WO2019171290A1

WO2019171290A1 - Antipanic lock

Info

Publication number: WO2019171290A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/051806
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luigi BOLOGNESI
Original assignee: Bonaiti Serrature S.P.A.
Priority date: 2018-03-07
Filing date: 2019-03-06
Publication date: 2019-09-12
Also published as: EP3762568A1; IT201800003346A1

Abstract

An anti-panic lock (1) for a door (2), controllable by an inner handle (3) and an outer handle (4), comprises a containing box body (7) containing a latch (8; 8') that is movable, along a first direction (D_I), between an extracted position (E) and a retracted position (R) in said box body (7); a cursor element (9; 9') has a first end (10) for driving the latch (8; 8') and extends as far as a second end (11) that is directly engageable by a key-operated locking member (12); the cursor element (9; 9') is movable along an opening direction (D_A) that is transverse to the first direction (D_I), to move the latch (8; 8') from the extracted position (E) to the retracted position (R); lever means (13) drivable by the inner handle (3) and outer handle (4) to move the cursor element (9; 9') along the opening direction (D_A). The lever means (13) comprises a first lever unit (13A) and a second lever unit (13B), that are drivable respectively by the outer handle (4) and inner handle (3) and are movable independently of one another; the cursor element (9; 9') is movable, by the key- operated locking member (12), along a locking direction (D_B) opposite the opening direction (D_A), to reach a selective disengagement position (P_D) in which the cursor element (9; 9') is not engageable and drivable by the first lever unit (13A) associated with the outer handle (4), preventing in this manner opening of the door (2) by the outer handle (4); the second lever unit (13B) can engage the cursor element (9; 9') even when the latter is in the selective disengagement position (P_D) so as to ensure constantly that the inner handle (3) is able to move the cursor element (9; 9') in the opening direction (D_A) to permit rapid opening of the door (2) in an emergency situation.

Description

ANTIPANIC LOCK

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an anti-panic lock for a door, in particular for a hinged door.

PRIOR ART Locks are known that are provided with a latch, which is drivable by outer handle and an inner handle, and a bolt, coupled with a safety ratchet or key cylinder for key locking the door. When a lock of this type is in a locked condition, to open the door it is first necessary to retract the bolt inside the box body of the lock by acting on the key or on the ratchet. Only after rotating the aforesaid key or the aforesaid safety ratchet, is it possible, by acting on the inner handle or on the outer handle, to disengage the latch from the cavity provided in the doorpost so as to be able to lock the door.

A lock of this type is known for example from WO2017149023.

It is known that for certain areas of application, for example in hotels, cruise liners, or other types of structure with rooms for accommodating users, locks provided with a so-called“anti-panic” function are used, i.e. locks configured in such a manner as to make the opening of the door from inside a bedroom or room more immediate to facilitate evacuation to the exterior.

It is in fact clear that key locking the door by means of a lock that is not of anti-panic type, although it ensures on the one hand the privacy and safety of the guest in normal situations, on the other hand can be a hindrance or obstacle or anyway delay the exit from the room in certain critical situations, for example in the event of fire, flooding or hazardous events in general.

In other words, the need to first give one or two turns to the ratchet or to the key to permit subsequent opening by the inner handle can be laborious, difficult and require more time than necessary in certain circumstances and situations in which saving even a few fractions of a second can save a life and in which unfortunately also the emotional aspect and panic adversely affect the lucidity of the individual, retarding or inhibiting the actions of the individual.

It is thus necessary, for these situations of criticality, to facilitate to the maximum for the user the operations required to open the door in order to evacuate rapidly from the room in which the individual is located.

Locks of anti-panic type have to be configured in such a manner that it is sufficient to rotate the inner handle (placed on the side of the door that is internal with respect to the room) to disengage both the latch and the bolt and thus be able to open the door; it is thus not necessary, as in a normal lock, to act first on the key cylinder, or on the “privacy” ratchet to retract the bolt, and subsequently intervene on the inner handle to free the latch from the cavity of the doorpost.

The anti-panic function enables the user inside the room to open the door more rapidly, directly and easily, by acting only on the inner handle, and thus having the possibility to evacuate more easily from the respective room in an agitated emergency situation.

The anti-panic function is associated only with the inner handle, it being on the other hand precluded for the outer handle to maintain obviously unprejudiced the“privacy” key locking function of the door.

In known anti-panic locks, the anti-panic function is made possible only by an inevitable complication and redundancy of inner mechanical parts. In fact, owing to the need to have simultaneous driving of the latch and bolt by the inner handle independently of control by the outer handle, which must intervene only on the latch, sometimes a duplication is observed of the entire drive mechanism, with significant structural complication of the lock. In other words, such structures are distinguished by a great number of inner drive components that may even reach values of several dozen units. The great weight and cost that arise therefrom are easily imaginable.

