Technical Field

The invention relates to an electronically controlled lock mechanism, comprising more than one hook holding a corresponding ring.

Prior Art

Various locks are known in the art that actuate by pressing a latch striker towards the lock mechanism and operate by attachment of the hook to the latch. These locks ensure that a door like wing is engaged thanks to the attachment of the hook to the latch. Beyond the engagement of the wing, the execution of the lock function depends on the secondary mechanisms. The strength of these locks against hook-oriented interventions depends on whether the hook is resistant to external interventions or on the characteristics of said secondary mechanisms.

Electronically controlled locks are operated by transmitting a specific signal to an electromechanical element, such as the motor in the lock. This allows the cables to the electromechanical element to be cut and bypassed.

A lock mechanism is disclosed in document No. EP3018270A1, similar to that used in common recessed locks, comprising a pawl with hooks attached holding a latch on its corresponding lock on both sides. The hooks are closed on the latch with the outward movement of the pawl.

Document No. GB2401393A discloses a lock mechanism comprising a hook which is held in unlocked position by a slider and engages the ring by pushing the slider by a corresponding ring and disengages from the ring by pushing the slider in the opposite direction by means of a cam connected to an arm.

Document No. JP2006063762A discloses a lock comprising a hook that sits rotatably on the ring by pushing a ring for vending machines. There is also a lever that sits on the rear surface when it is in this position to hold the ring in the position it sits on. If this lever is turned by means of a wire, the hook is released to release the ring.

Document No. US2002067261A1 discloses a storage device comprising a lock that is unlocked with one-time passwords. It is also mentioned that a keypad on the storage device can be used for password entry.

Document No. US2011203331A1 discloses a lock comprising an embedded circuit board.

Objects and Brief Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to develop a high-strength lock mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to develop an electronically controlled lock mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to develop a lock mechanism that is also resistant to external electronic interventions.

A further object of the present invention is to develop a lock mechanism that contains secondary control elements that enable to unlock in case if the electronic control components fail.

For the purposes of the present invention, a lock mechanism has been developed comprising at least two hook- shaped pawls holding a ring on both sides. As a result of the ring entering between the pawls during closure and pressing the indentations on the pawls, the pawls rotate to engage the ring from both sides. In this position, said pawls are pushed by means of a spring and the ring is pushed out of the respective indentation as a result of the movement of a pry on the pawls to release the pawls. Meanwhile, the ring is released by pushing away from the pawls.

The lock mechanism of the invention also comprises an electric motor to provide electronic control.

The electric motor enables the lock mechanism to unlock if a code provided by a user via an external interface device is correct. In order to prevent unauthorized interference with the lock mechanism electronically, priorly entered code is reevaluated by a control circuit board within the lock mechanism and the control signal for the electric motor is generated by this control circuit board and not by the interface device. There are also elements that enable the lock mechanism to unlock mechanically if the electric motor, control circuit board or interface device fails to perform their functions due to a fault.

Detailed Description of the Invention For achieving the objects of the present invention, the lock mechanism is shown in the accompanying figures.

Figure 1 It is a view of a lock mechanism according to the invention in unlocked position. Figure 2 It is a view of a lock mechanism according to the invention in the closed position. Figure 3 It is a partial sectional view of a lock mechanism according to the invention when it is in unlocked position.

Figure 4 It is an exploded view of a lock mechanism according to the invention. Figure 5 It is a view of a lock mechanism according to the invention with the connector lock being in the unlocked state. Figure 6 It is a view of a lock mechanism according to the invention with the connector lock being in the closed state.

The parts in the figures are individually numbered and their corresponding numbers are given below.

