Abstract
An electromechanical lock includes an electromechanical locking mechanism and a control circuit, wherein an associated counter-piece is locked by way of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a latch, an entrainer that is rotatable about an axis of rotation for driving the latch, and an electric motor for driving the entrainer, wherein the latch is moveable between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein the latch is preloaded in the direction of the locking position. The entrainer is rotatable into a release position, a standby position, and a blocking position and the latch can is driven to perform a movement into the unlocking position by rotating the entrainer into the release position. In the standby position, the latch is released to be urged back against the preload. In the blocking position, the entrainer blocks the latch against a movement in the direction of the unlocking position.
Claims
1. An electromechanical lock, comprising: an electromechanical locking mechanism for locking an associated counter-piece that adopts an open position or a closed position relative to the locking mechanism; and a control circuit, wherein the electromechanical locking mechanism has a latch, an entrainer that is rotatable about an axis of rotation for driving the latch, and an electric motor for driving the entrainer, wherein the latch is moveable between a locking position, in which the latch locks the associated counter-piece located in the closed position, and an unlocking position, in which the latch releases the associated counter-piece for the open position, wherein the latch is preloaded in the direction of the locking position, wherein the entrainer is selectively rotatable into a release position, a standby position, and a blocking position by way of the electric motor, wherein, by rotating the entrainer into the release position, the latch is driven by way of the entrainer to perform a movement from the locking position into the unlocking position, wherein, in the standby position of the entrainer, the latch is released to be urged back against the preload from the locking position, and wherein, in the blocking position of the entrainer, the entrainer blocks the latch against a movement from the locking position in the direction of the unlocking position, wherein the control circuit controls the electric motor to drive the entrainer into the release position, the standby position, and the blocking position.
2. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the latch has a drive section that is impacted by the entrainer in order to drive the latch into the unlocking position, and wherein the latch has a blocking section that locks the associated counter-piece, which is located in the closed position, in the locking position of the latch, wherein the drive section and the blocking section are formed at a common latch element or as separate latch elements.
3. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein, in the standby position of the entrainer, the latch is released to first be urged back from the locking position by way of the associated counter-piece when the latter is brought from the open position into the closed position, and then to snap back into the locking position as a result of the preload.
4. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the entrainer has a blocking section that forms an abutment for the latch in the blocking position.
5. The electromechanical lock of claim 4, wherein the entrainer has a guiding section which is opposite the blocking section and which the latch contacts in the blocking position.
6. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the release position, the standby position, and the blocking position of the entrainer differ from one another with respect to their angular positions; or wherein the release position and the blocking position correspond to the same angular position of the entrainer and differ from one another with respect to the direction of rotation in which the entrainer is rotated, starting from the standby position, in order to set either the release position or the blocking position.
7. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the entrainer, starting from the standby position, is transferred into the standby position again by a complete rotation about the axis of rotation.
8. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the entrainer forms a continuous control cam between an angular section which the latch contacts in the standby position of the entrainer and an angular section which the latch contacts in the release position of the entrainer.
9. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the entrainer is rotatable along a first direction of rotation from the standby position into the release position, and wherein the entrainer is rotatable along a second direction of rotation from the standby position into the blocking position, wherein the second direction of rotation is opposite the first direction of rotation.
10. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the entrainer is rotatable starting from the standby position via the blocking position into the release position.
11. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the lock has a sensor that detects the associated counter-piece in the closed position and outputs a corresponding detection signal, wherein the control circuit controls the electric motor to drive the entrainer into the blocking position in response to the detection signal.
12. The electromechanical lock of claim 11, wherein the control circuit controls the electric motor to drive the entrainer into the blocking position in response to the detection signal after a predefined waiting time.
13. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the electric motor to drive the entrainer into the release position in response to an unlocking command, wherein the control circuit controls the electric motor to drive the entrainer into the standby position in response to the unlocking command after a predefined waiting time.
14. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the latch has a pivot lever pivotable about a pivot axis and an engagement section that is fastened to the pivot lever and that locks the associated counter-piece, which is located in the closed position, in the locking position of the latch, wherein the latch is moveable by a pivot movement of the pivot lever about the pivot axis from the locking position into the unlocking position.
15. The electromechanical lock of claim 14, wherein the entrainer is a cam disc which the pivot lever contacts, wherein the pivot lever is driven to perform the pivot movement by rotating the entrainer into the release position.
16. The electromechanical lock of claim 14, wherein the pivot lever has a contact section, and wherein the entrainer has a blocking section, wherein the blocking section engages behind the contact section in the blocking position and blocks the pivot movement of the pivot lever by the engagement behind.
17. The electromechanical lock of claim 16, wherein, in the blocking position, the entrainer has a receiver for the contact section that is bounded at least at two sides, wherein the blocking section forms a first boundary of the receiver, and wherein a second boundary of the receiver that is opposite the first boundary is formed by a guiding section which the contact section contacts.
18. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the latch is moveable by a linear movement along a latch axis from the locking position into the unlocking position, and wherein the entrainer has a thread in which a contact section of the latch is guided during a rotation of the entrainer into the release position.
19. The electromechanical lock of claim 18, wherein the entrainer has a latch passage that extends along the latch axis and that connects a first end of the thread facing in the direction of the locking position of the latch to a second end of the thread facing in the direction of the unlocking position of the latch, wherein the contact section of the latch is arranged in alignment with the latch passage in the standby position of the entrainer.
20. The electromechanical lock of claim 18, wherein the entrainer has a blocking section, wherein the contact section of the latch is arranged in alignment with the blocking section in the blocking position of the entrainer, wherein the blocking section blocks a movement of the latch along the latch axis in the direction of the unlocking position.
21. The electromechanical lock of claim 20, wherein the contact section, starting from the standby position, is introduced into the thread by a rotation of the entrainer along a first direction of rotation, and wherein the blocking section of the entrainer is brought into alignment with the contact section by a rotation along a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation.
22. The electromechanical lock of claim 1, wherein the lock has a lock body, which includes the locking mechanism, and the associated counter-piece, wherein the counter-piece forms a securing part that is moveable relative to the lock body between the open position and the closed position, wherein the latch locks the securing part, which is located in the closed position, to the lock body in the locking position and releases the securing part in the unlocking position for a movement into the open position.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0106] The invention will be explained in the following by way of example with reference to described embodiments and to the drawings, in which:
[0107] FIGS. 1A and 1B are a longitudinal sectional representation and a cross-sectional representation of a first embodiment of an electromechanical lock that is configured as a brake disc lock and that has, as an associated counter-piece, a securing part that adopts an open position or a closed position relative to an electromechanical locking mechanism of the brake disc lock and that may be locked in the closed position by way of the locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism has a latch pivotable between a locking position and an unlocking position and an entrainer for driving the latch, and wherein the securing part is located in the open position, the latch is located in the locking position, and the entrainer is located in a standby position;
[0108] FIGS. 2A and 2B are a longitudinal sectional representation and a cross-sectional representation of the lock, wherein the securing part is located in the closed position, the entrainer is located in the standby position, and the latch is located in the locking position;
[0109] FIGS. 3A and 3B are a longitudinal sectional representation and a cross-sectional representation of the lock, wherein the securing part is located in the closed position, the entrainer is located in a blocking position, and the latch is located in the locking position;
[0110] FIGS. 4A and 4B are a longitudinal sectional representation and a cross-sectional representation of the lock, wherein the securing part is located in the open position, the entrainer is located in a release position, and the latch is located in the unlocking position;
[0111] FIGS. 5A and 5B are a perspective representation of the locking mechanism and the securing part when the securing part is located in the open position and the entrainer is located in the standby position or when the securing part is located in the closed position and the entrainer is located in the blocking position;
[0112] FIGS. 6A to 6C are a schematic representation of the entrainer in the standby position, in the blocking position, or in the release position;
[0113] FIGS. 7A to 7C are a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the entrainer in the standby position, in the blocking position, and in the release position;
[0114] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an entrainer of a locking mechanism of a further embodiment of the electromechanical lock by way of which a latch may be linearly driven from a locking position into an unlocking position;
[0115] FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a locking mechanism that comprises the entrainer for linearly moving the latch, wherein the entrainer is located in a standby position and the latch is located in the locking position;
[0116] FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the locking mechanism, wherein the entrainer is located in a blocking position and the latch is located in the locking position;
[0117] FIG. 9C is a perspective view of the locking mechanism, wherein the entrainer is located between the standby position and a release position and the latch is located between the locking position and the unlocking position;
[0118] FIG. 9D is a perspective view of the locking mechanism, wherein the entrainer is located in the release position and the latch is located in the unlocking position; and
[0119] FIGS. 10A and 10B are a respective longitudinal sectional representation of the locking mechanism when the entrainer is located in the blocking position and the latch is located in the locking position or when the entrainer is located in the release position and the latch is located in the unlocking position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0120] FIGS. 1A to 4B show respective longitudinal sectional representations and respective cross-sectional representations of an electromechanical lock 11 that is configured as a brake disc lock 89. The electromechanical lock 11 comprises a lock body 13 and a securing part 19′ that adopts an open position O, which is illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 4A, or a closed position G, which is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 3A, relative to the lock body 13 or an electromechanical locking mechanism 15 included therein. The securing part 19′ thus forms a counter-piece 19 associated with the electromechanical locking mechanism 15 or with the electromechanical lock 11, wherein the lock 11 and the counter-piece 19 or the securing part 19′ so-to-say form a common unit in this embodiment of the electromechanical lock 11.
