ES2878302T3 - Flat key and security lock set - Google Patents

Abstract

Flat key security lock assembly comprising: - a stator (12) having a cylindrical casing (20) and a blind hole (28) opening radially in said cylindrical casing (20), said stator (12) comprising a plurality of locking pins (62) to extend in said cylindrical housing (20); - a rotor (18) rotatably mounted inside said cylindrical casing (20), said rotor (18) comprising an axial passage (32) and a plurality of radial casings (66) opening outwards in order to allow said locking pins (62) extend within said radial casings (66) to maintain said rotor (18) in a fixed position with respect to said stator (12), said rotor (18) further comprising a ball (58) and a movable locking member (42) to be able to keep said ball (58) protruding from said rotor (18), while said ball (58) extends into said blind hole (28); and - a flat key (80) intended to engage inside said axial passage (32) to be able to push said locking pins (62) out of said rotor (18), and simultaneously control said movable locking of the locking member (42) to be able to allow said ball (58) to retract within said rotor (18); wherein said locking member (42) is rotatably movable.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Flat key and security lock set

The present invention relates to a flat key security lock assembly.

A planned field of application is notable, but not exclusively, that of the building and more precisely that of the access doors to the house.

Known flat key security lock assemblies, for example of the "European cylinder" type, comprise a stator having a cylindrical housing, which stator comprises a plurality of spring-driven locking pins intended to partially extend into the interior. of said cylindrical casing. Such a locking assembly also comprises a rotor mounted to rotate within the cylindrical housing. The rotor comprises an axial passage that opens axially on the outside in a keyhole, and a plurality of radial housings that open radially on the outside, each receiving a translationally movable counter pivot.

The rotor is held in a fixed position on the stator when the pins, pushed back by their spring, penetrate into the radial housings, pushing the counter pivots into the passageway and extending through the joint plane between the rotor and the rotor. stator.

Such a flat key security lock assembly with additional means for locking the rotor is known from WO 99/64703.

The rotor is then rotatably released from the stator by means of an open end coded key. Document BE1010212, for example, describes the implementation of a flat key whose drill edge has a notch. The calibrated notches correspond to the rotor, and when the bit is inserted through the keyhole of the rotor, in the passage, the counter pivots move away from the passage and are pushed back by the same pins, so that the contact areas between the counter pivots and pins extend into the plane of mating of the stator and rotor.

To make the locking assembly less easy to force, at least two knockouts are formed in the stator that open radially towards the cylindrical housing. Furthermore, the rotor comprises two balls and respectively a locking member movable in translation having a support end to be able to keep the balls protruding from the rotor, and a hollow opposite end. The balls are then extended into the knockouts so that additional members can be added to block the rotation of the rotor within the stator.

The bit of the flat wrench then comprises two lateral ribs interrupted to form a shoulder, and when the bit is inserted into the passage, the two movable locking elements rest respectively on the shoulders, and move in translation until their recessed ends they go out respectively in front of the balls. The latter can retract within the rotor when the latter rotates within the stator.

Thus, thanks to these additional means, forcing the lock assembly is more complex. However, it is easy to approach and actuate the locking elements in translation, in the axial direction of the passage, with suitable hooks. Furthermore, a problem that arises and that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a lock assembly that is less vulnerable to theft.

For this, according to a first object, a flat key security lock assembly is proposed, comprising: a stator having a cylindrical casing and a blind hole that opens radially in said cylindrical casing, said stator comprising a plurality of pins locking devices intended to extend within said cylindrical housing; a rotor mounted to rotate within said cylindrical housing, said rotor comprising an axial passage and a plurality of radial housings that open outwardly to allow said pins to enter and extend within said radial housings to hold said radial housings in a fixed position rotor with respect to said stator, said rotor further comprises a ball and a locking member movable in rotation to be able to keep said ball protruding from said rotor, while said ball extends into said blind hole; and a flat key adapted to engage within said axial passage to be able to push said pins out of said rotor, and simultaneously, to control said locking member to be able to allow said ball to retract within said rotor.

