Key operated padlock construction with visual indicator

• US 7,467,531 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Sun Lock Company Ltd.
• Original Assignee: The Sun Lock Company Ltd.
• Inventors: Lai, Karl, Lai, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle; Patricia L
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US11/405,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20060260369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 70/35, 70/38.B, 70/38.C, 70/38.R, 70/53, 703/37, 703/39, 703/40, 704/32, 704/35, 704/37, 704/41, 70/21, 70 25- 30, 702/84, 702/85
• US Class Current: 70/38.00C
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 27/0053 for use with more than one key, e.g. master-slave key master key systems in general E05B35/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/0034 actuated by either
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/025 in padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 41/00 Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked indicator lights E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/24 with built- in cylinder locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/446 Rigid shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/463 Long leg engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7446 Multiple keys
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8027 Condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/827 Attention-directing

Abstract

By providing an automatically activated positive indicator or signal which is responsive to only the use of a master key, a padlock construction is achieved which is highly effective for providing notice to the user whenever the padlock has been opened by said master key. In accordance with the present invention, the positive indicator or signal is constructed for being automatically activated whenever the master key is employed, with said indicator or signal being locked in its activated position, and capable of being re-set by only the user.

Claims

1. A padlock incorporating an indicator assembly which provides a positive, readily visible display whenever the padlock has been opened under specific circumstances, said padlock comprising

A. a housing;

B. locking means in the form of a shackle cooperatively associated with the housing and movable between a first housing engaged position and a second housing released position;

C. a key controlled locking section

a) mounted in the housing in controlling interengagement with the locking means for maintaining the locking means in its first housing engaged position and releasing the locking means for providing the second, housing released position, and

b) comprising an arcuately pivotable cylinder assembly mounted in the housing and responsive to the insertion of a first user/owner key and a second master key for enabling the arcuate movement of the cylinder relative to the housing whenever the first key or the second key is inserted therein; and

D. a signal/indicator system

a) mounted in the housing in cooperating relationship with the key control locking section and responsive to the use of the master key for activation thereof,

b) comprising an alert-providing indicator member movable between a first non-alert position and a second alert-providing position whenever the master key is employed for moving the locking means from its first housing engaged position into its second housing released position, thereby providing positive notice to the user that the master key has been employed,

c) a support base on which the alert providing indicator member is supportingly retained with said support base comprising an arcuately curved or grooved lower surface,

d) a control member having an arcuately curved or grooved top surface cooperatively associated with the lower surface of the support base for being normally in nested interengagement therewith prior to activation, and constructed for forcing the support base and associated alert-providing indicator member upwardly whenever the control member is arcuately pivoted due to the camming action of the engaged arcuately curved/grooved surfaces,

e) a locking arm for maintaining the alert indicator member in its raised position until re-set by the user, and

f) a movable arm supporting base mounted in the housing and constructed for being automatically moved with the locking arm when the indicator member is activated and being returned to its original position by the user thereby disengaging the locking arm from the indicator member.

2. The padlock defined in claim 1, wherein both the master key and the user key are constructed for enabling the cylinder to rotate, with the master key being further defined as comprising an overall working length greater than the length of the user key.

3. The padlock defined in claim 2, wherein the cylinder assembly is further defined as comprising a cylinder housing constructed for secure mounted interengagement in the housing of the padlock and a cylinder member

a) pivotally mounted in the cylinder housing for arcuate rotation relative thereto in response to the insertion of a mating user key and/or master key,

b) incorporating a key receiving slot formed therein and extending longitudinally through the cylinder member, and

c) comprising an upstanding boss formed on the distal end of the cylinder member, said boss being positioned for controlling engagement with a release assembly controllably associated with the locking means.

4. The padlock defined in claim 3, wherein the locking means is further defined as comprising a j-shaped shackle incorporating a short leg having a terminating end constructed for cooperative locking and unlocking inter-engagement with a portal formed in the housing and a long leg mounted in the housing for axial movement and pivoting movement therein.

5. The padlock on defined in claim 4, and further comprising a release assembly mounted in the housing in cooperating, controlling engagement with the long leg of the shackle for normally maintaining the short leg of the shackle in locked engagement with the cooperating portal of the housing and being cooperatively associated with the upstanding boss formed on the cylinder member of the cylinder assembly for causing the release assembly to be dislodged from holding engagement with the long leg of the shackle, thereby enabling the short leg of the shackle to be disengaged from lock engagement with the portal of the housing.

6. The padlock defined in claim 5, wherein the release assembly is further defined as comprising a spring biased arm member mounted in the housing and constructed for cooperating interengagement with a notched zone formed along the long leg of the shackle for maintaining the shackle in its locked position, while also being arcuately movable in response to contact therewith by the upstanding boss of the cylinder member for removing the arm member from engagement in the notched zone, thereby enabling the shackle to move into its unlocked, housing disengaged position.

7. The padlock defined in claim 5, wherein the release assembly is further defined as comprising a spring biased, longitudinally movable plate mounted in the housing and constructed for cooperating engagement with a notched zone formed along the long leg of the shackle for maintaining the shackle in its normally locked position, while also being a longitudinally movable in response to contact therewith by the upstanding boss of the cylinder member, for removing the plate from engagement in the notched zone, thereby enabling the shackle to move into its unlocked, housing disengaged position.

8. The padlock defined in claim 7, wherein the movable plate is further defined as comprising an arcuately curved open zone formed therein, positioned in peripherally surrounding relationship with the cylinder member of the cylinder assembly, and incorporating an abutment wall formed therein, said abutment wall being positioned for engagement by the upstanding boss of the cylinder member for causing the movable plate to longitudinally move relative to the housing.

9. The padlock defined in claim 8, wherein said abutment wall is further defined as being spaced away from the initial position of the upstanding boss by an arcuate distance of about 90°

, thereby requiring the upstanding boss to travel through a 90°

arcuate path before contacting the abutment wall.

10. The padlock defined in claim 1, wherein the control member is further defined as comprising spaced panel members formed on the base thereof and positioned in overlying, straddling engagement with the slot of the cylinder member for enabling the distal end of the longer lengthened master key to extend outwardly from the slot of the cylinder member into a position between the spaced panel members for enabling the arcuate movement of the master key with the cylinder member to simultaneously cause the control member to pivot therewith, said pivoting movement causing the arcuately curved or grooved top surface thereof to force the arcuately/grooved lower surface of the support base to move vertically upwardly, causing the alert providing indicator member attached thereto to be moved into its display position.

11. The padlock defined in claim 1, wherein the arm supporting base is positioned in association with the portal in which the short leg of the shackle cooperates for enabling the user to access the arm supporting base and move the arm supporting base for disengaging the locking arm from the indicator member.

12. The padlock defined in claim 11, wherein a re-set element is employed by the user to engage the arm supporting base and cause the arm supporting base to move from its arm locking position into its arm disengaged position.

13. The padlock defined in claim 12, wherein the reset element is further defined as being formed of one selected from the group consisting of a separate key and the user key.

14. The padlock defined in claim 3 and further comprising:

E. a combination controlled locking section mounted in the housing and cooperatively associated with the shackle forming locking means for enabling the shackle to be moved between its first housing engaged position and its second housing released position independently of the key controlled locking section.

15. The padlock defined in claim 14, wherein the shackle is further defined as comprising a J-shape and the combination controlled locking section is further defined as comprising a plurality of rotatable dials mounted to the longer leg of the J-shaped shackle in cooperating association therewith to enable the axial movement of said shackle when each of the dials is placed in a pre-determined position and preventing the axial movement of the shackle whenever all of the dials are not placed in their pre-determined position.

16. The padlock defined in claim 3, wherein the arcuately pivotable cylinder member is further defined as comprising two mating components constructed for nested engagement with each other to form the fully constructed cylinder member.

17. The padlock defined in claim 16, wherein each component of the cylinder member comprises substantially one-half of a longitudinally extending segment of the cylinder member.

18. The padlock defined in claim 17, wherein each component is further defined as being formed by die casting, with all cavities thereof being integrally formed during the casting operation.