[0121] The securing part 19′ is substantially L-shaped and has an elongate securing section 81 and an elongate connection section 83, wherein the connection section 83 connects the securing part 19′ to the lock body 13. A free end of the securing section 81 may, in contrast, be removed from the lock body 13 to be able to be guided through an opening at a brake disc of a two-wheeler, in particular of a motorcycle, such that the brake disc may be arranged in a reception gap 77 of the brake disc lock 89. To transfer the securing part 19′ from the open position O into the closed position G, the connection section 83 may be guided along its extent against the force of a preload spring 47 into the lock body 13. In the closed position G, the reception gap 77 is bounded by the lock body 13 and the securing section 81 of the securing part 19 (cf. FIGS. 2A and 3A) such that the brake disc lock 89 may be fixed to a brake disc by locking the securing part 19 and an unauthorized riding away with the two-wheeler may be prevented.
[0122] To be able to lock the securing part 19′ to the lock body 13, the lock body 13 comprises the electromechanical locking mechanism 15. The locking mechanism 15 has a latch 21 and an entrainer 23 that may be rotated about an axis of rotation D by way of an electric motor 25 and that is configured to drive the latch 21. Due to the rotation of the entrainer 23, the latch 21 may be moved between a locking position V, in which the latch 21 locks the securing part 19′ located in the closed position G to the lock body 13, and an unlocking position E in which the latch 21 releases the securing part 19′ for a movement into the open position O (cf. FIGS. 1A to 4B). As can furthermore in particular be seen from FIG. 5A, the latch 21 is preloaded in the direction of the locking position V by way of a spring 27.
[0123] In FIG. 1A, the securing part 19′ is shown in the open position O and the entrainer 23 is located in a standby position A (cf. also FIG. 1B). In this standby position A, the latch 21 is arranged in the locking position V due to the preload. However, in the standby position A of the entrainer 23, the latch 21 is released to first be driven to perform a movement from the locking position V into the unlocking position E, by way of the securing part 19 when the latter is moved from the open position O into the closed position G, and then to snap back into the locking position V as a result of the preload of the spring 27. This makes it possible to automatically lock the securing part 19′ to the lock body 13 as a result of a movement into the closed position G without a user having to perform a further action for this purpose.
[0124] In the embodiment of the electromechanical lock 11 illustrated by way of FIGS. 1A to 5B, the latch comprises a pivot lever 57 which is pivotable about a pivot axis S, which forms a first latch element 35, and to which an engagement section 59 formed by a second latch element 36 is fastened. The pivot lever 57 thus forms a drive section 31 at which a contact section 63 is furthermore formed that is in direct contact with the entrainer 23 (cf. in particular FIG. 5A). For this purpose, the contact section 63 projects in the axial direction with respect to the axis of rotation D from the pivot lever 57.
[0125] The engagement section 59, in contrast, forms a blocking section 36 of the latch 21, wherein the drive section 33 and the blocking section 33 are here formed by two separate latch elements 35 and 36 that are rigidly fastened to one another, however. Alternatively thereto, an originally single-part latch 21 may also be provided (cf. also FIGS. 9A to 10B) or a multi-part latch may be provided in which the drive section and the blocking section or respective latch elements may be moved relative to one another.
[0126] As can be seen from FIG. 1A, the engagement section 59, which is pin-shaped and which extends in parallel with the pivot axis S (cf. FIGS. 5A and 5B), is arranged in the locking position V of the latch 21 in a path along which the securing part 19′ is guided during a movement from the open position O into the closed position G. However, to be able to urge the latch 21 from the locking position V into the unlocking position E during the movement of the securing part 19 from the open position O into the closed position G, a displacement slope 29 is formed at the securing part 19′ (cf. FIG. 5B). Via the displacement slope 29, a force may consequently be transmitted perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the securing part 19 to the engagement section 59, by which force the latch 21 or the pivot lever 57 may be driven to perform a pivot movement about the pivot axis S and the engagement section 59 may be moved out of the path described by the securing part 19′.
[0127] However, as soon as the securing part 19′ reaches the closed position G, the latch 21 snaps back into the locking position V due to the preload by the spring 27 and engages over a locking surface 86 formed at the securing part 19′ to secure the securing part 19′ against a movement into the open position O (cf. FIGS. 2A and 5B). The locking surface 86 is formed at a locking section 87 of the securing part 19, wherein the engagement section 59 is guided via the displacement slope 29 between two limbs of the locking section 87 during the movement of the securing part 19 into the closed position G and pivots back and into alignment with the locking surface 86 when reaching the closed position G. As can, for example, be seen from FIG. 2A, in the locking position V, the engagement section 59 is further arranged in alignment with a housing section 85 formed by a housing 79 of the lock 11 such that a movement of the engagement section 59 in the direction of the open position O relative to the housing 79 is blocked and, due to the engagement between the engagement section 59 and the locking surface 86, the securing part 19′ is also blocked against a movement into the open position O when the securing part 19′ is located in the closed position G and the latch 21 is located in the locking position V.
[0128] The preload of the latch 21 into the locking position V thus makes it possible to provide an automatic function by which the securing part 19′ may be locked to the lock body 13 directly by a movement from the open position O into the closed position G. While the securing part 19′ is reliably secured in the closed position G by the latch 21, which is located in the locking position V, against a movement into the open position O by a force applied in the direction of the open position O, there is, however, the problem with such an automatic function that the latch 21 generally has to be released for a movement into the unlocking position E to be able to be displaced on a movement of the securing part 19 into the closed position G. However, from this, a possibility may in principle result of moving the latch 21 into the unlocking position E and moving the securing part 19′ in an unauthorized manner into the open position O in the course of a break-open attempt. Locks having an automatic function may in particular prove to be susceptible with respect to the so-called hammer blow method in which an attempt is made to transmit a force counteracting the preload of the latch 21 to the latch 21 by a short blow to the housing 79 and to move the latch 21 briefly into the unlocking position E in order to exert a force onto the securing part 19′ in the direction of the open position O at this very moment and to move the securing part 19′ out of the closed position G.
[0129] So that such break-open attempts may, however, be effectively prevented and the security of the lock 11 may be further increased, the entrainer 23 of the lock 11 may be rotated, starting from the standby position A, by way of an electric motor 25 into a blocking position B in which the latch 21 is blocked against a movement into the unlocking position E (cf. FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 5B). In the blocking position B of the entrainer 23, the contact section 63 of the latch 21 is arranged in alignment with a blocking section 37 of the entrainer 23 that forms an abutment 39 for the contact section 63 with respect to movements of the latch 21 in the direction of the unlocking position E and thereby prevents the pivot movement of the latch 21. In the blocking position B of the entrainer 23, the latch 21 is therefore blocked in the locking position V such that forces applied to the latch 21 in the direction of the unlocking position E, for example by way of a blow to the housing 79, are absorbed by the entrainer 23 and the latch 21 is reliably held in the locking position V.
[0130] Furthermore, in the blocking position B of the entrainer 23, the contact section 63 of the latch 21 contacts a guiding section 41 of the entrainer 23 that is opposite the blocking section 37. The contact section 63 is thus engaged around at two sides in the blocking position B of the entrainer 23 and the latch 21 is thereby stabilized in the locking position V, wherein the blocking section 37 forms a first boundary 67 and the guiding section 41 forms a second boundary 69 of a receiver 65 into which the contact section 63 is introduced in the blocking position B of the entrainer 23 (cf. FIGS. 3B and 6A).
[0131] However, to be able to open the mechanical lock 11 and move the securing part 19′ into the open position O again, the entrainer 23 may be rotated by way of the electric motor 25 from the blocking position B beyond the standby position A into a release position C, wherein the latch 21 may be driven to perform a movement from the locking position V into the unlocking position E by way of the entrainer 23 by rotating the entrainer 23 into the release position C (cf. in particular FIG. 4A). For this purpose, the entrainer 23 is configured as a cam disc 61 that has a control cam 43 that adjoins the guiding section 41 and that is formed by a margin of the entrainer 23 that is radially outwardly disposed with respect to the axis of rotation D. The entrainer 23 has a variable extent in the radial direction in the peripheral direction with respect to the axis of rotation D such that the pivot lever 57 may be driven to perform the pivot movement about the pivot axis S due to the contact between the contact section 63 and the control cam 43 when the entrainer 23 is rotated into the release position C. The control cam 43 is further continuously formed between the blocking position B and the release position C such that the contact section 63 may be continuously guided along the radially outer margin of the entrainer 23 during the rotation of the entrainer 23 into the release position.
[0132] In the release position C, the contact section 63 contacts an angular section of the cam disc 61 at which the cam disc 61 has the greatest extent in the radial direction such that the pivot lever 57 pivots sufficiently far to bring the engagement section 59 out of engagement with the locking surface 86 of the securing part 19 and to bring the latch 21 into the unlocking position E (cf. FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 6A). In the release position C, the pivot lever 57 is in particular pivoted at a maximum about the pivot axis S oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation D such that, in the release position C, the engagement section 59 of the latch 21 releases a movement path of the securing part 19 from the closed position G into the open position O and the securing part 19′ may be moved into the open position O. Because the securing part 19′ is preloaded in the direction of the open position O by way of the preload spring 47, the securing part 19′ may be moved in the direction of the or into the open position O directly on the reaching of the release position C without a user of the lock 11 himself having to apply a force in the direction of the open position O to the securing part 19′.
[0133] To be able to selectively drive the entrainer 23 into the standby position A, the blocking position B, and the release position C, the lock 11 comprises a control circuit 17 that is configured to control the electric motor 25 to perform a corresponding driving of the entrainer 23. The control circuit 17 is in particular connected to a radio module 49 that is configured to receive an unlocking command of a user via a radio connection and to forward it to the control circuit 17, wherein the control circuit 17 is configured to drive the entrainer 23 into the release position C by way of the electric motor 25 in response to the unlocking command (cf. FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A). By way of such a radio module 49, a user may flexibly control and in particular unlock the lock 11 via a mobile radio device, for example a smartphone, wherein the radio module 49 may, for example, be configured to communicate with the mobile radio device via a Bluetooth connection, a mobile radio connection, a WLAN/WiFi connection, and/or an NFC connection. Alternatively or additionally thereto, in such an electromechanical lock 11, an input device may, for example, be provided at an outer side of the housing 79 via which a user may enter a code, for example, a numerical code or a fingerprint. The control circuit 17 may be configured to check whether the code corresponds to the unlocking command and, if an unlocking command was transmitted, to rotate the entrainer 23 into the release position C by way of the electric motor 25.
[0134] The lock 11 furthermore has a sensor 51 that is configured to detect the securing part 19′ in the closed position G and to transmit a corresponding detection signal to the control circuit 17. For this purpose, the sensor 51 is arranged in a region of the path that describes the securing part 11 during the movement from the open position O into the closed position G such that the sensor 51 may be contacted directly by the securing part 19′ during its movement from the open position O into the closed position G (cf. FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A). The control circuit 17 may be configured to drive the electric motor 25 to drive the entrainer 23 into the blocking position B in response to the detection signal, wherein the control circuit 17 may in particular be configured to drive the electric motor 25 to drive the entrainer 23 into the blocking position B in response to the detection signal after a predefined waiting time.
[0135] Due to the automatic function already explained, a user may thus move the securing part 19′ from the open position O into the closed position G, wherein the securing part 19′ is automatically locked by way of the latch 21 snapping back into the locking position V when reaching the closed position G. The detection of the securing part 19 in the closed position G by the sensor 51 further makes it possible to thereupon likewise automatically move the entrainer 23 from the standby position A into the blocking position B such that this additional securing of the latch 21 may also take place automatically and directly as a result of the movement of the securing part 19 from the open position O into the closed position G. To completely and securely lock the securing part 19′ to the lock body 13, a user thus only has to move the securing part 19′ from the open position O into the closed position G without having to perform any further actions.
[0136] The control circuit 17 may further be configured to control the electric motor 25 to drive the entrainer 23 into the standby position A in response to the unlocking command after the driving of the entrainer 23 into the release position C. The control circuit 17 may thus be configured to set the lock 11 into a starting state again after an opening process when the securing part 19′ is moved from the closed position G into the open position O, in which starting state the entrainer 23 is arranged in the standby position B and the latch 21 is located in the locking position V, but is released for a movement into the unlocking position E on a movement of the securing part 19 into the closed position G and for an automatic locking of the securing part 19 on the reaching of the closed position G. The automatic rotation of the entrainer 23 from the release position C into the standby position A may also, if necessary, take place after a predefined waiting time to ensure that the securing part 19 has reached the open position O, in particular due to the preload of the preload spring 47, and that the latch 21 is released for a movement into the locking position V.
[0137] As can be seen from FIGS. 1A to 4B, the contact section 63 passes a step 45 during the rotation of the entrainer 23 from the release position C into the standby position A, wherein the contact section 63 may, however, automatically come into contact with the control cam 43 again due to the preload of the latch 21 into the locking position V in order, on a subsequent movement of the securing part 19 into the closed position G, to be able to be blocked by the blocking section 37 again by rotating the entrainer 23 into the blocking position B or to be able to be moved into the unlocking position E via the control cam 43 by rotating the entrainer 23 into the release position C. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, a rotor 53 of the electric motor 25 may likewise be rotated about the axis of rotation D of the entrainer 23 and the electric motor 25 is connected to the entrainer 23 via a gear 55. The gear 55 may in particular be configured as a reduction gear unit to be able to transmit a rotation of the motor 25 slowed down to the entrainer 23 and to be able to accurately drive the entrainer 23. Furthermore, the electric motor 25, the gear 55, and the entrainer 23 are arranged coaxially to one another such that these components of the locking mechanism 15 extend mainly along the axis of rotation D and the installation space occupied by the locking mechanism 15 perpendicular to the axis of rotation D may be minimized (cf. FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A).
[0138] FIG. 6A to 6C or 7A to 7C schematically show possible embodiments of the entrainer 23 that may, for example, be used in the brake disc lock 89 illustrated by way of FIGS. 1A to 5B. The entrainer 23 shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C substantially corresponds to the cam disc 61 of the brake disc lock 89 illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 5B.
[0139] In FIG. 6A, the entrainer 23 is shown in the standby position A in which a contact section 63 shown as a circle contacts the control cam 43 of the entrainer 23. The entrainer 23 may be rotated by a rotation along a first direction of rotation D1 about the axis of rotation D, which is oriented perpendicular to the drawing plane in the representation, into the release position C in which the contact section 63 contacts an angular section of the entrainer 23 that has the greatest radial extent with respect to the axis of rotation D (cf. FIG. 6C). This makes it possible, as explained above, to move the latch 21 from the locking position V into the unlocking position E by rotating the entrainer 23 into the release position C. The increasing radial extent of the control cam 43 from the standby position A into the release position C can in particular be seen from the comparison with the circle shown dashed inwardly at the entrainer 23.
