UA129309C2 - MODULAR LOCK - Google Patents

Abstract

An audio processing method may involve receiving output signals from each microphone of a plurality of microphones in an audio environment, the output signals corresponding to a current utterance of a person and determining, based on the output signals, one or more aspects of context information relating to the person, including an estimated current proximity of the person to one or more microphone locations. The method may involve selecting two or more loudspeaker-equipped audio devices based, at least in part, on the one or more aspects of the context information, determining one or more types of audio processing changes to apply to audio data being rendered to loudspeaker feed signals for the audio devices and causing one or more types of audio processing changes to be applied. In some examples, the audio processing changes have the effect of increasing a speech to echo ratio at one or more microphones.

Description

This invention relates to a modular lock, in particular, a lock that includes a modular cylinder.

Any lock is designed to be installed on a door or door leaf of a certain thickness.

Therefore, there is a need to have special locks for the specific thickness of the door in which they will be installed.

To overcome this drawback and avoid the situation of creating special locks as a function of the infinite thickness that a door can have, some specific thicknesses have been standardized that door and door leaf manufacturers must adopt in order to be able to mount locks that match them.

Thus, each lock manufacturer must only produce products that meet the standards specified in regulatory documents.

The main component of every lock is the cylinder, i.e. the component that allows you to open or close a door or door leaf, and which is usually operated by a key.

It is obvious that each cylinder will be designed for a specific thickness of door or door leaf, depending on its dimensions and any transmission and connecting elements located between the cylinder itself and the lock as a whole when installed on such door or door leaf.

It is known to use by some manufacturers of locks and/or cylinders that include removable extensions that are inserted between the active parts of the mechanisms and are designed to deflect mechanical movements.

Thanks to the use of these extensions (which have variable thicknesses), it is possible to adapt locks and cylinders to different thicknesses, which are usually chosen from standardized thicknesses.

Extensions, in turn, consist of multiple components (some of which are designed to connect to the fixed parts of the cylinder/lock, and others are designed to connect to the moving parts).

Therefore, the locksmith who installs the lock (and the corresponding cylinder) on a door or door leaf must check the thickness of the door leaf/door and assemble the most suitable extension. At this time, the extension can be inserted between the adjacent parts of the cylinder to adjust their length to the installation requirements.

Assembling this extension cord can be a difficult task for a locksmith, especially when it has to be done directly on site.

The components of an extension cord are small and numerous, and their assembly can only be simplified with the use of special tools and only if working on a special workbench.

This condition is difficult to fulfill on site, so assembly operations are actually quite lengthy and complex.

Furthermore, the various components are usually fixed in place by pins that are inserted into specific holes in each component: it is therefore obvious that if a large thickness is required (hence using many aligned components), very small machining errors can cause some of the holes to be displaced, making it much more difficult to insert the pins.

Furthermore, conventional solutions still require the use of at least one component (the one to which the others will be attached by pins or other equivalent elements) of the total length desired.

This means that such custom components will still need to be provided in multiple formats that will need to be stored and managed, creating logistical and supply challenges for the manufacturer.

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages by creating a modular lock that is easy to assemble.

Within this goal, the object of the present invention is to create a modular lock that includes standard components.

Another object of the present invention is to create a modular lock whose layout can be changed.

Another object of the present invention is to create a modular lock that is resistant to attempts to pull it out of the door.

Another objective of the present invention is to create a modular lock that consists of a small number of components.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular lock that has a small clearance 60 between the various assembled components and is therefore stronger and more reliable.

Another object of the present invention is to create a modular lock that is low cost, easy and practical to implement, and safe to use.

