinder passes, and the grooves are at a respective base of the complementary cylindrical part; the respective bases of the cylindrical part and the complementary cylindrical part are opposite to each other and with respect to an interface between the cylindrical part and the complementary cylindrical part which contact each other.

In the embodiment concerned by FIG. 7 each of the first and second solids 26, 27 which respectively comprise the cylindrical and complementary cylindrical part, also comprise a respective rectangular part from/to which the cylindrical part or the complementary part protrude/is attached. Hence in FIG. 7 the cylindrical solids 26, 27 have a more practical shape and the overall component 28 which results from said first and second solid’s connection is easier to be integrated into a locking mechanism. Advantageously the embodiment of FIG. 7 may be fabricated in a simple and cost-effective way by means of molding, preferably using a single mold.

FIG. 8 shows a component wherein the cylindrical part 5, which may also be called guiding curve cylinder, is placed between two subpart’s/components 29, 30 which are to be incorporated into a locking bolt. In this position the cylindrical solid 5 rotates freely. The ring 31 that has internal opposing pins is fixed. The ring’s diameter is such that the part 5 can fit inside it and the pins can follow the groove that is formed on its surface. The bolt’s parts 29, 30 move together with the cylinder/cylindrical part 5. The fixed pins of the ring 31 move in the groove. In this way, the bolt locks in a specific position and unlocks when force is applied to the bolt again. Likewise, in the embodiment of FIG. 8 the grooves are at an exterior the cylindrical part 5; the cylindrical part 5 is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt passes; the cylindrical part is attached to the bolt and rotatable about the cylindrical part’s axis; the bolt and the cylindrical part pass through the component; the component with the pins is hollow and is a ring 31 ; the bolt and the ring 31 are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part 5. FIG. 9 shows a preferred embodiment of a locking mechanism containing one of the embodiments mentioned above, and in particular comprises the bolt 38, the cylinder (cylindrical part, also called roller) 5, the nut 40 that secures the cylinder 5 on the bolt 38, the washer 32 which is placed between the roller 5 and the nut so that the rotation of the roller 5 has minimal friction. The mechanism of FIG. 9 also comprises a spring 39 which returns the mechanism to its unlocked (retracted) position. The component 35 is an alternative to the aforementioned ring 31 of FIG. 8, and has two pins 36 and 37 that move in the groove of the cylinder 5. The components 33 and 34 have corresponding internal holes through which the bolt 38 passes, and said holes define the bolt’s axis of motion. The bolt further comprises a stopper or annular protrusion which is on the surface of the bolt 38, as shown in FIG. 9. The component 34 and particularly its hole may be shaped to restrict or prevent said stopper or protrusion from passing through the component 34 and the latter's hole, for thereby restricting the bolt’s and the stopper’s movement (i.e. the range/length of said movement) along the axis of the cylinder, for preventing the bolt from excessively moving towards the left of FIG. 10, and hence, for preventing the pins from disengaging/exiting from the grooves of the cylindrical part. Likewise, the stopper or annular protrusion may be for contacting and compressing the spring as shown in FIG. 11 .

In FIG 10, the bolt 38 is in its original position. The pins 36 and 37 are located at the beginning of the cylindrical part 5, specifically at position 41 which is described above in relation to FIG 2. In the shown embodiment, the bolt 38 moves along its axis. In FIG. 10 the bolt 38 has not moved axially (has not moved along its longitudinal axis that is the same for the cylindrical part and bolt) so the spring 39 is not compressed. In FIG. 11 the bolt 38 has been displaced and is in the extended position. Due to the movement of the bolt 38, the spring 39 is compressed. The fixed pins 36 and 37 pass through the aforementioned positions 42, 43, 44 and lock in position 45. When force is re-applied to the bolt to unlock, the pins 36, 37 pass through positions 46, 47, 48, going to the retracted position 41 which is the second unlocked position. The spring 39 pushes the mechanism back to its original position as in Figure 10. At each completion of a locking / unlocking process the cylinder 5 of the specific embodiment rotates 180 degrees. It is noted that in the embodiment shown, when bolt 38 is pushed to lock, cylindrical part 5 may also act as a stopper capable/configured for contacting/touching component 34. Likewise, the cylindrical part, the bolt and the component 34 may be preferably arranged so that when/if the cylindrical part 5 contacts component 34, it thereby prevents the pins 36, 37 from touching/hitting the washer 32. It may be further understood that the bolt may be pushed to unlock the mechanism. Said push to lock, and push to unlock the mechanism may be pushing the bolt towards a direction that is parallel to the axis of the cylinder, i.e. parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bolt.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments disclosed here are non-limitative examples, and other embodiments are possible.

