Abstract:
A remotely operable lock for a vehicle compartment includes a rotary latch;
       a detent moveable from a locked position to an unlocked position for preventing and allowing turning of the rotary latch;   an electrical actuator mechanically coupled to the detent to selectively move the detent from the locked position to the unlocked position; and   a key operated member arranged to selectively interfere with movement of the detent to thereby hold the detent in the locked position or the unlocked position irrespective of operation of the electrical actuator.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a lock that can be remotely operated and/or monitored. A particular application of the invention is for use as a lock for a utility vehicle cap or canopy. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The reference to any specific prior art in the following discussion is not to be taken as any admission or evidence that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. 
         [0003]    Many tradespeople make use of a utility vehicle in the course of their work. Such utility vehicles are often fitted with a canopy or “cap” over their rear tray to provide shelter and security for a tradesperson&#39;s tools which are stored therein. In one configuration, which is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the canopy  1  includes one or more side doors  3 . The side doors are hinged along a respective hinge line  5  and are held in the closed position, and if desired locked, by means of a lock assembly, the face plate  7  of which is visible in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0004]    During the course of a busy day the tradesperson may make several visits to job sites and need to lock and unlock the side doors in order to retrieve and stow tools and supplies. A problem that arises is that the tradesperson, once within the vehicle cabin, may become unsure of the status of the door lock. Furthermore, if there are three locks, as is the case for the canopy shown in  FIG. 1 , then the tradesperson will have to manually unlock each of the doors in order to have complete access to the interior of the canopy. These problems are undesirable because they compromise the security of the canopy and they slow the tradesperson during the course of a day&#39;s work. 
         [0005]    A further problem, where electrical locking systems are involved, is that the tradesperson may wish to lock or unlock the canopy whilst standing adjacent it and without having to firstly return to the cabin to electrically operate the locks. 
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a remotely operable lock that addresses one or more of the above problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remotely operable lock for a vehicle compartment, including:
       a rotary latch;   a detent moveable from a locked position to an unlocked position for preventing and allowing turning of the rotary latch;   an electrical actuator mechanically coupled to the detent to selectively move the detent from the locked position to the unlocked position; and   a manually operated member arranged to selectively interfere with movement of the detent to thereby hold the detent in the locked position or the unlocked position irrespective of operation of the electrical actuator.       
 
         [0012]    Preferably the detent comprises a portion of a locking tongue. 
         [0013]    The manually operated member may be arranged to rotate to a first position to force said tongue to bring the detent to the unlocked position and to a second position to force said tongue to bring the detent to the locked position. 
         [0014]    Preferably the manually operated member is received within a triangular shaped aperture formed through the locking tongue. 
         [0015]    The manually operated member may comprise a dog protruding from a key barrel of the lock. 
         [0016]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention a first sensor is provided that can be monitored electrically and is arranged to be triggered by operation of the detent for sensing if the detent is in the locked or unlocked position. 
         [0017]    The lock may further include a second sensor that can be monitored electrically and which is responsive to rotation of the rotary latch for indicating an open or closed state of the latch. 
         [0018]    Preferably the first sensor comprises an electrical switch having an operation arm which lies across a path of a projection from the locking tongue. 
         [0019]    Preferably the lock includes a shaft for turning the rotary latch, said shaft also bearing a cam having a step to engage the detent whilst the detent is in the locked position, wherein the cam and rotary latch rotate through a collinear axis. 
         [0020]    In a preferred embodiment the second sensor comprises a switch that is arranged to be triggered by a dog projecting from the cam upon the cam rotating to thereby indicate rotation of the rotary latch. 
         [0021]    Preferably the electrical actuator comprises a solenoid. In a preferred embodiment an arm of the solenoid is linked to the locking tongue via a lever for raising and lowering of the locking tongue in response to energisation and de-energisation of the solenoid. 
         [0022]    Preferably the lock is coupled to a remote control module by wires interconnecting the remote control modules and one or more of the electrical actuator, first sensor and second sensor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a view of a prior art utility vehicle canopy. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a remotely operable lock according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a view of the rear and right hand side of the lock. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a view of the front of the lock. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a view of the front and left hand side of the lock. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a first diagram illustrating a first mode of operation of the lock wherein locking is controlled electrically. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a second diagram illustrating the first mode of operation. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a third diagram illustrating the first mode of operation. 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a first diagram illustrating a second mode of the lock wherein the lock is manually unlocked. 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  is a second diagram illustrating the second mode of operation. 
           [0033]      FIG. 11  is a first diagram illustrating a third mode of the lock wherein the lock is manually locked. 
           [0034]      FIG. 12  is a second diagram illustrating the third mode of operation of the lock. 
