Field of the Invention

The invention relates to lock cylinders, in particular lock cylinders that provide remote unlocking.

Background of the Invention

The use of wireless technology, such as RFID and Bluetooth, to allow a user to remotely activate electronic devices is becoming more present in the marketplace. Household locks have begun to incorporate these technologies, with wirelessly activated locks detecting the presence of, for example, an RFID tag and retracting the latch or bolt that locks the door, allowing a user to enter.

Known remotely activated locks are often difficult to install, requiring complex wiring with electronics to be wired into mains power. Such locks require a certified electrician to install and are beyond the installation abilities of locksmiths. The majority of battery powered locks, which overcome the necessity to hard wire the lock into mains power, either require several batteries in order to operate effectively, or require battery replacement after only short periods of use. Not only is it inconvenient for the user to frequently replace batteries but it is potentially dangerous as the user could be locked out if the battery fails while the user is on the outside of a locked door.

The current invention was conceived with these shortcomings in mind.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a lock cylinder comprising: a housing; a key barrel engageable with a latch retracting mechanism when a corresponding key is inserted into the key barrel, the key barrel being mounted at a first end of the housing and the latch retracting mechanism extending out of a second end the housing; a handle rotatably connected to the housing for actuating the latch retracting mechanism; and a remotely controlled actuator to drive an engaging member between an active position and an inactive position, the engaging member allowing rotation of the handle to actuate the latch retracting mechanism when the member is in the active position; wherein the latch retracting mechanism can also be actuated by rotation of the corresponding key in the key barrel.

By providing an engaging member that is driven by a remotely controlled actuator, which allows rotation of the handle to actuate a latch retracting mechanism when the member is in the active position, a user can remotely unlock the door and then turn the handle to retract the latch and enter the premises. In addition, by providing a key barrel that can also actuate the latch retracting mechanism, the lock can also, as an alternative, be opened manually if desired or in the case of a malfunction in the remotely controlled actuator.

Actuation of the latch retracting mechanism is preferably defined by rotation of the latch retracting mechanism, whereby the latch retracting mechanism is connected to a retractable lock latch that engages or disengages a door or window frame to respectively lock or unlock a door or window, or other opening.

In some embodiments, when the engaging member is in the active position, the engaging member connects the handle to the latch retracting mechanism and, when the engaging member is in the inactive position, the engaging member disconnects the handle from the latch retracting mechanism. In other embodiments the reverse is true. Namely, when the engaging member is in the inactive position, the engaging member blocks movement of the handle to move the latch retracting mechanism and, when the engaging member is in the active position, the engaging member unblocks movement of the handle to move the latch retracting mechanism.

In one embodiment the engaging member may be a collar mounted on a connecting shaft, the connecting shaft being attached to the latch retracting mechanism. The collar may axially slide relative to the connecting shaft. The key barrel may be connectable to the connecting shaft by a push bar.

By providing a common connecting shaft through which both the collar and the push bar can interact to actuate the latch retracting mechanism simplifies the design of the lock by reducing parts. For example, an inside surface of a recess in the connecting shaft can be used to provide the connection between the key barrel and the latch retracting mechanism, and an outer surface of the connecting shaft can be used to provide the connection between the handle and the latch retracting mechanism.

The remotely controlled actuator can be controlled by a portable (mobile) electronic device. The portable electronic device may communicate with the lock via Bluetooth (e.g. Bluetooth Low Energy), ZigBee, Z-Wave, or any other suitable local wireless communication protocol. The portable electronic device may require a PIN to be entered in order to control the remotely controlled actuator.

An advantage of the invention is that the lock can be opened with the convenience of wireless communication technology, such as Bluetooth, however the lock can still be opened manually with a key. This is advantageous as a number of situations can arise in which the Bluetooth access may not function, for example if a mobile device used to remotely control the actuator is unable to be used (e.g. flat battery), or if the battery in the lock is flat, or if the electronics become faulty or damaged.

Another advantage is that the lock can be retrofitted with existing lock architecture, such as replacing the rim cylinder in a rim lock, or for use in a mortise lock. A certified electrician is not required for installation as there is no hard wiring and the battery operated electronics are self-contained. Installation could be done by a locksmith or a "do-it-yourself enthusiast.

The remotely controlled actuator may be a motor located within the housing that is battery powered. The handle may shield, namely obstruct access to, at least one of the motor and the battery to prevent unauthorised access to the motor and/or battery.

Shielding one or more components of the lock with the handle prevents access to those components of the lock.

In one embodiment the handle is removably attached to the housing. The handle can only be removed when the corresponding key is rotated in the key barrel.

In one embodiment when the corresponding key is fully inserted into the key barrel a coupling member in the form of a push bar connects the key barrel with the latch retracting mechanism. The push bar may contact a connecting shaft when the corresponding key is fully inserted into the key barrel, the connecting shaft being connected to the latch retracting mechanism. The connecting shaft may have a recess that the push bar engages with when the corresponding key is fully inserted into the key barrel. The engaging member may contact the connecting shaft when the engaging member is in the active position. The engaging member may be a collar mounted to an outer surface of the connecting shaft. The collar may slide axially on the connecting shaft between the active and inactive positions. The remotely controlled actuator may drive the engaging member via a pivoting member.

