EP1985783A2

EP1985783A2 - A lock provided with a tamper-proof system, specifically for a side door of a vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP1985783A2
Application number: EP20080153614
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maurizio Franceschini; Ambrogio Martino
Original assignee: GIOBERT SpA
Current assignee: GIOBERT SpA
Priority date: 2007-03-29
Filing date: 2008-03-28
Publication date: 2008-10-29
Also published as: EP1985783A3; ITTO20070226A1

Abstract

A lock (1), specifically for a side door of a vehicle, is provided with a fixed stator (3) and a cylinder (16), which is housed in the stator (3) and rotates upon the operation of a key about its axis (4) to rotate an opening/closing control member (55); the lock is provided with a sash member (68) which shifts to a forward position when the cylinder (16) is extracted from the stator (3) during a tampering attempt; in such a forward position, the sash member (68) blocks the access to the opening/closing control member (55).

Description

The present invention relates to a lock provided with a tamper-proof system, specifically for a side door of a vehicle.
As it is known, the opening of a side door of a vehicle is generally controlled by a lock comprising a revolving plug intended to receive a key. During tampering attempts, this revolving plug may be extracted from its seat by means of appropriate forcing tools, so as to clear such a seat and therefore have free access to the internal mechanical members which control the opening of the door, even without the key.
The need is therefore felt to provide the lock with a security system avoiding the opening of the door when the revolving plug is extracted during a tampering attempt. To meet such a requirement, a lock is known from Patent Application WO 01 38672 to the same assignee, the lock comprising a security member transmitting the rotational motion between two rotatable elements when the revolving plug is mounted in its seat, and which is radially expelled by preloaded springs to disengage the transmission between such rotatable elements when the revolving plug is extracted.
Such a solution is poorly satisfactory, as it has a relatively large size in an axial direction. Furthermore, another drawback consists in that, to recover the lock after a tampering attempt, the door needs to be disassembled to remove the security member which has been expelled from the lock and is within the door.
It is the object of the present invention to make a lock provided with a tamper-proof system, specifically for a side door of a vehicle, which allows to solve in a simple and cost-effective manner the problems set forth above.
According to the present invention a lock featuring a tamper-proof system is provided, specifically for a side door of a vehicle; the lock comprising:

a stator which may be connected in a fixed position and has at least one seat;
a control member external to said seat to control an opening/closing;
a cylinder at least partially housed in said seat and rotatable upon the operation of a key about an axis thereof to rotate said control member about such an axis;
a security member, which shifts from a resting position when said cylinder is axially extracted from said seat during a tampering attempt;

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a non-limitative embodiment thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, with cut-away parts, of a preferred embodiment of the lock provided with a tamper-proof system, specifically for a side door of a vehicle, according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of part of the lock in Figure 1, along line II-II in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a detail of the lock in Figure 1, according to a different perspective view, after the extraction of a cylinder of the lock during a tampering attempt;
Figure 4 is a perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a pre-mounted assembly of components for assembling the lock in Figure 1;
Figure 5 shows a different exploded perspective view of some components of the assembly in Figure 4.

