GB1563718A

GB1563718A - Electric switch operable in conjunction with a door lock

Info

Publication number: GB1563718A
Application number: GB35645/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-08-09
Filing date: 1976-08-26
Publication date: 1980-03-26
Also published as: CH616481A5; AT347273B; ATA590376A; FR2363177A1

Description

(54) ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERABLE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A DOOR LOCK (71) I, DIETER REICHERT, a German citizen of Bismarckstrasse 49, 7031, Gartringen, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a switch operable in conjunction with a door lock of the type having a non-rotatable locking cylinder case, and a locking cylinder which (in use) is rotated to a locked or unlocked position by an inserted door key from which it returns by spring action to a neutral position while the lock remains locked or unlocked.

Such locks are typically fitted to the doors of automobiles, caravans, lorries, and sometimes of motor cycles, and houses.

Door locks e.g. on automobiles comprise a locking cylinder case which is rigidly connected to the door. A locking cylinder is rotatably mounted in the case. A key can be inserted into its slit from the outside.

Springs are active between the case and the locking cylinder. If none of the springs is tensioned, the locking cylinder occupies its central or neutral position. In this position a key can be introduced into the slit of the keyhole. In cases where door locks lock on the right hand side, the key must then be moved in a clockwise direction thereby moving a driver mechanism inside the door which controls the mechanism in the door interior so that the door is locked. The key is then released or actively returned to its neutral position, the driver also being moved into the neutral position. The spring mechanism ensures that the neutral position is reached and also maintained during travel (of a car). If it is desired to unlock the door, the key in a door lock which locks on the right side is turned in an anticlockwise direction after its insertion thus causing the driver, rigidly attached to the locking cylinder, to move anticlockwise and therefore controlling the locking mechanism inside the door so that the door is unlocked. Then the key is released again or caused to return to the neutral position. This is ensured by a spring mechanism which maintains this position also during travel.

In addition to the door locks which lock on the right side, there are also locks which lock on the left side. One feature common to all locks, however, is the automatic or forced return to the neutral position due to active rotation or the return springs.

The angle through which the key must be turned to unlock or lock the door can vary greatly. With some automobile models it is in the region of + 10 while on other models the key must be rotated even by more than 1 1000.

There has been a growing trend towards the use of security systems intended to prevent the unauthorized use, opening or even loading of automobiles. since break-ins and thefts from automobiles have increased considerably. These systems have one or several of the following disadvantages: a) They are costly.

b) They must be actuated separately when leaving the car, e.g. by pressing a switch, which can be forgotten.

c) A thief can observe whether security precautions are taken when leaving the car.

d) In practice the systems are only suitable for certain types of cars.

e) The rightful owner cannot cancel the actuated alarm sufficiently quickly himself so that he may be mistaken for a thief by passers-by. An alarm can be activated by mistake e.g. if a further article which has been forgotten is taken from the boot after the doors are closed and the security system actuated.

f) It is often easy to render the actuating switch inoperative.

g) A special key is required in place of the original key.

The object of the invention is to provide an alarm-setting switch which is cheap, does not require special handles or grips for actuation, is capable of meeting all space requirements, and can be used on door locks which lock on both the left and right sides, irrespective of whether the locks are provided with a locking cylinder having a substantially flat inner face or comprise an inner face cut in the shape of a circular segment. The switch should therefore be usable in conjunction with all (or as many as possible) known locking cylinders. Moreover, assembly of the switch should be simple and it should not have any of the abovementioned disadvantages.