Also noise and mechanical reliability, the latter being notoriously inversely proportional to the number and complexity of the mechanical components, are negatively influenced thereby.

One embodiment of a known anti-panic lock is disclosed in GB2268969.

It should also be borne in mind that the doors (for example hotel rooms), for which the anti-panic locks are intended, can be right opening or left opening.

The anti-panic lock thus had to be designed according to two different configurations, one intended for doors opening on the right and the other intended for doors opening on the left. This necessarily leads to having to provide mechanical parts that have been designed for one and the other configuration, without the possibility of reversibility of use for right and left opening. For this reason, inevitably, during the production step, a certain number of items has to be made both for the one and the other opening configuration, with consequent undesired charges from the point of view of production, assembly and logistical management costs.

In the light of what has been said above, it would be desirable to have available an anti-panic lock provided with ameliorative features that is structurally and functionally simplified, is more versatile and easy to construct and fit, and is also able to ensure at the same time an effective and reliable anti-panic function and security levels in the key locked condition that are higher than with current anti-panic locks.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

With the present invention, it is intended to provide a lock featuring an anti-panic function, with a mechanical or magnetic latch, which meets the aforesaid needs for:

- constructional and functional simplification with a reduction in the weight and number of components,

- increased reliability,

- lower logistical and manufacturing costs,

- extreme versatility and adaptability to assembly on both right and left opening doors,

- increased levels of safety obtainable in the key locked condition of the lock.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus aims to achieve the aforesaid objects and overcome the drawbacks of conventional locks for a hinged door, by a solution according to the claim 1.

In particular, according to the present invention, an anti-panic lock is provided for a door, in particular of the hinged type, suitable for being controllable by an inner handle and an outer handle placed respectively on an inner side and an outer side of the door with respect to a room, the anti-panic lock comprising:

- a containing box body, suitable for being housed in a cavity of said door;

- a latch that is movable, along a first direction, between an extracted position and a retracted position in said box body;

- a cursor element having a first end shaped for driving said latch and extending as far as a second end configured for being directly engageable by a key- operated locking member,

- said cursor element being movable along an opening direction, transverse to said first direction, to move said latch from said extracted position to said retracted position,

- lever means that is drivable by said inner handle and by said outer handle to move said cursor element along said opening direction,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said lever means comprises a first lever unit and a second lever unit, that are drivable respectively by said outer handle and by said inner handle and are movable independently of one another, AND IN THAT said cursor element is movable, by said key-operated locking member, along a locking direction opposite said opening direction, to reach a selective disengagement position in which said cursor element is not engageable and drivable by said first lever unit associated with said outer handle, preventing in this manner opening of the door by said outer handle, said second lever unit being geometrically shaped to engage said cursor element even when said cursor element is in said selective disengagement position so as to ensure constantly that said inner handle is able to move said cursor element in said opening direction to permit rapid opening of said door in an emergency situation.

Owing to the anti-panic lock according to the invention the disclosed objects are obtained.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention and some preferential embodiments will be disclosed in greater detail below, with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows perspectively the inner part of an anti-panic lock according to the present invention;

Figures 2, 3, 4 are different exploded views of the anti-panic lock of Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows lever means that is part of the anti-panic lock;

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the lever means of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is another exploded view of the lever means of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail that shows the operation of the aforesaid lever means;

Figure 9 is a schematic view, in cross section, of the lock fitted to a door provided with inner and outer handles, in which the lever means is visible in schematic form;

Figure 10 is another perspective view of a part of the lock;

Figures 11 to 15 show different operating conditions of the anti-panic lock;

Figures 16 to 18 show different operating conditions of the anti-panic lock configured according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An anti-panic lock 1 according to the invention is disclosed below that is suitable for being fitted to a door 2 of the hinged type, in particular, but not in a limiting manner, to an indoor hinged door, for example for hotel rooms, cruise liners, and other similar applications.

The anti-panic lock 1 is configured for being driven by an inner handle 3 and by an outer handle 4, or knobs or other gripping elements, placed respectively on an inner side 5 and an outer side 6 of the door 2 with respect to the room.

The anti-panic lock 1 has a containing box body 7, suitable for being housed in a cavity obtained in the door 2, and containing the mechanical driving components. The containing box body 7, for example made of stamped sheet metal, consists of two mutually couplable half shells to bound a compartment for the various components of the lock. The two half shells together define the upper and lower walls, two lateral parallel walls, a rear wall, and a front wall provided with respective upper and lower openings arranged for enabling a latch 8 and a possible bolt 21 to exit that are disclosed below.

A frontal closing plate is provided that, once the box body 7 is inserted into the cavity of the door, is applied to the front wall fixed by the screws that fix the lock 1 to the door.

