WO2020229230A1

WO2020229230A1 - Lock with at least one blocking bar

Info

Publication number: WO2020229230A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/062446
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alejandro Ojeda
Original assignee: Urbanalps Ag
Priority date: 2019-05-10
Filing date: 2020-05-05
Publication date: 2020-11-19
Also published as: EP3966411A1

Abstract

A lock for use with a key (70') comprises a housing with at least one longitudinal groove, which extends in a longitudinal direction (11a), a plug (20'), which is accommodated in the housing and includes a keyway, at least one validating element (40) configured to cooperate with a key introduced into the keyway to read a key coding, and at least one blocking bar (30''), which, in a locked state of the lock, engages into the at least one longitudinal groove and which, in the unlocked state of the lock, is receivable in a receiving space (22) in the plug so that the plug is rotatable with respect to the housing. The at least one blocking bar (30'') is configured to define a lock coding associated to the key coding and/or is configured to cooperate in the locked state with at least one blocking element (80) securing the at least one blocking bar in the at least one longitudinal groove.

Description

Lock with at least one blocking bar

The present invention relates to a lock comprising a housing with at least one longitudinal groove, a plug and at least one blocking bar, which, in a locked state of the lock, engages into the longitudinal groove, and which, in the unlocked state of the lock, is receivable in a receiving space in the plug so that the plug is rotatable with respect to the housing.

Such locks are e.g. known from US 9,920,548 B2, WO

2016/162363 A1 and WO 2018/041277 A1 of the same applicant.

In the locks known, the blocking bar merely serves for securing the plug such that in the locked state it cannot be rotated with respect to the housing. For defining the coding of the lock, validating elements are provided which are individually configured. This complicates the manufacturing of a lock. In addition, no specific measures are provided which impede an intended breaking of the lock by extracting the plug.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for a lock, which comprises at least one blocking bar with

increased functionality.

For solving this object, a lock according to claim 1 is provided. Also, a locking set according to claim 11 and a method for manufacturing a blocking bar according to claim 12 are provided. The further claims specify additional embodiments of the lock.

According to an aspect, a lock comprises at least one blocking bar, which is configured to define a lock coding associated to the key coding. At least one validating element is provided which is configured to define a portion of the receiving space in the plug, in which the at least one blocking bar is receivable when the key with the correct key coding is inserted into the keyway. According to this aspect, the at least one blocking bar is provided with an additional functionality of coding the lock. This simplifies the manufacturing of the lock. In one embodiment e.g. the coding of the lock is defined

exclusively by the geometric structure of the at least one blocking bar. This embodiment has the advantage that, apart from the blocking bar(s), the same components can be used to produce a multiple of locks each having a different coding.

Preferably, the receiving space in the plug in which the at least one blocking bar configured to define the lock coding associated to the key coding is receivable in the unlocked state of the lock is different from a straight groove.

In a locked state of the lock the at least one blocking bar engages into the at least one longitudinal groove, which extends in a longitudinal direction. Preferably, the portion of the at least one blocking bar which portion is receivable in the receiving space in the unlocked state of the lock has a geometric structure which varies along the longitudinal direction to define the lock coding associated to the key coding .

According to another aspect, the at least one blocking bar is configured to cooperate in the locked state with at least one blocking element securing the at least one blocking bar in the at least one longitudinal groove. The housing

includes a recess with a forward face and reward face, which is configured to receive the at least one blocking element. According to this aspect, the at least one blocking bar is provided with an additional functionality increasing the coding possibilities and/or the security of the lock.

In one embodiment, the at least one blocking element is integrally formed with the at least one blocking bar. When the blocking element is received in the recess of the housing, an additional measure is given which complicates a lock picking attack trying to extract the plug from the housing . In another embodiment, the at least one blocking element is formed separately from the at least one blocking bar and is configured as a coding member for reading a key coding. Here, the at least one blocking bar contributes to an additional coding of the key.

