WO2005028790A1

WO2005028790A1 - Lock

Info

Publication number: WO2005028790A1
Application number: PCT/NO2004/000282
Authority: WO
Inventors: Axel Hveding; Trond Heier
Original assignee: SMARTLOCK ANS
Current assignee: SMARTLOCK ANS
Priority date: 2003-09-25
Filing date: 2004-09-24
Publication date: 2005-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2006-03-25
Also published as: NO20034281L; NO20034281D0; WO2005028790B1

Abstract

An anti-theft device comprising an end piece (1) including a locking piece for an external wire (4), wherein the external wire (4) may be locked to the end piece (1), and wherein the end piece furthermore comprises an energy source (2) providing energy to conducting leads (8) passing along the external wire, and said locking device also comprising an alarm, wherein the end piece additionally comprises a microprocessor (3) receiving energy from the energy source (2) and emitting a signal through at least one out-gate, said signal following the conductors (8) in the external wire (4) as well as receiving a corresponding signal through at least one in-gate, wherein tampering with the integrity of the signal emitted and/or received by the microprocessor triggers the alarm, provides a lock that is secure from tampering in any way.

Description

Lock

The present invention concerns a device for preventing theft of objects.

Theft of objects represents an increasing problem in society. Said objects may be of any size from lap-top computers, cameras, bicycles and prams up to sailing boats and yachts. Common for the locking of such objects is that they normally are locked to an object which is difficult to move (e.g. an arm rest for a computer or for example a light post, a tree or a biking rail concerning bicycles) , or the object possesses parts which may be locked and thus makes it difficult to use it (e.g. a lock for steering wheels or doors concerning cars or in connection with boats for e.g. the locking of outboard motors or the entire boat to a quay. The problem with such locks has previously been that they are more or less easy to break open and/or short wire a possible alarm that first is activated when the lock already has been broken open. This has as a consequence that the thief has additional time to carry away the object despite the alarm having been activated.

There are previously known from US patent 5.191.314 and US patent 2.128.790 locking devices comprising an alarm being connected to an electrically conducting locking cable where the alarm is activated when the locking cable is cut or when the electric circuit is short wired. Such a device will have the same disadvantages as explained supra.

From US patent 6.191.685 it is known a bicycle alarm where a cable has to be broken or manipulated for the alarm to be activated. Such an alarm is suggested to be mounted on the lock of the bike, but this does not prevent the lock itself to be broken open before the alarm is activated. From JP patent application 2001342771is is disclosed a lock with an insulated wire serving the double purpose of a part of the locking device as well as an electric circuit.

From WO 96/16861 it is also known a locking device for bikes comprising a cable forming an electric circuit activating e.g. a siren it the cable is cut.

However, none of these electric anti-theft devices take into account the possibility of short-wiring the electric circuit prior to breaking open the lock. Thus, if the anti-theft devices according to the prior art are short- wired, the locks themselves may be broken open without any alarm being triggered.

Consequently there exists a need for a locking device being difficult to break open and which additionally triggers an alarm before or during the work of breaking open the lock or influencing the lock in any other way so that the owner or other concerned parties has an opportunity to arrive after the alarm has been triggered, but before the lock has been broken open or the object has been stolen. Such an anti-theft device should also make short-wiring of the locking/electric circuit difficult, unlikely or even impossible.

In the present disclosure a "lock" is to be understood in a broader sense as comprising a housing, electronics, cable (s) with terminals and optionally with an outer shell with a separate closing/locking device.

Thus, according to the present invention it is provided a locking device comprising an energy source, e.g. a battery, said battery being connected to a microprocessor emitting an electromagnetic, digital or optical signal during a time interval through at least two signal-conducting wires, the microprocessor registering the emitting and reception of said signal and reacting if said signal is changed from the one being emitted by activating an alarm, and wherein the locking device comprises an elongate locking body in the form of a wire about said wire the signal-conducting wires have been twined, and wherein the microprocessor is activated by locking the wire to an end piece which may comprise a conventional lock and/or a coded signal. The wire may be stored on a drum being included in said end piece and which may be pulled out from this end piece under mechanical return pull through a spring being located on the end piece, or it may be returned manually. The wire represents an obstacle for the integrity of the lock to be broken, either by the wire being manipulated physically or by the signal in the signal-conducting conduits in the wire being interrupted by an external source. By such a structure of a lock the alarm signal will be initiated already at the manipulation of the signal-conducting wires, i.e. long before the integrity of the lock has been broken.