The anti-panic lock 1, as anticipated, comprises a latch 8 that is suitable for engaging a retaining plate that is fitted to the doorpost at the engagement cavities for the latch and bolt. The latch 8 is movable, along a first direction Di, between an extracted position E that is extracted from the box body 7 and a retracted position R retracted into the box body 7. The anti-panic lock 1 comprises a cursor element 9 movable along an opening direction D_A that is transverse to the aforesaid first direction Di, to move the latch 8 from the extracted position E to the retracted position R.

In particular, the first direction Di is a horizontal direction, and the opening direction D_A is a vertical direction.

The latch 8 and the cursor element 9, in the embodiment shown in the figure, move on a same vertical plane. The latch 8, in the specific case disclosed with reference to the enclosed figures, is a latch of magnetic type, i.e. a latch that interacts magnetically with a counterplate coupled with the doorpost of the door, and which in the normal rest position (i.e. with an open door) is normally retracted inside the box body 7. Nevertheless, it is not ruled out that the latch may be of mechanical type, which in the normal rest position is projected outside the box body 7.

The cursor element 9 has a first end 10 shaped for driving the latch 8 and extends as far as a second end 11 configured for being directly engageable by a key-operated locking member 12, such as a key cylinder or safety ratchet or the like.

In Figures 16 to 18, the latch and the cursor element, indicated respectively by the numbers 8’ and 9’, have certain differences from the embodiment now disclosed, which differences will be explained further below.

The anti-panic lock 1 comprises lever means 13 that is drivable by the inner handle 3 and by the outer handle 4 to move the cursor element 9 along the opening direction

D_a.

More precisely, the lever means 13 comprises a first lever unit 13 A and a second lever unit 13B, which are drivable respectively by the outer handle 4 and by the inner handle 3 and are movable independently of one another.

The cursor element 9 is movable, by the aforesaid key-operated locking member 12, along a locking direction D_B opposite the aforesaid opening direction D_A, to reach a selective disengagement position P_D in which the cursor element 9 is not engageable and is thus not drivable by the first lever unit 13 A associated with the outer handle 4, preventing in this manner opening of the door 2 by the outer handle 4. Substantially, when the cursor element 9 is in the selective disengagement position P_D, possible driving of the outer handle 4 does not have any effect thereupon. In other words, the outer handle 4 is in a“freely rotatable” configuration, and has no influence on the position of the latch 8. The said second lever unit 13B is geometrically shaped to be able to engage with the cursor element 9 even when the cursor element 9 is in the selective disengagement position PD so as to ensure constantly that the inner handle 3 has the possibility of moving, in any closed condition of the door 2, the cursor element 9 along the opening direction DA SO as to ensure rapid opening of the door 2 in an emergency situation.

The first lever unit 13 A and the second lever unit 13B are rotatable, by acting on the respective handles, around a same rotation axis X_R in a mutually independent manner. The rotation axis XR is orthogonal to the plane on which the latch 8 and the cursor element 9 move, i.e. the plane defined by the first direction Di and by the opening direction D_A-

On the cursor element 9 an engaging lug 14 is obtained, placed at an intermediate zone I thereof, and shaped for receiving a pushing action from the first lever unit 13 A and from the second lever unit 13B to move the cursor element 9 along the opening direction D_A-

The first lever unit 13 A comprises a first shaped insert element 15A having a first pushing finger portion and the second lever unit 13B comprises a second shaped insert element 15B having a second pushing finger portion.

The cursor element 9 is movable from the selective disengagement position P_D, corresponding to a key locked condition of the door 2, in which the cursor element 9 can be driven only by the second lever unit 13B, to a freely engageable position P_E, corresponding to a normal closed condition of the anti-panic lock 1, in which the cursor element 9 can be driven, not only by the second lever unit 13B, but also by the first lever unit 13 A.

In order to obtain the aforesaid freely engageable position P_E and selective disengagement position PD, the cursor element 9 and the lever units 13 A, 13B are configured in the following manner.

The second pushing finger portion of the second shaped insert element 15B extends over a length that is greater than the first pushing finger portion of the first shaped insert element 15 A.

With reference to Figure 8, the first pushing finger portion 15A comprises a first hooking distal end 16A that, at a rotation of the first lever unit 13 A, around the rotation axis X_R, travels on a first circular trajectory Tl having a first radius Rl so as not to intercept the engaging lug 14 when the cursor element 9 is in the selective disengagement position P_D.

The first hooking distal end 16A is on the other hand able to intercept the engaging lug 14 when the cursor element 9 is in the freely engageable position P_E.

