Electronic padlock cover with a knob

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic padlock cover with a knob, wherein the padlock includes a rotor assembly formed by an electronic cylinder joined in continuity to an electronic knob, a body wherein the cylinder and a padlock ring are housed, wherein the cover includes a protective casing of the body intended to surround and protect the body of the padlock on one end, a support with a ring-shaped configuration including two grooves and an extension, centered on each groove, which includes a pair of first holes for the introduction of corresponding fastening screws for fastening to the body of the padlock and a protective casing of the knob including two flanges located in correspondence with the grooves, including an inner cylindrical opening for the housing of the knob.

Claims

1. An electronic padlock cover with a knob for a padlock, wherein the padlock comprises a rotor assembly formed by an electronic cylinder joined in continuity to an electronic knob, and a body in which the cylinder and a padlock ring are housed, the electronic knob incorporating a reading base for an opening of the padlock, wherein the cover comprises: a protective casing of the body intended to protect the body of the padlock, and a protective casing of the knob, comprising an inner space for housing the knob wherein: the protective casing of the knob is configured to be fastened to the body of the padlock through a support and is formed by a head solidly joined to a bushing.

2. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 1, wherein the support has a ring-shaped configuration and comprises two grooves and an extension, centered on each groove, which comprises a pair of first holes for the introduction of corresponding fastening screws intended to fasten the support to the body of the padlock.

3. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 2, wherein the protective casing of the knob comprises two flanges located in correspondence with the grooves.

4. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 3, wherein a bushing is configured to be coupled to the support by inserting the flanges into the grooves, subsequent rotation and location of a locking screw in a second hole in order to prevent decoupling between the protective casing of the knob and the body of the padlock.

5. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 1, further comprising a return spring with the ends ending in pins for resting on corresponding projections located on the support and on the protective casing of the knob, respectively.

6. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 1, wherein the head is made of flexible material in order to improve shock absorption and the bushing is made of rigid material in order to reinforce the protective casing of the knob.

7. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 1, wherein a free end of the head incorporates a closing lid.

8. The electronic padlock cover with a knob, according to claim 1, wherein the head comprises a pair of fins in order to facilitate rotation of the protective casing of the knob.

9. The electronic padlock cover with a knob according to claim 1, wherein if the knob has a circular cross section, the knob incorporates one component of a tongue and groove fastening and the head incorporates another component of the fastening such that, when the head is rotated, the knob is dragged in the movement thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) To complete the description of the disclosure, and for the purpose of helping to make the features thereof more readily understandable, according to a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is included where, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following figures have been represented:

(2) FIG. 1 represents an exploded view of the cover of the invention with the padlock it protects.

(3) FIG. 2 represents a front view of the cover of the invention with the padlock inserted.

(4) FIG. 3 represents a cross section of the view represented in FIG. 2 in order to show the internal elements in detail.

(5) FIG. 4a represents a perspective view of the cover of the invention with the padlock in the closed position.

(6) FIG. 4b represents a perspective view of the cover of the invention with the padlock in the open position after having rotated the protective casing of the knob ninety degrees.

(7) FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the protective casing of the knob and the support for fastening to the body of the padlock.

(8) FIG. 6 represents a cross section of the protective casing of the knob represented in FIG. 5.

(9) A list of the references used in the figures is provided below: 1. Protective casing of the knob. 2. Head. 3. Bushing. 4. Return spring. 5. Support. 6. Knob. 7. Electronic cylinder. 8. Body of the padlock. 9. Protective casing of the body. 10. Grooves. 11. Extension. 12. First holes. 13. Screws. 14. Second hole. 15. Locking screw. 16. Flanges. 17. Fins. 18. Ring of the padlock. 19. Projection for dragging the spring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) The object of the present description is an electronic padlock cover with a knob, the configuration and design of which give the padlock optimal protection against shocks, an improvement in the tightness of the assembly and protection against inclement weather and better ergonomics.

(11) As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic padlock is basically formed by a body of the padlock (8) from which a padlock ring (18) comes out on one side and a rotor assembly on the other side. The rotor assembly, in turn, is formed by an electronic cylinder (7), which is inserted into the body of the padlock (8), joined in continuity to an electronic knob (6), which protrudes from the body (8) and is where the reading elements for opening the padlock are located.

(12) The cover object of the invention comprises a protective casing of the body (9) and a protective casing of the knob (1).

(13) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the protective casing of the body (9) is open on one end which houses the body of the padlock (8), the knob (6) remaining outside of the protective casing of the body (9). The other end of the protective casing of the body (9) includes a pair of holes through which the ends of the ring (18) move.

(14) The protective casing of the knob (1) houses the knob (6) and is fastened to the body of the padlock (8) by means of a support (5), the electronic padlock being covered between the protective casing of the body (9) and the protective casing of the knob (1).

(15) As for the fastening of the cover of the invention to the padlock, it is carried out as described below.

(16) The body of the padlock (8) is housed inside the protective casing of the body (9), which incorporates fastening elements on the end in order to retain it in a fitted manner and without clearance by means of elastic deformation. This fastening element has not been represented in the figures as it can be any type known in the state of the art. The ring (18) comes out through holes on the other end.

