LOCK FOR LEFT OR RIGHT HAND OPERATION

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a lock (1) for a door comprising a housing (10) having a circular opening (11) in which a radial protrusion (12) is arranged, and a guide ring (20) arranged in the opening. The guide ring comprises a left locking means (22, 24) and a right locking means (22, 26). The radial protrusion is in a first position of the guide ring located between the left locking means and the right locking means on the guide ring. The guide ring is configured to be rotatable from the first position in a first direction (L) into a left locking position such that the protrusion engages with the left locking means so as to lock the guide ring relative to the housing, and configured to be rotatable from the first position in a second direction (R), opposite the first direction, into a right locking position such that the protrusion engages with the right locking means so as to lock the guide ring relative to the housing. A lock which after arrangement to a door may be configured for left or right hand operation is thereby provided.

Claims

1. A lock (1) for a door comprising a housing (10) having a circular opening (11) in which a radial protrusion (12a, 12b) is arranged, and a guide ring (20) arranged in said opening, wherein the guide ring comprises a left locking means (22, 24) and a right locking means (22, 26), wherein the radial protrusion in a first position of the guide ring is located between the left locking means and the right locking means on the guide ring, wherein the guide ring is configured to be rotatable from the first position in a first direction (L) into a left locking position such that the protrusion engages with the left locking means so as to lock the guide ring relative to the housing, and wherein the guide ring is configured to be rotatable from the first position in a second direction (R), opposite the first direction, into a right locking position such that the protrusion engages with the right locking means so as to lock the guide ring relative to the housing.

2. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the left and right locking means (22, 24, 26) are arranged on an axial rim (21) of the guide ring (20).

3. The lock according to claim 1, wherein each of the left and right locking means (22, 24, 26) comprises an inclined member engageable with the radial protrusion (12a, 12b).

4. The lock according to claim 3, wherein each inclined member comprises two inclined parts (22a, 22b, 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b) forming a locking groove (23, 25, 27) in between.

5. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the lock, when the guide ring (20) is in the left locking position, is left-hand operated when arranged on a door, and wherein the lock, when the guide ring is in the right locking position, is right-hand operated when arranged on a door.

6. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the lock further comprises a lock cylinder (30) arranged in the opening (11) and configured to rotate the guide ring (20).

7. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the guide ring (20) comprises an inner peripheral recess (28).

8. The lock according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral recess (28) extends along at least 80 degrees of an inner circumference of the guide ring (20), preferably between 90-150 degrees, more preferably between 110-140 degrees.

9. The lock according to claim 6, wherein the lock cylinder (30) comprises an external protrusion (32) on an outer surface of the lock cylinder, which external protrusion is configured to be arranged in the peripheral recess (28) of the guide ring (20).

10. The lock according to claim 9, wherein the lock cylinder (30) is rotatable relative to the housing (10) in an extent limited by the peripheral recess (28) of the guide ring.

11. The lock according to claim 6, wherein when the lock is arranged on a door, the guide ring in the left locking position provides a position of the peripheral recess (28) corresponding to the lock cylinder (30) being rotatable for a left-hand operation of the lock, and in the right locking position provides a position of the peripheral recess corresponding to the lock cylinder being rotatable for a right-hand operation of the door.

12. The lock according to claim 11, wherein the lock cylinder (30), when the guide ring is in the left or right locking position, is rotatable about 90 degrees.

13. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the radial protrusion comprises a first radial protrusion (12a) and a second radial protrusion (12b).

14. The lock according to claim 13, wherein the guide ring (20) comprises a first locking means (26), a second locking means (22) and a third locking means (24), wherein when the guide ring is in the first position, the first radial protrusion (12a) is located between the first locking means (26) and the second locking means (22) and the second radial protrusion (12b) is located between the second locking means (22) and the third locking means (24), such that for the first radial protrusion (12a), the second locking means (22) is a left locking means and the first locking means (26) is a right locking means, and for the second radial protrusion (12b) the third locking means (24) is a left locking means and the second locking means (22) is a right locking means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a lock according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a lock according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a housing according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a guide ring according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0023] FIGS. 5a and 5b show perspective views of a housing and guide ring according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0024] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a housing and guide ring according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0025] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a housing and guide ring according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0026] FIGS. 8-10 show perspective views of a guide ring and lock cylinder according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0027] FIGS. 11-13 show perspective views of a lock according to an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0029] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a lock 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The lock 1 comprises a housing 10, a guide ring 20, a lock cylinder 30 and a lock arm 40. The guide ring 20 and the lock cylinder 30 are configured to be arranged in an opening 11 in the housing 10.

[0030] The lock arm 40 has an opening 42 configured to receive a correspondingly shaped end piece 36 of the lock cylinder 30. The opening 42 and the end piece 36 may be rectangular shaped. The lock arm 40 is thereby rotatably fixed relative to the lock cylinder 30.

[0031] The lock cylinder 30 comprises a key hole 34 for receiving a key to turn the lock cylinder 30. Such rotation of the lock cylinder 30 thereby rotates the lock arm 40.

[0032] The lock cylinder 30 further comprises, on an outer surface, an external protrusion 32. The external protrusion 32 is configured to be arranged in a peripheral recess 28 in the guide ring 20.

[0033] The lock 1 further comprises a ring 50 arranged between the guide ring 20 and the lock arm 40, and a sealing ring 60 arranged between the lock cylinder 30 and the housing 10. The ring 50 provides that the guide ring 20 is held in place in the housing 10.

