Tamper indicating padlock

• US 8,353,184 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sinox Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sinox Company Limited
• Inventors: Ling, Renny T., Kuo, Yung-Li
• Primary Examiner(s): BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US11/420,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20060266084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 70 20- 22, 70/31, 70284-285, 70330-332, 704/32, 704/35, 704/37, 704/39, 704/41
• 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 37/025 in padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/00 Locks giving indication of authorised or unauthorised unlocking with key identification means E05B35/001; alarm locks E05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/08 Padlocks with shackles hinged on the case
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/415 Combination and/or key-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7147 Combination or key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7407 Operating indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8027 Condition indicators

Abstract

A travel padlock for securing an article comprises a housing having a shackle, a key lock and a combination lock. An indicator having at least first and second positions is moved from the first position to the second position upon insertion of an object longitudinally into a key hole of the key lock. In at least one embodiment, at least a portion of the indicator extends beyond the exterior of the housing when in the second position. In addition, in at least one embodiment of the present invention the shackle may be rotated to reset the indicator from the second position back to the first position. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment of the present invention the indicator may be reset from the second position back to the first position without rotating the shackle or unlocking the combination lock. Methods of making and using the padlock are also provided.

Claims

1. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:

a housing;

a key lock, wherein at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way;

a combination lock, wherein at least a portion of said combination lock is located within said housing;

a shackle for engaging at least a portion of the article, said shackle at least partially contained within said housing and rotatable upon unlocking at least one of the key lock and the combination lock;

an indicator having at least first and second positions, said indicator projecting at least partially exterior of said housing when in said second position; and

wherein, when the indicator is in the second position and the shackle is locked, the indicator extends along at least a portion of the shackle.

2. The padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indicator moves from said first position to said second position upon insertion of an object longitudinally into said key way.

3. The padlock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the object comprises a key or an elongated member.

4. The padlock as claimed in claim 2, wherein said object does not have to be turned within said key way for said indicator to move from said first position to said second position.

5. The padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indicator moves from said first position to said second position upon insertion of an object longitudinally into said key way without opening either of the combination lock or the key lock.

6. The padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator is resettable from said second position to said first position by unlocking said combination lock and rotating said shackle.

7. The padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator is resettable from said second position to said first position by activating a reset mechanism not requiring rotation of the shackle.

8. The padlock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reset mechanism comprises a reset device accessible through an aperture in said housing.

9. The padlock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the shackle has a leg portion and said reset mechanism is moveable in a direction transverse to the leg portion of said shackle.

10. The padlock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reset mechanism can be activated while said shackle is locked.

11. The padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein an activation mechanism is operatively associated with said indicator, and wherein said indicator is moved from said first position to said second position by contacting said activation mechanism with an object inserted into said key way.

12. The padlock as claimed in claim 11, wherein said activation mechanism is movable in a direction substantially parallel to a leg portion of said shackle.

13. The padlock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator is tactilely discernible in its second position.

14. The padlock as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second position of the indicator is visually discernible.

15. The padlock as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second position of the indicator is discernible by touch.

16. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:

a housing;

a key lock, wherein at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way;

a combination lock, wherein at least a portion of said combination lock is located within said housing;

a shackle for engaging at least a portion of the article, said shackle at least partially contained within said housing and rotatable upon unlocking at least one of the key lock and the combination lock;

an indicator having at least first and second positions, wherein said indicator moves from said first position to said second position upon insertion of an object longitudinally into said key way and without rotation of the object; and

a reset mechanism operably interconnected to said indicator for moving said indicator from said second position back to said first position without moving said shackle and without use of a key.

17. The padlock as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reset mechanism comprises an aperture in said housing and a reset member within said aperture.

18. The padlock as claimed in claim 16, wherein said reset member is moved in a direction transverse to a leg of said shackle to reset said indicator from the second position to the first position.

19. The padlock as claimed in claim 16, wherein the indicator is resettable from said second position to said first position by unlocking said combination lock and rotating said shackle.

20. The padlock as claimed in claim 16, wherein said indicator extends at least partially exterior of said housing when in said second position.

21. The padlock as claimed in claim 16, wherein said indicator is tactilely discernible in said second position.

22. The padlock as claimed in claim 21, wherein said indicator is visually discernible in said second position.

23. The padlock as claimed in claim 21, wherein said indicator is discernible by touch in said second position.

24. A travel padlock for securing an article, the travel padlock comprising:

a means for containing defining a chamber therein;

a means for engaging the article, said means for engaging located partially within said chamber;

first and second means for locking located within at least a portion of said chamber, both said first and second means for locking operative to lock and unlock said means for engaging, at least one of said first and second means for locking comprising a means for receiving; and

a means for signaling operatively associated with said means for receiving, said means for signaling having a first state and a second state and moveable back and forth between said first and second state, said means for signaling projecting at least partially exterior of said means for containing and along at least a portion of the means for engaging when in said second state;

wherein said means for signaling is moveable from said first state to said second state upon insertion of an object into said means for receiving.

25. The travel padlock as claimed in claim 24, wherein said means for signaling is resettable from said second state to said first state by rotating said means for engaging.

26. The travel padlock as claimed in claim 24, wherein said object does not have to be rotated within said means for receiving to move said means for signaling from said first state to said second state.

27. The travel padlock as claimed in claim 24, wherein said means for signaling is resettable from said second state to said first state by activating a means for resetting.

28. The travel padlock as claimed in claim 27, wherein said means for resetting includes an aperture through said means for containing.

29. The travel padlock as claimed in claim 27, wherein said means for resetting can be activated while said means for engaging is locked.

30. A method of making a padlock, comprising:

a. providing a housing;

b. providing a movable shackle in association with said housing;

c. positioning a key lock in said housing;

d. positioning a combination lock in said housing;

said combination lock and key lock independently operable to lock and unlock the shackle; and

e. positioning an indicator in the housing, the indicator movable from a first position to a second position upon an object being longitudinally inserted into the key lock and without rotation of the object.

31. The method claimed in claim 30, further comprising providing a reset mechanism for resetting the indicator from the second position to the first position.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising providing a reset mechanism within said housing wherein said reset mechanism resets said indicator without movement of said shackle.

33. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising providing a reset mechanism within said housing wherein said reset mechanism resets said indicator without insertion of an object into the key lock.

34. In a lock having a combination portion for opening the lock and a key portion having a key way to receive a key to open the lock, a method of determining if the key portion has been tampered with, comprising:

a. locking the lock;

b. causing an indicator to change from a first state to a second state by inserting an object into the key way portion of the key portion of the lock and without other movement of the object in the key way.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein causing an indicator to change from a first state to a second state comprises moving the indicator from a first position to a second position.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the lock comprises a shackle and wherein the resetting does not require one or more of (a) unlocking the shackle, and (b) rotating the shackle.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said lock comprises a shackle and said indicator may be reset from said second state to said first state without moving said shackle.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said indicator may be reset from said second state to said first state without inserting an object in said key way.

39. In a padlock having a combination portion for opening the lock and a key portion having a key way to receive a key to operate the lock, a method of determining if the key portion has been tampered with, comprising:

a. providing a lock housing and a shackle;

b. locking the shackle in a locked position; and

c. signaling that an object has been inserted into the key way of the key lock without rotation of an object in the key lock by extending an indicator exterior of the lock housing along a portion of the shackle.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the signaling comprises moving the indicator from a first position to a second position.

41. The method as claimed in claim 40, further comprising resetting the indicator.

42. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the shackle comprises at least a first leg secured to a lock housing, and wherein resetting is performed by releasing the shackle from its locked position and rotating the shackle about its first leg.

43. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the resetting is performed without opening the combination portion.

44. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the resetting does not require one or more of (a) unlocking the shackle, and (b) rotating the shackle.

45. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the resetting comprises accessing a reset mechanism for the indicator through an aperture in the housing.

46. The method as claimed in claim 45, wherein the resetting comprises advancing the reset mechanism in a direction transverse to a leg of the shackle.

47. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the object comprises an authorized key operable to open the lock.

48. The method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising tactilely discerning said signaling.