(17) It should be noted that the inside of the padlock, including both the fastening system of the ring (18), as well as the inside of the electronic cylinder (7) and the electronic knob (6) have not been represented as they are not a relevant part of the invention and make up part of the state of the art.

(18) As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support (5) is a part with a ring-shaped configuration comprising a pair of grooves (10) on the inside, located diametrically opposite from each other. On the outside, centred with each of the grooves (10), an extension (11) is located comprising a pair of first holes (12) for the insertion of screws (13) intended to be fastened in the body of the padlock (8) and thereby join the support (5) to the body (8).

(19) In a preferred embodiment, the protective casing of the knob (1) is configured by means of a head (2) incorporating a through space, which incorporates a bushing (3) with a diameter slightly larger than the space. The bushing (3) incorporates a pair of flanges (16) which extend outwards. The space is intended to house the knob (6), wherein it is located.

(20) In order to have the padlock in situations with different degrees of protection, the padlock can incorporate a lid which closes the opening of the head (2) and thereby provides tightness to the cover, preventing impurities from entering. The fact that this end is not closed improves reading in the opening of the padlock and allows accurate electronic reading to be carried out.

(21) One of the extensions (11) incorporates a second hole (14), a through hole centred in the extension (11) and coinciding with the corresponding groove (10), intended to house a locking screw (15).

(22) To fasten the support (5) to the protective casing of the knob (1), the flanges (16) are introduced into the grooves (10) and it is rotated slightly such that the flanges (16) release the grooves (10), which enables the positioning of the locking screw (15) in the second hole (14) and thereby houses it in the groove (10), preventing the protective casing of the knob (1) from decoupling from the support (5).

(23) Since these are electronic padlocks, the manner of opening them is by means of presenting a key, consisting of a card, a mobile phone or similar, and subsequently rotating the protective casing of the knob (1), and therefore the knob (6).

(24) Without a key or without the correct key, the protective casing of the knob (1) can freely rotate around the support (5) without opening the padlock. However, when the correct key is presented, when the knob (6) is rotated, it acts on the electronic cylinder (7) and engages with the opening mechanism of the padlock, opening the padlock.

(25) To achieve the dragging of the knob (6) through the protective casing of the knob (1), it must be taken into account that if the knob (6) has a cross section other than the circular one, the very head (2) is responsible for dragging it in the rotational movement thereof. However, if the knob (6) has a circular cross section, the head (2) is also circular and, in order to have a dragging effect, there must be a fastening with a tongue and groove configuration that carries it out. In this case, the head (2) incorporates a projection which fits into a slit located in the knob (6), although the tongue and groove configuration can also be located in the opposite manner. This fastening has not been represented in the figures because it can be any fastening known in the state of the art.

(26) To return the protective casing of the knob (1) to the initial position thereof, once the padlock has been opened, a return spring (4) located in the innermost portion of the bushing (3) is included between the protective casing of the knob (1) and the support (5), for which reason it has a cylindrical shape with the ends thereof ending in corresponding pins. One of the pins stays in contact with a projection incorporated by the protective casing of the knob (1), while the other pin makes contact with a projection for dragging the spring (19) incorporated by the support (5), making a stop between both projections. To prevent clearance, the return spring (4) is positioned between these two projections with a preload. Thus, it forces an initial position between the protective casing of the knob (1) and the support (5). In this manner, when the protective casing of the knob (1) is rotated, it moves the corresponding pin of the return spring (4), loading the spring and, when the protective casing of the knob (1) is released, the return spring (4) is unloaded in order to return the protective casing of the knob (1) to the initial position thereof.

(27) As shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, to facilitate the rotation of the protective casing of the knob (1), the head (2) preferably incorporates a pair of fins (17) by means of which better ergonomics are provided for the rotational movement of the protective casing of the knob (1) and, therefore, the opening of the padlock.

(28) Moreover, in order to improve the shock absorption of the cover of the invention, the head (2) of the protective casing of the knob (1) is preferably made of a flexible material such that, without the protective casing of the knob (1) losing the stiffness properties required by the mechanical part, formed by the bushing (3) and the components thereof, the head (2), as a part exposed to the outside, has a high capacity to absorb the shocks produced, especially from possible falls. Likewise, the head (2) can incorporate inserts made of rigid material which provide dimensional stability and increase shock resistance. Furthermore, it must be considered that the knob (6) is not in contact with the protective casing of the knob (1), there being a clearance, which provides additional security against breakage due to the shocks. The head (2) is overinjected on the bushing (3)

(29) To carry out continuity between the protective casing of the knob (1) and the protective casing of the body, the protective casing of the body (9) incorporates a widening which configures a circular geometry in order to adapt to the configuration of the protective casing of the knob (1). To increase protection, a tongue and groove overlap is produced between both parts which hinders the inlet of impurities (sand, dust, etc.) and even water.

(30) Lastly, it must be indicated that the present invention must not be limited to the embodiment described herein. Other configurations may be carried out by those skilled in the art based on the present description. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.