LOCK

• US 20110016934A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piotr Leonard Kowalczyk
• Original Assignee: Piotr Leonard Kowalczyk
• Inventors: Kowalczyk, Piotr Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/280
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/0448 Units of springs; Two or more springs working together
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0007 with two or more electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0061 using induction
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0065 Saving energy E05B2047/0053, E05B2047/0074, E05B2047/0077, E05B2047/0079, E05B2047/0081 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0673 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0692 with a rectilinearly moveable coupling element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0836 Operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7051 Using a powered device [e.g., motor]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7073 Including use of a key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7102 And details of blocking system [e.g., linkage, latch, pawl, spring]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7113 Projected and retracted electrically
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7136 Key initiated actuation of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7486 Single key

Abstract

A lock (10) which includes a body and an actuator (36) which is pivotally displaceable between a rest position and a displaced position. The lock further includes a first member (64) which is longitudinally displaceable by the actuator (36) and a second 5 member (66) which is longitudinally in register with the first member (64) and longitudinally displaceable relative to the body and the first member (64). The lock includes bias means (90) biasing the first and second members (64, 66) away from one another. The lock further includes retaining means (98) which is displaceable from a locked position, in which it inhibits displacement of the second member (66) and a 10 released position in which it permits displacement of the second member (66).

Claims

1. A lock which includes:

a body;

an actuator mounted on the body for pivotal displacement about a pivot axis between a rest position, towards which it is biased and a displaced position;

a first member which cooperates with the actuator and is longitudinally displaceable relative to the body along a longitudinal axis from a rest position, towards which it is biased, to a displaced position, in response to displacement of the actuator from its rest position towards its displaced position;

a second member which is longitudinally in register with the first member, the second member being longitudinally displaceable relative to the body between a rest position and a displaced position and the first and second members being longitudinally displaceable relative to each other;

bias means biasing the first and second members longitudinally away from one another; and

retaining means which is displaceable from a locked position, in which it inhibits longitudinal displacement of the second member away from its rest position, to a released position, in which it permits longitudinal displacement of the second member away from its rest position.

2. A lock as claimed in claim 1, in which the longitudinal axis is angularly spaced from the pivotal axis.

3. A lock as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the pivotal axis.

4. A lock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the actuator defines a cam surface which cooperates with the first member.

5. A lock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the lock further includes key identification means and the retaining means is displaceable from its locked position to its released position in response to a signal received from the key identification means.

6. A lock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the second member is used as a lock bolt.

7. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the second member is used as part of a displacement arrangement in a lock mechanism.

8. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the second member is used as a latch for locking a lock bolt releasably in a locked or unlocked condition.

9. A lock which includes:

a body;

a bolt which is displaceable relative to the body between a rest position and a displaced position;

a latch which is displaceable between a locked position, towards which it is biased, and in which it inhibits displacement of the bolt from its rest to its displaced position, and an unlocked position in which it permits displacement of the bolt between its rest and its displaced positions;

key identification means; and

a latch displacement arrangement which includes an actuator mounted on the body for displacement relative thereto and a transmission device having an inoperative condition in which it prevents displacement of the latch by the actuator and an operative condition in which it permits displacement of the latch by the actuator, the transmission device being linked to the key identification means and being displaced from its inoperative or rest condition into its operative or activated condition, in response to a signal received from the key identification means.

10. A lock as claimed in claim 9, in which the transmission device is positioned between the actuator and the latch.

11. A lock as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, in which the transmission device, in its operative condition, forms an intermediate member which is displaceable by the actuator and which in turn displaces the latch to its unlocked position thereby permitting displacement of the bolt.

12. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, in which the key identification means is a non-mechanical key identification means.

13. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, in which the key identification means includes electronic control circuitry and communication means whereby the control circuitry can communicate with an encoded key to permit identification of the key by the control circuitry.

14. A lock as claimed in claim 13, in which the communication means is configured to permit wireless communication between the key and the control circuitry.

15. A lock as claimed in claim 13, in which the communication means includes at least one electrical contact which is connected to the electronic control circuitry and is mounted on the body for making contact with a complementary electrical contact on an electrically encoded key.

16. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the actuator includes a lever arm which is mounted on the body for pivotal displacement about a pivot axis and which defines a cam which cooperates with the transmission device.

17. A lock as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transmission device includes a first member, with which the cam cooperates, and a second member, the first and second members being longitudinally displaceable relative to the body, the first and second members also being longitudinally displaceable relative to one another between an extended position, towards which they are biased, and a compressed position, and retaining means which is displaceable in response to a signal received from the key identification means from a locked position, in which it inhibits longitudinal displacement of the second member, to a released position, in which it permits longitudinal displacement of the second member.

18. A lock as claimed in claim 17, in which the lever arm includes a bolt engaging formation configured to displace the bolt from its rest position to its displaced position.

19. A lock as claimed in claim 18, in which the bolt engaging formation and the cam are positioned on opposite sides of the pivot axis and configured such that the bolt engaging formation drivingly engages the bolt only after the cam has displaced the first member a sufficient distance such that when the retaining means is in its released position, the latch is displaced to its displaced position permitting displacement of the bolt.

20. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, in which the first and second members are biased towards their extended position by means of at least one coil spring mounted in compression between them.

21. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 20, in which the retaining means include at least one displaceable locking member which is displaceable between a rest position, in which it engages the second member to inhibit longitudinal displacement thereof, and displacement means for displacing the locking member from its rest position to a displaced position in which it permits displacement of the second member.

22. A lock as claimed in claim 21, in which the displacement means includes a solenoid.

23. A lock as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22, in which the retaining means includes a pair of locking members, each of which is displaceable from its rest position to its displaced position by means of a solenoid.