EP1394341A1

EP1394341A1 - Lock assembly having a magnetic piece

Info

Publication number: EP1394341A1
Application number: EP02019523A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hsiu Chen Hsueh Lee
Original assignee: Federal Lock Co Ltd
Current assignee: Federal Lock Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-08-31
Filing date: 2002-08-31
Publication date: 2004-03-03

Abstract

A lock assembly includes an outer casing (10) with a core (20) rotatably received therein. A plurality sets of locking units are received in alignment passages (11,21) in the outer casing (10) and the core (20) which has a key hole (22) communicating with the passages (21) in the core (20). A magnetic piece (43) is received in a sleeve (41) and biased by a spring, the magnetic piece (41) movably received in one of the alignment passages (11,21) of the outer casing (10) and the core (20). The key (50) has a plurality of recesses (51) and can be inserted in the key hole (22) in the core (20) to allow the sleeves of the locking units to be lowered into the recesses. A magnetic member (52) is received in the key (50) and attracts the magnetic piece (43) toward the key (50) to result in a new position for the locking units and the magnetic piece (43) to allow the core (20) to be rotated.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lock assembly having a plurality of pins and springs received in passages in the outer casing and the core. A magnetic piece is movably recevied in one of the pins and a key for the lock has a magnetic member for moving the magnetic piece so as to unlock the lock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional lock assembly is shown in Fig. 4 and generally includes an outer casing 1 and a core 2 which is rotatably received in the outer casing 1. A plurality of passages 18 are defined through the outer casing 1 and the core 2 and each aligned pair of passages 18 receives a set of pins 19, sleeves 191 and springs 192, 192'. The pins 19 and sleeves 191 are located across the boundary surface between the core 2 and the outer casing 1 when no key (not shown) is inserted in the core 2 so that the core 2 cannot be rotated relative to the outer casing 1. When a key with a plurality of recesses of the lock is inserted in the core 2, the pin 19 and the sleeves 191 are pushed into the recesses of the key by the springs 192, 192' and this movement makes a re-arrangement of the pins 19 and the sleeves 191 to allow the core 2 to be rotatable relative to the outer casing 1.

Nevertheless, the lock can be opened by certain skill and tool which is inserted in the key hole in the core and pushes the pins 19 and the sleeves 192, 192' to the positions as those when a key is inserted in the key hole.

The present invention intends to provide a lock assembly that has a magnetic piece in the passage and the key has a magnetic member which moves the magnetic piece to an open position. The magnetic piece cannot be moved by theft tools.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to lock assembly which comprises an outer casing having a plurality of first passages defined radially therethrough and a core with a key hole is rotatably received in the outer casing and has a plurality of second passages which are in communication with the first passages. A magnetic unit includes a magnetic piece movably received in one of the alignment first passage and the second passage.

A plurality of locking units are respectively received in the rest of the alignment first passages and the second passages. Each locking unit comprises a second low sleeve in which a first pin is movably received and a first pushing spring biases the first pin. A cover is connected to the outer casing and seals the first passages.

A key is inserted in the key hole of the core and has a plurality of recesses defined therein. The recesses are located in alignment with the second passages and sized to receive the second low sleeves. A magnetic member is embedded in the key and attracts the magnetic piece. The magnetic piece can be lowered only by the magnetic member in the key so that the lock assembly has better anti-theft feature.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an exploded view to show the lock assembly of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view to show the lock assembly of the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows the correct key is inserted in the key hole to make the core to be rotatable, and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view to show a conventional lock assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the lock assembly of the present invention comprises an outer casing 10 having a plurality of first passages 11 defined radially therethrough and a main hole is defined longitudinally through the outer casing 10. A core 20 is rotatably received in the main hole in the outer casing 10 and has a plurality of second passages 21 defined radially therethrough. A key hole 22 is defined longitudinally in the core 20 and communicates with the second passages 21. The first passages 11 are located in alignment with the second passages 21.

A magnetic unit 40 includes a magnetic piece 43 which has a head and a shank and a spring 42 is mounted to the shank. A first low sleeve 41 has a hole 410 defined therethrough and is movably received in one of the alignment first passage 11 and the second passage 21. The first low sleeve 31 has a shoulder extending inward from an inner periphery of the hole 310 of the first low sleeve 31 and the shank of the magnetic piece 43 extends through a space enclosed by the shoulder. The spring 42 mounted to the shank of the magnetic piece 43 is biased between the shoulder and the head of the magnetic piece 43. The space is smaller than the head of the magnetic piece 43. A top sleeve 44 has a recess in an end thereof so as to receive the magnetic piece 43. The magnetic piece 43 including the head and the spring 42 are movably received in the hole 410 of the first low sleeve 41.

A plurality of locking units 30 are respectively received in the rest of the alignment first passages 11 and the second passages 21. Each locking unit 30 comprises a second low sleeve 31 which has a hole 310 defined therethrough. A first pin 32 is movably received in the hole 310 of the second low sleeve 31. A third sleeve 35 is put on an end of each of the second low sleeves 31 and an action pin 33 is movably received in the third sleeve 35 and contacts an end of the pin 32. A first pushing spring 34 biases an end of the action pin 32 and a second pushing spring 36 biases the third sleeve 35, wherein the second pushing spring 36 has a larger inner diameter than that of the first pushing spring 34 which is then enclosed by the second pushing spring 36. The action pin 33 is located between the first pushing spring 34 and the pin 32. The third sleeve 35 has a groove 351 defined in outer periphery thereof and when the groove 351 is located at the boundary surface between the core 20 and the outer casing 10, the core 20 can be rotated slightly and this may confuse the theft and increases the difficulty for unlocking the lock assembly. A cover 12 is connected to the outer casing 10 and seals the first passages 11 so that the first pushing springs 34 and the second pushing springs 36 contact against an inside of the cover 12.

A key 50 is inserted in the key hole 22 of the core 20 and has a plurality of recesses 51 defined therein. The recesses 51 are located in alignment with the second passages 21 and sized to receive the second low sleeves 31. A magnetic member 52 is embedded in the key 50 and attracts the magnetic piece 43 toward the key 50.

Referring to Fig. 3, when the key 50 is inserted in the key hole 22 of the core 20, the second low sleeves 31 and the pin 32 are pushed by the first pushing springs 34 and the second pushing springs 36 to be moved toward the key 50 and an end of the second low sleeves 31 can be received in the recesses 51. In the same time, the magnetic piece 43 is attracted by the magnetic member 52 and compresses the spring 42, so that the first low sleeve 41 is moved toward the key 50. The movement of the first low sleeve 41 and the second low sleeves 31 make the core 20 to be rotatable relative to the outer casing 10 and the lock can be unlocked.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

A lock assembly comprising:

an outer casing having a plurality of first passages defined radially therethrough;

a core rotatably received in the outer casing and having a plurality of second passages defined radially therethrough, a key hole defined longitudinally in the core and communicating with the second passages, the first passages are located in alignment with the second passages;

a magnetic unit including a magnetic piece which has a head and a shank to which a spring is mounted, a first low sleeve having a hole defined therethrough and movably received in one of the alignment first passage and the second passage, the magnetic piece and the spring movably received in the hole of the first low sleeve, a firs top sleeve mounted to the magnetic piece;

a plurality of locking units respectively received in the rest of the alignment first passages and the second passages, each locking unit comprising a second low sleeve having a hole defined therethrough, a first pin movably received in the hole of the second low sleeve and a first pushing spring biasing the first pin;

a cover connected to the outer casing and sealing the first passages, and

a key inserted in the key hole of the core and having a plurality of recesses defined therein, the recesses located in alignment with the second passages and being sized to receive the second low sleeves, a magnetic member embedded in the key and attracting the magnetic piece.
The lock assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a third sleeve put on an end of each of the second low sleeves and a second pushing spring biasing the third sleeve, an action pin movably received in the third sleeve and contacting an end of the pin, the action pin located between the first pushing spring and the pin.
The lock assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the third sleeve has a groove defined in outer periphery thereof.
The lock assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second pushing spring has a larger inner diameter than that of the first pushing spring which is enclosed by the second pushing spring.
The lock assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first low sleeve has a shoulder extending inward from an inner periphery of the hole of the first low sleeve and the shank of the magnetic piece extends through a space enclosed by the shoulder, the spring mounted to the shank of the magnetic piece being biased between the shoulder and the head of the magnetic piece, the space being smaller than the head of the magnetic piece.