TAMPER INDICATING PADLOCK
First Claim
1. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:
- a housing;
a key lock, wherein at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way;
a combination lock, wherein at least a portion of said combination lock is located within said housing;
a shackle for engaging at least a portion of the article, said shackle at least partially contained within said housing and rotatable upon unlocking at least one of the key lock and the combination lock; and
an indicator having at least first and second positions, said indicator extending at least partially exterior of said housing when in said second position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A travel padlock for securing an article comprises a housing having a shackle, a key lock and a combination lock. An indicator having at least first and second positions is moved from the first position to the second position upon insertion of an object longitudinally into a key hole of the key lock. In at least one embodiment, at least a portion of the indicator extends beyond the exterior of the housing when in the second position. In addition, in at least one embodiment of the present invention the shackle may be rotated to reset the indicator from the second position back to the first position. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment of the present invention the indicator may be reset from the second position back to the first position without rotating the shackle or unlocking the combination lock. Methods of making and using the padlock are also provided.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:
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a housing;
a key lock, wherein at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way;
a combination lock, wherein at least a portion of said combination lock is located within said housing;
a shackle for engaging at least a portion of the article, said shackle at least partially contained within said housing and rotatable upon unlocking at least one of the key lock and the combination lock; and
an indicator having at least first and second positions, said indicator extending at least partially exterior of said housing when in said second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:
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a housing;
a key lock, wherein at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way;
a combination lock, wherein at least a portion of said combination lock is located within said housing;
a shackle for engaging at least a portion of the article, said shackle at least partially contained within said housing and rotatable upon unlocking at least one of the key lock and the combination lock;
an indicator having at least first and second positions, wherein said indicator moves from said first position to said second position upon insertion of an object longitudinally into said key way; and
a reset mechanism operably interconnected to said indicator for moving said indicator from said second position back to said first position without moving said shackle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A travel padlock for securing an article, the travel padlock comprising:
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a means for containing defining a chamber therein;
a means for engaging the article, said means for engaging located partially within said chamber;
first and second means for locking located within at least a portion of said chamber, both said first and second means for locking operative to lock and unlock said means for engaging, at least one of said first and second means for locking comprising a means for receiving; and
a means for signaling operatively associated with said means for receiving, said means for signaling having a first state and a second state and moveable back and forth between said first and second state, said means for signaling extending at least partially exterior of said means for containing when in said second state;
wherein said means for signaling is moveable from said first state to said second state upon insertion of an object into said means for receiving. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of making a padlock, comprising:
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a. providing a housing;
b. providing a movable shackle in association with said housing;
c. positioning a key lock in said housing;
d. positioning a combination lock in said housing;
said combination lock and key lock independently operable to lock and unlock the shackle; and
e. positioning an indicator in the housing, the indicator movable from a first position to a second position upon an object being longitudinally inserted into the key lock. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. In a lock having a combination portion for opening the lock and a key portion having a key way to receive a key to open the lock, a method of determining if the key portion has been tampered with, comprising:
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a. locking the lock;
b. inserting an object into the key way portion of the key portion of the lock;
c. causing an indicator to change from a first state to a second state. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. In a padlock having a combination portion for opening the lock and a key portion having a key way to receive a key to operate the lock, a method of determining if the key portion has been tampered with, comprising:
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a. providing a lock housing and a shackle;
b. locking the shackle in a locked position; and
c. signaling that an object has been inserted into the key way of the key lock. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification