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US 2006/0021406 A1Published application
Programmable lock with a controlled programming position
AssigneeEZ Change Lock Company, LLC
InventorRodrick Herdman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A key-operated lock that can be programmed for use with one of a plurality of user keys without disassembling the lock or replacing the tumblers. The lock operates with a user key so that the lock plug turns only in one direction to unlatch or unbolt, and can not operate or rotate in the opposite direction. The lock also cannot be programmed or reconfigured with an operable user key. The lock is typically manually latched or bolted into a locked configuration. The lock is configured to permit rotation in the opposite direction only when using a programming key, which can reconfigure or program the lock for use with another user key.
Claims20
A programmable lock assembly that can be reconfigured to operate with a user keys selected from a set of keys, without disassembling the lock, comprising:
- a) a housing having a cylindrical bore with an inner surface and a plurality of driver chambers intersecting the bore surface;
- b) a plurality of drivers, each driver being movable within one driver chamber and being urged toward the inner surface;
- and
- c) a plug having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably mounted within the bore so as to form a shear surface at the interface of the inner surface and the plug periphery, the plug being rotatable from a key insertion position in a first direction to an operating position, and in a second direction to a programming position, the plug comprising:
- 1) a keyway configured to receive the plurality of user keys selected from a set of keys comprising a first user key having a first contour edge and a second user key having a second contour edge, wherein the first contour edge and the second contour edge each have at least a first contour position and a second contour position that are differently configured, and a programming key configured to rotate the plug in the second direction to the programming position;
- 2) a plurality of tumbler chambers intersecting the plug periphery and the keyway, each tumbler chamber being aligned with a driver chamber when the plug is at the key insertion position so as to form a pin chamber, and wherein at least one of the tumbler chambers is a programming tumbler chamber;
- 3) a plurality of retainer cavities formed into the periphery, each retainer cavity being spaced apart from a corresponding tumbler chamber and aligned with a corresponding driver chamber when the plug is at the programming position;
- 4) a means for enabling rotation of the plug with a user key in the first direction to the operating position;
- and
- 5) a means of preventing rotation of the plug with an inserted user key in the second direction to the programming position;
- d) a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler being movable within a tumbler chamber;
- e) a plurality of lock configuration change members, each change member being associated with one pin chamber, and being movable within the lock between a first position within the pin chamber, and a second position within the retainer cavity;
- and
- f) a means for moving the plurality of change members from the second position within the corresponding retainer cavity position to the first position within the pin chamber when the lock is in the programming position.
11 more elements
A programmable lock assembly that can be reconfigured to operate with different keys of a set of user keys, without disassembling the lock, comprising:
- a) a housing having a cylindrical bore with an inner surface and a plurality of driver chambers intersecting the bore surface;
- b) a plurality of drivers, each driver being movable within one driver chamber and being urged toward the inner surface;
- and
- c) a plug having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably mounted within the bore so as to form a shear line at the interface of the inner surface and the plug periphery, the plug being rotatable in a first direction between a key insertion position and an operating position where the lock operates to unlatch, and comprising:
- 1) a keyway configured to receive a key selected from a set of keys;
- 2) a plurality of tumbler chambers intersecting the plug periphery and the keyway, each tumbler chamber being aligned with a driver chamber when the plug is at the key insertion position so as to form a pin chamber and wherein at least one of the tumbler chambers is a programming tumbler chamber;
- 3) a plurality of retainer cavities formed into the periphery, each retainer cavity being spaced apart from a corresponding tumbler chamber and aligned with a corresponding driver chamber when the plug is at the programming position;
- 4) a tapered groove associated with the programming tumbler chamber, originating at a descending point in the periphery that is circumferentially displaced from the programming tumbler chamber, and extending radially inwardly and circumferentially to an edge that intersects the programming tumbler chamber to form an operating shear line, and
- 5) a change slot that intersects a portion of the retainer cavities;
- d) a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler being movable within one of the plurality of tumbler chambers;
- e) a plurality of lock configuration change members, each change member being associated with one pin chamber, movable within the lock between a first position within the pin chamber between the driver and tumbler, and a second position within the retainer cavity, and being movable from the second position within the retainer cavity upon engagement of a change tool in the change slot;
- and
- f) a set of keys comprising at least a first user key having a first contour edge and a second user key having a second contour edge, wherein the first contour edge and the second contour edge each have at least a first contour position and a second contour position that are differently configured, wherein the first user key operates the lock in a first lock configuration but does not operate the lock in a second lock configuration, wherein the second user key operates the lock in the second lock configuration but does not operate the lock in the first lock configuration.
10 more elements
A programmable lock assembly that can be reconfigured to operate with a plurality of different user keys of a set of keys, without disassembling the lock. The lock comprises:
- a) a housing having a cylindrical bore and a plurality of driver chambers intersecting the bore surface;
- b) a plurality of drivers, each driver being movable within one driver chamber and being urged toward the bore surface;
- and
- c) a plug rotatably mounted within the bore so as to form a shear line at the interface of the bore and the plug periphery, the plug being rotatable in a first direction between a key insertion position and an operating position, the plug further comprising:
- 1) a keyway configured to receive a key selected from the set of keys;
- 2) a plurality of tumbler chambers intersecting the plug periphery and the keyway, each tumbler chamber being aligned with a driver chamber when the plug is at the key insertion position and wherein at least one of the tumbler chambers is a programming tumbler chamber;
- 3) at least one retainer cavity formed into the periphery, and aligned with a corresponding driver chamber when the plug is rotated between the key insertion position and the operating position;
- 4) a means for enabling rotation of the plug with a user key in the first direction to the operating position;
- and
- 5) a means of preventing rotation of the plug with an inserted user key in the second direction to the programming position;
- d) a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler being movable within a tumbler chamber;
- and
- e) at least one lock configuration change member associated with a pin chamber, movable within the lock from a first position within the pin chamber to a second position within the retainer cavity solely in response to insertion of a user key and rotation of the plug to the programming position,
- wherein a first user key can rotate the plug to the operating position in a first lock configuration where the at least one change member is in the pin chamber, but can not rotate the plug to the operating position in a second lock configuration where the at least one change member is in the retainer cavity, and wherein a second user key operates the lock in the first and the second lock configurations.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.