Therefore, a feature of the invention resides in the use of a ball locking member, not movable in translation, but movable in rotation. In this way, it is much more difficult during a taxi to come and actuate the rotating movable member from outside the rotor and through the keyhole of the rotor, by means of a hook, for example.

Furthermore, the implementation of said locking member makes it possible to reserve a more compact space inside the rotor, as will be explained in more detail below, and therefore make it more compact itself. Advantageously, said blocking member is housed between said passage and said ball. In this way, the rotational movement imparted to the locking member by the engagement of the key in the passage, without mechanical loss, makes it possible to instantly release the ball from its blind hole. Furthermore, as will be explained in more detail in the rest of the description, thanks to its shape, the ball retracts by itself if the locking member allows it, when the rotor is rotated.

Also, when the key is removed from the passage, the locking member is caused to rotate in the opposite direction, which acts directly on the ball to drive it into the knockout.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said blocking member extends transversely with respect to said passage path. In this way, the flat key can then easily cooperate with the locking member, when driven in translation within the passage, to be able to drive the locking member in rotation. In fact, the key bit comes into contact with the locking member in a direction perpendicular to its pivot axis.

Preferably, said locking member is connected to said rotor by means of a spring. In this way, the spring, when operating in torsion, allows the locking member to be forcibly held in an active position where it keeps the ball protruding from the rotor. When the drill is inserted into the passage and causes the rotation of the locking member, the spring compresses and stores potential energy, while the ball can be retracted when the rotor rotates in rotation by means of the wrench. When the key returns to its initial angular position and the bit is withdrawn from the passage, the locking member returns to its initial position under the effect of the spring that restores the stored potential energy and gives it a reverse rotational movement.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said blocking member is a cylinder of revolution. In other words, the locking member is a cylinder of revolution. Furthermore, the rotor has a cylindrical housing of revolution adapted in size to receive the locking member and to allow its guidance in rotation. Therefore, said locking member can be moved in rotation about its axis of revolution.

Preferably, said cylinder of revolution has a plane to receive said ball. Thus, at one of its ends, the cylinder of revolution has a plane. In this way, in its active position, the locking member is located in an angular position in which a portion of the cylindrical surface of the cylinder of revolution, contiguous with the plane, receives the ball in support and keeps it outside the rotor. As soon as the cylinder of revolution is driven in rotation, the plane opposite to the ball is set, which is then allowed to move radially towards the center and enters the interior of the rotor. According to a particularly advantageous variant of embodiment, said cylinder of revolution has a tooth intended to cooperate with said key. In this way, when the key bit is inserted into the passage, it engages the tooth and thus causes the cylinder of revolution to rotate as it is inserted.

According to another preferred embodiment variant, but not limiting, said cylinder of revolution has another plane intended to cooperate with said key. Thus, when the cylinder of revolution is in the active position, said other plane extends in an inclined manner in the passage path, opposite the keyhole of the rotor. Therefore, when the drill bit is inserted into the passage through the keyhole, it comes to slide against said other plane to rotate the cylinder of revolution. The production of a flat on a cylinder of revolution has the advantage of being economical.

Furthermore, and according to another object, a flat key is proposed for a lock assembly as described above, and comprises a bit having two opposite faces, said two opposite faces respectively having coded notches, and further comprises a contact piece mounted to through said drill and protruding from said two opposite faces. Therefore, it is easy to produce a hole in a direction normal to the bit and force a contact piece into it. Advantageously, the contact piece is held there in a fixed position by a lug inserted in the thickness of the drill.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said contact piece is an H-shaped piece having two pairs of opposite legs that respectively extend projecting from said two opposite faces. The H-piece has a substantially cylindrical symmetry and its generatrices are parallel to the median plane defined by the bit and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bit. In this way, and in combination with the variant embodiment of the tooth revolution cylinder, the latter is intended to fit inside one or the other of the two pairs of opposite legs of the H-piece. Thanks to this feature, the cylinder of revolution is precisely driven in rotation at a predefined angle. Furthermore, the amplitude of the rotation of the cylinder of revolution can be relatively large.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge when reading the description that follows of particular embodiments of the invention, by way of indication, but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of part of a security lock assembly according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of another part of the lock assembly according to the invention, according to a first embodiment;