In accordance with the invention there is provided an electric switch operable in conjunction with a door lock, of the type having a non-rotatable locking cylinder case and a locking cylinder which (in use) is rotated to a locked or unlocked position by an inserted door key from which it returns under spring action to a neutral position while the lock remains locked or unlocked, the switch comprising: a) a stator having means for rigidly connecting it to the locking cylinder case in a position coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, b) a rotor having means for rigidly connecting it to the locking cylinder of the ock in a position coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, for rotation relative to the stator, c) two electric conductors of circular arc form which extend within the stator along coaxial and concentric arcs and which overlap in a first angular section of the arcs to define a slideway, but not in a second angular section of the arcs where the slideway is extended by non-conductive means, d) an electrically conductive slide ring, slideable as a friction fit in the slideway so as to interconnect the conductors in the first angular section, e) driving means interengaging the slide ring and the rotor with sufficient play that when the locking cylinder is turned (in use) into the locked position and is returned to the neutral position, the slide ring remains in the first angular section, and when the locking cylinder is rotated into the unlocked position and is returned to the neutral position, the slide ring remains in the second angular section.

Preferably the driving means is constituted by a driver on the rotor which engages in a slot in the slide.

When such a switch is fitted e.g. to a car door lock, it can be used to set or unset an alarm system by the locking and unlocking of the car door. It is therefore possible to both lock the door with the same original key and render the switch operative and vice versa without any additional unaccustomed movements.

Preferred features of the invention will be found set out in Claims 2 to 17. The features of Claim 3 make it possibe for the stator to be simply connected rigidly to the locking cylinder case and for the rotor to be simply connected to the locking cylinder.

Through the features of Claim 4 it is possible for the switch to be also used with those door locks, the inner faces of which are not substantially flat, but comprise a recess in the form of a circular segment.

The features of Claim 5 enable both walls of the groove for the conductors to be used and a 360" long groove is therefore not required. Indeed, the groove can be kept as short as required by the door lock with the longest cylinder-turning angle.

As a result of the features of Claim 6 the position of the points of connection is always the same, irrespective of whether the switch is used in a door lock locking on the left or right side. Moreover, openings can be used at the same time as fastening points for the conductors.

As a result of the features of Claim 10 the inner conductor can be mounted without adhesive or additional retaining means.

A slide as claimed in Claim 14 can be used in door locks having a very small angle of turn, but on the other hand it is not imperative for the stator to be practically circular and without a substantially flattened edge.

Other advantages and features of the invention are evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment, in which: - Figure 1 is a front view of the switch without cover and snap ring, Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 shown in Figure 1, but with the cover and snap ring.

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2, but only through the stator without the conductors, Figure 4 is an inner front view of the cover.

A stator 11 is made in one piece of injection-moulded plastics material. Its geometric longitudinal axis 12 is parallel to the geometric longitudinal axis of a door lock (not shown) which can be located either to the right or left of the stator and the locking cylinder case of which is nonrotatably connected to the stator 11 in an unshown manner. As shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the stator 11 comprises a flat edge 13 which is perpendicular to the plane of section 2-2. Coaxial with the longitudinal axis 12 and symmetrical with this sectional plane, a groove 14 of approximately omega shape is provided in the stator 11. As shown in the drawing the groove extends over an angle of 265". Its bottom 16 is flat and parallel to the plane of the drawing shown in Figure 1. An inner side wall 17 of the groove 14 lies concentrically with the longitudinal axis 12 and its outer face 18, with the exception of the curved or arched ends 19,21, lies coaxially with the longitudinal axis 12, on a circular cylindrical wall. The side wall 17 of the groove is 2.9 mm long (in the direction of the axis 12). The outer side wall 22 is 3.8 mm and therefore, as seen in Figure 3, extends further to the right than the side wall 17. The inner face 23 of the groove side wall runs concentrically with the geometric longitudinal axis 12 by approximately 8" (to the right in Figure 1) after the plane of the section 2-2. This is followed by a slot 24 which runs obliquely from bottom right to top left and comprises a bottom and two side walls, the latter being perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in Figure 1.

The slot 24 is open when viewed in the direction of Figure 1. The slot 24 is followed by an inner face 26 which is also perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in Figure 1 and concentric with the longitudinal axis 12.

The inner face 26 is however 0.4 mm further from the axis 12 than the inner face 23. At the left hand end of the groove 14 shown in Figure 1 there is provided an opening 27 and at the right hand end an opening 27 which takes the shape of a slot opening, similar to the slot 24.

