GB2242477A

GB2242477A - Superlocking monitor, locking system incorporating same and method of superlocklng a lock

Info

Publication number: GB2242477A
Application number: GB9007324A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Anthony Green
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1990-03-31
Filing date: 1990-03-31
Publication date: 1991-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-31
Also published as: GB9007324D0; GB2242477B

Abstract

A superlocking or dead locking monitor (2) (or a vehicle door lock (1) having both locking and superlocking functions, a locking system incorporating such a door lock (1) and monitor (2), and a method of superlocking a lock are provided. The monitor includes means to detect the lock (1) being directed by a user to carry out the superlocking function, and to at least locking taking place in response to said direction, means to command the lock to carry out only the unlocking function in response from a signal from the detection means, means (11) to sense whether such unlocking occurs upon command and means (3) to register any such unlocking and preferably to provide an audible warning thereof to the user. Following the monitoring procedure the lock may be returned to the locked condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPERLOCKING MONITOR, LOCKING SYSTEM INCORPORATING SAME AND METHOD OF SUPERLOCKING A LOCK This invention relates to a superlocking monitor, to a locking system incorporating same and to a method of superlocking a lock, and particularly to such a monitor, system and method for locking vehicle doors and other closures.

The term "superlocking" has come to be used, usually in relation to vehicles having central locking, to indicate a second stage of locking, sometimes called 'deadlocking', in which a mechanical stop is applied to a locking mechanism physically to prevent unlocking taking place. Such a lock may be in any one of three positions therefore: unlocked, locked or superlocked. The great advantage of locks fitted with this function, in particular for use on vehicles, is that once the lock has been superlocked using a key or other actuating device it may not be unlocked by actuating any of the internal locking levers or other controls of the vehicle. In practise this means that if a window of the vehicle is broken the superlocked vehicle cannot then have its locks unlocked from the inside of the vehicle in order to obtain easy entry to the vehicle.

Because maximum security demands that the user be sure that superlocking has taken place, it is highly desirable that proper actuation of the superlocking function should be able to be checked by the user before the vehicle is left unattended. However, in known electrically actuated superlocking systems, it has not been possible to date reliably to tell if the lock has been superlocked or merely locked upon command of the user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and reliable means of checking whether superlocking in a lock has taken place.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a superlocking monitor for a vehicle door lock having both locking and superlocking functions, the monitor including means to detect the lock being directed to carry out the superlocking function, and to at least locking taking place in response to said direction, means to command the lock to carry out only the unlocking function in response to a signal from the detection means, means to sense whether such unlocking occurs upon command and means to register any such unlocking.

Means is therefore provided to attempt to unlock a lock which has supposedly been superlocked. If the lock has in fact been superlocked any attempt to unlock it without first releasing the superlock will fail, whereas if the superlocking has failed to function the command merely to unlock will be successful and the unlocking will be registered for the user to observe. This will simply and reliably inform the user whether superlocking has taken place on command or not.

If monitoring reveals that no superlocking has occurred the lock will have been unlocked during the monitoring process. The monitor may therefore include means to command a re-superlocking of the lock in these circumstances.

Vehicle locks incorporating superlocking functions will usually if not always be electrically operated and may incorporate a microprocessor. The command means and/or the sensing means may therefore conveniently include a microprocessor used to carry out the superlocking function programmed to carry out the monitoring function. Such a microprocessor may be present on a vehicle for normal operation of a superlocking lock and so a simple alteration to the programming thereof will allow the monitoring to take place.

The command means and/or the sensing means may include a position detector to detect position of a door sill lock actuator. Such a position detector is easily and cheaply fitted to a vehicle and does not involve redesign of an expensive locking mechanism.

Whereas registering of any unlocking during the monitoring function may occur for example by movement of door sill lock actuators, which would be visible to the user, an additional warning device may be fitted, for example an audible warning device in order more clearly to register unlocking taking place during monitoring.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a locking system for a vehicle, the locking system including at least one powered lock, means to actuate the lock and a superlocking monitor as described above.

A locking system is thus provided having the advantages of the superlocking monitor.

The actuation means may include a microprocessor to actuate the locking and superlocking functions of the lock. The microprocessor is preferably the same one as used in the monitor and the advantages of lightness, space saving and speed of operation of a microprocessor are thus achieved.

The lock may include a first movable locking member and a second movable superlocking member engageable therewith, when the locking member is in a locked position, to superlock the lock. The two movable members may be driven by separate motors.

The microprocessor is desirably capable of said monitoring by the steps of: sending a signal to the lock to move the locking member to the unlocked position, sensing whether said unlocking movement occurs, if said unlocking movement is sensed, registering same and sending a signal to the lock to move the locking member back to the locked position and to move the superlocking member to engage with said locking member upon said locking member achieving said locked position; if no said unlocking movement is sensed, ceasing said unlocking signal.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of superlocking a lock including the steps of actuating locking and superlocking functions of the lock, detecting at least locking taking place in response to said actuation, commanding the lock to carry out only the unlocking function, sensing whether such unlocking occurs upon command and registering any such unlocking.

The present invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example with reference to the following drawing of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lock and superlocking monitor according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of movable locking and superlocking members of the lock of figure 1 in an unlocked position, and Figure 3 shows the movable members of figure 2 in the superlocked position.