On the other hand, the second pushing finger portion 15B comprises a second hooking distal end 16B that, at a rotation of the second lever unit 13B around the rotation axis X_R, travels on a second circular trajectory T2 having a second radius R2, greater than the aforesaid first radius Rl and such as to include in the area brushed by the second pushing finger portion 15B the engaging lug 14, which can then be intercepted and pushed (by the second lever unit 13B) even when the cursor element 9 is in the selective disengagement position P_D-

The first lever unit 13 A and the second lever unit 13B respectively comprise a first coupling body 17 A and a second coupling body 17B shaped for coupling with the first insert element 15A shaped as an insert and with the second insert element 15B shaped as an insert. Each of the two coupling bodies 17A and 17B couples with a respective half-pin 18A and 18B with a square section. The two half-pins 18A and 18B of square type are each coupled with the respective outer handle 4 and inner handle 3 and are mutually connected but rotatably decoupled from one another so that each of them can be rotated around its axis independently of the other.

In particular, the two half-pins 18A and 18B of square type are mutually connectable by a connection 60 that ensures mutual rotational freedom, and is defined by a threaded protrusion of the one that engages a threaded hole of the other.

In this manner, a rotation of the outer handle 4 has the effect of driving only the first lever unit 13 A, and not the second lever unit 13B, whereas a rotation of the inner handle 3 has the effect of driving only the second lever unit 13B.

The anti-panic lock 1 is further configured for being fitted, with great versatility, and in a totally reversible manner, both to a right opening door and to a left opening door. This is made possible owing to the following features. The first 17A coupling body and the first 15A shaped insert element are configured for being assembled together removably, and the same applies to the second 17B coupling body with the second 15B shaped insert element. Further, the first 17 A coupling body and the second 17B coupling body mirror one another, more precisely they are geometrically symmetrical with respect to a plane that is orthogonal to the rotation axis X_R of the first 17A coupling body and the second 17B coupling body.

The first 15A and the second 15B shaped insert element respectively comprise a first plate- shaped attaching portion 19A and a second plate- shaped attaching portion 19B, from which, in an integral manner, the aforesaid first 15A pushing finger portion and the aforesaid second 15B pushing finger portion respectively protrude.

The first 17A and the second 17B coupling bodies each comprise a housing and joining seat 20A and 20B for connecting with the first 15A and second 15B shaped insert elements.

The first 19A plate-shaped attaching portion and the second 19B plate-shaped attaching portion have the same geometric configuration to be able to couple, reversibly, respectively with one or the other of said housing and joining seats 20A and 20B.

The choice of assembling the first 15A shaped insert element with the first 17A coupling body or with the second 17B coupling body (and the same applies equally to the second 15B shaped insert element) will depend on the type of opening (right or left) of the door 2 for which the lock 1 is intended.

This configuration entails a series of advantages, as illustrated below.

Owing to the present anti-panic lock 1 that is so configured, it is thus no longer necessary to provide items dedicated exclusively to the configuration of right opening and further items dedicated exclusively to the configuration of left opening of the door.

It is sufficient, during the step of assembly with the two coupling bodies 17 A and 17B, to choose whether to fit the two shaped insert elements 15A and 15B in a determined reciprocal position or in the reversed position, having only to bear in mind that the shorter of the two shaped insert elements (i.e. the first 15A shaped insert element) has to be associated with the outer side of the door, whereas the longer one (i.e. the second 15B shaped insert element) has to be associated with the side of the door that faces inside the room (inner handle).

The anti-panic lock 1 according to the invention, unlike prior art anti-panic locks, does not require specially designed mechanical parts to be provided for fitting to right opening doors and further mechanical parts to be provided that are differently configured and intended only for fitting to left opening doors.

It is sufficient to reverse the position of the first element 15A with the second shaped insert element to make the lock 1 suitable for both right and left opening doors.

The significant advantages, from the constructional, financial and logistic point of view are clear that are achieved owing to these particular structural features of the anti-panic lock 1.

In the anti-panic lock 1, two springs 30A, 30B are provided arranged for urging elastically the first 13 A lever unit and the second 13B lever unit towards respective rest positions.

A spring is provided 31 that urges on the cursor element 9 downwards, in an intermediate position, or position that is freely engageable by the two handles 3, 4.

The cursor element 9 is held elastically in this position by the spring 31 of the flexure type (visible in Figure 16) that rests on a fixed shelf flap of the box body 7. When the cursor element 9 is raised along the opening direction D_A, a summit portion thereof meets a resistance of the flexure spring 31, which returns the cursor element 9 to the rest position as soon as the outer or inner handle is released.

Further spring means 32 is provided that is arranged for urging elastically the latch 8 in a normal rest position that corresponds to the retracted position R (in this case the latch 8 is of magnetic type).

In the case of a latch of mechanical type, spring means is provided that urges the latch to the extracted position E.

