EP1048805B1 - Electrically or mechanically operated lock - Google Patents

Abstract

Transmission mechanism (20) comprises shaft (25) having actuating lever (26), and two maneuvering arms (30, 31), each placed one end of shaft, and perpendicularly to it. Maneuvering arm (30) is linked to shaft (14a) via clutch mechanism (35). Element forming clutch release fork (40) is placed between clutch mechanism and web mechanism (15).

Description

The invention relates to a lock which can be operated electrically or mechanically, more particularly of the type comprising a bolt capable of to be moved, either by an electric motor, or by the bit of a manually operated mechanism, comprising for example a block of safety, operated by a key.

The invention relates more particularly to an arrangement ensuring a compatibility between these two types of control, at any point in the course of the bolt.

There are several types of locks, also called electric locks, comprising at least one bolt capable of being operated by a motor electric remote controlled by a management and control system adapted electronics. Some of these locks are operable electrically in both directions, that is to say at the opening as at the closing. In normal use, the lock is controlled by the motor electric. Advantageously, the lock may further comprise a mechanism with bit, for possible manual actuation, by means of a key.

For example, a known lock of this type has a screw / nut type transmission arranged between the motor and the bolt mounted sliding in a support. An additional transmission is planned between bolt and said bit mechanism so that the lock can be operated manually, typically using a key.

However, said bit mechanism cannot engage suitably with this additional transmission only if the bolt gets found completely retracted or completely extended. This peculiarity can be cause of a malfunction if, for one reason or another, the bolt is in the intermediate position. In this case, the lock is impossible to operate from the key.

This drawback is overcome by a lock electrically or mechanically operable according to document DE-U-8 505 832, of the type comprising a bolt, an electric motor and a bit mechanism, said bolt being associated with the both said engine and said bit mechanism via a transmission mechanism, said transmission mechanism transmission comprising a shaft coupled to said bolt and a rack capable of being driven by said bit, a clutch mechanism being interposed between the motor shaft and the bolt and a declutching element being mounted movable between said clutch mechanism and said bit mechanism, a part of said element cooperating with said bit on a portion of its path corresponding substantially to its travel engaging with said rack to hold said clutch in position disengaged when said bit is in position to actually drive said rack.

This known lock ensures perfect compatibility of movement between the part the transmission mechanism arranged between the engine and the bolt, on the one hand, and the other part of the transmission mechanism arranged between the bit and the on the other hand, the bit mechanism can take over from the motor at any time and for any position of the bolt.

The present invention aims to improve the transmission mechanism of such a lock.

To this end, the present invention provides a lock according to claim 1.

Thanks in particular to the shaft provided with an actuating lever coupled to the bolt and two operating arms respectively coupled to the motor and the rack, this lock offers in particular greater freedom in the arrangement of the various elements with respect to the bolt.

Typically, the aforementioned bit mechanism may be a block of safety barrel lock, also called safety block, operable by a key and incorporating such a bit. We can for example use a block safety standard, called "European".

According to a preferred embodiment, the bolt is slidably mounted, following a straight path, in a guide block and the latter is installed between said bit mechanism, on the one hand and the motor and its mechanism clutch, on the other hand. The aforementioned shaft of the transmission mechanism is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the bolt; he crosses the block of guide and is guided in rotation therein. Said actuation lever is located inside the guide block to cooperate directly with the bolt while the two operating arms are fixed to the ends of the shaft, perpendicular to it and on either side of the guide block. One of the operating arm is connected to the clutch, while the other is connected to a sliding moving element carrying said rack.

The actuation lever can be a simple rod fixed to the shaft perpendicular thereto and coupled to said bolt. For example, this rod can be engaged in a recess made in the bolt and retained in it by a stop passing through said recess.

According to a preferred embodiment, the clutch mechanism has a disc coaxial to the motor shaft and mounted with the possibility of sliding relative to it. A finger protrudes from this disc parallel and away from the motor axis. He is engaged in a cutting of the corresponding neighboring operating arm. In addition, means of interlocking in rotation are arranged between the shaft and the disc and urged to cooperate by a spring pushing the disc in the direction of the block of guide.