[0140] The entrainer 23 may further be moved by a rotation along a second direction of rotation D2, which is opposite the first direction of rotation D1, starting from the standby position A into the blocking position B in which the contact section 63 is arranged in the radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation D between the blocking section 37 and the guiding section 41 such that the blocking section 37 and the guiding section 41 form respective boundaries 67 and 69 of a receiver 65 for the contact section 63 (cf. FIG. 6B). The latch 21 is thereby blocked against a movement into the unlocking position E.
[0141] With regard to a possible sequence for which the evaluation circuit 17 may control the entrainer 23 by way of the electric motor 25, the entrainer 23 may first be driven into the standby position A when the securing part 19′ is located in the open position O relative to the locking mechanism 15 such that the securing part 19′ may be automatically locked by way of the latch 21 on a movement into the closed position G (cf. FIG. 6A). As soon as the securing part 19′ has moved into the closed position G and is, for example, detected by way of the sensor 51, the control circuit 17 may cause the entrainer 23 to perform a rotation along the second direction of rotation D2 via the electric motor 25 in order to move the entrainer 23 into the blocking position B and to secure the latch 21 in the locking position V. The entrainer 23 may therefore be transferred from the standby position A shown in FIG. 6A into the blocking position B shown in FIG. 6B. To move the entrainer 23 from the standby position A into the blocking position B, only a slight rotation along the second direction of rotation D2 is required such that the rotation of the entrainer 23 from the standby position A into the blocking position B so-to-say represents a slight correction of the rotational position of the entrainer 23 by which the latch 21 may be secured in the locking position V.
[0142] Starting from the blocking position B shown in FIG. 6B and the closed position G of the securing part 19, the control circuit 17 may be configured to control the electric motor 25 to drive the entrainer 23 along the first direction of rotation D1 into the release position C shown in FIG. 6C in response to an unlocking command. This enables a user to move the securing part 19′ into the open position O. Possibly after a short waiting time, the control circuit 17 may furthermore be configured to rotate the entrainer 23 from the release position C into the standby position A again (cf. FIG. 6A), for which purpose a slight rotation along the first direction of rotation D1 may take place. In this respect, the contact section 63 passes a step 65, but directly comes into contact with the control cam 43 or an outer margin of the entrainer 23 again due to the preload of the latch 21 into the locking position V.
[0143] In the entrainer 23 illustrated by way of FIGS. 6A to 6C, the angular positions of the blocking position B and the release position C correspond to one another with respect to the standby position A, but differ with respect to the direction of rotation D2 or D1. Therefore, starting from the blocking position B, the entrainer 23 may be moved from the blocking position B into the release position C by an easy-to-control rotation about 360° along the first direction of rotation D1. Furthermore, the angles about which the entrainer 23 has to be rotated from the standby position A into the blocking position B and from the release position C into the standby position A correspond to one another, wherein the rotations differ with respect to the direction of rotation D2 or D1. Thus, only two rotations about the same angle, but along opposite directions of rotation D1 and D2, and one complete rotation along the first direction of rotation D1 are ultimately required to control the entrainer 23.
[0144] FIGS. 7A to 7C show a further embodiment of the entrainer 23, wherein this entrainer 23 may be transferred starting from the standby position A (cf. FIG. 7A) by a rotation along a single direction of rotation D1 via the blocking position B (cf. FIG. 7B) into the release position C (cf. FIG. 7C). For this purpose, a blocking section 37 is arranged opposite the direction of rotation D1 spaced apart from the section of the entrainer 23 which the contact section 63 contacts in the standby position A such that the contact section 63 of the latch 21 may be brought into alignment with the blocking section 37 by rotating the entrainer 63 along the direction of rotation D1, said blocking section 37 again forming an abutment 39 for the contact section 63 in the blocking position B and thereby blocking the latch 21 in the locking position V. Starting from the blocking position B, the entrainer 23 may then be transferred by a further rotation along the direction of rotation D1 into the release position C in which the contact section 63 again contacts a section of the entrainer 63 that has the greatest radial extent with respect to the axis of rotation D.
[0145] The corresponding sequence to guide the entrainer 23, starting from the standby position A, first into the blocking position B and thereupon, in response to an unlocking command, into the release position C and into the standby position A again thus only requires rotations along the direction of rotation D1, unlike in the entrainer 23 illustrated by way of FIGS. 6A to 6C, wherein all the positions of the entrainer 23, starting from the standby position A, may be reached within a single revolution of the entrainer 23. In the entrainer 23 of FIGS. 7A to 7C, the corresponding positions of the entrainer 23 may thus also be intentionally controlled by the control circuit 17, wherein the waiting times already explained above between the movement of the entrainer 23 from the standby position A into the blocking position B and from the release position C into the standby position A may be provided, if necessary.