The anti-panic lock 1, in the embodiments disclosed here with reference to the enclosed figures, comprises a bolt 21 for key locking the door 2. The bolt 21 is movable from a non-operating position, in which it is retracted into the box body 7, to an operating position in which it protrudes outside the box body 7. The key- operated locking member 12 in particular comprises a key cylinder provided with a bit element, which is rotatably drivable by inserting an appropriate key. In another embodiment, the locking member 12 is defined, rather than by a key cylinder, by an appropriate key provided with a shaft and suitably shaped driving portion.

At the second end 11 of the cursor element 9 an abutting zone 50, 51 is obtained that is shaped for coming into direct contact with the locking member 12 of key-operated or ratchet-operated type.

This abutting zone comprises:

— a first abutting protrusion 50 suitable for receiving from the key-operated locking member 12 (in particular from the bit element thereof) a pushing action to move the cursor element 9 in the locking direction D_B, and,

— a second abutting protrusion 51 suitable for receiving from the key-operated locking member 12 (in particular from the bit element thereof) a further pushing action to move the cursor element 9 in the opening direction D_A-

The cursor element 9 is provided with a protrusion element 24 for driving and locking the bolt 21 that is movable, parallel to the first direction Di of the latch 8, from the position protruding from the box body 7, for key locking the door 2, to the position retracted into the box body 7.

The protrusion element 24 interacts and is slidable along a grooved path obtained on the bolt 21, and which comprises a tilted portion such that a movement of the cursor element 9 in the locking direction D_B causes the bolt 21 to project outside the box body, and vice versa, a movement of the cursor element 9 in the opening direction D_A is matched by a withdrawal movement of the bolt 21 to the inside of the box body 7.

The aforesaid grooved path comprises a locking portion, extending orthogonally to the movement direction of the bolt 21, so arranged that the protrusion element 24, in the position of engagement with the aforesaid locking portion, acts as a locking means to lock the bolt 21 in the extracted operating position, preventing forced movements thereof from the outside. Owing to this configuration, the security levels of the lock 1 are increased further. In one embodiment (not shown), the anti-panic lock 1 is configured without a bolt; in this case all the mechanical components remain unvaried, with the sole difference that the frontal closing plate of the box body does not obviously provide the transit opening for the bolt.

The extreme versatility of the anti-panic lock 1 is thus obvious, which easily responds (without requiring a different design or different mechanical items) also to the requirement to have only one latch, having the key-operated locking function (privacy) but without the bolt.

On the cursor element 9, a locking ridge 22 is obtained that is shaped for restingly receiving a wall zone 23 of the latch 8 for locking the latter when the cursor element 9 is in the selective disengagement lowered position P_D.

In this operating condition, the locking ridge 22 prevents forced movement of the latch 8 from the extracted position E to the retracted position R.

It is obvious that owing to this configuration, the security levels provided by the anti panic lock 1 are even higher, both in the embodiment with and without a bolt 21.

Further, in the case of the presence of a bolt 21 and latch 8 of magnetic type which in the normal rest position, thus non-operating position, is in the retracted position R in the box body 7- when the door 2 is in the open position, the wall zone 23 is positioned to hinder, in the retracted position R, the aforesaid locking ridge 22 to prevent movement of the cursor element 9 in the locking direction D_B.

The wall zone 23 permits movement of the cursor element 9 in the locking direction D_B when the magnetic latch 8 is in the extracted position E, in which it is received in a respective cavity of a doorpost.

In other words, when the door is open, the cursor element 9, acting by means of the key-operated locking cylinder 12, is prevented from descending along the locking direction D_B, owing to the wall zone 23 that hinders the ridge 22. The advantageous effect of this configuration is to prevent the bolt 21 exiting the box body 7 when the door is not actually abutting on the respective doorpost, thus avoiding damaging the latter if the door were to be slammed against the doorpost with the bolt is a prominent position.

The anti-panic lock 1 comprises motion transferring means configured for imposing on the latch, by the cursor element, a shift along the first entry direction Di into the box body 7 corresponding to a shift of the cursor element along the opening direction D_a.

In the lock 1 embodiment shown in figures 1 to 15, the motion transferring means comprises:

- a pushing step 40a, obtained on the cursor element 9,

- a yielding surface 40b, obtained on the latch 8,

- and a rotatable lever member 41, provided with appendages 42a; 42b suitable for engaging respectively the aforesaid pushing step 40a and the yielding surface 40b.

The lever member 11 is rotatable around an axis Al orthogonal to the plane defined by the first direction Di and by the opening direction DA, to transfer a shift of the cursor element 9 - that is movable along the opening direction D_{A -} to the latch 8 along said first direction Di.

In the lock 1 embodiment shown in figures 16 to 18, the motion transferring means comprises a pushing surface 50a, obtained on the cursor element 9’, and a yielding surface 50b, obtained on the latch 8’.

The pushing surface 50a and the yielding surface 50b are arranged for coming into mutual contact and for sliding on one another. The pushing surface 50a and the yielding surface 50b extend along respective lying planes that are tilted with respect to the first direction Di and to the opening direction D_A-

By the direct contact interaction, of the tilted planes type, of the aforesaid surfaces 50a and 50b, an upward shift of the cursor element 9 is matched by a retracting shift of the latch 8’ to the inside of the box body 7.

The operation of anti-panic lock 1 is now disclosed concisely with the help of figures 11 to 15.

In a normal closed (not key locked) condition of the door 2, the lock is arranged as in Figure 11, with only the latch 8 in extracted position E. In this condition, the cursor element 9 is in the freely engageable position P_E, in which it can be driven both by the inner handle 3 and by the outer handle 4. This means that the engaging lug 14 can also be hooked by the first lever unit 13 A as well as by the second lever unit 13B.

Figure 12 shows the step of lifting the cursor element 9 by the first lever unit 13A driven by the outer handle 4.

In a key locked condition of the door 2, obtained by intervening on the key-operated locking member 12, the cursor element 9 is lowered to the selective disengagement position P_D, as figure 13 shows.

An attempt to force the latch 8 to push the latch 8 into the box body 7 is prevented by the locking ridge 22 (of the cursor element 9) that opposes the wall zone 23 (of the latch 8).

An attempt to force the bolt 21 to push the bolt 21 into the box body 7 is prevented by the protrusion element 24 (of the cursor element 9) that opposes the locking portion of the grooved profile 34 obtained on the bolt 21.

Two elements of the lock 1 are thus locked, i.e. a latch and bolt, significantly improving the achievable security levels.

In this selective disengagement position PD, also shown in figure 8, the engaging lug 14 can be hooked only by the second lever unit 13B drivable by the inner handle 3. The outer handle 4 and the first lever unit 13 A are in the“freely rotatable” condition. In an emergency situation, the user is not obliged to act first on the key-operated locking member 12 to raise the cursor element 9, which in turn retracts the bolt 21 to the inside.

It is sufficient to rotate the inner handle 3 the second lever unit 13B of which intercepts along its trajectory T2 the engaging lug 14, thus pushing the cursor element 9 upwards.

As shown in figure 15, the upward shift of the cursor element 9 both causes the bolt 21 to withdraw to inside the box body 7 (by the grooved profile 34 of the bolt 21 that follows the movement of the protrusion element 24), and the latch 8 to withdraw to the inner retracted position R, by the action of the interposed lever member 41.

Figures 16 to 18 show the operation of the means for transferring motion in the other embodiment in which the cursor element 9’ and the latch 8’ interact directly by the tilted sliding planes operating principle.

From what has been disclosed and shown in the drawings, it is clear that the anti panic lock 1 according to the invention enables the declared objects to be reached.

In particular, the present anti-panic lock 1 is constructionally and functionally much simpler than known locks.

In fact, the anti-panic lock 1 is defined by just a few essential mechanical components such as the cursor element 9, the lever units 13 A and 13B, the latch 8 and the bolt 21 (which can also be absent if this is desired).

A sole mechanical element, i.e. the cursor element 9, owing to the extended configuration thereof, is able to drive both the latch 8 and the bolt 21, thus performing the various security locking functions. The cursor element 9 is configured to interact directly, without any need for other interposed components, with the key- operated locking member 12. The resulting weight reduction and increased reliability are clear.

A particularly advantageous configuration is that of the lever units 13 A, 13B with shaped insert elements 15 A, 15B that are interchangeable between one another, that give the anti-panic lock 1 great fitting versatility, making the anti-panic lock 1 suitable for both right opening doors and left opening doors without specially designed items having to be prepared for one or the other fitting configuration.

This engenders significant advantages from the point of view of the associated logistic and manufacturing costs.

Owing to the presence of the different locking protruding means, which are obtained integrally (i.e. in a single item) on the cursor element 9 and on the latch 8 (and on the bolt 21), security levels are obtained in the key locked condition of the lock that are much greater than those of known anti-panic locks.

What has been said shown in the attached drawings has been provided by way of example of the innovative features of the anti-panic lock 1 for hinged doors according to some possible embodiments.

Modifications can be made to the lock, or parts thereof, without thereby falling outside the scope of the claims.

In practice, the materials, inasmuch as they are compatible with the specific use and with the respective single components for which they are intended, can be chosen appropriately according to the requested requirements and in function of the available prior art.

It is further possible to configure and size the anti-panic lock and use materials according to requirements, and possible variants on and/or additions to what has been disclosed and illustrated in the attached drawings are possible.