In one embodiment the housing has a first part and a second part, the second part of the housing having a re-locker member and a re-locker pin, wherein when the first part of the housing is disconnected from the second part of the housing the re -locker member moves to activate the re-locker pin, thereby prevent rotation of the connecting shaft relative to the second part of the housing.

An advantage of including a re-locker member and a re-locker pin is that if a potential intruder attempts to bypass the locking mechanism by breaking off the first part of the lock the re-locker member will 'fire' and the re-locker pin will move into an active position in which it prevents rotation of the connecting shaft relative to the second part of the housing, thereby preventing rotation of the latch retracting member.

The invention also provides a lock cylinder comprising: a housing with a latch retracting mechanism extending out of a rear of the housing; a key barrel mounted towards a front of the housing, the key barrel being coupled with the latch retracting mechanism when a corresponding key is inserted into the key barrel; a handle rotatably connected to the housing, the handle being coupled with the latch retracting mechanism when an engaging member is in an active position and de-coupled with the latch retracting mechanism when the engaging member is in an inactive position; and a remotely controlled actuator to drive the engaging member between the active position and the inactive position; wherein the latch retracting mechanism can be rotated by rotation of the corresponding key in the key barrel or by rotation of the handle when the engaging member is in the active position.

The invention also provides a lock cylinder comprising: a housing; a key barrel attached to the housing; a handle hub removably attached to the housing to actuate a latch associated with the lock, the handle hub being rotatable relative to the housing; and a movable piece within the housing movable by rotation of the key barrel between a retracted position and an extended position, the movable piece extending towards a biased catch provided at an inner face of the handle hub, wherein the biased catch holds the handle hub to the key barrel; wherein in the extended position and upon rotation of the handle hub, the movable piece releases the hold of the biased catch from the key barrel to allow removal of the handle hub from the key barrel.

Providing the key as the removal tool for the lock is more convenient to the user, as no extra dedicated tool is required, which could be prone to becoming lost. The arrangement of the catch on the inner face of the hub provides for better protection for the internal components that are shielded by the handle as tampering of the catch components is difficult.

In one embodiment rotation of a corresponding key in the key barrel moves the movable piece into the extended position. The movable piece may be driven from the retracted position to the extended position by a cam located on a shaft that is rotated when the corresponding key is rotated in the key barrel. The shaft may have a first region of rotation that actuates the latch, and a second region of rotation that drives the movable piece from the retracted position to the extended position. The second region of rotation may be beyond the first region of rotation. Removal of the handle may require clockwise rotation of the key and anti-clockwise rotation of the handle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment, incorporating all aspects of the invention, will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view of a lock in accordance with the invention;

Figure IB is a cross-sectional view of the lock in Figure 1A with a key inserted into the key barrel;

Figure 1C is a cross-sectional view of the lock in Figure 1A with the collar in the engaged position;

Figure ID is a front view of the lock showing the location of the cross-sectional views in Figures 1A to 1C; Figure 2A is a different cross-sectional view of the lock shown in Figure 1A with the collar in the engaged position;

Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the lock shown in Figure 2A;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lock in Figure 1 showing only the components relating to driving the connection shaft;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lock in Figure 3 with a key inserted into the key barrel;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lock in Figure 3 with the collar in the engaged position;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the components on a first side of the lock plate;

Figure 7 is an exploded isometric view of the components in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of the components on a second side of the lock plate;

Figure 9 is an exploded isometric view of the components in Figure 8;

Figure 1 OA is an isometric view of a motor and spring housing assembly;

Figure 10B is an exploded isometric view of the components in Figure 10A;

Figure 1 1 is an exploded isometric view of the battery assembly;

Figure 12 is a different cross-sectional view of the lock shown in Figure 1A showing the movable piece in the retracted position;

Figure 13A is an isometric view of the handle in Figure 1A;

Figure 13B is an alternative isometric view of the handle in Figure 13A with the movable piece extended (by turning the key) and the handle partially turned anticlockwise;

Figure 13C is an isometric view of the handle in Figure 13B with the handle turned 90 degrees anticlockwise;

Figures 14A and 14B are exploded isometric views of the handle in Figure 13A; Figure 15A is a front view of the lock showing the location of the cross-sectional views in Figures 15B to 15D;

Figure 15B is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the invention having a re-locking mechanism (shown in the "armed" position);

Figures 15C is a cross-sectional view of the lock shown in 15B with the re- locking mechanism in the "fired" position;

Figure 15D is an isometric view of the lock shown in Figure 15C; and

Figures 16A and 16B are cross-sectional views of an alternative re-locking mechanism.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment of the Invention

Figures 1A to 15D show a lock cylinder 10 that is to be used as part of a complete lockset. Only the lock cylinder 10, with a latch retracting mechanism, is shown in the figures, but it will be understood that the lock cylinder 10 is to be used as part of a lockset that comprises a latching mechanism. The lock cylinder 10 shown in the figures is designed to either be used as part of a new complete lockset, or to replace a rim cylinder, such as a 201 rim cylinder, in a rim fitted lock.

The lock cylinder 10 comprises a housing 20. The lock also comprises a key barrel, shown as barrel 39, engageable with a latch retracting mechanism, shown as tail bar 40. When a corresponding, compatible key 140 is inserted into the barrel 39, the barrel 39 connects with the tail bar 40 for actuation. The barrel 39 is mounted at first end of the housing 20 and the tail bar 40 extends out of a second end of the housing 20.

A handle 50 is rotatably connected to the housing 20 for actuating the tail bar 40. A remotely controlled actuator, shown as motor 60, drives an engaging member, shown as collar 70, between an active position and an inactive position. The collar 70 allows rotation of the handle 50 to actuate, and more specifically rotate, the tail bar 40 when the collar 70 is in the active position. The tail bar 40 can also be actuated by rotation of the corresponding key 140 in the barrel 39. The tail bar is designed to be rotated by two methods. Namely, the tail bar can be rotated through the use of a physical key 140 (key entry), or through rotation of the handle (handle entry). The lock cylinder 10 shown in the figures is designed to replace a rim cylinder, such as a 201 rim cylinder, in a rim fitted lock. However, it is envisaged that the components described herein could be applied to other styles of lock, such as mortise locks.

Key Entry

Referring to Figures 1A, IB, 3 and 4, the cylinder assembly 30 comprises a barrel 39 located within a barrel housing 31. The barrel housing 31 includes a pin housing 38, as is found in standard pin locks. The barrel 39 is held in the barrel housing 31 by a barrel back cam 33, which is attached to the rear of the cylinder 39 by two screws.

Optionally, a spacer 35 can be inserted between the rear of the barrel housing 31 and the barrel back cam 33 (see Figure 7). The spacer 35, in combination with the back barrel cam 33, can be adjusted to provide the desired spacing. The spacer has ridges 135 that align with corresponding recesses 137 in the back barrel cam 33. The depth of the recesses varies, resulting in a range of different spacing options depending on the particular alignment of ridges 135 and recesses 137. The spacer 35 therefore assists in accommodating tolerance differences between different manufacturer's barrels, which if not addressed can make key removal more difficult.

The barrel back cam 33 has a hollow lug 32 that extends away from the barrel back cam 33 and the barrel 39. The hollow lug 32 houses a push bar 34, which is a coupling member that connects the barrel 39 with the tail bar 40. When a key 140 is either not inserted or not fully inserted into the barrel 39 a biasing member, shown as spring 36, biases the push bar 34 away from engagement with a connecting shaft 80, which is connected to the tail bar 40. When the corresponding key 140 is inserted into the barrel 39 the end of the key 140 contacts the push bar 34 and pushes the push bar 34 into engagement with a first end 81 of the connecting shaft 80 (see Figure 9). Specifically, the push bar 34 locates and engages an interior surface of a recess 83 in the connecting shaft 80. The spring 36 is located in the recess 83. A second end 82 of the connecting shaft 80, opposite to the first end 81, is connected to the tail bar 40 by a pin 86. Rotation of the key 140 in the barrel 39 rotates the hollow lug 32, in turn rotating the push bar 34, and in turn rotating the connecting shaft 80 and the tail bar 40. Rotation of the tail bar 40 retracts a latch to which the lock cylinder is connected in order to open the door/window, etc.

As the barrel 39 used in the cylinder assembly 30 is a standard key barrel it is possible to re-key the lock to any desired key profile. In order to re-key the lock cylinder 10 the locksmith removes the cylinder assembly 30 from the lock cylinder 10. The barrel back cam 33 is then removed so that the barrel 39 can be removed from the barrel housing 31 and re-keyed with different pins. Once the barrel 39 has been re- keyed the barrel 39 is inserted back into the barrel housing 31 and the barrel back cam 33 re-attached. The cylinder assembly 30 is then inserted into the lock cylinder 10.

An advantage of being able to re-key the lock cylinder is that a special key is not required for the lock. For example, if the lock cylinder 10 was only used on the front door of a house, the barrel 39 could be re-keyed to use the same key as the other doors in the house (e.g. back door etc.), allowing a home owner to have a single key for all doors, rather than different front and rear door keys.

While the cylinder assembly 30 has been shown with a six pin lock, it is envisaged that any suitable key activated locking mechanism could be used. For example, the six pin barrel 39 could be replaced with any 5 pin standard 001 inner barrel/plug.

Handle Entry

Referring to Figures 1A, 1C, 2A, 2B, 3 and 5, the lock cylinder 10 further comprises an engaging member, shown as collar 70. The collar 70 is movable between an engaged position (see Figure 5) and a disengaged position (see Figure 3).

The collar 70 connects the handle 50 to the tail bar 40 when the collar 70 is in the engaged position and disconnects the handle 50 from the tail bar 40 when the collar 70 is in the disengaged position. The collar 70 slides axially relative to and on the connecting shaft 80. The collar 70 slides on a keyed portion 84, located at the first end 81 of the connecting shaft 80, which prevents the collar 70 from rotating relative to the connecting shaft 80. The collar is located on the exterior of the connecting shaft 80. The keyed portion 84 of the connecting shaft has a rectangular exterior cross-section that corresponds to the rectangular aperture 72 in the collar 70.

