WO2019020944A1

WO2019020944A1 - Security lock and flat key assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2019020944A1
Application number: PCT/FR2018/051913
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rudi Vrtacnik; Pavel Paradiz
Original assignee: Dom Security
Priority date: 2017-07-26
Filing date: 2018-07-26
Publication date: 2019-01-31
Also published as: EP3658724A1; FR3069565A1; RS62131B1; FR3069565B1; ES2878302T3; PL3658724T3; HUE055135T2; SI3658724T1; HRP20211074T1; EP3658724B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a flat-key lock assembly comprising: a stator (12) having a cylindrical recess and a blind hole (28), said stator (12) comprising a plurality of locking pins (62); a rotor (18) mounted to rotate inside said cylindrical recess, said rotor (18) comprising a plurality of radial recesses (66) opening to the outside in order to allow said locking pins (62) to extend into said radial recesses (66), the rotor (18) further comprising a ball (58) and an immobilisation member (42) that can move in rotation in order to hold the ball (58) protruding from the rotor (18); and, a flat key (80) for pushing back said locking pins (62) to the outside of the rotor (18) and, simultaneously, controlling said movable immobilisation member (42) in order to allow said ball (58) to retract inside the rotor (18).

Description

Set of security lock and flat key

The present invention relates to a set of security key lock.

A field of application envisaged is notably, but not exclusively, that of the building and more specifically that of the access doors to housing.

Known key-lock assemblies known, for example of the "European cylinder" type, comprise a stator having a cylindrical housing, which stator comprises a plurality of locking pins pushed by springs and intended to extend partially to inside said cylindrical housing. Such a lock assembly also includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the cylindrical housing. The rotor comprises an axial passageway opening axially outwards on a key entrance, and a plurality of radial housings opening radially outwardly and each receiving a movable counter-pin in translation.

The rotor is held in a fixed position in the stator when the pins, driven by their spring, penetrate inside the radial housings by pushing itself against the pins to the way of passage, and coming to extend across of the joint plane between the rotor and the stator.

The rotor is then released in rotation of the stator by means of a coded flat key. Document BE1010212 for example, describes the implementation of a flat key with the edge of the bit is notched. The calibrated notches correspond to the rotor, and when the bit is introduced through the keyway of the rotor, in the passageway, the cotter pins are spaced from the passageway and they push the same pins, so the contact zones between cotter pins and pins are extended in the joint plane of the stator and the rotor.

In order to make the lock assembly less easy to force, it is practiced in the stator at least two blind holes opening radially into the cylindrical housing. Also, the rotor includes two balls and respectively a translationally movable locking member having a bearing end to be able to keep the balls protruding from the rotor, and an opposite end recessed. The balls then come to extend inside, blind holes so as to add additional rotational locking members of the rotor inside the stator.

The bit of the flat key then comprises two lateral ribs interrupted to form a shoulder, and during the introduction of the bit inside the pathway, the two movable locking members then bear respectively on the shoulders, and they are driven in translation until their recessed ends respectively face balls. The latter can then retract inside the rotor when it is rotated inside the stator.

Thus, thanks to these complementary means, the forcing of the lock assembly is more complex. Nevertheless, it is easy to come to drive the locking members in translation, in the axial direction of the path, with suitable hooks.

Also, a problem that arises and that aims to solve the present invention is to provide a lock assembly less vulnerable to burglary.

For this purpose, it is proposed, according to a first object, a set of safety lock with a flat key comprising: a stator having a cylindrical housing and a blind hole opening radially in said cylindrical housing, said stator comprising a plurality of locking pins intended to extend inside said cylindrical housing; a rotor rotatably mounted within said cylindrical housing, said rotor comprising an axial passageway and a plurality of radial housings opening outwardly to permit said pins to be extended into said radial housings to maintain in position fixed said rotor with respect to said stator, said rotor further comprising a ball and a rotatable locking member for holding said ball projecting from said rotor while said ball extends within said blind hole; and, a flat key intended to be engaged inside said axial passage way in order to be able to push said pins outside said rotor, and simultaneously, controlling said locking member to allow said ball to retract within said rotor.

