LOCK

Abstract

A lock, in particular a bicycle lock, includes a lock body, a locking element located outside the lock body, and a locking mechanism located outside the lock body for receiving and locking the locking element. The locking mechanism is connected to the lock body by a first rope section and the locking element is connected to the lock body by a second rope section. A length of a part of at least one of the rope sections extending outside the lock body is variable.

Claims

1. A lock comprising a lock body; a locking element located outside the lock body; and a locking mechanism located outside the lock body for receiving and locking the locking element, wherein the locking mechanism is connected to the lock body by a first rope section and the locking element is connected to the lock body by a second rope section, and wherein a length of a part of at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section extending outside the lock body is variable.

2. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the length of the part of each of the first rope section and the second rope section extending outside the lock body is variable.

3. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section may be drawn out of the lock body to change the length of the part of the at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section extending outside the lock body.

4. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section is connected to a drawing-in device arranged within the lock body for drawing in the at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section connected to the drawing-in device.

5. The lock in accordance with claim 4, wherein the drawing-in device has at least one coil for winding up the at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section.

6. The lock in accordance with claim 5, wherein the at least one coil comprises a spring whose spring force counteracts an unwinding of the at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section.

7. The lock in accordance with claim 5, wherein the winding of the at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section is disposed in a winding plane.

8. The lock in accordance with claim 7, wherein the winding of the first rope section and the second rope section are disposed in a common winding plane.

9. The lock in accordance with claim 7, wherein the lock body forms a housing for the at least one coil and for the winding of the at least one of the first rope section and second rope section, wherein the housing has a rear housing part and a front housing part that are connected to one another along a division plane, and wherein the division plane is aligned in parallel with the winding plane or is disposed in the winding plane.

10. The lock in accordance with claim 4, wherein the drawing-in device comprises a fixing device that is configured to block the drawing in of the at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section.

11. The lock in accordance with claim 10, wherein the fixing device has a first blocking device for the first rope section that is configured to block the part of the first rope section extending outside the lock body at a predefinable length, and wherein the fixing device has a second blocking device for the second rope section that is configured to block the part of the second rope section extending outside the lock body at a predefinable length.

12. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section terminates in a rope end within the lock body, the rope end being connected to a coil rotatable about an axis of rotation.

13. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first rope section terminates in a first rope end within the lock body, the first rope end being connected to a first coil rotatable about a first axis of rotation, and wherein the second rope section terminates in a second rope end within the lock body, the second rope end being connected to a second coil rotatable about a second axis of rotation.

14. The lock in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are aligned in parallel with one another and a spacing of the first axis of rotation from the second axis of rotation is between 60 mm and 70 mm.

15. The lock in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first coil and the second coil are connected to one another via a connection element.

16. The lock in accordance with claim 13, wherein the lock body has a first fastening passage and a second fastening passage for leading through fastening screws, with the first fastening passage extending coaxially to the first axis of rotation and the second fastening passage extending coaxially to the second axis of rotation.

17. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein sealing elements are provided for sealing inlet openings of the first rope section and the second rope section into the lock body.

18. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is configured as a combination locking mechanism.

19. The lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lock body has a holder for at least one of the locking mechanism and the locking element, wherein the holder is formed as at least partly elastically deformable.

20. A bicycle comprising: a bicycle frame having two threaded bores for fastening a bottle holder; a bottle holder that is fastened to the bicycle frame by two fastening screws associated with the threaded bores; and a lock that is arranged between the bottle holder and the bicycle frame and that is attached to the bicycle frame by the fastening screws, the lock comprising: a lock body; a locking element located outside the lock body; and a locking mechanism located outside the lock body for receiving and locking the locking element, wherein the locking mechanism is connected to the lock body by a first rope section and the locking element is connected to the lock body by a second rope section, and wherein a length of a part of at least one of the first rope section and the second rope section extending outside the lock body is variable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The present disclosure will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to an embodiment and to the drawings. There are shown:

[0038] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a lock in a completely assembled state;

[0039] FIG. 2 a perspective view of the lock with a removed front housing part;

[0040] FIG. 3 a perspective view of an arrangement of a bottle holder and the lock for their joint attachment to a bicycle frame;

[0041] FIG. 4 a front view of the lock attached to a bicycle frame together with the bottle holder;

[0042] FIG. 5A a schematic representation of a section of a lock body for illustrating a fixing device in a blocked state; and

[0043] FIG. 5B a schematic representation of a section of a lock body for illustrating the fixing device in an unblocked state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of a lock 11 that has a lock body 13 as well as a locking mechanism 17 arranged outside the lock body 13 and a locking element 15 likewise arranged outside the lock body 13. The locking mechanism 17 is in this respect connected to the lock body 13 by a first rope section 19 and the locking element 15 is connected to the lock body 13 by a second rope section 21, wherein the rope sections 19 and 21 can in particular be formed by wire ropes. Furthermore, the locking mechanism 17 is configured to receive and to lock the locking element 15 to be able to form a closed loop from the lock body 13 and from the rope sections 19 and 21 and to be able to secure a bicycle to a stationary object (cf. also FIGS. 2 to 4).

[0045] The locking mechanism 17 is configured as a combination locking mechanism and has three code rings 63 that are rotatable about an axis of rotation A. A secret code comprising three numbers can be set or adjusted by these code rings 63. Whereas the locking element 15 connected to the locking mechanism 17 can be released from the locking mechanism 17 by setting the secret code (cf. FIG. 1), the locking element 15 can be securely locked to the locking mechanism 17 by a rotation of the code rings 63 and an adjustment of the secret code (cf. FIGS. 2 to 4).

[0046] Furthermore, the first rope section 19 and the second rope section 21 run into the lock body 13 through respective inlet openings 61. In this respect, the length L1 of the part 23 of the first rope section 19 extending outside the lock body 13 and the length L2 of the part 25 of the second rope section 21 extending outside the lock body 13 can be changed selectively and independently of one another in that the first rope section 19 and the second rope section 21 can be pulled out of the lock body 13.

[0047] This, for example, makes it possible to increase the length L2 of the part 25 of the second rope section 21 extending outside the lock body 13 such that the locking element 15 can be led around a stationary object, such as a lantern or a bicycle stand, and can thereupon be connected to the locking mechanism 17 to secure a bicycle to the object through the loop formed by the lock 11. Since the length L1 and thus the spacing between the locking mechanism 17 and the lock body 13 is also variable, both rope sections 19 and 21 can be flexibly drawn out of the lock body 13 as far as desired so that the locking mechanism 17 and the locking element 15 can, for example, be brought together behind an object used for securing and can be connected to one another there.

[0048] The lock body 13 forms a housing 35 for the parts of the rope sections 19 and 21, not visible in FIG. 1, extending within the lock body 13 so that these parts are protected against an external access. In this respect, the housing 35 has a front housing part 39 and a rear housing part 37 that are connected to one another along a division plane T. The inlet openings 61, through which the first rope section 19 and the second rope section 21 run into the lock body 13, are sealed by respective sealing elements 59 to be able to reliably prevent an entry of water or contaminants into the interior of the lock body 13 and damage that is caused thereby to the components arranged in the lock body 13. Furthermore, the sealing elements 59, which can in particular be produced from a rubber or a soft plastic, are configured to receive a respective contact section 75 of the locking mechanism 17 or of the locking element 15 in a form-fitting manner to be able to counteract a disturbing rattling due to a knocking against one another of these elements 15 and 17 at one another or at the lock body 13 during a transport of the lock 11 (cf. also FIGS. 2 to 4).

[0049] Furthermore, the lock body 13 has a first fastening passage 49 and a second fastening passage 51 through which fastening screws 71 for fastening the lock 11 can be led. The spacing between the two fastening passages 49 and 51 is in this respect in particular selected such that the lock 11 can be fastened to a bicycle frame 69 by the fastening screws 71 by screwing the fastening screws 71 into threaded bores that are formed at the bicycle frame 69 and that are anyway provided for attaching a bottle holder 67 (cf. FIG. 4). The lock 11 can in this respect in particular be fastened to the bicycle frame 69 together with the bottle holder 67 in a space-saving manner, wherein the lock 11 can be arranged between the bottle holder 67 and the bicycle frame 69 (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4). For this purpose, the elongate holes 73 of the bottle holder 67 provided for the leading through of fastening screws 71 can be arranged in alignment with the fastening passages 49 and 51 so that the fastening screws 71 can be led through the elongate holes 73 and the fastening passages 49 and 51 in order to attach both the bottle holder 67 and the lock 11 to the bicycle frame 69. The lock 11 can thereby be taken along in a simple manner during a trip with the bicycle without its attachment to the bicycle frame 69 requiring special precautions or restricting the use of the bicycle.

[0050] Whereas the separate arrangement of the locking mechanism 17 and the locking element 15 shown in FIG. 1 makes it possible to draw the rope sections 19 and 21 connected thereto out of the lock body 13 up to a respective desired length L1 and L2 in order to form a loop by the lock 11, FIGS. 2 to 4 show a compact arrangement of the lock 11 with the locking element 15 connected to the locking mechanism 17. This arrangement can in particular be provided during a transport of the lock 11. The rope sections 19 and 21 are in this respect completely drawn into the lock body 13 so that the locking mechanism 17 and the locking element 15 are arranged at a spacing from the lock body 13 that is as small as possible. Furthermore, the locking mechanism 17 and the locking element 15 connected thereto are clipped into a holder 65 formed at the lock body 13, for which purpose this holder 65 is adapted to the shape of the locking mechanism 17 and of the locking element 15 and is formed as at least partly elastic. A noise formation during a transport of the lock 11, for example during a trip with the bicycle, due to a rattling of components of the lock 11 at one another can in particular be prevented by the reception of the locking mechanism 17 and the locking element 15 in the holder 65.

[0051] As can be seen in FIG. 2, which shows the lock 11 with the front housing part 39 removed, the first rope section 19 terminates in a first rope end 43 within the lock body 13, said first rope end 43 being connected to a first coil 29 via a fastening element 46. Similarly, the second rope section 21 terminates in a second rope end 45 that is connected to a second coil 31 via an associated fastening element 46. Both coils 29 and 31 are formed by springs 41 that are configured as spiral springs and that are rotatable about a first axis of rotation D1 and a second axis of rotation D2 respectively. In some embodiments, the first coil 29 and the second coil 31 are connected by a connection element 47 (cf. FIG. 2). In some embodiments, the connection element 47 may be a metal plate. The connection element 47 allows for the correct arrangement of the first coil 29 and the second coil 31 with respect to one another, increase the stability of the lock 11, in particular, the connection element 47 may increase the stability of the lock 11 against attempted break-ins.

[0052] Starting from the first rope end 43 or the second rope end 45, the first rope section 19 and the second rope section 21 are arranged in respective windings 33 around the corresponding coil 29 or 31 within the lock body 13. In this respect, the coils 29 and 31 are arranged at an outer side of respective boundaries 50 which are formed by the lock body 13 and whose inner sides define the fastening passages 49 or 51. The inwardly disposed spring ends 42 of the coils 29 and 31 or of the springs 41 forming them are connected to the boundaries 50 so that the spring force of the springs 41 counteracts an unwinding or a drawing of the associated rope section 19 or 21 out of the lock body 13. Thus, the coils 29 and 31 form a drawing-in device 27 by which the rope sections 19 and 21 can be automatically drawn into the lock body 13.

[0053] It can be achieved by this drawing in that, on a transfer of the lock 11 into the transport state shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the rope sections 19 and 21 are drawn into the lock body 13 in a controlled and automatic manner and are wound up in a compact and space-saving manner there. The windings 33 of the rope sections 19 and 21 are in this respect arranged in a common winding plane W so that the windings 33 extend spirally around the respective axis of rotation D1 or D2 and have a minimum extent in the direction of the axes of rotation D1 and D2 aligned in parallel with one another. The lock body 13 can thereby also be designed with a small extent in this direction and the housing 35 can be correspondingly flat so that the lock 11 can be comfortably attached between the bicycle frame 69 and the bottle holder 67 without the use of the bottle holder 67 thereby being impaired (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4). The arrangement of the rope sections 19 and 21 in spirally extending windings 33 within the lock body 13 furthermore makes it possible to arrange relatively long rope sections 19 and 21 within the lock body 13 with a relatively small space requirement in the winding plane W.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the drawing-in device 27 is configured such that the coils 29 and 31 permanently exert a force directed into the lock body 13 onto the rope sections 19 and 21. Alternatively to this, provision can be made to form the drawing-in device 27 with a fixing device 53 that comprises a first blocking device 55 for the first rope section 19 and a second blocking device 57 for the second rope section 21. Possible positions for arranging such a fixing device 53 in the lock body 13 are indicated by the arrows associated with the reference numerals. Such blocking devices 55 and 57 can, for example, be configured to block the rope sections 19 and 21 independently of one another at a desired length L1 or L2 of the parts 23 and 25 extending outside the lock body 13 (cf. FIG. 1). For this purpose, the blocking devices 55 and 57 can comprise a respective blocking element that, as a result of a continuous drawing of the associated rope section 19 or 21 out of the lock body 13, comes into engagement with the respective rope section 19 or 21 to prevent a drawing in thereof due to the force exerted by the drawing-in device 27. Such a blocking element can, for example, be brought out of engagement with the rope section 19 or 21 by a deliberate, jerk-like or impulsive pulling of the user at the respective rope sections 19 or 21, similarly to a roller shutter, so that the rope section 19 or 21 can be drawn into the lock body 13 and can be wound around the respective coil 29 or 31.

[0055] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a further possibility for the formation of a fixing device 53. They show respective schematic representations of a section of a lock body 13 of a lock 11 into which a first rope section 19 runs through an inlet opening 61. In turn, a first rope end 43 of the first rope section 19 is connected via a fastening element 46 to a first coil 29 that is configured as a spiral spring 41 and that exerts a force directed into the lock body 13 onto the first rope section 19. The coil 29 is thereby a component of a drawing-in device 27 that enables an automatic drawing of the rope section 19 into the lock body 13 and its compact arrangement in windings 33 around the coil 29 (cf. FIG. 2).

[0056] As FIG. 5A shows, the lock body 13 has a blocking element 77, as part of a blocking device 55 provided for the first rope section 19, that is arranged in the region of the inlet opening 61 and that is spring-preloaded in a blocking direction B by a preload spring 79. The blocking direction B is in this respect oriented perpendicular to a straight-line direction of entry E along which the first rope section 19 runs into the lock body 13. Due to the spring preload, the blocking element 77 presses the first rope section 19 against an inner housing wall 81 formed by the lock body 13 so that the rope section 19 is clamped between the blocking element 77 and the inner housing wall 81. The drawing-in effect exerted by the drawing-in device 27 onto the rope section 19 can thereby be blocked and the part 23 of said rope section 19 extending outside the lock body 13 can be fixedly held at a desired length L1.

[0057] To be able to selectively, for example before a transport of the lock 11, draw the first rope section 19 into the lock body 13 by the drawing-in device 27 and to be able to arrange it in a compact manner, a user can bring the rope section 19 into an oblique orientation with respect to the direction of entry E shown in FIG. 5B in order to transfer a force acting against the blocking direction B to the blocking element 77 and to push the blocking element 77 back against the preload of the preload spring 79. The clamping of the rope section 19 between the blocking element 77 and the inner housing wall 81 can thereby be suspended so that the rope section 19 can be drawn in in a controlled and continuous manner and can be wound around the drawing-in device 27 in so doing. Alternatively to this, a button or a push-button can be provided at an outer side of the lock body 13 to be able to selectively push back such a spring-preloaded blocking element 77.

[0058] A further blocking element, as part of a second blocking device 57, configured in the same manner as the blocking element 77 can be provided for a second rope section 21 running into the lock body 13 so that the first blocking device 55 and the second blocking device 57 can form the fixing device 53 (cf. also FIG. 2).

[0059] The lock 11 allows an extremely compact arrangement directly at the bicycle frame 69 and thus in particular provides a comfortable securing possibility, without any restrictions of other functions, for bicycles used mainly for sports such as racing bikes or mountain bikes. The rope sections 19 or 21 can in this respect in particular be relatively thin and the lock 11 can thereby be formed with a low weight to be able to sufficiently protect such bicycles against an unauthorized riding away or removal during short breaks without the lock 11 representing an unreasonably large additional weight.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0060] 11 lock

[0061] 13 lock body

[0062] 15 locking element

[0063] 17 locking mechanism

[0064] 19 first wire section

[0065] 21 second wire section

[0066] 23 part of the first rope section extending outside the lock body

[0067] 25 part of the second rope section extending outside the lock body

[0068] 27 drawing-in device

[0069] 29 first coil

[0070] 31 second coil

[0071] 33 windings

[0072] 35 housing

[0073] 37 rear housing part

[0074] 39 front housing part

[0075] 41 spring

[0076] 4 fastened spring end

[0077] 43 first rope end

[0078] 45 second rope end

[0079] 46 fastening element

[0080] 47 connection element

[0081] 49 first fastening passage

[0082] 50 boundary

[0083] 51 second fastening passage

[0084] 53 fixing device

[0085] 55 first blocking device

[0086] 57 second blocking device

[0087] 59 sealing element

[0088] 61 inlet opening

[0089] 63 code ring

[0090] 65 holder

[0091] 67 bottle holder

[0092] 69 bicycle frame

[0093] 71 fastening screw

[0094] 73 elongate hole

[0095] 75 contact section

[0096] 77 blocking element

[0097] 79 preload spring

[0098] 81 inner housing wall

[0099] A axis of rotation of the code rings

[0100] B blocking direction

[0101] E direction of entry

[0102] D1 first axis of rotation

[0103] D2 second axis of rotation

[0104] L1 length of the part of the first rope section extending outside the lock body

[0105] L2 length of the part of the second rope section extending outside the lock body

[0106] T division plane

[0107] W winding plane