US-12618266-B2 - Locking mechanism and rotating key

US12618266B2US 12618266 B2US12618266 B2US 12618266B2US-12618266-B2

Abstract

A lock system includes a swing latch, one or more pins, and a channel. The swing latch includes a latch arm having a keyed profile at a first end and a swing bar extending from a second end. The one or more pins have a hook portion and a peg portion. The hook portion defines an aperture. The hook portion is configured to engage the swing bar and the aperture is configured to release the swing bar. The channel is configured to accommodate a rotational movement of the swing latch, such that, responsive to the aperture aligning with the swing bar, the swing latch is permitted to rotate through the channel.

Inventors

Ryan Ver Weyst

Assignees

Ryan Ver Weyst

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240913

Claims (20)

1 . A lock system comprising: a swing latch including a latch arm having a keyed profile at a first end and a swing bar extending from a second end; one or more pins having a hook portion and a peg portion, the hook portion defining an aperture, wherein the hook portion is configured to engage the swing bar and the aperture is configured to release the swing bar; and a channel configured to accommodate a rotational movement of the swing latch, such that, responsive to the aperture aligning with the swing bar, the swing latch is permitted to rotate through the channel; wherein at least one of: (a) the lock system further comprises a key configured to lift the one or more pins to align the aperture with the swing bar and rotate the swing latch, the key including a shaft with a sleeve rotatable about the shaft, the sleeve having a first keyed blade; (b) the swing latch includes a cam bar positioned proximate the first end of the latch arm, opposite the keyed profile; or (c) the lock system further comprises an internal locking mechanism including: a second keyed blade coupled with a spring, a first gear coupled with the swing latch and positioned opposite the keyed profile, a second gear rotatably engaged with the first gear, wherein rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the swing latch and the second gear; and a tapered member coupled to the second gear, the tapered member configured to push the second keyed blade to compress the spring.
2 . The lock system of claim 1 , further comprising the key configured to lift the one or more pins to align the aperture with the swing bar and rotate the swing latch.
3 . The lock system of claim 2 , wherein the key includes the shaft with the sleeve rotatable about the shaft, the sleeve having the first keyed blade.
4 . The lock system of claim 3 , wherein the keyed profile is a first keyed profile, wherein a free end of the shaft defines a second keyed profile, and wherein the second keyed profile of the shaft is configured to engage with the first keyed profile of the swing latch.
5 . The lock system of claim 3 , wherein the first keyed blade is configured to engage with the peg portion of the one or more pins to lift the one or more pins and align the aperture with the swing bar.
6 . The lock system of claim 3 , wherein the sleeve is removable from the shaft.
7 . The lock system of claim 1 , wherein the swing latch includes the cam bar positioned proximate the first end of the latch arm, opposite the keyed profile.
8 . The lock system of claim 7 , wherein the cam bar is configured to rotatably engaged with a deadbolt assembly such that rotation of the swing latch causes translation of the deadbolt assembly.
9 . The lock system of claim 1 , further comprising a lock housing, the lock housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the second housing portion extending perpendicularly from the first housing portion.
10 . The lock system of claim 9 , wherein the channel is disposed in the first housing portion.
11 . The lock system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more pins and a portion of the swing bar are disposed in the second housing portion.
12 . The lock system of claim 1 , further comprising the internal locking mechanism including: the second keyed blade coupled with the spring, the first gear coupled with the swing latch and positioned opposite the keyed profile, the second gear rotatably engaged with the first gear, wherein rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the swing latch and the second gear; and the tapered member coupled to the second gear, the tapered member configured to push the second keyed blade to compress the spring.
13 . The lock system of claim 12 , further comprising one or more pegs coupled with a rear side of the hook portion of the one or more pins, the one or more pegs positioned in line with the aperture of the hook portion, wherein the keyed blade, responsive to being pushed by the tapered member, is configured to engage with the one or more pegs to align the aperture of the hook portion with the swing bar.
14 . A lock system comprising: a key including: a bow; a shaft extending from the bow, the shaft having a keyed profile at a free end thereof; a sleeve rotatably coupled around the shaft; and a keyed blade extending from the sleeve; wherein at least one of: (a) the sleeve is a first sleeve and the keyed blade is a first keyed blade, wherein the first sleeve is removable from the shaft, further comprising a second sleeve with a second keyed blade that is different from the first keyed blade, wherein the second sleeve is configured to replace the first sleeve; (b) the first keyed blade is removable from the sleeve and the second keyed blade is configured to replace the first keyed blade; (c) the sleeve defines a slot, wherein the shaft includes a tab received in the slot, and wherein the slot permits partial rotation of the tab and, therefore, the shaft relative to the sleeve; or (d) the keyed profile is a first keyed profile and the lock system further comprising a lock including: a swing latch including a latch arm having a second keyed profile at a first end and a swing bar extending from a second end; and one or more pins having a hook portion and a peg portion, the hook portion defining an aperture, wherein the hook portion is configured to engage the swing bar and the aperture is configured to release the swing bar; wherein the keyed blade is configured to lift the one or more pins to align the aperture with the swing bar and the first keyed profile is configured to engage with the second keyed profile to facilitate rotating the swing latch to release the swing bar from the one or more pins to unlock the lock.
15 . The lock system of claim 14 , wherein the sleeve is the first sleeve and the keyed blade is the first keyed blade, wherein the first sleeve is removable from the shaft, further comprising the second sleeve with the second keyed blade that is different from the first keyed blade, wherein the second sleeve is configured to replace the first sleeve.
16 . The lock system of claim 14 , wherein the keyed blade is the first keyed blade, wherein the first keyed blade is removable from the sleeve, further comprising the second keyed blade that is different from the first keyed blade, wherein the second keyed blade is configured to replace the first keyed blade.
17 . The lock system of claim 14 , wherein the sleeve defines the slot, wherein the shaft includes the tab received in the slot, and wherein the slot permits partial rotation of the tab and, therefore, the shaft relative to the sleeve.
18 . The lock system of claim 17 , further comprising a spring positioned to bias the tab, wherein the tab compresses the spring upon rotation of the shaft relative to the sleeve.
19 . The lock system of claim 14 , wherein the keyed profile is the first keyed profile, further comprising the lock including: the swing latch including the latch arm having the second keyed profile at the first end and the swing bar extending from the second end; and the one or more pins having the hook portion and the peg portion, the hook portion defining the aperture, wherein the hook portion is configured to engage the swing bar and the aperture is configured to release the swing bar; wherein the keyed blade is configured to lift the one or more pins to align the aperture with the swing bar and the first keyed profile is configured to engage with the second keyed profile to facilitate rotating the swing latch to release the swing bar from the one or more pins to unlock the lock.
20 . A key-operated lock system comprising: a key including: a shaft having a first keyed profile; and a sleeve disposed around the shaft, the sleeve including a keyed blade; and a lock assembly including: a plurality of pins, each of the plurality of pins having a top portion and bottom portion, the top portion defining an aperture; and a swing latch including: a second keyed profile; and a swing bar configured to engage with the top portion of the plurality of pins; wherein, when the key is inserted into the lock assembly, (a) the keyed blade engages with the bottom portion of the plurality of pins to lift the plurality of pins to align the apertures with the swing bar and (b) the first keyed profile of the shaft engages with the second keyed profile of the swing latch to facilitate rotating the swing latch to unlock the lock assembly.

Description

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to the field of locking mechanisms. Traditional locks employ a key and lock cylinder system, where the key's unique configuration determines the unlocking sequence. It would be advantageous to integrate mechanisms that resist forced entry, manipulation, and other unauthorized methods of access, while allowing authorized users to easily unlock and relock the mechanism as needed. SUMMARY One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a lock system. The lock system includes a swing latch, one or more pins, and a channel. The swing latch includes a latch arm having a keyed profile at a first end and a swing bar extending from a second end. The one or more pins have a hook portion and a peg portion. The hook portion defines an aperture. The hook portion is configured to engage the swing bar and the aperture is configured to release the swing bar. The channel is configured to accommodate a rotational movement of the swing latch, such that, responsive to the aperture aligning with the swing bar, the swing latch is permitted to rotate through the channel. Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a lock system. The lock system includes a key. The key includes a bow, a shaft extending from the bow where the shaft has a keyed profile at a free end thereof, a sleeve rotatably coupled around the shaft, and a keyed blade extending from the sleeve. Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a key-operated lock system. The key-operated lock system includes a key and a lock assembly. The key includes a shaft having a first keyed profile and a sleeve disposed around the shaft where the sleeve includes a keyed blade. The lock assembly includes a plurality of pins and a swing latch. Each of the plurality of pins has a top portion and bottom portion. The top portion defines an aperture. The swing latch includes a second keyed profile and a swing bar configured to engage with the top portion of the plurality of pins. When the key is inserted into the lock assembly, (a) the keyed blade engages with the bottom portion of the plurality of pins to lift the plurality of pins to align the apertures with the swing bar and (b) the first keyed profile of the shaft engages with the second keyed profile of the swing latch to facilitate rotating the swing latch to unlock the lock assembly. This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent based on the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a key and a lock in a locked configuration, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the key inside of the lock with the key in a first configuration and the lock in a partially unlocked configuration, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the key inside of the lock with the key in a second configuration and the lock in an unlocked configuration, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the key and its component parts, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is a view of the lock implemented in a door along with a deadbolt, according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an internal locking mechanism of the lock, according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Below are more detailed descriptions of various concepts related to and implementations of methods, apparatuses, and systems associated with the embodiments introduced above. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and made part of this disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a lock system 10 includes a multi-component key (e.g., a two-component key), shown as key 100, and a locking mechanism, shown as lock 200. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the key 100 includes a first handle portion, shown as bow 110, a second, inner keyed portion, shown as keyed shaft 120, extending from the bow 110, and a third, outer keyed portion, shown as keyed blade 130, rotatably disposed along the keyed shaft 120. According to an exemplary embodiment, the bow 110 is configured to permit