- Figure 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the part of the lock assembly shown in Figure 1;

- Figure 3B is a detailed schematic view of Figure 3A;

- Figure 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view identical to the view shown in Figure 3 including the other part of the lock assembly shown in Figure 2;

- Figure 4B is a detailed schematic view of Figure 4A;

- Figure 5A is a schematic sectional side view of a lock assembly according to the invention according to another embodiment; Y

- Figure 5B is a detailed view of the object of Figure 5A.

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a lock cylinder 10 comprising a stator 12 in two opposite parts 14, 16 symmetrical to each other with respect to a median plane Pm, and a rotor 18 forming a solid of revolution.

The most advanced part 14 of the stator of Figure 1 has a cylindrical shell of circular symmetry 20, within a circular cylindrical sub-part 21 of the stator part 14. The cylindrical housing 20 has a concave cylindrical wall 22. And the stator part 14 has an elongated cylindrical sub-part 24 that extends radially with respect to the circular cylindrical sub-part 21. The elongated cylindrical sub-part 24 has a row of radial first housings 26 that they open radially in the wall 22. The row here comprises six radial housings 26. In a diametrically opposite position, the stator has a longitudinal groove 28 intended to form a blind hole as will be explained below.

The rotor 18 extends longitudinally between two opposite ends, one 29, propeller, intended to mesh with a cylinder drill 27, the other 31, free. And the rotor 18 has, at its free end 31, a keyhole 30 extended by an eccentric axial passage 32 and defining an axial plane Pa of the rotor 18. The rotor 18 has a convex circular cylindrical surface 34. Furthermore, the rotor 18 has a convex circular cylindrical surface 34. The axial passage 32 opens from the convex circular cylindrical surface 34, along a generatrix thereof.

The rotor 18 is divided into two semi-cylindrical parts along the axial plane Pa, a first semi-cylindrical part 36 and a second semi-cylindrical part 38.

The first semi-cylindrical part 36 has, towards its drive end 29, a transverse casing 40 adapted to receive a cylindrical locking member of revolution 42. The locking member 42 has an end 45 connected to a helical torsion spring 44. Furthermore, the transverse casing 40 has at its entrance two opposite entrance notches 46, 48, to be able to receive an indexing bar 49 along the way. Furthermore, the locking member 42 has, on the opposite side of its end 45, another end in which an indexing groove 50 is formed, intended to cooperate with the indexing bar 49 in order to be able to substantially increase the mechanical energy required for rotation. of the locking member 42, in its first phase of rotation, as will be explained below.

Furthermore, the locking member 42 has towards its end 45 connected to the helical torsion spring 44, a first plane 52, and diametrically opposite, towards the other end, a second plane 54 hidden in Figure 1.

Furthermore, the rotor 18 has, in its first semi-cylindrical part 36, a radial hole 56 which opens radially into the transverse casing 40 and, conversely, into the convex circular cylindrical surface 34. This radial hole 56 receives a ball 58, which it will affect the cylinder of revolution 42 as will be explained below.

Furthermore, Figure 1 illustrates return helical compression springs 60 intended to be coupled to the bottom of the first radial casings 26, whose compression helical springs 60 are each surmounted by a pin 62, intended to slide into the first radial casings. 26 as explained below. And furthermore, the pins 62 are crowned by counter pivots 64, themselves installed in the second semi-cylindrical part 38 of the rotor 18, as illustrated in Figure 3A.

Thus, Figure 3A, to which reference will now be made, corresponds to a cross section of the lock cylinder 10 shown in Figure 1, after having been assembled, and in a first radial casing 26. And appears in this Figure, the counter pivot 64 installed in a second radial casing 66. This second radial casing 66 opens into the convex circular cylindrical surface 34 and, on the other hand, into the axial passage 32.

