Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02519843 2005-09-15
TITLE: LOCKING SYSTEM WITH HIDDEN KEYED ACCESS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a locking system with
hidden keyed access that cannot be engaged or rotated
other than with a special coded key. The locking system
can be applied to a variety of locking applications but
has particular applicability in the recreation industry
including bicycles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various key and cylinder locking systems are known where
the locking cylinder is exposed so that a key can be
inserted to unlock the device. Such systems can be
relatively easily picked or tampered with by inserting a
slender object into the cylinder opening. Recently it has
been shown that even a pen can open some known locking
systems.
Forcing a sharp-pointed object into the cylinder opening
can also easily damage Key and cylinder systems. Key and
cylinder systems are large and bulky and are not
practical in many applications where space is not
available such as bicycle wheels.
There is a need for a locking system that is more secure
and theft resistant than traditional key and cylinder
systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a locking system that is
more secure and theft resistant than traditional key and
cylinder systems.
In preferred embodiment the present invention provides a
locking system with hidden keyed access where access to
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the locking mechanism is hidden from view and cannot be
rotated or engaged by screwdrivers, pens or other common
tools.
In another aspect the present invention provides one
combination key that operates a primary and other related
secondary locking systems on an object, such as a
bicycle.
In a further aspect the present invention provides lockup
in applications where large and bulky key and cylinder
systems are not possible or practical.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the
drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a side plan view partially in cross-
section of a primary locking system in the form of a U-
Lock without hidden keyed access of the present invention
Figure 2 is a side plan view partially in cross-
section of the U-lock of Figure 1 having one embodiment
of a hidden keyed access according to the present
invention.
Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one
end of the U-lock of Figure 2 a key inserted into the
hidden keyed access.
Figure 4 is a side view in cross section of the
key and hidden keyed access of the locking system of
Figure 3 with the key not engaged.
Figure 5 is a side view in cross section of the
key and hidden keyed access of the locking system of
Figure 3 with the key engaged.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a secondary
component locking system in the form of a bicycle head
set.
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Figure 7 is a photo of a POG washer in accordance
with the present invention used in conjunction with a
tamper resistant nut on a bicycle locking skewer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While the present invention may be used in a wide variety
of applications one embodiment will be described with
reference to a U-lock which can be used for locking up a
variety of objects particularly bicycles. With reference
to Figure 1 one embodiment of a U-Lock is illustrated.
The U-lock, generally indicated at 1, consists of a U-
shaped shackle 2 designed to have its ends 3,4 inserted
within a cylindrical tube or lock body 5. The locking
mechanism includes within the lock body 5, an inner tube
6, that is adapted to be rotated by a key from a locking
to an unlocking position and back, to lock and unlock
shackle 2 within the lock body 5. The inner tube 6 has an
end plug 7 at one end 8 and a driven plug 9 at the other
end 10. A driver 11 is biased away from contact with the
driven plug 9 by compression spring 12 or other suitable
bias means. Driver 11 is equipped with a projecting shaft
13 sized and shaped to fit within a corresponding hole 14
on the face 15 of the driven plug 9. In Figure 1 both
projecting shaft 13 and the hole 14 on driven plug 9 have
a hex-shaped cross-section albeit other shapes are
possible. The face 16 of the driver 11 remote from shaft
13 is provided with keyed access means that can be
engaged by a key to rotate driver 11. In the embodiment
shown the keyed access means includes a convex nut 17
that is attached to driver 11. The means of attachment in
Figure 1 is that nut 17 is threaded on and then riveted
to driver 9. A convex face 18 of nut 17 is preferably
provided with at least two cutouts 19 spaced away from
the axis of rotation of nut 17. The cutouts 19 are
located, sized and shaped for engagement by the mating
member on a specific key (not shown) for rotation of the
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nut and driver about their axis. The cutouts 19 and key
are preferably of the type described in US Patent
6,341,927.
To operate the U-Lock of Figure 1, a combination key (not
shown) is inserted onto and into engagement with nut 17
so that projections on the key engage the cutouts 19 on
nut 17. As noted above nut 17 is fixed to one side of
driver 11. The driver 11 is floating in the lock body 5
by the weak compression spring 12. Unless the driver 11
is pushed in parallel with its axis, the shaft 13 on the
driver 11 cannot engage with the hole 14 in the driven
plug 9. The driven plug 9 is welded on the inner tube 6
so the inner tube 6 can be turned with the rotation of
the driven plug 9. On the inner tube 6 there are two "D"
holes to hold the shackle 2 and the shackle 2 goes
through to the opposite side. The inner tube 6 also
rotates limited angle and held in place by a lock pin 20.