In a further embodiment, at least two blocking elements are provided, one being integrally formed with the at least one blocking bar and one being formed separately therefrom and being configured as a coding member. Here, the at least one blocking bar contributes to an increase in the coding possibilities and the security of the lock.

In a further aspect, the blocking bar together with the blocking element if needed may be manufactured in an additive manufacturing process.

Following, further embodiments are described with reference to Figures. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of a lock, in which a key is inserted;

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the configuration of Fig. 1 in the locked state of the lock;

Fig . 3 shows a front view of the configuration of Fig. 1 in the unlocked state of the lock;

Fig. 4 shows a side view of a validating element of the lock of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a blocking bar and elastic means of the lock of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 shows a top view of the blocking bar of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged view of an end of the blocking bar of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a part of another embodiment of the lock, in which a key is inserted;

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a blocking bar of the lock of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 shows an enlarged view of an end of the blocking bar of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the housing of the lock of Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 shows the housing of Fig. 11, wherein an upper part is cut away;

Fig. 13 shows an enlarged view of an end of the lock of Fig. 8;

Fig. 14 shows an enlarged view of the lock with the blocking element engaging into a groove in the housing, wherein only part of the latter is shown;

Fig. 15 shows a front view of the configuration of Fig. 8 in the locked state of the lock;

Fig. 16 shows a perspective view of a part of another embodiment of the lock, in which a key is inserted;

Fig. 17 shows an enlarged view of an end of the lock of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 shows a perspective view of a blocking bar of the lock of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 shows an enlarged view of an end of the key of Fig. 16; Fig. 20 shows a front view of the configuration of Fig. 16 in the locked state of the lock; and

Fig. 21 shows a front view of the configuration of Fig. 16 in the unlocked state of the lock.

Fig. 1 shows part of a lock together with a key 70 inserted therein. The lock comprises a cap 10, a plug 20, a blocking bar 30, and validating elements 40. The lock further

comprises a housing 50 (see Fig. 2), which has a circular cylindrical opening for receiving the components 20, 30, 40. In the assembled state of the lock, the cap 10 may be arranged fully or partly outside of the housing 50.

When the key 70 with the correct coding is used, then the components 10, 20, 30, 40, can be rotated relative to the housing 50 around the rotation axis 11a, whereby a driver (not shown) unlocks or locks the actual locking mechanism (not shown), e.g. a bolt of a door or the like. The plug 20 is configured to receive the key 70 and to carry the blocking and validating components 30, 40. The plug 20 comprises a keyway 21, which extends in the insertion direction of the key 70 and which serves for receiving the shank 71 of the key 70. The plug 20 has a receiving groove 22, which extends alongside of the plug 20 and which serves for receiving the blocking bar 30 in the unlocked state of the lock. The blocking bar 30 is preloaded, such that in the locked state it is pushed into a longitudinal groove 52 formed in the housing 50 opposed to the receiving groove 22. Thereby, rotation of the components 10, 20, 30, 40 with respect to the housing 50 is disabled (see groove 52 in Fig. 2 and 3) . The pushing force is e.g. produced by elastic means, e.g. in the form of one or more springs 34 (see Fig. 5) . The longitudinal groove 52 extends along a longitudinal

direction, which is arranged parallel to the rotation axis 11a.

The plug 20 has slits 23, each being arranged tranversally to the rotation axis 11a and serving for receiving an end portion of a validating element 40, so that the latter can cooperate with the blocking bar 30.

The validating elements 40 are disc-shaped and rotatably arranged on an axle 11 (see Fig. 2), which is at one end attached to the cap 10 and axially fixed in a hole of the plug 20. A side portion 47 of a validating element 40 is configured to contact a support face 25 formed on the plug 20 such that the validating element 40 can be rotated only within a predetermined angle range (see Fig. 2) .

