Folding lock with alarm device

Abstract

A folding lock includes a lock body having a latching mechanism, a jointed bar hoop having a plurality of jointed bars pivotably connected to one another, and a closing bar. A first end of the jointed bar hoop is permanently fastened to the lock body. The closing bar forms a free second end of the jointed bar hoop. The closing bar can be latched to the lock body by the latching mechanism. The lock body includes an alarm device for outputting an alarm signal. The closing bar can selectively be latched to the lock body in a first closing position or in a second closing position, with the alarm device not being able to be activated when the closing bar adopts the first closing position and with the alarm device being able to be activated or being activated when the closing bar adopts the second closing position.

Claims

1. A folding lock comprising: a lock body that has a latching mechanism; a jointed bar hoop that has a plurality of jointed bars pivotably connected to one another; and a closing bar, wherein a first end of the jointed bar hoop is permanently fastened to the lock body and the closing bar forms a free second end of the jointed bar hoop, with the closing bar being latchable to the lock body by the latching mechanism, wherein the lock body includes an alarm device for outputting an alarm signal, with the closing bar being selectively latchable to the lock body in a first closing position or in a second closing position, with the alarm device not being able to be activated when the closing bar adopts the first closing position, and with the alarm device being able to be activated or being activated when the closing bar adopts the second closing position.

2. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the alarm device can be activated in that the closing bar is brought into the second closing position; or in that the closing bar is brought into the second closing position and the latching mechanism is brought into a latching position.

3. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lock body has a switch that is actuatable by bringing the closing bar into the second closing position.

4. The folding lock in accordance with claim 3, wherein the lock body has an introduction passage for an introduction of the closing bar into the lock body, wherein said switch is arranged in the lock body outside the introduction passage and outside an axial prolongation of the introduction passage, and wherein the lock body has a transmission element via which the switch is indirectly actuatable by the closing bar.

5. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second closing position of the closing bar is disposed deeper in the lock body than the first closing position with respect to an introduction direction of the closing bar into the lock body.

6. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the alarm device has at least one of the following: an electrical energy source configured to supply energy to the alarm device; an accelerometer; an evaluation and control circuit; a signal generator; or a radio transmission unit configured to wirelessly transmit the alarm signal.

7. The folding lock in accordance with claim 6, wherein the lock body has a housing having a storage chamber for the alarm device, with the storage chamber having an alarm device installation opening through which at least one component of the alarm device can be inserted into the storage chamber, and with the closing bar at least partly blocking the alarm device installation opening when the closing bar adopts the second closing position.

8. The folding lock in accordance with claim 7, wherein the lock body has a securing element that is movable into a securing position when the closing bar is brought into the second closing position, with the securing element at least partly blocking the alarm device installation opening in the securing position.

9. The folding lock in accordance with claim 6, wherein the signal generator is an acoustic signal generator, and wherein the lock body has a sound exit opening at least two different sides that communicates with the acoustic signal generator via a respective sound transmission channel.

10. The folding lock in accordance with claim 9, wherein the acoustic signal generator is arranged outside an alignment of the respective sound transmission channel.

11. The folding lock in accordance with claim 6, wherein the evaluation and control circuit is configured first to allow a waiting interval and then a calibration interval to elapse for the activation of the alarm device before the evaluation and control circuit transitions into monitoring operation; wherein the evaluation and control circuit is configured to detect a position of the folding lock by the accelerometer during the calibration interval and to store the position; and wherein the evaluation and control circuit is configured to compare a current position detected by the accelerometer with the stored position several times during monitoring operation and to trigger the alarm signal when the comparison shows a predefined minimum deviation.

12. The folding lock in accordance with claim 11, wherein the evaluation and control circuit is configured to deactivate the alarm device when the closing bar departs the second closing position.

13. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lock body comprises a common housing for the latching mechanism and the alarm device, the common housing having a first chamber for the latching mechanism and a second chamber separate from the first chamber for the alarm device.

14. The folding lock in accordance with claim 13, wherein the common housing is formed as a single casting housing.

15. The folding lock in accordance with claim 13, wherein the second chamber for the alarm device is arranged at a side of the first chamber remote from the jointed bar hoop.