The end plug 7 is welded on the other end of the inner
tube 6 and has a space for holding a torsion spring 21.
The torsion spring 21 is held between the end plug 7 and
an end cover 22.
Rotating the driven plug 9 can release the shackle 2. A
nut end cover 23 is provided around the nut 17. End cover
22 and nut end cover 23 are held in place by wire rings
24.
In the embodiment of the U-Lock shown in Figure 1, co-
axial access to the nut 17 or other keyed access means is
unhindered. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, nut 17
is recessed within nut end cover 22 to prevent access
from the side. To preclude unhindered co-axial access to
the nut 17 or other keyed access means, the present
invention, as shown in Figures 2 - 5, provides an outer
cylinder casing according to one embodiment of the
present invention enclosing keyed access means, in this
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case the nut. By hiding the keyed access means to direct
access, the keyed access means cannot be engaged or
rotated other than with a matching coded key. While
Figures 2 to 5 only show the locking system with hidden
keyed access means of the present invention in
conjunction with a U-lock, the hidden keyed access means
can be used with other locking applications. For example
on a bicycle there may be locking skewers used to hold
the wheels and/or seat in place and/or locking head sets
to hold the handle bars in place and/or locking skewers
on vehicle racks. In accordance with the present
invention, one combination key can be provided to lock
and unlock the primary locking device (i.e. the U-lock)
retaining the bicycle to a fixed object such as a bike
rack and the other component secondary locking systems on
the bicycle (i.e. locking skewers, head set etc.).
In the embodiment shown in Figures 2-5, the present
invention features a keyed access means in the form of a
convex combination nut and a concave combination key
which match one another to provide positive engagement.
The convex combination nut is recessed and hidden from
view within a protective enclosure. To operate the lock,
the key must be first be inserted through a narrow slot
in the side of the protective enclosure. The key can then
be plunged towards the combination nut to create positive
engagement. The present invention is a significant
improvement over the prior art by providing a locking
mechanism that is not accessible or visible and thus is
more difficult to pick or tamper with.
With reference to Figures 2-5 the U-lock 30 has a similar
construction to the U-lock shown in Figure 1. In Figures
2-5, a keyed access means in the form of a combination
nut 51 (number 17 in Figure 1) is housed within an outer
casing 52. The combination nut 51 is preferably of the
type described in US Patent 6,341,927. The operative
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components of combination nut 51 are preferably at least
two cutouts provided on the face of the combination nut
51 and spaced away from the axis of rotation. The cutouts
are located, sized and shaped for engagement by the
mating member on a specific key for rotation of the nut
about its axis. Outer casing 52 has a cylindrical outer
wall 53 and end wall 54. Cylindrical outer wall 53 and
end wall 54 hide the operative components of combination
nut 51 from view and prevent the use of common tools to
engage and rotate the combination nut 51. A narrow slot
55 is provided within the cylindrical outer wall 53 and
end wall 54. The casing 52 can have any shape but in the
embodiment illustrated is cylindrical and sized to fit on
the end of the lock body of the U-lock. In other
applications the size and shape of the casing 52 may vary
to fit the application. The key 56 in the embodiment
shown (see Figures 3-5) has a body portion 57 with a
concave engaging surface 58 with projections 59 coded to
match the size, shape and location of the cutouts 60 on
combination nut 51. A shaft 61 extends from the surface
62 of body portion 57 opposite the concave engaging
surface 58. At the free end 63 of shaft 61 is a handle 64
pivotally mounted to shaft 61. The shaft 61 is sized to
fit in slot 55. The key 56 operates the lock by first
inserting it through slot 55 in the outer casing 52 and
then plunging it towards combination nut 51 to cause
active engagement with the combination nut 51.
Figure 6 illustrates another locking application where
use of the same key as used on the primary locking system
i.e.U-Lock, can be used to lock a secondary component
locking system in the form of a bicycle head set. The
head set, generally indicated at 100, is used to hold the
handle bars to the bike. One end 101 of the head set 100
is equipped with a clamp member 102 which can be
tightened to the body 103 of head set 100 to hold the
handle bars (not shown) in the recess 104 defined between
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the end 101 of head set 100 and clamp member 102. The
other end 105 of the body 103 of head set 100 is adapted
to connect the head set to the frame of the bicycle. A
top cap or casing 106 is provided around a vertical hole
107 in the end 105 of the body 103 of head set 100. Keyed
access means in the form of bolt 108, having a convex
head 109 and threaded shaft 110, is recessed within top
cap 106 with shaft 110 passing through the hole 107 and
threading into the bike frame (not shown) to hold the
head set in place. The convex head 109 of bolt 108 is
preferably of the type described in US Patent 6,341,927.
The operative components to permit rotation of bolt 108
are preferably at least two cutouts 118 provided on the
face of the convex head 109 and spaced away from the axis
of rotation of the bolt. The cutouts are located, sized
and shaped for engagement by the mating member on a
specific key for rotation of the nut about its axis as
described above for the U-Lock. The cutouts can use the
same combination as for the U-Lock described above and
therefore can use the same key. By recessing the head of
the bolt 108 it makes it difficult to access it with
common tools. A washer 111 is provided with a depending
and outwardly extending tab 112. Washer 111 is placed
between the head of the bolt 108 and the recess 113 in
the top cap 106 with tab 112 fitting into a slot 114 in
top cap 106 and a second slot 115 in the stem 116 at the
end 105 of the head set 100. The tab 112 on washer 111
prevents the top cap from being turned in an effort to
turn bolt 108. The side wall of top cap 106 can be
extended and an end wall provided to result in a hidden
locking system similar to the one described in Figures 2-
5.
The head set of Figure 6 provides a compact, light-weight
headset locking system which is compatible with standard
bicycle designs. The head set of the present invention
overcomes problems with prior art through the use of a
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convex-head combination bolt which can be rotated/torqued
only with the use of a matching key. The invention
features a slotted cap with a recessed center cavity.
When installed in its locked position, the combination
bolt convex head is recessed within the center cavity of
the slotted cap, thus preventing access by tools or other
pointed objects which could be used to pry or dislodge
the combination bolt. The slotted cap also prevents the
use of pin-style universal wrenches (known by the
tradename "Gatorn-wrenches). The slotted perimeter of the
cap causes such pin wrenches to become engaged in the
cap, thus preventing their rotation of the combination
bolt. The invention also features a POG washer which
serves to prevent relative rotation between the slotted
cap and the bicycle headset stem. This prevents removal
of the lock by rotation of the slotted cap itself.
The slotted cap is inserted into the bicycle headset
stem. The POG washer is then inserted into the recessed
cavity of the slotted cap. The combination bolt is then
inserted and tightened into the bicycle headset stem to
prevent its removal from the bicycle frame. The center
cavity of the slotted cap provides a recessed protective
enclosure around the perimeter of the convex-head
combination bolt, thus preventing pointed objects such as
screwdrivers from gaining access to beneath the
combination bolt head. The POG washer features a
tangential leg which fits into the gap in the headset
stem and the slot of the slotted cap to prevent their
relative rotation. The combination bolt is threaded and
tightened into the headset stem to provide an effective
locking system which cannot be opened without the use of
a matching combination key.
Another example of a secondary component locking system
utilizing the same key as the U-lock and head set is
shown in Figure 7. A variation of the POG washer with two
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upstanding tangential tabs or legs can be used as
illustrated in Figure 7 with other applications of the
tamper resistant fastener of the type described in US
Patent No. 6,341,927. Figure 7 illustrates the use of the
POG washer with locking skewers for the wheel of a
bicycle. The two upstanding tangential legs 121 or tabs
prevents the use of pin-style universal wrenches (known
by the tradename "Gator"-wrenches) from turning the
locking nut 122. The POG washer 120, together with
conventional washer/spacers 125, 126 on either side of
POG washer 120 slide over the end of the locking skewer
that would extend beyond the bicycle frame 124. A
depending flange 127 on POG washer 120 is adapted to fit
in the slot 123 on the bicycle frame to prevent the POG
washer 120 from turning. A tamper resistant locking nut
122 is then tightened on the threaded end of the locking
skewer.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described herein in detail, it will
be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit or scope of the invention.
