IL264236B2 - Locking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

LOCKING MECHANISM TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDThis disclosure concerns a locking mechanism for a lock that comprise gear motor that functions to rotationally switch the lock between a locked and an unlocked state. The disclosure also concerns locks with such mechanisms.

BACKGROUNDMany of modern locks include electric and electronic elements that control its operation. These include an electric motor, a control module and a battery. This electric mechanism is normally idle with the electric motor in an off, parked state. Once the mechanism is activated, e.g. by an external coded signal picked up by the control module, the electric/electronic mechanism, including the motor, is energized to assume an active state thereby unlocking the lock. For locking the lock, the control module switches the motor back to its parked state. Electric locks are intended for operation over many years, and for this reason it is important to preserve battery life. In some types of locks, a lock operation on the basis of an operational scheme as described above requires to constantly energize the electric/electronic mechanism as long as the lock is in its unlocked state. Other types of locks suffer from quick drainage of battery due to uneven power consumption or spikes in power consumption which are caused by the mechanical set-up of the lock, e.g. instability of a gear motor that drives the locking mechanism.

GENERAL DESCRIPTIONThe present disclosure provides a locking mechanism operable within a lock. This disclosure also provides a lock comprising such a mechanism. Specific, non-limiting, embodiments of the lock of this disclosure are bolt locks and padlocks, examples of which are defined herein. In the locks described herein, the combination of an electrically-operated gear motor with a mechanical buffer in the locking mechanism provides for a battery-operated lock in which battery life is efficiently conserved, as will be described in details below. Electrically-operated locks typically comprise a battery to operate the electric/electronic modules of the lock (i.e. the control module), and operates to activate the lock. Electric energy preservation is important to ensure operation of the lock for many years without the need to replace the battery. When a lock is opened, the electric/electronic module is activated and switched from its idle state, in which it does not consume energy, to an active state in which it is electrically energized. A lock may be kept open for a long time period and if the electric/electronic mechanism is kept activated for this time period, a large amount of electric energy may be consumed and wasted, thereby reducing the battery's life. Further, as noted above, instabilities in the mechanical operation of the lock, for example fluctuations in the position of the motor, as well as blockages that prevent the mechanism from smoothly switching between its operational states, often result in large consumption of electric power. Thus, a locking mechanism that is mechanically stable at its various operational states and positions, without causing significant wear on the motor and which prevents uneven power consumptions or spikes in power consumption is also desired in order to maintain battery's life. According to this disclosure, a locking mechanism that comprises an electrically-operated gear motor is provided, where the motor is activated to open a bolt. Comprised in this mechanism is a mechanical buffer arrangement that links a motor-associated driving element to a driven element that is associated with and operating the bolt. The buffer arrangement can store rotational mechanical energy, thereby permitting the gear motor to be stably held at a static operational state, without locking the locking mechanism. A locking sequence can then be induced at a later stage through the stored mechanical energy. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the buffer mechanism comprises a torsion spring, e.g. helical, one end of which being coupled to the driving element and the other end being coupled to the driven element. Through the arrangement disclosed herein, the gear motor always rotates against the biasing forces of the torsion spring, regardless of an opposite, external force that may be applied onto the bolt unit. The bias of the spring is weaker than the torsional force of the gear motor, both during rotation of the motor and when the motor is at a static state or position, thus storage of mechanical energy in the torsion spring circumvents instability in the position of the gear motor while the motor is at a static operational state, as well as reduces the wear of the gear. In other words, regardless of the forces operated on various elements of the lock, the force operated on the gear motor will only be that of the torsion spring, causing uniform consumption of electrical power. This arrangement, thus, allows conservation of battery, as no sharp spikes in power consumptions are caused. Provided by one aspect of this disclosure is a locking mechanism that comprises an electrically-operated gear motor coupled to a driving element, a locking bolt unit with a bolt at its front end and coupled to a driven elements and a torsion spring coupling the two elements. The motor has a motor axle that is rotationally coupled to the driving element and is configured for reciprocal rotations of the driving element about an axis between a first angular position and a second angular position through respective switch between parked and operational states. The driven element can axially rotate and is configured to induce, through reciprocal rotations between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, a reciprocating linear displacement of the locking bolt unit between corresponding forward, locking position and a rearward, unlocking position. The torsion spring couples the driving element with the driven element such that rotation of said driving element into said first angular or said second angular position tensions the spring to thereby store rotational mechanical energy that biases the driven element to rotate into said first rotational position or into said second rotational position, respectively. As noted above, the torsion spring is typically helical. The helical spring may be mounted on opposite driving and driven co-axial projections of the driving and driven elements, respectively, one end of the helical spring being fixed to the driving projection and the other end being fixed to the driven projection. The bias of the spring is typically weaker than the torsional force of the gear motor, as noted above. The motor may be linked to an electrical/electronic control module that causes the gear motor to switch between its operational states. When the electric/electronic module is taken out if its idle state and activated it may induce the gear motor to switch to an operational state to thereby rotate the driving element from the first to the second angular position. The control module may be configured to cause the motor to switch between its states and then turn off the electric power after a defined time interval (typically a few seconds or a few tens of seconds. The activation of the control module to thereby switch the gear motor between its operational states may be achieved by an external signal, typically uniquely coded, which may be an RF signal, light signal, IR signal, acoustic signal, etc., requiring the mechanism to comprise an appropriate pick-up or sensor module coupled to or forming part of the control module. The rotation of the driven element induces axial linear displacement of the locking bolt. By one embodiment, the bolt unit has a rotating coupling element at its rear end and the driven element is rotationally coupled to said coupling element. A helical groove or channel is defined on an external face of one of the coupling element or of a fixed element, and a guiding member is fixed to or coupled in a fixed relationship with the other, whereby rotation of said coupling element causes axial displacement of said unit. Provide by another aspect of this disclosure is a lock that comprises a locking mechanism of the kind described and defined herein. By one embodiment the lock is a bolt lock. By another embodiment the lock is a padlock. A bolt lock by an embodiment of this disclosure comprises a housing, an electrically-operated gear motor coupled to a driving element, a locking bolt unit coupled to a driven element and a torsion spring coupling the driving element with the driven element. The locking bolt unit extends along an axis between a front end and a rear end and has a bolt at its front end and is reciprocally displaceable along an axis between a forward, locking position, in which the bolt axially extends out of the housing and a rearward, open position in which the bolt is wholly or partially retracted into the housing. The motor has a motor axle that is rotationally coupled to a driving element, the motor being configured to switch between a parked state to an operational state to thereby drive, respective, reciprocal rotations of the driving element about an axis between a first angular position and a second angular position. The driven element is coupled to the bolt unit and rotatable about the axis, such that upon rotation of the driven element to a first rotational position the bolt unit is displaced into its rearward position and upon the reciprocal rotation to a second rotational position the bolt unit is displaced into the forward position. The torsion spring couples the driving element with the driven element such that rotation of said driving element into said first angular position biases said driven element to rotate into the first rotational position and reciprocal rotation of the said driving element into said second angular position biases said driven element to rotate into the second rotational position.