16. The folding lock in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first chamber is closed with the exception of a latching mechanism installation opening, a key introduction opening, an optional inlet opening for introducing the closing bar, an optional passage opening for passing the closing bar into the second chamber, and optional fixing openings for inserting fixing elements for fixing the latching mechanism; wherein the latching mechanism can be inserted into the first chamber through the latching mechanism installation opening; and wherein the closing bar at least partly blocks the latching mechanism installation opening when the closing bar adopts the first closing position or the second closing position.

17. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lock body has a latch device that is configured to hold the closing bar in a force fit in at least one of the first closing position and the second closing position.

18. The folding lock in accordance with claim 17, wherein the latch device comprises an elastic section of a housing or of a housing sleeve of the lock body that latchingly cooperates with a counter-section of the closing bar.

19. The folding lock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the jointed bar hoop is foldable into a yardstick configuration in which the jointed bar and the closing bar extend in parallel with one another; wherein the jointed bar hoop can be brought into the yardstick configuration when the closing bar adopts the first closing position and/or when the closing bar adopts an unlatched transport position; and wherein the jointed bar hoop cannot be brought into the yardstick configuration when the closing bar adopts the second closing position.

20. A folding lock comprising; a lock body that includes a latching mechanism and an alarm device that outputs an alarm signal upon being activated; a jointed bar hoop that includes a plurality of jointed bars pivotably connected to one another, the jointed bar hoop includes a first end and a free second end, the first end of the jointed bar hoop is permanently fastened to the lock body; and a closing bar that forms the free second end of the jointed bar hoop, the closing bar being latchable to the lock body by the latching mechanism in a first closing position and a second closing position, in the first closing position the alarm device is prevented from being activated, and in the second closing position the alarm device is permitted to be activated.

21. The folding lock in accordance with claim 20, wherein the jointed bar hoop is foldable into a yardstick configuration in which the jointed bars extend in parallel with one another; wherein the jointed bar hoop can be brought into the yardstick configuration when the closing bar adopts the first closing position; and wherein the jointed bar hoop cannot be brought into the yardstick configuration when the closing bar adopts the second closing position.

22. The folding lock in accordance with claim 20, wherein the jointed bar hoop is foldable into a yardstick configuration in which the jointed bars extend in parallel with one another; wherein the jointed bar hoop can be brought into the yardstick configuration when the closing bar adopts an unlatched transport position; and wherein the jointed bar hoop cannot be brought into the yardstick configuration when the closing bar adopts the second closing position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the present disclosure will be explained only by way of example in the following with reference to the drawings. Identical or similar elements therein are marked by the same reference numerals.

(2) FIG. 1 shows in a schematic representation a folding lock in a first closing position of the closing bar; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows in a schematic representation a folding lock in a second closing position of the closing bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The folding lock shown in FIG. 1 comprises a lock body 10 as well as a jointed bar hoop 40. The lock body 10 has a housing 20. The housing 20 forms a first chamber 21 for a latching mechanism 60 and a second chamber 22 separate therefrom for an alarm device 80. The first chamber 21 is accessible via a latching mechanism installation opening 31 and the second chamber 22 is accessible via an alarm device installation opening 32. A passage opening 23 is provided between the first chamber 21 and the second chamber 22. The alarm device installation opening 32 is closed by a chamber cover 34, with the chamber cover 34, however, also being able to be part of a removal inner housing (not shown) that fixes the different components of the alarm device 80 relative to one another. The housing 20 furthermore has a receiving opening 24, a key introduction opening 26, and a support recess 28. The housing 20 is regionally provided with an elastic housing sleeve 36 that covers the latching mechanism installation opening 31 and has a latch nose 38 there that faces in the direction of the latching mechanism 60.

(5) The jointed bar hoop 40 has a first end 41 that is permanently fastened to the lock body 10 and has a free second end 42 that can selectively be latched to the lock body 10. The jointed bar hoop 40 adopts a so-called yardstick configuration in the state shown in FIG. 1. In the unlocked state of the folding lock, the jointed bar hoop 40 can be unfolded out of the shown yardstick configuration to form an open loop that can be placed around parts of a two-wheeler or around another article. The free second end 42 of the jointed bar hoop 40 can then be introduced into the receiving opening 24 of the housing 20 and can be latched to the lock body 10 therein by the latching mechanism 60. The formed loop is hereby closed and the two-wheeler is blocked or is secured at the respective article (e.g. a bicycle stand).

(6) The jointed bar hoop 40 comprises a plurality of jointed bars 44 and (at the free second end 42) a closing bar 46. The jointed bars 44 and the closing bar 46 are each formed as flat. The jointed bars 44 and the closing bar 46 are connected to one another in an articulated manner in a row such that their joint axes 48 extend in parallel or coaxially with one another. The jointed bar hoop 40 can hereby be folded together into a so-called yardstick configuration to form a compact unit in which the jointed bars 44 and the closing bar 46 extend in parallel with one another in a plane. The closing bar 46 has a first latching recess 51 and a second latching recess 52 close to its tip at the side facing the latching mechanism 60. The closing bar 46 has a latch recess 54 between the first latching recess 51 and the second latching recess 52, and indeed at the side remote from the latching mechanism 60. The closing bar 46 also has a latch step 56 there beside.

(7) The latching mechanism 60 located in the first chamber 21 of the housing 20 comprises a lock cylinder 62 which is accessible via the key introduction opening 26 and into which a key 64 can be introduced to actuate the lock cylinder 62 by rotating the cylinder core and hereby to move a latch 66 coupled to the lock cylinder 62 in a straight line between a latching position and an unlatched position.

(8) The alarm device 80 located in the second chamber 22 of the housing 20 comprises an electrical energy source 82 in the form of a battery for the energy supply, an accelerometer 84, an evaluation and control circuit 86, and an acoustic signal generator 88 in the form of a piezo loudspeaker. The alarm device 80 furthermore comprise a switch 92 that can be actuated via a transmission element 90 and that is connected in a technical signal manner to the evaluation and control circuit 86. The switch 92 is formed in the embodiment shown here by a contact switch responding to mechanical contact. A securing element 94 and a compression spring 96 for preloading the transmission element 90 are furthermore associated with the transmission element 90.

(9) In the state shown in FIG. 1, the folding lock is latched, with the closing bar 46 being only partly introduced into the receiving opening 24 of the housing 20. In this position, the closing bar 46 is located in a first closing position (disarmed closing position). The lock cylinder 62 can be rotationally actuated by the key 64 introduced through the key introduction opening 26 to bring the latch 66 into the latching position shown in FIG. 1 in which the latch 66 engages into the first latching recess 51 of the closing bar 46, in which latching position the latch 66 engages into the first latching recess 51 of the closing bar 46 and hereby latches the closing bar 46 to the lock body 10. The latch 66 can be moved back into an unlatched position in which the latch 66 releases the closing bar 46 for a removal from the receiving opening 24 of the housing 20 by a rotational actuation of the lock cylinder 62 in the opposite direction. In the first closing position of the closing bar 46, the closing bar 46 covers the latching mechanism installation opening 31.

(10) So that the user can easily feel the first closing position of the closing bar 46 on the introduction of the closing bar 46 into the receiving opening 24, the latch nose 38 of the elastic housing sleeve 36 is arranged such that the latch nose 38 latches into the latch recess 54 of the closing bar 46 as soon as the closing bar 46 has adopted the first closing position. In the unlatched state, the closing bar 46 is held in the first closing position by the latch connection between the latch nose 38 and the latch recess 54, which facilitates the handling on the latching and unlatching.

(11) The first closing position of the closing bar 46 in accordance with FIG. 1 simultaneously forms a transport position of the jointed bar hoop 40 for a transport of the folding lock. In the transport position, the folding lock can be comfortably stored and taken along in a storage device (e.g. a bag, a sleeve, or a holder) that peripherally engages around the folded jointed bar hoop 40 in a compact manner in the yardstick configuration.

(12) In the first closing position of the closing bar 46 shown in FIG. 1, the alarm device 80 cannot be activated. This is only possible in a second closing position of the closing bar 46 and can in particular take place automatically in the embodiment shown, as will be explained with reference to FIG. 2 in the following.

