METHOD OF IMPROVING AIRLINE LUGGAGE INSPECTION

• US 20130227995A1
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iowa Hawkeyes LLC
• Original Assignee: Iowa Hawkeyes LLC
• Inventors: TROPP, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,879,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/20
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 35/105 Locks allowing opening by official authorities, e.g. master key opening of luggage locks by customs officials
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0034 actuated by either
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/00 Padlocks permutation locks E05B37/00; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/491 Distorted shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/413 Padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/415 Combination and/or key-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/417 Combination-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/424 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7147 Combination or key

Abstract

Method of making airline luggage inspection secure while accommodating the needs of the traveler comprises making a special lock available to airline travelers, the special lock having a combination lock portion and a master key lock, the master key lock portion receiving a master key that can open the master key lock portion of any special lock of this type. The special lock is designed to be applied to an individual piece of airline luggage and has indicia conveying to luggage purchasers that the special lock is “approved” by a luggage screening authority and conveying to the luggage screening authority that the special lock can be opened using the master key. The method includes providing the luggage screening authority directly or indirectly with exclusive access to the master key. The manufacturers and/or providers of the master key and special lock retain copies of the master key.

Claims

1. A method of making plural categories of locks available to travelers to secure luggage therewith, said special locks being configured to be recognized by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as being openable by the TSA with a master key provided thereto, said locks having indicia thereon specifically configured to convey to the TSA and the travelers that the locks can be opened by the TSA for luggage screening without breaking the locks, said method comprising:

making available to travelers plural categories of said special locks, each category comprising plural locks, wherein;

each lock in each of said plural categories has a first lock portion and a second lock portion;

each first lock portion of each lock in said plural categories of locks is configured to open and lock the lock while the second lock portion of the same lock is an remains in a locked position;

each second lock portion of each lock in said plural categories of special locks is configured to opens the lock while the first lock portion of the same lock is and remains in a locked position;

the first lock portion of a first category of the plurality of categories of locks is unlocked in a manner that is the same for all of the locks in the first category of locks but differs from the manner in which the first lock portion of a second category of the plurality of categories of locks is unlocked; and

the second lock portion of each of the locks of both the first category of locks and of the second category of locks is unlocked with the same master key;

each of the special locks in both said first category of special locks and said second category of special locks having thereon the same indicia at a prominent location on each lock;

said indicia being in addition to and different from any name of a manufacturer of the locks;

said indicia being specifically configured to convey to travelers and to the luggage screening authority that the screening authority is authorized pursuant to said agreement to open the special locks of both the first and the second categories of special locks with said master key in order to inspect luggage secured with said special locks; and

providing the locks of both the first and the second categories of locks with an attachment portion configured to interlock with luggage to secure the luggage.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the step of making said locks available comprises making available locks in which the first lock portion of each lock of said first category of locks is one type of a combination lock and each lock of the said second category of locks is another type of a combination lock.

3. The method of claim 1 in which making said locks available comprises making available locks in which the first lock portion of each lock of said first category of locks is a side dial combination lock and each lock of the said second category of locks is a front dial combination lock.

4. The method of claim 1 in which making said locks available comprises making available locks in which the first lock portions of each lock of the first category of locks comprises a lock mechanism other than a combination lock mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1 further including securing the special locks to luggage.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the screening authority is the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

12. The set of special locks of claim 1 further comprising a third category of special locks each having a first lock portion configured to be opened and locked by a traveler and a second lock portion configured to be unlocked by the screening authority with the same master key while the first locked portion remains in a locked position, wherein the first portion of the locks of the third category of locks is configured to be opened in a manner different from that of the first lock portions of the first and second categories of locks.

6. A method of using locks to secure travelers'"'"' luggage that is subject to inspection by a government-authorized luggage screening authority that is empowered to open luggage for screening out of the presence of the travelers, comprising:

obtaining locks each of which that has a first lock portion and a second lock portion;

said first lock portion of each of the locks being configured to respond to manipulation by a traveler to open and lock the lock while the second portion of the same lock is an remains in a locked position;

said second lock portion of each of the locks being configured to respond to manipulation by the luggage inspection authority to open the lock while the first lock portion of the same lock is and remains in a locked position;

said first portion of each of the locks of a first multiplicity of the locks being configured to open the lock in response to a traveler'"'"'s manipulation that is different from that opening each of the locks of a second multiplicity of the locks;

the second portion of each of the locks of both multiplicities of the locks being configured to open the lock with the same master key;

each of the special locks of both multiplicity of locks having thereon the same indicia placed at a prominent location on the lock;

said indicia being in addition to and different from any name of a manufacturer of the locks;

said indicia being specifically configured to convey to travelers and to the screening authority that the screening authority is authorized to open the lock with said same master key in order to inspect the luggage; and

attaching the special locks to luggage.

7. The method of claim 6, further including using said same master key to open the locks for luggage inspection by said screening authority.

