GB2491175A

GB2491175A - Indicating means for the rotation of a key

Info

Publication number: GB2491175A
Application number: GB1108889.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jasmine Daher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-05-26
Filing date: 2011-05-26
Publication date: 2012-11-28
Also published as: GB201108889D0

Abstract

An indicating operating means for a rotationally operated device, preferably a key and a lock. The key 1 comprises an indicator 17 that shows the direction in which the key was last rotated when used to operate the lock. Preferably the indicator portion 5 connects the engaging portion 2 and the holdable portion 3 and comprises an upper section 5 and lower section 6 which rotate relative to each other. The upper or lower section may have at least one, preferably two, protrusions 14 which engage with corresponding recesses 15. In use, when the key turns the lock into the locked position the user continues to rotate the holdable portion overcoming the spring bias 12 13 and disengaging the protrusion from the recess. A torque is continued to be applied to the holdable portion and it rotates until the limit position 16 is reached. The indicating means 17 now displays a different position for the lock (compare Figs. 1/2). Unlocking requires an additional rotation of the holding means 3 prior to activating the lock mechanism.

Description

TITLE

Indicating Operating Means for a Rotationally Operated Device

DESCRIPTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to devices that are operated by inserting and rotating a separate operating device, for example rotational locks that are operated by keys. The invention provides an improved operating device that allows a user to see in which direction the operating device was last rotated when used with the device.

Background

Many devices are operated by manually inserting and rotating a separate operating means. Most commonly, locks are operated by inserting the appropriate key and rotating the key in a particular direction to either lock or unlock the lock. Typically, a rotational lock is operated by inserting and rotating the key clockwise to lock the door and inserting and rotating the key anticlockwise to unlock the door. After locking or unlocking the lock the key is removed from the lock.

In some situations it is desirable to know the direction in which the device was last rotated by the operating means but it is not possible to directly inspect the device itself In particular, users often cannot remember whether or not a lock, for example a door lock, was left locked or unlocked. This can cause anxiety and can cause a user to unnecessarily return to a lock to see if it is locked or unlocked. This can be a particular problem if the user is a long distance away from the lock.

hi light of the above, there is a need for method of knowing in which direction such devices were last rotated without the need for the user to return to inspect a device.

Summary of Invention

The present invention provides an indicating operating means for a rotationally operated device; the operating means comprising: an engaging portion at a first end; a holdable portion at a second end; and an indicator, the indicator indicating the direction in which the operating means was last rotated whilst the engaging portion was engaged with a rotationally operated device.

The present invention solves the problem set out above by incorporating an indicator in the operating means. The indicator acts to indicate the direction in which the operating means was last rotated when it was used with the cooperative device. This allows a user to know which direction the cooperative device was rotated by the operating means by simply inspecting the indicator of the operating means. The user does not have to inspect the cooperative device directly.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the operating means is a key and the rotationally operated device is a lock. For ease of understanding, the rest of the description will refer to an operating means that is a key and a device that is a lock.

Nevertheless it is to be understood that the description is equally applicable to any device that is manually and rotationally operated by a separate operating means in a similar manner to a lock and a key.

Preferably a key according to the present invention comprises an indicating portion connecting the engaging portion to the holdable portion wherein the indicating portion comprises the indicator. That is, the indicator of the key is located within, or forms, an indicating portion that is located between the engaging portion of the key, which is inserted into a lock when the key is used, and the holdable portion of the key, which is held by a user when the key is used.

The indicator of the present invention may operate in any manner apparent to a person skilled in the art. In particular, any means which is capable of sensing the direction of rotation of the key when it is used and providing an indication of the last sensed rotation is suitable. The indicator may be electronic, for example the indicator may comprise one or more electronic sensors that detect when the key is being used and the rotation of the key at that time. Alternatively or additionally, the indicator may be mechanical and operated by the forces applied to the key when it is used.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the indicator is operated to indicate the direction in which the key was last rotated by torque applied to the key by a user when the key was engaged with a lock and had rotated that device through a maximum possible rotation in the relevant direction. As will be readily appreciated, the torque applied to a key may operate either a mechanical or an electronic indicator.