1. Lock mechanism

2. Latch Striker

3. First pawl

4. First indentation 5. Spring

6. Pry

7. Gripper part

8. Opener part

9. Pin 10. Second pawl

11. Second indentation

12. Groove

13. Gripper surface

14. Electric motor

15. Cam

16. Control Circuit Board

17. Cable

18. Connector Clamp

19. Sliding arm

20. First sensor

21. Magnet

22. Optocoupler

23. Second sensor

24. Inner case

25. Outer case

An inventive lock mechanism (1) for engaging in the closed position a first structure and a second structure to each other, which move along an unlocking-locking direction relative to each other between an unlocked position allowing access to an unlocked and a closed position preventing access to the unlocking to regulate access to an unlocking, essentially comprising:

- a latch striker (2) on the first structure extending roughly perpendicularly perpendicular to the unlocking-locking direction,

- a first pawl (3) on the second structure and rotatable between a free position in which it does not interact with the latch striker (2) around a first axis parallel to the latch striker (2) and a locked position in which it grasps the latch striker (2),

- a first indentation (4) located on the first pawl (3), which allows the first pawl (3) to return to the locked position by means of an edge pressed by the latch striker (2) during the movement in the locking direction, and which allows the latch striker (2) to be grasped by touching both sides of the latch striker (2) with respect to the unlocking locking direction while in the locked position, - a second pawl (10) located on the second structure and rotatable between a free position in which it does not interact with the latch striker (2) around a second axis parallel to the latch striker (2) and not coinciding with the first axis and a locked position in which it grasps the latch striker (2),

- a second indentation (11) on the second pawl (10), which enables the second pawl (10) to return to the locked position by means of an edge pressed by the latch striker (2) during the movement in the locking direction, and which allows the latch striker (2) to be grasped by touching both sides of the latch striker (2) with respect to the unlocking locking direction while in the locked position,

- each spring (5) connected to the first pawl (3) and the second pawl (10) and push the respective pawl into its free position by compressing in the closed position,

- a groove (12) parallel to the unlocking-locking direction,

- a pin (9) slidable in the groove (12),

- said pry (6), which is rotatable around the pin (9), composed of a gripper part (7) having a gripper surface (13) that sits on a part of the respective pawl while the first pawl (3) and the second pawl (10) are in the locked position respectively and holds the respective pawl in the locked position, and a second gripper surface, and an opener part (8) suitable for interaction with at least one control mechanism to move the gripper surface (13) and the second gripper surface away from the respective pawl,

- at least one control mechanism that pushes the pry (6) into a position where it does not fit into the pawls (3) to allow the spring (5) to push the respective pawl into the free position and thus said pawl to push the latch striker (2) in the unlocking direction.

The latch striker (2) may be located in a cavity on the first structure or form a L or U-shaped ring with at least one support portion projecting from the first structure.

The first pawl (3) and the second pawl (10) have a hook shape with the first indentation (4) and the second indentation (11) on them. Thanks to these forms, the pawls move in a way to grasp the latch striker (2) during the movement in the locking direction by pushing the latch striker (2) into the indentations. The latch striker (2) and the second pawl (10) are also engaged indirectly by means of the engaging of the first pawl (3) in the locked position by the gripper surface (13). In this case, since the rotation axes of the pawls do not coincide with each other, the latch striker (2) cannot be released by force from the outside. In the event that the lock mechanism (1) of the invention is tried to be unlocked by unauthorized persons by mechanical force, it has been ensured that the resistance is doubled required for the force and due to the mutual sharing of the load (stress) between the pawls. In addition, by forcing the latch striker (2) to move in one direction, the latch striker (2) is prevented from slipping from (getting out of) the respective pawl by the structure with two pawls according to the invention.

When the pry (6) is moved to release the pawls, the pawls push the latch striker (2) with the force generated by the spring (5). Thus, the latch striker (2) moves out of the second indentation (11) together with the first indentation (4).

