The present invention relates to an electric lock.

In buildings for communities, such as hotels, residences and office buildings for conferences and meetings, the use is known of electrically- actuated locks, which involve the use of a component provided with a code, as an access key.

The component is generally a card that can contain a microprocessor or be provided with a magnetic strip: in any case its purpose is to store a code associated with the lock to be actuated.

The door, protected with this type of lock, has in general, on the inner side, a first handle associated with a respective spring latch, which always allows the door to be opened from the inside.

On the outer side, there is a second handle, which is also associated with a respective spring latch, and a reader that is capable of engaging with the codified component in the user's possession, in order to receive its authorization and enable this second handle and thus the movement of the spring latch.

In hotels and in commercial premises, however, the service staff are often provided with universal keys that are capable of opening all doors (in order to carry out cleaning work and the like).

Doors provided with electronic locks thus have, generally, on the inner side, a knob, which is capable of disabling the second handle which is outside the door, so that it is possible to prevent access to the room by the service staff, or by anyone who has an accredited codified key.

In particular, by rotating the knob in the direction for closing the door the handle is disabled, and in opposite direction the handle is re-enabled.

This implies that, depending on the direction in which the door is mounted (whether it opens to the right or to the left), two different models of electronic locks or knobs must be provided.

Furthermore, the devices that make it possible to disable the second, outer handle of the door are generally complex and are constituted by a plurality of components, with consequent higher probability of malfunctioning that, moreover, involves high maintenance costs, because of the need to disassemble and reassemble the various parts, which are often small.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, by providing an electric lock that is constituted by a reduced number of components.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an electric lock that is highly versatile.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric lock which is low-cost, easily and practically implemented and safe in application.

This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are all achieved by an electric lock that is provided on the inner side with a first handle 2 and with a knob 3, and on the outer side with a second handle and with an assembly for reading a codified key, where between said second handle and said spring latch means of mutual decoupling are interposed, characterized in that it comprises a main body provided with a seat for the rotatable accommodation of a transverse shank of said knob, said decoupling means comprising a contoured disk that is integral with said knob, an idle toothed wheel provided with a lower profiled plate that constitutes a cam, and a switch facing the edge of said plate, said contoured disk comprising a toothing that is distributed over a predefined angle and is removably coupled with respective recesses in said toothed wheel, the rotation of said knob determining the rotation of said disk, with consequent entrainment of said toothed wheel, limited to the predefined angle of said toothing, and orientation of said plate corresponding to its interference with the button of said switch.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the electric lock according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electric lock according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electric lock, according to the invention, without a covering element;

Figure 3 is a perspective view from the left of the means of mutual decoupling of the electric lock, according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view from the right of the means of mutual decoupling of the electric lock, according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a front elevation view of the means of mutual decoupling of the electric lock, according to the invention.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an electric lock provided, on the inner side, with a first handle 2 and with a knob 3.

On the outer side, the lock is provided with a second handle and with an assembly for reading a codified key.

Such key is generally a card or pass on which, according to different methods, a code associated with the lock to be actuated, is stored.

The card can be provided with a microprocessor, or a bar code, or be provided with a magnetic strip.

The user, by swiping or inserting the codified key in an adapted seat, or simply by bringing it in the proximity of the reading assembly, enables the second handle, and as a consequence the spring latch, thus gaining access to the room.

In the accompanying figures only the inner side of the lock 1 is shown, the outer side being mirror-symmetrical to the inner side, differing only in the presence of the reading assembly and the lack of the knob 3. Such second handle is associated with a respective spring latch, and means of mutual decoupling 4 are interposed between the handle and the spring latch.

According to the invention, the electric lock 1 comprises a main body 5 provided with a seat 6 for the rotatable accommodation of a transverse shank 7 of the knob 3.

In particular, the decoupling means 4 comprise a contoured disk 8 which is integral with the knob 3, an idle toothed wheel 9 that is provided with a lower profiled plate 10 that constitutes a cam, and a switch 11 facing the edge 12 of the plate 10.

The contoured disk 8 comprises a toothing 13 that is distributed over a predefined angle and is coupled removably with respective recesses 14 of the toothed wheel 9.

The rotation of the knob 3 by the user who is inside the room thus causes the rotation of the disk 8 with consequent entrainment of the toothed wheel 9, limited to the predefined angle of the toothing 13, and orientation of the plate 10 that corresponds to its interference with the button 15 of the switch 11.

Thus the user, in order to actuate the switch 11 and prevent access to the room by the service staff, or by anyone who has an accredited codified key, can rotate the knob 3 in both directions, obtaining in any case the necessary coupling between the disk 8 and the toothed wheel 9, and orienting the plate 10 so that it can interfere with the button 15 of the switch 11.

According to a specific embodiment of undoubted applicative interest, which is shown in the accompanying Figures 3, 4 and 5, the contoured disk 8 can be provided with at least two teeth 16 that are arranged over a predefined angle and are coupled removably with respective recesses 14 of the toothed wheel 9.

The lock 1 , according to the invention, can comprise a dynamometric locking device 17 to prevent the accidental rotation of the toothed wheel 9.

Such device thus prevents an unforeseen rotation, for example owing to the action of the force of gravity on the toothed wheel 9 or on a component connected thereto, such as the knob 3, from causing the actuation of the switch 11, and the consequent inability of the user to access the room.

It should be noted that the locking device 17 can comprise a pin 18 that is elastically forced on the recesses 14 of the toothed wheel 9 by way of a spring 19 that has an axial action.

The rotation of the toothed wheel 9 by way of the action of the knob 3 thus causes the retraction of the pin 18 from a recess 14, bypassing of the tooth 20, and insertion in a successive recess 14.

The elastic action of the spring 19 thus causes the locking of the wheel 9 at applied moments of an intensity lower than a preset value.

More specifically, the switch 11 is controlled by a mechanical actuator that decouples the second handle from the spring latch.

In this manner, anyone outside, after the reading and recognition of the codified key by the reading assembly, who tries to lower the handle will not succeed in opening the door, and thus in accessing the room.

In particular, the plate 10 has a shape that is preferably selected from an ellipsoid, a shape with an eccentric circumference, and the like.

The mechanical actuator, which decouples the second handle from the spring latch, can be controlled by the assembly for reading a codified key.

According to an embodiment of particular practical and applicative interest, the switch 11 disables the reading assembly.

As a consequence, even if the codified key is correctly read, the reading assembly cannot disable the mechanical actuator, and thus access to the room by the service staff, or by anyone who has an accredited codified key, is in this manner prevented.

Furthermore, the lock 1 according to the invention can comprise a signaling device, that can emit a light beam of differing preset color depending on whether the switch is engaged or otherwise.

The user, once inside the room, when he or she needs to prevent access thereto by other people, rotates the knob 3, in one direction or the other, until the signaling device emits a light beam of a different and preset color.

In this manner, the user will immediately be aware of the condition of access to the room.

Advantageously, the electric lock 1 is constituted by a reduced number of components.

Conveniently the electric lock 1, according to the invention, is highly versatile.

In fact, independently of the direction in which the door is mounted (whether it opens to the right or to the left), the lock 1 can be mounted without any modification or adaptation being necessary.

The knob 3 can rotate in both directions, thus ensuring in any case the necessary coupling between the disk 8 and the toothed wheel 9, and orienting the plate 10 so that it can interfere with the button 15 of the switch 11.

The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions and the shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs.