Padlocks for holding and securing zipper pulls
First Claim
1. A dual-mode padlock system constructed for locking two cooperating zipper pull tabs to a product upon which a zipper assembly is mounted, said system comprising:
- A. a housing incorporating a key controlled locking assembly and a combination controlled locking assembly, each being mounted in the housing for locking and unlocking operation independently of each other;
B. a first zipper pull tab receiving zone and a second zipper pull tab receiving zone formed in the housing in cooperating relationship with each other and constructed for enabling each zipper pull tab to be independently positioned in one of said receiving zones for locking interengagement therein;
C. a first latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the first zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a first zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said first zipper pull tab;
D. a second latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the second zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a second zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said second zipper pull tab;
E. a control plate mounted in the housing for movement therein in response to the activation of the key controlled locking assembly or the combination controlled locking assembly and constructed for causing the first latching member and the second latching member to become disengaged from the zipper pull tabs associated therewith whenever activated; and
F. said combination controlled locking assembly being further defined as comprising;
a) a plurality of dials mounted to the housing with each of said dials having a plurality of separate indicia bearing zones formed thereon,b) each of the dials also incorporating a receiving slot formed therein, and mounted in substantially side-to-side relationship with each other for rotational movement about cooperating, parallel axesc) a locking plate incorporating a substantially flat plate and cooperatively associated with the plurality of dials and incorporating a plurality of flanges formed thereon and positioned for sliding interengagement into the slots of each of the dials when the dials are in the desired, predetermined position,d) said locking plate being further defined as comprising a blocking member associated therewith and positioned for movement relative to the control plate, thereby blocking the movement of the control plate whenever the locking plate is incapable of movement in the housing and enabling movement of the control plate whenever the locking plate is able to move into engagement in the slots of the dials when the dials are in the desired, predetermined position,e) an activating member formed on a slider plate for movement therewith and positioned for cooperating with the control plate for enabling the control plate to be moved in the housing for causing the first latching member and the second latching member to become disengaged from the zipper pull tabs associated therewith whenever the dials are in the desired, predetermined position, andf) said blocking member being further defined as being mounted between the locking plate and the control plate, movable between a blocking position and a released position, and comprising one selected from the group consisting of a steel ball, a cylindrical rod, a metal roller, and a pin;
whereby a padlock system is achieved which securely affixes the two cooperating zipper pull tabs mounted to the product and enables the zipper pull tabs to be released in response to the activation of either the combination controlled locking assembly or the key controlled locking assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
By providing two separate and independent locking system formed in a single padlock construction which is employed for securely holding and locking zipper pull tabs, an effective, easily produced, padlock is achieved which is responsive to both a combination controlled locking system and a key controlled locking system for independently enabling the zipper pull tabs to be released and/or lockingly engaged in response to the activation of either locking system. In the present invention, an easily assembled, compact, highly efficient dual mode, zipper pull locking system is achieved by employing a pair of spring biased locking latch members which are constructed for being inserted in the apertures formed in each of the conventional zipper pulls/tabs employed on luggage, briefcases, and the like.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A dual-mode padlock system constructed for locking two cooperating zipper pull tabs to a product upon which a zipper assembly is mounted, said system comprising:
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A. a housing incorporating a key controlled locking assembly and a combination controlled locking assembly, each being mounted in the housing for locking and unlocking operation independently of each other; B. a first zipper pull tab receiving zone and a second zipper pull tab receiving zone formed in the housing in cooperating relationship with each other and constructed for enabling each zipper pull tab to be independently positioned in one of said receiving zones for locking interengagement therein; C. a first latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the first zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a first zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said first zipper pull tab; D. a second latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the second zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a second zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said second zipper pull tab; E. a control plate mounted in the housing for movement therein in response to the activation of the key controlled locking assembly or the combination controlled locking assembly and constructed for causing the first latching member and the second latching member to become disengaged from the zipper pull tabs associated therewith whenever activated; and F. said combination controlled locking assembly being further defined as comprising; a) a plurality of dials mounted to the housing with each of said dials having a plurality of separate indicia bearing zones formed thereon, b) each of the dials also incorporating a receiving slot formed therein, and mounted in substantially side-to-side relationship with each other for rotational movement about cooperating, parallel axes c) a locking plate incorporating a substantially flat plate and cooperatively associated with the plurality of dials and incorporating a plurality of flanges formed thereon and positioned for sliding interengagement into the slots of each of the dials when the dials are in the desired, predetermined position, d) said locking plate being further defined as comprising a blocking member associated therewith and positioned for movement relative to the control plate, thereby blocking the movement of the control plate whenever the locking plate is incapable of movement in the housing and enabling movement of the control plate whenever the locking plate is able to move into engagement in the slots of the dials when the dials are in the desired, predetermined position, e) an activating member formed on a slider plate for movement therewith and positioned for cooperating with the control plate for enabling the control plate to be moved in the housing for causing the first latching member and the second latching member to become disengaged from the zipper pull tabs associated therewith whenever the dials are in the desired, predetermined position, and f) said blocking member being further defined as being mounted between the locking plate and the control plate, movable between a blocking position and a released position, and comprising one selected from the group consisting of a steel ball, a cylindrical rod, a metal roller, and a pin; whereby a padlock system is achieved which securely affixes the two cooperating zipper pull tabs mounted to the product and enables the zipper pull tabs to be released in response to the activation of either the combination controlled locking assembly or the key controlled locking assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A dual-mode padlock system constructed for locking two cooperating zipper pull tabs to a product upon which a zipper assembly is mounted, said system comprising:
