Combination and key operated locks with indicators

• US 8,881,558 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastern Company The
• Original Assignee: Eastern Company The
• Inventors: Misner, Michael O., Lu, Jian-Bing, Lai, Xiuxing
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne
• Application Number:
  US13/507,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20120304711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 70/21, 70 25- 30, 70/38.A, 702/84, 702/85, 704/32
• 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: Y10T 70/415 Combination and/or key-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/424 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/459 Both legs engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7141 Combination and key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7147 Combination or key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8027 Condition indicators

Abstract

A lock for luggage, travelcases, briefcases and the like that can be unlocked by setting a combination using a combination mechanism of the lock, and, alternatively, by using a key in a key mechanism of the lock. An indicator of the lock moves to signal when the lock has been unlocked by use of the key mechanism. In some embodiments the indicator can only be reset after the lock has been unlocked using the combination mechanism. In some embodiments the indicator is automatically reset when the lock is unlocked using the combination mechanism. In some embodiments the lock is a padlock that has a shackle defined, at least in part, by a flexible cable.

Claims

1. A lock having both a combination mechanism and a key mechanism with each being usable independently to unlock the lock, with the lock having an indicator that alters an initial appearance of the lock when the lock is unlocked using the key mechanism, with the indicator being resettable to reestablish the initial appearance of the lock only after a procedure has been followed that includes setting a correct combination for unlocking the lock by use of the combination mechanism.

2. The lock of claim 1 wherein the combination mechanism includes a plurality of dials that can be turned to display sequences of indicia, and the correct combination is set by turning the dials to display a particular sequence of indicia.

3. The lock of claim 1 wherein the indicator displays one color when the lock is unlocked by use of the key mechanism, and a different color when the lock is unlocked by use of the combination mechanism.

4. The lock of claim 1 wherein the lock has a housing and a movable component movably connected to the housing, and said procedure includes the steps of setting the correct combination followed by manually moving the movable component in a particular way.

5. The lock of claim 4 wherein the movable component is a shackle that is opened when the lock is unlocked.

6. The lock of claim 1 wherein the lock is a padlock having a shackle defined, at least in part, by a flexible cable.

7. A lock having both a combination mechanism and a key mechanism that are usable alternatively and independently to unlock the lock, wherein the lock has an indicator that moves from a first position to a second position to alter the appearance of the lock when the lock is opened by use of the key mechanism, with the indicator being returnable to the first position only after a correct combination has been set using the combination mechanism, with the lock additionally including a housing and a movable component movably carried by the housing that must be moved manually at a time after a correct combination has been set in order for the indicator to be returnable to the first position.

8. The lock of claim 7 wherein the lock is a padlock, and the movable component is a shackle of the padlock that is opened when the padlock is unlocked.

9. The lock of claim 7 additionally including a housing and a movable component movably carried by the housing that must be moved manually at a time after a correct combination has been set in order to change the correct combination that must be set to unlock the lock.

10. The lock of claim 9 wherein the movable component is a shaft-like formation that must be depressed into the housing to effect said manual movement.

11. The lock of claim 7 wherein the combination mechanism includes a plurality of dials that can be turned to display a sequence of indicia, and the correct combination is defined by a particular sequence of indicia displayed by turning the dials.

12. The lock of claim 7 wherein the indicator is operable to display one color when the lock is opened by use of the key mechanism, and a different color when the lock is opened by use of the combination mechanism.

13. The lock of claim 12 wherein the indicator is visible through an aperture defined by the housing.

14. The lock of claim 7 wherein the housing is mainly defined by two housing halves that cooperate to define a keyhole through which a key is insertable to operate the key mechanism of the lock.

15. The lock of claim 14 wherein the key mechanism is operated by inserting a key through the keyhole and turning the inserted key.

16. The lock of claim 14 wherein the combination mechanism includes a plurality of dials that can be rotated to display a sequence of indicia, wherein the housing halves cooperate to define a plurality of spaced parallel-extending slots, and wherein the dials extend through different ones of the spaced slots.

17. The lock of claim 7 wherein the housing is mainly defined by two housing halves that cooperate to define two spaced openings that receive opposite end regions of a shackle when the lock is locked, with only one of the two openings being operative to receive an end region of the shackle when the lock is unlocked.

18. The padlock of claim 8 wherein the housing has first and second relatively wide, generally rectangular overlying, spaced apart side surfaces, with overlying edge regions of the side surfaces being joined by four relatively narrow surfaces of the housing, with the indicator being protectively enclosed by the housing and being visible only through a small aperture formed through one of the relatively wide, generally rectangular side surfaces of the housing.

19. The padlock of claim 18 wherein the key mechanism includes a keyhole that opens through one of the four relatively narrow surfaces.

20. A padlock having both a combination mechanism and a key mechanism that each is usable independently of the other to unlock the padlock, with the padlock including an indicator 1) that displays a first appearance as soon as the padlock is unlocked by use of the key mechanism, 2) that displays a second appearance different from the first appearance as soon as the padlock is unlocked by use of the combination mechanism, and 3) that is resettable from displaying the second appearance to displaying the first appearance only after a correct combination for unlocking the padlock is set by use of the combination mechanism.

21. The padlock of claim 20 wherein the padlock has a housing and a movable component that is translatable relative to the housing, wherein the combination mechanism includes a plurality of dials that can be turned relative to the housing to display a combination, and wherein a selected one of the indicator and the combination that must be set to unlock the padlock can only be reset by translating the movable component relative to the housing at a time after the dials have been turned to display a correct combination for unlocking the padlock.

22. The padlock of claim 21 having a shackle with two end regions that are received by the housing when the padlock is locked, with one of the two end regions being released from being received by the housing when the padlock is unlocked.

23. The padlock of claim 22 wherein the shackle is defined, at least in part, by a flexible cable.

24. A lock for luggage that can be unlocked by use of a combination mechanism of the lock, and that alternatively can be unlocked by use of a key mechanism of the lock, with the lock also having a movable indicator that signals when the lock is unlocked by use of the key mechanism, with the indicator being resettable only after the lock has been unlocked by use of the combination mechanism.

25. The lock of claim 24 including a housing and a component movably carried by the housing that must be moved relative to the housing a time after a correct combination has been set in order for the indicator to be reset.

26. The lock of claim 25 wherein the lock is a padlock, and the movable component is a shackle of the padlock that must be moved in a particular way relative to the housing in order for the indicator to be reset.

27. A padlock for luggage that can be unlocked by use of a combination operated mechanism of the padlock, and, alternatively, by use of a key operated mechanism of the padlock, with the padlock including an indicator that provides a signal promptly as the result of the padlock being unlocked by use of the key mechanism, with the padlock having a shackle movable to an open position after a correctly configured key is inserted into and turned in a first direction in the key operated mechanism, and, alternatively, after a correct combination is set by turning dials of the combination operated mechanism.

28. The padlock of claim 27 wherein the indicator ceases providing the signal as a result of the padlock being unlocked using the combination operated mechanism.

29. The padlock of claim 27 wherein an inserted key can only be turned back in a direction opposite the first direction and then removed from the padlock only after the shackle of the padlock has been moved to a locked position, whereby a padlock that has had its shackle unlocked by use of a key permits key removal only after the padlock has been relocked.