Lock for a fastener

• US 20050092039A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chung Ming Mak, Chung Yin Ronald Mak, King Biu Mak
• Original Assignee: Chung Ming Mak, Chung Yin Ronald Mak, King Biu Mak
• Inventors: Mak, King Biu, Mak, Chung Ming, Mak, Chung Yin Ronald
• Application Number:
  US10/695,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20050092039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/58
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/266 with at least one push-button acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and perpendicularly to the direction of the fastening action
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1092 of the socket-and-pin type
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/00 Travelling or camp articles travelling rugs A47G9/06; Sacks or packs carried on the body convertible into other articles A45F4/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/02 with tumbler discs or rings arranged on a single axis, each disc being adjustable independently of the others
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/5284 in which a movable latch is passed through a staple loop similar fasteners for buckles A44B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/06 in which the securing part if formed or carried by a spring and moves only by distortion of the spring, e.g. snaps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles

Abstract

A lock for a female member of a fastening mechanism is disclosed, in which the female member is releasably engageable with a male member of the fastening mechanism, the male member having two arm members which are movable relative to each other, and the lock is movable relative to the female member between a first position in which, when the male and female members are engaged with each other, relative movement between the two arm members is allowed, thus allowing the male and female members to be disengaged from each other, and a second position in which, when the male and female members are engaged with each other, relative movement between the two arm members is denied, thus locking the male and female members against relative movement.

Claims

1. A lock adapted to be carried by a female member of a fastening mechanism, wherein said female member is adapted to be releasably engaged with at least one male member of said fastening mechanism, said male member having at least two arm members which are movable relative to each other, wherein said lock is movable relative to said female member between a first position in which, when said male and female members are engaged with each other, relative movement between said two arm members is allowed, and a second position in which, when said male and female members are engaged with each other, relative movement between said two arm members is denied.

2. A lock according to claim 1 wherein when said male member is engaged with said second member, and when said lock is in said first position, said male and female members are releasable from each other.

3. A lock according to claim 1 wherein when said male member is engaged with said second member, and when said lock is in said second position, said male and female members are locked against movement relative to each other.

4. A lock according to claim 3 wherein when said lock is in said second position, said male and female members are un-engageable with each other.

5. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said lock is engageable with said female member in a first orientation wherein a longitudinal axis of said lock is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said female member.

6. A lock according to claim 5 wherein when said lock is engaged with said female member in said first orientation, said arm members of said male member are engageable with a first locking part of said lock.

7. A lock according to claim 6 wherein said first locking part is in the shape of a substantially circular plate with a recess.

8. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said lock is engageable with said female member in a second orientation wherein a longitudinal axis of said lock is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said female member.

9. A lock according to claim 8 wherein when said lock is engaged with said female member in said second orientation, said arm members of said male member are engageable with a second locking part of said lock.

10. A lock according to claim 9 wherein said second locking part includes at least two separate curved members.

11. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said lock is engageable with said female member in a third orientation wherein a longitudinal axis of said lock is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said female member, and is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said lock when in said first orientation.

12. A lock according to claim 11 wherein when said lock is engaged with said female member in said third orientation, said arm members of said male member are engageable with a third locking part of said lock.

13. A lock according to claim 1, further including an indicator for indicating the relative position between said lock and said female member.

14. A lock according to claim 13 wherein said indicator is movable relative to a body of said lock.

15. A female member for a fastening mechanism, said female member including at least one lock according to claim 1.

16. A female member for a fastening mechanism, said female member including a lock according to claim 13, wherein said indicator is marked with at least a first and a second position marker, wherein when said first position marker is adjacent to a pre-determined position of said female member, relative movement between said two arm members is allowed, and when said second position marker is adjacent to said pre-determined position of said female member, relative movement between said two arm members is denied.

17. A female member according to claim 15, further including a plurality of said locks.

18. A female member according to claim 17 wherein the longitudinal axes of said plurality of locks are substantially parallel to each other.

19. A female member according to claim 17 wherein the longitudinal axes of said plurality of locks substantially coincide with each other.

20. A female member according to claim 15 wherein said lock is rotatable relative to said female member.

21. A female member according to claim 15 wherein said female member is releasably engageable with at least two male members.

22. A fastening mechanism including a male member and a female member which are releasably engageable with each other, wherein said female member includes at least one lock according to claim 1.

23. A fastening mechanism according to claim 22 wherein said female member includes a plurality of said locks.