Claims

1. Anti-panic lock for a door (2), suitable for being controllable by an inner handle (3) and an outer handle (4) placed respectively on an inner side (5) and an outer side (6) of said door (2) with respect to a room, said anti-panic lock (1) comprising:

- a containing box body (7), suitable for being housed in a cavity of said door

(2);

- a latch that is movable (8; 8’) along a first direction (Di), between an extracted position (E) and a retracted position (R) in said box body (7);

- a cursor element (9; 9’) having a first end (10) - shaped for driving said latch (8; 8’) - and extending as far as a second end (11) configured for being directly engageable by a key-operated locking member (12),

- said cursor element (9; 9’) being movable along an opening direction (D_A), transverse to said first direction (Di), to move said latch (8; 8’) from said extracted position (E) to said retracted position (R),

- lever means (13) controllable by said inner handle (3) and by said outer handle (4) to move said cursor element (9; 9’) along said opening direction (D_A),

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said lever means (13) comprises a first lever unit (13A) and a second lever unit (13B), which are controllable respectively by said outer handle (4) and by said inner handle (3) and are movable independently of one another, AND IN THAT said cursor element (9; 9’) is movable, by said key-operated locking member (12), along a locking direction (D_B) opposite said opening direction (DA), to reach a selective disengagement position (P_D) in which said cursor element (9; 9’) is not engageable and controllable by said first lever unit (13A) associated with said outer handle (4), in this manner preventing opening of the door (2) by said outer handle (4), said second lever unit (13B) being geometrically shaped to engage said cursor element (9; 9’) even when said cursor element (9; 9’) is in said selective disengagement position (P_D) so as to ensure constantly that said inner handle (3) can move said cursor element (9; 9’) in said opening direction (DA) to enable rapid opening of said door (2) in an emergency situation.

2. Anti-panic lock according to claim 1, wherein on said cursor element (9; 9’) an engaging lug (14) is obtained, placed in an intermediate zone (I) of said cursor element (9; 9’), shaped for receiving a pushing action from said first lever unit (13A) and from said second lever unit (13B) to move said cursor element (9; 9’) along said opening direction (DA), said first lever unit (13A) and said second lever unit (13B) being rotatable, by said outer handle (4) and inner handle (3) respectively, around a same axis of rotation (X_R) and in a mutually independent manner.

3. Anti-panic lock according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cursor element (9; 9’) is movable from said selective disengagement position (P_D), corresponding to a key- operated locked condition, in which said cursor element (9; 9’) can be driven only by said second lever unit (13B), to a freely engageable position (P_E), corresponding to a normal closed condition of said lock (1), in which said cursor element (9; 9’) can be driven, not only by said second lever unit (13B), but also by said first lever unit (13A).

4. Anti-panic lock according to any preceding claim, wherein said first lever unit (13 A) comprises a first shaped insert element (15A) having a first pushing finger portion and said second lever unit (13B) comprises a second shaped insert element (15B) having a second pushing finger portion that extends for a length that is greater than said first pushing finger portion.

5. Anti-panic lock according to claim 4 as appended to claim 3, wherein said first pushing finger portion (15A) comprises a first hooking distal end (16A) that, at a rotation of said first lever unit (13A), travels on a first circular trajectory (Tl) having a first radius (Rl) so as not to intercept said engaging lug (14) when said cursor element (9; 9’) is in said selective disengagement position (P_D), said first hooking distal end (16A) being on the other hand able to intercept said engaging lug (14) when said cursor element (9; 9’) is in said freely engageable position (P_E), and in which said second pushing finger portion (15B) comprises a second hooking distal end (16B) that, at a rotation of said second lever unit (13B), travels on a second circular trajectory (T2) having a second radius (R2), greater than said first radius (Rl) and such as to include said engaging lug (14) in the area brushed by said second pushing finger portion (15B) so as to intercept and then push said engaging lug (14) even when said cursor element (9; 9’) is in said selective disengagement position (PD)·

6. Anti-panic lock according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said first lever unit (13A) and said second lever unit (13B) respectively comprise a first coupling body (17A) and a second coupling body (17B) shaped for coupling with said first insert element (15A) shaped as an insert and with said second insert element (15B) shaped as an insert and with respective pin means (18A; 18B) of square type, said pin means (18A; 18B) of square type being mutually connectable but rotatably uncoupled from one another and arranged for being connected to said outer handle (4) and inner handle (3) to transmit rotation to said first lever unit (13A) and to said second lever unit (13B) in a mutually independent manner.

7. Anti-panic lock according to claim 6, wherein said first (17A) and second (17B) coupling bodies, and said first (15A) and second shaped insert elements (15B) are configured for being mutually removably assembled, so as to enable said anti panic lock (1) to be fitted reversibly on a right opening door or on a left opening door.