9. A set of special locks for travelers'"'"' luggage, which locks are configured for a government-authorized luggage screening authority to be able to open the locks to screen the travelers'"'"' luggage using a master key or tool while the locks are and remain in a locked position set by the travelers, comprising:

a first category of special locks and a second category of special locks that is different from the first category, wherein;

each of the locks of the first category differ from each of the locks of the second category in the manner in which a traveler can open the lock;

each of the locks of each of the first and second categories is configured to enable the screening authority to unlock the locks with the same master key;

each lock of each of the first category and of the second category has a first lock portion and a second lock portion, and each lock portion has a locked position and an unlocked position;

each first lock portion of each lock of the first category and of the second category is configured to open and lock the lock while the second lock portion of the lock is and remains in its locked position;

each second lock portion of each lock of the first category and of the second category is configured to open the lock while the first lock portion of the lock is and remains in its locked position;

the first lock portion of the locks of the first category of locks is configured to be unlocked in a manner that is the same for all of the locks in the first category;

the first lock portion of the locks of the second category of locks is configured to be unlocked in a manner that is the same for all of the locks in the second category but differs from the manner in which the first lock portion of each of the locks of the first category of locks is unlocked;

the second portion of each lock of both the first category of locks and of the second category of locks is configured to be unlocked with the same master key or tool;

each of the locks in both said first category of locks and said second category of locks has thereon the same indicia placed at a prominent location on each lock to be readily discerned by travelers and the screening authority;

said indicia are in addition to and different from any name of a manufacturer of the locks; and

said indicia are specifically configured to convey to travelers and to the screening authority that the screening authority is authorized pursuant to open the lock with said master key or tool in order to inspect the luggage.

10. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which the first lock portion of each lock of the first category of locks comprises one type of a combination lock and each first lock portion of each lock of the second category of locks comprises another type of a combination lock.

11. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which the first lock portion of each lock of the first category of locks comprises a side dial combination lock and the first lock portion of each lock of the second category of locks comprises a front dial combination lock.

13. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which the first lock portions of each lock of the first category comprises a lock mechanism other than a combination lock mechanism.

14. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which each of the locks of said set comprises a key hole for said master key on a bottom surface of the lock.

15. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which said indicia comprise a phrase.

16. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which at least some of the locks have shackles and said indicia are on said shackles.

17. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which said each of at least some of the locks have lock bodies and said indicia are on portions of the locks other than the bodies thereof.

18. The set of special locks of claim 9 further comprising said master key or tool configured to unlock said second lock portions.

19. The set of special locks of claim 9 in which the first lock portion of each lock of the first category of locks comprises a combination lock and each lock of the second category of locks comprises a locking mechanism other than a combination lock.

20. A set of locks configured consistent with a formalized arrangement with a government-authorized luggage screening authority according to which the screening authority can open the locks and inspect the travelers'"'"' luggage while the locks are and remain in a locked position set by the travelers, comprising:

a first category of locks and a second categories of locks, wherein;

the locks of the first category differ from the locks of the second category in a manner in which a traveler can open the lock;

the locks of each of the first and second categories are configured consistent with the arrangement with the screening authority to enable the screening authority to unlock all of the locks of both the first category and the second category with the same master key or tool;

each lock of each of the first category and of the second category or locks has a first lock portion and a second lock portion, and each lock portion has a locked position and an unlocked position;

each first lock portion of each lock of the first category and of the second category or locks is configured to open and lock the lock through a manipulation by the traveler while the second lock portion of the lock is and remains in its locked position;

each second lock portion of each lock of the first category and of the second category of locks is configured to open the lock through a manipulation by the authority while the first lock portion of the lock is and remains in its locked position;

the first lock portion of the locks of the first category of locks is configured to be unlocked in a manner that is the same for all of the locks in the first category;

the first lock portion of the locks of the second category of locks is configured to be unlocked in a manner that is the same for all of the locks in the second category but differs from the manner in which the first lock portion of the first category of locks is unlocked;

the second portion of each lock of both the first category of locks and of the second category of locks is configured to be unlocked with the same master key or tool;

each of the locks in both said first category of locks and said second category of locks carries the same indicia placed at a prominent location on each lock so as to be readily observed by travelers and the authority;

the indicia are consistent with said arrangement with the screening authority.

the indicia are in addition to and different from any name of a manufacturer of the locks; and

the indicia are specifically configured to convey to travelers and to the screening authority that the screening authority is authorized pursuant to said arrangement to open the lock with said master key or tool in order to screen the luggage.

21. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which the first lock portion of each lock of the first category of locks comprises one type of a combination lock and each first lock portion of each lock of the said second category of locks comprises another type of a combination lock.

22. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which the first lock portion of each lock of the first category of locks comprises a side dial combination lock and the first lock portion of each lock of the second category of locks comprises a front dial combination lock.

23. The set of special locks of claim 20 further comprising a third category of special locks each having a first lock portion configured to be opened and locked by a traveler and a second lock portion configured to be unlocked by the screening authority with the same master key while the first lock portion is and remains in a locked position.

24. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which the first lock portions of each lock of the first category of locks comprises a lock mechanism other than a combination lock mechanism.

25. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which each of the locks of said set comprises a key hole for said master key on a bottom surface of the lock.

26. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which said indicia comprise a phrase.

27. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which at least some of the locks have shackles and said indicia are on said shackles.

28. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which said each lock of at least some of the locks has a lock body and said indicia are on a portion of the lock other than the body thereof.

29. The set of special locks of claim 20 further comprising said master key or tool.

30. The set of special locks of claim 20 in which the first lock portion of each lock of the first category of locks comprises a combination lock and each lock of the second category of locks comprises a locking mechanism other than a combination lock.