An inner conductor 28 is made of a length of metal of rectangular cross section, and comprises a connecting lug 29, which extends through the opening 27 (by which it is gripped) with a straight section 31, then has a curved section 19 and covers the outer face 18 over an angle of 2500. It does not therefore extend fully into the curved end 21 for safety reasons.

A second conductor 32 comprises a straight connecting lug 33 which extends through the opening 27 (by which it is gripped) with a sharply bent section and then follows the cylindrical shape of the inner face 26 in an anticlockwise direction, through an angle of 118". The two conductors 28,32 therefore extend from opposite sides through this angle of 118". The inner end of the conductor 32 comprises an outwardly directed angled section 34 which fits into the slot 24 so that the conductor 32 is also positively retained therein.

The stator 11 comprises on both sides wings 36,37 in which are provided rectangular pockets 38,39 accessible from above as shown in Figure 1. Between these wings 36,37 is a third rectangular pocket 41, also accessible from above, and located behind the bottom of the groove as shown in Figure 2 (as are also the pockets 38,39). The pocket 41 is substantially shorter than the pockets 38,39, and all the pockets are parallel to one another. Therefore, to fix the stator 11 on the locking cylinder case the prongs of a fork-like fastener, which is in turn attached to the locking cylinder case, can be introduced into these pockets 38 to 41.

The stator 11 comprises a bore 42 of 10 mm diameter coaxial with the longitudinal axis 12. As shown in Figure 4, the stator 11 can be closed at the front by a cover 43 having a diameter of 18 mm, which cover comprises a flat edge 44 at the bottom parallel to the flat edge 13, a bore 46 parallel to the bore 42 and, as shown in Figure 4, a positioning rib 47 of rectangular cross section which extends through 122", its lower end 48 lying above the section 31 and its outer face 49 bearing against the inner face 23. However, the positioning rib is only as high as the difference between the lengths of the side walls 17 and 22 of the groove.

The axial length of the stator 11 is 6 mm.

A rotor 51 having a substantially cylindrical body extends through the bore 42 of the stator and through the bore 46.

In its circumferential sections projecting beyond the stator 11 or the cover 43 there are provided circumferential grooves 52,53 in which snap rings 54,56 can be inserted, the inner faces of the latter guiding the rotor 51 axially rigidly along the radial faces 57,58 of the stator and the cover 43. In the body of the rotor 51 there is provided a coaxial bore 59 which extends into two diametrically opposite longitudinal grooves 61,62. As shown in Figure 1 this diameter is parallel to the flat edge 13 or perpendicular to the plane of the section 2-2 when the rotor 51 is in the neutral position. At its top right hand section shown in Figure 2 the rotor 51 has a triangular section 63 (Figure 1) which is of such thickness that it fits between the end face of the groove side wall 17 and the cover 43 and, in the final assembled state, lies at the point shown in Figure 2. Moreover, the triangle 63 comprises an apex 64 which is arranged so as to preclude contact with the positioning rib 47 and naturally also the groove side wall 22.

The triangle 63 comprises a cylindrical pin 66 directed to the left as shown in Figure 2, the diameter of said pin being substantially less than the clear width between the conductors 28,32. It projects deeply into the groove 14, and is located inside a slide in the form of an oval, arcuate ring 67 made of metal and 45" in extension. It is made of a circular band. Its outer flank 68 is adapted to the radius of the inner face 23 or the inner face of the conductor 32. Its inner flank 69 is adapted to the outer face of the conductor 28. The sides 68,69 extend into semicircular arcs 71.72 on either side.

The longitudinal grooves 61,62 can receive drivers which are provided in series in some known door locks or if necessary are provided separately.

The control circuit which can consist e.g.

of a battery, sensor and alarm signal generator can be located between the connecting lugs 29,33.

The mode of operation of the switch according to the invention is as follows: It is assumed that the door lock is one which locks on the right side. The locking cylinder occupies its neutral position. In this position the pin 66 is located as shown in Figure 1. The key is now turned clockwise.

