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EP-4540484-B1 - A PADLOCK BODY FOR ENGAGING WITH A REPLACEABLE LOCKING CYLINDER

EP4540484B1EP 4540484 B1EP4540484 B1EP 4540484B1EP-4540484-B1

Inventors

  • Wistrand, Joel
  • ERIKSSON, TOMAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230602

Claims (13)

  1. A padlock body (10) for engaging with a replaceable locking cylinder (20) comprising: an actuator (30) comprising a groove (32), the actuator (30) being rotatable about a vertical axis (X) between a locked position and an unlocked position; the actuator (30) further comprising a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, the first end comprising the groove (32) and the second end being operatively connectable to the replaceable locking cylinder (20); a shackle (12) comprising a first end (13) and a second end (14), the first end (13) being attached to said padlock body (10), the second end (14) being movable for engaging with the groove (32) of the actuator (30); and at least one fastener (40) for securing the padlock body (10) to the replaceable locking cylinder (20); wherein in the unlocked position, the actuator (30) is rotated about the vertical axis (X) such that the groove (32) of the actuator (30) is positioned for engaging with the second end (14) of the shackle (12); in the locked position, the actuator (30) is rotated about the vertical axis (X) such that, when the second end (14) of the shackle (12) is engaged with the groove (32) of the actuator (30), the second end (14) of the shackle (12) is restrained within the groove (32) of the actuator (30), and wherein the padlock body (10) further comprises a first blocking element (55) and a first lateral hole (50) for receiving the first blocking element (55), the first lateral hole (50) intersecting a fastening direction of the fastener (40), such that removal of the fastener (40) is hindered by the first blocking element (55); and the first end (13) of the shackle (12) further comprises a first recess (15), the first recess (15) radially enclosing part of the first lateral hole (50) when the second end (14) of the shackle (12) is disengaged with the groove (32) of the actuator (30), such that in the unlocked position, the first recess (15) and the first lateral hole (50) are aligned in a same plane, thereby exposing the first blocking element (55) inserted therein; and in the locked position, the first recess (15) is moved away from the radially enclosing position, such that the first end (13) of the shackle (12) hinders access to the first blocking element (55) inserted therein.
  2. The padlock body (10) according to claim 1, further comprising an indentation (11), said indentation (11) being aligned with the groove (32) of the actuator (30) in the unlocked position.
  3. The padlock body (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first end (13) of the shackle (12) rotates about a vertical axis which is parallel to the vertical axis (X) of the actuator (30).
  4. The padlock body (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the second end (14) of the shackle (12) comprises a depression adapted to interlock with the groove (32) of the actuator (30).
  5. The padlock body (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the actuator (30) rotates about 90 degrees between the unlocked position and the locked position.
  6. The padlock body (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the fastener (40) comprises at least one screw or bolt, each of the at least one screw or bolt being releasably fixed into a hole extending through part of the padlock body (10) and part of the replaceable locking cylinder (20).
  7. The padlock body (10) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the first blocking element (55) is a screw or a bolt.
  8. The padlock body (10) according to the claim 1-7, wherein: the padlock body (10) further comprises a second blocking element (65) and a second lateral hole (60) for receiving the second blocking element (65), the second lateral hole (60) being substantially perpendicular to a fastening direction of the fastener (40); and the first end (13) of the shackle (12) further comprises a second recess (16), the second recess (16) radially enclosing part of the second lateral hole (60), such that the second blocking element (65) inserted into the second lateral hole (60) engages with the second recess (16), thereby fixing the first end (13) of the shackle (12) to the padlock body (10) and hindering axial movements of the first end (13) of the shackle (12).
  9. The padlock body (10) according to claim 8, wherein the second blocking element (65) is a pin or a rod.
  10. The padlock body (10) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the padlock body (10) is adapted for engaging with a standard replaceable locking cylinder (20), such as an oval replaceable locking cylinder (20).
  11. A padlock (1) comprising the padlock body (10) as defined in any one of claims 1-10 and a replaceable locking cylinder (20).
  12. The padlock (1) according to claim 11 wherein the replaceable locking cylinder (20) is an oval replaceable locking cylinder (20).
  13. A method of replacing a replaceable locking cylinder (20) from a padlock (1) comprising a padlock body (10) and a replaceable locking cylinder (20), the padlock body (10) comprising: an actuator (30) comprising a groove (32), the actuator (30) being rotatable about a vertical axis (X) between a locked position and an unlocked position; the actuator (30) further comprising a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, the first end comprising the groove (32) and the second end being operatively connectable to the replaceable locking cylinder (20); a shackle (12) comprising a first end (13) and a second end (14), the first end (13) being attached to said padlock body (10), the second end (14) being movable for engaging with the groove (32) of the actuator (30); at least one fastener (40) securing the padlock body (10) to the replaceable locking cylinder (20); a first blocking element (55) and a first lateral hole (50) for receiving the first blocking element (55), the first lateral hole (50) intersecting a fastening direction of the fastener (40), such that removal of the fastener (40) is hindered by the first blocking element (55); and the first end (13) of the shackle (12) further comprises a first recess (15), the first recess (15) radially enclosing part of the first lateral hole (50) when the second end (14) of the shackle (12) is disengaged with the groove (32) of the actuator (30), said method comprising the steps of: i. positioning the padlock (1) into an unlocked position, whereby the first recess (15) and the first lateral hole (50) are aligned in a same plane, thereby exposing the first blocking element (55) inserted therein; ii. removing the first blocking element (55) from the first lateral hole (50), thereby exposing the at least one fastener (40); iii. removing the at least one fastener (40) attaching the padlock body (10) to the replaceable locking cylinder (20); and iv. replacing the replaceable locking cylinder (20).

Description

Technical field The present invention relates generally to a padlock body for engaging with a replaceable locking cylinder, a padlock comprising a padlock body and a replaceable locking cylinder, and methods thereof. Background art A padlock is a detachable locking device comprising three basic components: a padlock body, a shackle and a locking mechanism. The padlock body comprises an internal cavity holding the locking mechanism. The shackle works with what is being secured, locked, by the padlock (e.g., chain link or hasp) and is usually elongated and has two ends. The shackle can be straight but usually the shackle is looped, on a somewhat U-shaped. A first end of the shackle is attached to the padlock body in a pivotal and/or rotatable manner and a second end, when the padlock is to be secured and locked in a working position, is to be pivoted/rotated and placed into an opening in the padlock body to get into a position where the locking mechanism is working on the second end of the shackle and by that locking the padlock. A typical padlock comprises a padlock body having a shackle and a locking cylinder. The locking cylinder comprises a locking mechanism such as a plug having a cam at one end, chambers having springs and pins, and latches. When they key is inserted into the plug, the pins are moved such that the key can rotate the plug. Further, the rotation of the plug rotates a cam, which pulls the latches and releases the shackle. Some padlocks are both key-operated and combination-operated for allowing a backup solution in case the key or the combination is lost. A problem with such padlocks is that they are costly to manufacture, and complex to substitute the locking mechanism and/or locking cylinder from the padlock body, since it must be fixed by a skilled locksmith. It may be more effective to substitute the whole padlock, which also increases the costs, the environmental impact, and requires that the padlock is unlocked. Moreover, said padlocks can have security issues, since the screw or pin that fixes the locking cylinder to the padlock body is in sight and may be easily accessed or removed, even when the padlock is in a locked position. Patent publication US 9 228 373 B2 discloses a combination-identifiable padlock, wherein the combination is retrievable to avoid the combination lock cylinder to become unusable when the combination is forgotten. This is achieved by inserting a correct key, allowing rotation of the key lock cylinder to actuate an identification assembly. Summary of invention An object of the present invention is thus to overcome or at least mitigate one or more of the problems described herein. Another object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost padlock body that is easy to manufacture and that has an attached or attachable locking cylinder that is simple to substitute. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a secure padlock body that avoids or reduces picking, jamming and other security breaches, such as the removal of one or more elements, such as screws, from the padlock or padlock body. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and from the claims. One or more objects of the invention are solved by providing a padlock body for engaging with a replaceable locking cylinder comprising: an actuator comprising a groove, the actuator being rotatable about a vertical axis between a locked position and an unlocked position; the actuator further comprising a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, the first end comprising the groove and the second end being operatively connectable to the replaceable locking cylinder;a shackle comprising a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to said padlock body, the second end being movable for engaging with the groove of the actuator; andat least one fastener for securing the padlock body to the replaceable locking cylinder;whereinin the unlocked position, the actuator is rotated about the vertical axis X such that the groove of the actuator is positioned for engaging with the second end of the shackle;in the locked position, the actuator is rotated about the vertical axis X such that, when the second end of the shackle is engaged with the groove of the actuator, the second end of the shackle is restrained within the groove of the actuator and whereinthe padlock body further comprises a first blocking element and a first lateral hole for receiving the first blocking element, the first lateral hole intersecting a fastening direction of the fastener, such that removal of the fastener is hindered by the first blocking element; andthe first end of the shackle further comprises a first recess, the first recess radially enclosing part of the first lateral hole when the second end of the shackle is disengaged with the groove of the actuator, such that in the unlocked position, the first recess and the first lateral hol