It is preferred that the wire inter alia is made of a material being difficult to break, e.g. tempered steel, a steel alloy, a ceramic material, a polymer material such as tempered plastic or preferably Kevlar.

The invention will me disclosed more thoroughly with reference to the enclosed figures wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a possible design for a lock according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the end piece of the lock according to the invention,

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of a possible structure of a locking wire according to the invention,

Figs. 4 - 9 show an alternate structure of a locking device according to the invention. With reference to the figures, the locking device according to the invention comprises an end piece 1 in said end piece 1 there being included an energy source 2 such as a battery, and wherein said battery is connected to a microprocessor 3 with again signal-wise in its turn is connected to a wire 4 the structure of which is disclosed infra. The wire 4 is twined onto the drum 5 which may be spring-loaded so that the wire at any time has a tension and consequently lies closely against the object that is to be locked. Alternatively, the drum 5 may be loose. In an alternative embodiment it may also be possible to lock the drum in any position so that the wire, after locking the drum, is not subjected to any load. To the microprocessor it is also coupled a locking bolt 6 to which the wire 4 may be locked to form a signal circuit, said signal being registered by the microprocessor 3. The microprocessor 3 emits a signal within a specified time interval and this signal is again registered by the microprocessor 3 as long as the integrity of the wire 4 is intact. Energy for generating said signal is supplied by the battery 2.

The term "integrity" of the wire 4 is meant to encompass both physical tampering with the wire (sawing, cutting, heating, freezing, etc.) as well as attempts to short-wire the circuit. Since a temporary signal is conducted through the wire 4, and the identity of the signal being emitted by the microprocessor 3 through one of the conduits of the wire 4 is registered at the other end of the same wire through the entry of the signal to the in-gate of the microprocessor 3, it will be virtually impossible to short- wire the circuit since the identity of the signal or signal train will be tampered with since it will be impossible to pre-determine the identity of the signal, and thus the alarm will be triggered although the circuit remains unbreached. In this connection the "integrity" of the wire 4 has been compromised although the wire physically still is intact. If the integrity of the wire 4 is interrupted, e.g. by the wire being manipulated mechanically or by the lock being attempted to be put out of commission by the signal being conducted in the wire being influenced, e.g. by supplying an external stimulus such as supplying a magnetic or electric field or by supplying radiation, the signal being conducted through this will become broken or disturbed, and the microprocessor will then emit an activation signal to an alarm. Such an alarm may be of a conventional type and may comprise an electromagnetic signal (e.g. to an emitter alarming for instance a guard central) , a sound signal, a light signal or any other kind of signal. Energy to the signal mentioned supra nay be supplied by the battery 2 or by an external energy source (e.g. by the vehicle's own battery) .

For the purpose to be achieved for a thief to take a while from the time the wire 4 is manipulated until it is cut through or in any other way separated from the end piece, the wire is structured in such a way that it comprises a core 7 or the cutting-resistant material mentioned supra (tempered steel, Kevlar) where this core is surrounded by a number of signal-conducting cables 8. The integrity of these cables 8 may easily be broken for thereby to initiate the incidents leading the activation of the alarm. The integrity of the cables 8 is here meant to encompass not only mechanical manipulation of the cables, but also manipulation of the signal being conducted by the cables. The signal-conducting cables 8 may be of any known type such as metal wire or optical cables. The signal- conducting cables may also comprise a number of cords or they may be monofilamentous . The alternative where the signal-conducting are monofilamentous is shown in Fig. 3. It is also preferred that the core 7 and the signal- conducting cables 8 are surrounded by an inclusive material 9. Alternatively it may also be possible that the composition of the core 7 and the signal-conducting cables 8 only are surrounded by an external sheath 10. A third embodiment may be wherein the inclusive material 9 is surrounded by an external sheath 10. If it is used an inclusive material 9, this will preferably be made of a polymeric material such as plastic or rubber. Examples of such a plastic material are polyethylene, polyvinyl, polyurethane, etc. It is also preferred that the wire 4 is flexible so that it may be twined onto the drum 5. A flexible wire will also make it easier to pass the wire back to the end piece 1 to lock it into the locking mechanism 6. To increase the flexibility of the wire 4, this may alternatively be made of joints in a per se known manner.