In order to release the pawls, the opener part (8) of the pry (6) is moved by a control mechanism. This movement should be in the direction that will move the gripper surface (13) and the second gripper surface away from the respective pawl. For this, if the pry (6) were to be rotated only around the pin (9), the second gripper surface would press against the second pawl (10) while the gripper surface (13) moved away from the first pawl (3). However, in a lock mechanism (1) according to the invention, due to the fact that the pin (9) can slide in the groove (12), with the pry (6) both rotating around the pin (9) and translating along the groove (12) during the movement of the opener part (8) in the direction to be moved away from the pawls, when the pry (9) is taken as a whole, it performs a rotation movement around the farthest point from the pin (9) where the gripper surface (13) touches the first pawl (3) and the gripper part (7) moves away from the pawl. Thus, the invention allows the production of lock mechanisms (1) that contain two hook-shaped pawls within a compact and simple structure and are compatible with multiple control mechanisms.

The lock mechanism (1) is automatically locked after movement in the locking direction. The unlocking of the lock mechanism (1) results in both the release of the pawls with the latch striker (2) and some movement in the direction of unlocking thanks to the latch striker (2) and the pawls moving away from each other.

The lock mechanism (1) of the invention comprises more than one lock mechanism. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the control mechanisms consist of an electromechanical unlocking mechanism and a backup mechanical unlocking mechanism. The electromechanical unlocking mechanism essentially comprises an electric motor (14), a cam (15) connected to the shaft of the electric motor (14), and a control circuit board (16) that operates the electric motor (14). The cam (15) and the surface of the opener part (8) facing the cam (15) are such as to move the pry (6) away from the pawls while the cam (15) is in certain angular positions. Outside these angular positions, the cam (15) and the surface of the opener part (8) facing the cam (15) are preferably such as to release the pry (6). Thus, the gripper surface (13) does not limit the movement of the first pawl (3) during the movement in the locking direction, instead, the first pawl (3) directs the pry (6) to the locked position through the gripper surface (13).

The control circuit board (16) is connected to an external interface device. The interface device ensures that at least one code is received that allows verification of a user's authority. The interface device can be a keypad or touch screen that allows the code to be entered manually by the user, a short-range wireless connection device that allows the code to be entered via a device such as a smartphone, or another device. In case the code is verified, the electric motor (14) is operated by the control circuit board (16). An internal control circuit board (16) is used to prevent unauthorized interference with the lock mechanism (1). One-time codes are preferably used to verify user authorization.

The control circuit board (16) and a software executed thereon are preferably compatible with a communication protocol such as Modbus. More than one lock mechanism according to the invention can be controlled together or separately over a single line thanks to its compatibility with the Modbus communication protocol.

There is also a connector on the control circuit board (16) for connecting the cables (17) that access the interface device. A connector clamp (18) is also provided on the connector so that this connection can be reliably provided against external interference.

The backup mechanical unlocking mechanism, which enables the lock mechanism (1) to be unlocked mechanically if the electric motor (14), control circuit board (16) or interface device fails to perform its function due to a fault, essentially comprises a slide, a sliding arm (19) that slides from a position where it does not touch the opener part (8) along the slide, to a position where it pushes the opener part (8), and a wire that allows the sliding arm (19) to be pulled. The lock mechanism (1) of the invention may also accommodate sensors that allow it to assess its condition. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first structure and the second structure are provided with a magnet (21) and a magnet- sensitive first sensor (20) located opposite to each other and interacting with each other while in the closed position, an optocoupler (22) for monitoring the angular position of the cam (15), and a second sensor (23) for detecting the position of the opener (8). Through these sensors, the control circuit board (16) can control whether the first structure and the second structure are in the closed position, whether the cam (15) and the sliding arm (19) reach their positions that release the pry (6), and in this direction, it can perform functions such as operating or stopping the electric motor (14), sending a notification to an external position.

The data obtained through the sensors can also be processed directly or by the control circuit board (16) to operate indicators that allow the presentation of information such as the state of the lock mechanism (1), for example, whether it is locked or unlocked, and the need for maintenance. These indicators can consist of one or more LEDs or other elements.

The lock mechanism (1) of the invention may be formed by embedding its components on the second structure in the second structure, or it may preferably also comprise a case that accommodates said components and can be easily mounted on the second structure. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the case consists of a two-piece inner case (24) and a two-piece outer case (25). The case also protects the relevant components from external interference.