Patent Publication Number: US-10760300-B2

Title: Lock mechanism

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a lock mechanism, more particularly, user can disassemble components mounted on one side of a door individually from the lock mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional lock mechanism usually includes a first part mounted on one side of a door and a second part mounted on the other side of the door. During installation of the conventional lock mechanism, user generally uses a screw to connect the first and second parts on two different sides of the door such that the lock mechanism is fixed on the door. However, if any component in the first or second part is broken or requires to be replaced (e.g. cylinder), the user needs to disassemble the screw and then disassemble the first and second parts from the door in order to repair or replace the component. After repairing or replacing, the user also needs to mount the first and second parts on the door and then use the screw to connect the first and second parts. As a result, assembly/disassembly of the conventional lock mechanism is complex and inconvenient to the user. 
     SUMMARY 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a lock mechanism having a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate, a restricting plate, a fixing base, at least one first fixing element and at least one second fixing element. For fixing the lock mechanism on the two sides of a door, the first fixing element, penetrated through the restricting plate in a direction from the restricting plate toward the second mounting plate, is provided to fix the restricting plate and the second mounting plate, and the second fixing element, penetrated through the fixing base in a direction from the fixing base toward the first mounting plate, is provided to fix the fixing base and the first mounting plate. When one of the lock mechanism components is broken or needs to be replaced (e.g. lock cylinder), it is easy to be disassembled after removing the first or second fixing element. The lock mechanism of the present invention is different to the conventional lock mechanism that has to be completely disassembled from the door for component repairing or replacing. Assembly and disassembly of the lock mechanism of the present invention are simpler than that of the conventional lock mechanism. 
     The lock mechanism of the present invention includes a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate, a restricting plate, a fixing base, at least one first fixing element and at least one second fixing element. The restricting plate is coupled to the first mounting plate and located between the first and second mounting plates. The fixing base is disposed on the second mounting plate. The first fixing element has a first end and a second end and is penetrated through the restricting plate in a direction from the restricting plate toward the second mounting plate. The first end is restricted on the restricting plate and the second end is coupled to the second mounting plate such that a clamping space is formed between the restricting plate and the second mounting plate. The second fixing element has a third end and a fourth end and is penetrated through the fixing base in a direction from the fixing base toward the first mounting plate. The third end is restricted on the fixing base and the fourth end is coupled to the first mounting plate. 
     By removing the first or second fixing element, lock installer can individually disassemble components mounted on different sides of the door from the lock mechanism. Compared to conventional method, component disassembly of the lock mechanism of the present invention is simpler. When a component requires to be disassembled because of damage or replacement requirement, lock installer can disassemble the target component mounted on one side of the door only. The disassembly and assembly operations of the components are simplified owing to disassembling the whole lock mechanism from the door is not necessary. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective assembly diagram illustrating a lock mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective assembly diagram illustrating a lock mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective exploded diagram illustrating a lock mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded diagram illustrating a lock mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-section view diagram illustrating a lock mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective exploded diagram illustrating a lock cylinder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-section view diagram illustrating a lock cylinder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view diagram illustrating a lock cylinder operated by a key in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view diagram illustrating a lock cylinder operated by a key in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a lock mechanism  100  of the present invention includes a first mounting plate  110 , a second mounting plate  120 , a restricting plate  130 , a fixing base  140 , at least one first fixing element  150  and at least one second fixing element  160 . In this embodiment, the first mounting plate  110  and the restricting plate  130  are installed on one side of a door (not shown), and the second mounting plate  120  and the fixing base  140  are installed on the other side of the door. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the restricting plate  130  is coupled to the first mounting plate  110  and located between the first mounting plate  110  and the second mounting plate  120 . The first fixing element  150  having a first end  151  and a second end  152  is penetrated through the restricting plate  130  in a direction from the restricting plate  130  toward the second mounting plate  120 . In this embodiment, there is at least one first through hole  131  on the restricting plate  130 , and the first fixing element  150  is penetrated through the first through hole  131  of the restricting plate  130 . Otherwise, the first end  151  is restricted on the restricting plate  130  and the second end  152  is coupled to the second mounting plate  120 . The second mounting plate  120  in this embodiment has at least one second coupling hole  121  and the second end  152  of the first fixing element  150  is coupled to the second coupling hole  121  so a clamping space S is formed between the restricting plate  130  and the second mounting plate  120 . The first fixing element  150  is, but not limited to, a screw, the first end  151  and the second end  152  are screw head and screw thread respectively. The clamping space S in the lock mechanism  100  is designed to clamp the door and is corresponding to an installation hole (not shown) on the door. A latchbolt assembly (not shown) can be installed in the clamping space S and the installation hole to connect the lock mechanism  100 , as a result, the lock mechanism  100  is able to actuate the latchbolt assembly. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the fixing base  140  is disposed on the second mounting plate  120 , and more particularly, the fixing base  140  of this embodiment is disposed in an accommodation space  122  of the second mounting plate  120 . In other embodiment, the fixing base  140  may be integrated with the second mounting plate  120 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the second fixing element  160  has a third end  161  and a fourth end  162  and is penetrated through the fixing base  140  in a direction from the fixing base  140  toward the first mounting plate  110 . In this embodiment, the fixing base  140  has at least one second through hole  141 , the second fixing element  160  is penetrated through the second through hole  141  of the fixing base  140 . The third end  161  is restricted on the fixing base  140  and the fourth end  162  is coupled to the first mounting plate  110 . The second fixing element  160  is preferably a screw, and the third end  161  and the fourth end  162  are screw head and screw thread respectively. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the first mounting plate  110  includes at least one fixing column  111  in this embodiment and the fixing column  111  has a first coupling hole  111   a  provided for coupling with the fourth end  162  of the second fixing element  160 . The fixing column  111  may be integrated with the first mounting plate  110  or capable of being separated from the first mounting plate  110  for replacing other fixing column  111  having different hole size. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the lock mechanism  100  further includes a lock cylinder  170  and an escutcheon  180 . The lock cylinder  170  is mounted on the fixing base  140  along a direction from the second mounting plate  120  toward the restricting plate  130  and includes a covering plate  171  provided to cover the third end  161  of the second fixing element  160 . The escutcheon  180  is used to cover the second mounting plate  120  and reveal a key hole  172   a  of the lock cylinder  170 . In this embodiment, the lock cylinder  170  includes a plug  172  where the key hole  172   a  is located. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the lock cylinder  170  of this embodiment further includes a housing  173  having a pin chamber  173   a , a plurality of pin holes  173   b , a blocking base  173   c  and at least one through hole  173   d . The plug  172  is movably disposed in the housing  173 , the pin holes  173   b  are formed on the pin chamber  173   a , the through hole  173   d  is located on the blocking base  173   c , the pin holes  173   b  and the through hole  173   d  are selectively communicated with the key hole  172   a.    
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the lock cylinder  170  preferably further includes a plurality of pins  174 , a plurality of springs  175 , a cap  176 , at least one blocking pin  177 , at least one pushing spring  178  and a blocking plate  179 . The pin holes  173   b  are designed to accommodate the pins  174  and the springs  175  and are covered by the cap  176 . The through hole  173   d  is provided to accommodate the blocking pin  177  and the pushing spring  178  and is covered by the blocking plate  179 . In this embodiment, the pushing spring  178  is located between the blocking plate  179  and the blocking pin  177  and used to push the blocking pin  177  to selectively block the housing  173  and the plug  172 . Preferably, the blocking plate  179  has a relief hole  179   a  which provides a relief space for the movement of the blocking pin  177 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the lock mechanism  100  further includes a knob assembly  190  covering the first mounting plate  110 . In this embodiment, the knob assembly  190  includes a knob  191  used to drive the latchbolt assembly in operation with the lock cylinder  170 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , if the lock mechanism  100  mounted on the door has broken component or replacing-required component need to be disassembled, lock installer can disassemble and replace the component from only one side of the door. For example, the installer can replace the lock cylinder  170  from one side of the door by only separating the escutcheon  180  of the lock mechanism  100 . Furthermore, if the lock cylinder  170  and the fixing base  140  need to be replaced, the installer can disassemble the fixing base  140  from the lock mechanism  100  after removing the escutcheon  180 , the lock cylinder  170  and the second fixing element  160  from one side sequentially. Disassemble of the whole lock mechanism  100  is not required for replacing the fixing base  140  and the lock cylinder  170 , hence assembly and disassembly operations of the lock mechanism  100  are simplified. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and 9 , the lock mechanism  100  further includes a control key  200  having a relief groove  210 . As shown in  FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 , while intending to replace the lock cylinder  170 , lock installer can insert the control key  200  into the key hole  172   a  to rotate the plug  172  until the through hole  173   d  corresponds to the key hole  172   a . A blocking end  177   a  of the blocking pin  177  can fall into the relief groove  210  of the control key  200  to block the housing  173  and the plug  172  together when the through hole  173   d  corresponds to the key hole  172   a , such that the control key  200  cannot rotate the plug  172  anymore and pulling out the control key  200  can separate the lock cylinder  170  from the fixing base  140  due to the control key  200  can pull the housing  173  and the plug  172  out together by the aid of the blocking pin  177 . 
     While this invention has been particularly illustrated and described in detail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that is not limited to the specific features shown and described and various modified and changed in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.