The declutching fork element is a slide guided in translation parallel to the direction of the axis of rotation of the motor and extending on either side of the guide block to be able to cooperate with the clutch mechanism on the one hand, and with the bit on the other.

For example, this slide can be maintained and guided by the block of guide. One end of the slide is engaged in an annular groove formed at the periphery of the disc. In this way, said slide can activate the clutch mechanism and more particularly place it in disengaged position when pushed back by the bit. To do this, the slide forms or includes a stop extending transversely to its own direction of movement in the vicinity of part of the bit path. The rack is also secured to a sliding mounted mobile unit parallel to the direction of movement of the bolt and coupled to the arm of corresponding neighbor maneuver.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation de la serrure, le mécanisme étant dans une position telle qu'elle puisse être manoeuvrée par un moteur ;
• la figure 2 est une vue selon la flèche II de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective éclatée du mécanisme de transmission ;
• la figure 4 est une vue semblable à la figure 1, le mécanisme étant représenté au début d'une manoeuvre de la serrure par l'intermédiaire du panneton ; et
• la figure 5 est une vue partielle semblable à la figure 4, le mécanisme étant représenté à la fin d'une manoeuvre de la serrure par l'intermédiaire du panneton.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an elevational view of the lock, the mechanism being in a position such that it can be operated by a motor;
• Figure 2 is a view along arrow II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the transmission mechanism;
• Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, the mechanism being shown at the start of an operation of the lock via the bit; and
• Figure 5 is a partial view similar to Figure 4, the mechanism being shown at the end of an operation of the lock by means of the bit.

The lock 11 shown consists of a bolt 12 slidingly mounted in a guide block 13, of an electric motor 14, here of the geared motor type and a bit mechanism 15. We recognize in this mechanism a block of safety barrel lock of standard type called "European" maneuverable by a key. The aforementioned bit 16 is that of said locking block. The lock further comprises a transmission mechanism 20 arranged between the motor 14, the bolt 12 and said bit mechanism 15, and the different elements are arranged, as will be seen below, on either side of the block guide 13 of said bolt 12.

In the example described, the axis of rotation of the motor shaft, the axis of sliding of the bolt and the axis of rotation of the barrel of the locking block are located in three orthogonal directions between them.

The subsets defined above are all installed on the same base 22.

The transmission mechanism 20 comprises a shaft 25 provided with a lever actuation 26. The shaft passes through the guide block 13 of the bolt and it is guided rotating in it. The actuation lever 26 is housed in a cavity of the guide block. This lever 26 is here a simple rod fixed by one end to the tree, perpendicular to its axis. The free end of the operating lever is engaged in a recess 27 of said bolt, the rod 26 is retained in this recess thanks to a pin 28 forming a rear stop. In this way, the actuating lever 26 pivoting with the shaft 25 is coupled with clearance to said bolt 12; it is therefore likely to cause the latter in one or other of the senses of sliding possible, inside said guide block. So this is the rotation of the shaft 25 which controls the movement in or out of the bolt.

The shaft is also provided with two operating arms 30, 31 each being located at one end of the shaft 25 and perpendicular thereto. In the example, the two operating arms are in the same plane as the lever actuating. The operating arm 30 is coupled to the shaft 14a of the motor by through a clutch mechanism 35, while the arm of maneuver 31 is coupled to a rack 37 capable of being driven by the bit 16. The clutch and the rack are located on both sides of the block guide 13 of the bolt. More specifically, the guide block is installed between the bit mechanism, on the one hand, and said motor and its mechanism clutch, on the other hand.