As is also apparent from Fig. 4, the validating element 40 comprises a first arm 41, which is configured to contact a coding part of the key 70, and a second arm 42, which is configured to cooperate with the blocking bar 30. The validating element 40 includes a protrusion 43, which cooperates with an elastic mean, e.g. a spring such as a coil spring (not shown) . The plug 20 includes blind holes 24, which are arranged transversally to the axle 11 and radially offset thereto (see Fig. 2) . Said elastic mean is arranged in a blind hole 24 and acts via the protrusion 43 on the validating element 40 so that the latter is pushed in a specific direction, which, in the example according to Fig. 2, is in the clockwise direction. When inserting the key 70 into the keyway 21, the first arm 41 of the

validating element 40 senses the inner side of a key

portion, which is provided with the key coding and which according to Fig. 2 is the right side portion 74 of the key shank 71.

In the present embodiment, the second arm 42 of the

validating element 40 has a recess 44, which serves for receiving a ridge portion 31 of the blocking bar 30 (see Fig. 3 and 4) . The recess 44 is arranged with respect to the rotation axis 11a such that its shape is mirror symmetrical around an axis 44c which goes through the middle of the recess 44 and the rotation axis 11a.

Optionally, the second arm 42 may have one or more

additional recesses 45, 46, which are "false" recesses having no mechanical function, but making it more difficult for someone who tries to pick the lock by finding the correct position of the validating element 40. In the present embodiment, a recess 45, 46 is provided on each side of the recess 44. The false recesses 45, 46 are formed such that a ridge portion 31 can be only partially received therein. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the depth of the recesses 45, 46 is smaller than the depth of the recess 44 and therefore the blocking bar 30 cannot be fully received in the groove 22 to allow free rotation of the components 10, 20, 30, 40 together with the key 70 to be rotated with respect to the housing 50, and thus the sloping flank 36a or 36b of the blocking bar 30 (see Fig. 5) collides with a side of the longitudinal groove 52. The key 70 has a handling part, e.g. a bow, to which the key shank 71 is attached. In the present embodiment, the key shank 71 has a semi-closed profile enclosing at least partially the coding part. The key shank 70 has side

portions 73, 74 which are U-shaped and which are connected via an arcuate middle portion 72 (see Fig. 2) . Thus, a side portion 73, 74 encloses a coding cavity 73a, 74a, in which the key coding is formed, e.g. in form of one or more coding tracks. A coding track extends along the key shank 71 and may have e.g. a wavelike course. The coding track may be formed e.g. by a line of successive channel portions and/or ridge portions.

When looking at the key 70 itself, the side portions 73, 74 prevent that the coding part of the key 70 is visible from outside. This impedes an unauthorized duplication of the key 70 e.g. by producing a copy based on pictures taken from the key 70.

Fig. 5-7 show an embodiment of the blocking bar 30 in more detail. The blocking bar 30 comprises ridge portions 31 and spacer portions 32 arranged therebetween.

In the locked state of the lock the blocking bar 30 is pushed into the longitudinal groove 52 of the housing 50 by means of the elastics means 34, which are arranged between the plug 20 and the blocking bar 30. The latter 30 may have at least one recess 33 for receiving one end of a spring as elastics means 34. The other end may be received in a recess formed in the plug 20. As an example Fig. 5 and 6 show two such recesses 33, each being formed in a spacer portion 32. In the unlocked state of the lock the blocking bar 30 is displaceable in a direction radial to the axis 11a. The lock includes guiding means configured to guide the blocking bar 30 in its movement. As guiding means the blocking bar 30 includes e.g. pegs 35, which are configured to be received in recesses formed in the plug 20. As an example Fig. 5 and 6 show two such pegs 35, each being arranged on a spacer portion 32. The lateral side 36 of the blocking bar 30 which is

