Cylinder lock and combination of such a lock and key

Abstract

A cylinder lock includes a housing; a cylinder rotatably provided therein and having first and second ends, the cylinder extending in a longitudinal direction between the first and second ends and including an internal keyway for placing a key corresponding to the lock in the cylinder; a locking mechanism that prevents rotation of the cylinder with respect to the housing when the key is not present in the keyway; a blocking element positioned between the first and second end, and configurable to take a first position wherein the keyway is blocked such that the key cannot be placed in the keyway and a second position wherein the keyway is unblocked such that the key can be placed therein; a configuration device to configure the blocking element in the first or second position, and controllable by wireless communication between the lock and a remote control unit.

Claims

1. Cylinder lock comprising: a housing, a cylinder rotatably provided in the housing and having a first end and a second end, the cylinder extending in a longitudinal direction between the first end and the second end, the cylinder comprising an internal keyway for placing a key corresponding to the lock in the cylinder, a locking mechanism that prevents rotation of the cylinder with respect to the housing when the key is not present in the keyway, wherein the locking mechanism comprises multiple pins, a blocking element positioned between the first and second end, which blocking element is configured to take a first position wherein the keyway is blocked to prevent complete entry of a key into the keyway and a second position wherein the keyway is unblocked to permit complete entry of a key into the keyway, wherein the blocking element in the first position prevents rotation of the cylinder with respect to the housing, the blocking element and each of the pins are of congruent shape, the blocking element is at a position of the pin closest to the first end, and a configuration device in the housing to configure the blocking element in the first or second position.

2. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is peg-shaped.

3. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is configured by translation in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which the cylinder extends.

4. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is configured by rotation about an axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which the cylinder extends.

5. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, wherein the lock comprises a power source to provide power to actuate the configuration device.

6. Cylinder lock according to claim 5, wherein, when the power source has a power to actuate the configuration device below a predetermined minimum level, the blocking element takes a default position.

7. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, further comprising a remote control to control the configuration device by wireless communication.

8. Cylinder lock according to claim 7, wherein the remote control unit is operatively connected to the key.

9. Cylinder lock according to claim 7, wherein the key is provided with a transmitter that is able to send a signal to provide said communication.

10. A combination of a cylinder lock according to claim 7 and a key that corresponds to said lock, wherein the key is provided with a transmitter and the lock is provided with a receiver, and said transmitter and receiver enable the wireless communication.

11. Cylinder lock comprising: a housing, a cylinder rotatably provided in the housing and that comprises an internal keyway for placing a key corresponding to the lock in the cylinder, a locking mechanism that prevents rotation of the cylinder with respect to the housing when the key is not present in the keyway, the locking mechanism comprising multiple separate locking elements, a blocking element positioned in lieu of one of said locking elements, which blocking element is configured to take a first position wherein the keyway is blocked and a second position wherein the keyway is unblocked, and a blocking element positioned in lieu of one of said locking elements, which blocking element is configured to take a first position wherein the keyway is blocked to prevent complete entry of a key into the keyway and a second position wherein the keyway is unblocked to permit complete entry of a key into the keyway, wherein the blocking element is positioned in lieu of the locking element that is situated adjacent an entrance of the keyway, and a configuration device in the housing to configure the blocking element in the first or second position.

12. Cylinder lock according to claim 11, further comprising a remote control to control the configuration device by wireless communication.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a double cylinder lock

(2) FIG. 2 schematically shows a front view and a cross-sectional view of a cylinder lock

(3) FIG. 3 schematically shows a front view and a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock of FIG. 2, with a key placed in the cylinder

(4) FIG. 4 schematically shows a second embodiment of a blocking element and its configuration in a cylinder lock

(5) FIG. 5 schematically shows a chip key

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1

(7) FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the essential parts of a double cylinder lock according to the invention, the lock having a first entrance 5 for a key on one side (the outside in this embodiment), and a second entrance 6 on the other side of the lock (the inside). This lock is provided in a house-door (not shown), that may open and close in a frame (not shown). The actual closing element to lock the door, when closed, in the frame is in this case a metal projection in the form of a solid bar (as is commonly known) that can be forced to leave the lock and project into a reinforced opening of the frame. The lock comprises two cylinders 1 and 1 which extend between their respective first and second ends 11 and 12 and 11 and 12. Each cylinder is rotatably provided in its respective housing 2 and 2. Upon rotating each cylinder the cams 10 and 10 respectively are driven to rotate and actuate the actual closing element as referred to here-above.

(8) As depicted in FIG. 1, none of the two cylinders is able to rotate along the shear line 3. This is because there is no key present in the lock which key could unlock locking mechanism 30 or 31. Each locking mechanism in this embodiment comprises multiple pins 300, forced to take a position towards the cylinder by springs 301. Of these pins, one pin is numbered in FIG. 1, namely the inner most pin of the left cylinder 1. This pin is divided into a first sub-pin 300A and a second sub-pin 300B. In the un-locking position, when a key (not shown) is placed into one of the cylinders, the transitions sites of each sub-pin combination is exactly located at the shear line 3 as commonly known in the art. This way, the cylinder may freely rotate in its housing and the cam may actuate the closing element.