According to a remarkable characteristic, an element forming a fork of clutch 40 is mounted to move between clutch mechanism 35 and the bit mechanism 15. On the latter side, part of the element forming a fork cooperates with the bit on a portion of the path 16a of the latter (FIG. 1) corresponding substantially to its engagement stroke with the rack 37. The clutch release element is therefore pushed back by the bit 16 at the same time as the latter actuates the rack 37, to keep the clutch in the disengaged position when the bit is in position to actually drive the rack.

In the example described, the declutching fork element 40 is a slide guided in translation parallel to the direction of the axis of rotation of the motor and extending on either side of the guide block. On the side of bit 16, the slide 40 has a folded end portion 44 which therefore constitutes a stop extending transversely to its own direction of displacement. The stop therefore extends in the vicinity of the part concerned with the path of the bit.

As seen in Figure 3, the slider is actually guided in a double groove 45 formed on the mounting face of the guide block. So the simple mounting of the guide block on the base 22 suffices to retain the slide between the guide block and said base, the latter being subject to movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the motor 14, for the operation of the clutch mechanism. The latter comprises a disc 47 coaxial with the shaft 14a of the motor and slidably mounted on a support cylindrical 48 itself fixed to said shaft 14a. The support 48 includes a shoulder 49 and a helical spring 50 is mounted in compression between this shoulder and one face of the disc 47. A finger 52 is carried by the disc; he is oriented parallel to the axis of rotation of the disc which is also that of the motor. The finger 52 is engaged in a cutout 53 of the operating arm 30. Des rotational securing means are arranged between the motor shaft (more particularly the support 48 fixed thereon) and the disc. These means of secured in rotation are requested to cooperate, i.e. requested towards a position of effective attachment, in rotation, between the disc 47 and the support 48, by the spring which pushes said disc 47 in the direction of the bolt. In the example, the rotational securing means are constituted by a groove diametral 55 (practiced on the face of the disc opposite to that against which the spring 50 is supported) and a pin 56 fixed transversely to the end of the support 48. The groove 55 is of dimensions such that the pin can be there engage and, in this case, the disc 47 and the support 48 are integral in rotation, this joining being confirmed by the force of the spring. On the other hand, the declutching fork element 40 is capable of acting on the disc and, by compressing the spring, to axially separate the disc and the support 48. In this case, said clutch mechanism 35 is disengaged. To do this, the slide constituting the element forming the release fork 40 is engaged by one end in an annular groove 59 formed at the periphery of the disk. Thus, when the slide is pushed back by the bit 16, it drives the disc 47 against the force of the spring 50, which releases the pin 56 from the diametral groove 55 and separates the shaft 25 from the motor.

As it clearly appears in Figure 3, the end of the slide located on the side of the clutch mechanism is folded at 90 ° and has a notch 60, so that the folded part of the slide is engaged in the annular groove 59 of the disc.

On the other side of the guide block, the rack 37 is secured to a moving part 63 mounted to slide parallel to the direction of moving the bolt. This mobile assembly is coupled to the operating arm 31 neighbor, attached to the other end of the shaft 25. The moving assembly is mounted along guide block 13 and slides in a groove thereof, of suitable profile. The operating arm 31 carries a rod 64 parallel to the axis of the engaged motor in two 65 parallel lights of the moving assembly.

Inside the recess 27 made in the bolt, a buttress groove 68 shaped so that the end of the rod constituting the actuating lever 26 is supported on said recess when said rod occupies an extreme position for which the bolt 12 is released at maximum of the guide block 13. This bracing prevents the return into rear of the bolt under the effect of an external stress. Under these conditions, the bolt can only retract in the guide block under the effective action of the motor 14 or bit 16 of the locking block. Position sensors, not shown, allow to pilot a management and control system electronic ensuring the operation of the lock via the motor.