Referring to Figures 10A, 10B and 11, the motor 60 has a shaft 62 that is rotated by the motor 60. The shaft 62 has projections 64 that rotate with the shaft 62. A spring housing 90 with first and second openings 91, 92 houses a spring, shown as coil spring 94. The shaft 62 of the motor 60 extends through the first and second openings 91, 92 of the spring housing 90. The spring 94 is coiled around the shaft 62 so that the projections 64 sit between adjacent coils of the spring 94. As the motor 60 rotates the shaft 62 the projections 64 rotate inside the coils of the spring 94 and effectively screw the spring 94, which is retained and prevented from rotating by the spring housing 90, causing the spring housing 90 to move axially along the motor shaft 62, moving from a first position (Figure 2 A) to a second position (Figure 2B). The electronic chip 150 provides a current for a predetermined time to the motor 60 to drive the shaft 62 a predetermined number of rotations, thereby causing the spring housing 90 to move from the first position to the second position.

Referring to Figure 2A, the lock cylinder 10 also comprises a pivoting member 100 (see Figure 9), having connected pivot points 102, first arms 104 and second arms 106. The pivot points 102 are located between the first arms 104 and the second arms 106. The first arms 104 of the pivoting member 100 engage with the spring housing 90. The spring housing has a groove 96 in which the first arms 104 of the pivoting member 100 locate. The collar 70 has a groove 74 in which the second arms 106 of the pivoting member 100 locate.

As the spring housing 90 moves from the first positon to the second position (driven by motor 60) the first arms 104 of the pivoting member 100 are moved, causing the pivoting member 100 to pivot. This action causes the second arms 106 to move in the opposite direction, resulting in the collar 70 translating axially along the connecting shaft 80. The motor 60 therefore drives the collar 70 between an inactive position (shown in Figure 2 A) and an active position (shown in Figure 2B).

The spring 94 also acts as a damage prevention mechanism to avoid damage occurring to the motor 60 or the drive train responsible for moving the collar 70 between an inactive position and an active position (i.e. the spring housing 90 and the pivoting member 100). For example, if the key 140 has been inserted into the lock cylinder 10 and turned the collar 70 may not be able to translate along the connecting shaft 80 from the inactive position into the active position. In such a situation, if the motor is activated (discussed below) unintentionally the motor 60 will be able to rotate and screw through the coils of the spring 94, however this will cause the spring 94 to compress as the spring housing will not be able to translate along the motor shaft 60. As a result damage to the motor 60 and the drive train responsible for moving the collar 70 between the inactive position and an active position can be avoided.

In addition, the spring 94 also overcomes the potentially inconvenient situation of a user turning the handle before the motor 60 has been activated. If the handle 50 is turned the collar 70 may not be able to translate along the connecting shaft 80 from the inactive position into the active position. In this situation, if the motor is activated when the handle is turned, the spring 94 will compress as described above and the collar 70 will automatically move from the inactive position into the active position once the handle is returned to the neutral position, at which time the collar will be able to translate into the active position. This avoids a second time consuming command from the remote activation device (discussed below).

Referring to Figures 1A and 3, the handle 50 is rotatably connected to the housing 20 through the cylinder assembly 30. The handle 50 is attached to a front face 1 16 of a cylinder collar 1 10 that rotates relative to the cylinder assembly 30. The cylinder collar 110 is cylindrical and has a cut-out 1 12 that corresponds to the location of the pin housing 38 of the cylinder assembly 30, allowing the cylinder collar 1 10 to rotate approximately 180 degrees relative to the cylinder assembly 30 before an edge of the cut-out 1 12 contacts the pin housing 38 (see Figure 7). The handle, when attached to the front face 1 16 of a cylinder collar 110, can rotate 92 degrees from the neutral position in both the clockwise and anticlockwise directions. The cylinder assembly 30 is mounted in an opening 26 in the first part 22 of the housing 20. The pin housing 38 of the cylinder assembly 30 locates in a slot 27 of the opening 26, preventing the cylinder assembly 30 from rotating relative to the housing 20. The handle 50 therefore can rotate relative to the housing 20.

The lock also comprises a housing collar 120 located within the housing 20. The housing collar 120 is hollow and cylindrical in shape, allowing the hollow lug 32 of the cylinder assembly to be located within the housing collar 120. This allows the hollow lug 32 and the push bar 34 to extend through the housing collar 120 and into engagement with the connecting shaft (when the key 140 is inserted into the barrel 39).

As shown in Figure 9, the housing collar 120 has a first side 121 and a second side 123 opposite the first side. The housing collar 120 has a pair of first slots 122 in the first side 121 and a pair of second slots 124 in the second side 123. The cylinder collar 110 has two projections 1 14 that extend from the cylinder collar 110 to engage with the first slots 122 of the housing collar 120 when the cylinder assembly 30 and the handle 50 are attached to the housing 20. The collar 70 has two projections 76 that extend from the collar 70 to engage with the second slots 124 of the housing collar 120 when the collar 70 is in the active position. The cylinder collar 110 and the housing collar 120 are therefore always engaged when the lock is assembled, whereas the housing collar 120 and the collar 70 are only engaged when the motor 60 drives the collar 70 into engagement with the housing collar 120 (i.e. when the collar 70 is in the active position).

The lock cylinder 10 is shown in its standard locked condition in Figure 1A. In the locked condition the collar 70 is in the inactive position and disconnected from the handle 50. As a result rotation of the handle 50 causes the housing collar 120 to rotate but does not cause the collar 70 to rotate. The handle 50 is spring loaded through spring 126 so that it will return to a neutral position when no force is applied by a user. The spring 126 is located in a circular groove 125 on the housing collar 120.

When the motor 60 is activated it rotates the shaft 62, spiralling the projections 64 in-between the coils of the spring 94 to drive the spring housing 90 away from the motor 60. The spring housing 90 causes the pivoting member 100 to pivot and drive the collar 70 from the inactive position into the active position, and into engagement with the housing collar 120. In this position handle 50 is in mechanical communication with the tail bar 40 and rotation of the handle 50 causes the tail bar 40 to rotate. Specifically, the handle 50 is connected to the tail bar 40 through the cylinder collar 1 10, the housing collar 120, the collar 70 and the connecting shaft 80. In other words, the collar 70 connects the handle and tail bar thereby allowing rotation of the handle to rotate the tail bar when the collar 70 is in the active position. To bring the collar 70 into the active position the collar 70 is pulled forward towards the front face of the lock cylinder 10, rather than being pushed away from the front face of the lock cylinder 10, which helps in preventing forced entry of the lock. As the collar 70 must be pulled forward to unlock an intruder would need to pull the door towards them and bounce/knock the lock at the same time, which would be extremely difficult.

As the motor 60 only moves the collar 70 into and out of engagement with the handle 50, rather than turning the tail bar 40, and indeed retracting an entire latch, the energy required for each actuation is relatively low. The motor moves the collar 70 into engagement with the handle 50 so that a user can then turn the handle 50 to consequently rotate the tail bar 40 and retract a lock latch to which the lock cylinder 10 is engaged. An advantage of the relatively low energy consumption is that the lock cylinder 10 can be battery powered and provide an extended battery lifetime.

As mentioned above, the actuator (shown as motor 60) is controlled remotely. There are a number of ways that the remotely controlled actuator can be actuated to drive the collar 70 into and out of engagement with the housing collar 120, such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, Z-Wave, or any other suitable local wireless communication protocol. The following describes using Bluetooth, namely Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and a portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, to remotely control the actuator. However, it is envisaged that other wireless technologies and other devices could be used to facilitate the same outcome. Shown in Figure 7 is an electronic chip 150 mounted on the first part 22 of the housing 20, which the portable electronic device communicates with, and which controls the motor 60.

The lock has three different modes of operation, which will be outlined below. It is envisaged that the user will be able to change between the three modes using an application ("App") on the portable electronic device. The first mode is the "passive" mode, in which the motor is actuated automatically. In "passive" mode when a user, with their phone in their pocket or bag, approaches the door the lock cylinder 10 will automatically detect a short range signal (such as a Bluetooth signal) from the phone and actuate the motor 60 to drive the collar 70 into engagement with the housing collar 120, thereby connecting the handle 50 to the tail bar 40. By the time the user reaches the lock cylinder 10 the handle 50 and tail bar 40 are connected and the user can open the door by turning the handle 50, without the need to use a physical key. Once the user is inside the door the lock cylinder 10 will automatically lock by disengaging the collar 70 from the housing collar 120. The distance inside which the portable electronic device need to be in order for the lock to allow access can be set in the App and is restricted by the wireless communication protocol used.

The second mode is a "prompted" mode, in which the user is required to confirm that they wish for the lock motor to actuate. In "prompted" mode when a user approaches the door the lock cylinder 10 will automatically detect the signal from the phone and wait to receive a confirmation signal before actuating the motor 60. At the same time the user's phone will detect the signal from the lock and will prompt the user with a "Yes"/"No" question regarding whether they wish for the lock cylinder 10 to be unlocked. If the user selects ' es" the lock cylinder 10 will actuate the motor 60 to drive the collar 70 into engagement with the housing collar 120, thereby connecting the handle 50 to the tail bar 40, allowing the user to turn the handle to open the door. If the user selects "No" the lock cylinder 10 will not actuate the motor 60 and the collar 70 will remain disengaged from the housing collar 120 and will not allow rotation of the handle to rotate the tail bar 40. If the user selects "No" the lock cylinder 10 will still be able to be opened using the key 140.

The third mode is a "prompted pin" mode, in in which the user is required to confirm that they wish for the lock motor to actuate by inputting a specific PIN. This mode works in the same way as the "prompted" mode, with the additional layer of security requiring a PIN to be input. This additional security is advantageous as losing a mobile device/phone will not result in an unwanted person being able to unlock the lock cylinder 10 and gain access as the PIN is required to be input when prompted. It is envisaged that the user will set the PIN through the App on the portable electronic device.