This aim and these and other objects of the present invention, which will become clearer below, are achieved in a modular lock that includes at least one control unit that is controlled by a corresponding key and consists of a stator and a rotor, said rotor having a groove whose shape and dimensions correspond to the shape and size of said key, and at least one movable pin that can move within a substantially radial channel that also enters the stator, said pin being intended for mutual connection/disconnection of the stator and the rotor, and including at least one bar that is functionally connected to said rotor and intended for mechanically actuating a sliding shutter controlled by said lock, characterized in that: - the base of said at least one unit has a longitudinal through hole, and the base of said bar has a threaded longitudinal cylindrical channel, and in the folded configuration said hole and said channel are located on the same axis and a square-headed screw is arranged, which is engaged with the channel thread for mutually clamping at least one block and said barb; between said at least one control block and said barb, at least one separating element is arranged, which has a longitudinal through channel in its base and is equipped with an idle cylinder, which is arranged on the same axis as said rotor and is equipped with means of connection thereto, for transmitting the rotational movement of said rotor to a movable element of said barb for mechanically actuating a sliding shutter controlled by said lock.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the modular lock according to the present invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures, where:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a modular lock according to the present invention with a corresponding key inserted;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cross-section taken along the mid-sagittal plane of the lock and key shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. C is an exploded perspective view of a cross-section taken along the mid-sagittal plane of the lock and key shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of another modular lock according to the present invention with a corresponding key inserted;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cross-section taken along the mid-sagittal plane of the lock and key of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a cross-section taken along the mid-sagittal plane of the lock and key shown in Fig. 4, in an exploded view;

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the lock and key shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is another exploded perspective view of the lock and key shown in

Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is another exploded perspective view of the lock and key shown in

Fig. 4.

In the attached figures, reference numeral 1 generally designates a modular lock according to the present invention, and the letter A generally designates a corresponding key.

The modular lock 1 includes at least one control unit 2, which is controlled by the corresponding key A.

Each control unit 2 consists of a stator 3 and a rotor 4.

The rotor 4 has a groove 5, the shape and dimensions of which correspond to the shape and dimensions of the aforementioned key

A, and at least one movable pin b, which can move within a substantially radial channel, which also enters the stator 3.

Pin 6 is designed for mutual connection and disconnection of stator C and rotor 4.

The lock 1 according to the present invention also includes at least one bar 7, which is functionally connected to the rotor 4 and is intended for mechanically actuating a sliding bolt controlled by the lock 1.

In particular, the rotor 4 will have an end for connection with the barb 7, which will ensure the transmission of the rotational movement of the rotor 4 (given to the rotor by the user using the key A) to the barb 7.

According to the present invention, the base of at least one block 2 will preferably have a longitudinal through hole 8, and the base of the barb 7 will conveniently have a threaded longitudinal 60 cylindrical channel 9.

In the folded configuration, the hole 8 and the channel 9 will be located on the same axis and will accommodate a screw 10 with a square head, which is engaged with the thread of the channel 9 (more precisely, screwed into the channel 9 itself) for mutual clamping of at least one block 2 and the barb 7.

In practice, using a suitable square-head screw 10, it will be possible to connect each block 2 to the surface of the corresponding bar 7, tightening by screwing in the screw 10, thereby minimizing the amount of play between the various components of the lock 1 according to the present invention.

Furthermore, it should be noted that according to the present invention, between at least one control unit 2 and the corresponding bar 7, at least one separating element 11 can be installed, which has a longitudinal through-channel 12 at its base and is equipped with an idle cylinder 13, which is placed on the same axis as the rotor C and is equipped with means of connection thereto, for transmitting the rotational movement of the rotor C to the movable element 14 of the bar 7 for mechanically actuating the sliding shutter controlled by the lock 1.

The presence of the separating element 11 is optional and will become necessary if it is necessary to change the length of the lock 1 so that it corresponds to the thickness of the door leaf in which it will be installed.

The movable elements 11 will have a thickness that corresponds to the necessary increase in length to adapt the lock 1 to various industrial standards that cover most of the possible door leaves to be installed.

It should be noted that at least one control unit 2 will usefully have a contour on its front part 15 which lies opposite the front part where the groove 5 for accommodating the key A is defined.