Depending on the type of lock the angle of turn varies from a minimum of 15 to a maximum of 200 . As a result the ring 67 is moved by the pin 66, which engages in the arc 72 and the ring, to a position in which it produces a contact between conductor 28 and conductor 32, irrespective of its starting position and after a certain rotation of the rotor 51. After the rotation for locking is completed, the key is guided back again into the neutral position. The pin 66, previously engaged in the semicircular arc 72, now engages in the semicircular arc 71 after moving through an angle of play determined by the length of the ring 67, and then moves the ring 67 in an anticlockwise direction until it occupies the neutral position shown in Figure 1. During the entire return movement and also in the neutral position the ring 67 makes a contact between the conductors 28 and 32; in the neutral position because the ring 67 is sufficiently long to extend into the angular section between the conductors 28 and 32. It is not so long that the pin 66 cannot make any return stroke at all. Although the locking cylinder has returned to its neutral position, the switch remains closed and the alarm system activated.

If it is desired to open the door lock, the key is inserted again, the locking cylinder occupying its neutral position as before. The turning angle in the anticlockwise direction is again at least 15 and at the most 220 , depending on the type of vehicle. After a certain angle of turn the contact between the conductors 28,32 is broken. If the user now releases the key or returns it to the neutral position, the contact remains broken because the pin 66 now engages in the semicircular arc 72 and the ring 67 is now located on the left side. The ring 67 is retained by friction in all of the given positions.

In the case of a lock which locks on the left, the switch according to the invention is simply fitted so that the door lock is now located to the right of the switch as shown in Figure 2.

If the alarm has been initiated by mistake because e.g. the boot has been opened after the system is activated, it is only necessary to reopen the door lock and the alarm is switched off. The switch can be used in those cases where the alarm system reacts to a break-in after a certain time lag. This is frequently done so that a thief does not immediately know whether his action has been successful or not or whether the car is locked or not.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An electric switch operable in conjunction with a door lock, of the type having a non-rotatable locking cylinder case and a locking cylinder which (in use) is rotated to a locked or unlocked position by an inserted door key from which it returns under spring action to a neutral position while the lock remains locked or unlocked, the switch comprising: a) a stator having means for rigidly connecting it to the locking cylinder case in a position coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, b) a rotor having means for rigidly connecting it to the locking cylinder of the lock in a position coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, for rotation relative to the stator, c) two electric conductors of circular arc form which extend within the stator along coaxial and concentric arcs and which overlap in a first angular section of the arcs to define a slideway, but not in a second angular section of the arcs where the slideway is extended by non-conductive means, d) an electrically conductive slide ring, slideable as a friction fit in the slideway so as to interconnect the conductors in the first angular section, e) driving means interengaging the slide ring and the rotor with sufficient play that when the locking cylinder is turned (in use) into the locked position and is returned to the neutral position, the slide ring remains in the first angular section, and when the locking cylinder is rotated into the unlocked position and is returned to the neutral position, the slide ring remains in the second angular section.

2. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driving means is constituted by a driver on the rotor which engages ina slot in the slide.

3. A switch as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the stator is arranged externally and the rotor internally.

4. A switch as claimed in claim 3 wherein the stator is flattened on the side lying opposite the neutral position of the driving means.

5. A switch as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a first of the conductors is supported on an inner wall of a circular arc-shaped groove in the stator while the second conductor is supported on the outer wall of the groove which wall defines the said extension of the slideway.

