Combination lock

• US 7,331,204 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eminent Luggage Corp.
• Original Assignee: Eminent Luggage Corp.
• Inventors: Hsieh, Dick-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay; Jennifer H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FULTON, KRISTINA ROSE
• Application Number:
  US11/519,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20080060391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 70/69, 70/70
• US Class Current: 70/69
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1084 of the latch-and-catch type
• 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 37/0031 Locks with both permutation and key actuation E05B17/145 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: E05C 19/145 flush
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5058 Trunk and/or suitcase
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5062 Projecting fixed or movable lug type

Abstract

A combination lock includes: a base mounted securely on a suitcase; a case locking mechanism mounted on the base and operable to move between locking and releasing positions; a dial lock mounted on the case locking mechanism, including a lock controlling member, and operable between locking and releasing states through operation of the lock controlling member; and a key-operated unlocking unit mounted on the case locking mechanism, including a core, and operable in a manner that the case locking mechanism is permitted to move from the locking position to the releasing position when the core is moved from a first angular position to a second angular position.

Claims

1. A combination lock for locking first and second casing halves of a suitcase, said combination lock comprising:

a base mounted securely on one of the first and second casing halves;

a case locking mechanism mounted on said base and operable to move between a locking position to lock the first and second casing halves, and a releasing position to release the locking action of said case locking mechanism on the first and second casing halves;

a dial lock mounted on said case locking mechanism, including a lock controlling member, and operable between a locking state, in which said case locking mechanism is prevented from moving from the locking position to the releasing position by said lock controlling member, and a releasing state, in which said case locking mechanism is released from said lock controlling member and is permitted to move from the locking position to the releasing position; and

a key-operated unlocking unit mounted on said case locking mechanism and including a core that is rotatable between first and second angular positions, and that is associated with said lock controlling member in such a manner that said case locking mechanism is prevented from moving from the locking position to the releasing position by said lock controlling member when said dial lock is disposed at said locking state and when said core is disposed at said first angular position, and that said case locking mechanism is released from said lock controlling member and is permitted to move from the locking position to the releasing position when said core is disposed at said second angular position;

wherein said lock controlling member includes a limiting lever that is fulcrumable among a middle position, in which said case locking mechanism is prevented from moving from the locking position to the releasing position by said limiting lever, an upper position, in which said case locking mechanism is released from said limiting lever and is permitted to move from the locking position to the releasing position, and a lower position, in which said case locking mechanism is released from said limiting lever and is permitted to move from the locking position to the releasing position.

2. The combination lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said case locking mechanism includes a case latching member that is rotatable between a latching position to engage the other of the first and second casing halves to thereby dispose said case locking mechanism at the locking position, and an unlatching position to disengage from the other of the first and second casing halves to thereby dispose said case locking mechanism at the releasing position, said case locking mechanism further including a spring-biased pressable button that is mounted movably on said case latching member, that is movable in a moving direction between pressed and non-pressed positions, and that is formed with a stopper, said case latching member being permitted to rotate from the latching position to the unlatching position when said pressable button is disposed at the pressed position, and being prevented from moving from the latching position to the unlatching position when said pressable button is disposed at the non-pressed position, said limiting lever having a limiting end that confronts and that is aligned with said stopper in said moving direction when said limiting lever is disposed at said middle position, thereby preventing said pressable button from moving from the non-pressed position to the pressed position, and that is offset from said stopper in said moving direction when said limiting lever is disposed at one of the upper and lower positions, thereby permitting said pressable button to move from the non-pressed position to the pressed position.

3. The combination lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein said core has a cylindrical wall that is formed with a driving protrusion protruding radially therefrom and having a curved guiding face, said limiting lever being moved from said middle position to said lower position by said driving protrusion when said core is rotated from said first angular position to said second angular position, said curved guiding face of said driving protrusion being in sliding contact with said limiting end of said limiting lever during movement of said core from the first angular position to the second angular position.

4. The combination lock as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cylindrical wall of said core is further formed with a stopping protrusion protruding therefrom and displaced angularly from said driving protrusion for limiting rotation of said core to be within the first and second angular positions.