8. Anti-panic lock according to claims 6 or 7, wherein said first (15A) and second shaped insert elements (15B) respectively comprise a first plate-shaped attaching portion (19A) and a second plate-shaped attaching portion (19B), from which, in a completely integral manner, said first (15A) pushing finger portion and said second (15B) pushing finger portion protrude respectively, and in which said first (17A) and second (17B) coupling bodies each comprise a housing and joining seat (20A; 20B) for connecting with said first (15A) and second (15B) shaped insert elements.

9. Anti-panic lock according to claim 8, when claim 4 is appended to claim 2, wherein said first (17A) and second (17B) coupling bodies are configured geometrically in a mutually specular manner with respect to a plane of symmetry that is orthogonal to said axis of rotation (X_R), and in which said first plate-shaped attaching portion (19A) and said second (19B) plate- shaped attaching portion have the same geometric conformation for being able to couple, reversibly, respectively with one or the other of said housing and joining seats (20A; 20B), at will depending on the type of right or left-hand opening of the door (2) of hinged type, thus enabling the side of the lock (1) to be chosen or reversed to which the anti-panic function must be assigned that is performed by one of the handles (3;4).

10. Anti-panic lock according to any preceding claim, further comprising a pair of springs (30A; 30B) arranged for urging elastically said first lever unit (13A) and said second lever unit (13B) to respective rest positions, and in which spring means (31) is provided that urges on said cursor element (9;9’) to said locking direction (DA), and further spring means (32) arranged for urging elastically said latch in a normal rest position that corresponds to said retracted position (R) in the case of a latch of magnetic type (8; 8’), said normal rest position corresponding to said extracted position (E) in the case of a latch of mechanical type.

11. Anti-panic lock according to any preceding claim, further comprising a bolt (21), said cursor element (9; 9’) being provided with protruding means (24) for driving and locking said bolt (21), said bolt (21) being movable, parallel to said first direction (Di), from a position protruding from said box body (7), for locking with a key the door (2), to a position inside said box body (7).

12. Anti-panic lock according to any preceding claim, wherein on said cursor element (9; 9’) a locking ridge (22) is obtained that is shaped for restingly receiving a wall zone (23) of said latch (8; 8’) to lock said latch (8; 8’), preventing a forced shift of the latter from said extracted position (E) to said retracted position (R) when said cursor element (9; 9’) is in said selective disengagement position (P_D)·

13. Anti-panic lock according to claim 12, wherein said latch (8; 8’) is of magnetic type and is freely arranged in said retracted position (R) when said door (2) is open, said wall zone (23) being positioned for obstructing, in said retracted position (R), said locking ridge (22) to prevent the movement of said cursor element (9) in said locking direction (D_B), said wall zone (23) permitting the movement of said cursor element (9; 9’) in said locking direction (D_B) when said magnetic latch (8; 8’), in said extracted position (E), is received in a respective cavity of a doorpost.

14. Anti-panic lock according to any preceding claim, wherein said latch is of magnetic type (8; 8’) or of mechanical type, and in which motion transferring means (40a, 40b, 41; 50a, 50b) is provided that is configured for imposing on said latch a shift along said first entry direction (Di) into the box body corresponding to a shift of said cursor element (9; 9’) along said opening direction (D_A).

15. Anti-panic lock according to claim 14, wherein said motion transferring means comprises a pushing step (40a), obtained on said cursor element (9), a yielding surface (40b) obtained on said latch (8), and a rotatable lever member (41), provided with appendages (42a; 42b) suitable for engaging respectively said pushing step (40a) and said yielding surface (40b), said lever member (11) being rotatable around an axis (Al) that is orthogonal to the plane defined by said first direction (Di) and said opening direction (D_A), to transfer a shift of said cursor element (9) along said open direction (D_A) to said latch (8) along said first direction (Di).

16. Anti-panic lock according to claim 14, wherein said motion transferring means comprises a pushing surface (50a), obtained on said cursor element (9’), and a yielding surface (50b), obtained on said latch (8’), said pushing surface (50a) and said yielding surface (50b) being shaped for coming into reciprocal contact and sliding on one another, said pushing surface (50a) and said yielding surface (50b) extending along respective lying planes that are tilted with respect to said first direction (Di) and a said opening direction (D_A).

17. Anti-panic lock according to any preceding claim, wherein on said second end (11) of said cursor element (9;9’) an abutting zone (50; 51) is obtained comprising:

— a first abutting protrusion (50) that is suitable for receiving from said key- operated locking member (12) a pushing action to move said cursor element (9;9’) to said locking direction (D_B), and,

— a second abutting protrusion (51) that is suitable for receiving from said key- operated locking member (12) a further pushing action to move said cursor element (9;9’) to said opening direction (D_A).