Intelligent lock and unlocking method and locking method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent lock and an unlocking method and a locking method thereof.The intelligent lock comprises three lock plates, namely, two main lock plates and an auxiliary lock plate, each lock plate is composed of two round plates arranged side by side and a transition part connecting the two round plates, the two round plates of the main lock plates are a thickening plate and a conventional plate, and the two round plates of the auxiliary lock plate are connected through the transition part; one end face of each conventional sheet is lower than the thickening sheet to form a staggered step, and the two round sheets of the auxiliary locking sheet are conventional sheets; the lock body is internally provided with a lock cavity, the lock cavity is used for containing the three lock plates which are placed in a stacked mode, the lock plates enter and exit from a lock opening of the lock cavity, and a blocking part in the lock opening ensures that the three lock plates move within a limited range. The intelligent lock is novel in shape, the visual attraction can be enhanced, a user is required to conduct spatial reasoning and logical judgment, and the interestingness of the intelligent lock is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of educational toy technology, and more particularly to smart locks and their unlocking and locking methods. Background Technology

[0002] The market currently offers a wide variety of educational toys, encompassing puzzles, mechanical puzzles, and other forms. Their core objective is to promote users' cognitive abilities, logical thinking, hands-on skills, and creativity through interactive play. From a design perspective, most educational toys tend to have homogenized shapes, often employing fixed modular structures—such as square, neat puzzle pieces, symmetrically branched mechanical shells, or unidirectional push-pull mechanisms. While these designs achieve basic functionality, they generally suffer from dull appearances and insufficient visual appeal: product appearances often feature repetitive geometric lines and monotonous color schemes, lacking innovative and engaging forms. They fail to convey interactive cues or stimulate curiosity through their shape alone, leading to user fatigue and a decreased willingness to try them from the initial exposure.

[0003] Therefore, how to design smart locks with novel and interesting shapes is a technical problem that the industry urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a smart lock and its unlocking and locking methods. The smart lock comprises a lock body and three locking plates. The lock body contains a lock cavity, through which the three locking plates enter and exit. A blocking part within the lock cavity ensures that the three locking plates move within a defined range. Users achieve state transitions by adjusting the relative positions of the locking plates. Its innovative three-dimensional design and multi-step coordination mechanism not only enhance visual appeal but also require users to perform spatial reasoning and logical judgment, thus significantly improving the smart lock's engaging nature.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is to design a smart lock, including:

[0006] There are three locking pieces: two main locking pieces and one auxiliary locking piece. Each locking piece consists of two circular pieces arranged side by side and a transition part connecting the two circular pieces. The two circular pieces of the main locking piece are a thickened piece and a regular piece, respectively. One end face of the regular piece is lower than the thickened piece to form a staggered step. The two circular pieces of the auxiliary locking piece are both regular pieces.

[0007] The lock body has a lock cavity inside, which is used to accommodate three stacked lock plates. The lock plates enter and exit from the lock opening of the lock cavity. The lock opening has two long sides and two short sides that are opposite each other. The first long side has a blocking part that protrudes towards the second long side. The distance from the blocking part to the second long side is just enough to allow the thickened plate to pass through. The distance from the blocking part to the first short side is just enough to allow the transition part to be placed. The distance from the blocking part to the second short side allows the transition part to pass through but prevents the circular plate from falling out.

[0008] In this case, any one of the main locking plates is designated as the first locking plate and the other main locking plate is designated as the second locking plate. When the three locking plates in the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the regular plate of the second locking plate is located on the misaligned step of the first locking plate, one regular plate of the auxiliary locking plate is located on the misaligned step of the second locking plate, and the other regular plate is located on the thickened plate of the first locking plate. The auxiliary locking plate is close to the inner wall where the blocking part is located.

[0009] Furthermore, the lock cavity includes a bottom groove facing the lock opening and side grooves symmetrically distributed on both sides of the lock opening. The bottom groove has a lower limit area on each side, and the side groove has an upper limit area adjacent to the lower limit area. Both the lower limit area and the upper limit area are curved to limit the movement trajectory of the three lock plates.

[0010] When the three locking plates are stacked and locked, the cylinder formed by the stacked regular plates of the three locking plates is located in the middle of the bottom groove, the thickened plate of the second locking plate is located in the side groove on the same side as the second short side, and the cylinder formed by the stacked thickened plate of the first locking plate and the regular plate of the auxiliary locking plate is located in the side groove on the same side as the first short side. Only the thickened plate of the first locking plate can rotate within its side groove.

[0011] Furthermore, the distance between the first long side and the second long side is the width of the lock cavity, and the width of the lock cavity is just enough to accommodate three lock plates stacked and in the locked state;

[0012] When at least one of the main locking plates is removed from the lock cavity, the two main locking plates can be adjusted to be completely offset axially. When the main locking plates are completely offset axially, the auxiliary locking plate can move freely within the lock cavity to be completely offset axially from one of the main locking plates, so that the two main locking plates can be adjusted to be disengaged from the lock.

[0013] Furthermore, the height of the misaligned step is the same as the thickness of the regular sheet.

[0014] Furthermore, the lock body is provided with a perforated window for connecting the lock cavity.

[0015] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the lock body is provided with a support plane for vertical placement, and the lock opening is located on the top surface of the lock body.

[0016] This invention also proposes an unlocking method for a smart lock. When the three locking plates inside the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the side groove where the thickened piece of the first locking plate is located is called the first side groove, and the side groove where the thickened piece of the second locking plate is located is called the second side groove. The unlocking method includes the following steps:

[0017] The three locking plates inside the lock cavity are stacked and locked.

[0018] Rotate the first locking plate to move the regular plate of the first locking plate out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the second locking plate is flush with the first locking plate in the axial direction.

[0019] Adjust the secondary locking plate in the opposite direction, placing the two regular pieces of the secondary locking plate in the bottom groove and the second side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking plate and the first locking plate are completely offset in the axial direction. Then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate and the secondary locking plate are flush in the axial direction.

[0020] Rotate the second locking plate to move the regular plate of the second locking plate out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are aligned in the axial direction.

[0021] Adjust the secondary locking plate in the positive direction, placing the two conventional plates of the secondary locking plate in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking plate and the second locking plate are completely offset in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the second locking plate is flush with the secondary locking plate in the axial direction.

[0022] Rotate the first locking plate to place the regular piece of the first locking plate in the bottom groove, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely offset in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that it is located between the blocking part and the second long side. Then take out the second locking plate from the lock opening. Then take out the first locking plate and the auxiliary locking plate from the lock opening in sequence.

[0023] This invention also proposes a locking method for a smart lock. When the three locking plates inside the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the side groove where the thickened piece of the first locking plate is located is called the first side groove, and the side groove where the thickened piece of the second locking plate is located is called the second side groove. The locking method includes the following steps:

[0024] The locking cavity and the three locking plates are separate from each other;

[0025] Insert the secondary locking plate into the lock slot, and place the two regular pieces of the secondary locking plate into the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, with the secondary locking plate close to the inner wall where the blocking part is located;

[0026] Insert the first locking plate into the lock opening, place the regular plate of the first locking plate in the bottom groove, place the thickened plate in the first side groove, and place the staggered step of the first locking plate towards the inner wall where the blocking part is located;

[0027] Insert the second locking piece into the lock opening, place the thickened piece of the second locking piece in the second side groove, with the misaligned step of the second locking piece facing the inner wall where the blocking part is located, and then move the second locking piece axially so that the second locking piece and the auxiliary locking piece are flush in the axial direction.

[0028] Rotate the first locking plate to move the regular plate of the first locking plate out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the second locking plate is flush with the first locking plate in the axial direction.

[0029] Adjust the secondary locking plate in the opposite direction, placing the two regular pieces of the secondary locking plate in the bottom groove and the second side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking plate and the first locking plate are completely offset in the axial direction. Then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate and the secondary locking plate are flush in the axial direction.

[0030] Rotate the second locking piece to move the regular piece of the second locking piece into the bottom groove, so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the first locking piece in the axial direction so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are flush in the axial direction.

[0031] Adjust the secondary locking plate in the positive direction, placing the two regular pieces of the secondary locking plate in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, so that the regular pieces of the secondary locking plate are aligned with the misaligned step of the second locking plate in the axial direction, and then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the misaligned step of the second locking plate overlaps with the regular pieces of the secondary locking plate.