In Figure 1, numeral 1 indicates a lock provided with a tamper-proof system, specifically for a side door of a vehicle (not shown). The lock 1 comprises a stator or tube 3, which is connected, in use, in a fixed position to a support structure of the vehicle in a not shown manner and defines two seats 5, 6 which are substantially cylindrical and reciprocally coaxial along an axis 4.
According to Figures 1 and 3, the seats 5, 6 are radially delimited by respective side walls 7, 8 and reciprocally communicate through an axial hole 9 obtained in a wall 10 transversal to the axis 4. The seat 5 ends with a cylindrical area 11 axially delimited by the wall 10 and radially delimited by a wall 12, which is spaced from the wall 8 and is joined to the walls 7, 8 by means of an annular portion 13, which has a series of retaining ridges 14 spaced about the axis 4 on the side of the seat 5.
The seat 5 houses the revolving plug 15 of a cylinder 16 coaxial to the seats 5, 6. The revolving plug 15 is of the known type and has a seat 17 (Figure 2) adapted to receive a key (not shown) to rotate the cylinder 16 about the axis 4. The cylinder 16 is retained in an axial reference position by a spring 18, which is omega-shaped and comprises: an intermediate portion 20 housed in a fixed axial position in a peripheral recess 21 of the wall 7; and two end arms 22 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) which extend through the wall 7 and engage an external groove 23 of the revolving plug 15.
With reference to Figure 2, the cylinder 16 ends with an axial shank 24, which extends with slack through the hole 9, has a cross-profiled cross section and is joined to the revolving plug 15 by means of a cylindrical portion 25 coupled to the wall 12. The bottom of the revolving plug 15 has a plurality of ridges 26 (Figure 1), which are distributed around the portion 25, are spaced from the portion 13, and engage the spaces between the ridges 14, to angularly lock the cylinder 16 with respect to the stator 3, only when the cylinder 16 is axially pushed with respect to the axial reference position defined by the spring 18 during a tampering attempt.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the lock 1 comprises an assembly 30 consisting of components which are assembled before the mounting on the stator 3. The assembly 30 is coaxial to the cylinder 16, external to the seat 5 and is rotated by an end 31 of the shank 24 in opposite directions from a central neutral position (by about 70° in each direction) to open/close the door. The assembly 30 comprises a drum 32, an end portion 33 of which is housed in the seat 6 in a rotatable manner about the axis 4. The portion 33 comprises two walls 34, 35, which are orthogonal to the axis 4 and reciprocally delimit a guide seat 36. The wall 34 has a hole 37 which is coaxial to the hole 9 and is engaged with slack by the shank 24, and is held in abutment against the wall 10 by a ring 38 (of the Seeger type) coupled in a fixed axial position to the wall 8 and axially arranged against the wall 35.
A helicoidal spring 39 is wound around the wall 12 and has two radial ends 41 arranged on opposite sides of a portion 43 protruding from the wall 34 and of a portion 44 of the wall 8. The ends 41 exert an elastic thrust in a circumferential direction on the portions 43, 44, to align the portions 43, 44 in a radial direction and define the above said neutral position.
On the opposite side of the seat 36, the wall 34 has a projection 48 defining a concavity for the spring 39 and comprising a tooth 49, which is diametrically opposite to the portion 43 and is adapted to abut against respective internal shoulders 50 (Figure 2) of the wall 8 to define the angular stoke ends of the assembly 30.
With reference to Figure 2 and 4, the drum 32 comprises a sleeve 53, which protrudes from the wall 35 and defines an axial channel 54 which leads into the seat 36 and has a cross-profiled cross section. The sleeve 53 bears a control element 55, which comprises a head 56 and a base 57 which are reciprocally connected by an axial stem 58. The base 57 is housed in the channel 54, it may slide axially and is angularly fixed, as it has an external profile which is complementary to the cross section of the channel 54. Two pins 59 are arranged at the entrance of the channel 54 to retain the base 57 therein: the pins 59 are parallel, are fixed to the sleeve 53, for instance by pressure, and are arranged on opposite sides of the stem 58.
The base 57 is coupled to a drawing element 62 by means of the axial interposition of a helicoidal spring 61, which holds the base 57 against the pins 59 and compensates possible displacements of the element 55 during the connection of the lock 1 to the opening/closing members of the door and/or during the mounting of the lock 1 on the vehicle. The element 62 is housed in the sleeve 53 in an angularly fixed and axially slidable manner, as it has an outer profile which is substantially complementary to the cross section of the channel 54.
With reference to Figure 2, the element 62 defines two seats 64, 65 which are axially separated from one another by a bottom wall 66: the seat 65 is cylindrical and houses an end of the spring 61; the seat 64 has instead a cross-profiled cross section and is engaged by the end 31 of the shank 24 in an axially slidable and angularly fixed manner to transmit the rotation from the cylinder 16 to the drum 32.