(13) FIG. 2 shows in a representation corresponding to FIG. 1 the folding lock in a state in which the closing bar 46 has been completely introduced into the receiving opening 24 of the lock body 10. In this position, the closing bar 46 is in the second closing position (armed closing position), with the tip of the closing bar 46 being guided through the passage opening 23 between the first chamber 21 and the second chamber 22 of the housing 20 and thus projecting into the second chamber 22. This complete introduction movement of the closing bar 46 into the receiving opening 24 is, however, only possible when the jointed bar hoop 40 departs from the yardstick configuration in accordance with FIG. 1. This can be seen in FIG. 2 in that the four center jointed bars 44 lie on the lock body 10 in a sloped alignment, i.e. the four center jointed bars 44 are pivoted out of the plane of the paper with respect to the representation in accordance with FIG. 2. The latching of the folding lock in the second closing body takes place in an analog manner to the first closing position, with the latch 66 being brought into the latching position by actuating the lock cylinder 62, in which latching position the latch 66 engages into the second latching recess 52 of the closing bar 46 and hereby latches the closing bar 46 to the lock body 10.

(14) In the second closing position of the closing bar 46, the alarm device 80 is activated by the closing bar 46, which permits an automatic arming of the alarm device 80 in a simple manner. To detect the second closing position of the closing bar 46, the reading and control circuit 86 is connected to the switch 92 that is indirectly actuated via the transmission element 90 by the tip of the closing bar 46 as soon as the closing bar 46 has been brought into the second closing position. The switch 92 can be arranged outside the alignment of the receiving opening 24 of the lock body 10 by the interposition of the transmission element 90 that is, for example, configured as a rectilinearly movable, laterally projecting actuation arm, whereby the switch 92 can be better protected against contamination, damage, or manipulation.

(15) The securing element 94, that is in pin form in the embodiment shown here and that is surrounded by the compression spring 96, is connected to the movable transmission element 90. In the second closing position of the closing bar 46, the securing element 94 together with the transmission element 90 is moved against the preload of the compression spring 96 into a securing position in which the securing element 94 engages into the support recess 28 of the housing 20. In the second closing position of the closing bar 46 in accordance with FIG. 2, the closing bar 46 and the securing element 94 each partly block the alarm device installation opening 32 of the housing 20 to protect the alarm device 80 against manipulation from the outside, with the securing element 94 being supported in the support recess 28 of the housing 20.

(16) In the second closing position of the closing bar 46 in accordance with FIG. 2, the latch nose 38 of the elastic housing sleeve 36 engages behind the latch step 56 of the closing bar 46 so that a latch connection is in turn formed that also provides a security against an unintentional slipping out of the closing bar 46 in the unlatched state.

(17) Once the folding lock has been brought into the second closing position and the switch 92 has been actuated by the closing bar 46 via the transmission element 90, the evaluation and control circuit 86 first allows a waiting interval and then a calibration interval to elapse before it transitions into monitoring operation. In this respect, the position of the folding lock (orientation relevant to gravity) is detected and stored during the calibration interval by the tilt-sensitive and vibration-sensitive accelerometer 84. In the subsequent monitoring operation, the evaluation and control circuit 86 thereupon repeatedly compares a current position of the folding lock respectively detected by the accelerometer 84 with the stored position and triggers an alarm signal when the comparison exceeds a predefined minimum deviation. Due to the waiting interval, it is made possible for the user to end the latching procedure without triggering an alarm signal.

(18) The acoustic alarm signal generated in the case of an alarm event by the acoustic signal generator 88 is conducted between the first chamber 21 and the second chamber 22 of the housing 20 and can exit the housing 20 via a plurality of sound exit openings (not shown) at different sides of the housing 20. Since the acoustic signal generator 88 is hidden in the interior of the lock body 10 by this construction, it can itself not be manipulated, which further increases the security of the alarm device 80.

(19) The output of such an alarm signal can only be stopped by the authorized user. It is necessary for this purpose to first unlock the closing bar 46 by actuating the lock cylinder 62 by the key 64 and thereupon to pull the closing bar 46 a little out of the lock body 10, whereby the transmission element 90 preloaded by the compression spring 96 loses contact with the switch 92 (OFF position of the switch 92) and the read-out and control circuit 86 suppresses the output of the alarm signal. The alarm device 80 can accordingly only be deactivated in the unlatched state of the lock cylinder 62. In this state, the jointed bar hoop 40 can be brought back into the yardstick configuration for the transport and the closing bar 46 can be latched in the first closed position for the transport.