configured to be received in the groove 52 of the housing 50 may have a tapered shape. Accordingly, the groove 52 has a tapered shape. The lateral side 36 may include e.g. two sloping flanks 36a, 36b which are inclined to each other (see also Fig. 2) . When using the correct key 70, a torque is exerted on the plug member 20, whereby the tapered surfaces of the elements 36, 52 facilitates a lateral movement of the blocking bar 30. For defining a specific lock coding, each ridge portion 31 of the blocking bar 30 is arranged relative to a reference axis, e.g. the middle axis 30a, along which the blocking bar 30 extends, at a specific position. The present embodiment is configured such that three positions may be defined: a position on the middle axis 30a (see e.g. the second ridge portions 31 from the left end and from the right end of the blocking bar 30 in Fig. 6) and a position on either side of the middle axis 30a. Further in the present embodiment, seven ridge portions 31 are provided, which cooperate with seven validating elements 40. As each ridge portion 31 may be at three different positions, 3⁷ = 2187 different coding positions are possible.

Depending on the intended purpose of the lock, the number of ridge portions 31 and the number of possible positions with respect to the reference axis may be chosen differently, and may be two, three or more. Accordingly, the number of validating elements 40 may be one, two, three or more.

It also conceivable to provide for another blocking bar, which is configured to define a lock coding and which comprises e.g. ridge portions 31 at predetermined positions. The lock may be configured such that the second blocking bar is arranged opposite to the first blocking bar 30. The lock is provided with supplemental elements, which correspond to receiving groove 22, slits 23, blind holes 24 including the elastic means, support face 25, validating elements 40 and groove 52 and which may be arranged e.g. mirror

symmetrically to a median plane of the housing 50. Fig. 2 shows e.g. a longitudinal groove 52' which is arranged mirror symmetrically to the median plane and which may serve for receiving the second blocking bar in the locked state.

As validating elements which cooperate with the second blocking bar the same elements as the validating elements 40 may be used, but arranged on the axle 11 in a mirror

symmetrical manner. Thereby, the validating elements are configured to sense the inner side of the other side portion of the key 70, which in the embodiment of Fig. 2 is the left side portion 73. By providing a second blocking bar, the number of possible coding positions can be increased. Providing e.g. a second blocking bar which is configured in an analogous manner as the blocking bar 30 shown in Fig. 6, the number of different coding positions is 3^2’7 = 3¹⁴ = 4'782'969.

Preferably, the recess 44 in the validating element 40 is configured such that a ridge portion 31 can be received therein irrespective of the position of the ridge portion 31 relative to the reference axis 30a. This allows the usage of the same form for all validating elements 40. The shape of the recess 44 may e.g. not be completely complementary to the shape of the ridge portion 31. In the present

embodiment, each ridge portion 31 of the blocking bar 30 has a rectangular cross-section and the recess 44 has an

extending form, which is defined by side walls 44a, 44b arranged at an angle to each other, see Fig. 4.

As can been from Fig. 3, the ridge portion 31 visible therein is arranged at the upmost position with respective to the middle axis 30a of the blocking bar 30. The upper part of the ridge portion 31 is slightly spaced away from the wall 44b, whereas the lower part of the ridge portion 31 is adjacent to the wall 44a.

In case that the ridge portion 31 is arranged at a lower position with respect to the reference axis 30a and is to be received in the recess 44, the validating element 40 has to be rotated a bit in the anticlockwise direction with respect to the position shown in Fig. 3. If the ridge portion 31 is arranged at the middle position with respect to the

reference axis 30a, then it is slightly spaced away from both walls 44a, 44b when received in the recess 44. In case that the ridge portion 31 is arranged at the lowermost position with respect to the reference axis 30a, the upper part of the ridge portion 31 is adjacent to the wall 44b, whereas the lower part of the ridge portion 31 is arranged slightly spaced away from the wall 44a

Operation and usage of the lock and the key 70 are as follows :

By inserting the key 70 into the lock, the first arm 41 of a validating element 40 protrudes into a coding cavity 73a or 74b and follows the coding track of the key 70, whereby it is rotated accordingly around the axle 11. Once the key shank 71 is fully inserted, a validating element 40 and with it the recess 44 have a specific angular position. If the key 50 does not have the correct coding, then the lock remains in the locked state since at least one recess 44 of the validating elements 40 has not the correct

position with respect to the associated ridge portion 31 of the blocking bar 30, so that any lateral movement thereof is prevented by the arm 42.

If a correct key 70 is inserted, then all recesses 44 of the validating elements 40 are positioned such that they

correspond to the position of the associated ridge portions 31 of the blocking bar 30. The receiving groove 22 in the plug 20 is configured to receive the spacer portions 32 of the blocking bar 30. The recesses 44 correctly positioned form together with said receiving groove 22 a receiving space which is substantially complementary to the form defined by the portions 31, 32 of the blocking bar 30.

Subsequent rotation of the correct key 70 exerts a torque on the plug 20 which counteracts the force of the elastic means 34 so that the blocking bar 30 is released out of the groove

52 and pushed into the receiving space mentioned above. This allows the components 10, 20, 30, 40 together with the key 70 to be rotated with respect to the housing 50, which is the static part of the lock.

The lock is locked again by rotating the key 70 and with it the components 10, 20, 30, 40 into the other direction, so that the blocking bar 30 can slide back into the groove 52. Withdrawal of the key 70 causes the validating elements 40 by means of the elastic means in the blind holes 24 to be returned back to the initial position, in which at least one of the recesses 44 is not in the correct positions anymore.

The embodiment described so far has the advantage that the lock may be configured such that the lock coding is defined uniquely by one or more blocking bars. Thus, it is possible to provide a multiple of locks, which, apart from the blocking bar(s) are constituted by the same components.

Thus, a lock manufacturer can define the coding of the lock by simply inserting the blocking bar(s) with a specific coding into the housing.

Fig. 8 shows part of a lock of another embodiment, in which corresponding elements have the same reference numbers as those of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 to 7.

Here, the blocking bar 30' is supplemented at the rearward end with an extension comprising additional blocking means 37 to impede an intended destruction of the lock by

extracting the plug.

As is shown in particular in Fig. 9 and 10 a blocking element 37 has e.g. the shape of a block and is arranged on the lateral side 36 of the blocking bar 30' and thus, in the assembled state, is directed towards the housing 50' (see Fig . 11 and 12 ) .

The blocking element 37 includes a forward side 37a and a rearward side 37b both being arranged transversally to the longitudinal direction, in which the groove 52 extend, as well as a top side 37c connecting the sides 37a, 37b and being arranged transversally thereto.

Here, the sides 37a, 37b are plane, whereas the top side 37c may have a curvature, e.g. a circular cylindrical curvature.

In the present embodiment, the extension of the blocking bar 30' has an end portion 38 adjacent to the blocking element 37. Preferably, the side of the end portion 38 which is directed towards the housing 50' has the same shape as the lateral side 36 of the blocking bar 30'. Here, the end portion 38 has a tapered shape. The end portion 38 can also be omitted, so that the blocking element 37 defines the end of the blocking bar 30'

As is also apparent from Fig. 9 the blocking element 37 and the end portion 38 are arranged on a spacer portion 32' which has a flat underside and which is arranged adjacent to a ridge portion 31. As indicated in Fig. 8, a recess 27 corresponding to the spacer portion 32' is provided in the plug 20' so that in the unlocked state of the lock the blocking bar 30' can be received in the receiving space of the plug 20'. It is conceivable that the spacer portion 32' is provided with a recess 33 or a peg 35, whereas the right recess 33 or the right peg 35 shown in Fig. 9 may be

omitted .