[0034] As seen in FIG. 3, the housing 10 comprises two radial protrusions 12a, 12b arranged in the opening 11. The radial protrusions 12a, 12b are arranged with a distance to each other. The distance may be a peripheral distance of about 90 degrees. Each protrusion 12a, 12b has a tapering shape towards a radial centre of the opening 11. Even though the illustrated embodiment comprises two radial protrusions, the present invention functions similarly with one protrusion, or three or four protrusions.

[0035] As seen in FIG. 4, the guide ring 20 comprises an axial rim surface 21. On the axial rim surface 21, left and right locking means 22, 24, 26 are arranged. The locking means 22 comprises a first and a second locking part 22a, 22b. Between the locking parts 22a, 22b is a locking groove 23 formed. Each locking part 22a, 22b has an inclined surface extending towards the locking groove 23. Each of the locking means 24, 26 comprises similar respective locking parts 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b, and locking grooves 25, 27. Each locking groove 23, 25, 27 tapers in a direction towards a radial center of the guide ring 20. The shape of each locking groove 23, 25, 27 corresponds to the shape of the radial protrusions 12a, 12b in the opening 11 of the housing 10.

[0036] FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrates the guide ring 20 arranged in the opening 11 of the housing 10. The guide ring 20 is in a first, intermediate, position wherein the protrusions 12a, 12b are located between the locking means 22, 24, 26 on the guide ring 20. For the first protrusion 12a is the locking means 22 a left locking means, and locking means 26 is a right locking means. I.e. when the guide ring 20 is rotated to the left the first protrusion 12a will reach the left locking means 22, and when the guide ring 20 is rotated to the right the first protrusion 12a will reach the right locking means 26. Similarly, for the second protrusion 12b is the locking means 24 a left locking means, and the locking means 22 is a right locking means.

[0037] In FIG. 6 the guide ring 20 has been rotated in direction L. The protrusion 12a is thereby locked by left locking means 22. The protrusion 12b is further locked by left locking means 24. The guide ring 20 has reached a left locking position. When the guide ring 20 is rotated towards the left locking position, the inclined surfaces of the locking parts 22a, 24a guides the protrusions 12a, 12b towards the locking grooves 23, 25. When the protrusions 12a, 12b has reached the respective locking groove 23, 25, rotation of the guide ring 20 relative to the housing 10 is prevented. Hence, the guide ring 20 is locked in the left locking position.

[0038] FIG. 7 correspondingly illustrates when the guide ring 20 has been rotated in direction R into a right locking position. The protrusion 12a is locked by the right locking means 26. The protrusion 12b is locked by the right locking means 22. When the guide ring 20 is rotated towards the right locking position, the inclined surfaces of the locking parts 26b, 22b guides the protrusions 12a, 12b towards the locking grooves 23, 27. When the protrusions 12a, 12b has reached the respective locking groove 23, 27, rotation of the guide ring 20 relative to the housing 10 is prevented. Hence, the guide ring 20 is locked in the right locking position.

[0039] FIG. 8 illustrates the guide ring 20 in a transparent manner, and the lock cylinder 30 extending through the guide ring 20. The external protrusion 32 on the lock cylinder 30 is arranged in the peripheral recess 28 in the guide ring 20. The protrusion 32 and the recess 28 are configured such that the rotation of the lock cylinder 30 is limited by the peripheral extension of the recess 28. The recess 28 has a first end surface 28a and a second end surface 28b. The lock cylinder 30 can be rotated in a left direction L such that the protrusion 32 abuts the first end surface 28a of the recess 28 (see FIG. 9), and in a right direction R such that the protrusion abuts the second end surface 28b (see FIG. 10).

[0040] When the lock is arranged on a door such that the housing 10 is fixed relative to the door, and the guide ring 20 is in the intermediate position, and hence is rotatable relative to the housing 10, the lock cylinder 30 can be rotated in the left direction L such that the protrusion 32 reaches the first end surface 28a of the recess 28, and then be further rotated in the left direction L to rotate the guide ring 20 into the left locking position as described above.

[0041] Alternatively, when the lock is arranged on a door such that the housing 10 is fixed relative to the door, and the guide ring 20 is in the intermediate position, the lock cylinder 30 can be rotated in the right direction R such that the protrusion 32 reaches the second end surface 28b of the recess 28, and then be further rotated in the right direction R to rotate the guide ring 20 into the right locking position as described above.

[0042] The recess 28 comprises a shoulder 29 in a centre position between the end surfaces 28a, 28b. The shoulder prevents the protrusion 32 to move unintentionally from a position at the first end surface 28a to a position at the second end surface 28b, and vice verse.

[0043] When the guide ring 20 has been locked in the left locking position, the recess 28 is located to enable a rotation of the lock cylinder 30, and the lock arm 40 attached to the lock cylinder 30, from an open position as illustrated in FIG. 11, in the left direction L to a locked position as illustrated in FIG. 12. In the locked position the lock arm 40 is configured to engage a door frame (not shown) such that a door (not shown) on which the lock 1 is arranged is locked relative to the door frame. Similarly, if the guide ring 20 has been locked in the right locking position, the recess 28 is located to enable rotation of the lock cylinder 30 from the open position in FIG. 11, in the right direction R to a locked position as illustrated in FIG. 13.

[0044] Hence, depending on which locking position the guide ring 20 is locked in relative to the housing 10, the operation of the lock cylinder 30 and the lock arm 40 for the door on which the lock 1 is arranged is to the left or to the right. The same lock, assembled in the intermediate configuration of the guide ring 20, may thereby be used for either left or right configuration depending on how the guide ring 20 is rotated and locked after the lock has been arranged on the door.

[0045] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.