JP4024336B2 - Key guide with keyhole shutter - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a key guide with a keyhole shutter that is attached to a cylinder lock so that even a person who has difficulty in movement of eyes or hands can easily insert a key into the keyhole of the cylinder lock.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, a cylinder lock is attached to a door of a building, but since the clearance between the keyhole and the key of the cylinder lock is small, the center of the key and the keyhole must be accurately aligned with each other when locking and unlocking. You need to insert a key.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the key and keyhole are very small in size, it is very difficult for a person with a disability to eyes and hands to align the center of the key and the keyhole accurately. In the increasing social situation, it is required to prepare an environment that is easy to use even with cylinder locks as part of measures for the elderly.
[0004]
Also, many people experience that the operation of inserting the key into the keyhole is difficult when the keyhole portion is insufficiently illuminated at night, evening, or in a dark room.
[0005]
Furthermore, even though a general cylinder lock faces the outdoors, the keyhole is exposed, and dust, dirt, rainwater, etc. enter the cylinder lock from this keyhole and the internal tumbler operates. Many people are indifferent at this point.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention has been proposed for the purpose of making it possible to easily lock and unlock the cylinder lock even in elderly people who are blind or handicapped or disabled, or in the dark such as at night.
[0007]
Another object of the present invention is to attach a shutter to the keyhole, and normally close the keyhole with this shutter so that rainwater and dust do not enter inside.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is attached to the outer end portion of the inner cylinder of the cylinder lock so as to be rotatable integrally therewith, and expands outward in the thickness direction and the width direction of the key hole. A key guide cover provided along the rotation axis direction of the inner cylinder, the key guide cover in which the dimension in the thickness direction of the opening at the inner end of the guide surface is set slightly larger than the thickness of the key hole, and the key The guide cover is guided by the portion close to the outer end surface of the inner cylinder so as to be movable in the thickness direction of the keyhole, and is urged in the direction close to each other, and the thickness direction of the keyhole is directed outward. The guide surface formed on the key guide cover and the guide surface of the shutter joint are smoothly connected in a normal state where there is a pair of shutters formed with a guide surface extending in the width direction, and locking and unlocking operations are not performed. It formed as, or more Te, the pointed portion of the master key during unlocking operation While induction in the center of the hole, characterized in that so as to enter the keyhole opening the shutter at the same time.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a general structure of a key 10 used in a cylinder lock, which is composed of a stem 11 having a function as a key and a knob 12. The tip of the stem has left and right slopes. It has a pointed portion 11a, and a shoulder 11b is formed at the base of the stem.
[0011]
Incidentally, the pointed portion 11a of the key tip pushes up the tumblers arranged in the inner cylinder of the cylinder lock by a wedge action, and the engaging portion of each tumbler is formed of a V-shaped keyway formed on the key stem. It is to be engaged with the bottom.
[0012]
In order to insert the key into the keyhole, the knob 12 is held by the fingertip, the pointed portion 11a is inserted in alignment with the center of the keyhole, and the shoulder 11b is abutted against the outer end surface of the inner cylinder of the cylinder lock.
[0013]
Thereafter, the key is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to perform locking and unlocking.
[0014]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 31 indicates a cylindrical mounting tool, which is fixed to a lock box (not shown) installed inside the door 30, and a cylinder lock 20 is fixed inside thereof. .
[0015]
As is well known, the cylinder lock 20 is composed of an outer cylinder 21 and an inner cylinder 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner cylinder 22 projects forward (outward) from the outer end surface of the outer cylinder 21.
[0016]
Incidentally, reference numeral 23 in FIG. 2 indicates the inner surface in the thickness direction of the key hole of the cylinder lock, and reference numeral 24 in FIG. 3 indicates the inner surface in the width direction of the key hole.
[0017]
An outer sleeve 41 having a flange 41a at the front end is fixed to the outside of the mounting bracket 31 by, for example, caulking, and an inner sleeve 42 having a flange 42a at the rear end is also fixed to the inner side of the outer sleeve 41 by caulking or the like. ing.
[0018]
The key guide cover 40 is rotatable between the flange 41a at the front end of the outer sleeve 41 and the flange 42a at the rear end of the inner sleeve 42 so as to be sandwiched between them and the inner cylinder 20 of the cylinder lock. It is installed.
[0019]
In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusions or grooves formed in the rear portion of the key guide cover 40 along the generatrix direction are engaged with the grooves or protrusions formed in the distal end portion of the inner cylinder 22, thereby The key guide cover 40 and the inner cylinder 22 are connected in a state where mutual rotation is restrained.
[0020]
With the above-described structure, when the inner cylinder 22 is rotated by the key, the key guide cover 40 rotates with the inner cylinder 22 while sliding between the inner surface of the flange 41a of the outer sleeve and the inner surface of the inner sleeve 42. It has become.
[0021]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 32 denotes a decorative ring for covering the mounting bracket 31 and making the appearance look graceful.
[0022]
A shallow rectangular recess 40b (see FIG. 4) is formed inside the key guide cover 40, and a pair of shutters 43, 43 are accommodated in the recess so as to be movable in the vertical direction in FIG. , Being guided.
[0023]
Each of the shutters 43 has a thick strip-like shape, and its length is slightly smaller than the distance between the left and right inner surfaces of the recessed portion 40b. Therefore, the shutter 43 is fitted so as to slide smoothly up and down within the recessed portion 40b. ing.
[0024]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a cover plate 44 is attached to the back side of the pair of shutters 43, 43 by a set screw 46 to prevent the shutters 43, 43 from falling off from the recessed portions 40b. .
[0025]
Incidentally, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cover plate 44 is connected to the recessed portion 40 b, and one end (right end in FIG. 4) is inserted from the outside into a slit 40 d opened on the outer peripheral surface of the key guide cover 40. In this manner, the key guide cover 40 is attached.
[0026]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, protruding spring sheets 40c and 40c are formed at one end of the recessed portion 40b, while the spring sheet 43b is also formed at one end of the shutter 43 facing the spring sheets 40c and 40c. 43b is projected.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 4, for example, four springs 45, 45 are elastically mounted between these spring seats, and the pair of shutters 43, 43 are brought close to each other by the elasticity of these springs 45, 45. It is so energized.
[0028]
Therefore, in a normal state where the locking / unlocking operation is not performed, the upper and lower shutters 43 and 43 are in contact with each other on the horizontal center line of the cylinder lock.
[0029]
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the key guide cover 40 is formed with a pyramid-shaped guide surface 40a. The guide surface 40a is formed on the outer side (leftward in FIG. 2) as shown in FIG. ) Is a shape that expands toward.
[0030]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the pyramidal guide surface 40a monotonously decreases in cross section as viewed from the front, but the guide surface 40a has a concave shape 40b. The distance between the upper and lower opening edges of the horizontally long rectangular hole that opens in the connecting portion, that is, the recessed portion 40b, is set to be slightly larger than the thickness of the keyhole.
[0031]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the distance between the left and right opening edges of the horizontally long rectangular hole opening in the recessed portion 40b of 40a is a dimension slightly larger than the width 14 of the key shoulder 11b shown in FIG. It has become.
[0032]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a flat pyramid-shaped guide surface 43 a is formed on the outer surface side of the joint portion of the pair of shutters 43, 43, and the guide surface 43 a of the shutter joint portion and the key guide are formed. The guide surface 40a formed on the cover 40 is smoothly connected without a step.
[0033]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when locking and unlocking the cylinder lock equipped with the key guide with the keyhole shutter constructed as described above, the key stem 11 is exposed from the outside (left side in the figure) from the key guide cover. It is inserted into 40 pyramid shaped guide holes.
[0034]
At this time, when the center of the stem 11 of the key 10 is deviated from the center of the cylinder lock, the front end portion of the key 10 is mainly forcibly guided by coming into contact with the guide surface 40a, and at the joint portion of the shutters 43 and 43 It is guided to the outer end opening of the guide surface 43a.
[0035]
When the key is further pushed, the key point 11a is guided to the guide surface 43a of the shutter 43, and the tip thereof is accurately guided to the center of the keyhole of the cylinder lock. At the same time, the key point 11a and the shutter The shutter is opened by the wedge action with the guide surface 43a. This is shown in FIGS.
[0036]
When the front end portion of the key is inserted into the key hole, the subsequent locking / unlocking operation is performed in the same manner as the key insertion in the ordinary lock, and finally, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the key shoulder 11b. Is in contact with the outer end surface 22a of the inner cylinder to complete the insertion.
[0037]
The key guide operation of the key guide with the keyhole shutter according to the present invention will be described in more detail as follows.
[0038]
That is, as described above, the dimension in the key thickness direction of the opening at the inner ends of the two guide surfaces 40a of the key guide cover 40 is set to be slightly larger than the thickness of the key hole. Accordingly, the key thickness direction is guided to the center of the key hole when the key point 11a passes the guide surface 40a of the key guide cover.
[0039]
However, the horizontal dimension of the inner end of the guide surface 40 a of the key guide cover 40 is slightly larger than the width 14 of the outer edge 13 of the key shoulder, and the height of the two shoulders is higher than the width of the stem 11. The dimensions are much larger.
[0040]
Accordingly, the key width direction is not guided to the center of the keyhole even when the sharp portion 11a passes through the guide surface 40a.
[0041]
Therefore, the shutters 43 and 43 are arranged in the back of the key guide cover 40, and a flat pyramid-shaped guide surface 43a of the key is formed at the joint portion of these shutters, and the key point 11a is guided to the center of the key hole. It is what you do.
[0042]
Thus, the sharp portion 11a is guided to the center in the width direction of the key, and simultaneously opens the shutter and enters the keyhole.
[0043]
In the above description, the guide surface 40a of the key guide cover 40 is depicted as a flat slope, but it is not actually limited to this shape. For example, as shown in FIG. Of course, it may be a continuous shape, or it may be a shape formed of a curved surface as shown in FIG.
[0044]
Furthermore, the key guide cover 40 can be easily visually recognized even in dark places such as evening or at night by applying a coating made of a phosphorescent material such as fluorescent paint on the guide surface. Easier to operate.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
The key guide with a keyhole shutter according to the present invention described above has a key guide cover with a built-in shutter on the outside of a conventionally used cylinder lock. But even in the dark at night, you can easily insert the key into the keyhole.
[0046]
In addition, since the shutter always closes the keyhole, it is possible to prevent rainwater and dust from entering the keyhole.
[0047]
Furthermore, the key guide with a keyhole shutter can be attached to an existing cylinder lock later, and there is an advantage that it is not necessary to newly attach it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a general structure of a key of a cylinder lock.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cylinder lock equipped with a key guide with a keyhole shutter according to the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.
4 is a front view of the key guide cover as seen from the IV-IV direction in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a key tip is inserted into a key guide with a keyhole shutter.
6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG.
7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cylinder lock similar to FIG. 2, showing a state where the key is completely inserted into the cylinder lock.
8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cylinder lock taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a key guide cover showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a key guide cover showing still another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Key 11 Stem 11a Pointed portion 11b Shoulder 12 Knob 13 Outer edge 14 Width 20 Cylinder lock 21 Outer tube 22 Inner tube 22a Outer end surface 23 Key hole inner surface (thickness direction)
31 Mounting bracket 32 Cosmetic ring 40 Key guide cover 40a Guide surface 40b Recess 40c Spring seat 41 Outer sleeve 41a Flange 42 Inner sleeve 42a Flange 43 Shutter 43a Guide surface 43b Spring seat 44 Cover plate 45 Spring

Claims (1)

A guide surface that is pivotably attached to the outer end of the inner cylinder of the cylinder lock and that expands outward in the thickness direction and the width direction of the key hole toward the outer side in the direction of the axis of rotation of the inner cylinder. A key guide cover provided along the inner end of the guide surface and having a thickness dimension in the opening direction slightly larger than the thickness of the keyhole, and a portion of the key guide cover adjacent to the outer end surface of the inner cylinder The guide holes are movably guided in the thickness direction of the keyhole, biased in directions close to each other, and formed with a guide surface extending outward in the thickness direction and the width direction of the keyhole. In a normal state where the shutter has a shutter and unlocking / unlocking operation is not performed, the guide surface formed on the key guide cover and the guide surface of the shutter joint are formed so as to be smoothly connected. During operation, guide the key key to the center of the keyhole and simultaneously Key guide keyhole with shutter, characterized in that so as to enter the keyhole opening the coater.

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