Tamper indicating padlock
First Claim
1. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:
- a housing;
at least one of a key lock and a combination lock, wherein when a key lock is present, at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way;
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A padlock for securing an article, the padlock comprising:
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a housing; at least one of a key lock and a combination lock, wherein when a key lock is present, at least a portion of said key lock is located within said housing and said key lock comprises a key way; 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of making a lock, comprising:
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a. providing a housing; b. providing a movable shackle in association with said housing; c. positioning at least a key lock in said housing;
the key lock operable to lock and unlock the shackle; andd. 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. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A lock for securing an article, the lock comprising:
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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 shackle for engaging at least a portion of the article, said shackle at least partially contained within said housing and rotatable upon unlocking of the key 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. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a lock having at least 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:
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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.
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Specification