Electric padlock

• US 6,761,051 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EZ Trend Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: EZ Trend Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsai, Hung-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US10/373,698
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 70/38.A, 70/38.B, 70/63, 702/57, 702/791, 702/80--82
• US Class Current: 70/38.00B
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0024 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/24 with built- in cylinder locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/459 Both legs engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/461 Short leg engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5978 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7124 Retracted electrically only

Abstract

In an electric padlock, a lock casing is formed with first and second shackle insert holes. A shackle member has a longer leg portion that is movably disposed in the second shackle insert hole and that is biased upwardly. A latch member is received in the lock casing, and is movable between locking and unlocking positions for engaging and disengaging a shackle groove in a shorter leg portion of the shackle member. An electric operating unit includes a drive motor mounted in the lock casing and engaging the latch member. The drive motor is operable for moving the latch member from the locking position to the unlocking position. A remote controller is operable so as to provide an electric signal to the drive motor for controlling operation of the drive motor.

Claims

1. An electric padlock comprising:

a lock casing having a top wall with first and second shackle insert holes formed therein;

an inverted U-shaped shackle member having a longer leg portion movably disposed in said second shackle insert hole, and a shorter leg portion parallel to said longer leg portion and extendible into said first shackle insert hole, said shorter leg portion being formed with a shackle groove formed therein;

a first biasing spring mounted in said second shackle insert hole for biasing said longer leg portion upwardly;

a latch member received in said lock casing and movable between a locking position in which said latch member is moved toward said first shackle insert hole for engaging said shackle groove in said shorter leg portion of said shackle member when said shorter leg portion is inserted into said first shackle insert hole so as to lock said shackle member on said lock casing, and an unlocking position in which said latch member is moved away from said first shackle insert hole for disengaging from said shackle groove to permit upward movement of said shorter leg portion by virtue of biasing action of said first biasing spring so as to unlock said shackle member from said lock casing;

a key-operated lock unit received in said lock casing, said lock unit including a lock core device with a latch actuator, and a key which is insertable into said lock core device for operating said latch actuator, said latch actuator engaging said latch member and moving said latch member from said locking position to said unlocking position when said key is operated; and

an electric operating unit including a drive motor mounted in said lock casing and operable for moving said latch member from said locking position to said unlocking position, and a remote controller which is operable to provide an electric signal to said drive motor for controlling operation of said drive motor;

said lock core device and a rotary transmission shaft of said drive motor being disposed parallel to each other and being adjacent to a same side surface of said latch member.

2. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said latch member is formed with first and second operating projections;

said electric operating unit further including an operating gear mounted rotatably in said lock casing and coupled to said drive motor, said operating gear being formed with a radial cam projection which engages said first operating projection for moving said latch member from said locking position to said unlocking position when said drive motor is operated, and which disengages from said first operating projection after said drive motor is operated to rotate said operating gear by a predetermined angle;

said latch actuator of said lock core device engaging said second operating projection for moving said latch member from said locking position to said unlocking position when said key is operated;

said electric padlock further comprising a switch member mounted in said lock casing and connected electrically to said drive motor,

said operating gear being further formed with a radial switch actuating projection which is rotatable with said operating gear toward said switch member so as to actuate said switch member and cause said switch member to deactivate said drive motor when said shorter leg portion is removed from said lock casing.

3. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electric operating unit further including a worm gear sleeved on and secured to said transmission shaft, and a transmission gear engaging said worm gear and said operating gear for transmitting rotation of said worm gear to said operating gear;

said operating gear including a cylindrical mounting portion mounted rotatably in said lock casing, and a circular gear plate portion coaxial with said cylindrical mounting portion and secured to one end of said cylindrical mounting portion, said gear plate portion engaging said transmission gear, said cylindrical mounting portion being formed with said radial cam projection and said radial switch actuating projection that are angularly displaced from each other.

4. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 3, wherein said transmission gear is a speed-reducing gear.

5. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and second operating projections are formed on said same side surface of said latch member.

6. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a second biasing spring disposed in said lock casing and biasing said latch member to said locking position such, that said latch member is movable from said unlocking position back to said locking position when said radial cam projection disengages from said first operating projection.

7. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 6, wherein said latch member has a shackle engaging end disposed proximate to said first shackle insert hole for engaging said shackle groove in said shorter leg portion of said shackle member, and a spring mounting end opposite to said shackle engaging end and acted upon by said second biasing spring, said shackle engaging end having a tapered wall that faces upwardly, said shorter leg portion sliding past said tapered wall and pushing said latch member in a direction away from said first shackle insert hole against biasing action of said second biasing spring when said shorter leg portion is inserted into said first shackle insert hole, said latch member being moved to said locking position by virtue of biasing action of said second biasing spring when said shackle groove in said shorter leg portion is registered with said latch member upon insertion of said shorter leg portion into said first shackle insert hole.

8. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electric operating unit further includes a receiver unit mounted on said lock casing and connected electrically to said drive motor, said receiver unit receiving the electric signal and enabling operation of said drive motor in response to the electric signal.

9. The electric padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lock casing includes an outer casing member formed with said first and second shackle insert holes, and an inner casing member received in said outer casing member, said drive motor and said latch member being mounted in said inner casing member.