Retightenable and resettable strap lock

• US 6,189,348 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chien-Yung Huang
• Original Assignee: Chien-Yung Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Chien-Yung
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US09/498,325
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 246/14--16, 246/25, 246/33, 70/14, 70/18, 70/19, 70/30, 70/49, 70/57, 70/58, 70/64, 70/65, 70/67--71, 703/12, 703/14
• US Class Current: 70/18
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/20 Chains or bands A45C13/185 takes precedence
• 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: E05B 73/0005 using chains, cables or the like chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45581 having inserted end formed by oppositely biased surface segments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/409 Shackles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/435 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/50 Special application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7305 Manually operable

Abstract

A retightenable and resettable strap lock for luggage includes a female buckle member with number wheels, a male buckle member for releasably engaging with the female buckle member, and a strap connected to the female buckle member and the male buckle member. A slide member is mounted in the female buckle member for restraining movement of the strap. An end of the strap is pullable to further tighten the luggage even if the male and female buckle members are engaged with each other, yet loosening of the strap by pulling the end of the strap in the opposite direction is prevented. A pull tab holder is mounted in the male buckle member for receiving two pull tabs of a zipper of the luggage. The pull tab holder is retained in place by the female buckle member when the male and female buckle members are engaged with each other.

Claims

1. A strap lock for an article, comprising:

a male buckle member,

a female buckle member for releasably engaging with the male buckle member,

a strap having a first end secured to one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member, the strap being extended through the other of the male buckle member and the female buckle member, a second end of the strap being extended beyond the other of the male buckle member and the female buckle member, and

means for releasably engaging the strap mounted to the other of the male buckle member and the female buckle member, said means for releasably engaging the strap being configured to allow pulling of the second end of the strap in a first direction for further tightening the article and to prevent movement of the second end of the strap in a second direction opposite to the first direction for loosening the article, and said means allowing free movement of the second end of the strap when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are disengaged from each other,

one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member includes a lock assembly for maintaining the male buckle member and the female buckle member in the engaged status when the lock assembly is in a locked status and for allowing disengagement of the male buckle member and the female buckle member when the lock assembly is in an unlocked status, the lock assembly comprising a plurality of number wheels rotatably mounted in the female buckle member;

each said number wheel including a longitudinal hole, the longitudinal hole including a first engaging means on an inner periphery thereof;

a plurality of retaining sleeves each of which is mounted in the longitudinal hole of an associated said number wheel, each said retaining sleeve including a second engaging means on an outer periphery thereof for releasably engaging with the first engaging means of the associated number wheel to allow joint rotation of the retaining sleeve and the number wheel, each said retaining sleeve including a groove in an inner periphery thereof;

a stem slidably extended through the retaining sleeves and including a first end outside the retaining sleeves and a second end located in one of the retaining sleeves that is most distal to the first end of the stern;

said one of the retaining sleeves that is most distal to the first end of the stem including an end wall, the stem including a plurality of spaced protrusions for releasably engaging with the grooves of the retaining sleeves; and

a spring mounted around the stem and attached between the first end of the stem and one of the retaining sleeve for biasing the first end of the stem and the end wall of the retaining wheel away from each other;

the male buckle member including two resilient push members respectively formed on two sides thereof, each said resilient member including a barb, one of the resilient push members being located outside the first end of the stem, the other of the resilient push members being located outside the end wall of said one of the retaining sleeves most distal to the first end of the stem;

the female buckle member including two side retaining holes each having a retaining member for releasably engaging with the barb of an associated said resilient member;

said means for releasably engaging with the strap being a slide member mounted in the female buckle member and including two protrusions on a first side thereof and a series of teeth on a second side thereof for releasably engaging with the strap, the slide member being slidable relative to the female buckle member along a lateral direction;

whereby when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are engaged with each other, the push members of the male buckle member push the protrusions of the slide member and thus make the teeth of the slide member move toward and thus engage with the strap to allow pulling of the second end of the strap in the first direction for further tightening the article and to prevent movement of the second end of the strap in the second direction opposite to the first direction for loosening the article;

whereby when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are disengaged with each other;

the slide member is slidable away from the strap and thus makes the teeth of the slide member disengage from the strap to allow free movement of the second end of the strap;

whereby when the number wheels are not in correct code number position, the grooves of the retaining sleeves are not aligned with the protrusions of the stem such that the stem and the retaining wheels are not movable toward each other, the barbs of the male buckle member cannot be disengaged from the retaining elements of the female buckle member when the push members of the male buckle member are pushed toward each other, and

whereby when the number wheels are in the correct code number position, the grooves of the retaining sleeves are aligned with the protrusions of the stem such that the stem and the retaining wheels are movable toward each other;

the barbs of the male buckle member are disengaged from the retaining elements of the female buckle member when the push members of the male buckle member are pushed toward each other.