[0032] Rotate the first locking piece to move its regular piece into the bottom groove, so that the misaligned step of the first locking piece overlaps with the regular piece of the second locking piece, and the three locking pieces are stacked and locked.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has a lock body and three locking plates. The lock body has a lock cavity inside, and the three locking plates enter and exit from the lock opening of the lock cavity. The blocking part inside the lock opening restricts the three locking plates within the lock cavity. Each of the three locking plates has two circular plates arranged side by side. The main locking plate and the auxiliary locking plate are designed to be different. The main locking plate has a thickened plate and a regular plate. The thickness difference between the regular plate and the thickened plate forms a staggered step on the end face of the regular plate. The regular plates of adjacent locking plates are placed using the staggered step, so that the three locking plates are stacked and the whole is flat. Moreover, the staggered step can play a limiting role during the movement of the locking plates, increasing the difficulty of operation.

[0034] This invention requires continuous adjustment of the positions of three locking plates during the unlocking and locking process. By adjusting the relative relationship of two of the locking plates, space is reserved for the movement of the third locking plate, thereby gradually achieving the unlocking or locking state. Its innovative three-dimensional modeling structure and multi-step coordination mechanism not only enhances visual appeal but also requires users to perform spatial reasoning and logical judgment, thus significantly improving the fun of smart locks. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0036] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the smart lock of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a side view of the main locking piece of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a side view of the secondary locking piece of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the back of a main locking piece of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the back of another main locking piece of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the back of the secondary locking piece of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a front view of the lock body of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the back of the lock body of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a top view of the lock body of the present invention;

[0045] Reference numerals: 100, lock body; 110, lock opening; 101, first long side; 102, second long side; 103, first short side; 104, second short side; 120, blocking part; 130, openwork window; 200, lock plate; 210, main lock plate; 220, auxiliary lock plate; 201, transition part; 202, thickened plate; 203, regular plate; 204, misaligned step. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this patent.

[0047] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the smart lock proposed in this invention includes: a lock body 100 and three locking plates 200. The three locking plates 200 are two main locking plates 210 and one auxiliary locking plate 220. Each locking plate 200 consists of two circular pieces and a transition portion 201 connecting the two circular pieces. The two circular pieces are arranged side by side, meaning that at least one end face of the two circular pieces is flush and the sides of the two circular pieces are placed close together. The edge of the transition portion 201 is an inwardly concave curve, and its shape is constricted. The two circular pieces of the main locking plate 210 are a thickened piece 202 and a regular piece 203, respectively. The two circular pieces of the auxiliary locking plate 220 are both regular pieces 203. The thickness of the thickened piece 202 is W1, and the thickness of the regular piece 203 is W2, where W1 > W2.

[0048] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, taking the horizontally placed main locking plate 210 as an example, the bottom surface of the thickened plate 202 is flush with the bottom surface of the regular plate 203, and the top surface of the thickened plate 202 is higher than the top surface of the regular plate 203. The thickness difference between the regular plate 203 and the thickened plate 202 forms a misaligned step 204 on the top surface of the regular plate 203. The regular plate 203 of another locking plate is placed on the misaligned step 204 of the main locking plate 210. The regular plate 203 of one main locking plate 210 can be placed on the misaligned step 204 of another main locking plate 210, or the regular plate 203 of the auxiliary locking plate 220 can be placed on the misaligned step of the main locking plate 210.

[0049] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the lock body 100 has a lock cavity inside, which is used to accommodate three stacked lock plates 200. The lock plates 200 enter and exit from the lock opening 110 of the lock cavity. The lock opening 110 is approximately square. The outer edge of the lock opening 110 is composed of two long sides and two short sides that are opposite each other. The first long side 101 has a blocking part 120 that protrudes towards the second long side 102. The distance H1 from the blocking part 120 to the second long side 102 allows the thickened plate 202 to pass through (H1 is slightly larger than the thickness W1 of the thickened plate 202). The distance L1 from the blocking part 120 to the first short side 103 allows the transition part 201 to be placed. The distance L2 from the blocking part 120 to the second short side 104 allows the transition part 201 to pass through but the blocking disc to come out, so that the transition part 201 can be placed axially between the blocking part 120 and the second short side 104.

[0050] Taking any one of the main locking plates 210 as the first locking plate and the other as the second locking plate, when the three locking plates 200 in the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the regular plate of the second locking plate is located on the misaligned step of the first locking plate, one regular plate 203 of the auxiliary locking plate 220 is located on the misaligned step of the second locking plate, and the other regular plate 203 is located on the thickened plate 202 of the first locking plate, and the auxiliary locking plate 220 is close to the inner wall where the blocking part 120 is located. It should be understood that the locked state means that the three locking plates 200 are stacked in the above manner. After the locking plates 200 in the locked state are adjusted, the locked state changes, but the three locking plates 200 still cannot be disengaged from the lock body 100. This process can be understood as the waiting-to-lock state.

[0051] The present invention restricts the movement of the three locking plates 200 within a specified range by the blocking part 120 of the locking port 110, and then makes special design on the main locking plate 210, using the staggered step 204 to place the conventional plate 203 of the adjacent locking plates, so that the three locking plates 200 are stacked and placed in a flat state. Moreover, the staggered step 204 can play a limiting role during the movement of the locking plates, increasing the difficulty of operation.

[0052] To increase the difficulty of operation, in some feasible embodiments of the present invention, the lock cavity includes a bottom groove facing the lock opening 110 and side grooves symmetrically distributed on both sides of the lock opening 110. The bottom groove is provided with a lower limit area on both sides, and the side groove is provided with an upper limit area adjacent to the lower limit area. Both the lower limit area and the upper limit area are curved, and the movement trajectory of the three lock plates is restricted by the lower limit area and the upper limit area.

[0053] Specifically, when the three locking plates 200 are stacked and locked, the cylinder formed by the stacked regular plates 203 of the three locking plates 200 (the cylinder is formed by stacking the regular plate 203 of the first locking plate, the regular plate 203 of the second locking plate, and one regular plate 203 of the auxiliary locking plate 200) is located in the middle of the bottom groove. The thickened plate 202 of the second locking plate is located in the side groove (hereinafter referred to as the second side groove) on the same side as the second short side 104. The cylinder formed by stacking the thickened plate 202 of the first locking plate and the regular plate 203 of the auxiliary locking plate 220 is located in the side groove (hereinafter referred to as the first side groove) on the same side as the first short side 103. Only the thickened plate 202 of the first locking plate can rotate within its side groove.

[0054] By matching the shape of the lock cavity with the three locking plates 200 in the locked state, the three locking plates 200 can be stably kept in the locked state. Moreover, in the locked state, only the first locking plate can rotate, which increases the difficulty of unlocking and prompts the user to think and adjust the relative relationship between the locking plates 200 during operation in order to gradually reach the unlocked state.

[0055] like Figure 1 , 9 As shown, based on the above feasible embodiment, the distance H0 between the first long side 101 and the second long side 102 is the width of the lock cavity. The width of the lock cavity is just enough to accommodate three lock plates 200 stacked and in a locked state (H0 is slightly larger than the overall thickness of the three lock plates 200 stacked and in a locked state). When at least one of the conventional plates 203 of the main lock plate 210 is removed from the lock cavity, the two main lock plates 210 can be adjusted to be completely offset axially. When the main lock plates 210 are completely offset axially, the auxiliary lock plate 220 can move freely within the lock cavity to be completely offset axially from one of the main lock plates 210, so that the two main lock plates 210 can be adjusted to be disengaged from the lock opening 110.

[0056] The present invention requires continuous adjustment of the positions of three locking plates 200 during the unlocking and locking process. By adjusting the relative relationship of two of the locking plates 200, space is reserved for the movement of the other locking plate 200, thereby gradually achieving the unlocking or locking state. Its innovative three-dimensional modeling structure and multi-step coordination mechanism not only enhance the visual appeal, but also require users to perform spatial reasoning and logical judgment, thus significantly improving the fun of smart locks.