The assembly 30 comprises a sash member 68, which comprises in turn a metal disc 70 and a slide body 71 guided by the seat 36 along a radial direction 72. The body 71 has a seat 73, which is engaged by the disc 70 in an idle-rotatable manner, has a radial entrance 74, and is defined by two walls 75, 76 which retain the disc 70 therebetween. The wall 75 faces the wall 34 and has a circular opening 77 which is coaxial to the disc 70. A pin 78 is fixed to the walls 75, 76, for instance by pressure, and engages the entrance 74 to prevent the disc 70 from radially coming out of the seat 73. The body 71 has a hole 79, which is in an aligned position with the seat 73 along the direction 72 and passes through in a direction parallel to the axis 4.
The body 71 slides into the seat 36, under the thrust of two springs 80, from a resting position to a forward position. In the resting position (Figure 2), the shank 24 passes through the hole 79 and the edge 81 of the hole 79 rests against the shank 24, which therefore holds the body 71 back against the thrust of the springs 80. In a forward position (Figure 3), the body 71 is in abutment against the wall 8, and the opening 77 is coaxial to the holes 9 and 37, whereby the disc 70 is interposed between the entrance of the seat 5 and the elements 55 and 62 thus axially closing the holes 9, 37. Specifically, the springs 80 are cylindrical, are housed in respective seats 82 of the body 71, on opposite sides of the hole 79, and act against respective inner shoulder surfaces of the portion 33 (not shown).
With reference to Figure 4, the body 71 comprises a tooth 83, which protrudes from the wall 76 on the side opposite to the seat 73, and defines a shoulder 84 along direction 72.
During the assembly of the lock 1, with reference to Figure 5, at first the disc 70 is inserted through the entrance 74 into the body 71 and is locked in the seat 73 by fixing the pin 78 to the walls 75, 76, to form the sash member 68. Once the springs 80 are inserted into the respective seats 82, the member 68 is radially inserted into the seat 36 through a radial slit 90 between the walls 34, 35. While the springs 80 are held compressed by pushing the member 68 along the direction 72, the element 62 is inserted in the channel 54 and slid to the bottom of the channel 54, where an end 91 of the element 62 enters in abutment against the wall 76.
With reference to Figure 4, by leaving the member 68 free, the member 68 translates into the seat 36 under the thrust of the springs 80 until the shoulder 84 comes in abutment against the end 91, which stops the member 68 in a position near the above described resting position, with the hole 79 coaxially arranged between the seat 64 and the hole 37.
The assembling of the assembly 30 is completed by inserting the spring 61 and the base 57 of the element 55 one after the other in the channel 54. While the spring 61 is held compressed by pushing the element 55, the pins 57 are fixed to the end of the sleeve 53 to prevent the elements 55 and 62 from slipping off and, specifically, to hold the end 91 arranged against the wall 76 and coupled to the shoulder 84.
After being pre-assembled, the assembly 30 is mounted on the stator 3 by means of the ring 38 and the interposition of the spring 39. The cylinder 16 is then mounted, preferably only at the end of the assembly line of the vehicle.
With reference to Figure 2, the cylinder 16 is axially inserted into the seat 5 so as to lead the end 31 of the shank 24 to enter through the holes 9, 37 and 79, and then into the seat 64 against the wall 66. By axially pushing the cylinder 16 and, therefore, the wall 66 so as to further compress the spring 61, the element 62 is axially spaced from the wall 75 until the end 91 is disengaged by the shoulder 84: at this point the member 68 translates along the direction 72 under the thrust of the springs 80 until the edge 81 rests against the shank 24 (resting position).
Finally, by coupling the spring 18, the cylinder 16 stops in its axial reference position (Figure 1).
In case the cylinder 16 is extracted during a tampering attempt, the edge 81 is no longer rested when the shank 24 exits the hole 79, therefore the member 68 automatically translated in a forward position under the thrust of the springs 80. With reference to Figure 3, the disc 70 closes the holes 9 and 37, and therefore is interposed between the entrance of the seat 5 and the elements 55, 62 to block the only access available to actuate the elements 62, 55 from outside without the key. The metal material of the disc 70 leads the closing of the holes 9, 37 to be resistant, whereas the fact that the disc 70 may idly rotate into the seat 73 leads the possible use of a drill or screwdriver ineffective when attempting to force the system by exerting a torsion on the disc 70 about the axis 4.
From the above disclosed features it may be appreciated that as well as being effective against tampering attempts, the lock 1 is extremely compact in an axial direction and is extremely simple to be assembled.
From the above, it is finally apparent that modifications and variants may be made to the lock 1 disclosed with reference to the accompanying Figures, the modifications and variants not departing from the protective scope of the present invention.
Specifically, the trajectory of the member 68 between the forward and backward positions could be other than rectilinear; and/or the member 68 could be borne by the stator 3 instead of forming part of the assembly 30; and/or the member 68 could be held in a resting position in a manner other than that described by way of example.