Claims

CLAIMS A locking mechanism comprising

- a cylindrical part (5, 21 ) which has an axis of a cylinder and has grooves which are rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the cylinder, the grooves defining a guiding curve;

- a component (15) which comprises a set of two or more pins (13, 14, 36, 37) which are movable with respect to the cylindrical part or vice versa, and the set’s pins (13, 14, 36, 37) fit inside the grooves and are movable along the guiding curve from locking positions (45) to respective unlocked positions (41 ) and vice versa, and the component (15) and the set’s pins are rotatable with respect to the cylindrical part about the axis of the cylinder by a number of degrees that is equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of pins from a first unlocked position to a second unlocked position or from a first locking position to a second locking position, wherein between each two consecutive locking positions there is a corresponding one of the unlocked positions, and between each two consecutive unlocked positions there is corresponding one of the locking positions. A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the cylindrical part has additional grooves thereon, and the additional groves are rotationally symmetrical about the axis of the cylinder, the additional grooves defining an additional guiding curve, and preferably each of the grooves and the additional grooves having respective rotational symmetries which with respect to each other are the same and are angularly shifted by 90 degrees. A locking mechanism according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the grooves and/or the additional grooves are at an interior or at an exterior or at a base of the cylindrical part (5, 21 ). A locking mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the grooves and the additional grooves are at both bases of the cylindrical part (5, 21 ). A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the cylindrical part comprises two subparts (8, 9) which are joinable together or separable from each other, and each of said two subparts (8, 7) has a respective groove subpart, the respective groove subparts being shaped to jointly form the grooves when the subparts join each other. A locking mechanism according to claim 5, comprising two solids (16, 17) each of which comprises integrated therein a respective subpart of the cylindrical part, wherein each of the two solids preferably comprising alignment means which are configured to facilitate aligning the subparts or the two solids (16, 17) to each other and/or fixing the cylindrical part on a support, more preferably said alignment means comprising holes. A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a solid (18) that comprises integrated therein the cylindrical part, preferable the solid having a rectangular or cylindrical form. A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a complementary cylindrical part (22) which has an axis of a complementary cylinder and complementary grooves, and the complementary groves are rotationally symmetrical about the respective axis of the complementary cylinder, the complementary grooves defining a complementary guiding curve, the axis of the complementary cylinder being parallel to the axis of the cylinder, and preferably each of the grooves and the complementary grooves having respective rotational symmetries which with respect to each other are the same and angularly shifted by 90 degrees. A locking mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the complementary grooves are at an interior or at the exterior or at a base of the complementary cylindrical part (22). A locking mechanism according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a first solid (21 , 26) that comprises the cylindrical part (5, 21 ) and a second solid (22, 27) that comprises the complementary cylindrical part (22). 19 A locking mechanism according to claim 10, wherein each of the first and second solids (26, 27) comprise a respective rectangular part from/to which the cylindrical part (5, 21) or the complementary (22) part protrudes/is attached. A locking mechanism according to claims 1 1 , wherein the respective rectangular parts of the first and second solids (26, 27) connect to each other and preferably contact each other, and the cylindrical (5, 21 ) and complementary (5, 21 ) cylindrical parts extend, preferably lengthwise, from the respective rectangular parts. A locking mechanism according to any of claim 10-12, wherein the respective first (21 , 26) and second (22, 27) solids are arranged with the cylindrical part (5, 21 ) and the complementary cylindrical (22) part extending or protruding, particularly lengthwise, towards opposite directions to each other. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 8-13, wherein the cylindrical part (5, 21 ) and the complementary cylindrical part (22) are axially aligned to each other. A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the symmetrical pins (13, 14, 36, 37) of the set lengthwise extend from the component towards opposite directions with respect each other. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 2-15, wherein the component comprises an additional set of two symmetrical pins which are movable with respect to the cylindrical part (5, 21 ) or vice versa, or the additional set’s pins are movable with respect to the complementary cylindrical part (22) or vice versa, and the additional set’s pins fit inside the additional grooves or the complementary grooves and, with respect to the cylindrical part (5, 21 ) or to the complementary cylindrical part (22), the additional set’s pins are respectively movable along the additional or the complementary guiding curve, and are rotatable about respectively the axis of the cylinder or the axis of the complementary cylinder. 20 A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the groves are shaped to restrict the pins’ (13, 14, 36, 37) movement from the locking to the unlocked positions in the absence of an external force, said external force being parallel to the axis of the cylinder and being applied to the component or to the cylindrical part, and the groves are shaped to permit such movement when said external force is applied. A locking mechanism according to any of the previous claims, wherein the component (15) comprises a bolt (38) and a ring (12, 31 ) or a first cylinder (25), and said ring (12, 31 ) or first cylinder (25) is, preferably attached, at the bolt and has the set of pins (13, 14, 36, 37) thereon. A locking mechanism according to claim 17, wherein the bolt (38) and the ring (12, 31 ) or first cylinder (25) are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part (5, 21 ). A locking mechanism according to claims 18 or 19, wherein the bolt comprises two separable sections (1 1 , 10, 29, 30) or second cylinders (23, 24), and the ring (12, 31 ) or the first cylinder (25) fits between the two separable sections (11 , 10, 29, 30) or second cylinders (23, 24), preferably said ring (12, 31 ) or first cylinder (25) being rotatable about the axis of the cylinder and with respect to the bolt (38). A locking mechanism according to any of claim 18-20, wherein the cylindrical part (21 ) fits around the bolt (38), the latter is axially aligned with the cylindrical part, the set’s pins (13, 14, 36, 37) protrude from the first cylinder or ring towards the cylindrical part, and the bolt (38) is movable along the axis of the cylinder A locking mechanism according to claim 21 , wherein the cylindrical part (5, 21 ) is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt and the ring (12) or first cylinder (25) passes. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 6, 19, 20 and 22, wherein the component comprises the ring. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 6, 19, 20, 22 and 22, wherein the two solids are rectangular, and the component comprises the ring. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 8, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 22, wherein: 21

