DE29911356U1 - Antenna arrangement for a locking system actuable by radio signal - Google Patents

Description

Antenna arrangement for a locking system operated by radio signal

Description

The invention relates to an antenna arrangement for a cylinder lock, in particular for locking systems, with a cylinder housing which is provided with at least one receptacle in which a locking core which can be actuated with a key is rotatably mounted for turning a locking nose which actuates the locking bolt.

It is common practice to secure doors and gates in buildings, rooms, premises or even equipment with cylinder locks of the type described above. Mechanical locking systems are often used to secure the doors of a building, where one key can operate a specific lock and possibly several other locks, and another key can operate another specific lock and the same other locks. Such a locking system is used, for example, in residential or office buildings where the main entrance door can always be opened with all keys, while the individual apartments or offices cannot be opened with all keys. Such mechanical locking systems have the disadvantage that the keys have to be manufactured at great expense. For security reasons, it is also often necessary to replace the entire locking system with all cylinder locks and keys if a key that opens at least the main entrance door is lost.

Electronic locking systems are also known in which the lock can be opened using a coded card. Here, access authorization can be easily regulated using appropriately programmed and coded cards. If a card is lost, the access code for all locks can be changed so that no lock can be opened using the lost card. Such locks are generally quite cumbersome for the user to operate, as the card has to be inserted into a reader in an unusual way or passed past a reader while simultaneously operating the door handle. Such locking systems also often require more space, for example next to the door or on the back of the door. Furthermore, the systems must always be supplied with sufficient power.

Electronic combination locks are also known, where a lock is released after entering a certain number code. Here too, two hands are usually required to operate it or certain release times must be observed.

Furthermore, combined electromechanical cylinder locks are known in which the locking core is locked or released by electrically lockable locking pins. The electrical release can be carried out, for example, by a transponder system, whose transmitter and receiver units are arranged in the key on the one hand and in the area of the lock on the other. When using transponder or other transmitter and receiver systems, there is often a problem in the arrangement of the antenna for receiving and/or sending the required signals.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating an electromechanical cylinder lock, in particular for a locking system, in which the antenna is arranged in a good receiving or transmitting position.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that an antenna is arranged in the area of the fixed cylinder housing for transmitting an electromagnetic signal or for receiving an electromagnetic signal from, for example, the key. The front area is the side accessible with the key. This has the advantage that the relevant antennas, for example of a transponder system, are inevitably located nearby when the lock is opened with the key, so that good signal transmission can be achieved. In particular, it is possible to reduce the transmission power, which increases the operating and standby time of mains-independent power supplies, for example.

The antenna can be integrated in the front face of the fixed cylinder housing. According to a first embodiment, the antenna is part of an electronic control system that interacts with a passive transponder system in the key. According to a second embodiment, the antenna is part of an electronic control system that has a receiver unit that interacts with a transmitter unit in the key. This has the advantage that the electrical switching signal is generated by the key itself. Operation is the same as opening with a conventional key, and no further measures are required on the part of the operator.

of the user. In particular, it is possible to operate the lock with one hand. It is useful if the key has a key handle with a section in which the transponder or the transmitting antenna is integrated and which, when inserted, is a short distance from the front face of the cylinder housing. These measures create particularly short signal transmission distances, which also allow the use of small antennas with minimal transmitting power.

In principle, the electronic device can be arranged externally, i.e. outside the cylinder lock, and connected to the antenna. It is also possible for the antenna to be connected via at least one slip ring contact to an electronic device that is rotatably mounted in or on the cylinder housing. The electronic device can be arranged at least partially in a rotary knob that is rotatably mounted on the rear side of the cylinder housing and interacts with the locking nose.

It is also expedient if the antenna for the transponder system or for the receiver unit is integrated in the front area of the holder, in particular the front face of the fixed cylinder housing, and is connected to the electronic control in the rotary knob via at least one slip ring contact. This results in an extremely compact structure. In principle, it is possible for the electronic control to be connected to an external power source via at least one slip ring contact. However, it can also be provided that the electronic control is connected to an external power source via a

Battery is supplied with energy, which is located in the rotary knob. This has the advantage that no connecting cables are required from the lock to a power source. All the necessary components are then combined in a cylinder lock that can be used in any door. It is particularly useful if the cylinder housing has standardized or standardized dimensions.

Furthermore, at least one switching means can be provided in the cylinder housing, which can be actuated by the mechanically matching key in order to switch on the electronic control. The switching means can switch on the electronic control for a predetermined period of time, for example. This has the advantage that in the idle state the entire control system is without power and does not consume any energy. The service life of the battery can thus be significantly increased, so that there is no need to fear premature failure of the electronic control system.

It is obvious that such a design of a cylinder lock provides a versatile locking system. In particular, no special installation measures are required. The electromechanical cylinder lock simply needs to be replaced with the conventional mechanical cylinder lock. This can be done with simple means and without any time expenditure.

The invention is explained in more detail below using the schematic drawing. They show:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a cylinder lock according to the invention,

Fig. 2 the clutch arrangement without housing

Fig. 3 the area of the clutch driver in an enlarged view,

Fig. 4 a, b the clutch with the key inserted in the resting state,

Fig. 5 a, b the clutch with the key inserted

with effective locking connection and

Fig. 6 the view of the cylinder lock with the key inserted.

The cylinder lock shown in the drawing has a cylinder housing 11 with a first and a second opposite receptacle 12 and 13, respectively. A locking core 14 is rotatably mounted in the first receptacle 12 shown on the left in Fig. 1, which can be operated by a key (not shown). The locking core has a large number of locking pins 15, the parting plane of which is aligned with a mechanically suitable key so that rotation is possible. The function and structure correspond to a conventional security lock and therefore require no further explanation.

0 In the second receptacle 13 shown on the right in the drawing, an electrically actuated coupling 16 is provided, which can be switched via an electrical signal and then allows the locking lug 17 to be rotated by the locking core 14. In detail, the arrangement is such that the coupling body 18

is rotatably mounted in the second holder 13 and

. is connected to the locking lug 17 in a rotationally fixed manner.

By turning the clutch, the

Locking lug for unlocking the door or the like

take place.

On the side of the cylinder lock facing away from the first receptacle 12, there is a rotary knob 19 which interacts with the locking lug 17. The rotary knob 19 is connected to the coupling body 18 in a rotationally fixed manner, so that when the rotary knob is turned, the locking lug is rotated by means of the coupling body 18. The door can thus be unlocked.

An electronic control 20 is arranged in the rotary knob 19 and is supplied with power from a mains-independent energy source, for example a battery 21. The electronic control 20 generates the switching signal required to switch the clutch 16. The electronic control comprises an antenna 22 for receiving electromagnetic signals. The antenna 22 can be part of a passive transponder system, the counterpart of which is arranged in the key or in the key handle. However, the antenna can also be part of an active transmitter and receiver arrangement, the transmitter of which is integrated in the key or key handle.

The antenna 22 is preferably arranged in the front area 34 of the cylinder housing 11, which includes the first 0 receptacle 12. In detail, the arrangement is such that the antenna is integrated in the front face 23 of the cylinder housing and is connected via a cable 24 to slip ring contacts 25, through which the received signal is transmitted to the electronic

Control 20 in the freely rotatable rotary knob 19. The electrical cable preferably runs in a groove in the cylinder housing 11, so that the external dimensions of the cylinder housing remain unchanged for installation in the lock case. The key 35 is provided with a key handle 36, which has a section 37 in which the transponder or an antenna 38 is integrated. When the key is inserted, this section is a short distance from the front surface of the cylinder housing. This results in a short signal transmission path.

The operation of the cylinder lock is explained below, particularly with reference to Figures 2 to 5. The essential components of the coupling are shown in Figures 2 and 3 with the key removed. The coupling has a coupling driver 26 with at least one projection 27', 27'', 27' ''. In the rest state according to Figure 2, the coupling driver 26 can rotate freely within the coupling body 18, since the projections 27', 27'', 27' '' run above a shoulder 28 of the coupling body 18 with corresponding recesses 29 for the projections 27', 27'', 27'''. The coupling driver can be in constant operative connection with the rotatable connecting piece 30 of the locking core and is held in the axial rest state shown by a spring 39.

When the key is inserted, the coupling driver 0 26 is moved by a predetermined axial path in the direction of the arrow 31. When the mechanically matching key is used, the locking core can now be freely rotated, the axial paths being such that the projections 27', 27'', 27' '' ' of the coupling driver 26 initially remain 5 out of engagement with the recesses 2 9 of the

coupling body 18. The rotation and position of the projections above the shoulder 28 is shown in Fig. 4a, b.

When the mechanically matching key is inserted, a microswitch 3 3 is actuated by means of an axial extension 32, which switches on the electronic control 2 0. After appropriate evaluation and if authorized, the electronic control generates the electrical switching signal by which the clutch is engaged. Authorization can be checked by evaluating a suitable transponder signal that is sent from the inserted key via the antenna 22 and the slip ring contacts 25 to the evaluation unit within the electronic control.

When, for example, an electromagnet of the clutch 16 is attracted, the clutch driver 26 is moved further in the direction of the arrow 31 so that the projections 27·, 27'', 27'■' engage with the recesses 29. A rotationally fixed connection of the locking core with the clutch body 18 is thus established. By turning the key, the locking core will now rotate the clutch body, which in turn is rotationally fixedly connected to the locking nose 17. The lock can be unlocked.

After completion of the locking process, when the key is removed or after a predetermined time, the electronic control switches off and the clutch is released. The clutch driver 26 is moved into the axial rest position and the projections 27', 27'', 27''' are again disengaged from the recesses 29. Turning the locking lug by means of the locking core is

is therefore no longer possible. If the door could not be opened, the closing process must be repeated.

The clutch can basically be released at any time during the locking process and therefore at any angle of the locking lug. It is also possible for the locking lug to assume any angle using the rotary knob. However, it is desirable for the key and the locking lug to always be at a defined angle to one another. For this purpose, the projections 27', 27'', 27''· of the clutch driver are distributed asymmetrically along the circumference so that the projections 27', 27", 27'" can engage in the recesses 29 in only one angle position (Fig. 5 a, b). The projections can be aligned axially or, as shown, radially. In principle, a single projection can be sufficient. For perfect and precise locking, a clutch driver with three projections 27', 27'', 27''' is provided in the embodiment shown, which is essentially Y-shaped. The web 27''' is designed to be wider than the two legs 27', 27''. This ensures that the projections engage securely in the correspondingly designed recesses when the clutch is tightened, even if the clutch driver is initially in a twisted position relative to the clutch body 18, as shown in Fig. 4a, b. Such a design of the clutch driver can also be useful for a rotary knob cylinder lock that works exclusively mechanically, since here too a twisted position of the locking lug relative to the key can occur due to an independent twisting of the rotary knob.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the electromechanical lock is completely independent of external devices. It is of course possible to connect an external power supply, for example, via the slip ring contacts 25. It is also possible to use this to connect the electronic control to a central data processing system. Finally, it is also possible to supply the clutch with the required switching signal via such slip ring contacts. In this case, the entire electronic control could be arranged externally.

It is obvious that such a lock design combines the advantages of a mechanical lock with those of an electronic lock. To open the door, a mechanically matching key is required. If this generates the correct electronic code, the clutch switches and the door can be opened. If the electronic code is incorrect,

Only the locking core can be rotated freely without creating a rotationally fixed connection to the locking nose. This makes it much more difficult to open it by force.
25

By using a switching device that only switches on the electronic control when a mechanically compatible key is used, power consumption can be reduced significantly. In principle, such a switching device can also be useful for other electromechanical locking systems. The electronic control is always completely inaccessible behind the door. Damage or interference from the outside is therefore no longer possible. Security can thus be increased even further.

Claims (10)

1. Cylinder lock, in particular for locking systems, with a cylinder housing which is provided with at least one receptacle ( 12 ) in which a locking core ( 14 ) which can be actuated with a key is rotatably mounted for turning a locking nose ( 17 ) which actuates the locking bolt, characterized in that an antenna ( 22 ) is arranged in the region of the receptacle ( 12 ) of the fixed cylinder housing ( 11 ) for emitting an electromagnetic signal or for receiving an electromagnetic signal emanating in particular from the key. 2. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the antenna ( 22 ) is integrated in the front face ( 23 ) of the cylinder housing comprising the receptacle. 3. Cylinder lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the electromagnetic signal is generated by a passive transponder or an active transmitter unit in the key. 4. Cylinder lock according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the key ( 35 ) has a key handle ( 36 ) with a section ( 37 ) in which the transponder or the transmitting antenna ( 38 ) is integrated and which, in the inserted position, has a small distance to the front face ( 23 ) of the cylinder housing. 5. Cylinder lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the antenna is connected to an external electronic device. 6. Cylinder lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the antenna ( 22 ) is connected via at least one slip ring contact ( 25 ) to an electronic device ( 20 ) rotatably mounted in or on the cylinder housing. 7. Cylinder lock according to claim 6, characterized in that the electronic device ( 20 ) is at least partially arranged in a rotary knob ( 19 ) which is rotatably mounted on the side of the cylinder housing opposite the receptacle and cooperates with the locking nose. 8. Cylinder lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one switching means ( 33 ) is provided in the cylinder housing, which can be actuated by the mechanically matching key in order to switch on the electronic device. 9. Cylinder lock according to claim 8, characterized in that the electronic device is switched on for a predeterminable time by the switching means. 10. Cylinder lock according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cylinder housing has standardized or standardized dimensions.