Patent Publication Number: US-6705139-B2

Title: Magnetic lock mechanism

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to lock and key, and more particularly to a magnetic lock mechanism comprising a magnetic lock cylinder associated with a magnetic key to provide more locking permutations and combinations. Thus, a locker tube having a plurality of through slots adapted for directly attracting magnet tumblers of a magnetic lock cylinder while being magnetically attraction effective. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     The conventional lock and key assembly, such as barrel lock, utilizes specific engagement or disengagement between a plurality of pin-tumblers in the lock cylinder and the key&#39;s serration correspondingly to control the locking and unlocking functions thereof. 
     Virtually all mechanical locking devices are subject to tampering, possibly resulting from loss of keys, duplication of keys, and picking due to its limited mechanical structure and theory. Moreover, although many types of locking devices which are magnetically actuated or controlled are known in arts, they all bear a common drawback of failing to ensure all the magnet tumblers precisely returning to their locking position when the key is withdrawn from the keyway. Such unsolved problem is the main reason of why the magnetic lock cannot be commonly on sale in market and broadly utilized by the consumers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic lock mechanism which avoids the drawbacks of easy picking and key duplicating of the conventional mechanical lock and key assembly by eliminating the serrations of the keys with a simply rod like magnetic key to associate with a mechanical lock cylinder by fitting into a circular keyway thereof. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic lock mechanism wherein the arrangement of the magnet tumblers, which is not limited to one or two opposing rows as in the mechanical lock and key assembly, can include any possible number of tumblers aligned around anywhere of the entire cylindrical surface of the key and keyway correspondingly, so that the present invention can provide more locking permutations and combinations to ensure the security function of a lock. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic lock mechanism wherein all the magnet tumblers inside the magnetic lock cylinder will be guided to rapidly and precisely return to their locking positions once the magnetic key is withdrawn from the keyway of the magnetic lock cylinder. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic lock mechanism wherein all the magnet tumblers inside the magnetic lock cylinder will be guided to rapidly and precisely radially move to their unlocking positions once the magnetic key is inserted into the keyway of the magnetic lock cylinder. 
     Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a magnetic lock mechanism, comprising: 
     a magnetic lock cylinder for actuating a latch assembly, wherein the magnetic lock cylinder comprises 
     a lock sleeve, made of non-magnetic material such as brass, having an axial rotor hole and a plurality of tumbler sockets radially distributed on an inner surface of the lock sleeve; 
     a plurality of magnet tumblers, each of which has a north pole and a south pole at two ends respectively, being coaxially placed in the tumbler sockets respectively, wherein each of the magnet tumblers must be equal to or shorter than the respective tumbler socket of the lock sleeve; 
     a tubular lock rotor, made of non-magnetic material, being rotatably and coaxially fitted in the axial hole of the lock sleeve, the lock rotor having an axial through hole and a plurality of locking holes radially distributed through a rotor wall thereof, wherein the locking holes are adapted for being coaxially aligned with the tumbler sockets respectively and each of the locking holes has a depth shorter than a length of the respective magnet tumbler; and 
     a locker tube having a plurality of through slots, made of magnetic conducting material such as iron and steel, being fittedly disposed inside the axial through hole of the lock rotor to define a keyway therethrough, wherein the locker tube is adapted for attaching the magnet tumblers inside the rotor hole to move inwardly towards the locking hole until an inner portion of each of magnet tumblers is disposed in the respective locking hole and an outer portion of each of the magnet tumblers is disposed in the respective rotor socket so as to lock up the rotatable movement between the lock rotor and the lock sleeve; and 
     a magnetic key comprising a key body having a plurality of magnet sockets provided around the key body corresponding to the axial and radial positions of the magnet tumblers in the magnetic lock cylinder respectively, and a plurality of pill shaped magnets affixed in the magnet sockets respectively, wherein an outer end of each of the magnets has a magnetic pole equal to the magnet pole of the respective magnet tumbler, so that when the magnetic key is inserted into the keyway, the magnet tumblers are repelled radially outward into the tumbler sockets correspondingly, so as to unlock the magnetic lock cylinder to enable the lock rotor freely rotating to control the locking and unlocking of the latch assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional front view of a magnetic lock mechanism according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional end view of the magnetic lock mechanism according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a locker tube of the magnetic lock mechanism according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a first alternative mode of the locker tube of the magnetic lock mechanism according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a second alternative mode of the locker tube of the magnetic lock mechanism according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 illustrated a third alternative mode of the locker tube of the magnetic lock mechanism according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional front view of a magnetic lock mechanism when the magnetic key is inserted into the circular keyway according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a second front view of an empty magnetic lock cylinder of the magnetic key lock assembly without the magnetic key in the circular keyway thereof according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional end view of the magnetic lock mechanism according to he above second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a magnetic lock mechanism  10  according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The magnetic lock mechanism  10  comprises a magnetic lock cylinder  30  adapted for actuating a latch assembly  2  and a magnetic key  35 . 