Claims

A lock (1) provided with a tamper-proof system, specifically for a side door of a vehicle; the lock comprising:
- a stator (3) which may be connected in a fixed position and has at least one seat (5);

- a control member (55) external to said seat (5) to control an opening/closing;

- a cylinder (16) at least partially housed in said seat (5) and rotatable upon the operation of a key about an axis (4) thereof to rotate said control member (55) about such an axis (4);

- a security member (68), which shifts from a resting position when said cylinder (16) is axially extracted from said seat (5) during a tampering attempt;
characterized in that said security member is defined by a sash member (68), which shifts to a forward position, in which it blocks the access to said control member (55), when said cylinder (16) is axially extracted from said seat (5).
A lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said seat (5) axially ends with a bottom hole (9), in that said cylinder (16) comprises:
a) a revolving plug (15) housed in said seat (5) and adapted to receive said key;

b) an axial shank (24) protrudingly extending from said revolving plug (15) and through said bottom hole (9); and in that said sash member (68) blocks said bottom hole (9) when it is in the forward position.
A lock according to claim 2, characterized in that said security member (71) comprises a metal portion (70) to block said bottom hole (9).
A lock according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said sash member (68) comprises:
- a support body (71), and

- a disc (70), which is borne by said support body (71), is idly rotatable with respect to said support body (71) about an axis thereof which is parallel to the axis (4) of said cylinder (16), and is arranged in a coaxial position facing said bottom hole when said sash member (68) is in the forward position.
A lock according to any one of the claims from 2 to 4, characterized in that it comprises first elastic means (80) to push said sash member (68) towards said forward position, and in that said axial shank (24) holds said sash member (68) in a resting position against the thrust of said first elastic means (80).
A lock according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sash member (68) is external to said seat (5).
A lock according to claim 6, characterized in that said sash member (68) rotates together with said control member (55) about the axis (4) of said cylinder (16) when the cylinder (16) is rotated by the key.
A lock according to claim 7, characterized by comprising a drum (32), which shifts said control member (55) in an angularly fixed position, is rotatably coupled to said stator (3) about the axis (4) of said cylinder (16), and defines a guide (36) slidingly engaged by said sash member (68).
A lock according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises first elastic means (80) to push said sash member (68) in a forward position, and in that said sash member (68) comprises a shoulder (84); before said cylinder is inserted into said seat (5) during the assembly, said shoulder (84) being coupled to a retaining element (62) which retains said sash member (68) in a position near said resting position.
A lock according to claim 9, characterized by comprising a drawing element (62) which is axially movable with respect to said drum (32) between a first position, in which it defines said retaining element, and a second position, in which it transmits the rotational motion from said cylinder (16) to said drum (32) and leaves said sash member (68) free to shift to a forward position.
A lock according to claim 10, characterized in that said drawing element (62) is coupled to one end (31) of said cylinder (16).
A lock according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by comprising second elastic means (61) exerting a thrust on said drawing element (62) towards said sash member (68).
A lock according to claim 12, characterized in that said second elastic means (61) are interposed between said drawing element (62) and said control member (55), and that said control member (55) is coupled to said drum (32) in an axially movable manner against the thrust of said second elastic means (61).