WO2004067885A1

WO2004067885A1 - Mechanically operated electromagnetic lock

Info

Publication number: WO2004067885A1
Application number: PCT/IT2004/000033
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alberto Gregori; Fernando Pittiglio
Original assignee: Alberto Gregori; Fernando Pittiglio
Priority date: 2003-01-31
Filing date: 2004-01-30
Publication date: 2004-08-12
Also published as: EP1588003A1; ITRM20030042A1; ITRM20030042A0

Abstract

In a lock provided with a printed board able to sense the codes of the qualified keys the keyhole, into which the key has to be introduced turns idle with respect to the drive member operating the closing devices and becomes rotatably integral with said drive member by establishing a mechanical connection only upon sensing the right key code. Said mechanical connection consists of a magnetic pin which is introduced into suitable holes and is moved to by an electromagnetic coil operated upon sensing the right code The power supply to energize said electromagnetic coil is provided by cells housed in the key. The openingclosing movement of the lock is driven only by the force applied by those who turn the key.

Description

MECHANICALLY OPERATED ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCK

The present invention relates to locking systems provided with electronic devices able to sense the code of qualified opening keys and, more particularly, is concerned with a mechanically operated lock of the above-mentioned type wherein the member allowing the lock to open is idle with respect to the member operating the closing devices under rest conditions. According to the invention the movement of the opening devices is transmitted only by those using a qualified key through mechanical connecting means operated by the engagement of a magnetic pin which is introduced into suitable holes. Such pin is moved by an electromagnetic coil operated upon sensing the right codes. The power supply to energize such coil is provided by cells located in the key.

STATE OF ART

Closing systems commercially available today can be divided into two great families: locks of the mechanical and electric/electronic types.

The closing systems of the mechanical-type locks are most used by their high reliability and the reduced cost as well . They need no power supply which certainly would involve installation problems but they only need the energy of those who intend closing and/or opening.

The existing locks are of different types according to safety which is to obtain. Currently, in order to increase safety against burglary, more then one lock of different types is used (like in the armoured doors) with the addition of anti-drill shields. In practice a high level of safety can be achieved by the selection among a wide range of locks proposed by manufacturers according to the application even if they have a number of problems . The main problems are as follows:

- The number of possible combinations in a mechanical system is comparably low if it is compared with electronic systems.

The user must have a key for each lock, thus increasing encumbrance and weight problems.

- A quick replacement o the lock is necessary in case the key is lost or stolen.

It is hard to find copy of a key (see European barrel) .

- The secrecy about the mechanical codes relies on the honesty of the installer. - The extremely rigid mechanical systems do not have the typical flexibility of the electronic systems (e.g. interlocking of an opening code with a predetermined time interval) .

- The increase in the safety has caused a considerable increase in the cost of such systems.

ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

As far as these systems is concerned a further division is needed as the type of an electromechanical device should be distinguished from the type of an electronic device that are both used in the system. As far as the electromechanical devices is concerned, where typically the closing members need electric power supply, technologically different types can be found on the market, namely: - Electric locks using electromagnetic coils that release mechanical devices.

Motor-driven locks using more or less powerful electric motors to move the closing/opening mechanical members . - Piston locks driven by an electromagnetic coil.

- Magnetic locks using an electromagnet operating a ferrous plate secured to the door.

There are also a variety of systems as far as the electronic devices is concerned: - Combination keyboards.

- Badge readers .

- Transponder readers .

- Electronic keys.

- Radio controls. - Infrared controls.

- Fingerprint readers .

- Voice analysers.

- Eye iris analysers.

It is inferred from the foregoing that the safety level which can be reached today is very high.

However, it should be appreciated that some devices are certainly reserved to a market which is surely different from the civilian use. A number of advantages are provided: 1) The very high number of combinations give the user a large flexibility to change them.

2) The replacement of the key could not be necessary in case of loss.

3) The mechanical parts of the lock can better be protected as there is no access thereto for their operation.

4) Multiple openings by only one key.

5) Different access levels can be set in the key according to the requirements. 6) An opening code can be enabled according to a determined time period.

7) Codes to be suppressed can be easily deactivated.

8) The settings carried out to the lock can be filed for later control . 9) Codes can be set directly by the user, thus overcoming the problems of want of confidence in the installer.

Such systems, however, are suffering from some disadvantages : - The reliability varies according to the manufacturer .

- The energizing cables that move upon opening the door to be protected involve a lot of problems.

Storage batteries are needed in case of voltage drop.