However, if the indicator is operated in this manner it may be preferable that the indicator is substantially mechanically operated.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the key comprises an indicating portion and the indicating portion comprises a lower section rigidly fixed to the engaging portion at an outer end and an upper section rigidly fixed to the holding portion at an outer end; wherein, the lower section and upper section are rotationally connected such that the lower section can be rotated relative to the upper section about an axis extending from the first end to the second end of the operating means between a first limiting position and a second limiting position. In this manner rotating the key in a lock such that the lock is either fully locked or unlocked and continuing to apply a reasonable torque to the key after the lock is fully locked or unlocked will cause the lower section to be rotated to the first limiting position or second limiting position relative to the upper section depending on whether the lock was fully locked or unlocked. After the key is removed from the lock the lower section may remain in the first limiting position or the second limiting position. Thus by checking whether the lower section is located in the first limiting position or the second limiting position a user may get an indication of whether a key was last used to lock or to unlock a lock.

Preferably, a key with an indicating portion formed in the above manner should have the first limiting position and the second limiting position separated by less than 360°.

This can allow the first limiting position and the second limiting position to be easily recognised and ensures that only a relatively small degree of extra rotation of the holdable portion of the key beyond the fully locked or unlocked position of the lock is required to fully rotate the lower section of the indicating portion to the first or the second limiting position. Preferably, the lower section can be rotated relative to the upper section between the first limiting position and the second limiting position by between 450 and 2700. Even more preferably, the lower section can be rotated relative to the upper section between the first limiting position and the second limiting position by between 60° and 120°.

In order to allow a user to quickly and easily see whether the lower section of a key with the features described immediately above is in the first or second limiting position it is preferable that the indicating portion further comprises an external visual indicator showing whether the lower section is in the first limiting position or the second limiting position. The visual indicator may comprise any suitable means. It may be an electronic indicator such as a light or digital display or, more simply, it may comprise markings on the external surfaces of the lower and upper sections indicating the relative positions of the lower and upper sections.

As will be readily understood, in order that the position of the lower section relative to the upper section can act as a reliable indicator of the last rotation of the key when it is engaged with a lock it is necessary that the lower section can not freely rotate relative to the upper section between the first and second limiting positions. At least a small amount of resistance is required to prevent the free rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section such that at least a small torque is required to be applied to the key in order rotate the lower section relative to the upper section from or to the first and second limiting positions. It will be appreciated that the resistance to the rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section can not be so high that it prevents the lower section from being easily rotated from or to the first or second limiting positions when the key is used to fully lock or unlock a lock. The suitable resistance to the rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section is dependent upon the specific design of a key and the lock it is used with but for any specific key a suitable resistance should be able to be easily determined by the skilled person.

The resistance to the rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section can be achieved in any manner apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example, the lower section may be biased against one another along the axis by a biasing means such that there is a frictional resistance between the lower section and the upper section to any rotation of the lower section and the upper section.

In a preferred embodiment of a key with the features set out above the lower section has an inner surface which rotates against a cooperatively formed inner surface of the upper section, the lower or upper section has one or more contoured protrusions formed on or around its inner surface, the other of the lower or upper section has cooperatively formed recesses formed on or around its inner surface, in a limiting position the one or more contoured protrusions fit into recesses such that the inner surfaces fit against one another and rotating the lower section relative to the upper section from a limiting position acts to move the one or more protrusions out of the recesses and thereby move the inner surfaces apart against the action of the biasing means. These cooperative protrusions and recesses act to provide greater resistance to the rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section than can be provided by friction alone. This can allow a weaker biasing means to be used than if resistance to rotation is solely provided by friction. As the protrusions will rest in the cooperative recesses when the lower section is in the first or second limiting position they can also provide a good tactile indication to a user that the lower section has been rotated through its full degree of rotation and no more torque need to be applied to the key when it is used.

As will be readily appreciated, in order that the lower section can be easily rotated from and to the first and second limiting positions it is iieeessary that the contours of the protrusions and the shape of the recesses are such that the protrusions can be easily rotated out of the recesses when a relatively small amount of torque is applied to the key. This can be achieved by one or both of the contours and the recesses having a suitable rounded and smooth profile in the direction of rotation of the lower portion relative to the upper portion. It is important that engaging the contours with the recesses does not act to "lock" the lower section in position relative to the upper section such that an unreasonably large torque is necessary to rotate the lower section relative to the upper section and to move the contours out of their cooperative recesses. Preferably, the torque that is necessary to move the contours out of their recesses should be only slightly more than is required to rotate the key in the lock and should be a torque that a user can easily apply to the key manually.

If the key does comprise contours and recesses it may be profile that it comprises two contoured protrusions formed around a periphery of the inner surface and spaced around the periphery by approximately 1800, wherein the contoured protrusions are externally visible and act as external visual indicators to show whether the lower section is in the first limiting position or the second limiting position. Tn order to allow these contours to be easily visible they may have a distinctive colour or may have some other easily distinguishable external marking.

If a key according to the present invention comprises a lower section that is rotatable relative to the upper section between a first limiting position and a second limiting position, as discussed above, the limited rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section can be achieved in any manner apparent to a person skilled in the art.

However, in one embodiment of the present invention in order to achieve the limited rotation and to define the first and second limiting positions the key further comprises a rotation limiting protrusion formed on or around an inner surface of the lower or upper section and a cooperatively formed groove formed in or around the other of the inner surface of the lower or upper section. Wherein the groove and limiting protrusion are formed to allow the limited rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section, during rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section the limiting protrnsion remains engaged with the groove, the first liniiting position is a rotational position where the limiting protrusion contacts a first end of the groove and the second limiting position is a rotational position where the limiting protrusion contacts a second end of the groove.

The groove and limiting protrusion can define the first and second limiting positions and allow the limited rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section due to the engagement of the limiting protrusion with the groove. The upper section can only rotate to a degree that is allowed by the length and shape of the groove. In particular, the limiting protrusion can not be rotated beyond the first or second end of the grooves. As will be readily appreciated, the groove must have a suitable shape to allow rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section. In preferred embodiments of the present invention the groove will be a circular arc. It is also noted that, unlike the protrusions and cooperative recesses discussed above, it is important that the limiting protrusion remains engaged with, and can not be removed from, the groove and the limiting protrusion during normal operation of the key. In order to achieve this, the limiting protrusion and the groove should be sized and shaped appropriately.

Further details of the present invention will be apparent from the preferred embodiment, which is shown in the Figures and is discussed below.

Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a key according to the present invention in the first limiting position; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of the key of Figure 1 in the second limiting position; and Figure 3 is an isometric drawing showing the components of the indicating portion of the key of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a drawing of the upper and lower sections of the indicating portion of Figure 3.

A preferred embodiment of a key 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figures 1 to 3. The key 1 comprises an engaging portion 2 at a first end, a holdable portion 3 at a second end and a central indicating portion 4 that is attached to the engaging portion 2 at a first end and to the holdable portion 3 at a second end. The engaging portion 2 and holdable portion 3 are identical to the same portions of a conventional key. The indicating portion 4 is shown in more detail in Figure 3.

The indication portion 4 comprises an upper section 5 and a lower section 6. The lower section 6 has an inner surface 10 formed at an inner end and the upper section has an inner surface 11 formed at an inner end. The upper and lower sections 5, 6 are mounted on a central extendible shaft 7, about which they can rotate (note that the shaft is shown much longer than its actual length in Figure 3 in order to allow all the features of the indicating portion to be clearly shown). The shaft 7 has a first biasing plate 8 fixed at a first end and a second biasing plate 9 fixed at a second end. A first biasing member 12 is mounted within the lower section 6, between the first biasing plate 8 and the inner end of the lower section. A second biasing member 13 is mounted within the upper section 5, between the second biasing plate 9 and the inner end of the upper section.

The upper section 5 has two contoured protrusions 14 formed on an outer circumference of its inner end. The contoured protrusions 14 extend outwards from the upper section 5 parallel to the axis of the shaft 7 and are equally spaced about the circumference of the upper section. The lower section 6 has two cooperatively shaped recesses 15 formed in an outer circumference of its inner end. The recesses 15 extend inwards from the inner surface 10 and have a cooperative shape that allows the contoured protrusions 14 to rest snugly within them and thereby allow the inner surface 10 to rest against the inner surface 11 when the lower section 6 is in the correct rotational position relative to the upper section 5.

The upper section 5 has an arc-shaped groove 16 formed in its inner surface 11. The lower section 6 has a cooperative limiting protrusion (not shown) extending outwards from its inner surface 10. During operation of the key the limiting protrusion sits within the arc-shaped groove 16. Visual indicator markings 17 are formed on an outer surface of the indicating portion 4. These markings 17 act to show the rotational position of the lower section 6 relative to the upper section 5.

The key 1 is used in almost exactly the same manner as a conventional key. The key 1 is held by the holdable portion 3 and the engaging portion 2 is inserted into a lock (not shown). The user then rotates the key 1 in order to lock or unlock the lock as is desired. After the user has rotated fully locked or unlocked the lock the holdable portion 3 of the key 1 is able to be rotated further to move the lower section 6 and the engaging portion 2 to a first or second limiting position relative to the upper section 5 and the holdable portion 3. The key 1 is then removed from the lock. The visual indicator markings 17 show whether the lower section 6 is in the first or the second limiting position. When the markings 17 of the upper section 5 are aligned with the markings 17 of the lower section 6, as shown in Figure 1, the lower section is in the first limiting position and the key 1 was last used to lock the lock. When the markings 17 of the upper section 5 are misaligned with the markings 17 of the lower section 6, as shown in Figure 2, the lower section is in the second limiting position and the key 1 was last used to unlock the lock.

During operation of the key 1 the indicating portion operates in the following manner.

In the first or second limiting position the contoured protrusions 14 sit in the recesses 15 and the inner surface 10 of the lower section 6 is in contact with the inner surface 11 of the upper section 5. When a torque is applied to rotate the lower section 6 from the first or second limiting position to the other of the first and second limiting positions the contoured protrusions 14 act against the action of the biasing members 12, 13 to move the lower section 6 and the upper section 5 apart. In particular, the contoured protrusions 14 are moved completely out of the recesses 15 and sit against an outer edge of the inner surface 10 of the lower section 6. Because the shaft 7 is extendible the upper and lower sections 5, 6 remain mounted on the shaft. Further rotation of the lower section 6 relative to the upper section will continue as torque is applied until the other of the first or second limiting positions is reached. In this position the contoured protrusions 14 each move into another of the recesses 15 and the biasing members act to move the inner surface 10 of the lower section 6 back into contact with the inner surface 11 of the upper section 5. The force required to move the contoured protrusions 14 out of the recesses 15 against the action of the biasing members 12, 13 provides a resistance to the rotation of the lower section 6 relative to the upper section 5 and thus prevents unwanted rotation when the key 1 is not being used. This ensures that the position of the lower section 6 relative to the upper section is an accurate indicator of the rotation of the key 1 when it was last used.

The first and second limiting positions and the possible degree of rotation of the lower section 6 relative to the upper section 5 is defined by the action of the limiting protrusion and the groove 16. In particular, the limiting protrusion remains engaged with the groove 16 at all times. As a result, the lower portion 6 can not be rotated beyond the positions where the limiting protrusion contacts the ends of the groove 16.

The first limiting position is the position where the limiting protrusion is located substantially at a first end of the groove 16, the second limiting position is the position where the limiting protrusion is located substantially at a second end of the groove 16 and the rotation is only possible between these positions. As can be see in Figure 3, the groove 16 is a 1800 are. This means that the lower portion 6 can be rotated up to 180° relative to the upper portion S and the first limiting position is approximately 180° from the second limiting position. It will also be noted that the visual indicator markings 17 are spaced 180° about the outer surface of the lower section 6 and the upper section 5.

In order to indicate whether the lower section 6 is in the first or second limiting position and thus whether the key 1 was last used to lock or unlock the lock the visual indicating markings 17 on each of the upper and lower sections 5, 6 are different colours. That is, one of the markings 17 on the upper section 5 is a first colour and the other marking 17 is a second colour and one of the markings 17 on the lower section 5 is the first colour and the other of the markings 17 is the second colour. When the markings 17 of the upper section 5 are aligned with the markings 17 of the lower section 6 of the same colour the lower section 6 is in the first limiting position. This position is shown in Figure 1. When the markings 17 of the upper section 5 are aligned with the markings 17 of the lower section 6 of the other colour the lower section 6 is in the second limiting position, as shown in Figure 2.

Claims

Claims 1. An indicating operating means for a rotationally operated device; the operating means comprising: an engaging portion at a first end; a holdable portion at a second end; and an indicator, the indicator indicating the direction in which the operating means was last rotated whilst the engaging portion was engaged with a rotationally operated device.
2. An operating means according to claim 1 further comprising an indicating portion connecting the engaging portion to the holdable portion and wherein the indicating portion comprises the indicator.
3. An operating means according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the indicator is operated to indicate the direction in which the operating means was last rotated by torque applied to the operating means by a user when the operating means was engaged with a rotationally operated device and had rotated that device through a maximum possible rotation in the relevant direction.
4. An operating means according to any preceding claims wherein the indicating portion comprises: a lower section rigidly fixed to the engaging portion at an outer end; and an upper section rigidly fixed to the holding portion at an outer end; wherein the lower section and upper section are rotationally connected such that the lower section can be rotated relative to the upper section about an axis extending from the first end to the second end of the operating means between a first limiting position and a second limiting position.
5. An operating means according to claim 4, wherein the lower section can be rotated relative to the upper section between the first limiting position and the second limiting position by between 45° and 270°.

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6. An operating means according to claim 5, wherein the lower section can be rotated relative to the upper section between the first limiting position and the second limiting position by between 60° and 120°.
7. An operating means according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the indicating portion further comprises an external visual indicator showing whether the lower section is in the first limiting position or the second limiting position.
8. An operating means according to any of claims 4 to claim 7, wherein the lower section and the upper section arc biased against one another along the axis by biasing means.9. An operating means according to claim 8, wherein: the lower section has an inner surface which rotates against a cooperatively formed inner surface of the upper section; the lower or upper section has one or more contoured protrusions formed on or around its inner surface; the other of the lower or upper section has cooperatively formed recesses formed on or around its inner surface; in a limiting position the one or more contoured protrusions fit into recesses such that the inner surfaces fit against one another; and rotating the lower section relative to the upper section from a limiting position acts to move the one or more protrusions out of the recesses and thereby move the inner surfaces apart against the action of the biasing means.
9. An operating means according to claim 8, comprising two contoured protrusions formed around a periphery of the inner surface and spaced around the periphery by approximately 180°, wherein the contoured protrusions are externally visible and act as external visual indicators to show whether the lower section is in the first limiting position or the second limiting position.
10. An operating means according to claim 9, further comprising: -13 -a rotation limiting protrusion formed on or around the inner surface of the lower or upper section; and a cooperatively formed groove formed in or around the other of the inner surface of the lower or upper section; wherein the groove and limiting protrusion are formed to allow the limited rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section, during rotation of the lower section relative to the upper section the limiting protrusion remains engaged with the groove, and the first limiting position is a rotational position where the limiting protrusion contacts a first end of the groove and the second limiting position is a rotational position where the limiting protrusion contacts a second end of the groove.
11. An operating means according to any preceding claim that is a key for use with a lock.
12. An operating means according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the indicator comprises an electronic torque sensor and an externally visible indicating means.
13. An operating means substantially as described herein and as shown in the Figures.