KR100342755B1 - Lock apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The locking device includes a locking shell 30 defining a core receiving space 303 between the front and rear ends 301, 302. The cylindrical inner shell 11 is rotatably received in the core receiving space 303 and has front and rear chambers 111 and 112. The stack of locking plates 15 is rotatably disposed in the front chamber 111 of the inner shell 11. The lock plate 15 has a central hole 151 which cooperatively defines the axial key hole of the lock core unit. An annular drive plate 40 is disposed in the front chamber 111 and radially outwardly bent such that a key coinciding with the central hole 41 of the lock plate 15 extends axially into the through hole and the rear chamber 112. It has a drive member 42. The latch actuator 20 has a connection portion 21 inserted into the core receiving space 303 and the rear chamber 112, coupled to the inner shell 11 and rotating therewith. The connecting portion 21 extends from the front end surface 24 toward the front chamber 111 and extends laterally with respect to the key hole, so that the center hole 151 and the driving plate 40 are formed. Cam protrusion 23 having a tubular wall 22 defining a key insertion hole 231 coincident with the key through hole 41 and two flat surfaces defining an arcuate groove for receiving the drive member 40. Has

Description

Lock device {LOCK APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a locking device, and more particularly to a locking device that can provide a relatively long life and excellent anti-theft effect.

US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 992,443, filed by the applicant on December 17, 1997, discloses a lock shell, a cylindrical lock core housed within the lock shell and having an axial keyhole and a latch actuator, and a coded key. A locking device including the same is disclosed. The coded key is extendable into the keyed hole of the lock core unit and is operable to allow rotation of the lock core unit relative to the lock shell to move the latch actuator from the locked position to the unlocked position.

The key has a head portion and a shank portion extending therefrom. The shank portion has a cross section in the form of a circular cross section having first and second surfaces extending along the length of the shank portion, and has a curved sector having an arc length of 180 degrees or more, which is mutually coupled with the first and second flat surfaces. The shank portion is formed to have a plurality of key bit projections and key bit grooves on either one of the first and second surfaces. The key bit projections and key bit grooves have an inclined operating surface that forms a different angle from the first and second flat surfaces to set the code of the key.

The lock shell is formed to have a lock groove extending in the axial direction. The lock core unit includes a cylindrical inner shell disposed in the lock shell and is formed to have an axially extending lock slot and an annular stack of lock plates that coincide with the lock groove when the lock core unit is in the locked position. The locking plates each have an inner circumference that limits the central hole. The central hole of the lock plate cooperatively defines the key hole of the lock core unit. Each locking plate also has an outer circumference formed to have a joining notch. The engagement notches of the lock plate are misaligned with each other according to the key code when the lock core is in the locked position and aligned with each other when the lock core unit is in the unlocked position. The inner circumference of each of the locking plates is formed such that the radially inner key has the engaging projection. The key engaging projection has a first radial edge that contacts the actuating surface of the key bit protrusion and the corresponding one of the key bit grooves over the key when the key is received in the key hole and rotated to release the lock core unit, thus providing a locking plate on the locking plate. The locking plates are rotated by different angles corresponding to the angles of the key bit projections above the key and the working surface of the key bit grooves to align the engagement notches.

The key engagement protrusion also has a second radius opposite the first radial edge, which contacts the other of the first and second flat surfaces of the shank portion of the key when the key is received in the key hole and rotated to lock the lock core unit. It has a directional edge, whereby the locking plate is rotated to misalign the engagement notches on the locking plate according to the code of the key.

The lock rod is received in the lock slot of the inner shell. The misalignment of the engagement notches on the lock plate forces the outer periphery of the lock plate to extend the lock rod into the lock groove of the lock shell to prevent rotation of the inner shell relative to the lock shell when the lock core unit is in the locked position. By the alignment of the engagement notches on the lock plate, the lock rod is released from the lock groove and engaged to the engagement notch to allow rotation of the inner shell relative to the lock shell when the lock core unit is in the unlocked position.

The lock core unit also includes an annular drive plate disposed in the inner shell between the latch actuator and the lock plate. The drive plate has a key engaging inner circumference and an outer circumference formed to have a radial cam projection. The inner circumference of the drive plate engages with and rotates with the shank portion of the key when the key is received in the key hole. The latch actuator has a cam actuated section driven by the radial cam projection of the drive plate such that rotation of the drive plate can result in a corresponding rotation of the latch actuator between the locked and unlocked positions.

The disadvantages of the locking device are as follows.

(a) The radial cam projection of the drive plate is defined by a circular sector smaller than half of the circular arc length of the circle to define two radial cam edges, thus defining an arcuate groove between the radial cam edges in cooperation with the inner shell. Thus, the drive plate can be shaken radially with respect to the inner shell such that the key of the drive plate with respect to the radially inner keying engagement of the lock plate causes misalignment of the inner circumference of the lock to engage the latch actuator from the locked position to the unlocked position. This prevents the correct insertion of the correct key into the core unit.

(b) The front end of the lock shell does not have anti-theft means for preventing picking tools such as drills from reaching the lock core unit and the interior of the lock shell.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a locking device having a locking core unit having a plurality of locking plates which have anti-theft means at its front end to prevent picking, and which are suitable for smooth insertion of the correct key.

Thus, the locking device of the present invention comprises a locking shell and a cylindrical locking core unit. The lock shell has a cylindrical lock core receiving space extending through the front and rear ends and the front and rear ends. The lock core unit includes a cylindrical inner shell rotatably received within the receiving space of the lock shell. The inner shell has a front chamber and a rear chamber. A stack of annular locking plates is rotatably disposed in the front chamber of the inner shell. Each locking plate has an inner circumference that limits the central hole. The central hole of the lock plate cooperatively defines the axial key hole of the lock core unit. An annular drive plate is disposed in the front chamber between the lock plate and the rear chamber of the inner shell. The drive plate has an inner circumference which defines a key coinciding with the central hole of the lock plate and an outer circumference formed with a radially outer drive member bent to extend axially into the rear chamber. The latch actuator has a connection inserted into the receiving space through the rear end of the lock shell and an operation extending out of the rear end from the connection. The connection engages with and rotates with the inner shell. The connecting portion is a tubular shape that restricts the front end face extending laterally with respect to the key hole and the key insertion hole extending in the direction from the front end face toward the front chamber and matching the center hole of the lock plate and the key through hole of the drive plate. And a cam protrusion extending radially outward from the tubular wall. The cam protrusion is formed to have a flat surface on two radial sides of the key insertion hole. The front end face, the tubular wall and the flat surface of the cam protrusion cooperatively define an arcuate groove. The drive member of the drive plate extends into the arc-shaped groove so that when the correct key is inserted into the key hole and the key through hole, the drive plate rotates together with the locking plate so that the drive member moves in the arc groove to contact one of the flat surfaces. Move the latch actuator with the inner shell between the locked and released positions for the lock shell.

Preferably, the mounting block is mounted on the front end of the lock shell. The mounting block is formed to have a central access hole coincident with the key of the lock core unit. A rotatable cover member is mounted on the mounting block and is completely rotatable in the access hole about the axis of the key hole. The rotatable cover member is formed to have a central hole in which the key of the locking core unit coincides with the hole.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the locking device of the present invention,

2 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment,

3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

4 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

5 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the locking device of the present invention;

6 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment where the latch actuator, the suppressor plate, the drive plate and the lock plate are removed for clarity;

7 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the locking device of the present invention;

8 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

11: cylindrical inner shell 15: locking plate

16: spacer plate 20: latch actuator

21: connection part 25: operating part

30: lock shell 31: mounting block

40: annular drive plate 42: drive member

111: front chamber 112: rear chamber

1 and 2, a locking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown to include a locking device having a coded key 18, a locking shell 30 and a locking core unit.

As shown, the lock shell 30 has front and rear ends 301, 302 and a cylindrical lock core receiving space 303 extending through the front and rear ends 301, 302.

The lock core unit has a cylindrical inner shell 1, a stack of lock plates 15, a stack of spacer plates 16, an annular drive plate 40, a suppressor plate 17 and a latch actuator 20. The inner shell 11 is rotatably received into the receiving space 303 of the lock shell 30 and has a front chamber 111 and a rear chamber 112.