(9) This lock according to the invention has a blocking element 20 positioned between the first and second end 11 and 12 of the cylinder 1. This cylinder corresponds to the outside of the house-door and is thus prone to unwanted opening by burglars or the like. In the configuration shown, the element 20 has a peg-shape that is congruent to the shape of any of the sub-pin combinations (and therefore fits a hole drilled like any of the holes that are provided with these pins). In the configuration shown, the blocking element blocks the keyway (see FIG. 2) and thus prevents that any key can be put any further in the keyway that passed the outermost sub-pin combination. The blocking element is very hard to drill out since it cannot easily be reached and has a convex surface. By actuating the configuration means, which comprise spindle 21 and motor 22 (which motor has an internal battery, not shown), the blocking element 20 can be translated in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which the cylinder 1 extends. This way, the blocking element 20 can be moved towards the motor 22 (see FIG. 3) and be retracted such that it is completely above shear line 3. This way, a key can freely enter the keyway while at the same time the cylinder is not prevented from rotation by the blocking element 20.

(10) The motor 22 is actuated by receiving a control pulse from central processing unit 23. This processing unit 23 on its turn is provided with a chip (receiver) that is able to receive a radio pulse 600 sent by a remote control unit 505, which unit is provided with an RFID chip in this embodiment. In this specific embodiment, only a transmitter chip that is programmed to correspond to this lock is able to transmit the proper signal 600 whereupon the CPU 23 acts to configure blocking element 20 in its open position. This way, the configuration means is controllable by wireless communication between the lock and the remote control unit

(11) FIG. 2

(12) FIG. 2 schematically shows a front view (part A) and a cross-sectional view (part B) of a cylinder lock according to the invention. Part B of FIG. 2 shows the essential parts of a single cylinder lock. The numerals refer to parts that correspond to the parts as shown in FIG. 1. The A part shows the same parts in front view. This view shows the keyway 25, i.e. at least the entrance of that key way, milled in entrance element 5.

(13) FIG. 3

(14) FIG. 3 schematically shows a front view (part A) and a cross-sectional view (part B) of the cylinder lock of FIG. 2, with a key 50 placed in the cylinder. As can be seen in part B, the blocking element 20 is in its most upward position, retracted completely into the housing. Key 50 is placed in the cylinder, its blade 51, through its bitings 52, cooperating with the sub-pin combinations as shown. This way, the sub-pin combinations are brought in the unlock position wherein the transition sites coincide with shear line 3.

(15) In this embodiment the lock is provided with a contact (not shown) that corresponds to an element of the key (such as a dimple, contact, biting, chip etc.). When the contact is activated, thus when the key is placed in the keyway, this de-activates the configuration means in order to prevent that the blocking mechanism is activated when the key is placed in the lock.

(16) FIG. 4

(17) FIG. 4 schematically shows a second embodiment of a blocking element and its configuration in a cylinder lock, in the first (keyway blocked) position (part A) and second (keyway open) position (part B). To begin with the latter, as can be seen in FIG. 4B, the blocking element 20 has a hole 200 machined therein. This hole is large enough to overlap the keyway cross-section. This overlap can be seen in the left diagram of FIG. 4B. In this diagram, the blocking element is rotated in the housing 2 such that the hole 200 matches the keyway 25. This way, a matching key can be placed in the cylinder without problems. Using configuration means 22 and 210, the blocking element is configurable by rotation about an axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which the cylinder extends (in this embodiment, means 210 is provided with a slotted end in which means 22 grasps). This way, the blocking element can be put in a configuration wherein the keyway 25 is blocked, an example of which configuration can be seen in part A of FIG. 4 (it is noted that in this embodiment the blocking element is turned over an angle of 90? to close the keyway completely, but in order to make use of the invention the blocking element need not completely close the keyway to prevent entry of the key, a turn over 45? for example could also be sufficient to effectively block the keyway and prevent entry of a key). By keeping the coupling between blocking element 20 and configuration means 210 in all configurations, except for the configuration as depicted in part B, this coupling may additionally prevent that the cylinder is rotated in its housing.

(18) FIG. 5

(19) FIG. 5 schematically shows a chip key 50 for use in the present invention. This chip key has a blade that is provided with dimples 501 for use in a so-called dimple-lock. The key is provided with an RFID chip 505 that may transmit a signal or interfere with a transmitted signal, such that a return signal can be used according to the invention.

(20) In an advantageous embodiment, a key for use with the lock according to the present invention is a key is made from durable polyamide. The integration of a (RFID) chip is easy provide in this material, by introducing the chip in the key when being injection moulded at 120? C. (Nylon 66). Against the traditional positioning of a chip in a key (viz. the chip being present in the handle/pad of the key), the chip is present in the blade, in particular near the distal end (opposite the handle) of the blade.