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A. a housing incorporating a key controlled locking assembly and a combination controlled locking assembly, each being mounted in the housing for locking and unlocking operation independently of each other; B. a first zipper pull tab receiving zone and a second zipper pull tab receiving zone formed in the housing in cooperating relationship with each other and constructed for enabling each zipper pull tab to be independently positioned in one of said receiving zones for locking interengagement therein; C. a first latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the first zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a first zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said first zipper pull tab; D. a second latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the second zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a second zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said second zipper pull tab; and E. a control plate mounted in the housing for movement therein in response to the activation of the key controlled locking assembly or the combination controlled locking assembly and constructed for allowing the first latching member and the second latching member to become disengaged from the zipper pull tabs associated therewith whenever activated, wherein activation of either the key controlled locking assembly or the combination controlled locking assembly causes the control plate to be moved in a first direction relative to the housing, thereby causing the control plate to be moved from its first position to its second position and allowing the first latching member and second latching member to move in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; F. a first blocking plate cooperatively associated with the first zipper pull tab receiving zone for movement therein, and constructed a) for automatic movement from a disengaged position with the first latching member when said first latching member is engaged with the first zipper pull tab, into an engaged position with the first latching member whenever the first zipper pull tab is removed therefrom; and b) also constructed for enabling the first latching member to automatically return into engagement with the first zipper pull tab whenever the first zipper pull tab is inserted into the first zipper pull tab receiving zone for dislodging the first blocking plate, and G. a second blocking plate cooperatively associated with the second zipper pull tab receiving zone for movement therein, and constructed a) for automatic movement from a disengaged position with the second latching member whenever said second latching member is engaged with the second zipper pull tab, into an engaged position with the second latching member whenever the second zipper pull tab is removed therefrom; and b) also constructed for enabling the second latching member to automatically return into engagement with the second zipper pull tab whenever the second zipper pull tab is inserted into the second zipper pull tab receiving zone for dislodging the second blocking plate; whereby the first latching member and the second latching member are maintained in an open position whenever the first zipper pull tab and the second zipper pull tab are disengaged therefrom, and remain in the open position until the first zipper pull tab and the second zipper pull tab are reinserted for locked interengagement therewith. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A dual-mode padlock system constructed for locking two cooperating zipper pull tabs to a product upon which a zipper assembly is mounted, said system comprising:
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A. a housing incorporating a key controlled locking assembly and a combination controlled locking assembly, each being mounted in the housing for locking and unlocking operation independently of each other; B. a first zipper pull tab receiving zone and a second zipper pull tab receiving zone formed in the housing in cooperating relationship with each other and constructed for enabling each zipper pull tab to be independently positioned in one of said receiving zones for locking interengagement therein; C. a first latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the first zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a first zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said first zipper pull tab; D. a second latching member positioned in cooperating relationship with the second zipper pull tab receiving zone and constructed for being movable between locking interengagement with a second zipper pull tab and unlocking release of said second zipper pull tab; and E. a control plate mounted in the housing for movement therein between a first blocking position and a second release position in response to the activation of the key controlled locking assembly or the combination controlled locking assembly and constructed for enabling the first latching member and the second latching member to become disengaged from the zipper pull tabs associated therewith whenever activated, said control plate being further defined as comprising; a) a first post member cooperatively associated with the first latching member and a second post member cooperatively associated with the second latching member, said first post member and said second post member being in juxtaposed, spaced relationship with each other, b) said first post member being positioned for blocking the movement of the first latching member whenever the control plate is in its first blocking position, and the second post member being positioned for blocking the movement of the second latching member whenever the control plate is in its first blocking position, c) said first post member being removed from blocking the first latching member whenever the control plate is in its second release position, and the second post member being removed from blocking the second latching member whenever the control plate is in its second release position, thereby enabling the first latching member to be movable relative to the first zipper pull tab receiving zone and enabling the second latching member to be movable relative to the second zipper pull tab receiving zone, and wherein activation of either the key controlled locking assembly or the combination controlled locking assembly causes the control plate to be moved in a first direction relative to the housing, thereby causing the control plate to be moved from its first position to its second position and allowing the first latching member and second latching member to move in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification