Electronic padlock

1 . An electronic padlock, comprising:

a lock body and a hoop that is selectively locked to the lock body or released from the lock body, wherein the lock body includes a first introduction opening for introducing a first introduction section of the hoop and a second introduction opening for introducing a second introduction section of the hoop into the lock body;

an electromechanical locking device comprising a cam rotatable about an axis of rotation and an electric motor for driving the cam; and

a control circuit,

wherein the first introduction section of the hoop and the second introduction section of the hoop are connected to one another by a connection section and is introducible along an introduction direction into the first introduction opening and the second introduction opening,

wherein the first introduction section has a lower holding section with respect to the introduction direction and an upper locking notch,

wherein the cam is configured,

in a locking rotational position, to directly contact and engage into the upper locking notch of the first introduction section and to lock the hoop to the lock body;

in an unlocking rotational position, to disengage from and release the upper locking notch and to directly contact and hold the first introduction section at the lower holding section; and

in a removal rotational position, to disengage from and release the lower holding section of the first introduction section and to thereby release the hoop for a complete detachment from the lock body,

wherein the control circuit is configured to control the electric motor to selectively drive the cam into the locking rotational position, the unlocking rotational position, and the removal rotational position.

2 . The electronic padlock according to claim 1 , wherein the cam has:

a first locking section that projects radially outwardly with respect to the axis of rotation and that is configured to directly contact and engage into the upper locking notch in the locking rotational position of the cam;

a blocking section that is radially inwardly offset relative to the first locking section and that is configured to come into direct contact with the lower holding section of the first introduction section in the unlocking rotational position of the cam; and

a release section that is radially inwardly offset relative to the blocking section and that is oriented towards the first introduction opening in the removal rotational position.

3 . The electronic padlock according to claim 1 , wherein the cam, starting from the locking rotational position, is moved into the unlocking rotational position by a rotation along a first rotational direction and is moved into the removal rotational position by a rotation along a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.

4 . The electronic padlock according to claim 1 , wherein the lock body has, as measured in a transverse direction oriented perpendicular to the introduction direction and perpendicular to a connection line between the first introduction opening and the second introduction opening, a maximum thickness that is smaller than a maximum extent of the cam as measured in any direction within in a plane oriented perpendicular to the introduction direction.

5 . The electronic padlock according to claim 1 , wherein the lock body further has a preloading element that is configured to preload the hoop, when the hoop is introduced into the lock body against the introduction direction, and wherein the lock body comprises a detent for the hoop that is configured to hold the hoop, when the hoop is introduced into the lock body against the preload in the lock body, in a locking position, in which the cam is rotatable into the locking rotational position.

6 . The electronic padlock according to claim 5 , wherein the cam is configured to contact the detent on a rotation from the locking rotational position into the unlocking rotational position and to move the detent into a release position, in which the detent releases the hoop for a detachment from the lock body.

7 . The electronic padlock according to claim 1 , wherein the lock body comprises a sensor that is configured to detect when the hoop is in a locking position in which the hoop is lockable to the lock body by rotating the cam into the locking rotational position, and to detect when the first introduction section is held at the lower holding section by the cam positioned in the unlocking rotational position,

and wherein the sensor is configured to transmit respective detection signals to the control circuit.

8 . The electronic padlock according to claim 7 , further comprising a contact element that is configured to contact the sensor when the hoop is in the locking position and to release from the sensor when the hoop is held by the cam at the lower holding section.

9 . The electronic padlock according to claim 8 , wherein the contact element is preloaded towards the sensor and is pivoted against the preload by introducing the hoop, that has been released from the lock body, back into the lock body.

10 . The electronic padlock according to claim 8 , wherein the contact element is a detent that is configured to hold the hoop in the locking position in the lock body.

11 . The electronic padlock according to claim 8 , wherein the contact element is pivotable, and wherein the cam is configured to pivot the contact element with an entrainer section on a rotation from the locking rotational position into the unlocking rotational position, and to thereby release the contact of the contact element from the sensor.

12 . The electronic padlock according to claim 11 , wherein the contact element is preloaded to pivot the contact element towards the sensor and to contact the sensor, wherein the contact element is urged by the preload to a position under the entrainer section by movement of the hoop along the introduction direction into the locking position, such that the contact element pivots towards the sensor and to contact the sensor.

13 . The electronic padlock according to claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the electric motor to drive the cam from the unlocking rotational position, as a result of the contact element first releasing from the sensor and then contacting the sensor.

