Locking system, key and key blank

Abstract

A locking system comprises a lock cylinder which has a cylinder housing, a cylinder core rotatably supported in the cylinder housing and having a keyway, and has a plurality of tumblers which partly project into the keyway, and which furthermore comprises a key which has a key bow and a key shaft which has a shaft profile for acting on the tumblers. An abutment section is formed at the key shaft between the key bow and the shaft profile, said abutment section having an abutment profile having at least one projection and an undercut formed between the projection and the shaft profile. The lock cylinder furthermore comprises a movable counter-abutment. In this respect, the abutment section of the key and the movable counter-abutment of the lock cylinder are arranged and configured such that, on an introduction of the key into the keyway, the abutment section abuts the movable counter-abutment with at least one abutment surface within the keyway and in so doing forms the only active abutment formed at the key for limiting the introduction of the key into the keyway to a correct axial introduction depth.

Claims

1. A locking system comprising: a lock cylinder (11) which has a cylinder housing, a cylinder core (13) rotatably supported in the cylinder housing and having a keyway (25), and has a plurality of tumblers (15, 23) which partly project into the keyway (25); and further comprising a key (17) which has a key bow (27) and a key shaft (29) which extends, starting from the key bow (27), along a key axis (S) in a key introduction direction and has a shaft profile (31) for acting on the tumblers (15, 23); wherein an abutment section (35) is formed at the key shaft (29) between the key bow (27) and the shaft profile (31) and has an abutment profile (37) having at least one projection (39) aligned in the key introduction direction and having an undercut (41) formed between the projection (39) and the shaft profile (31); wherein the lock cylinder (11) comprises a movable counter-abutment (15); and wherein the abutment section (35) of the key (17) and the movable counter-abutment (15) of the lock cylinder (11) are arranged and configured such that, on an introduction of the key (17) into the keyway (25), the abutment section (35) abuts the movable counter-abutment (15) with at least one abutment surface within the keyway (25) and in so doing forms the only abutment formed at the key (17) for limiting the introduction of the key (17) into the keyway (25) to a correct axial introduction depth.

2. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable counter-abutment (15) is supported in the cylinder core (13) radially displaceable to the keyway (25).

3. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable counter-abutment (15) is configured as one of the tumblers (15, 23) of the lock cylinder (11).

4. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable counter-abutment (15) is configured as the tumbler (15) arranged closest to a key introduction opening (19) of the keyway (25).

5. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the abutment section (35) is at least substantially aligned radially to the key axis (S).

6. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shaft profile (31) and the abutment section (35) are aligned radially in the same direction or in mutually perpendicular directions with respect to the key axis (S).

7. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the key (17) has an introduction region (43) which can be introduced into the keyway (25) of the lock cylinder (11) and an outer region (45) adjacent thereto; and wherein the abutment section (35) is formed completely within the introduction region (43).

8. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the abutment section (35) and the movable counter-abutment (15) are arranged such that the key bow (27) is spaced apart from the lock cylinder (11) when the key (17) is introduced into the keyway (25) up to the correct axial introduction depth.

9. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shaft profile (31) is formed as at least one of a plurality of notches (33) and a plurality of dimples.

10. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the abutment profile (37) is formed as a step or as a plurality of steps.

11. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one abutment surface of the abutment section (35) is provided at said at least one of the projection and the undercut of the abutment profile (37).

12. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projection (39) has at least one end side which extends perpendicular to the key axis (S) and which forms said at least one abutment surface of the abutment section (35).

13. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the undercut (41) has at least one end side which is aligned perpendicular to the key axis (S) and which forms said at least one abutment surface of the abutment section (35).

14. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the abutment profile (37) has at least two projections (39), or at least two undercuts (41), or both at least two projections (39) and at least two undercuts (41).

15. A locking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable counter-abutment (15) of the lock cylinder (11) has a counter-profile (53) adapted to cooperate with the abutment profile (37) of the key (17).

16. A locking system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the counter-profile (53) comprises one or more annular grooves (51).

17. A locking system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the counter-profile (53) is formed completely or only regionally complementary to the abutment profile (37).

18. A locking system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the abutment profile (37) is configured only regionally complementary to the counter-profile (53) such that when the abutment section (35) abuts the movable counter-abutment (15), only an end side of the projection (39), but not a base of the undercut (41) set back with respect to the end side of the projection (39), contacts the movable counter-abutment (15) as said at least one abutment surface and hereby forms said only abutment for limiting the introduction of the key (17) to the correct axial introduction depth.

19. A locking system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the abutment profile (37) and the counter-profile (53) are configured such that they interlock completely or only regionally when the abutment section (35) abuts the movable counter-abutment (15).

20. A locking system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the shaft profile (31) is configured such that, when the key (17) is introduced into the keyway (25), the movable counter-abutment (15) is aligned for an interlocking of the counter-profile (53) and of the abutment profile (37).

21. A key (17) for use in a locking system comprising a lock cylinder (11) which has a cylinder housing, a cylinder core (13) rotatably supported in the cylinder housing and having a keyway (25), and has a plurality of tumblers (15, 23) which partly project into the keyway (25), wherein the key (17) has a key bow (27) and a key shaft (29) which extends, starting from the key bow (27), along a key axis (S) in a key introduction direction and has a shaft profile (31) for acting on tumblers (15, 23) received in the lock cylinder (11); wherein an abutment section (35) is formed at the key shaft (29) between the key bow (27) and the shaft profile (31) and has an abutment profile (37) having at least one projection (39) aligned in the key introduction direction and having an undercut (41) formed between the projection (39) and the shaft profile (31); wherein the abutment section (35) forms the only abutment formed at the key (17) for limiting the introduction of the key (17) into the keyway (25) of the lock cylinder (11) to a correct axial introduction depth.

22. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the abutment section (35) is at least substantially aligned radially to the key axis (S).

23. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the shaft profile (31) and the abutment section (35) are aligned radially in the same direction or in mutually perpendicular directions with respect to the key axis (S).

24. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the key (17) has an introduction region (43) which can be introduced into the keyway (25) of the lock cylinder (11) and an outer region (45) adjacent thereto; and wherein the abutment section (35) is formed completely within the introduction region (43).

25. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the shaft profile (31) is formed as at least one of a plurality of notches (33) and a plurality of dimples.

26. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the abutment profile (37) is formed as a step or as a plurality of steps.

27. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the abutment section (35) of the key (17) has at least one abutment surface for abutting a counter-abutment (15) of the associated lock cylinder (11), with said at least one abutment surface being provided at said at least one of the projection and the undercut of the abutment profile (37).

28. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the projection (39) has at least one end side which extends perpendicular to the key axis (S) and which forms said at least one abutment surface of the abutment section (35).

29. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the undercut (41) has at least one end side which extends perpendicular to the key axis (S) and which forms said at least one abutment surface of the abutment section (35).

30. A key in accordance with claim 21, wherein the abutment profile (37) has at least two projections (39), or at least two undercuts (41), or both at least two projections (39) and at least two undercuts (41).

31. A key blank (57) for manufacturing a key (17) to be used in a lock cylinder (11) which has a cylinder housing, a cylinder core (13) rotatably supported in the cylinder housing and having a keyway (25), and has a plurality of tumblers (15, 23) which partly project into the keyway (25), wherein the key blank has a key bow (27) and a key shaft (29) which extends, starting from the key bow (27), along a key axis (S) in a key introduction direction and has an encoding section (59) for forming a shaft profile (31) for acting on tumblers (15, 23) received in a lock cylinder (11); wherein an abutment section (35) is formed at the key shaft (29) between the key bow (27) and the encoding section (59), said abutment section having an abutment profile (37) having at least one projection (39) aligned in the key introduction direction and having an undercut (41) formed between the projection (39) and the encoding section (59); and wherein the abutment section (35) forms the only abutment formed at the key blank (57) for limiting the introduction of a key (17) produced from the key blank (57) into the keyway (25) of the lock cylinder (11) to a correct axial introduction depth.

32. A key blank in accordance with claim 31, wherein the abutment section (35) is at least substantially radially aligned to the key axis (S).

33. A key blank in accordance with claim 31, wherein the encoding section (59) and the abutment section (35) are aligned radially in the same direction or in mutually perpendicular directions with respect to the key axis (S).

34. A key blank in accordance claim 31, wherein the key blank (57) has an introduction region (43) provided for introduction into the keyway (25) of the lock cylinder (11) and an outer region (45) adjacent thereto; and wherein the abutment section (35) is formed completely within the introduction region (43).

Description

(1) The invention will be described in more detail in the following only by way of example with reference to the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a part of a locking system in accordance with the invention in a schematic cross-sectional view;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the key of the locking system shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the core pin of the movable counter-abutment formed as a tumbler of the lock cylinder of a locking system in accordance with the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the key shaft, the movable counter-abutment formed as a tumbler and a further tumbler of an embodiment of a locking system in accordance with the invention;

(6) FIG. 5A shows a key shaft, a movable counter-abutment formed as a tumbler and a further tumbler of a locking system, wherein the abutment profile of the key shaft is not configured in a suitable manner for cooperating with the counter-profile of the tumbler;

(7) FIG. 5B shows a key shaft, a movable counter-abutment formed as a tumbler and a further tumbler of a locking system, wherein the abutment profile of the key shaft matches the counter-abutment;

(8) FIG. 6A shows a key shaft, a movable counter-abutment formed as a tumbler and a further tumbler of a locking system, wherein the abutment profile of the key shaft is not configured in a suitable manner for cooperating with the counter-profile of the tumbler;

(9) FIG. 6B shows a key shaft, a movable counter-abutment formed as a tumbler and a further tumbler of a locking system, wherein the abutment profile of the key shaft matches the counter-abutment;

(10) FIG. 7 shows the key shaft of an embodiment of a key in accordance with the invention;

(11) FIGS. 7A to 7G show detailed views of various embodiments of a respective abutment section corresponding to the encircled portion in FIG. 7;

(12) FIGS. 8A to 8C show detailed views of a respective abutment section and of a respective movable counter-abutment configured as a tumbler of further embodiments;

(13) FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a key blank in accordance with the invention; and

(14) FIG. 10 shows a key of the locking system having a shaft profile formed as at least one of a plurality of notches and a plurality of dimples.

(15) FIG. 1 shows a substantially cylindrical cylinder core 13 and a movable counter-abutment 15 of a lock cylinder 11 of a locking system in accordance with the invention. The movable counter-abutment 15 is configured as a pin tumbler, with only the core pin thereof, but not the associated housing pin being shown. The movable counter-abutment 15 could, however, also be configured without a housing pin or also completely differently in the embodiments shown. The locking system furthermore comprises a key 17 which is shown introduced into the cylinder core 13. The tumbler 15 is displaceably supported in the one of a plurality of tumbler receivers 21 in the cylinder core 13 closest to a key introduction opening 19 of the cylinder core 13, and is displaceable radially to the cylinder axis Z of the cylinder core 13. The movable counter-abutment is in this respect the first tumbler 15 of the lock cylinder 11. Further tumblers 23 (not shown here, cf. FIGS. 4 to 6) are received in the remaining tumbler receivers 21. In this respect, the first tumbler 15 and the further tumblers 23 can be formed substantially the same, that is can have approximately the same diameter. Optionally, the movable counter-abutment 15 configured as a tumbler can, however, also differ, for instance, in its dimensions from the further tumblers 23 and can, for example, be smaller in diameter.

(16) The key 17 is introduced into a keyway 25 of the cylinder core 13. In this introduced state, the key 17 acts on the first tumbler 15 which is preloaded radially toward the keyway 25 such that the first tumbler 15 is urged radially against the preload radially outwardly into a position in which the core pin terminates flush with the cylinder core 13 and thus releases it for a rotation about its cylinder axis Z with respect to the cylinder housing, not shown, of the lock cylinder 11.