- The installation is more difficult.

- The more or less complex code setting procedures act as a deterrent of the use of such systems .

- The cost can also be much higher according to the system selected. At last: The use combined with release coils has a poor mechanical stability as the latter are based upon balance systems that can be overturned by vibrations applied to the construction with the result of an uncontrolled release causing the door to open.

Systems that do not need a power supply to the lock because of the presence of a power supply in the key have been recently provided. Such systems have an increased reliability as they get rid of cables and cells in the lock; they are further less subjected to failures and/or interference because of no connection to mains, which makes the installation easier. The key is provided with a cell (that can also be of the rechargeable type) which can be easily replaced by the user.

Such solution, however, is not fully satisfactory as the power provided by the cell in the key is low because of its necessarily small size. This has brought to the development of systems using capacitors storing the energy provided by the key that once reached the set level discharge instantaneously such energy to the electromechanical device if the code of the key has been sensed.

Such systems do not allow the latch to be driven but operate like a door of a building which is opened by interphone. Therefore, the safety from the mechanical point of view is not high.

There is also a waiting time relative to the charge of the capacitors which is as greater as more energy has to be accumulated. In recent time, systems that also use the mechanical energy of those who turn the key in the lock to operate any latch have been developed. This is, however, to the detriment of the safety of the system which is potentially subjected to forcing.

The present invention seeks to overcome all of the problems and troubles of the present systems by providing a lock sensing a code of the last-mentioned type that uses the force of those who turn the key in the lock, having the following characteristics:

- The keyhole into which the key has to be introduced turns idle and only becomes a load bearing member, i.e. it is able to cause the lock to open-close, upon sensing a right code. - To this end, the lock uses a permanent magnet barrel which is moved by an electric coil provided with a ferromagnetic core.

The positioning of the barrel is provided by suitable magnetic fields. Such solution has a number of advantages:

The power supply provided by the key is minimum as it only should move the magnetic barrel .

Once such barrel makes the idle member a load baring member, the power supply is no longer needed as it is the case upon positioning the lock to turn idle again. Therefore, a mechanical forcing of the lock is not likely to occur owing to the idle position as well as the feature of operating the latch only by using the force of those who turn the key. Also vandalisms such as the introduction of glue into the keyhole are not likely to occur.

Locks with less than 360° rotation can also be provided, thus further reducing the production cost.

Additional devices to control the code are not requested (civilian application) .

The control of the codes can be very easily carried out

(civilian application) . The cost with respect to similar systems is strongly reduced.

The system is extremely versatile and can be used to provide as follows:

Door locks.

Padlocks .

Padlocks for shutters .

Locks for post-office or safe-deposit boxes. Locks for letter-boxes.

Locks for manholes .

Locks for safes .

Locks for good transporting vans.

Defenders to protect the access to existing locks.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings that show by way of a not limited example some preferred embodiments thereof . In the drawings :

Fig. 1 is a vertical section view of the lock according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a right-hand side, partially sectioned view of the lock of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a particular of the electronic key;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a lock according to the invention with a rotation of the key less than 360°;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a lock with a rotation greater than 360°, with linear rack shift;

Fig. 6 is a perspective front view of the body of the lock of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view in enlarged scale of the pin or barrel of magnetic material forming a mechanical constraint operated upon sensing the code of the key;

Fig . 8 shows a pin or barrel provided with permanent magnets only at its ends;

Fig. 9 is an exploded view of the electronic key.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCK

With reference to the Figures, the lock according to the invention consists of a fixed support portion 1, a drive barrel 2 rotating in a cylindrical housing 21 formed in fixed body 1, and a key housing barrel 3 rotating in drive barrel 2.

Key housing barrel 3 rotates freely in drive barrel 2 which in turn rotates freely in housing 21 formed in fixed body 1. A steel ball 9 used for centering drive barrel 2 and fixed body 1 is compressed through a screw 9A by a spring 9C which abuts against the spherical housing 9B formed in drive barrel 2.

A steel ball 8 used for centering key housing barrel 3 and fixed body 1 is compressed through a screw 8A by a spring 8C which abuts against the spherical housing 8B formed in key housing barrel 3.

A seal ring 13 ensures that key housing barrel 3 and drive barrel 2 do not come out of fixed body 1. A slide through hole 12 is formed in fixed body 1. A dead hole 10 is formed in key housing barrel 3.

Holes 10, 11, 12 in the centering position are aligned.