14 . The electronic padlock according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor has an upper sensor section and a lower sensor section and is configured to transmit a first detection signal to the control circuit when the upper sensor section is contacted by the contact element and to transmit a second detection signal to the control circuit when the lower sensor section is contacted by the contact element.

15 . The electronic padlock according to claim 14 , wherein the contact element is preloaded towards the upper sensor section.

16 . The electronic padlock according to claim 14 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the electric motor to drive the cam from the unlocking rotational position into the locking rotational position, as a result of the contact element first releasing from the upper sensor section and then contacting the lower sensor section of the sensor.

17 . The electronic padlock according to claim 14 , wherein the contact element is configured to contact the sensor at the upper sensor section as a result of a rotation of the cam from the unlocking rotational position into the removal rotational position.

18 . The electronic padlock according to claim 17 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the electric motor to drive the cam from the removal rotational position into the locking rotational position after a transmission of the first detection signal from the sensor when the sensor is released by the contact element and is then contacted again.

19 . The electronic padlock according to claim 14 , wherein the contact element is configured to contact the sensor at the upper sensor section when the hoop is in the locking position, wherein when the hoop is moved towards the locking position along the introduction direction, the contact element is configured to contact the lower sensor section of the sensor, and wherein the control circuit is configured to control the electric motor to drive the cam from the locking rotational position into the unlocking rotational position when the sensor first transmits the first detection signal and then transmits the second detection signal.

20 . A padlock, comprising a lock body, a rotatable cam, and an electric motor in the lock body, and a hoop having a first limb and a second limb,

wherein the lock body comprises a first introduction opening for receiving the first limb and a second introduction opening for receiving the second limb of the hoop;

wherein the first limb of the hoop has a lower abutment and an upper abutment, the lower abutment being located closer to a free end of the first limb than the upper abutment;

wherein the cam, when in a locking rotational position, directly contacts and engages the upper abutment of the first limb to lock the hoop to the lock body when the first limb is introduced into the first introduction opening; and

wherein the electric motor selectively drives the rotatable cam into

an unlocking rotational position, in which the cam releases the upper abutment but directly contacts and blocks the lower abutment of the first limb to movably hold the first limb at the lock body; and

a removal rotational position, in which the cam releases the lower abutment of the first limb for a complete detachment of the first limb from the lock body.

21 . An electronic padlock comprising a lock body and a hoop that is introduced into the lock body,

wherein when the hoop is introduced into the lock body, the hoop is selectively locked to the lock body in a closed position or released for a movement into an open position relative to the lock body,

wherein the lock body comprises:

a cam that is rotatable about an axis of rotation, which defines an axial direction, into an unlocking rotational position and into a locking rotational position,

an electric motor for driving the cam; and

a control circuit that is configured to control the electric motor to selectively drive the cam into the locking rotational position and the unlocking rotational position,

wherein when the hoop is introduced into the lock body, the hoop is locked to the lock body by rotating the cam into the locking rotational position, and

wherein the locking of the hoop to the lock body is releasable by rotating the cam into the unlocking rotational position, wherein when the locking of the hoop to the lock body is released, the hoop is moveable into the open position and the cam is in the unlocking rotational position,

wherein when the hoop is positioned in the open position and the cam is in the unlocking rotational position, the hoop is capable of being introduced back into the lock body, and

wherein the lock body comprises a detent that holds the hoop against removal from the lock body when the hoop is introduced back into the lock body when the cam is positioned in the unlocking rotational position,

wherein, while the hoop is held by the detent against removal from the lock body, the cam is rotatable from the unlocking rotational position toward the locking rotational position and thereby locks the hoop to the lock body;

wherein the hoop has a locking notch, wherein the locking notch of the hoop overlaps the cam along the axial direction when the cam is in the locking rotational position and the hoop is locked to the lock body,

wherein the detent includes a blocking surface that engages the hoop when the detent holds the hoop against removal from the lock body, and

wherein, when the hoop is locked to the lock body, the locking notch is positioned offset in the axial direction from the blocking surface of the detent and the detent does not engage into the locking notch.

22 . The electronic padlock according to claim 21 , wherein a removal direction of the hoop is in an upward direction, and the blocking surface of the detent is disposed below the cam along the axial direction and engages the hoop to hold the hoop against removal from the lock body at a point that is offset along the axial direction from the cam.