Referring to figure 1 a vehicle door lock 1 is shown having both locking and superlocking functions. The lock 1 is electrically connected to a superlocking monitor in the form of a microprocessor 2. The microprocessor 2 is also electrically connected to an audible warning device 3, and a door sill lock actuator 4 and position detector 11. The lock 1 is mechanically connected directly to the door sill lock actuator 4 by a Bowden (Registered trade mark) cable 10.

Referring to figures 2 and 3, a movable locking member in the form of a gear wheel 5 operates in conjunction with a movable superlocking member in the form of a rotatable catch 6. The gear wheel 5 is rotated by an electric locking motor 7 (figure 1) and the catch 6 is operated by a superlocking motor 8. The catch 6 is engagable with an aperture 9 in the gear wheel 5 when the gear wheel 5 is in a superlocked position, as shown in Figure 3.

In operation the lock 1 is directed to carry out the superlocking function by an electrical signal from the microprocessor 2, received in turn from the user by, for example, a key being turned in a barrel to a superlocking position. In response to said direction the locking motor 7 will rotate the gear wheel 5 from the position shown in figure 2 to the position shown in figure 3 to position the aperture 9 opposite the rotatable catch 6 to allow superlocking to take place by rotation of the catch 6 by the superlocking motor 8 into the aperture 9. Unlocking of the lock 1 is thus mechanically prevented by the rotatable catch 6.

Movement of the lock 1 from the unlocked to the locked position will cause the door sill lock actuator 4 to be moved with the lock via the Bowden cable 10. When the door sill lock actuator 4 moves to its own locked position, in response to movement of the lock 1, the position detector 11 will send a signal to that effect to the microprocessor 2. In response to this signal the microprocessor 2 will command the lock 1 to unlock. In response to this command the locking motor 7 will attempt to rotate the gear wheel 5 to unlock the lock. If the rotatable catch 6 has not engaged the aperture 9 to superlock the lock, the gear wheel 5 will be able to rotate, upon command, and the lock will unlock.The door sill lock actuator 4 will therefore move to its unlocked position and the position detector 11 will detect this movement and send a signal to the microprocessor 2 that unlocking of the lock 1 has taken place. In response to this signal from the position detector 11 the microprocessor 2 will register this fact by actuating the audible warning device 3 to warn the user that superlocking of the lock 1 did not take place as directed.

In addition to actuating the audible warning device 3, the microprocessor 2 will command the lock 1 to re-superlock. This re-superlocking will not be checked by the microprocessor 2, but the lock 1 will be left in the most secure state possible until the user can have the operation of the system checked for malfunction.

Under normal circumstances, when the direction has been given to a lock 1 to superlock by the microprocessor, superlocking will take place. Therefore, when the unlocking command is given by the microprocessor 2, unlocking will be unable to take place owing to the rotatable catch 6 being engaged in the aperture 9 in the gear wheel 5. If the microprocessor 2 detects no movement of the door sill lock actuator via the position detector 11 upon commanding the lock to unlock, no further action will be taken by the microprocessor 2 and the lock 1 will be left superlocked until the user gives a normal unlock instruction to the microprocessor. The rotatable catch 6 will then be disengaged by the motor 8 from the aperture 9 in the gear wheel 5 which will then be rotated by the motor 7 to unlock the lock.

Claims

1. A superlocking monitor for a vehicle door lock having both locking and superlocking functions, the monitor including means to detect the lock being directed to carry out the superlocking function, and to at least locking taking place in response to said direction, means to command the lock to carry out only the unlocking function in response to a signal from the detection means, means to sense whether such unlocking occurs upon command and means to register any such unlocking0

2. A superlocking monitor as in claim 1, including means to command re-superlocking of the lock following any said unlocking.

3. A superlocking monitor as in claim 1 or 2, wherein the command means and/or the sensing means include a microprocessor.

4. A superlocking monitor as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the command means and/or the sensing means include a position detector to detect position of a door sill lock actuator.

5. A superlocking monitor as in any preceding claim, wherein the means to register unlocking includes an audible warning device.

6. A locking system for a vehicle, the locking system including at least one powered lock, means to actuate the lock and a superlocking monitor according to any preceding claim.

7. A locking system as in claim 6, when dependent upon claim 3, wherein the actuation means includes a said microprocessor to actuate the locking and superlocking functions of the lock.

8. A locking system as in claim 7, wherein the lock includes a first movable locking member and a second movable superlocking member engageable therewith, when the locking member is in a locked position, to superlock the lock.

9. A locking system as in claim 8, wherein said microprocessor is capable of said monitoring by the steps of: sending a signal to the lock to move the locking member to the unlocked position, sensing whether said unlocking movement occurs, if said unlocking movement is sensed, registering same and sending a signal to the lock to move the locking member back to the locked position and to move the superlocking member to engage with said locking member upon said locking member achieving said locked position, if no said unlocking movement is sensed, ceasing said unlocking signal.

10. A method of superlocking a lock including the steps of actuating locking and superlocking functions of the lock, detecting at least locking taking place in response to said actuation, commanding the lock to carry out only the unlocking function, sensing whether such unlocking occurs upon command and registering any such unlocking.

11. A superlocking monitor substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

12. A locking system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

13. A method of superlocking a lock substantially as described herein.