AU2017101371A4

AU2017101371A4 - Cathode lock with preload release function

Info

Publication number: AU2017101371A4
Application number: AU2017101371A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chih-Chung Chang
Original assignee: Gianni Industries Inc
Current assignee: Gianni Industries Inc
Priority date: 2017-10-12
Filing date: 2017-10-12
Publication date: 2017-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-12

Abstract

A cathode lock with a preload release function is disclosed. When a misalignment between a lock tongue of a door leaf and a blocking plate of a cathode lock is generated due to the incorrect assembly thereof, and after the 5 door leaf and door frame are used for a period of time or when a structural deformation is generated or upon an improper manual operation, the present invention uses multi-structural configurations to bear dispersedly a (stronger) preload generated between the lock tongue and blocking plate; it means that the structural operation linking-ups of all the inside structures of the cathode 10 lock are generated to reduce driving resistance and friction to assist an electromagnetic actuator and a pull rod thereof to be powered on normally to generate a sufficient push force when the lock tongue exerts a force to the blocking plate to cause no gap or space between them.

Description

TITLE: CATHODE LOCK WITH PRELOAD RELEASE FUNCTION (a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a lock, and more particularly to a cathode lock with a preload release function. (b) Description of the Prior Art

Traditional mechanical access control equipment is installed in most public buildings or private areas (home environments), but they always suffer considerable challenge in guard capability upon theft. Therefore, intelligent access control equipment has been developed to safeguard properly life and property safety.

Common door locks are not only traditional mechanical access control equipment, but also electronic and electric locks which are divided into electric drophbolts and cathode locks. Such kinds of electronic and electric locks simply use an electrical switch operated in coordination with an electromagnetic iron (coil) to carry out unlocking or locking of a door, thereby achieving an access control function. Taiwan Patent No. M349426 discloses an “electromagnetic lock structure”, as FIG 1 of the document shows, including a fixing plate, accommodation body, and buckle part, where the buckle part has a pivot rod, and an electromagnetic body and block part are configured to connect the electromagnetic body with a power supply to act to retain or swing a keeper, thereby achieving access control with the contraction of a lock tongue, where the cathode lock of the electromagnetic lock structure is usually assembled on a door frame, and the lock tongue is then usually configured on a door leaf. Furthermore, the lock tongue commonly is a latch bolt, but it is not so limited.

In the patent mentioned above, when the lock tongue (not shown in the figures) is blocked by the keeper to cause the access control to be in a door-closed locking state, a gap or space might exist between the lock tongue and keeper in a normal state such that no preload is generated between the lock tongue and keeper when the electromagnetic body (coil) is energized to unlock (it is not so limited); namely, it is ideal that the least resistance friction force generated between the lock tongue and keeper without influencing the action of the internal structures of the lock (because the keeper is moved with the electromagnetic body) so that the lock tongue is actuated by the electrical operation of the electromagnetic body (coil), and the lock tongue can be smoothly released or withdrawn from the keeper, thereby achieving access-control unlocking.

But, in a particular or common situation, for example, after a cathode lock is installed on a door frame for a period of time, or because a natural disaster such as earthquake destroys a home entrance, a preload might be generated between a lock tongue on a door leaf and a keeper of a cathode lock; namely, structural deformation and/or misalignment might be generated between the door frame and door leaf, which will cause the lock tongue to interfere with the keeper such that the preload (may be dozens of pounds) will be generated between them, which may cause the electrically conducted mechanical structures to have no gap or space to be moved with each other (because the keeper is moved with the electromagnetic body) even if the electromagnetic body can be electrically conducted. Therefore, the access-control unlocking effect may not be achieved directly through the electric conduction of the electromagnetic body when the lock tongue interferes with the keeper and the preload is so generated. Even if in another situation, the preload is caused only because the lock tongue on the door leaf is assembled with the keeper without correct location correspondence; the access-control unlocking action can still be carried out in this situation, but users needs to push the door leaf forward and backward to release the preload every time they carry out access-control unlocking action, which will cause a sense of inconvenience after use for a long time. In addition, the preload may also be generated in the similar cathode lock structure shown in FIG 3 of Taiwan Patent No. M250013.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a cathode lock with a preload release function. The present invention can be applied on normal locking and unlocking of a door. In addition, when a misalignment between a lock tongue of a door leaf and a blocking plate of a cathode lock is generated due to the incorrect assembly thereof, and after the door leaf and door frame are used for a period of time or when a structural deformation is generated due to a natural disaster (earthquake) or upon an improper manual operation, the present invention uses multi-structural configurations to bear dispersedly a (stronger) preload generated between the lock tongue and blocking plate; it means that the structural operation linking-ups of all the inside structures of the cathode lock are generated to reduce driving resistance and friction to assist an electromagnetic actuator and a pull rod thereof to be powered on normally to generate a sufficient push force when the lock tongue exerts a force to the blocking plate to cause no gap or space between them.

To achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention proposes a cathode lock with a preload release function, including: a lock body, configured with a first accommodation space and an opening extended from the first accommodation space, a horizontal combination seat and horizontal support seat extended inside the first accommodation space, the combination seat configured with a first opening, and an inner surface of the first accommodation space relative to the combination seat a vertical groove; a blocking plate, movably configured on the opening, and configured with a support plane movably positioned above the support seat, thereby allowing the blocking plate to be fixed and formed into a horizontally rotatable opening or closing state, and the support plane configured with a fastening groove; an actuating assembly, movably configured inside the lock body, and configured with a first double junction link, long link, second double junction link, first triple junction link, second triple junction link, fixation seat, driving element and driving seat, one end of the first double junction link in connection with the long link, another end of the long link configured with two first pivot holes, the first triple junction link configured with a second pivot hole, a third end of the second triple junction link fixed to a pivot hole configured on the fixation seat through a first fixation element, the fixation seat configured with a third pivot hole, the second double junction link in connection with one of the two first pivot holes, second pivot hole and a first end of the first triple junction link, one end of the second double junction link further in connection with the third pivot hole, a second end of the first triple junction link a second end of the second triple junction link, a first end of the second triple junction link a second pivot hole configured on the driving element, the driving element configured with a first hook, the driving seat a second accommodation space extended with a second opening and second hook, and the first hook movably in engagement with the second hook; a ball, movably configured between the groove and second opening; and a fastener, movably configured inside the first opening and below the driving seat, one end of the fastener movably in connection with the fastening groove.

According to the cathode lock mentioned above, another end of the first double junction link is in connection with a pull rod configured on an electromagnetic actuator, and the electromagnetic actuator is configured inside lock body

According to the cathode lock mentioned above, the lock boy is constituted by a shell body and cover plate.

Therefore, the multi-structural configurations of the present invention can generate gaps or spaces for structural linking-up when a preload is generated between the lock tongue and blocking plate, thereby achieving the normal access of a door, especially upon door unlocking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a detailed exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a cathode lock with a preload release function of the present invention; FIG 2 is a schematically exploded view of the embodiment of a cathode lock with a preload release function of the present invention; FIG 3 is a perspective view of the cathode lock shown in FIG 3 after assembly; FIG 4 shows the cathode lock after a door locking action; FIG 5 shows the cathode lock after a door unlocking action; FIG 6 shows the locking and unlocking uses of the cathode lock installed on a door frame, and a lock tongue (latch bolt) installed on a door leaf, and FIG 7 shows the unlocking use of the cathode lock of the present invention, where an electromagnetic actuator can be functioned normally to carry out door unlocking even if a prelude is generated between a lock tongue (latch bolt) and blocking plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a cathode lock with a preload release function of the present invention includes a lock body 1, blocking plate 2, actuating assembly 3, ball 4 and fastener 5.

The lock body 1 is constituted by a shell body 11 and cover plate 12 preferably fixed by a plurality of third fixation elements 101, which may be screws, but the present invention is not so limited.

Furthermore, the lock body 1 has a first accommodation space 13 and an opening 131 extended from the first accommodation space 13. In addition, the first accommodation space 13 is extended inward with a horizontal combination seat 14 and horizontal support seat 15, where a first opening 141 is configured on the combination seat 14, and a vertical groove 142 the inner surface of the first accommodation space 13 relative to the combination seat 14. In the embodiment, the combination seat 14 is positioned above the support seat 15 with a space or gap between them as the figures show.

The blocking plate 2 is movably configured on the opening 141, and has a support plane 21 movably engaged above the support seat 15 and under the combination seat 14. Preferably, a pivot rod and elastic element (not shown in the figures) are passed through the blocking plate 2, and the pivot rod is vertically coupled pivotally to the combination seat 14 and a platform 16 formed by the configuration of the opening 131 under, but the present invention is not so limited, thereby allowing the blocking plate 2 to be fixed and opened or closed in a horizontally rotatable way In addition, a fastening groove 22 is configured on the upper side of the support plane 21.

Furthermore, the actuating assembly 3, in principle, is movably configured inside the lock body 1; the actuating assembly 3 is configured with a first double junction link 31, long link 32, second double junction link 33, first triple junction link 34, second triple junction link 35, fixation seat 36, driving element 37 and driving seat 38, where one end of the first double junction link 31 is in connection with one end of the long link 32, another end of the long link 32 is configured with two first pivot holes 321, the first triple junction link 34 a second pivot hole 341, and a third end 353 of the second triple junction link 35 is fixed to a first pivot hole 361 configured on the fixation seat 36 through a first fixation element 39. In the embodiment, the first fixation element 39 may be a screw or rivet, and a third pivot hole 362 is configured on the fixation seat 36.

Preferably, one end of the second double junction link 33 is assembled with a screw 331, but the present invention is not so limited. The second double junction link 33 is in connection with one of the two first pivot hole 321, second pivot hole 341 and a first end 342 of the first triple junction link 34, and one end of the second double junction link 33 (the end where the screw 331 is positioned) is further the third pivot hole 362. In the embodiment, a second fixation element 100 may be used as a screw bushing to allow the screw 331 to be engaged therewith thereby fixed, and another end of the second fixation element 100 may be fixed with the third fixation element 101 (screw) on the housing body 11, but the present invention is not so limited. Thereafter, a third end 343 of the first triple junction link 34 is in connection with a second end 352 of the second triple junction link 35, a first end 351 of the second triple junction link 35 a second pivot hole 371 configured on the driving element 37 having a first hook 372, the driving seat 38 is configured with a second accommodation space 381 extended with a second opening 382 and second hook 383, and the first hook 372 is in movable engagement with the second hook 383.

The second opening 382 is positioned such that it can be moved horizontally correspondingly to the groove 142, allowing the ball 4 to be rolled to the location between the groove 142 and second opening 382, it means that the ball 4 can be stay temporarily between the groove 142 and second opening 382. Furthermore, the fastener 5 is movably engaged with the first opening 141 and positioned below the driving seat 38, and the lower end of the fastener 5 can be movably engaged with the fastening groove 22. In addition, in the present invention, a pull rod 61 configured on an electromagnetic actuator 6 is further in connection with another end of the first double junction link 3, the electromagnetic actuator 6 fixed inside the lock body 1 through the third fixation elements 101.

Referring to FIGS. 2,4 and 6, the mechanical actions of the operated cathode lock of the present invention is described thereinafter. The lock body 1 of the cathode lock of the present invention is usually installed on a door frame 400, and on the other hand, a lock tongue (latch bolt) a door leaf 300. When the door leaf300 is pushed to close with the door frame 400 to form a door closing state, the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 is then hid inside the blocking plate 2. At that time, the door leaf300 can be locked with the door frame 400 only by means of the automatic operation of the electromagnetic actuator 6 (a relay may be in electric connection with the electromagnetic actuator 6 to allow the electromagnetic actuator 6 to be acted after power-on or poser-off). In the embodiment, the electromagnetic actuator 6 is set to allow a door to be locked after power-on; it is namely that the blocking plate 2 can be fixed thereby blocking the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200.

Therefore, the electromagnetic actuator 6 allows the pull rod 61 to be contracted downward after power-on to turn and drive the first double junction link 31 clockwise, and the long link 32 pushes and drives the second double junction link 33 upward, allowing the second double junction link 33 to be turned slightly anticlockwise, and at the same time, the second double junction link 33 is allowed to turn the first triple junction link 34 anticlockwise, where the second triple junction link 35 takes the first fixation element 39 as a rotation center to cause the second end 343 of the first triple junction link 34 to be shifted to the right in the range of the second end 352 of the second triple junction link 35; the second end 352 may be set to be a hole having a longer range, but the present invention is not so limited. Finally, the first end 351 will be caused to push the driving element 37 to move downward, and the first hook 372 is used to push the driving seat 38 to move downward and press against the fastener 5 finally, allowing the fastener 5 to be engaged with the fastening groove 22 temporarily to make the blocking plate 2 fixed without horizontal rotation, which allows the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 to be unable to be separated from the blocking plate 2 so that the door is locked when the door leaf300 is closed with the door frame 400. In the embodiment, the ball 4 can be pushed to drop in the groove 142 temporarily when the door is locked.

