Patent Application
20060130540
This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 93139972 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Dec. 22, 2004 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a padlock mechanism having dual unlocking modes and particularly to a padlock that may be operated by setting a combination or by inserting and turning a key.
Padlocks are widely used on articles that have obvious or potential security concerns. The conventional padlocks include key locks that are locked and unlocked by inserting and turning a key and combination locks that are locked and unlocked by setting a combination. The key locks have the advantage of preventing the combination from being decoded, while the combination locks have the convenience of using without a key.
In practice, a lock equipped with the design of dual unlocking modes enables users to select either way to unlock according to use requirements. For instance, when a user forgets to carry the key or the combination, he/she can choose another way to unlock. In addition, the lock, having dual unlocking modes, allows two different users or groups to use the same lock. For instance, a security lock to be used in the airport or school can be set, so the general users or students have to set a valid combination to unlock while the key is kept only by the security people or managers.
In view of requirements for the padlocks having dual unlocking modes, the object of the invention is to provide a padlock that has dual unlocking modes by setting a combination and using a key, so that users can select either way to unlock according to different requirements.
The padlock according to the invention includes a body, at least one dialing wheel, a cam, a holding plate, an elastic element, a lock member, and a lock cylinder.
The body has a movable arm, and the dialing wheel is pivotally coupled on the body. The cam is selectively rotated by the rotation of the dialing wheel. The holding plate presses against the dialing wheel, and is selectively at a protruding position or a contacting position according to the rotation of the cam, wherein the elastic element is for driving the holding plate in contact with the cam;
The lock member is adapted to be pressed by the holding plate. As the holding plate is at the protruding position, the lock member is at a first position interfering with the movement of the movable arm. And, as the holding plate is at the contacting position, the lock member is at a second position without interfering with the movement of the movable arm.
The lock cylinder may be turned by a key and has an actuation member, wherein the lock cylinder is movable for driving the lock member through the actuation member to drive the lock member to switch between the first position and the second position. So that the lock member is at the first position interfering with the movement of the movable arm, or is at a second position without interfering with the movement of the movable arm.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In this embodiment, the movable arm 124 is a driven element and able to be interfered by the lock mechanism of the padlock. The movable arm 124 is pressed by a first elastic element 128 located in the body 10, to keep the shackle 12 in a closed status in normal condition.
Refer to
The dialing wheel 22 is pivotally coupled on the body 10. There is a cam 28 coaxially coupled with the dialing wheel and rotating therewith the rotation of the dialing wheel. The cam 28 may be coaxially fixed on the dialing wheel 22 or serve as an independent element engaged with the dialing wheel 22, and be rotated by the rotation of the dialing wheel 22. The holding plate 24 is movable and is extended outwards, to form a compression member 242, and has a latch member 244 corresponding to the cam 28. Moreover, the holding plate 24 is pushed by the second elastic element 26 to press against the dialing wheel 22, to keep the latch member 244 in contact with the cam 28, so that the holding plate 24 may be selectively at a protruding position or a contacting position according to the rotation of the cam 28.
The lock member 30 is movable and may be at a first position interfering with the movement of the movable arm 124, or at a second position without interfering with the movable arm 124, so that the movable arm 124 may be moved to form a gap on the shackle 12. The lock member 30 is pushed by a third elastic element 32, to be in contact with and pressed by the holding plate 24. The lock member 30 further is extended to form a force receiving section 302, a retaining section 304, and a thrust receiving section 306. The force receiving section 302 is pressed by the compression member 242 of the holding plate 24, so that the lock member 30 can switch position when the holding plate 24 is moving. The retaining section 304 can interfere with the movable arm 124.
The lock cylinder 40 has a plurality of latch plates 42 on the periphery and a key hole 44 to receive a matching key. Once the key is inserted into the key hole 44, the latch plates 42 extended outside the lock cylinder 40 are retracted inwards and may be driven by the key. Moreover, the lock cylinder 40 is extended to form an actuation member 46, which is an eccentric stud shaft on one end of the surface of the lock cylinder 40. And thrust receiving section 306 is a slot to receive the actuation member 46, so that the actuation member 46 can be coupled with the thrust receiving section 306.
Refer to
Referring to
When the holding plate 24 is at the protruding position and the movement of the movable arm 124 is interfered and cannot be moved, as shown in
Thus interfering of the movement of the movable arm 124 by the lock member 30 can be released by setting combination through the dialing wheel 22, or by inserting and turning the key K in the lock cylinder 40.
It is to be noted that the lock cylinder 40 driving the lock member 30 by rotation is not the limitation of movement. Linear movement or a combination of rotation and linear movement may also be adopted to achieve the desired result.
In addition, the movement relationship between the lock cylinder 40 and the lock member 30 also is not limited to what is shown in the drawings. For instance,
In summary, the lock mechanism of the invention can provide dual unlocking modes. When adopted on a lock, the lock may be unlocked by setting a combination or through a key, according to the user's requirements.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93139972 | Dec 2004 | TW | national |