2. The strap lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lock assembly is a number lock.

3. The strap lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein a code number for unlocking the number lock is resettable.

4. A strap lock for luggage with a zipper having two pull tabs, comprising:

a male buckle member;

a female buckle member for releasably engaging with the male buckle member;

a strap having a first end secured to the male buckle member and a second end secured to the female buckle member;

the strap being adjustable in length for tightening the luggage; and

a pull tub holder mounted in one of the male buckle member and the female member for holding the pull tabs when the male buckle member and the female member are engaged with each other; and

one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member includes a lock assembly for maintaining the male buckle member and the female buckle member in the engaged status when the lock assembly is in a locked status and for allowing disengagement of the male buckle member and the female buckle member when the lock assembly is in an unlocked status, the lock assembly comprises

a plurality of number wheels rotatably mounted in the female buckle member;

each said number wheel including a longitudinal hole, the longitudinal hole including a first engaging means on an inner periphery thereof;

a plurality of retaining sleeves each of which is mounted in the longitudinal hole of an associated said number wheel, each said retaining sleeve including a second engaging means on an outer periphery thereof for releasably engaging with the first engaging means of the associated number wheel to allow joint rotation of the retaining sleeve and the number wheel, each said retaining sleeve including a groove in an inner periphery thereof;

a stem slidably extended through the retaining sleeves and including a first end outside the retaining sleeves and a second end located in one of the retaining sleeves that is most distal to the first end of the stern;

said one of the retaining sleeves that is most distal to the first end of the stem including an end wall, the stem including a plurality of spaced protrusions for releasably engaging with the grooves of the retaining sleeves; and

a spring mounted around the stem and attached between the first end of the stem and one of the retaining sleeve for biasing the first end of the stem and the end wall of the retaining wheel away from each other;

the male buckle member including two resilient push members respectively formed on two sides thereof;

each said resilient member including a barb, one of the resilient push members being located outside the first end of the stern;

the other of the resilient push members being located outside the end wall of said one of the retaining sleeves most distal to the first end of the stem;

the female buckle member including two side retaining holes each having a retaining member for releasably engaging with the barb of an associated said resilient member;

said means for releasably engaging with the strap being a slide member mounted in the female buckle member and including two protrusions on a first side thereof and a series of teeth on a second side thereof for releasably engaging with the strap, the slide member being slidable relative to the female buckle member along a lateral direction;

whereby when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are engaged with each other;

the push members of the male buckle member push the protrusions of the slide member and thus make the teeth of the slide member move toward and thus engage with the strap to allow pulling of the strap in the first direction for further tightening the article and to prevent movement of the strap in the second direction opposite to the first direction for loosening the article;

whereby when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are disengaged with each other, the slide member is slidable away from the strap and thus makes the teeth of the slide member disengage from the strap to allow free movement of the strap;

whereby when the number wheels are not in correct code number position, the grooves of the retaining sleeves are not aligned with the protrusions of the stem such that the stem and the retaining wheels are not movable toward each other;

the barbs of the male buckle member cannot be disengaged from the retaining elements of the female buckle member when the push members of the male buckle member are pushed toward each other, and

whereby when the number wheels are in the correct code number position, the grooves of the retaining sleeves are aligned with the protrusions of the stem such that the stem and the retaining wheels are movable toward each other;

the barbs of the male buckle member are disengaged from the retaining elements of the female buckle member when the push members of the male buckle member are pushed toward each other.

5. The strap lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pull tabs are hidden in the male buckle member and the female buckle member when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are engaged with each other.