The lock cylinder 10 can therefore be opened with the convenience of Bluetooth, however the lock cylinder 10 can still be opened manually by the key 140. This is advantageous as a number of situations can arise in which the remote access may not function, for example if the mobile device is unable to be used (e.g. flat battery), or if the battery in the lock is flat, or if the electronics become faulty or damaged.

It is envisaged that the lock cylinder 10 may also be set up to use a combination of the three above-described modes. For example, the lock cylinder 10 may be set up to allow the automatic coupling of the handle 50 and the tail bar 40 (i.e. passive mode) only the first time that the user approaches the door, and thereafter the lock requires a yes/no input from the user (prompted mode) in order to couple the handle 50 and the tail bar 40. This combination of modes could be advantageous when, for example, the user is returning home and wants easy access to their residence, but then desires a more secure mode while they are located in the residence.

It is also possible to set up the lock cylinder 10 so that the lock can be unlocked by a user out of range of the Bluetooth signal, for example, if a friend wishes to enter the home while the owner is at work. In this instance a local controller, such as a phone, is installed in the home. The owner connects to the local controller and signals the local controller to activate the motor 60 so that the handle 50 can be used to gain access to the residence.

The lock cylinder 10 is designed as a complete stand-alone part, allowing the lock cylinder 10 to be retrofitted to current locks. As mentioned above, the housing 20 has a first part 22 and a second part 24. A plate 130 is located between the first part 22 and the second part 24. The first part 22 of the lock is located on a first side 132 (or front) of the plate 130 and the second part 24 of the lock cylinder 10 is located on a second side 134 (or rear) of the plate 130, which is opposite the first side 132 of the plate 130. The first part 22 of the housing 20 and the second part 24 of the housing 20 are connected through fasteners, such as screws, that pass through holes 136 in the plate 130, thereby sandwiching the plate 130 between the first part 22 and the second part 24. The second part 24 locates inside a cavity in the door, for example in the bore hole that a previously installed 201 rim cylinder was located, and the second side 134 of the plate 130 abuts the door. The first part 22 is located on the outside of the door, and is shielded by the handle 50, which is in contact with the first side 132 of the plate 130 to encase the components of the lock cylinder 10 located on the first side 132 of the plate 130.

Referring to 1A, 6 and 7, the motor 60, cylinder assembly 30, electronic chip 150 and battery 160 are located on the first side 132 of the plate 130. The motor 60 is attached to the first part 22 of the housing 20, which substantially covers the motor 60, thereby providing additional protection to the motor 60. The electronic chip 150 is attached to the first part 22 of the housing 20. Electrical wires connect the electronic chip 150 to the motor 60 to enable the electronic chip 150 to drive the motor 60. The electronic chip 150 is powered by the battery 160. The battery 160 sits in a battery housing 162, which is attached to the first side of the plate 130. The battery housing 162 has a pair of electrical connectors 164, 166 to connect to the battery 160.

Electrical wires connect the battery 160 to the electronic chip 150 to supply power to the electronic chip 150. As discussed above, the cylinder assembly 30 is mounted in an opening 26 in the first part 22 of the housing 20. The cylinder assembly 30 and the first part 22 have corresponding keyways 28 that align when the cylinder assembly 30 is fully inserted into the first part 22 of the housing 20. A keyway key 23 secures the cylinder assembly 30 to the first part 22, preventing the withdrawal of the cylinder assembly 30 from the first part 22. A security cap 170 is installed around the outside of the first part 22 to protect the motor 60, electronic chip 150 and the key barrel 39. The security cap 170 also holds the keyway key 23 in position in the keyway 28. The security cap 170 is a hardened anti -drill cover. As mentioned above, the handle 50 also shields all of the components on the first side 132 of the plate 130 and prevents access to the components of the lock cylinder 10.

As all of the electronics are on a single side of the plate 130 the wires do not need to extend through the plate 130. In addition, as the lock is battery powered the lock does not need to be hard wired into power from the home. This simplifies the lock and reduces the chance of the electronic components being damaged during installation. In addition, the locksmith does not need to connect up any additional wires, making installation easier. Furthermore, as the tail bar 40 interacts with the other half of the lock (i.e. the lock on the inner side of the door) no wires need to be connected through the door.

The front half of lock (i.e. the components on the first side 132 of the plate 130) is designed to break off from the door in the event of forced entry by sledge hammer or wrench. If this occurs all of the electronics will break away from the lock, thereby not leaving any wires exposed (which would be susceptible to hot wiring). The connecting shaft 80 and the tail bar 40 on the second side 134 of the plate (i.e. inside the door) will still be protected by plate 130, which is a hardened anti -drill plate and covers the bore hole in the door.

Referring to Figures 1A, 8 and 9, the spring housing 90, pivoting member 100, connecting shaft 80 and collar 70 are located on the second side 134 of the plate 130. The shaft 62 of the motor 60 extends from the first side 132 of the plate 130 to the second side 134 of the plate 130 through a shaft opening 138 in the plate 130. The connecting shaft 80 sits in a circular opening 25 in the second part 24, allowing the connecting shaft 80 to rotate relative to the second part 24. The pivots 102 of the pivoting member 100 located in pivot recesses 37 in the second part 24. The spring housing 90 is held in position by the shaft 62 of the motor 60 and the first arms 104 of the pivoting member 100. The housing collar 120 is located between the first part 22 and the second part 24 of the housing.

The lock cylinder 10 is designed to allow easy retrofitting of a rim fitted lock. In order to retrofit the lock cylinder 10 with a rim fitted lock the cylinder and tail bar of the rim fitted lock is removed and replaced with the lock cylinder 10. The tail bar 40 of the lock cylinder 10 interacts with the remaining inside part of the original lockset. As the tail bar 40 is rotated (rather than just retracting the bolt or latch), either through turning the key 140 or through rotation of the handle 50, the lock cylinder 10 can be used with deadlock locksets as it is through rotation of the tail bar that the deadlocking function is released.

As described above, the handle 50 shields the components on the first side 132 of the plate 130, and prevents access to the components of the lock cylinder 10. In order to allow access to the lock components the handle 50 can be removed. Figures 12 to 14B show a lock cylinder 10 comprising a housing 20 and a barrel 39 attached to the housing 20. The handle hub 50 is removably attached to the housing 20, the handle 50 being rotatable relative to the housing 20. A movable piece, shown as pins 180, 185, is movable by rotation of the barrel 39 between a retracted position (Figure 12A) and an extended position (Figure 12B). The pins 180 and 185 are extendable towards a biased catch 190 provided at an inner face 52 of the handle hub 50. The biased catch 190 holds the handle hub 50 to the barrel 39. In the extended position rotation of the handle hub 50 engages the pin 185 with the catch 190 to release the catch 190 from the barrel 39 and allow removal of the handle hub 50 from the barrel 39.

Referring to Figure 12A, the first pin 180 is located in the second part 24 of the housing 20 and the second pin 185 is located in the first part 22 of the housing 20. Referring to Figure 13B, the biased catch 190 latches over the front face 116 of the cylinder collar 110, thereby coupling the handle 50 and the cylinder collar 110, and holding the handle 50 to the barrel 39.

A secondary catch 194 assists in latching the front face 116 of the cylinder collar 110 to the handle 50. The biased catch 190 and the secondary catch 194 are biased into a latching position by the spring 192. The biased catch 190 and the secondary catch 194 are pivotally mounted to the handle 50 and have gear teeth 191, 195 that mesh together so that the biased catch 190 and the secondary catch 194 pivot concurrently. A retaining member 196 retains the biased catch 190, the secondary catch 194 and the spring 192.

When the lock cylinder 10 is in its standard locked condition (Figure 12A) the pins 180, 185 are in the retracted position. A cam 88 on the connecting shaft 80 can contact pin 185 to extend first pin 180, which contacts second pin 185 and extends the second pin 185 so that it protrudes from the first part 22 of the housing. The connecting shaft 80 has two distinct regions of rotation. The first region of rotation, which both the handle 50 and the key 140 are able to achieve, drives the tail bar 40 adequately to retract the door latch, and the second region of rotation allows for handle 50 removal. It is in the second region of rotation, which only the key 140 can achieve, that the cam 88 contacts pin 180. Therefore the pins 180, 185 can only be shifted, or moved, lengthwise by rotation of the key 140 in the barrel 39. In order to remove the handle 50 from the lock cylinder 10 a user inserts their key 140, rotates the key so that the connecting shaft 80 rotates into the second region of rotation, thereby extending the pin 185 so that the pin 185 protrudes from the first part 22 of the housing 20. In the extended position the pin 185 can contact catch 190 when the handle 50 is rotated. The user then rotates the handle 50 so that the pin 185 contacts cammed surface 198 on the biased catch 190 and pushes the biased catch 190 into a release position, in which the biased catch 190 does not latch over the front face 1 16 of the cylinder collar 110. As the biased catch 190 and the secondary catch 194 pivot concurrently, the secondary catch 194 is also moved into a release position. The handle 50 can then be pulled away from the cylinder assembly 30 to remove the handle 50 and provide access to the components shielded by the handle 50. The handle is reattached by the reverse process.

In the particular embodiment shown in the figures, the pin 185 extends into an area between the biased catch 190 and the secondary catch 194 when the key is turned clockwise into the second region of rotation. The handle 50 is then rotated counter clockwise 90 degrees so that the pin 185 contacts a first ridge surface 197 and then also contacts and passed the cammed surface 198. Figure 13C shows the lock when the key 140 is turned clockwise and the handle 90 degree anticlockwise (Figure 13B shows an intermediate position between the handle in the neutral position and the handle rotated 90 degrees anticlockwise). When the user releases the handle 50 the cammed surface 198, which contacts the pin 185, only allows the handle to rotate 45 degrees, instead of the handle returning to the neutral position (i.e. by rotating 90 clockwise) in normal use. This leaves the handle in the release position so that the user can simply pull the handle off the cylinder assembly.