[0146] A locking mechanism 15 of a further embodiment of a lock of the type described herein is shown in FIGS. 8 to 10B, wherein this locking mechanism 15 also has a latch 21 that may be moved between a locking position V and an unlocking position E by way of an entrainer 23 that may be rotated about an axis of rotation D. In contrast to the embodiment illustrated by way of FIGS. 1A to 5B, the latch 21 may, however, be moved linearly along a latch axis R between the locking position V and the unlocking position E, wherein the latch axis R may in particular be oriented perpendicular to a movement which the securing part to be locked performs on a movement from an open position into a closed position.
[0147] The entrainer 23 of this locking mechanism is shown in FIG. 8 and has a thread 73 in which a contact section 63 of the latch 21 may be guided to move the latch 21 from the locking position V into the unlocking position E (cf. in particular FIGS. 9C and 9D). The entrainer 23 further has a latch passage 71 that extends along the latch axis R and that connects a first end 91 of the thread 73, which faces in the direction of the locking position V of the latch 21, to a second end 93 of the thread 73 that faces in the direction of the unlocking position E (cf. also FIGS. 9A and 9D). As explained in more detail below, this latch passage 71 in particular makes it possible to provide an automatic function for automatically locking a securing part when the securing part is moved from the open position into the closed position. Furthermore, the latch passage 71 separates the thread 73 in the peripheral direction with respect to the axis of rotation D from a blocking section 37 that has a blocking surface 75 oriented perpendicular to the latch axis R. By rotating the entrainer 23 into a blocking position B, this blocking section 37 may be brought into alignment with the contact section 63 of the latch 21 to block the latch 21 in the locking position V (cf. also FIG. 9B).
[0148] The driving of the latch 21 between the locking position V and the unlocking position E by way of the locking mechanism 15 and the possibilities for providing an automatic function for automatically locking a securing part in the closed position and for securing the latch 21 in the locking position V can be seen from FIGS. 9A to 9D. The locking mechanism 15 again has an electric motor 25 that is connected to an entrainer 23 via a thread 55, wherein the entrainer 23 may be rotated about an axis of rotation D by way of the electric motor 25. The latch 21 is preloaded by a spring 27 along the latch axis R, which is aligned in parallel with the axis of rotation D, into the locking position V in which the latch 21 may, for example, engage into a movement path of a securing part during its movement from an open position into a closed position.
[0149] In FIG. 9A, the entrainer 23 is arranged in a standby position A in which the contact section 63 formed at the latch 21 is arranged in alignment with the latch passage 71 of the entrainer 23 extending along the latch axis R. This makes it possible to move the latch 21 by a movement of a securing part from the open position into the closed position against the preload developed by the spring 27 and against the direction of the latch axis R relative to the entrainer 23 such that the latch 21 may be urged by the securing part into the unlocking position E (cf. also FIGS. 9D and 10B). During this movement, the contact section 63 projecting radially inwardly from the latch 21 with respect to the axis of rotation D is guided in the latch passage 71. When reaching the closed position, the latch 21 may be released by the securing part for a movement into the locking position V and, due to the preload, may snap back into the locking position V when the contact section 63 is guided in the latch passage 71 such that an automatic function for automatically locking the securing part to a lock body may again be provided.
[0150] In this latch 21, the contact section 63 is also formed at a drive section 31, wherein an engagement section 59 is formed at a blocking section 33, which is opposite the drive section 31 with respect to the latch axis R, and is configured to enter into engagement with the securing part when the latter is located in the closed position. However, the latch 21 is formed in one part here such that the drive section 31 and the blocking section 33 are formed at a single latch element and are moved together when the latch 21 moves between the locking position V and the unlocking position E.
[0151] However, to also be able to secure the linearly movable latch 21 in the locking position V, the entrainer 23 may again be moved into a blocking position B, as shown in FIG. 9B. Starting from the standby position A, the entrainer 23 may for this purpose be rotated along a second direction of rotation D2 about the axis of rotation D by way of the electric motor 25, wherein the contact section 63 of the latch 21 is arranged in alignment with the blocking section 37 of the entrainer 23 by this rotation. This blocking section 37 has the blocking surface 75 that is oriented perpendicular to the latch axis R, that again forms an abutment 39 for the contact section 63, and that thereby blocks a movement of the latch 21 against the latch axis R and in particular into the unlocking position E.
[0152] To be able to transfer the latch 21 into the release position C in response to an unlocking command transmitted by the authorized user, the entrainer 23 has the thread 73. As FIG. 9C shows, the contact section 63 may be introduced from the blocking position B via the standby position A into the thread 73 by a rotation of the entrainer 23 along a first direction of rotation D1 opposite the second direction of rotation D2, wherein, due to the engagement of the contact section 63 into the thread 73 and its thread pitch, the latch 21 may be moved against the preload of the spring 27 in the direction of the unlocking position E. The entrainer 23 is thus configured in the manner of a worm and the thread 73 forms a continuous control cam along which the contact section 63 of the latch 21 is guided during the movement of the entrainer 23 from the standby position A into the release position C. The latch 21 may finally reach the unlocking position E when the contact section 63 is arranged in a section of the thread 73 disposed closest to the electric motor 25 and the latch 21 is retracted to a maximum against the latch axis R (cf. FIGS. 9D and 10B).