Fig. 11 and 12 show the housing 50', which comprises the opening 51 for receiving the plug 20' and the longitudinal groove 52 configured to cooperate with the lateral side 36 of the blocking bar 30'. The housing 50' further comprises a recess with a forward face 57a and a rearward face 57b, which are arranged tranversally to the longitudinal

direction, along which the groove 52 extends. At least in the locked state of the lock, the forward side 37a and the rearward side 37b of the blocking element 37 are adjacent to the forward face 57a and the rearward face 57b, respectively (see Fig. 13 and 14) . The forward face 57a and the rearward face 57b are plane faces. Here, they are part of a groove 57 which is formed in the housing 50' transversally to the rotation axis 11a and which is e.g. circumferential.

In order to provide a recess with a forward face 57a and a rearward face 57b acting on the sides 37a, 37 of the

blocking element 37, it is conceivable that only a portion of the circumferential groove 57 is provided, which portion extends transversally to the groove 52 and has a length corresponding to the width of the blocking element 37. The housing 50' further comprises an end groove 58, which is in line with the longitudinal groove 52 and adjacent to the groove 57.

In Fig. 15, the blocking element 37 is visible as a contour of its cross section. Sides 37a and 37b of the blocking element 37 create a shear line of the blocking bar 30' and the sides 57a and 57b of the circumferential groove 57 of the housing 50', see Fig. 14.

In the unlocked state, the blocking bar 30' is shiftable towards the receiving space of the plug 20' as indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 15. Thereby, the blocking element 37 is moved out of the groove 57 and is received together with the blocking bar 30' in the plug 20', so that the latter can be rotated with respect to the housing 50'.

Fig. 16 shows part of a lock of a further embodiment, in which corresponding elements have the same reference numbers as those of the embodiments described above.

Here, the lock is supplemented by a coding member 80, which has an arcuate shape and which is accommodated in the circumferential groove 57 of the housing 50' (see Fig. 11) .

As shown in Fig. 17, the coding member 80 has a protrusion 80a, which extends into the keyway 21 in order to read a key coding 75 provided on the outer side of the key shank 71' (see Fig. 19) . One end 80b of the coding member 80 forms a stopper, which, in the locked state of the lock, impedes that the blocking bar 30'' can be moved into the receiving space of the plug 20', even when the validating elements 40 have the correct position.

The coding member 80 has further a recess 80c, which may have e.g. a V-shape and which serves to cooperate with holding means 81, 82 to hold the coding member 80 in the locked position (see Fig. 20) . As shown in Fig. 18, the blocking bar 30'' is provided with a spacer portion 32'' having a stepped design such that a nose 39 is given, which is configured to cooperate with the stopper 80b of the coding member 80. In the present embodiment, the spacer portion 32'' is provided with a blocking element 37' which has sides 37a, 37b, 37c like the blocking element 37 of the embodiment of Fig. 10. On the side of the blocking element 37' directed towards the plug 20', a step is formed, so that part of the blocking element 37' forms the nose 39.

Fig. 19 shows a part of the key shank 71' . On its outer side it includes a coding path, which is formed as a groove 75. The latter extends from a first end 75a to a second end 75b. When looking into the insertion direction I, in which the key shank 71' is introduced into the keyway 21, then a reference axis 71a of the key shank 71' may be defined as the middle axis, which is the symmetrical axis of the profile of the key shank 71'. Seen in the direction I, the ends 75a, 75b have a specific position with respect to the middle axis 71a. In the example of Fig. 19, the ends 75a,

75b are shifted to the right and left of the middle axis 71a, respectively, see the lateral distances dl and d2. When using a key 70', whose coding path 75 has the correct coding, then the position of the ends 75a, 75b define the locked and unlocked positions of the coding member 80.

When using a key 70, which has an incorrect coding path 75, then its first end 75a has not the correct position and the key shank 71' can only partly be inserted into the keyway 21 as the protrusion 80a of the coding member 80 butts against the key shank 71'. Accordingly, the coding member 80 is not moved and the blocking bar 30'' remains blocked. Fig. 20 shows the lock in its locked state. Holding means for holding the coding member 80 in the locked position are shown and include a pin 81 and a spring 82 accommodated in a blind hole 26, which is formed in the plug 20'. The pin 81 has a tapered top which engages in the recess 80c of the coding member 80. The stopper 80b engages under the

underside of the nose 39, thereby blocking any movement of the blocking bar 30'' towards the plug 20'.