The barb 7 will also preferably have a complementary contour with a shape corresponding to the shape of the front part 15 of said block 2 on the face 16 intended to be aligned with the same front part 15.

The fact that the front part 15 and the face 16 have a shape and dimensions that complement each other will contribute to the stability of their connection and will further complicate any attempts at intervention that involve tearing or removing the block 2 from the installed lock 1 with pliers, tongs and other similar tools. Reducing the amount of play between the various components of the lock 1 will effectively prevent such types of break-in attempts.

As regards a specific embodiment of the present invention, which is of undoubted practical and applied interest, the separating element 11 may advantageously have on its initial surface 17 a complementary contour which corresponds to the contour of the face 15 of at least one block 2, for practically play-free alignment therewith.

Similarly, the separating element 11 will necessarily have on its end surface 18 a contour that will correspond to the complementary contour of the face 16 of the barb 7, for essentially play-free alignment therewith.

Thus, even in lock 1 installation configurations that provide for the presence of one or more separating elements 11, a connection will be provided that is stable and practically free of play between all the components that form it, making it less vulnerable to external attempts at breaking in order to penetrate.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the lock 1 according to the present invention can effectively include a locking plug 19 for each control unit 2.

The plug 19 can be inserted into the hole 8 of the block 2 in front of the head 20 of the corresponding square-head screw 10.

The plug 19 will be conveniently secured in the hole 8 using a method that uses transverse keys 21, tongues, spline connections, cotter pins, rivets, threaded set screws, tension, etc.

The accompanying figures show, by way of non-limiting example only, the use of transverse keys 21 to secure the plugs 19 in place.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the separating element 11 may preferably have a longitudinal through-hole 22 above the longitudinal through-channel 12.

Similarly, the control unit 2 may, for convenience, have a threaded longitudinal recess 23 above the longitudinal through-hole 8, which in the configuration to be used will be located on the same axis as the longitudinal through-hole 22 of the separating element 11.

The auxiliary screw 24 is necessarily installed in the longitudinal through hole 22 and screwed into the threaded longitudinal recess 23. 60 Such additional tightening of the separating element 11 on the corresponding block 2 will make the lock 1 according to this invention even more compact and stronger, thereby further reducing the risk of attempted breaking using pliers, tongs and other similar tools.

At least one control unit 2 will preferably include a plurality of essentially radial channels of the stator 3 and the rotor 4, mutually offset relative to the lock 1 in the radial direction and/or in the longitudinal direction.

The configuration thus described will be a lock 1 with radial coding (shown as a non-limiting example in the accompanying Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. b, Fig. 7, Fig. 8 and

Fig. 9), the characteristics of which according to the present invention will provide wide installation versatility, since it will be possible to install it in door leaves and doors of essentially any thickness, simply by replacing, inserting or removing the dividing elements 11.

Alternatively, it should be noted that the at least one control unit 2 may preferably include a plurality of substantially radial channels of the stator 3 and the rotor 4, which also extend into the base of the unit 2, above the longitudinal opening 8. Such channels will be mutually offset relative to the lock 1 in the longitudinal direction.

On the other hand, the configuration described in the previous paragraph represents a lock 1 with traditional coding (shown as a non-limiting example in the accompanying Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), the characteristics of which according to the present invention will ensure a wide versatility of installation, since it will be possible to install it in door leaves and doors of essentially any thickness, simply by replacing, inserting or removing the separating elements 11.

It should be noted that the square head screw 10 may, for convenience, have a head 20 of a larger diameter than the threaded shank 20a.

The through hole 8 of the block 2 will have a first segment 25 with a diameter larger than the diameter of the head 20 for its free passage and a second segment 26 with a diameter larger than the diameter of the shank 20a and smaller than the diameter of the head 20.

Thus, when tightening the screw 10, a support protrusion will be defined for the head 20 on the thread of the cylindrical channel 9 of the barb 7 between the first segment 25 and the second segment 26.