6. A switch as claimed in claim 5 where

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. provided separately. The control circuit which can consist e.g. of a battery, sensor and alarm signal generator can be located between the connecting lugs 29,33. The mode of operation of the switch according to the invention is as follows: It is assumed that the door lock is one which locks on the right side. The locking cylinder occupies its neutral position. In this position the pin 66 is located as shown in Figure 1. The key is now turned clockwise. Depending on the type of lock the angle of turn varies from a minimum of 15 to a maximum of 200 . As a result the ring 67 is moved by the pin 66, which engages in the arc 72 and the ring, to a position in which it produces a contact between conductor 28 and conductor 32, irrespective of its starting position and after a certain rotation of the rotor 51. After the rotation for locking is completed, the key is guided back again into the neutral position. The pin 66, previously engaged in the semicircular arc 72, now engages in the semicircular arc 71 after moving through an angle of play determined by the length of the ring 67, and then moves the ring 67 in an anticlockwise direction until it occupies the neutral position shown in Figure 1. During the entire return movement and also in the neutral position the ring 67 makes a contact between the conductors 28 and 32; in the neutral position because the ring 67 is sufficiently long to extend into the angular section between the conductors 28 and 32. It is not so long that the pin 66 cannot make any return stroke at all. Although the locking cylinder has returned to its neutral position, the switch remains closed and the alarm system activated. If it is desired to open the door lock, the key is inserted again, the locking cylinder occupying its neutral position as before. The turning angle in the anticlockwise direction is again at least 15 and at the most 220 , depending on the type of vehicle. After a certain angle of turn the contact between the conductors 28,32 is broken. If the user now releases the key or returns it to the neutral position, the contact remains broken because the pin 66 now engages in the semicircular arc 72 and the ring 67 is now located on the left side. The ring 67 is retained by friction in all of the given positions. In the case of a lock which locks on the left, the switch according to the invention is simply fitted so that the door lock is now located to the right of the switch as shown in Figure 2. If the alarm has been initiated by mistake because e.g. the boot has been opened after the system is activated, it is only necessary to reopen the door lock and the alarm is switched off. The switch can be used in those cases where the alarm system reacts to a break-in after a certain time lag. This is frequently done so that a thief does not immediately know whether his action has been successful or not or whether the car is locked or not. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An electric switch operable in conjunction with a door lock, of the type having a non-rotatable locking cylinder case and a locking cylinder which (in use) is rotated to a locked or unlocked position by an inserted door key from which it returns under spring action to a neutral position while the lock remains locked or unlocked, the switch comprising: a) a stator having means for rigidly connecting it to the locking cylinder case in a position coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, b) a rotor having means for rigidly connecting it to the locking cylinder of the lock in a position coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, for rotation relative to the stator, c) two electric conductors of circular arc form which extend within the stator along coaxial and concentric arcs and which overlap in a first angular section of the arcs to define a slideway, but not in a second angular section of the arcs where the slideway is extended by non-conductive means, d) an electrically conductive slide ring, slideable as a friction fit in the slideway so as to interconnect the conductors in the first angular section, e) driving means interengaging the slide ring and the rotor with sufficient play that when the locking cylinder is turned (in use) into the locked position and is returned to the neutral position, the slide ring remains in the first angular section, and when the locking cylinder is rotated into the unlocked position and is returned to the neutral position, the slide ring remains in the second angular section.

6. A switch as claimed in claim 5 where

in the conductors are each made in one piece and each extend through respective openings on oppositely lying sides of the stator.

7. A switch as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the first conductor extends over more than 1800 with respect to the axis of the rotor.

8. A switch as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first conductor is extended over 240 to 2600.

9. A switch as claimed in any of claims 5 to 8 wherein the second conductor has an effective angular extent of 100 to 1300, with respect to the axis of the rotor.

10. A switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first conductor is positively retained on the inner wall by the opening through which it extends.

11. A switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein one end of the second conductor comprises an outwardly bent section which fits in a retaining groove and is positively retained thereby, the groove wall, where the conductor is absent, being inwardly set by the thickness of one conductor.

12. A switch as claimed in claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 11 as dependent thereto, wherein the slide is a generally oval ring in which the driver engages.

13. A switch as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sides of the ring form circular arcs which are adapted to follow the shape of the slideway.

14. A switch as claimed in claim 13 wherein the slide extends over 35 to 60 with respect to the axis of the rotor.

15. A switch as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A switch as claimed in any preceding claim connected to a lock of the type specified in claim 1.

17. A switch as claimed in claim 16 wherein the lock is a motor vehicle door lock.