[0057] like Figure 2 , 3 As shown, to make the smart lock structure more compact and sophisticated, the height of the offset step 204 is the same as the thickness of the regular piece 203, meaning the thickness of the thickened piece 202 is equal to the thickness of two regular pieces 203. This allows the regular pieces 203, when stacked after the offset step 204, to be flush with the top surface of the thickened piece 202. When the three lock pieces 200 are stacked and locked, the regular piece of the second lock piece is located on the offset step 204 of the first lock piece, which is equivalent to the regular piece 203 of the second lock piece being flush with the thickened piece 202 of the first lock piece. This allows the secondary lock piece 220 to fit snugly against the thickened piece 202 of the first lock piece and the regular piece 203 of the second lock piece.

[0058] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, since the three locking plates 200 are housed within the lock body 100, it is inconvenient for the user to operate or view the positional relationship between the locking plates 200. Therefore, the lock body 100 is designed with a perforated window 130 for connecting the lock cavity, through which the user can view or manipulate the locking plates 200.

[0059] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, to ensure the smart lock remains stably locked, the bottom surface of the lock body 100 has a supporting plane for vertical placement. The lock opening 110 is located on the top surface of the lock body 100. After the three lock plates 200 are locked, the lock body 100 can be placed vertically and used as a decorative piece. Furthermore, to enhance the aesthetics of the smart lock, the bottom and top sides of the lock body 100 are designed with rounded edges. In practical applications, both the lock body 100 and the lock plates 200 can be made of metal, resulting in a better feel for the smart lock, less deformation of parts, and a longer service life.

[0060] This invention also proposes an unlocking method for a smart lock. When the three locking plates 200 inside the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the side groove where the thickened piece 202 of the first locking plate is located is called the first side groove, and the side groove where the thickened piece 202 of the second locking plate is located is called the second side groove. The unlocking method includes the following steps:

[0061] The three locking plates 200 inside the lock cavity are stacked and locked.

[0062] Rotate the first locking plate to move the conventional plate 203 of the first locking plate out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the second locking plate is flush with the first locking plate in the axial direction, leaving room for the secondary locking plate 220 to move.

[0063] Adjust the secondary locking plate 220 in the reverse direction, place the two conventional plates 203 of the secondary locking plate 220 in the bottom groove and the second side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking plate 220 and the first locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction, and then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate is flush with the secondary locking plate 220 in the axial direction, leaving room for the second locking plate to move.

[0064] Rotate the second locking plate to move the conventional plate 203 of the second locking plate out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are aligned in the axial direction, leaving room for the secondary locking plate 220 to move.

[0065] Adjust the secondary locking plate 220 in the positive direction, place the two conventional plates 203 of the secondary locking plate 220 in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking plate 220 and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction, and then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the second locking plate is flush with the secondary locking plate 220 in the axial direction, leaving room for the first locking plate to move.

[0066] Rotate the first locking plate to place the conventional plate 203 of the first locking plate into the bottom groove, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely offset in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that it is located between the blocking part 120 and the second long side 102. Then take out the second locking plate from the locking port 110. Then take out the first locking plate and the auxiliary locking plate 220 in sequence from the locking port 110.

[0067] This invention also proposes a locking method for a smart lock. When the three locking plates 200 inside the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the side groove where the thickened piece 202 of the first locking plate is located is called the first side groove, and the side groove where the thickened piece 202 of the second locking plate is located is called the second side groove. The locking method includes the following steps:

[0068] The locking cavity and the three locking plates 200 are separated from each other;

[0069] Insert the secondary locking piece 220 into the lock opening 110, and place the two regular pieces 203 of the secondary locking piece 220 into the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, with the secondary locking piece 220 close to the inner wall where the blocking part 120 is located;

[0070] Insert the first locking piece into the lock opening 110, place the regular piece 203 of the first locking piece in the bottom groove, place the thickened piece 202 in the first side groove, and place the misaligned step 204 of the first locking piece towards the inner wall where the blocking part 120 is located;

[0071] Insert the second locking piece into the lock opening 110, place the thickened piece 202 of the second locking piece into the second side groove, with the misaligned step 204 of the second locking piece facing the inner wall where the blocking part 120 is located, and then move the second locking piece axially so that the second locking piece and the auxiliary locking piece 220 are flush in the axial direction, leaving room for the first locking piece to move.

