Patent Publication Number: US-2015075237-A1

Title: Cylinder lock

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a cylinder lock comprising: a rotor with a circular cross-sectional shape having a key insertion hole at its central part, the rotor being rotatably fitted into a fixed cylinder body and including tumbler insertion holes arranged on opposite sides or one side of one diametric line of the rotor and each having opposite ends opened to an outer surface of the rotor, the tumbler insertion holes being provided in a plurality of positions at intervals in an axial direction of the rotor while intersecting with part of the key insertion hole within planes orthogonal to an axis of the rotor; a plurality of half tumblers each having an engagement portion on one of opposite end portions along the one diametric line, the half tumblers being respectively inserted into the tumbler insertion holes in such a manner as to be movable between engagement positions to cause the engagement portions to protrude from the outer surface of the rotor and disengagement positions to retract the engagement portions back into the tumbler insertion holes in response to insertion of a legitimate mechanical key into the key insertion hole; springs respectively provided between the half tumblers and the rotor and configured to bias the half tumblers toward the engagement positions; and locking recesses extending in the axial direction of the rotor and being provided in inner surfaces of an upper side wall and a lower side wall of the cylinder body such that the engagement portions of the half tumblers located in the engagement positions are capable of being inserted into and engaged with the locking recesses. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As disclosed in Patent Document  1 , for example, there has heretofore been known a cylinder lock including: tumbler insertion holes, which are located in multiple positions at intervals in an axial direction of a rotor provided with a key insertion hole at a central part, and are provided in such a manner as to intersect with part of the key insertion hole; and half tumblers, which are provided with engagement portions engageable with locking recesses formed in an inner surface of a cylinder body, and are biased with springs in such a manner as to engage the engagement portions with the locking recesses. Here, the half tumblers are inserted into the tumbler insertion holes in such a manner as to disengage the engagement portions from the locking recesses in response to insertion of a legitimate mechanical key into the key insertion hole. 
     Related Art Documents 
     Patent Documents 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3676606 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     However, in the cylinder lock disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed above, inner side surfaces of the tumbler insertion holes that face two side surfaces of the half tumblers are formed into flat shapes in such a manner as to closely face the side surfaces of the half tumblers. Accordingly, there is a possibility that smooth actions of the half tumblers are inhibited by a foreign object such as dust getting inside the key insertion hole or abrasion powder generated by contact between the half tumbler and the mechanical key, which may get stuck between the inner side surface of the tumbler insertion hole and the side surface of the half tumbler. 
     The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstance. An object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder lock that guarantees smooth actions of half tumblers by releasing a foreign object, which gets into a tumbler insertion hole through a key insertion hole, out to a locking recess side of a cylinder body. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     In order to achieve the object, according to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided a cylinder lock comprising: a rotor with a circular cross-sectional shape having a key insertion hole at its central part, the rotor being rotatably fitted into a fixed cylinder body and including tumbler insertion holes arranged on opposite sides or one side of one diametric line of the rotor and each having opposite ends opened to an outer surface of the rotor, the tumbler insertion holes being provided in a plurality of positions at intervals in an axial direction of the rotor while intersecting with part of the key insertion hole within planes orthogonal to an axis of the rotor; a plurality of half tumblers each having an engagement portion on one of opposite end portions along the one diametric line, the half tumblers being respectively inserted into the tumbler insertion holes in such a manner as to be movable between engagement positions to cause the engagement portions to protrude from the outer surface of the rotor and disengagement positions to retract the engagement portions back into the tumbler insertion holes in response to insertion of a legitimate mechanical key into the key insertion hole; springs respectively provided between the half tumblers and the rotor and configured to bias the half tumblers toward the engagement positions; and locking recesses extending in the axial direction of the rotor and being provided in inner surfaces of an upper side wall and a lower side wall of the cylinder body such that the engagement portions of the half tumblers located in the engagement positions are capable of being inserted into and engaged with the locking recesses, characterized in that inner side surfaces of each of the tumbler insertion holes facing the corresponding half tumbler from opposite sides are each formed to include at least: a guide portion closely facing the half tumbler and extending in a moving direction of the half tumbler; and a passage forming portion having larger clearance between the passage forming portion and the half tumbler than clearance between the guide portion and the half tumbler in such a manner as to form a release passage between the passage forming portion and the half tumbler such that the release passage crosses a side edge portion of the key insertion hole, extends in the moving direction of the half tumbler, and has opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor. 
