Dual-lock type padlock

• US 7,201,026 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chun Te Yu
• Original Assignee: Chun Te Yu
• Inventors: Yu, Chun Te
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US11/218,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 70 21- 28, 702/84, 702/85, 704/32, 703/12, 70 45- 47
• US Class Current: 70/21
• 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 37/0058 by axial disengagement between hub and rim of tumbler discs or rings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/025 in padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/14 with devices for securing the hinged end of the shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/415 Combination and/or key-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/424 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/474 Swinging detent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key

Abstract

A dual-lock type padlock includes a number lock module that is locked and unlocked by a user, and a key lock module that is unlocked by a specific key held by an inspector of the customs for checking the luggage locked by the padlock. Thus, after the key lock module is unlocked, the identification zone of the identification member is exposed outward from the window of the housing, so that the user only needs to see the window to judge if the padlock has been opened by the customs for checking the luggage without having to open the luggage locked by the padlock, thereby greatly saving the time for checking the luggage.

Claims

1. A dual-lock type padlock comprising:

a housing having a shackle, and an opening formed between one end of the shackle and the housing;

a limit member including a press portion and a locking portion, wherein the press portion having an end pivotally mounted in the housing in a swingable manner, a side protruding from the housing and an inside formed with a recess, and the locking portion is extended from the side of the press portion and movable to open or close the opening in a swingable manner;

a number lock module mounted in the housing and disposed between an unlocked state to allow a swinging motion of the limit member and a locked state to limit the swinging motion of the limit member;

a key lock module mounted in the limit member and having a locking barrel and a push member, wherein the locking barrel comprises an end disposed in the recess of the press portion and another end exposed from the recess of the press portion of the limit member for receiving a specified key which can drive the locking barrel, and the push member of the key lock module is driven by the locking barrel between an unlocked position where the push member is detached from a side of the number lock module and a locked position where the push member is rested on the side of the number lock module.

2. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing has a window extended into an inside thereof, and the dual-lock type padlock further comprises an identification member, and a restoring member, wherein:

the identification member is mounted in the housing and has an identification zone so that when the push member of the key lock module is disposed at the unlocked position, the identification zone is moved with the identification member by a swinging motion of the limit member to expose outward from the window of the housing;

the restoring member is mounted in the housing and driven by an external force when the number lock module is disposed at the unlocked state to push the identification member to detach the identification zone from the window of the housing.

3. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 2, wherein the number lock module includes a number wheel unit, a shaft, and an elastic member, the number wheel unit allows or limits axial displacement of the shaft by a set of combination, the shaft is extended through the number wheel unit and has an end rested on an end face of the push member, and the elastic member is rested on the shaft to provide a restoring force to the shaft.

4. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 3, wherein the shaft is provided with a push block rested on the end face of the push member, and the elastic member is mounted on the shaft and has a first end rested on a back face of the push block and a second end rested on a side face of the number wheel unit.

5. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 3, wherein the number lock module further includes a reset button mounted on a second end of the shaft and exposed outward from the housing, so that when the number lock module is disposed at the unlocked state, the reset button is driven by an external force to move axially to change the combination of the number lock module, and the restoring member is moved with the reset button synchronously.

6. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 5, wherein the restoring member has an end secured to the reset button of the number lock module.

7. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 2, wherein the identification member is pivotally mounted in the housing in a swingable manner, the housing has a slot for positioning the identification member, so that the identification zone is exposed outward from the window of the housing, the identification member has a first surface and a second surface located at two opposite sides thereof the first surface of the identification member is pushed by the push member of the key lock module to move the identification member so that the identification zone is moved to expose outward from the window of the housing, and the second surface of the identification member is pushed by the restoring member to return the identification member so that the identification zone is moved to detach from the window of the housing.

8. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 2, wherein the push member of the key lock module has a side formed with a slope, and the first surface of the identification member is pushed by the slope of the push member of the key lock module.

9. The dual-lock type padlock in accordance with claim 2, wherein the housing has two windows, and the identification member has two identification zones aligning with the two windows.