Electronic padlock

The electronic actuator of an electronic padlock according to the invention is arranged to turn the cam piece (5) to release the latch parts (7) from a locking state and to turn the cam piece (5) to hold the latch parts (7) in the locking state. The cam piece (5) comprises a cover part (5A) and a shaft part (5B). The cover part has a central hole (12) for the shaft part. The shaft part (5B) has a shaft pin (15), which is set into the central hole (12). The shaft part also has a connecting part 19, which is arranged to be in contact with the electronic actuator 4. The cam piece further comprises a spring (9) which is between the shaft pin (15) and the cover part (5A). The spring comprises a first end (9A) and a second end (9B). The first end 9A is arranged to be in contact with the cover part 5A. The second end 9B is arranged to be in contact with the shaft part 5B. The spring is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin 15 to the cover part 5A in the direction of said locking state.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electronic padlocks. The invention particularly relates to electronic padlocks, in which an electronic actuator is arranged to turn a cam piece in order to release latch parts from a locking state. When the latch parts are released from the locking state, the electronic padlock can be opened.

PRIOR ART

Prior art electronic padlocks often use an electronic actuator for opening the locking. The electronic padlock can receive an opening code in different ways, depending on the implementation method. The opening code can be entered in the electronic padlock for example from a mobile phone via a Bluetooth connection or via some other wireless network. RFID technology or NFC technology can also be used. The electronic padlock can also have a keyboard or a touch screen for entering the opening code, or the lock has for example a fingerprint identifier. When the correct opening code has been entered into the electronic padlock, the electronic actuator in the lock releases the locking, whereby the padlock can be opened. When the locking is released, the padlock shackle can be moved from the closed position to the open position, i.e. the padlock can be opened.

The electronic actuator can for example be an electric motor, which is arranged to turn the cam piece of the padlock. The cam piece is a part, which holds the latch parts against counter holes in the shackle, when the padlock is locked. When the electronic padlock receives the correct opening code, the electronic actuator turns the cam piece (usually 90 degrees), so that the recesses in the cam piece are by the latch parts. Thus, the latch parts can move away from the counter hole in the shackle, i.e. the locking state is released, and the electronic padlock can be opened. When the electronic padlock is locked, the shackle is in the closed position and the electronic actuator turns the cam piece into the locking position, whereby it holds the latch parts against the counter holes in the shackle. The latch parts are normally balls.

Known electronic padlock solutions, which have an electronic actuator, are presented in publications WO 2018184070, US 2013276487, CN 206158371 and WO 2019223522.

In electronic padlocks like the ones described above, the electronic actuator can break, when it turns the cam piece to lock the electronic padlock. If a jerk is simultaneous directed at the shackle, which jerk strives to move the shackle to the open position, the latch parts start to move back into the recesses in the cam piece, which in turn causes the cam piece to turn against the turning force of the electronic actuator. The turning of the cam piece against the turning direction of the electronic actuator can break the electronic actuator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide an electronic padlock, which eliminates or at least significantly reduces the possibility of breaking of the electronic actuator of the electronic padlock, when the electronic padlock is being locked. This is achieved in the manner presented in the independent claim. The dependent claims present different embodiments of the invention.

The electronic padlock according to the invention comprises a body2and a shackle3. The body has latch parts7, a cam piece5and an electronic actuator4. The electronic actuator is arranged to turn the cam piece5to release the latch parts7from a locking state, and to turn the cam piece5to hold the latch parts7in the locking state. In the locking state, the latch parts7prevent the shackle3from being moved to open the electronic padlock. The cam piece5comprises a cover part5A and a shaft part5B. The cover part has a central hole12for the shaft part and recesses10on the surface of the cover part. The shaft part5B has a shaft pin15, which is set into the central hole12. The shaft part also has a connecting part19, which is arranged to be in contact with the electronic actuator4. The cam piece further comprises a spring9, which is between the shaft pin15and the cover part5A. The spring comprises a first end9A and a second end9B. The first end9A is arranged to be in contact with the cover part5A. The second end9B is arranged to be in contact with the shaft part5B. The spring is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin15to the cover part5A in the direction of said locking state.

The shaft part further comprises at least one protrusion17on the surface of the shaft pin15and/or on the surface of the connecting part19. This protrusion is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin15to the cover part5A to release the latch parts. The spring is further arranged to allow turning of the cover part5A against the turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin15to the cover part5A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG.1shows an example of an electronic padlock1according to the invention.FIG.1shows a situation, where the electronic padlock is opened and the shackle can be raised even higher thanFIG.1shows.

The electronic padlock according to the invention comprises a body2and a shackle3. The body has latch parts7, a cam piece5and an electronic actuator4. The electronic actuator is arranged to turn the cam piece5to release the latch parts7from a locking state, and to turn the cam piece5to hold the latch parts7in the locking state. In the locking state, the latch parts7prevent the shackle3from being moved to open the electronic padlock. The locking state is shown inFIG.6. The shackle3has holes3A for the latch parts. In the locking state, the latch parts7are partly in the shackle holes3A, whereby they prevent the shackle from being pulled out in relation to the body2. The electronic padlock is thus locked.

The body2of the electronic padlock1has spaces (such as drillings) for different parts of the padlock. These spaces are not shown in more detail inFIG.1, for the sake of clarity. The electronic padlock also comprises other parts than the ones mentioned above, such as indicators13,14, to indicate if the shackle is completely inside the body, whereby the electronic padlock can be locked with the electronic actuator4. The electronic actuator and cam piece are put into the body in the space/drilling reserved for them, and held inside the lock body with a lid part8. The lid part is for example a cylinder equipped with an outer thread, which is locked to the body with a separate locking screw (not shown in the figures). The figures do not show all parts of the electronic padlock. The figures show the parts, which are necessary for describing the invention.

The electronic actuator4can be directly connected to the cam piece6, so that the electronic actuator can turn the cam piece. The electronic actuator turns the cam piece to open the locking of the electronic padlock or to lock the electronic padlock. The electronic padlock can also comprise a separate power transmission part6between the electronic actuator4and the shaft part5B. Thus, the power transmission part6transmits the force turning the electronic actuator to the cam piece5. The power transmission part can also comprise other functions. It can for example also functions as a blocking mechanism. The blocking mechanism allows turning of the cam piece with the electronic actuator, but strives to prevent any other turning of the cam piece5in relation to the body2.

An embodiment of the cam piece5according to the invention is shown inFIG.2. The cam piece5comprises a cover part5A and a shaft part5B. The cover part has a central hole12for the shaft part and recesses10on the surface of the cover part. The shaft part5B has an axle pin15, which is set into the central hole12. The shaft part also has a connecting part19, which is arranged to be in contact with the electronic actuator4. The diameter of the connecting part19can be wider than the diameter of the shaft pin, as illustrated inFIG.2. The diameters of both the connecting part19and the shaft pin15are perpendicular in relation to the longitudinal axis X of the shaft pin. The cam piece further comprises a spring9, which is between the shaft pin15and the cover part5A. The spring is thus also placed in the central hole12. In the figures the spring is a coil spring, which is shaped as a torsion spring, but it can also be another type of spring.

The spring comprises a first end9A and a second end9B. The first end9A is arranged to be in contact with the cover part5A. The second end9B is arranged to be in contact with the shaft part5B. The spring is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the axle pin15to the cover part5A in the direction of said locking state. In other words, the spring is arranged to transmit the turning force of the electronic actuator, which turns the shaft pin, via the first end9A of the spring to the cover part5A to turn it into the locking position.

The shaft part further comprises at least one protrusion17on the surface of the shaft pin15and/or on the surface of the connecting part19. This protrusion is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin15to the cover part5A to release the latch parts. In other words, when the locking of the electronic padlock is opened, the electronic actuator4turns (either directly or via a power transmission part6) the connecting part19, the protrusion/protrusions17,18of which transmit the turning force to the cover part5A. The force used for opening the electronic padlock is thus transmitted via at least one protrusion17,18and the force used for locking via the spring9. In the embodiment ofFIG.2, two protrusions are placed at the base of the shaft pin15against the connecting part19.

The spring is further arranged to allow turning of the cover part5A against the turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin15to the cover part5A. Such a situation can happen, if simultaneously a jerk is directed at the shackle, which jerk strives to move the shackle to the open position. In the open position, the shackle can be set in the target, so that the target can be locked, when the electronic padlock is locked.

FIGS.3-5show sectional depictions of the embodiment ofFIG.1. FromFIG.3can be seen how the second end of the spring9is arranged against the shaft pin. The shaft pin15can comprise a groove16or a hole for the second end9B of the spring. The groove16can split the shaft pin on the side of its free end a part of the way toward the connecting part19, as shown inFIG.2. This way, installation of the spring is easy. In the embodiment of the figures, the second end9B of the spring is in the direction of the diameter of the shaft pin, but it can also be for example in the direction of the longitudinal axis X of the shaft pin, whereby the shaft pin has a hole (such as a drilling) for the second end of the spring. The cover part5A in turn comprises a hole11for the first end9A of the spring. The hole has a side surface11A for transmitting turning force between the end9A of the spring and the cover part5A.