(17) As can be more clearly recognized in the individual representation of the key 17 in FIG. 2, the key 17 comprises a key bow 27 from where a key shaft 29 extends along the key axis S in a key introduction direction (arrow to the right). The key shaft 29 has a shaft profile 31, which extends in parallel with the key axis S, in the form of a plurality of notches 33 in which the secret code of the key 17 is encoded and which are suitable to act on the first and the further tumblers 15, 23 on an introduction of the key 17 into the keyway 25 and thereby to displace them radially.

(18) An abutment section 35 is formed at the key shaft 29 between the key bow 27 and the shaft profile 31. The abutment section 35 has an abutment profile 37 in the form of a projection 39 aligned in the key introduction direction (arrow) and in the form of an undercut 41 formed between the projection 39 and the shaft profile 31 so that the abutment profile 37 is stepped (cf. in particular FIGS. 7A to 7G). Both the end side of the projection 39 preferably aligned perpendicular to the key axis S and the base of the undercut 41 preferably aligned perpendicular to the key axis S face in the key introduction direction and can thus serve (individually or together) as a respective abutment surface for abutting the first tumbler 15. The abutment section 35 extends, starting from the shaft profile 31, radially to the key axis S away from it in the same radial direction in which the shaft profile 31 is also aligned (downwardly in the Figures). In this manner, the shaft profile 31 and the abutment section 35 substantially form an L shape.

(19) As is shown in FIG. 1, on an introduction of the key 17 into the keyway 25, the abutment section 35 abuts the first tumbler 15 within the keyway 25 so that the introduction of the key 17 is thereby limited to the shown correct axial introduction depth at which the tumblers 15, 23 release the cylinder core 13 for a rotation with respect to the cylinder housing. The abutment element 35 in this respect represents an abutment of the key 17 at which otherwise no abutments are provided for abutting elements of the lock cylinder 11 and for limiting the introduction of the key 17.

(20) The key 17 has an introduction region 43 and adjacent thereto an outer region 45 which are delineated from one another by a chain-dotted line in FIG. 2 for illustration purposes. The introduction region 43 can be introduced into the keyway 25 of the lock cylinder 11. In contrast, the outer region 45 remains outside the keyway 25, as can be seen in FIG. 1, even with a key 17 introduced into the keyway 25 to the correct axial introduction depth. In this respect, the abutment section 35 is formed completely within the introduction region 43 to be able to abut the first tumbler 15 within the keyway 25. The key bow 27 is, in contrast, part of the outer region 45 and is moreover arranged such that it is spaced apart from the lock cylinder 11 with a key 17 introduced into the keyway 25 up to the correct axial introduction depth.

(21) An embodiment of a movable counter-abutment 15 is shown in FIG. 3 which is configured as a core pin of the first tumbler and which substantially corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but is a little longer. The core pin 15 is substantially cylindrical with an obtusely angled conical tip 47. Separated from the tip 47 by a collar 49, the core pin 15 has a peripheral constriction in the form of an annular groove 51. The core pin 15 thus always has the same vertical extent independently of its rotational position within its tumbler receiver 21 (cf. FIG. 1) toward the key introduction opening 19 of the keyway 25 and can in this manner form a counter-profile 53 for cooperating with the abutment profile 37 of the key 17.

(22) In this respect, the annular groove 51 and the collar 49 of the first tumbler 15 are formed to this extent complementary to the projection 39 and to the undercut 41 of the abutment profile 37 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the widths of the projection 39 and of the annular groove 51 coincide and the widths of the undercut 41 and of the collar 49 coincide such that the projection 39 exactly fits into the annular groove 51 and the collar 49 exactly fits into the undercut 41. In this manner, the abutment profile 37 and the counter-profile 53 interlock on an abutment of the abutment section 35 at the first tumbler 15. However, this is only possible when the first tumbler 15 adopts the position in its tumbler receiver 21 which is correct and which is radial with respect to the cylinder axis Z, in which position the core pin 15 does not block the cylinder core 13 (cf. FIG. 1). This is achieved in that the shaft profile 31 is configured accordingly and urges the core pin 15 into the shown releasing position within its tumbler receiver 21 on an introduction of the key 17 into the keyway 25, at the latest directly before the abutment profile 37 reaches the counter-profile 53.