The locking plate 15 is rotatably disposed into the front chamber 111 of the inner shell 11. Each locking plate 15 has an inner circumference that restricts the central hole 151. The central hole 151 of the locking plate 15 cooperates to define the axial key hole of the locking core unit.

The drive plate 40 is disposed in the front chamber 111 between the locking plate 15 and the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11. The drive plate 40 extends axially into the inner circumference limiting the key through hole 41 corresponding to the center hole 151 of the lock plate 15 and into the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11. It has an outer circumferential portion 43 formed with a curved radially outer drive member 42.

Each spacer plate 16 is disposed between two adjacent locking plates 15.

The latch actuator 20 is inserted into the receiving space 303 of the lock shell 30 via the rear end 302 and further extends into the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11, and the connecting portion ( 21 has an actuating portion 25 extending out of the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11. The connection portion 21 is engaged with the inner shell 11 by the locking pin 36 and rotates therewith. The connecting portion 21 extends in the direction toward the front chamber 111 of the inner shell 11 from the front end surface 24 extending laterally with respect to the key hole, and the locking plate 15. A tubular wall 22 restricting the key insertion hole 231 coinciding with the central hole 151 of the drive plate 40 and the key through hole 41 of the drive plate 40, and extends radially outward from the tubular wall 22. Cam projection 23 is provided. The cam protrusion 23 is formed to have two flat surfaces 230 on two radial sides of the key insertion hole 23. The front end face 24, the tubular wall 22, the flat surface 230 of the cam protrusion 23 and the inner shell 11 cooperatively define an arcuate groove. The drive member 42 of the drive plate 40 extends into an arc-shaped groove to rotate the drive plate 40 together with the locking plate 15 when the correct key is inserted into the key hole and the key through hole 41. 42 moves within the arcuate groove so that the drive member 42 contacts one of the flat surfaces to move the latch actuator 20 together with the inner shell 11 between the locked and unlocked positions relative to the lock shell 30. Move it.

A containment plate 17 fits around the connection 21 of the latch actuator 20 and the rear end 302 of the lock shell 30 to prevent axial detachment of the inner shell 11 with respect to the lock shell 30. Has four radially outwardly extending ribs 170 which are firmly coupled thereto.

The first preferred embodiment also includes a mounting block 31 mounted on the front end 301 of the lock shell 30. The mounting block 31 is formed to have a central access hole 32 coincident with the key hole of the core unit. The rotary cover member 34 is mounted on the mounting block 31. The rotary cover member 34 is formed to have a central hole 341 which is fully rotatable in the access hole 32 of the mounting block 31 about the axis of the key hole and coincides with the key hole. The rotary cover member 34 has a circular outer circumference formed therewith to have an annular suppression groove. The mounting block 31 has two restraining pins 35 which harmoniously extend into the restraining grooves 342 so that the rotary cover member 34 is restrained in the access holes 32 of the mounting block 31 and thus the access holes ( Axial movement is prevented within 32). Under this condition, the rotary cover member 34 is completely rotatable relative to the mounting block 31. In order to withstand the drill operation, the rotary cover member 34 is preferably made of a high strength metal alloy. Preferably, the mounting block 31 is integrally formed with the front end 301 of the lock shell 30.

The specific structure of the spacer plate 16 and the lock plate 15 with respect to the corded key 18 and the manner in which the inner shell 11 engages and disengages with the lock shell 30 during the locking and releasing movement are described in the above-mentioned US patent application. As this may be done in a manner similar to that of and not related to the present invention, the detailed description thereof is omitted here for brevity.

When a drilling operation is performed on the rotary cover member 34, the cover member 34 is turned against the mounting block 31, thereby preventing the drill from reaching the inside of the locking device.

Another feature to be noted in the present invention is that the key through hole 41 of the drive plate 40 and the center hole 151 of the lock plate 15 are aligned with each other, so that the key of the lock core unit enters into the hole. It is easy to insert the correct key.

5 and 6, there is shown a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the rotary cover member 52 has a locking shell () between the mounting block 55 and the inner shell 53. Similar to the first embodiment except that it is accommodated in 50). The rotatable cover member 52 defines a center hole 521 that matches the key hole of the lock core unit.

7 and 8, there is shown a third embodiment of the present invention, in which another rotary cover member 63 is provided with a lock shell 61 between the mounting block 611 and the lock core unit. It is similar to the first embodiment except that it is accommodated in). The rotatable cover member 63 is freely rotatable in the lock shell 61 about the axis of the receiving space of the lock shell 61, and has a central key engagement opening 630 coincident with the key hole of the lock core unit.

According to the present invention, there is provided a locking device having a locking core unit having anti-theft means at its front end to prevent picking, and having a plurality of locking plates suitable for smooth insertion of the correct key.

Claims (7)

A lock shell 30 having front and rear ends 301, 302 and a cylindrical lock core receiving space 303 extending through the front and rear ends 301, 302, A cylindrical lock core unit, wherein the cylindrical lock core unit, An inner shell 11 rotatably received into the receiving space 303 of the lock shell 30, the inner shell 11 having a front chamber 111 and a rear chamber 112, A stack of annular locking plates 15 rotatably disposed within the front chamber 111 of the inner shell 11, each of the locking plates 15 having an inner circumference defining a central hole 151, The central hole 151 of the locking plate 15 is a stack of annular locking plates 15 which cooperatively define an axial key hole of the locking core unit; A key through hole 41 disposed in the front chamber 111 between the locking plate 15 and the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11 and coinciding with the central hole 151 of the locking plate 15. A drive plate 40 having an inner circumferential portion 43 formed to have an inner circumferential portion for restricting and a radially outer drive member 42 bent to extend axially into the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11, A connecting portion 21 inserted into the receiving space 303 of the locking shell 30 via the rear end 302 and further extending into the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11, and the connecting portion 21. A latch actuator 20 having an actuating portion 25 extending outward from the rear chamber 112 of the inner shell 11, wherein the connecting portion 21 is engaged with the inner shell 11 and rotates therewith. The connecting portion 21 extends in a direction toward the front chamber 111 from the front end surface 24 extending in the transverse direction with respect to the key hole, and the locking plate 15. Tubular wall (22) restricting the key insertion hole (231) coinciding with the central hole (151) of the drive plate and the key through hole (41) of the drive plate (40), and radially outward from the tubular wall (22). And a cam protrusion 23 extending to the side, wherein the cam protrusion 23 is provided at two radial sides of the key insertion hole 231. And the flat surface 230 of the tubular wall 22 and the cam projection 23 cooperatively define an arcuate groove, and the drive member of the drive plate 40. 42 extends into the arc-shaped groove to rotate the drive plate 40 together with the locking plate 15 when the correct key is inserted into the key hole and the key through hole 41. Move within the arcuate groove so that the drive member 42 contacts one of the flat surfaces to move the latch actuator 20 together with the inner shell 11 between the locked and unlocked positions relative to the lock shell 30. With a latch actuator 20 to move it lock. The method of claim 1, A mounting block 31 mounted on the front end 301 of the locking shell 30, the mounting block 31 having a central access hole 32 coinciding with the key; Mounted on the mounting block 31 and formed so as to have a central hole 341 fully rotatable within the access hole 32 of the mounting block 31 about the axis of the key hole and coincident with the key. Further comprising a rotatable first cover member 34 lock. The method of claim 2, The first cover member 34 is made of a high strength metal alloy lock. The method of claim 2, The first cover member 34 has a circular outer circumference formed therewith to have an annular restraint groove, and the mounting block 31 has two restraining pins 35 which extend harmoniously into the restraint groove 342 and thus The first cover member 34 is restrained in the access hole 32 and is completely rotatable relative to the mounting block 31. lock. The method of claim 2, The mounting block 31 is formed integrally with the front end 301 of the lock shell 30 lock. The method of claim 2, Further comprising a rotatable second cover member 52 received in the lock shell 50 between the mounting block 55 and the inner shell 53, the second cover member 52 centering the axis of the keyhole. Freely rotatable within the lock shell 53 and having a central key engagement opening coinciding with the key hole lock. The method of claim 1, A mounting block 611 mounted on the front end of the locking shell 61 and formed such that the key has an access hole coinciding with the hole; A central key engagement opening 630 received in the lock shell 61 between the mounting block 611 and the inner shell and freely rotatable in the lock shell 61 about the axis of the key hole and coincident with the key hole Further comprising a rotatable cover member 63 having lock.