- the component comprises the first cylinder (25);

- the first cylinder (25) has the additional set of pins thereon;

- the set’s pins protrude from the first cylinder towards the cylindrical part;

- the cylindrical part (21 ) is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt and the first cylinder passes;

- the complementary cylindrical part (22) is hollow and has a complementary hole through which the bolt and the first cylinder passes. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 25 and 11 -13. A locking mechanism according to any of claims 1 -17,

- further comprising a bolt (38);

- the cylindrical part (5) is hollow and has a hole through which the bolt passes;

- the cylindrical part (5) is attached to the bolt and rotatable, preferably with respect to the bolt, about the cylindrical part’s axis; A locking mechanism according to claim 27, wherein:

- the component is hollow and is a ring (12, 31 ) or a first cylinder (25);

- the bolt (38) and the ring (12, 31 ) or first cylinder (25) are axially aligned to each other and to the cylindrical part (5); A locking mechanism according to any of claims 27-28, further comprising:

- a nut (40) that secures the cylindrical part (5) on the bolt (38);

- a washer (32) which is between the cylindrical part (5) and the nut (40); two additional components (33, 34) with respective holes via which the bolt passes through, said holes defining an axis of motion of the bolt;

- a spring (39) via which the bolt passes through, the spring being between and restricted by the two additional components (33, 34), and the bolt being shaped to compress the spring when the cylindrical part (5) moves with respect to the symmetrical pins from the first locking position to the first unlocked position or from the second locking position to the second unlocked position, and the spring when 22 compressed being configured to extend applying a force for moving the cylindrical part and bolt along the axis of the cylinder . A door comprising a locking mechanism which is according to any of the previous claims.