In normal situation, the lock is controlled in priority by through this engine. However, the bit mechanism, in the locking block occurrence, controlled by key, allows to take the reads at any time, regardless of the position of the bolt, especially in the event of electrical control failure. In this case, as can be seen on Figures 4 and 5, the bit 16 meets the transverse stop and pushes back the clutch release member 40 as it begins to cooperate with the rack. This situation is illustrated in Figure 4 and we see that the movement of the fork element causes the separation in rotation between the disc 47 and the pin 56 and therefore, the clutch and putting the engine out of service 14. The bit rotation on a little more of a turn, causes the bolt on its entire stroke, at the opening as at the closing.

The shape of the rack 37 is such that several spans a, b, c, d are are defined, with which the bit 16 is likely to come into contact, opening and / or closing. These ranges are significantly parallel and result from the overall U shape of the rack.

The shapes and locations of these staves are such as the bit can cooperate with one of them regardless of the position in which the rack is immobilized.

Claims (12)

1. An electrically or mechanically operable lock of the type comprising a bolt (12), an electric motor (14) and a catch mechanism (15), said bolt being associated both with said motor and with said catch mechanism by way of a transmission mechanism, said transmission mechanism comprising a shaft (25) provided with an actuating lever (26) coupled to said bolt and two operating arms (30, 31) respectively coupled to said motor and to a rack (37) capable of being entrained by said catch, a clutch mechanism (35) being interposed between the shaft of the motor and one of the operating arms and an element forming a clutch disengagement fork (40) being mounted movably between said clutch mechanism (35) and said catch mechanism (15), a part of said element forming the clutch disengagement fork co-operating with said catch over a portion of the path of movement thereof substantially corresponding to its travel for engagement with said rack to hold said clutch in the disengaged position when said catch is in the position of effectively entraining said rack.
2. A lock according to claim 1 characterised in that said bolt (12) is mounted slidably along a straight path of movement in a guide block (13) and that said guide block is installed between the catch mechanism on the one hand and said motor and its clutch mechanism on the other hand.
3. A lock according to claim 2 characterised in that said shaft (25) passes through said guide block (13) and is rotatably guided therein, that said actuating lever (26) is accommodated in said guide block and that the two operating arms (30, 31) are fixed to the ends of said shaft perpendicularly thereto on respective sides of said guide block.
4. A lock according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that said actuating lever (26) is a rod fixed to the shaft (25) perpendicularly thereto and coupled to said bolt, for example by being engaged into an opening therein.
5. A lock according to claim 4 characterised in that said opening (27) comprises an abutment recess (68) against which the end of said rod bears in the position that the rod occupies when said bolt (12) is extended to the maximum from said guide block.
6. A lock according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that said clutch mechanism (35) comprises a disc (47) which is coaxial with the shaft (14a) of said motor and which is mounted with the possibility of sliding movement with respect to said motor shaft, that a finger (52) is carried by said disc and oriented in parallel relationship with its axis of rotation, that said finger is engaged in a cut-out of the adjacent operating arm (30) and that means (55, 56) for fixing in respect of rotation are arranged between said motor shaft and said disc and urged to co-operate by a spring (50) pushing said disc towards said bolt.
7. A lock according to one of claims 2 to 6 characterised in that said element forming the clutch disengagement fork (40) is a slide guided in translatory movement in parallel relationship with the direction of the axis of rotation of said motor and extending on respective sides of said guide block (13) to co-operate with said clutch mechanism (35) and with said catch (16).
8. A lock according to claims 6 and 7 in combination characterised in that an end of said slide is engaged in an annular groove (59) at the periphery of said disc such that said slide can actuate said clutch mechanism.
9. A lock according to claim 8 characterised in that the other end of said slide forms or comprises an abutment (44) extending transversely with respect to its direction of displacement in the vicinity of a part of the path of movement (16a) of said catch.
10. A lock according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that said rack (37) is fixed with respect to a mobile assembly (63) mounted slidably in parallel relationship with the direction of displacement of said bolt and coupled to the adjacent operating arm (31).
11. A lock according to claims 2 and 10 in combination characterised in that said mobile assembly (63) is mounted along said guide block (13).
12. A lock according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that said catch mechanism comprises a key-operated locking block entraining said catch.

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