Lock

Abstract

A lock includes a housing and a lock mechanism with a dead-bolt disposed in the housing, wherein the dead-bolt is retractable and protrudable between its two terminal positions. The lock further includes at least one bending element disposed in the housing connected to a mechanical component of the lock mechanism at a connecting location, wherein the longest extension of the bending element is defined along a first axis. When the dead-bolt retracts and protrudes, the connecting location of the mechanical component moves along a second axis. The first axis is angled with regard to the second axis, such that when the dead-bolt is displaced into at least one terminal position, the bending element elastically bends and the bending element maintains the lock mechanism in the terminal position.

Claims

1. A lock, comprising: a housing, a lock mechanism with a dead-bolt disposed in the housing, wherein the dead-bolt is retractable and protrudable between a first terminal position and a second terminal positions by means of the lock mechanism, a bending element is disposed in the housing, wherein the bending element is connected to a mechanical component of the lock mechanism at a connecting location, wherein the longest extension of the bending element is defined along a first axis, wherein, when retracting and protruding the dead-bolt, the connecting location of the mechanical component moves along a second axis, wherein the first axis is angled with regard to the second axis such that when displacing the dead-bolt into at least one of the first terminal position and the second terminal position, the bending element elastically bends and thereby maintains the lock mechanism in the first terminal position or the second terminal position, wherein the bending element includes a screw spring having a spring axis, wherein the spring axis corresponds to the first axis, wherein the connecting location is configured as a through-hole and the bending element extends through the through-hole, and wherein the mechanical component is a lever rotatably movable connected to the dead-bolt.

2. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the bending element is configured as a compression spring and is installed under pretension in the housing.

3. The lock according to claim 2, wherein the compression spring presents a spring rate between 0.3 N/mm and 4 N/mm.

4. The lock according to claim 2, wherein, in a non-installed condition, the bending element has a first length L1 and in an installed, non-bent condition, the bending element has a second length L2, wherein a pretension value is defined as a quotient (L2/L1) of L2 and L1, wherein the pretension value ranges between 0.3 and 0.9.

5. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the bending element is at least partially made of rubber.

6. The lock according to claim 1, wherein one end of the bending element is connected to the mechanical component at the connecting location.

7. The lock according to claim 1, configured as a multi-lock comprising at least two actuating elements for displacing and/or interlocking the lock mechanism.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure will now be described in more detail, reference being made to one embodiment. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an inventive lock according to an exemplary embodiment in a perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the inventive lock according to the exemplary embodiment with the housing being partially omitted in the perspective view,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a top view of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the section A:A in a perspective view,

(6) FIG. 5 shows the section A:A in a top view, and

(7) FIG. 6 shows the bending element for the lock according to the exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(8) In the following, an exemplary embodiment of a lock 1 will be described based on the FIGS. 1 to 6. The lock 1 is configured as a multi-lock and employed e.g. in sliding wall systems.

(9) FIG. 1 shows a multi-part housing 2 of the lock 1. In the FIGS. 2 and 3, a part of the housing 2, which may be also referred to as a cover, is omitted.

(10) According to the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the lock 1 comprises a lock mechanism 6 disposed in the housing 2. A dead-bolt 7 is a component of said lock mechanism 6. The dead-bolt can be retracted and protruded by means of said lock mechanism 6. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lock 1 is disposed in an element of the sliding wall system.

(11) The protruded dead-bolt 7 projects for example into the ceiling or into the floor and thus immobilizes the individual sliding wall element.

(12) Herein generally, in particular the lever 8 is referred to as a mechanical component. Said component is very well suited for cooperating with a bending element 11. As an alternative, the dead-bolt 7 may e.g. directly cooperate with the bending element 11.

(13) For actuating and/or for interlocking the lock mechanism 6, a locking cylinder reception 3, a frontal actuating reception 4 and a forehead actuation reception 5 are provided.

(14) The dead-bolt 7 is rotatably movable connected to the lever 8. A tumbler element 9 is attached to the lever 8. Said tumbler element 9 cooperates with a blocking lever 10. The blocking lever 10 can be interlocked in the locking cylinder reception 3 by means of a non-illustrated locking cylinder. Thereby, a movement of the lock mechanism 6 and thus of the dead-bolt 7 is prevented.

(15) The frontal actuation reception 4 is configured at the upper end of the dead-bolt 7. An element, which is inserted here, can be moved upwards and downwards for manually protruding and retracting the dead-bolt 7. The forehead actuation reception 5 allows for actuating the lever 8 via the frontal side of the lock 1.

(16) The FIGS. 4 and 5 show the section A:A identified in FIG. 3. The bending element 11 is just diagrammatically indicated by means of a dashed line in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the proper configuration of the bending element 11 as a compression spring.

(17) In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the bending element 11 is located between the two wallings of the housing 2. In this case, the bending element 11 with its two ends is respectively fitted onto a tenon 12. The tenons 12 are integral components of the housing 2 and serve as a support for the bending element 11.

(18) A connecting location 13 is configured in the lever 8. Herein, the connecting location 13 is a through-hole. The bending element 11 extends through the connecting location 13.

(19) The Figures show a first axis 14. The first axis 14 corresponds to the extension of the bending element 11 in its resting position.

(20) As can be seen for example in FIG. 3, the connecting location 13 moves along a circular path, when the dead-bolt 7 is retracted and protruded. A second axis 15 is defined tangentially with regard to the circular path. The second axis 15 is angled with regard to the first axis 14. In particular, the two axes 14, 15 are located vertically to each other. Thereby, it is guaranteed that the bending element 11 bends during a movement of the lock mechanism 6 into the two terminal positions. In the bent condition, the bending element 11 keeps the lock mechanism 6 in its respective terminal position. Only when exerting the corresponding force, it is possible to move the bending element 11 back into its initial position.

(21) FIG. 6 shows the bending element 11, configured as a compression spring, in its non-installed condition. In this case, the bending element 11 has a length L1. According to FIG. 5, in the installed, non-bent condition, the length of the bending element is L2. The internal diameter of the bending element 11 is identified with D. The thickness of the wire is S.

(22) Trials and calculations have resulted in the following advantageous values, ranges and magnitudes for the bending element 11:

(23) Advantageously, the wire thickness S ranges between 0.2 and 2 mm, particularly preferred between 0.3 and 1 mm. The number of the elastical windings is described with n. Advantageously, n ranges between 10 and 50, particularly preferred between 15 and 35. Advantageously, the material of the bending element 11 is steel with a carbon content of 0.4 to 0.8%, particularly preferred with a carbon content of 0.5 to 0.7%.