The rotation of key housing barrel 3 does not cause the misalignment of holes 11 e 12 to the axis of which an electromagnetic coil 6 is positioned outside fixed body 1.

The starting position should, however, be the centering position obtained, if necessary, from the alignment position determined by the rotation of key housing barrel 3 which can be felt by the touch because of the release of ball 8 into its housing 8B formed in the same barrel. The introduction of key 7 into housing barrel 3 and its rotation causes only the movement of housing barrel 3. If key 7 supplies the lock through its contacts 14 which are connected to contacts 17 of the lock disposed on an insulated block 4 integral with fixed body 1, coil 6 is energized and generates a magnetic field causing permanent magnet barrel 5 to leave its rest position as it is attracted by the ferrous core of the same coil 6 inside hole 12 (Fig. 2) and to be pushed to the opposite direction inside holes 11 and 10, thus making the two barrels 3 and 2 integral with each other.

The stability of the new position is guaranteed by a magnet 18 disposed on key 7 (Fig. 9) which attracts magnetic barrel 5. Accordingly, the rotation of key 7 causes drive barrel 2 to rotate and the latter transmits its rotation through drive member 19 to the closure members of the lock. As it is seen in Fig. 5, such drive member can for example be a rack 19A or a gear wheel 19B. Key 7 can be extracted only in the alignment position being otherwise locked in housing barrel 3 because of a locking caused by a projecting hook 20 (Fig. 3) . The extraction of key 7 from the lock causes the attraction flux of magnet 18 to cease. Under such condition magnetic barrel 5 tends to be attracted by the ferrous core of coil 6. Such attraction force is combined with the repulsion force exerted by a second permanent magnet 16 which is positioned on key 7 so as to push away magnetic barrel 5 during the extraction stroke of the key because of its like polarity. Thus, barrel 5 is compelled to return to the starting position.

In the present disclosure of the operating principle the description of the detection of codes has been omitted. It is self-evident that coil 6 is energized only if a right code is sensed.

Power is supplied through contacts in the above description, however, it can also be supplied by induction like in the systems used in the battery chargers for electrical toothbrushes. As can be seen in Fig. 8, magnet 5 can consist of a central steel body HI and one or more magnetic elements 2H and 3H positioned at both ends to make up for the fragility of the permanent magnet in applications where there is a strong stress . As far as electronics is concerned, a printed board Gl is disposed in the lock and a printed board G2 is disposed in the key, as can be seen in Fig. 4. A variety of operating modes can be provided according to applications: - Dwelling places.

- Access control subjected to time periods.

- Rental of safe-deposit boxes, letterboxes or baggage boxes .

Each such application depends on the use of particular types of printed boards to avoid complicated system controls, e.g. in dwelling places.

The systems described above which are well known to anyone skilled in the art will not be described into detail. Only the application to a dwelling place will be briefly described by way of example. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRINTED BOARD OF THE KEY

Card G2 is provided with a microcomputer which is programmed with an univocal code in factory. This device is able to generate a signal through a led indicating the capacity of the cell to carry out a minimum number of operations before its replacement or recharge.

Each key (Fig. 9) is provided with a pushbutton T operated by a pin to change the code in the lock in case any key is lost. The microcomputer is able to hold a dialogue with the lock.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRINTED BOARD OF THE LOCK

Card Gl is provided with a microcomputer having an

EEPROM on which the codes of the qualified keys are stored. There is also a driver to actuate the coil.

The lock is enabled to accept the key codes in factory.

DESCRIPTION OF CODE SETTING

After the mechanical installation of the lock, the codes of n keys have to be set.

This function is enabled in factory. Therefore, the lock can accept any key code.

The first key that is introduced into the keyhole and actuated is the master key. The other keys will be introduced one after the other until the last one.

The programming procedure is terminated by the introduction of the master key again.

The system is ready to operate. In case of loss or theft of a key, the master key will be enabled to change code by the hidden pushbutton T. Following this operation, the lock is in the same condition as it was fresh from factory. Therefore, the code programming procedure for old and any new keys can be repeated.

It is evident in this step that also the function of the master key which is introduced first can be changed . DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION Upon introducing one of the n keys including master key and actuating such key by a suitable pushbutton P, it sends its code to the lock which compares such code with one among those residing in its memory. If that code belongs to the lock, the latter actuates coil 6 which generates a magnetic field with the same polarity as the permanent magnet 5, thus causing the latter to be pushed away and the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 18 of key 7 with opposite polarity to be linked together. This makes the barrels linked to each other and allows the opening members to move .

