Patent Publication Number: US-9890565-B2

Title: Lock structure

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally relating to a lock structure. The present invention particularly represents the lock structure drives a transmission member and a swaying plate swing by rotating a transmission module to obtain a linkage unlocking effect. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , a conventional lock structure  10  installed at a door includes a case  11 , a first latch  12 , a second latch  13  and a third latch  14 . The first latch  12 , the second latch  13  and the third latch  14  have to be driven respectively by a knob or a door key to lock the door when the door is closed. Similarly, the first latch  12 , the second latch  13  and the third latch  14  still have to be driven respectively by the knob or the door key to unlock the door therefore leading to inconvenience of the user. 
     SUMMARY 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lock structure including a case, a first latch, a second latch, a transmission member, a transmission module, a swaying plate and a driving plate. The case comprises an accommodating space, wherein the first latch and the second latch are disposed in the accommodating space, and a first head portion of the first latch and a second head portion of the second latch protrude to the case. The transmission member is swingably disposed in the accommodating space and comprises a first transmission portion, a second transmission portion and a third transmission portion. The transmission module is rotatably disposed in the accommodating space and comprises a first transmission plate and a second transmission plate, wherein the first transmission plate and the second transmission plate are engaged as one piece. The first transmission plate compresses the first transmission portion to perform swing action to make the second transmission portion swing toward a second direction opposite to a first direction and swing from a first position to a second position when the transmission module rotates towards the first direction. The second transmission plate compresses the third transmission portion to perform swing action to make the second transmission portion continuously swinging toward the second direction and swinging from the second position to a third position when the transmission module continues to rotate toward the first direction. The swaying plate is swingably disposed in the accommodating space and used for driving the first latch in operation. The first transmission plate drives the swaying plate to perform swing action to make the swaying plate driving the first latch in operation and making the first head portion being hidden into the case when the first transmission plate compresses the first transmission portion to swing. The driving plate is movably disposed in the accommodating space and used for driving the second latch in operation. The second transmission portion drives the driving plate to move upwardly to drive the second latch in operation and make the second head portion being hidden into the case when the second transmission portion swings from the second position to the third position. 
     In this invention, the swaying plate drives the first latch in operation and the transmission member drives the driving plate to move upwardly to drive the second latch in operation to obtain the objective that the transmission module drives the first latch and second latch to unlock the door by rotating the transmission module to drive the swaying plate and the transmission member swinging respectively. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram illustrating a lock structure disposed at a door in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded diagram illustrating the lock structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective diagram illustrating a transmission member in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4 to 8  are operation diagrams illustrating the lock structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a lateral view of a conventional lock structure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a lock structure  100  is disclosed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the lock structure  100  and a handle H used for driving the lock structure  100  in operation are installed at a door D 1 . The lock structure  100  includes a case  110 , a first latch  120 , a second latch  130  and a third latch  140 , wherein the case  110  comprises an accommodating space  111 , and the first latch  120 , the second latch  130  and the third latch  140  are disposed in the accommodating space  111 . The first latch  120  and the second latch  130  are driven to make a first head portion  121  of the first latch  120  and a second head portion  131  of the second latch  130  protruding to the case  110  and inserting into a limiting hole D 3  of a door frame D 2  for restricting the door D 1  from being opened when the door D 1  is closed. In this embodiment, the third latch  140  is pushed by a spring S 1 , and a third head portion  141  of the third latch  140  protrudes to the case  110 . The third head portion  141  protrudes to the case  110  and inserts into the limiting hole D 3  of the door frame D 2  when the door D 1  is closed. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lock structure  100  further includes a transmission member  150  swingably disposed in the accommodating space  111 . The transmission member  150  comprises a first transmission portion  151 , a second transmission portion  152 , a third transmission portion  153  and a shaft portion  154 . In this embodiment, the first transmission portion  151 , the second transmission portion  152  and the third transmission portion  153  are formed as one piece on the shaft portion  154  and protrude to the shaft portion  154 . The shaft portion  154  is pivotally connected to the case  110 , wherein the first transmission portion  151 , the second transmission portion  152  and the third transmission portion  153  swing in the accommodating space  111  by using the shaft portion  154  as center point. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the lock structure  100  further includes a transmission module  160  rotatably disposed in the accommodating space  111 , wherein the transmission module  160  comprises a first transmission plate  161 , a second transmission plate  162  and a third transmission plate  163 . The first transmission plate  161 , the second transmission plate  162  and the third transmission plate  163  are engaged as one piece and rotate simultaneously. In this embodiment, the first transmission plate  161  comprises a first protrusion portion  161   a , a second protrusion portion  161   b  and a compression portion  161   c , wherein the compression portion  161   c  of the first transmission plate  161  is used for pushing the first transmission portion  151  to perform swing action, and the second transmission plate  162  comprises a pushing portion  162   a  used for pushing the third transmission portion  153  for making the second transmission portion  152  swinging continuously. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the lock structure  100  further includes a swaying plate  170  swingably disposed in the accommodating space  111 , wherein the first protrusion portion  161   a  and the second protrusion portion  161   b  of the first transmission plate  161  are used for driving the swaying plate  170  to perform swing action. The swaying plate  170  is used for driving the first latch  120  in operation. In this embodiment, the swaying plate  170  comprises a center portion  171 , a first arm portion  172  and a second arm portion  173 , wherein the first arm portion  172  and the second arm portion  173  are located at two sides of the center portion  171  respectively. The first arm portion  172  and the second arm portion  173  swing in the accommodating space  111  by using the center portion  171  as center point. A distal end of the first arm portion  172  extends to a space between the first protrusion portion  161   a  and the second protrusion portion  161   b  so that one of the first protrusion portion  161   a  and the second protrusion portion  161   b  pushes the first arm portion  172  to make the second arm portion  173  swinging. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the first latch  120  comprises a latch body  122  connected to the first head portion  121 , wherein the latch body  122  comprises a long slot  123 , the second arm portion  173  of the swaying plate  170  comprises a protrusion pillar  174  that penetrates through the long slot  123  and is capable of moving in the long slot  123  to push the first latch  120  in operation. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the lock structure  100  further includes a driving plate  180  movably disposed in the accommodating space  111 , wherein the driving plate  180  is used for driving the second latch  130  in operation. The driving plate  180  comprises a limiting portion  181 , a first end portion  182  and a second end portion  183 , wherein the first end portion  182  and the second end portion  183  are located at two sides of the limiting portion  181  respectively, the second transmission portion  152  of the transmission member  150  pushes the first end portion  182  to make the driving plate  180  moving along a longitudinal direction Y. In this embodiment, the second transmission portion  152  pushes the first end portion  182  to make the driving plate  180  moving upwardly. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the limiting portion  181  of the driving plate  180  comprises a limiting hole  181   a , and the latch body  122  of the first latch  120  comprises a limiting pillar  124  which is constrained in the limiting hole  181   a . Preferably, a first notch  181   c  and a second notch  181   d  are recessed into a lateral wall  181   b  of the limiting hole  181   a , and the limiting pillar  124  is selectively constrained in the first notch  181   c  or the second notch  181   d.    
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the limiting portion  181  comprises a guiding slot  184 , and the case  110  comprises a guiding pillar  112 , wherein the guiding pillar  112  penetrates through the guiding slot  184  and restricts the driving plate  180  to move along the longitudinal direction Y only. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the lock structure  100  further includes a linking member  190  and a knob A, wherein the knob A is moveably disposed in the accommodating space  111 . The second end portion  183  of the driving plate  180  is used for pushing the linking member  190  in operation, and the knob A is driven to perform swing action by the linking member  190 . In this embodiment, the linking member  190  comprises a first linking plate  191  and a second linking plate  192 , wherein the first linking plate  191  is pivotally disposed in the case  110 , one end of the second linking plate  192  connects to the first linking plate  191 , and the other end of the second linking plate  192  connects to the knob A. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4 to 8 , mentioned figures represent the operation diagrams that the lock structure  100  is driven by the handle H to unlatch the first latch  120 , the second latch  130  and the third latch  140 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the first head portion  121  of the first latch  120 , the second head portion  131  of the second latch  130  and the third head portion  141  of the third latch  140  protrude to the case  110 . First, referring to  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , the compression portion  161   c  of the first transmission plate  161  corresponds to the first transmission portion  151  of the transmission member  150 , the second transmission portion  152  of the transmission member  150  corresponds to the first end portion  182  of the driving plate  180 , the second end portion  183  of the driving plate  180  corresponds to a protrusion pillar  193  of the linking member  190 , the first protrusion portion  161   a  of the first transmission plate  161  corresponds to the first arm portion  172  of the swaying plate  170 , the protrusion pillar  174  of the second arm portion  173  penetrates through the long slot  123 , and the limiting pillar  124  of the latch body  122  is constrained in the first notch  181   c  to prevent the first latch  120  from being hidden into the case  110 . 
     Next, referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 , the handle H drives the transmission module  160  of the lock structure  100  to rotate toward a first direction when a force apply to the handle H. In this embodiment, the first direction is clockwise. Owing to the first transmission plate  161 , the second transmission plate  162  and the third transmission plate  163  are engaged as one piece, the third transmission plate  163  drives the third latch  140  in operation to make the third head portion  141  being hidden into the case  110  when the transmission module  160  rotates in the first direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 , additionally, the compression portion  161   c  of the first transmission plate  161  presses the first transmission portion  151  to make the first transmission portion  151 , the second transmission portion  152  and the third transmission portion  153  swinging toward a second direction opposite to the first direction and make the second transmission portion  152  swinging from a first position to a second position when the transmission module  160  rotates in the first direction. In this embodiment, the second direction is counterclockwise. And the second transmission portion  152  pushes the first end portion  182  of the driving plate  180  to make the driving plate  180  moving upwardly, meanwhile, the limiting pillar  124  departs from the first notch  181   c.    
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 , in addition, the first transmission plate  161  also drives the swaying plate  170  to perform swing action when the transmission module  160  rotates in the first direction. In this embodiment, the first protrusion portion  161   a  of the first transmission plate  161  pushes the first arm portion  172  of the swaying plate  170  to make the second arm portion  173  of the swaying plate  170  swinging toward the second direction. By swinging action of the second arm portion  173 , the protrusion pillar  174  penetrating through the long slot  123  enables to drive the first latch  120  in operation and makes the first head portion  121  being hidden into the case  110 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 , the handle H constantly drives the transmission module  160  of the lock structure  100  to rotate continuously in the first direction when apply the force to the handle H continuously. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 , the pushing portion  162   a  of the second transmission plate  162  compresses the third transmission portion  153  to make the second transmission portion  152  continuously swinging toward the second direction and swinging from the second position to a third position when the transmission module  160  constantly rotates in the first direction, wherein the second transmission portion  152  constantly pushes the first end portion  182  of the driving plate  180  to drive the driving plate  180  continuously moving upwardly and make the driving plate  180  driving the linking member  190  in operation. In this embodiment, the second end portion  183  of the driving plate  180  drives the first linking plate  191  in rotation and makes the first linking plate  191  driving the second linking plate  192  to move. Next, the second linking plate  192  drives the knob A in swing action. Later, the knob A drives the second latch  130  to make the second head portion  131  being hidden into the case  110 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 , the first protrusion portion  161   a  of the first transmission plate  161  continues to push the first arm portion  172  of the swaying plate  170  to make the second arm portion  173  of the swaying plate  170  constantly swinging toward the second direction when the transmission module  160  constantly rotates in the first direction. The first latch  120  is driven to make the first head portion  121  being hidden into the case  110  by swing action of the second arm portion  173 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 , eventually, as long as the forces applying to the handle H eliminate, an elastic member S 2  compresses the driving plate  180  to make the driving plate  180  moving downwardly along the longitudinal direction Y therefore making the limiting pillar  124  constrained in the second notch  181   d  of the limiting portion  181 . 
     In this invention, rotates the transmission module  160  to make the first transmission plate  161  of the transmission module  160  driving the swaying plate  170  to perform swing action and making the swaying plate  170  driving the first latch  120  in operation, and the second transmission plate  162  of the transmission module  160  drives the transmission member  150  to perform swing action to make the transmission member  150  driving the driving plate  180  moving upwardly, and the driving plate  180  drives the second latch  130  in operation to achieve the function for unlocking the first latch  120  and the second latch  130  by the transmission module  160 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 8 , in this embodiment, after the first head portion  121  of the first latch  120  hidden into the case  110 , apply a force to the handle H to make the transmission module  160  rotating toward the second direction, and the second protrusion portion  161   b  of the first transmission plate  161  pushes the first arm portion  172  of the swaying plate  170  to make the second arm portion  173  of the swaying plate  170  swing toward the first direction. By swing action of the second arm portion  173 , the protrusion pillar  174  penetrating through the long slot  123  drives the first latch  120  in operation, and the first head portion  121  of the first latch  120  protrudes to the case  110  and inserts into the limiting hole D 3  of the door frame D 2  for restricting the door D 1  from being opened. Additionally, the limiting pillar  124  of the latch body  122  is moved from the second notch  181   d  to the first notch  181   c  to prevent the first latch  120  from being hidden into the case  110 . 
     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.