The spring is typically helical as noted above, and may, by some embodiments of the bolt lock of this disclosure, be mounted on opposite driving and driven co-axial projections of the driving and driven elements, respectively; one end of the helical spring is fixed to the driving projection and the other end being fixed to the driven projection. The two projections are, typically, of the same diameter. The two projections may, by some embodiments, have concentric bores accommodating a cylindrical support rod. By some embodiments of the bolt lock of this disclosure, the bolt unit has a rotating coupling element at its rear end and the driven element is rotationally coupled thereto. A helical groove or channel is defined on an external face of one of the rotating element or of a fixed element fixed within the housing, and a guiding member is fixed to or coupled in a fixed relationship with the other, whereby rotation of said driven element causes axial displacement of said bolt unit. The coupling element may have a bore with a rear opening with the coupling member of the driven element being slidably fitted and rotationally coupled with the coupling member within said bore. A padlock by an embodiment of this disclosure comprises a housing, a shackle with a locking-latch recess at a shackle end portion, a shackle-receiving opening for receiving and engaging the shackle end portion, a spring-biased latch for engaging the shackle end portion and an electrically-operated gear motor-based mechanism for operating the lock. The spring-biased latch is biased into a recess-engaging position and can be pushed, against the spring bias, into an opposite, recess-clearing position. A spring-biased piston is comprised within the lock that can reciprocate in a piston bore, opposite the shackle-receiving opening, against the bias of a spring, between a spring-biased latch-arresting position in which it arrests the latch in its recess-clearing position and a pressed position against the spring bias. The shackle end, once the latch is engaged with the latch recess, fits into said piston bore to thereby displace the piston into its pressed position. Operating within the lock is a locking bolt unit with a bolt at a front end thereof which can reciprocate along an axis between a forward position, in which the bolt blocks the latch in its recess-arresting position and a rearward position in which the latch is free to displace into its recess-clearing position. The bolt unit is coupled to a driven element that can rotate about the axis and is configured to induce, through reciprocal rotations between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, the reciprocating linear displacement of the locking bolt unit between corresponding forward and rearward positions. The motor has a motor axle rotationally coupled to a driving element. The motor is configured to switch between operational states to thereby drive, respective, reciprocal rotations of the driving element about an axis between a first angular position and a second angular position. A torsion spring couples the driving element with the driven element such that rotation of said driving element into said first angular or said second angular position tensions the spring to thereby bias the driven element to rotate into said first rotational position or into said second rotational position, respectively. The torsion spring in the padlock coupling the driving and driven elements, is typically a helical spring, as noted above. The helical spring may be mounted on opposite driving and driven co-axial projections (typically of overall same diameter) of the driving and driven elements, respectively; one end of the helical spring being fixed to the driving projection and the other end being fixed to the driven projection. By one embodiment of the padlock disposed within the housing is a cylindrical sleeve defined about an axial sleeve lumen, with the driving and driven elements and a rear end portion of the bolt unit being accommodated within the sleeve lumen. Said rear end portion has an axial bore with a rear opening accommodating a cylindrical front portion of the driven element that is coupled to the said rear end portion within the bore such that rotation of said front portion causing axial reciprocation of the bolt unit between its forward and rearward positions. Typically, the driving and the driven elements are rotationally accommodated within the sleeve lumen in a fixed axial position and rotatable in this position, said axial bore has a helical groove or channel, and a guiding member being part of or coupled in a fixed relationship with the driven element being accommodated within the groove or channel, whereby rotation of said driven element causes axial displacement of said bolt unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSIn order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1A-1B show schematic side-view representations of a bolt lock according to an embodiment of this disclosure, with the bolt in respective locking and unlocking positions. Fig. 2A-2B are longitudinal cross-sections of the front portion of the lock of Figs. 1A-1B in respective locking and unlocking positions of the bolt. Fig. 3A-3B show schematic isometric representations of a padlock according to an embodiment of this disclosure, with engaged and disengaged shackle, respectively. Figs. 4A-4D are longitudinal cross-sections of a front end portion of the padlock of Figs. 3A-3B in four different operational states of which two, Figs. 4A-4B are with the shackle engaged within the lock and two others, Figs. 4C-4D are with the shackle removed.