     The magnetic lock cylinder  30  comprises a lock sleeve  31 , a plurality of magnet tumblers  32 , a tubular lock rotor  33 , and a locker tube  34 . 
     The lock sleeve  31 , which is made of non-magnetic material such as brass, has an axial rotor hole  311  and a plurality of tumbler sockets  312  radially distributed on an inner surface of the lock sleeve  31 . 
     The plurality of magnet tumblers  32 , each of which has a north pole  321  and a south pole  322  at two ends respectively, are coaxially placed in the tumbler sockets  312  respectively, wherein each of the magnet tumblers  32  must be equal or shorter than the respective tumbler socket  312  of the lock sleeve  31 . 
     The tubular lock rotor  33 , which is made of non-magnetic material, is rotatably and coaxially fitted in the axial rotor hole  311  of the lock sleeve  31 , the lock rotor  33  having an axial through hole  332  and a plurality of locking holes  331  distributed radially through a rotor wall thereof, wherein the locking holes  331  are adapted for being aligned with the tumbler sockets  312  respectively and each of the locking holes  331  has a depth shorter than a length of the respective magnet tumbler  32 . 
     The locker tube  34 , which is made of magnetic conducting material such as iron and steel, is fittedly disposed inside the axial through hole  322  of the lock rotor  33 , wherein the locker tube  34  is adapted for attracting the magnet tumblers  32  inside the rotor hole  311  to move inwardly towards the locking hole  331  until an inner portion of each of magnet tumblers  32  is disposed in the respective locking hole  331  and an outer portion of each of the magnet tumblers  32  is disposed in the respective tumbler socket  312  so as to lock up the rotatable movement of the lock rotor  33  with respect to the lock sleeve  31 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the locker tube  34  has a plurality of through slots  342  axially and selectively provided thereon wherein each through slot  342  is aligned with the respective locking hole  331  of the lock rotor  33 . A size of each of the through slots  342  of the locker tube  34  is larger than a diameter of the locking hole  331  of the lock rotor  33  such that the magnet tumblers  32  are adapted for passing through the through slots  342  respectively. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a first alternative mode of the locker tube  34 A of the magnetic lock mechanism  10  wherein the locker tube  34 A comprises a plurality of ring-shaped tube members  343 A spacedly and coaxially aligned with each other and at least a supporting arm  344 A integrally connected between two tube members  343 A so as to define a through slot  342 A between two tube members  343 A. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a second alternative mode of the locker tube  34 B of the magnetic locker assembly  10  wherein the locker tube  34 B comprises a c oil tube body  343 B integrally extended in a spiral manner such that the through slots  342 B are formed gaps between the coil tube body  343 B. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a third alternative mode of the locker tube  34 C of the magnetic locker assembly  10  wherein a maximum numbers of through slot  342 C are already radially distributed through the locker tube  34 C so as to provide an universal locker tube  34 C for a  11  axial and radial positions of the magnet tumblers  32  of the magnetic lock cylinder  30 . 
     The magnetic lock cylinder  30  further comprises an interior cover tube  37 , which is made of non-magnetic material, is coaxially and fittedly disposed in the locker tube  34  to define a keyway  341  therethrough for securely covering the locker tube  34  wherein the magnet tumblers  32  are adapted for sitting on the interior cover tube  343  by magnetically attracting the magnet tumblers  32  with the locker tube  34  through the through slots  342  respectively. 
     The magnetic key  35  comprises a round rod shaped key body  351  which has a plurality of magnet sockets  352  provided around the key body  351  corresponding to the axial and radial positions of the magnet tumblers  32  in the magnetic lock cylinder  30  respectively, and a plurality of pill shaped magnets  353  affixed in the magnet sockets  352  respectively. An outer end of each of the magnets  353  has a magnetic pole equal to the magnetic pole of the respective magnet tumbler  33 , so that when the magnetic key  35  is inserted into the keyway  341 , the magnet tumblers  33  are repelled radially outward into the tumbler sockets  312  correspondingly, so as to unlock the magnetic lock cylinder  30  to enable the lock rotor  33  freely rotating to control the locking and unlocking of the latch assembly  2 . 
     The magnetic key  35  further comprises an exterior cover tube  36  to securely and entirely cover the key body  351  therein coaxially, so that the locations of all the magnets  353  affixed on the magnet sockets  352  is hidden from outside observation for security purpose. In fact, although each magnetic key  35  can only operate a corresponding magnetic lock cylinder  30 , all magnetic keys  35  may have an identical appearance of merely a round rod. The user may simply use color of other indications to distinguish the keys of different locks easily. 
     Moreover, each of the magnet tumblers  312  and the respective magnet  353  should be coaxially aligned in a perpendicular manner with the axis of keyway  341  of the magnetic lock cylinder  30 . 
     An open end of the lock rotor  30  has a locating groove  333  formed thereon. A locating latch  354  is outwardly protruded from an inner end of the key body  351  of the magnetic key  35 , which is adapted to serve not only locating the magnets  353  inside the magnetic key  35  corresponding to the magnet tumblers  32  in the magnetic lock cylinder  30  but also predetermining the length of the magnet key  35  that should be inserted into the keyway  341 . Moreover, the locating latch  354  inserting into the locating groove  333  serves for easing rotation of the lock rotor  33  while in an unlocking condition. 
     The operation of the magnetic lock assembly  10  is all about the magnet field. A predetermined combination of the magnet tumblers  32  is located at the respective locking hole  331 . It means that the location and the pole (the north and the south pole) of the magnet tumbler  32  can be selected and placed on the locking hole  331 . This arrangement of the magnet tumbler  32  is set as a locking code for the magnetic lock assemble  10 . If the magnetic key  35  has the corresponding arrangement and pole of the magnet  353  on the key body  351 , the magnetic key  35  is adapted for unlocking the lock rotor  33 . When the magnetic key is inserted into the respective lock cylinder  30 , because of the magnetic properties of “Like poles repel, unlike poles attract”, the magnet tumblers  32  are repelled by the respective magnet  353  on the magnetic key  35  radially outward into the tumbler sockets  312  correspondingly, so as to unlock the magnetic lock cylinder  30  to enable the lock rotor  33  freely rotating to control the locking and unlocking of the latch assembly  2 . When the magnetic key  35  is pulled out of the keyway  341 , the magnetic field disappears and the isolated magnet tumblers  32  will be magnetically attracted by the conductive locker tube  34  and seat on the interior cover tube  37 , so as to return to their original arranged locking holes  331  in such a lock-up position. 
     Otherwise, if the magnetic key  35  is inserted into a non-corresponded lock cylinder  30 , which one of the magnets  353  inside the magnetic key  35  is in different arrangement or has an unlike pole to the magnet tumbler  32 , the magnet tumbler  32  is either seated or forced to stay on the locking hole  331  of the lock rotor  33  because of the attractive force of the unlike poles. So, the magnet tumblers  32  act as a latch to lock the rotation of the lock rotor  32  and keep in the locking condition. Accordingly, the more magnet tumblers  32  placed in the lock cylinder  30 , the more the security of magnetic lock mechanism is. It is because when the number of magnet tumbler  32  placed in the lock cylinder  30  increases, the more combination of the locking code is received. 
     It is worth it to mention that the magnets  353  of the magnetic key  35  can directly repel the magnet tumblers  32  of the magnetic lock cylinder  30  through the through slot  342  of the locker tube  34 . When there is no through slot  342  on the locker tube  34 , the attraction force between the magnet tumblers  32  and the locker tube  34  will reduce the repelling force between the magnet tumblers  32  and the magnets  353 , which may effect the unlocking position of the magnet tumblers  32  of the magnetic lock mechanism  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 through 9 of the drawings, a second preferred embodiment of the magnetic lock mechanism  10 ′ is illustrated, which basically has similar configuration as the above first embodiment. The locking holes  331 ′ are only necessarily mounted on the rotor wall corresponded to the number of the magnet tumblers  32 ′. The magnetic lock mechanism  10 ′ further comprises a returning means  40 ′, which further comprises a cap  41 ′ having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the keyway  341 ′ and a resilient element  42 , which is a spring, inserting into the keyway  341 ′. The cap  41 ′ is adapted for sliding along the keyway  341 ′ and comprises a cap body  411 ′ for the resilient element  42 ′ inserting and holding therein and a cap ring  412  outwardly and radially protruded from the bottom edge of the cap body  411 ′ and adapted for preventing the cap  41 ′ from sliding out of the keyway  341 ′. 
     The resilient element  42 ′ is adapted for applying an urging force against the cap  41 ′ such that the cap  41 ′ is adapted for bounding outwardly by the resilient element  42 ′ within keyway  341 ′. The resilient element  42 ′ can be made of magnetic conducting material so as to conduct all the magnet tumblers  32 ′ to move inwardly to the locking position as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     The returning means  40 ′ is normally positioned inside the keyway  341 ′ as shown in FIG.  8 . The resilient element  42 ′ will normally urge and retain the cap  41 ′ toward the open end of the keyway  341 ′ wherein the cap  41 ′ will close the keyway  341 ′ in order to prevent dust from outside for interfering and decreasing the magnetic field of the magnet lock assembly  10 ′. When the magnetic key  35 ′ is inserted into the keyway  341 ′ of the magnetic lock mechanism  10 ′ as shown in FIG. 7, the resilient element  42 ′ of the returning means  40 ′ is being compressed. If the user does not rush and hold the magnetic key  35 ′, the resilient element  42 ′ will rebound to its original position and automatically push the magnet key  35 ′ out of the keyway  341 ′. So, the magnetic key  35 ′ will not accidentally remain in the magnetic lock cylinder  30 ′. 
     The features of the first and second embodiments and their alternative modes can be substituted each other or modified to fit the necessary. 
     Accordingly, for mass production of the magnetic lock mechanism  10  and the adequacy of the lock assembly industries, a maximum number of locking holes  331  are already radially distributed through a rotor wall of the lock rotor  33 . Each magnet tumbler  32  can be selected its pole and located at the locking hole  331 . So, one mold of the lock rotor  33  is manufactured and is adapted for thousands locking combinations by arranging the location and the pole of the magnet  353  in the magnetic lock cylinder  30 . 
     Furthermore, a combination of the magnets  353  is preset in the magnet sockets  352  of the magnetic key  35 , as shown in FIG. 1, for unlocking the corresponding combination of the magnet tumblers  32  in the magnetic lock mechanism  10 . So, if there are two lock assemblies  10 , two different combinations of the magnets  353  of the magnetic keys  35  are needed. The user may need to carry numbers of magnetic keys  35  to unlock the numbers of corresponding lock assemblies  10 . Conveniently, the present invention provides a “master key” that all permutations and combinations of the magnets  353  are preset in one magnetic key  35  by combining the location and the pole of the magnets  353  set in the daughter keys and adapted for unlocking all the predetermined combinations of the magnetic lock mechanism  10 . 
     Moreover, the magnetic lock mechanism  10  of the present invention provided more locking permutations and combinations to ensure the security function of a lock. For example, if there are four locking holes  331  on the rotor wall of the lock rotor  33  and each magnet tumbler  32  has two poles, there are sixteen (16*15*14* . . . *2*1) locking permutations and combinations for the magnetic lock mechanism  10 . As the number of the locking holes  331  increases, the more combinations are able to be set. The present invention provides more than 600,000 of the locking combination so that the probability of the same locking permutation and combination should be almost impossible.