6. The strap lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lock assembly is a number lock.

7. The strap lock as claimed in claim 6, wherein a code number for unlocking the number lock is resettable.

8. The strap lock as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means mounted in one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member for releasably engaging with the strap, said means for releasably engaging with the strap being configured to allow pulling of the strap in a first direction for further tightening the article and to prevent movement of the strap in a second direction opposite to the first direction for loosening the luggage, and said means allowing free movement of the strap when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are disengaged from each other.

9. A strap lock for luggage with a zipper having two pull tabs, comprising:

a male buckle member;

a female buckle member for releasably engaging with the male buckle member,

a strap having a first end secured to one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member, the strap being extended through the other of the male buckle member and the female buckle member with a second end thereof beyond the other of the male buckle member and the female buckle member for manual pulling;

means for releasably engaging with the strap and mounted to the other of the male buckle member and the female buckle member;

said means for releasably engaging with the strap being configured to allow pulling of the second end of the strap in a first direction for further tightening the article and to prevent movement of the second end of the strap in a second direction opposite to the first direction for loosening the article, and said means allowing free movement of the second end of the strap when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are disengaged from each other; and

a pull tub holder mounted in one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member for releasably holding the pull tabs when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are engaged with each other;

wherein

one of the male buckle member and the female buckle member includes a lock assembly for maintaining the male buckle member and the female buckle member in the engaged status when the lock assembly is in a locked status and for allowing disengagement of the male buckle member and the female buckle member when the lock assembly is in an unlocked status, the lock assembly comprising

a plurality of number wheels rotatably mounted in the female buckle member;

each said number wheel including a longitudinal hole, the longitudinal hole including a first engaging means on an inner periphery thereof;

a plurality of retaining sleeves each of which is mounted in the longitudinal hole of an associated said number wheel, each said retaining sleeve including a second engaging means on an outer periphery thereof for releasably engaging with the first engaging means of the associated number wheel to allow joint rotation of the retaining sleeve and the number wheel, each said retaining sleeve including a groove in an inner periphery thereof;

a stem slidably extended through the retaining sleeves and including a first end outside the retaining sleeves and a second end located in one of the retaining sleeves that is most distal to the first end of the stem, said one of the retaining sleeves that is most distal to the first end of the stem including an end wall, the stem including a plurality of spaced protrusions for releasably engaging with the grooves of the retaining sleeves; and

a spring mounted around the stem and attached between the first end of the stem and one of the retaining sleeve for biasing the first end of the stem and the end wall of the retaining wheel away from each other;

the male buckle member including two resilient push members respectively formed on two sides thereof, each said resilient member including a barb, one of the resilient push members being located outside the first end of the stern;

the other of the resilient push members being located outside the end wall of said one of the retaining sleeves most distal to the first end of the stem;

the female buckle member including two side retaining holes each having a retaining member for releasably engaging with the barb of an associated said resilient member;

said means for releasably engaging with the strap being a slide member mounted in the female buckle member and including two protrusions on a first side thereof and a series of teeth on a second side thereof for releasably engaging with the strap, the slide member being slidable relative to the female buckle member along a lateral direction;

whereby when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are engaged with each other;

the push members of the male buckle member push the protrusions of the slide member and thus make the teeth of the slide member move toward and thus engage with the strap to allow pulling of the second end of the strap in the first direction for further tightening the article and to prevent movement of the second end of the strap in the second direction opposite to the first direction for loosening the article;

whereby when the male buckle member and the female buckle member are disengaged with each other;

the slide member is slidable away from the strap and thus makes the teeth of the slide member disengage from the strap to allow free movement of the second end of the strap;

whereby when the number wheels are not in correct code number position, the grooves of the retaining sleeves are not aligned with the protrusions of the stem such that the stem and the retaining wheels are not movable toward each other;

the barbs of the male buckle member cannot be disengaged from the retaining elements of the female buckle member when the push members of the male buckle member are pushed toward each other; and

whereby when the number wheels are in the correct code number position, the grooves of the retaining sleeves are aligned with the protrusions of the stem such that the stem and the retaining wheels are movable toward each other;

the barbs of the male buckle member are disengaged from the retaining elements of the female buckle member when the push members of the male buckle member are pushed toward each other.

10. The strap lock as claimed in claim 9, wherein the lock assembly is a number lock.

11. The strap lock as claimed in claim 10, wherein a code number for unlocking the number lock is resettable.