[0072] Rotate the first locking plate to move the conventional plate 203 of the first locking plate out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the second locking plate in the axial direction so that the second locking plate is flush with the first locking plate in the axial direction, leaving room for the secondary locking plate 220 to move.

[0073] Adjust the secondary locking plate 220 in the reverse direction, place the two conventional plates 203 of the secondary locking plate 220 in the bottom groove and the second side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking plate 220 and the first locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction, and then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate is flush with the secondary locking plate 220 in the axial direction, leaving room for the second locking plate to move.

[0074] Rotate the second locking plate to move the conventional plate 203 of the second locking plate into the bottom groove, so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the first locking plate in the axial direction so that the first locking plate and the second locking plate are aligned in the axial direction, leaving room for the secondary locking plate 220 to move.

[0075] Adjust the secondary locking plate 220 in the forward direction, placing the two regular plates of the secondary locking plate 220 in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, so that the regular plate 203 of the secondary locking plate 220 and the misaligned step 204 of the second locking plate are aligned axially. Then move the second locking plate axially so that the misaligned step 204 of the second locking plate overlaps with the regular plate 203 of the secondary locking plate 220. At this time, the second locking plate and the secondary locking plate 220 are flush axially, leaving room for the first locking plate to move.

[0076] Rotate the first locking piece to move the regular piece 203 of the first locking piece into the bottom groove, so that the misaligned step 204 of the first locking piece overlaps with the regular piece 203 of the second locking piece, and the three locking pieces 200 are stacked and locked.

[0077] It should be noted that the terminology used above is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0078] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0079] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "positive" and "negative" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0080] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart lock, characterized in that, include: The three locking pieces are two main locking pieces and one auxiliary locking piece. Each locking piece consists of two circular pieces arranged side by side and a transition portion connecting the two circular pieces. The two circular pieces of the main locking piece are a thickened piece and a regular piece, respectively. One end face of the regular piece is lower than the thickened piece to form a staggered step. The two circular pieces of the auxiliary locking piece are both regular pieces. The lock body has a lock cavity inside, which is used to accommodate the three stacked lock plates. The lock plates enter and exit from the lock opening of the lock cavity. The lock opening has two long sides and two short sides that are opposite each other. The first long side has a blocking part that protrudes towards the second long side. The distance from the blocking part to the second long side is just enough to allow the thickened plate to pass through. The distance from the blocking part to the first short side is just enough to allow the transition part to be placed. The distance from the blocking part to the second short side allows the transition part to pass through but prevents the circular plate from coming out. Wherein, any one of the main locking plates is taken as the first locking plate and the other main locking plate is taken as the second locking plate. When the three locking plates in the lock cavity are stacked and in the locked state, the regular plate of the second locking plate is located on the misaligned step of the first locking plate, one regular plate of the auxiliary locking plate is located on the misaligned step of the second locking plate, and the other regular plate is located on the thickened plate of the first locking plate, and the auxiliary locking plate is close to the inner wall where the blocking part is located.

2. The smart lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lock cavity includes a bottom groove facing the lock opening and side grooves symmetrically distributed on both sides of the lock opening. The bottom groove has a lower limit area on each side, and the side groove has an upper limit area adjacent to the lower limit area. Both the lower limit area and the upper limit area are curved to limit the movement trajectory of the three lock plates. When the three locking plates are stacked and locked, the cylinder formed by the stacked regular plates of the three locking plates is located in the middle of the bottom groove, the thickened plate of the second locking plate is located in the side groove on the same side as the second short side, and the cylinder formed by the stacked thickened plate of the first locking plate and the regular plate of the auxiliary locking plate is located in the side groove on the same side as the first short side. Among the three locking plates, only the thickened plate of the first locking plate can rotate within its side groove.

3. The smart lock according to claim 2, characterized in that, The distance between the first long side and the second long side is the width of the lock cavity, and the width of the lock cavity is just enough to accommodate the three lock plates stacked and in a locked state; When at least one of the main locking plates is removed from the lock cavity, the two main locking plates can be adjusted to be completely offset in the axial direction. When the main locking plates are completely offset in the axial direction, the secondary locking plate can move freely within the lock cavity to be completely offset in the axial direction from one of the main locking plates, so that the two main locking plates can be adjusted to be disengaged from the lock.

4. The smart lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the misaligned step is the same as the thickness of the conventional sheet.

5. The smart lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lock body is provided with a perforated window for communicating with the lock cavity.

6. The smart lock according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the lock body is provided with a support plane for vertical placement, and the lock opening is located on the top surface of the lock body.

7. A method for unlocking a smart lock, wherein the unlocking method is applied to the smart lock as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein when the three locking plates in the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the side groove where the thickened piece of the first locking plate is located is called the first side groove, and the side groove where the thickened piece of the second locking plate is located is called the second side groove; characterized in that, The unlocking method includes the following steps: The three locking plates inside the lock cavity are stacked and locked. Rotate the first locking piece to move the conventional piece of the first locking piece out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the second locking piece in the axial direction so that the second locking piece is flush with the first locking piece in the axial direction. The secondary locking piece is adjusted in the opposite direction, and the two conventional pieces of the secondary locking piece are placed in the bottom groove and the second side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking piece and the first locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then the first locking piece is moved in the axial direction so that the first locking piece and the secondary locking piece are aligned in the axial direction. Rotate the second locking piece to move the regular piece of the second locking piece out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the first locking piece in the axial direction so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are aligned in the axial direction. Adjust the secondary locking piece in the positive direction, placing the two conventional pieces of the secondary locking piece in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking piece and the second locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction, and then move the second locking piece in the axial direction so that the second locking piece is flush with the secondary locking piece in the axial direction; Rotate the first locking piece to place the regular piece of the first locking piece in the bottom groove, so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are completely offset in the axial direction. Then move the second locking piece in the axial direction so that it is located between the blocking part and the second long side. Then take out the second locking piece from the lock opening. Then take out the first locking piece and the auxiliary locking piece from the lock opening in sequence.

8. A locking method for a smart lock, wherein the locking method is applied to the smart lock of claim 2 or 3, wherein when three locking plates in the lock cavity are stacked and in a locked state, the side groove where the thickened piece of the first locking plate is located is called the first side groove, and the side groove where the thickened piece of the second locking plate is located is called the second side groove; characterized in that, The locking method includes the following steps: The locking cavity and the three locking plates are separated from each other; Insert the secondary locking piece into the lock opening, place the two conventional pieces of the secondary locking piece in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, and place the secondary locking piece close to the inner wall where the blocking part is located; Insert the first locking piece into the lock opening, place the regular piece of the first locking piece in the bottom groove, place the thickened piece in the first side groove, and place the staggered step of the first locking piece towards the inner wall where the blocking part is located; Insert the second locking piece into the lock opening, place the thickened piece of the second locking piece into the second side groove, with the misaligned step of the second locking piece facing the inner wall where the blocking part is located, and then move the second locking piece axially so that the second locking piece and the auxiliary locking piece are flush in the axial direction; Rotate the first locking piece to move the conventional piece of the first locking piece out of the locking cavity, so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the second locking piece in the axial direction so that the second locking piece is flush with the first locking piece in the axial direction. The secondary locking piece is adjusted in the opposite direction, and the two conventional pieces of the secondary locking piece are placed in the bottom groove and the second side groove respectively, so that the secondary locking piece and the first locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then the first locking piece is moved in the axial direction so that the first locking piece and the secondary locking piece are aligned in the axial direction. Rotate the second locking piece to move the regular piece of the second locking piece into the bottom groove, so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are completely misaligned in the axial direction. Then move the first locking piece in the axial direction so that the first locking piece and the second locking piece are flush in the axial direction. The secondary locking piece is adjusted in the positive direction, and the two regular pieces of the secondary locking piece are placed in the bottom groove and the first side groove respectively, so that the regular pieces of the secondary locking piece are aligned with the misaligned step of the second locking piece in the axial direction. Then the second locking piece is moved along the axial direction so that the misaligned step of the second locking piece overlaps with the regular pieces of the secondary locking piece. Rotate the first locking piece to move the regular piece of the first locking piece into the bottom groove, so that the misaligned step of the first locking piece overlaps with the regular piece of the second locking piece, and the three locking pieces are stacked and locked.

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