Furthermore, this second radial casing 66 has, towards the axial passage 32, a reduced section which creates a first abutment shoulder 68. The counter pivot 64 then has a rod 70 finished off by a head 72 which forms a second abutment shoulder 74, which rests on the first abutment shoulder 68 to retain the counter pivot 64 in translation towards the axial passage 32.

In this case, the pin 62, having a free end 76, is partially engaged within the second radial housing 66 and also remains partially engaged within the first radial housing 26 of the oblong cylindrical subpart pushed through the second radial housing 66. by the helical compression spring 60, where the free end 76 rests against the head 72 of the counter pivot 64, including the stopper 74 and abutting the first stopper 68.

This configuration is similar for the other six pins 62. It is essentially the length of the counter pivots 64 that will allow the coding of the lock assembly according to the invention.

Furthermore, in this configuration, all the pins 62 extend through the parting line, which in turn extends between the wall 22 of the cylindrical housing 20 of the stator part 14 and the circular cylindrical surface 34 of the rotor 18 , and therefore, hold rotor 18 in a fixed position relative to stator 14.

To this conventional locking configuration is added a specific configuration that includes, in the first semi-cylindrical part 36 of the rotor 18, the ball 58 housed inside the radial hole 56, and which partially extends into the longitudinal bowl 28 forming a blind hole. It is held there by means of the locking member 42 engaged in its transverse housing 40.

The locking member 42 is held, thanks to the helical spring 44, in an angular position so that the first plane 52 is separated from the ball 58, while the latter rests on a portion of the cylindrical surface 78, corresponding to the radius of the locking member 42 as shown in Figure 3B.

The ball 58 thus becomes stuck in this position, where it extends substantially beyond the circular cylindrical surface 34 and into the longitudinal channel groove 28, thereby adding an additional lock on the rotation of the rotor 18 within the stator 14.

It will be noted that the indexing bar 49 which closes the entrance to the transverse housing 40, extends partially into the indexing slot 50 of the locking member 42. The locking member 42 is held axially in this position because it is pushed toward the indexing bar 49 by means of the helical torsion spring 44. Also seen in Figure 3B, the second plane 54, diametrically opposite to the first plane 52. The latter then extends towards the axial passage 32 and towards the eye of the key 30.

Before referring to Figure 4A, which illustrates the unlocking of the lock cylinder 10, reference is made to Figure 2, which illustrates a flat key 80 according to the invention.

This flat key 80 has a drill bit 82 itself having two opposing faces 84, 86 and an operating ring 88. Each of the two opposing faces 84, 86 comprises a rib 90 with notches to form a code. The two notched ribs 90 are antisymmetric to each other with respect to a median axial plane Pp of the bit 82. In addition, the bit 82 has a free end 92 behind which a hole 94 is drilled normal to the bit 82 and along its median plane Pp. This hole 94 then receives a lug 96 which has two opposite ends 98, 100 which will then come projecting symmetrically each of the two opposite faces 84, 86 of the drill bit 82. The lug 96 then forms a contact piece .

The cross section of the bit 82 has a shape and dimensions equivalent to those of the cross section of the axial passageway 32 of the rotor 18, with ready operative clearance, to allow the bit 82 to be inserted axially within the path of the passage. axial 32, and can be guided there.

Thus, when the bit 82 is hooked through the keyhole 30, as shown in Figure 1, and inserted into the axial passage 32, in the vicinity of the limit switch, one or more of the other of the opposite ends 98, 100 of tab 96 contacts second plane 54 as shown in Figure 3B. The bit 82 continues its travel, the tab 96 then causes the rotation of the locking member 42, in Figure 3B, clockwise, the end of the tab 96 is frictionally driven against the second plane 54. The force applied by the end of the lug 96, due to the translational movement of the bit 82, is sufficient to, in a first movement, cause the indexing slot 50 to escape from the indexing bar 49 and then, in a second movement, restrict the helical torsion spring 44 to rotate.

Therefore, and as illustrated in Figures 4A, 4B, the first plane 52 then comes opposite the radial hole 56 and the ball 58. Consequently, the ball 58 can rest on the first plane 52, returning to the interior of the hole. radial 56 and freeing the longitudinal groove 28 from the channel.

Simultaneously, the toothed rib 90 came to actuate all the counter-pivots 64, of a certain amplitude to bring all the contact areas between the heads 72 of the counter-pivots 64 and the free ends 76 of the counter-pivots. pins 62, in the articulation plane located between the wall 22 of the cylindrical housing 20 of the stator part 14 and the circular cylindrical surface 34 of the rotor 18.

In this way, rotor 18 is free to rotate relative to stator 14 and can then be actuated by means of ring 88 to unlock cylinder 10.

Reference will now be made to Figures 5A, 5B, which show another embodiment of the invention for which only the cooperating elements between the locking member and the contact piece, and the contact piece itself, have different shapes. The elements that are identical in their function to those of the elements represented in the previous Figures will be assigned a prime sign to the same reference: «'».

Thus, in Figure 5A, we find the bit 82 'of the key 80' and the locking member 42 'mounted on the first semi-cylindrical part 36' of the rotor 18 '. It will be seen in more detail in Figure 5b, that the drill bit 82 'is no longer equipped with an ear but with an H-piece 96' that has two pairs of opposite legs 102, 104 and that extend respectively protruding from said two faces. 84 ', 86' defining a slot 106.

Furthermore, the locking member 42 'no longer has a second plane, but a tooth 54', which defines on each side two slots and two opposing blanks 108, 110.

Therefore, as shown in Figure 5B, when the bit 82 'is driven in translation within the axial passage 32', the leg 102 then engages in a slot in the locking member 42 'to come to bear against one of opposing blanks 110. As drill 82 'continues to travel, leg 102 causes clockwise rotation of locking member 42' to be driven, while tooth 54 'engages within slot 106. Continuing, second leg 104 abuts against tooth 54 '. Thanks to this mode of implementation, where the tooth 54 'engages with the H-piece 96', it is possible to obtain a greater amplitude of rotation of the locking member 42 '. Also, if the ball is not in front of the knockout, the key is hooked inside the cylinder and cannot be removed. In fact, the locking member 42 'is rotationally locked, because the ball abuts against the cylindrical wall 22 and is radially locked.

Claims (10)

1. Flat key security lock assembly comprising: - a stator (12) having a cylindrical casing (20) and a blind hole (28) radially opening in said cylindrical casing (20), said stator (12) comprising a plurality of locking pins (62) to extend in said cylindrical housing (20); - a rotor (18) rotatably mounted within said cylindrical casing (20), said rotor (18) comprising an axial passage (32) and a plurality of radial casings (66) that open outwardly to enable said locking pins (62) extend within said radial housings (66) to maintain said rotor (18) in a fixed position with respect to said stator (12), said rotor (18) further comprising a ball (58) and a movable locking member (42) to be able to keep said ball (58) protruding from said rotor (18), while said ball (58) extends into said blind hole (28); Y - a flat key (80) intended to engage within said axial passage (32) to be able to push said locking pins (62) out of said rotor (18), and simultaneously control said movable locking of the locking member (42) to being able to allow said ball (58) to retract within said rotor (18); wherein said locking member (42) is movable in rotation. Safety lock assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) is housed between said passage (32) and said ball (58). Safety lock assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) extends transversely with respect to said passage path (32). Safety lock assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) is connected to said rotor (18) by means of a spring (44). Security lock assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) is a cylinder of revolution. 6. Security lock assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that said cylinder of revolution (42) has a plane (52) to receive said ball (58). Security lock assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said cylinder of revolution (42) has a tooth (54 ') intended to cooperate with said key (80'). 8. Security lock assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said cylinder of revolution (42) has another plate (54) intended to cooperate with said key (80). Security lock assembly according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said flat key (80) comprises a bit (82) having two opposite faces (84, 86), said two opposite faces having coded notches respectively (90), and because it also comprises a contact piece (96, 96 ') mounted through said drill (82) and protruding from said two opposite faces. Security lock assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that said contact piece (96 ') is an H-piece having two pairs of opposite legs (102, 104) respectively extending protruding from said two faces opposite. (84, 86).