In contrast, as key 7 slides outside the lock, the attraction flux of permanent magnet 18 to barrel 5 is interrupted. Under such condition magnetic barrel 5 tends to be attracted by the ferrous core of coil 6 and is forced to return to the starting position because of the presence of magnet 16 in key 7 which pushes such core as it has the same polarity. The key housing barrel turns idle again waiting for a new introduction of a key.

Claims

1. A lock of the qualified key code sensing type, characterized in that the keyhole into which the key is introduced turns idle with respect to the drive member operating the closing devices and becomes rotatably integral with said drive member by mechanical connection only upon sensing a right code in the inserted key, thus achieving that the opening- closing movement of the lock is driven only by the force applied by those who turn the key.

2. The lock according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said mechanical connection is provided by the engagement of a pin or barrel consisting of a permanent magnet which is introduced into suitable holes and is moved by the magnetic field generated by an electromagnetic coil operated upon sensing the codes .

3. The lock according to claim 2, characterized in that the power supply to energize said electromagnetic coil is provided by cells housed in the key.

4. The lock according to claim 2, characterized in that the return of the barrel to the disengagement position is caused by suitable magnetic field generated by permanent magnets without energy consumption.

5. The lock according to claim 1, wherein it consists of a fixed support portion (1) , a drive barrel (2) freely rotating in a cylindrical housing (21) formed in fixed body (1) , and a key housing barrel (3) freely rotating in drive barrel (2) .

6. The lock according to claim 5, characterized in that a slide through hole (12) is provided in fixed body (1) , a slide through hole (11) is provided in drive barrel (2) , and a dead hole (10) is provided in key housing barrel (3) , said holes (10, 11, 12) being aligned in the driven position of the lock and in the radial direction.

7. The lock according to claim 5, characterized in that there is provided a means (9, 9A, 9B, 9C) for centering or aligning drive barrel (2) and fixed body (1) , and means (8, 8A, 8B, 8C) for centering or aligning key housing barrel (3) and fixed body (1) , the rotation of key housing barrel (3) not causing the misalignment of hole (11 and 12) .

8. The lock according to claim 5, characterized in that a seal means (13) is provided to ensure that key housing barrel (3) and drive barrel (2) do not come out of fixed body (1) .

9. The lock according to claim 5, characterized in that a key (7) is provided for the introduction into the keyhole of the housing barrel (3) , which key energizes an electromagnetic coil (6) by a printed board (Gl) of the lock through its contacts (14) which are connected to contacts (17) disposed on an insulated block (4) integral with fixed body (1) .

10. The lock according to claim 9, characterized in that coil (6) generates a magnetic field upon its energization causing permanent magnet barrel (5) to leave its rest position attracted by the ferrous core of the same coil (6) inside hole (12) and to rotate to the opposite direction inside holes (11) and (10) , thus making the two barrels (3) and (2) linked to each other and allowing drive barrel (2) to rotate upon rotation of key (7) .

11. The lock according to claim 9, characterized in that the stability of the new position is guaranteed by a permanent magnet (18) disposed on key (7) which magnet (18) tends to attract magnetic barrel (5) .

12. The lock according to claim 5, characterized in that barrel (2) is provided with a drive member (19) able to transmit its rotation to the closing members.

13. The lock according to claim 9, characterized in that key (7) can be extracted only in the alignment position, being otherwise locked by a hook (20) .

14. The lock according to claim 11, characterized in that the extraction of key (7) from the lock in the alignment position causes the attraction flux of magnet (18) to cease so that magnetic barrel (5) is attracted again by the ferrous core of coil (6) , said magnetic barrel (5) being forced to return to the starting position because of the presence of a permanent magnet (16) in key (7) which pushes such core as it has the same polarity.

15. The lock according to claim 9 , characterized in that printed board (Gl) energizes the electromagnetic coil only upon sensing the right code of the qualified keys, and is provided to this end with a microcomputer having an EEPROM on which the codes of the qualified keys are stored as well as a driver to actuate electromagnetic coil (6) .

16. The lock according to claim 9, characterized in that key (7) is provided with a card (G2) that is provided with a microcomputer which is programmed with an univocal code and is able to send it to printed board (Gl) of the lock to be recognised.

17. The lock according to claim 9, characterized in that key (7) is provided with a cell and an actuation pushbutton (P) to send the code to the lock.

18. The lock according to claim 9, characterized in that key (7) is provided with a pushbutton (T) to perform the function of changing code in the lock in case any key is lost.