(23) The key shaft 29 of a key 17 in accordance with the invention and the movable counter-abutment 15 configured as a core pin of the first tumbler as well as the core pin of a further tumbler 23 are each shown in different embodiments in FIGS. 4 to 6. In this respect, the embodiments substantially differ by the different configuration of the abutment profile 37 and of the counter-profile 53. The key 17 and the core pins 15, 23 are each shown in the position in which they are arranged when the key 17 is introduced into the keyway 25 up to the abutment of the abutment section 35 at the first tumbler 15.

(24) The abutment profile 37 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has two projections 39 and two undercuts 41 (cf. also FIG. 7B). The counter-profile 53 at the core pin of the first tumbler 15 is configured as two annular grooves 51 of a corresponding width with adjacent collars 49. The two profiles 37, 53 are thus formed complementary to one another and can interlock. The introduction of the key 17 into the keyway 25 is thereby exactly limited to the correct axial introduction depth in which the shaft profile 31 is aligned relative to the tumblers 15, 23 such that it urges all the tumblers 15, 23 (of which only two are shown by way of example) into their releasing position. This releasing position can be recognized in FIGS. 4 to 6 in that the end of the respective core pin 15, 23 opposite the tip 47 terminates exactly flush with the jacket surface 55 of the cylinder core 13 (which is only indicated by a line marking the jacket surface 55 in FIGS. 4 to 6).

(25) In contrast, in FIGS. 5A and 6A, not all of the tumblers 15, 23 are urged into their respective releasing positions. This is due to the fact that the abutment profiles 37 of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A are not configured in a suitable manner for cooperating with the counter-profile 53 of the first tumbler 15 which corresponds to the first tumbler 15 shown in FIG. 1. This can have the consequence, as shown, that the abutment section 35 abuts the first tumbler 15 before the key 17 has been introduced so far into the keyway 25 that the shaft profile 31 urges all the tumblers 15, 23 into their respective release positions. In FIGS. 5A and 6A, the further tumbler 23 therefore projects beyond the jacket surface 55 of the cylinder core 13 and thus prevents an opening of the lock cylinder 11. It can be recognized from this that a part of the secret code of the locking system can also be encoded in the abutment profile 37 (or in the counter-profile 53) in addition to the shaft profile 31 (or the length of the core pins of the tumblers 15, 23).

(26) The embodiments shown in FIGS. 5B and 6B differ from those in FIGS. 5A and 6A in that the respective counter-profile 53 of the core pin of the first tumbler 15 does not correspond to the counter-profile of the core pin 15 in FIG. 4, but only has an annular groove 51. The annular groove 51 is in this respect formed in its respective axial position and width such that it exactly corresponds to the projection 39 of the respective abutment profile 37. In other words, the respective abutment profile 37 of the key 17 in FIGS. 5B and 6B (as already in FIG. 4) matches the respective counter-abutment 53 of the first tumbler 15 of the lock cylinder 11 and can therefore open the lock cylinder 11.

(27) Further embodiments of the abutment profile 37 in a plurality of detail views are shown by way of example in FIGS. 7A to 7G. In this respect, the region of the key shaft 29 which is marked by the circle in FIG. 7 and which comprises the abutment section 35 is shown magnified in each case. It can be recognized from the examples that the abutment profile 37 can differ with respect to the number of projections 39 and undercuts 41 as well as with respect to their respective positions and widths. The abutment profiles 37 are admittedly each formed as steps (with the exception of the undercut 41 in FIG. 7F). The abutment profiles 37 can, however, generally also differ with respect to their shapes.

