Portable lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable lock having an unlocking motor, an authentication module for authenticating a user of the lock by which the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication, and having a transport security element that can be actuated by the user and whose actuation moves the lock into a transport security mode in which an unlocking of the lock is precluded. A further subject matter is a locking system comprising such a lock and a mobile end device by means of which a user of the lock can authenticate himself thereat. The invention furthermore relates to a method of unlocking a mobile lock.

Claims

1. A portable lock comprising: a lock body; an unlocking motor positioned within the lock body; an authentication module configured for receiving a wireless authentication signal to authenticate a user of the lock; a transport security element comprising a user actuatable device coupled to the lock body and accessible for manual actuation by the user from outside of the lock body, wherein the transport security element is configured to be actuated by the user and wherein upon an actuation by the user, the transport security element switches the lock from a normal mode into a transport security mode, wherein authentication of the user is precluded as long as the lock is in the transport security mode; and an actuation element configured to be actuated by the user; wherein, with the lock in the normal mode and with the user authenticated, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user causes the unlocking motor to unlock the lock; and wherein, with the lock in the transport security mode, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user does not cause an actuation of the unlocking motor to unlock the lock.

2. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lock is movable from the transport security mode back into a normal mode by actuating the transport security element, and wherein while in the normal mode the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication.

3. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transport security element is an impulse generator.

4. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transport security element is formed by an optically acting, capacitively acting, or inductively acting control surface.

5. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the authentication module comprises a transceiver configured for receiving the wireless authentication signal from a mobile end device of the user.

6. The lock in accordance with claim 5, wherein the wireless authentication signal is a Bluetooth signal.

7. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the authentication module is actuable by actuating the actuation element.

8. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the actuation element is formed by a motion sensor coupled to the lock body and connected to the authentication module for detecting a movement of the lock.

9. The lock in accordance with claim 8, further comprising an alarm in electronic communication with the motion sensor and with the authentication module and configured to output an alarm in the event of a movement of the lock detected by the motion sensor and of an unsuccessful user authentication.

10. A portable lock comprising: a lock body; an unlocking motor positioned within the lock body; an authentication module configured for receiving a wireless authentication signal to authenticate a user of the lock; a transport security element comprising a user actuatable device coupled to the lock body and accessible for manual actuation by the user from outside of the lock body, wherein the transport security element is configured to be actuated by the user and wherein upon an actuation by the user, the transport security element switches the lock from a normal mode into a transport security mode; and an actuation element formed by a motion sensor coupled to the lock body and connected to the authentication module for detecting a movement of the lock, the actuation element configured to be actuated by the user; wherein, with the lock in the normal mode and with the user authenticated, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user causes the unlocking motor to unlock the lock; and wherein, with the lock in the transport security mode, a reading of the motion sensor is blocked, and wherein, with the lock in the transport security mode, the actuation element is configured so that actuating the actuation element by the user does not cause an actuation of the unlocking motor to unlock the lock.

11. The lock in accordance with claim 10, wherein the lock is movable from the transport security mode back into a normal mode by actuating the transport security element, and wherein while in the normal mode the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication.

12. The lock in accordance with claim 10, wherein the transport security element is an impulse generator.

13. The lock in accordance with claim 10, wherein the transport security element is formed by an optically acting, capacitively acting, or inductively acting control surface.

14. The lock in accordance with claim 10, wherein the authentication module comprises a transceiver configured for receiving the wireless authentication signal from a mobile end device of the user.

15. A method of unlocking a portable lock, the portable lock comprising a lock body, an unlocking motor positioned within the lock body, an authentication module configured for receiving a wireless authentication signal to authenticate a user of the lock, a transport security element, comprising a user actuatable device formed at the lock and accessible for manual actuation by the user from the outside of the lock body, wherein the transport security element is configured to be actuated by the user and wherein upon an actuation by the user, the transport security element switches the lock from a normal mode into a transport security mode, and an actuation element configured to be actuated by the user, the method comprising: receiving, by the authentication module, a wireless authentication signal from the user, wherein receiving the wireless authentication signal is prevented as long as the lock is in the transport security mode; wirelessly authenticating, by the authentication module, the user based on the received wireless authentication signal; and receiving an actuation event by the user through the actuation element, wherein in response to receiving the actuation event with the lock in the normal mode, actuating the unlocking motor to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication with the authentication module, and wherein in response to receiving the actuation event with the lock in the transport security mode precluding actuation of the unlocking motor.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the lock is moved from the transport security mode back into a normal mode by actuating the transport security element, in which normal mode the unlocking motor can be actuated to unlock the lock on a successful user authentication.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the wireless authentication signal from the user is received from a mobile end device comprising a transceiver to establish a wireless connection to the authentication module of the lock.

Description

(1) The invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to possible embodiments and to the enclosed drawing. There are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a locking system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2A a plan view of a remote control of the locking system of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 2B a front view of the remote control of FIG. 2A;

(5) FIG. 2C a side view of the remote control of FIG. 2A with an extended connector element;

(6) FIG. 2D a side view of the remote control of FIG. 2A with a retracted connector element;

(7) The locking system shown in FIG. 1 comprises a portable lock 10 in the form of a hoop lock comprising a U-shaped closing hoop 12 whose ends are received in a lock body 14 and locked therein in a locked state of the lock 10.

(8) The locking of the closing hoop 12 in the lock body 14 takes place by means of locking elements 16 that are movably supported in the lock body 14, that engage in corresponding locking recesses 18 of the closing hoop 12, and thereby prevent the closing hoop 12 from being able to be pulled out of the lock body 14.