Similarly, the auxiliary screw 24 will have a head 27 of a larger diameter than the threaded shank 28; the longitudinal through-hole 22 of the separating element 11 will in this case have a first part 29 with a diameter larger than the diameter of the head 27, for its free passage, and a second part 30 with a diameter larger than the diameter of the shank 28 and smaller than the diameter of the head 27.

The shoulder surface is determined by tightening the auxiliary screw 24 on the thread of the block 2 between the first part 29 and the second part 30 of the hole 22 for the head 27.

The support projection and the shoulder surface will ensure that the screwing in of the corresponding screws 10 and 24 will result in a stable clamping of the lock components 1 relative to each other.

It should be noted that from an application point of view of the present invention, there may be a plurality of separating elements 11.

Such elements 11 may have different thicknesses, and they can be stacked one on top of the other to increase the length of the lock 1 by an amount that corresponds to one of the combinations of such elements 11.

To ensure efficient transmission of motion from the rotor of the unit 2 to the movable element of the beard 7, it is possible to use an extension 31, which has a contour for front alignment with the two aforementioned components. The extension 31 is part of the movable cylinder 13, although it may be physically separate from it or be an integral part thereof.

The operation of the lock according to this invention is simple: during installation, the required length will be selected, and by mounting a certain dividing element 11 or a corresponding number of them, aligned with each other and stacked on top of each other, it will be possible to assemble the most suitable lock 1. First, a screw 24 will be screwed in to connect the dividing element 11 to the block 2; then, screws 10 will be screwed in to connect the blocks 2 (at least one of which will already be connected to at least one dividing element 11) to the bar 7.

Finally, it will be necessary to insert the plugs 19 into the holes 8 and secure them in place, for example with pins 21.

If it becomes necessary to disassemble the lock 1 in order to change its configuration (changing its overall length by replacing, adding and/or removing at least one element 11), the locksmith will first perform the disassembly operations (in reverse order to that described above) and then proceed to the appropriate reassembly of the necessary 60 components.

The present invention effectively solves the above problems by providing a modular lock 1 that is easily assembled.

The modular lock 1 conveniently includes mass-produced components: in fact, the screws 10 and 24 can be mass-produced, making them easily available at a low price.

It is practical that the configuration of the modular lock 1 can be changed, and therefore it can be removed from one door leaf and installed on a door leaf of a different thickness by performing an action (adding, removing, replacing) with at least one existing separating element 11.

The advantage of the modular lock 1 is that it is particularly resistant to attempts at forced entry by pulling out the lock, since minimizing the amount of play between the various modules (components) that make it up prevents entry from the outside using pliers, tongs, pliers and other similar tools.

It is convenient that the modular lock 1 consists of a small number of components, which ensures its high stability, strength and compactness, as well as limits the costs of its manufacture.

It is practical that the modular lock 1 provides a small gap between the various assembled components and is therefore stronger and more reliable.

Certainly, the modular lock 1 can be easily and practically manufactured and has a low cost, such characteristics make the lock 1 according to the present invention an innovation, safe to use.

The invention, thus formulated, is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, all parts may be replaced by other, technically equivalent elements.

In the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, certain features shown in connection with specific examples may in fact be replaced by other, different features that exist in other embodiments of the present invention.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the requirements and the available state of the art.

If the technical characteristics specified in any of the claims are accompanied by headings and/or signs, these headings and/or signs have been included only for the purpose of improving the understanding of the claims, and, accordingly, such headings and/or signs have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each of the elements defined as an example by such headings and/or signs.