Concerning the structure of the core 7, this may also comprise a monofilamentous material or it may be made of two or more cords. If the core 7 is made of several cords, these may be made of different materials, e.g. half of the cords may be made of tempered steel, while the other half may be made of Kevlar.

The cross-sectional structure of the core 7 as well as the signal-conducting cables 8 is not important. The cross- sectional form may thus be of any type from round to polygonic, where round is preferred.

The number of signal-conducting cables running along the core is neither of decisive importance, but it is preferred that the number is larger than one, since it may be possible to cut through the core 7 it there only exists one signal-conducting cable which then necessarily runs only on one side of the cable at any given location. The number of signal-conducting cables is consequently larger than two, more preferred larger than three, most preferred larger than four.

If the core 7 is made of cords is may also be possible to braid the signal-conducting cables 8 together with the core cords. If the signal-conducting cables 8 are located on the outside of the core 7, it is preferred that these run in a spiral path about the core 7 for thereby to increase the probability of these being broken before a possible cutting tool reaches the core material 7.

The invention will be further explained infra with reference to an embodiment of the invention.

The disclosed embodiment will relate to the structure shown in Figure 1.

I Fig. 1 the end piece 1 is shown as a sheath being made of a plastic material, where said sheath comprises an eye for carriage and transport of the end piece. The shape of the end piece 1 is here shown to be oval, but this is not of particular importance. The preferred shape is round, secondarily oval and least preferred square. The dimension may lie in the interval 25x25x8 cm, but will vary significantly in size depending on the area of use. In the end piece 1 it is placed a drum with a stored wire 4 with a structure as explained supra. The signal-conducting cables are in this embodiment made of copper surrounded by a plastic covering. The end of the wire runs into a contact which may be place in a corresponding receptacle in the enc piece 1. The size of contact is preferred a small one (about 0,5 - 2 cm I cross-sectional diameter) for being able to be threaded through possible small holes and the opening in the object that is to be locked. In the end piece 1 there is included at least one battery which may be replaced and which is functional within a temperature interval of most preferred -5°C to +45 °C, but this may advantageously be increased to -30 °C to +60 °C depending of its component specifications. Such a battery may lie in a lockable socket in the end piece 1, or if the end piece includes two or more batteries, these may be wired in such a way that manipulation of one of them will trigger an alarm in similarity with the alarm being triggered if the wire 4 is manipulated. The socket for storing batteries may also be equipped with a lock which may be operated by a code. Such alternatives may be selected and executed be a person skilled in the art. The battery may be of any such type that it has a duration time of 3 months or more with an alarm period of 5 minutes or more. If the batteries are included in the end piece 1, is may be possible to use rechargeable batteries which then may be recharged via an external contact in the end piece 1 (not shown) .

A possible alarm device in such a locking assembly may comprise a speaker membrane which may emit an alarm signal in the form of a sound signal of up to 110 db or more. Alternatively or additionally the alarm signal may comprise a stoboscoping light or any other kind of light or with a remote alarm with external daughters communicating wirelessly with the alarm device. The wire 4 may in this embodiment be made of a steel wire comprising a number of cords, where said cords are braided together with 4 electrical wires being surrounded by a plastic sheath. The signals running from the battery through the signal- conducting cable are generated by a microchip emitting and receiving a unique signal every 2. second. The time interval of the signal (s) will vary depending on the requirement for the lifetime of the energy source and the application area of the product. The most preferred time interval of the signals is as short as possible and up to 60 minutes, depending on the specification of the timer, the lifetime of the energy source and the application area of the product. If this signal flow is broken the alarm will be activated by the microchip. Of the four signal- conducting copper cables two conducts a data train being emitted in short intervals, and two are conductors being added to a regular alarm. If any of these are broken and alarm is initiated. The resistance in the current- conducting (signal-conducting) cables is in this embodiment e.g. approximately 0 ohm per running meters, but this is not decisive. The microprocessor may in this example have four in/out gates wherein conductor 1 passes from outgate 1 to ingate 1, conductor 2 passes from outgate 2 to ingate 2 etc. The number of gates on the microprocessor is selected from the number of signal-leading conductors. The end of the wire 4 is coupled to the system via a contact. Activation of the system may e.g. be done via a code

(password) or wireless via a code keyboard or with a key switch.

The individual data trains in each of the signal-conducting cables being emitted and registered by the microchip may either be repeated in each of the cables or may be alternated to ensure that a short-wiring of the device will be virtually impossible since it will be unknown for the thief which signal-conducting cable that carries which signal, and especially if these signals are alternated or generated randomly.

It may also be possible to equip the locking device according to the invention with extra two-way communication with a wireless siren or other remote signal in a frequency of 866 - 868 MHz or other approved frequencies for this type of use. It will also be possible to include the wire and the external parts of the lock with a layer of plastic to make it water and/or splash-proof.

The invention will be further explained infra with reference to some non-limiting examples.

Example 1 - boat alarm:

The alarm comprises a 3-part housing with a bottom (12) with a hub (11) where there is present a room in the hub, an inner lid (14) with a small depression (15) being covered by a smaller external cap (17), and an external top (16) being pressed over the hub. The shape is round so that the external top (16) may be moved about its own axis in a threaded groove (13) on the side of the bottom of the hub. This also makes the external top (16) move vertically. In this way it is provided access to the external part of the hub (11) for in/out winding of a wire (4) . The material is of strong plastic.

There is present a rechargeable 12V battery (2), electronics and a microprocessor (3) , terminals and siren of about 110 db as well as a wireless emitter/receiver communicating on 686 MHz with an external unit in typically 80 m circumference inside the hub. The battery (2) may be recharged via a contact being accessible under the smaller external cap (17) . If the contact with the external unit is lost, an alarm will go off. If the external unit loses contact with the main unit, it will send an alarm independently.

Everything that is placed in the hub (11) is protected by the bottom (12) and the internal lid (14) . This may not be sabotaged without triggering the alarm. On the internal cap (14) in the depression (15) it is kept a code keyboard (18) being coupled to the electronic wiring (3) . The alarm is activated/deactivated by there being punched in a personal code after the wire has been connected to the terminal (6) lying beside the keyboard (18) . An external lid (17) is now closed and locked over the keyboard (18) and the terminal (6) so that no-one can access this without triggering an alarm. The locking of the external lid (17) blocks simultaneously the external top (16) from being rotated about its own axis.

All electronic wiring and signal-conducting parts has IP 44-55-protection against moisture and water.

The wire (4) (about 8 m long) with 10 signal-transporting Cu-conductors (8) wherein all of the conductors 8 have the same colour to look identical and lie in a strong stocking (10) of durable plastic material, comes from the microprocessor (3) and goes out from the hub (11) to the terminal (6) in the far end of the wire (4) . This end is placed in the terminal (6) beside the keyboard (18) . This terminal (6) is wired in such a way that it leads the same signals back via a parallel conductor (8) to minimalize the area of a closed circuit, so that there are in practice only 4 different signals. The microprocessor (3) controls that the signal passing from an outgate on the single pairs that have coded signals and arrive back to a corresponding ingate, correspond. The one pair (8) is only a single loop giving an alarm if it is cut. The other 2 conductors (8) are without any signal or current.

Inside the hub (11) and under the external cap (16) the housing (19) is secured with some small metal plates with compacted conductors in a foil. If these conductors are broken an alarm is triggered. If the housing is broken loose from its regular position the end stop switches on the backside will trigger an alarm. If a loosely mounted unit is relevant, the bottom (12) is secured to an extra plate simulating a solid wall to close the end stop switches .

Example 2 - Bicycle alarm

Such an alarm comprises a cylindrical housing (20) with 2 rooms. Room 1 (22) may be rotated about its own axis (24) being spring loaded. The wire (4) may be coiled around this axis (24) and passes out through a vertical slot (21) in the cylinder (20) . Room 2 (23) contains electronic devices (3), battery (2), siren etc.

The alarm contains a NiCa 6V battery (2) together with electronic circuits and a microprocessor (3), terminals (6) and a siren of about 110 db as well as a wireless emitter/receiver which communicates on 868 MHz with an external unit in typically 100 m circumference. The battery (2) may be changed by opening the bottom of the cylinder (20) when the alarm unit is deactivated. If the external unit loses contact with the main unit it will trigger the alarm automatically. The material of the housing (20) is of aluminium.

Everything that is placed in room 2 is protected, and it cannot be sabotaged without triggering the alarm. The alarm is activated/deactivate with a remote control after the wire has been connected to the terminal lying at the end of the cylinder (20) .

All electronic wiring and signal-conducting parts has IP 44-55 protection against dampness and water.

The wire (4) (about 2 m long) with 6 signal-leading Cu- conductors (8) wherein all of the conductors have the same colour to look identical, and which lie in a strong stocking (10) of a durable plastic material, comes from the microprocessor (3) and exits from room 2 (23) of the hub and to the terminal (6) in the distal end of the wire.

This end is placed in the terminal (25) in the end of the cylinder (20) . This terminal (6) is wired so that it leads the same signals back via a parallel conductor (8) to minimalize the area of a closed circuit so that in practice there are only 3 signals. The microprocessor (3) controls that the signal leaving an outport, on the single pairs having coded signals returning to a corresponding import, correspond. The one pair is only a single loop giving an alarm if it is cut.

Room 2 (23) is protected with a metal cylinder with close conductors in a foil. If these conductors are cut an alarm will be triggered. If the housing is broken loose from its normal position the end stop switches on the backside will give an alarm. If a loosely mounted unit is used, the bottom is secured to an extra plate simulating a solid wall to close the end stop switches.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. Locking device for securing loose objects, said device comprising an end piece (1) including a locking piece for an external wire (4), wherein the external wire (4) may be locked to the end piece (1) , and wherein the end piece furthermore comprises an energy source (2) providing energy to conducting leads (8) passing along the external wire, and said locking device also comprising an alarm, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the end piece additionally comprises a microprocessor (3) receiving energy from the energy source (2) and emitting a signal through at least one out-gate, said signal following the conductors (8) in the external wire (4) as well as receiving a corresponding signal through at least one in- gate, wherein tampering with the integrity of the signal emitted and/or received by the microprocessor triggers the alarm.

2. Locking device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the external wire (4) comprises at least two conductors (8) where the microprocessor (3) provides different signals in each of the at least two conductors (8) .

3. Locking device according to claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the alarm comprises a signal emitter giving a wireless alarm signal to a remote alarm station.

4. Locking device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the energy source (2) comprises a battery.

5. Locking device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the end piece comprises a drum (5) onto which drum (5) the wire (4) may be twined.

6. Locking device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the drum (5) is spring-loaded so that the drum will return to its original position when the drum (5) is rotated, optionally also comprising a lock which may lock the drum (5) in a position.

7. Locking device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the wire (4) comprises a core (7) of a material which is difficult to cut, preferably tempered steel or Kevlar, and about said core (7) the signal-conducting wires (8) are located.

8. Locking device according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the core (7) and the signal-conducting cables (8) of the wire (4) are surrounded by a sheath (10), and preferably wherein the sheath comprises a polymeric material.

9. Locking device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the core (7) of the wire (4) comprises a number of cords and that the signal- conducting cables (8) of the wire (4) are braided together with said cords.