Patent Publication Number: US-2023146303-A1

Title: Drawer lock device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     N/A 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to locks but more particularly to a drawer locking system configured to prevent lock picking. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Lock picking is the practice of unlocking a lock by manipulating the components of a lock device without the original key. As lock picking skills and techniques increase, anti-lock picking methods are critical in preventing unauthorized entry. Consequently, the present invention provides a drawer lock device configured to prevent lock-picking. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an anti-lock picking lock device that cannot be opened using traditional lock picking methods. 
     In order do to so, a lock device is provided, comprising a locking cylinder having an opening configured to receive a drawer, the drawer having a top side, a bottom side, a rear side, and a front side, wherein the drawer comprises a keyway slot on the top side; the drawer configured to slide within the opening between a first position to a second position, the first position defined as the drawer substantially within the opening such that the keyway slot is not accessible, the second position defined as the drawer substantially extended from the opening such that the keyway slot is accessible; and a key configured to be removably positioned within the keyway slot such that when the key is positioned within the keyway slot and the drawer is in the first position a plurality of security pins are aligned allowing the locking cylinder to rotate. 
     In one embodiment, the key is sized and shaped to fit completely within the keyway slot. In one embodiment, the key includes a top surface and when the key is positioned within the keyway slot the top surface is approximately flush with the top side of the drawer. In one embodiment, the keyway slot is between the rear side and the front side of the drawer and does not extend to the front side, such that the keyway slot is occluded when the drawer is in the first position. In one embodiment, the drawer includes a handle position on approximate to the front side, the handle enabling a user to extend the drawer from the locking cylinder from the first position to the second position to expose the keyway slot. In another embodiment, the drawer is configured to be extended from the locking cylinder from a first position to a second position via a short range wireless transmission signal from an external electronic device. In yet another embodiment, a housing is provided configured to retain the locking cylinder and prevent the locking cylinder from rotating until key is positioned in the keyway slot and the drawer is in the first position. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present disclosure so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is an exploded view of a drawer lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the drawer lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of the drawer lock device with the drawer extended according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to specifically provide a drawer lock device. 
     It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as to mean “at least one”. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time. As used herein, the terms “about”, “approximately”, or “substantially” apply to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. In other instances, these terms refer to positions or descriptions of referenced limitations of components. 
       FIG.  1    is an exploded view of a drawer lock device  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to  FIGS.  1   , the drawer lock device  100  is illustrated. In one embodiment, the lock device  100  comprises a locking cylinder  101  cylinder having an opening  103  configured to receive a drawer  105 , the drawer having a top side  105 A, a bottom side  105 B, a rear side  105 C, and a front side  105 D. In one embodiment, the drawer comprises a keyway slot  107  on the top side. In one embodiment, the keyway slot is positioned centrally between the front side  105 D and the rear side  105 C on the top side  105 A of the drawer. The position of keyway slot  107  prevents unauthorized access and tampering, as the keyway slot  107  does not extend to the front side  105  D of the drawer  105  or the rear side  105 C of the drawer  105 . That is, the keyway slot  107  is occluded from a lock picker by the front side  105 D of the drawer. This will be described in greater details below. 
     A key  109  is sized and shaped to be removably positioned within the keyway slot  107  is provided. The keyway slot may vary in appearance, but should substantially match the key and vice versa. In one embodiment, when the key  109  is positioned within the keyway slot  107 , the top surface of the key should be flush or approximately flush with the top surface of the top side  105 A. 
     The locking device  100  of the present invention is configured to use a common pin tumbler lock mechanism with the use of a plurality of security pins  111  that need to be aligned to a shear point or shear line as well known in the art. The plurality of security pins may be of varying length, and may include springs and other components well known in the art of pin tumbler lock mechanisms. In some embodiments, the security pins are contained within the locking cylinder  101 . In other embodiments, the security pins  111  and locking cylinder  101  are housed and retained in a housing  113  configured to hold on the components of the lock device  100 , and specifically the locking cylinder  101 . Pin holes may be provided through the top surface of the locking cylinder to allow the security pins to access the opening and keyway slot. The alignment of the security pins occurs when a key  109 , produced for this specific lock, is placed within the keyway slot  107 . The key may include dimples, pin holes, or other shapes configured to align the security pins. 
     In one embodiment, the shape of the bottom of the locking cylinder  101  prevents the locking cylinder from rotating within the housing, wherein the prevention is from a protruding element either on the locking cylinder and/or within the housing to prevents rotational movement of the locking cylinder until two things occur: (a) a key  109  is positioned in the keyway slot  107  and (b) the drawer  105  is in a first position ( 100 A;  FIG.  2   ). The locking cylinder is prevented from lateral and linear movement within the housing. 
     It should be understood, that the housing  113  is only a representation of a locking component configured to hold the locking cylinder, security pins, dead bolt, and other necessary components for the lock device that may not be explicitly described herein. It may be shaped differently or be formed within the element for which the locking device (and locking cylinder) is installed, such as a door or safe. The purpose of this invention and disclosure is to allow someone skilled in the art of lock making to carry out the invention, as the details of the locking mechanism outside of this disclosure are considered known and not necessary for one skilled in the art for one to carry out the invention. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  2 - 3   , in one embodiment, the drawer  105  is configured to slide within the opening  103  between a first position  100 A ( FIG.  2   ) to a second position  100 B ( FIG.  3   ). Advantageously, the keyway slot  107  is positioned such that the keyway slot  107  is not accessible when the drawer  105  is in the first position  100 A. Similarly, the opening  103  is not accessible nor the plurality of security pins  111 , so any tampering with the components within the locking cylinder is not possible. Even when the drawer  105  is extended into the second position  100 B, due to the position of the keyway slot  107 , the plurality of security pins  111  are inaccessible with modern tools and techniques. That is, due to the shape and dimensions of the front and rear of the top side of the drawer, the security pins are never exposed through the keyway slot. Even still, if the plurality of security pins were managed to be tampered with such that the plurality of security pins were aligned (replicating the key), the drawer and locking cylinder is not able to rotate until the drawer is in the first position  100 A. Thus, it is impossible to pick the lock device of the present invention. 
     In some embodiments, the drawer  105  is prevented from fully extending out of the opening  103  of the locking cylinder  101 . Material, such as  117  ( FIG.  1   ) may be provided on the bottom side  105 B at the rear side  105 C of the drawer  105  to prevent the drawer  105  from extending too far. In other embodiments, the drawer is captive in the opening  103  of the locking cylinder  101  by other methods, such as an interrupted thread or screw on the rear side of the drawer  105 . In some embodiments, the drawer  105  is spring loaded such that the drawer is configured to be biased in the first position  100 A. 
     There may be a variety of methods to extend the locking cylinder  101  to a second position  100 B form the first position  100 A. In one embodiment, the drawer  105  includes a handle  115  position on approximate to the front side  105 D, the handle  115  enabling a user to extend the drawer from the locking cylinder from the first position  100 A to the second position  100 B to expose the keyway slot  107 . In other embodiments, the drawer  105  is configured to be extended from the locking cylinder  101  from a first position  100 A to a second position  100 B via a short range wireless transmission signal from an external electronic device, where in the wireless transmission signal is a Bluetooth signal, magnetic field, radio frequency, Infrared, or similar, via a smartphone, key fob, RFID card, remote, or similar. Likewise, the transmission signal may be over long distances via the Internet. In these embodiments, the handle may not be provided, providing a two-stage system for added protection, requiring the device to extend the drawer and the key to activate and unlock the locking mechanism. 
     Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the labels such as left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up, down, or other similar terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique, proximal, distal, parallel, perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an object. 
     In addition, reference to “first,” “second,” “third,” and etc. members throughout the disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical limitation but instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.