Thus, a feature of the invention lies in the implementation of a locking member of the ball, not mobile in translation, but mobile in rotation. In this way, it is much more difficult during a break-in, to rotate the movable member from outside the rotor and through the keyway of the rotor, for example by means of a hook .

Moreover, the implementation of such a locking member makes it possible to reserve a more compact space inside the rotor, as will be explained in more detail below and hence to make it itself more compact. . Advantageously, said locking member is housed between said passage path and said ball. In this way, the rotational movement imparted to the locking member by the engagement of the key in the passageway, without mechanical loss, instantly makes it possible to release the ball from its blind hole. Also, as will be explained in more detail in the following description, thanks to its shape, the ball retracts itself if the locking member allows it, when rotating the rotor .

In addition, when the key is removed from the pathway, it causes the rotation of the locking member in the opposite direction which acts directly on the ball to drive towards the blind hole.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said locking member extends transversely with respect to said passage path. In this way, the flat key can then come to cooperate easily with the locking member, when it is driven in translation inside the path, so as to rotate the locking member. Indeed, the key bit comes into contact with the locking member in a direction perpendicular to its pivot axis.

Preferably, said locking member is connected to said rotor by a spring. In this way, the spring, operating in torsion, makes it possible to hold the locking member in an active position where it keeps the ball protruding from the rotor. When the bit is inserted in the path of passage, and it causes the rotation of the locking member, the spring compresses and stores potential energy, while the ball can retract when the rotor is rotated through the key. When the key returns to its initial angular position and the bit is removed from the pathway, the locking member returns to its initial position under the effect of the spring which restores the potential energy stored and prints a reverse rotation movement.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said locking member is a cylinder of revolution. In other words, the locking member is a solid of revolution. Also, the rotor has a cylindrical housing of revolution adapted in size to receive the locking member, and allow its rotation guidance. Thus, said locking member is rotatable about its axis of revolution.

Preferably, said revolution cylinder has a flat for receiving said ball. Thus, at one of its ends, the cylinder of revolution has a flat. In this way, in its active position, the locking member is in an angular position in which, a cylindrical surface portion of the revolution cylinder, contiguous to the flat, receives the bearing ball and holds it outside the rotor. As soon as the revolution cylinder is rotated, the flat adjusts with respect to the ball, which is then allowed to move radially towards the center and to return inside the rotor.

According to an alternative embodiment, particularly advantageous, said cylinder of revolution has a tooth intended to cooperate with said key. In this way, when the key bit is inserted inside the passageway, it engages with the tooth and thereby causes rotation of the revolution cylinder as the insertion.

According to another preferred embodiment, but in no way limiting, said cylinder of revolution has another flat for cooperating with said key. Thus, when the revolution cylinder is in an active position, said other flat extends inclinedly in the passageway, opposite the key entry of the rotor. Therefore, when the bit is inserted inside the passageway through the keyway, it comes into sliding support against said other flat so as to rotate the cylinder of revolution. The realization of a flat on a cylinder of revolution has the advantage of being inexpensive.

In addition, and according to another object, there is provided a flat key for a lock assembly as described above, and it comprises a bit having two opposite faces, said two opposite faces having respectively coded notches, and it comprises in addition a contact piece mounted through said bit and projecting from said two opposite faces. Thus, it is easy to perform a bore in a normal direction to the bit and to insert a cross contact piece by force. Advantageously, the contact piece is held in a fixed position by means of a lug inserted into the thickness of the bit.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said contact piece is an H-shaped piece having two pairs of opposite branches projecting respectively from said two opposite faces. The H-piece is of substantially cylindrical symmetry and its generatrices are parallel to the mean plane defined by the bit and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bit. In this way, and in combination with the embodiment variant of the revolution cylinder having a tooth, the latter is intended to engage inside one or the other of the two pairs of opposite branches of the part. in H. Thanks to this characteristic, the cylinder of revolution is rotated precisely by a predefined angle. In addition, the amplitude of rotation of the revolution cylinder may be relatively large.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting indication, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a portion of a security lock assembly according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of another part of the lock assembly according to the invention, according to a first embodiment;

Figure 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lock assembly portion shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3B is a schematic detail view of Figure 3A;

Figure 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view identical to the view shown in Figure 3 including the other portion of the lock assembly shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4B is a schematic detail view of Figure 4A;

- Figure 5A is a schematic side cutaway view of a lock assembly according to the invention according to another embodiment; and,

Figure 5B is a detail view of the object of Figure 5A.

Figure 1 illustrates an exploded lock cylinder 10 comprising a stator 12 in two opposite parts 14, 16 symmetrical to each other with respect to a median plane Pm, and a rotor 18 forming a solid revolution.

The portion 14 of the most advanced stator in Figure 1, has a cylindrical housing of circular symmetry 20, within a circular cylindrical sub-portion 21 of the portion 14 of the stator. The cylindrical housing 20 has a concave cylindrical wall 22. And the portion 14 of the stator has an oblong cylindrical sub-portion 24 extending radially with respect to the circular cylindrical sub-portion 21. The oblong cylindrical sub-portion 24 has a row of first radial housings 26 opening radially into the wall 22. The row here comprises six radial housings 26. In a diametrically opposite position, the stator has a longitudinal trough groove 28 intended to form a blind hole as will be explained below.

The rotor 18 extends longitudinally between two opposite ends, one 29, driving, intended to engage with a cylinder blade 27, the other 31, free. And the rotor 18 has, in its free end 31, a key inlet 30 extended by an axial passageway 32 eccentric and defining an axial plane Pa of the rotor 18. The rotor 18 has a convex circular cylindrical surface 34. Also, the axial passageway 32 opens out of the convex circular cylindrical surface 34, according to a generatrix thereof.

The rotor 18 is divided into two semicylindrical parts by the axial plane

Pa, a first semicylindrical portion 36 and a second semicylindrical portion 38.

The first semicylindrical portion 36 has, towards its drive end 29, a transverse housing 40 intended to receive a cylindrical locking member of revolution 42. The locking member 42 has an end 45 connected to a helical torsion spring 44. Also, the transverse housing 40 has, at its entrance, two opposite inlet notches 46, 48, so as to be able to receive crosswise, an indexing bar 49. In addition, the locking member 42 presents to the opposite its end 45, another end in which is formed an indexing groove 50, intended to cooperate with the indexing bar 49 so as to increase substantially the mechanical energy necessary for the rotation of the locking member 42, in its first phase of rotation, as will be explained below.

Furthermore, the locking member 42 has towards its end 45 connected to the helical torsion spring 44, a first flat 52, and diametrically opposite, towards the other end, a second flat 54 masked in Figure 1.

In addition, the rotor 18 has, in its first semicylindrical portion 36, a radial orifice 56 opening radially into the transverse housing 40 and, on the opposite side, in the convex circular cylindrical surface 34. This radial orifice 56 receives a ball 58, which will come to bear on the cylinder of revolution 42 as will be explained below.

In addition, Figure 1 illustrates, helical compression springs 60 for return to be engaged in the bottom of the first radial housing 26, which helical compression springs 60 are each surmounted by a pin 62, intended to slide in the first radial housings 26 as will be explained below. And, moreover, pins 62 are surmounted by counter-pins 64, installed them, in the second semicylindrical portion 38 of the rotor 18, as shown in Figure 3A.

Thus, Figure 3A, to which reference will now be made, corresponds to a straight section of the lock cylinder 10 shown in Figure 1, after it has been mounted, and at a first radial housing 26. And appears on this Figure, the counter-pin 64 installed in a second radial housing 66. This second radial housing 66 opens into the convex circular cylindrical surface 34 and the opposite, in the axial passageway 32.

Moreover, this second radial housing 66 has, towards the axial passageway 32 a reduced section creating a first stop shoulder 68. The counter-pin 64 then has a rod 70 surmounted by a head 72 forming a second shoulder d stop 74, which bears on the first stop shoulder 68 in order to retain the pin against 64 in translation towards the axial passageway 32.

In this case, the pin 62, which has a free end 76, is engaged partially inside the second radial housing 66 and remains partially engaged also within the first radial housing 26 of the oblong cylindrical subpart. 24. It is indeed pushed through the second radial housing 66 by the helical compression spring 60, the free end 76 resting against the head 72 of the counter-pin 64, including the shoulder 74 and stop pressing on the first stop shoulder 68.

This configuration is similar for the other six pins 62. It is essentially the length of the counter-pins 64 that will allow the coding of the lock assembly according to the invention.

Also, in this configuration, all the pins 62 extend across the joint plane, which itself extends between the wall 22 of the cylindrical housing 20 of the portion 14 of the stator and the circular cylindrical surface 34 of the rotor 18 and thereby maintain in fixed position the rotor 18 with respect to the stator 14.

In this conventional configuration of locking, is added a specific configuration including, in the first semicylindrical portion 36 of the rotor 18, the ball 58 housed inside the radial orifice 56, and which extends partially inside the longitudinal groove 28 forming a blind hole trough. It is maintained there by the blocking member 42 engaged in its transverse housing 40.

The locking member 42 is held, by means of the helical spring 44, in an angular position such that the first flat 52 is spaced apart from the ball 58, whereas the latter bears on a cylindrical surface portion 78, corresponding to the radius of the locking member 42 as shown in Figure 3B.

The ball 58 and thus stuck in this position, where it comes to extend substantially projecting from the circular cylindrical surface 34 and inside the longitudinal groove in the trough 28, and thereby, adds an additional blocking in rotation of the rotor 18 inside the stator 14.

It will be observed that the index bar 49 which closes the inlet of the transverse housing 40, extends partially in the indexing groove 50 of the locking member 42. The locking member 42 is held axially in this position because it is pushed towards the index bar 49 by means of the helical torsion spring 44.

FIG. 3B also shows the second flat surface 54 diametrically opposed to the first flat surface 52. The flat surface 52 then extends towards the axial passageway 32 and to the keyway 30.

Before referring to FIG. 4A, illustrating the unlocking of the lock cylinder 10, reference will be made to FIG. 2, illustrating a flat key 80 according to the invention.

This flat key 80 has a bit 82 itself having two opposite faces 84, 86, and an operating ring 88. Each of the two opposite faces 84, 86 comprises a notched rib 90 to form a code. The two notched ribs 90 are antisymmetrical to one another with respect to a median axial plane Pp of the bit 82.

Also, the bit 82 has a free end 92 behind which is formed a bore 94 normal bit 82 and following its median plane Pp. This bore 94 then receives a lug 96 having two opposite ends 98, 100 which will then come s 'extend symmetrically protruding each of the two opposite faces 84, 86 of the bit 82. The lug 96 then forms a contact piece.

The cross section of the bit 82 has a shape and dimensions equivalent to those of the cross-section of the axial passage 32 of the rotor 18, to the functional clearance ready, in such a way as to be able to insert the bit 82 axially inside the feed path. axial passage 32, and that it can be guided.

Thus, when the bit 82 is engaged through the keyway 30, as shown in FIG. 1, and is inserted inside the axial passageway 32, near the end of the stroke, one or the other of the opposite ends 98, 100 of the lug 96 comes into contact with the second flat 54 as shown in Figure 3B. With the bit 82 continuing its stroke, the pin 96 then causes the rotation of the locking member 42, in FIG. 3B, in the direction of clockwise, the end of the pin 96 being driven in friction. against the second flat surface 54. The force applied by the end of the lug 96, due to the translation movement of the bit 82, is sufficient, in a first movement, to release the indexing groove 50 from the bar indexing 49 and then, in a second movement, constraining in rotation the helical torsion spring 44.

As a result, and as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, the first flat 52 then faces the radial orifice 56 and the ball 58. As a result, the ball 58 can come to bear on the first flat part 52, while returning inside the radial orifice 56 and releasing the longitudinal groove 28 in the trough.

Simultaneously, the notched rib 90 came to press all the pins 64, of a determined amplitude so as to bear all the contact areas between the heads 72 of the counter pins 64 and the free ends 76 of the pins 62, in the joint plane located between the wall 22 of the cylindrical housing 20 of the portion 14 of the stator and the circular cylindrical surface 34 of the rotor 18.

In this way, the rotor 18 is then free to rotate relative to the stator 14 and can then be driven by means of the ring 88 to unlock the cylinder 10. Reference will now be made to FIGS. 5A, 5B, showing another embodiment of the invention for which only the elements of cooperation between the locking member and the contact piece, and the contact piece itself, have different shapes. The elements identical in their function to those among the elements represented in the preceding figures will have the same reference assigned a prime sign: "'".

Thus, in Figure 5A, there is the bit 82 'of the key 80' and the locking member 42 'mounted in the first semicylindrical portion 36' of the rotor 18 '. It will be observed in greater detail in FIG. 5B that the bit 82 'is equipped either with a pin but with an H 96' piece having two pairs of opposite branches 102, 104 and projecting respectively from the two opposed faces 84 ', 86' by defining a groove 106.

In addition, the locking member 42 'has either a second flat, but instead a tooth 54', defining on each side, two grooves and two opposite flanks 108, 1 10.

In this way, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the bit 82 'is driven in translation inside the axial passageway 32', the branch 102 then engages in a groove of the locking member 42 'to come to bear against one of the opposing blanks 1 10. In continuing the stroke of the bit 82', the branch 102 causes the rotation in the direction of clockwise of the locking member 42 ', while the tooth 54' engages inside the groove 106. Continuing, the second arm 104 bears against the tooth 54 '. With this mode of implementation, where the tooth 54 'meshes with the H-piece 96', one can obtain a greater amplitude of rotation of the locking member 42 '. In addition, if the ball is not located opposite the blind hole, the key is engaged inside the cylinder and can not be removed. Indeed, the locking member 42 'is locked in rotation because the ball bears against the cylindrical wall 22 and is radially blocked.

Claims

1. Security key lock assembly comprising:

a stator (12) having a cylindrical housing (20) and a blind hole (28) opening radially into said cylindrical housing (20), said stator

(12) having a plurality of locking pins (62) for extending within said cylindrical housing (20);

- A rotor (18) rotatably mounted within said cylindrical housing (20), said rotor (18) including an axial passageway (32) and a plurality of radial housings (66) opening to the outside to be able to allowing said locking pins (62) to extend into said radial housings (66) to maintain said rotor (18) in fixed position relative to said stator (12), said rotor (18) further comprising a ball (58) ) and a movable locking member (42) for maintaining said ball (58) projecting from said rotor (18), while said ball (58) extends within said blind hole (28); and,

a flat key (80) intended to be engaged inside said axial passageway (32) in order to be able to push said locking pins (62) outside said rotor (18), and simultaneously, to control said locking member movable block (42) for allowing said ball (58) to retract within said rotor (18);

characterized in that said locking member (42) is rotatable.

2. Security lock assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) is housed between said passageway (32) and said ball (58).

3. Security lock assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) extends transversely to said passage path (32).

4. Safety lock assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) is connected to said rotor (18) by a spring (44).

5. Security lock assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said movable locking member (42) is a cylinder of revolution.

6. Security lock assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that said revolution cylinder (42) has a flat (52) for receiving said ball (58).

7. Security lock assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said revolution cylinder (42) has a tooth (54 ') intended to cooperate with said key (80').

8. Security lock assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said revolution cylinder (42) has another flat (54) for cooperating with said key (80).

9. Flat key for lock assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a bit (82) having two opposite faces (84, 86), said two opposite faces respectively having coded notches (90), and in that it further comprises a contact piece (96) mounted through said bit (82) and projecting from said two opposite faces.

Flat key according to claim 9, characterized in that said contact piece (96 ') is an H-piece having two pairs of opposite branches (102, 104) projecting respectively from said two opposite faces (84, 86).