Claims (18)

1.264236/

2.CLAIMS:1. A locking mechanism, comprising: an electrically-operated gear motor with a motor axle rotationally coupled to a driving element, the motor being configured for reciprocal rotations of the driving element about an axis between a first angular position and a second angular position; a locking bolt unit with a bolt at its front end; a driven element that can axially rotate and is configured to induce, through reciprocal rotations between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, a reciprocating linear displacement of the locking bolt unit between corresponding forward, locking position and a rearward, unlocking position; and a torsion helical spring coupling the driving element with the driven element such that rotation of said driving element into said first angular or said second angular position tensions the spring to thereby bias the driven element to rotate into said first rotational position or into said second rotational position, respectively, the torsion helical spring being mounted on opposite driving and driven co-axial projections of the driving and driven elements, respectively, one end of the helical spring being fixed to the driving projection and the other end being fixed to the driven projections, the bias of the torsion spring is weaker than the torsional force of the gear motor. 2. The locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the motor is linked to a control module that causes the motor to switch between operational states to thereby rotate said driving element between the first to the second angular position, respectively, and the gear motor can be stably held in an operational state while switched off of electric power.

3. The locking mechanism of claim 2, wherein the control module is configured to cause the motor to switch between operational states at defined time intervals and turn off the electric power.

4. The locking mechanism of any one of the preceding claims, wherein rotation of the driven element induces axial linear displacement of the locking bolt.

5. The locking mechanism of claim 4, wherein the bolt unit has a rotating coupling element at its rear end; the driven element is rotationally coupled to said coupling element; and 14 264236/ a helical groove or channel is defined on an external face of one of the coupling element or of a fixed element, and a guiding member is fixed to or coupled in a fixed relationship with the other, whereby rotation of said coupling element causes axial displacement of said unit.

6. A lock comprising a locking mechanism of any one of the preceding claims.

7. A bolt lock, comprising: a housing; a locking bolt unit extending along an axis between a front end and a rear end and having a bolt at its front end, the bolt unit being reciprocally displaceable along an axis between a forward, locking position, in which the bolt axially extends out of the housing and a rearward, open position in which the bolt is wholly or partially retracted into the housing; an electrically-operated gear motor with a motor axel rotationally coupled to a driving element, the motor being configured for reciprocal rotations of the driving element about an axis between a first angular position and a second angular position; a driven element coupled to the bolt unit and rotatable about the axis, such that upon rotation of the driven element to a first rotational position the bolt unit is displaced into its rearward position and upon the reciprocal rotation to a second rotational position the bolt unit is displaceable into the forward position; and a torsion helical spring coupling the driving element with the driven element such that rotation of said driving element into said first angular position biases said driven element to rotate into the first rotational position and reciprocal rotation of said driving element into said second angular position biases said driven element to rotate into the second rotational position, respectively, the torsion helical spring being mounted on opposite driving and driven co-axial projections of the driving and driven elements, respectively, one end of the helical spring being fixed to the driving projection and the other end being fixed to the driven projections, the bias of the torsion spring is weaker than the torsional force of the gear motor.

8. The bolt lock of claim 7, wherein the motor is linked to a control module that causes the motor to switch between operational states to thereby rotate said driving element between the first to the second angular position, respectively, and the gear motor can be stably held in an operational state while switched off of electric power. 15 264236/

9. The bolt lock of claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to cause the motor to switch between operational states at defined time intervals and turn off the electric power.

10. The bolt lock of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the two projections have the same diameter.

11. The bolt lock of any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the two projections have concentric bores accommodating a cylindrical support rod.

12. The bolt lock of any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the bolt unit has a rotating coupling element at its rear end; the driven element is rotationally coupled to said coupling element; and a helical groove or channel is defined on an external face of one of the rotating element or of a fixed element fixed within the housing, and a guiding member is fixed to or coupled in a fixed relationship with the other, whereby rotation of said driven element causes axial displacement of said bolt unit.

13. The bolt lock of claim 12, wherein said coupling element has a bore with a rear opening; a coupling member of the driven element is slidably fitted and rotationally coupled with the coupling member within the bore.

14. A padlock, comprising: a housing; a shackle with a locking-latch recess at a shackle end portion; a shackle-receiving opening for receiving and engaging the shackle end portion; a spring-biased latch that is biased into a recess-engaging position and can be pushed, against the spring bias, into an opposite, recess-clearing position; a spring-biased piston reciprocating in a piston bore opposite the shackle-receiving opening against the bias of a spring, between a spring-biased latch-arresting position in which it arrests the latch in its recess-clearing position and a pressed position against the spring bias; the shackle end, once the latch is engaged with the latch recess, fits into said piston bore to thereby displace the piston into its pressed position; 16 264236/ a locking bolt unit with a bolt at a front end thereof which can reciprocate along an axis between a forward position, in which the bolt blocks the latch in its recess-arresting position and a rearward position in which the latch is free to displace into its recess-clearing position; a driven element that can rotate about the axis and is configured to induce, through reciprocal rotations between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, the reciprocating linear displacement of the locking bolt unit between corresponding forward and rearward positions; an electrically-operated gear motor with a motor axle rotationally coupled to a driving element, the motor being configured for reciprocal rotations of the driving element about an axis between a first angular position and a second angular positions; and a torsion helical spring coupling the driving element with the driven element such that rotation of said driving element into said first angular or said second angular position tensions the spring to thereby bias the driven element to rotate into said first rotational position or into said second rotational position, respectively, the torsion helical spring is mounted on opposite driving and driven co-axial projections of the driving and driven elements, respectively, one end of the helical spring being fixed to the driving projection and the other end being fixed to the driven projection, the bias of the torsion spring is weaker than the torsional force of the gear motor.

15. The padlock of claim 14, wherein, the motor is linked to a control module that causes the motor to switch between operational states to thereby rotate said driving element between the first and the second angular position, respectively, and the gear motor can be stably held in an operational state while switched off of electric power.

16. The padlock of claim 15, wherein the control module is configured to cause the motor to switch between operational states at defined time intervals and turn off the electric power.

17. The padlock of any one of claims 14 to 16, comprising: a cylinder sleeve defined about an axial sleeve lumen; the driving and driven elements and a rear end portion of the bolt unit being accommodated within the sleeve lumen; and 17 264236/ said rear end portion having an axial bore with a rear opening accommodating a cylindrical front portion of the driven element, said front portion being coupled to said rear end portion within the bore such that rotation of said front portion causing axial reciprocation of the bolt unit between its forward and rearward positions.

18. The padlock of claim 17, wherein the driving and the driven elements are rotationally accommodated within the sleeve lumen in a fixed axial position, said axial bore has a helical groove or channel, and a guiding member being part of or coupled in a fixed relationship with the driven element being accommodated within the groove or channel, whereby rotation of said driven element causes axial displacement of said bolt unit.