Having the key 140 as the removal tool for the lock cylinder 10 provides better protection for the components shielded by the handle 50. In addition, having a single key for unlocking the lock cylinder 10 and for removing the handle 50 is more convenient to the user, and less likely to be lost than a dedicated removal tool. As the battery 160 is located behind the handle 50 the key 140 is also used for battery changeover. Figures 15A to 15D show another embodiment of the lock cylinder 10 in which the lock cylinder 10 also has a re-locker mechanism 200. The re-locker mechanism 200 adds an additional layer of security to the lock cylinder 10 by preventing the connecting shaft 80 from rotating relative to the second part 24 of the housing 20 if the front half of the lock cylinder 10 is broken off. Figure 15B shows the re-locker mechanism 200 in the "armed" position and Figures 15C and 15D show the re-locker mechanism 200 in the "fired" position. As described above, the front half of lock (i.e. the components on the first side 132 of the plate 130) is designed to break off from the door in the event of forced entry by sledge hammer or wrench. In the embodiment of the lock cylinder 10 with the re-locker mechanism 200 there is an additional level of security when the front half of the lock is broken off.

The re-locker mechanism comprises a re-locker member 210 and a re-locker pin 220 and is located on the second side 134 of the plate 130. The front 212 of the re- locker member 210 extends through a hole in the plate 130 and contacts the first part 22 of the housing 20. A biasing member, shown as spring 214, biases the re-locker member 210 towards the front of the lock. The rear 216 of the re-locker member 210 has a cam or a ramp, shown as conical surface 218, which is in contact with the re- locker pin 220. The pin 220 is housed in the second part 24 of the housing 20. The pin 220 is housed so that in normal use of the lock cylinder 10 the pin 220 remains stationary.

If the front half of the lock is broken off from the lock cylinder 10 the spring 214, which biases the re-locker member 210 towards the front of the lock, 'fires' the re- locker member 210, thereby pushing the re-locker member 210 forwards. The conical surface 218 of the re-locker member 210, which is in contact with the re-locker pin 220, pushes the re-locker pin 220 radially away from the re-locker member 210 and into a cavity 89 in the connecting shaft 80 (located in the cam 88). In this position the re- locker pin 220 is located partially in the second part 24 of the housing 20 and partially in the cavity 89 in the connecting shaft 80, thereby preventing rotation of the connecting shaft relative to the second part 24 of the housing. With the re-locker pin 220 in this position the lock cylinder 10 cannot be unlocked and a trained locksmith will be required to release the re-locker mechanism 20 and replace the lock cylinder 10 with a new lock. Figures 16A to 16B show another embodiment of the re-locker mechanism. Figure 16A shows the re-locker mechanism 300 in the "armed" position and Figure 16B shows the re-locker mechanism 300 in the "fired" position. The re-locker mechanism comprises a re-locker member 310 and a re-locker pin 320 and is located on the second side 134 of the plate 130. The front 312 of the re-locker member 310 extends through a hole 131 in the plate 130 and contacts the first part 22 of the housing 20. A biasing member, shown as spring 314, biases the re-locker member 310 towards the front of the lock. The rear 316 of the re-locker member 310 has a retaining member, shown as catch 318, that holds the re-locker pin 320 in the "armed" position. The catch 318 contacts a protrusion on the pin 320, shown as flange 322. The re-locker pin 320 is housed in the second part 24 of the housing 20. The re-locker pin 320 is housed so that in normal use of the lock cylinder 10 the pin 320 remains stationary. The re-locker pin is biased towards the "fired" position by a biasing member, shown as a spring 324.

If the front half of the lock is broken off from the lock cylinder 10 the spring 314, which biases the re-locker member 310 towards the front of the lock, 'fires' the re- locker member 310, thereby pushing the re-locker member 310 forwards (as shown in Figure 16B). When the re-locker member 310 is fired the catch 318 of the re-locker member 310 disengages the flange 322 of the re-locker pin 320, causing the spring 324 to drive the re-locker pin 320 into a cavity 89 in the connecting shaft 80. In this position the re-locker pin 320 is located partially in the second part 24 of the housing 20 and partially in the cavity 89 in the connecting shaft 80, thereby preventing rotation of the connecting shaft 80 relative to the second part 24 of the housing 20. With the re-locker pin 320 in this position the lock cylinder 10 cannot be unlocked and a trained locksmith will be required to release the re-locker mechanism 320 and replace the lock cylinder 10 with a new lock.

The lock cylinder 10 can also have security posts 230 (see Figure 6, only one of two posts are shown), which are secured into the face of the door. The security posts act as further security against attempted rotational force intrusion (i.e. attempting to rotate the entire lock cylinder 10 in order to rotate the tail bar 40 and unlock the door). While the engaging member has been described as connecting and disconnecting the handle to the tail bar 40, it is envisaged that the engaging member could instead block and unblock rotation of the handle. For example, in the inactive position the engaging member could block movement of the handle to move the tail bar, and in the active position the engaging member could unblock movement of the handle to move the tail bar. In this situation the handle will not rotate when the engaging member is in the inactive position.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.