Claims (10)

FORMULA OF THE INVENTION 1. A modular lock (1) comprising at least one control unit (2) operated by a corresponding key (A) and at least one bar (7), the base of said at least one control unit (2) having a longitudinal through-hole (8) and the base of said bar (7) having a threaded longitudinal cylindrical channel (9), wherein in the assembled configuration said hole (8) and said channel (9) are arranged on the same axis and contain a square-headed screw (10) engaged with the thread of the channel (9) for mutual clamping of at least one control unit (2) and said bar (7), and at least one separating element (11) having a longitudinal through-hole (12) in its base is arranged between said at least one control unit (2) and said bar (7), characterized in that said at least one control unit (2) consists of a stator (3) and a rotor (4), said rotor (4) having a groove (5) the shape and dimensions of which correspond to the shape and dimensions of said key (A), and at least one movable pin (b) 50 made capable of moving within a radial channel which also enters the stator (3), said pin (6) being intended for mutual connection/disconnection of the stator (3) and the rotor (4), said at least one barb (7) being functionally connected to said rotor (4) and intended for mechanical actuation of a sliding shutter controlled by said lock (1), and said at least one separating element (11) being equipped with an idle cylinder (13) which is arranged on the same axis as said rotor (4) and is equipped with means of connection thereto, for transmitting the rotational movement of said rotor (4) to the movable element of said barb (7) for mechanical actuating a sliding shutter controlled by said lock (1). 60 2. Modular lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one unit (2) the control has a contour on its front part (15) which lies opposite the front part where said groove (5) is defined for accommodating said key (A), and said barb (7) has a complementary contour with a shape corresponding to the shape of the front part (15) of said block (2) on the face (16) intended to be aligned with said front part (15). 3. Modular lock (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said separating element (11) has on its initial surface (17) a complementary contour that corresponds to the contour of said at least one block (2), for matching therewith without play, and on its final surface (18) a contour that corresponds to the complementary contour of said barb (7), for matching therewith without play. 4. A modular lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a locking plug (19) for each control unit (2) which can be inserted into a corresponding hole (8) in front of the head (20) of the corresponding square-headed screw (10), said plug (19) being fixed in said hole (8) using a method using transverse keys (21), tongues, spline connections, cotter pins, rivets, threaded set screws, tension, etc. 5. Modular lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: said separating element (11) has a longitudinal through-hole (22) above said longitudinal through-channel (12), said control unit (2) has a threaded longitudinal recess (23) above said longitudinal through-hole (8), which in the configuration used is located on the same axis as said longitudinal through-hole (22) of said separating element (11), while an auxiliary screw (24) is installed in said longitudinal through-hole (22) and screwed into said threaded longitudinal recess (23). 6. Modular lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one control unit (2) includes a plurality of said radial channels of the stator (3) and the rotor (4), mutually displaced relative to said lock (1) in the radial direction and/or in the longitudinal direction. 7. Modular lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one control unit (2) includes a plurality of said radial channels of the stator (3) and rotor (4), which also enter the base of said unit (2) above said longitudinal opening (8), said channels being mutually offset relative to said lock (1) in the longitudinal direction. 8. Modular lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said square-headed screw (10) has a head (20) of a larger diameter than that of the threaded shank (20a), said through-hole (8) of said block (2) includes a first segment (25) with a diameter larger than the diameter of said head (20), for its free passage, and a second segment (26) with a diameter larger than the diameter of said shank (20424) and smaller than the diameter of said head (20), wherein a support projection is set between said first segment (25) and said second segment (26) for said head (20) during tightening of said square-headed screw (10) on the thread of the base (9) of said bar (7). 9. Modular lock (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said auxiliary screw (24) has a head (27) of a larger diameter than that of the threaded shank (28), said longitudinal through-hole (22) of said separating element (11) has a first part (29) with a diameter larger than the diameter of said head (27), for its free passage, and a second part (30) with a diameter larger than the diameter of said shank (28) and smaller than the diameter of said head (27), and a shoulder surface is defined between said first part (29) and said second part (30) for said head (27) during tightening of said auxiliary screw (24) on the thread of said barb (7). 10. A modular lock (1) according to claim 71, characterized in that it has a plurality of said separating elements (11) which have different thicknesses and are designed to stack with each other to increase the length of said lock (1) by an amount corresponding to one of the combinations of said elements (11).