           [0035]      FIG. 13  shows the front of the lock with the keyway turned anticlockwise to horizontal wherein the lock is in manual unlock configuration. 
           [0036]      FIG. 14  shows the front of the lock with the keyway turned vertically wherein the lock is in a mode for electrical locking and unlocking operation. 
           [0037]      FIG. 15  shows the front of the lock with the keyway turned clockwise to horizontal wherein the lock in manual lock configuration. 
       
    
    
       [0038]    Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. 
         [0039]    The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0040]    A remotely operable lock according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIG. 2 , which is an exploded view, and  FIGS. 3 to 5 , which are various views of the assembled lock mechanism. 
         [0041]    The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a shaft  13 , which has an intermediate portion  15  a proximal end  36  and a distal end  14 . The intermediate portion  15  has flat sides while the distal end  14  is cylindrical. The proximal end  36  is pivotally linked to an operator handle  38 . Shaft  13  passes through a stainless steel concave outer washer  40 , a waterproof washer  42  and a flat washer  44 , all located on an external side of faceplate  74 . The shaft  13  further passes through a hole  73  formed in the faceplate  74  and thence through a central hole in cam  98 . The hole in cam  98  is formed with flat sides to engage the flat sides the intermediate portion  15  of shaft  13 . The cam  98  is located between legs  78  and  80  of mounting bracket  66 . The shaft  13  then passes through a central aperture  70  formed through the  68  head of latch tongue  12 . The central aperture  70  is formed with flat sides corresponding to the cross section of the intermediate portion  15  of shaft  13  so that the latch tongue can be rotated by turning of shaft  13 . 
         [0042]    The faceplate  74  is formed with a bore  48  that receives a key barrel  46 . A rubber key barrel gasket  50  is provided that is formed with a hole to allow passage of the key barrel  46 . The key barrel gasket  50  and faceplate gasket  52  surround a mounting hole formed through the canopy and are interposed between the faceplate  74  and the outside of the canopy. 
         [0043]    The faceplate is bolted to mounting bracket  66  by means of its threaded legs  25  which pass through bolt holes  27  of the mounting bracket and are received by bolts  29 . 
         [0044]    The distal end  14  of shaft  13  is finally received in hole  65  of mounting bracket  66 . A circlet  60  is fitted over the end of the shaft on the outside of bracket  66 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , in order to prevent the shaft from withdrawing. 
         [0045]    A locking tongue  17  is formed with offset upper and lower portions interconnected by a diagonal bridge. The lower portion of locking tongue  17  is received into a vertical slot  82  of mounting bracket  66 . 
         [0046]    The upper portion is formed with an upper lever slot  86  therethrough. Below the lever slot  86  there is formed a triangular hole  84  that receives a projection from the key barrel  46  in the form of dog  100 . By rotating key barrel  46 , with a key, key barrel dog  100  is moved in an arc across the triangular hole  84  from an unlocked position, where it is located against the vertical base of triangle  84  (as seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) a locked position where it occupies the apex  31  of the triangle. It will be realised that in the unlocked position the locking tongue is able to slide up and down, whereas when the key barrel dog  100  assumes the locked position, in the apex  31  of triangle  84 , then the locking tongue  17  is prevented from moving. 
         [0047]    A lower end of locking tongue  17  is formed as a cam follower  106 . A coil spring  19  is located within a vertical spring slot  76  formed in the lower portion of locking tongue  17 . An upper end of the spring finds purchase against mounting bracket  66 , whereas the lower end engages the bottom of the spring slot  76 . Consequently, the locking tongue  17 , and so the cam follower  106 , is biased down against the rim  10  of cam  98 . The rim  10  of cam  98  is formed with a step  54  that abuts an outside edge of cam follower  106  when it is lowered against the cam rim. 
         [0048]    Thus the cam can only be freely rotated by turning shaft  13  whilst the locking tongue is lifted clear of the cam. It will be realised that the outside edge of the cam follower  106  that abuts the step  54  comprises a detent (shown as item  53  in  FIG. 7 ). A further step  56  is provided to abut the opposite outside edge of cam follower  106  to thereby prevent rotation in the opposite direction when in the locked configuration. 
         [0049]    A dog  58  also extends from the side of cam  98 . The dog  58  trips a sensor in the form of microswitch  64  when the cam is in a locked position. The microswitch  64  is seated through a hole formed through the upper face  32  of mounting bracket  66 . 
         [0050]    A solenoid bracket  16  is bolted to the top face  32  of mounting bracket  66 . Fastened to solenoid bracket  16  is a solenoid  34  having an actuator arm  18  with a slotted head across which there extends a pin  96 . Fastened to the side of the solenoid  34  there is a plate  62  from which extends a vertical fulcrum arm having a head  22  with an eye therethrough for receiving a pin  92 . A lever  20  is provided that has an eye  90  which is connected the head of the solenoid by pin  96 . 
         [0051]    The lever  20  is further pivoted at its fulcrum eye  94  by the pin  92 , which passes through the eye of fulcrum head  22 . A free end  88  of lever  20  is engaged by lever slot  86  of locking tongue  17 . Consequently, energising the solenoid  34  causes the arm  18  to extend upward thereby lifting free the end  88  of lever  20  and so lifting the locking tongue  17 , which in turn lifts cam follower  106  and thus detent  53  free of cam  98  so that the cam, and hence the latch tongue  12 , are free to rotate. 
         [0052]    A locking tongue sensor  6  is fastened to the side of plate  62  adjacent the body of solenoid  34 . The locking tongue sensor  6  comprises a switch having an operation arm  4  which extends from the body of the switch. The free end of operation arm  4  extends past a tab  28  that projects from the side of the locking tongue  17 . 
         [0053]    Accordingly, movement of the locking tongue from its upper position to its lower position causes the tab  28  to move the end of operation arm  4  thereby changing the state of the switch  6  from “on” to “off”. Consequently, the position of locking tongue  17  can be determined by monitoring the electrical status of locking tongue sensor  6 . Similarly, the rotary status of cam  98 , and hence rotary latch tongue  12 , can be determined by monitoring the electrical status of microswitch  64 . 
         [0054]    In use, the terminals of the microswitch  64 , the solenoid  34  and the locking tongue sensor  6  are wired to an electrical screw terminal  30 . The electrical screw terminal  30  is provided to assist in terminating cables onto the lock assembly from the cabin of the vehicle. 
         [0055]    The cables are provided to electrically communicate between the lock assembly and a monitoring and control module that is provided in the cabin for the vehicle&#39;s driver to operate. The control module includes controls for switching the solenoid  34  on and off. Provided that the key barrel  46  is rotated so that it does not hold the locking tongue  17  from rising or falling, remote energising of the solenoid will cause the locking tongue to rise thereby unlocking the cam so that the latch  12  is free to rotate. The position of the cam, and so of the rotary latch may then be determined by monitoring the status of microswitch  64 . 
         [0056]    For example, the microswitch status may be determined by checking an LED that is located in the control module and in circuit with the microswitch, to see if it is on or off. Similarly, the position of the locking tongue can also be determined by noting whether or not another LED, in circuit with the sensor  6 , is lit or unlit corresponding to the locking tongue being either raised or lowered. 
         [0057]    It may be noted that by unfastening the solenoid bracket  16  the electrical components of the lock assembly can be readily removed, thereby leaving a purely mechanical cam lock assembly in place. 
         [0058]    Consequently the electrical components can be replaced in a modular fashion and faulty units readily disconnected and taken away for repair if necessary. 
         [0059]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8 , the key barrel dog  100  may be rotated so that it abuts the long vertical side of triangular hole  84  through the locking tongue  17 . In this position, the locking tongue may be slid upward without interference from the key barrel dog  100 , by operating solenoid  34 . Operating solenoid  34  brings detent  53  free of cam  54  so that the cam  54 , and hence latch tongue  12  (visible in  FIG. 1 ) are free to rotate as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0060]    With the solenoid de-energised the spring  19  brings the locking tongue  17  downward so that detent  53  prevents cam  54 , and hence latch tongue  12 , rotating. Consequently, with the key barrel dog  100  brought to the position shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the locking tongue  17 , and hence locking of the lock assembly may be remotely controlled by operating the solenoid  34 . 
         [0061]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate the situation where the key barrel dog  100 , i.e. one form of a manually operated member, has been rotated through ninety degrees relative to its position in  FIGS. 6 to 8  to bring it to its highest position and into abutment with the apex of the triangular slot opposite the long vertical side of said slot. In this position it interferes with movement of the locking tongue. Bringing the barrel dog  100  to this position also forces the locking tongue  17  upward thereby bringing the detent  53  clear of cam  54  and so manually holding it in the unlocked position irrespective of the operation of the solenoid. 
         [0062]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate the situation where the key barrel dog  100  has been rotated through ninety degrees relative to its position in  FIGS. 6 to 8  to bring it to its lowest position and into abutment with the apex of the triangular slot. In this position it once again interferes with movement of the locking tongue. 
         [0063]    In doing so the barrel dog  100  forces the locking tongue  17  downward thereby bringing the cam follower against the cam  54  and so manually locking the lock assembly irrespective of the operation of the solenoid. 
         [0064]    In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term “comprises” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprised of” is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.