     According to a second feature of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first feature, each inner side surface of each tumbler insertion hole is formed to include: the guide portion; and one or a plurality of other guide portions each closely facing the half tumbler and extending in the moving direction of the half tumbler, the guide portion and the other guide portion having a space therebetween in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the half tumbler. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     With the first feature of the present invention, the guide portion constituting part of the inner side surface of the tumbler insertion hole closely faces the half tumbler and extends in the moving direction of the half tumbler. Thus, the release passage facing the side edge portion of the key insertion hole, extending in the moving direction of the half tumbler, and having opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor is formed between the inner side surface of the tumbler insertion hole and the side surface of the half tumbler while enabling the guide portion to guide the movement of the half tumbler between the engagement position and disengagement portion of the half tumbler. It is thus possible to cause a foreign object such as dust getting inside the key insertion hole or abrasion powder generated by contact between the half tumbler and the mechanical key to drop down from the release passage and thereby to discharge the foreign object to the locking recess side formed in the inner surface of the cylinder body. In this way, the foreign object is prevented from being stuck between the inner side surface of the tumbler insertion hole and the side surface of the half tumbler, and a smooth action of the half tumbler can be guaranteed. 
     Moreover, with the second feature of the present invention, the inner side surface of the tumbler insertion hole is formed such that the guide portions are provided in multiple positions at an interval in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the half tumbler. Thus, the movement of the half tumbler can be guided while minimizing the chance of a foreign object being stuck between the guide portion and the side surface of the half tumbler. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment and is an exploded perspective view of a cylinder lock. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock at a third engagement position in a state where a mechanical key is not inserted. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder lock at the third engagement position in a state where the mechanical key is inserted. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along a line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 . (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along a line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3 . (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 6  shows a second embodiment and is a cross-sectional view of a cylinder lock which corresponds to  FIG. 2  in a state where a mechanical key is inserted. (second embodiment) 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along a line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 . (second embodiment) 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along a line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 6 . (second embodiment) 
     
    
    
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SYMBOLS 
       12  . . . Cylinder body 
       13  . . . Rotor 
       14  . . . Key insertion hole 
       18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26  . . . Tumbler insertion hole 
       29 ,  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37  . . . Half tumbler 
       38 ,  39 ,  40 ,  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46  . . . Spring 
       47  . . . Engagement portion 
       49 ,  50 ,  51 ,  52  . . . Locking recess 
       54 ,  64  . . . Inner side surface of tumbler insertion hole 
       55 ,  56 ,  65 ,  66 ,  67  . . . Guide portion 
       57 ,  68  . . . Passage forming portion 
       59 ,  70  . . . Release passage 
     L . . . One diametric line 
     MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described below referring to the attached drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
     A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5 . First, referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , this cylinder lock includes a fixed cylinder body  12  having a cylinder hole  11 , and a rotor  13  formed into a circular cross-sectional shape and rotatably fitted into the cylinder hole  11 . A bottomed key insertion hole  14  having one end opened to an end surface of the rotor  13  is provided at a central part of the rotor  13  in such a manner as to extend in an axial direction of the rotor  13 . 
     The rotor  13  can be engaged with the cylinder body  12  in multiple positions provided at intervals in the axial direction of the rotor  13 , in this embodiment, in five positions of first to fifth engagement positions P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4 , P 5 . In the engaged state, rotation of the rotor  13  relative to the cylinder body  12  is inhibited. Meanwhile, when a legitimate mechanical key  15  is inserted into the key insertion hole  14 , the rotor  13  is disengaged from the cylinder body  12  so that the rotor  13  can be rotatably driven inside the cylinder body  12  by operating the mechanical key  15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  together, the mechanical key  15  is formed by connecting an operating part  15   b  integrally to a rear end of a key main part  15   a , which extends straight with a rectangular cross-sectional shape. Projections  16 ,  17  are formed at central parts on a tip end side of two surfaces of the key main part  15   a  by cutting into opposite sides of the two surfaces on the tip end side. The projections  16 ,  17  have shapes that sequentially change along transition in a longitudinal direction of the key main part  15   a.  The projections  16 ,  17  may have mutually the same shape or may have mutually different shapes. 
     In the rotor  13 , tumbler insertion holes arranged on either opposite sides or one side of one diametric line L of the rotor  13  and each having opposite ends opened to an outer surface of the rotor  13  within a plane orthogonal to an axis of the rotor  13  are provided in multiple positions at intervals in the axial direction of the rotor  13 , namely, in five positions of the first to fifth engagement positions P 1  to P 5  while intersecting with part of the key insertion hole  14 . In the third engagement position P 3 , the rotor  13  is provided with a pair of tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22  arranged on opposite sides of the one diametric line L of the rotor  13  and each having opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13  within a plane orthogonal to the axis of the rotor  13 , the tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22  being provided in such a manner as to intersect with part of the key insertion hole  14 . A pair of partition walls  27 ,  28  to be arranged in such positions on the one diametric line L of the rotor  13  to sandwich the key insertion hole  14  are formed between the tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22 . 
     Half tumblers  32 ,  33  having engagement portions  47  each located on one of opposite ends along the one diametric line L are respectively inserted into the tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22  in such a manner as to be movable between engagement positions to cause the engagement portions  47  to protrude from the outer surface of the rotor  13  as shown in  FIG. 2  and disengagement positions to retract the engagement portions  47  back into the tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22  in response to insertion of the legitimate mechanical key  15  into the key insertion hole  14  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Springs  41 ,  42  provided between the half tumblers  32 ,  33  and the rotor  13  and configured to bias the half tumblers  32 ,  33  toward the engagement positions are housed inside the tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22 , respectively. 
     In the second, fourth, and fifth engagement positions P 2 , P 4 , P 5  of the rotor  13 , tumbler insertion holes  19 ,  20 ;  23 ,  24 ;  25 ,  26  arranged on opposite sides of the one diametric line L of the rotor  13  and each having opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13  within planes orthogonal to the axis of the rotor  13  are provided in such a manner as to intersect with part of the key insertion hole  14  as in the third engagement position P 3 . Moreover, half tumblers  30 ,  31 ;  34 ,  35 ;  36 ,  37  are inserted into the tumbler insertion holes  19 ,  20 ;  23 ,  24 ;  25 ,  26 , respectively, and springs  39 ,  40 ;  43 ,  44 ;  45 ,  46  to be housed inside the tumbler insertion holes  19 ,  20 ;  23 ,  24 ;  25 ,  26  are provided between the half tumblers  30 ,  31 ;  34 ,  35 ;  36 ,  37  and the rotor  13 , respectively. 
     Meanwhile, in the first engagement position P 1 , a single tumbler insertion hole  18  arranged on one side of the one diametric line L of the rotor  13  and having opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13  within a plane orthogonal to the axis of the rotor  13 , is provided in the rotor  13  in such a manner as to intersect with part of the key insertion hole  14 . A spring  38  is provided between a half tumbler  29  to be inserted into the tumbler insertion hole  18  and the rotor  13  in such a manner as to be housed inside the tumbler insertion hole  18 . 
     In the meantime, two pairs of locking recesses  49 ,  50 ;  51 ,  52  corresponding to the ends of the respective tumbler insertion holes  18 ;  19 ,  20 ;  21 ,  22 ;  23 ,  24 ;  25 ,  26  in the state where a rotational position of the rotor  13  is in a neutral position, are provided in inner surfaces of an upper side wall and a lower side wall of the cylinder body  12  in such a manner as to enable the engagement portions  47  of the half tumblers  29 ;  30 ,  31 ;  32 ,  33 :  34 ,  35 ;  36 ,  37  to be inserted into and engaged with one of the pairs of the locking recesses  49 ,  50 ;  51 ,  52 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  together, inner side surfaces  54  that belong to one  21  of the pair of tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22  in the third engagement position P 3  and face the half tumbler  32  from opposite sides, are formed to include at least: first guide portions  55  closely facing the half tumbler  32  and extending in a moving direction of the half tumbler  32 ; and first passage forming portions  57  having larger clearances with the half tumbler  32  than those of the first guide portions  55  in such a manner as to form first release passages  59  in spaces with the half tumbler  32  such that each first release passage  59  crosses a side edge portion of the key insertion hole  14 , extends in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32 , and has opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13 . In this embodiment, the inner side surfaces  54  of the tumbler insertion hole  21  are formed to have the first guide portions  55 , and second guide portions  56  closely facing the half tumbler  32  and extending in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32  while providing intervals in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the half tumbler  32 . The inner side surfaces  54  between the first and second guide portions  55 ,  56  include the second passage forming portions  58  having larger clearances with the half tumbler  32  than those of the first and second guide portions  55 ,  56  in such a manner as to form second release passages  60 , each of which extends in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32  and has opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13  as similar to the first release passages  59 , in spaces with the half tumbler  32 . 
     Moreover, part of each second passage forming portion  58  is formed to include a curved portion  58   a  in an arc shape for housing the spring  41  having a coil shape. 
     The inner side surfaces of the other tumbler insertion hole  22  in the third engagement position P 3 , and the inner side surfaces of the tumbler insertion holes  18  to  20  and  23  to  26  in the first, second, fourth, and fifth engagement positions P 1 , P 2 , P 4 , P 5  are formed similarly to the inner side surfaces of the tumbler insertion hole  21  in the third engagement position P 3 . 
     Next, operations of the first embodiment will be described. The inner side surfaces  54  of the tumbler insertion holes  18  to  26  facing the half tumblers  29  to  37  from opposite sides are formed to include at least: the first guide portions  55  closely facing the half tumblers  29  to  37  and extending in the moving directions of the half tumblers  29  to  37 ; and the first passage forming portions  57  having larger clearances with the half tumblers  29  to  37  than those of the first guide portions  55  in such a manner as to form the first release passages  59  in the spaces with the half tumblers  29  to  37  such that each first release passage  59  crosses the side edge portion of the key insertion hole  14 , extends in the moving directions of the corresponding one of the half tumblers  29  to  37 , and has opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13 . Accordingly, a foreign object such as dust getting inside the key insertion hole  14  or abrasion powder generated by contact between any of the half tumblers  29  to  37  and the mechanical key  15  can be dropped down from any of the first release passages  59  and be discharged to any of the lower locking recesses  50 ,  52  among the locking recesses  49 ,  50 ;  51 ,  52  provided in the inner surface of the cylinder body  12 . In this way, the foreign object is prevented from being stuck between any of the inner side surfaces  54  of the tumbler insertion holes  18  to  26  and the side surface of any of the half tumblers  29  to  37 , and smooth actions of the half tumblers  29  to  37  can be guaranteed. 
     In addition, the inner side surfaces  54  of the tumbler insertion holes  18  to  26  are formed to have the first guide portions  55 , and the second guide portions  56  closely facing the half tumblers  29  to  37  and extending in the moving directions of the half tumblers  29  to  37 , while providing the interval in the direction orthogonal to the moving directions of the half tumblers  29  to  37 . Thus, the movements of the half tumblers  29  to  37  can be guided while minimizing the chance of the foreign object being stuck between any of the first and second guide portions  55 ,  56  and the side surface of any of the half tumblers  29  to  37 . 
     Second Embodiment 
     A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 8 . Note that constituents corresponding to those in the first embodiment will simply be illustrated with denotation of the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     Inner side surfaces  64  that belong to one  21  of the pair of tumbler insertion holes  21 ,  22  in the third engagement position P 3 , and face the half tumbler  32  from opposite sides, are formed to include at least: first guide portions  65  closely facing the half tumbler  32  and extending in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32 ; and first passage forming portions  68  having larger clearances with the half tumbler  32  than those of the first guide portions  65  in such a manner as to form first release passages  70  in spaces with the half tumbler  32  such that each first release passage  70  crosses the side edge portion of the key insertion hole  14 , extends in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32 , and has opposite ends opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13 . In this embodiment, the inner side surfaces  64  of the tumbler insertion hole  21  include the first guide portions  65 , and second and third guide portions  66 ,  67  closely facing the half tumbler  32  and extending in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32 , while providing intervals in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the half tumbler  32 . 
     The second guide portions  66  are located in such positions as to be continuous with the pair of partition walls  27 ,  28  arranged on the one diametric line L of the rotor  13 , and to be divided into two portions by the key insertion hole  14 . The inner side surfaces  64  of the tumbler insertion hole  21  are formed to have the first passage forming portions  68  between the first and second guide portions  65 ,  66 . The first release passages  70  are formed between the first and second guide portions  65 ,  66  and between the inner side surfaces  64  of the tumbler insertion hole  21  and the half tumbler  32 . 
     Meanwhile, the third guide portions  67  are located in positions continuous to an outer side surface of the tumbler insertion hole  21 . The inner side surfaces  64  of the tumbler insertion hole  21  are formed to provide second passage forming portions  69  between the first and third guide portions  65 ,  67  in such a manner as to have larger clearances with the half tumbler  32  than those of the first to third guide portions  65 ,  66 ,  67 . Second release passages  71  each extending in the moving direction of the half tumbler  32  and having one end opened to the outer surface of the rotor  13  are formed between the first and third guide portions  65 ,  67  and between the inner side surfaces  64  of the tumbler insertion hole  21  and the half tumbler  32 . 
     Moreover, each second passage forming portion  69  is formed into an arc-shaped cross section for housing the spring  41  having the coil shape. 
     The inner side surfaces of the other tumbler insertion hole  22  in the third engagement position P 3 , and the inner side surfaces of the tumbler insertion holes  18  to  20  and  23  to  26  in the first, second, fourth, and fifth engagement positions P 1 , P 2 , P 4 , P 5  are formed similarly to the inner side surfaces of the tumbler insertion hole  21  in the third engagement position P 3 . 
     The second embodiment can also achieve effects similar to those of the first embodiment. 
     Embodiments of the present invention are explained above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and may be modified in a variety of ways as long as the modifications do not depart from the present invention described in claims.