FIG.4shows how the latch parts7are in the recesses10in the cover part5A, when the electronic padlock is open.FIGS.3and5show the turning direction A, by turning in which direction the shaft pin15transmits the turning force of the electronic actuator via the protrusions17,18to the cover part5A. In other words, the electronic padlock is opened with the electronic actuator by turning the shaft part5B and thus also the cover part5A in the opening turning direction A. The spring9does thus not transmit turning force.FIGS.3and5also show a second turning direction K, by turning in which direction the electronic padlock is locked.

FIG.6shows the electronic padlock as locked.FIGS.7-8show sectional depictions of the embodiment ofFIG.6.FIGS.6and8show how the latch parts7are partly in the holes3A of the shackle and the recesses10in the cover part are not toward the latch parts. Thus, the cover part5A holds the latch parts against the holes3A in the shackle, and the electronic padlock is in the locking state.FIGS.7and9show the turning direction K toward the locking of the electronic padlock. As can be seen, the spring9has (via the ends9A,9B of the spring) transmitted the turning force from the shaft pin15to the cover part5A. As was already noted before, the turning force has been transmitted from the electronic actuator4to the shaft pin15. The protrusion17,18or protrusions of the shaft part5B do not transmit turning force in the locking direction K, as can be seen inFIG.9. The central hole12comprises at least one recess12A for said at least one protrusion17. The recess/recesses12A is/are wider than the protrusion/protrusions17,18.FIGS.7and9also show the opening turning direction A for opening the electronic padlock.

FIGS.10-14show a situation, where the electronic padlock is locked with the electronic actuator4by turning the shaft part (and its shaft pin15) in the turning direction K, whereby also the cover part5A turns via the spring9. Simultaneously, a jerk has been directed at the shackle in the direction N, which jerk strives to move the shackle to the open position. Thus, the latch parts7strive to move back toward the recesses10in the cover part5A, which in turn turns the cover part in the opposite direction (i.e. the opening direction A) to the direction in which the electronic actuator turns the cover part. A large stress is thus directed at the electronic actuator, which may break it.

The spring9, however, allows the cover part to turn in such a situation in the opening direction A, even though the shaft pin turns as turned by the electronic actuator in the locking direction K. Thus, only a part of the force of the jerk is directed at the electronic actuator, because a part of the force goes into tensing the spring9.FIGS.11-13show this situation, where the spring9is tensed due to a jerk or other external force and the cover part5A has turned in the turning direction A against the turning direction K of the electronic actuator.

FIG.14illustrates how the movement of the shackle caused by the jerk moves N1the latch parts7toward the cover part5A. Via the recesses10, the force of the jerk turns the cover part in the turning direction A.FIG.14shows the starting phase of the jerk.FIGS.11-13show how the spring9has received the external force (jerk) and allowed the cover part5A to turn in the turning direction A. The recesses12A of the central hole12are designed to allow this turning due to an external force, asFIG.13illustrates. It is desirable that the width of the recess12A of the central hole is not wider than the width necessary for the turning of the cover part in the turning direction A against the turning of the electronic actuator in the turning direction K. On the other hand, the recess/recesses12A of the central hole can also be wider.

The electronic padlock according to the invention can be implemented in many different ways. For example, there can be various embodiments of the parts of the cam piece5. AsFIG.2illustrates, the connecting part19comprises a transmission surface19A, via which the shaft part5B is arranged to be in contact with the electronic actuator4. The transmission surface19A comprises at least one recess and/or protrusion. The shapes of the transmission surface can thus have different embodiments.

The latch parts7are balls or pins, the ends of which pins are hemispherical. The electronic actuator4can be an electric motor or a solenoid. Using an electric motor is usually more straight-forward, but turning the cam piece can be done also with a solenoid. Thus, the electronic actuator4has some kind of power transmission to transmit the movement of the solenoid (such as the movement of the pin of the solenoid) into a turning movement. The opening and locking of the electronic padlock (entering the opening code, lock ready to be locked, locking command) is implemented in an otherwise known manner, so it is not described in further detail in this context.

The solution according to the invention effectively prevents breaking of the electronic actuator of the electronic padlock, such as the electric motor, if an external force, which pulls the shackle away from the body of the electronic padlock, is directed at the shackle at the closing phase.

The electronic padlock according to the invention can be realized in many different ways, as can be discerned from the description above. The invention is thus not limited to the examples presented herein, but can be implemented in different ways within the scope of the independent claim.