On the contrary, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the door leaf300 is caused to separated from the door frame 400 when the door is unlocked, and the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 can be separated from the blocking plate 2 through the horizontal rotation of the blocking plate 2. Therefore, the electromagnetic actuator 6 allows the pull rod 61 to be returned upward after power-off (the subsequent mechanical actions are reverse) so that the long link 32 is pulled down, where the second double junction link 33 is turned slightly clockwise to drive the first triple junction link 34, allowing the second end 343 of the first triple junction link 34 to be shifted to the left in the range of the second end 352 of the second triple junction link 35 to cause the first hook 372 of the driving element 37 to lift up the second hook 38, and at the same time to cause the driving seat 38 to be separated (released) upward from the fastener 5 so as to space the driving seat 3 8 from the fastener 5. At this time, when a user pushes the door leaf300 to move to separated the door leaf300 from the door frame 400, and when the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 is pressed to pass through the blocking plate 2 (the blocking plate 2 is rotated horizontally), the fastening groove 22 is driven to push out the fastener 5 upward so that the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 can then not be blocked by the blocking plate 2 to release from the blocking plate 2, thereby unlocking the door. In the embodiment, the second opening 382 can be in engagement with the ball 4 temporarily when the door is unlocked.

Referring to FIG 7, the present invention uses multi-structural configurations (using the long link 32 to drive the second double junction link 33, fist triple junction link 34, second triple junction link 35, and taking the first fixation element 39 as a pivot center to drive the driving element 37 and driving seat 3 8), and allows the ball 4 to be pushed vertically by the driving seat 38 to roll to be in engagement with the groove 142 or second opening 382 temporarily during the locking and unlocking of a door, allowing the friction force among the structures to be reduces, and the displacement gaps and spaces of rotation torsion to be generated with the pivoting connections among the structures. Obviously, the second end 343 of the first triple junction link 34 is allowed to be shifted to the left or right in the range of the second end 352 of the second triple junction link 35.

Therefore, when the lock tongue (latch bolt) exerts a force on the blocking plate 2 to generate a preload, probably when a misalignment between the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 of the door leaf and the blocking plate 2 of a cathode lock is generated due to the incorrect assembly thereof, and after the door leaf and door frame are used for a period of time or when a structural deformation is generated due to a natural disaster (earthquake) or upon an improper manual operation, the present invention uses the multi-structural configurations to bear dispersedly a (stronger) preload between the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 and blocking plate 2; it means that the structural operation linking-ups of all the inside structures of the cathode lock are generated to reduce driving resistance aid friction to assist the electromagnetic actuator 6 and the pull rod 61 thereof to be powered on normally to generate a push-pull force when the lock tongue (latch bolt) 200 exerts a force to the blocking plate 2 to cause no gap or space between them so that gaps or spaces allowing the structures to be linked to move are generated by the multi-structural configuration even if a preload is generated, thereby allowing the present invention to maintain the normal locking and unlocking of a door. Especially, the effect can be achieved when a door is to be unlocked as FIG 7 show.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A cathode lock with a preload release function, comprising: a lock body, configured with a first accommodation space and an opening extended from said first accommodation space, a horizontal combination seat and horizontal support seat extended inside said first accommodation space, said combination seat configured with a first opening, and an inner surface of said first accommodation space relative to said combination seat a vertical groove; a blocking plate, movably configured on said opening, and configured with a support plane movably positioned above said support seat, thereby allowing said blocking plate to be fixed and formed into a horizontally rotatable opening or closing state, and said support plane configured with a fastening groove; an actuating assembly, movably configured inside said lock body, and configured with a first double junction link, long link, second double junction link, first triple junction link, second triple junction link, fixation seat, driving element and driving seat, one end of said first double junction link in connection with said long link, another end of said long link configured with two first pivot holes, said first triple junction link configured with a second pivot hole, a third end of said second triple junction link fixed to a pivot hole configured on said fixation seat through a first fixation element, said fixation seat configured with a third pivot hole, said second double junction link in connection with one of said two first pivot holes, second pivot hole and a first end of said first triple junction link, one end of said second double junction link further in connection with said third pivot hole, a second end of said first triple junction link a second end of said second triple junction link, a first end of said second triple junction link a second pivot hole configured on said driving element, said driving element configured with a first hook, said driving seat a second accommodation space extended with a second opening and second hook, and said first hook movably in engagement with said second hook; a ball, movably configured between said groove and second opening; and a fastener, movably configured inside said first opening and below said driving seat, one end of said fastener movably in connection with said fastening groove.
2. The cathode lock according to claim 1, wherein another end of said first double junction link is in connection with a pull rod configured on an electromagnetic actuator, and said electromagnetic actuator is configured inside lock body.
3. The cathode lock according to claim 1, wherein said lock boy is constituted by a shell body and cover plate.