A key 70' having the correct coding path 75 can be inserted into the keyway 21, such that the protrusion 80a engages with the coding path 75, whereby the coding member 80 is rotated along the groove 57 formed in the housing 50' to disengage the stopper 80b from the nose 39. Fig. 21 shows the lock in its unlocked state. The coding member 80 has been rotated in a direction, which is in the present example the clockwise direction. The recess 80c has been moved along the pin 81, so that the underside of the stopper 80b contacts the pin 81 and the spring 82 has been compressed in the blind hole 26. The stopper 80b is

positioned offset of the nose 39, so that it does not block the blocking bar 30'' anymore. In the situation shown in Fig. 21 also the coding on the inner side of the key 70' is correct, so that the validating elements 40 have the correct positions and the blocking bar 30'' is received in the plug 20'. Rotating the key 70' causes the components 10, 20', 30'', 40, 80-82 of the lock to be rotated with respect to the housing 50'. The coding member 80 serves as a blocking element, which, in the locked state, cooperates with the blocking bar 30'' to secure it in the longitudinal groove 52. In the locked state, the coding member 80 impedes that the blocking bar 30'' can be moved transversally to the longitudinal axis of the groove 52.

Here, the blocking bar 30'' includes also a blocking element 37' like the embodiment in Fig. 9. Thus, the blocking element 37' serves as an additional blocking mean for securing the blocking bar 30'' in the longitudinal groove 52. The blocking element 37' impedes that the blocking bar

30'' can be moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the groove 52 and thus impedes an extraction of the plug 20' e.g. by someone trying to pick the lock. It is

conceivable that the coding member 80 is provided without such a countermeasure against plug extraction. For instance, the blocking element 37' shown in Fig. 17 may be provided with the nose 39, but the sides 37a, 37b, 37c may be formed such that they have the same tapered shape as the lateral side 36 of the coding bar 30' ' .

Furthermore, the blocking bar 30' of Fig. 9 and the blocking bar 30'' of Fig. 18 may not be necessarily configured such that they form at least part of the lock coding. For

instance, the lock may have tumbler pins. Accordingly, the key may be configured e.g. as a flat key having a coding provided on its outer face. In this case, the blocking bar may be provided with a blocking element 37' and/or the nose 39, but otherwise may be configured such that the ridge portions 31 are left away and the spacer portions 32, 32', 32'' are arranged without any space therebetween.

Preferably, a member integrally formed is fabricated, which constitutes the blocking bar 30, the blocking bar 30' together with the extension 37 (and 38 if provided) or the blocking bar 30'' together with extension 37' (and 38 if provided) . For this purpose, an additive manufacturing process may be used for manufacturing said integrally formed member. It is e.g. possible to fabricate in the same run of production multiple blocking bars 30, 30', 30'' each having another coding.

Various additive manufacturing processes are conceivable, e.g. selective laser melting (SLM) , laser sintering, laser melting, electron beam melting, fused deposition modeling, material jetting, photopolymer jetting, binder jetting, stereolithography and injection.

For the additive manufacturing a 3D model of the blocking bar is created e.g. with CAD. By means of a "slicer" the 3D model is converted into a series of layers and a control file is produced which is configured to control the machine for manufacturing the blocking bar in an additive manner. In case the extension 37, 37', 38 is required, it is modeled and created together with the blocking bar.

Claims

1. A lock for use with a key (70; 70' ), comprising:

a housing (50; 50') with at least one longitudinal groove (52, 52'), which extends in a longitudinal direction (11a) ,

a plug (20; 20'), which is accommodated in the housing and includes a keyway (21) configured to receive the key, at least one validating element (40) configured to cooperate with a key introduced into the keyway to read a key coding, and

at least one blocking bar (30; 30'; 30''), which, in a locked state of the lock, engages into the at least one longitudinal groove and which, in the unlocked state of the lock, is receivable in a receiving space (22, 44) in the plug so that the plug is rotatable with respect to the housing, wherein the lock further comprises at least one of the following features A and B:

A) the at least one blocking bar (30; 30'; 30'') is

configured to define a lock coding associated to the key coding, wherein the at least one validating element (40) is movably arranged in a plane transversally to the longitudinal direction (11a) and is configured to define a portion (44) of the receiving space (22, 44), when the key (70; 70') with the correct key coding is inserted into the keyway (21),

B) the at least one blocking bar (30'; 30'') is configured to cooperate in the locked state with at least one blocking element (37; 37'; 80) securing the at least one blocking bar in the at least one longitudinal groove (52, 52'), the housing (50') including a recess (57) with a forward face (57a) and reward face (57b) which are arranged transversally to the longitudinal direction (11a), the recess being configured to receive the at least one blocking element.

2. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the at least one blocking bar (30; 30'; 30'') comprises ridge portions (31), which are arranged in specific positions with respect to a reference axis (30a) to define the lock coding.

3. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one validating element (40) comprises at least one recess (44) for receiving a portion (31) of the at least one blocking bar (30; 30'; 30'').

4. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, at least in the locked state of the lock, the at least one validating element (40) is rotatable around the rotation axis (11a), around which the plug (20; 20') is rotatable in the unlocked state of the lock.

5. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising

a second blocking bar, which is engageable in a second longitudinal groove (52') formed in the housing (50; 50') and/or

a multiple of validating elements (40), preferably the validating elements having the same shape, most preferably one or more of the validating elements is/are arranged in a mirror symmetrical way with respect to the other validating elements .

6. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blocking element (37; 37') is integrally formed with the at least one blocking bar (30';

30' ' ) .

7. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blocking element (37; 37') includes at least one of the following features Cl to C3 :

Cl) it includes a forward side (37a) and rearward side (37b), which, at least in the locked state, are arranged adjacent to the forward face (57a) and the rearward face (57b) of the recess (57) in the housing (50' ),

respectively;

C2) it includes a nose (39) configured to cooperate with a second blocking element (80), which is formed separately from the at least one blocking bar (30'; 30'');

C3) it is attached to the at least one blocking bar (30';

30'') adjacent thereto in the longitudinal direction (11a) .

8. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blocking element (80) is formed separately from the at least one blocking bar (30'') and is configured as a coding member for reading a key coding.

9. The lock according to claim 8, wherein the coding member

(80) includes at least one of the following features D1 to

D6 :

Dl) it is movably arranged transversally to the longitudinal direction (11a) ;

D2 ) it is movably arranged in a groove (57) formed in the housing (50') ;

D3) it has an arcuate shape;

D4) it includes at least one protrusion (80a) for engagement with a coding path (75) formed in the key (71');

D5) it includes an end (80b) configured to cooperate with a nose (39), which is connected with the at least one blocking bar (30'; 30'');

D6) it includes a cut (80c) to cooperate with holding means (81, 82) for holding the coding member (80) in an initial position.

10. The lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, seen in a plan view, the keyway (21) has a shape which includes a middle portion, which is arranged between two end portions, the middle portion having an arcuate shape to receive an arcuate wall portion (72) of the key (70; 70') and/or at least one of the end portions having a U-shape to receive a U-shaped wall portion (73, 74) of the key.

11. A locking set comprising at least one lock according to any one of the preceding claims and at least one key (70; 70'), the lock coding of the at least one lock matches the key coding of the at least one key.

12. A method for manufacturing a blocking bar (30; 30';

30'') configured to be used in a lock according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the blocking bar is manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.