(9) To unlock the lock 10, the locking elements 16 can be released, for example against the return force of locking springs that are not shown and that preload the locking elements in the direction of the locking recesses 18, from the locking recesses 18 by means of an unlocking motor 20, here in the form of an electric motor, that is arranged in the lock body 14.

(10) Since the locking of the closing hoop 12 in the lock body 14 is effected by the locking springs that displace the locking elements 16 into the locking recesses 18 and since the unlocking motor 20 ultimately only provides the unlocking of the lock 10, the lock 10 is also called a semi-automatic lock 10. A fully automatic lock 10 is, however, generally also conceivable in which the unlocking motor 20 provides both the unlocking and the locking.

(11) An energy store 22 is accommodated in the lock body 14 for the energy supply of the unlocking motor 20. In the present embodiment, the energy store 22 is a rechargeable battery that can be charged by means of a connection element, here in the form of a USB socket, that is accessible from the outside. Alternatively, however, the energy store 22 could also be a battery that can be replaced as required.

(12) To trigger an unlocking procedure, an actuation element 26, here in the form of a motion sensor, is accommodated in the lock body 14. The actuation of the actuation element 26 in this case therefore takes place by a movement of the lock 10. Alternatively, the actuation element 26 could, however, also be an optically acting or inductively acting control or a button, in particular a push button or a slider switch.

(13) The actuation element 26 is connected to an authentication module 28 that is accommodated in the lock body 14 and that is in turn connected to the unlocking motor 20. If the lock 10 is in a normal mode, the authentication module 28 is activated by actuating the actuation element 26, i.e. therefore by the detection of a movement of the lock 10 and the authentication module 28 carries out an authentication procedure. For this purpose, the authentication module 28 first establishes a Bluetooth connection by means of a transceiver 29 to a mobile end device 30 that a user of the lock 10 carries with him for this purpose.

(14) In the present embodiment, the mobile end device 30 is a Bluetooth enabled remote control (see also FIG. 2) that in turn has a transceiver 31 and that can be switched on by means of a switch-on element 32. The remote control can also have a motion sensor, not shown, for example a 3D positional sensor, for detecting a movement of the remote control that makes it possible to wake up the remote control on detection of a movement after it has changed into an energy-saving passive state after its use.

(15) Alternatively, the mobile end device 30 can be formed by a smart watch, a smartphone, or another Bluetooth enabled portable computer.

(16) As soon as the authentication module 28 has established a Bluetooth connection to the mobile end device 30, it carries out an authentication of the mobile end device 30. In the event of a positive authentication, the authentication module 28 transmits a release signal to the unlocking motor 20 so that it can move the locking elements 16 and the closing hoop 12 out of engagement for the unlocking of the lock 10.

(17) If, in contrast, the mobile end device 30 is not positively authenticated, the authentication module 28 does not transmit any release signal to the unlocking motor 20, i.e. the lock 10 is not unlocked and can thus not be opened by the user. The authentication module 28 instead causes an alarm module 40 connected to the authentication module 28 to output an alarm, in particular an acoustic alarm.

(18) To protect against an unintentional unlocking of the lock 10, the lock 10 additionally has a transport security element 42 that can be actuated by the user and with whose aid the user can move the lock 10 into a transport security mode.

(19) In the present embodiment, the transport security element 42 is a slider button formed at a suitable point of the lock body 14 and accessible from the outside. Other kinds of impulse generators can, however, generally also be considered such as push buttons or optically acting, capacitively acting, or inductively acting controls.

(20) By an actuation of the transport security element 42, the lock can be moved out of the above-described normal mode into a transport security mode in which the motion sensor 26 is not read. The motion sensor 26 is so-to-say therefore moved to passive. This in turn means that neither the authentication module 28 nor the alarm module 40 can receive actuation signals. Accordingly, neither an authentication procedure required for the unlocking of the lock 10 can be carried out nor can an alarm be output. Apart from the fact that an unintentional unlocking of the lock 10 is precluded in this manner, the energy store 22 is also at most minimally loaded with a lock 10 in the transport security mode.

(21) A switchover of the lock 10 from the transport security mode into the normal mode likewise takes place by an actuation of the transport security element 42, i.e. the lock 10 can be switched to and fro between the normal mode and the transport security mode by a consecutive actuation of the transport security element 42.

(22) It is understood that both the authentication procedure and the actual unlocking procedure require that the energy store 22 has sufficient energy. For the case that the energy store 22 is so discharged that an authentication and/or an unlocking is no longer possible, the mobile end device 30 configured as a remote control has an emergency energy store 34, for example in the form of a power bank, and a connector element 36, here in the form of a USB plug, complementary to the connector element 24 of the lock 10 to connect the emergency energy store 34 of the mobile end device 30 to the connector element 24 of the lock 10 and to charge the energy store 22 of the lock 10 at least so much that the authentication can be carried out and the lock 10 can be unlocked.

(23) To protect the connector element 36 of the mobile end device 30 from contamination and/or damage, the connector element 36 can be retracted by a slider 37 into a housing 38 of the mobile end device 30 (FIG. 2D) and can be extended out of it again as required (FIG. 2C).

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(24) 10 lock 12 closing hoop 14 lock body 16 locking element 18 locking recess 20 unlocking motor 22 energy store 24 connector element 26 actuation element 28 authentication module 29 transceiver 30 mobile end device 31 transceiver 32 switch-on element 34 emergency energy store 36 connector element 37 slider 38 housing 40 alarm module 42 transport security element