(28) A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 8A in which the abutment profile 37 of the key 17 and the counter-profile 53 of the movable counter-abutment 15 are admittedly complementary with respect to the sequence of elevated portions and recesses along the extent of the abutment element 35 radial to the key axis S (cf. FIG. 2) or along the core pin axis K, but not with respect to the respective dimension of the elevated portions and recesses. For the projection 39 of the abutment profile 37 extends further forward than the annular groove 51 of the counter-profile 53 is deep. Nevertheless, the abutment profile 37 and the counter-profile 53 can interlock and can limit as an abutment the introduction of the key 17 into the keyway 25 (cf. FIG. 1) to a correct axial introduction depth. Such differences from an also quantitatively exact complementary design of the abutment profile 37 and of the counter-abutment profile 53 can be used directly to mask the actual reference point active as an abutment for the correct alignment of the shaft profile 31 and thus to make a copying of the key 17 more difficult.

(29) The detailed views of FIGS. 8B and 8C show two further embodiments in which, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, no completely complementary configuration of the abutment profile 37 and of the counter-profile 53 is provided, but the projection 39 rather projects further than the annular groove 51 is deep so that the collar 49 does not abut the base of the undercut 41. However, in these embodiments, the respective profiles 37, 53 of the abutment section 35 and of the movable counter-abutment 15 are more complex in this respect since the projection 39 does not have a constant height, but is rather of a two-step design, since a section of the projection 39 (the lower in FIG. 8B and the upper in FIG. 8C) extends further in the key introduction direction (cf. FIG. 2) than the other projection 39. The projection 39 thus has two end sides which extend perpendicular to the key axis, but are mutually offset in the axial direction. In a corresponding manner, the annular groove 51 of the counter-profile 53 is likewise configured in two steps at the movable counter-abutment 15 in a matching manner thereto. These embodiments further illustrate the variation possibilities in the design of the abutment profile 37 and of the counter-profile 53.

(30) An embodiment of a key blank 57 in accordance with the invention for manufacturing a key 17 for use with a lock cylinder 11 in a locking system is shown in FIG. 9. The key blank 57 substantially differs from the key 17 shown in FIG. 2 in that it does not have any shaft profile 31 at the key shaft 29, but rather has an encoding section 59 in its place. This encoding section 59 is provided to be provided with a shaft profile 31 in the manufacture of a key 17 from the key blank 57.

(31) The key blank 57 also has an abutment section 35 which is suitable for forming an abutment profile 37. In the embodiment of the key blank 57 shown in FIG. 9, the abutment section 35 already has an abutment profile 37 with a projection 39 and an undercut 41 formed between the projection 39 and the encoding section 59. The abutment section 35 of the key blank 57 could, however, also be blank initially, that is without an abutment profile 37 which is only formed on the manufacture of a key 17 from the key blank 57. Provision can additionally be made that the already present abutment profile 37 has to be changed or supplemented in the manufacture of a key 17 from the key blank 57 in order to match a specific counter-profile 53 in a lock cylinder 11. Further projections 39 and/or undercuts 41 may, for example, have to be added in the abutment section 35.

(32) Like the key 17 shown in FIG. 2, the key blank 57 also has an introduction region 43 which is provided for introduction into the keyway 25 of the lock cylinder 11 and it has an outer region 45 adjacent thereto. The introduction region 43 and the outer region 45 are separated from one another by a chain-dotted line in FIG. 9. The abutment section 35 is in this respect located in the introduction region 43. In the introduction region 43, and preferably only in this region and not also in the outer region 45, the key shaft 29 of the key blank 57 can have a cross-section which differs form a simple rectangle due, for example, to longitudinal recesses formed therein, said cross-section being able to be matched to a corresponding cross-section of the keyway 25 of a lock cylinder 11 which a key 17 produced from the key blank 57 should be able to open.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(33) 11 lock cylinder 13 cylinder core 15 movable counter-abutment, core pin of the first tumbler 17 key 19 key introduction opening 21 tumbler receiver 23 core pin of a further tumbler 25 keyway 27 key bow 29 key shaft 31 shaft profile 33 notch 35 abutment section 37 abutment profile 39 projection 41 undercut 43 introduction region 45 outer region 47 tip 49 collar 51 annular groove 53 counter-profile 55 jacket surface 57 key blank 59 encoding section K core pin axis S key axis Z cylinder axis