[0153] Because the latch passage 71 further connects the first end 91 of the thread 73 facing in the direction of the locking position V to the second end 93 of the thread 73 facing in the direction of the unlocking position E, the latch passage 71 directly adjoins the thread 73 both in the standby position A and in the release position C (cf. also FIG. 8). Therefore, starting from the release position C, the contact section 63 may be brought into alignment with the latch passage 71 again by a slight further rotation along the first direction of rotation D1 and, due to the preload developed by the spring 27, said contact section 63 may move into the locking position V again. Accordingly, the entrainer 23 also moves into the standby position A again, starting from the release position C, by a slight further rotation along the first direction of rotation D1. Here, too, the angular positions of the entrainer 23 in the blocking position B and in the release position C may correspond to one another such that the entrainer 23 may be movable, starting from the blocking position B, into the release position C by a rotation about 360° along the first direction of rotation D1.
[0154] It can again be seen from FIGS. 10A and 10B that the latch 21 may be moved linearly against the latch axis R relative to a housing 79 of a lock by rotating the entrainer 23 from the blocking position B into the release position C to release a securing part for a movement into the open position. Furthermore, the latch 21 has a displacement slope 29 to enable a smooth displacement of the latch 21 into the unlocking position E when the securing part is moved from the open position into the closed position. Furthermore, the latch 21, however, has a blocking surface 95 that is oriented along the latch axis R and that may therefore in particular be oriented perpendicular to a movement of the securing part from the closed position into the open position. This blocking surface 95 may, for example, cooperate with a blocking surface of a notch of a securing part aligned in parallel therewith in order to be able to reliably block the securing part against a movement into the open position.
[0155] For example, the locking mechanism 15 comprising the linearly movable latch 21 may thus be used to lock a locking bolt to a lock body as shown in DE 196 39 235 A1. Because the latch axis R may in particular be oriented perpendicular to a movement which the securing part to be locked performs on a movement from an open position into a closed position, the locking mechanism 15 illustrated by way of FIGS. 8 to 10B may in particular also be used for a deployment in a joint lock or a folding lock, for example a joint lock of the type shown in DE 10 2019 123 481 A1.
[0156] The locking mechanism 15 illustrated by way of FIGS. 8 to 10B thus represents a possibility of providing an automatic function with a linearly displaceable latch 21 and of securing the latch 21 in the locking position V. In this regard, the locking mechanism 15 may in principle be controlled by way of a control circuit as explained above in particular with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B in order to selectively lock a securing part 19′, which is movable between an open position O and a closed position G, to a lock body 13 or to release it for a movement from the closed position G into the open position O. In general, provision may, however, also be made that the blocking section 37 is formed as part of the thread 73 in such an entrainer 23 such that only rotations along the first direction of rotation D1 may take place when the entrainer 23 is moved between the standby position A, the blocking position B, and the release position C. This enables a control similar to the sequence explained with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B.
REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST
[0157] 11 electromechanical lock [0158] 13 lock body [0159] 15 locking mechanism [0160] 17 control circuit [0161] 19 counter-piece [0162] 19 securing part [0163] 21 latch [0164] 23 entrainer [0165] 25 electric motor [0166] 27 spring [0167] 29 displacement slope [0168] 31 drive section [0169] 33 blocking section [0170] 35 latch element [0171] 36 latch element [0172] 37 blocking section [0173] 39 abutment [0174] 41 guiding section [0175] 43 control cam [0176] 45 step [0177] 47 preload spring [0178] 49 radio module [0179] 51 sensor [0180] 53 rotor of the electric motor [0181] 55 gear [0182] 57 pivot lever [0183] 59 engagement section [0184] 61 cam disc [0185] 63 contact section [0186] 65 receiver [0187] 67 first boundary of the receiver [0188] 69 second boundary of the receiver [0189] 71 latch passage [0190] 73 thread [0191] 75 blocking surface [0192] 77 reception gap [0193] 79 housing [0194] 81 securing section [0195] 83 connection section [0196] 85 housing section [0197] 86 locking surface [0198] 87 locking section [0199] 89 brake disc lock [0200] 91 first end of the thread [0201] 93 second end of the thread [0202] 95 blocking surface of the latch [0203] A standby position [0204] B blocking position [0205] C release position [0206] D axis of rotation [0207] D1 first direction of rotation [0208] D2 second direction of rotation [0209] E unlocking position [0210] G closed position [0211] O open position [0212] R latch axis [0213] S pivot axis [0214] V locking position
